Written Answers of 12 March 1992

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Lords of Appeal in Ordinary
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary together with their date of appointment and the date by which they are required by law to retire.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is as follows:—

  Appointment Date

  Retirement Date

  Lord Keith of Kinkel

  10 January 1977

  7 February 1997

  Lord Templeman MBE

  30 September 1982

  3 March 1995

  Lord Griffiths MC

  23 May 1985

  26 September 1998

  Lord Ackner

  30 January 1986

  18 September 1995

  Lord Goff of Chieveley

  6 February 1986

  12 November 2001

  Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle

  9 February 1988

  8 May 2000

  Lord Lowry

  5 August 1988

  30 January 1994

  Lord Browne-Wilkinson

  1 October 1991

  30 March 2005

  Lord Mustill

  10 January 1992

  10 May 2006

  Lord Slynn of Hadley

  11 March 1992

  17 February 2005

  Polygamous Marriages
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans the Government have to implement the recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission in their report on "Polygamous Marriages: Capacity to Contract" (Law Comm. No. 146, Scots Law No. 96).

  The Attorney-General
  Following the publication of this report in 1985 the Government consulted on its recommendations, the main purpose of which is to ensure that those domiciled in England and Wales or in Scot land should not lack the capacity to contract a marriage which is in fact monogamous merely because it is celebrated in polygamous form according to foreign law. Marriages that are actually polygamous would continue not to be recognised as valid in this country. In the light of the views expressed on consultation the Government have decided to accept these recommendations and will introduce legislation to implement them when a suitable opportunity occurs.

ENERGY

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had, and what undertakings he has given to the European Commission, in connection with state aid requirements, regarding the commercial rules for operating Sizewell B nuclear power station.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The notification of commercial arrangements relating to Nuclear Electric plc's operations 578
  up to 1998 made to the European Commission in March 1990 under state aid notification procedures included Sizewell B.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many visits were made by the hon. Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) in his capacity as Minister in 1990, 1991 and the current year, respectively; and what were the places and duration of each visit.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I shall ask my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) to write to the hon. Gentleman.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Brixton Prison
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the treatment of medical and psychiatric prisoners at Brixton prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is the Government's policy that mentally disturbed offenders should receive care and treatment from the health and social services. They should be diverted from the criminal justice system at the earliest possible opportunity.

  However following adverse criticism of the arrangements in Brixton prison, we felt it entirely appropriate to develop enhanced activities and general support for patients undergoing observation or treatment. We are now in the final stages of developing an acute psychiatric unit to provide a high standard of medical and nursing care for acutely disturbed inmates, for whom transfer to hospital is not possible.

  The necessary building works are nearing completion and the unit is expected to be ready by the end of March for the receipt of patients in April.

  "Custody, Care and Justice"
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons have been selected for the pilot schemes of staff compacts described in paragraph 4.12 of the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice".

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The commitment given in the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" to providing a statement of the facilities for staff, and the standards expected of them, is being addressed alongside the work on a new staff handbook, and standards for the treatment and care of prisoners. Work is progressing on the most appropriate format for the delivery of these objectives, but is not yet sufficiently advanced to implement any pilot programmes.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the outcome of the review of the reception and induction arrangements for prisoners referred to in paragraph 7.17 of the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice".

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Guidance based on the review is to be issued to prison governors within the next few months.

  Bail
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons he expects to provide bail units, and how many to provide bail information schemes, before the end of the current financial year.

  Mr. John Patten
  All local prisons and remand centres have a bail unit or bail officer. Bail information schemes currently operate at 15 establishments. Two further establishments have schemes approved, but they will not be operational before the end of the financial year.

  Male Prisoners
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons male convicted prisoners are now allowed to wear their own clothes.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" announced the Government's intention to extend the wearing of own clothess by male convicted prisoners. A pilot scheme began at HM prison Belmarsh in April 1991 and this is expected to be extended to two further establishments later this year. In addition, some establishments already allow male convicted prisoners to wear certain items of their own clothing.

  Criminal Justice Consultative Council
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the immediate programme of work agreed for the Criminal Justice Consultative Council following its initial meeting in January.

  Mr. John Patten
  The council's work programme will be considered by its members at its next meeting on 9 April, following a preliminary discussion at its first meeting.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Criminal Justice Consultative Council will hold its next meeting.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Criminal Justice Consultative Council will hold its second meeting on Thursday 9 April 1992.

  London Bridge Bomb
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those injured as a result of the London bridge explosion were injured by flying glass.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  A figure for those injured specifically by flying glass as a result of the London Bridge explosion of 28 February is not available, but of the 30 people who went to hospital as a result of the explosion, 12 were suffering from cuts, bruises or other associated pains.

  Retail Premises (Security)
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters concerning its recommendations on appropriate security shutters for retail premises.
  580
  Mr. John Patten
  I have had no discussions with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters and I understand that the institute has made no such recommendations.

  Crime Statistics, Manchester
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest crime figures in the Greater Manchester police area.

  Mr. John Patten
  The latest information is for 1991 and is published in table 3 of "Home Office Statistical Bulletin" 2/92, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Name Badges (Prisons)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce name badges for all staff on duty in prisons.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Work is progressing on the commitment given in the White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" to the wearing of name badges by all staff on duty in prisons. Procurement action will be initiated when the consultations with the trade unions about the detailed arrangements have been satisfactorily concluded.

  Cardphones (Prisons)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether cardphones are now available in all prisons.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Cardphones for prisoners' use are available at all category C and D prisons, including equivalent female and young offender establishments.

  On publication of the Woolf report my right hon. Friend announced that cardphones would be installed in the rest of the prison estate. The installation programme is scheduled to be completed by the end of June 1992.

  Prisoners (Television)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which prisons he proposes to conduct experiments under which prisoners may have televisions in their cells or rooms.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" announced that closely monitored trials would take place at a small number of establishments to test the use of televisions in cells.

  A trial of battery-operated televisions began at HM prison The Mount in December 1991. Trials of mains-powered sets will be held at Manchester and Stockton prisons when the necessary cabling work has been completed in the summer. In-cell television will be tested in other establishments if the need arises.

  Sexual Offences
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average sentence imposed in each of the last 10 years upon offenders convicted of(a) indecent assault on a female, (b) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16, (c) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and (d) incest;

  (2) how many offenders convicted of (a) indecent assault on a female, (b) unlawful sexual intercourse with

  581
  a girl under 16, (c) unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and (d) incest were given sentences of (i) immediate imprisonment, (ii) suspended imprisonment, (iii) community service, (iv) probation, (v) a fine and (vi) discharge in each of the last ten years.

  Table A

  Number of offenders sentenced lo immediate custody and average length of sentence imposed for certain sexual offences by type of court 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 19901

  England and Wales

  Magistrates' courts

  Crown Court

  Offence

  Year

  Total immediate custody

  Average sentence length (months)

  Total immediate custody

  Average sentence length (months)

  Indecent assault on a female

  1980

  141

  4

  275

  16

  1985

  172

  4

  489

  18

  1987

  134

  4

  821

  22

  1988

  131

  3

  866

  21

  1989

  91

  4

  913

  23

  11990

  73

  4

  885

  23

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16

  1980

  22

  4

  64

  12

  1985

  33

  4

  70

  13

  1987

  25

  4

  88

  12

  1988

  13

  3

  94

  12

  1989

  8

  3

  73

  12

  11990

  13

  4

  72

  11

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13

  1980

  —

  —

  50

  31

  1985

  —

  4

  69

  25

  1987

  —

  —

  82

  36

  1988

  —

  4

  95

  33

  1989

  —

  —

  61

  38

  11990

  —

  3

  65

  40

  Incest

  1980

  2

  4

  95

  36

  1985

  —

  5

  95

  30

  1987

  —

  —

  156

  38

  1988

  —

  —

  159

  42

  1989

  —

  —

  134

  43

  11990

  —

  —

  117

  46

  1 Provisional

  Table B

  Number of offenders sentenced for certain sexual offences by type of court and result 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 19901

  England and Wales

  Offence and year

  Total sentence

  Immediate custody

  Fully-suspended

  Comm. Serving Order

  Probation order

  Fine

  Abs or conditional discharge

  Other

  Magistrates courts Indecent assault on a female

  1980

  1,937

  141

  149

  22

  407

  609

  326

  283

  1985

  1,396

  172

  113

  34

  365

  278

  240

  194

  1987

  1,176

  134

  93

  34

  337

  232

  181

  165

  1988

  1,220

  131

  105

  29

  323

  290

  188

  145

  1989

  1,245

  91

  103

  31

  335

  296

  222

  167

  19901

  1,138

  73

  67

  27

  303

  290

  228

  150

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16

  1980

  414

  22

  49

  18

  34

  188

  69

  14

  1985

  279

  33

  30

  19

  47

  72

  68

  10

  1987

  191

  25

  24

  19

  31

  59

  33

  —

  1988

  175

  13

  22

  14

  24

  49

  49

  4

  1989

  139

  8

  8

  8

  21

  58

  35

  1

  19901

  154

  13

  7

  9

  27

  50

  45

  3

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13

  1980

  10

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  8

  1985

  12

  1

  —

  5

  1

  1

  2

  2

  1987

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  4

  1988

  10

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  7

  1989

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  3

  19901

  7

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  5

  Incest 1980

  7

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  2

  582
  Mr. John Patten
  The information for England and Wales for the years 1980, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990, which is provisional for the other years requested would involve disproportionate cost.
  583

  Offence and year

  Total sentence

  Immediate custody

  Fully suspended

  Comm. serving order

  Probation order

  Fine

  Abs or conditional discharge

  Other

  1985

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1987

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  1988

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1989

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  1

  19901

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Crown court Indecent assault on a female

  1980

  507

  275

  92

  8

  58

  35

  15

  24

  1985

  744

  489

  100

  8

  94

  14

  18

  21

  1987

  1,151

  821

  137

  12

  119

  27

  14

  21

  1988

  1,305

  866

  180

  18

  159

  27

  22

  33

  1989

  1,427

  913

  216

  16

  196

  27

  22

  37

  19901

  1,431

  885

  194

  34

  216

  39

  24

  39

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 16

  1980

  147

  64

  33

  9

  10

  24

  7

  —

  1985

  118

  70

  13

  6

  12

  7

  8

  2

  1987

  156

  88

  29

  10

  14

  6

  7

  2

  1988

  164

  94

  30

  10

  11

  8

  8

  3

  1989

  123

  73

  22

  7

  6

  7

  7

  1

  19901

  150

  72

  36

  13

  11

  9

  7

  2

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with girl under 13

  1980

  92

  50

  14

  —

  15

  7

  5

  1

  1985

  98

  69

  10

  7

  8

  1

  3

  —

  1987

  97

  82

  8

  —

  4

  1

  2

  —

  1988

  125

  95

  6

  4

  10

  2

  3

  5

  1989

  88

  61

  9

  1

  7

  3

  2

  5

  19901

  103

  65

  7

  5

  19

  1

  3

  3

  Incest

  1980

  138

  95

  20

  1

  15

  1

  3

  3

  1985

  126

  95

  21

  1

  8

  —

  —

  1

  1987

  190

  156

  18

  1

  12

  I

  —

  2

  1988

  195

  159

  16

  3

  15

  —

  2

  —

  1989

  162

  134

  6

  1

  17

  —

  3

  1

  19901

  149

  117

  11

  —

  18

  1

  —

  2

  1 Provisional.

  Drug Abuse
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of drug addicts in each regional health authority each year since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of addicts notified by doctors to the Home Office are given for each regional health authority and the years 1987 to 1990 in table A7 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs: Addicts Notified to the

  Persons found guilty of drugs offences by police force area and year1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons

  Police force

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  England

  Avon and Somerset

  319

  383

  388

  542

  396

  374

  358

  410

  350

  336

  560

  164

  Bedfordshire

  50

  77

  69

  75

  100

  79

  110

  96

  74

  74

  126

  137

  Cambridgeshire

  317

  300

  275

  169

  152

  108

  151

  164

  159

  132

  156

  234

  Cheshire

  110

  171

  144

  184

  206

  298

  223

  209

  411

  395

  511

  324

  Cleveland

  104

  118

  84

  58

  41

  57

  98

  78

  69

  90

  95

  93

  Cumbria

  130

  174

  246

  374

  288

  289

  335

  293

  290

  364

  376

  326

  Derbyshire

  92

  107

  130

  124

  81

  144

  167

  95

  148

  127

  129

  219

  Devon and Cornwall

  322

  432

  363

  464

  505

  474

  696

  545

  588

  599

  651

  689

  Dorset

  115

  161

  162

  224

  183

  222

  197

  129

  91

  64

  132

  165

  Durham

  51

  60

  49

  59

  89

  76

  62

  34

  63

  67

  80

  61

  Essex

  129

  240

  219

  259

  249

  323

  344

  162

  204

  255

  325

  400

  Gloucestershire

  157

  202

  183

  207

  213

  248

  194

  128

  143

  108

  167

  154

  Greater Manchester

  410

  519

  886

  769

  874

  919

  1,019

  880

  1,006

  964

  1,301

  1,356

  Hampshire

  397

  332

  432

  282

  336

  339

  315

  342

  250

  328

  241

  214

  Hertfordshire

  167

  197

  222

  224

  256

  295

  313

  213

  194

  205

  371

  336

  584
  Home Office, United Kingdom, 1990—Area Tables", a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for earlier years are not available by regional health authority.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug-related convictions there were in each police area in England and Wales since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is given in the table.
  585

  Police force

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Humberside

  109

  147

  180

  152

  200

  202

  260

  177

  194

  201

  207

  264

  Kent

  166

  235

  244

  223

  204

  259

  308

  251

  302

  202

  202

  96

  Lancashire

  271

  363

  351

  324

  354

  291

  425

  373

  344

  256

  317

  585

  Leicestershire

  253

  249

  225

  55

  164

  178

  211

  224

  178

  199

  183

  192

  Lincolnshire

  62

  72

  65

  58

  82

  42

  51

  46

  77

  77

  116

  186

  Merseyside

  247

  269

  237

  276

  434

  586

  1,059

  724

  725

  845

  1,078

  1,399

  Metropolitan Police (including City of London

  4,315

  5,608

  6,033

  7,485

  8,469

  7,925

  6,678

  5,341

  4,476

  5,810

  6,672

  6,329

  Norfolk

  195

  263

  156

  114

  197

  153

  176

  202

  162

  217

  272

  391

  Northamptonshire

  87

  117

  105

  68

  73

  66

  77

  89

  67

  52

  58

  105

  Northumbria

  179

  122

  203

  169

  134

  159

  221

  169

  183

  175

  223

  289

  North Yorkshire

  84

  86

  122

  135

  125

  165

  162

  145

  162

  67

  94

  109

  Nottinghamshire

  109

  150

  161

  233

  191

  154

  147

  158

  217

  165

  143

  145

  South Yorkshire

  175

  145

  180

  236

  144

  257

  298

  283

  336

  238

  324

  351

  Staffordshire

  59

  93

  65

  56

  66

  160

  220

  116

  114

  156

  180

  235

  Suffolk

  146

  242

  200

  188

  196

  155

  157

  160

  211

  195

  272

  244

  Surrey

  219

  284

  305

  254

  287

  351

  406

  306

  254

  236

  391

  361

  Sussex

  489

  516

  578

  521

  631

  519

  458

  364

  506

  431

  731

  860

  Thames Valley

  466

  479

  408

  514

  488

  514

  608

  536

  543

  643

  770

  911

  Warwickshire

  64

  83

  78

  127

  74

  88

  86

  82

  82

  120

  131

  171

  West Mercia

  166

  263

  187

  152

  230

  233

  156

  354

  224

  285

  266

  376

  West Midlands

  234

  288

  393

  452

  612

  702

  663

  508

  469

  771

  823

  1,148

  West Yorkshire

  327

  347

  362

  432

  607

  361

  395

  552

  573

  608

  596

  942

  Wiltshire

  121

  124

  166

  137

  149

  252

  147

  112

  83

  106

  120

  103

  Total England

  11,413

  14,018

  14,856

  16,375

  18,080

  18,017

  17,951

  15,050

  14,522

  16,163

  19,390

  20,664

  Wales

  Dyfed-Powys

  191

  200

  163

  157

  180

  222

  212

  154

  182

  157

  165

  186

  Gwent

  103

  124

  111

  152

  101

  132

  134

  125

  114

  131

  118

  144

  North Wales

  83

  196

  172

  260

  252

  205

  276

  187

  207

  265

  404

  375

  South Wales

  228

  278

  319

  418

  575

  736

  597

  419

  532

  586

  657

  578

  Total Wales

  605

  798

  765

  987

  1,108

  1,295

  1,219

  885

  1,035

  1,139

  1.314

  1,283

  1 Excludes offenders prosecuted for offences dealt with by HM Customs and Excise, British Transport Police, British Airports Authority and Port of London Authority (England) and all those cautioned or dealt with by compounding for drugs offences.

  Overseas Electors Scheme
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost to date, broken down into all expenditure heads, of the implementation of the overseas electors scheme.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 9 March to a question by the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist).

  Crime Statistics, Merseyside
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for criminal offences on Merseyside were made in each of the years 1978 to 1991 inclusive; how many crimes were reported on Merseyside in each of those years; and what percentage of the crimes reported the convictions constituted in each of those years.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on convictions and cautions within police force areas is published annually in the Command Paper "Criminal statistics, England and Wales". Tables 3(a), 7(a) and 35(a) of the 1978 edition, tables 3(a), 7(a) and 34(a) of the 1979 edition and tables S3.2(A), S3.4(A) and S3.7(A) of the supplementary tables volume 3 from 1980 to 1989 refer. The 1990 Command Paper has yet to be published but provisional figures show 49,000 convictions and 9,800 cautions for all offences in the Merseyside police force area. This information covers offenders and the convictions data records the principal offence only—that is, does not take into account
  586
  additional findings of guilt or offences taken into consideration. Court proceedings data for 1991 are not yet available.

  Information on offences recorded by the police is also published annually in the Command Paper. Table 32 of the 1978 and 1979 editions, table 2.5 of the 1983 edition and table 2.4 of the 1989 edition refer. Figures for 1990 and 1991 are published in table 2 of "Home Office Statistical Bulletin" 2/92. Copies of all the publications referred to above are available in the Library.

  Because of the different collection basis, it is not possible to compare statistics on offences recorded by the police with those on court proceedings.

  Travellers
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the reasons why the officer commanding Southwark division Metropolitan police did not alert Kent county constabulary, Gravesend, that six traveller families were moving into the county of Kent; for what reasons the usual protocol was ignored, and on whose authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Commissioner accepts that Kent constabulary should have been told about the movement of these families and regrets that this did not happen. Police officers on Southwark division have been reminded' of the importance of inter-force co-operation in similar cases.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated level of payments under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to the London borough of Tower Hamlets and previously to ILEA in the current year and in each year since 1966.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The amount of section 11 grant provision payable direct to Tower Hamlets in respect of each financial year from 1967–68 to 1990–91 is as follows.

  The figures for each year up to 1989–90 relate to grant in service areas other than education. It is not possible to isolate precise figures for the grant payable to ILEA during this period in respect of education provision within Tower Hamlets. The figure for 1990–91 includes education provision transferred from ILEA. The figure for 1991–92 is not yet available.

  Financial Year

  £

  1967–68

  11,526

  1968–69

  10,618

  1969–70

  20,388

  1970–71

  19,010

  1971–72

  22,853

  1972–73

  26,651

  1973–74

  25,958

  1974–75

  20,473

  1975–76

  42,098

  1976–77

  39,860

  1977–78

  72,677

  1978–79

  78,830

  1979–80

  77,065

  1980–81

  633,466

  1981–82

  644,060

  1982–83

  841,531

  1983–84

  930,384

  1984–85

  116,519

  1985–86

  158,974

  1986–87

  234,680

  1987–88

  245,120

  1988–89

  199,843

  1989–90

  297,795

  1990–91

  4,732,150

  National Lottery
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that the headquarters of the proposed national lottery be established on Merseyside; if he will consult the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and the Football Pool Promoters Association in connection with the expertise they have available and the preservation of jobs of pools workers on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government's White Paper published on 6 March invites views from all interested parties, including the pools companies, about the possible effect of a national lottery on their activities. Decisions about the headquarters of the national lottery cannot be taken at this stage, but the pools companies would, of course, be able to make a bid for a contract to operate the national lottery if they so wish. I should welcome comments on the proposals in the White Paper, which should be sent to my Department by 1 June.

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in establishing a new body to supervise the work of the refugee unit of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At the joint invitation of my right hon. Friend and the London representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a planning group has been established, which will be chaired by Mrs. Usha Prashar.

  Mr. Geoffrey Bindman and Ms. Janet Lewis-Jones have also agreed to participate, and the group may co-opt other members.

  The group has been asked to consult voluntary organisations and others concerned with the welfare of refugees, and to devise a constitution for a new organisation, whose objective will be to provide legal counselling for asylum seekers and representation in appeals against adverse decisions by the immigration authorities. These proposals will take account of the need for the trustees of the new body to be able to meet their responsibilities under charity law and to satisfy my right hon. Friend and the UNHCR that there will be proper accountability for grants received. When agreement has been reached on the constitution of the new body, it is envisaged that the group should play a leading part in its establishment. In the meantime, the director of the refugee unit will report to the group, which will assume responsibility for general oversight of the unit until the new body is established.

  I am grateful to Mrs. Prashar and her colleagues for taking on this task.

  Fire Service College
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards establishing the Fire Service college as an executive agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I am pleased to announce that the Fire Service college will be established as both a Home Office executive agency and a trading fund on 1 April. It will continue to be known as the Fire Service college under this new status. I shall be placing a copy of the college's framework document in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  The main aim of the Fire Service College will be to provide fire-related training and to promote fire safety awareness. It is recognised as being pre-eminent in its field and will therefore be starting from a sound basis in fulfilling this aim. I am confident that the enhanced freedoms and responsibilities which the framework document grants to the chief executive of the agency, together with the additional financial flexibilities of a trading fund, will enable the college to deliver further improvements in its services to customers by providing better value for money.

  The key targets which I have set the agency for its first year of operation are:

  i) to break even financially with a return on capital employed of 6 per cent.

  ii) to achieve a cost per student week of £787;

  iii) to achieve a throughput of 16,650, 3,202 and 2,182 student weeks, or equivalent consultancy income, in

  589
  respect of the United Kingdom fire service, the commercial and industrial sector and the international sector respectively;

  iv) 85 per cent. of students to achieve a 70 per cent. pass rate in assessments;

  The chief executive, Mr. Brian Fuller CBE, will be directly accountable to me for the performance of the Fire Service College. An advisory board comprising representatives of the Home Office, the Scottish Office and fire authorities, together with two independent members, will help me to assess the college's performance.

  Magistrates Courts Rules
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the changes to the magistrates courts rules recommended by the working group on pre-trial issues are being implemented; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has today made the Magistrates' Courts (Miscellaneous Amendments) Rules 1992 which give effect to the rule changes recommended by the working group. Of particular note are the new rules governing the service of summonses, which allow the courts to use more effective and economical procedures where appropriate.

  Decisions1 2 made in December 1991 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality

  Granted Asylum

  Granted Exceptional leave

  Refused Asylum and Exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds3

  Refused under paragraph 101 of Immigration rules4

  Total decisions

  Europe and Americas

  Bulgaria

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  Colombia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Czechoslovakia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Poland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Romania

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  3

  Turkey

  10

  21

  16

  12

  —

  59

  USSR

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Yugoslavia

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  12

  23

  18

  12

  3

  68

  Middle East

  Iran

  6

  19

  1

  —

  —

  26

  Iraq

  9

  20

  1

  5

  —

  35

  Lebanon

  —

  5

  3

  1

  —

  9

  Others

  2

  10

  4

  7

  —

  23

  Total

  17

  54

  9

  13

  —

  93

  Africa

  Angola

  —

  2

  8

  5

  241

  256

  Benin

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Burkina Faso

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Cameroon

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  3

  Central African Republic

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Chad

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Congo

  —

  —

  1

  —

  23

  24

  Ethiopia

  1

  14

  —

  2

  1

  18

  Gabon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19

  19

  Ghana

  1

  —

  6

  2

  4

  13

  Ivory Coast

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  4

  Kenya

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  3

  Liberia

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Nigeria

  1

  —

  3

  2

  —

  6

  Somalia

  —

  68

  —

  7

  —

  75

  South Africa

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sudan

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Togo

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  Uganda

  —

  10

  6

  —

  14

  30

  Zaire

  1

  —

  6

  19

  317

  343

  590
  We have also taken this opportunity to bring the magistrates courts rules into line with the provisions of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 in respect of the tools and implements of trade which bailiffs may seize where a court authorises distress.

  Asylum Applications
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on decisions made since December 1991 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 1 December 1991 new arrangements were introduced to record, manually, decisions on asylum applications. Under these arrangements decisions are counted at the time they are made in the asylum and special cases divison. This provides a more up-to-date count of decisions than the information previously available, which is subject to delays in recording on the computer system.

  Figures for December 1991 and January and February 1992, produced under these new arrangements are given in the tables.
  591

  Granted Asylum

  Granted Exceptional leave

  Refused Asylum and Exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds3

  Refused under paragraph 101 of Immigration rules4

  Total decisions

  Others

  —

  1

  —

  —

  139

  140

  Total

  5

  95

  33

  42

  768

  943

  Asia

  Bangladesh

  —

  3

  6

  —

  —

  9

  China

  —

  4

  1

  —

  —

  5

  India

  —

  45

  38

  11

  6

  100

  Pakistan

  —

  27

  31

  —

  7

  65

  Sri Lanka

  —

  38

  —

  1

  —

  39

  Others

  4

  35

  —

  —

  —

  39

  Total

  4

  152

  76

  12

  13

  257

  Grand Total

  38

  324

  136

  79

  784

  1,361

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same time period.

  3 Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

  4 For failure to provide evidence within a reasonable period to support the claim. The majority of these refusals were on grounds of failure to respond to two invitations to interview.

  Decisions1 2 made in January 1992 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality

  Granted Asylum

  Granted Exceptional leave

  Refused Asylum and exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds3

  Refused under paragraph 101 of Immigration rules4

  Total decisions

  Europe and Americas

  Bulgaria

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Colombia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Czechoslovakia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Poland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Romania

  —

  7

  1

  —

  —

  8

  Turkey

  8

  27

  9

  9

  10

  63

  USSR

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Yugoslavia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Others

  1

  1

  1

  9

  —

  12

  Total

  9

  35

  12

  18

  10

  84

  Middle East

  Iran

  3

  18

  1

  —

  —

  22

  Iraq

  9

  18

  —

  —

  —

  27

  Lebanon

  —

  6

  2

  4

  —

  12

  Others

  3

  9

  4

  5

  1

  22

  Total

  15

  51

  7

  9

  1

  83

  Africa

  Angola

  —

  —

  16

  —

  299

  315

  Benin

  —

  —

  —

  —

  47

  47

  Burkina Faso

  —

  —

  1

  —

  20

  21

  Cameroon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  90

  90

  Central African Republic

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  4

  Chad

  —

  —

  1

  —

  21

  22

  Congo

  —

  —

  —

  —

  24

  24

  Ethiopia

  3

  16

  1

  3

  10

  33

  Gabon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  62

  62

  Ghana

  —

  2

  19

  —

  37

  58

  Ivory Coast

  —

  —

  —

  —

  147

  147

  Kenya

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Liberia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Nigeria

  —

  —

  5

  2

  5

  12

  Somalia

  1

  189

  —

  4

  21

  215

  South Africa

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  Sudan

  10

  3

  —

  —

  5

  18

  Togo

  —

  —

  —

  1

  42

  43

  Uganda

  2

  3

  4

  —

  45

  54

  Zaire

  —

  1

  4

  11

  252

  268

  Others

  —

  —

  6

  —

  16

  22

  Total

  16

  214

  58

  21

  1,150

  1,459

  592 593

  Granted Asylum

  Granted Exceptional leave

  Refusd Asylum and exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds3

  Refused under paragraph 101 of Immigration rules4

  Total decisions

  Asia

  Bangladesh

  —

  3

  9

  —

  7

  19

  China

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  India

  —

  62

  40

  8

  17

  127

  Pakistan

  1

  46

  30

  2

  25

  104

  Sri Lanka

  1

  76

  —

  1

  1

  79

  Others

  1

  42

  1

  1

  —

  45

  Total

  3

  229

  80

  12

  50

  374

  Grand Total

  43

  529

  157

  60

  1,211

  2,000

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same time period.

  3 Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

  4 For failure to provide evidence within a reasonable period to support the claim. The majority of these refusals were on grounds of failure to respond to two invitations to interview.

  Decisions1 2 made in February 1992 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality

  Granted Asylum

  Granted Exceptional leave

  Refused Asylum and exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds3

  Refused under paragraph 101 of Immigration rules4

  Total decisions

  Europe and Americas

  Bulgaria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Colombia

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  Czechoslovakia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Poland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Romania

  —

  —

  2

  2

  1

  5

  Turkey

  15

  24

  10

  4

  18

  71

  USSR

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Yugoslavia

  —

  —

  —

  6

  —

  6

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  Total

  15

  24

  14

  12

  25

  90

  Middle East

  Iran

  4

  17

  3

  —

  —

  24

  Iraq

  9

  17

  2

  1

  3

  32

  Lebanon

  —

  15

  1

  1

  2

  19

  Others

  3

  5

  4

  2

  3

  17

  Total

  16

  54

  10

  4

  8

  92

  Africa

  Angola

  —

  —

  1

  —

  203

  204

  Benin

  —

  —

  —

  —

  47

  47

  Burkina Faso

  —

  —

  —

  —

  27

  27

  Cameroon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  82

  82

  Central African Republic

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  7

  Chad

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22

  22

  Congo

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20

  20

  Ethiopia

  —

  4

  1

  3

  16

  24

  Gabon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Ghana

  1

  3

  20

  1

  44

  69

  Ivory Coast

  —

  —

  1

  —

  106

  107

  Kenya

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  3

  Liberia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Nigeria

  —

  —

  2

  —

  5

  7

  Somalia

  6

  122

  —

  5

  17

  150

  South Africa

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Sudan

  8

  —

  —

  7

  18

  Togo

  —

  —

  —

  —

  40

  40

  Uganda

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  3

  Zaire

  1

  —

  —

  10

  333

  344

  Others

  —

  —

  1

  —

  22

  23

  Total

  16

  133

  27

  19

  1,006

  1,201

  Asia

  Bangladesh

  1

  2

  8

  —

  18

  29

  China

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  India

  —

  59

  99

  7

  23

  188

  594 595

  Granted Asylum

  Granted Exceptional leave

  Refused Asylum and exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds3

  Refused under paragraph 101 of Immigration rules4

  Total decisions

  Pakistan

  —

  63

  53

  1

  31

  148

  Sri Lanka

  4

  61

  —

  1

  6

  72

  Others

  4

  20

  1

  —

  2

  27

  Total

  9

  205

  161

  9

  80

  464

  Grand Total

  56

  416

  212

  44

  1,119

  1,847

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same time period.

  3 Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

  4 For failure to provide evidence within a reasonable period to support the claim. The majority of these refusals were on grounds of failure to respond to two invitations to interview.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the business community on the impact which the current level of interest rates are having on its performance.

  Mr. Maples
  I have received a number of such representations.

  Public Debt
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Britain's public debt as a proportion of national income; and what are the figures for other EC countries.

  Mr. Mellor
  The ratio of general Government gross debt to gross domestic product is lower in the United Kingdom than any other country in the European Community, except Luxembourg.

  Inflation
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest assessment of the prospects for retail price inflation.

  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of United Kingdom inflation in 1992.

  Mr. Maples
  The Budget forecast is for RPI inflation to be down to 334 per cent. in the fourth quarter of 1992 and 314 per cent. by mid-1993.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of(a) United Kingdom inflation and (b) European Community average inflation in the third quarter of 1992.

  Mr. Maples
  In the Financial Statement and Budget Report my right hon. Friend forecast United Kingdom inflation of 334 per cent. in the final quarter of 1992. We have made no forecast of EC inflation but in January 1992 it was 4.7 per cent.

  Taxation
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about his proposals for income tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The reductions in income tax I announced in the Budget on Tuesday have been widely welcomed.
  596
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the overall tax burden for a married couple, both working on 100 per cent. of male average earnings in 1978–79; and what it was in 1990–91.

  Mr. Maude
  Over this period, the couple's real take-home pay would have risen by 31 per cent. Their overall tax burden is estimated to have risen from 3612; to 3812 per cent.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the basic rate of income tax.

  Mr. Maude
  I have received a large number of representations on the basic rate of income tax reflecting a variety of views.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many wage earners would benefit from a 1p cut in income tax.

  Mr. Maude
  Following the introduction of a 20p lower rate of tax which will now be the marginal rate of tax for almost 4 million individuals, a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax would benefit about 21 million individuals in 1992–93.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the change in revenue to the Exchequer from taxation over the remainder of the current financial year as a result of the proposals announced in his Budget.

  Mr. Maude
  The Budget measures will have a negligible effect on receipts in 1991–92.

  Savings
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further proposals he has regarding the taxation of savings.

  Mr. Mellor
  On Tuesday, we doubled the PEP limits for qualifying unit and investment trusts. We intend to continue reducing taxes on savings and giving incentives on a wider range of investments.

  Football Stadiums
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to fund the Football Stadia Advisory Design Council.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the take-home pay of a married man with two children on average earnings increased(a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) between 1979 and 1992.

  Mr. Maude
  A man on average male earnings with a wife and two children has enjoyed a 35 per cent. real increase in take home pay since 1978–79. The increase between 1973–74 and 1978–79 was a mere 1 per cent.

  Business Investment
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product at current prices business investment in current prices represented in 1979 and in the fourth quarter of 1991.

  Mr. Mellor
  The figures requested are 14.3 per cent. and 12 per cent. In volume terms, the share of business investment in GDP rose from 12¾ per cent. in 1979 to 14¼ per cent. in 1991.

  Leisure Courses
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he issues on the definition of leisure courses on which VAT is chargeable.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Customs and Excise have issued guidance on the VAT liability of supplies of education, and courses in sporting or recreational activities, in VAT leaflet 701/30–education. Additional guidelines for local authorities and higher education institutions have also been made available.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the gross domestic product has increased in real terms since 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Gross domestic product at constant 1985 factor cost increased by 23 per cent. between 1979 and 1991.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to introduce fiscal measures to prohibit the sale and export of ozone-depleting substances.

  Mr. Maude
  No. We have urged other countries to ratify the London amendment to the Montreal protocol. We are committed to phasing out the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances by the end of 1995 and are urging the Community to adopt this target.

  VAT Control Staff
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many value added tax control staff will lose their jobs up to 1 January 1993.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Each year the reassessment of VAT visiting priorities results in the redeployment of staff engaged in VAT control work, but it is Customs' intention that no one will lose their job as a result.

  Stamp Duty
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases were brought by the Inland Revenue involving evasion of house purchase stamp duty in each year since 1983; and in how many cases convictions were secured.

  Mr. Maude
  No such cases have been brought by the Inland Revenue.

  Widowers' Benefits
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many women have been disallowed tax relief in respect of the facility for women teachers to cover pre-6 April 1988 service for widowers' benefits.

  Mr. Maude
  The information requested is not available. Teachers, both men and women, may contribute up to 15 per cent. of their earnings to the teachers' superannuation scheme with the benefit of tax reliefs.

  Value Added Tax
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount of uncollected VAT in each constituency in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Customs do not maintain statistics for individual constituencies or countries within the United Kingdom. Information on average daily arrears of value added tax on the basis of financial years, can be found in "Volume 12: Classes XVIII to XIX" of the 1990–91 appropriate accounts, pages vii and xiii respectively. A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

  EC Budget
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the value for money received from the European Community budget; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have written to Commissioner Schmidhuber to underline the importance which the United Kingdom attaches to the responsibilities of the Commission for the guidance principles of Community expenditure: economy and cost-effectiveness. These principles were endorsed at Maastricht.

  The recent Court of Auditors' report on the 1990 Community budget-Official Journal C324, volume 34 –shows that there is still a great deal of progress to be made in order to ensure that the taxpayer receives value for money even from current levels of spending. Sound financial management is of continuing importance; but assumes a particular relevance now in view of the Commission's recent proposals for Community expenditure over the five years after 1992. The need for progress bears directly upon the three major areas of Community spending in which the Commission's proposals envisage significant growth: the structural funds, external aid, and research and development. However, as the Court of Auditors emphasises, the principles of sound financial management are applicable generally to the Community's expenditure.

  The Maastricht treaty has consequences for the quality of Community expenditure, by placing responsibility for

  599
  sound financial management firmly upon the Commission. Finance Ministers will discuss the Court of Auditors' report next Monday; and we shall be looking for clear evidence that the Commission is acting upon the criticisms of the court.

  I have placed copies of my letter to Commissioner Schmidhuber in the Library of the House, together with copies of the similar letters which I have written to colleagues on the Economic and Finance Council and to the chairman of the European Parliament's committee on budgetary control.

  BCCI
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the fourth report from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee of the current Session on "Banking Supervision and BCCI" (HC 177).

  Mr. Maples
  The Government will consider the Committee's comments and recommendations carefully. The Government will, however, await Lord Justice Bingham's report on BCCI before reaching any conclusions on the Committee's recommendations.

  In response to the Committee's report, the Bank of England issued a statement yesterday, a copy of which I am placing in the Library.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

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

  Mr. Eggar
  It is not for the Government to prescribe which form of communication should be employed in schools where there are pupils with hearing impairments. Such decisions are best made locally by the governing bodies of individual schools.

  Special Needs
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what importance he places on the personal and social development of children with special educational needs.

  Mr. Eggar
  Schools have an important part to play in the personal and social development of all their pupils. Section 1 of the Education Reform Act 1988 requires that the curriculum of every maintained school should"promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of its pupils and of society"
  and prepare pupils for the
  "opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life".

  That applies equally to pupils with special educational needs, although there is provision for their curriculum to be considered on an individual basis where necessary. This might include more personal and social education where that is in their best interests and in keeping with the requirement that they receive a broad and balanced curriculum.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements are made for 600
  the procedures for, and personal teaching of, statemented pupils attending grant-maintained schools; on what basis their allocated personal teachers are supplied and paid; and what are the statutory responsibilities of local education authorities for such pupils.

  Mr. Eggar
  Local education authorities have a statutory duty to arrange the special educational provision specified in the statements they issue for all children in their area. Arrangements will vary to meet an individual pupil's statement. School governors, including GM school governors, have parallel statutory duties to provide for their registered pupils with statements.

  Degrees (Validation)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the institutions previously accredited by the Council for National Academic Awards and the students registered with the CNAA for degrees will be transferred without interruption to other validating bodies by the date of closure of the CNAA without any increase in fees payable by institutions or students and under the same conditions.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  As indicated in my answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 250, we remain confident that new validation arrangements for institutions without degree awarding powers will be in place for the academic year 1992–93, with no further fee charged to students for whom the full registration fee has already been paid to the CNAA in a previous year. The validation fee to be paid by new students will be determined, following consultations set out in the Department's letter of 15 January 1992 to higher education institutions.

  London Regional Office
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the budget and forecast actual expenditure for 1991–92 and 1992–93 of his Department's London regional office.

  Mr. Atkins
  With the exception of HM inspectorate's local offices, the Department does not have a regional structure. The Department's headquarters functions are undertaken jointly in its London and Darlington offices. In 1991–92 the Department's administration budget excluding that for HMI local offices, is £102 million and the forecast outturn £100 million. The planned budget for 1992–93 is £104 million on the same basis.

  Departmental Programmes
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science since 1979, what has been the annual expenditure on(a) the professional industrial commercial updating programme—PICKUP—and (b) REPLAN, expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) in constant 1991 prices and (iii) as a figure which indicates the amount of EC funding included in each programme.

  Mr. Eggar
  The annual expenditure on the Department's PICKUP and REPLAN programmes in England since they began in 1982 and 1984 respectively is given in the table. Information on EC funding to individual further and higher education institutions which may have been used to support their PICKUP or REPLAN type activities is not held centrally by the Department.
  601

  PICKUP programme

  REPLAN programme

  Cash £ million

  1991–92 prices £ million

  Cash £ million

  1991–92 prices £ million

  1982–83

  0.3

  0–5

  —

  —

  1983–84

  1.0

  1.6

  —

  —

  1984–85

  2.3

  3.5

  0.4

  0.6

  1985–86

  5.6

  8.1

  2.4

  3.5

  1986–87

  6.7

  9.4

  4.0

  5.6

  1987–88

  5.9

  7.8

  4.5

  6.0

  1988–89

  5.3

  6.6

  3.2

  4.0

  1989–90

  6.1

  7.1

  1.8

  2.1

  1990–91

  5.5

  5.9

  1.5

  1.6

  11991–92

  6.8

  6.8

  0.6

  0.6

  1 Estimates.

  Notes to table:

  1. The PICKUP figures include the salary costs of PICKUP regional offices.

  2. They exclude funding by the Universities Funding Council (and its predecessor, the UGC) and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (and its predecessor, the NAB) to meet the start-up costs of developing vocational continuing education: figures are not available on a basis that allows for a comparison over time or which is consistent with figures for the directly DES funded programme. It is estimated that the UFC will provide some £10 million to support the development of PICKUP provision in England in academic year 1991–92; and the PCFC will provide some £5 million in financial year 1991–92.

  3. The figures include both the local education authority and the

  Name

  Kingshurst CTC Solihull

  Emmanuel College Tyneside

  Dixons CTC Bradford

  Leigh CTC Dartford

  Britschool CCTA Croydon

  Djanogly CTC Nottingham

  Macmillan College Teeside

  Site

  Kingshurst School site

  St. John-Fisher School site

  Newby Square, Bradford

  Downs School site

  Site of Selhurst Tertiary Centre

  Sherwood Rise, Nottingham

  St. Michael RC School, Middlesbrough

  LEA

  Solihull

  Gateshead

  Bradford

  Kent

  Croydon

  Nottinghamshire

  Cleveland

  Opening dates

  1988

  1990

  1990

  1990

  1991

  1989

  1989

  Planned number of pupils

  1,100

  900

  980

  1,250

  720

  1,000

  1,100

  Total capital cost £ million

  9.71

  8.61

  9.16

  8.95

  10.00

  9.75

  8.45

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  7.60

  6.89

  7.33

  7.16

  8.00

  8.20

  6.74

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed1 £ million

  2.11

  1.72

  1.83

  1.79

  2.00

  1.56

  1.71

  (ii) confirmed £ million

  2.89

  1.60

  2.86

  1.52

  2.25

  1.89

  1.51

  Principal sponsors

  Hanson Trust

  Peter Vardy

  Dixons pic, Mr. Hakim Wong

  Sir Geoffrey Leigh

  The British Record Industry Trust

  Mr. Harry Djanogly

  BAT Industries plc

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  Building contract Laings

  None

  None

  None

  None

  None

  School closure involved

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Has a ballot of parents been held and with what result

  No

  No

  No

  1No

  No

  No

  No

  1 Committed sponsorship contributions represent agreed percentage contributions to CTC capital cash limits as secured in formal funding agreements with CTCs.

  2 Public consultations were held by Kent on its proposals to close the Downs School. One statutory objection containing 62 signatures was made to the section 12 proposal subsequently published.

  Name

  Harris CTC Norwood

  Bacon's College Bermondsey

  Haberdashers' CTC New Cross

  Brook CTC Corby

  Landau Forte College Derby

  Thomas Telford School Telford

  ADT College Wandsworth

  Kingswood CTC Bristol

  Site

  Sylvan School site Croydon

  Bacon's School site Southwark

  Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham School site

  Great Oakley Corby

  Wood Street Derby

  Old Park Telford

  Mayfield School

  Kingswood Bristol

  LEA

  Croydon

  Southwark

  Lewisham

  Northants

  Derbyshire

  Shropshire

  Wandsworth

  Avon

  Opening dates

  1990

  1991

  1991

  1991

  1992

  1991

  1991

  1993

  Planned number of pupils

  1,100

  1,100

  1,100

  900

  900

  1,000

  1,000

  900

  Total capital cost £ million

  8.66

  15.47

  9.15

  10.19

  10.20

  10.75

  11.32

  To be determined

  602
  DES shares of expenditure on PICKUP and REPLAN supported by Education Support Grants, In-service Teacher Training Grants, LEA Training grants (LEATGS) and Grants for Education Support and Training (GEST).

  Croydon College of Art and Technology
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his prior approval was required of Croydon college of art and technology's establishment of a further education employers' forum; and what sums of money have been spent on this venture.

  Mr. Eggar
  Neither the establishment of an employer's forum nor expenditure in respect of it would require the approval of my right hon. and learned Friend. The costs are a matter for those involved.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update the table given in his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn of 9 May 1991,Official Report, columns 562–64, giving the latest available information in respect of each city technology college or proposed and planned city technology college.

  Mr. Eggar
  The table covers announced CTCs:
  603

  Name

  Harris CTC Norwood

  Bacon's College Bermondsey

  Haberdashers' CTC New Cross

  Brook CTC Corby

  Landau Forte College Derby

  Thomas Telford School Telford

  ADT College Wandsworth

  Kingswood CTC Bristol

  Site

  Sylvan School site Croydon

  Bacon's School site Southwark

  Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham School site

  Great Oakley Corby

  Wood Street Derby

  Old Park Telford

  Mayfield School

  Kingswood Bristol

  LEA

  Croydon

  Southwark

  Lewisham

  Northants

  Derbyshire

  Shropshire

  Wandsworth

  Avon

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  6.93

  13.87

  5.70

  8.15

  8.16

  8.40

  9.06

  Not more than 80 per cent. of cost

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed1 £ million

  1.73

  11.60

  3.45

  2.04

  2.04

  2.35

  2.26

  At least 20 per cent, of cost

  (ii) confirmed £ million

  1.71

  31.00

  44.45

  2.04

  2.05

  2.35

  2.26

  At least 20 per cent. of cost

  Principal sponsors

  Philip and Pauline Harris Charitable Trust

  Philip and Pauline Harris Charitable Trust and Southwark Diocesan Board of Education

  Haberdashers' Company as Trustees of Robert Aske Charity

  Mr. Hugh de Capell Brooke

  The Landau Foundation Forte plc

  The Mercers Tarmac plc

  ADT plc

  Wolfson Foundation and Cable and Wireless plc

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  None

  None

  None

  None

  None

  None

  None

  School closure involved

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Has a ballot of parents been held and with what result

  Yes Majority Against

  No

  Yes Majority in Favour

  No

  5No

  5No

  5No

  5No

  1 Committed sponsorship contributions represent agreed percentage contributions to CTC capital cash limits as secured in formal funding agreements with CTCs.

  2 The sponsors commitment is stated net of the proceeds of sale of the site of the former school: the Exchequer contribution will be reduced by the amount of the proceeds of sale.

  3 The confirmed contribution is net of the proceeds of sale of the former school site and of contributions to community provision and the chapel.

  4 This figure includes the donation of the present site, which has been valued at £3.445 million.

  5 In each case, LEA, local schools and other interests consulted on proposals to establish CTC.

  Industrial Relations
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what restrictions exist on the use of Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council funds for the creation of companies to deal with further education industrial relations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The activities eligible for funding by the PCFC are set out in section 132 (5) of the Education Reform Act 1988.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Incomes
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the level of income of those people employed in the agriculture sector in the United Kingdom and each other state of the European Community in each of the years since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Data on incomes for people employed in agriculture in each member state of the Community are not readily available. Some information on the hourly earnings of regular whole time agricultural workers is contained in the Eurostat publication "Earnings in Agriculture".
  604
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the level of income for those people employed in the agriculture sector in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for the United Kingdom as a whole, for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The average weekly earnings for regular whole-time male agricultural workers aged 20 and over is given in the table.

  Agricultural workers average weekly earnings for regular whole time men (aged 20 years and over)

  Year

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  1979

  —72.04—

  72.02

  57.46

  71.90

  1980

  —86.48—

  85.09

  69.15

  85.95

  1981

  97.21

  93.02

  93.40

  74.41

  96.29

  1982

  106.99

  97.72

  100.32

  80.10

  105.44

  1983

  118.37

  106.65

  112.25

  88.41

  116.57

  1984

  124.59

  112.31

  116.9

  92.62

  122.59

  1985

  136.50

  124.16

  126.18

  99.74

  134.10

  1986

  143.50

  123.07

  133.43

  106.90

  140.80

  1987

  150.95

  131.89

  137.86

  110.26

  148.00

  1988

  158.19

  139.01

  146.42

  117.94

  155.10

  1989

  170.81

  147.83

  156.99

  126.85

  167.40

  1990

  190.23

  161.59

  174.39

  134.72

  186.10

  11991

  —206.23—

  191.21

  151.13

  202.20

  1 Forecast.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the latest average mortality rate among wild birds which are imported into the United Kingdom; and whether he has set a target rate for mortalities for wild caught birds(a) in transit and (b) in quarantine.

  Mr. Gummer
  The latest statistics on mortality in imported captive birds, relating to imports in 1990, were published on 27 February and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Average mortality, in transport and quarantine combined, was 12.3 per cent. compared with 12.7 per cent. in 1989 and 13.7 per cent. in 1988.

  Our objective is to reduce mortalities to the lowest possible level. As explained in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 27 February, the Government are taking vigorous action to address this issue in international negotiations.

  Contribution of agriculture to gross domestic product at factor cost by member state (percentages)

  Year

  Ireland

  Denmark

  Greece

  West Germany

  France

  Italy

  Netherlands

  Belgium

  Luxembourg

  United Kingdom

  Spain

  Portugal

  1979

  13.3

  4.7

  15.3

  2.1

  4.8

  7.5

  3.8

  2.4

  2.8

  2.2

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1980

  11.0

  4.8

  16.3

  1.9

  4.0

  7.0

  3.6

  2.3

  2.6

  2.1

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1981

  11.0

  5.1

  16.8

  1.9

  3.9

  6.4

  4.3

  2.5

  2.7

  2.2

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1982

  11.2

  5.5

  17.9

  2.2

  4.3

  6.3

  4.5

  2.6

  3.5

  2.3

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1983

  11.5

  4.7

  16.3

  1.8

  4.0

  6.6

  4.4

  2.8

  3.0

  2.0

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1984

  11.8

  5.5

  16.8

  2.0

  4.0

  6.1

  4.5

  2.7

  2.7

  2.2

  5.7

  n.a.

  1985

  10.2

  5.0

  16.6

  1.8

  3.7

  5.0

  4.2

  2.5

  2.6

  1.8

  6.1

  n.a.

  1986

  9.7

  5.1

  14.4

  2.0

  3.9

  5.2

  4.7

  2.6

  2.7

  1.8

  5.6

  n.a.

  1987

  10.3

  4.0

  15.6

  1.5

  3.5

  4.5

  4.1

  2.2

  2.4

  1.6

  5.2

  6.4

  1988

  10.9

  3.8

  16.4

  1.6

  3.7

  4.1

  4.2

  2.2

  2.3

  1.4

  5.1

  5.2

  1989

  10.5

  4.2

  16.5

  1.7

  3.3

  4.0

  4.6

  2.4

  2.4

  1.5

  4.7

  5.5

  Source: Commission of the European Communities—'The Agricultural Situation in the Community' Reports 1982–1991.

  n.a.—Not readily available on a consistent basis.

  The contribution of agriculture to United Kingdom GDP by country at factor cost (£ million and percentages).

  Agricultural Gross Product (a)

  UK GDP average estimate

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  1979

  173,181

  3,800.1

  3,023.3

  409.5

  209.6

  157.7

  Percentage

  2.2

  1.7

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1980

  201,017

  4,227.9

  3,379.8

  427.6

  253.6

  166.9

  Percentage

  2.1

  1.7

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1981

  218,755

  4,773.8

  3,769.9

  500.3

  288.4

  215.2

  Percentage

  2.2

  1.7

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1982

  238,231

  5,415.5

  4,263.4

  584.1

  317.1

  250.9

  Percentage

  2.3

  1.8

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1983

  261,083

  5,170.8

  4,065.5

  549.7

  292.4

  263.2

  Percentage

  2.0

  1.6

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1984

  280,052

  6,155.5

  4,857.5

  656.3

  328.8

  312.9

  Percentage

  2.2

  1.7

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1985

  306,716

  5,446.8

  4,293.0

  544.6

  330.5

  278.7

  Percentage

  1.8

  1.4

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1986

  326,182

  5,848.0

  4,615.9

  622.9

  341.6

  267.6

  Percentage

  1.8

  1.4

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1987

  358,297

  5,911.6

  4,543.8

  687.9

  358.1

  321.8

  Percentage

  1.6

  1.3

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1988

  397,292

  5,716.6

  4,339.6

  648.4

  372.0

  356.6

  GNP Statistics
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will give details of the contribution agriculture has made to the gross national product of each of the member states of the European Community, expressed in cash and percentage terms, for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will give details of the contribution agriculture in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland made to the total United Kingdom gross national product, expressed in pounds sterling and in percentage terms, for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is contained in the tables, which show the contribution of agriculture to gross domestic product at factor cost. The national currency values which underlie the percentages shown in the first table are available in the Eurostat publications "Economic Accounts for Agriculture and Forestry", which are available in the Library of the House.

  As the tables show, agricultural gross value added has declined as a proportion of total gross domestic product over the period in the great majority of members states.
  607

  Agricultural Gross Product (a)

  UK GDP average estimate

  United Kingdom

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  Percentage

  1.4

  1.1

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1989

  436,180

  6,609.0

  5,052.6

  760.5

  386.2

  409.7

  Percentage

  1.5

  12

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  1990

  477,599

  6,877.2

  5,354.9

  771.9

  386.0

  364.4

  Percentage

  1.4

  1.1

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  19911

  n.a

  6,667.4

  5,215.7

  712.8

  381.0

  357.9

  Percentage

  n.a

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1 Forecast.

  (a) The agricultural gross product figures are inclusive of landlords' expenses and the produce of gardens and allotments.

DEFENCE

  Bunkers, Iraq
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the number of bunkers in Iraq built to designs supplied by Her Majesty's Government's international military services organisation to the Iraqi Government; and how many of these bunkers have survived the allied bombing offensive.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No operational bunkers were supplied or designed by IMS for Iraq. IMS supervised the construction of a reinforced testing and servicing facility between 1981 and 1987. We have no record of the precise location of this facility and so cannot say whether it survived the coalition bombing offensive.

  Merchant Shipping
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) of 14 February,Official Report, column 677, when he expects to make a statement on the review of the strategic and defence role of British merchant shipping.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Shipping on 20 November 1991,Official Report, column 156.

  Army Reservists
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 6 March,Official Report, column 336, when and for what reason the annual reporting exercise for Army reservists was suspended; when it will be resumed; what was the total expenditure on payment to Army reservists attending the annual reporting exercise in the last year for which figures are available; what assessment he has made of the effects of the suspension on the quick and effective mobilisation of reservists when required; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The annual reporting exercise for Army reservists was suspended in January. A new strategy for individual reservists is being developed as a result of the restructuring of the Army and in the light of the consultative open government document "The Future of Britain's Reserve Forces" which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence published on 5 March. As part of this work we are looking afresh at arrangements for annual reporting. Payment of grant to Army reservists 608
  reporting during 1990–91 amounted to £4,700,000. The short-term suspension of annual reporting is considered acceptable given the changes in the threat, concept and readiness requirements.

  South Korea
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has been involved in discussions with British Aerospace and South Korea, to allow South Korea to build Hawk fighter/trainer aircraft, or any other aircraft, under licence in South Korea.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  Metallurgy
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 290, when the expert concerned made notes of his telephone conversation; and whether copies of these notes were made.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The notes were made in June 1988; so far as can be ascertained, no copies were taken at the time.

  Air-to-Air Missiles
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 3 March,Official Report, column 161, when he estimates he will achieve a satsifactory agreement with British Aerospace regarding ASRAAM; how much money will be spent on the contract in each year for the next five years; and in which year he expects to take delivery of the first ASRAAM.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Subject to the agreement of satisfactory terms, we expect to place the contract by the end of this month. The first ASRAAM is scheduled for delivery in 1998. It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-to-year basis.

  Naval Vessels (Replacement)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 February,Official Report, column 1142, how much money will be spent in each of the next five years on the replacement programmes for HMS Fearless and Intrepid; and in which year these new vessels will come into service.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-to-year basis. The planned in-service date for these vessels is 1999 for the first ship and 2001 for the second.

  Procurement Programmes
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is prepared to change his policy relating to the publication of details of the future levels of expenditure per year for individual procurement programmes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  Redundancies
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army personnel who have applied for redundancy have indicated that it was their intention to find rented accommodation in(a) the private sector and (b) the public sector.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Of the 4,240 Army personnel who had indicated that they would be willing to be considered for selection for redundancy, and filled in a questionnaire on their future housing intentions, 289 indicated they might, amongst other possibilities such as purchase, look to housing associations and the private sector to rent; 770 indicated they would seek local authority housing. Work has now commenced to establish the housing intentions of those 3,338 Army personnel who were notified of their selection for redundancy on 26 February.

  Anti-radar Missiles
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 19 February,Official Report, columns 331–32, in which year he will order a further batch of air-launched anti-radar missiles; how much money will be spent in each of the next five years on that order; and what information relating to this order he has supplied to the management of Marconi Defence Systems, Lucas Aerospace, Irving and Thorn EMI.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Subject to the agreement of satisfactory terms, we expect to order the further batch of air-launched anti-radar missiles this year. It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-by-year basis, nor of our contacts with individual companies about prospective defence contracts.

  Lynx Helicopter
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 19 February,Official Report, columns 331–32, when he will be placing a contract to convert the Royal Navy's Lynx mark three helicopter to mark eight standard; how much this will cost; how much money will be spent in each of the next three years on this conversion; and when it will be completed.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Subject to the agreement of acceptable contractual terms, we expect to sign a contract with Westland for conversion of the first seven Lynx mark three airframes to mark eight standard by the end of this month. The work is planned to be completed within three and a half years. The overall cost will be in the order of £20 million. It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-by-year basis.

  Sea King Helicopters
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 19 February Official Report, columns 331–32, when he intends to order a further six Sea King helicopters; and how much money will be spent in each of the next four years on this order.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Subject to agreement of acceptable contractual terms, we expect to sign an initial contract with Westland in April and the main contract before the end of the year. It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-by-year basis.

  Recruitment
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his letter of 3 March relating to his answer of 19 December,Official Report, column 285, if he will now change his policy relating to the release of information on the recruiting levels of individual units; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Amphibious Forces
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 13 February,Official Report, column 1142, when he expects to begin the overhaul and re-equipment programme for the three landing ships logistic to begin; and how much will be spent on it in each of the next three years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Design studies are already under way. We expect work to begin in the summer of 1993. It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-by-year basis.

  Private Housing
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 293, when he began assembling information on the private housing arrangements of Army personnel who have applied for redundancy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  December 1991.

  Housing Task Force
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 290, which representatives of local authority associations he hopes to meet.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Precise representation from the local authority associations is yet to be determined.

  Satellites
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 19 February,Official Report, columns 331–32, how many new satellites will be ordered; in which years they will be ordered; and how much money will be spent on their procurement in each year up to 1997.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We expect to place a firm-price, incentivised order for the production, launch and in-orbit
  611
  testing of two Skynet 4 stage 2 satellites in autumn 1993. This order will be subject to the outcome of project definition, the contract for which was placed with British Aerospace plc. earlier this month. We expect the total cost of this programme to be in the order of £300 million at 1991 prices. It is not our practice to publish details of our future expenditure plans on a year-by-year basis.

PRIME MINISTER

  Income Tax
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he has received in the past six months calling for cuts in the standard rate of income tax.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of representations on a range of taxation issues.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the number and purpose of each of his and his predecessor's visits to Liverpool in each of the years 1979 to 1991 inclusive.

  The Prime Minister
  I am making plans for a series of visits to all parts of the country and hope to include Liverpool among them. My right hon. Friend the Member for Finchley (Mrs. Thatcher) made four official visits to Liverpool.

  Mirror Group Pension Funds
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 31, to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, if he has now made a decision on whether to meet a deputation from the committee representing the staffs of Mirror Group Newspapers about the recovery of pension assets from the banks which are holding them; and if he will make a statment.

  The Prime Minister
  My hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury will be writing to Mr. David Thompson, chairman of the committee representing the staff of Mirror Group Newspapers, very shortly.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 12 March.

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

  Northern Region
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he will list the Government's achievements in the northern region since 1987; and whether he will list by Government Department the principal aid given to the northern region since 1987.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) on 16 December at columns 22–25.

  Defence Establishments (Information)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure that Ministers in Departments other than the Ministry of Defence do not release information about the proposed closure of or job losses in defence establishments prior to the work force being informed of those plans by officials of the Ministry of Defence.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: It remains the policy of the Ministry of Defence that such information should be first provided to the work forces at defence establishments by management.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Pre-fitted Plugs
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will identify any obstacles to requiring pre-fitted plugs on electrical appliances to meet the requests of disabled people including those with wasting muscle and other difficulties in manipulating appliances.

  Mr. Leigh
  The proposed regulations will retain the approval of safety requirement of the Plugs and Sockets Etc. (Safety) Regulations 1987. It is likely that manufacturers will ordinarily choose to fit the standard design 13 amp plug because this is the type that is commonly used in the majority of households. However, provided that the plug to be fitted has the necessary approval the proposed regulations will not prevent manufacturers from fitting plugs to their appliances that are adapted for use by the disabled.

  Moreover the type of plug and devices which assist the disabled will still be available for people who wish to continue to fit them to their appliances.

  Expo '92
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements he is making for United Kingdom representation at the Seville Expo '92; what sponsorship arises directly, or indirectly, from public funds; and if he will list the bodies and approximate expenditure in respect of each.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 23 January,Official Report, column 293. The public expenditure was provided by £7 million from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, £7 million from the Employment Department and the balance from my Department.

  Regional Assistance, Merseyside
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total amount of financial regional assistance granted to(a) manufacturing industry and (b) services on Merseyside in each of the years 1978 to 1991 inclusive.

  Mr. Leigh
  Financial regional assistance paid to companies on Merseyside is as follows:
  613

  Manufacturing industry

  Services

  1978

  24.8

  0.5

  1979

  12.2

  0.5

  1980

  6.1

  0.5

  1981

  5.3

  0.5

  1982

  5.2

  0.5

  1983

  4.5

  0.5

  1984

  6.2

  0.5

  1985

  7.7

  0.3

  1986

  11.1

  1.8

  1987

  15.5

  2.1

  1988

  30.0

  2.7

  1989

  21.7

  3.4

  1990

  18.9

  1.9

  1991

  16.0

  1.9

  Manufacturing industry has been defined as division 2—excluding classes 21 and 23—3 and 4 of the standard industrial classification revised 1980.

  Figures include expenditure on regional selective assistance; the revised regional development grants scheme which started in November 1984 and closed to new applications in March 1988 and the regional enterprise grants scheme which started in April 1988.

  Grant was also paid to companies on Merseyside under the original regional development grants scheme which closed in November 1984. Information about that scheme was never recorded on a computerised data base and therefore unless the information has already been published it is available only at disproportionate cost. Published information on the scheme included a regional analysis which showed inter alia the amount of grant paid to companies in the north-west of England. For comparison purposes grant paid to those companies with projects in the north-west from 1977–78 was:

  Year

  £ million

  1977–78

  49.8

  1978–79

  64.3

  1979–80

  58.7

  1980–81

  105.7

  1981–82

  143.4

  1982–83

  97.3

  1983–84

  83.0

  1984–85

  79.9

  1985–86

  56.5

  1986–87

  82.9

  1987–88

  22.6

  1988–89

  4.9

  1989–90

  1.7

  1990–91

  1.2

  Services are defined as divisions 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the standard industrial classification revised 1980.

  Figures include expenditure on regional selective assistance; office and service industries scheme which closed to new applications in November 1984; the revised regional development grants scheme and regional enterprise grants.

  Manufacturing Costs
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the percentage increase in manufacturing costs in each of the years 1978 to 1991 inclusive.
  614
  Mr. Leigh
  Changes in wages and salaries per unit of output in manufacturing, and in the costs of materials and fuel purchased by manufacturing industry, are shown in the table.

  Changes from previous year

  Manufacturing wages and salaries per unit of output Per cent.

  Materials and fuel purchased by man-ufacturing industry Per cent.

  1978

  13.4

  3.5

  1979

  15.3

  13.1

  1980

  22.3

  8.5

  1981

  9.2

  9.2

  1982

  4.3

  7.3

  1983

  0.4

  6.9

  1984

  3.1

  8.2

  1985

  5.8

  1.1

  1986

  4.0

  -7.6

  1987

  1.8

  3.1

  1988

  2.5

  3.3

  1989

  4.6

  5.7

  1990

  8.8

  -0.2

  1991

  8.2

  -1.2

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department was represented at the conference on degreasing substances that deplete the ozone layer, held on 15 October 1991 in Birmingham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  No, but a representative of the Department of the Environment, with whom my Department works closely on ozone depleting substances, did attend.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the United Kingdom consumption and production figures for hydrochlora-fluorocarbons for each year from 1986 to 1991.

  Mr. Leigh
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the regulatory measures that exist to prohibit the advertising, sale and export of ozone depleting substances; and whether he has any plans to strengthen or introduce such measures.

  Mr. Leigh
  There are no regulatory measures to prohibit the advertising of ozone depleting substances. The production, consumption and export to non-parties of these substances is regulated by the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer and, in the European Community, by EC regulation 594/91.

  The Montreal protocol is due to be reviewed in November 1992 and it is likely that dates for phase out of these substances will be brought forward.

  Aircraft Building, South Korea
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department has been involved in discussions with British Aerospace and South Korea, to allow South Korea to build Hawk fighter/trainer aircraft, or any other aircraft, under licence in South Korea.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has not been involved in discussions with British Aerospace and South Korea on the building of any aircraft under licence in South Korea.

  Expenditure, London
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the budget and forecast actual expenditure for 1991–92 and 1992–93 of(a) his Department's London region office and (b) the London city action team.

  Mr. Leigh
  (a) For the south-east regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry, which is the London region office, the estimated expenditure for the running costs for 1991–92 is £3.1 million compared with a budget of £3.3 million. For 1992–93 the budgeted expenditure for running costs is £3.6 million.

  (b) The running costs of the London city action team together with the special budget for projects are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Rover Group
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Government will take in the light of the European Commission's announcement that it is initiating new proceedings against the United Kingdom to secure the repayment of £44.4 million of aid in connection with the sale of Rover Group to British Aerospace.

  Mr. Lilley
  The European Commission has formally notified the United Kingdom that it is initiating the procedure in article 93(2) of the treaty in respect of the repayment of £44.4 million of state aid provided as part of the sale of the Rover Group. This follows the recent judgement of the European Court of Justice annulling an earlier Commission decision of 17 July 1990 requiring the Government to recover this sum from British Aerospace and Rover. I can confirm that the Government will abide by and implement a new Commission decision resulting from the new procedure, in accordance with our Community obligations.

WALES

  Heartbeat Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 34, if he will give the names of the evaluation advisory group from within the United Kingdom with reference to Heartbeat Wales; and if he will publish their terms of reference.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Due to the complexities of analysing a community-based heart disease prevention programme, Heartbeat Wales, when established in 1985 sought advice on the development of the evaluation strategy for the programme from a wide range of people including Professor Geoffrey Rose, Professor Andrew Henderson, Professor Michael Marmot, Dr. Tom Meade, Professor Michael Oliver, Dr. Edward Coles and Dr. George Davey-Smith. Since then, the evaluation strategy has been subject to scientific peer review by Professor David Murray and Professor Bosse Haglund. Advice has also been sought from the principal researchers of other community-based heart disease prevention programmes, such as Professors Henry Blackburn, John Farquhar and Craig Lefebvre.
  616
  Data from the programme are currently being independently analysed at the school of public health, university of Sydney and the school of psychology, university of Wales college, Cardiff. Papers from the programme are reviewed prior to publication by international experts such as Professor Leif Aaro and Cheryl Perry and Drs. Les Irwig and Bob Spassof, as well as by normal academic publishing procedures which includes peer review.

  In 1987, the Heartbeat Wales programme was incorporated into the work of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales which also has a remit to develop initiatives in other areas such as cancer risk reduction and healthy sexuality. Within this broader remit, the authority identified a group of researchers known as the evaluation advisory group to support its research work. The remit of this group is
  "to act as a resource for the Authority, providing scientific and technical advice concerning its research and evaluation strategies and individual studies".

  Advice and support is sought from individual experts as appropriate to need. These experts include Professor Ray Hodgson, Dr. Beverley Littlepage, Mr. Robert Anderson, Dr. Gerald Hastings, Professor Geoffrey Rose, Professor Don Nutbeam, Dr. Ceri Phillips, Dr. Chris Skinner, Mr. Trefor Williams, Beaufort Research Ltd and Research and Marketing Ltd. Many other experts have been consulted informally, including the World Health Organisation which has recently designated the Health Promotion Authority for Wales, together with the university of Wales college of medicine institute for health promotion, as a joint collaborating centre, the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom and Europe.

  United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contribution is being made by his Department to the United Kingdom policy proposals to be put forward to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is directly involved in the consideration of United Kingdom policy proposals to be put forward at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June. Welsh Office officials are also being consulted on, and are making an appropriate contribution to, the Government's preparations for the conference.

  Welsh Language Examinations
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the number of students who passed Welsh language at (a) O-level or GCSE and (b) A-level in 1989,1990 and 1991.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The numbers of students who achieved grade A to G at GCSE or grades A to Eat A-level in the Welsh language in 1989, 1990 and 1991 are shown in the table1

  1989

  1990

  1991

  GCSE

  8,673

  8,337

  8,740

  A-level

  541

  638

  733

  1 Centres in Wales.

  Source: Welsh Joint Education Committee

  Planning Inspectorate Agency
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in establishing a joint planning inspectorate agency for England and Wales under the "next steps" initiative.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am pleased to say that the planning inspectorate will be launched as an executive agency in the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office on 1 April 1992. The agency will have a distinct Welsh team to deal with planning inspectorate work in Wales.

  A framework document setting out the organisational, financial and management structure of the agency will be published on 1 April. The Welsh Office will pay for the service provided by the agency in Wales.

  Key objectives for the agency will be to preserve the impartiality and quality of the inspectors' work while seeking to improve efficiency. A range of performance targets which will measure the efficiency and value-for-money of the service in Wales will be set out in the business plan for 1992–93.

  The agency's key performance targets in Wales will be:

  Timeliness
  Eighty per cent. of planning appeals by written representation to be decided within 19 weeks and to provide an inspector for local plan inquiries on request within six months of the end of the objection period;

  Volume
  To determine 1,340 planning and enforcement appeals subject to intake not declining;
  In addition the activities of the inspectorate in Wales will contribute to the achievement of the following joint England and Wales targets:

  Financial
  Unit costs (average) of these appeals not to exceed £706 per case;

  Efficiency
  Generate a 2 per cent. efficiency improvement in the use of gross running costs compared with 1991–92;

  Quality
  High Court appeals and/or other justified complaints allowed against Inspectors' decisions not to exceed 1 per cent. of intake;

  Information and guidance
  To complete a customer survey by 31 December 1992.
  Separate timeliness and volume targets for the agency's work in England are being announced today by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning.

  Land Drainage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 534, what consultations he has had with the Cardiff Bay development corporation on feasibility studies into the remedial land drainage measures required in residential areas affected by the proposed Cardiff Bay barrage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I do not expect my personal involvement in the technical issue of remedial drainage measures to extend beyond my acceptance in principle of the concept. The development corporation is pursuing this matter with its consultants and will keep my officials informed of developments.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Cardiff Bay 618
  development corporation concerning the feasibility study being undertaken into de-watering wells as a remedial measure against groundwater rise in the areas affected by the proposed Cardiff Bay barrage; when he expects to receive a copy of the initial study report; when he expects the terms of reference for the full-scale study to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My officials have discussed the terms of reference for the feasibility study with officers of the development corporation. I understand that initial computer modelling has been carried out, which will inform the further feasibility work now in hand. The report of the feasibility study is expected next month. Whether further work will be carried out depends on consideration of that report.

  Hackney Carriage Licences
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on(a) the number of hackney carriage licences issued by each district council, (b) the ratio per head of population in each and (c) the charge made by each district for the licence and associated annual charges.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Wentloog Wading Birds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Cardiff Bay development corporation and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds regarding the search for an alternative site to the proposed Wentloog wading birds feeding lagoon.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My officials have held meetings with officers of the Countryside Council for Wales, Cardiff Bay development corporation and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to discuss mitigation measures for the birds which will be displaced from Cardiff bay by the construction of the barrage. These discussions are continuing.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his estimate of the total number of discounts for(a) single person households and (b) other eligible groups he expects to be available under his council tax proposals.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  It will be for billing authorities to decide which households qualify for discounts under the council tax. The Welsh intercensal survey estimated that in 1986 there were about 256,000 single-adult households in Wales. The other information requested by the hon. Gentleman could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the numbers of single people with incomes of over £40,000 per annum who will qualify for a 25 per cent. discount under his council tax proposals.
  619
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I have made no estimate of the number of single people with income over £40,000 per annum who will qualify for a 25 per cent. discount under the council tax.

  Ambulance Authorities
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each year since 1987 and for each ambulance authority the number of complaints lodged.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not held centrally.

  Waiting List Initiative
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent financial provision he has made for the expenditure of waiting list initiative money on long waiting-list elective surgery cases at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar near Cardiff; what arrangements he has made with the South Glamorgan health authority; and what the comparable follow-on arrangements will be for the same category of cases after 1 April.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The total level of funding made available in 1991–92 for the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar is £654,777. This will enable a total of 250 operations to be performed. Under the waiting times initiative a further 40 operations have been funded at a cost of £64,000. The treatment centres will continue to be centrally funded in 1992–93 and district health authorities will shortly be informed of the arrangements.

  Signposts
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to erect signposts, indicating the way to the Pembrokeshire national park, on the western end of the M4, in line with similar signposting for English National Parks.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Pembrokeshire Coast national park covers several geographical areas. This presents problems as to where drivers should be directed after leaving the M4.

  Watershed Training Centre
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 536, what proposals he has for the allocation of expenditure on the Cardiff Bay development corporation watershed training centre in 1992–93; when he expects further details of his 1992–93 spending proposals to be agreed with the training and enterprise councils; and when he expects to lay such details before the House.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department has no plans for direct expenditure on the proposed Watershed project. Details of the training and enterprise councils 1992–93 spending proposals are in the final states of preparation and my officials anticipate allocating funds shortly. Details of provision for training programmes for 1992–93 have been presented to Parliament in the Welsh Office departmental report, Cm 1916.

  Children's ENT Hospital, Cardiff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the South Glamorgan health authority regarding the alteration of the date of closure of the children's ear, nose and throat hospital, Cowbridge road west, Ely, Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None.

  Emergency Calls (Wales)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give, for 1987 and 1991, and for each ambulance service in Wales, the percentage of emergency calls responded to within(a) seven to eight minutes and (b) 14 to20 minutes.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The available information is shown in the table:

  1987–881 per cent. response time within

  1990–91 per cent. response time within

  0–8 minutes

  0–20 minutes

  0–8 minutes

  0–20 minutes

  Clwyd

  62

  99

  59

  96

  East Dyfed

  54

  91

  54

  92

  Gwent

  61

  98

  50

  100

  Gwynedd

  54

  95

  54

  94

  Mid Glamorgan

  48

  98

  47

  82

  Pembrokeshire

  33

  68

  37

  92

  Powys

  46

  86

  44

  82

  South Glamorgan

  66

  99

  56

  95

  West Glamorgan

  55

  94

  64

  97

  Wales

  83

  99

  83

  97

  1 Data not available prior to 1987–88.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the membership of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The following have accepted invitations to become members of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

  Professor Sir John Cadogan CBE FRS

  Mr. Alan Cox CBE

  Professor Sir Sam Edwards FRS

  Mr. Michael Griffith CBE

  Professor Richard Griffiths

  Sir Philip Jones CB

  Dr. Alfred Morris

  Dr. Brynley Roberts

  Dr. Ann Robinson

  I expect that the appointments will be for three years from the date on which the council is established.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Malawi
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what ways Her Majesty's Government's policy of linking aid and good government has been applied to Malawi.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answers to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr.
  621
  Kirkwood), on 14 February 1992, at column 649; and on 2 March 1992, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Jopling), at column 2.

  As my right hon. and noble Friend, the Earl of Caithness said in another place on 20 November 1991, we have already cut our programme aid to Malawi from £10 million to £5 million because of lack of progress on human rights and good government. The Malawi Government are aware that we will place increasing emphasis on adherence to these principles in determining future aid levels.

  Angola
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom aid and assistance for the Angolan peace process.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Following a troika visit by EC Development Ministers to Angola in February, the European Commission is preparing an assistance plan for consideration by Community representatives later this month. We shall be contributing our normal share of the cost of Community aid to be provided under the plan. Bilaterally, we have provided food and other assistance for soldiers awaiting demobilisation; we are assisting, through British non-governmental organisations, with resettlement and agricultural rehabilitation; and we expect to provide financial and technical assistance for the planned election process. Under military assistance arrangements, Britain is also helping with the formation of a new integrated army.

  Food Aid
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been contributed by the United Kingdom towards the European Community's programme of food aid credit and food aid grants; how much the EC programme is in total; how much has so far been spent; and what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the European Commission to prevent delays in allocating money to British companies willing to assist the former Soviet Union.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Community programme for the former Soviet Union comprises:

  (a) Technical assistance of 400 million ecu (£280 million) in 1991 which has been fully committed, and 450 million ecu (£315 million) in 1992 which is so far unallocated.

  (b) Food grants of 450 million ecu (£315 million), which is mostly distributed.

  (c) Loans and credits totalling 1.75 billion ecu (£1.225 billion), the first tranche of which is about to be distributed.

  The United Kingdom's share of the aid and grants is some 18 per cent. The loans have made no charge on the EC budget. The United Kingdom has repeatedly pressed for both humanitarian food aid and technical assistance for the former Soviet Union to be released rapidly once a clear need has been established, and for companies in the United Kingdom to play a full role in these programmes.

  Aid and Trade Provisions
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 November,Official Report, column 553, what further measures he proposes to take to promote the use of United Kingdom companies under the aid and trade provisions.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The aid and trade provision is currently the subject of an interdepartmental policy review.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Eritrea
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Eritrea and the extent to which it is practicable for child refugees from that territory to be reunited with their families in safety.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Eritrea has enjoyed a very large measure of peace and stability since the collapse of the Mengistu regime in May 1991. The economy continues to suffer from drought and the consequences of the civil war, but I am not aware of any general factors which now need prevent Eritrean children refugees wishing to return, from being reunited with their families in safety. Cases of Eritrean children who have sought asylum in the United Kingdom will continue to be assessed on their individual merits.

  Angola
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Angola and the extent to which it is practicable for child refugees from that country to be reunited with their families in safety.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Peace offers the potential for recovery in Angola and should be cemented by free and fair elections in September this year. But though the fighting has stopped there remains a serious law and order problem, the criminal activity plus the danger from unexploded mines still hamper the return home of people displaced by the war. The return of such people, especially children separated from their families, plus troop demobilisation are the highest priorities for international aid. We very much admire the excellent work of non-governmental organisations, such as Save the Children Fund which has a successful and expanding programme of child tracing in Angola. The European Community has just committed a substantial sum for assistance in these areas.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Ethiopia and the extent to which it is practicable for child refugees from that country to be reunited with their families in safety.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since the end of the civil war and the collapse of the Mengistu regime in May 1991, Ethiopia has enjoyed relative peace and stability. There is still some insecurity in the east of the country, but I am not aware of any special factors which need prevent Ethiopian child
  623
  refugees wishing to return, from being reunited with their families in safety. Cases of the Ethiopian children who have sought asylum in the United Kingdom will continue to be assessed on their individual merits.

  Uganda
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Uganda and the extent to which it is practicable for child refugees from that country to be reunited with their families in safety.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Since President Museveni came to power in 1986, the security and economic situation has improved considerably in Uganda. Peace and stability prevail in most regions of the country, although there are still isolated pockets of rebel activity in parts of the north and north-east.

  Cases of Ugandan children who have sought asylum in the United Kingdom will continue to be assessed on their individual merits, but I am not aware of any general factors which need prevent Ugandan child refugees from returning to that country to be reunited with their families in safety.

  European Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the articles in the draft treaty on European union which affect the prerogatives of the Crown of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The prerogatives of the Crown will remain unaffected by the treaty on European union.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the earliest and latest dates respectively when he expects the treaty on European union to be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office; and what arrangements he has made for members of the public to obtain, or to peruse, copies before those dates.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The treaty on European union will be published as a Command Paper as soon as it is possible to do so, and in any case before any legislation is put before the House. We expect it to be ready by the end of April. Members of the public will be able to obtain copies through Her Majesty's Stationery Office. In the meantime, copies have been made available to Parliament and may be obtained by members of the public on request.

  Guyana
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions are being taken to ensure that free and fair elections are held in Guyana; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Guyanese Government have introduced electoral reforms and invited a team of international observers. We take every opportunity to impress upon Guyanese Ministers the importance that Her Majesty's Government attach to the holding of free and fair elections in Guyana as soon as possible.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure that the United Nations sponsored referendum on the future of the western Sahara takes place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We remain concerned that a UN supervised referendum should be held soon and are encouraging the secretary-general in his efforts towards that goal. We have also made our views clear to the parties to the dispute.

  Albania
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the holdings in the United Kingdom of gold owned by the current or former Albanian Governments so far as the affect United Kingdom-Albanian relations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is gold bullion and coin in the account at the Bank of England of the tripartite commission for the restitution of monetary gold. Some of this gold has been earmarked for eventual delivery to Albania.

  E1 Salvador
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role is being played by representatives of Her Majesty's Government in the monitoring of the El Salvador ceasefire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Our ambassador in San Salvador is closely following developments in the peace process there, and is in regular contact with the chief of mission of ONUSAL, the body established by the United Nations to monitor all the elements of the peace agreement including the ceasefire.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position in respect of the quota arrangements for the import of wine from the six republics which formerly constituted Yugoslavia; if he will seek a review of these arrangements within the European Community in order to ensure an even-handed approach as between these republics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  As part of the European Community's positive measures programme for those republics considered to be co-operating with the peace process, the European Community has restored to Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro the quota arrangements which previously applied to Yugoslavia as a whole. The republics share a quota of 545,000 hectolitres. The extension of these privileges to Serbia or a review of these arrangements depends on Serbia's attitude to the peace process.

HEALTH

  General Practitioners (Budgets)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated over or undershoot in cash and percentage terms of general practitioner indicative prescription budgets nationally and in each FHSA area.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Copies of the Prescription Pricing Authority's breakdown of the total basic price of drugs and appliances prescribed by general practitioners in England and in each family health services authority showing monthly spend to January 1992; cumulative spend; projected annual outturn and percentage projected over/underspend, have been placed in the Library.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has been taking to monitor the pattern of referrals by general practitioners to consult ophthalmologists since the introduction of eye test charges.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Patients are referred for out-patient consultation, usually in a consultant clinic. The majority of referrals are made by GPs, although the referrals may be made by others, including self-referral by the patient. The information collected centrally on referrals is given in the table.

  Consultant ophthalmology clinics National health service hospitals England

  Year

  Number of referrals seen

  Did not attend

  Total

  1987–88

  588,973

  76,286

  665,259

  1988–89

  574,532

  82,822

  657,354

  1989–90

  579,693

  83,948

  663,641

  1990–91

  599,520

  82,626

  682,146

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the long-term effects of charges for eye tests.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Questions on sight tests have appeared in the general household survey in 1987 and in each year since 1990. In addition, figures on referrals to the hospital eye service are collected on a regular basis. These show that referrals rose by 3.6 per cent. in 1988–89, fell slightly by 1 per cent. in 1989–90 and rose again by 3.3 per cent. in 1990–91.

  Blood Cholesterol Testing
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to be in a position to respond to the report of the standing medical advisory committee on blood cholesterol testing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The report of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee on blood cholesterol testing raised many complex issues and we decided that it should go out for public consultation. A large number of comments were received. The subject of cholesterol levels is also part of the wider issue of limiting the levels of coronary heart disease. This was one of the areas of health highlighted in the "Health of the Nation" Green Paper issued last June, on 626
  which more than 2,000 responses were received and are now being studied. A high proportion of these included comments on coronary heart disease in general and the relevance of cholesterol. In the light of these two consultation exercises, and continuing medical debate relating to cholesterol, the Government will publish their conclusions as soon as possible.

  Opticians (Referrals)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of patients who were referred to doctors by opticians for each year since 1981.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood Health Authority
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 November 1991,Official Report, column 591, whether he can now give the total expenditure by the Barking, Havering and Brentwood health authority in the year 1990–91; and what estimate he has made of total expenditure in the year 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Total expenditure attributable to the area covered by Barking, Havering and Brentwood health authority amounted to £148.2 million, cash, in 1990–91. This figure represents a cash increase of 9.8 per cent. on 1989–90.

  The information for 1990–91 is derived from annual accounts on the same basis. Expenditure information from the 1991–92 accounts should be available in the autumn.

  Non-cosmetic Surgery
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will indicate, for non-cosmetic surgery undertaken at Sheffield hospitals from outside the Sheffield health authority boundary within the Trent region(a) how many operations have been performed, (b) how many operations are planned, (c) the average waiting time for such operations and (d) how much money has been spent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. J. Neill, chairman of Sheffield health authority, for details.

  Skin Cancers and Cataracts
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the current cost of treating a patient with(a) non-melanoma skin cancer and (b) an eye cataract.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Based on hospital in-patient average lengths of stay, the estimated costs are:

  Cost per case (1990–91 prices) £

  Non-melanoma skin cancer

  1,200

  Cataract

  1,200

  Health Staff, Wiltshire
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors, dentists and nurses there were in Wiltshire in 1979; and how many there were in 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information required is not collected by county boundaries. The earliest and latest available information in respect of Wiltshire family health services authority is given in the tables.

  General Medical Practitioners

  (Unrestricted Principals)

  1 October 1979—224

  1 October 1990—288

  Dentists

  (includes Principal Assistants and Vocational Trainees)

  1 September 1979—117

  1 September 1991—158

  Practice Nurses

  1 October 1988—48.61

  1 October 1990—101.91

  1 Whole time equivalents

  Private Health Care
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the letter of 18 February from the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby on the subject of Norwich Union health care.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 9 March.

  Organ Transplants
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of the number of people currently awaiting for organ transplants in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and in each of the health regions in England; and if he will state the number of successful transplants carried out in those regions during 1991.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information on the place of residence of patients awaiting transplants is not collated centrally. The table gives, by United Kingdom territory and English region, the numbers of people registered for transplantation according to the location of the unit with which they are registered and the numbers of transplants performed according to the location of the unit.

  People waiting [As at 28 February 1992 by location of unit where registered]

  Organs transplanted1 [During 1991 by location of transplant unit]

  Scotland

  473

  130

  Northern ireland

  76

  47

  Wales

  113

  65

  England—Regions

  Northern

  317

  199

  Yorkshire

  244

  126

  Trent

  366

  121

  East Anglian

  238

  223

  North West Thames

  586

  238

  North East Thames

  537

  176

  South East + South West Thames

  407

  387

  628

  People waiting [As at 28 February 1992 by location of unit where registered]

  Organs transplanted1 [During 1991 by location of transplant unit]

  Wessex

  111

  83

  Oxford

  100

  83

  South Western

  230

  90

  West Midlands

  415

  274

  Mersey

  135

  70

  North Western

  415

  140

  TOTALS

  4,763

  2,452

  Based on information supplied by the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority.

  1 Provisional figures for transplants from cadaveric donors.

  Whittington Hospital, Islington
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has received for a trust hospital at the Whittington in Islington; when he expects to consider them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has approved the Whittington hospital's expression of interest in becoming an NHS trust, operational from 1 April 1993. A draft application is expected by the end of March and, in line with other applicants, the Whittington hospital will submit its final application by the end of April. All applications for NHS trust status are subject to a statutory public consultation period.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the annual consumption of CFCs used for essential medical purposes; if he will detail these individually; and if he will make a statement about how many of these uses could be replaced by non-ozone destroying products.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The figures of anual CFC consumption for essential medical purposes are not held centrally, but are believed to be a small proportion of total CFC consumption.

  The three main volatile anaesthetic agents for major surgery are CFCs, for which no acceptable alternatives are available. However alternatives are increasingly used for some day surgery procedures. The other essential medical use of CFCs is as propellants for certain pharmaceutical aerosols where measured dosage is an essential requirement. Pharmaceutical use of CFC propellants only accounts for ½ per cent. of all CFC aerosol use. The Department is supporting industry's efforts to find suitable alternatives which do not have adverse effects on drug stability, clinical efficacy, measured dose control and have acceptable overall development costs relative to use.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for the years 1987 to the latest available year and for each ambulance authority in England, the number of complaints lodged with each authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will tabulate the number of incidents and fatalities for each type of meningitis(a) per district health authority and (b) per regional health authority, for each of the last 10 years, or the most convenient period.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 9 March 1992]: The information is not available in the form requested. Cases of infectious diseases are notified by the doctor in attendance to the proper officer for each local authority area. Notifications of meningitis are therefore not generally available at the district health authority level. However, the number of cases notified for each type of

  Notifications of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1981

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  25

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  12

  13

  50

  Yorkshire

  43

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  32

  107

  182

  Trent

  27

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  35

  58

  120

  East Anglian

  14

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  7

  7

  28

  North West Thames

  33

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  28

  22

  83

  North East Thames

  35

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  48

  21

  104

  South East Thames

  34

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  74

  39

  147

  South West Thames

  18

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  65

  17

  100

  Wessex

  38

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  18

  11

  67

  Oxford

  16

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  20

  5

  41

  South Western

  26

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  20

  5

  51

  West Midlands

  37

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  33

  35

  105

  Mersey

  24

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  55

  12

  91

  North Western

  53

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  60

  27

  140

  Wales

  41

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  28

  15

  84

  Notification of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1982

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  20

  3

  9

  17

  0

  11

  60

  Yorkshire

  39

  6

  19

  72

  13

  24

  173

  Trent

  26

  8

  15

  11

  27

  17

  104

  East Anglian

  14

  4

  5

  14

  4

  3

  44

  North West Thames

  22

  4

  8

  13

  10

  14

  71

  North East Thames

  35

  8

  11

  13

  11

  12

  90

  South East Thames

  49

  12

  19

  26

  11

  9

  126

  South West Thames

  11

  5

  11

  17

  3

  5

  52

  Wessex

  25

  3

  10

  4

  6

  4

  52

  Oxford

  16

  2

  5

  8

  2

  1

  34

  South Western

  22

  4

  6

  7

  2

  8

  49

  West Midlands

  30

  8

  16

  31

  9

  7

  101

  Mersey

  30

  4

  13

  36

  10

  10

  103

  North Western

  48

  10

  18

  42

  6

  14

  138

  Wales

  23

  6

  12

  10

  17

  6

  74

  Notification of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1983

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  11

  7

  11

  12

  7

  5

  53

  Yorkshire

  37

  4

  27

  91

  17

  20

  186

  Trent

  41

  4

  15

  5

  9

  17

  91

  East Anglian

  11

  4

  4

  6

  1

  2

  28

  North West Thames

  28

  3

  8

  17

  16

  11

  83

  North East Thames

  26

  8

  7

  12

  3

  7

  63

  South East Thames

  26

  8

  13

  3

  1

  7

  58

  South West Thames

  19

  5

  12

  12

  5

  3

  56

  Wessex

  29

  3

  10

  4

  3

  7

  56

  Oxford

  13

  4

  4

  12

  1

  5

  39

  South Western

  50

  4

  10

  4

  5

  6

  79

  West Midlands

  27

  5

  17

  28

  12

  8

  97

  630
  meningitis at regional health authority level for the years 1981 to 1990, is shown in the tables. The data for 1991 are not yet available.

  The information in respect of fatalities could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Irregular and unexplained upsurges of meningitis, particularly of meningococcal infection, occur in the United Kingdom. The location of outbreaks cannot be predicted, although it is known that most cases occur in the winter months.

  A vaccine—"Hib"—against invasive haemophilus disease, one of the major causes of bacterial meningitis, is to be added to the United Kingdom infant immunisation schedule from next October. This should help to reduce considerably the overall total reports of deaths and illness from meningitis.
  631

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Mersey

  46

  7

  8

  34

  10

  5

  110

  North Western

  32

  4

  18

  63

  7

  32

  156

  Wales

  32

  4

  19

  5

  9

  2

  71

  Notifications of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1984

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Menginitis influenzal

  Menginitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  17

  9

  4

  6

  3

  5

  44

  Yorkshire

  19

  6

  21

  75

  23

  23

  167

  Trent

  33

  3

  21

  12

  21

  13

  103

  East Anglian

  16

  1

  11

  0

  7

  3

  38

  North West Thames

  33

  6

  10

  13

  2

  7

  71

  North East Thames

  35

  9

  12

  16

  10

  5

  87

  South East Thames

  31

  7

  18

  14

  14

  16

  100

  South West Thames

  20

  1

  8

  12

  0

  6

  47

  Wessex

  17

  2

  12

  8

  4

  3

  46

  Oxford

  13

  2

  12

  16

  5

  12

  60

  South Western

  20

  2

  12

  11

  9

  14

  68

  West Midlands

  37

  5

  21

  17

  14

  4

  98

  Mersey

  43

  7

  19

  21

  11

  14

  115

  North Western

  33

  11

  23

  13

  11

  17

  108

  Wales

  34

  7

  13

  10

  7

  7

  78

  Notifications of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1985

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  20

  6

  6

  5

  9

  10

  56

  Yorkshire

  40

  9

  16

  60

  34

  26

  185

  Trent

  44

  8

  23

  20

  23

  17

  135

  East Anglian

  20

  3

  13

  13

  6

  6

  61

  North West Thames

  43

  5

  9

  13

  5

  7

  82

  North East Thames

  38

  5

  7

  26

  9

  8

  93

  South East Thames

  41

  3

  12

  15

  6

  13

  90

  South West Thames

  30

  6

  15

  15

  3

  8

  77

  Wessex

  32

  6

  13

  9

  5

  5

  70

  Oxford

  21

  2

  22

  24

  3

  11

  83

  South Western

  35

  5

  9

  16

  31

  9

  105

  West Midlands

  49

  5

  10

  30

  14

  17

  125

  Mersey

  41

  5

  12

  33

  10

  10

  111

  North Western

  56

  7

  28

  31

  22

  30

  174

  Wales

  39

  7

  11

  13

  6

  8

  84

  Notification of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1986

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  59

  8

  14

  26

  6

  14

  127

  Yorkshire

  95

  15

  19

  113

  46

  28

  316

  Trent

  69

  13

  22

  17

  26

  23

  170

  East Anglian

  15

  5

  9

  13

  4

  3

  49

  North West Thames

  43

  6

  19

  20

  6

  15

  109

  North East Thames

  47

  10

  11

  15

  8

  8

  99

  South East Thames

  56

  4

  16

  23

  11

  13

  123

  South West Thames

  40

  5

  13

  31

  8

  6

  103

  Wessex

  42

  4

  19

  32

  3

  9

  109

  Oxford

  18

  5

  17

  17

  9

  9

  75

  South Western

  67

  6

  12

  26

  16

  11

  138

  West Midlands

  93

  29

  25

  32

  16

  42

  237

  Mersey

  66

  8

  22

  31

  15

  17

  159

  North Western

  93

  16

  22

  33

  23

  24

  211

  Wales

  67

  9

  28

  21

  12

  10

  147

  632 633

  Notification of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1987

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  71

  6

  19

  30

  9

  18

  153

  Yorkshire

  104

  16

  21

  75

  26

  29

  281

  Trent

  72

  15

  13

  44

  25

  17

  186

  East Anglian

  20

  2

  12

  12

  4

  7

  57

  North West Thames

  62

  10

  19

  23

  12

  13

  139

  North East Thames

  55

  8

  13

  43

  14

  24

  157

  South East Thames

  89

  12

  36

  40

  22

  28

  227

  South West Thames

  47

  5

  27

  42

  6

  13

  140

  Wessex

  62

  9

  21

  11

  15

  7

  125

  Oxford

  51

  7

  38

  17

  12

  13

  138

  South Western

  58

  9

  9

  24

  15

  9

  134

  West Midlands

  104

  13

  35

  75

  27

  24

  278

  Mersey

  95

  11

  18

  23

  10

  9

  166

  North Western

  119

  7

  34

  25

  14

  24

  223

  Wales

  71

  6

  29

  9

  13

  10

  138

  Notification of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1988

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  72

  12

  28

  20

  21

  13

  166

  Yorkshire

  103

  11

  40

  59

  49

  27

  289

  Trent

  111

  30

  27

  90

  24

  26

  308

  East Anglian

  31

  4

  11

  7

  6

  8

  67

  North West Thames

  82

  15

  32

  29

  8

  8

  174

  North East Thames

  71

  11

  22

  25

  6

  20

  155

  South East Thames

  109

  14

  31

  46

  18

  24

  242

  South West Thames

  55

  12

  25

  29

  7

  14

  142

  Wessex

  44

  11

  24

  14

  8

  3

  104

  Oxford

  44

  13

  34

  21

  12

  11

  135

  South Western

  87

  15

  28

  34

  33

  11

  208

  West Midlands

  160

  18

  32

  37

  27

  33

  307

  Mersey

  104

  15

  22

  24

  14

  15

  194

  North Western

  129

  19

  46

  34

  28

  27

  283

  Wales

  102

  9

  34

  21

  34

  13

  213

  Notifications of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1989

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  59

  14

  29

  15

  13

  17

  147

  Yorkshire

  67

  13

  20

  56

  48

  31

  235

  Trent

  105

  11

  44

  54

  20

  26

  260

  East Anglian

  18

  2

  17

  7

  4

  13

  61

  North West Thames

  81

  9

  27

  19

  13

  10

  159

  North East Thames

  65

  8

  21

  10

  18

  22

  144

  South East Thames

  105

  17

  38

  22

  11

  29

  222

  South West Thames

  38

  5

  21

  19

  12

  14

  109

  Wessex

  43

  12

  33

  19

  11

  14

  132

  Oxford

  57

  7

  27

  20

  7

  14

  132

  South Western

  79

  11

  45

  40

  32

  13

  220

  West Midlands

  130

  25

  57

  48

  21

  30

  311

  Mersey

  75

  9

  18

  24

  8

  15

  149

  North Western

  119

  19

  32

  36

  25

  22

  253

  Wales

  91

  12

  41

  8

  27

  8

  187

  Notification of meningitis by Regional Health Authority 1990

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Northern

  76

  10

  23

  13

  9

  15

  146

  Yorkshire

  100

  9

  29

  77

  19

  20

  254

  Trent

  104

  17

  42

  34

  12

  13

  222

  East Anglian

  34

  5

  15

  5

  6

  11

  76

  North West Thames

  67

  11

  23

  28

  12

  8

  139

  North East Thames

  66

  13

  35

  12

  19

  23

  168

  South East Thames

  71

  16

  32

  18

  12

  19

  168

  South West Thames

  46

  7

  18

  16

  10

  8

  105

  634 635

  Regional Health Authority

  Meningitis meningococcal

  Meningitis pneumococcal

  Meningitis influenzal

  Meningitis viral

  Meningitis other specified

  Meningitis unspecified

  Meningitis all forms

  Wessex

  49

  5

  24

  8

  10

  11

  107

  Oxford

  42

  7

  30

  20

  6

  10

  115

  South Western

  85

  8

  20

  35

  17

  23

  188

  West Midlands

  116

  17

  49

  28

  20

  32

  262

  Mersey

  78

  7

  22

  28

  13

  14

  162

  North Western

  133

  11

  36

  21

  22

  34

  257

  Wales

  71

  13

  33

  20

  40

  26

  203

  Health Service, York
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent national health service(a) ancillary staff, (b) professional and technical staff and (c) administrative and clerical staff were employed by York health authority, and previously in York health district, in 1974 and each year since then.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: The available data are in the following table:

  NHS directly employed staff by specific staff groups in post at 30 September each year

  York district health authority—whole time equivalents

  Ancillary staff1

  Professional and technical2

  Administrative and clerical3

  1982

  980

  300

  420

  1983

  930

  300

  510

  1984

  870

  330

  530

  1985

  780

  340

  460

  1986

  660

  360

  470

  1987

  610

  360

  490

  1988

  560

  370

  500

  1989

  400

  370

  520

  1990

  380

  390

  550

  Number of residential care places in local authority staffed homes and private and voluntary homes in the North Yorkshire local authority and the York health district area 1981–1991

  Places in North Yorkshire

  Places in the York health district area

  As at 31 March

  Local authority staffed homes

  Private homes

  Voluntary homes

  Local authority staffed homes

  Private homes

  Voluntary homes

  1981

  2,148

  867

  838

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1982

  2,185

  1,005

  808

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1983

  2,180

  1,198

  822

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1984

  2,212

  1,528

  862

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1985

  2,218

  2,088

  781

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1986

  2,181

  2,474

  813

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1987

  2,197

  3,147

  846

  813

  511

  174

  1988

  2,163

  3,555

  865

  785

  640

  184

  1989

  2,130

  3,717

  925

  778

  709

  199

  1990

  2,079

  3,757

  880

  755

  806

  198

  1991

  2,023

  3,843

  938

  742

  843

  235

  Bone Marrow Transplants
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether those waiting for bone marrow transplants are included within waiting lists of patients for national health service treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: Yes. If there is no suitable related donor available, an unrelated donor has to be found before a patient can be treated, and this can delay treatment.
  636

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual Census of NHS Non-medical Manpower.

  1 All figures are rounded to the nearest ten whole-time equivalent.

  2 Includes Professions Allied to Medicine, and Scientific and Professional.

  3 Includes General Managers.

  Information is not available prior to 1982.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) registered private residential home beds and (b) part III home beds there were in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) the York health authority area, and previously in York health district, in 1979 and each year since then.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: The information is not available in the form requested.

  The available information on the number of residential care places in registered private and voluntary homes, and local authority staffed homes in the North Yorkshire local authority and the York health authority area are set out in the table.

  Northern Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations were carried out by the Northern regional health authority in 1979, 1987 and the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 5 March 1992]: Operating theatre cases and sessions data have been collected annually since 1987–88 although the figures are not necessarily equivalent to the number of surgical operations carried out. Theatres are sometimes used for medical procedures requiring a sterile environment; some minor operations are performed outside a theatre.
  637

  Operating theatre activity figures

  Cases treated in surgical acute specialties, Northern Regional Health Authority

  Year

  Cases

  In-patients

  Day cases

  1979

  —

  1137,014

  129,718

  1987–88

  235,444

  1175,281

  2—

  1988–89

  243,403

  3174,101

  351,996

  1990–91

  250,864

  3183,851

  358,688

  1 Hospital discharges.

  2 The quality of 1987–88 figures for day cases was adversely affected by the introduction of new collection systems in the National Health Service.

  3 Finished consultant episodes.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Job Losses (East Antrim)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken to reverse continuing job losses in East Antrim and to create alternative employment in manufacturing industry for those who have lost their jobs as a result of factory closures.

  Mr. Needham
  The east Antrim area benefits from the wide range of measures currently undertaken by the Government to promote economic and industrial development throughout Northern Ireland. Following the closures of GEC Alsthom in Lame, the Industrial Development Board is continuing to search for a viable project which could utilise the site of the former GEC operation.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people have been engaged in employer-based YTP courses in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The number of trainees fluctuates during the year but the average number was as follows:

  Financial year

  Average Occupancy

  1987–88

  1,495

  1988–89

  1,949

  1989–90

  2,864

  1990–91

  3,170

  11991–92

  3,473

  1 April to January.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people have been engaged in YTP courses in community-based workshops in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The number of trainees fluctuates during the year but the average number engaged in the YT programmes in community-based workshops was:

  Average occupancy

  1987–88

  3,291

  1988–89

  3,039

  1989–90

  3,229

  1990–91

  3,746

  11991–92

  4,427

  638

  1 April to January.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers have been employed by each of the education and library boards in YTP provision in each of the last five years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The numbers are as follows:

  Academic Year

  Education and Library Board

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Belfast

  144

  147

  150

  156

  116

  North-Eastern

  97

  100

  100

  100

  61

  South-Eastern

  94

  101

  101

  101

  77

  Western

  75

  79

  79

  80

  52

  Southern

  76

  79

  78

  78

  50

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people are presently engaged on youth training courses in Northern Ireland; and how many have been engaged in such courses in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The number of young people participating in the youth training programme at 31 January 1992 was 14,702. The numbers engaged in such courses in each of the last five years were as follows:

  Average occupancy

  1987–88

  8,778

  1988–89

  8,881

  1989–90

  9,818

  1990–91

  12,914

  11991–92

  15,688

  1 April-January.

  In addition, the average numbers in employment with training under the former YTP workscheme during each of the last five years were:

  Average occupancy

  1987–88

  2,841

  1988–89

  4,447

  1989–90

  2,411

  1990–91

  911

  11991–92

  4

  1 April-January.

  Social Security
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total spend on social security in 1979–80, 1983–84, 1987–88 and 1991–92 in current and real terms; and what percentage that is of total Government spending.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Social Security expenditure—£ million

  Year

  Expenditure in current terms

  Expenditure in real terms

  Expenditure as percentage of total public spending

  1979–80

  589.7

  1,371.0

  23.7

  1983–84

  1,084.1

  1,733.0

  28.8

  1987–88

  1,491.8

  1,976.4

  30.9

  1991–92

  2,099.0

  2,099.0

  32.6

  639
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, for each year since 1978–79 the total number of households claiming for social security benefit, excluding the national insurance retirement pension and child benefit.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not available.

  Year

  Total benefit expenditure £ million

  Total administration costs £ million

  Administration costs as percentage of total benefit expenditure

  £ million

  £ million

  1980–81

  674

  46

  6.8

  1981–82

  815

  56

  6.9

  1982–83

  938

  61

  6.5

  1983–84

  1,033

  64

  6.2

  1984–85

  1,128

  69

  6.1

  1985–86

  1,248

  74

  5.9

  1986–87

  1,354.5

  81

  6.0

  1987–88

  1,403.6

  89

  6.3

  1988–89

  1,465.6

  87.5

  6.0

  1989–90

  1,557.1

  95.6

  6.1

  1990–91

  1,704.9

  106.5

  6.3

  1991–92

  1,977.8

  115.6

  5.8

  The figures for 1991–92 are estimates only.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of(a) claimants and (b) partners and dependent children on supplementary benefit or income support in each year from 1979 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  Number of Claimants

  Number of Dependent Partners

  Number of Dependent Children

  Total Number of Dependent

  1979

  115,400

  26,300

  64,800

  91,100

  1980

  129,000

  32,400

  80,300

  112,700

  1981

  150,000

  38,100

  93,600

  131,700

  1982

  164,900

  44,900

  109,900

  154,800

  1983

  174,500

  48,800

  117,000

  165,800

  1984

  180,800

  49,100

  116,300

  165,400

  11985

  184,200

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  184,400

  52,800

  135,300

  188,100

  1987

  190,800

  51,800

  134,000

  185,800

  1988

  184,100

  44,900

  111,900

  156,800

  1989

  183,400

  42,400

  121,900

  164,300

  1990

  179,000

  38,500

  118,600

  157,100

  1 The number of claimants based on 100 per cent. count of caseload at November 1985. Statistical information on dependants is not available for the 1985 year.

  Source: annual statistical exercise—five per cent. sample of caseload.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the average percentage rise in the number of claimants receiving the main social security benefits, or expected to claim, in the years 1978–79 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Caseload

  Percentage yearly rise

  1978–79

  982,000

  —

  1979–80

  974,000

  -0.8

  1980–81

  1,011,900

  +3.9

  1981–82

  1,054,200

  +4.2

  640
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the total administration costs as a percentage of benefit expenditure for social security for each year from 1978–79 to the latest year available.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows. Administration costs for the years 1978–79 and 1979–80 are not available. The figures for administration cost include the costs of services provided by other Departments.

  Year

  Caseload

  Percentage yearly rise

  1982–83

  1,019,300

  -3.3

  1983–84

  1,290,200

  +1.0

  1984–85

  1,311,200

  +1.6

  1985–86

  1,316,000

  +0.4

  1986–87

  1,323,300

  +0.6

  1987–88

  1,342,200

  +1.4

  1988–89

  1,305,500

  -2.7

  1989–90

  1,299,600

  -0.5

  1990–91

  1,308,700

  +0.7

  1991–92

  1,431,300

  +5.4

  1992–93

  1,509,600

  +5.5

  The average percentage yearly rise is + 1.5 per cent.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, for each year since 1978–79 the total amount spent on social security, excluding expenditure on the unemployed, at current prices and in 1991–92 prices, showing the real terms percentage increase or decrease.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested, which is available only for the years 1983–84 onwards, is as follows:

  Expenditure on Social Security excluding the unemployed

  Year

  Current prices £000s

  1991–92 prices £000s

  Percentage increase or decrease

  1983–84

  835.2

  1,335.1

  1984–85

  945.3

  1,439.1

  +7.9

  1985–86

  1,027.2

  1,482.1

  +3.0

  1986–87

  1,108.2

  1,548.1

  +4.5

  1987–88

  1,198.2

  1,587.4

  +2.5

  1988–89

  1,255.7

  1,552.1

  -2.2

  1989–90

  1,393.4

  1,617.4

  +4.2

  1990–91

  1,536.4

  1,643.9

  +1.6

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount spent on
  641
  social security, in current prices and at 1991–92 prices, for each year since 1978–79; and what was the percentage real-terms increase or decrease in each year.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Social Security Expenditure

  Year

  Current prices £000s

  1991–92 prices £000s

  Percentage increase/decrease

  1978–79

  497.0

  1,3482

  1979–80

  589.7

  1,371.0

  1.7

  1980–81

  716.9

  1,408.6

  2.8

  1981–82

  865.0

  1,549.9

  10.0

  1982–83

  994.

  1,663.4

  7.3

  1983–84

  1,084.1

  1,733.0

  4.2

  1984–85

  1,191.0

  1,813.2

  4.6

  1985–86

  1,298.7

  1,873.8

  3.3

  1986–87

  1,411.5

  1,971.7

  5.0

  1987–88

  1,491.8

  1,976.4

  0.2

  1988–89

  1,555.0

  1,922.1

  -2.8

  1989–90

  1,659.7

  1,926.6

  0.2

  1990–91

  1,814.1

  1,941.1

  0.8

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give, for the years 1979–80 and the latest year available, in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices, the social security spending on(a) elderly people, (b) sick and disabled people, (c) families, (d) unemployed people and (e) orphans and widows indicating the number of claimants in each category, and dependants in the household, and the percentage change in spending in real terms.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information available is as follows:

  Social security spending in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices—£000

  Cash prices

  Year

  Elderly

  Sick and disabled

  Families

  Unemployed

  Widows and orphans

  1979–80

  219,475

  115,892

  128,492

  71,320

  22,136

  1990–91

  578,000

  374,000

  338,000

  251,000

  31,000

  1991–92 prices and percentage change in spending in real terms

  Year

  Elderly

  Sick and disabled

  Families

  Unemployed

  Widows and orphans

  1979–80

  595,386

  314,389

  335,009

  193,475

  60,050

  1990–91

  618,460

  400,180

  361,660

  268,570

  33,170

  Change

  +3.9

  +27.3

  +8.0

  +38.8

  -44.8

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) families and (b) individuals accepted as homeless by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive became homeless as a result of mortgage repossessions; and what percentage of the total in each category and in total these figures represent.

  Mr. Needham
  I am advised by the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that in the period April to December 1991, 122 families, including couples with no children, were accepted as homeless or threatened with homelessness because of mortgage difficulties. This represents 6 per cent. of all families accepted and four per cent. of all applicants accepted. In the same period eight single applicants were accepted as homeless or threatened 642
  with homelessness because of mortgage difficulties. This represents 1 per cent. of all single applicants accepted and 0.2 per cent. of all applicants accepted.

  Noise
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when circular 10/73 "Planning and Noise" will be adopted in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has drawn the advice contained in circular 10/73 to the attention of divisional planning officers in Northern Ireland and has issued guidance of its own to them on the question of noise as a planning consideration.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to implement in Northern Ireland, the Noise Insulation Regulations which apply in Great Britain.

  Mr. Needham
  It is planned to introduce noise nsulation regulations relating to road schemes in Northern Ireland towards the end of this year.

  Medical Cards
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of persons in Northern Ireland who still hold a medical card issued by the Northern Ireland general health services board and do not hold the more recent type of medical card issued.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not possible to estimate accurately the number of people who still hold a medical card issued by the former Northern Ireland general health services board.

  Airports Authority
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the present term of appointment of the chairman of the Northern Ireland airports authority ends; and when he will announce the name of the chairman for the next period of office.

  Mr. Needham
  The present term of appointment of the chairman of Northern Ireland Airports Limited expires on 30 June 1992. The name of a chairman for the next period of office will be announced at a suitable time before that date.

  Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the status of the Maryfield secretariat of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference during the present periods of inter-party talks in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Brooke
  In my statement of 26 March 1991 I made it clear on behalf of the two Governments that, during the period when the Anglo-Irish conference would not be meeting, the secretariat at Maryfield would not be required to discharge its normal role of servicing such meetings, as provided for in article 3 of the agreement. Since the new talks are to be conducted on the basis of the terms of my 26 March 1991 statement, the same arrangement will apply again.

ENVIRONMENT

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number and location of sites of special scientific interest in the County of Durham.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am advised by English Nature that there are currently 76 sites of special scientific interest in Durham. I am writing to the hon. Member with the details.

  Shops (Security)
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last consulted(a) the Civic Trust and (b) English Heritage on the best way to halt the spread of security shuttering in retail outlets.

  Mr. Yeo
  There have been no consultations with the Civic Trust or English Heritage on security measures to protect shops and no approaches from these bodies on this matter.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 10 March Official Report, column 443 to this question on the establishment of a working group on security in city shopping centres.

  Public Buildings (Security)
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with architects and relevant experts on improving the design of public buildings following the recent terrorist attacks.

  Mr. Yeo
  Measures to improve the design of public buildings so as to reduce the risks of injury from terrorist attacks are kept under review by my Department in consultation with others. Architects and relevant experts are consulted as part of this ongoing review.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the fitting of laminated glass in public buildings to reduce injuries caused by flying glass in terrorist bombings.

  Mr. Yeo
  The use of laminated glass in public buildings is kept under review and general advice on this and other protective measures is issued from time to time. Individual advice is also available.

  Coventry: Debt figures—at current prices

  Year

  Outstanding debt

  Debt service charge

  Debt repayment

  Population

  Debt per capita

  1DS per capita

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  000s

  £

  £

  1990–91

  342.181

  25.764

  12.915

  231

  1,481

  112

  1989–90

  427.832

  21.972

  63.123

  231

  1,852

  95

  1988–89

  487.659

  21.882

  7.080

  231

  2,111

  95

  1987–88

  383.880

  18.633

  7.262

  232

  1,655

  80

  1986–87

  294.779

  16.804

  n/a

  234

  1,260

  72

  1985–86

  266.919

  13.349

  n/a

  234

  1,141

  57

  1984–85

  243.990

  11.855

  n/a

  235

  1,038

  50

  1983–84

  234.504

  10.250

  n/a

  235

  998

  44

  Terrorist Attacks
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken since January 1984 to eradicate the danger of flying glass injury as a result of terrorist attacks.

  Mr. Yeo
  Protection against the danger of flying glass injury is kept under review, together with assessments of the efficacy of the protective measures available. General guidance is issued from time to time. Individual advice is also provided.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional cash resources he proposes to make available to those authorities successful in the second wave of city challenge applications; what percentage of those resources will be new cash; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  A total of £150 million per year, for up to five years from 1993–94, has been allocated to fund the 20 winning authorities' action plans in round two of city challenge. This is additional to the £82.5 million allocated to fund the 11 round one 'Pacemaker' city challenge action plans. Round one resources are being top-sliced from DOE funding regimes which currently spend in inner cities. It is expected that similar arrangements will apply for round two.

  Debt Statistics
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give, for the City of Coventry, for each year since 1979, if available, or for the most convenient years(a) outstanding debt, (b) debt service charge, (c) debt repayment, (d) adult population, (e) debt per adult and (f) debt service charge per adult, in current and 1992 prices.

  Mr. Key
  The available information is given in the table. The figures for the outstanding loan debt are as at the end of each financial year, debt repayments are as made during the course of each financial year, population figures are mid-year estimates. Figures for earlier years are not available. Figures for outstanding debt at 31 March 1991 have been returned on an external debt basis, and are not comparable with previous years.
  645

  Coventry: Debt figures—at current prices

  Year

  Outstanding debt £ million

  Debt service charge £ million

  Debt repayment £ million

  Population 000s

  Debt per capita £

  1DS per capita £

  1990–91

  366.134

  27.567

  13.819

  231

  1,585

  119

  1989–90

  496.621

  25.505

  73.272

  231

  2,150

  110

  1988–89

  602.778

  27.048

  8.751

  231

  2,609

  117

  1987–88

  508.576

  24.686

  9.621

  232

  2,192

  106

  1986–87

  411.767

  23.473

  n/a

  234

  1,760

  100

  1985–86

  385.113

  19 260

  n/a

  234

  1,646

  82

  1984–85

  371.454

  18.048

  n/a

  235

  1,581

  77

  1983–84

  374 876

  16.386

  n/a

  235

  1,595

  70

  1 Debt Service Charge.

  Coal Clough Farm
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to decide whether to call in the proposed wind farm development of Coal Clough farm, Cliviger; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend hopes to make a decision soon. When the decision is made, I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the proposed wind farm at Coal Clough farm, Cliviger; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend has received five representations direct from amenity groups and individuals against the latest proposal. Also, Burnley borough council has sent him copies of representations that it received following the public notice.

  Private Rented Sector
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of housing was accounted for by the private rented sector for(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c)

  Mr. Yeo
  Estimates of total stock by tenure are shown in table 9.3 of "Housing and Construction Statistics: Great Britain: 1980–1990". A copy is in the Library.

  Humber Estuary
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will designate the Humber estuary as a special protection area.

  Mr. Baldry
  Consultations with Government Departments and land owners are continuing on those parts of the Humber estuary which have been proposed as a special protection area. A decision on designation will be made as soon as these are satisfactorily completed. The announcement yesterday of the designation of the Exe estuary, Lindisfarne and Old Hall marshes illustrates the Government's firm commitment to the designation of further special protection areas.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the nature of the last three communications received by him from the European Commission on the subject of special protection areas under the wild birds directive.
  646
  Mr. Baldry
  The European Commission is in regular contact with officials over special protection areas under the EC birds directive. Such communications are confidential between Government and the Commission.

  Travelling Showpeople
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what requirements his Department places on local authorities to assist travelling showpeople regarding winter quarters; how many local authorities provide sites; how many sites are known to be in dispute regarding planning permission; and what proposals he has to assist in the securing of suitable land for sites.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department's circular 22/91— "Travelling Showpeople"—gives advice to local planning authorities about planning consideration relating to travelling showpeople. Information about sites is not held centrally.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what advice he gives to consumers on purchasing ozone-friendly fridges;

  (2) what advice he makes available to consumers who wish to avoid purchasing products that contain, or have been manufactured, by using ozone-depleting chemicals.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs) on 10 March 1992,Official Report, columns 450–51.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to use his powers under part I, section 3 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to prohibit the production and release of ozone-depleting chemicals.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend does not intend to do so—the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances is controlled by EC regulation 594/91, which is directly applicable in United Kingdom law.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount in tonnes of chlorofluorocarbons recycled in the United Kingdom in each year from 1985 to 1991 inclusive.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Wlin Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish annually the United Kingdom consumption and production of ozone-depleting chemicals.
  647
  Mr. Trippier
  Figures for United Kingdom production of ozone-depleting substances are supplied to the Government on a confidential basis. Consumption figures are collected on a European Community basis and not broken down between member states. However, a 1990 Department of Trade and Industry study indicated that United Kingdom consumption fell by 50 per cent. between 1986 and 1989, a rate faster than that claimed by any other developed country.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement outlining his policy on the production and emission of hydrochlorofluorocarbons.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government have proposed a phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons early next century, together with controls on the level of consumption and on applications in which these substances can be used. These proposals will be considered by the EC Environment Council on 23 March.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all essential uses of ozone-depleting chemicals that would be exempt from currently proposed EC legislation.

  Mr. Trippier
  Decisions on any essential use exemptions from the regulations controlling ozone-depleting substances will be made closer to the final phase-out dates. These will be taken at the European Community level, and no member state will be able to make unilateral decisions.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the numbers of single people with incomes of over £50,000 per annum who will qualify for a 25 per cent. discount under his council tax proposals.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have no estimate of the numbers of single people with incomes of over £50,000 per annum who will qualify for a 25 per cent. discount when the council tax is introduced.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the size of the council tax bill on a property located in Westminster worth £1,000,000 in April 1991 with(a) two or more adults and (b) one adult.

  Mr. Portillo
  Illustrative council tax bills based on 1991–92 budgets were published and placed in the Library on 23 April 1991. I have made no subsequent estimates.

  Air Pollution
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department will publish the results of the recent national nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube air pollution survey.

  Mr. Trippier
  I hope these will be available by the end of next month.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been his response to the complaint by Commissioner Ripa di Meana in the European Parliament of 27 November 1991 regarding the adequacy of the United Kingdom air pollution monitoring network.
  648
  Mr. Trippier
  Signor Ripa di Meana's remarks related to the United Kingdom network for monitoring nitrogen dioxide for purposes of European Community directive 85/203/EEC. They were made in answer to a question in the European Parliament and were not addressed to the Government. The basis on which monitoring sites were selected for this purpose has been explained to the Commission in previous correspondence.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times, and where, the EC directive limits for nitrogen dioxide have been breached since 1980.

  Mr. Trippier
  The EC directive on nitrogen dioxide has been breached once at the west London monitoring site in 1989, in exceptional circumstances which were not truly representative of local air quality.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the planned enhanced urban network will meet the regulations of the EC directive 85/203/EEC for monitoring nitrogen dioxide.

  Mr. Trippier
  In the Government's view the existing arrangements for monitoring nitrogen dioxide already comply with the requirements of the directive. The enhancement of the urban monitoring network will however usefully supplement the data currently available on concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and a range of other air pollutants.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available a list of the responses to the recent consultation paper on the Government's proposals for an environment agency.

  Mr. Trippier
  A list of the responses received has been placed in the Library of the House. Copies of individual responses may be obtained through the Library of the Department. In addition, responses were submitted by six individuals and bodies on a confidential basis.

  Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring into force the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  A commencement order has now been made, and regulations laid before the House, which enable the provisions of the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 to be brought into force on 1 June 1992.

  The Act paved the way for important new planning controls over the storage and use of hazardous substances. It requires consent to be obtained from local authorities for the presence of these materials in prescribed quantities. This will give authorities the opportunity to consider whether the storage or use of a significant quantity of a hazardous material is acceptable in a particular location. The regulations define the substances and amounts to be controlled and contain detailed procedures for obtaining consent and for enforcement. These regulations will be followed by an explanatory circular for local authorities and a guidance booklet for industry.

  Planning Inspectorate
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in establishing the planning inspectorate executive agency under the "next steps" initiative.

  Sir George Young
  The planning inspectorate will be launched as an executive agency on 1 April 1992. A framework document setting out the organisational, financial and management structure of the agency will be published at that time.

  The key objectives for the agency will be to preserve the impartiality and quality of the inspector's work while seeking to improve efficiency. A board of visitors will be established to ensure that quality standards are maintained. In addition, I have set the following key targets for the agency's work in England for 1992–93:
  Timeliness: Eighty per cent. of planning appeals by written representation to be decided within 22 weeks and to provide an inspector for local plan inquiries on request within 26 weeks of the end of the objection period;
  Financial: Unit costs (average) of these appeals not to exceed £706 per case;
  Efficiency: Generate a 2 per cent. efficiency improvement in the use of gross running costs compared with 1991–92;
  Quality: High Court appeals and/or other justified complaints allowed against Inspectors' decisions not to exceed 1 per cent. of intake;
  Volume: To determine 24,600 planning and enforcement appeals subject to intake not declining;
  Information and Guidance: To complete a customer survey by 31 December 1992.

  These and other performance targets for the agency will be included in its business plan for 1992–93 which will be published shortly.

  Separate targets for the agency's work in Wales are being announced today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to take his capping decisions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  On 26 November 1991 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, announced his proposed capping criteria for 1992–93. On 23 January 1992 he reaffirmed that he was minded to adopt those criteria, and they remain his firm intentions for criteria for 1992–93.

  However, under the statute my right hon. Friend cannot take his decisions on the criteria to select authorities for capping, and the level of proposed caps for any authority designated, until he has considered authorities' budgets. Information on authorities' budgets must be submitted to the Secretary of State by 8 March in the case of precepting authorities and 18 March in the case of charging authorities.

  My right hon. Friend intends to take his capping decisions as soon as is practicable and appropriate after the receipt of budget information. However, such decisions are of a kind which by convention Ministers do not take during an election campaign. My right hon. Friend therefore does not intend to consider these matters until the earliest practical opportunity after the election.

  When he comes to take his decisions my right hon. Friend will have regard to all appropriate considerations
  650
  including the budgets which authorities have set and his provisional criteria. In the light of information on the budgets he will decide on the principles for capping which he should adopt, on which his present intention is set out in the provisional criteria. On the basis of those principles he will designate authorities for capping. For each designated authority he will decide on a proposed cap. The proposed cap which he will set for any designated authority will represent my right hon. Friend's view of the appropriate and achievable level for that authority's budget in the light of all its circumstances.

  At that point each authority may accept either its proposed cap, and proceed with re-billing if that is necessary, or challenge the proposed cap seeking that the Secretary of State should vary his proposal as to the amount of the cap. Authorities have 28 days from designation in which to challenge their cap.

  Outdoor Advertisements
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to issue the planning policy guidance on outdoor advertisement control, of which a consultative draft was circulated in July 1991.

  Mr. Yeo
  We are today publishing planning policy guidance note 19 about outdoor advertisement control in England and Wales. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Derelict Land Grant
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of derelict land grant made available by his Department in each of the last five years; and how many acres have been brought into use as a result for(a) housing, (b) industry, (c) recreation and (d) public buildings.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: The information requested is as follows. Statistics are not held on land brought back into use for public buildings.

  1. Derelict Land Grant paid 1986–87 to 1990–91.

  £ million

  1986–87

  68.359

  1987–88

  75.295

  1988–89

  67.126

  1989–90

  90.804

  1990–91

  71.300

  2. Land reclaimed for housing, industry and sport and recreation 1986–87 to 1990–91 (acres)

  Residential

  Industry

  Recreation/Public Open Space

  1986–87

  131

  595

  1,161

  1987–88

  124

  615

  1,635

  1988–89

  185

  1,077

  1,228

  1989–90

  104

  842

  1,252

  1990–91

  22

  316

  1,005

EMPLOYMENT

  Disabled People (Employment Quotas)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table of the percentage of(a) private sector employers and (b) public sector

  651
  employers satisfying their quota obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, in each of the last five years; and if he will also give the most recent available figures.

  Mr. Jackson
  I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. However, tables showing the number and percentage of registered disabled people employed by a wide range of individual public sector employers are published in the Employment Gazette,

  Percentage of registered disabled people employed

  1986 per cent.

  1987 per cent.

  1988 per cent.

  1989 per cent.

  1990 per cent.

  Private sector (approximate figures)

  1

  1

  1

  0.9

  0.9

  Public sector (based on gazette figures)

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of youth training leavers in the London borough of Newham were unemployed immediately after leaving in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the unit price for youth training places in each training and enterprise council and local enterprise company.

  Mr. Jackson
  Unit prices per training week delivered and per national vocational qualification achieved in YT are agreed in contracts between the Departmental and individual TECs and are commercially confidential. Matters relating to LECs are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of employment training leavers in the London borough of Newham in each of the last five years were unemployed within three months of leaving; and what percentage obtained qualifications.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is not available in the precise form requested.

  Employment training started in September 1988 and national follow-up of leavers started in July 1989. Results are given for the East London TEC area which includes the London borough of Newham. Those show that for the period July 1989 to June 1990, 57 per cent. of leavers were unemployed three months after leaving and 14 per cent. of all leavers gained a qualification or a credit towards one. For the period April 1990 to March 1991, 67 per cent. were unemployed three months after leaving and 23 per cent. of all leavers gained a qualification or a credit towards one.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of youth training leavers obtained qualifications in the London borough of Newham in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Jackson
  Reliable information is not available in the form requested. The results available are for the East London area office which included the London borough of Newham. Information is available for the periods April 1986 to March 1990 and shows that the percentage of YT leavers gaining qualifications was as follows:652
  copies of which are in the Library. The most recent complete published set of figures, is in the February 1991 gazette and relates to June 1990, A partial set of figures, relating to June 1991, is in the February 1992 gazette.

  The percentage of registered disabled people employed, on average by employers whose individual figures are in the gazette, together with estimated comparisons for the private sector, for the years 1986 to 1990, are in the table later comparable information is not yet available.

  April 1989-March 1990 38 per cent.

  April 1988-March 1989 39 per cent.

  April 1987-March 1988 25 per cent.

  April 1986-March 1987 11 per cent.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently in work: what were the figures 10 and 15 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The work force in employment in the United Kingdom stood at 24,835,000 in September 1976, at 24,198,000 in September 1981 and at 25,807,000 in September 1991. The number of people in work is now 442,000 higher than in June 1979.

  Earnings
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much average male earnings have increased in real terms since 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  Information on average male earnings in April of 1979 and of each year up to 1991 is published in table 1 of part A of the new earnings survey report for the year concerned.

  Information on the retail prices index, all items, to convert 1979 figures to 1991 prices is published in table 6.4 of the latest Employment Gazette for April 1991, and in table 26 of the annual supplement to "Economic Trends" for April of earlier years.

  Copies of the publications are available in the Library.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the new financial incentives for TECs in relation to people with learning difficulties; and whether the same unit price has been given by the Training, Enterprise and Education Directorate to TECs for the achievement of wordpower and numberpower as for any level of national vocational qualification.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 December 1991,Official Report, column 26.

  TECs contract individually for an agreed rate of output-related payment. TECs will receive multiples of the agreed rate for trainees achieving national vocational qualifications. In the case of wordpower at foundation,

  653
  half the agreed rate of output-related payment is payable. An identical unit price is payable for achievement of foundation level numberpower. Where it is agreed that a trainee requires both wordpower and numberpower then the TEC will receive two payments of half the agreed rate of output-related payment. In addition, TECs will receive further output-related payment for any trainees who progress to achieve national vocational qualifications.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from TECs about the training of people with learning difficulties, with particular reference to special needs training being provided outwith the remit of TECs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have received no such representations.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide details of Government financial support to each training and enterprise council during 1990–91 and 1991–92; identifying separately resources made available after the beginning of the financial year and funding for each of(a) adult training, (b) youth training, (c) enterprise, (d) local initiatives and (e) management; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: The total figure allocated by the Government to training and enterprise councils in 1990–91 was £1,571.91 million and in 1991–92 £1,838.66 million.

  The breakdown of these figures requested in the question is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Expenditure, London
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the budget and forecast actual expenditure for 1991–92 and 1992–93 of(a) his Department's London regional office and (b) the nine training and enterprise councils operating in London.

  Mr. Jackson
  The total budgetary allocation for the Department's Training Enterprise and Education Directorate's London region in 1991–92 was £167.263 million.

  The budgets for the nine London TECs are shown in the table:

  £ million

  AZTEC

  10.742

  CENTEC

  11.951

  CILNTEC

  8.124

  LETEC

  27.618

  NLTEC

  9.690

  NWLTEC

  5.625

  SOLOTEC

  18.555

  STTEC

  20.510

  WLTEC

  8.945

  Footnote:

  The regional total figure includes expenditure by residual TEED area offices for those areas where TECs began operations during the financial year 1991–92, experience on technical vocational and education initiative, and regional office running costs.

  Forecasts of outturn expenditure are produced for internal management purposes only. Budgets for 1992–93 are still subject to negotiation.

SCOTLAND

  Fur Factory Farms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many arctic fox factory farms are currently operating in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No official statistics are kept.

  Upper Solway
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will designate the upper Solway as a special protection area.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The designation of the upper Solway flats and marshes as a special protection area under EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds is under consideration.

  House Repossessions
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the annual figures for house repossessions in Scotland since 1985 by region.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not available in the form requested. The Council of Mortgage Lenders publishes statistics in its regular newsletters on various aspects of mortgage lending but this is on a GB basis and no corresponding information is available for Scotland only.

  However, the Scottish Office Environment Department has recently received figures specially collated by the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers from the Scottish branches of the four main banks in Scotland—Bank of Scotland, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and TSB Bank Scotland. The figures as at 31 December 1991 were 0.77 per cent. of mortgages over six months in arrears and 0.13 per cent. of houses repossessed in the six months to 31 December. This compares with UK figures produced by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, which excludes the four Scottish banks, of 2.8 per cent. and 0.40 per cent. respectively.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate how much of the money recently allocated for a decommissioning scheme for the fishing industry will be spent in Scotland in the financial year 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The arrangement announced by my right hon. Friend on 27 February will now be the subject of consultation with the industry.

  Crofters
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Crofters Union; and if he will give details.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Although my right hon. Friend has not met representatives of the Scottish Crofters Union, my noble Friend the Minister for Agriculture arid Fisheries in Scotland and his predecessor have had meetings with them on a number of occasions to discuss
  655
  various topics of interest to crofters. The most recent meeting with the director of the Scottish Crofters Union and the hon. Member for the Western Isles Mr. Macdonald took place on 21 November 1991 when assistance for crofter housing was discussed.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of representations he has received from(a) the Scottish National Farmers Union and (b) others in relation to the MacSharry proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Various representations from the Scottish NFU and others have been received. We have stated clearly our opposition to the discriminatory features of the Commission's proposals, and our aim to achieve a reform which encourages a more market-oriented CAP; which applies fairly across all the agricultural sectors; which maintains financial discipline; and which builds in environmental objectives for the countryside. Discussions on CAP reform are continuing in the Agriculture Council.

  SSSIs (Advisory Committee)
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now announce the membership of the Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  I have appointed Professor F. T. Last, FRSE as chairman of the committee along with the following members:

  Dr. J. Morton Boyd, CBE, DSc, FRSE

  Professor J. M. M. Cunningham, FRSE

  Professor David Ingram

  Professor John A. Raven, FRSE, FRS

  Professor William Ritchie, FRSE

  Dr. Charles D. Waterston, FRSE

  The establishment of this committee fulfils an important requirement of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991. The committee will have a significant to play role in ensuring, by its advice to Scottish Natural Heritage, that the highest scientific standards are applied in the selection and consideration of sites of special scientific interest.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much he estimates will be raised from standard community charges on empty properties and second homes in Scotland in 1992–93.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: Such estimates are calculated from returns made by local authorities. These have not yet been received for 1992–93.

  Foresterhill Hospital
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what authority the Foresterhill hospital NHS trust may issue press releases under the name of Mr. Reid, public relations officer of Grampian health board, purporting to be on behalf of the trust, prior to 1 April.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 6 February 1992]: Article 7 of the Foresterhill Hospitals National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 1991.

  Data Information Systems
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what data information systems his Department has(a) agreed and (b) been consulted about with a view to taking part in; what are the criteria for inclusion in such systems; whether they will be linked to (i) the police national computer and (ii) other computer systems; what data protection provisions apply to them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: The Scottish Office has 95 data information systems holding personal data and all are registered under the Data Protection Act 1984. The Department complies with the data protection principles in relation to this information which is required to carry out effectively the business of the Department.

  None of these data information systems is linked to the police national computer nor directly to any other computer systems, with the exception of a link to the Government payroll centre at Chessington for staff payroll purposes.

  Building Security
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what total central and local government assistance has been given to Govan Initiative for its secure communities project; and if he will break that figure down to show the expenditure on business premises and housing respectively.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 10 March 1992]: Total support through the urban programme for the secure communities project has been set at £910,000, 75 per cent. of which is met by the Scottish Office and 25 per cent. by Strathclyde regional council and Glasgow district council.

  No breakdown of this figure on the basis requested is available, but I understand that, to date, £172,000 and £117,000 have been spent on housing and business premises, respectively.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is able to offer Govan Initiative additional financial assistance towards creating secure entry systems in high-rise flats.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 10 March 1992]: Funding of secure entry systems in high flat housing is included in the secure communities project, which is funded under the urban programme. No application was received, in the current round of urban programme bids, for additional funding assistance, towards secure entry systems.

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many residential properties owned by his Department are(a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 5 March 1992]: The information requested is as follows:
  657

  Number

  per cent.

  (a) 268

  12.85

  (b) 55

  2.64

  (c) 110

  5.27

  (d) 6

  0.29

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each local enterprise company and in total, the composition of boards, broken down by(a) gender, (b) ethnicity, (c) industrial sector and (d) non-private sector representation broken down by (i) local authority (except education), (ii) local authority education, (iii) other education, (iv) trades unions, (v) voluntary sector, (vi) health employer organisations, (vii) ethnic minority organisations and (viii) others; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: At least two thirds of the board members of local enterprise companies are required to be drawn from the private sector. Subject to that requirement, individual appointments are for the local enterprise companies themselves. Board membership is listed in the published summaries of the companies' business plans.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the budgets of each local enterprise company broken down by(a) adult training, (b) youth training, (c) economic development, (d) environment, (e) local initiatives and (f) management.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 11 March 1992]: The responsibility for making allocations to local enterprise companies lies with Scottish Enterprise. I understand that the amounts available to local enterprise companies for their adult and youth training blocks in 1992–93 were notified to them last month; and that they were informed of the allocations for 1992–93 for the remainder of their activities earlier this week.

  The total budgets of local enterprise companies will also depend on the availability of funds from sources other than Scottish Enterprise, including the European Community.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Merchant Navy Funds
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to the accounts and assets of(a) the Merchant Navy ratings pension fund and (b) the Merchant Navy war memorial fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for the accounts and assets of the organisations concerned rests with the respective trustees who have a fiduciary duty to act at all times in the interests of all the beneficiaries under the trusts.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer of 2 April 1990,Official Report, columns 490–91, regarding expenditure by his Department, to include 1991–92.
  658
  Miss Widdecombe
  Department of Social Security spending, in cash and real terms and as a percentage of central Government spending, is given in the table.

  Year

  Expenditure (cash) £ million

  Expenditure (1991–92 prices) £ million

  Central Government spending(cash) £ million

  Percentage of Central Government spending per cent

  1979–80

  19,416

  45,143

  77,600

  25.0

  1983–84

  35,159

  56,205

  120,400

  29.2

  1987–88

  48,771

  64,613

  142,610

  34.2

  1989–90

  52,182

  60,572

  162,764

  32.1

  1991–92

  65,116

  65,116

  205,000

  31.8

  Notes:

  1. 1991–92 figures are estimated outturn.

  2. Figures for 1979–80 and 1983–84 are based on the old planning total; those for 1987–88 onwards are based on the new planning total.

  3. The percentage of central Government spending for 1991–92 is reduced largely as a result of the transfer of rent rebate expenditure in England and Wales to the Department of the Environment and Welsh Office programmes.

  Benefit Rules
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many existing claimants of income support in(a) the Monmouth constituency, (b) Cwmbran Department of Social Security office, (c) Gwent and (d) Wales will be afforded transitional protection when the 16-hour rule is introduced;

  (2) how many of the income support claimants who will get transitional protection are ineligible for family credit because they have no dependent children;

  (3) what is his estimate of the reduction in registered unemployment in the Monmouth constituency which will result from the introduction of the 16-hour rule.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that information showing the number of claimants entitled to protection in particular geographical areas is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Neither is it possible to say what impact the hours change may have on registered unemployment in any specific area.

  We estimate that, nationally, around 45,000 families with children and 15,000 people without children are working between 16 and 24 hours a week and receiving income support. All of them will be entitled under special protection rules to continue receiving income support from April when the 16 hours rule is introduced. Of the families with children, about 30,000 are expected to be better off on family credit and so may choose to claim that benefit instead of income support.

  Widows
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the assistance and benefit available to widows.

  Mr. Jack
  Widow's payment, widowed mother's allowance and widow's pension are available, according to circumstances, to widows aged under 60 years of age whose late husbands had met the appropriate national insurance contributions conditions. Widows aged 60 or over are in most circumstances entitled to a contributory retirement pension based upon the late husband's national
  659
  insurance contribution record. Both widowed mother's allowance and basic retirement pension can attract a dependency increase for children.

  My hon. Friend may like to know that the estimated expenditure on these benefits in 1991–92 is £983 million.

  Under the war pensions scheme administered by the Department, war widows pensions are available, in the main, to widows of men whose deaths were due to or substantially hastened by service in the armed forces, whether in war or peacetime; additions are also payable for dependent children. These pensions are paid at preferential rates.

  Further information can be found in DSS Leaflets NP45, MPL 152 and MPL 154; I will send copies to my hon. Friend.

  In addition other social security benefits are available to widows who make a claim and satisfy the necessary conditions for the award of the benefit and these include child benefit and income-related benefits.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will rework the table shown as figure 20—"Marginal net income deduction rates"—in his Department's published plan for 1992–93 in the light of the present proposals for council tax benefit tapers; and if he will publish the results in a similar fashion.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The numbers with marginal net income deduction rates calculated for benefit units in receipt of income-related benefits, where at least one partner works 24 hours a week and where council tax benefit replaces community charge benefit are as follows:

  Percentage

  1991–92 Thousands

  100 and above

  0

  90 and above

  55

  80 and above

  220

  70 and above

  390

  60 and above

  395

  50 and above

  395

  Note: Estimates are cumulative and rounded to the nearest 5,000.

  Source: Projections based on the 1987 and 1988 Family Expenditure Surveys, and are not directly comparable to Figure 20 in the Departmental Report, which is based on Family Expenditure Surveys for 1986, 1987 and 1988.

  Employment Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what conditions need to be fulfilled by participants in the employment training scheme to be able to claim in-work benefits including family credit; if he will explain what conditions the scheme has had to satisfy so that participants are able to make successful claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Participants in the employment training scheme can claim housing benefit if they are liable for rent and community charge benefit if they are liable for the full personal community charge in the same way as any other person. To claim family credit the claimant, or his partner, must be in remunerative work of at least 24 hours a week 16 hours a week from 7 April and responsible for at least one child. For family credit purposes the employment training scheme counts as remunerative work only if the participant has employee status. Under the terms of their 660
  contracts with the Employment Department, training and enterprise councils are responsible for ensuring that trainees are informed of their status while undergoing training.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of youngsters between 16 years and 18 years of age whose parents claim child benefit for them in each year since 1981.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. The following information has been compiled from table G1.06, formerly table 30.36, of "Social Security Statistics". The table gives the estimated numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds for whom child benefit was in payment at 31 December in each year. This includes those in full-time non-advanced education and those who have left such education but for whom child benefit is still payable.

  Thousands

  1981

  1,012

  1982

  1,005

  1983

  967

  1984

  939

  1985

  924

  1986

  913

  1987

  925

  1988

  956

  1989

  952

  1990

  961

  1991

  1n.y.a.

  1 Not yet available.

  Students Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to alter or remove the access to income support and housing benefit of students who take a year out from their studies.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Students who temporarily suspend their studies should normally look to the education system for support. Those in vulnerable groups may qualify for income support and housing benefit. We have no plans to change the present arrangements.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there is a full social fund section service in every benefit office in every benefit agency district.

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

  Income Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients of income support are aged(a) 18, (b) 19, (c) 20, (d) 21, (e) 22, (f) 23 and (g) 24 years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table.
  661

  Age

  Number of recipients Thousands

  18

  81

  19

  109

  20

  101

  21

  103

  22

  92

  23

  102

  24

  100

  Source: annual statistical inquiry May 1990

  Note:All figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients of income support who are responsible for mortgage etc. interest are aged(a) 18–19, (b) 20, (c) 21, (d) 22, (e) 23 and (f) 24 years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table.

  Age group

  Number of recipients in thousands

  18–19

  0

  20

  1

  21

  1

  22

  2

  23

  4

  24

  4

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Number of claimants 0 denotes fewer than 499.

  Source: Income support statistics annual inquiry May 1990.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secetary of State for Social Security what proportion of claimants in(a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes have had their fees met in full by income support, discounting the personal expenses allowances, in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 10 March 1992]: The information requested is in the table.

  Fees met in full

  Year

  RCH Per cent.

  NH Per cent.

  1986–87

  79

  70

  1987–88

  52

  68

  1988–89

  65

  51

  1989–90

  61

  53

  1990–91

  61

  67

  Notes:

  1. Figures to nearest whole per cent.

  2. Figures for 1987–88 are based over three quarters.

  3. All other figures are based over four quarters.

  4. Source Quarterly Statistical Enquiries February 1986 November 1991.

  OPCS Disability Survey
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total gross cost of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey on disability in Great Britain at cash prices and at 1991–92 prices, respectively.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 27 February 1992]: The total gross cost was £2.47 million at cash prices and £3.62 million at 1991–92 prices.

  Tax and Benefit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for a lone mother with two children aged four and six years under the benefit system based on upratings already announced for April 1992, and in each of the following circumstances(a) not working, after one year on benefits, (b) earning £20 a week from part-time working and (c) working full-time and earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110 and (vii) £120 per week.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 February 1992]: The information requested is set out in the table. This takes into account the upratings announced for April 1992 in respect of family credit, child benefit, housing benefit, community charge benefit and income support, but all other data and assumptions are as for the published October 1991 tax benefit model tables.

  All tables of this kind are illustrative only and do not, except by chance, reflect the actual circumstances of the population at large. In particular, the hypothetical rents used do not reflect the wide range of housing costs individuals may pay. But the tables do indicate that, as a result of successive improvements in the tax and social security systems, it is now almost impossible for someone to be worse off as a result of an increase in gross pay.

  Lone parent with two children aged 4 and 6

  £

  (a) not working, after one year on benefit

  Income support

  67.57

  Child benefit

  23.30

  Rent rebate

  26.03

  Community charge benefit

  3.76

  Total net income

  120.66

  Income after rent and community charge

  89.93

  (b) earning £20 per week from part-time earnings

  Income support

  62.57

  Child benefit

  23.30

  Rent rebate

  26.03

  Community charge benefit

  3.76

  Earnings

  20.00

  Total net income

  135.66

  Net income after rent and community charge

  104.93

  Notes:

  1. Child benefit includes one parent benefit.

  2. Net income after rent and community charge includes the notional value of free school meals and welfare foods.
  663

  Lone parent with 2 children aged 4 and 6

  Tax threshold=£96.44

  Basic Tax rate=25 per cent.

  Total net income on Income Support=£120.66

  Net income after Rent and Community Charge on Income Support = £89

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Gross earnings

  60.00

  70.00

  80.00

  90.00

  100.00

  110.00

  120.00

  Tax

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .89

  3.39

  5.89

  N.I.

  1.76

  2.66

  3.56

  4.46

  5.36

  6.26

  7.16

  Take home pay

  58.24

  67.34

  76.44

  85.54

  93.75

  100.35

  106.95

  Family credit

  61.80

  61.28

  54.91

  48.54

  42.79

  38.18

  33.55

  Child benefit

  23.30

  23.30

  23.30

  23.30

  23.30

  23.30

  23.30

  Rent rebate

  8.55

  2.97

  1.20

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .00

  Community Charge benefit

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .00

  .00

  Total net income

  151.89

  154.89

  155.85

  157.38

  159.84

  161.83

  163.80

  Rent

  26.03

  26.03

  26.03

  26.03

  26.03

  26.03

  26.03

  Community Charge

  4.70

  4.70

  4.70

  4.70

  4.70

  4.70

  4.70

  Net income after Rent and Community Charge

  121.16

  124.16

  125.12

  126.65

  129.11

  131.10

  133.07

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables, similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for each of a single wage married couple(a) with two children aged four and six years and (b) with three children aged three, eight and 11 years earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110, (vii) £120, (viii) £130, (ix) £140, (x) £150, (xi) £160 and (xii) £170 under the benefit system taking account of the upratings already announced for April 1992.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 February 1992]: The information requested is set out in the table. This takes

  Married couple with two children aged 4 and 6

  Gross earnings (£S)

  Tax

  National insurance

  Take home pay

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Community charge

  Community charge benefit

  Total net income

  Net income after rent and community charge

  60.00

  0.00

  1.76

  58.24

  61.80

  17.45

  26.03

  11.41

  9.40

  4.15

  153.05

  117.62

  70.00

  0.00

  2.66

  67.34

  61.28

  17.45

  26.03

  5.83

  9.40

  2.86

  154.76

  119.33

  80.00

  0.00

  3.56

  76.44

  54.91

  17.45

  26.03

  4.06

  9.40

  2.45

  155.31

  119.88

  90.00

  0.00

  4.46

  85.54

  48.54

  17.45

  26.03

  2.28

  9.40

  2.04

  155.85

  120.42

  100.00

  0.89

  5.36

  93.75

  42.79

  17.45

  26.03

  0.68

  9.40

  1.67

  156.34

  120.91

  110.00

  3.39

  6.26

  100.35

  38.18

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  1.37

  157.35

  121.92

  120.00

  5.89

  7.16

  106.95

  33.55

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  1.08

  159.03

  123.60

  130.00

  8.39

  8.06

  113.55

  28.93

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.78

  160.71

  125.28

  140.00

  10.89

  8.96

  120.15

  24.31

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.48

  162.39

  126.96

  150.00

  13.39

  9.86

  126.75

  19.69

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.19

  164.08

  128.65

  160.00

  15.89

  10.76

  133.35

  15.08

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.00

  165.88

  130.45

  170.00

  18.39

  11.66

  139.95

  10.46

  17.45

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.00

  167.86

  132.43

  Married couple with three children aged 3, 8 and 11

  Gross earnings(£'s)

  Tax

  National insurance

  Take home Pay

  Family credit

  Child benefit

  Rent

  Rent rebate

  Community charge

  Community charge benefit

  Total net income

  Net income after rent and community charge

  60.00

  0.00

  1.76

  58.24

  79.05

  25.25

  26.03

  9.04

  9.40

  3.60

  175.18

  139.75

  70.00

  0.00

  2.66

  67.34

  78.53

  25.25

  26.03

  3.46

  9.40

  2.31

  176.89

  141.46

  80.00

  0.00

  3.56

  76.44

  72.16

  25.25

  26.03

  1.69

  9.40

  1.90

  177.44

  142.01

  90.00

  0.00

  4.46

  85.54

  65.79

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  1.49

  178.07

  142.64

  100.00

  0.89

  5.36

  93.75

  60.04

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  1.12

  180.16

  144.73

  110.00

  3.39

  6.26

  100.35

  55.43

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.83

  181.86

  146.43

  120.00

  5.89

  7.16

  106.95

  50.80

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.53

  183.53

  148.10

  130.00

  8.39

  8.06

  113.55

  46.19

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.23

  185.22

  149.79

  140.00

  10.89

  8.96

  120.15

  41.56

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.00

  186.96

  151.53

  150.00

  13.39

  9.86

  126.75

  36.95

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.00

  188.95

  153.52

  160.00

  15.89

  10.76

  133.35

  32.33

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.00

  190.93

  155.50

  170.00

  18.39

  11.66

  139.95

  27.71

  25.25

  26.03

  0.00

  9.40

  0.00

  192.91

  157.48

  664
  into account the upratings announced for April 1992 in respect of family credit, child benefit, housing benefit, community charge benefit and income support, but all other data and assumptions are as for the published October 1991 tax benefit model tables.

  All tables of this kind are illustrative only and do not, except by chance, reflect the actual circumstances of the population at large. In particular, the hypothetical rents used do not reflect the wide range of housing costs individuals may pay. But the tables do indicate that, as a result of successive improvements in the tax and social security systems, it is now almost impossible for someone to be worse off as a result of an increase in gross pay.

  Housing Benefit
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the level of gross earnings in April 1992 taking into account upratings already announced for that time at which(a) a single householder, (b) a married couple and (c) a single parent with one child, aged three years, will lose in housing benefit, assuming full take-up of family credit, average rent and rates and other assumptions, as in his reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay), Official Report, 1 December 1987, column 566.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 February 1992]: The information requested is set out in the table. This takes into account the upratings announced for April 1992 in respect of family credit, child benefit, housing benefit, community charge benefit and income support, but all other data and assumptions are as for the published October 1991 tax benefit model tables.

  All tables of this kind are illustrative only and do not, except by chance, reflect the actual circumstances of the population at large. In particular, the hypothetical rents used do not reflect the wide range of housing costs individuals may pay. For these examples, the rents are as follows:

  Single person: £22 a week.

  Married Couple: £26 a week.

  Lone Parent with one child aged three: £24.

  Family type

  Gross earnings at which housing benefit is lost(£ per week)

  Gross earnings at which community charge is lost(£ per week)

  Single Parent

  92.00

  80.00

  Married Couple

  123.00

  150.00

  Lone Parent with one child aged three

  185.00

  62.00

  1 Assumes Child Benefit of £9.25. One Parent Benefit of £5.85 and Family Credit of some £41.00 a week are in payment, in addition to Gross Earnings above, which would provide a total gross income of £141.50.

  2 Assumes Child Benefit of £9.65, One Parent Benefit of £5.85 and Family Credit of some £51 a week are in payment, in addition to gross earnings above.

TRANSPORT

  Road Improvement Programme
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost to his Department's road improvement programme of the increase in VAT from 15 per cent. to 17.5 per cent.

  Mr. Chope
  It is estimated that, in 1991–92 total expenditure on VAT of £212 million will be incurred on section A (national roads system: capital—new construction and renewal) of the national roads, England, vote. This is expected to be offset by recoveries of £79 million.

  Shipping Industry
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the amount of money allocated by his Department for the Government assistance for training 666
  scheme in the shipping industry in each financial year since 1988–89; and whether the allocated amount was duly spent in each of the above years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The money allocated by the Department for GAFT since the commencement of the scheme in 1988 is as follows:

  Year

  Allocation £ million

  Spend £ million

  1988–89

  2.5

  0.847

  1989–90

  3.5

  1.756

  1990–91

  3.5

  2.342

  1991–92

  2.754

  12.665

  1 To date.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of what proportion of the total allocation for the Government assistance for training scheme in the shipping industry has gone towards(a) officer cadet recruitment and (b) financial assistance for existing officers to upgrade their qualifications, in each financial year since 1988–89.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The proportion of expenditure on officer cadet recruitment and higher grade certificates is as follows:

  Year

  Amount £

  Per cent.

  (a) Cadet recruitment

  1988–89

  612,000

  24.5

  1989–90

  1,084,000

  31.0

  1990–91

  1,572,000

  44.9

  1991–92 (to date)

  2,064,000

  74.9

  (b) Higher grade certificates

  1988–89

  94,000

  3.76

  1989–90

  490,000

  14.0

  1990–91

  457,000

  13.1

  1991–92 (to date)

  418,000

  15.2

  The remaining amounts being accounted for by publicity for the scheme in 1988–91 and the co-ordinating agents fees.

  Cycling
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authorities which included cycle schemes in their application for transport supplementary grant.

  Mr. Chope
  The following local highway authorities included cycling-schemes in their transport policy and programme statements for 1992–93:

  Berkshire

  East Sussex Hampshire

  Isle of Wight

  Oxfordshire

  Surrey

  West Sussex

  Avon

  Devon

  Gloucestershire

  Wiltshire

  Birmingham

  Solihull

  Walsall

  Wolverhampton

  Bolton

  667

  Manchester

  Oldham

  Salford

  Stockport

  Trafford

  Wirral

  Cumbria

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Durham

  Barnsley

  Doncaster

  Sheffield

  Leeds

  Humberside

  North Yorkshire

  Leicestershire

  Lincolnshire

  Nottinghamshire

  Bedfordshire

  Cambridgeshire

  Norfolk

  Suffolk

  Brent

  Camden

  Croydon

  Enfield

  Greenwich

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Haringey

  Havering

  Hillingdon

  Hounslow

  Islington

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Kingston upon Thames

  Lambeth

  Lewisham

  Merton

  Newham

  Redbridge

  Number of passengers involved in injury accidents on the railways and buses and coaches: Great Britain 1990

  Killed (fatal)

  Seriously injured (major injury)

  Slight (minor injury)

  Total

  Railways

  Train accidents

  0

  13

  144

  157

  Movement accidents

  37

  107

  2,551

  2,695

  Sub-total

  37

  120

  2,695

  2,852

  Non-movement accidents

  2

  104

  3,543

  3,649

  Total

  39

  224

  6,238

  6,501

  Buses and coaches

  16

  721

  8,555

  9,292

  Notes:

  Train accidents are accidents to trains and rolling stock.

  Movement accidents are accidents to people caused by the movement of rail vehicles, other than train accidents. The largest types of incident are falls from trains and from platforms. (The sum of train and movement accidents would be the equivalent of the accidents to passengers in buses and coaches).

  Non-movement accidents are accidents to people on railway premises not connected with the movement of rail vehicles (eg slipping on staircases etc.).

  For definitions of railway casualties see the Railways (Notice of Accidents) Order 1986; and for definitions of casualties on buses and coaches see Road Accidents Great Britain 1990.

  Buses and Coaches
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total number of buses and coaches involved in road accidents in 1990.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The total number of buses and coaches involved in injury road accidents in 1990 was 12,200.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of buses and coaches failed their MOT test at the first attempt in the year 1990–91.
  668

  Southwark

  Sutton

  Waltham Forest

  Wandsworth

  Westminster

  European Community
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transport measures he intends to pursue with the European Commission and Parliament during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Community Council of Ministers and the United Kingdom chairmanship of the European Council of Transport Ministers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Our top priority during the United Kingdom presidency will be the transport measures necessary to complete the single market. We also expect to deal with transport infrastructure issues; transport external relations; and transport and the environment. Those are the issues which we intend to pursue with the European Commission and Parliament.

  Passenger Deaths and Injuries
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate for 1990 the number of passengers(a) killed, (b) seriously injured or (c) less seriously injured on (1) British Rail and (2) buses and coaches.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is given in the table. Information on railway passenger accidents is contained in the annual report on railway safety, copies of which are in the House Library. There are no separate figures for British Rail as the statistics for injuries relate to all railways.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Thirty-five per cent. of public service vehicles, which account for the great majority of buses and coaches, failed the public service vehicle roadworthiness test in 1990–91.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total fuel duty rebate available to buses and coaches for the fiscal year 1991–92; by how much this has changed in percentage terms since 1986–87; and how this subsidy is communicated in his Department's statistics.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The forecast outturn for fuel duty rebate on local bus services in 1991–92 is £200 million, 55
  669
  per cent. higher than the outturn in 1986–87, reflecting increases in both mileage operated and the rate of duty. Figures for the rebate are given in "The Government's Expenditure Plans for Transport 1992–93 to 1994–95" (Cm. 1907) and in the statistical pubications "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1991" and "Bus and Coach Statistics Great Britain 1990– 91".

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in the allocation of resources for measures to promote bus use in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am pleased to announce the allocation of £200,000 of supplementary credit approvals in 1992–93 for bus priority measures in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Further allocations will be considered in 1993–94.

  Marchioness Inquiry
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the name and qualifications of any assessor appointed to assist Mr. Hayes in his inquiry into the Marchioness disaster; if he will indicate the manner in which that inquiry will receive representations and conduct its business; and if it will be in public.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Mr. Hayes has two advisors assisting him with his inquiry. His safety advisor is Mr. Mike Henderson, who is the site manager of the north Tees works of ICI Petrochemicals. He is a chartered engineer, a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and a member of the Institute of Petroleum. Captain Nic Rutherford is the inquiry's marine advisor, and is retired, after a seagoing career with BP. He is a past master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, and is a former general secretary of the International Federation of Ship Masters Associations. He has been assessor for the Court of Appeal and the Admiralty court.

  The inquiry is not being held in public. Mr. Hayes has sought written submissions from interested parties and individuals and has invited interested parties and individuals to offer oral evidence to the inquiry. The precise conduct and form of the inquiry are a matter for Mr. Hayes.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will add to the list of incidents to be considered by the Hayes inquiry into the Marchioness disaster the collision of the dredger Bowtrader with the northern terminal of the Woolwich free ferry on 30 January 1988.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I shall be pleased to draw this incident to the attention of Mr. Hayes.

  Vehicle Ownership
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the figures for vehicle ownership in Greater London for each year since 1980; and what his projections are for the future.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is as follows:
  670

  Currently Licensed Vehicles with Registered Keeper in Greater London

  Year

  Number Thousands

  1980

  2,387

  1981

  2,410

  1982

  2,449

  1983

  2,493

  1984

  2,547

  1985

  2,583

  1986

  2,628

  1987

  2,653

  1988

  2,737

  1989

  2,796

  1990

  2,831

  My Department does not forecast the total number of vehicles in Greater London. However, provisional estimates for 1990, the latest year for which figures are available, show that the proportion of households in Greater London with one car was 42 per cent. and with two cars or more, 19 per cent. It is forecast that by the year 2001, car ownership in Greater London will increase to between 64 and 68 per cent. of households.

  London Regional Office
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the budget and forecast actual expenditure for 1991–92 and 1992–93 of his Department's London regional office.

  Mr. Chope
  Expenditure under the roads vote for 1991– 92 is forecast at £202.5 million against an April 1991 budget of £208.6 million. The budget for 1992– 93 is £241 million.

  Passenger Journeys
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate in percentage terms for each of the last five years the number of passenger journeys outside London undertaken(a) by bus and coach and (b) by British Rail.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Passenger journeys by British Rail are not available by area.

  Figures for local bus services outside London are available in "Bus and Coach Statistics Great Britain 1990– 91", as follows:

  Local bus passenger journeys (million) Great Britain outside London

  Year

  1986–87

  4,179

  1987–88

  4,081

  1988–89

  4,001

  1989–90

  3,881

  1990–91

  3,654

  Radioactive Materials
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proportion of irradiated fuel flasks imported into the United Kingdom in(a) 1990 and (b) 1991, were monitored on arrival by (i) the radioactive materials transport division of his Department, (ii) the National Radiological Protection Board and (iii) employees of Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd and Nuclear Transport Ltd;
  671
  (2) how many consignments of irradiated fuel flasks were imported into the United Kingdom in (a) 1990 and (b)

  Mr. McLoughlin
  One hundred and eight irradiated fuel flasks containing power reactor fuel were imported into the United Kingdom during 1990 and 92 during 1991. Three flasks of irradiated research reactor fuel were also imported during 1991. All flasks imported into the United Kingdom by Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd. (PNTL) at Barrow are monitored by staff of PNTL or British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. before trans-shipment to rail. Flasks imported by Nuclear Transport Ltd. from Europe remain on their railwagon under a canopy and are not routinely monitored en-route. All flasks are thoroughly monitored before dispatch and on arrival at the reprocessing site. During 1990 and 1991 respectively, four and two flasks were monitored on arrival by the National Radiological Protection Board on behalf of the radioactive materials transport division.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the report prepared by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority with regard to a contaminated flask containing irradiated research reactor fuel from India which arrived in the United Kingdom on 30 January 1991.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Health and Safety Executive fully reported on this incident in its statement of incidents at nuclear installations for the first quarter of 1991, announced in a news release of 2 July 1991. Release of United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority documents should be for the authority.

  Red Route (Islington)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the operation of the red route through the London borough of Islington.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 28 November 1991,Official Report, column 575. There has been very little correspondence since then.

  Rail Investment
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out(a) the level of investment by Network SouthEast in each year since 1962 at current prices and (b) the total operating grant paid to (i) British Rail and (ii) Network SouthEast in each year since 1962 at current prices.

  Mr. Freeman
  [pursuant to his reply, 11 March 1992, c. 535]: The information is as in the tables.
  672

  Network SouthEast Investment(Capital and revenue)

  £ million at 1991–92 prices

  11982

  192

  1983

  181

  11984–85

  168

  1985–86

  162

  1986–87

  183

  1987–88

  305

  1988–89

  381

  1989–90

  414

  1990–91

  323

  31991–92

  380

  1 Network SouthEast was formed in 1986. Previous comparable figures are available only from 1982.

  2 1984–85 was a 15-month period. The figures quoted is the 12-month equivalent.

  3 Estimated.

  Source: Network SouthEast.

  (b)Grants paid to British Rail: 1969 to 1991–921

  £million at 1991–92 prices

  PSO grant2

  Level crossing grant

  PTE grant

  Other grants3

  Total

  1969

  512.1

  —

  —

  125.7

  637.8

  1970

  490.7

  —

  —

  95.6

  586.3

  1971

  462.1

  —

  —

  55.0

  517.1

  1972

  404.1

  —

  55.3

  452

  911.4

  1973

  506.6

  -

  63.0

  466.7

  1,036.3

  1974

  899.4

  —

  84.6

  -

  984.0

  1975

  850.8

  38.3

  99.4

  323.1

  1,311.6

  1976

  1,005.7

  35.3

  97.0

  152.6

  1,290.6

  1977

  1,009.3

  31.9

  112.9

  —

  1,154.1

  1978

  1,040.1

  32.3

  119.4

  —

  1,191.8

  1979

  1,101.0

  31.8

  126.4

  —

  1,259.2

  1980

  1,111.4

  32.0

  131.4

  —

  1,274.8

  1981

  1,328.1

  32.8

  120.4

  —

  1,481.3

  1982

  1,336.2

  32.8

  125.2

  —

  1,494.2

  1983

  1,337.0

  32.4

  130.1

  —

  1,499.5

  41984–85

  1,272.3

  28.8

  125.7

  —

  1,426.8

  1985–86

  1,161.4

  29.2

  110.8

  —

  1,301.4

  1986–87

  944.8

  27.5

  101.3

  —

  1,073.6

  1987–88

  989.2

  30.0

  102.8

  —

  1,122.0

  1988–89

  647.9

  27.9

  93.8

  —

  769.6

  1989–90

  568.2

  29.8

  106.0

  —

  704.0

  1990–91

  642.0

  30.9

  107.2

  —

  780.1

  51991–92

  900.0

  29.2

  129.0

  —

  1,058.2

  1 Grant is paid to British Rail as a whole. It is for British Rail to allocate it between sectors. British Rail did not receive direct Government grants prior to 1969.

  2 Prior to 1975, grant was paid under section 39(1) of the Transport Act 1968.

  3 This comprises:

  (1) Transitional freight grant—paid 1975–76.

  (2) Grant paid under Transport Grant Act to compensate for Government pricing controls—paid 1972.

  (3) Special grants—paid 1972–73.

  (4) Grant paid under section 40 of the Transport Act 1968 for temporary maintenance of surplus track and signalling—paid 1969–1973.

  4 1984–85 was a 15-month year. 12-month equivalents given.

  5 Department of Transport estimates.

  Source:British Railways Board annual accounts.

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