Written Answers To Questions
Wednesday 5 February 1986
Home Department
Naturalisation
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current delay in granting applications for naturalisation.
The average time which it took to deal with applications for naturalisation granted in December 1985 was just under 20 months.
| Applications for Asylum in the United Kingdom 1981 and 1984 | ||||||
| 1981 | 1984 | |||||
| Applications Received | Granted Refugee Status | Granted Asylum without Refugee Status | Applications Received | Granted Refugee Status | Granted Asylum without Refugee Status* | |
| Afghanistan | 82 | 11 | 23 | 38 | 12 | — |
| Algeria | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Angola | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Argentina | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Bahrain | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Bangladesh | 4 | — | — | 5 | 3 | — |
| Bolivia | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | — |
| Burma | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Cameroon | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chile | 7 | 2 | — | 12 | — | — |
| China | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Colombia | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | — |
| Cuba | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Cyprus | 9 | 4 | 7 | 1 | — | — |
| Czechoslovakia | 55 | 14 | 7 | 19 | 5 | — |
| Egypt | 13 | 1 | — | 8 | — | — |
| Ethiopia | 90 | 39 | 3 | 116 | 9 | — |
| El Salvador | 33 | 13 | — | 2 | — | — |
| Gambia | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| German Democratic Republic | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ghana | 13 | 5 | — | 320 | 60 | 4 |
| Greece | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Guatemala | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| Guyana | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — |
| Hungary | 21 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 1 | — |
| India | 1 | — | — | 52 | — | — |
| Iran | 1,547 | 1,038 | 133 | 1,203 | 296 | 4 |
| Iraq | 14 | 20 | 7 | 321 | 51 | — |
| Israel | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — |
| Italy | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jordan | 6 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Kenya | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | — |
| Laos | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Lebanon | — | — | — | 27 | — | — |
| Lesotho | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Liberia | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Libya | 41 | 15 | 16 | 73 | 6 | — |
| Mauritius | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Malawi | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| Malaysia | — | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Morocco | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Nationality Doubtful | 6 | 3 | — | 17 | — | — |
| Nicaragua | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Nigeria | — | — | — | 44 | — | — |
| Niger | — | — | — | 6 | — | — |
| Pakistan | 79 | 21 | 2 | 126 | 7 | — |
Prisoners (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate for each closed prison the average number of hours a prisoner spent in his or her cell for the most recent week for which the data can be conveniently assembled.
This information is not available and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
Asylum
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries of origin of those applying for refugee status, or asylum, with the number of those applying from each country and the number of those granted refugee status or asylum from each country for the years 1981 and 1984.
Following is the information:
1981
| 1984
| |||||
Applications Received
| Granted Refugee Status
| Granted Asylum without Refugee Status
| Applications Received
| Granted Refugee Status
| Granted Asylum without Refugee Status*
| |
| Philippines | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Poland | 92 | 4 | 6 | 92 | 18 | — |
| Qatar | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Romania | 14 | 3 | 2 | 3 | — | — |
| Rwanda | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Seychelles | 19 | 6 | — | 29 | 2 | — |
| Sierra Leone | 2 | — | — | 6 | — | — |
| Somalia | 11 | 2 | — | 81 | 3 | — |
| South Africa | 62 | 12 | 2 | 51 | 6 | 1 |
| Spain | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 12 | — | 2 | 425 | 2 | — |
| Sudan | 14 | 2 | — | 56 | 2 | — |
| Swaziland | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Syria | — | — | 1 | 17 | 3 | — |
| Tanzania | 3 | — | — | 4 | — | — |
| Tibet | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Togo | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Tunisia | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Turkey | 1 | — | — | 48 | 38 | — |
| UKPH | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| USA | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| USSR | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Uganda | 99 | 9 | — | 154 | 36 | 1 |
| Upper Volta | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Uruguay | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| Yemen (PDR) | — | — | — | 5 | — | — |
| Yugoslavia | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | — |
| Zaire | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Zambia | — | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Zimbabwe | — | — | — | 25 | — | — |
| Grand Total | 2,425 | 1,249 | 224 | 3,478 | 574 | 10 |
* In July 1984 the category of "asylum without refugee status" was abolished. Since then all persons granted asylum have been recognised as refugees. Those granted refugee status or asylum in a particular year may have made their application in an earlier year.
Mr Simon Garoeb
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any conditions as to his conduct have been attached to the permission for Mr. Simon Garoeb, of Honey hill road, Bedford, a student at the National College of Agricultural Engineering, Silsoe, to reside in the United Kingdom.
No.
Police (Injuries)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many man days were lost by policemen as a result of injuries sustained whilst on duty in each of the past five years.
This information is not collected centrally.
Motoring Convictions
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records of previous motoring convictions are available to the courts.
Details of more serious offences are supplied to the National Identification Bureau, which will make information available to the courts through the prosecution. In addition, local police forces maintain their own records of offences which are not recorded by the NIB. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre will supply prosecutors with the information available to it about convictions which carry penalty points or disqualification.
Immigration
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many clearance certificates were (a) granted and (b) taken out in 1985; and how these figures compared with each of the previous five years.
The number of entry clearances to the United Kingdom (including those for temporary purposes) issued worldwide was 641,000 in 1980, 605,000 in 1981, 545,000 in 1982, 577,000 in 1983, and 602,000 in 1984. Information for 1985 is not yet available,. Information on the number of entry clearances used is not available.
Police (Entry Requirements)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the details, in metric and non-metric figures, of the minimum height and eyesight requirements of police forces referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Leicester, East of 29 January.
The present minimum height requirements for police forces in England and Wales are as follows:
| Men | Women | |
| cm | cm | |
| *Avon and Somerset | 172 (5.8ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *Bedfordshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ns) |
| *Cambridgeshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Cheshire | 173 (5.8ins) | 163 (5.4¼Vains) |
| Men | Women | |
| cm | cm | |
| *City of London | 180 (5. llins) | 167 ½(5.6ins) |
| Cleveland | 178 (5.10ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| Cumbria | 175 (5.9ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| Derbyshire | 177 (5.9¼ins) | 168(5.6ins) |
| *Devon and Cornwall | 175 (5.9ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| Dorset | 175 (5.9ins) | 167½(5.6ins) |
| Durham | 173 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Dyfed-Powys | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| *Essex | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| *Gloucestershire | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5 4ins) |
| *Greater Manchester | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Gwent | 178 (5.10ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| Hampshire | 176 (5.9¼ins) | 166 (5.5½Veins) |
| *Hertfordshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| *Humberside | 172 (5.8ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *Kent | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Lancashire | 175 (5.9ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| Leicestershire | 172 (5.8ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *Lincolnshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Merseyside | 172 (5.8ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *Metropolitan Police | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Norfolk | 176 5.9¼ins) | 165 (5.5ins) |
| Northamptonshire | 175 (5.9ins) | 165 (5.5ins) |
| *Northumbria | 172 (5.8ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *North Wales | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| North Yorkshire | 175¼(5.9ins) | 167½(5.6ins) |
| Nottinghamshire | 176 (5.9¼ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *South Wales | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| South Yorkshire | 176 (5.9¼ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| *Staffordshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 167 (5.5½ins) |
| *Suffolk | 172 (5.8ins) | 167 (5.5½ins) |
| *Surrey | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 (5.4ins) |
| Sussex | 172 (5.8ins) | 167½(5.6ins) |
| *Thames Valley | l75 (5.9ins) | 165 (5.5ins) |
| *Warwickshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 167 (5.6ins) |
| West Mercia | 172 (5.8ins) | 162 ((5.4ins) |
| West Midlands | 176 (5.9¼ins) | 166 (5.5½ins) |
| *West Yorkshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 168 (5.6ins) |
| Wiltshire | 172 (5.8ins) | 167 (5.6ins) |
Animal Experiments
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the category entitled animal experiments to select, develop or study the use of medicinal, dental and veterinary products and appliances contained in Cmnd. 9574, are related to cosmetic preparations for medicinal purposes; and if he will make a statement.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the categories of cosmetic experiments that will be considered by the animal procedures committee.
The Animal Procedures Conunittee will be asked to examine all applications for project licences to test cosmetics products of any kind, including toiletry products such as soap, toothpaste and deodorants as wed as decorative products.
Drug Addicts
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many registered drug addicts there are; what were the equivalent figures in 1975 and 1979; and what are the equivalent figures for Hampshire for the same periods.
Information on narcotic drug addicts notified to the Home Office by police force area is published for the years 1978 to 1984 in tables 3.11 to 3.13 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs, United Kingdom, Supplementary Tables, 1984." The corresponding information requested for 1975 is given in the following table. Corresponding information for 1985 is not yet available.
| Narcotic drug addicts notified to the Home Office, 1975 | |||
| Number of persons | |||
| New addicts notified during the year | Former addicts notified during the year | Addicts recorded at 31 December | |
| United Kingdom | 922 | 536 | 1,949 |
| Hampshire police force area | 31 | 21 | 61 |
Holloway Prison
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in implementing improvements in the Cl unit at Holloway prison.
[pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1986, c. 324]: A design brief for improvements to the present Cl unit has been agreed and the necessary design work is in hand. It is hoped that work will start at the end of February.
Education And Science
Teachers
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table, for each of the most recent years for which figures are available, showing the number of applicants for teaching posts with overseas teaching qualifications, the countries in which the qualifications were obtained, the number of these teachers who were granted eligibility for qualified teacher status and the number whose applications were unsuccessful.
Applications for teaching posts are a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not collected by my Department. The following is the number of teachers trained overseas who have applied to my right hon. Friend for qualified teacher status in 1983, 1984 and 1985, the number of those applications which have been accepted and the number rejected.
Overseas applications for qualified teacher status in England and Wales
| |||||||||
1983 applications
| 1984 applications
| 1985 applications
| |||||||
Country or region
| Total
| Accepted
| Rejected
| Total
| Accepted
| Rejected
| Total
| Accepted
| Rejected
|
| Algeria | 3 | — | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 |
| Argentina | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Australia | 317 | 255 | 62 | 328 | 260 | 68 | 429 | 297 | 132 |
| Austria | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Bangladesh | 24 | 13 | 11 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 10 | 7 |
| Belgium | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | 3 | 8 | — | 8 |
| Brazil | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Bulgaria | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Cameroon | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — |
| Canada | 46 | 21 | 25 | 61 | 37 | 24 | 50 | 24 | 26 |
| Chile | 4 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Colombia | 6 | — | 6 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — |
| Cyprus | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | — |
| Czechoslovakia | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Denmark | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | — | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Egypt | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 |
| Finland | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| France | 78 | 12 | 66 | 78 | 15 | 63 | 93 | 17 | 76 |
| The Gambia | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Germany | 70 | 54 | 16 | 70 | 48 | 22 | 101 | 74 | 27 |
| Ghana | 6 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 20 | 1 | 19 |
| Greece | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Guyana | 1 | — | 1 | 5 | — | 5 | 4 | — | 4 |
| Hong Kong | 5 | — | 5 | 3 | — | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Iceland | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| India | 107 | 24 | 83 | 150 | 34 | 116 | 171 | 57 | 114 |
| Indonesia | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Iran | 3 | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Iraq | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Israel | 4 | — | 4 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 |
| Italy | 25 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 3 | 19 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| Ivory Coast | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Japan | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Kenya | 15 | — | 15 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 7 | — | 7 |
| Lebanon | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 |
| Malaysia | 2 | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Malta | 5 | — | 5 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 4 | — | 4 |
| Mauritius | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | — | 4 |
| Mexico | 3 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Morocco | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Netherlands | 13 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 16 |
| New Zealand | 176 | 169 | 7 | 206 | 192 | 14 | 305 | 281 | 24 |
| Nigeria | 7 | — | 7 | 6 | — | 6 | 10 | — | 10 |
| Norway | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Pakistan | 47 | 25 | 22 | 46 | 17 | 29 | 55 | 16 | 39 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Paraguay | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Peru | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| The Philippines | 5 | — | 5 | 8 | — | 8 | 7 | — | 7 |
| Poland | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Portugal | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 3 |
| Romania | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Seychelles | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Sierra Leone | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Singapore | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | 3 |
| South Africa | 44 | 33 | 11 | 38 | 25 | 13 | 70 | 31 | 39 |
| Spain | 18 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 10 | — | 10 |
| Sri Lanka | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 13 | 15 |
| Sudan | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Sweden | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Switzerland | 7 | — | 7 | 4 | — | 4 | 4 | — | 4 |
| Syria | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Taiwan | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Tanzania | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Thailand | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Tunisia | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Turkey | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | — | 4 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Uganda | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| USA | 94 | 37 | 57 | 91 | 43 | 48 | 113 | 52 | 61 |
| USSR | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Venezuela | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Vietnam | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 |
| West Indies | 14 | 4 | 10 | 8 | — | 8 | 26 | 2 | 24 |
| Yugoslavia | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 |
| Zambia | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
1983 applications
| 1984 applications
| 1985 applications
| |||||||
Country or region
| Total
| Accepted
| Rejected
| Total
| Accepted
| Rejected
| Total
| Accepted
| Rejected
|
| Zimbabwe | 9 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 11 |
| Totals | 1,235 | 693 | 542 | 1,337 | 737 | 600 | 1,731 | 927 | 804 |
Nursery Education
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to encourage the expansion of nursery accommodation for the under fives; and if he will make a statement.
Chapter 4 of the White Paper "Better Schools" (Cmnd. 9469) sets out the Government's policy on the education of the under-fives, including resources. While our plans for expenditure on education allow for provision attributable to the under-fives to continue within broadly the same totals as today, it is for the local education authorities to determine the scale and nature of such provision in particular areas, in the light of their assessment of local needs and priorities.
| a. Local Authority Capital Expenditure on Under-Fives* | ||||
| £ million | ||||
| 1981–82 outturn | 1982–83 outturn | 1983–84 outturn | 1984–85 Provisional outturn | |
| cash | 9·9 | 3·9 | 5·3 | 9·3 |
| real terms ‡ | 11·5 | 4·2 | 5·5 | 9·3 |
| b. Total Urban Programme Expenditure-Education‡ | ||||
| £ million | ||||
| 1981–82 outturn | 1982–83 outturn | 1983–84 outturn | 1984–85 Provisional outturn | |
| capital: | ||||
| cash terms‡ | 9·8 | 13·4 | 13·9 | 13·6 |
| real terms‡ | 11·4 | 14·6 | 14·5 | 13·6 |
| current: | ||||
| cash | 24·7 | 21·9 | 25·3 | 23·0 |
| real terms‡ | 28·8 | 23·9 | 26·4 | 23·0 |
| total: | ||||
| cash‡ | 34·5 | 35·3 | 39·2 | 36·6 |
| real termst‡ | 40·2 | 38·5 | 40·9 | 36·6 |
* Includes capital expenditure on under-fives made under the Urban Programme.
† No breakdown of urban programme expenditure between sectors is available.
‡ Real terms are the cash expenditure for each year repriced using the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator (base year 1984–85).
Education Expenditure
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of local authority education spending, expressed in cash terms, 1984–85 prices, and as a percentage of total budgets, according to the following categories; nursery education, primary education, teachers' salaries, secondary education, special education, community education, further and higher education, school meals and milk, careers and health services, together with the total number of children covered in each local authority.
asked the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report(a) the total amount of local authority capital spending on the under-fives and (b) the proportion of that spending allocated to the urban programme since 1981-82, both at outturn and at 1984–85 prices.
Urban programme data are not available in the form requested. Local authority capital expenditure on the under-fives, and education expenditure under the urban programme, in the financial years 1981–82 to 1984–85 in cash and in real terms were as follows:
Some of the information requested is given in "Education Statistics 1983–84 Actuals" published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, which is available in the Library; some elements could be provided only at disproportionate cost; and some are unavailable.
Wales
Land Reclamation
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was spent by the Government, local authorities and the National Coal Board on land reclamation in Wales in (i) 1975 and (ii) 1985, or the last year for which figures are available; and what acreage of land was reclaimed by each body.
Land reclamation schemes often incur expenditure in more than one year. The following information is therefore provided on the basis of schemes approved to start in the years in question.In 1975 the Welsh Office provided 85 per cent. grant-aid to local authorities for approved expenditure on land reclamation. In that year schemes were approved involving the reclamation of 1,322 acres of derelict land by local authorities at a total cost of some £8·8 million, for which the Welsh Office provided grant-aid of £7·5 million.The Welsh Development Agency now provides 100 per cent. grant-aid to local authorities for approved expenditure on land reclamation. In 1985 the agency approved grant-aid for schemes to reclaim 622 acres of derelict land by local authorities, at a cost of £10·6 million.No grant-aided reclamation has been undertaken by the NCB, which normally releases its redundant sites to local authorities for reclamation.
Health Visitors
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to seek to assist health visitors in Wales to tackle their jobs in areas of social distress; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend has appointed an expert review of community nursing services in Wales, which will include the role of health visitors. I look forward to receiving its recommendations on how the full range of community nursing services may be deployed more effectively with improved care to patients and clients.
Environment
Local Government Reform
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his intentions for the transfer at abolition of property owned by the GLC and MCCs.
[pursuant to his reply, 5 December 1985, c. 292–93]: My right hon. Friend has today laid before Parliament the general order transferring property owned by the GLC and metropolitan county councils.I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend on 5 December that we intended to make a general order applicable in all seven areas concerned and based on the principles set out in my Department's second and third property memoranda. The views of the local authority associations and successor authorities were subsequently sought on a draft of such an order. The order laid by my right hon. Friend today reflects the comments we received on that draft while adhering to the general principles that I had outlined. Property needed for the continuing provision of inherited services will pass immediately at abolition to the appropriate successor authority. Other property, including that for which the appropriate successor has not been identified, will pass initially to the residuary bodies.
The general order does not make a provision for some property of the GLC and MCCs. Such property will be dealt with by means of supplementary orders. In sending copies of the order to successor authorities and local authority associations we have also sent details of all the supplementary orders we intend to make, together with an explanatory note of the order. I have placed copies of these in the Library.
As I made clear in my reply of 5 December, the making of the general order does not rule out the bringing forward of further orders to meet more closely the wishes of successor authorities in some areas that virtually all property should pass directly to them at abolition. Proposals for such orders will now have to be put forward very quickly, however, if they are to be made before abolition. I repeat the assurance I gave on 5 December that if orders cannot be made before abolition, my right hon. Friend will give early consideration to proposals by the appropriate residuary body under section 67 of the Act so that orders can, where appropriate, be made under that section of the early transfer of property to functional successor authorities.
South Africa
93.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking to seek to discourage sporting links between Britain and South Africa.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers) on Tuesday 28 January, at column 469.
Housing Co-Operatives
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future funding of housing co-operatives.
The Government fully support the housing co-operative movement, which, by the involvement of residents in the provision and management of their own homes, can play an important role, particularly in inner urban areas, but the funding of individual cooperative schemes is a matter for the Housing Corporation, or local authorities, out of the resources available to them. As for all housing association schemes, the Housing Corporation assesses schemes put forward by cooperatives on the basis of housing need.The Housing Corporation also makes grants to cooperatives and other associations for training and advice under section 121 of the Housing Act 1980. A decision on the total level of such funds available for 1986–87 will be made shortly. In April 1985 we introduced the cooperative promotion allowance, a special allowance paid to co-operatives to meet the extra costs which their developments normally incur. This is to be continued in 1986–87.The Department's urban housing renewal unit will continue to promote the growth of tenant management cooperatives, which will be among the bodies eligible for start-up, training, and education grants under a provision included in the Housing and Planning Bill.
Town And Parish Councils
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of Government grant given to town and parish councils in 1985–86.
Parishes do not directly receive grants within aggregate Exchequer grant (block grant, specific and supplementary grants and domestic rate relief grant). These are paid to the higher tier authorities such as districts, boroughs and counties. Information on other grants is not available centrally.
Dog Licences
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the dog licence.
Future arrangements for dog licensing remain under consideration following consultation on possible changes to the present system. We will announce our conclusions as soon as possible.
County Of Cleveland (Abolition)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to abolish the county of Cleveland.
No.
Contracts (Non-Commercial Clauses)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of the prevalence of the insertion of non-commercial clauses in contracts for goods and services by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Murphy) on 24 January, at column 338.
Town And Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate when he intends to introduce a commencement order to bring section 1 of the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981 into force.
During the passage of what is now the 1981 Act an undertaking was given that section 1 would not be implemented until the General Development Order 1977 had been amended to permit the removal of material from bona fide stockpiles and small or temporary mineral-working deposits. That amendment was tabled on 20 December 1985, as class XXVII of the Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1985. Subject to parliamentary approval, it will come into operation on 1 March 1986, and an order to commence section 1 will be made as soon as possible thereafter.
Direct Labour Organisations
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authority direct labour organisations made an operating loss; how much was the loss; what was the turnover of each relevant organisation; and what was the loss as a percentage of turnover for each of the last three years.
Information for the years 1982–83 and 1983–84 is available in the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy's annual publication "Direct Labour Organisations Statistics". I shall write to my hon. Friend with such information as is available for 1984–85 from those DLO annual reports which have been forwarded to my Department.
Dennis-Wild Houses
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received proposing the designation of Dennis-Wild steel-framed houses under the Housing Defects Act; and if he will make a statement.
I have received no such representations.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Potato Marketing Board
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many members of the Potato Marketing Board appointed by him are specially conversant with the interests of consumers of potatoes.
Four members of the Potato Marketing Board are appointed jointly by Agriculture Ministers. Two of the current appointees have experience in the merchanting and processing of potatoes, one has a background in banking and one in administration. None have been selected specifically because of their consumer interests; this is only one of several criteria which Ministers take into account in making such appointments. Ministers also appoint consumers committees to consider and report to them on the effects of marketing schemes on consumers.
Ec Measures
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has recently agreed to the adoption of any EC measure by the Council before the European Legislation Committee has considered the proposals.
Yes. On 20 December the Fisheries Council adopted a large number of measures, presented at short notice by the Commission, which provided for adjustments to the common agricultural and fisheries policies required by the accession on 1 January of Spain and Portugal. That Council also adopted three other urgent fisheries measures and a measure changing the French green rate for sheepmeat with effect from the start of the new marketing year on 6 January. I have explained to the Chairman of the European Legislation Committee the reasons for my having agreed to adoption of these measures before scrutiny was completed.
Solicitor-General For Scotland
Law Charges
asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what changes he proposes to make to the 1985–86 cash limit for "Class IX, Vote 10, Law Charges, Scotland".
for Scotland: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IX, vote 10 will be increased by £365,000 from £13,666,000 to £14,031,000. The increase is required to take account of additional costs, including those incurred in running the Crown Office fraud and internal audit units. The increase will be a charge to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planning total of public expenditure.
Prime Minister
Courts (Servicing Costs)
asked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to transfer costs incurred by the prison department in servicing the courts to the Lord Chancellor's Department; what is the estimate of those costs; and if she will make a statement.
I have no plans at present to alter the arrangements for meeting the cost of servicing the courts.In England and Wales and in Northern Ireland the responsibility for this work is shared by the prison service and the police. In Scotland it is undertaken mainly by the police.It is estimated that the costs incurred by the prison department in England and Wales for the financial year 1984–85 were about £34 million. Figures for Northern Ireland are expected to be about £3 million this year.An examination of the arrangements for meeting the prison service's commitments to the courts in England and Wales is now under way. The scrutiny is being undertaken by the Cabinet Office's efficiency unit with the assistance of the Home Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department. It will make recommendations for the more efficient, effective and economical performance of this work.
Telephone Calls (Tape Recording)
asked the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on tape recording of conversations between officials and Ministers; and how this operated in the case of Westland plc as between 10 Downing street, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Defence.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Kilroy-Silk).
Urban Renewal (Bradford)
asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to provide extra financial assistance to Bradford city council to assist urban renewal in the metropolitan district; and if she will make a statement.
My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Urban Affairs and Construction announced on 27 January that the resources allocated for Bradford's urban programme in 1986–87 would be £4·58 million that is the same in cash terms as for the current financial year. In addition, my hon. Friend is considering a request from the council for limited extra capital resources for the current year, and I understand that the council has bid for some of the resources available through the urban housing renewal unit, including for a community refurbishment scheme.
Ministerial Responsibility
asked the Prime Minister if she will define ministerial responsibility as currently practised in respect of a Minister's responsibility for the actions of his or her officials; and if she has made any changes to the concept since 1979.
The doctrine of ministerial responsibility has been established by constitutional precedent and development over the years, and is set out in standard works about Government in this country. It is not for any particular Prime Minister to define.
asked the Prime Minister what are the numbers, grades and functions of those officials whose actions are covered by her specific area of ministerial responsibility.
As to ministerial responsibility, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my earlier reply. I have overall departmental responsibility for the Cabinet Office, including the Central Statistical Office and the Management and Personnel Office, and the Prime Minister's Office. Information about numbers, grades and functions is available from Estimates and from standard books of reference such as the "Civil Service List".
Transport
Voluntary Bodies
asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list in the Official Report those voluntary bodies and organisations assisted by his Department with grant-aid in the last financial year for which figures are available and the size of the grant so given;(2) if he will list in the
Official Report the governmental agencies to which his Department gives grant aid which in turn provide financial support for voluntary bodies and organisations, and the size of the grant so given in the last financial year for which figures are available;
(3) if he will outline the steps which his Department takes to ensure that grant aid given to voluntary bodies and organisations, whether directly or indirectly, is not used for political purposes.
My Department made grants in 1984–85 to the following organisations (international organisations excluded):
| £000 | |
| Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents | 465 |
| Community Transport | 99 |
| Medical Commission for Accident Prevention | 6 |
I am satisfied that the grants are not used for party political purposes. No governmental agency, assuming the term excludes local authorities, nationalised industries and international agencies, receives grant-aid from the Department.
Fishing Vessels (Loss At Sea)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many United Kingdom registered fishing vessels have
| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | Total | |
| Collisions | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 51 |
| Strandings | 13 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 90 |
| Founderings/ floodings | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 24 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 193 |
| Fires and explosions | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 46 |
| Missing | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| Capsizings | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 21 |
| Others | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Total | 47 | 35 | 37 | 38 | 42 | 39 | 52 | 50 | 43 | 41 | 424 |
Fishermen (Safety)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the number of fishermen who have undertaken firefighting and survival courses in each of the last five years.
I have no information on the numbers of fishermen who have taken these courses.
Addingham Bypass
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement about the preferred route for the A65 Addingham bypass.
Draft line and side roads orders for the A65 Addingham bypass will be published towards the end of this month. Copies of the proposals will be sent to my hon. Friend. A public exhibition explaining the draft proposals will be held in the Memorial Hall, Addingham from 27 February to 1 March.
Trade And Industry
Tampons
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of tampons.
been lost at sea over the last 10 years; what were the causes in each case; what recommendations for future safety of fishing vessels were made by the enquiries into these losses; and what responses the Government made to each of these recommendations.
The number and nature of casualties of fishing vessels are published in the Department's annual return "Casualties to Vessels and Accidents to Men". The following table sets out the figures of total losses of fishing vessels for the years 1975 to 1984:
The report was published on 15 January.The commission found that the market shares of Tambrands Ltd. and Southalls (Birmingham) Ltd. constitute a monopoly situation in relation to the supply of tampons.It found, however, that since the commission's last inquiry in 1980 various changes in actual and prospective competitive conditions had occurred, notably the marked improvement and reduction in prices of external sanitary protection products (both relative to tampon prices and in real terms), the increasing importance of retailers' own brands of tampons and the increased probability of effective competition from new entrants to the tampon market. This, it considered, would be encouraged by, for example, the recent decision of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to allow television advertising of sanitary protection on an experimental basis, which would facilitate the establishment of new brands and the marketing of new external sanitary protection products in more direct competition with tampons.However, the commission had little doubt that the two companies still had a degree of discretion in the pricing of tampons such that the prices of their main brands were higher than would be the case if their market power were less.It was found that there were no natural or artificially created barriers to entry to the tampon market, and no restrictive or anti-competitive practices on the part of the two companies.The commission concluded that it was more beneficial in this case that the currently rewarding profit levels should act as a magnet to attract new suppliers to the market than that the risk should be taken through measures of price regulation of harming existing smaller competitors and inhibiting new entry. The report's conclusion was therefore that the prices charged or proposed to be charged for tampons could be expected not to operate against the public interest.I accept the commission's report. Because the commission found that the practices under reference did not operate against the public interest, there is no statutory basis to take further action on any of these practices. I have asked the Director General of Fair Trading to release Tambrands and Southalls from their undertaking given in 1981 to provide him with certain information to enable him to monitor the tampon market.
Microelectronics
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what effect his Department's microelectronics application project has had on the uptake of microelectronics in Great Britain's factories.
Surveys carried out by the independent Policy Studies Institute, have shown that in 1983 microelectronics was used in 47 per cent. of all United Kingdom factories employing 20 or more people. Preliminary figures from a further survey undertaken during 1985 indicate a significantly increased level of use. The report detailing the latest survey is in the course of preparation and will be published in the spring. In 1978, when the microelectronics applications project began, it was estimated that only 5 per cent. of companies were using microelectronics in their products and production or manufacturing processes. Since then, activities under MAP have been varied and continuous and these will have made a major contribution to the increased use of microelectronics in British industry.
Audio Tapes
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the level of imports and of import penetration of blank audio tapes.
Imports of blank audio tapes in the 12 months to November 1985 were £64·9 million. Estimates of import penetration for blank audio tapes are not available, because the figures would disclose information about individual undertakings.
New Technology
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any conclusions have been reached by the group consisting of Ministers most closely concerned, senior industrialists and representatives from the education world regarding the particular needs brought about by new technology; and if he will make a statement.
The final report of the Information Technology (IT) Skills Shortages Committee which I chaired was published in July 1985. Copies of this and the committee's two previous reports are available in the Libraries of both Houses. The committee made a number of recommendations for action by industry, professional institutions and trade associations, and the education system. Chief among these was the call for a new partnership between industry and education to help meet the growing demand for skilled IT manpower.Following the report the Government announced a £43 million programme to provide some 5,000 extra engineering and technology places in higher education by the end of the decade. Industry has responded for its part by setting up the IT skills agency under the aegis of the CBI education foundation, and by a major increase in its financial support for IT-related courses in higher education.
London Borough Of Ealing
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial assistance has been given from his Department to firms operating in the London borough of Ealing in each year since 1978; and if he will make a statement.
Since 1978 grants worth a total of some £5,750,000 have been offered to firms in Ealing under the main schemes of assistance. I am sure that companies in Ealing, like those elsewhere, will continue to make full use of the help that my Department offers.
Kleinwort, Benson Ltd
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what moneys have been paid to Kleinwort, Benson Ltd. by his Department in the last seven years; and for what services.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Takeovers (Shareholders' Funds)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to restrict the practice of a company using its shareholders' funds to provide financial assistance, directly or indirectly, to another company to purchase its own shares in a takeover bid; what representations he has received on this subject; and if he will make a statement.
Section 151 of the Companies Act 1985 already prohibits companies from giving financial assistance directly or indirectly for the acquisition of its own shares. Financial assistance is defined in section 152. This general prohibition is subject to various exemptions listed in section 153. I have received two recent representations about the operation of these provisions which I am considering, but ultimately their interpretation is a matter for the court.
Energy
Kleinwort, Benson Ltd
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what moneys have been paid to Kleinwort, Benson Ltd. by his Department in the last seven years; and for what services.
As far as payments to Kleinwort, Benson Ltd. on the privatisation programme are concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.My Department has made no other payments to Kleinwort, Benson Ltd.
Overseas Development
Sub-Saharan Africa
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have yet decided whether to support the special fund set up by the International Fund for Agricultural Development to help farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Now that the fundamental question of the second replenishment of IFAD' s basic resources has been settled, I shall give the matter careful consideration.
Scotland
Labour Statistics
asked the Secretry of State for Scotland if he will publish a list showing the number and percentage of unemployed persons in each employment district in the Highland region as at the most recent date that figures are available and also the figures for the same time of year in each of the last 10 years.
| Unemployed Registrants | ||||||||||||||
| Travel-to-work area | ||||||||||||||
| Dingwall | Fort William | Inverness | Nairn | Portree | Thurso | Wick | ||||||||
| per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | ||||||||
| January 1976 | 954 | 6·8 | 472 | 6·1 | 1,826 | 5·4 | 199 | 7·9 | 274 | 14·8 | 603 | 9·9 | 961 | 11·6 |
| January 1977 | 1,576 | 11·4 | 648 | 8·0 | 2,158 | 5·8 | 179 | 7·0 | 232 | 9·4 | 632 | 9·9 | 1,014 | 11·6 |
| January 1978 | 1,863 | 14·0 | 731 | 9·4 | 2,711 | 7·7 | 236 | 8·3 | 372 | 13·5 | 705 | 11·2 | 1,093 | 12·7 |
| January 1979 | 1,932 | 14·5 | 742 | 9·6 | 2,613 | 7·4 | 260 | 9·2 | 528 | 19·1 | 692 | 11·0 | 1,218 | 14·1 |
| January 1980 | 1,744 | 13·1 | 748 | 9·6 | 3,031 | 8·6 | 325 | 11·4 | 503 | 18·2 | 671 | 10·7 | 1,066 | 12·3 |
| January 1981 | 1,615 | 12·1 | 1,198 | 15·4 | 3,404 | 9·6 | 444 | 15·6 | 502 | 18·2 | 731 | 11·7 | 1,198 | 13·9 |
| January 1982 | 2,361 | 17·7 | 1,497 | 19·3 | 4,181 | 11·8 | 467 | 16·4 | 672 | 21·4 | 859 | 13·7 | 1,442 | 16·7 |
| October 1982 | 2,624 | 19·7 | 1,286 | 16·6 | 3,789 | 10·7 | 399 | 14·0 | 548 | 19·9 | 863 | 13·8 | 1,364 | 15·8 |
| Unemployed Claimants (Jobcentre based) | ||||||||||||||
| Travel-to-work area | ||||||||||||||
| Dingwall | Fort William | Inverness | Nairn | Portree | Thurso | Wick | ||||||||
| per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | ||||||||
| October 1982 | 2,598 | 19·5 | 1,472 | 19·0 | 3,312 | 9·4 | 396 | 13·9 | 417 | 15·1 | 883 | 14·1 | 1,217 | 14·1 |
| January 1983 | 2,864 | 21·5 | 1,801 | 23·2 | 4,065 | 11·5 | 453 | 15·9 | 591 | 21·4 | 973 | 15·5 | 1,361 | 15·8 |
| January 1984 | 2,385 | 17·9 | 1,831 | 23·6 | 4,517 | 12·8 | 455 | 16·0 | 626 | 22·7 | 968 | 15·4 | 1,289 | 14·9 |
| Unemployed Claimants (ward based) | ||||||||||||||||
| Travel-to-work area | ||||||||||||||||
| Badenoch | Invergordon and Dingwall | Inverness | Lochaber | Skye and Wester Ross | Sutherland | Thurso | Wick | |||||||||
| per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | per cent. | |||||||||
| January 1984 | 663 | 18·1 | 2,111 | 14·8 | 4,009 | 10·9 | 1,644 | 20·7 | 1,125 | 23·8 | 790 | 20·2 | 776 | 12·7 | 766 | 16·4 |
| January 1985 | 723 | 19·8 | 3,522 | 24·6 | 4,594 | 12·5 | 1,799 | 22·6 | 1,116 | 23·6 | 1,011 | 25·9 | 836 | 13·7 | 897 | 19·2 |
| January 1986 | 729 | 20·0 | 3,226 | 22·6 | 5,014 | 13·6 | 866 | 23·5 | 1,185 | 25·1 | 959 | 24·6 | 806 | 13·2 | 884 | 18·9 |
Voluntary Bodies
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report, for the last 10 years for which figures are available, the amounts of money paid by his Department, whether directly or indirectly through some other agency, to organisations and bodies concerned, the amounts they received and the method of payment.
The provision of health education falls to the Scottish health education group nationally and to health boards locally. Their respective expenditure is funded by the Scottish Home and Health Department through financial allocations to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service and to health boards. since 1975–76 this expenditure has been as follows:
The tables show the number and percentage rates of unemployed registrants and claimants in each travel-to-work area in Highland region in January in each of the years 1976–86. The figures are not comparable throughout the period due to (a) changes in the basis of the count in October 1982 and August 1984, (b) the removal from the count from April 1983 of some men aged 60 and over, and (c) the redefinition of the TTWA' s in August 1984.For comparison purposes figures are also provided on the new and old bases at October 1982 and January 1984.
| Financial Year | Scottish Health Education Group | Health Boards |
| £000 | £000 | |
| 1975–76 | 428 | 258 |
| 1976–77 | 716 | 480 |
| 1977–78 | 780 | 558 |
| 1978–79 | 1,067 | 776 |
| 1979–80 | 1,252 | 900 |
| 1980–81 | 1,540 | 1,018 |
| 1981–82 | 1,889 | 1,250 |
| 1982–83 | 2,136 | 1,413 |
| 1983–84 | 2,386 | 724 |
| 1984–85 | 2,799 | 821 |
Scottish Committee of Action on Smoking and Health
| Scottish Council on Alcohol
| Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland
| ||
(a) Headquarters Grant
|
†(b) Training of Volunteer Counsellors
| |||
Financial Year
| £
| £
| £
| £
|
| 1975–76 | 800 | 15,000 | — | — |
| 1976–77 | 1,700 | 19,000 | — | — |
| 1977–78 | 1,500 | 23,750 | — | — |
| 1978–79 | 1,400 | 25,000 | — | — |
| 1979–80 | 2,200 | 40,000 | 10,881 | — |
| 1980–81 | *11,000 | 46,000 | 12,340 | — |
| 1981–82 | 15,400 | 56,000 | 17,000 | — |
| 1982–83 | 20,500 | 62,000 | 17,500 | — |
| 1983–84 | 22,000 | 68,000 | 19,940 | 2,000 |
| 1984–85 | 22,990 | 69,300 | 21,000 | — |
Grant-aid amounting to £2,800 has been paid to date to Scottish AIDS monitor, which began during the current financial year.
* Prior to 1980–81 the Scottish Committee also received grant from the Scottish Health Education Group (then Unit).
† Grant paid by the Scottish Education Department under section 9 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
Parking Fines
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many persons in Scotland in each region paid parking fines in 1985;(2) how many persons in Scotland in each region were charged in 1985 as a consequence of failure to pay parking fines within the prescribed period.
Information on the issue of fixed penalty notices in 1985 and the subsequent outcome is not likely to be available until July.
Projects (Liquidation)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects which were drawn to the attention of the Scottish Affairs Committee in evidence by the Highlands and Islands Development Board as successes which have since gone into liquidation and give details of the losses involved.
None has gone into liquidation.
Examinations (Markers)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many markers are normally recruited by the Scottish Certificate of Education Board; and how many have so far been recruited for the 1986 examinations.
The Scottish Examination Board normally appoints about 3,800 markers each year for the Scottish certificate of education and certificate of sixth year studies examinations. At 30 January 1986 the number of markers recruited for the 1986 examinations was 2,492.
Health Boards (Rates)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the rates burden on the Scottish health boards in the years 1983–84 and 1984–85; and what is the figure for 1985–86.
In 1983–84 and 1984–85 health board expenditure on contributions in lieu of rates was £41·1 million and £43·1 million respectively. Information on 1985–86 is not yet available centrally.
Nhs (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures to show, for the years 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86, National Health Service revenue expenditure in Scotland for the first two years and the allocation for the current year; and if he will also give figures to show for the individual boards the additional cost of teaching and additional other costs in teaching hospitals expressed in cost terms and as cost per student.
Total current expenditure by health boards on hospital and community health services was £1,218·3 million in 1983–84 and £1,299£1 million in 1984–85. It is estimated that expenditure on the same basis will amount to £1,378 million in 1985–86.The table shows the estimates made for revenue allocation purposes of the additional costs arising for individual health boards in meeting their teaching responsibilities. These costs have been expressed at 1985–86 prices as measured by the gross domestic product deflator. The cost per student calculation has been based on the additional cost of teaching only, since the estimates of additional other costs in teaching hospitals are distributed under the SHARE (Scottish Health Authorities Revenue Equalisation) calculations to teaching boards according to the proportion of the composite weighted population of Scotland served by each such board.
Health Board
| 1983–84 (at 1985–86 prices)
| 1984–85 (at 1985–86 prices)
| 1985–86
| ||||||
Additional cost of Teaching
| Additional other costs in Teaching Hospitals
| Cost per student
| Additional cost of Teaching
| Additional other costs in Teaching Hospitals
| Cost per student
| Additional cost of Teaching
| Additional other in Teaching Hospitals
| Cost per student
| |
(1)
| (2)
| (3)
| (4)
| (5)
| (6)
| (7)
| (8)
| (9)
| |
£'000
| £'000
| £
| £'000
| £'000
| £
| £'000
| £'000
| £
| |
| Grampian | 8,733 | 3,398 | 25,384 | 9,498 | 3,514 | 25,463 | 9,513 | 2,409 | 25,641 |
| Greater Glasgow | 17,515 | 17,629 | 25,384 | 19,072 | 19,084 | 25,463 | 18,667 | 12,249 | 25,641 |
| Lothain | 13,784 | 7,041 | 25,384 | 14,183 | 7,204 | 25,463 | 14,718 | 4,918 | 25,641 |
| Tayside | 9,037 | 2,675 | 25,384 | 9,396 | 2,745 | 25,463 | 8,846 | 1,879 | 25,641 |
The additional costs of teaching are distributed according to the number of undergraduate medical and dental students in each teaching centre: for this purpose four dental students are counted as one medical student.
Aids
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice the Scottish Education Department has issued to regional councils about the problem of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, particularly in regard to hygiene in schools; and if he will make a statement.
Preliminary guidance was issued by the Scottish Education Department in October 1985 in relation to children with haemophilia who may have been exposed to the HTLVIII virus. Prelimimary guidance for social work departments was also issued in January of this year. The guidance was prepared in consultation with the Scottish Home and Health department and recommended simple hygienic precautions to counter the spread of the virus. Detailed guidance is being prepared and will be issued as soon as possible.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Terrorism (Syria)
17.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has informed the Syrian authorities of Her Majesty's Government's concern at their support for and succour to those terrorists belonging to the Abu Nidal Group who have claimed responsibility for the incidents at Rome and Vienna airports.
During his visit to Damascus in December, my hon. Friend the Minister of State expressed grave concern to the Syrian authorities about their reported support for Abu Nidal.
Nicaragua
20.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had any recent discussions with the United States of America concerning American involvement in Nicaragua; and if he will make a statement.
We regularly discuss all important issues, including the situation in central America, with the United States Government. They are fully aware of our views.
40.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken by the Council of Ministers to assist Nicaragua in the resolution of its current political problems.
The foreign Ministers of the European Community support the Contadora process, the aim of which is to restore peace and stability and resolve the political problems of all central Americans.
Afghanistan
21.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy relating to the current situation in Afghanistan.
Only when Soviet forces leave Afghanistan will the country be free to regain its status as a sovereign, independent and truly non-aligned state. We look to the Soviet Union to open the way to a settlement on the lines of successive United Nations resolutions by agreeing to a timetable for troop withdrawal; this is the key to peace.
Middle East
22.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends making any fresh proposals designed to reduce tension in the middle east; and if he will make a statement.
We will continue to support all realistic initiatives for the peaceful resolution of the region's conflicts.
26.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the European Economic Community Foreign Ministers next propose to discuss the middle east; and if he will make a statement.
77.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers will next discuss the problems of the middle east.
The agenda for the next EC Foreign Ministers' meeting has not yet been agreed. We and our partners stand by the principles set out in the Venice declaration and subsequent statements and are ready to support realistic initiatives to solve the region's problems.
54.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards peace in the middle east.
83.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards Palestinian self-determination.
I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham).
Central America
23.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers is next expected to discuss the situation in Central America in the light of the Contadora initiative; and if he will make a statement.
The 12 Foreign Ministers of the member states of the European Community regularly exchange views on important issues including central America.
Ussr
24.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Foreign Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Mr. Shevardnadze has accepted my invitation to visit the United Kingdom. I hope to see him here soon. No precise dates have yet been fixed for the visit.
South Africa
25.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received in favour of sanctions against South Africa; and if he will make a statement.
We have received a large amount of correspondence from interested parties, both for and against the imposition of economic sanctions against South Africa.It remains our view that general trade sanctions would not help to bring about the changes we wish to see in South Africa.
45.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he now expects to meet the United Kingdom representative on the Commonwealth eminent persons monitoring committee for further discussions on South Africa.
My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to meet Lord Barber, who is a member of the Commonwealth group of eminent persons in his own right and not as our representative.
47.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers will next discuss its policy towards South Africa.
49.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Council of Ministers is taking to put pressure on South Africa to end apartheid.
64.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers will next discuss South Africa.
67.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers will next consider relations with South Africa.
68.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers will next discuss developments in South Africa.
71.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Council of Ministers will next discuss South Africa.
I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen).
52.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the subjects on which Her Majesty's Government have recently made representations to the South African Government.
We have recently made representations to the South African Government over:
The raid on Maseru on 19 December.
The enlargement and projected independence of the Kwandebele homeland.
An appeal for the release of Dr. Renfrew Christie on humanitarian grounds.
The restrictions on border traffic with Lesotho.
75.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with Commonwealth Governments since the start of 1986 over the question of South Africa and the agreements reached at the 1985 Commonwealth conference.
My right hon. and learned Friend had an opportunity to discuss a range of questions with the Nigerian Foreign Minister during his visit to London on 7–9 January. The meeting of Foreign Ministers from EC and Front Line states, which my right hon. and learned Friend attended in Lusaka from 3–4 February, provided a further occasion for an exchange of views with a number of his Commonwealth colleagues.
79.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the itinerary for the Commonwealth group which is charged with promoting dialogue between South Africa and the Commonwealth.
The members of the Commonwealth group of eminent persons are to operate as individuals not as representatives of Governments. It is for the group to decide its own itinerary in consultation with the other parties concerned.
80.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any representations from the Commonwealth group of eminent persons who are to visit South Africa.
No.
90.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the South African Government concerning the reform of the South African constitution.
It is not for us to prescribe changes to the South African constitution. We have, however, both separately and with our EC and Commonwealth partners, repeatedly called on the South African Government to dismantle the system of apartheid and institute a process of genuine dialogue with a view to establishing the democratic, non-racial system of government so urgently needed in that country.
Terrorism (Arab Hit Squads)
27.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken in the European Economic Community to try to deal with the threat of Arab hit squads again coming to the United Kingdom and other European countries.
Following recent terrorist attacks at Rome and Vienna airports, security precautions here and in other European countries are already at a high level. If there is evidence of plans to mount a terrorist attack from any quarter then we shall of course take appropriate steps to deal with the threat. European Community Foreign Ministers agreed on 27 January to strengthen co-operation against international terrorism.
European Community Reform
28.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom's role in the European Community of the rejection by the Danish Folketing of the reforms agreed at the Luxembourg summit.
We want to see the agreement reached at the Luxembourg European Council signed and implemented as soon as possible. The Danish Government support the agreement and we hope that Denmark will ratify it, with the other member states.
Terrorism
29.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress being made in the struggle against international terrorism.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Livsey).
35.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with his European colleagues to consider what action should be taken following the alleged involvement of the Governments of Libya, Syria and Iran with the terrorists who perpetrated the attacks at Rome and Vienna airports.
78.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with European Economic Community Governments, and to what effect, following Colonel Gaddafi's threat made on 16 January to offer facilities for the training, arming and financing of terrorists.
I refer the hon. Member and my hon. and learned Friend to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Haynes).
Treaty Of Rome
30.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the United Kingdom Government are expected to notify the Council of Ministers about the attitude of the United Kingdom Parliament to amendments to the treaty of Rome.
The United Kingdom is ready to sign the document embodying the amendments to the EC treaty agreed at the European Council in Luxembourg. The changes will thereafter be subject to approval by the national Parliaments of all EC member states. We propose to introduce a Bill for this purpose as soon as is practicable.
32.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Foreign Minister of Denmark about amendments to the treaty of Rome.
86.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had any discussions with the Danish Foreign Minister about the future development of European Economic Community policies; and if he will make a statement.
The Danish Foreign Minister called on my right hon. and learned Friend on 22 January. He explained to him that we wished to see the agreement reached by Heads of Government in Luxembourg signed and implemented as soon as possible, that we hoped Denmark would be able to accept it too, and that we saw no prospect of reopening what had already been agreed.
46.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is to be taken by the Council of Ministers following the rejection by the Danish Parliament of amendments to the treaty of Rome.
The Netherlands, as President of the Council, has proposed that those 11 member states able to do so should sign the single Act incorporating the amendments on 17 February.
69.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further recommendations are being given by the Council of Ministers, to amendments to the treaty of Rome.
Agreement on a single Act amending the treaty of Rome was reached at a meeting of Community Ministers on 27 January.
Gibraltar
31.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Gibraltar's economy and the impact upon it of the official opening of the border with Spain.
The full opening of the border with Spain has had a positive effect on the Gibraltar economy particularly in those sectors most closely related to tourism. Some 300 to 400 extra jobs have been created in the process.
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
33.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions Her Majesty's Government have had with the other participating states about progress towards the signing of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
39.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions Her Majesty's Government have had with the other participating states about the progress of negotiations towards a comprehensive test ban treaty; and if he will make a statement.
Views on nuclear testing constraints have been exchanged periodically with the United States and the Soviet Union, participants in the trilateral negotiations which were suspended in 1980, as well as with other states.
Israel
34.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Israeli Prime Minister on his recent visit to the United Kingdom.
62.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Prime Minister of Israel.
My right hon. and learned Friend's discussions with Mr. Peres were useful and constructive. They focused on efforts to move towards middle east peace negotiations and conditions in the occupied territories. We reviewed briefly other regional and bilateral issues.
Iran
36.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions or advice was given to the British embassy and British officials in Iran as to the reception and acceptance of, and offers of help to, United States citizens immediately before, during and after the Iranian hostage crisis.
During the takeover of the American embassy in Tehran in November 1979 the British authorities acted in close concert with the American authorities, and with their knowledge and approval. The paramount consideration throughout was the safety of American personnel in Tehran.
Bbc (External Services)
37.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to change the method of financing of the external services of the British Broadcasting Corporation; and if he will make a statement.
An arrangement for multi-year funding of the external services has been agreed with the BBC for the three years from 1985–86 to 1987–88. This change in the way the external services are financed follows a recommendation in the Perry report that the grants-in-aid to the external services should be determined on a multi-annual basis for the same period as the licence fee.
Strategic Defence Initiative
38.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United States Administration concerning the strategic defence initiative proposals.
The United States strategic defence initiative research programme is one element in. the regular discussions I hold with members of the United States Administration, for example when I saw Secretary of State Shultz in December.
Iran-Iraq War
41.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent middle east tour, he urged the Governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait to make every effort to bring a stop to the Iran-Iraq war.
Yes. The Governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait fully share our view that it is in all our interests to see the Gulf conflict brought to the earliest possible end.
Nigeria (British Prisoners)
42.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are presently being held in Nigerian prisons.
There are four British citizens at present in detention in Nigeria.
Libya
43.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's relationship with Libya.
We have at present no plans to resume diplomatic relations with Libya.
Australia
44.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for relations with Australia of the recent Royal Commission report on compensation for damage done by the testing of United Kingdom nuclear devices in Australia.
The Royal Commission's report was a long and detailed document. Its recommendations are being discussed with the Australian Government in a positive spirit. I see no reason why the report should damage our excellent relations with Australia.
Mr Oscar Mpetha
48.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of South Africa on behalf of Mr. Oscar Mpetha, a trade unionist, who commenced a five-year jail term in August 1985.
As my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) told the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 16 July 1985 there are strong humanitarian grounds for intervention in Mr. Mpetha's case. We therefore instructed Her Majesty's ambassador in South Africa to appeal to the authorities to exercise clemency. This was done on 11 June 1985 and again on 27 September 1985.
Anglo-Soviet Relations
50.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of United Kingdom-Soviet relations.
We continue to seek better relations based on fuller mutual understanding with the Soviet Union. Mr. Shevardnadze has accepted my right hon. and learned Friend's invitation to visit London, and there are plans for a continuing and active programme of AngloSoviet contacts at both official and ministerial level. We also welcome the prospective visit of the British group of the IPU to Moscow, led by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council.
Disarmament
51.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress at current disarmament conferences.
The United States-Soviet bilateral talks at Geneva resumed on 16 January, in the first round to follow the meeting between President Reagan and General-Secretary Gorbachev last November. We trust that further progress, building on the success of that meeting, will be made this year. At the MBFR talks in Vienna the United Kingdom delagation presented on behalf of NATO allies a new and constructive proposal on 5 December 1985 designed to break the longstanding deadlock. These talks resumed on the 30 January. There has been good progress on procedural issues at the Stockholm conference on disarmament in Europe. We hope this will lead to progress on substance during the ninth session which commenced on 28 January. At the conference on disarmament in Geneva there was limited progress in 1985 in the negotiations for a global ban on chemical weapons. The Conference reconvened on 4 February.
African National Congress
53.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further consideration he has given to meeting representatives of the African National Congress; and if he will make a statement.
58.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Her Majesty's Government continue to refuse to meet the African National Congress.
A senior official of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met with the ANC in Lusaka on 3 February. The meeting was used to convey our concern that there should be an end to violence and a process of genuine dialogue between parties in South Africa.
Pakistan
55.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Pakistan.
We have good relations with Pakistan.
Turkish Peace Association
56.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has discussed the continued imprisonment of members of the Turkish Peace Association with the Prime Minister of Turkey; and if he will make a statement.
I discussed the whole question of human rights, including the Turkish Peace Association, with the Turkish Government during my visit to Turkey last year and have done so on a number of subsequent occasions. I look forward to Mr. Ozal's visit here later this month. We shall welcome the progress made by his Government on human rights while, as on previous occasions, expressing our hope that Turkey will continue its efforts to achieve full normalisation in these matters.
Irish Republic (Terrorism Convention)
57.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Irish Republic to become a signatory of the European convention for the suppression of terrorism.
As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State said to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Gow) on 20 January, the Government of the Republic of Ireland announced in the joint communiqué on 15 November 1985 (Cmnd. 9657) their intention to accede to the European convention on the suppression of terrorism as soon as possible.
Ec Council Of Ministers (Veto)
59.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions, on what subjects and by which countries the veto has been formally exercised in the Council of Ministers since 1973.
There have been many occasions when decisions which could have been taken by majority vote have been deferred because one or more member state was opposed to them. It is not possible to make a clear distinction between those occasions when the Luxembourg compromise was formally invoked and those where it was tacitly applied.
Turkey
60.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to seek to pay an official visit to Turkey during the current year.
My right hon. and learned Friend made an official visit to Turkey in February last year. He has no current plans to pay a further visit in 1986. We look forward to the official visit to the United Kingdom of the Turkish Prime Minister, later this month.
82.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he discussed human rights during the visit of the Prime Minister of Turkey to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already made clear we look forward to holding wide ranging talks with Mr. Ozal later this month. My right hon. and learned Friend will welcome the progress made by his Government on human rights. while, as on previous occasions, expressing our hope that Turkey will continue its efforts in this area.
Ec (Policy Development)
61.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further proposals he intends to place before his European Community partners for the development of Community policies.
We shall continue to work for early completion of the common market, improvements in world trade rules, reform of the common agricultural policy and strengthened co-operation in foreign policy.
Ec (Co-Ordination And Co-Operation)
63.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what areas he expects greater co-ordination and co-operation between European Economic Community member states in the next 12 months.
EC Heads of Government agreed last December that member states would aim to complete a genuine internal market by 1992; to strengthen cooperation in foreign policy; to improve Community decision-taking; to reduce constraints on small and medium-size undertakings; and to study the conditions for establishing non-inflationary growth.
Indonesia
65.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the ambassador of Indonesia; and what subjects were discussed.
I received the new Indonesian ambassador for an introductory call on 22 January. We discussed bilateral and regional issues.
Hong Kong
66.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Hong Kong to discuss arrangements for the future implementation of the agreement with China on the transfer of sovereignty.
I have no plans to visit Hong Kong in the immediate future. My hon. Friend the Minister of State the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) visited Hong Kong in October 1985 and again on 23–24 January. I am glad to be able to report that the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration is proceeding smoothly.
Chemical Weapons
70.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on chemical weapons in the light of the United Kingdom's chairmanship of the chemical weapons committee of the conference of chemical weapons and disarmament.
We confer regularly on arms control topics with allies and in contacts with other countries. We have emphasised the high priority to be given to the early conclusion of a verifiable global ban on all chemical weapons. We very much hope that United Kingdom chairmanship of the Committee on Chemical Weapons at the conference on disarmament will enable substantial progress to be made in the negotiations this year.
European Act
72.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the consequences for the European Act of the decision of the Parliament of Denmark to reject it; and if he will make a statement.
The Danish Government, at the request of its Parliament, is to hold a referendum to determine Denmark's position on the outcome of the intergovernmental conference. We naturally hope that the consequence of the decision to hold a referendum will be to endorse the outcome of the conference.
Uganda
73.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the high commissioner for Uganda; and what matters were discussed.
I last saw the Ugandan High Commissioner in Nassau last October, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) gave a farewell luncheon for him on 6 November. His successor has not yet taken up his new post in London.A variety of matters were discussed on these occasions.
Ec (Treaty Reform)
74.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to introduce legislation to implement the treaty reforms agreed at the recent European Economic Community intergovernmental conference.
We will introduce a Bill as soon as all reserves are lifted. The text of the single European Act incorporating the proposed changes was placed in the Library and Vote office last week.
Gulf War
76.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the Gulf war.
We deplore the continuation of this tragic and wasteful conflict which is now well into its sixth year. We continue to support the United Nations Secretary-General and his special representative Mr. Olof Palme in their efforts to find a peaceful solution. We will do all we can to help bring about the earliest possible settlement.
East-West Relations
81.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of East-West relations.
We continue to work for better East-West relations. We welcomed the successful meeting between President Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev, which has helped to establish a measure of understanding between the two leaders. It lends hope for progress in the resolution of the differences between East and West on arms control, regional problems and human rights. We will play a full and active part in this process.
Luxembourg Agreement (Denmark)
84.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place in the Council of Ministers following the rejection by the Danish Parliament of the Luxembourg agreement.
There was discussion on 27 January in the Foreign Affairs Council, where I represented the United Kingdom. I refer the hon. Member to my statement of 30 January, at column 1106.
Israeli-Jordan Relations
85.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what indications he had from King Hussein during his recent visit to London regarding his policy towards entering direct negotiations with Israel.
I expect King Hussein to continue his efforts, which have our support, to make progress towards negotiations with Israel within an international framework.
Ec (Foreign Policy)
87.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent progress towards closer co-operation in foreign policy in the European Community.
Treaty provisions on co-operation in the sphere of Foreign Policy based on a United Kingdom initiative were agreed at the inter-governmental conference, as my right hon. and learned Friend reported to the House on 18 December. I refer the hon. Member to the evidence which my right hon. and learned Friend gave on this subject to the House of Commons Select Committee on Foreign Affairs on 11 December. I understand that the Select Committee has placed an uncorrected transcript of the evidence in the Library of the House and that it will be published in due course.
Nepal (Royal Visit)
88.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister will be accompanying Her Majesty the Queen on the forthcoming visit to Nepal.
I shall be accompanying Her Majesty the Queen on the forthcoming state visit to Nepal.
Ascension Island
89.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the development of Ascension Island.
The dependent territory of Ascension island is an important communications centre and a vital link between the United Kingdom and the Falkland Islands. It consists of a largely barren island peak of volcanic rock and has no indigenous inhabitants. Normal development criteria do not therefore apply and the territory receives no aid from us.
Lesotho
91.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has had with Major General Justin Lekhanya since the coup in Lesotho; and if he will make a statement.
Our High Commissioner and members of other diplomatic missions met General Lekhanya and other members of the Military Council and Council of Ministers at the opening of the High Court session on 3 February. We have normal relations with the new Lesotho Government.
Vietnamese Refugees
92.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese refugees are currently in (a) open and (b) closed camps in Hong Kong.
On 27 January 4,353 Vietnamese refugees were in open camps and 4,842 in closed camps in Hong Kong.
Vietnam
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has of the denial of human rights in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.
Human rights violations in Vietnam, of which we are aware, include detention without trial in "reeducation" camps, persecution of Buddhists and Catholics, harassment of intellectuals, and discrimination against ethnic minorities. We deplore all such abuses. Our Representative at the 41st Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in 1985 drew attention to these violations. We plan to express our concern again at Vietnam's poor record at this year's meeting.
Polish Nationals (Visas)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the arrangements that are currently in existence in Poland for the issue of visas to Polish residents wanting to visit the United Kingdom.
Yes.
Defence
Nuclear Deterrent
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the current value both in financial terms and as a percentage of total expenditure on the replacement of the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent, of the amount of work and materials which will be provided from the United Kingdom.
Approximately 55 per cent., or over £5,100 million by value, of the total estimated cost of Trident (£9,285 million at 1984–85 prices and at £1 =$1.38) is planned to be spent in the United Kingdom.
Cammell Laird
asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the vessels, giving their type, which are under construction at Cammell Laird; when the order for each was placed; which were placed on the basis of competitive tendering; and, in each such case, which other yards competed for the order;(2) if he will list the naval construction contracts which have been placed with Cammell Laird since 1979 following a competitive tendering exercise and in which wider and more relevant factors were taken into consideration before deciding where to place the order.
Since May 1979 the following orders have been placed with Cammell Laird:
Vessel—SSK-02 to 04
The reasons for placing this order with Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd/Cammell Laird were given by me on 14 January 1986Order date—3 January 1986
(Official Report, column 913). The other firms tendering for this contract were Yarrow Shipbuilders and Scott Lithgow.
Vessel—Type 22–13
Order date—29 January 1985
The reasons for placing this order with Cammell Laird were given by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence on 28 January 1985 (Official Report, column 21). Swan Hunter and Vosper Thorneycroft also tendered for this contract.
Fleet
asked the Secretary of State for Defence which ships he expects to leave the active fleet during 1986.
The ships which, on present plans, will be withdrawn from the active Fleet during 1986 are:
| Increase* in net income from a reduction of 2p in basic rate | ||||||
| (£ per week) | ||||||
| Multiples of Average Earnings | ½ | ¼ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 5 |
| Single person | 1·24 | 2·31 | 3·38 | 5·52 | 6·62 | 6·62 |
| Married couple †‡ | 0·73 | 1·80 | 2·87 | 5·01 | 6·62 | 6·62 |
| Increase* in net income from 10 per cent. increase in allowances | ||||||
| (£ per week) | ||||||
| Multiples of Average Earnings | ½ | ¼ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 5 |
| Single person | 1·27 | 1·27 | 1·27 | 1·27 | 1·69 | 2·54 |
| Married couple†‡ | 2·02 | 2·02 | 2·02 | 2·02 | 2·69 | 4·04 |
* Calculated for 1986–87 assuming that the proposed changes are applied on top of statutory indexation of the 1985–86 tax regime. The change in net income is calculated by comparison with the indexed tax regime.
* Assuming that the wife has no earned income.
‡ Income tax liability is unaffected by the number of children.
Vat
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now implement the provisions of article 25(11) of the sixth Council directive of 17 May 1977 which exempts small farmers from the requirement to complete value added tax returns as is the case in most European Community countries.
HMS
| Class
|
| Glamorgan | County Class Destroyer |
| Leander | Leander Class Frigate |
| Galatea | Leander Class Frigate |
| Yarmouth | Rothesay Class Frigate |
| Orpheus | Oberon Class Submarine |
| Oberon | Oberon Class Submarine |
| Bildeston | TON Class Minehunter |
| Bickington | TON Class Minesweeper |
| Alfreston | TON Class Minesweeper |
| Hodgeston | TON Class Minesweeper |
| Stubbington | TON Class Minesweeper |
| Walkerton | TON Class Minesweeper |
| Hydra | Ocean Survey Ship |
Certain of these ships will continue to be available at standby status where they will remain declared to NATO.
National Finance
Taxation
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the effect of a 10 per cent. increase in personal tax allowances on the net weekly income of single people, married couples and married couples with two children in 1986–87 (on the basis of the latest forecast under the Industry Act 1975) for those on 50 per cent., 75 per cent., 100 per cent., 150 per cent., 200 per cent. and 500 per cent of average earnings;(2) what is his estimate of the effect of a 2p cut in the basic rate of income tax on the net weekly income of single people, married couples and married couples with two children in 1986–87 (on the basis of the latest forecast under the Industry Act 1975) for those on 50 per cent., 75 per cent., 100 per cent., 150 per cent., 200 per cent. and 500 per cent of national average earnings.
The information requested is as follows.
No. The flat rate scheme for farmers provided by article 25 of the sixth Council directive is not appropriate or necessary in the United Kingdom. Unlike most other member states, the United Kingdom zero-rates agricultural products and much associated expenditure such as animal feeding stuffs and seeds. For other purchases, where appropriate, farmers are able to recover in full the VAT incurred. The United Kingdom VAT registration threshold of £19,500, which is one of the highest in the Community, already relieves small farmers if they so wish from the requirement to be registered and complete VAT returns.
Financial Guarantees
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the current financial guarantees relying on funds provided by Parliament agreed to by the Bank of England; and what are the amounts involved.
There is none.
Income Tax (Self Assessment)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to moving to a system of self assessment for income tax; and if he will make a statement.
This is one of the subjects which will be considered in the forthcoming Green Paper on the reform of personal taxation.
Charities (Donations)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to make contributions to charities and non-profit making organisations tax deductible.
Tax relief is already available for payments to charities under deeds of covenant.
Capital Transfer Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of raising the relief from capital transfer tax of business assets to 100 per cent.; and how many businesses were liable for such tax in the last year for which figures are available.
The full year cost is estimated to be £20 million. It is estimated that in 1985–86, capital transfer tax will be paid on business assets included in some 150 discretionary trusts and 1,500 transfers on death. Information is not available upon which to base estimates of the number of lifetime transfers involving business assets.
Income Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the total number of individuals who would be removed from income tax by the raising of personal income tax thresholds by 10 per cent. above the current rate of inflation; and if he will estimate the total loss in revenue which would accrue to the Exchequer from such a move;(2) what percentage of average earnings has been represented by personal income tax allowances in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available; and what was the percentage change in such allowances in each of those years on the previous year's figure.
I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Westland Plc
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the subsequently published letters between Ministers relating to Westland plc were copied to him or other Ministers of his Department; and what action was taken as a result.
As the letters themselves make clear, copies were sent to me. There was no need for me to take any action.
Kleinwort, Benson Ltd
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what moneys have been paid to Kleinwort, Benson Ltd by his Department in the last seven years; and for what services.
Payments made to individual financial advisers in respect of work carried out for the Government are generally treated as commercially confidential. The work done for the Government by Kleinwort, Benson Ltd in the privatisation programme up to June 1985 was detailed in the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) on 3 April 1984, at columns 451–54, and 12 June 1985, at columns 497–98, respectively and to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 24 May 1985 at columns 562–66. Since then, the Treasury has sold its residual shareholdings in Britoil plc and Cable and Wireless plc. Kleinwort, Benson Lid acted as one of the underwriters in both these sales.
Lodging Allowances
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the regulations governing exemption from tax on lodging allowances; what has been the nature of such representations; what plans he has to amend the regulations; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1986, c. 69]: I assume the hon. Member has in mind lodging allowances that an employee might receive from his employer. These are not treated as taxable income where they are paid to cover the additional accommodation costs incurred by an employee as a result of his being required temporarily to work away from his normal place of work. Representations are received from time to time suggesting that the schedule E rules should be changed so that lodging allowances paid to an employee in other circumstances should not be taxed either. There are no plans to change the present rules.
European Court Budget
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply of 22 January, Official Report, column 197, if the Government have yet applied to the European Court for suspension of implementation by the Commission of the disputed elements in the budget pending substantive judgment by the Court; what estimate he has made of the duration of the legal proceedings at the European Court in making financial provisions for additional payments; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1986, c. 68]: Pending substantive judgment by the European Court, the Government hope to submit within the next 10 days their application to the Court for an interim order suspending implementation by the Commission of the disputed element in the budget. The Special Supplementary Estimate approved by the House on 3 February contains provision for three months of additional payments, during which time it is hoped the Court will decide whether to grant our application for an interim order. The Court is not expected to reach judgment on the substantive cases before the end of 1986.
Northern Ireland
School Building
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken to relieve overcrowding in Northern Ireland schools after 1 April when the moratorium on school building schemes begins.
The usual steps to relieve overcrowding in schools in Northern Ireland, for example the provision of temporary classrooms, will continue to be taken, where appropriate under minor works schemes. The moratorium on new starts in the financial year 1986–87 applies only to major schemes.
Russian Language Teaching
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many schools in Northern Ireland Russian is taught.
Two.
Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Her Majesty's Government will request the Government of the Irish Republic to report to the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on progress made towards the implementation by the Irish Government of their intention to accede to the European convention on the suppression of terrorism as stated in paragraph 7 of the joint communiqué of the Anglo-Irish summit meeting at Hillsborough.
[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 597–98]: The Irish Government have already expressed their intention to accede as soon as possible to the European convention on the suppression of terrorism and are well aware of our views, and of the importance of this matter.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is intended that Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers from time to time should attend the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference; and whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been represented at official level.
[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986. c. 598]: It is open under article 3 of the Anglo-Irish agreement for Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers to attend the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. None have attended so far. The FCO has been represented at official level.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will raise at the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, under article 7 of the Anglo-Irish agreement, direct cross-border contacts between the British and Irish armed forces.
[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 598]: Since the Army operates in support of the police, it is the Royal Ulster Constabulary which must take the lead in improving the co-ordination of security activity on either side of the border.
Prisoners (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the security forces convicted of offences in Northern Ireland and sentenced to custodial sentences have been allowed to return to Great Britain on parole for humanitarian reasons in 1985.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1986, c. 75]: There is no parole scheme in Northern Ireland. There are provisions for home leave for certain sentenced inmates, but information about the granting of home leave to former members of the security forces is not readily available.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of prisoners refused bail for each year since 1980; and what is the average period of remand without bail for accused persons charged either wholly or in part on the basis of accomplice evidence in each of the following categories (a) the top decile of prisoners awaiting trial for the longest period, (b) the top quartile of prisoners awaiting trial for the longest period, (c) the second quartile of prisoners awaiting trial for the longest period and (d) the average period of remand for all prisoners charged on the basis of such evidence.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1986, c. 76–77]: The total number of applications for bail which were refused in each year since 1980 was as follows:
| Number | |
| 1980 | 728 |
| 1981 | 951 |
| 1982 | 990 |
| 1983 | 855 |
| 1984 | 849 |
| 1985 | 764 |
Terrorism
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the average period of remand without bail in each of the following cases involving accomplice witnesses' evidence of (a) persons convicted, (b) persons acquitted and (c) persons who were released as a result of such evidence being retracted; and how these figures compare with those for persons charged with terrorist-type offences on the basis of evidence other than accomplice evidence;(2) what was the proportion and number of persons accused of terrorist-type offences on the basis, either wholly or in part, of accomplice witnesses' testimony who were accorded bail; and what was the equivalent proportion of persons accused of terrorist crimes who were not charged on the basis of accomplice testimony who were accorded bail in 1985.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1986, c. 76–77]: This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many persons accused of terrorist-type offences on the basis of accomplice witness testimony are currently awaiting trial in Northern Ireland; how many persons have been convicted and how many persons have been acquitted of such crimes after having been charged either wholly or partially on the basis of accomplice witness testimony; and how many persons have been released following the retraction of testimony by accomplice witnesses;(2) how many people have been convicted in the current year, either on their own admission of guilt or following a plea of not guilty, on the basis of evidence given by accomplices on behalf of the Crown in cases concerning scheduled offences in Northern Ireland; how many suspects arrested on the basis of such evidence have been released as a result of the retraction of evidence given by accomplices; and how many people are presently awaiting trial as a result of evidence obtained from terrorist accomplices.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1986, c. 77]: Sixty persons were convicted and 54 persons acquitted in cases concerning scheduled offences during 1985 following trials in which the evidence of a former accomplice was given on behalf of the Crown or on the basis of their statements of admission made during enquiries arising from the evidence of a former accomplice. There have been no such trials so far in 1986. It is not possible to associate directly the number of persons released with the withdrawal of evidence by alleged accomplices because persons may be released for other reasons and because persons who have been charged on such evidence may also face criminal charges on other grounds. However, the available records show that in 1985, following the withdrawal of evidence by alleged accomplices, some or all of the charges against 59 persons were dropped.On 24 January 1986, 30 persons were on remand or had been returned for trial for scheduled offences in cases in which it was intended that an alleged accomplice would give evidence for the Crown. For figures for earlier years I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 February 1985.
Social Services
Income Support
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much extra expenditure his Department would incur using the illustrative figures published in the
| 1974–75 to 1978–79 | £000 | Wexham Park Schemes £000 | |
| Langley Health Centre Development | 208 | ||
| Wexham Park Vickers M300 Analyser | 138 | ||
| Wexham Park Accommodation for Doctors | 10 | ||
| Wexham Park Repairs to Roofs | 90 | ||
| Wexham Park Pharmacy Extension | 3 | ||
| Total | 208 | 241 | 449 |
technical annex to Cmnd. 9691, if the income support personal allowance for single people aged 18 to 24 years were £30·60 per week.
Any such estimate is subject to a wide range of uncertainty, since the hon. Member's proposal would increase the numbers who might become entitled to benefit and would be likely to have other effects arising, for example, from the fact that the proposed rate would be substantially above the current YTS allowance and would imply for this age group a married couple's rate less than twice the single rate. The minimum extra cost—that is, simply applying the hon. Member's proposed benefit rate to the number in this age group who currently receive benefit—would be of the order of £30 million to £40 million.
Food And Chemical Allergies
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much expenditure is undertaken by his Department each year on research into the causes and treatment of food and chemical allergies.
The Department does not fund research into the causes and treatment of food and chemical allergies. I understand that the Medical Research Council which is funded by grant-in-aid from the Science Vote of the Department of Education and Science, is carrying out some research in this area.I am also advised that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has commissioned a study to obtain better information on the frequency with which allergic reactions to foods and food additives occur. The cost of this study is estimated to be £300,000 over a 3-year period.
Slough
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list National Health Service capital projects in the Slough constituency (a) authorised and (b) completed in the periods 1974 to 1979 and 1979 to 1985 and the cost of each project.
I am afraid that information is not available centrally in precisely the form requested. Details of capital schemes funded by Oxford regional health authority and carried out over these periods and of the capital programme approved by the regional health authority for 1986–87 to 1993–94 are shown in the table. They include Wexham park hospital which provides the main hospital services for the people of Slough.
1974–75 to 1978–79
| £000
| Wexham Park Schemes £000
| |
1979–80 to 1985–86
| |||
| Upton Hospital Beds for Elderly Mentally Infirm Patients | 139 | ||
| Wexham Park Existing Lake | 13 | ||
| Wexham Park Maternity Unit | 6,745 | ||
| Wexham Park New Pathology | 1,209 | ||
| Wexham Park Telephones | 383 | ||
| Wexham Park Engineering Services | 826 | ||
| Wexham Park Incinerator | 156 | ||
| Wexham Park Nurse Education Centre | 1,100 | ||
| Wexham Park 70 Beds for Mentally Ill/Elderly Mentally Infirm Patients | 2,527 | ||
| Wexham Park Paediatric and Stores | 2,748 | ||
| Wexham Park New Roads and Car Parks | 210 | ||
| Wexham Park Peripheral Kitchen | 287 | ||
| Wexham Park Main Kitchen Modernisation | 1,003 | ||
| Wexham Park Temporary Pharmacy | 57 | ||
| Total | 139 | 17,264 | 17,403 |
1986–87 to 1993–94
| |||
| Wexham Park Residences | 1,685 | ||
| Wexham Park Telephone Exchange | 20 | ||
| Wexham Park Modernisation of X Ray, Pharmacy, Pathology at Electronic Maintenance Departments | 3,257 | ||
| Wexham Park Rehabilitation | 1,826 | ||
| Wexham Park 32 Geriatric Beds | 175 | ||
| Slough 25 place Mental Handicap Community Unit | 503 | ||
| Upton 25 Geriatric Beds | 1,006 | ||
| Slough 13 place Mental Handicap Community Unit | 252 | ||
Total
| 1,761 | 6,963 | 8,724 |
Health Education
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report, for the last 10 years for which figures are available, the amounts of money paid by his Department, whether directly, or
| Health Education Council | Action on Smoking and Health | Coronary Prevention Group | Alcohol Concern | |
| £ million | £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | |
| 1975–76 | 1·6 | 18·5 | ||
| 1976–77 | 1·4 | 31 | ||
| 1977–78 | 2·9 | 41·5 | ||
| 1978–79 | 3·5 | 59·5 | ||
| 1979–80 | 4·3 | 70 | ||
| 1980–81 | 4·7 | 80 | ||
| 1981–82 | 6·1 | 90 | 3 | |
| 1982–83 | 7·9 | 115 | 3 | |
| 1983–84 | 8·6 | 136 | 3·25 | 69 |
| 1984–85 | 8·9 | 150·5 | 8·5 | 311 |
765–771.
Ambulance Drivers (Training)
Mr. Holt asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make it his policy that the National Health Service training authority require all ambulance drivers to be trained and tested in motorway driving.
indirectly through some other agency, to organisations and bodies working in the field of health education, detailing the organisations and bodies concerned, the amounts they received and the method of payment.
The figures are:
I understand that the course of ambulance driver training to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend on 10 December 1985 at column 614, and the test related to it, which is required for all staff driving emergency ambulances, includes motorway driving. Those driving "sitting case vehicles" on non emergency work are given driver training as considered necessary to meet local conditions. We see no reason to change this arrangement.
Guardian's Allowance
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice his Department gives to people seeking to claim guardian's allowance as to the practical steps which should be taken to satisfy the requirement of section 38(2)(b) of the Social Security Act 1975.
The conditions for entitlement to guardian's allowance are set out in leaflet NI 14 which is available from local social security offices. It is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide if a person claiming the allowance has taken all reasonable steps to trace a missing parent. The steps which must be taken to trace a missing parent depend entirely on the circumstances of the case and no guidance has been issued.
Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider extending the period of claim under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 from six years to 12 years.
We have no plans to do so.
Health Authorities (Rates)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rates burden on English health authorities in the years 1983–84 and 1984–85; and what is the figure in the current year.
The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities in England together with those for the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals show expenditure on rates as follows:
| Table 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Service increment for teaching—protected allocation 1983–84 to 1985–86 | |||||||||||||||
| £000 of cash | |||||||||||||||
| 1983–84 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | |||||||||||||
| Regional Health Authority | Medical* basic allowance | Dental† basic allowance | Total basic allowance | London‡ weighting and market forces | Total | Medical* basic allowance | Dental† basic allowance | Total basic allowance | London,‡ weighting and market forces | Total | Medical* basic allowance | Dental† basic allowance | Total basic allowance | Londont‡ weighting and market forces | Total |
| Northern | 10,108 | 1,891 | 11,999 | — | 11,999 | 10,472 | 1,959 | 12,431 | — | 12,431 | 11,058 | 2,010 | 13,068 | — | 13,068 |
| Yorkshire | 10,333 | 1,496 | 11,829 | — | 11,829 | 10,775 | 1,408 | 12,182 | — | 12,182 | 11,083 | 1,372 | 12,455 | — | 12,455 |
| Trent | 27,787 | 1,301 | 29,088 | — | 29,088 | 29,090 | 1,348 | 30,438 | — | 30,438 | 29,923 | 1,309 | 31,232 | — | 31,232 |
| East Anglian | 4,874 | — | 4,874 | — | 4,874 | 5,166 | — | 5,166 | — | 5,166 | 5,738 | — | 5,738 | — | 5,738 |
| North West Thames | 27,001 | — | 27,001 | 2,430 | 29,431 | 19,595 | — | 19,596 | 1,764 | 21,359 | 19,653 | — | 19,653 | 1,769 | 21,422 |
| North East Thames | 33,784 | 2,581 | 34,365 | 3,273 | 39,638 | 41,471 | 2,674 | 44,145 | 3,973 | 48,118 | 41,572 | 2,704 | 44,276 | 3,985 | 48,261 |
| South East Thames | 22,306 | 4,307 | 26,613 | 2,395 | 29,008 | 23,807 | 3,687 | 27,494 | 2,474 | 29,968 | 24,776 | 3,831 | 28,607 | 2,575 | 31,182 |
| South West Thames | 9,390 | — | 9,390 | 845 | 10,235 | 10,403 | — | 10,403 | 936 | 11,339 | 11,895 | — | 11,895 | 1,071 | 12,966 |
| Wessex | 8,446 | — | 8,446 | — | 8,446 | 8,797 | — | 8,797 | — | 8,797 | 9,186 | — | 9,186 | — | 9,186 |
| Oxford | 6,739 | — | 6,739 | — | 6,739 | 6,982 | — | 6,982 | — | 6,982 | 7,388 | — | 7,388 | — | 7,388 |
| South Western | 8,626 | 1,115 | 9,741 | — | 9,741 | 9,146 | 1,117 | 10,263 | — | 10,263 | 9,088 | 1,072 | 10,160 | — | 10,160 |
| West Midlands | 10,782 | 1,934 | 12,716 | — | 12,716 | 11,171 | 2,004 | 13,175 | — | 13,175 | 11,821 | 2,105 | 13,926 | — | 13,926 |
| Mersey | 11,568 | 1,524 | 13,092 | — | 13,092 | 12,148 | 1,602 | 13,750 | — | 13,750 | 12,856 | 1,616 | 14,472 | — | 14,472 |
| North Western | 18,532 | 1,553 | 20,085 | — | 20,085 | 19,199 | 1,609 | 20,808 | — | 20,808 | 20,318 | 1,947 | 22,265 | — | 22,265 |
| Sub-total | 210,276 | 17,702 | 227,978 | 8,943 | 236,921 | 218,222 | 17,408 | 235,630 | 9,147 | 244,777 | 226,355 | 17,966 | 244,321 | 9,400 | 253,721 |
| Protection in lieu of SIFT Northwick Park (North West Thames) | — | — | — | — | 4,294 | — | — | — | — | 5,775 | — | — | — | — | 6,112 |
| Total protected | 210,276 | 17,702 | 227,978 | 8,943 | 241,215 | 218,222 | 17,408 | 235,630 | 9,147 | 250,552 | 226,355 | 17,966 | 244,321 | 9,400 | 259,833 |
* Allowance per medical student: 1983–84—£22,463, 1984–85—23,272, 1985–86—£24,628.
† Allowance per dental student: 1983–84—£7,190, 1984–85—£7,449, 1985–86—£7,883.
‡ London weighting and market forces 9 per cent.
£ million
| |
| 1983–84 | 127·2 |
| 1984–85 | 137·0 |
Figures for the current financial year wll be available in the Autumn.
Nhs (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures to show the revenue expenditure for 1983–84 and 1984–85 and the allocation for 1985–86, on teaching for each of the English regions and for the Board of Governors hospitals, showing the service increment for teaching with supplements expressed in cash terms and in cost per student.
Most direct medical teaching costs, including the costs of pre-clinical years, are met by medical and dental schools themselves, financed by the University Grants committee. The additional service costs associated with teaching are however recognised in protected sums within regional health authority allocations: the service increment for teaching. The information requested on the sums allocated through SIFT is given in table 1.Different funding arrangements apply to the special health authorities for the London postgraduate hospitals (formerly boards of governors hospitals) which do not receive SIFT. Instead, their general allocations take account of their special teaching role. Details of their revenue allocations for the years concerned are in table 2.
| TABLE 2 | |||
| London Postgraduate Special Health Authorities—Revenue Allocations 1983–84—1985–86 | |||
| £'000 | |||
| SHAs | 1983/84 | 1984/85 | 1985/86 |
| Sick Children | 25,799 | 26,687 | 28,248 |
| Nervous Diseases | 15,002 | 15,522 | 16,422 |
| Moorfields | 11,071 | 11,447 | 12,078 |
| Bethlem | 15,518 | 15,962 | 16,935 |
| Heart and Chest | 23,894 | 25,056 | 26,541 |
| Marsden | 17,190 | 17,796 | 18,784 |
| Hammersmith and Queen | |||
| Charlottes | 38,829 | 40,432 | 42,593 |
| Eastman | 4,120 | 4,385 | 4,725 |
| Total | 151,423 | 157,287 | 166,326 |
Unit General Managers
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of the total number of unit general managers so far appointed were previously (a) nurses, (b) doctors, (c) National Health Service administrators, (d) other National Health Service employees and (e) working outside the National Health Service;(2) how many of the unit general managers so far appointed are male and how many female.
I regret that not all this information is collected centrally. However I understand that healh authorities have so far made the following appointments:
| Number | |
| Nurses | 42 |
| Doctors | 82 |
| NHS Administrators | 254 |
| Other NHS | 10 |
| Non-NHS | 35 |
| Total | 423 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each region the number of unit general managers who have so far been appointed.
I understand the following appointments have so far been made:
| Number | |
| Northern | 39 |
| Yorkshire | 16 |
| Trent | 57 |
| East Anglian | 19 |
| North west Thames | 43 |
| North east Thames | 28 |
| South east Thames | 12 |
| South west Thames | 32 |
| Wessex | 31 |
| Oxford | 32 |
| South Western | 22 |
| West Midlands | 41 |
| Mersey | 25 |
| North Western | 26 |
Mrs Myra Mabel Fairclough
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now in a position to make a report available into the circumstances of the death of Myra Mabel Fairclough at St. Mary's hospital, Portsmouth.
In view of the possibility of legal proceedings I am afraid that it would be improper at this stage to publicise the report.
Mr Kenneth Harris
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether Mr. Kenneth Harris was transferred to Harefield hospital as a private patient following his heart transplant operation at the Harley street clinic.
No. I understand that following a heart operation on a patient at the Harley street clinic, the view of the clinicians involved was that his condition indicated the need for an immediate heart transplant. In view of his condition it was decided that he should not be moved, and he therefore underwent a heart transplant on 10 January 1986 at the Harley street clinic. The costs of the operation and of his care in the clinic were met by American Medical International. The operation was perfomed by Mr. Magdi Jacoub from Harefield and a team from the clinic. The patient was transferred to Harefield on 15 January to continue his post-operative treatment in the specialist unit there as a National Health Service patient.
Mr D H Briggs
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the mobility allowance granted to Mr. D. H. Briggs of Kenilworth road, Balsall common, Coventry, reference MOB 895913, on 27 November 1985 has still not been paid; and if he will make a statement.
I regret that a number of errors have been made in dealing with Mr. Briggs' claim. I am investigating these, and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Hospitals (Hampshire)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients there are in Coldeast hospital, Hampshire; how many patients have not been able to be put into the community; and where they are to be placed.
I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member all the information he seeks. Some of it is not available centrally. The most recent available figures are given in the table. For futher information I suggest that the hon. Member consults the health authority concerned.
| Resident patients in Coldeast hospitals at 31 December 1984 | |
| Hospital | Number |
| Coldeast | 381 |
| Sandy Point | 24 |
| Locksway House | 22 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what has been the number of beds in St. James' hospital, Portsmouth, in each year since 1979;(2) what has been the number of beds in Queen Alexandra hospital, Portsmouth, in each year since 1979;(3) what has been the number of beds in St. Mary's hospital, Portsmouth, in each year since 1979.
The information requested is given in the table.
Average daily number of available beds
| ||||||
Hospital
| 1979
| 1980
| 1981
| 1982
| 1983
| 1984
|
| St. James' hospital, Portsmouth | 561 | 545 | 550 | 554 | 536 | 464 |
| St. Mary's hospital, Portsmouth | 776 | 773 | 778 | 783 | 766 | 748 |
| Queen Alexandra hospital, Portsmouth | 570 | 665 | 661 | 661 | 678 | 683 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the number of staff employed at each hospital in the Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire health district for each year since 1979 and by category of employment.
I regret that this information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may like to obtain it from the chairman of the district health authority.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of psycho-geriatric beds in each hospital in the Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire health district currently and each year since 1979.
The information requested is given in the table. Only one hospital in the district had beds available in the psychogeriatric specialty during this period.
| Reported average daily number of available beds in the psychogeriatric specialty in hospitals in Portsmouth and South East | |
| Hampshire District Health Authority* | |
| St. James' Hospital | |
| Number | |
| 1979 | Nil |
| 1980 | Nil |
| 1981 | Nil |
| 1982 | 157 |
| 1983 | 161 |
| 1984 | 163 |
* Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Health District prior to 1 April 1982.
Children In Care (Hampshire)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children there are in care in each district in Hampshire; and how these figures compare with equivalent figures for 1981 and 1979, respectively.
The figures requested for each district in Hampshire are not available centrally. The numbers of children in care in the county of Hampshire at 31 March 1979, 1981 and 1984 are given in the table.
| Number of children in care in Hampshire at 31 March in 1979, 1981 and 1984 | |
| At 31 March | Children in Care |
| 1979 | 2,999 |
| 1981 | 2,961 |
| 1984 | 2,446 |
Pensions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his reply on 17 January, Official Report, column 746, he will publish a similar table showing the total weekly pensions assuming no change in the state earnings-related pension scheme, annual increases in the basic pension in line with average earnings, and that earnings increase in real terms by 1·5 per cent. a year.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Health And Personal Social Services (Statistics)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now able to give figures for 1984 to update table 3·14 of "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England 1982".
[pursuant to his reply, 28 November 1985 c. 657]: The updated table is as follows. These figures have not been previously published in this format. Figures for the years up to arid including 1983 were given in table 3.14 of "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England, 1985 edition", which was published on 3 December 1985.Copies are available in the Library.
| III Manpower | ||
| Nursing and midwifery staff: Analysis by occupation and grade 30 September | ||
| Table 3.14 | England | |
| Whole-time equivalents†† 1984 | ||
| All Nursing and Midwifery Staff* | Total | 392,120 |
| Administrative nursing staff at Regional, Area and District HQs and centrally-based services | 4,296 | |
| Administrative midwifery staff at Regional, Area and District HQs | 179 | |
| Blood transfusion service staff | 1,140 | |
| Hospital nursing staff: | Total | 328,268 |
| Qualified: | Total | 174,631 |
| Senior Nurses and above† | 5,878 | |
| Tutorial nursing staff | 4,701 | |
| Other registered nurses | 97,588 | |
| Enrolled nurses | 66,463 | |
| Learners: | Total | 69,492 |
| Post-registration student nurses | 1,959 | |
| Post-enrolment student nurses | 1,475 | |
| Pre-registration student nurses | 50,963 | |
| Pupil nurses | 15,094 | |
| Unqualified: | Total | 84,148 |
| Other nursing staff‡ | 84,116 | |
| Nursing cadets | 30 | |
| Hospital midwifery staff: | Total | 18,535 |
| Qualified: | Total | 13,795 |
| Senior Nurses and above† | 627 | |
| Tutorial midwifery staff | 540 | |
| Other state certified midwives | 12,627 | |
| Learners: Student midwives | 4,740 | |
| Primary health care nursing staff: | Total | 35,845 |
| Senior Nursest† | 1,498 | |
| District nursing tutorial staff | 39 | |
| Whole-time equivalents †† 1984 | |
| Health Visitors | 9,232 |
| TB Visitors with HV certificate | 19 |
| TB visitors without HV certificate | 45 |
| District nursing (registered nurses)¶ | 10,548 |
| District nursing (enrolled nurses)¶ | 4,047 |
| School nursing (registered nurses) | 2,442 |
| School nursing (enrolled nurses) | 219 |
| Dual/triple duty posts: | |
| Health visitor/district nurse/midwife (and Health Visitor/Midwife) | 49 |
| District nurse/midwife (and SRN/midwife) | 579 |
| Enrolled nurse/midwife | 6 |
| Other registered nurses | 2,175 |
| Other enrolled nurses* | 389 |
| Nursing auxiliaries and other unqualified staff | 4,559 |
| Community health midwifery staff: | |
| District midwife | 3,859 |
| Agency nurses (Hospital)# | 3,426 |
| Agency midwives (Hospital)# | 220 |
| Agency nurses (PHC)# | 101 |
| Agency midwives (PHC)# | — |
| Health visitor students # | 971 |
| District nurse students #** | 648 |
* Excludes HV students, District Nurse students and agency staff.
† Incorporates the grades of Senior Nursing Officers and Nursing Officer existing prior to the 1982 reorganisation of nurse grading
III Manpower
| |||
Health and personal social services manpower summary 30 September
| |||
Table 3.1 England
| |||
Unit‡‡
| September 1984
| March 1985
| |
| All Health Service staff and practitioners: Total | 865,435 | n.a. | |
| All directly-employed staff: Total | Wte | 817,202 | 816,100 |
| Medical and dental staff*: Total | Wte | 40,221 | 41,000 |
| Medical staff | 37,710 | — | |
| Dental staff | 2,510 | — | |
| Hospital medical and dental staff: Total | Wte | 35,870 | 36,600 |
| Medical staff | 33,416 | — | |
| Medical locum staff | 1,371 | — | |
| Dental staff | 1,061 | — | |
| Dental locum staff | 22 | — | |
| Community health service medical and dental staff: Total | Wte | 4,350 | 4,400 |
| Medical staff | 2,879 | — | |
| Medical locum staff | 44 | — | |
| Dental staff | 1,417 | — | |
| Dental locum staff | 10 | — | |
| Nursing and midwifery staff: Total | Wte | 397,488 | 401,200 |
| Nursing staff: Total | Wte | 374,695 | — |
| Administrative† | 2,627 | — | |
| Centrally based services | 1,669 | — | |
| Blood transfusion service | 1,140 | — | |
| Hospital staff | 328,268 | — | |
| Primary health care services2021 | 36,493 | — | |
| Health visitor students | 971 | — | |
| Agency nurses | 3,527 | — | |
| Midwifery staff: Total | Wte | 22,794 | — |
| Administrative staff† | 179 | — | |
| Hospital staff | 18,535 | — | |
| Community health services | 3,858 | — | |
| Agency midwives | 222 | — | |
| Professional and technical (excluding works) staff†† | Wte | 72,656 | 72,700 |
| Works professional staff: Total | Wte | 6,011 | 6,100 |
| Health Authorities staff | 6,010 | — | |
structure.
‡ Includes nursing auxiliaries and nursery nurses.
Includes Health Visitor Fieldwork Teachers, HV School Nurses and HV Bank Nurses.
¶ Includes District Nurse Practical Work Teachers, Bank District Nurses and SRNs and SENs assisting District Nurses.
Includes school nurses and SRNs assisting school health services.
Includes SRNs assisting health visiting and other SRNs in community nursing.
Includes SENs assisting health visiting and other SENs in community nursing.
# Not included in the totals.
** Grade introduced in 1981.
‡‡ All figures have been independently rounded.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update table 3.1 of "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England 1982" by giving figures for 1981 to 1983 and such figures as are available for 30 March 1985.
[pursuant to his reply, 28 November 1985, c. 657]: The table shows the figures for September 1984, together with those figures which are available (at summary level only) for March 1985. These figures have not been previously published in this format. Corresponding figures for the years 1981 to 1983 were given in Table 3.1 of "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England, 1985 edition" which was published on 3 December 1985.Copies are available in the Library.
Unitt ‡‡
| September 1984
| March 1985
| |
| Dental Estimates Board staff | 1 | — | |
| Maintenance (building and engineering) staff: Total | Wte | 20,216 | 20,000 |
| Health Authorities staff | 20,190 | — | |
| Dental Estimates Board staff | 12 | — | |
| Prescription Pricing Authority staff | 14 | — | |
| Administrative and clerical staff| |: Total | Wte | 110,304 | 110,400 |
| Health Authorities staff | 106,817 | — | |
| Dental Estimates Board staff | 1,501 | — | |
| Prescription Pricing Authority staff | 1,987 | — | |
| Ambulance officers and control assistants | Wte | 3,174 | 18,200 |
| Ambulancemen/women | Wte | 14,929 | — |
| Ancillary staff: Total†† | Wte | 152,202 | 146,500 |
| Health Authorities staff | 152,126 | — | |
| Dental Estimates Board staff | 32 | — | |
| Prescription Pricing Authority staff | 43 | — | |
| Family Practitioner Committee services: | |||
| Practitioners: Total | No. | 48,233 | n.a. |
| General medical practitioners: Total ¶ | No. | 25,788 | n.a. |
| Unrestricted principals | 23,640 | n.a. | |
| Restricted principals | 179 | n.a. | |
| Assistants | 266 | n.a. | |
| Trainees | 1,703 | n.a. | |
| General dental practitioners: Total | No. | 14,066 | n.a. |
| Principals | 13,984 | n.a | |
| Assistants | 82 | n.a. | |
| Ophthalmic medical practitioners | No. | 833 | n.a |
| Ophthalmic opticians | No. | 4,998 | n.a. |
| Dispensing opticians | No. | 2,553 | n.a. |
| Local Authority Social Services staff: | |||
| Senior social service staff | Wte | 4,502 | n.a. |
| Senior social workers# | 4,571 | n.a. | |
| Social workers | 19,721 | n.a. | |
| Home helpsµ | 53,145 | n.a. | |
| Day nursery staffΩ | 6,875 | n.a. | |
| Staff of adult training centres *** | 4,837 | n.a. | |
| Staff of homes for the mentally disordered** | 8,891 | n.a. | |
| Staff of residential homes for the elderly and physically handicapped** | 55,704 | n.a. | |
Headquarters, Blood Transfusion Centre and Mass Radiography Unit staff are included in the groups of staff to which they relate—eg "Medical".
The definition used in setting manpower targets for the directly employed staff of Regional Health Authorities (and Special Health Authorities) excludes agency Nursing and Midwifery staff and locum Medical and Dental Staff.
* Excludes hospital practitioners, part-time medical/dental officers (clinical assistants), general medical practitioners participating in Hospital Staff Funds and occasional sessional staff in community health services.
† Area and district nursing and midwifery staff were included with hospital staff in 1974. Separate figures for administrative and centrally based nursing staff are not available for this year.
‡ Includes District Nurse Students (grade introduced in 1981).
| | Figures exclude ambulance officers.
¶ Figures relate to 1 October.
• Figures relate to 31 December.
Staff of residential establishments for children and day centres have been excluded.
⋆ Senior directing, managing, professional and advisory staff only. Figures for 1974 include some senior social workers.
# Includes team leaders.
µ Figures include community workers, trainee social workers and welfare assistants.
µ Includes home help organisers and assistant organisers.
Ω Excludes clerical/secretarial, works, maintenance, and domestic etc. staff.
* ** Managers and instructors only.
** All staff including general clerical/secretarial, works, maintenance, domestic etc.
†† Not directly comparable with published figures for earlier years, due to the transfer of Operating Department Assistants on lApril 1984 from the Ancillary to the P & T 'B' staffs council.
‡‡ All figures have been independently rounded.
n.a. = Not available.
Primary Health Care (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the expenditure on primary health care per head of population for each year since 1979 in (a) the Islington health authority area, (b) Barnet and (c) Sutton Coldfield.
[pursuant to his reply, 17 December Health Authority 1985, c. 155]: Following are the figures requested:
| Expenditure per Head of Population on Primary Health Care* | |||
| Health Authority | |||
| Islington | Barnet | North Birmingham | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| 1979–80 | 54 | 44 | 44 |
| 1980–81 | 69 | 57 | 55 |
| 1981–82 | 81 | 65 | 63 |
| Health Authority | |||
| Islington | Barnet | North Brimingham | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| 1982–83 | 82 | 70 | 71 |
| 1983–84 | 86 | 74 | 76 |
| 1984–85 | 96 | 86 | 85 |
* Current expenditure on community health services plus net expenditure on family practitioner services. The latter expenditure cannot strictly be attributed to particular districts but has been included (pro-rata to population) from the annual accounts of the family practitioner committees which account for it.