Written Answers of 3 June 1992

TRANSPORT

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the tolls on the Severn bridge from its opening till the present; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information is as follows:

  Motor cycles

  Cars

  Small goods/buses

  Large goods/buses

  September 1966

  1s.0d

  2s.6d

  2s.6d

  2s.6d

  February 1971

  5p

  12½p

  12½p

  12½p

  March 1973

  5p

  12p

  12p

  12p

  August 1979

  10p

  20p

  20p

  40p

  June 1983

  —

  50p

  50p

  £1·00

  December 19851

  —

  20p

  20p

  40p

  January 19872

  —

  50p

  50p

  £1·00

  December 1989

  —

  £1·00

  £1·00

  £2·00

  April 1992

  —

  3£2·80

  3£5·60

  3£8·40

  1 Reduced to 1979 levels following High Court judgement.

  2 Reinstated toll levels following House of Lords ruling.

  3 One-way toll (westbound)—eastbound is free.

  These toll charges reflect the cost of providing and maintaining the Severn bridge. The increases in April 1992 will additionally help to meet the cost of providing a second crossing, which is due to open in 1996.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department regularly commissions surveys. A list of all surveys is maintained, but it is not possible to identify easily from this list those surveys which include questions of opinion. The answer on 5 November 1991 to the hon. Member referred to 69 surveys of all types reported to the Department's survey control unit in 1991. A further 47 have been reported since and I am sending a list of these to the hon. Member.

  Consultants Fees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Norris
  The latest figures for fees paid by the Department to management consultants are as follows:

  £

  1984–85

  250,000

  1985–86

  272,000

  1986–87

  218,000

  542

  £

  1987–88

  371,000

  1988–89

  604,000

  1989–90

  734,000

  1990–91

  814,592

  1991–92

  1 1,228,066

  1992–93

  2 1,373,005

  1 Latest estimate.

  2 Budget.

  This excludes fees for computing consultancies. Information for earlier years could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

  Greater Manchester Relief Road
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when it is intended that the draft orders for the M6 to M56 section of the Greater Manchester western and northern relief road be issued.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  This summer.

  M6, Corley Moor
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive a formal application from British Coal for an extra junction on the M6 near Corley Moor to the west of the Corley service station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It would be for Warwickshire county council as highway authority for local roads to decide to request the Department to include in its programme an extra junction on the M6 near Corley Moor.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects the public consultation to take place in respect of(a) the M56 to A580 and (b) the A580 to M66 sections of the Greater Manchester western and northern relief road.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I expect public consultation on the M56 to M62 section of the Greater Manchester northern relief road to start later this year. I cannot yet give a date for consultation on the section between the M62 and M66.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private and public sector properties are currently vacant in the city of Liverpool; what incentives he will provide to Liverpool city council to introduce homesteading schemes; what penalties he will impose on private and public sector landlords who fail to let properties; what is the estimated annual rent and community charge lost on empty private and public sector properties(a) throughout the United Kingdom and (b) in Liverpool; if he will meet leaders of Liverpool city council to discuss a plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  At 1 April 1991, the number of vacant properties in Liverpool was 5,733 local authority, 843 housing association and 7,908 privately owned.
  543
  As far as local authority stock is concerned, the housing subsidy rules penalise those councils that have more than 2 per cent. of their stock empty and reward those that do better. To further encourage best use of housing resources the Department will be introducing a pilot scheme to promote homesteading of local authority stock, linked with the estate action programme. For private homes, we do not believe that property owners should be forced to let accommodation against their will, but our policies are geared to creating the conditions to encourage landlords to let their properties.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 21 May,Official Report, column 221, by the Minister for Energy, what proposals he has for encouragement of combined heat and power schemes in the renewables sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Energy Efficiency Office—EEO—through its best practice programme, continues to promote the wider application of combined heat and power—CHP—schemes in all appropriate sectors of the United Kingdom economy regardless of the fuel used.

  Where a CHP plant uses a fuel such as waste it may also benefit from the Government's programme to promote the development of renewable energy sources. This programme is run by the Department of Trade and Industry, which works in close collaboration with the EEO on CHP schemes using alternative fuels.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his intention that local authorities should have a veto on applications for opencast mining.

  Mr. Baldry
  No. It is for the mineral planning authority as the elected representatives of the local community in the first instance to decide in any particular case whether planning permission should be granted having regard to all the material considerations, including the potential impact of the development on the environment and local residents. However, it is a fundamental of the land use planning system that the applicant has the right of appeal to the Secretary of State against a mineral planning authority's refusal of an application.

  Environment Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the environmental action programme 1993–2000 launched by Commissioner Ripa di Meana on 18 March.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government played a full part in discussions leading to the adoption, at the Environment Council on 26 May, of preliminary conclusions concerning the environmental action programme "Towards Sustainability". The Council welcomed the presentation by the European Commission of the programme and undertook to ensure that the programme will be discussed so that it can become operative by 1 January 1993 544
  following the adoption of a resolution by the Council. Preparation of the resolution will fall to the United Kingdom presidency of the Council.

  The Government have set out their initial views on the programme in an explanatory memorandum which will be presented to the Select Committee on European Legislation when the Committee is reconstituted. Copies of the explanatory memorandum have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Planning Controls
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action is being taken following the recommendation by the House of Commons Environment Committee concerning the harmonisation of planning control above and below low watermark;

  (2) if he will consider extending local authority planning control to the 12-nautical mile limit of territorial waters.

  Mr. Baldry
  In its second report of last Session, the Environment Select Committee made several recommendations on the issue of harmonising landward planning control and seaward regulations as far as the 12-nautical mile limit of territorial waters. We are considering the report and will respond in due course.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Contaminated Land Registry with particular reference to its timing, its implications on planning and liabilities on owners of land on the register.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 14 May, at column 198.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 26 May.

  Mr. Howard
  My hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside and I represented the United Kingdom at the Environment Council on 26 May.

  The Council approved a new directive on air pollution by ozone. The directive requires the monitoring of atmospheric concentrations of ozone throughout the Community on a consistent basis; the sharing of selected monitoring information between member states and the Commission; and the issuing of information and of precautionary health warnings to the public in the event of ozone concentrations exceeding specific thresholds. It also requires the Commission, four years after entry into force of the directive, to put a report to the Council on the monitoring data collected by member states, with proposals on the control of air pollition by ozone.

  The Council adopted conclusions on the framework convention on climate change and agreed that the convention constituted a significant first step in tackling this global problem. They urged all countries to sign the convention during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and to ratify it as soon as possible, and agreed that the Community should also sign it. The Council also supported the continuation of the

  545
  climate change negotiations to begin in autumn 1992 and stressed the readiness of the Community to contribute actively to this work.

  The Commission gave a brief presentation on the state of their preparations to present to the Council proposals for a strategy for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, which would include proposals for a carbon/energy tax.

  In advance of UNCED, the Council adopted preliminary conclusions welcoming the presentation by the Commission of the fifth environmental action programme, entitled "Towards Sustainability". It noted the contents of the programme and undertook to accord the highest priority to consideration of the programme in the light of UNCED and the opinions of the European Parliament and the economic and social committee, so that, following the adoption of a resolution by the Council, the programme can become operative by 1 January 1993.

  The Council discussed informally the state of preparations for UNCED.

  The Council discussed at length a draft Council regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community. The regulation is intended to update existing Community legislation on the control of transboundary movements of waste and to enable member states to ratify the United Nations Environment Programme convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. Much progress was made towards the achievement of a common position, but owing to continuing differences of view on the question of national self-sufficiency in the disposal of waste, the Council was unable to reach agreement on this occasion.

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will issue guidance to the local government commission and announce its work programme.

  Mr. Howard
  I have today issued to the local authority associations and other organisations with an interest the policy guidance I intend to issue to the new local government commission. It takes account of the comments we received on the draft guidance issued last November. I have also today issued draft procedure guidance for the local government commission. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library of the House and additional copies are available in the Vote Office.

  I intend to direct the local government commission to undertake a rolling programme of reviews of the shire counties of England, area by area. Review will be carried out in five tranches. The areas to be covered in each tranche are:

  First

  Avon

  Gloucestershire

  Somerset

  Cleveland

  Durham

  Derbyshire

  Humberside

  Lincolnshire

  North Yorkshire

  Isle of Wight

  546
  Second

  Cambridgeshire

  Cumbria

  Lancashire

  Devon

  Hampshire

  Leicestershire

  Nottinghamshire

  Staffordshire

  Third

  Bedfordshire

  Berkshire

  Oxfordshire

  Buckinghamshire

  Cheshire

  East Sussex

  West Sussex

  Kent

  Northamptonshire

  Fourth

  Dorset

  Essex

  Hereford and Worcester

  Norfolk

  Suffolk

  Wiltshire

  Fifth

  Cornwall

  Hertfordshire

  Northumberland

  Shropshire

  Surrey

  Warwickshire

  This represents a balanced and manageable programme for the commission and gives priority to those areas where there is a history of dissatisfaction with the existing local government structure. I expect structural changes following the commission's reviews to take effect between 1994 and 1998.

  Contingencies Fund
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to draw advances from the Contingencies Fund in 1992–93.

  Mr. Howard
  Yes. In February my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the Government would be providing £55 million of Government support towards Manchester's bid to host the 2000 Olympic games. Most of this funding will be used to provide sports facilities, but £2 million is to be used to help the Manchester Olympics bid committee fund the bid itself. Funding of the work on the bid will form a new service and parliamentary approval to it will be sought in a summer supplementary estimate for the urban aid and derelict land reclamation vote—class VIII, vote 3. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £900,000 will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.

  In addition, I shall be taking a further advance from the Contingencies Fund to meet the immediate administration and project development costs of the Birmingham Heartlands urban development corporation. Parliament approved the statutory order establishing this corporation on 10 March 1992 and Parliament's approval of the associated new expenditure will be sought in a supplementary estimate also for the urban aid and derelict land reclamation vote—class VIII, vote 3. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £300,000 will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made any changes to the Building Regulations 1991, or the guidance in the associated draft approved documents, which came into force on 1 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Building Regulations 1991 were laid before Parliament on 10 December 1991 and, subject to certain transitional provisions, came into force on 1 June 1992.

  The main technical changes brought about by the regulations relate to regulation 7 (materials and workmanship), part A (structure), part B (fire safety), part C (site preparation and resistance to moisture), part E (resistance to the passage of sound), part G (hygiene), part K (stairs, ramps and guards) and part M (access and facilities for disabled people) and a new part N (glazing —materials and protection).

  In conjunction with the coming into effect of the new regulations, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has approved, for the purpose of giving practical guidance on ways of meeting the amended technical requirements of the regulations, the "approved documents" which were also published in December. To bring the statutory guidance fully up to date, HMSO has published an amendments document—"The Building Regulations 1991: Amendments 1992"—which contains corrections, clarifications and revisions to both the new approved documents and those existing editions which will remain approved for the purposes of the 1991 regulations —parts 3 (toxic substances), F (ventilation), H (drainage and waste disposal), J (heat producing applications) and L (conservation of fuel and power). A copy of the amendments document will be placed in the Library of the House.

  The new statutory guidance on the requirements for means of escape in case of fire—approved document B (fire safety)—will now have the practical effect of requiring that smoke detectors are fitted in all new and converted dwellings. As a result of this change, the provisions of the Smoke Detectors Act 1991 are unnecessary, and we have therefore decided, on the advice of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, not to bring that Act into force.

  The Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations, which were laid before Parliament on 28 May, make a minor preocedural amendment to regulation 13 of the Building Regulations 1991, which is necessary to remove an unnecessary administrative burden on builders and developers that was inadvertently introduced in those regulations. The amendment ensures that extra copies of fire safety plans are not required to be deposited where the work relates to a dwelling-house or flat, and comes into effect on 26 June 1992.

  The Department has issued a joint circular with the Welsh Office—DOE circular 13/92, Welsh Office circular 29/92—to all building control authorities in England and Wales, and approved inspectors, giving general guidance on the main procedural changes which will arise on the coming into effect of the new regulations, and other administrative matters arising as a consequence. The circular also contains details of all the approved documents. A copy of the circular has been placed in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to ensure that all lists of candidates for public appointments contain equal numbers of men and women.

  The Prime Minister
  All appointments to public bodies are made on the basis of aptitude and merit. It is Government policy for all shortlists prepared for Ministers' consideration to include the names of women or for good reasons to be given for the absence of such names.

  Commercial Whaling
  Mr. McCrady
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he will take to ensure that there is a permanent ban on all commercial whaling in United Kingdom and EC waters.

  The Prime Minister
  Whaling within United Kingdom fishery limits is already banned and the sale and purchase of whale products by EC member states are prohibited through the Community implementation of the convention on international trade in endangered species.

  Ministerial Committee on the Environment
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister how often the ministerial committee on the environment has met since 10 April; when the next meeting is planned; what will be on the agenda of the next meeting; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Austin-Walker) on 2 June, at column 394.

  Security Files
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will now make it his policy to disclose how many files on(a) individuals and (b) organisations are kept by (i) the Security Service and (ii) the Secret Intelligence Service; what is his policy on the destruction of files held by these services; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the conclusions of the Security Service Commissioner who said in his report for 1991 that he found the Security Service's general policy on retention of records acceptable.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister which Government Department will be responsible for overseeing the application of nuclear safeguards and the transmission of safeguards data to the Euratom and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards directorates on United Kingdom facilities following the closure of the Department of Energy.

  The Prime Minister
  The Department of Trade and Industry.

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to raise the issue of nuclear warhead testing and the prospects for a global halt during his next meeting with President Bush.
  549
  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 12 May, at column 90.

  Bohemian Wood Carvings
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions in Prague with President Havel, in relation to the theft of Bohemian ecclesiastical wood carvings, and their subsequent sale in the West.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: I raised this issue with a senior colleague of President Havel. I have instructed our ambassador to follow up that discussion in greater detail.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Cabinet Office on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his latest estimate for 1992–93.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The information requested is not available for the years before 1987–88. For the years from 1987–88 the information is as follows:

  Year

  Television £

  Radio £

  Newspaper £

  Other £

  1987–88

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  19,306

  1988–89

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  9,500

  1989–90

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  14,833

  1990–91

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  876

  1 1991–92

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  10,478

  1 1992–93

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1,000

  1 Estimated figures.

  In addition, there was estimated expenditure in 1991–92 on advertising associated with the citizens charter of £811,911 on newspaper advertising and £202,134 on other advertising. Similar expenditure in 1992–93 is provisionally estimated at £165,000 on television advertising, £495,000 on newspaper advertising and £621,000 on other advertising.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received regarding funding and staffing of UKIAS; and if he will make a statement;

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police per 100,000 population

  Offences per 100,000 population

  Offences per 100,000 population, index 1987 = 100

  Police force area

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  7,225

  6,996

  7,087

  8,987

  10,582

  100

  97

  98

  124

  146

  Bedfordshire

  7,814

  7,505

  7,704

  10,110

  10,667

  100

  96

  99

  129

  137

  Cambridgeshire

  5,368

  5,279

  5,668

  6,803

  8,753

  100

  98

  106

  127

  163

  Cheshire

  5,428

  5,152

  5,016

  5,786

  6,913

  100

  95

  92

  107

  127

  Cleveland

  10,803

  10,546

  10,984

  13,363

  14,137

  100

  98

  102

  124

  131

  Cumbria

  5,889

  5,597

  5,762

  6,782

  9,162

  100

  95

  98

  115

  156

  Derbyshire

  5,096

  4,703

  5,284

  6,501

  8,106

  100

  92

  104

  128

  159

  Devon and Cornwall

  5,148

  4,994

  5,196

  6,167

  7,224

  100

  97

  101

  120

  140

  Dorset

  6,058

  5,534

  6,077

  7,294

  7,831

  100

  91

  100

  120

  129

  Durham

  7,509

  7,413

  7,723

  9,114

  10,881

  100

  99

  103

  121

  145

  550
  (2) whether he proposes to make additional financial resources available to UKIAS.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 18 May 1992 at column 10.

  Replica Firearms
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent advice he has received from the Firearms Consultative Committee concerning replica firearms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Firearms Consultative Committee advised the then Home Secretary that neither a ban nor licensing controls on replica firearms would be either feasible or effective. The committee recommended extending the range of offences which apply to the misuse of replicas. This recommendation is under consideration with the prosecuting authorities and the police service. The committee also recommended that warning labels about the heavy penalties which apply to misuse should be incorporated on the packaging of imitation firearms. Consultations have been held with the trade whose views are being carefully considered.

  Dispersal Prisons
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review his policy of reducing the number of dispersal prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My predecessor announced in 1989 that the number of disperal prisons would be reduced from eight to six. There are at present no plans to vary this number.

  Police Incidents
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the number of incidents recorded(a) per uniformed officer and (b) per head of population in each police authority area in Britain over the last five years including 1991–92 and an index of the increase in each area with year one as the base.

  Mr. Jack
  The available information relates to the number of offences recorded by the police per officer and per 100,000 population for the years 1987 to 1991 and is contained in the tables.
  551

  Offences per 100,000 population

  Offences per 100,000 population, index 1987 = 100

  Police force area

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Essex

  5,228

  4,975

  5,299

  6,552

  7,399

  100

  95

  101

  125

  142

  Gloucestershire

  6,574

  6,513

  6,671

  8,007

  10,535

  100

  99

  101

  122

  160

  Greater Manchester

  12,362

  11,386

  11,414

  13,112

  14,700

  100

  92

  92

  106

  119

  Hampshire

  6,031

  5,619

  5,942

  7,178

  8,582

  100

  93

  99

  119

  142

  Hertfordshire

  5,094

  4,836

  4,975

  5,513

  6,594

  100

  95

  98

  108

  129

  Humberside

  10,438

  10,054

  10,742

  12,201

  13,831

  100

  96

  103

  117

  133

  Kent

  5,239

  5,223

  5,501

  6,780

  9,075

  100

  100

  105

  129

  173

  Lancashire

  6,816

  6,986

  6,507

  7,785

  8,778

  100

  102

  95

  114

  129

  Leicestershire

  5,817

  5,712

  6,185

  8,160

  9,999

  100

  98

  106

  140

  172

  Lincolnshire

  6,122

  5,642

  6,102

  6,677

  7,587

  100

  92

  100

  109

  124

  London, City of

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  1 —

  Merseyside

  11,346

  9,882

  9,381

  9,614

  10,309

  100

  87

  83

  85

  91

  Metropolitan Police

  10,173

  9,942

  10,503

  11,551

  12,757

  100

  98

  103

  114

  125

  Norfolk

  5,712

  5,698

  5,995

  7,298

  8,541

  100

  100

  105

  128

  150

  Northamptonshire

  7,201

  6,749

  6,837

  8,353

  10,079

  100

  94

  95

  116

  140

  Northumbria

  11,977

  11,190

  12,684

  14,236

  15,798

  100

  93

  106

  119

  132

  North Yorkshire

  5,358

  4,915

  5,017

  6,403

  7,086

  100

  92

  94

  120

  132

  Nottinghamshire

  9,733

  9,591

  10,484

  13,122

  14,810

  100

  99

  108

  135

  152

  South Yorkshire

  7,348

  6,892

  7,305

  8,286

  9,687

  100

  94

  99

  113

  132

  Staffordshire

  5,658

  5,514

  5,748

  6,979

  8,291

  100

  97

  102

  123

  147

  Suffolk

  5,036

  4,746

  5,016

  5,888

  6,201

  100

  94

  100

  117

  123

  Surrey

  4,390

  4,331

  4,542

  5,724

  6,704

  100

  99

  103

  130

  153

  Sussex

  4,838

  4,813

  5,330

  6,700

  7,918

  100

  99

  110

  138

  164

  Thames Valley

  6,131

  5,631

  6,180

  7,551

  9,437

  100

  92

  101

  123

  154

  Warwickshire

  5,245

  4,773

  5,234

  6,811

  8,386

  100

  91

  100

  130

  160

  West Mercia

  5,029

  4,714

  4,903

  5,386

  6,861

  100

  94

  97

  107

  136

  West Midlands

  10,136

  9,014

  8,749

  10,123

  11,584

  100

  89

  86

  100

  114

  West Yorkshire

  8,964

  8,567

  9,178

  11,420

  14,273

  100

  96

  102

  127

  159

  Wiltshire

  5,038

  4,854

  4,978

  6,013

  6,998

  100

  96

  99

  119

  139

  Dyfed-Powys

  4,133

  4,321

  3,817

  4,427

  5,508

  100

  105

  92

  107

  133

  Gwent

  6,132

  5,513

  5,672

  7,084

  8,642

  100

  90

  92

  116

  141

  North Wales

  5,900

  5,525

  5,370

  5,805

  6,804

  100

  94

  91

  98

  115

  South Wales

  8,630

  9,017

  9,079

  10,649

  12,368

  100

  104

  105

  123

  143

  1 Not applicable.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police per police officer

  Offences per police officer

  Offences per police officer, index 1987 = 100

  Police force area

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  32

  31

  31

  40

  48

  100

  97

  97

  125

  150

  Bedfordshire

  39

  37

  38

  48

  51

  100

  95

  97

  123

  131

  Cambridgeshire

  28

  28

  30

  36

  45

  100

  100

  107

  129

  161

  Cheshire

  26

  24

  23

  27

  32

  100

  92

  88

  104

  123

  Cleveland

  38

  37

  38

  47

  49

  100

  97

  100

  124

  129

  Cumbria

  23

  22

  23

  26

  35

  100

  96

  100

  113

  152

  Derbyshire

  24

  22

  25

  32

  41

  100

  92

  104

  133

  171

  Devon and Cornwall

  25

  25

  26

  31

  37

  100

  100

  104

  124

  148

  Dorset

  30

  28

  30

  36

  39

  100

  93

  100

  120

  130

  Durham

  30

  29

  30

  36

  43

  100

  97

  100

  120

  143

  Essex

  26

  25

  26

  32

  36

  100

  96

  100

  123

  138

  Gloucestershire

  28

  28

  29

  35

  46

  100

  100

  104

  125

  164

  Greater Manchester

  41

  39

  38

  44

  50

  100

  95

  93

  107

  122

  Hampshire

  30

  28

  30

  36

  43

  100

  93

  100

  120

  143

  Hertfordshire

  25

  24

  24

  27

  32

  100

  96

  96

  108

  128

  Humberside

  43

  41

  43

  50

  57

  100

  95

  100

  116

  133

  Kent

  25

  25

  26

  32

  43

  100

  100

  104

  128

  172

  Lancashire

  25

  26

  24

  29

  33

  100

  104

  96

  116

  132

  Leicestershire

  28

  28

  30

  40

  48

  100

  100

  107

  143

  171

  Lincolnshire

  28

  26

  28

  31

  36

  100

  93

  100

  111

  129

  London, City of

  9

  8

  9

  9

  9

  100

  89

  100

  100

  100

  Merseyside

  33

  29

  27

  27

  31

  100

  88

  82

  82

  94

  Metropolitan Police

  26

  25

  26

  29

  31

  100

  96

  100

  112

  119

  Norfolk

  30

  30

  32

  38

  44

  100

  100

  107

  127

  147

  552 553

  Offences per police officer

  Offences per police officer, index 1987 = 100

  Police force area

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Northamptonshire

  36

  33

  34

  41

  49

  100

  92

  94

  114

  136

  Northumbria

  47

  43

  48

  53

  59

  100

  91

  102

  113

  126

  North Yorkshire

  25

  24

  24

  32

  35

  100

  96

  96

  128

  140

  Nottinghamshire

  40

  39

  43

  54

  61

  100

  98

  108

  135

  152

  South Yorkshire

  31

  28

  30

  34

  39

  100

  90

  97

  110

  126

  Staffordshire

  25

  25

  26

  32

  38

  100

  100

  104

  128

  152

  Suffolk

  25

  24

  26

  30

  32

  100

  96

  104

  120

  128

  Surrey

  19

  19

  20

  25

  29

  100

  100

  105

  132

  153

  Sussex

  22

  22

  25

  31

  37

  100

  100

  114

  141

  168

  Thames Valley

  32

  29

  32

  39

  49

  100

  91

  100

  122

  153

  Warwickshire

  25

  23

  25

  31

  39

  100

  92

  100

  124

  156

  West Mercia

  24

  23

  24

  29

  35

  100

  96

  100

  121

  146

  West Midlands

  38

  33

  32

  37

  42

  100

  87

  84

  97

  111

  West Yorkshire

  33

  31

  34

  42

  55

  100

  94

  103

  127

  167

  Wiltshire

  23

  22

  23

  27

  31

  100

  96

  100

  117

  135

  Dyfed-Powys

  18

  19

  17

  20

  25

  100

  106

  94

  111

  139

  Gwent

  26

  23

  23

  29

  36

  100

  88

  88

  112

  138

  North Wales

  27

  25

  25

  27

  31

  100

  93

  93

  100

  115

  South Wales

  33

  35

  35

  42

  49

  100

  106

  106

  127

  148

  Firearms Certificates
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms and shotgun certificates have been issued on Merseyside in each of the years 1986 to 1991; and what information he has about the numbers of firearms and shotguns stolen in the county during the same period.

  Mr. Jack
  The number of applications for new firearm and shotgun certificates granted and the number of certificates renewed by the Merseyside police force in each year from 1986 to 1990, are shown in tables 2 and 4 of Home Office statistical bulletin Nos. 2/88, 33/88, 18/89, 26/90 and 23/91. Copies of these bulletins are in the Library.

  The total number of offences of burglary and theft recorded by Merseyside police force in which one or more firearms were reported as stolen and the number of these in which the principal weapon stolen was a shotgun is shown in the table for each year between 1986 and 1990.

  Burglaries and thefts reported by the police in which firearms were reported to have been stolen

  Merseyside police force area

  Number of offences1

  Year

  Total

  Number where shotgun the principal weapon

  1986

  104

  13

  1987

  103

  10

  1988

  71

  7

  1989

  64

  11

  1990

  59

  7

  1 More than one firearm may have been stolen in each offence.

  Figures for 1991 are not yet available.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the desirability of amending the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929 and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in the light of the recent acquittal in the case involving the death of a 36-week unborn child.
  554
  Mr. Jack
  I understand that the acquittal referred to by the hon. Member concerned a charge of manslaughter, of which a person may be convicted if it can be proved that the victim was born alive and subsequently died as the result of injuries received whilst in the womb. Neither the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, which makes it an offence intentionally to destroy the life of an unborn child capable of being born alive, nor the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, which disapplied the 1929 Act from abortions carried out in accordance with the conditions of the Abortion Act 1967, is therefore directly relevant to this case.

  Criminal Appeals
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were referred to the Court of Appeal criminal division on a point of law under section 17(1) of the Criminal Appeals Act 1968 by his predecessors in each year since 1981.

  Mr. Jack
  Two: one in 1990 and one in 1992.

  Visas
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the requirement for visas for Polish nationals who visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Since the beginning of last year, about 160 representations have been received from right hon. and hon. Members and about 75 letters from members of the public.

  After a further review of the need for a visa requirement for Polish nationals, the Prime Minister decided to lift it with effect from 1 July.

  The position will be reviewed after two years in the light of experience of the effects of this change.

  Bail Hostels
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bail hostels in England and Wales have been sited in villages.

  Mr. Jack
  There are currently 28 bail and 81 probation/bail hostels in England and Wales. Of these, three bail and 12 probation/bail hostels are located in smaller communities outside urban areas.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out the statutory procedures, step by step, which are required prior to a decision for siting a bail hostel being made.

  Mr. Jack
  Hostels are established under powers given by section 49 of the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973. The procedure is for the relevant area probation or voluntary management committee to decide upon the exact location of a hostel and to obtain the necessary planning consent locally.

  Apart from obtaining planning permission from the relevant planning authority, there are no statutory procedures laid down for the siting of bail hostels.

  The Home Office is now producing guidance on developing new hostels which will include matters concerning local consultation when a particular site is being considered. In future probation and voluntary committees will have to follow this guidance.

  John Kamara
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the case of John Kamara, details of whom have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside.

  Mr. Jack
  Representations about Mr. Kamara's case have been considered in the light of inquiries made, but we have concluded that the information currently available does not provide sufficient grounds to justify any intervention in this conviction.

  I have written to the hon. Member in more detail about the case.

  Offensive Weapons
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to amend the criminal law relating to the possession or use of offensive weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has no plans to amend the law in this area.

  Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it an offence in England and Wales to possess in public a bladed or sharply pointed article with the onus on the carrier to show that he has good reason. This measure supplemented the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 which makes it an offence for a person to have an offensive weapon in a public place without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

  The courts have available and use severe penalties to deal with offenders whose crimes involve the use of offensive weapons. The Criminal Justice Act 1991 will enhance the power of the courts to protect the public from serious harm from a violent offender.

  Irish Whiskey
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the revenues which have accrued to the Exchequer through domestic sales of Irish whiskey in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The only available information is in respect of VAT and excise duty accruing from domestic sales of all whisky produced in the United Kingdom for which I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 20 May 1992, at column 181.

  Gender Impact Statements
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to include a gender impact statement as an integral part of future Budget and Financial Statements.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Banks
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will encourage British banks to compete within the EC.

  Mr. Nelson
  The United Kingdom has been in the forefront of those arguing in Brussels for measures that will create a single market in banking in the EC. The second banking directive, together with a series of directives harmonising prudential rules across the EC, will come into force in January 1993. This will result in the removal of barriers to cross-border expansion and improved competitive opportunities for British banks wishing to do business throughout the Community.

  Money Laundering
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to implement the EC money laundering directive.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury has issued a consultation paper on the implementation of this directive. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  European Single Market
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the method of calculating and presenting Britain's balance of payments figures will be altered after the establishment of the European single market in January 1993.

  Mr. Nelson
  Yes. The changes stem from the abolition of most Customs controls on intra-Community trade. Customs declarations, the current source of the statistics of visible trade, will no longer be available. Instead, a new system of monthly returns, linked to VAT returns, has been devised. Known as Intrastat, it is governed by Council regulation (EEC) No. 3330/91 of 7 November 1991. Further details have been deposited in the House of Commons Library.
  557
  The presentation of the monthly visible trade statistics will be affected. There will be a transitional period before the new system becomes fully established, affecting all member states to a greater or lesser extent depending on the speed and accuracy with which traders supply data. In United Kingdom, complete visible trade figures and, hence, the current account balance for the early months of 1993 are unlikely to be published before the middle of the year, although extra-EC trade statistics will continue to be made available in line with the current timetable. Announcements on the timing and format of the publications will be made nearer the time.

  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he expects in the role and duties of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise after the establishment of a European single market in January 1993.

  Sir John Cope
  With the creation of the single market, fiscal frontiers between member states will disappear. As from 1 January 1993, there will be no routine or systematic customs formalities and goods will move freely across internal EC frontiers. The collection of VAT, excise duty and statistics on intra-EC trade at the frontier will be replaced by arrangements based on the provision of periodic returns by companies controlled at their own premises and linked to the domestic VAT and excise systems. As a result there will be a major shift of resource and effort from frontier to inland locations.

  There will be no restrictions on tax and duty-paid goods purchased for personal use in the single market. The use of the red and green channels will also cease. Although duty-free allowances will continue for the time being, control will be exercised on the vendor rather than passengers at the point of entry into the United Kingdom.

  Customs currently operate a wide range of controls at the frontier which are carried out on behalf of other Government Departments, for example health checks on intra-EC traffic in animals and plants. The single market will mean that routine regulatory controls of this kind at internal EC borders will cease. The restrictions that remain will be controlled inland, with any documentary checks divorced from the physical movement of the goods.

  However, anti-smuggling spot checks will continue particularly to combat illicit drug trafficking in respect of traffic from inside as well as outside the EC after 1 January 1993. Customs are creating a more flexible, mobile, better targeted and highly selective system of checks for this purpose, operating on the basis of risk assessment, intelligence and profiling which will result in far less obtrusive controls. Customs activity at the frontier will continue to form part of a national integrated law enforcement effort against illicit goods.

  European Co-operative Statute
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what documents, in addition to the formal draft statute, he will base his formal consultation exercise in regard to the draft European co-operative statute; and if he will place copies of all such documents and any circulars on the topic in the Library.

  Mr. Nelson
  The combined consultative document will be based on all three draft "social economy" statutes, along with the accompanying employee participation directives. In drafting this consultative document, due 558
  notice will be taken of the consultation exercise carried out by the DTI in January 1992, in respect of the European company statute, on which many of the provisions of the "social economy" statutes are based. Copies of the draft statutes and directives are already in the Library and a copy of the consultative document will be placed there in due course.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Bank of England will respond to the second report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee of Session 1991–92, "Banking Supervision and BCCI: The Role of Local Authorities and Money Brokers".

  Mr. Nelson
  I understand that the Bank of England has now responded to the second report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee in Session 1991–92, "Banking Supervision and BCCI: The Role of Local Authorities and Money Brokers". A copy of this response has been placed in the Library, together with the revised edition of the London code of conduct for principals and broking firms in the wholesale markets, which was issued by the bank on 29 May.

  Rouble
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conditionality has been applied over the funding of a stabilisation fund for the Russian rouble; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the communiqués issued by the G7 and G10 on 26 and 27 April 1992 respectively, which are being placed in the Library of the House.

  At meetings in Washington on 26 and 27 April, the G7 and G10 supported the intention to establish a rouble stabilisation fund provided appropriate conditions were met. The fund, which would operate in conjunction with a comprehensive IMF programme, would be intended to help stabilise the rouble, facilitate convertibility of the currency, and promote confidence in the Russian reform effort.

  The exact conditions that will need to be satisfied before funding is made available for a stabilisation fund will be determined by the IMF and G10 in consultation with the Russian authorities. These conditions will include the implementation of an agreed IMF programme. It is clear that a stabilisation fund would be effective only once a significant tightening of monetary policies had taken place, an appropriate exchange rate regime had, in the opinion of the IMF, been established, and an effective agreement had been reached on the management of monetary policy across the rouble area.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent the individual policies of economic management pursued by each of the CIS republics will be able to influence the success of a rouble stabilisation fund for Russia.

  Mr. Nelson
  A rouble stabilisation fund could be successful only once effective agreements had been reached on the management of monetary policy across the rouble area. Before a rouble stabilisation fund is put in place the
  559
  IMF will need to satisfy itself that appropriately tight monetary policies are being followed in Russia and all other states which use the rouble.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if moneys being allocated for a rouble stabilisation fund, if drawn on, will be subject to repayment by any of those countries that comprise the Commonwealth of Independent States.

  Mr. Nelson
  G10 Finance Ministers, meeting in Washington on 27 April, agreed that a rouble stabilisation fund could be financed by the IMF which would provide Russia with enhanced access to its resources, which in turn would be replenished through lending to the IMF by participating countries under the general arrangements to borrow—GAB. Such a stabilisation fund would be put in place only if Russia agreed a programme with the IMF. National contributions to the IMF under the GAB would be matched by the acquisition of claims on the IMF. All funds made available by the IMF to Russia, either through an IMF standby arrangement or a rouble stabilisation fund, would be fully repaid in accordance with criteria established by the IMF.

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the nature of the G7 package of support for the Commonwealth of Independent States as a whole and each of its constituent republics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the communiqués issued by the G7 and G10 on 26 and 27 April 1992 respectively, which are being placed in the Library of the House.

  The G7 has expressed its commitment to support Russia's reform effort during the difficult period of transition by providing the recently announced !24 billion multilateral financial assistance package within the context of an agreed IMF programme. To this end, the G7 is prepared to provide up to !18 billion through substantial bilateral assistance, together with other countries, and through supporting significant financial resources from the international financial institutions. In addition, the G10 has supported the intention to establish a !6 billion rouble stabilisation fund.

  No similar package has been announced for the other states of the former Soviet Union.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by his Department on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his latest estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The expenditure by Her Majesty's Treasury—excluding the BT share offer—on advertising and other promotional material is as follows.

  The expenditure for 1988–89 was £49,310, that for 1989–90 was £52,486, that for 1990–91 £43,581 and that for 1991–92 was £104,602—none of which was on television or
  560
  radio. The estimate for 1992–93 is £72,500. Comparable figures for earlier years are unavailable because of machinery of government changes and could only be given at disproportionate cost.

  BT share offer advertising costs were £20,000,000 for 1991–92.

  Consultants' Fees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The expenditure by Her Majesty's Treasury, excluding the BT share offer, on fees for management consultants is as follows:

  The expenditure for 1990–91 was £2,715,831, that for 1991–92 was £3,203,727 and estimate for 1992–93 is £3,697,304. For figures for earlier years I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 1 May 1991, at column 209.

  The cost of advisers for the BT share offer was given in the answer of 5 March, at column 244.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The following public opinion surveys have been carried out on behalf of the Treasury since 1 November:

  January—February NOP Share Ownership Survey.

  The following surveys were also carried out on behalf of the Treasury but in relation to the BT share offer:

  Market research into public awareness of the BT Share Offer.

  Share information office registrants Survey.

  Capital Adequacy Directive
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress was made at ECOFIN on 19 May with discussions on the draft capital adequacy directive; and when he expects the directive next to be discussed and a common position to be reached.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: I refer my hon. Friend to the report by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the ECOFIN on 19 May, at columns 279–82. The next meeting of the ECOFIN takes place on 9 June when the CAD is likely to be discussed further.

HEALTH

  Tattoo Removal
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost to public funds for a tattoo to be removed.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The cost will vary according to such factors as the size and type of tattoo to be removed.
  561
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many tattoos have been removed under the national health service for each of the most recent years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue advice to tattooists on the advice to give potential customers about the ease with which tattoos can be removed.

  Mr. Sackville
  The decision to have a tattoo is a matter for individual freedom of choice. We would expect that tattooists inform customers of the ease of removal as part of normal good practice. The Department has issued model byelaws which enable local authorities to satisfy themselves that any premises offering skin piercing procedures are safe.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each health authority in England and Wales the number of patients waiting for operations; and of those how many are waiting for the removal of tattoos.

  Mr. Sackville
  Provisional figures for the number of patients waiting in England at 31 March 1992, are given in the table. Waiting time information on those waiting for tattoo removal, as with other specific conditions, is not collected centrally. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Patients waiting at 31 March 19921 In-patients and day cases

  Number

  Northern

  57,285

  Yorkshire

  69,634

  Trent

  85,514

  East Anglia

  41,055

  North West Thames

  55,727

  North East Thames

  78,158

  South East Thames

  76,261

  South West Thames

  46,361

  Wessex

  56,375

  Oxford

  46,201

  South Western

  65,692

  West Midlands

  90,002

  Mersey

  50,081

  North Western

  83,795

  SHAs

  13,456

  ENGLAND

  915,607

  1 Based on provisional figures from regional health authorities.

  Rabies
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of state for Health what information she has about the number of emergency vaccinations for suspected rabies in each country of the EC in 1991; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest figures available for Europe are for 1988 and contained in the World Health Organisation's "World Survey of Rabies 24", a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for England and Wales for 1990 show that 598 people received emergency courses of rabies vaccine.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Marginal Tax Rates
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many people will face marginal tax rates above 50 per cent. as a result of the introduction of the council tax; and if he will break this down into those with families and children and those without.

  Mr. Burt
  It is not possible to provide estimates of marginal deduction rates for 1993–94 as council tax levels have yet to be set. However, an estimated 395,000 heads of benefit units working more than 24 hours a week and receiving income-related benefits, would face marginal deduction rates of above 50 per cent. had the council tax replaced the community charge in 1991–92. Of this total, 325,000 would head families with children.

  Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1987 and 1988 Family Expenditure Surveys at 1991–92 prices and benefit levels: estimates not comparable with those published in the Departmental Report (Cm 1914), which are based on Family Expenditure Surveys for 1986, 1987 and 1988.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Television Sets
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of(a) imports and (b) exports of television sets in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  In 1991, United Kingdom exports of television sets amounted to £685·4 million, compared with imports of £245£1 million.

  Beer and Cider
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding the proposed implementation of section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  The President of the Board of Trade has received only three letters about section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985, none of which relate specifically to Scotland. The Government have considered these representations and have concluded that the section should be brought into force on 1 April 1994 in accordance with the terms of the order made on 5 March.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a report from the Securities and Investments Board on the exercise of its functions under the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A copy of the board's report, made in accordance with s117 of the Act, was laid before Parliament today. The report covers the period from 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991. Copies are available in the Library.

  Markham Gas Field
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what stage netogiations have reached with the Netherlands Government on the transboundary Markham gas field.

  Mr. Eggar
  I am pleased to be able to inform the House that negotiation of a treaty with the Netherlands Government covering the exploitation of the Markham gas field has been concluded and that the treaty was signed in The Hague on 26 May by the British ambassador to the Netherlands Sir Michael Jenkins KCMG and by the Netherlands Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. J. E. Andriessen. The treaty, which is the United Kingdom's fourth transboundary field treaty although the first with the Netherlands, will enable the field to be developed as an integrated unit. It provides for co-operation between the two Governments on matters like safety, inspection, measurement, appointment of a single operator, approval of the field's development plan, abandonment, exchange of information and for the determination and apportionment of reserves. The treaty will in due course be laid before the House. In the meantime I will place a copy of the treaty in the Library of the House.

  Director General of Fair Trading
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to publish the report by the Director General of Fair Trading for the year 1990.

  Mr. Leigh
  The 18th annual report by the Director General of Fair Trading has been published today. It covers the period from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1991. Copies of the report have been laid before Parliament.

  South Africa
  Mr. Haves
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will report on how British companies have complied with the European Community code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa during the 12-month period to 30 June 1991.

  Mr. Heseltine
  By 28 February 1992, a total of 101 companies had submitted reports to the DTI under the code of conduct. Copies of the reports and of the Department's analysis and summary have, as in previous years, been placed in the Library of each House. These documents may also be inspected at the Department's export market information centre, at the British embassy in Pretoria, at the British consulate-general in Johannesburg, and at the British consulates in Cape Town and Durban.

  The analysis and summary is the sixth since the adoption of the revised code of conduct by EC Foreign Ministers in November 1985. Reports were received from all British companies, except two, whose interests are known or believed to warrant a full report under the code. The two companies not reporting were reminded of the existence of the code, and of the importance the Government attach to it.

  The reporting period under review has seen a decrease in the number of black employees of British subsidiaries being paid below the code's recommended minimum level. Companies' reports indicated that over 98 per cent. of employees were paid above this level.
  564
  Companies' reports indicated that the level of their involvement with trades unions representing black workers increased, with the majority of companies reporting formal involvement with the trades unions. Many companies have taken steps to alleviate the particular hardships experienced by their migrant workers.

  As in previous years, all companies provide on-the-job training and many provided additional training facilities. Companies continued to report impressive levels of involvement in projects benefiting not only their employees and their families but also the wider communities from which their work forces were drawn. Companies also continued to encourage the growth of black business.

  The period covered by the report has been a time of rapid political change in South Africa. But, these encouraging developments have taken place against a backdrop of economic recession. Unemployment has continued to increase. This illustrates the pressing need to restore growth to the South African economy, so that all sides there may show their supporters that peaceful reform brings concrete benefits.

  The Government are once more grateful to companies for their continued co-operation in providing reports, and urges them to maintain this performance and to comply fully with the code.

  Energy Council
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on issues discussed and decisions taken at the European Energy Council meeting on 21 May.

  Mr. Eggar
  I attended the Council.

  The main item on the agenda was the Commission's proposal, in continuation of its internal energy market programme, for two directives on the liberalisation of the electricity and gas markets. Those measures have the full support of the United Kingdom, which regards the completion of the internal energy market as a high priority. Some other member states do not support the Commission's proposals. No conclusionis were agreed following the Council discussion and the draft directives will go forward for further negotiation.

  The Council adopted the directive on hot water boilers and reached a common position on the proposal for a directive on energy consumption labelling of domestic appliances, both of which come under the SAVE initiative on energy efficiency. The Commission outlined a proposal for a further SAVE directive, which would require member states to take action on building certification, heat metering, third party financing, buildings insulation, inspection of heating equipment, inspection of vehicles, and energy audits. The Commission related that proposal and other programmes, THERMIE and ALTENER, to stabilisation of CO2 emissions and announced its intention to propose a CO2/energy tax soon.

  A mandate for the Commisson to open negotiations for Community accession to the IEA was deferred pending detailed examination of the proposed directive on oil crisis measures. The Commission presented a communication on oil markets and the refining industry and also a proposal for a directive on the conditions for granting and exercising authorisation for the exploration and production of hydrocarbons.

  Competition and Service (Utilities) Act 1992
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he proposes to implement the Competition and Service (Utilities) Act 1992.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I am pleased to announce that I made a commencement order on 29 May which will bring into force the substantive sections of the Act. Section 37 was brought into force on 30 May. This is an enabling power for the Secretary of State to reduce—by order—the gas monopoly threshold.

  On 1 July, the sections of the Act will come into force to provide the utility regulators with statutory powers to set and monitor standards for the utility companies, and to facilitate greater competition in the provision of water and sewerage services. Changes to the water mergers regime will ensure that the Monopolies and Mergers Commission can take into account the number of companies in separate ownership in their consideration of all mergers of water enterprises referred to them.

  At the same time, there will come into force the sections granting the Secretary of State powers to make orders designating the telecommunication operators to which the Act will apply, and to make regulations to enable the Director General of Telecommunications to resolve telecoms billing disputes.

  The sections of the Act giving the utility regulators power to resolve disputes between customers and the utilities will come into force on 1 September. The regulators will use the period before then to set up the necessary procedures.

  Copies of the order have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Director General of Telecommunications
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the successor to Sir Bryan Carsberg as Director General of Telecommunications.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I have appointed Mr. W. R. B. Wigglesworth as acting Director General of Telecommunications at the Office of Telecommunications with effect from 13 June 1992. The general election made it necessary to make an interim appointment. It has not proved possible to complete the process of appointing a long-term successor to Sir Bryan Carsberg before he moves to the Office of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Wigglesworth has done an excellent job as deputy director and has carried out the duties of director in Sir Bryan's absences. I have complete confidence that he will carry out those responsibilities equally effectively until a long-term successor is found. Work on that is well in hand.

  Debt Payment
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what policy guidelines are currently in place within his Department and the purchasing organisations for which he has responsibility in respect of the prompt payment of commercial debt, particularly as it relates to small business suppliers.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Government Departments, including their executive agencies, are required to pay their bills promptly. The timing of
  566
  payment should normally be stipulated in Government contracts. Where there is no contractual provision or other understanding, Departments should pay within 30 days of receipt of goods/services or the presentation of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment, whichever is the later.

  To help encourage prompt payment of bills by Government contractors to their sub-contractors, all Government contracts are to contain a clause requiring the supplier or contractor to pay its sub-contractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract or other special circumstances, the commitment should be to pay the sub-contractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.

  Labelling and Packaging
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department has been invited to participate in(a) the conference on the practical implications of the New European Commission eco-labelling scheme, to be held in London on 18 June and (b) the conference on packaging and the environment and the implications for the British Retail Consortium, to be held in London on 15 June.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: My Department is in contact with the organisers of these conferences. Speakers at the conferences will include experts who have been advising and assisting my Department on the development of the EC eco-labelling scheme. Dr. Elizabeth Nelson, the recently appointed chairman of the non-departmental public body which is being established by my Department and the Department of the Environment to administer the eco-labelling scheme in the United Kingdom will address the conference on 18 June. A member of the National Advisory Group on Eco-labelling—NAGEL—will also address the Conference. Participants in the British Retail Consortium conference on 15 June will include a member of NAGEL and an official of the Department of the Environment.

  Life Cycle Analysis
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if Ministers or officials have been invited to participate in or contribute to the conference on the use of life cycle analysis as a cost-effective management tool, to be held in London on 16 June.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: A deputy director of my Department's environment unit will attend the conference and give a presentation on the use of life-cycle analysis within the EC eco-labelling scheme.

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ban the import of spent nuclear fuel into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: No.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Cost Limits
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 1992–93 running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland departments.

  Mr. Mates
  The running cost limit for 1992–93 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland departments is £712·3 million. Details of the provision for individual Northern Ireland departments are set out in the Northern Ireland estimates which were laid before the House on 2 June.

EDUCATION

  Religious Advisers
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will list the names and religious denomination of those outside his Department who advise him on religious matters on an occasional or standing basis; and whether he intends appointing any additional special advisers.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no such religious advisers, but he greatly values his contacts with religious leaders whom he and his ministerial colleagues see from time to time.

  Student Support
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information the Government will provide about support for students for the coming year.

  Mr. Forman
  We have today published the 1992–93 edition of our guide "Student Grants and Loans". Secondary schools and colleges in England and Wales will receive copies; so will higher education institutions throughout the United Kingdom. Further copies are available on request. We have also placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses.

  This guide contains good news for students. It shows the effect of the 4·5 per cent. increase in average resources that we are providing this autumn. Full year support from grant and loan will then be nearly 40 per cent. higher than the grant in 1989–90.

  The guide gives students the facts about grants and loans in plain English. The citizens charter says that public services should publish simple and accurate information. Record numbers of students are entering higher education. They need to know what financial support they can get and how to apply for it. I am delighted that the guide bears the crystal mark of the Plain English Campaign.

  Voluntary-Aided Schools
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to accept applications for voluntary-aided status from Muslim schools on the same criteria as applications from Anglican, Catholic and Jewish schools.

  Mr. Forth
  It has always been my right hon. Friend's policy to consider each proposal for voluntary-aided status, put forward by any persons or voluntary body of any religious persuasion, on its individual merits.

  Lip Reading
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to ensure that lip-reading classes are available as a right to all who need them; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Higher Education
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he has on the number of students in full-time higher education who have not completed their course of studies in each of the past five years and the reasons, in so far as these are known, for their withdrawal from their courses.

  Mr. Forman
  Details of non-completion of higher education courses can he found in: (a) "University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK" and (b) "Leaving rates among First Year Students in English Polytechnics and Colleges", a Department for Education statistical bulletin to be published in June.

  Publication (a) is in the Library; publication (b) will be placed in the Library when available and a copy will be sent to the hon. Member.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what amount of borrowing approval per pupil he has provided to grant-maintained schools in each local education authority area for 1992–93; and what amounts of borrowing approval per pupil he has given to each local education authority to provide for the schools remaining within their remit.

  Mr. Forth
  Grant-maintained—GM—schools are prohibited from borrowing under section 57(4) of the Education Act 1988. GM schools receive capital grant direct from the Secretary of State. It is not possible to give a figure representing the average capital allocation per pupil for each LEA because the pupil numbers rise during the course of the year as more schools become incorporated.

  Information on allocations per pupil for LEA-maintained schools is not immediately available in the form requested. I shall write to the hon. Member with this information when it is.

DEFENCE

  Royal Navy (Redundancies)
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a second phase of redundancies is planned for the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I announced on 21 November 1991,0fficial Report, column 305–6, a total reduction of

  569
  8,000 in Royal Navy numbers planned by 1995. In the initial phase of the exercise in 1992–93, 80 officers and 320 ratings were selected. I can now say that, in the second phase, approximately 450 officers and 700 ratings will be made redundant.

  It is intended that personnel will be selected from categories in surplus, bearing in mind the need to maintain a balance of skills and experience. So far as possible the target will be achieved by voluntary means, but some compulsory redundancies cannot be ruled out if the correct seniority spread within the ranks and specialisations is to be achieved.

  Detailed terms will be promulgated to the Navy and applications will be invited, to take effect between April and November 1993.

  Gulf Conflict
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his oral answer of 19 May,Official Report, columns 147–48, what information he has about the use of air recognition systems by United States ground forces during the recent conflict in the Gulf;

  (2) what consideration was given to using air recognition systems by British ground forces during Operation Granby.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  During the Gulf conflict, a secure and effective electronic identification system for ground forces did not exist. The coalition nevertheless took such practical steps as were possible to assist identification of friendly vehicles from both the ground and the air. These included fluorescent panels and inverted "V" markings. I understand that the United States was also developing infra-red beacons and lights to complement these markings, and that a number of these were sent to the Gulf towards the end of hostilities.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he plans to have with his United States counterpart about the recent verdict of the coroner's inquest in Oxford relating to the deaths of nine British service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend discussed the matter briefly with Secretary Cheney in the margins of the Defence Planning Committee in Brussels last week. He has no plans to discuss the inquest verdict further.

  Information Release
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change his policy relating to the release of official information on defence matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Policy in this area is kept under review to ensure that only information that is sensitive is withheld. The statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister during the debate on the address on 6 May regarding the need to sweep away needless secrecy is particularly relevant.

  War Graves, Thailand
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the physical security of British war graves in Thailand; and if he will make a statement.
  570
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are British and Commonwealth war graves at Kanchanaburi and Chungkai in Thailand which are maintained by the Commonwealth Graves Commission. We have no reason to believe that the physical security of the graves is in any way threatened.

  Defence Estimates
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1992.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We expect to publish the 1992 Statement on the Defence Estimates before the summer recess.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since his predecessor's announcement on 18th February.

  Mr. Mellor
  Since the announcement of my right hon. Friend, the former Minister for the Arts on 18 February 1992,Official Report, column 72, I am pleased to inform the House of the acceptance of a further three items: a collection of silver and nine sporting paintings in lieu of £233,250 tax; a picture "Surface Substitution" in lieu of £64,400 tax and chattels from Upton house in lieu of £484,820 tax.

  The chattels are to remain at Upton house, and the painting "Surface Substitution" has been allocated to the Tate gallery. No decision has yet been taken on the allocation of the collection of silver and sporting pictures.

  Radio
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes there have been in audience figures for Radios 1, 2, 3 and 4 since the decision was taken to change their broadcasting frequency from medium wave and long wave to FM only.

  Mr. Mellor
  In January 1988, the Government announced that the medium wave frequencies used by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 3 would be made available for new services licensed by the Radio Authority. Radio 3 began broadcasting on FM only on 29 February 1992. Radio 1 and Radio 4 continue on AM and FM. The BBC decided to introduce BBC Radio 5, on the AM frequencies previously used by Radio 2, in August 1990.

  I understand from the BBC that the average weekly reach for their national radio services were:

  Percentages

  1987

  11992

  Radio 1

  30

  28

  Radio 2

  22

  13

  Radio 3

  5

  4

  Radio 4

  15

  15

  Radio 5

  —

  5

  1 1st quarter.

  Since 1987, many new independent radio services have been opened.
  571
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether he will allow the BBC to recommence simultaneous broadcasting on the FM and medium wave frequencies.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. In general, broadcasting the same programme in one area on two frequencies is a wasteful use of the radio spectrum. The BBC decided to keep its FM frequencies, which are suitable for stereo sound broadcasting. The Radio Authority is using AM frequencies to extend listener choice.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received concerning the quality of reception of Radios 1, 2, 3, and 4.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have received three letters from Members of Parliament and four letters from members of the public about the quality of reception for BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, and 4. This is, of course, primarily a matter for the BBC.

  Consultants' Fees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give an estimate for the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1992–93.

  Mr. Mellor
  I estimate that the total sum paid out, or committed to be paid out, in fees by my Department to management consultants in 1992–93 is £878,400. Further fees may be paid out as and when the need to engage management consultants arises.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by the United Nations team in Iraq in identifying and destroying weapons of mass destruction.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Despite Iraqi obstruction and deception, United Nations inspectors have made considerable progress. Ambassador Ekeus, executive chairman of the special commission, reported his findings to the Security Council on 27 May; that report will be placed in the Library.

  Destruction is well under way, and 1 refer my hon. Friend to the list of equipment destroyed contained in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) in column 259.

  The international community is determined to keep up the pressure; there is no question of Iraq once more becoming a threat to its neighbours.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet the Turkish ambassador to discuss the situation in Cyprus.

  Mr. Garet-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans for such a meeting. However my right hon. Friend has on several occasions this year had the opportunity to discuss 572
  Cyprus with Turkish Ministers. These meetings have been encouraging, and their tone is reflected in the current prospects for progress in the United Nations-led talks.

  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the continued occupation of part of Cyprus by Turkish troops.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The continued presence in Cyprus of large numbers of foreign troops is not helpful to prospects for a settlement.

  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to visit Cyprus to discuss the situtation regarding the border dispute.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We give full support to the United Nations Secretary-General's efforts to bring about a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus. There are current grounds for optimism; all sides have accepted the ideas endorsed in Security Council resolution 750, and the recent round of talks by United Nations envoys went well. We have frequent contact with Cypriot Ministers and all other parties to the dispute. However, we believe it important not to undertake initiatives that could in any way cut across the delicate negotiations by United Nations envoys in Cyprus itself.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Turkish Government as to the numbers of settlers from Turkey now living in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not discussed this matter with the Government of Turkey.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to speed up the working of the joint liaison group in discussions on Hong Kong.

  Mr. Goodlad
  My right hon. Friend raised the need for a faster pace of work in the Sino-British Liaison Group in his last meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister here in March. We shall continue our efforts to achieve that at the next meeting of the group in Peking in June.

  It is also important to achieve the right agreements for Hong Kong, and to take the time necessary to secure them.

  Bosnia-Herzegovina
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken to prevent the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina whose independence he has recognised being removed by force of arms.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We fully support United Nations Security Council resolution 752 of 15 May, which called for the immediate withdrawal or disbandment of the JNA and of elements of the Croatian army currently operating in Bosnia.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans any new initiatives to help the people of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzogovina.
  573
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are working closely with our EC partners to find the most effective way to respond to the tragedy in Sarajevo. We fully support the efforts of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross which are doing their utmost to cope with a very difficult situation.

  Middle East
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the current state of the middle east peace process.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The fifth round of bilateral negotiations between the parties took place in Washington on 27 to 30 April. Although progress towards resolution of the difficult issues involved has inevitably been slow, substantive discussions are now under way. The momentum of the peace process has been maintained in the five multilateral regional working groups which have taken place in various capitals over the last three weeks.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the announcement made by the French Government on 8 April of a moratorium on nuclear testing until the end of 1992.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Government's policy on nuclear testing remains unchanged. We have a continuing requirement to sustain a minimum programme of tests to maintain the effectiveness and safety of our nuclear deterrent.

  South Africa
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the South African Government to end the visa restrictions placed upon British citizens who have taken part in anti-apartheid activities.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I understand that the South African Government are prepared to consider lifting visa restrictions on receipt of requests by the individuals concerned. The British Government have in the past made individual representations to the South African Government where visas have been refused.

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Libya.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the speech I made during the debate on the Queen's Speech on 8 May at columns 283–4.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with the constituent parts of the former Yugoslavia.
  574
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom and its EC partners recognised Slovenia and Croatia as independent sovereign states on 15 January, and Bosnia-Herzegovina on 7 April. Recognition of Macedonia has been delayed on account of Greek concerns. We reserve our position of the status of the recently self-proclaimed Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

  Brazil
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Brazilian Government about human rights.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are in regular touch with the Brazilian authorities regarding the human rights situation in Brazil.

  We are in touch with the President of the (federal) parliamentary commission on the extermination of street children and with the responsible co-ordinator in the state prosecutor's office.

  We recently invited the President of the Rio state commission on street children to visit the United Kingdom to discuss the problem.

  We have monitored the situation of rural workers and have made arrangements with the Brazilian authorities to be represented at legal proceedings where possible.

  The Brazilians have demarcated a Yanomami reserve partly as the result of international pressure, including ours.

  There will be a further opportunity to raise human rights questions when my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister meets President Collor in Rio de Janeiro later this month.

  EC Presidency
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the British presidency of the EC.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Her Majesty's Government will have two main priorities for the United Kingdom presidency: completion of the single market, with emphasis on public procurement, insurance and transport and energy liberalisation; and preparation for enlargement negotiations.

  The Government will also take forward the future finance negotiations and develop relations with eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with the Baltic states.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have good relations with the three Baltic states. We are giving them practical help towards consolidating their independence: so far, we have committed over £1 million to various projects through he know-how fund. We support Baltic demands for the complete withdrawal of former Soviet forces. We have concluded agreements with Estonia and Lithuania to settle gold and other claims questions, and hope to reach final settlement with Latvia soon.

  Israel
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Israel to discuss the peace process.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans at present to visit Israel. We are in frequent contact with the present Israeli Government on the peace process. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr. Levy, in Brussels on 11 May. I had a useful meeting with Mr. Levy in London on 1 May.

  Kurdish People
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet the United Nations Secretary-General to discuss the position of the Kurds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our permanent representative in New York is in frequent touch with the Secretary-General on this subject. Together with the Americans and the French, we have made it clear to the Iraqis that they must end repression of their own people, including the Kurds in the north and the shi'a in the south.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals there are for Gibraltar to become a separate state within the European Community; and if he will make a statement on negotiations with Spain about the future of Gibraltar.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I am not aware of any such proposals. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs plans to meet his Spanish counterpart to discuss Gibraltar later in the year, in one of the regular bilateral meetings under the Brussels negotiating process.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Alexander Zaslaysky and his family of Kiev.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Ukrainian authorities the case of refusenik Alexander Zaslaysky and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Alexander Klebanov and his family of Kuibishev.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Alexander Klebanov and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Danil Levitan and his family of St. Petersburg.
  576
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made various representations to the Russian authorities on behalf of Mr. Levitan. In Moscow in March, I raised human rights issues with the Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister, including the case of Mr. Levitan.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Sylvia Turkova and her family in St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Sylvia Turkova and her family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Alexander Segal and his family of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Alexander Segal and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Yakov Sverdlov and his family of Gorky.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Yakov Sverdlov and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Arkady Hordon and his family of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Arkady Hordon and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Boris Metrick and his family of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Boris Metrick and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Alexander Shaknovich and his family of Kiev.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Ukrainian authorities the case of refusenik Alexander Shaknovich and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Boma Mikhanovsky and his family of St. Petersburg.
  577
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Boma Mikhanovsky and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Valentin Perelstein and his family in Moscow.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Valentin Perelstein and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Vladimir Sluchak and his family of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of refusenik Vladimir Sluchak and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Antarctica
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to repeal the Antarctic Minerals Act 1989 and ratify the Antarctica environmental protocol; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Ceredigion and Pembroke, North (Mr. Dafis) on 15 May at column 239.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Education Council met on 1 June. The Tourism Council will meet on 4 June. Ministers will discuss the tourism action plan and a report on the effects of Community policies and programmes on tourism.

  The Telecommunications Council will meet on 5 June and Ministers will discuss the EC Green Paper on postal services and the action plan for the introduction of advanced TV services.

  The ECOFIN Council will meet on 9 June. The Council will discuss the Spanish economic convergence as part of its continuing exercise of multilateral surveillance and the Commission's proposals for the future financing of the Community—Delors II. The abolition of fiscal frontiers will also be discussed. Draft directives for the harmonisation of the rates and structures of excise duty on alcohol, mineral oils and tobacco products are also scheduled for discussion as are the draft VAT rates directive and the draft seventh VAT directive which relates to the sale of second-hand goods, works of art, antiques and collectors items. The proposed capital adequacy directive may also be considered.

  The Fisheries Council will meet on 9 June. Ministers will discuss a proposal for the Council regulation laying down common marketing standards for preserved tuna and bouita. It will also discuss the progress report on the establishment of a fisheries regime in the Mediterranean and consider the Commission report on discards.
  578
  The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 15 and 16 June and will discuss the Commission's proposal for the Future Financing of the Community—"Delors II package". Ministers will also discuss the necessary preparation for entry into force of the Maastricht treaty on European union. Ministers will consider preparations for the European Council and possibly progress towards establishing a European drug monitoring centre.

  Ministers are likely to discuss a range of issues on EC relations with the former Soviet Union, including follow-up to the recent conference at Lisbon on aid, and progress on new trade and co-operation agreements with the principal Commonwealth of Independent States republics. Ministers will consider communications from the Commission about the Community's relations with Iran, Japan and Maghreb; aids for Poseidom, Poseican and Poseima; developments in the negotiations on the GATT Uruguay round; and the handling of the Swiss application for EC membership. Community trade and co-operation agreements with Brazil, Mongolia and Macao may be signed.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 15 and 16 June. It will discuss wild game meat and milk products. Ministers may also discuss animal health, amendments to directives 90/425 and 89/662 and reform of the common agricultural policy.

  The Internal Market Council will meet on 18 and 19 June and will discuss extraction solvents. The Council may also consider contaminants in foodstuffs; colours in foodstuffs; sweeteners; European company statute, the second company law directive; procurement of services by the utilities; public procurement of services; consolidation of works directive; future system for free circulation of medicinal products; homeopathic and veterinary homeopathic medicinal products; medical devices; data protection; rental and lending directives; trademark regulations; second diplomas directive; two and three-wheel vehicles type approval; external projections; hallmarking; trans-European networks, and frontiers.

  The Industry Council will meet on 17 June and will discuss the financial arrangements for the European Coal and Steel Community between now and 2002. Commission communications on the automobile, aerospace and textile industries are also likely to be considered. There may also be discussion on industrial co-operation with third countries; German proposals to give aid for the restructuring of the shipbuilding industry in the former East Germany; electronics; small and medium-sized enterprises; progress of work on maritime and on non-energy mining policy and steel carbon tax.

  The Transport Council will meet on 22 and 23 June and will discuss road haulage cabotage; passenger transport cabotage; maritime cabotage and the third aviation package. Ministers may also discuss inland waterway external relations.

  The Social Affairs Council will meet on 24 June. The proposed directives on working time and the protection of pregnant workers are likely to be discussed and the proposed directive on health and safety in mines and quarries may also be discussed. The Council will discuss the directives on health and safety signs and safety on construction sites. Ministers may also consider the recommendations on financial participation; amendments to regulations 1612/68 and directive 68/360 on the free movement of workers and the convergence of social protection and sufficient resources.
  579
  The Consumer Council will meet on 29 June. It will discuss general product safety; unfair contract terms; comparative advertising; EHLASS; liability of the suppliers of services and a resolution on future priorities for consumer protection policy. Ministers may also discuss distance selling, timeshare and a rapid information exchange system.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's relations with Afghanistan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A visiting mission of British officials will be in Kabul from 2 to 5 June. Its purpose will be to establish formal and friendly contact on behalf of the British Government with the interim Government now in authority there. It expects to have meetings with leading members of the interim Government. It will also look into the question of a possible reopening of our embassy in Kabul.

WALES

  Disabled People (Housing)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by district council the number of(a) owner occupiers and private tenants and (b) council tenants who have applied in each of the last two years for the disabled facilities grant; in each category by district council, how many adaptations were carried out; what was the average time taken to complete adaptations from the time the request for adaptation was made; and what was the average amount paid by (i) applicants, (ii) district councils and (iii) central Government.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: Table 1 gives the numbers of disabled facilities grants paid to owner occupiers and types of tenants in each of the last two years. The information for 1990 contains only two quarters' data as the disabled facilities grants, paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, were only introduced in July 1990.

  The average value of grants and the average contribution from the applicant towards the cost of works is given in table 2. The figures are not held centrally by tenure. The Department provides a 75 per cent. Exchequer contribution towards local authorities' expenditure in Wales on disabled facilities grants for owner-occupiers and private tenants. Expenditure on these grants for council tenants is eligible for 100 per cent. subsidy from the housing revenue account.

  The information on the numbers of applications for grants and the average length of time from application to completion of grant is not centrally available.

  Table 1

  Numbers of completed disabled facilities grants

  Owner occupier and tenants of private sector or housing association

  Tenants of local authority, new town or the Crown

  1990

  1991

  1990

  1991

  Aberconwy

  3

  25

  —

  8

  Alyn and Deeside

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Arfon

  —

  5

  —

  —

  580

  Owner occupier and tenants of private sector or housing association

  Tenants of local authority, new town or the Crown

  1990

  1991

  1990

  1991

  Blaenau Gwent

  —

  24

  —

  —

  Brecknock

  —

  5

  —

  —

  Cardiff

  1

  91

  —

  3

  Carmarthen

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Ceredigion

  —

  8

  —

  —

  Colwyn

  3

  16

  —

  —

  Cynon Valley

  —

  11

  —

  —

  Delyn

  —

  6

  —

  1

  Dinefwr

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Dwyfor

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Glyndwr

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Islwyn

  5

  107

  4

  185

  Llanelli

  1

  32

  —

  —

  Lliw Valley

  —

  38

  —

  —

  Meirionnydd

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Merthyr Tydfil

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Monmouth

  4

  28

  —

  —

  Montgomeryshire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Neath

  —

  31

  —

  —

  Newport

  —

  25

  —

  —

  Ogwr

  2

  27

  —

  —

  Port Talbot

  —

  18

  —

  —-

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  —

  22

  —

  29

  Radnorshire

  —

  7

  —

  3

  Rhondda

  —

  55

  —

  —

  Rhuddlan

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Rhymney Valley

  1

  69

  —

  —

  South Pembrokeshire

  1

  25

  —

  —

  Swansea

  2

  90

  —

  6

  Taff-Ely

  —

  46

  —

  —

  Torfaen

  —

  5

  —

  —

  Vale of Glamorgan

  —

  31

  —

  7

  Wrexham Maelor

  —

  5

  —

  1

  Ynys Mon

  —

  9

  —

  2

  WALES

  23

  906

  4

  245

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Table 2

  Disabled Facilities Grants paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

  Average Amount Paid by Applicant(£'s)

  Average Amount of Grant (£'s)

  1990

  1991

  1990

  1991

  Aberconwy

  —

  347

  2,200

  4,874

  Alyn and Deeside

  —

  1,181

  —

  6,514

  Arfon

  —

  —

  —

  5,378

  Blaenau Gwent

  —

  99

  —

  6,215

  Brecknock

  —

  2,890

  —

  9,767

  Cardiff

  43

  374

  2,055

  10,672

  Carmarthen

  —

  —

  —

  13,559

  Ceredigion

  —

  713

  —

  9,346

  Colwyn

  2,036

  111

  830

  1,618

  Cynon Valley

  —

  427

  —

  1,947

  Delyn

  —

  —

  —

  838

  Dinefwr

  —

  505

  —

  2,107

  Dwyfor

  —

  —

  —

  6,972

  Glyndwr

  —

  52

  —

  5,701

  Islwyn

  —

  60

  1,231

  1,877

  Llanelli

  —

  183

  8,204

  3,439

  Lliw Valley

  —

  98

  —

  5,710

  Meirionnydd

  —

  196

  —

  1,532

  Merthyr Tydfil

  —

  20

  —

  3,303

  Monmouth

  —

  —

  2,473

  2,061

  Montgomeryshire

  —

  —

  —

  8,940

  Neath

  —

  379

  —

  4,829

  Newport

  —

  148

  —

  4,743

  Ogwr

  —

  183

  1,883

  3,954

  Port Talbot

  —

  298

  —

  2,358

  581

  Average Amount Paid by Applicant (£'s)

  Average Amount of Grant(£'s)

  1990

  1991

  1990

  1991

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  —

  330

  —

  3,489

  Radnorshire

  —

  —

  —

  4,640

  Rhondda

  —

  92

  —

  2,227

  Rhuddlan

  —

  77

  —

  5,277

  Rhymney Valley

  —

  231

  —

  1,804

  South Pembrokeshire

  —

  311

  3,855

  5,136

  Swansea

  958

  102

  2,142

  3,461

  Taff-Ely

  —

  131

  —

  2,864

  Torfaen

  —

  112

  —

  8,396

  Vale of Glamorgan

  —

  221

  —

  3,510

  Wrexham Maelor

  —

  341

  —

  4,155

  Ynys Mon

  —

  —

  —

  5,440

  Wales

  2,988

  185

  1,979

  3,837

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by district council, the number of applications made for adaptations to the homes of disabled people in each of the last five years; how many adaptations were carried out in each year; and what was the average length of time to complete adaptations from the request for an adaptation to be made to its conclusion.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The numbers of grants completed for disabled people under the Housing Act 1985 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, introduced in April 1990, are given in table 1. Local authorities also perform adaptations on their own stock to provide dwellings suitable for the disabled. Table 2 contains this information.

  Information on the numbers of applications for grants and the average length of time from application to completion of grant is not centrally available.

  Table 1

  Numbers of grants paid to disabled people under the Housing Act 1985 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Aberconwy

  13

  76

  38

  54

  40

  Alyn and Deeside

  31

  54

  26

  33

  17

  Arfon

  54

  64

  61

  35

  15

  Blaenau Gwent

  —

  15

  26

  76

  29

  Brecknock

  —

  —

  —

  2

  5

  Cardiff

  288

  395

  361

  334

  245

  Carmarthen

  44

  33

  37

  33

  9

  Ceredigion

  40

  39

  49

  55

  28

  Colwyn

  24

  93

  146

  222

  19

  Cynon Valley

  53

  43

  29

  22

  19

  Delyn

  25

  31

  29

  22

  11

  Dinefwr

  26

  20

  19

  28

  26

  Dwyfor

  6

  10

  11

  14

  4

  Glyndwr

  20

  19

  20

  27

  14

  Islwyn

  442

  555

  622

  507

  328

  Llanelli

  23

  81

  39

  135

  45

  Lliw Valley

  105

  85

  112

  128

  61

  Meirionnydd

  19

  12

  15

  18

  7

  Merthyr Tydfil

  12

  14

  10

  6

  9

  Monmouth

  21

  70

  57

  47

  32

  Montgomeryshire

  13

  25

  35

  27

  2

  Neath

  —

  27

  69

  62

  35

  Newport

  123

  156

  109

  149

  38

  Ogwr

  96

  96

  95

  161

  54

  Port Talbot

  21

  33

  22

  86

  31

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  68

  108

  212

  246

  87

  Radnorshire

  1

  —

  1

  2

  10

  Rhondda

  40

  26

  32

  12

  55

  Rhuddlan

  31

  16

  17

  9

  7

  Rhymney Valley

  59

  43

  88

  114

  81

  South Pembrokeshire

  34

  24

  68

  68

  31

  Swansea

  213

  175

  252

  307

  154

  582

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Taff-Ely

  73

  70

  76

  99

  51

  Torfaen

  176

  61

  74

  95

  41

  Vale of Glamorgan

  84

  69

  79

  109

  66

  Wrexham Maelor

  1

  1

  2

  —

  6

  Ynys Mon

  46

  48

  55

  41

  19

  Wales

  2,325

  2,687

  2,993

  3,385

  1,731

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Table 2

  Adaptations by local authorities for disabled people

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Aberconwy

  5

  9

  19

  21

  39

  Alyn and Deeside

  28

  11

  —

  7

  8

  Arfon

  1

  1

  5

  —

  3

  Blaenau Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Brecknock

  23

  26

  12

  41

  49

  Cardiff

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Carmarthen

  83

  50

  44

  54

  47

  Ceredigion

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Colwyn

  60

  74

  75

  56

  153

  Cynon Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Delyn

  55

  45

  10

  —

  14

  Dinefwr

  38

  37

  1

  —

  14

  Dwyfor

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Glyndwr

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Islwyn

  —

  —

  —

  195

  296

  Llanelli

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lliw Valley

  131

  137

  105

  169

  155

  Meirionnydd

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merthyr Tydfil

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Monmouth

  —

  —

  —

  33

  —

  Montgomeryshire

  1

  28

  18

  12

  90

  Neath

  28

  43

  59

  121

  103

  Newport

  340

  396

  320

  161

  192

  Ogwr

  9

  27

  35

  34

  18

  Port Talbot

  132

  38

  265

  157

  91

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  36

  20

  32

  27

  61

  Radnorshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Rhondda

  180

  261

  242

  221

  343

  Rhuddlan

  —

  —

  11

  2

  —

  Rhymney Valley

  —

  —

  —

  230

  521

  South Pembrokeshire

  109

  122

  109

  103

  96

  Swansea

  983

  939

  378

  309

  505

  Taff-Ely

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Torfaen

  501

  590

  729

  699

  487

  Vale of Glamorgan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  56

  Wrexham Maelor

  68

  39

  31

  55

  101

  Ynys Mon

  9

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Wales

  2,820

  2,898

  2,501

  2,708

  3,438

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by district council, the amount of money spent on adaptations to the homes of disabled people in each of the last five years; and what contribution was made towards these costs from central Government funds.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The amounts of grant paid to disabled people under the Housing Act 1985 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, introduced in April 1990, are given in the table. In addition to expenditure through grants, local authorities and social services spend money adapting dwellings for disabled people. This information is not centrally available.

  Because the support arrangements in Wales and England are similar, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the

  583
  reply given to him on 2 June by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Amounts of Grants Paid to Disabled People under the Housing Act 1985 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

  Amounts (£000's)

  1985 Act

  1989 Act

  Totals

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1990

  1991

  1990

  1991

  Aberconwy

  24

  108

  84

  57

  5

  7

  166

  63

  170

  Alyn and Deeside

  67

  94

  52

  69

  27

  —

  46

  69

  72

  Arfon

  200

  227

  230

  157

  65

  —

  27

  157

  91

  Blaenau Gwent

  —

  24

  34

  220

  13

  —

  149

  220

  162

  Brecknock

  —

  —

  —

  8

  —

  —

  49

  8

  49

  Cardiff

  527

  848

  822

  982

  458

  2

  1,014

  984

  1,471

  Carmarthen

  115

  82

  113

  81

  28

  —

  41

  81

  69

  Ceredigion

  94

  98

  147

  172

  104

  —

  75

  172

  178

  Colwyn

  83

  111

  127

  162

  4

  2

  26

  164

  30

  Cynon Valley

  68

  90

  497

  48

  10

  —

  21

  48

  32

  Delyn

  54

  79

  65

  62

  28

  —

  6

  62

  33

  Dinefwr

  48

  27

  35

  86

  83

  —

  15

  86

  98

  Dwyfor

  14

  44

  38

  57

  1

  —

  21

  57

  22

  Glyndwr

  36

  40

  32

  93

  17

  —

  46

  93

  63

  Islwyn

  552

  740

  826

  642

  42

  11

  572

  654

  615

  Llanelli

  35

  133

  57

  200

  38

  8

  110

  209

  148

  Lliw Valley

  212

  190

  247

  339

  117

  —

  217

  339

  334

  Meirionnydd

  19

  14

  18

  52

  21

  —

  3

  52

  24

  Merthyr Tydfil

  24

  38

  40

  28

  22

  —

  23

  28

  46

  Monmouth

  41

  71

  77

  73

  9

  10

  58

  83

  67

  Montgomeryshire

  27

  53

  101

  39

  —

  —

  18

  39

  18

  Neath

  —

  58

  115

  109

  15

  —

  150

  109

  164

  Newport

  215

  334

  110

  224

  65

  —

  119

  224

  184

  Ogwr

  123

  116

  154

  364

  118

  4

  107

  368

  225

  Port Talbot

  26

  45

  34

  115

  19

  —

  42

  115

  62

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  227

  290

  412

  560

  155

  —

  178

  560

  333

  Radnorshire

  2

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  46

  2

  46

  Rhondda

  100

  99

  95

  48

  —

  —

  123

  48

  123

  Rhuddlan

  37

  35

  42

  16

  —

  —

  37

  16

  37

  Rhymney Valley

  75

  51

  135

  169

  36

  1

  125

  170

  161

  South Pembrokeshire

  81

  51

  184

  113

  25

  4

  128

  117

  153

  Swansea

  880

  797

  1,334

  1,494

  307

  4

  332

  1,498

  639

  Taff-Ely

  68

  64

  58

  109

  19

  —

  132

  109

  151

  Torfaen

  335

  190

  193

  319

  181

  —

  42

  319

  223

  Vale of Glamorgan

  218

  134

  223

  336

  84

  —

  154

  336

  239

  Wrexham Maelor

  1

  1

  4

  —

  —

  —

  25

  —

  25

  Ynys Mon

  153

  112

  141

  139

  35

  —

  60

  139

  95

  Wales

  4,778

  5,488

  6,878

  7,747

  2,150

  53

  4,501

  7,800

  6,651

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Photo-Indentity Passes
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list each type of parliamentary photo-identity pass and the number currently issued of each type.

  Mr. Beith
  It is not considered desirable to publish detailed information about the security pass system. If the hon. Member has any matter of specific concern he should consult the Serjeant at Arms.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission (1) what percentage of the total work force employed by the House of Commons Commission is registered as disabled; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within the House; and if he will make a statement;
  584
  (2) if he has any plans to implement additional measures to encourage the employment of disabled people in the House; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  The number of registered disabled persons employed by the Commission represents 0·7 per cent. of the total House of Commons staff. That figure does not include registered disabled persons employed by Members or by organisations in the House for which the Commission does not at present have responsibility.

  The Commission's policy on the employment of disabled persons is based on the policy set out in the Commission's fourth annual report for 1981–82 (HC 418, Session 1981–82). The Commission has appointed a disabled persons officer who is responsible for promulgating the Commission's policy on the employment of disabled people and for advising management and staff on matters concerning disablement. He keeps up to date with civil service policy on disablement and from time to time arranges seminars for departmental management with organisations concerned with disabled people.

  Implementation of the Commission's policy is effected through a number of practical measures:

  585

  (1) All press advertisements for vacancies in the House of Commons Service bear the legend "Applications from Registered Disabled Persons are welcomed".

  (2) information is given to applicants for House of Commons vacancies which makes it clear that disablement in itself is not a bar to employment provided the disability does not prevent the postholder from satisfactorily carrying out the duties of the post.

  (3) Management will provide special equipment, appliances, etc. to assist disabled staff in carrying out their duties.

  (4) Provided registered disabled applicants for House of Commons posts have the qualifications and experience called for in recruitment literature, they will be called to interview unless it is clear from their application form that their disability would prevent them from satisfactorily carrying out the duties of the post.

  (5) An unestablished (health) appointment may be offered in cases where there is a doubt as to whether a candidate can meet the House of Commons Service health standard. This provides a period of employment for up to five years in which a candidate's health can he reviewed prior to a final decision being taken on whether he/she satisfies the health standard required for permanent appointments.

  (6) Registered disabled persons who do not possess the academic qualifications specified for certain clerical posts may opt to take the clerical tests as a means of providing evidence that their general level of education is adequate to meet the needs of the post.

SCOTLAND

  Housing Co-operatives
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he takes to ensure that the housing co-operative sector is fully consulted on matters which concern it; and if he wil make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Housing co-operatives are represented by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Confederation of Scottish Housing Co-operatives, a forum within the federation. Scottish Homes consults regularly with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made to expand the number of housing co-operatives and other tenant-led initiatives in Scotland and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend is committed to supporting housing co-operatives and other tenant-led initiatives since they give tenants a greater say in the management of their housing. This commitment has been demonstrated through the substantial resources devoted to the finance of housing associations and housing co-operatives since 1979, particularly since the establishment of Scottish Homes in 1989. Since 1 April 1989, housing co-operatives have totalled 40 per cent. of new housing association registrations and now represent 16 per cent. of registered housing associations compared to 11 per cent. in 1989.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure that the housing co-operative sector is represented on the board of Scottish Homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  All members of the Scottish Homes board are appointed for their potential personal contribution and not as representatives of 586
  particular sectional, geographical or political interests. The present board has a mix of expertise and, in considering future appointments, my right hon. Friend's aim will be to achieve the mix appropriate to Scottish Homes' needs at the time. The housing co-operative sector may well contain potential candidates for the board but they will be considered on their merits as individuals, not as representatives of that sector.

  Urban Aid
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of programmes and projects receiving urban aid in the current financial year, the capital and annual revenue value of each, the sponsoring organisation and the date that each commenced and is due to terminate.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am arranging for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the amount of urban aid finance, both in terms of capital and revenue expenditure, awarded to each area of priority treatment in Strathclyde on a per capita basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Information is not held in the form requested. Inquiries are being made as to whether it can be produced without disproportionate cost and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of persons registered in Scotland on(a) an electoral register and (b) community charge register.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  OPCS Monitor (EL 92/1) published on 2 April 1992 shows the total number of parliamentary electors in Scotland, including attainers, service voters and voluntary patients, on the 1992 electoral registers as 3,929,112. The publication date for the registers is 16 February 1992. The total number of persons on the community charge register in Scotland, as at 1 June 1991 was 3,834,276.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will mount a major campaign to promote electoral registration in conjunction with local authorities in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the significant sums currently spent on publicity for electoral registration purposes represent good value for money. For 1992–93 the campaign budget for electoral registration publicity is £48,000.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will announce the membership of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what guidance he intends to issue to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council on the exercise of its functions.
  587
  Mr. Lang
  I am pleased to confirm that Professor John C. Shaw CBE, deputy governor of the Bank of Scotland has accepted formal appointment as part-time chairman of the council with immediate effect. I am grateful to Professor Shaw for the considerable efforts he has already made in his capacity as chairman designate. I have today sent a letter of guidance to Professor Shaw setting out how I expect the council to approach its responsibilities. The letter covers the council's functions and organisation, aspects of Government policy of particular relevance to the council, and the framework through which the council will account for their activities. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

  I am also delighted to announce that Professor John Sizer CBE, the head of the business school and professor of financial management at Loughborough university, has agreed to serve as the council's chief executive. Professor Sizer will also sit on the council in an ex officio capacity.

  In addition to Professor Shaw and Professor Sizer, the following have agreed to accept appointment to the council:

  Professor Michael Bond, vice-principal and administrative dean of the faculty of medicine, university of Glasgow.

  Dr. Christopher Carter, vice-principal, Duncan of Jordanstone college of art.

  Professor John Darby, Assistant principal, Napier polytechnic.

  Professor Robert Jack CBE, senior partner, McGrigor Donald, solicitors, and professor of mercantile law, university of Glasgow.

  Mr. John McClelland, UK director of manufacturing and hardware at IBM.

  Mr. Ronald Miller CBE, executive chairman of Dawson International.

  Miss Eileen Murdoch OBE, headmistress, St. Augustine's school, Edinburgh.

  Professor Janet Sprent, professor of plant biology, university of Dundee.

  Mr. Ian Wood CBE, chairman and managing director of the John Wood Group plc.

  Mr. James Wright, vice chancellor, university of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

  I am confident we have achieved an excellent blend of academic, industrial and professional experience which will serve the new council well in the exciting and important tasks which lie ahead.

SCOTLAND

  Management Agreements
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the management agreements entered into under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each year since 1982; and if he will give, in each case, the types of development which have been proposed by the landowner, and are prohibited under the agreement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 May 1992]: The information is not held by the Scottish Office environment department. I shall ask Scottish Natural Heritage to write to the hon. Member.

  Forestry Commission Land
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the criteria used by the Forestry Commission when choosing plantation and plantable land for sale; whether particular land has been designated which will not be sold; and if he will make a statement.
  588
  Sir Hector Monro
  The Forestry Commission follows the guidelines on the selection of areas for disposal set out by the then Secretary of State for Scotland, Mr. George Younger, in a letter to the Forestry Commission chairman dated 28 May 1981. This letter was reproduced at appendix V of the commission's 1981–82 annual report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites where(a) access agreements have been reached and (b) are being negotiated following the sale of Forestry Commission land in each county or Scottish region in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: Where access agreements are negotiated and agreed, this is done before the sale of the woodland.

  One access agreement has been agreed for land at Steam Mills in Gloucestershire.

  Fourteen access agreements are currently being negotiated in Devon, East Sussex, Humberside, North Yorkshire. Somerset (two), West Sussex, Dyfed (five), Gwent and West Glamorgan. It would not be appropriate to list the particular sites while these negotiations are in progress.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount has been received by Her Majesty's Government from sale of Forestry Commission land; what is his current estimate of total receipts from the disposal of Forestry Commission land; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: A total of f1615 million was raised from the sale of Forestry Commission land and property between 1981 and 3I March 1992. Estimates of receipts from such sales for the three years to 31 March 1995 have been published in the Government's Expenditure Plans 1992–93 to 1994–95 (Cm 1915), as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  15·0

  1993–94

  16·0

  1994–95

  16·0

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and if he will give an estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The running costs of the Scottish Office information directorate for each year from 1985–86 are as follows:

  £ million

  1985–86

  0·9

  1986–87

  1·0

  1987–88

  1·1

  1988–89

  1·2

  1989–90

  1·4

  1990–91

  1·7

  1991–92

  1·9

  1992–93

  12·0

  1 Estimate.

  589
  These figures exclude expenditure on information campaigns

  Directly comparable figures for years prior to the introduction of new Scottish Office budgetary arrangements in 1985–86 are not available.

  Consultants' Fees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 7 May 1991 at column 421. Additional information for the years 1991–92 and 1992–93 is as follows:

  £ million

  1991–92

  11,235,070

  1992–93

  2956,669

  1 Outturn

  2 Estimated figure

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of birds of prey that have been killed by persons in each year since 1987.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The numbers of birds of prey recorded as having been poisoned in Scotland are:

  Number

  1987

  11

  1988

  12

  1989

  16

  1990

  17

  1991

  12

  Information about numbers of birds of prey killed in other ways is not available centrally.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: I shall place a list of surveys in the Library as soon as possible.

  Urban Aid Grants
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he applies when considering applications for urban aid grants; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Following a review of the urban programme new guidelines were published on 20 February 1992 aimed at strengthening its impact. These included the revised eligibility and priority criteria which will apply to future
  590
  applications for funding under the urban programme. A copy of the guidelines has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Health Service Trusts
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what consultations he intends to carry out with local people regarding applications by hospitals and services for trust status within the Argyll and Clyde health board; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he plans to consider any formal expressions of interest in trust status from hospitals or services with Argyll and Clyde health board; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many formal expressions of interest in applying for trust status have been received from hospitals or services within the Argyll and Clyde health board area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: A formal expression of interest in NHS trust status has been made on behalf of staff at the Royal Alexandra hospital, Paisley. Any application which results will be subject to the statutory three months' public consultation.

  Community Policing
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the chief constable of Strathclyde to discuss community policing; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. Deployment of police officers is a matter for the chief constable within the overall resources available to him. I am sure that the chief constable will have noted the comment of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, in his recent report on Strathclyde police, commending the steps taken by the force to promote community policing, and underlining the need for every effort to be made to maintain and expand such policing. What can be achieved depends in part on the resources made available by the police authority.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was granted to farmers in Scotland through the ESA scheme in 1990–91.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Approximately £967,000 was paid in 1990–91 to farmers and crofters in connection with the ESA scheme in Scotland.

  Industrial and Commercial Co-operatives
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures are in place to assist the development of industrial and commercial co-operatives; what plans he has to amend these; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: About £200,000 per annum is paid currently from the urban programme to five workers' co-operative development projects in deprived urban areas of

  591
  Strathclyde and Fife regions. Under the new urban programme guidelines issued in February, applications for funding other such projects can still be made.

  Renfrewshire Enterprise
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of Renfrewshire Enterprise's 1992–93 budget for(a) capital and (b) revenue expenditure was legally committed on 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 2 March 1992, Official Report, column 69.

  Scottish Enterprise
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the Scottish Office contribution to(a) the capital and (b) the revenue budgets of each Scottish Enterprise company for 1991 to 1993 on a per capita basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The allocation of resources to local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Trees
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those species of tree which currently provide a significant proportion of tree cover in the United Kingdom, estimating for each species what proportion of tree cover is provided; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The proportion of each tree species in United Kingdom woodlands are as follows:

  Species

  Tree cover percentage

  Broadleaves

  Oak

  8

  Birch

  6

  Ash

  3

  Beech

  3

  Sycamore

  3

  Other broadleaves

  9

  Conifers

  Sitka spruce

  33

  Scots pine

  10

  Lodgepole pine

  7

  Larch

  7

  Norway spruce

  4

  Other conifers

  7

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage area of Britain is covered by forest and woodland currently; and what is his forecast for the year 2000.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Some 10·3 per cent. of Britain is currently covered by forest and woodland. This is expected to increase to about 11 per cent. by the year 2000.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total acreage in each county of evergreen forest and deciduous forest for each of the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.
  592
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The latest year for which information is available on areas of woodland by county is 1980. This is given in Forestry Commission Bulletin 63, Census of Woodlands and Trees 1979–82, a copy of which is in the Library.

  This information is not available for any other period in the last 15 years, but the total areas of woodland by country, divided between conifers and broadleaves, has been published each year by the Forestry Commission in "Forestry Facts and Figures". These figures are given in the table.

  Thousand hectares

  Conifers

  Broadleaves

  Other woodland1

  Total

  England

  1977

  401

  324

  180

  905

  1978

  404

  323

  173

  900

  1979

  405

  323

  172

  900

  1980

  407

  322

  171

  900

  1981

  408

  322

  170

  900

  1982

  407

  324

  169

  900

  21983

  395

  458

  91

  944

  1984

  397

  458

  90

  945

  1985

  395

  460

  90

  945

  1986

  395

  461

  90

  946

  1987

  396

  464

  90

  950

  1988

  393

  467

  90

  950

  1989

  395

  468

  90

  953

  31990

  386

  469

  103

  958

  1991

  385

  471

  102

  958

  Scotland

  1977

  728

  39

  92

  859

  1978

  743

  39

  85

  867

  1979

  760

  39

  84

  883

  1980

  781

  39

  84

  904

  1981

  798

  39

  84

  921

  1982

  818

  39

  83

  940

  21983

  831

  76

  71

  978

  1984

  853

  76

  71

  1,000

  1985

  871

  76

  70

  1,017

  1986

  891

  77

  70

  1,038

  1987

  918

  78

  71

  1,067

  1988

  937

  78

  72

  1,087

  1989

  956

  79

  72

  1,107

  31990

  956

  83

  81

  1,120

  1991

  962

  87

  82

  1,131

  Wales

  1977

  164

  33

  33

  230

  1978

  165

  33

  32

  230

  1979

  166

  33

  32

  231

  1980

  167

  33

  32

  232

  1981

  169

  33

  31

  233

  1982

  170

  33

  32

  235

  21983

  172

  61

  10

  243

  1984

  173

  61

  10

  244

  1985

  174

  61

  10

  245

  1986

  175

  61

  10

  246

  1987

  176

  62

  10

  248

  1988

  175

  62

  11

  248

  1989

  175

  62

  10

  247

  31990

  173

  63

  12

  248

  1991

  172

  63

  12

  247

  1 Other woodland consists of scrub, felled woodland and other areas managed chiefly for amenity and public recreation.

  2 The figures for 1983 and subsequent years are based on the Census of Woodlands and Trees, 1979–82. This resulted in a significant reclassification of forest land.

  1 In 1990, 25,000 hectares of Forestry Commission woodland were reclassified as other woodland.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of(a) deciduous and

  593
  (b) evergreen trees planted in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years; and if he will give his estimate of the number felled.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: No record is kept of the number of trees planted, although an estimate can be made from the areas of conifers and broadleaves planted or grant-aided by the Forestry Commission over the last 10 years. These are as follows:

  Year ended 31 March

  Area planted (thousands hectares)

  Estimated numbers planted (millions)

  conifers

  broadleaves

  conifers

  broadleaves

  1982

  31

  1

  78

  1

  1983

  29

  2

  73

  2

  1984

  33

  2

  83

  2

  1985

  28

  2

  70

  2

  1986

  32

  3

  80

  3

  1987

  33

  4

  83

  5

  1988

  36

  6

  90

  7

  1989

  37

  6

  91

  7

  1990

  24

  10

  59

  11

  1991

  22

  11

  56

  12

  Information is available on the volume of timber felled each year, but it is not possible to convert this into an estimate of the number of trees felled. However, when granting permission for tree felling the Forestry Commission normally requires that the trees are replaced.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to use market instruments to encourage preservation and planting of native wildwoods in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: In accordance with the Government's policy, the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme offers grants to private owners for the management and extension of native woodlands. Management grants were introduced from 1 April this year and include a special rate for ancient and semi-natural woodlands.

  Johnstone Clinic
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the new Johnstone clinic to open; what services it will provide to the local community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The position remains as set out in replies to the hon. Member of 13 February and 22 October 1991. The clinic will open this summer and will provide the following services.

  Audiology

  Family planning

  Ante natal

  Family psychology

  Child health

  Hearing tests

  Child physiotherapy

  Menopause clinic

  Adult physiotherapy

  Mother craft

  Chiropody

  Orthoptics

  Coronary screening

  Psychiatry

  Cytology

  Speech therapy

  Dental

  Ear, nose and throat

  Housing Revenue Account Allocations
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to announce supplementary housing revenue account allocations or additional capital consent for district councils within the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.
  594
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Yes. Supplementary housing capital allocations will be made later in the year to authorities incurring expenditure under the provisions for assistance to owners of defective housing in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. Other supplementary housing capital allocations will be considered if resources become available. In addition, councils in former coal-mining areas eligible to receive RECHAR grants have been advised that non-housing supplementary consents will be issued matching RECHAR receipts from the European Commission.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to develop the role of housing associations and housing co-operatives; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: My right hon. Friend's commitment to the development of housing associations as the main provider of new social rented housing has been demonstrated through the substantial resources allocated to Scottish Homes and, before 1989, to one of its predecessor bodies, the Housing Corporation in Scotland. As a result of this commitment it was recently possible to celebrate the opening of the 50,000th grant-aided housing association unit in Scotland.

  My right hon. Friend is committed to giving tenants a greater say in the management of their own housing. The continued development of housing associations and co-operatives will play an important role in achieving that objective. Over £200 million of Scottish Homes' total programme of £333 million will go to housing associations and co-operatives in 1992–93.

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the chairman of Argyll and Clyde health board to discuss the provision of health services in that area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: My noble and learned Friend Lord Fraser meets health board chairmen on a regular basis to discuss the provision of health services in Scotland. The next meeting is scheduled for 10 July 1992.

  Court Administration
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to review court administration procedures with a view to improving the utilisation of court time and police resources; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The programming of business in the courts is a responsibility of the judicial heads of these courts and not of the Executive. Programming in the sheriff courts is at present being reviewed by groups under the chairmanship of Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson QC and Sheriff Graham Cox, and we await the outcome with interest.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each local enterprise company area, or other feasible sub-regional classification, in Scotland, and for Scotland and Great Britain as a whole, for the latest available period, the number and proportion of

  Employment training leavers: August 1990 to July 19911Current activity 3 months after leaving

  Local enterprise company

  (A) Self-employed(including EAS)

  (B) Jobclub

  (C) Unemployed claiming benefit

  (D) Unemployed not claiming benefit

  Enterprise Ayrshire Ltd.

  3

  2

  59

  5

  Dunbartonshire Enterprise

  6

  2

  47

  6

  Dumfries and Galloway Enterprise

  9

  3

  47

  6

  Glasgow Development Agency

  2

  4

  59

  3

  Lanarkshire Development Agency

  4

  3

  54

  5

  Renfrewshire Enterprise

  1

  4

  51

  5

  Scotland

  5

  3

  52

  5

  Great Britain2

  6

  3

  51

  6

  (E) Other

  Local enterprise company

  Full time job: work experience provider

  Full time job: other employer

  Voluntary work

  Part time job (under 30 HPW)

  Other government training programme

  Full time education/training

  Something else

  Enterprise Ayrshire Ltd.

  7

  12

  2

  6

  1

  2

  2

  Dunhartonshire Enterprise

  7

  17

  2

  6

  1

  1

  5

  Dumfries and Galloway Enterprise

  8

  10

  3

  7

  —

  3

  4

  Glasgow Development Agency

  7

  12

  2

  4

  2

  2

  2

  Lanarkshire Development Agency

  8

  12

  4

  4

  1

  2

  3

  Renfrewshire Enterprise

  12

  14

  2

  5

  1

  2

  3

  Scottish Enterprise Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  —

  Scotland

  9

  12

  3

  6

  1

  3

  3

  Great Britain=

  7

  12

  3

  7

  1

  2

  3

  All figures are percentages; and totals may not sum to 100 because of roundings.

  1 August-December 1990 leavers followed up after 3 months, January-July 1991 after 6 months.

  2Includes records not identified to a particular area.

  Training
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each local enterprise company area in Scotland and for Scotland and Great Britain as a whole, for the latest available period, the qualifications gained by employment training trainees, and any credits towards qualifications.

  Vocational qualification and level achieved

  March 1992

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  Local enterprise company

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  Argyll and Islands Enterprise

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Inverness and Nairn Enterprise

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  8

  5

  —

  Orkney Enterprise

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  Ross and Cromarty Enterprise

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  —

  —

  Western Isles Enterprise

  1

  —

  —

  —

  26

  24

  7

  —

  Enterprise Ayrshire Ltd.

  43

  7

  —

  —

  227

  79

  35

  0

  Forth Valley Enterprise

  8

  16

  2

  —

  83

  163

  20

  25

  Dunbartonshire Enterprise

  3

  1

  —

  —

  117

  26

  —

  10

  Dumfries and Galloway Enterprise

  7

  —

  —

  —

  82

  12

  —

  —

  Fife Enterprise

  —

  4

  —

  —

  20

  25

  9

  —

  Glasgow Development Agency

  158

  62

  5

  —

  755

  258

  67

  —

  Grampian Enterprise

  5

  —

  —

  —

  5

  4

  8

  —

  Lanarkshire Development Agency

  30

  —

  —

  —

  405

  44

  36

  —

  Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise

  6

  15

  1

  —

  90

  105

  71

  —

  Renfrewshire Enterprise

  38

  23

  —

  —

  397

  124

  4

  —

  Scottish Enterprise Tayside

  3

  —

  —

  —

  138

  36

  34

  —

  Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise

  —

  —

  —

  —

  30

  19

  1

  —

  596
  employment training ex-trainees who were (a) self-employed, (b) in a job club, (c) unemployed and claiming benefit, (d) unemployed and not claiming benefit, and (e) other.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The information, disaggregated by local enterprise company area in those cases where sufficient information is available, is set out in the table.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The figures shown in the table list the full vocational qualifications gained by employment training trainees within each local enterprise company area and for Scotland as a whole both during March 1992 and over the full year (1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992). Information is not collected in this form on credits gained towards vocational qualifications.
  597

  March 1992

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  Local enterprise company

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  Scotland

  302

  128

  10

  —

  2,385

  936

  297

  35

  The most reliable information for Great Britain as a whole is available on a different basis. The relevant figures, expressed in percentage terms, are:

  Per cent.

  Worked for qualification or credit

  45

  Gained qualification or credit

  30

  Not gained qualification or credit

  12

  Awaiting results

  3

  Completed agreed training

  49

  Debt Payment
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what distribution has taken place within his Department and the purchasing organisations for which he has responsibility of the Department of Employment's publication "Making the Cash Flow—a Guide to the Payment of Commercial Debt for Buyers and Small Business Suppliers".

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: "Making the Cash Flow" was prepared as guidance for the private sector and there was therefore no formal distribution to other Government Departments. Guidelines on purchasing by Government Departments already exist and are distributed by Her Majesty's Treasury.

  The Department of Employment has been undertaking a survey of the payment record of Government Departments during the financial year 1991–92 and the results of this exercise will be published in the near future by the Department of Trade and Industry, which now has responsibility for small firm issues, including late payment. After studying these results the Department will consider what further measures, if any, may be necessary to encourage prompt payment by the public sector.

  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what policy guidelines are currently in place within his Department and the purchasing organisations for which he has responsibility in respect of the prompt payment of commercial debt, particularly as it relates to small business suppliers.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Government Departments, including their executive agencies, are required to pay their bills promptly. The timing of payment should normally be stipulated in Government contracts. Where there is no contractual position or other understanding, Departments should pay within 30 days of receipt of goods/services or the presentation of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment. whichever is the later.

  To help encourage prompt payment of bills by Government contractors to their sub-contractors all
  598
  Government contracts are to contain a clause requiring the supplier or contractor to pay its sub contractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract or other special circumstances, the commitment should be to pay the sub-contractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.

  A7
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to commence the study he recently undertook to conduct into the potential economic impact on local retailers of the proposal to re-route the A7 through the town of Hawick avoiding North Bridge street; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: 1 expect the commission to be awarded and the assessment to begin before the end of June.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now authorise the Borders road authority to undertake the necessary preparatory work to enable the Colterscleuch stretch of the A7 to be improved along the existing line of the road at the earliest possible date; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: Borders regional council has already been commissioned to prepare an appropriate scheme to improve the A7 at Colterscleuch. The brief involves comparative analyses of potential improvements both along the existing alignment and on a new alignment so that the optimum scheme can be identified. Design work is proceeding on both these options in parallel and good progress is being made. It is anticipated that a preferred scheme can be chosen and fully designed by spring next year.

  Completion of statutory procedures, including resolution or determination of any objections, and the availability of finance, will, of course, influence when construction can start.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give separate figures for the spending by his Department on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his latest estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The figures for 1988–89 to 1991–92 were:
  599

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  Television advertising

  576,000

  974,000

  741,000

  556,000

  Radio advertising

  40,000

  85,000

  188,000

  141,000

  Newspaper advertising

  378,000

  1,022,000

  613,000

  853,000

  Other promotional material

  933,000

  1,001,000

  1,098,000

  799,000

  An analysis for 1979–80 to 1987–88 is not available in the form requested.

  Detailed decisions on expenditure by media for 1992–93 have not yet been taken.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of three and four-year-old children were receiving nursery education at local authority maintained nursery schools in each education authority area in Scotland during the present academic year, or at the latest date for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The information requested is as follows:

  Regional education authority

  No. of three and four-year-olds receiving nursery education1

  Percentage of three and four-year-olds population in region2

  Borders

  484

  20·1

  Central

  2,733

  41·4

  Dumfries and Galloway

  825

  23·3

  Fife

  4,552

  49·4

  Grampian

  3,867

  29·8

  Highland

  835

  15·5

  Lothian

  8,709

  47·3

  Strathclyde

  18,799

  30·7

  Tayside

  3,357

  34·6

  Orkney

  89

  17·8

  Shetland

  238

  35·7

  Western Isels

  —

  —

  Scotland total

  44,488

  33·9

  1 As at September 1991.

  2Based On the latest available estimates of the three and four-year-old population at mid-1990.

  A1
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for improvements to the A I trunk road in East Lothian, giving the timetable, route and cost for dualling the sections between Bankton and Amisfield and onwards to Dunbar.
  600
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: I am pleased to announce that the draft enabling orders and scheme for reclassifying, as a special road, the section of existing dual carriageway between old Craighall roundabout and Tranent and for extending the special road by dualling the A1 between Tranent and east of Haddington were published last Friday, 29 May 1992. A public exhibition of the proposals is being held locally from today until Thursday. The alignment of the route is defined in the draft instruments, copies of which have been deposited in several public buildings along the route for public inspection. The proposed route of the new road follows a line to the north of Gladsmuir and to the north of Haddington. The estimated cost of the scheme is £36 million.

  Although the route proposed has been carefully selected the reaction to it may influence the timetable for concluding the necessary statutory procedures. As announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 5 March 1992, subject to good progress with these procedures, development of the design should enable a start to works in the period 1993–94 to 1994–95 as announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 5 March 1992.

  Preparation work for the more easterly section from east of Haddington to Dunbar is also under way, following the published section by approximately 12 months. No decisions have yet been taken on a proposed alignment of that section.

  Fish Farming
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to take to assist the fish farming industry following the expiry of the EC minimum import price regulations on 31 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: My officials have had discussions with the two salmon farmers' associations about ideas to restore stability to the EC market for salmon, including the establishment of producer organisations. We expect detailed proposals from the industry very shortly.

  NO. 2 MARSHAM STREET
  NO. 2 MARSHAM STREET
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 26th MAY
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 26th MAY
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT: POLICY GUIDANCE
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT: POLICY GUIDANCE
  CANARY WHARF: GRANTS
  CANARY WHARF: GRANTS
  MARKHAM GAS FIELD: TREATY
  MARKHAM GAS FIELD: TREATY
  REFERENCES TO THE MMC: GOVERNMENT POLICY
  REFERENCES TO THE MMC: GOVERNMENT POLICY
  LAND-MINE CLEARANCE PROGRAMMES
  LAND-MINE CLEARANCE PROGRAMMES