To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he last met representatives of the civil service unions to discuss working conditions.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has to improve morale within the civil service.

Maintaining good morale is an important policy for all involved in the management of the civil service. The next steps initiative will provide many opportunities to engage the enthusiasm and talents of staff.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the manufacturing sector productivity growth for each European Community country on the nearest comparable basis for the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Following are the relevant data.

Average annual percentage growth of Labour Productivity in Manufacturing
	1986–89
United Kingdom	5·2
Germany	2·3
France	4·9
Italy	14·8
Belgium	n/a
Netherlands	-1·2
Spain	1·2
1 The figure for Italy is for 1986–88.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the board of the International Monetary Fund will next discuss International Monetary Fund assistance to Vietnam.

Vietnam is in arrears to the IMF and in 1985 was declared ineligible for further loans while these arrears persist. The IMF board regularly reviews Vietnam's ineligibility, most recently on 12 March.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the deterioration in the balance of trade in manufactures since 1985.

[holding answer 18 July 1990]: The balance of trade in manufactures deteriorated because United Kingdom demand for consumer and, especially, investment goods, grew faster than industry's capacity to meet it. The excess was met by imports. But the strong investment growth of the last three years will add to domestic capacity and enable British industry to meet more domestic and foreign demand. Industry has already exploited export opportunities. Indeed, in 1989, exports of manufactures, excluding erratic items, increased by 11 per cent., the fastest annual rate since 1973, and in the latest three months they rose by 14 per cent. Increased capacity, along with tight monetary policy continuing to restrain the growth of domestic demand, will provide the right conditions for an improvement in the balance of trade in manufactures.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the reasons for the deterioration in the balance of trade with the United States in manufactures since 1987; and whether he will publish a table showing imports and exports of manufactures less erratics to the United States of America in 1987, 1988, 1989 and this year to date.

[holding answer 18 July 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today about the balance of trade in manufactures as a whole. The information requested is not available. Trade in manufactures including the erratic items is, however, readily available in the House of Commons Library in Business Monitors MA20 (annual data) and MM20 (monthly data), published by the Central Statistical Office.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the gross output of manufacturing industry other than food and fuel excluding inter-industry transfers within the sector as defined in 1973, 1979 and the latest available year.

[holding answer 18 July 1990]: Current price information on the gross output of each manufacturing industry is published annually in Business Monitor PA1002, report on the census of production summary volume. Copies of this volume up to 1987, the latest available year, are available from the House of Commons Library.The value of the transfer of goods between industries is not separately identified in the census, but guidance on the sales by manufacturing industries to other sectors can be obtained from the input-output tables for the United Kingdom. These have been published for 1974, 1979 and 1984 and are available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his most up-to-date estimate of the level of gilts sales in the final quarter of the current (a) calendar year and (b) financial year.

[holding answer 19 July 1990]: It is not the Government's practice to provide the information requested.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his most up-to-date estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement in the current financial year.

[holding answer 19 July 1990]: The most up-to-date estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement in the current financial year is £6·5 billion, covering the outturn for April to June. The Budget forecast for the public sector borrowing requirement in 1990–91 as a whole is minus £6·9 billion, that is, a net repayment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stretford, 2 February, Official Report, column 375, on minimum wage effects, what estimates have been made of the relationship between employment and wages using the current version of the Treasury model; and what estimates have been obtained using alternative economic models.

[holding answer 20 July 1990]: Most economic models, including the current version of the Treasury model, show that slower growth of real wages will raise employment in the long run.It has not, since 1978, been the practice to run particular simulations on the Treasury model to meet specific outside requests; but the hon. Member will be aware that the current version of the model is available for Members' use through the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many European Community countries are in rates arrears for diplomatic properties in London; what are the respective amounts involved; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 20 July 1990]: The Rating of Government Property Department collects the beneficial portion of the rates on properties occupied by diplomats. The following members of the European Communities have arrears outstanding in respect of claims made to date

	£
France	91,856·89
Portugal	2,031·34

The Rating of Government Property Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regularly approach countries that are in arrears and urge them to make payment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether further education level initiatives qualify for know-how fund initiatives;(2) what funding the British Council is receiving in order to fund further education college level initiatives in Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Under the know-how-fund, the British Council has been asked to manage programmes of academic links between British and Hungarian and Czechoslovakian institutions. The annual level for funding for each country is currently set at £100,000. Colleges of further education can submit proposals for consideration under these schemes, which also operate in Poland, where the annual level of funding is £150,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of gross domestic product Government support for overseas aid made up in 1989–90; and what are the estimates for 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

The proportion of United Kingdom gross national product devoted to official development assistance in 1989 was 0·31 per cent. Estimates for future years are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will now give Government-to-Government aid to Cambodia.

We welcome America's decision to ease the flow of private humanitarian assistance to Cambodia. Britain has been building up its humanitarian aid since November 1989, by providing support for the activities of British NCOs and international agencies. Direct Government-to-Government aid is ruled out as we have no official dealings with the Hun Sen regime.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the actual cost of public funds of the concession awarding war service credit to colonial service pensioners for the financial year 1989–90; and what is the estimated cost for 1990–91.

The additional cost of pensions attributable to the concession to grant credit for war service to colonial service pensioners was approximately £1·8 million in 1989–90 and is estimated at £3·3 million for 1990–91. Expenditure was lower in 1989–90 because a substantial number of those eligible chose to forgo the payment for the period April to December 1989 in exchange for an addition to their contingent widow's entitlement.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement outlining the mechanisms for, and extent of, co-operation between the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in respect of research into the long-term effects of dredging on marine life.

The Department of the Environment co-ordinates the comments of Government Departments on applications for licences issued by the Crown Estate Commission to extract aggregates from the sea bed. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food provides comments on applications in respect of the potential impact of extraction on the fishing industry and on the marine environment.Research into effects of aggregate dredging on the sea bed is conducted by the Ministry, which has recently decided to undertake a further programme of research in this area. The work will be part-funded by the Crown Estate Commission. The Ministry will draw on the results of this research in commenting to the Department on extraction policy and on dredging applications.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the views expressed in her written answer on child benefit given to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 17 March 1981, Official Report, column 55, remain her policy.

The Government's policy on child benefit remains as set out in our last manifesto. As I have said on many occasions we stand by that commitment.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 2 July, Official Report, column 413, when she expects a reply to be sent on her behalf to Colin Wallace's letter of 10 June about alleged links between Charles Haughey and the IRA.

A reply has been sent on my behalf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the volume and nature of radioactive discharges into the Firth of Forth from (a) Torness power station and (b) Rosyth royal dockyard; and what arrangements are made for monitoring and recording such discharges and any residues in the marine environment.

Details of the quantity of waste discharged and of the environmental monitoring undertaken and of the results obtained are published in a series of bulletins issued by the Scottish Development Department. These are available in the Library.The operators are required, as a condition of the authorisation, to sample and analyse all discharges, to keep records and to send a copy of the records to Her Majestys' industrial pollution inspectorate. Check samples of the liquid waste are periodically taken on behalf of the Inspectorate and analysed.A condition of the authorisation is that environmental monitoring as specified by the Secretary of State must be undertaken by the operator. To provide an independent check on the operators results a separate sampling and analyses programme is undertaken by the inspectorate. The Torness nuclear power station authorisation relates to dscharges of liquid waste into the North sea.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the nominating bodies for the four new commissioners appointed to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland on 1 May and for the three reappointments to the commission.

Under section 2(5) of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, my right hon. and learned Friend, before making recommendations to Her Majesty the Queen for appointment to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, is required to consult such bodies as appear to him to be concerned. These bodies are invited to nominate suitable candidates and any names put forward are considered along with other possible candidates. The final recommendations submitted to Her Majesty are solely a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Government intend to allocate additional funds to increase the number of available places on the bridging course for nurses.

Health boards are already in receipt of additional funding for Project 2000 purposes and are free to decide how much of that money should be spent on bridging and conversion courses for enrolled nurses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the ratio of enrolled nurses applying to undertake the registered general nursing bridging course and the number of available places on the bridging course in Grampian.

As at May 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, the ratio of applicants to places was 15:1. Work is in hand to increase the rate of enrolled nurse conversion generally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is in a position to announce the outcome of the review of the Government's present policy for broadleaved woodland.

The Government's policy for broadleaved woodland was announced on 24 July 1985 in a statement to the House by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger) at columns 557–62. The main objective of the policy was described in the statement as being

"to maintain and enhance the value of Britain's broadleaved woodland for timber production, landscape, recreation and nature conservation".

The statement also listed a number of complementary aims which would involve the planting of more broadleaved trees and the better management of broadleaved woodlands to serve a range of needs.Several new measures designed to achieve the policy aims were introduced or foreshadowed by the 1985 statement, such as the preparation of Forestry Commission guidelines on the management appropriate to various types of broadleaved woodland; a substantial reduction in the volume of timber—both broadleaved and conifer—that could be felled without a licence, directed mainly at arresting the depletion of ancient woodlands; and the introduction of a broadleaved woodland grant scheme designed to assist in the rehabilitation of neglected woodland and to encourage the creation of new multi-purpose broadleaved woods. The main features of the broadleaved woodland grant scheme were incorporated in the woodland grant scheme following our decision to remove forestry from the scope of income tax and corporation tax in 1988.In the 1985 announcement we stated that the operation and effectiveness of the new measures would be reviewed after some three years. That review was put in hand in October 1988. As a first stage, information was assembled by the Forestry Commission on the progress achieved against the aims and measures set out in 1985 and presented in a report entitled "Broadleaved Policy—Progress 1985–1988". Copies of the report were sent to more than 600 individuals and organisations for comment. A great many helpful and constructive replies were received by the summer of 1989, and the Forestry Commission then held bilateral discussions with the Nature Conservancy Council, the Countryside Commissions, Timber Growers United Kingdom, the Country Landowners Association, the Institute of Chartered Foresters, the National Farmers Union and Wildlife Link. We are also indebted to the Agriculture Committee of this House for the observations it made on this topic in its report issued earlier this year "Land Use and Forestry"—HC 16–1.What became immediately clear from the review was the very considerable success that the policy has had in extending the area of broadleaves throughout the country. In 1984–85, some 9 per cent. of grant-aided planting by private owners was with broadleaves; by 1988–89 this had risen to around 17 per cent. The policy has also been successful in arresting the loss of broadleaved woodland and in focusing attention on the irreplaceable contribution that the semi-natural woodlands make to our environment.A number of bodies saw a need for further increases in the broadleaved planting grants. The Government have considered the case for this with care, but, against the background of the considerable expansion in broadleaved planting that has taken place since 1985 and the substantial rise in grant rates which occurred with the introduction of the woodland grant scheme in 1988, we have concluded that there is no evidence that the grants on offer have been inadequate. The Government will, however, keep the rates of grant under review.The most important single issue to emerge from the broadleaves policy review, however, and one which was shared by the broad spectrum of forestry and environmental interests consulted, relates to the need to encourage good multi-purpose management of the various types of broadleaved woodland. Concern over this issue has been highlighted by the decision taken in the 1988 Budget to remove tax reliefs on woodland management expenditure, although transitional provisions were introduced for these reliefs to continue for existing woodland owners until April 1993.The comments received on this issue have related not only to the costs of managing broadleaved woodlands over the very long period between establishment and the first returns from the sale of timber, and of bringing neglected woodlands back into production, but to the lack of the necessary incentives to encourage owners to adopt practices that would have environmental benefit over and above normal maintenance work. Particular concern has been expressed by a number of bodies that owners are not receiving the special help required to enable them to meet the more exacting multi-purpose objectives and the associated higher costs of managing ancient semi-natural woodlands.The Government accepts that more needs to be done to ensure the better management of our broadleaved woodlands in the future, to encourage owners to bring neglected woodlands into a healthy and productive state, and to provide owners with the necessary incentives to maintain and improve the environmental value of their woodlands. We have therefore decided to make woodland management grants available under the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme. In the light of the changes to the forestry tax arrangements and the considerable scope which exists to improve the environmental value of all types of woodland, we have further decided that woodland management grants will be made available for conifer as well as broadleaved and mixed woodlands.To qualify for the new grants, woodland owners will be required to agree to a five-year plan of operations with the Forestry Commission which will set out the management objectives for the woodland and prescribe operations which will advance those objectives during the period of the plan. The grants will be paid annually in arrears subject to satisfactory implementation of the plan. A lump sum payment of £100 will also be available from the Forestry Commission for owners who draw up management plans for the first time with the benefit of professional advice for areas eligible for the woodland management grants. This assistance will not be available, however, for planting plans.There will be two types of woodland management grant:—

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Northern Ireland.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 July 1990 to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) at column 1162.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to bring trade union law in Northern Ireland into line with that in the rest of the United Kingdom.

It is my intention to bring forward a proposal for legislation in Northern Ireland which will reflect the provisions of the Trade Union Act 1984 and the industrial relations provision of the Employment Acts 1988 and 1989. The application to Northern Ireland of provisions equivalent to those in the current Employment Bill will be considered in due course following discussions with interested bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects any trials arising out of the Stevens inquiry to begin.

[holding answer 3 July 1990]: Eleven persons interviewed by the Stevens team have so far been brought before a court. Other investigation files have also been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland by the police. His directions are awaited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were charged with (a) non-scheduled offences, and (b) scheduled offences; and how many persons were found not guilty of all or some of the offences with which they were charged in 1989.

[holding answer 4 July 1990]: Information in the precise form requested is not readily available. However, the number of persons proceeded against in Northern Ireland courts during 1989 for non-scheduled offences totalled 42,800 of which 3,153 were found not guilty; 456 people were proceeded against for scheduled offences of whom 42 were found not guilty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give (a) the number of incidents where security forces in Northern Ireland opened fire on vehicles taken without their owner's consent and (b) the number of (i) persons injured and (ii) persons killed, in such incidents separately, for 1987, 1988 and 1989.

[holding answer 4 July 1990]: The following table details the number of incidents where the security forces in Northern Ireland opened fire at either stolen, hijacked or suspect vehicles, and the number of injuries arising from such incidents.

Year	Number of incidents	Injuries
1987	8	2
1988	15	3
1989	26	19

No deaths have occurred as a result of these incidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many formal complaints have been made about incidents of police use of plastic baton rounds in 1989; in how many cases the complaint has been upheld; and in how many cases disciplinary action has been taken against the officers involved.

[holding answer 4 July 1990]: During 1989, seven complaints were made concerning the use of plastic baton rounds by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. One case was subsequently withdrawn. Three cases have been investigated and files forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who directed no prosecution in each case. No disciplinary action has been recommended in any of these cases. The other three cases are at present under investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many men in Northern Ireland were convicted of the offences of procuring or attempting to procure the commission of acts of buggery and gross indecency in each of the years 1980 to 1989, inclusive.

[holding answer 6 July 1990]: I am advised by the Chief Constable that information is not available in the form requested. However the following figures are available from 1986 which the hon. Member may find helpful.

Convictions for	1986	1987	1988	1989
Soliciting by males	—	—	—	1
Gross indecency1	19	7	20	19
Indecent assault on a male	9	10	20	15
1 Includes buggery.

To ask the Attorney-General how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of the number of requests that would be received; what consideration he is giving to the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

There have been no subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act in respect of data held by the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department or the Serious Fraud Office. The Crown prosecution service has received seven subject access requests. I had estimated that the number of requests would be low and I have at present no plans to introduce a subject access fee.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will name the individuals or organisations who replied to his consultation paper on bereavement damages and who are in favour of (a) increasing the limit to (i) £5,000 and (ii) £10,000 or (b) leaving the limit unchanged;(2) if he will make a statement on his evaluation of the responses to his consultation paper on bereavement damages before the summer recess.

The Government are not yet ready to make a statement, but will do so as soon as possible.

To ask the Attorney-General what steps the Lord Chancellor's Department is taking to prevent child abduction to the Isle of Man.

The Lord Chancellor's Department is working with other Departments and the Isle of Man authorities to extend to the Isle of Man the Hague convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction and the European convention on recognition and enforcement of decisions concerning custody of children and on restoration of custody of children, and to provide for the reciprocal enforcement of orders between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom in the same circumstances that currently allow enforcement between the three United Kingdom jurisdictions under part I of the Family Law Act 1986. Criminal sanctions already exist in relation to abductions from England and Wales to the Isle of Man.

To ask the Attorney-General how many children have been abducted to the Isle of Man by a parent during each of the last five years.

The Lord Chancellor's Department does not hold any information as to the number of children abducted by a parent to the Isle of Man, as the Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985 does not extend to the Isle of Man.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the estimated cost of extending legal aid to cover representation of claimants at social security commissioners' hearings.

The current estimate of the cost of extending legal aid to cover representation of claimants at social security commissioners' hearings is £300,000. This figure, however, assumes that the remuneration rates will be the same as those for matrimonial proceedings, that 90 per cent. of claimants will receive legal aid, that barristers will not be instructed and that hearings will be on average two hours long. None of these assumptions may prove to be correct.In addition, this figure assumes that the number of appeals would not increase if legal aid were to become available, which is unlikely to be the case. These additional resources may therefore be available only if savings can be made from elsewhere in the legal aid scheme.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will make arrangements for representation at social security commissioners' hearings of claimants who would otherwise be unrepresented.

In line with my answer to the hon. Member on 16 July about legal aid for representation at Social Security Commissioners' hearings, my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has no current plans for the representation of appellants to the commissioners, because the necessary additional resources cannot be provided at present.

To ask the Attorney-General whether, in the light of documentary evidence, the confession of an accessory, and information supplied by persons both in the United Kingdom and abroad, criminal proceedings relating to the fraudulent misappropriation of funds will now be instituted against Mr. Laurence Rosen; and if he will make a statement.

No. The position with this case remains as I explained to my hon. Friend in my letter to him of 3 July. Both the senior Crown prosecutor responsible for the case and counsel instructed to advise the Crown prosecution service consider that the available admissible evidence is insufficient to justify criminal proceedings against Mr. Rosen consistently with the code for Crown prosecutors. I am satisfied that that view is correct.

To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to receive the report of the Law Commission in respect of divorce law reform.

The Law Commission is expected to publish its report on the reform of the law of divorce in the autumn of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will establish an inquiry into all the circumstances surrounding the ownership, management and loss of the MV Marine;(2) when he received the report by the Bahamian authorities on the loss of the MV Marine; what consideration he has given to its conclusions; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the investigation by the Bahamian authorities into the loss of MV Marine was received by the marine accident investigation branch on 29 May. Following his initial consideration of the report the chief inspector raised certain questions with the Bahamas, to which answers have now been received. We shall, in addition, be asking them to publish and expanded report which more fully reflects the depth of their investigation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will decide whether any further inquiry is required when review of the Bahamian response is completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the number of vehicles in use that have been constructed from two or more written-off vehicles.

This information is not available. Many vehicles written off by insurance companies are capable of satisfactory repair, including the use of parts from other accident-damaged vehicles. If rebuilding work is not carried out properly, there are offences of using, offering for sale and selling an unroadworthy vehicle. A prospective purchaser is well advised to have a second-hand vehicle inspected by an independent expert before buying it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Director General of Fair Trading about measures required to protect potential purchasers of unroadworthy vehicles; and if he plans to seek changes to the law in this field.

The Director General has suggested that we strengthen that part of the Road Traffic Act 1988 which makes it an offence to sell unroadworthy vehicles. We have told him we propose to amend the Act at the earliest legislative opportunity.He has also supported the trading standards officers' request for powers to inspect used cars on dealers' premises. This requires special expertise and we have pointed out that these powers are already available to authorised examiners, including examiners from the vehicle inspectorate. The vehicle inspectorate is keen to respond to any requests from individual trading standards officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate an urgent study of the parking management system used in Cologne, with regard to the applicability of a similar system in major British towns and cities.

We are already aware of the Cologne system which uses a comprehensive arrangement of variable signs to inform drivers which city car parks have space available. Comparable systems are already in operation in various towns and cities in Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he is making to ensure that, in respect of any tenanted farmhouse occupied by a working farmer which will require to be demolished for the construction of the A1 Marshall Meadows improvement north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an alternative farmhouse can be provided on the affected holding.

Matters of compensation relating to this proposed road improvement are currently being discussed and considered by the district valuer and objectors' representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the numbers using Dial-a-Ride during each of the past five years.

Information on the number of members of London Dial-a-Ride and the number of journeys made by them in each of the last five financial years is as follows:

	Members	Journeys
1985–86	37,000	307,000
1986–87	47,734	416,000
1987–88	51,009	463,000
1988–89	63,263	544,000
1989–90	66,301	622,000

In 1990–91 it is estimated that over 70,000 members will make 690,000 journeys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce an identification scheme for newly qualified drivers; and if he will make a statement.

None as yet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to restrict the engine size of cars driven by drivers within 12 months of passing their driving test; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 27 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs), column 211.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the total number of private motor vehicle drivers were involved in (a) fatal, and (b) non-fatal accidents within 12 months of passing their driving test for each of the last three years.

Information is not collected in the form requested, but research studies show that young and inexperienced drivers have a much higher accident rate than mature drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers obtained their private motor vehicle driving licence for each of the last three years.

The number of drivers who obtained their first provisional or full private motor vehicle driving licence for each of the last three years is as follows:

	Provisional (learner) licences	Full licences
1987–88	1,167,630	750,165
1988–89	1,142,005	722,850
1989–90	1,157,532	890,611

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet in a position to announce the introduction of legislation to implement the proposals in "The Road User and the Law".

We have said we shall do so at the earliest legislative opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what administrative action has been taken so far to implement proposals contained in "The Road User and the Law".

Further to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 10 May, Vol. 172, col. 215, responses to the consultation papers on drivers' physical fitness and rehabilitation are now being considered. A feasibility study on enhanced data linkages between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the police national computer has recently been completed. In the light of its recommendations, work is now in hand to achieve police access to driver records. This will provide a valuable aid to improved enforcement of road traffic law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on the proposals in "Traffic in London", which he announced he was going to pursue on 27 March.

My announcement on 27 March followed successful public consultation on the broad proposals set out in "Traffic in London" on 14 December. I have today published a consultation document on the results of the more detailed work necessary for the legislative processes on those initiatives. I hope that everyone concerned will consider the contents carefully and make any observations on them by the due date of 28 September. I have placed copies in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to make it compulsory for microlight pilots to be insured at least for third party risks; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received, in response to a request to the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, initial advice from the authority on the issues which would have to be dealt with by a compulsory third party insurance scheme for civil aviation including microlights, and he is now considering that advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what help has been given by his Department to truck-stops situated beside motorways and major trunk roads regarding signing to allow them to attract service from motorways and trunk roads and compete with motorway service areas; and if he will make a statement.

On motorways, the general policy is to sign only motorway service areas, but signs to truckstops and other off-route facilities will be allowed in special circumstances, in particular where there is no service area within a reasonable distance. There are overriding road safety reasons for limiting the numbers of signs to be read by motorway users, and operators of off-route facilities can identify conveniently the junctions to use for reaching them by quoting their number in their publicity material.On other roads, signs to truckstops are acceptable subject to criteria relating to safety and the nature of services on offer. Advice on these criteria has been made available to local highway authorities which also have a discretion to allow signing to local destinations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the provision of services for truck drivers as defined under section 115 of the Highways Act 1980 in the United Kingdom and similar provision in France and other European countries.

Except in Northern Ireland, which has a limited length of motorway, our aim on motorways is to ensure that service areas are available at which all motorway users can rest and obtain fuel and refreshments without leaving the motorway. The parking areas and associated facilities at these sites are designed to meet demands from all roads users, including lorry drivers.For other trunk roads the policy is to rely primarily on private initiative to provide facilities to meet needs. In areas, however, where there are clear deficiencies of services we are encouraging joint action with local highway authorities to identify sites for comprehensive provision of services.Her Majesty's Government have no responsibility for service provision in other European countries. It is understood that the arrangements vary considerably from country to country. In France, however, and other western European countries the initiative to provide facilities lies largely with the private sector within the framework of control by highway and other authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the specialist facilities as laid down by section 115 of the Highways Act 1980 for lorry traffic are provided for lorry drivers by highway authorities in the United Kingdom; and how many have been provided by the private sector.

Information is not available on the total number of facilities provided by highway authorities and the private sector respectively. Needs on motorways are catered for by motorway service areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to improve the specialist services for commercial vehicle drivers on Britain's motorways and major trunk roads, as suggested by the Prior committee.

The Prior committee was concerned with motorway service areas (MSAs) only. At such areas we now encourage operators, where feasible, to allow for overnight (as well as daytime) parking of lorries. Almost all operators now permit this. At new MSAs we require provision of showers and shaver points, and encourage provision of separate catering facilities for lorry drivers. Where MSAs are modernised, we invite operators to make similar provision.On other trunk roads, the policy is to rely primarily on private initiative to provide the facilities needed. However, the Department has discussed with both the local authority associations and representatives of the main oil companies and caterers the need for local joint planning exercises to identify suitable sites. The guidance note attached to the Department's circular roads 4/88 on "The Control of Development on Trunk Roads", issued in November 1988, sets out advice on the desirability of establishing a comprehensive range of services including fuel, refreshments, toilets and parking facilities, together with parking for heavy goods vehicles, at intervals of between 12 and 25 miles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what specialist facilities for commercial vehicles are provided at the new Thurrock motorway service area.

The full basic range of services is available now at Thurrock MSA to all motorway users. Catering is being provided from temporary buildings pending completion of permanent facilities. When the main amenity building is completed in 1991, there will be a separate dining area for drivers of commercial vehicles and separate shower, shaving and toilet facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the planned motorway service areas have been built; and what reasons he has identified for the delay between the opening of the M25 and the opening of motorway service areas.

Of the 59 motorway service areas (MSAs) planned by the Department, 43 are built and operating. In addition Thurrock MSA is in operation but with catering provided in temporary buildings. The main amenity building will be completed in 1991; the rest of the development is finished.On the M25 we intend to provide four MSAs. Services at South Mimms and Thurrock are open. At Clacket Lane, near Westerham, progress had been delayed by public inquiry and High Court proceedings, but we expect to seek tenders for a developer-operator shortly. M25 widening proposals caused us to abandon our plan to provide services at Iver. We are looking again at how best to provide services on that part of the motorway.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the current motorway service areas on the M25 will be able to cope with the increased traffic arising from the opening of the channel tunnel.

All motorway service areas are designed to cope with forecast traffic levels for the stretch of motorway served. We are continuing to assess the need for additional MSAs or expansion of existing ones following the announcement of the increased road building programme detailed in the "Roads for Prosperity" White Paper and the publication of the new national road traffic forecasts last year. On the M25 there are four MSAs planned, two of which are now open. We will keep under review the need for additional services on the M25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the past and forecast commercial vehicle traffic figures for the M25 through the Dartford tunnel and across the Dartford river crossing for the years 1987 to 2007.

The actual and estimated figures as provided by Dartford River Crossing Ltd.—the crossing operators—for commercial vehicles using the Dartford-Thurrock crossing are as follows:

	Light 000's	Heavy 000's	Total 000's
1987	4,070	2,670	6,740
1988	4,470	2,960	7,430
1989	4,520	3,240	7,760
1990	4,860	3,200	8,060
1991	5,050	3,320	8,370
1992	5,300	3,490	8,790
1993	5,450	3,590	9,040
1994	5,600	3,680	9,280
1995	4,730	3,110	7,840
2000	5,360	3,530	8,890
2005	5,940	3,910	9,850
2010	6,510	4,280	10,790

These assume that the east London river crossing will be open by 1995, with consequential effects on traffic using the Dartford-Thurrock crossing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the flow of traffic along Whitechapel road, London E1.

I have no plans to improve the traffic flow on Whitechapel road since this is a local authority road and the responsibility of the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has further to improve pedestrian safety at pedestrian crossings; and if he will make a statement.

My Department looks continually at ways of improving pedestrian safety at crossings. We are researching improved techniques for identifying sites where crossings would improve safety. In June we announced the trial of a new type of audible signal to help blind people using staggered pelican crossings. We are currently testing a new type of crossing incorporating pedestrian detectors which will improve the safety of those who need longer to cross, while minimising traffic delay. Initial responses from groups representing pedestrians and disabled people have been favourable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 3 July, Official Report, column 496, what action he intends to take in respect of authorities which have restricted traffic on busy routes across London Underground passenger transport lines in order to repair these routes and remove any future danger of bridge collapse.

It is the responsibility of each highway authority to determine what action to take if a structure is found to fail the criteria set out in departmental standard BD 21/84.My Department has set up a working group including representatives from the London boroughs, London Underground Ltd., British Rail, the British Waterways Board and the Metropolitan police, whose terms of reference are to co-ordinate the work of assessing and strengthening road carrying structures in London by highway authorities and structure owners to achieve a programme of optimum priority, and to ensure minimum disruption to London's transportation systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with representatives of British Rail and London Underground regarding the incident at Waterloo station on 3 July involving a potentially dangerous build-up of passengers; what evaluation he has made of the explanation provided; and what plans he has to pursue the matter further.

An officer of the railway inspectorate has discussed with British Rail (BR) and London Underground Ltd. (LUL) both the cause of the incident and possible means of improving passenger movement at Waterloo. I understand that a direct telephone line has now been installed between BR and LUL operations rooms at Waterloo and, in the longer term, a joint operations room will be established. BR will also be installing closed circuit TV to monitor subways and escalators in the peak hours.The inspector will be submitting a full report on this incident and on subsequent action taken by the operators, to the chief inspecting officer railways. He will consider in due course whether any further action is necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of registered dock workers now employed for each appropriate port.

With the abolition of the dock labour scheme in July 1989, there ceased to be any register of dock workers, so this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, following the ministerial visit on 31 January and the meeting between his Department's Dorking office and representatives of West Sussex county council on 5 July, he will indicate the prospects for adopting the modified orange route for the A27 Arundel bypass which would move the alignment of this route in a more southerly direction.

Further investigation of the alternative modified orange route for the proposed Arundel bypass is needed before my right hon. Friend decides whether to amend the preferred route. A further announcement will be made as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, with details of their grades and duties, those staff from his Department and the Civil Aviation Authority, based abroad.

Fifteen members of staff from my Department are at present based abroad. One grade 5 and two grade 7s are seconded to the European Commission in Brussels as detached national experts, and another grade 5 is the United Kingdom representative to the Council of International Civil Aviation Organisation in Montreal. Three officers at grade 5, grade 7 and HEO level are on loan to the FCO and deal with transport and aerospace matters at the British embassy in Washington. One grade 7, also on loan to the FCO, serves in the office of the United Kingdom permanent representative to the European Community in Brussels, dealing with transport matters. The remaining seven officers, who are at grade 7 level or equivalent, are engaged as professional advisers (on aviation, ship safety and statistics) to a number of foreign and dependent territory Governments.My hon. Friend should seek information about staff of the Civil Aviation Authority from the chairman of the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the budget for London Underground in real terms in (a) 1989, (b) 1975, (c) 1980 and (d) 1985; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 20 July 1990]: Questions about the annual budgets of their subsidiaries are for London Transport. However, investment by London Underground Ltd. in those years was as follows (in 1989–90 prices):

	£ million
1989–90	307
1975	148
1980	136
1984–85	151

Investment has more than doubled since the Government took over responsibility for funding from the GLC in 1984–85. Over the next three years it will double again.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which bridge the river police directed the fire boat when they first heard of the collision between the Marchioness and the Bowbelle on the River Thames on 20 August 1989; when the fire boat and other emergency services were subsequently directed to another bridge; and what was the interval between the directions.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: I have been asked to reply.I understand that the marine accident investigation branch of the Department of Transport has included a review of the whole rescue operation as part of its investigation and that the role of Thames division of the Metropolitan police will be covered in the chief inspctor's report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of recycled paper is used in general elections by the returning officers;(2) how many reams or tonnes of paper are used for general election notices, regulations and ballot papers;(3) if he will estimate the increased consumption of paper required for the simplest form of proportional representation.

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Some forms of proportional representation might require little or no increase in the volume of paper used at an election.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many deaths in England and Wales were as a result of assault with (a) a household axe, (b) a kitchen knife, (c) a Stanley knife and (d) a coal hammer in each year since 1980;(2) how many convictions for grievous bodily harm in England and Wales were as a result of assault with

Information on the exact weapon used is not collected for cases of homicide, although the table gives the number of homicides each year between 1980 and 1988 where the principle weapon was a "sharp instrument" or a "blunt instrument"; the figures for 1989 are not yet available.Information is not collected centrally on the type of weapon used in offences which lead to grievous bodily harm convictions.

Year	Sharp instrument	Blunt instrument
1980	158	62
1981	175	55
1982	191	68
1983	150	68
1984	187	76
1985	180	65
1986	220	67
1987	202	82
1988	198	49

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish details of the new force housing allowance for each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Responsibility for fixing the new housing allowance, lies with the police authority concerned. I understand that the standard housing allowances for federated ranks in those authorities which have fixed a figure are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have not yet published their annual report for the year ended 31 December 1989; and if the Chief Inspector of Constabulary has been informed of this.

I understand that all police forces have now published their annual reports for the year ended 31 December 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys aged 15 and 16 years were being held in gaols in England and Wales on remand and after sentence on the latest available day.

According to the records held centrally, on 30 April 1990. the latest date for which this information is

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 June to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) Official Report, column 429, if he will name the independent senior officer appointed in respect of matters related to the case of Mr. Kevin Taylor.

The Police Complaints Authority announced on 19 July that Chief Superintendent Rothwell of the Merseyside police has been appointed to conduct this investigation, under its supervision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many males aged (a) 15, (b) 16, (c) 17, (d) 18, (e) 19 and (f) 20 years committed suicide or attempted suicide whilst in prison establishments in England and Wales during 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and thus far in 1990.

The number of male inmates between the ages of 15 and 20 who died by their own hand in prison service establishments in England and Wales in the years 1986 to 1990 is shown in the table. The figures in brackets give the number of cases where a verdict of suicide was returned at the coroner's inquest. Total figures for attempted suicides in prison service establishments have been held centrally since 1989—I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Sir C. Irving) on 12 March at column 18—but a breakdown of this information by age group is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.readily available, 65 untried, 19 convicted unsentenced and 19 sentenced juvenile males were held in prisons and remand centres in England and Wales. Of these, 44 untried and 18 convicted unsentenced juveniles were held in remand centres for prisoners aged under 21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many boys aged 15 and 16 years were being held in (a) Hull, (b) Swansea and (c) Leeds gaol on the latest available day.

The numbers held on 19 July were:

	Number
Hull	12
Swansea	5
Leeds	0

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are in custody at Hindley remand centre; what recent significant changes there have been in this number; and for how many prisoners it is intended.

On Friday 20 July 1990, the latest date for which information is available, 420 people were held in custody at Hindley remand centre. The average population at the establishment in 1989–90 was 389, but since the disturbances at Manchester prison in April this year the population at Hindley has averaged around 429. The recent transfer of sentenced young offenders awaiting allocation from Hindley to Stoke Heath young offenders institution has relieved some of the pressure. Further relief is planned when some of the convicted, unsentenced young offenders held at Hindley are also transferred to Stoke Heath. This should happen within the next two weeks.The certified normal accommodation at Hindley remand centre is currently 312.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current ratio of prisoners to prison officers; and what it was in 1979.

[pursuant to his answer, 12 July, 1990, c. 320]: The officer to inmate ratio on 1 June 1990 should read 1:2·201.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the steps being taken to halt the decline in applications from ethnic minorities to join the Metropolitan police; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: The Commissioner is committed to recruiting and retaining more members of ethnic minority communities. Earlier this year the height requirements for entry to the Metropolitan police, which represented above average heights in certain ethnic minority communities, were abolished.A pre-employment course has been introduced for candidates who have completed the selection process and who have the potential to be successful police officers but have narrowly failed the police initial recruitment test.Research was undertaken to find out why people from ethnic minority communities may or may not want to join the police and what they think a career in policing may be like. The current multi-media advertising campaign which targets the recruiting effort towards ethnic minority communities drew on the results of this research.Further research is under way to find out why some officers from ethnic minority communities resign prematurely from the service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by the Metropolitan police to encourage more women to join the force; and what information he has regarding the representation of women in the higher ranks.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: In March of this year the Metropolitan police and the Equal Opportunities Commission issued a report of their collaborative exercise. The exercise began in 1984 and continued for four years. It concentrated particularly on the recruitment, deployment and career prospects of women in the Metropolitan police.The Commissioner is committed to ensuring that the Metropolitan police offers—and is perceived as offering—good career opportunities to all members of society. Since the abolition of the quota system, which limited women officers to 10 per cent. of force strength, in 1984 there has been a considerable increase in the recruitment of women; 25 per cent. of recruits are now women.The Commissioner is looking at ways of making the service more attractive to women, both to increase further the number of recruits and to improve retention. He has arranged research into job sharing and part-time working and more formal career breaks to enable women to raise families and still return to the service. The outcome of this research is under consideration.The representation of women in the rank of chief inspector and above in the Metropolitan police is as follows:

	Strength on 31 December 1989
	Women	Total
Commissioner; Deputy Commissioner; Assistant Commissioner	Nil	6
Deputy Assistant Commissioner	Nil	18
Commander	1	38
Chief Superintendent	3	168
Superintendent	6	254
Chief Inspector	8	496

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for information from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on how many new recruits in Newham in 1989 were (a) from ethnic minorities, (b) women and (c) both; and how many officers from the ethnic minorities there are stationed in Newham and at what ranks.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: The London borough of Newham is policed by West Ham and Plaistow divisions and the total number of new recurits posted to these divisions in 1989 was 53 of whom 12 were women; none were members of ethnic minority communities.On 15 July 1990 there were eight officers from ethnic minority communities serving on West Ham and Plaistow divisions: seven constables and one sergeant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to put into practice the agreed consultation between the London borough of Newham and the Metropolitan police prior to the production of the Commissioner's Strategy report in January 1991; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: Each Metropolitan Police division prepares plans which highlight their objectives for the year. These help to inform the Commissioner's strategy statement. In Newham the chief superintendents from Plaistow and West Ham divisions discuss objectives with a sub-group of the police consultative group in that borough. Two councillors sit on the sub-group.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to give additional assurances to the spouses of British citizens resident in Hong Kong about their right of entry to the United Kingdom.

All spouses of British citizens have the assurance that under the immigration rules they would be entitled to settle in the United Kingdom with that British citizen provided that:

(i) the primary purpose of the marriage was not to obtain admission to the United Kingdom;

(ii) the parties to the marriage have met and intend to live permanently together; and

(iii) the parties can maintain and accommodate themselves adequately without recourse to public funds.

In view of the concern felt by British citizens in the particular circumstances of Hong Kong about the position of their spouses if they died, we have given an assurance that the widow or widower of a British citizen resident in Hong Kong at the time of his death will be allowed to settle in the United Kingdom at any time, either before or after 1997, as if coming here as the spouse of a British citizen. To benefit from this assurance the widow or widower must still be resident in Hong Kong and not have remarried. In addition, we have decided that this assurance—which originally excluded those who were nationals of a third country—should now be available irrespective of the widow or widower's nationality.We are in addition making arrangements whereby the spouse of a British citizen resident in Hong Kong may approach the Hong Kong immigration department with evidence of the marriage. The details will be noted in a register of non-British citizen spouses of British citizens and the spouse will be given a formal letter issued on my right hon. and learned Friend's behalf confirming that the holder is married to a British citizen. The letter will explain that the spouse is eligible to settle in the United Kingdom providing that the immigration rules requirements are met. It will also include an assurance that a later application for entry clearance will be given priority treatment in view of the information which has already been noted. We are still finalising the details of this, but we hope it will be possible to start providing this service very soon.I believe that the assurances we have given, and the new arrangements for recording and confirming spouse's details, should remove any fears which British citizens in Hong Kong may have had about their spouses' position and they need feel no reason to leave Hong Kong simply to secure their spouses' immigration status.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what are his plans for the introduction of video recordings of police interviews with suspects;(2) what are his plans for the introduction of video recording of police interviews with suspects.

We have no such plans at present. Officials are keeping in touch with experimental schemes for the video recording of interviews with suspects which are being carried out in some police forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with, and what representations he has received from, the CBI and individual employers, about the part they can play in providing child care.

[holding answer 18 July 1990]: Home Office Ministers have not been directly involved in dicussions with employers about child care, nor has the Home Office received any representations from employers. The role of the Home Office, through the Ministerial Group on Women's Issues, which I chair, is to co-ordinate action by responsible Departments. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Employment has made known employers' views on child care when it has been considered at the ministerial group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the likely liability of Her Majesty's Government for the funding of the European school at Culham in the financial years 1989–90, 1990–91 and financial years thereafter; and if he will indicate the principal items of expenditure for each year and the number of pupils and staff at the school in the current year.

The cost of maintaining the European schools is shared between individual member states and the European Commission. In the case of the European school at Culham the Government are responsible for the costs of maintaining the school's premises and for the costs of the national salaries of the United Kingdom teachers which it seconds to the school. Premises costs in 1989–90 were £219,000, and in 1990–91 are expected to amount to £456,000; costs in future years have yet to be settled. Salaries costs for United Kingdom teachers in 1989–90 were £346,000, and in 1990–91 are expected to amount to about £400,000; subject to national salaries increases for teachers in the United Kingdom, expenditure in future years is expected to be on the same pattern. There will be 827 pupils and 111 teaching staff, of whom 18 will be United Kingdom teachers, in the school at the start of the academic year beginning this September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what target the Government has for the percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds who will have five GCSEs at grade A to C or better or equivalent (a) in the current year and (b) by 1995.

The Government's objectives are to promote a significant increase in attainments of this age group through the introduction of the national curriculum and improvements in the GCSE and other qualifications. It would not be appropriate in our view to establish quantified targets for such attainments. Such targets could imply that the Government have control over the outcome, which is not the case; and there is a risk that their promulgation could lead to adjustments in the standards demanded, so that the targets would be reached on paper. It is for pupils themselves, their teachers and schools, to strive to achieve the highest possible success rate within the context set by Government policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish tables for each local education authority and for England, giving the four benchmarks of attainment, adjusting the data to take account of socio-economic background in a manner consistent with statistical bulletins 12/83 and 13/84.

No. We have considered this, but adjustments to the attainment data to allow for socio-economic background would have to be based on data from the 1981 census of population, which would no longer accurately reflect the current position in all local education authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations his Department has received regarding the delay in funding prosthetics and orthotics courses at Salford and their consequences; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend received four letters earlier this year about proposals to establish courses in prosthetics and orthotics jointly at Salford university and Salford college of technology. It is for higher education institutions themselves to determine the priority they give to such developments, in consultation with the funding councils as appropriate.