To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many local authorities are offering early retirement pension schemes to teachers on the grounds of ill health or because they are surplus to requirements;(2) what is the cost to local authorities of offering early retirement pension schemes to teachers on the grounds of ill health or because they are surplus to requirements;(3) what is the Government's policy on teachers who have taken early retirement pensions on the grounds of ill health or because they are surplus to requirements taking paid teaching posts with other local authorities.

The Teachers' Superannuation (Consolidation) Regulations 1988 provide that a teacher before the age of 60 can receive retirement benefits if he has become incapacitated, that is, he is incapable for reason of infirmity of mind or body of serving efficiently as a teacher. Applications are made direct to this Department by individual teachers. In the financial year 1988–89, a total of 3,400 teachers in England and Wales were awarded benefits under this provision.The regulations also provide that a teacher over 50 can receive retirement benefits prematurely where his employer has notified the Secretary of State that his pensionable employment was terminated by reason of his redundancy or in the interests of the efficient discharge of the employer's functions. In the financial year 1988–89, a total of 12,500 teachers in England and Wales received benefits under this provision.The costs of awarding infirmity benefits are borne by the teachers' superannuation scheme; in the case of premature retirement the employer may award additional benefits. The cost of this is met by the individual employer. No central record of costs is available.Teachers who have retired under these provisions may at a later date seek further employment. In cases where infirmity benefits were awarded, the employer is responsible for satisfying himself that the teacher is medically fit to teach. In all cases, the pension will be subject to the abatement provision and reduced or suspended according to circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what submissions have been made by his Department for resources from the European Community Lingua programe; and if he will make a statement.

The Lingua programme began on 1 January 1990. Its first year is essentially preparatory and the programme will be fully operational from 1 January 1991. Applications for support mainly directed at modern language students have been invited for 1990 and United Kingdom institutions will participate fully. It is planned to seek applications for support under other elements of the programme from autumn 1990. The Government will encourage the widest possible United Kingdom participation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many vacant places there are in secondary schools in Avon; and what proportion of secondary school places this represents.

Information about the number of surplus places in individual local education authorities is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in the school population have been statemented; what this is as a percentage of total school population; how many of those children statemented are in special schools and what is the percentage; and how many are in mainstream schools and what is the percentage.

The information requested for January 1989 in England is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if it is mandatory for local education authorities to reduce their holdback of 10 per cent. of general school budgets to 7 per cent. over the next three years;(2) whether the 7 per cent. figure of centrally held budget by local education authorities over the next three years is a target figure.

Within three years of the introduction of their scheme, LEAs must review the scope of the items they have held back from delegation. In that review we expects LEAs to aim for a target of reducing the total cost of most of the items held back to 7 per cent. of their general schools budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to approve capital funding for the provision of a new county primary school at Landkey, north Devon.

The building of a new school, or a significant enlargement to the existing school, at Landkey will require the publication of statutory proposals. No statutory proposals of this kind are currently before my right hon. Friend for decision. Priority is given in the distribution of annual capital guidelines for new school places needed as a result of population growth.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total publicity and advertising expenditure of his Department and public bodies for which his Department has responsibility in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.

The figures for publicity and advertising expenditure by this Department for the financial years 1979–80 and 1989–90 are provided below. The 1989–90 figure is provisional. Figures for non-departmental public bodies cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to improve the support for disabled students in higher education.

Disabled students need special help to enable them to take full advantage of higher education opportunities. I propose to improve the arrangements for them in two major ways.First, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary regulations in due course, I intend to increase substantially the disabled students' allowance payable within the mandatory award by local education authorities in England and Wales. For the academic year 1990–91 the maximum allowance will be raised from the present £765 to £1,000. In addition, two further allowances will be introduced: one for non-medical personal helpers, such as interpreters for the deaf, up to a maximum of £4,000 a year; and the other for major items of specialist equipment, such as word processors with braille printers, up to a maximum of £3,000 spread over the whole course. The Department will be taking steps to ensure that local education authorities and disabled students are fully aware of the new arrangements. Parallel improvements will be made in the grant arrangements for disabled students from Scotland and Northern Ireland.When top-up loans are introduced this autumn subject to the passage of the Bill before Parliament, disabled students will also be eligible for relevant social security benefits, as well as for the new disabled students' allowances and for existing allowances for extra travel costs and vacation hardship within the mandatory award system Together with the basic award, these should provide adequate resources to meet disabled students' needs while studying. Indeed, overall, disabled students will have considerable additional resources at their disposal as a result of the introduction of loans on top of their continuing grants and benefits.Secondly, I accept, however, that disabled graduates' capacity to repay loans may be affected by extra living costs resulting from their disability. Such costs will generally be reflected in social security benefit entitlements. As these benefits are provided specifically in relation to the additional costs faced by the disabled, it would not be appropriate to take them into account in assessing disabled graduates' liability to repay. I therefore propose to disregard disability-related benefits when graduates' income is assessed for the purpose of deferment of loan repayments. This means, in effect, that a graduate whose gross income including disability-related benefits is above the deferment threshold, but whose income net of these benefits is below the threshold, will be able to defer loan repayments.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will ask the chairman of the Arts Council to review the effectiveness of its policy of parity funding in Merseyside.

This is entirely a matter for the Arts Council. I am aware that the council attaches importance to the participation of local authorities in the funding of arts organisations in their area.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will provide direct financial assistance to help pay the deficits and secure the future of the Liverpool Playhouse.

It remains a matter for the Arts Council to determine the level of grant appropriate to this or any other arts organisations.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received about funding for the Merseyside Everyman theatre and the Playhouse theatre in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of the financial difficulties facing these two companies. It is a matter for the Arts Council to determine the level of grant appropriate to them. I understand that the council is in discussion with the local authorities concerned to try to find a solution. I am aware of the important contribution of both theatres to the cultural life of Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

To ask the Minister for the Arts how he intends to provide for the maintenance of national museums and galleries in the next 12 months.

I am providing £57 million in 1990–91 for the building and maintenance programmes at the national museums and galleries which I sponsor.This provision will increase to some £60 million in 1991–92 and to £64 million in 1992–93. This will bring the total provision for building and maintenance over the next three years to over £180 million.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what functions his office carries out at the regional level; where the regional offices are located in each of the regions; what staff are employed and at what grades; what proportion of his office's budget is spent in each of the regions; and what geographical boundaries determine his office's regions.

The functions of my office are carried out only in London. Most of its expenditure programme is in the form of support to arts organisations, museums, galleries and other bodies. It is not possible to estimate the proportion that is spent in each region.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the investment income and earned income in (i) 1989–90, (ii) 1988–89 and (iii) 1978–79, expressed in cash terms and in constant prices of (a) the bottom 10 per cent., (b) the bottom 20 per cent., (c) the bottom 30 per cent., (d) the bottom 40 per cent.,

Available information is given in the tables. Estimates for 1988–89 and 1989–90 are based on projections of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. These estimates are subject to a large degree of uncertainty since some investment income on which tax is deducted at source is not reflected in the survey.Information on the investment income of the bottom 1.0 per cent., 20 per cent., 30 per cent. and 40 per cent of taxpayers is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1979 (a) the full-time, (b) the part-time and (c) the total staffing of central Government.

The information requested is given below. The total figures cover Her Majesty's forces, the National Health Service, the civil service—except trading funds—and other organisations classified to central Government. The component figures, in aggregate, and definitions are contained in an article on employment in the public and private sectors published in the December 1989 edition of "Economic Trends". The full-time/part-time split for 1989 shown below is a later estimate. Figures for the civil service are also shown separately.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1974 (a) the level of manufacturing investment in cash amounts, (b) the level of manufacturing investment at 1985 prices, (c) the percentage share of manufacturing investment in gross domestic product, (d) the percentage share of manufacturing investment in gross national product and (e) the annual growth rate of manufacturing investment.

Estimates of manufacturing investment, gross domestic product and gross national product may be obtained from the CSO database accessible through the House of Commons Library.Data for 1989 were released by press notice on 16 March, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his assessment of the likely movement of interest rates in the United Kingdom produced as a result of currency union between East and West Germany.

The United Kingdom is watching developments in Germany with interest. However, United Kingdom rates will continue to be kept as high as is needed for as long as is needed to bring down inflation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report his provisional estimate of balance of payments deficit on current account with the European Economic Community for 1989; and if he will include the figure for invisibles separately.

Information for 1989 is not yet available. It will be published later in the year in the 1990 edition of the CSO Pink Book.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the deficit in trade with the EEC in 1989; and what were the comparable deficits in the previous five years.

The latest information is available in table A12 of the monthly review of external trade statistics, available in the Library of the House, or on the Central Statistical Office database which may be accessed through the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to make any changes to the method by which health authorities are compensated for the application of value added tax to construction work.

The Government have decided to compensate health authorities for the application of VAT to their construction work through matching increases in public expenditure. From 1 April 1990 health authorities will no longer be eligible under section 11 of the Finance Act 1984 for refunds of VAT paid on construction contracts. The extra capital provision necessary to ensure that health authority building programmes are not prejudiced by the application of VAT will be granted to the NHS in supplementary estimates for 1990–91 to be presented in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated number of adults whose income is below the income tax threshold; what is the number of those above and below pensionable age distinguishing between single persons and one and two-earner married couples; and whether he will provide a breakdown of the figures for each region.

[holding answer 1 March 1990]: Available estimates for 1989–90 are given in the tables. They are based on a projection of the 1987 family expenditure survey and are provisional.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual reduction in income tax for a married man on earnings of (a) £5,000, (b) £10,000, (c) £15,000, (d) £20,000, (e) £30,000, (f) £35,000, (g) £40,000, (h) £45,000, (i) £50,000, (j) £100,000, (k) £150,000, (l) £300,000, (m) average male earnings and (n) three quarters of average male earnings as a result of the changes brought in by the 1988 budget.

[holding answer 13 March 1990]: The information is in the table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the proportion of income tax receipts received by the Exchequer (a) by payment at rates higher than the standard rate and (b) from those paying tax at rates higher than the standard rate in (i) 1978–79, (ii) 1987–88 and (iii) 1988–89.

[holding answer 13 March 1990]: The information is in the table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the proportion of income paid in income tax and national insurance combined by a married man with two children aged under 11 years on (a) average earnings, (b) one-and-a-half times average earnings, and (c) twice average earnings, in 1975–76, 1978–79 and the latest year for which figures are available.

[holding answer 14 March 1990]: The information is in the table.

To ask the Attorney-General how long it takes for the county court to clear a cheque in each county court area; and if he will make a statement.

The period for a county court to obtain clearance of a cheque drawn in sterling on a bank located in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands—identified by a bank sort code on the cheque—is currently a minimum of eight working days for courts using the Bank of England and 14 working days for courts using the main clearing banks; other cheques, for example drawn on a foreign bank, are subject to individual clearance with no standard clearance period.

To ask the Attorney-General how long it takes to process a bad debt claim in each county court area; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will make a statement regarding the implications for United Kingdom national sovereignty and legal systems of the United States Supreme Court ruling of 1 March giving law enforcement agents power to act against non-United States of America nationals abroad without permission of the host country;(2) what representations Her Majesty's Government made to the United States of America Administration regarding the ruling of the United States Supreme Court of 1 March giving United States law enforcement officers power to act against non-United States nationals abroad without permission of the host country.

The United Kingdom is aware of the judgment of the United States Supreme Court, given on 28 Februrary, in the case of a Mexican citizen.The United Kingdom is studying the judgment, although at first sight it appears unlikely to affect the interests of this country. Her Majesty's Government have made it clear to the United States authorities that they do not accept that any foreign county has the right to exercise extra-territorial jurisdiction in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Prime Minister if during her meeting with King Hussein of Jordan on 11 March, she raised (a) the situation of the journalist Farzad Bazoft in Iraq, (b) the threat of nuclear weapons in the middle east and (c) the failure of Israel to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

I had a wide-ranging and very useful discussion of the situation in the middle east with King Hussein, who kindly agreed to intercede with the Iraqis over the case of Mr. Bazoft. Our views on the threat posed by nuclear proliferation in the middle east are well known.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to rename the Department of Health the Department of Health and Personal Social Services in order to more appropriately reflect the Department's responsibilities in its title.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish an explanation in plain terms designed to be comprehensible to ordinary consumers of the formulae contained in the Fossil Fuel Levy Regulations 1990.

The algebra used in the Fossil Fuel Levy Regulations 1990 will enable the Director General of Electricity Supply to calculate the rate of the levy as a percentage of the electricity sales revenue. This percentage will then be notified to licensed suppliers and published. Licensed suppliers will not need to apply these formulae; they will calculate the payments due from them in accordance with the rate notified by the Director. They will therefore be in no doubt as to the rate applicable to any particular month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what economic contribution aerospace companies make to the United Kingdom industrial production, investment, the balance of payments and corporation tax revenues.

The United Kingdom aerospace industry made contributions to the United Kingdom economy as follows. Its net output—£3,133 million in 1987—provided 2·9 per cent. of the total net output of production industries; capital expenditure—£258 million—amounted to 1·9 per cent. of production industries' total capital expenditure investment and they recorded over £6 billion worth of exports, in 1988, with a balance of trade of about £1·7 billion in the United Kingdom's favour. Corporation tax statistics are not compiled for individual industries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what grounds he decided not to refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the takeover bid by the Peninsular and Oriental company for Laing Properties.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's decision not to refer the proposed acquisition of the P and O Group and Chelsfield plc of Laing Properties plc was taken in accordance with the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading and after consideration of all relevant issues. In my right hon. Friend's view, the proposal did not raise competition or other public interest issues which justified reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many regional development grants and at what total amount were awarded to west Lancashire firms in 1988–89; and if he will make a statement;

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding allegations of dumping from eastern European countries of water reed used for thatching; what investigations he has made into these allegations; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no such representations. Investigations into allegations of dumping in the Community are carried out by the European Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current minimum amount of debt which has to be incurred before bankruptcy proceedings can be instigated under the provisions established in section 267(4) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (c. 45); and what plans he has to introduce a statutory instrument to increase or decrease that minimum figure.

[holding answer 16 March 1990]: The minimum amount is £750. There are no current plans to change that figure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the conditions under which a person may be banned from being a director of a private limited company or of a public limited company.

[holding answer 16 March 1990]: A person may be banned from holding such positions in the circumstances specified in the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. These are: conviction of an indictable offence in connection with the promotion, formation, management or liquidation of a company, or with the receivership or management of a company's property; persistent breaches of companies legislation; fraudulent trading; fraud in relation to a company while an officer or liquidator of the company or receiver or manager of its property; on summary conviction of an offence specified in the above Act; having been a director of a company which has become insolvent where the court finds that the individual's conduct as a director of that company makes him incompetent to be concerned in the management of a company; and where the court is satisfied, following the investigation of a company under section 437 of the Companies Act 1985, or sections 94 or 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986, or where it appears that such an order should be made in the light of information or documents obtained under section 447 or 448 of the Companies Act 1985 or section 105 of the Financial Services Act 1986 or section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987 or section 52 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1987 or section 83 of the Companies Act 1989, that the person's conduct in relation to a company makes him unfit to be concerned in the management of a company; and where a court has made a declaration under section 213 or 214 of the Insolvency Act 1986 that a person is liable to contribute to a company's assets.A person may also be disqualified where a court revokes an administration order under section 429 of the Insolvency Act 1986. In addition, a bankrupt person is prohibited automatically from acting as a director and a more limited automatic prohibition applies in the circumstances specified in section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the responsibilities of the Securities and Investments Board for monitoring the activities of companies which have had their licences withdrawn by FIMBRA, LAUTRO, IMRO and TSA.

Powers have been transferred by the Secretary of State to the Securities and Investments Board relating to investment business carried on without authorisation, which is an offence under the Financial Services Act 1986. SIB is therefore in a position to investigate and take action in respect of a company carrying on investment business after its membership of a self-regulating organisation has ended. How it exercises those powers is a matter for the board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the steps he is planning to take to promote the involvement of ethnic minorities in the administration of the accountancy bodies incorporated under royal charters.

I have no such plans. It is for the bodies and their members to determine what steps are necessary to ensure equality of opportunity for their members and staff, including those from ethnic minorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many meetings he or his senior civil servants had with the accountancy bodies in 1988 and 1989;(2) what meetings his Department has held with the accountancy firms criticised by inspectors; and what was discussed.

I and my officials have frequent contact with members of the accountancy profession to discuss a wide range of matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to give details of the business connections of the accountant inspector inquiring into BOM Holdings.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21 February 1990, at columns 782–83. The accountant inspector is Mr. R. T. Turner of Messrs. Neville Russell.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if his Department has any plans to insert a statement showing the inspector's business connections on the first page of each report;(2) if his Department has any plans to insert the cost of completing an investigation on the first page of each inspector's report.

My Department has no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to take any action against Lonrho plc for its failure to comply with schedule 7, paragraph 9, of the Companies Act 1985 in its 1989 and earlier annual reports and accounts.

In accordance with its usual practice in response to specific allegations of non-compliance with statutory disclosure requirements, my Department will look into this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require all companies to publish the lowest annual wage rates applicable in the company.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to require directors of all large companies to publish the work accident rates and the steps being taken to combat them.

I have been asked to reply.There are at present no plans to introduce such legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to require the auditor's letter of engagement to be filed with the registrar of companies.

No. The letter of engagement is a private contractual matter between the auditor and his client.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department is undertaking any work in developing a conceptual framework for external; financial reporting.

No. We are, however, following with interest the debate in the profession on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department will issue recommendations on the accounting treatment of good will.

No. The Accounting Standards Committee has recently published an exposure draft of a proposed revised standard on accounting for good will, inviting comments by 30 July. My Department is considering the draft and will make any comments in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why his representative on the auditing practices committee does not have a vote.

The terms of reference set by the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies for its auditing practices committee provide that voting members shall be nominated by their professional accountancy bodies. In addition, up to seven non-voting members, including two Government representatives, may be co-opted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to providing a statutory definition of a balance sheet.

Section 228(2) of the Companies Act 1985 states that the balance sheet shall give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company at the end of the financial year, and schedule 4 to the Act sets out rules on the form and content of the balance sheet. These provisions are subject to amendment when part I of the Companies Act 1989 comes into force on 1 April. I do not believe that any further statutory definition is needed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to provide a statutory definition of an asset.

No. The definition of an asset is one of the issues which was addressed in the exposure draft ED 42 entitled "Accounting for special purpose transactions" published by the Accounting Standards Committee in March 1988. I understand that a further document will be published in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to legislate to change companies' practice of showing fixed assets in the balance sheet at original cost less depreciation.

Under the alternative accounting rules of paragraph 31 of schedule 4 to the Companies Act 1985, fixed assets may be shown at values or costs other than original cost less depreciation. I have no plans to legislate to change current practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of British aid to Indonesia since 1979.

The figures for British aid to Indonesia from 1979 to 1988, the most recent year for which figures are available, are as follows. Further details are given in the ODA publication "British Aid Statistics", a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to increase aid to black South Africans in the light of recent political developments; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will today announce in South Africa a new pledge of £10 million for assistance to black South Africans.Our aid programme there is a practical demonstration of our commitment to ease the transition to a just, democratic and non-racial society in South Africa. I welcome the recent political developments there which bring the prospect of such a society closer.The new pledge, for expenditure over the next four years, will enable us to provide support for new projects to improve the standard of education, which is the key to enabling black people to play their full part in a post-apartheid South Africa; and for urban and rural development projects. This increase includes an element which honours a commitment we made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur last October. This was that, rather than contributing to the costs of the independent agency set up to review and report on South Africa's financial links, and of the continuing work of the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on South Africa, we would contribute an equivalent amount for additional help for black South Africans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of British arms contracts with Indonesia for each of the last 10 years.

It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to release figures for defence sales to specific countries. Statistics of United Kingdom defence sales by broad geographic regions are set out in volume 2 of the annual Statement on the Defence Estimates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the specific reasons for the amendments made respectively in each case since 1959 to the 1958 United Kingdom-United States mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters.

The amendments to the 1958 agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes and the reasons for their implementation were:Cmnd 859 (l959)—to permit the transfer between the two countries of nuclear materials, other than submarine propulsion materials which had been agreed upon in the original agreement, for military purposes.Cmnd 4119 (1969)—to extend the range of material transfer clausesCmnd 4384 (1970)—to extend the duration of the material transfer clausesCmnd 6017 (1975)—to further extend the duration of the material transfer clausesCmnd 7976 (1980)—again to further extend the duration of the material transfer clauses and also to add a minor change to the wording of the contraints upon each part as applied by the conditions clausesCmnd 9336 (1984)—a further extension of the duration of the material transfer clauses, the provision of materials processing services, and a major change to the wording of a number of clauses to ensure the appropriate protection of US "sensitive nuclear technology information" and "controlled nuclear information"—two new classes of US information which had been created by changes in US federal law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cause of the 183·2 per cent. increase in the projected development cost of the Rapier field standard B system noted on page 23 of the minutes of evidence of the Public Accounts Committee, HC483, Session 1988–89.

The Rapier field standard B programme now comprises two distinct marks of equipment, known as FSB1 and FSB2. Both are included in current estimates of development cost, whereas the original development estimate comprised only FSB 1. The addition of FSB2 explains the bulk of the increase; the remainder is due to increases in the cost of FSB1. 'The Public Accounts Committee also reported a decrease of almost 26 per cent. in production—where the bulk of the cost lies—for field standard B projects which means that the total cost of development and production for field standard B has increased by 38 per cent. in real terms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimate of the total expenditure on (a) the European fighter aircraft, (b) the Trigat medium-range missile and (c) the Trigat long-range missile.

Total United Kingdom expenditure to date (at current prices) is (a) EFA = £308 million; (b) medium range Trigat = £23 million; (c) long range Trigat = £52 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the forecast in-service date for the Upholder class submarines changed from 1988 in the 1987 major project statement to 1989 in the 1988 major project statement.

HMS Upholder's forecast in-service date was revised from 1988 to 1989 primarily as a result of an industrial dispute at the contractor's Barrow in Furness yard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the RAF has concluded its report into the fatal aircraft crash at Fastcastle, Berwickshire, on 13 April 1989, and when he expects to publish the inquiry report.

It is intended to publish a military aircraft accident summary in respect of this accident in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what qualifies a person to be an occupant of the Royal hospital at Chelsea.

The regulations for the Royal hospital, Chelsea, issued under royal warrant stipulate:"There shall be eligible for admission to the In-pension establishment former soldiers of good character who are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a decision regarding the start date for the second phase of development is likely to be announced for Kilroot power station; and if he will make a statement.

Timing of the Kilroot phase II project will depend on the outcome of investigations currently being made into the potential benefits of establishing an electricity interconnection with Scotland.It is hoped to clarify the position on these matters within the next few months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will provide funding at an early date to provide for a job market at Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

A job market will be established in the Newtownabbey area as soon as suitable accommodation is found.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to compensate farmers in rural areas in South Down in respect of the cutting off of their electricity and mains water supply during recent storms.

With sympathy, the answer is no.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the required statutory period within which the Northern Ireland Fire Authority was required to serve notice of appeal on interested parties in the case of Kerr v Northern Ireland Fire Authority; and on what date notice of appeal was served.

These were matters for the fire authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf-blind children have been identified in Northern Ireland in the age range (a) 0 to 2, (b) 2 to 5, (c) 6 to 11, (d) 12–15 and (e) 16 to 19 years.

A number of Northern Ireland children have been identified as having both hearing and visual impairment but few are totally blind or totally deaf. The information below relates to children who in a varying degree have a multi-sensory handicap which may, in some cases, be associated with a physical or mental handicap.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf-blind children in Northern Ireland attend specialist deaf-blind units.

There are no such specialist units in Northern Ireland but two pupils from Northern Ireland attend such units elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to issue a policy statement on the education of deaf-blind children in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Education (Northern Ireland) is currently considering policy and provision for children with multi-sensory handicaps and will be taking into account the policy statement on this subject issued by the Department of Education and Science.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made to ensure the training of teachers of deaf-blind children in Northern Ireland.

There are already in Northern Ireland a number of teachers in the education sector who in addition to specific qualifications in deaf education also possess qualifications in visual impairment. Opportunities also exist through in-service and distance learning courses for teachers to extend and develop their expertise in particular spheres, including teaching children with multi-sensory handicaps.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the capital expenditure on major capital roads provision in Down district council area in each year since 1 April 1977 until 31 March 1989.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the expenditure on major capital roads provision in Newry and Mourne district council area in each year since 1 April 1977 until 31 March 1989.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the structural weaknesses which he has identified in the agricultural industry in Northern Ireland.

[holding answer 13 March 1990]: The main structural weaknesses in the beef sector are the pronounced seasonality of production allied to the marketing challenge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining the proposed formula for deprivation allowances in relation to general medical practitioners' contracts arrived at by the DHSS in Northern Ireland, listing those electoral wards which would qualify for the allowance under that formula and indicating the Government's conclusions regarding that proposal.

[holding answer 14 March 1990]: It was agreed with the General Medical Services Committee (NI) that the index of social deprivation should be used as the basis for calculation of the deprivation supplement in Northern Ireland.Further work has been undertaken to refine the Northern Ireland index.This work is nearing completion and the results will be the subject of further consultation with the profession's negotiators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from the Ulster Farmers Union concerning the financial implications for producers of finishing beef cattle over the recent winter; and how he intends to respond to the Ulster Farmers Union request for special measures to help keep these producers in business.

[holding answer 14 March 1990]: I met the Ulster Farmers Union on 17 January 1990 about the difficulties affecting beef producers in Northern Ireland. Subsequently I put the issues involved to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who has given the union an assurance that he will be seeking a substantial devaluation of the United Kingdom green pound in this year's price-fixing round. The Government have also sought to optimise beef intervention in Northern Ireland in recent months and substantial tonnages of beef have been taken off the market recently.The special measure which the union has sought is a slaughter premium on finished cattle marketed since 1 December 1989. The Government have made it clear that such a measure would be difficult to justify let alone to negotiate in Brussels. The EC Commission and most member states disliked the United Kingdom's beef variable premium scheme and would be certain to oppose any suggestion to reintroduce that kind of end price support. Unilateral action by the United Kingdom would be illegal.

To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what is the total current value of the capital assets of the Church of England; and what are comparable figures updated to 1990 values, for 1960, 1970, and 1980.

The Church Commissioners' assets produce about 72 per cent. of the Church of England's investment income and, at their last published valuation, at the end of 1988, were worth £2,640 million or £2,860 million at 1990 prices. The comparable figures for the Church Commissioners' assets in 1960, 1970 and 1980 were, at 1990 prices, £2,240 million, £2,700 million and £2,040 million respectively.

To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what have been the trends in the Church Commissioners' income over the past 12 months.

Although final figures for 1989 are not yet available, it is expected that the commissioners' investment income for that year will have increased by about 14 per cent. over that for 1988.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce legislation to ensure that before a recommendation is made for the granting of a supplemental royal charter to the accountancy bodies a formal invitation is issued to the public to comment on the conduct of such bodies.

Legislation is not necessary for this purpose. As a matter of standard practice, notice of the receipt of any petition for the grant of a supplemental charter is published in the relevant gazette, together with an invitation to anyone wishing to make representations to communicate with the Privy Council Office within a specified period.

To ask the Lord President of the Council, on average, how much of his time has been spent on his duties as (a) Lord President of the Council and (b) Leader of the House of Commons since 1 January.

It is not possible sensibly to separate and quantify the duties associated with the two offices referred to, as distinct from my wider duties as a member of the Administration.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will issue guidance indicating under what circumstances civil servants in the Official Box can advise and offer briefings to Back-Bench Members during the course of a debate; and if he will make a statement.

It is the function of civil servants in the Official Box to advise Ministers.

To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he proposes to recommend any changes to the rules governing the registration of Members' interests.

I have no proposals to make at this time. However, the hon. Member will recall the motion which I moved, and to which the House agreed, on 7 March.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to improve the provision of factual information to hon. Members on EEC affairs; and if he will make a statement.

The Government attach great importance to keeping the House informed of developments in the Community and will continue to report promptly on the outcome of Council meetings as necessary. The Government are actively considering the report by the Procedure Committee on parliamentary scrutiny published on 30 November 1989 which covers a wide range of issues concerning the way in which the House deals with European Community legislation.

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many debates on Leicestershire have taken place since March 1989.

Three Adjournment debates related specifically to Leicestershire have taken place since 1 March 1989.

To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 7 March, Official Report, column 963, if he will make a statement on (a) his visit to Brazil and his discussions on rain forests and (b) his discussions with President Menem of Argentina in relation to the Falklands.

I have no plans to do so.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the number of people employed (i) full-time and (ii) part-time (a) by the House of Commons and (b) by an outside agency but working at the House of Commons as of 1 January 1990.

(on behalf of the House of Commons Commission): A total of 832 full-time and 166 part-time staff, and three agency secretarial staff were employed by the House of Commons Commission on 1 January 1990. In addition, agency staff are employed on a regular basis in the Refreshment Department to cover absences and to assist at functions. An average of 11 such agency staff were employed on each working day during January. These figures do not include full-time and part-time staff employed in the House of Commons by agencies such as the Parliamentary Works Office, the Metropolitan police and Post Office, who are not the direct responsibility of the Commission.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what training opportunities are provided by the House for those employed (a) by and (b) in the House of Commons.

I can reply only for those staff employed by the House. For them training is available either on the job or in external organisations, such as the Civil Service college, the Industrial Society and various academic institutions. Training falls into four broad categories: induction courses; professional training; career development; and educational courses.Responsibility for the identification and organisation of relevant courses lies in the main with individual departmental training officers who advise their own management and staff of available courses. Certain courses of common interest such as induction and staff reporting and appraisal are, however, organised centrally by the Establishments Office.Staff undertaking relevant educational courses are assisted financially towards the cost of the course, books, and examination fees and, where necessary, are allowed time off and special leave with pay.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will place in the Library copies of all the correspondence between the House of Commons management and the Association of First Division Civil Servants over the last 15 years concerning the applicability of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974, and other national employment legislation, to its employees.

No. Correspondence between management and trade unions is not written with a view to publication. The applicability of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1975 are dealt with in replies given today to other questions from the hon. Member.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the policy of the Commission as to whether the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974 applies in its entirety to employees in the House of Commons service; and if he will make a statement.

Subject to the right of the House to determine its own actions and the interpretation of the law by the courts, there is no reason to believe that the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974, as amended, does not apply in its entirety to employees in the House of Commons service.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made since 1 November 1989 by the head of the Administration Department in considering whether the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 applies to Commission employees; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 15 March 1990]: As explained in reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 19 June 1989, at column 16, it is the policy of the House of Commons Commission to endeavour to comply fully with the requirements of t he Act and with all other relevant statutory provisions, subject only to specific exemptions provided for in legislation. Further advice has confirmed that there has been no change in this position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans for the construction of a second rail tunnel under the Severn.