Written Answers of 17 January 1992

EMPLOYMENT

  Virus Research
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a summary of the procedures that are now required to be implemented by employers for the protection of employees working in HIV and hepatitis B virus research laboratories and production facilities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Forth
  Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers are required to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees and others who may be affected by their activities. In addition, under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 employers are required to carry out a risk assessment for all activities which are likely to expose any employee to any substance hazardous to health, including pathogenic micro-organisms, and to introduce appropriate precautions commensurate to the risk.

  Table 1

  Estimates of the number of unemployed in EC countries annual averages

  (thousands)

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Belgium

  487

  496

  463

  463

  447

  390

  328

  302

  Denmark

  247

  237

  199

  156

  158

  184

  222

  238

  Germany

  1,921

  1,988

  2,012

  1,796

  1,770

  1,747

  1,603

  1,482

  Greece

  —

  —

  —

  287

  286

  304

  297

  281

  Spain

  —

  —

  —

  2,910

  2,917

  2,813

  2,512

  2,407

  France

  1,912

  2,314

  2,424

  2,474

  2,500

  2,375

  2,265

  2,189

  Ireland

  200

  221

  239

  240

  239

  230

  208

  202

  Italy

  1,970

  2,097

  2,189

  2,420

  2,373

  2,535

  2,498

  2,316

  Luxembourg

  5

  5

  4

  4

  4

  3

  3

  3

  Netherlands

  702

  711

  603

  616

  651

  609

  571

  535

  Portugal

  —

  —

  —

  383

  321

  266

  240

  224

  United Kingdom

  2,894

  2,954

  3,124

  3,161

  2,908

  2,411

  2,037

  2,033

  Source: EUROSTAT "unemployment" bulletins

  Table 2

  Unemployment Rates, Annual Averages

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Belgium

  5·0

  6·4

  7·4

  7·9

  8·2

  8·8

  10·8

  12·6

  12·5

  12·5

  11·6

  11·6

  11·4

  10·0

  8·4

  7·7

  Denmark1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9·3

  8·7

  7·2

  5·6

  5·7

  6·5

  7·8

  8·2

  Germany

  3·6

  3·7

  3·6

  3·5

  3·2

  2·9

  4·2

  5·9

  6·9

  7·1

  7·1

  6·3

  6·2

  6·1

  5·5

  5·1

  Greece

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7·4

  7·4

  7·7

  7·5

  7·0

  Spain

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  21·1

  20·4

  19·3

  17·1

  16·1

  France

  4·0

  4·4

  4·9

  5·2

  5·9

  6·3

  7·4

  8·1

  8·2

  9·8

  10·2

  10·3

  10·4

  9·9

  9·4

  9·1

  Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15·2

  16·8

  18·2

  18·2

  18·0

  17·4

  16·0

  15·6

  Italy

  5·8

  6·6

  7·0

  7·1

  7·6

  7·5

  7·8

  8·4

  8·8

  9·3

  9·6

  10·5

  10·2

  10·8

  10·7

  9·8

  Luxembourg1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·5

  3·1

  2·9

  2·6

  2·6

  2·1

  1·8

  1·7

  Netherlands

  5·2

  5·5

  5·3

  5·3

  5·4

  6·0

  8·5

  11·4

  12·4

  12·3

  10·5

  10·2

  10·0

  9·3

  8·7

  8·1

  Portugal

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8·2

  6·8

  5·6

  5·0

  4·6

  United Kingdom

  4·3

  5·6

  6·0

  5·9

  5·0

  6·4

  9·8

  11·3

  11·0

  11·0

  11·4

  11·4

  10·4

  8·5

  7·1

  7·1

  1 OECD standardised rates are not available for Denmark. Luxembourg and Greece.

  There are no OECD figures available prior to 1983 for Ireland.

  2 There are no reliable figures available as yet for the unified Germany, the figures quoted relate to the former West Germany.

  Sources:

  EUROSTAT "Unemployment" bulletins for 1983–1990 rates.

  OECD "Quarterly Labour Force Statistics" for 1975–1982 rates.
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  To assist employers with these provisions, guidance has been published for the protection of employees working in HIV and hepatitis B virus research laboratories and production facilities. The guidance is contained in "Categorisation of pathogens according to hazard and categories of containment" and "HIV—the causative agent of AIDS and related conditions" prepared by the Health and Safety Commission's Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens. Copies of the document will be placed in the Library.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the level of unemployment in the original EC Six countries as a whole each year since 1962, in the EC Nine as a whole after 1973, and in the EC Twelve as a whole since 1986, both in numbers and as a percentage of their total work force.

  Mr. Jackson
  The following two tables provide the extent of the readily available information:

  (i) estimates of the annual average numbers of unemployed for the years 1983 to 1990 produced by the Statistical Office of the European Community (SOEC). Comparable estimates of numbers unemployed are not available on a monthly basis;

  (i) internationally comparable unemployment rates produced by SOEC from 1983–1990. Similar standardised rates, produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), are available from 1975. These have been provided for the years 1975 to 1982.

  Contaminated Syringes
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, if he will introduce regulations to require contaminated syringes stored in a primary container in health treatment premises to be placed in a secondary container if leakage is possible during handling, storage, transport or shipping.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State, does not consider it necessary to introduce regulations so specific as to cover this matter. Adequate guidance regarding the handling, storage, transport and shipping of contaminated syringes is provided in the publication "The safe disposal of clinical waste" published by the Health and Safety Commission's Health Services Advisory Committee, which was revised in 1991.

  This document provides employers in all health care premises with the necessary information for them to comply with their legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 (the COSHH regulations) which involve risk assessment and the provision of adequate controls to guard against exposure to infection for both workers and the public.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Severe Disability Premium
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his reply at 2 July 1991,Official Report, column 121, if he will make a statement on the likely date of the conclusion of the appeal relating to the severe disability premium awarded to Miss M. Hunt of Perry Barr, Birmingham, Ref 401: 33209.

  Miss Widdecombe
  On 7 January 1992 the Social Security Commissioner gave, with the consent of all interested parties, an interim decision to award the severe disability premium in respect of the period from 11 April 1988 to 8 October 1989. A copy of the decision was issued to all parties on 13 January 1992. The Commissioner has postponed the further decision for the period 9 October 1989 onwards until the House of Lords has given its decision in another case.

  Hours of Work
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants in 1991 with a physical or mental disability who received income support were working for(a) more than 24 hours a week, under regulation 6 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 and (b) working for between 16 and 24 hours.

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

  Disability
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether lifetime awards of attendance allowance and mobility allowance will be reconsidered by adjudication officers under the Disability Living Allowance and Disability Working Allowance Act 1991.
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  Mr. Scott
  Awards of attendance allowance for people aged under 65 and mobility allowance will be replaced by awards of disability living allowance—DLA—from 6 April 1992. Life awards of DLA and attendance allowance for those aged over 65 will not be reviewed by adjudication officers unless the person expressly applies for a review of the award of either or both components, or, in exceptional circumstances, where information comes to light which gives the adjudication officer reasonable grounds to believe that entitlement is either too low or too high.

  Medical Evidence
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate total annual cost to social security claimants of providing medical evidence required by the social security appeals procedures which is not provided under the national health service.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department's general policy is to provide medical evidence for Social Security claimants free of charge where this is required by the appeals system.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the weather stations which have recorded temperatures triggering cold weather payments in each week in 1992.

  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.

TRANSPORT

  Lorry Speed Limits
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the costs to British businesses of the European proposal of a 50 mph speed limit on lorries.

  Mr. Chope
  The costs for some vehicle operators would have been substantial. In the event the Transport Council decided upon a speed limiter setting of 90 km/h—56 mph—for heavy goods vehicles. This will increase some journey times, although there will be offsetting fuel savings.

  Motorway Accidents
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has taken place into accidents on motorways caused by motorists falling momentarily asleep.

  Mr. Chope
  Research has been carried out by the university of Loughborough in this country and by various institutions overseas.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contact his Department has with his opposite numbers in the European Community and the United States of America on research into motorists falling momentarily asleep whilst driving on motorways.
  655
  Mr. Chope
  My Department has regular contact with other countries to discuss all aspects of road safety and research.

  Bus Priority Schemes
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake to review the criteria for Transport supplementary grant funding of bus priority schemes.

  Mr. Freeman
  Consultations will shortly begin with the local authority associations about the transport policies and plans circular for 1992–93. The references in the circular to bus priority schemes and their eligibility for transport supplementary grant and credit approval will be covered in these consultations.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had concerning the funding of bus priority schemes.

  Mr. Freeman
  I recently chaired a working group comprising the Bus and Coach Council, the local authority associations, the police, bus manufacturers and the National Federation of Bus Users during which the funding of bus priority schemes was discussed. The group endorsed the statement I made on 16 December announcing the provision of at least £10 million over the next two years to fund specific local authority bus schemes.

  Pavements
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to monitor the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1990 with respect to the condition of pavements.

  Mr. Chope
  On 31 December 1991 my Department wrote to local authority associations and other interested organisations to consult them about draft regulations and a draft non-statutory code of practice on various aspects of the arrangements for inspection of undertakers' street works. The draft code of practice was prepared by a joint committee of local authorities' and undertakers' representatives.

  Utilities' Street Works
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with representatives of local authorities concerning procedures for carrying out the inspection of utilities' street works.

  Mr. Chope
  I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the street works provisions of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. These provide, in sections 71 and 139, for reinstatements of the street, including pavements, following street works to comply with prescribed specifications of materials and standards of workmanship. The Government have commissioned consultants to advise on appropriate arrangements for monitoring the effects of the Act.

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to issue revised advice on the criteria to be applied for road speed limits in villages and semi-rural areas.
  656
  Mr. Chope
  Consultation with interested bodies on revisions to the criteria for setting speed limits will take place within the next week few weeks, with a view to issuing the revised criteria as soon as possible thereafter.

  Severn Tunnel (Accident)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his assessment of the effect of drying out of a length of self-healing cable on its usefulness to the railways inspectorate inquiry into the Severn tunnel accident on 7 December.

  Mr. Freeman
  The cable in question was stored at British Rail's laboratory at Reading for as long as was necessary to arrange a programme of tests, which would identify possible faults without causing further damage or concealing evidence of other problems. Storage of the cable for any length of time in laboratory conditions could cause the latex-like insulation on the individual wires in the cable to reseal, so tests were conducted as soon as possible with both British Rail and HM railway inspectorate engineers being present. The tests have now been successfully completed.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instruct the railways inspectorate to make available immediately to(a) the British Rail national inquiry and (b) independent inspection the length of self-healing cable from signal box 164 suspected to be part of the cause of the signalling failure which may have led to the accident in the Severn tunnel on 7 December.

  Mr. Freeman
  The accident is being investigated both internally by British Rail and independently by the Health and Safety Executive's HM railway inspectorate. The cable in question has now been examined in detail by engineers from both organisations working together in a British railways laboratory.

  Network SouthEast
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his reply to the right lion. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing on 19 December,Official Report, column 239, when he expects the individual objectives for all 15 of the Network SouthEast route groups to be set under the British Rail passengers charter; and who will be the judge and against what criteria as to whether the service delivered falls significantly short of published standards.

  (2) whether he has set the new performance standards for the Kent coastal services in 1992 that his hon. Friend the Minister for Public Transport said in the House on 12 December, Official Report, column 1143, that he would be setting from 1 January; and whether he will publish those standards.

  Mr. Freeman
  The individual performance targets for each of the 15 route groups of Network SouthEast and the related compensation arrangements will be set out in the BR passengers charter shortly. Monitoring of performance already occurs and the targets will apply from January 1992.

  Job Applicants (Expenses)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances his Department is willing to pay reasonable travelling expenses for applicants to attend job or recruitment board interviews; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department pays reasonable travelling expenses to applicants for many jobs in the Department. For clerical and secretarial posts, recruitment tends to be from the local area, with less need to pay travelling expenses.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in ordering the trains for the north of London daytime passenger services through the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  The seven train sets needed for the north of London daytime channel tunnel services were ordered by the railways on 18 December 1991.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the implementation report of the 1990 efficiency scrutiny of vehicle excise duty enforcement will be available.

  Mr. Chope
  I have today placed copies of the scrutiny implementation report in the Libraries of both Houses. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has made good progress in putting into practice the 28 main recommendations. The number of VED evaders caught and penalised through out-of-court settlements has increased by more than 30 per cent. over the past two years and 420,000 offenders will be brought to book in the present financial year. Further efficiency benefits currently under development will be included in a follow up report to be produced in 12 months' time.

  Road Schemes
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he will be issuing for consultation the criteria he proposes to use in exercising his discretionary power under section 62 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 to acquire property which is seriously affected by his Department's road schemes; and whether he expects to make the criteria public before the end of 1991.

  Mr. Chope
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 November 1991,c. 237.]: My right hon. Friend will use the new power of earlier and wider acquisition to alleviate hardship by buying off-line property which in his opinion is suffering from serious "blight by proximity". Until now property not likely to be needed for a scheme could be acquired only if conditions during construction or after road opening would be intolerable. Acquisition will be from as early as the announcement of the preferred route. Each case will be considered on its merits, but as a guideline we would normally expect qualifying properties to lie within about 100 m of the centre of the road.

  The other guidelines are as follows:

  (a) Where it would be intolerable for the occupier to remain in the property during works or once the
  658
  road is open the vendor must show that he has made reasonable efforts to sell. The property must have been on offer for at least 20 weeks at a reasonable price and have been impossible to sell other than at a price substantially lower than that for which it might have been expected to be sold but for the scheme. Normally the difference should amount to not less than 5 per cent.

  (b) Therre are a variety of reasons why a vendor might need to move without delay, and where they appear cogent, they should be accepted. In the case of owner occupiers of dwellings guidelines set out the following main types of reason which should be accepted:

  (i) acquisition of a job outside reasonable commuting distance when unemployed (what is reasonable under this and the next head will vary with the circumstances, including the means of the individual);

  (ii) acquisition of a different job outside reasonable commuting distance (it is undesirable for blight to impede job mobility);

  (iii) need to move for medical reasons, including need to look after an elderly relative in a different sort of house;

  (iv) need to provide for growing family (primarily to be considered in relation to bedrooms—it is undesirable for growing children of different sexes to share);

  (v) need to realise assets, perhaps because of serious financial difficulties or dissolution of marriage.

PRIME MINISTER

  Oxleas Wood
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister when he last visited Oxleas Wood, south-east London; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have not visited Oxleas Wood.

  European Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 470, concerning the inclusion in the draft treaty of European union of a reference to the role and significance of European parties, when he expects to receive a draft formulation from the presidency; when he expects to lay this before Parliament; and what is the objective of the provision.

  The Prime Minister
  The Portuguese presidency has proposed the following draft treaty article:"Political parties at European level are important as a factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union".

  Discussion is continuing in Brussels as to where this article should appear in the treaty. This is one of a number of technical points which will be settled before signature in early February. The text of the treaty will be published in the normal way after signature.

  Advisory Council on Science and Technology
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the current members of the Advisory Council on Science and Technology; if he will give the date of their original appointment; and what is the date on which their current term of office will end.
  659
  The Prime Minister
  The current members of the advisory Council on Science and Technology are as listed. In addition, the chief scientific adviser, Cabinet Office, Professor William Stewart, attends council meetings. Departmental chief scientists/scientific advisers are also invited to attend most meetings.

  Name

  Date of original appointment

  Appointment ends

  Sir Robin Nicholson (Chairman) Executive Director, Pilkington plc

  July 1990

  July 1993

  Professor Roy Anderson Department of Pure & Applied Biology Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine

  July 1989

  July 1992

  Professor Sir Michael Atiyah President, The Royal Society

  July 1991

  July 1994

  Professor Michael Brady Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford

  July 1990

  July 1993

  Lord Chilver Chairman, Universities Funding Council

  May 1989

  1n/a

  Dr. Peter Doyle Director of Research and Technology, Imperial Chemical Industries plc

  July 1989

  July 1992

  Mr. Ian Harvey Chief Executive, British Technology Group

  July 1989

  July 1992

  Mr. Keith Henry Chief Executive, Brown and Root Ltd

  July 1991

  July 1994

  Sir Graham Hills Past Principal of University of Strathclyde

  July 1987

  2 July 1993

  Dr. Nigel Home Head of IT Practice, KPMG Management Consulting

  July 1990

  July 1993

  Professor Christopher Llewellyn Smith, Chairman of Physics, University of Oxford

  July 1989

  July 1992

  Professor Leonard Maunder Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  July 1987

  July 19932

  Professor Sir David Phillips Chairman, Advisory Board for the Research Councils

  July 1987

  1n/a

  Professor Gareth Roberts Vice Chancellor, University of Sheffield

  July 1989

  July 1992

  Sir Alfred Shepperd Former Chairman and Chief Executive, Wellcome plc

  July 1989

  July 1992

  Dr. David Smith Consultant

  July 1987

  2 July 1993

  Dr. William Wilkinson Deputy Chief Executive, British Nuclear Fuels plc

  July 1990

  July 1993

  Sir Martin Wood Deputy Chairman, Oxford Instruments Group plc

  July 1990

  July 1993

  1 Lord Chilver and Professor Sir David Phillips are ex-officio members in their capacities as chairman of the Universities Funding

  660
  Council and Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils respectively.

  2 Members in their second term.

  Staff Salaries
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the number of those employed in his office, their position and the salary range in each case, excluding secretarial and clerical staff.

  The Prime Minister
  The number of those currently employed in my office excluding Secretarial and clerical staff and paid from public funds are:—

  Positions Held

  Grade

  1 Principal Private Secretary

  Grade 2

  1 Private Secretary—Overseas Affairs

  Grade 3

  1 Private Secretary—Economic Affairs

  Grade 5

  1 Private Secretary—Parliamentary Affairs

  Grade 7

  1 Private Secretary—Home Affairs

  Grade 7

  1 Secretary for Appointments

  Grade 5

  1 Chief Press Officer

  Grade 3

  1 Deputy Chief Press Officer

  Grade 5

  1 Policy Adviser

  Grade 3

  1 Policy Adviser

  Grade 5

  1 Security Co-ordinator

  Grade 7

  2 Assistant Private Secretaries

  SEO

  1 Parliamentary Clerk

  HEO

  5 Special Advisers

  —

  3 Senior Information Officers

  —

  4 Higher Executive Officers

  —

  11 Executive Officers

  —

  It is not our practice to reveal the salaries of individual advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential. The rest are paid in accordance with the civil service pay scales.

  Televisions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister how many television sets there are at 10 Downing street; and how many television licences are held for 10 Downing street.

  The Prime Minister
  Nineteen television sets are currently in use at 10 Downing Street. No licence fees are payable for television sets on Crown property used for Government purposes.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Research Councils
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the current members of(a) the Medical Research Council, (b) the Science and Engineering Research Council, (c) the Economic and Social Research Council, (d) the Natural Environment Research Council, (e) the Agriculture and Food Research Council and (f) the Advisory Board for the Research Councils; if he will give the date of their original appointment; and if he will detail the date on which their current terms of office will end.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information is as follows:
  661

  Medical Research Council

  Members

  Date of original appointment

  Date term of office ends

  Sir David Plastow (Chairman)

  October 1990

  September 1994

  Dr. D. A. Rees FRS

  October 1987

  July 1995

  Professor I. V. Allen

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Professor D. T. Baird

  September 1989

  July 1993

  Mr. R. Bauman

  November 1990

  July 1994

  Professor C. L. Berry

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor M. Bobrow

  November 1988

  July 1994

  Dr. K. C. Caiman

  January 1989

  —1

  Sir Michael Carlisle

  November 1991

  July 1995

  Dr. J. T. Carter

  July 1983

  July 1995

  Dr. P. Doyle

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor C. R. W. Edwards

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Professor J. G. Evans

  January 1992

  July 1995

  Professor R. E. Kendell

  October 1991

  —1

  Sir Aaron Klug FRS

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Emma Nicholson MP

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Professor M. Peckham

  January 1991

  —1

  Professor G. K. Radda FRS

  November 1988

  July 1992

  Professor Sir Michael Rutter CBE FRS

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Professor Sir Joseph Smith

  November 1988

  July 1992

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  Members

  Date of original appointment

  Date term of office ends

  Sir Mark Richmond FRS (Chairman)

  October 1990

  September 1995

  Professor P. Burke FRS

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Dr. R. F. Coleman CB

  June 1987

  July 1994

  Dr. D. A. Davis

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Professor A. Donnachie

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Mr. G. Fairtlough

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Dr. K. W. Gray CBE

  September 1991

  July 1995

  Professor R. E. Hester

  July 1990

  July 1994

  Sir Gordon Higginson FEng

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Professor C. Humphreys

  August 1988

  July 1992

  Dr. S. D. Iverson

  September 1991

  July 1995

  Dr. A. Ledwith

  February 1990

  July 1993

  Dr. J. S. Mason

  July 1990

  July 1994

  Mr. D. P. Nash

  August 1988

  July 1992

  Professor R. Oxburgh FRS

  September 1988

  July 1992

  Professor J. T. Stuart FRS

  August 1989

  July 1993

  Dr. J. O. Thomas FRS

  July 1990

  July 1994

  Professor D. J. Wallace FRS

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor A. W. Wolfendale FRS

  August 1988

  July 1992

  Economic and Social Research Council

  Members

  Date of original appointment

  Date term of office ends

  Professor H. J. Newby (Chairman)

  October 1988

  September 1992

  Dr. D. Anderson

  September 1989

  July 1993

  Professor M. Anderson

  August 1990

  July 1993

  Professor J. M. Ashworth

  September 1989

  July 1993

  Professor J. Beaumont

  September 1989

  July 1993

  Mr. M. Bichard

  September 1989

  July 1992

  Mrs. E. J. Filkin

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Nigel Forman MP

  August 1991

  August 1995

  Mr. J. Fox

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Miss C. Hancock

  August 1991

  August 1995

  Professor D. Hargreaves

  August 1991

  August 1995

  Professor A. Hay

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor L. C. Hunter CBE

  September 1989

  July 1992

  Professor D. Kavanagh

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Mr. H. Liesner

  December 1989

  July 1992

  Professor S. J. Nickell

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Mr. G. T. Pepper

  December 1989

  July 1993

  Professor D. K. Stout

  March 1989

  July 1992

  Mrs. M. Tuck CBE

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor P. Warr

  September 1989

  July 1992

  662 663

  Natural Environment Research Council

  Members

  Date of original appointment

  Date term of office ends

  Professor J. L. Knill (Chairman) FEng

  October 1988

  September 1993

  Dr. P. J. Bunyan

  July 1991

  —1

  Professor W. G. Chaloner FRS

  August 1991

  July 1994

  Lord Chorley

  August 1988

  July 1994

  Dr. R. F. Coleman CB

  June 1987

  —1

  Professor C. D. Curtis

  August 1990

  July 1993

  Dr. W. D. Evans

  December 1989

  —1

  Dr. D. J. Fisk

  September 1987

  —1

  Dr. I. J. Graham-Bryce

  August 1989

  July 1992

  Professor J. S. Gray

  August 1986

  July 1992

  Professor M. P. Hassell FRS

  August 1991

  July 1994

  Professor B. J. Hoskins FRS

  August 1988

  July 1994

  Professor P. S. Liss

  August 1990

  July 1993

  Professor J. G. Ramsay FRS

  August 1989

  July 1992

  Professor D. A. Ritchie

  August 1990

  July 1993

  Mr. D. G. M. Roberts CBE

  August 1987

  July 1993

  Dr. O. Rogne

  August 1990

  July 1993

  Professor J. I. Sprent

  August 1991

  July 1994

  Professor S. A. Thorpe FRS

  August 1991

  July 1994

  Professor D. Wood

  August 1987

  July 1993

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  Members

  Date of original appointment

  Date term of office ends

  Sir Alistair Grant (Chairman)

  September 1990

  August 1995

  Professor T. L. Blundell FRS

  January 1991

  December 1995

  Dr. P. J. Bunyan

  January 1990

  —1

  Professor E. C. D. Cocking FRS

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor J. R. Coggins

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Professor J. M. M. Cunningham CBE

  April 1987

  May 1993

  Sir Sam Edwards FRS

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Dr. D. A. Evans

  October 1989

  July 1992

  Mr. D. F. R. George

  October 1989

  July 1992

  Mr. B. Gill

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Mr. L. P. Hamilton CB

  May 1984

  —1

  Professor R. M. Hicks

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Professor G. Horn FRS

  August 1991

  July 1995

  Roger Knapman MP

  January 1991

  July 1994

  Professor J. R. Krebs FRS

  November 1988

  July 1995

  Professor C. J. Leaver

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Professor T. A. Mansfield FRS

  October 1989

  July 1992

  Mr. J. L. C. Provan

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Mr. G. T. Pryce

  June 1986

  July 1994

  Dr. D. W. F. Shannon

  September 1986

  —1

  Professor W. V. Shaw

  August 1990

  July 1994

  Advisory Board for the Research Councils

  Members

  Date of original appointment

  Date terms of office ends

  Professor Sir David Phillips FRS (chairman)

  January 1983

  March 1993

  Professor Sir Eric Ash CBE FRS FEng

  January 1989

  March 1992

  Professor T. Blundell FRS2

  January 1991

  September 1995

  Dr. A. S. Ganguly

  May 1991

  March 1994

  Professor R. L. Gardner FRS

  April 1990

  March 1992

  Professor M. Hart FRS

  April 1990

  March 1993

  Professor J. L. Knill2 FEng

  October 1988

  September 1993

  Sir Mark Richmond FRS2

  October 1990

  September 1995

  Professor H. J. Newby2

  October 1988

  September 1992

  Dr. D. A. Rees FRS2

  October 1987

  —

  Professor I. A. Shanks

  April 1990

  March 1993

  1 Not more than four members of the Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Science and Engineering Research Council are appointed by the Secretary of State for Education and Science on the nomination of such Ministers of the Government as the Secretary of State shall determine. Up to four members of the Agriculture and Food Research Council are appointed by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and up to two members by the Secretary of State for Scotland. With the exception of the Science and Engineering Research Council, in the case of members who are officials of Government Departments their length of office is not specified.

  2 Ex-officio members.

  664

  Ecstasy
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to inform drugs education co-ordinators and teachers about ecstasy, its symptoms and its harmful effects.

  Mr. Atkins
  We believe that health (formerly drugs) education co-ordinators are generally well-informed about the nature and effects of ecstasy, and are briefing teachers as necessary. It is not the Department's normal practice to distribute information on particular drugs, but we should be prepared to consider doing so if a need became apparent.

  Education Reform
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those he has consulted regarding(a) changes to GCSE coursework requirements, (b) the plans for further education in the Further and Higher Education Bill, (c) the plans for the schools inspectorate in the Education (Schools) Bill and (d) the plans for higher education in the Further and Higher Education Bill.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend consulted the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC), which has access to the advice of examining bodies and teachers, on changes to GCSE coursework requirements.

  The plans for further education underlying part I of the Further and Higher Education Bill were set out in the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century" (Cm 1536). This contained an open invitation to interested parties to comment.

  The plans for school inspection were set out in the parents charter, which also contained an open invitation to comment. In addition, the Department of Education and Science wrote to local education authorities and relevant national bodies inviting comments on the inspection proposals. A full list is attached to the Department's letter of 2 October, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The plans for higher education underlying part II of the Further and Higher Education Bill were set out in the White Paper "Higher Education: a New Framework" (Cm. 1541). Although the White Paper did not itself invite comments, the Government have since consulted higher education institutions and their representatives on various aspects of the new framework, as foreshadowed by the White Paper.

  Mexico (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the purpose of his recent visit to Mexico; who accompanied him in any official capacity; and what was the total cost to the Exchequer for him and those with him.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My visit was in response to an invitation from the Mexican Government. The Mexican Government are giving very high priority to the modernisation of their education system and they wished to share our experience of education reform particularly our policies to raise standards and improve efficiency in post-school education and training. I was also able to assist British suppliers of educational goods and services to 666
  benefit from this expanding market. I had meetings with President Salinas and with the Foreign Secretary and the Education Secretary of the Mexican Government and with several state governors.

  I was accompanied by a departmental private secretary and a senior official of my department. The breakdown of our costs for the visit is as follows:

  —Transport to Mexico and within Mexico: £9,739

  —Accommodation and subsistence in the British Embassy and in hotels: £487

  —Other costs: £453

  I was also accompanied for part of the trip by three British businessmen who covered their own costs.

  Great Britain Sports Council
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current number of staff employed by the Great Britain Sports Council; and what additional numbers of staff over this number he has assumed in proposing a separate Sports Council for England and the United Kingdom Sports Commission.

  Mr. Atkins
  A total of 542 staff are currently employed by the GB Sports Council. I see no case for additional staff to be employed as a result of its re-structuring.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table setting out the present functions of the Great Britain Sports Council, together with an indication of(a) which of these functions will be carried out solely by the proposed United Kingdom Sports Commission, (b) which of these functions will be carried out solely by the proposed Sports Council for England, (c) which of these functions will be jointly carried out by the proposed United Kingdom Sports Commission and the proposed Sports Council for England and (d) which functions of the proposed United Kingdom Sports Commission and the proposed Sports Council for England are not currently undertaken by the Great Britain Sports Council.

  Mr. Atkins
  The functions of the Great Britain Sports Council are set out in general terms in its Royal Charter. Annexes A and B of "Sport and Active Recreation" published in December set out the functions of the United Kingdom Sports Commission and the Sports Council for England respectively. These are based on the functions of the Great Britain Sports Council.

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 455, if he will make it his policy to request and consider responses to his consultation letter on the disposal of school playing fields from the Sports Council, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, the National Playing Fields Association and the regional councils for sport and recreation before announcing the conclusions of his consultation exercise on this matter.

  Mr. Atkins
  All these organisations have been sent copies of the consultation letter for information and are free to comment before any announcement is made on the conclusions of this consultation exercise.

  Sport Policy
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his written answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 454, and the publication of his review of Government sports policy, what calculations he made as to the likely cost of the additional offices required for a separate United Kingdom sports commission.

  Mr. Atkins
  As I made clear in my written answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 454, the United Kingdom Sports Commission and the Sports Council for England will be funded from within the provision made available for the Great Britain Sports Council. The size and location of offices required as a result of this re-structuring will be a matter for discussion with the Great Britain Sports Council and its successor bodies.

  Primary Education
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what date he received the report from Professor Alexander, Mr. Rose and Mr. Woodhead on primary education.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects shortly to receive the report he commissioned from Professor Alexander, Mr. Rose and Mr. Woodhead. When it is published it will be placed in the Library.

  Virus Research
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will pulish a list of all HIV and hepatitis B virus research laboratories and production facilities in England and Wales.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The main Government agency for funding medical research in this country is the Medical Research Council. Its latest handbook for 1991 gives details of the location of the research which it supports. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Publicly funded medical research is also conducted in universities and through the health authorities and health Departments. Information on such research and on research undertaken by companies and the medical research charities is not collected centrally.

  Funding Councils
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science what senior appointments he expects to make to the Further Education Funding Council for England and the Higher Education Funding Council for England to be established under the Further and Higher Education Bill[Lords].

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Subject to the passage of the Further and Higher Education Bill, we intend to make the following appointments.

  For the Further Education Funding Council for England:

  Chairman: Mr. Robert Gunn, former Chairman of the Boots Company plc; and

  Chief Executive: Dr. William Stubbs, currently Chief Executive of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC).

  For the Higher Education Funding Council for England:
  668

  Chairman(as already announced): Sir Ron Dearing, currently Chairman of the PCFC; and

  Chief Executive: Professor Graeme Davies, currently

  Chief Executive of the Universities Funding Council.

  These will be strong teams to help steer the two new councils in funding the effective expansion of both further and higher education.

  In advance of these appointments, Dr. Stubbs will he seconded to the Department to help prepare for the new further education funding arrangements. Professor Davies is therefore being appointed also as chief executive of the PCFC.

  Open University
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration is given in allocating funds to the Open university, to the teaching and learning difficulties encountered in remote and scattered rural areas.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government recognise the special role of the Open university in serving those living at a distance from other higher education institutions. The Government continue to support the Open university and has funded 3,000 additional undergraduate places at the university in 1992.

  The funds given to the Open university are not earmarked to particular areas. However, the university has a commitment to make its services available to those living in all parts of the United Kingdom.

  Funding
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to provide an equal level of funding for each school pupil; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The schools component of standard spending assessments (SSAs) is already largely based on pupil numbers, but with an allowance, equivalent to about 20 per cent. of standard spending for schools, for the additional cost of educating pupils in areas of relative deprivation and for the relatively high labour costs of London and the south east. Authorities are not bound by SSAs, but are free to make their own decisions about total spending on schools and the distribution of funding between schools and between pupils, subject to the current LMS requirement that at least 75 per cent. of funds delegated to schools must be distributed with reference to pupil numbers. My right hon. Friend welcomes indications that LEAs are beginning to take action to narrow the gap between spending levels per pupil in the primary and secondary phases.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the pupil/teacher ratio in primary schools in Staffordshire in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Fallon
  The "within school" pupil:teacher ratio (PTR) in primary schools in Staffordshire Local Education Authority, for each of the past three years, is given in the following table.
  669

  Staffordshire local education authority

  Pupil: teacher ratio1

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Primary Schools2

  23·0

  23·3

  23·1

  1 Excludes nursery schools.

  2 Based on qualified teachers only in schools.

  Key Stage One Tests
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the information relating to the attainment of children in key stage one tests in English, mathematics and science, and in all three subjects combined, ranking local authorities by attainment in their area at level three.

  Mr. Eggar
  The following table ranks LEAs' combined English, mathematics and science results of the 1991 tests of seven-year-olds by the proportion of pupils attaining level three. The other information requested can be derived from the tables at annex B of the full report placed in the Library of the House on 19 December.

  Key Stage 1 Assessment

  LEA Ranking

  LEA

  Percentage at Level 3

  Bromley

  26

  Haringey

  26

  Harrow

  24

  Richmond upon Thames

  24

  Merton

  23

  Barnet

  22

  Camden

  22

  Hackney

  21

  Sutton

  21

  West Sussex

  21

  Wirral

  21

  Gloucestershire

  20

  Hertfordshire

  20

  Isle of Wight

  20

  Rotherham

  20

  Surrey

  20

  Hillingdon

  19

  Kensington and Chelsea

  19

  Kirklees

  19

  Lewisham

  19

  Redbridge

  19

  Solihull

  19

  Westminster

  19

  Brent

  18

  Buckinghamshire

  18

  East Sussex

  18

  Enfield

  18

  Hampshire

  18

  North Yorkshire

  18

  Nottinghamshire

  18

  Wandsworth

  18

  Avon

  17

  Cheshire

  17

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  17

  Shropshire

  17

  Waltham Forest

  17

  Warwickshire

  17

  Wiltshire

  17

  Bedfordshire

  16

  670

  LEA

  Percentage at Level 3

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  16

  Croydon

  16

  Doncaster

  16

  Hereford and Worcester

  16

  Islington

  16

  Manchester

  16

  Norfolk

  16

  Somerset

  16

  St. Helens

  16

  Stockport

  16

  Trafford

  16

  Wolverhampton

  16

  English, Mathematics and Science combined

  LEA

  Percentage at Level 3

  Barking and Dagenham

  15

  Berkshire

  15

  Cambridgeshire

  15

  Cumbria

  15

  Devon

  15

  Dorset

  15

  Essex

  15

  Gateshead

  15

  Northamptonshire

  15

  Northumberland

  15

  Sheffield

  15

  South Tyneside

  15

  Derbyshire

  14

  Durham

  14

  Ealing

  14

  Greenwich

  14

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  14

  Liverpool

  14

  North Tyneside

  14

  Oldham

  14

  Oxfordshire

  14

  Sefton

  14

  Southwark

  14

  Tameside

  14

  Wigan

  14

  Havering

  13

  Hounslow

  13

  Humberside

  13

  Kent

  13

  Leeds

  13

  Leicestershire

  13

  Lincolnshire

  13

  Suffolk

  13

  Coventry

  12

  Kingston upon Thames

  12

  Bury

  11

  Calderdale

  11

  Rochdale

  11

  Bexley

  10

  Birmingham

  10

  Bolton

  10

  Cleveland

  10

  Knowsley

  10

  Salford

  10

  Sandwell

  10

  Wakefield

  10

  Dudley

  9

  Lancashire

  9

  Newham

  9

  Sunderland

  9

  Walsall

  8

  671

  LEA

  Percentage at Level 3

  Barnsley

  7

  Staffordshire

  6

  Bradford

  5

  Total England

  15

ENVIRONMENT

  Loft Insulation
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of housing stock has loft insulation.

  Mr. Yeo
  It is estimated that over 90 per cent. of the dwellings in Great Britain with accessible lofts have loft insulation.

  Local Government Commission
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimate of the annual costs of the local government commission when it is fully operational.

  Mr. Key
  Provisional expenditure figures for the Local Government Commission will be published shortly in the departmental report.

  Housing Courts, Nottingham
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with Nottingham city council regarding the use of housing tribunals or housing courts to process actions against bad neighbours and neighbour nuisance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  None.

  Urbanisation and Human Settlement
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has any plans to consider the issue of human settlement in the preparatory work undertaken by his Department for the forthcoming United Nations conference on environment and development;

  (2) what proposals Her Majesty's Government has for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development for addressing the issue of urbanisation and human settlement generally.

  Mr. Baldry
  Early United Nations meetings concerned with drawing up the agenda for UNCED took little account of urban development and human settlements. However the United Kingdom and the other member states of the EC successfully argued that the subject should be dealt with as a major cross-sectoral issue. The secretariat's proposals to be presented to the final preparatory committee in March are expected to reflect the views put forward by the EC.

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what initial screening of companies seeking to tender for the maintenance of any of the royal parks took place on grounds of a horticultural quality threshold or the company's financial position;

  (2) what account he has taken of the experience of individual local councils who have awarded horticultural contracts to a prospective tendering company, in drawing up short lists for maintenance of the royal parks.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: Companies wishing to tender for garden and landscape maintenance work in the royal parks were asked to complete a pre-tender questionnaire providing details of their company finances and their contracts. This information, together with assessments of the horticultural quality of their current work by site visits and the financial viability of each company, was then considered in drawing up a short list of tenderers for each park. The experience of individual local authorities has been a relevant factor in drawing up these short lists of tenderers for garden and landscape work in the royal parks.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will disqualify any contractors proposing staffing levels signficantly below the minimum staffing levels for maintenance recommended in the 1989 consultants' report from bidding for the maintenance contract of St. James's park.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: No. But my Department has satisfied itself that the chosen contractor will employ enough skilled and unskilled operatives to tend the gardens and grounds to our high standards—and indeed to improve on our present standards in certain respects.

  Environment Policy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution he made towards the "Manual of Environmental Policy: The EC and Britain."

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: This Department contributed £12,000 towards the Institute for European Environmental Policy's costs in researching the material for this publication.

HEALTH

  Low Income Benefit Scheme
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to his Department of administering the national health service low income scheme for health benefits.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The NHS low income scheme is administered by the Department of Social Security on behalf of the Department of Health, on a repayment basis. Figures are available only for the three years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92. The repayments for those years have been £8·107 million, £7·180 million and £5·137 million respectively.

  Gene Therapy
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will present to Parliament the report of the Committee on the Ethics of Gene Therapy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government yesterday laid before the House the report of the Committee on the Ethics of Gene Therapy (Cm. 1788).

  The Committee was chaired by Sir Cecil Clothier KCB, QC. The Government are grateful to Sir Cecil and the members of this eminent committee for producing a clear and comprehensive report on a scientifically complex subject.

  The committee's main conclusions and recommendations are:

  Gene therapy offers for the first time in many genetic disorders the prospect of effective treatment and cure. It also has other possible clinical applications. Before introduction into medical practice it must be ethically acceptable and shown to be so.

  Gene therapy raises no new ethical principle but the familiar issues which attend the introduction of any new medical procedure are heightened because of the special qualities of the genetic make-up of individuals. The Committee believe that, all gene therapy treatments should initially be regarded as research and be governed by the existing requirements which already apply in the United Kingdom to research involving human subjects. This is an important safeguard for the patient.

  Gene therapy should be directed to the alleviation of genetic disease in individual patients. It should not be used to change or enhance normal human traits.

  A new expert supervisory body should be established to provide scientific and medical advice on matters germane to the safety and efficacy of human gene modification, and its use. This supervisory body should work in conjunction with local research ethics committees when proposals for gene therapy are made.

  Because there is insufficient knowledge to evaluate the risk to future generations, genetic modification of reproductive cells, or the germ cells which give rise to them, should not at present be attempted.

  As the report says, gene therapy offers for the first time the prospect of effective treatment and cure in many genetic disorders. In such an important and sensitive area, Ministers believe that those with an interest—both professional and lay people—should be given an opportunity to respond to the committee's recommendations. We have therefore decided to consult widely on the committee's report and would welcome comments from organisations and individuals. The Government will decide what steps to take once these views are available. The consultation period will end on 18 May 1992.

  It is not expected that proposals for gene therapy will be made in the immediate future; but it is judged prudent to make arrangements for handling any proposals that may be made before substantive arrangements are in place. Accordingly the Committee on the Ethics of Gene Therapy has been asked to remain in being.

  Copies of the report have been placed in the Library and I am arranging for copies to be available in the Vote Office.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue a definitive circular on fluoridation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The fluoridation of water supplies is a matter for local decision. Procedural guidance was issued 674
  to health authorities in 1987, HC(87)18, a copy of which is available in the Library. There are no plans to issue any further guidance at present.

  Ecstasy
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines the chief medical officer has issued to consultants and general practitioners on how best to treat those suffering from the use of ecstasy and similar drugs;

  (2) what advice has been given to general practitioners on how best to warn patients on their lists of the risks of illness and death from ecstasy and similar drugs.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has recently published updated "Guidelines on Clinical Management of Drug Misuse and Dependence", a copy of which is available in the Library. These are being circulated to every doctor in England, Scotland and Wales. The guidelines include information for doctors on the problems associated with use of ecstasy and similar drugs and recommend a range of treatments for these problems.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he is funding into the medical and psychological effects of use of ecstasy and similar drugs.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Exploratory work is being undertaken by a group of doctors at the Institute of Psychiatry and the Maudsley hospital to determine the possible adverse effects of ecstasy. The Department is keeping a watching brief on this and is aware of some interest in this area among other drug researchers.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of illness due to use of ecstasy and similar drugs have been reported by month during 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Health Workers (Infections)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will introduce legislation to require surgeons and dental surgeons to wear masks in combination with eye protection devices whenever splashes, spray, spatter or droplets of blood or other potentially infectious materials may be generated and eye, nose or mouth contamination can be reasonably anticipated;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a summary of those requirements that employers are required to meet to protect their employees who work in hospital premises from being infected with blood or other potentially infectious materials;

  (3) if he will introduce legislation to increase protection for employees working in health premises who have contact with laundry contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials;

  (4) if he will introduce legislation to ensure that all health employees who carry out phlebotomies at volunteer blood donation centres are required to wear gloves when (a) the employee has cuts, scratches or other breaks in his or her skin, (b) the employee judges that hand contamination with blood may occur and (c) the employee is receiving training in phlebotomy.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Legislation on health and safety at work is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.
  675
  All employers have legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work for all their employees, and to ensure that persons not employed, but who may be affected by their undertakings, are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

  Employers are also required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 1988, to carry out a risk assessment for all activities which are likely to expose any employees to any substance hazardous to health, including pathogenic microorganisms.

  A range of guidance and codes of practice, published by the Health Departments, the Health and Safety Executive, and by health service professional associations, is available to employers and employees to help ensure appropriate standards of hygiene and minimise the risk of any spread of infection as a result of clinical activities. I would refer the hon. Member particularly to the booklet, published in January 1990 by the UK health departments through HMSO, entitled "Guidance for Clinical Health Workers: Protection Against Infection with HIV and Hepatitis Viruses". A copy of this booklet is available in the Library,

  There are no plans for legislation to cover separately the matters referred to by the hon. Member.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Wolfson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the results of energy management schemes in the national health service over the last 10 years; and what energy efficiency targets have been set for the next five years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The National Health Service is currently saving £68 million a year through improved energy management. The cumulative savings from this source released to improved patient care in the past 10 years amounts to £379 million. The NHS is committed to achieving further savings of 15 per cent. over the five years from April 1991 as part of the Government's continuing energy efficiency campaign.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an immediate announcement on the declarations of interest in trust status submitted by the Churchill hospital and the acute services in Oxford.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I am currently considering a number of possible configurations for trusts in Oxford. My decision will be made public in due course.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will announce a freeze on pending trust applications until after the general election.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There is no intention of freezing the trust programme. The health service reforms are al ready producing benefits to patients and we wish to see the national health service building on the progress already established.

  Cook-chill Catering
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which district health authorities and trusts have cook-chill systems of hospital catering; and which regional health authorities have a region wide policy of cook-chill catering in hospital.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally. It is a matter for district health authorities and trusts to use catering systems that they consider meet their requirements of quality within their available resources.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy to amend the terms and conditions of contract of services for general practitioners to include the provision that medical evidence is supplied free to all claimants where this is submitted in relation to a claim for social security benefits;

  (2) what measures are in hand to consolidate and review the national health service General and Medical and Pharmaceutical Regulations; and if he will bring forward proposals to make it mandatory that all medical evidence needed by social security claimants in support of their benefit claims is available free.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Where medical evidence is expressly required under Social Security legislation to establish entitlement to a particular benefit, GPs are obliged to provide it free of charge to their NHS patients. Such certificates are listed in the National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974. This obligation will be preserved intact in these regulations which are currently being consolidated.

  Social Security Benefits (Hospital Patients)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure that hospital patients are made aware of any social security benefits to which they may be entitled.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Hospital-based social workers often advise hospital patients about how to claim social security benefits. In addition, depending on local arrangements, hospital staff may sometimes perform this function.

  Mental Health Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued to health authorities and trusts with regard to involving the police in returning to hospitals patients subject to compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 who have absconded.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The code of practice issued under the Mental Health Act 1983 states (at paragraph 21.4) that the hospital should always inform the police if a dangerous or restricted patient absconds. Section 18 of the Act also authorises police officers to detain such patients and return them to hospital.

  Medical and Pharmaceutical Services
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the second draft of National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992.
  677
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Once the regulations have been made they will be published and made available to hon. Members in the usual way.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Africa (Assistance)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much financial support is given to African countries by members of the development assistance committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, according to the most recent available information.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Net official development assistance to Africa were as follows:

  Donor

  US$ million

  Australia

  76·27

  Austria

  47·35

  Belgium

  220·16

  Canada

  514·23

  Denmark

  293·43

  Finland

  252·13

  France

  3,388·55

  Germany

  1,342·41

  Ireland

  12·44

  Italy

  1,208·70

  Japan

  1,206·02

  Netherlands

  552·31

  New Zealand

  0·88

  Norway

  312·90

  Sweden

  534·39

  Switzerland

  167·75

  United Kingdom

  697·89

  United States

  1,853·00

  Total

  12,650·79

  Source OECD.

  Rainforests
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the impact of World bank funded projects for soya bean production on south American rainforests.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The World bank has not funded projects for soya bean production in South America apart from one in Bolivia which was partly concerned with changing the use of existing agricultural land to soya bean production. An overall aim of this project is to develop sustainable agriculture on existing agricultural land, one effect of which would be to reduce pressures for further encroachment into the forest areas.

  Know-How Funds
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the contributions made to date, and planned under the know-how funds for central and eastern Europe; and if he will make a statement on those countries not yet in receipt of the fund.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Expenditure under the fund in 1989–90, 1990–91 and commitments to date in 1991–92 by country are as follows:678

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Poland

  2·3

  10·9

  11·5

  Hungary

  n/a

  1·6

  6·1

  Czechoslovakia

  n/a

  2·0

  6·4

  Ex-German Democratic Republic

  n/a

  0·5

  n/a

  Bulgaria

  n/a

  n/a

  1·3

  Romania

  n/a

  n/a

  1·3

  Baltic States/Former Soviet Union

  n/a

  n/a

  10·0

  Our total budget for 1991–92 is £36 million which, allowing for a small amount of slippage, we expect to spend in full. The budget for 1992–93 has been increased to £46 million which again we hope to spend in full.

  We have no plans at present to extend the fund to any further countries.

  Czechoslovakia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects and amount of Government aid which have been given to Czechoslovakia since 1989.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Under the know-how fund, which was extended to Czechoslovakia in March 1990, we provided some £2 million in 1990–91 and expect to spend up to £6 million in 1991–92. For details of the projects supported I refer to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 18 June 1991 at column 93. Additional activities agreed since then are as follows:

  Financial services and macroeconomic advice

  Title: Assistance for Privatisation.

  Description: A team of privatisation advisers from Ernst and Young, Schroders and Denton Hall are advising on privatisation policy and implementation.

  Status: An ongoing programme of assistance of which the latest phase has just been agreed.

  Cost: £738,000.

  Title: Training courses for the State Bank.

  Description: Courses on banking procedures run by the Bank of England.

  Status: Underway.

  Cost: £10,000.

  Title: Training on bank-lending, credit analysis and credit control.

  Description: Six two week courses on the basic principle and skills involved in lending decision making and credit control for staff of various Czechoslovak banks.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £100,000.

  Title: Banking Training Adviser.

  Description: An adviser to be based at the Prague offices of the State Bank to advise on training needs, policies and programmes for all banks in Czechoslovakia.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £50,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Slovak General Credit Bank.

  Description: A short training programme to raise the level of ability in international banking operations at the Slovak General Credit Bank.

  Status: Underway.

  Cost: £38,000.

  Title: Assistance to Obchodni Bank.

  Description: A treasury management specialist to advise on

  679
  the organisation and staffing of the Obchodni Bank's treasury department.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £60,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Slovak State Insurance Company.

  Description: A five day course, by the Chartered Insurance Institute's College of Insurance, on management development.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £5,000.

  Title: Assistance to the insurance sector.

  Description: Advice on the restructuring of the Slovak State Insurance Company.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £185,000.

  Title: Assistance to Komercni Bank.

  Description: Advice on international trade finance.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £27,000.

  Title: Assistance to Prague Stock Exchange.

  Description: A training programme by the London Stock Exchange in conjunction with D. C. Gardner, for members of the newly established Stock Exchange in Prague.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £50,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Prague and Bratislava Stock Exchanges.

  Description: Advice to the organisers of the Stock Exchange in Prague and the one in Bratislava.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £100,000.

  Title: Assistance to Investicini Bank.

  Description: A treasury management specialist to advise on the organisation and staffing of the bank's treasury department.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £85,000.

  Title: Assistance to Agrobanka.

  Description: A short-term consultancy to advise on corporate strategy and organisation.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £20,000.

  Title: Training for Slovak Securities Market.

  Description: A training course for Securities Market intermediaries.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £50,000.

  Title: Assistance to Slovak General Credit Bank. Description: A programme of training for members of the newly established fund management subsidary. Status: Under way.

  Cost: £130,000.

  Title: Voucher Privatisation—Secondary Market Study.

  Description: A study to analyse existing resources to cover the privatisation programme.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £150,000.

  Employment services

  Title: Training of trainers in labour market assessment and analysis.

  Description: A training course for Job Centre managers and directors, organised by the Department of Employment, in labour market assessment and analysis.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £12,000.

  Title: Seminar on employment and training policy.
  680
  Description: A two day seminar on training needs in a restructuring economy, organised by the Department of Employment.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £8,000.

  Title: Management training in the employment sector.

  Description: Training courses run by the Department of Employment for Job Centre Directors and their deputies.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £4,000.

  Title: Industrial Relations.

  Description: A visit to the United Kingdom by officials from the Federal and Republic Ministries to discuss industrial, employment and trade union policy.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £5,500.

  Title: Assistance with health and safety at work.

  Description: Three projects run by the Health and Safety Executive for Czech and Slovak Labour Inspectors, and officials from the Office of Occupational Safety and the Occupational Safety Research Institute.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £23,000.

  Management training and small business advice

  Title: Assistance to small business development. Description: Pilot project by B'nai B'rith to advise existing small businesses on how to utilise their potential.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £40,000.

  Title: Management training development.

  Description: A distance learning package on management training, developed by the Open University in conjunction with the City University of Bratislava.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £220,000.

  Title: Enterprise Education Seminars.

  Description: A three day seminar by Department of Employment officials and leading representatives from the business/education world to explain the concepts of enterprise education with a view to implementing longer term programmes of assistance.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £12,500

  Title: Management training and development programme.

  Description: A three part programme of training and consultancy aimed at strengthening the capacity of selected management training institutions, management trainers and senior managers.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £740,000.

  Title: Enterprise Europe placement programme Description: Placement programme for selected young Czechoslovak managers with small firms in Britain.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £25,000.

  Title: Industrial training programme

  Description: Programme of attachments to United Kingdom firms for some 40 Czechoslovak managers organised jointly by the CBI and the British Council.

  Status: To be Implemented

  Cost: £200,000

  Environment/Energy
  681
  Title: Environmental Liaison Centre.

  Description: The establishment of an umbrella organisation for various non-governmental environmental bodies.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £42,000.

  Title: Training for Natural Gas Buyers:

  Description: A short training programme, organised by British Gas; on the purchasing of gas on the open market for Czech and Slovak natural gas buyers.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £10,500.

  Title: Pricing and restructuring the electricity industry.

  Description: Provision of advice and assistance to the Czechoslovak government on the implementation of changes to their electricity sector.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £32,000.

  Title: Restructuring the coal industry.

  Description: An initial visit to determine the requirements of the Czech government in respect of their restructuring programme in the coal indus-try.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £4,000.

  Title: Retraining in the coal sector.

  Description: A study visit to the United Kingdom, organised by British Coal Enterprises.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £8,500.

  Title: Restructuring the coal industry.

  Description: A 2–3 week consultancy by British Coal Enterprises to advise the OKD enterprise on the establishment of a job creation and outplacement subsidiary.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £25,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Water Research Institute.

  Description: A programme of assistance by the United Kingdom Water Research Centre to improve management of water resources, waste water, environmental engineering and science.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £20,000.

  Education, ELT, Publishing and Broadcasting

  Title: Assistance to Slovak TV.

  Description: To ascertain requirements for organisational changes at Slovak TV.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: 1,500.

  Title: Assistance to the Czech Bar Association.

  Description: To advise on the establishment of a specialist legal publishing house.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £15,000.

  Title: Assistance to Barrandov Film Studios.

  Description: To ascertain the requirements for improving management structure in readiness for privatisation of the studios.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £1,800.

  Title: Assistance to Slovak Television.

  Description: A restructuring programme.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £35,000.

  Public Administration/Local Government

  Title: Assistance to Federal and National Statistics Offices.

  Description: A programme of assistance involving secondments to the United Kingdom and visits to
  682
  Czechoslovakia by specialists from the United Kingdom Governmental statistical services.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £54,000.

  Title: Assistance to local government.

  Description: A three year programme of assistance, through the Institute of Local Government Studies, to help the Czechoslovaks in their local government reform programme.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £383,000.

  Political projects

  Title: Placement scheme for officials from the Czech and Slovak Ministries of Justice.

  Description: A one month long placement scheme on commercial law organised by Queen Mary and Westfield College.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £3,000.

  Title: Assistance for Czechoslovak parliamentarians.

  Description: A seven day seminar, organised by the Great Britain/East Europe Centre, on all aspects of parliamentary practices and procedures for 12–14 newly elected parliamentarians from the Czechoslovak Federal Assembly.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £15,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Czechoslovak News Agency.

  Description: A programme of placements with United Kingdom media organisations for four key personnel of the Czechoslovak News Agency.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £3,000.

  Title: Assistance to ZTS Martin.

  Description: A pilot project to advise on quality improvement and stock reduction.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £40,000.

  Other projects

  Title: Information Technology.

  Description: An appraisal mission to identify the needs in this sector with a view to providing some form of assistance.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £15,000.

  Title: Information Technology.

  Description: Two seminars designed to help information technology decision makers to understand key issues in the building of information systems.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £45,000.

  Title: Restructuring State farms.

  Description: A pilot project to advise the Czech Ministry of Agriculture and the Vlasim State farm to make the transformation to a market based operation.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £150,000.

  Title: Seeds Course.

  Description: A training course for officials and technical experts in production and marketing of agricultural and horticultural seeds.

  Status: To be implemented.

  Cost: £65,000.

  Title: Agricultural Land Management.

  Description: The preparation of an initial study to advise on the best ways to create and manage a system of private ownership, occupation and use of

  683
  agricultural and other rural land.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £50,000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Fire Precautions
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the Fire Precautions Act 1971 to bring into scope all premises other than domestic dwellings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Certain hotels, boarding houses, factories, offices, shops and railway premises currently require a fire certificate by virtue of designation orders made under section 1 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. We have no plans to designate further premises as requiring such certificates.

  We intend, however, to bring forward regulations to implement the fire safety requirements of the European Community Directives 89/391/EEC and 89/654/EEC relating to the health and safety of workers at work. These will generally apply to every place in which one or more persons work and will take effect on 1 January 1993.

  Prisons
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is to be the policy of transfer of prison inmates from privately run prisons to state run prisons; who will decide when such a transfer is to take place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Wolds remand prison will hold only unsentenced prisoners. On their receiving custodial sentences, Wolds prisoners will be taken directly from court to the appropriate local prison. Blakenhurst prison is to be a local prison, holding both sentenced and unsentenced prisoners. Arrangements for the transfer to other prisons of sentenced prisoners held at Blakenhurst will be set out in the invitation to tender which is in preparation.

  Dog Fighting
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in each of the last 10 years for illegal dog fighting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information collected centrally does not distinguish offences relating to dog fights from other offences under the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) of 20 December 1991,Official Report, column 351, whether the new level of eligibility for criminal injuries compensation under the criminal injuries compensation scheme will apply to all cases irrespective of the date of the injury for which compensation is sought; and if he will
  684
  make an estimate of the number of claims that will be disallowed annually as a result of the change in minimum award level.

  Mr. John Patten
  The new lower limit for eligibility for compensation under the criminal injuries compensation scheme will apply to all applications received by the board on or after 6 January 1992, irrespective of the date of the injury that led to the application.

  It is estimated that up to an additional 6,000 applications will be excluded by the new lower limit in a full year. However, the old lower limit will apply to all applications received by the board before 6 January 1992.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters of the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East of 17 September 1991 concerning crime prevention in Bolton and 21 October 1991 concerning help for the disabled by his Department; and if he will update his note entitled "Action Against Crime."

  Mr. John Patten
  I wrote to my hon. Friend about crime prevention in Bolton on 15 January. My hon. Friend also wrote to me on 13 January requesting an up to date copy of the note "Action Against Crime". "Action Against Crime" is updated regularly. I have arranged for a copy of the latest version to be sent to my hon. Friend, and a copy is placed in the Library of the House.

  My hon. Friend also asked when he could expect a reply to his letter to my right hon. Friend of 21 October. We can reply only in respect of actions as an employer of people with disabilities and I or my right hon. Friend will do so shortly.

  Ecstasy
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to control rave parties and young people's clubs where ecstasy use is likely.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The police have adequate powers to deal with parties of this sort, including common law powers to deal with a breach of the peace or public nuisance. In addition, the Entertainments (Increased Penalties) Act 1990 has significantly increased the penalties for people convicted of providing music without a licence, where one is required, or being in breach of the condition of such a licence. Any law breaking on such premises, including the misuse of drugs, will of course be dealt with by the police.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths from use of ecstasy and similar drugs were recorded for each of the past five years and for that part of 1991 for which statistics are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of deaths mentioning dependence, abuse or poisoning with MDMA—"ecstasy"—and similar drugs registered in England and Wales are as follows:
  685

  Number of deaths registered

  England and Wales

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  11990

  31991

  Deaths attributable to: MDMA (ie ecstasy) or MDA

  —

  —

  1

  3

  1

  2

  Amphetamine (not further described)

  3

  3

  1

  2

  2

  8

  Other hallucinogens

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  2—

  Deaths which also mention the above in combination with other drugs

  4

  4

  4

  2

  2

  2—

  Total

  7

  8

  6

  9

  5

  2—

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  1 Provisional.

  2 Not available.

  3 Figures for 1991 only include deaths registered up to September 1991. Deaths of this nature result in an inquest thus delays of registration of up to one year may occur.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports of ecstacy use have been identified by local teams operating within the drugs prevention initiative.

  Mr. John Patten
  Fourteen of the 16 local drugs prevention teams have received such reports concerning MDMA—"Ecstasy".

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information about the drug ecstasy has been passed to police forces in order to assist analysis of material which has been seized and to pass warning information on to those in contact with potential users.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Drugs seized by police forces are sent to the Forensic Science Service, or in the case of the Metropolitan police, their own laboratories, who have the necessary expertise to identify them.

  With regard to the provision of warning information for those in contact with potential users, I will write to my hon. Friend separately.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is being done through the Pompidou group of European countries to control and reduce the international trade in ecstasy and similar drugs and in the chemicals used to make them.

  Mr. John Patten
  The report of the G7 chemical action task force adopted by the London Economic summit in July 1991, recommended that the four main precursors used in the manufacture of MDMA—"ecstasy"—should be brought under control. This recommendation is being implemented in the European Community by an amendment to Council (EEC) Regulation 3677/90 and a draft Council directive, which are currently before the Council. The Pompidou Group will hold an expert meeting in March to consider how this and the other task force recommendations can be implemented most effectively at the wider European level; and I have asked the British representative in the Pompidou Group to ask the group to consider what further measures might be taken to curb the international trade in this and similar drugs.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been done to inform local drugs prevention initiative teams about ecstasy, its symptoms and its harmful effects.

  Mr. John Patten
  Each local team has been provided with a copy of "Drug abuse briefing", issued by the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, which 686
  includes information about the symptoms and harmful effects of a wide-range of drugs, including MDMA—"ecstasy".

  Mental Health Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is issued to police authorities with regard to police involvement in returning to hospital patients subject to compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 who have absconded.

  Mr. John Patten
  Section 18 of the Mental Health Act 1983 provides that where a patient who is liable to be detained in hospital absents himself without leave, he may be taken into custody and returned to the hospital by certain authorized persons, including any police constable. Home Office circular No. 35/1986—"Consolidated Circular to the Police on Crime and Kindred Matters." which was issued to all police forces on 30 December 1986, drew attention to this provision. Further information about it was contained in a memorandum on the 1983 Act issued by the Department of Health and Social Security in 1983.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East will receive a reply to his letter of 19 November 1991 concerning Mr. Twomey, prison number 5W 859.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 23 December.

  Extradition
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on seeking extradition of nationals of another country with which the United Kingdom has no extradition agreement for prosecution in connection with offences committed outside that country.

  Mr. John Patten
  Such requests are very rare but can be made in respect of offences over which the United Kingdom has jurisdiction if it is considered to be in the interests of justice to do so.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Police Complaints Authority to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
  687
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 16 to 20 March.

  Visas
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have applied in each of the last five years for visitors visas in(a) Bombay, (b) New Delhi, (c) Culcutta, (d) Dakha, (e) Karachi and (f) Islamabad; how many applications have been refused; and what is the percentage refused.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  The available information is given in the table.

  Persons applying for a visit visa to the United Kingdom 1987–1991

  Number of persons/percentages

  Newly received

  Refusals1

  Refusals1 as percentage of decisions

  Bombay

  1987

  40,660

  1,100

  3

  1988

  40,500

  1,420

  4

  1989

  41,030

  2,420

  6

  1990

  42,700

  4,870

  11

  1991 (Jan-Sept)

  33,120

  4,460

  13

  New Delhi

  1987

  38,700

  3,610

  10

  1988

  40,910

  4,440

  11

  1989

  45,620

  5,190

  12

  1990

  50,650

  7,400

  16

  1991 (Jan-Sept)

  37,240

  3,100

  10

  Calcutta

  1987

  7,240

  90

  1

  1988

  6,910

  110

  2

  1989

  7,780

  130

  2

  1990

  7,570

  140

  2

  1991 (Jan-Sept)

  5,890

  120

  2

  Dhaka

  1987

  8,790

  1,660

  21

  1988

  10,320

  1,940

  20

  1989

  11,330

  2,390

  22

  1990

  11,260

  2,680

  25

  1991 (Jan-Sept)

  8,620

  1,740

  21

  Karachi

  1987

  25,270

  2,130

  9

  1988

  25,510

  2,590

  11

  1989

  26,530

  2,620

  10

  1990

  28,750

  3,070

  11

  1991 (Jan-Sept)

  18,440

  1,980

  11

  Islamabad

  1987

  31,590

  5,230

  18

  1988

  30,270

  6,560

  22

  1989

  36,420

  6,690

  19

  1990

  43,190

  9,830

  24

  1991 (Jan-Sept)

  35,460

  9,420

  29

  1 Refusals after subtracting applications granted on appeal.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have been summonsed for poll tax arrears in England to the latest available date; what is the estimated cost of legal proceedings to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.
  688
  During the period 1 April 1990 to 30 September 1991 magistrates courts in England issued approximately 7·5 million summonses. The estimated cost of legal proceedings during this period is £5 million.

  Settlement Applications
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the lengths of each of the queues for settlement applications in(a) Bombay, (b) New Delhi, (c) Calcutta, (d)Dhaka, (e) Karachi, (f) Islamabad, (g)Dar es Salaam and (h) Nairobi; and in each case what is the waiting time for interview.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  As at 31 December 1991, the number of people waiting for interview for settlement entry clearances were:

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Total

  (a) Bombay

  0

  365

  423

  201

  989

  (b) New Delhi

  0

  222

  286

  108

  616

  (d) Dhaka

  400

  1,345

  187

  455

  2,387

  (e) Karachi

  6

  89

  21

  4

  120

  (f) Islamabad

  77

  1,091

  346

  586

  2,100

  There are no queues in Calcutta, Dar es Salaam or Nairobi.

  The estimated waiting time for interview in months are:

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  (a) Bombay

  0

  3

  9

  12

  (b) New Delhi

  0

  3

  7

  10

  (d) Dhaka

  3

  5

  6

  10

  (e) Karachi

  1

  2

  3

  6

  (f) Islamabad

  3

  3

  6

  9

  Settlement queues are organised as follows:

  Q1 Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependant relatives over 70 years, special compassionate cases.

  Q2 All spouses, and all children under 18 years.

  Q3 Fiance(e)s and others applying for first time for settlement.

  Q4 Re-applicants.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Gas Pipeline, Irish Sea
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the implications for fishermen in area VII/A in the Irish sea of the proposed gas pipeline from Brighouse Bay in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, to Loughshinny, north of Dublin in the Republic; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The proposed route for the pipeline from Brighouse bay to Loughshinny crosses a number of fishing grounds. The main fishing activities are trawling for demersal fish, nephrops and scallops with some seasonal trawling for pelagic species. There is also dredging for scallops, beam trawling and seine netting for whitefish. The implications for fishermen, both during construction and thereafter will depend on the exact route of the pipeline, the time of year it is laid and the practicality of measures, such as trenching, to minimise interference with fishing gear. The company sponsoring the project is discussing these aspects with fishermen before finalising proposals.
  689
  Where the seabed is soft, the pipeline is expected to bury itself and the company sponsoring the project wish to trench as much as possible of the remaining length. Where the seabed is very hard, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will need to insist on rock armouring with a smooth profile to minimise snagging by fishing gear.

  Set-aside
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the workings of set-aside and the level of payments to farmers for land which is set aside.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have nothing to add to my recent statements on this subject on 12 December 1991, columns 547–50.

  Beam Trawlers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many beam trawlers have been inspected at sea within the 12-mile limit to ensure they are complying with a 9m beam length restriction.

  Mr. Curry
  Every beam trawler inspected at sea has its gear, including beam length, checked and recorded. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the number of such inspections inside and outside 12 miles, but in 1991, 112 British registered and 139 foreign registered vessels fishing with beam trawls were checked at sea by the Royal Navy on behalf of the Ministry, some on more than one occasion.

  Fishing Gear
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to resolve complaints relating to gear conflict within the 12-mile zone off the Sussex coast.

  Mr. Curry
  My officials had three meetings with the industry, in London and Hastings, on 13 January. There is to be a further meeting with representatives of the netsmen and the trawlermen on 25 January. It will be chaired by the Ministry's district inspector of fisheries and will aim to reach an agreement between the industry parties to reduce the risk of gear conflicts in the area.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the locations in England where shellfish samples were taken for testing for paralytic shellfish poisoning; and what was the frequency of such sampling at these locations in 1991.

  Mr. Curry
  Following is the reply:

  Mussels

  From April to August 1991, samples of mussels were taken from sites along the North east coast of England at Berwick, Holy Island, Budle Bay, Craster, Croquet, Cresswell, Blyth, Trow Rocks, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Redcar, Saltburn, Staithe Wyke, Whitby, Scalby Mills, Cornellian Bay, Filey, Flamborough and Bridlington.

  Sites were sampled once a week. Frequency of testing was increased to twice weekly samples if certain levels of the PSP toxin were reached.
  690
  Samples of mussels were also taken, approximately monthly, at the Wash, Kings Lynn, Norfolk; Brancaster, Norfolk; Pandora Sands, Norfolk; Poole, Dorset; River Exe, South Devon; River Teign, South Devon; River Avon, South Devon and Heysham, Morecambe Bay.

  Scallops

  A small programme of scallop sampling on a research basis is carried out throughout the year. Also, from April to August, samples of scallops identified as those coming from the North east scallop fisheries were taken twice weekly from the main processing plants. If toxins reached certain levels, sampling was transferred to the major scallop ports at Seahouse and Amble on a twice weekly basis.

  Queens

  During July and August, when Queens were landed at ports along the North east coast at North Shields, Whitby, Scarborough and Bridlington, samples were taken twice weekly.

  Crabs and Whelks

  If certain levels in mussels were exceeded in a two week period then crabs and whelks were sampled twice weekly at Berwick, Holy Island, Amble, Blyth, North Shields, Redcar, Whitby, Scarborough and Bridlington.

  Grant and Advice Schemes
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the numbers of staff by grade employed in each of his Ministry's divisional offices in each grant and advisory scheme, and the number of staff employed by grade on the same schemes at each of the new regional scheme centres.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is not available in the form requested. The purpose of the regional reorganisation is to provide a more cost effective and efficient service for customers. It is projected that the new structure will result in a net loss of about 150 posts across the country as a whole. Of these, about 40 are the result of efficiency savings that will arise from the concentration of grant and subsidy processing at fewer, larger centres.

  Czechoslovakia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice and financial aid from his Ministry has been given to Czechoslovakia since 1989.

  Mr. Gummer
  Financial aid to the Czech and Slovak Republics is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. My Department has had many contacts at ministerial and official level concerning advice to the Czech and Slovak Republics, particularly regarding state farm privatisation and training in seeds and plant varieties matters. In addition, my Department has arranged the exhibition and donation of agricultural books to universities in the Czech and Slovak Republics.

  Trawlers
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspections his Department has had of individual trawlers who have de-rated engines within the 221 kW limit, to ensure they are complying with existing EC rules and their registration documents.

  Mr. Curry
  Every vessel inspected at sea has its official documents checked to ascertain its recorded engine power. In 1991, 1823 such inspections were carried out by the Royal Navy on behalf of the Ministry of which 735 were on United Kingdom registered vessels.

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Appeals determined

  142

  93

  122

  126

  143

  152

  141

  130

  110

  128

  Appeals upheld (and Notices quashed)

  65

  29

  48

  48

  63

  83

  85

  54

  54

  65

  In a number of cases where the enforcement notice was not quashed, appeals may have been successful to the extent that the requirements of the enforcement notice may have been varied.

  Health Purchasing Consortium
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will reconsider his decision to set up a West Wales health purchasing consortium.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The hon. Gentleman is in error. My right hon. Friend has made no such decision. The existing health authorities remain. East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire health authorities, together with the Dyfed FHSA, have committed themselves to formulating arrangements for a collaborative approach in meeting the health care needs of their local residents. This is a local initiative which has been welcomed.

  Land Acquisition
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each of the last 12 years, the public inquiries that have taken place in Wales relating to the acquisition of land for road construction schemes; and if he will separately distinguish each person who received reimbursement from his Department of costs for representation and appearance at such inquiries, together with the sum disbursed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The public inquiries that have been held in each of the last 12 years in respect of trunk road schemes in Wales that included land acquisition are detailed in the following table. Information relating to the reimbursement of costs of persons for either representation or appearance at such inquiries is not available.

  Public inquiries relating to trunk road schemes 1980–1991 Year and Scheme

  1980

  Hawarden By-Pass (A55)

  Carmarthen Southern By-Pass (A40)

  Morfa Improvement (A487)

  Pontyfenni Diversion (A40)

WALES

  Leukaemia Research
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what effect he expects the granting of trust status to have in the level of research into leukaemia and associated blood disorders in Wales haematology units.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None.

  Enforcement Action Appeals
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish, for each of the last 10 years, by district council area, the number of enforcement action appeals that he has(a) determined and (b) upheld.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Available information, for the whole of Wales, is as follows:

  Abercynon-Pentrebach (A470)

  Pont ar Gothi By-Pass (A40)

  Bangor By-Pass (A55)

  Llanon Village, Centre Section (A40)

  Dolcorsllwyn-Dolysgallog (A470)

  Newbridge/Ruabon, Johnstown (A483)

  1981

  Kilgctty-Stepaside By-Pass (A477)

  Improvement at Cemmaes Road (A470)

  Improvement from RAC Box 487 to Storey Arms (A470)

  1982

  Carmarthen-Bancyfelin Hill Diversion (A40)

  Penmaenbach-Dwygyfylchi Improvement (A55)

  Gresford-Pulford (A483)

  1983

  Holywell By-Pass (A55)

  Bodelwyddan By-Pass (A55)

  1984

  —

  1985

  Pont Rhyd, Llwyncelyn (A487)

  1986

  Road Improvements at Haverfordwest (A40)

  Boundary Terrace, Llandrindod Wells (A483)

  Chirk By-Pass (A483)

  1987

  Cardigan By-Pass (A487)

  Nant-y-Caws By-Pass (A48)

  Aston Hill (A494)

  Travellers Inn Improvement (A55)

  1988

  Llandeilo Northern By-Pass (A40)

  Haverfordwest By-Pass (A40)

  Ty-nant-Dinmael (A5)

  1989

  Malpas Road Relief Scheme (M4)

  Ruallt Hill Improvement (A55)

  Bwlch Cutting Improvement (A40)

  Welshpool Relief Roads (A483)

  693

  Mold By-Pass (A494)

  1990

  Aberdulais-Glynneath Improvement (A465)

  Whitland By-Pass (A40)

  1991

  Glangrwyney Bridge (A40)

  Aber Improvement (A55)

  Sows
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many breeding sows there are in Wales; what were the corresponding figures for 1971 and 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Figures from the June agricultural census are given in the following table:

  Breeding Sows in Wales

  In June

  Number

  1991

  11,950

  1981

  16,256

  1971

  36,129

  Ewes
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many breeding ewes there are in Wales; what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Figures from the June agricultural census are given in the following table:

  Breeding Ewes in Wales in June

  Year

  Numbers

  1991

  5,222,915

  1990

  5,234,964

  1989

  5,111,490

  1988

  4,893,276

  1987

  4,700,960

  1986

  4,566,884

  1985

  4,460,463

  1984

  4,392,208

  1983

  4,270,282

  1982

  4,125,966

  Night visit fees paid in Wales by family health services authority (FHSA)

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Higher night visit fee

  Lower night visit fee

  FHSA

  Number

  Expenditure

  Number

  Expenditure

  Number

  Expenditure

  Number

  Expenditure

  Number

  Expenditure

  Number

  Expenditure

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  Clwyd

  6,089

  98,031

  6,830

  117,482

  6,848

  128,395

  6,938

  154,361

  14,414

  648,616

  —

  —

  Dyfed

  6,649

  107,054

  7,048

  121,220

  7,706

  144,487

  7,492

  166,702

  16,389

  737,515

  164

  2,461

  Gwent

  9,378

  150,985

  9,589

  164,927

  11,381

  213,394

  9,900

  220,266

  15,124

  680,583

  7,489

  112,332

  Gwynedd

  4,561

  73,438

  4,942

  85,002

  5,357

  100,444

  4,736

  105,386

  9,801

  441,036

  —

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  9,921

  159,734

  11,115

  191,174

  12,172

  228,234

  11,062

  246,136

  17,502

  787,586

  288

  4,324

  Powys

  1,836

  29,559

  2,061

  35,445

  2,160

  40,497

  1,983

  44,132

  4,536

  204,101

  91

  1,364

  South Glamorgan

  9,094

  146,419

  10,619

  182,642

  10,788

  202,277

  11,320

  251,863

  11,446

  515,056

  9,286

  139,293

  West Glamorgan

  10,170

  162,203

  10,601

  182,333

  12,148

  227,783

  10,691

  237,875

  9,473

  426,288

  8,068

  121,021

  Note:

  Prior to 1 April 1990, a night visit fee was payable for each visit requested and made to a patient between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am.

  Since 1 April 1990, the night visit fee period lies between the hours of 10 pm and 8 am (ie an extension of two hours).

  Ecstasy
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been done to inform all of those concerned with drugs misuse about ecstasy, its symptons and its harmful effects.
  694

  Year

  Numbers

  1981

  4,015,836

  1980

  3,898,352

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue a definitive circular on fluoridation.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I am considering this matter and I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  GPs (Night Calls)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps his Department has taken to investigate the extent to which night-time calls pose a problem for general practitioners in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  All aspects of the GP contract are kept under continuous review by Health departments. It is for the General Medical Service Committee (GMSC) as the body properly representative of the profession, to raise any specific concerns through the normal negotiating channels. They have not done so on this matter.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what evidence he has regarding variations in night-time calls made to general practitioners in Wales; and if he will provide the figures for each family health services authority area for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Requests for night visits reflect patient demand and this will vary between different GP practices. Although a GP is a responsible for his patients 24 hours a day he is nevertheless free to exercise his clinical judgment on deciding whether a night visit is necessary.

  The new GP contract which came into effect on 1 April 1990 introduced a two tier night visit fee payable to GPs by their local FHSA. The higher fee (£45) is payable in respect of night visits made by a doctor from the patient's own practice or from a small rota of local GPs. A lower fee of £15 is payable in all other circumstances. Prior to 1 April 1990 a single fee was payable.

  The amounts paid to GPs for night visits in each FHSA area in Wales for the last five financial years are as follows:

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Department already has a comprehensive non-specific prevention programme as part of its initiative to combat drug misuse through which information about ecstasy will be disseminated.

  In respect of the medical profession, health departments have recently published updated guidelines on

  695
  clinical management of drug misuse and dependence. These are being circulated to every doctor in England, Scotland and Wales. The guidelines include information for doctors on the problems associated with use of ecstasy and similar drugs and recommend a range of treatments for these problems.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he has made to the terms and conditions of employment of the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency subsequent to the appointment of Dr. Gwyn Jones as national governor for Wales on the British Broadcasting Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on Tuesday 14 January 1992 at col.549–50.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 14 January,Official Report, columns 549–50, if he proposes any alterations in the terms and conditions of the deputy chairman and chief executive of the Welsh Development Agency.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the locations in Wales where shellfish samples were taken for testing for paralytic shellfish poisoning; and what was the frequency of such sampling at these locations in 1991.

  Mr. David Hunt
  During 1991, no specific programme of sampling shellfish for paralytic shellfish poisoning was carried out in Wales. Maritime environmental health departments routinely monitor shellfish for a variety of microbiological and chemical contaminants.

  Apprentices
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he intends to take to assist apprentices in their final year of training to obtain employment.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Employment Service offers a range of services aimed at helping people to find employment.

DEFENCE

  Union Flag
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the Union flag was not flown on the flag poles at Drumadd barracks, Armagh on Christmas day 1991; what new arrangements will be made to fly the Union flag on appropriate dates at this location; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The flying of flags at Army establishments is governed by Queen's regulations for the Army. Drumadd barracks, Armagh is not one of the locations in Northern Ireland which is listed in Queen's regulations as authorised to fly the Union flag. The list has not been revised for some time however, and it is now being reviewed.

  Nuclear Convoys
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policy and precautions his Department implements when a convoy carrying nuclear warheads travels on United Kingdom public roads in adverse weather conditions; and what other public authorities and emergency services are informed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is our policy not to undertake nuclear weapon convoys when adverse weather conditions are forecast along the route. Local police forces are always informed in advance when convoys will enter their area of responsibility, and close contact is maintained throughout a convoy movement.

  Injury Insurance
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain an estimate, on the open insurance market, of the approximate annual premium required to provide blanket insurance cover against injury whilst on duty—equivalent to that generally accepted in industry—for(a) all armed service personnel, and (b) all civilian personnel under the command of the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. Service and civilian personnel are eligible for benefits under the Armed Forces pension scheme and principal civil service pension scheme respectively where injury or illness results in premature retirement. In addition, the war pensions scheme administered by the Department of Social Security provides benefits to former service personnel who experience disability attributable to their service in the Armed Forces. Civilian personnel are eligible for an enhanced pension for loss of earning capacity resulting from injury or illness attributable to their employment. All personnel are eligible for compensation when the injury or illness results from MOD negligence. A voluntary personal accident insurance scheme is available for service personnel and a similar scheme is likely to be offered to civilian personnel.

  Simon Britten
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to decide on the release from medical cadetship of Simon Britten, currently a senior house officer in accident and emergency at Queen Alexandra hospital, Portsmouth.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The earliest that a decision can be made on Captain Britten's application for premature voluntary retirement is 7 February 1992.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Terrorist Firebomb Attacks
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for each year or financial year since 1972 in(a) Belfast and (b) the rest of Northern Ireland, the number of terrorist firebomb attacks, the amount of damage, the number of persons who have (i) been arrested, (ii) charged and (iii) convicted in respect of the attacks and the rate of convictions.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I regret that the information requested is not available from existing records.
  697
  The best available relevant information is set out in the table. This shows, for each year since 1974, the number of incendiary devices which have exploded or have been defused in Northern Ireland. It also shows the number of persons charged with and convicted of explosives offences (it is not possible to identify separately explosives offences in which an incendiary device was an ingredient).

  Incendiaries exploded/ defused

  Persons charged with explosives offences

  Persons convicted for explosives offences

  1974

  270

  161

  1—

  1975

  56

  100

  91

  1976

  236

  215

  80

  1977

  608

  146

  146

  1978

  115

  79

  78

  1979

  60

  40

  72

  1980

  2

  39

  50

  1981

  49

  39

  28

  1982

  36

  41

  39

  1983

  43

  48

  31

  1984

  10

  21

  18

  1985

  36

  37

  33

  1986

  21

  31

  32

  1987

  9

  22

  28

  1988

  8

  29

  33

  1989

  7

  24

  30

  1990

  33

  22

  21

  1991

  237

  24

  2—

  1 Not recorded.

  2 Not yet available.

  Note:

  (a) Statistics on charges and convictions are kept according to the most serious offence with which an individual has been charged. The figures above do not therefore include persons convicted of explosives offences who have also been charged or convicted of a more serious offence, eg. attempted murder.

  (b) A person convicted in a particular year was not necessarily charged in the same year.

  Disability Allowances
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what work is being considered or begun, or for which funding is earmarked by the Department or the Social Security Agency for publicity in connection with the introduction of disability allowance and disability working allowance.

  (2) how much money will be allowed for public education to be undertaken by his Department and/or the Social Security Agency prior to and following the introduction of the disability allowance and disability working allowance so that those who are disabled, informal carers and advice workers with caring professions are aware of the changes; and how the funds available will be spread over the number of staff/hours, print and broadcast media work, and printed materials on the benefits.

  Mr. Hanley
  A comprehensive publicity programme is planned to launch disability living allowance and disability working allowance in Northern Ireland. This will complement national advertising and will include local television commercials, advertisements in both the press and specialist publications for general practitioners, consultants and other health professionals. Education and awareness programmes aimed at carers, advisers, health professionals and the social security office staff will also run throughout 1992.
  698
  The Social Security Agency has established a communications team to take forward the publicity and education and awareness programmes. Leaflets explaining basic entitlement and eligibility criteria for the new benefits and the dates from which new claims will be accepted have been sent to organisations concerned with disabled people. A special disability living allowance leaflet for potential claimants with a tear-off coupon to obtain the claim pack will be available in post offices and social security offices from the end of January 1992. The disability working allowance claim pack will be available from the same sources from February 1992.

  The Social Security Agency will be writing to people who are currently getting mobility allowance and/or attendance allowance to tell them that they will be transferred automatically in April to disability living allowance at the same rate of benefit and to inform them how to claim extra help if they think they are eligible. A benefits inquiry line will be established to provide specific information about the new benefits and where a caller is experiencing difficulty completing a claim form arrangements can be made for an officer to visit his or her home.

  Information about the cost of these measures is not readily available.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the projected targets of people to be in receipt of disability working allowances in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is estimated that by October 1992 approximately 1,700 people in Northern Ireland will be in receipt of disability working allowance and that this will increase to around 1,900 by October 1993. A further increase for 1994 is not anticipated at present.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people he expects to be in receipt of disability living allowance on its introduction in April; and how many people currently receive attendance allowance and mobility allowance.

  Mr. Hanley
  The total numbers of people in Northern Ireland in receipt of attendance allowance and mobility allowance at the latest date for which information is available are 37,991 and 16,600 respectively.

  It is estimated that some 32,600 attendance allowance and mobility allowance recipients will transfer automatically to disability living allowance when it is introduced on 6 April 1992. Additionally it is estimated that in the first year around 9,500 disabled people who currently do not get either attendance allowance or mobility allowance will qualify for the new benefit.

  Terrorism
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for each year since 1 January 1968 the number of terrorist incidents by category in which they were recorded in police records, the sums of(a) criminal damage and (b) personal injury, assessed by his Department in each year as arising from those incidents, the sums claimed, and the sums paid in each year to the latest available date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 January 1992]: It is not known precisely how many terrorist incidents there have been since 1968. However, information about

  699
  terrorist crime is published in the annual report of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and his 1990 report, a copy of which is in the Library, provides information for the years 1969–1990. Information about criminal damage and criminal injury claims is not held in the form requested but such information as is readily available is set out in the following table:

  Total compensation paid in settled claims which were terrorist related

  Financial year of settlement

  Criminal Damage £ million

  Criminal Injuries £ million

  1979–80

  24·8

  1·2

  1980–81

  34·2

  5·1

  1981–82

  26·4

  3·5

  1982–83

  24·4

  3·9

  1983–84

  21·4

  4·6

  1984–85

  22·0

  5·5

  1985–86

  15·9

  7·9

  1986–87

  18·0

  4·2

  1987–88

  9·9

  4·3

  1988–89

  16·2

  5·6

  1989–90

  15·3

  6·3

  1990–91

  17·3

  7·5

  11991–92

  14·6

  7·1

  1To 18 December 1991.

  Amounts exclude costs paid to applicants for making out and verifying their claims.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the locations in Northern Ireland where shellfish samples were taken for testing for paralytic shellfish poisoning; and what was the frequency of such sampling at these locations in 1991.

  Mr. Hanley
  In 1991 samples were taken from the northern and southern sides of Belfast lough between May and September at intervals of a week to a fortnight. Strangford lough, Carlingford lough, Dundrum bay and Lough Foyle were sampled on two occasions during this period and the North coast at Portrush once.

SCOTLAND

  University of Dundee
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many undergraduates entered the University of Dundee in the 1991–92 academic year; and how many of these were from(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) the Republic of Ireland and (e) Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest available information, which relates to 1990–91, is given in the table:

  Undergraduate entrants to Dundee university 1990–91

  Domicile

  Full-time entrants

  Part-time entrants

  England

  317

  —

  Wales

  8

  —

  Northern Ireland

  116

  —

  Scotland

  623

  14

  Republic of Ireland

  8

  —

  Other overseas

  102

  0

  Total

  1,174

  14

  Ecstasy
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been done to inform all of those concerned with drugs misuse about ecstasy, its symptoms and its harmful effects.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A comprehensive programme of information and education to prevent and discourage drug misuse is undertaken by the Health Education Board for Scotland. Material is regularly updated and contains information about "ecstasy". The Chief Medical Officer recently issued to every doctor and final year medical student in Scotland revised guidelines on the clinical management of drug misuse and dependence, which include information on the problems associated with the use of "ecstasy". The Scottish Office Education Department makes specific grant available for the in-service training of teachers in health education, including education about drugs, which keeps abreast of trends in drug misuse. Training for police officers covers aspects of drug misuse including current trends in drug taking and symptoms and harmful effects. The Scottish Drugs Forum, which is funded by the Scottish Office Home and Health Department, has produced a comprehensive guide to drugs currently used by drug takers, for use by drug workers.

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the companies that have tendered for each of the royal parks maintenance contracts.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The issue raised concerns operational matters within Historic Scotland, the executive agency within the Scottish Office which maintains the royal parks at Holyrood and Linlithgow Peel, and I have therefore asked the director to write to the hon. Member. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the locations in Scotland, outside Orkney waters, where shellfish samples were taken for testing for paralytic shellfish poisoning; and what was the frequency of such sampling at these locations in 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The basic programme for monitoring for PSP toxins around the Scottish coast which began in April 1991 was based on 46 primary sampling sites (listed). In addition, secondary sites were included if certain levels of PSP toxin were detected.

  The frequency of sampling necessarily varied from site to site according to local conditions, but areas where PSP problems were detected were targeted for intensive weekly sampling. Between April and September an average of 64 sites per week were tested (this figure includes Orkney, since data on sampling frequency at individual sites cannot readily be disaggregated). After September, sampling was largely confined to primary and secondary sites in areas which had known PSP problems.

  List of Sites

  1. Eyemouth

  2. Musselburgh

  3. Elie/Pittenweem

  4. Eden Estuary, St. Andrews

  701

  5. Montrose

  6. Aberdeen

  7. Fraserburgh

  8. Macduff

  9. Lossiemouth

  10. Tain

  11. Moray Firth scallop grounds

  12. Wick

  13. West Shetland

  14. East Shetland

  15. Loch Eriboll/Kyle of Tongue

  16. Kinlochbervie

  17. Lochinver

  18. Ullapool/Loch Broom

  19. Little Loch Broom

  20. Loch Ewe

  21. North Minch scallop grounds

  22. Stornoway/Loch Erisort

  23. Loch Roag/West Lewis

  24. Uists

  25. North Skye

  26. Loch Eishort

  27. Loch Gairloch

  28. Loch Torridon

  29. Kyle

  30. Mallaig

  31. South Minch scallop grounds

  32. Ardtoe

  33. Loch Sunart/Loch Teacuis

  34. Tiree Passage

  35. Loch Spalve

  36. Oban/Loch Etive

  37. Seil/Loch Melfort

  38. Islay scallop grounds

  39. West Loch Tarbet

  40. Campbeltown

  41. Tarbert/Loch Fyne

  42. Inveraray

  43. Cumbrae

  44. Ayr

  45. Loch Ryan

  46. Solway cockle beds

  1992

  1991

  Draft register

  Final register

  Constituency

  Total

  Attainers

  Total

  Attainers

  SCOTLAND

  3,909,185

  46,101

  3,914,590

  47,275

  Aberdeen North

  59,056

  430

  60,219

  457

  Aberdeen South

  58,583

  402

  58,681

  453

  Angus East

  63,461

  488

  62,769

  706

  Argyll and Bute

  48,493

  558

  48,068

  677

  Ayr

  66,190

  925

  66,126

  882

  Banff and Buchan

  65,781

  853

  64,136

  868

  Caithness and Sutherland

  31,227

  304

  31,120

  338

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  55,833

  799

  55,999

  879

  Central Fife

  56,069

  391

  56,307

  380

  Clackmannan

  49,392

  536

  49,140

  497

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  47,567

  585

  47,861

  738

  Clydesdale

  62,529

  915

  62,325

  811

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  46,911

  704

  46,895

  752

  Cunninghame North

  55,222

  774

  55,390

  770

  Cunninghame South

  49,601

  843

  49,728

  794

  Dumbarton

  57,398

  750

  57,730

  724

  Dumfries

  61,696

  727

  61,235

  689

  Dundee East

  58,787

  400

  58,935

  387

  GP Contracts
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect of the introduction of the new general practitioner contract on general practitioners' incomes and the service offered to the public.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the first year of the new contract GPs average incomes have risen substantially.

  Despite the reservations expressed by the profession there has been a positive and impressive response to the new contract which was designed to encourage and reward improved performance by GPs. It is already clear that the range of services offered to the public has expanded. In particular, the introduction of new target payments has proved very successful in helping to stimulate high levels achievement by practice teams; as at 1 April 1991 over 97 per cent of GPs in Scotland had achieved target levels for primary immunisation, over 88 per cent. for pre-school boosters and over 96 per cent. (excluding Greater Glasgow where comparable figures are not available) for cervical cytology. Where GPs undertake their own night visits, for example, or offer a wider range of services such as a minor surgery, health promotion or child health surveillance, this has been reflected in their income; during the year ended 31 March 1991 GPs in Scotland undertook over 76,000 minor surgery procedures and over 69,000 health promotion clinics. And most importantly of all, we are seeing high levels of patient satisfaction

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of electors in the 1992 provisional electoral register for each constituency in Scotland and the equivalent number on the 1991 register.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: The information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the table. I must emphasise, however, that the numbers in the draft registers are likely to differ from those in the final registers because of late returns. The final registers will be published in a few weeks' time.
  703

  1992

  1991

  Draft register

  Final register

  Constituency

  Total

  Attainers

  Total

  Attainers

  Dundee West

  59,499

  475

  60,218

  419

  Dunfermline East

  50,187

  313

  50,369

  363

  Dunfermline West

  51,020

  411

  51,186

  482

  East Kilbride

  64,685

  849

  64,365

  873

  East Lothian

  67,133

  1,060

  67,223

  1,004

  Eastwood

  64,344

  991

  64,276

  983

  Edinburgh Central

  55,486

  354

  56,048

  336

  Edinburgh East

  45,577

  543

  46,800

  601

  Edinburgh Leith

  56,040

  638

  57,415

  569

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  55,863

  998

  56,453

  825

  Edinburgh South

  60,886

  747

  61,682

  665

  Edinburgh West

  59,357

  841

  60,556

  789

  Falkirk East

  52,353

  537

  52,307

  541

  Falkirk West

  50,589

  579

  50,479

  484

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  54,868

  576

  54,855

  596

  Glasgow Cathcart

  45,120

  516

  45,835

  558

  Glasgow Central

  48,094

  302

  48,862

  328

  Glasgow Garscadden

  41,340

  418

  42,270

  408

  Glasgow Govan

  45,959

  412

  46,720

  445

  Glasgow Hillhead

  56,621

  346

  56,003

  460

  Glagow Maryhill

  48,277

  392

  48,393

  469

  Glasgow Pollok

  46,487

  580

  47,206

  498

  Glasgow Provan

  37,082

  473

  37,838

  432

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  53,277

  706

  53,777

  724

  Glasgow Shettleston

  52,319

  525

  52,129

  517

  Glasgow Springburn

  46,047

  410

  45,873

  410

  Gordon

  80,914

  1,136

  78,438

  1,074

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  52,281

  638

  53,267

  710

  Hamilton

  62,220

  933

  62,543

  1,036

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  69,891

  784

  68,848

  781

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  62,576

  883

  62,513

  911

  Kincardine and Deeside

  67,468

  679

  65,660

  828

  Kirkcaldy

  52,050

  272

  52,419

  370

  Linlithgow

  61,749

  1,053

  61,812

  1,061

  Livingston

  61,628

  1,220

  62,070

  1,247

  Midlothian

  60,774

  1,079

  60,875

  1,002

  Monklands East

  48,904

  761

  49,226

  847

  Monklands West

  49,723

  754

  50,132

  869

  Moray

  64,325

  786

  63,357

  729

  Mortherwell North

  57,780

  920

  58,215

  929

  Mortherwell South

  50,600

  709

  51,236

  727

  North East Fife

  53,521

  504

  53,399

  500

  North Tayside

  56,027

  421

  55,252

  475

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,749

  420

  31,355

  409

  Paisley North

  46,872

  525

  47,770

  546

  Paisley South

  48,236

  555

  49,091

  658

  Perth and Kinross

  65,548

  436

  65,135

  588

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  58,700

  860

  58,460

  901

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  56,088

  660

  55,174

  648

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  43,915

  472

  43,758

  525

  Stirling

  58,723

  630

  58,296

  651

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  61,493

  898

  61,806

  946

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  39,923

  484

  39,608

  485

  Western Isles

  23,199

  253

  23,073

  241

  704

  HLCA
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the average length of delay in 1991 and 1990 respectively for the dispatch of hill livestock compensatory allowance applications forms; when he hopes this year's application forms will be sent out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: Application forms for the 1992 HLCA scheme were issued to producers on 13 January. The corresponding dates in 1991 and 1990 were 8 February and 28 December respectively.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to review the administrative arrangements governing the sending out and subsequent processing of hill livestock compensatory allowance applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: We aim to ensure that 85 per cent. of HLCA payments are made by the end of March each year. That remains our target for the 1992 scheme.

  Committee of the Regions
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the places allocated to the United Kingdom in the Committee of the Regions will be allotted to Scotland; how he intends to ensure fair geographical distribution and fair political balance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: Membership of the Committee of the Regions will be determined unanimously by the Council of Ministers acting on a proposal from each of the member states. The committee is not expected to be established until 1993. Over the coming months the Government will be considering how the 24 United Kingdom seats will be allocated as between the different parts of the United Kingdom and how those seats should be filled.

THE ARTS

  Lyceum Theatre
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to assist towards the establishment of a dance theatre on the present Lyceum theatre site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The Foundation for Sport and the Arts has given a grant of £65,000 to the Lyceum theatre dance house project for a preliminary study on the possible operation of the theatre as a national dance theatre. We must now await the outcome of that feasibility study.

  I look forward to the eventual restoration of this magnificent, but sadly deteriorated, theatre. Although it is a splendid idea, I understand that the dance house project is not the only possibility for the future of the Lyceum.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those goods and services which the Council of Ministers of the European Community currently agrees can be subject to a reduced rate of 15 per cent. VAT, showing those that are currently exempt from value added tax, or zero rated respectively, in the United Kingdom and any commodity of each category not featuring in the Council's current list.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There has been no discussion by the Council of Ministers on the application of a reduced rate of VAT of 15 per cent. However, a political agreement was reached at ECOFIN on 24 June 1991 to apply a minimum standard rate of VAT of 15 per cent. from 1 January 1993. Agreement was also reached providing for the retention of existing United Kingdom zero rates. It was further agreed that member states may apply either one or two reduced rates of VAT below their standard rate, and that these reduced rates may not be less than 5 per cent. The reduced rate shall only apply to supplies of goods and services defined in a list of categories, the basis of which was agreed at ECOFIN on 18 March 1991. The list is as follows. Items included in each category which are zero-rated in the United Kingdom under schedule 5 of the Value Added Tax Act are identified by reference to the group number of that Act.

  Category

  Number and Description

  Zero-rated under Schedule 5

  1.

  Foodstuffs for human and animal consumption (excluding alcoholic beverages).

  Group 1

  2.

  Water supplies.

  Group 2

  3.

  Pharmaceutical products.

  Group 14

  4.

  Medical equipment for the disabled.

  Group 4 and Group 14

  5.

  Passenger transport.

  Group 10

  6.

  Books, newspapers and periodicals.

  Group 3

  7.

  Admissions to shows, theatres, circuses, fairs, concerts, museums, zoos, cinemas, exhibitions, libraries and access to television.

  8.

  The output of writers, composers, performers etc. and copyright

  9.

  Social housing.

  Group 8

  10.

  Farm inputs.

  Group 1

  11.

  Hotel accommodation.

  12.

  Hire of camping sites.

  13.

  Admission to sporting events.

  14.

  Use of sporting facilities.

  15.

  Welfare and charitable activities.

  Group 16

  16.

  Funeral undertakings, cremation.

  707

  Category

  Number and Description

  Zero-rated under Schedule 5

  17.

  Medical care in hospitals, spas etc., dental services.

  Group 14

  18.

  Street cleaning, refuse collection.

  At ECOFIN on 24 June 1991 Ministers agreed that the list of categories be extended to include supplies of natural gas and electricity.

  Ministers also agreed that for supplies of restaurant services, young children's clothing and footwear, and all housing; a reduced rate may continue to be applied by those member states applying a reduced rate 1to these products on I January 1991; and for Spain and Luxembourg a reduced, or super reduced rate may be applied.

  The goods and services which are zero-rated in the United Kingdom and which are not included in the list of reduced-rate categories are sewerage services; fuel and power for domestic and charity use; housing not provided as part of a social policy; reconstruction, and supplies of services in connection with the alteration, of protected buildings; residential houseboats and caravans; clothing and footwear for young children; protective boots and helmets for industrial use; motor-cycle helmets.

  Negotiations are continuing on the reduced rate list.

  The inclusion in a reduced rate list of goods and services which are specifically exempted from VAT, or for which a

  Monthly interest payment1

  Region

  Average new building society mortgages quarter 2. 1988

  June 19882

  Current3

  Increase

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Northern region

  22,200

  135·98

  159·56

  23·58

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  23,000

  140·88

  165·31

  24·43

  East Midlands

  27,000

  165·38

  194·06

  28·68

  East Anglia

  34,800

  222·95

  261·63

  38·68

  Greater London

  54,900

  387·10

  454·25

  67·15

  South East

  44,500

  302·17

  354·58

  52·41

  South West

  34,900

  223·77

  262·58

  38·81

  West Midlands

  28,100

  172·11

  201·97

  29·86

  North West

  24,300

  148·84

  174·66

  25·82

  Wales

  23,900

  146·39

  171·78

  25·39

  Scotland

  24,200

  148·23

  173·94

  25·71

  Northern Ireland

  24,300

  148·84

  174·66

  25·82

  United Kingdom

  32,900

  207·43

  243·42

  35·99

  1 Assuming endowment mortgage, net of basic rate tax relief.

  2 At an interest rate of 9·8 per cent.

  3 At an interest rate of 11·50 per cent.

  Company Cars
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the income tax, and where applicable, national insurance contributions, payable on the benefit conferred by possession of a typical company car in each of the financial years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1984–85, (c) 1989–90 and (d) 1991–92; and what would have been the amount payable (i) in 1984–85 if the car scale benefit rates had remained those applicable during 1979–80, (ii) in 1989–90 if the car scale benefit rates had remained those applicable during (1) 1979–80, (2) 1984–85 and (iii) in 1991–92 if the car scale benefit rates had remained those applicable during (A) 1979–80, (B) 1984–85), (C) 1989–90.
  708
  technical zero rate may apply, by provision in the 6th VAT directive is not necessary. Other exemptions are provided for by derogation under article 28(3) of the 6th VAT directive.

  1Note: Zero rates do not fall within the definition of reduced rates.

  Energy Tax
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive results of Treasury models of the social effects of the EC energy tax proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The European Commission has yet to produce a formal proposal for a carbon/energy tax and the communication presented to the Council was not specified in sufficient detail to allow the likely social impact of the measure to be estimated. The effects would depend both on the specification of the tax and the use made of the revenue it would generate.

  Mortgage Payments
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the letter on mortgage payments given in his answer of 18 July 1991,Official Report, columns 251–52, and give the information on a monthly basis.

  Mr. Maude
  The current costs net of basic rate tax relief for average new building society mortgages in the second quarter of 1988 are shown in the table.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: The information requested is as follows:

  Basic rate of tax

  Scale charge for a typical company car1

  Per cent.

  £

  1979–80

  30

  250·00

  1984–85

  30

  480·00

  1989–90

  25

  1,850·00

  1991–92

  25

  2,650·00

  709

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Income tax charge at basic rate due on car scale charge applicable for:

  1979–80

  75·00

  75·00

  62·50

  62·50

  1984–85

  —

  120·00

  120·00

  120·00

  1989–90

  —

  —

  462·50

  462·50

  1991–92

  —

  —

  —

  662·50

  1 A typical company car is taken as one which is less than four years old, in the middle range of cylinder capacity (1301 cc to 1800 cc for 1979–80and 1984–85, 1401 cc to 2000 cc for 1989–90 and 1991–92) and with an original market value below the relevant limit (£8,000 for 1979–80, £16,000 for 1984–85 and £19,250 for 1989–90 and 1991–92). It is also assumed that business mileage is between 2,500 and 18,000.

  Employers' national insurance contributions on the car scale benefits rates were introduced from 1991–92. The contributions payable in respect of 1991–92 for the car scale benefit rates at levels applicable in 1979–80, 1984–85, 1989–90 and 1991–92 for a typical company car would be £26, £49·92, £192·40 and £275·60 respectively.

  Iraq Supergun
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to investigate the business connections between the British firms Walter Somers (Halesowen) and Forgemasters (Sheffield) and the Swiss firm Von Roll Steel Products, regarding the provision of recoil systems and breechblocks to Iraq for its supergun project.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: The hon. Member should be aware that the business activities of Walter Somers (Halesowen) and Forgemasters Engineering Ltd. (Sheffield) in relation to the Iraqi supergun project were the subject of an investigation by Customs and Excise in 1990 which was brought to a halt when criminal charges were withdrawn in the magistrates court on 15 November 1990. Customs and Excise will take account of any new information not already covered in their investigation in deciding what, if any, further investigation would be appropriate.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Southwark Diocese
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what is the net income over expenditure or expenditure over income contributed to the funds of the Church by the diocese of Southwark for the last year for which records are available.

  Mr. Alison
  The total cost of ministers' stipends in the diocese of Southwark in 1991–92 is expected to be nearly £6 million, 46 per cent. of which is likely to be met through giving by Church people in the diocese, 40 per cent. by Church Commissioners' allocations and 14 per cent. from fees and other local income.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sri Lanka
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to review economic or military aid to Sri Lanka in light of its record on human rights.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs stated in his written reply of 24 July 1991 to a question from the hon. Member, following the Sri Lanka Government's expulsion of our previous high commissioner in Colombo we took a number of measures including delaying consideration of major new aid commitments pending the appointment of a new high commissioner and a further review of the human rights situation.

  Our new high commissioner took up his post in November, and the review will take place in the near future, with the benefit of his advice.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received on the Students for Human Rights organisation in Sri Lanka; and what efforts he has made on behalf of its secretary Camunu Yasus Senviratne who disappeared on 9 December 1989.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are aware of the Students for Human Rights organisation but have had no recent contacts with them. Our High Commissioner and other heads of mission in Colombo made representations to the Sri Lankan authorities about Mr. Senviratne's disappearance at the time. The Sri Lankan Government are in no doubt about our deep concern at the number of disappearances in recent years.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many political prisoners he estimates to be in Sri Lankan jails; and if he will call through the United Nations for the abolition of the emergency regulations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Authoritative figures are not available, and estimates vary considerably. We have regularly encouraged the Sri Lankan Government to review the need for all its emergency regulations, but have no plans to raise the matter in the United Nations.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding human rights abuses in Sri Lanka in the past three months.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I receive regular reports on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The most significant recent development has been the Sri Lankan Government's undertaking on 12 December to implement most of the recommendations made by Amnesty International in its September 1991 report on "Sri Lanka—The North East". We welcome this and will continue to watch the situation closely.

  Visa Office (Tehran)
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to provide a full-scale visa issuing office in Tehran, and when the facility will be opened.
  711
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Visas for some categories of visitors from Iran are already issued by our embassy in Tehran. I do not envisage a full scale visa operation at the embassy in the near future, but it may be possible to expand the operation in stages as circumstances allow.

  Visa Office (Taipei)
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas have been issued in Taipei since the visa handling office has been established there; and whether the income received equals or exceeds the cost of operating this facility in Taiwan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The numbers of visas issued by the visa handling office in Taipei from 1989–1991 was 78,782. The income during this period was:

  £

  1989–90

  824,456

  1990–91

  1,019,975

  11991

  689,903

  1 April-October.

  The total cost of the visa operation was:

  £

  1989–90

  56,917

  11990–91

  206,030

  1 April-October costing figures not yet available.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's Government are giving to the Cambodian Government with clearing their minefields.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  UN Security Council Resolution 728 of 8 January expanded the mandate of the United Nations advance mission in Cambodia (UNAMIC) to include training in mine clearance and the initiation of a demining programme. The United Kingdom will contribute financially through payment of our assessed contribution (6·1 per cent.) to the costs of UNAMIC and later to the costs of the UN transitional authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).

  In response to a request from the UN Secretariat, we have agreed in principle to provide additionally a number of experts to UNAMIC's mine clearance training unit. We have also donated £60,000 to the Halo trust, a British non-governmental organisation, to help its mine survey work in Cambodia on behalf of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

  New Embassies
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his European Community partners with a view to sharing the responsibilities in the new embassies to be established in eastern and central Europe.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We favour practical co-operation between EC missions in third countries. EC missions are already co-operating practically in fields such as emergency planning and medical care. We hope that the 712
  responsibilities opening in central and eastern Europe will extend the scope for practical co-operation. We are therefore discussing this with several of our EC partners.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the new Turkish Government on a new initiative for a settlement to the present dispute in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We remain committed to the search for a solution in Cyprus, and continue to work actively in support of the UN Secretary General's mission of good offices. We maintain regular contact with all parties to the dispute. I have had valuable discussions recently with both the Turkish and Cyprus Foreign Ministers and also discussed the next steps with the UN Secretary General.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the efforts of the Government of Libya to prosecute the Libyan nationals alleged to have committed offences in connection with the Lockerbie bombing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. We believe that Libyan intelligence services are heavily involved in the functioning of the Libyan judiciary. As is clear from the Lord Advocate's announcement on 14 November, it is alleged that the Libyan intelligence services are implicated in the bombing of Pan Am 103. There can therefore be no confidence in the impartiality of a Libyan court.

  Libya
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what extradition agreement exists between the United Kingdom and Libya.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There is no extradition agreement between the United Kingdom and Libya.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Sir Marcus Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held between 10 to 11 January.

  Mr. Hurd
  My hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, represented the United Kingdom at the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 January.

  The Council agreed that the Community and member states should play a full part in the Washington conference on help to the former Soviet Union planned for 22–23 January. The Council had a preliminary discussion on the Community's relations with the newly-independent states of the former Soviet Union and invited the Commission to make specific proposals.

  Ministers issued a statement welcoming the reconvening of the peace conference on Yugoslavia in the presence of all parties to the conflict. They noted the contribution by Montenegro towards creating the conditions necessary for the continuation of the conference. Ministers expressed

  713
  their readiness to apply positive measures to Montenegro, similar to those agreed for Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzogovina and Macedonia.

  Ministers also discussed my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's proposal to hold a special meeting of the UN Security Council on 31 January. In a brief discussion of South Africa, Ministers confirmed their agreement that the EC ban on imports of iron, steel and krugerrands should be lifted and invited the Commission to submit a proposal to this effect to a future Council for formal adoption.

  After the Council, Trade and Agriculture Ministers had an informal discussion on the GATT Uruguay round and reviewed the prospects for a successful conclusion of the round in the light of the draft agreement proposed by Mr. Dunkel, the GATT Director-General.

ENERGY

  Sizewell B
  Mr.Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of Nuclear Electric regarding the extension or amendment of the existing nuclear plant operating agreement to cover Sizewell B PWR nuclear power station; and if he will place a copy of the agreement in Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had no such discussion. He is unaware of any agreement with the title "existing nuclear plant operating agreement".

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has given guarantees to the chairman of Nuclear Electric concerning the relationship of the Sizewell B PWR nuclear power station with the National Grid Company and the electricity generator and distributor pool and operating arrangements on completion of the Sizewell B station.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There will be no unique arrangements in respect of output produced at Sizewell B. The non-fossil fuel obligation and levy arrangements will treat the output from Sizewell B in the same way output from Nuclear Electric's existing portfolio of stations. The arrangements run until 1998. The Government will undertake a wide ranging review of the future prospects for nuclear power in the United Kingdom in 1994.

  Energy Management assistance Scheme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many small and medium companies he anticipates will be assisted under the energy management assistance scheme—EMAS—what provisions he is making for publicizing the availability of consultancy advice under EMAS; what steps he is taking to ensure an even distribution of awareness of the availability of EMAS grants in each United Kingdom region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My energy efficiency office has set itself the target of 500 successful applications for grants under the energy management assistance scheme during the 1992–93 financial year, with 1,000 grants in each of the subsequent two years. The Scheme will be open to 714
  applicants throughout Great Britain and I understand that the Department for Economic Development is considering a similar scheme for Northern Ireland.

  There was some preliminary publicity about EMAS at the national energy management exhibition and conference in December, when consultants and equipment suppliers from throughout the United Kingdom were able to learn about the principles of the scheme. This information was reported in four trade journals, leading to over a hundred inquiries from all parts of the United Kingdom.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy will launch the scheme formally through the technical press in February and detailed guidelines and application forms for EMAS will be printed in preparation for this. The Energy Efficiency Office's own journal "Energy Management", which has a very wide circulation, will also publicise EMAS.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Rubber (Recycling)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance his department is giving to United Kingdom firms in recycling used motor tyres into rubber granules.

  Mr. Leigh
  Companies engaged in recycling activities, including firms recycling used motor tyres into rubber granules, are able to apply for grant aid from a number of schemes run by the Department. For example, the Department offers, on a regional basis, assistance via its enterprise initiative. The Department also operates two specifically environment-related schemes: the environment technology innovation scheme—ETIS—which aims to support pre-competitive industrial research on a collaborative basis; and the DTI environmental management options scheme—DEMOS—which encourages the wider adoption of proven best practices in environmental technology.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he is giving to market United Kingdom produced rubber granules to substitute for imports.

  Mr. Leigh
  It is open to United Kingdom manufacturers of rubber granules to apply for assistance for marketing consultancy under the Department's enterprise initiative.

  EC Regional Assistance
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the regional share of successful applications for assistance under SPUR, support for products under research, SMART, the small firms merit award for research and technology, LINK and other innovation schemes, for each United Kingdom standard region in 1989–90, 1990–91 and up to 31 October this year.
  715

  Department of Trade and Industry Innovation Budget Share of successful applications by United Kingdom region

  Region

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1 April 1991 to 31 October 1991

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  SMART

  East Midlands

  8

  8

  5

  North East

  6

  4

  5

  Northern Ireland

  4

  3

  5

  North West

  10

  10

  10

  Scotland

  9

  11

  11

  South East

  25

  27

  26

  South West

  11

  11

  12

  Wales

  10

  9

  6

  West Midlands

  11

  9

  11

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  6

  8

  9

  TOTAL

  100

  100

  100

  SPUR

  East Midlands

  0

  0

  9

  North East

  0

  0

  9

  Northern Ireland

  0

  0

  0

  North West

  0

  0

  13

  Scotland

  0

  0

  17

  South East

  0

  0

  22

  South West

  0

  0

  2

  Wales

  0

  0

  4

  West Midlands

  0

  0

  11

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0

  0

  13

  TOTAL

  0

  0

  100

  LINK, EUREKA, ATP, GICP

  East Midlands

  9

  10

  8

  North East

  2

  1

  3

  Northern Ireland

  0

  0

  0

  North West

  9

  7

  8

  Scotland

  3

  3

  8

  South East

  51

  50

  52

  South West

  6

  7

  5

  Wales

  0

  2

  3

  West Midlands

  16

  15

  11

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4

  5

  2

  TOTAL

  100

  100

  100

  Notes:

  1. SPUR was not launched until 1991–92
  716
  2. Figures for the year to date are not necessarily representative of the expected full-year picture.

  3. Figures for LINK, EUREKA, ATP (Advanced Technology Programmes), and GICP (General Industrial Collaborative Programmes) have been aggregated because they share the characteristic of collaborative schemes that information is recorded on the region of the lead organisation but not on the location of other collaborators. Care needs to be taken therefore in interpreting the regional significance of the figures.

  4. Other activities under the innovation budget—notably technology transfer—do not have the location of the work recorded because they are conducted on a national scale.

  5. Support for activities in Northern Ireland is largely provided through other budgetary mechanisms by the Northern Ireland Department.

  Iraq (Military Nuclear Programme)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to investigate the links identified by the United Nations special investigation commission in Iraq between the London-based Meed International Company and the Technology and Development Group and the German companies H. N. Metalform of Drensteinfurt, Machinenbau Technikhandel Magdeburg, Dieburg, Schenk Werkzeug Machinenbau and Rittal-Werk Rudolf Lok in supplying high technology equipment to the Iraqi military nuclear programme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 15 January 1992]: I am aware that the inspections in Iraq by the United Nations Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency has revealed the names of many companies around the world which have traded with Iraq, including some from Britain. It is possible that more names will he revealed as time goes on.

  Any indications of wrongdoing will be investigated urgently.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will refer the opening of large stores on Sundays to the Office of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 16 January 1992]: No. Competition legislation is not designed to apply to the opening of large stores on Sundays.