Written Answers To Questions
Friday 13 April 1984
Prime Minister
Public Servants (Pensions)
asked the Prime Minister what measures the Government propose to take in respect of pensions of certain former public servants as a result of the Government's decision following the Top Salaries Review Body recommendations for 1983–84.
In 1983 the Top Salaries Review Body recommended new rates of salary for the judiciary, senior officers of the armed forces and members of the higher Civil Service, to come into effect on 1 April 1983. On 21 July 1983 I announced that the Government had decided to increase the pay of those concerned in two stages, from 1 August 1983 and from 1 January 1984. The pensions of those concerned are based upon salary on or in the period immediately before the date of retirement and therefore those who retired between 1 April and 31 July receive no benefit to their pensions. It has been represented to the Government that, having regard to past experience and the date on which decisions on pay were announced, those concerned might reasonably have expected their pensions to reflect an increase from 1 April 1983. After careful consideration the Government have decided that, in view of the uncertainty and expectations that may have been created, it would be fair for the pensions of those in question to be calculated as if the increases which came into effect on 1 August 1983 has been implemented from 1 April 1983. This is to be regarded, however, as an exception to the principle that pension benefits of public servants are based on rates of salaries payable. It is the Government's intention that, if in future it is necessary to delay or stage the implementation of Review Body salary recommendations, this principle will be applied, and the pensions of retiring public servants in the group concerned will be calculated on the basis of rate of salary payable at or in the period before the date of retirement and not on notional or deemed rates of salary which were not in payment on that date. I propose in future, when announcing the Government's decisions on the salary recommendations of Review Bodies, to make clear in any cases of doubt how the pensions of those concerned will be affected.
General Belgrano
asked the Prime Minister if she will publish her letter to the right hon. Member for Llanelli on the General Belgrano in the Official Report.
Yes. It is as follows:10 Downing StreetThe Prime Minister4 April 1984
Dear Mr. Davies,
Thank you for your letter of 6 March about the sinking of the General Belgrano.
The background to this event is worth recalling. On 30 April the Total Exclusion Zone was established around the Falkland Islands. On 1 May attacks by Vulcan and Sea Harrier aircraft were carried out on Stanley airfield as part of the process of enforcing the Total Exclusion Zone. On the same day the Task Force came under attack for the first time from the Argentine airforce and some Argentine aircraft were shot down. We were all very conscious of the risk that these assaults on the Task Force would be backed up by attacks by surface ships and submarines of the Argentine Navy and by aircraft from their carrier, the 25 de Mayo. All British units were on maximum alert to deal with any naval or air attacks.
HMS Conqueror, on patrol south of the Falkland Islands, detected an Argentine oiler auxiliary which was accompanying the Belgrano on 30 April. She sighted the Belgrano for the first time on 1 May when it was accompanied by two destroyers armed with Exocet missiles. Paragraph 110 of Command 8758 describes the events of 2 May which led to the sinking of the cruiser. As Janet Young explained in the House of Lords on 13 July 1983, that account was not intended to say when the cruiser was first located. The essential point is that it was on 2 May that we had indications about the movements of the Argentine fleet which led the Task Force Commander, Admiral Woodward, to request a change in the Rules of Engagement to permit the Belgrano to be attacked outside the Total Exclusion Zone.
The circumstances on that clay have been well described by Admiral Woodward in his lecture at the Royal United Services Institute on 20 October 1982:
"Early on the morning on 2 May, all the indications were that 25 de Mayo, the Argentinian carrier, and a group of escorts had slipped past my forward SSN barrier to the north, while the cruiser General Belgrano and her escorts were attempting to complete the pincer movement from the south, still outside the Total Exclusion Zone. But Belgrano still had Conqueror on the trail. My fear was that Belgrano would lose the SSN as she ran over the shallow water of the Burdwood Bank, and that my forward SSN barrier would be evaded down there too. I therefore sought, for the first and only time throughout the campaign, a major change to the Rules of Engagement to enable Conqueror to attack Belgrano outside the Exclusion Zone."
Ministers agreed to the proposed change in the Rules of Engagement at about 1 p.m. London time on 2 May. Orders were sent immediately to HMS Conqueror, which attacked the Belgrano at 8 p.m. London time. Because of the indications that the Belgrano posed a threat to the task force, her precise position and course at the time she was sunk were irrelevant.
The first indications of the possible Peruvian peace proposals reached London from Washington at 11.15 p.m. London time and from Lima at 2 a.m. London time on 3 May.
My comments on paragraph 3 about the first contacts with the Belgrano group go further than we have been prepared to do hitherto. I have only felt able to do this now as, with the passage of time, those events have lost some of their original operational significance.
Throughout the events described above it was a major concept of the Government to protect by all the means available the Task Force which had been despatched to the South Atlantic with all-party support.
Yours sincerely
Margaret Thatcher
The Right Hon. Denzil Davies, M.P.
Customs And Excise Management Act 1979 (Penalties)
asked the Prime Minister what customs penalties have been paid by companies or individuals for breaches of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 in relation to the supply of arms or related material; when such penalties were paid; what was the total amount of the penalties; and if all such offences were reported to the United Nations Security Council Committee on the arms embargo to South Africa.
Two cases concerning the illegal export of arms or equipment to South Africa have been resolved since 1979. The first in 1980, involving five companies and five individuals, was settled by Customs compounding proceedings under their statutory powers. It is not the Commissioners' practice to reveal details of compounded settlements. The second case in 1982 involved three individuals who were prosecuted and convicted, one receiving nine months' imprisonment with six months' concurrent and £1,000 fine, and the others receiving six and three months' imprisonment respectively.There is no requirement to report such offences to the United Nations Security Council Committee, but where the Committee has asked for information we have always endeavoured to meet its requests.
Nhs (Summarised Accounts)
asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the information which she has received, she will call in independent private sector auditors to examine the summarised accounts of the National Health Service 1982–83 before they are certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
I wrote to my hon. Friend on 5 April 1984 and can add only that the summarised accounts of the National Health Service 1982–83 have already been certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General who intends, I understand, to lay them before the House within the next few days.
European Budget
asked the Prime Minister whether she will make it her policy not to agree to any settlement of the European budget dispute unless (a) the interpretation of every detail of any formula is clearly agreed by every participant, (b) the formula itself would cope with (i) any overruns in expenditure and (ii) the way in which any rebate would be payable and (c) rebates should not be dependent on the European Assembly.
I have set out our essential requirements on a number of occasions, We have now achieved agreement within the Community that there should be a lasting solution to the problem of budget imbalances, which would be implemented on the revenue side of the budget and which would ensure that a member state contributed no more than its fair share to the Community budget in any circumstances. This arrangement would not be subject to approval every year by the European Parliament. Agreement has still to be reached on the figures. When it is, the Community will have to agree detailed texts. The formula must also be able to cope with any threatened cost overruns. We, and other member states, and national Parliaments would need to be satisfied on all aspects of any package before it could be implemented.
Official Documents (30-Year Rule)
asked the Prime Minister what are the nature of the official documents to which she referred in a BBC interview on 9 April which will be released for publication in 30 years' time.
They are public records which will be dealt with under the provisions of the Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967.
Ministers And Civil Servants (Conflicts Of Interest)
asked the Prime Minister what are the reasons why the detailed rules, as distinct from general principles, regarding the avoidance of conflicts of interest in their official capacities, differ as between Ministers and civil servants.
They do different jobs.
asked the Prime Minister if the financial interests of members of the immediate family are regarded as relevant to questions of potential conflicts of interest arising in the course of the performance of official duties by civil servants.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 22 February 1984 at column 526.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Potatoes
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce the support arrangements to apply for the 1984 potato crop.
The Government have decided that the guaranteed price for the 1984 potato crop should remain at the existing level of £44·64/ton (£43·94/tonne).In order to ensure stability in the market throughout the season, the Potato Marketing Board has again been asked to offer producers a contract for a proportion of their crop. The aim will be to place under contract up to 500,000 tonnes of potatoes so that they can be removed from the market in Great Britain, should this prove necessary.The prices offered will be maintained at their present level of £7 per tonne on average above the guaranteed price. In determining the contract price for each delivery period, the Potato Marketing Board will again be asked to take account of the pattern of commercial contracting, and to give an incentive to longer term storage under proper conditions.Consideration will be given to the need for market support to Northern Ireland. However, the level of support will depend on how closely the planted area matches the area that would be required to satisfy available markets in a year of average yields.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of potatoes imported into Great Britain in 1983, by country of origin; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1970 at constant 1970 prices.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Information is available only in respect of the United Kingdom. Following are details of the values of potato imports from different countries between 1970 and 1983. Valid series cannot be compiled of comparable figures at constant 1970 prices. The actual tonnages imported provide an alternative measure of changes in the volume of imports.
United Kingdom Imports of potatoes 1970–83
| ||||||||||||||
Value £ million
| ||||||||||||||
Imported from
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
| 1976
| 1977
| 1978
| 1979
| 1980
| 1981
| 1982
| 1983
|
| France | 0·8 | 0·5 | 0·7 | 0·2 | 1·1 | 4·2 | 2·1 | 4·1 | 5·9 | 4·3 | 3·7 | 3·3 | 9·7 | 2·3 |
| Belgium/Luxembourg | *
| — | — | — | *
| 0·2 | 0·4 | *
| — | 1·4 | 0·3 | 1·5 | 0·8 | 2·2 |
| Netherlands | 0·5 | *
| *
| *
| *
| 13·4 | 38·2 | 12·7 | *
| 2·6 | 5·1 | 8·5 | 31·1 | 8·2 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | *
| — | — | — | — | 0·1 | 1·1 | 0·7 | — | *
| *
| *
| 0·5 | 0·1 |
| Italy | 0·5 | 0·5 | 0·4 | 0·2 | 0·3 | 0·7 | 0·3 | 0·3 | 0·5 | 3·9 | 0·7 | 1·0 | 1·8 | 1·8 |
| Irish Republic | 0·3 | 0·3 | 0·2 | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·2 | 0·5 | 1·7 | 0·5 | 0·4 | 0·5 | 0·6 | 0·8 | 0·8 |
| Denmark | — | — | — | —. | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Greece | 0·3 | — | — | — | — | 0·7 | 1·6 | 1·9 | 2·0 | 2·4 | 1·1 | 3·6 | 1·1 | 5·3 |
| Norway | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Finland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| *
|
| Spain | 4·0 | 1·7 | 2·6 | 1·6 | 2·4 | 4·2 | 7·2 | 17·0 | 6·9 | 4·3 | 4·7 | 5·0 | 5·8 | 4·8 |
| Canary Islands | 2·2 | 3·3 | 2·9 | 3·8 | 3·7 | 4·0 | 10·2 | 8·8 | 3·2 | 1·1 | 0·4 | 0·8 | 0·8 | 1·1 |
| Morocco | 0·6 | 0·3 | 0·6 | *
| — | 1·2 | 3·1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0·1 | — |
| Algeria | 0·2 | 0·3 | 0·2 | — | — | — | — | 0·1 | — | — | 0·2 | 0·1 | *
| — |
| Egypt | — | — | 3·7 | 6·1 | 4·0 | 1·5 | 1·1 | 16·6 | 7·9 | 13·3 | 17·1 | 12·4 | 15·0 | 10·1 |
| Cyprus | 7·1 | 5·1 | 6·0 | 9·0 | 9·9 | 8·8 | 53·5 | 37·2 | 16·8 | 20·3 | 17·4 | 18·9 | 21·8 | 17·1 |
| Israel | *
| 0·1 | — | 0·1 | — | 0·1 | 1·5 | 0·3 | 0·1 | 0·2 | *
| *
| 1·5 | 0·2 |
| Portugal | *
| — | — | *
| — | *
| 0·1 | *
| *
| — | — | *
| — | *
|
| United Arab Republic | 2·4 | 2·6 | — | — | .— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africa | *
| — | — | — | — | — | 0·4 | 0·6 | — | — | *
| — | — | — |
| United States of America | *
| — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Malta | *
| *
| 0·1 | *
| *
| *
| — | 0·2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sudan | — | — | — | 0·1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lebanon | — | — | — | 0·1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Barbados | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Turkey | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kenya | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0·1 | 0·4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1·3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Zealand | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0·4 | 0·2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sweden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | *
| *
| — | *
|
| Ivory Coast | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ghana | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — |
| Ethiopia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
|
| Canada | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
|
| St. Lucia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
|
| Total | 18·8 | 14·7 | 17·5 | 21·3 | 21·7 | 39·3 | 122·9 | 102·8 | 43·8 | 54·2 | 51·4 | 55·7 | 90·9 | 53·8 |
* Less than £50,000 | ||||||||||||||
Source: United Kingdom Trade Statistics.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of the British potato crop in 1983; and what was the value of each year's crop since 1970 at constant 1970 prices.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Data are available only in respect of the United Kingdom. The forecast value of output of potatoes in 1983 is £504 million at constant prices. The estimated values for the years 1970 to 1983 at constant 1970 prices are as follows:
| Value of potato output in United Kingdom £ million at 1970 prices | |
| £ million | |
| 1970 | 118 |
| 1971 | 122 |
| 1972 | 122 |
| 1973 | 124 |
| 1974 | 124 |
| 1975 | 115 |
| £ million | |
| 1976 | 84 |
| 1977 | 99 |
| 1978 | 120 |
| 1979 | 126 |
| 1980 | 121 |
| 1981 | 129 |
| 1982 | 121 |
| 1983* | 120 |
* Forecast | |
asked the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tonnage of potatoes was imported into Great Britain, and from which country, in 1983; and what were the comparable figures for each year to 1970.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 3984 c. 79]: Information is only available in respect of the United Kingdom. Following are details of the tonnages of potatoes imported from different countries between 1970 and 1983.
United Kingdom Imports of potatoes 1970–83
| ||||||||||||||
Quantity—thousand tonnes
| ||||||||||||||
Imported from
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
| 1976
| 1977
| 1978
| 1979
| 1980
| 1981
| 1982
| 1983
|
| France | 12·4 | 7·1 | 9·3 | 2·4 | 12·0 | 37·7 | 10·9 | 21·8 | 41·0 | 29·7 | 27·4 | 25·9 | 43·0 | 15·0 |
| Belgium/Luxembourg | *
| — | — | — | *
| 1·7 | 2·9 | 0·3 | — | 16·4 | 3·7 | 20·1 | 9·4 | 21·9 |
| Netherlands | 10·0 | 0·6 | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·4 | 155·7 | 256·9 | 82·1 | 0·7 | 32·6 | 73·7 | 110·8 | 261·9 | 75·2 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | *
| — | — | — | 0·1 | 0·6 | 7·8 | 4·7 | — | 0·3 | 0·2 | 0·3 | 4·4 | 0·8 |
| Italy | 5·7 | 6·4 | 5·0 | 1·1 | 2·0 | 3·9 | 0·8 | 1·1 | 1·9 | 18·4 | 2·6 | 5·9 | 5·4 | 6·0 |
| Irish Republic | 11·7 | 10·6 | 9·1 | 3·6 | 4·7 | 4·5 | 2·8 | 13·1 | 8·2 | 4·4 | 6·5 | 7·3 | 7·2 | 8·4 |
| Denmark | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Greece | 4·7 | — | — | — | — | 9·4 | 8·8 | 10·9 | 15·1 | 14·4 | 8·3 | 25·0 | 6·1 | 38·5 |
| Norway | 0·1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Finland | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0·1 | *
|
| Spain | 51·9 | 26·6 | 35·0 | 14·2 | 22·3 | 31·5 | 25·8 | 106·0 | 50·6 | 25·2 | 32·8 | 31·8 | 33·3 | 30·4 |
| Canary Islands | 27·8 | 42·4 | 36·6 | 37·2 | 33·9 | 25·5 | 37·4 | 41·9 | 23·9 | 4·9 | 1·7 | 3·2 | 3·9 | 6·9 |
| Morocco | 6·9 | 3·9 | 9·7 | *
| — | 14·0 | 11·7 | — | — | — | — | — | 1·1 | — |
| Algeria | 2·4 | 5·1 | 3·0 | — | — | — | — | 0·3 | — | — | 1·1 | 1·1 | 0·1 | — |
| Egypt | — | — | 48·1 | 54·8 | 49·4 | 15·9 | 106·4 | 102·6 | 68·2 | 84·0 | 117·0 | 81·1 | 91·1 | 66·4 |
| Cyprus | 137·3 | 126·9 | 121·8 | 114·3 | 109·2 | 72·2 | 135·9 | 189·0 | 116·9 | 140·5 | 128·2 | 132·0 | 130·6 | 132·7 |
| Israel | 0·9 | 2·0 | — | 1·8 | — | 0·4 | 6·3 | 2·0 | 0·6 | 1·5 | *
| *
| 8·4 | 0·9 |
| Portugal | *
| — | — | *
| — | 0·1 | 0·6 | 0·1 | 0·3 | — | — | *
| — | *
|
| United Arab Republic | 35·7 | 38·4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africa | 0·5 | — | — | — | — | — | 2·0 | 3·1 | — | — | *
| — | — | — |
| United States of America | 0·1 | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nalta | 0·7 | 0·5 | 3·0 | 0·9 | 0·4 | 0·6 | — | 0·9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sudan | — | — | — | 0·8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lebanon | — | — | — | 0·8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Barbados | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Turkey | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kenya | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1·4 | 2·5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7·0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Zealand | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5·4 | 4·2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sweden | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0·2 | — | — | 0·1 | *
| — | 0·1 |
| Ivory Coast | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ghana | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
| — | — |
| Ethiopia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
|
| Canada | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
|
| St. Lucia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | *
|
| Total | 308·8 | 270·4 | 280·6 | 232·2 | 234·4 | 373·6 | 631·0 | 586·8 | 327·3 | 372·3 | 403·4 | 444·5 | 606·2 | 403·3 |
* Less than 50 tonnes | ||||||||||||||
Source: United Kingdom Trade Statistics.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated tonnage production of potatoes in Great Britain for 1984; and what were the appropriate figures for each year to 1970.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Estimates for the years 1970 to 1983 are as follows. Information for 1984 is not currently available.
| Potato production (Great Britain) | |
| '000 tonnes | |
| 1970 | 7,077 |
| 1971 | 7,021 |
| 1972 | 6,223 |
| 1973 | 6,534 |
| 1974 | 6,494 |
| 1975 | 4,309 |
| 1976 | 4,458 |
| 1977 | 6,156 |
| 1978 | 6,980 |
| 1979 | 6,137 |
| 1980 | 6,708 |
| 1981 | 5,869 |
| 1982 | 6,539 |
| 1983 | 5,525 |
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of land is currently being used in Great Britain for the growing of potatoes; and what were the comparable figures for each year to 1970.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Estimates of the areas of land used for growing potatoes between 1970 and 1983 are as follows. Information for 1984 is not currently available.
| Land area in Great Britain used for growing potatoes | |
| '000 hectares | |
| 1970 | 251 |
| 1971 | 240 |
| 1972 | 222 |
| 1973 | 211 |
| 1974 | 203 |
| 1975 | 193 |
| 1976 | 208 |
| 1977 | 214 |
| 1978 | 200 |
| 1979 | 189 |
| 1980 | 191 |
| 1981 | 179 |
| 1982 | 179 |
| 1983 | 183 |
Sugar
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the financial penalty for producing non-quota sugar in the United Kingdom; and how much such sugar has been produced in each of the past three years.
The provisions applicable to the production of non-quota sugar in the United Kingdom are the same as those applying in the Community generally, which I explained in my reply to the hon. Member of 22 March at column 519. The amount of non-quota sugar produced in the United Kingdom in the last three years is as follows:
| tonnes | |
| 1981–82 | nil |
| 1982–83 | *274,172 |
| 1983–84 | †nil |
| * Of which 80,000 tonnes were carried forward to 1983–84. | |
| † Provisional. | |
Milk
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the yield in the current year from (a) the co-responsibility levy and (b) the penalties from excess production of milk in the case of the United Kingdom; and whether there is any commitment on the part of the European Economic Community to dispose of any surplus above the quota.
The yield in the United Kingdom from the co-responsibility levy in 1984 is provisionally estimated at £80 million. It is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate of the yield from the supplementary levy which will depend on how producers decide to respond to the new measures. The existing Community disposal measures for milk and milk products are not changed as regards any production above the guaranteed quantities.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what happens to milk produced in excess of the new quotas; and what check there is that excess milk will not be sold to retail outlets direct or converted on the farm to butter and cheese for sale to the public.
The supplementary levy arrangements cover both milk and milk products delivered to dairies and direct sales off farms. Detailed provisions to ensure effective cover of all such sales are being made in Community implementing regulations. As a disincentive to sales of milk or milk products in excess of reference quantities there will be a supplementary levy charged on excess sales at a penal rate.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what mechanism there is under the new regulations to ensure that milk products sold into intervention are not made from milk which is in excess of the quota.
Any milk produced in excess of the reference quantity will be subject to the supplementary levy which has been set at a level which takes account of the intervention and other costs involved in dealing with surplus production. No additional mechanism is called for to limit the outlets for milk which has been levied.
Cereals And Feedstuffs
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the European Economic Community Agriculture Ministers at their recent meetings took into account the effect of the reduction in the dairy herd on consumption of cereals and other feedstuffs.
Each measure adopted by the Council was part of a comprehensive package.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide an estimate showing the increase in the cost to the European Economic Community budget of disposing of the feedstuff surpluses in 1984 and 1985.
The cost of disposing of the Community's exportable surplus of barley in 1984 is likely to be lower than in 1983. It is too early to provide an estimate for 1985. Other commodities of which the Community has an exportable surplus, including wheat, may be used for animal feed but it is not possible to make estimates of the quantities attributable to particular end uses.
Water Level (West Sedgemoor)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received any proposals involving the further lowering of the water table in the area of the West Sedgemoor (Somerset) Internal Drainage Board; and what consultations he is having about the effect such proposals would have upon nature conservation in the area involved.
The choice of water levels in the boards area is a matter for the board itself and the Wessex water authority. Those authorities are understood to be in consultation with the Nature Conservancy Council.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the West Sedgemoor (Somerset) Internal Drainage Board and the Wessex Water Authority have lowered the penning level of water on the moor since 1980.
The pre-1980 level is currently being maintained. A 6in reduction in 1980 was restored in 1981.
Agriculture Industry (Co-Operative Sector)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what capital and other grants have been paid to the co-operative sector of the agriculture industry since the enactment of the Agricultural Marketing Act.
In the financial year 1983–84, the Government provided about £3·8 million to Food from Britain, the national marketing organisation established by the Agricultural Marketing Act 1983. Of this sum, approximately £1·8 million was in respect of Food from Britain's statutory responsibilities in relation to the organisation, promotion, encouragement and development of agricultural co-operation. During the same period, Government grants to co-operatives under the agricultural and horticultural co-operation scheme amounted to just under £3·s8 million arising from projects recommended to Ministers by the co-operative development board of Food from Britain and the former Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation. Cooperatives received a further £1·5 million under various EEC schemes.
Common Agricultural Policy
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate the agricultural support schemes available for 1984 divided into (a) United Kingdom financed and (b) European Economic Community financed, listing in each case (i) the various trigger prices, target, intervention guide and so on, (ii) the average level of increase-decrease to the average Community farmer in his own currency (iii) the average level of increase-decrease to the United Kingdom fanner, (iv) the dates of the month and year and, (v) the estimated annual cost (aa) in the current year and (bb) last year, together with the total cost of United Kingdom and of common agricultural policy support within the United Kingdom and in total.
Details of the recent settlement of 1984–85 CAP prices will be deposited in the Library of the House shortly. This will answer most of my hon. Friend's questions.Agricultural market support schemes applicable in 1984 in the United Kingdom which involve national or part national financing comprise the beef variable premium scheme, payable at a maximum rate of £40·21 per eligible animal of average weight; the suckler cow subsidy, payable at £24·74 per eligible cow; the guaranteed price for wool, which will be raised by 5p to 120p per kilogram for 1 May 1984; and the guaranteed price arrangements for potatoes, under which a guaranteed price of £43·94 is operated.Expenditure under the EAGGF guarantee section in 1983 totalled 15,812 million ecu (£9,300 million), and the Community budget provision for 1984 is 16,542 million ecu (£10,200 million). Details of expenditure on market support measures in the United Kingdom in 1983–84 and 1984–85 are set out in the Supply Estimates 1984–85 Class III Votes 1 and 3 (Section A), Class XV Vote 1 and Class XVI Vote 2, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Transport
Launceston And Bodmin Bypasses
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what traffic censuses he has conducted in respect of the use of the Launceston bypass and Bodmin bypass which has been made in each or any year since their respective construction; if he will publish the findings.
The last traffic count taken on the Launceston bypass was on 3 August 1976 when 7,161 vehicles were recorded, including 945 heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles.The last traffic counts taken on the Bodmin bypass were on 9 August 1977. Between Innis Down and the A38 junction, 8,422 vehicles were recorded, including 1,194 heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles. Between the A38 junction and Bolventor, 6,054 vehicles were recorded, including 769 heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles. All figures are for a 16-hour day (6 am-10 pm) two-way flow.In addition, continuous automatic traffic counts have ben made on adjacent sections of the A30 near to both bypasses. In the case of the Launceston bypass these have been made since 1976 and in the case of the Bodmin bypass since 1970.
British Airports Authority (Exhibition)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will sponsor an exhibition by the British Airports Authority in the Upper Waiting Hall of the House of Commons to show the new facilities to be available at Heathrow airport when the fourth terminal is commissioned.
Yes.
Estuarial Crossings (Tolls)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on the proposal made by Merseyside county council in its publication "The Road to Free Tolls" that there should be an independent inquiry into the finances of all tolled estuarial crossings; and whether he will accept the county council's offer to liaise with other tolled crossing operators and the motoring organisations and guarantee the entire funding for such a study.
I do not believe that an independent inquiry would serve any useful purpose.
Severn Bridge (Tolls)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now announce the date of the public inquiry to consider the proposal to increase tolls on the Severn bridge.
I hope to do so shortly.
Air Transport Industry (Review)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the review of the air transport industry and its effects on route structures and airport policy from the Civil Aviation Authority; if he will make the report available as soon as possible in the Library and to interested parties; and if he will make a statement.
I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. McCartney) on 2 April 1984 at column 418. The Civil Aviation Authority expects to make details of its report available to interested parties and a copy of what is published by the authority will be placed in the Library of the House.
Motorways (Picnic And Rest Sites)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will review the provision of picnic and rest sites on motorways; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make it his policy that all new plans for motorway development should include provision of picnic sites.
All motorway service areas have some facilities which can be used for picnics and for rest areas. Fourteen of them have areas specifically set aside for these purposes. All operators are required to make a minimum provision of essential facilities under their leases, and it is for their commercial judgment to decide the extent to which extra facilities should be provided.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorway picnic sites have been provided in the last five years.
None.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when a motorway picnic site was last developed.
In 1977 at Exeter, when the last MSA was developed.
Harbour Development
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take following the ending of control over harbour developments, to ensure that promoters of schemes hitherto controlled under section 9 of the Harbours Act 1964 make adequate financial and other arrangements to ensure that once started the works can be completed without detriment to other existing harbour undertakings; if he will list his powers to enforce these steps; and if he will make a statement on the specific application in the case of the proposals of Falmouth Container Terminal Limited.
I have no powers to enforce such steps either now or after the ending of the authorisation procedure. In the case of the proposed Falmouth Container Terminal the promoters are willing to enter into negotiations with the existing undertakings in the Fal estuary on matters of mutual concern, including the question of arrangements to ensure the completion of the project.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications have been received since 1979 for the approval of harbour projects under section 9 of the Harbours Act 1964; what they were; what their capital value was; which have been disposed of; and if he will make a statement on the future of all pending applications.
There have been 34 applications for authorisation since the general election of 1979. Of these, 23 have been approved, eight withdrawn or not proceeded with, one refused and two are pending. The applications, with their cost (as estimated at the time of application) are as follows. I propose to take no further action on the two applications currently before me.
| Location | Description | Estimated cost |
| £ million | ||
| AUTHORISATIONS GRANTED UNDER SECTION 9 | ||
| 1979 Applications | ||
| Mersey | Combi terminal | 6·5 |
| Tees | Oil jetty | 1·8 |
| Sullom Voe | Finger pier and slipway | 1·7 |
| Runcorn | Wharf and shiploader | 1·5 |
| Garston | Coaling appliances | 1·2 |
| Aberdeen | Reconstruction of quay | 2·5 |
| Medway | Reclamation of part of Lappel Bank and improvement to ro/ro | 2·4 |
Location
| Description
| Estimated cost
|
£ million
| ||
| Cromarty Firth | Construction of oilfield supply base | 4·0 |
1980 Applications
| ||
| Forth | Jetty | 8·0 |
| Forth | Two jetties and dredging | 30·0 |
| Dartford | Ro/Ro development (in principle only) | 13·6 |
| Dover | Jetfoil terminal | 2·0 |
| Ipswich | Container berth | 5·2 |
1981 Applications
| ||
| Harwich | Reclamation of Bathside Bay | 25·0 |
| Forth | Jetty | 3·5 |
| Portsmouth | Ferry port development | 8·0 |
| Workington | Coal handling terminal | 3·4 |
1982 Applications
| ||
| Tyne | Coal handling terminal | 10·5 |
| Dover | Improvement to passenger handling facilities | 7·8 |
| Poole | Extension of ferry terminal | 6·5 |
| Harwich | Works at Parkeston Quay | 4·9 |
| Immingham | LPG Jetty (in principle only) | 6·8 |
1983 Application
| ||
| Dover | Reclamation of Camber | 10·2 |
| APPLICATIONS REFUSED | ||
1982 Application
| ||
| Falmouth | Container terminal | 70·0 |
| APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN OR NOT PROCEEDED WITH | ||
1979 Applications
| ||
| Aberdeen | Reconstruction of quay | 1·2 |
1980 Applications
| ||
| Medway | Development of Frindsbury peninsular | 3·3 |
| Harwich | Reclamation of Bathside Bay and construction of a berth | 40·0 |
| London | Development of berth | 3·2 |
| Portsmouth | Development of ferry terminal | 11·0 |
| Felixstowe | Freightliner terminal | 4·1 |
| Ipswich | Container berth | 5·1 |
1981 Application
| ||
| Harwich | Train-ferry berth | 9·2 |
| APPLICATIONS PENDING | ||
1983 Application
| ||
| Falmouth | Container terminal | 70·0 |
1984 Application
| ||
| Harwich | Deepening the Felixstowe sea approaches | 8·5 |
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when the order revoking the Control of Harbour Development Orders which gave effect to section 9 of the Harbours Act 1964 will (a) be laid before Parliament and (b) come into effect.
The Order will be laid on 17 April and come into operation on 9 May. The order will be subject to annulment procedure by virtue of section 54(2) of the Harbours Act 1964.
A38 (Improvement)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when the work of consultants is likely to commence to examine possible improvements to the A38 between Debwalls and the Bodmin bypass; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to the reply, Tuesday 3 April 1984, c. 444]: I have written to my hon. Friend.
Defence
United States Transport Aeroplanes
asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons United States of America military transport aeroplanes were carrying out feasibility approaches to Manchester international airport in the current year.
I understand that USAF transport aircraft frequently carry out practice approaches and landings for training purposes at Manchester and other civil airports, as do RAF transport aircraft.
Cruise Missiles
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if either Her Majesty's Government or the Government of the United States of America are carrying out any feasibility studies into airlifting cruise missiles or cruise missile launchers for Greenham common to other airports in the United Kingdom.
It is not the practice to comment on details of operational planning.
South African Embassy (Official Contacts)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the list of officers of the armed forces who attended a reception on 1 July 1983 at South Africa house to mark South Africa Defence Force day.
No. We do not maintain records of which officers attend such receptions.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now issue an instruction that no members of Her Majesty's armed forces shall have any official contact with the military attaché section of the South Africa embassy in the United Kingdom.
No. The Government's policy is that we do not co-operate militarily with South Africa; official contacts with the South African armed forces attaché and his staff are conducted within that policy.
Royal Naval Reserve
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the increase in expenditure, at constant prices, in the Royal Naval Reserve since April 1979 and the increase in numbers of active naval reservists over the same period.
In 1983–84 expenditure on Roayl Naval Reserve manpower was £1·9 million more at constant (1983–84) prices than in 1979–80. The increase in numbers in the Naval Volunteer Reserve Forces (the RNR, WRNR, RMR, and QARNNS(R)) over the same period is 358.
The Moonies
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he has given to civil servants about participation at conferences sponsored by the Moonies.
None.
National Finance
Occupational Pensions
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the maximum annual amount of an occupational pension which the Inland Revenue will currently permit to be commuted for a cash sum in full settlement of the pension; and whether he has any plans to permit an increase in this annual amount.
Where the total pension entitlement is no more than £104 per annum the trustees of a scheme may commute it in full to avoid the disproportionate administrative costs of paying the pension. I have no plans to make any change.
Public Expenditure
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now publish tables showing the income and expenditure of central and local government in respect of transfer payments separately from the raising and expenditure of funds for other purposes of government.
Quarterly estimates of income and expenditure are published in tables 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 of "Financial Statistics". These tables also provide information on transfer payments. Longer runs of figures are published annually in sections 7 and 8 of "National Income and Expenditure". The table on pages 162–164 of the 1984 edition of "Economic Trends Annual Supplement" gives a summary of transfer payments by general government (central Government plus local authorities) annually from 1946 and quarterly from 1961.
Profits Taxation
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion, in March 1984, of capital expenditure in (a) industrial plant and machinery and (b) buildings can be offset against profits taxation in the first year in the United States of America, Canada, Japan, Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 87–88]: The proportion of capital expenditure which can be set against tax in the first year can vary according to the type of asset involved, especially in those countries where the rates of write-off for tax purposes ar closely related to an asset's expected useful life. Rates of allowance for plant and machinery and for industrial buildings quoted in the following table are either those fixed by statute or the maximum understood to be normally acceptable.
1984: Percentage of capital expenditure allowance in first year
| ||||
Country
| Machinery and Plant
| Industrial Building
| ||
| United States | 25 | (three year property)* | 8 | (10 year property) |
| 15 | (five year property)* | 12 | (15 year property) | |
| 8 | (10 year property)* | |||
| Canada | *50 | †5 | ||
| Japan | 20·6 | (10 year useful life) | 6·4 | (35 year useful life) |
| Italy | 25 | 18 | ||
| France | 42 | (10 year useful life) | 5 | |
| Germany | 30 | 5 | ||
| United Kingdom | ||||
| —pre Budget | 100 | Assets other than motor cars and certain leased assets | †75 | 100 per cent, for very small workshops and enterprise zones║ |
| —post Budget | ‡75 | †50 | ||
* Investment tax credit also available which may reduce proportion of cost qualifying for allowance. | ||||
| † New construction only—additional 4 per cent, allowable if building in use for a qualifying purpose in that chargeable period. | ||||
| ‡ 100 per cent, if expenditure incurred under contract entered into on or before 13 March and in certain other circumstances. | ||||
| ║ 75 per cent, if expenditure incurred under contract entered into on or before 13 March. | ||||
Environment
Multiple Accommodation (Hygiene)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the operation of the law relating to the minimum standards of hygiene in multiple accommodation; and if he will make a statement.
Local authorities have a duty to inspect houses in multiple occupation periodically and have extensive powers to ensure that there are adequate standards of hygiene. I have no reason to believe that the law cannot be satisfactorily operated.
Radioactive Waste
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide funding of £250,000 to environmentalists proposing alternative methods of radioactive waste management.
No. It is part of the task of my Department, advised by the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, to ensure that appropriate consideration is given to alternative methods of waste management, and that adequate research and development are carried out. Already it employs a wide range of research contractors.
Prefabricated Concrete Houses (Grants)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make additional grants available to private owners of prefabricated reinforced concrete housing units to cover the cost of value added tax on essential urgent repairs.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 26 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Bendall) at column 76–77.
Local Government Superannuation Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made towards the extension of the local government superannuation scheme to cover those local government officers on the established staff whose hours of employment fall short of 30 hours per week.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr Caborn) on 5 April at column 624 of which I am sending him a copy.
Acid Deposition
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to protect ancient monuments and historic buildings from the effects of acid deposition.
The large reductions that have occurred over the last few decades in the levels of sulphur dioxide in urban areas are a major factor in helping to protect anicent monuments and historic buildings from corrosion. My Department has supported research into the connection between pollution levels and corrosion rates for different building stones, and the development of a technique of stone preservation. Proposals are under consideration for extended research into the effects of acid deposition on economic materials.
Derelict Land
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the locations of the 11,400 hectares of derelict land referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. Carlisle) on 28 February, Official Report, column 148, as not considered to justify reclamation; and what is to happen to it.
Information about the location of sites identified by local authorities in the 1982 survey as derelict but not justifying reclamation is not readily available. In general terms these are sites which the authorities considered at the time did not justify treatment either because of their remote location, unobtrusiveness or because reclamation was impracticable for technical or financial reasons. The future of such sites is primarily a matter for the local authorities concerned.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the expenditure on derelict land reclamation in each year since 1974.
Grant aided expenditure on derelict land reclamation in England since 1974–75 has been as follows:
| £ million | |
| 1974–75 | 8·25 |
| 1975–76 | 10·70 |
| 1976–77 | 9·97 |
| 1977–78 | 13·38 |
| 1978–79 | 20·67 |
| 1979–80 | 22·37 |
| 1980–81 | 30·02 |
| 1981–82 | 29·70 |
| 1982–83 | *61·10 |
| * Including £26·61 million for a supplementary programme. | |
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average cost per hectare of derelict land reclamation since 1974; and what has been the range of costs for each year.
The information is available only for reclamation carried out by local authorities with grant aid up to the time of the latest derelict land survey in 1982. The figures are as follows:
| £ | |
| 1974–75 | 9,116 |
| 1975–76 | 8,206 |
| 1976–77 | 11,566 |
| 1977–78 | 8,447 |
| 1978–79 | 16,392 |
| 1979–80 | 18,009 |
| 1980–81 | 21,483 |
| 1981–82 | 17,038 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much land is expected to be classified as derelict in 1984–85.
It is not possible to make satisfactory predictions about how much land will become derelict in 1984–85. The latest survey showed that in 1982 there were nearly 45,700 hectares of derelict land in England, of which 34,300 hectares were considered to justify reclamation.
Housing Defects Bill
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the excess costs of reinstatement grants and re-purchasing by local authorities for the purposes of the Housing Defects Bill will count in their annual spending targets; and if the Government will make allowances for this in determining future targets.
Reinstatement grants and the total cost of re-purchasing defective houses will count as local authority capital expenditure. The net cost to local authorities, after Exchequer contributions, of financing such expenditure will be treated, for rate support grant and expenditure target purposes, in the same way as the costs of financing the rest of their capital expenditure. Before each rate support grant settlement, and before he issues expenditure targets for a year, my right hon. Friend takes into account, inter alia, the latest information as to the rate of relevant expenditure.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the costs envisaged in the financial memorandum to the Housing Defects Bill take account of changes in value added tax on construction materials announced in the current year's Budget.
The estimate in the financial and explanatory memorandum to the Bill did not take into account the proposal that, as from 1 June, expenditure on structural alterations, as well as on works of repair and maintenance, should attract value added tax. It assumed however that a substantial proportion of works of reinstatement under the Bill would be of a kind which already attracts VAT.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial provision the Government intend to make for occupiers of council dwellings classed as defective for the purposes of the Housing Defects Bill who have not yet exercised the right to buy; what role the local authorities are to be asked to play in this; and what assistance the Government will offer the latter in their efforts to deal with the remaining defective housing stock.
Present arrangements are adequate to enable local authorities to deal with defective dwellings in their own stock. Subject to their obligations under section 32 and 33 of the Housing Act 1961, it is for local authorities to decide how and when to take action. My right hon. Friend has said that the need for expenditure for this purpose will be taken into account in determining housing investment programme allocations, and the possibility of including in the general needs index an indicator to reflect the need for expenditure on defective dwellings is under discussion with the local authority associations. Where local resources are inadequate to finance expenditure on housing, authorities receive general housing subsidy, and 75 per cent. of the loan charges on expenditure on redevelopment and capitalised repairs is taken into account in determining entitlement to subsidy.
Law Centres
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many law centres are currently funded by his Department; if he has any proposals to fund others; and if he will make a statement.
33 law centres currently receive or have been offered financial support from my Department through the urban programme. Further applications put forward under the urban programme will be considered on their merits, and in the light of resources available.
Recycling Schemes
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the taking into account of non-economic factors when assessing recycling schemes; and if he will make a statement.
It is for local authorities, industry or other organisations wishing to operate recycling schemes to assess their economic and practical viability in the light of all relevant circumstances. We will continue to encourage the implementation of schemes which are economically viable.
Local Authorities (Capital Allocations)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will discount from local authorities' overall capital allocation the capital costs of gipsy site provision which are 100 per cent. grant-aided by the Government
We have no plans to do so. In accordance with standard practice in respect of grants from central Government to local authorities, the expenditure to be financed from the grants made for gipsy site provision is taken into account in determining the total amount of provision available for distribution to local authorities as prescribed expenditure allocations. The capital grants themselves do not count as public expenditure, so it would not be appropriate to allow expenditure financed from them to be an addition to local authorities' capital allocations.
South Africa (Motor Racing Grand Prix)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he made to prevent British participation in the South Africa motor racing grand prix.
None.
National Gypsy Council (Planning Application)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why the list of submissions appended to the published report of the inspector on the planning appeal by the London borough of Ealing against the National Gypsy Council's application for planning permission in respect of Kensington road, Northolt did not include the submission made by the hon. Member for Ealing, North;(2) if he will order a new inquiry into the planning application in respect of Kensington road, Northolt, so that the timeous evidence presented by the hon. Member for Ealing, North may be taken into account.
No. The representations made to the inspector were taken into account and included with other representations against the application in a listed document appended to his report.
Crown Land
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the difficulties over the application of planning legislation to Crown land prior to its sale have now been resolved; and if he will make a statement.
The Town and Country Planning Act 1984, which has recently received Royal Assent, will enable Crown land to be disposed of with the benefit of planning permission or listed building consent, although there is no private interest in the land already in existence. It will also validate any permission or consent already granted in respect of such land on the basis of an erroneous view of the previous legal position. The new Act will come into force on 12 August 1984 and a circular explaining its provisions will be published nearer that date. While a formal application for permission to develop such land cannot be made before 12 August 1984, there is nothing to prevent the usual pre-application discussion from taking place with the local planning authority in the meantime.
Overseas Development
Falkland Islands
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will invite evidence to the inquiry on the fire destruction of Falklands hospital from George Michael Sturch-Edwards, 43 Hop Gardens, Carew, Sageston, Dyfed, senior electrician to the Falkland Islands Government, October 1982 to August 1983.
It will be for the inquiry to determine from whom evidence will be invited. No doubt it will be willing to receive any relevant evidence.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommendations he received for ordering fire alarms for the Port Stanley hospital from electricians in the Falkland Islands.
We have no record of any such recommendations being put to Her Majesty's Government.
Colonial Civil Servants (Pension Rights)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why certain public servants who served in British colonies during their transition to independence in various capacities, including as university lecturers, and are now regarded as quasi-Government officers for the purposes of section 12 of the Pensions Increase Act 1971, are not eligible for index-linked pensions.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 2]: Successive British Governments have taken the view that they could not be responsible for awarding British pensions increases on the pensions of all who have been, employed in the public services of the dependent territories. The principle followed is that these arrangements extend only to former overseas officers for whom the British Government have a special responsibility by virtue of their having been recruited by or under the auspicies of the Secretary of State for employment on expatriate terms in the central Governments of the dependent territories.Pensions earned in service with quasi-Government institutions are only covered where the pensioner was an officer, as defined above, who before independence transferred with his work to a newly-created quasi-Government body. This extension to certain quasi-Government pensioners was announced by my predecessor on 17 October 1973 at columns
187–88 following a careful review of the position. There are no plans to amend the rules on eligibility.
Attorney-General
Court Facilities (Bodmin)
asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will review the current and prospective use of the existing magistrates' courts and surrounding land at Bodmin with a view to incorporating the accommodation of the Crown courts on the same site with a view to making the most effective use of facilities available for joint use and saving of public funds.
The Lord Chancellor explained the reasons for the decision to transfer the Crown court to Truro in his letter of 18 January to my hon. Friend.
Crown Courts (Truro)
asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will publish all the observations which he receives from interested parties who have or are to be consulted on the plans relating to the proposed construction of new Crown courts at Truro.
Copies of the relevant correspondence between the Property Services Agency and the Carrick district council on the proposed new Crown court building at Truro have been placed in the Library. A number of detailed comments have been made, orally and in writing, on such matters as custody, accommodation and car parking by those consulted on the outline plans. It is not the practice to publish all such comments, but it is open to those concerned to make their views known if they wish.
Prosecutions (Committals)
asked the Attorney-General on how many occasions in the last five years a prosecution brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions has failed to be committed by magistrates.
Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.
Law Centres
asked the Attorney-General how many law centres are currently funded by the Lord Chancellor's Department; if there are any proposals to fund others; and if he will make a statement.
Seven law centres currently receive financial support from the Lord Chancellor's Department. There are no present plans for the Department to provide funding for other centres. The recommendations of the Royal Commission on Legal Services on the funding of law centres are still under consideration.
Social Services
Abortions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that patients requiring a therapeutic termination are generally able to obtain it within 12 weeks of pregnancy in all regions.
The most recent available figures show that in 1982 nearly 86 per cent. of all abortions on women resident in England and Wales were carried out within 12 weeks of gestation. However, we are aware that the situation varies to some extent between regions, although figures are not readily available which provide information about gestational age by region of treatment. A recent research report by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, commissioned by our Department, examines late abortions. We are considering its findings carefully.
Community Services
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to reply to the report by the Royal College of Nursing about the effect on community services of financial and manpower cuts.
We are aware of the report to which the hon. Member refers, and see no need to reply to it. There is no evidence, either in the report or elsewhere, that health authorities generally are not continuing to give priority to community services in accordance with Government policy. Health authority spending is now at its highest level ever, in cash and in real terms after allowing for pay and price rises. I do not accept that our financial and manpower policies have caused any damaging effect on community services generally.
Medical Staff (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the nature of the statistics relevant to the planning and control of medical manpower collected by his Department, indicating which of these are used to ensure a sufficient supply of trained doctors and nurses to meet the demand in the National Health Service.
The statistics which may be relevant to planning or control of manpower include virtually all those collected by our Department and many from other sources.
Pensioners
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the measures introduced or improved since 1979 to increase the well-being of pensioners.
Since 1979 the following measures have helped to improve the financial position of pensioners: the pledge to protect retirement pensions has been fully honoured, since between November 1978 and November 1983 basic retirement pension has been increased by 74·6 per cent. while the retail price index has increased by 68·8 per cent.; more newly retiring pensioners are benefiting each year from the state earnings-related pension, so that by September 1983 some 950,000 pensioners received an earnings related additional pension of £2·60 a week on average, while those who retired in the six months prior to September 1983 received an average of £4·25 a week at November 1983 rates; the method of uprating pensions has been changed so that increases are now based on the actual rate of inflation rather than on uncertain forecasts of price increases; the Christmas bonus has been made a permanent statutory entitlement; we are pledged to abolish the pensioners' earnings rule as soon as resources permit, but in the meantime the level was increased in real terms from £57 a week in 1982 to £65 a week in 1983; from May 1983 men over the age of 60 not in full-time work can qualify immediately for the higher long-term rate of supplementary benefit and men over 60 who are not working, no longer need to sign on as unemployed to be awarded national insurance credits; the capital limit for supplementary benefit was raised to £3,000 in November 1983 and the capital limit for single payments to £500, while the first £1,500 of the surrender value of life assurance policies is now disregarded in relation to supplementary benefit entitlement; help for poor fuel consumers reached a record level in 1983–84 of £380 million (compared with £124 million in 1978–79) and some 1·5 million pensioner households now qualify for supplementary pension heating additions which are automatically awarded to supplementary pensioners over age 70; since 1981 supplementary pensioners can also receive assistance towards the insulation of hot water tanks and lofts.The Government's determination to master inflation and secure the return of economic prosperity is of particular benefit to pensioners by protecting the value of their savings and non-indexed occupational pensions. The Government's determination to secure the future well being of all pensioners has been affirmed by the setting up of a special inquiry into provision for retirement which is being chaired by the Secretary of State. The inquiry is studying
'the future development, adequacy and costs of state, occupational and private provision for retirement in the United Kingdom … '
and is due to complete its work this year, after which the Government will publish any resulting proposals.
War Widows (Pensions)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the age allowance under the war pensions scheme for widows of service men were last reviewed; and what plans he has for reviewing and adjusting them.
The age allowances payable to war widows were reviewed and increased in November 1983 as part of the general uprating of war pensions and allowances. My right hon. Friend will announce details of this year's uprating after the retail prices index for May is published.
Draughtproofing (Single Payments)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidelines through his Department's local offices about the types of draught-proofing material which can be purchased by claimants using single payments under the supplementary benefits scheme; and if he will make a statement.
The Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations provide for payments to be made to claimants with less than £500 savings for draught proofing materials of reasonable quality. It is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide whether a claimant is entitled to a payment and, if so, how much. The Chief Supplementary Benefit Officer has issued guidance to benefit officers in the S Manual (paragraphs 7311 and 7312) a copy of which is in the Library. I have no power to intervene in this guidance or the interpretation of the regulations by the independent adjudicating authorities. If a claimant feels that he has been wrongly refused benefit he has a right of appeal to an independent appeal tribunal.
Heating Additions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now satisfied that his local officers have checked with the local authority concerned, all housing associations and the North-Western electricity board to identify all dwellings in Stockport and Tame side which are hard to heat and might lead to claimants qualifying for the estate rate heating addition.
A number of estates in the Stockport and Tameside areas have been designated as disproportionately expensive to heat for the purposes of estate rate heating additions and further estates are being investigated to see if they should be similarly designated. If the hon. Member has specific estates in mind that he thinks should be considered for designation, I will arrange for the appropriate investigations to be carried out.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many offices of his Department in Greater Manchester have carried out surveys to see which dwellings qualify for estate rate heating additions due to the high heating costs of the dwellings; and how many dwellings now qualify in each office area.
All DHSS local offices in the Greater Manchester area have been involved in considering which estates in their area should qualify for estate rate heating additions and certificates have been issued by the Secretary of State as follows:
| Number of certificates of designation issued by the Secretary of State covering estates in local office area | |
| DHSS Local Office Area | Number |
| Bolton | 3 |
| Farnworth | 2 |
| Leigh | 2 |
| Manchester (Central) | 3 |
| Manchester (Cheetham) | 2 |
| Manchester (Charlton) | 2 |
| Manchester (Failsworth) | 1 |
| Manchester (Longsight) | 6 |
| Manchester (Middleton) | 3 |
| Manchester (Openshaw) | 2 |
| Manchester (Rusholme) | 1 |
| Manchester (Sale) | 2 |
| Manchester (Wythenshawe) | 1 |
| Oldham | None |
| Salford North | 1 |
| Salford South | None |
| Stockport North | 5 |
| Stockport South | 3 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects a decision to be reached on whether dwellings in Poplar court, Audenshaw, have extra high heating costs which could lead to social security claimants living in those dwellings being paid the estate rate heating addition.
The Tameside rights unit wrote to the Ashton-under-Lyme local office of the Department earlier this month suggesting that the heating system at Poplar court Audenshaw might qualify for designation as disproportionately expensive to heat for the purpose of payment of estate rate heating additions. A decision will be made as soon as possible.
Juvenile Offenders
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all schemes dependent upon conditions attached to supervision orders as provided for by the Criminal Justice Act 1982 and the Children and Young Persons Act 1969, as amended, which offer the courts alternatives to custody for heavy end offenders aged 10 years and over, showing in each case the available duration of each scheme and the number of places offered thereunder at any one time.
Section 19 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 requires each local authority to list all locally available intermediate treatment facilities of this kind in a scheme which must be provided to the local courts and made freely available to the public. Copies of these schemes are not held centrally.
Contractual Health Care (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each year since 1970 the number of deaths and discharges among, and the number of beds occupied on 31 December by, patients receiving treatment under contractual arrangements with institutions outside the National Health Service; and if he will break down these figures into the categories of (a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and post-operative, (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give for each year since 1970 the expenditure on contractual arrangements for patient care with institutions outside the National Health Service; and if he will break down these figures into the categories of (a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and postoperative, (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, (f) diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others;(2) if he will give for the latest available year and for each region and for England as a whole the expenditure on contractual arrangements for patient care with institutions outside the National Health Service; and if he will break down these figures into the categories of
(a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and post-operative, (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, (f) diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 27 February at column 72. The further breakdown requested is not available centrally.
Health Authority Members (Declaration Of Interest)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present obligation on members of district health authorities and of committees set up by them to declare any interests in private practice when monitoring the use of National Health Service facilities by private patients and their consultants.
A health authority is required to make standing orders to regulate its proceedings in accordance with the NHS (Regional and District Health Authorities: Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1983. Regulation 14 of those regulations requires that a chairman or member shall disclose any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any contract, proposed contract or other matter to be considered at a meeting and shall not take part in the consideration of that matter or vote on any question with respect to it. That regulation also sets out circumstances in which an indirect pecuniary interest shall not prevent a person from discussing or voting on an issue, without prejudice to the duty to disclose that interest. A health authority may make similar standing orders for the proceedings of any committee or sub-committee of the authority.
Nhs Resources (Private Practice)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is given to consultants on the use of National Health Service secretarial time and resources in relation to their private practice.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Nhs (Staff Accommodation)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each year since 1979 the total number of National Health Service staff resident in accommodation provided by the National Health Service breaking down the figures by type of staff.
Information is not held centrally on the numbers of staff resident in accommodation provided by the National Health Service but it was recently estimated that some 11,000 junior doctors, 35,000 nurse learners, 29,000 other nurses and much smaller numbers of other staff were resident.
Social Workers
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what discussions he is having with health service unions and National Association of Local Government Officers about the employment, training and assessment of approved social workers under the Mental Health Act 1983;(2) how many social workers have completed their training but have refused to co-operate with the examination system as stipulated under the Mental Health Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.
My noble Friend met representatives of the National Association of Local Government Officers and others on 1 March 1984 to discuss the appointment of approved social workers under the Mental Health Act 1983. The meeting led to the formation of a small, informal, working group from NALGO (also representing other Health Service unions), the Association of County Councils, the Association of Municipal Authorities and the Department which is to consider the training, assessment and approval arrangements for social workers, under the Act. Observers from the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work are attending meetings of the working group, which is expected to report back early in May 1984. Information on the number of social workers who have completed their training is not held centrally. Five hundred and fifty social workers sat for the assessment at the first sitting in November last and 313 sat the February 1984 assessment. The next sitting will take place on 30 May 1984.
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what newspapers or other publications and on what dates advertisements inviting people to apply for repayment of moneys wrongly deducted from their supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have appeared or will appear.
Large advertisements containing a claim form for refund wrongly deducted 'voluntary unemployment' deductions appeared in the following newspapers on the dates shown:
| Dates | |
| News of the World | 18 March |
| Sunday People | 18 March |
| Sunday Mail | 18 March |
| Sun | 19 March |
| Daily Miror | 21 March |
| Daily Record | 21 March |
| Sunday Mirror | 25 March |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many payments of supplementary benefit have been made to people who suffered wrongful unemployment deductions as a result of the examination of current cases and the publicity campaign, respectively; and what was the total amount paid, to the latest available date.
At 13 March 1984 the examination of current cases had resulted in 8,359 payments totalling £203,254, and the publicity campaign in 180 payments totalling £4,927.
St Thomas's Hospital (Lithotripter)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the running costs of the lithotripter given to St. Thomas's hospital; and how these are shared between the health authority, his Department and the British United Provident Association.
We have agreed that our Department should meet from centrally reserved funds the annual cost of £145,000 of the staff to be employed by the West Lambeth health authority in the operation of the lithotripter, and also the cost of electrodes used in treating National Health Service patients which is estimated at about £200 for each treatment. The British United Provident Association is to meet the costs of servicing the machine, estimated at about £50,000 for the first year of operation, of electrodes used in the treatment of private patients, and of inpatient accommodation and related services provided for those patients. Other running costs such as water and electricity are to be shared between the health authority and BUPA in proportion to their respective use of the machine.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether access to the lithotripter given by the British United Provident Association to St. Thomas's hospital will be consistent with his Department's principle that common waiting lists should be used for highly specialised diagnosis and treatment and that the same criteria should be used for categorising paying and nonpaying patients.
The lithotripter at St. Thomas' hospital will be provided by BUPA and will remain its property. It has agreed that at least three quarters of those treated should be National Health Service patients. This is a very advantageous arrangement for the NHS and is in no way inconsistent with the six principles we ageed with the medical and dental professions to ensure equitable operation of private practice in the NHS.
Hospital Closures
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the hospital closures between May 1979 and December 1983 giving in each case the number of beds involved, the date, the district and the region.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Private Hospitals
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each year since 1980 the total number of notifications of private hospital development which (a) did not subsequently lead to applications for planning permission, (b) led to successful applications but not to actual developments, (c) led to successful applications and also to actual developments, (d) led to unsuccessful applications and went no further, (e) led to unsuccessful applications which went to appeal but were lost, (f) led to unsuccessful applications which went to appeal and were won but which did not lead to actual developments and (g) went to appeal successfully and led to actual developments; and if he will give for each category for each year the total number of beds involved.
The information requested is not available. There is no statutory requirement to notify my right hon. Friend either of the outcome of an application for planning permission or of a decision not to proceed.
Nhs (Pay Beds)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider revoking pay-bed authorisations in those regions where the average daily number of beds occupied by private patients is less than 40 per cent. of the number of authorised pay beds.
I see no useful purpose that would be served by doing so. No health authority has applied for revocation of a pay-bed authorisation.
Mr John Gooderham
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the previous posts in his Department held by Mr. John Gooderham before he took up his present appointment.
Mr. Gooderham was secretary to the Medical Practices Committee from 6 April 1981 to 11 December 1983. Prior to that he held various posts at junior levels in our Department's headquarters.
Organ Transplants
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to prevent the transplant of organs to private patients where neither the donor before death nor the donor's spouse has explicitly given permission that such organs could be used when a commercial motive was involved.
[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1984, c. 691]: Organs removed in National Health Service hospitals after a patient's death are allocated to patients on a common waiting list. Although transplant operations
| NHS Mental illness hospitals and units in England: Available beds in special units or wards for psychogeriatric assessment at 31 December. | ||||
| Year | *Available beds | †Available beds per 1,000 population of pensionable age | Available beds per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over | Available beds per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over |
| 1976 | 1,696 | 0·21 | 0·70 | 3·70 |
| 1977 | 1,479 | 0·18 | 0·59 | 3·16 |
| 1978 | 1,550 | 0·19 | 0·61 | 3·24 |
| 1979 | 1,630 | 0·20 | 0·62 | 3·35 |
| 1980 | 2,056 | 0·25 | 0·76 | 4·11 |
| 1981 | 2,246 | 0·27 | 0·81 | 4·39 |
| 1982 | 2,354 | 0·28 | 0·83 | 4·46 |
| * Includes some beds in joint units or wards (eg psychogeriatric assessment/rehabilitation). | ||||
| † Males aged 65 and over, females aged 60 and over. | ||||
Energy
Energy Conservation
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those United Kingdom energy investment projects to date which have received European Economic Community support under the various categories of European Economic Community schemes to promote energy conservation, innovation demonstration, research and development, and other energy investment, specifying for each project the amount of support, total project cost and the target of energy saving.
To date, 47 United Kingdom based energy conservation projects have been approved under the European Economic Community's Demonstration Projects scheme. The total cost of these projects is 70 million European Units of Account (MECU) of which 20 MECU has been contributed by the Community. 68 United Kingdom based energy conservation projects have also been approved under the Community's Research and Development scheme. The Community has contributed 7·3 MECU towards these projects at the rate of 50 per cent. funding. Details of target
may be performed privately, no preference is given to private patients in the allocation of organs. It would be contrary to Government policy for organs to be supplied on commercial terms, but we have no evidence that this is happening and therefore we see no need for legislation.
Elderly Mentally Infirm Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of elderly mentally infirm hospital assessment beds provided by all district health authorities in England (a) per 1,000 population of pensionable age, (b) per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over, (c) per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over and (d) in total on 31 March for each year between 1976 and 1982, inclusive.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 122]: Beds for the assessment of elderly mentally infirm patients are not specifically identified in centrally collected statistics. Available information is collected in terms of beds in special units or wards for "psychogeriatric assessment" and is given in the table. The definition may exclude some beds used to assess these patients.energy savings for Community projects could only be collated at disproportionate cost. I will write to the hon. Member with details of individual projects.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he willo provide a schedule of the various EEC funding schemes which offer support for investment related to energy conservation, energy research and development and energy demonstration projects; and if he will specify the criteria for qualification, and what publicity he is giving to prospective United Kingdom applicants to assist take-up.
European Community Financial support is authorised for projects in the hydrocarbon sector. Under the Community Projects in the Hydrocarbons Sector Scheme, loans are provided for selected projects which promote new technologies in exploration, production, transport and storage of oil and gas. In order to qualify, Community financial support must be shown to be essential to enable the project to go ahead, and the project must be the responsibility of a Community firm or organisation. When the Commission issues its annual invitation to submit projects, the Department issues an explanatory booklet and a press notice inviting applications.
In anticipation of the Council adopting Regulations to authorise further support for energy demonstration projects, the Commission has recently issued an invitation for projects in this area to be submitted. Under this scheme projects in the following categories would be supported: liquefaction and gasification of solid fuels, energy saving, solar energy, biomass and energy from waste, hydroelectric power, wind energy, use of solid fuels, and use of electricity and heat. Qualifying projects must be either a first full scale demonstration, or an industrial pilot project, and be innovative. The Commission have set a closing date of 31 May 1984. As in earlier years, the Department of Energy, in addition to organising press publicity, has issued a comprehensive guidance booklet for prospective applicants. Over 2,600 copies have been sent to interested organisations
In the nuclear field programmes of research currently exist in the following areas: fusion; radioactive waste management, radiation protection and uranium prospecting. In addition financial support is available towards projects concerning the decommissioning of nuclear installations. The criteria applied in the selection of
Title
| Description
| Eligibility
| Publicity
|
| 1. Energy Conservation Demonstration Projects Scheme | Grants of up to 25 per cent, of capital cost, plus 100 per cent, of monitoring costs, for projects which encourage the spread of energy efficient technology | Projects which demonstrate novel applications of energy saving technology | Press advertising, Booklets and Project Profiles, Exhibitions, Seminars and Open Days. Articles eg in Energy Management |
| 2. Energy Efficiency Survey Scheme | Grants of up to 50 per cent, for short surveys or extended surveys or CHP feasibility studies of organisations' premises (except for dwellings) | Organisations in the industrial, commercial and public sectors | Press advertising Exhibitions, Conferences, Leaflets |
| 3. Monitoring and Targeting Programme | Funding of consultants to undertake the development of energy management monitoring and target-setting systems, in a sample of host companies in selected industrial sectors | Companies may apply to their Trade Association to join a sectorally sponsored exercise as a 'host' firm | Energy management booklet in preparation |
| 4. Coal Firing Scheme | Grants of up to 25 per cent, and loans of up to 50 per cent, to encourage industry to convert to coal firing boilers and equipment | Companies in the Industrial and Commercial and Agriculture Sectors (not Public Sector) | Energy Management Distribution of (NCB) publicity material |
| 5. Voluntary Organisations Community Insulation Projects Scheme | Grants to help with the cost of promoting, preparing and setting up projects to insulate the lofts and draught-proof the homes of those on low incomes | Charities and other Voluntary Organisations offering a practical homes insulation service | Leaflets, Workshops, Conferences, Publicity at Energy Saver Shows |
Copies of booklets and notes issued by the Energy Efficiency Office containing guidance for prospective applicants have been placed in the Library of the House.
The Energy Efficiency Office also issues leaflets on the scope for and help available to domestic consumers to use their energy more efficiently and copies of these have been placed in the Library of the House.
Energy Policy (Report)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if, when he next meets the chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, he will discuss the implementation of the conclusions of the commission's 10th report on future energy policy.(2) if, in his consideration of the 10th report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, he will give priority to appraising alternative energy policies and seek a progressive shift away from fossil fuels.
proposals includes the quality of the proposal, in particular the innovation that the proposed research represents in relation to known techniques, the expected advantages and the technical feasibility, as well as the technical competence of the proposer, and the value to the Community of the proposed research. The Commission have set a closing date for application of 7 May 1984.
The call for proposals have been brought to the attention of the UKAEA who have a strong interest in this area.
Proposals for Community programmes to support further nuclear and non-nuclear research and development are under discussion in the Council.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a schedule of the various funding schemes sponsored by his Department which offer support for investment related to energy conservation, energy research and development and energy demonstration projects; and if he will specify the criteria for qualification, and what publicity he is giving to prospective applicants to assist take-up.
The schemes are as follows:
The Government is giving very careful consideration to all the recommendations made by the Royal Commission in its 10th report, and as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment told the House on 7 March we intend to respond before the end of the Session.
Oil To Coal-Burning Conversion Grant Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for'Energy if the oil to coal-burning conversion grant scheme would apply to conversion from oil burning to burning coal together with refuse or refuse-derived fuels.
The purpose of the Coal Firing Scheme is to assist companies wishing to switch from oil or gas to coal-fired equipment. As the Notes for applicants for support under the Scheme indicate, projects involving less than 100 per cent. use of coal will be considered, but in most cases it is unlikely that a project involving less than 75 per cent. total burn (on thermal basis) of coal will be acceptable.
Britoil Issue (Sub-Underwriters)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the sub-underwriters in the Britoil issue and their respective sub-underwriting participations.
I have no specific knowledge of the sub-underwriters or their respective involvement in the sub-underwriting of the Britoil Offer for Sale. I understand that the underwriters and brokers to the offer regard as matters of commercial confidence the identity of the institutions and bodies whose participation as sub-underwriters they individually secured. I believe that the sub-underwriters were some hundreds in number.
Home Department
Coal Industry Dispute
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the registration numbers of miners' cars that the police consider may contain pickets have been placed on the police national computer.
Chief constables may make use of the police national computer in discharging their operational responsibilities. Guidelines for its use are set out in the code of practice for the protection of personal data held on police national computer, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I am therefore making inquiries of chief constables in the areas concerned.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether arrangements on policing undertaken by the Association of Chief Police Officers in connection with the mining industry are undertaken at his request; if they require his Department's approval; and if he will make a statement.
No.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many coal miners have died as a result of the present strikes; and how many injured coal miners and police there have been so far.
Between 14 March and 11 April inclusive one person died during events related to the miners' dispute. The inquest into the death has been adjourned pending the outcome of police investigations. During the same period 63 police officers were injured. Information as to the number of other people injured is not available.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from the chief constables concerned (a) as to the number of arrests arising from the coal mining dispute, (b) the numbers of charges by category, (c) the numbers and levels of fines awarded, (d) the number of periods of imprisonment awarded, (e) the number of cases of violence reported and (f) the number of cases of vandalism and malicious damage reported, and, in the last two categories, if he will set out in each case the charges since preferred.
The information available centrally from chief officers of police in England and Wales is as follows:
| Number of arrests for activities related to the miners' dispute 14 March to 11 April inclusive | |
| Force area | Number |
| Derbyshire | 137 |
| Durham | 8 |
| Essex | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | 4 |
| Humberside | 1 |
| Leicestershire | 8 |
| Merseyside | 6 |
| Northumbria | 33 |
| Nottinghamshire | 491 |
| South Wales | 58 |
| South Yorkshire | 61 |
| Staffordshire | 60 |
| Warwickshire | 42 |
| Total | 910 |
Public Disorder (Whitechapel)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis with regard to incidents of public disorder which occurred in Hassell street, Whitechapel, on 1 and 2 April; what was the ethnic breakdown of the persons involved; and if he will make a statement on the substance of the report.
The Commissioner tells us that he has been unable to identify any incident of public disorder in Hassell street, London El on 1 or 2 April. My hon. Friend may have in mind an incident which took place on 30 March, outside the Shalamar restaurant in Hassell street. At about 11.45 pm there was an argument over a parking space between four Asian men who had just arrived at the restaurant and four other men who had been sitting inside. A fight broke out and knives were produced. In the course of the fighting two of the Asians sustained fatal injuries; another was seriously injured. Police officers were called and the injured people were taken to hospital. Four men were arrested and have been charged with murder. The matter is now sub judice. Of those arrested, two were white, one Asian and one of mixed race.
Medical Referees
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the procedure followed when a medical referee of a crematorium authority is dismissed by him.
Generally speaking, the appointment of a medical referee is revoked when a new medical referee is nominated by the cremation authority (because the existing medical referee has moved to another area, retired or died) and no special procedure is necessary. Where a cremation authority wishes to have the existing medical referee's appointment revoked on other grounds, the circumstances are carefully considered on their merits and, where appropriate, representations from the existing medical referee are sought and considered.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether political views are taken into account when considering the appointment or dismissal of a medical referee to a crematorium authority.
No.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if medical referees are required to attend the crematorium on a daily basis.
This is a matter for the cremation authority concerned.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the changes in circumstances which would render a person, appointed by him, unfit to continue in the post of medical referee of a crematorium authority under regulation 10 of the Cremation Regulations 1930.
Regulation 10 of the Cremation Regulations 1930 deals with the appointment of a medical referee or his deputy. In general we take the view that a person appointed under this regulation might become unfit to continue as medical referee by reason of not being prepared to comply with reasonable conditions laid down by the cremation authority for the performance of his duties, or through inability, misbehaviour or gross negligence, though this list is not necessarily exhaustive.
Prisons
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of full-time teachers employed in each London prison.
The number of full-time teachers, including education officers and their deputies, employed in each London prison is as follows:
| Number | |
| Brixton | 2 |
| Holloway | 6 |
| Pentonville | 4 |
| Wandsworth | 3 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | 8 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present financial allowance given to education services at each London prison.
The approved budget for each London prison in the financial year 1984–85 for education staff and for education equipment and materials is as follows. In addition funds are made available to buy necessary equipment and materials for vocational training courses at Holloway prison. Payment to local library authorities in respect of library services provided at each establishment is made on a per capita basis.
| Education Staff | Education Equipment and Materials | |
| £ | £ | |
| Brixton | 74,299 | 8,043 |
| Holloway | 154,744 | 8,667 |
| Pentonville | 91,075 | 7,272 |
| Wandsworth | 121,700 | 24,022 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | 213,397 | 17,484 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of full-time probation officers employed in each London prison.
The Home Office has approved a total complement of probation staff seconded to work in the five London prisons of seven senior probation officers and 48 probation officers. Within that total the inner London probation service, from which these officers are seconded, has discretion to deploy staff to meet changing needs within each establishment. The present allocation of staff is as follows:—
| Prison | SPOs | POs |
| Brixton | 1 | 8 |
| Holloway | 1 | 6 |
| Pentonville | 1 | 8 |
| Wandsworth | 2 | 13 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | 2 | 13 |
Prison Officers
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of vacancies for prison officers at each London prison; and if he will list the rank of the vacancies.
Vacancies for prison officer grades in London establishments are as follows:
| Chief Officer I | Chief Officer II | Principal Officer | Senior Officer | Officer | |
| Brixton | — | 1 | 6 | 10 | 60 |
| Holloway | — | — | 3 | 30 | 38 |
| Pentonville | — | — | 4 | 5 | 21 |
| Wandsworth | — | — | 3 | 9 | 20 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | — | 2 | 3 | 8 | 29 |
| Reduced by | |
| Brixton | 1 |
| Holloway | 5 |
| Pentonville | 1 |
| Wandsworth | 2 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | 20 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prison officers who resigned from the prison service in their first year of service over the latest convenient period.
Nineteen officers in their first year of service resigned during the period 1 January 1983 to 31 December 1983.
Prisoners (Sex Change Operations)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department to requests by men in prison who wish to have a sex change operation.
Each such application is carefully considered in the light of expert medical opinion.
Parole
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any arrangements are being made to provide accommodation for prisoners released on parole as a result of the changes in the parole regulations; and if he will make a statement.
The Home Office after-care scheme contributes to the provision of some 3,800 places in a range of accommodation projects which are available to offenders released from prison, including those on parole, and the scheme will continue to expand in 1984–85. In addition 67 approved probation hostels also accept offenders released on parole in cases of exceptional need.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners he estimates will be released from 1 June as a result of changes in the parole regulations.
I am not sure whether the hon. Member is primarily interested in the numerical consequences of the reduction in the minimum qualifying period for parole with effect from 1 July 1984, or those of the restriction of parole for certain longer-term violent offenders and drug traffickers. So far as the restriction of parole is concerned I refer him to the reply given to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 29 February at column 221.As a result of the reduction in the minimum qualifying period for parole we estimate that over 4,000 prisoners and young offenders will have parole eligibility dates in the first week in July, but we cannot say how many of these will actually be granted parole or on what date they would be released on licence. More generally, it has been estimated that the reduction of the minimum qualifying period to six months will bring about another 12,500 offenders per year into the scope of the parole scheme, and that up to 80 per cent. of these are likely to be released on licence.
Picketing
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to authorise instant arrest for secondary picketing; and if he will make a statement.
Secondary picketing is a matter for the civil law, and is not a criminal offence.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to create a criminal offence of incitement to picket unlawfully; and if he will make a statement.
It is already a criminal offence to incite another to commit any breach of the criminal law, whether in the course of picketing or otherwise.
Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of the neighbourhood watch schemes in operation in the Metropolitan police area and their location by Metropolitan police district.
I understand that the information is being collated and will be available next month. I will write to the hon. Member then.
Miss Zola Budd
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the reasons for granting Zola Budd British citizenship.
Miss Budd's father is a British citizen by descent who with his wife and daughter decided to come to live in this country, as they were entitled to do. Miss Budd did not automatically acquire her father's British citizenship, but while she is a minor could apply to be registered under section 3(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981. My right hon. and learned Friend in granting the application took into account all the circumstances including her father's connection with the United Kingdom and her own apparently exceptional talent and express wish to try to qualify to represent this country at athletics.
London Bombings (Libyan Involvement)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about alleged Libyan involvement in recent bombings in the United Kingdom.
Following bomb incidents in London and Manchester on 10 and 11 March, four Libyan nationals have been charged with offences under the Explosive Substances Act 1883. A further six have been deported.
Animals (Experiments)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has now received about his proposals to bring in new legislation relating to experiments on live animals; and what replies he has sent.
The Government's proposals to improve and modernise the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 were published last May in the White Paper "Scientific Procedures on Living Animals", (Cmnd. 8883). In response to our invitation for comments on the White Paper we have so far received over 3,500 letters from members of the public; universities and teaching hospitals; scientific or trade organisations; and national animal welfare organisations, anti-vivisection societies, and others. We have also received 539 letters from hon. Members. Replies have been sent to every letter. We have replied in detail to individuals and organisations with a special interest in the subject, such as those who use laboratory animals and animal welfare groups and both my right hon. and learned Friend and officials have also held numerous meetings. Detailed replies have been sent to hon. Members.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the return of statistics of experiments on living animals for 1983.
It is intended to publish these statistics in the second half of July.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) formal and (b) informal warnings were issued by inspectors at each base by name to licensees found to have exceeded the authority of a licence to carry out experiments on live animals in 1983, 1980, 1979 and 1954, respectively;
(2) in how many instances papers were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions by inspectors at each base by name alleging infringements of the law and conditions attached to licences by places registered to carry out experiments on live animals in 1983, 1980, 1979 and 1954; how many such references were returned; and how many were prosecuted and with what result;
(3) how many letters of warning were sent by inspectors at each base by name about conditions at places registered for experiments with live animals in 1983, 1980, 1979 and 1954.
The members of the Home Office cruelty to animals inspectorate may, in the course of the thousands of visits they make each year, administer informal or formal warnings to individual licensees or to those responsible for registered premises about the way in which those places are maintained, or the way in which a licensee observes the conditions attached to his licence and certificates. Aggregate records of such warnings are not kept centrally or in regional offices and are not available without incurring disproportionate costs.Any infringement of the law and infringement of licence conditions is recorded centrally, and the numbers which have been detected are published each year in the annual statistics 'Experiments on Living Animals'.In 1954 there were 13 infringements of the Act or licence conditions none of which were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In all those cases either the licensee concerned or those responsible at the places where the infringement occurred were admonished.In 1979 there were 28 cases of infringement of the Act or licence conditions. In 13 cases the licensees concerned were admonished by the Secretary of State, in one case the licensee had his licence revoked, in another the Secretary of State decided that the circumstances did not justify any action and in 13 cases the facts were brought to the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions who decided not to initiate proceedings and passed the papers back to the Secretary of State.In 1980 there were 25 infringements. In 15 cases the licensees concerned were admonished by the Secretary of State, in one case the licensee had his licence revoked, in another the licensee had his certificate disallowed and in eight cases the facts were brought to the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions or Crown Agent who decided not to initiate proceedings. The statistics for 1983 are not yet available but will be published later this year.The majority of infringements are of technical nature, for example the failure to renew a licence on time, or the performance of procedures without authority, but which would have been authorised if there had been proper application. In deciding the most suitable action, the Secretary of State takes into account whether additional suffering has been caused to the animals concerned, the circumstance of the infringement, the attitude and past record of the licensee and his explanation for the infringement.
Charges And Committals (Time Interval)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average length of time (a) in London and (b) outside London between a charge and committal, for each of the last three years.
The information requested is not at present collected centrally. However, a pilot study is to be carried out in certain courts during the next year with a view to introducing a national collection system thereafter.
Bail Hostels
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bail hostel places there are in London (a) attached to prisons and (b) not attached to prisons.
There are six bail hostels with 103 places, and 12 probation hostels with 205 places, which take persons remanded on bail by the London courts. None is attached to a prison.
Prison Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently in prison in London on remand awaiting trial.
It is estimated from central records that on 29 February 1984 about 1,300 untried prisoners were in local prisons and remand centres in greater London (that is, Brixton, Holloway, Latchmere House, Pentonville, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs).
Remand Spaces
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many remand spaces were vacant at Wormwood Scrubs on each night during the week commencing 1 April 1984;(2) how many prisoners were remanded overnight in police cells in the Metropolitan police area on each day during the week commencing 1 April.
The information requested is as follows:
| Number of prisoners held by or for the Metropolitan Police | Number of remand vacancies at HMP Wormwood Scrubs | |
| 30 March/2 April | 181 | 57 |
| 2/3 April | 183 | 58 |
| 3/4 April | 176 | 51 |
| 4/5 April | 186 | 55 |
| 5/6 April | 146 | 63 |
| 6/9 April | 84 | 37 |
Life Sentences
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners currently serving sentences of life imprisonment have been held in prison for more than 15 years; and what was the comparable figure one year and two years ago, respectively.
The readily available information is given in the following table:
| Population* of life sentence prisoners in prison department establishments in England and Wales whose initial reception into a prison department establishment under sentence was more than 15 years earlier† | |||
| Number* | |||
| Life imprisonment | Other indeterminate sentences‡ | Total | |
| 28 February 1982 | |||
| Total | 89 | 2 | 91 |
| Of which recalls║ | 34 | 1 | 35 |
| 28 February 1983 | |||
| Total | 94 | 2 | 96 |
| Of which recalls║ | 34 | — | 34 |
| 29 February 1984 | |||
| Total | ¶10 | 3 | 113 |
| Of which recalls║ | ¶33 | — | 33 |
| * The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost | |||
| † Includes time spent on licence by prisoners recalled after having been released on licence | |||
| ‡ Detention during Her Majesty's pleasure or for life under section 53, Children and Young Persons Act 1933 | |||
| ║ Prisoners who had been recalled after having been released on licence | |||
| { Including persons treated as sentenced to custody for life under Sch 17, paragraph 8, Criminal Justice Act 1982 | |||
Police Forces (Co-Operation)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify the occasions in the years 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984 on which a directive has been given pursuant to section 14(2) of the Police Act 1964.
There is no record of any direction under section 14(2) having been made.
Prosecuting Service
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will include in the proposals for a new prosecuting service protection of the right presently enjoyed by county prosecuting solicitors to stand as election candidates.
The Government envisage that members of the new prosecuting service will be civil servants, and we see no grounds for making an exception in this instance to the rule that civil servants are disqualified from membership of the House of Commons, or to the restrictions on political activities which apply generally to civil servants in certain grades.
Radio Waveband Changes
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that proposals for waveband changes will ensure that BBC radio programmes will have high quality sound and audibility.
The proposals which the United Kingdom has submitted to the ITU for the VHF band II planning conference are designed to promote the interests of both the BBC and independent radio. They have been drawn up so as to seek to achieve the creation of two new national networks, one of which will be allocated to the BBC so that Radios 1 and 2 will have separate VHF network; the provision of additional frequencies for the planned development of BBC and Independent Local Radio; and the maintenance of th existing BBC VHF networks and improvements to their coverage.
Police National Reporting Centres
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a police national reporting centre, such as has been in operation during the miners' strike has been established.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 5 April to question from the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) at column 609.
Firearms Act 1968
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now considered the report of the working party on the administration of the Firearms Act 1968; what action he proposes to take in respect of the report's recommendations; and whether he will make the report public.
I have written to my hon. Friend today in his capacity as chairman of the British Shooting Sports Council to say that I have now approved the working party's report and its recommendations. They have also been endorsed by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and by the two Associations of Chief Police Officers. We shall now write to all chief constables to invite them to adapt their procedures to conform with the recommendations. A copy of the report and of my letter to my hon. Friend is being placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Further copies can be obtained from F4 division of the Home Office.
Advisory Committee On Service Candidate
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to make any changes in the terms of reference of the Advisory Committee on Service Candidates.
The House resolved in 1963:
I propose that in future the Committee appointed in pursuance of this resolution should also consider appllications for the purpose of contesting European Parliament elections."That it is expedient that an advisory committee should be appointed by the Home Secretary to examine every application for release from the armed forces for the purpose of contesting a parliamentary election, and to report to the appropriate Service Minister, in each case, whether or not they are satisfied that it is a bona fide application."—[Official Report, 18 February 1963; Vol. 72, c. 203.]
Custodial Remands
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in the year 1983 were remanded in custody on charges for non-imprisonable offences; and how many persons there are in each category.
[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1984, c. 682]: The exceptions to the right of bail for persons charged with non-prisonable offences are to found in part II of schedule 1 to the Bail Act 1976. Remand information for non-imprisonable offences cannot easily be obtained from the classification of offences used when recording remand decisions. The classification is by statute and the maximum sentence which can be imposed will vary with the individual section of the act under which the person is charged. However, an attempt is being made to estimate the number of persons remanded in custody for nonimprisonable offences and I shall write to the hon. Member when this work has been completed. Information is not collected centrally on the reasons for remands in custody.
Wales
Manpower Services Commission
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons will be employed in training work on behalf of the Manpower Services Commission in Wales at its local offices at Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham, respectively, and in the national offices for Wales at Cardiff, during 1984–85; and how this compares with staffing levels at each office for 1983–84.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information, which relates to the staffing ceilings of its training division, is as follows:
| 1983–84 | 1984–85 | |
| Cardiff | 88·5 | 78·5 |
| Newport | 45·5 | 41·5 |
| Swansea | 54·5 | 50·5 |
| Wrexham | 72·0 | 60·0 |
| Office for Wales | 89·0 | 84·0 |
asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the number of Manpower Services Commission employees in Wales in each year since 1979;(2) what has been the net loss of jobs in the Manpower Services Commission in Wales since 1978.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of employees in Wales as at 1 April each year was as follows:
| Number | |
| 1979 | 1,594 |
| 1980 | 1,548 |
| 1981 | 1,405 |
| 1982 | 1,330 |
| 1983 | 1,342 |
| 1984 | 1,270 |
| Local authority expenditure in Wales (cash) | ||||||||
| £ million | ||||||||
| 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84* | |
| Current expenditure | 600 | 661 | 746 | 871 | 1,035 | 1,173 | 1,265 | 1,406 |
| Capital expenditure | 206 | 172 | 185 | 235 | 247 | 176 | 240 | 309 |
| Total expenditure | 806 | 833 | 931 | 1,106 | 1,282 | 1,349 | 1,505 | 1,715 |
| * Provisional. | ||||||||
Community Programme
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many places will be provided under the community programme of the Manpower Services Commission for long-term unemployed people in Gwynedd and in Arfon, respectively for 1984–85; and how this compares wii h the number provided for 1982–83 and for 1983–84.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the target of filled places for 1983–84 for Gwynedd amounted to 852, this included an extra allocation over and above the area's original share of places which were determined on the basis of long-term unemployment. In 1984–85, the County's share will be 740. In Arfon the figures are 393 for 1983–84 and 240 for 1984–85. The Community Programme did not operate in 1982. In that year, there were 392 places in Gwynedd under its predecessor, the Community Enterprise Programme.
Ec (Milk Directives)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many calves in Wales will have to be slaughtered to meet the conditions of European Economic Community milk directives; and what proportion of Welsh cattle this represents.
The measures agreed by the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 30–31 March give all milk producers a guaranteed quantity for which Community price support arrangements will apply. Production in excess of the guaranteed quantity will be levied. It will be for individual producers to decide how to adjust their production in the new circumstances, whether by culling cows, reducing yields or altering their present farming systems.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much revenue he expects Welsh farmers to lose as a result of the European Economic Community milk directives; and whether he expects farmers in Wales to lay off any farm workers as a result.
The effect of the milk directives on individual producers will depend upon the steps they take to adapt their present production systems to take account of the new measures.
Local Authority Expenditure
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure by local authorities in Wales in each of the financial years from 1972–73 to the latest available date.
Information for the years 1976–77 onwards is set out below. Figures for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Fishing Stocks
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have applied for byelaws to conserve fishing stocks by preventing netting; when were these applications made; what is his Department's response to these applications; and if he will make a statement.
I have been asked to reply.On 13 February Meirionnydd District Council submitted a draft byelaw to prohibit the placing of nets on the seashore for the prevention of dangers to users of the seashore. On 6 March Ynys Mon Borough Council sought information about the making of a similar byelaw. This proposal raises a number of complex issues but we hope shortly to be in a position to reply to the Councils concerned. When we have done so I shall write to the hon. Member.
Beef Variable Premium
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the effect on the beef sector in Wales when clawback of variable premium takes effect; and if he will make a statement.
Clawback on the beef premium scheme is one of a number of changes to support measures for beef producers agreed at the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 30–31 March. In aggregate it is not considered that returns to producers in Wales will be significantly affected.
Mentally Handicapped Persons (Hospitals)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many existing hospitals there are in Wales for the mentally handicapped; and how many patients they cater for.
There are currently 13 hospitals for people with mental handicap in Wales and these are supplemented by seven units within acute hospitals. Information on the numbers of people using these establishments is given below and refers to 1982.
| Numbers | |
| In-patient admissions or re-admissions | 1,876 |
| Out-patient attendances | 4,186 |
| Day hospital attendances | 14,772 |
| Day patients attendances at main hospitals | 18,399 |
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many new hospitals for mentally handicapped people are at the development stage; what size they will be; and what is the current estimate of their total cost in each case.
The all-Wales strategy for the development of services for mentally handicapped people is being undertaken in each county through 10 year plans which are currently being prepared by social services departments in consultation with other statutory authorities and representatives of mentally handicapped people. The intention is that these plans should include the future role and provision of hospital services.
Nhs (Pay Beds)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each year since 1970 the total number of National Health Service pay beds in Wales, the total number of paying patients occupying those beds, the beds' average occupancy rate and the income raised by the use of the beds expressed first in gross terms, secondly after allowing for movement in the retail price index and thirdly after allowing for movement in National Health Service pay and prices.
I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Contractual Health Care (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each year since 1970 the number of deaths and discharges among, and the number of beds occupied on 31 December by, patients receiving treatment under contractual arrangements with institutions outside the National Health Service in Wales; and if he will break down these figures into the categories of (a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and post-operative, (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, (f) diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others.
Information for the period 1975–83 is given in the following table. Data are not available for the years prior to 1975.
| Specialty | Discharges and deaths | Occupied beds* |
| 1975 | ||
| Medical | 20 | 46 |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 399 | 13 |
| Geriatrics | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | 67 | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | 30 | 25 |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | — |
| Others | 16 | — |
| TOTAL | 532 | 84 |
| 1976 | ||
| Medical | 44 | 43 |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 455 | 21 |
| Geriatrics | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | 2 |
| Others | — | — |
| TOTAL | 499 | 66 |
| 1977 | ||
| Medical | 18 | — |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 254 | 9 |
| Geriatrics | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
Specialty
| Discharges and deaths
| Occupied beds*
|
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | — |
| Others | — | — |
| TOTAL | 272 | 9 |
1978
| ||
| Medical | 22 | — |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 219 | 7 |
| Geriatrics | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | — |
| Others | — | — |
| TOTAL | 241 | 7 |
1979
| ||
| Medical | 35 | — |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 213 | 7 |
| Geriatric | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | — |
| Others | 5 | — |
| TOTAL | 253 | 7 |
1980
| ||
| Medical | — | — |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 260 | 11 |
| Geriatric | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | — |
| Others | 1 | — |
| TOTAL | 261 | 11 |
1981
| ||
| Medical | — | — |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 260 | 8 |
| Geriatric | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | — | — |
| Others | 2 | — |
| TOTAL | 262 | 8 |
1982
| ||
| Medical | — | — |
| Surgical | — | — |
Specialty
| Discharges and deaths
| Occupied beds*
|
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 225 | 7 |
| Geriatric | — | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | — |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | — | — |
| Terminal care | 1 | 1 |
| Others | — | — |
| TOTAL | 226 | 8 |
1983
| ||
| Medical | — | 1 |
| Surgical | — | — |
| Pre-convalescent and post-operative | — | — |
| Convalescent | 170 | 5 |
| Geriatric | 19 | — |
| Diseases of the chest | — | — |
| Maternity | — | — |
| Mental Illness | — | 1 |
| Mental Handicap | — | — |
| Rehabilitation | 10 | 1 |
| Terminal care | — | 2 |
| Others | — | — |
| TOTAL | 199 | 10 |
* At 31 December. | ||
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each year since 1970 the expenditure on contractual arrangements for patient care in Wales, expressed in absolute terms and also as percentages of the total National Health Service expenditure in Wales each year; and if he will break down these figures into categories of (a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and post-operative, (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, (f) diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others.
For the years since NHS reorganisation, total expenditure on contractual arrangements for patient care in Wales was as follows. From the information available within my Department, it is not possible to disaggregate this expenditure as the hon.. Member has requested. Figures for 1983–84 are not yet available.
| Expenditure on contractual arrangements for patient care in Wales | ||
| Year | £ | Per cent, of NHS Expenditure in Wales |
| 1974–75 | 1,243,762 | 0·86 |
| 1975–76 | 1,522,680 | 0·81 |
| 1976–77 | 2,063,895 | 0·96 |
| 1977–78 | 70,275 | 0·03 |
| 1978–79 | 84,045 | 0·03 |
| 1979–80 | 98,184 | 0·03 |
| 1980–81 | 128,135 | 0·03 |
| 1981–82 | 150,279 | 0·03 |
| 1982–83 | 203,384 | 0·04 |
Drug Addiction
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the annual allocation for drug addiction problems in Wales each year from 1980–81 to 1983–84; how many centres for heroin addiction exist in Wales; what is their funding; and what are their age groups.
There are no regular earmarked funds allocated by the Welsh Office specifically to combat drug addiction. It is for health authorities and other service providers to make provision as they see fit in the light of local needs, but there are central funds they can bid for to help them meet these.Welsh Office financial support has been given since 1975 under the urban programme for the Drugs Advisory Centre in Cardiff. This amounts in the current financial year to £9,292 and support has been given at a similar level annually since 1980–81, after allowances are made for pay and price changes.Comprehensive information is not available centrally on units specifically devoted to assist heroin or other drug misusers. Most misusers are treated by General Practitioners or at general or psychiatric hospitals.I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Staffordshire Moorlands on 9 February 1984 which explained the measures being taken following public consultation in Wales on the report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the treatment and rehabilitation of drug misusers, including additional sources of central funding and to improve understanding of the nature and extent of drug misuse in Wales. Health authorities have been asked to undertake the review indicated in that reply.
| Maintained Secondary Schools teaching Welsh 1977–78 | ||||||||
| Clwyd | Dyfed | Gwent | Gwynedd | Mid Glamorgan | Powys | South Glamorgan | West Glamorgan | |
| Percentage of schools where Welsh: | ||||||||
| (a) Is taught as a first language only | — | 2·8 | — | — | 4·3 | — | — | 3·4 |
| (b) Is taught as a second language only | 63·6 | 16·7 | 32·5 | — | 83·0 | 16·7 | 79·3 | 82·8 |
| (c) Is taught as both a first and second language | 36·4 | 75·0 | — | 96·0 | 4·3 | 75·0 | 10·3 | 13·8 |
| (d) Is not taught at all | — | 5·5 | 67·5 | 4·0 | 8·5 | 8·3 | 10·3 | — |
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, for the most recent available date, how many children in secondary schools in each county in Wales are receiving some or all of their education through the medium of the Welsh language; and how this compares with the figures for five and 10 years previously.
Thomas: Information is not available in the form requested. Statistics on the numbers of pupils being taught through the medium of Welsh are available in respect of individual subjects only. Table 5·09 of "Statistics of Education in Wales No. 8, 1983" and Table 5.11 of "Statistics of Education in Wales No. 4, 1979", copies of which have been placed in the Library, show for Wales as a whole the number of pupils studying certain named subjects through the medium of Welsh in 1982–83 and 1978–79 respectively. Statistics for earlier years are not available.
Information on numbers of notified misusers of controlled drugs is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Home Affairs.—[Vol. 53, c. 787–788]
Housing Defects Bill
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what provision the Government plan to make to assist local authorities in Wales with expenditure incurred under the Housing Defects Bill.
The Bill makes provision for the Secretary of State to pay exchequer contribution to local authorities on the appropriate loan charges at the rate of 90 per cent. for reinstatement grant expenditure and 75 per cent. for repurchase expenditure which exceeds the defective value of the dwelling.
Welsh Language
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating, for the most recent date, the proportion of secondary schools in each county in Wales in which Welsh is taught (a) as a first language only, (b) as a second language only, (c) both as a first and second language and (d) not at all; and how these figures compare with the position five and 10 years earlier.
A table giving the information requested for 1982–83 appears in "Statistics of Education in Wales No. 8 1983" (Table 5.10) a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Comparable statistics for 1977–78 are given in the table below. Information for 1972–73 is not available.
Youth Training Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many early leavers from the youth training scheme programme in Wales since the programme started have (a) found full-time employment, (b) gone into further or higher education and (c) become unemployed again; and if he will publish this information broken down for the four administration areas which implement the scheme.
This information is not available. However, I understand that a report (covering Great Britain as a whole) on the destination of young people leaving the Youth Training Scheme is to be presented to the Youth Training Board at their meeting of 17 April and a copy of this will be placed in the Library at the same time.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish by county the current number of young persons eligible for youth training scheme participation but not yet placed on a scheme.
On information supplied by the careers service the following are the figures for each county. The figures in brackets are the numbers within the total who have been offered but refused a place:
| Eligible | Refused | |
| Clwyd | 238 | *(200) |
| Dyfed | 139 | (93) |
| Gwent | 344 | (94) |
| Gwynedd | 57 | *40 |
| Mid Glamorgan | 244 | (244) |
| Powys | 38 | (21) |
| South Glamorgan | 417 | (274) |
| West Glamorgan | 140 | (131) |
| * Estimated | ||
Unfit Housing
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate the proportion of houses in Wales which are unfit for habitation.
The most recent reliable information about the condition of the Welsh housing stock is contained in the Welsh House Condition Survey (1981), a copy of which is in the Library.
Labour Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many school leavers and young persons aged 17 and 18 years are currently registered as unemployed by county in Wales; and how those figures have varied during the last two years.
Information is not available in the precise form requested. For school leaver claimants a county breakdown is not available for 1982. The most recent figues are for March 1984 and these are set out in the following table along with those for March 1983
| March 1983 | March 1984 | Change | |
| South Glamorgan | 767 | 660 | -107 |
| Mid Glamorgan | 1,720 | 1,137 | -583 |
| West Glamorgan | 1,024 | 873 | -151 |
| Gwent | 1,195 | 917 | -278 |
| Dyfed | 556 | 444 | -112 |
| Powys | 82 | 70 | -12 |
| Gwynedd | 322 | 249 | -73 |
| Clwyd | 870 | 807 | -63 |
| Unemployed claimants | ||||
| January 1983 | January 1984 | |||
| Age 18 | Age 17 | Age 18 | Change Age 18 | |
| South Glamorgan | 1,521 | 1,085 | 1,634 | ? |
| Mid Glamorgan | 2,819 | 1,895 | 2,836 | |
| West Glamorgan | 1,863 | 1,283 | 1,957 | |
| Gwent | 2,176 | 1,344 | 2,056 | -120 |
| Dyfed | 1,139 | 792 | 1,099 | -40 |
| Powys | 227 | 140 | 249 | |
| Gwynedd | 831 | 545 | 865 | |
| Clwyd | 1,643 | 1,140 | 1,573 | -70 |
Housing Demand (Survey)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will commission an independent survey of the demand for dwellings in Wales and the resources necessary to meet that demand.
No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend on 26 March in which he said that the Department already has in hand a new assessment of housing need. [Vol. 57, c. 2–3].
Building Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action he intends to stimulate the building industry in Wales.
The building industry in Wales is already benefitting from the economic recovery brought about by the Government's economic policies. Clear evidence of this is the 40 per cent. increase in private sector housing starts between 1981 and 1983. In 1984–85 the industry will continue to benefit from the £191·5 million which is available to local authorities and the Housing Corporation to spend on housing. Moreover, Urban Development Grants recently announced will result in total investment in 6 private sector housing schemes of about £13·5 million.
Elderly Persons (Accommodation)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will set up a working party to examine the demand by elderly persons for accommodation in Wales and the likely resources to meet that demand.
No. The Department's new assessment of housing need to which we have already referred will encompass the demands of the elderly.
Council House Sales
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are his assumptions on the level of capital receipts from the sale of council house dwellings in 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87.
I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.
Rents
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the percentage increase in average unrebated rent in 1979–80 to 1983–84; and what are his expectations for the year 1984–85.
Based on local authority returns made to the Welsh Office the percentage increase in unrebated rents between 1979–80 and 1983–84 is 126 per cent. Information as to the actual rent increases decided upon by Welsh local authorities for 1984–85 is not yet available.
Council House Construction
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many authorities built no new dwellings in 1983–84; and how many are planning to build no new dwellings in the current year.
Data are available only up to December 1983. During 1983, seven authorities started no new dwellings. Information on new dwellings to be built in the current year is not available.
Schools (Computer Software)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what finance his Department intends to make available for schools to buy computer software; and whether this money will be allocated by his Department or through the Council for Educational Technology or the regional offices of the micro electronics programme.
The resources made available by my Department to finance the purchase of education materials for schools are incorporated in the rate support grant which is unhypothecated.
Housing Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of council houses to be built by local authorities in 1984–85; how many council houses were built in 1983–84; how many homeless cases were accepted by local authorities in 1983–84; how many private houses were completed in 1983–84; and what is his estimate of private homes completions for 1984–85.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April]: The latest available data relate to the year ended December 1983 and provisional information for that period is as follows:
| Number | |
| Housing completions | |
| Local authority | 1,500 |
| New towns | 200 |
| Private sector | 5,000 |
| Homelessness | |
| Number of homeless cases accepted | 5,000 |
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each district council area in Wales (a) the number of housing starts and (b) the number of housing completions, in the public, housing association, and private sectors, respectively, for the last five years.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April]: Information for the years 1979 to 1982 is published in respective issues of Welsh Housing Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library; and I have placed in the Library the provisional information for 1983.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating over the past two years, for each district council area in Wales, the number of applications (a) made, (b) approved and (c) paid out, in relation to house renovations and repairs, together with the corresponding financial implication of each set of figures.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April]: I have placed this information in the Library.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating, under the provisions for council tenants to buy their homes in the Housing Act 1980, for each district council in Wales (a) the total number of claims received, (b) the total number of acceptances and (c) the total number of sales completed, between 3 October 1980 and the most recent available date.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April]: Details for the period 3 October 1980–31 December 1983, the latest date for which information is available, have been placed in the Library.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating for 1 April 1984, or for the most recently available date, and for 1 April on each of the preceding five years, the total number of dwellings available in Wales for renting from local authorities and new town corporations, including houses that are currently tenanted and those without tenants, but available for letting.
[pursuant to his answer, 12 April]: The information required is estimated as follows:
| Total dwellings available for letting | |
| At April each year | Number |
| 1979 | 294,200 |
| 1980 | 284,600 |
| 1981 | 285,800 |
| 1982 | 286,200 |
| 1983 | 265,400 |
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the reasons for the variations in the figures given for the average housing capital expenditure per 1,000 population, analysed by district councils throughout Wales for the period 1977 to 1982, in Welsh Housing Statistics No. 3, page 41, compared to the figures published in Welsh Housing Statistics No. 2, page 39; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to his answer, 12 April]: The average housing capital expenditure per 1,000 population was calculated on a different basis in the 2 publications. In the earlier table the figures were obtained by taking the mean of the 5 expenditure figures from 1977–1978 to 1981–1982 and dividing by the most recent population estimate for the latest year (the provisional 1981 mid year estimate based on the 1981 Census). In the later table the average expenditure per 1,000 population refers to 1981–1982 only and was calculated by dividing the expenditure for that financial year by the population estimate for 1981 (the same population estimate as that used in the earlier table). Unfortunately, the later table failed to make this difference clear. There are also small differences due to revisions of the expenditure figures for 1981–82. In the earlier publication these were estimates based on fourth quarter Capital Payments Returns, submitted by authorities shortly after the end of the financial year and were described in the table as being provisional. The 1981–82 figures in the later table on the other hand were based on Capital Outturn forms, which contain the final figures for the year.
Rates
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the average domestic rate poundage and the average domestic rate bill, respectively, for each district council in Wales for 1983–84, and those proposed for 1984–85.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April]: The information requested is as follows:
| 1983–84 | 1984–85 | |||
| Domestic rate poundage | Average domestic rate bill | Domestic rate poundage | Average domestic rate bill | |
| (P) | (£) | (P) | (£) | |
| Districts | ||||
| Alyn and Deeside | 146·2 | 226 | 169·2 | 263 |
| Colwyn | 157·6 | 229 | 175·6 | 257 |
| Delyn | 160·4 | 238 | 174·9 | 261 |
| Glyndwr | 153·6 | 188 | 169·8 | 208 |
| Rhuddlan | 161·0 | 245 | 176·5 | 269 |
| Wrexham Maelor | 158·5 | 207 | 174·7 | 229 |
| Carmarthen | 133·4 | 134 | 145·7 | 147 |
| Ceredigion | 129·1 | 140 | 143·4 | 156 |
| Dinefwr | 127·9 | 112 | 141·4 | 125 |
| Llanelli | 140·5 | 143 | 155·8 | 159 |
| Preseli | 131·8 | 137 | 144·0 | 151 |
| South Pembroke | 133·1 | 158 | 146·4 | 174 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 155·1 | 144 | 155·6 | 146 |
| Islwyn | 146·5 | 152 | 154·5 | 161 |
| Monmouth | 143·9 | 208 | 150·3 | 219 |
| Newport | 153·1 | 231 | 156·9 | 237 |
| Torfaen | 160·7 | 198 | 168·7 | 208 |
| Aberconwy | 147·1 | 206 | 161·3 | 227 |
| Arfon | 144·3 | 138 | 157·5 | 152 |
| Dwyfor | 150·5 | 158 | 162·6 | 172 |
| Meirionnydd | 150·1 | 164 | 160·3 | 176 |
| 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982* | 1983* | |
| Glasgow† | ||||||
| Primary Industry | 2·8 | — | — | 3·3 | — | — |
| Manufacturing Industry | 159·9 | — | — | 122·0 | — | — |
| Construction Industry | 38·2 | — | — | 35·6 | — | — |
| Services and Utilities | 326·6 | — | — | 317·5 | — | — |
| Scotland | ||||||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 48 | 48 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 43 |
| Energy and water supply | 69 | 73 | 75 | 74 | 75 | 73 |
| Manufacturing Industry | 609 | 606 | 566 | 511 | 478 | 447 |
| Construction Industry | 152 | 157 | 157 | 143 | 132 | 125 |
| Services | 1,188 | 1,222 | 1,242 | 1,230 | 1,226 | 1,214 |
| Total | 2,067 | 2,107 | 2,205 | 2,002 | 1,955 | 1,902 |
| All the figures relate to June except for Glasgow 1981 figures which relate to September. | ||||||
| * Provisional. There are estimated additions to the Scotland total estimates of 13,000 and 31,000 in 1982 and 1983 respectively. | ||||||
| † The estimates for Glasgow are on SIC 1968 and relate to the Glasgow travel-to-work area. | ||||||
| ‡ The estimates for Scotland are on SIC 1980; current estimates on SIC 1968 are no longer available. | ||||||
Skillcentres
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the skillcentres closed in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland since 1979 and the resultant drop in training completions in each year.
Since 1979 the only skillcentre to have been closed in Scotland is Port Glasgow which was closed in August 1981. The numbers of training completions in skillcentres between 1979 and 1983 are:
1983–84
| 1984–85
| |||
Domestic rate poundage
| Average domestic rate bill
| Domestic rate poundage
| Average domestic rate bill
| |
(P)
| (£)
| (P)
| (£)
| |
| Ynys Mon | 145·8 | 178 | 159·2 | 196 |
| Cynon Valley | 162·5 | 128 | 189·5 | 150 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 173·9 | 156 | 200·0 | 179 |
| Ogwr | 164·1 | 195 | 194·4 | 232 |
| Rhondda | 162·5 | 103 | 187·5 | 119 |
| Rhymney Valley | 173·6 | 180 | 199·9 | 208 |
| Taff Ely | 159·4 | 178 | 193·7 | 217 |
| Brecknock | 128·4 | 143 | 138·2 | 155 |
| Montgomery | 125·0 | 137 | 133·1 | 147 |
| Radnor | 121·4 | 133 | 133·4 | 147 |
| Cardiff | 125·3 | 217 | 133·8 | 233 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 128·6 | 210 | 137·8 | 226 |
| Afan | 186·8 | 201 | 198·5 | 214 |
| Lliw Valley | 174·7 | 170 | 184·8 | 181 |
| Neath | 168·6 | 180 | 180·5 | 193 |
| Swansea | 182·0 | 242 | 193·0 | 257 |
Scotland
Labour Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were employed in the following sectors in (i) Glasgow and (ii) Scotland in each of the past five years (a) primary industry, (b) manufacturing industry, (c) construction and (d) services and utilities.
The available estirnates of employees in employment fain thousands) are set out in the table:
| Year | Completions |
| 1978–79 | 2,482 |
| 1979–80 | 2,526 |
| 1980–81 | 2,757 |
| 1981–82 | 3,138 |
| 1982–83 | 3,171 |
Braefoot Bay (Safety)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the detailed report and results of the study of safety rules in maritime operations at Braefoot bay terminal, Fife.
All of the material relating to the safety of shipping operations at the Braefoot bay terminals which my right hon. Friend has under consideration at present will be made publicly available.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the terms of reference of the A. D. Little study into safety risks at Mossmorran and Braefoot bay included a full investigation into the risks involved in situations where ships are moored at or in the vicinity of the jetty.
The relevant condition attaching to the grant of planning permission for the Mossmorran and Braefoot bay facilities required full independent hazard and operability audits of the plants to be undertaken, the intention being that all associated risks should be examined. I am satisfied that the risks involved in situations where ships are moored at, or are in the vicinity of, the Braefoot bay terminals have been fully examined in the hazard and operability audits, the separate risk assessment of the proposed shipping movements in the Firth of Forth and at Braefoot bay and the study of the possible hazard effects of radio transmissions undertaken in accordance with the requirements of a separate condition attaching to the grant of planning permission.
Students
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the undergraduate students at universities in Scotland received their secondary education in Scotland.
The information is not readily available. For 1982–83, the latest year for which figures are available, 75 per cent. of full-time undergraduate students at universities in Scotland were domiciled in Scotland; and it is probable that the great majority of these students received their secondary education in Scotland.
Training
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of people currently receiving training on special courses sponsored by the Government in Scotland.
On 29 February 1984, the latest date for which information is available, there were 3,394 adults on the training opportunities scheme and 29,435 young persons on the youth training scheme in Scotland. The schemes are run by the Manpower Services Commission.
Community Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many young people are currently employed by community industry in Scotland; and how these figures compare with the numbers so employed in 1981 and 1979.
| Year | No. of Pay Beds | Percentage Occupancy Rate | Gross Income | Income at 1983 prices based on movement in Retail Price Index |
| £ | £ | |||
| 1970 | 328 | 46·0 | 398,876 | 1,828,500 |
| 1971 | 326 | 42·7 | 436,367 | 1,827,832 |
| 1972 | 336 | 37·2 | 477,465 | 1,866,961 |
On 8 March 1984, the latest date for which information is available, there were 1,508 young people employed in community industry in Scotland. The comparable figures for March 1981 and March 1979 were 1,468 and 1,081 respectively.
Temporary Employment Schemes
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the number of men, women and young people on temporary employment schemes by name in the area of Cunninghame, North.
The information is not available in the form requested. The latest figures available show the numbers of people supported on the Government's special employment and training measures.
Community Industry: 25 adults (all male) and 172 young people (114 male and 58 female) at 6 April 1984. (See note 1)
Enterprise Allowance Scheme: 134 (111 males and 23 females) at 10 April 1984. (See note 2)
Job Release Scheme: 109 (89 males and 20 females) at 9 March 1984. (See note 2)
Young Workers Scheme: 501 at 9 March 1984. Separate figures for males and females are not available. (See note 2)
Community Programme: 724 at 29 March 1984. Separate figures for males and females are not available. (See note 3)
Youth Training Scheme: 2,311 at 31 March 1984. Separate figures for males and females are not available.
Notes:
(1) These figures relate to the Ayr travel-to-work area; separate figures for Cunninghame, North are not available.
(2) These figures relate to the area covered by Largs, Kilwinning, Kilbirnie and Saltcoats Jobcentres.
(3) These figures relate to the Irvine/Kilmarnock area which includes Cunninghame, North.
(4) These figures relate to Ayrshire which includes Cunninghame, North.
Nhs (Pay Beds)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1970 the total number of National Health Service pay beds in Scotland, the total number of paying patients occupying those beds, the beds' average occupancy rate and the income raised by the use of the beds expressed first in gross terms, secondly after allowing for movement in the retail price index and thirdly after allowing for movement in National Health Service pay and prices.
The available information is detailed as follows: Comparative figures for movement in NHS pay and prices cannot be provided. Total numbers of paying patients occupying pay beds are not collected centrally.
Year
| No. of Pay Beds
| Percentage Occupancy Rate
| Gross Income
| Income at 1983 prices based on movement in Retail Price Index
|
£
| £
| |||
| 1973 | 324 | 36·4 | 527,447 | 1,890,347 |
| 1974 | 324 | 30·2 | 536,749 | 1,657,738 |
| 1975 | 234 | 23·1 | 449,371 | 1,117,094 |
| 1976 | 234 | 20·9 | 480,048 | 1,023,960 |
| 1977 | 184 | 22·1 | 421,626 | 776,302 |
| 1978 | 149 | 23·3 | 455,452 | 774,338 |
| 1979 | 114 | 24·6 | 525,691 | 788,184 |
| 1980 | 94 | 26·2 | 688,427 | 874,827 |
| 1981 | 94 | 34·7 | 844,507 | 959,303 |
| 1982 | 105 | 21·7 | 650,205 | 680,037 |
| 1983 | 108 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Contractual Health Care (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1970 the total number of deaths and discharges among, and the number of beds occupied on 31 December by, patients receiving treatment under contractual arrangements with institutions outside the National Health Service in Scotland; and if he will break down these figures into the categories of (a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and postoperative, (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, (f) diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others.
Detailed information in the form requested is not available. Published information on the use of joint user and contractual hospitals is available in table 6.2(b) of the annual publication "Scottish Health Statistics".
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1970 the expenditure on contractual arrangements for patient care in Scotland, expressed in absolute terms and also as percentages of the total National Health Service expenditure in Scotland each year; and if he will break down these figures into the categories of (a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) pre-convalescent and post-operative (d) convalescent, (e) geriatric, (f) diseases of the chest, (g) maternity, (h) mental illness, (i) mental handicap, (j) rehabilitation, (k) terminal care and (l) others.
Detailed information in the form requested is not available.
Breast Screening
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department provides the names and addresses of suitable women for breast screening projects to the health boards in order that they may be approached to participate.
No.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidelines his Department issues on consent forms given to each potential participant in breast screening projects; and if he requires the forms to state which group the participant is in;(2) what guidelines his Department issues on the operation of breast screening projects including guidelines on setting up control groups who receive regular screening;
(3) what is the policy of his Department towards encouraging regular breast screening for women; and if he provides funding for breast screening research projects in Scotland.
The potential benefit of breast cancer screening is the subject of a major United Kingdom multi-centre trial, the results of which are expected after 1988. My Department is participating in this trial—involving mammography and clinical examination of the breast—by funding the centre in Edinburgh. Its support for investigations into breast screening is limited to funding of this centre, and it has not issued formal guidelines on the operation of such projects.The conduct of the trial is overseen by a steering group for each centre and also by a working group representing all the centres.While this trial is in progress on general grounds women are encouraged to undertake self examination.
Breast Cancer
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women have died from breast cancer in (a) Scotland and (b) Lothian region in each of the last five years, expressed (i) numerically and (ii) as a proportion of the population.
The information requested is shown in the table:
| Women who have died from breast cancer in Scotland and Lothian region, 1979–83 | ||||
| Scotland | Lothian region | |||
| Year | Number | Rate per 100,000 population | Number | Rate per 100,000 population |
| 1979 | 1,176 | 44 | 171 | 44 |
| 1980 | 1,214 | 45 | 185 | 47 |
| 1981 | 1,175 | 44 | 152 | 39 |
| 1982 | 1,228 | 46 | 188 | 48 |
| *1983 | 1,263 | 47 | 184 | 47 |
| *Provisional figures. | ||||
Scottish Transport Group
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has determined the financial target for the Scottish Transport Group for 1984.
I have reapplied for a further year the previous targets set for the Scottish Transport Group. This will require the Scottish Bus Group to make a return of 4½ per cent. on average net fixed assets at current cost in the year to 31 December 1984. The return will be calculated as before and audited as applying to current cost operating profit adjusted to take account of both gains/losses arising on disposal of traffic vehicles, and capital grants on an historic cost basis. The target set for Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. is that the company should break even in historic cost terms after receipt of grant.I have set these targets for one year only to allow time for more detailed consideration of the financial targets and the method of calculation that should be applied from 1 January 1985.
Employment
Southern Region (Training Opportunities)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what Government training opportunities in new technology skills are available in the southern region for young people and unemployed adults.
In the area covered by the Manpower Services Commission's London and the south east regions, at the beginning of April, there were 2,200 training opportunities in new technology skills available to unemployed adults through training opportunities scheme.For young people, some 920 training places specialising in new technology skills were available under the youth training scheme at 27 information technology centres; 530 places are planned for a further 13 centres. All youth training scheme programmes are required to include an introduction to computer literacy and information technology.
Labour Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people aged 24 years and under have never held any job other than one provided by a scheme emanating from Government or from the Manpower Services Commission.
The following is the available information for unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom on 8 March. The figures relate to the numbers of unemployed school leavers ie young people who had not entered employment since terminating full-time education.
| Age | |
| Under 18 | 94,817 |
| 18 | 80,003 |
| 19 and over | 143,242 |
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of those who left school in summer 1983 are still unemployed.
Information in the exact form requested is not available. The available estimates relate to the numbers of young people aged 16 and 17 years on 31 August who were claimant unemployed the following January.Estimates for Great Britain in January 1984, with equivalent data for 1983, were given by my right honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science in his reply to the question from my Friend the Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Mr. Forman) at column 597.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many of those who left at age 16 years in 1982 are (a) still without employment and (b) have had no employment other than under a scheme emanating from the Government or the Manpower Services Commission;(2) how many of those who left school at age 16 years in 1981 are
(a) still without employment and (b) have had no employment other than under a scheme emanating from the Government or the Manpower Services Commission;
(3) how many of those who left school at age 16 years in 1980 are (a) still without employment and (b) have had no employment other than under a scheme emanating from the Government or the Manpower Services Commission;
(4) how many of those who left school at age 16 years in 1979 are (a) still without employment and (b) have had no employment other than under a scheme emanating from the Government or the Manpower Services Commission;
(5) how many of those who left school at age 16 years in 1978 are (a) still without employment and (b) have had no employment other than under a scheme emanating from the Government or the Manpower Services Commission.
The information is not available as the Department's unemployment statistics do not indicate the year in which a young person left school.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of unemployment in travel-to-work areas in the Wealden constituency; and how this compares with the years 1982 and 1983.
The following table gives the number registered as unemployed in March 1982 and the numbers of unemployed claimants in March 1983 and March 1984 in the area covered by the Uckfield and Hailsham jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the Wealden constituency. It also gives the numbers for October 1982 on both registrations and claimants bases. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted. The comparisons are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and by the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.
| Registered unemployed | Number unemployed |
| March 1982 | 1,307 |
| October 1982 | 1,281 |
| Unemployed claimants | |
| October 1982 | 1,059 |
| March 1983 | 1,239 |
| March 1984 | 1,217 |
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest employment figures.
On 8 March, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,142,775. Although this represented a seasonally adjusted rise of 11,000 on the previous month, this was smaller than the increases of 30,000 in January and February. Over the six months to March, the average increase was 11,000 a month, compared with 15,000 a month in the previous six months.
Political Levy
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many members of trade unions have opted out of payment of the political levy in each year commencing 1978.
According to the certification officer's published reports the number of members of trade unions with political funds who did not contribute to those funds in each of the years since 1978 for which figures are available was as follows:
| Number | |
| 1978 | 1,805,236 |
| 1979 | 1,842,668 |
| 1980 | 1,756,847 |
| 1981 | 1,733,737 |
| 1982 | 1,534,492 |
Jobcentres
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the threatened closure of jobcentres; and how many are involved in the London area.
This Department has received a number of letters about the proposals the Manpower Services Commission is considering for the future development of the employment service. These proposals involve the re-organisation of the jobcentre network (with more jobcentre outlets overall) based upon the use of recent advances in technology to provide services which are designed to be more accessible to the public and better geared to local needs at a reduced cost. At this stage it is not possible to say exactly what these proposals would mean for particular parts of the country.
Redundancy Payments
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total of payments made under the statutory redundancy payments scheme since the beginning of 1979; and if he will estimate the additional amount of non-statutory payments over the same period.
The total amount of statutory redundancy payments made in the period January 1979 to December 1983 was £3·3 billion. No information is available centrally on amounts paid in excess of the statutory minimum, which is a matter for individual employers.
Miners (Unemployment Benefit)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment why his Department's office at Worksop, Nottinghamshire has insisted miners sent home from Marston colliery because of a winders' strike on 5 March have to appeal against the decision not to pay the unemployment benefit when benefit in respect of Kiverton colliery men in the same dispute has been paid out by the Donnington, Yorkshire office; and what is the reason for the delay in hearing the appeal.
Inquiries indicate that the miners in question are from Shireoaks colliery and not Marston, as quoted.A decision has been given by the statutorily appointed independent adjudicating authorities who decide benefit claims that a disqualification from receiving unemployment benefit applies to miners from Shireoaks colliery. An appeal to the national insurance local tribunal has been lodged against that decision.The different adjudicating authorities considering unemployment benefit claims from miners at Kiverton colliery decided that disqualification was not appropriate in their case.The independent appointment of the adjudicating authorities prevents a Minister from either intervening in the decision making and appeal processes or commenting on the validity of a decision.
Messrs David Johnson And Roy Bonser
asked the Secretary of State for Employment why Mr. David Johnson, 72 Rotherham bank, Carlton, near Worksop and Mr. Roy Bonser, 37 Prospect road, Worksop have been refused unemployment benefit by his Department's office at Worksop, Nottinghamshire after being laid off as National Coal Board contractors during the miners' strike when their workmates' claim has been accepted by the Donnington office; and why they have been waiting since 13 March for their appeal to be heard.
Unemployment benefit entitle:merit is decided by statutorily appointed independent adjudicating authorities. Their independent appointment precludes Ministers from intervening in the adjudication process.The claims made by Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bonser have been suspended until the adjudicating authorities have decided whether or not they should be disqualified. The question of appeal does not therefore arise.I am told that the adjudicating authorities are making further inquiries to enable them to reach a decision.
Trainees (Financial Penalties)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether financial penalties imposed on trainees are retained by the sponsor, or whether it is a requirement that such amounts be returned to the Manpower Services Commission.
In cases where financial penalties are imposed on trainees, their sponsors' claims on the Manpower Services Commission are adjusted accordingly.
Work Force (Family Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of (a) male and (b) female workers have dependent children.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April 1984, c. 184]: Data from the labour force survey show that in Great Britain in 1981 about 42 per cent. of males in employment were heads of households containing dependent children and about 30 per cent. of females in employment were heads, or wives of heads, of households containing dependent children.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the total work force is represented at the latest available date by a family comprising a married man with dependent wife and two children.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 April 1984, c. 184]: It is estimated that in 1981 about 6 per cent. of persons in employment in Great Britain were married men aged 16–64 years with a wife who was not working and two dependent children.
Youth Training Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people are currently registered for the youth training scheme; and how those figures compare with 1983;(2) how many people in Leicester are currently registered for the youth training scheme.
[pursuant to his reply, 11 April 1984]: There is no requirement for eligible young people to register for the youth training scheme. By the end of February 342,317 youngsters had entered the scheme and at the same date 259,282 youngsters were actually in training.Comparable figures for the county of Leicestershire were 4,644 and 2,980, respectively.
Northern Ireland
Grammar Schools
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied that the provision of
| Fees | Fee-paying-pupils (school years) | ||||||||
| 1983–84 school year | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | ||||||
| Prep Dept | Sec Dept | Prep Dept | Sec Dept | Prep Dept | Sec Dept | Prep Dept | Sec Dept | ||
| £ | £ | £ | |||||||
| Controlled Grammar Schools | |||||||||
| Annadale Grammar School | — | 684 | — | — | 3 | — | 6 | — | 4 |
| Carolan Grammar School | — | 684 | — | — | 2 | — | 4 | — | — |
| Grosvenor High School | — | 684 | — | — | 19 | — | 18 | — | 16 |
| Antrim Grammar School | — | 561 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Ballyclare High School | 522 | 561 | — | 92 | 3 | 80 | 2 | 83 | 4 |
| Ballymena Cambridge House (Girls') | — | 561 | — | 10 | 9 | — | 4 | — | 7 |
| Ballymena Cambridge House (Boys') | — | 561 | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | 5 |
| Coleraine High School | — | 561 | — | — | 39 | — | 40 | — | 43 |
| Carrickfergus Grammar School | — | 561 | — | — | 3 | — | 5 | — | 1 |
grammar school places in the Newry and Armagh constituency are sufficient to permit parental choice for all qualified pupils.
Provisional figures for 1983–84 indicate that there should be sufficent grammar school places in the area to accommodate those pupils who have obtained a grade "A" in the transfer procedure and whose parents wish them to attend a grammar school in the area; it may not however always be possible to obtain a place in the first choice grammar school. While those pupils graded "M" in the transfer procedure are not guaranteed a place, the provisional figures indicate that it should be possible to accommodate a large number of them in the grammar schools in the area.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied that the provision of grammar school places in the area of the Antrim, South constituency is sufficient to permit proper parental choice for all suitable pupils.
Provisional figures for 1983–84 indicate that there should be sufficient places in the area for those pupils who have obtained a grade "A" in the transfer procedure and whose parents wish them to attend a grammar school in the area; it may not however always be possible to obtain a place in the first choice grammar school. While those pupils graded "M" in the transfer procedure are not guaranteed a place, the provisional figures indicate that it should be possible to accommodate a large number of them in the grammar schools in the South Antrim area.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the initial intake quota to grammar schools in Northern Ireland and the final intake of non-fee paying pupils in respect of each grammar school.
The provisional intake quota of day pupils for admission to all grammar schools in Northern Ireland in September 1984 is 7,285; not all intake quotas for individual schools have been settled. The final intake will not be known until September 1984.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the number of fee-paying pupils at each grammar school in Northern Ireland in each of the last three school years;(2) if he will list the rates of fees payable in preparatory departments and post primary departments for day pupils in Northern Ireland grammar schools.
The information is as follows:
Fees
| Fee-paying-pupils (school years)
| ||||||||
1983–84 school year
| 1981–82
| 1982–83
| 1983–84
| ||||||
Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| ||
Tuition
| Capital
| ||||||||
£
| £
| £
| |||||||
| Armagh Girls' High School | — | 594 | — | — | 9 | — | 10 | — | 15 |
| Bambridge Academy | — | 594 | — | — | 10 | — | 12 | — | 11 |
| Dungannon Girls High | — | 594 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | 7 |
| Lurgan College | 528 | 594 | — | 32 | 14 | 32 | 10 | 35 | 7 |
| Portadown College | 528 | 594 | — | 93 | 6 | 85 | 5 | 78 | 7 |
| Bangor Glenlola Collegiate | 447 | 471 | — | 164 | 4 | 145 | 2 | 139 | — |
| Downpatrick Down High School | 447 | 471 | — | 119 | 10 | 113 | 6 | 105 | 4 |
| Newtownards Regent House | 447 | 471 | — | 200 | 8 | 200 | 4 | 200 | 1 |
| Enniskillen Collegiate | — | 564 | — | — | 13 | — | 12 | — | 12 |
| Limavady Grammar School | — | 564 | — | — | 14 | — | 18 | — | 20 |
| Omagh Academy | 519 | 564 | — | 68 | 18 | 73 | 33 | 73 | 49 |
| Strabane Grammar School | — | 564 | — | — | 11 | — | 21 | — | 22 |
| Totals | 778 | 200 | 728 | 217 | 713 | 235 | |||
Voluntary Grammar Schools
| |||||||||
| Armagh Christian Brothers' Grammar | — | 495 | 30 | — | 9 | — | 11 | — | 15 |
| Armagh The Royal School | 400 | 738 | 20 | 64 | 45 | 69 | 55 | 81 | 51 |
| Armagh St. Patrick's College | — | 680 | 30 | — | 34 | — | 33 | — | 37 |
| Ballymena Academy | 390 | 549 | 30 | 212 | 28 | 212 | 34 | 216 | 30 |
| Ballymena St. Louis' Grammar | — | 470 | 40 | — | — | — | 4 | — | 2 |
| Ballymena Dalriada School | P1–3 385 | 582 | 25 | 106 | 34 | 104 | 37 | 99 | 31 |
| P4–7 450 | |||||||||
| Ballynaninch Assumption High | — | 490 | 30 | — | 12 | — | 9 | — | 3 |
| Bangor Grammar | P1–2 354 | 615 | 30 | 198 | 35 | 194 | 42 | 196 | 37 |
| P3–7 366 | |||||||||
| Belfast Ashleigh House | P1–2 260 | 525 | 20 | 84 | 67 | 57 | 58 | 21 | 49 |
| P3 285 | |||||||||
| P4 300 | |||||||||
| P5–7 315 | |||||||||
| Belfast Bloomfield Collegiate | 486 | 578 | 20 | 114 | 36 | 90 | 27 | 77 | 29 |
| Belfast Campbell College | 1,122 | Cabin Hill | — | 187 | 175 | 177 | 149 | 151 | 145 |
| Sec 1,164 | |||||||||
| Campbell | |||||||||
| College | |||||||||
| 1,599 | |||||||||
| Belfast Christian Brothers' Grammar | — | 706 | 25 | — | 14 | — | 13 | — | 30 |
| Belfast Dominican College | — | 569 | 20 | — | 17 | — | 19 | — | 19 |
| Belfast High | — | forms 1–2 | 15 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 19 | — | 20 |
| 503 | |||||||||
| forms 3–7 | |||||||||
| 513 | |||||||||
| Belfast Methodist College | 393 | 735 | 40 | 714 | 165 | 691 | 145 | 669 | 151 |
| Belfast Princess Gardens | *423 | forms 1–2 | 20 | 57 | 96 | 44 | 78 | 30 | 80 |
| 570 | |||||||||
| †453 | forms 3–7 | ||||||||
| 600 | |||||||||
| Belfast Richmond Lodge | P1 310 | 588 | 25 | 123 | 31 | 112 | 39 | 118 | 43 |
| P2–4 355 | |||||||||
| P5–7 390 | |||||||||
| Belfast Royal Belfast Academical Institution | 450 | 933 | — | 272 | 34 | 262 | 35 | 242 | 38 |
| Belfast Royal Academy | 450 | 719 | 40 | 351 | 50 | 341 | 67 | 330 | 77 |
| Belfast St. Dominic's High | .— | 556 | — | 16 | 24 | 5 | 46 | — | 40 |
| Belfast St. Malachy's College | — | 589 | 30 | — | — | — | 9 | — | 11 |
| Belfast St. Patrick's College | — | 739 | 40 | — | 15 | — | 6 | — | 11 |
| Belfast Stratheam | Pl–4 387 | 688 | 20 | 199 | 34 | 193 | 26 | 177 | 17 |
| P5–7 420 | |||||||||
| Belfast Victoria College | Pl–2 480 | 693 | 20 | 173 | 63 | 177 | 72 | 164 | 76 |
| P3–7 525 | |||||||||
| Coleraine Academical Institution | — | 619 | 20 | — | 187 | — | 211 | — | 211 |
| Coleraine Loreto Convent Grammar | — | 475 | 30 | — | 22 | — | 21 | — | 15 |
| Conagnmore St. Joseph Convent Grammar | — | 484 | 10 | — | 36 | — | 37 | — | 37 |
| Downpatrick St. Patrick's High | — | 475 | 40 | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | 3 |
| Dungannon The Royal School | P1 381 | 622 | 30 | 34 | 23 | 31 | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| P2 501 | |||||||||
| P3–7 603 | |||||||||
| Dungannon St. Patrick's Academy (Boys) | — | 467 | 20 | — | 9 | — | 10 | — | 3 |
| Dungannon St. Patrick's Academy (Girls) | — | 420 | 15 | — | 17 | — | 25 | — | 15 |
Fees
| Fee-paying-pupils (school years)
| ||||||||
1983–84 school year
| 1981–82
| 1982–83
| 1983–84
| ||||||
Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| Prep Dept
| Sec Dept
| ||
Tuition
| Capital
| ||||||||
£
| £
| £
| |||||||
| Dunmurry Rathmore Grammar | — | 577 | 25 | — | 21 | — | 24 | — | 16 |
| Enniskillen Convent Grammar | — | 500 | 10 | — | 8 | — | 20 | — | 23 |
| Enniskillen Portora Royal | 552 | 863 | 40 | 29 | 77 | 19 | 70 | 18 | 62 |
| Enniskillen St. Michael's Grammar | — | 480 | 20 | — | 13 | — | 15 | — | 17 |
| Garron Tower St. MacNissi's College | — | 730 | 20 | — | 46 | — | 43 | — | 31 |
| Holywood Convent of Sacred Heart of Mary | — | 542 | 25 | — | 20 | — | 32 | — | 34 |
| Holywood Sullivan Upper | 395 | 573 | 15 | 197 | 37 | 199 | 28 | 200 | 32 |
| Kilkeel St. Louis' High | — | 495 | 25 | — | 37 | — | 39 | — | 33 |
| Larne Grammar | P1–3 327 | 550 | 30 | 66 | 30 | 58 | 26 | 57 | 32 |
| P4–7 384 | |||||||||
| Lisburn Friends' School | 380 | 585 | 20 | 192 | 61 | 195 | 52 | 195 | 49 |
| Lisburn Wallace High | P1–2 360 | 541 | 30 | 210 | 27 | 206 | 35 | 203 | 31 |
| P3–7 430 | |||||||||
| Londonderry Convent of Mercy | — | 530 | 20 | — | 36 | — | 38 | — | 43 |
| Londonderry Foyle and Londonderry College | 400 | 635 | 30 | 85 | 53 | 82 | 64 | 90 | 54 |
| Londonderry St. Columb's College | — | 485 | 18 | — | 36 | — | 39 | — | 34 |
| Lurgan St. Michael's Senior High | — | 500 | 10 | — | 13 | — | 11 | — | 6 |
| Magherafelt Rainey Endowed | P1–2 295 | 582 | 25 | 59 | 36 | 47 | 32 | 37 | 35 |
| P3–4 370 | |||||||||
| P5 400 | |||||||||
| P6–7 430 | |||||||||
| Magherafelt St. Mary's Convent Grammar | — | 480 | 20 | — | 18 | — | 13 | — | 11 |
| Newry Abbey Grammar | — | 524 | 22 | — | 15 | — | 13 | — | 15 |
| Newry Our Lady's Grammar | — | 455 | 20 | — | 5 | — | 7 | — | 7 |
| Newry Sacred Heart Grammar | — | 375 | 25 | — | 18 | — | 19 | — | 17 |
| Newry St. Colman's College | — | 479 | 10 | — | 26 | — | 36 | — | 37 |
| Omagh Christian Brothers' Grammar | — | 453 | 20 | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | 1 |
| Omagh Loreto Convent | — | 469 | 20 | — | — | — | 5 | — | 4 |
| Portstewart Dominican College | — | 780 | 30 | — | 52 | — | 67 | — | 68 |
| Strabane Convent Grammar | — | 453 | 15 | — | 12 | — | 17 | — | 14 |
| Whitehead High | — | 556 | 14 | — | 26 | — | 26 | — | 28 |
| Totals | 3,770 | 2,052 | 3,572 | 2,135 | 3,401 | 2,086 | |||
* to 31 December 1983. | |||||||||
| † from 1 January 1984. | |||||||||
Terrorist Incidents (Newry And Armagh)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of terrorist incidents that have occurred in the Newry and Armagh constituency, for the first three months of 1984; and if he will make a statement.
Records of incidents of a terrorist nature are not maintained on a constituency basis. On the information available, however, there are thought to have been 20 incidents arising from the security situation in the area broadly conterminous with the constituency between 1 January and 31 March of this year. These resulted in five deaths and a number of minor injuries.
Students
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of undergraduate students receiving their university education in Northern Ireland originate from Northern Ireland.
The available information relates to the academic year 1982–83, when the proportion of full-time undergraduate students attending universities in Northern Ireland who originated from Northern Ireland was 91·4 per cent.
Sheltered Housing
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sheltered dwellings have been provided in the area covered by the Antrim, South constituency in each of the last three years; and how many sheltered dwellings there are at the present time.
There are 92 units of sheltered accommodation (in purpose-built complexes with communal facilities and a permanent warden). Sixteen have been provided during the last three years; they were completed in the 1982–83 financial year.
Republic Of Ireland (Extradition)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Government of the Irish Republic for the extradition of people wanted in connection with terrorist-type offences in Northern Ireland have been granted in the last 15 years.
In the case of two individuals wanted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in connection with terrorist-type offences, the courts in the Republic of Ireland have ruled that they should be returned to Northern Ireland.
Terrorism
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many explosions have been attributed to (a) Republican terrorist groups and (b) Loyalist terrorist groups in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years;(2) how many attempted murders have been attributed to
(a) Republican terrorist groups and (b) Loyalist terrorist groups in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years;
Murder
| Attempted Murder
| Explosions
| ||||
Year
| Republican
| Loyalist
| Republican
| Loyalist
| Republican
| Loyalist
|
| 1979 | 91 | 16 | 204 | 19 | 414 | 8 |
| 1980 | 53 | 13 | 188 | 15 | 260 | 20 |
| 1981 | 69 | 12 | 461 | 26 | 159 | 3 |
| 1982 | 71 | 13 | 401 | 12 | 212 | 7 |
| 1983 | 54 | 7 | 286 | 13 | 178 | 6 |
Ruc (Crime Detection Rate)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the detection rate for serious crimes by the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and how this compares with the previous five years.
Details of the Royal Ulster Constabulary's detection rates are published annually in the Chief constable's report to the police authority. The percentage of indictable offences cleared by the Royal Ulster Constabulary during 1983, together with corresponding figures for the previous five years, are as follows:
| Per cent. | |
| 1983* | 27·8 |
| 1982* | 19·0 |
| 1981 | 26·9 |
| 1980 | 25·0 |
| 1979 | 20·0 |
| 1978 | 23·0 |
| *The statistical basis for the calculations of these figures was revised in 1982. | |
Heavy Lorries (Speed Limits)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what increase in noise levels will result from the raising of the speed limit for heavy vehicles in Northern Ireland.
The proposed changes in the speed limits affecting heavy goods vehicles are likely to have only minimal effect on noise levels.
Nursery Schools
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to have nursery schools in Tandragee and Markethill on site and open for pupils.
The timing of the provision of a controlled nursery school in Tandragee and a nursery unit in a primary school which is to be built in Markethill is in the first instance a matter for the Southern education and library board having regard to the priority which it attaches to these schemes and the resources available for capital expenditure. The inclusion of the schemes in the board's new starts programme would require the approval of the Department of Education for Northern Ireland, and it is the
(3) how many murders have been attributed lo (a) Republican terrorist groups and (b) Loyalist terrorist groups in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
While it is not possible to be exact, available information suggests that responsibility for these crimes can be attributed as follows:Government's policy that the scarce resources available for capital projects should be mainly devoted to provision for children of compulsory school age.
Rathlin Island (Electricity Supply)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what are the current provisions for the supply of electricity on Rathlin island; and whether he considers these to be satisfactory;(2) what plans he has to link Rathlin island into the main electricity grid.
Electricity supply on Rathlin island is currently provided by a number of individual private generators. There is no public mains supply on the island. Because of the lack of satisfaction with existing arrangements I have sought the views of the Northern Ireland Electricity Service on the possibilities of providing a mains supply on the island, and these are currently under consideration.
Commissioner Of Complaints (Reports)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to enable the reports of the Commissioner of Complaints for Northern Ireland to be laid before the House.
Reports of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints are laid before Parliament under Section 11(3) of the Commissioner for Complaints Act (NI) 1969 as modified by paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974.
Road Traffic Act 1972
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will seek to amend the Road Traffic Act 1972 so that the type approval can be introduced to Northern Ireland on the same basis as the rest of the United Kingdom.
No, a proposal will shortly be published for a draft Order in Council to amend the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 by introducing a national type approval scheme for Northern Ireland along the lines of that which operates in Great Britain under the Road Traffic Act 1972.
"Local Democracy At Work"
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost to public funds of printing, publishing and distributing the Northern Ireland Assembly document, "Local Democracy at Work".
I understand from the Clerk to the Assembly that the cost to public funds was approximately £13,500.
Nhs (Pay Beds)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give for each year since 1970 the total
| Private in-patients provision | |||
| Year | Total no. of private patients who may be accommodated | Average daily no. of paying patients occupying those beds | Average occupancy rate |
| 1973 | 415 | 95·44 | 22·99 |
| 1974 | 415 | 92·56 | 22·30 |
| 1975 | 415 | 70·16 | 16·91 |
| 1976 | 415 | 53·55 | 12·90 |
| 1977 | 415 | 35·74 | 8·61 |
| 1978 | 415 | 25·63 | 6·17 |
| 1979 | 149 | 29·83 | 20·02 |
| 1980 | 149 | 21·14 | 14·18 |
| 1981 | 149 | 20·36 | 13·66 |
| 1982 | 149 | * | * |
| * 1982 figures are not yet available due to industrial action. | |||
| Private in-patients—income | |||
| Financial year | Cash income £ | Revalued to 1982–83 levels (using retail prices index) | Revalued to 1982–83 levels (health service pay and prices) |
| £ | £ | ||
| 1973–74 | 417,016 | 1,359,238 | 1,968,522 |
| 1974–75 | 442,533 | 1,203,010 | 1,468,008 |
| 1975–76 | 454,188 | 1,000,968 | 1,148,377 |
| 1976–77 | 501,113 | 947,400 | 1,097,940 |
| 1977–78 | 425,187 | 731,309 | 853,101 |
| 1978–79 | 420,509 | 661,481 | 765,622 |
| 1979–80 | 541,970 | 720,116 | 815,509 |
| 1980–81 | 455,373 | 535,209 | 529,116 |
| 1981–82 | 579,933 | 608,524 | 618,209 |
| 1982–83 | 789,667 | 789,667 | 789,667 |
Hendly Bros (Planning Conditions)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to enforce the planning conditions which related to the approval granted to Hendly Bros. to dump soil on Mr. I. A. Sherrard's land at O'Neill road, Newtownabbey.
No. The terms of the approval, which was granted in August 1964 by the former Newtownabbey urban district council, are not sufficiently precise to enable the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland to take effective enforcement action.
Defective Roads And Footpaths (Compensation)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the total cost of compensation paid to pedestrians in (a) 1982–83 and (b) number of National Health Service pay beds in Northern Ireland, the total number of paying patients occupying those beds, the beds' average occupancy rate and the income raised by the use of the beds expressed first in gross terms, secondly after allowing for movement in the retail price index, and thirdly after allowing for movement in National Health Service pay and prices.
Details of the availability and uptake of accommodation by hospital private patients in Northern Ireland between 1973 and 1982 and the income received are set out below. Information for the period prior to 1973 is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.1983–84 as a result of claims made against the DOE roads service, Omagh division, for injuries sustained due to defective roads and footpaths; and what proportion of this was made through out of court settlements;(2) what was the total cost of compensation paid to motorists in
(a) 1982–83 and (b) 1983–84 as a result of claims made against the DOE roads service, Omagh division, for damage to vehicles, and injuries sustained due to defective roads; and what proportion of this was made through out of court settlements.
Information in the form requested is not immediately available; the total cost of compensation paid by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland in respect of claims for injury and damage in the Omagh division of the roads service was as follows:
| £ | |
| 1982–83 | 87,000 |
| 1983–84 | 122,000 |
Water Main (Newtownabbey)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how old is the present water main along O'Neill road, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim; and if he will make a statement.
The water main in O'Neill road, Newtownabbey was laid by the Belfast and District Water Commissioners at the time of construction of the road by Newtownabbey urban district council in 1965. In the vicinity of O'Neill road there is also a conduit constructed by Belfast Water Commissioners about 1870.
Trade And Industry
Mail (Delivery Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has about the comparative rate of delivery on time of letters addressed using postal codes and other letters.
The latest figures available are for the period January to December 1983, and are as follows:
| Overall Quality of Service | Post Code Given | Post Code Not Given | |
| First Class* | 87·9 | 87·7 | 88·2 |
| Second Class† | 93·3 | 92·7 | 93·7 |
| * Delivery by the first working day after collection. | |||
| † Delivery by the third working day after collection. | |||
| Post Code Given | Post Code Not Given | |
| First Class | 88·5 | 87·1 |
| Second Class | 93·4 | 93·1 |
Radio Interference Services
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many persons are employed on radio interference services throughout the United Kingdom; and what is (a) the annual cost of their salaries and (b) the other annual cost of continuing this service; and how these figures have changed over the past five years.
Including managerial and clerical support and those employed in it part-time there are over 300 full-time equivalent posts in the radio interference service. As this service is contracted out on an agency basis, involving aggregation of certain costs such as pay, pensions, accommodation etc., it is not possible to provide the annual salary costs. The annual cost of this service over the last five years was as follows:
| £ million | |
| 1979–80 | 4·3 |
| 1980–81 | 6·1 |
| 1981–82 | 8·2 |
| 1982–83 | 8·6 |
| 1983–84 | 9·2 |
Citizens Band Radio
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what transitional period he proposes if the present citizens band frequency range of 27·60 to 27·99 Mhz. is to be phased out in line with the Conference of European Posts and Telecommunications Administrations recommendations.
It will be some while before the new band concerned can be given over to CB in accordance with the CEPT recommendation and as a consequence detailed planning to establish a timetable for the changes required has not yet been undertaken. No decision has been taken to phase out the present citizen's band service, but it is usual in circumstances such as these for there to be an adequate period of transition, during which both the new and existing frequencies may be used.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that technical specification and frequency allocations for citizens band radio between countries of the European Community are harmonised and existing variations are removed.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 13 February at column 18.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanism his Department has for ensuring that the views of users of citizens band radio are taken into account when he is considering developments affecting the future of citizens band broadcasting.
My officials in the radio regulatory division periodically meet with representatives of the two main CB user groups, the British CB Council and NATCOLCIBAR, and I am satisfied that this provides adequate opportunity for the views of users concerning future developments in the CB service to be taken fully into account.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will issue a different form of licence for citizens band operators using 21 Mhz to those using 934 Mhz, in order to identify the relative use made of each frequency band.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 2 April at column 357.
Television Reception (Interference)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish tables showing, by county, the number of complaints received by his Department of persistent interference to domestic television reception.
The information is not available in the form requested. However, in 1983 British Telecom's radio interference service completed investigations into 48,588 complaints of interference to television reception. The totals for individual British Telecom regions are as follows:
| Region | Total |
| London | 6,158 |
| South-East | 5,411 |
| South-West | 4,527 |
| Eastern | 5,796 |
| Midlands | 8,269 |
| Wales | 2,876 |
| North-East | 6,735 |
| North-West | 4,575 |
| Scotland | 3,784 |
| N. Ireland | 457 |
Departmental Staff
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants are currently employed at Chetwynd house; of these how many are employed on work associated with the citizens band licensing unit; and what is the annual cost of (a) salaries and (b) other administrative activities of this unit.
No civil servants are employed at Chetwynd house, which is a post office building. As the work of the citizens' band licensing unit is contracted out on an agency basis it is not possible to provide the specific information requested. Overall, the cost of the CBLU for 1983–84 was £305,000.
Tungsten
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much tungsten is used in the United Kingdom as (a) cemented carbides, (b) tool steel, (c) tungsten metal and (d) miscellaneous; and if he will list the higher-user industries.
Total United Kingdom consumption of tungsten for the latest available full year, 1982, was 367 tonnes. Unfortunately statistics are not available to subdivide this figure into the categories you requested. The main higher-user industries in the United Kingdom are those concerned with cemented carbide tooling and mineral mining, especially that of coal.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sources of tungsten are available to the United Kingdom outside the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China and North Korea (a) in stable economies and (b) in developing states.
The following countries, other than those that my hon. Friend specifies, produce tunsten ores and concentrates which would be available to the United Kingdom:
Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Burma, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United States, Zaire and Zimbabwe.
Mineral Exploration And Investment Grants Act 1972
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number and amount of European community finance assisted loans to the United Kingdom to complement projects under the Mineral Exploration and Investment Grants Act 1972.
To date, there have been no such loans.
Alcoholic Beverages (Greece)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Greek Government about recent price-profit margin controls and related measures imposed on imported alcoholic beverages.
The Government are making clear to the Greek Government our strong concern at these measures, which appear to be a clear restriction on trade and to be contrary to the EC Treaty. We understand that the Commission is investigating the position urgently with a view possibly to accelerating infraction proceedings.
Spirits Tax (United States)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the repercussions for the United Kingdom spirituous beverage industry, Her Majesty's Government will make representations to the United States of America Government about the proposed federal excise tax increase on spirits, in particular the non-applicability of the increase to other alcoholic beverages.
Proposals to increase the federal excise tax on spirits are currently under consideration in the United States Congress as part of a deficit reduction package. As long as the proposals do not discriminate, directly or indirectly, between domestic and imported spirits, this is a matter for the United States Government.
Export Licences
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the total number of licences granted each year since 1977 to (a) South Africa and (b) Namibia for items listed in Group I, Group II and Group III of Part II of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1981 or equivalent earlier orders.
It has been the practice of successive Governments not to publish information on export licences issued for particular countries.
Overseas Trade (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1983, what was (a) the United Kingdom output, by volume and price, (b) the level of imports (i) in total and (ii) from the EEC, (c) the level of exports, by volume and price, and (d) the extent of import penetration of the United Kingdom market, of cars, commercial vehicles, motor vehicle components, footwear, textiles, clothing, washing machines, television sets, cutlery, furniture, carpets, steel and bicycles, respectively; and how these figures compare with those for 1979.
| Sales, imports, exports and import penetration in goods of selected industries | |||||||||
| Industrial classification | Sales* (£ million) | Imports* (£ million) | Exports* (£ million) | Import penetration† (per cent.) | |||||
| 1979 | 1983‡ | 1979 | 1983‡ | 1979 | 1983‡ | 1979 | 1983‡ | ||
| 3510.1 | Passenger Cars | 2,773 | 3,088 | 2,588 | 3,533 | 817 | 918 | 57 | ║62 |
| 3510.2 | Commercial Vehicles | 1,707 | 1,306 | 362 | 562 | 586 | 451 | 24 | ¶40 |
| 353 | Motor Vehicle Parts | 3,152 | 3,027 | 824 | 1,250 | 1,531 | 1,534 | 34 | 46 |
| 451 | Footwear | 797 | 797 | 357 | 533 | 117 | 122 | 34 | 44 |
| 43 | Textiles | 4,806 | 4,601 | 1,711 | 2,258 | 1,294 | 1,284 | 33 | 41 |
| 438 | of which: Carpets | 697 | 695 | 153 | 213 | 162 | 124 | 22 | 27 |
| 45 less 451 | Clothing | 3,258 | 3,485 | 995 | 1,245 | 617 | 641 | 27 | 30 |
| 346 | Domestic Electric Appliances | 871 | 1,023 | 303 | 563 | 178 | 153 | 30 | 39 |
| of which Washing Machines | 168 | 202 | 60 | 89 | 14 | 10 | 28 | 32 | |
| 3454 | Electronic Consumer Goods | 550 | 660 | 511 | 1,146 | 126 | 155 | 55 | 69 |
| of which: Television Sets | 395 | 486 | 117 | 224 | 60 | 55 | 26 | 34 | |
| 3162 | Cutlery | 74 | 88 | 39 | 41 | 46 | 55 | 58 | 55 |
| Furniture: | |||||||||
| 3166 | Metal Furniture and Safes | 358 | 388 | 46 | 78 | 54 | 62 | 13 | 19 |
| 4671 | Wooden and Upholstered | 1,780 | 1,940 | 189 | 365 | 126 | 125 | 10 | 17 |
| 221–223 | Ferrous Metals Industry● | 6,414 | 5,316 | 1,114 | 1,148 | 1,215 | 1,255 | 18 | ■22 |
| 3634 | Pedal Cycles and Parts | 108 | 99 | 36 | 62 | 46 | 32 | 37 | 48 |
| * Estimated United Kingdom Manufacturer's Sales have been used as the measure of output. | |||||||||
| † Import Penetration is defined as imports: home demand expressed as a percentage where home demand=manufactures' sales??exports. | |||||||||
| ‡ Year ended September. | |||||||||
| ║ Vehicle registration figures show import penetration for cars as 56·3 per cent, in 1979 and 56·9 per cent, in 1983. | |||||||||
| ¶ Vehicle registration figures show import penetration for commercial vehicles as 23·2 per cent, in 1979 and 34·2 per cent, in 1983. | |||||||||
| ● Includes steel. | |||||||||
| ■ Tonnage figures show import penetration for steel at 20·6 per cent, in 1979 and 24·6 per cent, in 1980. | |||||||||
| * Overseas trade statistics basis. | |||||||||
Arms Sales (Taiwan)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been received for an export licence to sell arms to Taiwan since May 1979.
It has been the policy of successive Governments not to disclose details of applications for licences to export controlled goods to individual overseas countries. It remains Government policy however, not to grant export licences for the supply of arms to Taiwan.
Intellectual Property Rights
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to conclude his consideration of the Green Paper on "Intellectual Property Rights".
The Prime Minister indicated in her introduction to the Green Paper that the Government wish to seek views widely before attempting to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the actions proposed. To that end wide ranging consultations are currently being undertaken. Although the timetable will depend to some extent on the results of these consultations. I hope to complete my consideration of the Green Paper by the end of this year.
Schools (Computer Software)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what finance his Department intends to make available for schools to buy computer software; and whether this money will be allocated by his
What information as is readily available on a comparable basis is shown in the table:Department or through the Council for Educational Technology or the regional offices of the micro-electronics programme.
No decisions have yet been taken.
Pirate Radio
asked the Secretary of State for Trade, and Industry what evidence there is that pirate radio broadcasts are interfering with emergency, police and ambulance communications.
There has been one report, from Greater Manchester, of a pirate station's broadcasts interfering with police radio communications.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list his powers to take action to curb pirate radio stations.
Operating a radio station in the United Kingdom without a licence is an offence under section 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 for which the maximum penalty is three months' imprisonment and, from 1 May, a fine of £2,000. Section 15 of the Act contains powers of entry and search under warrant. Section 79 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 adds a power to seize and detain equipment for the purpose of any relevant proceedings. Section 14 of the 1949 Act includes a provision making compliance with provisions of the Act enforceable by civil proceedings by the Crown.Provisions relating to unauthorised offshore radio stations are contained in the Marine Etc. Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967.
Development Grants
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has decided upon the amount of grant to be made available to the West Midlands industrial development association for 1983–84 and 1984–85 and to the North of England development council and the Devon and Cornwall development bureau for 1984–85.
My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry made a statement on 29 June 1983 at column 75 in which he said that the West Midlands industrial development association would receive financial support from my Department in addition to significant funding from both local authorities and local industry. Following receipt of an acceptable programme of promotional activities from WMIDA, a grant of £50,000 has been made in respect of 1983–84. It has also been agreed that grant-in-aid of up to £100,000 will be made available in 1984–85.I have also discussed their budget proposals and forward programmes of promotional activity with the North of England development council and Devon and Cornwall development bureau. NEDC has satisfied me that it will continue to mount a realistic and effectively coordinated programme of events on behalf of the region, which will be incremental to the effort on behalf of the United Kingdom as a whole. I have therefore offered a grant-in-aid to NEDC for 1984–85 of up to £900,000, on the understanding that funding by the local authorities will be not less than their 1983–84 contribution of £300,000.I am not satisfied that DCDB has demonstrated the need for a substantial increase in grant, nor that a sufficient degree of commitment to a fully and effectively coordinated regional programme by all the local authorities in Devon and Cornwall has yet been demonstrated to justify any change in the matching requirement. I have therefore decided to retain £ for £ matching and to offer a slightly increased grant-in-aid of up to £115,000 as outlined in my reply to the then hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North on 19 January 1983 at columns 144–45.However if the DCDB can demonstrate that it has the full co-operation of all inward investment promotion bodies in its region and that positive steps have been taken to re-organise its structure, I shall be ready to consider the prospect of a more substantial grant and relaxation of the matching requirements for 1985–86.
Radio Interference Service
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement about the future of the radio interference service.
The Government have decided that the functions at present performed on the Secretary of State's behalf by British Telecom's Radio Interference Service should be transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry with effect from the day on which the assets and liabilities of the corporation are transferred to the successor company.It is expected that at least some of the staff engaged on this work at the time of its transfer will wish to transfer to the Department. Officials have begun discussions with British Telecom and with the trade unions concerned on the details of the transfer and it is hoped that proposals can be put to the staff concerned and their representatives shortly.The Government will also review the functions of the radio interference service in the course of the next 18 months to determine what resources it needs.
Wiggins Alloys Ltd
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what effect the recent announcement by Wiggins Alloys Ltd. of Hereford that it will manufacture certain of the nickel products in the United States of America will have upon supplies of these alloys in the United Kingdom.
[pursuant to the reply, 12 April 1984]: As I understand the new arrangements I have no reason to expect that they will have any effect upon the availability of supplies of nickel alloy products in the United Kingdom.
Education And Science
Teacher Training
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to establish a new accreditation council for teacher training; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have now completed our consultations on new arrangements for the approval of initial teacher training courses based on recommendations from the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers. We are pleased to announce the establishment of a Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, the proposal for which received widespread support during consultation. The council's remit will be to advise on the approval of initial teacher training courses in England and Wales. Its first task will be to undertake a review of all existing approved courses and to scrutinise proposals for new courses for which intake places have been allocated. This first review is expected to be completed in three to four years, after which the council's future will be reappraised. Dr. William Taylor, principal of the University of London, has been appointed chairman of the council. The membership, which will be drawn mainly from practising school teachers, teacher trainers, elected members and officers of local education authorities, will be announced shortly and the council will start work as soon as possible.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today issued a circular setting out the framework within which the council will be expected to operate and the criteria against which existing initial teacher training courses, and proposals for new courses, will be assessed. These criteria, which are based on the requirements published in the White Paper "Teaching Quality" (Cmnd. 8836) and the recommendations made by the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers, relate to the professional and academic content of courses, the selection of students for training, the recent successful classroom experience of teacher training staff, and good working relations with schools.Our intention, spelt out in Cmnd. 8836 and Cmnd. 9143, and mentioned again in Cmnd. 9189, is that the teaching force should be smaller but better. To the extent that the policies set out in the new Circular may require local authorities and institutions to incur additional expenditure in future years, my right hon. Friend and I will expect this to be contained within the provision for those years, including the cost of employing teachers. Additional expenditure on student grants as a result of the lengthening of some PGCE courses will be contained within this Department's Votes.Copies of the circular have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
National Advisory Body For Local Authority Higher Education
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his proposals for the future existence and constitution of the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education; and if he will make a statement.
I am today issuing a consultative document, prepared in the light of initial discussions with the Local Authority Associations, which sets out the Government's proposals regarding the future existence and constitution of the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education, when it reaches the end of its interim life on 31 January 1985.The document records the Government's belief that the need for a central body to advise on a co-ordinated approach to academic planning and resource allocation in local authority higher education is now widely accepted. We further believe that the NAB has, over th past two years, demonstrated its ability to fill this role, not least by its completion last December of a substantial planning exercise on the basis of which it advised me on the detailed disposition of students and allocation of funds to be made in the local authority sector in 1984–85. The Government therefore propose, subject to the outcome of the consultative exercise, to reconstitute the NAB as a permanent body at the end of its interim life.The decision, if confirmed, will also meet our longstanding commitment to resolve the debate initiated by my predecessor with the publication of the Green Paper "Higher Eduation in England outside the Universities: Policy, Funding and Management". The NAB owes its interim status to the fact that when that paper was issued, while there was general agreement that a central planning body of some sort was needed, no clear consensus emerged as to what form that body should take. The NAB was therefore set up with an interim status in February 1982, with the full agreement of the local authority associations, as a means of meeting in the short term the urgent need for a central planning focus in local authority higher education, but without prejudice to discussion of long term developments. The Government now believe that, on the evidence of its achievement to date, the NAB represents the best basis for developing long term planning machinery. The proposals in the consultative document are framed accordingly.Copies of the consultative document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
European Schools Day
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when is European Schools Day in the current year; how he is encouraging awareness of it; and if he will indicate the kind of activities he is recommending.
There is no longer a designated day for the European schools day competition, as, from 1960 onwards, it was found more rewarding to organise it over the course of the school year. The conditions of the competition are determined by an international committee established by the Council of Europe. The Government regard the competition as contributing significantly towards enhancing an awareness of Europe within schools. In the United Kingdom it is well publicised by a voluntary committee, its costs covered by Government grant, and there is invariably a good response from schools. The Government also make a small annual contribution to the Council of Europe towards the cost of administering the competition.
Overseas Students
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the number of overseas students in the United Kingdom with comparable figures for 1979, and detailing the nationality, type of educational establishment, category of course, duration of course and source of payment, including the amount payable by Her Majesty's Government.
Information at this level of detail is not available centrally.
Higher Education
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he intends to extend the proposed admission scheme to the institutes of higher education and colleges of further education.
The offer of Government grant for the scheme devised by the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics in conjunction with the Universites Central Council on Admissions was made on the understanding that the scheme would be capable of early extension to cover admissions to degree courses in other major public sector institutions. The CDP have given an assurance that it is positive in its attitude to such an early extension of the scheme.
Full-Time Education
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he was able to announce the total number of people remaining in full-time education for January 1984, when data on the numbers remaining in full-time education in each local authority were not available.
The figures that I gave the House on 7 March related to those remaining in full-time education aged 16 and 17 in Great Britain. I indicated that the figures for January 1984 were estimates. These estimates were based on sample information which, although sufficiently accurate for national estimates (after rounding to the nearest 10,000), was not large enough to provide reliable estimates at individual local authority level.
Class Sizes
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local education authorities have classes of 30 pupils or more at primary and secondary level, respectively.
In January 1983, all local education authorities in England had primary and secondary schools with classes of 30 or more pupils.
Parental Contributions
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate the numbers and costs of personnel involved in the assessment and validation of parental contributions to students over the age of majority who are in higher education.
This information is not available.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
South Africa
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now withdraw British military attaches from South Africa and take steps to terminate the arrangement whereby the South African embassy in London has a military attaché section.
No. We have defence attaches based in many countries, under customary reciprocal arrangements, where we judge it to be in our interests to do so, whether or not we have military co-operation with them.
International Court Of Justice
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the decision of the United States Government not to accept jurisdiction in the application filed before the International Court of Justice by the Government of Nicaragua in relation to the mining of certain of its ports, if he will take steps in the United Nations to clarify the jurisdiction of the court in such matters.
Under article 36 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice it is for the court itself to decide on whether it has jurisdiction in any case submitted to it.
Nicaragua
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States Government concerning the mining of certain Nicaraguan ports by United States agents.
We have made clear to the United States Government that we are committed to the principle of freedom of navigation and deplore the mining of Nicaraguan ports.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the United Kingdom abstained in the United Nations Security Council vote on the mining of Nicaraguan ports; and if he will make a statement.
The United Kingdom abstained because the resolution lacked balance in that it failed to match the scope of the debate or the breadth of the problems of Central America.
The Moonies
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he has offered to British diplomats about their attendance at conferences organised by the Moonies.
None.
"The Negative Asset"
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why an injunction was applied for preventing circulation of the book "The Negative Asset" by Mr. Jock Kane.
I have been asked to reply.I sought and obtained an injunction to restrain Mr. John Kane from publishing, or taking any step to further the publication to or by any other person of, any part of the manuscript for a book entitled "GCHQ: The Negative Asset—The Failure and the Cover-up—'Jock Kane'" because publication of its contents would have been a breach of a duty of confidentiality owed to the Crown and might have seriously prejudiced and put at risk the conduct of future operations of GCHQ and the wider interests of the security of the United Kingdom and its allies.