Written Answers of 22 May 1992

TRANSPORT

  Twyford Down
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he has any plans to visit Twyford down, Hampshire;

  (2) what visits the Minister for Roads and Traffic has paid to Twyford down, Hampshire since 9 April; and whether he will make a statement;

  (3) whether he has any plans to meet representatives of the Twyford down, Association to discuss the M3 Bar End-Compton.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I visited the Winchester area on 5 May to see the route of the Bar End Compton section of the M3. My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the area or to meet representatives of the Twyford Down Association.

  M3
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list the meetings which have taken place between officials of the United Kingdom Government and the European Commission to discuss the M3 Bar End-Compton during May 1992; and whether he will make a statement on the outcome.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Discussions between officials of the United Kingdom Government and the European Commission were held on 7 May for the purpose of clarifying the issues raised in the Commission's article 169 letter of 17 October 1991 and the United Kingdom Government's reply of 17 December 1991. As the Commission is still considering this response I cannot comment further at the present.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what communications have been received by Her Majesty's Government from the European Commission, since 9 April, regarding the M3 Bar End-Compton; and whether he will place copies in the Library.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  None.

  Toxic Paints (Vessels)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has made to the International Maritime Organisation to encourage the phasing out of the use of toxic paints on vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The United Kingdom gave full support to the action taken by the International Maritime Organisation, in IMO resolution MEPC 46(30) dated 16 November 1990, to restrict the use of toxic antifouling paints and encourage the development of environmentally safe substitutes.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce whether the proposed channel tunnel rail link will be optimised for passengers and freight or passengers only; and whether it will be two or four track.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) yesterday at column 199.

  M1-M62 Link
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report, columns 35–36, if he will list the scales of each plan, map and diagram made available at the public exhibitions relating to the proposed M1-M62 motorways link; and if he will place a copy of each in the Library.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Plans, maps and diagrams were made available at the following scales: 1:100,000, 1:50,000, 1:17,500, 1:10,000 and 1:2,500.

  The single existing copy of the exhibition material and supporting plans is too bulky to be placed in the Library. The hon. Member may inspect these documents at our offices in Leeds.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid and Advice
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the current level of legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Information on the level of legal aid provided in the financial year 1991–92 is to be published in the legal aid annual report which will be laid before Parliament on 22 June. A copy will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

  Children Act
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many emergency protection orders were taken out during the first six months of the operation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information available indicates that 800 emergency protection orders were made by courts in England and Wales in the period 14 October 1991 to 31 March 1992, following the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many place of safety orders were taken out during the first six months immediately prior to the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information is not available in the form requested. Between 1 January and 30 June 1991, which is the most recent information available, some 1,980 places of safety orders were made in England and Wales.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many child assessment orders were taken out during the first six months of the operation of the Children Act 1989.
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  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information available indicates that 22 child assessment orders were made by courts in England and Wales in the period 14 October 1991 to 31 March 1992, following the implementation of the Children Act 1989 on 14 October 1991.

EDUCATION

  Law College Courses
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to cover law college one-year post-graduate courses under the mandatory award notice for local educational authority financial grant support.

  Mr. Forman
  The Education Act 1962 restricts local education authorities to making mandatory awards in respect of attendance only on certain designated full-time courses up to first degree level and on designated initial teacher training courses. The Act permits authorities to make discretionary awards for other courses, subject to certain exclusions. Where postgraduate law courses are eligible for discretionary awards, the decision whether or not to make such an award is a matter for the authority. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Undergraduates
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of full-time undergraduate students fail to complete their courses, by institution, for each of the United Kingdom's universities and polytechnics.

  Mr. Forman
  Details of non-completion of higher education courses can be found in:

  (a) University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK, published by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Universities Funding Council, and

  (b) DFE Statistical Bulletin "Leaving rates among First Year Students in English Polytechnics and Colleges", to be published in June.

  Publication (a) is in the Library; publication (b) will be placed in the Library and a copy sent to the hon. Member.

  School Transport
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will introduce provisions to ensure formal checks on the suitability of drivers and escorts involved in transporting children to and from school.

  Mr. Forth
  Local authorities already have the power to carry out police checks on drivers and escorts where they consider them necessary. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Home Office, issued guidance on the circumstances in which police checks should be undertaken in its circular 12/88. A copy is in the Library.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Debt
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what payments were received by the United Kingdom Government and United 266
  Kingdom Government agencies on official bilateral debt, from the countries defined by the World Bank as severely indebted low income countries in 1990 and 1991; and what payments are estimated to be made by those countries in 1992.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Figures for official bilateral debt repayments to the ODA, Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and ECGD are given in the tables.

  It is important to consider these figures in context. Significant outflows of aid to the severely indebted low income countries (SILICs) continue to overshadow debt repayments made to the ODA. The net transfer of finance from CDC to the SILICs is also positive over the period in question.

  The figure given below for payments to ECGD in 1992 may well, of course, be higher than the amount actually paid. In particular, no attempt has been made to estimate the impact of future Paris Club agreements on Trinidad terms. Agreement to begin implementing the Prime Minister's Trinidad terms initiative to relieve the burden of debt on the poorest countries was achieved in December. Five countries have already benefited from the terms, and we expect more to do so, including some of those defined as SILICs, over the coming months. As these new agreements take effect, we can expect a significant reduction in repayments due to ECGD.

  (a) Loan repayments from SILICs to the ODA (£)

  Received 1990–91

  Received 1991–92

  Expected 1992–93

  3,067,664

  3,067,664

  785,530

  Figures for payments received by and due to the ODA are recorded on a financial year basis.

  (b) Loan repayments from SILICs to the CDC (£)

  Received 1990

  Received 1991

  Expected 1992

  33,902,000

  28,071,000

  33,138,235

  Figures show the CDC's total receipts from the SILICs, whether from the private or public sector.

  (b)Repayments from SILICs to the ECGD (£)

  Received 1990

  Received 1991

  Due 1992

  251,000.000

  275,000,000

  509,000,000

  Figures shown for 1990 and 1991 are in respect of officially guaranteed debt rescheduled through the Paris club. The figure for 1992 shows payments due on the same rescheduled debt, not including arrears which were outstanding as of 31 December 1991.

  Notes:

  Those countries currently defined as severely indebted low income countries (SILICs) by the World Bank are Burundi, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire and Zambia.

  Joint Funding Scheme
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will be completing his review of the joint funding scheme, including the block grant element; and if he will make a statement on the completion of his review.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have recently completed our review of ODA co-operation with non-governmental organisations including the joint funding scheme. We have subsequently reviewed the block grant element in the scheme. These reviews have justified our continuing confidence in the contribution made by British voluntary organisations to developing countries. As a result, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has increased our support for the joint funding scheme from £23 million in 1991–92 to £28 million in 1992–93.

ENVIRONMENT

  Marsham Street Premises
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what survey has been taken, or appreciation made, of changes in travel-to-work patterns for Government employees currently located in Marsham street, Westminster, that would occur consequent on their transfer to specific sites in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.

  Mr. Howard
  A sample survey to compare staff travelling time to alternative locations in London was carried out last year. A full survey of the present travelling arrangements of all staff currently in London is now being launched.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to allow local authorities to spend capital receipts raised from council house sales.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 13 May at column 608.

  Cardigan Bay (Earthquake Simulation)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Natural Environment Research Council concerning the recommendations of(a) the British geological survey and (b) the sea mammal research unit in relation to the simulated earthquake explosion proposed for Cardigan hay; and if he will place a copy of their relevant reports and recommendations in the Library.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department has communicated with the Welsh Office, the British geological survey and the sea mammal research unit on proposed seismic testing on the sea bed in Cardigan bay. I understand that the Cardigan bay research has now been postponed.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had concerning the proposed simulated earthquake experimental explosion in Cardigan bay and its potential impact on the sonar neurology of dolphins, porpoises and seals.
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  Mr. Maclean
  My Department has received a representation from Greenpeace concerning proposed seismic testing on the sea bed in Cardigan bay. I understand that the Cardigan bay research has now been postponed.

  Recycling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the use of economic instruments to encourage recycling; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 19 May,Official Report, col. 73.

  Radioactive Pollution (Baltic Sea)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what technical and ecological assistance the United Kingdom has offered to Russia to assist in the clean-up of radioactive pollution in the Baltic sea.

  Mr. Maclean
  No request for such assistance has been received.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the total value of the local government revenue support grant paid by his Department is attributable to allocations made for expenditure on services for which other Departments of State have primary responsibility.

  Mr. Squire
  The amount of revenue support grant paid to each receiving authority makes up the difference between the standard spending assessment for the area and the income the authority would receive from the community charge for standard spending plus redistributed non-domestic rates.

  Total standard spending assessments for 1992–93, service by service, are as follows:

  £ million

  Percentage

  Education

  18,352·7

  48·3

  Personal social services

  4,734·6

  12·5

  Police

  2,671·4

  7·0

  Fire and civil defence

  1,105·2

  2·9

  Highways maintenance

  1,806·0

  4·8

  All other services

  6,834·9

  18·0

  Capital financing

  2,487·9

  6·5

  37,992.7

  100·0

  Services provided by my Department are covered by the all other services and capital financing blocks but cannot be identified separately within them.

  Revenue support grant is not hypothecated to expenditure on particular services.

  River Thames
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are made by his Department for regular monitoring of the quality and cleanliness of the water in the River Thames; and what
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  evidence he has of a deterioration of water quality and an increase in sludge deposits on the river bed at Greenwich over recent months.

  Mr. Maclean
  The National Rivers Authority is responsible for monitoring water quality; the results are available on public registers maintained in the NRA's regional offices. I understand that regular monitoring of the River Thames shows no evidence of changes in water quality other than those expected during a normal seasonal cycle, or of problems arising from sludge deposits at Greenwich.

  ReChem Discharges
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions, between January 1990 and April 1992 discharges into Southampton Water from ReChem (Fawley) have exceeded limits set by the National Rivers Authority; and if he will provide details.

  Mr. Maclean
  The results of sampling carried out by the National Rivers Authority, together with details of any consequent action taken, are available on public registers maintained in the NRA's regional offices.

  Bleak House
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the inspector's report on the application by British Coal Opencast to develop the site at Bleak house.

  Mr. Baldry
  The inspector's report has been fully considered, and a decision will be issued as soon as possible. The report will be published at the same time.

  Opencast Mining
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review mineral planning guidance notes relating to opencast coal mining operations by incorporating in them a presumption in favour of the protection of the environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The current guidelines are contained in Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 (MPG 3) published in 1988. As part of a monitoring exercise on the effectiveness of the guidelines, my Department has recently completed a wide ranging consultation exercise on their practical operation. I shall consider whether there is any need for revision of MPG 3 in the light of that.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the total cost of land purchases and land reclamation on sites in London docklands which have been sold on to private developers.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information in the form requested is only available at disproportionate cost. However, up to 31 March 1992, the London Docklands Development Corporation spent £161 million on land acquisition and £118 million on reclamation. Its policy is to sell such land to the private sector for development.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of public money spent by the London Docklands development corporation to date.
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  Mr. Redwood
  [Holding answer 21 May 1992]: To the end of 1991–92, the London Docklands development corporation had received £1,348 million in grant aid. The corporation has also been able to utilise receipts of some £300 million.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total value of business rates forgone in the London Docklands enterprise zone;

  (2) what is the total of business rates forgone in the Canary Wharf development.

  Mr. Redwood
  [Holding answer 21 May 1992]: Up to 31 March 1990, rate revenue forgone in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone amounted to £37,593,000. Information is not held centrally on rate revenue forgone for individual developments.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the price charged to the developers for the land on which Canary Wharf is being built.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: The London Docklands Development Corporation sold the Canary Wharf site to Olympia and York for £20·2 million.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the financial benefits derived by Olympia and York by virtue of their presence in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone from investment allowance, business rate exemption or other advantages.

  Mr. Squire
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: This information is not available.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table indicating for each year since 1981, at current prices, the amount of money provided in tax allowances in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total amount of capital allowances claimed by companies in the London Docklands enterprise zone.

  (2) what is the total of capital allowances (a) claimed and (b) claimable for the Canary Wharf development.

  Mr. Redwood
  The total cost of capital allowances for all enterprise zones in Britain, estimated at 31 March 1990, was £660 million in 1989–90 prices. No information on the cost of capital allowances is available for individual enterprise zones or developments within them.

  Recyclable Paper
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the British Paper and Board Industry Federation concerning methods of discouraging the disposal of recyclable paper in landfill sites; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Maclean
  My colleagues have received letters from the chairman of the federation's waste paper committee which set out their concerns. I will place in the Library a copy of the reply from my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

  Local Authority Services
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the services provided and (b) the statutory responsibilities of each type of local authority in England and Wales.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  It is for individual local authorities to decide how to meet their statutory requirements. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to issue a descriptive list of functions conferred on local authorities by public general Acts to the Local Government Commission for its information once it has been set up. (There are also many local Acts conferring powers on local government which it would not be practicable to list.) A copy of the list will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

  Interim Development Order Permissions
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many interim development order permissions have been registered in the Rossendale and Darwen constituency in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. In the six months allowed under the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 for persons to apply to register interim development order planning permissions with their local mineral planning authority Lancashire county council received 23 applications; five of these were within Rossendale and one within Blackburn. Further information is available from Lancashire county council.

  Fish Farming
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to bring marine fish farming within the direct control of elected planning authorities, as recommended by the Select Committee on the Environment in its report on coastal zone planning.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government are considering the recommendations of the recent Environment Select Committee Report on Coastal Zone Protection and Planning, including its recommendations on marine fishfarming. It will issue a full response in due course.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in persuading European Community partners to introduce special safeguards on the transport of live wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The then Secretary of State wrote to Commissioner Carlo Ripa di Meana on 18 February urging him to press the European Commission to expedite the proposed further measures for regulating the wild bird trade which are provided for in the EC Directive on the Welfare of Live Animals During Transport. We have not yet received a response from the Commissioner, but will keep up the pressure for early progress.

  In the meantime, we are taking a number of other measures to improve transport conditions for live birds. We are pursuing with the International Air Transport Association the possibility of limiting the size of live bird
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  shipments, and are introducing a live animals checklist for all commercial shipments of live birds entering the United Kingdom. We remain very concerned about this issue and under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), we will continue to play a leading part in the adoption off international measures to provide for the suspension trade in species suffering unacceptably high mortality.

  Rent-to-Mortgage Scheme
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that former local authority tenants whose homes have been sold to housing associations will be able to participate in the rent-to-mortgage scheme.

  Sir George Young
  When housing subject on secure tenancies is transferred to private landlords, tenants have their right to buy preserved. In addition we propose to consult on the extension to them of the proposed statutory rents to mortgages scheme.

  Empty Council Properties
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of empty council properties in Manchester on 1 May, divided into(a) management voids, (b) capital voids and (c) city challenge voids.

  Mr. Baldry
  The latest available information held centrally on empty council dwellings relates to 1 April 1991 and was provided by Manchester city council in its April 1991 housing investment programme return (HIP1), a copy of which is in the Library. This shows the number of vacant dwellings owned by the council broken down by cause of vacancy.

  Marine Consultation Areas
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has received to his Department's consultation paper on marine consultation areas; and if he will indicate the number of responses which showed support for the concept.

  Mr. Maclean
  So far the Department and the Welsh Office have received some 146 responses to the consultation paper. It has not yet been possible to complete a detailed analysis.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department intends to issue any publications related to the Earth summit before the conference begins in Rio de Janeiro.

  Mr. Howard
  Britain has a proud history of contributing technology and expertise to assist developing countries. We have actively promoted the importance of technology co-operation to support sustainable development, both in the debates associated with preparations for the Earth summit in Rio and elsewhere. Continuing this process, my Department commissioned jointly with the Department of Trade and Industry a booklet based on case studies to illustrate the active part Britain already
  273
  plays in technology co-operation and to provide insights into the range of mechanisms and processes that contribute to its success.

  I am pleased to announce that this booklet, entitled "Technology Co-operation: Britain's Experience", is published today, in time to be circulated widely amongst delegates at the Earth Summit in June. It will also be made available around the world through British embassies and high commissions.

  It illustrates the admirable activities of many British companies. It rightly emphasises the vital role that skill and know-how have in the transfer of technology and the crucial importance of normal commercial mechanisms. Other countries have much to learn from the positive approach of British business.

  I have arranged for copies of the booklet to be made available to the Libraries of each House.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to offer Property Services Agency projects for sale; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I am pleased to announce that the Government are now ready to offer PSA Projects for sale, by competitive tender.

  The sale will be advertised widely here and in Europe. Next week copies of the sale memorandum will be available on request to those interested in buying PSA Projects from my advisers, Coopers and Lybrand. While I would prefer to sell projects as a single entity, it is open to prospective purchasers to indicate their interest in part purchases. Preliminary bids need to be submitted by 26 June. Shortlisted bidders will then be provided with more detailed information and be expected to make final offers approximately 4 weeks later.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his latest estimated dates for winding-up each urban development corporation; what arrangements have been made for the disposal of assets and transfer of powers once each urban development corporation has ceased to exist; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: The wind-up dates of the urban development corporations will be considered in the context of the annual corporate planning round which is currently under way. Arrangements for the disposal of assets and the transfer of powers are under review.

  Atmospheric Pollution
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about atmospheric pollution in the east Thames corridor.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations expressing concern about the possible cumulative environmental effects of various proposals to build power stations and incinerators in the east Thames corridor.

WALES

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what role his Department now has in promoting energy conservation and efficiency in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department (Welsh Office) will continue to promote energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy. This is outlined in the "Energy Plan for Wales for the 1990s" (copy attached), which I launched in December last year.

  The energy used in Wales, when transport is included, currently costs some 2 billion per year. It is thus one of the biggest elements in the economy and we have to use all forms of energy more efficiently—this is not only to save money; to improve competitiveness and to conserve finite resources but also to help the environment by helping to reduce the "greenhouse effect". It is estimated that savings in excess of 20 per cent. per year are not only possible but realistically achievable using well known techniques and this in turn will help to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide by over 2 million tonnes per annum.

  Promotion of the more efficient use of energy is achieved by the Energy Efficiency Office (EEO) advising local industry, commerce and local authorities and through involvement with the local energy mangagement groups. The EEO will also disseminate literature, visit and advise companies, suggest sources of expert advice and will assist in organising seminars.

  Following the general election, the policy lead in Government for energy efficiency now resides with the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Energy Efficiency Office is now part of the environment protection group.

  I have every confidence that action arising from this reorganisation will play an important part in promoting the more effective use of energy and thereby reducing costs and at the same time helping the environment.

  Rechar
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review the working of the Rechar scheme in Wales; and if he will make it his policy to help local authorities who are currently without the necessary credit approvals to enable them to benefit from Rechar, to overcome this obstacle.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Commissioner Milian approved the South Wales Rechar programme on 26 February 1992 and administrative arrangements for the implementation of the programme in Wales are currently being put into place. The Government have announced new arrangements for ensuring that the additionality of European regional development fund (ERDF) grants is fully transparent. I shall be providing full additional expenditure cover to the relevant spending authorities for the ERDF grant element of Rechar schemes.

  School Buses
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidance to(a) county council education departments and (b) head teachers of grant-maintained schools with relation to (a) the maximum safe emissions from diesel-engined school buses, (b) the minimum

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  maintenance standards of starter motors for diesel-engined school buses and (c) maximum periods for allowing diesel-engined school buses to stand with engines idling on school premises.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. These are matters for education authorities and the governors of schools, grant maintained or otherwise, to consider in the light of their policies for health and safety and vehicle maintenance.

  The Secretary of State for Transport has powers to regulate emissions from motor vehicles and I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend's Department.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and if he will give an estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Figures for expenditure by the Department's information division, including staff and press cutting service but excluding the cost of purchasing media advertising and promotional material, cannot readily be disaggregated for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88.

  Figures for the succeeding years are:

  £

  1988–89

  469,000

  1989–90

  487,000

  1990–91

  481,000

  1991–92

  481,000

  Expenditure for 1992–93 is likely to be about £540,000.

  Consultants Fees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Mobile Shops
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what government assistance is available towards the establishment and running of mobile shops in remote areas of rural Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There are no schemes of Government assistance specifically directed towards the establishment and running of mobile shops in rural Wales.

  However, such projects may be eligible under general schemes of assistance to business operated by the Welsh Development Agency, the Development Board for Rural Wales and others.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.
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  Mr. David Hunt
  The information given as follows relates to surveys which contain at least one opinion seeking question and includes surveys notified to the Department by non-departmental public bodies in Wales:

  1993 Visitor Survey of the National Parks of England and Wales (1992 Pilot) (CCW)

  Expanding the Role of Women in North/Rural Wales Workforce—Survey of Women (WDA)

  Business and Community Perceptions of the DBRW within its area (DBRW)

  A470 Corridor Public Transport Study

  Modified Consultation Procedure for A5 Halfway Bridge Improvement

  A487 Penygroes/Llanllyfni Bypass and Y Groeslon Diversion

  Note: CCW—Countryside Council for Wales

  DBRW—Development Board for Rural Wales

  WDA—Welsh Development Agency

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which housing associations in Wales have built houses on land previously comprising school playing fields; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the amount of money raised by the sale of school playing fields or parts of school playing fields in each of the counties of Wales in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Disabled Facility Grants
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on changes in his Department's instructions to local authorities on the method of funding disabled facility grants.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  For 1992–93 £26·3 million has been provided for mandatory disabled facilities and other discretionary grants, on top of the normal housing programme for local authorities. This is to enable authorities to play their full part in providing packages of support best suited to meet the individual needs of disabled people in close liaison with social services departments, and others.

  INMOS Ltd.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he plans to take to secure the continuation of the fabrication in Newport, Gwent, of the transputer and other products of INMOS Ltd.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Gentleman on 11 May last.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the total work force in his Department are registered as disabled; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within his Department; and if he will make a statement.
  277
  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department is fully committed to an equal opportunities policy which states that no job applicant or employee should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of disablement. I have placed a copy of my Department's "Guide to Equal Opportunities" in the Library of the House.

  At 1 April 1992, 1·;7 per cent. of the staff in my Department have chosen to register as disabled. My Department also employs several unregistered disabled people.

  The initiatives my Department has taken include the appointment of a departmental disabled persons officer; close liaison with the Department of Employment, disablement advisory services and disablement resettlement officers particularly on recruitment of disabled staff; the establishment of a work experience scheme for clients of the Cardiff employment rehabilitation centre; and the provision of special aids and equipment to disabled officers to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.

  A further programme of action to achieve equality of opportunity in the Welsh Office for disabled people is to be issued to staff shortly. This will contain details of current practice and areas for future development with measurable objectives and target dates for their achievement.

  RAF Brawdy and RNAD Trecwn
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times the task force on the effects of the closures of RAF Brawdy and RNAD Trecwn has met.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The full west Wales task force has met seven times. In addition a number of meetings of various task force sub-groups have been convened to consider specific issues.

  Heritage Issues
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his Department's role in heritage issues in the light of the creation of the Department of National Heritage.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department will liaise closely with the Department of National Heritage on all heritage issues for which my right hon. Friend is responsible.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the 1993–94 financial settlement for local authorities in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have decided to delay the announcement of the Government's proposals for total standard spending and aggregate external finance until the autumn, because of the particular circumstances of the 1993–94 settlement.

  In arriving at proposals I need to take into account the implications for the level of council tax. These will rest in part on the valuation of properties. This will not be completed in time for a July announcement.

  I am also concerned that the most up-to-date and accurate information is available to determine the financing of local authorities' new responsibilities for community care.

  In the circumstances, I concluded that local government in Wales would be better served by an autumn settlement.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Sherry
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy relating to European Community legislation with regard to duty on(a) British sherry, (b) Cyprus sherry and (c) Spanish sherry.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government's objective in the European Community negotiations is to achieve an agreement which allows existing United Kingdom duty arrangements for these products to continue. The Presidency proposals discussed at the 19 May ECOFIN would allow for this.

  European Monetary Institute
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will describe the British representation at the European Monetary Institute.

  Mr. Nelson
  According to its statute the European Monetary Institute (EMI) will be directed and managed by the Council of the EMI. The Council will consist of the President of the EMI and the governor of each member state's national central bank. The United Kingdom member of the Council will therefore be the Governor of the Bank of England.

  Property Charges
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department first raised the matter of VAT and domestic service charges paid by freeholders on their property with the European Commission for an option; and when he expects a substantive reply.

  Sir John Cope
  The Office of the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the European Community (UKREP) first wrote to the Commission on 23 April 1991. An interim reply was received from the Commission on 27 June 1991 and UKREP wrote again on 23 September. Customs are asking UKREP to remind the Commission that a substantive reply is still outstanding.

  Coastal Resources
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review the role of the Crown Estate Commissioners relating to the management of coastal resources, as recommended by the Environment Committee in its report on coastal zone planning.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Government are considering the recommendations of the Environment Committee's report, and a response to the Committee's report will be issued in due course.

  Finance Bill
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make available to hon. Members the customary notes on the Finance Bill's clauses.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes. Notes on clauses are being placed in the Vote Office and in the Library of the House today.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of(a) the closure of BCCI and (b) the Bingham inquiry.

  Mr. Nelson
  It is estimated that the total cost incurred by Lord Justice Bingham and his inquiry team will amount to £500,000. This cost will be shared by the Treasury and the Bank of England. The cost to public funds of closing BCCI is included in the administrative and legal costs of the Government Departments concerned and of the Bank of England. To provide an accurate estimate of these costs would involve disproportionate cost.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals for debt collection for the world's least developed countries will be put forward by the United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations conference on environment and development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: The United Kingdom Government have consistently taken the lead in advocating debt cancellation for the poorest and most heavily indebted countries. At the UNCED conference the United Kingdom Government will urge all creditor countries to participate in the implementation of Trinidad terms, under which 50 per cent. of these countries' eligible debt can be cancelled, and will call for further improvemetns to the terms along the lines originally proposed by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer in Trinidad in September 1990.

  Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meetings of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Brussels on 16 March during the Recess and again in Brussels on 19 May. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors also met informally on 8–10 May in Oporto. The United Kingdom was represented by the then Minister of State (on 16 March), the Governor of the Bank of England and me (on 8–10 May) and the Paymaster General and me (on 19 May).

  On 16 March the Council discussed aid to the former Soviet Union stressing the primary role of the Bretton Woods institutions but also the need for an early disbursement of the Community's loans. Possible procedures for extending external lending by the EIB were also discussed but without agreement.

  President Delors made a statement on the Commission's proposals for the future financing of the Community which were briefly debated. The Council also adopted a recommendation on the Discharge of the 1990 Budget following statements on the Court of Auditors Report from Mr. Angioi, President of the Court, and Commissioner Schmidhuber. The United Kingdom's call for prior appraisal, better evaluation, and improvements in the economy and cost effectiveness of Community spending was well supported.
  280
  The Presidency's latest compromise texts on the Large Exposures and Capital Adequacy Directives were also discussed and remitted to officials for further work.

  In discussion of various directives relating to excise duties and structures after the abolition of fiscal frontiers, a directive relating to the structure of excise duties on tobacco was agreed in principle and some progress was made towards agreements on the structures of duties on mineral oils. The Presidency also announced their intention to continue work at official level on directives concerning the abolition of withholding tax on interest and royalties and the treatment of offsetting losses. Finally, Commissioner Scrivener urged support for a Commission proposal for reducing excise duties on fuels made from agricultural products (so called biofuels).

  In Oporto from 8–10 May ECOFIN Ministers met informally with their Central Bank Governors. There was a discussion of how the Community might promote non-inflationary growth which focused on the need to tackle structural rigidities especially in the markets for labour, capital and non-traded goods. In this context I reminded colleagues that the Working Time Directive was a retrograde step which would increase labour market rigidities rather than reducing them. It was agreed that structural issues should have a higher profile in multilateral surveillance discussions.

  Aid to the former Soviet Union was also discussed and the predominant role of the Bretton Woods Institutions was reaffirmed. It was agreed that the Community's main role was in emergency and technical assistance rather than balance of payments support.

  It was agreed that the Governors' Committee should pursue its work on the means for closer association between non-EC countries and the EMS. The Governors also reported on their technical work on EMU and I urged that they should keep ECOFIN closely in touch.

  We agreed in principle to extend EIB lending to viable projects in further countries with which the Community has trade and co-operation agreements subject to annual ceilings and secondary EC Budget guarantees.

  We also briefly discussed a Presidency paper on the need to improve EC budgetary discipline and transparency and many of my colleagues supported a move to enhance the role of ECOFIN in discussions of future financing more generally.

  On 19 May, the Council discussed the economic situation in Germany and Italy as part of our regular examinations of national economic convergence programmes. The Council concluded that Germany was in a strong position to consolidate its public finances following the economic shock of reunification. The Council fully endorsed Germany's need to maintain a tight monetary policy while undertaking fiscal consolidation primarily through restraints on public expenditure. We noted that Germany's plans amounted to a freeze in public expenditure in real terms up to 1995 and to reduce its general government deficit from 4·1 per cent. in 1992 to 1·9 per cent. in 1995. Meanwhile the Council urged the need for wage moderation to avoid overburdening monetary policy and undermining competitiveness in East Germany and for greater efforts to remove structural rigidities in markets for labour, capital and non-traded goods. The Council noted that Germany expects to fulfil all the convergence criteria in time for a move to Stage 3 of EMU.

  The discussion of Italy was a follow up to our discussion last November. Since then Italy has fallen short

  281
  of its targets in a number of areas and the Council expressed "serious concern" at the budgetary situation and outlook. The Council called for "exceptional measures" in Italy's fiscal policy, and for action in several structural and institutional areas. The Council stated that the slippage in Italy's budgetary consolidation was such as to undermine the credibility of Italian economic policy. We concluded that without immediate and effective corrective measures Italy would probably fail to meet the EMU convergence criteria.

  The Commission's proposals for the future financing of the Community were discussed over lunch and concern was expressed by a number of states, including the United Kingdom, at the size of the Commission's proposed increases in spending. Member States also called for a fuller discussion of the proposals by ECOFIN before the Lisbon European Council.

  On indirect taxes, the Presidency tabled nine draft directives covering excise duty rates and structures on tobacco products, mineral oils and alcoholic beverages; VAT rates and structures; and the VAT treatment of second-hand goods (including works of art).

  The minor outstanding points on tobacco duty structures were resolved and the draft directive on mineral oil duty structures now allows for the continuation of all our current exemptions and rebates.

  On tobacco rates we stressed the importance the United Kingdom attaches to improving the agreement reached at last June's ECOFIN on a minimum rate for cigarettes by supplementing it with an additional minimum cash figure; and we argued for a similar approach to the minimum duty rates for other tobacco products.

  On alcohol duty structures, discussion focused on the text relating to intermediate products (fortified wines) which for different reasons a number of Member States (including the United Kingdom) were unable to agree. On alcohol rates we pointed out that as a major producer of spirits, which were in competition with wine, the United Kingdom could not agree a directive which allowed a zero rate for wine but required some Member States significantly to increase their duty rate on spirits (for example Scotch whisky), and that until this point was satisfactorily resolved we could not agree a minimum duty rate for fortified wines.

  There was little substantive discussion of VAT issues. In relation to the draft VAT rates and structures directive, we reaffirmed the political commitment made last year that the United Kingdom had no intention of altering our present standard rate which is already above the proposed minimum rate of 15 per cent. In discussion of the VAT treatment of second-hand goods, we made clear the United Kingdom's view that imports of works of art should be exempt from VAT (as at present in the United Kingdom) rather than taxed as proposed, in order to preserve the important United Kingdom and European art market. I expect ECOFIN to return to this dossier on 9 June.

  The Capital Adequacy Directive was also discussed and it was agreed that the Presidency's latest proposal addressing the eight most contentious issues would form a good basis for further work towards an overall political compromise. We stressed that there were a number of important issues outstanding, however, especially in the area of large exposures. The Presidency will be seeking a political agreement on these eight main issues at the next ECOFIN on 9 June. In the meantime we shall be pursuing our interests in further meetings of officials.
  282
  The guidelines for extending EIB lending to further non-EC countries agreed at the informal meeting in Oporto were also clarified and affirmed.

  At the end of the meeting the Commission made a brief statement on the future of customs agents and also announced that a draft directive on carbon and energy taxes would be published soon.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Royal Victoria Hospital
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of theatre sessions per week for each general surgeon in the Royal Victoria hospital.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not available in the form requested. However, the average number of theatre sessions per week for each general surgeon in the Royal Victoria hospital during the financial year 1990–91 was 2·6.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tenants of Northern Ireland Housing Executive residential accommodation have been evicted in each of the last five years for non-payment of rent; and if he will give the figures by district office and region in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that the number of tenants evicted in each of the last five years for non-payment of rent was as follows:

  Region and District

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Belfast

  2

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  6

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  7

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  South-East

  Bangor

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Castlereagh 2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Lisburn 1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  South

  Banbridge

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Brownlow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Lurgan

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  North East

  Ballymena

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Newtownabbey

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Carrickfergus

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Coleraine1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  West

  Cookstown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Totals

  1

  3

  9

  4

  13

  1 Coleraine district Was part of the Former North West region until 1 April 1991.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of rent arrears due to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive outstanding by region within Northern Ireland at present and in each of the last two years.
  283
  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that the total amount of rent and rates arrears owed to the Housing Executive at 31 March 1992 (the latest date for which figures are available) and at the end of the two previous years was as follows:

  Region

  31 March 1990 £ 000

  31 March 1991 £ 000

  31 March 1992 £ 000

  Belfast

  4,745

  4,823

  4,628

  South East

  2,961

  3,103

  2,907

  South

  1,623

  1,801

  1,645

  1North East

  2,916

  3,101

  3,173

  1North West

  2,900

  3,015

  —

  1West

  831

  847

  3,186

  TOTAL

  15,976

  16,690

  15,539

  1 Note: With effect from 1 April 1991 the Coleraine district was transferred to the North East region while the remainder of the North West region was merged with the West region.

  Patients (Treatment)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Northern Ireland if he will give in tabular form the number of patients receiving day surgery and those treated as in-patients since 1985.

  Mr. Hanley
  The numbers treated as in-patients and day cases since 1985 are listed in the table. The figures relate to discharges and deaths from all specialities in all hospitals (including psychiatric) in Northern Ireland.

  Total in-patient admissions

  Total day cases

  Total in-patient admissions and day cases

  1985

  274,061

  16,048

  290,109

  1986

  268,880

  21,113

  289,993

  1987

  266,622

  29,907

  294,329

  1988–89

  266,530

  43,729

  310,259

  1989–90

  270,821

  45,141

  315,962

  1990–91

  272,744

  49,724

  322,468

  Planning Commission
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) in how many cases in Belfast South his Department has taken action against refusal to obey decisions of the Planning Commission since 1985; and how many were successful in the courts;

  (2) in how many cases in Northern Ireland his Department has taken action against refusal to obey decisions by the planning commissioners since 1985; and how many were successful in the courts.

  Mr. Atkins
  This information could be provided in the form requested only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1985, the Department of the Environment for NI has taken enforcement action in 530 cases, 20 of them in the Belfast South constituency. In 74 cases, eight of them in Belfast South, court action was necessary and in 48, two of which were in Belfast South, fines were imposed.

  Women Doctors
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of women who graduated in medicine from Queen's university since 1982 284
  and the number who have been able to advance in their chosen specialities of general practice, surgery, obstetrics, medicine, psychiatry, ENT and radiology.

  Mr. Hanley
  A total of 555 women have graduated in medicine from Queen's university since 1982. The number who have been able to advance in their chosen specialities is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Planning Permissions
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time taken to grant planning permission for conversion of property and commercial development.

  Mr. Atkins
  For the year ended 31 March 1992 the median number of calendar days taken to decide planning applications for the conversion of a property to another use was 67. The corresponding figure for applications involving commercial development was 70.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for planning permission take over two years from formal application to decision.

  Mr. Atkins
  Of the 18,341 planning applications determined in the year ended 31 March 1992, 62 or 0.3 per cent. took over two years to decide.

  Shop-mobility Scheme
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals are being considered to provide a shop-mobility scheme in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are no plans at present for a shop-mobility scheme in Northern Ireland but I have asked the Belfast chamber of trade and the Belfast city council to consider how such a scheme might be introduced.

  General Surgery
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the average weekly number of theatre sessions for general surgery in each of the four area boards since 1985.

  Mr. Hanley
  The average weekly numbers of theatre sessions in the general surgery speciality in each of the health and social services boards for 1989–90 and 1990–91 are listed in the table. Information prior to 1989–90 is not available centrally.

  Board

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Eastern

  76.4

  76.3

  Northern

  155.2

  55.2

  Southern

  36.2

  38.9

  Western

  26.8

  25.3

  1 Estimate.

  Squatting
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement giving details on squatting in each Northern Ireland Housing Executive region, by district office.
  285
  Mr. Hanley
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that at 31 March 1992 the total number of squatters by region and district was as follows:

  Squatters at 31 March 1992

  Region and district

  Number

  Belfast

  1

  69

  3

  88

  4

  63

  6

  8

  7

  16

  Region total

  244

  South East

  Lisburn 3

  57

  Downpatrick

  1

  Region total

  58

  South

  Banbridge

  3

  Armagh

  2

  Portadown

  3

  Region total

  8

  North East

  1

  Newtownabbey 1

  1

  Region total

  1

  West

  Londonderry 1

  173

  Londonderry 2

  14

  Londonderry 3

  40

  Limavady

  8

  Strabane

  9

  Region total

  244

  OVERALL TOTAL

  555

  Home Loss Payments
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when provision for home loss payments under the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 will be brought up to date for Northern Ireland; and if he will make it his policy to apply the legislation retrospectively to 16 November 1990 to ensure that Northern Ireland home owners are treated on an equal basis with those in England, Scotland and Wales.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is proposed to make such provision in June 1992 and it is my intention to introduce an administrative scheme applying the new criteria retrospectively to 16 November 1990.

  Angel Dust
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been prosecuted for the use of clenbuterol, known as angel dust, in livestock; how many such prosecutions are pending; what further controls of the abuse of clenbuterol he proposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Six persons have been prosecuted under the Medicines Act 1968 for the illegal administration of clenbuterol. No prosecutions are pending.
  286
  New powers to control the abuse of clenbuterol and other illegal substances are available under the Animals, Meat and Meat Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 which came into operation on 27 February 1992.

  The most important new control is the power to condemn live animals which are found to contain residues of clenbuterol or other illegal substances.

  The meat inspection authorities will employ these new powers to the full in their efforts to stamp out the use of illegal drugs by cattle producers.

  Voters
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many electors there were in Northern Ireland in 1983; what is the total electorate now; and what plans there are to review both the number of constituencies and constituency boundaries.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of electors on the register of electors published in February 1983 who were eligible to vote at parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland was 1,061,185. The corresponding figure for 1992 was 1,141,466.

  The review of the number of boundaries of constituencies in Northern Ireland is a matter for the independent Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland but I understand that the commision is unlikely to announce its next periodical review until the current review of the number, names and boundaries of district councils and the wards into which they are divided is complete.

  Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the cost of the combined salaries of the director and assistant directors of the new Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education.

  Mr. Hanley
  The cost is £144,968 per annum.

  Housing Grant
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications have been received for each type of housing grant in each month of the current year.

  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the chairman has advised me that the information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, he has also informed me that the total numbers of applications received in January and February were 1,516 and 2,108 respectively. Since when the scheme has been temporarily shut down, with the exception of a limited range of grants for the disabled, applications for which have been accepted from 14 May.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disabled People
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the improvements made by his Department in provision for the disabled since May 1979.
  287
  Mr. Scott
  Since 1979 the Department has made a large number of improvements in benefit provision for disabled people. These have been aimed to provide a comprehensive and coherent system of disability benefits which not only gives priority for extra help to those disabled early in life, who have lost the opportunity to earn and save, but also promotes independence and integration.

  In that time spending on benefits for long-term sick and disabled people has increased by more than 155 per cent. in real terms to £12.25 billion. On top of this increased expenditure two new disability benefits disability living allowance and disability working allowance were introduced in April 1992.

  The other main improvements have been as follows:

  BENEFIT AND IMPROVEMENT
  Severe disablement allowance
  Introduced November 1984. In December 1990 age-related additions introduced.
  Mobility allowance
  Extended to deaf-blind people in April 1990 and double amputees in April 1991. Taken out of taxation in 1982.

  Attendance allowance
  Extended to the under 2s in April 1990, and the higher rate extended to terminally ill people without need to serve waiting period, in October 1990.
  Income-related benefits
  Increases above the rate of inflation on premiums for long-term sick and disabled people from April 1990; child's disablement premium more than doubled to align with adult rate.

  Independent Living Fund
  Introduced June 1988. Provision currently £54 million, 10 times greater than at its start.

  Invalid care allowance
  Extended to non-relatives in 1982 and to married women in 1984.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities give a full disregard to war pensions in the calculation of housing and poll tax benefits; and how many authorities take part of the pension into account as income in those calculations.

  Mr. Burt
  In the financial year 1990–91, 374 of the 479 local authorities reported that they exercised their discretionary power to disregard more than the statutory £10 of a war pension. Of these:289 authorities disregard both war widows' and war disablement pensions in full, of which five authorities responsible for both benefits operated a scheme for housing benefit only and two operated a scheme for community charge benefit only;
  Five authorities fully disregarded war widows' pensions, of which three also disregarded war disablement pensions in part;
  28 authorities fully disregarded war disablement pensions, of which six also disregarded war widows' pensions in part.

  The remaining 52 authorities took some part of a war widow's or war disablement pension into account as income.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest position regarding discussions to simplify the war pensions scheme.

  Mr. Lilley
  My noble Friend Lord Henley, the Minister with special responsibility for war pensions, is writing to members of the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions advising that we shall be introducing next April a number of changes which will help to simplify the scheme.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people will lose from the change in the qualifying hours threshold for income support or family credit from 24 to 16 hours; and what savings will be made after transitional protection has run out in each case.

  Mr. Burt
  No one who was working, or whose partner was working, between 16 and 24 hours a week and receiving Income Support at the point of change lost their entitlement to that benefit as a result of the change in the hours threshold in income support and family credit. Many of those affected will be families with children who will be better off on family credit than they would have been on income support. Many others will remain on income support under special provisions giving them indefinite protection.

  As families affected will either be better off or no worse off, there is expected to be a benefit cost, rather than a saving, as a result of the changes.

  Pension Schemes
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the reason for the delay in laying the regulations on disclosure requirements for occupational and personal pension schemes; and when he expects them to be laid.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations have been delayed to allow time for consideration of the Social Security Select Committee's report on the "Operation of Pension Funds" in relation to those issues upon which the regulations impinge. We expect the regulations to be laid shortly.

  Nicola Clark
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the case of Nicola Clark, setting out the grounds on which her claim for benefits is to be opposed at the hearing to be held on 16 June.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend shortly and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Clothing and Bedding
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants received(a) grants and (b) loans to enable clothing and bedding to be afforded during 1991–92.

  Mr. Scott
  Provisional figures show that 81,450 loans and 36,210 grants were awarded for those items.

  Benefits
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each of the benefits for which his Department is responsible giving in each case(a) the total number estimated to be eligible for that benefit, (b) the total number receiving that benefit, (c) the cost in a full year of that benefit and (d) an estimate of the cost in a full year if everyone entitled to that benefit received it.
  289
  Mr. Scott
  Information on the numbers eligible for each benefit is not available. Such information as is available is in the tables.

  Table 1: Estimated average numbers receiving benefit at any one time (thousands)

  Year 1991–92

  BENEFIT

  Retirement Pension

  9,920

  Widows' Benefit

  350

  Unemployment Benefit

  650

  Sickness Benefit

  120

  Statutory Sick Pay

  345

  Invalidity Benefit

  1,325

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  330

  Industrial Death Benefit

  25

  Maternity Allowance

  20

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  85

  Non-contributory RP

  35

  War Pension

  260

  Attendance Allowance

  970

  Invalid Care Allowance

  155

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  300

  Mobility Allowance

  660

  Income Support

  4,820

  Child Benefit (Children)

  12,185

  One Parent Benefit

  835

  Family Credit

  350

  Rent Allowance

  1,115

  Rent Rebate

  3,085

  Community Charge Benefit

  6,570

  Table 2: Expenditure in cash terms (£ million)

  Benefit

  Year 1991–92

  Retirement Pension

  25,538

  Christmas Bonus-Contributory

  114

  Widows' Benefit

  983

  Unemployment Benefit

  1,506

  Sickness Benefit

  268

  Statutory Sick Pay

  724

  Invalidity Benefit

  5,255

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  600

  Industrial Death Benefit

  65

  Other II Benefits

  4

  Maternity Allowance

  39

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  344

  Guardian's Allowance/CSA

  2

  Non-contributory RP

  37

  Christmas Bonus-Non-contributory

  8

  War Pension

  805

  Attendance Allowance

  1,706

  Invalid Care Allowance

  262

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  583

  Mobility Allowance

  1,061

  Income Support

  11,891

  Child Benefit

  5,206

  One Parent Benefit

  247

  Family Credit

  617

  Independent Living Fund

  54

  Motability

  3

  Rent Allowance

  1,976

  Rent Rebate

  583

  Community Charge Benefit

  1,228

  Note: Figures are estimated outturn.

  Most central Government support for rent rebates appears in the Department of the Environment and Welsh Office programmes, as rent rebate subsidy in England and Wales is now paid from local authorities' housing revenue accounts.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for each year since its introduction, what was the number of users of the Independent Living Fund, broken down into the geographical areas covered by individual benefit offices.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

DEFENCE

  HMS Revenge
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Revenge ended its commission; where the submarine is now; and at which dockyard its fuel will be removed.

  Mr. Aitken
  HMS Revenge completed her last commission on 13 April 1992 at the Clyde submarine base, Faslane. She will leave shortly for Rosyth, where she will be defuelled and de-equipped in due course.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the report from the National Radiological Protection Board on the health of the British nuclear test veterans will be published.

  Mr. Aitken
  The update report into mortality and cancer incidence among test participants will be published as soon as practically possible during 1992 consistent with maintenance of the highest standards of scientific rigour.

  War Office Buildings
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current use of, or plan for, the Whitehall block of buildings, formerly known as the War Office.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The old War Office building has been undergoing a major refurbishment which is now nearing completion. It will be re-occupied later in the year by headquarters staff of the Ministry of Defence.

  Liquid Crystal Displays
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the discovery and exploitation of liquid crystal displays by the former Royal Signals Research Establishment at Malvern; and what developments have been made with this technology by the Defence Research Agency.

  Mr. Aitken
  I have asked the chief executive of the Defence Research Agency to reply to the hon. Member.

  Defence Research Agency
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the level of staffing of the Defence Research Agency on(a) 1 April 1992 and (b) 1 April 1991; and what is the planned level for 1 April 1993.

  Mr. Aitken
  I have asked the chief executive of the Defence Research Agency to reply to the hon. Member.

  Brawdy Airfield
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent to date on Brawdy airfield survival measures phase B; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The RAF Brawdy airfield survival measures phase 2 project was cancelled in January 1991: the only expenditure incurred was on design work and fees. Precise information on costs is not immediately available and I will write to the hon. Member.

  Barrack Modernisation
  Mr. John Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent to date on barrack modernisation schemes at(a) Fallingbostel, St. Barbara, (b) Lippstadt, Churchill and (c) Detmold, Hobart; and whether these schemes will be completed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Spending to date on barrack modernisation projects completed in the barracks in question is as follows:

  £ million

  (a) Fallingbostel, St. Barbara

  4.3

  (b) Lippstadt, Churchill

  7.5

  (c) Detmold, Hobart

  5.3

  St. Barbara barracks, Fallingbostel has been confirmed for retention and further modernisation work is expected to begin there shortly. On current plans its improvements programme will be completed in 1996. No further work on Churchill barracks, Lippstadt and Hobart barracks, Detmold will be undertaken until decisions on their future are made.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the composition, role, equipment and command structure of the proposed Royal Navy and Royal Marine contribution to the United Nations force in Cambodia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Kingdom plans to provide 11 Roy al Navy and Royal Marines Officers and up to 59 other ranks as part of the naval group within the United Nations Transition Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). The role of the United Kingdom element of the naval group will be to assist in patrolling coastal waters and rivers to monitor compliance with the prohibition on the external supply of arms and equipment to the Cambodian factions, agreed as part of the comprehensive political settlement signed in Paris on 23 October 1991. They will be operating from Cambodian vessels and will be taking no arms or special equipment. While in Cambodia, the United Kingdom element will be fully integrated within the overall command structure of the UNTAC naval group.

  HMS Courageous and HMS Valiant
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions he has taken on the future of HMS Courageous and HMS Valiant.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Courageous was paid off from the fleet in April of this year. HMS Valiant remains in service.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the numbers of deaths and serious injuries suffered by British service men in Operation Granby/Desert Storm in the Gulf, arising from tank or aircraft fired anti-tank Sabot missiles tipped with depleted uranium launched by allied forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There were no such deaths or injuries.

  Vosper Thornycroft
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has yet considered the proposal by Vosper Thornycroft to construct a Sandown class hull; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The company's proposal was carefully considered, but we have no requirement to order another Sandown class Minehunter for some time. Our policy remains to place orders after competition, wherever possible.

  Staff Relocation
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report, column 41, if he will set out any disadvantages of allocating all naval support command staff on one site.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some disadvantages, such as inconvenience caused by housing moves for those personnel concerned, are inevitable with any relocation exercise. That is why it is important to assess all relevant factors involved, including the economic cost-effectiveness and the impact on operational efficiency likely to result from any such relocation.

  RAF Personnel
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for reducing personnel numbers in the Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  To achieve the planned force levels for 1 April 1995 announced in the House on 25 July 1990, columns 470–73, the RAF will need to reduce its total manpower by some 11,000 over the period 1 April 1992 to 1 April 1995. This reduction will be achieved mainly through normal turnover, reduced intakes and other manning regulators. A limited redundancy programme currently estimated at some 1,150 and spread over the period 1993 to 1995 will, however, be necessary to remove residual surpluses in specified branches and trades. It is hoped to meet this programme through voluntary redundancy, although some compulsory redundancies may be necessary.

HEALTH

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for maintaining waiting lists in districts where national health service trusts are in operation.

  Mr. Sackville
  Trusts are responsible for maintaining a record of the patients waiting for treatment by their units.
  293
  District health authorities have a responsibility to maintain a record of patients waiting at their directly managed units as well as a record of all their residents waiting for treatment, regardless of where they are waiting.

  Hospital Beds, Sheffield
  Ms. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the number of beds in Sheffield hospitals, by category,(a) in 1990 and (b) at present.

  Sheffield DHA Number of available beds for 1990–91

  Ward classification

  Code

  Wards open overnight

  Wards open day only

  Total

  General patients:

  Children:

  normal

  01

  154

  8

  162

  limited

  02

  0

  0

  0

  Elderly

  normal

  03

  547

  0

  547

  limited

  04

  40

  0

  40

  Other ages

  intensive

  05

  47

  0

  47

  normal

  06

  1,530

  21

  1,551

  limited

  07

  0

  0

  0

  Younger physically disabled

  Spinal unit

  08

  41

  0

  41

  Other

  09

  28

  0

  28

  Neonates:

  Reg designated

  intensive

  10

  51

  0

  51

  Non-maternity

  11

  Maternity

  12

  164

  0

  164

  Maternity:

  Consultant

  13

  123

  4

  128

  Mixed

  14

  23

  0

  23

  GP

  15

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Illness:

  Children:

  short stay

  16

  14

  0

  14

  long stay

  17

  0

  0

  0

  Elderly:

  short stay

  18

  45

  0

  45

  long stay

  19

  196

  0

  196

  Other ages:

  secure unit

  20

  0

  0

  0

  short stay

  21

  180

  0

  180

  long stay

  22

  238

  0

  238

  Mental Handicap:

  Children:

  short stay

  23

  0

  0

  0

  long stay

  24

  0

  0

  0

  Other ages:

  short stay

  25

  10

  0

  10

  long stay

  26

  148

  0

  148

  Total

  27

  3,581

  34

  3,614

  Summary

  A General patients excluding elderly

  1,731

  29

  1,760

  B General patients, elderly

  588

  0

  588

  C Younger physically disabled

  69

  0

  69

  D Neonatal cots not in maternity units

  51

  0

  51

  E Maternity

  146

  4

  151

  F Mental illness

  673

  0

  673

  G Mental handicap

  158

  0

  158

  Total (excl neonatal cots in maternity units)

  3,416

  34

  3,450

  Acute (A + C + D)

  1,851

  29

  1,880

  Neonatal cots in maternity units

  164

  0

  164

  Note: Any slight discrepancies between the sum of the constituent items and the totals shown are attributable to rounding to the nearest final digit.

  Source: DH Form KH3Q

  SD(Fylde) 15/05/92
  294
  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is given in the tables. The most recent data on activity (1987–88 to 1990–91) show an increase of 9·4 per cent. in the number of patients treated on a day case basis, and of 119·1 per cent. in the number of in-patients treated.
  295

  Sheffield Health Authority (Number of available beds for 1991–92)

  Ward classification

  Code

  Wards open overnight

  Wards open day only

  Total

  General patients

  Children—normal

  01

  154

  8

  162

  —limited

  02

  0

  0

  0

  Elderly—normal

  03

  406

  406

  —limited

  04

  0

  0

  0

  Other ages—intensive

  05

  48

  0

  48

  —normal

  06

  1,220

  45

  1,265

  —limited

  07

  0

  0

  0

  Younger physically disabled

  Spinal unit

  08

  0

  0

  0

  Other

  09

  17

  0

  17

  Neonates

  Reg designated intensive

  10

  21

  0

  21

  Non-maternity

  11

  26

  0

  26

  Maternity

  12

  111

  0

  111

  Maternity-Consultant

  13

  127

  4

  131

  Mixed

  14

  0

  0

  0

  GP

  15

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Illness

  Children—short stay

  16

  9

  0

  9

  —long stay

  17

  0

  0

  0

  Elderly—short stay

  18

  68

  0

  68

  —long stay

  19

  189

  0

  189

  Other ages—secure unit

  20

  0

  0

  0

  —short stay

  21

  140

  0

  140

  —long stay

  22

  178

  0

  178

  Mental Handicap

  Children—short stay

  23

  0

  0

  0

  —long stay

  24

  0

  0

  0

  Other ages—short stay

  25

  1

  0

  1

  —long stay

  26

  178

  0

  178

  Total

  27

  2,893

  57

  2,950

  Please note: Day beds have increased as more work is carried out in day care units.

  Elderly beds have decreased as some of this work has been transferred to Housing Associations.

  Dentists
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the working of the new dentists' contract.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The new dental contract, introduced in October 1990, is the first major change to NHS dentistry since 1948. It encourages preventive dentistry and provides all round continuing care. Benefits to patients include treatment plans, emergency cover and repair and replacement of certain restorations free of charge.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the review of national health service dentistry; and what assessment she has made of the effect of the proposed fee levels on the number of dentists remaining within the national health service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are not yet able to say how the review of dental remuneration to which we are committed will be carried forward. The level of dental fees in 1992–93 is a matter for the dental rates study group which will meet shortly.

  Pre-senile Dementia
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proposals she has for funding a research programme into(a) incidence, (b) treatment and (c) recovery rates from pre-senile dementia;
  296
  (2) what statistics she has on the social and financial background factors in the multi-factorial epidemiology of pre-senile dementia.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are conducting research into Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease which is a very rare form of pre-senile dementia.

  Our major research effort is on the much larger numbers of those suffering from dementia in the over-65 age group.

  Patients Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of patients waiting for treatment(a) as in-patients and (b) as day care patients for each financial year from 1988–89 in Darlington.

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

  Patients waiting for treatment—Darlington Health Authority

  March 1989

  March 1990

  March 1991

  In-patients

  2,393

  2,449

  2,364

  Day cases

  621

  711

  678

  TOTAL

  3,014

  3,160

  3,042

  297

  Patients treated from waiting lists

  Twelve months to:

  March 1989

  March 1990

  March 1991

  In-patients

  5,230

  5,250

  5,532

  Day cases

  1,635

  1,909

  1,987

  TOTAL

  6,865

  7,159

  7,519

  Tampons
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to have adequate safety warnings of the risk of toxic shock issued with tampons.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government are working with tampon manufacturers to reduce to the minimum the risk of toxic shock syndrome. Every pack of tampons contains a leaflet giving information on toxic shock and advice on how to use tampons properly, so minimising the risk. Manufacturers, in agreement with the Departments of Health and of Trade and Industry, have recently improved labelling of tampon packets and instruction leaflets. The warnings on packets emphasise the need to read the instruction leaflet which now gives more information on toxic shock, including what to do if symptoms occur.

  Charitable Fund-raising
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by(a) regional health authority and (b) district health authority for the financial years (i) 1990–91, (ii) 1991–92 and (iii) 1992–93 to date (y) the number of appeals and (z) the amounts required being raised by charitable fund-raising by the national health service; and to what the proceeds from these appeals will be allocated.

  Mr. Sackville
  Detailed information on the number and nature of charitable fund-raising appeals by the national health service is not collected centrally. However, the accounts of health authorities and special trustees in England for 1990–91 (the latest available) show that a number of those authorities and trustees raised an aggregate net total of £5·9 million from fund raising conducted under section 5 of the National Health Service Act 1980. This sum excludes amounts raised on behalf of the National Health Service by independent, registered charitable trusts which account separately for their activity.

  We have made it clear that the money raised through these very worthwhile voluntary efforts will not be deducted from the funds the Government allocate to the national health service.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total sum paid out in fees by her Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is her estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not possible to apportion expenditure between the Departments of Health and Social Security prior to 1985–86. The estimated expenditure for each succeeding financial year from 1985–86 on fees and expenses for management consultants was as follows:
  298

  Financial year

  £ million

  1985–86

  0·479

  1986–87

  2·103

  1987–88

  1·244

  1988–89

  1·584

  1989–90

  4·870

  1990–91

  2·870

  1991–92

  2·806

  The figures up to and including 1988–89 are approximate as expenditure was from a joint Health and Social Security budget. In some cases expenditure has been apportioned where consultants have been engaged on both health and social security matters.

  The estimate of expenditure for 1992–93 is £4·229 million.

  Health Care, Rossendale
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to improve women's health care in Rossendale, particularly in relation to the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The United Kingdom was the first country in the European Community and one of the first countries in the world to establish a national cervical screening programme based on computerised call and recall. The Government are committed to this programme and cervical cancer was specifically mentioned in the Health of the Nation Green Paper. To improve uptake of cervical screening GP target payments were introduced; 91 per cent. of GP practices now receive a target payment.

  For information on the local provision of health services in Rossendale, including services for women's health care and the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, my hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. William Ashworth, chairman of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority.

  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to reduce the infant mortality rate(a) nationally and (b) in Rossendale.

  Mr. Sackville
  The infant mortality rate for England is at an all time low of 7·4 per 1,000 live births in 1991 compared to rate of 12·8 in 1979.

  One of the major priorities for the NHS this year will be to set targets to reduce the number of stillbirths and deaths in infancy. This, together with the NHS' participation in the nationwide Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in infancy, announced by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of Health last summer, should help to ensure the continued reduction of these tragic losses.

  For information on the provision of local health services my hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. William Ashworth, chairman of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  The register of surveys maintained by the Central Statistical Office lists the following surveys carried out since 1 November 1991:
  299

  Drugs: Parent's Monitor

  Nursing Monitor 1992: Wave 3

  Drugs "Double Head" Research

  Wessex Drugs Research

  Attitudes Among Patients Leaving Trust Hospitals

  Community Support Services
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to require all meetings of community support services to be held in public except where the confidentiality of patients would be compromised.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 18 May at column 56. The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 is also applicable to regional health authorities and NHS trusts.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department received an application for trust status, or an expression of interest in trust status, from the community support services in Wirral health authority; what the outcome of that application is; and if she will give the reasons for the decision.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Wirral community unit was one of the 153 hospitals and other units which expressed interest in the autumn of 1991 in applying to become an NHS trust in April 1993. It has not so far applied formally. If the unit does apply, there will be three months public consultation on the application, as well as a detailed assessment of the application, after which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will decide whether to establish the unit as a trust.

  Births, Islington
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each of the past five years have been removed from general practitioners' lists in the Camden and Islington family health service area as a result of asking for a home confinement when giving birth.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is no requirement to record such information.

  Hospital Doctors (Working Hours)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior hospital doctors she expects to be working more than a 40-hour week by the end of 1994; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The aim of the new deal is to reduce junior hospital doctors' maximum average contracted hours (which includes on-call time) to 72 per week by 31 December 1994. It is the intention, however, that no doctor will actually work more than an average of 56 hours per week by this time.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the total expenditure by her Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and if she will give an estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  Functions which are commonly associated with press and public relations are carried out by the Department's Information division. Manpower and running costs of this division are:
  300

  £million

  1989–90 Expenditure

  0·890

  1990–91 Expenditure

  1·250

  1991–92 Estimated Expenditure

  1·540

  1992–93 Estimated Expenditure

  1·690

  Information for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88 is not available.

  Homeopathic Treatment
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her Department intends to make provision for the demand for national health service homeopathic treatment in the Bristol area; and what are her Department's plans for the Bristol Homeopathic hospital.

  Mr. Yeo
  Responsibility for the purchasing of health services in the Bristol area, including homeopathic services, rests with the Bristol and district health authority. The health authority have given an undertaking that homeopathic services will continue to be provided for Bristol residents for as long as demand exists. The Department has no plans for the Bristol Homeopathic hospital. The hospital is not included in the asset base of the United Bristol Healthcare Trust and therefore decisions relating to its current or future use remain the responsibility of the Bristol and district health authority in consultation with the South Western regional health authority.

  Victoria Central Hospital, Wallasey
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if a decision has yet been made on the likely future for the Victoria central hospital, Wallasey.

  Mr. Sackville
  The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. R. S. Gordon, chairman of Wirral health authority, to discuss any specific aspects of the hospital's future.

  Section 64 Grants
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make an announcement on the determination of section 64 grant applications for 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  The overall provision for support to voluntary organisations under the Section 64 General Scheme for 1992–93 has been set at £17.8 million—a 12 per cent. increase in one year. Most grants are awarded for a three-year period and the majority of those organisations applying for renewal in 1992–93 have been notified of the outcome. Most of the organisations making new applications have also been notified and the remainder will be informed as soon as possible.

  Project 2000
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any additional colleges of nursing have been approved to implement Project 2000 nurse training.

  Mr. Sackville
  Agreement has been given to the implementation of Project 2000 in 15 colleges of nursing during 1992–93, subject to the necessary educational approval being obtained from the English National Board.

  This will bring the total number of colleges offering these courses in England to 64. The approval of these

  301
  schemes will result in complete implementation of Project 2000 in four regions (Oxford, Wessex, South Western and East Anglia) and will cover at least 65 per cent. of pre-registration student places in the other 10 region.

  The new schemes cover the following health authorities:

  North East Thames RHA - North London

  Mersey RHA - Chester and Wirral

  Northern RHA - Northumbria

  Bethlem and Maudsley SHA - Bethlem and Maudsley

  South Western RHA - Tor

  Wessex RHA - Bath and Swindon

  West Midlands RHA - Queen Elizabeth

  Yorkshire RHA - Humberside

  Yorkshire RHA - Airedale and Bradford

  Trent RHA - Sheffield and North Trent (extension)

  East Anglian RHA - Norfolk

  North Western RHA - Lancashire

  South East Thames RHA - Sussex and Kent Institute

  South West Thames RHA - College to be confirmed by RHA

  North West Thames RHA - Hertfordshire

  The increased funding for 1992–93 of £98 million brings to £207 million the amount provided for Project 2000 implementation since 1989–90. This demonstrates the Government's clear commitment to the development of a more flexible and autonomous nursing workforce, which is better equipped to respond to the challenges and changes of the future.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will bring forward proposals to ensure that residents of care or nursing homes have security of tenure in law;

  (2) if she will bring forward proposals to require the completion of a written contract for accommodation and services prior to admissions to care and nursing homes.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have no plans to do so. "Home Life" the established code of practice for residential care recommends that, before admission, residents should be given a full statement of the terms and conditions on which accommodation and care are offered, including details of the procedure for terminating the contract between the home and the resident. A copy of the code is available in the Library.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has regarding the adequacy of the monitoring by inspection units of residential care and nursing homes during the 12 months ended 31 March.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authority inspection units are responsible only for the inspection of residential care homes. Health authorities inspect nursing homes.

  In November 1991, the Department's social services inspectorate carried out a survey by postal questionnaire of the stage of development reached by inspection units to the end of September. The results were encouraging, showing widespread compliance with both the letter and the spirit of our directions and policy guidance. In 1992–93 the inspectorate will carry out a programme of more detailed and evaluative monitoring.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to change the current inspection arrangements for care or nursing homes.
  302
  Mr. Yeo
  None.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce a requirement for the regular statutory review of the individual circumstances of all residents in residential care or nursing homes, where the resident concerned or their representative so desires.

  Mr. Yeo
  We see no need to do so. "Home Life", the established code of practice for residential care, acknowledges the need for regular reviews and gives clear practice guidance on the subject. A copy of the code is available in the Library.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the April 1993 change in community care on the current number of residential or nursing places in private homes.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government are committed to a mixed economy of residential and nursing home care and it expects that the independent sector (private and voluntary) will continue to play a significant role in the provision of such care. New community care arrangements to be introduced in April 1993 will link the provision of care more closely to assessment of needs. Significant numbers of people will continue to need residential or nursing home care, particularly as the numbers of very elderly people continue to increase. However, it is generally expected that in some cases alternative, more appropriate forms of care will be able to be provided. The Government therefore share the widely held view that there is likely to be a decline in the rate of growth in residential care as a whole.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice she has given regarding the inspection by local authorities of the audited accounts of private residential care or nursing homes(a) as part of the annual inspection process and (b) prior to the placement of a contract under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department does not give local or health authorities detailed guidance about how they should carry out their statutory inspections of private residential care and nursing homes. "Home Life"—a code of practice for residential care endorsed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State—recommends that financial implications should be among the matters discussed with those proposing to open a home.

  The policy guidance "Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond" advises local authorities to check the credentials of potential contractors, including their financial standing. It is for authorities to decide how best to do this.

  Copies of the code and the guidance are available in the Library.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor the adequacy of the medical care available to residents of care homes.

  Mr. Yeo
  Those who run registered residential care homes are required by law to arrange for residents to receive necessary medical treatment and to keep records of such treatment. We would expect these arrangements to be monitored in the course of the regular inspections that local inspection units undertake.
  303
  The Department is preparing revised and updated guidance about the health care of elderly people in residential care, for use in both local authority and independent sector homes.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will bring forward proposals to allow persons in residential or nursing care homes the same access to domiciliary, health and social services as persons living in their own homes.

  Mr. Yeo
  People in residential homes of all types have the same rights to receive social services and health services under the National Health Service as people living in their own homes.

  Patients in independent nursing homes already have access to primary care services and acute hospital services.

  The Registered Homes Act 1984 requires the person registered to provide adequate staff, equipment, facilities and services bearing in mind the age, sex and condition of the patients being cared for. Our guidance to health authorities is that support services such as physiotherapy and incontinence materials fall within the care that nursing homes could reasonably be expected to provide for their patients. Health authorities may provide support services to nursing home patients at their discretion.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken as to the extent to which elderly persons positively choose to enter institutional care.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department has funded a recently-published study by the Policy Studies Institute, which examined issues of choice, participation and satisfaction among elderly people "at the margin" of community and residential care. The study explored, among other issues, the extent to which elderly people positively choose to enter institutional care.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the relative levels of mental and physical functioning of residents in local authority part III accommodation compared with residents in private residential care.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department has in recent years funded a number of research studies on residential care, at the universities of Kent and York. One focus of these studies has been on the level of physical and mental functioning of residents in local authority part III accommodation and private residential care. The results were published in June 1991 by the personal social services research unit, university of Kent, in discussion paper No. 725, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

  Long-term Care Insurance
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy towards long-term care insurance schemes.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government welcome schemes which widen opportunities for people to make provision for meeting future long-term care needs.

  Nursing Care of the Elderly
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been given to local authorities regarding the placement of contracts for the residential nursing care of the elderly with establishments outside individual local authority boundaries.

  Mr. Yeo
  The White Paper "Caring for People", (Cm. 849), made it clear that under arrangements to be introduced from 1 April 1993 people assessed by local authorities as requiring nursing home care will, subject to the availability of resources, be able to seek a place in an establishment in another authority's area. Where the cost of that home would be more than the authority would normally be willing to fund individuals, or their relatives, may agree to pay the difference. Subsequent guidance has emphasised the need to take full account of individual's preferences in making placements in residential care and nursing homes.

  Loans Criteria
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are laid down by her Department concerning the granting of loans to district health authorities by regional health authorities.

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities have no powers to borrow funds. Regional health authorities are responsible for setting allocations to their districts, and may agree to increase a district's allocation in one year on the understanding that a compensating reduction is made in a later year. There are no centrally laid down criteria for such adjustments, since each case must be considered on its merits and account has to be taken of the region's overall priorities and resources.

  Stockport
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for ensuring that any future trust in Stockport will charge affordable prices for its health services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  All NHS trusts depend for their income on their ability to secure contracts with local purchasers. They need to be able to compete in terms of cost and quality with other local NHS provider units. In addition, trusts are expected to set their prices for NHS contracts using principles common to the NHS as a whole. They are not allowed to cross-subsidise services or to build in profit margins.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make an announcement concerning the funding of community care during the next financial year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As we have always made clear, announcements about the funding of community care in 1993–94 will be made in the context of the local government expenditure survey.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which local authority housing departments and other local housing agencies have been involved in the drawing up of community care plans.
  305
  Mr. Yeo
  The successful implementation of "Caring For People" is very dependent on effective collaboration between agencies, including housing authorities and other housing providers. In drawing up community care plans local authorities must consult their local health and housing authorities as well as others concerned with the provision of community care services. The role played by housing authorities in preparing community care plans is one of the issues addressed in our six monthly monitoring of the progress authorities are making in implementing "Caring For People". The monitoring reports have recently been received and are being assessed.

  Leaflets on Sun's Rays
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library leaflets produced by her Department which give advice about exposure to the sun's rays; and if she will make a statement about changes to this advice.

  Mr. Sackville
  Copies of the Health Education Authority leaflet "Are you dying to get a suntan" are available in the Library. The independent expert advisory Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) have been asked to advise on what further steps, if any, Government should consider in

  Table 1.

  Number of items prescribed by general practitioners and hospitals and dispensed by community pharmacists in each year from 1979 to 1991 for which patients (a) paid a charge when the item was dispensed; (b) did not pay a charge when the item was dispensed, and reason for non- payment (millions)

  (a)

  (b)

  Year

  (i) Number of items prescribed and dispensed

  (ii) Number of items in (i) for which a charge was paid when the item was dispensed

  (iii) Number of items in (i) for which a charge was not paid when the item was dispensed by reason for non-payment

  Exempt

  Pre-payment certificate

  No Charge Contraceptives

  1979

  304·6

  108·7

  181·3

  10·4

  4·2

  1980

  303·3

  90·9

  192·6

  15·2

  4·6

  1981

  3000

  76·5

  200·0

  18·3

  5·2

  1982

  311·3

  76·5

  210·4

  18·4

  6·0

  1983

  315·3

  70·6

  220·7

  17·8

  6·2

  1984

  320·5

  69·6

  226·5

  17·5

  6·9

  1985

  318·7

  63·2

  232·6

  16·9

  5·9

  1986

  322·5

  60·3

  241·3

  15·7

  5·3

  1987

  335·1

  60·6

  253·8

  15·6

  5·1

  1988

  346·5

  61·6

  263·5

  16·1

  5·3

  1989

  351·9

  61·4

  268·1

  16·8

  5·6

  1990

  360·5

  60·1

  276·9

  17·6

  5·9

  1991

  370·8

  56·1

  290·5

  18·2

  5·9

  Table II

  Number of items prescribed by general practitioners and hospitals and dispensed by community pharmacists to patients exempt from prescription charges in each year from 1979 to 1991 by category of exemption (millions)

  Exemption categories

  Year

  The young1

  Retirement pensioners

  Family health service authority exempt2

  NHS low income scheme charge remission

  War/service pensioners

  No declaration3

  Declaration not specific4

  Total all exemption categories

  1979

  34·3

  100·9

  12·4

  15·9

  0·9

  12·9

  4·0

  181·3

  1980

  37·0

  108·8

  14·4

  16·7

  0·9

  10·8

  4·0

  192·6

  1981

  35·5

  110·9

  15·2

  19·5

  0·9

  13·8

  4·2

  200·0

  1982

  40·1

  112·7

  15·9

  24·2

  0·9

  12·6

  4·0

  210·4

  1983

  39·1

  117·2

  16·6

  28·2

  0·9

  14·8

  4·0

  220·7

  1984

  38·2

  121·0

  17·1

  31·9

  0·9

  13·3

  4·1

  226·5

  1985

  38·3

  125·7

  17·0

  32·5

  0·9

  14·3

  4·0

  232·6

  1986

  36·6

  129·6

  17·4

  36·3

  0·9

  16·1

  4·5

  241·3

  1987

  38·2

  135·6

  18·3

  39·3

  0·8

  17·0

  4·6

  253·8

  306
  relation to ultraviolet radiation and health risks. The Committee's advice, which will be published, is expected shortly.

  Maternity Services
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to respond to the second report from the Health Committee of Session 1991–92, on maternity services; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  In the summer.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out for each year from 1979 the total number of prescriptions issued(a) by general practitioners and (b) by hospitals, showing, for each year and category, the number of prescriptions paid for by the recipient and the number exempt from payment, and showing, separately, the number in each category of exemption.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: The available information is in the tables. Information about items prescribed by hospitals and dispensed by hospital pharmacists is not available.
  307

  Exemption categories

  Year

  The young1

  Retirement pensioners

  Family health service authority exempt2

  NHS low income scheme charge remission

  War/service pensioners

  No declaration3

  Declaration not specific4

  Total all exemption categories

  1988

  40·6

  142·6

  21·0

  36·4

  0·9

  17·9

  4·0

  263·5

  1989

  40·5

  147·3

  22·4

  34·7

  0·9

  18·8

  3·6

  268·1

  1990

  40·0

  153·2

  23·5

  36·4

  0·9

  19·5

  3·4

  276·9

  1991

  41·8

  159·7

  24·4

  40·6

  0·8

  19·8

  3·4

  290·5

  Notes:

  1 Children under the age of 16 and young people under age 19 in full-time education.

  2 Patients with specified medical conditions, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

  3 Items for which patients indicated more than one Exemption category.

  4 Block prescriptions for schools or institutions.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Peru
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take up with the Peruvian Government the question of human rights abuses in that country; if he will arrange to raise these matters in the United Nations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I share the hon. Gentleman's concern. We take every appropriate opportunity to emphasise to the Peruvian authorities their obligations to respect and protect human rights. The Peruvian charge d'affaires is due to call at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 22 May. When President Fujimori called on my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister earlier this year, he was left in no doubt about the strength of feeling in this country. The next occasion on which this matter might be raised at the United Nations would be the autumn meeting of the General Assembly.

  Turkey
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will review the sale of arms to Turkey in the light of concern about Turkey's human rights record, in particular in respect to its Kurdish population.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are not considering an embargo on arms sales to Turkey. Turkey is a NATO ally, which has given and continues to give firm support to the Coalition during and after the Gulf conflict. Arms sales to Turkey are subject to the standard export licence procedure. Under this procedure, all applications are scrutinized in accordance with stringent criteria. These include an assessment of the recipient country's human rights record.

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made various representations to the Russian authorities on behalf of Mr. Nizguretsky. In Moscow in March I raised human rights issues with the Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister, including the case of Mr. Nizguretsky.

  Albania
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have now been made for United Kingdom diplomatic representations to Albania; and what proposals he has to establish a mission in that country in the future.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Sir Stephen Egerton KCMG, Her Majesty's ambassador to the Italian Republic has been additionally appointed as non-resident ambassador to the Republic of Albania. There are at present no plans to establish a resident mission in the country.

  Refuseniks
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Bennisa Heifetz of Moscow who would like to join her son in Israel.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made various representations to the Russian authorities on behalf of Ms. Heifetz. In Moscow in March I raised human rights issues with the Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister, including the case of Ms. Heifetz.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Yevgeny Rozenblit and his family of Sverdlovsk.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of Yevgeny Rozenblit and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Semyon Kreiman and his family of Moscow.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can raise with the Russian authorities the case of Semyon Kreiman and his family, but to make effective representations we shall need further details.

  British Council
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has received an application for an exhibition relating to the work of the British Council to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have
  309
  been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 13 July to 17 July 1992.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office estimates that it will spend £175,000 on fees to management consultants in the 1992–93 financial year.

  Charges to the subhead which covers management consultants for the financial years 1983–84 to 1991–92 are as follows:

  £

  1983–84

  141,189·61

  1984–85

  160,593·26

  1985–86

  121,673·81

  1986–87

  201,846·61

  1987–88

  200,122·84

  1988–89

  213,835·37

  1989–90

  272,164·00

  1990–91

  274,313·00

  1991–92

  180,690·00

  These are total charges to the subhead and include payments other than to management consultants.

  Figures for the financial years 1979–80 to 1982–83 are no longer available.

  St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last reviewed the territorial limits of Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The territorial limits for St. Helena and Dependencies including Tristan da Cunha were last reviewed prior to the publication of the St. Helena and Dependencies (Territorial Sea) Order 1989 which came into force on 1 January 1990 and set territorial limits at 12 miles.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to establish a 200-mile limit around St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Fishery limits of 200 miles were declared for St. Helena under the St. Helena Fishery Limits Ordinance 1977. For Tristan da Cunha the 200-mile fishery limits were declared under the Tristan da Cunha Fishery Limits Ordinance 1983. Fishery limits are distinct from the limits of territorial waters.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for exploiting the tourism potential of Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena via Ascension Island.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  ; The Government of St. Helena are examining proposals for the promotion of a small tourism industry on the island, but exploitation would be dependent on the introduction of a vessel that would provide a frequent service between St. Helena and Ascension Island.
  310
  There are no plans to exploit the tourism potential of Tristan da Cunha.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the advice he has received from the Hydrographer about the establishment of 200 mile limits around St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Hydrographic details of the 200-mile fishery limits for St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha are published and are on selected Admiralty charts available from the hydrographic office and chart agents.

  Thailand
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Thailand about recent human rights violations.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I summoned the Thai ambassador in London on 19 May to express our serious concern about the recent violence in Bangkok and the excessive use of force by the Thai army. I urged the Thai Government and army to show maximum restraint in their handling of the situation and to avoid further casualties. Along with our EC partners, we are keeping the situation in Thailand under regular review.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the implications for the level of contribution of British forces to the United Nations forces in Cyprus of the decision by other nations participating in the force to end their contributions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have not been informed of any such decision.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress there has been since 1974 towards a settlement in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Progress towards a settlement on Cyprus has been disappointingly slow. However, there are current grounds for optimism; all sides have accepted the ideas endorsed in SCR 750, and the recent round of talks by UN envoys went well.

  North Korea
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Her Majesty's Government possess on the nuclear reactor made public by the North Korean nuclear authorities on 14 April.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Copies of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) press release about North Korea's nuclear inventory as submitted to the IAEA in accordance with her full-scope safeguards agreement, and a transcript of the press briefing given by IAEA Director-General Hans Blix, have been placed in the Library of the House. The inventory refers to three nuclear reactors. Further details of the information provided by North Korea are held in confidence by the IAEA.

  Dependent Territories Committee
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to establish a dependent territories committee; and if he will publish its terms of reference and composition.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is carrying out a review of how best to conduct relations between Whitehall and the Caribbean Dependent Territories. No decisions have yet been taken.

  The results of the review will be announced to Parliament in due course.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.

  Mr. Hurd
  No public opinion surveys have been commissioned or carried out by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1 November 1991.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers he has to increase the opportunities for candidates other than the Governor General to be appointed chancellor of the two universities in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The relevant laws in Hong Kong provide that the chancellor of the three universities shall be the Governor of Hong Kong.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards Cambodia; and what recent measures he has taken to promote peace in that country.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As signatories, we support the agreements on a comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict signed in Paris in October 1991. The United Kingdom played an active part in the negotiations leading up to these agreements.

  We will continue to work both through the United Nations and bilaterally to help ensure that the agreements are implemented fully, leading to free and fair elections, a constitution and the formation of a new Cambodian Government next year.

  Lockerbie Bombing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the offer made to him in Cairo by Libyan representatives in relation to the Lockerbie bombing.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Libyans have made a number of offers, most recently the offer in the letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations from the Libyan Foreign Minister. Although there has been some movement in the Libyan position, none of these offers has amounted to compliance with Security Council resolution 731 which would need to include the handling over of the two accused for trial in Scotland or the United States.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Non-payment of Fines
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently imprisoned for non-payment of fines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 31 March 1992 about 330 fine defaulters were held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

  Filipino Wives
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Filipino wives have been granted entry to the United Kingdom in each of the last five years on grounds of marriage to United Kingdom men; and how many applications have been refused in each of those five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is available only in respect of such wives applying for a settlement entry clearance in the Philippines in the years 1990 and 1991. This information is given in the table.

  Annual figures on admissions of wives or fiancees of Filipino nationality are published in table 1 of the annual command papers "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom". Copies of the 1987–90 command papers are in the library. The corresponding figure for 1991 was 530. These admission figures will include Filipino wives and fiancees granted entry clearance other than in the Philippines and any joining non-British husbands settled in the United Kingdom. They do not take account of the year in which the entry clearance was granted.

  Estimated number of Filipino wives of British husbands applying for a settlement entry clearance in Manila

  Entry clearance applications

  Year

  Granted1

  Refused initially

  1990

  200

  110

  1991

  200

  140

  1 Including granted on appeal.

  Firearms
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the regulation of ownership of air rifles and pistols.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The acquisition, possession and use of air weapons are already strictly regulated by the Firearms Act 1968. In its second annual report (a copy of which is in the Library) the Firearms Consultative Committee, the independent statutory body established to advise Government on the firearms legislation, concluded that the law as it stands is adequate to deal with current levels of misuse. I have no plans to introduce further controls.

  Prison Medical Service
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future structure, establishment and role of the prison medical service.
  313
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The 1990 efficiency scrutiny of the prison medical service, now known as the health care service for prisoners, set forth a substantial agenda of proposed reform in the way health services in prisons are organised and delivered. The scrutiny found that the HCSP should be drawn to the centre of prison service management as a whole, but also that a closer alignment with the national health service would be beneficial. This means a wider role for the HCSP and a greater emphasis on health promotion and illness prevention.

  We have accepted either fully or in principle virtually all of the 83 scrutiny recommendations, and the process of implementation is underway. The biggest and immediate task arising from the scrutiny is to test out the recommendation that the HCSP should become a purchaser of services through contracts with the NHS (or other providers). As indicated in the consultation paper "Contracting for Prison Health Services", issued last August, the evidence for or against this model can only be produced by pilot projects in selected establishments. The first of these will be ready to start later this year.

  The challenge is to provide for prisoners the same standards of health care as is provided by the NHS.

  Public Opinion Surveys
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since 1 November 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  The Department has carried out five surveys since 1 November 1991 which include questions to test public opinion:Questions were included in the Gallup Omnibus survey to assess public attitudes towards the police.
  A national survey of car users was carried out in January 1991, asking about driver's attitudes to car security and to the gravity of car crime.
  A survey of the attitudes of the public to drugs and their prevention was carried out in four of the twenty areas with Home Office drugs prevention teams (Bradford, Glasgow, Nottingham and the London Borough of Lewisham).
  Fieldwork for the British Crime Survey was conducted between January and April 1992. Although primarily about respondents' experiences and behaviour, the 1992 survey included questions on attitudes to sentencing and attitudes to the police.
  The England and Wales sweep of the second International Crime Survey was carried out at the beginning of 1992. 2,000 adults were asked about experience of crime and opinions on various crime related issues. Several other countries took part.

  Mr. Adol Owen-Williams
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the treatment of a United States citizen, Mr. Adol Owen-Williams, by immigration officials at Gatwick airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have replied to earlier questions from three hon. Members and refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 19 May at column 93. On 20 May, 10 letters had been received from members of the public.

  Arrests
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were in London during the past year for(a) motoring offences, (b) theft and (c) crimes of violence.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on the number of arrests by offence category is not available centrally. However, the available information for the Metropolitan police district is published in the Report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for 1990 at table 13.4, a copy of which is in the Library. The 1991 report is not yet available.

  Police Cells
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted prisoners are held in police cells in the(a) Northumbria, (b) Durham, (c) Cleveland, (d) North Yorkshire and (e) Cumbria police force areas.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On Wednesday 20 May 1992, the following convicted prisoners were held by the force concerned:

  Prisoners

  Northumbria

  14

  Durham

  6

  Cleveland

  2

  North Yorkshire

  20

  Cumbria

  19

  Knife Offences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed in the Greater London area in each of the last five years in which a knife has been used.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on the use of knives is not collected centrally. However, information on the number of offences of violence against the person and robbery in which sharp instruments were involved is published annually in the report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The most recent information available is shown at table 13.3 of the Commissioner's 1990 report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the present law relating to the use of knives in criminal offences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  There are already strict controls on the possession of knives in public and the courts have and use stiff penalties to deal with offenders whose crimes have involved the use of a knife. The Criminal Justice Act 1991 will enhance the power of the courts to protect the public from serious harm from a violent offender, by allowing them to impose a longer custodial sentence than would otherwise by justified by the seriousness of the offence.

  Parliamentary Boundaries Review
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the electoral quota for the parliamentary boundaries review published on 21 February 1991; and what was the electoral quota for the last review.
  315
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The electoral quota applicable to the fourth general review of parliamentary constituencies, announced by the Boundary Commission for England on 21 February 1991, is 69,281.

  The comparable figure for the third general review was 65,753.

  Wheel Clamping
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints he has received about wheel clamping in London.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In the last 12 months my Department has received eight letters from members of the public in relation to wheel clamping in London.

  Mr. Ghazanfer Ali
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that Mr. Ghazanfer Ali, a Pakistani national, at present detained in Pakistan, who has been granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom, does not lose his automatic right to rejoin his wife and family in the United Kingdom if he is unable to re-enter the United Kingdom within two years of leaving the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  If Mr. Ali is out of the United Kingdom for longer than two years he will need to apply for a visa. Any application that Mr. Ali makes will be considered on its merits under the relevant part of the immigration rules.

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the organisation and funding of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 18 May at column 10.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a departmental working group to report on electoral registration and connected matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We shall be undertaking a general review of electoral law and procedures in the light of experience of the general election. This will include meetings with the main political parties and with the local authority associations. In addition, OPCS are currently carrying out research to assess the accuracy of the electoral register using sample information from the 1991 census. The conclusions of the review, together with the results of the research, will assist us in considering whether any changes may need to be made to arrangements for electoral registration.

  Dangerous Dogs Act
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 with a view to including Rottweilers within the 316
  scope of section 1 of that Act and seek to extend the Act to give mandatory powers to local authorities to stipulate that dogs falling within section 1 of the Act must be kept in secure and screened compounds.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The powers available under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 apply only to dogs bred for fighting or having the characteristics of a dog bred for fighting and could not therefore be used in respect of Rottweilers.

  Section 2 of the 1991 Act provides a reserve power for the Secretary of State, subject to consultation and the agreement of Parliament, to impose certain conditions on other types of dog considered to represent a serious danger to the public.

  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to use this power but we shall keep the matter under review in the light of the operation of existing measures for controlling dogs, including section 3 of the 1991 Act. This provides tough penalties against those who allow dogs of any type to become dangerously out of control in a public place. We consider that this provides a powerful incentive to dog owners to exercise proper and responsible control of their dogs.

  Women Police Officers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of women police officers serving in the Metropolitan police who hold senior officer rank; and if he will list the rank that they hold.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The number of women police officers serving in the Metropolitan police service—in the rank of inspector and above on 31 April is as follows:

  Number

  Chief superintendent

  5

  Superintendent

  7

  Chief inspector

  12

  Inspector

  35

  Firearms
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shotgun certificates were on issue at 31 December in each year from 1985 in each police force area.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The number of shotgun certificates on issue at 31 December in each year from 1986 to 1990 are shown in table 4 of Home Office statistical bulletin numbers 2/88, 33/88, 18/89, 26/90 and 23/91. Copies of these bulletins are in the Library. Figures for 1985 are not readily available by police force area and those for 1991 are not yet available.

  Police Special Branches
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he wil now make it his practice to provide substantive answers to questions concerning operational activities of police special branches.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. The responsibility for police operational activities rests with chief officers of police.

  Anti-discrimination Legislation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the introduction of comprehensive antidiscrimination legislation in the past six months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have received no representations in the past six months regarding the introduction of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, but have received a number from various bodies and individuals about different aspects of discrimination legislation.

  The Commission for Racial Equality published its consultation document on their second review of the Race Relations Act 1976 in July 1991. We will give careful consideration to the formal recommendations which the Commission intends to put forward later this year.

  The Equal Opportunities Commission submitted formal proposals to amend the Sex Discrimination Act in March 1988 and wrote to the Home Secretary with revisions in February 1992. These are receiving serious consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, along with proposals from other bodies.

  Table A: Applications12 received for asylum in the United Kingdom by Turkish and Iraqi nationals, excluding dependants

  1988

  31989

  31990

  1991

  January to April 1992

  Total applications between January 1988 and April 1992

  Turkey

  335

  2,415

  1,185

  2,110

  630

  6,680

  Iraq

  165

  215

  890

  915

  315

  2,500

  Total

  500

  2,630

  2,075

  3,025

  950

  9,180

  1 Includes applications made in-country as well as at ports.

  2 Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  3 Provisional and estimated figures.

  Table B: Applications1 2 received for asylum in the United Kingdom by Turkish and Iraqi nationals, excluding dependants, and decisions1 2; totals for the period 1 January 1988–30 April 1992

  Applications received

  Decisions3 4

  Applications outstanding at 30 April 19921

  Granted asylum

  Granted exceptional leave

  Refusals

  Total decisions

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave5

  Refused under para 101 of Immigration Rules5

  Total refused

  Turkey

  6,680

  585

  1,690

  300

  140

  440

  2,720

  4,060

  Iraq

  2,500

  200

  595

  55

  5

  60

  855

  2,015

  Total Turkey and Iraq

  9,180

  790

  2,285

  355

  150

  500

  3,575

  6,075

  11 Includes applications made in-country as well as at ports.

  2 Provisional and estimated figures, rounded to the nearest 5.

  3 Recent figures may understate because of delays in recording.

  4 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made between 1 January 1988 and 30 April 1992.

  5 Includes refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country and, up to 30 November 1991, refusals under paragraph 101 of the immigration rules for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

  6 From 1 December 1991 only: see footnote (5).

  7 These figures are maxima which are likely to overstate the number outstanding because of earlier underrecording of decisions.

  318
  A number of representations have also been received in the past six months calling for the law to be clarified in relation to discrimination against homosexuals.

  Colleagues in the Department of Social Security also received a number of letters in support of the Private Member's Bill introduced by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) which was debated on 31 January 1992.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of Kurdish asylum seekers who have arrived in the United Kingdom since 1988; what is the determination of their cases; and how many are still outstanding.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: Information on the ethnic origin of asylum applicants is not recorded but in the period since January 1988 the majority of Turkish applicants, and a considerable proportion of Iraqi applicants, have stated that they are Kurds.

  Information on these nationalities is given in tables A and B.
  319
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have entered the United Kingdom from Somalia in each month since January 1989; and what is the determination of their cases.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: Information for the period 1 January 1989 to 30 April 1992 is given in the table. For monthly figures of applications since January 1991 I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the two questions from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 21 May at columns 210–13.

  Applications1 2 received for asylum in the United Kingdom by Somali nationals, excluding dependants, and decisions 1 2; totals for the period 1 January 1989 to 30 April 1992

  Number

  Applications received

  6,195

  Decisions3 4

  Granted asylum

  1,145

  Granted exceptional leave

  1,110

  Refusals

  Refused aslyum and exceptional leave5

  85

  Refused under para. 101 of immigration rules6

  90

  Total refused

  175

  Total decisions

  2,430

  Decisions1 2 in the period 1 July 1991 to 30 April 1992 on applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by nationality

  Provisional estimates of numbers of decisions on principal applicants

  Refusals

  Nationality

  Granted asylum

  Granted exceptional leave

  Total refused

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds

  Refused under paragraph 101 of immigration rules3

  Total decisions

  Europe and Americas

  Bulgaria

  —

  *

  25

  15

  —

  10

  25

  Colombia

  *

  10

  10

  5

  *

  5

  20

  Romania

  —

  15

  30

  15

  5

  10

  40

  Turkey

  105

  180

  240

  65

  35

  140

  520

  USSR

  5

  15

  5

  5

  —

  —

  25

  Others

  10

  5

  65

  20

  30

  15

  75

  Total

  120

  220

  370

  125

  70

  180

  710

  Africa

  Angola

  *

  5

  1,325

  185

  15

  1,130

  1,335

  Congo

  *

  —

  110

  15

  —

  95

  110

  Ethiopia

  15

  150

  65

  5

  10

  50

  235

  Ghana

  5

  10

  320

  100

  10

  210

  335

  Nigeria

  *

  —

  45

  70

  5

  20

  45

  Somalia

  20

  740

  125

  5

  35

  90

  890

  Sudan

  30

  10

  70

  *

  *

  70

  110

  Togo/Ivory Coast

  —

  —

  750

  30

  5

  735

  750

  Uganda

  5

  35

  120

  30

  5

  80

  160

  Zaire

  5

  5

  1,745

  270

  70

  1,400

  1,755

  Others

  *

  15

  13,345

  45

  10

  1,290

  1,360

  Total

  85

  970

  6,025

  690

  170

  5,165

  7,080

  Middle East

  Iran

  55

  90

  10

  5

  —

  5

  150

  Iraq

  60

  125

  20

  5

  10

  5

  205

  Lebanon

  10

  60

  25

  10

  5

  5

  95

  Others

  10

  35

  45

  15

  15

  15

  90

  Total

  135

  310

  100

  40

  30

  30

  540

  Asia

  China

  10

  45

  15

  10

  —

  5

  70

  India

  *

  275

  515

  355

  45

  115

  790

  Pakistan

  *

  230

  380

  255

  5

  120

  610

  320
  1 Includes applications made in-country as well as at ports.

  2 Provisional and estimated figures, rounded to the nearest 5.

  3 Recent figures may understate because of delays in recording.

  4 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made between 1 January 1989 and 30 April 1992.

  5 Includes refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country and, up to 30 November 1991, refusals under paragraph 101 of the immigration rules for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

  6 From 1 December 1991 only: see footnote5.

  Refugees
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the monthly refugee application figures for June 1991 to date and the determination of each applicant.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: For monthly figures of applications since January 1991, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling), on 21 May.

  Information on decisions made in the second half of 1991 and first four months of 1992 on asylum applications, by nationality, is given in the table.
  321

  Refusals

  Nationality

  Granted asylum

  Granted exceptional leave

  Total refused

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave

  Refused on third country grounds

  Refused under paragraph 101 of immigration rules3

  Total decisions

  Sri Lanka

  20

  475

  25

  10

  5

  10

  520

  Others

  15

  165

  120

  80

  *

  40

  300

  Total

  40

  1,190

  1,050

  710

  55

  290

  2,285

  Other nationalities and nationality not yet recorded

  5

  5

  10

  10

  *

  —

  20

  GRAND TOTAL

  390

  2,690

  7,560

  1,570

  330

  5,660

  10,635

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest five with * = 1 or 2.

  2 Figures are provisional and are likely to understate because of delays in recording.

  3 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period. The figures are for the period from 1 December 1991 only: these refusals in July to November 1991 are included in the column "Refused asylum and exceptional leave".

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Quotas
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with his Norwegian counterpart about arrangements for fishing quotas.

  Mr. Curry
  I met Mrs. Petterson, Minister of Fisheries, last year when I discussed a wide range of fisheries matters.

  Negotiations between the Community and Norway on fishing quotas for the coming year will commence as usual in the autumn when the scientific advice becomes available.

  Farm and Conservation Grants
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money was granted to farmers in England and Wales through the farm and conservation grant scheme—heather and woodland regeneration section—in 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  A total of £56,536.

  Dolphins
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new initiatives he intends to introduce to protect dolphins.

  Mr. Curry
  In addition to strongly supporting the recent agreement under the Bonn convention for the conservation of small cetaceans in the North and Baltic seas, the introduction this year of a scheme for voluntary reporting of all incidental captures of marine mammals including cetaceans, the EC-wide limitation on drift net length from 1 June which we secured last year, continuing research on strandings and other aspects of small cetaceans, we are planning further research relevant to incidental capture.

  Sea Defences
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how an individual member of the public may gain access to information held by the National Rivers Authority, concerning the state and condition of individual stretches of sea defence structures.
  322
  Mr. Curry
  In the first instance, members of the public should approach the regional office of the National Rivers Authority for the area concerned.

  For the Anglian region, which includes the coastal part of the hon. Member's constituency, the address is Kingfisher house, Goldhay way, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough PE2 02R.

  Sunlight (Exposure)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields on 18 May,Official Report, column 26, if he will consider distributing the Health Education Authority leaflet about exposure to the sun to the farming community.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have no plans to distribute the Health Education Authority leaflet, "Are you dying to get a suntan?", to the farming community.

  Copies of the leaflet are held by health education units within district health authorities.

  Clenbuterol
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what study has been made, and with what results, of the safety of feeding the drug clenbuterol to beef cattle; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Before any veterinary medicine can be marketed in the United Kingdom, it must first be licensed in accordance with the Medicines Act 1968. Licences are issued only after the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC)—an independent committee of scientists—has satisfied itself that the necessary standards of safety, quality and efficacy have been met. Clenbuterol is legally available in this country as the active ingredient of five prescription-only medicines, licensed for use in treating respiratory ailments in cattle and horses, and as an aid to cattle at the time of calving. These licences are currently being examined by the VPC as part of the ongoing review of veterinary pharmaceutical products.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current capacity of the incinerators in use for the disposal of BSE carcases in the United Kingdom on a weekly basis; and if he will make a statement.
  323
  Mr. Gummer
  In England and Wales there is at present enough capacity to incinerate around 1,000 carcases each week. We expect that existing facilities should continue to prove sufficient to incinerate all such carcases.

  In Northern Ireland and Scotland, where the incidence of BSE is less, incineration capacity is more than sufficient to handle expected cases.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been paid out in compensation for BSE for each year since the compensation scheme was introduced; how much he is estimating will be paid out for each of the next five years; what is his basis for these estimates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The amount of BSE compensation paid each year since the scheme was introduced is:

  million

  1988–89

  1

  1989–90

  4

  1990–91

  10

  1991–92

  118

  1 provisional

  The nature of BSE, with its long incubation period, and the uncertainty of determining how many animals received sufficiently large infective doses before the ruminant feed ban to cause disease, makes the forecasting of expenditure very uncertain. Future trends will be reviewed in connection with the public expenditure survey discussions in the autumn.

SCOTLAND

  Scottiish Homes
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of houses owned by Scottish Homes and the number of these equipped with central heating.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The total number of houses owned by Scottish Homes as at 1 May 1992 is 56,430 of which 37,315 are equipped with central heating.

  Youth Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were participating in youth training in Scotland in each month since April 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is set out in the table.

  Number

  1991

  April

  37,065

  May

  35,797

  June

  37,213

  July

  36,285

  August

  36,714

  September

  36,865

  October

  36,749

  November

  36,912

  December

  36,744

  1992

  324

  Number

  January

  37,842

  February

  38,045

  March1

  36,583

  1 Latest date for which figures are available.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the budget agreed with each local enterprise company for 1992–93, broken down into the five major expenditure blocks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The allocation of resources to local enterprise companies is a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of the two bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what role the Scottish Environment Department has in promoting energy conservation and efficiency.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The main responsibility for promoting energy efficiency in Scotland rests with the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office which forms part of the Scottish Office industry department. The Scottish Office environment department is concerned with promoting energy conservation and efficiency in relation to housing. As an example of this, a total of £9·5 million in additional resources has been made available to Scottish local authorities over the years 1991–92 and 1992–93 to fund projects which demonstrate energy efficiency savings in local authority housing.

  My right hon. Friend, by means of the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations, prescribes standards for buildings, including standards for energy conservation, which apply to all new buildings and alterations or conversions (other than those of a very minor nature). The Environmental Department is responsible for promoting these standards and the necessary legislation.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his office has taken to promote Scotland as a fisheries-dependent region for the purposes of the post-1994 reformed funding structure of the common fisheries policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Officials in the Scottish Office have had regular discussions with the European Commission on fisheries dependent areas, within both the framework of the common fisheries policy mid-term review and the wider reforms of the structural funds. The Commission's proposals on this matter are at a very formative stage. Scotland has one of only seven pilot projects set up by the Commission within the European Community to look at issues such as retraining and alternative employment for fishermen. The project is centred on Macduff. The Commission has also set up a research study to identify fisheries dependent areas in Scotland, which is being carried out by the Sea Fish Industry Authority.

  Disabled Facilities Grant
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department plans to announce the outcome of the recent review of the disabled facilities grant system; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: What are called disabled facilities grants in England and Wales are not applicable to Scotland. Improvement grants for adapting houses to meet the needs of disabled people have however been available in Scotland for many years. They have not been subject to recent review.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the December 1991 waiting list figures for Scottish hospitals; and if he will undertake to publish waiting list figures on a quarterly basis.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: We shall be moving to publishing waiting list figures on a quarterly basis starting with March 1992 figures.

  Scottish Police College
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average daily rate per head which the Scottish Office allows to purchase food for police officers attending the Scottish police college either as recruits, senior officers attending courses or members of staff.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: The Scottish office allows £2·19 per head to purchase food for police officers and staff at the Scottish police college.

  Prisons
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average daily rate per head which the Scottish Office allows to purchase food for prisoners incarcerated at Her Majesty's prisons which are located in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: The cost of food for prisoners is determined by the weekly ration sheet based on an approved dietary scale. On that basis the estimated average daily food cost per prisoner in Scotland is £1·26 for the current financial year.

  Rent Officer Service
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish regular quarterly bulletins of statistics relating to the rent officer service in Scotland equivalent to those available from the Department of the Environment.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: On the evidence available to me I do not think that the demand for this material is sufficient to justify a separate quarterly publication as suggested by the hon. Member. But I will look at the possibility of publishing key information in the departmental housing statistical bulletins.

  Forestry Commission Land
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out the details of the access agreements reached when the Forestry Commission disposes of its land, including the length of time of an agreement, and amounts that can be paid, and the eligibility of land for such agreements; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: The arrangements for continued public access to land sold by the Forestry Commission are fully set out in the Forestry Commission's "Access Guidelines" issued last year. A copy was placed in the Library of the House at the end of September.

  Bankruptcy and Insolvency
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the cost to date of the evaluation process of the Scottish bankruptcy system initiated in March 1990.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: No specific figures are available for the cost of the evaluation process.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration the evaluation process initiated in March 1990 has given to the appropriateness of sponsorship by licensed insolvency practitioners of debt helplines or other such means of promulgating insolvency advice to the public.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: The sponsorship by insolvency practitioners of helplines is a matter for the ethical committees of the recognised professional bodies to consider. The evaluation of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 did not specifically cover this area.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the evaluation exercise of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, the procedures operative in other European countries and in the United States of America and Canada have been considered.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: In its review of bankruptcy and insolvency law in Scotland, the Scottish Law Commission considered the procedures operative in a number of other countries and took these into account in framing the recommendations which led to the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985. The Government's evaluation of that Act did not expressly consider practices in other countries.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each district council in each year since 1976(a) the total number of local authority houses allocated to debtors, as defined by section 73(1) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, and spouses of debtors, (b) the total rent due by debtors or spouses of debtors, (c) the total rent written off or to be written off by local authorities in respect of debtors or spouses of debtors and (d) what specific allowance is taken of such rent arrears in computation of Government funding for local authorities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: Information relating to local authority house

  327
  allocations to debtors, as specified by section 73(1) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, and to the spouses of such debtors is not held centrally. Nor is information relating to outstanding rent arrears or rent arrears written off in respect of such debtors or the spouses of such debtors. While estimated local authority rent arrears written off as irrecoverable are included in estimated eligible expenditure for the purpose of determining the housing support grant payable to local authorities in any year, no separate estimate is made of the rent arrears written off in respect of such debtors or the spouses of such debtors.

  Salmon
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his response to the application for producer organisation status with the extension rule submitted by the Scottish Salmon Growers Association.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: My officials have had discussions with representatives of the industry about the establishment of producer organisations for salmon but have not yet received a formal application for consideration.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the salmon farming industry about Crown Estate rentals; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: There have been no recent discussions about rental payments to the Crown Estate. Rents for salmon farms are being reviewed with effect from 1 January 1992. The Crown Estate's rental arrangements are subject to independent determination by the valuation office and I understand that further representations by the industry will be heard next month.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional resources he is making available to local authorities to enable environmental health officers to undertake the classification of shellfish harvesting areas to meet the requirements of EC directive 91/492.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: Environmental health officers have not been asked to undertake the classification of shellfish harvesting areas. The exercise is being undertaken by my Department's marine laboratory in Aberdeen. The local authority role is limited to the collection of samples and their transmission to the marine laboratory.

  Draft regulations for implementing this directive and that for the placing on the market of fishery products (EEC 91/493) will shortly issue for consultation. COSLA has indicated its intention to raise resource implications for local authorities arising from the tasks environmental health authorities will be expected to undertake under both directives. Any representations received will be given careful consideration. It should be borne in mind that substantial resources were provided to local authorities linked to the implementation of the Food Safety Act to which these directives are closely linked.

  Sequestration
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will institute an inquiry into the demands placed upon resources of local government as a result of sequestrations in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: My right hon. Friend has no plans to institute such an inquiry.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Packaging
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to reduce wasteful packaging in the retail industry; whether his Department is monitoring the progress of the German regulations relating to secondary packaging; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  Industry itself has already made good progress in reducing packaging waste—for example, by reducing the weight of packaging materials and using recycled material in new packaging; and a number of major companies have been actively involved with Government in supporting pilot resource recovery schemes. Ministerial colleagues regularly meet representatives of industry, including the retail sector, to discuss further ways in which packaging waste can be reduced. My Department and the Department of the Environment, have commissioned a study to establish whether economic instruments, such as taxes, levies, waste disposal charges and tradeable permits could help us achieve our recycling target. This is due to be completed later this year.

  The Government are concerned about the potential for trade restrictions and distortions to competition which could arise as a result of the introduction of unilateral packaging measures in other member states and we have made our views known to the European Commission. The Commission has indicated that it is examining the situation and we have urged them to reach a speedy conclusion.

  Financial Reporting Council
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements he has made for the financing of the Financial Reporting Council beyond the first three years of its life.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The next step is for the Financial Reporting Council to consider the amount and sources of its future funding. I understand that this will be discussed at its next meeting.

  Auditing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to promote the role of internal auditors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  None.

  Accounting Standards Board
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has plans to propose legislation under which the Accounting Standards Board will be required to hold all its meetings in the open.
  329
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Financial Reporting Review Panel
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any plans to investigate the operations of the Financial Reporting Review Panel.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No. I know of no matters concerning the Financial Reporting Review Panel which would call for such inquiries.

  Manufactured Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the deficit or surplus in(a) manufactured trade and (b) invisibles with (i) Japan, (ii) the USA and (iii) Germany, of (1) the United Kingdom, (2) France and (3) (except for (iii)) Germany in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Nedham
  Information on the balance of trade in manufactured goods is contained in the table. Information on the bilateral balances for invisible trade is not available.

  United Kingdom, France and Germany s crude balance1 of Trade in Manufactured Goods2 with Japan, USA and Germany 1980–91

  United Kingdom

  Balance with:

  Japan

  USA US$ Millions

  Germany

  1980

  -2,758

  -3,226

  -4,623

  1981

  -3,322

  -2,211

  -4,292

  1982

  -3,581

  -2,290

  -5,826

  1983

  -4,024

  -1,740

  -7,475

  1984

  -3,906

  -1,718

  -6,809

  1985

  -4,130

  -461

  -7,420

  1986

  -5,739

  1,577

  -9,850

  1987

  -6,838

  1,462

  -12,237

  1988

  -8,762

  -1,192

  -15,428

  1989

  -8,258

  -1,809

  -15,770

  1990

  -7,702

  -3,626

  -13,607

  1991

  -8,359

  -4,171

  -6,938

  France

  Balance with:

  Japan

  USA US$ Millions

  Germany

  1980

  -1,786

  -3,592

  -5,101

  1981

  -1,855

  -2,475

  -5,366

  1982

  -2,103

  -2,303

  -6,984

  1983

  -1,790

  -1,461

  -5,219

  1984

  -1,869

  146

  -4,494

  1985

  -1,979

  482

  -4,863

  1986

  -3,259

  -451

  -7,649

  1987

  -4,101

  -228

  -10,024

  1988

  -4,970

  -1,231

  -11,472

  1989

  -5,093

  -2,570

  -11,925

  1990

  -6,052

  -5,255

  -10,983

  41991

  -3,444

  -5,780

  -7,099

  Germany

  Balance with:

  Japan

  USA

  US$ Millions

  1980

  -3,578

  2,602

  1981

  -3,708

  2,598

  1982

  -3,153

  3,674

  1983

  -3,647

  4,923

  1984

  -4,034

  8,041

  1985

  -4,441

  10,126

  1986

  -7,082

  15,041

  330

  Germany

  Balance with:

  Japan

  USA

  US$ Millions

  1987

  -8,274

  16,373

  1988

  -8,810

  12,606

  1989

  -9,051

  8,064

  1990

  -9,720

  9,375

  41991

  -10,939

  2,965

  Notes:

  1 Exports (fob) less imports (cif).

  2 Standard International Trade Classification Sections 5–8.

  3 Figures for 1991 include eastern Germany.

  4 provisional.

  Based on the reported trade of the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

  Source: United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics, EUROSTAT.

  Hallmarking
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to continue the arrangement for the hallmarking of gold, silver and platinum articles by the established British Assay offices; and if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals on this.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Government is firmly of the view that the British hallmarking system is the best means of protecting both consumers and traders in the precious metals field. The Commission has indicated that it does not intend to put forward proposals for a harmonised precious metals regime at this stage. We will, however, seek to ensure in any future negotiations on a common system that the principles enshrined in the British hallmarking system are maintained.

  Company Reports
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that no company in Wales is prosecuted for a late submission of annual reports to Companies House, if they submitted such a report in the Welsh language within the appropriate time scale.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  New regulations are being introduced on 1 June this year which will enable private limited companies whose registered office is situated in Wales to deliver accounts in Welsh only.

  If the Directors of Welsh private limited companies, who produce their accounts in Welsh, deliver them to the Registrar in an acceptable form and within the prescribed period, the question of prosecution does not arise.

  Similarly, late filing penalties only apply to companies which deliver their accounts outside the prescribed period.

  Directors (Accountability)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to ensure that directors of public companies should be more accountable to their shareholders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I welcome the work of the Accounting Standards Board in developing proposals for large companies to include with its annual report and accounts an operating and financial review. I look forward to the contribution of the Cadbury committee which is expected soon.

  Cloth (Pentachlorophenol)
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce measures to ban the importation of cloth treated with pentachlorophenol.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government are conscious of the threat posed to the environment by the use of pentachlorophenols (PCPs) in textile production. However, I do not believe that it would be appropriate to ban imports of cloth treated in this way since there are at present no completely adequate substitutes for PCPs in protecting certain textiles from rotting. The detection of treated cloth at its port of entry would in any case be almost impossible. Nor are we generally able to discriminate against imports arriving from other member states of the European Community.

  British Coal Pension Funds
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the present value of the pension funds held for emoployees of British Coal or their dependants; and if he will announce the arrangements to be made to protect both the benefits and the funds themselves following privatisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 May to the Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans),Official Report, col. 156. The present values of the pension funds are a matter for the trustees of those pension funds.

  Nuclear Electric (Support)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the total value of the support provided for Nuclear Electric has been since this business was formed.

  Mr. Eggar
  In each of 1990–91 and 1991–92 the nuclear industry received approximately £1·25 billion through the fossil fuel levy. The allocation of this income between Nuclear Electric plc, British Nuclear Fuels Limited and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is commercially confidential.

  Gas-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the working lifespan of a gas-fired power generating station constructed in 1992; and what steps he is taking to ensure that adequate supplies of gas at reasonable prices will be available throughout the period involved.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government's aim is a competitive market within which the lifespan of individual power stations and the arrangements for fuelling them are matters for their operators.

  In the Government's observations on the Fourth Report of the Energy Select Committee (Session 1989–90), "The Cost of Nuclear Power", (a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House) the lifetime of a combined cycle gas turbine power station was assumed to be between 20 and 40 years.

  United Kingdom offshore gas reserves alone are sufficient to meet likely levels of United Kingdom demand for gas, including power generation, well beyond the turn of the century.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken towards the fulfilment of the undertaking to hold a creditors' meeting in connection with the BCCI liquidation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The joint liquidators of BCCI have informed my officials that they have set up a working party to consider how the difficulties of organising an effective meeting under section 141 of the Insolvency Act 1986 may be overcome. The joint liquidators have also indicated that the working party's preliminary report will be available shortly.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of meetings between his officials and the liquidators of BCCI on(a) the costs of the liquidation, and the breakdown of the costs and (b) the number of former customers of BCCI who have been placed into receivership by the liquidators.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The cost of the liquidation of BCCI are a matter for the court. The appointment of administrative receivers to companies who were former customers of BCCI is not a matter which requires reference to the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he received the copy sent to him of the letter to the liquidators from Messrs Zaiwalla concerning the liquidators' injunction against Mr. Masihur Raham, the former financial controller of BCCI; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The relevant parts of my Department have no record of the receipt of any such letter.

  Coal Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the companies or individuals who have approached him about the privatisation of the coal industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  A number of companies and individuals have approached me about the privatisation of the coal industry including British Coal and the British Association of Colliery Management.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make public details of all communications he receives from the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission on the safety consequences of coal privatisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  Yes.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he first consulted the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission about the safety consequences of coal privatisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  I wrote to the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission on 19 May formally to seek the commission's advice on the safety implications of coal privatisation.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will consult the unions in the mining industry to seek their views on the safety consequences of the privatisation of the coal industry.
  333
  Mr. Eggar
  I have already written to the coal industry trade unions seeking their views on all aspects of privatisation.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will review the phase out strategy for the fast reactor programme at the nuclear power development establishment at Dounreay.

  Mr. Eggar
  The nuclear industry have made a proposal to extend the life of the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay by three years from the announced closure of March 1994 until March 1997. I am currently considering their proposal.

  Dolphins
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on the GATT panel conclusions on the United States embargoes on tuna caught by methods that are not dolphin-safe.

  Mr. Needham
  The European Commission is handling the matter within the GATT on behalf of the Community. The United Kingdom supports the Commission in urging the United States to adopt the findings of the GATT panel report on the United States tuna embargoes.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what payments have been made to local authorities under the RECHAR scheme during 1992; and what further payments are expected to be made during this year.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No payments have been made so far under the RECHAR programmes. The RECHAR programme monitoring committees will soon be able to meet consider applications for grants. Payments to local authorities and others, in respect of projects selected for grant, will follow in accordance with the normal structural funds procedures.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects RECHAR monies to be released to qualifying local authorities.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The RECHAR programme monitoring committees will soon be able to meet to consider applications for grants. Payments to local authorities and others, in respect of projects selected for grant, will follow in accordance with the normal structural funds procedures.

  Waste Paper
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress his Department is making concerning the expected shortfall in supply of waste paper to United Kingdom mills.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 19 May 1992]: We are not aware of an expected shortfall in the supply of waste paper to United Kingdom mills. Sourcing of raw materials is a matter for industry.

  Trading Figures
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the trading figures between the United Kingdom and Liberia for each of the past five years; and what Export Credits Guarantee Department rating that country is given.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 May 1992]: Figures for United Kingdom/Liberia trade for the last five years are:

  £ million

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  United Kingdom exports

  13·5

  11·6

  15·1

  8·6

  8·8

  United Kingdom imports

  7·3

  9·5

  12·7

  13·2

  0·9

  Trade balance

  +6·2

  +2·1

  +2·4

  -4·6

  +7·9

  ECGD medium-term cover (ie for business on credit terms of two years or more) is not available for Liberia.

  Export credit cover for short term business (ie generally on credit of up to 180 days) became the responsibility of the private sector in December 1991.

  Companies (South African Interests)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations the Department of Trade and Industry has held on the future of the EC code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa(a) with other EC Governments and (b) others; what have been the results of those consultations; and what has been the policy of Her Majesty's Government in these consultations.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: In the light of the recent political changes in South Africa, the EC Presidency has initiated discussions on the future of the code of conduct and its reporting requirements. We are consulting the main reporting companies as part of this reassessment and will reach a view as to the Government's future policy in the light of this.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade why publication of the annual summary of United Kingdom companies' responses under the EC code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa has been delayed; and when it will be published.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: The normal timetable for the presentation to Parliament of this year's annual summary of United Kingdom companies' responses under the EC code of conduct was delayed because of the Dissolution of Parliament on 16 March. The summary will be presented soon.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy in respect of encouraging companies to respond to the EC code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa for the period ending 30 June.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 21 May 1992]: The Government have always encouraged companies to comply with the reporting requirements of the EC code of conduct, while recognising that compliance is voluntary.

  North Korea
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the outcome of the recent visit to North Korea by the Secretary-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency's, in regard to the application of nuclear safeguards, pursuant to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 21 May 1992): The International Atomic Energy Agency has made a report in the form of a press release on this visit. A copy of the press release has been placed in the Library of the House.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment training and youth training places were available in Barrow-in-Furness for each financial year since 1987; and what number will be available during 1992–93.

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

  At the end of 1991–92 financial year, there were approximately 3,600 young people on YT and 1,200 people on ET in the Cumbria TEC area, of which Barrow-in-Furness is a part.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of those completing employment training and youth training schemes in Barrow-in-Furness secured full-time employment in each of the years from 1987 onwards.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following table provides all the information available for Barrow-in-Furness and for the Cumbria TEC area which includes Barrow-in-Furness.

  PQ 3211/1992

  Per cent.

  Leavers completing agreed training entering full-time employment1

  Employment training

  Youth training scheme/ youth training

  Cumbria

  Barrow-in-Furness

  Cumbria

  1987–88

  n/a2

  n/a4

  76

  1988–89

  n/a3

  91

  86

  1989–90

  n/a4

  90

  86

  1990–91

  43

  n/a5

  82

  April—July 1991

  29

  n/a5

  n/a4

  1 Including self-employment.

  2 Programme not operating.

  3 No follow-up survey of leavers in operation.

  4 Not available because of low number of responses.

  5 Information no longer available.

  Sources: ET National follow up survey YTS/YT National follow up survey.

  Table 1—Establishments found failing to post wages council notices—1991

  Wages councils

  London

  South East

  East

  South West

  Mids

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Aerated waters

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Clothing manufacturing

  38

  2

  2

  6

  68

  22

  10

  5

  5

  158

  Boot and shoe repairing

  2

  2

  1

  7

  3

  1

  5

  —

  1

  22

  Button manufacturing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Coffin furniture and Cerement making

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  336
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what additional training schemes in Barrow and Furness are being proposed by his Department for 1992–93 and 1993–94 to help those employees made redundant from VSEL secure new employment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Cumbria training and enterprise council (TEC) is responsible for training in Barrow and Furness.

  The chief executive of Cumbria TEC has already contacted the hon. Member to arrange a meeting at which he will brief the hon. Member on the efforts the TEC has made to create opportunities for the potential and present work force of Barrow.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each local enterprise company area in Scotland and for Scotland and Great Britain as a whole, for the year 1990–91, the total costs of provision of employment training, and the shares going to(a) trainees and (b) training providers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The total cost of employment training in 1990–91 was £1,076 million in Great Britain, of which £527 million was paid to trainees in allowances. It is not possible to identify separately the amounts paid to training providers.

  Costs for 1990–91 cannot be identified separately for Scotland.

  Local enterprise companies (LECS) did not become operational until 1 April 1991; therefore, expenditure information by LEC area for 1990–91 is not available.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) chairman and (b) directors of TECs have resigned since they were set up.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There has been a turnover of 26 chairmen and 398 directors since TECs were set up.

  Wages
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide a breakdown(a) by wages inspectorate division and (b) by wages councils, of establishments checked, and those found to be contravening wages council legislation in 1991, in the same format as the replies given on 14 March 1990, Official Report, columns 252–58, and 24 April 1990, Official Report, columns 177–82.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) today. The additional information is provided in the tables:
  337

  Wages councils

  London

  South East

  East

  South West

  Mids

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Cotton waste reclamation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Flax and Hemp

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Fur

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  General waste materials reclamation

  —

  —

  1

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  10

  Hairdressing

  101

  56

  38

  59

  75

  86

  54

  78

  79

  626

  Hat, cap and millinery

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Lace finishing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Laundry

  3

  —

  3

  1

  1

  9

  1

  6

  9

  33

  Linen and cotton handkerchief and household goods and linen piece goods

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Made-up textiles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Ostrich and fancy feather and artificial flower

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Perambulator and invalid carriage

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Retail bespoke tailoring

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Rope, twine and net

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sack and bag

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Toy manufacturing

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Retail trades (non-food)

  111

  119

  93

  346

  336

  411

  185

  156

  227

  1,984

  Retail food and allied trades

  168

  180

  144

  334

  422

  788

  415

  368

  324

  3,143

  Licensed non-residential establishments

  83

  123

  79

  161

  229

  161

  112

  153

  180

  1,281

  Licensed residential establishments and licensed restaurants

  82

  94

  65

  152

  123

  135

  87

  119

  149

  1,006

  Unlicensed place of refreshment

  83

  53

  47

  112

  89

  87

  65

  46

  76

  658

  Total

  672

  629

  474

  1,185

  1,350

  1,710

  934

  932

  1,052

  8,938

  Table 2—Establishments found failing to keep adequate records of wages paid—1991

  Wages councils

  London

  South East

  East

  South West

  Mids

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Aerated waters

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Clothing manufacturing

  3

  —

  —

  1

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13

  Boot and shoe repairing

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  4

  Button manufacturing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Coffin furniture and Cerement making

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Cotton waste reclamation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Flax and Hemp

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Fur

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  General waste materials reclamation

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Hairdressing

  10

  17

  —

  9

  11

  17

  13

  18

  9

  104

  Hat, cap and millinery

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Lace finishing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Laundry

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  1

  6

  Linen and cotton handkerchief and household goods and linen piece goods

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Made-up textiles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Ostrich and fancy feather and artificial flower

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Perambulator and invalid carriage

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Retail bespoke tailoring

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Rope, twine and net

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Sack and bag

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Toy manufacturing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Retail trades (non-food)

  6

  50

  13

  65

  38

  62

  33

  22

  35

  324

  Retail food and allied trades

  22

  104

  27

  87

  96

  239

  148

  120

  87

  930

  Licensed non-residential establishments

  9

  50

  9

  50

  49

  39

  35

  38

  20

  299

  Licensed residential establishments and licensed restaurants

  7

  29

  5

  25

  17

  17

  16

  19

  16

  151

  Unlicensed places of refreshment

  14

  22

  4

  28

  14

  22

  14

  9

  14

  141

  Total

  73

  273

  58

  266

  235

  399

  259

  228

  182

  1,973

  338 339

  Table 3—Establishments found failing to keep adequate records of hours worked—1991

  Wages councils

  London

  South East

  East

  South West

  Mids

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Aerated waters

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Clothing manufacturing

  12

  3

  —

  2

  42

  11

  2

  1

  6

  79

  Boot and shoe repairing

  2

  1

  2

  2

  2

  1

  8

  2

  1

  21

  Button manufacturing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Coffin furniture and Cerement making

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Cotton waste reclamation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Flax and Hemp

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Fur

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  General waste materials reclamation

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  5

  Hairdressing

  48

  113

  50

  57

  100

  57

  84

  102

  178

  789

  Hat, cap and millinery

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Lace finishing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Laundry

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  1

  4

  3

  15

  Linen and cotton handkerchief and household goods and linen piece goods

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Made-up textiles

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Ostrich and fancy feather and artificial flower

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Perambulator and invalid carriage

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Retail bespoke tailoring

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Rope, twine and net

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sack and bag

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Toy manufacturing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Retail trades (non-food)

  31

  221

  82

  213

  225

  243

  158

  142

  212

  1,527

  Retail food and allied trades

  72

  248

  138

  206

  309

  564

  356

  339

  309

  2,541

  Licensed non-residential establishments

  58

  201

  80

  130

  180

  116

  100

  141

  158

  1,164

  Licensed residential establishments and licensed restaurants

  49

  115

  65

  104

  84

  102

  70

  92

  125

  806

  Unlicensed places of refreshment

  36

  60

  40

  57

  52

  60

  45

  33

  54

  437

  Total

  310

  963

  460

  771

  995

  1,162

  825

  857

  1,048

  7,391

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will update the answer to the former hon. Member for Coventry, South-East,Official Report, 22 April 1991, column 366, concerning wages councils.

  Table 1—Establishments covered by wages councils on register at December 1991

  Wages councils

  London

  South East

  East

  South West

  Mids

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Aerated waters

  16

  16

  28

  18

  33

  51

  19

  21

  60

  262

  Clothing manufacturing

  2,495

  174

  283

  340

  1,152

  1,018

  460

  209

  268

  6,399

  Boot and shoe repairing

  513

  238

  258

  297

  389

  434

  616

  89

  159

  2,993

  Button manufacturing

  16

  4

  4

  4

  12

  4

  3

  —

  —

  47

  Coffin furniture and Cerement making

  2

  —

  —

  3

  6

  4

  5

  —

  1

  21

  Cotton waste reclamation

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  21

  —

  —

  —

  23

  Flax and Hemp

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  8

  10

  Fur

  113

  6

  5

  5

  7

  23

  4

  1

  23

  187

  General waste materials reclamation

  118

  83

  97

  165

  213

  291

  231

  97

  124

  1,419

  Hairdressing

  3,992

  3,220

  3,384

  4,451

  5,117

  5,375

  3,381

  2,038

  2,814

  33,772

  Hat, cap and millinery

  17

  3

  44

  8

  9

  19

  11

  11

  2

  124

  Lace finishing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  60

  1

  —

  —

  1

  62

  Laundry

  193

  274

  85

  131

  220

  74

  51

  32

  135

  1,195

  Linen and cotton handkerchief and household goods and linen piece goods

  3

  1

  3

  4

  10

  100

  9

  3

  133

  Made-up textiles

  30

  11

  33

  33

  36

  39

  47

  21

  31

  281

  Ostrich and fancy feather and artificial flower

  15

  2

  7

  4

  —

  1

  —

  4

  3

  36

  Perambulator and invalid carriage

  3

  2

  3

  2

  9

  4

  6

  1

  —

  30

  Retail bespoke tailoring

  170

  44

  53

  44

  34

  54

  36

  12

  32

  479

  Rope, twine and net

  1

  1

  5

  14

  5

  23

  20

  4

  18

  91

  Sack and bag

  6

  —

  6

  6

  13

  16

  9

  3

  4

  63

  Toy manufacturing

  10

  14

  35

  27

  23

  54

  32

  14

  7

  216

  Retail trades (non-food)

  18,093

  12,671

  11,254

  14,575

  22,123

  14,481

  9,393

  4,974

  8,934

  116,498

  340
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is given in the tables.
  341

  Wages councils

  London

  South East

  East

  South West

  Mids

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Retail food and allied trades

  11,786

  13,172

  11,609

  14,658

  15,759

  16,631

  10,443

  7,413

  10,608

  112,079

  Licensed non-residential establishments

  5,662

  6,204

  6,592

  10,273

  13,634

  9,451

  6,618

  4,205

  5,584

  68,223

  Licensed residential establishments and licensed restaurants

  4,679

  4,213

  3,755

  7,397

  3,480

  3,502

  2,159

  1,499

  3,905

  34,589

  Unlicensed place of refreshment

  3,103

  2,623

  1,738

  3,383

  1,827

  2,109

  1,443

  878

  1,780

  18,884

  Total

  51,037

  42,976

  39,281

  55,844

  64,171

  53,780

  34,996

  21,527

  34,504

  398,116

  Table 2

  Establishments Checked and Underpayments Found in Wages Council Trades—1991

  Wages Councils

  Establishments checked by all methods

  Percentage of register checked

  Establishments checked by visit

  Percentage of register checked by visit

  Establishments found underpaying

  Percentage of all establishments checked underpaying

  Percentage of establishments visited underpaying

  Aerated Waters

  7

  2·7

  6

  2·3

  0

  —

  —

  Clothing Manufacturing

  402

  63

  367

  5·7

  97

  24·1

  26·4

  Boot and Shoe Repairing

  335

  11·

  65

  2·2

  9

  2·7

  13·8

  Button Manufacturing

  2

  4·3

  2

  4·3

  1

  50·0

  50·0

  Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making

  1

  4·8

  1

  4·8

  0

  —

  —

  Cotton Waste Reclamation

  3

  13·0

  3

  13·

  0

  —

  —

  Flax and Hemp

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  Fur

  6

  3·2

  6

  3·2

  1

  16·7

  16·7

  General Waste Materials Reclamation

  70

  4·9

  41

  2·9

  3

  4·3

  7·3

  Hairdressing

  2,730

  81

  1,889

  5·6

  368

  13·5

  19·5

  Hat, Cap and Millinery

  3

  2·4

  3

  2·4

  1

  33·3

  33·3

  Lace Finishing

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  —

  Laundry

  74

  6·2

  66

  5·5

  19

  25·7

  28·8

  Linen and Cotton Handkerchief and Household Goods and Linen Piece Goods

  10

  5·3

  7

  5·3

  2

  28·6

  28·6

  Made-up Textiles

  8

  2·8

  8

  2·8

  1

  12·5

  12·5

  Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower

  3

  8·3

  3

  8·3

  1

  33·3

  33·3

  Perambulator and Invalid Carriage

  3

  10·0

  3

  10·0

  1

  33·3

  33·3

  Retail Bespoke Tailoring

  14

  2·9

  11

  2·3

  0

  —

  —

  Rope, Twine and Net

  4

  4·4

  4

  4·4

  1

  25·0

  25·0

  Sack and Bag

  2

  3·2

  2

  3·2

  0

  —

  —

  Toy Manufacturing

  15

  6·9

  15

  6·9

  6

  40·0

  40·0

  Retail Trades (Non-Food)

  9,542

  8·2

  4,129

  3·5

  1,336

  14·0

  32·4

  Retail Food and Allied Trades

  8,278

  7·4

  5,532

  4·9

  2,240

  27·1

  40·5

  Licensed Non-Residential Establishments

  5,819

  8·5

  3,114

  4·6

  916

  15·7

  29·4

  Licensed Residential Establishments and Licensed Restaurants

  3,084

  9·4

  2,045

  6·4

  578

  17·8

  26·2

  Unlicensed Places of Refreshment

  2,171

  11·5

  1,104

  5·8

  390

  18·0

  35·3

  Total

  32,586

  8·2

  18,426

  4·7

  5,971

  18·3

  32·4

  342 343

  Workers covered by wages councils and results of checks—1991

  Wages councils

  Number of workers (Est. 1988)

  Total workers checked

  Workers checked by visit

  Workers found under-paid

  Percent-age under-paid of all workers checked

  Arrears paid

  Arrears not pur-sued at workers request

  Arrears not pur-sued —other reasons

  Total arrears assessed as due

  Aerated Waters

  5,500

  161

  153

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Clothing Manufacturing

  147,000

  10,902

  9,465

  427

  3·9

  28,992

  1,344

  6,868

  37,204

  Boot and Shoe Repairing

  5,000

  663

  146

  12

  1·8

  913

  0

  0

  913

  Button Manufacturing

  1,000

  176

  176

  11

  6·3

  171

  0

  0

  171

  Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making

  200

  6

  6

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cotton Waste Reclamation

  300

  26

  26

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Flax and Hemp

  500

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fur

  1,500

  21

  21

  1

  4·8

  72

  0

  0

  72

  General Waste Materials Reclamation

  13,000

  725

  404

  11

  1·5

  4,060

  0

  0

  4,060

  Hairdressing

  64,000

  9,120

  6,332

  452

  5·0

  74,217

  14,048

  3,715

  91,980

  Hat, Cap and Millinery

  4,000

  58

  58

  2

  3·4

  238

  0

  0

  238

  Lace Finishing

  900

  0

  0

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Laundry

  26,000

  1,272

  921

  60

  4·7

  10,238

  1,428

  0

  11,666

  Linen and Cotton Handkerchief and Household Goods and Linen Piece Goods

  2,500

  144

  137

  6

  4·2

  108

  0

  0

  108

  Made-up Textiles

  3,000

  80

  80

  5

  6·3

  294

  0

  0

  294

  Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower

  500

  66

  66

  8

  12·1

  907

  0

  0

  907

  Perambulator and Invalid Carriage

  2,000

  116

  116

  5

  4·3

  355

  0

  0

  355

  Retail Bespoke Tailoring

  4,000

  36

  28

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Rope, Twine and Net

  2,500

  55

  55

  2

  3·6

  1,163

  0

  0

  1,163

  Sack and Bag

  1,000

  9

  9

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Toy Manufacturing

  11,000

  418

  418

  8

  1·9

  318

  0

  0

  318

  Retail Trades (Non-Food)

  745,000

  69,046

  16,065

  2,472

  3·6

  204,979

  65,110

  10,489

  280,578

  Retail Food and Allied Trades

  465,000

  80,828

  21,187

  4,699

  5·8

  416,788

  163,269

  19,698

  599,755

  Licensed Non-Residential Establishments

  492,000

  45,522

  23,010

  2,329

  5·1

  153,473

  17,123

  19,225

  189,821

  Licensed Residential Establishments and Licensed Restaurants

  379,000

  44,578

  25,762

  1,464

  3·3

  150,658

  25,044

  10,063

  185,765

  Unlicensed Place of Refreshment

  96,000

  22,282

  6,523

  838

  3·8

  67,547

  12,690

  3,831

  84,068

  Total

  2,472,400

  286,310

  111,164

  12,812

  4·5

  1115,491

  300,056

  73,889

  1489,436

  Table 4

  Checks carried out and underpayments found in wages inspectorate divisions—1991

  Divisions

  Establishments checked by all methods

  Percentage of register checked

  Establishments checked by visit

  Percentage of register checked by visit

  Establishments found under·paying

  Percentage of all establishments checked underpaying

  Percentage of establishments visited underpaying

  London

  5,299

  10·4

  1,518

  3·0

  294

  5·5

  19·4

  South East

  3,333

  7·8

  1,369

  3·2

  413

  12·4

  30·2

  Eastern

  1,852

  4·7

  1,334

  3·4

  213

  115

  160

  South West

  5,193

  9·3

  2,519

  4·5

  893

  17·2

  35·5

  Midlands

  5,467

  8·5

  2,598

  40

  835

  15·3

  321

  North West

  3,129

  5·8

  2,602

  4·8

  1,083

  34·6

  41.6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,708

  7·7

  1,777

  51

  792

  29·2

  44·6

  Northern

  2,543

  118

  2,133

  9·9

  711

  280

  33·3

  Scotland

  3,062

  8·9

  2,576

  7·5

  737

  241

  28·6

  Great Britain

  32,586

  8·2

  18,426

  4·7

  5,971

  18 3

  32·4

  Note: From November 1991 the London, South East and Eastern Divisions have been merged to form the new Southern Division.

  Table 5

  Workers whose pay was checked in wages inspectorate divisions—1991

  Divisions

  Total workers checked

  Workers whose pay was checked by visit

  Workers found underpaid

  Per cent, underpaid of all workers checked

  Per cent, underpaid of workers checked by visit

  Arrears paid

  Arrears not pursued at workers request

  Arrears not pursued for other reasons

  Total arrears assessed as due

  London

  51,234

  7,280

  512

  10

  7·0

  72,912

  12,224

  12,114

  97,250

  South East

  35,343

  7,994

  765

  2·2

  9·6

  60,201

  19,256

  4,400

  83,857

  Eastern

  11,457

  8,194

  421

  3·7

  5·1

  35,924

  19,737

  239

  55,900

  344 345

  Divisions

  Total workers checked

  Workers whose pay was checked by visit

  Workers found underpaid

  Per cent, underpaid of all workers checked

  Per cent, underpaid of workers checked by visit

  Arrears paid

  Arrears not pursued at workers request

  Arrears not pursued for other reasons

  Total arrears assessed as due

  South West

  78,144

  14,483

  1,752

  2·2

  12·1

  152,021

  54,577

  20,737

  227,335

  Midlands

  39,790

  18,550

  1,784

  4·5

  9·6

  122,638

  47,322

  9,518

  179,478

  North West

  14,536

  12,803

  2,303

  15·8

  18·0

  257,641

  54,685

  10,030

  322,356

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  18,223

  9,788

  1,639

  9·0

  16·7

  133,872

  35,156

  5,161

  174,189

  Northern

  14,808

  12,907

  1,790

  12·1

  13·9

  134,311

  26,124

  4,635

  165,070

  Scotland

  22,775

  19,165

  1,846

  8·1

  9·6

  145,971

  30,975

  7,055

  184,001

  Great Britain

  286,310

  111,164

  12,812

  4·5

  11·5

  1,115,491

  300,056

  73,889

  1,489,436

  Note: From November 1991 the London, South East and Eastern divisions have been merged to from the new Southern division.

  Table 6

  Prosecutions for Underpayment

  Divisions

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  London

  3

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  South East

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  4

  3

  —

  Eastern

  —

  1

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  South West

  4

  2

  3

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  1

  2

  Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  North West

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  2

  7

  Northern

  1

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Great Britain

  9

  8

  8

  4

  2

  2

  2

  2

  4

  10

  9

  7

  15

  Note: From November 1991 the London, South East and Eastern Divisions have been merged to form the new Southern Division.

  Table 7

  Establishments found Underpaying 1979–85

  Divisions

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  London (East)

  431

  495

  440

  391

  441

  324

  298

  London (West)

  249

  259

  270

  294

  339

  354

  357

  South East

  521

  769

  749

  764

  871

  703

  670

  Southern

  585

  576

  450

  441

  494

  475

  556

  Eastern

  685

  941

  848

  726

  727

  914

  688

  South West

  1,010

  1,201

  1,070

  954

  1,078

  1,033

  929

  Midlands (East)

  634

  111

  623

  532

  573

  534

  430

  Midlands (West)

  605

  674

  598

  666

  543

  552

  712

  North West (East)

  946

  879

  613

  648

  704

  560

  529

  North West (West)

  1,115

  1,060

  688

  652

  865

  886

  804

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,156

  1,119

  871

  964

  941

  1,026

  818

  Northern

  893

  902

  736

  552

  630

  721

  815

  Scotland (East)

  710

  687

  529

  515

  525

  480

  488

  Scotland (West)

  597

  750

  556

  349

  389

  365

  361

  Wales

  832

  1,071

  1,033

  891

  722

  534

  609

  Totals

  10,969

  12,154

  10,074

  9,269

  9,842

  9,461

  9,064

  Table 8

  Establishments found to be underpaying 1986 to 1991

  Divisions

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  London

  608

  270

  317

  229

  172

  294

  South East

  646

  503

  537

  478

  313

  413

  Eastern

  974

  405

  462

  432

  271

  213

  South West

  832

  961

  1,156

  960

  909

  893

  Midlands

  943

  525

  747

  822

  749

  835

  North West

  1,397

  541

  869

  1,104

  1,124

  1,083

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  805

  511

  631

  569

  593

  792

  Northern

  844

  404

  369

  387

  455

  711

  Scotland

  656

  323

  509

  547

  619

  737

  Wales

  500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  8,205

  4,443

  5,597

  5,528

  5,205

  5,971

  Notes:

  1. The statistics of underpayment have been separated into two tables because the divisional boundaries were changed in 1986.

  2. From November 1991 the London, South East and Eastern Divisions have merged to form the new Southern Division.
  346

  Breach of Contract
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she will use her power in section 131 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 and confer jurisdiction on industrial tribunals to deal with claims for breach of contract.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, when he was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment, announced on 22 October last year, the power in section 131 has proved inadequate and the Government propose to amend the relevant provisions at the earliest opportunity to enable appropriate jurisdiction to be conferred on industrial tribunals.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give the total expenditure by her Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and if she will give an estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Forsyth
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Year

  Expenditure (£ million)

  1986–87

  1·080

  1987–88

  1·014

  1988–89

  3·185

  1989–90

  3·331

  1990–91

  3·507

  1991–92

  3·760

  '1992–93

  3·737

  1 (Budget).

  Note: 1979–80 to 1985–86 = Not available.

  Figures for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are for DE information division only. Figures for training agency information services branch are not available.

  Figures for 1988–89 represent total expenditure incurred by DE information division and training agency information services branch. The two merged to form DE information branch in November 1989 and figures from 1989–90 onwards represent expenditure by DE information branch.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment has been made of the effect of deregulation of Sunday trading hours on shopworkers' rights to attend places of worship, and to spend Sundays with their families.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government have made clear their commitment to reform the Sunday trading laws and intends to honour this as soon as the question of the compatibility of the current law with European law is clear. The decision of the European Court of Justice, which is considering this matter, is expected in the autumn.

  The position of shopworkers will, of course, be one of a number of issues to be taken into account when we consider how best to go forward on Sunday trading as a whole.

  Electrical Equipment Certification Service
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent consultation has taken place with employees and their representatives regarding the future of the electrical equipment certification service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Health and Safety Executive are consulting employees and their representatives on a report, commissioned by the executive from independent consultants, on the future organisation and status of the Electrical Equipment Certification Service (EECS); the executive will form a view on any changes to the service in the light of these and other consultations.

  Medicopharma UK
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether former employees of Medicopharma UK can expect to receive their company redundancy payments following the inquiry by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission into the acquisition of the company by AAH Holdings plc.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Statutory redundancy entitlements are the responsibility of the employer, unless he is insolvent or otherwise unable to make the payments. I understand that this employer intends to meet all claims.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions she has had with the National Council for Vocational Qualifications regarding the promotion of national vocational qualifications for young people; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The National Council for Vocational Qualifications has developed a communications strategy for national vocational qualifications which brings together all those involved, including the Government as appropriate. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will have her first meeting with the chairman of the council, Sir Bryan Nicholson, next month.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Construction Industry Training Board in promoting national vocational qualifications; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am pleased to record that the Construction Industry Training Board has produced a wide range of occupational standards as a basis for national vocational qualifications. The board has agreed a comprehensive plan to promote the use of these qualifications both within the building and civil engineering sectors and with other employers.

  Child Care
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how and when she proposes to introduce the grant for after-school child care; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government see out-of-school child care as being particularly important to working
  349
  mothers and have made a commitment to introduce a grant to be paid through TECs, to help set up out of school provision. A number of key issues have to be decided. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to discuss these with the women's issues working group, which she
  350
  announced on 21 May. It is important that the provision is of good quality and meets the needs of both parents and children. We intend to introduce the grant as quickly as is consistent with that requirement.