Written Answers of 27 February 1992

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Non-taxpayers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single people and married couples do not pay tax in 1991–92.

  Mr. Maude
  There are about 6·6 million single people not liable to income tax and about 4·1 million married couples where neither spouse is liable to tax.

  Car Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the revenue in(a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93, giving in each case the first and full year costs, of a one per cent. cut in car tax, in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The requested estimates are as shown. They use the autumn statement forecast and are consistent with the methodology used in table 4·8 in chapter 4 of the 1991 autumn statement.

  Revenue effect of 1 per cent. cut in car tax (£ million)

  1991–92

  1992–93

  First year

  -125

  -130

  Full year

  -140

  -150

  Child Care Tax Allowances
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in 1992–93 and in a full year of extending the exemption of workplace nurseries from income tax as a benefit in kind to all forms of employer-provided or subsidised child care.

  Mr. Maude
  The annual cost would be approximately £5 million at current levels of provision and subsidies for child care. This estimate takes no account of behavioural effects, which could be substantial.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the revenue yield of putting the standard rate of VAT on funeral payments.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Standard rating those elements of funeral expenses which are presently exempt from value added tax would raise an estimated £40 million in 1991–92.

  Income Tax and NI Liability
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates of how many people with gross incomes of over £100,000 pay(a) a
  544
  national insurance contributions bill and (b) a total income tax and national insurance contributions bill, of less than (i) 35 per cent., (ii) 30 per cent., (iii) 25 per cent., (iv) 20 per cent., (v) 15 per cent., (vi) 10 per cent. and (vii) 5 per cent. of their gross incomes, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  Available figures relate to the estimated 150,000 taxpayers in 1991–92 with gross incomes of £80,000 and above. Nearly all of these taxpayers pay less than 5 per cent. of their gross income in national insurance contributions. Estimates of combined income tax and national insurance contribution liabilities are that 60,000 have an effective rate above 35 per cent., 80,000 have an effective rate between 30 and 35 per cent. and the remaining 10,000 have an effective rate between 25 and 30 per cent.

  Data Information Systems
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 February,Official Report, columns 521–22, whether there is any proposal to undertake manual data exchange between tax authorities in other European countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  In accordance with the Council directive of 19 December 1977 (77/799/EEC), competent authorities of the member states may exchange certain information to enable them to assess taxpayers correctly. These exchanges are subject to certain safeguards to preserve the confidentiality of the information and were given legislative effect in section 77 of the Finance Act 1978.

  The directive was extended to VAT on 6 December 1979 (79/1070/EEC) and all exchanges are subject to the confidentiality safeguards of directive 77/799/EEC. Directive 79/1070/EEC was implemented by section 17(2) of the Finance Act 1980. There is currently a proposal to extend directive 77/799/EEC to include excise duties on manufactured tobacco, alcohol and alcoholic beverages and mineral oils.

  Taxation
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures for each standard region of England, and for Scotland and Wales, for a one-earner family with two children on(a) average male earnings for that region, stating what this is and (b) median male earnings for that region, stating what this is in both April 1979 and April 1990 and counting child benefit as negative taxation, for (i) the amount paid in income tax per week, (ii) the amount paid in national insurance contributions, (iii) the amount paid in VAT, (iv) the amount paid in indirect taxation, excise duties and so on (v) the amount paid in domestic rates or in community charge as appropriate and (vi) the total amount paid out in the listed categories above, giving in each case the figures in current prices, constant prices and as a percentage of gross earnings.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: Figures for average male earnings in April 1979 and April 1990 and for median male earnings in April 1990 are shown in the table, along with the income tax and employee national insurance contributions payable on them under the 1979–80 and 1990–91 tax and NIC regimes respectively. Figures for regional median male earnings for 1979 are

  545
  unavailable and could be derived only at disproportionate cost. Reliable estimates of the amounts payable in VAT, other indirect taxes, domestic rates and the community charge which reflect regional variations in spending

  At regional mean male earnings

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Greater London

  Remainder of South East

  East Anglia

  South West

  England West Midlands

  East Midlands

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North West

  North

  £ per week at April 1979 prices

  April 1979

  Mean male earnings

  113·40

  99·90

  93·80

  90·90

  96·80

  95·70

  97·70

  97·80

  98·30

  96·50

  99·30

  Income tax

  14·83

  10·78

  8·95

  8·08

  9·85

  9·52

  10·12

  10·15

  10·30

  9·76

  10·60

  NICs

  7·37

  6·49

  6·10

  5·91

  6·29

  6·22

  6·35

  6·36

  6·39

  6·27

  6·45

  Total

  22·20

  17·27

  15·04

  13·99

  16·14

  15·74

  16·47

  16·50

  16·69

  16·03

  17·05

  £ per week at April 1990 prices

  April 1979

  Mean male earnings

  261·33

  230·22

  216·16

  209·48

  223·07

  220·54

  225·15

  225·38

  226·53

  222·38

  228·83

  Income tax

  34·17

  24·84

  20·62

  18·62

  22·69

  21·93

  23·32

  23·39

  23·73

  22·49

  24·42

  NICs

  16·99

  14·96

  14·05

  13·62

  14·50

  14·33

  14·63

  14·65

  14·72

  14·45

  14·87

  Total

  51·16

  39·80

  34·67

  32·23

  37·19

  36·27

  37·95

  38·04

  38·46

  36·94

  39·30

  April 1990

  Mean male earnings

  383·10

  310·60

  281·10

  277·30

  269·30

  269·70

  266·90

  274·70

  265·20

  258·60

  276·40

  Income tax

  58·56

  40·43

  33·06

  32·11

  30·11

  30·21

  29·51

  31·46

  29·08

  27·43

  31·88

  NICs

  28·28

  24·73

  22·08

  21·74

  21·02

  21·05

  20·80

  21·50

  20·65

  20·05

  21·66

  Total

  86·84

  65·17

  55·14

  53·84

  51·12

  51·26

  50·31

  52·96

  49·73

  47·49

  53·54

  Percentages of gross earnings April 1979

  Income tax (per cent.)

  13·1

  10·8

  9·5

  8·9

  10·2

  9·9

  10·4

  10·4

  10·5

  10·1

  10·7

  NICs (per cent.)

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  6·5

  Total (per cent.)

  19·6

  17·3

  16·0

  15·4

  16·7

  16·4

  16·9

  16·9

  17·0

  16·6

  17·2

  April 1990

  Income tax (per cent.)

  15·3

  13·0

  11·8

  11·6

  11·2

  11·2

  11·1

  11·5

  11·0

  10·6

  11·5

  NICs (per cent.)

  7·4

  8·0

  7·9

  7·8

  7·8

  7·8

  7·8

  7·8

  7·8

  7·8

  7·8

  Total (per cent.)

  22·7

  21·0

  19·6

  19·4

  19·0

  19·0

  18·8

  19·3

  18·8

  18·4

  19·4

  April 1990

  £ per week at April 1990 prices

  Median male earnings

  320·00

  275·70

  247·80

  249·50

  242·30

  242·40

  241·80

  246·50

  241·80

  237·70

  243·30

  Income tax

  42·78

  31·71

  24·73

  25·16

  23·36

  23·38

  23·23

  24·41

  23·23

  22·21

  23·61

  NICs

  25·58

  21·59

  19·08

  19·24

  18·59

  18·60

  18·54

  18·97

  18·54

  18·17

  18·68

  Total

  68·36

  53·30

  43·81

  44·39

  41·94

  41·98

  41·77

  43·37

  41·77

  40·38

  42·28

  Percentages of gross earnings

  Income tax (per cent.)

  13·4

  11·5

  10·0

  10·1

  9·6

  9·6

  9·6

  9·9

  9·6

  9·3

  9·7

  NICs (per cent.)

  8·0

  7·8

  7·7

  7·7

  7·7

  7·7

  7·7

  7·7

  7·7

  7·6

  7·7

  Total (per cent.)

  21·4

  19·3

  17·7

  17·8

  17·3

  17·3

  17·3

  17·6

  17·3

  17·0

  17·4

  Notes to table:

  (1) Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard allowances and only have income from employment. All earners are assumed to pay Class 1 NI contributions at the contracted-in rate.

  (2) Child benefit is treated as a negative income tax.

  (3) Average and median earnings estimates are derived from the New Earnings Survey. To provide consistent estimates for the two years, average earnings figures for April 1979 have been multiplied by a splicing factor, taking account of a classification change in the 1983 New Earnings Survey, from 'males aged over 21 years' to 'all males on adult rates'. The regional average earnings shown for 1979 therefore differ from those in the published New Earnings Survey.

  Student Taxpayers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, in the latest year for which information is available, is the number of students who pay income tax; and what is the total number of students who pay VAT.
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  patterns and local tax rates cannot be made as the sample size of the family expenditure survey, on which such estimates would be based, is too small.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]: Information on the number of students who pay income tax is not available centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
  547
  VAT is chargeable on a wide range of consumer expenditure and it is likely that everybody has to pay some in the course of a year.

  Tobacco Taxation
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the amount of tax paid on the 10 most popular brands of cigarettes in each EC member state and the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes in each country.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]: Information is available relating only to 1991 and for the most popular cigarette brand in each EC member states as follows:

  Pence per 20

  Retail selling price

  Excise duty and VAT

  Spain

  32

  18

  Greece

  42

  30

  Portugal

  60

  45

  Luxembourg

  81

  58

  Italy

  87

  63

  France

  105

  71

  Netherlands

  105

  74

  Belgium

  113

  82

  Germany

  146

  107

  Ireland

  184

  138

  United Kingdom

  208

  155

  Denmark

  233

  200

  Taxes and Duties
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what amounts to taxes and duty were raised in each of the last five years(a) at 1991 prices and (b) as a percentage of total revenues on tobacco and tobacco products;

  (2) what amounts of taxes and duties were raised in each of the last five years (a) at 1991 prices and (b) as a percentage of total revenues on alcohol and alcohol products.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]: The following is the information in respect of excise duty and VAT on alcoholic drink and tobacco at 1991 prices and as a percentage of total Customs and Excise receipts.

  Excise Duty and VAT £ million 1991 prices

  Percentage of Customs & Excise receipts

  Alcohol

  Tobacco

  Alcohol

  Tobacco

  1986–87

  8,550

  7,750

  15·4

  13·9

  1987–88

  8,600

  7,500

  14·8

  12·9

  1988–89

  8,550

  7,400

  14·0

  12·1

  1989–90

  8,000

  6,950

  13·5

  11·7

  1990–91

  8,000

  7,050

  13·9

  12·2

TRANSPORT

  Redmire to Redcar Rail Link
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to intervene in the possible closure of the Redmire to Redcar rail link following the withdrawal of the British Steel limestone traffic; and what assessment 548
  he has made of the extent to which such a closure would be in accordance with his policy of transferring freight from road to rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following discussions with my Department, British Rail and my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) British Steel has agreed to continue transporting limestone on the Redmire line until the end of September, rather than the end of March as they had previously proposed. British Rail, for its part, has agreed to defer its proposed increase in rail charges for the same period. My officials are to host further discussions with my hon. Friend together with representatives of British Steel, British Rail and North Yorkshire county council, to explore the scope for keeping the limestone traffic on the line in the longer term. We have indicated our willingness to consider assistance through the freight facilities grants scheme, if appropriate.

  Railway Clearing House
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has any plans to lease the former railway clearing house building at Eversholt street, London NW1, following the privatisation of railway services.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No. I understand from the British Rail property board that the former railway clearing house was vested in the assets of Sealink, which was sold by the British Railways Board in 1984.

  Ports Act 1991
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to review the operations of part III of the Ports Act 1991 in so far as its effects upon lighthouse dues and the smaller ports are concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am currently considering proposals made by Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse board under part III of the Ports Act 1991. In reaching a decision I shall take account of the representations made by the various interested parties.

  Motorcycle Leg Protection
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will withdraw his proposals for the use of motorcycle leg protection.

  Mr. Chope
  It is the Government's desire to encourage the development of safe motorcycle secondary protection devices so that they can be available on an optional basis to those motorcyclists who wish to make use of them.

  There remains considerable scepticism among manufacturers as to whether it is possible to design and produce motorcycle leg protectors which enhance total safety and do not increase the risk of head injuries. Research is therefore continuing with a view to allaying such concerns.

  Roads and Traffic, Shropshire
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the capital and revenue contributions from central Government to road and traffic schemes in Shropshire for 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Chope
  The capital allocations were as follows:
  549

  1978–79

  1982–83

  1986–87

  1991–92

  £ million

  Borrowing/credit approvals or equivalent

  N/A

  2,927

  2,434

  5,621

  Transport supplementary grant

  N/A

  1

  1,456

  4,355

  Total

  —

  —

  3,890

  9,976

  1 Before 1985–86 transport supplementary grant was paid on both capital and revenue expenditure but was not differentiated between the two elements.

  Grants to local authorities for revenue expenditure have since 1982 been unhypothecated—that is, not split into allocations for separate services. Only the ceiling for expenditure by central Government is controlled. Shropshire county council is free to make as much or as little revenue expenditure as it considers appropriate on road and traffic schemes.

  Euro-routes
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the designation of Euro-routes between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

  Mr. Chope
  Euro-routes are designated in annex I of the European agreement on main international traffic arteries (AGR). This is a free-standing agreement managed by the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations in Geneva.

  The E routes designated between Ireland and Britain are:
  the E16 which runs Londonderry-Belfast-Glasgow-Edinburgh;
  the E 18 which runs Craigavon-Belfast-Larne-Stranraer-Gretna-Carlisle-Newcastle and then through Norway, Sweden and Finland to St. Petersburg;

  Schemes newly accepted for Transport Supplementary Grant in 1989–90

  n/s: Data not supplied by local highway authority

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Bexley

  Bexleyheath Southern Relief Road

  21

  n/s

  0·4

  9

  Enfield

  Nags Head Road/High Street, Ponders End, Junction Improvement

  9

  n/s

  n/s

  21

  Waltham Forest

  Bakers Arms Junction Improvement

  10

  n/s

  0·2

  31

  Bolton

  Market Street Diversion Westhoughton

  9

  0·6

  1·0

  12

  Manchester

  Manchester/Salford IRR (A6/Mancunian Way)

  14

  3·7

  0·7

  24

  Salford

  Crescent Bridge Reconstruction

  99

  5·3

  0·3

  12

  Salford

  Irlam/Cadishead Bypass (Boysnope Wharf-Brinell Drive)

  12

  4·6

  4·0

  18

  Trafford

  City Link

  n/s

  n/s

  1·4

  18

  Liverpool

  Park Road Relief Road Phase 2

  n/s

  n/s

  n/s

  18

  St. Helens

  St. Helens Town Centre to M62 Link Road [C] (Exc. Con.)

  9

  4·2

  7·6

  30

  Barnsley

  East of Hoyland Swaine

  10

  0·3

  1·8

  12

  Rotherham

  A630/A631 Rotherham to M1 Link

  32

  8·5

  2·6

  38

  Sheffield

  (pt. 4350) Sheffield·M1 via Mosborough Stage II and III

  n/s

  1·9

  5·6

  42

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  (3435, 4486 and 4488) West Central Route

  n/s

  n/s

  1·4

  36

  South Tyneside

  Newcastle Road, South Shields

  15

  1·5

  1·0

  15

  Birmingham

  City UTC

  88

  n/s

  n/s

  24

  Birmingham

  Middle Ring Road (Key Hill Link)

  20

  n/s

  0·7

  18

  Birmingham

  Middle Ring Road (New John Street West)

  20

  n/s

  1·3

  18

  Birmingham

  Washwood Heath Road/High Street Junction

  99

  n/s

  0·4

  9

  Wolverhampton

  Willenhall Road Improvement (Deans Road-Neachells Lane)

  n/s

  n/s

  0·5

  54

  550
  the E20 which runs Shannon-Dublin-Liverpool-Manchester-Bradford-Leeds-Hull and then through Denmark, Sweden and Estonia to St. Petersburg;
  the E30 which runs Cork-Rosslare-Fishguard-Cardiff London-Felixstowe and then through the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Byelorussia to Moscow.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to announce the detailed guidelines for the use of discretionary powers to acquire property affected by his Department's road schemes which were referred to in his answer to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing (Sir J. Stanley) of 21 November, 1991 Official Report, column 237.

  Mr. Chope
  I announced the detailed guidelines for the use of the new discretionary powers of section 62 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 on 17 January, pursuant to my answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir J. Stanley).

  Sir Peter Blaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority (a) the value of the first year return, (b) the total net present value and (c) the length of each road project which qualified for transport supplementary grant in each year from 1989–90 to 1991–92; and if he will give the same information for each road project which has been accepted for transport supplementary grant in 1992–93 and for the proposed Squires Gate link road, phase 2, in Lancashire.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]: Listed are the details requested for major schemes newly accepted for transport supplementary grant in the years 1989–90 to 1992–93. The tables also include similar information on the Squires Gate link road phase II.
  551

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Avon

  (pt. 4096) Avon R.R. IB2: Westerleigh Road-Shortwood Road

  14

  26·1

  2·3

  18

  Avon

  Urban Traffic Control

  80

  3·5

  n/s

  30

  Berkshire

  Reading Urban Traffic Control

  n/s

  n/s

  n/s

  14

  Buckinghamshire

  Wing-Milton Keynes Fenny Stratford BP (MKDC Con.)[C]

  n/s

  3·7

  2·2

  18

  Cambridgeshire

  Elton/Chesterton BP (Excl. PDC Contribution) [C]

  n/s

  5·0

  5·9

  18

  Cheshire

  Diversion (Phase 2) Warrington

  8

  0·5

  1·2

  24

  Cleveland

  (pt. 1024) Guisborough Road Improvement

  6

  0·4

  1·0

  12

  Cornwall

  (1368) Sticker Bypass

  8

  0·4

  3·0

  18

  Cumbria

  Papcastle Diversion

  21

  3·3

  2·0

  24

  Cumbria

  Romney Road Link [C] (Excl. Developer's Contribution)

  61

  3·3

  0·3

  18

  Devon

  UTC/Scoot Phase 3

  n/s

  n/s

  n/s

  60

  Durham

  Wheatley Hill Bypass

  13

  2·0

  3·5

  30

  East Sussex

  Brighton Bypass-Hangleton Link [C] (Excl. DTP Contribution)

  n/s

  n/s

  1·7

  24

  Essex

  Little Waltham to Great Leighs Stages 1 and 2

  n/s

  n/s

  1·6

  13

  Hampshire

  West Totton Bypass (2)

  15

  10·5

  1·2

  24

  Humberside

  Hull Ennerdale Link

  53

  18·1

  3·3

  39

  Humberside

  Humber Bridge Northern Approach Road

  12

  3·3

  5·3

  21

  Kent

  Eastry Bypass

  14

  0·6

  2·5

  20

  Kent

  Maidstone Spine Road

  46

  30·4

  2·7

  42

  Kent

  Somerhill Park Link Tonbridge

  17

  1·9

  2·3

  26

  Kent

  South Ashford to Hamstreet

  7

  -01

  6·2

  27

  Kent

  Stockbridge to Brenzett

  7

  0·1

  4·0

  18

  Kent

  Sturry Road to Military Road Link Canterbury

  32

  1·1

  0·2

  12

  Kent

  Whitfield Bypass

  11

  0·4

  2·1

  17

  Kent

  Whitfield to Eastry

  8

  0·3

  7·5

  24

  Lancashire

  (RN) Penwortham Bypass Extension to Preston

  14

  9·8

  1·2

  19

  Lancashire

  Accrington Town Centre Relief Road

  45

  3·4

  0·7

  12

  Lancashire

  Freckleton Bypass

  21

  5·7

  3·3

  15

  Lancashire

  Kirkham and Wesham Bypass

  16

  2·7

  1·9

  18

  Lancashire

  Lancaster/Morecambe Bypass (Phase I)

  81

  8·3

  5·8

  24

  Leicestershire

  Syston Northern Bypass

  6

  0·5

  2·3

  16

  Lincolnshire

  Wainfleet bypass

  20

  1·4

  3·8

  20

  Norfolk

  Dersingham/Snettisham Bypass

  n/s

  7·7

  5·8

  18

  Northamptonshire

  Staverton Bypass

  n/s

  0·1

  1·2

  5

  Nottinghamshire

  Hucknall Bypass

  n/s

  4·5

  5·4

  55

  Nottinghamshire

  Portland Street to Inner Ring Road Mansfield

  99

  n/s

  0·5

  10

  Shropshire

  Whitchurch Bypass

  n/s

  0·2

  2·1

  24

  Staffordshire

  Hawkins Lane Link Burton-upon-Trent

  22

  1·0

  0·5

  15

  Suffolk

  Long Melford Bypass

  9

  1·5

  5·4

  18

  Surrey

  Ewell Bypass

  26

  3·9

  1·6

  18

  West Sussex

  Rustington Bypass

  9

  2·1

  3·0

  24

  Schemes newly accepted for Transport Supplementary Grant in 1990–91

  n/s: Data not supplied by local highway authority

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Croydon

  Mitcham Road/Sumner Road Junction Improvement

  19

  1·0

  n/s

  17

  Ealing

  South Road Pedestrianisation (Southall TN Center)

  n/s

  1·6

  0·1

  21

  Merton

  (RN) Beddington/Mitcham Relief Road

  61

  59·8

  3·3

  32

  Wandsworth

  Battersea Park Road (Alexandra Avenue-Queenstown Road)

  16

  n/s

  0·6

  21

  Bolton

  Outer Ring Road Improvements

  176

  20·5

  10·6

  60

  Manchester

  Airport Access Roads Stage 2 (M56 Spur/ Airport)

  66

  1·8

  0·6

  14

  Manchester

  Intermediate Ring Road Stage 2 (Pottery Lane-Oldham Road)

  17

  6·8

  3·1

  36

  Manchester

  Intermediate Ring Road Stage 1 (Kirkmanshulme Lane-Pottery Lane)

  51

  11·6

  1·4

  20

  Stockport

  (5283) Brinksway Improvement Phase 2

  12

  4·2

  0·6

  19

  Wigan

  Lowton St. Mary's Bypass

  14

  2·6

  1·4

  18

  Knowsley

  (RN) M57-A562 Link Road

  8

  20·6

  4·5

  30

  Liverpool

  Great Howard Street Improvement Phase 1

  n/s

  n/s

  0·8

  18

  552 553

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Sheffield

  (0353) Outer Ring Road Darnall Stage II, III and IV

  5

  0·2

  2·6

  51

  Sheffield

  (5475 and 5476) Penistone Road Stages II and III

  28

  4·8

  2·5

  36

  Sunderland

  Eastern Relief Road

  n/s

  7·6

  0·8

  30

  Birmingham

  (5691) UDA Spine Road (Heartlands)

  n/s

  n/s

  4·1

  43

  Birmingham

  Lichfield Road Improvement Phase 1 (UDA Scheme)

  52

  66·2

  1·2

  42

  Birmingham

  Middle Ring Road (Lawley Street Viaduct Section)

  53

  4·4

  0·5

  18

  Coventry

  North-South Road Phase 1

  37

  28·4

  2·4

  18

  Dudley

  Dudley Southern Bypass

  15

  59·3

  3·1

  66

  Solihull

  (5404) Shirley Junction Improvements Phase I

  24

  3·2

  0·8

  14

  Bradford

  (5031) Bradford City Ring Road Stage II

  23

  71·9

  1·2

  24

  Bradford

  Killinghall Triangle

  182

  30·5

  0·4

  8

  Leeds

  Leeds Inner Ring Road Stages 6 and 7

  n/s

  n/s

  2·2

  24

  Avon

  (5657) Western Super Mare PDR Stages VA and VB

  11

  3·9

  1·4

  24

  Avon

  Avon Ring Road (IV): Marsham Way-A4 Bath Road

  19

  6·4

  2·8

  30

  Bedfordshire

  Stagsden Bypass

  n/s

  1·2

  3·0

  12

  Berkshire

  Sandhurst Crowthorne Bypass

  n/s

  27·9

  3·8

  18

  Berkshire

  Slough Bath Road Montem Lane-Wellington Street

  n/s

  11·1

  0·6

  18

  Cambridgeshire

  A14/A603/B1042 Junction Improvement Arrington

  13

  n/s

  1·0

  6

  Cheshire

  Wilmslow Local Bypass

  n/s

  n/s

  3·0

  30

  Cleveland

  (1026) Thornaby Bypass

  22

  18·8

  5·0

  87

  Cornwall

  Liskeard Industrial Distributor Road

  2

  5·6

  1·5

  13

  Devon

  Milehouse Junction Improvement Plymouth

  79

  28·6

  0·4

  12

  Devon

  Thorns Cross to Eagle Farm Stage 4

  15

  6·8

  2·8

  12

  Devon

  Torbay Ring Road Stage 2

  62

  34·8

  2·7

  12

  Devon

  Western Approach/Union Street Junction Improvement Plymouth

  91

  34·2

  0·8

  9

  Dorset

  (pt5740) Primary Network/A37 Improvement-Section A AIP

  7

  0·1

  2·8

  8

  Durham

  Consett Bypass Stage II

  n/s

  n/s

  1·8

  18

  Durham

  Metal Bridge to Bowburn

  9

  3·5

  1·8

  12

  East Sussex

  Boarshead to Eridge

  14

  10·0

  3·9

  24

  Essex

  Canes Lane Improvement (Final Stage)

  n/s

  1·8

  1·7

  18

  Essex

  Dovercourt Bypass Stage 2 Phase 2

  n/s

  2·9

  2·5

  24

  Hampshire

  M3 Link Minley

  49

  45·7

  1·0

  20

  Hereford and Worcester

  A44-A422 Link Worcester Road-Whittington Road Marl Bank

  27

  71·3

  1·0

  12

  Hereford and Worcester

  Roman Road Hereford Phase 4 Stage 2

  4

  -0·3

  1·5

  6

  Kent

  Dartford Northern Bypass

  43

  68·3

  3·0

  24

  Kent

  Thames-Side Industrial Route (TIR) Stage 1

  56

  21·3

  2·4

  24

  Lancashire

  Blackburn Inner Relief Road (Phase 1)

  30

  13·9

  0·9

  16

  Lancashire

  Park Road/St.-Helens Road Link Ormskirk

  17

  7·6

  0·4

  9

  Lancashire

  Squires Gate Lane Blackpool Dualling

  19

  6·4

  1·4

  12

  Leicestershire

  Ashby-Loughborough Coleorton Improvement

  12

  0·2

  1·9

  10

  Leicestershire

  Redland Quarry to Quorn/Mountsorrel Bypass Link

  n/s

  0·3

  1·1

  n/s

  Norfolk

  Watton Inner Relief Road

  n/s

  5·9

  0·5

  9

  Northamptonshire

  Middleton Cheney BP and Overthorpe Hall Improvement

  n/s

  13·8

  3·2

  17

  Northamptonshire

  Nene Valley Way I Crawler Lane

  n/s

  1·4

  1·2

  6

  Northamptonshire

  River Tove Bends

  n/s

  2·7

  1·1

  14

  Northumberland

  Prudhoe Northern Bypass

  n/s

  23·2

  4·4

  30

  Northumberland

  Swinburne Quarry to Fourlaws Stage 1

  n/s

  1·3

  2·0

  18

  North Yorkshire

  Sherburn-in-Elmet and South Milford Bypass

  n/s

  7·4

  6·8

  24

  Nottinghamshire

  Manvers Street Link Nottingham

  n/s

  3·8

  1·8

  57

  Oxfordshire

  (RN) Banbury Inner Relief Road

  23

  37·4

  2·0

  24

  Shropshire

  Ironbridge Bypass Extension

  24

  3·7

  2·8

  12

  Somerset

  Lysander Road to Hendford Yeovil

  n/s

  n/s

  0·7

  9

  Staffordshire

  Burslem Town Centre Bypass

  2

  0·5

  0·5

  15

  Suffolk

  Mutford Bridge

  12

  0·5

  0·5

  18

  Suffolk

  Stowmarket Relief Road

  10

  10·1

  1·6

  18

  West Sussex

  Crawley South Western Bypass

  n/s

  15·1

  2·3

  n/s

  West Sussex

  Littlehampton Bypass (Main Scheme)

  n/s

  24·7

  1·8

  n/s

  Wiltshire

  Burbage Bypass

  13

  2·6

  2·6

  24

  Wiltshire

  Swindon Cricklade Road Relief Road-Stage 2

  n/s

  n/s

  1·2

  14

  554 555

  Schemes newly accepted for Transport Supplementary Grant in 1991–92

  n/s: Data not supplied by local highway authority

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Barking and Dagenham

  Beacontree Heath Road Improvements

  n/s

  n/s

  0·3

  24

  Bromley

  Elmers End Road Railway Bridge

  25

  2·8

  0·2

  16

  Ealing

  Iron Bridge Highway Improvement

  92

  21·2

  0·3

  15

  Hillingdon

  Uxbridge Town Centre Improvement Scheme

  44

  34·6

  1·0

  29

  Stockport

  A34 Bypass (Etchells Road to Schools Hill)

  n/s

  1·1

  1·1

  30

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Scotswood Road Phase 1

  n/s

  n/s

  n/s

  11

  Berkshire

  Phase 2 A33 Relief Road Rose Kiln Lane to I.D.R.

  n/s

  n/s

  1·2

  24

  Buckinghamshire

  A509/A422 Newport Pagnall BP Dualling (MKDC Con.)

  n/s

  8·6

  4·2

  12

  Cheshire

  Handforth BP and MAELR (Stockport/ Developer Funded)

  31

  93·1

  11·2

  24

  Cheshire

  Urban Traffic Control System (Chester Warrington)

  n/s

  n/s

  n/s

  48

  Cleveland

  Portrack Lane Dualling

  38

  19·6

  0·9

  45

  Cornwall

  Penryn and Falmouth Distributor Road

  13

  9·5

  3·8

  25

  Cumbria

  Rothay Link

  10

  1·3

  0·7

  20

  Devon

  A38O Relief Road (Kerswell to Hele Road)

  70

  15·9

  1·6

  24

  Devon

  Halcyon Road Newton Abbot Town Centre

  103

  34·5

  0·4

  12

  Dorset

  West Stafford Bypass

  9

  0·9

  3·0

  15

  Durham

  Darlington Cross Town Route Stage I

  n/s

  n/s

  1·9

  24

  Durham

  Teesside Link and Airport Access

  14

  10·0

  5·4

  24

  East Sussex

  East Hoathly Bypass

  38

  11·5

  1·8

  12

  Essex

  Stanford-le-Hope to Five Bells Stage 2

  n/s

  110·5

  3·5

  24

  Gloucestershire

  Eastington-Stroud Stage 2 (Stonehouse Court-Horsetrough Junction)

  n/s

  n/s

  1·1

  45

  Hampshire

  Totton Western Bypass (Stage 3)

  22

  43·6

  2·6

  n/s

  Hereford and Worcester

  Alvechurch Bypass

  45

  17·1

  3·0

  19

  Humberside

  Leven Bypass

  16

  5·2

  4·3

  24

  Kent

  Roydon Hall Bends to A26

  22

  3·5

  1·5

  12

  Leicestershire

  Hinckley Northern Perimeter Completion

  40

  7·9

  3·1

  25

  Lincolnshire

  Grantham Inner Relief Road

  n/s

  1·7

  0·7

  11

  Norfolk

  King's Lynn Traffic Management Scheme

  n/s

  n/s

  n/s

  22

  Norfolk

  Stratton Strawless-Hevingham Improvement

  n/s

  1·6

  4·2

  4

  Northamptonshire

  Brackley Southern Bypass

  28

  10·9

  n/s

  12

  North Yorkshire

  Ripon BP/Distributor Roads and Works in City Centre

  16

  17·7

  3·5

  24

  Shropshire

  Newport Bypass

  13

  5·4

  3·0

  16

  Somerset

  Shepton Mallet to East of Dean

  6

  1·6

  7·6

  36

  Staffordshire

  Keele Bypass

  14

  2·1

  1·8

  11

  West Sussex

  Hooklands Improvement

  n/s

  9·4

  2·0

  24

  Wiltshire

  Trowbridge Relief Road Stage 2

  n/s

  n/s

  0·6

  12

  Schemes newly accepted for Transport Supplementary Grant in 1992–93

  n/s: Data not supplied by local highway authority

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Hackney

  Lea Bridge Road E5-Renewal of Bridge Deck

  n/s

  n/s

  0·5

  42

  Waltham Forest

  Lea Bridge Reconstruction-Con t. to Hackney

  n/s

  n/s

  0·1

  30

  Wirral

  New Chester Road Improvement (MDC Cont.)

  11

  2·8

  1·0

  12

  Barnsley

  Dearne Towns Link Road

  12

  31·6

  12·4

  57

  Sheffield

  A61 Sheffield Parkway/Park Square Junction Improvement

  198

  10·7

  0·3

  10

  Gateshead

  Western Riverside Route ST1 PH2 and ST2

  n/s

  n/s

  0·9

  18

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Scotswood Road Impt.—West of Paradise

  n/s

  8·9

  0·9

  9

  Sunderland

  Doxford Park Access Road Stage 2 (Bypass)

  n/s

  4·4

  0·5

  7

  Birmingham

  Thimble Mill Lane (UDA Scheme) Phase 2

  79

  11·1

  0·8

  8

  Dudley

  High Street Amblecote

  104

  31·5

  0·7

  13

  Solihull

  West Midlands Renaissance Area

  6

  16·8

  4·8

  72

  Kirklees

  Huddersfield Ring Road IMP PH 2

  n/s

  20·3

  11·9

  6

  Avon

  Avonmouth Link

  n/s

  n/s

  0·5

  24

  Buckinghamshire

  Bletchley Road Diversion Buckingham (MKDC Con.)

  17

  2·6

  1·8

  12

  Cambridgeshire

  Spittals Link Huntingdon

  61

  15·9

  0·8

  14

  Cheshire

  Upton (Chester) Park and Ride

  n/s

  n/s

  0·4

  12

  Cleveland

  Guisborough Bypass

  28

  24·5

  1·9

  23

  Cornwall

  Egloshayle Bypass

  n/s

  n/s

  1·5

  9

  Devon

  Tavistock Road Dualling Stage 1 Plymouth

  32

  7·9

  0·9

  12

  556 557

  Authority

  Scheme

  First year rate of return (per cent.)

  Total net present value (£ million)

  Length of scheme (kilometres)

  Duration of scheme (months)

  Dorset

  A37 IMP SEC B&C A356-Somerset Boundary

  n/s

  n/s

  12·4

  48

  Durham

  Newton Cap Diversion

  17

  10·5

  1·8

  24

  East Sussex

  A26 Mailing Hill (Local Traffic) Rel. Road Lewes

  13

  1·8

  0·4

  30

  Essex

  Aukingford Gardens-Talbot Roundabout ST 1 & 2

  8

  2·7

  4·5

  24

  Gloucestershire

  Lydney Highway Strategy-Part 1 (Bypass)

  9

  4·2

  4·8

  48

  Hampshire

  Bentley Bypass

  11

  18·2

  2·3

  18

  Humberside

  Beverley North East Bypass

  n/s

  n/s

  2·5

  12

  Kent

  Ash Bypass

  12

  4·5

  5·5

  16

  Kent

  Medway Tunnel

  38

  172·1

  15·0

  38

  Lancashire

  Chorley Town Centre Bypass Phase III

  34

  13·4

  0·7

  20

  Leicestershire

  Leicester Motorways Employment Area STIV Soar Valley Way

  41

  17·4

  1·7

  12

  Lincolnshire

  Swallow Bypass and Route Improvement

  19

  5·2

  3·6

  12

  Norfolk

  Kirstead Bypass

  n/s

  0·1

  1·8

  9

  Northamptonshire

  Deanshanger Bypass

  15

  3·1

  1·5

  10

  North Yorkshire

  A59 Bolton Bridge Bypass

  8

  0·9

  2·1

  12

  Oxfordshire

  Wallingford Bypass

  8

  4·6

  4·4

  24

  Somerset

  Glastonbury Western Relief Road

  17

  11·0

  3·7

  25

  West Sussex

  Chichester and Bognor Regis Improvement (Phase 1)

  n/s

  6·0

  1·7

  15

  Wiltshire

  The Meads Roundabout Swindon Grade Separation

  9

  n/s

  0·8

  19

  For comparison the following information was provided for 1992–93:

  Lancashire

  Squires Gate Link Road Phase II

  29

  24·0

  2·1

  18

  Helicopters, Central London
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference of the study he has initiated on helicopter provision for central London; and if he will include in them an assessment of the need and of the demand for helicopter provision in central London.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The group undertaking the study will make a comparative evaluation of possible sites for a heliport to serve central London, and submit a report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The study will include an assessment of the need and the demand for helicopter services in central London. It will also consider safety and other operational factors, air traffic control constraints, noise and other environmental issues, and surface access. My right hon. Friend intends to publish the group's report, which he hopes to receive within 12 months.

ENVIRONMENT

  Buildings in Scotland
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds his Department has spent on buildings in Scotland in each of the past five years; and if he will list the amount spent on each project.

  Mr. Yeo
  The figures are as follows:

  £ million

  1986–87

  133·501

  1987–88

  115·389

  1988–89

  110·701

  1989–90

  130·856

  1990–91

  12·323

  The figures for the years 1986–87 to 1989–90 represent expenditure by PSA Scotland. Since 1 April 1988 clients
  558
  have progressively untied from PSA services and become responsible for reporting expenditure against their own votes. Therefore:

  (1) expenditure from 1 April 1988 excludes major schemes for Civil clients.

  (2) expenditure in 1990–91 represents that by the Property Holdings directorate of DoE on civil accommodation in Scotland, but excludes expenditure by other civil departments and MOD.

  Major construction schemes controlled by PSA headquarters are excluded as expenditure records are not maintained on a location basis. The figures also exclude rental costs.

  It is not possible to provide details of the amounts spent on each project.

  Departmental Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Heseltine
  The numbers of women and men at each grade level (including equivalent grades) in the Department of the Environment on 1 January 1992 were:

  Female

  Male

  Grade 1

  0

  1

  Grade 2

  2

  6

  Grade 3

  5

  31

  Grade 4

  0

  9

  Grade 5

  21

  126

  Grade 6

  20

  259

  Grade 7

  118

  658

  SEO and equivalent

  119

  560

  HEO and equivalent

  298

  641

  EO and equivalent

  544

  697

  AT

  6

  4

  AO and equivalent

  946

  668

  559

  Female

  Male

  AA and equivalent

  627

  363

  Total (6,729)

  2,704

  4,025

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

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Department of the Environment had 6,729 non-industrial employees on 1 January 1992; 5,066 are white, 456 are of ethnic minority origin, and 1,207 have not yet revealed their ethnic origin.

  The Department employs 73 staff who are registered disabled and a further 58 who are known to have a disability but are not registered.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the granting of RECHAR to local authorities will carry with it supplementary credit approval.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for

  Thousands of households

  Owner occupiers

  Local authority

  Renters Housing association

  Private landlord

  All

  England

  1981

  9,600

  5,500

  300

  2,000

  17,300

  1982

  10,000

  5,100

  300

  2,000

  17,400

  1983

  10,500

  5,100

  400

  1,700

  17,600

  1984

  10,800

  4,700

  400

  1,800

  17,800

  1985

  11,300

  4,600

  400

  1,700

  18,000

  1986

  11,700

  4,400

  400

  1,700

  18,100

  1987

  12,000

  4,200

  500

  1,600

  18,300

  1988

  12,000

  4,400

  500

  1,600

  18,500

  1989

  12,500

  4,200

  500

  1,500

  18,700

  1990

  12,600

  4,100

  500

  1,600

  18,800

  Greater London

  1981

  1,250

  790

  110

  440

  2,600

  1984

  1,390

  790

  120

  400

  2,700

  1988

  1,520

  730

  150

  350

  2,750

  Outer London

  1981

  980

  350

  40

  200

  1,580

  1984

  1,100

  330

  40

  180

  1,660

  1988

  1,150

  320

  50

  180

  1,690

  Inner London

  1981

  270

  440

  70

  240

  1,020

  1984

  300

  460

  70

  220

  1,050

  1988

  380

  420

  100

  170

  1,060

  Notes

  Estimates are derived from sample surveys and therefore subject to the usual sampling errors.

  England—proportionsfrom the general household survey applied to the Department of the Environment's household estimates.

  London—regional and sub-regional estimates require a larger sample which is only available for the years shown—from the labour force survey housing trailers. Figures for inner and outer London may not sum to the totals for Greater London because of rounding.

  Information on the number of households by tenure for individual local authorities is available only from the census of population. Until 1991 census results are available, in early summer 1992, the most recent information is from the 1981 census. Copies of 1981 census reports are in the Library.
  560
  Trade and Industry on 17 February 1992, Official Report, column 22, in respect of the ERDF-aided RECHAR programme.

  Energy Saver Scheme
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider introducing grants for local authorities as part of an energy saver scheme.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government are promoting energy efficiency-related schemes in local authority housing through the green house demonstration programme, the home energy efficiency scheme and through estate action schemes which can include improvements to the heating and insulation of local authority housing.

  Housing, London
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the numbers of households in (i) owner occupation, (ii) private renting, (iii) local authority renting, (iv) housing association renting and (v) other for(a) each London borough, (b) Greater London, (c) outer London, (d) inner London and (e) England as a whole for each year from 1980–81 to 1991–92.

  Mr. Yeo
  Available estimates from household surveys are as follows:

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations have been received by his Department to date concerning the report,
  561
  "Air Pollution and Tree Health in the UK;" and if he will make a statement on the progress made in the light of its recommendations.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. The report is due for publication in the spring.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the targets for his Department's plan for reducing sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from existing large combustion plants.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have no immediate plans to review the emission limits set out in the national plan.

  New Homes
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated average first year cost of constructing a new home(a) nationally and (b) in each standard economic region; and if he will provide this information according to the available data on different sites of home.

  Sir George Young
  The majority of new housebuilding is undertaken by private builders and consequently the information requested is not available to the Department.

  Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average annual cost of keeping a family in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Sir George Young
  Annual costs can be derived from the information published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in "Homelessness Statistics: 1989–90 Actuals", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Government Contributions, Shropshire
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the capital and revenue contributions from central Government to Shropshire county council and Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council for 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Key
  The following is the information:

  Central Government contributions

  Shropshire county council £ million

  Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council £ million

  1978–79 Revenue:

  Rate support grant1

  27·550

  4·108

  Relevant specific grants to revenue

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Rate rebate grant

  0·0

  0·190

  Transport supplementary grant to revenue

  0·490

  0·0

  Total Revenue

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Capital

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1982–83 Revenue:

  Rate support grant2

  64·734

  2·518

  Relevant specific grants to revenue

  8·554

  0·358

  562

  Shropshire county council £ million

  Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council £ million

  Rate rebate grant

  0·0

  0·731

  Transport supplementary grant to revenue

  0·913

  0·0

  Total Revenue

  74·201

  3·607

  Capital

  n.a

  n.a.

  1986–87 Revenue:

  Rate support grant2

  74·597

  2·761

  Relevant specific grants to revenue

  12·859

  0·884

  Rate rebate grant

  0·0

  1·826

  Transport supplementary grant to revenue

  0·037

  0·0

  Total Revenue

  88·393

  5·471

  Capital

  0·868

  0·051

  1991–923 Revenue grants:

  To Collection fund

  Revenue support grant

  0·0

  11·074

  Special grants

  0·0

  0·0

  Community charge grant

  0·0

  9·550

  To General fund

  Specific grants inside AEF

  20·202

  0·151

  Other revenue support:

  NNDR entitlement (to Collection fund)

  0·0

  24·467

  Total Revenue support inside AEF

  20·202

  47·579

  Capital

  7·751

  0·750

  1 In 1978–79, rate support grant was made up of needs, resources and domestic elements. The needs element was paid to county councils and resources and domestic elements were paid to district councils.

  2 In 1981–82, following the introduction of a different rate support grant system, needs and resources elements were replaced by block grant payable to both upper and lower tier authorities.

  3 In 1990–91 the community charge system was introduced. The figures include all grants into the collection fund administered by Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, which supports the chargepayer in respect of spending by all tiers of authorities. The Government also pay specific grants into the general funds administered by both the named authorities. The figures given are estimates of those inside aggregate Exchequer finance (AEF). As the two authorities do not cover the same functions, the specific grants are quite different both in size and consumption.

  Leeds Development Council
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 February, if he will set out, for each year since the establishment of the Leeds development corporation, the figures provided by the economic consultants; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each report prepared by the economic consultants.

  Mr. Key
  The net gain in employment figures provided by the economic consultants for each year since the establishment of Leeds development corporation is as follows:

  Number

  1988–89

  2,007

  1989–90

  3,234

  1990–91

  621

  563
  The reports prepared by the consultants contain information which is commercial-in-confidence. If the hon. Member wishes to discuss the details further he should contact the chairman of the development corporation direct.

  Thorn and Hatfield Moors
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received concerning the future of Thorne and Hatfield moors; and how many of these were in favour of the agreement between English Nature and Fisons plc.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Since the details of the agreement between English Nature and Fisons were made public I have received only a few letters which express some reservations or seek further clarification of its contents. As knowledge of the agreement becomes more general I am sure that the public will recognise that the agreement is a significant step forward in the safeguarding of peatlands.

  Peat
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library copies of the research commissioned by English Nature from the Institute of Hydrology and Dundee university into the hydrology of peat bogs;

  (2) if he will publish any assessment made by English Nature of the effects of continual commercial peat cutting on Thorne and Hatfield moors adjacent to those areas now identified for conservation purposes and any hydrological or other research on which such assessment has been based.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The research commissioned by English Nature from the Institute of Hydrology and the University of Dundee concerning the hydrology of part of Thorne moors has just been published. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  In addition a study carried out by the University of Sheffield identified a need to retain water on the national nature reserve on Thorne moors and to block the drains running from the surrounding land. This will be done under the terms of the agreement reached between English Nature and Fisons.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if English Nature intends to remove site of special scientific interest status from any area of peat bog from which peat is commercially extracted.

  Mr. Heseltine
  No.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement between Fisons plc and English Nature concerning peat extraction.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 12 February 1992,Official Report, column 506. In addition I have arranged for a copy of the information package made available to the public by English Nature at the time of the announcement of the agreement to be placed in the Library.

  Nature Conservation
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the draft planning policy guidance note on nature conservation will be published.

  Sir George Young
  The Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office have today published a draft planning policy guidance note on nature conservation for public consultation and copies are being placed in the Library. The planning policy guidance provides up-to-date guidance on how the Government's policies on the conservation of our natural heritage are to be reflected in land use planning. It also sets out the main statutory obligations under both domestic and international law. We want to ensure effective conservation of wildlife and natural features while making adequate provision for development and economic growth. This planning policy guidance is designed to achieve that.

  Wild Birds
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he proposes to take to protect wild birds in trade.

  Mr. Baldry
  With colleagues in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, we are acting on a number of fronts to protect birds and other wild animals in trade.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, wrote last week to the European Commission to urge it to make speedy progress in drawing up the special safeguards for the transport of birds, negotiated last autumn by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as part of a directive on the welfare of all animals in transport. To achieve immediate improvements in the conditions in which birds are transported. I am also writing, with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Agriculture, to the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) to seek worldwide limits on the size of shipments. Should this approach fail, MAFF will introduce stricter limits nationally.

  The Department has a particular responsibility for those birds and other animals whose import we licence. In preparation for next month's conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) I have identified with interested organisations, the introduction of checklists to monitor and enforce transport conditions as a top priority. The United Kingdom will complete these forthwith for imports of all animals subject to CITES controls. Checklists may be used as a basis for enforcement action; the application of stricter transport conditions; and for imposing restrictions on trade in particular species between particular countries. At the CITES conference, we shall urge others to follow our example on both the checklist and the collection of mortality statistics.

  We shall also press for a substantial improvement in the implementation of CITES controls worldwide. In particular, as identified by our scientific advisers last year, action must be taken to remedy the failure of many countries to meet the Convention's requirements for the issue of export permits.

  Our national licensing controls are already much more extensive than the basic CITES restrictions and we shall investigate further extension in the light of the latest

  565
  mortality statistics. We shall also continue to encourage our partners in the European Community to join us in imposing tighter controls. I welcome the recent publication by the European Commission of proposals for a regulation which would meet many of the wide-ranging concerns I expressed to them last year. We shall examine the full implications of the proposals urgently starting with those relating to the care and housing of live animals. Where appropriate, we shall not hesitate to take action before the regulation comes into effect.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce grants for hedgerow maintenance.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 November 1991, c. 159]: As part of our initiative "Action for the Countryside" which, together with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, I launched today, we are introducing a new hedgerow incentive scheme to counter the problem of loss of hedgerows through lack of maintenance. The scheme will encourage farmers and landowners to manage hedgerows in ways that will ensure their long-term survival. The hedgerow incentive scheme will target hedgerows of particular historic, landscape or wildlife importance. Hedgerows are also being lost through removal and we have announced our intention to legislate when parliamentary time permits to introduce a hedgerow notification scheme.

  In addition to our proposed new hedgerow incentive scheme, "Action for the Countryside" reviews other countryside policies, looks at the changes under way and sets out new initiatives for the future.

  The new initiatives concentrate on action to maintain a prosperous economy and thriving communities in the countryside, to protect and enhance the landscape, to provide for public enjoyment of the countryside and to protect and conserve wildlife. They are not put forward in isolation. The initiatives described here carry forward the principles of "This Common Inheritance" (Cmd 1200) and

  Comparison of 1991–92 and 1992–93 educaton services standard spending assessments for each local education authority in England showing overall percentage changes and the percentage change attributable to updating pupil numbers

  Local authority

  Percentage change 1991–92 to 1992–93 education standard spending assessment per cent.

  Percentage change attributable to pupil numbers per cent.

  Total England

  7·1

  —

  Total Shire counties

  6·9

  -0·2

  Total Metropolitan districts

  6·4

  0·0

  Total inner London boroughs including City

  9·8

  1·2

  Total outer London boroughs

  8·2

  0·7

  Total London boroughs

  8·8

  0·9

  Total Shire areas

  6·9

  -0·2

  Total Metropolitan areas

  6·4

  0·0

  Total London

  8·8

  0·9

  Isles of Scilly

  19·6

  10·1

  Greater London

  City of London

  -20·0

  -29·5

  566
  are complementary to policies already in hand. They demonstrate the importance that the Government attach to integrating development to sustain rural communities with the conservation of the countryside.

  The Government remain committed to keeping its policies in the countryside under review and will take further action when and where necessary to secure the delivery of its objectives.

  I am arranging for copies of "Action for the Countryside" to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each local education authority the percentage increase in standard spending assessment for education comparing 1992–93 with 1991–92; how much of this variation was accounted for by variation in pupil numbers; how much was to meet the full year effects of the 1991 teachers pay award; and how much was for the anticipated effect of the 1992 pay award.

  Mr. Key
  The table shows for each authority the total percentage increase in the education standard spending assessment between 1991–92 and 1992–93 and the percentage increase accounted for by the changes in pupil numbers.

  The overall cost of teachers' pay awards is among the pressures which the Government have taken into account in determining the appropriate amount for authorities to spend collectively on education in 1992–93. The cost of the pay awards is not, however, one of the indicators used to calculate education standard spending assessments and it is not therefore possible to identify a separate allowance for this cost within individual authorities' standard spending assessments.

  Education authorities are to receive additional grant of £56.6 million in 1992–93 to fund the additional cost of the teachers' pay award. This will be distributed in line with the schools' elements of the education standard spending assessment.
  567

  Local authority

  Percentage change 1991–92 to 1992–93 education standard spending assessment per cent.

  Percentage change attributable to pupil numbers per cent.

  Camden

  6·3

  -0·9

  Greenwich

  9·6

  2·4

  Hackney

  9·9

  1·0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  11·9

  4·6

  Islington

  12·9

  3·2

  Kensington and Chelsea

  10·0

  4·5

  Lambeth

  11·7

  1·8

  Lewisham

  11·4

  0·8

  Southwark

  9·4

  1·5

  Tower Hamlets

  10·3

  0·5

  Wandsworth

  3·3

  -3·6

  Westminster

  11·8

  2·1

  Barking and Dagenham

  8·2

  1·1

  Barnet

  8·8

  0·1

  Bexley

  7·5

  0·5

  Brent

  7·5

  0·3

  Bromley

  5·9

  -0·8

  Croydon

  7·5

  -0·9

  Ealing

  9·1

  0·4

  Enfield

  7·7

  0·3

  Haringey

  10·8

  2·9

  Harrow

  6·0

  0·1

  Havering

  5·5

  -0·7

  Hillingdon

  6·7

  0·1

  Hounslow

  9·5

  1·8

  Kingston upon Thames

  6·7

  -0·5

  Merton

  8·4

  0·3

  Newham

  12·8

  4·0

  Redbridge

  8·5

  0·7

  Richmond upon Thames

  6·0

  -0·4

  Sutton

  8·2

  0·0

  Waltham Forest

  8·5

  2·0

  Greater Manchester

  Bolton

  6·4

  0·1

  Bury

  7·1

  0·1

  Manchester

  7·8

  1·6

  Oldham

  4·7

  0·8

  Rochdale

  4·8

  -2·3

  Salford

  11·9

  -0·4

  Stockport

  5·4

  -0·8

  Tameside

  6·7

  0·3

  Trafford

  6·3

  -0·4

  Wigan

  7·1

  -0·5

  Merseyside

  Knowsley

  9·5

  -0·1

  Liverpool

  5·9

  0·4

  Sefton

  7·1

  -0·4

  St. Helens

  4·3

  -1·1

  Wirral

  4·3

  0·2

  South Yorkshire

  Barnsley

  5·3

  -4·8

  Doncaster

  6·7

  0·7

  Rotherham

  5·8

  -0·3

  Sheffield

  5·2

  -0·5

  Tyne and Wear

  Gateshead

  7·2

  -0·5

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  5·3

  0·4

  North Tyneside

  7·8

  0·6

  South Tyneside

  6·8

  0·5

  Sunderland

  4·6

  -0·6

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  6·2

  0·8

  568 569

  Local authority

  Percentage change 1991–92 to 1992–93 education standard spending assessment per cent.

  Percentage change attributable to pupil numbers per cent.

  Coventry

  7·4

  0·1

  Dudley

  6·4

  -0·9

  Sandwell

  6·1

  -0·4

  Solihull

  6·3

  -1·7

  Walsall

  6·3

  0·4

  Wolverhampton

  4·6

  -0·2

  West Yorkshire

  Bradford

  6·8

  0·8

  Calderdale

  7·1

  0·0

  Kirklees

  6·4

  -0·5

  Leeds

  7·3

  -0·2

  Wakefield

  7·0

  0·6

  Shire counties

  Avon

  5·8

  0·1

  Bedfordshire

  8·2

  0·4

  Berkshire

  7·8

  0·1

  Buckinghamshire

  7·5

  0·3

  Cambridgeshire

  7·6

  0·3

  Cheshire

  6·2

  -0·3

  Cleveland

  6·4

  0·3

  Cornwall

  6·4

  -1·0

  Cumbria

  5·8

  -0·3

  Derbyshire

  6·0

  -0·8

  Devon

  6·9

  0·4

  Dorset

  8·5

  0·2

  Durham

  5·2

  -0·3

  East Sussex

  9·2

  0·6

  Essex

  7·9

  -0·7

  Gloucestershire

  7·0

  -0·1

  Hampshire

  7·2

  -0·1

  Hereford and Worcester

  6·4

  -0·3

  Hertfordshire

  7·3

  -0·7

  Humberside

  6·3

  0·0

  Isle of Wight

  7·8

  -0·3

  Kent

  6·5

  -0·7

  Lancashire

  6·8

  -0·6

  Leicestershire

  7·2

  0·1

  Lincolnshire

  7·0

  -0·5

  Norfolk

  7·6

  -0·1

  Northamptonshire

  8·3

  -0·1

  Northumberland

  6·9

  0·5

  North Yorkshire

  5·9

  -0·2

  Nottinghamshire

  6·2

  -0·2

  Oxfordshire

  6·5

  -0·3

  Shropshire

  5·9

  -0·7

  Somerset

  5·8

  -0·4

  Staffordshire

  7·0

  -0·3

  Suffolk

  6·8

  -0·1

  Surrey

  7·3

  -0·9

  Warwickshire

  5·8

  -0·7

  West Sussex

  8·4

  0·2

  Wiltshire

  6·5

  -0·1

  Council Tenants Charter
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of preparation, publication and distribution of the council tenants charter.

  Sir George Young
  The estimated cost of the production, launch and distribution of 1 million copies of the full tenants charter and 5 million copies of the 570
  explanatory leaflet is £298,600, subject to final invoices. This includes the cost of translating the booklet into five languages and producing an audio-taped version for blind tenants. Further distribution costs will be incurred in response to demand.

  North Yorkshire County Council
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the total level of Government support to North Yorkshire county council was in 1990–91, and in 1991–92; and what is the projected figure for 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]: The bulk of North Yorkshire's revenue finance is derived from precepts on collection funds administered by the district councils within the county. The council, however, receives certain specific grants from the Government which are paid directly into its own general fund. Those inside aggregate external finance were estimated to be £33409 million in 1990–91 and £36823 million in 1991–92. Estimates for specific grants for 1992–93 are not available as the relevant returns have not yet been received by the Department. In 1992–93, North Yorkshire will also receive an additional grant towards the teachers' pay award of £0.746 million.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of crimes(a) recorded and (b) detected by the West Yorkshire police for each year from 1976 to 1991 shown (i) in total and (ii) by each police station.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information is given in the table. Figures for 1991 are not available. The chief constable's annual report for West Yorkshire gives crimes recorded and detected by sub-division only.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in West Yorkshire 1976–901

  Year

  Offences recorded

  Offences cleared up

  1976

  110,864

  57,876

  1977

  127,942

  60,445

  1978

  122,874

  60,250

  1979

  118,418

  43,702

  21980

  127,527

  54,368

  1981

  138,571

  57,191

  1982

  152,136

  63,728

  1983

  146,307

  68,806

  1984

  158,656

  66,751

  1985

  159,351

  67,214

  1986

  165,586

  62,213

  1987

  173,313

  68,062

  1988

  166,195

  71,096

  1989

  179,185

  68,512

  1990

  227,631

  77,073

  1 Excluding criminal damage value £20 and under.

  2 Figures for 1980 onwards are not precisely comparable with those for previous years.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the number of(a) sexual offences and (b) sexual assaults against men in each year of the last five years for (i) London and (ii) nationally.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on sexual offences recorded by the police for 1986 to 1989 is published in table 2.9 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1989" and figures for 1990 are published in table 3 of Home Office "Statistical Bulletin 13/91." The equivalent figures for London are published in Table 13.2 of the "Report of 572
  the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis 1990". Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of crimes(a) recorded and (b) detected by the North Yorkshire police between October 1976 and September 1977 and in the same October to September period each year since then up to October 1990 to September 1991.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information is contained in the table. Clear up statistics are published only for calendar years.

  Notifiable offences recorded in North Yorkshire

  Period

  Recorded

  12 months ending

  September 1977

  22,858

  September 1978

  23,769

  September 1979

  21,856

  September 1980

  22,128

  September 1981

  24,523

  September 1982

  27.987

  September 1983

  28,622

  September 1984

  32,019

  September 1985

  34,071

  September 1986

  36,657

  September 1987

  36,678

  September 1988

  36,132

  September 1989

  34,604

  September 1990

  42,899

  September 1991

  50,465

  Police, North Yorkshire
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of additional uniformed police officers, excluding special constables, that have been authorised to be added to the strength of the North Yorkshire police in each year from 1975 to 1991.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not possible to distinguish between increases in uniformed and non-uniformed police officers as such information is not held centrally. The establishment of the North Yorkshire police has been increased by the following amounts between 1975 and 1990:

  Year

  Police posts

  1975

  111

  1979

  40

  1989

  15

  1990

  25

  1991

  6

  The police authority did not request establishment increases in the years 1980–81 to 1987–88 inclusive.

  Fingerprint Technology
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made since the publication of Cm 1163 in applying automatic fingerprint recognition technology to the work of the National Identification Bureau.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It remains an objective of the Government to apply automatic fingerprint recognition —AFR—technology to the work of the National
  573
  Identification Bureau. To this end, the Home Office has been collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States of America since autumn 1990 on studying how best to apply this technology to very large collections of fingerprints. Specialist staff are being recruited to the Home Office to manage a programme of work aimed at developing a national automatic fingerprint identification system to support both the identification of arrestees work undertaken presently by the NIB and the matching of fingerprint marks left at scenes of crime.

  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all computerised systems used by police forces in England and Wales to handle fingerprints are(a) mutually compatible, (b) compatible with the system used in Scotland and (c) compatible with other systems in use or being developed by TREVI countries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The automatic fingerprint recognition —AFR—systems supplied by any particular AFR manufacturer are based on proprietary standards which do not allow these systems to communicate directly with systems supplied by any other manufacturer. As police forces in England and Wales have purchased, or plan to purchase, AFR systems from different manufacturers, these systems will not be compatible. Nor will they all be compatible with the system in Scotland. Similarly, there are a number of different systems in use or being planned in TREV1 countries.

  The Home Office, the FBI and others, including the suppliers of AFR systems, have been co-operating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (N 1ST) in the USA to develop non-proprietary standards for image storage and for the interchange of fingerprint information between different AFR systems. Insofar as police forces in England and Wales purchase systems which meet these non-proprietary standards, these systems will be compatible. This matter is currently being discussed with the Association of Chief Police Officers. The issue of compatibility between AFR systems in use in Europe is being considered by TREVI.

  Electoral Roll (Prisoners)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the rules relating to the time at which a prisoner released after 31 October can register on the electoral roll.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No. Convicted prisoners who are detained on the qualifying date of 10 October cannot be regarded as resident for electoral registration purposes at either their place of detention or their home address. There is no provision for adding to the register the names of people who became resident after the qualifying date. Released prisoners are in the same position as anyone else who becomes resident after the qualifying date.

  Police, West Mercia
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the capital and revenue contributions from central Government to the West Mercia police authority for 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1991–92.
  574
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the amounts of police specific grant paid by the Home Office to the West Mercia police authority in respect of its expenditure in 1978–79, 1982–83 and 1986–87, and expected to be paid in respect of 1991–92, is as follows. That part of the authority's expenditure which is not met by specific grant is apportioned between its constituent county councils, and their contributions to the authority's expenditure are supported by central Government through the revenue support grant system.

  Specific grant paid to West Mercia Police Authority

  £millions

  1978–791 2

  8·2

  1982–831 2

  17·8

  1986–871 3

  24·1

  1991–923 4

  42·7

  1 Grant paid on revenue expenditure, loan charges and revenue contributions to capital expenditure.

  2 Rate of grant 50 per cent.

  3 Rate of grant 51 per cent.

  4 Grant paid on revenue expenditure, loan charges on pre-April 1990 debt, and capital expenditure.

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners are recorded as having attempted suicide in 1990 and 1991;

  (2) how many prisoners committed acts of self-injury in 1990 and in 1991 which resulted in medical treatment;

  (3) how many 15-year-old boys and girls in prison attempted suicide in 1990 and 1991.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  [holding answer 10 February 1992]: In 1991 there was a recorded total of 2,846 acts of deliberate self-harm by prisoners in Her Majesty's Prison Service establishments. (Some prisoners committed acts of deliberate self-harm on more than one occasion.) Of the total, 11 were committed by 15-year-old prisoners.

  All reported acts of deliberate self-harm result in medical treatment. There may be some cases, however, in which the prisoners harmed themselves in a minor way but did not bring this to the attention of staff, and so the injury would not have been reported.

  It is not possible to distinguish reliably how many acts of deliberate self-harm were suicidal in intent.

  The information requested for 1990 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Middle East
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process; and if he will list the forthcoming bilateral and multilateral meetings.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A fourth round of bilateral negotiations started in Washington on 24 February. The first substantive meetings of the five multilateral working groups set up at the co-ordinating meeting in Moscow at the end of January are due to take place at the end of April and the beginning of May. They will cover economic development, water issues, the environment, refugees and arms control. We continue, with our European partners, to give full support to the process. Progress is bound to be slow but some momentum has now been achieved.

  NATO Secretary-General
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions were held with the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in advance of his recent visit to Ukraine and Russia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The alliance's relations with the republics of the former Soviet Union have been regularly discussed at NATO, and the Secretary-General told allies of his plans to visit the Ukraine and Russia well in advance.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Morocco
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's position on the recent decision of the European Parliament to suspend EC aid to Morocco.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The European Parliament vote on 15 January denied the necessary assent to the proposed EC/Morocco fourth financial protocol. Her Majesty's Government support the protocol as an important element in strengthening EC relations with Morocco. We believe that concern over human rights is best expressed separately and does not justify withholding assent to this protocol which we believe should be implemented.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Jury Trials
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Attorney-General for each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many people elected for trial by jury; how many of those who elected for trial by jury were subsequently convicted; and how many of those who were convicted had a previous conviction, for an offence involving violence or dishonesty, whether or not such convictions were spent within the meaning of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.

  I will write to the hon. Member.

ENERGY

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing the regional breakdown of British oil and gas production, defined by the regional location of the terminals at which offshore oil and gas was landed, and the wellhead site in the case of onshore oil and gas.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information in tabular form, on a provisional basis, for 1991 is as follows:

  Offshore oil and gas landings by region/ terminal for 1991

  Region/ Terminal

  Crude (million tonnes)

  Natural gas liquids (million tonnes)

  Gas (million cubic metres)

  East Anglia

  Bacton

  —

  0·1

  18,897

  576

  Region/Terminal

  Crude (million tonnes)

  Natural gas liquids (million tonnes)

  Gas (million cubic metres)

  East Midlands

  Theddlethorpe

  —

  0·1

  9,424

  North

  Barrow

  —

  0·1

  6,701

  Yorkshire/Humber

  Easington

  —

  0·1

  2,770

  Dimlington

  —

  0·0

  4,664

  Regional Total

  —

  0·1

  7,434

  Scotland

  St. Fergus

  —

  2·1

  9,242

  Flotta

  8·9

  0·2

  —

  Forties

  16·6

  0·9

  —

  Nigg

  1·0

  —

  —

  Sullom Voe

  35·4

  0·7

  —

  Regional Total

  61·9

  3·9

  9,242

  Grand Total

  61·9

  4·3

  51,698

  Note:

  In addition to the gas landed at terminals 3,346 million cubic metres was produced and used mostly on production platforms. This gives an overall production figure for 1991 of 55,440 million cubic metres.

  Onshore oil and gas production by region for 1991

  Region

  Oil (million tonnes)

  Gas (million cubic-metres)

  East Midlands

  0·2

  24

  South East

  0·2

  121

  South West2

  3·2

  153

  Total

  23·7

  198

  1 Includes 3–9 from other land fields.

  2 Additional 01 million tonnes of NGL's were produced onshore in the South West region.

  3 Due to rounding the sum of the constituent items may not equal the total.

  Departmental Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy 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. Wakeham
  The information requested is in the following table:

  Grade

  Males

  Females

  1

  1·0

  —

  2

  2·0

  —

  3

  10·0

  —

  4

  1·0

  —

  5

  31·0

  3·0

  6

  21·0

  1·0

  7

  121·5

  12·0

  SEO

  39·0

  3·5

  HEO

  77·0

  19·0

  Admin. Trainee

  1·0

  —

  EO

  88·0

  43·0

  AO (CO)

  50·5

  79·0

  AA (CA)

  25·5

  31·0

  577
  Notes:

  1. Figures are as at 1 April 1991.

  2. Full-time staff count as I and part-time staff 0–5.

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

  Mr. Wakeham
  As at 1 April 1991 the Department employed 969 staff of whom 808 (83 per cent.) had responded to the surveys; of the respondents 85 (10.4 per cent.) have identified themselves as from the ethnic minorities. As at 1 June 1991 there were 13 registered disabled staff in the Department. These figures are on a headcount basis, that is, full and part-time staff count as one.

  Energy Efficiency
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will extend the energy management and assessment scheme to include grants for equipment installed as part of an energy efficiency drive.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No. The energy management assistance scheme is designed to help with the cost of consultancy and project management costs. Any capital investment identified as necessary within the scheme will be recovered in a short period from greater efficiency and savings.

PRIME MINISTER

  Market Research
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the companies recently commissioned by his office, the Cabinet Office and the citizens charter unit to carry out polling and market research; and if he will list the areas of research, the questionnaires to be used and the groups to be questioned.

  The Prime Minister
  No such research has been commissioned recently by my office, the Cabinet Office or the citizens charter unit.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Company Directors
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many applications have been made by him or his predecessors to the courts for the disqualification of directors under the terms and provisions of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; how many have been successful; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many referrals there were to the disqualification unit of the Department of Trade and Industry for applications to be made for the disqualification of directors under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 for the years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will set out the criteria under which applications are made to the court for the disqualification of directors under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The criteria under which applications are made for the disqualification of directors under section 6578
  of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 on the ground of unfitness are set out in schedule Ito that Act. They include breach of duty, misapplication of funds, contraventions of the Companies Acts and the Insolvency Act and the extent of a director's responsibility for the causes of the company becoming insolvent. The courts must have regard to these matters in determining whether a person's conduct as a director of a particular company or companies makes him unfit to be concerned in the management of companies generally.

  The following numbers of unfit conduct reports have been made by official receivers and insolvency practitioners:

  Numbers

  1987

  3,115

  1988

  4,231

  1989

  3,234

  1990

  4,235

  1991

  5,747

  20,562

  In the period from 28 April 1986 to 31 December 1991, 2,184 disqualification applications have been made under section 6 of the Act; 1,193 orders have been made and 190 applications have been dismissed or withdrawn.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support has been, and is being provided to Northern Ireland industrialists by way of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The full range of ECGD facilities continues to be available to companies carrying on business in Northern Ireland.

  Beer Orders
  Mr. Crowther
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent meetings he has had with representatives of brewery companies on matters related to the implementation of the beer orders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  1 met the chairman of Grand Metropolitan plc, on 30 January 1992. My officials have also had recent meetings with a number of brewers about the implementation of the beer orders.

  Barlow Clowes (Government Shareholdings)
  Sir Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when and in what manner Her Majesty's Government intend to dispose of the shareholdings which they acquired following the transfer of assets from the collapsed Barlow Clowes holdings.

  Mr. Lilley
  The assets of the former Barlow Clowes entities are being administered by the appointed office holders.

WALES

  Equal Opportunities
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of employees in his Department; and how many are(a) black and (b) disabled.
  579
  Mr. David Hunt
  As at 1 January 1992 my Department employed 2,411 whole-time equivalent staff; 32 respondents to the ethnic origin survey have described themselves as being of ethnic minority; 41 members of staff have chosen to register as disabled.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. David Hunt
  The numbers of staff, as at 1 April 1991 were:

  Grade1

  Men

  Women

  1

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  3

  10

  1

  4

  6

  —

  5

  55

  10

  6

  74

  13

  7

  133

  29

  SEO

  113

  21

  HEO

  164

  89

  AT and HEO (D)

  4

  3

  EO

  191

  235

  AO

  169

  317

  AA

  113

  199

  1 Including equivalent professional grades.

  Second Home Owners
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the amount of poll tax received by each local authority in Wales which derived from second home owners within the local authority area in both 1990 and 1991; and what are the estimated levels of council tax to be collected from second home owners in each local authority area in Wales for the first year of its operation.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on local authority standard charge income derived from second homes in Wales is not held centrally. Council tax income from second home owners in Wales will depend on the number of discretionary discounts awarded by local authorities, the valuation of the properties concerned, and the tax set by each local authority for 1993–94.

  Ministerial Record
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) his departmental failures and (b) his departmental achievements over the past year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I shall be making a statement on the performance of my Department in the Welsh day debate on Thursday 27 February.

  Roads
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends updating the information given in the 1991 supplement to "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s."

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have today published the 1992 supplement to "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of(a) men and (b) women taking Government employment training courses and registered as living in the London borough of Wandsworth as of 18 February.

  Mr. Jackson
  In the period 1 April 1991 to 5 January 1992 it is provisionally estimated that here were 20,500 employment training (ET) entrants in the London region.Of these about 56 per cent. were men and 44 per cent. were women.

  Absolute numbers are not available because information about gender is not provided for all trainees.

  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are required to ensure the promotion of equality of opportunity between all individuals in access to, treatment on, and outcome from the agreement between the Secretary of State and the TECs.

  Trainees
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what guidance he gives to training and enterprise councils on the levels of output-related funding for organisations training trainees with severe learning difficulties;

  (2) what guidance he gives to TECs on developing performance indicators for output related funding specifically suited to providers training special needs trainees with learning difficulties.

  Mr. Jackson
  Output-related funding is paid to training and enterprise councils by the Department for a number of outputs under employment training and youth training. In 1992–93, these will include City and Guilds of London Institute wordpower and numberpower qualifications for trainees with severe literacy and numeracy difficulties, and national vocational qualifications at level 1 for YT trainees with special training needs for whom training aimed at NVQ level 2 is not thought to be realistic. It is entirely a matter for training and enterprise councils as to how they pass on funds to training providers.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of funding for special needs training within the youth training and employment training budgets for 1992–93.

  Mr. Jackson
  TECs are obliged to take into account training needs of special needs clients within their business plans.

  The proportion of training budgets allocated to provision for people with special training needs is the responsibility of individual training and enterprise councils (TECs) and is determined by local needs and priorities.

  Older Workers
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the composition of the advisory group to assist in encouraging, identifying and disseminating good employment practice with regard to older workers, as proposed in "People, Jobs and Opportunity" (Cm. 1810).
  581
  Mr. Jackson
  I shall chair the advisory group for older workers as the Minister with responsibility for equal opportunity in employment. The membership will be chosen from a variety of sources, including voluntary sector organisations representing the interests of older people, and organisations representing the interests of employers and employees. I am particularly keen to see women well represented in the group. There may also be places for individuals known to have an interest in the field.

  Degrees
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the percentage of the population within each region of the country, including Greater London, who hold first degrees.

  Mr. Jackson
  The latest available estimates are given in the following table.

  Percentage of persons of working age who hold a degree1

  Region

  Percentage

  Great Britain

  8·5

  North

  5·6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  6·0

  East Midlands

  7·5

  East Anglia

  8·2

  South East

  12·1

  Greater London

  14·7

  Rest of South East

  10·4

  South West

  7·7

  West Midlands

  6·4

  North West

  7·2

  Wales

  6·0

  Scotland

  7·1

  1 Includes first degrees, higher degrees and other degree level qualifications such as graduate membership of a professional institute.

  Persons of working ages comprise men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.

  Labour Force Survey: Spring 1990.

  Labour Statistics, York
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many full-time males, part-time males, full-time females and part-time females in employment in the City of York currently earn less than £3.40 per hour.

  Mr. Forth
  The information from the "1991 New Earnings Survey" closest to that requested is given in the following table.

  Employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence: Percentage whose gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were less than £3.40.

  North Yorkshire

  April 1991

  Full-time males

  9·4

  Part-time males

  n/a

  Full-time females

  18·3

  Part-time females

  45·5

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs were on offer in jobcentres in York in each month since January 1990.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the total number of men and 582
  women in employment, both full and part-time, in the City of York, and the number in each of these categories who currently earn (a) more than £21,060 per annum, (b) more than £35,000 per annum, (c) more than £40,000 per annum and (d) more than £50,000 per annum.

  Mr. Forth
  The latest available information about employment in local areas is from the 1989 census of employment and relates to employees only. The numbers of employees in employment in the York local authority district at September 1989 were as follows:

  Thousands

  Males

  Full time

  25·5

  Part time

  2·4

  Females

  Full time

  15·6

  Part time

  15·0

  Information on the percentages of employees earning more than certain amounts per week is available from the "1991 New Earnings Survey". Figures are available only at county level and for full-time employees. They are given in the following table, for the available levels of weekly earnings which correspond most closely to the annual amounts specified in the question.

  Full·time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence:

  Percentage with gross weekly earnings above the following amounts

  North Yorkshire

  April 1991

  £ 390

  £ 600

  £ 700

  £ 900

  Men

  16·0

  2·6

  1·2

  0·4

  Women

  4·1

  0·6

  0·2

  0·2

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the number of full-time employees in employment in the City of York in 1979 and in each year since(a) in all manufacturing jobs and (b) in each of the following industrial groups (i) railways, (ii) cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery, (iii) manufacturing of railway and tramway vehicles, (iv) printing and publishing, (v) scheduled road passenger transport, (vi) road haulage, (vii) postal services and (viii) telecommunications.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information for employees in employment according to industry and by district is available only from the censuses of employment for 1981, 1984, 1987 and 1989. This can be obtained, subject to the confidentially restrictions of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, from the NOM IS database in the Library.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the average gross weekly earnings of full-time males, full-time females and part-time females on adult rates in(a) the City of York, (b) north Yorkshire, (c) England, (d) Greater London and (e) the City of Canterbury in 1979 and each year since then.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information is published in tables 110 and 113 of part E and table 180 of part F of the "New Earnings Survey" reports for each year since 1979, except for that shown in the following table. Information is not available for the cities of York or Canterbury.
  583

  Average gross weekly earnings of part time women employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence

  £ per week

  April each year

  County

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  North Yorkshire

  23·5

  29·9

  34·7

  37·9

  39·9

  42·8

  44·1

  47·8

  52·6

  54·1

  62·8

  68·2

  77·2

  Kent

  26·8

  32·8

  40·0

  42·0

  47·4

  49·7

  56·4

  59·9

  61·7

  67·8

  69·6

  79·7

  89·8

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note: It is estimated that around one fifth of part time women employees were not covered by the survey because their gross weekly earnings were below the PAYE threshold.

  Job Centre, Stamford-le-Hope
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider re-opening the Stamfordle-Hope jobcentre.

  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.

HEALTH

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken to identify the groups most at risk from the consequences of the thinning of the ozone layer in the northern hemisphere.

  The total number of: 1) Cases (registrations); and 2) deaths, from skin cancer (ICD's 172 and 173), by sex, 1971 1980, 1985 and 1986.

  1987–1990, deaths only. England and Wales

  ICD—Site description— Year

  Sex

  Registrations

  Deaths

  172—Malignant melanoma of skin

  1971

  Male

  357

  234

  Female

  770

  370

  1980

  Male

  656

  361

  Female

  1,264

  452

  1985

  Male

  931

  455

  Female

  1,725

  532

  1986

  Male

  989

  445

  Female

  1,813

  595

  1987

  Male

  —

  464

  Female

  —

  566

  1988

  Male

  —

  470

  Female

  —

  608

  1989

  Male

  —

  493

  Female

  —

  606

  1990

  Male

  —

  564

  Female

  —

  606

  173—Other malignant neoplasm of skin

  1971

  Male

  8,633

  248

  Female

  7,330

  209

  1980

  Male

  10,827

  193

  Female

  9,388

  173

  1985

  Male

  12,597

  263

  Female

  10,746

  199

  1986

  Male

  14,152

  229

  Female

  12,615

  183

  1987

  Male

  —

  263

  Female

  —

  178

  1988

  Male

  —

  246

  Female

  —

  184

  1989

  Male

  —

  255

  Female

  —

  192

  1990

  Male

  —

  257

  Female

  —

  179

  584
  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on 20 December 1991 at column 354.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of cases and deaths from skin cancer in 1970, 1980 and between the years 1985 and 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The available data are set out in the table. The upward trend in the number of both registrations and deaths from malignant melanoma of the skin is a matter of concern. The possible relation between this trend and exposure to UV radiation is one of the issues on which we are seeking advice from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE), as announced in my reply to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on 20 February at column 272.

  Capital and Revenue Expenditure, Shropshire
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the capital and revenue expenditure by Shropshire health authority and its predecessor authority in 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1991–92;

  (2) what was the capital and revenue expenditure on family practitioner services in Shropshire in 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested and derived from annual accounts submitted to the Department for the financial years 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1990–91 (the latest available) is shown in the table. Equivalent information for 1991–92 will be available in the autumn.

  Shropshire health authority

  Total revenue expenditure

  Total capital expenditure

  £000 (cash)

  £000 (at 1991–92 prices)

  £000 (cash)

  £000 (at 1991–92 prices)

  1978–79

  29,127

  79,017

  1,011

  2,742

  1982–83

  52,346

  87,554

  3,651

  6,106

  1986–87

  67,376

  94,117

  8,648

  12,054

  1990–91

  100,730

  107,781

  8,629

  9,233

  Shropshire family health services authority

  Total expenditure on family health services

  £000 (cash)

  £000 (at 1991–92 prices)

  1978–79

  10,956

  29,721

  1982–83

  21,248

  35,540

  1986–87

  28,777

  40,199

  1990–91

  45,000

  48,150

  Sources: Annual accounts of the Shropshire health authority, the West Midlands regional health authority and the Shropshire family health services authority and those of the predecessor health authorities and family practitioner committee (FPC).

  Notes:

  1. The figures have been expressed at 1991–92 prices by the use of the gross domestic product deflators.

  2. The figures for total capital expenditure include costs for schemes within Shropshire which were accounted for by the west Midlands regional health authority (RHA). All expenditure incurred by that RHA for its region as a whole is excluded.

  3. Capital expenditure in particular localities tends to vary from year to year mainly reflecting changes in the pattern of capital investment throughout the country.

  4. All expenditure on family health services—FHS (formerly family practitioner services)—is essentially regarded as current (i.e. revenue) expenditure. It is not strictly attributable to particular districts and is recorded in annual accounts after the deduction of charges to patients.

  5. The FHS figures for 1986–87 and 1990–91 also include the administrative expenses of the Shropshire family health services authority—£268,000 (cash) revenue, and £145,000 (cash) capital, in 1986–87 and £799,000 (cash) revenue, in 1990–91. Prior to 1 April 1985 the Shropshire FPC was associated with the Shropshire district (formerly area) health authority and its administrative costs formed a comparatively small part of the health authority's total expenditure and are not separately identifiable.

  Chemists (Drug Purchases)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the value to the NHS of the discount claw-back on drug purchases privately negotiated by pharmaceutical chemists in each of the past four years for which figures are available.
  586
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The discount recovered from community pharmacists in England and Wales in each of the past four years is given in the table.

  Year

  Discount recovered £ million

  1987–88

  134·0

  1988–89

  154·7

  1989–90

  171·5

  1990–91

  220·5

  The discount recovery scheme ensures that the NHS benefits from the discounts pharmacists receive from wholesalers and manufacturers. The increase over the four years is due partly to increased drug costs and partly to increased discounts achieved.

  Health Authorities (Staff)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for(a) each regional health authority and (b) each district health authority the number of (i) nurses and midwives, (ii) medical staff, (iii) general and senior managers, (iv) administrative and clerical staff, (v) ancillary staff and (vi) ambulance staff for 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The regional health authority data are not yet available. District data could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Generic Drugs
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new initiatives he intends to produce to increase the proportions of generic drugs prescribed by general practitioners.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The proportion of prescriptions written generically has risen from 20 per cent. in 1979 to 44 per cent. in 1990 as a result of the policies pursued by this Government. Further initiatives were introduced this year, with the indicative prescribing scheme and the appointment by each family health services authority of prescribing medical advisers. Medical advisers encourage general practitioners to prescribe drugs by their generic names for reasons of good professional practice and because of the opportunities for savings such prescribing creates.

  Eye Tests and Dental Checks
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the full year cost to the Exchequer in 1991–92 of introducing free eye tests and dental checks for(a) all people over state retirement age, (b) all those in receipt of a disability benefit and (c) both (a) and (b) together.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The estimated cost of introducing free sight tests for all people aged 65 and over in England for 1991–92 is approximately £25 million, and for introducing free dental examinations approximately £7 million. No estimate is available for people in receipt of a disability benefit. About 40 per cent. of the population are exempt from charges for dental examinations and sight tests.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the estimated saving to the Exchequer
  587
  from the abolition of free dental check-ups in the financial years (a) 1990–91, (b) 1991–92 and (c) 1992–93, in the United Kingdom;

  (2) what would be the cost of every 10p reduction in the charges for (a) eye tests, (b) dental check-ups and (c) prescriptions, in 1991–92 and 1992–93, in the United Kingdom;

  (3) what is the estimated saving to the Exchequer from the abolition of free eye tests in the financial years (a) 1990–91, (b) 1991–92 and (c) 1992–93 in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]: The estimated income from dental examination charges in England was about £55 million in 1990–91. We currently anticipate revenue of some £58 million in 1991–92, and £61 million in 1992–93. About 40 per cent. of the population are exempt from dental examination charges.

  The cost of each lop reduction in the charge for dental examinations is estimated at about £1·5 million in England in 1991–92; costs in 1992–93 would be similar. The cost of a notional 10p reduction from the current prescription charge level is estimated at a minimum of about £4 million in England in 1991–92, rising to about £5 million in 1992–93.

  Costs would accelerate for each subsequent incremental reduction. There are no charges for NHS sight tests which are available to approximately 40 per cent. of the population.

  Restricting entitlements to NHS sight tests to priority groups has resulted in estimated savings in England of about £90 million in 1990–91, with projected savings of about £100 million in 1991–92 and £110 million in 1992–93. The full year cost of re-introducing free NHS sight tests for everyone is estimated to be £165 million.

  Information on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Departmental Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information for the Department, including its agencies, at 31 January 1992 is in the table.

  Grade1

  Men

  Women

  Total

  1

  1

  0

  1

  2

  4

  0

  4

  3

  9

  6

  15

  4

  5

  2

  7

  5

  38

  16

  54

  6

  72

  19

  91

  7

  432

  94

  526

  SEO

  1,164

  302

  1,466

  HEO

  3,518

  1,901

  5,419

  HEO (D)2

  7

  12

  19

  EO

  9,142

  13,600

  22,742

  A03

  9,049

  29,407

  38,456

  AA3

  3,147

  9,456

  12,603

  588

  Grade1

  Men

  Women

  Total

  Total

  26,500

  54,793

  81,293

  1 For each grade we have included equivalent professional grades.

  2 Includes Administrative Trainees.

  3 The AO and AA grades have replaced the CO and CA grades.

  Claimants, Leeds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in the month of January in the Leeds metropolitan district how many people in receipt of income support or housing benefit were registered as being in receipt of retirement pension, disabled, or having children aged under five years; and how many of those so registered received cold weather payments.

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

  Benefits, York
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in York were in receipt of supplementary benefit in each year from 1979 to 1987; and how many were in receipt of income support in each year since then.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The complete range of information requested in this question is not available. This is because statistics of a local nature are destroyed at regular intervals ranging from 18 months to five years. The information available from 1987 has been drawn from the income support management information statistics.

  Statistics relating to supplementary benefit and income support recipients are collected from benefit offices on a quarterly basis. The figures show the number of recipients at a given date rather than for a particular period.

  The York benefit office covers an area of approximately 450 square miles. It is not possible, except at disproportionate cost, to identify those customers who were living in the city of York itself. The figures for York benefit office since May 1987 are in the table.

  Customers in receipt of Supplementary Benefit or Income Support from York benefit office since May 1987

  Year

  February

  May

  August

  November

  Supplementary Benefit (Predecessor of Income Support)

  1987

  —

  15,109

  15,423

  14,705

  Income Support

  1988

  1—

  13,784

  14,252

  13,507

  1989

  14,063

  13,660

  14,251

  13,979

  1990

  14,344

  12,723

  13,734

  13,826

  1991

  14,445

  13,893

  14,637

  14,705

  1 A quarterly supplementary benefit count was not conducted in February 1988.

  Community Care, York
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table indicating(a) the number of applications for community care grants received, (b) the number of community care grants paid and (c) the cash value of community care grants paid by the York local office in each month from January 1990 to

  589
  December 1991 for each of the (i) elderly, (ii) mentally ill/handicaped, (iii) disabled/chronically sick, (iv) young persons leaving local authority care, (v) persons who have misused drugs/alcohol, (vi) ex-offenders, (vii) persons without a settled way of life and (viii) families under exceptional pressure priority groups.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information is not available in the form requested.

  Social Fund, York
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will(a) state how many applications for social fund loans from the York local office were refused on the grounds of inability to pay and (b) show this figure as a percentage of all applications for loans from the York local office in 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and so far in 1991–92.

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

  Social Security Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for each social security benefit what has been(a) the number of claimants, (b) the cash expenditure and (c) the expenditure expressed in 1991 prices for each year since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available information is in the following tables.

  Table 1: Estimated average numbers receiving benefit at any one time

  (thousands)

  1978–79

  1979–80

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  8,530

  8,680

  Widows' Benefit

  495

  490

  Unemployment Benefit

  570

  550

  Sickness Benefit

  560

  490

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  600

  620

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  270

  270

  Industrial Death Benefit

  30

  30

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  100

  115

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Non-contributory RP

  65

  55

  War Pension

  385

  370

  Attendance Allowance

  265

  285

  Invalid Care Allowance

  5

  5

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  150

  165

  Mobility Allowance

  95

  140

  Income Support/Support Benefit

  3,020

  2,920

  Child Benefit (Children)

  13,480

  13,330

  One Parent Benefit

  290

  370

  Family Credit/FIS

  85

  80

  Rate Rebate

  3,055

  3,065

  Rent Allowance

  225

  220

  Rent Rebate

  1,210

  1,205

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1980–81

  1981–82

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  8,880

  9,015

  Widows' Benefit

  475

  460

  590

  1980–81

  1981–82

  Unemployment Benefit

  960

  1,220

  Sickness Benefit

  435

  445

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  620

  660

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  265

  260

  Industrial Death Benefit

  30

  30

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  120

  125

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Non-contributory RP

  50

  50

  War Pension

  360

  345

  Attendance Allowance

  315

  350

  Invalid Care Allowance

  5

  5

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  175

  180

  Mobility Allowance

  185

  210

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  3,110

  3,725

  Child Benefit (Children)

  13,160

  13,145

  One Parent Benefit

  430

  470

  Family Credit/FIS

  95

  125

  Rate Rebate

  3,350

  3,700

  Rent Allowance

  240

  250

  Rent Rebate

  1,330

  1,590

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  9,115

  9,210

  Widows' Benefit

  445

  440

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,090

  1,020

  Sickness Benefit

  395

  170

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  700

  760

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  265

  265

  Industrial Death Benefit

  30

  30

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  125

  110

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Non-contributory RP

  45

  40

  War Pension

  330

  315

  Attendance Allowance

  390

  445

  Invalid Care Allowance

  10

  10

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  195

  210

  Mobility Allowance

  265

  315

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  4,165

  4,435

  Child Benefit (Children)

  12,890

  12,660

  One Parent Benefit

  510

  540

  Family Credit/FIS

  165

  200

  Rate Rebate

  5,320

  7,020

  Rent Allowance

  260

  1,015

  Rent Rebate

  3,050

  3,735

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1984–85

  1985–86

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  9,350

  9,400

  Widows' Benefit

  425

  410

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,020

  955

  Sickness Benefit

  180

  160

  Statutory Sick Pay

  240

  245

  Invalidity Benefit

  825

  865

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  260

  265

  Industrial Death Benefit

  30

  30

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  120

  115

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Non-contributory RP

  35

  35

  War Pension

  305

  295

  Attendance Allowance

  490

  555

  Invalid Care Allowance

  10

  10

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  245

  245

  Mobility Allowance

  390

  420

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  4,665

  4,765

  591

  1984–85

  1985–86

  Child Benefit (Children)

  12,430

  12,375

  One Parent Benefit

  565

  590

  Family Credit/FIS

  205

  205

  Rate Rebate

  7,230

  7,020

  Rent Allowance

  1,080

  1,150

  Rent Rebate

  3,745

  3,710

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  9,575

  9,685

  Widows' Benefit

  400

  385

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,005

  815

  Sickness Benefit

  100

  105

  Statutory Sick Pay

  320

  345

  Invalidity Benefit

  935

  1,010

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  285

  290

  Industrial Death Benefit

  30

  25

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  110

  30

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  80

  Non-contributory RP

  40

  35

  War Pension

  280

  270

  Attendance Allowance

  605

  670

  Invalid Care Allowance

  25

  80

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  265

  265

  Mobility Allowance

  460

  515

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  5,095

  5,020

  Child Benefit (Children)

  12,175

  12,040

  One Parent Benefit

  615

  660

  Family Credit/FIS

  215

  220

  Rate Rebate

  7,050

  6,875

  Rent Allowance

  1,180

  1,195

  Rent Rebate

  3,720

  3,665

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  9,710

  9,795

  Widows' Benefit

  370

  375

  Unemployment Benefit

  600

  375

  Sickness Benefit

  105

  105

  Statutory Sick Pay

  365

  360

  Invalidity Benefit

  1,100

  1,190

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  295

  295

  Industrial Death Benefit

  30

  30

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  15

  20

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  80

  90

  Non-contributory RP

  35

  35

  War Pension

  265

  265

  Attendance Allowance

  730

  795

  Invalid Care Allowance

  100

  115

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  270

  280

  Mobility Allowance

  560

  585

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  4,310

  4,155

  Child Benefit (Children)

  12,010

  12,000

  One Parent Benefit

  705

  735

  Family Credit/FIS

  280

  305

  Rate Rebate

  5,150

  4,320

  Rent Allowance

  965

  955

  Rent Rebate

  3,125

  2,950

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  865

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  9,895

  9,9920

  Widows' Benefit

  350

  350

  Unemployment Benefit

  425

  650

  Sickness Benefit

  105

  120

  Statutory Sick Pay

  355

  345

  592

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Invalidity Benefit

  1,265

  1,325

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  305

  330

  Industrial Death Benefit

  25

  25

  Other II Benefits

  —

  —

  Maternity Allowance

  20

  20

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  80

  85

  Non-contributory RP

  35

  35

  War Pension

  255

  260

  Attendance Allowance

  875

  970

  Invalid Care Allowance

  135

  155

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  290

  300

  Mobility Allowance

  620

  660

  Income Support/Support Benefit

  4,190

  4,820

  Child Benefit(Children)

  12,135

  12,185

  One Parent Benefit

  760

  835

  Family Credit/FIS

  320

  250

  Rate Rebate

  —

  —

  Rent Allowance

  1,030

  1,115

  Rent Rebate

  2,925

  3,085

  Community Charge Benefit

  6,740

  6,570

  Table 2

  Expenditure in cash terms

  (£ million)

  1978–79

  1979–80

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  7,552

  8,816

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  96

  96

  Widows'Benefit

  505

  563

  Unemployment Benefit

  632

  653

  Sickness Benefit

  696

  655

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  840

  995

  Death Grant

  16

  16

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  216

  244

  Industrial Death Benefit

  32

  36

  Other II Benefits

  5

  5

  Maternity Allowance

  105

  125

  Maternity Grant

  16

  16

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  2

  Non-contributory RP

  37

  36

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  5

  5

  War Pension

  340

  375

  Attendance Allowance

  168

  201

  Invalid Care Allowance

  4

  4

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  69

  85

  Mobility Allowance

  47

  79

  Income Support/Support Benefit

  2,256

  2,436

  Child Benefit

  1,776

  2,787

  One Parent Benefit

  22

  43

  Family Credit/FIS

  24

  27

  Maternity Grant

  16

  16

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  165

  201

  Rent Allowance

  38

  40

  Rent Rebate

  207

  238

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1980–81

  1981–82

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  10,526

  12,126

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  98

  101

  Widows' Benefit

  638

  691

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,280

  1,702

  Sickness Benefit

  654

  680

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  1,150

  1,370

  Death Grant

  16

  17

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  282

  315

  Industrial Death Benefit

  42

  47

  Other II Benefits

  5

  5

  593

  1980–81

  1981–82

  Maternity Allowance

  149

  158

  Maternity Grant

  16

  16

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  2

  Non-contributory RP

  38

  39

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  5

  6

  War Pension

  424

  479

  Attendance Allowance

  260

  330

  Invalid Care Allowance

  5

  6

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  108

  130

  Mobility Allowance

  125

  173

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  3,172

  4,840

  Child Benefit

  2,944

  3,372

  One Parent Benefit

  61

  76

  Family Credit/FIS

  42

  66

  Maternity Grant

  16

  16

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  271

  381

  Rent Allowance

  48

  65

  Rent Rebate

  317

  497

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  13,549

  14,613

  Christmas Bonus—Contributory

  102

  103

  Widows' Benefit

  725

  771

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,500

  1,497

  Sickness Benefit

  554

  265

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  1,593

  1,872

  Death Grant

  17

  17

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  343

  369

  Industrial Death Benefit

  51

  54

  Other II Benefits

  5

  5

  Maternity Allowance

  152

  141

  Maternity Grant

  16

  17

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  2

  Non-contributory RP

  40

  41

  Christmas Bonus—Non-Contributory

  6

  6

  War Pension

  504

  524

  Attendance Allowance

  403

  495

  Invalid Care Allowance

  8

  10

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  154

  182

  Mobility Allowance

  236

  304

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  6,261

  5,591

  Child Benefit

  3,660

  3,988

  One Parent Benefit

  91

  107

  Family Credit/FIS

  94

  123

  Maternity Grant

  16

  17

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  550

  1,220

  Rent Allowance

  74

  536

  Rent Rebate

  929

  1,980

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1984–85

  1985–86

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  15,268

  16,584

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  105

  105

  Widows' Benefit

  785

  800

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,578

  1,589

  Sickness Benefit

  279

  276

  Statutory Sick Pay

  508

  545

  Invalidity Benefit

  2,142

  2,349

  Death Grant

  17

  18

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  381

  407

  Industrial Death Benefit

  55

  58

  Other II Benefits

  5

  5

  Maternity Allowance

  161

  164

  Maternity Grant

  18

  17

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  594

  1984–85

  1985–86

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  1

  Non-contributory RP

  39

  41

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  6

  7

  War Pension

  544

  581

  Attendance Allowance

  576

  686

  Invalid Care Allowance

  11

  13

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  236

  266

  Mobility Allowance

  356

  422

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  6,444

  7,377

  Child Benefit

  4,276

  4,468

  One Parent Benefit

  120

  134

  Family Credit/FIS

  126

  130

  Maternity Grant

  18

  17

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  1,291

  1,442

  Rent Allowance

  645

  792

  Rent Rebate

  2,065

  2,225

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  17,779

  18,648

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  107

  107

  Widows' Benefit

  825

  839

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,734

  1,468

  Sickness Benefit

  179

  193

  Statutory Sick Pay

  757

  840

  Invalidity Benefit

  2,673

  2,968

  Death Grant

  18

  3

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  440

  453

  Industrial Death Benefit

  61

  56

  Other II Benefits

  4

  4

  Maternity Allowance

  168

  51

  Maternity Grant

  14

  —

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  193

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  1

  Non-contributory RP

  37

  37

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  8

  9

  War Pension

  590

  599

  Attendance Allowance

  779

  897

  Invalid Care Allowance

  104

  184

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  285

  295

  Mobility Allowance

  514

  596

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  7,962

  7,952

  Child Benefit

  4,513

  4,598

  One Parent Benefit

  148

  163

  Family Credit/FIS

  161

  180

  Maternity Grant

  14

  —

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  1

  1

  Rate Rebate

  1,562

  1,677

  Rent Allowance

  951

  1,012

  Rent Rebate

  2,356

  2,461

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  19,237

  20,697

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  109

  112

  Widows' Benefit

  850

  852

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,107

  733

  Sickness Benefit

  192

  204

  Statutory Sick Pay

  898

  949

  Invalidity Benefit

  3,359

  3,837

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  451

  470

  Industrial Death Benefit

  59

  59

  Other II Benefits

  4

  4

  Maternity Allowance

  27

  30

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  250

  286

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  1

  1

  Non-contributory RP

  36

  35

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  9

  9

  595

  1988–89

  1989–90

  War Pension

  610

  641

  Attendance Allowance

  1,003

  1,159

  Invalid Care Allowance

  173

  184

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  316

  346

  Mobility Allowance

  675

  769

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  7,575

  7,675

  Child Benefit

  4,515

  4,537

  One Parent Benefit

  179

  199

  Family Credit/FIS

  394

  425

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Independent Living Fund

  1

  11

  Motability

  1

  1

  Rate Rebate

  1,336

  1,142

  Rent Allowance

  1,035

  1,171

  Rent Rebate

  2,565

  2,733

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  190

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  22,699

  25,538

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  112

  114

  Widows' Benefit

  889

  983

  Unemployment Benefit

  870

  1,506

  Sickness Benefit

  216

  268

  Statutory Sick Pay

  941

  724

  Invalidity Benefit

  4,431

  5,255

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  520

  600

  Industrial Death Benefit

  60

  65

  Other II Benefits

  4

  4

  Maternity Allowance

  34

  39

  Maternity Grant—

  —

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  314

  344

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  2

  Non-contributory RP

  36

  37

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  9

  8

  War Pension

  708

  805

  Attendance Allowance

  1,382

  1,706

  Invalid Care Allowance

  208

  262

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  429

  583

  Mobility Allowance

  883

  1,061

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  8,891

  11,891

  Child Benefit

  4,591

  5,206

  One Parent Benefit

  229

  247

  Family Credit/FIS

  494

  617

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Independent Living Fund

  24

  54

  Motability

  1

  3

  Rate Rebate

  —

  —

  Rent Allowance

  1,530

  1,976

  Rent Rebate

  465

  583

  Community Charge Benefit

  2,085

  1,228

  Note: —1991–92 figures are estimated outturn. Most central Government support for rent rebates appears in the Department of the Environment and Welsh Office programmes in 1990–92, and subsequent years, as rent rebate subsidy in England and Wales and is now paid from local authorities' housing revenue accounts.

  Table 3: Expenditure in 1991–92 terms

  £ million

  1978–79

  1979–80

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  20,487

  20,497

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  260

  223

  Widows' Benefit

  1,370

  1,309

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,714

  1,518

  Sickness Benefit

  1,888

  1,523

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  2,279

  2,313

  Death Grant

  43

  37

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  586

  567

  Industrial Death Benefit

  87

  84

  Other II Benefits

  14

  12

  Maternity Allowance

  285

  291

  596

  1978–79

  1979–80

  Maternity Grant

  43

  37

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  5

  5

  Non-contributory RP

  100

  84

  Christmas Bonus—Non-Contributory

  14

  12

  War Pension

  922

  872

  Attendance Allowance

  456

  467

  Invalid Care Allowance

  11

  9

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  187

  198

  Mobility Allowance

  128

  184

  Income Support/Support Benefit

  6,120

  5,664

  Child Benefit

  4,818

  6,480

  One Parent Benefit

  60

  100

  Family Credit/FIS

  65

  63

  Maternity Grant

  43

  37

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  448

  467

  Rent Allowance

  103

  93

  Rent Rebate

  562

  553

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1980–81

  1981–82

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  20,682

  21,728

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  193

  181

  Widows' Benefit

  1,254

  1,238

  Unemployment Benefit

  2,515

  3,050

  Sickness Benefit

  1,285

  1,218

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  2,260

  2,455

  Death Grant

  31

  30

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  554

  564

  Industrial Death Benefit

  83

  84

  Other II Benefits

  10

  9

  Maternity Allowance

  293

  283

  Maternity Grant

  31

  29

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  4

  4

  Non-contributory RP

  75

  70

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  10

  11

  War Pension

  833

  858

  Attendance Allowance

  511

  591

  Invalid Care Allowance

  10

  11

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  212

  233

  Mobility Allowance

  246

  310

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  6,232

  8,672

  Child Benefit

  5,784

  6,042

  One Parent Benefit

  120

  136

  Family Credit/FIS

  83

  118

  Maternity Grant

  31

  29

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  532

  683

  Rent Allowance

  94

  116

  Rent Rebate

  623

  891

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  22,663

  23,360

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  171

  165

  Widows' Benefit

  1,213

  1,233

  Unemployment Benefit

  2,509

  2,393

  Sickness Benefit

  927

  424

  Statutory Sick Pay

  —

  —

  Invalidity Benefit

  2,665

  2,993

  Death Grant

  28

  27

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  574

  590

  Industrial Death Benefit

  85

  86

  Other II Benefits

  8

  8

  Maternity Allowance

  254

  225

  Maternity Grant

  27

  27

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  3

  3

  597

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Non-contributory RP

  67

  66

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  10

  10

  War Pension

  843

  838

  Attendance Allowance

  674

  791

  Invalid Care Allowance

  13

  16

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  258

  291

  Mobility Allowance

  395

  486

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  10,473

  8,938

  Child Benefit (Children)

  6,122

  6,375

  One Parent Benefit

  152

  171

  Family Credit/FIS

  157

  197

  Maternity Grant

  27

  27

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  920

  1,950

  Rent Allowance

  124

  857

  Rent Rebate

  1,554

  3,165

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1984–85

  1985–86

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  23,244

  23,928

  Christmas Bonus—Contributory

  160

  151

  Widows' Benefit

  1,195

  1,154

  Unemployment Benefit

  2,402

  2,293

  Sickness Benefit

  425

  398

  Statutory Sick Pay

  773

  786

  Invalidity Benefit

  3,261

  3,389

  Death Grant

  26

  26

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  580

  587

  Industrial Death Benefit

  84

  84

  Other II Benefits

  8

  7

  Maternity Allowance

  245

  237

  Maternity Grant

  27

  25

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  —

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  3

  1

  Non-contributory RP

  59

  59

  Christmas Bonus-Non—Contributory

  9

  10

  War Pension

  828

  838

  Attendance Allowance

  877

  990

  Invalid Care Allowance

  17

  19

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  359

  384

  Mobility Allowance

  542

  609

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  9,810

  10,644

  Child Benefit

  6,510

  6,446

  One Parent Benefit

  183

  193

  Family Credit/FIS

  192

  188

  Maternity Grant

  27

  25

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  —

  —

  Rate Rebate

  1,965

  2,081

  Rent Allowance

  982

  1,143

  Rent Rebate

  3,144

  3,210

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  24,835

  24.705

  Christmas Bonus—Contributory

  149

  142

  Widows' Benefit

  1,152

  1,112

  Unemployment Benefit

  2,422

  1,945

  Sickness Benefit

  250

  256

  Statutory Sick Pay

  1,057

  1,113

  Invalidity Benefit

  3,734

  3,932

  Death Grant

  25

  4

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  615

  600

  Industrial Death Benefit

  85

  74

  Other II Benefits

  6

  5

  Maternity Allowance

  235

  68

  Maternity Grant

  20

  —

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  —

  256

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  3

  1

  Non-contributory RP

  52

  49

  Christmas Bonus—Non-Contributory

  11

  12

  War Pension

  824

  794

  598

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Attendance Allowance

  1,088

  1,188

  Invalid Care Allowance

  145

  244

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  398

  391

  Mobility Allowance

  718

  790

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  11,122

  10,535

  Child Benefit

  6,304

  6,092

  One Parent Benefit

  207

  216

  Family Credit/FIS

  225

  238

  Maternity Grant

  20

  —

  Independent Living Fund

  —

  —

  Motability

  1

  1

  Rate Rebate

  2,182

  2,222

  Rent Allowance

  1,328

  1,341

  Rent Rebate

  3,291

  3,260

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  —

  Benefit

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Retirement Pension

  23,778

  24,025

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  135

  130

  Widows' Benefit

  1,051

  989

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,368

  851

  Sickness Benefit

  237

  237

  Statutory Sick Pay

  1,110

  1,102

  Invalidity Benefit

  4,152

  4,454

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  557

  546

  Industrial Death Benefit

  73

  68

  Other II Benefits

  5

  5

  Maternity Allowance

  33

  35

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  309

  332

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  1

  1

  Non-contributory RP

  44

  41

  Christmas Bonus-Non-Contributory

  11

  10

  War Pension

  754

  744

  Attendance Allowance

  1,240

  1,345

  Invalid Care Allowance

  214

  214

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  391

  402

  Mobility Allowance

  834

  893

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  9,363

  8,909

  Child Benefit

  5,581

  5,266

  One Parent Benefit

  221

  231

  Family Credit/FIS

  487

  493

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Independent Living Fund

  1

  13

  Motability

  1

  1

  Rate Rebate

  1,651

  1,326

  Rent Allowance

  1,279

  1,359

  Rent Rebate

  3,171

  3,172

  Community Charge Benefit

  —

  221

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Benefit

  Retirement Pension

  24,288

  25,538

  Christmas Bonus—Contributory

  120

  114

  Widows' Benefit

  951

  983

  Unemployment Benefit

  931

  1,506

  Sickness Benefit

  231

  268

  Statutory Sick Pay

  1,007

  724

  Invalidity Benefit

  4,741

  5,255

  Death Grant

  —

  —

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  556

  600

  Industrial Death Benefit

  64

  65

  Other II Benefits

  4

  4

  Maternity Allowance

  36

  39

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  336

  344

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  2

  Non-contributory RP

  39

  37

  Christmas Bonus—Non-Contributory

  10

  8

  War Pension

  758

  805

  Attendance Allowance

  1,479

  1,706

  Invalid Care Allowance

  232

  262

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  459

  583

  599

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Mobility Allowance

  945

  1,061

  Income Support/Supplementary Benefit

  9,513

  11,8911

  Child Benefit

  4,912

  5,206

  One Parent Benefit

  245

  247

  Family Credit/FIS

  529

  617

  Maternity Grant

  —

  —

  Independent Living Fund

  26

  54

  Motability

  1

  3

  Rate Rebate

  —

  —

  Rent Allowance

  1,637

  1,976

  Rent Rebate

  498

  583

  Community Charge Benefit

  2,231

  1,228

  War Pensions Scheme
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest position regarding discussions to simplify the war pensions scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Proposals for simplifying the war pensions scheme and improving its administration were discussed with the war pensions central advisory committee on 5 December 1991. Its response was broadly to welcome the thrust of the proposed changes. Final decisions will be made and announced after consideration of the many detailed comments is completed. We have previously indicated that resources available to the war pensions scheme and individual cash entitlements of war pensioners will not be reduced as a result. That remains the position.

  Income Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many income support claimants who work between 16 and 24 hours a week currently(a) receive direct help with mortgage interest payments and (b) are eligible to apply to the social fund for help with the cost of furniture and other essential household items; and if he will subdivide the figures into childless, couples with children, and lone parent household categories;

  (2) whether income support claimaints who work between 16 and 24 hours a week and who currently (a) receive direct help with mortgage interest payments and (b) are eligible to apply to the social fund for help with the cost of furniture and other items will have their eligibility for assistance fully protected after April 1992 by special protection arrangements.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We estimate that around 15,000 people currently receiving income support and working between 16 and 24 hours a week are receiving help with mortgage interest payments. Because of the small size of the sample, it is not possible to subdivide this number into household categories. Anyone receiving income support, whether or not they are working, is eligible to apply to the social fund for help under the normal rules.

  People whose entitlement to income support is protected when the hours rule changes from 24 to 16 a week from 7 April will have the same rights to help with their mortgage interest payments and to apply for social fund payments as they do at present.

  Business Reply Envelopes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of DSS agency offices have withdrawn business reply envelopes; how many people 600
  were affected by the withdrawal of business reply envelopes; and what are the estimated savings for the agency in the year 1992–93 from the withdrawal of these envelopes.

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

  Independent Tribunal Service
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what influence the president of the Independent Tribunal Service has over allocation of resources from the DSS; to whom the president is accountable; and to whom complaints about dissatisfaction about the administrative arrangements of the independent Tribunal Service may be addressed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The president of the Independent Tribunal Service, his honour Judge Holden, is appointed by the Lord Chancellor. He may appoint such officers and staff as he thinks fit to carry out his statutory duties, with the consent of the Secretary of State and the Treasury as to numbers, remuneration and other terms and conditions of service. In using the resources so provided he is accountable to the departmental accounting officer. Complaints about dissatisfaction with the administrative arrangements of the Independent Tribunal Service should be addressed to the president, his honour Judge Holden.

  Mirror Group Pension Fund
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the cost of underwriting the guaranteed minimum pension for the Mirror Group pension fund; and if he has agreed to underwrite the guaranteed minimum pension for the Mirror Group pension fund.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is too early to make any assessment of the possible costs involved. Existing legislation provides protection for those members of pension schemes who have been contracted out of the state earnings related pensions scheme (SERPS) introduced in 1978. If any scheme is wound up there is a statutory provision designed to protect the guaranteed minimum pension which contracted out schemes are required to provide.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest information available on the level of earnings of people with personal pensions.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest available information for the year ended April 1990 is that the average pay of appropriate personal pension holders, including those in part-time work, is £9,740.

  Pension Contributions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the protocol to the treaty of Rome deeming pension contributions paid before May 1990 not to be deferred pay in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands includes employee pension contributions which are deducted from the employee's pay packet or salary.
  601
  Mr. Jack
  The protocol to article 119 of the treaty of Rome, agreed at Maastricht, will, when ratified, apply to all member states and relates to benefits under occupational social security schemes attributable to periods of employment prior to 17 May 1990.

  Contributions to occupational pension schemes before 17 May 1990 will continue to qualify scheme members for benefits on the same basis as when their contributions were made.

  Pensions (Christmas Bonus)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the rationale for paying the Christmas bonus to people in receipt of their pension in the week commencing 2 December and excluding those whose pensions were first payable in the Christmas week.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Since the Christmas bonus was introduced in 1972 the practice has been to make payments to those who qualify no later than the first week in December. This ensures the bonus reaches all 12 million recipients in time for Christmas.

  Benefits (Expenditure)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the spending on(a) disabled people's benefits and (b) retired people's benefit in (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1983–84, (iii) 1987–88 and (iv) 1991–92 at September 1991 prices.

  Mr. Scott
  Total benefit spending on long-term sick and disabled people and on elderly people, in cash and in 1991–92 prices, is given in the table.

  Disabled people

  Elderly people

  Cash £ million

  1991–92 prices £ million

  Cash £ million

  1991–92 prices £ million

  1979–80

  2·1

  4·9

  10·1

  23·6

  1983–84

  4·1

  6·6

  17·7

  28·2

  1987–88

  6·7

  8·8

  23·1

  30·5

  1991–92

  12·3

  12·3

  31·4

  31·4

  Note: 1991–92 figures are estimated outturn.

  Income Support Disability Premium
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that all claimants in receipt of attendance allowance or the new disability housing allowance are informed that their benefit acts as a passport to the income support disability premium.

  Mr. Scott
  When customers are awarded either attendance allowance or disability living allowance they will receive an information sheet with their award notice explaining that if they are on income support they may be able to get more money because of their disability, or indeed that they may now qualify for income support if they did not get it previously. More fundamentally, we are introducing special procedures so that income support entitlement can be reassessed automatically following the award of either attendance allowance or disability living allowance.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of(a) men and (b) women who will lose in real terms as a result of the freezing of statutory sick pay for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available and cannot be accurately estimated. Over 90 per cent. of employees work for employers with occupational sick pay (OSP) schemes and will have their statutory sick pay (SSP) topped up by OSP. The 1988 survey of occupational sick pay schemes found that the majority of employers with such schemes top up SSP to full pay. Most employees affected by the freezing of the higher rate of SSP will, therefore, have experienced no reduction in the amount they received when sick. Those employees on the lower rate have had their SSP entitlement fully protected by full retail prices index increases.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the total savings to the Exchequer for each year as a result of freezing higher rate statutory sick pay in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Scott
  The total estimated savings are:

  £ million

  1991–92

  67

  1992–93

  89

  Pensioners (Home Owners)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners are owner occupiers and have paid off their mortgage.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest figures available show that in 1988, 50 per cent. of pensioners were owner occupiers, of whom 46 per cent. owned their homes outright. This compares well with 1979, when only 38 per cent. owned their homes outright.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teachers, North Yorkshire
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will show the full-time equivalent number of teachers employed in(a) north Yorkshire infant and primary schools and (b) north Yorkshire secondary schools in each year from 1974 to 1991.

  Mr. Fallon
  The full-time equivalent number of qualified teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in North Yorkshire local education authority in January of each year is shown in the following table.

  Full-time equivalent of qualified teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in North Yorkshire Local Education Authority— January 1974–1991.

  (thousands)

  Primary1

  Secondary

  1974

  2·6

  2·7

  1975

  2·7

  2·8

  1976

  2·7

  2·9

  1977

  2·7

  3·1

  603

  Primary1

  Secondary

  1978

  2·7

  3·1

  1979

  2·7

  3·2

  1980

  2·6

  3·2

  1981

  2·5

  3·2

  1982

  2·4

  3·2

  1983

  2·3

  3·2

  1984

  2·3

  3·2

  1985

  2·3

  3·1

  1986

  2·3

  3·0

  1987

  2·3

  2·9

  1988

  2·4

  2·9

  1989

  2·4

  2·8

  1990

  2·5

  2·8

  1991

  2·4

  2·8

  1 Includes infant schools.

  Pupil Expenditure
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the expenditure per pupil in the county of Shropshire in 1978–79, 1982–83, 1986–87 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Fallon
  The latest year for which actual spending information is available in 1989–90. Shropshire local education authority's school—based expenditure per nursery, primary and secondary school pupil is shown in the table. The real terms increase in per pupil spending between 1978–79 and 1989–90 was 56 per cent.

  Net institutional expenditure1 per pupil2

  Nursery, primary and secondary schools

  Year

  Current prices

  1989–90 prices3

  £

  £

  1978–79

  405

  940

  1982–83

  765

  1,100

  1986–87

  1,070

  1,290

  1989–90

  1,470

  1,470

  Notes to table

  1 Net institutional expenditure covers the direct costs in schools of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not include the cost of school meals, home to school transport, LEA central administration, and financing costs of capital expenditure.

  2 The figures are derived from Shropshire local education authority's returns of its spending to the Department of the Environment and of its pupil numbers to the Department of Education and Science.

  3 Figures for 1978–79, 1982–83 and 1986–87 have been repriced to 1989–90 prices using the GDP (Market Prices) Deflator Index.

  Sixth Forms
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the total number of school sixth forms in England in(a) 1979–80 and (b) on the latest available figures.

  Mr. Eggar
  The numbers of maintained secondary schools with sixth forms in England, in 1980 and 1991 were 2,487 and 1,998 respectively. These figures include sixth form colleges in England.

  Teachers' Superannuation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answers of 11 December, Official Report, column 448–49 and 2 December, Official Report, column 16 on the teachers' superannuation scheme, what is the basis for paying widowers' pensions in respect of service from 6 April 1988 604
  and charging extra for the optional cover from 1 April 1972 to 5 April 1988 when widows' pensions are paid on all service from 1 April 1972.

  Mr. Fallon
  The normal contribution rate, of which an individual teacher pays 6 per cent. of salary and his or her employer the balance, is determined by the Government Actuary in his quinquennial valuations of the scheme. For the period 1 April 1972 to 5 April 1988, the Government Actuary took into account the cost of providing widows' pensions as a benefit of the scheme but not widowers' pensions and the normal contribution rate reflected this. In his most recent valuation, the actuary has taken account of the fact that widowers' benefits are now provided by the scheme with effect from 6 April 1988. Widowers' benefits prior to 6 April 1988 have not been covered by the contributions already paid by teachers and employers and on that basis the arrangements set out in my answer of 2 December were introduced.

  A-levels, Islington
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish the report of Her Majesty's inspectorate in relation to the inspection carried out in November of the Islington sixth form centre and the two Islington further education colleges; and what was the finding of this report in relation to the proportion of A-level passes as compared with the national average.

  Mr. Eggar
  The report from HM inspectorate is shortly to be received by my right hon. and learned Friend, once received, it will be published as quickly as possible. When the report is published I will write to the hon. Member with the information on A-level passes.

  School Meals
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the number of children entitled to free school meals in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Fallon
  Since the implementation of the 1986 Social Security Act in 1988, only children whose families are in receipt of income support and those children who are themselves eligible for income support are entitled to receive free school meals. Prior to this local authorities had discretionary powers to provide free school meals and a variety of schemes existed. Consequently, it is not possible to give the number of children entitled to free meals before this date.

  A total of 821,373 free school meals were taken in maintained schools in England on the census date in January 1991.

  Sport
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the chairmanships of the proposed United Kingdom Sports Commission and the Sports Council for England.

  Mr. Atkins
  As announced on 19 December 1991 in the policy statement "Sport and Active Recreation", the Government intend to replace the Sports Council of Great Britain with a United Kingdom sports commission and a sports council for England, subject to the approval by the Queen in Council, of the royal charters for the new bodies.
  605
  My right hon. and learned Friend intends to appoint Peter Yarranton as chairman of the United Kingdom sports commission, and Ian Beer as chairman of the sports council for England. Mr. Yarranton is presently chairman of the Sports Council of Great Britain. He has agreed to continue in that capacity until the transition to the new arrangements has been effected.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Political Talks
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of talks between the political parties of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan).

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further steps he proposes to take in respect in respect of new political initiatives in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his current efforts to bring about a political settlement in the Province.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan).

  Security
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the recently elected Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland on security issues.

  Mr. Brooke
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, the Minister of State and I held a meeting with the new Taoiseach, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice yesterday, during which a range of security and other issues were discussed. I shall be meeting the Irish Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministers again at a meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference which will be held shortly.

  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the security situation.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Sir P. Duffy).

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement on the security situation in the Province.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Sir P. Duffy).

  Brook Advisory Clinic
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will visit the newly opened Brook advisory clinic in Belfast to discuss funding.
  606
  Mr. Hanley
  I understand that the Belfast Brook centre has not yet, in fact, been opened. As the Eastern health and social services board is responsible for the funding of the services to be provided by the Brook centre when operational, it would not be appropriate for either my right hon. Friend or I to enter into separate discussions with the centre on this matter.

  Industrial Development Board
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the achievements to date of the Industrial Development Board in targeting new jobs.

  Mr. Needham
  During the six-year period from 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1991, 27,583 jobs were promoted by the IDB against a target of 32,435.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many schools have devolved budgets under the local management of schools arrangements; how many schools are grant maintained; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  In Northern Ireland 237 schools and 24 colleges of further education have fully delegated budgets and 1,050 have partially delegated budgets under LMS and LMC arrangements. There are no grant-maintained schools.

  Tourist Board
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will appoint a new chief executive of the Northern Ireland tourist board.

  Mr. Needham
  The appointment of a chief executive is a matter for the Northern Ireland tourist board. I understand, however, from the chairman of the board that the post was recently advertised, with a closing date for receipt of applications on 2 March 1992.

  Buses
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has visited plants in Northern Ireland producing buses.

  Mr. Needham
  I visited Walter Alexander and Co. (Belfast) Limited's bus body building plant at Newtownabbey on 1 November 1990. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State visited Robert Wright and Son (Coachworks) Ltd. at Balleymena on 19 June 1990.

  Rural Development
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards encouraging rural development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Following the report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Rural Development in 1991 an independent Rural Development Council, representing a wide spectrum of rural interests has been established to provide advice and resources to rural communities to help them develop multi-sectoral regeneration plans for their local areas.
  607
  Within the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland a rural development policy division has also been set up and three rural development area co-ordinators at senior level have been appointed to provide integrated statutory responses to local community plans.

  Museums
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what plans he has to provide funding for museums in Northern Ireland other than those he already funds;

  (2) what plans he has to publish a policy statement for museums in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are no immediate plans to extend funding to local authority museums, other than those to meet half of the cost of any improvement grant which may be awarded by the museums and galleries improvement fund, a joint venture between Government and the Wolfson charity trust.

  Future policy for the support of local authority museums in Northern Ireland will be considered following the publication, later this year, of a report by the Northern Ireland museums advisory committee of its study into the feasibility of establishing an area museum service for the Province.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Irish Museums Association in Ireland to discuss the role and funding of museums in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has never met the Irish Museums Association.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the budgetary allocation to museums in Northern Ireland in each of the financial years from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991 inclusive.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows:

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Ulster Museum

  2,876,400

  3,529,300

  4,136,000

  Ulster Folk and Transport Museum

  2,124,300

  2,364,700

  2,747,300

  Ulster American Folk park

  685,000

  641,000

  792,800

  Community Services
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the amount allocated to each district council in Northern Ireland for community services in the financial years from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991.

  Dr Mawhinney
  The amounts allocated were as follows:

  Recurrent funding

  Council

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Antrim

  46,275

  47,700

  50,175

  Ards

  33,675

  34,650

  36,450

  Armagh

  16,800

  19,275

  20,250

  608

  Council

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Ballymena

  53,625

  55,200

  58,125

  Ballymoney

  6,675

  6,900

  7,275

  Banbridge

  15,750

  17,250

  18,150

  Belfast

  679,125

  685,350

  717,000

  Carrickfergus

  37,875

  39,000

  41,100

  Castlereagh

  83,700

  83,700

  88,125

  Coleraine

  30,150

  31,050

  32,700

  Cookstown

  6,000

  7,500

  7,875

  Craigavon

  172,275

  172,275

  181,500

  Derry

  112,350

  115,500

  121,575

  Down

  30,975

  33,750

  35,550

  Dungannon

  7,725

  9,825

  10,350

  Fermanagh

  36,375

  37,500

  39,450

  Larne

  19,425

  22,275

  23,475

  Limavady

  15,375

  15,750

  16,575

  Lisburn

  61,950

  63,825

  67,200

  Magherafelt

  4,725

  4,725

  5,025

  Moyle

  14,100

  14,550

  15,300

  Newry and Mourne

  85,950

  88,500

  93,150

  Newtownabbey

  51,600

  54,750

  57,750

  North Down

  44,475

  46,500

  48,975

  Omagh

  56,175

  61,950

  65,250

  Strabane

  66,375

  72,750

  76,650

  Total

  1,789,500

  1,842,000

  1,935,000

  Capital Funding Council

  Antrim

  38,836

  6,052

  Nil

  Ards

  39,667

  21,448

  26,860

  Armagh

  32,872

  Nil

  86,182

  Ballymena

  99,697

  nil

  17,213

  Ballymoney

  20,537

  11,145

  985

  Banbridge

  1,706

  33,680

  2,784

  Belfast

  144,423

  20,618

  3,405

  Carrickfergus

  nil

  nil

  nil

  Castlereagh

  32,531

  nil

  4,866

  Coleraine

  106,745

  26,422

  5,838

  Cookstown

  65,580

  nil

  nil

  Craigavon

  63,697

  49,415

  6,443

  Derry

  104,378

  162,820

  125,688

  Down

  38,332

  5,109

  25,064

  Dungannon

  59,521

  3,376

  44,770

  Fermanagh

  nil

  4,535

  nil

  Larne

  151,375

  177

  517

  Limavady

  17,903

  7,085

  5,770

  Lisburn

  43,005

  61,376

  18,957

  Magherafelt

  26,408

  6,841

  517

  Moyle

  9,895

  nil

  nil

  Newry and Mourne

  100,146

  34,834

  13,505

  Newtownabbey

  nil

  7,598

  nil

  North Down

  18,199

  2,776

  18,586

  Omagh

  26,940

  8,308

  35,919

  Strabane

  38,734

  65,435

  nil

  Total

  281,127

  539,050

  443,869

  Notes:

  1. Capital cost figures cover both community and recreation facility provision.

  2. Grants made to councils are made in respect of expenditure on individual approved projects.

  Government Offices (Relocation)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to relocate central Government offices into the constituency of South Down in response to the provision of the Star telecommunications network within the area.
  609
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The location or relocation of civil service work is considered whenever a new function emerges, an existing function changes its organisational structure, or when the lease of a civil service occupied building expires. The provision of good communication links, such as those now available under the STAR telecommunications network, is just one of a number of factors which are taken into account when deciding upon relocation options.

  There are no plans at present to relocate any central Government functions to the South Down constituency.

  South Eastern Education and Library Board
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he is currently considering from South Eastern education and library board in respect of a headquarters on a single site.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The South Eastern board is currently reviewing the options for locating its headquarters on a single site. The Department of Education is awaiting the outcome of these investigations before entering into further discussions with the board.

  Earnings
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) men and (b) women in each region earn (i) above and (ii) below the national insurance lower earnings limit; and how many are between the lower earnings limit and the upper earnings limit, in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Northern Ireland is regarded as a single region for national insurance purposes. The information requested is as follows. The figures refer to the latest estimates for the current year.

  Men

  Women

  Number of people who earn above lower earnings limit

  245,000

  185,000

  Number of people who earn below lower earnings limit

  25,000

  65,000

  Number of people who earn between upper lower earnings limit

  200,000

  180,000

  Pensioners
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the latest estimates of how many pensioners are(a) male, (b) female, (c) single and (d) married in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  In mid-1990 the estimated numbers of men and women at state pension age and over in Northern Ireland were as follows:

  Number

  Men

  76,000

  Women

  155,000

  Source: OPCS mid-year estimates.

  I regret that information is not available on the marital status of these pensioners.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners there are over the 610
  age of 75 years divided into males and females; and what is (a) their average income from all sources and (b) the income distribution of such pensioners, in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 24 February 1992]In mid-1990 the estimated numbers of men and women over the age of 75 in Northern Ireland were as follows:

  Number

  Men

  28,000

  Women

  54,000

  Source: OPCS mid-year estimates.

  I regret that sufficient information is not available to enable reliable estimates of the average income or income distribution of these men and women to be made.

  Social Security Fraud
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is his estimate of the cost of social security fraud to his Department of Health and Social Services in each of the last five years;

  (2) how many people have been jailed as a result of being found guilty of social security fraud in each of the last five years;

  (3) how many people were charged with social security fraud in each of the last five years.

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

  Butchers' Blocks
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what requirements have been introduced by the European Community in connection with the butcher's wooden block upon which cuts of meat are prepared; and if he will make a statement on the future of this butcher's block.

  Mr. Hanley
  None. A proposed European Community directive on hygiene of foodstuffs presently under negotiation, would require that all articles, fittings, and equipment with which food comes into contact should be so constructed, be of such materials and be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practical, any risk of contamination of the food. Similar provisions are already contained in existing United Kingdom food hygiene law.

  Fisheries Patrol Boat
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the acquisition cost and what are the budgeted running costs of the Northern Ireland fisheries patrol boat, Ken Vickers.

  Mr. Hanley
  The acquisition cost was some £450,000, 50 per cent. of which will be met by the EC. The estimated running costs, including crewing, for 1992–93 are £72,400.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost to date of the preparation, printing, publication and distribution of the citizens charter for Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A total of £120,400

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

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]Low-energy light fittings are already used in all new installations and to replace fittings which have reached the end of their useful life. In other circumstances low-energy units are fitted where it is cost-effective to do so.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Captive Birds
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further information he has on the levels of mortality in imported captive birds.

  Mr. Gummer
  The third report by the Ministry on mortalities in imported captive birds, relating to imports in 1990, shows that of 176,000 birds, 3,500 were dead on arrival and a further 18,100 died in post-import quarantine. The average mortality remains unacceptable but has fallen slightly to 12·3 per cent. compared with 12·7 per cent. in the previous year. The statistics give further evidence of the major problems in the bird trade which the Government are taking vigorous action to address. I am placing copies of the report in the Library of the House.

  The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry), has just announced a far-reaching package of measures which underline our commitment. Clearly these issues need to be addressed internationally, and at the forthcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species conference the United Kingdom will take a leading role in pressing for strengthened international controls. We are also seeking tough action in the European Community. We are determined that any future trade in wild birds should be conducted under proper conditions and that exporting countries, airlines and traders should all play their part and recognise their responsibilities for ensuring the highest standards of care.

  Ministerial Appointments
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the public bodies to which he makes appointments and all the committees within his Ministry which include outside experts appointed by him.

  Mr. Gummer
  Information about public bodies to which 1 make appointments is given in "Public Appointments: a Handbook for Women's Organisations" and annually in "Public Bodies", copies of which are in the Library. To provide a fully comprehensive list of all bodies and committees to which I make appointments would be disproportionately expensive.

  Oilseed Harvest
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what EC support arrangements will apply in the United Kingdom for the 1992 oilseed harvest.

  Mr. Gummer
  A new EC support system is being introduced because the existing arrangements were found to be incompatible with GATT rules. The scheme will apply to rapeseed, sunflower seed and soya bean crops harvested in summer 1992. The scheme will provide a payment related to the world price made at a flat rate per hectare and paid direct to growers.

  The agriculture departments will be operating the scheme and will issue explanatory booklets and application forms as soon as possible. These will be sent to all known oilseed growers. Others will be able to obtain copies from the Ministry's regional service centres and the offices of other agriculture departments. I will place copies in the Libraries of the House.

  The general rules of the scheme were adopted in December 1991 in council regulation 3766/91. A Commission regulation establishing more detailed rules is expected to be published shortly. When it is, I will make a further announcement. Growers sowing seed after the entry into force of the Commission regulation (three days after the date of its publication in the Official Journal) will be subject to certain restrictions on the land on which they may sow if they are to be eligible for aid. They will only be eligible if they plant on arable land. That is defined in the Council regulation as
  "land cultivated during the period 1989–90 to 1990–91, including land shown to have been fallowed in conformity with a publicly funded scheme, temporarily under grass as part of an arable rotation or exceptionally arable land fallowed throughout this period".

  The intention of this provision is to prevent the ploughing up of permanent grassland.

  In addition to crops harvested from certified seed, home-saved seed will be eligible for aid, as will seed grown for industrial use and seed grown for sowing. Various requirements in relation to these matters, which are laid down in the Commission regulation, are being waived this year because it would be inequitable to apply them after growers have taken decisions on what seed to sow for the 1992 harvest. Specific obligations will however apply in future years, and these will be publicised in advance of growers' decisions on plantings for 1993 harvest.

  Growers' completed applications must be received by the agriculture departments by 30 May. The Commission regulation provides for applications received in the following 30 days to suffer a 1 per cent. cut in the aid for each day that they are late up to a maximum cut of 30 per cent. of the aid. Applications received thereafter will be ineligible for any aid. Applications must be supported by a map—from the 1:10,000 Ordnance Survey series, or a map of an equivalent quality—showing the precise location of the crops.

  After growers' applications have been checked, a first payment (of up to 50 per cent. of the total) will be made by 30 September. After the grower has submitted a "harvest declaration", further checks will be made.

  The remainder of the aid will be paid by the end of March 1993. There will also be some payments, on which the Commission has not yet made a proposal, to growers who hold the crop off the market, and thus help to ensure orderly marketing.
  613
  Different rates of aid will be paid in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to reflect their different average yields. Last autumn's and this spring's sowings will receive the same rate of aid. This may change for 1993 crop.

  The regulations contain a number of measures designed to penalise inaccurate applications and to prevent fraud. Penalties for fraud can include disqualification from support in the year following the committal of certain offences. A statutory instrument will be introduced providing in particular for powers of entry and inspection.

  This scheme is free-standing. There is no linked set-aside requirement, nor is there any simplified scheme for small producers.

  Dietary Supplements
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on future controls on dietary supplements.

  Mr. Gummer
  In March last year the Government published a report by officials from the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on dietary supplements and health foods. The report was not a statement of policy but was intended to provide a basis for discussion. It was circulated to some 160 trade, consumer and other organisations for comment. Last December the European Commission issued a discussion paper on possible future controls on dietary supplements which covered much of the same ground as our earlier report. Views on the Commission paper were invited from all those who had commented on our report.

  In the light of all the comments that we have received on the two documents we have concluded that there is a good case for the introduction of some specific controls on dietary supplements. However, we believe that a balance needs to be struck between on the one hand ensuring public health together with clear labelling information and, on the other hand, maintaining the availability of safe products for which there is clearly a strong public demand.

  We have recently submitted our views on future legislation to the European Commission in the form of an outline draft directive on dietary supplements. I have arranged for copies of the draft to be sent to all those who responded to the consultation exercises and to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  At this stage we are only seeking to establish the broad framework for a directive. Regulatory regimes for supplements differ considerably throughout the Community and it will be important to settle questions of principle before we move on to more technical matters.

  I understand that the Commission is due to hold a preliminary discussion on dietary supplements in early March. We will continue to keep all the interests involved informed on the progress of these discussions and will be consulting further on particular detailed issues such as the maximum daily dose limits which might be laid down for individual supplements.

  Adulterated Wine
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about adulterated Italian wine on sale in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
  614
  Mr. Maclean
  My Department learnt on 11 February that some imported Italian wines had been illegally contaminated.

  AS soon as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food became aware of the potential problem, Ministry officials drew together United Kingdom trade interests and the Italian authorities to discuss the illegal addition of methylisothiocyanate to those Italian wines. Meetings of all parties concerned were held last week and again this week. A list of all producers known to have been using this chemical has been obtained from the Italian Government and we have identified nine importers in the United Kingdom. They have all been notified of the need to implement a full recall of suspect wines and to submit samples for analysis and have co-operated fully with my Department. Details of those wines have also been sent to local authorities and to environmental health officers to enable them to check that no stock remains on sale, including at minor outlets, hotels and restaurants. Territorial departments and the port health authorities have been similarly notified. In addition we have asked the trade to put in hand immediate testing of all Italian wines to confirm that no other supplies are affected. Independent checking is also being undertaken by the Ministry. We have asked for all test data to be sent to us for incorporation into a comprehensive data base and those results will be made available to the public. Should any further cases of contamination be discovered, immediate steps will be taken to ensure that affected supplies are immediately withdrawn from sale.

  Our officials have expressed serious concern to the Italian authorities about this incident and are engaged in further discussions to clarify the extent of the problem, how it arose and what steps are being taken in Italy to ensure that no further adulterated wine is placed on the market.

  Fish Conservation
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the recent agreement of EC fisheries Ministers for the conservation of fish stocks.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to the reply, 6 February 1992 column 275]Fishing effort in Europe exceeds what the stocks can at present withstand. Some commercially important species are under severe pressure. Significant steps have already been taken at Community and national level, including the technical measures that will take effect later this year. But more than this is needed if our conservation policies are to be fully effective.

  My colleagues in the other Fisheries Departments share this concern. We have looked at a wide range of options. It has not been easy to identify the best way forward. Conservationist have concentrated on their fears for the future of the stocks, while the fishing industry has continued to press strongly for a decommissioning grant scheme. The Government have made clear that this could be considered, but only as part of a package that would have to make a definite contribution to the conservation of fish stocks. Our key objective must be to reduce fishing effort if we are to protect the stocks for fishermen today and their children tomorrow.

  My right hon. Friends and I therefore now propose to introduce a programme of closely-linked measures. The objective will be to reduce fishing effort over the period up

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  to 1996, to meet a target which we shall need to quantify and agree with the Commission in line with our Community obligation under the 1992–1996 multi-annual guidance programme. An essential feature of our programme will be control over fishing effort, through the introduction of a freeze in 1993 to hold effort at its 1991 level, followed in the years 1994 to 1996 by arrangements to reduce entitlements to days at sea to the extent necessary to achieve the overall target. In assessing the size of these reductions, account will be taken of the impact on fishing effort of the other measures described here.

  It is our intention to seek to have effort control arrangements in place for 1993. Once this is done, we can bring forward measures to reduce capacity. There will be a decommissioning scheme to operate over two years, with provision for expenditure of up to £25 million. The scheme will be cash limited and subject to tight controls and will be designed to take out the maximum amount of fishing effort. No decommissioning payments will be committed until measures for controlling and reducing fishing effort are in place.

  In the meanwhile, the producer organisations established under Community rules to which many fishermen belong will be encouraged to play a more active part in rationalising the structure of the fleet, and certain changes in rules will be made to facilitate that.

  Also, the rules governing transfer of vessel licences will be amended so that the existing amount by which capacity has to be reduced on aggregation will be increased, and a penalty will be applied to other forms of transfer too.

  To complement these measures to reduce effort and capacity, restrictive licensing will he extended to vessels 10 metres and below in length so that this sector of the fleet cannot expand further. This change will take effect in 1993 but in principle licences will then be issued only to vessels which are already actively involved in fishing now, My Department is making a separate more detailed announcement on this.

  Finally, in relation to effort controls provision will be made for fishermen to trade their days at sea entitlements along with fishing licences. This will help the industry to adjust to effort restrictions through rationalisation.

  We have begun discussions with the Commission on ways in which these measures could be accommodated in Community legislation and we shall be consulting the Commission and the industry about the details of this important conservation package. When parliamentary time permits the Government will introduce the primary legislation which will be needed for some elements of this package such as the trading arrangements described above.

  My right hon. Friends and I believe that a package on these lines will greatly assist the conservation of fish stocks, and will thus be in the best long-term interest of our fishermen. We look forward to constructive discussion of this package with the industry.

SCOTLAND

  Insulin
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many representations he has received(a) in 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;
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  (2) when he intends to provide needles for insulin-injecting pens on prescription for diabetics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the current session there have been I I representations in favour of the issue of needles for insulin injecting pens on prescription to diabetics. Where such needles are considered by a consultant to be clinically necessary, they can be obtained free of charge through the hospital service.

  The wider availability of needles for insulin injecting pens on prescription will be considered when the evaluation of the specification and costs, presently being carried out by the Department of Health on behalf of all health departments, is completed.

  Lockerbie
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what new evidence he has received about the responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing since 14 November.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The warrant issued on 14 November 1991 for the arrest of two Libyans for their involvement in the bombing of PA 103 resulted from an independent investigation lasting over three years. That investigation continues. As the Lord Advocate said in his announcement on 14 November 1991 proceedings are active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and he cannot and will not comment on the evidence on which the charges are based. Nor can he comment on evidence received since the warrant was issued.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many crimes per 100,000 people were recorded in 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available;

  (2) how many crimes were recorded in Scotland in 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]The number of crimes recorded by the police per 100,000 people in Scotland in 1979 and 1990 was 6,710 and 10,502 respectively. The number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland for those same years was 346,680 and 535,864 respectively.1

  1 All the figures given are based on the revised classification of crimes and offences which was introduced at the beginning of 1980. The 1979 figures include crimes reported to the Procurator Fiscal by agencies other than the police (for example the Department of Health and Social Security) in which a prosecution was taken. In 1982, there were about 6,400 such cases so the overall effect on recorded crime is small.

  NHS Waiting Lists
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were on national health service waiting lists in Scotland in 1979; and how many there were on the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]The number of in-patients on the waiting list at 31 March 1979 was 76,968 compared with 60,693 at 31 March 1991. These figures are not directly comparable as an improved statistical information system was introduced in 1988.
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  Separate day case waiting list figures are available only from 1989. The number of day cases on the waiting list at 31 March 1991 was 18,673.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of manufacturing output in 1979: and what was the change between 1979 and latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]The index (1985 = 100) of manufacturing output in Scotland in 1979 was 103· and in 1990, the latest year for which figures are available, was 115·4. This represents an increase of 11·8 per cent. in the 11 years between 1979 and 1990.
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  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of manufacturing investment in 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 February 1992]The levels of manufacturing investment in 1979 and 1989, the latest year for which data are available, are set out in the table.

  Manufacturing Investment

  £ million

  Year

  Net capital expenditure

  1979

  588·9

  1989

  1,232·2

  Source: Annual Census of Production.

  UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: IRAN AND TIBET
  UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: IRAN AND TIBET
  UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: RAPPORTEUR
  UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION: RAPPORTEUR
  CHINA: TIBETAN POLITICAL PRISONERS
  CHINA: TIBETAN POLITICAL PRISONERS
  ASYLUM SEEKERS: PERSONAL ALLOWANCES
  ASYLUM SEEKERS: PERSONAL ALLOWANCES
  INCOME-RELATED BENEFITS: COST OF INCREASE
  INCOME-RELATED BENEFITS: COST OF INCREASE
  HMP HASLAR: CITIZENS' ADVICE BUREAU
  HMP HASLAR: CITIZENS' ADVICE BUREAU
  PRISONERS: TRANSFER WITHIN UK
  PRISONERS: TRANSFER WITHIN UK
  CURFEW AND OTHER ORDERS: REHABILITATION PERIODS
  CURFEW AND OTHER ORDERS: REHABILITATION PERIODS
  DEFENCE SUPPLIERS: ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS
  DEFENCE SUPPLIERS: ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS
  THE COUNTRYSIDE: POLICY INITIATIVE
  THE COUNTRYSIDE: POLICY INITIATIVE