Written Answers To Questions
Wednesday 21 November 1990
Education And Science
Teachers' Pay
85.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has had with trade union representatives regarding teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. and learned Friend would expect to meet the six teacher unions early next year to discuss the recommendations of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions.
Table 1 | ||||
Expenditure per pupil11984–85 | Cash (£) | |||
Nursery and primary schools | Secondary schools | |||
Local authority | Books and equipment | (of which books) | Books and equipment | (of which books) |
Barking | 24·73 | (6·79) | 52·01 | (11·92) |
Barnet | 28·71 | (10·41) | 51·02 | (17·00) |
Bexley | 19·23 | (6·01) | 40·90 | (13·02) |
Brent | 34·04 | (8·53) | 52·25 | (13·35) |
Bromley | 30·05 | (7·66) | 50·88 | (11·61) |
Croydon | 24·78 | (6·84) | 49·39 | (14·09) |
Ealing | 24·16 | (6·58) | 43·96 | (12·23) |
Enfield | 25·87 | (7·25) | 45·77 | (11·13) |
Haringey | 35·56 | (8·64) | 57·61 | (15·50) |
Harrow | 22·74 | (5·58) | 49·27 | (12·26) |
Havering | 26·06 | (0·00) | 58·36 | (0·00) |
Hillingdon | 23·93 | (20·05) | 45·27 | (36·59) |
Hounslow | 27·28 | (7·17) | 41·66 | (12·17) |
Kingston-upon-Thames | 29·11 | (7·10) | 60·56 | (12·13) |
Merton | 21·57 | (0·00) | 33·37 | (0·00) |
Newham | 22·79 | (7·10) | 41·90 | (15·24) |
Redbridge | 24·38 | (9·68) | 48·57 | (15·93) |
Richmond-upon-Thames | 21·96 | (2·33) | 55·74 | (2·13) |
Sutton | 26·71 | (12·19) | 38·41 | (10·02) |
Waltham Forest | 34·19 | (8·06) | 57·41 | (13·21) |
ILEA | 47·47 | (9·06) | 90·89 | (18·36) |
Birmingham | 13·76 | (3·84) | 27·47 | (6·40) |
Coventry | 25·57 | (2·14) | 53·57 | (2·37) |
Dudley | 21·15 | (0·00) | 35·65 | (0·00) |
Sandwell | 18·63 | (0·00) | 42·15 | (0·00) |
Solihull | 18·47 | (4·72) | 46·20 | (9·54) |
Walsall | 25·28 | (4·79) | 37·27 | (10·00) |
Wolverhampton | 26·48 | (7·41) | 43·35 | (12·44) |
Knowsley | 19·37 | (4·72) | 34·02 | (5·71) |
Liverpool | 25·53 | (7·08) | 47·51 | (11·52) |
St. Helens | 14·93 | (6·24) | 22·52 | (7·48) |
Sefton | 20·26 | (6·14) | 40·11 | (11·35) |
Wirral | 25·18 | (7·23) | 49·64 | (9·89) |
Bolton | 27·19 | (8·60) | 51·66 | (9·42) |
Bury | 20·65 | (20·47) | 52·41 | (52·41) |
Manchester | 23·79 | (6·80) | 56·48 | (12·39) |
Oldham | 27·43 | (3·31) | 40·65 | (0·51) |
Rochdale | 22·10 | (5·84) | 34·82 | (6·46) |
Salford | 27·42 | (6·03) | 46·59 | (9·74) |
Stockport | 23·66 | (7·24) | 47·65 | (10·84) |
Tameside | 25·36 | (10·18) | 40·42 | (12·30) |
Trafford | 22·63 | (5·18) | 32·41 | (1·34) |
Wigan | 22·35 | (6·42) | 45·36 | (12·13) |
Barnsley | 23·00 | (8·19) | 42·67 | (7·65) |
Doncaster | 16·86 | (5·06) | 35·78 | (9·37) |
Rotherham | 15·72 | (5·35) | 26·70 | (6·22) |
Books
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the level of expenditure on books at 1978–79 prices per child by local education authority in (a) 1978–79, (b) 1984–85 and (c) 1989–90.
Information for 1978–79 is not available by individual local education authority, and the latest year for which figures are available is 1988–89. Cash figures for expenditure per pupil by local education authority for 1984–85 and 1988–89 are shown in tables 1 and 2. Table 3 shows the average expenditure per pupil in England at 1978–79 prices for 1978–79, 1984–85 and 1988–89.While some local authorities' expenditure returns to Government Departments show separate figures for books, these can be misleading because of differing practices in attributing spending as between books and equipment. The tables therefore show combined spending figures for books and equipment, with figures as returned for books only in brackets. Even on the combined totals, coverage from authority to authority is likely to differ.
Nursery and primary schools
| Secondary schools
| |||
Local authority
| Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| Books and equipment
| (of which books)
|
Sheffield | 36·01 | (14·42) | 36·55 | (6·60) |
Bradford | 18·80 | (0·80) | 35·99 | (1·34) |
Calderdale | 19·38 | (6·30) | 34·07 | (8·05) |
Kirklees | 18·57 | (7·54) | 39·16 | (14·03) |
Leeds | 8·56 | (·16) | 13·17 | (·35) |
Wakefield | 21·72 | (10·21) | 30·10 | (11·79) |
Gateshead | 26·14 | (7·68) | 46·72 | (8·76) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 19·26 | (4·92) | 38·64 | (10·42) |
North Tyneside | 27·99 | (10·03) | 50·30 | (13·82) |
South Tyneside | 20·87 | (8·07) | 54·13 | (11·75) |
Sunderland | 18·81 | (5·19) | 41·88 | (6·92) |
Isles of Scilly | 27·90 | (5·46) | 41·29 | (10·07) |
Avon | 24·19 | (6·55) | 40·67 | (8·32) |
Bedfordshire | 26·00 | (10·40) | 55·45 | (19·11) |
Berkshire | 23·30 | (10·21) | 43·67 | (16·73) |
Buckinghamshire | 30·99 | (13·60) | 50·99 | (12·19) |
Cambridgeshire | 25·34 | (9·65) | 43·14 | (13·22) |
Cheshire | 22·09 | (5·18) | 44·89 | (6·84) |
Cleveland | 19·99 | (5·22) | 38·09 | (8·02) |
Cornwall | 29·97 | (9·45) | 41·51 | (11·63) |
Cumbria | 21·26 | (5·73) | 32·88 | (4·05) |
Derbyshire | 28·03 | (8·36) | 48·37 | (11·75) |
Devon | 13·57 | (8·47) | 21·57 | (9·40) |
Dorset | 28·63 | (9·84) | 38·97 | (11·79) |
Durham | 17·22 | (7·14) | 28·37 | (9·45) |
East Sussex | 21·83 | (7·40) | 42·78 | (12·45) |
Essex | 21·12 | (7·08) | 38·21 | (8·15) |
Gloucestershire | 20·62 | (9·11) | 35·71 | (9·24) |
Hampshire | 19·54 | (6·83) | 40·92 | (10·36) |
Hereford and Worcester | 22·93 | (9·98) | 43·50 | (12·13) |
Hertfordshire | 23·31 | (9·88) | 42·15 | (11·74) |
Humberside | 24·08 | (6·71) | 40·80 | (9·43) |
Isle of Wight | 26·07 | (11·04) | 52·57 | (12·36) |
Kent | 20·68 | (7·03) | 38·74 | (9·60) |
Lancashire | 22·86 | (8·04) | 37·79 | (8·14) |
Leicestershire | 22·52 | (5·92) | 41·53 | (8·05) |
Lincolnshire | 18·02 | (5·65) | 43·05 | (9·08) |
Norfolk | 22·78 | (6·54) | 40·36 | (10·30) |
North Yorkshire | 24·60 | (11·47) | 39·45 | (11·66) |
Northamptonshire | 22·39 | (6·13) | 44·72 | (11·58) |
Northumberland | 26·00 | (9·59) | 43·31 | (14·31) |
Nottinghamshire | 29·80 | (9·44) | 44·96 | (12·13) |
Oxfordshire | 21·77 | (2·65) | 38·28 | (3·70) |
Salop | 15·80 | (6·65) | 33·80 | (9·33) |
Somerset | 27·22 | (5·59) | 46·49 | (11·93) |
Staffordshire | 19·56 | (4·90) | 36·53 | (8·63) |
Suffolk | 25·17 | (7·04) | 43·29 | (11·00) |
Surrey | 15·11 | (4·75) | 34·37 | (7·60) |
Warwickshire | 19·24 | (7·27) | 47·97 | (11·63) |
West Sussex | 23·26 | (8·24) | 41·89 | (10·57) |
Wiltshire | 23·05 | (10·53) | 37·34 | (11·39) |
Table 2
| ||||
Expenditure per pupil 1—1988–89 England2 | ||||
Cash (£)
| ||||
Local authority
| Nursery and primary schools
| Secondary schools
| ||
Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| |
Barking | 32·65 | (11·50) | 80·58 | (22·72) |
Barnet | 35·17 | (11·99) | 68·96 | (17·52) |
Bexley | 31·98 | (7·38) | 99·22 | (1·92) |
Brent | 38·42 | (9·46) | 76·43 | (15·27) |
Bromley | 33·80 | (9·02) | 67·33 | (13·07) |
Croydon | 54·89 | (11·10) | 111·98 | (22·49) |
Ealing | 33·86 | (5·73) | 91·61 | (12·63) |
Enfield | 30·76 | (9·16) | 61·09 | (15·95) |
Haringey | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Harrow | 39·77 | (6·98) | 75·72 | (10·85) |
Havering | 30·02 | 0·00 | 91·34 | 0·00 |
Hillingdon | 40·45 | (11·99) | 80·08 | (22·30) |
Hounslow | 33·40 | (9·61) | 49·65 | (19·84) |
Kingston-upon-Thames | 55·50 | (12·92) | 106·58 | (18·63) |
Merton | 31·28 | (25·44) | 36·02 | (26·95) |
Local authority
| Nursery and primary schools
| Secondary schools
| ||
Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| |
Newham | 26·35 | (6·44) | 65·87 | (11·34) |
Redbridge | 38·84 | (11·30) | 81·31 | (23·65) |
Richmond-upon-Thames | 29·95 | (8·25) | 62·88 | (13·76) |
Sutton | 34·64 | (13·39) | 71·17 | (17·01) |
Waltham Forest | 28·21 | (4·91) | 75·37 | (10·55) |
ILEA | 60·56 | (12·08) | 89·89 | (19·28) |
Birmingham | 22·74 | (4·70) | 51·42 | (9·50) |
Coventry | 26·08 | (2·01) | 92·00 | (2·95) |
Dudley | 35·72 | (6·79) | 76·36 | (2·44) |
Sandwell | 31·50 | (3·06) | 73·42 | (1·02) |
Solihull | 34·88 | (4·96) | 122·79 | (11·28) |
Walsall | 35·12 | (9·10) | 46·29 | (14·38) |
Wolverhampton | 24·54 | (7·23) | 56·08 | (13·99) |
Knowsley | 22·47 | (8·88) | 61·05 | (7·01) |
Liverpool | 32·61 | (7·76) | 66·56 | (12·13) |
St. Helens | 14·98 | (6·33) | 30·36 | (10·39) |
Sefton | 21·41 | (7·11) | 60·55 | (11·12) |
Wirral | 42·39 | (11·92) | 130·04 | (23·45) |
Bolton | 33·23 | (9·32) | 71·24 | (11·01) |
Bury | 30·75 | (8·65) | 93·06 | (15·21) |
Manchester | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Oldham | 30·45 | (7·19) | 75·02 | (10·58) |
Rochdale | 35·27 | (9·08) | 59·17 | (10·52) |
Salford | 32·70 | (0·23) | 73·65 | (0·07) |
Stockport | 35·87 | (10·15) | 96·37 | (12·13) |
Tameside | 27·91 | (5·74) | 43·96 | (8·06) |
Trafford | 37·75 | (12·54) | 70·39 | (11·37) |
Wigan | 17·87 | (5·42) | 60·39 | (17·03) |
Barnsley | 22·89 | (4·75) | 43·23 | (2·36) |
Doncaster | 27·08 | (6·67) | 55·45 | (11·14) |
Rotherham | 28·87 | (6·82) | 57·92 | (9·04) |
Sheffield | 12·11 | (5·33) | 23·46 | (7·98) |
Bradford | 28·71 | 0·00 | 71·73 | 0·00 |
Calderdale | 28·52 | (8·99) | 63·13 | (13·77) |
Kirklees | 25·17 | (7·90) | 63·89 | (20·93) |
Leeds | 15·30 | (0·43) | 28·26 | (2·45) |
Wakefield | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Gateshead | 29·26 | (4·89) | 75·22 | (11·65) |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 30·36 | (7·00) | 74·85 | (17·41) |
North Tyneside | 25·56 | (8·30) | 48·48 | (12·26) |
South Tyneside | 27·22 | (4·81) | 95·85 | (9·24) |
Sunderland | 23·19 | (6·15) | 76·03 | (9·12) |
Avon | 17·62 | (6·01) | 48·75 | (11·37) |
Bedfordshire | 28·28 | (9·53) | 86·88 | (23·60) |
Berkshire | 33·07 | (13·88) | 75·33 | (23·85) |
Buckinghamshire | 32·59 | (15·51) | 72·90 | (17·13) |
Cambridgeshire | 42·32 | (11·98) | 79·84 | (21·62) |
Cheshire | 25·80 | (8·86) | 56·49 | (18·39) |
Cleveland | 11·84 | (7·27) | 34·10 | (11·16) |
Cornwall | 37·15 | (12·32) | 63·84 | (21·77) |
Cumbria | 36·69 | (13·11) | 58·74 | (15·67) |
Derbyshire | 29·35 | (8·50) | 74·40 | (14·87) |
Devon | 37·40 | (12·12) | 65·14 | (20·11) |
Dorset | 38·56 | (11·63) | 80·62 | (13·72) |
Durham | 28·51 | (9·47) | 67·70 | (16·44) |
East Sussex | 32·56 | (11·04) | 77·26 | (17·78) |
Essex | 36·19 | (9·69) | 81·08 | (14·11) |
Gloucestershire | 29·42 | (11·93) | 59·02 | (19·40) |
Hampshire | 35·55 | (2·28) | 78·86 | (4·72) |
Hereford and Worcester | 28·44 | (11·13) | 57·92 | (14·98) |
Hertfordshire | 40·59 | (14·97) | 76·11 | (20·18) |
Humberside | 32·68 | (8·96) | 60·98 | (13·00) |
Isle of Wight | 32·74 | (11·92) | 54·37 | (11·61) |
Kent | 29·02 | (9·00) | 71·61 | (14·15) |
Lancashire | 30·13 | (9·59) | 65·70 | (13·22) |
Leicestershire | 31·59 | (11·26) | 81·42 | (16·36) |
Lincolnshire | 16·22 | (10·94) | 29·03 | (17·69) |
Norfolk | 29·63 | (8·27) | 56·04 | (12·29) |
North Yorkshire | 31·24 | (5·95) | 68·37 | (7·48) |
Northamptonshire | 33·41 | (7·81) | 74·41 | (18·34) |
Northumberland | 33·32 | (11·07) | 72·62 | (16·92) |
Nottinghamshire | 35·60 | (11·74) | 66·56 | (18·25) |
Oxfordshire | 43·28 | (8·01) | 103·89 | (17·59) |
Shropshire | 30·94 | (10·74) | 64·32 | (18·54) |
Somerset | 37·22 | (6·64) | 90·56 | (14·45) |
Staffordshire | 36·68 | (9·92) | 77·80 | (13·44) |
Local authority
| Nursery and primary schools
| Secondary schools
| ||
Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| Books and equipment
| (of which books)
| |
Suffolk | 29·28 | (8·97) | 54·73 | (14·02) |
Surrey | 21·48 | (5·45) | 94·51 | (11·93) |
Warwickshire | 25·68 | (8·82) | 98·23 | (16·12) |
West Sussex | 34·85 | (10·22) | 73·25 | (16·21) |
Wiltshire | 40·32 | (26·49) | 71·08 | (32·56) |
1 The figures are based on local education authority expenditure and pupil number returns to the relevant Government Departments. | ||||
2 n/a denotes that an expenditure return has not been received from the local education authority, or that a separate figure for books has not been provided. |
Table 3
| ||||
E. Land Averages Expenditure per pupil
| ||||
Cash
| Nursery and primary schools
| Secondary schools
| ||
Year
| Books and equipment £
| (of which books) £
| Books and equipment £
| (of which books) £
|
1978–79 | 12·88 | (4·24) | 24·40 | (7·17) |
1984–85 | 23·60 | (7·25) | 42·53 | (10·15) |
1988–89 | 32·14 | (8·95) | 69·79 | (14·25) |
Real terms at 1978–79 prices
| Nursery and primary schools
| Secondary schools
| ||
Year
| Books and equipment £
| (of which books) £
| Books and equipment £
| (of which books) £
|
1978–79 | 12·88 | (4·24) | 24·40 | (7·17) |
1984–85 | 13·24 | (4·07) | 23·86 | (5·69) |
1988–89 | 14·61 | (4·07) | 31·73 | (6·51) |
School Budgets
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any estimate of the financial value of contributions made to school budgets by parents.
My right hon. and learned Friend is not aware of any reliable and up-to-date estimate.
Schools (Charging)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of the charging regulation under the Education Reform Act 1988.
My right hon. and learned Friend is collecting evidence from a range of sources about the operation of the relevant legislation. The results of a sample survey of schools will be available in January 1991 to supplement information from other interested bodies.
Transport
Driving Tests
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department proposes to introduce any changes for the disabled (a) in driving test requirements and (b) in qualifications and requirements for driving instructors; and if he will make a statement.
I do not at present have any plans to introduce such changes. The Driving Standards Agency is, however, considering possible ways to ensure that there are no unnecessary obstacles to disabled people who wish to become driving instructors.
Trains (Accidents)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department has, and what representations it has received, about deaths and injuries caused as a result of faulty train doors, in British Rail and underground services.
In the five-year period 1985–19891 there is no evidence to show that faulty train doors on British Rail and underground services were the cause of death or major injury. During that time, fatalities and injuries have occurred in accidents associated with train doors for the following reasons:
1 1989 details are provisional.
Jubilee Line
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to safeguard the route of the extension of the Jubilee line to the royal docks in the London borough of Newham.
The Bill for the Jubilee line extension provides for an underground step-plate junction south of Canning Town to allow an extension of the Jubilee line through the royal docks to be built at a later stage. As most of the land required for such an extension is owned by either British Rail or the London Docklands development corporation, no further action is necessary to safeguard the route.
Bus Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding monopoly bus operation situations which have arisen as a result of implementation of the Transport Act 1986.
The Transport Act 1985 brought the bus industry fully within the scope of competition legislation, which is the responsibility of the Office of Fair Trading and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has so far been requested to investigate six cases involving mergers in the bus industry.
Gyroplanes
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have occurred involving gyroplanes in the last five years; how many have been investigated by the United Kingdom air accidents investigation branch; what have been the main causes of such accidents; and what arrangements have been made to monitor these aircraft to ensure that reasonable safety standards are observed prior to the marketing of gyroplanes for use by the general public.
The statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority. I am advised by the authority that there have been 16 accidents in the last five years, six of which involved fatalities in which a total of six people have been killed. The six accidents involving fatalities have been the subject of field investigations by the Department of Transport's air accidents investigation branch. Of these six accidents, two have involved mechanical failure, two have been associated with weather conditions prevailing at the time of the flight, and two are attributable to pilot error.
Rail Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans London Transport has to improve rail access to south and east London.
A Bill to extend the Jubilee line through south London to docklands and Stratford is currently before the House. This will do much to improve access to areas of Southwark, Bermondsey, Greenwich, Tower Hamlets and Newham.I recently announced the go-ahead for east-west crossrail, which will provide Stratford and points east with a direct rail link with west London and the west end as well as the City.London Transport is extending the docklands light railway to Bank and Beckton.I am pleased to report that I have authorised London Transport to deposit a Bill for the proposed extension of the docklands light railway to Lewisham. I have done this on the clear understanding that the project will only proceed if LT is successful in its efforts to arrange an acceptable privately financed scheme, and the powers are being taken in that behalf. This extension would provide a further important river crossing and allow the docklands regeneration benefits to spread south from the Isle of Dogs to areas of Greenwich and Lewisham.London Transport is also spending very large sums modernising the Central line as well as continuing to invest heavily in safety and in the general upgrading of the existing underground system. London Transport's investment programme over the next three years will approach £3 billion, an increase of about 90 per cent. in real terms over the previous three years. With such a large programme already in hand and largely funded by Government grant, further extensions to south and east London could be afforded now only if they were privately funded or London Transport felt able to reorder its priorities.As it is, although a substantial private sector contribution has been offered towards a station on the proposed east London line extensions, the project as a whole would still require substantial public funding. Given the public expenditure constraints within which it must operate, London Transport has concluded that it has other more pressing priorities at present and has therefore decided, with my agreement, not to seek leave to deposit the necessary Private Bill in this Session of Parliament. I hope nonetheless that London Transport will continue to discuss the project with interested parties in case a way can be found of taking the project forward at less cost to it. We are discussing with London Transport the case for safeguarding the route of the extensions through the planning system so as to ensure that they remain an option for the future.
Learner Drivers
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress with the production of an official syllabus for learner drivers and riders.
I am pleased to announce that the Driving Standards Agency has produced a book containing the syllabus and guide to car and motor cycle tests. The book, called "Your Driving Test", is published today and can be obtained from HMSO and major bookstores. The agency also plans to produce a companion volume about driving tests for large goods and passenger vehicles.
Home Department
Prisons
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales in which restraints have been used on inmates during the last three years; and how many times restraints have been used at each prison during this period.
The number of applications of restraints under rule 46 of the Prison Rules 1964, rule 49 of the Detention Centre Rules 1983, rule 49 of the Youth Custody Centre Rules 1983 and rule 49 of the Young Offender Institution Rules 1988 are given in the table.
Restraints1applied to violent or refractory inmates of prison service establishments in England and Wales: by establishment, 1987–89 | |||
Establishment and type | Number of applications | ||
1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |
Local prisons/remand centres | |||
Ashford | — | — | 5 |
Bedford | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Birmingham | — | 10 | 3 |
Bristol | — | — | 1 |
Brixton | — | — | 6 |
Camp Hill | — | — | 5 |
Canterbury | 1 | — | — |
Cardiff | 5 | 1 | 2 |
Chelmsford | — | 1 | 1 |
Durham | — | 1 | — |
Exeter | 2 | — | — |
Hull | 7 | 4 | 9 |
Leeds | 1 | 1 | — |
Establishment and type | Number of applications | ||
1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |
Leicester | 5 | 17 | 4 |
Lewes | — | 1 | 4 |
Lincoln | — | 5 | 4 |
Oxford | 1 | 1 | — |
Pentonville | 2 | 1 | — |
Reading | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Risley | — | — | 2 |
Rochester | — | — | 2 |
Swansea | 1 | — | — |
Wandsworth | 5 | 10 | 7 |
Wormwood Scrubs | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Training prisons | |||
Acklington | — | — | 2 |
Albany | 2 | — | 20 |
Blundeston | 4 | — | — |
Camp Hill | 2 | 6 | — |
Chelmsford | 1 | — | — |
Cookham Wood | — | — | 1 |
Dartmoor | 1 | — | — |
Frankland | 6 | 7 | 3 |
Full Sutton | — | 7 | 9 |
Garth | — | 1 | — |
Havering | — | — | 1 |
Lindholme | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Long Lartin | 4 | 3 | — |
Parkhurst | 6 | 6 | 9 |
Preston | — | — | 2 |
Shepton Mallet | — | 3 | — |
Stafford | 3 | — | 1 |
7Styal | 1 | — | — |
Wakefield | 2 | — | — |
Wayland | — | — | 1 |
Young offender institutions/youth custody centres/detention centres | |||
Aylesbury | — | 1 | 5 |
Buckley Hall | — | 1 | — |
Dover | 7 | — | 5 |
Glen Parva | 1 | 1 | — |
Guys Marsh | 1 | — | 3 |
Hatfield | — | 1 | — |
Hollesley Bay | 1 | — | — |
Onley | 1 | 2 | — |
Rochester | 8 | — | — |
All establishments | 90 | 103 | 125 |
1 Loose canvas jacket, body belt, handcuffs and ankle straps. No leather wrist straps were used. |
Firearms
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Northumbria on the number of incidents involving the use of firearms dealt with by Northumbria police in 1990 and the number of officers trained in the use of firearms in the force at the present time.
I understand from the chief constable of Northumbria that between 1 January and 15 November 1990 firearms were issued to his officers in 176 operations against crime. On 15 November, 149 of his officers were trained and authorised to be issued with firearms.
Fresh Start
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the average sickness rates and (b) the average long-term sickness rates, namely over one year, for each prison in the United Kingdom for each of the two years before Fresh Start was implemented and the subsequent years.
The number of lost days due to sickness absence in prison establishments in England and Wales for the year ending March 1990 averaged about 13 days per officer. I will write to the hon. Member shortly with the breakdown by establishment. Information on long and short-term sickness rates and sickness rates in earlier years is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Suicides (Police Cells)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many self-inflicted deaths, suicides and attempted suicides took place among prisoners held in police cells in 1988, 1989 and 1990 to date.
The number of deaths which occurred in police custody, together with brief details of the circumstances surrounding each case, are contained in the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The number of cases in which the coroner's inquest has returned a verdict of suicide is as follows:
Number | |
1988 | 5 |
1989 | 5 |
1990 | 11 |
1 A number of inquests have yet to be concluded. |
Immigration
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average and the maximum delays suffered by non-EEC passengers at passport check-ins at Heathrow and Gatwick over the past six months; and what are the comparable figures for EEC passengers.
The average and maximum delays at Heathrow and Gatwick during the six-month period 1 April to 30 September 1990 were as follows:
Non-EEC Minutes | EC Minutes | |
Heathrow | ||
Average | 18 | 1 |
Maximum | 175 | 10 |
Gatwick | ||
Average | 14 | 2 |
Maximum | 90 | 15 |
Crime Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures of crime rates in Dyfed, Wales, for each year since 1970; and if he will make a statement.
The available information is on notifiable offences recorded by the police in the Dyfed-Powys police area and is published annually: for 1970–73 in "Supplementary Statistics Relating to Crime and Criminal Proceedings"; for 1974–89 in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 2.4 for 1989 and corresponding tables in issues for earlier years, and for the 12 months to June 1990 in "Home Office Statistical Bulletin" 31/90. Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.
Prison Population
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's projected prison population for 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999; and if he will make a statement.
The latest projections of the prison population were published in a Home Office statistical bulletin "Updated projections of long term trends in the prison population to 1998"—issue 33/90, dated 24 October 1990—a copy of which is in the Library.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the sentenced and remand population in England and Wales for the latest date available; and how many prisoners were being held in police cells on the same date.
The latest available information is that on 30 September 1990, a total of 9,377 remand, 214 non-criminal and 34,888 sentenced prisoners were held in prison service establishments. A further 1,009 were held in police cells of whom the majority were remand prisoners.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the years between 1975 and 1990, the proportion of adults imprisoned per 100,000 of the population.
[holding answer 12 November 1990]: The information is given in the table.
Adult prisoners1in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June as a proportion per 100,000 of the adult2population, 1975–1990 | |
Year | |
1975 | 83·6 |
1976 | 87·6 |
1977 | 88·7 |
1978 | 87·4 |
1979 | 87·2 |
1980 | 89·5 |
1981 | 89·3 |
1982 | 88·4 |
1983 | 89·3 |
1984 | 89·4 |
1985 | 95·4 |
1986 | 95·5 |
1987 | 103·0 |
1988 | 103·6 |
1989 | 103·9 |
1990 | 395·6 |
1 Sentenced remand and non-custodial prisoners aged 21 and over including sentenced young offenders re-classified as adults. | |
2 Aged 21 and over. | |
3 Using projected mid-year national population. |
Hong Kong
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what direction he has issued to the Governor of Hong Kong under section 1(3) of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990, specifying the time scale and number of persons to be recommended for registration under section 1(1) of that Act during the first stage of the selection process.
I have directed the Governor to make the following recommendations during the period beginning 1 December 1990 and ending 1 January 1994:
- not more than 32,700 in the general occupational class, of which not more than 400 are to be in respect of applicants in approved occupations;
- not more than 6,200 in the disciplined services class; and
- not more than 3,850 in the sensitive service class.
Victim Support Services
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will review its current restrictions upon the use of its grant funding to victim support in view of the possible closure of local offices and reduction of services; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 14 November 1990]: The Home Office grant-in-aid for local victim support schemes in England and Wales—£4·5 million this year—is administered by the funding panel of the national charity Victim Support under criteria which have been agreed with the Home Office and are reviewed annually. The 350 or so local schemes rely largely on voluntary help, but Home Office grant is available to pay for up to two co-ordinators in each scheme or to assist with running costs. There has been no reduction in Home Office grant which will, subject to parliamentary approval, be increased by 20 per cent. to £5·4 million next year. It is open to local schemes faced with loss or reduction of funding from other sources to apply to the funding panel for new or extra grant.
Attorney-General
Judges
To ask the Attorney-General what powers the Lord Chancellor has to control public appearances in programmes of political content by judges.
The Lord Chancellor's formal powers over the conduct of judges in England and Wales are limited to the power to remove circuit judges for incapacity or misbehaviour. It is, however, a long-standing convention that judges do not become involved in matters of political controversy, and the Lord Chancellor, as head of the judiciary, would advise any judge who sought his opinion that it would not be appropriate to appear in a programme with a political content.
Distress For Rent Notices
To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has to expand and simplify the prescribed notices given to debtors under the Distress for Rent Rules of 1988.
The Law Commission is at present undertaking a study of the law of distress, and a final report is expected early in the new year.
The Lord Chancellor's Department will be carrying out a review of the Distress for Rent Rules 1988 once that report has been received.
Private Bailiffs
To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has to establish a register of certificated private bailiffs.
A register of bailiffs who hold a certificate granted by a county court judge authorising them to levy any distress for rent is maintained by the Lord Chancellor's Department at its London headquarters.The register is maintained for administrative purposes and is not open to public inspection, but each county court maintains a list of bailiffs who hold a certificate as at 1 February each year. The list is exhibited in the public area at the court office.
To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has for consulting community charge and advice agencies about charges made by private bailiffs.
The level of fees, charges and expenses which my be recovered from a tenant by certificated bailiff is set out in appendix 1 to the Distress for Rent Rules 1988 and is reviewed from time to time by the Lord Chancellor's Department, in consultation with other Government Departments and with the Certificated Bailiffs' Association. Charges by private bailiffs for enforcing liability orders—schedule 5 of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989—are the same. There are no plans at present to extend this consultation process.
To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has to establish a complaints procedure against private bailiffs.
Any person who wishes to complain about the conduct or fitness of a bailiff who holds a certificate granted by a county court judge under the Distress for Rent Rules 1988 may make his or her complaint in writing to the county court from which the certificate was issued.No such procedure is in place in respect of private bailiffs who do not hold a certificate granted by a judge of a county court. Such bailiffs are not authorised to levy distress for rent, but may operate in other areas such as recovery of community charge, fines or taxes.
Bereavement Damages
To ask the Attorney-General whether the Government propose to increase the level of bereavement damages under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976; and if he will make a statement.
Following a review announced last year, the Government have decided that the statutory level of bereavement damages which may be awarded by the courts in England and Wales in fatal accident cases should be raised from the figure of £3,500 fixed in 1982 to £7,500.In accordance with the provisions of section 1A of the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, the Lord Chancellor will shortly be making the necessary order, which is subject to the negative resolution procedure, to implement the increase to £7,500 which will take effect in relation to deaths occurring on or after 1 April 1991. A separate order will be made at the same time, under article 3A of the Fatal Accidents (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, to effect a similar increase in the level of the award in Northern Ireland.The proposed new level of £7,500 will also apply, with effect from 1 April 1991, to cases where a bereavement award is made under the criminal injuries compensation scheme in England and Wales.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland intends to bring forward an order increasing the level of bereavement award to £7,500 under the statutory criminal injuries compensation scheme in the Province.
Trade And Industry
Norwich Union
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received any representations on the intervention order by LAUTRO to prevent Norwich Union from taking business with the Winchester Group; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend has received no such representations. It is up to LAUTRO, and ultimately the Securities and Investments Board, to decide how to enforce the rules.
Thames Water
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet the chairman of the stock exchange to discuss the failure of Thames Water plc to repay to stockholders the outstanding liability on Metropolitan water board 3 per cent. B stock; and if he will make a statement.
No. This is a matter for the company, its stockholders and the stock exchange.
Machine Tool Industry
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the amount exported by the machine tool industry for each year from 1979 to 1989.
The information is as follows:
United Kingdom Exports of Metal Working Machine Tools11979–1989 | |
Year | £ million |
1979 | 291 |
1980 | 367 |
1981 | 355 |
1982 | 353 |
1983 | 283 |
1984 | 320 |
1985 | 372 |
1986 | 379 |
1987 | 426 |
1988 | 524 |
1989 | 526 |
1 Activity Heading 3221 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). |
Trade And Industry
Cot Deaths
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made by his Departmental inquiry into cot deaths; when he expects to receive it; and if he will publish it.
I have been asked to reply.The expert working group is expected to report to the Chief Medical Officer soon. It has always been the intention to publish its findings.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Non-Proliferation Regime
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals for the development of an extended regional non-proliferation regime under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council have been circulated recently by the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Union has circulated various proposals at the UN Security Council. As far as we are aware, no proposal for a regional non-proliferation regime has been made.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet his Soviet counterpart or officials of the Soviet Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministries, to discuss the development of new or extended non-proliferation agreements.
No plans at present.
Nuclear Arms Reductions
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what indications he has received from the Soviet Government that in the next round of the strategic nuclear arms reduction negotiations United Kingdom Polaris and-or Trident ballistic nuclear missile systems will necessarily be included on the agenda.
The conditions for the United Kingdom considering how best to contribute to the arms control process are already well known.
United Nations Day
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government supported any events or facilitated the distribution of any literature to mark United Nations day on 24 October.
No.
Nuclear Weapons Tests
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions have been taken pursuant to rule 44(4) of the rules of procedure for the amendment conference for states party to the treaty banning nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere in outer space and under water.
We are not aware of any decisions taken by specialised agencies and intergovernmental organisations pursuant to rule 44(4) of the partial test ban treaty amendment conference.
Wales
Housing
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was authorised for district councils in Wales for the purchase of houses from the private sector for letting by local authorities, in 1989–90 and 1990–91; and what the level of authorisation will be for 1991–92.
A total of £1 million was made available in both 1989–90 and 1990–91 for district councils to purchase land and houses in areas with a high concentration of second homes. This was in addition to their ability to spend, within available resources, according to their own priorities. Decisions about resources for 1991–92 will be announced very soon.
National Rivers Authority
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will arrange to discuss with the chairman of the National Rivers Authority questions relating to the right of trade unions in the industry in Wales to refer disputes to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
No. This is a matter for the National Rivers Authority.
Cardiff Bay Barrage
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation regarding the cost and length of time required for carrying out the additional work specified by his independent groundwater consultant Mr. Roy Stoner.
None. Much of the additional work recommended by Mr. Stoner is already being carried out by the corporation's consultants. The remainder will be undertaken as part of the further studies and should not, therefore, result in an extension to the 12-month period as laid down by the Committee which examined the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill. Any extra costs involved will be met by the corporation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what reply he expects to make to the report of Mr. Roy Stoner, placed in the Library on 12 November, relating to the Cardiff bay barrage.
My right hon. Friend has thanked Mr. Stoner for his report and informed him that the issues raised in it will be taken up with Cardiff Bay development corporation and its consultants.
Nature Conservation
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites which (i) have been designated or (ii) meet the criteria for designation as (a) special protection areas under the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds, or (b) Ramsar sites under the convention on wetlands of international importance.
The designation of SPA and Ramsar sites is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. Welsh sites are designated in consultation with me.
In Wales three SPAs, Skokholm and Skomer—part—Dee estuary and Grassholm, and two Ramsar sites, Dee estuary and Cors Fochno, have been designated.
I understand that the NCC has so far identified 11 sites, in Wales, which it considers meet the SPA criteria and 10 which meet the Ramsar conditions. These are:
- Llyn Idwal (Gwynedd) Ramsar
- Llyn Tegid (Gwynedd) Ramsar
- Cors Caron (Dyfed) Ramsar
- Corsydd Mon/Lleyn (Dyfed) Ramsar
- Crumlin Bog (Gwent) Ramsar
- Migneint (Gwynedd) Ramsar
- Midland Meres Mires (Clwyd) Ramsar
- Burry Inlet (Dyfed/West Glamorgan) Ramsar and SPA
- Severn Estuary (part) (South Glamorgan/Gwent) Ramsar and SPA
- Carmarthen Bay (Dyfed/West Glamorgan) Ramsar and SPA
- Skokholm and Skomer (part) (Dyfed) SPA
- Glannau Aberdaron/Ynys Enlli (Gwynedd) SPA
- Ynys Feurig, Cemlyn Bay and the Skerries (Gwynedd) SPA
- Glannau Ynys Gybi (Gwynedd) SPA
- Traeth Lafan (Gwynedd) SPA
- Pembrokeshire Cliffs (Dyfed) SPA
- Elenydd Mallaen (Powys) SPA
- Berwyn (Gwynedd) SPA
Agriculture
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met representatives from the Farmers Union of Wales to discuss opportunities for young people entering the agriculture industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend met representatives of the Farmers Union of Wales on 11 September to discuss a range of agricultural issues, which included the opportunities for young people entering the industry.
Music Teaching
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the implications for peripatetic music teaching of local management of schools.
We are not aware that music provision, including the peripatetic music service, has been adversely affected by the introduction of local management of schools. Parents will want to see music provision maintained in the schools their children attend, and so will governors. We confidently expect that the delegation of control to governors will lead to an enrichment in the education experience provided by schools.
Mr Rod Richards
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply of 13 November, Official Report, column 106, if he will give specific details of the knowledge and experience of Mr. Rod Richards in respect of the public sector which will be relevant to his work as special adviser.
My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to the answer he gave the hon. Gentleman on 13 November.
Health
Civil Defence
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants are currently employed (a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989–90; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990–91; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.
The information requested is as follows:
Number of Staff and cost | |
Number of Staff employed full-time on 19 November 1990 | Nil |
Number of staff employed part-time on 19 November 1990 | 5 |
Total cost 1989–90 | 1£58,000 |
Estimated total cost 1990–91 | 1£57,000 |
1 Approximate |
Social Security
Injury And Disablement
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide statistics indicating the nature of injuries for which injury and disablement payments were made for 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.
The table gives statistics distinguishing between industrial accidents and prescribed occupational diseases.
Disablement Pensions in Payment—1986–1989 | ||
Date | Industrial Accidents | Prescribed Diseases |
30 September 1986 | 147,000 | 37,000 |
4 April 1987 | 148,000 | 37,000 |
2 April 1988 | 151,000 | 37,000 |
1 April 1989 | 150,000 | 35,000 |
Notes:
(i) Injury benefit was abolished in 1983.
(ii) The DSS industrial accident statistics cover all possible physical injuries for which disablement benefit is paid in considerable detail.
(iii) There are some 59 prescribed occupational diseases.
Civil Defence
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants are currently employed (a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989–90; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990–91; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.
None of the staff in the Department is employed full time on civil defence work. There are 10 members of staff in the Department's headquarters and regional offices whose duties include civil defence matters but, since these represent only a very small part of the duties of the staff involved, it is not possible to identify separately the costs involved.
Workplace Accidents
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the reported accidents involving lifting of patients taken from B176 forms received by his Department for each year from 1983 to 1989 showing distribution by age/sex, occupation, incidence rates based on population of England and place of accident.
The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Retirement Pension
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people put in claims for retirement pension during the six months to March 1989; how many were awarded the full basic rate retirement pension; and what are the reasons for the proportion not receiving full basic rate pension.
In the six months to March 1989 317,011 claims were made to state retirement pension and 244,940 awards of basic pension made. The difference between these figures is made up by those claims from individuals choosing to defer their pensions, those which led to the payment of graduated and additional pension only and cases where there was no entitlement to retirement pension.Of the awards made, 194,600 were at the full rate of basic retirement pension. These pensions are based upon a person's, or their spouse's, contribution record; the main reason for an award being made at less than the full rate is an insufficient record, but it can also reflect a reduction due to receipt of another benefit.
Benefits
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of attendance allowance, mobility allowance and invalid care allowance in (a) the Kirklees district and (b) England and Wales.
The numbers of people receiving each benefit in Kirklees district could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The latest available information about people receiving these benefits in England and Wales is in the table:
Number | |
Attendance Allowance (as at 31 March 1989) | 1695,000 |
Mobility Allowance as at 15 November 1990) | 539,000 |
Invalid Care Allowance (Scotland, England and Wales)2(as at 31 October 1990) | 132,000 |
1 Statistical estimate. | |
2 Separate figures for England and Wales are not available. |
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide details for the Kirklees metropolitan district of the number of people currently, most recent figures, in receipt of each of the following benefits: (a) attendance allowance, (b) mobility allowance and (c) invalid care allowance, and an estimate of what level of take-up the above figures represent in terms of entitlement to benefit for the Kirklees district.
This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all forms of benefit that can be obtained through his Department; when each form of benefit was first introduced; and whether each form of benefit was introduced as an entirely new benefit or whether it superseded earlier benefit payments.
[holding answer 15 November 1990]: The information requested is in the table. The dates given are those of introduction of the benefit in its original form and it should be noted that many have since been modified.
Benefit | Introduced | Superseded |
Attendance Allowance | December 71 | New |
Child Benefit | April 77 | Family Allowance |
Christmas Bonus | December 72 | New |
Community Charge Benefit1 | April 90 | Rate Rebate (England and Wales) Community Charge Rebate (Scotland) |
Constant Attendance Allowance | July 48 | New |
Exceptionally Severe Disablement Allowance | July 48 | New |
Family Credit | April 88 | Family Income Supplement |
Guardians Allowance | July 48 | Orphan's Pension |
Housing Benefit—1 Rent Rebates | November 82— April 83 | Local Authorities local schemes and supplementary benefit provision |
Rent Allowance | as above | as above |
Income Support | April 88 | Supplementary Benefit |
Industrial Death Benefit2 | July 48 | New |
Industrial Disablement Benefit | July 48 | New |
Invalid Care Allowance | July 76 | New |
Invalidity Benefit | September 71 | New |
Maternity Allowance3 | July 48 | New |
Mobility Allowance | January 76 | New |
One Parent Benefit4 | April 77 | Child Interim Benefit |
Pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and miscellaneous diseases benefit5 | March 52 | New |
Reduced Earnings Allowance | October 86 | Special Hardship Allowance |
Remission of certain NHS charges and payment of travelling expenses to hospital for NHS treatment on income grounds6 | April 88 | Replaced a similar scheme but with changes in the basis of assessment and with centralized administration |
Retirement Allowance | April 88 | Reduced Earnings Allowance for those of pension age who retired |
Retirement Pension— | ||
Category A and B | July 48 | New |
Category C | July 70 | New |
Category D | July 71 | New |
Age addition | July 71 | New |
Graduated retirement benefit7 | July 61 | New |
Benefit | Introduced | Superseded |
Additional pension (SERPS), payable also with widow's benefits (except Widow's Payment) | April 79 | New |
Severe Disablement Allowance | November 84 | Non Contributory Invalidity Pension (NCIP) |
Sickness Benefit3 | July 48 | New |
Social Fund— | ||
Funeral Payments | April 87 | Supplementary Benefit Single Payment |
Maternity Payments | April 87 | as above |
Community Care Grants | April 88 | New |
Budgeting Loans | April 88 | Supplementary Benefit Single Payments |
Crisis Loans | April 88 | Supplementary Benefit Urgent payments |
Cold Weather Payments | November 88 | Exceptionally Severe Weather Payments |
Travel Grants, Settlement or Resettlement Loans | September 90 | New |
Statutory Maternity Pay 8 | April 87 | Maternity allowance for most employed women. |
Statutory Sick Pay 8 | April 83 | Sickness benefit for most employed people |
Unemployment Benefit 9 | 1911 | New |
Vaccine damage payments 10 | March 79 | New |
War Disablement Pension | February 17 | New |
War Widow's Pension | February 17 | New |
Widow's Pension | July 48 | New |
Widow's Payment | April 88 | Widow's allowance |
Widowed Mother's Allowance | July 48 | New |
Workmen's Compensation Supplement | July 51 | New |
Notes:
1 Paid and administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department of Social Security (DSS).
2 Not payable in respect of deaths on or after 11 April 1988.
3 Superseded benefits payable under the various National Health Insurance Acts.
4 Named Child Benefit Increase prior to 1 April 1981.
5 Miscellaneous diseases first included in November 1954.
6 Administered by DSS on behalf of the Department of Health.
7 Payable only to people with accrued rights derived from payments to the graduated pension scheme from 1961 to 1975.
8 Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity Allowance are administered and paid by employers. Sickness benefit and Maternity Allowance are still available for those who do not qualify.
9 Paid and administered by the Department of Employment.
10 Paid via the Department of Health until 1982 when responsibility passed to DSS.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice has been given to the Government of the Irish Republic about their handling of the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the Republic.
We have kept the Government of the Irish Republic fully informed about the measures we have taken to deal with bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United Kingdom and of the reasons for taking them.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the Government to respond to the Agriculture Committee's report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
I and my right hon. Friends have today presented to Parliament the Government's response to the House of Commons Agriculture Committee's report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Copies of the response have been deposited in the Library of the House and are available from the Vote Office.
Seaside Rock
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigations have been made into the side-effects of the red-pink colouring E127, known as erythrosine, used in seaside rock; and if he will make a statement.
E127, erythrosine, has been investigated by the Food Advisory Committee and the committee on toxicity as part of a review of the use of all colours currently permitted in food. The review showed that the normal consumption of seaside rock coloured with erythrosine does not present a toxicological hazard. However, I have accepted the Food Advisory Committee's advice that there is a need to reduce the level of colours generally in the diet and will be proposing new regulations that will include restrictions on the use of erythrosine as advised by the committee.
Ec Special Committee On Agriculture
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the agenda of each meeting of the special committee on agriculture of the European Community.
It has been the practice of successive Governments not to publish details of the work of official committees reporting to the Council of Ministers.
Fisheries Council
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 20 November.
I represented the United Kingdom at the Council of Fisheries Ministers in Brussels on 20 November with my noble Friend Lord Strathclyde, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.We secured the maintenance of the dual system for herring and price adjustments which should assist the continued orderly marketing of the Scottish herring catch. We kept other price changes within reasonable bounds.Despite long discussion, the Council was unable to agree on new technical conservation measures. We emphasised the need for early decisions, but the Council concluded that further work was required. We shall continue to press hard for progress on this.The Council also considered amendments to the fisheries structure regulation discussing the balance of the various measures proposed and remitted the proposal for further consideration at official level.
The Council also agreed that the Commission should press ahead with work to harmonise member states' laws in the Mediterranean and to develop improved research arrangements, as a first step in developing a common fisheries policy in the Mediterranean.
Tecnazene
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the 1989 United Kingdom potato crop was treated with tecnazene.
No survey was conducted in 1989. The latest figures for use of tecnazene are: in England and Wales 35 per cent. of the 1988 crop; in Scotland 24 per cent. of the 1986 crop.
Birds
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any scientific evidence that the bird species subject to the proposed alteration to the Wildlife and Countryside Act cause damage to growing crops, game birds or livestock feedingstuffs.
This Department's central science laboratories have researched damage to agricultural crops caused by starlings, wood pigeons and Brent geese. This damage is significant: starlings can take 12 per cent. of barley for cattle and 20 per cent. of the cherry crop, wood pigeons eat oil seed rape worth £2 million, and Brent geese reduce yield of winter wheat locally by up to 10 per cent.
Defence
United States Nuclear Laboratories
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any officials of his Department have visited the United States nuclear laboratories at (a) Los Alamos, (b) Lawrence Livermore or (c) Sandia in the current year.
In the current year Ministry of Defence officials have visited all three of these laboratories under the terms of the 1958 United States-United Kingdom agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes.
Repair Grants | |||||
Number and value (in brackets) £ million | |||||
Grants office | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 | 1989–90 |
Belfast | 4,649 (£10·0) | 4,301 (£8·7) | 2,120 (£7·3) | 2,768 (£4·8) | 1,881 (£4·2) |
Ballyclare | 1,495 (£2·4) | 1,023 (£1·7) | 380 (£0·9) | 595 (£1·1) | 456 (£1·0) |
Ballymena | 598 (£1·3) | 389 (£1·0) | 182 (£0·6) | 270 (£0·6) | 131 (£0·4) |
Coleraine | 562 (£1·1) | 444 (£0·9) | 197 (£0·5) | 259 (£0·5) | 176 (£0·4) |
Craigavon | 1,063 (£1·9) | 660 (£1·1) | 338 (£0·7) | 369 (£0·5) | 265 (£0·5) |
Fermanagh | 340 (£0·7) | 272 (£0·6) | 148 (£0·4) | 201 (£0·4) | 200 (£0·4) |
Lisburn | 861 (£2·8) | 733 (£1·4) | 329 (£1·1) | 438 (£0·9) | 267 (£0·6) |
Londonderry | 598 (£1·2) | 444 (£0·9) | 208 (£0·6) | 248 (£0·5) | 211 (£0·6) |
Newry | 448 (£1·2) | 326 (£0·8) | 214 (£0·7) | 215 (£0·5) | 137 (£1·7) |
Newtownards | 2,072 (£2·2) | 1,743 (£3·3) | 708 (£2·0) | 661 (£1·8) | 493 (£1·6) |
Omagh | 388 (£1·1) | 287 (£0·6) | 177 (£0·5) | 243 (£0·6) | 222 (£0·6) |
Military Nuclear Facilities
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to seek agreements with the Soviet Union to conclude a bilateral arrangement on environmental restoration and nuclear waste management at military nuclear facilities along the lines of the co-operation agreement between the Soviet Union and the United States of America signed on 18 September.
We have no such plans.
Northern Ireland
Rural Development
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the interdepartmental committee on rural development will complete its deliberations and report to him on its findings; and if he will make such findings and recommendations available for public debate and implementation.
The interdepartmental committee on rural development is preparing to report to me before the end of the year. I do not intend to publish the report, although decisions flowing from it will be announced as appropriate.
Housing Executive
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of applications for (a) improvement grants and (b) repair grants refused by each grants office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each year since 1985.
The matter the hon. Gentleman raised is for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I understand from the chairman that information on the refusal of individual grant types is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number and value of (a) improvement grants and (b) repair grants issued by each grants office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each year since 1985.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that the available information is as follows:
Improvement Grants
| |||||
Number and value (in brackets) £ million
| |||||
Grants office
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
|
Belfast | 1,166 (£7·8) | 1,027 (£8·0) | 778 (£7·9) | 893 (£6·1) | 690 (£5·7) |
Ballyclare | 210 (£1·4) | 237 (£1·6) | 202 (£1·3) | 174 (£1·2) | 141 (£1·0) |
Ballymena | 559 (£3·3) | 486 (£3·1) | 332 (£2·1) | 263 (£1·9) | 280 (£1·7) |
Coleraine | 387 (£2·6) | 404 (£2·6) | 293 (£2·0) | 282 (£1·6) | 234 (£1·7) |
Craigavon | 472 (£2·7) | 338 (£2·7) | 393 (£3·1) | 201 (£2·4) | 197 (£1·5) |
Fermanagh | 287 (£2·1) | 296 (£2·0) | 267 (£1·8) | 201 (£1·4) | 197 (£1·3) |
Lisburn | 342 (£2·3) | 293 (£2·0) | 295 (£1·2) | 267 (£1·4) | 188 (£1·5) |
Londonderry | 339 (£1·4) | 410 (£3·0) | 313 (£2·1) | 242 (£1·6) | 238 (£1·5) |
Newry | 369 (£3·0) | 403 (£3·2) | 420 (£2·4) | 267 (£1·8) | 225 (£2·2) |
Newtownards | 338 (£1·7) | 366 (£2·2) | 246 (£2·4) | 266 (£1·6) | 186 (£1·7) |
Omagh | 486 (£4·2) | 558 (£4·2) | 434 (£3·0) | 411 (£2·6) | 331 (£2·6) |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average length of time for the execution of repairs under each repair category identified by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that the information requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of families or individuals currently registered as homeless with each district office of the maintenance section of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that the executive does not maintain a register of homeless persons. However, at 19 November 1990, the number of households living in temporary accommodation, secured for them under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, by each district office and the housing advice centre of the Housing Executive, is as follows:
Number of households | |
Housing Advice Centre | 14 |
DISTRICT | |
Belfast 1 | 30 |
Belfast 2 | 8 |
Belfast 3 | 34 |
Belfast 4 | 9 |
Belfast 5 | 6 |
Belfast 6 | 14 |
Belfast 7 | 21 |
Bangor | 10 |
Newtownards 1 | 3 |
Newtownards 2 | 3 |
Castlereagh 1 | 3 |
Castlereagh 2 | 1 |
Lisburn 1 | 26 |
Lisburn 2 | 0 |
Lisburn 3 | 7 |
Downpatrick | 26 |
Banbridge | 2 |
Newry 1 | 2 |
Newry 2 | 2 |
Kilkeel | 0 |
Armagh | 0 |
Craigavon | 2 |
Lurgan | 0 |
Portadown | 0 |
Ballymena | 5 |
Antrim | 0 |
Newtownabbey 1 | 1 |
Newtownabbey 2 | 3 |
Number of households | |
Carrickfergus | 1 |
Larne | 4 |
Ballycastle | 0 |
Ballymoney | 1 |
Londonderry 1 | 16 |
Londonderry 2 | 3 |
Londonderry 3 | 5 |
Limavady | 7 |
Coleraine | 1 |
Magherafelt | 3 |
Strabane | 0 |
Omagh | 3 |
Cookstown | 0 |
Dungannon | 1 |
Enniskillen | 2 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of new-build houses programmed for the current financial year by each district office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that programme information is not available in the form requested. It is however available by district council area and the position for the 1990–91 financial year is as follows:
District council | Number of houses |
Antrim | 25 |
Armagh | 34 |
Belfast | 408 |
Castlereagh | 10 |
Coleraine | 3 |
Craigavon | 52 |
Derry | 90 |
Down | 24 |
Fermanagh | 12 |
Lisburn | 222 |
Magherafelt | 9 |
Newry and Mourne | 4 |
Newtownards | 98 |
Omagh | 11 |
Total | 1,002 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of families or individual's currently listed in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's waiting lists in each district office in each category A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2 and B3.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that the latest available information is as follows:
Northern Ireland housing executive | |||||||
Total number on waiting list as at 31 October 1990 | |||||||
District | A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | B1 | B2 | B3 |
Belfast 1 | 101 | 27 | 23 | — | 509 | 38 | — |
Belfast 2 | 26 | 88 | 55 | — | 548 | 307 | 6 |
Belfast 3 | 90 | 32 | 240 | — | 416 | 37 | 4 |
Belfast 4 | 35 | 40 | 160 | — | 427 | 102 | 1 |
Belfast 5 | 39 | 54 | 121 | — | 329 | 113 | — |
Belfast 6 | 42 | 39 | 25 | — | 372 | 96 | — |
Belfast 7 | 90 | 58 | 71 | 6 | 597 | 315 | 7 |
Bangor | 23 | 67 | 9 | 1 | 527 | 407 | 3 |
Newtownards 1 | 44 | 32 | 22 | 1 | 353 | 143 | 3 |
Newtownards 2 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 169 | 83 | — |
Dundonald | 20 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 211 | 67 | 1 |
Newtownbreda | 16 | 33 | 4 | 1 | 264 | 196 | 3 |
Lisburn 1 | 86 | 41 | 10 | 1 | 366 | 126 | 7 |
Lisburn 2 | 30 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 151 | 77 | 1 |
Lisburn 3 | 42 | 6 | 4 | — | 358 | 16 | — |
Downpatrick | 46 | 27 | 36 | — | 441 | 114 | 1 |
Banbridge | 32 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 227 | 47 | — |
Newry 1 | 18 | 16 | 7 | — | 326 | 67 | — |
Newry 2 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 1 | 224 | 42 | — |
Kilkeel | 7 | 7 | — | 2 | 87 | 14 | — |
Armagh | 14 | 10 | 22 | 3 | 336 | 79 | — |
Craigavon | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 192 | 9 | — |
Lurgan | 13 | 20 | 12 | 1 | 293 | 69 | 1 |
Portadown | 14 | 10 | 9 | — | 230 | 80 | — |
Ballymena | 24 | 55 | 26 | 3 | 458 | 69 | — |
Antrim | 20 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 492 | 41 | — |
Newtownabbey 1 | 20 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 240 | 61 | — |
Newtownabbey 2 | 32 | 23 | 14 | 1 | 381 | 121 | 1 |
Carrickfergus | 20 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 348 | 113 | — |
Larne | 19 | 29 | 26 | 2 | 324 | 61 | — |
Ballycastle | 11 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 143 | 15 | — |
Ballymoney | 11 | 9 | 9 | — | 199 | 26 | — |
Londonderry 1 | 107 | 61 | 20 | 3 | 389 | 43 | 1 |
Londonderry 2 | 27 | 54 | 10 | 1 | 230 | 47 | — |
Londonderry 3 | 56 | 16 | — | 1 | 284 | 12 | — |
Limavady | 15 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 242 | 22 | — |
Coleraine | 14 | 36 | 13 | 7 | 561 | 98 | 2 |
Magherafelt | 14 | 23 | 18 | 2 | 255 | 52 | — |
Strabane | 19 | 33 | 18 | 1 | 265 | 40 | — |
Omagh | 35 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 342 | 80 | — |
Cookstown | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 134 | 37 | — |
Dungannon | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 257 | 73 | 1 |
Fermanagh | 30 | 6 | 42 | 2 | 310 | 102 | — |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of dwellings owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each year since 1985.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that the information at 31 March in each year is as follows:
Number | |
1985 | 183,439 |
1986 | 181,717 |
1987 | 179,910 |
1988 | 176,832 |
1989 | 174,018 |
1990 | 169,971 |
Housing Executive properties sold since 1985–86 | ||||||
South Region | ||||||
District | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 | 1989–90 | Total |
Armagh | 125 | 104 | 85 | 82 | 163 | 559 |
Banbridge | 56 | 51 | 56 | 60 | 113 | 336 |
Craigavon | 56 | 28 | 20 | 51 | 42 | 197 |
Kilkeel | 55 | 47 | 29 | 31 | 34 | 196 |
Lurgan | 129 | 87 | 50 | 55 | 117 | 438 |
Newry 1 | 138 | 102 | 135 | 156 | 203 | 734 |
Newry 2 | 149 | 131 | 108 | 107 | 169 | 664 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tenants bought their dwellings from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each district in each year since 1985.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chairman has advised me that the information is not available in the precise form requested. However, figures are available for the total number of dwellings sold by the executive in each district since 1985. These comprise mainly sales to tenants, but also include a number of vacant properties sold to non-tenants in areas where housing need has been met, sales under the executive's homesteading scheme and sales to housing associations. The figures are as follows:
District
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
| Total
|
Portadown | 88 | 50 | 29 | 50 | 86 | 303 |
REGION TOTAL | 796 | 600 | 512 | 592 | 927 | 3,427 |
Belfast Region
| ||||||
District
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
| Total
|
Belfast 1 | 281 | 100 | 113 | 134 | 186 | 751 |
Belfast 2 | 73 | 68 | 67 | 53 | 89 | 350 |
Belfast 3 | 47 | 44 | 60 | 70 | 57 | 278 |
Belfast 4 | 32 | 57 | 75 | 45 | 40 | 249 |
Belfast 5 | 105 | 60 | 51 | 21 | 56 | 293 |
Belfast 6 | 48 | 51 | 32 | 21 | 37 | 189 |
Belfast 7 | 43 | 77 | 65 | 62 | 73 | 320 |
REGION TOTAL | 566 | 457 | 463 | 406 | 538 | 2,430 |
North East Region
| ||||||
District
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
| Total
|
Antrim | 195 | 188 | 116 | 136 | 188 | 823 |
Ballymena | 178 | 113 | 54 | 142 | 165 | 652 |
Carrickfergus | 132 | 161 | 104 | 102 | 200 | 699 |
Larne | 87 | 91 | 81 | 133 | 103 | 495 |
Newtownabbey 1 | 125 | 97 | 82 | 98 | 112 | 514 |
Newtownabbey 2 | 152 | 121 | 87 | 105 | 114 | 579 |
Ballymoney | 77 | 60 | 39 | 70 | 63 | 309 |
Ballycastle | 29 | 34 | 28 | 34 | 45 | 170 |
REGION TOTAL | 975 | 865 | 591 | 820 | 990 | 4,241 |
North- West Region
| ||||||
District
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
| Total
|
Londonderry 1 | 64 | 32 | 37 | 32 | 83 | 248 |
Londonderry 2 | 47 | 35 | 44 | 70 | 73 | 269 |
Londonderry 3 | 46 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 53 | 185 |
Limavady | 104 | 52 | 60 | 59 | 71 | 346 |
Strabane | 69 | 60 | 78 | 99 | 126 | 432 |
Coleraine | 93 | 43 | 40 | 79 | 110 | 365 |
Magherafelt | 93 | 52 | 49 | 74 | 137 | 405 |
REGION TOTAL | 516 | 301 | 337 | 443 | 653 | 2,250 |
West Region
| ||||||
District
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
| Total
|
Omagh | 82 | 53 | 52 | 91 | 100 | 378 |
Dungannon | 116 | 75 | 96 | 143 | 176 | 606 |
Enniskillen | 94 | 81 | 78 | 144 | 192 | 589 |
Cookstown | 62 | 44 | 46 | 61 | 82 | 295 |
REGION TOTAL | 354 | 253 | 272 | 439 | 550 | 1,868 |
South-East Region
| ||||||
District
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| 1987–88
| 1988–89
| 1989–90
| Total
|
Lisburn 3 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 27 | 98 |
Lisburn 1 | 155 | 81 | 70 | 80 | 120 | 506 |
Lisburn 2 | 97 | 52 | 48 | 79 | 110 | 386 |
Bangor | 108 | 83 | 92 | 83 | 150 | 516 |
Castlereagh 1 | 94 | 73 | 56 | 46 | 84 | 353 |
Castlereagh 2 | 105 | 94 | 63 | 98 | 109 | 469 |
Downpatrick | 136 | 117 | 110 | 124 | 149 | 636 |
Newtownards 1 | 131 | 119 | 104 | 71 | 147 | 572 |
Newtownards 2 | 80 | 73 | 71 | 69 | 84 | 377 |
REGION TOTAL | 925 | 708 | 632 | 668 | 980 | 3,913 |
Housing Associations
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the financial support given to housing associations in Northern Ireland for the provision of new dwellings.
Information on capital funding to housing associations in Northern Ireland is not available on a basis which distinguishes between new build and rehabilitation. However, it is estimated that in 1989–90 expenditure by housing associations on new build for rent was some £19 million out of a total of over £29 million.
Civil Servants
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants from the Republic of Ireland are currently working in Northern Ireland.
Civil servants from the Republic of Ireland are employed on the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish secretariat. The number of civil servants so employed is a matter for the Irish Government.
Environment
Community Charge (Hostages)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given to local authorities in relation to the community charge where a member of the family is a hostage in Iraq or Kuwait.
The circumstances of British citizens held in the Gulf against their will can affect their liability to one of the community charges in a number of ways. To help local authorities reach consistent treatment my Department's advice is:
Those who are normally resident in Kuwait or Iraq and are not registered for a personal community charge will obviously, continue without liability.
Those who are normally resident in Britain but now detained in the Gulf should he removed from the register and have no liability for personal charge from the date of their detention if that detention lasts for more than six months.
Some of this advice was included in a circular issued by my Department to all charging authorities on 5 November. The circular also gave guidance on the treatment of armed forces serving abroad. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.Those whose sole or main residence in Britain becomes unoccupied for more than six months due to their detention should not become liable to a standard community charge.
Anti-Competitive Behaviour
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 12 November, Official Report, columns 42–43, whether his Department investigates all complaints of alleged anti-competitive behaviour which it receives; and if he will indicate the stages of investigation his officials pursue when responding to allegations of anti-competitive behaviour.
My Department investigates all complaints which appear to reveal breaches of the requirements of part I of the Local Government Act 1988. In all cases where a case is being investigated, my Department writes to the authority concerned and considers its reply. Subsequent handling of the investigation depends on the circumstances of each case.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what channels direct services organisations and direct labour organisations have open to them to allege anti-competitive behaviour on the part of local authorities; and if he will make a statement;(2) what channels private citizens have open to them to allege anti-competitive behaviour on the part of local authorities; and if he will make a statement;(3) pursuant to his answer of 12 November,
Official Report, column 43, if he will publish his Department's guidelines or procedures for complaining of alleged anti-competitive behaviour on the part of local authorities under the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.
A direct services organisation or direct labour organisation would not have an identity separate from its parent authority. It is, however, open to any organisation or individual to write to my Department if they believe that a local authority has failed to comply with the requirements of part I of the Local Government Act 1988. Those include the requirement, contained in section 7(7) of the Act, that an authority, in reaching the decision that they should carry out work subject to the requirements of the Act and in doing anything else in connection with such work before reaching such a decision, should not act in a manner having the effect or intended or likely to have the effect of restricting, distorting or preventing competition.It would also be open to an organisation or an individual to take civil action if they believed that a local authority had contravened the provisions of the legislation.The way in which organisations or individuals may raise matters with my Department is not the subject of any special guidelines or procedures.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints his Department has received alleging anti-competitive behaviour on the part of local authorities under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.
The Department is currently investigating complaints of alleged anti-competitive behaviour under part I of the Local Government Act 1988 in the case of 48 local authorities. The number of complaints is greater, since some individual authorities are the subject of several complaints. The Department has notified all 48 local authorities of its investigations.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of staff in his Department process and monitor complaints of alleged anti-competitive behaviour on the part of local authorities under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.
My Department's concern with the implementation of part I of the Local Government Act 1988 goes wider than processing and maintaining complaints of alleged anti-competitive behaviour, and includes a range of other important aspects, such as responding to queries from local authorities and considering the annual reports which local authorities are required to submit under section 11 of the 1988 Act. Six departmental officials are employed full time on all aspects of the implementation of the 1988 Act. In addition, five other departmental officials are employed on this work for a significant proportion of their time.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints of alleged anti-competitive behaviour, under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988, his Department is currently investigating; and if he will make a statement.
This question could be answered only at disproportionate expense, since it would require information to be compiled covering a period of at least two years.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department keeps a record of complaints received alleging anti-competitive behaviour on the part of local authorities, under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.
The Department maintains full documentation of those complaints alleging anti-competitive behaviour under part I of the Local Government Act 1988 which it investigates.
Bathing Waters
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer of 14 November, Official Report, column 164, on the quality of bathing water, if he will list all the improvement schemes for which additional treatment will be provided.
The improvement schemes referred to in my right hon. Friend's answer of 14 November which will include additional treatment are:REGION AND SCHEME
- Northumbrian
- Newbiggin
- Seaton Carew
- Anglian
- West Runton
- Cleethorpes
- Dovercourt
- Southern
- Dover
- Folkestone/Sandgate
- Pennington
- Pevensey Bay
- Sandwich/Deal
- Worthing/Portslade
- Wessex
- Swanage
- South West
- Lyme Regis
- Exmouth
- Teignmouth
- Salcombe
- Plymouth
- Seaton and Downderry
- Penzance
- Trevaunance Cove
- Trevone
- Bude
- Taw/Torridge
- Ilfracombe
- Combe Martin
- Lynmouth
- Torbay (Hopes Nose)
- Torbay (Sharkham Point)
- Dartmouth
- Portwrinkle
- Readymoney Cove
- Mevagissey
- Gorran Haven
- Falmouth
- Perranporth
- Seaton (Devon)
- Wales
- Jacksons Bay/Whitmore Bay/Cold Knap
- Aberafan
- Swansea
- Aberystwyth
- Tywyn
- Kinmel Bay/Rhyl
- North West
- Fylde Coast
- Seascale
- Allonby
- Silloth/Skinburness
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the beaches that failed the mandatory coliform bacteria standards of the EC bathing water directive during the 1990 bathing season.
The list was included in DoE news release No. 638 of 14 November 1990.
Sewage Sludge
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the study of the best practical environmental option for the disposal of sewage sludge, which the Government, in their response to the third report of the Environment Committee, published in June 1988, asked Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to commission.
I have today published the report "Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) for the Disposal of Sewage Sludge" produced by the Water Research Centre for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House.The report is in two parts. The first describes the methodology for identifying the BPEO for sewage sludge treatment and disposal. The second part consists of an extensive review of actual sludge treatment and disposal techniques.I would hope that this report will be of interest not only to the water industry in relation to sewage sludge disposal but also in a wider context to all those faced with the task of examining BPEOs.
Archaeology And Planning
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the guidance on archaeology and planning, issued for consultation in February, will be published.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has today issued a planning policy guidance note on archaeology and planning. We have been most impressed by, and grateful for, the thought that has gone into the comments we have received in response to the consultation document issued in February. There have been more than 200 responses, coming from a wide range of representative organisations including developers, local authorities, archaeologists, conservation and amenity bodies and museums, as well as individuals.We have taken the many comments into account in preparing the final guidance and we believe that we now have a well balance document which clearly sets out the importance of archaeology and how it should be handled in the planning process. It should go a long way to ensuring that the desirability of preserving archaeological remains is fully considered before planning decisions are made.
Energy
Electricity Privatisation
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which copyright lawyers were consulted before authorising payment of a licence fee to MCA Merchandising for the use of the Herman Munster copyright to cover the Frank N. Stein advertising campaign.
The Government consulted Slaughter and May, their legal advisers. Other legal advice sought by WCRS is a matter for that company.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what supplementary fees have been, or are to be paid to WCRS, the advertising agency responsible for the Frank N. Stein advertising campaign for the flotation of the electricity distribution companies, as compensation for its costs in settling the claim for breach of the Herman Munster copyright by the MCA Merchandising subsidiary of Universal Studios, Hollywood, USA.
No supplementary fees have been paid, or are to be paid to WCRS in respect of any aspect of the claim for alleged breach of copyright by MCA Merchandising. A total of £6,000 was paid by the Government as a contribution to the licence fee, which is normal in such circumstances.
Energy Efficiency
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many people are employed in the energy efficiency office to give advice on energy efficiency for domestic hereditaments.
The Energy Efficiency Office provides advice and information to householders through its domestic literature, which is also available through its regional offices. In addition, the EEO's new home energy efficiency scheme will provide grants for insulation and for advice on energy to eligible householders.
South Wales Small Mines Association
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (i) when he anticipates receiving the decision of the competition directorate of the European Commission, regarding the complaint about discriminatory coal purchase pricing brought by the South Wales Small Mines Association;
(2) what is the deadline of the competition directorate of the European Commission to determine the complaint from the South Wales Small Mines Association regarding National Power's alleged discriminatory coal purchase pricing under article 85 of the treaty of Rome.
It is for the competition directorate of the European Commission to reach a decision, and make an announcement, about the complaint made by the South Wales Small Mines Association.
Multiple Share Applications
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received regarding the funding of further computer runs relating to fuzzy matching techniques for the discovery of multiple share applications for British Gas shares in 1986.
Investigations into multiple share applications for British Gas shares are continuing.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the cost of the detection of multiple share allocations for the flotation of the electricity distribution companies by (a) fuzzy matching and (b) other computerised techniques; and how it will be funded.
The precise programme of work in this area has not been decided at this stage. The cost will depend on the scope of the work and also on the number of people applying for shares.
Piper Alpha
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department carried out its own research into the fire and explosion on Piper Alpha on 24 March 1984.
The Department carried out its own investigation into this dangerous occurrence, making use of all available information.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy why his Department did not seek to institute legal proceedings following the explosion and fire in the gas conservation module on Piper Alpha on 24 March 1984.
Successful prosecutions require a significant commitment of resources, on the part of the relevant legal authorities as well as the Department. Prosecution is therefore a sanction to be applied with discretion, with regard to the likelihood of successful action and with regard to the value of the prosecution. The Department's approach to these issues was developed in collaboration with the procurator fiscal, who would alone be responsible for any decision to initiate proceedings. The dangerous occurrence on Piper Alpha on 24 March 1984 was ascribed to a design fault, probably attributable to the work of non-United Kingdom resident bodies. Also, prompt corrective action had voluntarily been taken by the operator, Occidental. In all the circumstances, the view was taken that a prosecution would have been uncertain, expensive and of little benefit.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what aspects of safety on Piper Alpha were covered in his Department's inspection of (a) February and (b) March 1984.
The inspection of the installation on 21 February 1984 was a standard inspection of the installation, covering the normal range of operational activities. The visit by inspectors on 25 and 26 March 1984 was an investigation of the explosion in the gas compression module on 24 March.
North Sea Installations
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what were the numbers of fatal accidents on oil platforms and other installations in the North sea in each year since 1978;(2) how many workers on North sea oil and gas installations were killed and seriously injured, respectively, in each year since 1978;(3) how many serious accidents, excluding fatal accidents, occurred on North sea oil and gas installations in each year since 1978.
The number of fatalities and serious accidents—injuries to persons—on or near to offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf reported to my Department from 1978 to 1989 are as follows:
Fatalities | Serious Accidents | |
1978 | 4 | 40 |
1979 | 10 | 43 |
1980 | 4 | 45 |
1981 | 6 | 59 |
1982 | 14 | 39 |
1983 | 10 | 47 |
1984 | 13 | 59 |
1985 | 8 | 103 |
1986 | 3 | 101 |
1987 | 6 | 59 |
1988 | 1173 | 285 |
1989 | 3 | 85 |
1 167 relate to Piper Alpha. | ||
2 Includes 11 of the 61 Piper Alpha survivors. |
Source: "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom". This is published annually and copies are held in the Library of the House.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the complement of full-time inspectors for North sea safety duties in his Department in each year since 1978; and what was the level of vacancies;(2) how many professional inspectors are employed by his Department on North sea oil and gas installation inspections; and what was the equivalent figure in each year since 1978;(3) how many full-time field inspectors are now engaged in offshore installations; and what was the equivalent figure in each year since 1978.
The number of full-time professional inspectors employed in my Department's safety directorate, together with the complement and the number of vacancies is set out in the table.
Date | Complement | Staff in Post | Vacancies |
1980 (June) | 28 | 25 | 3 |
1981 (July) | 33 | 31 | 2 |
1982 (March) | 35 | 32 | 3 |
1985 (October) | 33 | 27 | 6 |
1987 (March) | 44 | 36 | 8 |
1988 (November) | 46 | 39 | 7 |
Date | Complement | Staff in Post | Vacancies |
1989 (October) | 46 | 42 | 4 |
1990 (October) | 61 | 43 | 18 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many installations there are in the British section of the North sea; and what was the equivalent figure for each year since 1978.
Information on the number of fixed platforms on the United Kingdom continental shelf and on mobile drilling activity—rig years—is shown in the table:
Fixed platforms1 | Mobile drilling activity (rig years) | |
1978 | 55 | 18·1 |
1979 | 58 | 16·1 |
1980 | 60 | 20·6 |
1981 | 64 | 24·6 |
1982 | 67 | 30·1 |
1983 | 74 | 34·2 |
1984 | 84 | 49·1 |
1985 | 92 | 51·7 |
1986 | 110 | 35·3 |
1987 | 123 | 35·2 |
1988 | 131 | 50·7 |
1989 | 141 | 49·5 |
1 The number of oil and gas platforms which are on location either drilling, producing or under construction. |
Source: "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom". This is published annually and copies are held in the Library of the House.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total spent on the North sea safety inspectorate of his Department in each year since 1978 at constant prices.
This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many inspectors are currently directly employed by each of the certifying authorities licensed by him to inspect North sea oil and gas installations.
There are six certifying authorities appointed to carry out surveys and assessments of offshore installations in order to certify that they are fit for their intended purpose. They currently employ some 475 technical staff on this work.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many of the prosecutions mounted against operations of North sea oil and gas installations arose from accidents and how many arose from regular inspections;(2) if he will list the operators of North sea oil and gas installations who have been prosecuted in each year since 1978;(3) how many prosecutions of operators of North sea oil and gas installations have been made in each year since 1978; and how many were successful.
Decisions on prosecutions are taken by the appropriate legal authorities, taking into account reports submitted by my Department.Details of companies convicted for breaches of health and safety legislation are as follows:
Year and companies convicted | Number of convictons |
1978 | |
Union Oil Co. of Great Britain | 1 |
Shell UK Exploration and Production | 1 |
Total | 2 |
1979 | |
Seagull Offshore Enterprises | 1 |
1980 | |
Stothert and Pitt Limited | 1 |
1981 | |
Chevron Petroleum (UK) Limited | 1 |
1982 | |
Southeastern Drilling Services | 1 |
Bawden Drilling (UK) Limited | 1 |
Dixilyn Field Drilling Venture | 1 |
Halliburton Manufacturing and Services Limited | 1 |
Shell UK Exploration and Production | 2 |
BNOC (Development) Limited | 2 |
Total | 8 |
1983 | |
Jack Tighe (Offshore) Limited | 1 |
Western Oceanic Inc. | 1 |
Heerema Offshore Contractors | 1 |
Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Limited | 1 |
Total | 4 |
1984 | |
Strathclyde Process Engineering Limited | 1 |
Shell UK Exploration and Production | 2 |
Western Oceanic (UK) Limited | 2 |
Total | 5 |
1985 | |
BP Oil Development Limited | 1 |
Rigblast Offshore Limited | 1 |
Bawden International Limited | 2 |
Global Marine Drilling Company | 1 |
Wilh Wilhelmsen Enterprises Limited | 1 |
Shell UK Exploration and Production | 1 |
Jack Tighe (Offshore) Limited | 1 |
Total | 8 |
1986 | |
OTIS Pressure Control Limited | 1 |
1987 | |
Sonat Offshore Limited | 1 |
1988 | |
Shell UK Exploration and Production | 1 |
Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Limited | 1 |
Santa Fe UK Limited | 1 |
Total | 3 |
1989 | |
Mobil North Sea Limited | 1 |
Shell UK Exploration and Production | 1 |
Total | 2 |
Information on the number of prosecutions resulting from accidents and from inspections is available only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many prohibitions or improvement notices under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act have been issued since 1978 to operators of North sea oil and gas installations.
Thirteen prohibition and improvement notices under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act have been served on offshore operators since 1978. My inspectors have additional powers under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 to prohibit an activity or the use of equipment or to require improvements to be made. These powers have been designed specifically for offshore operations and are used extensively.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when his Department first considered the installation of sub-sea emergency shut-off valves on oil and gas pipelines in the North sea.
Following development of sub-sea valve technology in the early 1980s, amendments were introduced in 1986 to the Institute of Petroleum pipeline safety code on the advice of a committee on which my pipelines inspectorate was represented. These amendments recommended that risk assessment should be undertaken for new large inventory trunk and interfield pipelines to assess the need for sub-sea valves. In August 1988 my director of safety wrote to all pipeline operators asking them to re-evaluate immediately the need for sub-sea isolation systems on all existing pipelines.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of serious and fatal accidents on North sea oil and gas installations were investigated by his Department in each year since 1978.
It is the policy of my safety directorate to investigate all fatal accidents on offshore installations. The percentage of serious accidents investigated since 1978 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Achievements
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the achievements of his Department since June 1987.
Legislation has been passed providing for the reorganisation and privatisation of the electricity supply industry in England and Wales. Flotation of the 12 regional electricity companies is going ahead according to plan and preparations are well advanced for the flotation of the two generating companies in February 1991.Government policies on taxation and licensing have ensured continued successful exploitation of the United Kingdom continental shelf. My Department has fully accepted the conclusions and recommendations of Lord Cullen's inquiry into the Piper Alpha accident. The Offshore Supplies Office has continued to support the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry on the United Kingdom continental shelf and in international markets.The Energy Efficiency Office has continued to promote energy efficiency. Its programmes have secured recurrent annual savings now worth over £500 million per year. It has introduced the best practice programme to advance and spread good practice in energy efficiency, and developed the home energy efficiency scheme to provide grants for insulation measures and advice for low-income households.My Department has facilitated British Coal's continued restructuring of their business in response to changing market circumstances. In particular the Coal Industry Act 1990 introduced deficiency grant, eliminating British Coal's accumulated group deficit of £6 billion at 31 March 1990 and enabling outstanding borrowings to be reduced by over £4 billion.In the nuclear field, following the decision to retain nuclear power in public ownership, a new company, Nuclear Electric plc, has been set up to own those reactors previously owned by the CEGB. The restructuring of the Atomic Energy Authority has continued in light of current and future business prospects.On renewable sources of energy, my Department has published a 10-year forward development strategy as Energy Paper 55, doubled Government expenditure on Research and Development and introduced the first renewables order under the non-fossil fuel obligation of the Electricity Act 1989.As part of the United Kingdom's contribution to the international discussions on climate change my Department prepared a report which evaluated energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and measures to ameliorate them—Energy Paper 58.
Employment
Earnings
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish a table showing the percentage increase in rank order since April 1979 in average weekly earnings in real terms for full-time adult male manual workers, including overtime and excluding absence, in mechanical engineering, motor-vehicle and parts industries, clothing, textiles, footwear, domestic electrical applicances, banking and finance, estate agency and property dealing, building societies, insurance business services, water, gas, telecommunications, petroleum tanker-drivers, underground coal-miners, national health service ancillary staff, national health service maintenance staff, hospital porters, ambulance men, hospital ward orderlies and primary teachers.
Information on the average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult male manual employees is published by agreement, by industry and by occupation in part A of the annual new earnings survey reports for the years in question. Information is not available for manual workers in all the categories specified, nor do all the job descriptions specified precisely match the recognised standard classifications used in the survey. Information on the retail prices index (all items), to convert the figures to 1990 prices, is published for April 1990 in table 6·4 of the latest Employment Gazette, and in table 26 of the annual supplement to Economic Trends for April of earlier years. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish a table showing the percentage increase in average weekly earnings in real terms for full-time adult male manual workers in the public sector including overtime and excluding absence in the years 1970 to 1974, 1974 to 1979, 1979 to 1990 and 1985 to 1990 together with the corresponding figures for non-manuals in respectively, manufacturing, the public sector and the rest of the economy; and whether he will provide corresponding data for females.
Information on the average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult, manual and non-manual employees in the public sector is published in table 1 of part A of the annual new earnings survey (NES) reports from 1979 onwards, and in a special article in the December 1977 Employment Gazette for earlier years. The categories "manufacturing", "public sector" and "rest of the economy" are not mutually exclusive groupings and data for them are thus not directly comparable. However, information for manual and non-manual employees in manufacturing and non-manufacturing, respectively, is published in table 4 of part A of the NES reports for the years in question, with the exception of data for non-manufacturing in 1990 which are as follows:
Males £ | Females £ | |
Manuals | 227·1 | 143·4 |
Non-Manuals | 352·1 | 217·3 |
Employment Gazette, and in table 26 of the annual supplement to Economic Trends for April of earlier years. Copies of the publications are available in the Library.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish a table showing the industries on a three-digit basis in which the increase in real average weekly earnings since 1979 has been (a) less than half and (b) more than half the increase for the whole economy with his best estimate of the increase in output per head in each case over that period.
The available information on average gross weekly earnings at 3 digit standard industrial classification (SIC) level is published in part C of the new earnings survey reports for the years in question. Information on the retail prices index (all items) to convert the figures to 1990 prices is published for April 1990 in table 6.4 of the latest Employment Gazette and in table 26 of the annual supplement Economic Trends for April of earlier years. Comparable figures are not available for output per head at three digit SIC level. Copies of the publications are available in the Library.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish a table showing the percentage increase in average weekly earnings in real terms for full-time adult and male manual workers in manufacturing including overtime and excluding absence in the years April 1970 to 1974, 1974 to 1979, 1979 to 1990 and 1985 to 1990 together with the corresponding figures for non-manuals generally; and whether he will provide corresponding data for females.