Written Answers of 24 June 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Interception of Communications
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the safeguards against abuse of the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  None. I have every confidence in the existing arrangements for oversight by the Interception of Communications Commissioner and tribunal of the operation of the Act. I refer the hon. Member to the reference in paragraph 7 of the commissioner's report for 1991, Cm 1942, to the determination of the agencies involved in the interception of communications to obey the spirit as well as the letter of the law.

  Prisoners (Labour)
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are, in relation to the last full year for which figures are available,(a) the total value of the economic contributions made by prisoners' own labour to the funding of the prison service, (b) the value of the sales of goods produced by prison labour to third (outside) parties and (c) the proportion which the answers to (a) and (17, respectively represent of the total annual cost (including depreciation, interest and other capital costs) of the prison service or so much of this information as is available in any form; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The last full year for which figures are available is 1990–91. The information is as follows:(a) £47.6 million; (b) £5.7 million; (c) 0.03 per cent. (a); 0.004 per cent. (b).

  The figures at (a) and (b) represent the sales value of goods and services applied by prison industrial workshops, laundries, farms and gardens, excluding VAT. They do not include the economic contribution made by inmates working in prison kitchens or engaged in other domestic work, on which information is not available.

  The total cost of the Prison Service in 1990–91 was £1,464.2 million. This figure includes capital expenditure, but excludes depreciation and interest on capital employed.

  Dog-fouling
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the need to strengthen the ability of local authorities to enforce byelaws about dog-fouling; what consideration he is giving to the introduction of legislation to make the fouling by dogs of footways and other areas to which the public have access, an offence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have received two recent representations from local authorities about the powers 192
  available to them to enforce byelaws for the regulation of dogs. I have been informed that the Government Departments concerned are considering whether further legislation on the subject of dog fouling would be appropriate.

  Personal Correspondence
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what powers an immigration officer may copy personal correspondence in the possession of persons applying for temporary visitors' visas on arrival in the United Kingdom; and for how long such copies may be retained by his Department.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Under the Immigration Act 1971 an immigration officer may examine and detain for up to seven days a document produced to him or found on a search.

  It is standard practice to photocopy such documents and the copies may be retained as long as considered necessary, but are normally destroyed after three years.

  Police Accommodation
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many empty police houses there are for each police authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Details of empty police houses as at 31 March 1991, which are the most recent figures available, are set out in the table. Of the total of 1,614, the number due to be reallocated to serving police officers was 710 and the number identified for sale as surplus to requirements was 517.

  Empty police houses as at 31 March 1991

  Police Authority

  Empty houses

  Avon and Somerset

  38

  Bedfordshire

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  17

  Cheshire

  27

  City of London

  0

  Cleveland

  2

  Cumbria

  65

  Derbyshire

  80

  Devon and Cornwall

  20

  Dorset

  25

  Durham

  22

  Dyfed-Powys

  34

  Essex

  47

  Gloucestershire

  35

  Greater Manchester

  70

  Gwent

  29

  Hampshire

  40

  Hertfordshire

  17

  Humberside

  21

  Kent

  40

  Lancashire

  61

  Leicestershire

  8

  Lincolnshire

  34

  Merseyside

  7

  Norfolk

  11

  Northamptonshire

  13

  Northumbria

  32

  North Wales

  70

  North Yorkshire

  42

  Nottinghamshire

  14

  South Wales

  50

  South Yorkshire

  8

  Staffordshire

  32

  Suffolk

  25

  Surrey

  6

  193

  Police Authority

  Empty houses

  Sussex

  12

  Thames Valley

  56

  Warwickshire

  11

  West Mercia

  56

  West Midlands

  15

  West Yorkshire

  9

  Wiltshire

  25

  Metropolitan Police

  1385

  Total

  1,614

  1 Includes flats.

  Mr. Austin Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of empty residential property in the London borough of Greenwich in the ownership of the Metropolitan police and the type of accommodation available; how long each property has been vacant; and what is the intended future use.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is as follows:

  Property

  Type

  Number of units

  Period vacant months

  Future use

  Swanne House

  Maisonnette

  3

  9

  Awaiting allocation

  Swanne House

  Maisonnette

  1

  4

  Awaiting allocation

  Swanne House

  Maisonnette

  1

  3

  Awaiting allocation

  Lynher Lodge

  Flat

  1

  11

  Under review

  Lynher Lodge

  Flat

  1

  3

  Awaiting allocation

  Rennetts Wood House

  Flat

  2

  6

  Under review

  Rennetts Wood House

  Flat

  1

  18

  Under review

  Rennetts Wood House

  Flat

  1

  1

  Awaiting allocation

  6c Vanburgh Park Road

  Flat

  1

  14

  Under review

  6d Vanburgh Park Road

  Flat

  1

  6

  Under review

  Eltham Hill/ Kingsground

  Flat

  9

  Withdrawn from allocation prior to disposal

  Shooters Hill Road

  Flat

  3

  Awaiting conversion for operational use

  Asylum
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has held on the provisions of the Asylum Bill to be introduced this Session; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Ministers and officials are frequently in contact with various refugee and voluntary organisations active in the asylum field and are generally familiar with their views. I have had a number of meetings with interested organisations and we are ready to consider any particular points they may wish to raise.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in respect of reforms to the procedure governing asylum application in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Between July 1991 and April 1992 approximately 2,400 representations were received from hon. Members, interested organisations and members of the public, many being members of organisations such as Amnesty International who sent pro forma letters. Since 194
  April we have received approximately 230 representations from members of the public, many forwarded by hon. Members and mostly pro forma letters from Amnesty International members.

  Refugees
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments have been made to the new refugee unit, which was formerly part of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Since becoming independent of UKIAS on 6 May, the new refugee unit has received £100,000 in May and £206,250 in June. The sum of £200,000 was given to UKIAS last year to finance the separation costs and the unit was given an additional £33,420 in March when still part of UKIAS.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with other EC Ministers with regard to refugees from the former state of Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Discussions on the situation of persons displaced by the various conflicts in the region of former Yugoslavia, took place at a meeting of EC Immigration Ministers in Lisbon on 11 and 12 June. Ministers were able to exchange information on how each member state is coping with these problems.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had on the setting up of the new refugee unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My hon. Friend the Member for Fareham (Mr. Lloyd) announced on 12 March, at column 592, that at the joint invitation of my right hon. Friend the Member for Mole Valley (Mr. Baker) and the London representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees a planning group was being established to devise a constitution for a new organisation to provide asylum seekers with legal counselling and representation in appeals. My right hon. and learned Friend and I look forward to receiving the group's proposals. In the meantime, the group has assumed responsibility for the general oversight of the refugee unit which was previously part of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service and is now called the new refugee unit. I met Mrs. Usha Prashar, who chairs the group, on 26 May.

ENVIRONMENT

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the length of time being taken over uniform business rate appeals; how many such appeals are pending; what percentage have been pending for over three months, six months and one year, respectively in(a) England and (b) the Harwich constituency; and what specific steps he is taking to speed up appeals throughout (i) England and (ii) the Harwich constituency.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Non-domestic rating appeals in England are dealt with by valuation tribunals, and those in Harwich by the Essex North valuation tribunal.
  195
  Information is not available centrally in the from requested. The available information is as follows:

  All tribunals in England

  Essex North valuation tribunal including Harwich

  Number

  per cent.

  Number

  per cent.

  Appeals received

  By the end of March 1991

  597,000

  77

  5,800

  75

  During April to September 1991

  90,000

  11

  1,000

  13

  During October 1991 to March 1992

  92,000

  12

  900

  12

  Total

  779,000

  100

  7,700

  100

  Total appeals cleared

  220,000

  1,500

  Appeals outstanding at end of March 1992

  558,000

  6,200

  Most of the original list appeals in 1990–91 were received towards the end of the financial year.

  Valuation tribunals are independent bodies and the priority and timing of cases is primarily a matter for them. The Department has, however, urged all tribunals to deal with appeals as quickly as possible.

  The Department is responsible for the funding of the English tribunals, and they were provided with additional staff and computer systems for dealing with the 1990 rating appeals. The staffing levels are kept under review.

  Grant in aid paid to UDCs 1987–92—£ million

  Actual outturn (Current Prices)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Black Country

  2.443

  23.000

  38.000

  32.000

  46.200

  Bristol

  —

  0.283

  5.000

  13.425

  19.125

  Central Manchester

  —

  2.500

  11.000

  14.000

  16.000

  Leeds

  —

  2.743

  8.750

  14.000

  13.600

  London Docklands

  82–800

  116.415

  225.750

  332–975

  248.710

  Merseyside

  20–942

  20.535

  23.000

  24.000

  25.438

  Sheffield

  —

  7.958

  9.500

  18.967

  13.300

  Teesside

  5.000

  20.697

  36.009

  42.135

  56.230

  Trafford Park

  10.450

  15.500

  13.300

  24.200

  28.100

  Tyne and Wear

  4.000

  24.016

  35.800

  37.750

  40.500

  Grant in aid paid to UDCS 1987–1992—£ million 1987–1988 prices

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Black Country

  2.443

  24.662

  43.428

  39.556

  61.123

  Bristol

  —

  0.303

  5.714

  16.599

  25.302

  Central Manchester

  —

  2.681

  12.571

  17.310

  21.168

  Leeds

  —

  2.941

  9.999

  17.310

  17–992

  London Docklands

  82.800

  124.827

  257.998

  411.707

  329.043

  Merseyside

  20.942

  22.019

  26.286

  29.674

  33.651

  Sheffield

  —

  8.533

  10.857

  23.452

  17.596

  Teesside

  5000

  22.193

  41.153

  52.098

  74.392

  Trafford Park

  10.450

  16.620

  15.199

  29.922

  37.176

  Tyne and Wear

  4.000

  25.751

  40–914

  46.676

  53.582

  Brundtland Commission
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the proceedings of the reconvened Brundtland commission on environment and development in London on 22 to 24 April.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department contributed £30,000 towards the costs of the London meeting of the World Commission on Environment and Development in April. The Secretary of State for the Environment also hosted a dinner and reception for the commissioners.

  Urban Development
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure on each urban development corporation and each urban development area for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The tables show annual grant in aid to the urban development corporations for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Regional Offices
  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 regional office of his Department and the cost of running sub-regional offices aggregated by region and with Greater London shown separately and excluding the funding programmes operated by the offices for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Howard
  The costs of running each of my Department's regional offices are set out in the tables. None of these offices has a sub-regional office. Both tables exclude the separate local office networks of Property Holdings and PSAS and, before 1990–91, that of the PSA:
  197

  £ million

  Region

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  (A) Costs of running each DOE regional office at current prices

  London

  3.7

  3.6

  4.1

  3.9

  4.2

  South East

  2.7

  2.4

  3.0

  2.9

  3.3

  Eastern

  1.9

  1.9

  2.4

  2.2

  2.6

  South West

  1.9

  1.7

  2.1

  2.1

  2.5

  East Midlands

  2.5

  2.4

  3.1

  2.9

  3.3

  West Midlands

  3.1

  2.8

  3.5

  3.4

  4.0

  North West

  4.4

  4.2

  5.3

  5.5

  6.4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2.8

  3.0

  3.6

  3.6

  4.4

  Northern

  2.7

  2.6

  3.3

  3.2

  3.7

  Merseyside Task Force

  1.5

  1.5

  1.7

  1.7

  2.1

  (B) Costs of running each DOE regional office at 1987–88 prices

  London

  3.7

  3.4

  3.6

  3.1

  3.2

  South East

  2.7

  2.3

  2.6

  2.4

  2.5

  Eastern

  1.9

  1.7

  2.1

  1.8

  2.0

  South West

  1.9

  1.6

  1.9

  1.7

  1.9

  East Midlands

  2.5

  2.3

  2.7

  2.4

  2.5

  West Midlands

  3.1

  2.6

  3.0

  2.7

  3.0

  North West

  4.4

  3.9

  4.6

  4.4

  4.9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2.8

  2.8

  3.2

  2.9

  3.4

  Northern

  2.7

  2.5

  2.9

  2.6

  2.8

  Merseyside Task Force

  1.5

  1.4

  1.5

  1.4

  1.6

  County Hall, London
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors will be considered in deciding the future use of county hall; and when the matter falls to be determined.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Government will be making a statement on this subject shortly. It will take account of the agreement which the London residuary body have already entered into for the sale of the Riverside building, with an option to withdraw by 31 December of this year, and the financial and wider considerations relating to any alternative proposal for the occupation of the whole county hall site.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the resources available to English Nature to notify and protect those sites which are of special interest but which await notification or renotification as sites of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Maclean
  Resources for all English Nature's programmes are considered in assessing its corporate plan prior to the annual grant in aid allocation in the autumn. A 13 per cent. increase in grant in aid for 1992–93 was announced last year. The plan for 1993–96 is currently before me.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the chairman of English Nature on the fulfilment of English Nature's statutory duties to notify as sites of special scientific interest those areas of land which in its opinion are of special interest.

  Mr. Maclean
  Ministers from this Department meet the chairman of English Nature on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. I shall be meeting Lord Cranbrook on 8 July to discuss English Nature's corporate plan, which includes the provision to be made for the notification programme.
  198
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many management agreements exist between owners and occupiers of sites of special scientific interest and English Nature; how many agreements have been reached in each of the last five years; and how many are estimated to be made in the current financial year and the next financial year.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is as follows:

  Financial year

  New cases

  Renewals

  Numbers reached in the last five years

  1987–88

  273

  —

  1988–89

  313

  —

  1989–90

  221

  —

  1990–91

  323

  —

  1991–92

  271

  359

  Estimated to he reached

  1992–93

  220

  330

  1993–94

  200

  350

  Note: The number of management agreements reached under section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 at 31 March 1992 was 1,584.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites are awaiting notification or renotification as sites of special scientific interest; how many are likely to be notified by the end of March 1993; and when the sites of special scientific interest notification programme inherited from the Nature Conservancy Council will be complete.

  Mr. Maclean
  I am advised by English Nature that at 31 March 1992, the renotification of sites in England was 97.7 per cent. complete; 54 sites originally notified under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 remain to be considered for notification under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. By the end of March 1993 the number of renotified and notified sites is expected to be 3,765. Thereafter, English Nature will notify sites as and when the appropriate scientific interest is identified.

  Water Metering
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines the Office of Water Supply has issued to water companies on fitting water meters to newly constructed properties.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Director General of Water Services has set out charging guidelines for water companies to follow which include the installation of meters where the overall benefit outweighs the cost of installation. Meters can be installed cheaply in new properties and most companies already insist that they are metered. The guidelines encourage all companies to adopt such a policy.

  Housing Finance
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government will reconsider their decision to commute present revenue grants for house improvement and slum clearance in favour of a single capital sum payable to local authorities in September.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No.

  Benzene
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of benzene in petrol in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the United States; and what discussions he will be having with petrol manufacturers to reduce the levels of benzene in petrol.

  Mr. Maclean
  The maximum permissible benzene content of petrol in the United Kingdom is set by European Community directive 85/210/EEC at 5 per cent. by volume. Typical levels in the United Kingdom are between 3 and 4 per cent. and 1 and 2 per cent. in the United States of America. Government action to reduce people's exposure to evaporate emissions of volatile organic compounds, which include benzene, is directed at reducing emissions to the atmosphere. Major reductions will be achieved by new European Community standards on vehicle exhaust emissions which will come into effect from the end of this year: a second stage of even tighter standards is proposed thereafter. Proposals are expected shortly from the European Commission for directives on the control of fuel evaporation in the distribution network and during refuelling operations. The permitted summer time volatility of petrol in the United Kingdom will also be reduced from 1993. The Government are in discussion with both oil and motor industries on these matters.

  Coastal Zone Unit
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to establish a national coastal zone unit within his Department.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have noted the recent recommendation of the report of the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment on coastal zone protection and planning that a national coastal zone unit be set up within the Government to provide an overview of coastal policy. We will be responding to this recommendation, and to the others made by the Committee, in due course.

  Flora and Fauna
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to implement the EC directive on the conservation of flora and fauna and habitats in the United Kingdom; and what additional resources he estimates will be required for this purpose.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom's current nature protection provisions give this country a firm basis for implementation of the directive. We are considering what further provisions are necessary to enable the directive to come fully into force within the two years prescribed.

  At the same time the Government's scientific advisers are working on the criteria for site selection as the first step towards compiling the United Kingdom's national list of candidate sites to be considered as sites of Community importance.

  The resource requirements for implementation over the next few years will be discussed with the country agencies and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in the context of the normal corporate planning and grant in aid allocation processes.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the number of homeless children in London currently and in 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information is not held centrally and my Department does not make estimates.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of the number of homeless(a) in London, (b) in Wales and (c) in the United Kingdom; what were the comparable figures in 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The available information represents the numbers of households for whom local authorities accepted responsibility for securing permanent accommodation, under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and the Housing Act 1985.

  The information for England and London is as follows:

  England

  London

  19921

  38,460

  10,850

  1991

  145,140

  39,590

  1982

  71,620

  20,630

  1 First quarter.

  A new reporting system was introduced for authorities other than non-metropolitan districts from the third quarter of 1982 so the figures for the year are not strictly comparable with those for subsequent years.

  For information about Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland I refer the hon. and learned Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Darwin Initiative
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures the Darwin initiative is expected to take which the United Kingdom has not already been taking through its research and aid programmes; and what is likely to be its cost.
  201
  Mr. Maclean
  The Darwin initiative will assist in carrying out international studies of available natural resources, the building up of inventories of the most important species and the promoting of exchange of information and techniques for conservation.

  The aim of the Darwin initiative is to build on the work already being done in the United Kingdom and to develop a new integrated strategy for promoting the protection of biodiversity. We are still considering the resource implications.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what relationship he proposes between the Darwin initiative and the work of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research.

  Mr. Maclean
  We are still considering how to involve existing scientific and environmental groups in the Darwin initiative. However, the work of the consultative group for international agricultural research, which includes the development of higher yield crop varieties and the study of sustainable agricultural practices, shares the same long-term goal of the sustainable use of the world's resources promoted by the Darwin initiative.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what ways he proposes that the Darwin initiative will help the developing countries to obtain compensation for the commercial exploitation of their genetic resources.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Darwin initiative aims to support the implementation of the biodiversity convention. That convention facilitates the setting up of benefit sharing arrangements between countries providing potentially valuable biological resources and those who develop them.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the role of non-governmental organisations in the action team to be established to develop the framework for the Darwin initiative.

  Mr. Maclean
  Interested organisations in the private and public sector, including non-governmental organisations will be invited to help develop the Darwin initiative.

  Biodiversity Convention
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment If he will make a statement on the implications of the EC's signature of the biodiversity convention for the draft directive on patenting of life forms still under discussion in the Community.

  Mr. Maclean
  The European Parliament is presently considering the draft directive on patenting of life forms, in the context of the recently signed biodiversity convention. It is not anticipated that the biodiversity convention will have any significant implications for the draft directive.

  Building Maintenance, Salford
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has decided to take against Salford city council following the issue of a notice under section 19A of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, part III, for its failure to make the statutory rate of return in respect of building maintenance work in 1989–90.
  202
  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. and learned Friend has given careful consideration to the response which Salford city council has made to the notice served on 1 July 1991, and has today given a direction under section 19B of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1990 in respect of building maintenance work. The direction places restrictions on the extent of building work undertaken by the authority without the express agreement of the Secretary of State.

  Planning Laws (Crown Exemption)
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to review the exemption of Crown bodies from town and country planning legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  Yes. A public consultation paper will be issued in a few weeks' time, embodying detailed proposals by my right hon. and learned Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. With the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, the proposals will also apply to Crown exemption under Scottish planning legislation.

  The usual constitutional position is that the Crown is exempt from all statutory provisions, unless they state to the contrary. For this purpose, the Crown includes the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Crown Estate, Government Departments and Parliament itself. Crown bodies are not entirely exempt from planning legislation; they may, for example, apply for planning permission in anticipation of disposal of their land under section 299 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  But most Crown development, with the exception of trunk roads which are subject to the provisions of the Highways Act 1980, in Scotland the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, is undertaken under non-statutory arrangements set out in part IV of DOE circular 18/84, Welsh Office 37/84. All Crown bodies have agreed to these arrangements, whereby a Crown body that wishes to develop land, obtain listed building consent or acquire hazardous substances consent, serves a notice of proposed development on the local planning authority. Where they and the authority fail to reach agreement, the development proposal is referred to the Secretary of State for decision, if necessary following a non-statutory public local inquiry.

  The citizens charter White Paper noted the progressive removal of immunities that shelter Government Departments and Crown bodies from regulations, inspection and enforcement requirements placed on others. My right hon. and learned Friend believes that it is now appropriate to bring Crown exemption under the planning system largely to an end. He proposes that all Crown bodies should be required to apply to the local planning authority for planning permission, listed building consent and hazardous substances consent in the normal way. There will be limited exceptions to this, principally where national or prison security is involved, or for trunk roads proposals, which are already subject to statutory procedures equivalent to town and country planning procedures. One consequence of this proposal will be that Crown developers will be legally required to undertake environmental impact assessments of their proposals, as required by EC directive 85/337, in the same way as other developers, replacing the non-statutory arrangements in DOE circular 15/88—Welsh Office 23/88.
  203
  My right hon. and learned Friend also proposes that any Crown development allegedly in breach of planning control should be subject to the enforcement provisions of part VII of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; and the statutory regimes in part VIII of that Act for outdoor advertisement control and tree protection should apply to Crown land, with any necessary modifications.

  My right hon. and learned Friend intends to embody these proposals in legislation when a suitable opportunity arises.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the 12 representatives of non-governmental organisations and (b) representatives of other organisations who attended the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development as advisers to the official United Kingdom delegation.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside to the hon. Member for. Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 15 June, Official Report, columns 400–1.

  Disconnections by Water Authorities

  Authority

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Anglian

  218

  774

  2,268

  1,586

  1,880

  North West

  110

  238

  457

  775

  779

  Northumbrian

  70

  59

  300

  480

  870

  Severn Trent

  650

  1,074

  1,000

  932

  1,101

  South West

  76

  404

  404

  324

  100

  Southern

  115

  1.249

  1,152

  1.164

  1,354

  Thames

  788

  225

  576

  1,594

  935

  Welsh

  90

  350

  950

  2,067

  1,117

  Wessex

  0

  0

  0

  32

  83

  Yorkshire

  25

  189

  293

  560

  999

  Total

  2.142

  4,562

  7,400

  9,514

  9,218

  Statutory Water Companies

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6,037

HEALTH

  Geriatric Patients
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the average number of days geriatric patients spent in hospital after an operation for each year since 1981.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information requested has been collected centrally only since 1987–88. The first reliable figures were for 1988–89 and are given in the table.

  Average post-operative stay

  Year

  Number of days

  1988–89

  9.7

  1989–90

  9.4

  1990–91

  8.9

  The information relates to patients over 65.

  Councillors' Allowances
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had in regard to the adequacy of payments to councillors; if there is any action he will be taking to increase their allowances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: I have received a number of representations from local authorities, local authority associations and from individual councillors. Councillors' allowances are reviewed annually in the light of movements in costs.

  Water Disconnections
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of water supply disconnections in each of the five years prior to water privatisation for each water authority area in England and Wales.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The information the hon. Member requests is set out in the table. Information on disconnections prior to privatisation was only collected by the Department for water authorities as part of the water authorities' annual charges returns. Information on statutory water company disconnections was not collected by the Department prior to 1988–89.

  T-cell Leukaemia
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the findings of the study undertaken by the North London Blood Transfusions Service on behalf of her Department, into the risks associated with blood transfusions involving human T-cell leukaemia; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 15 June at columns 415–16.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by regional health authority for the last four years, the number of cases of cancer that have been reported associated with the virus human T-cell leukaemia; and if she will show in her answer the percentage of those cases that proved fatal.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.
  205
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of patients who receive white cell blood transfusions that have not been screened for human T-cell leukaemia.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are not aware of any general medical opinion that such a study would he beneficial.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library the most recent report of the Advisory Committee on Medical Aspects of Air Pollution on the effects of sulphur dioxide.

  Mr. Sackville
  The second report of the Advisory Group on the Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes on sulphur dioxide and acid aerosols is expected to be published later this year. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Staff (Conflict of Interests)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what written advice and guidance is given to employees of the national health service including trusts on the conflicts of interest that may arise when they hold a beneficial interest in private care homes or hostels.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Health authorities and trusts as employers are responsible for ensuring that their employees' private interests do not conflict with their public duties. Current guidance issued by the Department in personnel memorandum (86) 7, a copy of which is available in the Library, includes a model contract of employment for general managers of health authorities. This stipulates that the employee must declare to the authority any financial interest or relationship which may affect its policies or decisions.

  Advice on professional conduct issued by the General Medical Council recommends that when a doctor refers a patient to a private care home or hostel in which he or she has an interest, the patient must be informed of that interest before the referral is made.

  Parliamentary electors registered in selected constituencies of West Yorkshire, 1983–1992

  Note: BC = borough constituency: CC=county constituency

  Parliamentary constituency

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Batley and Spen

  BC

  74,699

  75,131

  75,435

  74,953

  75,334

  75,987

  76,125

  76,327

  77,486

  77,381

  Colne Valley

  CC

  70,455

  70,502

  70,789

  70,827

  71,057

  71,658

  71,755

  72,079

  72,948

  72,935

  Dewsbury

  CC

  70,623

  71,028

  71,879

  71,656

  71,838

  72,183

  72,315

  72,575

  73,767

  73,816

  Huddersfield

  BC

  68,951

  68,814

  68,609

  67,215

  67,247

  66,983

  66,121

  65,921

  68,272

  68,324

  The figures in this table are those supplied by electoral registration officers at the times when the registers come in to use each year.

  Source: Population estimates unit, OPCS.

  Benzene
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her Department (1) will investigate the link between childhood leukaemia and benzene; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) if she will conduct a study into the number of leukaemia cases resulting from exposure to benzene resulting from petrol fumes.

  Mr. Sackville
  Benzene is toxic at high doses and is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer—IARC—as a human carcinogen, being associated.

  World Health Organisation
  Mr. Hew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what considerations she has given to the report by the World Health Organisation Commission on Health and Environment; and what steps she has taken to develop policies to meet the principles set by the Commission.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have welcomed the report. Its proposals are consistent with the Government's policies, as expressed in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" published in September 1990 and with the Department's responsibilities for the promotion and protection of the public health.

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died from drug misuse in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In 1990, there were 294 deaths registered in the United Kingdom with the underlying cause given as drug dependence or non-dependent abuse of drugs, other than alcohol or tobacco. In addition, it is estimated that there were more than 900 deaths registered where the underlying cause was attributed to poisoning and where drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 were mentioned on the death certificate.

  Electoral Roll
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the total number of electors registered in(a) Colne Valley, (b) Huddersfield, (c) Dewsbury and (d) Batley and Spen parliamentary constituencies in each year since 1982.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  with blood disorders and leukaemia. The IARC advises on whether a chemical is carcinogen from animal studies and human data.

  The Department's independent expert advisory Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment discussed the question of- the carcinogenic effects of benzene, in relation to not only levels in petrol, but the whole range of sources of exposure of the general population, at its meetings in 1990 and 1991. The committee's conclusions were:
  "Benzene was genotoxic and shown to be carcinogenic in humans. No threshold for carcinogenicity had been demonstrated and therefore there is no entirely safe level with regard to carcinogenic effects. There is evidence of increased

  207
  incidence rates for various leukaemias, mainly nonlymphocytic, in occupational groups exposed to levels in the 10–20 ppm range".

  People's exposure to benzene is greatest at petrol stations, but is of short duration. The exposure of the general population to benzene from all sources combined is very low compared with that of special occupational groups. Studies of these groups have shown that health effects attributable to benzene are difficult to assess. It is therefore not possible, on present information, to establish any direct link between the increased incidence of leukaemia or mortality in children or adults and environmental exposure to benzene.

  The Department, in conjunction with several other Government Departments, is funding research by the small area health statistics unit, which is an independent body based at the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine. It has built up a comprehensive database on the distribution of mortality, by specified cause, and on the incidence of cancer related to small areas of the country. It is currently undertaking studies of the incidence of mortality and cancer in the neighbourhood of industrial installations, including benzene works.

  Cooking and Catering
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that adults with learning difficulties are not precluded from participating in cooking and catering duties by the application of food hygiene regulations consequential on the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 June at column 708.

  NHS Patients
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to ensure that patients at present being cared for within national health service provision will not be discharged into the independent sector without their agreement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Guidance issued to health authorities in February 1989 HC(89)5 a copy of which is available in the Library, makes it clear that patients must not be placed in private nursing or residential homes against their wishes if it means that they, or their relatives, will be personally responsible for any charges.

  Health Authorities (Audit Reports)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library copies of the annual profiles of comparative activity by all health authorities prepared by the Audit Commission and resulting from the reports of local auditors;

  (2) what information from the Audit Commission she has made available to Parliament to enable comparative assessment to be made of the activities of health authorities.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are in correspondence with the chairman of the Audit Commission to clarify and agree future engagements for the publication of comparative information on health service activity. In this context we will consider with the commission how the profiles of health authority expenditure, prepared by staff of the commission, can best serve the need for high-quality 208
  comparative information which is a key element in providing greater patient choice and in the successful operation of the reforms.

  The Department publishes each year an extensive range of comparative data on many aspects of the health service in the form of health service indicators. The indicators for 1990–91 will be published and placed in the Library next month to enable comparative assessments to be made of health authority activities.

  Human Genetics
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs on 9 June, Official Report, column 129, by what methods Her Majesty's Government are keeping a close watch on developments in human genetics.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government are monitoring these developments by a number of means. Scientific and medical staff keep up to date through professional literature and close links with medical scientists. Government Departments maintain long-standing contacts with representative patient, professional and international organisations. These include the Medical Research Council and its scientific boards, the Nuffield Foundation which last year set up the Nuffield Council of Bioethics, the Council of Europe and the European Community.

  I would also refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) on 17 January at column 675, in which she announced a wide consultation on the report of the Committee on the Ethics of Gene Therapy. The consultation period ended on 18 May 1992 and all the comments will be carefully considered before the Government formulate their response to the report.

  GPs (Computers)
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was allocated by each family health services authority to(a) fund-holding general practices and (b) non-fund-holding general practices for the purposes of funding computer equipment in the financial years 1991–92 and 1992–93;

  (2) whether she will list the allocation of funds to each FHSA in the Wessex region for the purposes of funding computer equipment in general practices in the financial years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  International Agreements
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with(a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.
  209
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no bilateral treaties recorded with Liechtenstein. The information requested on Switzerland is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the Council of Europe conventions to which the United Kingdom and(a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein are signatories.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  There are 42 conventions to which the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are all signatories. The United Kingdom and Switzerland are both signatories to a further 29 conventions and the United Kingdom and Liechtenstein one further convention.

  The table lists these conventions.

  Conventions to which the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are signatories.

  Statute of the Council of Europe.

  General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe.

  Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

  Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

  Protocol to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe.

  European Convention on the Equivalence of Diplomas Leading to Admission to Universities.

  European Cultural Convention.

  European Convention on the Equivalence of Periods of University Study.

  Second Protocol to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe.

  European Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes.

  European Convention on Extradition.

  European Agreement on the Exchange of Therapeutic Substances of Human Origin.

  European Agreement of the Abolition of Visas for Refugees.

  European Convention on the Academic Recognition of University Qualifications.

  European Social Charter1 3.

  Fourth Protocol to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe.

  European Agreement on the Exchanges of Blood-Grouping Reagents.

  Protocol No. 2 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Conferring upon the European Court of Human Rights Competence to give Advisory Opinions.

  Protocol No. 3 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Amending Articles 29, 30 and 34 of the Convention.

  Convention on the Unification of Certain Points of Substantive Law on Patents for Invention.

  Protocol to the European Convention on the Equivalence of Diplomas leading to Admission to Universities.

  European Agreement for the Prevention of Broadcasts Transmitted from Stations outside National Territories.

  Protocol No. 5 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Amending Articles 22 and 40 of the Convention.

  European Convention on the Adoption of Children.

  European Convention on Information of Foreign Law.

  European Convention on the Abolition of Legalisation of Documents Executed by Diplomatic Agents or Consular Officers.

  European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage.

  European Agreement Relating to Persons Participating in Proceedings of the European Commission and Court of Human Rights.

  European Agreement on Continued Payment of Scholarships to Students Studying Abroad.

  210

  European Convention on the Social Protection of Farmers.

  European Agreement on the Exchange of Tissue-Typing Reagents.

  Additional Protocol to the European Agreement on the Exchange of Tissue-Typing Reagents.

  European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism.

  Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.

  European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions Concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children.

  Additional Protocol to the European Agreement on the Exchange of Therapeutic Substances of Human Origin.

  Additional Protocol to the European Agreement on the Exchanges of Blood-Grouping Reagents.

  Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

  Protocal No. 8 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

  European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

  European Convention on Transfrontier Television.3

  Anti-Doping Convention.2 3

  Conventions to which the United Kingdom and Switzerland are Signatories.

  European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter.1 2

  European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes.1 2

  Convention on Laundering. Search. Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime.1 2

  European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Revised).1 2

  Protocol No. 10 to the ECHR1 2

  European Convention Relating to the Formalities Required for Patent Applications.

  European Convention on the International Classification of Patents for Invention.

  European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.

  Agreement on the Temporary Importation, Free of Duty, of Medical, Surgical and Laboratory Equipment for Use on Free Loan in Hospitals and other Medical Institutions for Purposes of Diagnosis or Treatment.

  European Agreement on Travel by Young Persons on Collective Passports between the Member Countries of the Council of Europe.

  European Code of Social Security.

  Convention on the Elaboration of a European Pharmacopoeia.

  European Agreement on the Instruction and Education of Nurses.

  European Agreement on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Detergents in Washing and Cleaning Products.

  European Convention for the Protection of Animals During International Transport.

  European Convention on State Immunity.

  European Convention on the Legal Status of Children born out of Wedlock.

  European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes.

  European Agreement on the Transmission of Applications For Legal Aid.2

  Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Information on Foreign Law.

  Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.2

  Additional Protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Animals During International Transport.

  European Agreement on Transfer of Responsibility for Refugees.

  Additional Protocol to the Agreement on the Temporary Importation Free of Duty of Medical. Surgical and Laboratory Equipment for use on Free Loan in Hospitals and Medical Institutions for Diagnosis or Treatment.

  Protocol Amending the European Agreement on the Restriction of the use of Certain Detergents in Washing and Cleaning Products.2

  211

  European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes.

  European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular at Football Matches.

  European Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International non-Governmental Organisations.

  Protocol to the Convention on the Elaboration of a European Pharmacopeia.

  Convention to the United Kingdom and Liechtenstein are signatories

  Convention for the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe.

  1 Denotes that United Kingdom has signed but not ratified this Convention.

  2 Denotes that Switzerland has signed but not ratified this Convention.

  3 Denotes that Liechtenstein has signed but not ratified this Convention.

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the land area of the island of Cyprus is administered by(a) the Government of the United Kingdom, (b) the Government of President George Vassiliou, the Greek Cypriot leader and (c) the Government of Mr. Raul Denktas, the Turkish Cypriot leader.

  Mr. Carel-Jones
  The figures for the respective categories are approximately:

  (a) 3 per cent.

  (b) 57 per cent.

  (c) 38 per cent.

  An additional 2 per cent. lies in the United Nations-controlled buffer zone. We do not recognise the area under de facto Turkish Cypriot administration as forming in any sense a separate sovereign state.

  Lockerbie Bombing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Spanish Government on the legal proceedings being taken against Monzer al-Kassar in Spain, in relation to Lockerbie.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have had no such discussions.

  There is no evidence to link Monzer al-Kassar to the Lockerbie bombing.

  Bhutan
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations between the United Kingdom and the Government of Bhutan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no diplomatic relations with Bhutan, but maintain friendly contacts mainly through our high commission in New Delhi.

  East Timor
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's position in the European Community on human rights issues in East Timor.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We share the concerns expressed by the European Community about the human rights 212
  situation in East Timor. The United Kingdom, with Community partners, condemned the killings in Dili last year. We fully endorse the view—agreed by all Community countries—that our continuing concerns about the situation there should be conveyed directly to the Indonesians.

  South Africa
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the recent Amnesty International report on South African security force complicity in torture and political killings; and what action he intends to take.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's Government are aware of the Amnesty International report on South Africa. We have consistently taken the view that the South African Government must accept primary responsibility for maintaining law and order and should investigate allegations of misconduct by members of the security forces promptly and thoroughly. We have also given practical support to Judge Goldstone's commission of inquiry which is currently examining many of the allegations in the Amnesty report.

  Diego Garcia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by groups from Mauritius and the Seychelles, to the Minister for Overseas Development in Rio de Janeiro about trust funds for the Ilois from Diego Garcia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No representations were made by these groups to the Minister for Overseas Development in Rio de Janeiro.

  Stranded Citizens (Support)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what circumstances financial assistance is denied to British citizens stranded outside the United Kingdom where no alternative means of support is immediately available.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  British citizens who, through unforeseen circumstances, are without funds overseas and who have no other identifiable source of help may as a last resort be given a repayable loan to enable them to return to the United Kingdom. This facility, for which a fee is levied, is not normally available to certain categories, including British nationals normally resident overseas and dual nationals in the country of their second nationality.

WALES

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the evidentiary basis for the statement at page 64 of his Department's survey of contaminated land in Wales, August 1988, that certain areas of the site of the former explosives factory at Pembry, Dyfed are known to be contaminated with phenols and that some remedial measures have been attempted;

  (2) what was the evidentiary basis for the statement at page 50, paragraph 6, Llanelli, of his Department's survey

  213
  of contaminated land in Wales, final report, March 1984, that certain areas of the site of the former explosives factory at Pembrey, Dyfed are known to be contaminated with phenols and that some remedial measures have been attempted.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The surveys were based on desk studies using information from a range of reference sources. Detailed site surveys were not undertaken; instead, information on potential contaminants at individual locations was usually based on known past uses of the land and the materials normally associated -with those uses.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the categories of phenols which are known to his Department to be contaminating the site of the former explosives factory at Pembrey, as stated in his Department's surveys of contaminated land in Wales;

  (2) if he will describe the remedial measures which have been attempted in respect of the phenols which are contaminating certain areas of the site of the former explosives factory at Pembrey as described in hs Department's surveys of contaminated land in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not held by the Welsh Office. However, as is indicated on page 15 of the report "Survey of Contaminated Land in Wales, March 1984", phenol in the soil normally dissipates as a result of leaching and natural degradation. This is something the sampling programme recently commissioned by Llanelli borough council can be expected to check.

  Cooking and Catering
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that adults with learning difficulties in Wales are not precluded from participating in cooking and catering duties by the application of food hygiene regulations consequential on the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Food Safety Act does not prohibit anyone from preparing their own meals or beverages. The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970, as amended, set out the controls necessary for the hygienic preparation of food other than in domestic settings. Environmental health departments advise on controls bearing in mind the nature of any food safety risk, including the type of food handled and the preparation included. Adults with learning difficulties can participate in cooking and catering duties if the hygiene controls can be satisfied.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the best estimate of the current number of elderly people(a) aged over 85 years, (b) aged 75 to 85 years and (c) aged 65 to 75 years in (i) Wales as a whole, (ii) in each county in Wales and (iii) in each district in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The 1990 mid-year estimates of population, produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, of age groups over 85, 75 to 84 and 65 to 74 for the counties and county districts of Wales are given in the table:214

  85 +

  75–84

  65–74

  WALES

  44,500

  161,700

  274,100

  Clwyd

  6,900

  24,400

  39,000

  Dyfed

  5,600

  21,400

  36,800

  Gwent

  6,200

  23,100

  41,100

  Gwynedd

  4,900

  16,000

  24,500

  Mid Glamorgan

  6,800

  27,300

  48,300

  Powys

  1,800

  7,300

  12,200

  South Glamorgan

  6,500

  21,000

  35,800

  West Glamorgan

  5,900

  21,300

  36,300

  Alyn and Deeside

  800

  3,400

  6,100

  Colwyn

  1,300

  4,300

  6,300

  Delyn

  900

  3,400

  5,800

  Glyndwr

  700

  2,800

  4,400

  Rhuddlan

  1,400

  4,400

  6,200

  Wrexham Maelor

  1,700

  6,100

  10,300

  Carmarthen

  800

  3,500

  6,300

  Ceredigion

  1,300

  4,300

  7,100

  Dinefwr

  600

  2,400

  4,100

  Llanelli

  1,500

  5,000

  8,500

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  900

  3,800

  6,800

  South Pembrokeshire

  600

  2,300

  3,900

  Blaenau Gwent

  1,300

  4,600

  7,600

  Islwyn

  1,200

  3,600

  6,200

  Monmouth

  1,100

  4,300

  7,400

  Newport

  1,500

  6,300

  11,500

  Torfaen

  1,100

  4,400

  8,400

  Aberconwy

  1,400

  4,400

  6,300

  Arfon

  1,000

  3,200

  4,900

  Dwyfor

  600

  2,000

  3,200

  Meirionnydd

  800

  2,300

  3,500

  Ynys Mon

  1,200

  4,100

  6,600

  Cynon Valley

  1,000

  3,800

  6,500

  Merthyr Tydfil

  900

  3,200

  5,500

  Ogwr

  1,600

  7,000

  12,400

  Rhondda

  1,300

  4,900

  8,000

  Rhymney Valley

  1,000

  4,500

  8,300

  Taff-Ely

  1,000

  4,000

  7,600

  Brecknock

  600

  2,600

  4,500

  Montgomeryshire

  800

  3,100

  5,200

  Radnorshire

  300

  1,600

  2,500

  Cardiff

  4,700

  15,300

  25,700

  Vale of Glamorgan

  1,700

  5,700

  10,200

  Port Talbot

  800

  2,900

  5,200

  Lliw Valley

  1,100

  3,800

  6,300

  Neath

  1,100

  3,900

  6,500

  Swansea

  3,000

  10,700

  18,200

  Note: Figures may not add up due to rounding.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on water quality in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The National Rivers Authority's 1990 survey of river quality shows that 94 per cent. of river lengths in its Welsh region are of good or fair quality. A total of 90 per cent. of the 50 bathing waters on the Welsh coastline identified under the EC directive met its stringent mandatory standards for total coliforms and faecal coliforms last year. As regards drinking water quality, the first annual report of the drinking water inspectorate published last year confirms that of the tests of water quality carried out in 1990 by Dwr Cymru Cyf, 99 per cent. complied with the rigorous statutory standards set in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989, SI 1989 No. 1147. Meanwhile, Dwr Cymru is continuing with the implementation of its 10-year, £1.8 billion capital investment programme aimed at achieving further improvement to the standards of drinking water, river and coastal water quality.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the effects of local management of schools on remedial schools in Wales and, in particular, how it has affected teacher/student ratios over the last two years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Welsh Office circular 38/91 required local education authorities to submit by 30 September 1993, at the latest, proposals to extend their LMS schemes to special schools so that they can be funded by LMS formulae. No proposals have been received to date.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the effects of local management of schools on(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Wales over the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  As at 1 April 1992, more than 650 primary schools and around 200 secondary schools were in receipt of delegated powers. The heads and governors of these schools can decide for themselves how best to use their budgets to meet priorities within their schools and the needs of individual pupils. It is our intention that all schools will be in a similar position by April 1995.

  Many of the initial doubts and concerns raised with me about LMS have now been dispelled, but there are still some issues that I consider need further evaluation. While circular 36/88 required all local education authorities to review their schemes after three years, it is my intention that the Welsh Office should itself look again in detail at the LMS arrangements. As part of this review, I have commissioned the consultants, Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte, to provide an overview of how LMS is developing in Wales and to suggest areas where improvements can be considered. Their findings will be circulated to LEAs and other interested parties for comment. A copy will also be placed in the Library of the House.

  Pre-school Education
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on the level of pre-school education provision in Clwyd;

  (2) what pre-school education provision is available in each Welsh county; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the level of pre-school education provision in Powys;

  (4) if he will make a statement on pre-school education provision in Dyfed;

  (5) if he will make a statement on the level of pre-school education provision in Gwynedd.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to table 2.04 of "Statistics of Education in Wales: Schools"—No. 5, 1991—a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The provision of education in school for children under five years old is at the discretion of local education authorities.

  Postbus
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to fund the expansion of postbus services in Wales; and if he will make a statement on further improvements in the postbus services.
  216
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. This is a matter for the Post Office.

  Afon Conwy
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans for the improvement of sewage outfall arrangements affecting the Afon Conwy following the construction of the Conwy tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As part of its programme of improvements to sewage discharges affecting EC identified bathing waters, Dwr Cymru is undertaking a major scheme, due for completion in about two years and costing approximately £ 2 million, to intercept 11 discharges currently made into the Afon Conwy. The effluent will be pumped to a sewage treatment works and discharged via a 4.5 km long sea outfall. In addition, some other works further upstream on the Afon Conwy are being improved to meet standards set by the National Rivers Authority.

  Reservoirs
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many fresh water reservoirs in Wales have been tainted with toxic algae blooms since April; what are the comparable figures for April to June 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The National Rivers Authority is engaged in developing action plans to deal with the problem of potentially toxic blue-green algal. The authority first undertook extensive monitoring to identify those lakes and reservoirs at risk of developing toxic blue-green algae blooms. It issued public information leaflets and, when blooms have occurred, gave advice to the owners, water users and local authorities affected. The NRA no longer considers that it needs to undertake routine monitoring and is now concentrating its efforts on a major research programme to develop ways of dealing with blue-green algae. Recent monitoring has focused on those waters not previously sampled or not previously found to have abundant populations of algae but where the presence of algae is now being reported. The data from such monitoring does not therefore provide a comprehensive assessment of the extent of blue-green algae blooms, nor information which is comparable with data collected in previous years.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 18 June, Official Report, columns 612–13, what proposals he has for a further re-advertisement of the proposed Cardiff bay barrage in the supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities utilising the amended figure of £106 million as the estimated cost; what consultations he has had with the European regional development fund concerning grant aid for the barrage proposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  As I explained in my answer of 16 June 1992, the figure in the pre-qualification notice is intended to be purely indicative. Cardiff Bay development corporation has no plans to publish a further notice. An
  217
  application for assistance from the European regional development fund could not be made before the Bill had received Royal Assent.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 18 June, Official Report, column 613, for what reason it was decided to increase the quantity of structural concrete from 125,000 m3 to 140,000 m3 and the amount of steel sheet piling from 17,000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes between the original advertisement in the supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities dated 14 November 1990 and the most recent re-advertisement dated 5 June 1992.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The estimated quantities of both steel sheet piling and concrete have increased in the course of the detailed design of the barrage. In addition, the amount of sheet piling was increased following agreement with the National Rivers Authority on the requirements of the fish pass.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with(a) Mr. Ray Stoner, (b) the chairman of Cardiff Bay development corporation, (c) Cardiff city council engineering department and (d) the National Rivers Authority concerning the estimated likely date of completion of the studies into dewatering wells and retrofitted land drains as a means of deflecting the side-effects of rising groundwater from the proposed Cardiff Bay barrage; and what proposals he has for consultation on and publication of such proposals.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Study of the feasibility of dewatering wells is continuing and I shall publish a report when the work is completed. I shall be seeking the views of Mr. Stoner, the CBDC, Cardiff city council and the NRA on the results. It would not be appropriate to pursue the option of retrofitting land drains in advance of the outcome of the dewatering studies.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further information he has on the choice, evaluation, attraction and development of "people draw" activities under the aegis of Cardiff Bay development corporation used in pursuance of the £25 million total expenditure allocated for that purpose in annexes C and D of the financial memorandum of the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The financial memorandum of the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill does not mention £25 million to be allocated to "people draw" activities. I believe the hon. Gentleman to be referring to annexes C and D of the letter of 13 December 1990 sent by the previous Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands).

  Cardiff Bay development corporation intends the major "people draw" activity in this area to be a national science centre based on Techniquest. Proposals for the next stage of development are currently being considered.

  Waste Water Treatment
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the National Rivers Authority Wales region and Welsh Water plc concerning the implementation in Wales of the EC municipal waste water treatment directive; when he expects to publish firm proposals on the definition of 218
  sensitive waters, treatment standards, dilution factors and other relevant criteria for compliance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Considerable progress has been made within the United Kingdom towards implementing the urban waste water treatment directive—UWWTD. A working group, whose membership includes representatives from the National Rivers Authority, the water companies and the relevant Government Departments, including the Welsh Office, is drawing up a national implementation programme to be established by the end of 1993. The directive's provisions have, wherever possible, been incorporated into the on-going investment programmes being undertaken by the water companies, including Dwr Cymru, to improve those sewage discharges adversely affecting EC identified bathing waters. Interim advice on applying UWWTD standards in consents to discharge to coastal and territorial waters has been issued by Government to the National Rivers Authority. The UWWTD requires member states to identify sensitive and less sensitive areas also by the end of next year: the Welsh Office, jointly with Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, issued a consultation paper last March about the criteria and procedures to be used to identify those areas, and the responses received are now being considered.

PRIME MINISTER

  EC Presidency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the cost of (i) each of the special presidency events and (ii) each of the other special events that will be incurred by the United Kingom as set out in the booklet "The United Kingdom Presidency of the European Community".

  The Prime Minister
  Of the 79 special events listed in the United Kingdom presidency programme booklet, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing funding support for 11 at a total cost of £315,426. These are:

  £

  Presidency Art Exhibition, Brussels

  100,500

  Britain and Europe Summer School, LSE

  5,000

  European Night at the Proms, Albert Hall

  22,776

  UK Presidency Conference, QEII Centre

  113,650

  EC R&D meeting of Chief Scientists and European Parliament Committee, Edinburgh

  5,000

  Women of Europe Awards, FCO

  2,000

  EC Organ Festival, Bolton

  15,000

  Association of European Journalists Conference

  7,000

  Advent for Europe Concert, Durham

  5,000

  New Year's Eve Festival and Concert, Barbican

  35,000

  Beacon Europe, throughout Europe

  5,000

  Other Government Departments and the EC Commission are helping to organise or finance a further 32 events. EC ministerial meetings in the UK, including the European Council, are being funded from the FCO presidency budget of £9.8 million.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Prime Minister how many events in the calendar of special events for the United Kingdom presidency of the European Community are taking place in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The presidency programme booklet includes two events in

  219
  Wales, the informal meeting of EC Employment and Social Affairs Ministers in Chepstow and the presidency concert at the Llangollen international eisteddfod. Further events in Wales are planned but not yet confirmed.

  In addition, the European arts festival includes 58 events in Wales and Beacon Europe will take place throughout the United Kingdom.

  Death Penalty
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to abolish the death penalty for those offences for which it remains in force in England and Wales.

  The Prime Minister
  The abolition of the death penalty is a matter which only Parliament can decide, each Member of Parliament voting according to his or her conscience. The Government have to abide by the decision of the House of Commons, which voted against the abolition of the death penalty during the last debate on capital punishment in December 1990.

  Child Health
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken, or will be taking, to promote as a priority the plan of action for survival, protection and development of children, agreed by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Harare in 1991, for improving child health in Commonwealth countries in the present decade; what information he has received from other Commonwealth countries in regard to implementing the plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I presume that the right hon. Member is referring to the plan of action adopted by the World Summit for Children in 1990.

  In response to the summit's call for national plans of action, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in conjunction with other Departments, has compiled a report, which was presented to the UNICEF secretariat at the end of February, outlining our policies for children in this country and the work of the United Kingdom's aid programme of particular relevance to women and children in the third world. The report examines problem areas which persist in developed, industrialised societies and explains what measures the Government are taking to alleviate them in this country; and it reviews those areas of the United Kingdom's aid programme such as primary health care, water and sanitation, and education which are of greatest direct impact on women and children in the developing countries.

  We plan to publish the report as a Command Paper before the end of the month.

  We understand that Commonwealth states are at various stages of preparation in work on their national reports.

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the United States Administration during his recent visit to Washington about the resumption of nuclear testing by the United Kingdom.

  The Prime Minister
  I had discussions on a range of matters with President Bush and other members of the US 220
  Administration. The Government's position on nuclear testing remains as I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 12 May at column 90.

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions with the French Government about United Nations sanctions against Libya.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: We have co-operated closely with France on this issue. Sanctions will remain in force until Libya has complied in full with UN Security Council resoluton 731, including handing over the Lockerbie suspects for trial in Scotland or the United States and meeting French demands over the UTA bombing.

  Treaty of Rome
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the privileges of British troops serving in other EC countries when the proposed article 8 of the treaty of Rome comes into force.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The privileges enjoyed by British troops serving in other EC countries are a matter for the Government and the Government of the member state concerned. Bilateral and multilateral arrangements apply. This provision will not be affected by the entry into force of the proposed new article 8 of the treaty of Rome.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the diplomatic and other privileges of the European Commission and its employees when the proposed revised article 8 of the treaty of Rome enters into force.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The privileges and immunities of members of the Commission staff are governed by the protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Communities 1965, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. These privileges and immunities are not altered by the proposed new article 8 of the treaty of Rome.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will equalise the tax treatment of United Kingdom and other EC nationals when the proposed article 8b of the treaty of Rome on the right to vote in municipal elections takes effect.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The provisions concerning the right to vote in municipal elections have no implications for the basis of tax liability in this country, which will continue to be primarily determined by the residence status and domicile of each individual.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the diplomatic and other privileges of national representatives working in other member states when the proposed article 8 of the treaty of Rome enters into force.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: Such privileges are a matter for agreement between the

  221
  Governments of the member states concerned and relevant multilateral agreements. None of the existing arrangements will be affected by the entry into force of the proposed new article 8 of the treaty of Rome.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's reasons for agreeing to dual citizenship of nationals of the United Kingdom under the proposed article 8 of the treaty of Rome.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The proposed new article 8 of the treaty of Rome would confer upon EC nationals limited additional rights, as citizens of the union, defined in the articles which follows. The Government consider that all these rights would confer worthwhile benefit upon United Kingdom citizens. The addition of further rights would require unanimity and national ratification.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister how he proposes to define the purposes of the proposed articles 8a and 8b of the treaty of Rome; and what legislative or other proposals he has to enable electoral registration officers to know whether a national of another member state is a resident for the purpose of these articles.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The proposed article 8A of the treaty of Rome to be added by the treaty on European union in itself establishes no new rights. Unanimity is required in the Council for any measures to facilitate the exercise of these existing rights or to expand them. No such proposals have been suggested. Proposed article 8b of the treaty of Rome makes it clear that the rights to vote and stand in municipal elections described therein should be exercised under the same conditions as enjoyed by nationals of the member state in question. In the United Kingdom registration on the electoral roll is sufficient proof of resident status for the purpose of voting and standing in elections.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to revise the oath of allegiance to give effect to the proposed article 8 of the treaty of Rome.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: None. The concept of citizenship of the union confers an additional status on British citizens, and does not replace British citizenship or affect allegiance to the Crown.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister to which Department he proposes to transfer responsibility for relationships with the European Community if the proposed article 8 of the treaty of Rome enters into force.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The Government have no such plans.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he gave to proposing that the new article 3b of the treaty of Rome should be given retrospective effect.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The proposed article 3b of the treaty of Rome will have effect only when the treaty on European union enters into force. All Community institutions, including the European Court of Justice, will then be under a binding obligation to respect the principle of subsidiarity which it contains. There is, however, nothing to prevent the institutions
  222
  operating in this way voluntarily, in advance of article 3b coming into effect. As presidency of the Community, the United Kingdom will encourage them to do so. There is evidence that the Commission is already doing this.

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the legal basis for the European monetary system; and whether its status will be changed if the Maastricht treaty takes effect.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The European monetary system is established by a resolution of the European Council. Its legal status will not be changed if the treaty on European union agreed at Maastricht takes effect.

  EC Citizenship
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the level of public support for the creation of Community citizenship by the Maastricht treaty.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The Maastricht treaty as a whole is a good agreement for Britain, and has been commended by Parliament. The establishment of the concept of citizenship of the union will be helpful in ensuring that the position of individual citizens within the Community is respected and enhanced, in the areas in question—limited voting rights and consular protection.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Scientific Research
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what scientific research is being sponsored into the origins of life and the beginnings of the universe.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Science and Engineering Research Council supports a number of projects in these areas through its research grant programme and through access to major observational and experimental facilities.

  Research relating to the origins of life includes work in molecular biology and genetics which will allow scientists to search for the earliest evidence from fossil and geological records of simple proteins, metabolic pathways and early microbe forms.

  Research into the origins and history of the universe, in which United Kingdom scientists play a leading role, includes:
  High-energy particle physics at CERN and elsewhere where research into the structure of matter and the way it interacts provides information on the very early development of the universe.
  Observational astrophysics using both ground-based and space-launched telescopes. The former includes those on La Palma and in Hawaii; and plans are well advanced for two new large optical telescopes to be built in collaboration with the United States of America and Canada. Space-based observation is supported through the United Kingdom's membership of the European Space Agency and by collaboration with other agencies such as NASA.
  Research into the detection of "Dark Matter" (at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Imperial College) and into Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (at Cambridge and Jodrell Bank).

  223
  A number of theoretical reseach programmes including studies in quantum gravity and mathematical astrophysics.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Departmental Staff
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the responsibilities of each of the deputy secretaries in his Department and the numbers and ranks of staff reporting to each.

  Mr. Nelson
  The responsibilities of each of the deputy secretaries in the Treasury are as follows. The information on the numbers of staff reporting to each is contained in the table.

  Deputy Secretary (Overseas Finance):

  Responsible for:

  European Community Group

  Aid and Export Finance Group

  International Finance Group

  Deputy Secretary (Public Finance):

  Responsible for:

  Fiscal Policy Group

  Monetary Policy Group

  Grade

  DS

  DS

  DS

  DS

  DS

  Overseas finance

  Public finance

  Public services

  CS Management and pay

  Industry

  G3

  4

  2

  2

  3

  3

  G4

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  G5

  7

  4

  8

  11

  7

  G6

  1

  1

  2

  7

  2

  G7

  17

  9

  16

  42

  17

  SEO

  3

  1

  6

  37

  3

  HEO

  4

  1

  10

  30

  13

  HEO(D)

  2

  1

  2

  —

  1

  AT

  —

  1

  2

  1

  3

  EO

  9

  4

  8

  45

  10

  SAS

  —

  —

  —

  27

  —

  AS

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  SSO

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  HSO

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  SEA

  2

  4

  —

  —

  —

  EA

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  AO

  11

  6

  10

  43

  16

  AA

  4

  3

  7

  17

  6

  SPS

  1

  —

  2

  2

  2

  PS

  11

  8

  9

  16

  10

  Typist

  2

  3

  2

  4

  4

  SB2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Total

  81

  48

  87

  265

  97

  Notes:

  1. Staff in post figures as at I June 1992, except for financial services command which includes latest estimate of staff being transferred from DTI.

  2. Figures for part-time staff rounded down.

  3. In addition to the above staff there are 761 staff in the following commands: First Permanent Secretary, Second Permanent Secretary responsible for Public Expenditure (ie, the General Expenditure Policy Group and the Defence Policy and Material Group), Chief Economic Adviser, Chief Accountancy Adviser and the Establishments and Organisation Group.

  RPI Advisory Committee
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider transferring the functions of the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee to the Central Statistical Office.

  Mr. Nelson
  The position is set out in the agency framework document of the Central Statistical Office, copies of which are available in the Library:"The scope and definition of the [Retail Prices] Index continue to be a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Director [of the CSO] will continue to take the lead in
  224

  Deputy Secretary (Public Services):

  Responsible for:

  Local Government Group

  Health, Social Services and Territorial Group

  Running Costs Division (part)

  Central Unit on Purchasing (also has responsibility for CCTA which is to be transferred to the Office for Public Services and Science in due course)

  Deputy Secretary (Civil Service Management and Pay):

  Responsible for:

  Pay Group

  Personnel Policy Group

  Management Policy and Running Costs Group

  CS Catering Organisation (Forward)

  Deputy Secretary (Industry):

  Responsible for:

  Public Enterprises Group

  Industry, Agriculture and Employment Group

  Home and Education Group

  Deputy Secretary (Financial Institutions and Markets):

  Responsible for:

  Banking Group

  Securities and Investment Services Group (formerly the Financial Service Division of the DTI, transferred to the Treasury in June 1992).

  advising on methodological questions concerning the RPI and to chair an RPI Advisory Committee to which the Chancellor will refer issues for consideration as appropriate.

  I am satisfied with this arrangement.

  Missile Technology
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how may prosecutions Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Department has initiated against United Kingdom companies since 1987 for breaching the provisions of the missile technology control regime.
  225
  Sir John Cope
  The United Kingdom's obligations under the missile technology control regime are included, with obligations under other non-proliferation regimes, in the restrictions imposed under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991. Exportation of some goods can contravene more than one of these regimes. Prosecutions are based on breaches of the Export of Goods Control Order and customs records do not therefore identify which underlying non-proliferation regime is concerned.

  Carbon Tax
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use is scheduled for the revenue from a carbon tax under the current proposals.

  Sir John Cope
  The European Community Commission has recently prepared a draft directive for the Council's consideration. We have just received an official copy of the draft directive and will need to examine details of it carefully. The introduction of a tax along the lines the Commission proposes would require the unanimous agreement of all 12 member states. The Government have taken no decisions as to the use to be made of the revenues to the Exchequer which such a tax would produce.

  Trades Unions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how often in the calendar years 1990 and 1991 he met trades unions officers(a) in the National Economic Development Office at its committees and (b) in other contexts.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor and his predecessor attended two NEDC meetings in 1990 and two in 1991. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor also met officers of civil service unions twice in 1991.

  Plant and Machinery
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total value of investment in new plant and machinery in the United Kingdom in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Portillo
  Latest estimates of fixed investment in plant and machinery in the United Kingdom are as follows:

  Current Prices £ million

  Constant (1985) Prices £ million

  1977

  9,707

  17,124

  1978

  11,446

  18,313

  1979

  13,539

  19,736

  1980

  14,958

  19,660

  1981

  15,067

  18,269

  1982

  16,296

  18,478

  1983

  17,935

  19,401

  1984

  20,266

  21,227

  1985

  23,870

  23,870

  1986

  24,690

  24,250

  1987

  27,073

  25,943

  1988

  31,428

  29,762

  1989

  36,258

  33,485

  1990

  36,987

  32,610

  1991

  34,064

  29,364

  Source: CSO database. Identifiers DFCX and DFCY.

  2. The figures are consistent with those in the CSO Press Notice "Gross Domestic Product, first quarter 1992" released on 24 June 1992.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what has been the total value at current sterling levels of exports of manufactured goods in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available; and what percentage of total exports these figures represented in each of those years;

  (2) what has been the total value at current sterling levels of imports of manufactured goods in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available; and what percentage of total imports these figures represented in each of those years.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is regularly published in table A9 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" and table D5 of its annual supplement which are available in the Library of the House. The latest figures may be found on the Central Statistical Office database which can also be accessed through the Library.

  Commemorative Coins
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government plan to issue any new commemorative coins.

  Mr. Lamont
  Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that a £2 coin be issued featuring a special design to commemorate the tercentenary of the Bank of England in 1994. It is not intended that the coin should go into general circulation, although standard versions will be available at most banks and post offices at face value, and special collectors' versions will be issued in precious metal and base metal.

  Financial Services Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the self-regulatory systems of the financial services industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: Responsibility for the regulation of financial services passed to me on 7 June 1992. No changes are planned as a result of the transfer, but I shall of course keep the effectiveness of the regulatory system under review.

  Investors Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the current funding arrangements made by the self-regulatory bodies for the future of the investors compensation scheme.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The funding of the investors compensation scheme is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.

DEFENCE

  Personnel Numbers
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants currently work for the Ministry of Defence; and what is his estimate of the number of active service personnel there will be by the end of the current year.
  227
  Mr. Aitken
  At 1 May 1992, the Ministry of Defence employed a total of 138,982 full-time equivalent civil servants, excluding casual staff and locally employed civilians overseas. The strength of the United Kingdom regular forces at the end of the next financial year is estimated to be 265,600.

  RAF Wyton
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what would be the cost of moving staff from the MOD establishment in Harrogate to RAF Wyton under the present proposals;

  (2) what is the estimate of the overall cost of co-locating staff from the logistic: support services at RAF Wyton.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The estimated cost of relocating the MOD Harrogate function and the logistics support services to Wyton/Brampton is £49 million gross.

  RAF Brampton
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the size and description of the accommodation at present occupied by logistics command at RAF Brampton.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The new logistics command has not yet been formed and as such does not yet occupy any accommodation at RAF Brampton. HQRAF support command does, however, occupy some 10,000 sq m of modern purpose-built accommodation. The site also possesses 384 married quarters and single quarters for 152 officers, 68 warrant officers/senior non-commissioned officers, 239 corporals and other ranks.

  Tornado
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the two Tornado squadrons in the maritime attack role will in future be nuclear-capable.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Tornado squadrons in question will be dual-capable but will not retain a nuclear strike role against maritime targets.

  Logistics
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a breakdown of the costings set out for the nine options in his consultative document on. RAF logistics command location, the support management group and logistic support services.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. Provision of a detailed breakdown would disclose information which is, or could become, commercially sensitive.

  Married Quarters
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of married RAF service men employed at the MOD in Harrogate and the number living in married quarters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are 276 married RAF service men employed at MOD Harrogate, of whom 65 live in married quarters.

  Peacekeeping
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is given to NATO soldiers in optimum methods of peacekeeping.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  NATO has not so far been involved as a collective organisation in peacekeeping, although that may change in the future. The question of the requirement to train NATO soldiers in a peacekeeping role remains to be considered.

  British forces have, of course, contributed to United Nations peacekeeping operations. For this latter role, the essential skills are those a soldier and unit are expected normally to achieve, supplemented as necessary by training related to the specific tasks which might be required by the particular UN operation.

  Courts Martial
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number and description of courts martial, convened for the trial of persons subject to military law in the Army in the United Kingdom in the year ended 28 February 1991.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There were 442 district courts martial and 24 general courts martial.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number and description of courts martial convened outside the United Kingdom for the trial of persons, including civilians, subject to military law in the year ended 28 February 1991.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  District courts martial, 385; general courts martial, 21.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many offences the death penalty is available to an Army court martial in respect of accused persons, including civilians,(a) in the United Kingdom in time of peace and (b) outside the United Kingdom in peacetime or wartime.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Army Act 1955 provides for the death penalty in the United Kingdom and overseas for the following offences: assisting the enemy; serious misconduct in action; obstructing operations; mutiny; and failure to suppress mutiny.

  This applies to any person, service man or civilian, subject to the Act. It is the policy, however, that such sentences should never be carried out in peacetime.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what directions are given to officers convening courts martial to inform the news media of the time and place at which a courts martial in the Army is to be held; and what is the practice followed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All Army headquarters convening courts martial are to compile weekly a list of forthcoming trials and this is to be posted at least 24 hours —48 hours in the case of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR)—before the time of the first trial mentioned. The lists are posted at, or in the vicinity of, the headquarters in a place which is accessible to the public. Also the news media can contact the Ministry of Defence press desk to ascertain the time and place of a specific courts martial.
  229
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the maximum powers of minor punishment which can be inflicted by commanding officers or company commanders in the Army on officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks, without the defendant having any right to elect trial by court martial.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The maximum powers are:Commanding Officer

  Officers—Severe Reprimand

  Warrant Officers—Severe Reprimand

  Non-Commissioned Officers—Severe Reprimand

  Other Ranks—Admonition, Restriction of Privileges

  Company Commanders

  Junior Non-Commissioned Officers—Reprimand

  Other Ranks—Admonition, Restriction of Privileges

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the maximum powers of summary punishment which can be inflicted by commanding officers in the Army on officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, other ranks and civilians subject to military law subject to the right of the defendant to elect trial by court martial.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Officers—forfeiture of seniority.

  Warrant officers—fine of up to 28 days pay.

  Non-commissioned officers—fine of up to 28 days pay.

  Other ranks—60 days detention.

  Civilian—fine of up to £100.

  Military Custody
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of persons in the year ended 28 February 1991 who have died in military custody, and from what cause,(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are available to persons in military custody(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) outside the United Kingdom to get legal aid and advice.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the United Kingdom, when someone is interviewed by the service police, that person is entitled to advice from a civilian solicitor in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 and the relevant code of practice. If the matter is to be dealt with by court martial, the person may apply for legal aid by way of civilian professional assistance in accordance with a legal aid scheme that is administered by the Ministry of Defence. A person held in military custody but to be tried in a civil court can apply for civil legal aid through the civil courts.

  Outside the United Kingdom it is normal practice for officers of the legal services to perform the role of a civilian solicitor when a person is interviewed by service police under PACE. The military legal aid scheme is available overseas in the same way as it is within the United Kingdom, although it is extended to cover alleged offences, tried by criminal courts, committed on or off duty. The legal aid scheme is available to all ranks and to members of the civilian component and dependants.

  Commanding Officers (Hearings)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what access the public and news media are giving to hearings before commanding officers; and what means they have of knowing when such hearings are to take place.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Unlike in the case of courts martial, the public and news media have no access to hearings before commanding officers. The services do not inform the public or news media when such hearings are to take place.

  Empty Ministry Property
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all empty residential property in the London borough of Greenwich which is in the ownership or control of his Ministry and the type of accommodation available; how long each property has been vacant; and what is the intended future use.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 31 March 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, 99 MOD-owned service married quarters, out of a total of 659, were vacant in the London borough of Greenwich. Ninety-eight had been vacant for under one year and one for between one and two years. All the properties are required for use by serving or redundant service personnel.

  Many of the vacant properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation and some were already allotted to service families who were due to move in shortly. In addition, nine married quarters were in the process of being sold and negotiations were taking place to lease 30 quarters to a housing association to accommodate redundant service personnel.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members Office Costs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the estimated cost of increasing the office costs allowance for hon. Members by 25 per cent.

  Mr. Newton
  The office costs allowance represents a maximum sum against which a Member may claim actual expenses incurred. The cost arising from an increase in the maximum of the OCA would depend, therefore, on the extent to which the allowable expenses of Members increased. The maximum additional cost of a 25 per cent. increase in the OCA would be around £4.7 million in a full year.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Horn of Africa
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what pledges Her Majesty's Government have made for food aid to the Horn of Africa; and what percentage of total pledges they represent in real terms.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have so far in 1992–93 pledged 57,000 tonnes of bilateral food aid for the Horn of Africa.
  231
  In addition, we have agreed to the use of 8,346 tonnes of our multilateral pledge to the World Food Programme for emergency operations in Eritrea. Taken together, these represent some 6.5 per cent. of total pledges, which, according to the WFP, amount to approximately 1 million tonnes for 1992.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will be increasing levels of food aid to the Horn of Africa in response to the recent statements from the UN World Food Programme.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  An additional 12,000 tonnes of food aid for the Horn of Africa was announced on 1 June in response to recent reports indicating the need for further pledges. A new special emergency programme for the Horn of Africa (SEPHA) appeal is expected shortly and we will be considering carefully our response to that as soon as it is issued.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what quantity of aid the Overseas Development Administration has provided for Ethiopia for the years 1989 to 1992; and what quantity of aid it plans to provide in the years 1993 to 1996, in cash and real terms.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Expenditure in 1989, 1990 and 1991 was respectively £12 million, £20 million and, provisionally, £22 million, mainly in the form of humanitarian assistance. In 1992, humanitarian aid provided under the bilateral programme has so far amounted to £11 million.

  Future humanitarian needs, and our response, will be considered at the time. Under the long-term bilateral development programme, we expect to be involved in the rehabilitation process through non-governmental organisations and in such key sectors as education, including training.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will provide additional resources to ensure that pledges of food aid to the Horn of Africa are not delayed.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In addition to new pledges of food aid, we have already provided £4 million for infrastructure projects aimed at facilitating delivery of relief supplies. We shall be considering carefully what further response is required to the new special emergency programme for the Horn of Africa appeal, which is expected shortly.

EDUCATION

  Student Unions (Grants)
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was paid out by higher and further education institutions via block grant to student unions in the past nine years(a) as a national total, (b) per pupil and (c) by institution.

  Mr. Forman
  Grant payments from universities in Great Britain to their student unions in the years in question were:

  Academic years

  £ million

  1Per student (£)1

  1982–83

  15.1

  45.91

  1983–84

  16.4

  50.25

  1984–85

  15.9

  48.68

  232

  Academic years

  £ million

  1Per student (£)1

  1985–86

  17.0

  51.12

  1986–87

  17.2

  50.48

  1987–88

  17.5

  50.56

  1988–89

  17.1

  47.22

  1989–90

  18.0

  47.07

  1990–91

  219.7

  248.70

  1 The per student figures are based on total full and part-time student numbers.

  2Provisional.

  The "Universities Statistical Record", which collects these figures, does not publish information on student union grants disaggregated by institution. Information is not available centrally for institutions in the polytechnics and colleges funding council sector or the further education sector.

  Schools, Colne Valley
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money each of the following schools in the Colne Valley constituency received in 1991–92 and will receive in 1992–93 from Kirklees local education authority; and how many pupils each school had at the beginning of those two years; Colne Valley high school, Holmfirth high school, Honley high school, Moorend high school and Salendine Nook high school.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is taken from Kirklees local education authority's budget statements for the years 1991–92 and 1992–93, published under section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988:

  1991–92

  1992–93

  High School

  Number of pupils

  Budget share £

  Number of pupils £

  Budget share

  Colne Valley

  1,399

  2,302,459

  1,446

  2,543,317

  Holmfirth

  1,005

  1,604,226

  1,031

  1,750,826

  Honley

  1,150

  1,936,100

  1,121

  2,036,093

  Moorend

  800

  1,388,723

  808

  1,476,858

  Salendine Nook

  1,105

  1,768,887

  1,132

  1,923,585

  Illiteracy
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, columns 158–59, whether the figure of 5.5 million functionally illiterate pupils includes those people who are literate in another language but functionally illiterate in English.

  Mr. Forman
  No. The adult literacy and basic skills unit estimates that an additional 500,000 adults in England and Wales whose first language is not English are "functionally illiterate" in English.

  Taiwanese Students
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students from Taiwan and currently studying in universities and colleges of further education in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forman
  Figures for the latest available academic year 1990–91 show that there were 591 students from
  233
  Taiwan on courses of higher education, with a further 152 taking courses of further education in the United Kingdom.

  Discretionary Awards
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures are taken by his Department to monitor the nature, range and value of discretionary awards made by local education authorities.

  Mr. Forman
  My Department collects information annually from each local education authority in England and Wales on the number and aggregate value of discretionary awards made by it under sections 1(6) and 2 of the Education Act 1962 to students for attendance on courses of further and higher education.

  Refurbishment
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money has been spent on refurbishing his Department over the past three years.

  Mr. Forman
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  £ thousands

  1989–90

  277

  1990–91

  302

  1991–92

  697

  The London headquarters of the Department moved to new premises in January 1992.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement concerning the effects of local management of schools over the past two years.

  Mr. Forth
  The effects of local management of schools can be loosely attributed to the two main planks of LMS policy—formula funding and delegation.

  The introduction of formula funding has meant that schools have been allocated funds according to a system that is open and equitable. Historical inequities have been revealed and are being addressed. The new openness has resulted in greater confidence and better-informed debate about relative funding needs. LMS has ensured that schools are funded mainly on the basis of their success in recruiting pupils—the more pupils they attract, the more money they get. In this way, LMS has given schools a strong incentive to be responsive to parents and rewards good schools.

  Local management of schools requires the bulk of the local education authority school budget to be delegated to schools themselves, for governors to manage as they see fit. When schools receive a delegated budget, governing bodies also acquire the power to appoint and dismiss staff. LMS has therefore resulted in a marked shift of power from LEAs to schools. It has meant less money being retained and spent in county hall and more being spent in and by schools. It has meant greater flexibility for schools to manage their budget according to their own priorities.

  We must remember that LMS is still in its infancy. Not all schools yet have full control of budgets allocated entirely by uncushioned formula. Transitional arrangements have however to be phased out by April 1994–1995
  234
  for inner London LEAs. Nevertheless, LMS has been widely welcomed by schools and there is general agreement that it has been a major positive development. That success has been due, in large part, to the dedication and hard work of governors and senior management in schools who have embraced their wider responsibilities with enthusiasm. Nor would LMS have been possible without the major contribution of LEA officers. I believe that the present popularity of LMS is well founded and I am confident that, as LMS policy matures, it will make an increasing contribution to improving standards in our schools.

  London University
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of students for the last available year at London university were from(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America and (c) Japan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  This information is not held centrally.

  Seven-year-olds (Testing)
  Mr. Fatchett
  ; To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will set out the percentage of seven-year-olds in the 1991 standard assessment tasks who reached (a) level 3, (b) level 2, (c) level 1 in attainment target 2 of English—reading—and (d) the percentage of children who failed to reach level 1.

  Mr. Forth
  As indicated in "Testing 7 year olds in 1991: results of the National Curriculum assessments in England", copies of which are in the Library of the House, the percentages of seven-year-olds reaching the different levels in the reading component of English in the 1991 tests for seven-year-olds were as follows:

  Per cent.

  Level 3

  21

  Level 2

  50

  Level 1

  26

  Working towards level 1

  2

  Disapplied/not tested

  1

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in summary form the main information that his Department made available on renewable energy sources for consideration at the United Nations conference on the environment and development.

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Kingdom national report for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development included the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" and the first-year report. These documents, copies of which are in the Library of the House, set out the United Kingdom's position on renewable sources of energy. In addition, my Department provided advice to the United Kingdom delegation to the conference on the renewable energy aspects of Agenda 21, particularly in relation to the chapter on the atmosphere.

  Auditing Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will investigate the lowballing practices of major auditing firms.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Nuffield Press
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, further to his correspondence with the hon. Member for Great Grimsby in respect of Nuffield Press Ltd., when he became aware of the errors in its accounts; what information he has sought from Coopers and Lybrand; and what steps have been taken by the auditors or the company to inform auditors of the errors in accounts.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A typographical error in a note to the company's accounts was drawn to my Department's attention by the hon. Member in his letter of 23 March to my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood). As the hon. Member is aware from the subsequent letters from my predecessor and myself, the facts were checked with the company's auditors and the company is understood to be arranging to revise the accounts by a supplementary note.

  Sunshine Policies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any proposals under which the Accounting Standards Board will be required to embrace sunshine policies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  This is a matter for the Accounting Standards Board.

  Textile Industry
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he proposes to designate Lancashire as a region for assistance under the Retex initiative.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The European Commission has decided that grants under the Retex initiative, for regions heavily dependent on the textiles and clothing sector, should be available only within areas designated for objective 1, 2 or 5(b) of the structural funds. The travel-to-work areas of Accrington and Rossendale, Blackburn, Bolton and Bury, Burnley, Liverpool, Pendle, Rochdale and Wigan and St. Helens—which lie wholly or partly within Lancashire—are so designated.

  The Commission has asked the Government to decide by 4 December 1992 which parts of the designated areas should receive Retex grants. I shall take a decision in due course.

  BBC
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has received the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission into the promotion by the BBC of its publications on air; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is currently considering the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the 236
  publicising, in the course of providing a television broadcasting service, of goods supplied by the broadcaster, which he received on 19 June. The report will be published as soon as is practicable. The contents of all MMC reports remain confidential until publication. If the MMC finds no adverse effects, my right hon. Friend has no power to act. If the MMC has reached any adverse findings, he will decide what steps, if any, should be taken to remedy the situation.

  Coal
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give his most up-to-date estimate of the level of coal stockpiled on the ground at(a) pitheads and (b) power stations in the ownership of National Power, PowerGen or British Coal; what proposals he has, pursuant to the transitional coal-burn arrangement covering the period to April 1993, to encourage consumption of current coal stocks by the electricity generating companies; and what steps he will take to reduce coal stocks after April 1993.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on coal stocks held at power stations and collieries in Great Britain is available in "Energy Trends", a statistical bulletin published monthly by my Department and available in the Library of the House. Coal consumption is a commercial matter for the companies concerned.

  Manufacturing Industries
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement detailing his policies for the future of the United Kingdom manufacturing industries;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that manufacturing industries remain major, successful and competitive contributors to the economy.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Government's policy is to provide the environment within which British industry can thrive. As the Confederation of British Industry noted in its report "Competing with the World's Best", recent years have seen a transformation in Britain's manufacturing base.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies are at present being undertaken by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and when it started these inquiries.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The MMC is presently undertaking these inquiries:

  Type of reference and subject matter

  Referral

  Due (in date order)

  Merger

  Bond/British International Helicopters

  9 June 1992

  9 September 1982

  Merger

  Bristow/British International Helicopters

  9 June 1992

  9 September 1992

  Merger

  BM Group/Thwaites

  11 June 1992

  11 September 1992

  237

  Type of reference and subject matter

  Referral

  Due (in date order)

  Monopoly

  Contact Lens Solutions

  30 April 1992

  29 February

  Cars
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will be responding to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report into the price of new cars in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  On 6 May my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced that he had asked the Director General of Fair Trading to begin discussions with car suppliers with a view to implementing the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's recommendations on the supply of new cars and for advice on whether any further action should be taken by the competition authorities in the light of a statement which Sir Leon Brittan made on the EC study of car prices.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he proposes to publish the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the Commonwealth Development Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The report is published today. The commission was asked to carry out an extensive inquiry into the efficiency and costs of, and the service provided by, the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  The commission is impressed by the dedication with which CDC staff work towards the corporation's objectives. It finds that the CDC is a competent organisation and that it provides a particularly valuable form of assistance to the economies of developing countries. It believes that the CDC's project-based approach, organisation and long-term commitment to its investments are well suited to its objectives. It reports that cash management is effective and that costs are not excessive and are well controlled.

  The commission nevertheless concludes that the CDC could continue to make efficiency improvements. The commission recommends in particular that CDC should invest only in projects that, generally, meet specified rate of return thresholds and have an acceptable social and environmental impact; CDC should adopt a policy of charging market rates on its loans; CDC should improve its treatment of risk in projects appraisals; and CDC should set up a representative programme of evaluation and operational projects.

  The commission notes some disadvantages in the current policy framework regarding restrictions on CDC's borrowing and liquidity, and the structure of its balance sheet. It believes that these issues should be examined further in the context of the forthcoming five-yearly review of CDC carried out by interested Government Departments and CDC.

  The CDC will produce a preliminary response to the commission's findings within three to four months, in the light of which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will make a statement.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has recently received about manufacturing investment in the north-west.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: The Department receives considerable correspondence about the state of business in the north-west.

  Mr. David Vidler
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the reasons why he issued a special certificate under the national security provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, in respect of Mr. David Vidler, of Rock lane, Hastings, East Sussex.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have been asked to reply.

  Like other Ministers, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has responsibility to the public to ensure that the interests of national security are not put at risk by the details of a particular case being subjected to open examination. He was satisfied that the case of Mr. Vidler fell within this criterion.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Environmental Impact Assessments
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to ensure that environmental impact assessments are applied to new agricultural plans and policies, including the whole of the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government do not believe that formal environmental impact assessment is appropriate or practicable for policies and plans. This would introduce onerous, over-elaborate and inflexible legal procedures which would seriously complicate and delay decision-making processes. The Government have, therefore, adopted a more effective and practicable approach.

  Guidelines for Government Departments to ensure that the environmental implications policies and plans are properly addressed as part of the decision-making process were published by the Department of the Environment in 1991. A copy of this publication, "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" is available in the Library of the House. All Departments, including this one, follow these guidelines in respect of their policies and plans.

  We are also determined to ensure that environmental protection is made an integral part of the common agricultural policy. In response to my right hon. Friend the Minister's insistence on this point, the Agriculture Council at its meeting in May made a specific declaration calling on the Commission to make early proposals to this effect. We will be seeking to ensure that progress is made during the United Kingdom presidency.

  Countryside Premium Scheme
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to introduce a nationwide countryside premium scheme top-up.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Member for Leominster (Mr. Temple-Morris) on 22 June, Official Report, column 77.

  Habitat Protection
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a long-term habitat creation and management scheme along the lines of the US conservation reserve programme.

  Mr. Curry
  We plan to introduce an environmental set-aside scheme under the agri-environment measures agreed as part of the common agricultural policy reform measures. This will not necessarily resemble the US conservation reserve programme which focuses primarily on preventing soil erosion and improving water quality.

  Fallen Animals
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide figures for the number of fallen cattle, sheep and pigs removed by licensed knackers yard operators in 1988, 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Soames
  Precise figures are not available but it is estimated that currently licensed knackers yards probably handle in excess of half a million fallen sheep, cattle and pigs annually.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current regulations to ensure that fallen sheep, cattle and pigs are handled only by licensed knackers yard operators.

  Mr. Soames
  There are a number of methods available to farmers for the disposal of fallen stock, including removal to a licensed knackers yard. Proper burial and incineration are also acceptable disposal methods, as is removal to hunt kennels.

  Exports of carcase meal 1985 to 1991

  Thousand tonnes

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Lamb and mutton

  48.8

  60.1

  71.2

  76.0

  89.3

  79.8

  83.1

  Pork

  43.4

  50.5

  43.6

  52.7

  52.5

  50.0

  75.1

  Bacon and ham

  5.7

  5.8

  4.9

  5.1

  5.5

  5.0

  4.9

  Veal

  0.6

  1.9

  2.7

  1.3

  1.4

  0.4

  1.1

  Beef

  184.1

  184.1

  188.8

  131.7

  150.9

  121.9

  133.0

  Total

  282.6

  302.4

  311.2

  266.8

  299.6

  257.1

  297.3

  Imports of carcase meat 1985 to 1991

  Thousand tonnes

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  From the EC

  Lamb and mutton

  0.8

  0.3

  0.4

  1.5

  1.8

  2.0

  2.1

  Pork

  28.5

  29.3

  44.3

  56.4

  89.9

  79.8

  74.6

  Bacon and ham

  262.0

  256.1

  258.8

  255.0

  258.4

  258.7

  253.3

  Veal

  3.4

  4.7

  3.7

  2.2

  1.4

  1.1

  7.3

  Beef

  121.7

  173.8

  187.9

  211.4

  170.7

  138.6

  143.5

  Total

  416.4

  464.2

  495.1

  526.5

  522.2

  480.2

  480.8

  From non-EC

  Lamb and mutton

  172.5

  142.1

  153.8

  134.9

  135.3

  151.8

  121.6

  Pork

  7.3

  4.5

  4.8

  4.2

  4.0

  1.2

  0.6

  Bacon and ham

  2.4

  2.2

  1.4

  1.3

  1.6

  1.1

  0.6

  Veal

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Beef

  53.5

  49.5

  49.7

  53.2

  46.6

  36.5

  38.8

  Total

  235.7

  198.3

  209.7

  193.6

  187.5

  190.6

  161.6

  240
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to prevent the illicit dumping of the carcases of fallen animals.

  Mr. Soames
  The State Veterinary Service acts in close concert with local authorities so that action can be taken against illegal dumping of carcases. Illegal dumping is an offence under the Dogs Act 1906 but the intention is to increase penalties for such activities when legislation to implement Community rules in relation to the disposal of animal waste is introduced.

  Meat Exports
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will show the tonnage of(a) lamb, (b) mutton, (c) pork, (d) veal and (e) beef exported from the United Kingdom in each year since 1985;

  (2) if he will show the tonnage of (a) lamb, (b) mutton, (c) pork, (d) veal and (e) beef imported into the United Kingdom from EC and non-EC countries in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  The tables show exports and imports of the various meats exported from, and imported into, the United Kingdom in each year since 1985. To assist comparability, boneless meat has been converted to bone-in weights, except in the case of bacon and ham which has also been included in the tables. The figures do not include trade in meat offals or in preserved or manufactured meat products—for example, canned meat.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live animals were exported from the United Kingdom for(a) breeding, (b) further fattening (c) immediate slaughter and (d) other purposes in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Soames
  The overseas trade statistics classify trade in live animals according to whether it is pure-bred breeding animals or other animals but they do not provide the exact classifications of trade, by intended purpose, which the hon. Member is seeking. The hon. Member is referred to the annual volumes of the "Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.

  Orange Juice
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the food companies being prosecuted by his Department in connection with the sale of adulterated orange juice.

  Mr. Soames
  Information variously alleging offences under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 and the Food Safety Act 1990 were laid on 6 February this year against the following defendants:

  Asda Stores Ltd.

  Cima Foods Ltd.

  Express Dairy Ltd.

  Gerber Foods Manufacturing Ltd.

  Gerber Foods International Ltd.

  Healds Juices Ltd. Princes Ltd.

  Safeway plc

  Sainsbury plc

  Superdrug Stores Ltd.

  Tesco Stores Ltd.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions govern the amount of sugar which may be added to a litre of orange juice labelled as unsweetened.

  Mr. Soames
  The composition and labelling of orange juice are regulated by the Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 1977 which implement European Community rules. The regulations permit the addition of sugars to orange juice up to a level of 100 g per litre, but if added at levels above 15 g per litre the word "sweetened" must appear on the label, with a declaration of the quantity of sugars added. There is no specific definition for the description "unsweetened". It is, of course, subject to the general provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990—sections 14 and 15—and as such must not mislead the purchaser to a material degree as to the nature, substance or quality of the food.

  Cetaceans
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development took on the report of the International Whaling Commission's sub-committee on small cetaceans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  None.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims for disability living allowance remained to be decided as of 1 June;

  (2) what is the average delay between the approval of a claim for a disability living allowance and the claimant being paid;

  (3) in what proportion of decisions on disability living allowance have appeals against the decision been made; and in how many of these cases the appeal has been determined in favour of the claimant;

  (4) how many claims for disability living allowance had been decided by 1 June.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time from submission of a claim for disability living allowance to its resolution.

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

  Attendance Allowance
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how long claims on the new-style self-assessment form for attendance allowance are taking to process and payments to commence; how long the old-style claims, where a doctor visits to make an assessment, are taking to clear and payments to commence; what are his Department's target times to deal with each kind of claim; and how many claim applications have been waiting for longer than the target times;

  (2) of the cases adjudicated under the new procedure in relation to self-assessment for attendance allowance, how many have been decided; how many were successful; how many were turned down; and how many were awarded (a) the higher rate and (b) the lower rate;

  (3) what measures are being taken to keep claimants informed of the progress of their claim for attendance allowance and of the time they should expect to wait.

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

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current average waiting time for dealing with claims for(a) attendance allowance, (b) mobility allowance and (c) disability living allowance and, in the case of (a) and (b), how those waiting times have varied over each of the last three years.
  243
  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Youth Poverty
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what figures he has for the level of poverty among 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland; and what action he intends to take.

  Mr. Burt
  We do not publish statistics on living standards disaggregated on a regional basis. However, the Social Services Select Committee has published an analysis carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies—"Households and Families Below Average Income: A Regional Analysis", copies of which are available in the Library.

  1987–88 £

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Total £

  England

  Roads

  859,260

  1,532,439

  5,901,519

  72,810

  8,366,028

  Local public transport

  351

  5

  0

  0

  356

  Railways

  2,286

  2,815,097

  460,245

  2,306

  3,279,934

  Airports

  3,934

  3,151

  7,685

  3,111

  17,881

  Ports

  9,473

  5,860

  2,425

  427

  18,185

  Total

  875,304

  4,356,552

  6,371,874

  78,654

  11,682,384

  Scotland

  Roads

  27,602

  9,427

  25,453

  29,016

  91,498

  Local public transport

  2,085

  377

  65

  2,834

  5,361

  Railways

  9,017

  142

  3,299

  6,422

  18,880

  Airports

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Ports

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  38,704

  9,946

  28,817

  38,272

  115,739

  Wales

  Roads

  604,913

  16,078

  8,000

  2,821,163

  3,450,154

  Local public transport

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Railways

  207

  1,450

  1,900

  747

  4,304

  Airports

  0

  32

  0

  23

  55

  Ports

  2,002

  2

  635

  11

  2,650

  Total

  607,122

  17,562

  10,535

  2,821,944

  3,457,163

  Northern Ireland

  Roads

  2,917

  1,554

  1,476

  591

  6,538

  Local public transport

  220

  600

  900

  0

  1,720

  Railways

  0

  564

  712

  256

  1,532

  Airports

  949

  1,773

  200

  0

  2,922

  Ports

  6,320

  3,954

  1,722

  1,430

  13,426

  Total

  10,406

  8,445

  5,010

  2,277

  26,138

  A13
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer on 13 May to the hon. Member for Corby (Mr. Powell), Official Report, column 107, if he will give a breakdown of the figure of £7 million for the Cotton street-Blackwall tunnel junction (A102).

  Mr. Norris
  Detailed design work is continuing but has already shown the need for additional work, including

  Social Fund
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total of social fund payment made, by way of grants and loans, at the local offices of Greenock and Port Glasgow in(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92; and what is the social fund allocation for these two offices in 1992–93 in terms of (i) grants and (ii) loans.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is in the Library.

TRANSPORT

  EC Funds
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the European Community funds received by the United Kingdom for transport infrastructure projects in each of the last five years broken down for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland and by mode of transport.

  Mr. Norris
  For the years for which information is available, United Kingdom transport projects received European Community funding as set out in the tables.

  statutory undertakers' diversions. The latest estimated total works cost of £7 million comprises £4 million for road works, £2 million for statutory undertakers' works and £1 million for value added tax.

  A21
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to improve the A21 between Flimwell and Hurst Green.
  245
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department appointed East Sussex county council last year to undertake a route assessment and scheme identification study for the A21 trunk road in East Sussex, including the section between Flimwell and Hurst Green. On receipt of the county council's final report, we shall consider whether to include further schemes in the national road programme.

  South Circular Road
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the further recommendations of his Department's consultants, Travers Morgan, arising from the south circular assessment study will be made public.

  Mr. Norris
  A decision was taken in March 1990 not to proceed with the major road building schemes recommended by the London assessment studies. The consultants were asked to examine more limited improvements to reduce accidents and to deal with local bottlenecks. Their findings have since been considered and developed further by the Department and no useful purpose would now be served by publishing them. Local authorities and others will be consulted when the Department is ready to bring forward proposals.

  International Agreements
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with(a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

  Mr. Norris
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for all international treaties and I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  Benzene
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to reduce the exposure of individuals to benzene resulting from petrol evaporation; and what discussions he has had with petrol companies and vehicle manufacturers concerning minimising exposure to benzene.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A number of steps have been taken, and are planned, to reduce evaporate emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include benzene, from the storage, distribution and use of petrol.

  The Government are in the process of adopting from the end of this year an EC directive setting stringent standards for the reduction of carbon monoxide, the combined total of hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen and evaporative emissions. Those measures will, in practice, require new cars to be fitted with catalytic converters in their exhaust systems that will reduce VOCs in car exhaust by about 75 per cent.

  The Government also have plans to adopt a new European standard for unleaded petrol next year. It will include lower "volatility" criteria, which will reduce evaporative emissions. The same volatility criteria will also be applied to leaded petrol.
  246
  The Government are co-operating with the European Commission in the drafting of directives which will reduce evaporative emissions from the storage and distribution of petrol and during car refuelling.

  The Government are in dialogue with both oil and motor industries on these matters.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last updated his traffic forecasts for the channel tunnel; and what was the source for the provision of the information.

  Mr. Freeman
  The channel tunnel is a private sector venture. Traffic forecasts are a matter for Eurotunnel and the railway companies running trains through the tunnel.

  My Department has, however, recently commissioned a study to update the information on the effects of the channel tunnel on the main trunk road links in Kent and the consultant's report is expected to be received in the very near future.

  No-claim Bonuses
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to the effect that innocent victims of vehicles damaged by hit-and-run drivers should not forfeit insurance no-claim bonuses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The terms and conditions of a no-claim discount scheme form part of the contract between the motorist and insurer. Such schemes have no statutory basis and it would not be right to seek to regulate their operation by legislation.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes have been made in the pattern of payment of the £400 million sought from the private sector for the Jubilee line extension.

  Mr. Norris
  No changes have been made. My right hon. Friend has repeatedly made it clear that we expect a contribution of the same value as that originally promised, including £100 million in the construction period.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will change his policy of seeking a £400 million contribution from the private sector for construction of the Jubilee line extension.

  Mr. Norris
  No.

  Transport Council
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of discussions held at the Transport Council on 22 and 23 June.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Transport Council held in Luxembourg on 22 and 23 June took three decisions of major and lasting importance for European transport.

  It agreed to liberalise the licensing of aviation operators, their access to markets in the European Community and the fares they charge from 1 January 1993. The liberalisation and competition that that will stimulate will be of fundamental and enduring importance to all those who use and work in aviation in Europe.
  247
  Restrictions on fares have been removed and airlines are free to introduce new lower fares without going through complex approval processes. The mechanisms by which other Governments can keep fares artificially high have been removed.

  British airlines will be able to fly any international route in the Community without restriction. Airlines will be able to fly not only London-Paris hut also London-Paris-Rome and, most importantly, Paris-Rome without any link with London. This removal of restrictions applies to the charter travel market as well as to scheduled services.

  The Council also agreed to liberalise maritime cabotage. The anachronism of the United Kingdom and some other member states having their coastal trades open while the rest did not will be ended. Here, too, the opening-up of markets is going to be of great importance and value to all users of shipping and to ship owners.

  The Council also agreed on cabotage for road passenger transport. This is of major importance to passengers and operators, most immediately for those using coach tours to other states. The details of the new agreements are as follows.

  Aviation Liberalisation

  The unanimous agreement of the Council on the third and final stage of aviation liberalisation for the completion of the single market was on three regulations covering licensing, market access, and fares and rates. Under the licensing regulation, any airline that meets uniform financial and safety requirements will from 1 January 1993 be entitled to an operating licence in any member state; member states will no longer be able to licence only "flag carriers". Under the market access regulation, Community airlines will operate on an equal basis throughout the EC, with access to all international routes within the Community from 1 January 1993. Community airlines will also be able to fly internal routes within member states —cabotage—from the same date where their flights are linked to an international flight, and from 1 April 1997 where they are free standing. The fares and rates regulation removes Government restrictions on pricing. New fares can be brought in immediately and existing restrictions on scheduled fares and charter rates will be swept away. There will be safeguards to protect the consumer against excessively high or predatory fares, but only exceptional circumstances. Regulation of fares is over.

  Road Passenger Liberalisation

  The Council's decision on liberalisation of road passenger cabotage provides for liberalisation of closed door tours—that is, where the same vehicle is used to carry the same group of passengers throughout a journey—from 1 January 1993 and the liberalisation of other non-regular services from 1 January 1996. There will also be a Council decision on regular service cabotage as soon as possible after a Commission proposal, to be submitted by the end of 1995.

  Maritime Liberalisation

  Under the agreement on the liberalisation of maritime cabotage, Community ship owners will from 1 January 1993 have the general right to carry goods between
  248
  mainland ports in the Community and also from any EC mainland port to off-shore installations. Liberalisation of some of these mainland port services will be phased in in the Mediterranean and along the coasts of Spain, Portugal and France—for example, cruises from 1 January 1995, transport of strategic goods from 1 January 1997; services by ships smaller than 650 gross tonnes from 1 January 1998 and regular passenger and ferry services from 1 January 1999. Mainland-to-island and island-to-island services will be liberalised in the Mediterranean from 1 January 1999, subject to a special exemption for certain Greek trades from 1 January 2004. In general, there will not be crew nationality restrictions for mainland cabotage over and above those imposed by the state of registry, but for a transitional period in respect of most types of island cabotage, host member states may impose their own crew nationality requirements.

  The Council also discussed but did not reach agreement on: the liberalisation of road haulage cabotage; fiscal harmonisation in the road sector; and a mandate for negotiations with third countries on inland waterways.

  Forthcoming United Kingdom Presidency

  There are important tasks remaining for the United Kingdom presidency in the transport sector. Full liberalisation of road haulage cabotage has yet to be agreed; and there will need to be Community agreement on airport slot allocation to complement the third aviation package. I also hope that during the United Kingdom presidency the Community will take forward the increasingly rigorous application of the state aid rules in the transport sector so as to provide for full and proper competition in the single market.

EMPLOYMENT

  Regional Offices
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide a table of expenditure showing the cost of running each regional office of her Department and the cost of running sub-regional offices aggregated by region and with Greater London shown separately and excluding the funding programmes operated by the offices for each year from 1987–88(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The table of expenditure shows the cost of running each regional office of the Department for Employment's training, enterprise and education directorate (TEED) for each year from 1987–88 to 1991–92. The figures are shown(a) at current prices and (b) at 1987–88 prices.

  The figures exclude the funding for programmes operated by the offices. It is not possible to identify separately the costs of running sub-regional offices. Any sub-regional office costs are subsumed within the totals for each regional office.

  The Employment Department group as a whole has other regionally based organisations, but is unable to supply information for those, except at disproportionate cost.

  249

  Employment Department TEED Regional running costs 1987–88 to 1991–92

  Region

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  At 1987–88 prices £000s

  At 1992–93 prices £000s

  At 1987–88 prices £000s

  At 1992–93 prices £000s

  At 1987–88 prices £000s

  At 1992–93 prices £000s

  At 1987–88 prices £000s

  At 1992–93 prices £000s

  At 1987–88 prices £000s

  At 1992–93 prices £000s

  South East

  11,531.8

  15,943.1

  11,352.1

  15,777.2

  10,836.2

  15,125.6

  7,147.8

  10,044.7

  2,462.9

  3,478.2

  London

  13,553.3

  18,738.1

  13,051.1

  18,138.5

  12,228.7

  17,069.3

  13,828.7

  19,433.2

  3,812.9

  5,384.7

  South West

  7,576.9

  10,475.4

  6,778.6

  9,421.0

  6,692.2

  9,341.3

  4,761.5

  6,691.2

  1,542.7

  2,178.6

  West Midlands

  10,944.9

  15,131.7

  10,058.4

  13,979.2

  9,661.4

  13,485.9

  8,867.6

  12,461.5

  2,407.7

  3,400.2

  East Midlands

  8,995.0

  12,435.9

  8,465.3

  11,765.1

  8,576.6

  11,971.7

  8,415.4

  11,825.9

  2,422.1

  3,420.8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  8,855.3

  12,242.7

  7,937.9

  11,032.2

  8,377.8

  11,694.2

  7,176.9

  10,085.5

  1,911.2

  2,699.9

  Northern

  7,443.9

  10,291.5

  6,908.8

  9,601.9

  6,871.0

  9,590.9

  3,494.9

  4,911.4

  1,818.9

  2,568.7

  North West

  13,823.1

  19,110.9

  12,902.0

  17,931.4

  12,555.6

  17,525.8

  10,048.2

  14,120.6

  2,898.0

  4,092.5

  Wales

  6,302.8

  8,713.8

  6,252.6

  8,689.9

  6,251.5

  8,726.3

  5,215.2

  7,328.9

  1,832.6

  2,587.9

  Scotland

  11,812.0

  16,330.5

  11,244.6

  15,627.9

  10,696.7

  14,930.9

  11,978.3

  16,832.7

  —

  —

  Total

  100.839.0

  139,413.6

  94,951.4

  131,964.3

  92,747.7

  129,461.9

  80,934.5

  113,735.6

  21,109.0

  29,811.5

  Note:

  It is not possible to make a direct comparison of the figures from 1990–91 onwards. From 1990–91, training and enterprise councils have replaced the Department's sub-regional offices—area offices—on a phased time scale which ended in 1991–92.

  Employment Prospects
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information she has on the employment prospects for people who are unemployed and do not enter employment training.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department does not produce forecasts of the employment prospects of people who are unemployed. Information based on claimant data for April 1991—April 1992 shows that 41 per cent. of individuals unemployed for six months will leave the register before they have been unemployed for 12 months. It is not possible to determine how many of these individuals will leave to go into ET, leave the labour market or find employment.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what means are used to monitor TECs' performance against the business plan in meeting their contractual obligation for people with disabilities and learning difficulties; what is done with the monitoring reports undertaken by her Department; and what publicity she gives to the outcomes of these monitoring visits.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Training and enterprise councils' business plans are examined before approval to ensure that they have included objectives and targets for helping people with disabilities. TECs arc required by their contract to provide regular performance statistics relating to the training and placing of people with disabilities. The Department's regional contract managers review TEC's achievements against objectives at regular intervals.

  Performance reports produced as part of this monitoring process are used to ensure that appropriate action is being taken and that TECs are delivering the agreed plan within the terms of their contract.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what means of support TECs provide for young people leaving special schools who wish to enter youth training and gain vocational qualifications; and what steps are taken to ensure that funding is available to meet the higher cost of training people with disabilities.
  250
  Mr. McLoughlin
  Support for young people with disabilities is provided as an integral part of the Department's training and enterprise programmes.

  All young people under 18 wishing to enter youth training and who are not in full-time education or employment are guaranteed a YT place. All young people with disabilities remain eligible for a place on YT beyond 18 under the extended guarantee, if their availability for YT has been delayed by the effects of their disability or health problems.

  TECs contract that every eligible person who is resident in a TEC's operational area and who is a member of the YT guarantee group or the YT extended guarantee group shall be assessed and offered a training opportunity with at least one approved qualification at or above level 2 national vocational qualification. For those young people with special needs for whom this would not be a realistic target, and provided that the individual is endorsed by the Careers Service as category A or B special training needs and continues to be a member of the YT guarantee or extended guarantee groups, the TEC has to ensure that training is individually designed to give them the support and help they need to make progress towards attainable general and vocational competences.

  TECs' training budgets are negotiated annually with the regional directors of the Employment Department. These negotiations take into account the anticipated additional costs of providing youth training for trainees who have special training needs.

  All young people including those leaving special schools come within these arrangements.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make the system of payment for TECs for training those with disabilities or learning difficulties independent of the length of time to achieve qualifications.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The system of payment for TECs already allows the duration of training to be tailored to the needs of the individual, including those with disabilities or learning difficulties.

  Training Credits
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action has been taken on the report of the Training Standards Advisory Service on the lessons learnt from the first round of training credit pilots; and if she will publish the report.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 17 June 1992, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment published a progress report on the first 12 months' operation of the pilots. The report summarised the findings from the main evaluation studies, including the inspections by the Training Standards Advisory Service (TSAS). Following normal practice, we do not intend to publish the TSAS report separately.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evaluation has been undertaken on the first round of training credits to determine whether the special needs of people with disabilities and learning difficulties are being met.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  As part of the evaluation, case studies were carried out last year in each of the pilot areas. The studies focused on the impact of credits on various groups including young people with special needs. An overview of the studies has been prepared for the Department by Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte. This report is freely available and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library. Further studies in this area are planned.

SCOTLAND

  Steel Sites
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Motherwell district council regarding the restoration of steel sites in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The work on this is being done on the Government's behalf principally by Scottish Enterprise and the Lanarkshire development agency, involving the local authorities and others as appropriate. As the hon. Member is aware, I will be meeting him along with the hon. Member for Motherwell, South (Dr. Bray) and representatives of Motherwell district council later today to discuss this issue.

  Youth Unemployment
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 16 and 17-year-olds in the Dundee travel-to-work area are currently unemployed or on youth training programmes.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  In the Dundee travel-to-work area in April 1992 the number of unemployed claimants aged under 17 was 26; and the number aged 17 was 51. Information about how many 16 and 17-year-olds in the Dundee travel-to-work area are on youth training programmes is not available in the form requested. However, the number of young people aged 18 and under on youth training in the Dundee City district council area was 1,262 as at 14 May 1992, the latest date for which figures are available.

  Kingston Bridge, Glasgow
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to assist Strathclyde regional council to keep Kingston bridge, Glasgow, open to traffic; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Plans for the future of Kingston bridge are matters for Strathclyde regional council in the first instance. We will, however, give careful consideration to any requirements included in the council's financial plans in respect of Kingston bridge when determining capital allocations for 1993–94 and subsequent years.

  Offensive Weapons
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any proposals to change the law on the carrying of offensive weapons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are already heavy penalties available in law for carrying and using offensive weapons. We are committed to changing the law to make it even more difficult to carry knives and will be bringing forward proposals in due course.

  Drug-related Crime
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources he is allocating to Strathclyde regional council police department to combat drug-related crimes; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Strathclyde regional council determines the resources allocated to Strathclyde police and it is for the chief constable to decide how the resources available to him should be deployed. The council receives police grant at 51 per cent. of its net expenditure on the police.

  A75
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any further improvements are planned for the A75 Stranraer/Carlisle road.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In recognition of its important role in serving ferry traffic to Ireland, the A75 Gretna to Stranraer route has now been substantially improved and all the major bypass schemes are complete. Current plans are aimed particularly at targeting residual overtaking and safety problems. The next major project, the Glen improvement just west of Dumfries, is currently at an advanced stage of preparation. In addition, a number of schemes are in preparation aimed specifically at road safety. As elsewhere in Scotland, there are projects on the A75 whose feasibility has not yet been established or developed which will be brought forward in the longer term.

  Diabetics
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to take steps to alter the treatment available to diabetics through the national health service.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Other than evaluating the possibility that pen injection systems might become
  253
  available on GP prescription, there are no present plans to alter the treatment available to diabetics through the NHS in Scotland.

  Governance
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's commitment to take stock of the Scottish constitutional question.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government are continuing to review ways of making the government of Scotland fully responsive to Scotland's needs within the framework of an integrated United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress to discuss constitutional change in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Ministers meet representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress from time to time for discussions on a broad range of matters, but have no plans for a meeting specifically to discuss constitutional change in Scotland.

  Alcohol-related Crime
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what actions he is taking to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related crime in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  To tackle alcohol-related crime we have tightened the licensing laws; provided tougher penalties for drink-driving offences; and introduced experimental bye-laws to prohibit drinking in public places. The Scottish Council on Alcohol, which receives substantial Government funding, has produced an education package "Ending Offending" which is widely used in penal establishments with offenders aged 16 to 30. There are many other local initiatives aimed at tackling alcohol and crime.

  Committee of the Regions
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about Scottish representation on the committee of the regions proposed in the draft treaty signed at Maastricht; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has received four representations about Scottish involvement in the proposed committee of the regions. The Government have not yet reached conclusions on how the United Kingdom's seats should be filled.

  Local Government Review
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when Her Majesty's Government expect to announce proposals arising from the current review of Scottish local government.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  We plan to issue in the autumn a second consultation paper setting out illustrative options for the new structure.

  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he has made with his plans to reform local government in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
  254
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  We are making good progress with our plans to reform local government. My right hon. Friend announced in May that he had commissioned consultants to examine the transitional and long-term costs of restructuring. This work will inform a second consultation paper setting out illustrative options for the new structure which we will issue in the autumn.

  Scottish History
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to further knowledge and understanding of Scottish history throughout the United Kingdom.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Scottish history is well represented in the curriculum and examination syllabuses followed in Scottish schools. Bodies such as Historic Scotland, the national museums and galleries of Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish tourist board are active in developing wider awareness of Scotland's historical heritage.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date the Scottish Office was first informed of the find of a case of drugs from Pan Am 103 at Lockerbie by Mr. Jim Wilson, farmer of Tundergarth Nains farm.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office has never been informed of any case of drugs from Pan Am flight 103 being found.

  Strathclyde Police
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many chief superintendents have served in D division of Strathclyde police from June 1989 to June 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I understand that four chief superintendents served in D division during the period in question. Two left the division on appointment as assistant chief constable, and one of the others was relief divisional commander during the serving officer's attendance at the Police Training College, Bramshill.

  EC Council Meeting, Edinburgh
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra costs will be incurred by his Department and by Lothian regional council as a consequence of the European Community Council in Edinburgh; and if Lothian region will be fully paid for extra police costs.

  Mr. Ian Lang
  The main costs of holding the European Council meeting in Edinburgh, including works at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the provision of press facilities at Meadowbank, will be met by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In addition, the Scottish Office will provide police specific grant to meet 51 per cent. of the expenditure incurred by Lothian and Borders police board in policing the meeting; I understand policing costs are estimated at around £2.5 million.

  Insects
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies the Forestry Commission has undertaken of the insect life supported by different species of trees.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Forestry Commission has an active research programme into the ecology and conservation of forest insects. This includes a number of studies of the insect life supported by different species of tree. Several other institutes in Britain also conduct research on tree insects.

  Registered blind and partially sighted people who are also deaf Figures as at 31 March 1991 (provisional)

  Table 1

  Those aged under 65

  Blind

  Partially sighted

  Region

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Borders

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Central

  8

  6

  14

  2

  1

  3

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Fife

  1

  1

  2

  2

  1

  3

  Grampian

  3

  4

  7

  3

  4

  7

  Highland

  4

  1

  5

  3

  1

  4

  Lothian

  2

  3

  5

  3

  0

  3

  Strathclyde

  13

  11

  24

  3

  7

  10

  Tayside

  1

  6

  7

  1

  1

  2

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Scotland

  32

  33

  65

  17

  15

  32

  Table 2

  Those aged 65 and over

  Blind

  Partially sighted

  Region

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Borders

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Central

  19

  31

  50

  9

  5

  14

  Dumfries and Galloway

  0

  3

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Fife

  7

  11

  18

  5

  9

  14

  Grampian

  40

  57

  97

  13

  31

  44

  Highland

  17

  22

  39

  5

  6

  11

  Lothian

  4

  21

  25

  0

  5

  5

  Strathclyde

  79

  152

  231

  16

  41

  57

  Tayside

  19

  33

  52

  6

  15

  21

  Orkney

  1

  1

  2

  1

  0

  1

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Western Isles

  2

  2

  4

  1

  3

  4

  Scotland

  188

  334

  522

  56

  115

  171

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities are available for deaf-blind people; if he will make additional funds available to develop services for them; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Government policy is that deaf-blind people should be encouraged to reach their full potential in the community, and where care is required it should be provided in their own homes wherever possible.

  The provision of facilities for deaf-blind people at local level is a matter for the local authorities and, in relation to health care, for the health boards. Decisions on the nature and extent of assistance to be provided are for the authorities themselves, having regard to the resources available to them. Since coming to office in 1979 the Government have increased expenditure provision for social work in real terms by 88 per cent.

  Deaf-Blind People
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the number of deaf-blind people in each regional and island authority.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Provisional figures as at 31 March 1991 for people who are registered blind or partially sighted and who are also deaf are set out in the tables.

  The Scottish Office has provided SENSE in Scotland, the voluntary body which works on behalf of deaf-blind children and young people, with grants under sections 9 and 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 totalling £60,000 in the current year. A capital grant of £36,000 was given to SENSE and Quarriers Homes in 1988 to help with building costs at the Overbridge centre, a national residential centre for deaf-blind people in Pollockshields.

  In addition, revenue grants totalling £22,000 and a capital grant of £10,000 have since been made to Visualise, an organisation which offers training in social skills to blind post-school young people who are multipally handicapped, at a residential centre in Edinburgh.

  Wick Airport
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reasons were supplied to his Department for the improvement scheme for Wick airport announced in May by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The responsibility for determining priorities for expenditure on airport improvements, including those at Wick, lies with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. I understand, however, that the works are required in order to update and improve facilities at the airport in the interests of providing a better service to users.

  Teachers (Stress)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Government have to improve the availability of and access to counselling and support services for members of the teaching profession.

  Year of registration or discharge

  Lymphoma

  Multiple Myeloma

  Single Myeloma/ Plasmacytoma

  Aplastic-Anaemia

  1981

  38

  25

  0

  7

  1982

  45

  23

  0

  18

  1983

  41

  21

  0

  7

  1984

  55

  13

  0

  13

  1985

  53

  17

  0

  16

  1986

  35

  16

  0

  6

  1987

  43

  20

  0

  8

  1988

  61

  10

  0

  7

  1989

  50

  17

  2

  14

  1990

  64

  20

  0

  13

  Sources: Information on lymphoma and myeloma, including plasmacytoma is taken from the Scottish National Cancer Registration Scheme. Information on the aplastic anaemia disease is taken from an analyses of discharges recorded in the Scottish Hospital Inpatient Statistics.

  NHS Reforms
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the expansion of trust hospitals and general practitioner fund-holding practices in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  Since the general election there has been a substantial increase in Scotland in declarations of interest, both in NHS trust status and in GP fund holding. It is evident that the benefits for patients are being recognised by those involved and I expect to see significant growth in both areas in the coming months.

  Homelessness
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of homeless people in Scotland in April 1989 and for the most recent date for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A total of 14,900 households, containing an estimated 31,600 people, were assessed as homeless and 8,100, containing an estimated 18,200 people, as potentially homeless in the year ending 31 March 1991. A total of 11,400 households were so assessed as homeless and 6,750 as potentially homeless in the year to March 1989; information is not available on the number of persons.
  258
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Education authorities have the principal responsibility for assessing the need and making appropriate provision for services relating to the employment of teaching staff. As part of our guidance on implementation of the staff development and appraisal initiative, we recommended that teachers seeking to improve their professional performance should be able to obtain the advice and support needed from their employing authorities.

  Diseases, Ayrshire and Arran
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of cases of lymphoma, myeloma and aplastic-anaemia per annum over the last 10 years in the Ayrshire and Arran health board area.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is as follows:

  Seabirds, Sutherland
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has received about the cause of death of the seabirds washed up on the beach to the north of Embo, east Sutherland in the week ending 5 June.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: Scottish Natural Heritage—SNH—has advised that the cause of death is unknown. The condition of the corpses of 177 birds of different species found at the location showed that they had died at various times and some were affected to varying degrees by oil.

  Mortality of sea birds during the summer is not an uncommon occurrence. The SNH has reported that other east-facing beaches, subject similarly to the recent prolonged succession of easterly winds, have also accumulated dead birds in above average numbers.

  A small quantity of oil identified as originating from the Beatrice Field was also found on the beach. An operation to clean the beach of oil was initiated promptly and was completed by 7 June.

  Access to Records
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has reached on the implications of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Graham Gaskin for people seeking access to personal records for which he has responsibility; and what action he intends to take.
  259
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: A consultation exercise is currently under way to obtain the views of interested bodies about ways in which the existing legislation and practice on the subject of access to social work records might need to be modified in the light of the European Court's judgment in the Gaskin case.

  Rents-to-Mortgages
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of local authority tenants who have(a) applied and (b) purchased their home under the

  Authority

  Total applications

  Applications withdrawn

  Sales

  Applications in process

  Berwickshire

  7

  3

  —

  4

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  9

  5

  1

  3

  Roxburgh

  2

  1

  —

  1

  Tweeddale

  2

  1

  1

  —

  Clackmannan

  7

  1

  1

  5

  Falkirk

  28

  14

  —

  14

  Stirling

  11

  3

  4

  4

  Annandale and Eskdale

  9

  4

  —

  5

  Nithsdale

  13

  5

  1

  7

  Stewartry

  7

  4

  —

  3

  Wigtown

  8

  3

  —

  5

  Dunfermline

  28

  13

  —

  15

  Kirkcaldy

  34

  12

  4

  18

  North East Fife

  24

  11

  —

  13

  Aberdeen

  102

  29

  —

  73

  Banff and Buchan

  7

  3

  —

  4

  Gordon

  25

  6

  —

  19

  Kincardine and Deeside

  25

  4

  —

  21

  Moray

  28

  10

  —

  18

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  5

  1

  —

  4

  Caithness

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inverness

  5

  1

  —

  4

  Lochaber

  10

  1

  —

  9

  Nairn

  3

  1

  —

  2

  Ross and Cromarty

  5

  4

  —

  1

  Skye and Lochalsh

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Sutherland

  1

  —

  —

  1

  East Lothian

  36

  16

  9

  11

  Edinburgh

  21

  11

  —

  10

  Midlothian

  23

  12

  6

  5

  West Lothian

  21

  11

  —

  10

  Argyll and Bute

  18

  7

  —

  11

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  12

  2

  —

  10

  Clydebank

  6

  1

  —

  5

  Clydesdale

  4

  1

  —

  3

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  5

  4

  —

  1

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  6

  2

  —

  4

  Cunninghame

  14

  8

  —

  6

  Dumbarton

  4

  2

  —

  2

  East Kilbride

  2

  1

  —

  1

  Eastwood

  7

  2

  2

  3

  Glasgow

  23

  15

  —

  8

  Hamilton

  21

  5

  —

  16

  Inverclyde

  13

  6

  —

  7

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  17

  9

  —

  8

  Kyle and Carrick

  33

  17

  3

  13

  Monklands

  10

  2

  1

  7

  Motherwell

  15

  6

  —

  9

  Renfrew

  46

  22

  7

  17

  Strathkelvin

  24

  10

  —

  14

  Angus

  13

  3

  4

  6

  Dundee

  7

  5

  1

  1

  Perth and Kinross

  30

  14

  —

  16

  Orkney

  4

  1

  1

  2

  Shetland

  2

  1

  —

  1

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway RC

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Strathclyde regional council

  2

  —

  —

  2

  Total

  846

  336

  46

  464

  260
  rents-to-mortgages scheme since its extension to local authority tenants; and if he will provide a breakdown by local authority.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 June 1992]: Based on returns to 31 May 1992, a total of 846 local authority tenants have applied to purchase their home under the rents-to-mortgages scheme. Of these, 46 have already purchased, 336 have withdrawn their application and the remaining 464 applications are currently being processed. Many of those who have withdrawn their application have opted instead to purchase under the right to buy. The breakdown by local authority is shown in the table.

  Lobster Fisheries
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to amend the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 in respect of the creation of enhanced lobster fisheries in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: My Department has recently been considering the results of research on the creation of enhanced lobster fisheries and whether any legislative changes should be introduced to facilitate such developments in Scotland. This raises complex issues which I am considering. I would consult Scottish fishery interests before bringing forward any proposals.

  Ozone-depleting Chemicals
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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 hydrochlor ofluorocarbons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: Government policy on purchasing ozone-depleting chemicals and goods manufactured with these substances is set out in the 1990 environment White Paper, the first-year report following the White Paper and the environmental action guide for building and purchasing managers issued by the Department of the Environment in 1991. The Scottish Office follows this guidance. As yet there is no time scale for ceasing use or purchase of ozone-depleting substances, controlled by the Montreal protocol, and HCFCs, but the Scottish Office intends to do so as soon as possible.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.
  262
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The information required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions of the Paris convention apply to the discharges for the proposed extra storage capacity at Dounreay.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The proposed extension to the existing facility will not be subject separately to the provisions of the Paris convention. Radioactivity in the drainage water will be disposed of through the liquid effluent discharge pipe and will be included in the regular returns to the Paris commission of radioactive discharges to sea.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans Her Majesty's Government have to make available to Governments of nations bordering the North sea and north Atlantic copies of the environmental statement prepared in support of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority technology proposals to extend its storage capacity for low-level radioactive waste at its Dounreay plant.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 June 1992]: The Government have no plans to make available copies of the environmental statement.

  Water Supply
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of water supply disconnections in each of the past five years for each regional and island council area.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 23 June 1992]: Water supplies to domestic consumers in Scotland may be disconnected only for short-term operational reasons, for example, to undertake repairs, make connections or plumbing alterations. Supplies to non-domestic consumers may also be disconnected for other reasons, including those arising from non-payment of water charges. Information on the number of disconnections is not held centrally.

  HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS
  HONG KONG: VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS
  TRANSPORT COUNCIL, 22ND AND 23RD JUNE
  TRANSPORT COUNCIL, 22ND AND 23RD JUNE
  MENTALLY ILL PATIENT CARE: BUILDING DESIGN
  MENTALLY ILL PATIENT CARE: BUILDING DESIGN
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SPENDING CAPS AND CHARGES
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SPENDING CAPS AND CHARGES
  BIRMINGHAM UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
  BIRMINGHAM UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN
  CORMORANT MIGRATION AND CONTROL
  CORMORANT MIGRATION AND CONTROL
  ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONING
  ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONING