To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the Training Agency has researched the use of the communication support services for deaf trainees; and if he will make it his policy that the provision of these services will be maintained by the training and enterprise councils.

My Department has conducted no formal research specifically into the use of communication support services for deaf trainees. Training and enterprise councils are required to provide a communication service for deaf trainees, together with other relevant support to trainees with disabilities where appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the full annual cost to the Government of marriage breakdown.

Detailed research on which to base a firm estimate is not available. We are presently considering an estimate that RELATE—formerly the National Marriage Guidance Council—has drawn up based on its own work. It is likely that considerable further research and verification would be necessary before this could be used as a definitive basis for calculation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the statement by the deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan police on the force's strategy for 1991.

I am placing copies of the strategy statement for 1991, which I fully endorse, in the Library today. I am also sending copies to all right hon. and hon. Members whose constituencies fall wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district. I am inviting London Members to discuss the statement with me.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take with regard to circular 13/88 and the matter of charges for the collection of waste from mixed hereditaments.

I understand that some local authorities have not fully complied with the advice given by my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Boscawen) on 4 July 1990.This guidance recognised that some of the waste from a composite property arises from the residential part of the property. My hon. Friend advised that the most sensible way for local authorities to treat such properties under their existing powers is that, once they have received a request to collect commercial waste from such properties, they should collect or empty free of charge at least one refuse sack or dustbin per week per property. They should also be prepared to consider alternative or additional arrangements on an individual basis.It is our intention to revise the Collection and Disposal of Waste Regulations 1988 to which circular 13/88 relates. The revision will take account of the changes brought about by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and we shall take the opportunity to clarify the advice to local authorities about the treatment of refuse collection from composite hereditaments. However, no local authority should use our plans to revise the regulations as an excuse for delaying implementation of the policy that I have described.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has on (a) the lowest and (b) the highest United Kingdom refuse disposal costs per tonne;(2) what information he has on

The costs of waste collection and disposal vary widely depending on the type of waste, method of collection or disposal, and proximity of disposal facilities. The Department has no information about highest and lowest costs, and the latest published figures for average costs are for 1986–87. These are set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply of 18 December, Official Report, c. 116, (a) what definition of undue discrimination is to be used in drawing up guidelines on water charges and (b) if he will list the various classes of customers and potential customers for whom protection against such discrimination is to be provided.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him yesterday.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there are any covenants or other restrictions on the Crown offices in Crown way, Cathays, Cardiff, which would prevent their use by (a) Government Departments other than the Welsh Office and (b) non-Government users or bodies.

The freehold of the Crown Offices in Crown way, Cathays, Cardiff is vested in the Secretary of State for the Environment. The conveyances contain restrictive covenants limiting the use of the premises for the purpose of Government Offices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 20 and 21 December 1990.

I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.The Council agreed a new regulation for the control of substances that deplete the ozone layer. This is necessary to implement within the Community the revision of the Montreal protocol which was agreed in London last June, but it also demonstrates our commitment to the protection of the ozone layer by requiring a faster phase-out within the Community. Under the regulation, chlorofluorocarbons will be cut by 85 per cent. by the middle of 1995 and phased out by the middle of 1997—two and a half years in advance of the Montreal protocol requirements. Halons are to be cut by 50 per cent. by the start of 1995, and phased out by the end of the century. Carbon tetrachloride will be phased out by 1998, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane by 2005. In certain cases exemptions for essential uses, such as medical aerosols and some fire-fighting applications, may be permitted, should those prove necessary. I pressed at the Council for an even quicker phase-out of CFCs and halons. Nonetheless, the agreement reached is a major step forward in protecting the ozone layer, and sends a strong signal to the rest of the world that still faster cuts than those agreed in London can be achieved.The United Kingdom worked actively to secure agreement in the Council of a common position on the proposal for a consolidated directive on car emissions. The strict new standards it contains would come into effect from the end of 1992. They would require the fitting of three-way catalysts to all new cars, and would reduce pollution from each car to about a quarter of present levels. The Council also agreed to invite the European Commission to produce a proposal for a further round of yet stricter standards which could come into effect from 1996. This is excellent news for Europe's environment and confirms the Community's determination to come to grips with pollution from transport. It is also good news for the motor industry, which will now have a much clearer idea of the standards towards which it should engineer.The Council agreed a directive on hazardous waste to replace the existing directive on toxic and dangerous waste which dates from 1978. The new directive's most important feature is a provision for defining hazardous waste in a clear, practical way. Before the directive comes into force a list of hazardous wastes will be drawn up. Other features of the new directive are controls on the mixing and movement of hazardous waste. The new directive will be implemented by means of the proposed revision of the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980.A regulation establishing a programme of action for the protection of the Mediterranean sea was agreed. The programme, known as MEDSPA, will provide pump-priming funds for a range of actions to help deal with the serious environmental problems affecting the Mediterranean.The Council also agreed a resolution welcoming the European Commission's recent green paper on the urban environment. The resolution notes that, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the primary responsibility for protecting the urban environment lies with local, regional and national authorities, but recognises that in certain areas there may be a role for the Community to play. The Council has invited the Commission to establish a group of experts to advise on possible further action.Proposed directives on sewage treatment and on the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances were both discussed in detail. Very good progress was made in each case on resolving a number of outstanding issues, and Ministers expressed the hope that agreement could be reached on both directives at the next Council meeting.With support from a number of member states, I was able to secure from the European Commission a commitment to review the operation of certain aspects of the existing directive on the protection of wild birds. In particular, the Commission agreed to look at those provisions in the directive that impede action against certain pest species for which control measures are necessary, and where this would not endanger the conservation of the species. This is a welcome recognition on the Commission's part of the need to address an anomaly which has caused some concern here.The Council also held brief discussions on climate change, on the use of economic instruments to achieve environmental objectives, and on the site of the European Environment Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached a decision on the disposal of the Rural Development Commission factory estates; and if he will make a statement.

The Rural Development Commission and its predecessors have funded a very successful programme of workspace provision over many years. Following the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 23 April, I have sought the advice of the Rural Development Commission on the disposal of its portfolio. The RDC portfolio has a number of special characteristics, among them the fact that many of the factory units that have been provided are in small blocks in remote rural areas. I am pleased to announce that having received the Rural Development Commission's advice, I have decided to proceed with the sale of the portfolio. Government policy is to encourage suitable premises and sites to be made available through the private sector to new and expanding enterprises in rural areas. The sale of the estate is intended to further this policy by involving the private sector in the ownership and management of property in rural areas. It also builds on the existing policy of selling units to tenants in appropriate circumstances. I propose to introduce a new grants scheme to encourage private developers to make further provision while at the same time withdrawing progressively from direct provision to complement this. The twin objectives of maximising the return to the taxpayer from the sale and encouraging the involvement of a range of private sector interests will best be met through a phased sale, with the intention that this should be spread over a period of about three years with the rate of disposal adjusted to market conditions.Wherever it is practical to do so, and in line with the above objectives I have asked the Rural Development Commission and English Estates to offer existing tenants an opportunity to bid for their premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the rate support grant supplementary report for 1989–90 for England will be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list year by year since 1980 the dates and locations and numbers of injuries and fatalities of crew members of fast rescue craft engaged in rescues in the North sea oil fields.

The Department is aware of two incidents: these were both associated with the Piper Alpha oil platform fire in July 1988. Six personnel on two of the rescue craft were injured, two fatally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list year by year since 1980 the number of successful rescues carried out by fast rescue craft in the North sea oil fields, indicating from where the craft were launched and the dates and location of where the rescues took place.

The Department does not collect this data. However, information presented to the public inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster showed that 126 incidents occurred of men falling overboard from an oil

I have laid the supplementary report before the House today. The main purpose of the report is to correct the effects of an error in respect of road lengths in the London borough of Croydon used in the calculation of its grant-related expenditure assessments for 1989–90.The report requires the approval of the House. Subject to that, I propose to make the revisions to grant payments to reflect the report early in April. Copies of the report arid tables showing revised rate support grant entitlements are being sent today to local authority associations and to each authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the comparative reductions and levels of over-the-limit alcohol in dead drivers from 1982 in Great Britain, New South Wales and Sweden.

The table shows, for all drivers and riders killed whose blood alcohol level was known, the proportion who were over the legal limit. Comparative data for Sweden are not available.proportion who were over the level specified. The figures are for Great Britain only. Comparative data for Sweden and New South Wales are not available.installation between 1974 and 1986, and the most common means of recovery was by fast rescue craft deployed from standby vessels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the existing procedures and logging requirements for the repair and maintenance of fast rescue craft used in the North sea oil fields.

The recording of the repair or the maintenance of fast rescue craft is a matter for the owner or operator of the standby vessel, but surveyors from the Department will examine the condition of the craft during surveys and general inspections.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to make changes in respect of fast rescue craft used in the North sea oil fields (a) to power the craft with diesel instead of petrol and (b) to have guarded propellers on such craft; and if he will make a statement.

When fast rescue craft were first developed all that was generally available for propulsion were outboard petrol engines. New developments have made the use of diesel engines more practicable for the larger craft and their use is increasing. The phasing out of petrol engines and the use of guarded propellers will need to be considered in the revision of the present code of practice, but because of the range of duties a fast rescue craft is called upon to perform it is essential that design parameters should be as flexible as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate what training procedures exist for crews of fast rescue craft in the North sea oil field; and who is responsible for monitoring such training.

Under the code of practice published by the Department, crews of fast rescue craft should attend a course in the operation of fast rescue boats which is offered by a number of training institutions. These courses are checked and endorsed by the Department. During annual inspections of standby vessels marine surveyors verify that sufficient numbers of crew members who have attended these courses are on board; and they often seek a demonstration of how the boats are handled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents occurred, and how many people were killed or injured in those accidents, on (a) the M I between junctions 1 and 17, (b) the M6 between junctions 1 and 4, (c) the A34 between Oxford and Stratford and (d) the A423 between Oxford and Coventry over the period 20 December 1990 to 3 January 1991.

I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as the information is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Government Departments and associations of statutory or local authorities know the precise position of the principal underground services and utilities and, in particular, the position of sewers, water conduits, cables, pipes and wires belonging to the public utilities and how they relate to one another.

The requirements on persons with underground services to maintain records of their position vary according to the statutory powers or licence under which it was placed. The Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950 and utilities' enabling legislation require undertakers executing works to consult other undertakers whose apparatus is likely to be affected and the street authority before starting major works. There is a need to improve the consistency and availability of records of underground services and the New Roads and Street Works Bill currently before Parliament contains provision for this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the start date of the construction of a new entrance to the Deeside industrial park; and if he will make a statement.

Late 1994, subject to satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and the availability of funds.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on apportioning the British total allowable catch for 1991 to the individual ports; and how he negotiates a Scottish allocation.

As agreed with the industry, the United Kingdom 1991 white fish quota will continue to be distributed among the United Kingdom fleet in proportion to the track record of individual fishing vessels. Most pelagic quota is also distributed in the same way, although currently some vessels have a fixed share of certain pelagic fisheries and the non-sector, because of its small size, has received an allocation rather greater than its track record would warrant. Departments will shortly be consulting the industry over the methodology to be applied in distributing pelagic quotas in future. The industry will also be consulted as necessary on the distribution of Hague preference fish obtained by the United Kingdom at the December Council.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the code of good agricultural practice on water protection as foreshadowed in the Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance".

Last autumn's environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance" stated that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food would be preparing a revised free advisory package of codes of good agricultural practice for farmers. I am pleased to announce that the first of these codes, which relates to the protection of water, has now been prepared in draft form for consultation in England and Wales. It contains practical and detailed guidance to farmers on how to avoid water pollution from farm wastes, fertilisers, nitrate, fuel oil, sheep dip, carcase disposal and pesticides. This draft code has been placed in the Libraries of the House, and is also available from the Vote Office.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to improve the protection of livestock in markets.

Orders have been made under the Animal Health Act 1981, to come into force on 1 March 1991, which will lay down detailed welfare safeguards for farm livestock and horses in markets. This important legislation will create a new offence of causing injury or unnecessary suffering to animals in markets. Horses at markets and other places of sale will now be protected by specific controls for the first time. The new orders will introduce minimum ages at which calves and foals can be put through markets without their mothers. There will be a ban on selling calves more than twice in any 28-day period, and practices such as the use of electric goads on calves, young pigs, sheep and horses and the tying of poultry and calves will be prohibited. Among other new provisions are controls on handling, penning, feeding and watering animals.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the discretionary pay scheme for grades 2 and 3 staff in the home civil service.

In the fourth and last round of awards under the arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the then Prime Minister on 23 April 1987, awards

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the inflow and outflow to and from and the net gain or loss to the reserves from the date of joining the exchange rate mechanism to the latest available date and for the equivalent period before joining.

Net changes to the reserves in the three months before and after sterling's entry to the ERM are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give sterling's range of variation against (a) the franc, (b) the deutschmark, (c) the lira and (d) within the 6 per cent. bands for each month since Britain joined the exchange rate mechanism and for (a),(b) and (c) for the three months before joining.

Sterling's variation against the franc, deutschmark and lira before and after its entry to the ERM, and the greatest percentage dievations from sterling's central rates against all the other ERM currencies since entry are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the top and bottom of the pound's bands within the exchange rate mechanism and the highest and lowest points within them reached by sterling in each month since membership.

Sterling's upper and lower limits against the other ERM currencies, and the highest and lowest points at close of business since sterling's entry to the mechanism, are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide figures for VAT returns for the Gordon constituency, or the Gordon district and Aberdeen district, for the last five years for which data are complete.

The figures for VAT returns are not available in the form requested except at disproportionate cost. It has been possible to provide details for the last two financial years for traders currently registered at the Aberdeen local VAT office which covers the north-east of Scotland from Montrose to Nairn and the Shetland islands. The figures are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the outcome of the Government telecommunications service project negotiation.

My right hon. Friend the then Economic Secretary to the Treasury announced in a written answer on 15 February 1990, at column 340, that negotiations would be opened with Racal Data Networks Ltd. (RDNL) to determine whether the company could satisfactorily supply an integrated voice and data telecommunications service for use by Government Departments, to be known as the Government Telecommunications Service—GTS.The Government and the company have now reluctantly concluded that it would not be possible to achieve agreement on the terms for the provision of such a service. The two parties have therefore agreed that the GTS negotiations should be discontinued. The decision was announced on 7 January 1991. The Departments concerned in the GTS negotiation will now be considering with the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency how best to meet future telecommunications requirements. This decision does not affect the existing service contracts held by RDNL which the company is continuing to implement—the Government data network —GDN—which serves 18 Departments and includes the NHS family health service network, and the voice network which RDNL is developing for the Department of Social Security.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to submit draft treaty texts to the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend submitted a document, "Economic and monetary union—beyond Stage 1: Possible Treaty Provisions and Statute for a European Monetary Fund", to the Luxembourg presidency on 8 January. This sets out legal texts designed to amend the treaty of Rome so as to allow for the establishment of a European monetary fund managing a hard ecu in line with the proposals first put forward by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister when Chancellor. Copies have been placed in the Vote Office and the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff in post in central Government departments at 1 October 1990.

On 1 October 1990 there were 556,250 staff in post in central Government. Of those, 491,032 were non-industrials and 65,218 were classified as being in industrial work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that deaf school leavers are provided with communication support when being assessed under section 5 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986;(2) what consideration is being given to the implementation of section 3(b) of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 to ensure that deaf people have access to sign language interpreters and other communication support when being assessed for services by local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to monitor the implementation of section 5 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, particularly in regard to deaf school leavers.

The social services inspectorate has carried out an exercise to monitor the implementation of those sections of the Act that are in force. The results of this inspection, and of the findings of a more specific study of the implementation of sections 5 and 6, were published last year in its reports "Developing Services for Disabled People" and "Developing Services for Young People with Disabilities", copies of which are in the Library. We expect authorities to provide communication support for all clients who require it as a matter of normal good practice, and our guidance on the implementation of community care has emphasised the importance of such services. Similar guidance is to be issued to assist authorities in the implementation of the provisions of the Children Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being undertaken by his Department to address the shortage of registered sign language interpreters for deaf patients.

The Department provides grant aid to the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People, which arranges courses in communication with deaf people and maintains a register of interpreters. The Department has also, for a number of years, grant-aided the British Sign Language Training Authority. The availability of sign language interpreters to deaf people seeking health care is a matter for local health service management, who are best placed to determine and provide for the local need for such a service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he proposes to take to help non-teaching hospitals that provide major service support for research by external funders.

I am pleased to announce a £2 million scheme to help meet the service support costs of research in non-teaching hospitals. The scheme will give financial help to hospitals that provide service support for major levels of research activity by external funders including local and national charities and the Medical Research Council. Applications for support under the scheme will be invited for autumn 1991 and the first allocations made for April 1992. An NHS management executive letter will be issued to health authorities shortly and will give further details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what equipment currently available under the NHS is capable of determining whether or not myodil dye was used in the past; what is the location of each scanner: and what is its current availability for use.

[holding answer 14 January 1991]: If myodil dye was used in the past for a myelograrn its clearance from the body will vary from patient to patient. Normal radiographic X-ray equipment should detect any myodil still present in a patient's body.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the chairman of National Power and PowerGen concerning a staggered sale of the share capital; what estimates he has made of the difference in net proceeds from a 100 per cent. sale and a staggered sale; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has decided to offer for sale 60 per cent. of the share capital of National Power and PowerGen next month, subject to market conditions. The chairmen of the companies have been informed of this decision, which reflects the Government's confidence in the long-term future of the companies and the wish to maximise proceeds in time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what resources are allocated for a campaign to encourage home insulation as part of the energy efficiency project.

The Energy Efficiency Office promotes energy efficiency measures in the domestic sector through a range of initiatives including the new home energy efficiency scheme, which came into operation on 1 January, provision of targeted information to householders, and the best practice programme. Of the total budget expected to be available to the EEO of nearly £42 million in 1991–92, some £30 million is in support of these programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will institute a feasibility study in co-operation with the electricity industry with a view to improving the overhead cable system and making it less vulnerable, particularly in rural areas, to severe snow and storm conditions.

A joint Department-electricity supply industry panel of inquiry chaired by the Department's chief engineering inspector was set up in January 1982 to investigate the adequacy, and so on, of overhead electricity lines following the very severe snow storms in December 1981 and January 1982 which seriously affected Wales and the west of England. As a result a programme of improvements was put in hand costing over £100 million, which included the strengthening of the more vulnerable overhead lines and closer control of tree growth. The snowstorm which affected the midlands area in December 1990 was exceptional, but the East Midlands Electricity company—the worst affected —is carrying out a review of the event and the Department's engineering inspectorate is monitoring this review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the 12 chairs of the electricity consumer committees to discuss next year's forecast price increases for domestic consumers.

The functioning of the electricity consumers' committees is a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has regarding the numbers of electricity consumers with average consumption slightly less than 1 MW, who have stepped up consumption just sufficiently to gain access to non-franchise purchasing terms.

The criteria for franchise customers are set out in condition 2 of the second tier supply licences issued to suppliers. This makes it clear that the relevant demand calculations must be on the basis of the average of the three highest months of maximum demand in a 12-month period under normal operating conditions. It is for the Director General of Electricity Supply to oversee the implementation of licence conditions and to determine any disputes over whether the criteria have been met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will call for a report on the problem of ice accretion on power cables and the threat it poses to security of supply.

The phenomenon of ice accumulation on overhead electric lines and other structures is well understood technically. Weather conditions and their effect on overhead electricity transmission and distribution systems, including ice accumulation and electricity supply industry design standards, were exhaustively addressed in the joint Department of Energy-industry review into the widespread storm damage in the west of Britain during the winter of 1981–82. The phenomenon is not confined to the United Kingdom and occurs in other countries, including other parts of Europe, with similar climatic conditions to our own.The area of East Midlands Electricity was particularly badly affected last December. The company is carrying out a review of those events and the Department's engineering inspectors will be keeping closely in touch with it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who is responsible for making an announcement, and at what time he expects it to be made, concerning the safety and security of money placed by investors with the Levitt Group.

I understand that the provisional liquidators reported to creditors on Monday 14 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the current position of the Levitt group and the safety of investors' moneys.

[holding answer 14 January 1991]: I understand that the provisional liquidators reported to creditors on Monday 14 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times company auditors have notified his Department of corporate fraud and irregularities.

This information is not available in the form requested. To try to provide comprehensive information over a reasonable time period would involve disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the individuals criticised in the inspectors' report on Bryanston can still carry out company audits.

In respect of accountants, yes, except for Mr. Keith Cunningham whose membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has lapsed. The accountancy firm involved was required to pay costs of £273,000 and reprimanded under the joint disciplinary scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inquiries he has made into the suspension of shares of Tottenham Hotspur plc.

The suspension of shares is a matter for the International Stock Exchange.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken or is proposing to take against Tottenham Hotspur plc for late filing of its annual accounts.

Tottenham Hotspur plc has failed to submit accounts for the period ended 31 May 1990. The registrar has confirmed that the company has been notified of the default and appropriate action is being taken to secure compliance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to propose legislation under which within six weeks of the share quotation being suspended the existing board of directors will be required to offer itself for re-election.

No. If the shareholders of such a company wish to dismiss some or all of the directors they may requisition the convening of an extraordinary general meeting for that purpose under the provisions of section 368 of the Companies Act 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will bring forward proposals for legislation to require a company whose share quotation is suspended to call an extraordinary meeting.

No. Section 368 of the Companies Act 1985 already gives a company's shareholders the power to requisition an extraordinary general meeting if they consider one necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he has any proposals for companies to write off purchased good will against profits rather than reserves;

Issues of this sort are better dealt with through accounting standards than in the law. The matters raised are encompassed within exposure drafts issued by the Accounting Standards Committee and the responses received will be considered by the Accounting Standards Board in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for requiring every public company to establish an audit committee and to specify in the annual reports any changes in accounting practice and its implications for the future.

The Government endorse the use of audit committees, but have no plans to impose them on companies through legislation. Companies must be free to decide for themselves whether such committees are appropriate to their circumstances.The existing requirements of SSAP2 in respect of the disclosure by companies of the accounting policies they have adopted and of SSAP6 in respect of the disclosure of the effect of prior period adjustments arising when an accounting policy is changed already cover the question of accounting policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has had with the professional accountancy bodies about the establishment of a review panel to examine the accounts of listed companies and to establish an urgent issues task force to clear up areas of anomaly and clarify accounting guidelines.

My Department consulted the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies fully about the implementation of the Dearing report, which recommended the creation of a review panel and an urgent issues task force.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to ask the Audit Commission to lay down guidelines for the accountancy profession on the auditing of company accounts.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy that the Export Credits Guarantee Department should continue to be based in the Crown offices at Cathays, Cardiff; and if he will list any obstacles that would need to be overcome for such a policy to be implemented in the long term.

After the proposed privatisation of its insurance services group, ECGD's remaining operations will continue to be based in London and in various locations in Cardiff. It is ECGD's intention that, in respect of these remaining operations, it should retain a significant presence in Cardiff for the foreseeable future. I am not aware of any obstacles likely to prevent this. As regards the location of the insurance services group following privatisation, this would be a matter for the new management and owners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to authorise a person under section 245c of the Companies Act 1985 for the purpose of making applications to court under section 245b in respect of accounts which it is alleged did not comply with the Act.

Last week I made an order authorising the Financial Reporting Review Panel Ltd, a subsidiary of the Financial Reporting Council Ltd, for this purpose. The authorisation takes effect from 1 February. The relevant provisions of the Act apply to accounts for financial years starting on or after 23 December 1989. The review panel will be able to apply to the court for a declaration that a company's accounts did not comply with the Act and for an order requiring the directors to prepare revised accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Research Council on 21 December 1990.

My noble Friend the Minister for Industry represented Her Majesty's Government at the meeting of the Council of Ministers (Research) in Brussels on 21 December.The Council agreed common positions on three specific programmes under the third framework programme for R and D 1990–94: "Environment, Telematics, and Marine Sciences and Technologies". It approved in principle the specific programme of life sciences and technologies for developing countries while asking the Committee of Permanent Representatives—COREPER—to consider further the technical annex of the programme. COREPER was also asked to examine the following programmes with a view to the possible adoption of common positions early in 1991: information technologies, communication technologies, industrial and materials technologies, and biomedicine and health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures his Department is taking as a result of the European Commission's approval of the RENAVAL programme for the Plymouth travel-to-work area.

The RENAVAL programme enables the Department to introduce regional enterprise grants into the Plymouth travel-to-work area and this we shall do with immediate effect.The programme is designed to support our regional policies of increasing competitiveness, encouraging innovation and business development and improving the skills of individuals.Regional enterprise grants, up to £1 million in total, will be available to small firms employing fewer than 25 people for investment in new equipment and towards the costs of developing or improving products or processes.I am sure that RENAVAL and the help now available under regional enterprise grants will be of enormous benefit to small businesses in the Plymouth area. It is a useful addition to the support already available under regional selective assistance and the enterprise initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has of the practice of life companies using policyholders' funds to acquire shares in a company to benefit the company and not the policyholders; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 14 January 1991]: Life companies have freedom to invest policyholders' funds for the benefit of the policyholders subject to the prudential regulation of my Department. Policyholders' funds must be applied with the intention of benefiting policyholders although not all investment decisions will turn out to be successful with the benefit of hindsight. The application of policyholders' funds with the intention of benefiting policyholders is a requirement of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and failure to comply constitutes a criminal offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications have been received by the British Council for funding under the Czechoslovak academic links project; and how many applications have been approved to date.

To date, the British Council has received 65 applications for links with Czechoslovakia under the Czechoslovak academic links project which is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office under the know-how fund. Of these 15, have been approved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding has been made available by the Government's know-how funds for the links projects with (a) Czechoslovakia, (b) Poland and (c) Hungary in 1990–91; and how much has been allocated in respect of projects for each country to date.

The sums made available in 1990–91 under the know-how fund for the academic links projects in Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary are £150,000, £150,000 and £100,000 respectively. To date £150,000 has been allocated under the Czechoslovak scheme, £143,000 under the Polish scheme and £94,514 under the Hungarian scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice Her Majesty's Government are giving to British citizens in the middle east.

As a precautionary measure against the risk of war and the possibility of civil disturbance and terrorist attack in some countries, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has given the following advice to travellers and residents. The dangers to British nationals are being kept under constant review, and advice may change at any time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement on the forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

The Fisheries Council will possibly meet on 17 January and may discuss 1991 total allowable catches and quotas, agreement between the EC and Norway, agreement between the EC and Sweden, agreement between the EC and the Faroes, agreement between the EC and NAFO, agreement between the EC and French Guyana, total allowable catches and quotas for Spanish and Portuguese waters, the 10th amendment to technical conservation measures, autonomous tariff quotas and tariff suspensions and the amendment to the structures regulation.The Agriculture Council will meet on 21 and 22 January and will discuss the review of the sugar regime and the beef balance sheet. Other items which may be discussed are organic agricultural production, GATT beef quotas, GATT agriculture, GATT accompanying measures, presentation of 1991 agricultural prices proposals, fish hygiene and bivalve molluscs.The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 28 January to conduct a multilateral surveillance of the economies of member states. It is likely that other items for discussion will include the abolition of fiscal frontiers and assistance to central and eastern Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support Gibraltar has received from the European Community's structural funds.

Gibraltar is to receive £237,223 from the United Kingdom's 1990 European social fund allocation to finance training and just under £2 million —2·8 million ecu—from the European regional development fund to assist in the conversion of a warehouse into small business premises. These are the first awards that Gibraltar has received from the structural funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department has any plans to recompense for the additional costs of blindness those claimants who are registered blind aged over 80 years and whose income support currently makes no provision in relation to their additional problems.

People who are registered blind and aged 60 years or more automatically qualify for the higher pensioner premium, which provides an extra £17.05 a week for single people and £24.25 a week for couples on top of their personal allowances. In addition, blind people can qualify for the severe disability premium, worth £28.20 a week, if they receive attendance allowance, nobody else lives with them and no one gets invalid care allowance in respect of their care. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if food vouchers are used as a suitable method of paying crisis loans in circumstances other than where the need has arisen because of the claimant's loss of money due to recklessness.

The power to make a payment out of the social fund under section 32(2)(b) of the Social Security Act 1986 may be exercised by making a payment to a third party with a view to the third party providing, or arranging for the provision of, goods or services to the applicant.The method of payment is a matter for consideration in the circumstances of each individual case. Information relating to the ways in which local offices make payments for crisis loans in individual cases is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of crisis loans have been awarded as food vouchers for each month since April 1988 (a) nationally, (b) regionally and (c) in each of his Department's local office areas.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the new telephone line that will be set up to help disabled people claim benefits will include a minicom for deaf people.

The benefit inquiry line, which has been operating in Berkshire for a trial period of six months, includes the minicom facility for deaf people. Such a facility would be part of any extension to the system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in respect of the 1989–90 community charge rebate scheme for Strathclyde regional council (a) how many applications have been received, (b) how many applications have been approved, (c) to how many applicants payment of rebate has been made and (d) how much in total has been paid out in rebates.

The information requested is not available. However, in December 1989 Strathclyde regional council estimated that its expenditure on community charge rebates in 1989–90 would be around £100 million and, in November 1989, 520,000 claimants were in receipt of a community charge rebate. Claims from couples are counted as one.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what age a child in normal physical and mental health will be regarded as not requiring guidance and supervision for the purposes of entitlement to the lower mobility component of disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 20 December 1990]: We have no plans to specify the age at which children normally cease to require guidance or supervision. The aim is to compare the requirements of a disabled child under age 16 with those of a child of the same age in normal physical and mental health. These reduce as children grow older and the Bill currently before Parliament recognises that, eventually, a point is reached when a child in normal physical and mental health will no longer require any guidance or supervision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors influenced his decision on the timing of the announcement in respect of the criteria to be applied to applications from organisations seeking to develop local services in Wales for those involved in alcohol misuse.

The criteria set for bids for funding projects to combat alcohol misuse were primarily influenced by the experience gained in operating a similar central funding initiative in respect of drug misuse.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the reasons for the delays from the initial announcements of plans for a campaign to tackle alcohol misuse and from the announcement of the amount of cash available for his Department to make details available and to invite applications from organisations concerned with the provision of local services in Wales in respect of alcohol misuse.

Following the announcement that central resources were being made available to combat alcohol misuse, it was necessary to establish a framework within which expenditure would be utilised and to seek the views of local agencies as to how the resources might best be deployed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any account will be taken of projected land sales in determining his Department's annual level of contribution to each health authority in Wales (a) in 1990–91, (b) in 1991–92 and (c) in subsequent years.

At present, district health authorities in Wales benefit from the proceeds of surplus land and buildings, unless the facilities become surplus as a consequence of a centrally funded development. In these cases, the receipts are used to offset the cost of the development. No account is taken of the expected level of receipts in determining each health authority's ,share of capital funds, and authorities which are able to realise land sales have therefore benefited directly by the amounts raised enabling them to develop and improve health services. These arrangements, including the treatment of the receipts from surplus mental handicap and mental illness hospitals which should contribute to the development of alternative patterns of care, are described in the land transactions handbook.Under the new arrangements proposed for capital funding for introduction in 1992–93, after a transitional period all proceeds from sales will be retained centrally and used to contribute to the cost of new developments. This is intended to ensure that the benefits from such sales should be used wherever they provide the best return in terms of health gain or improved efficiency. These arrangements are described in the consultation paper "The Health Service in Wales Implementing the White Paper: Capital Allocations" and copies are in the Library of the House. Because of the volume of capital developments that is currently in the pipeline or otherwise committed, and the time taken to complete new developments, the proposed arrangements would be phased in over a number of years. These transitional arrangements and details of the way in which it is decided that the new system should work will be announced in due course. However, for 1991–92, the current arrangements will continue to apply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of their land sales will be retained by health authorities in Wales (a) in 1990–91, (b) 1991–92 and (c) in 1992–93 and future financial years.

District health authorities are currently entitled to retain and use the proceeds from the sale of land and buildings no longer needed by the health service except in those cases where the property has become surplus as a result of a closure following the provision of a centrally funded scheme. In such cases proceeds are returned to the all-Wales provision. Most receipts are retained by health authorities. The proportion of proceeds retained by health authorities in any year will depend on the particular sales which are completed during that year about which it is not possible to speculate.These arrangements will continue in 1991–92. For 1992–93 and subsequent years, new arrangements for capital funding are in prospect. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him today on that subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each district health authority and special health authority in Wales for each of the last five years, 1985–86 to 1990–91, (a) the costs his Department considered in advance that the authority should achieve in efficiency savings, (b) the actual savings achieved and (c) the percentage of the previous year's (i) budget and (ii) actual expenditure represented by (a) and (b) in each case.

Financial targets in respect of efficiency savings to be achieved through cost improvement in the NHS in Wales were first introduced in 1989–90. Monitoring of health authorities' cost improvement programmes began in 1988. Estimates of the new recurrent savings achieved by district health authorities and the Welsh health common services authority in 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 are set out in the following table together with reported savings in 1988–89 and 1989–90 and the savings expected to be achieved in 1990–91. The cost improvement targets set for 1989–90 and 1990–91 are also shown. The equivalent information for the health promotion authority for Wales is not available.