Written Answers of 26 February 1992

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has to secure the continuing availability of criminal legal aid in the magistrates courts of rural areas in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor is committed to ensuring that criminal legal aid services in the magistrates courts continue to be widely available. In 1990–91 the Legal Aid Board paid 440,000 bills in respect of criminal legal aid in the magistrates courts. In addition to this, just under 230,000 defendants were assisted under the magistrates courts duty solicitor scheme. This commitment extends to all areas of the country and there are no separate provisions for rural areas.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail (Investment)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those investment projects for which British Rail is awaiting his approval; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  On 6 February the British Rail chairman sought authority for investment in 550 fully enclosed car carrying wagons for the import and export of finished cars via the channel tunnel.

  A414, Danbury
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 16 January,Official Report, column 610–11, what is the latest progress on approving speed limits on the A414 through the village of Danbury; and when approval by his Department is expected to be given.

  Mr. Chope
  We are still waiting to hear from Essex county council concerning various legal issues. I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as I am able to report progress.

ENVIRONMENT

  River Wear (Pollution)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the pollution incidents on the River Wear over the last 10 years; and how many prosecutions were made as a result.

  Mr. Baldry
  I understand that information on details of reported pollution incidents, or on numbers of prosecutions, is not held centrally by the National Rivers Authority in respect of individual rivers.

  Global Environmental Facility
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting in Geneva on 14 February to review progress made in implementing the global environmental facility; and what commitment has been made by the United Kingdom in terms of(a) financial resources and (b) expertise to the GEF.

  Mr. Baldry
  The focus of the global environment facility—GEF—participants meeting was to discuss the evolution of the GEF and its relationship with the proposed international conventions on climate change and on biodiversity. The meeting was constructive. The GEF chairman has been given a mandate to approach convention negotiations to explain what links could be developed between the GEF and the conventions and to report to the next GEF meeting in April.

  The United Kingdom has committed £40·3 million to the current three-year pilot phase of the GEF for global environmental activities including related expertise.

  House Purchase Discount Schemes
  Mr. Ienon Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that applicants for houses under transferable discount schemes are limited to purchasing private sector property within the areas in which such schemes are operational.

  Mr. Yeo
  No. Cash incentive schemes are aimed at releasing housing in areas of acute housing pressure. Requiring grant recipients to purchase homes within such areas would add to the housing problems of those areas.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the cost of hiring the Queen Elizabeth conference centre for the city challenge press conference held on 18 February.

  Mr. Portillo
  The cost of hiring the Mountbatten suite in the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre for the press launch of round two of city challenge on 18 February was £3,965·00, inclusive of VAT.

  Federation of Associations of Manchester Estates
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations the Minister for Housing and Planning has received from the Federation of Associations of Manchester Estates; what reply is being sent; what action is being taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the right hon. Member on 27 January about Manchester city council's housing investment programme allocation, which is also the subject of a letter dated 6 February received from the Federation of Associations of Manchester Estates. The Department's regional controller in the north-west replied to FAME on 25 February in similar terms.

  North Yorkshire County Council
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the standard spending assessment in 1991–92 for North Yorkshire county council for social services; and what is the figure in 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  The standard spending assessment for personal social services for North Yorkshire county council in 1991–92 is £49·89 million and for 1991–92 will be £52·837 million.

  Marine Consultation Areas
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue a consultation paper on marine consultation areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I am today issuing a joint consultation paper with the Welsh Office on a new scheme to extend the designation of sites of marine conservation interest in England and Wales beyond the existing statutory marine nature reserves. This new designation is "marine consultation area" and I am publishing a first list of 16 proposed sites together with draft Government guidelines, addressed to regulatory agencies, on the procedures to be adopted in relation to them. Comments are being invited from these regulatory agencies and from others with interests in the localities concerned, the conservation of marine fauna and flora, and the operations likely to be affected. These are to be with the Departments concerned by Wednesday 22 April 1992.

  The scheme acknowledges the important role that statutory marine nature reserves have played, and will continue to play, in promoting marine nature conservation, while recognising that there is a legitimate conservation interest that extends beyond statutory reserves. The sea itself cannot be fenced off and effective protection of areas marine conservation interest requires voluntary co-operation from a wide range of sea users.

  The scheme proposed builds on one already in place in Scotland but goes further by way of a Government circular which gives clear guidelines to promote consultation between all the bodies concerned. A draft of this circular forms the basis of the consultation document.

  All bodies taking decisions that might affect the conservation interest of the listed sites are asked to consult English Nature, or the Countryside Council for Wales as appropriate, at the earliest feasible stage. Any advice offered by the conservation agencies as a result of this consultation is to be given due weight by decision-makers and the conservation agencies are to be told of decisions taken in the light of their advice.

  The scheme is intended to run on an entirely voluntary basis with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee monitoring results in order to determine its effectiveness. Annual reports, which will be made available to the public on request, will be submitted to the Government Departments concerned.

  The 16 sites have been selected on the basis of advice from English Nature and the Countryside Council for Wales and include existing and proposed statutory marine nature reserves. A full list indicating area and position is set out as an annex to the circular. Copies of the consultation paper have today been placed in the Library.

  In addition, detailed descriptions of 16 sites, together with maps, are to be published separately in a
  488
  free-standing document entitled "Marine Consultation Areas—A Description". Copies of the latest draft are available from my Department.

  The issue of the consultation paper fulfils the commitment in the White Paper anniversary report "This Common Inheritance—The First Year Report", Cm 1655 —paragraph 5·28, that the Government would publish, on a consultative basis, by early 1992, a first list of proposed marine consultation areas in England and Wales, and draft Government guidelines addressed to regulatory agencies.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the timetable and implementation date of the housing action trusts in Liverpool.

  Sir George Young
  Liverpool city council and tenants of its 71 high-rise blocks have recently pressed us to reach an early decision on whether to proceed to ballot tenants on the proposal for a housing action trust.

  Following careful consideration of the feasibility study prepared by the council, my right hon. Friend has decided that a ballot should be undertaken as soon as practicable and convenient for tenants. I would be content for this to begin on 25 March.

  Liverpool city council's 71 tower blocks currently suffer a range of severe physical, security and managerial problems. Nevertheless, with appropriate investment and management, I believe they can provide an important resource for meeting housing needs and for the foreseeable future. I am fully satisfied that the housing action trust proposal represents the best means of protecting this resource, and improving the housing, environmental and social conditions of tenants.

  Emissions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are in hand to take into consideration the combined, cumulative effects of emissions from projects in the south-east Thames corridor including the Deptford incinerator, the Bexley incinerator and the Greenwich power station when approval for each specific project is being sought separately.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]: All current applications for power stations and incinerators in the east Thamesside London boroughs are supported by environmental assessment statements. We are satisfied that existing arrangements for considering such applications can provide for appropriate account to be taken of the environmental effects of other developments in the vicinity of the one that is under consideration.

  Mobile Homes
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete the current review of legislation affecting mobile home owners.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]: I shall be announcing proposals in the very near future.

HEALTH

  Charitable Appeals
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by region the location of computer-assisted tomography scanners and magnetic resonance machines that were funded by charitable appeals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The source of funding is not always known centrally. The available information on cases when all or part of the purchase is said to have come from appeals or donations is as follows:

  1. Magnetic resonance machines

  REGION AND LOCATION

  North-West Thames

  Royal Postgraduate Medical School

  National Heart and Chest Hospital

  Mount Vernon Hospital

  Royal Marsden Hospital

  St. Mary's Hospital

  North-East Thames

  National Hospital for Nervous Diseases

  The Hospitals for Sick Children

  Royal Free Hospital

  Middlesex Hospital

  South Western

  Frenchay Hospital

  East Anglia

  Addenbrooke's Hospital

  Oxford

  Stoke Mandeville Hospital

  John Radcliffe Hospital

  Royal Berkshire Hospital

  South West Thames

  Royal Surrey County Hospital

  Trent

  Royal Hallamshire Hospital

  2. Computer-assisted Tomography Scanners

  REGION AND LOCATION

  Northern

  Cumberland Infirmary

  Newcastle General

  Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle

  South Cleveland Hospital, Middlesbrough

  Bishop Auckland General Hospital

  Sunderland District General Hospital

  Yorkshire

  Bradford Royal Infirmary

  Royal Halifax Infirmary

  Staincliffe Hospital,

  Dewsbury Harrogate District Hospital

  The Royal Infirmary, Huddersfield

  York District Hospital

  Trent

  Kings Mill Hospital, Mansfield

  Leicester Royal Infirmary

  Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital

  Lincoln County Hospital

  Nottingham City

  Royal Hallamshire Hospital

  Pilgrim Hospital, Boston

  Derby Royal Infirmary

  East Anglia

  James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth

  Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon

  Peterborough Hospitals

  Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn

  490

  West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St. Edmunds

  North West Thames

  Mount Vernon

  St. Mary's Hospital, London

  Westminster Hospital

  Watford District General Hospital, Hertfordshire

  The Royal Marsden Hospital, Riverside

  North East Thames

  Essex County Hospital

  Princess Alexandra Hospital

  The National Hospitals, Queens Square

  Great Ormond Street Hospital, Bloomsbury

  South East Thames

  Royal Sussex, Brighton

  Farnborough Hospital

  Guy's Hospital

  The Maudsley Hospital (Lewisham District)

  South West Thames

  Worthing Hospital

  The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton

  Wessex

  Basingstoke District Hospital

  Bournemouth General Hospital

  Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham

  Oxford

  Kettering General Hospital

  Northampton General Hospital

  Royal Berkshire Hospital

  South Western

  Bristol Radiology and Oncology Centre

  Cheltenham General Hospital

  Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro

  Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

  Yeovil District Hospital

  Southmead Hospital, Bristol

  West Midlands

  The Corbett Hospital, Stourbridge

  Good Hope Hospital

  North Staffordshire R. I., Stoke-On-Trent

  Midland Centre for Neuro, Smethwick

  Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shrewsbury

  Children's Hospital

  Burton District Hospital Centre

  Worcester R. I., Ronkswood Branch

  Mersey

  Whiston Hospital

  Clatterbridge Hospital

  North Western

  Blackburn R. I.

  Victoria Hospital, Blackpool

  Bury General Hospital

  Royal Lancaster Infirmary

  Booth Hall Child Hospital, Blackley

  Christie Hospital

  Tameside General Hospital

  Health Service Pay
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the national health service, and at which grades, he expects to earn more than £20,280 per annum following the recent pay review body report.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 5 February at column 207. Following the recent pay review body awards, it is now estimated that on 1 April 1992 at least 83,000 people working in the NHS in England, and in the same categories listed in the earlier reply, will have basic earnings greater than £20,280 per annum. An additional and substantial number in most of those categories will have gross earnings in excess of £20,280, because they receive additional payments such as

  Prescription charge £

  Date of increase

  Cost at1979–80 prices £

  Index1979–80 prices

  0·20

  Current at 1 January 1979

  0·20

  100

  0·45

  16 July 1979

  0·45

  225

  0·70

  1 April 1980

  0·59

  295

  1·00

  1 December 1980

  0·85

  425

  1·30

  1 April 1982

  0·94

  470

  1·40

  1 April 1983

  0·96

  480

  1·60

  1 April 1984

  1·05

  525

  2·00

  1 April 1985

  1·25

  625

  2·20

  1 April 1986

  1·32

  660

  2·40

  1 April 1987

  1·37

  685

  2·60

  1 April 1988

  1·38

  690

  2·80

  1 April 1989

  1·40

  700

  3·05

  1 April 1990

  1·40

  700

  3·40

  1 April 1991

  1·46

  730

  GP Lists
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the present procedures whereby medical doctors can remove patients from their panel list without being required to give any reason; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since the foundation of the NHS, a GP has had a right (subject to certain safeguards as regards necessary treatment) to remove a patient from his or her list without giving a reason. With effect from April 1990 patients have had the same right to withdraw from a doctor's list without giving a reason. The Family Health Service Authority will help any patient who has problems in finding another doctor, and, if necessary, will allocate the patient to a doctor's list.

  Insulin
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 27 November,Official Report, column 544, to the hon. Member for Ashford, (Mr. Speed), when he hopes to provide needles for insulin-injecting pens on prescription for diabetics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I cannot add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford on 27 November 1991 at column 544.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received(a) in
  492
  overtime and allowances. The review body award for senior nurses and midwives, and pay settlements due on 1 April will further increase the numbers earning more than £20,280.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of prescription charges for each year since 1979 in cash terms, real terms and as an index with 1979 as the base.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The requested information is in the table. Only one in six prescription items dispensed in the NHS now attracts a charge, compared with one in three in 1979. Last year over 100 million more exempt items were dispensed than in 1979.

  favour of and (b) against issuing needles for insulin-injecting pens on prescription to diabetics during the current session; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received a number of representations in favour of issuing needles for insulin-injecting pens on prescription during the current session. We aim to make both pens and needles available on prescription as soon as resources allow.

  Legionnaire's Disease
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of cases of Legionnaire's disease at each provider unit and trust since April 1991.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1991 three cases of Legionnaire's disease were reported in residents of England and Wales in patients who were believed to have acquired their infection in hospital. The three cases were reported from the Freeman group of hospitals NHS trust site at Freeman Road hospital, Newcastle, and the illness in the cases began in June, July and October respectively. There were 10 other cases reported in England and Wales which may have been contracted in hospital, but there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the source was in hospital or in the community.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the communicable disease surveillance centre is preparing a report on the recent outbreak of Legionnaire's disease at the Freeman hospital trust, Newcastle.
  493
  Mr. Dorrell
  The public health laboratory service (PHLS) communicable disease surveillance centre was not involved in the investigation of this incident and will therefore not be preparing a report.

  Pharmacy
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for the introduction of a statutory requirement for pharmacists to inform customers when a medication is cheaper by normal retail sale than by prescription; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Only a small number of items prescribed by GPs can be bought without a prescription. Where these are available at a price less than the prescription charge, the pharmacist is, of course, free to point this out. There are no plans to make this a statutory requirement.

  General Practitioner Charges
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for the introduction of charges for visits to and by general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no such plans.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of prescriptions given to adults of less than pensionable age result in the payment of the prescription charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  An estimated 40 per cent. of prescription items dispensed to adults below the state retirement pension age attract a charge. Extensive exemption and charge remission arrangements, coupled with the prescription prepayment certificate scheme, protect those people who may otherwise have difficulty in paying prescription charges. In 1990–91 a charge was paid on only one item in six dispensed in the NHS and 100 million more items were dispensed free than in 1979, when one item in three attracted a charge.

  Table 1

  Number of residential care places primarily for the elderly, by sector, and housing association stock for the elderly in the North Yorkshire local authority 1987–91

  Numbers

  Housing Association

  As at 31 March

  Local authority homes

  Voluntary homes

  Private homes

  Housing units1

  Hostel bedspaces2

  1987

  2,004

  603

  2,893

  1,330

  280

  1988

  1,984

  562

  3,202

  1,370

  360

  1989

  1,952

  626

  3,314

  1,580

  320

  1990

  1,876

  582

  3,350

  1,580

  350

  1991

  1,823

  648

  3,413

  2,120

  380

  1 Housing units—Total number of units in schemes designed for the elderly. The units are self contained dwelling units and units in shared housing with no warden support. In the latter case, one unit is a group of rooms sharing facilities.

  2 Hostel bedspaces—Bedspaces in hostels catering exclusively for the elderly. A hostel is a building containing single or shared rooms which are not self contained and which has warden support. Nursing homes are excluded.

  Community Care Reforms
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to help local authorities make the investment in information technology necessary to support its community care reforms.

  Non-alcoholic Drinks
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had on the promotion of non-alcoholic drinks.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have had a number of informal meetings with the Portman Group and with some of its sponsor companies about how the sensible use of alcohol might be encouraged, in the course of which the promotion of non-alcoholic drinks has been discussed. At recent conferences "Women and Alcohol" in December 1991 and the "Education on Alcohol" conference this month, not only were non-alcoholic drinks advertised but they were the only drinks available.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received on the closure of residential care homes run by North Yorkshire county council in(a) Whitby and (b) Harrogate;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning residential places for the elderly in the North Yorkshire county council area.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No such representations have been received. It is for each local authority to determine the best way in which to meet the need for social services in their area, including residential care.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many places in residential care establishments in North Yorkshire were available in each of the last five years(a) under the management of North Yorkshire county council, (b) in the voluntary sector, (c) under the management of housing associations and (d) with other owners.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information in respect of elderly people is given in the table.

  Overall residential care provision for elderly people in North Yorkshire increased from 5,500 in 1987 to 5,884 in 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are committed to turning our community care policy into practice. We are making £10·175 million available through supplementary credit approval for capital spending in 1992–93 on information technology to support the implementation of "Caring For People". This allocation is more than double that for
  495
  1991–92. Local authorities will be free to use their allocation on systems to support any of the various aspects of "Caring For People". These may include systems to support care management and assessment, systems to enable complaints and inspection procedures, project planning and management systems and software to link existing databases with new financial management systems.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Departmental Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total number of employees in his Department; and how many are(a) black, and (b) disabled.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The total number of staff in post in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office including the Overseas Development Administration at 1 April 1991 was 8,277. In voluntary surveys 181 had declared themselves to be of ethnic minority origin. At 1 June 1991 the FCO employed 49 registered disabled staff.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the number of(a) men and (b) women in his Department in each of grades (i) 1, (ii) 2, (iii) 3, (iv) 4, (v) 5, (vi) 6, (vii) 7, (viii) SEO, (ix) HEO, (x) administrative trainee, (xi) EO, (xii), CO and (xiii) CA.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The latest available figures for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including the Overseas Development Administration, are as follows:

  Grade (and Equivalents)

  Male

  Female

  1

  8

  —

  2

  31

  —

  3

  121

  6

  4

  1

  —

  5

  329

  14

  6

  99

  12

  7

  647

  93

  SEO

  464

  71·5

  HEO

  919

  259

  AT

  218

  20

  EO

  939·5

  764·5

  AO

  1,210

  1,463·5

  AA

  235

  329·5

  Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the new institutions of the CSCE; and if he will list their forthcoming meetings.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  At the meeting of the CSCE Council of Ministers in Prague on 30 and 31 January the CSCE's office for free elections was given broader functions and renamed as the office for democratic institutions and human rights.

  The council also agreed on new functions for the conflict prevention centre; and that the committee of senior officials will henceforth meet more frequently and from time to time as an economic forum.

  These changes which, together with a new programme of CSCE meetings, will be further discussed at the CSCE
  496
  follow-up meeting in Helsinki from 24 March to 10 July 1992, are intended to continue the adaptation of the CSCE to enable it more effectively to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law, to engage in crisis management and conflict resolution and to encourage the transition to market economies.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards Cambodia; and what measures he has taken and proposes to take to promote peace in that country.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We support the agreements on a comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict signed in Paris last October. The United Kingdom played an active part in the negotiations leading up to these agreements. We will continue to work both through the United Nations and bilaterally to ensure that the agreements are implemented fully.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Customs
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans there are to establish a dedicated computerised intelligence network across Europe for the Customs service.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  A new customs information system—CIS—is being developed for use across the European Community. It is planned to use the existing system customs enforcement network—SCENT—as a carrier for the CIS, which is being developed in phases.

  The first phase will be in place later this year, and will provide encrypted computer messaging facilities at all main ports and airports in the European Community. A central database will be added to this system in the second phase, providing specific intelligence about potential customs offences, and information on recent smuggling trends. In the light of experience from the first two phases, consideration will be given to enhancing the system to incorporate CIS facilities into national computer systems, with the possibility of eventually establishing a fully integrated system.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the start-up costs of the secure customs enforcement network; and what are its annual running costs since it became operational.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Over the first three years of the system, commencing in 1986, EC Commission spending to launch the system totalled approximately 300,000 ecu. More recent figures from the Commission are not readily obtainable except at disproportionate cost.

  The United Kingdom's Intervention Board executive agency recently installed a terminal at a total cost of £900·71, including first quarter running costs of £55·83.

  Running costs for the Customs and Excise terminal have totaled £4,987·67 from the time of installation in late 1987 to 8 December 1991.

  More recent or detailed figures are not available except at disproportionate cost.
  497
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the purpose of the secure customs enforcement network; when it was established; and which authorities have access to the system.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  SCENT was developed in response to increasing needs for exchange of information between customs operational investigation services in the European Community. It has an electronic encrypted mailing system, the facility to send messages to telex machines and it provides access to databases of reference information such as Lloyds Seadata. Initiated by the Commission towards the end of 1986, SCENT became operational from 1987 onwards.

  Access to the system is strictly controlled, and limited to authorised users. Most terminals are used by customs services. Others are allocated to the Commission's directorate general XXI for work on customs questions or movements of drugs precursor chemicals and directorate general VI for common agricultural policy work. The United Kingdom Intervention Board executive agency and its equivalent bodies in other member states have access to the system. The other two users are the International Narcotics Control Board and the United Nations, which has one terminal.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many terminals are connected to the secure Customs enforcement network; and what plans there are to expand access to the system.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are currently 29 terminals in use, two of which are in the United Kingdom. It is planned to increase the total number of terminals to about 200, most of which should be installed by the end of 1992. Of these, 25 should be sited in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many passengers who are United Kingdom citizens returning from Brussels on the 18 February at Heathrow on flight BA 0397 were questioned by Customs and Excise; and what was the result of the questioning.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]: I regret that the information requested is not available. Customs at Heathrow deal with large numbers of passengers and passengers from different sources pass through customs controls simultaneously. No record is kept of individual passenger challenges except where seizures or search of person result.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the rates of VAT charged in each other EC country for(a) food in shops, (b) food in restaurants, (c) books, (d) magazines, (e) newspapers, (f) household fuel, (g) rents, (h) house purchase, (i) children's clothing (j) community centres and (k) transport fares.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Rates of VAT charged in each other EC country for food in shops, food in restaurants, books, magazines, newspapers, household fuel, rents, house purchase, children's clothing, community centres and transport fares according to the latest information available, are set out in the tables.
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  (a) VAT on food in shops in the EC1

  Country

  Rate percentage

  Belgium

  6·0

  Denmark

  25·0

  France

  5·52

  Germany

  7·0

  Greece

  8·0

  Ireland

  0·03

  Italy

  4·04, 9, 12

  Luxembourg

  3·0,5, 6

  Netherlands

  6·0

  Portugal

  0·06, 8, (6)

  Spain

  6·0

  1 Excluding luxury foods·

  2 With certain exceptions, eg sweets, ice-cream, margarine which are standard-rated at 18·6 per cent.

  3 Alcohol and soft drinks other than fruit juices are liable at 21 per cent· in all circumstances, as is all food and drink supplies through a vending machine.

  4 The lower rate applies to essential foodstuffs such as bread and pasta.12 per cent. applies to lobsters and oysters, lobster and oyster preserve, puffed cereal, extracts and meat juices, sauces, condiments, soups and broths.

  5 The lower rate applies to meat, meat products, bread and butter.

  6 The rate shown in brackets applies to the autonomous regions of the Madeira and Azores archipelagoes· The zero rate applies to unprepared foodstuffs.

  (b) VAT on food in restaurants in the EC

  Country

  Rate per cent.

  Belgium

  17·0

  Denmark

  25·0

  France

  18·6

  Germany

  14·0

  Greece

  18·0

  Ireland

  12·5

  Italy

  19·0

  Luxembourg

  6–0

  Netherlands

  18·5

  Portugal

  28·0, (6)

  Spain

  36·0,13

  Notes:

  1 Excluding the supply of food in luxury premises including luxury hotels.

  2 Lower rates apply in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira archipelagoes.

  3 The higher rate applies to services supplied in luxury hotels.

  (c) VAT on hooks in the EC

  Country

  Rate per cent.

  Belgium

  6·0

  Denmark

  25·0

  France

  5·5

  Germany

  7·0

  Greece

  4·0

  Ireland

  0·0

  Italy

  4·0

  Luxembourg

  6·0

  Netherlands

  6·0

  Portugal

  0·0

  Spain

  6·0

  (d) VAT on magazines in the EC

  Country

  Rate per cent

  Belgium

  6·0

  Denmark

  25·0

  France

  2·1

  Germany

  7·0

  Greece

  4·0

  Ireland

  10·0

  Italy

  4·0

  499

  Country

  Rate per cent

  Luxembourg

  6·0

  Netherlands

  6·0

  Portugal

  0·0

  Spain

  6·0

  (e) VAT on newspapers in the EC

  Country

  Rate per cent.

  Belgium

  6·0

  Denmark

  0·0

  France

  2·1

  (f) VAT on household fuel in the European Community Rates per cent.

  Country

  Oil

  Gas

  Electricity

  Coal

  Peat

  Wood

  Belgium

  17·0

  17·0

  17·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  Denmark

  25·0

  25·0

  25·0

  25·0

  25·0

  25·0

  France

  18·6

  5·5

  5·5

  18·6

  18·6

  18·6

  Germany

  14·0

  14·0

  14·0

  14·0

  14·0

  7·0

  Greece

  1

  1

  1

  8·0

  8·0

  8·0

  Ireland

  12·5

  12·5

  12·5

  12·5

  12·5

  12·5

  Italy

  9·0

  9·0

  9·0

  9·0

  9·0

  9·0

  Luxembourg

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  6·0

  Netherlands

  18·5

  18·5

  18·5

  18·5

  18·5

  18·5

  Portugal2

  (6·0)8·0

  (6·0)8·0

  (6·0)8·0

  (6·0)8·0

  (6·0)8·0

  (6·0)8·0

  Spain

  13·0

  13·0

  13·0

  13·0

  13·0

  13·0

  1 Greece has set its VAT at 4, 8, 18 and 36 per cent., but full details about the applicability of the rates are not yet available.

  2 The lower rate applies to the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira Archipelagoes.

  (g) VAT on rents in the EC
  The letting of immovable property is exempt from VAT in every member state, although some member states operate an option to tax in certain circumstances.

  (h)VA T on house purchase in the EC

  Country

  Rates on new buildings (per cent.)

  Rate on second hand buildings (per cent.)

  Belgium

  17·0

  Exempt

  Denmark

  25·0

  Exempt

  France

  18·6

  Exempt

  Germany

  Exempt

  Exempt

  Greece

  1Taxable

  Exempt

  Ireland

  10·0

  2Exempt

  Italy

  34·0, 19

  4, 19

  Luxembourg

  Exempt

  Exempt

  Netherlands

  18·5

  Exempt

  Portugal

  Exempt

  Exempt

  Spain

  4130

  Exempt

  1 Greece has set its VAT rates at 4,8,18 and 36 per cent., but full details about the applicability of the not yet available

  2 Or 10 per cent, if developed since 31 October 1972 and input tax credit was claimed

  4 Certain "low-priced" housing 4 per cent.; others 19 per cent.

  4 Or 6 per cent, if the first supply by a constructor of a residential dwelling.

  (i) VAT on children's clothing in the EC

  Country

  Rate per cent.

  Belgium

  19·0

  Denmark

  25·0

  France

  18·6

  Germany

  14·0

  Greece

  18·0

  Ireland

  212·5

  Italy

  19·0

  Luxembourg

  15·0

  Netherlands

  18·5

  Portugal

  117·0 (12)

  Spain

  13·0

  Notes:

  500

  Country

  Rate per cent·

  Germany

  7·0

  Greece

  4·0

  Ireland

  10·0

  Italy

  4·0

  Luxembourg

  6·0

  Netherlands

  6·0

  Portugal

  0·0

  Spain

  6·0

  1 The lower rate applies in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira archipelagoes.

  1 To be increased to 16 per cent. on 1 March 1992.

  (j) VA T on community centres in the EC
  Leasing of such buildings is exempt in all member states. For purchase (including construction), in other member states, the rates in the table "VAT on house purchase in the EC" apply.

  (k) VAT on public transport (including bus fares) in the EC

  Country

  Rate (per cent.)

  Belgium

  6·0

  Denmark

  Exempt

  France

  5·5

  Germany

  17·0

  Greece

  8·0

  Ireland

  Exempt

  Italy

  1Exempt

  Luxembourg

  6·0

  Netherlands

  6·0

  Portugal

  8·0

  Spain

  6·0

  1 For journeys within towns or of less than 50 kilometres; otherwise Germany 14 per cent., Italy 9 per cent.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, in the latest year for which information is available, is the proportion of consumer spending subject to the standard rate of VAT, exempt from VAT and subject to a zero rate of VAT.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In 1990, the latest year for which estimates are available, some 57 per cent. of consumers' expenditure was standard rated, a further 22 per cent. was exempt and 12 per cent. was zero rated.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates of(a) original, (b) gross, (c) disposable and (d) post-tax income, by decile, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  The information, derived from the 1989 family expenditure survey, is given in the table:

  Average annual household income1

  Decile group2

  Original income

  Gross income

  Disposable income

  Post-tax Income

  Bottom

  1,000

  4,100

  3,400

  2,200

  2nd

  1,600

  5,200

  4,500

  3,400

  3rd

  2,800

  6,200

  5,300

  4,100

  4th

  6,700

  9,400

  7,800

  5,900

  5th

  10,100

  12,100

  9,800

  7,500

  6th

  13,000

  14,600

  11,700

  9,100

  7th

  16,200

  17,500

  13,800

  11,000

  8th

  19,600

  20,500

  16,100

  12,900

  9th

  23,700

  24,400

  19,100

  15,400

  Top

  36,400

  37,000

  28,900

  24,800

  All households

  13,100

  15,100

  12,000

  9,600

  1 Rounded to the nearest £100.

  2 The 7,410 households were ranked by equivalised disposable income.

  Source: Economic Trends January 1992.

  Motor Taxation
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue from motor taxation in 1991–92; and what is his estimated revenue for 1992–93 divided into its constituent parts, for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) on 4 February 1992, at column 100. Revised estimates for 1991–92, and figures for 1992–93 will be given in the Financial Statement and Budget Report.

  Alcoholic Beverages
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive the European Commission study on the possible distortion of competition between different alcoholic beverages as a result of the proposed European excise structure.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: I have not been advised of a date for publication of the Commission study.

  Income Tax
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the objective of the married couples allowance; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the married couples allowance for couples where both partners have the same level of gross income.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]: The married couple's allowance is intended to recognise the special responsibilities associated with marriage, which can encompass a variety of dependent relationships. The effect of the allowance is the same whatever the relative level of income of the partners, provided they earn enough to make use of their allowances.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review the application form for disability living allowance with a view to making it shorter and less complicated.

  Mr. Hanley
  The form has been carefully designed to be both clear to the applicant and to allow applicants to explain fully the limitations on their abilities. It will, however, be kept under review to enable improvements to be identified and made as and when necessary.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what consultation took place with general medical practitioners or welfare advice groups during the preparation of the application forms for the disability living allowance;

  (2) what evaluations or tests of the application forms for disability living allowance were made prior to their publication.

  Mr. Hanley
  Extensive consultation was carried out in Great Britain and Northern Ireland before the final version of the disability living allowance application form was determined. This included consultation with the British Medical Association and various disability and welfare groups and the testing of draft forms with disabled people. The resulting form has been specifically designed for completion by disabled people, with clear layout and large print.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the Social Security Agency to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment legislation and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland are responsible for the selection of all permanent non-industrial staff appointed to the Northern Ireland civil service, including the Social Security Agency. The selection procedures adopted take account of equal opportunity legislation. The Department of Health and Social Services, within which the agency operates, has in place a departmental equal opportunities officer to ensure that the equal opportunities policies of the NICS are put into effect.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the area health and social services boards to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

  Mr. Hanley
  An equal opportunities unit has been established in each health and social services board since 1988. The primary responsibility of these units is to ensure that equality of opportunity policy of their board is applied to all staff regardless of religious affiliation, gender or disability. These units are also responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the fair employment legislation are applied to all staff.
  503
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the area health and social services boards are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1988.

  Mr. Hanley
  Each of the health and social services boards organises courses and seminars for staff involved in selection and appointments to ensure its policy of equality of opportunity is applied regardless of religious affiliation, gender or disability and to explain how the provisions of the fair employment legislation apply to staff in post and to applicants and appointees.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to publish the religious breakdown of companies, organisations and businesses in accordance with requirements of the fair employment legislation.

  Mr. Needham
  The Fair Employment Commission has made public its intention to publish information on the composition of individual private sector concerns with more than 25 employees and specified public authorities. The date and manner of publication have not yet been decided.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Fair Employment Commission will publish its report into employment practices in the colleges of further education located within the Belfast education and library board.

  Mr. Needham
  The Fair Employment Commission has forwarded a draft report of its investigation into teaching staff in further education colleges in Belfast to the Belfast education and library board. The board's formal response is awaited by the commission.

  The commission plans to publish the report when this response has been received and considered.

  Industrial Development Board
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of the companies assisted by the Industrial Development Board which located factories in each of the district council areas in Northern Ireland from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991.

  Mr. Needham
  Four new inward investment projects were secured in this period. Three of them, Vision Information Consulting Ltd., Audio Processing Technology Ltd. and the Royal Mail returned letters centre, will be located in Belfast city council area. The fourth, involving HM Customs and Excise, will be located in Derry city and Fermanagh district council areas. The Royal Mail and HM Customs and Excise projects were secured without selective financial assistance.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs were created by the Industrial Development Board in each district council area in Northern Ireland from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991.

  Mr. Needham
  Information in terms of jobs created is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The number of new jobs promoted in the period, by district council area, is shown in the table.
  504

  Jobs promoted by IDB in Northern Ireland in each local government area from 1 April to 31 December 1991

  Number of jobs

  Antrim

  —

  Ards

  103

  Armagh

  —

  Ballymena

  50

  Ballymoney

  57

  Banbridge

  29

  Belfast

  412

  Carrickfergus

  —

  Castlereagh

  84

  Coleraine

  50

  Cookstown

  —

  Craigavon

  616

  Derry

  48

  Down

  —

  Dungannon

  11

  Fermanagh

  12

  Lame

  25

  Limavady

  —

  Lisburn

  125

  Magherafelt

  —

  Moyle

  —

  Newry & Mourne

  —

  Newtownabbey

  —

  North Down

  54

  Omagh

  —

  Strabane

  —

  Total

  1,676

  DOE Liaison Office, Killyleagh
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will issue a statement in relation to the siting of a Department of the Environment liaison office at Killyleagh, County Down.

  Mr. Needham
  Following a detailed process of consultation the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland recently issued a statement on the management structure for Strangford Lough. This statement made it clear that the location of the liaison office would be a matter for the Strangford Lough management committee which is now being set up.

  Income Support
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claimants in receipt of income support were having deductions made for(a) social fund loans, (b) fuel costs, (c) in respect of assumed rent and rate contributions from other members of the household and (d) other deductions on 1 January at each social security agency in Northern Ireland; and what were the figures on 1 January 1991 and 1 January 1989.

  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.

  Strangford Lough
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will issue the draft order in respect of the management of Strangford Lough.

  Mr. Needham
  The proposals relating to the establishment of a management structure for Strangford
  505
  Lough included in the Departments' recently produced statement do not require the making of an order to bring them into effect.

  Social Security (Deductions)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claimants were having(a) one deduction made, (b) two deductions made and (c) three deductions or more made on 1 January at each social security office in Northern Ireland; and what were the figures on 1 January 1991 and 1 January 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  Social Security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency. However, I understand that the information is not held centrally and therefore cannot be supplied on grounds of disproportionate cost.

  Under-fives
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce an under-fives initiative in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The report of an interdepartmental review of policy and services for the under-fives is expected later this year. As part of its work, the group conducting the review has commissioned research aimed at quantifying the demand for provision for the under-fives and at improving the information available on the needs and preferences of parents and children. Work is also well advanced on the preparation of a draft children (NI) order. This, among other things, will provide a clearer legislative framework for the development of services for the under-fives and will strengthen procedures for the regulation of day care services, bringing them broadly into line with those introduced in the Children Act 1989.

  Messrs Hartstones Ltd
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been made available by the Industrial Development Board in each of the past three years to Messrs Hartstones Ltd. for its Berkshire plant in Newtownards; if the grant-aided plant and machinery is still on site; and if he will make a statement on the redundancies recently announced at this factory.

  Mr. Needham
  In August 1989 the IDB made an offer of assistance of £1,045,200 to Berkshire Hosiery (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of the Hartstone Group plc. The assistance was provided to support a major re-equipment project aimed at securing existing employment and the future development of the company.

  Since that time some £809,078 of grant has been paid to Berkshire Hosiery (UK) Ltd.—£205,039 in 1989–90, £550,379 in 1990–91 and £53,660 in 1991–92. No grant was paid directly to the Hartstone Group plc.

  At present all of the grant-aided plant and machinery remains on site.

  I regret the loss of jobs in the hosiery operation which have arisen from overcapacity in the group. The company has indicated to the Industrial Development Board that its activities at Newtownards will be concentrated on its successful sock business.

  HSS Trusts
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many expressions of interest in becoming HSS trusts he has received; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Eleven expressions of interest have been received and I have decided to invite all the sponsors to make formal applications to become HSS trusts in April 1993. The services involved are:

  Belfast City Hospital

  Craigavon Area Hospitals Group

  Down and Lisburn Unit of Management

  Eastern Board Ambulance Service

  Green Park Unit of Management

  Mater Infirmorum Hospital

  Newry and Mourne Unit of Management

  North Down and Ards Community Unit

  North and West Belfast Community

  South and East Belfast Community Unit

  Ulster, North Down and Ards Hospitals Unit

  Training Schemes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent information he has on the destination of people who leave the job training programme; how many leavers got jobs, became unemployed or went on to further training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The most recent information available on the destination of participants leaving the job training programme is for the period 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991 and is as follows:

  JTP leavers whose destination is known

  Number of people

  Percentage of total

  Found work

  1,279

  42

  Unemployed

  1,380

  45

  Further training

  334

  19

  Further education

  67

  2

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agricultural Land
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors he takes into account before consenting to the short-term letting of agricultural land under section 5 of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986; and how many consents he has granted in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Curry
  Consent to short-term lettings under section 5 of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 is granted where it would be unreasonable to expect a landlord to let land on a full agricultural tenancy. The main circumstances which would satisfy this requirement were agreed with the industry and are as follows. Within this broad framework each case is considered according to individual circumstances. The categories outlined are not definitive and applications for consent on other grounds may be considered.

  (a) Land for Development
  When land is likely to go out of use within five to seven years, the compensation payable by the landlord on the termination of a full agricultural tenancy could exceed the amount of rent paid. In these circumstances approval of a short-term letting would normally be justified.
  507
  (b)Reorganisation and transitional arrangements
  Approval may be given for a short-term letting for up to five years:

  (i) if a landowner is planning the amalgamation or regrouping of the holding; or

  (ii) if a prospective purchaser is to work the land before completion of sale; or

  (iii) if a landlord wishes to make temporary arrangements pending a decision on the future use of the land, for example, if a tenant has died and the landlord wishes to make temporary arrangements before re-letting or selling: or

  (iv) where a landlord wishes to give a person who is not an established or experienced tenant a period of trial before concluding a full tenancy; or

  (v) where there is a definite intention that a landlord's son or daughter will take over a vacant holding within five years.

  A further application involving the same parties on the same land can only be approved if there has been a material alteration in the circumstances.

  (c)Specialist cropping
  Approval may be given to a short-term letting to a specialist grower for a single crop requiring "clean land" for example, potatoes, carrots, brassicas, beans, bulbs. Consent may also be given for the growing of a crop, not normally grown on the holding, to be grown as a cleaner crop. A consent will normally be for one year only unless the specialist crop requires a longer period.

  (d) Allotments
  If allotment land is temporarily surplus to requirements approval will normally be given to a short-term letting.

  (e) Operational requirements on Government and other land
  Approval may also be given to a short-term letting where some agricultural use of the land is possible and desirable but a full agricultural tenancy is ruled out by operational or training requirements which affect the use of the land. This applies particularly, but not exclusively, to land owned by the Ministry of Defence.

  The number of consents granted in England under section 5 since 1986 is as follows:

  Year ending 28 February

  Number

  1986

  205

  1987

  221

  1988

  287

  1989

  300

  1990

  397

  1991

  468

  EC Surplus Food Scheme
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he is making for the implementation of the EC surplus food scheme in the United Kingdom in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  In its report on the operation of the first two years of this scheme the European Commission accepted that, judged as a food surplus disposal exercise, the scheme is inevitably expensive when compared with other mean of surplus disposal. However, it concluded that the facility to operate the scheme should continue to be available to member states.

  The Government endorse the view that the scheme is not a satisfactory method of dealing with surpluses and of assisting those whom it should help. Nevertheless, the
  508
  Government believe that eligible United Kingdom citizens should continue to have the opportunity of benefiting from the scheme in 1992–93.

  For 1992, the Commission has, as in 1991, allocated some 150 mecu to the scheme for the European Community as a whole. The United Kingdom has maintained its share, some 25 mecu, which represents about £17·9 million worth of butter and beef.

  The scheme already makes produce available in the United Kingdom to certain clearly defined categories of people. These are:

  —those in receipt of income support or family credit

  —the homeless and destitute

  —those living in welfare hostels

  We have decided to add to those recipients of the disability working allowance within the categories of those eligible.

  Pensioners or the unemployed are eligible if they fall into one or other of these categories.

  Agriculture departments will be inviting charitable and other non-profit making organisations wishing to take part in the distribution to apply for designation. Organisations will have the usual six weeks to submit their application. To improve the cost-effectiveness of the scheme, the designation of organisations will be for a period of two years. Preference will continue to be given to organisations providing meals for the homeless and those capable of distributing produce widely throughout their local Community.

  We are arranging for further details to be publicised widely and to be sent to the appropriate bodies. Copies of this information have been placed in the Libraries.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Newspaper Merger
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the merger of North London News and Capital Newspapers; when he expects the report for the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  I have received an application for my consent to the transfer to EMAP plc of a controlling interest in Capital Newspapers Ltd. In this case I have discretion either to refer the matter to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission or to give consent without such a reference. Representations from third parties have been invited but none has yet been received.

  Home Equity Loan Plans
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives he plans to assist those people threatened with the loss of their homes as a result of home equity loan plans that are no longer viable.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: The Securities and Investments Board has put arrangements in place to ensure that information about problem cases is brought quickly to the attention of all bodies who may be able to help.

  People in difficulties should contact the appropriate Financial Services Act regulator and also the mortgage

  509
  lender to discuss repayment and interest terms, and the investors compensation scheme if the investment firm has been declared in default and claims are being considered.

  Development Assistance
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list(a) the grants and (b) other advantageous terms available to firms sited within areas with development status and those with assisted area status.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]: There are two main grant schemes available to businesses in the assisted areas of Great Britain. Regional selective assistance is available throughout the assisted areas and regional enterprise grants are available in development areas and the intermediate areas of Derbyshire, South Yorkshire, Plymouth and Fife which are covered by the European Community RESIDER and REN.AVAL programmes. Also, consultancy support under the enterprise initiative is given at a higher rate in the assisted areas; and grants or loans may be made by the relevant Secretary of State towards the improvement of basic services.

  In addition, English Estates, and other agencies in Scotland and Wales, have programmes for the provision of industrial and commercial premises in the assisted areas.

  Low-energy Lighting
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make it his policy progressively to introduce low-energy lighting in all the buildings operated by his Department.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]: It is my Department's policy to install low-energy lighting wherever it is practicable and the costs are justified.

  Ceramic Industry
  Mrs. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give full details of the support offered to the ceramic and allied industry by the fairs and promotion branch for each of the last 13 years.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Details of support for events organised by the British Ceramic Manufacturers Federation a re not readily available prior to 1983–84. A table showing support follows. In 1990–91 the federation was offered support for one event in Frankfurt, but declined the offer. No application for support was made for 1991–92.

  Financial year

  Number of exhibitors

  Financial support£

  1983–84

  47

  41,617

  1984–85

  48

  52,001

  1985–86

  22

  28,165

  Visits by overseas residents

  Number of visits ('000)

  Expenditure (£ million)1

  Year

  London

  England

  United Kingdom

  London

  England

  United Kingdom

  1980

  7,440

  11,150

  12,421

  1,695

  2,665

  2,930

  1981

  6,840

  10,410

  11,452

  1,702

  2,696

  2,939

  1982

  7,140

  10,680

  11,636

  1,825

  2,850

  3,133

  1983

  7,560

  11,380

  12,464

  2,252

  3,607

  3,970

  1984

  8,400

  12,550

  13,644

  2,658

  4,166

  4,576

  1985

  9,080

  13,320

  14,449

  3,228

  4,937

  5,398

  510

  Financial year

  Number of exhibitors

  Financial support £

  1986–87

  19

  9,286

  1987–88

  19

  19,500

  1988–89

  21

  16,358

  1989–90

  24

  26,267

  1990–91

  0

  0

  1991–92

  0

  0

  In addition to receiving assistance at events organised by the federation, companies in the industry receive assistance at other DTI-supported events. However, records are not kept in a format to readily identify the number of such companies and the amount of support.

EMPLOYMENT

  Job Vacancies
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the registered job vacancies at employment centres in the Tooting constituency on 18 February.

  Mr. Jackson
  On 3 January 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of unfilled vacancies at the jobcentres covering the Tooting parliamentary constituency was 58.

  Family Statistics
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures showing the number of(a) dependent children, (b) children under age five years, (c) working mothers, (d) two-earner couples, (e) working mothers with at least one child under age five years and, (f) two-earner couples with at least one child under age five years.

  Mr. Jackson
  Estimates from the labour force survey carried out in the spring of 1990 indicate that in Great Britain there were;

  (a) 11,148,000 dependent children (under age 16 years),

  (b) 3,698,000 children under age five years,

  (c) 3,685.000 working mothers (aged 16–59),

  (d) 6,957000 two-earner couples (women in employment aged 16–59 with a husband or cohabiting partner in employment),

  (e) 1,250,000 working mothers (aged 16–59) with at least one child under age five years.

  Overseas Visitors (Expenditure)
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish(a) the total number of and (b) estimated expenditure by overseas visitors to (i) London, (ii) England and (iii) the United Kingdom in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Forth
  The required figures are as follows:
  511

  Number of visits ('000)

  Expenditure (£ million)1

  Year

  London

  England

  United Kingdom

  London

  England

  United Kingdom

  1986

  8,190

  12,600

  13,897

  3,203

  4,978

  5,506

  1987

  9,330

  14,250

  15,566

  3,574

  5,668

  6,212

  1988

  9,080

  14,200

  15,799

  3,461

  5,585

  6,137

  1989

  9,870

  15,480

  17,338

  4,015

  6,308

  6,889

  1990

  10,310

  16,240

  18,021

  4,269

  6,963

  7,712

  1 Expenditure figures exclude visitors to the Channel Islands and certain visitors in transit.

  Sign Language
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what sign language facilities are available to allow deaf persons to take up employment in the Employment Service;

  (2) how many staff employed in jobcentres have sign language skills.

  Mr. Jackson
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what support is available to deaf people on Government training schemes by way of sign language practitioners.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training and enterprise councils' resources include funding to support communication services for eligible deaf people on government funded training programmes. These services are also provided at two specialist residential training colleges for the deaf, which are also funded by the Employment Department.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the latest figures for people who are long-term unemployed in(a) Leyton constituency, (b) Waltham Forest, (c) London and (d) nationally.

  Current establishment

  Establishment1 April 1992

  Current strength (as at 30 November 1991)

  Dyfed-Powys

  944

  969

  948

  Gwent

  1,009

  1,010

  1,001

  North Wales

  1,352

  1,369

  1,342

  South Wales

  3,168

  3,168

  3,145

  Television Reception
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy for reception of both Channel 4 television and S4C to be available throughout Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not possible at present to broadcast both Channel 4 television and Sianel Pedwar Cymru throughout Wales, because there are insufficient available frequencies.
  512
  Mr. Jackson
  The latest available information, relating to January 1992, is contained in the following table and can also be obtained from the NOMIS database system in the Library.

  Long-term unemployment in January 19921

  Area

  Number of long-term unemployed

  Leyton parliamentary constituency

  1,709

  Waltham Forest local authority district

  3,796

  Greater London

  108,361

  United Kingdom

  746,977

  1 Unemployment figures by duration are produced quarterly and are on the unadjusted basis. The definition of long-term unemployed is those people unemployed for one year or more.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Welsh Police Forces
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on manning levels of rural police forces in Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest figures for police establishments and strength for the four Welsh police forces are as follows:

  Traffic Offences (Camera Detection)
  Sir Philip Goodhart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to bring forward regulations for type approved camera equipment to help with deterring and detecting speeding and traffic light offenders.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No camera equipment has yet completed the necessary laboratory tests. I cannot anticipate the outcome of these tests.

  Sir Philip Goodhart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money he is making available to the police in the coming financial year for(a)

  513
  the purchase of red light and speed camera equipment and (b) the purchase of computer equipment and software to make use of such camera equipment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We do not make allocations of grant for specific items of equipment. In 1992–93 the available provision of capital grant and credit approvals will support expenditure by provincial forces of £111·3 million on vehicles, equipment and minor building works. It is for police authorities to determine how this money should be used.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will extend the existing section 11 grants for 1991–92 for education purposes at the same rate to the end of the academic year 1991–92;

  (2) what was the total sum (a) bid for and (b) allowed for grants to Bradford council for 1992–93 under section 11;

  (3) what representations he has received from Bradford council on the future of section 11 grants;

  (4) what total sums at 1991 prices were paid to Bradford council in each of the last five years under the provisions of section 11 on (a) education items and (b) all other services.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Under new arrangements which were announced in October 1990 and which are designed to ensure that payments of grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 are targeted so as to achieve maximum benefit for members of ethnic minorities, local authorities were required to bid afresh by 30 April 1991 for all future funding from 1 April 1992. Local authorities were notified in December of the outcome of applications and it is not possible to extend previous funding in the way in which the hon. Member suggests.

  Bradford council submitted applications for projects commencing on 1 April amounting in a full year to grant of £7·3 million at 1990–91 prices. Approximately £6 million, at 1992–93 prices, is expected to be paid in grant in 1992–93.

  As the hon. Member is aware, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Education and Science and I will shortly be meeting representatives of the local authority, together with the hon. Member and his hon. Friends the Members for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) and for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden).

  In the last five years for which figures are available, the amount of grant paid to Bradford council, expressed at 1990–91 prices, was approximately as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1986–87

  6·1

  1987–88

  5·9

  1988–89

  6·2

  1989–90

  6·9

  1990–91

  6·5

  It is not possible to give a precise breakdown between grant to support education and other services. In general, it is estimated that education provision accounted for approximately 80 per cent. of the total grant.

  Magistrates Courts
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the White Paper on the future organisation of the magistrates courts as announced in his answer to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) on 19 December,Official Report, columns 250–51.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor, who is to take responsibility for the magistrates courts service from 1 April, and I have today published the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice", and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state his reasons for rejecting the application of the South Wales police authority for an increase of 44 posts.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend takes decisions on applications for increases in police establishments from police authorities in the light of the professional advice of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary. This advice takes account of, among other things, the relative needs of different forces as indicated by the manpower formula, the efficiency with which existing manpower is used, and the extent of any vacancies. The formula indicates that south Wales is relatively well provided at present, compared with other forces.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of additional uniformed officers excluding special constables that have been authorised to be added to the strength of the West Yorkshire police each year from 1975 to 1991 shown(a) in total and (b) by police station.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Increases in the police establishment for West Yorkshire police for the years in question are as follows. Allocations to individual police stations is a matter for the chief constable, and this information is not held centrally.

  Year

  Number of police posts approved

  1975

  1

  1981

  50

  1987

  50

  1988

  23

  1989

  32

  1990

  20

  1991

  16

  Hampshire Constabulary
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the establishment of the Hampshire constabulary both police and civilians and (b) the number of police per head of population in Hampshire in the financial year 1990–91; and what is the (i) estimated establishment of the Hampshire constabulary, both police and civilians and (ii) the estimated number of police per head of population in Hampshire in the financial year 1991–92.
  515
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information, relating to the police establishment authorised by the Home Secretary and the civilian strength, is as follows:

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Police establishment

  3,175

  3,202

  Civilian strength

  1994

  21,039

  Population per officer

  528

  3524

  1 As at 31 March 1991.

  2 As at 31 December 1991.

  3 On the basis of latest population figures at mid-1990, provided by the OPCS.

  Convicted Criminals (Confessions)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 5 February 1992,Official Report, column 163, and 14 February 1992, Official Report, column 664–65, if he will call for a report from the chief constables of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands as to how many detectives were employed during 1990–91 obtaining voluntary admissions from convicted criminals.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available.

  Departmental Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of employees in his Department; and how many are(a) black and (b) disabled.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The figures to which the hon. Member refers can be found in various reports published by the Treasury and the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service. These record that on 1 April 1991 the Home Office employed 41,994 non-industrial staff. Of those who responded to ethnic origin surveys carried out by the Department, 1,085 classified themselves as being of ethnic minority origin, representing 5·3 per cent. of the total number who responded. The Home Office employs 183 registered disabled persons, representing 0·4 per cent. of the total number of non-industrial staff.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the number of(a) men and (b) women in his Department in each of grades (i) 1, (ii) 2, (iii) 3, (iv) 4, (v) 5, (vi) 6, (vii) 7, (viii) SEO, (ix) HEO, (x) Administrative Trainee, (xi) EO, (xii) CO and (xiii) CA.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The April 1991 figures for men and women in grades 1 to 4 and SEO to AA were included in Her Majesty's Treasury's "Civil Service Statistics". This did not include an analysis of grades 5 to 7 and AT/HEODs. The nearest equivalent figures for these grades are at December 1990, as follows:

  Men

  Women

  Total

  Grade 5

  70

  16

  86

  Grade 6

  80

  5

  85

  Grade 7

  394

  91

  485

  AT/HEOD

  6

  12

  18

  Northallerton Prison
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the refurbishment and improvement works in the vulnerable prisoner unit, Her Majesty's prison, Northallerton to be completed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Most of the work is expected to be completed by August 1992, and the remainder by March 1993.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will tabulate the salary increases of teachers from 1979; and if he will relate these to the annual rate of inflation for the same period.

  Mr. Fallon
  Increases in teachers' average salaries since 1979 are as follows. These take account of incremental drift and the full-year effect of increases in the number and value of incentive allowances. The Government propose to implement the recommendations of the school teachers review body for teachers' pay in 1992–93. This would increase the pay bill by 7·8 per cent. in that year.

  Teachers' average salaries1 (cash)£

  Percentage increase since 1979(real terms) 2

  3April

  1979

  5,380

  —

  1980

  7,380

  12·7

  1981

  8,030

  9·4

  1982

  8,620

  7·3

  1983

  9,120

  9·2

  1984

  9,650

  9·9

  1985

  10,390

  10·6

  1986

  11,220

  15·9

  1987

  13,100

  29·9

  1988

  13,670

  30·4

  1989

  14,730

  30·1

  1990

  16,030

  29·3

  1991

  17,640

  33·8

  41991

  18,320

  36·2

  1 Average salaries for all teachers (including heads and deputies) in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales.

  2 Real terms percentage changes calculated on the basis of movements in the all items retail prices index.

  3 Average salary at highest value in calendar year, except for 1991 where the effect of staging the settlement is shown separately for April and December.

  4 December 1991, when the second stage of the 1991–92 pay settlement was implemented.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers, and at what grades, he expects to earn more than £20,280 during the next financial year following the recent pay review body report.

  Mr. Fallon
  We estimate that approximately 182,000 teachers, some 47 per cent., will earn more than £20,280 per annum when the pay rises recommended by the school teachers review body take effect. Of these, some 28,000 will be head teachers, 31,000 deputy head teachers, 119,000 classroom teachers paid on the standard scale holding an incentive allowance, and the remaining 4,000 teachers paid
  517
  on the standard scale with the addition of both the inner London allowance and the inner London discretionary supplement.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the training given to teachers to deal with dyslexia.

  Mr. Fallon
  All courses of initial teacher training are now required to equip prospective teachers to teach the full range of pupils whom they are likely to encounter in an ordinary school and to introduce them to ways of identifying children with special education needs, including dyslexia. The Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education has also been asked to consider dyslexia specifically in its inquiry into the preparation of student teachers to teach reading. Its report will be published shortly. In-service training is also available for teachers of pupils with dyslexia. Training of teachers of pupils with special education needs in ordinary schools is one of the priorities supported by the Department through the grants for education support and training programme. The Department has also sponsored the production of an audio-visual pack aimed to assist teachers in ordinary schools to identify children with special education needs, one module of which is specifically concerned with dyslexia.

  Sign Language
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many courses are run for sign language learners; and what plans he has to extend this number;

  (2) whether he has any plans to increase the level of sign language support in mainstream schools;

  (3) how many registered sign language practitioners there are in (a) Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Education Act 1981 places the responsibility for making appropriate educational provision for children with special education needs on each local education authority. It is not for the Government to prescribe which form of communication should be employed in schools where there are pupils with hearing impairments, nor the level of support they require. Such decisions are best made in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Information is not available centrally about the number of courses for sign language learners or the number of registered sign language practitioners.

  Statements of Attainment
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 42, how he proposes to ensure comparability between English courses: what regulation he proposes to make to ensure that the omission of statements of attainment from examination does not change the range, competence or quality of the examination offered; and what regulatory body will be responsible for supervising such regulations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The School Examinations and Assessment Council will shortly be issuing criteria in English and the 518
  other core subjects with which the examining bodies will need to comply in drawing up syllabuses for the assessment of pupils starting key stage 4 courses from September 1992 for first examination in summer 1994. I am satisfied that these will ensure the broad comparability between syllabuses which will be required by the national curriculum assessment arrangements, to be specified in orders due to be made later this year, while giving scope for a certain amount of variation.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the proportion of school leavers going into higher education in(a) each London borough, (b) Greater London, (c) outer London, (d) inner London and (e) England for each year from 1980–81 to 1990–91.

  Mr. Howarth
  The proportions of school leavers from maintained schools whose intended destinations for the three-year period ending 1989–90 was a university or polytechnic course, for the areas requested, were as shown in the table. Information for earlier years is not readily available and to provide it would involve disproportionate cost. Information for 1990–91 is not yet available.

  School Leavers—England

  Aggregate of academic years 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90

  Proportion of school leavers from maintained schools intending to enter higher education (Univeristy or Polytechnic)

  per cent.

  Barking

  3·0

  Barnet

  17·9

  Bexley

  8·1

  Brent

  11·2

  Bromley

  12·2

  Croydon

  8·9

  Ealing

  7·0

  Enfield

  13·3

  Haringey

  6·7

  Harrow

  4·0

  Havering

  5·5

  Hillingdon

  7·9

  Hounslow

  10·0

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  11·4

  Merton

  7·3

  Newham

  3·5

  Redbridge

  10·4

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  0·9

  Sutton

  12·0

  Waltham Forest

  4·5

  Total Outer London

  8·6

  Inner London

  5·6

  All London

  7·7

  England

  9·2

  National Union of Students
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money has been given in grants to the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The National Union of Students is not supported by central Government grant.

  Examination Statistics
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish the percentage of young people, as a proportion of school leavers, achieving (i) one or more grade G or better, (ii) five or more grade G or better and (iii) five or more grade C or better at GCSE/O-level/CSE in(a) each London borough/ILEA, (b) Greater London, (c) outer London, (d) inner London and (e) England for each year from 1980–81 to 1991–92;

  (2) if he will publish the percentage of young people, as a proportion of the 17-year-old age group, achieving (i)

  School leavers—England

  Aggregate of academic years 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90

  Proportion of school leavers from maintained schools attaining the levels shown (not mutually exclusive)

  GCSE

  A-level/ AS

  1+A-G

  5+A-G

  5+A-C

  1+A/AS

  3+A/AS

  Barking

  79·0

  58·5

  13·6

  7·7

  3·5

  Barnet

  89·4

  75·9

  39·0

  33·6

  18·1

  Bexley

  90·0

  77·1

  30·2

  17·1

  10·3

  Brent

  86·0

  62·2

  23·3

  18·8

  8·6

  Bromley

  87·6

  70·5

  31·7

  22·3

  13·4

  Croydon

  85·8

  67·5

  22·9

  18·1

  9·5

  Ealing

  83·2

  63·4

  21·5

  17·8

  8·1

  Enfield

  91·6

  76·3

  31·5

  23·9

  12·3

  Haringey

  83·2

  58·6

  19·9

  13·4

  3·9

  Harrow

  96·5

  87·8

  44·1

  8·1

  6·3

  Havering

  92·1

  76·9

  28·6

  14·7

  7·2

  Hillingdon

  91·6

  76·3

  27·3

  17·5

  7·7

  Hounslow

  85·6

  67·9

  25·2

  17·2

  8·0

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  86·7

  74·2

  34·2

  23·6

  12·3

  Merton

  86·8

  69·0

  28·7

  16·7

  8·3

  Newham

  76·4

  57·6

  14·3

  7·5

  2·4

  Redbridge

  86·4

  67·7

  25·3

  19·6

  10·6

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  94·9

  87·1

  38·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Sutton

  94·6

  77·8

  37·0

  25·5

  13·3

  Waltham Forest

  87·0

  66·2

  17·7

  9·6

  5·5

  Total Outer London

  87·7

  70·9

  27·5

  17·2

  8·8

  Inner London

  76·7

  53·7

  17·4

  11·8

  4·4

  All London

  84·5

  66·0

  24·6

  15·6

  7·6

  England

  89·9

  73·6

  28·6

  17·1

  9·6

  Teachers, Leeds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will show the full-time equivalent number of teachers employed in(a) Leeds city council infant and primary schools, (b) Leeds city council middle schools and (c) Leeds city council secondary schools in (i) each year since 1974 and (ii) broken down into constituency areas.

  Mr. Fallon
  The full-time equivalent numbers of qualified teachers in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools in Leeds local education authority in January of each year are shown in the table. Information on constituency areas is not held centrally.

  Full-time equivalent numbers of qualified teachers in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools in Leeds Local Education Authority—January 1974–1991.

  (thousands)

  Primary1

  Middle

  Secondary

  1974

  2·5

  1·2

  2·5

  1975

  2·5

  1·2

  2·6

  1976

  2·5

  1·2

  2·7

  1977

  2·5

  1·2

  2·8

  1978

  2·5

  1·2

  2·8

  520
  one or more passes and (ii) three or more passes at A-level in (a) each London borough/ILEA, (b) Greater London, (c) outer London, (d) inner London and (e) England for each year from 1980–81 to 1990–91.

  Mr. Eggar
  The table shows the proportions of school leavers from maintained schools with the specified achievements in GCSE/O-level/CSE or A-level, according to the areas requested, for the three-year period ending 1989–90. Information for earlier years is not readily available and to provide it would involve disproportionate cost. Information for 1990–91 and 1991–92 is not yet available.

  Primary1

  Middle

  Secondary

  1979

  2·4

  1·3

  2·9

  1980

  2·6

  1·4

  2·9

  1981

  2·3

  1·4

  2·9

  1982

  2·1

  1·3

  2·8

  1983

  2·0

  1·3

  2·9

  1984

  2·0

  1·2

  2·9

  1985

  2·0

  1·2

  2·8

  1986

  2·2

  1·1

  2·8

  1987

  2·3

  1·1

  2·8

  1988

  2·4

  1·1

  2·7

  1989

  2·5

  1·1

  2·6

  1990

  2·6

  1·0

  2·5

  1991

  2·5

  0·9

  2·4

  1 Includes infant schools.

  Student Statistics
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the proportion of students aged(a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 16 and 17 years participating in full-time or part-time education in (i) each London borough, (ii) Greater London, (iii) outer London, (iv) inner London and (v) England for each year since 1980–81.
  521
  Mr. Eggar
  Data for students aged 16 and 17 separately for the years 1979–80 to 1989–90 for ILEA, individual outer London boroughs, the total of outer London boroughs and England are contained in DES statistics bulletins 9/86 and 14/91. Data for Greater London from 1981–82 to 1989–90 are available in bulletins 6/87 and 14/91. Copies of these bulletins are available in the Library. Data for individual inner London boroughs are not available because ILEA was the responsible education authority until 1 April 1990. The participation rates shown exclude independent schools.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are not currently eligible for free school meals but would have been before the Social Security Act 1986; and what would be the gross and net costs of restoring their right to free school meals.

  Mr. Fallon
  A variety of local education authority discretionary schemes existed prior to the implementation of the Social Security Act 1986. Consequently, it is not possible to estimate the number of children who would now be eligible for free school meals on that basis.

  Adult Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many adult students have been or are at present on access courses leading to higher education during the years 1989–90, 1990–91, and 1991–92 in England.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]: There has been a rapid growth in the number of access courses leading to higher education in recent years. Recorded student numbers show that there were 7,000 students aged 19 or over on such courses in November 1989 and 10,000 in November 1990. Data for 1991 are not yet available.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Development Assistance
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give an estimate for 1991 of the ratio of Britain's official development assistance to gross national product.

  Mrs. Chalker
  For 1991 we expect to at least maintain the average aid-GNP ratio of the previous four years of 0.30 per cent. —an indication that the overseas aid budget has in recent years been growing broadly in line with the economy.

  EC Aid Programmes
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the increase since 1979 in Britain's contribution to the European Community's aid programmes.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1979, our contribution was £118 million, while in 1990, which is the latest year for which we have final figures, it was £333 million. That is an increase of over 180 per cent. in cash terms, or over 25 per cent. In 522
  real terms. The European Community is an increasingly important channel for our aid. We are devoting considerable time and attention to ensuring that the quality of this aid increases in line with the quantities involved.

  International Organisations
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, columns 649–52, what was the percentage change (a) between 1979 and 1990, and (b) between 1989 and 1990 in the United Kingdom's contribution in 1990 prices to (i) the International Labour Organisation, (ii) the Food and Agriculture Organisation, (iii) the International Food and Agriculture Development, (iv) the United Nations Development Programme, (v) the World Food Programme, (vi) UNICEF, (vii) the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, (viii) the United Nations Food for Population Articles and (ix) the United Nations Environmental Programme.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The figures requested are as follows:

  Percentage change

  Organisations

  1979–1990

  1989–1990

  International Labour Organisation

  19·7

  -3·3

  Food and Agriculture Organisation

  73·7

  3·3

  International Fund for Agricultural Development

  —

  -24·5

  United Nations Development Programme

  -57·5

  -3·6

  World Food Programme

  1—

  -76·2

  United Nations Children's Fund

  -43·7

  -29·7

  United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

  -2·9

  -6·7

  United Nations Fund for Population Activities

  2-65·3

  2-49·6

  United Nations Environmental Programme

  124·3

  -7·6

  1 Contributions to the World Food Programme include subscription payments, commodity purchase and, from 1987, food aid· Prior to 1987 the food aid channelled through WFP could not be distinguished from other food aid, and therefore is not included in this table·

  2 Contributions to UNFPA are paid in two instalments per financial year, but only one was paid in the calendar year 1990· The balance of £3 million was paid in February 1991·

PRIME MINISTER

  Sports Clubs
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he intends to extend to England, Scotland and Wales legislation which would require cricket clubs, bowling clubs, yacht clubs, football clubs, etc., to furnish to the police copies of the annual general meeting of the club, or of the meetings of the committee of management or governing body of the club, on the lines of current legislation applying in Northern Ireland.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Olympic Games
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of his further meeting with representatives of the Manchester Olympic bid committee.
  523
  The Prime Minister
  I am delighted to announce that the Government are backing Manchester's Olympic bid. We will be committing £55 million towards the bid and provision of sports facilities in advance of the nomination. This will contribute to the construction of the Olympic arena and a national cycling arena and will allow us to acquire and prepare the Olympic stadium site.

  We aim to use the games to spearhead the regeneration of east Manchester. We will now work urgently with Manchester city council to identify how the full range of Government programmes can be brought to bear for the regeneration of the area and the best arrangements for securing delivery of this and the Olympic facilities themselves.

  Success cannot be guaranteed: the competition will be intense. But we intend to win.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the results of the atmospheric tests following the British nuclear teast codenamed Rousanne at the Nevada test site in 1981 as they relate to the amount of radioactive material vented to the atmosphere.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There was no venting from the 1981 British test, codenamed Rousanne.

  RAF Valley
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the air sea rescue service based at RAF Valley, following his statement made on 19 February about defence equipment.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Final decisions on the structure of the RAF search and rescue force have yet to be taken. I cannot, therefore, comment on the possible implications for individual search and rescue flights.

  Service Men (Pay)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the percentage change in real terms in the pay upon appointment of(a) a field marshal, (b) major generals, (c) colonels, (d) captains, (e) second lieutenants, (f) sergeants, (g) corporals and (h) privates between 1970–71 and 1979–80, and 1979–80 to the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The percentage changes in real terms in pay upon appointment are set out in the table.

  11970–71 to 11979–80 Per cent

  11979–80 to 11991–92 Per cent

  Field Marshal

  -24·3

  +83·3

  Major General

  -30·5

  +57·1

  Colonel

  -12·1

  +38·6

  Captain

  -4·8

  +28·9

  2nd Lieutenant

  -13·6

  +17·9

  Sergeant

  +9·0

  +17·5

  Corporal

  +10·7

  +14·9

  Private

  +11·0

  +1·0

  1Financial year.

WALES

  Monmouth Borough Council
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding his reduction of the standard spending assessment of Monmouth borough council.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The chief executive of Monmouth borough council wrote to me on 18 February. I will be responding shortly.

  Hearing Aids
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many hearing aids were provided free by each health authority in Wales in 1989, 1990 and 1991;

  (2) if he will list those health authorities in Wales which charge patients for the supply of replacement hearing aids when the original has been lost or mislaid.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not held centrally.

  However, where hearing aids are supplied to patients on loan, the health authority has discretion to charge for the cost of replacement for lost equipment.

  Listed Building, Chepstow
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the recent destruction of rich archaeological deposits under a listed building in Bridge street, Chepstow.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Works on buildings requiring listed building consent are primarily a matter for local planning authorities, in this case Monmouth borough council.

  Nevill Hall Hospital
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding proposals to introduce charges for car parking at Nevill Hall hospital, Abergavenny.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I have received one representation concerning these proposals.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many registered homeless households have been allocated(a) chalet accommodation and (b) prefabricated housing by each local authority in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not available centrally.

  Council House Waiting Lists
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures for each local authority in Wales showing the greatest length of time spent by an individual on a current council house waiting list.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not available centrally.

  Home Ownership Schemes
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales of the transferable discount housing schemes operational in Wales, how many provide properties that
  525
  have been purchased (a) within the schemes' boundaries and (b) outside the schemes' boundaries; and if he will publish a list of the number of properties within each category.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The available data relate to the pilot scheme in Cardiff which provided seven grants to tenants to purchase properties, all in the authority's area.

  Empty Housing
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many furnished properties owned by(a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in Wales have remained empty for more than six months.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not available centrally.

  A487
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects work will start on the improvement of the A487 trunk road between Furnace Bridge and Eglwys Fach in Cardiganshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The scheme is planned to start between April 1994 and March 1997.

  Ceredigion Ports
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve the ports in Ceredigion; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. Improvements to ports are matters for the port operators to take forward as they see fit.

  Bilingual Schools
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children attend bilingual schools in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The latest statistics available—1990 —show that 104,616 children attend schools where some or all the teaching is through the medium of Welsh. This represents an increase of more than 1,000 pupils on the previous year.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will introduce a scheme of relief against the uniform business rate in Wales for those whose businesses have had to close because of financial failure; and if he will make a statement;
  526
  (2) if he will make transitional relief against the uniform business rate available to new occupiers of existing shop and business premises in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no plans to do so.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce planning guidelines to ensure that the effect upon local television and radio reception is taken into account by local planning authorities when considering applications for the construction of wind farms in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A draft planning policy guidance note on renewable energy, including an annex on wind energy, was recently issued for public consultation. Paragraphs 52 to 56 of the annex give guidance on television and radio reception issues advising that"provided careful attention is paid to siting, wind turbines should not cause any significant problems of electromagnetic interference".

  The consultation period expired on 12 February and the responses received are being assessed.

  Heartbeat Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the evaluation study of the first five years of Heartbeat Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]The Heartbeat Wales programme is a multi-faceted project. Its evaluation is a complex process and is being undertaken in separate stages. The Health Promotion Authority for Wales—HPAW—published a technical report on "Recent Trends in Lifestyles in Wales 1985–1990" in February 1992 and compares 1985, 1988 and 1990 date on diet, smoking, alcohol, exercise weight and obesity by age and sex. The authority expects to publish two further technical reports in March 1992 examining changes in lifestyle by social class and sex, and by health authority district and sex.

  By March 1993, the HPAW plans to publish a further four technical reports summarising community survey data and one technical report on clinical survey data. The final evaluation report is expected to be available by early summer 1993.

  I am placing a copy of the February report in the Library of the House, and have arranged for copies of future reports to be placed similarly.

SCOTLAND

  Inverclyde Enterprise Zone
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received concerning the Inverclyde enterprise zone; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Recent representations have related to the possible location within Inverclyde enterprise zone of the proposed expansion of the Registers of Scotland. It has now been decided to locate this operation at Cowglen, Glasgow.

  I met the hon. Member and representatives of Inverclyde development corporation on 23 December to discuss prospects for the Inverclyde enterprise zone.

  Bus Lanes
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to meet representatives of the Bus and Coach Council for Scotland to discuss its report, " Buses mean Business", on bus lanes in cities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I hope to meet the Bus and Coach Council for Scotland on 9 March.

  Defence
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the action which he proposes to take in relation to the report by Scottish Enterprise on defence in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The report now received by Scottish Enterprise is an important contribution to the development of the defence industries initiative. Information from that study will be used by Scottish Enterprise to take forward work already in hand with local enterprise companies and defence companies to identify practical steps to help companies and communities adapt to the changing demand for defence-related goods and services.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next intends to meet fishing industry representatives in Scotland to discuss the future structure of the industry.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for fisheries in Scotland will meet representatives of the fishing industry before the Fisheries Council meeting scheduled for 3 April.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hectares of Forestry Commission land have been sold off since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Forestry Commission had sold 155,000 hectares of land in the decade ended 1991.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of contract cancellation to the public purse arising from the 528
  cancellation of the commercial agreement entered into between his Department and the construction consortium for the purposes of building a toll-funded bridge to the Isle of Skye; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No cancellation costs arise, because the contract has not been cancelled.

  Hospital Fund Raising
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the amount of money being raised by charities for Scottish hospitals.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Just under one half of I per cent. of health service funding is contributed from charitable sources. The NHS is very appreciative of the support which is provided in this way.

  Scottish Power
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had recently with the chairman of Scottish Power on the future of electricity generation and distribution.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of Scottish Power from time to time when a range of issues is discussed.

  Drug Offences
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland, in each of the last five years, have been convicted, and what was their average sentence, for dealing, providing, pushing, selling, supplying or trafficking in drugs; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on convictions for drugs offences is published annually in "Statistics of the misuse of drugs: seizures and offenders dealt with, United Kingdom, Scotland tables", copies of which are in the Library.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of people employed in the financial services sector in(a) Scotland and (b) Lothian region.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The latest figures available, showing the number of people employed in the financial services sector, come from the 1989 Employment Department census of employment. The figures are(a) 83,856 for Scotland and (b) 27,566 for Lothian region.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in Scotland since May 1979.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Between April 1979 and September 1991 nearly 234,000 public sector houses in Scotland were sold to sitting tenants. Included in that figure are nearly 173,000 sales by local authorities.

  Nurse Training
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to meet health service unions in Scotland to discuss nurse training.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet health service unions in Scotland to discuss nurse training. Nurse training will, of course, change radically when we introduce Project 2000 courses later this year. My right hon. Friend also announced in February last year our plans for the future funding and organisation of nurse education and training following the enactment of the current legislative changes.

  Renfrewshire Enterprise Company
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Renfrewshire enterprise company regarding training and industrial development.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I had a very useful and constructive meeting with the chairman of Renfrewshire Enterprise and his colleagues on 14 October last year at which a wide range of topics relating to training and industrial development were discussed. My right hon. Friend and I also have frequent discussions with the chairman and members of Scottish Enterprise about developments in the Scottish economy generally.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to solve unemployment in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The key to increased employment is a prosperous and productive economy. The Government are firmly committed to removing the barriers to economic growth and to the stimulation of economic development, through various measures including the activities of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and their networks of local enterprise companies.

  In relation to unemployed individuals, this Government have introduced the most comprehensive range of measures there has ever been in this country to help people back to work. The Employment Service provides a wide range of services which result in two thirds of people who become unemployed leave unemployment within six months. The Employment Service also manages the employment action programme, delivered through local enterprise companies as a complement to the range of training schemes which they offer and which make a major contribution to helping young people and the long-term unemployed to improve their prospects of entering employment.

  The effectiveness of these measures in Scotland can be seen from the fact that the number of those unemployed for over a year rose in Scotland by only 8·4 per cent. between January 1991 and January 1992, less than a fifth of the average for Great Britain as a whole.

  Dumfries-Stranraer Rail Link
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what application he has received for support for the reinstatement of direct rail links between Dumfries and Stranraer; and if he will make a statement.
  530
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has received representations seeking support, in principle, for the restoration of the railway line between Dumfries and Stranraer. Investment in railways is, however, a matter for British Rail. I understand that British Rail do not consider that this particular project could be economically or financially justified in the foreseeable future.

  The Union
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in support of the maintenance of the Union between Scotland and England.

  Mr. Lang
  In the past six months I have received 47 letters supporting the maintenance of the Union between Scotland and England. That is more than I have received in favour of independence.

  NHS Building
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospitals and other health board facilities have been built in Scotland since 1979; and at what cost.

  Mr. Lang
  Eighty-seven major hospital building projects have been completed since 1979 at a cost of £482 million. In addition to hospital new build and redevelopment, completed projects have included hospital service facilities, residences and energy saving schemes.

  In the same period a large number of minor hospital projects and developments were completed. There has also been a major investment in information technology and a special programme to tackle backlog maintenance worth over £200; and significant new investment in health centres and colleges of nursing.

  Capital investment in the NHS in Scotland has increased by 50 per cent. in real terms from 1979 to the year end 1991–92 and a total of nearly £230 million has been allocated to health boards in Scotland for capital expenditure for 1992–93.

  A further 41 major projects with a value of £300 million are currently in the pipeline, representing the largest building programme in the history of the NHS in Scotland.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for the restructuring of the fishing industry in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The future structure of the fishing industry in Scotland is linked to the need for the United Kingdom to develop a new multi-annual guidance programme for the fishing fleet for the period 1993–96. This is currently under discussion with the European Commission.

  Constitutional Reform
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in favour of a devolved Scottish assembly.

  Mr. Lang
  In the past six months I have received 55 representations supporting a devolved Scottish assembly, and 35 against a devolved Scottish assembly.
  531
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss the future governance of Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, regularly, but it has not sought a meeting specifically to discuss the future governance of Scotland.

  Departmental Officials
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost to his Department of(a) arranging for officials to be in attendance at the Scottish Grand Committee in Edinburgh on 24 February and (b) arranging for officials to be in attendance for Scottish Question Time in Westminster today, 26 February.

  Mr. Lang
  As Scottish Office officials in attendance at Scottish Grand Committee meetings in Edinburgh are deployed from other duties, my Department does not bear any significant extra costs in respect of their attendance. Officials attending Scottish Question Time do so in pursuit of their duties and, therefore, as a rule, extra costs are not involved.

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much manufacturing output in Scotland has risen since 1979.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Manufacturing output in Scotland has risen by 11·8 per cent. in the 11 years between 1979 and 1990.

  Health Board Finances
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairmen of health boards to discuss financial allocations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My last meeting with health board chairmen was on 31 January 1992.

  National Health Service Trusts
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to meet the chairmen of the Scottish National Health Service trusts to discuss operation of the trusts.

  Mr. Lang
  In my statement on 3 December approving the trust applications I indicated that I would be maintaining close contact with the trusts as they moved towards operational status on 1 April. I have already met the trust chairmen on several occasions and further meetings are planned.

  Alternative Medicine
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the development of homoeopathic and alternative medicine within the Scottish health service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The decision on whether to practise medicine using homoeopathic or other alternative treatments is for individual doctors. Doctors in contract 532
  with the National Health Service can provide these treatments for their patients in the same way as they provide conventional medicines.

  Evening Primrose Oil
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether primrose oil for the treatment of arthritis is included in the list of items available on prescription under the national health service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Medicinal products which the Licensing Authority has on advice judged to be safe and efficacious are generally available on the NHS. One evening primrose oil product is licensed for the treatment of atopic eczema and is prescribable on the NHS for that purpose. No evening primrose oil product is licensed for the treatment of arthritis.

  The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances advises the Health Departments as to the circumstances in which unlicensed products may be regarded as drugs and has considered evening primrose oil products from time to time but has not been satisfied that they have a therapeutic use in the treatment of arthritis.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of the contract with the Post Office to distribute each health board's local version of the patients charter.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The final cost of the contract with the Post Office will not be known until the distribution exercise is complete.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost for each health board of producing and distributing their local version of the patients charter.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Detailed information is not available centrally.

  A7 (Accidents)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all recorded road accidents which occurred on the A7 between Hawick and Langholm, indicating the location and date of each accident for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]The information requested on injury accidents on the A7 between Hawick and Langholm for the two year period October 1989 to September 1991 is as follows:

  Location: OS Grid Reference

  East

  North

  Date

  Severity

  34599

  61094

  6 October 1989

  Serious

  33870

  59730

  17 November 1989

  Slight

  34060

  60171

  27 December 1989

  Slight

  34207

  60690

  12 February 1990

  Fatal

  33680

  58940

  16 March 1990

  Slight

  34776

  61309

  21 March 1990

  Serious

  34771

  61306

  16 May 1990

  Slight

  34051

  60118

  24 June 1990

  Serious

  34485

  60975

  6 August 1990

  Slight

  533

  East

  North

  Date

  Severity

  34054

  60329

  13 August 1990

  Slight

  34070

  60282

  16 August 1990

  Slight

  33710

  59090

  11 September 1990

  Serious

  34036

  60458

  6 October 1990

  Slight

  34023

  60416

  13 November 1990

  Slight

  34023

  60416

  5 December 1990

  Serious

  35214

  61335

  14 December 1990

  Slight

  34040

  60374

  11 January 1991

  Slight

  34729

  61242

  18 January 1991

  Slight

  33710

  59110

  6 March 1991

  Slight

  34060

  60547

  22 March 1991

  Slight

  34528

  61050

  4 April 1991

  Slight

  34845

  61382

  20 April 1991

  Serious

  33690

  58580

  22 July 1991

  Slight

  34587

  61091

  4 August 1991

  Serious

  34610

  61119

  10 August 1991

  Slight

  34062

  60547

  2 September 1991

  Slight

  34643

  61160

  14 September 1991

  Slight

  34528

  61051

  26 September 1991

  Slight

  34733

  61250

  27 September 1991

  Slight

  Figures for 1991 are provisional.

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 February 1991] I expect a report on proposals to provide improved traffic management in Hawick to be submitted to the Secretary of State by Borders regional council in the course of the next two to three months. Until this report is available it is not possible to estimate the level of funding which would be required.

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Berwickshire

  457

  366

  245

  238

  183

  171

  78

  90

  37

  21

  0

  0

  0

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  352

  235

  114

  79

  24

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Roxburgh

  315

  247

  191

  207

  213

  223

  166

  200

  208

  259

  261

  233

  154

  Tweeddale

  172

  66

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clackmannan

  190

  133

  73

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Falkirk

  223

  132

  45

  I)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  5

  Stirling

  146

  77

  101

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  13

  12

  Annandale and Eskdale

  283

  247

  274

  311

  330

  347

  275

  270

  323

  364

  332

  288

  264

  Nithsdale

  104

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Stewartry

  260

  217

  169

  169

  147

  142

  106

  164

  179

  230

  198

  81

  97

  Wigtown

  241

  164

  96

  5:5

  44

  21

  0

  61

  96

  132

  148

  115

  92

  Dunfermline

  260

  122

  30

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kirkcaldy

  247

  117

  27

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North East Fife

  206

  122

  107

  41

  12

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Aberdeen

  276

  241

  180

  96

  80

  60

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Banff and Buchan

  430

  336

  258

  193

  157

  132

  47

  53

  22

  12

  0

  0

  0

  Gordon

  468

  390

  377

  294

  342

  326

  337

  506

  602

  689

  691

  707

  666

  Kincardine and Deeside

  376

  265

  232

  279

  246

  276

  224

  364

  458

  544

  534

  520

  447

  Moray

  401

  321

  209

  182

  167

  142

  66

  96

  61

  55

  0

  0

  0

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  431

  392

  457

  466

  442

  446

  352

  429

  367

  389

  400

  335

  334

  Caithness

  240

  207

  200

  204

  207

  191

  170

  197

  268

  328

  360

  338

  318

  Inverness

  325

  226

  198

  18:2

  191

  224

  153

  173

  207

  302

  310

  267

  212

  Lochaber

  526

  522

  402

  392

  365

  431

  471

  458

  622

  789

  914

  976

  956

  Low-energy Lighting
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make it his policy progressively to introduce low-energy lighting in all the buildings operated by his Department.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]The Scottish Office requires that any new buildings acquired should incorporate low-energy lighting systems. In existing buildings low-energy lighting is fitted wherever possible and this will continue as resources permit when refurbishment work is undertaken.

  New Towns
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the proposed wind-up of the Scottish new towns.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [pursuant to the reply, 29 January 1992, c. 623.] I made orders on 24 February for the wind-up of East Kilbride and Glenrothes development corporations. The orders, which will come into effect on I March 1992, provide for the wind-up of both corporations to be completed by 31 December 1995.

  Housing Support Grants
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the amount of housing support grant given to each Scottish local authority in each years since 1980 on the basis of the amount of council stock; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Housing support grant is a deficit subsidy payable to those local housing authorities whose estimated housing revenue account expenditure would otherwise exceed their estimated housing revenue account income. The table shows the grant entitlements of individual authorities in each financial year from 1980–81 to 1992–93 divided by the number of houses to which the relevant housing revenue account in the appropriate year applied or is estimated to apply.
  535

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Nairn

  295

  219

  182

  241

  210

  206

  169

  196

  257

  322

  335

  293

  231

  Ross and Cromarty

  672

  672

  559

  500

  527

  562

  518

  545

  624

  694

  717

  713

  711

  Skye and Lochalsh

  470

  430

  434

  439

  534

  626

  747

  1,010

  1,275

  1,495

  1,606

  1,622

  1,608

  Sutherland

  422

  303

  285

  265

  277

  307

  308

  376

  463

  572

  588

  577

  486

  East Lothian

  311

  194

  130

  67

  26

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Edinburgh

  221

  140

  42

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  13

  14

  Midlothian

  252

  136

  70

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  West Lothian

  216

  99

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Argyll and Bute

  424

  332

  331

  307

  278

  264

  171

  215

  202

  229

  140

  84

  45

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  251

  106

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  29

  73

  167

  195

  201

  49

  Clydebank

  341

  276

  186

  157

  151

  152

  70

  69

  94

  96

  67

  48

  17

  Clydesdale

  170

  60

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  152

  27

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  175

  79

  16

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cunninghame

  198

  118

  32

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Dumbarton

  213

  89

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Kilbride

  209

  61

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  47

  26

  0

  0

  56

  96

  Eastwood

  152

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  7

  Glasgow

  285

  254

  217

  191

  191

  194

  131

  91

  154

  197

  165

  160

  127

  Hamilton

  218

  141

  67

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Inverclyde

  310

  225

  155

  96

  60

  29

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  10

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  225

  103

  16

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Kyle and Carrick

  237

  155

  50

  25

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Monklands

  152

  149

  113

  60

  69

  12

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motherwell

  205

  143

  83

  26

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Renfrew

  166

  55

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Strathkelvin

  217

  141

  111

  31

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Angus

  298

  172

  86

  13

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dundee

  214

  131

  45

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Perth and Kinross

  190

  80

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Orkney Islands

  729

  758

  591

  509

  531

  549

  463

  513

  605

  568

  588

  478

  283

  Shetland Islands

  755

  993

  1,015

  915

  1,049

  1,054

  1,129

  1,225

  1,427

  1,593

  1,729

  1,811

  1,809

  Western Isles

  505

  519

  541

  703

  762

  881

  883

  1,066

  1,201

  1,579

  1,598

  1,676

  1,841

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pension Age
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has conducted any survey of the proportion of men who would continue working after they reached pension age if it was lowered to 64, 63, 62, 61 and 60 years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No; but the discussion document on equalising state pension age contained information on activity rates in this age group, and a survey commissioned by the Department from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys will contain further information about individuals who have already retired, or plan to retire, earlier than the current state pension age. Since national insurance retirement pensions are no longer subject to an earnings rule, there is of course no necessary association between the decision whether or not to retire and the decision about whether or not to draw state retirement pension.

  Poll Tax
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost in 1991–92 of allowing an earnings disregard of(a) £5 or (b) £10 to occupational pensions in the determination of their poll tax rebate.
  536
  Miss Widdecombe
  Information for 1991–92 consistent with the departmental report could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In line with the overall expenditure forecasts in the departmental report (Cm 1914) the estimated costs at 1992–93 prices and benefit levels would be:

  (a) £35 million

  (b) £65 million

  Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1987–8–9 Family Expenditure Surveys.

  Training Schemes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances a single parent who is receiving income support can retain their eligibility for that benefit if they participate in European social fund vocational training courses provided either by(a) voluntary organisations or local authorities or (b) training and enterprise councils/local enterprise companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The European social fund provides financial support to training and employment initiatives, including employment training. Lone parents will normally remain eligible for income support while participating in a training course which is funded under the European social fund. However, any payments made in connection with the course will be taken into account in the normal way, depending on whether these are made under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973,
  537
  or are otherwise made on a contractual or voluntary basis. In particular, any training premium, travelling expenses or living away from home allowance paid to employment training participants is disregarded. Those lone parents who are attending a non-government training course and whose youngest child is aged 16 or over will normally be required to be available for employment or to provide medical evidence that they are incapable of work.

  Claimants

  Men

  Percentage change

  Women

  Percentage change

  All people

  Percentage change

  2 June 1979

  SB

  355,500

  -10·8

  132,300

  0·2

  487,800

  -8·0

  IVB

  504,500

  9-1

  106,500

  10·0

  611,000

  9·3

  31 May 1980

  SB

  312,900

  -110

  137,400

  3·9

  450,000

  -7-7

  IVB

  506,200

  0·3

  108,800

  22

  615,000

  07

  30 May 1981

  SB

  289,990

  -7·3

  119,994

  -127

  409,984

  -9·0

  IVB

  516,511

  2·0

  116,464

  7·0

  632,975

  2·9

  29 May 1982

  SB

  317,740

  9·6

  151,433

  26-2

  469,173

  14·4

  IVB

  553,107

  7-1

  130,400

  12-0

  683,507

  8·0

  2 April 1983

  SB

  280,675

  -11-7

  126,923

  -16·2

  407,598

  -13·1

  IVB

  592,907

  72

  144,007

  10·4

  736,914

  7·8

  31 March 1984

  SB

  173,300

  -38·3

  74,200

  -41·5

  247,500

  -39·3

  IVB

  638,300

  7·7

  159,100

  10·5

  797,400

  8·2

  30 March 1985

  SB

  156,954

  -9·4

  68,254

  -0·8

  225,208

  -9·0

  IVB

  672,681

  5·4

  176,667

  11·0

  849,348

  6·5

  5 April 1986

  SB

  162,200

  3·3

  75,300

  10-3

  237,500

  5·5

  IVB

  706,100

  5·0

  193,300

  9·4

  899,400

  5·9

  4 April 1987

  SB

  123,000

  -24·2

  64,200

  -14·7

  187,200

  -212

  IVB

  754,400

  6·8

  213,600

  10·5

  968,000

  7·6

  2 April 1988

  SB

  137,600

  11·9

  90,200

  405

  227,800

  21·7

  IVB

  807,800

  7·1

  239,700

  122

  1,047,500

  82

  1 April 1989

  SB

  151,600

  10·2

  114,800

  27·3

  266,400

  16·9

  IVB

  859,700

  6·4

  266,400

  11·1

  1,126,100

  7·5

  31 March 1990

  SB

  168,900

  11·4

  139,800

  21·8

  308,700

  15·9

  IVB

  916,900

  6·7

  292,500

  9·8

  1,209,400

  7·4

  Notes:

  1. SB =sickness benefit.

  2. IVB = invalidity benefit.

  3. Figures based on a l per cent. sample of claimants at the dates given.

  4. From 6 April 1983 statutory sick pay was introduced for a maximum of eight weeks sickness absence in a tax year. From 6 April 1986 statutory sick pay is payable for up to 28 weeks in any one period of incapacity for work.

  5. Totals include people not entitled to sickness or invalidity benefit, but who receive incapacity credits.

  Vocational Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether a person who has been paid a training allowance on a European social fund-funded vocational training course provided by a voluntary organisation or local authority, who was immediately prior to entry to the training scheme receiving a disability benefit can immediately requalify for that disability benefit when he or she finishes the course; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) in what circumstances a person who is receiving either severe disability allowance, invalidity benefit or income support with a disability premium, may retain his or her eligibility for that benefit if he or she participates in European social fund vocational training courses provided either by (a) voluntary organisations or local authorities or (b) training and enterprise councils/local enterprise companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The European social fund provides financial support to training and employment initiatives, including employment training.

  A participant in employment training receives a training allowance which maintains the same level of payment as severe disablement allowance, invalidity benefit, or income support with a disability premium, in payment immediately before the start of the course, plus a £10 training premium.

  Sickness and Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the numbers of(a) men, (b) women and (c) in total claiming (i) sickness benefit and (ii) invalidity benefit each year since 1979; and what was the percentage change each year in each category.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is in the table:

  A participant in a non-government course partly funded by the European social fund, who is in receipt of severe disablement allowance or invalidity benefit, must continue to satisfy the normal conditions of entitlement for those benefits. The principal condition is that the person must continue to be incapable of work.

  A person receiving income support with a disability premium may retain eligibility for the premium, whatever the nature of the training, if he is blind or receiving attendance or mobility allowance or, from April, disability living allowance. In addition, a person who was entitled to a disability premium before he started employment training because he had invalidity benefit or severe disablement allowance, or had been incapable of work for 28 weeks or more, may continue to be entitled to the premium during that training even if they are no longer treated as incapable of work.

  Where a person's invalidity benefit or severe disablement allowance has been withdrawn, due to attendance at a non-government funded course, he may requalify immediately where the break has been for eight weeks or less.

  Entitlement to industrial injuries benefit, mobility allowance, attendance allowance (from April, disability living allowance) and the basic war disablement pension are unaffected whatever type of training a person undertakes.
  539
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances unemployed claimants who are receiving(a) unemployment benefit and (b) income support can participate in European social fund vocational training courses which lead to national vocational qualifications or credits towards them without losing their entitlement to their benefit payments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Unemployment benefit (UB) claimants must continue to satisfy the normal conditions of entitlement in order to receive UB while engaged in training. This means that they must continue to seek work actively during the course and be prepared to terminate the course immediately a job vacancy becomes available.

  Income support claimants undertaking non-governmental training courses must continue to satisfy the normal conditions of entitlement. The principal conditions are the availability for work and actively seeking work requirements, as for UB. Those participating in governmental training courses such as those provided under the employment training programme are exempt from the availability and actively seeking work conditions for income support purposes. The European social fund may contribute financial support to either governmental or non-governmental courses.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what new regulations and procedures were introduced to protect the benefits and training premium of unemployed income support claimants who participated in employment training; and which of' these regulations apply to any benefits or training allowances received by an unemployed income support claimant who participates in a European social fund-funded vocational training course provided either by(a) voluntary organisations or local authorities, or by (b) training and enterprise councils/local enterprise companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  A participant in employment training (ET) receives a training allowance which maintains the same level of payment as the income support or unemployment benefit in payment immediately before the start of the course plus a £10 training premium. Income support participants continue to qualify for housing benefit and the range of other benefits to which income support is a passport. The training premium, any traveling—and usually living away from home—expenses reimbursed to the claimant, are also disregarded in the calculation of income for income support purposes. A participant in a non-governmental course who is in receipt of income support or unemployment benefit, must continue to satisfy the normal conditions of entitlement for benefits for unemployment. The principal conditions are that the participant must continue to seek work actively during the course and be prepared to terminate the course immediately a job vacancy becomes available to him.

  The European social fund provides financial support to a wide range of training and employment initiatives, both governmental—including ET—and non-governmental. The benefit rules apply regardless of the type of organisation providing the course.

  Family Credit
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how employed status youth training or employment training trainees should make a claim for family credit; what is the best information he has about the number of employed status trainees who are claiming family credit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Employed status YT and ET trainees can make a claim for family credit on form FC1 in the same way as any other employed person. No information is available about the number of employed status trainees receiving family credit.

  Departmental Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of employees in his Department; and how many are(a) black and (b) disabled.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department, including its agencies, asks staff to complete questionnaires on their ethnic origins on a voluntary basis. As at 1 April 1991, 3,331 of the 67,178 staff who have responded to the questionnaire were from ethnic minorities.

  As at 1 June 1991, the Department, including its agencies, employed 84,152 staff of whom 1,465 were registered as disabled. There is no information on staff with disabilities who choose not to register.

  Child Benefit
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the objectives of child benefit.

  Mr. Jack
  Child benefit is paid to all families with children in recognition of the fact that at all levels of income such families face greater expenditure than others. It is, and will remain, a strong element in our policies for family support. For less well-off families, this universal help is supplemented by extra help through the income-related benefits.

  Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what class of national insurance credits people who are being paid a training allowance and are participating in a European social fund course run by a local authority or voluntary organisation are entitled; how they ensure that they are credited with them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  An individual participating in a European social fund course will be entitled to Class l national insurance credits for each week of training, provided that he reached the age of 18 before the beginning of the tax year in which the course commenced, the course is full time and, at the outset, it was not expected to continue for more than 12 months.

  People on training courses run by a local authority or voluntary organisation which satisfy the conditions for the award of credits should make an individual application for these credits. Form CF55C for this purpose may be obtained from the Department's local offices.

  Sign Language
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff in Department of Social Security offices have sign language skills.

  Mr. Scott
  The provision of customer services in local offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, and Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. They will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies of their letters will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Pensioners (Benefits)
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners were dependent on supplementary benefit in Scotland in 1979; and how many were dependent on income support on the latest date for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In November 1979 there were 160,000 supplementary benefit claim units in Scotland with a claimant or partner aged 60 or over. In May 1990, there were 168,000 income support claim units in Scotland with a claimant or partner aged 60 or over as recent improvements in income support have enabled more less well-off pensioners to become entitled.
  542
  Note: In 1990 there were 25,000 more people in Scotland aged 60 or over than in 1979.

  Source: Supplementary Benefit Annual Statistical Inquiry November 1979.

  Income Support Annual Statistical Inquiry May 1990.

  Income Support
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost in 1992–93 of(a) restoring entitlement to income support for all 16 and 17-year-olds, at the current benefit rate for under 25-year-olds and (b) raising the income support personal allowance for people aged 18 to 24 years to the level of the personal allowance for those aged 25 years and over.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 7 February 1992]Information on the cost of restoring entitlement to income support to 16 and 17-year-olds is not available.

  The estimated cost of increasing the rate for 18 to 24-year-olds to that paid to people aged 25 or over is £340 million.

  Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1987, 1988 and 1989 family expenditure surveys and the Department's annual statistical inquiry for 1990, at 1992–93 prices and benefit levels.

  MAGISTRATES' COURTS ORGANISATION: WHITE PAPER
  MAGISTRATES' COURTS ORGANISATION: WHITE PAPER
  WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1981, SCHEDULE 14
  WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1981, SCHEDULE 14
  MARINE CONSULTATION AREAS
  MARINE CONSULTATION AREAS
  PRISON DISTURBANCES REPORT: CHAIRMANSHIP OF AREA COMMITTEES
  PRISON DISTURBANCES REPORT: CHAIRMANSHIP OF AREA COMMITTEES