Written Answers of 23 June 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. G. Burrows
  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the complaint of Mr. G. F. Burrows, details of which have been sent to him, made to the London fire and civil defence authority, was dealt with in accordance with regulation 5 of the Fire Services (Discipline) Regulations 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the London fire and civil defence authority gave full consideration to the allegations which were made to it by Mr. G. F. Burrows that certain senior officers had committed breaches of the Fire Services (Discipline) Regulations 1985. I have no reason to believe that the authority failed to comply with the procedures set out in the regulations for the investigation of alleged disciplinary offences.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Legg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are currently employed per head of population(a) in England and Wales, (b) by the Thames Valley force and (c) in the Milton Keynes police area of the Thames Valley force.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The table shows the ratio of police officers to population. These ratios are calculated on the basis of population figures as at June 1990 and police strength as at 31 March 1992.

  Police-population ratio

  England and Wales (provisional forces)

  1:450

  Thames Valley Police

  1:526

  In addition to officers posted to the Milton Keynes division, other police units, such as child protection and traffic units, contribute in part to the policing of Milton Keynes. It is not therefore possible to provide a precise estimate of the police-population ratio for Milton Keynes.

  Lee White
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the death of Lee White, aged 18, of Canvey island and the subsequent deaths at Feltham remand centre.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I share the widespread concern which has been expressed about the tragic deaths of four young prisoners at Feltham young offender institution and remand centre between August 1991 and March 1992, including the suicide of Lee White. That concern is also deeply felt by the management and staff of Feltham., and 108
  we are deeply conscious of the sadness caused to the families concerned. My reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 17 June, at column 520, described a number of measures which are being taken at Feltham to control acts of bullying, improve the care of vulnerable prisoners and so reduce the risk of any further tragedy occurring.

  Piara Lal
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now answer as a matter of urgency the letter from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-East dated 15 April regarding the case of Piara Lal.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I expect to reply to the hon. Member in the near future.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he is considering to bring about a settlement in Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We fully support the efforts of the United Nations, of Lord Carrington's conference and of the EC monitoring mission to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Yugoslavia.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues he expects to discuss at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The agenda for the 20 July Foreign Affairs Council is likely to include the following items:follow up to the Lisbon European Council, including enlargement and future financing;
  Uruguay round;
  relations with former Soviet Union and central and eastern Europe;
  EC/Turkey;
  Yugoslavia

  In the margins we intend to hold an EC/Egypt Co-operation Council.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the conflict in Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have long urged all sides to reach a negotiated settlement. We condemn the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for breaking off talks and resorting again to violence in June 1990. We support the Sri Lankan Government in their efforts to defeat terrorism, while pressing for its counter-insurgency campaign to be conducted responsibly and with full respect for human rights.

  Research Projects
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy with regard to, and extent of, the commissioning of research projects in universities and polytechnics by Government communications head-quarters.
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  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  GCHQ, in common with other Government Departments and private industry, commissions research from universities or polytechnics when they are able to offer a particular area of expertise. Research is confined to unclassified subjects and the results may be published by the university or polytechnic if it wishes for the benefit of the academic community as a whole. Over the last four years, research projects totalling £506,953 have been placed by GCHQ with seven institutions.

  China
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the People's Republic of China on the recent deaths in police custody of Roman Catholic bishops Joseph Fan Xueyan, Paul Shi Chunje and Paul Li Zhenrong, and on the continued imprisonment of bishops Chen Jianzhang, Peter Liu Guandeng, Liu Shuke, Shi Enxiang, Julius Jia Zhigino, Liu Difen, Casimir Wang Milu, Yang Libo and Joseph Li Side; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In our dealings with the Chinese authorities on human rights issues we have stressed that Chinese attitudes towards religious believers are of particular concern. Several of the individual cases raised by my hon. Friend were mentioned in the Prime Minister's revised list handed over during his meeting in January with Chinese Premier Li Peng in New York. Others were included in the list of 40 Roman Catholic cases of concern handed over by my right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) during his own visit to China last year.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  EC Taxes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with Mrs. Scrivener, member of the European Commission responsible for economic policy, concerning the decision of the Commission of 13 May to introduce a minimum rate of carbon/energy tax effective from 1 January 1993 on a tax-neutral basis; and what provision he will make for compensatory alterations in(a) public expenditure and (b) other taxes to achieve tax neutrality.

  Sir John Cope
  None. Mrs. Scrivener is the Commissioner responsible for taxation policy. The Commission have recently prepared a draft directive on carbon/energy taxation for the Council's consideration. No new agreement on tax policy can be made without the unanimous agreement of all 12 member states.

  National Economic Development Council
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he consulted trade unions before deciding to eliminate NEDO and NEDC.

  Mr. Portillo
  No, but of course the normal courtesies were observed by informing the General Secretary of the TUC and the Director General of the CBI of my decision.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when NEDO or NEDC were last involved in pay bargaining.
  110
  Mr. Portillo
  NEDC and NEDO have never been directly involved in pay bargaining. Pay issues have been discussed regularly in the NEDC throughout its history.

  Trade Unions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how often he meets trade union leaders.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend has not met trade union leaders recently other than at meetings of the NEDC. The existence of NEDC may have inhibited greater informal contact between Government and unions.

  Diesel Cars
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the changes in the car scale charge for diesel-run cars, as stated in the March 1992 Budget, will take effect.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The new income tax scale charges for the benefit of diesel fuel provided by employers for private use by employees in company cars are included in the current Finance Bill. On enactment the new scales will apply from the beginning of this tax year. Matching scales for VAT purposes were brought into force by Treasury order from 6 April 1992.

  EC Trade Balance
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, on the commencement of the European single market on 1 January 1993, he will continue regularly to publish statistics on the balance of trade with EC member states.

  Mr. Lamont
  Yes. But there will be some delay initially while the new collection system, Intrastat, becomes established. Further information about Intrastat has been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

  Inheritance Tax
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account is taken by his Department of payments received by landowners, including those for management agreements for sites of special scientific interest or set aside, in assessing the suitability of land for inheritance tax exemptions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The heritage advisory agencies take all relevant factors into account when considering the eligibility of land for conditional exemption from inheritance tax.

  Entitlement to payments under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1991 management agreements or for environmentally sensitive areas under the Agriculture Act 1986 may be affected if land is conditionally exempted.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria his Department uses to assess the benefits of inheritance tax exemptions for the granting of public access to land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In return for conditional exemption from inheritance tax, landowners are required to give undertakings to maintain the heritage property, preserve
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  its character and give reasonable public access to it. The heritage advisory agencies advise the Inland Revenue as to what constitutes reasonable public access: each case is considered individually on the basis of its own facts.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the procedure by which his Department informs local planning authorities of land where inheritance tax exemptions have been agreed for the granting of public access to land; how planning authorities are expected to take this into account when dealing with planning applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Where inheritance tax exemption is being considered, a land management plan is prepared by the landowner. The appropriate heritage advisory agency consults the local authority or national park authority on the proposed plan. The planning authority is, therefore, aware of the exemption.

  Planning applications are considered by the planning authority in the normal way, but the landowner is required to inform the heritage advisory agency of any proposed development of land which has received inheritance tax exemption. If the proposed development would lead to a breach of the undertakings given in return for the tax exemption, the agency discusses the position with the landowner and if a satisfactory outcome—for instance appropriate revised arrangements for public access—is not secured, a deferred inheritance tax charge will be triggered. To date, there has been no occasion on which such a tax charge has arisen.

  Bishopsgate Investment Management
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation report covering Bishopsgate Investment Management; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: It is for the Securities and Investments Board to consider IMRO's review in the first instance.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who has been appointed as a consultant to his Department for market testing.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: In accordance with the policy set out in "Competing for Quality" a review of the scope for market testing services in the Treasury has been carried out. Touche Ross provided the private sector input to that review.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Recycling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps he is taking to(a) maximise the recycling of envelopes received by lion. Members and (b) provide that hon. Members' parliamen-tary question forms are recycled after use.

  Mr. Beith
  It is understood that all non-confidential waste paper collected in the Palace of Westminster is sent 112
  for recycling; and that the appropriate domestic Select Committees include among their responsibilities advice on measures to increase the use of stationery containing recycled paper and on its disposal. In addition, I am advised that the Serjeant at Arms' stores holds stocks of economy labels designed to facilitate the reuse of envelopes. These labels are listed on Members' stationery order forms.

  It is also understood that investigations are being carried out into the feasibility of introducing reusable packets for the transmission of quantities of Members' mail. If these studies are successful, the Administration Committee will be invited to consider their introduction to the range of House of Commons stationery.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Solicitors (Rights of Audience)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his plans to allow solicitors rights of audience in the higher courts.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct has recently given the Law Society its initial advice on its application for extended rights of audience for solicitors. It is now for the Law Society to decide how to take the application forward in the light of that advice. When the application is sent formally to the Lord Chancellor, he will seek the advice of the advisory committee and of the Director General of Fair Trading. The decision whether to approve the application is taken in the light of that advice by the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls, the President of the Family Division and the Vice-Chancellor.

  Tribunals
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many members of social security appeal tribunals are from the visible minority communities.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Responsibility for the recruitment of people to serve as members of social security appeal tribunals lies with the president of the independent tribunal service, his honour Judge Holden and the hon. Member may wish to contact his office directly to obtain this information.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend legal aid to industrial tribunals.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are no plans to extend legal aid to industrial tribunals. Advice and assistance, but not representation, are already available under the legal aid "green form" scheme.

WALES

  Nasal Polyps
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those hospitals in Wales that carry out surgery for the removal of nasal polyps.
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  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The following NHS hospitals have carried out surgery for the removal of nasal polyps during the last two years:

  Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

  Ysbyty Maelor

  Bronglais General

  West Wales General

  Royal Gwent, Newport

  Ysbyty Gwynedd

  Bridgend General

  East Glamorgan

  Porth and District

  Prince Charles

  University Hospital Wales

  Children's ENT, Ely

  Singleton

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the toxic waste disposal sites in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not held centrally. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the district councils, which are responsible for licensing such sites.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that(a) children and young people, (b) adult and elderly volunteers and (c) residents are not precluded from participation in catering and cooking at residential homes and sheltered accommodation for the elderly in Wales when such participation is aimed at creating a homely or community atmosphere for the residents.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Nobody in residential or sheltered accommodation is precluded by food hygiene legislation from taking part in the preparation of food. The extent to which they actually do so is a matter for them and for those directly responsible for their care.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his best estimate of the number of elderly people currently living in non-registered residential homes(a) in Wales, (b) in each county in Wales and (c) in each district in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on elderly people living in non-registered residential homes is not held centrally.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a separate estimate for the appropriate allowance for price inflation in civil engineering for each year since November 1988 for the construction of each of(a) the Cardiff bay barrage, (b) the foreshore promenade beneath Penarth Head, (c) the outer harbour, (d) the breasting dolphins and (e) the alternative feeding grounds for wading birds specified as works 1–5 in the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The appropriate allowance for price inflation in civil engineering, according to the PSA civil engineering cost indices, for each year since November 1988 is:

  Per cent.

  November 1988—November 1989

  9.2

  November 1989—November 1990

  7.6

  November 1990—October 1991

  5.5

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  These are applied to each of (a) the Cardiff bay barrage, (b) the foreshore promenade beneath Penarth Head, (c) the outer harbour, (d) the breasting dolphins and (e) the alternative feeding grounds.

PRIME MINISTER

  Recycling
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the new plans for recycling at 10 Downing street he announced during his recent visit to Rio de Janeiro.

  The Prime Minister
  I gave a pledge, as part of the Tree of Life initiative that bottles at No. 10 would be recycled. A collection point for bottles has been established, from where they will be taken to a bottle bank as necessary.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 June.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 June.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what record is kept of paintings donated to the nation in lieu of capital transfer or inheritance tax but left in their previous location in the care of their previous owner; what public access to the paintings is made available; what sums of tax have been forgone as a result of such donations during each of the past 10 years; and if he will list the paintings donated in this way during each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The records of all acceptance in lieu cases, including those accepted "in situ" are kept centrally by my Department. One of the conditions of items accepted in lieu of tax in situ is that public access must be available for a minimum of 30 days a year. The total amount of tax forgone in the last 10 years on in-situ paintings are as follows:

  £

  1981–82

  702,635

  1982–83

  —

  1983–84

  138,423

  1984–85

  —

  1985–86

  —

  1986–87

  —

  1987–88

  —

  1988–89

  260,717

  1989–90

  —

  1990–91

  20,000

  1991–92

  404,544

  The paintings accepted in this way are as follows:

  Sir Anthony Van Dyck, 'The Betrayal of Christ'

  Sir Joshua Reynolds, 'The Earl and Countess of

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  Mexborough and their son Lord Pollington'

  Sir William Beechey, 'Portrait of Admiral George Campbell'

  Francis Cotes, 'Portrait of Pryse Campbell'

  Francis Cotes, 'Portrait of Sarah Campbell'

  Francis Cotes, 'Portrait of Elizabeth Adams'

  Francis Cotes, 'Portrait of John Campbell Hooke'

  Francis Cotes, 'Portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Campbell'

  Sir Thomas Lawrence, 'Portrait of John Frederick, 1st Earl of Cawdor'

  Sir Thomas Lawrence, 'Portrait of Elizabeth Cawdor'

  Sir Thomas Lawrence, 'Portrait of Laday Caroline Cawdor'

  Attributable to Sir Joshua Reynolds, 'Portrait of Patrick Home'

  Sir Joshua Reynolds, 'Portrait of John Frederick Sack ville, 3rd Duke of Dorset'

  Sir Anthony Van Dyck, 'Portrait of Lady Frances Cranfield'.

  Ozone-Depleting Chemicals
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will outline his Department's policy on recovery and recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals;

  (2) what is his Department's policy on purchasing ozone-depleting chemicals and goods manufactured with these substances; and in which year his Department expects to cease using, purchasing or releasing ozone depleting substances, controlled by the Montreal protocol, and HCFCs.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 22 June, Official Report, column 95.

  Anabolic Steroids
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions his Department is having with the Sports Council or others on restricting the use and trading of anabolic steroids in gymnasiums for sporting or other purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 19 June 1992]: My Department has regular discussions with the Sports Council and other Government Departments about the misuse of anabolic steroids in sport. Anabolic steroids are prescription-only drugs in the United Kingdom and it is already an offence, under the Medicines Act 1968, to sell steroids or to possess them for the purpose of sale without a licence. The Government plan to introduce legislation at the earliest parliamentary opportunity to prohibit the supply of steroids to minors, and the Department of Health is currently conducting research into the extent of anabolic steroid use.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total number of occasions on which the Minister for Overseas Development appeared at the Dispatch Box in Foreign Office questions to answer questions relating to overseas development and assistance to developing countries during the 1987–92 Parliament.
  116
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Minister for Overseas Development appeared on 48 occasions.

  Sudan
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports have been received about the effects of the civil war in the Sudan and the number of refugees who have left the country; what arrangements have been made by the Government to assist with the relief effort; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The civil war has had a devastating effect on southern Sudan. United Nations reports indicate the cash economy is non-existent; infrastructure, including communications systems, has broken down and transport is not available. Access to clean water, health and sanitation services is very limited. There are large numbers of internally displaced people.

  Refugee movements in the south are complex. Last year 300,000 Sudanese refugees returned to southern Sudan from Ethiopia. This year about 20,000 refugees have crossed into northern Kenya.

  Since 1989 we have provided £17.8 million to Operation Lifeline Sudan, the United Nations programme to provide relief assistance to the south. This year, Sudanese refugees will benefit from the £7 million we have pledged to help refugees in the Horn of Africa.

  Development Assistance
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much official development assistance was given to developing countries in 1991 as a percentage of gross national product.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  United Kingdom official development assistance in 1991 was £1,841 million, which represented 0.32 per cent. of GNP. This maintains our average aid-GNP over the last five years at 0.30 per cent.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Fair Employment
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence he has of the existence of deliberate discrimination in Northern Ireland employment.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Fair Employment Tribunal is the body charged with the determination of cases of alleged discrimination in employment on the grounds of religious belief or political opinion. Similarly, industrial tribunals determine cases of alleged sex discrimination. The findings of these tribunals are a matter of public record.

  Maghaberry Prison
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were charged with disciplinary offences and which offences following disturbances at Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry on 23 March.

  Mr. Mates
  There were no disturbances at Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry on 23 March.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of strip searches
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  made on female prisoners at Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry monthly since July 1971; what was the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; what prison contraband, smuggled items, or illegal correspondence were discovered in any search; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for each search.

  Mr. Mates
  The hon. Member's question is incapable of answer, since Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry was not opened until March 1986.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Environment Research Programmes
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to make the RRS James Clark Ross, the RSS Discovery, the RSS Charles Darwin and the RRS Challenger environmental research programmes available to schools.

  Agency

  Launch date

  Staff1

  Accounts Services Agency

  1 October 1991

  90

  ADAS Agency

  1 April 1992

  2,500

  Building Research Establishment

  2 April 1990

  700

  Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments)

  1 April 1991

  230

  Central Office of Information2

  5 April 1990

  670

  Central Science Laboratory

  1 April 1992

  370

  Central Statistical Office

  19 November 1991

  1,090

  Central Veterinary Laboratory

  2 April 1990

  590

  Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment3

  1 April 1991

  600

  Civil Service College

  6 June 1989

  230

  Companies House2

  3 October 1988

  1,070

  Compensation Agency4

  1 April 1992

  150

  Defence Research Agency

  1 April 1991

  12,150

  Directorate General of Defence Accounts3

  1 April 1991

  2,130

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  2 April 1990

  4,580

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency4

  1 April 1992

  250

  Driving Standards Agency

  2 April 1990

  2,080

  Duke of York's Royal Military School

  1 April 1992

  100

  DVOIT

  1 April 1992

  590

  Employment Service

  2 April 1990

  38,400

  Fire Service College2

  1 April 1992

  160

  Forensic Science Service

  1 April 1991

  600

  Historic Royal Palaces

  1 October 1989

  330

  Historic Scotland

  1 April 1991

  630

  HMSO2

  14 December 1988

  3,250

  Hydrographic Office3

  6 April 1990

  860

  Insolvency Service

  21 March 1990

  1,470

  Intervention Board

  2 April 1990

  980

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  30 October 1989

  340

  Land Registry

  2 July 1990

  9,800

  Medicines Control Agency

  1 July 1991

  300

  Meteorological Office

  2 April 1990

  2,390

  Military Survey3

  1 April 1991

  1,300

  National Engineering Laboratory

  5 October 1990

  390

  National Physical Laboratory

  3 July 1990

  830

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  18 April 1989

  50

  Natural Resources Institute

  2 April 1990

  440

  Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation3

  1 April 1992

  1,510

  NHS Estates

  1 April 1991

  120

  Occupational Health Service

  2 April 1990

  100

  Ordnance Survey

  1 May 1990

  2,380

  Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland4

  1 April 1992

  210

  Patent Office2

  1 March 1990

  1,080

  Planing Inspectorate

  1 April 1992

  630

  Public Record Office

  1 April 1992

  440

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  6 July 1989

  60

  Queen Victoria School

  1 April 1992

  60

  Radiocommunications Agency

  2 April 1990

  520

  RAF Maintenance3

  1 April 1991

  13,300

  Rate Collection Agency4

  1 April 1991

  270

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency

  1 April 1991

  240

  Registers of Scotland

  6 April 1990

  1,280

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  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The Natural Environment Research Council arranges guided tours for school parties around its research vessels, during the limited time they are in United Kingdom ports. The tours include an introduction to the environmental research programmes supported by the particular vessel.

  Agencies
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the names, date of creation and numbers of staff employed by the independent executive agencies.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information requested is as follows:
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  Agency

  Launch date

  Staff1

  Royal Mint2

  2 April 1990

  1,020

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency

  1 April 1992

  140

  Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency

  1 April 1991

  210

  Service Children's Schools (North West Europe)3

  1 April 1991

  2,300

  Social Security Agency4

  1 July 1991

  5,350

  Social Security Benefits Agency

  1 April 1991

  63,100

  Social Security Contributions Agency

  1 April 1991

  8,000

  Social Security Information Technology Services Agency

  2 April 1991

  4,000

  Social Security Resettlement Agency

  24 May 1989

  520

  Teachers' Pensions Agency

  1 April 1992

  300

  The Buying Agency2

  1 November 1991

  110

  Training and Employment Agency4

  2 April 1990

  1,670

  Transport Research Laboratory

  1 April 1992

  580

  United Kingdom Passport Agency

  2 April 1991

  1,250

  Valuation Office

  30 September 1991

  5,200

  Vehicle Certification Agency

  2 April 1990

  80

  Vehicle Inspectorate2

  1 September 1988

  1,820

  Veterinary Medicines Directorate

  2 April 1990

  80

  Warren Spring Laboratory

  20 April 1989

  310

  Wilton Park Conference Centre

  1 September 1991

  30

  72 in number

  210,960

  Customs and Excise5 (30 Executive Units)

  1 April 1991

  26,800

  Inland Revenue5 (34 Executive Offices)

  1 April 1992

  62,100

  TOTAL6

  299,860

  TOTAL CIVIL SERVANTS7

  290,490

  1 October 1991 figures for Civil Servants and Armed Forces personnel. Casuals are excluded. Part-time staff are counted as half units.

  2 Trading Fund.

  3 Defence Support Agency.

  4 Northern Ireland Civil Service.

  5 Departments operating fully on 'Next Steps' lines. Staffing figure for Inland Revenue excludes the Valuation Office which is a free standing agency.

  6 Includes 8,070 Armed Forces personnel in Ministry of Defence Agencies, and 1,300 locally engaged staff in Service Children's Schools (North West Europe).

  7 Includes 7,900 Civil Servants in agencies of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

TRANSPORT

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Government response to the Transport Select Committee's second report, Session 1991–92, "Preparations for the Opening of the Channel Tunnel" N.C. 12–1, will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government welcome the Committee's report. My right hon. Friend has today published the Government response—Cm. 1987. Copies have been tabled in the Journal Office and the Clerk of the Parliaments' Office. Copies have also been placed in the House Libraries.

  Thames River Services
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what forecasts have been made of the likely growth in(a) commuter traffic and (b) tourist traffic using river passenger services on the Thames; and what discussions his officials have had about an application for section 56 grant to invest in piers and vessels to accommodate growth in demand.

  Mr. Norris
  Forecasts provided to us by the Riverbus Partnership showed a projected growth in demand for Riverbus services from 400,000 per annum in 1991 to a120
  peak of 750,000 per annum in 1993 with a gradual decline thereafter until 1997, when the demand is forecast to level off at about 400,000 per annum. I know of no forecasts of tourist traffic using other river services.

  Ministers and officials have had several meetings with the Riverbus Partnership to discuss a possible application for a section 56 grant. Preliminary discussions were also held with another company contemplating setting up a service. Both have been told that grant would not be available in 1993–94.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of encouraging the development of river passenger transport in London; and what action he has taken in the last year to promote river passenger transport.

  Mr. Norris
  I should like to encourage greater use of the River Thames for both freight and passengers. I should welcome proposals from operators and others to develop services, including the means of financing them.

  My officials have had discussion with river users and their representatives to explore the potential of the River Thames and its associated facilities. I intend that such discussions should continue.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he plans to take to safeguard the Riverbus services in the light of the impending withdrawal
  121
  of its operating subsidy by Olympia and York; and what information he has on the numbers using the service daily (a) overall and (b) to London city airport.

  Mr. Norris
  I have looked at the possibility of providing an operating subsidy to Riverbus. I have concluded that such a subsidy would not represent good value for money in transport terms. I understand that 228,000 passengers used Riverbus in the first five months of 1992. Of these, 14,000 travelled to the London City airport.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received and what discussions he has had about the future of the Riverbus services.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have received representations from the owners of the London City airport, from the airport's managing director, from two airlines, from the Riverbus Partnership, from the Port of London Authority, from the Chelsea Reach Association, and from 14 hon. Members enclosing a letter from the chairman of Mowlem, owners of the London City Airport. There have been no formal discussions about Riverbus.

  South Circular Road
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the planned start on site and finish dates for the A205, south circular. Catford town centre relief road.

  Mr. Norris
  Until land acquisition is completed. it would be premature to forecast the timing of construction work.

  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve consultation arrangements between his Department and the London borough councils through which the A205, south circular road passes, regarding all types of highway work and pedestrian safety.

  Mr. Norris
  I consider the present arrangements satisfactory. Frequent contact takes place between officials of the Department and individual boroughs on matters of mutual interest, including improvements to the roads for which the Secretary of State is responsible.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state(a) the current projected cost of the Jubilee line in current and 1989 prices, (b) the length of time over which private sector contributions are to be paid and from what source, (c) the proportion of the current cost, and 1989 cost that is now proposed to be covered from such contributions when discounted to a common base year and (d) the methods and assumptions on which the private sector contributions have been discounted.

  Mr. Norris
  The current projected cost of the Jubilee line extension is £1,420 million in 1989 prices and £1,828 million in current—cash—prices. Private sector contributions were promised by Olympia and York—O and Y—Heron Quays Developments Limited—HQDL—and British Gas—BG.

  O and Y was to have contributed £400 million cash, comprising £40 million on 31 March 1992; £60 million on
  122
  31 March 1993; and a stream of payments over 24 years, or a single discounted payment, once the extension was opened. At the time the company went into administra-tion, it had not completed its funding agreement with London Underground Limited—LUL—setting out the terms under which its contributions were to have been made.

  HQDL was to have made a single payment of £2.4 million at November 1989 prices, uplifted by 10 per cent. per annum and payable in June 1992. The company, which is a joint venture company owned partly by O and Y and partly by Regalian Homes Limited, has told LUL it cannot proceed now that O and Y has gone into administration.

  BG is to make contributions in cash and kind, estimated in 1989 to be worth £24.7 million. Some of those contributions are to be uplifted at 12 per cent. per annum to the dates on which they are paid. The detailed terms under which the contributions are to be paid, including the length of time over which they would be paid, is to be specified in the funding agreement with LUL, which is still to be negotiated.

  We continue to look to the private sector to make these contributions so that the line may proceed. If the contributions were all forthcoming, the proportion of the extension's total cost covered would be just over 12 per cent. in 1989 prices or 24 per cent. of the current—cash—price. The HQDL and BG contributions have not been discounted as they were originally expressed in 1989 prices. The O and Y contribution has been discounted at 8 per cent. per annum.

EDUCATION

  Schools (Effectiveness)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions his Department is having concerning the most appropriate criteria to include in league tables when measuring schools' effectiveness.

  Mr. Patten
  Comparative tables will this year cover public examination results; next year we plan to include national curriculum assessment results, truancy rates and information about the educational and other routes taken by older pupils. We consulted widely on plans for 1992 and will do so again for 1993.

  Butlers Hill Infant School, Hucknall
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the Butlers Hill infant school, Hucknall.

  Mr. Forth
  Nottinghamshire LEA has submitted a bid for a supplementary credit approval to enable the school to be replaced. My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement soon about SCAs for the current year.

  Teachers
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has had regarding the number of teacher posts for September 1992.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has had regarding teacher redundancies for September 1992.
  123
  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received letters from a number of sources relating to the employment of teachers; a proportion of these refer to changes in numbers of teacher posts for September 1992.

  Standard Assessment Tasks
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the National Association of Head Teachers regarding standard assessment tasks at key stage 1.

  Mr. Forth
  None.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects standard assessment tasks to be taken in 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  We are currently consulting about the arrangements for assessing both seven and 14-year-olds in 1993, including about the timing of the national tests. My right hon. Friend expects shortly to reach final decisions about the testing arrangements for 1993 in the light of the consultations.

  English Curriculum
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from the National Curriculum Council regarding the content of the English national curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received no such representations

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the National Association of Advisers in English and the National Association for the Teaching of English following their recent report on the English curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on the subject of grant-maintained status from primary and secondary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend continues to receive views from numerous bodies and individuals on grant-maintained status.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what modifications he has sought to the proposed admissions policies of schools seeking grant-maintained status in Essex; and what are the reasons in each case for the modifications.

  Mr. Forth
  I will write to my hon. Friend with the information she has requested.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the impact of local management of schools on local authority-wide music provision: and if he will make a statement on the Government's future plans in this respect.
  124
  Mr. Forth
  There is no direct relationship between the introduction of local management of schools and the level of music provision.

  Student Unions
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to announce the outcome of his Department's inquiry into student unions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  I plan to bring the current consultations on student unions to a close in the near future.

  Expenditure (Examination Results)
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the relationship between spending by local education authorities and examination results.

  Mr. Forth
  There is no straightforward relationship between spending by local education authorities and examination results; higher spending does not, of itself, guarantee better results.

  Hendon School
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils applied to enter Hendon grant-maintained school in 1992–93 and in 1988–89.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not collect centrally information on applications for admissions to grant-maintained schools. However, I understand from Hendon school that it has received 420 applications for admission in September 1992. The school admitted 103 pupils in 1988.

  Assessment
  Dr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he plans to review the arrangements for the assessment of pupils in the light of the proposals for Scotland.

  Mr. Forth
  No, we have no intention of abandoning a system that works.

  School Governors
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps are being taken to encourage parents to stand for election as school governors.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department is playing its part in efforts to attract new school governors this autumn, including parents. My right hon. Friend launched the "Schools Need Governors" campaign on 28 April. I have followed this up at a number of events designed to raise awareness of school governor issues and the satisfaction which membership of governing bodies can bring. We have appointed Mrs. Ann Holt to support and co-ordinate local authorities' recruitment plans. We have paid for the production of a leaflet and poster—translated into eight ethnic minority languages—for distribution to all schools and libraries in England and Wales. We are spending around £300,000 on the campaign, which I am confident will be successful.

  Nursery Education
  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to ensure that adequate resources will be made available for nursery education provision throughout England and Wales for 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 19 May,Official Report, column 107.

  Parents Charter
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many copies of the parents charter have been distributed to parents.

  Mr. Forth
  Some 5.3 million copies, in English and ethnic minority languages, were requested by individuals and by the two thirds of schools which distributed copies direct to parents. More than 1 million further copies were distributed through main post offices and public libraries.

  Pupil:Teacher Ratios
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what has been the average pupil:teacher ratio since May 1979; what was the October 1974 to May 1979 average: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The average overall PTR for the period January 1980 to January 1991 inclusive, the latest date for which full information is available was 17.7. For the period January 1975 to January 1979 inclusive the average overall PTR was 19.6.

  Higher Education Funding Councils
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what study he is making of the number of Scottish students attending English universities after the establishment of higher education funding councils.

  Mr. Forman
  My Department is making no such study. Places for home students at higher education institutions in England will be funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England irrespective of domicile. The same principle will apply to funding for places at institutions in Scotland and Wales by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

  Single-Sex Education
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children of school age receive single-sex education in(a) Romford, (b) the London borough of Havering and (c) England and Wales generally; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which this provides adequate choice for parents in the state sector.

  Mr. Forth
  Information for schools in Romford is not available centrally. Information on schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales. In January 1991, the percentages of children of compulsory school age receiving education in maintained single sex schools in Havering local education authority and England as a whole are 9.2 and 4.7 respectively. It is for each local education authority to determine the demand for single sex education in its area.

  Statementing
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will review the arrangements for the statementing of children with special education needs; and what discussions he has had on the provision of medical services to children attending special education establish-ments in the Wigan metropolitan borough.

  Mr. Forth
  On 11 June my noble Friend the Minister of State said in another place that the Government had undertaken a fundamental review of the Education Act 1981. and announced the Government's proposals to legislate to improve present arrangements for assessments and statements. We shall consult widely on the detail of our proposals.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has ministerial responsibility for the provision of medical services.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many children in(a) Barnsley, (b) Doncaster and (c) Rotherham are currently diagnosed as suffering from dyslexia;

  (2) how many curriculum support assistants are currently employed for special needs children in (a) Barnsley, (b) Doncaster and (c) Rotherham;

  (3) how many people qualified in dealing with dyslexia are currently employed in (a) Barnsley, (b) Doncaster, (c) Rotherham and (d) nationally;

  (4) how many children are currently classed as remedial in (a) Barnsley, (b) Doncaster and (c) Rotherham; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of the national average;

  (5) how many children are currently undergoing the statementing process in (a) Barnsley, (h) Doncaster and (c) Rotherham expressed as specific numbers and as a percentage of the national average;

  (6) how many children are assessed as having special needs in (a) Barnsley, (b) Rotherham and (c) Doncaster; and what amount of resources is currently allocated for children with special needs in each of these areas.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Training Grants
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the local education authorities who have claimed grant for education, support and training at 65 per cent. on the full cost of funding the initial training of an educational psychologist in circumstances where the individual involved in such training has contributed 35 per cent. of the costs.

  Mr. Forth
  Local education authorities may only claim grant under the grants for education support and training programme in respect of eligible spending which they themselves incur. They may not claim grant in respect of costs met by the individual being trained. The Department has asked local education authorities to confirm that their claims have been prepared on this basis, but has not yet received all replies.

  Psychologists
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many educational psychologists are employed in(a) Barnsley, (b) Doncaster and (c) Rotherham expressed as a specific figure and as a percentage of the national average.

  Mr. Forth
  The table gives in column 1 full-time equivalent numbers of educational psychologists em-ployed by the local education authorities in question in January 1992. Column 2 expresses these as a percentage of the average number employed per English LEA. The figures are provided in the form requested, but are not weighted to take account of variations between LEAs in the numbers of children of school age for which they are responsible.

  Shire counties 1989–90

  Net institutional expenditure per secondary pupil 1989–90(£)

  Percentage of leavers with five or more GCSE/O/CSE grades A to C

  Rank (passes)

  Derbyshire

  1,975

  26.9

  33

  Nottinghamshire

  1,955

  24.7

  38

  Cleveland

  1,915

  27.3

  31

  Hertfordshire

  1,900

  36.1

  6

  Leicestershire

  1,900

  28.4

  27

  Shropshire

  1,855

  32.4

  12

  Buckinghamshire

  1,850

  41.2

  1

  Cumbria

  1,845

  29.6

  23

  Suffolk

  1,820

  26.6

  34

  Bedfordshire

  1,815

  27.3

  31

  Lancashire

  1,810

  29.4

  25

  Oxfordshire

  1,810

  29.8

  21

  Norfolk

  1,810

  27.8

  29

  Essex

  1,800

  30.9

  17

  Avon

  1,800

  30.2

  19

  Hampshire

  1,790

  32.8

  11

  Staffordshire

  1,790

  26.6

  34

  Warwickshire

  1,770

  30.9

  17

  East Sussex

  1,765

  36.5

  5

  North Yorkshire

  1,760

  37.6

  4

  Humberside

  1,760

  23.4

  39

  West Sussex

  1,745

  39.6

  3

  Somerset

  1,745

  31.4

  16

  Gloucestershire

  1,735

  34.3

  7

  Berkshire

  1,735

  32.4

  12

  Durham

  1,735

  26.3

  37

  Cheshire

  1,715

  33.3

  10

  Devon

  1,710

  29.5

  24

  Wiltshire

  1,700

  30.1

  20

  Cornwall including Scilly

  1,690

  33.8

  8

  Northamptonshire

  1,685

  27.8

  29

  Surrey

  1,675

  40.7

  2

  Northumberland

  1,645

  33.4

  9

  Cambridgeshire

  1,640

  29.8

  21

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,635

  32.1

  14

  Dorset

  1,635

  31.5

  15

  Lincolnshire

  1,630

  26.6

  34

  Isle of Wight

  1,575

  28.1

  28

  Kent

  1,570

  28.9

  26

  England

  1,855

  28.6

  Note: Per pupil expenditure figures are derived from LEAs' returns of their spending to the Department for the Environment and their pupil numbers to the Department of Education. Figures are for 1989–90, the latest year for which actual spending information is available. Net institutional expenditure covers spending on salaries and wages, recurrent premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services. It excludes spending on LEA administration, home to school transport, school meals and financing costs of capital expenditure.
  128

  Number of1 Educational Psychologists (FTE)

  Percentage2 of National Average Percentage

  Barnsley

  4.5

  32.6

  Doncaster

  9.0

  65.2

  Rotherham

  10.3

  74.6

  England

  1,505.2

  —

  School Expenditure
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list in rank order the shire county education authorities' spending per pupil in secondary schools, relative to the proportion of secondary school pupils achieving five GCSEs at grades A to C, and the national averages for the most recent year available.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows school-based spending per-secondary pupil in shire counties in financial year 1989–90, and the average percentage of school leavers obtaining five or more grades A, B or C at GCSE in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

DEFENCE

  Gulf Medal
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the metal specification of the Gulf medal; when it was authorised to be made; when the first issue to recipients was made and when the issue will be completed; if he will make a statement about the quality of the production and speed of issue; and whether he intends to seek competitive tenders for future issues of medals and awards.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Gulf medal is made of cupro-nickel. The Command Paper for the Gulf medal was approved by Her Majesty the Queen on 10 August 1991, and it was published and laid before Parliament on 20 August 1991. The order for the manufacture of the medals was placed later that month; the first medals were produced by the Royal Mint in October 1991 and the first issues made in November 1991. The initial dispatch rate of 1,000 medals per week has now been more than doubled, and it is expected that the bulk of issues of the medal will be completed by the end of July 1992. The Government have been satisfied with the quality of the medal produced by the Royal Mint. The possibility of seeking competitive tenders for future medal issues is under consideration.

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a study of cataracts in British nuclear test participants will be undertaken.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The National Radiological Protection Board considers it to be impracticable to undertake a study of cataracts in all 20,000 test participants. It has, however, agreed to carry out an investigation on a small group of volunteers from the test veterans associations.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will commission a study into potential genetic effects of nuclear contamination in the families of British nuclear test participants.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A study is to be undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board in conjunction with the Childhood Cancer Research Group, and other organisations into cancer in the children of radiation workers included in the National Register for Radiation Workers. In the light of this study MoD will consider whether to commission such a study for British test participants.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many body scans have been undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board as part of its follow-on survey dealing with British nuclear test participants.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what period the Blue Books, recording radiation exposure in British nuclear test participants, have been compiled.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Blue Books record radiation exposures of test participants in the United Kingdom nuclear weapons test programme, both atmospheric and underground, for the period 1952–67.
  130
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation has been given by individuals, who served as participants in British nuclear tests, for their Blue Book entries to be made available to the National Radiological Protection Board.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts have been made to inform British nuclear test participants of their Blue Book entries and of their rights to access these personal records.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As the vast majority of test participants received a zero dose, it would be inappropriate to contact each service man individually. Test participants are entitled under suitable privacy arrangements to receive the information on their dose records. held in the Blue Books.

  RAF Tain
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will halt the use of the air weapons range at RAF Tain by USAF F-111E aircraft until such time as he has received and published the findings of the inquiry into the recent inadvertent dropping of five practice bombs.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  United States Air Force F-111E temporarily ceased using RAF Tain range from the afternoon of 11 June, after an incident in which four practice bombs were irregularly released. This followed the irregular release of one practice bomb on 4 June. USAF investigations into the two incidents found that they had been caused by unrelated technical malfunctions. All F-111E aircraft were checked for both types of fault and were cleared to begin using the range again on 17 June.

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual salary range applicable to the Head of the Defence Export Services Organisation.

  Mr. Aitken
  The present Head of Defence Export Services, Mr. Alan Thomas, is on secondment from Raytheon Europe, Ltd., which pays his salary and is reimbursed by the Ministry of Defence. His current salary is £123,220 a year, subject to annual review, and Mr. Thomas is eligible for a performance bonus within an annual maximum of £30,000.

  Budget
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the budget for development of Battlefield IFF for each of the last five years; and what is the budget for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have funded a number of technology programmes within the Defence Research Agency which are applicable to a range of potential equipments, including Battlefield IFF, although the expenditure applicable solely to Battlefield IFF cannot be separately identified. The Defence Research Agency is now undertaking a research programme aimed at assessing short-term solutions as well as options for the longer term for such a system.

  We have not commenced the development of a Battlefield IFF because it has not yet been possible to

  131
  identify a secure and effective solution which would match the complexities of the modern battlefield. As far as our budget for the next five years is concerned, it is not our practice to reveal the details of our forward programme.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Finance, Harrogate
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total debt in the housing account of the Harrogate borough council and the servicing costs for the 1991–92 financial year.

  Mr. Baldry
  No information is held centrally on a split of total authority debt which relates to housing, nor of the split of servicing costs. Local housing authorities are however required to maintain a housing revenue account where debt servicing costs are charged for housing. These costs are based upon debt figures calculated by formula.

  The estimated average debt used in the formula for charging servicing costs to the housing revenue account of Harrogate borough council for 1991–92 is about £18.1 million. The provisional debt servicing costs for the same year are £2.46 million.

  Table A—running costs at current prices

  CAT

  1987–88 (£000's)

  1988–89 (£000's)

  1989–90 (£000's)

  1990–91 (£000's)

  1991–92 (£000's)

  Nottingham/Leicester/Derby

  n/a1

  183

  183

  183

  271

  Liverpool

  204

  204

  204

  204

  223

  London

  190

  254

  226

  226

  299

  Tyne and Wear

  132

  132

  165

  242

  242

  Leeds/Bradford

  n/a1

  121

  146

  176

  215

  Birmingham

  40

  106

  127

  137

  177

  Manchester/Salford

  127

  124

  118

  155

  191

  Cleveland

  40

  38

  62

  71

  90

  Table B—running costs at 1987–88 prices

  Nottingham/Leicester/Derby

  n/a1

  119

  119

  119

  186

  Liverpool

  140

  140

  140

  140

  150

  London

  125

  171

  150

  150

  198

  Tyne and Wear

  90

  90

  113

  166

  166

  Leeds/Bradford

  n/a1

  83

  100

  121

  147

  Birmingham

  27

  73

  87

  87

  121

  Manchester/Salford

  87

  85

  81

  106

  131

  Cleveland

  27

  26

  43

  48

  60

  1 Leeds/Bradford and Nottingham/Leicester/Derby CATs were launched in March 1998.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure on each city action team by his Department for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Responsibility for city action teams transferred from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department of the Environment in December 1989. City action teams expenditure from 1989 has been as follows:

  TABLE A

  Current prices

  City action team

  1989–90 £'000s

  1990–91 £'000s

  1991–92 £'000s

  Nottingham/Leicester/Derby

  870

  895

  888

  Liverpool

  1,356

  1,118

  1,234

  London

  1,057

  1,230

  1,129

  Tyne and Wear

  1,372

  1,118

  1,298

  Leeds/Bradford

  800

  1,006

  846

  Birmingham

  690

  895

  982

  Manchester/Salford

  572

  1,006

  908

  Cleveland

  784

  1,342

  1,442

  Cumbria
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 12 June,Official Report, column 342, whether he will publish the recommendations of the report by Cambridge Economic Consultants into the south and west Cumbrian economies.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No.

  City Action
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure showing the running costs of each city action team, excluding the funding programmes, for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The running costs for city action teams are shared by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Employment and the Department of the Environment. These are estimated as follows:

  City action team

  1989–90 £'000s

  1990–91 £'000s

  1991–92 £'000s

  TOTALS

  17,501

  8,610

  8,727

  1 A total of 63 per cent. was spent after the transfer from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department of the Environment (from 19 December 1989 to 31 March 1990).

  TABLE. B

  1987–88 prices

  City action team

  1989–90 £'000s

  1990–91 £'000s

  1991–92 £'000s

  Nottingham/Leicester/Derby

  629

  647

  642

  Liverpool

  981

  809

  893

  London

  765

  890

  816

  Tyne and Wear

  992

  809

  939

  Leeds/Bradford

  578

  728

  612

  Birmingham

  499

  647

  711

  Manchester/Salford

  414

  728

  657

  Cleveland

  567

  971

  1,043

  TOTALS

  15,425

  6,229

  6,313

  133
  1 A total of 63 per cent. was spent after the transfer from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department of the Environment (from 19 December 1989 to 31 March 1990).

  Newsletter
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of his Department's environmental protection group research newsletter, issued in March, were printed; to which organisations or individuals it is circulated; what assessment he has made of its effectiveness based on experience gained from the 1991 newsletter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  More than 400 of the 1992 environmen-tal protection research newsletters have been printed to date. It is circulated to private industry, public corporations, including local authorities, environmental publications, research councils, educational establishments and individuals.

  Judgment of the effectiveness of the newsletter is based on the significant number of inquiries received by the Department, and the consequential expressions of interest in applying for inclusion on the tender list for contracts listed in the newsletter.

  My Department considers the newsletter an effective device for bringing the formal environmental protection programme of the Department to the attention of the research community.

  Enterprise Zones—Compensation for Rates Revenue forgone

  Costs (£'000s)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  (a) = (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  (a)

  (b)

  England

  Allerdale

  423

  585

  627

  905

  1,034

  Corby

  3,464

  4,344

  4,658

  4,711

  5,384

  Dudley

  4,141

  4,607

  4,940

  7,570

  8,651

  Glanford

  111

  275

  295

  486

  555

  Hartlepool

  871

  1,116

  1,197

  1,455

  1,663

  Isle of Dogs

  6,463

  7,763

  8,324

  12,938

  14,786

  Middlesbrough

  741

  846

  907

  1,142

  1,305

  North East Lancs

  916

  1,556

  1,668

  2,438

  2,786

  North West Kent

  2,175

  3,171

  3,400

  4,361

  4,984

  Rotherham

  1,205

  2,535

  2,718

  2,553

  2,918

  Salford/Trafford

  5,747

  7,782

  8,344

  9,790

  11,189

  Scunthorpe

  1,320

  2,881

  3,089

  3,683

  4,209

  Speke

  2,015

  2,414

  2,588

  2,919

  3,336

  Telford

  1,890

  2,332

  2,501

  4,173

  4,769

  Tyneside

  10,067

  10,455

  11,210

  14,586

  16,670

  Wakefield

  1,399

  1,572

  1,686

  1,828

  2,089

  Wellingborough

  1,810

  1,869

  2,004

  2,035

  2,326

  Wales

  Delyn

  607

  622

  667

  826

  944

  Milford Haven

  582

  631

  677

  779

  890

  Swansea

  2,249

  2,653

  2,845

  3,777

  4,317

  Scotland

  Clydebank

  2,753

  2,595

  2,783

  2,747

  3,139

  Inverclyde

  —

  (c)

  (c)

  Invergordon

  366

  209

  224

  n/a

  Tayside

  1,448

  1,214

  1,302

  1,902

  2,174

  Northern Ireland

  Belfast

  1,304

  1,640

  1,759

  1,989

  2,273

  Londonderry

  677

  733

  786

  804

  919

  (a) actual outturn

  (b) 1987–88 prices

  (c) included in Clydebank total

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure on the urban programme broken down into economic, environmental and social categories and cross-referenced to standard regions, showing Greater London as a separate region, for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member with this information.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure from his Department, to each enterprise zone, including tax reliefs, for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table shows annual costs for rate revenue forgone in United Kingdom enterprise zones from 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1990. No comparable figures are available for other enterprise zone allowances.

  City Grant
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure on city grant, cross-referenced to standard regions, showing Greater London as a separate region, for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  City grant was introduced in May 1988. Details of expenditure by region and financial year after that date are as follows:

  Amount of city grant approved by region— prices at date of approval.

  Region

  1988–89 £ million

  1989–90 £ million

  1990–91 £ million

  1991–92 £ million

  West Midlands

  5.34

  19.34

  14.22

  15.84

  North West

  2.65

  24.33

  15.85

  27.67

  Northern

  1.50

  6.45

  2.39

  9.01

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1.03

  5.07

  16.60

  11.87

  London

  5.57

  5.66

  2.56

  7.58

  East Midlands

  9.33

  4.34

  1.73

  8.23

  South West

  —

  —

  0.26

  4.83

  25.42

  65.19

  53.61

  85.03

  Amount of City Gram approved—1988–89 prices

  Region

  1988–89 £ million

  1989–90 £ million

  1990–91 £ million

  1991–92 £ million

  West Midlands

  5.34

  18.14

  12.33

  12.84

  North West

  2.65

  22.82

  13.74

  22.42

  Northern

  1.50

  6.05

  2.07

  7.30

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1.03

  4.76

  14.40

  9.62

  London

  5.57

  5.31

  2.22

  6.14

  East Midlands

  9.33

  4.07

  1.50

  6.67

  South West

  —

  —

  0.23

  3.91

  25.42

  61.15

  46.49

  68.90

  Travellers
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in 1991–92 local authorities reported difficulties to his Department as a result of the occupation of land in their ownership by gipsies and other itinerants.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities in England submit to the Department a biannual statistical return showing the numbers of gipsy caravans camped illegally on private and publicly owned land within their areas. Copies of the latest return, for January 1992, are in the Library. Authorities are not required to report to the Department individual cases of unauthorised camping by gipsies and other travellers.

  Local Government Officers (Pensions)
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average annual pension paid to retired local government officers in England and Wales.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Based on available data as at 31 March 1991, the average annual pension paid to retired local government officers in England and Wales, under the local government superannuation scheme, was £2,562.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his decisions on final caps for the authorities which he has designated for capping; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I have laid before the House a draft order, under section 104 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, setting out my decisions on the final caps for the eight authorities which have challenged my proposed caps and put forward higher alternatives. For the two authorities—Langbaurgh and Middlesbrough—which accepted the caps I originally proposed for them I have confirmed their caps at the level originally proposed.

  For each of the challenging authorities, I have considered all the available relevant information, including the case made to me by those authorities in support of a higher cap, before taking my decisions. For Cheltenham, Gloucester, Greenwich, Hillingdon and Lambeth I have decided to confirm the caps which I initially proposed.

  In the case of the other three authorities I consider that some relaxation would be justified. I have decided to increase Basildon's cap by £1.95 million, Gloucestershire's by £2.59 million and Warwickshire's by £4 million. The caps that I have now decided are, in my view, reasonable, appropriate and achievable in all the circumstances of the authorities concerned.

  The caps for each of the designated authorities and the resulting reductions in charges are as follows:

  Authority

  Final Cap £million

  Reduction in charge £

  Basildon

  22.10

  41

  Cheltenham

  9.91

  12

  Gloucester

  10.15

  3

  Gloucestershire

  320.50

  18

  Greenwich

  220.04

  56

  Hillingdon

  166.27

  5

  Langbaurgh

  16.50

  18

  Lambeth

  328.79

  23

  Middlesbrough

  20.20

  14

  Warwickshire

  296.99

  8

  UNCED
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the official United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside, gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 9 June, [Official Report, column 147.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members' Employment Status
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make it his policy to allow hon. Members to revert to self-employed status.

  Mr. Newton
  I have no plans to do so.
  137
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what recent representations he has received about allowing hon. Members to regain their self-employed status.

  Mr. Newton
  None, other than those implied by my hon. Friend's questions.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Residential Care
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 9 June,Official Report, column 136, what studies his Department has undertaken of the proportion of income support for people in residential care required for (a) living support, (b) housing support and (c) care.

  Mr. Burt
  None. No study has been made by the DSS of specific items of expenditure within income support. The Price Waterhouse survey commissioned by the Department and published in October 1990 did make a distinction between running costs and capital costs. A copy is in the Library.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he could give an estimate of the annual amount and category of social security benefits which are not claimed; and what measures will be taken to make people aware of what benefits they are entitled to.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest available information is contained in the estimates of take-up of income-related benefits for 1987, copies of which are in the Library. The Department tries to ensure that people are in a position to make informed choices on whether to claim, but does not have a legal duty to advise people to follow one course rather than another. Social security legislation clearly places the onus of claiming on individuals. One of the major priorities of its Benefits Agency is to enable people to establish their eligibility by making available information which is comprehensive, accurate and easy to understand. and to seek to ensure that claims are handled helpfully and efficiently.

  Young People
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he will take in response to the recommendations of the Social Security Advisory Committee regarding the needs of young people.

  Mr. Burt
  We have read and are carefully considering the SSAC report in respect of administrative arrangements. The Department has already implemented a number of initiatives aimed at easing access to benefit for young people and at ensuring help is available to those at risk. Benefit arrangements are monitored on a continuing basis and are always under review.

  Overseas Pensioners
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the annual cost to the Exchequer of unfreezing the retirement pensions of those now resident overseas but entitled to receive such 138
  pensions so that they are eligible for that same sum they would have received had they remained in the United Kingdom.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The estimated additional cost of paying United Kingdom retirement and widows pensions to beneficiaries living abroad at the same rate of benefit which they would have been paid had they remained in the United Kingdom is £275 million a year at 1992 rates. A separate figure for retirement pensioners only is not readily available.

  Disability
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the claim by Florence Muriel Marshall, NI No. ZS 506176D for disability living allowance was submitted: when it is to be resolved: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will w rite to my hon. Friend and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants for(a) residential care and (b) nursing home care there were in each region in May 1991.

  Mr. Burt
  Information in the form requested is not available. Such information as is available is in the table. taken from the May 1991 annual statistical inquiry, published on 19 June 1992.

  Residential care (thousands)

  Nursing homes (thousands)

  England

  123.3

  75.8

  Scotland

  8.4

  9.1

  Wales

  7.1

  8.8

  Great Britain

  138.8

  93.7

  Personal Pension Plans
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the annual sums paid to providers of personal pension plans under the Social Security Act 1986 in respect of rebates and subsidies for contracting out of the state earnings-related pension scheme in each of the financial years including 1991–92 that the Act has been in force.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is in the table.

  Payments in respect of personal pensions used for contracting out of SERPS

  Year of payment

  NI rebates £ million

  Incentives £ million

  Tax refund £ million

  Total £ million

  1988–89

  295

  1—

  37

  332

  1989–90

  1,712

  685

  205

  2,602

  1990–91

  1,492

  512

  172

  2,176

  1991–92

  1,777

  599

  204

  2,580

  Totals

  5,276

  1,796

  618

  7,690

  139
  1 First payments of the incentive were made in April 1989.

  Source: Contributions Agency: 100 per cent. count of payments made.

  Water Charges
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy for assisting with water charges claimants with dependent children.

  Mr. Burt
  For most people expenditure on water is one of many items to be taken into account when managing a budget. Movements in the cost of water are incorporated in the index used to uprate the income-related benefits, including income support.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of households in England are dependent on housing benefit; and how this has changed since the current system of housing benefit was introduced.

  Mr. Burt
  'The most recent estimate, for May 1991, is that 17 per cent. of households in England receive some of their income from housing benefit—rent rebates and allowances. The corresponding figures for previous years are 18 per cent. for 1988 and 17 per cent. for both 1989 and 1990.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the year end balance of the national insurance fund in each year from 31 March 1985 showing the effect of payments made to the fund under section 16 of the Social Security Act 1990 and section 13 of the Employment Act 1990.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The table details the year-end balances of the national insurance fund from 31 March 1985. Figures for 1991–92 are not yet available.

  Under section 16 of the Social Security Act 1990, payments were made to the fund from 1 April 1990 and amounted to £1,268 million for the year ending 31 March 1991.

  Section 13 of the Employment Act 1990 abolished the former redundancy fund on 31 January 1991 and transferred its assets and liabilities to the national insurance fund on that day. This resulted in a one-off payment to the fund of £914.5 million for the year ending 31 March 1991.

  Those sums were employed in the day-to-day running of the fund, together with its other income, and have contributed to the end-of-year balance shown.

  Year

  Balance at end of year £'000s

  1984–85

  4,977,510

  1985–86

  5,293,024

  1986–87

  5,706,966

  1987–88

  7,287,620

  1988–89

  10,368,808

  1989–90

  10,307,139

  1990–91

  11,791,856

  Family Credit
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress is being made with the investigation into the position of family credit applications by self-employed persons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The research being undertaken by the social policy research unit at York university into family credit and the self-employed is a multi-staged exercise. The draft report on that part of the study relating to the method of the assessment of income from self-employment is expected during the summer. The draft final report of the whole study is expected in spring 1993.

  Maxwell Pension Funds
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what contributions have been made to the trust fund set up by his Department for the benefit of Maxwell pension fund members.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The formal arrangements for establishing the trust fund are currently in hand and we shall be announcing details of the first contribution shortly.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 12 June,Official Report, column 315, if he will list the number of people, other than those in the Maxwell pension schemes, whose pensions are threatened because the assets of these schemes are not able to meet the pension payments and future commitments; how many schemes are involved; and what examination has been made of how far problems have arisen because of ineffective management, improper management or some other reason.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not routinely available, in the form requested, from the 300,000 occupational pension schemes currently in operation. Safeguards exist in trust law to protect the interests of members of schemes. The trustees have a duty to act at all times in the interests of all the beneficiaries of the scheme in accordance with the trust deed.

  In addition, in the case of a scheme that is used for contracting out of SERPS, the Occupational Pensions Board is required to satisfy itself that the schemes' resources are sufficient to meet the guaranteed minimum pension liability to members. To satisfy themselves that this is the case the board relies on certificates signed by actuaries and submitted to them every three and a half years. Additionally, in the case of self-administered schemes, an annual statement, signed by the scheme administrator, auditor or trustees, is required concerning the audit of scheme accounts, the receipt of contributions, and any self-investment or concentration of investment.

  A detailed analysis of scheme management is not normally carried out by the Department but the exceptional nature of the problems surrounding the Maxwell pension schemes has led to close links being established between this Department and those schemes.

  Age Allowance
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to implement the proposed increase from 25p to £1 per week in the age allowance for pensioners aged over 80 years.
  141
  Miss Widdecombe
  The age addition of 25p which is awarded to all those aged 80 or over and receiving a state retirement pension remains unchanged. From April 1992 those receiving income support aged 80 or over—or younger disabled pensioners—benefited from an increase in the higher pensioner premium of £1 for single people and £1.50 for couples. We believe that increasing the premium in this way, and thereby helping pensioners on low incomes, is a more effective use of resources than increasing the existing 25p age addition for all pensioners aged 80 and over regardless of individual need.

  Registered Disabled
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total number of registered disabled people in the United Kingdom with(a) disabilities in one arm and (b) a missing upper limb for the last year in which figures are available.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been asked to reply.

  This information is not held centrally and is not available in the form requested. Information on the prevalence of different types of disability is given in the reports published in 1988–89 on the survey of disability carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Copies are available in the Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Environmental Contract
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department issued the most recent edition of its "Environmental Contract: A Guide for Business Directory"; how many copies were printed and what cost; and what is his assessment of the effectiveness of the directory based on experience gained with the 1991 edition.

  Date of appointment

  Company name

  Date of report

  25 July 1980

  Dunlop Holdings Ltd.

  10 March 19812

  12 November 19813

  4 September 1980

  Euroseas Securities Ltd.

  5 March 1985

  24 August 1981

  Riafield Ltd.

  30 December 1983

  11 November 1981

  Corporate Management Planning Ltd.

  24 September 1986

  8 March 1982

  Euroflame Holding plc

  27 June 1987

  25 March 1982

  Pharmaceutex (IV Fluid) Ltd.

  4 June 1986

  Drivehouse Ltd.

  Furdrove Ltd.

  10 May 1982

  Cubar Construction Ltd.

  28 August 1984

  19 November 1982

  Signal Life Assurance Co. Ltd.

  16 November 1988

  11 March 1983

  Graylow Holdings Ltd.

  28 November 1989*

  Link Service Stations Ltd.

  British Anzani plc

  28 November 1989*

  4 October 1983

  Bank Street Securities Ltd.

  28 November 1989*

  Pennine Commercial Holdings plc

  28 November 19891*

  25 February 1983

  Hartley Baird plc

  21 December 1983

  16 February 1984

  Medway Secondary Metals Ltd.

  21 October 1987*

  9 May 1985

  Hartley Baird plc

  23 May 1986

  28 November 1986

  Guinness plc

  24 November 19881*

  20 October 1988

  Consolidated Gold Fields plc

  13 January 19891*

  5 April 19892*

  26 May 1989

  Blue Arrow plc

  4 June 1991*

  142
  Mr. Leigh
  The second and most recent edition of "Environmental Contract: A Guide for Business" was published mid-March 1992. A total of 27,000 copies were produced at a cost of £43,000.

  The guide has been welcomed by representatives of business. All 30,000 copies of the 1991 edition were distributed and as a measure of its success to date more than 11,000 copies of the second edition have been requested.

  Inspectors' Reports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department has had with industry over the publication of annual environmental reports for companies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Department maintains close contact with industry on a range of environmental issues including the reporting of environmental performance. I welcome the growing trend for companies to report on their environmental performance. Companies are best placed, in the light of individual circumstances, to determine the frequency and scope of environmental reports.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 20 May,Official Report, columns 154–55, if he will list the reports which remain unpublished and those he intends to publish.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The table lists all reports set out in my answer of 20 May,Official Report, columns 154–55 which remain unpublished. A substantial interim report on Dunlop Holdings was published on 17 February 1981. The decision whether to publish the reports marked with an asterisk remains under consideration and the reports of all inspectors appointed since 1 January 1986 have either been published or remain under consideration.
  143

  Date of appointment

  Company name

  Date of report

  23 June 1989

  The Bestwood plc

  26 March 1991*

  Atlanta Fund Managers Ltd.

  1 Interim.

  2 Second Interim.

  3 Final.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on sharing information on specific export licences with(a) his Department's counterpart offices in other EC member states, (b) its counterpart offices in other COCOM countries and (c) its counterpart offices in NATO nations.

  Mr. Needham
  Information contained in applications for export licences is treated as commercially confidential. However, contact is regularly made with other Governments in cases where we wish to ensure effective enforcement of export controls.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to require companies in their annual accounts to show the percentage of turnover spent on research and development.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No. Under SSAP 13, large companies already show spend on research and development in their accounts and the Accounting Standards Board's recently published proposals that companies should include an operating and financial review in annual reports build on this.

  Profit Forecasts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to require large public limited companies to publish profit forecasts in their annual accounts.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Statutory Definitions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans he has to provide a statutory definition of asset;

  (2) what plans he has to provide a statutory definition of profit.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  None.

  Joint Disciplinary Scheme
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will appoint an independent commission to examine the workings of the joint disciplinary scheme.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Cadbury Committee
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he submitted to the Cadbury committee on corporate governance.
  144
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have not submitted any written evidence. However, a representative of my Department has attended meetings of the committee as an observer.

  Bonus Payments
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to require shareholders to be informed of the bonuses paid to company executives.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Details of directors' service contracts over one year are, with some exceptions, required under the Companies Act 1985 to be made available for inspection by shareholders. In addition, aggregate details of directors' emoluments, with individual figures for the chairman and most highly paid director, have to be set out in the notes to the annual accounts. I do not propose legislation requiring further disclosure of individual directors' emoluments.

  Accounting Practices
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to prevent companies from capitalising interest paid as an asset in their balance sheets.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  This issue is best dealt with through an accounting standard.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will appoint an independent commission to investigate the impact of accounting practices on short-termism.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No. The Accounting Standards Board's recent discussion paper proposing the inclusion in annual reports of an operating and financial review, in which managers might discuss in a structured way some of the main factors underlying the performance and financial position shown in the financial statements, makes a useful contribution to this debate.

  Directors (Misconduct)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints about the unfit conduct of directors were submitted to the Insolvency Service in 1990 and 1991; in how many cases legal proceedings were undertaken; and in how many cases disqualification orders were made.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  In the calendar years 1990 and 1991 there were, respectively, 4,235 and 5,744 reports identifying aspects of unfitting conduct submitted by official receivers and insolvency practitioners; 488 and 633 proceedings were authorised against individuals and 286 and 322 disqualification orders were made.

  Regional Air Links
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the importance of air links between the regions and Heathrow to the local economies concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department recognises the importance air links to London can have for the local economies of the regions. This view is shared by the Department of Transport.

  British Aerospace
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Office of Fair Trading has completed its investigation of the purchase of the British Manufacturing and Research Company by British Aerospace; and when he expects to receive the advice of the OFT.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Director General of Fair Trading is continuing his inquiries into this acquisition and I expect his advice in due course.

  Insolvency Act 1986
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the President of The Board of Trade how many companies went into receivership under the Insolvency Act 1986, in each year since 1986 and in the current year to the most recent available date; how many

  Table C2 Liquidations and receiverships notified, 1986–87 to 1990–91

  Number of companies

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Apr-Jun 1990

  Jul-Sep 1990

  Oct-Dec 1990

  Jan-Mar 1991

  Apr-May 1991–92

  Great Britain

  Compulsory liquidations

  5,163

  3,911

  3,789

  4,511

  7,043

  1,342

  1,047

  2,512

  2,142

  9,210

  Creditor's voluntary liquidations

  9,412

  7,064

  6,011

  6,981

  10,610

  2,118

  2,365

  2,697

  3,430

  14,124

  Total insolvencies

  14,575

  10,975

  9,800

  11,492

  17,653

  3,460

  3,412

  5,209

  5,572

  0

  Members' voluntary liquidations

  5,115

  2,834

  4,063

  4,215

  4,172

  1,088

  835

  1,053

  1,196

  0

  Total liquidations

  19,690

  13,809

  13,863

  15,707

  21,825

  4,548

  4,247

  6,262

  6,768

  0

  Receiverships notified

  1,971

  1,384

  1,252

  2,423

  5,580

  967

  1,102

  1,509

  2,002

  8759

  Administrator appointments

  3

  156

  187

  160

  237

  67

  57

  49

  64

  0

  Company voluntary arrangements

  1

  27

  52

  49

  75

  9

  15

  18

  33

  0

  England and Wales

  Compulsory liquidations

  4,882

  3,667

  3,554

  4,289

  6,786

  1,286

  985

  2,439

  2,076

  8,911

  Creditor's voluntary liquidations

  9,198

  6,863

  5,837

  6,783

  10,378

  2,070

  2,316

  2,628

  3,364

  13,808

  Total insolvencies

  14,080

  10,530

  9,391

  11,072

  17,164

  3,356

  3,301

  5,067

  5,440

  0

  Members' voluntary liquidations

  4,882

  2,657

  3,809

  3,984

  3,941

  1,025

  788

  989

  1,139

  0

  Total liquidations

  18,962

  13,187

  13,200

  15,056

  21,105

  4,381

  4,089

  6,056

  6,579

  0

  Receiverships notified

  1,769

  1,202

  1,133

  2,266

  5,327

  925

  1,045

  1,430

  1,927

  8,503

  Administrator appointments

  0

  144

  179

  162

  222

  65

  56

  41

  60

  0

  Company voluntary arrangements

  0

  26

  52

  49

  75

  9

  15

  18

  33

  0

  Scotland

  Compulsory liquidations

  281

  244

  235

  222

  257

  56

  62

  73

  66

  299

  Creditors' voluntary liquidations

  214

  201

  174

  198

  232

  48

  49

  69

  66

  316

  Total insolvencies

  495

  445

  409

  420

  489

  104

  111

  142

  132

  0

  Members' voluntary liquidations

  233

  177

  254

  231

  231

  63

  47

  64

  57

  0

  Total liquidations

  728

  622

  663

  651

  720

  167

  158

  206

  189

  0

  Receiverships notified

  202

  182

  119

  157

  253

  42

  57

  79

  75

  256

  Administrator appointments

  3

  12

  8

  8

  15

  2

  1

  8

  4

  0

  Company voluntary arrangements

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  146
  directors of companies were prosecuted under the Act or similar statutory provisions over the same periods and (a) acquitted or (b) convicted; and what was the nature of the sentences passed on those convicted.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The number of receiverships notified in each year beginning with 1986–87 and ending with January-March 1991 are published in "Companies in 1990–91" laid before Parliament in accordance with section 729 of the Companies Act 1985. A copy of table C2 from that publication follows, with available figures for April 1991 to March 1992 added.

  Tables follow listing sections of the Insolvency Act 1986 creating offences in connection with companies, numbers of directors convicted and acquitted of each offence and the range of sentences passed. Similar tables show offences prosecuted under the Companies Acts 1948,1976 and 1985 and the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.

  The tables relate to offences detected by official receivers dealing with companies in liquidation, and a small number detected by companies investigation branch, and prosecuted by investigations division of the Department of Trade and Industry. Separate tables are given for the calendar years 1988 to 1991. The figures include cases referred by investigations division to other agencies. They do not include cases investigated by police forces with no investigations division involvement. Bankruptcy offences prosecuted under the Insolvency Act 1986 have not been included whether or not the bankrupt had been a director of a company.

  147

  Insolvency Act 1986

  Calendar year 1988

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 216

  1

  —

  Fined £750

  Companies Acts

  Calendar year 1988

  Year and Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  1948

  S 161

  1

  —

  Fined £500

  S 187

  15

  —

  Sentence ranged from six months in prison, fines up to £500 and 40 hours community service.

  S 328

  1

  —

  Fined £500

  S 330

  1

  —

  Nine months suspended two years.

  S 331

  1

  —

  Nine months imprisonment.

  S 332

  14

  2

  Sentences ranged from four months imprisonment suspended to three years in prison.

  1976

  S 12

  47

  —

  Fines ranged from £50 to £1,500 and from a conditional discharge to six months imprisonment.

  1985

  S 34

  2

  —

  Fined £75

  S 221–223

  26

  3

  Sentence ranged from a con-ditional discharge with fines up to £1,600.

  S 241

  1

  —

  Fined £500

  S 287

  1

  —

  Fined £25

  S 302

  8

  —

  Fines up to £500 and up to 3 months imprisonment.

  S 458

  4

  2

  Sentences ranged from fines up to £250 and 18 months in prison.

  S 624

  1

  —

  Six months imprisonment.

  Company directors Disqualification Act 1986

  Calendar year 1988

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 11/13

  2

  —

  Conditional discharge and fines up to £100.

  Insolvency Act 1986

  For 1989

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S207

  1

  —

  Six months imprisonment suspended two years.

  S208

  —

  1

  —

  S216

  6

  1

  Conditional discharge to fines up to £1,000.

  Companies Acts

  Calendar year 1989

  Year and Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  1948

  S 187

  23

  —

  Sentences ranged from a con-ditional discharge to 12 months imprisonment with fines up to £1,000.

  148

  Year and Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 332

  7

  1

  Sentences ranged from fines up to £2,000 and suspended prison sentences up to 18 months.

  1976

  S 12

  20

  —

  Sentences ranged from a con-ditional discharge to 12 months imprisonment and fines between £50 to £1,000.

  1985

  S 34

  1

  —

  Fined £200.

  S 221/223

  60

  5

  Sentences ranged from a conditional discharge to three months imprisonment and fines between £100 to £500.

  S 302

  12

  2

  Sentences ranged from commun-ity service up to 180 hours, fines between £400 to £1,000 and nine months imprisonment.

  S 351

  3

  —

  Fined £50 to £100.

  S 389

  1

  —

  Fined £500.

  S 458

  11

  —

  Sentences ranged between 9–30 months imprisonment.

  S 626

  2

  —

  Fined £400.

  Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

  Calendar year 1989

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 11/13

  2

  —

  Fined between £75 and £750.

  Insolvency Act 1986

  Calendar year 1990

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S206

  2

  1

  Nine months suspended prison sentence.

  S216

  4

  1

  Fines up to £1,000 and up to four years disqualification from acting as a director.

  Companies Acts

  Calendar year 1990

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  1948

  S 187

  9

  —

  Fines ranged from £500 to £1,500 and suspended sentences up to 12 months. Disqualification up to five years.

  S 221

  1

  —

  Fined £500.

  S 323

  1

  —

  Four months imprisonment, suspended.

  S 332

  4

  —

  Sentences ranged from suspended sentences to three and a half years imprisonment.

  1976

  S 12

  3

  —

  Fines ranged between £500 to £1,500 and suspended prison sentences of three months.

  S 13

  1

  —

  Fined £500.

  1985

  S 28

  2

  —

  Fined £250.

  S 34

  2

  —

  Fined up to £400.

  149

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 221–223

  65

  4

  Sentences ranged between a conditional discharge, 3–18 months suspended prison sentences and fines up to £2,000. Disqualification orders up to six years.

  S 287

  1

  —

  Fined £200.

  S 302

  13

  1

  Sentences ranged between suspended prison sentences and six months imprisonment.

  S 351

  2

  —

  Fines up to £1,000 and 160 hours community service, up to five years disqualification.

  S 389

  1

  —

  Fined £100.

  S 458

  15

  3

  Sentence ranged between two to six months suspended and three years imprisonment, fines up to £10,000, and disqualifications up to seven years.

  Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

  Calendar year 1990

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 11/13

  17

  1

  Sentences ranged between a conditional discharge and 12 months suspended prison sentence. Fines up to £1,500 and disqualification from acting as a director up to 10 years.

  Insolvency Act 1986

  Calendar year 1991

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 206

  1

  —

  Conditional discharge.

  S 207

  1

  —

  Six months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

  S 216

  6

  1

  Sentences ranged from absolute discharge, fines up to £750, imprisonment up to three months and disqualification as acting as a director for two years.

  Companies Act

  Calendar year 1991

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  1976

  S 12

  2

  2

  Fines of £150 and disqualification from acting as a director of 10 years.

  1985

  S 28

  1

  —

  Fined £500.

  S 34

  1

  —

  Fined £400.

  S 64

  1

  2

  Fined £150.

  S 187

  7

  —

  Sentences range from 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years, fines up to £300 and disqualification of up to five years.

  S 221–223

  40

  13

  Sentences range from an absolute discharge, fines up to £1,000, 200 hours community service, suspended prison sentences of two years and disqualification of up to five years.

  150

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S302

  12

  —

  Sentences range from a conditional discharge, fines up to £50, suspended prison sentences of nine months and disqualification up to 18 months.

  S 389

  1

  —

  Fined £200.

  S 458

  8

  3

  Sentences ranged from suspended sentences to three and a half years imprisonment and disqualification up to seven years.

  S 624

  1

  —

  Fined £1,000.

  Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

  Calendar year 1991

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 11/13

  33

  —

  Sentences ranged from 240 hours community service, fines up to £5,000, suspended prison sentences and up to six months imprisonment and disqualification from acting as a director for up to 10 years.

  Insolvency Act 1986

  To end May 1992

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 206

  3

  —

  Sentences up to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years and disqualification as acting as a director for three years.

  S 208

  1

  —

  Conditional discharge.

  S 213

  2

  —

  Sentences included imprisonment up to 21 months, and disqualification up to 10 years.

  Companies Act 1985

  To end May 1992

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 34

  1

  —

  Fined £25.

  S 221–223

  25

  —

  Sentence ranged from a conditional discharge, fines up to £1,500, community service orders of 150 hours, suspended prison sentences and disqualification up to 10 years.

  S 302

  2

  —

  Conditional discharge and a suspended prison sentence of 2 months.

  S 389

  1

  —

  Fined £1,000

  S 458

  2

  4

  Up to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years and disqualification of five years.

  Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

  To end May 1992

  Section

  Convicted

  Acquitted

  Sentence range

  S 13

  14

  —

  Sentences ranged from a conditional discharge, fines up to £1,200, 15 months suspended prison sentence and disqualification as acting as a director of up to five years.

  British Coal
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those individuals and organisations who responded to his consultation about the privatisation of British Coal; and if he will place copies of the documents in the Library.

  Mr. Eggar
  The following organisations and in-dividuals have sent me their views on the form and timing of coal privatisation:

  AMCO Corporation plc.

  Association of British Mining Equipment Companies.

  Association of County Councils.

  British Association of Colliery Management.

  Caledonian Mining Group.

  Chamber of Coal Traders.

  Clay Colliery Company Ltd.

  Coalfield Communities Campaign.

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

  Council for the Protection of Rural England.

  Domestic Coal Consumers Council

  WMS Dugdale

  Federation of Small Mines.

  The Lord Forrester.

  GMB/APEX Partnership.

  Health and Safety Commission.

  Institution of Mining Engineers.

  Mining Association of the UK.

  Monktonhall Mineworkers Ltd./Alex Morrison and Co.

  NACODS.

  National Power plc.

  National Rivers Authority.

  National Union of Mineworkers (C.O.S.A.).

  National Union of Mineworkers (Scotland).

  North Nottinghamshire Training and Enterprise Council.

  Nuclear Electric plc.

  PowerGen plc.

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

  Scottish Trades Union Congress.

  J. J. Sheridan.

  J. S. Sumnall.

  Town and Country Planning Association.

  Trades Union Congress.

  Union of Democratic Mineworkers.

  United Kingdom Onshore Operators Group.

  E. H. L. & J. G. C. Wallace.

  I have placed the full list of the organisations to whom I wrote in the libraries of the House.

  It is a matter for the organisations and individuals concerned whether they wish their correspondence to be made public.

  Steel
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the level of steel production in 1971, 1981 and 1991.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The level of United Kingdom crude steel production was 24.2 million tonnes in 1971, 15.6 million tonnes in 1981 and 16.5 million tonnes in 1991.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the steelmaking centres in Wales in 1971, 1981 and 1991.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Centres of crude steel production in Wales are as follows:

  Regional Financial Assistance

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  North West Region at current prices

  DA

  121.2

  93.6

  127.4

  64.2

  62.3

  52.2

  41.1

  30.4

  IA

  3.1

  4.3

  6.0

  7.1

  10.0

  10.8

  8.4

  8.7

  152

  1971

  Port Talbot

  Llanwern

  Cardiff

  Shotton

  Ebbw Vale

  Wrexham

  Panteg

  Briton Ferry

  Llanelli

  1981

  Port Talbot

  Llanwern

  Cardiff

  Wrexham

  Panteg

  1991

  Port Talbot

  Llanwern

  Cardiff

  Panteg

  Newport

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many were engaged in steelmaking in 1971, 1981 and 1991 in(a) Wales and (b) Great Britain.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Approximate numbers engaged in crude steel production were as follows:

  1972

  1981

  1991

  Wales

  61,000

  25,000

  17,000

  Great Britain

  201,000

  88,000

  45,000

  Note: Comparative figures for 1971 are not available.

  Bankruptcies, Leeds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the number of bankruptcies in businesses employing fewer than 50 people in the Leeds, West constituency for each of the past five years; and, in each case, how many redundancies occurred.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My Department does not maintain such statistics.

  Regional Aid
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will provide a table of expenditure on regional financial assistance to each development area and intermediate area in the north-west region in each year since the last revision of the assisted areas held in 1984(a) at current prices and (b) at 1984 prices.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Expenditure on regional financial assistance in the north-west region broken down into development areas and intermediate areas from 1984–85 at current prices and at 1984–85 prices is set out in the table. The schemes covered in the table are regional development grants, regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grants. A more detailed breakdown by assisted area is available only at disproportionate cost.
  153

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  North West Region at 1984–85 prices

  DA

  121.2

  88.7

  116.9

  55.9

  50.6

  39.7

  28.9

  20.0

  IA

  3.1

  4.1

  5.5

  6.2

  8.1

  8.2

  5.9

  5.7

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

  Ozone-depleting Chemicals
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will outline his Department's policy on recovery and recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The Government encourage recycling wherever it makes economic and environmental sense by setting the right legislative framework and stimulating both the recovery and take-up of recyclable materials. The Department also seeks to alert business through literature, and other promotional activity, to the benefits of recovering and reusing ozone-depleting substances.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's policy on purchasing ozone-depleting chemicals and goods manufactured with these substances; and in which year his Department expects to cease using, purchasing or releasing ozone-depleting substances, controlled by the Montreal protocol, and HCFCs.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The Department has already ceased to purchase some goods manufactured with ozone-depleting chemicals and will continue to reduce purchases of such goods and substances
  154
  as and when suitable alternative technologies and products become available. The Department has also introduced control measures to eliminate the unnecessary release of these substances to the atmosphere.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the amount in tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals used or purchased by his Department for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991, and estimates of usage for the next year; what is the estimated bank of ozone-depleting chemicals contained within his Department; and how many months' supply of ozone-depleting chemicals have been ordered by his Department.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The information is not available. However my Department is committed to eliminating its use of ozone-depleting substances where suitable alternatives are available. The DTI, along with other Government Departments, has adopted the "Environmental Action Guide for Building and Purchasing Managers" published in 1991—ISBN 011 752 3119—which aims for a high quality of environmental performance in the public procurement of goods and services.

HEALTH

  Chiropodists
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many chiropodists are employed by the Sunderland, Durham and Hartlepool health authorities at the present time and for each year since 1988.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows:

  NHS Chiropodists Whole-Time Equivalent

  Hartlepool

  Sunderland

  Durham

  1988

  3.4

  12.6

  10.5

  1989

  5.1

  16.1

  7.6

  1990

  5.6

  16.4

  8.4

  1991

  5.6

  16.4

  7.0

  Physiotherapy
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physiotherapists were employed in the Sunderland, Durham and Hartlepool health authorities each year since 1988.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows:

  NHS Physiotherapists Whole-Time Equivalent

  Hartlepool

  Sunderland

  Durham

  1988

  24.2

  32.4

  64.2

  1989

  28.2

  66.0

  32.4

  1990

  30.5

  34.1

  67.1

  1991

  22.0

  58.64

  42.0

  Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many suspected cases of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease have been(a) identified and (b) confirmed as actually suffering from this disease in the past two months;

  (2) how many people have been identified as having contracted Creutzfeld-Jakob disease from the most recently available figures.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures are produced on a yearly basis by Dr. R. G. Wills, consultant neurologist at the national Creutzfeld-Jakob disease surveillance unit, Edinburgh. Copies of his latest report "Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease surveillance in the United Kingdom" have been placed in the Library. Dr. Wills has confirmed that there has been no change in the incidence or distribution of CJD, and no evidence to show that it is increasing. The study into the incidence of CJD will continue for a decade or more to monitor any change in the pattern of the disease.

  CJD can be confirmed only by post mortem. Between 1 April 1992 and 31 May 1992 four suspect cases of CJD were identified. One of the patients has been confirmed as suffering from the disease; two other patients remain alive and a post mortem result on the fourth patient is awaited.

  NHS Staff
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors and nurses currently work for the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  At 30 September 1990, the latest date for which figures are available centrally, there were 44,900 156
  (whole-time equivalent) doctors and 402,100 (whole-time equivalent) nurses employed by national health service health authorities and trusts. These figures are rounded to the nearest hundred whole-time equivalents and include all permanent paid and honorary medical staff in hospital and community health services, hospital practitioners, part-time medical officers and agency nurses.

  Dentistry
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide annual statistics on the number of dental practitioners in the Wirral and the volume of treatments they have given for the last five years, broken down into the standard categories used by her department.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Wirral family health services authority

  Financial year

  Number of dentists

  Number of courses of treatment

  Children

  Adults

  All patients

  1987–88

  113

  79,280

  164,940

  244,220

  1988–89

  117

  80,810

  173,620

  254,430

  1989–90

  125

  76,935

  165,559

  242,494

  1990–91

  130

  60,381

  162,284

  222,665

  1991–92

  136

  24,651

  178,510

  203,161

  Notes:

  1. The number of dentists includes principals and assistants as at 30 September in each year.

  2. The apparent decline in the number of courses of treatment provided for children is misleading. Under the new general dental service contract introduced in October 1990, most child treatment is undertaken under capitation and, as such, these courses of treatment cannot be separately identified or counted.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide the latest statistics on the level of dental health amongst the population of the Wirral.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is not collected centrally in the form requested. The most recent surveys, co-ordinated by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD), (in 1989–90 and 1988–89 respectively) showed that five and 12-year-olds in Wirral health authority had respectively 2.25 and 1.77 decayed, missing or filled teeth. Wirral ranked 151st in a list of 178 health authorities for five-year-olds and 115th in a list of 154 for 12-year-olds.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the Wirral are currently; and what the waiting list has been in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  There were no patients waiting for orthodontic treatment with Wirral Hospital NHS Trust at 30 September 1991. Wirral district health authority had no patients waiting for this treatment at 30 September in each of the last five years. (Source: KH07 returns).

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the actual earnings of dentists have been(a) in the Wirral and (b) nationally in each of the past five years; and how this earnings information is calculated within the existing payments system.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is shown in the table:
  157

  Average gross fee earnings per dentist (£)

  Financial Year

  Wirral

  England and Wales

  1987–88

  55,052

  55,971

  1988–89

  61,210

  64,377

  1989–90

  60,681

  64,008

  1990–91

  66,090

  70,410

  1991–92

  84,906

  84,833

  These averages relate only to earnings through fees and to dentists in the dental rates study group population. They exclude maternity payments, sickness payments, postgraduate education allowances, reimbursed business rates and other such allowances, and they relate only to those dentists who, for the year in question, were in contract for the complete financial year.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have ceased to practise in the national health service by switching exclusively to private work since 1979.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is not available. There are currently 29 per cent. more dentists practising in the general dental services in England than there were in 1979.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the dental treatments given on the national health service in the last financial year cost over(a) £200 and (b) £600, expressed as both a number and a percentage of the total treatments administered.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Data for 1991–92 are not yet available. The information for England and Wales in the calendar year 1991 is shown in the table:

  Cost of treatment

  Number of treatments

  Percentage of total number

  Greater than £200

  625,960

  2.2

  Greater than £600

  38,178

  0.1

  Note: Figures are provided by the Dental Practice Board.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were(a) the numbers employed by and (b) the total operational cost of the Dental Practices Board and its predecessors over the last three financial years together with an estimate of (b) for the current year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  1Staff

  Cost (£ million)

  1989–90

  1,268

  16.8

  1990.91

  1,220

  21.2

  1991–92

  1,126

  22.6

  1 Average number of whole time equivalents.

  The present budget allocation for 1992–93 is £24.1 million. We are at present discussing with the board the implications of any additional work that might fall to them from proposed amendments to the level at which dentists should seek prior approval from the board for courses of treatment to be undertaken. The costs of the Dental Practice Board are shared between the Department of Health and the Welsh Office on a proportional basis.

  Psychiatric Hospitals
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has received about the safety of women in psychiatric hospitals;

  (2) what measures are being taken to ensure the safety of women in psychiatric hospitals; and what guidance is provided to health authorities on the procedures and policy that they should follow to prevent and deal with sexual assaults and harassment in mental health settings.

  Mr. Sackville
  No representations about the safety of women in psychiatric hospitals have been received. It is the responsibility of individual health authorities and local managers to develop strategies which will help to provide a safe and secure environment for patients and staff. All health authorities were asked in 1982 to develop comprehensive security strategies and to keep them under review.

  A new national health service security manual, which provides excellent advice on all aspects of hospital security, has been issued to health authorities and trusts. A copy of the manual is available in the Library.

  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken to ensure that women who have experienced sexual assault or harassment in psychiatric hospitals are encouraged to make a complaint.

  Mr. Yeo
  The hospital complaints procedure is available to all patients who are unhappy about aspects of their care and treatment. Health authorities have been asked to include information about how to make a complaint in admission booklets, leaflets and notices. In the case of a complaint about a potential criminal offence, the district general manager must be consulted, and if the allegation is serious and substantial the police must be notified immediately.

  Agency Nurses
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated annual cost to the national health service of having agency nurses.

  Mr. Sackville
  The summarised accounts of health authorities in England for 1990–91 (the latest available) record total expenditure on the employment of non-National Health Service (agency etc.) nursing staff as £120.7 million (cash). This represents some 2.2 per cent. of total nursing and midwifery pay costs. The comparable figures for 1989–90 were £135.0 million (cash) and 2.7 per cent. respectively.

  Romanian Adoptions
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether her Department sought the removal of the condition relating to the number of children in a prospective adopting family imposed on prospective adopting parents wishing to adopt a child from Romania(a) in discussions between her Department and the Romanian Committee for Adoptions between January and March and (b) when a team of officials from her Department visited Romania and conducted direct negotiations prior to 19 March;

  (2) whether her Department sought the removal of the age condition for prospective adopting parents wishing to

  159
  adopt a child from Romania (a) in discussions between her Department and the Romanian Committee for Adoptions between January and March and (b) when a team of officials from her Department visited Romania and conducted direct negotiations prior to 19 March.

  Mr. Yeo
  The conditions contained in the draft agreement prepared by the Romanian Committee for Adoptions were the subject of negotiations between the Department and the committee from January to March this year.

  The conditions in the draft agreement relating to an upper age limit of prospective adopters and the number of children who were already members of a prospective adopting family were two of the many issues where the Department of Health sought removal or, failing that, some measure of flexibility.

  Name

  Grade

  Post

  Michael Brennan

  Principal

  Policy for adoption, including inter-country adoption

  Miss Julia Ridgway

  Social services inspector

  Professional adviser on adoption issues

  Dr. Susan Shepherd

  Senior medical officer

  Paediatric adviser on all aspects of adoption, including overseas adoption

  Census
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the timetable for the publication of the 1991 census.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 18 June at column 672.

  GPs (Staff Pay)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the percentage rise offered to general practitioners for reimbursement of staff wages in 1992 by each family health services authority.

  Average electorate per parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire

  Area

  1962

  1972

  1982

  1992

  Hertfordshire

  Number of electors

  551,240

  655,592

  723,810

  745,795

  Number of constituencies

  8

  9

  9

  10

  Average electorate per constituency

  68,905

  72,844

  80,423

  74,580

  Note: There have been changes since 1962 in the boundaries of Hertfordshire; but local authority changes are not immediately reflected in changes to constituency boundaries.

  Source: Population estimates unit, OPCS.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that(a) children and young people, (b) adult and elderly volunteers and (c) residents are not precluded from participation in catering and cooking at residential homes and sheltered accommodation for the elderly when such participation is aimed at creating a homely or community atmosphere for the residents.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 19 June at column 708.
  160
  The negotiating team continued to pursue amendments to these and other conditions with the committee on their visit to Romania in March. On the specific conditions referred to, the committee agreed to relax the limit on the number of children already members of a family in respect of the adoption of a Romanian child joining their brother or sister. The committee also agreed to relax the upper age limit only for the adoption of children with special needs.

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the(a) names, (b) grades and (c) posts held in her Department of the officials who visited Romania in March to negotiate with the Romanian Committee for Adoptions.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information requested is as follows:

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Electorate
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out in tabular form the average electorate per constituency in Hertfordshire for 1962, 1972, 1982 and 1992.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is as follows:

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 June,Official Report, column 479, if she will list the health benefits which people claiming disability working allowance are entitled to by virtue of receiving the allowance.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Fertility Treatment
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for health how many women who received fertility treatment in the last year were in their late 30s or early 40s; of these, how many were in low income brackets; and whether she has any plans to improve the availability of fertility treatment.
  161
  Mr. Sackville
  Information about the age groups and income of women who received fertility treatment during 1991 is not available centrally. The Government are aware of the position of childless couples and the national health service provides a wide range of services to help them. However, decisions about the priority and resources to be given to fertility services must be left to individual health authorities.

  Average electorate per parliamentary constituency England and Wales

  1962

  1972

  1982

  1992

  England

  Number of electors

  29,589,260

  33,316,464

  35,363,733

  36,435,873

  Number of constituencies

  511

  516

  516

  524

  Average electorate per constituency

  57,905

  64,567

  68,534

  69,534

  Wales

  Number of electors

  1,804,483

  1,997,400

  2,127,935

  2,218,551

  Number of constituencies

  36

  36

  36

  38

  Average electorate per constituency

  50,125

  55,483

  59,109

  58,383

  Source: Population Estimates Unit, OPCS.

  Dentists Remuneration
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the remuneration of NHS dentists.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [pursuant to the reply, 2 June 1992, Official Report, columns 466–67]: I have today authorised an amendment to the statement of dental remuneration to implement changes to the dental fee scale from 8 July 1992. We anticipate that this will not only deliver the increase in the target average net income to £35,815 which the review body recommended but that dentists should on average receive some £5,000 in addition.

  I have also increased the allowance for expenses to £47,228, an increase of 11.6 per cent.

  I shall be laying regulations to amend the NHS (General Dental Services) Regulations to reduce to £200 the threshold of treatment costs above which dentists must seek prior approval from the Dental Practice Board before carrying out treatment. This will improve our monitoring of costs of general dental services. Only some 3 per cent. of courses will be covered by this adjustment but it is right that dentists should seek approval for these costly treatments.

  Taken together, this means that dentists will receive an average gross income of around £88,000, including expenses.

  My decisions were made in the light of all the available considerations. We have taken into account the points put to us by dentists and their representatives. In some respects —for instance in the field of orthodontics—the fee scale has been amended to take account of their representations. This will mean that most of the work done by orthodontists can be carried out without prior approval.

  There will be a consequent reduction in the charges paid by patients.

  These changes are fair and reasonable and strike the right balance between the needs of patients, dentists and other health service workers.

  We have made good progress in dental health in recent years. This was recognised by the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body in recommending an increase in pay of 8.5

  Electorate
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out in tabular form the average electorate per constituency in(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales for 1962, 1972, 1982 and 1992.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested for England and Wales is shown in the table. Information relating to Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  per cent.—far more than that recommended for any other large health group. I remind dentists that our proposals mean that they will receive £5,000 over and above that.

  Dentists should think long and hard before taking any action which jeopardises this progress, and which could discourage people from seeking dental care in the future.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are on the waiting lists for youth training places in south London.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available.

  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have taken part in youth training schemes in each year since 1988 in south London.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. Available information on entrants to youth training in south London is given in the table.

  Number of young people taking part in youth training schemes in south London

  First time entrants during the financial year

  Inner London south and south London area offices3

  South Thames TEC and SOLOTEC3

  1987–88

  6,895

  *

  1988–89

  6,252

  *

  1989–90

  5,718

  *

  1990–911

  n/a

  n/a

  1991–922

  *

  4,119

  Notes:

  1 Reliable data not available at this level.

  2 Estimated—subject to revision and includes reentrants.

  3 The geographical areas covered by the previous Area Offices and the current TECS arc not coterminous.
  163
  Sources: 1987–88 to 1989–90: SPECTRUM Management Information System.

  1991–92: OSMOSIS Management Information System.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response she has made to the findings of the Social Security Advisory Committee on the extent of the delivery of the youth training guarantee.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We take the matters raised in the recent Social Security Advisory Committee report very seriously. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has written to the chairman of the committee underlining the Government's commitment to making the youth training guarantee work. Along with the training and enterprise councils, we shall be monitoring the operation of the system very closely over the coming months.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average amount left over from the youth training unit price after the allowance has been deducted.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many youth training places there are in the London borough of Newham; and what were the comparable figures last year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information regarding the number of youth training places available in the London borough of Newham is not collected.

  Since 1 April 1991, training in Newham has been the responsibility of London East training and enterprise council, LETEC. At 29 March 1992, there were an estimated 4,800 people in training on youth training in the LETEC area.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the unit price of youth training places in(a) London East training and enterprise council and (b) West London training and enterprise council.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information regarding unit prices is commercial in confidence and a matter for the relevant training and enterprise councils to answer.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds who are not in employment or education are not currently on youth training programmes in Cheltenham.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand from the local careers service which covers the Cheltenham area that there are currently 132 young people in the area who are registered with the service as not in employment or education who are not in YT.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many youth training scheme places have been lost due to bankruptcies in businesses employing(a) fewer than 50 people and (b) more than 50 people in each of the last five years; and how many of these youth training schemes have been replaced.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not available.

  Youth Unemployment
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of unemployment among 16 and 17-year-olds in south London.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on unemployment by age is available only on a quarterly basis. The latest information relates to April 1992 and shows that on the unadjusted basis there was a total of 362 claimant unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds in the area covered by the 33 London parliamentary constituencies located south of the River Thames.

  Health and Safety Commission
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she intends to maintain trade union representation at the present level on the Health and Safety Commission.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have no plans at present to change the level of trades union representation on the Health and Safety Commission.

  Tyneside Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 9 June Official Report,column 139, if she will give the equivalent figures for employment training and youth training, in 1991–92 and 1992–93 for the Tyneside training and enterprise council.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Tyneside TEC's budgets for 1992–93 are £17,041,993 for YT and £20,110,963 for ET. This compares to £21,454,645 and £23,270,176 respectively for 1991–92

  Income Support
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence she has received of incorrect advice being given by unemployment benefit office staff to unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds regarding their entitle-ment to income support.

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

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide a table of the number of employees in employment in January 1979 and January 1992 by standard region, showing Greater London separately, and showing the percentage change.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The numbers of employees in employment by standard region are available on a quarterly basis. Separate figures for Greater London were not produced before September 1981. The available information is as follows:
  165

  Employees in employment

  Not seasonally adjusted

  Region

  December 1978

  December 1991 (000's)

  Percentage change

  South East (including Greater London)

  7,450

  7,156

  -4

  Greater London

  1n.a.

  3,196

  n.a.

  East Anglia

  693

  791

  14

  South West

  1,565

  1,719

  10

  West Midlands

  2,252

  1,954

  -13

  East Midlands

  1,558

  1,567

  1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,006

  1,855

  -7

  North West

  2,696

  2,369

  -12

  North

  1,246

  1,088

  -13

  Wales

  1,022

  958

  -6

  Scotland

  2,075

  1,985

  -4

  1 In September 1981 there were 3,567,000 employees in employment in Greater London.

  n.a. = Not available.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been employed in(a) the textile and clothing industries, (b) the aerospace industry, (c) the motor vehicle manufacturing industry, (d) the construction industry and (e) the machine tool manufacturing industry in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what percentage of the total employed work force each of these figures represents in that year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Employment estimates are classified according to the standard industrial classification 1980—SIC 80. The available information is in the tables.

  Employees in employment—Unadjusted for Seasonal Variation Great Britain

  Textiles and Clothing (Class 43, Groups 453/456, 455)

  Motor Vehicle Manufacture (Class 35)

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  December

  1981

  515.2

  2.4

  336.7

  1.6

  1982

  483.9

  2.3

  302.5

  1.4

  1983

  476.7

  2.3

  283.6

  1.3

  1984

  476.7

  2.3

  273.1

  1.3

  1985

  486.9

  2.3

  269.2

  1.3

  1986

  477.3

  2.3

  255.6

  1.2

  1987

  477.8

  2.2

  264.5

  1.3

  1988

  471.7

  2.1

  271.1

  1.3

  1989

  438.7

  2.0

  247.7

  1.2

  1990

  412.0

  1.9

  239.6

  1.1

  1991

  390.6

  1.8

  222.7

  1.1

  Construction (Division 5)

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  December

  1981

  1,041.1

  4.9

  1982

  1,030.3

  4.9

  1983

  1,025.7

  4.9

  1984

  1,015.8

  4.8

  1985

  978.6

  4.6

  1986

  967.7

  4.6

  1987

  1,004.8

  4.8

  1988

  1,022.2

  4.8

  1989

  1,058.2

  5.0

  1990

  1,010.6

  4.8

  1991

  878.0

  4.2

  166

  Employees in employment Great Britain

  Unadjusted for seasonal variation

  Aerospace and other transport equipment (Groups 362–365)1

  Other transport equipment including aerospace (Class 36)1

  December

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  1981

  231.4

  1.1

  347.8

  1.6

  1982

  217.1

  1.0

  328.3

  1.6

  1983

  204.6

  1.0

  305.3

  1.4

  1984

  199.3

  0.9

  284.7

  1.3

  1985

  197.7

  0.9

  272.0

  1.3

  1986

  191.7

  0.9

  257.2

  1.2

  1987

  185.5

  0.9

  241.7

  1.1

  1988

  177.0

  0.8

  224.3

  1.1

  21989

  197.1

  0.9

  240.4

  1.1

  1989

  n/a

  n/a

  243.2

  1.2

  1990

  n/a

  n/a

  244.0

  1.2

  1991

  n/a

  n/a

  223.7

  1.1

  1 Aerospace employment is not separately identifiable. From September 1989, information is only available for class 36 as a whole.

  2 September 1989. Latest available and comparable.

  Metal working machine tools and engineers' tools (Group 322)1

  Mechanical engineering including machine tools (Class 32)1

  December

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  Thousands

  Percentage of all industries

  1981

  93.2

  0.4

  877.0

  4.2

  1982

  82.9

  0.4

  803.3

  3.8

  1983

  75.4

  0.4

  755.2

  3.6

  1984

  75.9

  0.4

  753.3

  3.6

  1985

  78.0

  0.4

  757.4

  3.6

  1986

  73.3

  0.3

  733.8

  3.5

  1987

  74.2

  0.4

  746.4

  3.5

  1988

  73.9

  0.4

  778.6

  3.7

  21989

  72.6

  0.3

  757.4

  3.4

  1989

  n/a

  n/a

  761.2

  3.6

  1990

  n/a

  n/a

  723.7

  3.4

  1991

  n/a

  n/a

  673.1

  3.2

  1 Machine tools employment is not separately identifiable. From September 1989, information is only available for class 32 as a whole.

  2 September 1989. Latest available and comparable.

  Crown Notice
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who is reviewing the current Crown notice procedure; what are the remit and requirements of that review; and when she expects it to be completed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Health and Safety Executive is reviewing the procedure of serving Crown notices for
  167
  infringement of health and safety legislation by public bodies, as required by the principles set out in the "Immunities" section of the citizens charter, page 46. It will report in due course to the Health and Safety Commission which will, if appropriate, make recommen-dations to Ministers.

  48-hour Week
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the number of male and female workers who would be prevented from working more than 48 hours per week under the working hours directive; in which industries they work; and what evidence she has on whether their health and safety has been jeopardised by working more than 48 hours a week.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The EC directive on working time as currently drafted would prevent employees in most industries from working more than 48 hours a week on average over a three-month period. The latest available statistics for employees usually working more than 48 paid hours a week in the United Kingdom are as follows:

  Industry1

  All employees

  Men (000's)

  Women

  All industries

  2,416

  2,145

  271

  0. Agriculture, forestry, etc.

  79

  71

  —2

  1. Energy and water supply

  94

  93

  —2

  2. Mineral extraction, etc.

  114

  112

  —2

  3. Metal goods, etc.

  315

  302

  14

  4. Other manufacturing

  258

  231

  27

  5. Construction

  212

  208

  —2

  6. Hotels, distribution, etc.

  410

  343

  67

  7. Transport and communication

  335

  314

  21

  8, Financial services, etc.

  187

  166

  21

  9. Other services

  403

  297

  106

  Source: United Kingdom Labour Force Survey 1991.

  1 By Standard Industrial Classification Divisions. Figures for 'all employees' include those whose industry is unknown or whose workplace is outside the United Kingdom.

  2 Denotes sample too small to provide a reliable estimate.

  The directive as currently drafted excludes from its scope air, sea, road and rail transport, and sea fishing. If these exclusions are adopted certain employees in divisions 0 and 7 would not be prevented by the directive from working more than 48 hours a week. The EC Commission has said that it will introduce specific proposals on working time for any sectors excluded from the working time directive.

  I have no evidence that the health and safety of workers who work more than 48 hours a week has been jeopardised. Nor has the European Commission or any other member state provided any. During the survey reference week on which the statistics are based 4.9 per cent. of employees who usually work up to 48 hours a week were reported as absent due to sickness or injury, whereas only 3.9 per cent. of workers who usually work over 48 hours a week were absent for this reason.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the average earnings of those working more than 48 hours a week, by distribution of trade or profession, together with the estimate of the fall in earnings which would result from a reduction to 48 hours.
  168
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The 1991 new earnings survey provided information on the average weekly earnings of employees who work more than 48 hours per week. The results for the nine major occupational groups of the standard occupational classification are as follows:

  Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was unaffected by absence and who worked for more than 48 hours per week

  Occupation

  Average weekly earnings (£)

  Managers and Administrators

  382.4

  Professional Occupations

  519.2

  Associate Professional and Technical Occupations

  460.3

  Clerical and Secretarial

  305.1

  Craft and Related

  369.5

  Personal and Protective Service Occupations

  281.3

  Sales Occupations

  271.4

  Plant and Machine Operatives

  309.5

  Other Occupations

  288.2

  All Occupations

  333.0

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1991.

  A memorandum presenting estimates of the initial cost of compliance with the draft directive on working time has been placed in the Library. This memorandum estimates the total wage cost of paid hours currently worked in excess of 48 hours a week to be £7 billion. Half of this cost is assumed to be borne by employers through increased labour costs. The other £3.5 billion is assumed to be borne by affected employees either through lower weekly earnings or through working harder for no financial reward. The pay packets of up to 2.5 million employees could be affected.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what grounds the EC is considering a 48-hour maximum working week.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A draft directive on working time has been put forward by the EC Commission on the basis of article 118a of the treaty of Rome, which concerns the health and safety of workers; this is unacceptable to the Government. The Commission's original proposals did not include provision for a maximum 48-hour working week. This provision was introduced subsequently because some member states assert that it is necessary to place a maximum limit on weekly working hours in order to ensure the health and safety of Community workers. I am not aware of any evidence to support this claim, nor for the choice of 48 hours as the limit.

  Training
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide a table of expenditure on each of her Department's training programmes broken down by programme and cross-referenced to standard regions, showing Greater London as a separate region, for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is shown in the tables.
  169

  Table 1

  Programme expenditure 1987–88

  Expenditure £ million

  Region

  OJTS

  TFE

  AIT

  LGE

  SSWP

  TLCP

  CP

  NJTS

  YTS

  South East Cash

  22.76

  1.60

  0.14

  3.06

  1.35

  0.18

  —

  —

  80.94

  London Cash

  16.90

  2.66

  1.00

  2.64

  4.05

  0.61

  —

  —

  39.29

  South West Cash

  12.38

  1.86

  0.08

  1.86

  1.67

  0.73

  —

  —

  63.61

  West Midlands Cash

  10.69

  2.16

  0.08

  4.53

  2.84

  0.48

  —

  —

  106.29

  East Midlands and Eastern Cash

  8.59

  1.92

  0.02

  3.12

  1.34

  0.44

  —

  —

  95.56

  Yorkshire and Humberside Cash

  9.48

  1.75

  0.12

  2.31

  2.18

  0.22

  —

  —

  88.63

  North West Cash

  15.62

  3.10

  0.12

  3.56

  2.68

  0.68

  —

  —

  132.94

  Northern Cash

  8.15

  1.49

  0.10

  2.04

  1.18

  0.60

  —

  —

  67.79

  Wales Cash

  8.60

  1.03

  0.05

  1.79

  1.17

  0.61

  —

  —

  51.77

  Scotland Cash

  12.36

  1.90

  0.13

  3.36

  1.74

  0.61

  —

  —

  93.42

  LCU Cash

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  115.89

  RTC Cash

  GB 9.45

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  134.98

  19.47

  0.94

  28.25

  20.19

  5.16

  1,109.57

  64.7

  1,796.11

  Source: FMAS.

  1. YTS represents Scheme Costs only, other schemes AT 17.

  Notes:

  1. Regional breakdown of CP and NJTS is not available.

  2. Large Companies Unit (LCU) is based centrally and holds contracts for major companies who provide training throughout Great Britain.

  3. Information is only provided for the larger programmes. There were other smaller programmes in operation for which expenditure is not readily available.

  Table 2

  Programme expenditure for 1988–89 at current and at 1987–88 prices

  Expenditure £ million

  Region

  ET

  YTS

  OJTS

  TFE

  AIT

  LGE

  SSWP

  TLCP

  NJTS

  CP

  South East cash

  10.47

  75.89

  11.94

  1.19

  0.01

  2.91

  1.08

  0.12

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  9.77

  70.81

  11.14

  1.11

  0.01

  2.72

  1.00

  0.11

  —

  —

  London cash

  16.05

  38.21

  9.99

  2.45

  0.01

  3.14

  3.39

  0.51

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  14.97

  35.65

  9.33

  2.28

  0.01

  2.93

  3.16

  0.48

  —

  —

  South West cash

  11.05

  61.08

  6.39

  0.94

  0.01

  1.71

  1.17

  0.46

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  10.31

  56.98

  5.96

  0.88

  0.01

  1.59

  1.09

  0.43

  —

  —

  West Midlands cash

  20.39

  96.78

  6.42

  1.01

  0.01

  3.38

  1.87

  0.16

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  19.02

  90.30

  5.99

  0.95

  0.01

  3.15

  1.74

  0.15

  —

  —

  East Midlands and Eastern cash

  12.64

  92.85

  5.75

  0.98

  0.00

  2.14

  1.27

  0.24

  —

  —

  170

  171

  Region

  ET

  YTS

  OJTS

  TFE

  AIT

  LGE

  SSWP

  TLCP

  NJTS

  CP

  1987–88 Prices

  11.79

  86.63

  5.37

  0.91

  0.00

  2.00

  1.19

  0.22

  —

  —

  Yorkshire and Humberside cash

  25.02

  92.57

  6.60

  1.07

  0.00

  1.49

  1.42

  0.10

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  23.34

  86.37

  6.16

  0.99

  0.00

  1.39

  1.33

  0.09

  —

  —

  North West cash

  25.54

  131.78

  9.02

  2.09

  0.01

  3.01

  1.79

  0.31

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  23.83

  122.95

  8.42

  1.95

  0.01

  2.80

  1.67

  0.29

  —

  —

  Northern cash

  20.12

  72.46

  4.93

  0.94

  0.01

  1.59

  0.85

  0.21

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  18.77

  67.61

  4.60

  0.88

  0.01

  1.49

  0.79

  0.20

  —

  —

  Wales cash

  12.40

  52.92

  4.42

  0.67

  0.01

  1.86

  0.86

  0.40

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  11.57

  49.37

  4.13

  0.61

  0.01

  1.73

  0.80

  0.37

  —

  —

  Scotland cash

  25.87

  102.45

  6.71

  1.03

  0.01

  3.24

  1.02

  0.36

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  24.14

  95.59

  6.26

  0.97

  0.01

  3.02

  0.95

  0.33

  —

  —

  LCU cash

  42.19

  163.30

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  39.36

  152.36

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  RTC cash

  —

  —

  9.49

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  —

  —

  8.85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  GB

  221.72

  980.38

  81.67

  12.35

  0.04

  24.46

  14.70

  2.86

  46.96

  676.85

  206.87

  914.69

  76.19

  11.52

  0.04

  22.82

  13.72

  2.67

  43.81

  631.50

  Source: FMAS

  Notes:

  1. Large Companies Unit (LCU) and Large Contractors Unit (LCU) are based centrally and hold contracts for major companies who provide training throughout Great Britain.

  2. Regional breakdown of CP+ NJTS is not available.

  3. YTS represents schemes costs only.

  4. London is Greater London.

  5. Information is only provided for the larger programmes. There were other smaller programmes in operation for which expenditure is not readily available.

  Table 3

  Programme expenditure for 1989–90 at current and at 1987–88 Prices

  Expenditure £ million

  Region

  ET

  Residual AT

  YTS

  BGT

  SFS

  EAS

  BEP (Outside ET)

  WRFE

  TVEI

  South East cash

  31.21

  1.65

  74.55

  1.56

  0.41

  12.55

  0.45

  19.22

  26.57

  1987–88 Prices

  27.31

  1.44

  65.23

  1.37

  0.36

  10.98

  0.39

  16.82

  23.82

  London cash

  46.11

  3.54

  38.78

  1.80

  0.20

  14.82

  1.06

  14.28

  12.27

  1987–88 Prices

  40.35

  3.10

  33.93

  1.58

  0.18

  12.97

  0.93

  12.50

  10.74

  South West cash

  25.60

  1.42

  59.39

  0.87

  0.27

  12.32

  0.34

  9.66

  8.19

  1987–88 Prices

  22.40

  1.24

  51.97

  0.76

  0.24

  10.78

  0.30

  8.45

  7.17

  West Midlands cash

  43.23

  1.86

  87.65

  1.32

  0.25

  12.52

  0.35

  11.49

  13.06

  1987–88 Prices

  37.83

  1.63

  76.69

  1.16

  0.22

  10.96

  0.31

  10.05

  11.43

  East Midlands and Eastern cash

  33.08

  1.66

  91.14

  0.98

  0.36

  12.81

  0.33

  12.40

  12.17

  1987–88 Prices

  28.95

  1.45

  79.75

  0.86

  0.32

  11.21

  0.29

  10.85

  10.65

  Yorkshire and Humberside cash

  50.97

  2.20

  87.11

  1.03

  0.29

  12.69

  0.34

  9.68

  9.99

  1987–88 Prices

  44.60

  1.93

  76.22

  0.90

  0.25

  11.10

  0.30

  8.47

  8.74

  North West cash

  56.11

  3.65

  120.94

  1.70

  0.52

  19.75

  0.83

  15.38

  13.80

  1987–88 Prices

  49.10

  3.19

  105.82

  1.49

  0.46

  17.28

  0.73

  13.46

  12.08

  172

  173

  Region

  ET

  Residual AT

  YTS

  BGT

  SFS

  EAS

  BEP (Outside ET)

  WRFE

  TVEI

  Northern cash

  42.10

  1.31

  69.44

  1.01

  0.21

  7.72

  0.24

  4.51

  9.07

  1987–88 Prices

  36.84

  1.15

  60.76

  0.89

  0.18

  6.76

  0.21

  3.95

  7.94

  Wales cash

  32.74

  1.75

  50.75

  0.47

  —

  8.95

  0.20

  5.31

  7.50

  1987–88 Prices

  28.65

  1.53

  44.41

  0.41

  —

  7.83

  0.18

  4.65

  6.56

  Scotland cash

  60.70

  3.24

  102.69

  0.91

  —

  10.97

  0.33

  —

  11.54

  1987–88 Prices

  53.11

  2.84

  89.85

  0.80

  —

  9.60

  0.29

  —

  10.10

  TNPU cash

  109.30

  —

  181.34

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  95.64

  —

  158.67

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  RTC cash

  7.37

  1.75

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  6.45

  1.53

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  GB

  538.52

  24.03

  963.78

  11.65

  2.51

  125.1

  4.47

  101.93

  124.16

  471.23

  21.03

  843.31

  10.19

  2.20

  109.46

  3.91

  89.19

  108.64

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure excludes training allowances and other costs administered centrally.

  2. The TECs and National Provider's unit (TNPU) is based centrally and holds contracts for major companies who provide training throughout Great Britain.

  3. Figures given for residual AT include Voluntary Projects Programme (VPP), Community Programme (CP) and New JTS.

  4. Figures quoted are as at end March 1990 and some minor adjustments may have been made when the end year definitive statistics were produced.

  5. London is greater London.

  6. Information is only provided for the larger programmes. There were other smaller programmes in operation for which expenditure is not readily available.

  Table 4

  Programme expenditure for 1990–91 at current and at 1987–88 prices

  Expenditure £ million

  Region

  Block 1

  ET

  HTNT

  EAS

  BGT

  SFS

  LENS

  TPS

  LDPs

  Mark-eting and LIF

  WRFE

  TVEI

  South East cash

  64.76

  30.48

  1.49

  15.33

  3.90

  0.34

  0.06

  0.57

  —

  1.90

  19.06

  21.18

  1987–88 Prices

  52.46

  24.69

  1.21

  11.59

  3.16

  0.28

  0.04

  0.46

  —

  1.54

  15.44

  17.16

  London cash

  32.90

  47.10

  3.29

  16.35

  4.72

  —

  0.11

  0.89

  0.02

  0.65

  15.48

  12.17

  1987–88 Prices

  26.65

  38.15

  2.80

  13.25

  3.83

  —

  0.09

  0.72

  0.01

  0.53

  12.54

  10.00

  South West cash

  48.62

  24.31

  2.23

  12.36

  3.53

  0.19

  0.02

  0.69

  —

  1.59

  7.83

  8.83

  1987–88 Prices

  39.39

  19.69

  1.81

  10.01

  2.86

  0.15

  0.01

  0.56

  —

  1.28

  6.35

  7.15

  West Midlands cash

  71.95

  39.85

  1.70

  13.26

  4.26

  0.21

  0.03

  1.13

  0.04

  1.20

  11.48

  19.05

  1987–88 Prices

  58.28

  32.28

  1.38

  10.74

  3.45

  0.17

  0.02

  0.92

  0.03

  0.97

  9.30

  15.43

  East Midlands and Eastern cash

  76.15

  28.77

  1.45

  13.71

  3.51

  0.64

  0.02

  1.13

  0.02

  0.88

  12.59

  12.69

  1987–88 Prices

  61.68

  23.30

  1.18

  11.11

  2.85

  0.52

  0.02

  0.91

  0.01

  0.71

  10.20

  10.28

  Yorkshire and Humberside cash

  78.57

  48.72

  3.12

  13.68

  3.89

  0.41

  0.03

  1.00

  0.02

  1.46

  9.53

  10.93

  1987–88 Prices

  63.64

  39.46

  2.53

  11.08

  3.15

  0.33

  0.02

  0.81

  0.01

  1.19

  7.72

  8.86

  North West cash

  108.34

  53.18

  1.75

  21.71

  5.12

  0.50

  0.04

  1.54

  0.02

  1.92

  15.80

  14.39

  1987–88 Prices

  87.75

  43.07

  1.42

  17.59

  4.15

  0.40

  0.03

  1.24

  0.01

  1.55

  12.80

  11.66

  Northern cash

  57.68

  44.36

  1.88

  8.41

  2.32

  0.14

  —

  0.28

  0.13

  1.60

  4.62

  5.89

  1987–88 Prices

  46.72

  35.93

  1.53

  6.81

  1.81

  0.11

  —

  0.23

  0.10

  1.30

  3.74

  4.77

  Wales cash

  42.62

  29.65

  0.98

  9.13

  3.11

  —

  0.02

  0.81

  0.05

  0.86

  5.24

  7.77

  174

  175

  Region

  Block 1

  ET

  HTNT

  EAS

  BGT

  SFS

  LENS

  TPS

  LDPs

  Mark-eting and LIF

  WRFE

  TVEI

  1987–88 Prices

  34.52

  24.02

  0.79

  7.39

  1.71

  —

  0.01

  0.66

  0.04

  0.70

  4.24

  6.29

  Scotland cash

  94.42

  61.10

  3.03

  12.48

  4.75

  —

  0.06

  1.93

  0.09

  0.71

  —

  12.08

  1987–88 Prices

  76.48

  49.49

  2.46

  10.11

  3.85

  —

  0.05

  1.56

  0.08

  0.58

  —

  9.79

  TNPU cash

  125.29

  79.93

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.77

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  101.49

  64.74

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.63

  —

  —

  —

  —

  GB

  801.30

  487.4

  20.9

  136.4

  38.12

  0.24

  0.39

  10.75

  0.35

  12.77

  101.63

  124.99

  649.05

  394.8

  17.0

  110.5

  30.87

  2.00

  0.32

  8.69

  0.28

  10.35

  82.32

  101.24

  Source: FMAS

  Notes:

  1. Total Block 1 expenditure includes UPA Compacts, YT and Residual area office expenditure.

  2. Total ET payments include Energy & Top up Grants.

  3. Total BGT payments include WCL.

  Table 5

  Programme expenditure for 1991–92 at current and at 1987–88 prices

  Expenditure £ million

  Region

  ET

  HTNT

  EA

  1YT

  Comps

  WRFE

  EBP

  TPS

  BET

  EAS

  Block 4

  TVEI

  South East cash

  29.93

  2.24

  0.74

  91.51

  —

  19.85

  0.57

  0.10

  8.93

  11.35

  7.07

  29.78

  1987–88 Prices

  22.63

  1.69

  0.56

  69.18

  —

  15.01

  0.43

  0.07

  6.75

  9.19

  5.73

  24.12

  London cash

  44.63

  3.08

  0.89

  48.19

  0.89

  16.51

  0.30

  —

  9.46

  12.80

  5.26

  12.86

  1987–88 Prices

  33.74

  2.32

  0.68

  36.43

  0.67

  12.48

  0.23

  —

  7.15

  10.37

  4.29

  10.41

  South West cash

  21.99

  154.116

  0.53

  63.52

  0.20

  9.79

  0.26

  0.02

  7.02

  9.62

  8.37

  11.30

  1987–88 Prices

  16.63

  1.16

  0.40

  48.02

  0.15

  7.40

  0.20

  0.02

  5.31

  7.79

  6.78

  9.15

  West Midlands cash

  37.61

  1.55

  0.55

  84.59

  0.61

  11.15

  0.34

  0.09

  6.30

  9.91

  7.83

  18.15

  1987–88 Prices

  28.44

  1.17

  0.42

  63.95

  0.46

  8.43

  0.25

  0.06

  4.76

  8.02

  6.34

  14.70

  East Midlands and Eastern cash

  32.42

  1.43

  0.89

  98.88

  0.20

  12.28

  0.36

  0.13

  6.73

  10.62

  6.25

  16.95

  1987–88 Prices

  24.51

  1.08

  0.67

  74.75

  0.15

  9.29

  0.27

  0.09

  5.09

  8.60

  5.06

  13.73

  Yorkshire and Humberside cash

  48.88

  3.30

  1.10

  95.75

  0.89

  9.93

  0.32

  0.01

  4.39

  11.15

  6.03

  11.07

  1987–88 Prices

  36.95

  2.49

  0.86

  72.39

  0.67

  7.50

  0.24

  0.01

  3.32

  9.03

  4.89

  8.96

  North West cash

  53.43

  2.51

  1.10

  121.92

  1.42

  15.31

  0.45

  0.16

  8.90

  16.43

  13.02

  17.17

  1987–88 Prices

  40.39

  1.90

  0.85

  92.17

  1.07

  11.58

  0.34

  0.12

  6.73

  13.31

  10.55

  13.91

  Northern cash

  41.12

  1.87

  0.76

  70.52

  0.57

  4.62

  0.15

  0.03

  5.84

  6.05

  5.11

  8.42

  1987–88 Prices

  31.08

  1.41

  0.57

  53.31

  0.43

  3.49

  0.11

  0.02

  4.42

  4.90

  4.14

  6.82

  Wales cash

  26.22

  0.86

  0.61

  48.90

  0.42

  6.83

  0.16

  0.01

  4.34

  7.14

  4.68

  9.21

  1987–88 Prices

  19.82

  0.65

  0.46

  36.97

  0.32

  5.17

  0.12

  0.01

  3.28

  5.78

  3.79

  7.46

  TNPU cash

  3.66

  —

  —

  7.00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88 Prices

  2.77

  —

  —

  5.29

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  GB

  339.88

  18.36

  7.20

  730.76

  5.18

  106.29

  2.90

  0.54

  61.92

  95.07

  63.67

  134.90

  256.95

  13.88

  5.50

  552.55

  3.92

  80.36

  2.19

  0.40

  46.81

  77.00

  51.57

  109.27

  Source: FMAS

  Notes:

  1. EAS + BET Expenditure includes WCL.

  2. ET expenditure excludes ET allowances.

  3. Block 4 includes LIF, Advertising & Publicity, Evaluation & Research, Youth Development Projects and residual area office expenditure.
  176 177
  4. Information for Scotland is not available.

  5. TECs & National Providers Unit (TNPU) is based centrally and holds contracts for major companies who provide trainng throughout England and Wales.

  1 Including credits.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the training and enterprise council schemes and projects receiving grant under the Employment Directorate's national development prospec-tus for 1992–93.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A total of 211 projects has been approved under the training and enterprise council national development prospectus for the financial year 1992–93. A catalogue giving brief descriptions of each approved project and indicating which training and enterprise council will be carrying out the work is to be published on 23 June 1992. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library and for a copy to be forwarded to the hon. Member.

  Hazards (Emergency Plans)
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give, for each county, region and fire civil defence authority area(a) the number of sites

  Health and Safety Executive area office

  Number of sites for which an off-site emergency plan is required

  Number of safety reports awaited

  01. SouthWest

  14

  5

  02. South

  9

  2

  03. South East

  15

  7

  05. London North

  12

  6

  06. London South

  4

  —

  07. East Anglia

  23

  5

  08. Home Counties North

  7

  5

  09. East Midlands

  8

  1

  10. West Midlands

  7

  2

  11. Wales

  28

  6

  12. Marches

  16

  1

  13. North Midlands

  14

  3

  14. South Yorkshire and Humberside

  25

  4

  15. West and North Yorkshire

  12

  7

  16. Greater Manchester

  12

  5

  17. Merseyside

  30

  12

  18. North West

  6

  4

  19. North East

  16

  1

  20. Scotland East

  23

  2

  21. Scotland West

  8

  3

  Of the 81 safety reports awaited, 80 were not required to be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive until either 24 March 1992 or 1 June 1994 in order to comply with the first and second amendments to the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the minimum, the maximum and the average period of employment training of people who join employment training and who are in employment or self-employment within three months after leaving.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Trainees leaving employment training in Great Britain in the period April to August 1991, the latest date for which information is available, who were in employment or self-employment three months after leaving had spent a minimum of one day and a maximum of about 18 months in training. On average such trainees spend about six and a half months on ET.
  178
  notified to those authorities as requiring an off-site emergency plan under the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 and (b) the number of such notified sites for which the Health and Safety Executive is still awaiting the production of a safety case as specified by the regulations.

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

  The table shows the number of sites notified to each Health and Safety Executive area office as at 31 December 1991, and which are required by the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 to provide information to the relevant local authority so that it may prepare an off-site emergency plan. The table also shows, by area, the number of safety reports required to be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive in accordance with regulation 7 of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations and which were outstanding at 31 December 1991.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for every 100 people who join employment training, how many are in employment or self-employment six months, nine months and 12 months after leaving, respectively.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. Of those trainees leaving employment training in Great Britain in the period April to August 1991, the latest date for which information is available, 30 per cent. were in employment or self-employment three months after leaving and 31 per cent. after six months. Information is not available on leavers' status at nine and 12 months after leaving.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment training places there are in the London borough of Newham; and what was the comparable position last year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information regarding the number of ET places available in the London borough of
  179
  Newham is not collected. Since 1 April 1991, training in Newham has been the responsibility of London East training and enterprise council, LETEC. At 29 March 1992, there were an estimated 3,600 people in training on ET in the LETEC area.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom health and safety at work figures and those of other EC countries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A study published by the Health and Safety Executive for May 19911 contains a comparison of accident statistics showing that British rates of fatal injury were substantially lower, both for main industrial sectors and for all industries combined, than in Italy, France and Spain, apart from agriculture where rates were roughly similar to those in Britain, and lower than in west Germany in manufacturing and services. It also suggests that a similar position applied for non-fatal injuries.

  1 "Workplace Health and Safety in Europe" HMSO 1991 (ISBN 0–11–885614–6)

  Industrial Deafness
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures she will take to ensure industry in the United Kingdom follows the EC directive to combat industrial deafness.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 came into force on 1 January 1990 implementing the EC directive on the protection of workers from noise.

  Since the introduction of the regulations, health and safety inspectors have given priority to a wide-ranging programme to promote awareness of and compliance with the regulations, through advisory and enforcement action. They have been widely publicised through a series of free leaflets and other guidance, including industry specific advice. Regional campaigns have emphasised the risks to health and the need for action. The HSE expects to publish an assessment of the impact of the regulations during 1993.

  Offshore Industries
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what additional funding or staffing is to be made available to the Health and Safety Executive in Edinburgh to enable it to investigate potential disasters in offshore industries; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Health and Safety Executive's offshore safety division has no plans to base any of its operations or staff in Edinburgh. Its operational base for the northern basin of the United Kingdom continental shelf is in Aberdeen. On 1 June 1992, however, HSE's field operations division had 95 staff located in Edinburgh.

  Fairground Safety
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents at fairgrounds including fatalities have occurred in each of the past 10 years; what percentage of fairgrounds are inspected annually by Health and Safety inspectors; how many enforcement 180
  notices on rides which required improvement or closure have been issued in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement about fairground safety.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following table shows the number of fatal and other injuries, to employed persons and members of the public at fairgrounds and pleasure parks reported to the Health and Safety Executive from 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1991:

  Year1

  Employed persons2 Severity of injury

  Members of the public4Severity of injury

  Fatal

  Major/over 3days3

  Fatal

  Major

  1986–87

  1

  24

  1

  70

  1987–88

  1

  26

  4

  107

  1988–89

  —

  41

  2

  169

  1989–90

  —

  29

  —

  107

  1990–91

  —

  38

  3

  108

  1 1 April to 31 March.

  2 Employees (including trainees) and self-employed persons.

  3 Major injuries as defined in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR); over three-day injuries which cause absence from work for over three days.

  4 Over three day injuries to members of the public are not reportable under RIDDOR.

  Injury data for the years prior to 1986–87 are not available.

  Information is not available as to the percentage of fairgrounds which are inspected annually by Health and Safety Executive inspectors.

  Between 1 April 1991 and 31 March 1992 the Health and Safety Executive issued a total of five improvement notices and 12 prohibition notices in connection with fairground safety.

  Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 place responsibilities on employers and the self employed to ensure the health and safety of those at work and also others who might be affected by the work activity. At visits to work activities, including fairgrounds and pleasure parks for which they have responsibility for the enforcement of health and safety legislation, Health and Safety Executive inspectors seek compliance with the provisions of the Act and take whatever action is appropriate to ensure that those responsible comply with their legal duties.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what talks she has had with the British Safety Council about safety in fairgrounds.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have had no such talks.

  High Peak TEC
  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the engineering training placements for youth training currently provided through High Peak training and enterprise council.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not collected centrally or readily available and is a matter for the training and enterprise council. However, if the hon. Member wishes to approach Stockport and High Peak TEC direct, the chief executive may be able to make arrangements to accommodate this request.

  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what investigations her staff have made
  181
  about the amount of public money being spent in administrative costs and staffing by High Peak training and enterprise council.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  All training and enterprise councils are subject to a schedule of regular reviews by Department officials in which the financial and performance aspects of training and enterprise council activity are considered. Further ad hoc reviews can take place if appropriate, though at present none is planned for Stockport and High Peak training and enterprise council.

  Toxic Sprays
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the typical speed of response by the Health and Safety Executive to complaints that toxic material has been sprayed on property as a result of agricultural operations by a third party.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The priority afforded by inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive to the investigation of complaints, including those that allege that toxic material has been sprayed on property as a result of agricultural operations by a third party, is determined by the apparent gravity of the complaint. Most complaints are cleared within a month of receipt and matters which are considered serious are dealt with more quickly.

  Travel-to-work Areas
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will place in the Library a copy of the background paper on travel-to-work areas and question-naire being sent to local authorities; if she will give details of the aims and plans of her review of travel-to-work areas; when she expects the review to be completed; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for North Devon (Mr. Harvey) on 19 May 1992,Official Report, column 136, in which I stated that new travel-to-work area boundaries will be calculated from the community patterns contained in the 1991 census of population special workplace statistics. These statistics are expected to become available in the second half of 1993 and revised travel-to-work areas should follow six to nine months later. Part of this review involves liaising with users and it is planned to send a background paper and questionnaire on this topic to local authorities shortly. I will arrange for copies of the background paper and questionnaire to be placed in the Library when they are finalised.

  Syringes
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received and what studies she has made concerning the problem of injuries sustained to individuals by discarded syringes; and if she will take action to require that such equipment shall be disposed of responsibly.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am not aware of any specific representation on discarded syringes nor of any studies 182
  made of injuries in this particular context. In view of the controls already in place, and the detailed guidance which is available, I do not believe there is a case for further action, but the position is kept under review.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Domestic Pets (Poisoning)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has on the incidence of poisoning of domestic pets by substancess containing strychnine.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have been asked to reply.

  No information is available on the incidence of poisoning of domestic pets by substances containing strychnine.

  Whaling
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria he uses to assess whether whales can be killed in an acceptable and humane manner; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Although there are no criteria in United Kingdom legislation, we believe that whales should be killed by methods which render them insensitive to pain or suffering until death supervenes. A special workshop, established by the International Whaling Commission to review humane killing methods, met recently in Glasgow and the results of the workshop will be considered by the Commission which meets on 29 June to 3 July. I look forward to receiving the advice of the Commission on these matters.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his scientists(a) have carried out into the cruelty aspects of killing whales and (b) are conducting into methods of killing whales humanely; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  None. The United Kingdom has issued no licences for commercial whaling since 1963.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will list the resolutions the United Kingdom Government intend to(a) propose and (b) support at the International Whaling Commission meeting at the end of June.

  Mr. Gummer
  It would be premature and inappropriate to list the resolutions which the United Kingdom intends to formulate, put forward or support at the meeting of the International Whaling Commission on 29 June to 3 July in advance of receiving the report of the IWC's scientific committee, the outcome of many working groups meeting between 24 and 27 June and our discussions within the Commission on an extensive range of agenda items.

  Dumping at Sea
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences for the dumping of materials at sea were issued by his Department in(a) 1990 and (b) 1991; what materials they were issued for; what quantities were involved; what areas of sea were used; and if he will make a statement.
  183
  Mr. Gummer
  The information is as follows:

  1990

  1991

  Number of licences

  Licensed quantity '000 tonnes

  Number of licences

  Licensed quantity '000 tonnes

  Liquid industrial waste

  5

  228

  2

  205

  Solid industrial waste

  9

  6,575

  8

  5,625

  Sewage sludge

  14

  8,554

  14

  8,373

  Dredged material

  135

  63,984

  105

  53,746

  Details of the disposal sites used in 1990 will shortly be published in the aquatic environment monitoring report series issued by the Ministry's directorate of fisheries research. However, it is unlikely that the pattern of disposal either for 1990 or 1991 will vary much from that for 1988–89 which is set out in report No. 26, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  The two liquid industrial waste licences are due to be phased out by the end of this year, as is one for power station flyash which is classified as solid industrial waste. The other licences in this category are for colliery by-products. Disposal of these materials on the beaches will end in 1995 and at sea by 1997 unless application of the planning system demonstrates that no practical alternative means of disposal exist. Sewage sludge dumping will end in 1998.

  Draft response collectively for PQ Nos 322,123, 324, 326. 327, 328

  1991

  1992

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  Porcine Intestinal Adenomatosis

  7

  7

  9

  8

  11

  10

  3

  7

  9

  7

  6

  7

  3

  4

  2

  Non-Specific Colitis (Pigs)

  4

  7

  6

  5

  2

  5

  9

  1

  4

  7

  2

  0

  4

  2

  4

  Swine Dysentry

  26

  23

  16

  24

  16

  17

  21

  11

  19

  18

  26

  18

  19

  41

  11

  Swine Influenza

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  7

  15

  26

  Streptococcal Meningitis (Pigs)

  15

  20

  21

  21

  18

  14

  13

  12

  12

  12

  15

  3

  11

  12

  9

  Mycoplasma Synoviae1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mycoplasma Meleagridis1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Rhinotracheitis1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  4

  1

  0

  Marek's Disease2

  8

  3

  3

  4

  3

  2

  2

  6

  4

  6

  4

  6

  2

  4

  2

  Broiler Ascites Syndrome2

  9

  20

  21

  21

  6

  4

  5

  8

  7

  13

  19

  4

  8

  4

  10

  Egg Peritonitis2

  6

  6

  8

  21

  9

  14

  13

  9

  6

  5

  6

  5

  7

  4

  3

  Infectious Bursal Disease2

  10

  10

  10

  15

  17

  9

  23

  18

  19

  31

  9

  13

  6

  12

  14

  Duck Viral Enteritis

  0

  0

  0

  4

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Note:

  1 In turkeys: related to synoviae and sinusitis

  2 In fowls, turkeys, ducks and geese figures for April and May are not yet available.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of cases of birds, by species. whose cause of death was from ingesting grain which had been treated with pesticides in each month since January 1991.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested, based on confirmed incidents in England and Wales reported through the wildlife incident investigation scheme, is as follows:

  Pheasant

  One case

  January 1991

  One case

  May 1991

  One case

  March 1992

  Jay

  One case

  January 1991

  Animal Diseases
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many cases there have been of porcine intestinal adeomatosis, non-specific colitis and swine dysentry in pigs in each month since January 1991;

  (2) how many cases there have been of swine influenza in each month since January 1991;

  (3) how many cases there have been of meningitis in pigs in each month since January 1991;

  (4) how many cases there have been of sinusitis and synovitis in turkeys in each month since January 1991;

  (5) how many cases there have been of (a) Marek's disease, (b) broiler ascites, (c) egg peritonitis and (d) infectious bursal disease in commercial poultry in each month since January 1991;

  (6) how many cases of duck viral enteritis there have been in each month since January 1991.

  Mr. Soames
  None of the diseases listed is notifiable and comprehensive data is not maintained. The numbers of cases recorded by veterinary investigation centres for the months concerned are as noted:

  Jackdaw

  One case

  May 1992

  Rook

  One case

  March 1992

  Woodpigeon

  One case

  January 1991

  Feral/Racing pigeon

  One case

  May 1991

  Three case

  November 1991

  One case

  December 1991

  One case

  January 1992

  Robin

  One case

  January 1992

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those functions and areas in his Department and associated agencies that have been identified for market testing in the wake of the White Paper "Competing for Quality".

  Mr. Curry
  Proposals for expanding our existing market testing programme are still under consideration.

  Set-Aside Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers have received payment under the set-aside scheme in 1991 in each county

  Set-Aside Agreements 1988–90

  1Horse based activities

  Golf courses

  Game cover for commercial shoots

  Sports grounds

  Other recrea-tional facilities

  Other uses under non-agricultural use option

  Avon

  19

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Bedfordshire

  18

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Berkshire

  19

  —

  2

  —

  1

  1

  Buckinghamshire

  36

  1

  1

  3

  —

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  24

  5

  —

  1

  —

  4

  Cheshire

  15

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Cleveland

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Cornwall

  14

  1

  l

  —

  1

  —

  Cumbria

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Derbyshire

  10

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Devonshire

  19

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset

  9

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Durham

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  45

  3

  1

  1

  —

  5

  Gloustershire

  30

  2

  3

  3

  —

  1

  Greater London

  6

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Greater Manchester

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hampshire

  29

  —

  4

  1

  —

  3

  Hereford/Worcestershire

  17

  3

  1

  —

  2

  1

  Hertfordshire

  16

  2

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Humberside

  6

  5

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Isle of Wight

  2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Kent

  44

  5

  6

  1

  —

  4

  Lancashire

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  22

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Lincolnshire

  12

  3

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Merseyside

  9

  —

  2

  2

  —

  2

  Norfolk

  17

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Northamptonshire

  14

  3

  1

  2

  —

  2

  Northumberland

  9

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  8

  3

  —

  —

  1

  3

  Oxfordshire

  42

  5

  1

  3

  1

  2

  Shropshire

  10

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Somerset

  18

  2

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Staffordshire

  15

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Suffolk

  33

  2

  —

  4

  —

  2

  Surrey

  16

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  East Sussex

  15

  2

  4

  —

  1

  5

  West Sussex

  24

  3

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Tyne and Wear

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  22

  6

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Wiltshire

  27

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  North Yorkshire

  23

  1

  3

  —

  1

  11

  South Yorkshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  5

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Totals

  749

  70

  40

  29

  17

  78

  1 (Livery stables, riding schools, stud farms, hay for horses, grazing for horses, horse riders)

  186
  in England for (a) horse-based activities, (b) golf courses, (c) game cover for commercial shoots, (d) sports grounds, (e) other recreational facilities and (f) other; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The following table list the number of agreements under the non-agricultural use option of the set-aside scheme for those who entered the scheme in 1988. 1989 and 1990. Payments will have been made under all these agreements in 1991. No payments have yet been made to participants who entered the scheme in 1991.

SCOTLAND

  Cockle Fishing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had about cockle fishing by Dutch boats in the Solway; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Under EC legislation, fishing within the zero to six-mile zone of United Kingdom territorial waters is permitted only for United Kingdom-registered fishing vessels. Cockle fishing in the Solway takes place only within this zone. No reports have been received of fishing boats not registered in the United Kingdom taking part in the cockle fishery.

  I have just received a scientific assessment of the Solway firth cockle stock which recommended that conservation measures were necessary to protect that stock. This is of concern to me and I have issued today a consultation paper proposing a seasonal closure of the fishery during the first half of the year. This can be introduced by order under section 1 of the Inshore Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1984 and would limit fishing vessel activity. I am aware that land-based dredges pulled by tractors fish for cockles as well. On shore, local authorities have the power to promote byelaws to control the use of vehicles including tractors, on the foreshore. My officials have written to them today, drawing their attention to these powers.

  Fish Directives
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the guidance his Department is issuing to authorities in Britain enforcing the EC fish and shellfish hygiene directives on how to advise Scottish producers and processors in applying for derogations for the directives provisions.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 15 May 1992]: Application forms for derogations, accompanied by explanatory memoranda, were sent to district and island authorities in Scotland by my Department on 30 April. District and island council environmental health depart-ments are issuing this material to those in the fish and shellfish trade known to them and to other interested parties on application. My Department will also supply copies of the forms and memoranda on request arid I am arranging for copies to be deposited with the Library of the House.

  Council Houses
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of houses owned by each district council and islands council and the number of these equipped with central heating.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 May 1992]: The latest available information on local authority housing stock was published in table 14 of the statistical bulletin HSG/1991/7. Copies were sent to all Members representing Scottish constituencies and are available in the House Library.

  Information on the proportion of local authority housing stock equipped with central heating is not collected centrally.

  Urban Partnership
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has reviewed the success of the four Scottish urban partnership initiatives; if he has any plans to extend such initiatives to the Foxbar Rivers area of Paisley and the Johnstone west area of priority treatment; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The four Scottish Office-led urban partnership initiatives announced in "New Life for Urban Scotland" in 1988 were conceived as pilot initiatives designed to demonstrate the benefits of a comprehensive, strategic approach to the problems of severely disadvantaged communities in our cities and towns. The partnerships bring together, in a co-ordinated fashion, the activities of all relevant public sector organisations. In addition, both the local communities and the private sector are fully involved in the partnership process.

  Given the intensity of the problems faced in these areas, it was recognised at the outset that regeneration would require long-term commitment—possibly up to 10 years. Formal monitoring and evaluation procedures have been built into these initiatives since their conception. Although it is too early to draw firm conclusions, there are a number of encouraging signs of success. In economic terms, more than 5,000 jobs have been found for local residents and more than 1,700 training placements have been made. Substantial physical progress has been made with improvements to more than 4,000 houses and the construction of 1,000 new homes completed, under way or planned.

  There are no plans at present to increase the number of Scottish Office-led urban partnership initiatives, but I am confident that the lessons learnt through careful monitoring and evaluation of the partnership initiatives will be very relevant to the regeneration of other disadvantaged areas in urban Scotland.

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency as an agency; and whether the cost was borne by the parent department or the new agency.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The official launch ceremony for the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency was cancelled because it coincided with the general election.

  The occasion was marked by an informal reception for staff including a tree-planting ceremony at a cost of £1,133.

  This cost was borne by the agency from within existing budget resources.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the maximum salary payable, including performance related element, and the length of time of the contract, of the chief executive of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]6: The maximum salary payable is £46,122 and the length of the contract is five years.

  Conservation Organisations
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the names of those persons who have sat on the advisory panel for the Scottish Heritage Trust and the former Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland since 1987.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 May 1992]: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Nature Conservancy Council's committee for Scotland which existed prior to the establishment of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland on 1 April 1991, which itself became part of Scottish Natural Heritage on 1 April 1992. The information is as follows:

  Nature Conservancy Council Committee for Scotland

  J. M. S. Arnott

  R. W. G. Cameron, RIBA, MRTPI

  J. C. Compton, BSc

  Professor P. S. Corbet, DSc, ScD

  Professor R. I. Currie, CBE, FRSE, FIBiol

  A. D. M. Farquharson

  J. L. Goodfellow

  J. R. Johnston, CBE

  Dr. R. C. Kirkwood, BSc, PhD, FRSE

  Sir John Lister-Kaye, Bt

  Mrs. E. Macdonald, MBE BSc

  Councillor D. J. McPherson

  M. Magnusson, KBE MA FRSE FRSA

  Professor A. W. G. Manning, DPhil, FIBiol, FRSE

  Professor J. B. L. Matthews, MA, DPhil, FRSE

  Professor I. Parsons, PhD, BSc, FRSE

  Professor W. Ritchie, BSc, PhD, FRSE

  J. H. Scott

  Professor T. C. Smout, MA, PhD, FRSE

  Dr. E. A Smith, CBE

  Lt. Cmdr. E. F. B. Spragge, FRSA RN (Retd)

  Professor D. E. Sugden

  Miss V. M. Thom, BSc, (Agric)

  A. R. Trotter

  Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland

  B. Cowe, MBE

  The Earl of Dalkeith

  Professor G. M. Dunnet, OBE

  D. L. Laird

  Sir John Lister-Kay, Bt

  Professor A. D. McIntyre

  Councillor D. J. McPherson

  M. Magnusson, KBE, MA, FRSE, FRSA

  Dr. P. Monaghan

  Dr. W. E. S. Mutch, OBE

  Professor T. C. Smout, MA, PhD. FRSE

  Professor D. E. Sugden

  190
  Scottish Natural Heritage

  A. Blackshaw

  Mrs. Nan Burnett

  B. Cowe, MBE

  R. Dennis, MBE

  The Earl of Dalkeith

  Professor G. M. Dunnet, OBE

  D. L. Laird

  Sir John Lister-Kaye, Bt

  Councillor D. J. McPherson

  M. Magnusson, KBE, MA, FRSE, FRSA

  Dr. W. E. S. Mutch, OBE

  Professor T. C. Smout, MA, PhD, FRSE

  Buccleuch Estate
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the value of grant allocated by the Nature Conservancy Council or associated bodies to the Buccleuch estate connected with the establishment of a site of special scientific interest.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 May 1992]: No grant as such is payable to an owner or occupier for the establishment of a site of special scientific interest. Where a management agreement, which may involve financial compensation, has been entered into between the former Nature Conservancy Council or its successor bodies and the owner for the conservation of such a site, the details are confidential to the parties. The Buccleuch estate contains various sites of special scientific interest.

  Ancient Woodlands
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it part of his planning policy to prevent any further loss of ancient semi-natural woodland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 28 May 1992]: The felling of woodland is not development under the town and country planning system. The protection of ancient woodland will, however, be a material consideration in preparing development plans and determining planning applications. Felling which is undertaken other than for development purposes is effectively controlled through the felling licence system administered by the Forestry Commission. Sites of special scientific interest which may include ancient woodland are given particular protection and development in or near them is strictly controlled.

  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 15th JUNE
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 15th JUNE
  ALBANIA: UK DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
  ALBANIA: UK DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
  DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
  DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
  BLUE-GREEN ALGAL BLOOMS
  BLUE-GREEN ALGAL BLOOMS
  CHANNEL TUNNEL OPENING: SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT
  CHANNEL TUNNEL OPENING: SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT