Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 23 February 1984
Prime Minister
Passport Office
asked the Prime Minister whether she will consider transferring responsibility for the Passport Office to the Home Secretary.
I have decided to transfer responsibility for the Passport Office from the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary to the Home Secretary as proposed in a report by the House of Commons Select Committee on Foreign Affairs — HC 406 — and the Rayner scrutiny of the Passport Office. The timing and detailed arrangements for the transfer have yet to be finalised. I shall make an announcement to the House in due course.
Engagements
Q4.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q5.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q17.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q18.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q19.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q20.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q21.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q22.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q23.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q24.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q25.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q26.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q27.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q28.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q30.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q31.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q32.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q33.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q34.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q35.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q36.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q37.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q38.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q39.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q40.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q41.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q42.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q43.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q44.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q46.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q47.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q49.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q50.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q51.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q52.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q53.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q54.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q55.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q56.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q57.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q58.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q59.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q60.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q61.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q62.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q63.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q64.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q65.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q66.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q67.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q68.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q69.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q70.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q71.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
Q72.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q73.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q74.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 February.
Q75.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 February.
This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the Council of Civil Service Unions about GCHQ.
Drumadd Barracks
Q29.
asked the Prime Minister how many representations she has received about the recent visits by herself and the Duke of Edinburgh to Drumadd barracks; and whether she will make a statement.
I have received about five such representations. I have nothing further to add to what I have already said on this matter in the House.
Civil Service
Q45
asked the Prime Minister if she is now satisfied with the efficiency and effectiveness of the Civil Service.
Since 1979 a good deal of progress has been made in securing better value for taxpayers' money through improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil service. Ministers and officials are continuing with this important work. With my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, Privy Council Office and Sir Robin Ibbs, I attach particular importance to the implementation of the financial management initiative and the development within Departments of arrangements that give managers at all levels clear responsibility for making the best use of resources and achieving better value for money.
Oman
Q48.
asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to seek to pay an official visit to Oman.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Nhs And Local Government Workers (Costs)
asked the Prime Minister if she will now calculate the total annual cost and the average annual cost of full-time equivalent posts in the National Health Service, and local government; and if she will break down the average cost for a full-time equivalent post into pay, national insurance, superannuation and other costs such as office space, heating, lighting, car allowance, travel allowance and telephone.
The total and the average annual cost of wages and salaries of full-time equivalent posts in England for 1982–83 are as follows:
| £ million | ||
| National Health Service | Local Government | |
| Total cost | 6,069 | 15,100 |
| Average cost | ||
| Salaries and wages | 6,400 | 7,550 |
| Employers' contributions: | ||
| National Insurance | 590 | 750 |
| Superannuation and pension schemes | 375 | 900 |
| Total average cost | 7,365 | 9,200 |
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the change in the foreign balance each quarter as a proportion of the public sector borrowing requirement in each quarter since May 1979.
It is not clear precisely what the hon. Member means by the foreign balance, but data on the balance of payments may be found on page 78 of the December 1983 edition of the CSO's Economic Trends. Data on the public sector borrowing requirement may be found in table 2.5 of the CSO's Financial Statistics.
asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing long-term interest rates in the United States of America and the United Kingdom in the third quarter of 1981 and the latest quarter for which figures are available together with the change in the borrowing requirement over that period in each case as a percentage of gross domestic product.
The following table gives yields on 10-year Government bonds as a measure of long-term interest rates as requested.
| United Kingdom | United States of America | |
| Per cent. per annum | Per cent. per annum | |
| 1981—Quarter 3 | 15·4 | 14·8 |
| 1983—Quarter 4 | 10·8 | 11·7 |
Financial Statistics, table 2.5, while quarterly GDP data are provided in Economic Trends, table 6. There are no comparable published figures for the United States Government's borrowing requirement. Quarterly data for the United States federal deficit and GDP are available in tables B-75 and B-1 respectively of the Economic Report of the President, February 1984.
International Organisations
asked the Prime Minister how many members from the Ulster Unionist party serve on the United Kingdom's delegation to the Assembly of the Western European Union.
None.
asked the Prime Minister how many members there are on the United Kingdom delegation to (a) the Assembly of the Council of Europe, (b) the Assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and (c) the Assembly of the Western European Union.
The United Kingdom delegations to the assemblies of the Council of Europe and the Western European Union each comprise 18 members and 18 substitutes. The delegation to the North Atlantic assembly has 18 members.
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of children under five years old in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland for whom supplementary benefit is being paid and, in each area, the number of those children who are in families headed by unemployed claimants.
The estimated number at December 1982, the latest date for which information is available, is as follows:
| Number of children under five in families receiving supplementary benefit (1,000's) | ||
| (a) | (b) | |
| all children | children in families in which the claimant is unemployed | |
| England | 507 | 293 |
| Scotland | 62 | 33 |
| Wales | 39 | 25 |
| Northern Ireland | 32 | 23 |
Source:
England, Scotland and Wales—Annual statistical inquiry December 1982.
Northern Ireland—estimates derived from annual statistical inquiry, December 1982 and the 1981 census.
Senior Personnel (Private Sector Employment)
asked the Prime Minister how many members of the security service have taken up employment in the private sector on retirement or resignation in each of the past three years; and what steps have been taken to ensure that the knowledge acquired by them in Government service was not used directly or indirectly for their own benefit or that of their employer.
It has been the stated policy of successive Governments not to give detailed accounts of security service matters.
War (Industrial Capacity)
asked the Prime Minister which industries the Government considers of key importance for fighting a conventional war; and whether she will publish in the Official Report a list showing the productive capacity and/or output of these industries at the latest available date compared with 1979 and with the peak in output since 1954.
The industries which are major suppliers to the Ministry of Defence of defence equipment required to maintain our capability to fight a conventional war are listed in the following table. The table also shows estimated values of total sales of the products of these
| Estimated total sales of products | ||||
| £ million excluding VAT | ||||
| Industry | 1979 | 1982 | ||
| Ordnance and small arms, explosives (including tracked armoured fighting vehicles) | *753 | (311) | *1,097 | (522) |
| Other mechanical and marine engineering | 13,937 | (221) | 15,131 | (347) |
| Data processing equipment | 1,076 | (128) | 1,204 | (72) |
| Other electrical engineering | 5,084 | |||
| Electronics | 4,411 | (699) | 6,141 | (1,292) |
| Motor vehicles and parts | 8,597 | (133) | 8,295 | (202) |
| Shipbuilding and repairing | *1,500 | (331) | *1,796 | (516) |
| Aerospace | 2,528 | (1,120) | 4,737 | (2,092) |
| Instrument engineering | 1,430 | (101) | 1,728 | (144) |
| * Includes progress payments. | ||||
Disarmament (Ministerial Responsibility)
asked the Prime Minister whether she will appoint another Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to have specific and full-time responsibility for disarmament, and to lead the United Kingdom delegation to the committee on disarmament in Geneva and the Vienna negotiations on mutual and balanced force reductions.
No. I am satisfied that my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary has all the ministerial support he needs for these important matters, in which I also take a regular and personal interest.
Nazi War Criminals
asked the Prime Minister if, arising from the resolution passed by the Assembly of the European Communities over the Nazi war criminal, Rauff, she will consult the President of the United States of America to see what can be done to persuade the Chilean authorities to extradite or expel Rauff from that country.
I have every sympathy with the sentiments about Rauff expressed in the resolution of the European Parliament on 16 February. It is deplorable that he should still be living comfortably in Chile.We shall be considering with the appropriate authorities in the United States of America what further steps might be taken to bring him to justice.
asked the Prime Minister if she will consult the heads of Governments of the other European Community countries over steps to be taken for the Nazi industries for the years 1979 and 1982—the latest for which figures are available. Estimated total Ministry of Defence purchases for financial years 1979–80 and 1982–83 are shown in brackets for comparison. Ministry of Defence purchases of fuel, food, clothing and other items from a wide range of industries amounted to £940 million in 1979–80 and £1,640 million in 1982–83. Figures to cover the period from 1954 are not not available on a comparable basis.war criminal, Rauff, to be brought to justice arising from the resolution passed by the Assembly of the European Communities; and if she will make a statement.
The authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany have responsibility for bringing war criminals such as Rauff to justice. Our own position remains that we would respond sympathetically to any requests for assistance from the Germans in this matter. We would, accordingly, be prepared to discuss Rauff's case with our European Community partners within the framework of European political co-operation.
Argentina
asked the Prime Minister if she has now received the formal Argentinian reply from Argentina to the British proposal for renewing commercial and diplomatic relations; and if she will make a statement.
Three weeks after we approached the Argentine Government with some specific ideas we have now received a reply which we are studying. We will respond in due course.
Home Department
Plastic Bullets
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department who manufactures the plastic bullets supplied to the British police.
The baton rounds supplied to police forces in England and Wales were obtained from the Ministry of Defence.
Arwen 37 Weapon
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Arwen 37 has been evaluated or tested as a possible weapon for issue to the police.
No, but the manufacturers have demonstrated it to senior police officers and Home Office officials.
Riot Control Equipment
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether smaller rubber bullets of the type used in Switzerland and in service in Germany have been evaluated or tested as possible riot control weapons for issue to the police;(2) whether instant banana peel has been evaluated or tested as a possible riot control weapon for issue to the police;(3) whether foam has been evaluated or tested as a possible riot control weapon for issue to the police.
Information about such devices has been considered: none has been tested on behalf of the police in England and Wales.
Children (Employment Offences)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers have been prosecuted in each of the past five years for offences connected with the employment of children.
The available information is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—Tables S1.1(A) of the supplementary tables 1982, Vol. 1, offence classification 147.
Immigration (Detention)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the weekly cost of detaining a person in prison department establishments under the Immigration Act.
Persons detained under the Immigration Act are held in a remand centre or local prison. Costs of holding individual classes of persons within these types of establishment are not available but during the financial year 1982–83, the average weekly cost of keeping a person in such establishments was £200.
Television Licences
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will extend the concessionary 5p television licence regulations to sheltered accommodation which is managed by private estate management.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the cost of extending the 5p concessionary television licence to those living in sheltered accommodation provided by private estate management.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received regarding the extension of concessionary television licences to sheltered homes managed by private companies.
An estate management company has recently represented to us that the concessionary 5p licence scheme should be extended to sheltered housing schemes for elderly people which are managed by private companies, and a number of hon. Members later wrote on the same subject. It would not be easy to justify granting the concession to people who live in sheltered accommodation managed by these companies while denying it to pensioners generally. We have not made an estimate of the cost that would be involved.
Police (Computers)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to which constabularies have obtained or are planning to obtain small computers dedicated to major incidents; and whether they can be linked to any other police computer system.
Following the Department's guidance to chief officers in July 1983 about the use of computers in major investigations, a number of forces have obtained, or plan to obtain, microcomputers for use exclusively in such investigations. Complete and up-to-date information is not held centrally about the computer facilities available in each force.Microcomputers of the same type may be linked to one another to enhance the capacity of a major investigation system but they cannot be linked directly to other police computer systems. But work is in hand to make it possible, from 1985, to transfer data, stored by the indexing method recommended by the Home Office, to the police national computer when the capacity of a force microcomputer is exceeded or when databases from two or more separate investigations need to be merged.
Wheel Clamps
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the efficacy of wheel clamps in reducing illegal and dangerous parking of motor vehicles.
Preliminary indications of the effects of the scheme are encouraging, but an accurate assessment will not be possible until the results of the detailed analysis by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory are available in the second quarter of this year. It is police practice to remove a vehicle if it is causing danger.
Probation Officers
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of senior probation officers on promotion to that grade are paid less than probation officers on the main grade scale;(2) what would be the cost in cash and percentage terms of restoring the pay lead of 20·86 per cent. for senior probation officers recommended by the Butterworth committee in 1972;(3) what would be the cost in cash and percentage terms of providing for the lowest grade of the senior probation officers' scale to be equated with the top of the main grade scale.
In April 1983, the latest date for which information is available, senior probation officers who on promotion were paid less than main grade probation officers on the maximum point of their scale (the only point which exceeds the minimum of the senior probation officers' scale) comprised between 4 and 10 per cent. of all senior probation officers. The Home Office does not have the detailed information required to enable a more precise estimate to be made.The Butterworth committee did not recommend any specific percentage differential between the maxima of the pay scales of main grade and senior probation officers. What the Committee suggested was links between certain points on the scales on which local authority workers were paid in 1972 and the maxima of the scales for main grade and senior probation officers. The higher link happened to be 120·86 per cent. of the lower in 1972; the Committee recognised that the relationship might well change over time. Increasing the pay of senior probation officers on the top point of the scale so as to restore the 1972 differential would cost £478,500 in 1983–84, representing 0·62 per cent. of the pay bill.Increasing the lowest point of the senior probation officers' scale to the top point of the main grade scale would cost about £20,000 in 1983–84 representing 0·0003 per cent. of the pay bill.
Homicide
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of homicide were reported during each of the past 10 years; and how many remain unsolved.
The information for England and Wales is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (Table 4.2 of the latest volume for 1982, Cmnd. 9048).
Detained Persons (Costs)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost to date in 1982–83 of keeping an inmate for a week in (a) a detention centre, (b) an open youth custody centre, (c) a closed youth custody centre, (d) a local prison, (e) a local prison holding remand prisoners, (f) a category A/B training prison, (g) a category B training prison, (h) a category C training prison, (i) an open prison, (j) a junior remand centre, (k) a senior remand centre and (1) a female establishment.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1984, c. 66]: The information available is not in the precise form requested by the hon. Member. During the financial year 1982–83 the average weekly costs of keeping a prisoner in custody in the following categories were:
| £ | |
| Establishments for males | |
| Dispersal prisons (Cat. A/B training prisons) | 433 |
| Other closed training prisons (Cat. B and C) | 205 |
| Local prisons and remand centres | 200 |
| Open prisons | 158 |
| Borstals and YP centres (including open borstals) | 231 |
| Detention centres | 211 |
| All-female establishments | 308 |
Plastic Bullets
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many legal actions for compensation against the Government for death or injury caused by rubber bullets have been decided in court; in how many of these cases the judgment was given against the Government; and what is the total cost of compensation paid in these cases;(2) how many legal actions for compensation against the Government for death or injury caused by plastic bullets have been decided in court; in how many of these cases the judgment was given against the Government; and what is the total cost of compensation paid in these cases;(3) how many legal actions for compensation against the Government for death or injury caused by plastic bullets have been settled out of court; and what is the total cost of compensation in these cases;(4) how many legal actions for compensation against the Government for death or injury caused by rubber bullets have been settled out of court; and what is the total cost of compensation in these cases.
I have been asked to reply.There have been no legal actions for compensation for injuries caused by rubber or plastic baton rounds in any part of the United Kingdom except Northern Ireland.The information in respect of claims for compensation against the Police Authority for Northern Ireland or the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in cases of death or injury arising from the use of rubber or plastic baton rounds is as follows:
Information in respect of such claims against the Army is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Some applications have also been made for compensation under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 and the Criminal Injuries (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, but information relating to these claims is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
National Finance
Life Assurance (Tax Relief)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider limiting life assurance relief to schemes which are encashable at age 60 years or on death whichever is the sooner.
I have no plans to do so.
European Community (Publications)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of the publications issued by the European Economic Community in the United Kingdom on a regular basis, including publications by the European Economic Community Assembly and the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community; and if he will indicate those which are issued exclusively in the United Kingdom or which are tailored for publication in the United Kingdom.
There is no comprehensive list of publications issued by the European Community or the European Coal and Steel Community. The Office of Official Publications, which is responsible for publishing the Official Journal, does, however, publish a monthly index of new publications in the Official Journal series. It also publishes a cumulative annual index. Copies are available in the House of Commons Library.
European Community (Information And Publicity)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the reply dated 16 December concerning the amount spent by the European Economic Community on information and publicity, Official Report column 595, whether this includes the amount spent by (a) the European Economic Community Assembly and the European Coal and Steel Community, respectively, and (b) the cost of staff, accommodation and all other overheads in the United Kingdom and on the continent, respectively, employed on information and publicity; and whether he will publish a breakdown of these figures in the Official Report.
The written reply given on 9 February in the Official Report at column 734–35 explained the coverage of the reply to the question answered on 16 December 1983. The costs of staff, accommodation and other overheads in the United Kingdom and other member states are not separately identified from the general administrative costs in the budgets of the European Community institutions referred to and so it is not possible to publish a breakdown of the figures.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report figures for public sector borrowing over the last two years together with figures showing the reduction in relative interest rates relative to United States interest rates in each period and the corresponding expansion of domestic credit.
Figures for the public sector borrowing requirement are published in Financial Statistics, table 2.5. The following table gives average three-month interbank rates in the United Kingdom and three-month certificate of deposit rates in the United States along with average 10-year United Kingdom gilt yields and 10-year fixed maturity United States Treasury bond yields:
| Per cent. per annum | Three months | Ten years | ||
| United Kingdom | United States | United Kingdom | United States | |
| 1982 | ||||
| First quarter | 14·4 | 14·3 | 14·6 | 14·3 |
| Second quarter | 13·4 | 14·1 | 13·9 | 13·9 |
| Third quarter | 11·5 | 11·5 | 12·0 | 13·1 |
| Fourth quarter | 9·9 | 9·1 | 11·1 | 10·7 |
| 1983 | ||||
| First quarter | 11·1 | 8·5 | 11·7 | 10·6 |
| Second quarter | 10·2 | 8·8 | 11·1 | 10·5 |
| Third quarter | 9·8 | 9·6 | 11·5 | 11·6 |
| Fourth quarter | 9·4 | 9·4 | 10·7 | 11·7 |
463.
Civil Servants (Parliamentary Lobby)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions have been issued to civil servants requesting annual leave to attend the lobby of Parliament on 23 February.
I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 20 February at column 562.
Inland Revenue (Net Receipts)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of the Inland Revenue's net receipts that are paid by companies with a turnover of less than £50,000 per annum.
I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Public Assets (Sales)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public assets have been sold off by the Government since June 1979; and what was the percentage proportion of the sales in each case to private individuals.
An analysis of those disposals attributed to the special sales of assets programme is published annually in the public expenditure White Paper. A breakdown of sales and receipts for 1979–80 and 1980–81 is given in table 4.8 of Cmnd. 8494, and for 1981–82 and 1982–83 in tables 4.8A and 4.8B of Cmnd. 9143. Major receipts to date in 1983–84 have been as follows:
| Item | Receipts £ million (cash) |
| Further sale of shares in British Petroleum | 540 |
| Further sale of shares in Cable and Wireless | 262 |
| Sale of shares in Britoil (2nd instalment) | 293 |
Local Authority Finance (Wales)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has not indicated for 1985–86 and 1986–87 in the Government White Paper on spending the projections in local government in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1984, c. 374]: I refer the hon. Member to table 2.18.2 of the public expenditure White Paper which sets out the Government's plans for local authority spending relevant for rate support grant in Wales for 1985–86 and 1986–87.
Tax And National Insurance
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures for the total sums of pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions paid by employers in Scotland and the United Kingdom, respectively, over the last convenient period for which figures are available, showing how much was paid by the due date, how much within the following two months and how much was paid later.
[pursuant to his reply, 21 February 1984, c. 447–48]: Payments of income tax—(PAYE)—and class 1 national insurance contributions by employers for the most recent complete year that ended 5 April 1983 were as follows:
| £ million | |
| 1. United Kingdom | 45,400 |
| 2. Scotland (included in 1) | 3,525 |
| £ million | |
| 1. United Kingdom | 634 |
| 2. Scotland (included in 1) | 59 |
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the number of cases and total sums of money involved, over the last 12-month period for which figures are conveniently available and over the three preceding
| Number of children | January 1981 | January 1982 | January 1983 | January 1984 | ||
| Married man's allowance (in weekly terms) | £ per week | 41·25 | 41·25 | 47·02 | 53·75 | |
| Family Income Supplement (FIS) Prescribed Amount | 1 | £ per week | 67·00 | 74·00 | 82·50 | 85·50 |
| 2 | £per week | 74·00 | 82·00 | 91·50 | 95·50 | |
| 3 | £ per week | 81·00 | 90·00 | 100·50 | 104·50 | |
| 4 | £ per week | 88·00 | 98·00 | 109·50 | 114·00 | |
| Married man's allowance as a percentage of FIS Prescribed Amount | 1 | Per cent. | 62 | 56 | 57 | 63 |
| 2 | Per cent. | 56 | 50 | 51 | 57 | |
| 3 | Per cent. | 51 | 46 | 47 | 51 | |
| 4 | Per cent. | 47 | 42 | 43 | 47 |
12-month periods, in which the Inland Revenue has taken action involving sheriff officers to recover unpaid pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions from firms in Scotland.
[pursuant to his reply, 21 February 1984, c. 448]: The Inland Revenue takes action involving sheriff officers in Scotland for various types of labilities, and separate figures in respect of the number of cases and amounts for actions involving pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions are not available. It is possible, however, to estimate the number of cases in respect of pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions and these figures are as follows:
| Summary proceedings | Summary warrants | |
| 1983 | 130 | 1,500 |
| 1982 | 400 | 230 |
| 1981 | 140 | — |
| 1980 | 200 | — |
Public Capital Expenditure
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in respect of all items of public expenditure classified as capital, he will publish annually the amounts provided for their depreciation and obsolescence.
[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1984, c. 373]: Figures for capital consumption of fixed assets at current replacement cost by sector are published annually in "National Income and Expenditure". However, it is not possible to relate these data directly to public expenditure capital items, almost half of which relate to financial items.
Tax Thresholds (Family Income Supplement)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparing tax thresholds with family income supplement levels in January 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, for each of a married couple with one, two, three and four children; and if he will show the tax threshold as a percentage of the family income supplement level in every case.
The information is in the table:
Mortgage Funds
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the increase in mortgage funds for housing in each of the past five years together with the increase in the value of the houses sold by reference to stamp duty or otherwise.
I have been asked to reply.Information is not available on the value of all dwelling sales. Estimated totals of the prices paid for dwellings purchased with advances from building societies are as follows, with annual figures for net mortgage advances.
| Total price of dwellings mortgaged to building societies United Kingdom | Net mortgage advances* by main institutional sources United Kingdom | ||
| Building societies | All | ||
| 1979 | 14,200 | 5,271 | 6,462 |
| 1980 | 15,900 | 5,722 | 7,288 |
| 1981 | 17,800 | 6,331 | 9,469 |
| 1982 | 20,400 | 8,147 | 14,063 |
| 1983 | 26,000 | 11,041 | Not available |
| * Net of repayments of principal. | |||
Overseas Development
Hunger And Starvation
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any estimate of the proportion of United Kingdom Government aid which relieves hunger and starvation.
It is not possible to give a valid figure. Many parts of the aid programme help relieve hunger and starvation and we attach great importance to agriculture, by which developing countries are helped to help themselves. Approximately 7·5 per cent. of the aid programme for 1982 to 1983 was spent on food aid.
| Common agricultural policy intervention or guide price for principal commodities and MCA percentages as at 20 February 1984 | ||||||||||
| MCA percentage | ||||||||||
| Commodity | Common intervention or guide price ECU/tonne | Belgium | Luxembourg | Germany | *Greece | France | Ireland | Italy | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
| Beef and Veal (liveweight) | 1,863·8 | 0 | 0 | +9·8 | -5·6 | -4·4 | 0 | -1·0 | +5·8 | +6·2 |
| Sheepmeat | 3,675·1 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Pigmeat | †1,602·0 | 0 | 0 | +9·8 | -5·6 | 0 | 0 | -1·0 | +5·8 | +6·2 |
| Butter (82 per cent. fat) | 3,578·6 | 0 | 0 | +10·8 | -5·6 | -3·4 | 0 | -1·0 | +6·6 | +6·2 |
| Skimmed milk powder | 1,496·4 | 0 | 0 | +10·8 | -5·6 | -3·4 | 0 | -1·0 | +6·6 | +6·2 |
| Common wheat | 200·00 | 0 | 0 | +10·3 | -5·6 | -4·4 | 0 | -1·0 | +6·2 | +6·2 |
| Feed grains | 200·00 | 0 | 0 | +10·3 | -5·6 | -4·4 | 0 | -1·0 | +6·2 | +6·2 |
| Rice (paddy) | 322·48 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Olive oil | 2,299·2 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Sugar (white) | ‡534·7 | 0 | 0 | +9·8 | -5·6 | -4·4 | 0 | -1·0 | +5·8 | +6·2 |
| Wine║● | ¶3l·9 | n.a. | n.a. | +9·8 | -4·6 | 0 | n.a. | 0 | n.a. | n.a. |
| * Some support prices in Greece are different as a result of transitional arrangements. | ||||||||||
| † Lower intervention price. | ||||||||||
| ‡ United Kingdom price excluding storage levy = 546·8 ECU/tonne. | ||||||||||
| ║ Activating price for red table wine of 10 per cent. alcoholic volume. | ||||||||||
| ¶ per hectolitre. | ||||||||||
| ● MCAs are applied in producing member states only and negative MCAs are subject to a meeting arrangement. | ||||||||||
| n.a.=Not applicable; Commodity to which MCAs do not apply. | ||||||||||
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Agricultural Products
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which agricultural products subject to the common agricultural policy are traded on world markets primarily in dollar terms; and if he will estimate the cost to the European Economic Community in terms of export restitutions, and so on, of each 1 cent fall in the dollar against the European currency unit.
There is no record of the proportion of world trade in those commodities subject to the common agricultural policy which takes place in United States dollars, although a large proportion of the trade in cereals, rice and sugar is believed to take place in this currency. It is not possible reliably to estimate the effects of a depreciation of the dollar against the European currency unit on the various categories of expenditure under the CAP. Moreover, in practice, currency movements would be only one of many factors taken into account by the Commission in managing the Community's markets for agricultural commodities by, for example, fixing export refunds.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the common agricultural policy price for agricultural commodities and the percentage deviation from that price in each European Economic Community country calculated in monetary compensatory amounts.
A table showing the common intervention or guide price for the major agricultural commodities and the percentage MCA adjustment in member states is as follows:
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for the agricultural products covered by the common agricultural policy, the current guide to price, the current intervention price, the world price, the amount of the levy and the amount of any monetary compensatory amount.
| United Kingdom prices and levies for main Agricultural Commodities as at 3 February 1984 Levy applied on United Kingdom imports from third countries | |||||
| *Guide Price | Intervention Price | Lowest Offer Price | Total | of which UK MCA | |
| £/t | £/t | £/t | £/t | £/t | |
| Beef and veal | †2,434·3 | †2,190·9 | 955·1 | ●1,392·6 | 149·9 |
| Sheepmeat | 2,273·6 | 2,273·6 | 1,435·9 | ¶— | na |
| Pigmeat | 1,270·6 | ‡991·1 | 886·7 | 284·4 | 67·8 |
| Poultrymeat | na | na | 682·2 | 135·3 | 19·0 |
| Eggs | na | na | 598·7 | 146·5 | 22·2 |
| Butter, 82 per cent. | na | 2,213·9 | 1,095·9 | ●1,307·8 | 168·3 |
| Skimmed milk powder | na | 925·8 | 490·6 | 555·3 | 70·4 |
| Common wheat | 171·3 | ║135·5 | 101·5 | 62·4 | 9·6 |
| Barley | 156·9 | 123·7 | 106·0 | 43·6 | 8·7 |
| Maize | 156·9 | 123·7 | 107·1 | 42·5 | 8·7 |
| Sugar (white) | 348·2 | 338·3 | 146·2 | ▀258·5 | 27·1 |
| Notes: | |||||
| na = not applicable | |||||
| * Pigmeat, basic price; cereals and sugar, target price. There is no guide price for butter and SMP; however, the target price for milk of 3·7 per cent, fat is £169·70/tonne. | |||||
| † For ease of comparison the guide price and intervention price for cattle have been converted to deadweight equivalents using a killing out coefficient of 1·9. The intervention price is that from which the buying in prices for different categories of cattle are derived. | |||||
| ‡ Lowest intervention price. | |||||
| ║ Quoted is the reference price for wheat of minimum breadmaking quality which would be applicable if special intervention measures were introduced. | |||||
| ¶ Imports of lamb under voluntary restraint agreements with principal suppliers, and related agreements, are subject to a reduced charge of 10 per cent. ad valorem. | |||||
| • In the case of beef and butter, the United Kingdom obtains a large proportion of its imports from third countries at reduced rates or levy. | |||||
| ▀ In practice, United Kingdom imports from third countries are normally covered by the Lomé convention and enter the Community levy free. | |||||
Hill Farming (Subsidies)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the total amount spent on hill farming subsidies in the latest European Economic Community accounting period, the number of sheep and cattle reared on the hill farms to which the subsidies relate, the number of farms and the distribution of grant by farmers according to the number of animals reared on such farms.
The only hill farming subsidies on which information is available in the form requested are the hill livestock compensatory allowances paid under Council directive 75/268. In 1983, the total amount spent on these allowances in the United Kingdom was £90·6 million. This related to an estimated 881,000 cows and 9·1 million sheep. Just over 51,000 holdings received the payments. The distribution by holdings according to the number of livestock units—a livestock unit under the directive is one cow or 6⅔ sheep—was as follows:
| per cent. | |
| 1–50 livestock units | 72·3 |
| 51·100 livestock units | 14·6 |
| Over 100 livestock units | 13·1 |
The information requested for the main products covered by the common agricultural policy is contained in the following table. It should be noted that for most commodities there is no single "world" price and the lowest offer prices shown in the table are generally those which underlie the Commission's calculation of variable import levies on 3 February 1984: it is likely that if the United Kingdom were to purchase more supplies on world markets we would have to pay higher prices.
Scotland
Robbery With Violence
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many crimes of mugging, theft and robbery were committed in Scotland over the past 10 years by (a) the 14 to 16 year age group, (b) the 17 to 20 year age group, (c) the 21 to 25 year age group, (d) the 26 to 30 year age group, (e) the 31 to 35 year age group and (f) the 36 to 45 year age group.
For detected crimes of theft and robbery in Scotland the table gives the numbers of persons warned by the police or proceeded against and children referred to the reporter to the children's panel or to the procurator fiscal (to avoid double counting children proceeded against are not included as they will have been counted as having been referred to the procurator fiscal). The offence commonly known as "mugging" is classified as robbery in the statistics collected by the Scottish Home and Health Department.
Persons Warned by the Police, Adults Proceeded Against and Children Referred to the Reporter of the Children's Panel or to the Procurator Fiscal, for Theft and Robbery—Scotland
| ||||||||||
Age
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
| 1976
| 1977
| 1978
| 1979
| 1980
| 1981
| 1982
|
| 14 to 16 | 3,150 | 3,511 | 3,467 | 3,585 | 8,520 | 8,556 | 8,652 | 8,983 | 9,151 | 8,781 |
| 17 to 20 | 4,579 | 5,446 | 6,018 | 6,327 | 6,670 | 7,091 | 6,827 | 7,709 | 8,399 | 9,630 |
| 21 to 25 | 2,928 | 3,185 | 3,517 | 3,490 | 3,890 | 4,108 | 3,827 | 4,247 | 4,764 | 5,760 |
| 26 to 30 | 1,789 | 2,104 | 2,228 | 2,353 | 2,518 | 2,588 | 2,318 | 2,467 | 2,691 | 3,120 |
| 31 to 35 | 1,408 | 1,679 | 1,824 | 1,835 | 1,904 | 1,960 | 1,913 | 2,082 | 2,260 | 2,436 |
| 36 to 45 | 2,110 | 2,400 | 2,560 | 2,857 | 2,965 | 2,727 | 2,520 | 2,663 | 3,067 | 3,278 |
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland (a) in the 40 to 50 year old age group were mugged and robbed by the 14 to 16 year old age group, (b) in the 51 to 60 year old age group were mugged and robbed by the 16 to 20 year old age group, (c) in the 61 to 70 year old age group were mugged and robbed by the 14 to 20 year old age group and (d) in the 71 to 80 year old age group were mugged and robbed by the 14 to 25 year old age group.
The information requested is not collected by the Scottish Home and Health Department.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what sentences were given over the past 10 years to muggers and robbers in Scotland; how many served
| Scotland: Persons against whom the main charge proved was robbery | ||||||||||
| Sentence | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 |
| Absolute discharge | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Caution or admonition | 14 | 20 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 34 | 24 | 30 |
| Probation | 21 | 24 | 20 | 26 | 21 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 19 | 29 |
| Remit to children's hearing | — | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Community service order | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 15 | 29 |
| Fine | 49 | 79 | 79 | 115 | 111 | 140 | 123 | 128 | 144 | 158 |
| Compensation order* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 |
| Guardianship order | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Prison† | 100 | 118 | 162 | 164 | 196 | 171 | 132 | 172 | 176 | 292 |
| Young offenders' institution‡ | 50 | 46 | 54 | 75 | 72 | 58 | 58 | 88 | 58 | 88 |
| Borstal | 21 | 29 | 20 | 32 | 13 | 28 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 39 |
| Detention centre | 22 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 7 | 17 | 19 | 23 |
| Detention of child | 16 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Found insane and Hospital orders | — | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| TOTAL CHARGE PROVED | 293 | 348 | 392 | 475 | 476 | 490 | 405 | 496 | 482 | 701 |
| TOTAL CUSTODIAL SENTENCE | 209 | 217 | 263 | 302 | 313 | 293 | 221 | 300 | 277 | 448 |
| * As main sentence only. | ||||||||||
| † Includes recall to prison on reconviction. | ||||||||||
| ‡Includes recall to YOI on reconviction and detention without limit of time. | ||||||||||
House Purchases (Foreclosures)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the number of foreclosures on house purchases in each of the housing authorities in the past 12 months.
Local authorities submit annual returns to my Department only in respect of houses for which they themselves have provided mortgage finance. In 1982–83, the latest period for which returns are available, reposessions took place as follows:
custodial sentences; how many were given suspended sentences; how many were committing crime other than for the first time; how many parents were prosecuted on behalf of their children under the legal age; how heavy were the penalties; and how many parents did not pay the fines.
The offence commonly known as "mugging" is classified as robbery in the statistics collected by my Department. The table shows the number of persons against whom the main charge proved was robbery. Suspended sentences are not given by Scottish courts. Information on previous convictions is not centrally available. Parents are not prosecuted on behalf of their children in Scotland.
| Local Authority | Number of Repossessions etc. |
| Angus District Council | 2 |
| Cunninghame District Council | 2 |
| Cumbernauld and Kilsyth District Council | 2 |
| Dunfermline District Council | 1 |
| City of Glasgow District Council | 72 |
| Inverclyde District Council | 5 |
| Monklands District Council | 2 |
| Motherwell District Council | 1 |
| Renfrew District Council | 25 |
| Orkney Islands Council | 6 |
Holyroodhouse Palace
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been spent on the upkeep and maintenance of Holyrood palace by his Department in each of the last five years; and what is the expected expenditure for the next three years.
I assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 1 April 1980. Since then expenditure on maintenance by my Department, including an approximation of the costs of industrial staff wages, has been of the following order:
| Year | £ |
| 1980–81 | 368,000 |
| 1981–82 | 437,000 |
| 1982–83 | 519,000 |
| 1983–84 | 578,000 |
| United Kingdom Exports to, less United Kingdom imports from EC countries of finished steel products | ||||||||
| Thousand Tonnes | ||||||||
| Belgium-Luzern-bourg | Demmark | France | WestGermany | Greece | IrishRepublic | Italy | Netherlands | |
| 1963 | -114 | +80 | -20 | +68 | +38 | +69 | +182 | -88 |
| 1964 | -176 | +95 | -7 | -49 | +39 | +64 | +236 | -101 |
| 1965 | -42 | +114 | +6 | +40 | +34 | +54 | +70 | -75 |
| 1966 | -76 | +95 | -14 | -8 | +47 | +65 | +73 | -78 |
| 1967 | -146 | +77 | -42 | -24 | +56 | +71 | +79 | -108 |
| 1968 | -130 | +96 | -43 | -73 | +31 | +102 | +95 | -180 |
| 1969 | -39 | +96 | -27 | -22 | +37 | +121 | +87 | -426 |
| 1970 | -31 | +142 | -10 | +5 | +42 | +124 | +19 | -197 |
| 1971 | -80 | +79 | -21 | -23 | +45 | +104 | -29 | -272 |
| 1972 | -246 | +90 | -37 | -175 | +55 | +114 | +35 | -297 |
| 1973 | -202 | +105 | +12 | -410 | +39 | +139 | +1 | -302 |
| 1974 | -528 | +71 | -86 | -885 | +36 | +109 | -101 | -585 |
| 1975 | -514 | +44 | -135 | -621 | +32 | +82 | -137 | -646 |
| 1976 | -308 | +85 | -130 | -499 | +31 | +178 | -126 | -768 |
| 1977 | -258 | +56 | -86 | -534 | +79 | +178 | -36 | -488 |
| 1978 | -295 | +46 | -126 | -348 | +23 | +184 | -78 | -324 |
| 1979 | -389 | +28 | -109 | -331 | +54 | +279 | -3 | -327 |
| 1980 | -505 | -19 | -357 | -794 | +41 | +137 | -47 | -452 |
| 1981 | -270 | +33 | -158 | -537 | +48 | +188 | -120 | -387 |
| 1982 | -303 | +52 | -218 | -660 | +72 | +146 | -143 | -328 |
Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau compiled from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise returns.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of exports of British Steel to the European Economic Community and the rest of the world, respectively, for the last complete year for which figures are available.
In the financial year 1982–83, sales of steel by the British Steel Corporation to European Community countries was £212 million, and to other countries was £472 million.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry over what period Ministers have given consideration to the disposal or re-arrangement of the special and engineering steel interests of the British Steel Corporation; which Ministers from his Department have been involved; and at how many meetings the matter has been considered by Ministers along with representatives outside his Department.
I understand that various plans for the rationalisation of the United Kingdom engineering steels
In 1984–85 expenditure of £601,000 is forecast. Decisions about future years have not yet been taken.
Trade And Industry
Steel
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1963 the United Kingdom surplus or deficit on trade in steels and steel products in terms of tonnage with other EEC countries.
The following is the information:industry have been under discussion between the companies concerned since about 1980. Ministers have, from time to time, met representatives of the companies to be brought up to date on these discussions.
Motor Cars
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for passenger motor cars the increase in export unit values each year since 1980 compared with the preceding year, together with his estimate of the increase in the unit costs of labour.
The information available is given in the table. It has only been possible to provide data on the unit costs of labour for the motor vehicle industry (Class 35 of SIC 1980) as a whole.
Annual percentage changes
| ||||
1980
| 1981
| 1982
| 1983
| |
| Export unit values of passenger Cars | + 8·5 | 12·2 | +12·5 | +14·1 |
| Wages and salaries per unit of output for motor vehicles* | +28·5 | +15·2 | + 7·7 | - 0·2 |
* Based on statistics of average earnings, employees in employment and output. | ||||
Exchange Rate
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1970 the real exchange rate between the pound sterling and (a) the Korean won and (b) the Japanese yen, in terms of relative export prices.
The ratios of United Kingdom to Japanese and Korean export prices are in the table.
| Export* Unit Value Index Ratios (in common currency terms) | ||
| 1980=100 | ||
| United Kingdom Korea | United Kingdom Japan | |
| 1970 | 34 | 71 |
| 1971 | 42 | 73 |
| 1972 | 51 | 69 |
| 1973 | 45 | 65 |
| 1974 | 43 | 63 |
| 1975 | 66 | 73 |
| 1976 | 57 | 71 |
| 1977 | 60 | 74 |
| 1978 | 65 | 74 |
| 1979 | 67 | 86 |
| 1980 | 100 | 100 |
| 1981 | 104 | 90 |
| 1982 | 108 | 89 |
| January-September 1983 | 115 | 86 |
| January-November 1983 | † | 86 |
| * Total visible trade | ||
| † Not available | ||
Sources: United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics"; Korea — "Monthly Statistics of Korea" and Japan "The Summary Report Trade of Japan."
Vehicle Imports And Exports
asked the Secretary of Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the EEC and for the rest of the world in 1970 and 1983 the numbers imported and exported, respectively, of (a) cars, (b) heavy commercial vehicles and (c) buses and coaches.
For details of trade in passenger motor cars in 1970, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to his previous questions on 23 November 1983 at column 161–4. the remaining information, so far as it can be provided within acceptable limits of cost, is as follows:
| (Numbers) | ||||
| European Community | Rest of World | |||
| United Kingdom Imports | United Kingdom Imports | United Kingdom Exports | United Kingdom Exports | |
| (a) Passenger motor cars: | ||||
| 1983 | 767,348 | 98,471 | 314,251 | 181,168 |
| (b) Public-service passenger vehicles: | ||||
| 1970 | 1,034 | 748 | 57 | 4,307 |
| 1983 | 1,557 | 326 | 85 | 6,143 |
Source: Data corresponding to (a) SITC (R2) Group 781 and tariff heading 8704–9100 (ex Sub-group 784.1) and (b) SITC (R2) sub-group 783.1 and (for 1970) SITC (R1) Sub-group 732.2 in the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.
Notes:
"Streamlining The Cities"
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many responses he has received to Cmnd. 9063; and if he will place a list of those responding in the Library.
I have received directly 30 representations on Cmnd. 9063. A list of the local authorities and major national organisations that have made direct representations has been placed in the Library.
Manufacturing (Outward Direct Investment)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the years 1981 to 1983 annual flows of outward direct investment in manufacturing corresponding to table 2 of the annex to his Department's memorandum dated December 1982 to the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the European Communities.
The information available is given in Table 3.3 of Business Monitor MA4 1981 a copy of which is in the Library. The data adjusted for the exceptional loan arrangements cannot be published because of disclosure.
Pirate Radios
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in cases where pirate radio stations have been fined for specific offences and then resume broadcasting, if Her Majesty's Government will seek to obtain injunctions against such operations.
Recourse to civil proceedings — which would require the approval of the Attorney-General — would not be appropriate unless prosecutions under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 had proved ineffective in preventing a particular offender continuing to broadcast without a licence.
North Tyneside (Special Development Status)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to remove special development status from all or part of the metropolitan district of north Tyneside.
The White Paper on "Regional Industrial Development" (Cmnd. 9111) announced the Government's intention to revise the assisted area map. It invited submissions, to be made by 31 May, not only on the coverage of the map but also on the criteria on which decisions to designate assisted areas should be based. Until the period of consultation is complete, the Government are not in a position to plan the future map.
British Telecom
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government have any plans to allow British Telecom, when it is sold, to offer its share for sale over the counter at post offices, and to offer its subscribers vouchers on the bottom of their telephone bills allowing them to purchase British Telecom shares at a preferential price.
The Government intend to seek to sell British Telecom shares widely at the time of flotation, but I am not yet in a position to announce details. The conduct of any share issue made after privatisation would be a matter for the company.
Environment
Rates And Rebates
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for 1983–84 (a) the total of rate rebates paid in each local authority in England, (b) the total of domestic rates paid in each authority and (c) rate rebates as a percentage of domestic rates paid in each authority, ranking authorities according to the percentage of their domestic rate income made by rate rebates.
I have today placed in the Library a table showing, for 1983–84, rate rebates including those paid with supplementary benefit, estimated domestic rates paid, and rate rebates as a percentage of domestic rates for all rating authorities in England.
Radioactive Discharges
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it has been necessary for the United
| 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | |
| All non-metropolitan districts | 13·0p | 15·3p | I8·7p | 19·5p | 19·7p |
| Southend borough council | 17·7p | 19·2p | 18·0p | 18·0p | 18·0p |
Notes:
Yacht Moorings (Rates)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the increase in local authorities' revenue if rates are levied on yacht moorings.
Moorings are currently liable to be assessed for rating purposes. However, many moorings effectively escape rating because valuation officers and rating authorities have difficulty in tracing the occupiers, on whom they must serve the appropriate notices. The
Kingdom Government to inform the Belgian Government of any incident involving radioactive discharges in the atmosphere or sea.
No.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it has been necessary for the United Kingdom Government to inform the Netherlands Government of any incident involving radioactive discharges in the atmosphere or sea.
No.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it has been necessary for the United Kingdom Government to inform the Government of the Irish Republic of any incident involving radioactive discharges in the atmosphere or sea.
No. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Spring, last week and was able to give assurances that the recent incident at Sellafield had not posed any threat to the Irish coast.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it has been necessary for the United Kingdom Government to inform the Government of the French Republic of any incident involving radioactive discharges in the atmosphere or sea.
No.
Rates
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the average rate poundages charged by borough and district councils in the most recent year for which figures are available and for each of the previous four years; and if he will supply the comparable figures for the Southend borough council.
The average local rate poundages for non-metropolitan borough and district councils and for Southend borough council are as follows:provisions contained in schedule 2 to the Rates Bill will enable valuation officers to treat a group of moorings as a single hereditament in the occupation of the owner. This will make it easier for valuation officers to raise assessments, and for rating authorities to collect rates on moorings. We have no estimates of the increase in local authority revenue that might result from this provision.
Animal Imports (Endangered Species)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the named destination of the dolphins imported under a licence from his Department on 21 December 1983.
The named destination was Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton, near Malton, North Yorkshire.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if any licences have been issued to import animals covered by the Endangered Species Act for commercial reasons.
| Year | Number of licences | Animals | Reasons | Destination stated on licence |
| 1979 | None | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 2 | 4 dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) | Trade | Trident House, Brook Mews, London |
| 1 dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Trade | Not stated | ||
| 1981 | 4 | 2 dolphins (Tursiops Gilli) | Zoo/trade | Not stated |
| 3 killer whales | Zoo/trade | Florida Dolphin Show, Clacton Pier, Essex | ||
| 2 dolphins* (Tursiops Gilli) | Trade | Not stated | ||
| 2 dolphins* (Tursiops truncatus) | Trade | Aquarium Entertainments Ltd., Brighton, Sussex | ||
| 1982 | 3 | 1 dolphin* (Tursiops truncatus) | Exhibition | Clacton Pier, Essex |
| 1 dolphin* (Tursiops truncatus) | Exhibition | Clacton Pier, Essex | ||
| 1 dolphin* (Tursiops truncatus) | Exhibition | Knowsley Safari Park, Knowsley | ||
| 1983 | 4 | 2 dolphins† (Tursiops truncatus) | Breeding and Exhibition | Knowsley Safari Park, Knowsley |
| 1 dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Breeding and Exhibition | Knowsley Safari Park, Knowsley | ||
| 2 dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) | Breeding and Exhibition | Flamingo Land, near Malton, North Yorks | ||
| 1 dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Breeding and Exhibition | Flamingo Land, near Malton, North Yorks | ||
| 1984 | None to date | |||
| *Licence not used. | ||||
| † Licence used only in part. | ||||
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources his Department has available to ensure that the conditions and purposes laid down for the issue of licences under the Endangered Species Act are fulfilled; and how such monitoring is carried Out.
Officials of my Department and of HM Customs and Excise undertake work to ensure that the conditions of licences are fulfilled. The Department makes use of a team of wildlife inspectors for some aspects of enforcement work and also appoints specialist inspectors to report on the accommodation provided for certain live animals.
Waste Disposal
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Institute of Wastes Management has supported his proposals to abolish the present waste disposal authority for Greater London.
The Institute of Wastes Management, in its response to the Government's
Yes, in cases where it has been concluded following consultation with the Nature Conservancy Council that, subject to appropriate conditions, trade can take place in a particular species without threatening its survival.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences under the Endangered Species Act for the import of cetacea have been issued in each of the past five years; for what animals; for what reasons; and for what destinations.
The information requested is given in the following table:consultation paper "Streamlining the Cities: Waste Disposal", has commented that it considers a joint board for waste regulation and disposal the most satisfactory option on abolition of the GLC. Its views will be taken into account by the Government along with those of other bodies.
Glass
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to include the thickness and toughness of glass in the building regulations in relation to the British Standards Institute BS6262 code of practice.
I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the right hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Freeson) on 7 December 1983 at c. 152.
Glazing
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Sir B. Braine), 23 June, Official Report, c. 1384, what was the result of the consultation on building regulations in relation to the glazing in risk and non-risk areas.
My right hon. Friend is carrying out a series of public consultations about the future form and content of the Building Regulations. He hopes to be able to lay before the House a new set of regulations later this year.
Local Government Reform
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he is making to the Greater Manchester council's suggestion in response to his proposal to abolish the council that he should commission an independent inquiry to investigate the present structure and finance of local government and to submit detailed costed proposals for any change; and if he will make a statement.
We do not believe an inquiry is necessary.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a White Paper on the Government's proposals for local government reform when he has had a chance to consider all the representations received on his consultative document.
No.
Commons Land (Mitcham)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the conservators appointed under the Metropolitan Commons (Mitcham) Supplementary Act 1891 have carried out their duties under section 16, in view of the current notices to residents to redesign part of the common.
I have no information on what works the conservators propose to undertake. If my hon. Friend will let me have details, including a copy of the notice, I will consider whether it would be appropriate for me to express any view on this matter.
Shared Ownership Programme
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether provision will be made for the do-it-yourself shared ownership programme in the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1984–85; and whether he will make a statement.
The Housing Corporation has given consent for nearly 3,000 sales under the DIYSO scheme, but the funds available under the initial programme launched in January last year were fully committed at an early stage. Useful lessons have been learned from the original scheme which proved to be a popular and effective way of providing home ownership to those on low incomes. The DIYSO procedures are being reviewed, but I regret that resources available for the Housing Corporation next year will not allow the scheme to be funded for 1984–85.
The Arts
Subsidy
asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what the subsidy was per head, resulting from the Arts Council's expenditure in 1982–83 in (a) Great Britain, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Scotland.
[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1984, c. 380–81]: The figures were:
| £ | |
| Great Britain | 1·67 |
| England | 1·58 |
| Scotland | 2·09 |
| Wales | 2·38 |
Civil Service
Union Membership
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what regulations have been made, or instruction given, under article 4 of the Civil Service Order in Council 1982; when and in what manner; and, if not by statutory instrument, by what means and when and in what manner they were published.
The main instructions are consolidated in the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code and brought up to date from time to time. The date of the most recent revision is given at the foot of the relevant page. These are supplemented by occasional ad hoc instructions and guidance to Departments. A copy of the code is in the Library of the House.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will set out in the Official Report the contents of any regulations made or instructions given under article 4 of the Civil Service Order 1982 concerning membership of trade unions by employees at Government communications headquarters.
The instructions were confirmed formally in a letter of 7 February from the Head of the Home Civil Service to the director of the Government communications headquarters. The text was as follows:
"I am writing to confirm that the Prime Minister, as Minister for the Civil Service, in pursuance of Article 4 of the Civil Service Order in Council 1982 has given instructions that the conditions of service under which civil servants are employed as members of the staff of the Government Communications Headquarters shall be varied so as to provide that such civil servants shall not be members of any trade union other than a departmental staff association approved by yourself.
Existing members of the staff at GCHQ shall be given such period of time as you think fit in which to determine whether or not they are prepared to continue to serve at GCHQ under the conditions of service as so varied.
You should make such changes in your staff regulations and take such other ancillary and consequential steps as may be necessary to give effect to these instructions."
European Community
Budget Rebate
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps he intends to take to secure the 1982 rebate payment of £42,000,000 which the EEC defaulted upon on 31 December, following the Commission's reply to his letter of 3 January.
I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend on 22 February to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher).
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Nazi War Criminals
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the resolution passed by the Assembly of the European Communities over the Nazi war criminal Rauff, he will be meeting the Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany to see what joint action can be taken to ensure that the terms of the resolution are put into effect; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to seek a meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany specifically for this purpose. We would, however, be content for Rauff's case to be discussed with the Germans and our other European Community partners within the framework of European political cooperation.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many letters have been received by his Department over requests for Her Majesty's Government's assistance for the Nazi war criminal, Rauff, to be brought to justice.
Since concern about Rauff revived last year, three letters specifically about him have been received from members of the public, as well as two letters dealing more generally with Nazi war criminals. The hon. Member has written four letters about Rauff to Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office over the same period.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is to be undertaken by Her Majesty's Government over the Nazi war criminal Rauff, arising from the resolution of the Assembly of the European Communities.
I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave today to his other questions.
French Road Blockade (British Drivers)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure the personal safety of British lorry drivers who are affected by the French road blockade.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave in the House yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Surbiton (Mr. Tracey).
El Salvador (Elections)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have taken any decision as to whether to send observers to the elections in El Salvador to he held on 25 March.
My right hon. and learned Friend expects to be able to announce a decision soon.
Education And Science
Health Education
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking, in view of the findings of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey "Smoking among Secondary Schoolchildren", published 14 September 1983, to increase the quantity and effectiveness of health education in schools about smoking and its health hazards; and if he will make a statement.
Schools are already well aware of their role in this field, and the great majority of secondary schools and a number of primary schools provide education about smoking and health. The Government are considering what further action might be taken in the light of the recent OPCS survey.
Universities (Staff Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give figures for total university staff at the latest available date broken down into the categories of academic, academic-related and nonacademic staff.
The following information relates to universities in the United Kingdom for the academic year 1982–83. It includes those staff who are not wholly financed from university funds.
| Full-time | Part-time | |
| Academic staff | 43,083 | 2,371 |
| Academic related staff | 9,375 | 471 |
| Non-academic | 35,400 | 14,800 |
Employment
Job Losses
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs were lost in 1983 in the textile, clothing, shoe, ceramic, hand tool, luggage, and other industries.
Information about job losses and job gains is not available from the Department's statistics, but an indication of the net changes can be seen by comparing the levels of employees in employment at different dates. The following table gives, for Great Britain, the provisional changes in the numbers of employees in employment between December 1982 and December 1983.Figures are given for textiles, clothing, footwear and ceramic goods as defined by the 1980 standard industrial classification. Separate statistics for hand tools and luggage are not available.
| Change December 1982—December 1983 | |
| Changes | |
| Textiles (SIC class 43) | -1,700 |
| Changes | |
| Clothing, hats and gloves and fur goods (SIC groups 453 and 456) | + 2,300 |
| Footwear (SIC group 451) | + 1,300 |
| Ceramic goods (SIC AH 2489) | + 1,900 |
Training Opportunities Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost per training opportunities scheme course place at the Castle Bromwich skillcentre, Birmingham; and what is the cost for a similar course provided at a college of further education.
In 1983–84 the average cost of a place under the training opportunities scheme at Castle Bromwich skillcentre, excluding allowances paid to trainees, was £122 per week.The cost varies widely for different courses, most of which in this case are not provided at local colleges of further education, so comparisons based on averages for each institution are not meaningful.
Self-Employed Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of self-employed people in the United Kingdom for each of the years 1960, 1970, 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available.
The available estimates are given in the table:
| Self-employed persons in the United Kingdom | |
| June | Thousand |
| 1960* | 1,766 |
| 1970 | 2,014 |
| 1979 | 1,903 |
| 1981 | 2,118 |
| * As the method of estimation has changed, the figure for 1960 is not strictly comparable with those for later years. | |
Wages Councils
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions there have been over the last three years against employers in the west midlands who have broken wages council agreements.
None.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors are employed to enforce wages councils agreements in the west midlands.
The Wages Inspectorate in the west midlands currently has 10 outdoor inspector posts.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the responsibility of wages councils to cover schoolchildren aged under 16 years.
Wages councils are already empowered to set legal minimum rates of pay and other terms and conditions of employment for schoolchildren under the age of 16 years.
Dyestuffs Industry (Bladder Cancer)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what kind of records about bladder cancer in the dyestuffs industry have been kept since 1954; if there has been any change in the practice of keeping such records; how many follow-up surveys have been made; and if he will make a statement.
Bladder cancer has been a prescribed industrial disease since 1953. Statistics of the numbers of people with this condition qualifying for industrial injury or disabledment benefit have been compiled from 1953 when the disease was prescribed until April 1983 when industrial injury benefit was abolished. The figures relate to all persons occupationally exposed to specified substances but do not provide separate information for the dyestuffs industry.Following the abolition of industrial injury benefit, the Health and Safety Commission has published a consultative document setting out proposals for revised arrangements for the reporting of accidents, ill-health and dangerous occurrences at work.A study of bladder cancer carried out by Dr. R. A. M. Case for the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers was completed in 1952, but Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate continued to update the records of persons identified in the survey until 1960. The executive is not aware of any subsequent follow-up surveys.
Jobcentres
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobcentres there are; and if he will list them, giving the population and area covered for each.
There are currently 992 jobcentres. I shall write separately to my hon. Friend with a comprehensive list of their locations and the population of each jobcentre area. Details of the geographical areas covered by every jobcentre could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Leicester
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates is the number of people covered by the Leicester travel-to-work area.
It is estimated that in April 1981, 464,000 people lived in the Leicester travel-to-work area.
Industrial Tribunals
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the failure rate of claims before industrial tribunals, he will introduce legislation to increase the protection given to dismissed employees.
No. The "failure rate" reflects the tribunals' judgment as to the merits of individual complaints and not the adequacy of the legislation.
Average Earnings
asked the Secretaray of State for Employment what are the average earnings for males by standard industrial trade classification order in Scotland.
The latest figures are for full-time male employees aged 21 and over in the new earnings survey for April 1983, and are published in tables 118 and 119 of the report, "New Earnings Survey 1983, Part E", a copy of which is in the Library.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the average manual and non-manual weekly earnings of males in Scotland; and what percentage earn less than £100 gross per week.
The latest figures are for full-time male employees aged 21 and over in the new earnings survey for April 1983, and are published in table 12 of the report. "New Earnings Survey 1983, Part A", a copy of which is in the Library.
Manufacturing (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) to what extent the figures for the increase in earnings in manufacturing take account of the changes in the number of part-time and unskilled jobs; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the effect of this factor on the index;(2) to what extent the figures for the increase in earnings in manufacturing take account of the changes in the number of low-paid jobs in labour-intensive industries.
The monthly index of average earnings for manufacturing is based on the average earnings of those currently employed and will, therefore, reflect changes in the numbers of various categories of employees, including those working part-time or in unskilled and low-paid occupations. The information available from the monthly survey on which the index is based does not enable to be distinguished.Changes in average earnings for particular categories of employee in manufacturing, including full-time and part-time employees and occupations requiring various levels of skills and receiving different levels of pay, are given in the report on the new earnings survey, the latest of which relates to April 1983 and is available in the Library.
Wales
Archaeological Sites
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the sites of archaeological interest in Wales which have been threatened by development schemes; and which of these he has given directions to safeguard.
There are many sites of varying degrees of archaeological interest in Wales, not all of which have been scheduled by my right hon. Friend. However, where scheduled ancient monuments are concerned—that is sites designated as being of national importance and listed accordingly — a statutory procedure known as "scheduled monument consent" operates and approval is necessary prior to any works being carried out which might destroy, damage or otherwise affect such monuments.
Since applications for such consent were first received in 1982, consent has been sought for development purposes on 32 occasions. In 24 cases approval was given subject to conditions designed to either ensure the preservation of the monument or to allow an excavation or watching brief to be carried out for recording purposes. In eight cases consent was refused or the works otherwise averted.
A list of these cases is as follows:
Applications Granted, Subject To Conditions
Clwyd
- Pinfold Pottery.—Road Development.
- Site of Norman Borough, Rhuddlan. — Erection of Agricultural Dwellings.
Dyfed
- Llandovery Roman Fort.—Installation of overflow pipe from reservoir.
- St. Elvis Burial Chamber. —Construction of granular access to sewage works.
Gwent
- Abergavenny Castle. —Rerouting and replacement of collapsed sewerage pipe.
- Caerleon Legionary Fortress. — Small extension to school.
- Caerleon Legionary Fortress.—Extension to Legionary Museum.
- Caldicot Castle.—Renewal of gas main.
- Crick Earthworks.—Erection of bungalow.
- Llanthony Abbey.—New water main.
Gwynedd
- Caer Gai Roman Site.—Extension to existing building.
- Colwyn Castle.—Erection of sheep shelter.
- Conwy Castle. — Repairs and alteration to adjoining house.
- Druis-y-Coed Copper Mines. —Construction of sheep handling pens.
- Pen-y-Gaer Camp.—Renovation of derelict building for storage purposes.
- Welsh Slate Museum.—Surfacing of slate waste to form car park.
Mid Glamorgan
- Bridgend Old Stone Bridge. —Works connected with flood alleviation scheme.
- Coity Castle.—Extension to adjoining cottage.
Powys
- Caerau Roman Site.—Erection of silo, barn and cattle shed.
- Cwrt Llechyd Earthworks. — Filling in of moat to facilitate industrial expansion.
- Brecon Gaer.—Construction of agricultural buildings.
- Llanmynech Hill Camp.—Extension to golf club.
- Llwyn Bryn Dinas Camp.—Widening of farm road.
South Glamorgan
- Nil.
West Glamorgan
- Neath Roman Fort.—Installation of gas pipeline.
Applications Refused Or Otherwise Averted
Clwyd
- Denbigh Castle.—Housing development.
Dyfed
- Llanstephan Castle. — Installation of VHF television relay station.
- Meini Gwyr.—Erection of bungalow and bus garage.
Gwent
- Great Bulmore Roman Site. — Erection of farmhouse and dairy unit.
Gwynedd
- Conwy Castle.—Extension to adjoining house.
- Segontium Roman Fort.—Construction of underground chamber for water meter.
- Segontium Roman Fort.—Mobile unit for classroom.
Mid Glamorgan
- Nil.
Powys
- Nil.
South Glamorgan
- Nil.
West Glamorgan
- Siemens Laboratory.—Demolition of structure.
Prefabricated Houses (Mortgages)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will hold discussions with building societies concerning their decision not to grant mortgages to owners seeking to sell prefabricated reinforced concrete houses built before 1960; and what guidance he is proposing to give to local authorities and owners over this matter.
My Department, together with the Department of the Environment and the Scottish Office, is already engaged in discussions with the Building Societies Association in the context of the Government's proposals to assist owners of defective houses bought from the public sector. But it is for the prospective mortgagee to decide in each individual case whether a mortgage should be advanced on the security of a particular dwelling. The technical reports published by the Building Research Establishment on 10 November last year on six types of prefabricated reinforced concrete houses should assist local authorities, owners and building societies in dealing with the problems which have arisen.
Defence
Drug Abuse
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any cases of drug abuse have been reported among United Kingdom or United States personnel working at the Greenham common base.
Earlier this month there were seven cases of drug abuse reported amongst USAF personnel at RAF Greenham common. All those involved were in non-sensitive clerical posts. There have been no cases associated with United Kingdom personnel at the base.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States service men at Greenham common have been returned to the United States of America because of drug taking; and if he will make a statement.
I shall answer shortly.
Consultancies
asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list in the Official Report(a) the names of the consultancies operating within his Department, (b) their terms of reference, (c) the approximate dates of submitting their reports and (d) whether they will be published as open Government documents; and if he will set up an inquiry into the use of consultants in his Department;(2) if he will list the consultancies operating within the royal ordnance factories, together with their terms of reference and cost.
The majority of MOD consultancy work is in furtherance of individual defence scientific or technical programmes, and on which detailed information is not readily available centrally. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
Submarines And Ships
asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many submarines and surface vessels built for the Royal Navy and foreign and commonwealth navies at his Department's specification at Scott Lithgow and other British shipyards in the past 15 years had, in some degree, to be redesigned or re-equipped because of faulty equipment supplied by outside contractors;(2) how many submarines and surface vessels built for the Royal Navy and foreign and commonwealth navies at Scott Lithgow and other British shipyards in the past 15 years had, in some degree, to be redesigned or re-equipped as a result of faulty design or specifications for which his Department was responsible;(3) what has been the estimated cost of rectifying design and specification faults in the construction of vessels constructed for the Royal Navy over the past 15 years;(4) in how many cases the completion of submarines or surface vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies was delayed for
(a) three months, (b) six months, (c) 12 months, (d) 18 months and (e) 24 months, respectively, due to faulty equipment and design for which his Department was responsible;
(5) to what extent the operational capability of the Royal Navy has been impaired during the past 15 years because of the need to correct errors in design and specification of submarines and surface ships commissioned by the Royal Navy.
The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Ss20 Missiles
asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) SS20 warheads and (b) SS20 launchers he estimates are currently deployed;(2) how many operational SS20 missiles there were at the latest available date.
There are currently 378 SS20 launchers deployed. Each missile has three warheads, giving a total of 1,134 warheads.
Animals (Experiments)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any experimental programmes on animals are carried out on a joint basis with the United States authorities in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America and (c) elsewhere in the world.
No. In the normal course of business establishments may discuss programmes with colleagues overseas. Establishments do not, however, undertake joint programmes involving the use of animals.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many rhesus monkeys have been killed in experiments at Porton Down over the past five years; and what was the nature of the experiments.
131 rhesus monkeys have been used in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down over the past five years. They were used in experiments connected with the chemical defence programme.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments on animals have been carried out in the past five years to test the effectiveness of biological weapons; and what species of animals were involved.
No experiments are conducted on animals to test the effectiveness of biological, or any other weapons.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments on animals have been carried out in the past five years to test the effectiveness of nerve gas; and what species of animal were involved.
No experiments are conducted on animals to test the effectiveness of nerve gas, or any other weapons.
Humans (Experiments)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what experiments on humans have been carried out at Porton Down.
For many years service personnel have participated in experiments at CDE Porton Down. All involved are volunteers, and are made aware beforehand of the nature of the experiments. Tests are carefully controlled and great care is taken to ensure the health and well-being of volunteers. These experiments make a vital contribution to CDE's work in ensuring the protection of our forces against the threat of chemical attack.
Ships (Cable Faults)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first aware of the faults in designs and specifications of cables for vessels constructed for the Royal Navy.
I assume that the hon. Gentleman's question refers to recent publicity regarding HMS Challenger. This Department first became aware of the problems arising from the faulty installation of wiring on board the ship in January 1983.
Military Bands
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many military bands are currently maintained by the armed services; what is the current annual cost; and how many personnel are involved in each total.
The information requested is as follows:
| £ million | |||
| Service | Number of bands | Number of personnel | Current annual cost |
| Royal Marines | 9 | 418 | 8·1 |
| Service | Number of bands | Number of personnel | Current annual cost |
| RAF | 5 | 266 | 2·85 |
| Army | 78 | *2,500 | 25·4 |
| * Approximate. | |||
Energy
Opencast Coal Sites
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the transfer to local authorities of planning responsibility for National Coal Board opencast coal sites.
At present, the NCB applies to the Secretary of State for Energy for authorisation of opencast coal sites under section 1 of the Opencast Coal Act 1958 and for deemed planning permission under section 2. The White Paper "Coal and the Environment"—Cmnd. 8877 — made clear the Government's intention to transfer responsibility for deciding NCB opencast coal applications from the Secretary of State for Energy to local authorities This will provide local authorities with increased opportunities to influence the choice of opencast sites in the forward programme of the NCB and to ensure that account can be taken of planning considerations relevant to their areas.It is the Government's intention to effect this transfer by legislating to bring NCB opencast applications within the normal minerals planning machinery. The role of my Department in authorising opencast applications will then cease. Thereafter all opencast coal applications will be determined by mineral planning authorities — or in Scotland normally by district or general planning authorities — with appeals and call-ins of applications decided by the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Scotland or Wales, as appropriate. Consultations will take place shortly on the Government's legislative proposals. The objective will be to bring NCB opencast planning procedures as far as possible into line with those for other minerals, including licensed opencast coal working.In the meantime, following consultations with the local authority associations, the NCB and other interested parties, the Government are to introduce transitional arrangements as from 1 March 1984. These will enable local authorities to determine as far as practicable all applications for opencast sites until the necessary amending legislation is enacted. Under these arrangements, the NCB will submit an application for planning permission to the local planning authority. In England and Wales the application will then be passed to the mineral planning authority for determination. In Scotland, planning applications, including those relating to minerals, are normally submitted to and determined by the district or general planning authority. If planning permission is granted, the NCB will then apply to the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Scotland or Wales, as appropriate, for an authorisation under section 1 of the Opencast Coal Act 1958. This will normally be granted unless there are outstanding objections as defined in paragraph 7 of schedule 1 to the Opencast Coal Act 1958, in which case a public inquiry will need to be held.If planning permission is refused or the conditions are considered unacceptable by the NCB, the board will need to decide whether to appeal to the relevant Secretary of State, under either section 36 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 or section 33 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972. Should the NCB decide to appeal, it will at the same time apply for an authorisation. This will enable concurrent public inquiries to be held into the appeal against the refusal of planning permission—or against the conditions — and into any remaining statutory objections against the application for authorisation. The two applications will then be decided by the relevant Secretary of State in the light of the report of the inspector or reporter, as appropriate, and after consultation with my Department.Full details of the transitional arrangements, together with further guidance on opencast working, will be issued to local authorities and the industry shortly by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Scotland and Wales.My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will shortly put before Parliament proposals in relation to the security of tenure of agricultural tenants on new NCB opencast sites. Such tenants are at present provided with protection under the Opencast Coal Act 1958. My right hon. Friend's proposals would ensure the continuance of that security of tenure which would otherwise be removed whenever normal planning permission is granted under the transitional arrangements.
Transport
Railway Electrification
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what conveniently available figures he has as to the number of miles of British Rail track that have been electrified since May 1979.
British Rail has electrified 245 track miles since May 1979. In addition, the Government have also approved the electrification of further services.
Archway Road Inquiry
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the names of people who have attended the pre-Archway road inquiry meetings which have been taken at such meetings are passed on to his Department.
It is the usual practice at public inquiries to circulate an attendance list for those present to sign if they wish. The list enables the inspector to know who is present and the Department—which has a copy of the list—to contact participants to advise them of any relevant matter, such as changes in the inquiry arrangements.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on obtaining information from the police in connection with the Archway road inquiry.
I have no such policy.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether any other road scheme, like the Archway road motorway, has had more than three inquiries.
The Archway scheme is not a motorway. We have identified four schemes on which more than three public inquiries have been held. They were:—
M25 Leatherhead to Reigate:
- 2 Line Order Inquiries
- 2 Side Road and Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiries
M25 Chertsey to Wisley:
- 2 Line Order Inquiries
- 2 Side Road and Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiries
M25 Thorpe to Chertsey:
- 1 Line Order Inquiry
- 3 Side Road and Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiries
M27 Chilworth to Hedge End:
- 2 Line Order Inquiries
- 3 Side Road and Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiries
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria were used in the appointment of the inspector at the Archway road inquiry.
The inspectors appointed to conduct trunk road inquiries are nominated by the Lord Chancellor and the choice of inspector in individual cases is a matter for him.
Lf912 (Vehicle Passengers, Pedestrians And Pedal Cyclists)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will invite the Transport and Road Research Laboratory to expand the third table in LF 912 issue 2 to include vehicle passengers, pedestrians and pedal cyclists.
I have asked the Transport and Road Research Laboratory to expand the third table in LF912 issue 2 to include data for passengers, pedestrians and pedal cyclists as well as drivers and riders.I understand that comparable data for all of these groups are currently available for the period from 1974 to 1981, with provisional figures for 1982, and I am making arrangements for this information to be published as soon as possible.
"Streamlining The Cities"
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses he has received to Cmnd. 9063; and if he will place a list of those responding in the Library.
I have received directly 327 representations on Cmnd. 9063 and on the two associated consultation papers issued by my Department. I am arranging for a list of the local authorities and major national organisations which have made representations to be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Computerised Information
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state in relation to the computer system of the driver and vehicle licensing centre in Swansea (a) the purpose or purposes for which personal data are held (b) the source or sources from which data are obtained, (c) a description of any person or organisations to whom personal data have been disclosed, including the number of such disclosures over the last convenient period of time, (d) the departments that have or intend to have terminal access to the computer system, and (e) a list of the indices held on the computer system and the number of entries in each index.
The information is as follows:
(a) The vehicle licensing and registration records are held for the collection of vehicle excise duty and for the enforcement of vehicle excise and road traffic legislation. Driving licence records are held to enable correct driving licences to be issued and to record details of endorsements and disqualifications to aid the enforcement of road traffic law.
(b) Personal data held on the vehicle computer file come direct from the keeper of the vehicle. Personal data held on the driver licensing register come from the driver, the police, the courts and other Department of Transport offices.
(c) Regulations made under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 require that information from the vehicles record must be released to the police and to local authorities for use in connection with an offence. The name and address of the registered keeper of the vehicle must also be made available to those who can show "reasonable cause" for their inquiry (generally matters relating directly to the use of the vehicle). Release of the information from the drivers' register is permitted only for purposes directly related to driver licensing, road safety and enforcement. Both registers are used to assist in the prevention or detection of crime.
In 1983 there were about 5 million disclosures from the vehicles register and about 1·3 million from the drivers' register.
(d) There is no terminal access to the present DVLC computer system. The Police National Computer holds a shortened copy of the vehicles register and a list of disqualified drivers. Only the police have access to these files. The DVLC computers are, however, being replaced and restricted terminal access to records will shortly begin to be available internally. There are at present no plans to allow terminal access from outside DVLC.
(e) The registers held on the DVLC computer system with number of entries as at 1 January 1984 is as follows:
Number
| |
| Vehicles register | 33,193,00 |
| Goods vehicles list | 480,000 |
| Drivers register | 36,752,000 |
Line And Side Road Orders
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list his powers to revoke existing line and side road orders.
In the case of trunk roads section 10 of the Highways Act 1980 empowers the Secretary of State to revoke line orders, and Sections 14 and 326 together empower him to revoke side road orders. In the case of special roads Section 16 of the same Act empowers him to revoke line orders and Sections 18 and 326 together empower him to revoke side road orders.Such revocations are accomplished by the making of revocation orders, which are subject to the same statutory procedures as line and side road orders, including the need to hold a public inquiry in certain circumstances.
A40 (Crossing Arrangements)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has anything to add to the answer by the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Ealing, North on 17 February concerning arrangements for crossing the A40.
If my hon. Friend has a particular point in mind, perhaps he could write to me.
French Road Blockade
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to protect the road haulage industry from the effects of the French road blockade.
We are in continuous contact with the French Government. My right hon. Friend has spoken to the French Minister of Transport. We attach the highest importance to the removal of obstacles to the free movement of goods by road, including those at the root of the present action.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the extent of the losses being sustained by British transport organisations whose lorries are trapped in consequence of the disruptive action by French lorry drivers; and what guidance he can give to such firms about action they can take to obtain compensation for the business losses involved.
It is too early to assess the extent of these losses. The Government will support claims for compensation made by United Kingdom firms to the French authorities.
Northern Ireland
Convicted Persons
1.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were found guilty of an offence and sent to prison in Northern Ireland in the last year.
1,805 people were found guilty of an offence and sent to prison in Northern Ireland in 1983.
Maghaberry Prison
14.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to commission the Maghaberry prison.
It is not possible accurately to forecast the opening date. The main building programme at Her Majesty's prison, Maghaberry, has been completed but some security-related work remains to be done. In addition, a detailed review will be carried out to assess what further work is necessary as a result of the Hennessy report on the security arrangements at Her Majesty's prison, Maze.
Teenage Girls
17.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration is being given to providing alternative accommodation for teenage girls who are in need of care and attention rather than imprisonment.
Imprisonment is not an option available to the juvenile court in a case where a young person is deemed to be in need of care. Children and young people, who are judged by the juvenile court to be in need of care, protection or control, may at present be placed in the care of a health and social services board, or any other person, under a fit person order or may be made the subject of a training school order.
Youth Training Programme
18.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when, and to what level, he intends to raise the present allowance of £25 per week paid to trainees on the youth training programme.
The allowance for youth training programme trainees in Northern Ireland is the same as that payable under the youth training scheme in Great Britain. There are no immediate plans to increase it.
Local Enterprise Agencies
19.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many local enterprise agencies have been established in Northern Ireland.
There are no official figures available on the number of local enterprise agencies in Northern Ireland, but I am aware that upwards of 30 have been established and are actively operating in the Province.
Maze Prison
20.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review the duty hours of all members of the prison service within Her Majesty's Prison, Maze.
A review of the attendance system for the Northern Ireland prison service is under way.
Republic Of Ireland (Meeting)
21.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Ireland.
I expect to meet Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Ireland on future occasions within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council to discuss matters of common concern.
Security
22.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley) earlier today.
Assembly
23.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are his future intentions for the Northern Ireland Assembly.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) earlier today.
Constitution (Government Policy)
24.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statements in the last month he has made about the unlikelihood of a united Ireland in the foreseeable future.
During a BBC radio programme on 31 January I repeated my view that the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland to Irish unity is not likely to be forthcoming within the forseeable future.
Stock-Car Racing (Dunmore)
25.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if public money has been spent on membership and licence fees for young west Belfast drivers participating at Dunmore stadium short circuit stock-car racing.
Membership and licence fees amounting to approximately £280 per annum are paid by Extern, a voluntary organisation, for the participation at Dunmore stadium of those young people engaged in its west Belfast auto project. The Extern organisation receives grant-aid from Government Departments towards the running costs of the auto project.
Prisons (Security)
26.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further measures he will be taking to tighten up security at Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland.
As my right hon. Friend has already announced, a number of improvements in security at the Maze were made in the immediate aftermath of the escape from that prison and he has accepted all the recommendations of Sir James Hennessy's report. A special team has been appointed to ensure that they are implemented as soon as possible. The application of recommendations to other establishments is being examined and action will be taken as a matter of urgency wherever changes are appropriate. I and my right hon. Friend will keep closely in touch with progress.
Loyalist Prisoners (Lost Remission)
27.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total amount of lost remission accrued by Loyalist prisoners who started protesting in Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland after the ending of the Irish Republican Army hunger strike in 1981.
I regret that this information is not readily available. However, I should inform the House that those engaged on the Loyalist protest at Her Majesty's prison Maze informed the governor yesterday that they have ended their action and wish to be regarded as conforming prisoners. Those who took part in the protest from October 1982 until yesterday's development will have lost about six months' remission.
Housing Grants
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each of the last two years on advertising repair, intermediate, and improvement grants; and what is the budget for the current year.
I am advised by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that £75 was spent in 1981–82 and £34,690 in 1982–83; in view of the high level of demand for grants produced by the 1982–83 advertising campaign, it was not considered necessary to incur any such expenditure in the current financial year.
Homeless People
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimate of the number of homeless people in (a) Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland.
Current information in the form requested is not available at present, but a working group on the problem of the homeless has been set up to establish:
Housing Executive Office, Cregagh
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive of the proposed district office to be built at South Bank Greenaway, Cregagh.
I understand from the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that no decision has been reached on whether or not to build a new district office in the Cregagh area and no attempt has been made to cost such a building.
Empty Houses
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many houses owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the area covered by the constituency of Newry and Armagh are vacant at the current time;(2) how many houses owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the Armagh city district area are unoccupied at the present time;(3) how many houses owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the Newry town area are unoccupied at the present time;(4) how many houses owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in Forkhill. Crossmaglen, Camlough, Newtownhamilton, Mullaghbawn, Cullyhanna, Silver-bridge and Bessbrook are unoccupied at the present time.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I understand from the chairman that the information requested is as follows:
| Unoccupied Houses (excluding those in Redevelopment Areas) at 31 January 1984 | |
| Area | Numbers |
| Constituency of Newry and Armagh | 156 |
| Armagh city district | 33 |
| Area | Numbers |
| Newry town | 113 |
| Forkhill | None |
| Crossmaglen | 1 |
| Camlough | None |
| Newtonhamilton | None |
| Mullaghbawn | None |
| Cullyhanna | None |
| Silverbridge | None |
| Bessbrook | 3 |
Supplementary Benefit (Appeals)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many supplementary benefit claims disallowed by the Antrim local office have been allowed on appeal.
During 1983 a total of 61 decisions to disallow claims for supplementary benefit at Antrim social security office were allowed on appeal, 48 by benefit officers and 13 by the supplementary benefit appeal tribunal.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many supplementary benefit claims disallowed by the Newtownabbey local office, have, on appeal, been allowed.
During 1983 a total of 49 decisions to disallow claims for supplementary benefit at Newtownabbey social security office were allowed on appeal, 30 by benefit officers and 19 by the supplementary benefit appeal tribunal.
Plastic Bullets
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many policemen in the Royal Ulster Constabulary have been subjected to internal disciplinary procedures for their use of plastic bullets.
Disciplinary charges arising from alleged breaches of force orders governing the handling and use of riot guns have been preferred against four officers, of whom three were acquitted. Records are not maintained centrally of minor disciplinary action taken at divisional level against RUC officers and information about such action could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
Council House Sales
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on advertising the sales of publicly owned houses to tenants in each of the last two years; and what is the budget for the current year.
This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I understand from the chairman that the executive has not considered it necessary to spend money on advertising this policy which has been well publicised in the news media, by the publication of explanatory leaflets, and by direct contact with tenants.
Kidney Patients
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the treatment rate per million for new end stage renal failure patients by home dialysis, hospital dialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and transplant for Northern Ireland and for each health authority; what is the estimated length of life for end stage renal failure patients who receive none of the above treatment; if he will give the estimated number of deaths from end stage renal failure in each of the above authorities which could have been avoided if such treatment had been provided; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to his reply, 21 February 1984, c. 516–17]: The treatment of end stage renal failure in Northern Ireland is a regional service based at the Belfast city hospital.The number of new patients treated in the 12 months to 30 November 1983 was 46, equivalent to a rate of 31 per million population. Information is not held centrally for the number of new patients by type of treatment. However, the number of patients on dialysis at that date was as follows:
| Number | |
| Home dialysis | 1 |
| Hospital dialysis | 57 |
| Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis | nil |
Local Government (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by how much the number of all local government officials has risen or fallen since 1979; and by how much, taking into account inflation, aggregate local government spending has risen in money and percentage terms.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 February 1984, c. 723]: In Northern Ireland the number increased by 768–9·5 per cent.—between April 1979 and April 1983; aggregate outturn expenditure by district councils in 1982–83 was £15·4 million—18·1 per cent.—above that in 1978–79, both figures expressed at 1982–83 prices using the gross domestic product deflator which measures the general rate of inflation in the economy.
Social Services
Water Rate Bills (Assistance)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Scotland have been able to get social security assistance with the payment of their water bills even though they receive benefits on account of their exceptional and financial circumstances.
Help with water charges is given through the supplementary benefit scheme in Scotland in the same way as in England and Wales, that the amount of water charges payable is taken into account in the supplementary benefit assessment.The following figures show the number of householders in Scotland who were receiving supplementary benefit for each of the last four years up to the latest available date.
| August | thousand |
| 1980 | 221 |
| 1981 | 247 |
| 1982 | 276 |
| 1983 | 286 |
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants in Scotland have received single payments for draughtproofing and fuel debt, respectively.
In the year to December 1982, about 50,000 single payments of supplementary benefit were made in Scotland for fuel bills. No reliable estimate can be made of the small number of payments given for draughtproofing materials.
Housing Benefit Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost of a local officer grade II in his Department and the equivalent grade of officer working on the new housing benefit scheme; and what is the estimated number of jobs lost in his Department with the introduction of the housing benefit scheme.
The full annual cost of a local officer II in DHSS in 1983–84 is estimated to be £11,100. No comparable information is available on the cost of an equivalent local authority officer; 2,445 posts were saved through the introduction of the housing benefit scheme.
Kidney Treatment
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures available of the number of patients awaiting kidney transplant for each regional health authority; and what is the average waiting time for each authority.
Following are the numbers of patients reported to the United Kingdom transplant service as awaiting a kidney transplant on 20 February 1984:
| Number of waiting list | |
| Region | Number |
| Northern | 230 |
| Yorkshire | 93 |
| Trent | 181 |
| East Anglian | 58 |
| North West Thames | 141 |
| North East Thames | 380 |
| *South East Thames | 388 |
| *South East Thames | |
| Wessex | 83 |
| Oxford | 99 |
| Region | Number |
| South Western | 123 |
| West Midlands | 166 |
| Mersey | 95 |
| North Western | 143 |
| * A combined service is provided for the South East and the South West Thames regions. | |
Note: Information on average waiting times in individual regions is not available. The available national figures were given in my reply to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 2 February 1984.—[ Official Report Vol 53, c. 349].
Old People (Heating)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has any plans this winter to safeguard old people against cold weather and to supply heating to all homes where old people live.
The Government are doing a great deal to help poor people generally to afford adequate heating. Supplementary benefit scale rates have more than kept pace with increase in the cost of living and heating additions, given to those who need extra warmth, including 90 per cent. of pensioners on supplementary benefit, have increased in value by 140 per cent. since November 1978 compared with a rise in fuel prices of about 100 per cent.Supplementary pensioners who need them may qualify for extra payments for space heaters, bedding and hot water bottles, draught-proofing materials, and hot water tank lagging jackets.Pensioners on low incomes can also qualify for 90 per cent. grants for loft insulation under the homes insulation scheme. Professionals and others caring for elderly people will be aware of the possible risks to health posed by cold weather.The Health Education Council, which is funded by the DHSS, has published a booklet called "Keeping Warm in Winter" which contains advice on ways to reduce the risks in cold weather, including advice on diet and clothing.
Retail Pharmacists
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department collated any information on the average opening hours per week of retail pharmacists in the united Kingdom in the course of his recent consideration of the pharmacists' discount scale; and if he will make a statement.
The question of opening hours was not one of the considerations which had to be taken into account for either the discount or remuneration inquiries, and consequently the information sought is not available. Hours of service form part of a pharmacist's contract with the relevant family practitioner committee and are prepared by the FPC after consultation with the local pharmaceutical committee.
Opticians
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the current scale payments or remuneration for opticians in the National Health Service.
The information requested is as follows:
| 1. Fees for opticians in the general ophthalmic service | ||
| NHS frames or other reglazed frames | New Private frames | |
| £ | £ | |
| 1.1 Sight test fee—£8·60 | ||
| 1.2 Dispensing fee payable where following a new prescription or a change of prescription, two lenses are supplied, whether the optician or applicant supplies the frame; or where, following a change of prescription, new frame and one lens only are supplied; or where a complete pair of glasses is replaced withour change of prescription | ||
| (a) single vision lenses | 7·10 | 5·75 |
| (b) bifocal lenses | 9·05 | 7·25 |
| 1.3 Dispensing fee payable where following a change of prescription one lens only is supplied to the applicant's own frame | 5·70 | not applicable |
| 1.4 Where two or more pairs of glasses of different powers are prescribed following sight test, the dispensing fee for each pair of any type additional to the first* shall be | 4·65 | 3·70 |
| 1.5 Service fee for replacement of lenses (without change of prescription) fitted to existing frames | ||
| per single | ||
| per pair | lens | |
| £ | £ | |
| (a) single vision lenses | 4·00 | 2·00 |
| (b) bifocal lenses | 5·40 | 2·70 |
| 1.6 Service fee for replacement of whole or part of a frame | ||
| (a) New frame | 4·00 | |
| (b) New front | 2·70 | |
| (c) New side (each) | 1·35 | |
| 1.7 Service fee for solder repair to a metal frame | 1·35 | |
| * Where a patient is supplied with two pairs of glasses at the same time, one with a NHS or other reglazed frame and one with a new private frame, the pair with the NHS or other reglazed frame is to be taken as the first pair. | ||
| 2. Rates of pay for opticians employed by health authorities | ||
| Minimum £ | Maximum £ | |
| 2.1 | ||
| Trainee Ophthalmic Optician | 4,060 | |
| Ophthalmic Optician | 6,722 | 8,220 |
| Senior Ophthalmic Optician | 9,155 | 12,212 |
| Principal Ophthalmic Optician | 12,595 | 16,501 |
| Trainee Dispensing Optician | 2,640 | 2,888 |
| Dispensing Optician | 4,905 | 6,754 |
| Senior Dispensing Optician | 6,123 | 7,359 |
| 2.2 Sessional fees | ||
| Ophthalmic Optician | 15·17 | |
| Senior Ophthalmic Optician | 17·73 | |
| Dispensing Optician | 10·55 | |
| Senior Dispensing Optician | 11·63 | |
Nhs Drugs (Private Patients)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the provision of drugs on the National Health Service for patients who have been recommended and prescribed those drugs and medications at private consultations; and whether he had or intends to hold talks with the British Medical Association on this matter.
A patient who chooses treatment on a private basis must pay the full cost of that treatment, including any necessary drugs. The possibility of providing prescribed medicines to private patients through the National Health Service has been raised with successive Governments by the representatives of the medical profession but has not been adopted because of the additional drug costs involved. I have no plans to initiate discussions with the British Medical Association on this matter.
Pensions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the standard rate of retirement pension for a married couple as a percentage of average male manual earnings, both gross and net of income tax and national contributions, in each year since 1979, and at the latest date for which figures are available.
The information is as follows:
| November each year | |||||
| 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | *1983 | |
| Retirement Pension for married couple expressed as a percentage of: | |||||
| Gross earnings of male manual workers | 36·0 | 36·4 | 36·2 | 38·0 | 36'7 |
| Net average income of male manual workers after deducting tax and national insurance contributions | 48·4 | 49·4 | 50·5 | 53·1 | 51·0 |
| * Amended provisional figures. | |||||
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the savings in (a) administrative costs and (b) interests on delayed payments, brought about by paying some 150,000 beneficiaries of small retirement pensions annually in arrears.
The arrangements to pay small payments of pensions annually resulted from a Rayner recommendation with estimated savings of administrative costs of about £100,000 a year. The change was made in December 1983 and the first annual payments will be made in December 1984, so it is too early to quote specific savings but I am satisfied that they will be at least of the order estimated. The consequence for public expenditure of making payments later in the year would be of the same order.
Unemployed Persons (Benefits)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the average weekly payment to the unemployed, taking into account supplementary benefit and earnings-related supplements, as well as flat-rate national insurance benefit.
The average weekly payment to unemployed claimants is £32·13. This figure covers flat-rate unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit. Earnings-related supplement was abolished for new claimants from 3 January 1982 and it was not paid to previously existing claimants after 30 June 1982.
Cervical Cancer Screening
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of recent reductions in the service provided in certain areas, including Greenwich, Gateshead and Waltham Forest, for cervical cancer screening, if he is satisfied that all those who need to be tested can be given these tests; and if he will make a statement.
The hon. Member will be pleased to learn that the health authorities he mentions have already taken steps to overcome temporary problems in processing routine cervical smears. This action should ensure that women who need tests will be able to have them.
Glaucoma
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it remains his policy that patients shall receive automatic checks for glaucoma when they have their eyes tested or are fitted for new spectacles; and if he will make a statement.
The use of ophthalmoscopy for the detection of glaucoma is part of the routine sight test carried out under the general ophthalmic service and will remain so. A test for glaucoma is not normally carried out when a patient visits an optician only to have new glasses fitted.
Depo-Provera
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many successful cases have been brought against the National Health Service, hospital boards or general practitioners for the adverse effects of Depro-Provera; if he will estimate the total cost to public funds in terms of damage and court costs; if the manufacturing company made any contribution; and if he will make a statement.
None, so far as I am aware, but our Department holds records of cases only where the damages awarded by a court exceed £100,000.
Drugs (Death)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths due to adverse reaction have been reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines in respect of the following pharmaecutical products; Zomax, Zelmid, Osmosin and Flosint.
The number of deaths registered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines up to and including 22 February 1984 of suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of the products Zomax, Zelmid, Osmosin and Flosint is:
| Number | |
| Zomax | 7 |
| Zehnid | 7 |
| Osmosin | 40 |
| Flosint | 8 |
Mobility Allowance
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the conditions applying to the granting of a mobility allowance for persons whose disability arises from poliomyelitis differ from those whose disability arises from other causes.
No. Mobility allowance is available to people who are unable or virtually unable to walk due to physical disablement, irrespective of the cause of that disablement.
Hearing Aids
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those types of hearing aid that are available on the National Health Service.
The following hearings aids are made to specifications drawn up by the Department for provision through the National Health Service.
| Series | Number of models | Type | Power |
| BE10 | 7(BE11–17) | Behind the ear | Medium |
| BE30 | 3(BE31–33) | Behind the ear | High |
| BE50 | 2(BE51–52) | Behind the ear | High |
| BW60 | 1(BW61) | Body worn | Higher |
| BW80 | 1(BW81) | Body worn | Very high |
Overseas Doctors
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to ensure that overseas doctors working in the United Kingdom for training purposes will be able to complete their training within five years.
Most overseas doctors choose to return home within five years. Many hope to obtain a higher professional qualification, and it is possible to do so within five years. It is not necessary to do so in order to transfer to full registration.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many overseas doctors became unregistered on 15 February.
None. Limited registration may be held for an aggregate of five years and it is usual for doctors to seek voluntary erasure for any periods when they are not in employment. Even doctors who received limited registration in February 1979 might therefore have some time left before the time limit on this type of registration runs out.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of doctors working in the National Health Service are overseas-born doctors.
At 30 September 1983, doctors born outside the United Kingdom or Irish Republic made up some 30 per cent. of the whole-time equivalent work force of the hospital service in England (9,882 out of 33,260 excluding hospital practitioners, paragraph 94 appointments and locums) and 28 per cent. of that of the community health service and community medicine (814 out of 2,912 excluding locums). A provisional figure for the proportion of overseas-born doctors in general practice at 1 October 1983 is 23 per cent. (5,292 out of 22,786). Therefore the proportion of overseas-born doctors in the NHS at the end of September 1983 was probably about 27 per cent.
Girls (Pregnancies)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the change in the proportion of women under 16 years of age becoming pregnant since the introduction of free contraceptive advice.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Animal Testing (Dhss Laboratories)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the instances of animals having samples or blood tests checked in Department of Health and Social Security laboratories; which districts are involved; whether the practice is still continuing; if he will take steps to ensure these tests are ended; what has been the cost to the National Health Service of such tests and whether any charge will be made for them; and what instructions have been issued to health authorities on this matter and what response he has received from them.
The powers to supply services of this kind in NHS hospitals are provided in section 58 of the National Health Service Act 1977. Although details of such tests are not held centrally, indications are that this is a limited service and in no way detrimental to normal patient care. Where such services are provided I would expect them to be properly costed and charged for.
Abortions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he intends to expand the numbers of youth advisory centres providing health education, following the report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on late abortions;(2) whether he has any plans to amend the administration of abortion services following the report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on late abortions.
We are considering very carefully all the findings and recommendations in this research report. We cannot yet say whether we shall suggest any changes in the present administration of abortion services or take any other action as a result of the report.
Housing Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners on incomes above the needs allowance for housing benefit are paying tax.
I regret that I cannot add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 30 January at column 99.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, further to his statement of 6 February, Official Report, column 613, he will announce whether the review team he is setting up to investigate the housing benefit scheme will consist entirely of members independent of his Department.
I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 21 February at column 489.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown, Official Report, 14 February, column 164–166, he will recalculate the table given to include his planned November changes to housing benefit, assuming (a) no increase in rents or rates and (b) no increase in pensions or the needs allowance between April 1984 and November 1984;(2) if, further to the answer to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown,
Official Report, 13 February, column 244, he will estimate the average loss to pensioners who are council tenants as a result of his planned November changes to housing benefit, assuming (a) no increase in rents or rates and (b) no increase in pensions or the needs allowance between April 1984 and November 1984.
I regret that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Single Payment Awards
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the annual figure for single payment awards made by each Department of Health and Social Security office in the United Kingdom for the most recent date; what this represents on a proportional basis for the population served for each office; and how it compares with the equivalent figure for the preceding two years.
[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1984, c. 437]: Figures for single payment awards made by all local offices over the last three years could be compiled only at a disproportionate cost. However, I have arranged for the appropriate figures for the latest available month, December 1983, to be collated, and a set of tables has been placed in the Library. A comparison with population served by each local office is not available. The tables show single payment awards as a percentage of cases in action at the latest available date (August 1983).
Phenylbutazone And Oxyphenbutazone
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 13 December 1983, Official Report, column 443–4, whether the 442 and 131 reports to the Committee on Safety of Medicines of deaths associated with products containing phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone, respectively, included any of the 1,182 deaths associated with both drugs that were referred to in Ciba-Geigy's own internal assessment of the drugs dated September 1982.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1984, c. 236]: Yes. We understand that CibaGeigy's assessment of deaths in all countries attributed to its products containing phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone includes reports of deaths reported to the company by United Kingdom doctors which in turn were passed on to the Committee on Safety of Medicines. These reports were included in the totals referred to in my reply of 13 December at column 443–4.
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the number of people in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland who have income levels (i) below supplementary benefit level, (ii) at supplementary benefit level and (iii) up to 40 per cent. above supplementary benefit level; and if he will also express these numbers as percentages of the populations of Glasgow and Scotland.
[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1984, c. 666]: The information requested relating to Scotland is shown in the following table. The figures are based on estimates published in "Low Income Families—1981", copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
| Persons in Scotland, including children, living in families with incomes of less that 140 per cent, of supplementary benefit level— 1981 average | ||
| Percentage of population in Scotland | ||
| Below supplementary benefit level | 160,000 | 3 |
| In receipt of supplementary benefit | 480,000 | 9 |
| Not receiving supplementary benefit but with income at that level or within 40 per cent, above | 860,000 | 17 |
National Insurance Numbers
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how long his Department has been keeping details of documents received which contain incorrect national insurance numbers; and if he will make a statement on the trend of this problem.
[pursuant to his reply, 1 February 1984, c. 262]: The Department kept details of national insurance contribution cards and other documents with wrong or missing national insurance numbers between 1948 and 1975. These were relatively few and the details were destroyed in 1982.Tax deduction documents included details of graduated contributions between 1961 and 1975 and the Department has records of documents without the correct number for that period.Since 1975 employed persons' contributions have been entirely earnings-related and details have been kept of all wrongly numbered and un-numbered documents received. These are retained in an alphabetic file, and are posted to individual accounts if and when they become identified as a result of queries or other action.
The number of documents which, when they first arrive at Newcastle central office, the Department has been unable to relate to individual computer accounts because of incorrect or missing numbers has remained around 6 million a year since 1975–76. The numbers of these items on which, after further search, corrective clerical action has untimately been taken fell from 2·2 million in 1975–76 to 1·1 million in 1982–83, representing 571,885 wrong number cases and 533,904 missing number cases. This has resulted from the introduction of better search and correctional procedures via computer programs and higher administrative tolerances. Search programs, other computer programs and clerical action altogether result in about 1·7 million items being correctly posted to individual accounts each year; all the items not posted to individual accounts remain in the alphabetical file until claimed or otherwise identified.