Written Answers

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Written Answers Toquestions

Monday 27 November 1989

Education And Science

National Curriculum

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will visit Ball Green county primary school, Stoke-on-Trent, to discuss resources in schools and funding for delivery of the national curriculum.

No. It is for Staffordshire education authority to determine, and discuss as appropriate with the schools it maintains, the resources allocated to each of them. We are giving specific grant support for the implementation of the national curriculum. This financial year these grants will support £2,344,700 expenditure in Staffordshire. That is in addition to the general rate support grant funding which local authorities receive in support of spending. It is for Staffordshire itself to decide how much in total to allocate to implementation of the national curriculum.

Teachers' Pay

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will visit Hill Top county primary school, Stoke-on-Trent, to discuss teachers' pay.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what incentives he will arrange to enable teaching staff to attend training courses for the national curriculum and other essential out-of-school learning activities required under the Education Reform Act 1988.

The LEA training grants scheme will, in 1990–91, support local education authority expenditure of over £72 million with grant at a rate of 65 per cent. on training related to the implementation of the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988. Of this £61 million specifically relates to training on the national curriculum. My right. hon. friend also expects local education authorites to make full use of the non-contact days for training. Expenditure eligible for grant includes the cost of supply cover and of other items associated with planning and running training activities. Much training takes place on school premises and out of normal school hours.

Education Act 1988

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he intends to tackle the problem of the shortage of teachers and resources, particularly in certain areas and subjects, in order to implement the Education Act 1988.

The Department has a vigorous action programme, costing £50 million so far, to improve teacher supply. The programme includes bursaries for trainee teachers in maths, physics, design and technology and chemistry; national advertising and publicity, spearheaded by the Teaching as a Career unit; taster courses to enable those seeking a career change to obtain some experience of teaching; new initial and in-service training courses; and support for local initiatives to attract mature new entrants and former serving teachers.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 6 November the proposed local authority grant settlement for 1990–91. That allows for £14,988 million to be spent on education next year, an increase of 9·6 per cent. over the comparable total for 1989–90. Given effective management, I am confident that this will be sufficient to allow good progress to be made in implementing the education reforms.

Student Loans

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much his Department has paid, or plans to pay, to Price Waterhouse in consultancy, accountancy and research fees.

The Department has paid £451,223 to Price Waterhouse for preparatory work on the top-up loans scheme. Future expenditure will depend upon the extent to which the Student Loans Company Ltd. makes use of Price Waterhouse's services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how students who do not hold a bank account with any of the participants in the Student Loans Company will apply for the proposed top-up loan facility.

Students will be required to apply for a loan through a branch of one of the financial institutions participating in the Student Loans Company.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those banks and building societies and other financial institutions with which his Department has had discussions concerning participation in the formation of Student Loans Company Ltd.

Discussions have been held with a range of financial institutions, representing principally the bank and building society sectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish the detailed cost-time estimates referred to in the initial Price Waterhouse feasibility study on the student loans scheme.

The Price Waterhouse stage II report, placed in the House of Commons Library on 16 November, contained a revised implementation timetable. Administration costs are still subject to contractual negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish all contracts between his Department and the Student Loans Company or its participants.

The memorandum of understanding was published on 16 November. Other agreements must remain confidential at this stage for commercial reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update and publish annex E of the White Paper "Top-up Loans for Students", Cm. 520, taking into account (a) administration costs and (b) transaction fees of £12 per student loan application per year, on the assumptions of (x) 80 per cent., (y) 90 per cent. and (z) 100 per cent. take-up of the student loan

Table i(x)
United Kingdom—3 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	167	0	103
1991	-22	-65	193	2	105
1992	-42	-64	216	9	103
1993	-61	-63	236	21	93
1994	-78	-61	255	39	78
1995	-95	-59	275	62	59
1996	-112	-59	297	83	42
1997	-131	-62	324	102	30
1998	-152	-63	356	119	22
1999	-172	-65	385	131	17
2000	-190	-65	410	142	13
2001	-206	-65	429	155	2
2002	-222	-65	450	176	-14
2003	-236	-65	469	192	-25
2004	-251	-65	488	203	-31
2005	-266	-65	506	211	-37
2006	-280	-65	523	217	-39
2007	-293	-65	541	220	-39
2008	-293	-65	541	231	-49
2009	-293	-65	541	251	-69
2010	-293	-65	541	275	-94
2011	-293	-65	541	296	-113
2012	-293	-65	541	313	-130
2013	-293	-65	541	329	-147
2014	-293	-65	541	345	-162
2015	-293	-65	541	357	-174
2016	-293	-65	541	367	-184
2017	-293	-65	541	375	-193
2018	-293	-65	541	383	-200
2019	-293	-65	541	388	-206
2020	-293	-65	541	393	-210
2021	-293	-65	541	399	-216
2022	-293	-65	541	404	-222
2023	-293	-65	541	407	-225
2024	-293	-65	541	410	-227
2025	-293	-65	541	411	-228
2026	-293	-65	541	411	-228
2027	-293	-65	541	412	-230

Table i(y)
United Kingdom—3 per cent. inflation—90 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	188	0	123
1991	-22	-64	217	2	129
1992	-42	-63	242	10	128
1993	-60	-62	265	23	120
1994	-78	-61	288	43	106
1995	-95	-60	310	68	87
1996	-112	-60	334	93	68
1997	-131	-61	365	115	58
1998	-152	-63	400	133	52
1999	-173	-64	434	147	50
2000	-190	-65	461	159	46
2001	-206	-65	484	176	37
2002	-222	-65	506	198	21
2003	-237	-65	528	216	10
2004	-252	-65	549	228	4
2005	-266	-65	569	238	1
2006	-280	-65	589	245	0

scheme and on the assumption of annual inflation at (i)3 per cent., (ii)4 per cent., (iii)5 per cent., (iv)6 per cent., (v)7 per cent. and (vi)8 per cent. up to the year 2027.

The following 18 tables set out, on the same basis as annex E of Cm. 520, the financial effects of the scheme on the assumptions specified. They make no allowance for administrative costs (of which the transaction fee forms a part) as these are subject to contractual negotiations.

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
2007	-293	-65	608	248	2
2008	-293	-65	608	260	-10
2009	-293	-65	608	283	-33
2010	-293	-65	608	310	-60
2011	-293	-65	608	333	-83
2012	-293	-65	608	351	-101
2013	-293	-65	608	371	-121
2014	-293	-65	608	387	-137
2015	-293	-65	608	401	-151
2016	-293	-65	608	412	-163
2017	-293	-65	608	423	-173
2018	-293	-65	608	430	-180
2019	-293	-65	608	436	-186
2020	-293	-65	608	442	-192
2021	-293	-65	608	448	-198
2022	-293	-65	608	455	-205
2023	-293	-65	608	458	-209
2024	-293	-65	608	460	-210
2025	-293	-65	608	462	-212
2026	-293	-65	608	463	-213
2027	-293	-65	608	464	-214

Table i(z)
United Kingdom—3 per cent. inflation—100 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	209	0	144
1991	-22	-64	242	3	153
1992	-42	-63	269	11	153
1993	-60	-62	295	26	147
1994	-78	-61	320	48	133
1995	-95	-60	344	76	113
1996	-112	-60	371	104	95
1997	-131	-61	406	128	85
1998	-152	-63	444	148	82
1999	-173	-64	482	164	81
2000	-190	-65	512	177	80
2001	-206	-65	538	195	71
2002	-222	-65	562	220	55
2003	-237	-65	586	240	44
2004	-252	-65	610	253	40
2005	-266	-65	632	264	37
2006	-280	-65	654	272	38
2007	-293	-65	676	276	42
2008	-293	-65	676	289	29
2009	-293	-65	676	314	3
2010	-293	-65	676	344	-27
2011	-293	-65	676	370	-52
2012	-293	-65	676	390	-73
2013	-293	-65	676	412	-94
2014	-293	-65	676	430	-113
2015	-293	-65	676	446	-128
2016	-293	-65	676	458	-141
2017	-293	-65	676	469	-152
2018	-293	-65	676	478	-161
2019	-293	-65	676	484	-167
2020	-293	-65	676	491	-173
2021	-293	-65	676	498	-181
2022	-293	-65	676	505	-188
2023	-293	-65	676	509	-192
2024	-293	-65	676	511	-194
2025	-293	-65	676	513	-195
2026	-293	-65	676	514	-197
2027	-293	-65	676	515	-198

Table ii(x)
United Kingdom—4 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	167	0	102
1991	-28	-64	201	2	107
1992	-53	-63	230	9	105

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1993	-77	-62	257	21	97
1994	-99	-61	282	40	83
1995	-119	-60	307	63	64
1996	-140	-60	333	88	45
1997	-164	-61	366	109	32
1998	-189	-63	403	127	24
1999	-214	-64	438	142	18
2000	-235	-65	467	155	11
2001	-254	-65	491	173	-1
2002	-272	-65	514	196	-19
2003	-290	-65	536	215	-33
2004	-290	-65	536	228	-46
2005	-290	-65	536	238	-56
2006	-290	-65	536	245	-64
2007	-290	-65	536	248	-66
2008	-290	-65	536	258	-77
2009	-290	-65	536	279	-98
2010	-290	-65	536	303	-121
2011	-290	-65	536	322	-141
2012	-290	-65	536	336	-155
2013	-290	-65	536	351	-170
2014	-290	-65	536	363	-181
2015	-290	-65	536	372	-190
2016	-290	-65	536	378	-197
2017	-290	-65	536	384	-203
2018	-290	-65	536	389	-207
2019	-290	-65	536	392	-210
2020	-290	-65	536	395	-214
2021	-290	-65	536	400	-219
2022	-290	-65	536	405	-224
2023	-290	-65	536	408	-227
2024	-290	-65	536	409	-228
2025	-290	-65	536	410	-228
2026	-290	-65	536	410	-228
2027	-290	-65	536	410	-229

Table ii(y)
United Kingdom—4 per cent. inflation—90 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	188	0	123
1991	-28	-64	226	2	132
1992	-53	-63	259	10	133
1993	-77	-62	289	24	126
1994	-99	-61	317	45	113
1995	-119	-60	345	71	94
1996	-140	-60	375	99	76
1997	-164	-61	412	123	64
1998	-189	-63	453	143	58
1999	-214	-64	493	160	55
2000	-235	-65	525	175	50
2001	-254	-65	552	194	39
2002	-272	-65	578	221	20
2003	-290	-65	603	241	7
2004	-290	-65	603	256	-7
2005	-290	-65	603	268	-19
2006	-290	-65	603	276	-27
2007	-290	-65	603	279	-30
2008	-290	-65	603	291	-42
2009	-290	-65	603	314	-65
2010	-290	-65	603	341	-92
2011	-290	-65	603	362	-114
2012	-290	-65	603	378	-130
2013	-290	-65	603	395	-147
2014	-290	-65	603	408	-160
2015	-290	-65	603	418	-170
2016	-290	-65	603	426	-177
2017	-290	-65	603	432	-184
2018	-290	-65	603	437	-189
2019	-290	-65	603	441	-192
2020	-290	-65	603	445	-196
2021	-290	-65	603	451	-202
2022	-290	-65	603	456	-208
2023	-290	-65	603	459	-211

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
2024	-290	-65	603	460	-212
2025	-290	-65	603	461	-212
2026	-290	-65	603	461	-213
2027	-290	-65	603	461	-213

Table ii(z)
United Kingdom—4 per cent. inflation—100 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	209	0	144
1991	-28	-64	251	3	156
1992	-53	-63	287	11	160
1993	-77	-62	321	26	156
1994	-99	-61	353	49	144
1995	-119	-60	383	79	125
1996	-140	-60	416	109	106
1997	-164	-61	458	136	96
1998	-189	-63	504	159	92
1999	-214	-64	548	178	92
2000	-235	-65	583	194	89
2001	-254	-65	613	216	79
2002	-272	-65	642	245	60
2003	-290	-65	670	268	47
2004	-290	-65	670	284	31
2005	-290	-65	670	297	18
2006	-290	-65	670	306	9
2007	-290	-65	670	310	6
2008	-290	-65	670	323	-7
2009	-290	-65	670	349	-33
2010	-290	-65	670	379	-63
2011	-290	-65	670	403	-87
2012	-290	-65	670	420	-105
2013	-290	-65	670	439	-123
2014	-290	-65	670	453	-138
2015	-290	-65	670	465	-149
2016	-290	-65	670	473	-158
2017	-290	-65	670	480	-165
2018	-290	-65	670	486	-170
2019	-290	-65	670	490	-174
2020	-290	-65	670	494	-179
2021	-290	-65	670	501	-185
2022	-290	-65	670	507	-191
2023	-290	-65	670	510	-195
2024	-290	-65	670	511	-196
2025	-290	-65	670	512	-196
2026	-290	-65	670	512	-197
2027	-290	-65	670	512	-197

Table iii(x)
United Kingdom—5 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	167	0	102
1991	-34	-64	209	2	109
1992	-65	-63	246	9	108
1993	-94	-62	279	22	101
1994	-120	-61	310	41	88
1995	-145	-60	340	66	68
1996	-170	-60	371	92	48
1997	-198	-61	409	116	34
1998	-227	-63	451	137	24
1999	-256	-64	492	154	17
2000	-280	-65	524	169	9
2001	-301	-65	551	190	-5
2002	-301	-65	551	216	-32
2003	-301	-65	551	238	-53
2004	-301	-65	551	252	-67
2005	-301	-65	551	263	-78
2006	-301	-65	551	270	-85
2007	-301	-65	551	271	-86
2008	-301	-65	551	280	-95
2009	-301	-65	551	300	-115

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
2010	-301	-65	551	324	-139
2011	-301	-65	551	342	-138
2012	-301	-65	551	355	-170
2013	-301	-65	551	369	-184
2014	-301	-65	551	379	-194
2015	-301	-65	551	387	-202
2016	-301	-65	551	393	-208
2017	-301	-65	551	398	-213
2018	-301	-65	551	402	-217
2019	-301	-65	551	404	-220
2020	-301	-65	551	408	-223
2021	-301	-65	551	413	-228
2022	-301	-65	551	418	-233
2023	-301	-65	551	421	-236
2024	-301	-65	551	421	-236
2025	-301	-65	551	421	-237
2026	-301	-65	551	421	-237
2027	-301	-65	551	421	-237

Table iii(y)
United Kingdom—5 per cent. inflation—90 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	188	0	123
1991	-34	-64	236	2	134
1992	-65	-63	276	10	138
1993	-94	-62	314	24	133
1994	-120	-61	349	46	121
1995	-145	-60	382	75	102
1996	-170	-60	417	104	83
1997	-198	-61	460	131	71
1998	-227	-63	508	154	64
1999	-256	-64	553	174	59
2000	-280	-65	589	191	54
2001	-301	-65	620	213	40
2002	-301	-65	620	244	10
2003	-301	-65	620	267	-14
2004	-301	-65	620	284	-30
2005	-301	-65	620	296	-42
2006	-301	-65	620	303	-50
2007	-301	-65	620	304	-51
2008	-301	-65	620	315	-61
2009	-301	-65	620	338	-84
2010	-301	-65	620	364	-111
2011	-301	-65	620	385	-132
2012	-301	-65	620	399	-146
2013	-301	-65	620	415	-161
2014	-301	-65	620	426	-173
2015	-301	-65	620	435	-182
2016	-301	-65	620	442	-188
2017	-301	-65	620	448	-194
2018	-301	-65	620	452	-199
2019	-301	-65	620	455	-201
2020	-301	-65	620	459	-205
2021	-301	-65	620	465	-211
2022	-301	-65	620	470	-217
2023	-301	-65	620	473	-220
2024	-301	-65	620	474	-220
2025	-301	-65	620	474	-220
2026	-301	-65	620	474	-220
2027	-301	-65	620	474	-220

Table iii(z)
United Kingdom—5 per cent. inflation—100 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	209	0	144
1991	-34	-64	262	3	160
1992	-65	-63	307	11	167
1993	-94	-62	348	27	165
1994	-120	-61	387	27	155
1995	-145	-60	424	83	136

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1996	-170	-60	463	116	118
1997	-198	-61	512	145	108
1998	-227	-63	564	171	103
1999	-256	-64	614	193	101
2000	-280	-65	655	212	98
2001	-301	-65	688	237	85
2002	-301	-65	688	271	52
2003	-301	-65	688	297	25
2004	-301	-65	688	315	7
2005	-301	-65	688	329	-6
2006	-301	-65	688	337	-15
2007	-301	-65	688	338	-16
2008	-301	-65	688	350	-27
2009	-301	-65	688	375	-53
2010	-301	-65	688	405	-82
2011	-301	-65	688	428	-106
2012	-301	-65	688	444	-121
2013	-301	-65	688	461	-138
2014	-301	-65	688	474	-151
2015	-301	-65	688	484	-161
2016	-301	-65	688	491	-168
2017	-301	-65	688	498	-175
2018	-301	-65	688	502	-180
2019	-301	-65	688	505	-183
2020	-301	-65	688	510	-188
2021	-301	-65	688	516	-194
2022	-301	-65	688	522	-200
2023	-301	-65	688	526	-203
2024	-301	-65	688	526	-204
2025	-301	-65	688	527	-204
2026	-301	-65	688	527	-204
2027	-301	-65	688	527	-204

Table iv(x)
United Kingdom—6 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	167	0	102
1991	-41	-64	218	2	110
1992	-77	-63	261	9	111
1993	-111	-62	300	22	105
1994	-141	-61	336	42	92
1995	-170	-60	371	69	72
1996	-198	-60	406	97	51
1997	-229	-61	449	123	36
1998	-262	-63	496	146	25
1999	-294	-64	540	166	16
2000	-296	-65	544	183	0
2001	-296	-65	544	205	-22
2002	-296	-65	544	235	-51
2003	-296	-65	544	257	-73
2004	-296	-65	544	271	-87
2005	-296	-65	544	280	-97
2006	-296	-65	544	284	-101
2007	-296	-65	544	282	-99
2008	-296	-65	544	288	-105
2009	-296	-65	544	307	-124
2010	-296	-65	544	329	-146
2011	-296	-65	544	345	-162
2012	-296	-65	544	356	-173
2013	-296	-65	544	369	-185
2014	-296	-65	544	378	-195
2015	-296	-65	544	385	-202
2016	-296	-65	544	390	-207
2017	-296	-65	544	395	-212
2018	-296	-65	544	399	-215
2019	-296	-65	544	400	-217
2020	-296	-65	544	404	-221
2021	-296	-65	544	409	-225
2022	-296	-65	544	414	-230
2023	-296	-65	544	416	-233
2024	-296	-65	544	416	-233
2025	-296	-65	544	416	-233

Year

Change in Grant

Change in Benefits

Gross Loan Outlay

Loan Repayments

PSBR Effect

2026

-296

-65

544

416

-233

2027

-296

-65

544

416

-233

Table iv(y)
United Kingdom—6 per cent. inflation—90 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	188	0	123
1991	-41	-64	245	2	137
1992	-77	-63	293	10	143
1993	-111	-62	338	25	140
1994	-141	-61	378	48	129
1995	-170	-60	417	78	109
1996	-198	-60	457	109	90
1997	-229	-61	505	138	77
1998	-262	-63	558	164	68
1999	-294	-64	607	186	63
2000	-296	-65	612	206	45
2001	-296	-65	612	231	20
2002	-296	-65	612	264	-13
2003	-296	-65	612	289	-37
2004	-296	-65	612	304	-53
2005	-296	-65	612	315	-64
2006	-296	-65	612	320	-69
2007	-296	-65	612	317	-66
2008	-296	-65	612	324	-73
2009	-296	-65	612	345	-94
2010	-296	-65	612	370	-119
2011	-296	-65	612	389	-137
2012	-296	-65	612	401	-149
2013	-296	-65	612	415	-163
2014	-296	-65	612	425	-174
2015	-296	-65	612	433	-182
2016	-296	-65	612	439	-188
2017	-296	-65	612	444	-193
2018	-296	-65	612	448	-197
2019	-296	-65	612	451	-199
2020	-296	65	612	454	-203
2021	-296	-65	612	460	-209
2022	-296	-65	612	465	-214
2023	-296	-65	612	468	-217
2024	-296	-65	612	468	-217
2025	-296	-65	612	468	-217
2026	-296	-65	612	468	-217
2027	-296	-65	612	468	-217

Table iv(z)
United Kingdom—6 per cent. inflation—100 per cent. take-up
(million. 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	209	0	144
1991	-41	-64	272	3	164
1992	-77	-63	326	11	174
1993	-111	-62	375	28	175
1994	-141	-61	420	53	165
1995	-170	-60	463	86	147
1996	-198	-60	507	121	128
1997	-229	-61	561	154	117
1998	-262	-63	619	182	112
1999	-294	-64	675	207	110
2000	-296	-65	680	229	91
2001	-296	-65	680	257	63
2002	-296	-65	680	293	26
2003	-296	-65	680	321	-1
2004	-296	-65	680	338	-19
2005	-296	-65	680	350	-31
2006	-296	-65	680	355	-36
2007	-296	-65	680	352	-33
2008	-296	-65	680	360	-41
2009	-296	-65	680	383	-64
2010	-296	-65	680	411	-92
2011	-296	-65	680	432	-113

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
2012	-296	-65	680	445	-126
2013	-296	-65	680	461	-141
2014	-296	-65	680	472	-153
2015	-296	-65	680	481	-162
2016	-296	-65	680	488	-169
2017	-296	-65	680	494	-175
2018	-296	-65	680	498	-179
2019	-296	-65	680	501	-181
2020	-296	-65	680	505	-186
2021	-296	-65	680	511	-192
2022	-296	-65	680	517	-198
2023	-296	-65	680	520	-201
2024	-296	-65	680	520	-201
2025	-296	-65	680	520	-201
2026	-296	-65	680	520	-201
2027	-296	-65	680	520	-201

Table v(x)
United Kingdom—7 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	167	0	102
1991	-47	-64	226	2	112
1992	-89	-63	276	9	114
1993	-127	-62	321	23	109
1994	-161	-61	362	44	96
1995	-193	-60	400	72	75
1996	-223	-60	439	102	54
1997	-258	-61	486	130	37
1998	-294	-63	536	155	25
1999	-301	-64	549	176	7
2000	-303	-65	553	195	-10
2001	-303	-65	553	219	-34
2002	-303	-65	553	250	-65
2003	-303	-65	553	273	-87
2004	-303	-65	553	286	-101
2005	-303	-65	553	294	-109
2006	-303	-65	553	297	-112
2007	-303	-65	553	293	-107
2008	-303	-65	553	297	-112
2009	-303	-65	553	315	-130
2010	-303	-65	553	337	-152
2011	-303	-65	553	353	-168
2012	-303	-65	553	364	-179
2013	-303	-65	553	376	-191
2014	-303	-65	553	385	-200
2015	-303	-65	553	392	-207
2016	-303	-65	553	398	-212
2017	-303	-65	553	402	-217
2018	-303	-65	553	406	-220
2019	-303	-65	553	407	-222
2020	-303	-65	553	411	-226
2021	-303	-65	553	416	-321
2022	-303	-65	553	421	-235
2023	-303	-65	553	423	-238
2024	-303	-65	553	423	-238
2025	-303	-65	553	423	-238
2026	-303	-65	553	423	-238
2027	-303	-65	553	423	-238

Table v(y)
United Kingdom—7 per cent. inflation—90 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	188	0	123
1991	-47	-64	254	2	140
1992	-89	-63	310	10	148
1993	-127	-62	361	26	146
1994	-161	-61	407	49	136
1995	-193	-60	450	81	116
1996	-223	-60	494	114	96
1997	-258	-61	547	146	82

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1998	-294	-63	603	174	72
1999	-301	-64	618	198	54
2000	-303	-65	622	220	35
2001	-303	-65	622	247	8
2002	-303	-65	622	281	-27
2003	-303	-65	622	307	-52
2004	-303	-65	622	322	-68
2005	-303	-65	622	331	-77
2006	-303	-65	622	334	-80
2007	-303	-65	622	329	-75
2008	-303	-65	622	335	-80
2009	-303	-65	622	355	-101
2010	-303	-65	622	379	-125
2011	-303	-65	622	398	-143
2012	-303	-65	622	409	-155
2013	-303	-65	622	423	-169
2014	-303	-65	622	433	-179
2015	-303	-65	622	442	-187
2016	-303	-65	622	447	-193
2017	-303	-65	622	453	-198
2018	-303	-65	622	456	-202
2019	-303	-65	622	458	-204
2020	-303	-65	622	462	-208
2021	-303	-65	622	468	-213
2022	-303	-65	622	473	-219
2023	-303	-65	622	476	-222
2024	-303	-65	622	476	-222
2025	-303	-65	622	476	-222
2026	-303	-65	622	476	-222
2027	-303	-65	622	476	-222

Table v(z)
United Kingdom—7 per cent. inflation—100 per cent. take–up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	209	0	144
1991	-47	-64	282	3	168
1992	-89	-63	345	11	181
1993	-127	-62	401	28	184
1994	-161	-61	452	55	175
1995	-193	-60	500	90	157
1996	-223	-60	549	127	138
1997	-258	-61	607	162	126
1998	-294	-63	670	193	120
1999	-301	-64	686	221	100
2000	-303	-65	691	244	79
2001	-303	-65	691	274	49
2002	-303	-65	691	313	11
2003	-303	-65	691	341	-17
2004	-303	-65	691	358	-34
2005	-303	-65	691	368	-45
2006	-303	-65	691	371	-48
2007	-303	-65	691	366	-42
2008	-303	-65	691	372	-48
2009	-303	-65	691	394	-71
2010	-303	-65	691	422	-98
2011	-303	-65	691	442	-118
2012	-303	-65	691	455	-131
2013	-303	-65	691	470	-147
2014	-303	-65	691	482	-158
2015	-303	-65	691	491	-167
2016	-303	-65	691	497	-173
2017	-303	-65	691	503	-179
2018	-303	-65	691	507	-184
2019	-303	-65	691	509	-186
2020	-303	-65	691	513	-190
2021	-303	-65	691	520	-196
2022	-303	-65	691	526	-202
2023	-303	-65	691	529	-205
2024	-303	-65	691	529	-206
2025	-303	-65	691	529	-206
2026	-303	-65	691	529	-206
2027	-303	-65	691	529	-206

Table vi(x)
United Kingdom—8 per cent. inflation—80 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	167	0	102
1991	-53	-64	234	2	114
1992	-100	-63	290	9	117
1993	-142	-62	340	23	113
1994	-180	-61	386	45	100
1995	-214	-60	428	75	79
1996	-248	-60	470	106	56
1997	-285	-61	520	136	38
1998	-293	-63	535	163	16
1999	-300	-64	548	186	-3
2000	-302	-65	552	206	-21
2001	-302	-65	552	231	-46
2002	-302	-65	552	262	-77
2003	-302	-65	552	284	-99
2004	-302	-65	552	296	-111
2005	-302	-65	552	303	-118
2006	-302	-65	552	303	-118
2007	-302	-65	552	297	-112
2008	-302	-65	552	300	-115
2009	-302	-65	552	317	-133
2010	-302	-65	552	339	-154
2011	-302	-65	552	354	-169
2012	-302	-65	552	364	-179
2013	-302	-65	552	376	-191
2014	-302	-65	552	385	-200
2015	-302	-65	552	392	-207
2016	-302	-65	552	397	-212
2017	-302	-65	552	402	-217
2018	-302	-65	552	405	-220
2019	-302	-65	552	406	-222
2020	-302	-65	552	410	-225
2021	-302	-65	552	415	-230
2022	-302	-65	552	420	-235
2023	-302	-65	552	422	-237
2024	-302	-65	552	422	-237
2025	-302	-65	552	422	-237
2026	-302	-65	552	422	-237
2027	-302	-65	552	422	-237

Table vi(y)
United Kingdom—8 per cent. inflation—90 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	188	0	123
1991	-53	-64	263	2	143
1992	-100	-63	326	10	153
1993	-142	-62	383	26	153
1994	-180	-61	434	51	142
1995	-214	-60	481	84	123
1996	-248	-60	528	119	101
1997	-285	-61	585	153	86
1998	-293	-63	602	183	63
1999	-300	-64	616	210	42
2000	-302	-65	621	232	22
2001	-302	-65	621	259	-6
2002	-302	-65	621	294	-41
2003	-302	-65	621	319	-66
2004	-302	-65	621	333	-79
2005	-302	-65	621	340	-87
2006	-302	-65	621	341	-87
2007	-302	-65	621	334	-80
2008	-302	-65	621	338	-84
2009	-302	-65	621	357	-103
2010	-302	-65	621	381	-127
2011	-302	-65	621	398	-145
2012	-302	-65	621	410	-156
2013	-302	-65	621	423	-169
2014	-302	-65	621	433	-180
2015	-302	-65	621	441	-187
2016	-302	-65	621	447	-193
2017	-302	-65	621	452	-198

Year	Change in Grant	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
2018	-302	-65	621	455	-202
2019	-302	-65	621	457	-203
2020	-302	-65	621	461	-207
2021	-302	-65	621	467	-213
2022	-302	-65	621	472	-218
2023	-302	-65	621	475	-221
2024	-302	-65	621	475	-221
2025	-302	-65	621	475	-221
2026	-302	-65	621	475	-221
2027	-302	-65	621	475	-221

Table vi(z)
United Kingdom—8 per cent inflation—100 per cent. take-up
(million, 1990 prices)
Year	Change in Grants	Change in Benefits	Gross Loan Outlay	Loan Repayments	PSBR Effect
1990	0	-65	209	0	144
1991	-53	-64	292	3	172
1992	-100	-63	363	11	188
1993	-142	-62	425	29	192
1994	-180	-61	482	56	185
1995	-214	-60	534	93	167
1996	-248	-60	587	133	147
1997	-285	-61	650	170	134
1998	-293	-63	669	204	109
1999	-300	-64	684	233	87
2000	-302	-65	690	258	65
2001	-302	-65	690	288	35
2002	-302	-65	690	327	-4
2003	-302	-65	690	355	-32
2004	-302	-65	690	370	-47
2005	-302	-65	690	378	-55
2006	-302	-65	690	379	-56
2007	-302	-65	690	371	-48
2008	-302	-65	690	375	-52
2009	-302	-65	690	397	-74
2010	-302	-65	690	423	-100
2011	-302	-65	690	443	-120
2012	-302	-65	690	455	-132
2013	-302	-65	690	470	-147
2014	-302	-65	690	482	-159
2015	-302	-65	690	490	-167
2016	-302	-65	690	496	-174
2017	-302	-65	690	502	-179
2018	-302	-65	690	506	-183
2019	-302	-65	690	508	-185
2020	-302	-65	690	512	-189
2021	-302	-65	690	518	-196
2022	-302	-65	690	525	-202
2023	-302	-65	690	528	-205
2024	-302	-65	690	528	-205
2025	-302	-65	690	528	-205
2026	-302	-65	690	528	-205
2027	-302	-65	690	528	-205

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if premises have yet been secured by the Student Loans Company; and if the company's chief executive has yet been appointed.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he plans to publish his revised start-up costs for the Student Loans Company; and if the running costs have been revised.

These costs are the subject of contractual negotiations and must remain confidential at this stage for commercial reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any of the participating financial institutions in the Student Loans Company has proposed the payment of an indemnity in the event of a change of policy or a change of Government.

The terms on which financial institutions are to participate are subject to confidential contractual negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Student Loans Company will be wholly funded by his Department; whether he proposes that participating financial institutions can cease to participate at any time; and what financial penalties are proposed for such withdrawal.

I expect the Student Loans Company to be funded by the Education departments for both the loan principal and running costs. The terms on which financial institutions will participate in the company are subject to contractual negotiation.

Malawi

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what aid his Department supplied to the Government of Malawi either directly or through other agencies since 1979.

The Department of Education set up the overseas research students awards scheme (ORSAS) in December 1979 in recognition of the institutional and scholarly contribution made by overseas research students of outstanding merit. The first awards were made for the academic year 1980–81.The only criteria for the awards are outstanding merit and research potential; other factors, such as means, nationality, proposed field and institution of study, will not be taken into account.The scheme is administered by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom. The CVCP has appointed a special committee, composed of senior members of academic staff of academic institutions, to be responsible for the selection of awardholders and the detailed management of the scheme.

1980 1 award was offered to Malawi but was not taken up.
1981 2 awards were offered to Malawi but were not taken up.
1982 2 applications were made by Malawi, both were rejected.
1983 3 awards made to Malawi at a total cost of £6,818.
1984 4 awards made to Malawi at a total cost of £7,420.
1985 2 awards made to Malawi at a total cost of £5,556.
1986 2 awards made to Malawi at a total cost of £4,908.
1987 3 awards made to Malawi at a total cost of £8,257.
1988 2 awards made to Malawi at a total cost of £5,676.

Summary

1980–88 3 awards were not taken up by Malawi
2 applications for awards were rejected
16 awards were made to Malawi at a total cost of £38,635.

Teaching Establishments

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will study the impact of removing head teachers from the establishment figures for teaching staffs in all schools.

Questions relating to the staffing of individual schools, and policies relating to such matters, are the responsibility of local education authorities and schools, and my right hon. Friend has no present plans to make such a study.

Human Genomes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will outline what progress has been made on developing a framework in which scientists from Europe and Japan can participate on the project to map the human genome; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the Medical Research Council, which funds the United Kingdom human genome mapping project, that all research on mapping the human genome is a collaborative venture on an international scale. The Council of the European Community is at present in the final stages of considering a proposal for a programme of human genome analysis which includes among its objectives the organisation of networks and co-ordination, on a European and international scale, of researchers from all disciplines working in this field. These plans involve close association with Japanese and American groups. Furthermore the Human Genome Mapping Organisation (HUGO), an independent international body whose aim is to obtain a complete map of the human genome, includes leading scientists from Europe and Japan.

Energy

North Sea Gas

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he intends to set a limit on the amount of North sea gas which will be allocated for burning in existing or future electricity generating stations.

We do not intend to limit the amount of gas from the UKCS for gas-fired electricity generation. The Government do not believe that we should discourage gas burn. It is one of our major objectives to encourage competition in generation and we welcome the growing interest in gas-fired capacity from the private sector.

Sizewell B

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the capability of British Nuclear Fuels Limited to manufacture and supply uranium fuel for the Sizewell B pressurised water reactor at prices competitive with those of French and German manufacturers, in the light of the recent announcement postponing the construction of three other pressurised water reactors.

British Nuclear Fuels plc has recently submitted a tender to supply fuel for Sizewell B. The details of this are a commercial matter for BNFL arid the new nuclear company.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future role of Sizewell B power station.

The Government attach the highest importance to the successful completion and operation of Sizewell B. This will maintain the PWR option in the United Kingdom, provide environmentally clean energy, and contribute to diversity.

Thorp

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of British Nuclear Fuels Limited's thermal oxide-reprocessing plant in the light of his recent decision to postpone construction of three pressurised water reactors.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 13 November 1989 at column 103.

Severn Barrage

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress towards the placing of firm contracts for the Severn electricity generating barrage.

Any substantial further developments of the Severn barrage, as with other renewable energy schemes, will depend on commercial decisions made by the private sector.Recent studies by the Severn tidal power group, partly funded by the Department, omitted consideration of organisation and financing problems. Work on these topics together with further work on environmental issues will be carried out over the next two years.

British Nuclear Fuels Plc

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if the Government intend to continue to allocate funds for investment in British Nuclear Fuels Limited's enhanced actinide removal plant at the Sellafield installation;(2) if the Government intend to continue to allocate funds for investment in British Nuclear Fuels Limited's Line Four Hex plant at the Springfield installation;(3) if the Government intend to continue to allocate funds for investment in British Nuclear Fuels Limited's new oxide fuel complex at the Springfield installation.

This is a commercial matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc. The Government do not allocate funds to the company. Its business is financed by borrowing on the commercial market.

Non-Fossil Fuels

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what part of the 20 per cent. of total British electricity generation to be provided from non-fossil fuel generating systems after electricity privatisation is to be generated by (a) hydro stations, (b) combined-cycle gas-fired stations, (c) wave power systems and (d) wind power systems.

The non-fossil fuel obligation will provide a considerable encouragement to the development of the renewable sources of energy. Contracts to meet the obligation are a matter for the area electricity boards and their successors. It is too early to say how much each renewable source will contribute. Combined cycle gas turbines burn fossil fuel and are therefore not eligible for the obligation.

Apprenticeships

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many apprentices were started by electricity boards in England and Wales in 1979 and each succeeding year.

This is a matter for the industry. I am asking the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.

Switchgear

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of 11KV switchgear owned by area electricity boards is affected by operational bans for safety reasons.

This information is not available to my Department. However, I will ask the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps his Department is taking to secure improved safety in 11KV switchgear operated by area electricity boards.

The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 require the area electricity boards to notify my Department of all disruptive failures of 11KV switchgear, as well as any incident which could have given rise to injury, death, fire or explosion. The engineering inspectorate within my Department monitors all such reportable incidents and may investigate as necessary on my behalf to ensure that the operation and maintenance of such equipment by area electricity boards is as safe as reasonably practicable.

Coal Prices

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to secure cuts in the price British Coal charges the new generating companies to offset the levy to be charged to cover the extra cost of electricity from nuclear stations.

No.

Nuclear Power

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those facilities which the new public utility for the nuclear power industry may take into ownership; and if he will make a statement.

The CEGB will be coming forward with a draft transfer scheme containing proposals for the division of its assets. There are no plans for non-CEGB facilities to be transferred to the nuclear company.

Atomic Energy Commission

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is to be the future of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Commission; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority will continue to carry out research and development into nuclear power and other technologies as required by its customers.

Winfrith

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals exist to secure the development of the safe integral reactor at Winfrith; and if he will make a statement.

No application has been made for a SIR on the UKAEA's site at Winfrith. The SIR consortium's bid for funds from the United States Department of Energy as part of its small power advanced light water reactor programme was unsuccessful and I understand that the partners are actively seeking other sources of funding.

Nuclear Plants (Decommissioning)

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now make public the plans proposed, during the chairmanship of the Atomic Energy Authority of Sir John Hill, for the decommissioning of nuclear power stations by removing most parts, other than the reactor concrete shields, and smothering the site with landscaped turf and earth; and what were the cost estimates at (a) plan prices and (b) current prices.

I regret that my Department is unaware of the particular plans referred to by the hon. Member, and that, on the basis of the information he has provided on the question, further research could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.

Joint European Torus, Abingdon

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what response he is giving to the application by scientists working at the Joint European Torus at Abingdon for a £200 million four-year expansion of their programme, to investigate ways of reducing the intrusion of impurities into their machine's plasma; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the JET Council has agreed to seek a further extension of the life of the joint undertaking from 1992 to 1996. The Commission of the European Communities is expected to forward the proposal to the Council of Ministers next year for decision in parallel with a new Community programme for research and development on fusion for the period 1990–1994. The United Kingdom will play a full part in these discussions.

Transport

Rail Accidents

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many significant collisions occurred on British Rail each year from 1982 to 1988 inclusive (a) between passenger trains, (b) between passenger and other trains, (c) between non-passenger trains and (d) buffer stops.

This information is not readily available for British Rail alone. The figures for all railways are as follows:

	Between passenger trains	Between passenger trains and other trains	Between non-passenger	With Buffer Stops
1982	6	9	11	28
1983		16	8	36
1984	5	12	10	34
1985	6	11	7	35
1986	6	13	12	36
1987	6	14	11	33
¹1988	8	10	16	52
¹ Provisional

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many significant derailments occurred on British Rail each year from 1982 to 1988 inclusive involving (a) passenger trains and (b) non-passenger trains.

This information is not readily available for British Rail alone. The figures for all railways are as follows:

	Passenger trains	Non-passenger trains
1982	23	106
1983	25	107
1984	33	106
1985	30	105
1986	34	99
1987	20	116
¹1988	28	112
¹ Provisional figures.

London Underground

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all those London underground stations that have been closed, either in part or completely, since 1 July, indicating for each occasion the period it was closed inside normal working hours, together with the reason.

This is essentially a matter for London Underground Ltd. (LUL), though I understand there have been 551 occasions since 1 July when London Underground stations have been either wholly or partly closed, during the Underground's normal operational hours. The required information about these closures may be obtained from LUL.

Private Bus Companies

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new private bus firms have begun operations since deregulation was introduced.

It is estimated that by 1 May 1988 there had been a net increase of 465 operators running local bus services since deregulation.

London Bus Routes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus routes in London have been subject to competitive tendering; and what has been the saving to London Regional Transport from this process.

I understand from London Regional Transport that to date 176 routes have been put out to competitive tender. It estimates that this has achieved savings of broadly 15 per cent. of previous operating costs.

Air Traffic

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consideration he has given to according gateway status to Birmingham International airport.Mr. McLoughlin: I am examining this question at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss monitoring the number of scheduled flights between London Heathrow-Gatwick and Edinburgh-Glasgow that are either late or are cancelled with a view to publishing this information.

The authority already publishes monthly airline and route punctuality statistics covering flights at six United Kingdom airports, including scheduled services between Heathrow-Gatwick and Edinburgh-Glasgow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about future plans to increase scheduled passenger services from East Midlands international airport in the run-up to 1992.

Many routes from East Midlands international airport to European Community destinations are already open under existing Community arrangements. I am urging my European Community colleagues to take further steps towards the Single Market by giving airlines yet greater freedom to exercise their commercial judgment in offering the range of scheduled services which customers want at the keenest prices.At present five European Community destinations are served from east midlands though more routes are available for airlines to serve if they chose to do so.

Motorways

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the precise location where the M4 motorway crosses the geographical boundary between England and Wales.

At the mid-point of the bridge over the River Wye.

Channel Tunnel

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the Ove Arup and Talis Channel tunnel rail link alternatives; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend made a full statement on Friday 3 November. The Government have welcomed the joint venture established between British Rail, which has the contractual rights to operate through the Channel tunnel, and its chosen partner, Eurorail. The BR/Eurorail joint venture is pursuing the route through Kent and up to King's Cross. Others are, of course, free to formulate and promote alternatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the joint venture agreement for Channel tunnel rail services between British Rail and Eurorail referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Thanet, South (Mr. Aitken) of 3 November, Official Report, columns 346–67 is currently in the form of an exchange of letters, agreed heads of terms or an agreed joint venture agreement.

BR and Eurorail have exchanged letters outlining the scope of a joint venture between them. They are now negotiating a detailed shareholders agreement for the joint venture which will require my approval.

Coastguard Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the emergency calls made to Her Majesty's coastguards relating to the North Devon coast, or coastal waters, during daylight hours on 16 August; and what actions resulted in each case.

Emergency calls, by radio or the 999 telephone system were received as follows: (Times shown are as logged at each individual station.)

Swansea MRCC

08.45—999 call reporting a coaster dumping cargo in Lynmouth bay. Subsequently confirmed as a dredger working in the area dumping surplus water.

15.20—999 call from Mr. Kift, reporting one person cut off at Rapparee cove.

15.22—VHF radio call from Milford Haven, reporting the same incident, but identifying two persons involved. The Ilfracombe auxiliary coastguard in charge, advised and instructed to proceed.

15.35—999 call from Mr. Richards, reporting one child recovered, one child still in the water. Rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor scrambled, and Ilfracombe lifeboat launched.

15.51—999 call reporting windsurfer in difficulties on Bideford Bar. Appledore lifeboat launched, auxiliary coastguard tasked to attend on scene. The windsurfer reached shore unaided.

16.51—Police report of small cabin cruiser adrift in River Taw. Appledore lifeboat launched and towed boat, unmanned, to moorings.

Milford Haven

15.25—999 call (mis-routed) reporting two boys swept on to rocks at Rapparee cove. Information passed by VHF radio to Swansea coastguard for action, and subsequently confirmed by Telex message.

Noise Standards (Railways)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the terms of reference of his Department's study of noise standards for new railways.

The objective will be to establish the standard at a level which equitably relates to the standard set by regulation for new highways. I hope to make an announcement shortly about the establishment of a departmental committee to carry out this task.

Motorways

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been undertaken by his Department as to the feasibility of converting Britain's motorways into toll roads.

None.

Environment

Rose And Globe Theatres

130.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the future of the Rose and Globe theatre sites in Southwark.

The remains of the Rose theatre are now fully protected to safeguard them while construction work takes place on the site. Discussions are taking place between various interested parties, including English Heritage, to determine the best methods for the future conservation and display of the remains.English Heritage has submitted advice to the Department on the future of the Globe theatre remains. This is being considered.

Homelessness

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place between Government officials and the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux in respect of advice services dealing with housing and homelessness.

Since our announcement on 15 November of the conclusions of the homelessness review, my officials have had one meeting with officers of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and my hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning has had one meeting with the association's council. The discussions have concerned our proposal to base a national advice service for homeless people on citizens advice bureaux network.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to withdraw section 73 funding from any of the organisations which currently receive it.

Following our review of the homelessness legislation, we have decided to increase by almost threefold the funding of voluntary bodies concerned with homelessness under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985. In the next financial year, £2 million will be available to support a national advice service and to enable voluntary bodies to mount a range of projects of direct and practical help to the homeless. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has not yet taken any decisions about the organisations which will receive this much increased grant aid under section 73 next year.

Local Government Finance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the areas with the highest contribution to the safety net if no maximum contribution were set and give the figures for each area.

The table shows the areas which would contribute more than £75 per adult to the area safety net in 1990–91 if there were no maximum contribution. The figures use the same data as the exemplifications in the consultation paper my right hon. Friend issued on 6 November.

Areas making highest contributions to safety net if no maximum contribution using provisional 1990–91 figures
	Contribution (£ per adult)
City of London	228
Westminster	226
South Bucks	126
Chiltern	124
Kensington and Chelsea	120
Oxford	94
Camden	91
Wycombe	86
Elmbridge	84
Epping Forest	80
Cambridge	75

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are his latest estimates of the distributional impact of the community charge on household finance;(2) what information he has showing the relationship of domestic rates and the community charge to net household income on the equivalent net income basis following his statement of 6 November,

Official Report, columns 685–7;

(3) if he will construct a table in the same form as figure 4 of Cm. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", showing the first year with safety net and fully in place, the relationship between gross and net community charge to

net household income for (a) single pensioner households, (b) other single person households, (c) two adult households, and (d) three adult households;

(4) if he will estimate the number of (a) single-pensioner households and (b) single pensioners who will (i) gain and (ii) lose upon introduction of the community charge;

(5) if he will construct a table similar to table J7 in Cm. 9714 based upon the figures in his statement of 6 November, Official Report, columns 685–7, in respect of the community charge;

(6) if he will produce an updated version of table J7 in Cm. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", showing households gaining and losing with full replacement of domestic rates by the community charge by (a) region, (b) local authority and (c) parliamentary constituency;

(7) if he will set out in the Official Report his estimates for the main household types of the gains and losses upon the full introduction of the community charge, showing totals, figures net and gross and the effect of rebates.

The latest estimates of the distributional impact of the community charge on household finance, using illustrative community charges for 1988–89 were placed in the Library on 15 December 1988. An extension of the analysis to cover pensioner couples was placed in the Library on 28 February 1989.An analysis using the 1990–91 charges published by my right hon. Friend on 6 November is under preparation and will be published as soon as possible. Analyses by local authority or Parliamentary constituency will not be possible however due to limitations of the sample survey data. There are some limitations on the analyses which can be made by region.

Indigenous Shrubs And Trees

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he offers any advice to local authorities or other public bodies concerning the use of indigenous shrubs and trees in landscaping or reclamation schemes.

My Department has not issued advice specifically on the use of indigenous shrubs and trees. The NCC has published a booklet "Natural Trees and Shrubs for Wildlife in the UK" which is available to local authorities and which MAFF has distributed to farmers in conjunction with the farm woodland scheme.

Energy Efficiency

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that all new Government buildings will be designed and built utilising the latest available technologies to ensure the maximum energy efficiency.

The Property Services Agency will continue to promote the use of the latest energy efficiency technology in the buildings it designs but it is the responsibility of each department sponsoring the construction of new accommodation, to decide on the standards which are to be applied.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy will continue to make available to departments information on relevant technological and other developments.

Docklands Light Railway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what permission he has given to the London Docklands development corporation to raise capital for construction of the Beckton extension of the Docklands light railway; and what is the liability so incurred.

The Beckton extension of the docklands light railway will be funded by the LDDC from the proceeds of land sales in the royal docks and Leamouth. Any in-year shortfalls between construction costs and land receipts will temporarily be met by grant in aid.

Pewsey Partnership Development

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will exempt from the debt requirements of the Housing and Local Government Act the partnership deal between Lovells and Kennet district council for the partnership development at Pewsey.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Regional Fisheries Advisory Committees

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each regional fisheries advisory committee those members who are board members or senior employees of water holding companies, stating, where relevant, their position within the water holding company.

The only member of a regional fisheries advisory committee who is either a board member or senior employee of a water holding company is Dr. D. G. Jamieson, water resources manager of Thames Water Utilities Ltd, who is a member of the regional fisheries advisory committee for the Thames region.

Rivers Advisory Committees

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each regional rivers advisory committee those members who are board members or senior employees of water holding companies, stating, where relevant, their position within the water holding company.

The information is as follows:

Anglian: Mr. D. Latham—Director of Water Services, Anglian Water Services Ltd.
Northumbria: Mr. A. Foster—Director of Operations, Northumbrian Water Ltd.
North West: Mr. E. Harper—Chief Scientist, North West Water Ltd.
Severn Trent: Mr. W. Scott—Assistant Director, Severn Trent Water Ltd.
Southern: Mr. B. Hewett—Managing Director, Southern Water Services Ltd.
South West: Mr. W. J. Dickens—Director of Water Services, South West Water Ltd.
Thames: Mr. P. T. McIntosh—Water and Environmental Science Director, Thames Water Utilities Ltd.
Welsh: Dr. M. P. Brooker—Quality and Planning Director, Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig.
Wessex: Mr. C. F. Skellett—Managing Director, Wessex Water Services Ltd.
Yorkshire: Dr. A. J. Shuttleworth—Director of Water Quality, Yorkshire Water Services Ltd.

Water Companies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each water company, the names and status of the trustees nominated for the purpose of the water holding company trust schemes for employee share ownership.

The trustee of the trust scheme established by each of the water holding companies is a wholly owned subsidiary of the relevant water holding company. The names of the trustees are as follows:

Anglian Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited
Northumbrian Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited
North West Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited
Severn Trent Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited
Southern Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited
SWW Share Schemes Trustees Limited
Thames Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited
WW Share Scheme Trustees Limited
Wessex Water Trustee Company Limited
Yorkshire Water Share Scheme Trustees Limited.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the number of households circulated by Anglian Water plc in respect of their recent publicity campaign;(2) what was the number of households circulated by Severn Trent Water plc in respect of their recent publicity campaign;(3) what was the cost of the recent publicity campaign by Anglian Water plc;(4) what was the cost of the recent publicity campaign by Severn Trent Water plc;(5) what was the source of funding for the recent publicity campaign by Anglian Water plc;(6) what was the source of funding for the recent publicity campaign by Severn Trent Water plc.

In September, the chairmen of Anglian Water plc and Severn Trent plc wrote to some 2,247,000 and 3,360,000 customers respectively about the forthcoming water share offers. The cost of these mailings and those by the other eight water plcs will be borne jointly by the water plcs through their subscriptions to the Water Services Association and by the Government. The costs to the Government of marketing the water share offers will be reported to Parliament in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the upper limit and lower limit, respectively, on the proportion of shares in each of the 10 water companies which are being made available to foreign investors;(2) what is the upper limit and the lower limit, respectively, on the proportion of shares in each of the water companies which will be sold only to British people.

Full details are set out in the prospectus for the water share offers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.Out of the total number of shares on offer, 18·5 per cent. are initially being made available to overseas investors. If there is heavy demand for shares by members of the public in the United Kingdom offers for sale, a clawback provision allows for 25 per cent. of the shares available under the overseas offers to be made available to the public.Under the United Kingdom offer for sale 23·55 per cent. of the ordinary share capital is being made available to the general public (including eligible customers, employees and pensioners of the companies). A further 3 per cent. is reserved for share bonus entitlements and applications from eligible employees under the free and matching offers. If both the overseas and the institutional clawbacks are triggered then 46·75 per cent. of the ordinary share capital is available to the general public.There are no nationality restrictions on the United Kingdom public offer, except that United States and Canadian persons as defined in the prospectus are not permitted to apply. Eligible customers, employees and pensioners of the companies will be given preference over the general public in the allocation of shares as described in the prospectus.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what protections are built into the flotation process for each of the 10 water companies currently subject to flotations to guard against foreign takeover; and what guarantees exist to ensure these protections have long-term effects.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will hold a special share in each of the nine English water and sewage companies which will empower him to prevent anyone owning more than 15 per cent. of the shares in any of the companies in the period until 31 December 1994. There are also provisions in the Water Act 1989 relating to mergers in the water industry. Details of the special share arrangements and the merger provisions of the Water Act 1989 are set out in the prospectus for the water offers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Adjudications

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what administrative support will be made available to an adjudicator appointed to fulfil the functions described in part I of the Local Government and Housing Act.

The adjudicator is being given the administrative support reasonably necessary to enable him to fulfil his duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what remuneration will be made to an adjudicator appointed under part I of the Local Government and Housing Act.

The adjudicator is being paid on a fee basis at a rate equivalent to the salary of grade 3 in the Civil Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what timetable an adjudicator appointed to fulfil the functions described in part I of the Local Government and Housing Act is required to work to when producing guidance for local authorities on part I of the Act and when setting up the appeals procedure referred to in section 3.

Section 3(1)(a) of the Local Government Act 1989 provides that the issue of general advice is at the discretion of the adjudicator; the timetable for this is therefore a matter for him. Section 3(7) of the Act requires him to give priority, according to the time available before the election, to applications from those who certify that they are candidates in a forthcoming election. Subject to that, the timetable for dealing with applications is a matter for the adjudicator.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment where the office of the adjudicator appointed to fulfil the functions described in part I of the Local Government and Housing Act will be situated; and how those wishing to appeal will contact him.

The Department has written to all local authorities involved giving details of the adjudicator's address. This is room 246, Lambeth bridge house, London SE1 7SB. The telephone number for inquiries is 01–238 4316. I understand that the adjudicator will shortly be writing to local authorities and trade unions involved about the procedures he wishes to follow.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who an adjudicator appointed to fulfil the functions described in part I of the Local Government and Housing Act, will consult when drawing up the guidance on political restrictions to be issued to local authorities.

Section 3(1)(a) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provides that the adjudicator is to consult such representatives of local government and such organisations appearing to him to represent employees in local government as he considers appropriate. The choice of persons and organisations to be consulted is therefore for the adjudicator.

London Zoo

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in assessing his response to London zoo's request for more of Regent's park, he has considered the levels of salmonella at the zoo; and if he will make a statement.

Salmonella is endemic in a wide range of bird species and has been identified in some birds in London zoo. The zoo has taken proper health and hygiene precautions and there is absolutely no risk to any member of the public. The position would not be changed by the zoo's development proposals.

Water Protection

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those orders he has made under section 111 of the Water Act relating to water protection measures.

My right hon. Friend has made no orders under section 111 of the Water Act.

Forestry Unit Areas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give encouragement in the form of Government advice to local authorities to permit the renovation of derelict properties or the building of at least one new dwelling in forestry unit areas.

My right hon. Friend will shortly be issuing for consultation a draft of new planning guidance for the countryside. This will include advice on the re-use and restoration of rural buildings and on the provision of housing needed by farm and forestry workers.

"Common Sense"

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to act upon the recommendations contained in the broadsheet "Common Sense" published by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation, a copy of which has recently been sent to him.

The Government announced in 1987 that they accept the case for legislation based broadly on the Common Land Forum's report and intends to introduce legislation at a suitable opportunity when parliamentary time permits. The proposals in the broadsheet "Common Sense" are broadly in line with the forum's recommendations, and are being studied in conjunction with those recommendations, the earlier responses to the Government's consultation paper issued in 1987, and the subsequent representations received. My right hon. Friend expects to make a further statement within the next few months on the Government's intentions on common land legislation.

Hip (Waltham Forest)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the housing investment programme allocation paid or payable to the London borough of Waltham Forest in 1979–80 and in each year since 1986–87 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms expressed in 1979–80 prices.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: Allocations since 1981–82 are not directly comparable with earlier years because since that date authorities have been able to augment their allocations with a proportion of their capital receipts. Nevertheless, the information requested is as follows:

Urban regeneration (£ million)—expenditure at constant prices 1988–89
					Enterprise Zones
	Urban Development Corporations	Urban Programme	City Grant UDG/URG	Derelict Land Grant	Rates Relief	Capital
1979–80	—	348	—	40	—	—
1980–81	—	321	—	48	—	—
1981–82	55	312	—	44	5	20
1982–83	84	399	—	82	12	20
1983–84	121	391	10	87	13	20
1984–85	108	376	20	84	19	30
1985–86	100	344	28	84	26	70
1986–87	101	325	27	90	37	90
1987–88	143	319	29	84	n.a.	n.a.
1988–89	234	284	34	77	n.a.	n.a.
1989–90	411	243	33	63	n.a.	n.a.

Notes:

1. Urban Programme includes contributions from DES, DH and DTp.

2. Urban Development Grant and Urban Regeneration Grant were replaced by City Grant in May 1988.

3. Enterprise Zone rates relief figures show revenue foregone.

4. Enterprise Zone capital figures show an assessment of tax foregone to the nearest £10 million, including Scotland and Wales. Separate data for England is not available.

Local Government Finance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the numbers of adult residents in each district council area of the west midlands likely to be entitled to the maximum rebate during the first

£ million
	HIP allocations	1979–80 Prices
1979–80	17·046	l7·046
1986–87	7·716	4·626
1987–88	7·205	4·113
1988–89	7·391	3·934
1989–90	6·214	3·135

Waltham Forest's estimated capital expenditure on housing in 1989–90 is £29·5 million.

Rifle Range (Palace Of Westminster)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Palace of Westminster rifle range will be available for use.

[holding answer 27 November 1989]: Safety requirements enlarged the scope of the work carried out by the Parliamentary Works Office to extend the use of the range to include pistol shooting, and it was not completed until 13 November 1989. I understand that a recent safety inspection proved satisfactory and that the range has now been approved for use.

Urban Development

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline, in constant prices, the total annual Government spending on urban development policy in the period 1979 to 1989 inclusive, on an annual basis and broken down into its constituent sub-headings, so as to include amounts allocated to the urban development corporations, urban programmes, urban development grants, derelict land grants, enterprise zone allowances and similar.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: Expenditure by the Department of the Environment on Urban Regeneration programmes, over the period 1979–80 to 1989–90, is set out in the table.year of operation of the community charge in England and Wales; and if he will express these figures as a proportion of the estimated population of each local authority liable to community charge.

I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is not available.

Overseas Development

Malawi

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the value of British aid to Malawi for each year since 1979;(2) what aid his Department supplied to the Government of Malawi either directly or through other agencies since 1979.

Following is the information requested:

United Kingdom Aid to Malawi 1979–1988
Year	Gross Bilateral Public Expenditure £ thousand¹	Estimated United Kingdom share of multilateral aid £ thousand
1979	15,937	n/a
1980	11,531	3,400
1981	14,263	3,000
1982	13,615	3,700
1983	11,544	4,000
1984	12,211	8,300
1985	21,081	3,800
1986	13,370	5,500
1987	19,587	5,800
1988	30,761	n/a
¹ Excludes Commonwealth Development Corporation and includes some aid granted via Non-Governmental Organisations.

Source:British Aid Statistics.

Prime Minister

Haemophiliacs (Aids)

To ask the Prime Minister when she will be replying to the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 25 October about the urgent need for an out-of-court settlement of the compensation claims of people with haemophilia who, in the course of National Health Service treatment, were infected with the AIDS virus.

As court proceedings have now begun it would not be right for me to comment on the question of an out-of-court settlement.However, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced on 23 November that we have offered an additional £19 million to the Macfarlane trust, again on an entirely ex-gratia basis. For the details I refer the right hon. Member to that reply.

British Rail

To ask the Prime Minister when she last travelled officially on a British Rail service train; and what conclusions she drew from the experience.

I regret that for reasons of practicality and security it is difficult for me to travel by rail on official business. I do so when a suitable opportunity arises. I last travelled by train to an official function on 31 August 1989.

Stedeford Report

To ask the Prime Minister if she has yet been able to find, at 10 Downing street, a copy of the Stedeford report on transport policy and the railways.

No. I understand that the Department of Transport has traced papers which indicate that there was no formal report and that this was made clear when Sir Ivan Stedeford's advisory group was set up. (Official Report, 13 April 1960 at column 1345.)

Finchley Ambulance Station

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Finchley ambulance station.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: I have at present no plans to do so.

Kincora Boys Home

To ask the Prime Minister why, in her answer, Official Report, 15 November, relating to representations received by the Cabinet Secretariat relating to events at the Kincora boys home, she underlined the word "such".

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 15 November at column 269.

Trade And Industry

Accountancy Firms

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accountancy firms criticised by the Department of Trade and Industry or sued by the Government since 1979 for negligence have advised on privatisations or authenticated privatisation prospectuses; how many have supplied inspectors for Department of Trade and Industry investigations; and how many have been permitted to make audit policy through their representations on the Auditing Practices Committee or its working parties.

Eight inspectors have been appointed from four firms of accountants that were previously criticised in inspectors' reports published since 1979, and one of those firms has since been appointed by the Government for privatisation work. I am not aware that any inspector has been appointed from a firm after it was sued by the Government or that such a firm has been appointed by the Government for privatisation work.The voting members of the Auditing Practices Committee (APC) are nominated on a personal basis by their professional body and appointed by the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies, which has stipulated that they shall not regard themselves as delegates of sectional interests but shall be guided by the need to act in the general interests of the community and of the accountancy profession as a whole. Members of its working parties are appointed by the APC itself.

Investigations

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of Department of Trade and Industry investigations approved under the Companies Acts since June 1979 and the number of reports published in the same period, clearly distinguishing between those relating to investigations approved in the pre-June 1979 and the post-June 1979 periods.

Inspections into 56 companies, some of which are linked, have begun since June 1979. During that same period, 32 reports have been published dealing with 46 different companies. Of the 32 published reports, 13 dealing with 16 different companies relate to inspections begun after 1 June 1979.

Ec Preferences (Poland And Hungary)

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the proposal to extend the European Community's generalised system of preferences scheme to Poland and Hungary.

The proposal to extend the EC's generalised scheme of references benefits to Hungary and Poland is part of a wider package of measures that has been under consideration in the Community as a contribution to a programme of western assistance to these two countries.The proposal was considered at the EC's Foreign Affairs Council on 6 November and approved in principle. This was on the understanding that textiles and some agricultural products were excluded from the package of benefits and would be considered further with a view to their inclusion of being approved at the FAC on 27 November.I regret that because of the late stage at which firm proposals were received, a decision had to be taken before the scrutiny process was complete. A refusal on our part to endorse the proposals on 6 November would not have been understood by our EC partners or by Hungary and Poland.

Poland

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the adoption of the European Community trade, commercial and economic co-operation agreement with Poland.

In order to encourage the reform process in Poland the Foreign Affairs Council on 3 October adopted a trade and economic co-operation agreement between the European Community and Poland.In the light of the current international focus of attention on Poland and the wish expressed at the Paris summit to find ways of encouraging the reform process in Poland it was clear that the agreement needed to be implemented as soon as possible. The Government therefore agreed to the adoption of the proposal even though our own parliamentary scrutiny procedures has not been completed. A delay on our part would have hindered the ratification process and would have been misunderstood by Poland and our EC partners.I regret that the normal parliamentary procedures were not followed on this occasion.

Landlords And Tenants

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government intend to introduce legislation extending the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act to the licensed trade.

I hope to introduce a Bill to bring the tenants of licensed premises within the protection of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 early in the Session.

Reports

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of reports made available to professional bodies, regulatory bodies and other non-governmental bodies since June 1979.

The approximate number of non-HMSO publications published by the Department since June 1979 is 4,149.

Delta Te Immune Support Therapy

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on inquiries into whether the sale of Delta Te immune support therapy is in breach of the Trades Description Act; and if he will make a statement.

None, but I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health is looking into this matter in connection with the provisions of the Medicines Act 1968.

Fimbra

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is satisfied with the workings of FIMBRA; and if he will make a statement.

It is the responsibility of the Securities and Investments Board to ensure that self-regulating organisations, including FIMBRA, continue to comply with the requirements for recognition under the Financial Services Act 1986.

Girobank

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of Girobank.

The then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 20 April that the Post Office Board had accepted a conditional offer from the Alliance and Leicester Building Society for Girobank. The Post Office and the Alliance and Leicester are engaged in detailed negotiations with a view to completing the sale as soon as practicable.The regulatory authorities will need to be satisfied and my consent will be required before the sale can take place.

Telephone Chat-Lines

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will meet the Director General of Telecommunications to discuss the priority to be given to the protection of the public and the consumer when controls are set for telephone chat-lines;(2) whether he will introduce legislation to require that access to chat-lines and other premium charge telephone calls shall be subject to a fail-safe mechanism, such as connection via an operator, in order to ensure that accidental connection to high-cost calls is ruled out.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: On 17 November, the Director General of Telecommunications, Sir Bryan Carsberg, announced new controls on multiline and one-to-one services provided over British Telecom's network. From 8 December, when the controls come into effect, such services can be provided only in accordance with a code of practice acceptable to the Director General or if granted a specific exemption. No such codes have yet been recognised for these purposes.In the light of this announcement, I have no intention of meeting the Director General or of considering the introduction of legislation on this subject.

Broadcasting

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will (a) review the availability and allocation of the broadcasting spectrum for television and radio in the United Kingdom and (b) detail the European Community and other constraints upon such review.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: The Government have a series of rolling reviews of the radio spectrum in progress, which will facilitate decisions on allocation of spectrum to broadcasters (and other users) in the corning years. The most recent review was of the civil spectrum between 470 and 3400 MHz, which was carried out in 1988–89 in consultation with all interested parties. Consideration will be given to a similar review of higher frequencies.An essential part of the spectrum allocation process, if interference with other users is to be avoided, is international co-ordination. The United Kingdom is therefore an active participant in the International Telecommunication Union and the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, which are the key international spectrum co-ordination bodies.

Iraq

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the annual import and export statistics for trade between Britain and Iraq and break the figure down between visibles and invisibles for each year since 1979.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: Information on the value of invisible trade between the United Kingdom and Iraq is not available. Figures for visible trade are as follows:

£ million
	Imports	Exports
1979	451	201
1980	556	322
1981	103	624
1982	171	874
1983	96	400
1984	77	343
1985	293	445
1986	250	444
1987	324	272
1988	176	412
1989¹	63	343
¹ To 30 September 1989.

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

Footwear Imports

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has responded to the European Economic Community consultative document on the imports of footwear from Korea and Taiwan; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: No. We shall consider how to respond after the options put forward by the Commission have been discussed with the British Footwear Manufacturers' Federation early next week.

Life Insurance

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has made any assessment of the implications for the United Kingdom life insurance industry if the current bid for the Pearl Group by Australian Mutual Provident is allowed to proceed.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: On 13 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced his decision not to refer the proposed acquisition of Pearl Group plc by AMP (UK) PLC to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for investigation. Under the merger control provision of the Fair Trading Act 1973 each merger is considered on its own merits. My right hon. Friend's decision in this case was taken after full consideration of all relevant issues and was in accordance with the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading.

Building Societies

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider making illegal the conditional selling of some building societies who offer special deals only if the endowment or pension plan is written with them.

I have been asked to reply. Since January 1988 building societies have followed a code of practice which precludes them from making it a condition of an offer of a first mortgage advance that the borrower uses other services, required by the borrower in connection with the making of the advance, provided by the society. The Government agreed with societies in July 1986 that section 35 of the Building Societies Act 1986, which makes such linking of services an offence, would not be implemented if such a code was adopted. Neither section 35 nor the code seek to prevent cross-subsidy because there can be legitimate commercial reasons for it, and it may be to the advantage of the borrower.

Northern Ireland

Chernobyl

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of (a) farms, (b) sheep and (c) acres in Northern Ireland currently under restriction owing to the radioactive contamination following the Chernobyl accident.

The information at November 1989 is as follows:

	Number
Number of farms	123
Number of sheep	19,570
Area of land	¹21,612
¹ acres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expenditure he has incurred in compensation for farmers in Northern Ireland as a result of the Chernobyl accident for each year since 1986.

The amount of compensation paid to farmers in Northern Ireland resulting from the Chernobyl accident was as follows:

	£
1987–88	12,658
1988–89	29,084
¹1989–90	18,313
¹ (to date).

Coats Viyella

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance the Northern Ireland Office is providing to Coats Viyella for its operations in Northern Ireland; and what assistance has been given specifically for the transfer of work from the Van Heusen production facilities in St. Austell to Northern Ireland.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: Coats Viyella has 10 manufacturing plants within the textiles and clothing sector in Northern Ireland employing 3,600 people. In the 1988–89 financial year financial assistance totalling £5,556,670 was paid to the CV group.No assistance has been either offered or given for the transfer of work from the Van Heusen production facilities in St. Austell to Northern Ireland.

Attorney-General

Companies Act Investigations

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will conduct a review of the possibilities of prejudice to a criminal trial of individuals named in a Companies Act investigation when those individuals are, in advance of their trial, publicly disciplined by a self-regulatory organisation established under the Financial Services Act.

No. I do not believe such a review to be necessary.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Iran-Iraq Conflict

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in negotiating the peace settlement to the Iran-Iraq conflict.

We maintain our full support for the early implementation of Security Council resolution 598 in its entirety. We applaud the efforts of the Secretary-General and of his special representative, Mr. Jan Eliasson, to achieve progress in the negotiations. We are glad that the recent visit to the area by Mr. Eliasson has confirmed that the ceasefire is holding and that further talks may take place in New York in December. Movement is urgently needed. It is now over two years since the resolution was passed and 15 months since the ceasefire took effect. We urge the parties to work imaginatively and energetically to bring permanent peace to the region through early and successful negotiations under the Secretary-General's auspices. We will continue to do everything possible to help achieve this aim.

West Bank And Gaza

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent protests have been conveyed by his Department to representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organisation regarding the Palestinian Arabs killed by other Palestinians since the disturbances began in the West Bank and Gaza two years ago; and what reply has been received.

We have taken this up with several representatives of the PLO, including Mr. Arafat himself.

British Diplomats (Israel)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the guidelines followed by (a) diplomatic staff of the consulate general in Jerusalem and (b) diplomatic staff of the Embassy in Tel Aviv regarding visits to areas under Israeli military administration since June 1967; what specific guidelines exist regarding visits to communities under curfew or declared to be closed by the Israeli military administration; and what guidelines exist regarding East Jerusalem, as annexed by Israel in 1967.

Diplomatic and consular staff in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are free to move throughout the occupied territories, including that part of Jerusalem which Israel illegally annexed de facto in 1967, while having regard to any restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities in accordance with Israel's responsibilities as a military occupier of these territories under international law, in particular the fourth Geneva convention of 1949.

Beit Sahour

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent visit of Her Majesty's consul-general in Jerusalem to Beit Sahour; and what discussions have been held with the Government of Israel regarding the circumstances surrounding the visit.

Her Majesty's consul-general visited Beit Sahour on 12 October in the light of reports that the Israeli authorities were conducting punitive tax-collecting raids on the inhabitants. We have assured the Israelis that there was no impropriety in his doing so. We await a reply to our representations to the Israeli authorities about their action in Beit Sahour.

Short-Range Nuclear Forces

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards negotiations on short-range nuclear forces after the conclusion of a global ban on chemical weapons.

Although a global ban on chemical weapons is an arms control goal of the Alliance, NATO's policy on negotiations on short-range nuclear missiles, as expressed in the comprehensive concept, is not linked to the conclusion of such a ban.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards negotiations on short-range nuclear forces after a conventional forces in Europe agreement has been concluded and reductions are under way.

Our policy is as set out in the comprehensive concept adopted by NATO Heads of State and Government at their summit in May, namely that, once the implementation of an agreement on conventional arms is under way,

"the United States, in consultation with the Allies concerned, is prepared to enter into negotiations to achieve a partial reduction of American and Soviet land-based nuclear missiles of shorter range to equal and verifiable levels."

The comprehensive concept also makes it clear that negotiated reductions should not take place until a CFE agreement has been implemented.

Combat Aircraft

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's current proposed ceiling on combat aircraft in the region from the Atlantic to the Urals; and what is the present level of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation combat aircraft in this region.

At the NATO summit in May, the Allies decided to expand their proposal at the negotiations in Vienna on conventional forces in Europe, so as to include reductions by each side to equal ceilings in all land-based combat aircraft at the level 15 per cent. below current Alliance holdings. This has subsequently been amplified into a specific proposal for an equal ceiling of 5,700 such aircraft.

Malawi

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British Government employees are currently based in Malawi; and what are their duties.

Thirty-one British Government employees are currently based in Malawi. Sixteen are employed at the British high commission in Lilongwe in normal diplomatic service duties. Fifteen are employed at the office of the British development division in southern Africa, also in Lilongwe, which manages our aid programmes in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.There are also 13 technical co-operation officers, employed by the British Government, who are on loan to the Government of Malawi.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the fund-raising activities of British diplomats in Malawi during the last two years.

British diplomats themselves are not involved in any fund-raising activities in Malawi. The Association of Diplomatic Women in Lilongwe, which represents all wives and women staff in the diplomatic community there, organises fund-raising events and gives the proceeds to private charities in Malawi. Members of British diplomatic families have taken part in these events, in particular an annual fair.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made since 1979 to the Government of Malawi regarding human rights in that country.

The Government of Malawi are fully aware of our views on human rights, which have been made known on a number of occasions in various fora, including the United Nations. My right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised the issue in Malawi during her visit there in 1987. We are aware of recent developments and are monitoring them closely.

Sri Lanka

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made concerning the violations of human rights by the Government and Indian forces in Sri Lanka.

We have made our concern about human rights abuses clearly known to the Sri Lankan Government. Most recently, our high commissioner in Colombo raised the subject on 27 October. We welcome President Premadasa's invitation to the International Committee of the Red Cross to monitor the situation and report their findings.

Health

Civil Service Dispersal

131.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the civil servants offered over £12,000 per family to move to Leeds have accepted this offer; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend made an announcement on relocation on 14 November and at this early stage we have no indication of how many staff are likely to wish to move to Leeds.

Cruse

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, in light of the increase in disasters, he will increase his Department's financial help to Cruse for bereavement care.

The increased level of grant aid to Cruse, from 1 April 1990, will be determined in the light of the increase in the organisation's headquarters administrative costs arising from increased demand for its services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he received an application from Cruse for a one-off grant of £150,000 in 1990 and for a total of £710,000 for the years 1990 to 1993; and when he expects to announce a decision upon it.

The application was received in the Department on 10 November and is under consideration. Ministers expect to announce decisions on new and renewal grants to voluntary bodies in good time before the commencement date of 1 April 1990.

Neuroblastoma

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) why there is no national screening programme for babies with neuroblastoma; and what is his estimate of the average cost to the National Health Service of treating cases of neuroblastoma;(2) what study his Department has made of the routine screening of babies for neuroblastoma in other countries.

It has yet to be demonstrated that a screening service reduces mortality from neuroblastoma. The Department keeps research and development in this field at home and abroad under regular review. Comprehensive information on the costs of treatment for this condition is not available, but it has been estimated that in one region these are about £45,000 per case.

Ambulance Service (Dispute)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor the length of time from call-out to arrival of substitute police and army vehicles used as ambulances in the London area.

The London ambulance service with the help of the police control room at New Scotland Yard and army and police emergency crews has established a system which allows response times to be monitored.

Broiler Sheds (Diseases)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government intend to take following the publication of the Wigtoft report on the emission of diseases through the extraction fans in broiler sheds which are used on chicken farms.

We are not aware of this report and would be grateful for details. If there are health implications in circumstances described in the report these will be fully considered.

Alternative Therapies

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken into alternative therapies as a means of reducing the cost of the National Health Service.

Medical practitioners may offer complementary therapies within the NHS if they feel competent to do so. The Department of Health has commissioned no research into the cost effectiveness of complementary therapies. However, the Medical Research Council, in conjunction with the British Chiropractic Association, are funding a study, at Northwick Park hospital into the treatment of back pain using chiropractic and orthodox techniques.

Young People

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's assessment of the decline in the number of 16 to 19-year-old males in the United Kingdom between 1989 and 1993.

The Government Actuary's mid 1988-based population projections indicate that the number of males aged 16–19 in the United Kingdom is projected to fall from 1·718 million in mid 1989 to 1·413 million in mid 1993, a decrease of 18 per cent.

Listeria

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of the Public Health Laboratory survey into listeria contamination in milk.

It is for the Public Health Laboratory service to publish the results of its own survey. I understand that collation and publication are in hand.

Herts And Essex Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce his decision on proposed changes in hospital provision at Herts and Essex hospital.

We hope to make an announcement shortly.

Abortion

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to enable a person born live but damaged during an abortion prior to 28 weeks' gestation to secure compensation.

No. The hon. Member may wish to refer to section 1 of the Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability) Act 1976.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance on (a) methods of abortion, (b) possible complications after an abortion, (c) causes of death in abortions to the unborn baby and (d) characteristics and development of the unborn baby, he makes available to mothers considering abortion after 18 weeks' gestation;(2) what guidelines he has issued to abortionists concerning the matters that should be mentioned to mothers considering abortion after 18 weeks' gestation.

The Department does not give direct advice to women seeking abortion. Circular HC(77)26 issued to health authorities and all places in the private sector which carry out abortions, deals with the general arrangements for the provision of counselling services to these women. The circular endorses the Lane committee's view that as part of the counselling process a women seeking abortion should be told of the nature of the operation; and of the likelihood of complete recovery from it or possible resultant morbidity. A copy of the circular is in the Library.

Medicines (Product Licences)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all product licence applications for medicines distributed in the United Kingdom have included the submission of a full product specification.

All product licence applications for medicinal products used in the United Kingdom are submitted in accordance with the Medicines Act 1968 and the relevant EC directives. These currently include the requirement that licence application must be supported either with or by reference to full data on the product particulars.

Orthopaedics (Waiting Times)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time for an appointment in the Leicester area for a patient waiting to be seen by an orthopaedic specialist; and what was the waiting time one year ago and five years ago.

We do not collect information on out-patient waiting times centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to write to the chairman of Leicester district health authority who could supply the information he seeks.

Haemophiliacs (Aids)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will take steps to expedite the settlement of compensation claims for haemophiliacs who are HIV positive.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend gave my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 23 November at columns 11–12.

Salmonella

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each week from March 1989 to date the number of salmonella food poisoning cases which have been reported.

The information requested is given in the table. Figures are collated monthly, and are not available on a weekly basis.

Human isolates of salmonella confirmed by the Department of Enteric Pathogens, PHLS
1989	Number
March	1,213
April	1,106
May	1,364
June	2,854
July	3,303
August	4,586
September	4,684
October	3,556

Griffiths Report

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding April 1991 as the implementation date of the recommendations of the Griffiths report as not being a sufficient period in which local authorities can prepare for their new responsibilities.

We have received no representations to date which have suggested that local authorities will not be able to prepare to discharge their new responsibilities adequately by April 1991.

Nursing Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make local authorities statutorily responsible for the funding, registration and inspection of residential and nursing homes.

Our intention which we set out in the White Paper "Caring for People", is that from 1 April 1991 local authorities will become responsible for a single unified budget to cover the costs of social care in residential care and nursing homes. The new arrangements will not apply to people already resident in homes before April 1991. The Registered Homes Act 1984 places a duty on local authorities and district health authorities to register and inspect residential care homes and nursing homes respectively. We have no plans to alter these arrangements.

Community Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make new funds available to finance the additional expenditure which will be incurred by local authorities in implementing the new community care packages, whilst still retaining responsibility for funding those already within residential care as at April 1991.

As we have made clear in recent statements and in our White Paper "Caring for People: Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond" (published on 16 November) we recognise that local authorities will require adequate resources to enable them to discharge their new responsibilities. This will involve a switch of resources from social security and the aggregate amount of transferred resources will allow for the projected growth in the numbers of people needing support, taking account of demographic factors. Final decisions will be taken in the public expenditure survey in 1990, following discussions with the local authority associations which are currently underway.

Patient Referrals

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients from the Irish Republic have been referred to United Kingdom hospitals over the last full period for which figures exist.

In 1987, 83 patients were referred from the Irish Republic for treatment in NHS hospitals in the United Kingdom under the European Community regulations. Figures for referrals to private hospitals are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many United Kingdom patients have been referred to hospitals in the Irish Republic over the last full period for which figures exist.

In 1987, one NHS patient was referred from the United Kingdom for treatment in the Irish Republic under the European Community regulations. Figures for referrals between private hospitals are not held centrally.

Home Department

Malawi

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what aid his Department has supplied to the Government of Malawi since 1979.

None.

Rayner Review

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish the interim report of the Rayner review on the funding of the voluntary sector.

The efficiency scrutiny of Government funding of the voluntary sector which was announced on 16 May has delivered its report. We are considering the report, and the question of publication, with colleagues in other Government Departments who have an interest in its findings.

Fines

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has plans to review the relative severity of fines for different categories of offence.

The Crown court has unlimited powers to impose fines. The maximum penalties for offences tried in magistrates courts are determined in legislation and are related to the seriousness of each offence. Maximum penalties are reviewed as necessary. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts.

Iba

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current levels of remuneration and allowances paid to each member of the Independent Broadcasting Authority by name, including the chairman and deputy chairman; what were the levels before they were last increased; and whether he proposes to increase them.

The following levels of remuneration apply:

	Current Level £	Previous Level £
Chairman	39,200	37,335
Deputy Chairman	10,085	9,605
National Members	7,545	7,185
Other Members	5,030	4,790

The current levels incorporate this year's Top Salaries Review Body's recommended increase of 5 per cent.

Broadcasting Complaints Commission

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current levels of remuneration and allowances paid to each member of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission, including the chairman and deputy chairman; what were the levels before they were last increased; and what proposals he has for increasing them.

The following levels of remuneration apply in relation to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC):

	Chairman	Member
With effect from 1 October 1988	£23,875 for 3 days per week	£4,790 for 1 day per week
With effect from 1 April 1989	£25,070 for 3 days per week	£7,545 for 1½ days per week

There is no deputy chairman of the BCC. We have no plans at this stage to increase these salary levels. They are subject to review by the Top Salaries Review Body.

Uhf Channel

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet received an assessment of the technical feasibility of a sixth ultra high frequency channel; and whether he will make a statement.

As my noble Friend Lord Young of Graffham announced in another place on 27 April at c. 1403 in response to a question from Lord Mowbray and Stourton:

"Paragraph 5.7 of the Government's White Paper Broadcasting in the '90s: Competition, Choice and Quality stated:

'In the longer term, a sixth network at UHF covering up to 50 per cent. of the population might be feasible. But this has not yet been studied in detail, and the cost and interference implications could be significant. Further study is also needed of the implications for existing users of the spectrum involved. The Government has put these studies in hand.'

After careful consideration of the results of the technical feasibility studies carried out so far, the Government have decided not to pursue the studies further for the foreseeable future.

The studies show that the best prospects of achieving a sixth terrestrial UHF television network (Channel 6) lie in making a more intensive use of the 44 channels currently used to provide the four existing UHF services. However, if off-air reception of the four existing UHF services is to remain intact, Channel 6 would be unable to achieve more than about 17 per cent. coverage of United Kingdom households and there would, for example, be no coverage at all of the London area. The technical studies have shown that it might be possible to extend Channel 6 coverage to as much as 40 per cent. of United Kingdom households; but the price would be that perhaps 20,000 viewers in up to 10 areas (mainly in London and the North West) would lose the ability to receive off-air one of the four existing UHF services. The Channel 6 franchisee could of course be required to restore the lost service by cable or some other means to those viewers, who would also generally be unable to recive off-air either Channel 5 or Channel 6.

There would however be other adverse consequences. These would include the virtual abandonment of the programme to instal some 200 further relay transmitters to bring the four existing UHF services to many of the 350,000 people who are still unable to receive them. Additionally, because the BBC and the independent television programme companies currently make as much use as they can of the remaining 'spare capacity' within the 44 channels to accommodate some of their programme-making requirements, the loss of this capacity to Channel 6 would create a major problem in finding suitable alternative spectrum for the programme-making activities (including outside broadcasts) of the broadcasters, at a time when spectrum for these purposes is at a premium to meet the needs of the new wave of satellite and other broadcasters. A further disadvantage is that most viewers would need to instal a third UHF aerial to receive Channel 6.

Substantial further study would now be needed to take this work further forward. The Government have taken the view on a careful analysis of the studies so far that the very considerable costs and penalties attached to TV6 on this basis are simply not justified by such a limited result, especially at a time when there is the promise of a considerable proliferation of new television networks-satellite, local cable/MVDS, and Channel 5. If we wished to preserve the options on Channel 6 until the picture on other new services has become clearer, the present moratorium on the building of additional relay transmitters, which has now been in force for some 18 months, would need to be extended for perhaps several more years. This would almost certainly spell the end of the programme to extend progressively the UHF network to cover those who are at present unserved, or inadequately served, by it. We do not regard this as an acceptable consequence, and we have agreed that the moratorium should now be lifted.

Dna Testing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the DNA testing scheme will become fully available to applicants wishing to join their families in the United Kingdom; what will be the cost of each test; and if he will make a statement.

The results of privately commissioned DNA tests have been accepted as proof of relationship in immigration cases for some time. The Government's intention to introduce DNA testing into the entry clearance process was announced earlier this year. It was made clear that the DNA scheme will not be centrally funded, but also that we will seek to avoid imposing too great a burden on individual applicants. We will make a further announcement about the implementation of the Government scheme when the necessary arrangements have been completed.

Pornography

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require shops wishing to sell pornography to obtain a licence from a local authority in a process open to representations from the general public.

I refer the hon. Member to section 2 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, which enables a local authority to adopt the provisions of schedule 3 to the Act for the control in its area of sex cinemas and sex shops.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department or any organisation responsible to him monitors the contents of pornographic material available in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The Department keeps closely in touch with the Metropolitan police's obscene publications branch, the Crown prosecution service, and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, all of which have information on pornographic material. The British Board of Film Classification, whose officers have responsibilities under the Video Recordings Act 1984, and the Broadcasting Standards Council are other sources of information.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how long the waiting list is of applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; and what has been the length of the waiting list in each of the past five years;(2) how many applications are currently before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; and what has been the figure over each of the past five years.

The number of applications awaiting resolution at 31 October 1989 was 95,294. The number of applications awaiting resolution at the end of each of the last five financial years is given in the table.

	Number
1984–85	41,800
1985–86	51,500
1986–87	64,000

Number

1987–88

78,000

1988–89

82,000

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been decided within 12 months by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the past five years; and whether, in dealing with such cases any distinction is made between cases which are straightforward and cases which are not.

The board does not keep information on the number of cases resolved within 12 months of receipt. The board's annual reports record the percentage of cases submitted to a single member of the board within time bands of registration. The percentage of cases dealt with in this way within 12 months of registration is given in the table for each of the last five years.Each application is dealt with on its own merits. The time taken to resolve a claim will normally depend on the seriousness of the injury, the prognosis and the number and nature of inquiries necessary to assess compensation. Priority is given to claims from the bereaved, the elderly, the young and cases of severe injury.

Percentage of cases submitted to a single member within 12 months of registration
Year	Per cent.
1984–85	74·5
1985–86	69·6
1986–87	49·8
1987–88	30·8
1988–89	26·9

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total financial resource allocated to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the past five years; what is the average expenditure on an inquiry; whether he has any plans to increase the funding; and if he will make a statement.

The average cost of resolving a claim at single member stage on the papers is £152, and by oral hearing £537. Total expenditure on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the last five years in given in the table.

Year	Expenditure (£ million)
1984–85	39·5
1985–86	45·8
1986–87	52·9
1987–88	58·9
1988–89	77·5

The Government's expenditure plans for future years will be published in the next public expenditure White Paper.

Litter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what proportion of the cases brought under the Litter Act, during the most recent period for which statistics are available, the prosecution was successful;(2) what was the average fine imposed under the Litter Act during the most recent period for which statistics are available.

The latest figures are for 1988 which show that for England and Wales there were 1,762 prosecutions under the Litter Act 1983. Of those 1,607 (91 per cent.) were found guilty. The average fine imposed under this Act was £40.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether magistrates receive training on the details of the Act relating to littering and guidance as to the appropriate level of fines to be levied.

I have been asked to reply.Magistrates receive advice from their clerk on the details of the Act, the range of penalties available for particular offences, and any guidance relevant to the choice of penalty provided by the law or by decisions of the superior courts.

Broadcasting

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy for allowing freedom to programme makers who adhere to standards of decency.

Programme makers have freedom to choose their material within the statutory framework for broadcasting, part of which makes it clear that broadcasters have a responsibility to ensure that nothing is included in their programmes which offends against good taste and decency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy for ensuring that there are proper controls over broadcasts.

Controls are in place through the Broadcasting Act 1981 in the case of independent television and radio, through the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984 in the case of cable and satellite broadcasting, and in the case of services provided by the BBC through its royal charter, licence and agreement. In addition, the Government propose in the Broadcasting Bill to put the Broadcasting Standards Council on a statutory footing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on access to broadcasting by Christian organisations.

We are proposing that religious groups, including Christian groups, should be allowed to run independent radio stations provided that they observe the content requirements envisaged in paragraph 7.7 of the Green Paper "Radio: Choices and Opportunities" (February 1987, Cm. 92).Religious groups will continue to be disqualified from holding licences to run television services. But there is no reason why programmes dealing with religious matters should not continue to be broadcast and indeed proliferate on television, subject to their observing the content requirements set out in paragraph 6.10 of the White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s: Competition, Choice and Quality" (November 1988, Cm. 517).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has reveived from organisations and individuals in Northern Ireland about the Government's proposed Broadcasting Bill.

My right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) placed in the Library on 21 April a list of the main organisations which submitted comments on the White Paper (as indicated in a reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) at column 342). A number of these submissions were from organisations in Northern Ireland. In addition, a number of comments have been received from viewers and listeners in Northern Ireland.

Immigration

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ease the travel restrictions on those resident in the United Kingdom with indefinite leave of stay here, who wish to travel within the EEC; and what representations he has made to fellow EEC members on this matter.

Assuming that the reference is to non-EC nationals, the position is that no steps have been taken or representations made with a view to easing travel restrictions because none of the relevant EC law is designed to benefit resident non-EC nationals per se. However, if it is intended to refer to particular cases of difficulty in which it is thought the Government have a locus, I would of course be glad to look into detailed circumstances further should the right hon. Member wish to write.

Telephone Chat-Lines

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ban telephone chat-lines.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: I have been asked to reply.On 17 November, the Director General of Telecommunications, Sir Bryan Carsberg, announced new controls on multiline and one-to-one services provided over British Telecom's network. From 8 December, when the controls come into effect, such services can be provided only in accordance with a code of practice acceptable to the Director General or if granted a specific exemption. No such codes have yet been recognised for these purposes.In the light of this announcement, I have no intention of meeting the Director General or of considering the introduction of legislation on this subject.

Scotland

Chernobyl

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of (a) farms, (b) sheep and (c) acres in Scotland currently under restriction owing to the radioactive contamination following the Chernobyl accident.

Sixty-nine farms, approximately 66,000 sheep and about 66,000 acres are currently subject to restrictions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure he has incurred in compensation for farmers as a result of the Chernobyl accident for each year since 1986 in Scotland.

Payments in Scotland have been as follows:

	£
1986	1,132,901
1987	403,610
1988	143,718
¹1989	103,108
¹ To the end of October.

Local Authorities

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had on the draft scheme of members' allowances to be applied to local authority members in Scotland.

Representations have been received from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and several individuals. The main points raised related to the overall quantum and cash limit on local authorities, the abolition of financial loss allowance for councillors, the possible banding of the levels of allowance for Scottish local authorities by population and provision of special responsibility allowances for minority groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what special provisions he is considering to take account of the special needs of councillors in rural areas in the scheme of members' allowances in local government.

None. Councillors in rural areas who have to travel long distances in the course of their duties will be able to claim travel and subsistence allowances as before.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the detailed conclusions on the scheme of members' allowances to be applied to local authority members in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The details of the new scheme will be the subject of further consultation with the local authority associations and decisions will be announced as soon as possible. The intention is that the new scheme will come into effect on 1 April 1990.

Access To Personal Files Act

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make regulations under the Access to Personal Files Act 1987 on access to (a) housing records and (b) school records and further education records.

We are currently examining the points made in consultation and expect to make regulations as soon as possible with a view to their coming into force in spring 1990. Regulations covering school and further education records will be made under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Haddock Quota

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the 1989 haddock quota has been exceeded; what is the extent to which quotas have been exceeded at each port; when it first became clear that the local quotas had been exceeded and why action was not taken immediately to prevent excess fishing continuing by those who had exceeded their quotas; and what steps he intends taking to prevent this situation recurring.

Final information is not yet available on the exact level of the United Kingdom's landings of North sea haddock. The table shows the estimated level of overfishing by those groups excluded from the fishery

Organisations	Allocation (tonnes)	Catch known at 11 November(tonnes)	Catch as a percentage of allocation	Date of withdrawal of licences
Scottish Fishermen's Organisation	18,252	18,791	103	7 October
North East of Scotland Fishermen's Organisation	13,090	13,790	105	7 October
Shetland Fish Producers Organisation	2,602	2,680	101	4 November
Fish Producers Organisation	879	954	109	13 September

Caledonian Macbrayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to announce the composition of the new board of Caledonian MacBrayne Limited; what representations he has received regarding the delay in making the announcement; and if he will make a statement.

I refer to the answer which my right hon. and learned Friend gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 27 October 1989 (Hansard Vol. 158 Col. 456). No representations have been received suggesting that there has been unreasonable delay in making an announcement. It is important that the widest possible range of experience, expertise and local knowledge is reflected in the board's membership.

Universities

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate the extent of rate relief that each Scottish university can expect to receive in 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

From 1 April 1990 universities in Scotland, like those in England and Wales, will benefit from the same 80 per cent. relief from rates which is to be extended to other charitable organisations. The relevant rating authority in each case will have discretion to increase this relief to up to 100 per cent. The benefit in cash terms to each university will not be known until the valuation roll containing the rateable values to apply from 1 April 1990 is published on 15 February.

Forestry

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will consider introducing a procedure of inquiry in principle, where appropriate, in relation to streamlining Forestry Commission activities;(2) if he will consider the introduction of a maintenance grant linked to five-year plans of operation for forestry management purposes;(3) if he will make arrangements so that grants in relation to the woodlands grant scheme are henceforth based on the total area of the approved unit of forest land applied for;

before the complete closure. In all cases the exclusions took effect before recorded landings had reached the level of the allocation made to each of the groups concerned. As part of the normal arrangements for distributing internally the United Kingdom's quotas those groups disadvantaged by this year's closure will be compensated next year with correspondingly increased quotas. It is estimated that 85 per cent. of the allocation untaken as a result of the total closure of the fishery is attributable to vessels based in Scotland.

(4) if he will take immediate steps to introduce a grant towards forest road construction to enable better access to inaccessible areas;

(5) if he will take steps to increase the better land supplement to £400 per hectare.

All these aspects of the Government's support arrangements for forestry were covered in the Forestry Industry Committee of Great Britain's paper "Options for British Forestry", a copy of which was sent recently to the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Government will consider the recommendations contained in that paper and will respond to the committee in due course.

Nairn Bypass

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects a bypass to be constructed around the town of Nairn.

At present there are no immediate proposals for a Nairn bypass. Nairn is predominantly an end destination and the volume of through traffic on the A96 is insufficient to justify provision of a bypass.There are, however, plans for a major scheme to build a new Nairn railway bridge which will include improvements to the layout of the junction of the A96 and A939, provide a new alignment under the railway and considerably ease traffic flow at the east end of the town.

Defence

War Widows

133.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the net annual cost to the Exchequer if the war widows' pension for pre-1973 war widows were to be placed on the same level as applies to post-1973 war widows.

The standard rate of war widows pension paid by the Department of Social Security is the same regardless of when the husband served or died. Differences arise in the total benefits received by war widows for a number of reasons, such as their eligibility for awards under the provisions of the occupational scheme for the armed forces, the date of the award under the scheme, and eligibility for other pensions or income-related benefits. It has been estimated that the cost of awarding an attributable family pension under the armed forces occupational pension scheme, at current rates, to all service widows who are ineligible for such an award but who receive a war widows pension under the DSS scheme, would be around £200 million a year. That is an approximate cost. Production of a refined net cost would require a detailed assessment of the personal circumstances of every war widow who would be affected.

Ss21 Missile

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment as to the number of SS21 missile launchers that were deployed by the USSR when Mr. Gorbachev came to office.

In 1985, the year in which Mr. Gorbachev took office, we currently estimate that the USSR deployed in the region of 90 SS21 missile launchers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of the range of the SS21 missile.

The range of the SS21 is estimated to be approximately 90 km.

Trident

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment as to the proportion of time during which at least one Trident submarine could not he guaranteed to be on station if only three Trident submarines were procured.

I am unable for reasons of security to give details of my Department's assessment. However, I can say that a three-submarine force could not guarantee the presence of at least one submarine on station at all times. Continuity of operations is essential to the maintenance of a credible strategic deterrent, and has been our policy throughout the life of the Polaris force. It follows, therefore, that the planned Trident force must comprise four submarines if an effective deterrent is to be maintained.

Soviet Short-Range Weapons

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the basis upon which his Department has calculated that 95 per cent. of Soviet short-range systems have been modernised.

It is not the practice to give details of the sources and methods used to make such estimates.

Destroyers And Frigates

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all the destroyers and frigates in table 1 are declared to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, pursuant to the information provided by his Department to the Defence Select Committee, 6th report, Session 1988–89, HC 419, page vii, table 1.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 November 1989, at column 482.

Defence Equipment

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether figures for the United Kingdom's defence equipment holdings have been made publicly available prior to publication in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation publication, "Conventional Forces in Europe: The Facts", dated November 1988.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make it his Department's practice to publish the United Kingdom's equipment holdings, as set out in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation publication, "Conventional Forces in Europe: The Facts", in subsequent editions of the Statement on the Defence Estimates.

There are no current plans to do so. The annual Statements on the Defence Estimates already contain extensive information on United Kingdom forces.

Baor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has made any assessment as to the likely effects on the British Army of the Rhine of the use of nuclear artillery shells by United Kingdom forces against WTO forces.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 6 November at column 482.

Combat Aircraft

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the figures for combat aircraft in the statement on the defence estimates 1989 include air defence fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, training aircraft and electronic counter-measure aircraft.

As explained in footnotes, the figures for combat aircraft in figures 8 and 9 of chapter 6 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 include fighters, fighter-bombers, light and medium bombers, reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft, but exclude combat capable trainers. Figure 11 covers the same types of aircraft, except that the Warsaw pact calculation of the ratio of aircraft (shown in the right-hand column) also includes naval aircraft.

Tornado

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Tornado aircraft is a longer-range intermediate nuclear force or shorter-range intermediate nuclear force capable aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to figure 12 in volume I of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989 (Cm. 675—I).

Malawi

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aid his Department supplied to the Government of Malawi since 1979.

The Minister of Defence does not provide aid as such. However, in recent years the British Government, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, have given limited assistance to the Malawian army in the form of military training and gifts of non-lethal defence equipment. It is not our practice to disclose the cost of such assistance to individual countries.

Wales

Housing (Disabled And Elderly)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has plans to encourage Welsh local authorities to build houses in their areas especially for single disabled and elderly people.

It is for local authorities to determine how best to use the resources available to them, taking account of local needs and seeking to maximise value for money. Generally, local authorities should seek to achieve this by, for example, entering into partnership arrangements with the voluntary and private sectors to meet all aspects of their housing need.

National Museum (Admission Charges)

87.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the fall in attendance at the National Museum of Wales following the introduction of admission charges.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 6 November 1989, Vol. 159, c. 444–45.

Chernobyl

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of (a) farms, (b) sheep and (c) acres in Wales currently under restriction owing to the radioactive contamination following the Chernobyl accident.

Approximately 416 holdings, 300,000 sheep and 210,000 acres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure he has incurred in compensation for farmers as a result of the Chernobyl accident for each year since 1986 in Wales.

Payments have been as follows:

	£
1986	1,830,887
1987	1,416,812
1988	573,825
¹1989	349,960
¹ To the end October

Sheep

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to assist the sheep industry within the hill areas of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The sheep industry in the hill areas of Wales benefits directly from a number of measures, including the hill livestock compensatory allowances, the sheep annual premium and the sheep variable premium. In addition, the farm and conservation grant scheme provides assistance to improve the efficiency and structure of the industry.

Welsh Development Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency and what issues were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

I have frequent meetings with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss matters relating to the whole range of the agency's activities.

Water Privatisation

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to require that the sale of shares in Welsh Water is dealt with through an address in Wales.

No.

Water Pollution

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he has made any orders under section 111 of the Water Act relating to water protection measures;(2) if he will introduce measures under section 111 of the Water Act empowering the National Rivers Authority to issue consents in respect of potentially hazardous material stored alongside or in proximity to water courses in the valleys of the south Wales coalfield.

No. It is for the National Rivers Authority or a water undertaker to apply to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State if they consider it necessary to restrict particular activities likely to result in the pollution of water.

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many male (a) employees and (b) self-employed and female (i) full and (ii) part-time were in employment in Wales on the latest date for which figures are available.

In June 1989, the latest date for which information is available, the position is shown in the following table:

'000s
Males Employees in		Females Employees in Employment¹
Employment¹	Self Employed²	Full-time	Part-time
517	111	251	197
Source: Employment Department.
¹ Quarterly estimate series.
² Based on Annual Labour Force Survey and decennial Census of Population.

National Rivers Authority

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will require the National Rivers Authority to review the effectiveness of its communications and emergency planning systems with the emergency services;

(2) if he will seek an urgent meeting with the chairman of the National Rivers Authority to discuss its response to the recent pollution incident in the Rhymney river;

(3) if he will take steps to ensure that the National Rivers Authority implements a programme of re-stocking of the Rhymney river to replace fish stocks lost during the recent pollution incident;

(4) what information he has about the extent of pollution of the Rhymney river following an incident on 17 November; what were the numbers and species of fish killed; and if he will make a statement;

(5) what information he has about the loss of or damage to the fauna and flora of the Rhymney river, other than fish life, following the recent pollution incident.

The pollution incident on 17 November affected approximately 20 km of the River Rhymney between New Tredegar and Machen. The National Rivers Authority estimates that some 20,000 fish were killed, the majority of which were brown and juvenile sea trout but some grayling and small numbers of juvenile salmon, roach, chub, rainbow trout, pike, adult salmon and sea trout were also affected. There is no discernable evidence of damage of the flora or other fauna of the river. The authority proposes to commence a restocking programme early in 1990.The NRA will be producing a full report on the incident which will be copied to me. The Welsh region of the Authority has a formal procedure for continually reviewing the effectiveness of its communications and emergency planning systems.

Water Privatisation

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the upper limit and the lower limit, respectively, on the proportion of shares in Welsh Water which will be sold only to Welsh people in the current share flotation;(2) what is the upper limit and the lower limit, respectively, on the proportion of shares in Welsh Water which are being made available to foreign investors;(3) what is the upper limit and the lower limit, respectively, on the proportion of shares in Welsh Water which will be sold only to British people.

Initially 18·5 per cent. of the total offer is being made available to overseas investors. If there is a heavy demand for shares by members of the public a clawback provision allows for 25 per cent. of the shares available under the overseas offer to be made available to the public.Under the United Kingdom offer for sale 23·55 per cent. of the ordinary share capital is being made available to the general public (including eligible customers, employees and pensioners of the company). A further 3

Number of dwellings with certain characteristics
	Wales		Gwent		Newport
Characteristic	1981	1986	1981	1986	1986
Unfit	90,900	79,900	17,000	8,800	1,300
Threshold repair cost¹	243,900	123,600	30,700	14,700	1,700
Lacking inside we	55,000	19,600	6,100	2,100	400
Lacking fixed bath or shower	44,300	14,900	4,800	2,000	400
¹Threshold figures for repair costs are £2,500 and £.3,000 in 1981 and 1986 respectively.

Since 1986, a substantial additional renovation has been carried out with grant assistance: the total numbers

per cent. is reserved to meet share bonus entitlements and applications from eligible employees under the free and matching offers. If both the overseas and the institutional clawbacks are triggered, 46·875 per cent. of the ordinary share capital is available to the general public.

Eligible customers of Welsh Water who apply for shares in the company will be able to indicate whether they wish to receive customer bonus shares or a customer discount if their application is successful. It is for individuals, including those who are Welsh, to decide for themselves whether or not to buy shares.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the £62 million cost of the present water flotation will fall to met by Welsh Water plc.

The prospectus for the water share offers which has been placed in the Library discloses that Welsh Water estimates that the expenses attributable and incidental to the Welsh combined offer will amount to £5 million (exclusive of VAT).

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what protections are built into the flotation process for Welsh Water to guard against foreign takeover; and what guarantees exist to ensure these protections have long-term effect.

I will hold a special share in Welsh Water which will empower me to prevent anyone from owning more than 15 per cent. of the shares in Welsh Water plc in the period up to 31 December 1994. Following the redemption of the special share the 15 per cent. limitation on shareholding will remain unless it is removed by a vote of 75 per cent. of shareholders in a special resolution.

Housing

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many houses in (a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport are classified as unfit to live in at the latest available date;(2) how many houses in

(a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport are seriously in need of repair at the latest available date;

(3) how many houses in (a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport lack (i) an inside toilet and (ii) a fixed bath at the latest available date.

Estimates from the 1986 Welsh house condition survey are given in the table together with the available comparative data on the significant improvement achieved since 1981. The data relate only to dwellings used as first homes.of dwellings renovated in Wales, Gwent and Newport since October 1986 are 53,900, 8,800 and 1,500 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many housing completions there were in (a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport in 1979; and what is the next recent figure;(2) how many housing starts there were in 1979 in

(a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) Newport; and what is the most recent figure.

The information requested is given in the following table:

	Housing Starts		Housing Completions
	1979	1988	1979	1988
Newport	432	456	594	646
Gwent	1,485	1,589	1,575	1,601
WALES	11,426	13,037	11,265	11,037

Civil Service

Trade Unions

127.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he last met representatives of the Civil Service trade unions; and what matters were discussed.

128.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he next expects to meet representatives of the Civil Service trade unions to discuss staffing levels.

129.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to meet Civil Service trade unions to discuss conditions of service; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher).

Management Training

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to promote management training in the Civil Service.

Management development programmes are available to all levels of managers in the Civil Service. The top management programme, a six-week course with equal numbers of civil servants and non-civil servants, caters for all those newly promoted to grade 3 (under-secretary). The senior management development programme, a scheme involving a wide range of developmental opportunities, provides a framework for the systematic development of managers at grades 4 to 7 (broadly, assistant secretary to principal). A wide range of other opportunities is available to more junior managers. The Civil Service College provides high quality management training for senior and developmental grades.In their response to the first report of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on Next Steps, the Government announced an incentive funding scheme designed to encourage Departments to increase their investment in training and development carried out as part of the senior mangement development programme. I am pleased to say that Departments and agencies have risen to the challenge, and this scheme has been responsible for considerable additional investment in these key management grades. I am delighted to announce that £1 million has been made available for continuing the challenge funding scheme in 1990–91.

National Finance

Civil Service Dispersal

132.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Civil Service jobs have been moved from London to other areas in each of the past three years; what steps have been taken to ensure that these operations have given satisfactory results to the public; and if he will make a statement.

Comprehensive data for the period in question is not held centrally. However, we can confirm that since April 1986 more than 4,000 Civil Service posts have been located or relocated away from London. The relocation guidelines (copy available in the Library of the House) require relocating departments to ensure that operational efficiency and overall cost effectiveness are taken into proper account in their decisions, which are announced by the relevant departmental Minister.

Privatisation

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the total income from the selling into the private sector of state-owned industries and companies since 1979.

The net proceeds from privatisation since May 1979 to date amount to some .£27½ billion.

Company Borrowing

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss company borrowing; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor meets the Governor from time to time to discuss matters of current interest.

Interest Rates

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects interest rates to fall.

Interest rates will be kept as high as is needed for as long as is needed to bring down inflation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact of high interest rates on the number of unemployed; and if he will make a statement.

The current level of interest rates is designed to bring down inflation. High inflation is the greatest threat to jobs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on interest rates.

Bank base rates are 15 per cent.

Business Start-Ups

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many business start-ups there were during the latest quarter for which figures are available.

In the calendar year 1988, the latest for which official figures have been published by the Employment Department, the net increase in the number of businesses registered for VAT was 64,000, an average of over 1,200 a week, the highest recorded level. This compares with an average weekly increase of around 800 a week in 1987.

Manufacturing, East Midlands

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much manufacturing output in the east midlands has changed in real terms since 1979.

I regret that this information is not available. Constant price estimates are not made because there are no regional price indices.

Investment

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest available figures for inward investment in the United Kingdom.

The latest information on the level of direct investment in the United Kingdom by overseas residents was published in British Business of 29 September 1989. Table 9.1 of the 1989 United Kingdom balance of payments (Pink Book) contains the latest information on the level of portfolio investment in the United Kingdom by overseas residents.

Banking And Currency

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to discuss with the European Community the development of a free market in banking and currency.

The Government are fully committed to the European single market after 1992. Financial services legislation will form a major part of the measures introduced to secure the single market and many of these have already been agreed or are under active consideration. In the banking field, the Council agreed a common position text for the second banking co-ordination directive and the associated solvency ratios directive in July. These directives, together with the own funds directive, which was formally adopted in April 1989, make up a package of measures which are intended to secure a single market in banking. Briefly, these measures will provide credit institutions (largely banks and building societies in the United Kingdom) which are authorised in one member state with a "passport" to offer banking services throughout the Community without the need of further authorisation. Further information can be obtained from the DTI booklet "The Single Market: Financial Services" published in September 1989, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.The Council adopted the capital liberalisation directive on 24 June 1988 which provides for the free movement of capital across the Community. Remaining exchange controls in most member states are due to be abolished from 1 July 1990; but Spain, Ireland, Greece and Portugal have until the end of 1992 to comply with all its terms (with the possibility of a further extension for three years in Greece and Portugal). The Government strongly support the removal of exchange controls in the community: this is essential for the development of a single market. The United Kingdom abolished all exchange controls in 1979.

The United Kingdom's response to the Delors report "An Evolutionary Approach to Economic and Monetary Union", also proposes lifting further restrictions on the use of Community currencies and removing barriers to the use of cheaper and more efficient means of payment.

Government Expenditure

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out general Government expenditure by his Department for the years 1974–75 to 1983–84, in cash and real terms, consistent with the figures for 1984–85 to 1992–93 that are set out in tables 3 and 4 of the 1989 Autumn Statement.

Figures for central Government's own expenditure by my Departments in the years 1978–79 o 1983–84 consistent with those given in tables 3 and 4 of the 1989 Autumn Statement public expenditure press notice are as follows:

£ billion
	Cash figures	Real terms figures (1988–89 prices)
1978–79	1·5	3·2
1979–80	1·7	3·3
1980–81	2·0	3·2
1981–82	2·5	3·6
1982–83	2·7	3·6
1983–84	2·5	3·3

Corresponding figures for earlier years are not readily available.

Balance Of Trade

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual balance of trade deficit or surplus for each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in each year of the 1980s.

A trade balance series for each OECD country is published by the IMF in "International Financial Statistics Yearbook".

Inflation

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the rate of inflation at the end of March in each year of the 1980s in each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

Monthly figures for the 12-month growth in consumer price inflation for each OECD country have been published by the OECD throughout the 1980s in the monthly publication "Main Economic Indicators".

The Arts

Funding

93.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what will be the rate of increase of Government support for the arts over the next three years.

The central Government programme of expenditure on the arts will increase by 24 per cent. over the next three years at an average rate of 7·5 per cent. per year.

96.

To ask the Minister for the Arts by what percentage the funding of his Department will increase in 1990–91 over 1989–90.

By 12·5 per cent.

97.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has as to what proportion of money for the arts announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement will be applied to (a) arts for the disabled, (b) arts for young people and (c) arts in the community.

The proportion of my Office's expenditure programme which are devoted to the causes described are not determined centrally. However, the institutions funded from the arts programme are aware of the needs of the disabled, etc and are free to give such support within their individual priorities. I was pleased to be able to announce a grant of £150,000 to the Carnegie trust ADAPT fund to improve the accessibility of arts venues to the disabled.

98.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what are the increases for the next three years in the funding of the Arts Council.

102.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a further statement on the increased budget for arts funding announced in the Autumn Statement.

99.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received following the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement as to the allocation of funding to the arts.

I am pleased to say that I have received a number of letters of appreciation from chairmen and directors of institutions which have benefited from the revised allocations I was able to announce on 16 November.

104.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received following his statement of support for the Arts Council and other arts funding bodies for 1990–91 and subsequent years.

I have received many representations thanking the Government for the substantial increase in arts funding which I announced on 16 November.

106.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will make a statement on three-year funding.

My aim in introducing three-year funding has been to give arts bodies a firm basis for their future planning and to encourage greater self-reliance and diversification of funding. This has involved the introduction of new measures, notably incentive funding for the performing arts and for libraries, and major increases in funding for the buildings and maintenance programme of the museums and galleries. I am very pleased at the success of the three-year strategy and congratulate arts and organisations on their achievements in diversifying and increasing their sources of funding from the private sector, and on becoming more professional in their management in recent years.On 16 November I announced that following a review of the provisions made in last year's three-year settlement for 1990–91 and 1991–92, in the light of price movements and other developments. I was increasing those provisions by £33 million in each year. I was also pleased to announce an extension of the three-year funding programme to 1992–93, with an increase of 24 per cent. over that period.

107.

To ask the Minister for the Arts, whether he will make a statement on the budget of the Office of Arts and Libraries for the next three years.

My Office's total central Government programme of expenditure on the arts, including provision for the heritage and for the British Library St. Pancras project, will rise from £439 million in the current year to £544 million in 1992–93, an increase of 24 per cent.

115.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether the priority requests from the directors of the national museums and galleries have been met in his allocation of funds over the coming three years.

In the funding announcement that I made on 16 November I have taken account of the priorities detailed in the corporate plans of the national museums and galleries submitted to us earlier this year, especially on running costs, buildings, and maintenance and the conservation of collections. Over the period 1990–91 to 1992–93 expenditure on national museums and galleries will rise by 25 per cent. overall, and there will be an extra 34 per cent. for building and maintenance in the same period.

Wilding Report

94.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has met the chairman and director of East Midlands Arts to discuss the Wilding report.

I have not yet done so.

103.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what timetable he is envisaging for his response to the Wilding report on regional arts.

I hope to announce my decision on Mr. Wilding's recommendations as soon as possible in the new year.

105.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has met the chairman and director of North West Arts to discuss the Wilding report.

I have not done so, but I plan that such a meeting should take place in the near future.

114.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to meet the chairman and director of the Lincolnshire and Humberside Arts Association to discuss the implications of the Wilding report.

I have asked for written representations but will, of course, be prepared to see the chairman and director if they wish.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received on the proposals in the Wilding report from arts organisations and local authorities in the east midlands.

I have received a number of representations from such bodies.

Inflation

95.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will make a statement on the effect of inflation on arts bodies over the past two years.

The settlement I announced recently for the next three years has taken into account levels of inflation in the last two years.

117.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the increase over the next two years in the grant to the Arts Council.

98.

To ask the Minister for the Arts, what are the increases for the next three years in the funding of the Arts Council.

I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) earlier today.

Museums And Galleries (Repairs)

100.

To ask the Minister for the Arts how he intends to meet the need for the repair and refurbishment of museums and galleries.

I announced on 16 November that the provision for the building and maintenance programme at the national museums and galleries which I sponsor will increase by 34 per cent. to some £64 million in 1992–93. This will bring the total provision for building and maintenance over the next three years to over £180 million.

Southern Arts

101.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what benefits there will he for Southern Arts as a result of the increased expenditure for the arts announced in the Autumn Statement.

It is for the Arts Council to determine the level of its grant to the 12 regional arts associations. In 1990–91 these will increase by 10 per cent. in total. I am confident that this will enable all the RAAs to build on their excellent achievements of recent years.

Autumn Statement

108.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the implications for his Office of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to my announcement on 16 November about the new three-year arts programme, which followed directly on the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement and the public expenditure programmes it contained. My new programme allows for growth on 24 per cent. over the years to 1992–93.

"Supporting The Arts"

109.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the proposed national touring board referred to in "Supporting the Arts".

This is one of a large number of recommendations that Mr. Wilding makes in his report. I shall not be reaching decisions about any part of the report until after the end of the consultation period.

Purchase Grants

110.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what consideration he is giving to increasing the purchase grants of the national museums and galleries and the National Heritage memorial fund; and if he will make a statement.

The increase in the grants for the national museums and galleries that I announced on 16 November were directed to the institutions' own priorities of running costs and building maintenance. Purchase grants were not increased but I shall be discussing with the institutions concerned whether there is now scope for adjusting the balance of their budgets to allow additional expenditure on purchases.The grant to the national heritage memorial fund is being maintained at £3 million a year for the time being, with equal shares being provided by my Department and by that of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The requirements of the fund for 1991–92 onwards will be the subject of separate consideration.

Achievements

111.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the Government's achievements in the arts since 1979.

The Government's achievements in the arts since 1979 have been both numerous and varied. Among the most important, I would list:

The maintenance of central Government support for arts activities, and the introduction of measures to encourage greater self-reliance among arts institutions.

The establishment of a three-year programme of funding for the arts.

The introduction of corporate planning for the national museums and galleries and other non-departmental bodies, linked to the three-year funding programme.

The national museums and galleries being given greater control over their affairs by the move to grant-in-aid funding, and by their being untied from the Property Services Agency.

The major expansion schemes at some national museums and galleries, including the Clore gallery at the Tate, the new Tate gallery in Liverpool, and the re-development of the new Imperial War museum.

The Government's support for the development strategies designed to give the regions a larger share of arts spending and facilities.

The significant upsurge in, and continued success of, business sponsorship of the arts.

The new marketing initiatives to encourage arts bodies to market themselves more professionally and to increase access to the arts.

The creation of the national heritage memorial fund.

The development of incentive funding schemes for the performing arts and for public libraries, designed to encourage subsidised bodies to become more self-reliant in their development and growth.

The setting up and implementation of the pubic lending right scheme.

The very substantial progress with the British Library's St. Pancras project which will bring together most of the library's London-based collections and reading rooms on a single site, and provide much-improved facilities.

Towngate Theatre, Basildon

112.

To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last visited the Towngate theatre in Basildon to discuss funding for the dramatic arts.

I last visited the Towngate theatre on 13 April 1988 just prior to its opening.

Spending

113.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the current level of expenditure per capita on the arts.

The central Government programme of expenditure on the arts administered by my Office represents £9 per capita in England in the current financial year. This is of course a small fraction of the total spending on the arts throughout the country by local authorities, independent organisations and individuals themselves.

Admissions

116.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the current level of admissions to national galleries and museums.

I understand that in 1988 the total number of visitors to the 11 national museums and galleries for which I am responsible, including their outstations, was 20,571,119.

Business Sponsorship

118.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has assessed the extent to which business sponsorship of the arts benefits innovative projects and small local arts bodies.

Under my incentive scheme business sponsors increasingly support innovative projects such as fringe theatre, local choirs and youth brass bands. Seventy per cent. of the awards go to groups based outside London. In addition, the business in the arts initiative, run by the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts, encourages local business communities to help with all manner of arts projects.

Arts Council

119.

To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council, and what was discussed.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon West, (Miss Nicholson).

Grant Aid, Devon

120.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the value of grant aid for the arts provided for Devon in 1988; and which were the two organisations receiving the most funding.

South West Arts provided £386,000 for the arts in Devon in 1988–89 while the Arts Council directly funded organisations to the tune of £461.000. The Theatre Royal, Plymouth, and the Northcott theatre, Exeter, were the two organisations receiving the most funding.

Royal Shakespeare Company

121.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he proposes to visit the Royal Shakespeare Company during its stay in Newcastle upon Tyne in February and March 1990.

I have no plans to do so, but I welcome the company's regular visits to Newcastle upon Tyne.

Rural Museums And Galleries

To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to encourage the development of museums and galleries in rural areas.

In my announcement of 16 November I increased the allocation to the Museums and Galleries Commission which supports the network of area museum councils. The area museum councils in turn assist with the development of local museums and galleries, including those in rural areas. The area museums service for south-eastern England, for example, is funding countywide consultancy groups, including one in Cambridgeshire, to improve local museum standards.

Employment

Football Clubs (Safety Inspections)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many football clubs have been inspected by the Health and Safety Executive over the last 12 months for which figures are available.

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Payment Of Bills

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received following the issue in May 1986 and July 1989 of the booklet "Payment on Time" to indicate the success or otherwise of a voluntary code of practice to tackle the problem of the late payment of bills.

We have received representations from a number of individuals and organisations following the publication of "Payment on Time" in 1986 and of "Prompt Payment Please" in 1988. These have been largely favourable and support the principle of voluntary arrangements to improve payment practice. I was very pleased that the top 100 companies were able to endorse the publication.

Young People (Protection)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to protect young people while at work.

The health and safety of virtually all employees, regardless of age, is fully protected by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and its relevant statutory provisions. This includes young people on training courses designated under the Health and Safety (Training for Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 1989.

Yts (Accidents)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many fatal, major and minor reportable accidents occurred on YTS for each quarter since I October 1988, and what these figures were by region and as a percentage of total YTS trainees in each region.

The tables give the numbers of fatal, major and minor reportable accidents which occurred in

Quarter 1 April 1989—30 June 1989
	Accidents¹
Region	Numbers in training³	Fatal	Major²	Minor	All accident rate/100,000³
Scotland	47,021	1	20	97	1,003
Northern	29,339	1	12	89	1,390
North West	58,260	—	30	115	995
Yorkshire and Humberside	44,209	—	12	102	1,031
West Midlands	42,309	—	16	55	671
East Midlands and Eastern	44,755	—	8	34	375
Wales	23,509	—	6	55	1,037
South West	28,785	—	9	16	347
South East	38,536	—	10	30	415
London	20,543	—	3	6	175

Quarter 1 July 1989—30 September 1989
	Accidents¹
Region	Numbers in training³	Fatal	Major²	Minor	All accident rate/100,000³
Scotland	49,494	—	30	89	961
Northern	31,640	—	11	99	1,390
North West	62,904	—	22	142	1,042
Yorkshire and Humberside	48,035	—	21	85	882
West Midlands	45,629	—	13	70	727
East Midlands and Eastern	48,358	—	15	55	579
Wales	24,514	—	9	47	913
South West	30,966	—	4	30	439
South East	40,021	—	10	29	389
London	20,887	—	4	8	229

Quarter: 1 October 1988 to 31 December 1988
	Numbers in training³	Accidents:¹			All accident rate/100,000
Region	Numbers in training³	Fatal	Major²	Minor	All accident rate/100,000
Scotland	48,679	1	22	97	986
Northern	32,587	—	14	130	1,767
North West	65,836	1	33	116	911
Yorkshire and Humberside	49,011	1	28	101	1,060
West Midlands	48,578	—	8	73	666
East Midlands and Eastern	50,346	—	24	84	858
Wales	25,297	—	8	87	1,502
South West	33,026	—	12	44	678
South East	44,151	—	14	58	652
London	22,571	—	1	13	248

Quarter: 1 January 1989 to 30 March 1989
	Numbers in training³	Accidents:¹			All accident rate/100,000
Region	Numbers in training³	Fatal	Major²	Minor	All accident rate/100,000
Scotland	49,454	—	15	95	889
Northern	30,633	—	17	94	1,449
North West	60,920	—	34	123	1,030
Yorkshire and Humberside	45,461	—	28	123	1,328
West Midlands	43,937	1	19	103	1,119
East Midlands and Eastern	46,888	—	16	51	571
Wales	23,880	—	8	51	988
South West	30,587	—	5	30	457
South East	40,278	—	6	35	407
London	21,242	—	2	11	244
¹ Training Agency figures have been compiled on a similar basis to those prepared by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on employed persons. However, the Training Agency's figures will include a number of accidents to trainees in educational establishments and road traffic accidents which may not have been reportable to HSE had the individuals been employed. HSE information is also collected on

YTS for each quarter since 1 October 1988 by region. Accident rates are expressed as an annual rate per 100,000 trainees.

Quarterly regional accident statistics vary markedly between regions and over time and should be interpreted with caution. The figures are subject to statistically random fluctuations, but are also heavily influenced by differences and changes in the occupational mix of training, in the administrative process of collecting the statistics, and other factors.

a different geographical basis.

² Major injuries are classified according to the severity criteria laid down in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR). These regulations which came into force on 1 April 1986 reclassified fractured wrists and ankles as major injuries which were not considered to be major under the previous regulations, the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 (NADOR).

³ These figures are provisional.

Disabled Workers

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to introduce further incentives in the near future to encourage firms to employ an increased percentage of disabled workers.

Measures to encourage the employment of people with disabilities are among the matters being considered in the internal review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has been undertaking. A consultative document covering the conclusions reached in the review will be published as soon as possible.

Retail Prices

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to develop indicators for retail prices, which take account of regional variations, including variations in housing costs; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The RPI already takes account of regional variations in housing costs and other prices since it is based on expenditure information and price quotations from every region, weighted together so as to give an appropriately balanced indicator for the United Kingdom as a whole. It has never been the practice to compile separate indicators for the different regions and I have no plans to do so.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Fishing Limit (Isle Of Man)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place between his Department and the European Commission about the implications for European Community fisheries policy of a 12-mile fishing limit around the Isle of Man; and if he will make a statement.

None. Common fisheries policy provisions already apply to the area which would be covered by an extended 12-mile limit and will continue to do so given our obligations under community treaties.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place between his Department and representatives of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations about a proposed 12-mile fishing limit around the Isle of Man.

None. The NFFO is, however, aware that given the provision in the Territorial Sea Act 1987 for a 12-mile territorial sea for the Isle of Man, Fisheries and other Departments are considering how this should be put into effect. The NFFO has been assured that any arrangement made would clearly have to safeguard the interests of all fishermen, and our Community obligations.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place between his Ministry and the Isle of Man authorities about a proposed 12-mile fishing limit around the Isle of Man; and what is the position of the Government.

Fisheries Departments have discussed with the Home Office and the Isle of Man authorities how the provision for a 12-mile territorial sea round the Isle of Man contained in the Territorial Sea Act 1987 might be implemented in relation to fishing. We are clear that it is necessary to safeguard the rights of all fishermen and our Community obligations.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the meetings he has had with the Isle if Man authorities over their proposals to impose a 12-mile exclusion zone for fishing.

There are no proposals for a 12-mile exclusion zone for fishing. What is being explored are arrangements for implementing the provision in the 1987 Territorial Sea Act for a 12-mile territorial sea for the Isle of Man. For fishing, these would have to safeguard the interests and traditional rights of all fishermen within 12 miles of the Isle of Man.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with fishermen's repesentatives over the proposals by the Isle of Man to impose a 12-mile exclusion zone for fishing.

None. There are no proposals for a 12-mile exclusion zone for fishing.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the proposals of the Isle of Man authorities to impose a 12-mile exclusion zone for United Kingdom fishermen; and if he will make a statement.

The Isle of Man have made no proposals for a 12-mile exclusion zone for fishing. Nor would the Government entertain any proposals which did not accommodate the traditional rights of all fishermen.

Haddock Quota

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent English fishermen have been denied part of the 1989 haddock quota as a result of overfishing in Scotland; what steps he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence; and what proposals he has to compensate the fishermen concerned by increasing their future quotas at the expense of those who overfished or otherwise.

Catches to 11 November (latest available) show that three Scottish groups and one English group exceeded their allocations by 1,257 tonnes and 75 tonnes respectively. As a result the following groups (which contain both English and Scottish members) were prevented from taking 1,172 tonnes of their allocations: Anglo-Scottish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd., the non-sectoral group, and the group comprising vessels of 10 metres and under. In addition two Scottish groups were unable to take their full allocations. Fisheries Departments have recently consulted the industry about arrangements for the 1990 fishery, and it was agreed that compensation should be available to groups disadvantaged by the overfishing of others. Fisheries Departments will continue to monitor uptake in 1990 and will withdraw licences from any group which they estimate has taken its allocation.

Pesticides

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the pesticides/active ingredients for which he has withdrawn approval for each year since 1985; and if he will make a statement.

Approvals for pesticide products containing the following active ingredients were revoked:

1985

bitertanol

1988

binapacryl
chlordane (one remaining use which expires December 1992)
cyhexatin
dinoseb
dinoseb-acetate
dinoseb-amine
dinoterb
DNOC

1989

aldrin
captafol
dieldrin

Milk

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the contaminants for which milk is tested prior to sale; and if he will make a statement.

Production and processing conditions are strictly regulated with a view to ensuring that contamination does not occur. In addition, the Milk Marketing Board tests raw milk to assess its bacterial quality and to detect antibiotic residues and similar tests are carried out by processing dairies. The Ministry prescribes bacteriological standards for the finished product and monitors milk for contaminants under its food surveillance programme.

Chernobyl

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of (a) farms, (b) sheep and (c) acres currently under restriction due to the radioactive contamination in England following the Chernobyl accident.

The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:

(a) 150 Cumbrian holdings.

(b) With some 170,000 sheep (maximum post-lambing figure).

(c) In a restricted area comprising some 116,000 acres.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what expenditure he has incurred in compensation for farmers as a result of the Chernobyl accident for each year since 1986 in England.

Payments in England have been as follows:

	£
1986	189,749
1987	212,402
1988	128,545
¹1989	53,842
¹ To end of October.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of cattle found to have bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the age ranges (i) 0 to six months, (ii) seven to 12 months, (iii) 13 to 18 months, (iv) 19 months to two years, and (v) two years and over.

The answer is as follows:

(i) None.

(ii) None.

(iii) None.

(iv) None.

(v) All the 7,925 confirmed cases so far have been two years of age.

State Veterinary Service

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the reviews of the state veterinary service he has undertaken over the last 10 years, giving the year in which each review was carried out; and if he will make a statement.

Apart from the routine programme of staff inspections throughout the Department, the State Veterinary Service (SVS) has been the subject of two reviews since 1979. An efficiency study of the veterinary investigation service was carried out in 1984, followed by a review of the divisional organisation of the SVS in 1985. As an arm of the agricultural development and advisory service, the service was also considered in the review of ADAS organisation and management in June 1986.

Salmonella

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what temperature requirements he imposes on rendering plants for the heating of animal material; and if he will make a statement.

Animal protein processors are subject to the requirements of the Processed Animal Protein Order 1989. This does not contain specific temperature requirements but lays down controls which are designed to prevent the removal from processing plants of animal protein, for use as feedingstuffs, which is contaminated with salmonella.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tests are carried out for salmonella in chickens imported into the United Kingdom for breeding purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Chickens imported into Great Britain for breeding purposes undergo a serological test for salmonellosis when they reach 16 to 18 weeks of age, which is towards the end of the required post-import isolation period. Imported chickens are also subject to the detailed bacteriological testing regime laid down by the Poultry Breeding Flocks and Hatcheries (Registration and Testing) Order 1989.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which European Community measures he is proposing to adopt to tackle the problem of salmonella in poultry foods; and if he will make a statement.

The European Commission is drafting proposed measures on salmonella which are expected to include controls on feedingstuffs. If agreed by the Council these would apply throughout the Community.

Listeria (Milk)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will conduct an inquiry into the listeria contamination of milk.

My officials have been in touch with the industry about the Public Health Laboratory Service findings, which are provisional, and individual firms have taken action to deal with the very low levels of contamination detected.

Malawi

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what aid his Department supplies to the Government of Malawi either directly or through other agencies since 1979.

Aid for Malawi is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development. However, my Department plays an active role in the development of United Kingdom and EC measures, including in particular, those affecting trade in agricultural products, which are intended to provide benefits for developing countries, including Malawi.

Lead-Contaminated Feed

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of his Ministry's laboratories in England and Wales are currently involved in the food monitoring programme arising from the import of lead-contaminated animal feed; and if he will estimate by percentage of the total the amount of work carried out in each case.

Between 7 and 23 November inclusive, the following laboratories were engaged in the analysis of samples in connection with the food monitoring programme:

	Percentage allocation of work
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, Aberdeen	4
Milk Marketing Board, Thames Ditton	80
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food regional office, Leeds	1
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food food science laboratory, Norwich	11
Plymouth polytechnic	1
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Harwell	3

Farmers' Retirement

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to stimulate a farmers' retirement scheme for introduction in appropriate areas, to encourage farmers to sell their land or part of it for forestry purposes.

I have no plans at present to introduce such a scheme.

Food Labelling

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress with nutritional labelling.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 November 1989]: My reply of 24 November contained a typing error. I apologise to the hon. Member. The reply should have read:

We are taking an active part in negotiation of the European Commission's nutrition labelling proposals and hope that a common position will be reached soon. The proposals are similar to the Ministry's nutrition labelling guidelines and provide for a voluntary system of nutrition labelling with a mandatory format so that consumers can compare products more easily. Nutrition labelling would be compulsory only when a nutrition claim was made. There is provision for a three-year lead-in period to allow labels to be changed and, given the close resemblance of the guidelines to the Commission proposals, I hope that manufacturers and retailers will be encouraged to provide as much nutrition information as possible within their resources according to the guidelines until Community legislation is in place.

I also refer the hon. Member to the debate on nutritional labelling in Standing Committee on 1 November 1989 (ISBN 0 10 999789 1)

Social Security

War Widows

11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women covered by Liverpool social security offices are receiving the pre-1973 rate for war widows' pensions.

Under the war pensions scheme administered by my Department, the basic pension paid to a war widow is the same regardless of when she was widowed. There are, however, extra payments to older widows, which will be further improved in real terms next April. It is estimated that about 2,000 war widows live in the Liverpool area.

21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received about war widows' pensions.

27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received recently concerning the payment of pensions and other benefits to war widows.

We have received a number of representations, mainly about the position of war widows who do not receive a pension under the armed forces pension scheme administered by the Ministry of Defence.

47.

To ask the Secretary of State for Security what provision his Department makes for the support of war widows.

The standard war widows pension is £56·65 a week. In addition age allowances of £6·10 at 65, £12·20 at 70 and £13·50 at 80 are paid. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced, these amounts will be increased next April to £60·95, £7, £13·50 and £20 respectively. All war pensions and allowances are tax free. A widow receiving a war widows' pension may also receive any national insurance benefit earned by her own contributions. When claiming income-related benefits £5 of a war widows pension is disregarded. This statutory disregard will be doubled to £10 from next April.

Social Fund

13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the rate of refusal for (a) grants and (b) loans under the social fund for each month since April 1988.

The information is as follows:

Refusals as a percentage of applications processed
	CCGs	Budgeting loans	Crisis loans
April 1988	54·5	65·9	17·1
May 1988	55·8	41·1	13·1
June 1988	55·7	42·0	11·8
July 1988	54·7	42·1	10·2
August 1988	54·6	39·6	10·3
September 1988	53·0	40·0	10·1
October 1988	52·1	36·4	10·0
November 1988	50·5	35·1	9·7
December 1988	48·0	34·0	10·2
January 1989	44·8	44·0	9·1
February 1989	44·5	37·0	9·2
March 1989	43·4	37·0	8·7
April 1989	52·6	41·3	9·2
May 1989	55·3	42·2	9·5
June 1989	56·6	48·4	9·2
July 1989	56·6	42·0	9·5
August 1989	55·7	45·9	9·3
September 1989	56·5	46·7	9·1
October 1989 (provisional)	56·7	45·3	9·1

38.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications there were for grants and loans from the social fund in the last month for which figures are available; what was the monthly average for the last financial year; and whether he has any plans to increase the size of the fund.

With regard to the size of the budget, I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 10 November 1989 at column 812. The average number of applications received in 1988–89 can be derived from information in the Secretary of State's annual report published in July 1989. Figures for the period April to October 1989 can be derived from the information placed monthly in the Library.

45.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider his allocation of resources to the social fund.

69.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider his allocation of resources to the social fund.

83.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider his allocation of resources to the social fund.

We are continuing to monitor closely the situation in the current year. We shall announce the individual social fund allocations to local offices for 1990–91 in due course.

82.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning the availability of social fund loans.

Between 1 April 1989 and 13 November 1989 we received 129 letters from hon. and right hon. Members and 120 letters from members of the public specifically concerning social fund loans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of the social fund.

We are continuing to monitor closely the operation of the social fund. Nearly 1½ million interest-free loans have been made since the scheme began averaging £211 for budgeting loans and £46 for crisis loans. Over a quarter of a million community care grants have been awarded averaging £266. The number of awards of community care grants awarded in the period April to October 1989 was 128 per cent. higher than in the same period last year, and the numbers of budgeting loans increased by 36 per cent. over the same period.The flexible way in which the scheme operates has enabled social fund officers to provide help which would not have been available under the rigid regulations of the old single payments scheme.

Pensioners' Incomes

14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures he has available on the growth of pensioners' incomes since 1979.

The latest available figures show that pensioners' average total net income increased by 23 per cent. in real terms between 1979 and 1986.

24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the growth in pensioners' incomes from savings since 1979.

The latest available figures show that pensioners' average income from savings grew by 64 per cent. in real terms between 1979 and 1986.

Spending

15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what amount social security spending has increased in real terms since 1979.

On current plans social security spending will be £52·6 billion in 1989–90, an increase in real terms of 35 per cent. over the figure in 1978–79, which, at today's prices, was £39 billion.

Independent Living Fund

16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social! Security how many disabled people have been assisted by the independent living fund.

More than 2,500 disabled people are currently being helped by the independent living fund.

Benefits (Young People)

17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what conclusions he is able to draw from his monitoring of the Social Security Act 1988 changes to the benefit entitlements of young people; and if he will make a statement.

26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider the entitlement of young people to benefit.

32.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the benefit entitlements of 16 to 18-year-olds.

33.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider the entitlement of young people to benefit.

35.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the benefit entitlement of 16 to 18-year-olds.

36.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider the entitlement of young people to benefit.

48.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will restore benefit to 16 and 17-year-olds.

75.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider the entitlement of young people to benefit.

85.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the benefit entitlement of 16 to 18-year-olds.

I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) earlier today.

One-Parent Families

18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the total budget of his Department is used to provide for the needs of one-parent families; and what was the corresponding percentage for 10 and 20 years ago.

Data on a consistent basis are available only for the years from 1981–82. In that year spending on lone-parent families accounted for 4·8 per cent. of total benefit expenditure compared with 7·5 per cent. for 1988–89. For the purposes of this comparison the benefits paid to lone-parents have been counted as one-parent benefit, supplementary benefit income support, housing benefit, child benefit, maternity benefit and family income supplement family credit. The comparison excludes benefit paid to widows with children because insufficient information is available.

23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends publishing the results of his Department's internal review of benefits for single parents.

Social security benefits, including those for lone-parent families, are kept constantly under review to ensure that they respond to need while encouraging independence. So, for example, my right hon. Friend's recent uprating statement recognised the special needs of lone-parent families by increasing the lone-parent premium in housing benefit from next April from £8·60 to £9·70 a week and raising the amount lone parents can earn before housing benefit is affected from £15 to £25 a week from October 1990. These changes will give further help to working lone parents with high housing costs.

Benefit Changes

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he intends doing to reduce any disincentive to work effect of the April 1988 benefit changes.

We have improved incentives by bringing about significant increases in the real value of take-home pay through reductions in income tax, increased tax allowances, the restructuring of national insurance contributions last month and improvements to in-work benefits. The replacement of family income supplement by family credit in April 1988 ended the absurd situation where an increase in pay could make people worse off. We recognise the importance of improving work incentives and shall continue to pursue policies in the future which make it worthwhile for people to take and keep employment.

62.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he estimates to be the maximum weekly addition to benefit payable as a result of his proposals announced on 25 October.

From next April, the parents of a severely disabled child under two could receive up to £65·75 in additional financial help through attendance allowance and invalid care allowance.

Family (Policy)

20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he gives to policy on the family in his conduct of social security policy.

We attach great importance to the role of the family, and have pursued policies which improve their living standards. Working families have seen significant increases in their take home pay and we have concentrated extra resources in social security on those families who most need them.

Pensioner Premiums

22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he estimates will benefit from the increases in pensioner premiums which took effect in October.

More than 2½ million pensioners will benefit from these changes. Couples will be up to £3·50 a week better off and single people will get up to £2·50 a week extra.

Pensions

25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he is considering restoring the index link between pensions and earnings.

51.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider his decision not to uprate pensions in line with earnings.

59.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will reconsider his decision not to uprate pensions in line with earnings.

74.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will review his decision not to uprate pensions in line with earnings.

I have no plans to restore the link between pensions and earnings. The Government do not accept that uprating state retirement pension in line with earnings is the key factor in improving pensioners' incomes. Between 1979 and 1986 pensioners' average total net incomes increased by 23 per cent. in real terms.

55.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will meet pensioners' representatives to discuss linking pensions to wages and prices; and if he will make a statement.

77.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met representatives of pensioners' organisations; and what matters where discussed.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State regularly meets representatives of pensioners' organisations. The last meeting he attended was shortly before the summer recess when he met a delegation from the joint committee of pensioner organisations. Amongst the topics of discussion were the reform changes, pensioners' incomes, the uprating of retirement pension, the poorer pensioners' package and National Health Service changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out recent measures to benefit pensioners; and what steps are being taken to inform those eligible of new entitlement.

In addition to the annual uprating of benefits we have introduced two wholly beneficial changes for pensioners with effect from October 1989—the abolition of the retirement pension earnings rule and the extra help for less well off elderly and disabled pensioners. Pensioners benefiting from the latter change who received income support or housing benefit had their benefit automatically increased. Separate national publicity campaigns were mounted to announce both these changes. We also identified and contacted nearly 3½ million individuals who were likely to be affected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average per capita cost of implementing an increase in pensions.

The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Family Credit Take-Up

28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the take-up of family credit; and what was his original target.

34.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the take-up of family credit; and what was his original target.

57.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the take-up of family credit; and what was his original target.

60.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the take-up of family credit; and what was his original target.

The latest information about the level of take-up relates to 1988 when a special examination of family expenditure survey returns indicated that, amongst employees, take-up was 65 per cent. in expenditure terms and 50 per cent. by caseload. The original estimates for family credit were based on an assumption that take-up would be one fifth higher than for family income supplement, the benefit it replaced.

49.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest reported percentage take-up among those who should receive family credit or income support.

The latest take-up estimates, (published in March 1989), based on FES data for April to December 1988 show that take-up for family credit over that period was 65 per cent. in expenditure terms and 50 per cent. by caseload.The latest take-up estimates for income support. (supplementary benefit) are for 1985. On a caseload basis, take-up is 84 per cent. overall. Both the caseload and the expenditure take-up of supplementary benefit is higher than for previous years. Full technical notes on these take-up estimates are available in the Library. Overall, almost £9 out of every £10 of available income-related benefit expenditure is claimed and almost four out of every five eligible people claim what they are entitled to.

63.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families are being helped by family credit; and what was the figure for family income supplement.

The latest comprehensive information about family credit is for July 1989 when over 320,000 families received the benefit. Around 213,000 families received family income supplement at the time that scheme came to an end in April 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the number of recipients of family credit.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo), earlier today.

Low-Income Families

29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional support his Department will be providing next year to low-income families with children.

We will be providing additional support in 1990–91 of around £70 million for less well-off families with children over and above the normal uprating of benefits.

Opcs Survey (Disability)

30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how may disability organisations have commented on the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey.

We have received comments on the findings of the surveys of disability carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from over 40 national and local disability organisations including the Disability Benefits Consortium which represents over 250 disability organisations.

56.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what opportunity he has given disability organisations to comment on the implications of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey on disability.

86.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what opportunity he has given disability organisations to comment on the implications for policy which arise from the data published in the Office of Population Censuses and Survey survey on disability.

The reports by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on disabled people were published between September 1988 and July 1989. Copies of the reports dealing with prevalence of disability and the financial circumstances of disabled people were sent to organisations of and for disabled people, together with the successive press notices emphasising our wish to receive comments on the reports and their implications. Many people and organisations have sent us their comments.

Travel Facilities

50.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what account he takes of concessionary travel facilities in his calculation of levels of retirement pensions.

Retirement pension is increased each year by the annual rate of the retail prices index. The RPI includes the cost of bus, coach and rail travel but does not take account of concessions in fares.

Young People

31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will make it his policy to so amend benefit regulations affecting young people as to encourage them to gain appropriate education and qualifications without providing discouragement to individuals wishing to take up either part-time or full-time courses.

I have no plans to amend regulations in the manner proposed.It is the prime responsibility of unemployed people claiming benefit to make every effort to secure paid employment. Nonetheless the benefits system is already sufficiently flexible to allow those who remain available for and are actively seeking employment to spend their spare time usefully by pursuing a course of part-time study or training. They must, though, organise their studies so that they can make adequate arrangements to seek work and must be prepared to break off their studies if a job opportunity arises. It is not the purpose of the benefits system to provide support for those who choose to study full-time. Such provision is for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education.

Hypothermia

37.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to prevent people receiving pensions and benefits from dying from cold this winter.

On 22 November I was pleased to announce, with my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, the third year of the "Keep Warm, Keep Well" campaign, a unique co-operative venture between statutory and voluntary organisations, which provides up-to-date advice about beating the cold. The campaign's leaflet contains essential information on health, food, draughtproofing, advice from the fuel industry and about cash help and cold weather payments. A copy has been placed in the Library.I hope that this third annual campaign will also increase awareness of the dangers of cold weather among those at risk, their friends, relatives and neighbours and those agencies who care for them.

Earnings Rule

39.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has as to the number of economically active pensioners in the north-west as a result of the abolition of the earnings rule.

Information is not available in the form requested.

Housing Benefit

40.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people in receipt of housing benefit in London.

At the end of February 1989 the estimated number of recipients in inner and outer London boroughs was 655,000.

Nursing Home Fees

41.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of income support claimants in private residential or nursing homes whose personal allowances are spent on meeting the fees for their care.

The information necessary to make such an estimate is not available.

Child Benefit

42.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the uprating of child benefit.

67.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the uprating of child benefit.

81.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to review the uprating of child benefit.

I refer the hon. Members to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Grant) earlier today.

44.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the Government's recent decision not to uprate child benefit.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the statement which my right hon. Friend made to the House on 25 October at columns 841–69.

58.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many mothers serving prison sentences receive child benefit; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available and could he obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the freezing of child benefit.

We have received a number of representations from organisations and individuals expressing a variety of views.

Transitional Protection

43.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he now proposes to give any additional benefit to those receiving transitional protection arising from the changes to income support from supplementary benefit.

The normal arrangement is that transitional protection is eroded when benefits are uprated or a claimant's circumstances change. An exception was made in October 1989 when the poorer pensioner package was introduced.

Computerisation

46.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect the changes in the benefit system and computerisation have had on the speed of service provided by his Department.

The speed of service has improved since the introduction of the 1988 social security reforms and the first stages of computerisation. The reforms have made the scheme easier for the public to understand and, combined with computerisation, easier for the staff to operate. As a result, so far in 1989–90, there has been a 20 per cent. improvement in the average time taken to process income support claims compared with 1987–88 and a 24 per cent. reduction in the average time income support and social fund callers spend in our offices.

79.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made in his Department's computerisation programme.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox), earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the full results of the pilot exercise on computerisation; what problems the exercise revealed; what steps he is taking to solve the problems; and what plans he has for the exercise to go nationwide.

A report of the pilot exercise on computerisation was produced in September 1989. it concluded that despite teething difficulties the systems were operating satisfactorily and problems identified in piloting had either been resolved or were being tackled as a matter of priority.The main difficulties encountered related to some of the more complex computer screens; the need to modify training courses and the need to redesign organisation and jobs.The recommendations of the pilot exercise are being implemented. Extension of computerisation to other offices began on 23 October in line with the agreed timetable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was his original estimate of the savings to be gained from computerisation; and what is his revised estimate following evaluation of the pilot exercise.

The original estimate of savings from the computerisation programme was £150 million per year by 1995. Savings estimates are regularly updated; not only as a result of pilot office evaluation but, also as a result of model office testing, changing workload forecasts and any revised development or implementation plans. We do not keep a record of the changes that are specifically attributable to pilot office evaluation.

Food Vouchers

52.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number and value of food vouchers issued (a) by the Newcastle St. James' office of his Department and (b) in the United Kingdom in the period April to October 1989.

The number of food vouchers issued by the Newcastle St. James office between 1 April and 31 October 1989 is 203 at a total value of £4,707·42. Information for the United Kingdom is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Community Charge Rebates

53.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people he estimates will qualify for community charge rebates; and if he will make a statement.

Estimates of the number of people who will receive community charge benefit are being recalculated to take account of the effects of the transitional relief scheme. I shall write to my hon. Friend when the numbers are known. The Department does not produce projections of the number of people who might be entitled to social security benefits.

Homelessness

54.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward proposals to amend the benefit regulations with a view to reducing homelessness amongst those under 25 years.

Homelessness has many complex causes and it would be wrong to relate it directly to the benefit system which still enables those who are homeless to secure and retain accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals to increase financial support for young single homeless people.

A wide range of benefits continues to be available to young single homeless people. These benefits are to be increased from April 1990 under the usual uprating arrangements. In addition, I announced today measures which will ensure that special arrangements are made in local social security offices for dealing with income support claims from 16 to 17-year-olds. In particular, all 16 to 17-year-olds will be automatically considered for special hardship payments if they are not otherwise entitled. Details have been placed in the Library.

Disabled People

61.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many disabled people will benefit from the changes in the 1990 uprating of social security benefits.

We estimate that over 500,000 disabled people and their carers will benefit from the changes announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 25 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether he has any plans to invite evidence from interested parties and independent experts when drawing up his proposals on social security benefits for the disabled;(2) whether he has any plans to review the eligibility criteria of mobility allowance so that people with a visual handicap qualify.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 13 November at columns 51–52.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to increase the level of benefits paid to disabled persons to a level that will allow them to meet the full costs incurred to them by their disability outwith the spending of the non-disabled benefits allowance;(2) what plans he has to increase the level of benefits paid to disabled persons in employment so that their income can equate to that of the national average.

My right hon. Friend has already announced on 25 October at columns 841–54 a range of improvements in benefits for disabled people and their families. Some of these assist people who, because of their disability, incur additional expenditure or have only limited earning capacity. We intend to bring forward within the next few months more far-reaching proposals, to improve the balance and structure of social security provision for disabled people.

Christmas Bonus

64.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to increase the Christmas bonus to pensioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the size of the Christmas bonus payable to pensioners.

We have no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would have been the present level of the pensioners' Christmas bonus if it had been raised since it was first introduced by (a) the rise in prices and (b) the rise in average earnings.

The level of Christmas bonus for 1989 had it been raised, since introduction, by the rise in prices or the rise in average earnings would have been £48 or £62 respectively.

Source: DSS Extract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions.

Note: Figures rounded to the nearest pound.

Income Support (Manchester)

65.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of income support claimants in Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester is served by the local offices of Ashton, Bolton, Bury, Central Manchester, Cheetham, Chorlton, Failsworth, Farnworth, Hyde, Leigh, Longsight, Middleton, Oldham, Openshaw, Rochdale, Rusholme, Sale, Salford North, Salford South, Stockport North, Stockport South, Wigan and Wythenshawe, though the boundaries are not conterminous.The number of people claiming income support is 270,216.

Source: August 1989. 100 per cent. count of cases in action. The figure includes a small number of cases not actually in receipt of benefit.

Nacab

66.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met representatives from the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux; and what was discussed.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, met representatives of the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux on Wednesday 27 September. The discussion covered a wide range of issues.

Nursing Homes

68.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy, in the light of evidence received, to review the income support levels payable to residents of private and voluntary nursing homes.

The level of income support payable to a resident of a private or voluntary nursing home depends on the actual fee charged by the home, subject to national limits depending on the type of home. It is already our policy to review these limits each year, taking account of a variety of evidence, including detailed and differing representations received from various sources. We announced our proposed increases for next year on 25 October.

70.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that social security benefits paid to people already in private residential and nursing homes in April 1991 will be uprated each year in line with rises in charges.

The income support limits will continue to be reviewed every year taking account, as now, of all the available evidence.

Community Care

71.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he proposes to increase the local office community care grant budgets; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 10 November 1989 at column 812. We shall announce individual local office allocations for 1990–91 in due course.

Personal Pensions

72.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures on the number of people opting to take out personal pensions.

Just over 3·5 million people have so far applied for an appropriate personal pension.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for men and women aged 16, 20, 30 and 40 years in April 1988, the ages at which it would pay the person concerned to cease contributing to a personal pension or other money purchase scheme, assuming rates of return of 0·5 per cent. and 2·5 per cent. above the annual increase in average earnings.

It is not possible to give such a table because of the wide range of other factors, in addition to the rate of return, which would affect the amount of the personal pension.

State Pensions

73.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the purchasing power of the state pension in the United Kingdom and in each of the European Community countries.

State pensions in most countries of the European Community are related to individual earnings before pension age and so no standard figure for a state pension is possible.Details of the pension systems of the member states of the European Community are contained in the Department's publication "Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities" the 1989 issue of which is available in the Library.

Payments

76.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average level of social security payments per capita of the total population paid in May 1979 and in May 1989 adjusted for inflation.

Dividing the total amount of Social security benefit expenditure paid in 1979–80 by estimated population produces an average annual figure of £680 at today's prices, while the corresponding figure for 1989–90 is £870.

Reforms

80.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what indicators he has used to measure the quality of service offered by his Department as a result of the 1988 social security reforms.

The quality of service offered by the Department is measured in a variety of ways. Data are collected on the speed with which business is cleared, the accuracy of benefit payments and the length of time callers spend in our offices. In addition, in local offices an annual quality assessment package measures the quality of correspondence, and face-to-face and telephone contact with the public. There is a customer opinion survey element within the package.

Cold Weather Payments

84.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the current operation of the system of cold weather payments; and if he will make a statement.

No. We have looked again at the cold weather payments scheme and we are satisfied that it concentrates the help available on those vulnerable groups most at risk from the cold.

National Insurance (Evasion)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many officers were involved in detecting evasion of payment of national insurance contributions by employers at the latest date for which figures are available; what the total estimated cost of such work amounts to; and what total actual savings resulted from such work.

There are approximately 2,000 staff in the Department's local offices who work on a full-time or part-time basis as national insurance inspectors. A major, but unquantifiable proportion of their work is concerned with ensuring that employers meet their obligations for paying national insurance contributions. Within that staff allocation 200 man years are directed solely to this work and during the year ended 31 March 1989 generated income of £34·4 million at an estimated staff cost of £2·3 million. However the main responsibility for the collection of contributions from employers rests with the Inland Revenue which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

21-Hour Rule

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the actively seeking work clauses of the Social Security Act 1989 will affect people studying under the 21-hour rule provision.

I expect the actively seeking employment condition to have similar effects on all unemployed claimants. In reinforcing the principle that it is a claimant's personal responsibility to look for work it will make a significant contribution to returning unemployed people to jobs. Unemployed claimants studying under the 21-hour rule must, as before, be prepared to leave their studies immediately should a job opportunity arise. They must also make efforts to seek employment. In determining whether a claimant has taken reasonable steps to seek employment, regard is had to time spent on vocational training or study, but no claimant, no matter how usefully he occupies his time out of work, should ignore job opportunities.

Attendance Allowance

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to accelerate the attendance allowance assessment process.

We have already been successful in reducing the average time taken to decide attendance allowance claims from 12·5 weeks in 1983 to 7·5 weeks currently. Finding ways to further accelerate the process is not a simple or quick task; but it is one of the aspects of the attendance allowance scheme which we are considering in the light of the information from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions since 1983 the general practitioner of an applicant for attendance allowance was present when their medical assessment for eligibility for the allowance was carried out; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that this information is not available.

Community Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount of money has been spent on community care grants in those offices covering Nottingham, North constituency; and what instructions have been issued by his Department to reduce the categories of people eligible for these grants.

The local offices of the Department covering the Nottingham, North constituency are Nottingham Castle gate, Nottingham David lane and Nottingham Shakespeare street.Information on the numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants processed and awarded, listed by local office, including information on budget allocations and expenditure for 1988–89 and 1989–90 to date, may be obtained from the details held in the Library.There have been no departmental instructions issued to reduce the categories of people eligible for community care grants. Local office managers are required to provide guidance to social fund officers on the level of priorities which should generally be met. Awards of community care grants from the social fund are decided by independent social fund officers based upon the individual circumstances of the applicant and the priority of their needs.

National Insurance Regulations

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the regulations governing the payment of national insurance benefits.

These regulations are contained within the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 and are as a matter of course kept under constant and ongoing review.

Local Offices (Illness)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what attempts have been made to identify stress-related illnesses suffered by staff in social security offices; and what is being done to alleviate the problem.

We have recently changed the system of collecting information on sick absences to provide more detailed analysis of illnesses which could be stress-related. The first analysis will be available in about 12 months time and will give a clearer basis for identifying any problem in this area and for exploring what needs to be done. This Department is also taking part in a long-term study on health and stress being conducted by University college, London, in conjunction with the Civil Service occupational health service.

Carers' Premium

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers on income support he estimates will benefit as a result of the new carers' premium announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), earlier today.

Income Support

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase financial provisions for pensioners on income support.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 25 October, at columns 841–54.

Turkish Kurds

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the arrangements which local offices of his Department have for notifying officials of the Home Department of the addresses at which Turkish Kurds entering the United Kingdom may reside.

Local office staff notify the Home Department of all cases where income support is paid to people from abroad. Full instructions are contained in the income support manual, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Disability Benefits Consortium

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he next expects to meet representatives of the Disability Benefits Consortium; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security expects to meet representatives of the Disability Benefits Consortium shortly.

"Delivery Of Service In The 90S"

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the purpose of his Department's study "Delivery of Service in the 90s"; who is involved in the exercise; what consultation will be carried out with staffs and clients; and when the study will be completed and published.

"Delivery of Service in the 90s" is the title of a proposed initiative to examine how we might maximise the improvements in service to the public, efficiency and job satisfaction for our staff which will be derived from our computerisation programme—the operational strategy. The initiative comprises a linked set of proposals for action in eight local offices. Staff are being encouraged to contribute ideas towards the proposals.Consultation with the staff in the offices involved and the trade unions is taking place. It is envisaged that this examination will be completed in the first half of next year. No decision on publication has been taken.

Local Office Network

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what decisions he has made regarding changes to the current local office network.

The local office network is currently being reviewed with the aim of providing a better service to the public. The review will take into account changes arising from the setting up of the benefit agency. Preliminary proposals are unlikely to be available before next spring.

Social Security Costs

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he estimates will be the increase in social security costs in the next year; and what is the breakdown of those costs between increases due to costs related to (a) unemployment and (b) other factors.

Expenditure on social security will be £55·6 billion in 1990–91, an increase of £3 billion on the estimated outturn for 1989–90, as shown in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement. However, the figure for 1990–91 excludes rent rebates in England and Wales, and the increase on a directly comparable basis is £5·6 billion. Of this increase, £0·2 billion is the result of a small change in the assumed level of unemployment, and £5·4 billion is due to other factors.

Volume 162: debated on Monday 27 November 1989

Written Answers Toquestions

Education And Science

National Curriculum

Teachers' Pay

Education Act 1988

Student Loans

Malawi

Teaching Establishments

Human Genomes

Energy

North Sea Gas

Sizewell B

Thorp

Severn Barrage

British Nuclear Fuels Plc

Non-Fossil Fuels

Apprenticeships

Switchgear

Coal Prices

Nuclear Power

Atomic Energy Commission

Winfrith

Nuclear Plants (Decommissioning)

Joint European Torus, Abingdon

Transport

Rail Accidents

London Underground

Private Bus Companies

London Bus Routes

Air Traffic

Motorways

Channel Tunnel

Coastguard Service

Noise Standards (Railways)

Motorways

Environment

Rose And Globe Theatres

Homelessness

Local Government Finance

Indigenous Shrubs And Trees

Energy Efficiency

Docklands Light Railway

Pewsey Partnership Development

Regional Fisheries Advisory Committees

Rivers Advisory Committees

Water Companies

Adjudications

London Zoo

Water Protection

Forestry Unit Areas

"Common Sense"

Hip (Waltham Forest)

Local Government Finance

Rifle Range (Palace Of Westminster)

Urban Development

Overseas Development

Malawi

Prime Minister

Haemophiliacs (Aids)

British Rail

Stedeford Report

Finchley Ambulance Station

Kincora Boys Home

Trade And Industry

Accountancy Firms

Investigations

Ec Preferences (Poland And Hungary)

Poland

Landlords And Tenants

Reports

Delta Te Immune Support Therapy

Fimbra

Girobank

Telephone Chat-Lines

Broadcasting

Iraq

Footwear Imports

Life Insurance