To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table providing similar information for male and female self-employed workers, as that contained in his answer of 15 November, Official Report, column 279.

Comparable information for the self-employed is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.

My right hon. Friend is responsible for some 6,000 appointments to a range of executive, advisory, tribunals and other public bodies. The information requested is not readily available and could not be assembled without disproportionate cost. Public bodies sponsored by this Department are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1988" available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums have been paid in compensation in each of the last three years to the families of soldiers killed in Northern Ireland; and how many cases were involved.

Claims for compensation from families of soldiers killed in Northern Ireland as a result of criminal acts, including terrorist activity, are considered by the criminal injuries compensation division of the Northern Ireland Office. My Department has made one payment of £15,000 to the family of a soldier killed in the Province, not as a result of a criminal act but on the basis of legal liability at common law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums have been paid in compensation in each of the last three years to farmers whose livestock or livelihood have been affected by low-flying aircraft; and how many cases were involved.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost and effort.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of the armed forces have been dismissed from the services for sexual offences in each year since 1979.

The information requested is readily available only for the years 1984 to 1988.During that period two officers were convicted by court martial and dismissed from the services for sexual offences, the first in 1985 and the second in 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of the armed forces have been dismissed from the services for using drugs or drug-related offences in each year since 1979.

The information is readily available only for the years 1984 to 1988.During that period one officer was dismissed, in 1986, following a court martial for drug-related offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that combat body armour is introduced into general service in 1990; and when he expects to place contracts with manufacturers to supply it.

It remains our intention to begin to introduce combat body armour into service in 1990. We expect to invite manufacturers to tender in early 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of home ownership today among (a) married and (b) all personnel in (i) the Royal Navy. (ii) the Army and (iii) the Royal Air Force.

We estimate that for married personnel the proportion of home owners is:

	per cent.
Royal Navy	75
Army	26
Royal Air Force	49

For all personnel the proportions are:

	per cent.
Royal Navy	48
Army	16
Royal Air Force	34

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about what the value added tax and corporation tax liability for charitable organisations receiving contributions from consumers using certain specified credit cards will be; and if he will make a statement.

None. Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue have identified a value added tax and corporation tax liability in a number of affinity credit card schemes which they have examined. The two Revenue departments are considering each scheme on its own merits.

Long and short-term nominal interest rates
	United Kingdom		West Germany		United States		Japan
	three month	10 year	three month	10 year	three month	10 year	three month	10 year
January	13·1	10·0	5·7	6·7	9·3	9·3	4·6	4·9
February	13·0	9·8	6·5	6·9	9·6	9·4	4·7	4·9
March	13·0	9·9	6·6	6·9	10·1	9·6	4·8	5·1
Apri	13·2	10·2	6·4	6·9	10·0	9·4	4·7	5·2
May	13·1	10·1	7·0	7·0	9·7	9·0	5·0	5·3
June	14·1	10·6	7·0	6·8	9·2	8·5	5·4	5·3
July	13·9	10·2	7·1	6·7	8·8	8·2	5·5	5·2
August	13·9	9·9	71	6·7	8·8	8·3	5·5	5·1
September	14·0	10·2	7·4	6·9	8·8	8·4	5·6	5·3
October	15·0	10·5	8·1	7·0	8·7	8·2	6·1	5·3
November	15·1	10·6	8·3	7·4	8·4	8·0	6·8	5·6

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for his Department in the last 12 months; what was the cost of each; what was the total cost; how many were carried out in-house; how many were carried out for his Department by outside organisations; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.

No market research or sample surveys have been undertaken for or by Her Majesty's Treasury.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.

The information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount payable under the Civil Lists Acts to the royal family for each year since 1979 and for the present year.

Following is the information:

	Payments for the Civil List under the Civil List Acts 1937, 1952. 1972 and 1975	Repaid by Her Majesty The Queen
Year	£	£
1979	2,996,600	218,200
1980	3,791,350	263,800
1981	4,249,273	285,073

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the short-term and long-term interest rates in each available month of 1989 in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) West Germany, (c) the United States of America and (d) Japan.

Short-term and long-term interest rates in each completed month of 1989 are given below. The short-term rates given are three-month money market rates and the long-term rates are for 10 year Government bonds.

	Payments for the Civil List under the Civil List Acts 1937, 1952, 1972 and 1975	Repaid by Her Majesty The Queen
Year	£	£
1982	4,616,683	304,700
1983	4,833,900	318,300
1984	5,017,000	331,000
1985	5,180,100	341,900
1986	5,400,600	355,600
1987	5,661,200	371,700
1988	5,922,300	386,600
1989	6,195,300	400,100

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 November, if he will identify what figures are available to him for the gross national product per head of population for the German Democratic Republic and those aspects in which they are not fully comparable.

[holding answer 4 December 1989]: Figures describing the economy of the German Democratic Republic are available from the United Nations in "National Accounts: Main Aggregates and Detailed Tables, 1986". Dara are also given in the "World Bank Atlas, 1987". Both publications are available in the Library of the House. As for many of the centrally planned economies, this information on economic activity is prepared in accordance with the United Nations system of material product balances (MPS), which differs from the United Nations system of national accounts (SNA) used to describe market economies.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name each of the chairmen of the nationalised industries; and if he will give details of salaries and other remunerations applicable to each.

[holding answer 6 December 1989]:The information requested is set out in the table:

Chairman	Nationalised Industry	1Salary £
Sir Robert Haslam	British Coal	160,000
Sir Robert Reid	British Railways Board	90,950
Mr. C. Campbell	British Shipbuilders	21,675
Mr. D. Ingham	British Waterways Board	33,700
Mr. C. Tugendhat	Civil Aviation Authority	60,000
Sir Philip Jones	Electricity Council	94,380
Lord Marshall	Central Electricity Generating Board	111,000
Mr. J. C. Smith	Eastern Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. J. F. Harris	East Midlands Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. J. J. Wilson	London Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. B. H. Weston	Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. B. S. Townsend	Midlands Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. D. Morris	North Eastern Electricity Board	80,000
Mr. K. Harvey	North Western Electricity Board	49,005
Mr. G. A. Squair	South Eastern Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. D. A. Ross	Southern Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. J. W. Evans	South Wales Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. A. W. Nichol	South Western Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. J. Porteous	Yorkshire Electricity Board	57,390
Mr. W. Newton	London Regional Transport	80,000
Mr. M. Joughin	North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board	39,750
Sir Bryan Nicholson	Post Office	102,000

Full time teacher vacancies in maintained primary and secondary schools in Cheshire: January 1984–January 1989
	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Primary vacancies:
—number	—	—	—	—	23	11
—as a percentage of full-time primary teachers in post	—	—	—	—	0·7	0·3
Secondary vacancies:
—number	40	13	19	31	31	13
—as a percentage of full-time secondary teachers in post	0·9	0·3	0·4	0·7	0·7	0·3

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has concerning the number of teachers who have left posts in Cheshire during the last 12-month period for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure in each of the previous five years.

Numbers of teachers in Cheshire leaving full-time service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (MNPS): March 1982–March 1987
			Year ending 31 March
	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986		1987
						per cent		per cent
Left full-time service in MNPS in Cheshire of which:	—	—	—	—	615	(7·8)	580	(7·5)
—to full-time service in MNPS elsewhere in England and Wales	—	—	—	—	95	(1·2)	100	(1·3)
—to full-time service in other parts of the maintained sector in Cheshire and elsewhere	—	—	—	—	20	(0·3)	30	(0·4)
—no longer in full-time service in the maintained sector in England and Wales	586	511	626	556	500	(6·4)	450	(5·8)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has concerning the number of teaching vacancies in Cheshire at present and in each of the previous five years.

Numbers of full-time teacher vacancies in Cheshire are given in the table. Information on primary vacancies was not collected prior to 1988.

The year to 31 March 1987 is the most recent for which figures are available. Detailed comparison with data from previous years is not possible prior to 1986. The figures are given in the table including more limited data for earlier years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received concerning morale in the teaching profession in Cheshire; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of letters recently from teachers in Cheshire about morale in the profession. He recognises the demands on teachers, and has on many occasions paid tribute to their hard work and professionalism.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has made to the letter from head teachers at schools in Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley.

All letters to this Department will continue to receive appropriate replies which I hope the recipients find helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish for consultation the draft order with attainment targets and programmes of study for technology in the national curriculum.

I have today published for consultation the draft order with an associated document setting out the attainment targets and programmes of study for technology in the national curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 16, as I am required to do by section 20(5) of the Education Reform Act 1988. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is consulting on the draft order under the provisions of section 21(3) of the Act. Copies have been placed in the Library.The draft order has been prepared in the light of advice from the National Curriculum Council, following its consultations on our proposals published last June. I have accepted the council's recommendations for attainment targets and programmes of study as a basis for further consultation. The consultation period ends on 19 January 1990. I intend to make the final order in March 1990, in good time for implementation from the following autumn term.The development of practical capability is a major objective of the national curriculum. The proposals in this draft order provide a focus for a wide range of practical activity in schools. Our aim is to secure a significant improvement in the design and technological capability of young people which will be of benefit to them as individuals and to the economic future of the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the research grants of each of the research councils was spent on equipment by recipients in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 November 1989]: Details of capital expenditure as a percentage of total research grant expenditure for each of the research councils, for the last five years for which outturn figures are available, are as follows:

	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89
AFRC	10·3	14·8	11·1	8·9	17·7
MRC	13·8	10·8	9·3	10·4	10·2
NERC	7·7	12·5	11·0	9·1	8·7
SERC	26·3	32·8	31·2	28·9	27·2
ESRC	1·0	1·4	0·9	1·2	3·3

Separate figures for equipment are not available.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of alleged over-lenient sentencing have been referred to the Attorney-General under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1988; and how many sentences have been revised upwards in consequence.

Sixty-one cases of alleged unduly lenient sentencing have been referred to me. I have applied for leave to refer the sentencing in nine cases to the Court of Appeal. Leave has been granted in five such cases and sentences have been increased in four of the cases. I have withdrawn two cases in the light of later information and the remaining two cases await consideration by the court.

To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to review the procedures concerning the payment of compensation to jurors for loss of earnings.The Attorney-General: There are no plans to review the procedures concerning the payment of compensation to jurors for loss of earnings.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the names and numbers of magistrates courts in England and Wales stating (a) how many justices are at each court, (b) how many are women, (c) how many are black and (d) how many are Asian.

The question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Attorney-General in how many court cases he, his hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General, or any Law Officer have appeared as Law Officers from 1970 to 1989 inclusive.

The information sought by the hon. Member is not readily available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. The Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General have each appeared in five court cases since assuming their present offices in June 1987.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of all the county courts.

The cost for the financial year 1988–89 was £134·3 million. This cost includes judicial salaries and fees, central overheads and superannuation costs.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases were dealt with in the county court of all subject headings for the years 1980 to 1989 inclusive.

Figures on the number of cases dealt with in different categories within the county courts for the years 1980 to 1988 are to be found in the Lord Chancellor's Department's annual publication "Judicial Statistics". Figures for 1989 are not yet available.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the numbers of High Court judges currently serving on the bench; and how many fall into the age groups (a) 40 to 45 years, (b) 46 to 50 years, (c) 51 to 55 years, (d) 56 to 60 years, (e) 61 to 65 years, (f) 66 to 70 years, (g) 71 to 75 years and (h) over 75 years.

There are currently 81 serving High Court judges. Their ages are as follows:

	Number
40 to 45 years	None
46 to 50 years	2
51 to 55 years	27
56 to 60 years	23
61 to 65 years	14
66 to 70 years	9
71 to 75 years	6
Over 75 years	None

To ask the Attorney-General how much public money has been expended under the green form scheme (a) by area and (b) under subject headings; and how many people have been assisted for each year since its inception.

Since the start of the green form scheme in 1972 the legal aid annual reports have included these statistics. The reports are laid before Parliament each year and are available in the Library.

To ask the Attorney-General how much public money has been expended by the legal aid fund for

	1985 £	1986 £	1987 £	1988 £
Solicitors	33,722,547·76	36,360,110·42	42,601,012·57	47,591,306·36
Barristers	34,316,242·71	38,931,994·65	49,225,506·01	52,494,458·56
Total	68,038,790·47	75,292,105·07	91,826,518·58	100,085,764·92

No separate information on disbursements for criminal legal aid in higher courts is held at national level. Any other information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

All information available since the start of the scheme in 1949 is contained either in the legal aid annual report or in the judicial statistics of the Lord Chancellor's Department which are laid before Parliament and are available in the Library. Any other information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Attorney-General how many serving Crown court recorders or circuit judges are hon. and learned Members.

Seven hon. and learned Members hold appointment as Crown court recorders. Of that seven, two are Government Ministers, and do not sit judicially. No circuit judge is an hon. and learned Member.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) what is his estimate of the cost implications of the new Courts and Legal Services Bill, as outlined in the Gracious Speech;(2) if he has costed the implications of his new Bill on legal services, as announced in the Gracious Speech.

The costs of all provisions in the Courts and Legal Services Bill, introduced yesterday, are estimated at £5·1 million in the first full year. Some £2·1 million of this relates to the provisions on legal services.

To ask the Attorney-General when he intends to publish the Courts and Legal Services Bill.

It has been published today.

To ask the Attorney-General what sums have been paid out in legal aid fees to (a) solicitors and (b) barristers in England and Wales in terms of (i) fees and (ii) disbursements for each year since 1969.

All information available about civil legal aid and legal aid in the magistrates courts is contained in the legal aid annual reports. Total expenditure on solicitors' and counsel's fees and disbursements for criminal legal aid in the higher courts in each year since 1985 is as follows:

To ask the Attorney-General if it remains the Government's intention to commit the resources required to secure full implementation of the duty solicitors scheme.

The Government will continue to provide the resources required.

To ask the Attorney-General what comparative research he has commissioned to consider the way in which other countries operate emergency advice and assistance schemes.

No such research has been commissioned into the provision of emergency advice and assistance overseas.

To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking in the light of the report on the duty solicitors scheme to ensure full implementation of the rights to access to legal advice at police stations.

The research report on the advice and assistance at police stations scheme has been made available to the Legal Aid Board which is reviewing the arrangements for providing duty solicitor advice. It expects to issue a consultation paper early next year.The report has also been made available to the Home Office which is reviewing the codes of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken by Her Majesty's Government to assist tenants of houses in Unity street, Carrickfergus, to purchase these properties from the Charles Legg Trust.

The solicitor acting on behalf of some of the tenants of houses belonging to the Charles Legg Trust in Unity Street, Carrickfergus, has brought this matter to the attention of the Department of Finance and Personnel. There are apparently no effective trustees at present. The Department is therefore making inquiries with a view to the appointment of the new trustees, who will be in a position to deal with the tenants' application for the purchase of the properties in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of the National Union of Students and the Union of Students in Northern Ireland to discuss top-up loans for students; and if he will make a statement.

No such meetings have taken place. However, I discussed top-up loans at a recent meeting with representatives of the university of Ulster which included members of the university's students union.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the financial amount allocated to each social security office in South Down in the financial year 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 and from 1 April 1989 to 31 October in respect of the social fund by central Government; how much of this amount was actually spent in each office; and whether the Government will carry out a review of the social fund system in Northern Ireland.

Allocations are made for a full year. Information on the amounts allocated for 1988–89 and 1989–90 and on monthly expenditure is available in the Library. The Government continue to monitor the operation of the social fund, but there are no plans for a review of the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people claiming Irish nationality are currently employed as (a) full-time members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and (b) members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary reserve.

The Chief Constable of the RUC had advised me that the information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of people whose applications for employment for the post of traffic warden were refused by the Northern Ireland police authority on the grounds that they did not hold British nationality since 1980.

The Police Authority for Northern Ireland has advised me that the total number is not known as records are not maintained in the form requested. However, the hon. Member will be aware that one recent application has been refused on nationality grounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of people who were refused employment as full-time members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary on the grounds that they did not hold British nationality since 1980.

This information is not available. People, including those who are not British citizens, are eligible for appointment to the Royal Ulster Constabulary or any other United Kingdom police force providing that they are able to fulfil the criteria set out in my answer to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) in the Official Report on 16 November 1989, at column 401.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people who have been in receipt of attendance allowance at either (a) the higher rate or (b) the lower rate have had their attendance allowance reduced in each year since 1983.

The number of people receiving either the higher or lower rate of attendance allowance who were not awarded any further allowance at the renewal stage of their claims was as follows:

	Higher rate	Lower rate	Total
1983	127	467	594
1984	128	524	652
1985	132	515	647

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions the present general practitioner of an applicant for attendance allowance was present when their medical assessment for eligibility for the allowance was carried out in the last year.

All applicants for attendance allowance are medically examined, but information is not recorded about whether or not their personal general practitioners are present at the examination. Neither the applicants nor their personal general practitioners are present when the reports of the medical examinations are considered by the attendance allowance board or its delegated medical officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of each river in (a) Newry and Mourne district council area, (b) Armagh district council area and (c) Fermanagh district council area which is maintained by the Department of Agriculture drainage division, as a designated watercourse.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the procedures for appealing against decisions of the Department of the Environment's promotion selection boards.

The Northern Ireland Civil Service pay and conditions of service code contains no provision for an appeal against the decision of a departmental promotion board.A candidate who is dissatisfied by the results of a promotion board may refer the matter to the PCA, EOC or FEA where the grounds for dissatisfaction are maladministration, equal opportunities or fair employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether arrangements are being made to pay prison officers in the Northern Ireland prison service arrears of lodging allowance in the light of the negotiated settlement of a civil claim taken against his Department.

The civil claim in question related to the question of entitlement of lodging allowances under the Civil Service regulations for periods of detached duty, where prison officers were provided with official accommodation. The regulations provide for an abatement of certain detached duty allowances in these circumstances and until 1972 they provided for payment at half-rate in the case of lodging allowance. It has now been settled that from July 1972 the abatement to half-ra te lodging allowance was not in accordance with the Civil Service code. Accordingly, following negotiations between the Prison Department and the POA(NI), agreement has been reached and arrangements are being made for paying arrears of the allowance due to those prison officers who had an entitlement covering the period July 1972 to March 1982.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of applications made by applicants claiming to suffer from vibration white finger, under regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial injuries and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1986, at local offices of his Department in (a) Belfast and (b) towns throughout Northern Ireland in each of the past two years and in the current year up to the most recent date; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 6 December 1989]: We are aware of no such applications in Northern Ireland to date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what finance is being planned by his Department for the next five years to assist householders in energy efficiency and saving.

Under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 we are introducing a new system of renovation grants which will enable local authorities to assist householders to carry out a range of measures to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. There will be no limit on the proportion of their housing resources that councils will be able to devote to these purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to former council tenants under the right-to-buy legislation; what percentage of the total council stock they represent; how many council houses were built by the local authority over the same period; and how many people are on council housing waiting lists for each local housing authority in the country.

A table showing each local authority's total sales under the right-to-buy legislation including the percentage of April 1979 stock sold was laid in the Library on 5 December 1989.Reported annual housing completion figures for 1980 to 1987 appear in "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Areas: 1980 to 1987". Figures for 1988 and the first quarter of 1989 are given in tables 1

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the ratio of house prices to median, quartile and decile incomes of full-time adult male manual and non-manual workers in April 1979, April 1988 and April 1989; what was the effect on prices of the increase in the incomes of highly paid non-manual workers; and what action he will take to ensure that houses are no less affordable to the median manual worker than in 1979.

The available information is as follows:

Ratio of average house prices to annual earnings:1Great Britain
April	Lowest decile	Lower quartile	Median	Upper quartile	Highest decile
Manual men
1979	5·9	4·9	4·0	3·3	2·7
1988	7·5	6·0	4·7	3·8	3·0
1989	7·9	6·3	5·0	3·9	3·1
Non-manual men
1979	5·4	4·4	3·4	2·7	2·1
1988	6·2	4·6	3·4	2·6	1·9
1989	6·5	4·8	3·5	2·7	2·0
Sources: New Earnings Survey—Department of Employment. Full-time men whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. Weekly averages have been converted to an annual amount (× 52).
1 5 per cent. sample survey of building society mortgage completions-Department of the Environment.

House prices are determined between individual buyers and sellers. No Government have sought to dictate the price at which houses must be sold. We have no plan to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the level of London's water table.

I have asked the National Rivers Authority to undertake the monitoring and predictive modelling of the water level (under London) and to publish the results; to examine the potential for increasing water abstractions from the aquifer below London; and to examine the feasibility and costs of a permanent dewatering scheme. They are proceeding with this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that local authority tenants do not subsidise housing benefit payments as a result of increases due to relaxed entitlement criteria not being met in full by central Government funding.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the arrangements whereby rent officers determine, for housing benefit subsidy purposes, whether rents are at a reasonable market level. Where a rent is above this level, and the claimant is in a vulnerable group, the local authority is required to consider whether it is reasonable to expect him to move, before restricting housing benefit. If the local authority decides that benefit cannot be restricted, 50 per cent. subsidy is paid on that part of the rent which is above the rent officer's assessment. These arrangements apply only to deregulated private sector rents, not to council rents. Any costs not met by subsidy must be debited to an account other than the housing revenue account, and in consequence none of these costs will be a charge to the authority's own tenants.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will estimate (a) the number of extra staff and (b) the extra expenditure arising from the changes to the community charge announced in October.

An estimate of the administrative costs of the community charge transitional relief scheme will be made in the light of a study being undertaken for the Department by Peat Marwick McLintock and discussions with the local authority associations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many English shire counties are anticipated, in his published calculations, to levy a higher community charge than Avon.

Counties will not levy community charges. If all English authorities spend the amount needed to provide a standard level of service, the community charge could be the same throughout England. Any spending above this standard level will increase the community charge.The provisional figures placed in the Library on 6 November suggest that the community charge for standard spending in 1990–91 will be about £278. The assumed spending by Avon county council would add a further £18 to the community charge in each Avon district. On the same basis, six other counties would add a larger sum to the community charge for standard spending than Avon.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much he plans to spend promoting community charge benefits and transitional relief; and if he will reimburse local authorities for any expenditure they incur in dealing with correspondence and contacts arising from Government advertising.

The cost of the advertising campaign is commercial in confidence and will remain so until such time as the agency has completed negotiations with the media for advertising space.The Department has commissioned a study by Peat Marwick McLintock into the administrative costs of the community charge transitional relief scheme. Decisions about the arrangements for meeting these costs will be made in light of the consultants' report and discussions with the local authority associations. I have made clear that authorities' reasonable costs will be reimbursed fully.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library (a) his Department's briefing to those advertising agencies invited to tender for the work on his proposed advertising campaign to encourage take-up of community charge benefits and transititional relief, (b) the creative brief prepared by Ogilvie and Mather and (c) the media strategy and the media plan for the campaign showing in particular the timing and positioning of press and television advertisements and indicating the social and income groups of the target audiences.

Agencies were invited to tender for a campaign intended to ensure that those eligible are aware of entitlement to community charge benefit and transitional relief. The campaign will be targeted primarily at the relevant socio-economic groups with an element aimed at those who advise or care for people who may be eligible. The campaign will make use of television, radio and the press. Appropriate bookings in the media are being made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence his Department has had with (a) the Independent Broadcasting Authority, (b) the Independent Television Authority and (c) the Advertising Standards Authority about his proposed community charge benefit and transitional relief advertising campaign; and if he will place copies of the correspondence in the Library.

My Department has sought clearance from the Independent Television Authority and the Independent Broadcasting Authority for the proposed television advertisements, as all potential advertisers are required to do. There is no similar requirement in respect of the Advertising Standards Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange an immediate inspection of floor coverings in the Palace of Westminster and arrange for the replacement of those which would be unsafe within the terms of the health and safety legislation.

The parliamentary works office already carries out regular inspections of the floor coverings in the Palace of Westminster. It also undertakes an annual replacement programme, as well as dealing with particular problems as they arise. If there is any particular area which the Member thinks presents a hazard perhaps she would let me know.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that all electric light bulbs in the Palace of Westminster are in working order and replaced when they are not.

It is already the practice to ensure that electric light bulbs in the Palace of Westminster are in working order, but if the Member happens to know of any which are not perhaps she would let me know.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.

This information is not held centrally in my Department, and the information required could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received a copy of the report "Racial Discrimination in Property Development," on Oakland Developments Ltd., Leicestershire; and if he will make a statement.

My Department received a copy of the report when it was published. We support the work of the Commission for Racial Equality and have provided powers through legislation under which they can produce a code of practice on housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had on the environmental implications of a reduction in the public subsidy to British Rail; and if he will make a statement.

Decisions on the level of subsidy for British Rail are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport whom I congratulate on his commitment to the highest investment levels in British Rail for a quarter of a century.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received following publication of the Carnwath report.

Ninety-six, from organisations arid individuals who responded to my Department's invitation to submit comments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government propose to introduce legislation to implement the proposals in the Carnwath report.

As soon as parliamentary time permits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which recommendations of the Carnwath report the Government are prepared to accept.

The Government generally welcome the report's recommendations as a means of strengthening the present enforcement provisions in the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, subject to further detailed examination of the practical implications of some of the recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the expenditure by his Department in the last financial year on (a) heritage, (b) archaeology and (c) royal parks.

In 1988–89 expenditure on heritage, including archaeology, the royal palaces, grant-in-aid to non-departmental public bodies such as English Heritage, and other heritage activities, was £122·2 million. This figure also includes the costs of departmental staff concerned with these areas of heritage. Government money for archaeology is channelled through English Heritage which, out of a total grant of £66·1 million in 1988–89, spent £7·1 million on this aspect of its work. Expenditure on royal parks was £14·1 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much funding his Department has granted the Groundwork Foundation in each of the last three years; in which areas the Groundwork Foundation intends to establish environmental trusts next year, funded by his Department or local authorities; and what contact there has been between his officials, representatives of the Groundwork Foundation and elected members or officials of Bradford council about Bradford council making a grant available for 1990–91.

The Department took over the core funding of the Groundwork Foundation and trusts from the Countryside Commission on 1 April 1988, through the commission continues to pay project grants to individual Trusts. We allocated £1,500,000 to Groundwork for core-funding in 1988–89 and £1,743,000 in 1989–90.The foundation plans to establish five trusts in 1990–91, in Bolsover, Blackburn, Nottingham, Bradford and Islwyn. The core costs of these trusts will be funded by the Department, local authorities and the private sector.I understand that an officer of the Groundwork Foundation has met the leader of Bradford city council, Councillor Eric Pickles, and council officials to discuss the council's request to the foundation to establish a trust in their area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authority dwellings that were vacant on 1 April, for six months or less, were (a) available for letting, (b) to be let after minor repairs, (c) to be let after major works and were undergoing such works, (d) to be let after major works and were awaiting such works, (e) awaiting sale, (f) awaiting demolition and (g) empty for other reasons, and if he will give this information for (i) inner London, (ii) outer London, (iii) metropolitan areas outside London, (iv) the south-east outside London, (v) all non-metropolitan areas, and (vi) England as a whole;(2) how many local authority dwellings that were vacant on 1 April, over six months and up to a year, were (1) available for letting, (2) to be let after minor repairs, (3) to be let after major works and were undergoing such works, (4) to be let after major works and were awaiting

	Available for letting	To be let after minor repairs	To be let after major works		To be sold	Awaiting demolition	Empty for other reasons
			Undergoing works	Awaiting works
Local authority dwellings vacant for six months or less at 1 April 1989
Inner London	1,700	1,900	500	500	400	0	700
Outer London	1,200	2,000	300	300	100	0	300
Metropolitan areas outside London	7,300	11,500	2,100	1,600	400	1,000	2,700
South East outside London	1,500	1,300	700	300	100	300	100
All non-metropolitan areas	8,000	9,700	3,500	1,400	500	1,000	700
England	18,300	25,000	6,400	3,800	1,400	2,100	4,600
Local authority dwellings vacant for over six months and up to one year at 1 April 1989
Inner London	400	400	600	300	200	100	400
Outer London	200	200	200	100	0	0	100
Metropolitan areas outside London	1,000	900	1,100	600	300	1,300	1,500
South East outside London	100	0	300	100	100	200	0
All non-metropolitan areas	400	0	1,500	600	500	700	300
England	2,000	1,800	3,200	1,400	1,000	2,000	2,400
Local authority dwellings vacant for over one year and under two years at 1 April 1989
Inner London	200	300	500	600	400	100	200
Outer London	100	100	100	100	0	0	100

The following are preliminary estimates derived from local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns (HIP1) for April 1989:

Local authority dwellings1 at 1 April 1989
	Number
Inner London	455,900
Outer London	303,200
Metropolitan areas outside London	1,333,500
South East outside London	401,500
All non-metropolitan areas	2,084,300
England	4,177,000
1 Including stock outside the local authority's own area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will give the amount of rates that has been forgone in each of the enterprise zones in England and Wales, year by year;(2) what is the amount of rates that has been forgone by virtue of the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.

Rate Revenue Foregone
£thousands (outturn prices)
	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	21987
ENGLAND
1st Round Zones
Corby	126	508	1,146	1,688	2,155	2,896	8,519
Dudley	702	1,201	1,231	1,545	2,014	3,076	9,769
Hartlepool	26	148	256	314	377	618	1,739
Isle of Dogs	—	1,254	1,486	2,430	2,324	2,997	10,491
Salford/Trafford	473	1,196	1,592	2,097	3,094	14,938	13,390
Speke	516	1,174	936	1,484	1,853	1,838	7,801
Tyneside	1,416	2,582	2,942	3,260	4,036	6,931	21,167
Wakefield	250	393	481	532	845	1,171	3,672
2nd Round Zones
Allerdale	—	—	59	127	200	402	788
Glanford	—	—	—	66	78	117	261
Middlesbrough	—	—	0	241	540	655	1,436
North East Lancashire	—	—	63	259	431	709	1,462
North West Kent	—	—	89	886	1,384	1,808	4,167
Rotherham	—	—	71	252	658	905	1,886
Scunthorpe	—	—	26	260	626	942	1,854
Telford	—	—	0	225	1,068	1,278	2,571
Wellingborough	—	—	14	74	240	1,081	1,409
WALES
1st Round Zone
Swansea	455	1,007	1,038	1,239	1,636	1,763	7,138
2nd Round Zones
Delyn	—	—	220	367	401	506	1,494
Milford Haven	—	—	—	259	409	489	1,157
1 Subject to audit.
2 Designation to March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total amount of capital allowances claimed in each of the enterprise zones in England and Wales, year by year;(2) what is the total amount of capital allowances claimed so far in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.

Because of the extent of estimation involved the information requested is not available for individual enterprise zones.

The information requested to the latest date available is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to obtain for his departmental library a copy of the video and transcript of the BBC1 television programme "On The Record," broadcast on 26 November.

My Department already has copies of the transcript. It is unnecessary to have a copy of the video.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the green dowry announced by the Minister for Water and Planning has been allocated to North West Water.

It is expected that North West Water Group plc will receive £329·7 million in cash.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the financial years 1987–88 and 1988–89 any grant award made from the European regional development fund for sewers and sewerage works in the Mersey basin, showing also their value and application.

North West Water Authority received £26·7 million in ERDF grants in 1987–88 and £8.9·million in 1988–89. Much of this was to finance schemes in the Mersey basin.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the name and organisation represented by each member of each customer services committee.

No. Appointments to the customer service committees for the water industry are a matter for the Director General of Water Services. I understand that the director general is currently considering nominations received from a large number of interest groups and individuals and that he hopes to announce the membership of the committees in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research is being done or has been commissioned by his Department in respect of surface water quality.

We have let the following research contracts since 1 November 1988 concerning surface water quality:

Estimation of contaminant loads in rivers;

Strategic river eco-system studies;

Aerial inputs to the Severn Estuary;

Effects of the Kielder reservoir on the River North Tyne;

Health effects of sea bathing;

Analysis of technazene and its breakdown products;

Effect of sediment metals on estuarine benthic organisms;

Biological effects of contaminants workshop;

Fish farm chemicals in sea locks;

Diffuse pollution from land-use practices; and Sediment water contaminant exchange.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take enforcement action in respect of the statue of the Three Graces previously at Woburn abbey.

My right hon Friend has considered the question of the Three Graces very carefully following a request from the Office of Arts and Libraries for a view as to whether the statue was included in the listing of Woburn abbey.On the basis of the information before my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, and in the light of legal advice, it appears that the Three Graces should be considered as part of the listed buildings, as both the Temple—which is listed—in which the statue was originally situated, and the plinth on which the statue stood, 'had been specifically designed to house this statue for the purpose of permanent display. However, there is some evidence to show that the statue had previously been moved from its original position at least once, quite apart from being moved for the purposes of exhibition.My right hon. Friend notes that the local planning authority has decided against taking listed building enforcement action. He has therefore considered whether he should use his own discretion to take such action. On the evidence at present before him, he has decided not to do so.He is not satisfied that it is in general an appropriate use of listed building legislation to control what would widely be thought to be chattels. Nor is he satisfied in the present case that it would be appropriate to require the return of the statue to a sculpture gallery, of which the Temple is a part, which has effectively changed the character.My right hon. Friend considers that the whole issue of controls over movable fixtures in listed buildings needs examination. He proposes to consult about what guidance should be given on this issue and whether there is a case for amending legislation. In this connection he welcomes the fact that the chairman of English Heritage has convened a meeting of expert and interested bodies to discuss the matter in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at how many sites air pollution levels are monitored.

[holding answer 24 November 1989]: Air pollution levels are monitored on behalf of the Department of the Environment, at 390 sites as follows:

Pollutant	Sites
Ozone:	17
Carbon monoxide:	6
Nitrogen oxides:	12
Acid deposition:	32
Atmospheric hydrocarbons:	2
Trace gases:	1
Atmospheric chemistry:	2
Smoke/sulphur dioxide
Directive sites:	287
Sulphur dioxide:	7
Lead:	19
Multi-element sites, including lead:	5
Total	390

There are also monitoring sites under the aegis of other bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many industrial pollution incidents of rivers have been prosecuted in each of the last five years; and which companies have been involved;(2) what percentage of reported industrial pollution incidents of rivers have not led to prosecution in each of the last five years;(3) what percentage of reported pollution incidents have not resulted in prosecutions in each of the last five years.

Information on the number of reported water pollution incidents and the prosecutions brought by former water authorities up to 1987, has been published in the annual "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.Information on the number of incidents attributable to industrial causes, and the number of resulting prosecutions is available only for 1986 and 1987.Information on the companies that have been prosecuted is not held by the Department.

Water Authority	Number			Number tested			Works in breach of consent
							Number			Percentage of works tested
	1986	1987	1988	1986	1987	1988	1986	1987	1988	1986	1987	1988
Anglian	782	760	775	774	754	748	309	260	208	40	34	28
Northumbrian	196	182	178	196	182	178	37	27	26	19	15	15
North West	458	448	441	458	448	441	62	55	43	14	12	10
Severn Trent	773	753	808	762	742	751	179	160	112	23	22	15
Southern	282	274	273	282	274	271	54	39	41	19	14	15
South West	226	226	232	188	219	228	55	65	67	29	30	29
Thames	374	382	378	374	379	378	67	70	60	18	18	16
Welsh	803	764	710	668	611	650	112	108	107	17	18	17
Wessex	272	272	272	272	270	272	39	29	17	14	11	6
Yorkshire	380	360	360	380	351	354	88	74	61	23	21	17
England and Wales	4,546	4,421	4,427	4,354	4,230	4,271	1,002	887	742	216	195	168