To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the efficiency of the county court system.

Most areas of county court work are subject to targets which are regularly monitored. The Government are seeking to continue to streamline the work of the county courts through a programme of procedural improvements and the introduction of computer technology.

To ask the Attorney-General how much has been spent on legal aid fees in cases before the county court since 1980.

Between April 1980 and March 1991, £1·038 billion of gross payments were made in respect of legal aid work carried out in county court cases. Information of expenditure in each financial year is contained in the legal aid annual reports which are laid before Parliament each year and are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the law he proposes to introduce to facilitate the consideration by magistrates courts of applications for liability orders in community charge proceedings.

I have been asked to reply.We intend to bring forward at the earliest opportunity amendments to the Local Government Finance Bill, currently in another place, making provisions which will put beyond any doubt that authorities may present computer evidence in support of applications for liability orders in magistrates courts. These will cover enforcement of the community charge, the non-domestic rate and, in future, the council tax. We are determined that authorities should be given every assistance in recovering tax and charges from those who fail to pay their dues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had about the inhibition of social functions in village halls by the administration of fire regulations; and if he will make a statement.

None. No fire regulations apply specifically to village halls, but public music and dancing and similar entertainments cannot be provided except in accordance with the terms of a licence granted by the district council under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 or in Greater London by the London borough council under the London Government Act 1963. The purpose of this licensing system is to ensure, among other things, that places used for entertainment—and this includes village halls—have adequate safety standards.The fire authority's role is to advise the licensing authority on the requirements that it considers necessary for the premises, in relation to the event in question.Guidance on fire safety matters in smaller premises, including village halls, is included within the Home Department's publication "Guide to Fire Precautions in Existing Places of Entertainment and Like Premises". Chapter 12, which includes a section on village halls, was drawn up in consultation with the Village Halls Forum, a group formed from representatives from village hall committees and organisations concerned with village halls.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria used to determine the lengths of stay permitted to temporary visitors from the Indian sub-continent.

The criteria are the same as for any other visitor and are set out in paragraphs 22 to 25 and 104 to 106 of the "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules"—HC 251, as amended by HC 670—a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the use of genetic fingerprinting for crime detection; what facilities are at present available; and when this technique will be available for the use of all police forces.

This has been passed to the Director General of the Forensic Science Service who will be replying shortly. A copy of her reply will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each prison establishment, on how many occasions three-officer teams have been deployed under control and restraint 1 in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Control and restraint 1 techniques enable prison officers to deal effectively with limited incidents of violence, which require the restraint of individual prisoners either by individual officers or by three-officer teams with the minimum risk of injury to prisoners or staff.Information is not collected in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek the return of escaped convict George Blake to this country; and if he will make a statement on his policy relating to escaped convicts who could be repatriated to continue their sentence.

It is our policy to seek the extradition of fugitives from countries with which we have extradition arrangements. However, as there is no extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and the Russian federation, we are not in a position to set extradition proceedings in motion. Were there to be an extradition treaty, it would be for the authorities in the other state to determine whether any particular case would fall within the scope of the treaty.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures his Department intends to take against retailers and libraries to require them to treat pornographic disks as adult publications only;(2) what measures his Department intends to take to draw parents', publishers', retailers', and librarians' attention to the problem of access to pornographic disks for children;(3) what measures his Department is to take against the existing open access of children to pornographic computer disks;(4) if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal for people knowingly

The Government entirely share my hon. Friend's concern about the use of computer technology to store and transmit pornographic material. The criminal law relating to obscenity already applies to such material and there are also legal safeguards against offensive material being sent over public telecommunications systems.I am advised that the practical issue is therefore not primarily one of inadequate legislation, but of enforcement and obtaining evidence sufficient to bring proceedings. Both the Metropolitan police obscene publications branch and other police forces are very aware of this problem and are monitoring the situation closely.The Government also recognise the well-founded concern about the exposure of children to objectionable material, whatever its form. However this is also a question of parental responsibility and we encourage suppliers and parents to be particularly conscientious in satisfying themselves that children are not obtaining material which is obviously unsuitable.As far as those who offer to supply obscene material in magazines or elsewhere are concerned, their actions are already prohibited under the Obscene Publications Act. Although I cannot give an authoritative interpretation on a point of law, it is possible that a publisher who knowingly assisted in this by accepting an advertisement could be held to be guilty of aiding and abetting the offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the steps currently undertaken by his Department to monitor the level of incidence of violent conduct shown on television.

Under the Broadcasting Act 1990, it is for the broadcasting regulatory authorities—the BBC board of governors, the Independent Television Commission and S4C—to monitor the compliance of television programmes with the statutory requirements and codes of guidance which have been issued to broadcasters about violence on television. In addition the Broadcasting Standards Council has been established to reinforce and monitor programme standards in relation to violence, among other things.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about police manpower in Leicestershire.

The Leicestershire constabulary had 1,823 police officers and 683 civilian staff at the end of October 1991, which is an increase in actual strength of 443–122 police officers and 321 civilians—since May 1979. The authorised establishment of the force is 1,827, an increase of 121 posts since 1979. My right hon. Friend announced on 28 November a futher increase of 26 police posts with effect from 1 April 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current backlog at the registry in the immigration and nationality department; and what are the current numbers of outstanding applications in each division.

At the beginning of January the backlog in the immigration and nationality department registry was 29,842 and the number of outstanding applications in the caseworking divisions was as follows:

	Number
General immigration casework	21,208
Asylum and related casework	68,500
Nationality	51,723

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the detention of Mr. Younus Patel of 55 Park Vale road, Leicester, in Welford Road prison, Leicester.

Individual costs of detention are not kept separately. The daily average cost of keeping a prisoner in Leicester prison in 1990–91, the latest period for which figures are available, was £65·14. On this basis the cost of Mr. Patel's detention would be £13,810.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if Parliament will be required to approve the terms of any extradition treaty concluded between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India;

(2) under the extradition treaty now being negotiated by Her Majesty's Government and India, what safeguards will be included to provide proper and effective safeguards for individuals to appeal against extradition applications by India;

(3) if he will stop negotiations with the Government of India on an extradition treaty in view of widespread concern, about the extent of human rights violations in India; and if he will make a statement.

Extradition arrangements already apply to India under the Commonwealth extradition scheme. When I was in India earlier this month, I agreed with the Indian Government that our respective officials should meet to discuss the possibility of concluding a formal treaty. Indian officials will be visiting the United Kingdom in February. Any extradition arrangements, whether by treaty or under the Commonwealth scheme, have to comply with the safeguards including rights of appeal provided in the Extradition Act 1989, and with provisions in that Act as regards bringing new arrangements into force.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information the British authorities require from foreign countries seeking extradition of a British national.

[holding answer 27 January 1992]: For extradition under the terms of the European convention on extradition, the request must satisfy the provisions of section 7(2) of the Extradition Act 1989.Requests from other foreign countries with which we have bilateral treaties are subject to the requirements of paragraphs 7(1) and (2) of schedule 1 to the Act. In all cases the nationality of the fugitive is irrelevant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions during the last 10 years when a British national has been extradited from the United Kingdom to a foreign country with which Britain has no extradition treaty.

[holding answer 27 January 1992]: No person of any nationality has been so extradited.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on requests for the extradition of British nationals from the United Kingdom to countries with which Britain has no extradition agreement, where international law grants the British authorities jurisdiction.

[holding answer 27 January 1992]: If such a request were received, the question whether the interests of justice would best be served by extradition or domestic prosecution would be decided in the light of all relevant circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total number of recorded crimes involving the use of firearms in each of the past 10 years in (a) the Greater Manchester police authority area, and (b) England and Wales.

Statistics of the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used are published by police force area in table S3.1(A) of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales, Supplementary tables". The most recent issue, for 1989, gives figures for each year between 1979 and 1989. A copy of this publication is held in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers to discuss the use of the American side-handled baton; and if he will evaluate the effectiveness of this baton.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The procurement of equipment is the responsibility of chief officers. We have offered to arrange for a scientific evaluation of the side-handled baton if chief officers request it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Filipino and Thai women who have married British citizens are at present waiting for the necessary visas to join their husbands; and what is the average length of time they have to wait before receiving the visa.

I have been asked to reply.A total of 27 Filipino and 98 Thai women married to British citizens are waiting for the necessary visas to join their husbands. The current waiting time for interview is nine weeks in Manila and eight weeks in Bangkok. Successful applicants normally receive their visas on the day of interview.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have been brought by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on polluting companies since the passage of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and what individual fines were levied in each year.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 received Royal Assent on 1 November 1990. Since then, six prosecutions have been concluded by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, all successfully. The fines were as follows:

£300	with	£700	costs
£300	with	£2,100	costs
£500	with	£4,061	costs
£800	with	£6,502	costs
£3,000	with	£1,395	costs
£7,500	with	£6,140	costs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects, the purposes, and the cost of his Department's use of the Coopers and Lybrand group since 1989.

Coopers and Lybrand has been used for the following projects since 1989:

Area Economic Study: Basingstoke

Buying Agency: Employment agreement clauses

Crown Suppliers: Assignment of vehicle hire contracts

Crown Suppliers: Privatisation

Crown Suppliers: Senior appointments remuneration for the Buying Agency

Estate Action Schemes evaluation

Housing Corporation: Audit

Litter Baseline survey

National Monument Record marketing strategy

Property Holdings: Government Car Service

Property Holdings: Interdepartmental Despatch Service

Property Holdings: Security equipment and furniture stores

PSA Services: Accounts Receivable system

PSA Services: Consultants database

PSA Services: Personnel consultancy

PSA Services: Plus Plan consolidation

PSA Services: Proposed privatization

PSA Services: Repayment invoicing system

PSA Services: Report writing system

PSA Services: Strategic accounting system

Tyne and Wear Development Corporation: Audit Uniface: Consultancy

It is not our policy to reveal the cost of individual contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to the Exchequer so far of valuation and community charge tribunals; what is the number of outstanding appeals; what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of hearing the outstanding non-domestic rating appeals; and if he will make a statement.

Valuation and community charge tribunals came into being on 1 May 1989, replacing local valuation panels. The cost of the 56 VCCTs in England and their predecessors since 1989–90 is as follows:

	£ million
1989–90	9·8
1990–91	7·6
1991–92	19·2
1estimated.

The relatively high 1989–90 figure includes capital expenditure—in particular on computer hardware—in preparation for handling appeals against the 1990 rating list and the community charge.At the end of 1991, VCCTs in England had outstanding nearly 600,000 appeals, including non-domestic rating and community charge cases. The following amounts have been provided for English VCCTs in the Government's spending plans:

	£ million
1992–93	15·9
1993–94	9·5
1994–95	9·8

These amounts relate to the full costs of VCCTs including all appeal work, and it is not possible to provide separate figures in respect of rating appeals only. In particular, VCCTs will have jurisdiction over certain classes of appeal concerning the council tax to be introduced from 1993. In preparation for this, the figures for 1991–92 and 1992–93 include £0·5 million and £6·8 million respectively for new computer hardware and applications to enable the efficient processing of council tax appeals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department is taking to terminate the flow of contaminated water from the abandoned Wheal Jane mine, Cornwall; if he will send a Minister to the area without delay; if he will receive a deputation from Cornwall county council; and if he will make a statement as to how the incident was enabled to arise.

I met representatives from Carrick district council on 21 January, and I visited Cornwall on 23 January to see the work which is currently being carried out to treat the discharge from Wheal Jane. I was impressed by the effort which the National Rivers Authority has put into monitoring since the middle of last year, into remedial treatment in recent months, and into the development of medium and long-term arrangements for treating the discharge. Efforts to prevent the discharge of untreated water failed as a result of an unexpected collapse in the area of the Nangiles adit. I met Councillor David Roberts, chairman of Cornwall county council, on 23 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the grades of staff employed by the Parliamentary Works Office who are required to clock in and clock out at the start and finish of their day's work.

Only non-industrial staff participating in the flexitime arrangements are required to clock in and out. Industrial grades enter manually the time of their arrival and depature on the work dockets.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities test the standards of noise insulation in new residential buildings.

On 10 December last year revised building regulations were laid before Parliament which from 1 June 1992 will improve the existing requirements for sound insulation in new dwellings and extend these to flat conversions. Practical problems for the local authority and the builder would not in my view justify sound testing of all new and converted residential properties. The requirements of the building regulations are met by the builder undertaking forms of construction which have been shown to perform satisfactorily under test conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the application of Ley Rubber Ltd., Liverpool, to change the use of its property at 62 Bridgewater street, was submitted to the Merseyside development corporation; and when a decision will be reached.

The application of Ley Holdings Ltd., Liverpool to change the use of property at 62 Bridgewater street was submitted to the Merseyside development corporation on 9 January 1992. The development corporation expects to decide the application at its board meeting on 13 February 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce the standard spending assessment for the West Yorkshire fire authority; and what account, in reaching his decision, has been taken of special factors applying to fire visits in West Yorkshire explained to him by the delegation he met on 16 January.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid the Revenue Support Grant Report (England) 1992–93 and associated reports before the House last Friday 24 January. Copies of the reports, together with a table showing the standard spending assessments—SSAs—and grant entitlement of each authority were sent to all authorities on the same day, and have been placed in the Library and Vote Office.Before taking his decisions on the settlement, my right hon. Friend carefully considered all the representations and comments which had been made to him, including those made by members of a delegation from West Yorkshire fire authority when they came to see me on 16 January. Having considered all the representations and comments made to him, he decided to adopt his proposed methodology for the fire component of SSAs. The SSA for the West Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority for 1992–93 is £48.749 million, an increase of 8.2 per cent. on 1991–92, and as a result of changes in underlying data £12,000 greater than the provisional SSA proposed on 26 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his decision on the application by Devon county council for consent under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 to transfer the site and buildings of Devonport secondary school to the diocesan education committee.

Within the next few days. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state for each year since 1978–79 the Government's settlement for local authority personal social services and the actual expenditure by local authorities on personal social services for each year.

The available information is as follows:

Personal Social Services
£ million
	Grand related expenditure1 control total	Expenditure2
1982–83	1,943	n·a·
1983–84	2,085	n·a·
1984–85	2,205	n·a·
1985–86	2,366	n·a·
1986–87	2,553	n·a·
1987–88	2,756	n·a·
1988–89	2,913	n·a·
1989–90	3,269	n·a·

	SSA Control Total	Expenditure3
1990–91	3,592	4,119
1991–92	4,418	4,521
1 Information on grant related expenditure control totals is not available for years prior to 1982–83.
2 It is not possible to construct comparable figures for outturn on the basis of available returns from local authorities.
3 Net Revenue Expenditure to compare with SSA.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons he decided to exclude homelessness of children and adults, the number of elderly and disabled persons from ethnic minority groups, information about the prevalence of disability in the population from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability survey, and information about the prevalence of mental illness, from the calculation of standard spending assessment for local authority personal social services.

The selection of indicators included in the social services standard spending assessments is based on the careful consideration of research evidence, much of it from independent sources, and extensive discussion with local authority representatives. The information referred to has formed part of these considerations, but in most cases is not available on a reliable and consistent basis for all local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average annual rate of growth allowed to the local authority personal social services between 1978–79 and 1988–89.

The average annual rate of growth in the total allowance for revenue spending on personal social services within the rate support grant settlements between 1982–83 and 1988–89 was 7 per cent. Information is not available for years prior to 1982–83. It is for local authorities to decide their own priorities between spending on various services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which organisations currently receive Government funding under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985; how much money each organisation receives; and for what nature of the services the money is provided.

I will arrange for this information to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time which companies applying for planning permission to the Merseyside development corporation have to wait; and whether minor non-contentious planning decisions are delegated to development corporation officials.

The measure "average length of time" is not generally used for assessing development control decisions on planning applications. The Department of the Environment measures the proportion of applications determined within eight weeks of submission. In 1990, 59 per cent. of the applications determined by the Merseyside development corporation were within eight weeks. This increased to 60 per cent. for the first three quarters of 1991, the most up-to-date information available.Legal counsel's advice to the corporation is that it does not have the power to delegate minor, non-contentious planning decisions to officials.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to sell Property Services Agency Projects by single tender.

There is no truth in the rumours that PSA Projects is about to be sold by single tender. A prospective purchaser has indicated that an unsolicited bid may be made for Projects shortly. If that happens careful consideration will be given to the merits of launching a sale competition in the near future. In considering the sale timetable I will want to take into account the need to ensure adequate staff consultation and competition.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference of the study commissioned by his Department into the blighting effects on home owners of landfill gas sites; when this study will be completed; and whether it will be published.

[holding answer 24 January 1992]: The terms of reference are to examine examples of blight and public concern which have already occurred in relation to specific contaminated sites, including gassing landfills; and to identify the nature and form of information and guidance that will be required.A draft report has just been received by the Department. The findings of the study will be used in preparing a programme of information and publicity for the general public, and in guidance for local authorities.

	Final contribution to pool1 (£ million)	1990–91 Receipts from pool (£ million)	Receipts as a percentage of contribution (per cent.)	Provisional contribution to pool (£ million)	1991–92 Receipts from pool (£ million)	Receipts as a percentage of contribution (Per cent.)
City of London	537·8	0·8	0	603·7	1·3	0
Camden	174·0	38·0	22	213·7	46·1	22
Greenwich	29·0	45·4	157	32·6	54·8	168
Hackney	51·8	38·3	74	64·6	45·9	71
Hammersmith and Fulham	51·5	34·6	67	71·3	41·8	59
Islington	85·5	36·5	43	107·7	44·6	41
Kensington and Chelsea	46·1	24·2	52	66·4	37·0	56
Lambeth	51·1	50·5	99	60·9	60·2	99
Lewisham	22·8	50·0	219	26·1	58·3	223
Southwark	84·3	48·3	57	102·4	57·8	56
Tower Hamlets	75·7	33·0	44	90·8	41·9	46
Wandsworth	29·9	60·4	202	42·5	69·1	163
Westminster	487·0	39·5	8	601·4	47·4	8
Barking and Dagenham	29·1	32·0	110	32·1	38·5	120
Barnet	45·0	66·2	147	57·1	77·9	136
Bexley	25·0	48·2	193	31·1	58·2	187
Brent	68·4	56·7	83	77·5	67·1	87
Bromley	31·5	67·8	215	40·2	79·9	199
Croydon	57·3	69·5	121	67·9	84·3	124
Ealing	69·2	61·1	88	84·9	72·5	85
Enfield	47·3	57·3	121	54·7	70·5	129
Haringey	47·1	41·3	88	49·0	52·7	108
Harrow	28·5	44·0	154	35·1	53·0	151
Havering	29·3	51·8	177	34·9	62·0	177

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure of local authorities, in England and Wales, in each year since 1979, expressed in (a) current prices and (b) 1991 prices.

[holding answer 24 January 1992]: The available information is as follows:

Local Authority Revenue Expenditure England Total Expenditure
£ million
	Cash	1991–92 Prices
1981–82	18,171	32,558
1982–83	19,737	33,014
1983–84	20,809	33,266
1984–85	21,312	32,447
1985–86	21,661	31,252
1986–	23,760	33,190
1987–88	25,760	34,190
1988–89	27,667	34,200
1989–90	29,404	34,133
	Net Revenue Expenditure
1990–91	33,142	35,462
1991–92	36,256	36,256

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount raised in 1990–91 through the uniform business rate in Greater London and the expected amount in 1991–92; and what amounts in global and percentage terms were made available to London boroughs, expressed (a) overall and (b) by borough.

The available information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will formally publish the report by PA Consulting group.

[holding answer 24 January 1992]: No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures will be required to ensure that sprinkler systems will be effective during the lifetime of a building following the introduction of new building regulations on 10 December 1991.

I have been asked to reply.Section 15 of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 will be implemented to enable sprinklers to be cited on fire certificates as a means of fighting fire. I also plan to make regulations under section 12 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 to provide for the maintenance of such systems installed for the purpose of building regulations in non-certified premises. These measures will take effect from 1 June 1992.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state for each year since 1962 (a) the visible trade balance and as a percentage of gross national product, and (b) the balance of payments and as a percentage of gross national product.

Following is the information:

	Visible balance1		Current balance
	£ billion	As percentage of GNP	£ billion	As percentage of GNP
1962	-0·1	-0·4	+0·1	+0·6
1963	-0·1	-0·4	+0·1	+0·4
align="right"1964	-0·5	-1·8	-0·4	-1·2
1965	-0·3	-0·8	-0·1	-0·2
1966	-0·1	-0·3	+0·1	+0·4
1967	-0·6	-1·7	-0·3	-0·8
1968	-0·7	-1·9	-0·3	-0·7
1969	-0·2	-0·5	+0·5	+1·2
1970	nil	nil	+0·8	+1·8
1971	+0·2	+0·4	+1·1	+2·2
1972	-0·7	-1·3	+0·2	+0·4
1973	-2·6	-3·8	-1·0	-1·5
1974	-5·2	-6·8	-3·2	-4·1
1975	-3·3	-3·4	-1·5	-1·6
1976	-4·0	-3·5	-0·8	-0·7
1977	-2·3	-1·8	+0·1	nil
1978	-1·6	-1·1	+1·1	+0·7
1979	-3·3	-1·9	-0·5	-0·3
1980	+1·4	+0·7	+2·8	+1·4
1981	+3·3	+1·5	+6·7	+3·1
1982	+1·9	+0·8	+4·6	+1·9
1983	-1·5	-0·6	+3·8	+1·4
1984	-5·3	-1·9	+1·8	+0·6
1985	-3·3	-1·1	+2·9	+0·9
1986	-9·6	-2·9	+0·2	+0·1
1987	-11·6	-3·2	-4·2	-1·1
1988	-21·6	-5·4	-15·5	-3·9
1989	-24·6	-5·6	-20·4	-4·6
1990	-18·7	-3·9	-15·2	-3·2
1991	-10·0	—	-5·8	—
1Balance of payments basis.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the source of the statistics published by his Department relating to company profitability, liquidity and investment.

Gross profitability is calculated using national accounts estimates, all the sources of which are described in "National Accounts: Sources and Methods". The main sources are tax assessments and statistical inquiries.More information on the calculation of the profitability of industrial and commercial companies, on the sources of data on liquidity and on the sources of data on gross trading profits are contained in Central Statistical Office bulletins 71/91, 89/91 and 86/91, respectively.Copies of all the publications referred to are in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 12, what response he gave to the United States Treasury Under-Secretary's request for co-operation in the development of a global growth strategy among G7 countries.

The Chancellor attended the meeting of G7 finance Ministers in New York on 25 January. The Ministers and governors had a full discussion of prospects for their economies, under the chairmanship of United States Treasury Secretary Brady. They agreed there was a need to intensify their co-operative efforts to improve the conditions for non-inflationary growth in their economies, thereby strengthening the world economy. A copy of the statement issued after the meeting is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figure of corporation tax paid in 1989–90 and 1990–91 for each of the three groups industrial and provident societies, building societies, and co-operative societies, which are aggregated on page 77 of the Inland Revenue Statistics 1991.

Building societies paid £614 million of mainstream corporation tax in 1989–90 and £556 million in 1990–91. Industrial and provident societies and co-operative societies paid £33 million in 1989–90 and £43 million in 1990–91. Further disaggregation of these figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his proposals relating to the review of management and grading and the review of the organisation and structure of the Board of Inland Revenue.

An announcement will be made as soon as decisions have been arrived at.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his evidence to the Lord Justice Bingham was oral or in written form; if he will publish his evidence; and whether the evidence was given at his own request.

Lord Justice Bingham is taking evidence in private, for reasons which are well understood. It would not therefore be appropriate for me to publish the evidence I have given to Lord Justice Bingham or to disclose any details about it. The Prime Minister assured the House on 22 July 1991, at column 759, that all Ministers and officials would co-operate fully with Lord Justice Bingham's inquiries, and we are doing so.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the rewards, financial or non-financial, for Her Majesty's inspectors of taxes arising as a result of interest, penalties and back duty investigations in which they were engaged; and if he will make a statement.

Inspectors of taxes, like other civil servants, are eligible to be considered for performance pay based on an appraisal of their overall performance over a period. But they do not receive any financial or non-financial rewards based on the results of back duty investigations in which they have been engaged.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in (a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93 of introducing an upper limit on all income tax allowances and reliefs of (i) £10,000, (ii) £15,000 and (iii) £20,000 a year, limiting all personal tax allowances except the single person's allowance and relief on contributions to personal pensions to the basic rate, with a 50 per cent. income tax band on taxable incomes of (1) £31,705 and above, (2) £33,705 and above, (3) £36,705 and above, (4) £38,705 and above, (5) £41,705 and above, (6) £43,705 and above, (7) £66,705 and above and (8) £76,705 and above, giving the total revenue in each case and the numbers of people affected;(2) if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in

[holding answer on 21 January 1992]: It is estimated that at 1991–92 levels of income the introduction of the upper limits specified would yield the following.

Yield following restriction of specified allowances and relief on contributions to personal pensions to the basic rate (£ million)
50 per cent. taxable income thereshold	Upper Limit for total allowances and reliefs
	£10,000	£15,000	£20,000
£31,705	470	200	120
£33,705	470	200	120
£36,705	470	200	120
£38,705	470	200	120
£41,705	470	200	120
£43,705	470	200	120
£66,705	470	200	120
£76,705	460	200	120

Yield following restriction of specified allowances and relief on contributions to occupational pension schemes limited to the basic rate (£ million)
50 per cent. taxable income threshold	Upper limit for total allowance and reliefs
	£10,000	£15,000	£20,000
£31,705	540	240	150
£33,705	540	240	150
£36,705	530	240	150
£38,705	530	240	150
£41,705	530	240	150
£43,705	530	240	150
£66,705	520	230	140
£76,705	520	230	140

Yield following restriction of specified allowances and relief on contributions to personal pensions and occupational pensions to the basic rate (£ million)
50 per cent. taxable income threshold	Upper limit for total allowances and reliefs
	£10,000	£15,000	£20,000
£31,705	450	190	120
£33,705	450	190	120
£36,705	450	190	120
£38,705	450	190	120
£41,705	450	190	120
£43,705	450	190	110
£66,705	440	190	110
£76,705	440	180	110

The number of people with total allowances and reliefs in excess of £10,000 is about 635,000. The corresponding figures for £15,000 and £20,000 are about 75,000 and 35,000 respectively.The estimates of revenue yield do not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of such a limit.It is not possible to provide corresponding detailed estimates for 1992–93.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in (a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93 of introducing an upper limit on all income tax allowances and reliefs of (i) £10,000, (ii) £15,000 and (iii) £20,000 a year, with a 50 per cent. income tax band on taxable incomes of (1) £31,705 and above, (2) £33,705 and above, (3) £36,705 and above, (4) £38,705 and above, (5) £41,705 and above, (6) £43,705 and above, (7) £66,705 and above and (8) £76,705 and above, giving the total revenue in each case and the numbers of people affected.

[holding answer 21 January 1992]: After the introduction of a 50 per cent. tax band the estimated further yield from imposing the specified limits would be as follows:

Full year yield at 1991–92 income levels
Threshold for 50 per cent. tax	Limit for total allowances and reliefs
	£10,000	£15,000	£20,000
£31,705	710	290	170
£33,705	700	290	170
£36,705	700	290	170
£38,705	700	290	170
£41,705	690	290	170
£43,705	690	290	170
£66,705	660	280	170
£76,705	650	280	170

The number of people with total allowances and reliefs in excess of £10,000 is about 635,000. The corresponding figures for £15,000 and £20,000 are about 75,000 and 35,000 respectively.It is not possible to provide corresponding detailed estimates for 1992-9–.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net average gain or loss of those on gross incomes of between £20,280 and £27,000, £27,000 and £33,000, £33,000 and £50,000 and over £50,000, of an increase in the national insurance contributions upper earnings limit to £33,000, a 42 per cent. tax band between £33,000 and £50,000 and a 50 per cent. tax band on incomes over £50,000; and how many taxpayers are in each of the four income groups.

[holding answer 22 January 1992]: Information for 1992–93 is as follows for those with gross incomes in the ranges specified. The tax regime has been applied in terms of taxable income ranges—income after deduction of allowances and reliefs—with the thresholds specified.

	Number of taxpayers	Average increase in tax and NIC1
Gross income	Thousands	£ per year
Less than £20,280	20,210	0
£20,280—£27,000	2,500	90
£27,000—£33,000	2,500	380
£33,000—£50,000	870	640
£—£50,000	490	3840
Total	25,000	120
1 Compared with Statutory indexation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net revenue implications in a full year of (a) an increase in the national insurance contributions upper earnings limit to £33,000, (b) a tax band of 42 per cent. on gross income between £33,000 and £50,000 and (c) a tax band of 50 per cent. on gross income over £50,000.

[holding answer 22 January 1992]: At 1992–93 levels of income an increase in the upper earnings limit for employees to £33,000 would yield about £1.4 billion in a full year. The imposition of a 42 per cent. tax rate on taxable incomes between £33,000 and £50,000 and 50 per cent. on taxable incomes over £50,000 would yield an additional £1·7 billion in a full year compared with statutory indexation. Taxable income is after deduction of reliefs and allowances. It is not possible to provide a cost of applying these rates to ranges defined in terms of gross incomes, because tax liability depends on the allowances and reliefs available to those concerned.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the revenue which would be raised by a tax rate of 50 per cent. on taxable incomes of £70,000, and at decreasing £5,000 levels from this level.

[holding answer 27 January 1991]: The information is in the table.

Estimated yields in 1992–93 from a 50 per cent. tax rate
Threshold of taxable income at which 50 per cent. rate is charged (£)	Yield at 1992–93 levels of income (£ million)
25,000	3,360
30,000	2,700
35,000	2,250
40,000	1,920
45,000	1,670
50,000	1,470
55,000	1,320
60,000	1,190
65,000	1,090
70,000	1,000

These estimates do not allow for any behavioural effect that might result from such changes to the tax system and do not include capital gains tax.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his recent visit to India; and what response the Indian Government has made to Her Majesty's Government raising of alleged human rights abuses, particularly in the Punjab.

I visited India on 15 to 18 January. I had useful meetings with the President, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers for External Affairs, Home Affairs, Finance, Defence and Commerce. Our relations with India have improved and are in an excellent state, which enables both sides to speak frankly as between friends even about sensitive matters.I expresssed strong support for the Indian Government's decision to hold elections in Punjab, and my hope that a similar political process could start in Kashmir. At the same time I criticised interventions from outside which promote violence in both places. On human rights, I emphasised the importance of greater openness in dealing with allegations of abuses and urged that Amnesty International be allowed access to report on the situation. The Indian Government gave assurances that alleged abuses of human rights were all investigated, and noted my points about the need for more transparency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Israeli Government concerning the continued closure of Bir Zeit university.

On 6 January our ambassador in Tel Aviv, together with his EC colleagues, made strong representations to the Israeli Foreign Minister about the decision to extend the closure order on Bir Zeit university. We shall continue to do all we can to persuade the Israelis to allow all academic institutions in the occupied territories to function freely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Kuwait Government concerning the abuse of human rights to non-Kuwaiti citizens.

Since the liberation of Kuwait we have made repeated representations to the Kuwaitis about the need to respect the human rights of non-Kuwaiti citizens. I am happy to say that there has been a considerable improvement in this regard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain a copy of the report, "Land Mines in Cambodia: the Cowards' War", by Rae McGrath, for his departmental library.

The publication has been ordered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are employed in Her Majesty's embassy in Nicaragua; and whether he has any plans to increase the establishment.

An ambassador supported by one other United Kingdom-based and six locally engaged staff. Levels of staffing are, however, kept under constant review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made for the destruction and removal of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction as identified by the United Nations team.

The special commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency have already destroyed, removed or rendered harmless munitions, components, equipment and materials from Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programme. Details are outlined in UN Security Council documents S/23295, 17 December 1991, S/23165, 25 October 1991, and S/23268, 4 December 1991, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. These reports also describe future destruction and removal plans currently in the planning phase, or under negotiation with contractors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Gulf states Governments concerning a democratisation of their political systems.

We have explained to Governments of the Gulf countries our policy for promoting good government, democracy and human rights. Every state in the region needs to find its own way to provide for popular participation in government. We welcome the commitment of Kuwait to hold elections to the national assembly in October, as we welcome both the establishment of Oman's consultative council in December 1991, and plans to establish a similar council in Saudi Arabia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Indonesian Government over the case of Felesmina Dos Santos Consecao, jailed in connection with the Santa Cruz massacre.

We are aware of the charges against Miss Dos Santos Consecao and as her case is presently sub-judice it would be wrong to make representations to the Indonesian Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Worsley dated 30 November concerning Mr. Kadir, of 21 Standfield drive, Boothstown, Worsley.

The migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office replied in accordance with standard practice on 21 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list by standard region (a) the research institutes operated for, or on behalf of, his Department and the total employment thereat, (b) the total number of such institutes and the total employment therein and (c) if he will express the regional totals as a percentage of the national totals.

The Department has four research establishments as follows: the Laboratory of the Government Chemist—LGC—and the National Physical Laboratory—NPL—both based at Teddington; Warren Spring Laboratory—WL—at Stevenage; and the National Engineering Laboratory—NEL—at East Kilbride. Each of the establishments has been established as an executive agency.The details requested are as follows:

Establishment and Region	Staff in post	Percentage in region
LGC South East	337·5	79·1
NPL South East	833
WSL South East	313·5
NEL Scotland	391·5	20·9
TOTAL	1,875·5	100

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the support available from his Department to assist United Kingdom companies participating in overseas trade fairs.

The report of a Rayner efficiency scrutiny review of the status of the Department's fairs and promotions branch was presented to me in June 1991. A copy was placed in the Library of the House. I have accepted the key recommendations of the report, which are:

"the separation of the operations of Fairs and Promotions Branch into two units, one concerned with the administration of grant support and the other with the delivery of exhibition project management services. The services unit will operate on a full economic cost basis from 1 April 1992. The feasibility of its becoming a "Next Steps" agency will he reviewed in the Autumn of 1993;

greater freedom of choice for sponsoring organisations, such as trade associations and chambers of commerce, to negotiate directly with exhibition organisers and contractors for space and/or stand construction so as to obtain maximum benefits on behalf of their exhibitors;

simplification of the administration of the grant support scheme. This will involve the introduction of fixed grants towards the costs of space and stand construction to replace the present system of assistance of half the estimated direct costs of providing these facilities."

We will be introducing administration grants to offset the cost of sponsoring organisations of making their own arrangements for the provision of exhibition services and increasing the level of travel grants available to eligible exhibitors taking part in exhibitions outside western Europe.Offers of support under these new terms, which are designed to maintain the level of subsidy to eligible exhibitors at broadly 50 per cent. of the costs of space and stand provision, will be introduced after 1 April 1992. There will be no cut in the budget available to the fairs and promotions branch. Rather, the introduction of a streamlined system of fixed grants will enable the branch's budget to support a greater number of British groups attending overseas trade fairs.These new arrangements will achieve substantial savings in administrative costs, and better value for money for British exporters. They will lead to even more effective United Kingdom representation at overseas trade fairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the number of cotton mill closures which have occurred in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the United Kingdom economy in each of those years.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value and volume of output of the United Kingdom cotton spinning industry in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what corresponding figures he has for the average of the rest of Europe in each of those years.

The value of output of spinning and doubling on the cotton system—SIC activity 4321—is shown on pages 250–251 of "Business Monitor PA 1002", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.Comparable information for Europe is not available, nor is information available on the volume of output.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the profitability of (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European cotton spinning industries.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent action he has taken to prevent the dumping of spun cotton products by (a) Turkey, (b) Brazil and (c) Egypt.

The European Commission opened an anti-dumping investigation into imports of cotton yarn on 22 March 1990. Provisional anti-dumping duties were imposed by the Commission on 28 September 1991 on imports from Brazil, Egypt and Turkey. The provisional duties are due to expire on 28 March 1992 and we are awaiting the Commission's proposals for terminating the investigation definitively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether temporary export licences are required by United Kingdom manufacturers for equipment that they intend to display at the Eurosatory arms export exhibition to be held in Paris from 22 to 27 June.

[holding answer 21 January 1992]: Any item which falls under the control of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991 requires an export licence before it can be exported, whatever the purpose of export. Whether that licence is for a temporary or permanent period of export depends upon the circumstances of each case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement on his policy on the export of strobe lights and white noise generators; (2) what investigations he is undertaking into exports to the United Arab Emirates of equipment capable of use for the purposes of torture.

[holding answer 27 January 1992]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 23 January 1992, at columns 292–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which bus demonstration projects he will be supporting.

Supplementary credit approvals totalling £3 million are to be allocated to local authorities in England outside London for capital expenditure on measures to promote bus use in 1992–93. Table 1 sets out the detailed allocations. The Department will be writing to each of the authorities notifying them of the purpose for which approvals have been given. Up to a further £1 million is being held for schemes in London. Consideration is being given to projects in London in the light of the red route proposals and a further announcement will be made as soon as possible.These allocations are in addition to acceptance of the Chester park and ride scheme for transport supplementary grant at a total estimated cost of £1.245 million which was announced on 19 December as part of the main transport supplementary grant and credit approval settlement for 1992–93.I am pleased that local authorities are giving serious consideration to the role of the bus in helping to alleviate the problems of our urban environment. The allocations we have made will enable authorities to introduce a number of measures to promote bus use, including a range of bus priority schemes. We shall be monitoring some of the projects for demonstration purposes. I would like this to be the start of an ongoing programme and more resources are planned for this purpose in 1993–94.I am also keen to encourage the use of low floor buses and to evaluate the possible part that clean fuel vehicles might play in meeting our future transport needs. We shall be writing to local authorities inviting them to put forward proposals for projects of this nature for which further supplementary credit approvals could be allocated.

Table 1
Local authority supplementary credit approvals for bus priority measures 1992–93
	£,000
Counties
East Sussex	225
Oxfordshire	200
Hampshire	20
Surrey	25
Avon	100
Norfolk	225
Leicestershire	70
Northamptonshire	100
Nottinghamshire	300
Lancashire	250
Cleveland	50
Metropolitan Districts
Birmingham	165
Coventry	50
Dudley	100
Walsall	70
Manchester	150
Salford	150
Oldham	100
Leeds	200
Sheffield	350
Newcastle	100
Total	3,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give in respect of each privatisation since 1979 (a) the loss or profit of each company in the five years prior to privatisation and (b) any grants or loans made over the same period.

(a) Profit performance (pre-tax profit (loss)—Historic cost convention)
£ million
Company (Year privatised)	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987
NFC (1982)	n/a	n/a	4·3	—	—	—	—	—	—
ABP (1983)	22·4	11·5	(10.3)	5·5	—	—	—	—	—
NBC1	—	—	5·0	19·0	27	25	18	—	—
British Airways (1987)	—	—	—	(108·0)	74	185	191	195	—
BAA2 (1987)	—	—	—	—	30	48	72	84	90
1 The National Bus Company was broken up and sold as 72 separate companies between 1986 and 1988. Figures are not available for each individual company. The figures given are the operating profit of the NBC group, before taxation and extraordinary items, and after receipt of operating subsidiaries.
2 Last full year in public sector.

(b) Grants and loans The figures given below are the industries' external financing outturns; these are net figures which include government approved borrowing and grants. The grant element is indicated where applicable.
£ million
	1977–8	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
NFC EFL	37	29	28	10	7	—	—	—	—	—	—
[Grant	29	13	11	5	2]	—	—	—	—	—	—]
ABP EFL	—	-13	-7	1	13	-12	—	—	—	—	—
[Grant	—	—	—	—	—	—]	—	—	—	—	—]
NBC EFL	—	—	—	—	74	56	58	49	41	19	118
[Grant	—	—	—	—	64	69	66	64	66	—	—]
BA EFL	—	—	—	—	149	-35	-174	-335	-211	-113	—
[Grant	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—]	—]
BAA EFL	—	—	—	—	2	2	18	10	-21	17	-9
[Grant	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 17 January, Official Report, columns 656–57, on discussions with other Governments on research into accidents caused by motorists falling asleep, if he will give details of the most recent occasion on which his regular contacts included discussion of this aspect of road safety.

Driver fatigue was most recently discussed with officials of the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at a meeting in Washington on 16 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he possesses concerning the passenger hours spent in movement in central London on a normal weekday by (a) foot, (b) bus, (c) underground railways, (d) black taxi cab and (e) private motor car.

	Million passenger kilometres travelled per:			Percentage passenger kilometres by mode
	Week	Weekday	Weekend Day	Week	Weekday	Weekend Day
Cars	22.0	3.0	3.0	52	46	60
Taxis	2.5	0.5	0.5	6	8	10
London Buses	15.0	2.5	1.5 —	35	38	30 —
Other Buses	3.0	0.5		7	8

The available information is as follows.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information he has concerning the passenger miles carried in central London during a usual week by (a) private motor cars, (b) black taxi cabs, (c) buses and (d) public or chartered coaches;(2) what information he possesses concerning the approximate proportion or percentage of passenger miles travelled per day on roads in central London by

The available estimates are given in the table and relate to travel on trunk and principal roads in central London in 1990. These estimates have been derived from a number of sources and are very approximate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the portion of the new M3 south and east of Compton and Stanford village is to be completed and the present 50 mph speed limit discontinued.

The Compton-Bassett section of the M3 is expected to be open to traffic and the current speed limits lifted as soon as the signalling system has been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for transport if he will list the road works which are to be carried out on that stretch of the A19 running through the Easington constituency in the financial year 1992–93, indicating the cost of such works.

The information requested has not yet been finalised but as soon as it is I shall write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make public the report his Department has undertaken on hours worked by ratings on Sealink Stena Stranraer to Laern service ferries.

The Department is unable to make public its findings on the hours worked by ratings on Sealink Stena Stranraer to Larne service ferries because of undertakings given to respect the confidentiality of the seafarers concerned. However, I can confirm that an investigation has been undertaken and that steps have been put in hand by the company at the Department's request to ensure that working hours are properly recorded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) district councils and (b) metropolitan district councils have introduced a concessionary fares scheme for elderly or disabled people in their area under discretionary powers granted by the Transport Act 1985.

According to a survey by my Department in 1986, there were concessionary fare schemes for pensioners or disabled people in over 90 per cent. of districts in England and Wales, some operated by district councils and some by county councils. In metropolitan areas the passenger transport executives can provide these schemes, and I understand that they all do so. In London a scheme is funded by the boroughs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is now in a position to announce his decision on the recommendation put to him by the board of the Tees and Hartlepool port authority concerning the sale of its undertaking.

Yes. In my answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 18 December I said that I had written to the chairman of THPA to say that I was minded to give my formal consent to the sale of the authority's successor company—Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority Ltd.—to Teesside Holdings Ltd. as soon as I was able to do so; and that this would be possible only after the scheme of transfer submitted by the authority under section 9(1) of the Ports Act 1991 and the order providing for a levy on disposals of land to be made under section 17 of the Act had come into effect. The former took effect on 30 December 1991 and the latter on 16 January.Since I gave my answer to my hon. Friend's question on 18 December, a number of representations have been put to me concerning the sale, notably by Mr. John Hackney, the chief executive of THPA and chairman of the THPA Consortium plc, and by the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bell), who have sought to persuade me that I should withhold my consent to the THPA board's recommendation concerning the sale of the port. I have considered the matters which have been put before me very carefully, including taking counsel's advice. I have concluded that there is nothing in them which would justify my taking a different decision from the one I was minded to take in December. I am satisfied that the THPA board conducted the sale of its undertaking properly, and fully in accordance with the procedure agreed with my Department. In so far as it has been represented to me that the advice of THPA's professional advisers was misleading to the THPA consortium, I am satisfied that it was proper advice and should not have given rise to any misapprehension on the part of the consortium. I am further satisfied that the board evaluated the final bids which it received in accordance with the objectives of sale agreed between THPA and myself and that it did not apply any additional or different objectives of sale. These objectives were:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the consultation process will begin on the Leicester eastern bypass; and what are the expected start and completion dates.

In the event of a viable scheme being identified, it is likely that public consultation could take place in autumn 1993. Subject to the satisfactory completion of all the statutory procedures and the availability of funds, work could start around the end of the century with a construction period of about two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence was used to justify the increase in tyre tread depth requirement from 1 mm to 1.6 mm; and if he will make a statement.

The increased tyre tread depth regulation was introduced in response to a mandatory requirement of EC directive 89/459. In its explanation of the expected impact on business costs and jobs, the EC Commission justified the measure on the basis that, among other things, it would result in an increase in road safety and a reduction in, and diminution in the costs of, accidents. The opinion of the Government was set out in explanatory memorandum 8714/87.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from third parties directly affected by the abolition of the national dock labour scheme.

In early 1990, hon. Members wrote to me about three cases. One was on behalf of two constituents who worked in the office of a stevedoring company which went into liquidation when the dock labour scheme was abolished, and who complained that they received a lower scale of redundancy compensation than ex-registered dockworkers. The other two were on behalf of unsecured creditors of another firm, whose dividend from the liquidator was likely to be greatly diminished on account of this Department's claim for refund in respect of the employer's 50 per cent. contribution to compensation payments. I was unable to help in any of these cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of the towns which have been bypassed along the route of the A1 since 1962.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 November 1991, at column 244. The towns bypassed are as listed:

• Aberford
• Alnwick
• Belford
• Berwick upon Tweed
• Biggleswade
• Boroughbridge
• Catterick
• Doncaster
• Eaton Socon/St. Neots
• Felton
• Gateshead
• Grantham
• Hatfield
• Letchworth
• Morpeth
• Newark on Trent
• Newcastle upon Tyne
• Stamford
• Stevenage
• Welwyn Garden City
• Wetherby

• Bypassed by A1 (M)
• Birtley
• Chester le Street
• Darlington
• Durham
• Newton Aycliffe