Written Answers of 8 June 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Disabled Voters
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many grants were(a) received and (b) approved in the last financial year for portable ramps to enable church and other authorities to adapt polling stations to meet the needs of disabled voters.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Grants towards the purchase of temporary ramps to provide access to polling stations for disabled voters are paid to returning officers. About 25 grants for the purchase of temporary ramps were paid in the financial year 1991–92. No applications for grants were refused. In addition, a few applications which were received in the last financial year will be paid during the current year.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to allow grant aid for church and other authorities providing polling stations for local and national elections to meet the needs of disabled voters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Councils are required, so far as is reasonable and practicable, to designate as polling places only places which are accessible to the disabled. Where this is not possible, grants are available to returning officers towards the purchase of temporary ramps. Permanent adaptations to improve access for disabled people to buildings used by the public are the responsibility of the owners of the buildings. Returning officers' fees are not a suitable means of providing assistance towards such adaptations.

  Homosexual Offences
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many men were sent to prison in each of the last five years for convictions involving consenting sex with men aged over 16 years and under 21 years; and how many such convicted prisoners there are at present;

  (2) how many prosecutions have taken place in each of the last five years for offences involving consenting sex with men aged over 16 years but under 21 years; and how many convictions there were.

  Mr. Jack
  The table gives information on consensual acts of buggery or attempted buggery of a male of, or over 21, with another male under the age of 21, with consent—Sexual Offences Act 1956, section 12 as amended by the Sexual Offences Act 1967, section 3(1).

  Information on the numbers currently serving a custodial sentence in a prison service establishment in England and Wales for these offences, is not presently available centrally.
  2

  Number of persons prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to immediate custody for consensual sexual offences,1 1986–90

  England and Wales

  Number of persons

  Year

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Sentences of immediate custody

  1986

  24

  21

  12

  1987

  21

  13

  7

  1988

  19

  24

  11

  1989

  8

  17

  10

  1990

  10

  9

  8

  1 Buggery or attempted buggery of a male of, or over 21 with another male under the age of 21 with consent.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if specific guidelines exist for prioritising education bids for section 11 funding.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No specific guidelines have been issued about how local authorities should exercise their own judgment in prioritising their applications for section 11 funding, either within or between education and other service areas.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate total spending by his Department for section 11 grants, at current prices, for each year since 1987, and projected allocation for section 11 funding in 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The total amount of section 11 grant paid in each financial year since 1987–88 at current prices was as follows:

  £ million

  1987–88

  123.0

  1988–89

  109.5

  1989–90

  132.8

  1990–91

  144.9

  1991–92

  113.0

  Current expenditure plans are as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  129.7

  1993–94

  136.0

  1994–95

  139.0

  Expenditure plans for 1995–96 will be included in the autumn statement.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate for each year since 1987, in both net figures at current prices and as a proportion of total section 11 funding, the amount of section 11 money allocated to non-education bids.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under arrangements operating until 31 March 1992, precise figures for the amount of grant paid for non-education expenditure are not available. It is estimated, however, that non-education provision has accounted for approximately 20 per cent. of total grant in the past.

  For new projects starting in 1992–93, the provisional allocation in respect of the potential grant cost of non-education projects in 1992–93 is some £11.5 million representing some 11 per cent. of the total grant.
  3
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for 1991–92, what proportion of section 11 bids which were given high priority by local authorities were not approved by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As a result of the consideration of bids submitted in 1991 for funding under the new arrangements for section 11 grant to take effect from 1 April 1992, 17 per cent. of project bids listed in the top 20 per cent. of local authorities' priority lists were not approved.

  Immigration
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans Her Majesty's Government have to ratify the convention determining the states responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Community signed in Dublin on 15 June 1990.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We plan to ratify the Dublin convention shortly.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many husbands have applied from Pakistan for settlement visas to join their wives in Britain in each of the last three years; how many have been granted; and how many have been refused.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Applications for entry clearance made by husbands in Pakistan

  Number of persons

  Newly received

  Granted initially

  Granted on appeal

  Granted (total)

  Refused initially

  1989

  1,760

  630

  100

  730

  1,430

  1990

  1,950

  600

  400

  1,000

  1,550

  1991

  2,270

  960

  540

  1,500

  1,610

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wives have applied from Pakistan for settlement visas to join their husbands in Britain in each of the last three years; how many have been granted; and how many have been refused.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Applications for entry clearance made by wives in Pakistan

  Number of persons

  Newly received

  Granted initially

  Granted on appeal

  Granted (total)

  Refused initially

  1989

  3,060

  2,760

  80

  2,840

  140

  1990

  2,800

  2,750

  200

  2,950

  340

  1991

  2,900

  2,900

  110

  3,010

  360

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the adjudicators' decision was received by his Department in the case of NB, date of birth 1 June 1966, and fiance of ABH, date of birth 8 October 1968; and if he will give reasons for the delay in issuing entry clearance;

  (2) if he will seek to improve the length of time it takes to issue entry clearance after a decision by the adjudicator;
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  (3) what is his target for the length of time between the adjudicators' decision to grant entry clearance and entry clearance being issued.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Convictions (Safety)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the Essex constabulary into the safety of the convictions of Sam Kulasingham and Prem Siuchasinghan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Essex police are actively proceeding with their inquiries into this case, but the extent of their remaining inquiries make it difficult, at this stage, to give a precise timing for its conclusions.

  Public Assemblies
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct an urgent review of the powers available to the police to prevent assemblies such as that at Castlemorton common taking place where they are a threat to public order, safety and health and consider bringing forward measures, similar to those affecting marches, to enable chief constables to ban such events if unauthorised.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have called for a full report from the chief constable of West Mercia on the policing of the event at Castlemorton. Senior officials will very shortly be considering with chief constables the powers available to the police service, the intelligence and liaison arrangements between forces and their tactics for handling such large gatherings.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed in C3 division of the Home Office.

  Mr. Jack
  On 1 June 1992, a total of 55 staff were employed in C3 division.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the hours of opening for each of the royal parks; and what are the hours for their lighting.

  Mr. Key
  The information is as follows:

  Hours of opening and closing

  Park

  Opening

  Closing

  Hyde Park

  05.00 am

  Midnight

  Kensington Gardens

  05.00 am

  Dusk

  St. James's Park

  Open always

  Green Park

  Open always

  Regents Park (except Queen Mary Gardens)

  05.00 am

  Dusk

  5

  Park

  Opening

  Closing

  Queen Mary Gardens

  07.00 am

  Dusk

  Primrose Hill

  Open always

  Greenwich Park Pedestrian Gates

  05.00 am

  18.00 pm or Dusk, whichever is later

  Traffic Gates

  05.45 am

  18.00 pm or Dusk, whichever is later

  Bushy Park Pedestrian Gates

  Open always

  Traffic Gates

  06.00 am

  Midnight

  Richmond Park Pedestrian Gates

  Open always

  Traffic Gates

  November-February 07.30 am

  Dusk

  March-October 07.00 am

  Dusk

  Lighting up hours

  Park

  Period

  Times

  Hyde Park

  Kensington Gardens

  Summer

  20.45pm-Midnight

  St. James's Park

  Summer

  20.45pm-Midnight

  Green Park

  Winter

  Standard lighting up times

  Regent's Park including Primrose Hill

  Greenwich Park

  Richmond Park

  No lighting in parks

  Bushy Park

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total cost of providing street and path lighting in royal parks for each of the last five years; and how many employees are engaged in providing and maintaining this service.

  Mr. Key
  The total cost for the provision of street and path lighting was £221,000 in 1990–91 and £271,000 in 1991–92. Separate records of expenditure on these services were not kept for previous years.

  The royal parks do not directly employ any staff to carry out these services.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will set out the cost of maintaining the railings around the royal parks for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Key
  The total cost of maintaining and repairing the railings and gates around the royal parks was £86,000 in 1990–91 and £252,000 in 1991–92. Separate records of expenditure on these items were not kept for previous years.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the progress of contracting ground maintenance in the royal parks and the royal parks police force and the effects on cost and efficiency.
  6
  Mr. Key
  Contracts for the gardening and landscape maintenance work and for urgent tree work have all been let and came into operation on 1 March 1992. The nursery contract will come into effect on 4 July. An additional contract for tree maintenance will be awarded shortly. None of the new arrangements affect the royal parks constabulary.

  The primary objective of contracting out was to maintain and improve standards both in the royal parks and in the industry and I am confident that this will be achieved. Current projections are for an actual cost saving through contracting out of £200,000 in 1992–93.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many commercially sponsored litter bins and park benches there are in the royal parks; and what is his estimate of the consequent cost saving.

  Mr. Key
  None.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the direct labour departments by number of employees for each royal park and depot and list their functions.

  Mr. Key
  The details are as follows:

  Park

  Number Employed

  Function

  Central Parks1

  14

  Plant production in the Hyde Park nursery2

  Regents Park

  4

  Plant production in the nursery2

  Greenwich Park

  6

  Plant production in the nursery2

  Richmond Park

  2

  Gamekeeping duties

  Bushy Park

  1

  Gamekeeping duties

  1 Central Parks comprise—Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St. James's Park and the Green Park.

  2 Until 3 July 1992 when redundancy notices take effect. Plants will subsequently be purchased from a contractor.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has for reforestation of royal parks.

  Mr. Key
  The royal parks tree replanting programme is based on the traditional tree planting patterns in each park.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the total cost for each of the last five years of providing(a) refuse and litter bins and (b) park benches and their maintenance in royal parks.

  Mr. Key
  The details are as follows:

  Year

  Bins

  Benches

  £

  £

  1987–88

  51,000

  Nil

  1988–89

  138,900

  Nil

  1989–90

  46,900

  Nil

  1990–91

  85,000

  16,500

  1991–92

  81,300

  3,900

  Records of park bench maintenance costs have not been kept separately.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total income earned in royal parks for each of the last five years by(a) ice cream refreshment concessions, (b) deck chair concessions and (c) boating lake concessions.
  7
  Mr. Key
  The figures are:

  Concession

  Year ending 31 March 1988

  Year ending 31 March 1989

  Year ending 31 March 1990

  Year ending 31 March 1991

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Catering1

  238.9

  273.1

  361.7

  473.2

  412.81

  Boating

  31.0

  34.3

  41.5

  37.5

  75.00

  Deck chairs

  20.6

  24.6

  7.3

  23.5

  23.30

  1 Total catering concession income. Separate records of income relating to ice cream sales are not kept.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when management consultants last looked at the royal parks management structure.

  Mr. Key
  1985.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many park keepers in royal parks are provided by private contractors.

  Mr. Key
  This is a matter for the contractors. The numbers fluctuate with the amount of work required.

  Departmental Library
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on arrangements made to establish a new library for his Department.

  Mr. Key
  My Department is actively working towards setting up the full range of services necessary to a department of state. Divisions are currently using the library facilities provided by their former parent Departments, but it is likely to be the case that we will be instituting our own library services in due course. Full consideration will be given to the provision of these services and it may be that there will be scope for contracting them out.

TRANSPORT

  VAT
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the imposition of value added tax on passenger transport; and what would be the increase in(a) fares or (b) public sector grant in a full year to recover the net cost of value added tax charged at a rate of (i) 15 per cent. and (ii) 17.5 per cent.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have made no detailed assessment of the effects of the imposition of value added tax on passenger transport. Agreement reached by Finance Ministers enables us to retain our existing zero rates.

  Antares
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the findings of the inquiry into the sinking of the vessel Antares from Carradale; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The report of the chief inspector of marine accidents into the collision between the fishing vessel Antares and HMS Trenchant is expected to be published by HMSO on 9 July 1992.

  British Rail (Finance)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the level of Government financial support for British Rail provided in(a) million pounds, (b) the amount needed to equal the 1979 allocation in real terms and (c) the percentage excess or shortfall compared to the 1979 allocation in real terms; and if he will provide a breakdown by the following (i) public sector obligation, (ii) external financing limit and (iii) external financing requirement for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail's external financing limit—EFL—for 1992–93 has been set at £2,096 million. British Rail's external financing requirement—EFR—for 1979 was £1,735 million in 1992–93 prices. British Rail's EFL for 1992–93 therefore shows an increase of 21 per cent. over the figure for 1979 in real terms.

  The annual breakdown by public service obligation, EFL and EFR is shown in the table.

  Government financial support for British Rail 1979 to 1992–93

  £ million in 1992–93 prices

  Public service obligation grant

  External finance limit

  External finance requirement

  1979

  1,176

  1,735

  1,737

  1980

  1,180

  1,620

  1,620

  1981

  1,398

  1,720

  1,795

  1982

  1,425

  1,611

  1,481

  1983

  1,422

  1,590

  1,352

  1 1984–85

  1,692

  1,477

  1,660

  1985–86

  1,233

  1,382

  1,370

  1986–87

  1,004

  1,141

  1,131

  1987–88

  1,051

  1,038

  816

  1988–89

  688

  971

  482

  1989–90

  603

  768

  814

  1990–91

  669

  781

  1,134

  1991–92

  941

  1,591

  1,511

  2 1992–93

  1,040

  2,096

  n/a

  1 1984–85 was a 15-month year.

  2 The figure for public service obligation grant for 1992–93 is a ceiling.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the level of freight carried by rail expressed(a) in million tonnes and (b) as a percentage of total freight for (i) each of the EC member states, (ii) Sweden and (iii) Norway and Finland for each year since 1979;

  (2) what is the total amount of freight carried by British Rail expressed in million tonnes; and if he will provide a breakdown by (a) coal and coke, (b) iron and steel, (c) oil and chemicals, (d) building and construction, (e) freightliner and (f) other traffic for each of the years since 1979;

  (3) what is the proportion of railway operating costs which are met from (a) passenger and (b) freight revenue

  9
  expressed in (i) cash terms and (ii) as a percentage of total operating costs for each of the EC member states, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

  Mr. Freeman
  : Such data as are available are contained in the following publications:
  Transport Statistics Great Britain (TSGB) 1991: Table 6.9;
  Transport Statistics Report. International Comparisons of Transport Statistics 1970–1988 Part 1: Intermodal—Annex, Table B;
  TSGB 1979–1989 and TSGB 1991—Table 3.4;
  International Railway Statistics 1990: Table 72.
  All these publications are available in the Library.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of(a) rail routes and (b) running tracks are electrified in the following (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales, (iv) Northern Ireland, (v) each of the EC member states, (vi) Sweden, (vii) Norway and (viii) Finland.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information regarding the electrification of running tracks is not available. The percentage of rail routes electrified appears in the table:

  Percentage of rail routes electrified—1989

  Per cent.

  Scotland

  23

  England

  33

  Wales

  0

  Northern Ireland

  0

  Belgium

  65

  Denmark

  10

  France

  36

  Germany

  38

  Greece

  0

  Italy

  59

  Luxembourg

  72

  Netherlands

  69

  Portugal

  15

  Republic of Ireland

  2

  Spain

  51

  Sweden

  63

  Norway

  60

  Finland

  28

  Sources:

  British Rail.

  Northern Ireland Railways Co. Ltd.

  Transport Statistics Great Britain.

  UIC Statistics 1989.

  Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the 10th anniversary of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Norris
  I am pleased to say that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State supported this application and has agreed to open the exhibition on Monday 29 June.

  Light Rail Schemes
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the funding of future light rail schemes.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the funding of future light rail schemes.
  10
  Mr. MacGregor
  Light rail schemes are assessed for grant in accordance with the procedures and criteria set out in circular 3/89. Credit approvals are provided if required for the balance of resources, taking account of any contribution from the private sector. The fact that a scheme has qualified for funding does not however mean that the resources will be available. The Government are determined to keep tight control over public expenditure. We have funded the £135 million Manchester Metro, and are currently funding the £230 million South Yorkshire Supertram but it will not be possible to provide funds for construction of line one of the Midland Metro in the current spending round. However, we intend to continue supporting measures taken by local authorities to improve bus services, including traffic management measures. Such measures involve less call for capital expenditure and do have an immediate benefit for public transport. We have invited local authorities to submit further schemes for resource allocation next year.

  Helicopter Sale
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department authorised the sale of British Airways helicopters to Robert Maxwell; and what conditions were applied.

  Mr. Norris
  The sale did not require the Secretary of State's approval or authorisation.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministerial Advisers
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the special advisers appointed to Government Ministers in this Parliament and their previous occupations.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  The names and pre-election occupations of special advisers appointed in this Parliament are as follows:

  Name

  Previous occupation

  K. Adams

  Special Adviser

  J. S. Bercow

  Sallingbury Casey

  E. Bickham

  Special Adviser

  T. Burke

  Special Adviser

  J. Caine

  Special Adviser

  D. W. D. Cameron

  Conservation Central Office

  Dr. E. Cottrell

  Conservation Central Office

  Sir P. Cradock

  Special Adviser

  Mr. Fraser

  Special Adviser

  Sir C. Foster

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  C. M. Grantham

  Special Adviser

  D. Green

  Television Presenter

  M. S. Hole

  Special Adviser

  Mrs. S. Hogg

  Special Adviser

  C. Hopson

  Communications Consultant

  A. Kemp

  Special Adviser

  Mrs. T. Keswick

  Special Adviser

  Mrs. E. Laing

  Special Adviser

  G. Mackay

  Special Adviser

  R. Marsh

  Special Adviser

  J. Mayhew

  Special Adviser

  M. McManus

  Conservative Central Office

  P. J. E. Miller

  Special Adviser

  D. Poole

  James Capel

  Mrs. K. Ramsay

  Special Adviser

  Dr. W. Robinson

  Special Adviser

  P. Rock

  Conservative Central Office

  A. Rosling

  Special Adviser

  D. Ruffley

  Special Adviser

  11

  Name

  Previous occupation

  I. Stewart

  Special Adviser

  Lady Strathnaver

  Special Adviser

  N. True

  Special Adviser

  I. R. Wilton

  Special Adviser

  A. Young

  Special Adviser

  Honours List
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy on the confidentiality of proposed recommendations by him for honours until they are formally announced; what steps are taken when such confidence is breached; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister treats such recommendations in strict confidence until they are announced and asks others to treat them similarly.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Drift Net Fishing
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions his Department has had with the National Rivers Authority concerning the phasing out of the north-east drift net fishery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Following the report to Parliament on 17 October prepared by my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland, the National Rivers Authority was asked how the regulation of this fishery could be changed, inter alia, to phase out the drift net fisheries. Officials have remained in close touch with the NRA. We expect to receive the NRA's response in the summer.

  Whaling
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to instigate a permanent ban on commercial whaling.

  Mr. Curry
  A moratorium on commercial whaling has been agreed by the International Whaling Commission and has operated since 1985. The United Kingdom strongly supports the moratorium. Its future will be a key issue for discussion at the commission's 44th annual meeting in Glasgow this month.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to promote at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Glasgow in June(a) a total and permanent ban on commercial whaling and (b) the declaration of Antartic waters as a whale sanctuary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  A moratorium on commercial whaling, promoted by the IWC, has operated since 1985. The moratorium has been supported by the United Kingdom which has banned whaling within British fishery limits since 1976. A proposal to establish a whale sanctuary in the southern hemisphere, south of 40°S, has been put forward by the French Government for discussion at the 12
  next IWC meeting. Details of this proposal have only just been received and will require careful study. The proposals address a number of questions to the International Whaling Commission's scientific committee whose advice we shall also need to evaluate.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to press the European Commission to draw up proposals for a permanent ban on whaling in EC waters.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 4 June,Official Report, column 642.

  Milk Marketing
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to respond to the milk marketing board's proposals to turn itself into a single voluntary co-operative with pooled prices.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government have welcomed the board's proposals which represent a major step forward, and is currently considering them, together with equivalent proposals from the other four United Kingdom boards. We intend to introduce legislation this season to facilitate the conversion of the boards into non-statutory organisations.

  Industrial Fishing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for phasing out industrial fishing; and whether he will make it his policy for decomissioning grants to be concentrated on this area to reduce effort.

  Mr. Curry
  There is as yet insufficient evidence to win an argument in the Council of Ministers that industrial fishing harms human consumption fisheries and should be phased out. In the United Kingdom industrial fishery the Shetland sandeel fishery was closed in 1990 and remains shut. Access to the west coast of Scotland sandeel fishery is restricted by licence. The bycatch of human consumption species in industrial fisheries is considerably smaller than the discards of juvenile fish from the white fish fisheries. Very few United Kingdom vessels are involved in industrial fishing. Decommissioning funds will be used to target effort in order to maximise the value for money of the public funds available. All applications for decommissioning grants will be evaluated using the same criteria. Decommissioning funds will be used to target effort in order to maximise the value for money of the public funds available. All applications for decommissioning grants will be evaluated using the same criteria.

  Sheep Scab
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is now in a position to make an announcement about the future of sheep scab controls.

  Mr. Soames
  Sheep scab is a disease which can be readily controlled at the individual farm level and sheep farmers are well aware of the preventative measures and procedures needed to deal with the disease in their flocks. Compulsory national dipping arrangements required all
  13
  flocks to be dipped, whether or not infected or at risk of infection. In 1991 the disease was recorded by the State Veterinary Service in 116 flocks out of 105,000 sheep holdings in Great Britain.

  The Government decided that responsibility for action to deal with sheep scab should rest with farmers. The dipping of sheep will no longer be compulsory and shortly legislation will he put before Parliament proposing that the disease will cease to be notifiable or subject to statutory control measures when it is discovered.

  Legislation is already in place to protect the welfare of animals. We shall not hesitate to press for the prosecution of those who do not deal promptly and satisfactorily with outbreaks of sheep scab in their flocks. Field staff of the State Veterinary Service will, as in other cases where the welfare of animals may be at risk, look for evidence of sheep scab during their visits to markets and farms and will investigate all cases reported to them, where there is a potential welfare problem. Every sheep farmer will be contacted, in writing, to remind farmers of their responsibilities for controlling sheep scab and of the procedures they should follow should their flocks become infected.

  Relocation
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when an announcement will be made on the choice of the site in York to which 600 headquarters posts from his Department will be relocating in 1994.

  Mr. Gummer
  I hope to make an announcement in due course.

  CAP Reform
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect he expects the recent agreement on CAP reform to have on the price, over the next three years, of(a) 1 lb of bacon, (b) a standard loaf and (c) ½lb of butter.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible to give precise estimates. The reform process will be spread over a number of years, and during this period retail food prices will be affected by a number of factors. However, at the end of the reform period the retail food price index could be some 2 per cent. lower on average than it would otherwise have been.

  Mail Order Foods
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has made to the Mail Order Fine Food Association's "Proposals for Improving Safety Standards in Mail Order Foods", a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I have recently written to the Mail Order Fine Foods Association outlining my response to that organisation's paper entitled "Proposals for Improving Safety Standards in Mail Order Foods". I welcome the formation of the association and applaud its primary objective of introducing and maintaining improved standards of food quality and hygiene throughout the mail order trade. Moreover, the association's initiative in drawing up a code of good hygiene practice for the mail order food industry is to be commended. Given the importance of temperature control and of scrupulous 14
  attention to hygiene at the production and packing stages of all foods, I shall be interested to follow the progress of this code and the extent to which, though voluntary, it commands general acceptance in the mail order sector.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 22 May,Official Report, columns 322-23, if he will list the locations of incinerators approved by his Ministry for the disposal of BSE cows; and what is the weekly capacity for each one.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Ministry uses eight incineration plants in England and Wales for the incineration of suspect BSE carcases. They are located in Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Somerset, Nottinghamshire, Avon, Cornwall, Dyfed and Clywd. One of these is at a Ministry veterinary investigation centre located in Sutton Bonington, Nottinghamshire and has the capacity to incinerate 22 carcases per week. The others are privately owned and operate on a commercial basis. The Ministry cannot therefore disclose details, such as individual capacity, for these plants.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will convene a working party of independent scientists to produce an updated report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I did so in 1990 and this committee, chaired by Dr. Tyrrell, has produced advice to Ministers on a number of occasions. In each case the recommendations have been made public and implemented in full.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will show the number of confirmed cases of BSE in each county of England and Wales from May.

  Mr. Soames
  The number of cases confirmed for England and Wales from I May 1992 to 29 May 1992 is as follows. These cases will have a date of clinical onset of disease, and indeed date of report, before 1 May.

  County

  Confirmed cases

  England

  Avon

  46

  Bedfordshire

  8

  Berkshire

  10

  Buckinghamshire

  23

  Cambridgeshire

  10

  Cheshire

  176

  Cleveland

  4

  Cornwall

  258

  Cumbria

  103

  Derbyshire

  109

  Devon

  343

  Dorset

  164

  Durham

  19

  Essex

  6

  Gloucestershire

  49

  Hampshire

  42

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  56

  Hertfordshire

  5

  Humberside

  15

  Isle of Wight

  11

  Kent

  38

  Lancashire

  103

  Leicestershire

  58

  15

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Lincolnshire

  11

  London

  3

  Manchester

  0

  Merseyside

  2

  Norfolk

  75

  Northamptonshire

  24

  Northumberland

  34

  Nottinghamshire

  24

  Oxfordshire

  42

  Shropshire

  81

  Somerset

  209

  Staffordshire

  95

  Suffolk

  27

  Surrey

  22

  Susex, East

  24

  Sussex, West

  52

  Tyne and Wear

  1

  Warwickshire

  30

  West Midlands

  3

  Wiltshire

  104

  Yorks, North

  152

  Yorks, South

  6

  Yorks, West

  24

  Wales

  Clwyd

  52

  Dyfed

  199

  Glamorgan, North

  2

  Glamorgan, South

  11

  Glamorgan, West

  2

  Gwent

  21

  Gwynedd

  14

  Powys

  59

  Myxomatosis Vaccine
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when stocks of myxomatosis vaccine for pet rabbits will be exhausted; what assessment he has made of the likely consequences for domestic pets; how this situation has arisen; and if he will take steps to secure immediate production of this vaccine.

  Mr. Soames
  Discussions between licence holders and the licensing authority are confidential matters on which I am unable to comment under the terms of section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968. 1 can confirm however that a licence for myxomatosis vaccine was recently surrendered by the licence holder. Information on the stocks available is not held centrally but there will be no further supplies once those currently held by veterinarians have been exhausted.

  Informal discussions have taken place with representatives of the veterinary pharmaceutical industry about the possibility that other companies might wish to make applications for a licence but so far no applications have been forthcoming. This is a commercial decision for the companies concerned and will clearly be influenced by the perceived level of demand for such a product.

  Any application would need to be considered against the scientific criteria of safety, quality and efficacy as required by the Medicines Act and would be assessed as speedily as possible.

  Food (Radioactivity)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he has taken on the recommendation by the Agriculture Committee that his 16
  Department should develop a monitoring system at key food outlets to give an indication of day-to-day levels of radiocativity in major foodstuffs.

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry's priority remains the monitoring of sheep at the point of production to ensure that contaminated animals or produce are identified and prevented from entering the food chain.

  To supplement these live monitoring arrangements, the Department operates a programme of monitoring at a number of slaughterhouses which take sheep from the Cumbria restricted area. In addition, our terrestrial radioactivity monitoring programme involves the monitoring of milk at dairies covering 27 counties in England and Wales. The results of this monitoring are published regularly and copies are placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Also, monitoring programmes for radioactivity in food operated by various bodies have been published in a compendium "Programmes to Monitor Radioactivity in Food: Food Surveillance Paper No. 28, HMSO, 1990". This report gives an indication of the further extensive monitoring of food that currently takes place.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the rate of suckler cow premium for the 1992 scheme year.

  Mr. Gummer
  At its meeting on 18 to 21 May, the Council of Agriculture Ministers agreed that the Community-funded element of the suckler cow premium for the 1992 scheme year should be 50 ecu—£39.77—per head. There will continue to be provision for an optional national top-up to the Community-funded premium. I expect the Commission to produce a draft implementing regulation shortly. An announcement on the rate of premium to apply in the United Kingdom for the 1992 scheme will be made in due course. In the meantime, I have laid an amendment to the relevant statutory instrument—SI 1992/1210, the Suckler Cow Premium (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1992—to make it clear that the rates currently set out apply only to applications in respect of the 1991 scheme year.

  Meat Inspection
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has now concluded the review of meat inspection charges which he announced on 9 March; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am today making available in the Library of the House copies of summary statistics collected by the review team, and of recommendations by the agriculture departments to interested local authorities and members of the meat industry. These are directed at clarifying the basis on which charges are calculated, and enabling co-operation between plant operators and local authorities to facilitate consistent and cost-effective inspection throughout Great Britain. I hope that they will help local authorities discharge their statutory responsibilities efficiently, in the period of transition until the new national meat hygiene service takes over these responsibilities. We wish to thank those local authorities and members of the industry who provided information to the review team.
  17
  The Government remain concerned that the EC legislation under which meat inspection charges are required to be levied should be efficient, cost effective and applied on a uniform basis throughout the Community. In the light of the detailed findings of the review, we will be pressing the European Commission to bring forward satisfactory proposals for the revision of these EC arrangements for discussion by the Council of Ministers. This issue has important implications for fair competition in the single market, and we will press for it to be resolved in the forthcoming UK presidency.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Brewing
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the impact of excise duty on smaller brewers.

  Sir John Cope
  The position of smaller brewers was considered during the pre-Budget review of indirect taxation, but my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer decided to make no change. However, small brewers should benefit from the forthcoming change in the method of taxing beer. The present wastage allowance, which often does not cover all their production losses, will be abolished, and they will pay duty only on the beer they actually despatch for sale. The Government have no present plans for a further review.

  Sterling's percentage deviation from its central rates against the other ERM currencies

  Deutschmark

  Dutch Guilder

  Belgian/Luxembourg Franc

  Danish Krone

  Irish Punt

  October 1990

  0.74

  0.78

  0.54

  0.77

  0.64

  November

  -1.07

  -0.96

  -1.04

  -0.58

  -0.99

  December

  -2.40

  -2.26

  -2.06

  -1.38

  -1.77

  January 1991

  -1.10

  -1.04

  -1.19

  -0.16

  -0.70

  February

  -1.40

  -1.38

  -1.59

  -0.54

  -0.84

  March

  -0.65

  -0.61

  -0.77

  -0.02

  -0.12

  April

  1.02

  1.01

  0.46

  1.38

  1.17

  May

  0.47

  0.46

  -0.21

  0.79

  0.55

  June

  -0.36

  -0.36

  -0.47

  0.64

  -0.20

  July

  -0.12

  -0.14

  -0.32

  1.24

  0.03

  August

  -0.48

  -0.46

  -0.67

  0.88

  -0.29

  September

  -0.79

  -0.78

  -0.92

  0.41

  -0.58

  October

  -1.33

  -1.32

  -1.50

  -0.09

  -1.15

  November

  -2.19

  -2.17

  -2.31

  -0.42

  -1.88

  December

  -3.13

  -3.11

  -3.24

  -1.17

  -2.58

  January 1992

  -3.19

  -3.23

  -3.34

  -1.50

  -2.58

  February

  -2.47

  -2.58

  -2.68

  -0.89

  -2.10

  March

  -2.90

  -2.99

  -3.12

  -1.24

  -2.49

  April

  -1.85

  -1.94

  -2.09

  -0.24

  -1.36

  May

  -0.50

  -0.59

  -0.71

  0.74

  -0.22

  Sterling's percentage deviation from its central rates against the other ERM currencies

  Spanish Peseta

  Portuguese Escudo

  Italian Lire

  French Franc

  1990

  October

  -2.74

  —

  0.85

  0.59

  November

  -3.67

  —

  -0.58

  -0.67

  December

  -4.08

  —

  -1.64

  -1.16

  1991

  January

  -4.04

  —

  -0.62

  0.18

  Home Care Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the subject of VAT charges on home care services; and if he will place the text of such representations and his reply to them in the Library.

  Sir John Cope
  Treasury Ministers have received a number of representations about VAT on the provision of domiciliary care. I have arranged for the text of a typical reply to such representations to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product manufacturing investment, including leased assets, represented in 1979 and 1991.

  Mr. Nelson
  Estimates of manufacturing investment and gross domestic product may be obtained from the CSO database accessible through the House of Commons Library.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out for each month the variation of the pound sterling inside or outside the 2½ per cent. and 6 per cent. bands since its entry into the European exchange rate mechanism.

  Mr. Nelson
  Sterling does not participate in the narrow band of the ERM. The table lists the average monthly percentage variation of sterling from its central rates against other ERM currencies since joining the exchange rate mechanism.
  19

  Spanish Peseta

  Portuguese Escudo

  Italian Lire

  French Franc

  February

  -5.11

  —

  -1.08

  0.07

  March

  -4.95

  —

  -0.97

  0.82

  April

  -4.07

  —

  0.04

  1.79

  May

  -4.33

  —

  -0.34

  1.55

  June

  -4.40

  —

  -0.99

  0.78

  July

  -3.75

  —

  -0.59

  1.07

  August

  -4.38

  —

  -0.57

  0.84

  September

  -4.24

  —

  -0.85

  0.68

  October

  -4.28

  —

  -1.39

  0.30

  November

  -4.83

  —

  -1.53

  -0.35

  December

  -4.88

  —

  -2.10

  -1.30

  1992

  January

  -5.63

  —

  -2.47

  -1.54

  February

  -5.74

  —

  -2.06

  -1.02

  March

  -5.74

  —

  -2.48

  -1.71

  April

  -4.91

  -3.52

  -1.22

  -1.03

  May

  -4.30

  -4.72

  0.10

  -0.26

  Note:

  Sterling joined the exchange rate mechanism on 8 October 1990. The Portuguese Escudo joined the ERM on 6 April 1992.

  Malawi
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining Her Majesty's Government's policy on commercial loans to Malawi.

  Mr. Nelson
  Her Majesty's Government's policy on commercial bank loans to Malawi is that such loans are a matter to be decided by the banks and the Government of Malawi.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees participated in live registered profit-related pay schemes in the last period for which figures are available; how many schemes are in operation; and what is the estimated total value of those schemes.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There were 736,000 participating employees in 2,895 live registered profit-related pay schemes at the end of April 1992. On the basis of the latest information provided by participating employers, the total annual value of the distributable profit-related pay pool for these schemes is tentatively estimated at about £500 million.

  Employee Share Options
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees have received shares under qualifying employee share option trusts; and what is the current total value of shares in such trusts.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Inland Revenue may not learn of the establishment of employee share ownership trusts of the kind defined in the Finance Act 1989 until claims for the tax relief provided by the legislation are received. Such claims may be made up to two years after the end of the period of account in which the relevant contributions are made. A return seeking information on the operation of the trust will not be sent out for completion until confirmation that a claim has been allowed has been received centrally. No such confirmations have yet been received.

  Business Expansion Scheme
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new lettings from investments under the business expansion scheme in 1990–91 there were in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) north-west England and (c) St. Helens; and what percentage these figures represent of (i) all privately rented property and (ii) all rented property.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Provisional estimates for new lettings from investments under the business expansion scheme in 1990–91 are as follows. Separate figures for St. Helens could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  New lettings

  As a percentage of:

  Total number

  All privately rented property per cent.

  All rented property per cent.

  North West England

  600

  0.40

  0.07

  United Kingdom

  5,300

  0.31

  0.07

  Maastricht Treaty
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the progress made towards achieving the economic objectives listed in article 109 of the EC treaty as proposed in the Maastricht treaty.

  Sir John Cope
  While the United Kingdom has reserved the right to choose whether or not to participate in the final stage of EMU the Government's policies are designed to ensure that the United Kingdom meets the convergence criteria as listed in article 109 of the Maastricht treaty.

  The Government are committed to membership of the exchange rate mechanism and will in due course move to narrow bands at the current central parity of DM2.95. Maintaining sterling within its ERM bands will ensure that United Kingdom inflation will move progressively into line with the best inflation performance of the ERM countries. Long-term interest rates can also be expected to converge with the best ERM countries' performance. Fiscal policy is designed to avoid running deficits that might be judged excessive.

  Benefits and Expenses
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the threshold on PI 1Ds was last increased; and what representations he has had to increase them.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The earnings threshold above which employers must report employees' benefits and expenses payments to the Inland Revenue on form P11D was last increased, to £8,500, from 1979–;80. A number of representations have been received suggesting an increase in the P11D threshold.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimated number of tax-payers above the current threshold for P11Ds and below the current threshold for the last available figures.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that in 1992–93 there are some 15.4 million tax-paying employees earning above the £8,500 P11D threshold. There are also 0.8 million tax-paying directors who are subject to the special provisions for taxation of benefits-in-kind whatever the level of their earnings. There are 3.1 million tax-paying employees earning less than the P11D threshold.

  Pay and File
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he expects to bring into effect pay and file.

  Mr. Dorrell
  On present plans pay and file will start on 1 October 1993. The new rules will apply to accounting periods ending on or after that date.

  Wakefield Valuation Office
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 2 June,Official Report, column 400, why neither the Members with constituencies affected, nor the local authority concerned, were consulted prior to or informed subsequent to the closure of the Wakefield valuation office.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The former Wakefield valuation office covered the local authorities of City of Wakefield metropolitan district council and Barnsley metropolitan borough council. The end of domestic rating caused a reduction of about one fifth of the work of the VO and a reduced network was necessary in order to protect costs.

  Both authorities were advised in advance of the closure and arrangements made for the transfer of work to Doncaster valuation office with effect from 30 September 1991.

  While the respective Members of Parliament were not directly informed of the closure, a copy of the "Valuation Office Address Book", held in the House of Commons Library, was updated in October 1991 and indicated the transfer of the above local authorities to the Doncaster valuation office.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the transfer of responsibility for financial services from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Treasury.
  22
  Mr. Lamont
  Responsibility for financial services was transferred to the Treasury on 7 June by the Transfer of Functions (Financial Services) Order 1992 which was laid before Parliament on 5 June.

  The transfer involves the functions and staff of the DTI's financial services division. In essence, these cover responsibility for policy and legislation, and overseeing regulation, in the areas of investment business, collective investment schemes, the issue of securities to the public and investor protection.

  The functions transferred include responsibility for the regulatory system under the Financial Services Act 1986 and oversight of the Securities and Investments Board, the Companies Securities (Insider Dealing) Act 1985, and part VII—(financial markets and insolvency)—and part IX—TAURUS—of the Companies Act 1989; EC directives in the financial services sector, (including the draft investment services and capital adequacy directives); arrangements with overseas regulators for exchanging information; encouraging international liberalisation in financial services through the general agreement on tariffs and trade and the organisation for economic co-operation and development; and for litigation to recover the cost of the Government's ex gratia payments scheme to Barlow Clowes investors.

  The DTI will continue to be responsible for the generality of company law; insolvency matters including the disqualification of directors; investigations and prosecutions under the Financial Services, Insolvency and Companies Acts; and for prudential supervision of insurance undertakings, EC insurance directives, insurance interests in the OECD and GATT, and for general questions affecting the insurance industry.

  Banking and financial services have become increasingly closely linked, at home and abroad, and this will now be reflected by bringing policy responsibility together in a single Department. No changes are proposed in the way financial services are regulated as a result of the transfer.

ENVIRONMENT

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Howard
  Information relating to the financial years between 1979–80 and 1984–85 inclusive is not readily available and cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. Following is the information relating to the remaining financial years:

  £ million

  1985–86

  4.3

  1986–87

  5.0

  1987–88

  5.3

  1988–89

  9.5

  1989–90

  16.3

  1990–91

  10.2

  1991–92

  110.7

  1992–93

  210.6

  1 Provisional outturn.

  2 Provisional budget. Excludes PSA Services, the budget for which has yet to be fixed.

  Waltham Forest HAT
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what capital allocations will be made to the Waltham Forest housing action trust; and by what mechanisms capital spending by the trust will be determined and controlled.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Waltham Forest housing action trust will be provided with sufficient funding to cover the cost of capital expenditure on its agreed programme. Until its first corporate plan has been produced and agreed with the Department no overall allocation can be made and funding will be provided on a monthly basis against need. In common with other non-departmental public bodies the trust will be financially responsible via its accounting officer acting in accordance with a financial memorandum, management statement and corporate plan, and subject to external audit.

  Smoke Alarms
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will issue a circular to local authorities to encourage them to introduce smoke alarms into homes for elderly people;

  (2) whether he will introduce legislation to require local authorities to install smoke alarms in all local authority and housing association homes occupied by pensioners.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has no plans to do so, but building regulations now call for the installation of smoke detectors in new dwellings, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health is responsible for legislation on types of accommodation for elderly people which, among other things, provides for fire precautions.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department has expended on the promotion or installation of smoke alarms in homes for elderly people in each of the last five years for which records are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  Since 1987 the Home Office has conducted a regional and national television advertising campaign promoting smoke alarms. The campaign has sought to increase ownership among all households in England and Wales. In 1990–91 and 1991–92 the Home Office targeted its national television advertising campaign primarily at elderly people.

  Four million copies of leaflets promoting smoke alarms have been issued by the Home Office. In addition, a leaflet and video promoting general fire safety for elderly people also encourage the installation of smoke alarms.

  Costs cannot be apportioned to specific target groups.

  There is legislation in place in respect of types of accommodation housing elderly people which, among other things, makes provision for fire precautions. Such legislation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Opencast Mining
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 May,Official Report, column 269, further to 0273/92/93/(27), if he will list those organisations and individuals who have
  24
  contributed to his consultation exercise relating to minerals planning guidance 3 as it affects opencast coal mining operators.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has received 58 responses to the consultation exercise. I am placing a list of those who have responded in the Library of the House.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those planning decisions relating to opencast mining applications which have been called in by his Department in each of the last five years for the Secretary of State's ruling; and, in each case, whether permission was given or refused, or whether the case has still to be determined.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has called in one planning decision relating to an opencast mining application in the last five years. The application was by the British Coal Corporation for the Smotherfly—revised—opencast coal site in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. It was called in on 8 December 1987, and permission for the development was given on 17 March 1989.

  Canary Wharf
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary for the Environment if it is a prerequisite for accepting any private sector bid for the Canary Wharf project for there to be an agreement from the firm to give financial assistance to the Jubilee line extension.

  Mr. Redwood
  The terms on which Canary Wharf may be offered for sale are entirely a matter for the administrator appointed to manage Olympia and York's affairs in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sheldon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, when considering any possible move to Canary Wharf he will take into account the cost of London weighting allowance and compare total costs of such a move to those of dispersing to other regions of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Howard
  The 2,000 posts in my Department which are to move to docklands, subject to securing accommodation on suitable terms, need to remain within London because they need to have regular contacts with Ministers. The question of the comparative costs of dispersal to other parts of the United Kingdom does not therefore arise. I shall, however, continue to look for further opportunities to relocate posts to other parts of the country, bearing in mind the point which the right hon. Member makes.

  Single Homeless
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department will make available over the next two years to agencies which provide shelter to single homeless people in(a) the north-west of England and (b) St. Helens.

  Mr. Baldry
  For 1992–93 the Department has offered financial assistance under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 to 17 voluntary organisations in north-west England, all of which provide direct practical help to homeless people in finding and keeping suitable accommodation. One organisation, Merseyside accommodation project, is receiving support for its work in St. Helens. Funding for future years is subject to negotiation.
  25
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has for national assessment of direct access accommodation available to single homeless people.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Toxic Waste Plant (Teesside)
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to announce his decision on the planning application to construct a toxic waste plant at Howdon on Tyneside; and what account he will take of the strength of public opposition to the proposal in reaching his decision.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. and learned Friend will issue his decision on the Howdon and linked incinerator inquiries on Teesside as soon as it is practicable to do so.

  In reaching his decision, my right hon. Friend will take into account all the representations made about the proposal.

  Surrey
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if it remains his policy that the part of Surrey between the M25 and the old Greater London boundary should remain part of Surrey not London.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Local Government Boundary Commission has been looking at the local government boundary in this area. Its final proposals for changing the boundaries between Bromley/Tandridge, Croydon/Tandridge, Croydon/Reigate and Banstead and Richmond/Elmbridge/Spelthorne are presently being considered by the Secretary of State. The commission is still examining the remainder of the Surrey/London boundary and will report in due course.

  Planning Appeal, Southport
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to determine planning appeal number T/APP/M4320/A/91/189223/P8, relating to 93/93A High Park road, Southport; when the appeal was first submitted; and when the appeal was submitted for re-determination; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a matter for the Planning Inspectorate Agency and I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to review the system of standard spending assessments for the financing of local government in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Discussions with the local authority associations about a few possible methodological changes to SSAs for 1993–94 have been under way since February.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the operation of section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

  Mr. Redwood
  Councillors who are two or more months in arrears with payment of their community 26
  charge or council tax are required by section 106 to declare the fact and to abstain from voting on matters concerning charge or tax.

  Compliance with the law is the responsibility of individual councillors.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total level of revenue expenditure by local authorities in 1991–92.

  Mr. Redwood
  Total net revenue expenditure by English local authorities in 1991–92 is estimated to have been £36.4 billion.

  Buying Agency
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that the Buying Agency does not discriminate against British suppliers or operate restrictive practices in its trading activities.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Buying Agency—TBA—is a public procurement organisation which is bound by the EC supplies directive and the GATT agreement on Government procurement. The Buying Agency has no policies which could be interpreted as restrictive practices.

  Relocation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that central London weighting will continue to apply in full to staff relocated in docklands and whether allowances will be made for longer travelling time.

  Mr. Howard
  I have assured staff in my Department that I am committed to securing the best terms available on transfer to docklands, but details have yet to be settled. Two of the properties under consideration—Harbour Exchange and Canary Wharf—are in any case within the inner-London weighting area.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of employment opportunities for local people in the east end arising from relocation of his staff to docklands.

  Mr. Howard
  Through the normal process of staff turnover, substantial opportunities will in due course arise for employment in my department in docklands, for which local people will be encouraged to apply. There will also be an indirect benefit to the economy of the area from the needs of 2,000 extra workers.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response the trade unions have made to him arising from his propoals to relocate staff in docklands.

  Mr. Howard
  I have received no response from the trades unions to my announcement in the House on 2 June. The First Division Association had already written to me reporting a conference resolution on the matter. In addition, my officials have had a number of discussions with union representatives.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants have been taken on visits to docklands in connection with possible relocation to that area; and what hospitality was received.
  27
  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: Staff responsible for accommodation have made a number of visits to docklands in connection with possible relocation to the area. In addition, there has been one organised visit for a small number of senior staff. Hospitality received has been in accordance with the normal rules.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants in his Department he is considering for relocation from headquarter buildings; and if he will list the areas currently under consideration for relocation.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: As I said in reply to a private notice question from the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) on 2 June, I have decided that some 2,000 civil servants from my Department will move to docklands, provided that we can secure fully commercial terms giving value for money to the taxpayer. The areas under consideration for relocation are Harbour Exchange, Isle of Dogs, Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, and East India dock, Leamouth.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place with the trades unions in respect of relocation of civil servants from his Department's headquarters buildings.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: Early discussions with the departmental trade union side—DTUS—were offered immediately following the announcement by my predecessor on 6 February that the Department's headquarters building at 2 Marsham street was to be demolished, and that options for relocating staff elsewhere in London—particularly docklands—were to be examined. Following a full discussion with the DTUS on 25 March, a sub-committee of the departmental Whitley council was established to deal exclusively with relocation matters. To date, three meetings of the sub-committee have been held. The staff of the Department are also being kept informed of developments on relocation matters through a series of relocation bulletins and other briefing material.

  Tenants Incentive Scheme
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give(a) the total number of completed transfers under the tenants incentive scheme completed to date and (b) the total amount of money paid out to date under the scheme.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since its introduction in July 1990, the Housing Corporation's tenants incentive scheme has helped more than 4,800 housing association tenants move out into homes of their own with grants totalling more than £60 million.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total amount of money allocated to the Housing Corporation for the tenants incentive scheme since its inception.

  Mr. Baldry
  A total of £110 million, including £44 million for the current financial year, has been allocated to the tenants incentive scheme in the Housing Corporation's approved development programme in the three years since its inception.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the consultation paper on compulsory competitive tendering for housing management and the research on that subject carried out by consultants; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  As part of the citizens charter initiative, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today arranged for the following documents to be placed in the Library of the House: "Competing for Quality in Housing", a consultation paper on compulsory competitive tendering for Housing Management; and "The Scope for Competitive Tendering of Housing Management", a study carried out by consultants for our Departments and for the Scottish Office. Copies of these documents have been sent to all district housing authorities in England and Wales, and to a variety of housing organisations and other interested parties. The paper provides for a consultation period of over three months.

  Mundic Concrete
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 19 May, to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith),Official Report, column 70, if he will make a further statement on decisions taken on mundic concrete following the 6 April meeting.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: Following the 6 April meeting, technical experts met in Cornwall on 28 April and reached agreement on screening tests for distinguishing mundic material. Work continues on finalising the sampling procedures for identifying harmful aggregates. It is expected that guidance notes covering these matters will be published later this year. It is hoped that the information and guidance in these notes will assist in reducing the number of blighted properties.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been expended by his Department in the London Docklands development corporation area from the date of its inception until the end of the last financial year.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: To the end of 1991–92, the total grant in aid paid to the London Docklands development corporation was £1,349 million. Further resources of £11 million have been made available through the Department's estate action programme to support local authority housing schemes in docklands.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now publish the terms of the master building agreement between the London Docklands development corporation and Olympia and York.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: No. The document contains information which is a matter of commercial confidence between the signatories.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  International Fund for Agricultural Development
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current status of negotiations on the International Fund for Agricultural Development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Discussions on the fourth replenishment of IFAD's resources began in Qatar in April and will continue in Rome in July. The United Kingdom will work with others for a successful outcome to these negotiations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Ministerial Engagements
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list his public engagements for Monday 11 May.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I had no public engagements on that day. This enabled me to pay a private visit to the garden festival at Ebbw Vale which I much enjoyed.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales have been given funds from the RECHAR programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) on 22 May, 1992 Official Report, column 333.

  Maxwell Assets
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will use his powers under the Financial Services Act 1986 to trace and recover Maxwell pension fund moneys and Maxwell family assets which have been removed from United Kingdom control to Liechtenstein control.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Financial Services Act 1986 does not provide powers to trace or enforce the recovery of assets outside the United Kingdom.

  Oil Exploration
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many licences have been issued for oil exploration off the Isle of Wight that have not found commercial oil deposits.

  Mr. Eggar
  Six licences have been issued giving rights to explore for oil and gas in the area off the Isle of Wight. Significant discoveries, which may prove to be commercial, have been made under two of these licences. No discoveries have yet been made on the four other licences: exploration is at a very early stage in two of these.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the policy for issuing licences in an environmentally sensitive area where no deposits have been previously discovered.
  30
  Mr. Eggar
  Before offering any area for licence, my Department consults a range of Government Departments and other interested parties, including fishery associations and the Joint Nature Conservancy Council. As a result of these consultations, some areas may not be released for licensing. Where licences are offered, conditions may be attached to protect environmental or other interests; these may restrict the timing and location of exploration activities. Licensees may also be required to consult local authorities and other relevant bodies before undertaking operations under their licence. Applicants for licences must also satisfy my Department that they are capable of carrying out their planned exploration programme with due regard to environmental concerns.

  Concessionary Coal Allowance
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of retired miners' concessionary coal allowances following privatisation of the mining industry and on the arrangements that are available to retired miners who wish to convert to other forms of heating.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. O'Brien) on 2 June,Official Report, column 493.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will describe the work that he has undertaken following the publication of the report by the interdepartmental party into the reduction of the bureaucratic burden of registration under the Data Protection Act 1984; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The interdepartmental group which reviewed the operation of the Data Protection Act 1984 disbanded when it had presented its report. Further action must necessarily await the outcome of negotiations on the draft EC directive on data protection, which appeared almost coincidentally with the group's report. However, the report has been a valuable aid in the first round of negotiations. A second draft of the directive is expected to be published in July.

  Generating Plants
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to amend the generating plant licensing provisions of the Electricity Act 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government have no such plans.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to issue a statement on his licensing policy on gas-fired generating stations.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: The Government have made it clear that, in considering an application to construct and operate a generating station, as a general rule, matters such as the need for a generating station, its capacity, choice of fuel to be used and type of plant should be treated as commercial matters for the applicant concerned.
  31
  In a news release of 9 March 1992, the Government announced that they may also need to consider whether they should review the use of their powers under the Electricity Act to issue consent to power stations.

  That remains the position.

  A copy of the news release of 9 March 1992 has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's policy concerning the approval of new non-fossil fuel generating plants.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan).

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with the Director General of Electricity Supply concerning the maximum number, location and total generating capacity from combined cycle gas-fired power stations capable of connection to the national grid without any adverse effect on the stability of the electricity supply system.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: I meet the Director General of Electricity Supply from time to time and discuss issues of mutual interest.

  Questions relating to grid code obligations are matters for the National Grid Company and the director general.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those applications lodged with his Department for combined cycle gas turbine power station consents, the date of lodgement and the timetable for processing these applications; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the role of gas in the United Kingdom energy market.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: The applications made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 are as follows:

  Site

  Applicant

  Application made

  Plymouth

  PowerGen plc

  5 October 1990

  Staythorpe "C"

  National Power plc

  16 October 1990

  Didcot "B"

  National Power plc

  14 November 1990

  Ardleigh

  Eastern Generation Ltd.

  17 May 1991

  Connah's Quay

  PowerGen plc

  1 July 1991

  Stalling-borough

  Humber Power Ltd.

  18 July 1991

  Shoreham

  South Coast Power Ltd.

  27 September 1991

  Seabank

  Seabank Power Ltd.

  18 October 1991

  Greenwick

  MetroPower Ltd.

  31 October 1991

  Trafford

  Electricity System Industry

  31 December 1991

  King's Lynn

  Eastern Generation Ltd.

  15 January 1992

  Deeside

  Deeside Power Development Co. Ltd.

  17 January 1992

  Kingsnorth

  Kingsnorth Developments

  13 March 1992

  On timing, each application has to be dealt with on its merits. With respect to the role of gas, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan).

  Plutonium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what permission has been sought recently by the Atomic Energy Authority research establishment at Harwell to import plutonium 237 from Russia.
  32
  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: Imports of plutonium by the AEA are covered by an existing import licence.

  Electricity Companies
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what discussions he has had with the privatised electricity companies and OFFER about the form and presentation of the companies' accounts;

  (2) what advice has been given to the privatised electricity companies by him or OFFER about the valuation of assets for presentation in their accounts.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: The successor companies' reports and accounts will have to be prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985 and any additional requirements imposed by the stock exchange.

  The enforcement of licence conditions relating to the successor companies' regulatory accounts is a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Church Land
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what is his most recent estimate of the total of land in the possession of the Church Commissioners.

  Mr. Michael Alison
  At 31 December 1991 the commissioners' agricultural portfolio consisted of about 154,000 acres of mostly let farmland.

  Church Maintenance
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what is their policy towards the maintenance of redundant and historic churches.

  Mr. Michael Alison
  Responsibility for the maintenance of Church of England churches in use for worship rests with individual parochial church councils.

  The commissioners' policy on redundant churches is governed by legislation, in this case the Pastoral Measure 1983. This provides for the future of the building to be settled by a suitable alternative use; or by preservation by the redundant churches fund; or by care and maintenance by the diocesan board of finance; or, failing these, by demolition.

  The Measure lays emphasis on finding a suitable alternative use for the church, if at all possible, and that is what is most commonly achieved. The new owner or lessee will normally be responsible for maintenance and this will be a consideration in determining the future of a redundant church.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts, Chelmsford
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the provision of magistrates courts in Chelmsford.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is for Essex magistrates courts committee, in consultation with Essex county council, to
  33
  decide what courthouse accommodation should he provided, and for the council to provide it. I understand that no formal decisions have yet been made about the future of the Chelmsford courthouse.

  Law of Property Act 1925
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes he plans in the Law of Property Act 1925.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is actively considering the report by the Law Commission on continuing obligations under leases and hopes to be able to make an announcement about it in the near future.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will investigate the cost of the law to individuals who are not eligible for legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In a case which is not covered by legal aid a solicitor's charge is a matter to be agreed with his client. In non-contentious cases a client who feels a solicitor's bill is unreasonable may use the Law Society's free remuneration certification scheme. In addition, in both contentious and non-contentious cases costs can be taxed by the court.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps his Department has taken in response to the report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the working of the criminal legal aid system.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Government's response to the report, which was published on 13 May 1992, will be published in the usual manner by way of a Treasury minute. The hon. Member will, however, be aware of the circular on criminal legal aid issued to magistrates courts clerks on 1 April 1992 following the inquiry of the National Audit Office in October of last year and the appearance of the relevant accounting officers before the Public Accounts Committee in January of this year.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the percentage of refusals of initial applications for criminal legal aid in magistrates' courts for(a) the four weeks preceding the coming into force of the Lord Chancellor's recent circular on criminal legal aid and (b) the four weeks following that date.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that legal aid is made available to women seeking claims through industrial tribunals.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Advice and assistance, but not representation, is already available under the legal aid "green form" scheme to men and women.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to reduce 34
  the length of time taken by the investigations branch of the Legal Aid Board to process cases of suspected fraud by solicitors in relation to legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The investigation of fraudulent claims made by solicitors is a matter for the Legal Aid Board. Those which are subject to police investigation are given priority and close liaison is maintained with the investigating officers.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he has on the number of fraud cases pending against solicitors in relation to claims for legal aid under the green form scheme; and what representations he has had from chief constables or their fraud squad chiefs and others in respect of unreasonable delays in computer processing of the information on claims required for such police investigations.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I understand from the Legal Aid Board that there are currently 27 cases under investigation by its fraud investigation branch which relate to alleged offences of fraud under the green form scheme; and that no representations have been received concerning information required for police investigations.

  Commonhold
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce commonhold law reform in this Session of Parliament.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Queen's Speech confirmed the Government's intention to bring forward legislation in this session to enable leaseholders of flats to acquire the freehold or to extend their leases. A commonhold scheme for the freehold ownership and communal management of flats will follow as soon as parliamentary time allows.

  Lockerbie Bombing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what response he has made to the covering letter from Mr. David Leppard of this May enclosing his book "On the Trail of Terror", referring to the Lockerbie bombing.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have not received the book "On the Trail of Terror", or any letter, from its author.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employee Financial Participation
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the progress which has been made by the social questions working group which is examining the draft EC recommendation on the promotion of employee participation in profits and enterprise results; and whether the European Commission has set up a working party to examine the possibilities for the creation at European level of formulae for employee financial participation schemes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The social questions working group has completed discussion on the draft recommendation. The recommendation is due to be considered at the Labour and Social Affairs Council on 24 June.
  35
  As far as the working party is concerned, while this is no longer mentioned in the draft recommendation, we understand that it is still the Commission's intention to establish such a body, although at this stage there is no indication of when this might be, nor of its precise terms of reference.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average weekly rate of enterprise allowance paid by each training and enterprise council in the United Kingdom in each 12-month period since the administration of the enterprise allowance was taken over by the TECs.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It is not possible to provide the information in the form required, except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of those individuals who have started up businesses through the enterprise allowance in each of the years since its introduction, were still trading(a) after 12 months, (b) after 24 months and (c) after 36 months.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been awarded moneys through the enterprise allowance scheme in each year from the introduction of the scheme to the current year; and in each of those years, how many people(a) attended enterprise allowance awareness days, (b) applied for enterprise allowance assistance but were refused, (c) were awarded enterprise allowance assistance but had the assistance terminated within the first 12 months and (d) continued to receive enterprise allowance assistance for a full 12-month period.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The numbers of enterprise allowance awards in each year since the scheme was introduced are set out in the following table. The information required to answer points (a), (b), (c) and (d) is not available.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme Yearly entrants

  Number

  February 1982—July 19831

  3,331

  August 1983—March 1984

  27,629

  April 1984—March 1985

  46,037

  April 1985—March 1986

  60,037

  April 1986—March 1987

  86,751

  April 1987—March 1988

  106,305

  April 1988—March 1989

  98,522

  April 1989—March 1990

  77,886

  April 1990—March 1991

  60,307

  April 1991—March 1992

  49,602

  1 (pilot).

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total sum budgeted by her Department for enterprise allowance in the current financial year; what has been the total cost of the enterprise allowance programme in each year since its introduction; and in each instance, what proportion of the total cost has been accounted for by administrative expenses.
  36
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The total sum budgeted for enterprise allowance in the current financial year is £107.6 million. The information on the total cost of the enterprise allowance in each year since its introduction is set out in the table. Information on the total cost accounted for by administrative expenses is not available.

  Enterprise allowance expenditure by financial year

  Great Britain £ million

  1982–83

  2.4

  1983–84

  23.2

  1984–85

  76.7

  1985–86

  103.9

  1986–87

  143.4

  1987–88

  195.9

  1988–89

  196.7

  1989–90

  170.9

  1990–91

  132.9

  1991–92

  195.1

  1 This is a provisional figure which applies to expenditure for England and Wales only. Information for Scotland is not available.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretry of State for Employment how many registered disabled people have been working; and what proportion they are of the total work force in(a) the public sector and (b) the private sector for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  However, tables showing the number and percentage of registered disabled people employed by a wide range of individual public sector employers are published in the Employment Gazette. The most recent complete set of figures is in the 1991 gazette and relates to June 1990. A partial set of figures. relating to June 1991 is in the February 1992 gazette.

  The percentage of registered disabled people employed, on average, by employers whose figures are in the gazette, together with estimated comparisons for the private sector, for the years 1986 to 1990, are set out in the table. The data relate to employers who have 20 or more employees. Later comparable information is not yet available.

  Percentage of registered disabled people employed

  Sector

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Private (approximate figures)

  1.0

  1.0

  1.0

  0.9

  0.9

  Public (based on Gazette figures)

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

EDUCATION

  Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the status of the adult literacy and basic skills unit; whether it has charitable status; how it is funded; and whether it publishes accounts.

  Mr. Forman
  The adult literacy and basic skills unit is a registered company limited by guarantee with charitable status. It is largely funded by grant from the Department for Education and the Welsh Office. The unit's accounts are published in its annual report.
  37
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the adult literacy and basic skills unit was formed and by whom; and how many people work within the organisation(a) full or (b) part time.

  Mr. Forman
  The adult literacy and basic skills unit—ALBSU—was formed in 1980 by the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Wales as an agency of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education—NIACE. In 1991 ALBSU became independent of NIACE and is now a limited company and a registered charity. ALBSU currently employs 21 full-time and no part-time staff.

  Environmental Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to include environmental education as a part of teacher training courses.

  Mr. Forth
  All courses of initial teacher training are required to ensure that prospective teachers are able to incorporate in their teaching cross-circular dimensions and themes, including environmental education.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing, for each local education authority with an approved LMS scheme(a) the percentage of the aggregated schools budget that is distributed by the age-weighted pupil numbers and (b) the ratio of the relevant age-weightings expressed in six bands of pupil ages—for pupils aged under five years, pupils in each of the four key stages and sixth-form pupils—with pupils in key stage 2 representing 1 in each ratio.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures on pupil-led funding for 1991–92 are contained in the table. Figures for 1992–93 are not yet available, but I will write to the hon. Member when our analysis of the data received from local education authorities is complete. The information on each authority's age-weightings could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

  Percentage of aggregated schools budget (ASB) based on pupil numbers and ages (1991–92)

  (1)

  (2)

  Local Education Authority

  Pupil-LED funding as a percentage of ASB

  1991–92

  (1990–91)

  1. Isles of Scilly

  93.21

  (—)

  2. Dudley

  90.00

  (85.72)

  3. Lincolnshire

  88.51

  (87.25)

  4. Barking

  88.36

  (86.73)

  5. South Tyneside

  88.33

  (86.93)

  6. Gateshead

  87.04

  (84.36)

  7. Wigan

  86.40

  (84.35)

  8. Bolton

  86.16

  (85.73)

  9. Northumberland

  86.07

  (85.49)

  10. Brent

  86.00

  (77.81)

  11. Bexley

  85.39

  (84.40)

  12. Tameside

  85.33

  (85.57)

  13. Kent

  84.93

  (83.72)

  14. Oldham

  84.69

  (84.77)

  15. Bromley

  84.43

  (84.99)

  16. Trafford

  84.40

  (83.28)

  17. Redbridge

  84.00

  (89.30)

  18. Sefton

  83.79

  (83.33)

  19. Cornwall

  83.75

  (80.93)

  20. Coventry

  83.57

  (83.52)

  21. Knowsley

  83.50

  (75.00)

  38

  (1)

  (2)

  Local Education Authority

  Pupil-LED funding as a percentage of ASB

  1991–92

  (1990–91)

  22. Harrow

  83.49

  (83.83)

  23. Westminster

  83.32

  (84.20)

  24. Leicestershire

  83.19

  (—)

  25. Calderdale

  83.19

  (82.17)

  26. Avon

  82.91

  (82.30)

  27. Devon

  82.78

  (82.64)

  28. Northamptonshire

  82.62

  (82.19)

  29. Rotherham

  82.57

  (81.79)

  30. Suffolk

  82.29

  (82.57)

  31. West Sussex

  82.29

  (82.13)

  32. Sunderland

  82.25

  (80.69)

  33. Manchester

  82.14

  (—)

  34. Salford

  82.02

  (81.69)

  35. North Yorkshire

  82.02

  (85.51)

  36. Barnsley

  81.98

  (82.80)

  37. Hereford/Worcester

  81.95

  (—)

  38. Isle of Wight

  81.85

  (81.62)

  39. Solihull

  81.70

  (82.29)

  40. Newcastle

  81.66

  (80.66)

  41. Waltham Forest

  81.66

  (81.99)

  42. Wiltshire

  81.56

  (81.00)

  43. Bury

  81.42

  (81.45)

  44. Cambridgeshire

  81.00

  (82.34)

  45. Gloucestershire

  80.64

  (83.22)

  46. Sutton

  80.53

  (80.29)

  47. Ealing

  80.53

  (80.62)

  48. Humberside

  80.42

  (81.97)

  49. Enfield

  80.40

  (79.21)

  50. Cleveland

  80.33

  (81.43)

  51. Stockport

  80.31

  (—)

  52. Leeds

  80.26

  (78.90)

  53. Croydon

  80.22

  (—)

  54. Durham

  80.20

  (80.40)

  55. Cheshire

  80.16

  (77.78)

  56. Liverpool

  80.00

  (75.00)

  57. Rochdale

  80.00

  (75.00)

  see Footnote 2

  58. Dorset

  79.94

  (79.03)

  59. Newham

  79.85

  (—)

  60. Richmond

  79.79

  (77.26)

  61. Lancashire

  79.60

  (—)

  62. Wirral

  79.55

  (—)

  63. Staffordshire

  79.34

  (84.00)

  64. Berkshire

  79.31

  (79.68)

  65. Somerset

  79.09

  (79.99)

  66. Buckinghamshire

  79.06

  (79.73)

  67. Sandwell

  79.03

  (74.94)

  68. Warwickshire

  79.02

  (79.89)

  69. Cumbria

  78.83

  (75.62)

  70. Birmingham

  78.69

  (78.63)

  71. Bedfordshire

  78.50

  (77.00)

  72. North Tyneside

  78.00

  (78.00)

  73. Merton

  77.99

  (78.36)

  74. Hillingdon

  77.93

  (—)

  75. Walsall

  77.87

  (78.19)

  76. Shropshire

  77.86

  (77.91)

  77. Hounslow

  77.82

  (81.42)

  78. Bradford

  77.66

  (78.51)

  79. Oxfordshire

  77.60

  (75.61)

  80. Haringey

  77.37

  (78.25)

  81. Sheffield

  77.30

  (77.19)

  82. Kirklees

  77.27

  (78.17)

  83. Barnet

  76.86

  (75.19)

  84. Kingston

  76.67

  (76.84)

  85. Doncaster

  76.66

  (75.38)

  86. Surrey

  76.58

  (74.91)

  87. Essex

  76.56

  (77.05)

  88. St. Helens

  76.50

  (75.00)

  89. Hampshire

  76.35

  (76.63)

  90. Nottinghamshire

  76.34

  (—)

  91. East Sussex

  76.29

  (77.41)

  92. Wakefield

  75.76

  (75.29)

  93. Hertfordshire

  75.33

  (—)

  94. Derbyshire

  75.32

  (76.04)

  95. Norfolk

  75.31

  75.99

  39

  (1)

  (2)

  Local Education Authority

  Pupil-LED funding as a percentage of ASB

  1991–92

  (1990–91)

  96. Havering

  75.09

  (75.36)

  97. Wolverhampton

  774.88

  (75.00)

  National averages

  80.17

  Footnotes to table showing the extent of pupil-led funding.
  1 The LEAs are ranked according to how much the funds delegated to schools have been allocated on the basis of pupil numbers and ages, with those allocating a greater percentage of pupil-led funding at the top of the ranking order.
  2. The aggregated schools budget (ASB) is that part of the potential schools budget which is delegated to the school level. The current requirement is that at least 75 per cent. of an LEA's ASB is based on pupil numbers and ages. From 1993 (1995 for inner London authorities) the minimum percentage will be raised to 80 per cent. The percentage of pupil-led funding in 1990–91 is given in brackets. Where a figure is not given in brackets, either the LMS scheme was not in operation last year or the relevant information was not contained in the LEA's budget statement.
  NB The percentages stated may differ from the percentages calculated by the individual LEAs because of the effects of rounding.

  Schools Admissions Register
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what restrictions are placed upon the commercial or other uses that can be made of the names and addresses on the schools admissions register when a parent has obtained such information by legitimate means in connection with a petition or a ballot being organised for a school to seek grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  None.

  Illiteracy
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the numbers of functionally illiterate people in England and Wales are increasing or declining; and when such records started to be kept.

  Mr. Forman
  The Department's current estimate of the number of people in England and Wales who are functionally illiterate is based on a survey carried out some years ago by the adult literacy and basic skills unit. There is no evidence as to whether numbers are growing or declining. ALBSU is however currently undertaking a similar survey, the results of which are likely to be known within the next 12 months.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 20 May 1992,Official Report, columns 158-59, if he will publish a breakdown of the 5.5 million people who are functionally illiterate in England and Wales into groups according to age, area and ethnic origin.

  Mr. Forman
  The figure of 5.5 million functionally illiterate people in England and Wales is an estimate based on a survey carried out by the adult literacy and basic skills unit. The survey did not distinguish according to age, area and ethnic origin.

  Environmental Studies
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will make it his policy to review the current position of environmental education and promote the 40
  teaching of environmental studies in association with social education as a compulsory subject at both primary and secondary levels;

  (2) what efforts are being made by his Department to promote the teaching of the concept of sustainable development as part of the core curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend sees no reason to change the present arrangements for the teaching of environmental education and personal and social education as cross-curricular themes to all pupils through the compulsory core and foundation subjects and, where appropriate, additionally.

  Provisions for the study of environmental geography and sustainable development are set out in the geography order and its associated documents which are issued to all schools.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the documents or projects produced by his Department to be used in schools to raise the awareness of pupils on environmental issues; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Environmental education is a cross-curricular theme taught to all pupils through the core and foundation subjects, the terms of which are set out in the statutory orders and associated documents issued by my Department. Additional guidance has been provided by the National Curriculum Council.

  Toxic Shock Syndrome
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information is available on the tampon industry's schools education programme; and if information on toxic shock syndrome is incorporated into schools curricula.

  Mr. Forth
  Teaching about the use of sanitary protection would normally be covered within a school's programme of sex education. Under section 18(2) of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, responsibility for determining an individual school's policy on the content and organisation of sex education rests with the school governing body.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of pupils receiving free school meals at(a) primary and (b) secondary schools for each year since 1981.

  Mr. Forth
  The readily available information for pupils in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England is as follows. Information for 1981 was not published, and no survey was undertaken in 1985. The discontinuity in the figures in 1988 reflects the introduction of a new provision in the Social Security Act 1986 which came into force in 1988. Before then, LEAs had discretionary powers to provide free school meals to whomsoever they wished. From 1988, LEAs must charge for meals provided to all pupils other than those in receipt of income support.
  41

  Year

  Nursery' and Primary' Pupils

  Secondary Pupils

  1982

  533,140

  398,190

  1983

  597,545

  442,874

  1984

  651,647

  461,954

  1986

  685,018

  425,634

  1987

  682,804

  386,383

  1988

  491,000

  249,000

  1989

  515,395

  235,270

  1990

  519,228

  222,929

  1991

  562,993

  235,107

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what extra grant is made available for small schools under grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  All grant-maintained schools, irrespective of size, are eligible for transitional grants, special purpose grants and capital grants over and above their annual maintenance grant. The special purpose grant for staff and curriculum development and the capital formula grant each includes a minimum allocation, which is to the benefit of small schools. In addition, the annual maintenance grant will include a small school allowance to the extent that this is the case under the local management of schools scheme of the grant-maintained school's former local education authority.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what inspections are being made into the operations of grant-maintained schools; and whether his Department will be publishing a report on the findings.

  Mr. Forth
  The arrangements for inspection under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 will ensure that we have detailed inspection reports on a quarter of all schools, including GM schools, each year. In the meantime, Her Majesty's inspectorate has included GM schools, along with other maintained schools, in its regular programme of visits. To date, these visits do not yet provide the sort of evidence base that would be expected for a report aimed at fulfilling that part of HMI's remit which is to make known more widely good practice and promising developments, and draw attention to weaknesses requiring attention.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what geographical and age range criteria he employs to determine which combinations of schools will be entitled to consideration when considering applications from clusters of schools for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  At present, schools must apply individually to my right hon. Friend for grant-maintained status following a successful parental ballot. Each application is treated strictly on its merits. My right hon. Friend is considering arrangements to permit schools to apply for grant-maintained status in groups.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if it is his intention to introduce legislation to turn all local education authority schools, other than nursery and special schools, into grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  It is already possible for any local education authority county or voluntary school to apply to my right 42
  hon. Friend for grant-maintained status after a successful parental ballot. This arrangement is working well and there are no plans to change it.

  As at 4 June, 260 schools have already been approved for grant-maintained status. In time I expect grant-maintained status to become the natural organisational model, particularly for secondary schools.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are issued by his Department for the operation of petitions and ballots which seek to determine whether a school should apply for grant-maintained status; what are the criteria for determining who is eligible to petition and to vote; and what arrangements are made to cross-check a person's entitlement to petition or vote with entries in local government and parliamentary electoral registers.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department produces a booklet entitled "How to Become a Grant-Maintained School" which gives guidance for the operation of petitions and ballots in connection with seeking to achieve grant-maintained status. It is the duty of the governing body to take reasonable steps to determine who is eligible to vote by virtue of their being a parent of a registered pupil at the school.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the long-term funding of grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  We are keeping the matter under review as the number of grant-maintained schools increases.

  Student Finance
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what action the Government have taken to measure the effects of the student loans scheme on participation by social class or gender;

  (2) when he will undertake a survey of students' income and expenditure.

  Mr. Forman
  The Government and the Student Loans Company are committed to monitoring student loans. We have just issued a statistical bulletin which analyses take-up during academic year 1990-91 by gender, age and region. The Student Loans Company's first annual report was published on 21 October last year and placed in the Library. A second will be published this autumn. We shall commission further surveys of students' income and expenditure as and when appropriate.

  Asthma
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his Department's estimate of the number of days lost from school due to asthma amongst the under-10 age group; and what were the comparable figures for five and 10 years ago.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is not collected centrally.

  School Bussing
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to revise the legislation relating to school bussing in the Education Act 1944 to take account of the changes in the law concerning parental choice of schools.
  43
  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no current plans to change the law on home to school transport, which gives local education authorities the duty to arrange necessary transport and an unrestricted power to offer further help in the light of local circumstances.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he has any changes to announce to cash limits on votes within his responsibility for 1992–93.

  Mr. Patten
  [pursuant to his reply, 4 June, 1992, c. 618-19]: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the running cost limit of class XI vote 4 will be reduced by £1,530,000 from £105,060,000 to £103,530,000.

  This reduction results from the decision to transfer responsibility for sport to the Department of National Heritage, and responsibility for science to the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service.

SCOTLAND

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what annual salaries, allowances or honoraria are paid to the chairman and each member of Argyll and Clyde health board; if any increases or decreases in these are planned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The chairman of Argyll and Clyde health board currently receives remuneration of £17,700 per annum and non-executive members receive £5,000. In addition, the chairman and members are entitled to claim travelling and subsistence allowances at rates set for members of public bodies. No immediate changes in remuneration and allowances are currently planned, but the position is being kept under review.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what undertakings firms have to give about their continued presence in an enterprise zone before receiving assistance from Scottish Enterprise or local enterprise companies.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Such matters are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but as a general rule, before any company is considered for an enterprise zone site owned by Scottish Enterprise or a local enterprise company it would have to demonstrate genuine medium-term business prospects. If an EZ site is sold to a company, the conditions of sale would probably include a first option buy-back clause operative for the lifetime of the zone. Any assistance granted to the company would relate to employment levels and any serious reduction in employment would trigger a clawback arrangement.

  Renfrewshire Enterprise
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of Renfrewshire Enterprise; and what matters he hopes to discuss.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Communications between my right hon. Friend and me and the local enterprise companies 44
  take place chiefly through Scottish Enterprise; and we have frequent discussions with the chairman and board members of Scottish Enterprise.

  I myself had a very useful and constructive meeting with the chairman of Renfrewshire Enterprise and his colleagues on 14 October last year at which a wide range of topics relating to training and industrial development were discussed; and I hope to meet representatives of Renfrewshire Enterprise again in the near future.

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

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The total number of patients waiting for hospital treatment at 30 September 1991 is shown in the table:

  Health board

  In-patient treatment

  Day case treatment

  Argyll and Clyde

  3,715

  1,377

  Ayrshire and Arran

  4,686

  819

  Borders

  571

  182

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,023

  229

  Fife

  2,681

  1,487

  Forth Valley

  2,190

  723

  Grampian

  4,046

  1,609

  Greater Glasgow

  16,777

  4,835

  Highland

  2,223

  693

  Lanarkshire

  4,199

  1,357

  Lothian

  12,222

  3,830

  Orkney

  14

  9

  Shetland

  45

  71

  Tayside

  6,020

  2,470

  Western Isles

  138

  52

  Scotland

  61,550

  19,743

  Information about the number of patients waiting for the removal of tattoos is not centrally available.

  Funerals
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of the Institute of Burial and Cremation Administration to discuss the operation of cemeteries, crematoria and funeral undertakings in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present for such a meeting.

  Health Service
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the average number of national health service beds available in the Argyll and Clyde health board area in each year since 1982 and the average number of those described as acute; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  45

  National Health Service hospitals in Argyll and Clyde Health Board—average available staffed beds

  Year ending 31 March

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  1982

  4,484

  1,259

  1983

  4,455

  1,258

  1984

  4,433

  1,255

  1985

  4,437

  1,248

  1986

  4,386

  1,245

  1987

  4,312

  1,236

  1988

  4,307

  1,233

  1989

  4,130

  1,276

  1990

  4,103

  1,275

  1991

  3,976

  1,257

  Forests (Equestrian Access)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will require the Forestry Commission to guarantee equestrian access as of right in the titles of any forests disposed of by the commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No. The sale of Forestry Commission woodlands does not affect horse riding on public rights of way which are bridleways. Other equestrian access to Forestry Commission woodlands is only allowed by express permission of the commission. In such cases, permission to ride in Forestry Commission woodlands after sale will be a matter for agreement with the new owners.

  Local Development Companies
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give details of the number and cost of the external consultancy studies on local development companies under Scottish Enterprise;

  (2) if he intends to publish the findings of the external consultancy studies on local development companies under Scottish Enterprise.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Decisions on whether to commission external consultancy studies and whether to publish the findings of any such studies are matters for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Child Care, Fife
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report on the inquiry into child care in Fife was completed; if he will publish the report; what were the total costs of the inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I understand that the report of the inquiry into the child care policies in Fife region is likely to be completed within the next few days. So far as publication of the report and the costs of the inquiry are concerned I refer the hon. Member to my replies of 19 May, at columns 123–24.

  HIV
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many payments have been made to non-haemophiliacs infected with HIV as a result of NHS blood/tissue transfers, or to families of the deceased, following the announcement by his Department on 17 February that special provisions would be made.
  46
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: Payment of five claims received under the scheme has been made. A further three claims are in the process of being validated and payment will be made as soon as possible.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on advertising electoral registration in Scotland in 1989, 1990 and 1991; how much will be spent in the current year; and of this sum how much is spent on(a) television, (b) newspaper, (c) billboard and (d) other advertising.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 3 June 1992]: Annual publicity expenditure on electoral registration in Scotland in recent years is as follows:

  £

  1989–90

  30,648.48

  1990–91

  39,192.05

  1991–92

  41,640.50

  1992–93

  148,000.00

  1 Estimate.

  The expenditure for 1992–93 will cover newspaper advertisements along with an associated poster display in council and other public offices, libraries etcetera.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the population in each parliamentary constituency; and what is the number of(a) electors on each constituency register and (b) those registered on the community charge register within the area of each constituency.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 3 June 1992]: The information requested by the hon. Member is set out in the table for the latest available population estimates and electoral registrations by parliamentary constituency. No information is available centrally about the number of persons within parliamentary constituency areas who are on the community charge register.

  Parliamentary constituency

  1 Population estimate at 1990

  Total electors on 1992 register

  Aberdeen North

  75,500

  60,623

  Aberdeen South

  73,800

  59,230

  Angus, East

  82,400

  63,637

  Argyll and Bute

  66,200

  48,436

  Ayr

  84,700

  66,284

  Banff and Buchan

  85,000

  65,631

  Caithness and Sutherland

  39,800

  31,173

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  72,100

  56,024

  Central Fife

  72,400

  56,543

  Clackmannan

  63,600

  49,441

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  63,200

  47,773

  Clydesdale

  82,600

  62,684

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  63,100

  47,155

  Cunninghame North

  72,500

  55,490

  Cunninghame South

  65,100

  49,745

  Dumbarton

  79,800

  57,894

  Dumfries

  78,400

  61,773

  Dundee East

  76,000

  59,328

  Dundee West

  77,700

  60,386

  Dunfermline East

  67,800

  50,452

  Dunfermline West

  69,300

  51,310

  47

  Parliamentary constituency

  1 Population estimate at 1990

  Total electors on 1992 register

  East Kilbride

  83,100

  64,824

  East Lothian

  85,500

  67,588

  Eastwood

  84,100

  64,560

  Edinburgh Central

  69,100

  56,839

  Edinburgh East

  57,700

  46,157

  Edinburgh Leith

  70,800

  57,073

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  69,600

  56,433

  Edinburgh South

  76,100

  61,999

  Edinburgh West

  74,700

  59,702

  Falkirk East

  68,000

  52,387

  Falkirk West

  65,600

  50,631

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  70,000

  54,977

  Glasgow Cathcart

  60,200

  45,149

  Glasgow Central

  64,200

  48,383

  Glasgow Garscadden

  55,400

  41,675

  Glasgow Govan

  61,400

  46,199

  Glasgow Hillhead

  73,600

  57,586

  Glasgow Maryhill

  63,600

  48,791

  Glasgow Pollok

  62,000

  46,655

  Glasgow Provan

  49,700

  36,986

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  70,600

  53,325

  Glasgow Shettleston

  68,500

  52,381

  Glasgow Springburn

  60,100

  46,216

  Gordon

  102,500

  81,097

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  70,000

  52,661

  Hamilton

  82,500

  62,347

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  90,400

  70,164

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  81,100

  62,777

  Kincardine and Deeside

  84,900

  67,216

  Kirkcaldy

  67,400

  52,191

  Linlithgow

  82,000

  61,979

  Livingston

  82,700

  62,122

  Midlothian

  81,300

  61,178

  Monklands East

  65,800

  49,059

  Monklands West

  68,300

  49,935

  Moray

  84,500

  63,944

  Motherwell North

  78,000

  58,106

  Motherwell South

  68,800

  50,674

  North East Fife

  68,900

  54,196

  North Tayside

  72,600

  56,353

  Orkney and Shetland

  41,800

  31,837

  Paisley North

  61,800

  46,867

  Paisley South

  63,600

  48,385

  Perth and Kinross

  85,300

  65,826

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  76,000

  58,897

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  74,100

  56,112

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  54,100

  44,001

  Stirling

  74,900

  58,814

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  84,600

  61,924

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  49,400

  39,907

  Western Isles

  30,700

  23,015

  Total

  5,102,600

  3,929,112

  1 The derivation of these population figures involved a number of approximations.

  Plantable Land
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each financial year since April 1980(a) the amount of plantations and plantable land in hectares that has been sold by the Forestry Commission, (b) the proceeds from the sale and (c) the book value of the sale; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 3 June 1992]: The information is available in the form requested only from 1986, as follows:

  Year ended 31 March

  Areas (hectares)

  Receipts (£000)

  Book value (£000)

  1986

  8,314

  9,592

  7,845

  1987

  6,186

  8,308

  6,120

  1988

  6,387

  6,839

  6,406

  1989

  4,328

  4,993

  6,967

  1990

  5,559

  6,972

  7,992

  1991

  4,770

  7,073

  11,509

  The receipts are the actual prices received from the sale of plantations and plantable land, and reflect the state of the market at the time of sale. The book value is calculated from the expected future value of the wood production at the time of felling, discounted at the commission's target rate of return of 3 per cent.

  Postgraduate Grants
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to review the Scottish Education Department grants regime with regard to students wishing to pursue postgraduate qualifications.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: The operation of the postgraduate students' allowance scheme, which provides assistance to students undertaking vocational postgraduate courses, is reviewed at regular intervals in common with other schemes of student support.

  Fisheries Decommissioning
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment has been made of the employment consequences of the introduction of the proposed decommissioning package.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: The detailed arrangements for the proposed decommissioning scheme are currently the subject of consultation with the industry. The impact of the scheme will also depend on the circumstances of the particular vessels which take up the scheme, but in the long term employment in fishing and related industries will best be protected by our proposals to reduce fishing pressure and hence conserve fish stocks.

  Fishermen (Retraining)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes any measures to ensure proper access to training and retraining facilities for those choosing to leave the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: At present Scottish Enterprise and several of its enterprise companies are actively engaged with representatives of the

  49
  fishing industry, its companies and local authorities to plan for the future needs of fishermen. The implications of reduced fishing activities in fisheries dependent areas are currently being addressed within the European Community, both as part of the common fisheries policy mid-term review and as part of the reform structural funds. Work is currently being undertaken by the European Commmission to identify dependent areas and possible measures to retrain and reorientate fishermen leaving the industry into other economic activities. The Government will give careful consideration to the results which emerge from these studies.

  EC Cohesion Fund
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made of the possible advantages to Scotland of the EC cohesion fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: No such assessment has been made because no assistance will be available to Scotland through the cohesion fund. It will assist only member states whose per capita GNP is less than 90 per cent. of the Community average— Portugal, Spain, Greece and the Republic of Ireland—provided they meet certain macro-economic policy conditions.

  Creel Fisheries
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has considered the report jointly commissioned by Highland regional council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise into the prospect for creel fisheries in north of Scotland waters; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the reports recommendations for his Department.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]: The report was prepared to assist Highland regional council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in developing their own strategies relating to the industry in their region.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the amount of community charge in each district and islands area in(a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93 which is attributable to the costs of covering non-payment in previous years.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 4 June 1992]:> This information is not collected centrally.

  Forestry
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prevent the straight-up ploughing for forestry at Forest farm, Glen Croick, Sutherland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 5 June 1992.]: The Forestry Commission has approved an application for grant aid to plant about 2,000 hectares of native pinewood at Croick. It is a condition of this approval that any poughing is carried out in accordance with the commission's forests and water guidelines. Straight-up ploughing is generally acceptable under these guidelines. However, a small, steeply sloping area at Croick has been ploughed contrary to the approved plan, and the owners have agreed to carry out remedial action.

  Education
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in the current revenue support grant provision for Strathclyde regional council, what proportion is intended for the purpose of education; and what proportion of that sum is considered necessary to meet nursery education requirements.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 5 June 1992]: Local authority current expenditure is supported by aggregate external finance—AEF—which consists of non-domestic rate income—NDRI—revenue support grant—RS—Gand specific grants. The NDRI and RSG components are not hypothecated to particular services.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Comber Bypass
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the land has been acquired for phases 2 and 3 of the Comber bypass; and if he will make a statement about progress with the design work for this bypass.

  Mr. Atkins
  Land acquisition and design work for phase 2 is well advanced. No work has commenced on phase 3 which currently falls outside the five-year major works programme.

  Tattoos

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

  Mr. Hanley
  Information is not collected centrally on the numbers waiting for operations. The numbers of patients waiting for in-patient admission to the relevant surgical specialties in hospitals managed by each of the health and social service boards as at 31 March 1992 arc as follows:

  Board

  All surgical specialties

  Plastic surgery

  Eastern

  16,542

  1,695

  Northern

  1,664

  —

  Southern

  1,298

  —

  Western

  3,489

  —

  Northern Ireland

  22,993

  1,695

  The removal of tattoos is only one of the procedures carried out within the specialty of plastic surgery and the number waiting for treatment is not available centrally.

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

  Mr. Mates
  All appointments to public bodies are made on merit and the particular expertise which each individual
  51
  brings to the post. I will continue to ensure that sufficient numbers of women's names appear on the list of candidates submitted for consideration to increase substantially the representation of women on all public bodies in Northern Ireland.

  New Zealand Flatworm
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at how many places in Northern Ireland the New Zealand flatworm has been identified; what effect its presence has had on native earthworm populations; what research he has undertaken as to the consequences for soil fertility as a result of infestation by the flatworm; whether any control measures have been implemented; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The New Zealand flatworm has now been identified at just over 300 sites, the majority of which are domestic gardens. It has occasionally been associated with reductions in earthworm numbers. The diversity of earthworm species may also be reduced by this flatworm.

  The importance of earthworms to soil fertility is well established and the impact of the flatworm on earthworm populations in Northern Ireland is being studied by scientists from the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

  There are no control measures currently available.

  Tobacco
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to extend the provisions of the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 will come into operation on 1 July 1992.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Michael Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the results of the households below average income analysis for 1989 is likely to be available and published.

  Mr. Burt
  As we announced on 12 December 1991, we expect the next edition of "Households Below Average Income" to be ready for publication in July. The date will be announced in due course in the Central Statistical Office monthly bulletin.

  Maxwell Pensions
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the current position of the current pensioners, deferred pensioners and contributories of the Maxwell pension funds.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the latest Government position towards pensions in the Maxwell-owned companies.

  Mr. Lilley
  I understand that all Maxwell pensioners received their full payments for May apart from 240 52
  members of the Headington pension plan. I am well aware that the uncertainty facing many Maxwell pensioners must be causing them considerable anxiety and distress, and I share the deep concern of the House about this. I shall be making a statement shortly.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to guarantee payments to pensioners presently receiving payments from the Maxwell pension funds.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 13 May at column 140.

  Benefits (Means Testing)
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to carry out a review of the scope for means testing of all universal benefits.

  Mr. Lilley
  On a number of occasions we have made clear our commitment to child benefit and retirement pension. We shall continue to monitor the effectiveness of the social security system, as we have done since introducing the major reforms of 1988.

  Disabled People (Benefits)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had on the levels of benefit payable to people with disabilities.

  Mr. Scott
  We receive a large volume of correspondence on disability benefits some of which touches on the rate of benefit payable. Under this Government, spending on benefits for disabled people has risen by 173 per cent. in real terms, a record of which we are rightly proud.

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners currently have an occupational pension; and what was the equivalent figure in 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that 57 per cent. of all pensioners, and 69 per cent. of those who had recently retired, were receiving income from occupational pensions in 1988. The equivalent proportions in 1979 were 44 and 54 per cent. respectively.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many United Kingdom pensioners also have an occupational pension.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that a total of 6 million people receive income from an occupational pension. Of these, 4.5 million are over state pension age.

  Income Support
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase income support provision for young people.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no such plans, although all aspects of income support are kept under review as a matter of course.

  Social Fund
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to modify the structure and administration of the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) earlier today.

  Youth Training
  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will restore income support to 16 to 17-year-olds who cannot find a youth training place.

  Mr. Burt
  The Government's policy of providing a guarantee of a suitable youth training place to all young people who want one, instead of their depending on social security benefits, is the most effective way of encouraging young people to make the most of their opportunities. However, income support is available to those vulnerable groups of young people who are unable to participate in YT and to those seeking a YT place who would otherwise be at risk of severe hardship. We have no plans to restore general entitlement to income support, but we are monitoring closely the operation of these rules with a view to streamlining their administration where possible.

  Retirement Age
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a further statement about the age of retirement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Our discussion paper, published on 18 December 1991, has been well received and there have already been many considered responses from both individuals and organisations. The discussion period ends on 30 June and we intend to bring forward detailed proposals in the light of comments received.

  Centenarians
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) men and (b) women reached their 100th birthday in the past year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that in the past year 263 men and 2,090 women celebrated their 100th birthdays.

  Social Security Expenditure
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total of Government spending on social security as a percentage of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Burt
  For the year ending March 1992 social security spending is estimated to have been 11.73 per cent. of GDP.

  Pension Fund Trustees
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to review the role and responsibility of pension fund trustees.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State earlier today.

  Benefits System
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further proposals he has for review of the benefits system.

  Mr. Burt
  We shall continue to build upon the reforms introduced in 1988 with the aim of further modernising and improving our social security system.

  Benefit Rights
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what studies he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of the standard rights to benefit on the health and well-being of unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds(a) who leave home and (b) who do not leave home.

  Mr. Burt
  This Department has not commissioned research on this specific topic. However, I welcome and study carefully reports on young people published by voluntary organisations and other groups.

  Pension Payments
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect on the availability of cash at post offices of the maximum limit of three months' pension which can be collected at one time; and if he will review this limit.

  Mr. Burt
  Arrangements for benefit payment and liaison with the Post Office Counters Ltd. are a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Deserted Wives
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he plans to introduce legislation which will require the pension and life assurance benefits of husbands to be taken into consideration when assessing the level of benefit for deserted wives; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no such plans.

  Pension Law
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to publish his proposed review of pension law; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State earlier today.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take action to speed up the processing of family credit claims; and if sufficient resources are available to meet current levels of claims.

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

  Departmental Press Release
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the purpose and cost to public funds of his Department's press release dated 11 May consisting of a curriculum vitae of the Minister of State for Social Secuirty and Disabled People; and how many inquiries were received in answer to it.

  Mr. Burt
  In common with other Government Departments' practice, the press release of updated biographical details was for information only. The cost for production and distribution was under £100. To date there have been no inquiries.

  Pensioners (Income)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the change in pensioners' real income since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The average total net income of single pensioners and pensioner couples increased by 34 per cent. between 1979 and 1988.

  Queen's Speech
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the measures announced in the Queen's Speech; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have received a number of representations concerning the new 1 per cent. additional rebate which we intend to introduce from April 1993 for appropriate personal pension holders age 30 and over.

  We shall continue to build upon the reforms introduced in 1988 with the aim of further modernising and improving our social security system.

WALES

  Fish Protection
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to announce his decision on the implementation of byelaws regarding the protection of salmon and sea-trout in the estuaries of(a) Meirionnydd and (b) north Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Following receipt of these proposed byelaws in 1991, consideration by the Department and discussions with the promoters have identified the need for some modifications. The Welsh Office has yet to receive final versions from the promoters.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of those individuals who have started up businesses based on the enterprise allowance in each of the years since its introduction, were still trading(a) after 12 months, (b) after 24 months and (c) after 36 months.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been awarded moneys through the 56
  enterprise allowance scheme in Wales in each year from the introduction of the scheme to the current year; and in each of those years, how many people (a) attended enterprise allowance awareness day seminars, (b) applied for enterprise allowance assistance but were refused, (c) were awarded enterprise allowance assistance but had the assistance terminated within the first 12 months and (d) continued to receive enterprise allowance assistance for a full 12-month period.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The numbers of enterprise allowance awards in Wales are readily available only since 1987-88 and are set out in the table.

  The information required to answer points (a) to (d) of the question is not available.

  Enterprise allowance scheme Yearly entrants (Wales)

  April to March

  1987–88

  6,654

  1988–89

  6,942

  1989–90

  5,433

  1990–91

  4,048

  1991–92

  3,267

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total sum budgeted by his Department for the enterprise allowance scheme in Wales in the current financial year; what has been the total cost of the enterprise allowance scheme in Wales in each year since its
  introduction; and in each year, what proportion of the total cost is accounted for by administrative expenses.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The total sum budgeted for enterprise allowance in Wales in the current financial year is £5.3 million. The information on the total cost of enterprise allowance in each year since 1987–88 is set out in the table. The information is not readily available for Wales for the earlier years from the introduction of the scheme in 1982 to 1986–87.

  Information on the total cost accounted for by administrative expenses is not available.

  Enterprise allowance scheme Expenditure by financial year (Wales)

  £ million

  1987–88

  12.0

  1988–89

  12.9

  1989–90

  12.4

  1990–91

  9.0

  1991–92

  7.1

  Valleys Programme
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the urban aid allocations for each year between 1987 and 1988 and 1992–93 to each district authority in the valleys programme area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Urban programme allocations between 1987–88 and 1992–93 for district authorities wholly or partly within the valleys programme area are given in the table:
  57

  Local Authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Dinefwr BC

  132,211

  469,751

  377,700

  443,000

  687,731

  365,375

  Llanelli BC

  565,181

  322,197

  433,337

  495,254

  442,327

  489,327

  Blaenau Gwent BC

  983,291

  1,535,680

  2,415,849

  3,658,459

  5,910,950

  2,168,010

  Islwyn BC

  467,461

  573,219

  869,900

  1,004,350

  1,070,884

  1,456,686

  Torfaen BC

  720,127

  1,230,806

  1,255,349

  927,488

  821,739

  664,436

  Cynon Valley BC

  938,186

  979,098

  1,072,744

  1,405,701

  2,284,621

  1,803,960

  Merthyr Tydfil BC

  1,229,332

  1,112,515

  1,215,003

  1,207,657

  1,071,184

  1,084,581

  Ogwr BC

  1,026,757

  1,212,365

  1,201,414

  1,195,481

  1,195,108

  1,229,028

  Rhondda BC

  1,037,248

  1,943,154

  2,042,747

  2,033,889

  1,836,311

  2,221,285

  Rhymney Valley DC

  708,991

  1,032,646

  1,096,007

  1,098,230

  655,358

  834,750

  Taff Ely BC

  333,113

  307,380

  429,045

  437,561

  675,850

  669,782

  Brecknock BC

  99,732

  1,600

  101,600

  122,000

  27,000

  250,000

  Port Talbot BC

  631,902

  770,823

  564,485

  705,425

  630,700

  183,047

  Lliw Valley BC

  362,735

  571,485

  431,750

  368,900

  309,300

  368,078

  Neath BC

  415,678

  496,627

  503,544

  516,324

  823,520

  554,317

  Swansea CC

  722,858

  673,528

  534,879

  524,943

  574,727

  544,277

  Note: Pre-1992–93 figures include, where applicable, supplementary allocations made during the year. Allocations to Blaenau Gwent BC from 1988–89 onwards include special provision for the National Garden Festival.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the male, female and youth unemployment rates in April for the years (a) 1988, (h) 1989, (c) 1990, (d) 1991 and (e) 1992 for the United Kingdom, Wales and the south Wales valleys programme area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The table shows the information requested, where available. Youth unemployment cannot be expressed as a rate as a breakdown
  of the work force by age is not available.

  Unemployment rates at April1

  Valleys Area

  Wales

  United Kingdom

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  1988

  18.9

  9.9

  13.5

  7.7

  10.8

  6.5

  1989

  14.9

  7.0

  9.8

  5.2

  8.3

  4.4

  1990

  13.1

  5.1

  8.4

  3.8

  7.4

  3.5

  1991

  17.5

  5.6

  11.4

  4.4

  10.3

  4.4

  1992

  18.7

  5.9

  13.1

  4.9

  13.0

  5.3

  Source: Employment Department.

  1 Workforce based, unadjusted.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage change in(a) total unemployment and (b) long-term unemployment between April 1988 and April 1992 and between April 1990 and April 1992 for the United Kingdom, Wales and the south Wales valleys.

  Valleys area

  Wales

  United Kingdom

  April

  Number

  1 Rate

  Number

  1Rate

  Number

  1Rate

  1988

  13,937

  5.7

  52,057

  4.1

  1,029,206

  3.6

  1989

  10,544

  4.3

  36,504

  2.8

  744,120

  2.6

  1990

  7,111

  3.0

  24,606

  1.9

  539,725

  1.9

  1991

  7,583

  3.1

  25,626

  2.0

  555,057

  2.0

  1992

  11,385

  4.7

  39,436

  3.0

  840,849

  3.0

  Source: Employment Department.

  1 The long-term unemployed (ie for more than 52 weeks) expressed as a percentage of the total work force.

  A465
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give figures for the number of(a) reported motor accidents and (b) deaths for each year since 1979 on the section of the A465 between Aberdulais and Glynneath.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The number of accidents involving personal injury and the number of deaths resulting from
  58
  Mr. David Hunt
  The table shows unadjusted numbers and rates of long-term unemployed for the years and areas requested.

  Percentage change April 1988–1992

  Percentage change April 1990–1992

  Total Unemployment1

  South Wales Valleys area

  -14.3

  37.2

  Wales

  -10.3

  48.6

  United Kingdom

  7.9

  68.3

  Long-Term Unemployment2

  South Wales Valleys area

  -18.3

  60.1

  Wales

  -24.2

  60.3

  United Kingdom

  -18.3

  55.8

  Source: Employment Department

  1 Unadjusted.

  2 Unemployed for more than 52 Weeks.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list he number and rates of long-term unemployed more than one year in April for the years(a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1990, (d) 1991 and (e) 1992 for the United Kingdom, Wales and south Wales valleys programme area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The table shows unadjusted numbers and rates of long-term unemployed for the years and areas requested.

  these accidents on the stretch of the A465 between Aberdulais, junction with A4109, and Glynneath, junction with B4242, are given in the table:

  59

  Number of accidents1

  Number killed

  1979

  23

  2

  1980

  13

  —

  1981

  10

  —

  1982

  27

  1

  1983

  11

  1

  1984

  14

  4

  1985

  18

  2

  1986

  18

  3

  1987

  10

  —

  1988

  14

  3

  1989

  19

  1

  1990

  36

  3

  21991

  25

  3

  1 Excluding those where there was no personal injury—for which no information is available.

  2 Provisional.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the start date for construction of the missing link of the A465 between Aberdulais and Glynneath.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The scheme is planned to start in the current financial year. That is contingent on the management of the trunk road programme as a whole.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the fatal road accident on the A465 at Resolven on Saturday 30 May.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The accident involved three cars and occurred on a double bend in the late afternoon during wet weather. Two of the occupants were killed, four seriously injured and two slightly injured. An investigation will be carried out when full details are available.

  Ancient Woodland
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to double the planting of native broadleaf species in those counties which have lost one third of their ancient woodland since 1930.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The area of broadleaves planted in Wales has more than trebled over the last decade. A total of 450 hectares of broadleaves have, on average, been planted each year during the last five years, as compared with an average of 120 hectares during the previous seven years. Nearly all the planting was carried out with native species.

  The Government's policy is that there should be a continuing expansion of the area of native woodland in Wales.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether sites of special scientific interest which may include ancient woodland will, in future, be protected from any depradation by agriculture, quarrying or any other activity.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Sites of special scientific interest are already protected under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The joint Welsh Office/Department of the Environment circular No. 1/92 "Planning Controls over Sites of Special Scientific Interest", which took effect from 2 January 1992, announced further planning safeguards for these areas.

  Earnings
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will show the gross weekly earnings of full-time adult employees in Wales as a percentage of the British average in 1980, 1985, and 1990 for(a) males and (b) females.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Average gross weekly earnings1 Wales as a percentage of Great Britain

  Male

  Female

  April

  21980

  95.7

  95.7

  31985

  93.1

  9.40

  31990

  87.5

  89.5

  Source: New Earnings Surveys

  1Full-time employees whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence

  2Men aged 21 and over, women 18 and over

  3All on adult rates

  School Governors
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will detail the action he has taken or proposes to take to recruit school governors in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The year 1992 marks the end of the first four-year term for governors who were appointed in the wake of the Education Reform Act. Some 13,000 school governorships in Wales come up for renewal later this year. While I hope that many existing governors will wish to put their names forward for a further four-year term, I anticipate that there will be many opportunities for others to become governors for the first time.

  We have, therefore, produced bilingual leaflets and posters together with a Welsh language video which local authorities and schools will he using as part of their efforts to encourage parents and others to become school governors. Local education authorities and schools are also working hard to ensure that all vacancies are filled.

  We all have an interest in ensuring that our children have a good education—the future is in their hands. I hope that as many people as possible will take the opportunity that presents itself this year to put their name forward and become involved in the running of their local school. It is a very rewarding job.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lockerbie Bombing
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in his contacts with the Government of Libya over the transfer from Libya of the two persons suspected of involvement in the Lockerbie air disaster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are continuing our efforts to persuade the Libyan Government to comply with our request, endorsed by UN Security Council resolution 731, to hand over the two Lockerbie suspects for trial in Scotland or the United States. If Libya does not implement this resolution, the sanctions regime imposed under Security Council resolution 748 will remain in place.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can consider raising with the Russian authorities the case of Arkady German arid his family, but to make effective representations we would 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 Mark Grunkin and his family of Krasnogorsk.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can consider raising with the Russian authorities the case of Mark Grunkin and his family, but to make effective representations we would 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 Gordon and his family, of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can consider raising with the Russian authorities the case of Arkady Gordon and his family, but to make effective representations we would 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 Gekker and his family, of Kishinev.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can consider raising with the Moldovan authorities the case of Alexander Gekker and his family, but to make effective representations we would 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 Melnikov and his family, of Apotity.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can consider raising with the Russian authorities the case of Alexander Melnikov and his family, but to make effective representations we would 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 Alfred Rafalovich and his family, of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can consider raising with the Russian authorities the case of Alfred Rafalovich and his family, but to make effective representations we would 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 Dmitri Yakubovsky and his family, of Kiev.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We made several representations to the authorities in Ukraine on behalf of Dmitri Yakubovsky and his family; the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed us in March that he had received permission to leave the country.
  62
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusnik Leib Levin and his family, of Ust Kamenogorsk.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We made several representations on behalf of Leib Levin and his family; we understand that he has now received permission to leave Kazakhstan.

  Human Rights Conference
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the forthcoming United Nations world conference on human rights.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom is closely involved with EC and other like-minded countries in the preparatory process leading to the world conference on human rights, due to be held in Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993. The United Kingdom attaches particular importance to agreement on better implementation of international human rights standards.

  "Guardian" Ban
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland following the ban on the sale of the British Guardian newspaper in the Republic on Thursday 21 May.

  Mr. Hurd
  None. No approach was made to Her Majesty's Government by The Guardian newspaper or by others directly involved.

  Young Endeavour
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports have been received from the Australian Government on the training and use of Young Endeavour.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The board of the Young Endeavour youth scheme produces an annual report, and makes a copy available to the British Government.

  Since being presented to Australia in January 1988 the ship has carried more than 2,000 young Australians on 10-day sail training voyages, and 1,650 disabled young people on shorter trips. It has also called at numerous ports around Australia and been visited by approximately 20,000 members of the public each year. In addition, the vessel undertakes flagship duties such as going to Auckland for the Commonwealth games in 1990 and representing Australia in the present grand regatta Columbus.

  Dependent Territories (Investments)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out his policy and advice to Ministers of Finance in the United Kingdom's dependent territories on(a) the tendering for and appointment of investment advisers and (b) the tendering for and appointment of investment performance monitors.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Responsibility for the tendering for an appointment of investment advisers and investment
  63
  performance monitors for the United Kingdom's dependent territories rests with the Minister of Finance, or equivalent official, of each territory. Dependent territories wishing to recruit such advisers will do so on the basis of local legislation and regulations.

  Newspaper Distribution
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application of protocol 17 of the Maastricht treaty as it applies to freedom of distribution of United Kingdom newspapers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The protocol to which the right hon. Member refers is, of course, not yet in force. On 2 May, European Community Foreign Ministers agreed a legal interpretation and solemn declaration stating that it was not their intention that the protocol should limit the freedom to travel and the right to information about services legally available in other member states, as I told my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 13 May. I understand that the Government of the Irish Republic intend to hold a referendum later this year on an amendment to their constitution to confirm this.

  Iran
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy with regard to the export of military equipment to Iran.

  Mr. Douglas-Hogg
  The guidelines relating to all deliveries of defence equipment to Iran were set by the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 29 October 1985. They remain strictly enforced.

  Tamil Refugees
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indian Government concerning the enforced repatriation of Tamil refugees from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None. The Indian Government temporarily suspended repatriation of Tamil refugees from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka on 15 May.

  Ceremonial Dress
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, column 110, if he will itemise the expenditure on ceremonial dress for 1991–92.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Ceremonial dress for HM representatives cost as follows:

  £

  Bangladesh

  2,735

  Holy See

  3,193

  Kathmandu

  615

  Luxembourg

  3,440

  Stockholm

  2,613

  British Virgin Islands

  2,725

  Kuala Lumpur

  756

  64
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use is to be made of the ceremonial dress normally reserved for the Governor of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As I said in reply to the hon. Member's question on 13 May, Mr. Patten does not propose to wear ceremonial dress. None has therefore been made for him.

HEALTH

  Child Protection Units
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the staffing numbers for each local authority child protection unit in England and Wales; and what they were in 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not held currently.

  Organ Transplants
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will bring forward proposals to amend the Human Organ Transplants Act 1989 further to provide for the circumstances in which an organ may be retrieved from a dead person for the purposes of transplant, to require the anonymity of the donor and the recipient, to define death for the purposes of that Act of 1989 as the total and irreversible loss of brain function and for connected purposes.

  Mr. Sackville
  No. Conditions for the removal of human organs from dead people for transplantation are provided in the Human Tissue Act 1961. The anonymity of the donor and recipient is covered by the common law principle of patient confidentiality which applies to all medical information. The determination of death is a matter for the clinical judgment of doctors. Brain stem death criteria have been accepted by the medical profession as conclusive evidence of death and are already applied for the purposes of organ retrieval.

  Dental Treatment
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on the availability of national health service dental care in Staffordshire of his Department's proposals to cut fees to national health service dental practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have made fair and reasonable proposals on dentists' remuneration which are being considered by the dental rates study group. These proposals would lead to the average dentist receiving in 1992–93 not just the 8.5 per cent. increase in pay recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration—and accepted in full by the Government—but some £5,000 in the full year in addition. We see no reason why such an offer should adversely affect the availability of the national health service dental care in Staffordshire, or elsewhere.

  Food Hygiene
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (I) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the proposals in the EC draft directive on the hygiene of foodstuffs; and if she will make a statement;
  65
  (2) what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current EC legislation which governs the safety of mail order foods by means of a voluntary code of guidance.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government welcome the EC Commission's proposal for a directive on the hygiene of foodstuffs as an important step in securing harmonised food hygiene standards throughout the Community. There is no current EC legislation dealing specifically with the safety of mail order foods.

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has of the effect on deaths of children from cancer of the thyroid caused by contamination of the milk supply following the Chernobyl explosion.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for the United Kingdom show that no children died from cancer of the thyroid in respect of the period 1986–90. The Department is not aware of any evidence which demonstrates that any medical effects have occurred in the United Kingdom as a result of radiation exposures from the Chernobyl accident.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methods she is using to project the numbers of persons likely to require residential or nursing home care after April 1993; and what conclusions she has reached.

  Mr. Yeo
  We currently estimate that about 110,000 people annually would have permanently entered independent residential care or nursing homes if the system of higher levels of income support had continued. This figure has regard to the growth in numbers under the present system and turnover rates estimated from the results of recent surveys about the characteristics of people living in residential care and nursing homes, including length of stay. We shall keep this estimate under review as further information becomes available. All such estimates have a margin of error. The actual number of people admitted to residential care and nursing homes under local authority auspices from April 1993 will depend on an assessment by authorities of their care needs.

  South Birmingham Health Authority
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide details of the deficit reported by South Birmingham health authority for the last financial year.

  Mr. Sackville
  The deficit for South Birmingham in 1991–92 is currently estimated to be approximately £10.5 million. Of this, £4 million relates to excess creditors carried forward from 1990–91 and the remaining £6£5 million to overspending in 1991–92.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how much the West Midlands regional health authority agreed to increase South Birmingham health authority's allocation in the last financial year; and what understandings were reached on compensating reductions for later years.

  Mr. Sackville
  South Birmingham health authority received an additional £15 million in the 1991–92 financial year, which was the best estimate, at that time, of the 66
  district's financial deficit. The additional funding was provided on the understanding that there would be a complete investigation into the cause and scale of the deficit. The district has agreed to take action to restore an income and expenditure balance. Any further actions which may be needed, must await the results of the investigation and subsequent discussions between the regional health authority and South Birmingham health authority.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of the KPMG Peat Marwick report on South Birmingham health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  KPMG Peat Marwick has not yet completed its report.

  Asthma
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her reply on 2 June,Official Report, column 465, what information is held by her Department on the incidence of asthma among children; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures on the incidence of asthma amongst children are not held centrally, but it is estimated that upwards of 700,000 children and adolescents under the age of 16 in the United Kingdom are affected by the condition.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the possible links between child asthma and vehicle pollution due to exhaust emissions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Asthma is an ill-understood disease. The role of air pollutants in affecting the interplay between genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to vehicle emissions is unclear. Research is being carried out into factors contributing to the rise of asthma, but no clear conclusions have emerged.

  The Advisory Group on the Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes looked at the evidence linking ozone levels with asthma and concluded that the data were not persuasive. The group will soon examine other possible associations with asthma and other respiratory diseases.

  Birth Statistics
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were born in the United Kingdom in the last five years, for which records are available, to mothers aged 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 years, respectively; how many and what percentage of those mothers of age 16 years and over were married to the father of the child at the time of birth; and what is her estimate of the number and proportion of babies born to mothers aged 14 to 16 years which are being cared for by grandparents or other relatives.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested relating to live births is as follows:

  Live births in the United Kingdom 1986–90

  Year of birth of child and age of mother at birth

  Total births

  Births inside marriage

  Percentage inside marriage

  1986

  14

  208

  —

  —

  15

  1,279

  —

  —

  67

  Year of birth of child and age of mother at birth

  Total births

  Births inside marriage

  Percentage inside marriage

  16

  4,972

  531

  10.7

  17

  12,321

  2,415

  19.6

  18

  20,094

  6,257

  31.1

  1987

  14

  200

  —

  —

  15

  1,235

  —

  —

  16

  5,063

  441

  8.7

  17

  12,141

  2,043

  16.8

  18

  20,141

  5,237

  26.0

  1988

  14

  217

  —

  —

  15

  1,205

  —

  —

  16

  5,159

  396

  7.7

  17

  12,775

  1,759

  13.8

  18

  20,060

  4,709

  23.5

  1989

  14

  198

  —

  —

  15

  1,246

  —

  —

  16

  4,865

  316

  6.5

  17

  11,798

  1,381

  11.7

  18

  19,394

  3,959

  20.4

  1990

  14

  211

  —

  —

  15

  1,237

  —

  —

  16

  4,713

  260

  5.5

  17

  11,819

  1,231

  10.4

  18

  18,797

  3,504

  18.6

  No information is available on the numbers or proportions of babies cared for by relatives.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has any proposals to further postpone the implementation of the community care reforms.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke), on 12 May at column 81.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish her estimates of the cost to local authorities of community care in 1993–94; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is being considered in the public expenditure survey. We are committed to resourcing community care fairly.

  Table

  Fatal casualties from fires in dwellings attended by local authority fire brigades by sex1 and country 1986–90

  All ages

  Children2

  Pensioners3

  Country

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  England

  1986

  568

  266

  302

  105

  61

  44

  277

  92

  185

  1987

  510

  246

  264

  82

  53

  29

  261

  85

  176

  1988

  532

  288

  244

  83

  40

  43

  242

  106

  136

  1989

  514

  269

  245

  90

  46

  44

  235

  95

  140

  1990

  478

  263

  214

  74

  44

  30

  222

  92

  130

  Wales

  1986

  26

  14

  12

  3

  1

  2

  17

  9

  8

  Dentists and General Practitioners
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the average net pay of(a) dentists and (b) general practitioners for each of the last five years; and what is the projected figure for 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body recommends to Government the target average net income for dentists and the intended average income for doctors.

  The target average net income of general dental practitioners and the intended average income of general medical practitioners since 1987–88 are as follows:

  General dental practitioners

  General medical practitioners

  £

  £

  1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988

  23,220

  26,840

  1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989

  24,920

  28,800

  1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990

  26,915

  31,105

  1 April 1990 to 31 December 1990

  28,800

  33,280

  1 January 1991 to 31 March 1991

  29,740

  34,680

  1 April 1991 to 30 November 1991

  31,970

  37,280

  1 December 1991 to 31 March 1992

  33,010

  37,975

  1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993

  35,815

  40,010

  Electro-convulsive Therapy
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ensure that ECT is never administered to anyone under 18 years of age.

  Mr. Yeo
  Treatment decisions are a matter for clinical judgment. Electro-convulsive therapy is rarely used for people under 18 years of age, but can be the appropriate treatment in certain circumstances.

  Domestic Fires
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men, women, children and pensioners died in fires in their homes during each of the last five years for which records are available, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  The available information relates to deaths in fires attended by local authority fire brigades between 1986 and 1990 and is shown in the table.
  69

  All ages

  Children2

  Pensioners3

  Country

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  1987

  38

  17

  21

  6

  4

  2

  18

  4

  14

  1988

  36

  17

  19

  11

  6

  5

  17

  5

  12

  1989

  26

  17

  9

  8

  4

  4

  4

  2

  2

  1990

  21

  10

  11

  6

  4

  2

  10

  2

  8

  Scotland

  1986

  132

  72

  60

  12

  8

  4

  63

  22

  41

  1987

  138

  79

  59

  24

  14

  10

  62

  28

  34

  1988

  146

  74

  72

  25

  12

  13

  69

  30

  39

  1989

  88

  45

  43

  11

  4

  7

  43

  20

  23

  1990

  115

  59

  55

  3

  0

  3

  45

  20

  25

  Northern Ireland

  1986

  27

  14

  13

  2

  1

  1

  12

  5

  7

  1987

  24

  8

  16

  7

  2

  5

  8

  2

  6

  1988

  18

  8

  10

  2

  0

  2

  9

  5

  4

  1989

  14

  8

  6

  3

  2

  1

  5

  1

  4

  1990

  13

  8

  5

  2

  2

  0

  4

  2

  2

  1 The Total column includes some casualties of unspecified sex.

  2 Children are classified as those aged 0-16.

  3 Pensioners are classified as aged 65 and over for males and aged 60 and over for females.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men, Women, children and pensioners, respectively, were injured in fires in their homes during each of the last five years for which records are available, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.

  Table

  Non-fatal casualties from fires in dwellings attended by local authority fire brigades by sex1 and country 1986–90

  All ages

  Children2

  Pensioners3

  Country

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  England

  1986

  7,262

  3,938

  3,275

  1,194

  635

  559

  1,722

  653

  1,069

  1987

  7,476

  4,050

  3,411

  1,176

  641

  535

  1,799

  663

  1,136

  1988

  7,882

  4,296

  3,577

  1,317

  736

  579

  1,791

  651

  1,140

  1989

  8,076

  4,408

  3,655

  1,399

  762

  636

  1,821

  677

  1,144

  1990

  8,080

  4,471

  3,594

  1,383

  774

  608

  1,764

  687

  1,077

  Wales

  1986

  356

  195

  161

  42

  17

  25

  66

  26

  40

  1987

  398

  215

  178

  64

  30

  34

  90

  34

  56

  1988

  475

  233

  236

  108

  50

  58

  98

  33

  65

  1989

  446

  233

  210

  80

  39

  40

  97

  31

  66

  1990

  466

  261

  203

  93

  53

  40

  81

  29

  52

  Scotland

  1986

  1,499

  843

  655

  212

  105

  107

  311

  125

  186

  1987

  1,372

  776

  596

  204

  112

  92

  292

  108

  184

  1988

  1,591

  862

  727

  265

  136

  129

  357

  143

  214

  1989

  1,605

  869

  736

  247

  133

  114

  367

  141

  226

  1990

  1,624

  894

  728

  263

  129

  134

  331

  142

  189

  Northern Ireland

  1986

  286

  174

  112

  44

  20

  24

  47

  18

  29

  1987

  230

  130

  100

  57

  31

  26

  31

  14

  17

  1988

  230

  137

  93

  48

  29

  19

  33

  13

  20

  1989

  261

  161

  100

  38

  24

  14

  37

  19

  18

  1990

  287

  160

  125

  64

  31

  33

  28

  13

  15

  1 The Total column includes some casualties of unspecified sex.

  2 Children are classified as those aged 0-16.

  3 Pensioners are classified as aged 65 and over for males and aged 60 and over for females.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths she estimates occur each year in the United Kingdom due to the inhalation of smoke.

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.
  70
  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  The available information relates to casualties in fires attended by local authority fire brigades between 1986 and 1990 and is shown in the table.

  The available information is published in table 7 of the Home Office report, "Fire Statistics United Kingdom 1990", a copy of which is in the Library. Details of the cause of death come from fire brigade records of fires they attend, updated where possible by information from the death certificate.

DEFENCE

  Navigational Marks
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those navigational buoys and marks in the Solent which the Royal Navy provides and maintains.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows.

  Name

  Position

  W. Princessa

  50 40 12N

  1 03 57W

  Bembridge

  50 41 07N

  1 02 43W

  Nab End

  50 42 48N

  0 59 23W

  Nab East

  50 42 48N

  1 42 00W

  Dean Tail

  50 43 01N

  0 59 01W

  Dean Elbow

  50 43 33N

  1 01 50W

  Warner

  50 43 50.5N

  1 03 56W

  Horse Elbow

  50 44 14N

  1 03 48W

  Cambrian Wk

  50 44 14N

  1 03 56W

  Invincible Wk

  50 44.34N

  1 02.23W

  ASWE 1

  50 46.7N

  1 02.06W

  ASWE 2

  50 46.13N

  1 02.02W

  ASWE 3

  50 46.69N

  1 02.22W

  ASWE 6

  50 45.18N

  1 02.00W

  Langstone F

  50 46.17N

  1 01 16.5W

  Winner

  50 45 04N

  1 00 00W

  Saddle

  50 45 00N

  1 00 00W

  Horse Sand

  50 45 29N

  1 04 40W

  50 45 33N

  OSB

  1 05 25W

  50 46 11N

  Boyne

  1 05 18W

  50 46 11N

  Spit Refuge

  1 05 22W

  50 46 26N

  Castle

  1 05 18W

  50 46 26N

  Ridge

  1 05 34W

  50 46 44N

  1 Bar

  1 05 43W

  50 46.66N

  2 Bar

  1 05.58W

  50 47 02.5N

  3 Bar

  1 06 10W

  50 46 58.5N

  4 Bar

  1 06 16W

  50 47 38N

  Ballast

  1 06 16W

  50 46.58N

  Stokes Bay Pier

  1 09.00W

  50 45 18N

  N. Sturbridge

  1 08 09W

  50 44 42N

  N.E. Mining Gd

  1 06 18W

  50 44.38N

  S.W. Mining Gd

  1 06.57W

  72

  Name

  Position

  50 46 40N

  Stokes Bay

  1 10 35W

  50 46 32.5N

  Browndown

  1 10 52W

  50 47 12N

  E. Bramble

  1 13 33W

  50 46 35N

  N. Ryde Middle

  1 14 18W

  50 46 27N

  W. Ryde Middle

  1 15 42W

  S. Ryde Middle

  50 46 06N

  1 14 05W

  NE Ryde Middle

  50 46 11N

  1 11 48W

  SE Ryde Middle

  50 45 54N

  1 12 00W

  Norris

  50 45 55N

  1 15 24 W

  Peel Bank

  50 45 34N

  1 13 15W

  Peel Wk

  50 44 51N

  1 13 18W

  Mother Bank

  50 45 27N

  1 11 08W

  Flag 'T'

  50 43.19N

  0 59.30W

  Flag 'T'

  50 43 01N

  0 59.18W

  Flag 'T'

  50 42.88N

  0 59.49W

  Flag 'T'

  50 43.06N

  0 59.77W

  Mary Rose

  50 45 46N

  1 06 10W

  Gamma

  50 46.34N

  1 06.00W

  Delta

  50 46.01N

  1 06.20W

  Echo

  50 46.09N

  1 05.37W

  Lucas

  50 46.23N

  1 08.67W

  Alpha

  50 46 35N

  1 07 30W

  Beta

  50 46.37N

  1 06.25W

  Kemps

  50 45.15N

  1 9.55W

  Bowring Rose

  50 47.28N

  1 12.00W

  Ratsey

  50 47 63N

  1 13.57W

  DAKS Simpson

  50 45.5N

  1 14.3W

  Foul Ground 1

  50 48.85N

  1 07.09W

  Foul Ground 2

  50 48.93N

  1 07.09W

  Mobel

  50 46.13N

  1 13.00W

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the policy reasons for the provision of buoyage by the Royal Navy in the Solent.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Queen's harbour master provides and maintains navigation buoys in the Solent as required by schedule 1, regulation 1 of the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Act 1978.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by(a) rank and (b) armed service the 35 British military observers who are joining the United Nations land operation in Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are providing a total of 38 military observers for the United Nations Transition Authority in Cambodia comprising, from the Army, seven lieutenant colonels, 15 majors and 10 captains; from the Royal Air Force, one wing commander, one squadron leader and three flight lieutenants; and from the Royal Marines, one captain.

  NAAFI profits
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what method the use of NAAFI profits for sporting purposes within the armed forces is determined.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Units of the armed forces are paid a rebate, at rates agreed by the NAAFI council, on total sales at retail prices in junior ranks clubs. The rebate may be spent on improving the amenities of clubs or any purpose that collectively benefits service personnel, including sports. Within these guidelines, use of the rebate is at the discretion of unit commanders.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid by his Department in compensation to individuals in terms of(a) personal injury both physical and mental and (b) for damage to property arising from low-flying aircraft in each of the last three financial years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Statistics regarding compensation for low flying aircraft activity are not available in the format requested. The following is a breakdown of overall expenditure for claims relating to low-flying aircraft activity:74

  £

  1989–90

  356,000

  1990–91

  429,000

  1991–92

  441,000

  RAF Brawdy
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific statement was made by his predecessor on the future of Flight B202 Squadron search and rescue at RAF Brawdy in the press conference held at the Welsh Office, Cathays park, Cardiff, on 24 January.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware that my right hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater (Mr. King) made any statement at the press conference on 24 January, concerning search and rescue at RAF Brawdy. Final decisions on the structure and basing of the military search and rescue force have yet to be taken. It is, therefore, too early to say what the implications will be for the provision of search and rescue at RAF Brawdy.

  Thames House
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give further details of the works on Thames house, as shown in table I of class I, votes 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the supply estimates 1992–93—HC 273-I— showing which parts of his Department will be occupying the building; and which buildings currently in use will be thereby vacated.

  Mr. Aitken
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment stated in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, North-East (Mr. Moss) on 5 June, at column 667, Thames house is being refurbished principally for occupation by the Security Service. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to occupy the building.

  SHEEP SCAB CONTROL
  SHEEP SCAB CONTROL
  VAUXHALL CROSS
  VAUXHALL CROSS
  HOUSING MANAGEMENT: COMPETITIVE TENDERING
  HOUSING MANAGEMENT: COMPETITIVE TENDERING
  GORDON'S GIN: ADVERTISING
  GORDON'S GIN: ADVERTISING
  VIETNAM: FUNDING FOR NGO PROJECTS
  VIETNAM: FUNDING FOR NGO PROJECTS
  TAXICARD SCHEME: THE DISABLED
  TAXICARD SCHEME: THE DISABLED
  EUROPEAN CIVIL AVIATION MEETING, 17th MARCH
  EUROPEAN CIVIL AVIATION MEETING, 17th MARCH
  VILLAGES: VEHICLE SPEED CONSTRAINT
  VILLAGES: VEHICLE SPEED CONSTRAINT
  LIGHT RAIL SCHEMES: FUNDING
  LIGHT RAIL SCHEMES: FUNDING
  SOVIET FORCES IN THE BALTIC STATES
  SOVIET FORCES IN THE BALTIC STATES
  OVERSEAS CAPITAL PROJECTS: ADVICE
  OVERSEAS CAPITAL PROJECTS: ADVICE
  EC: ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
  EC: ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
  RIVER ACHELOOS, GREECE
  RIVER ACHELOOS, GREECE