Written Answers of 5 June 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Remand Prisoners (Plymouth)
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends taking following the escape of six remand prisoners from the remand centre at Crownhill police station, Plymouth, on 29 May.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Responsibility for the security of police facilities used to hold remand prisoners lies with the chief officer of police concerned. I understand that the Devon and Cornwall constabulary is enquiring into the circumstances of the escape and reviewing the relevant security arrangements.

  Crime, North Yorkshire
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will describe what action he proposes to take to combat crime in north Yorkshire.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1992 c. 730]: In answering the hon. Member's supplementary question to the above question, I passed on information which I now know to have been inaccurate. The average annual rate of increase in recorded crime in the North Yorkshire police area between 1974 and 1979 was 1·5 per cent. and between 1979 and 1991 7·8 per cent. I apologise to the hon. Member for any inconvenience caused by the earlier inaccurate information.

EMPLOYMENT

  Benefit Disqualifications
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many unemployed people were disqualified for unemployment benefit and for what periods, under each paragraph of section 20(1) of the Social Security Act 1975, in the area covered by the Newport, Gwent unemployment benefit office in the week commencing 8 June; and if she will place this information in the Library;

  (2) what information is available to her, and from what sources, as to the lengths of periods of disqualification for unemployment benefit imposed under section 20(1) of the Social Security Act 1975.

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

  Health and Safety at Work
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans her Department has to submit films on(a) well-being at work, (b) safety at work, (c)
  646
  control of air pollution at work or (d) the control of noise and vibrations at work, for the European video film festival on safety, hygiene and health protection at work sponsored by the European Commission, to be held in Thessaloniki in October.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We expect that the United Kingdom film and video industry will be well represented at the European video film festival.

  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has written to more than 250 film and video producers in the United Kingdom who are known to have made health and safety videos which may be eligible for entry to the film festival.

  HSE will also select suitable videos made by its own film unit and videos commissioned from outside producers for submission to the European Commission by the 19 June deadline.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish a table setting out the budget allocations to each TEC for each block of their expenditure for 1992–93.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 19 May 1992,Official Report, column 134.

  EC Ministers
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what engagements she is planning to have with her European counterparts in the next three weeks.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment will be meeting European Community employment ministers at the Social Affairs Council on 24 June. Before the Council, she plans to met a number of her counterparts.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Works of Art (Exports)
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what decisions he has made on the recommendations of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art in its recent report; and if he will make a statement on the proposal for the introduction of a very restricted list of heritage objects which could be prohibited from export.

  Mr. Mellor
  I share the view, expressed by almost all who made representations on the report, that the disadvantages of listing far outweigh the advantages. Listing would represent a diminution in the rights of owners to dispose of their property as they saw fit. And prohibition upon the export of outstanding heritage items would distort the market value, both for outstanding items and others. Therefore, I have firmly decided against the committee's recommendation, made most reluctantly, to list works of art.

  The protection of the heritage is one of my prime concerns. There are, however, ways of achieving that aim other than listing, such as the scheme for acceptances in lieu of tax. The recent acquisitions of the paintings

  647
  "Portrait of a lady with a squirrel and a starling" by Holbein and "The Old Horse Guards, London from St. James's Park" by Canaletto demonstrate the role that both the private and public sectors can play. I have assumed responsibility for the controls on licensing the export of works of art, formerly undertaken by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, with effect from 1 June 1992. I am considering the committee's other largely procedural recommendations.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give an estimate for the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1992–93.

  Mr. Mellor
  Estimated expenditure by the Department of National Heritage on press and public relations for 1992–93 is likely to be in the region of £250,000 for running costs, and £500,000 on staffing costs.

  Buildings at Risk Trust
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if the Buildings at Risk Trust has, directly or indirectly, received public funds from his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The Buildings at Risk Trust has been offered a grant of £12,975 for 1992–93 towards the costs of running its Buildings at Risk Advisory Service. This grant was offered under the Department of the Environment's special grants programme, the heritage element of which is now the responsibility of my Department. No grant has yet been claimed.

EDUCATION

  School Sports Grounds
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of schools sports grounds that have been sold by local education authorities each year since 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  The information which the hon. Member requests is unavailable, since local education authorities are not required to inform the Department of disposals of surplus land and buildings. However, the DES included a specific sum of £0·5 million in the Sports Council's grant-in-aid for 1991–92 for the preparation of a register of recreational land to monitor gains and losses in playing fields. The register is due for completion by June 1993.

  School Closures
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what process of appeal there is against the Minister's decision to close a school, when new or corrected information becomes available.

  Mr. Forth
  There is no statutory process of appeal. It is open to a party with an interest in the matter to challenge a decision in the courts.

  Physical Education
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the average number of hours per week devoted to physical education in secondary schools for each year since 1981.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Grant-maintained Status
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what educational criteria he is using to determine applications from schools for grant-maintained status;

  (2) what financial criteria he is using to determine applications for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend determines each application for grant-maintained status on its merits, taking account of individual schools' circumstances. His main concern is that all grant maintained schools should be viable in both educational and financial terms.

  Religious Schools
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications from religious schools for voluntary-aided status over the last three years have been(a) granted and (b) refused; and if he will list the religious denomination of each such application, and of each application which is currently being considered.

  Mr. Forth
  The following table gives the information requested. (This excludes schools formed by the amalgamation of existing voluntary schools but includes applications for new voluntary aided schools where no independent school already existed.) There are no applications made within the last three years that are currently under consideration but following a judicial review my right hon. Friend is currently reconsidering an application made prior to June 1989 for the establishment of a Muslim voluntary-aided school.

  Number of applications since June 1989

  Number granted

  Number refused

  Church of England

  3

  0

  3

  Church of England/Methodist

  2

  1

  1

  Roman Catholic

  4

  1

  3

  Jewish

  4

  2

  2

  Total

  13

  4

  9

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the criteria he applies when considering applications from religious schools for voluntary-aided status; and what changes or modifications have been made in those criteria over the past three years.

  Mr. Forth
  In reaching a decision, my right hon. Friend takes account of a number of factors, including:

  (i) the need for additional places within the maintained sector;

  (ii) denominational need for a particular type of education;

  (iii) whether the LEA supports the proposals;

  (iv) suitability of premises;

  649

  (v) the school's ability to deliver the National Curriculum.

  No changes or modifications have been made to these criteria in the past three years.

  School Governors
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to quantify the increase of time devoted by voluntary governors of primary and secondary schools respectively consequent on(a) increased responsibilities arising from local management of schools and (b) further requirements of time on governors of grant maintained secondary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  A survey carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research in 1990 found that the average amount of time spent by governors on their duties was 10 hours a term rising to 20 hours for heads and 30 for chairmen. There was no substantial difference between primary and secondary school governors, and it is not evident that more governor time is necessarily needed in a grant-maintained school.

  I pay tribute to the many parents, teachers, and others who voluntarily give of their time to run their local schools.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps are being taken by his Department to tackle the imbalance between women and men in promotional posts and at levels of senior management in both the teaching and lecturing professions.

  Mr. Forth
  Employers should be fully aware of the existing statutory requirements governing gender issues in employment. It is not for the Department to seek to influence the choices they may make in appointments to senior management posts.

TRANSPORT

  Speed Control
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in developing measures to control vehicle speeds through villages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Since the announcement last July that the Department was to take action jointly with the County Surveyors' Society, a working group has been established on which the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office are also represented. The group has met several times, and has produced an interim report. A number of schemes have been identified in villages on trunk and county roads across England, Wales, and Scotland on which a variety of traffic calming and related measures are to be introduced to constrain vehicle speeds. These schemes will be monitored through the summer and autumn. The results will be evaluated, and will feed into a final report from the working group which I am expecting early next year. This work will provide the basis for detailed guidance to highway authorities on the measures which prove most effective.

  A leaflet has been produced describing the main features of the working group's deliberations and its
  650
  interim report. This has been deposited in the Library, and copies are available on request from the Department's traffic policy division.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the research undertaken into the risk of fire in the channel tunnel will be placed before the House.

  Mr. Freeman
  Many of the tests and studies relating to the risk of fire in the tunnel shuttle trains are being undertaken by Eurotunnel; publication of the results of any of that work is a matter for the company but the safety authority proposes to publish a general commentary on the work. It will not be possible to publish the commentary until the tests and studies have been completed; this will occur next year at a later stage of commissioning.

  In addition, Eurotunnel has commissioned a study of the overall safety of the tunnel system. The safety authority has employed consultants to review Eurotunnel's work and proposes, next year, to issue a report on the outcome.

  Ports and Airports
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out his proposals for the privatisation of the principal trust ports and municipal airports in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  Under the Ports Act 1991 four trust ports, Clyde, Forth, Medway and Tees and Hartlepool, have already successfully sought privatisation and a fifth, the Port of London Authority, has sold its commercial docks at Tilbury into the private sector. My right hon. Friend believes that the proper place for the major trust ports is in the private sector and he hopes that more of them will bring themselves forward for privatisation. He recognises however that the circumstances of the individual trust ports vary greatly. Before compelling a port to privatise itself under the powers in the Ports Act which will become available to him in July of next year he will consider its circumstances very carefully.

  As regards municipal airports I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 18 May 1992, Official Report, 31.

  Seismic Surveys
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what studies he has undertaken of the safety issues raised by the towed sonar/seismic survey being undertaken off the Needles in view of the congestion in these waters at this time of year from yachts and pleasure craft;

  (2) if he will undertake a special survey into the safety aspects of the towed seismic survey being undertaken off the Needles in respect of the congestion of these waters at the present time of year.

  Mr. Norris
  Ships engaged in seismic surveys are required to show the signals prescribed in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea which indicate they are restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. Special surveys are undertaken if a need is clearly identified, but no approach has been made in respect of seismic surveys off the Needles.

  NAVTEX
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the progress being made by the French authorities for the broadcast of NAVTEX information in English.

  Mr. Norris
  The international language for NAVTEX broadcasts is English. I understand that the French authorities have recently begun to issue NAVTEX broadcasts from Brest in English, but warnings broadcast by the French elsewhere in the English channel are not available through NAVTEX. However, the Hydrographic Office monitor these French broadcasts and arrange for them to be re-issued in English by NAVTEX where appropriate.

  Cash Limits
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a breakdown of his Department's expenditure by the smallest geographic unit possible.

  Mr. Norris
  The latest estimates of general Government expenditure on transport by territory and region are given in appendix E of "Public Expenditure Analyses to 1994–95: Statistical Supplement to the Autumn Statement", Cm. 1920.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  BCCI
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many payments have been made by the Deposit Protection Board to depositors of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International in terms of(a) numbers and (b) value.

  Mr. Nelson
  I understand that up to close of business on 28 May 1992 payments have been made by the Deposit Protection Board to some 450 depositors of BCCI, involving total protection payments of some £1·6 million.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the Deposit Protection Board and payments to former depositors of BCCI.

  Mr. Nelson
  The amount which the Deposit Protection Scheme will pay out to former depositors of BCCI will depend on how many depositors make valid claims under the scheme. The Deposit Protection Board is anxious to make payments as soon as practicable, in line with its statutory duty.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the first payment was made under the Deposit Protection Board to former depositors of BCCI.

  Mr. Nelson
  I understand that the Deposit Protection Board made the first payments to former depositors of BCCI on 16 April 1992.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been made to the Deposit Protection Board for compensation by former depositors of BCCI.

  Mr. Nelson
  I understand that, as at close of business on 28 May 1992, some 15,000 applications for compensation have been made to the Deposit Protection Board by former depositors of BCCI.

  Customs Aircraft
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evaluation Her Majesty's customs and waterguard service has made of the use of airborne radar surveillance to counter drug smuggling and illegal immigration; and if he will list the aircraft available to Her Majesty's customs for these duties.

  Sir John Cope
  Her Majesty's Customs in association with other Government Departments carry out target-based and routine aerial surveillance over land, territorial and international waters. A procurement exercise is being evaluated to establish a managed aerial surveillance service uniquely for the Department using the best of modern technology including radar.

  For security reasons, it is not the practice to identify specific aircraft used.

  Shareholdings
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his quoted shareholdings together with their value and the percentage of the issued share capital owned by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Nelson
  The table shows the ordinary shares held by the Government, their market valuation and the percentage of the issued share capital that they represent.

  Government ordinary shareholdings in private sector companies

  Company

  Number of shares (millions)

  Market valuation2 (£ million)

  Proportion of issued capital (percent)

  BAA

  14·8

  95·0

  3·0

  British Airways

  3·2

  9·6

  0·4

  British Gas

  0·1

  0·2

  2—

  British Petroleum

  101·2

  277·3

  1·9

  British Steel

  2—

  2—

  2—

  BT

  1,352·7

  4,856·4

  22·0

  Mersey Docks and Harbour Company

  12·4

  29·9

  20·7

  Anglian Water

  4·8

  20·9

  1·6

  Northumbrian Water

  0·7

  3·0

  1·0

  North West Water

  5·3

  23·2

  1·5

  Severn Trent

  6·7

  26·7

  1·9

  Southern Water

  2·7

  11·1

  1·6

  South West Water

  0·7

  3·1

  0·6

  Thames Water

  7·7

  33·8

  2·0

  Welsh Water

  2·1

  10·1

  1·5

  Wessex Water

  1·5

  7·5

  1·5

  Yorkshire Water

  3·1

  14·1

  1·6

  Eastern Electricity

  4·3

  14·9

  1·6

  East Midlands Electricity

  2·3

  8·7

  1·1

  London Electricity

  2·3

  9·1

  1·1

  Manweb

  1·9

  8·0

  1·6

  Midlands Electricity

  2·9

  10·5

  1·4

  Northern Electric

  1·9

  7·4

  1·5

  Norweb

  2·6

  10·6

  1·5

  Seeboard

  2·4

  9·3

  1·9

  Southern Electric

  32

  12·0

  1·2

  South Wales Electricity

  1·1

  4·6

  1·1

  South Western Electricity

  2·3

  8·7

  1·9

  Yorkshire Electricity

  2·5

  11·0

  1·2

  National Power

  500·6

  1,1565

  39·3

  PowerGen

  317·9

  759·9

  40·7

  Scottish Hydro-Electric

  13·3

  34·8

  3·5

  Scottish Power

  29·4

  74·5

  3·6

  1 Close, May 27

  2 Negligible

  Public Borrowing
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contingency plans he has made to deposit funds in Europe if public borrowing exceeds the limit set by the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. Nelson
  There is no need for such contingency plans. The Maastricht treaty does not set a limit on public borrowing. A member state would have to be judged to be running an "excessive" budget deficit for sanctions to be imposed, and such sanctions will not apply until stage 3 of economic and monetary union, and then only as a last resort. Although the United Kingdom has no obligation to move to stage 3, the Government's policies are designed to avoid running deficits that might be judged excessive.

  CIS (Debts)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy towards the proposal advanced in April by the treasurer of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, that the United Kingdom write-off debts inherited by countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States from the former Soviet Union in exchange for the provision to the United Kingdom of recoverable nuclear materials.

  Mr. Nelson
  The safety of nuclear materials in the republics of the former Soviet Union is a key concern, as is the whole process of economic adjustment in those republics, including the servicing of debts. The United Kingdom is working closely with other Governments and international institutions on these issues. Linking the two issues, which raise widely differing concerns, would not be helpful.

  Value Added Tax
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he has received from the European Commission about the levying of value added tax on food, electricity and children's clothing; what proposals the Commission has made concerning the jurisdiction of the European Court in this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  None. All the United Kingdom's current zero rates are guaranteed by the Sixth VAT Directive which can be amended only by unanimous agreement of all member states.

  EC Budget
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated(a) contribution to the European Community by the United Kingdom and (b) receipts from the European Community to the United Kingdom in each of the five last years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: Information concerning United Kingdom contributions to and receipts from the Community Budget for the years 1987–91 is set out in the following table. The figure for receipts covers public sector receipts only: the Commission does not provide member states with details of payments made directly to the private sector.
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  £ million

  Year

  Gross contribution after abatement

  Public sector receipts

  1987

  4,049

  2,328

  1988

  3,544

  2,182

  1989

  4,431

  2,116

  1990

  4,658

  2,183

  1991

  3,309

  2,765

  Hunterprint
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what printing contracts the company Hunterprint had or has outstanding with HMSO; and if he will give the dates and details of the nature and subject matter of the printed material for each contract.

  Mr. Nelson
  The hon. Gentleman's question falls within the scope of the policy announced in Cm 1263: arrangements have therefore been made for the Controller and Chief Executive of HMSO to respond direct. Copies of the letter will be placed in the House Library and with the Public Information Office.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Vietnam
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make further funds available towards the costs of non-governmental organisation projects in Vietnam.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In May 1990, we committed £1 million to help finance non-government organisations' development projects in the two provinces to which the majority of the boat people return. This money has now been fully allocated to 18 projects which are having a positive local impact. I have now decided to commit a further £1 million towards the cost of further NGO projects in areas to which the majority of migrants will be returning. This new tranche will be focused on job creation projects and projects which have a direct effect on the economic well-being of the communities. This £1 million will be additional to expenditure in Vietnam under the joint funding scheme.

  UNCED
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments to increase overseas development aid will be made by the United Kingdom to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government are willing to provide new and additional resources to the replenishment of the global environment facility, if other donors also do so. The GEF will help finance actions by developing countries, related particularly to climate change and biodiversity, which have benefits globally but which would not be justified in terms of their national benefits alone.

  Special Programme for Africa
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help he proposes to give to the second phase of the special programme for Africa which was set up by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 13 May at column.141.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to further consider awarding compensation to veterans of British nuclear tests and, or their families; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government will consider sympathetically a claim for compensation on behalf of any ex-service man who can be shown to have suffered ill health from exposure to ionising radiation as a result of duties in connection with the nuclear test programme. An expert study conducted in 1988 by the National Radiological Protection Board conceded that the overall incidence of death and malignant disease among British nuclear test veterans has been no worse than for people who were not involved in the tests. A further report from the NRPB on more recent data on mortality and cancer evidence is expected later this year.

  Libya
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister when he received the proposals from the United Nations for a meeting between representatives of the United Kingdom and Libyan Governments to discuss security issues relating to the supply of arms to the Provisional IRA; what will be the areas of discussion at the meeting on 9 June; and if he will explain the manner in which these arrangements were made public.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Nations Secretary-General told us on 14 May that the Libyan Foreign Minister had written to him offering to meet our long-standing request for information on Libya's connections with the Provisional IRA. We have agreed to a meeting under UN auspices in Geneva on 9 June at which this information can be handed over. There will be no discussion at the meeting. In response to press inquiries, the Secretary-General's spokesman in New York confirmed on 1 June that this meeting would take place.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to ensure that the outcome of meetings of the Council of Ministers of the European Communities held between 13 March and 6 May are reported in the usual way, in cases where such action has not yet been taken.

  The Prime Minister
  I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Lockerbie Bombing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what communications Her Majesty's Government have received from the Government of Libya relating to two persons allegedly connected with the Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am 103.

  The Prime Minister
  We have had various approaches from Libyans and intermediaries over the Lockerbie bombing. None of these amounts to Libyan compliance with UN Security Council resolutions 731 and 748.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to establish a sustainable development commission in the United Kingdom in conjunction with the United Nations.

  The Prime Minister: I have no such plans.

  President Bush
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet President Bush; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

  The Prime Minister
  I shall meet President Bush at Camp David this weekend. I expect to discuss a wide range of subjects with him.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals on transfers of military spending to environmental investment will be put forward by the United Kingdom at the United Nations conference on environment and development.

  The Prime Minister
  There are no plans to put forward any such proposal.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what attempts have been made to minimise the use of official cars by the United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro this month.

  The Prime Minister
  We have made it a priority to limit the use of official cars at the Earth summit in Rio.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out details of the critical representations made to Her Majesty's Government since 31 May on the United Kingdom's policies and proposals for the United Nations conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro; and what response he has made to the respective criticisms.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Ceredigion and Pembroke, North (Mr. Dafis) on 2 June 1992 at column 392.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Spending Power
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, including the
  657
  various component figures, showing net weekly spending power for a married couple with one child aged 16 years where (a) both parents are unemployed and the child is at school, (b) one parent takes up employment in May 1992 for four hours a day, five days a week at rates of pay of (i) £2 per hour, (ii) £2.50 per hour and (iii) £3 per hour, and the child is at school and (c) the parent remains in employment as at (b) but the child leaves school and is unable to gain a youth training place, after family credit entitlement of 26 weeks has elapsed.

  Earnings and Benefits·Family head in full·time work as at April 1992

  Tax threshold=£99·32

  Basic tax rate= 25 per cent.

  (a) Total net income on income support=£141·01

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support=£102·51

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  National insurance contribution

  Take home pay

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Community charge

  Community charge benefit

  Total net income

  Net income after rent and community charge

  Married couple with 1 child aged 16

  (b)

  (i)

  40·00

  0·00

  0·00

  40·00

  62·45

  9·65

  27·96

  27·54

  10·54

  8·33

  147·97

  109·47

  (ii)

  50·00

  0·00

  0·00

  50·00

  62·45

  9·65

  27·96

  21·04

  10·54

  6·83

  149·97

  111·47

  (iii)

  60·00

  0·00

  1·62

  58·38

  62·45

  9·65

  27·96

  15·59

  10·54

  5·58

  151·65

  113·15

  Married couple aged 25 or over

  (c)

  (i)

  40·00

  0·00

  0·00

  40·00

  0·00

  0·00

  27·96

  27·96

  10·54

  8·43

  76·39

  37·89

  (ii)

  50·00

  0·00

  0·00

  50·00

  0·00

  0·00

  27·96

  27·96

  10·54

  8·43

  86·39

  47·89

  (iii)

  60·00

  0·00

  1·62

  58·38

  0·00

  0·00

  27·96

  27·96

  10·54

  8·43

  94·77

  56·27

  Note: The gross earnings at (b) and (c) are equivalent to the hourly rates given in the Question·

  Benefit Claims
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest annual figures for the London borough of Lambeth for the number of claims for(a) housing benefit, (b) income support and (c) family credit; and what those figures were one year ago and two years ago.

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

  Young People (Benefits)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reassess the benefit needs of persons aged 16 and 17 years living with parents on benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Those 16 and 17-year-olds living with parents on benefit, and not in full-time education, employment or training, may in certain circumstances be eligible for income support under the severe hardship provision. When assessing any claim so made, full account is taken of parents' circumstances.

  Water Rates
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in England and Wales are paying their water rates via deduction from social security.

  Mr. Burt
  At the end of February 1992 there were 116,890 income support recipients with deductions for
  658
  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the tables. All assumptions used are as those in the published tax/benefit model tables. Each family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to its size and to pay estimated average rent and community charge.

  It should be noted that the results in the tables cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use illustrative rents and do not, therefore, reflect the full range of housing costs which people may face.

  water charges. This figure is based on statistics collected by the Benefits Agency's management information system at the end of February 1992. The figure is provisional and may be subject to amendment.

  Mortgage Debt
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken in the past 12 months to find out to what extent income support claimants were in arrears with their mortgage payments, and what information has become available to his Department, centrally or locally, as a result.

  Mr. Burt
  All income support claimants with mortgages have been sent a form, which they were required to have completed and returned by their lenders, giving information about their mortgage account. If the account is in arrears, the total arrears and details of payments made in the last three months are entered on the form. The completed forms are kept with the claimant's case papers for use in calculating and paying the mortgage interest element of income support. The information on the forms is not collated centrally or locally.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentage of income support claimants in the South Gwent and Islwyn district with mortgage liabilities were in arrears with their mortgage payments, in total and by ranges of amounts of arrears and numbers of monthly instalments unpaid, at the latest date for which figures are available.

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

  Taxation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people face a marginal tax/benefit withdrawal rate of 70 per cent. or more; and how many of them are in receipt of family credit.

  Mr. Burt
  In 1992–93, it is projected that 490,000 heads of benefit units receiving income-related benefits, where at least one partner works 16 hours a week or more, face marginal deduction rates of 70 per cent. or over. It is estimated that 375,000 of them would receive family credit.

  Projections are based on three years pooled family expenditure survey data uprated to 1992–93 prices, taxes and benefit levels. They do not take into account disability working allowance, or transitional protection associated with the change in the family credit/income support hours rule.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there has been any change in the cash limited expenditure of his Department for 1992–93.

  Mr. Scott
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIV vote 3 (housing benefit administration and community charge benefit administration, payments into the social fund in respect of discretionary expenditure and other grants) will be increased by £13,981,000 from £351,991,000 to £365,972,000. This revision takes account of an increase in the grant-in-aid to the Independent Living Fund (£13,981,000) to enable it to continue to help severely disabled persons to live independently. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

WALES

  Queensferry Roundabout
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will erect warning signs near Queensferry roundabout warning lorry drivers of the low railway bridge at Shotton; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This is a county road matter and one for Clwyd county council to consider as the local highway authority.

  Industrial Output
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of overall industrial output in Wales is accounted for by the defence industry.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information required is not available centrally.

  Teachers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of(a) male and (b) female primary and secondary school teachers; and how many (i) male and (ii) female headteachers there are in each sector in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is contained in the publication entitled "Statistics of 660
  Education in Wales: Schools—No. 5 1991", section 5, tables 5.06–5.08, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

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

  Mr. David Hunt
  All public appointments are made on the basis of aptitude and merit. In addition to those overriding criteria, other factors are taken into account.

  I have agreed an action plan designed to increase the proportion of public appointments held by women. As part of this, officials are required to include at least two women in the shortlist of candidates.

  Managers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of managers in Wales; and how many of them are women.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is estimated from the 1991 labour force survey that there were 162,000 managers and administrators in Wales; of these 43,000 were women.

  Bilingual Health Promotion Material
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the provision of bilingual health promotion material by his Department to district health authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Most of the health promotion materials used in Wales are produced by the Health Promotion Authority for Wales. Wherever possible, the authority published this material in Welsh or bilingual form.

  When the Department arranges the publication of its own posters it always ensures that they are either in bilingual format or are available in English and Welsh.

  This Department does distribute English-only posters which are produced by the Department of Health. We are currently examining means by which these can be translated, printed and made available in the Welsh language.

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of(a) men and (b) women amongst the ranks of (i) senior lecturers and (ii) professors in further and higher education in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information about the number of full-time staff in higher education, voluntary colleges and in higher and further education institutions maintained by local education authorities in 1990–91 is given in the following table together with information for the University of Wales which has been shown separately. Lecturers are categorised differently in the two groups, all categories of teaching staff are thus shown in the table.
  661

  Lecturers

  a. Voluntary colleges, and higher and further education institutions maintained by local education authorities (as at 31 March 1990)

  Males

  Females

  Principals

  40

  3

  Vice-principals

  38

  5

  Heads of Department

  184

  23

  Reader

  3

  —

  Principal lecturers

  242

  16

  Senior lecturers

  1,044

  228

  Lecturer grade

  1,560

  945

  Total

  3,111

  1,220

  Source: Database of Teacher Records (DFE).

  b. University of Wales' (as at 31 December 1990)

  Males

  Females

  Professors

  270

  4

  Readers/senior lecturers

  539

  23

  Lecturers

  1,297

  331

  Others2

  182

  118

  Total

  2,288

  476

  1 Staff totals includes staff whose salary is not wholly financed by the university.

  2 Includes certain clinical academic staff and research and analogous staff whose starting salary is below that of lecturer grades.

  Source: University Statistical Record.

  Pupil Statistics
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the total numbers of(a) male and (b) female pupils studying (i) computer science, (ii) physics, (iii) maths, (iv) biology, (v) music and (vi) drama up to (1) GCSE level or (2) A-Level in Wales in the last year for which figures are available.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the number of pupils studying particular subjects is available from the 1989 secondary school staffing survey and is shown in the following table.

  Information for males and females separately is not available.

  Number of pupils studying subjects to GCSE and A-level in Wales 19891

  GCSE

  A-level

  Computer studies

  16,100

  1,700

  Physics

  24,800

  5,400

  Maths

  70,400

  11,100

  Biology

  33,600

  8,000

  Music

  5,900

  1,200

  Drama

  3,800

  500

  1 Source: Secondary school staffing survey 1989. All data rounded to the nearest 100.

  Official Visits
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish, for each day between 16 March and 9 April, all the official visits he undertook, indicating for each day the places he visited, the times he visited, the mode of transport he used and the total cost of all these visits.

  Mr. David Hunt
  During the recent general election campaign, the three Welsh Office Ministers retained all of their Welsh Office responsibilities. In a political capacity, I visited every constituency in Wales between 19 March 662
  and 9 April 1992. I also undertook three official engagements, listed in the table, travelling by car at no expense to the Welsh Office.

  OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS

  Wednesday 25 March, 11.00 am to 12.00 noon
  Official opening of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Glangwili Hospital; and visit to Cam Cyntaf sheltered employment unit, Cillefwr Industrial Estate, Carmarthen.

  Friday 3 April, 10.40 am to 11.15 am
  Official opening of new pilot line, Pilkington Micronics, Deeside.

  Tuesday 7 April, 11.00 am to 12.00 noon
  Official opening of Paediatric Unit, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

  County Council Elections
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether it is his intention that the county council elections, due to be held in Wales in 1993, shall proceed as planned.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have been approached by both local authority associations in Wales to consider the cancellation of the county council elections due in 1993. No decision on this has yet been taken.

ENVIRONMENT

  Dog Whelks
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the findings of the Marine Conservation Society's survey of the dog whelk population.

  Mr. Maclean
  This survey is funded by the Department of the Environment and four annual reports have been received to date. The latest indicates that the effects of tributyl tin are still widespread around the United Kingdom coast, but suggests that there are indications that some populations are beginning to recover.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his findings on the connection between tributyl tin and the decline of the dog whelk.

  Mr. Maclean
  Government-funded research on the effects of TBT on dog whelks has been carried out by the Plymouth marine laboratory, the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Marine Conservation Society. Contractors are encouraged to publish their results in the open scientific literature; so far more than 30 such reports have been produced.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those areas where the dog whelk colonies are(a) on the increase and (b) in decline.

  Mr. Maclean
  The dog whelk is the species showing the greatest sensitivity to TBT in United Kingdom waters. Despite gradual improvements in water quality since TBT-based paints were banned for use on small boats and fish farming equipment in 1987, dog whelks have not yet shown significant increases in population density. However, there is some evidence of limited improvement of breeding capacity at sites in Scotland (monitored by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department), on
  663
  the south coast, including the Isle of Wight (monitored by Plymouth marine laboratory) and more generally around the United Kingdom coast (at sites surveyed by the Marine Conservation Society).

  Benzene Discharges
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate his Department has made of the likely effect on the level of benzene discharges as a result of increased use of recyclable plastic in vehicle production.

  Mr. Maclean
  No estimation has been made. The most significant sources of benzene are car exhausts and fuel evaporation.

  Krypton
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to ensure that the current discharge of krypton to the atmosphere by the British Nuclear Fuels Limited reprocessing plant at Sellafield is stopped; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Aerial discharges, including krypton, are subject to strict limits and conditions in the certificate of authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The limits are set to ensure no member of the public receives a radiation dose as a result of these discharges in excess of the recommended safety levels.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are currently considering an application made by BNFL for the revision of this authorisation, I would not wish to pre-empt their deliberations nor the statutory public consultative process at this time.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what circumstances it is permissible for mains water supplies to be used for agricultural or horticultural purposes(a) under glass, (b) for market gardening and (c) for conventional agriculture, respectively; and under what statutory rule or guidance water authorities may issue licences for use of ground and surface water, respectively, for purposes (b) and (c).

  Mr. Maclean
  The supply of mains water to customers is entirely a matter for water undertakers. Under section 55 of the Water Industry Act 1991 they must supply water to any non-domestic premises unless doing so would be unreasonbly expensive or would affect their duty to supply water to domestic premises. A mains supply to non-domestic premises may be used for any purpose unless specifically prohibited by the provisions of a drought order.

  Licences for the abstraction of ground or surface water are issued by the National Rivers Authority, using the Water Resources (Licences) Regulations 1965 in conjunction with section 38 of the Water Resources Act 1991.

  Burial Regulations
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of all those regulations that an individual has to comply with in order to arrange to be buried on land owned by that individual.
  664
  Mr. Robin Squire
  No such regulations are necessary, but any individual considering such action should consult his local authority about a possible risk to public health. He should also comply with the Registration of Burials Act 1864.

  Zoo Animals
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take, during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Community, to ensure that the best possible safeguards for the welfare of animals kept in zoos are included in the EC proposal for a directive laying down the minimum standards for such animals.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government will continue to play an active and constructive role in the negotiations on the draft Zoos Directive with the intention of maintaining the high standards of care and accommodation already being set by zoos in this country under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, and encouraging similar standards throughout the Community.

  Mortgage Debt
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to meet the Council of Mortgage Lenders regarding assistance for householders whose outstanding mortgage debt exceeds the value of their houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for the Environment, the Secretary of State for Social Security and the Secretary of State for Wales met mortgage lenders on 2 June to review progress on the package of measures agreed between the Government and the Council of Mortgage Lenders in December to reduce the number of repossessions. It was agreed that lenders should continue to look at the whole range of options available for addressing this problem, including formal mortgage to rent schemes, shared equity arrangements and more generous repayment terms. These measures will help those householders who are in arrears with their mortgage repayments.

  For their part, the Government have enacted legislation for the direct payment to lenders of the mortgage interest element of income support, and has suspended until 19 August this year the requirement for stamp duty on transactions up to £250,000.

  The Council of Mortgage Lenders estimates that the measures taken since December will save some 55,000 repossessions this year: 40,000 as a result of new procedures for dealing with arrears cases; and 15,000 as a result of the direct payment to lenders of the mortgage interest element of income support.

  The combined effect of the measures taken by the Government and lenders will be to reduce the number of repossessions in 1992 and restore confidence to the housing market. Householders whose outstanding mortgage debt exceeds the value of their house will benefit from these measures, and from a revival of the housing market.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what statistics he has on the number of households in each region where the mortgage debt outstanding exceeds the value of the house.
  665
  Mr. Baldry
  The only information readily available relates to house purchases by first-time buyers. This has been published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders in the June issue of its newsletter, "Mortgage Monthly", which is held in the House of Commons Library.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the proposals put forward by the United Kingdom on(a) reducing fossil fuel use, (b) nuclear power, (c) minimising and management of hazardous wastes and (d) protecting biodiversity at the United Nations conference on environment and development.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have played a full part in the negotiations on the climate change and biodiversity conventions, and supports the agenda 21 chapters on environmentally sound management of radioactive and hazardous wastes.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate the Government have made of the rate of extinction of endangered species if the biodiversity treaty is not signed.

  Mr. Maclean
  We do not yet have the technology or knowledge to estimate precisely the rate of species extinction, but some estimates suggest that there may be as many as 50 million species on earth of which, if present trends continue, up to one third could become extinct by 2025.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those countries which have agreed to sign the treaty on biodiversity at the Earth summit and those which have not.

  Mr. Maclean
  The convention on biological diversity will be open for signature from 5 June. We cannot speculate as to which countries will sign the convention, although we hope that the United Kingdom will be able to sign.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the composition of the British delegation to the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro with particular reference to the numbers representing local government.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom delegation will consist of the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for the Environment, the Minister for Overseas Development, myself, and 30 officials from the Department of the Environment, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Overseas Development Agency, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Forestry Commission and from our diplomatic posts in Brazil. There are two local government representatives among the 12 observers who will form part of the United Kingdom delegation. The other observers represent environment and development groups, science, business, youth and trade unions.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the urban programme allocations to each urban programme authority for 1992–93.
  666
  Mr. Squire
  Initial allocations to the urban programme authorities for 1992–93 were announced by my predecessor on 16 January 1992. Details are set out in the table.

  Urban programme initial allocations 1992–93

  £million

  Newcastle/Gateshead

  16·207

  Hartlepool

  2·017

  Langbaurgh

  2·050

  Middlesbrough

  5·156

  North Tyneside

  3·371

  South Tyneside

  4·756

  Stockton

  1·686

  Sunderland

  5·052

  Manchester/Salford

  20·789

  Blackburn

  3·819

  Bolton

  3·794

  Burnley

  2·111

  Oldham

  3·785

  Preston

  2·328

  Rochdale

  3·777

  Wigan

  2·638

  Liverpool

  18·278

  Halton

  1·466

  Knowsley

  3·984

  St· Helens

  1·794

  Sefton

  1·665

  Wirral

  3·548

  Merseyside special allocation

  1·000

  Birmingham

  22·496

  Coventry

  4·645

  Dudley

  1·561

  Sandwell

  4·642

  Walsall

  1·748

  Wolverhampton

  5·194

  The Wrekin

  0·961

  Derby

  1·359

  Leicester

  4·728

  Nottingham

  5·087

  Barnsley

  2·064

  Bradford

  4·491

  Doncaster

  2·225

  Hull

  4·884

  Kirklees

  1·083

  Leeds

  5·144

  Rotherham

  2·224

  Sheffield

  5·894

  Hackney

  5·393

  Islington

  8·550

  Lambeth

  8·452

  Brent

  2·660

  Greenwich

  1·534

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2·515

  Haringey

  2·930

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·765

  Lewisham

  2·550

  Newham

  3·100

  Southwark

  2·696

  Tower Hamlets

  4·500

  Wandsworth

  3·120

  Bristol

  1·635

  Plymouth

  1·318

  Greenhouses Gases
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Her Majesty's Government's strategy to reduce concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom supports the ultimate objective of the framework convention on climate change which is to achieve stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the
  667
  climate system. The commitments in the convention on limiting greenhouse gas emissions would be an important first step towards this objective.

  Acid Deposition
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the results of the national materials exposure programme; how many times the acid deposition building effects review group has met since the publication of its 1989 report; when the group will produce its next report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The acid deposition building effects review group last met in September 1991. There are no plans at this stage to produce a second report.

  Results of the national materials exposure programme will be published in the July 1992 edition of the scientific journal Atmospheric Environment. A major review of the first four years of the NMEP programme is to be produced by the end of 1992.

  Agenda 21
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evaluation he has made of the United Nations estimated figure of £125 billion per year needed to implement the agenda 21 proposals following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Maclean
  The costs of implementing agenda 21 are indicative estimates prepared by the UNCED secretariat. These have not been considered by Governments. Additional financial help from developed countries will be needed, but the costs will depend on individual countries' circumstances and how they decide to implement the activities presented in agenda 21. The Government have argued that the resources from agenda 21 must come from resetting national spending priorities and from mainstream aid.

  Vauxhall Cross and Millbank
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who will occupy the buildings at Vauxhall Cross and Thames house, Millbank, which are respectively under construction or being refurbished.

  Mr. Howard
  The Vauxhall Cross building is intended for occupation by the secret intelligence service. The building at Thames house, Millbank is intended principally for occupation by the security service.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in what circumstances questions by hon. Members seeking statistical information relating to services or benefits for which a next steps agency is responsible are(a) answered by Ministers and (b) referred to the agency's chief executive; and what assessment he has made of the consistency in the practice followed.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government's policy on answering questions on agency matters was most recently 668
  set out in the Government's reply to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's 1991 report on the next steps initiative (Cm 1761), which said:
  "In normal circumstances the source of the reply should follow the allocation of responsibilities as between the Secretary of State and the Chief Executive in the Agency's framework document; but in all cases the decision on who will respond rests with the Minister. The Government believes this is right and in accordance with important wider considerations about Ministerial accountability to Parliament. In time, as the system beds down, the Government expects that the cases which have given rise to concern will become fewer with any variations in practice kept to a minimum. The Governmennt will continue to keep the situation under review."

  My Office has from time to time reminded Ministers of this policy. I have placed a copy of the current guidance in the Library.

HEALTH

  Respiratory Illnesses
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence is available to the Department on the rate of hospital admissions of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses in the Greenwich health authority area by comparison with other health authority areas in London and in the south-east of England in the past two years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Hospital Portering Services
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives she has to extend compulsory competitive tendering for hospital portering services; and what studies she has carried out of the costs and benefits involved.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government's proposals to extend competitive tendering and other forms of market testing in the National Health Service were set out in the White Paper "Competing for Quality" published last November, a copy of which is available in the Library. The indications from the many health authorites who have market tested their portering services as a local initiative are that it leads to better specification of service, lower costs, and more flexible deployment of staff.

  National Health Service Management
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make public comments on the findings of the Tomlinson report on the future of the national health service management structure in London.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Sir Bernard and his team are keeping my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Health and Education and myself fully informed as the inquiry progresses. We shall decide how and when a public announcement of their advice should be made when that advice has been formally presented.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the key business targets for the Medicines Control Agency for 1992–93.
  669
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have today placed in the Library a copy of the 1992–93 key business targets for the Medicines Control Agency.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received about Birmingham city council's use of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. Yeo
  Four letters have been received about the Children Act and its provisions for regulating day care services for young children.

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest estimate of the number of social workers approved under the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not held centrally. Approval of social workers under the Mental Health Act 1983 is the responsibility of local authority social services departments.

  Broadmoor Patients (Legal Protection)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many representations were made to her Department between 1985 and 1989 about the alleged failure of a certain consultant psychiatrist, whose name has been supplied to her, to comply with the requirements of part IV of the Mental Health Act 1983 in treating patients at Dorset house, Broadmoor special hospital; what was the nature of the alleged failures in compliance; what assessment was made of the validity of these representations; and what action was taken to ensure that all patients treated at Dorset house received the legal protection to which they were entitled under the Act;

  (2) what assessment was made by the Mental Health Act Commission of the alleged failure of a certain consultant psychiatrist, whose name has been supplied to her, to comply with part IV of the Mental Health Act 1983 in treating patients at Dorset house, Broadmoor special hospital between 1985 and 1989;

  (3) what were the circumstances and terms of the agreement under which a certain consultant psychiatrist, whose name has been supplied to her, ceased to be employed at Broadmoor hospital; what is his current employment; and what responsibilities this includes for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and treated under part IV of that Act.

  Mr. Yeo
  The consultant concerned took early retirement from Broadmoor hospital in December 1989. I cannot comment on representations or allegations about an individual employee or on the terms of any settlement which may have been agreed with that employee. His responsibilities in any subsequent national health service employment would be a matter for the employing body. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is required by section 120(1) of the Mental Health Act 1983 to keep under review the exercise of the powers and the discharge of the duties conferred or imposed by the Act relating to the detention of patients or to patients liable to be detained under the Act. This function is performed on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's behalf by the Mental Health Act Commission as required by section 121(2) of 670
  the Act. Throughout the period from 1985 to 1989 Dorset house was visited regularly by members of the Commission. Their findings were reported to the Department which considered them and took action as necessary (from 1 October 1989 this became the direct responsibility of the newly-established Special Hospitals Service Authority).

  Residential Care
  Mrs. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will establish a forum of residential care organisations to develop policy on residential care.

  Mr. Yeo
  We shall be giving careful consideration to all the recommendations contained in Lady Howe's report on residential care which are relevant to the Department.

  Mapperley Hospital
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the closure of Mapperley hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  The closure of Mapperley hospital is a matter for the district health authority. The hon. Member can obtain a detailed report by writing to the district chairman.

  EC Presidency
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Department's priorities are for the United Kingdom presidency of the EC.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We will seek to increase intergovernmental co-operation on public health issues and take forward specific measures within the Health Council to promote health and to prevent disease.

  Dental Treatment
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental surgeries offered treatment within the national health service in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is collected on the number of dentists, rather than the number of dental surgeries. The number of dentists practising in the general dental services for each of the years requested is shown in the table.

  Year

  Number of dentists

  30 September 1979

  12,146

  30 September 1983

  13,672

  30 September 1987

  14,765

  30 March 1992

  15,532

  There are 27 per cent. more dentists in the general dental services than in 1979 providing more than 7 million more courses of adult dental treatment, an increase of 43 per cent.

  "A Scandal Waiting to Happen"
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she has made to the Royal College of Nursing in respect of the document, "A Scandal Waiting to Happen".
  671
  Mr. Yeo
  We are considering the report.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Council of Health Ministers decided to take on the Commission's report on AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Commission's report on the "Europe against AIDS" programme has not yet been finalised. The report is expected to be ready for submission to the Council of Health Ministers in late 1992-early 1993.

  Cancer Research
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information her Department has provided to the United Kingdom Co-ordinating Committee on Cancer Research for its study into the causes of cancer, involving childhood leukaemia and other childhood cancers, pertaining to benzene-related situations.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 22 May 1992]: The Department has not provided nor been requested to provide any information on benzene-related situations to the United Kingdom Co-ordinating Committee on Cancer Research for its study into causes of cancer, involving childhood leukaemia and other childhood cancers.

DEFENCE

  Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent meetings his Department has held with military officials from countries of the former Warsaw pact; what information was exchanged; and what was the cost to his Department of the meetings.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence is continuing its policy of steadily building up military contacts with the countries of the former Warsaw pact, both bilaterally and under the auspices of the North Atlantic Co-operation Council (NACC). The seminar on the democratic management of defence, held at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on 18 and 19 May, provided our most recent opportunity for contacts with military officials from the former Soviet republics and the countries of central and eastern Europe. In the margins of the seminar, Colonel General Omelichev, vice chief of the CIS Armed Forces, paid a call on the Chief of the General Staff; and, I received Lt. General Zhivitsa, Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Both calls provided a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views on the current situation in the CIS and eastern Europe. The final costs of these meetings are not yet available, but are expected to be minimal.

  Military Exhibitions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance is afforded by United Kingdom military attaches to British Army and military equipment manufacturers attending military equipment and arms exhibitions in states where they are posted.

  Mr. Aitken
  United Kingdom service attaches can provide visiting British military equipment manufacturers 672
  with advice and introductions as appropriate. This assistance is not limited to attendance at arms and equipment exhibitions.

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate made by Her Majesty's Government of Iraq's nearness to being able to build nuclear weapons before the Gulf war, based on information made available by the United Nations special inspection commission in Iraq.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The International Atomic Energy Authority's sixth nuclear inspection team found incontrovertible evidence that Iraq had developed a crude nuclear warhead design. But for the military action against Iraq initiated by the United Nations, Iraq could have had its first nuclear weapon by 1993.

  Army Apprentices
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on rationalising the training of Army apprentices.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Command Paper 1595 referred to proposals to restructure the Army's training organisation and I announced (in the House on 10 March this year) that from September 1992 we shall introduce a one year standard foundation course at each of the existing Army apprentice colleges in place of the current two-year course.

  We now propose that all apprentices should undertake a common one-year foundation course at a single Army technical college, with one wing at Arborfield for the technical corps and another at Aldershot for the Army Catering Corps and Adjutant General's Corps.

  I have already announced the proposal to concentrate the training of junior leaders at Harrogate. No final decision has been taken on possible future uses for the remaining college at Chepstow (although it is one of several locations being considered for use by the field Army).

  It is too early to say what the detailed implications will be for the staff of the establishments affected. Full consultation with the trades unions will take place in the normal way before final decisions are taken.

SCOTLAND

  Johnstone North Industrial Improvement Area
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to establish an initiative to develop the Johnstone north industrial improvement area as a magnet for inward investment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The question of support for local area initiatives such as the Johnstone north industrial improvement area is essentially a matter for local bodies such as the local enterprise company and local authorities. I understand that the area to which the hon. Member refers is a work improvement area organised by the district council, which has broad powers to support and encourage investment and development. The local enterprise company for the area, Renfrewshire Enterprise, has no proposals to afford the

  673
  area special status; but it has a range of advice and assistance available for businesses wishing to invest or relocate in the area.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support Her Majesty's Government have provided for mine-clearing operations in Cambodia from 1988 to date; and if he will give details of Her Majesty's Government's plans for the years 1992–93 in this respect.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 4 June. In addition to our substantial contribution in terms of both money and men through the United Nations, we gave £60,000 in financial year 1991–92 to the HALO Trust to help its mine survey work in Cambodia on behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. This year, we have offered to provide a further £150,000 subject to the HALO Trust raising matching funds.

  High Technology Exports
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent proposals have been received from the United States Government on the establishment of a multilateral co-operation council to control high technology export involving member countries of the COCOM group and states from the former Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Douglas-Hogg
  COCOM countries have been considering how to respond to the collapse of the Warsaw pact and the break-up of the Soviet Union. In this context the US Government recently proposed the creation of an informal body in which COCOM members could enter into a dialogue with states of the former Warsaw pact on the control of sensitive technologies.

  At a high level meeting of COCOM on 1 June, member countries decided to invite those COCOM-proscribed destinations which have embarked on political reform to join them in an informal COCOM co-operation forum on export controls. The primary objective of the forum will be to encourage countries to implement effective export controls, with a view to providing them with significantly wider access to COCOM-controlled goods and technology.

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick)Official Report, 14 May, columns 191–92, if he will give details of each of the 29 items of equipment connected to the nuclear weapons programme in Iraq which are in the possession of Her Majesty's Government; and if he will list the origin of each item of such equipment known to date by the Government.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The 29 items referred to in my answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 14 May at columns 191–92 relate to the weaponisation part of the Iraqi nuclear programme.
  674
  Consolidated details of these are contained in the report of the International Atomic Energy Authority's 11th inspection which will be placed in the Library or the House.

  Maxwell Companies
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he will make to the Liechtenstein Government to facilitate the work of the investigators of the Maxwell companies' collapse in seeking to identify the extent and location of relevant funds deposited in Liechtenstein banks.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Investigations into the collapse of companies connected with the late Robert Maxwell are under way. I have no plans to make representations to the Government of Liechtenstein on this matter.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  European Community
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what method he proposes to use to maximise policy co-ordination in reviewing policy and area boundaries and designation for regional policy purposes between Her Majesty's Government and the Commission of the European Communities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The appropriate degree of coordination could best be assured if, in future, areas eligible for the European regional development fund were selected by the member states, subject to certain limits and conditions laid down in Council regulations.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with the Commissioner for Regional Policy of the European Commission concerning the(a) criteria, (b) time scale and (c) completion date of the redrawing of the assisted area map of the United Kingdom; and what weight is proposed to be given to current defence dependency in designation as an assisted area.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No consultation has taken place with the Commissioner for Regional Policy of the European Commission specifically about the review of the assisted areas map. In the review of the map the problems and needs of all areas, including areas with heavy dependence on a particular sector, will be carefully considered.

  Genetic Information (Patenting)
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's policy towards proposals for the patenting of life forms and genetic information.

  Mr. Leigh
  Under our current legislation, inventions relating to life forms and genetic information are, in general, patentable provided that they satisfy the normal requirements—that they are novel, not obvious and industrially applicable. Plant and animal varieties are, however, specifically excluded from patentability. The Government have no plans to change the legislation.

  Company Legislation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to revise the current companies legislation to(a) ensure the granting of speaking rights to proxies and (b) require each major company to include on its board of directors an individual whose responsibilities specifically cover equal opportunities.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There are no proposals to extend the speaking rights of proxies beyond the present ones contained in the Companies Act 1985. In the case of a private company a proxy has under section 372 of the Companies Act 1985 the same right as a member to speak at a meeting; a public company can if it wishes to grant speaking rights to proxies through its articles of association; nor is there any intention to require companies to have a director whose responsibilities specifically cover equal opportunities, as the directors of the company all share responsibility for ensuring that the company complies with its statutory obligations on equal

  Regional financial assistance

  £ million

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  East Midlands

  9·7

  1·7

  8·0

  0·8

  10·2

  0·5

  8·6

  0·8

  8·2

  0·6

  8·8

  0·6

  5·1

  0·4

  2·2

  0·4

  Northern

  106·1

  1·1

  84·4

  1·1

  116·0

  4·4

  84·2

  2·5

  113·8

  3·6

  97·6

  2·2

  63·4

  3·3

  45·3

  1·2

  North West

  93·1

  3·1

  72·1

  4·3

  114·6

  6·0

  58·4

  7·1

  57·6

  10·0

  50·6

  10·8

  39·0

  8·4

  29·0

  8·7

  South West

  11·8

  0·3

  10·6

  0·8

  19·9

  0·9

  9·2

  2·2

  8·1

  3·2

  5·9

  2·7

  3·3

  2·9

  3·2

  3·5

  West Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  6·2

  —

  10·4

  —

  18·8

  —

  25·2

  —

  19·8

  —

  18·0

  —

  8·7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  32·0

  6·3

  28·7

  4·8

  30·0

  7·8

  21·3

  10·8

  31·5

  9·3

  13·9

  8·5

  12·4

  6·8

  5·4

  7·0

  England

  252·7

  12·5

  203·8

  18·0

  290·7

  30·0

  181·7

  42·2

  219·2

  51·9

  176·8

  44·6

  123·2

  39·8

  85·1

  29·5

  Scotland

  137·3

  3·6

  150·9

  4·7

  199·7

  5·9

  108·8

  7·5

  107·5

  7·4

  96·0

  6·3

  102·6

  10·4

  69·2

  9·4

  Wales

  110·4

  1·7

  104·4

  2·5

  112·2

  4·1

  75·4

  6·3

  82·9

  12·2

  49·1

  16·6

  37·5

  16·3

  49·5

  21·9

  Great Britain

  500·4

  17·8

  459·1

  25·2

  602·6

  40·0

  365·9

  56·0

  409·6

  71·5

  321·9

  67·5

  263·3

  66·5

  203·8

  60·8

  Note: The table comprises expenditure on Regional Development Grants, Regional Selective Assistance and Regional Enterprise Grants.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of regional financial assistance was made available to each of the standard United Kingdom regions in each year since 1978–79,(a) at net prices and (b) at 1978–79 prices.

  Table 1

  Government expenditure on regional financial assistance to industry at current prices1

  £ million

  Region

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Northern

  158·8

  151·2

  150·8

  178·3

  159·7

  130·2

  125·5

  96·6

  137·3

  109·3

  134·1

  117·0

  85·0

  63·8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  37·4

  34·1

  52·4

  62·1

  53·5

  36·3

  44·3

  36·4

  41·9

  38·8

  50·2

  32·4

  29·4

  18·2

  East Midlands

  3·4

  4·4

  4·7

  9·4

  13·8

  17·5

  11·4

  8·8

  10·7

  9·4

  8·8

  9·5

  5·5

  2·6

  South West

  9·6

  11·1

  12·5

  14·9

  16·6

  12·1

  14·6

  12·3

  23·0

  14·8

  14·7

  10·7

  9·0

  8·3

  West Midlands2 3

  0·2

  0·1

  0·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7·1

  10·6

  19·3

  26·2

  19·9

  18·0

  8·7

  North West

  5114·1

  596·1

  5136·5

  5174·9

  5124·8

  5104·2

  106·4

  87·5

  129·6

  79·0

  82·3

  74·3

  57·5

  49·5

  England

  323·5

  297·0

  357·0

  439·6

  368·4

  300·3

  302·2

  248·7

  353·1

  270·6

  316·3

  263·8

  204·4

  151·1

  Wales

  132·1

  112·9

  175·3

  197·5

  182·1

  120·0

  147·5

  138·4

  150·7

  132·4

  148·2

  131·7

  133·7

  153·9

  Scotland

  156·1

  135·2

  194·5

  232·5

  369·4

  228·6

  187·1

  197·0

  242·4

  153·2

  151·2

  144·6

  159·1

  135·4

  Great Britain

  611·7

  545·1

  726·8

  869·6

  919·9

  648·9

  636·8

  584·1

  746·2

  556·2

  615·7

  540·1

  497·2

  440·4

  Northern Ireland

  102·6

  108·3

  142·5

  115·7

  153·6

  115·0

  141·5

  158·7

  146·7

  127·2

  125·9

  124·7

  131·1

  137·7

  United Kingdom

  714·3

  653·4

  869·3

  985·3

  1,073·5

  763·9

  778·3

  742·8

  892·9

  683·4

  741·6

  664·8

  628·3

  578·1

  676
  opportunities as well as on the other legislative requirements that apply to it. There is nothing to stop a company allocating specific responsibility for equal opportunities to a particular director on a voluntary basis.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of regional financial assistance has been made available to each intermediate and development area in each year since the last revision of the assisted areas map in 1984.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Expenditure on regional financial assistance in the standard regions of Great Britain broken down into development areas and intermediate areas is set out in the following table. The schemes covered in the table are regional development grants, regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grants. A more detailed breakdown by assisted area is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Information on regional financial assistance from 1978–79 at current prices and at 1978–79 prices is set out in the tables. The expenditure is gross of recoveries. Regional information on a net basis is not readily available.
  677

  Table 2

  Government expenditure on regional financial assistance to industry at current prices1

  £ million

  Region

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Northern

  158·8

  129·6

  109·2

  117·8

  98·5

  76·7

  70·4

  51·4

  70·7

  53·4

  61·1

  50·0

  33·6

  23·6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  37·4

  29·2

  37·9

  41·0

  33·0

  21·4

  24·9

  19·4

  21·6

  18·9

  22·9

  13·8

  11·6

  6·7

  East Midlands

  3·4

  3·8

  3·4

  6·2

  8·5

  10·3

  6·4

  4·7

  5·5

  4·6

  4·0

  4·1

  2·2

  1·0

  South West

  9·6

  9·5

  9·1

  9·8

  10·2

  7·1

  8·2

  6·5

  11·8

  7·2

  6·7

  4·6

  3·6

  3·0

  West Midlands2 3

  0·2

  0·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·8

  5·5

  9·4

  11·9

  8·5

  7·1

  3·2

  North West

  5114·1

  582·3

  598·8

  5115·5

  576·9

  561·4

  59·7

  46·5

  66·7

  38·6

  37·5

  31·8

  22·7

  18·3

  England

  323·5

  254·5

  258·4

  290·3

  227·1

  176·9

  169·6

  132·3

  181·8

  132·1

  144·1

  112·7

  80·8

  55·8

  Wales

  132·1

  96·7

  126·9

  130·4

  112·3

  70·7

  82·8

  73·6

  77·6

  64·6

  67·5

  56·3

  52·8

  56·8

  Scotland

  156·1

  115·9

  140·8

  153·6

  227·7

  134·7

  105·0

  104·8

  124·8

  74·8

  68·9

  61·8

  62·8

  50·0

  Great Britain

  611·7

  467·1

  526·1

  574·3

  567·1

  382·3

  357·4

  310·7

  384·2

  271·5

  280·5

  230·8

  196·4

  162·6

  Northern Ireland

  102·6

  92·8

  103·2

  76·4

  94·7

  67·8

  79·4

  84·4

  75·5

  62·1

  57·3

  53·3

  51·8

  50·8

  United Kingdom

  714·3

  559·9

  629·3

  650·7

  661·8

  450·1

  436·8

  395·1

  459·7

  333·6

  337·8

  284·1

  248·2

  213·4

  Table 3

  Index

  1978–79 prices

  1978–79

  100·0

  1979–80

  116·7

  1980–81

  138·1

  1981–82

  151·4

  1982–83

  162·2

  1983–84

  169·7

  1984–85

  178·2

  1985–86

  188·0

  1986–87

  194·2

  1987–88

  204·8

  1988–89

  219·6

  1989–90

  234·0

  1990–91

  253·2

  1991–92

  270·9

  1992–93

  283·1

  1993–94

  292·9

  1994–95

  301·8

  Notes:

  1 All figures are gross and include payments to Nationalised Industries.

  2 Includes some minor expenditure in West Midlands in respect of Oswestry TTWA which ceased to be an Assisted Area in 1982–83.

  3Certain TTWAs in the West Midlands were designated as Assisted Areas on 29 November 1984.

  4 Expenditure on a 1978–79 price basis for each year is calculated by applying the appropriate deflator to expenditure at current prices.

  5 Includes expenditure in Cumbria, otherwise shown within the

  678

  totals for Northern Region.

  The items included in the expenditure are Regional Development Grants, Regional Selective Assistance and Regional Enterprise Grants; expenditure on Land and Factories by the English Industrial Estates Corporation, the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies, the Development Board for Rural Wales, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

  Northern Ireland has a different range of financial incentives available and the items included are Industrial Development Board grants and loans, expenditure on land and factories, Standard Capital Grants and Local Enterprise Development Unit grants and loans.

  Milford Docks Company
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will outline (i) the options available to him and (ii) the action he intends to take following the report of inspectors appointed by him to investigate the Milford Docks Company under section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The report of the Milford inspectors was published on 16 January 1992 thereby putting the inspectors' findings into the public domain. Copies have been provided to the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Law Society and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for them to consider the reported conduct of their members. After considering legal advice it is not proposed to institute proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.