To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish a simplified, edited version of the treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe in booklet form.

A booklet describing the main provisions of the treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe is being placed in the Library of the House. Further copies will be made available to hon. Members on request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Israel concerning the effect of the intifada upon British public opinion concerning Israel; and if he will make a statement.

The Government of Israel are well aware of the effect of the intifada, and their handling of it, on British public opinion. We make frequent representations to them on the need for them to meet their obligations under international law in administrating the occupied territories.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider his policy of aid to eastern European countries to include family planning assistance to Romania.

Our policy towards aid to Romania for humanitarian purposes is unaffected by our policy towards long-term economic aid. We believe humanitarian aid should be unrestricted and have ourselves provided some £6·5 million directly and through the European Community. Our bilateral aid has included a family planning programme implemented by Marie Stopes International.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he made to the visit of Mr. Lennart Meri, Foreign Secretary of Estonia; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I held separate talks with Mr. Meri on 5 and 6 November. We emphasised that we had never recognised de jure the incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR and that we continued to support the right of the Estonian people to decide their own future. As we told Mr. Meri, we believe that a negotiated outcome would be in the interests of both sides and hope that serious negotiations between Soviet and Baltic representatives will be resumed urgently. We agreed on the importance of developing and strengthening contacts between Britain and the Baltic states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he made to the visit of Mr. Landsbergis, President of Lithuania; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had talks with Professor Landsbergis on 13 November. She emphasised that we had never recognised de jure the incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR and that we continued to support the right of the Lithuanian people to decide their own future. She referred in her speech to the CSCE Paris summit to the particular position of the Baltic republics and to the need for a nogotiated settlement acceptable to both sides. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and Professor Landsbergis agreed on the importance of developing and strengthening contacts between Britain and the Baltic states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to make an award for humanitarian aid to the people of Bulgaria.

We are contributing to humanitarian aid for Bulgaria through the European Community's PHARE aid programme.The European Community has recently approved a maternal and child health care support programme for Bulgaria worth approximately £3·5 million. We have encouraged the Commission to consider urgently Bulgarian requests for food assistance. These will be discussed during the meeting of the EC-Bulgaria joint commission on 30 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's ambassador in Washington made any representations on behalf of Juley Howard, Jane Gregory and Lorna Richardson, each a British citizen, arrested in the United States Department of Energy research and test facility in Nevada on 14 November.

No representations have been made: the case is a matter for the United States authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for action in relation to homeless single people in London, additional to that announced in his reply of 22 June, Official Report, column 738–40.

In his autumn statement on 8 November, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that, in addition to this year's provision of £15 million, a further £81 million would be provided over the next two years for single homeless people in London. The resources will meet the costs of additional short-term hostels for people currently on the streets and move-on accommodation for people in existing hostels.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what Government financial help is to be given this year to Crisis at Christmas; and if he will make a statement.

We give no direct financial help to Crisis at Christmas and it has made no application for any from my Department. However, several of the voluntary organisations assisting Crisis at Christmas with the "Open Christmas" project receive grant from my Department under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the homelessness provisions to allow newly arrived single refugees to qualify for priority housing status on local authority waiting lists; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: No. It is for each local housing authority to decide its own priorities in the selection of its tenants, subject to the requirements of section 22 of the Housing Act 1985. It is also for authorities to decide whether single refugees applying as homeless under part III of that Act are vulnerable, and thus in priority need for accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make arrangements to ensure that housing authorities that experience higher than average numbers of housing requests from asylum seekers arriving in the United Kingdom are provided with additional financial resources to cope with any extra demand.

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: Where a local housing authority in England experiences special needs which call for additional housing capital expenditure these needs will be taken into account by my Department in allocating housing investment programme (HIP) resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of the new house renovation grant scheme on (a) the number of applications for house renovation grants, (b) the number of grants awarded and (c) the size of the grants awarded.

From a sample survey of activity in 40 local housing authorities under the new grants system it is estimated that up to the end of September in England as a whole.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the relevant population for community charge purposes for each charging authority (a) calculated under the provisions of the Population Report (England) laid before the House on 11 January and (b) calculated under the provisions of the draft Population Report (England) (No. 2) laid before the House on 31 October; if he will list the percentage difference between the figures outlined in (a) and (b) above; if he will give the reasons for any percentage difference which exceeds 5 per cent.; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list for each local authority

I am arranging for the information to be placed in the Library of the House. The population figures are based on information about the number of persons on the community charges register for each authority, as supplied and certified by the relevant community charges registration officer except in the case of the City of London and Welwyn Hatfield district council, where under the provisions of the Population Report (England) the 1990–91 relevant population was based on information from the Registrar General and other sources. Differences reflect differences in the figures supplied except for those two authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the total number of community standard charge payers for 1990–91 for each local authority in England.

The available information was placed in the Library on 24 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current poll tax payment rates in each local authority area in England, as percentage figures; and if he will indicate the numbers who have paid only one poll tax instalment in each instance.

I am arranging for the information reported to the Department about the percentage of community charge payers in each authority who had made a payment by 30 September, to be placed in the Library of the House. No information is available about the numbers of instalments paid.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 20 November, Official Report, column 62, when he expects to be in a position to give the same information as to the rate of collection of the poll tax for Birmingham.

I understand that the council hopes to be able to provide the information shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 November to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East, Official Report, column 62. if he will now list for each local authority in England and Wales the available information as to the numbers of people who (a) have or (b) have not begun paying the poll tax and the percentage of the number of adults liable that represents.

I am arranging for the information for England to be placed in the Library of the House. Figures for Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 20 November, Official Report, column 62, if he will now make it his practice to collect from local authorities information as to the numbers of people seriously in arrears with the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to collect this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the budget for the Nature Conservancy Council for 1989–90 and the proposed budget for 1990–91;(2) how much of the Nature Conservancy Council's budget for 1989–90, both in absolute and percentage terms, was spent in Scotland; and if he will give the same amounts for the proposed budget for 1990–91.

The grant-in-aid provided to the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) in 1989–90 and 1990–91 was £40·15 million and £44·819 million (including £750,000 to cover initial reorganisation costs) respectively.In 1989–90 £5·161 million—12·8 per cent.—of the grant-in-aid was spent by the NCC's Scottish Directorate. The proposed spend by the Scottish Directorate in 1990–91 is £4·999 million, 11·1 per cent. of total grant-in-aid. These figures do not include either the salaries of any permanent staff working on Scottish matters or funds spent by NCC Directorates which serve Great Britain as a whole, as these cannot be identified easily.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of grant made by the Nature Conservancy Council under section 38 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to voluntary conservation bodies for the purposes of land purchase in each of the last five years in 1989–90 prices.

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: The figures requested are as follows:

	£ million
1985–86	0·69
1986–87	1·297
1987–88	1·289
1988–89	1·180
1989–90	0·586

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was spent by the Nature Conservancy Council for the purchase of national nature reserves in each of the last five years in 1989–90 prices.

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: The figures requested are as follows:

	£ million
1985–86	2·564
1986–87	1·756
1987–88	1·353
1988–89	1·102
1989–90	0·182

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of permits issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry during 1989 and 1990 to date; what were the species in respect of which such permits were issued; and what were the number of each species so taken.

In the 1989–90 season, 66 licences were issued to falconers in England, Scotland and Wales to take the following species: blackbird, skylark, black-headed gull, song thrush, mistle thrush, redwing, fieldfare and meadow pipit. The number of birds reported as taken are: blackbird 59, skylark 278, black-headed gull 1, song thrush 2, redwing 8 and fieldfare 10.To date, 60 licences have been issued in the 1990–91 season to take the following species: blackbird, skylark, black-headed gull, song thrush and meadow pipit; the numbers of birds taken are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library audited accounts of the National Gypsy Council for the years 1979 to 1989.

No. My Department receives copies of the National Gypsy Council's audited accounts, for monitoring purposes, as a condition of the grant which we pay to the council; but it is not for us to make those accounts public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has recently received from the European Environment Commissioner concerning the future of Oxleas wood in south-east London.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are currently being proposed by the European Community for the protection of the species and habitat of lepus timidus; how he has responded to such measures; and whether he proposes any relevant changes to United Kingdon legislation.

The lepus timidus is one of the species listed on annex III of the European Commission's proposal for a directive on the protection of natural and semi-natural habitats and of fauna and flora. Under the draft directive, any exploitation of lepus timidus would therefore be subject to a management plan. Negotiations on the directive in Brussels are currently stalled, but when they resume we expect to press the Commission to clarify what is expected of member states under this provision. It is therefore premature to consider whether changes to United Kingdom legislation would be appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the number of licences issued in each of England, Scotland and Wales to possess birds of prey; and what were the numbers of birds of each species currently held under such licence.

Since the beginning of 1989, the Department has issued 11 licences to possess birds of prey which were either found abandoned or which had been seized by enforcement authorities after being taken illegally from the wild.Only one bird, a golden eagle, is currently held under such a licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on current research into biological methods of controlling bracken.

My Department is aware of research by Professor Lawton of Imperial college at Silwood Park with a non-indigenous moth, Conservula cinsigna, which has a bracken-feeding caterpillar. Professor Lawton has applied for a licence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, to release the moth in outdoor cages on the college premises. The application is under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons the Fire Brigades Union, the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association, and the National Association of Fire Officers were not included in the list of bodies to whom the consultation letter was sent by his Department in respect of the Fire and Building Regulations proposed procedural guidance document of 17 October; what alternative arrangements were made to consult these bodies; and if any response has yet been received from them.

All the member bodies of the joint fire prevention committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council, which includes those bodies referred to by the hon. Member, were sent a copy of the Fire and Building Regulations proposed procedural guidance document by the Home Office. I understand that to date no response has been received from any of them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to make a public decision on the resources available to the new nature conservancy agencies;(2) what resources he estimates will be required by the new agencies of the Nature Conservancy Council to commence operations; and what resources he is making available to fill these posts.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 8 November that grant-in-aid for the new Nature Conservancy Council for England (NCCE) for 1991–92 has been set provisionally at £32·411 million. This will allow the NCCE not only to undertake the full range of conservation activities inherited from the Nature Conservancy Council but also to add to them or intensify them significantly.Announcements about the grant-in-aid to be provided to the new Councils in Scotland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales respectively.The staffing resources needed by the three new councils in 1991–92 were described by the noble Lady Blatch in a statement made during Report stage of the Environmental Protection Act in another place on 17 October 1990 at columns 895–97. It is primarily the responsibility of the new councils to ensure that sufficient staff are in post when they assume their full functions and duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the terms of reference of the Joint Committee on Nature Conservation.

The statutory functions of the three new country agencies which are to he discharged through the joint nature conservation committee are set out in section 133 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. It is for the JNCC in the first instance to develop its detailed programme within the provisions of the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to amend the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 to bring the controls on bailiffs enforcing the community charge into line with those applying to distress for rent; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will monitor items recovered by bailiffs in pursuit of debts owed to local authorities to ensure that items subject to hire purchase or credit sales agreements are not included in such actions; and if he will make a statement;(3) what plans he has to ensure that before bailiffs take action to recover debts owed to local authorities from mentally or physically disabled people, or from people in hospital or with a language difficulty, they report first to the local authority concerned;(4) what plans he has to introduce a code of practice governing the manner in which local authorities use bailiffs; and if he will make a statement;

My Department has no plans to change existing regulations on the employment of bailiffs by local authorities. We have issued a practice note to all charging authorities advising them to check the reputation, qualifications and expertise of private firms and to issue guidelines to them on procedures. I understand that the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) will shortly be incorporating this advice in a revised practice note which contains additional guidance on property and rights of entry. The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation is also preparing a code of practice for discussion amongst local authority associations and the Certified Bailiffs Association which I welcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the report which he received several months ago concerning the management and disposal of radioactive spent nuclear fuel.

Two reports have been produced over the last three years concerning the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. These are DOE RW87/125 entitled "Magnox fuel dry storage and direct disposal", and DOE RW89/089 entitled "Packaging, storage and direct disposal of spent AGR fuel". Both reports are available from the National Lending Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received the official advice that spent fuel from nuclear reactors would be better put into long-term dry storage then sent for reprocessing; and what account he took of the advice.

I have received no such advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the net additional cost to local authorities of the changes to employers' national insurance contributions and reimbursement announced in the autumn statement.

We do not collect the data which would enable us to predict with any accuracy the extent to which the changes in the level of statutory sick pay reimbursement and reductions in employers' national insurance contributions will cancel each other out for individual authorities. However, the reduction in reimbursements of statutory sick pay represents less than 0·1 per cent. of the total of employers' labour costs.

Proposed/designated SPA/RAMSAR sites in England
Site	Designated SPA	Designated RAMSAR	Proposed SPA	Proposed RAMSAR
Upper Solway Flats and Marshes	P 1 October 1986	P 1 October 1986	P yes	P yes
Irthinghead Mires	n.a.	17 July 1985	—	—
Esthwaite Water	n.a.	—	yes	—
Leighton Moss	28 November 1985	28 November 1985	—	—
Bowland Fells	—	n.a.	yes	—
Ribble Estuary	31 August 1982	n.a.	—	—
Alt Estuary	28 November 1985	28 November 1985	—	—
Martin Mere	28 November 1985	28 November 1985	—	—
Lindisfarne	—	P 5 January 1976	yes	P yes
Farne Islands	17 July 1985	n.a.	—	—

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any current proposals for housing action trusts still under discussion.

Discussions are proceeding with the Council and tenants in the London borough of Waltham Forest and Hull city council are consulting tenants about the council's proposal for a housing action trust for the North Hull estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money in total his Department has spent on promoting housing action trusts.

No expenditure has been incurred on promoting housing action trusts. In pursuance of the statutory duty under the Housing Act 1988 to hold a ballot of tenants and the need to ensure that the tenants are fully informed of the proposals expenditure of £93,000 has been incurred relating to information material and to ballots.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any proposals for housing action trusts which have been the subject of a ballot of tenants and the results.

The Electoral Reform Society ran ballots on behalf of the Secretary of State in Sunderland and Southwark.The results were as follows:

	In favour of the HAT	Opposed to the HAT
Sunderland	862	3,506
Southwark	496	1,164

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those sites in England which have been either designated or proposed for designation as (a) special protection areas under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds or (b) Ramsar sites under the convention of wetlands of international importance.

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: The following table lists all those sites in England which have to date been formally proposed to Government as either special protection areas or Ramsar sites (or both), indicating where appropriate the date of designation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will assess the likely impact on 1991 levels of poll tax in London boroughs due to the inability of the London residuary body to make available the promised £155·5 million arising from the sale of county hall; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: The effect on the community charge will depend on decisions taken by London boroughs in the light of the failure of the County Hall Development Group to complete the purchase of county hall. In setting their budgets it is for boroughs to decide what account, if any, they should take of capital receipts not yet to hand.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made to date on the consideration by his Department's inquiry reporter of the appeal against planning refusal for the demolition of the listed building known as Crookston Station.

I have been asked to reply.The papers in connection with this appeal are presently with the Scottish Office inquiry reporters unit and in common with most planning appeals it is proposed that this case be determined by a reporter acting under delegated powers. This appeal is due to be heard at public local inquiry along with an associated planning appeal in respect of proposed residential development on the site of the old station.

To ask the Attorney-General when the recommendation in the Faulks committee report 1977 that the defence of innocent dissemination should be available to printers in libel cases will be implemented.

In a consultation paper published in July 1990 the Lord Chancellor invited views on whether the defence of innocent dissemination should be made available to printers. The consultation period has recently ended, and he is now considering the responses he has received.

To ask the Attorney-General what consideration he has given to providing national funding for law centres.

The Lord Chancellor has asked the Legal Aid Board to consider the position of law centres in the context of improving access to legal services generally.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will set upper limits on the expenses which bailiffs may claim against debtors; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell on 21 November 1990 at column 125. There are at present no plans to increase the fees, charges and expenses which may be recovered under the Distress for Rent Rules 1988.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will establish a unit to receive complaints against private bailiffs and advertise its address and telephone number to the public;(2) what steps he takes to consult consumers' organisations and advice agencies before agreeing to changes in the charges imposed by bailiffs; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 21 November 1990 at column 125.

To ask the Attorney-General when he now expects the court complex associated with Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh to be in operation.

The contractor's programme, together with a period for fitting out the building, provides that the Crown court at Woolwich will be in operation in October 1992.

To ask Secretary of State for Transport what measures are planned to improve public transport in London.

We have set the public transport operators two challenges. To improve every aspect of their existing services; and to achieve historic increases in capacity. To these ends we have set tough quality of service objectives; massively increased the resources available for investment; and approved the building of major new lines. And we have announced legislation designed to create the clear roads needed to run attractive bus services.

To ask Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on new motorway construction in each of the past four years at constant prices.

Capital expenditure on motorways, at 1990–91 prices, was £466 million in 1986–87, £398 million in 1987–88, £459 million in 1988–89 and £576 million in 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to educate children in road safety.

We believe all schools should teach road safety as an integral part of the national curriculum. We have a wide range of teaching material and are developing guidelines to help local authorities organise road safety education in schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will pay an official visit to Southend-on-Sea by train.

I have written to my hon. Friend that I should be happy to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much expenditure on transport will increase over the next three years.

In the areas where I have responsibility investment on transport will increase from some £9½ billion in the three years to April 1991 to nearly £16 billion in the three years to April 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding bus services in rural areas and off-peak hours.

I have received very few representations about bus services in rural areas and in off-peak hours. Bus mileage overall has increased by 19 per cent. and local authorities are able to subsidise those socially necessary services which are not provided by operators on a commercial basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with British Rail on rail freight infrastructure.

We are continuing to encourage British Rail to build on the strengths of rail freight, which are primarily in bulk trainload traffic. Where there are sound commercial prospects, we are backing the necessary investment. In the autumn statement we have endorsed over £600 million of investment in rail freight over the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assistance his Department has given to the proposal for a light rapid transit system in Nottingham.

Officials in the Department of Transport have had a number of discussions with the promoters of this project on how best to work up their proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his current plans for bypassing Bedford; and if he will make a statement on the timetable.

My Department has two schemes for bypassing Bedford—Bedford southern bypass and Bedford western bypass.Tenders for the construction of Bedford southern bypass are programmed to be invited in 1992. The scheme is due to be completed in 1995, following a two-year construction period. The programme for a Bedford western bypass depends largely on the outcome of our consideration of the results of Bedfordshire county and North Bedfordshire borough council's public consultation exercise on an outer western option, together with analysis of recent traffic survey data. We expect to announce the results of that consideration early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what he estimates will be the total level of transport investment in the United Kingdom, in real terms, over the next three years; and what were the comparable figures for the last three years.

In the areas where I have responsibility, approximately 14 billion pounds at 1990–91 prices is planned in the next three years compared with some 10 billion pounds in the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest estimate he has as to the current level of debt being carried by the Humber bridge board.

The debt on the Humber bridge at 31 March 1990 was about £373 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the public subsidy to the British Rail provincial network in the west midlands sector in 1979 and 1989.

The public service obligation grant payable to British Rail is a block grant, and cannot be attributed to any individual area of service. Services in the area covered by the west midlands passenger transport authority are subsidised by them under section 20 of the Transport Act 1968. In 1989–90 this subsidy totalled more than £12 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chair of the London Buses board to discuss bus routes in London.

My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with the chairmen of London Transport and London Buses Limited. Both the Government and London Transport believe that buses have a major contribution to make to meeting London's public transport needs, and we frequently discuss ways of furthering this goal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to meet his road casualty reduction target of a reduction in road casualties by one third by the year 2000.

I set out in the road safety debate on 16 November the wide range of measures which we have in hand for reducing road accident casualties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much British Rail will invest over the next three years; and what were the comparable figures for the previous three years.

We have given British Rail an investment ceiling of £4 billion cash over the next three years. This represents £3·65 billion at 1990–91 prices, a 58 per cent. real increase on the comparable figure, £2·3 billion, for the previous three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much London Transport will invest over the next three years.

Approaching £3 billion. That is equivalent to well over £400 per head for every man, woman and child in the greater London area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has of the average speed of (a) passenger and freight trains running between Glasgow and the continent once the channel tunnel is open and (b) TGV trains between Lille, Lyon and Paris running to Britain.

The average speed for the proposed Glasgow to Paris night sleeper will be about 65 mph. Convenient departure and arrival times will matter more than speed. The average speed of passenger trains between Lille and London will be 90 mph, between Paris and London 100 mph, and on the daytime through service between Paris and Edinburgh will be 85 mph. SNCF do not propose to run direct services from Lyon to London. International freight trains will be able to travel both in the United Kingdom and in France at a maximum speed of 75 mph.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards greater use of regional airports.

The Government encourage the maximum use of regional airports, both to meet local demand and to relieve pressure on the London airports.Over the past decade some £450 million of capital expenditure has been facilitated through special borrowing approvals for the development of local authority airports. Special borrowing approvals totalling £59 million are available for 1990–91, facilitating investment which the airports concerned estimate could total some £149 million this year. For 1991–92 £87 million worth of special borrowing approvals will be available, facilitating investment which the airports concerned estimate could total some £179 million in that year.We also very much welcome the contribution to the development of local authority airports which the private sector already makes through direct investment and joint venture schemes; and we continue to look to the airports concerned and their local authority owners to take full account of the opportunities for private sector involvement as they formulate their plans for further expansion.The working group now being established to take forward the Civil Aviation Authority's recent advice on long term United Kingdom airport capacity is to examine regional airports, role in meeting overall growth in demand into the next century.We are continuing to pursue liberalisation policies, both in the European Community and in bilateral negotiations, which increase further the scope for services from our regional airports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet concluded his financial review of the black country spine road between West Bromwich and Wednesbury; and if he will make a statement.

The review is making good progress but is not yet complete. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in tabular form the number of road deaths for each year from 1970 to 1989, inclusive, showing (a) total figures and (b) by category of (i) car drivers, (ii) car passengers, (iii) lorry drivers, (iv) lorry passengers, (v) motor cyclists, (vi) motor cycle passengers, (vii) other occupants of motor vehicles, (viii) cyclists, (ix) pedestrians, (x) bus drivers and (xi) bus passengers.

I have placed a copy of the information requested in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the cost of road realignments and improvements which affect access to RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk.

Improvements planned in the vicinity of the base are on the A1152 road for which Suffolk county council is the local highway authority.My Department will ask the council to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many dockers are employed in handling coal produced in Britain.

No information is collected centrally about the number of dock workers handling specific commodities. In 1989, there were five ports at which British coal accounted for over 40 per cent. by weight of goods loaded in the port: Tyne, Blyth, Ayr, Garston and Workington. These ports accounted for 84 per cent. of the coal shipped from all British ports. The latest available survey of port manpower, carried out in March 1989, showed that 308 dock workers were employed in these ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to publicise clause 4 of the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.

Regulation 4 was fully publicised in the Press Notice issued on 11 May 1990 when the regulations were laid before Parliament. Publicity was also given in the trade press. I have no plans for further publicity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an urgent statement on the incident involving the fishing boat Antares and a royal naval submarine off the coast of Arran in the early morning of 22 November; if he will institute an inquiry into the incident; and what action he is now taking to ensure there are no further similar incidents.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces made a statement to the House on 23 November about this incident. An inspector from the marine accident investigation branch commenced an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the loss of the fishing vessel Antares on the same day. A separate inquiry is being carried out by the Royal Navy. The results of these inquiries will be given urgent consideration to see what lessons can be learnt.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps have been taken towards identifying possible locations for additional runway capacity to serve the south-east, following the publication by the Civil Aviation Authority in CAP 570 of advice on the adequacy of airport capacity in the longer term.

I announced in July my intention to establish a working group to examine the wider implications of development at airports identified by the Civil Aviation Authority in CAP 570 as likely to be able in air traffic control terms to accommodate additional air traffic. Work has since been going forward on the group's terms of reference, structure and membership.I have concluded that the terms of reference for the group should be:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide the figures for the number of violent crimes committed on the London underground for the years 1989 and 1990; and if he will list the initiatives that have been taken by London Underground to reduce the incidence of violent crime.

I understand from the British Transport Police that in 1989 there were 1,755 crimes of violence on the London underground. During that time some 765 million passenger journeys were made. In the 10 months to 31 October 1990, the number of crimes of violence was 1,137. This represents a 22 per cent. reduction compared with the same period for 1989 and continues the downward trend for such crimes. Crimes of violence have been defined as robbery and assaults on passengers, staff and police.A programme of passenger security measures has been introduced at thirteen pilot scheme stations on the Northern line, Central line and at Oxford Circus to assess the effectiveness of various anti-crime measures at different types of station. These involve:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total Government grant to London Underground in the current financial year; how much it will be in 1991–92; and how much of this grant has been set aside for the repair of escalators.

Total grant to London Transport, in 1990–91 will be £474 million. In 1991–92 it will be £669 million. It is for London Transport to decide how that grant should be distributed to its subsidiaries, and it is for London Underground to decide how much to spend on the repair of escalators. The Government do not earmark specific amounts of grant for specific purposes. I understand that in 1990–91 London Underground will spend approximately £11 million on the repair of escalators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the fatality figures, including major injuries, over the last 10 years on the Winchester bypass.

The number of recorded accidents, in the stated categories, on the A33 Winchester bypass from its junction with the A27 (M3) to A31 Compton in each of the last six years were:

Year	Fatal injuries	Serious injuries
1984	2	8
1985	3	8
1986	0	12
1987	1	5
1988	1	3
1989	1	3

Figures for years before 1984 are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current approximate date for the completion of the entire M3 motorway; and if he will take steps to prevent any further delays.

The section of M3 at present under construction between Compton and Bassett is expected to be completed in autumn next year. Subject to completion of the remaining statutory procedures we will start work on the final section at Winchester as soon as possible which unfortunately cannot now be until 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average time taken on a daytime car journey between central London and central Birmingham; what was the corresponding time in 1975, 1980 and 1985; and if he will make a statement.

My Department does not have estimates of these journey-times, for 1990 or for the earlier years mentioned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the use of roadside crash cushions and the development of an appropriate performance specification for roadside crash cushions.

The policy for crash cushions, as for any road safety equipment, is to provide such equipment where it can be shown to be cost-effective to do so, to a performance specification consistent with our international obligations and agreements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if any action has been taken following the report of the committee looking into the control of fatigue amongst air traffic controllers.

The statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). I am advised by the CAA that all air traffic control units within the United Kingdom have been informed that a scheme to regulate controllers' hours based on the CRATCOH report, will be implemented on 1 October 1991. A letter of intent to implement such regulations was despatched by the CAA in September 1990. One year has been allowed in order that ATC may bring their staff levels up to the strength recommended in the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if British Rail has any plans to sell its remaining hotel interests; and if he will make a statement.

British Rail still owns the freeholds of 11 hotels. Nine, all at stations, are leased to the private sector on 125-year leases. British Rail considers it essential to retain the freeholds in case it becomes necessary to carry out work on the stations. The other two hotels are the Great Northern at King's Cross and the Great Eastern at Liverpool Street both in London. Management of both these hotels is contracted to the private sector. British Rail's plans for the passenger concourse at King's Cross would require the demolition of the Great Northern hotel. British Rail does not consider it opportune to dispose of the Great Eastern hotel at present, but will be looking carefully at the possibility of doing so as development work is completed at Liverpool Street station and on the Broadgate site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made the necessary arrangements to seize any of the Kuwaiti transport aircraft which have been taken from Kuwait by the Iraqi Government if they enter United Kingdom air space or territory; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements have been made for any such aircraft found at an airport in this country to be detained and returned to its owners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the International Civil Aviation Organisation about the hijacking of the British Airways 747 aircraft and its passengers and crew by the Iraqi Government at Kuwait airport on 2 August.

The British delegation to the International Civil Aviation Organisation raised this matter at the October ICAO Assembly. The delegation called on the Iraqis to release the passengers and crew of the British Airways flight. In a resolution adopted condemning the plunder of Kuwait international airport the delegation secured the inclusion of wording calling upon Iraq to facilitate the early recovery by their owners of foreign-registered aircraft stranded at the airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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 employed full-time 16 November 1990	Number of staff employed part-time 16 November 1990	Total estimated cost 1989–90	Total estimated cost 1990–91
		£	£
1	6	247,300	112,000

The lower estimated costs for 1990–91 result from reductions both planned and already made in the staffing provision for civil defence work. The staff concerned have been or will be transferred to other work. Further consideration will be given to staffing and expenditure on this work when my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has completed the review, which he announced on 16 October, of the options for civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what incentives he will bring forward to persuade industry to use recyclable materials.

My Department fully recognises the importance of providing outlets for recycled materials, and that industry should use materials which are themselves recyclable, in order to ensure the achievement of the Government's recycling targets. We have taken, and are continuing to take, a wide range of initiatives to this end. These include conferences and literature to encourage businesses to design products with recycling in mind; assisting the development of new industry standards to encourage the use of recyclable and recycled products; and, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 27 September, the introduction of new schemes of support for businesses in the environmental area which embrace recycling technology. In addition, we are commissioning research activity to identify the scope for greater use and application of recyclable materials, and we are in active discussion with many industrial sectors to identify ways to stimulate recycling.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to require firms auditing a public limited company to file information with regulatory bodies.

We have no such plans. However, I expect that all applications for recognition from supervisory bodies for auditors under the Companies Act 1989 will include requirements as to the filing of information with them by audit firms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department makes any financial contribution towards the running of the Auditing Practices Committee.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that Export Credits Guarantee Department's claims outstanding from small and medium sized firms as a result of the Gulf crisis are dealt with as fast as possible.

ECGD is examining claims as fast as possible within the terms of its guarantees with the objective of making payments in respect of valid claims to exporters at the end of the appropriate claims waiting period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safety regulations apply to children's nightdresses and pyjamas; and what recent cases there have been whereby injury has been caused to children due to the lack of flame retardants in these articles of clothing.

Under the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 (as amended in 1987) children's nightdresses must pass a test for low flammability. Pyjamas do not have to comply with the flammability standard, but they must carry a permanent label showing whether or not they meet that standard. Garments can achieve low flammability through use of fabrics which are inherently fire resistant or by adding a fire retardant treatment to the fabric.My Department's home accident surveillance system (HASS) monitors accidents receiving attention at the accident and emergency departments of 22 hospitals in England and Wales. HASS statistics for 1988 (the latest year for which data is complete) record two accidents in which children required hospital treatment for burn injuries after their nightwear caught fire. In one case the child was wearing pyjamas and in the other a nightdress was being worn. There is no record in these particular cases whether or not the garments were flame retarded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle manufacturing industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

The number of people employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle manufacturing industry is shown in the table.Government policy for the motor industry, as for industry as a whole, is to set the framework for free and fair competition and the encouragement of enterprise.

Numbers employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle manufacturing industry 1979–90
Year	Employees (Thousands)
June
1979	466·3
1980	437·1
1981	365·7
1982	318·0
1983	299·0
1984	280·8
1985	274·0
1986	265·8

Year	Employees (Thousands)
1987	260·0
1988	269·1
1989	270·8
1990	268·3

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom steel industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

The Department of Employment estimate the number of people employed in the United Kingdom steel industry in each year since 1979 as:

Year	Employees (Thousands)
June
1979	422·1
1980	383·6
1981	314·0
1982	284·9
1983	284·4
1984	240·2
1985	231·6
1986	215·1
1987	206·3
1988	209·5
1989	215·7
1990	216·0

The figures above are the sum of the Department of Employment's estimates for the following industries, classified according to the 1980 Standard Industrial Classification: iron and steel industry (group 221); ferrous metal foundries (activity heading 3111); forging, pressing and stamping (group 312); and industrial plant and steelwork (group 320). There are, in addition, various industries associated with the manufacture and processing of steel for which separate estimates for the dates specified are not available.Government policy towards the steel industry, as for industry as a whole, is to set a framework for free and fair competition and the encouragement of enterprise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the matters expected to be discussed at the next meeting of the European Community Industry Council on 26 November.

[holding answer 21 November 1990]: The Industry Council on 26 November, which Lord Hesketh will attend on behalf of the United Kingdom, is expected to discuss a Commission communication to the Council on industrial policy, a draft directive on aid for the Community shipbuilding industry, and a Commission proposal to extend the patent term for pharmaceuticals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department has commissioned, or intends to commission, on what proportion of companies in the United Kingdom carry out an environmental audit or publish environmental information in their annual accounts; and if he intends to publish the results of any studies.

[holding answer 22 November 1990]: The Government encourage companies to use the management technique of environmental audit as part of comprehensive action to assess and improve their environmental performance. The Government also welcome the growth in the number of companies voluntarily publishing more information about their environmental performance. I am aware of a number of reports by commercial and other organisations which include information about environmental auditing and reporting by business. However, my Department has not commissioned—nor are there any plans to commission—a systematic study of the number of companies in the United Kingdom which are using environmental audits or publishing environmental information, for example in their annual report and accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any unpublished reports of his Department's inspectors criticise any of the auditors, solicitors, bankers, brokers underwriters or other advisers involved in the matters on which the reports have been produced.

[holding answer 22 November 1990]: I cannot disclose details of unpublished reports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department's library will obtain a copy of "How Green was my Valley", published by the Council for the Protection of Rural Wales.