To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the tonnage of cargo carried by merchant ships owned and registered in the United Kingdom for each year since 1979.

The information available relates to imports to, and exports from, the United Kingdom.

Weight of cargo carried in United Kingdom-registered ships imported to, or exported from, the United Kingdom: 1979–1990
Year	('000 tonnes)
1979	72,870
1980	78,534
1981	67,943
1982	67,842
1983	59,306
1984	63,038
1985	65,796
1986	62,655
1987	65,547
1988	60,693
1989	60,338
1990	53,982

These statistics exclude:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of merchant ships owned and registered in the United Kingdom for each year since 1979.

The information requested is given in the table:

United Kingdom owned and registered training vessels (500 grt and over): 1979–1991 (end-December)
	Number
1979	1,194
1980	1,143
1981	994
1982	868
1983	769
1984	690
1985	627
1986	496
1987	462
1988	437
1989	407
1990	378
1991	370

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which trunk road building schemes are planned to receive Government expenditure in the years (a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96; and how much each scheme will cost in total.

Trunk road building schemes which will incur works expenditure by Government in the three years from 1993–94 to 1995–96 comprise schemes already under construction at the start of 1993–94, and new starts during each of the three years.I shall be announcing shortly new starts for 1992–93. The composition of new starts in subsequent years will depend on progress with statutory procedures and the availability of funds in those years.Total provision for new construction is currently £1,395 million in 1992–93, £1,477 million in 1993–94 and £1,511 million in 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department paid in fees or salary for each of the last three years in respect of (a) the Government freight market representative on the Baltic exchange, (b) the Government freight agent and (c) other specialist ship brokers.

The Government freight market representative received no payments from the Department. Payments were made to the Government freight agent (GFA) in respect of freight forwarding and shipping services for the movement of Government cargoes by land, sea and air. These totalled £1,919,145 and £1,514,812 during the years 1988–89 and 1989–90 respectively. Since 1 January 1990, the Ministry of Defence has been responsible for the appointment of the GFA. This Department has made no payments to other specialised ship brokers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to bids for management buy-outs in respect of the trust ports of Medway and Tilbury.

It will be for Medway ports authority and the Port of London authority, once they have received the final bids for their ports, including those expected from management and employee buy-out teams, to assess them against the objectives of sale agreed for each port and to make their recommendations to my right hon. and learned Friend, who will then consider them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he is taking to improve the training offered to learner lorry and bus drivers.

I am pleased to say that the Driving Standards Agency, an executive agency of the Department of Transport, today issued a consultation paper to over 100 organisations concerned with driver training and road safety on a draft syllabus for trainee lorry and bus drivers. The syllabus will be published later this year, along with guidance on the lorry and bus driving test, and will provide the basis for a structured programme of training. By reference to the syllabus such drivers will be able to confirm the standard of driving they are receiving and check for themselves their training programme and progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the proposed capital expenditure plans for British Rail in Scotland for each of the next five years.

BR keeps only limited historic information on investment on a geographic basis. There is no information on rolling stock investment, and as BR plans on a business sector basis there is no information for future years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by EC member states towards providing for a single market in aviation services by the end of 1992, with respect in particular to the abolition of bilateral air servicing agreements and to the permitting of cross border investment by one airline in another.

Good progress is being made. The third and final stage of EC air transport liberalisation measures is under negotiation in Brussels and is due to take effect by 1 Janaury 1993. Air services between and

Name	Owner	Date of registration1	Date of last inspection
Aberdonian	Nomis Shipping Ltd.	1977	3 December 1991
Alexandra Tide	Tidewater Marine	January 1974	20 December 1991
Anegada	Knight/Carvel	May 1962	11 July 1991
Atlantic Defender	Swire Pacific	1979	2 December 1991
Atlantic Guardian	Swire Pacific	1980	20 December 1991
Barnsley	Knight/Carvel	October 1960	31 May 1991
Barra Supplier	Barra Shipping	1984	4 June 1991
Black Isle	Black Ice Ltd.	1973	14 October 1991
Black Watch	Black Watch Ltd.	April 1977	6 January 1992
Blue Flame 1	Putford Enterprises	October 1976	6 March 1991
Breydon Eider	Breydon Marine	March 1961	9 April 1991
Britannia Challenger	Britannia Marine	April 1964	10 April 1991
Britannia Champion	Suffolk Marine	February 1980	17 May 1991
Britannia Chieftain	Suffolk Marine	1973	9 January 1992
Britannia Cobra	Britannia Marine	April 1978	6 March 1991
Britannia Conquest	Suffolk Marine	February 1974	25 April 1991
Britannia Crusader	Suffolk Marine	1976	17 September 1991
Britannia Endeavour	Suffolk Marine	1975	22 October 1991
Britannia Fury	Britannia Marine	October 1972	19 March 1991
Britannia Gazelle	Britannia Marine	August 1978	21 March 1991
Britannia Harvester	Suffolk Marine	December 1972	3 April 1991
Britannia Knight	Suffolk Marine	June 1976	9 April 1991
Britannia Monarch	Suffolk Marine	September 1973	16 April 1991
Britannia Stallion	Britannia Marine	November 1978	4 April 1991
Britannia Venturer	Suffolk Marine	1965	19 September 1991
Britannia Vixen	Britannia Marine	January 1978	19 March 1991
Britannia Warrior	Suffolk Marine	June 1973	16 February 1991
CAM Cheetah	CAM Shipping Ltd.	November 1959	13 December 1991
CAM Civet	CAM Shipping Ltd.	November 1960	31 December 1991
CAM Cougar	CAM Shipping Ltd.	June 1958	9 December 1991
CAM Defender	CAM Standby Ltd.	1983	30 October 1991
CAM Genet	CAM Shipping Ltd.	October 1960	6 January 1992
CAM Guardian	CAM Shipping Ltd.	October 1970	9 December 1991
CAM Jaguar	CAM Shipping Ltd.	December 1957	19 December 1991
CAM Lynx	CAM Shipping Ltd.	January 1960	19 December 1991
CAM Observer	CAM Offshore Ltd.	1953	13 December 1991

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with British Airways following publication of "A Manifesto for Civil Aviation in the 1990s."

There are continuing contacts between the Department and British Airways about matters of mutual interest. While there have been no discussions specifically about BA's manifesto, I am pleased to note that there is no difference between the Government and BA in wishing to break down barriers to competition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of oil standby vessels in the United Kingdom continental shelf, and what is the name of each vessel, its owner, the date on which it was first registered, and the date of the most recent inspection.

The number of vessels certificated for use in the United Kingdom standby industry is at present 176.Attached is a list of these vessels which includes the name of owner, date of registration and the date of the vessel's last inspection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will detail his reasons for consenting to the public flotation of the Forth ports authority.

The Forth ports authority submitted proposals to my right hon. and learned Friend for the privatisation of its undertaking by means of a flotation. My right hon. and learned Friend was satisfied that they were in accordance with the provisions of the Ports Act 1991. On this basis he was able to give the authority his consent in principle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations in the joint Government/industry working party report on "British Shipping: Challenges and Opportunities".

The joint working party made five basic recommendations, covering simplification of the procedures and regulations surrounding registration; review of the nationality rules applying to officers on British ships; creation of a more flexible framework for registration law; continued pressure to secure liberalisation of cabotage, and a more competitive financial framework, in Europe; and emphasis on raising the profile, and revising the structure, of marine training.Under the first of these, a number of changes have already been achieved, including the introduction of simplified procedures and regulations regarding the type approval of ships' equipment, and the establishment of arrangements under which surveyors in the British dependent territories can survey vessels on behalf of the United Kingdom where this is more convenient for the owners or operators of the vessels concerned.We are also nearing completion of a review of the nationality requirements imposed on senior British Merchant Navy officers; and have continued to press for a more liberal competitive environment in Europe.Changes to registration law need primary legislation, for which we are seeking an early opportunity. In the meantime, considerable preparatory work has already been undertaken.The final recommendation, focussed on training, is primarily a matter for the shipping industry itself, although the Government are closely involved in a current review of the structure of seafarers' training and certification. The Chamber of Shipping last year produced a report setting out its wider thoughts on future training needs. It has also assured us that the industry continues to attach great importance to the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the implications for safety and the continuing viability of Wick airport in Caithness of the proposal to withdraw Meteorological Office observers from the airport; and if he will make a statement.

Operating arrangements at Wick airport are a matter for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd., which I understand is considering whether to replace their Meteorological Office observer with an air traffic controller trained in meteorological observation, as has been done previously at some other United Kingdom airports. Whatever the outcome of these considerations, Wick airport will continue to meet the safety standards set by the Civil Aviation Authority. The viability of the airport is not in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which pilot training organisations in the United Kingdom train pilots for flying in connection with agricultural operations; and whether his Department recognises such qualifications from any United Kingdom training facilities.

I understand from the Civil Aviation Authority that in the United Kingdom pilots are not trained specifically in agricultural operations by pilot training organisations. Such training, which is tailored to the needs of the individual pilot, is carried out by the firms who provide aerial agricultural services, under the supervision of the CAA.Before a pilot can carry out what are known as "aerial work" flights, such as crop spraying, he must hold a commercial pilot's licence granted by the CAA, and to use pesticides he must also hold a certificate of competence issued, in England and Wales, by the National Proficiency Test Council under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the income from provisional car licences in 1990–91; and what is the estimated income for 1991–92.

The income from provisional car licences in 1990–91 was £17·18 million.The estimated income for the same source for 1991–92 is £17·8 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the income from short-period licences and the renewal of licences by drivers of 70-plus years in 1991–92.

Short-period licences are issued only for medical reasons and there is no charge for their renewal either before or after aged 70. The estimated income in 1991–92 from three-yearly renewals by drivers over age 70 is £820,000.

To ask the Attorney-General what information he has on the level of fees for legal aid work by solicitors, and the methods of their computation, in other EC countries.

Information on all legal aid payments to solicitors is held by the legal aid board or, in the case of Crown court work, by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Information on amounts paid can be provided by various case types. For example, the total of solicitors' costs for magistrates' court work in 1989–90 was £131 million, £300 per case, and in 1990–91 it was £152 million, £346 per case. If the hon. Member is interested in the level of a particular category of fee, the Lord Chancellor will arrange for him to be provided with the relevant information, if it is available. No detailed information is held on the computation of lawyers' fees for publicly funded work in other EC countries. I understand that expenditure on legal aid in France for last year was around 10 per cent. of expenditure in England and Wales; and that in Belgium is less than 1 per cent. Such comparisons are, however, difficult because the legal systems in these countries are different from our own.

To ask the Attorney-General how much has been spent on legal aid in each of the last five years; what was the average for civil and criminal legal aid bills in each year; and how many cases in each year were legally aided.

In each of the last five financial years, the amount spent on legal aid in England and Wales was:

£ million
	Gross	Net
1986–87	458	363
1987–88	537	434
1988–89	610	478
1989–90	715	569
1990–91	852	684

Information on average legal aid bills, covering the last five years, is set out in the table.

	1986–87 £	1987–88 £	1988–89 £	1989–90 £	1990–91£
Average bills (Gross)
Civil matrimonial	896	971	1,123	1,212	1,358
Civil non-matrimonial	1,075	1,200	1,399	1,594	1,784
Criminal1	245	281	309	349	398
Criminal2	360	408	453	525	599
1 In magistrates court.
2 In higher courts.

The number of acts of assistance paid for under the various legal aid schemes, including legal advice and assistance and the duty solicitor schemes, were as follows:

	1986–87 (000)	1987–88 (000)	1988–89 (000)	1989–90 (000)	1990–91 (000)
Acts of assistance	1,909	2,173	2,139	2,298	2,384

To ask the Attorney-General what action he is taking to allocate more resources to enable delays in appeals against refusal to grant political asylum to be reduced; what is the average delay in such appeals being heard at the latest available date; and what was the average delay in such appeals at the comparable period in each of the last three years.

The Lord Chancellor's Department plans to increase by 10 per cent. the staffing resources available to the immigration appellate authorities (IAA) and to provide additional resources to improve existing accommodation and increase accommodation for the future. These measures will help the IAA to process more effectively all categories of immigration appeals including political asylum claims.The IAA keep statistics for immigration cases generally, but do not record separate statistics for asylum cases. However, because of their importance, the IAA aim to give priority to asylum cases whenever possible. It is expected that the multi-terminal case-tracking system recently installed at Thanet house will enable the IAA to produce more detailed information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what progress has been made in the police inquiries into four break-ins into the headquarters of the Prison Officers Association;(2) whether he will set up an inquiry into the recent burglaries of the headquarters of the Prison Officers Association.

No. I will not set up an inquiry. The investigation of criminal offences is an operational matter for chief officers of police and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on this investigation while it was continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the use of car boot sales as a means of disposing of stolen goods; and if he will bring forward proposals to deal with this.

There is no evidence that the majority of traders at car boot sales are anything other than law-abiding citizens. Adequate provision already exists in law to deal with those who use the sales as a means of disposing of stolen goods. It is an offence under section 22 of the Theft Act 1968 for a person to handle stolen goods if he knows or believes them to be so. This offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine. I therefore have no intention of bringing forward proposals to deal specifically with this type of crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders re-offended (a) while doing community service or (b) after community service in the latest year for which figures are available.

The available information is published in Home Office statistical bulletins issue 18/83 "Reconvictions of those given Community Service Orders" (HSOB 34/86 "Reconvictions of those given Probation Orders" also refers to it) Copies of these publications are in the Library.Of the 2,486 persons given CSOs 1278 (51 per cent.) were reconvicted within two years of the start of the order. Of these, 18 per cent. of the total were reconvicted during their CSO, 15 per cent. coincidental with the termination of their order and 18 per cent. after termination.The reconviction rate rises to 59 per cent. after three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) community service sentences, (b) fines and (c) custodial sentences have been imposed by magistrates in the latest year for which figures are available.

Information for 1990, which is provisional, is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug seizures and prosecutions have taken place in the Durham constabulary area in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will list the type of drugs involved.

Information on seizures of drug type made by the Durham constabulary is given in table A1.3 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Statistics of the misuse of drugs: seizures and offenders dealt with, United Kingdom, 1990" (area table), a copy of which is in the Library.The information regarding prosecutions and drugs involved is given in the table.

Persons dealt with at court for drugs offences by type of drug 1990: Durham Constabulary
Durham	Number of persons
Total persons	162
Cannabis	43
LSD	9
Heroin	4
Amphetamine	4
Cocaine	1
Other drugs	2
1 Of which 61 found guilty.

Rows do not add to total because a person can be dealt with for offences involving more than one drug type.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement about the enquiries by the Charity Commissioners into the activities of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities.

Following allegations made in an article in The Observer on 17 November 1991, the trustees of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities have supplied the Charity Commissioners with information about the activities of the charity and its expenditure and receipts. The commissioners have met the chairman of the trustees and have also been in touch with the charity's auditors and inspected the charity's records.The Charity Commissioners' inquiries have not yet been concluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have entered the United Kingdom each year since 1979; and if he will state in each year the countries from which most originated.

Information on persons accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1979–90, by nationality, is given in tables 22 and 14, respectively, of the 1987 and 1990 volumes of the annual Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom" (Cm 415 and Cm 1571). These figures are of persons subject to immigration control who are granted indefinite leave to remain here.Information on a different basis is produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from the international passenger survey. This defines a migrant to the United Kingdom as a person who has been resident abroad for more than a year, and who on entry states the intention of residing here for a year or more. This information includes British citizens. The appropriate estimates for 1979–90 are given in the 1988 and 1990 issues of the OPCS publication "International Migration" (series MN, Nos. 15 and 17 respectively) in tables 2.1 and 2.5. These figures exclude migration between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.Copies of the above publications are in the Library. Information for 1991 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research he has done on the effects of mixing unconvicted and convicted prisoners; and what information he has on the practice of other countries on this matter;(2) what representations he has had objecting to the proposed mixing of unconvicted and convicted prisoners in Preston and other prisons; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins) has drawn to my attention the viewsn expressed by the secretary of the Preston branch of the Prison Officers Association. These views have also been expressed by the branch at their meetings with management to discuss plans to increase the use of accommodation in the prison.The prison rules 1964 provide that unconvicted prisoners should be kept out of contact with convicted prisoners as far as this can reasonably be done, and provided that the policy should not require a prisoner to be deprived unduly of the society of other prisoners. Most local prisons in England and Wales sensibly operate a degree of mixing to enable them to accommodate the inmates remanded or committed to custody by the courts in their catchment areas. This makes obvious sense, particularly where it avoids the need to hold prisoners in police cells, which are entirely unsuitable for the purpose. In some local prisons the regime for those on remand is improved by mixing with those who are convicted.As regards practice in other countries, I understand that in a large number the separation of the convicted from the unconvicted is not regarded as obligatory.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the results of his survey of research on reoffending while on bail; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Mr. Alexander) on 6 February 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have had legal proceedings arising from poll tax legislation commenced against them.

This information is not available from magistrates courts records in the form sought. About 11 million summonses have been issued alleging non-payment of community charge during the period 1 April 1990 to 31 December 1991, but some will have involved the same persons in respect of separate financial years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the local authorities who have now adopted the model byelaw relating to the use of skateboards on pavements, roads and footpaths; and if he will make a statement.

Since 1978, the Home Office has offered local authorities a model byelaw which prohibits the use of skateboards and roller skates on footways and carriageways to the danger of other persons lawfully using the footway or carriageway. In 1990, the model byelaw was modified to make it an offence for a person using a skateboard or roller skates to cause not only danger but also nuisance or reasonable grounds for annoyance to other persons using the footway or carriageway.Our records indicate that 66 local authorities have adopted the 1978 model byelaws, and that to date one local authority has adopted the 1990 model wording. The local authorities are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether it is the usual practice for the Metropolitan police to charge for attendance at community and charity events;(2) what has been the total cost of the policing of the Notting Hill carnival in each of the last three years; and what contribution towards that cost was made by the carnival organisers in each of those years.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that it is not the usual practice to charge for police attendance at community and charity events.The estimated additional costs of policing the Notting Hill carnival were:

Year	Additional Costs £
1989	1,111,000
1990	1,606,000
1991	1,554,000

The carnival organisers have made no contribution towards the cost of policing this event.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which EC countries currently offer fiscal incentives for the purchase of three-way catalytic converters; what taxes are levied in the United Kingdom on sales of catalytic converters and at what rate; and if he will make a statement.

In the United Kingdom, VAT is levied on sales of catalytic converters at the standard rate of 17·5 per cent. I have no information on any fiscal incentives for the purchase of three-way catalytic converters in other EC countries.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the expenditure in each year since 1979, in real and constant prices, of Government expenditure in (a) agriculture, forestry and fishing, (b)

	(a) Total benefits paid to unemployed people1 (£ million cash)	(b) Total expenditure from the Redundancy Fund (£ million cash)	(c) (a) plus (b) as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (Percentage)
1983–84	5,440	427	1·9
1984–85	6,320	333	2·0
1985–86	6,960	344	2·0
1986–87	7,310	246	2·0
1987–88	6,650	81	1·6
1988–89	5,240	70	1·1
1989–90	4,310	66	0·9
1990–91	5,040	145	0·9
1991–922	7,360	128	1·3
1 Figures include unemployment benefit, principal income-related benefits and payments from the social fund to unemployed people and their families.
2 Estimates in current published plans.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information on the growth of pension and other funds given in his answer of 7 March 1984, Official Report, column 581.

The latest annual estimates for the period 1982 to 1990, the latest year for which a figure is available, are given below. Updated figures for earlier periods are available on the CSO database, series AALV, which can be accessed through the House of Commons Library.

Life Assurance and Pensions Schemes Net increase in amount available for investment
	£ million
1982	14,980
1983	15,938
1984	18,518
1985	19,538
1986	20,510
1987	20,840
1988	22,659
1989	30,505
1990	33,655

The available information on general government expenditure by main function since 1978–79 is given, in cash and real terms, in tables 2·2 and 2·3 of the statistical supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1920). Corresponding information for the other areas of expenditure requested is not available or could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information on unemployment benefit and redundancy payments given in his answer of 27 July 1983, Official Report, columns 449–50.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to prohibit the payment of mortgage subsidies by banks and other lenders to their employees; and what is his estimate of the gross value of such subsidies.

No. I have no firm data on the gross value of these particular subsidies, although the total net taxable value of beneficial loans made by all employers is estimated to be about £180 million in 1991–92.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the zero-rating for VAT of those items of food which are currently zero-rated is safeguarded until at least December 1996.

Yes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy with regard to the minimum level of excise duty on (a) still table wine and (b) sparkling wine, that should be applied within the European Community.

The United Kingdom has consistently argued that it does not consider centrally determined duty rates as necessary for the completion of the single market, and that member states should be free to set their own rates of duty. The Government are prepared to accept a minimum zero rate for both still and sparkling wines, provided that wine is treated as an excisable product and remains within the control system for intra-EC movements of goods subject to excise duties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the value of the main tax reliefs and allowances and the saving that would occur if these were restricted to the basic rate of tax.

A table showing the cost of direct tax allowances and reliefs in 1991–92 was given in appendix D of the Autumn Statement statistical supplement Cm 1920 published in January 1992.It is estimated that the yield from restricting all of the main income tax allowances and reliefs to the basic rate would be some £2 billion at 1991–92 levels of income.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the inward investment by the United Kingdom from (a) Japan, (b) the United States of America and (c)Korea, for each year from 1978 to 1991, (i) in real terms at 1991 prices, (ii) as a proportion of total capital investment in the United Kingdom and (iii) as a proportion of total capital investment in the EC.

[holding answer 13 February 1992]: The information available on net inward investment in the United Kingdom by Japanese and United States companies is expressed at 1990 prices by adjusting the actual investment by the changes in the latest available implied gross domestic product deflator; and as a percentage of total investment by all other countries in the United Kingdom.Information for investment in 1990 will be available in the next month or so. Information for investment by Korea is not available.

Year	Japanese net investment (£ million, 1990 prices)	Per cent.	US net investment(£ million, 1990 prices)	Per cent.
1978	-10	—	321	64·2
1979	23	2·9	452	57·1
1980	8	0·6	1,039	75·2
1981	105	17·7	71	11·9
1982	-31	—	206	27·9
1983	117	8·2	775	54·8
1984	-4	—	1,079	—
1985	94	3·3	1,282	44·8
1986	34	0·9	989	26·1
1987	657	10·0	1,018	15·4
1988	768	8·9	375	4·4
1989	1,121	7·3	5,344	34·8

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list policies of a financial nature which have been pursued by Her Majesty's Government since 1979 which have been of assistance to the United Kingdom merchant fleet.

[holding answer 17 February 1992]: The list sets out the financial measures which have been of particular assistance to the shipping industry since 1979.1.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total revenue from value added tax on children's car seats in motor cars in each of the last three years.

[holding answer 18 February 1992]: I regret that information on which to base an estimate is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what inquiries his Department has made into the leakage of methane gas from closed coal mines; and if he will make a statement.

None. I am, however, aware that the Department of the Environment is commissioning research into methane from abandoned coal mines. My Department is sponsoring a review by the Watt committee of measurement methods and available data relating to methane emissions from various sources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made by EC member states towards providing for a single market in energy services with respect in particular to the free cross-border transmission of energy, the permitting of cross-border investment by one energy company in another, and third party access to a European-wide transmission network.

The European Commission adopted proposals on 22 January which represent the second phase of the internal energy market. The United Kingdom fully supports the Commission's proposals which, if adopted by the Council, will represent a significant liberalisation of the European Community's electricity and gas sectors. Copies of the proposals will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the travel-to-work areas which do not have assisted area status where the unemployment is higher than in the Bridlington and Driffield travel-to-work area;(2) if he will list the assisted areas which have a lower unemployment rate than the Bridlington and Driffield travel-to-work area.

Information on unemployment rates by travel-to-work areas is available, on the unadjusted basis only, from the NOMIS database in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of women who have earnings below (a) the tax threshold and (b) the national insurance threshold, broken down into married women, lone parents and single women at the latest date.

Broad estimates, based on the new earnings survey and estimates of the number of employees in employment, are that in April 1991 there were 21 million women employees earning less than the PAYE threshold, of whom 21 million earned less than the national insurance lower earnings limit. Using projections from the family expenditure survey, it is estimated that approximately 75 per cent. of each of these categories were married women, 5 per cent. lone parents and 20 per cent. single women.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to enable residential special schools to opt out of local authority control.

We have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will meet leaders of Staffordshire county council and head teachers to discuss the remaining shortfall on the education budget arising out of the teachers' pay award.

No. The additional grant which the Government propose to make available, together with the 7·2 per cent. increase in education spending allowed for in the 1992–93 local authority spending finance settlement, should give authorities adequate headroom to cover the cost of the teachers' pay award in full.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which universities held accounts with the Bank of Commerce and Credit International; and how much money was lost by each university at its collapse.

Detailed information on universities' investments is not held centrally. Monitoring of the financial position of institutions is a matter for the Universities Funding Council. The council understands that no university had invested its own funds in the Bank of Commerce and Credit International.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the average unit costs for salaries and other recurrent expenditure categories (a) in further education institutions and (b) in sixth form colleges for the academic years 1988–89 and 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

Information on expenditure and per student spending is collected on a financial year basis. For the financial years 1988–89 and 1989–90, spending per student in further education institutions was as shown in the table. Information on actual spending in sixth form colleges was not collected separately.

Net institutional expenditure per full time equivalent student	1988–89 £	1989–90 £
Salaries and wages	2,360	2,335
Other recurrent institutional costs	500	450
Total	2,860	2,785

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average class size (a) in further education institutions and (b) in sixth form colleges for the academic years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

The average class sizes were:

	1988–89	1989–90
Further education institutions1	14·5	14·7
Sixth form colleges	12·8	12·6
1 Includes LEA maintained further education and tertiary colleges,

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the methodology adopted by Surrey county council for forecasting future demand for primary school places carried out for their current age of transfer reorganisation proposals; what are his Department's guidelines on the methodology to be used; and if he will make a statement.

The reorganisation proposals published by Surrey county council will be decided by my right hon. and learned Friend. As they are currently being considered, we cannot comment at this stage on any of the issues involved, including Surrey's forecasting methodology, as this could be held to have pre-judged our eventual decision.The Department's guidelines on how authorities should approach the publication of statutory proposals are contained within circular 3/87 "Providing for Quality: The Pattern of Organisation to Age 19", a copy of which is available in the Library. Annex 2 provides guidelines on forecasting pupil numbers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many pupils in each local education authority are recorded on form SEN 2 as having statements of special educational need and attending maintained special schools;(2) how many pupils in each local education authority are recorded on form SEN 2 as having special educational needs and are attending maintained primary, middle and secondary schools;(3) how many pupils in each local education authority are recorded on form SEN 2 as having special educational needs and are attending non-maintained and independent special schools under arrangements made by the local education authority.

Form SEN2 for 1991 asked LEAs to record information on the placements arranged for children for whom statements of special educational needs were newly made in 1990. Details as submitted by LEAs in respect of the placements made for these children at maintained special schools, ordinary schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools are given in the table.