Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Tuesday 20 May 1986

Education And Science

Schools (Resources)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has linking resources available to schools with quality of work by staff and pupils; and if there is a statistical correlation between the two factors.

The latest report by Her Majesty's inspectors on the effects of LEA expenditure policies on education, published in May 1985, showed that there was a statistically significant association between work judged satisfactory or better and satisfactory levels of appropriate resources. However, there was no direct causal link established.Some evidence linking resources in schools to examination results is available from statistical analyses carried out by the Department and published in Statistical Bulletin 13/84. The analysis demonstrated a strong statistical association between examination results achieved by pupils at schools in each local authority and social background data for each authority. When these factors are taken into account, the analysis showed a slight positive but statistically significant correlation between some of the measures of examination results and expenditure on teaching.

Brixton Church Of England Primary School, Plymouth

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now consider, in the light of current expenditure by way of capital allocation for voluntary aided schools, making a grant for Brixton Church of England primary school near Plymouth; and if he will make a statement.

The available resources for capital projects at aided and special agreement schools in 1986–87 are fully allocated.

Capital Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what allocations of prescribed capital expenditure on equipment, plant and machinery for advanced and further education under part 8 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 were made to local education authorities in England in respect of the 1985–86 and 1986–87 financial years.

The following table shows for each local education authority, whose bid distinguished advanced further education (AFE), the component for AFE equipment. plant and machinery included within the education allocations of prescribed capital expenditure in 1985–86 and 1986–87. The breakdown of allocations is informative rather than prescriptive since authorities are free under part VIII of the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 to apply their allocations as they see fit, taking account of local needs as they perceive them.

Table of AFE equipment allocations 1985–86 and 1986–87
£000s cash
Authority	1985–86^*	1986–87†‡
Barking	600	523
Barnet	1,145	1,350
Ealing	640	246
Harrow	—	157
Hounslow	12	50
Kingston-upon-Tharaes	240	865
Merton	—	20
Inner London	1,750	3,046
Birmingham	—	617
Coventry	1,021	1,135
Sandwell	22	23
Walsall	40	—
Wolverhampton	1,220	657
Liverpool	1,490	652
Bolton	95	128
Manchester	1,240	963
Salford	255	—
Sheffield	1,250	752
Bradford	—	144
Kirklees	950	774
Leeds	798	529
Wakefield	50	63
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	430	893
South Tyneside	163	56
Sunderland	416	662
Avon	525	603
Bedfordshire	—	101
Berkshire	157	215
Buckinghamshire	—	53
Cheshire	—	164
Cleveland	840	628
Cornwall	—	81
Cumbria	20	15
Derbyshire	100	245
Devon	1,159	649
Dorset	600	291
East Sussex	975	613
Essex	10	79
Gloucestershire	—	84
Hampshire	823	1,809
Hereford and Worcestershire	20	7
Hertfordshire	1,563	772
Humberside	210	297
Kent	—	111
Lancashire	910	872
Leicestershire	850	623
Northamptonshire	—	189
Nottinghamshire	609	505
Oxfordshire	1,036	580
Staffordshire	720	785
Surrey	—	152
^* Includes supplementary allocations made in August 1985 to selected authorities.
† Includes a component for furniture and motor vehicles.
‡ Includes supplementary allocations made under the engineering and technology programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what prescribed capital expenditure on equipment, plant and machinery in institutions of further and higher education each local authority in England has incurred every financial year from 1979–80 until 1984–85 in (a) cash and (b) real terms, distinguishing in each case between polytechnics and other establishments.

The information given in the tables shows, for each authority, outturn expenditure on equipment, plant and machinery in polytechnics and other maintained establishments of further education.

Capital expenditure cash prices Plant machinery and equipment
	1979–80		1980–81		1981–82
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Barking	222,125	24,101	93,865	22,594	541,533	6,126
Barnet	438,497	19,138	634,344	14,288	1,173,965	56,402
Bexley	—	0	—	456	—	26,418
Brent	—	12,017	—	35,130	—	39,518
Bromley	—	57,289	—	101,841	—	38,938
Croydon	—	0	—	93,057	—	46,941
Ealing	—	88,921	—	201,007	—	96,753
Enfield	—	85,175	—	83,355	—	54,237
Haringey	—	56,649	—	71,400	—	57,429
Harrow	—	0	—	142,008	—	173
Havering	—	192	—	0	—	75,573
Hillingdon	—	19,738	—	2,867	—	19,755
Hounslow	—	62,070	—	0	—	77,065
Kingston-upon-Thames	234,179	37,572	831,545	0	183,049	0
Merton	—	46,521	—	57,246	—	0
Newham	—	222,828	—	224,645	—	76,213
Redbridge	—	54,795	—	57,752	—	56,367
Richmond-upon-Thames	—	6.022	—	31,957	—	98,780
Sutton	—	0	—	29,049	—	45,835
Waltham Forest	—	40,625	—	153,195	—	-56,475
ILEA	765,321	3,073,984	3,297,293	3,021,650	498,355	484,025
Birmingham	107,471	24,544	40,319	80,327	22,899	33,853
Coventry	600,425	54,663	925,568	114,650	578,189	45,288
Dudley	—	43,831	—	61,754	—	101,088
Sandwell	—	112,744	—	209,202	—	396,493
Solihull	—	0	—	0	—	0
Walsall	—	0	—	73,192	—	53,226
Wolverhampton	526,079	35,214	233,751	87,418	750,531	26,424
Knowsley	—	0	—	0	—	24,533
Liverpool	213,351	27,928	527,001	223,432	1,549,287	138,371
St. Helens	—	61,039	—	40,590	—	0
Sefton	—	0	—	0	—	38,916
Wirral	—	84,900	—	8,036	—	8,760
Bolton	—	123,353	—	150,849	—	176,956
Bury	—	0	—	18,300	—	15,065
Manchester	229,084	286,138	200,324	265,099	579,038	183,285
Oldham	—	3,771	—	11,160	—	33,557
Rochdale	—	11,877	—	16,768	—	0
Salford	—	1,980	17,680	—	53,164
Stockport	—	27,520	—	2,690	—	128,297
Tameside	—	31,266	—	53,298	—	7,583
Trafford	—	29,531	—	99,679	—	93,962
Wigan	—	0	—	0	—	21,639
Barnsley	—	0	—	10,196	—	0
Doncaster	—	22,920	—	234,395	—	1,121
Rotherham	—	186,387	—	167,348	—	147,260
Sheffield	271,001	3,190	741,676	17,352	199,302	47,890
Bradford	—	12,665	—	700	—	4,275
Calderdale	—	38,885	—	46,949	—	24,311
Kirklees	771,236	166,147	764,152	258,571	1,288,060	427,382
Leeds	74,821	50,124	69,996	290,197	226,262	479,251
Wakefield	—	201,250	—	48,095	—	362,886
Gateshead	—	91,218	—	37,408	—	2,910
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	354,657	75,217	333,268	294,981	439,334	40,427
North Tyneside	—	0	—	43,814	—	1,291
South Tyneside	—	0	—	741,624	—	306,891
Sunderland	630,049	33,254	381,848	8,739	412,008	49,010
Isle of Scilly	—	0	—	0	—	0
Avon	70,574	10,764	504,373	82,830	837,603	545,717
Bedfordshire	—	111,142	—	193,674	—	256,143
Berkshire	—	678,495	—	801,221	—	773,707
Buckinghamshire	—	96,734	—	263,252	—	472,443
Cambridgeshire	—	542,509	—	549,476	—	516,251

	1979–80		1980–81		1981–82
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Cheshire	—	828,108	—	1,140,903	—	705,728
Cleveland	252,773	188,557	403,019	314,947	619,165	207,568
Cornwall	—	33,076	—	225,205	—	201,964
Cumbria	—	15,350	—	57,949	—	71,316
Derbyshire	—	336,856	—	462,111	—	500,224
Devon	280,207	193,172	420,917	336,457	302,203	503,314
Dorset	—	185,534	—	131,572	—	115,140
Durham	—	78,883	—	64,796	—	145,354
East Sussex	206,934	89,300	426,614	292,359	643,523	401,258
Essex	—	434,755	—	805,347	—	52,692
Gloucestershire	—	191,661	—	244,755	—	58,436
Hampshire	177,248	389,518	236,453	732,951	80,843	499,140
Hereford and Worecester	—	77,814	—	134,944	—	516,776
Hertfordshire	531,491	148,895	520,800	189,822	541,025	245,290
Humberside	—	247,243	—	781,704	—	523,360
Isle of Wight	—	87,354	—	112,611	—	119,994
Kent	—	1,029,753	—	1,142,031	—	509,415
Lancashire	555,416	672,242	849,084	1,089,586	883,374	875,082
Leicestershire	197,100	281,512	433,086	663,738	294,763	294,304
Lincolnshire	—	137,689	—	202,179	—	388,453
Norfolk	—	6,374	—	117,209	—	169,516
North Yorkshire	—	264,987	—	355,480	—	432,673
Northamptonshire	—	25,556	—	41,060	—	117,392
Northumberland	—	127,551	—	125,195	—	277,794
Nottinghamshire	756,625	483,330	892,643	702,681	1,431,579	1,514,241
Oxfordshire	393,927	134,102	519,567	252,115	541,836	488,224
Salop	—	337,173	—	26,508	—	88,863
Somerset	—	178,044	—	139,770	—	352,781
Staffordshire	320,240	485,693	461,397	727,779	541,114	1,302,737
Suffolk	—	20,291	—	55,502	—	181,752
Surrey	—	642,437	—	678,684	—	664,089
Warwickshire	—	35,104	—	140,113	—	29,595
West Sussex	—	159,834	—	179,566	—	277,930
Wiltshire	—	474,284	—	549,815	—	—

Capital expenditure cash prices Plant machinery and equipment
	1982–83		1983–84		1984–85
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Barking	1,482,964	58,968	961,355	58,596	760,594	0
Barnet	2,362,393	228,549	620,432	162,070	900,105	184,795
Bexley	—	37,056	—	50,982	—	19,510
Brent	—	376,630	—	113,220	—	5,679
Bromley	—	107,225	—	14,259	—	98,873
Croydon	—	84,377	—	92,186	—	192,942
Ealing	—	113,999	—	273,672	—	220,449
Enfield	—	47,866	—	49,881	—	87,271
Haringey	—	186,742	—	290,948	—	57,743
Harrow	—	217,164	—	6,968	—	60,479
Havering	—	0	—	0	—	67
Hillingdon	—	71,740	—	95,397	—	34,963
Hounslow	—	89,328	—	180,062	—	96,245
Kingston-upon-Thames	354,943	104,498	735,441	59,979	369,547	61,742
Merton	—	0	—	—	—	—
Newham	—	90,688	—	9,978	—	—
Redbridge	—	29,274	—	56	—	19,888
Richmond-upon-Thames	—	93,714	—	31,535	—	21,743
Sutton	—	60,480	—	49,485	—	182
Waltham Forest	—	29,896	—	146,662	—	30,974
ILEA	1,582,024	2,624,636	1,229,935	1,100,924	1,825,766	607,067
Birmingham	1,348,223	741,548	1,518,369	509,848	79,314	19,538
Coventry	766,660	410,355	906,386	71,222	1,067,257	-5,451
Dudley	—	44,309	—	67,206	—	18,223
Sandwell	—	273,910	—	534,534	—	329,651
Solihull	—	96,516	—	42,437	—	50,585
Walsall	—	2,068	—	5,448	—	138,567
Wolverhampton	849,783	12,747	656,358	16,478	514,887	24,785
Knowsley	—	10,095	—	700	—	254,747

	1982–83		1983–84		1984–85
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Liverpool	3,197,659	79,154	861,533	26,878	—	—
St. Helens	—	121,312	—	46,031	—	9,106
Sefton	—	48,903	—	0	—	12,250
Wirral	—	558	—	0	—	0
Bolton	—	427,935	—	133,474	—	193,555
Bury	—	32,093	—	10,716	—	65,738
Manchester	954,050	462,624	580,594	72,141	702,713	329,727
Oldham	—	112,228	—	15,466	—	102,655
Rochdale	—	168	—	52,369	—	57,691
Salford	—	201,519	—	311,043	—	—
Stockport	—	200,340	—	214,152	—	301,979
Tameside	—	23,616	—	434	—	0
Trafford	—	103,262	—	107,697	—	11,270
Wigan	—	36,975	—	57,690	—	68,963
Barnsley	—	6,210	—	0	—	36,287
Doncaster	—	1,449	—	0	—	20,707
Rotherham	—	240,067	—	121,710	—	84,767
Sheffield	1,759,780	277,239	439,524	50,610	1,113,643	25,004
Bradford	—	469,653	—	268,502	—	305,573
Calderdale	—	11,472	—	17,114	—	8,627
Kirklees	1,630,081	316,755	1,354,981	276,364	1,457,436	263,422
Leeds	511,281	819,830	227,624	453,356	628,199	899,406
Wakefield	—	211,448	—	143,571	—	50,339
Gateshead	—	14,045	—	0	—	0
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	550,247	178,968	615,418	12,293	172,697	30,106
North Tyneside	—	603	—	1,399	—	—
South Tyneside	—	231,251	—	373,857	—	291,424
Sunderland	398,501	19,953	348,070	100,642	310,297	104,757
Isles of Scilly	—	0	—	0	—	0
Avon	656,659	344,498	208,882	316,336	718,320	425,112
Bedfordshire	—	223,670	—	259,943	—	732,224
Berkshire	—	1,440,047	—	1,097,634	—	1,762,166
Buckinghamshire	—	321,698	—	236,185	—	470,728
Cambridgeshire	—	803,593	—	1,274,311	—	403,690
Cheshire	—	1,071,949	—	1,193,504	—	1,415,089
Cleveland	1,527,555	557,211	615,695	439,586	596,744	530,331
Cornwall	—	237,125	—	230,750	—	302,845
Cumbria	—	93,174	—	114,738	—	251,929
Derbyshire	—	886,410	—	956,520	—	811,436
Devon	756,341	462,043	503,987	224,889	1,612,857	326,022
Dorset	—	530,713	—	450,848	—	707,782
Durham	—	177,026	—	249,637	—	212,576
East Surrex	427,033	471,094	465,004	336,254	332,836	334,378
Essex	—	251,862	—	662,810	—	692,436
Gloucestershire	—	402,757	—	168,546	—	230,698
Hampshire	81,087	879,166	161,872	1,195,368	130,235	1,137,428
Hereford and Worcester	—	773,251	—	919,822	—	135,493
Hertfordshire	435,672	404,438	697,538	613,084	727,489	632,936
Humberside	—	1,710,322	—	1,257,405	—	982,570
Isle of Wight	—	127,902	—	196,728	—	209,453
Kent	—	633,514	—	569,848	—	640,757
Lancashire	1,139,243	1,307,964	1,249,568	2,991,214	749,431	716,777
Leicestershire	472,246	608,402	385,387	195,541	663,844	216,979
Lincolnshire	—	235,878	—	266,999	—	151,840
Norfolk	—	292,598	—	184,987	—	321,137
North Yorkshire	—	445,574	—	522,940	—	637,017
Northamptonshire	—	203,188	—	299,905	—	617,835
Northumberland	—	164,007	—	66,269	—	70,691
Nottinghamshire	578,687	211,099	576,543	39,751	432,929	73,407
Oxfordshire	987,137	491,722	1,127,351	439,572	2,034,468	609,185
Salop	—	123,915	—	334,544	—	154,022
Somerset	—	79,784	—	16,198	—	—
Staffordshire	1,023,478	1,579,897	1,169,733	1,622,972	688,130	2,099,915
Suffolk	—	219,558	—	171,475	—	177,190
Surrey	—	1,259,436	—	1,247,559	—	1,466,496
Warwickshire	—	501	—	137,887	—	169,859
West Sussex	—	234,700	—	220,923	—	128,900
Wiltshire	—	—	—	836,610	—	814,408

Capital expenditure 1984–85 prices (using GDP deflator figures 19 March 1986) plant machinery and equipment
	1979–80		1980–81		1981–82
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Barking	338,347	36,711	120,386	28,978	631,503	7,144
Barnet	667,931	29,152	813,574	18,325	1,369,007	65,773
Bexley	—	0	—	585	—	30,807
Brent	—	18,305	—	45,056	—	46,084
Bromley	—	87,264	—	130,616	—	45,407
Croydon	—	0	—	119,350	—	54,740
Ealing	—	135,447	—	257,800	—	112,828
Enfield	—	129,741	—	106,907	—	63,248
Haringey	—	86,289	—	91,574	—	66,970
Harrow	—	0	—	182,132	—	202
Havering	—	292	—	0	—	88,129
Hillingdon	—	30,065	—	3,677	—	23,037
Hounslow	—	94,547	—	0	—	89,869
Kingston-upon-Thames	356,708	57,231	1,066,494	0	213,461	0
Merton	—	70,862	—	73,421	—	0
Newham	—	339,418	—	288,117	—	88,875
Redbridge	—	83,465	—	74,070	—	65,732
Richmond-upon-Thames	—	9,173	—	40,984	—	115,191
Sutton	—	0	—	37,257	—	53,450
Waltham Forest	—	61,881	—	196,479	—	-65,858
ILEA	1,165,759	4,682,382	4,228,925	3,875,401	581,152	564,441
Birmingham	163,703	37,386	51,711	103,023	26,703	39,477
Coventry	914,585	83,264	1,187,082	147,044	674,249	52,812
Dudley	—	66,765	—	79,202	—	117,883
Sandwell	—	171,735	—	268,311	—	462,366
Solihull	—	0	—	0	—	0
Walsall	—	0	—	93,872	—	62,069
Wolverhampton	801,339	53,639	299,796	112,117	875,224	30,814
Knowsley	—	0	—	0	—	28,609
Liverpool	324,982	42,541	675,902	286,561	1,806,685	161,360
St. Helens	—	92,976	—	52,058	—	0
Sefton	—	0	—	0	—	45,382
Wirral	—	129,322	—	10,307	—	10,215
Bolton	—	187,895	—	193,471	—	206,355
Bury	—	0	—	23,471	—	17,568
Manchester	348,947	435,854	256,924	340,001	675,239	213,736
Oldham	—	5,744	—	14,313	—	39,132
Rochdale	—	18,091	—	21,506	—	0
Salford	—	3,016	—	22,675	—	61,997
Stockport	—	41,919	—	3,450	—	149,612
Tameside	—	47,625	—	68,357	—	8,843
Trafford	—	44,982	—	127,843	—	109,573
Wigan	—	0	—	0	—	25,234
Barnsley	—	0	—	13,077	—	0
Doncaster	—	34,912	—	300,622	—	1,307
Rotherham	—	283,910	—	214,631	—	171,726
Sheffield	412,797	4,859	951,233	22,255	232,414	55,846
Bradford	—	19,292	—	898	—	4,985
Calderdale	—	59,231	—	60,214	—	28,350
Kirklees	1,174,769	253,080	980,059	331,629	1,502,058	498,387
Leeds	113,970	76,350	89,773	372,191	263,853	558,874
Wakefield	—	306,550	—	61,684	—	423,176
Gateshead	—	138,946	—	47,977	—	3,393
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	540,224	114,573	427,431	378,326	512,325	47,144
North Tyneside	—	0	—	56,193	—	1,505
South Tyneside	—	0	—	951,166	—	357,878
Sunderland	959,709	50,653	489,737	11,208	480,459	57,153
Isles of Scilly	—	0	—	0	—	0
Avon	107,500	16,396	646,881	106,233	976,762	636,382
Bedfordshire	—	169,295	—	248,396	—	293,699
Berkshire	—	1,033,503	—	1,027,602	—	902,251
Buckinghamshire	—	147,348	—	337,632	—	550,935
Cambridgeshire	—	826,366	—	704,727	—	602,021
Cheshire	—	1,261,398	—	1,463,259	—	822,978
Cleveland	385,031	287,216	516,890	403,934	722,033	242,053
Cornwall	—	50,382	—	288,835	—	235,518
Cumbria	—	23,382	—	74,322	—	83,164
Derbyshire	—	513,109	—	592,678	—	583,331
Devon	426,819	294,245	539,845	431,521	352,411	586,935
Dorset	—	282,611	—	168,747	—	134,269
Durham	—	120,157	—	83,104	—	169,503
East Sussex	315,208	136,024	547,151	374,963	750,438	467,923

	1979–80		1980–81		1981–82
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Essex	—	662,232	—	1,032,893	—	61,446
Gloucestershire	—	291,944	—	313,909	—	68,145
Hampshire	269,989	593,325	303,262	940,042	94,274	582,067
Hereford and Worcester	—	118,529	—	173,072	—	602,633
Hertfordshire	809,583	226,801	667,949	243,455	630,911	286,042
Humberside	—	376,608	—	1,002,570	—	610,311
Isle of Wight	—	133,060	—	144,429	—	139,930
Kent	—	1,568,550	—	1,464,706	—	594,049
Lancashire	846,026	1,023,979	1,088,988	1,397,443	1,030,138	1,020,468
Leicestershire	300,228	428,807	555,452	851,274	343,735	343,200
Lincolnshire	—	209,732	—	259,304	—	452,991
Norfolk	—	9,709	—	150,326	—	197,679
North Yorkshire	—	403,636	—	455,919	—	504,557
Northamptonshire	—	38,928	—	52,661	—	136,896
Northumberland	—	194,289	—	160,568	—	323,947
Nottinghamshire	1,152,513	736,222	1,144,854	901,220	1,669,421	1,765,817
Oxfordshire	600,041	204,268	666,368	323,349	631,857	569,338
Salop	—	513,592	—	33,998	—	103,627
Somerset	—	271,202	—	179,261	—	411,392
Staffordshire	487,799	739,822	591,762	933,409	631,015	1,519,174
Suffolk	—	30,908	—	71,184	—	211,948
Surrey	—	978,579	—	870,442	—	774,421
Warwickshire	—	53,471	—	179,701	—	34,512
West Sussex	—	243,464	—	230,301	—	324,105
Wiltshire	—	722,443	—	705,162	—	—

Capital expenditure 1984–85 prices (using GDP deflator figures 19th March 1986) Plant machinery and equipment
	1982–83		1983–84		1984–85
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Barking	1,616,028	64,259	1,002,581	61,109	760,594	0
Barnet	2,574,366	2,490,056	647,038	169,020	900,105	184,795
Bexley	—	40,381	—	53,168	—	19,510
Brent	—	410,424	—	118,075	—	5,679
Bromley	—	116,846	—	14,870	—	98,873
Croydon	—	91,948	—	96,139	—	192,942
Ealing	—	124,228	—	285,408	—	220,449
Enfield	—	52,161	—	52,020	—	87,271
Haringey	—	203,498	—	303,425	—	57,743
Harrow	—	236,650	—	7,267	—	60,478
Havering	—	0	—	0	—	67
Hillingdon	—	78,177	—	99,488	—	34,963
Hounslow	—	97,343	—	187,784	—	96,245
Kingston-upon-Thames	386,791	113,874	766,979	62,551	369,547	61,742
Merton	—	0	—	—	—	—
Newham	—	98,825	—	10,406	—	—
Redbridge	—	31,901	—	58	—	19,888
Richmond-upon-Thames	—	102,123	—	32,887	—	21,743
Sutton	—	65,907	—	51,607	—	182
Waltham Forest	—	32,579	—	152,951	—	30,974
ILEA	1,723,976	2,860,140	1,282,679	1,148,135	1,825,766	607,067
Birmingham	1,469,197	808,086	1,583,482	531,712	79,314	19,538
Coventry	835,451	447,175	945,255	74,276	1,067,257	-5,451
Dudley	—	48,285	—	70,088	—	18,223
Sandwell	—	298,487	—	557,457	—	329,651
Solihull	—	105,176	—	44,257	—	50,585
Walsall	—	2,254	—	5,682	—	138,567
Wolverhampton	926,033	13,891	684,505	17,185	514,887	24,785
Knowsley	—	11,001	—	730	—	254,747
Liverpool	3,484,579	86,256	898,478	28,031	—	—
St. Helens	—	132,197	—	48,005	—	9,106
Sefton	—	53,291	—	0	—	12,250
Wirral	—	608	—	0	—	0
Bolton	—	466,333	—	139,198	—	193,555
Bury	—	34,973	—	11,176	—	65,738
Manchester	1,039,655	504,134	605,492	75,235	702,713	329,727
Oldham	—	122,298	—	16,129	—	102,655
Rochdale	—	183	—	54,615	—	57,691

	1982–83		1983–84		1984–85
	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments	Polytechnics	Other maintained establishments
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Salford	—	219,601	—	324,382	—	—
Stockport	—	218,316	—	223,336	—	301,979
Tameside	—	25,735	—	453	—	0
Trafford	—	112,528	—	112,315	—	11,270
Wigan	—	40,293	—	60,164	—	68,963
Barnsley	—	6,767	—	0	—	36,287
Doncaster	—	1,579	—	0	—	20,707
Rotherham	—	262,196	—	126,929	—	84,767
Sheffield	1,917,682	302,115	458,372	52,780	1,131,643	25,004
Bradford	—	511,794	—	280,016	—	305,573
Calderdale	—	12,501	—	17,848	—	8,627
Kirklees	1,776,345	345,177	1,413,087	288,215	1,457,436	263,422
Leeds	557,157	893,392	237,385	472,797	628,199	899,406
Wakefield	—	230,421	—	149,728	—	50,339
Gateshead	—	15,305	—	0	—	0
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	599,620	195,026	641,809	12,820	172,697	30,106
North Tyneside	—	657	—	1,459	—	—
South Tyneside	—	252,001	—	389,889	—	291,424
Sunderland	434,258	21,743	362,996	104,958	310,297	104,757
Isles of Scilly	—	0	—	0	—	0
Avon	715,580	375,409	217,840	329,902	718,320	425,112
Bedfordshire	—	243,740	—	271,090	—	732,224
Berkshire	—	1,569,260	—	1,144,704	—	1,762,166
Buckinghamshire	—	350,563	—	246,313	—	470,728
Cambridgeshire	—	875,698	—	1,328,958	—	403,690
Cheshire	—	1,168,133	—	1,244,685	—	1,415,089
Cleveland	1,664,620	607,209	642,098	458,437	596,744	530,331
Cornwall	—	258,402	—	240,645	—	302,845
Cumbria	—	101,534	—	119,658	—	251,929
Derbyshire	—	965,946	—	997,539	—	811,436
Devon	824,206	503,501	525,600	234,533	1,612,857	326,022
Dorset	—	578,333	—	470,182	—	707,782
Durham	—	192,910	—	260,342	—	212,576
East Sussex	465,350	513,364	484,945	350,674	332,836	334,378
Essex	—	274,461	—	691,234	—	692,436
Gloucestershire	—	438,896	—	175,774	—	230,698
Hampshire	88,363	958,052	168,814	1,246,629	130,235	1,137,428
Hereford and Worcester	—	842,633	—	959,267	—	135,493
Hertfordshire	474,764	440,728	727,451	639,375	727,489	632,936
Humberside	—	1,863,786	—	1,311,327	—	982,570
Isle of Wight	—	139,378	—	205,164	—	209,453
Kent	—	690,358	—	594,285	—	640,757
Lancashire	1,241,465	1,425,325	1,303,154	3,119,487	749,431	716,777
Leicestershire	514,620	662,993	401,914	203,926	663,844	216,979
Lincolnshire	—	257,043	—	278,449	—	151,840
Norfolk	—	318,852	—	192,920	—	321,137
North Yorkshire	—	485,555	—	545,365	—	637,017
Northamptonshire	—	221,420	—	312,776	—	617,835
Northumberland	—	178,723	—	69,111	—	70,691
Nottinghamshire	630,612	230,041	601,267	41,456	432,929	73,407
Oxfordshire	1,075,711	535,843	1,175,696	458,422	2,034,468	609,185
Salop	—	135,034	—	348,890	—	154,022
Somerset	—	86,943	—	16,893	—	—
Staffordshire	1,115,313	1,721,658	1,219,895	1,692,570	688,130	2,099,915
Suffolk	—	239,259	—	178,828	—	177,190
Surrey	—	137,443	—	1,301,059	—	1,466,496
Warwickshire	—	546	—	143,800	—	169,859
West Sussex	—	255,759	—	230,397	—	128,900
Wiltshire	—	—	—	872,487	—	814,408

Barnsley College Of Technology

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will ensure that consultations take place between the National Advisory Board for Public Sector Higher Education and the Barnsley metropolitan district council on the National Advisory Board's proposed cuts in high technology and advanced mining courses at the Barnsley college of technology before any decisions on cutbacks in these courses are taken.

The student number proposals for 1987–88 issued by the secretariat of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education (NAB) are for consultation. Comments on the proposals have been invited from the institutions affected and their maintaining authorities by 13 June 1986. It is open to Barnsley metropolitan district council and to Barnsley college of technology to respond to that invitation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will call for the reports of Her Majesty's inspectors of education on the quality and successes of the high technology and advanced mining courses at the Barnsley college of technology in recent years for his personal examination before any decisions are taken on the proposed cuts of the National Advisory Board for Public Sector Higher Education;(2) before he accepts the proposals for cuts of £378,000 by his National Advisory Board in the Barnsley college of technology's specialists courses, if he will take into account the numbers of job losses at the college, the inconvenience of transfers affecting Barnsley students, the loss of specialist college facilities to local business men and businesses and the lessening prospects of attracting high technology firms to Barnsley; and if he will make a statement.

The consultative student number proposals for 1987–88 issued at the beginning of April by the secretariat of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education are one stage of a planning exercise which will culminate in the submission of advice by the National Advisory Body to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The NAB committee will not determine its advice about student numbers in the public sector and their disposition in 1987–88 until the funding available is announced in the autumn. At that juncture, and in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, the NAB committee has indicated that it will wish to reconsider the question of the overall level of intakes in 1987–88 as well as the implications for individual institutions. The NAB usually submits its final advice to my right hon. Friend in December. It is only then that my right hon. Friend becomes involved, normally announcing his decisions about planned student numbers and the distribution of the advanced further education pool before Christmas. In reaching his decisions my right hon. Friend will have regard to all the relevant factors.

Teacher Training

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he held any consultations with the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education before making his provisional allocation of initial teacher training intakes for 1987 to 1989.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have consulted or received advice from the council on this matter.

Attorney-General

Corporal Peter Clark

asked the Attorney-General (1) on what date the Director of Public Prosecutions' office decided that no criminal proceedings were appropriate in the case of Corporal Peter Clark;(2) on what date the Director of Public Prosecutions' office informed the appropriate military authorities of its decision regarding Corporal Peter Clark.

At no time did the Director of Public Prosecutions consider that criminal proceedings in the civil courts were appropriate against Corporal Peter Clark, and notified this fact to the Minister of Defence on 11 April 1984.

Cyprus Secrets Trial

asked the Attorney-General whether the Director of Public Prosecutions attempted to bring to the United Kingdom the Cypriot national alleged by the prosecution to be a KGB agent, to appear at the trial of service men from 9 Signals Regiment.

No.

Home Department

Police Manpower

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his reviews of police manpower have been completed; and if he will make a statement.

On 21 October I announced that I was setting in hand urgent work to assess where there were specific needs for increases in the establishment of the Metropolitan police. At the same time I asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to conduct a parallel review of the manpower needs of provincial forces. These reviews have been completed, and I can now announce their outcome.When this Government first took office in May 1979 the police service as a whole was about 7,500 below an establishment of 119,000 which was itself inadequate. The Metropolitan police was more than 16 per cent. below strength. My predecessors took vigorous action to put this right. The result is that total police strength in England and Wales at the end of March stood at 120,848–9,355 more than May 1979. Total strength, including civilians, has risen by 14,076 over the same period.These substantial increases have been accompanied by a strong drive towards greater efficiency and effectiveness in line with our determination to secure better value for money throughout the public sector. We have emphasised the need to make the best use of the available manpower, for example through civilianisation, which resulted in the release of over 1,000 officers for operational duty in 1983–84 and 1984–85. This has been an essential part of our policy, and it will be maintained. The measures taken by chief officers have put their forces in a better position to cope with the increased demands which have been made on them.But those demands—to deal with terrorism, drugs, crime and public order—have continued to increase. Accordingly, last autumn I decided that there should be a comprehensive look at police manpower, and set in hand the reviews which I announced on 21 October.These reviews sought to assess the proven needs for additional police officers, and also the extent to which these needs could be met by civilianisation and other efficiency measures. As a result, we have decided that our objective should be further to increase police strength in England and Wales by about 3,200 and civilian manpower by around 2,000. This priority given to the police will be reflected in the 1987–88 rate support grant settlement.I aim to approve total increases in the establishments of provincial forces of the order of 2,000. I am prepared to approve 430 of these additional posts in the current financial year. For the rest, I envisage a phased programme of increases over the next few years. I shall be considering applications from police authorities on the basis of the proven needs of the force, and in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. In particular, I shall need to be satisfied that any additional manpower is to be used to meet specific, measurable objectives. Police authorities applying for increases must, of course, be ready to carry their share of the cost, and the precise timing of these increases will depend on levels of spending and provision for future years. My approval is not required for increases in civilian manpower in the provinces, but I expect to see phased increases of approximately 1,350. This will provide scope for substantial further civilianisation resulting, I hope, in the release of at least 650 police officers for operational duty. Altogether this will amount to an increase in operational strength of more than 2,600.The Metropolitan police will receive an increase of up to 1,200 police officers, on top of the increase of 50 for drugs work to which I announced my agreement in principle last October. There will also be provision for increases of 600 in the civil staff ceiling to assist with further civilianisation, which should lead to the release of at least 400 officers for operational duty. A further 200 officers will be released by the Commissioner's reorganisation of the force. Altogether this will amount to an increase in operational strength of up to 1,850 officers.As the first step in this programme, I have confirmed the increase of 50 in the police establishment previously agreed in principle, and authorised a further increase of 300 for 1986–87. I have also agreed to an increase of 107 in the civil staff ceiling for 1986–87, on top of the 43 agreed by my predecessor last June. The cost of these increases will be contained within the cash limit previously announced. For each of the next three years up to the end of 1989–90 I can indicate now as police authority for the metropolis that I shall he prepared to agree to further increases of up to 300 in the police establishment and 150 in the civil staff ceiling. Before doing so I shall need to be satisfied that earlier increases have been effectively used in accordance with the agreed objectives, and that satisfactory progress has been made with civilianisation and the force reorganisation. My officials will be keeping in close touch with the Metropolitan police to monitor the results of the increases.The day-to-day deployment of this additional manpower will be for chief officers of police to determine, in the light of the objectives they will have identified. I know that many wish to increase the visible police presence on the streets. I therefore expect to see a steady increase in the number of officers on foot patrol, deterring the criminal and the hooligan and protecting and reassuring the citizen. This will help achieve our twin objectives of curbing crime and reducing fear of crime. I also hope that increased resources will enable chief officers to strengthen further their investment in crime prevention initiatives such as neighbourhood watch.Some specialised police units will be reinforced. The Commissioner plans to strengthen his squads dealing with organised crime, drug trafficking, fraud and armed robbery. There will also be increases for the vital anti-terrorist work of the Metropolitan police special branch; and additional resources will be available for protection duties.

News International, Wapping

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total policing costs to date of the News International dispute at Wapping.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have taken place at Wapping, in connection with the print dispute, from 9 May to date.

Sixty-nine, up to 18 May.

Broadcasting (Political Bias)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he next proposes to meet the director general of the British Broadcasting Corporation to discuss its charter in respect of political bias; and if he will make a statement;(2) when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to discuss political bias in programme content; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to discuss this matter with either broadcasting authority. Parliament has given responsibility in this field direct to the broadcasting authorities, and not to the Government.

Television (All-Night Programmes)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, when he next meets the chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority, he will raise with him the social and environmental impact of the proposed introduction of all-night pop video television programmes; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend discussed this proposal with the chairman of the authority when he met him on 19 May. We understand that the plans are for an experiment on Yorkshire Television to guage the level of interest in all-night television services. All-night radio services have existed for many years, and the Government see no reason to believe that all-night television services will have any greater social or environmental impact.

Mr Peter Harvey

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mr. Peter Harvey has been employed at any time in any capacity, by his office.

Yes. Mr. Harvey has been employed as a lawyer in the Home Office legal adviser's branch from 15 July 1948 to 17 April 1977 and again since 1 October 1983.

Immigration Officers (Airports)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers are allocated to each airport in the United Kingdom and on what basis these numbers are determined.

The United Kingdom airports at which there is a permanent immigration officer complement are:

	Number
Aberdeen	5
Birmingham	23
Bristol	4
Cardiff	4
East Midlands	10
Edinburgh	5
Gatwick	137
Glasgow	16
Heathrow	564
Bournemouth/Hurn	3
Leeds/Bradford	7
Luton	20
Lydd	2
Manchester	29
Norwich	4
Prestwick	6
Southend	5
Stansted	8

These numbers are determined on the basis of the volume and type of traffic and the time over which passenger movements are spread.

Adults And Children (Sexual Contacts)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department is sponsoring any research into sexual contacts between adults and children; and if he will make a statement.

Data in this area are kept constantly under review in the Department. An article on "Child homicide and child physical and sexual abuse" was published in the Home Office research and planning unit research bulletin No. 20 earlier this year. A study of rape offences (which will include offences against minors) is in the current programme of the research and planning unit.

Liverpool (Ministerial Visit)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Liverpool.

I visited Merseyside on 16 May. I visited the Department's computing and pay branch at Bootle where I discussed the work of the branch and met members of staff. After lunch with local business men and a visit to Albert dock, I visited the Merseyside police drug squad and had discussions with senior and operational officers about the scale of drug misuse in the area and the force's response in relation to drug misusers and to the activities of drug dealers and traffickers.

Prison Service (Garages)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many garages are owned by Her Majesty's prison service; how many of these are let to prison officers; and how many of these are let to members of the public.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986, c. 9–10]: Approximately 6,600 prison officers occupy quarters, of whom about two thirds rent garages from the prison department. Very few garages are let to members of the public. Precise figures, and information on the total number of garages owned, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on letting garages belonging to Her Majesty's prison service to members of the public resident nearby.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986, c. 9–10]: Only exceptionally are garages let to members of the public. When surplus to requirements, garages are normally sold.

Prime Minister

Engagements

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

Housebuilding Statistics

asked the Prime Minister if, following her reply to the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Mr. Callaghan), Official Report, 15 May, column 851, she will indicate those areas in the United Kingdom where the 1·3 million new homes were built last year and whether this is a record number of new homes built in the United Kingdom in any one year.

The figure to which I referred applies to the whole of the period since 1979.

Wales

Children's Ent Hospital, Cardiff

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to increase equipment and financial resources for the children's ear, nose and throat hospital in Cardiff, West; and if he will make a statement.

The allocation of resources for the Children's ear, nose and throat hospital in Cardiff is a matter for South Glamorgan health authority to determine.

Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions during the year 1985–86 civil servants from his Department paid official visits to Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor.

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many appeals against refusals of planning permission by Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor were made to his Department during 1985–86; how many of these were upheld; how many rejected; how many withdrawn; and how many are still under consideration.

Since 1 January 1985 there have been 24 appeals against refusals of planning permission by Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor. Five were upheld (two with conditions), nine dismissed and three withdrawn. Seven are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications for funds from the European Economic Community by Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor have been processed by his Department in each year since 1979; how

Year of Application	Project	Commitment Approved	Payments to date	Claims yet to be made by Council
		£	£	£
1979	Services to industrial estates	20,850	17,850	3,000
1982	Refuse Pulverisor	801,581	^*nil	200,396
^* A claim for payment of £601,185 is awaiting approval in Brussels.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications he has received from Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor for additional resources towards housing costs during the year 1985–86.

None.

Housing

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications he received from district councils in Wales during 1985–86 for special permission to use capital resources arising from the sale of council houses, in order to purchase houses from the public sector to let to people on the local housing waiting list; and if he will list these authorities together with the number of dwellings involved in each application, the numbers approved for each authority, and the capital expenditure entailed in these approvals.

Local authorities are not required to seek consent to acquire houses for addition to their permanent rented stock provided that the expenditure is funded from the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts. However, special approval is required if a local authority wishes to borrow in order to meet such expenditure. During 1985–86 Preseli Pembrokeshire was the only local authority to seek special consent; loan sanction for the purchase of three dwellings was sought and approved, of which two purchases were completed at a total cost of £43,500.

Enterprise Express

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what contributions he expects the Enterprise Express to make to youth employment in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The Enterprise Express was a valuable means of telling young people how to take advantage of the opportunities for employment, training and enterprise which are available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what liaison is planned between industry and the Manpower Services Commission Enterprise Express to ensure that proper and relevant advice and training are given in Wales.

many of these were successful; how much money was granted to Dwyfor in pursuance of each such application; and whether all the money has been taken up in each case.

Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor—(Dwyfor district council)—has made two applications, in respect of European regional development fund aid, since 1979, both of which were successful. The details are:

Close and continuous liaison with industry is an integral part of the MSC's operations at all levels and was reflected in the excellent advice and information provided on the Enterprise Express.

Visual Arts

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost of the suggested reappraisal of the presentation of the visual and related arts in Wales, involving alterations to the buildings at Cathays Park, and the move of all or part of the departments not concerned with art to St. Fagans.

The preliminary appraisal by the advisory group estimated the cost of its three shortlisted schemes affecting the National museum building at Cathays Park as:

Estimated Capital Cost
	£ million
(a) the relocation of all or part of the museum departments to St. Fagans leaving Cathays Park wholly or substantially as a national gallery without any substantial development of the courtyard;	14·9–21·5
(b) the relocation of the museum departments to St. Fagans with the development of a theatre in the courtyard;	28·5
(c) the retention of all departments at Cathays Park in an expanded building providing separation between the museum and national gallery and much better visitor circulation	14·4

I am now discussing these possibilities, together with the other recommendations in the report, with interested parties. A copy of the report was placed in the Library on 15 April.

Bathing Beaches

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are being taken by his Department to improve the conditions of the beaches used for bathing in Wales following the report of the European Community Commission on the subject.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraphs 2.2, 2.3 and 5.2 to 5.5 of the "Government Response to the Committee on Welsh Affairs' Report on Coastal Sewage Pollution in Wales' a copy of which is in the Library.

Youth Training Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the number of school leavers employed on YTS in each of the Welsh counties in each year since the scheme was introduced; and how many of these have found full-time employment on completing the scheme.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. Available information relates to the number of entrants by Manpower Services Commission area office. The number of entrants were as follows:

	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
Gwent	3,927	3,933	4,152
Dyfed and West Glamorgan	5,185	5,535	5,601
Mid and South Glamorgan	7,160	8,409	8,143
Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys	5,388	5,732	5,799

Information at this level on those finding full-time employment is available only for 1985–86 when the 100 per cent. follow-up survey was introduced. The percentage of leavers between April and November 1985 finding full-time employment within three months of leaving were:

	Per cent.
Gwent	45
Dyfed and West Glamorgan	42
Mid and South Glamorgan	41
Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys	52

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many school leavers were employed by British Rail in Wales as part of the YTS in 1985; and how many were later offered permanent positions with British Rail.

There were 47 entrants to British Rail YTS schemes in Wales during 1985–86. The Manpower Services Commission does not hold information on numbers of trainees who are already employees or are offered permanent employment during or after their traineeship by specific employers.

Orion Electric

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people will be employed by the Japanese company Orion Electric, recently established in the Welsh Development Agency factory at Kenfig Hill.

I understand that the company has said that it intends to employ about 100 people within 12 months.

Hospital Beds

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if the Government's health care scheme will lead to a reduction in the number of hospital beds needed in Welsh hospitals.

The Government's policies are aimed at providing appropriate, accessible and cost-effective health provision to a high standard. The Government's recent consultative paper "Primary Health Care: An Agenda for Discussion" explores ways in which the primary care services can be improved. The document is not directly concerned with hospital provision. However, improvements in primary care, including the promotion of good health and preventive medicine, have a bearing upon future hospital provision.

Production And Construction Industries

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the output of production and construction industries in each of the Welsh counties since 1981.

Direct Government support for industry is provided through regional development grants and regional selective assistance. Only the latter is available to the construction industry. Figures for regional development grants approved under the arrangements operating before November 1984 are not available by county. The total expenditure in Wales since 1 April 1981 has been £488·81 million. Up to 31 March 1986, offers of regional development grant under post November 1984 arrangements have amounted to:

	£ million
Clwyd	8·57
Dyfed	2·02
Gwent	3·05
Gwynedd	0·38
Powys	0·03
Mid Glamorgan	11·27
West Glamorgan	3·32

Offers of regional selective assistance to production and construction industries which were accepted in the period 1 April 1981 to 30 March 1986 amounted to:

	£ million
Clwyd	34·174
Dyfed	5·726
Gwent	52·548
Gwynedd	1·710
Mid Glamorgan	39·455
Powys	2·065
South Glamorgan	15·755
West Glamorgan	14·200

This takes no account of the wide range of construction related expenditure undertaken by Government and Government agencies, and made possible by grants to local authorities.

Hospitals (United States Authorities)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales at which hospitals in Wales the United States authorities have the right to use facilities in the event of an emergency; and under what arrangements they have these rights.

United States casualties may be treated in NHS hospitals under the United Kingdom-United States lines of communication arrangement. No hospital in Wales is designated for exclusive use by United States authorities in an emergency.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Cincinnati Slaughter Pens

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of Cincinnati slaughter pens currently in use.

We are not aware of any Cincinnati pens in use in England and Wales.

Slaughterhouses

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of licensed slaughterhouses.

In England and Wales there are 112 licensed poultry slaughterhouses, and about 910 red meat slaughterhouses, including those operated by local authorities which are not subject to licensing requirements.

Radiation (Milk)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the date and time at which the first sample of milk was taken for analysis for caesium 137, the number of samples subsequently taken and the period which normally elapses between collection of a milk sample and completion of analysis for this radioisotope.

The first sample of milk for analysis for caesium 137 was taken on the morning of 29 April and over 600 samples have since been taken by my Department. Samples have also been taken by Welsh Office agriculture department, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and the National Radiological Protection Board.The great majority of results are available on the day following collection, but, if necessary, some have been made available within a few hours. The period which elapses between collection of a milk sample and completion of analysis would normally depend on the distance from the sampling point to the laboratory.

Farm Incomes

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer of 1 May concerning net farm incomes, Official Report, columns 473–76, whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing in terms of costs and prices the reason for the increase in real incomes on cropping farms between 1968–69 and 1983–84.

Detailed information on between-year movements in the costs and revenues of cropping farms is published in the annual reports of the "Farm Management Survey, Farm Incomes in England and Wales" for the years 1967–68 to 1970–71 (tables 30 and 36) and "Farm Incomes in England for the years 1979–80 to 1983–84" (tables 19 and 21 for 1979–80 to 1982–83; tables 21 and 23 for 1982–83 and 1983–84). Copies of these reports are available in the Library of the House.

Beer

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions have been placed by Germany on the import of British beer; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

Environment

Defective Housing

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if Leicester city council was eligible to submit a bid for additional funding for Boot houses under the Housing Defects Act;(2) if he will publish a list in the

Official Report of local authorities which have submitted bids for additional funding under the Housing Defects Act.

My Department's circular 9/85 (dated 27 March 1985) gave local housing authorities the opportunity to bid for additional housing investment programme allocations if these were needed to meet expected statutory obligations in 1985–86 under the housing defects legislation. Leicester city council did not apply: the authorities which have done so are listed. Of these, 28 were notified, in August 1985, that they were likely to be eligible for assistance: a further six have now been notified on the basis of end December 1985 monitoring returns.

Northern Region

Blyth Valley Borough Council
Durham City Council
Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council
North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council
Sedgefield District Council

Yorkshire and Humberside Region

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Boothferry Borough Council
Bradford City Council
Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
Great Grimsby Borough Council
Kingston-upon-Hull City Council
Leeds City Council
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Sheffield City Council
Wakefield City Council
York City Council

East Midlands Region

Bassetlaw District Council
Chesterfield Borough Council
Gedling Borough Council
Kettering Borough Council
Newark & Sherwood District Council
Northampton Borough Council
North East Derbyshire District Council
North Kesteven District Council
Rushcliffe Borough Council

Eastern Region

Broxbourne Borough Council
Chiltern District Council
East Hertfordshire District Council
Epping Forest District Council
Hertsmere Borough Council
Huntingdon District Council
Luton Borough Council
North Hertfordshire District Council
Norwich City Council

St. Albans City Council
St. Edmundsbury Borough Council
South Bedfordshire District Council
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
Stevenage Borough Council
Tendring District Council
Three Rivers District Council
Thurrock Borough Council

Greater London Region

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Harrow
London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Richmond
London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Waltham Forest

South East Region

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Cherwell District Council
Eastbourne Borough Council
Eastleigh Borough Council
Hart District Council
Newbury District Council
Portsmouth City Council
Reading Borough Council
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
Rochester upon Medway Borough Council
Slough Borough Council
Southampton City Council
Vale of White Horse District Council
Wokingham District Council

South West Region

Bath City Council
Bristol City Council
Carrick District Council
Cheltenham Borough Council
Christchurch Borough Council
Exeter City Council
Gloucester City Council
Kennet District Council
Kingswood District Council
Mid Devon District Council
North Cornwall District Council
North Wiltshire District Council
Plymouth City Council
Restomel Borough Council
Sedgemoor District Council
South Hams District Council
South Somerset District Council
Stroud District Council
Taunton Deane Borough Council
Teignbridge District Council
Tewkesbury Borough Council
Thamesdown Borough Council
Torbay Borough Council
Wansdyke District Council
West Dorset District Council
West Somerset District Council
West Wiltshire District Council
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council
Woodspring District Council

West Midlands Region

Birmingham City Council
Cannock Chase District Council
Coventry City Council
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
East Staffordshire District Council
Hereford City Council
North Warwickshire Borough Council
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
Redditch Borough Council
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council

Stafford Borough Council
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council
Worcester City Council
Wychavon District Council
Wyre Forest District Council

North West Region

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council
Hyndburn Borough Council
Lancaster City Council
Preston Borough Council
St. Helens Borough Council
South Ribble Borough Council
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
Vale Royal District Council
Warrington Borough Council
West Lancashire District Council
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many repair systems to Smith houses that meet PRC Homes Ltd.'s rules have been registered; how many have been considered; and how many are under consideration.

Though none has yet been submitted to PRC Homes Ltd., I hope appropriate repair methods for Smith houses will emerge in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of (a) PRC Homes Ltd. and (b) the National House Builders Council; and what was discussed.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the National House Building Council on 14 January, for a general discussion. My officials attend all meetings of the PRC Homes Ltd. assessment committee: the most recent was on 13 May, at which repair systems for Airey, Cornish Unit, Stent and Unity houses were discussed. My officials also attend meetings of the NHBC executive committee: the latest was on 1 May. The repair of Smith houses was not discussed, but the NHBC had confirmed, in January, that the PRC Homes Ltd.'s approval and warranty scheme was being extended to include Smith houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the applicability to Smith houses of the criteria used by PRC Homes Ltd. for approving and registering repair systems for prefabricated reinforced concrete houses.

The Smith house is not a prefabricated reinforced concrete house and I expect that the detailed design criteria used by PRC Homes Ltd. in appraising proposed repair systems will therefore differ from those for PRC houses, but its general criteria for the durability of the repaired house will no doubt remain the same.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the information in the answer of 13 January, Official Report, column 466, in respect of approved repair schemes for houses designated under the Housing Defects Act.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: PRC Homes Ltd. has now approved 14 repair systems, covering the Airey, Cornish Unit, Unity and Woolaway house types. Details of progress on the approval of repair systems (provided by PRC Homes Ltd.), are as follows for all designated types.

House type	Number notified but not yet submitted	Number submitted but not yet approved	Number approved
Airey	4	7	3
Boot	1	—	—
Cornish Unit	1	2	7
Dorran	1	—	—
Dyke	—	—	—
Gregory	—	—	—
Myton	1	—	—
Newland	1	—	—
Orlit	3	1	—
Parkinson	2	—	—
Reema Hollow Panel	—	1	—
Schindler and Hawkesley SGS	—	—	—
Smith	1	—	—
Stent	1	1	—
Stonecrete	—	—	—
Tarran	1	—	—
Underdown	—	—	—
Unity and Butterley	3	3	3
Waller	—	—	—
Wates	1	1	—
Wessex	—	—	—
Winget	—	—	—
Woolaway	2	3	1
TOTALS	23	19	14

Radiation (Public Inquiry Service)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the operation of the radiation public inquiry point service; and if he will make a statement.

The public inquiry point service operated by my Department has handled over 3,000 calls up to 15 May. The information provided has been greatly appreciated.

Graphite Fires (Consultations)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to his statement of 6 May, Official Report, column 31, he will now state when he was informed that British scientists were consulted by Soviet scientists about graphite fires; and if he will make a statement.

I was informed of this by the hon. Member on 6 May, who drew my attention to the report in The Scotsman dated 3 May. I now understand that a British scientist working at the International Atomic Energy Agency telephoned staff of the CEGB on 29 April 1986 to ascertain who would be able to advise on graphite fires.

Property Services Agency (Museums)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the service provided by the Property Services Agency to museums in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

The national museums and galleries are housed for the most part in old, and often historic, buildings. These require extensive and expensive care and maintenance which, under present arrangements, is the responsibility of the Property Services Agency.The agency is currently pursing a programme of planned maintenance and renovation within the limits of the finance that can be made available for this work. Following the eighth report of the Education, Science and Arts Committee, the Government are now engaged on a review of the relationship between the PSA and the national museums and galleries in England, with particular reference to the provision of works services.

Gloucestershire And Cheltenham (Rate Support Grant)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount of rate support grant for (a) Gloucestershire county council and (b) Cheltenham borough council in (i) 1984–85, (ii) 1985–86 and (iii) 1986–87, showing for 1986–87 what it was (y) before and (z) after the grant recycling.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 14 April 1986, at column 308, about Gloucestershire county council's block grant entitlement in 1985–86 and 1986–87. The council's latest entitlement for 1984–85 is £71·041 million under the third supplementary report. For Cheltenham borough council the figure (i) for 1984–85 is £1·920 million, (ii) for 1985–86 is £1·882 million under the second supplementary report, and (iii) for 1986–87 is £2·456 million under the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1986".As my right hon. Friend announced on 7 May, the total estimated grant underclaim is now about £628 million. This would be distributed to local authorities at the first supplementary report; on this basis Cheltenham's grant entitlement would increase by £220,000 and Gloucestershire's by £6·027 million. In the meantime, all the money is being paid to authorities as a single percentage enhancement of their grant entitlement.

Nirex

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of NIREX.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 11 March at columns 431–32, to my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Cleethorpes (Mr. Brown).

Labour Mobility

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to assist in the mobility of labour.

We proposed extending the assured tenancy scheme in the Housing and Planning Bill in order to stimulate the private rented sector to provide accommodation, thereby helping those who move for employment purposes. In the public rented sector, we have provided additional resources for the National Mobility Office, to promote the national mobility scheme for tenants wishing to move between local authority areas.

Sports Clubs And Premises (De-Rating)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to introduce legislation de-rating sports clubs and premises; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to do so, and I have received no representations on this matter.

Nuclear-Free Zones

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, East of 12 May, Official Report, column 365, if he will publish in the Official Report such information as is available to his Department about local authorities' nuclear-free zones activities; if he will take steps to collect detailed information on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 allows local authorities to incur expenditure which in their opinion is in the interests of their area, up to the product of a 2p rate. I believe that some authorities use this power to fund nuclear-free zones activities, but my right hon. Friend has no powers to require local authorities to give him information about their discretionary spending. The representations referred to in my previous reply do not provide information for publication.

Ealing (Housing)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young) has anything to add to his statement to the House of 22 April, Official Report, column 222, on the Labour party's housing policy for Ealing; and if he will make a statement.

In column 222 I referred to 21 lines of housing policy in Labour's manifesto in Ealing, based on 81 pages of documents which I had available at the time. I have subsequently discovered 10 pages of housing policy in a separate document, so the remark was inaccurate and I regret it.While my remarks on the quantity of policy were inaccurate, my reservations about its quality remain unallayed.

Mansfield

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached a decision on proposals submitted to his urban housing renewal unit by the Mansfield district council; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce my right hon. Friend's favourable response to a proposal for a scheme in Mansfield which the district council has worked up in close consultation with my Department's urban housing renewal unit and our East Midlands regional office.The estate which will benefit from today's decision is the Pleasley estate in Mansfield. This estate comprises 220 terraced houses built between 1890 and 1910. It is at present rundown, neglected, litter-strewn and in need of basic renovation and repairs. It is Mansfield's No. 1 priority for action.

The council intends to devote extra senior staff time to local housing management, focusing on the Pleasley surgery. A caretaker will also be appointed, with responsibility for general oversight, minor repairs, litter picking and help with rubbish removal. I regard efficient localised management as an essential part of the package in order for the council to sustain the improvements which we expect to see as a result of the other steps being taken.

One such step will be a one-year scheme to enable up to 20 long-term unemployed local people funded by the Government's community programme, subject to consideration and support by the Manpower Services Commission's area manpower board, to carry out improvements to the environment and communal areas on their estate. Under the scheme dwellings will be redecorated internally, fences and walls will be rebuilt, and landscaping and planting of open spaces will be undertaken. Two part-time community workers will also be taken on to develop community groups and tenant participation, and to assist in the provision of welfare and financial budgeting advice.

I have also agreed to an additional capital allocation of up to £300,000 for UHRU's targetted housing investment programme resources in 1986–87 to enable the council to carry out urgently needed rewiring and a range of external works on the dwellings. Where necessary, doors, windows and rainwater goods will be replaced, and painting and re-roofing carried out.

This scheme is yet another example of the proposals being worked up through close co-operation between a local authority, my Department's urban housing renewal unit and regional offices. I now look forward to seeing these proposals being put into action for the benefit of the residents at Pleasley.

Blackburn

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached a decision on proposals submitted to his urban housing renewal unit by the borough of Blackburn; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce my right hon. Friend's favourable response to a proposal for a scheme in Blackburn which the borough council has worked up in close consultation with my Department's urban housing renewal unit and our North West regional office.The estate which will benefit from today's decision is the Green Lane estate in Blackburn. This estate, of traditional construction, consists of 175 houses and 16 flats built between 1923 and 1932 and 215 houses and 39 flats built between 1952 and 1956, a total of 445 dwellings.The council intends to set up locally based management and repairs arrangements on the estate. An estate-based housing management office will be established and will provide a comprehensive housing service to residents. I regard this as an essential part of the package in order for the council to sustain the improvements which we expect to see as a result of the other steps being taken.One such step will be a two-year community refurbishment scheme to enable local unemployed people funded jointly by my Department's urban programme and the Government's community programme, subject to consideration and support by the Manpower Services Commission's area manpower board, to carry out improvements to the environment and communal areas on their estate and to improve energy efficiency and security. Resources of the order of £1,286,179 will be involved, including £665,279 of urban programme funding, which I am pleased to approve in principle.I have also agreed to an additional capital allocation of £400,000 from UHRU's targeted housing investment programme resources in 1986–87 to enable the council to modernise 133 houses by renewing kitchens and bathrooms, installing central heating and insulation, re-wiring and renewing roofs, doors and windows where necessary. The council proposes to carry out similar work on 190 other houses out of its main HIP programme.This scheme is yet another example of the proposals being worked up through close co-operation between a local authority, my Department's urban housing renewal unit and regional offices. I now look forward to seeing these proposals being put into action for the benefit of the residents at Green Lane, Blackburn.

Newham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached a decision on proposals submitted to his urban housing renewal unit by the London borough of Newham; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce my right hon. Friend's favourable response to three proposed schemes in Newham. These schemes, which are designed to improve housing conditions on the Rathbone estate and at James Sinclair and Dennison Points, have been worked up by the London borough of Newham in close consultation with the Department's urban housing renewal unit and Greater London regional office.On all three estates the council will be taking steps to improve security for residents. The proposed works include the provision of door entry systems and improved lighting. In addition, James Sinclair Point and Dennison Point will benefit from improvements in management and environmental works and secondary glazing to reduce traffic noise will be provided at the Rathbone estate. I have agreed in principle to a targetted HIP allocation of £1,085,000 for all these works.I look forward to seeing these proposals being put into action for the benefit of all the residents on these estates in Newham.

Water Authorities (Privatisation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he intends to issue the document "Water Privatisation: Proposals for Water Companies" for public comment; and if he will make a statement;(2) to whom he circulated the document "Water Privatisation: Proposals for Water Companies"; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: The document, which sets out proposals for the detailed implementation of policies contained in paragraph 43 of the White Paper "Privatisation of the Water Authorities in England and Wales" (Cmnd. 9734), was sent to the Water Companies' Association and the Water Authorities' Association, whose members it directly concerns.

I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of both Houses of Parliament.

Radioactive Waste

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the proportion by volume of low-level nuclear waste produced each year by reprocessing of British nuclear waste and by imported nuclear waste and his estimate of the amount by volume of low-level waste when the THORP is completed.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: Approximately 5 per cent. by volume of the current and anticipated waste arising from reprocessing Magnox fuel originates from reprocessing fuel from overseas.Approximately 75 per cent. by volume of the estimated volumes of THORP wastes will arise from the reprocessing of overseas fuel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the difference between the radiological risks of storing nuclear waste on nuclear power station sites and those for early disposal in nuclear dumps.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: I refer the hon. Member to table 9, of the report on "Assessment of best practicable environmental options for management of low and intermediate level solid radioactive wastes", HMSO 1986 which sets out the impact of early disposal, and table 10, which summarises the impact of long-term storage at nuclear sites.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the letters protesting at the inclusion of Killingholme in the special development order on nuclear dumping he replied to before publishing it.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: Thirty-five. In addition, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I responded to a number of letters requesting meetings with deputations by agreeing to such meetings.

Nuclear Energy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department takes to keep informed of the substance of contacts between British and Soviet scientists on nuclear energy matters.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: The scientists employed by my Department make every effort to keep themselves informed on nuclear energy matters by attending conferences and reading the literature. Such activities would naturally include British and Russian contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is given to his Departrnent about discussions between British scientists and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: Formal contacts between the United Kingdom Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy. Through his Department my officials are kept fully informed of the activities of the IAEA which are relevant to their responsibilities for waste management and environmental protection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department gives to British scientists about the formality and substance of contacts they have with Eastern bloc scientists on nuclear energy matters.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: None in general, but special procedures govern meetings between British scientists employed by my Department and representatives of Eastern bloc countries.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Hong Kong

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the state of private and public housing in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

The provision of housing remains of priority commitment for the Hong Kong Government, whose aim is to ensure that every family eventually has a permanent, self-contained home, at a rent or price it can afford. To this end, about one third of its total annual capital expenditure and one tenth of recurrent expenditure is devoted to public housing. The Government-sponsored housing authority has a subsidised public housing programme which aims to produce annually over 40,000 flats (30,000 for rental and 10,000 for ownership). In 1985, they constructed a record 49,724 such flats. In addition to quantity, the authority places emphasis on steadily improving the quality of new public housing, and redeveloping existing stock. At present 2·6 million people, or about 47 per cent. of the population, live in public housing.The private sector produced some 30,000 units of accommodation in 1985 and production of about 33,000 units is expected in 1986.Demand for both public and private housing continues to exceed supply, and outstanding demand for public rental flats alone is estimated to be over 330,000 units. Assuming no untoward occurrences and maintenance of current production targets, the bulk of this rental demand should be met by the mid-1990s.

Petty Officer John Black

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised with Spanish Ministers or officials the case of the late Petty Officer John Black during the recent state visit of the King and Queen of Spain; and if he will make a statement.

This case was not raised during the recent state visit. At that time we were aware that a reply from the Spanish judicial authorities was on its way to the Spanish Foreign Ministry, although we did not know its precise terms. A formal reply has now been received through Her Majesty's embassy in Madrid and its contents have been conveyed to my hon. Friend in writing.

Employment

Training Grants

asked the Paymaster General what plans he has to increase the present weekly amount paid in training grants.

There are no plans to increase the £25 per person per day payable under the local training grants to employers scheme.

Acas (Code)

asked the Paymaster General when he expects the revised Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service code to be laid before Parliament.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has not set a precise timetable for publishing its revised code of practice on disciplinary and other procedures in employment. Comments on the draft code were requested by 28 February 1986 and the service is currently studying those received.In due course, the draft code will be submitted to Ministers for approval, before being laid before Parliament.

Young Workers Scheme

11.

asked the Paymaster General what proportion of people employed under the young workers scheme have retained their job after 12 months.

A survey of the young workers scheme in 1985, conducted for my Department, suggested that employers expected at least 90 per cent. of young workers would continue in their current job beyond the period of eligibility for young workers scheme support. We recently commissioned further research in this area to test how many young people are actually retained.

Small Businesses

16.

asked the Paymaster General what plans he has to promote the use of flexible and distance learning to meet the training needs of the small business sector.

I am anxious to encourage all forms of training to meet the needs of the small business sector, and the Manpower Services Commission, as an integral part of the adult training strategy, is exploring the use of flexible and distance learning in depth.Already the MSC's open tech programme has commissioned open learning material specifically to meet the training needs of supervisors and managers in the small business sector whilst under its training for enterprise scheme it is currently investigating the potential of open learning as a medium for teaching skills necessary for the management of small businesses.

Greater London

17.

asked the Paymaster General how many unemployed people there are under 25 years of age within Greater London.

On 9 January 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of unemployed persons aged under 25 years in Greater London was 142,469.

Employment Committee (Report)

18.

asked the Paymaster General what practical measures he intends to pursue following the Government's response to the Employment Committee report on special employment measures and the long-term unemployed.

39.

asked the Paymaster General what measures the Government are undertaking and planning to assist the long-term unemployed.

We shall be spending £1,200 million this year on specific measures to give practical help to long-term unemployed people. This includes the restart programme under which, from July, every long-term unemployed person will be offered individual positive help towards employment. The full range of measures to encourage employment, training and enterprise are described in our booklet "Action for Jobs—opening more doors."

21.

asked the Paymaster General what representations he has received concerning the Government response to the Employment Committee report on special employment measures and the long-term unemployed.

None.

40.

asked the Paymaster General what representations he has received following the Government response to the Employment Committee report on special employment measures and the long-term unemployed.

None.

Area Manpower Boards (Membership)

19.

asked the Paymaster General how many members of area manpower boards are registered unemployed; and how many registered unemployed currently serve on other bodies which advise him.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

Tourist Industry

20.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the job prospects in the tourist industry, showing the annual employment figures for each of the last five years, the numbers of female workers and the number of part-time workers, respectively.

Details on the total number of employees in the main tourism-related industries in hotels, catering and leisure services are published in table 8.1 of labour market data in Employment Gazette for May 1986. A copy of which is in the Library.The following table shows the available separate details for female and part-time employees in the main tourism-related industries covered in table 8.1 referred to above.

Thousands in June
	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Female employees Of which:	709	728	707	748	773
Part-time employees	475	492	499	537	555

Notes:

(1) Groups 661 to 663, 665, 667, 977 and 979 of Standard Industrial Classification, 1980

(2) Annual estimates of part-time male employees are not available.

Labour Statistics

22.

asked the Paymaster General how many people are currently registered as unemployed within the east midlands area; and if he will make a statement.

On 10 April 1986 the number of unemployed claimants in the east midlands region was 205,847.The Government's economic strategy is providing the climate of low inflation and sustained growth which is the only sensible way to secure real jobs in the east midlands and elsewhere. The east midlands will also benefit from the new package of measures announced in the Budget to accelerate the growth of enterprise. Boost opportunities for the young, and help the long-term unemployed find work.

23.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.

On 10 April 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,325,058.

27.

asked the Paymaster General how many persons aged under 25 years have been unemployed for more than 12 months at the latest available date.

On 9 January 1986, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age and duration is available, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom aged under 25 years who have been unemployed for more than 12 months was 349,586.

29.

asked the Paymaster General what percentage of the total number of persons aged under 25 years and unemployed have been unemployed for more than 12 months.

On 9 January 1986, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age and duration is available, 28 per cent. of unemployed claimants aged under 25 years in the United Kingdom had been unemployed for more than 12 months.

33.

asked the Postmaster General how many workers were in (a) full-time employment and (b) part-time employment in 1979, 1983 and at the latest available date.

Estimates of the numbers of self-employed persons and of male employees are not separately available for full and part-time workers. The available figures are as follows:

Civilian employed labour force in Great Britain
December of each year	Males and full-time female employees	Part-time female employees	Self employed persons
1979	18,792,000	3,880,000	1,896,000
1983	16,635,000	4,081,000	2,298,000
1985^*	16,665,000	4,407,000	2,604,000
^* The latest date for which an estimate is available.

36.

asked the Paymaster General how many people were unemployed for more than 12 months at the latest available date; and what was the comparable figure five years ago.

On 9 January 1986, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available, the number of claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 1,371,632. The corresponding number of unemployed registrants as at 15 January 1981 was 455,402. The figures are not strictly comparable because of changes in the way the figures are collected.

asked the Paymaster General (1) what was the level of youth unemployment in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; what was the comparable figure for May 1979; and if he will make a statement;(2) what was the level of youth unemployment on Merseyside at the latest date; what were the figures for May 1979; and if he will make a statement;(3) what was the level of youth unemployment in England and Wales at the latest date; what were the figures in May 1979; and if he will make a statement;(4) what was the level of youth unemployment in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest date; and if he will make a statement.

The following information is in the Library. The table gives the numbers of unemployed claimants aged under 25 years in England and Wales, Merseyside metropolitan area, the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Liverpool, Riverside parliamentary constituency as at 9 January 1986, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age is available.Comparisons of unemployment over the period specified are difficult to make because of changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data. The table also shows the numbers of unemployed registrants aged under 25 years in England and Wales, and for the jobcentre areas which closely correspond to the Merseyside metropolitan area and the travel-to-work area as defined in 1978, in April 1979 (not available for May 1979.

Unemployed aged under 25 years
	Number of claimants
Unemployed claimants—January 1986
England and Wales	1,052,984
Merseyside metropolitan area	54,875
Liverpool travel-to-work area	42,239
Liverpool Riverside parliamentary constituency	4,740
Unemployed registrants—April 1979
England and Wales	361,058
Merseyside	31,567
Former Liverpool travel-to-work area	23,400

asked the Paymaster General (1) what was the level of long-term unemployment in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest date; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the number of long-term unemployed on Merseyside at the latest date and the comparative figures for May 1979;(3) if he will list the number of long-term unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date and the comparable figures for May 1979;(4) what is the number of long-term unemployed in England and Wales at the latest date and the comparable figures for May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The following information is in the Library. The table gives the numbers of unemployed claimants in England and Wales, Merseyside metropolitan area, the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Liverpool, Riverside parliamentary constituency who had been unemployed for over 12 months as at 9 January 1986, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available.Comparisons of unemployment over the period specified are difficult to make because of changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data. The table also shows the numbers of registrants who had been unemployed for over 12 months in April 1979 (not available for May 1979) in England and Wales, and for the jobcentre areas which closely correspond to the Merseyside metropolitan area and the travel-to-work area as defined in 1978.

Unemployed over 12 months
	Number of claimants
Unemployed claimants—January 1986
England and Wales	1,164,339
Merseyside Metropolitan area	72,522
Liverpool travel-to-work area	55,814
Liverpool Riverside parliamentary constituency	7,363
Unemployed registrants—April 1979
England and Wales	301,217
Merseyside	30,088
Former Liverpool travel-to-work area	22,782

asked the Paymaster General what plans he has to reduce long-term unemployment in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Paymaster General what plans he has to reduce youth unemployment in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

A reduction in youth unemployment in England and Wales depends on a sustained improvement in the performance of industry, business and the economy as a whole. Our economic policies are designed to create the conditions for that improvement and we are making substantial progress. We also need levels of pay which ensure the competitiveness of our industry.Our employment and training measures such as two-year YTS and the recently announced new workers scheme will particularly help the employment prospects of young people.

asked the Paymaster General what plans he has to reduce youth unemployment in the Liverpool travelto-work area; and if he will make a statement.

A reduction in youth unemployment in Liverpool depends on a sustained improvement in the performance of industry, business and the economy as a whole. Our economic policies are designed to create the conditions for that improvement and we are making substantial progress. We also need levels of pay which ensure the competitiveness of our industry.

Our employment and training measures such as two-year YTS and the recently announced new workers scheme will particularly help the employment prospects of young people.

The Government are directing special help to particularly hard hit areas such as Liverpool. Since May 1979 Liverpool has received over £170 million in regional assistance.

asked the Paymaster General (1) how many job vacancies there were on Merseyside at the latest date; and what was the figure for May 1979;(2) how many job vacancies there were in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what was the figure for May 1979.

On 4 April 1986 there were 3,098 unfilled vacancies at jobcentres and 80 unfilled vacancies at careers offices closely corresponding to the Merseyside metropolitan area, and 2,429 and 80 unfilled vacancies respectively at offices corresponding to the Liverpool travel-to-work area (including self-employed vacancies and excluding vacancies handled by professional and executive recruitment). Comparisons with May 1979 are difficult to make because of changes in the method of compilation of the data. However, the numbers of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres and careers offices corresponding to the Merseyside metropolitan area in May 1979 were 3,916 and 151, respectively. On the same date there were 2,406 unfilled vacancies at jobcentres and 71 unfilled vacancies at careers offices corresponding to the Liverpool travel-to-work area as defined in 1978 (excluding self-employed vacancies and including vacancies handled by professional and executive recruitment).

asked the Paymaster General (1) how many people were unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what were the figures for May 1979;(2) how many persons were unemployed on Merseyside at the latest date; and what were the figures for May 1979.

The following information is in the Library. On 10 April 1986 the numbers of unemployed claimants in the Liverpool travel-to-work area and the Merseyside metropolitan area were 106,432 and 140,371, respectively. Comparisons with May 1979 are difficult to make because of changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data. However, in May 1979, the number of unemployed registrants in jobcentre areas closely corresponding to the Liverpool travel-to-work area, as defined in 1978, and the Merseyside metropolitan area were 57,060 and 79,644, respectively.

asked the Paymaster General, further to his answer on 6 May, Official Report, column 34, regarding the errors made by Central Regional council in submitting its returns for the 1981 census of employment, if he will list the effects on all the relevant travel-to-work areas of the published unemployment figures.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 May 1986, c. 504]: The following table shows the effect on the unemployment rates in the relevant travel-to-work areas for 10 April 1986.

	Published rate using revised denominator	Rate using uncorrected denominator	Difference
Stirling
male	18·4	16·2	+2·2
female	10·0	7·7	+2·3
total	14·2	11·7	+2·5
Falkirk
male	19·2	20·1	-0·9
female	13·8	16·0	-2·2
total	17·0	18·6	-1·6
Alloa
male	20·9	21·8	-0·9
female	13·3	16·0	-2·7
total	18·0	19·8	-1·8

The effects of the revision on the unemployment rates will vary over time.

Merseyside

24.

asked the Paymaster General how many people are currently unemployed on Merseyside; and if will make a statement.

On 10 April 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the Merseyside metropolitan area was 140,371.The Government's economic strategy is providing the climant of low inflation and sustained growth which is the only sensible way to secure real jobs on Merseyside and elsewhere.Furthermore, Merseyside will benefit from the new package of measures announced in the Budget to accelerate the growth of erterprise, boost employment opportunities for the young and help the long-term unemployed find work.

Local Enterprise Agencies

25.

asked the Paymaster General how many local enterprise agencies have been set up; and what future development of this network is anticipated.

There are currently 336 local enterprise agencies throughout the United Kingdom, of which 246 are approved under the terms of the Finance Act 1982, which allows business sector sponsors tax relief on their contributions to such bodies. The main future development in this sector is expected to be a strengthening of the existing agencies and, in particular, of their role as a focus for local networks of support to small businesses. 'This is a major objective of the Government's local enterprise agency grant scheme.

Workfare Schemes

26.

asked the Paymaster General when he will introduce workfare schemes for the unemployed.

The restart programme for the long-term unemployed, which is to be launched in July, will include a number of elements which feature in workfare programmes for unemployed welfare claimants in the United States of America, in particular job clubs to help and encourage the unemployed to seek work.

Youth Training Scheme

28.

asked the Paymaster General when he will next meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss the implementing of the two-year YTS.

I have regular meetings with the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss a range of issues amongst which is the implementation of two-year YTS.

Suffolk

30.

asked the Paymaster General what recent steps have been taken to promote employment in Suffolk.

The Government's economic strategy is providing the climate of low inflation and sustained growth which is the only sensible way to secure real jobs in Suffolk and elsewhere. Suffolk will also benefit from the new package of measures announced in the Budget to accelerate the growth of enterprise, boost opportunities for the young, and help the long-term unemployed find work.

Self-Employment

31.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the current volume of self-employment in the United Kingdom.

In December 1985, the lastest date for which figures are available, the number of self-employed people in the United Kingdom was provisionally estimated to be 2,665,000. The increase in the number of self-employed since 1979 has been very encouraging.

American Tourists

32.

asked the Paymaster General what is his estimate of the number of tourists from the United States of America visiting the United Kingdom so far in 1986.

There were about 330,000 visits to the United Kingdom by north American residents in the first two months of 1986. Separate figures for United States residents are not yet available.

Wage Levels

34.

asked the Paymaster General what has been the comparable change in wage levels of the highest and lowest decile since 1979.

Between April 1979 and April 1985 the gross weekly earnings of full-time adult employees at the highest decile increased by 103 per cent. for males and by 135 per cent. for females. Over the same period, the corresponding increases at the lowest decile were 76 per cent. for males and 85 per cent. for females.

Yts (Civil Service)

35.

asked the Paymaster General what steps the Manpower Services Commission is taking to seek to increase the number of YTS places in the Civil Service.

The Manpower Services Commission is engaged in continuing discussions with my Department and with the Management and Personnel Office which aim to establish how best to carry forward the development of YTS in the Civil Service.

Unemployment Count

37.

asked the Paymaster General if he is satisfied with the arrangements for counting the number of people out of work.

I am satisfied that the monthly unemployment count is an accurate record of those claiming benefits. Less frequent estimates of those without jobs seeking work are available from surveys. Preliminary results of the labour force survey conducted in spring 1985 showed some 1,080,000 people included in the monthly count who either had a job or were not seeking work, while 760,000 people without jobs and seeking work were excluded from the claimant total.

38.

asked the Paymaster General how many changes have been made since 1979 in the way in which the unemployment figures are counted.

Since 1979 there have been six changes which have had a discernible effect on the unemployment count, and three of these have been minor.

Manufacturing And Construction Industries (Accident Figures)

41.

asked the Paymaster General what were the major accident and death figures for the manufacturing and construction industries for 1981 and 1984.

The table gives the information requested.

Year and industry	Reported deaths	Reported major injuries
1981
Manufacturing	119	4,139
Construction	129	1,766
1984
Manufacturing	132	4,736
Construction	124	2,434

The figures are of occupational deaths and major injuries to employees and others, reported under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (NADOR) 1980 to authorities responsible for enforcing the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Major injuries are as defined under NADOR.

Unemployment Benefit

asked the Paymaster General how many actors, musicians or other semi self-employed persons are drawing unemployment benefit; and if there are any in the above categories resident in Cleveland.

The information is not available in the form requested. According to analysis of the labour force survey, there were about 17,000 claimants included in the monthly unemployment count in Great Britain in spring 1985 who said they were currently self-employed but not with a permanent job. The information is not available for Cleveland because of the sampling errors that would be involved.

Long-Term Unemployment

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish the latest number of long-term unemployed interviewed under the restart scheme in each of the pilot areas, together with a breakdown of the results of these interviews, showing the numbers placed into jobs, the community programme, and other measures, and how many long-term unemployed have had their benefits reduced under section 20(1) of the Social Security Act 1975 following a restart interview.

The information requested for the period from 6 January to 9 May (the latest date for which figures are available) is given in the table.

				Number placed into:
	Number of interviews	Jobs (including Community Programme)	Jobclubs	^Enterprise Allowance Scheme*	^Training*	†Restart Courses	^Voluntary Projects Programme*
Billingham	955	28	10	2	8	177	0
Crawley	674	71	0	11	12	70	0
Dundee	3,203	107	22	0	42	205	0
Ealing	1,972	78	42	10	12	164	2
Huddersfield	2,122	181	10	1	3	143	16
Plymouth	2,355	57	24	2	5	257	2
Port Talbot	1,989	276	31	4	77	114	0
Preston	2,269	128	34	2	14	192	0
Stoke	3,573	191	12	—	13	177	12
TOTAL	19,112	1,117	185	32	186	1,499	32
^* No figures available before 3 March.
† Figures relate to those attending courses in the period up to 2 May.

Adult Training

asked the Paymaster General when he will next meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss adult training.

I have regular meetings with the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss a variety of issues including adult training.

School Leavers

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish a table showing the average number of school leavers claiming unemployment benefit or social security in each of the Welsh counties in each year since 1981.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows, for each county of Wales, the average numbers of school leavers under 18 years of age claiming

The figures in the table relate only to placings which have resulted directly from the restart interview. It is not known how many of those interviewed go on to find jobs or other positions themselves as a result of being remotivated by restart, although a total of some 2,200 long-term unemployed people have ceased to claim unemployment benefit after being interviewed.

Thirty-seven people's benefit has been suspended or reduced for refusing suitable employment or training at a restart interview, pending a decision on their case by an adjudication officer. Five have subsequently had their benefit restored.

unemployment benefit, supplementary benefit or national insurance credits at unemployment benefit offices in 1984 and 1985. Comparable figures for years prior to 1984 are not available because of the change to a ward-based system of allocating claimants to localities. Also, prior to October 1982, the statistics related to registrants at jobcentres rather than claimants.

Unemployed school leavers aged under 18 years
	Average number
	1984	1985
Clwyd	979	950
Dyfed	587	581
Gwent	1,220	1,192
Gwynedd	380	440
Mid Glamorgan	1,575	1,624
Powys	121	120
South Glamorgan	905	869
West Glamorgan	1,001	980

Scotland

Youth Training Scheme

43.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many young people are currently participating in youth training schemes operated by local authorities and health boards in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Precise information is not available. However, information compiled between 1 March and 13 May 1986 suggests that around 9,550 young people in Scotland are participating in YTS programmes operated by local authorities and some 180 in those operated by health boards. The support of YTS by these bodies is greatly appreciated.

Labour Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of youth unemployment in Scotland at the latest date; and what were the figures for May 1979.

The information is not available for May 1979, but in April 1979 the number of unemployed people under the age of 25 years was 67,844. In January 1986, the latest date for which information is available, the corresponding figure was 146,209. The figures are not comparable due to changes in the compilation of stasistics over the period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of long-time unemployed in Scotland at the latest date and the comparable figure for May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available for May 1979, but in April 1979 the number of registered unemployed people in Scotland who had been unemployed for 12 months or more was 45,578. In January 1986, the latest date for which information is available, the number of unemployed people claiming benefit who had been unemployed for 12 months or more was 146,976. The figures are not directly comparable because of various changes over the period in the compilation of unemployment statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of job vacancies in Scotland at the latest date; and what was the figure in May 1979.

The number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in Scotland in May 1979 was 23,855. In April 1986, the latest date for which information is available, the number was 19,296. The figures are not comparable, however, because of changes in the basis of the statistical compilation. The number of vacancies notified to jobcentres is estimated overall to be only about one third of the total of vacanices available at any time.

Job Creation

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reduce long-term unemployment in Scotland.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 3 July 1985 at column 155. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Paymaster General has indicated in his reply today to the hon. Member for Jarrow (Mr. Dixon), the Government are spending £1·2 billion in the current year on help for long-term unemployed people throughout Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reduce youth unemployment in Scotland.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. and learned Friend the Paymaster General gave him today. The key to improved employment prospects for all unemployed people, in Scotland as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, lies in the better economic performance and increased industrial competitiveness which the Government's policies are designed to secure.In the meantime, the full range of the Government's special employment and training measures is available to young people in Scotland, who will benefit from the expansion of these measures announced in the Budget statement.

Nhs (General Management)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will undertake further consultation on the development of general management at unit level in the Scottish Health Service.

The Scottish Home and Health Department has issued a draft circular and a copy of the report by Coopers and Lybrand Associates on general management at unit level in the Scottish Health Service for consultation. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library. Comments on them have been requested by Friday 18 July 1986.In my reply to my hon. Friend on 6 February 1986, at columns

233–34, I said that the full report of the Coopers and Lybrand study would not be an appropriate document for public consultation as it was likely to contain material confidential to the boards participating in the study. Having now seen the report, I am satisfied that it does not contain confidential material and, in the interests of informing the debate as far as possible, I am happy to authorise the wide dissemination of this useful report and the draft guidance based on it.

As I indicated in my reply of Thursday 6 February, Ministers will consider the results of this further consultation in the course of the summer and final guidance on general management at unit level will be issued in time for health boards to plan implementation following the holiday period.

Energy

Energy Efficiency

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how big a part of the 20 per cent. saving in energy costs sought by the end of this Parliament has been achieved by the latest date for which figures are available; and if he still expects to achieve all of the saving originally sought.

The Government believe that they have set in motion an energy efficiency programme which will not only ensure that over the lifetime of this Parliament our rate of improvement exceeds that of our international competitors, but by the 1990s will bring about the achievement in full of the savings they have identified.

Ncb (Subsidiaries)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends that the National Coal Board should sell its interest in British Fuel, and dispose of its subsidiaries, Southern Depots Ltd. and National Fuel Distributors Ltd.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board to decide.

Magnox Reactors

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the details of the 20-year safety reviews on Magnox stations will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive will in future publish its conclusions on each long-term safety review, following discussion of those conclusions with the licensee.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the Magnox reactors at present being operated within the United Kingdom and, in each case, give the date of commissioning.

The information is as follows:

Station	Number of magnox reactors	Date of first commissioning
Calder Hall	4	1956
Chapelcross	4	1958
Berkeley	2	1962
Bradwell	2	1962
Dungeness A	2	1965
Hinkley Point A	2	1965
Hunterston A	2	1964
Oldbury on Severn	2	1967
Sizewell A	2	1966
Trawsfynydd	2	1965
Wylfa	2	1971

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will adopt a timetable for the phasing out of all Magnox reactors within the United Kingdom.

No.

Nuclear Power Stations

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what research Her Majesty's Government have done into the siting of nuclear power stations underground; and if he will make a statement.

The possibility of siting nuclear power stations underground has been examined from time to time. However, all reactors are designed to prevent emissions of radiation and radioactive materials. The best combination of excavation and building structures for that purpose will depend on individual site characteristics. No potential advantage in cost or effectiveness has been identified which would require specific research into underground siting.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what research has been carried out into the practicality of de-commissioning existing nuclear power stations and converting their source to fossil fuel; and if he will make a statement.

Research and experimental work in the United Kingdom on the decornmissioning of nuclear reactors is carried out by the Atomic Energy Authority. I am not aware of any studies of the conversion of nuclear power stations to fossil-fuel burning.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total installed capacity of nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom.

At the end of 1985, output capacity of nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom was 7,064 MW.

Power Stations

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current unused capacity of fossil fuel powered electric power stations in the United Kingdom.

Generation at individual CEGB power stations depends on a number of factors including the demand for electricity, the cost of generation at each unit, fuel prices and supplies, and the availability of more economical plant elsewhere. At any one time a particular unit on the system may not be needed to meet demand, although it will be a part of the essential margin of capacity required to ensure that an uninterrupted supply of electricity is available.Electricity in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Power Stations (Emissions)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the proportion of the capital cost of coal-fired power stations that would be required to provide these stations with equipment for the removal of sulphur dioxide from the emissions made by these stations.

I have been advised by the CEGB that the installation of equipment for a substantial reduction in the sulphur dioxide emissions from a 2,000 MW coal-fired power station would result in an increase of approximately 15 per cent. in the total capital cost.

Overseas Development

Africa

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by country the current levels of British aid to African countries; and how much of it is targeted to famine relief.

In 1985 gross bilateral aid disbursements to Africa totalled £306 million; this includes £31 million of disaster relief aid and £25 million of food aid (not all directly famine-related). The amounts to individual countries are as shown. In addition, substantial British aid funds are channelled through multilateral aid agencies and the European Community to support long-term development and disaster relief in Africa; figures for 1985 by individual countries are not yet available.

Gross bilateral aid to Africa 1985
	(£000)
Algeria	96
Angola	164
Benin	187
Botswana	8,775
Burkina Faso	276
Burundi	81
Cameroon	7,460
Cape Verde Islands	27
Central African Republic	38
Chad	1,448
Congo	120
Egypt	19,101
Ethiopia	28,058
Gabon	14
Gambia	3,613
Ghana	11,555
Guinea	296
Ivory Coast	2,615
Kenya	34,438
Lesotho	2,382
Liberia	1,055
Madagascar	469
Malawi	13,825
Mali	744
Mauritania	888
Mauritius	2,187
Morocco	91
Mozambique	8,366
Namibia	605
Niger	331
Nigeria	6,240
Rwanda	94
Senegal	1,025
Seychelles	1,136
Sierra Leone	3,626
Somalia	1,737
St. Helena and dependencies	9,354
Sudan	42,296
Swaziland	3,376
Tanzania	17,967
Togo	112
Tunisia	1,380
Uganda	9,171
Zaire	738
Zambia	25,579
Zimbabwe	23,636
Africa-unallocable by country	512
Regional East Africa Community	8,964
South of Sahara-unallocable by country	95
	306,343

Ethiopia

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what protest or other representations he has made to the Ethiopian Government concerning the impounding by the Ethiopian authorities of 51 tons of emergency medical supplies, blankets and bedding and food due for the Eritrean Relief Association from the "Band Aid Star" vessel at the port of Assab.

None. But I am concerned by press reports of the Ethiopian Government's action and have asked our ambassador for information.

Transport

Vehicle Registration Prefix

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many letters he has now received (a) in support of and (b) against the move of the month of the year identifier prefix for vehicle registration.

We have received five letters from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and major vehicle manufacturers in support of the move of the month to change the vehicle age identification letter to October and 650 letters mainly on behalf of individual motor dealers in opposition to it.

Private Railway Sidings (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the applications under section 8 of the Transport Act for financial assistance, showing whether the applications were met in part or in full, or refused in any convenient period during the last 12 months.

In the period 30 April 1985 to 30 April 1986 decisions were taken on 19 applications for grant made under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974. Of these, six were awarded at the level of grant sought, 10 at a reduced level and three were rejected. The full list is as follows:

Name of applicant	Decision
W. & M. Thompson (Quarries) Ltd.	Met in full
Allen Rowland & Co. Ltd.	Met in full
George Cohen Ltd.	Met in full
Pedigree Petfoods	Joint application Met in part
Harris Warehousing and Distribution
Railease Ltd.
Arthur Guinness Son & Co. (Park Royal) Ltd.	Met in part
Ready Mixed Concrete Ltd.	Met in part
Cobra Railfreight Ltd.	Met in full
Car Transport Ltd.	Rejected
Procor Ltd. (Wagons for Sheemess Steel Company plc)	Met in part
Amey Roadstone Corporation Ltd.	Met in part
Barking Rail Handling Services	Met in full
British Industrial Sand Ltd.	Joint application Met in part
Co-operative Wholesale Society	Joint application Met in part
Cawoods Marine Terminals Ltd.^*	Rejected
Felixstowe Dock & Railway Company	Met in part
Firmin Coates Group of Companies	Rejected
RH Roadstone Ltd.	Met in full
^* Case dealt with by Secretary of state for Wales.

The 10 offers of grant at a reduced level than that sought were all accepted by the companies concerned.

Roads (Leicester)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce whether the eastern district distributor road will be included in the approved structure plan for the county of Leicester.

I have been asked to reply.The proposed Leicester eastern district distributor road was one of the matters considered at the examination in public held last November. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to receive the report of the panel which held the examination within the next few days. Following his consideration of that report, my right hon. Friend will publish within the next few months any modifications which he proposes to make to the submitted alterations to the plan. After publication of the proposed modifications, there will be a further opportunity for representations to be made on them to my right hon. Friend before he makes his final decision on the plan.

M40 (Traffic Count)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why no count of traffic on the M40 between the M25 and Beaconsfield has been undertaken since March 1984; what steps he has taken to assess the reliability of the figures given in the reply to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield of 10 April, Official Report, columns 160–2; if he will take steps to install automatic counting equipment on the section of the M40 to the west of the M25; if he will now arrange for an immediate traffic count to be undertaken on this section of the M40; and if he will make a statement.

The basis of my answer on 10 April was an estimate of traffic flows for December 1985, before the remaining parts of M4–M25 interchange were opened.A count took place on 12 May. Current flows are now significantly higher. The revised figures are given in the table:

Current Flow (average two-way 24-hour flow over 7-days)	Forecasts for the year 2000 (average two-way 24-hour flow over 5 days)
Vehicles per day	Without M40 extension Vehicles per day	With M40 extension Vehicles per day
61,000	77,000–90,000	91,200–107,200

Flows on the adjoining section from Beaconsfield to Wycombe East are likely to have increased similarly.The detector loops of the Buckinghamshire county council's automatic count equipment at Hedgerley are no longer reliable. The Department will install new loops soon.

House Of Commons

Palace Of Westminster (Cleaning)

asked the Lord Privy Seal who provides the services for cleaning the Members' rooms in the Palace of Westminster; how many personnel are involved; what percentage is directly employed; and what percentage is privately employed.

Members' Desk Rooms in the House of Commons are cleaned by part-time cleaners of the Serjeant at Arms Department. Thirty six cleaners are involved in cleaning these and other rooms, all of whom are directly employed.

Heating System

asked the Lord Privy Seal on how many sitting days in 1986 the temperature outside the Palace of Westminster has risen above that at which the heating is turned off; what is the external temperature reading at which the heating is cut off; and at what internal temperature reading the heating may be cut off.

I understand that the heating has been turned off. In the absence of a defined external temperature below which heating must be provided, it is turned off, by agreement with the Serjeant at Arms, when outside temperatures are judged to have settled to a reasonably stable summer level.

Trade And Industry

Ec (Industrial Advantages)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advantages will be available to United Kingdom industry when the European Economic Community market is completed; and to what extent he envisages that United Kingdom industry may derive relatively greater benefits than industry in other European Economic Community countries.

Completion of a unified liberal internal market in the Community will benefit British industry through the removal of barriers to trade with other member states; and is one important condition for the creation of a European industrial capability which can compete effectively on world markets. The precise balance of advantage may of course vary from sector to sector, depending on the United Kingdom's competitive position in each, but we believe that there should be clear net benefits for United Kingdom business as a whole.

Ec (Trade Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, pursuant to the reply of 14 May, Official Report, column 473, he will provide the figures on trade deficits and surpluses in manufacturing with the European Economic Community and the rest of the world on the overseas trade statistics basis.

In the 12 months ending March 1986 there was a crude deficit on trade in manufactures with the European Community of £10·0 billion and a crude surplus of £4·0 billion with the rest of the world.

Shipbuilding

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of merchant shipbuilding orders have been placed by British shipowners in (a) Britain, (b) other EC countries arid (c) other countries in each year since 1979.

The following table shows the percentage of new orders in compensated gross tonnes for merchant ships placed in United Kingdom, other EC and non-EC yards that are destined for the United Kingdom flag. The information as requested is not available.

	United Kingdom	Other EC	Non EC
1979	39	7	54
1980	38	18	44
1981	36	18	46
1982	56	2	42
1983	54	2	44
1984	81	15	4
1985	61	37	2

Source: DTI.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the most recent information he has on the numbers employed in merchant shipbuilding in each of the countries of the EC.

The following is the most recent comparable information:

Employment in EC Merchant Shipbuilding in 1984
	Numbers
Belgium	4,060
Denmark	10,300
France	16,940
Germany	22,189
Greece	2,000
Ireland	—
Italy	12,800
Netherlands	7,530
United Kingdom	14,655

Source: EC Commission and OECD.

Spain and Portugal joined the EC in 1985. In 1984, 23,900 were employed in merchant shipbuilding in Spain. Figures for Portugal are not separately recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the most recent information he has on the tonnage of new orders won by each EC country, Japan and South Korea in 1985 and the first month of 1986.

The following is the most recent information.

Thousands of compensated gross tonnes
	1985	January 1986
Belgium	31	—
Denmark	85	2
France	302	1
Federal Republic of Germany	925	9
Greece	29	—
Ireland	—	—
Italy	360	—
Netherlands	335	14
United Kingdom	293	6
Portugal	1	—
Spain	273	5
Japan	4,548	334
South Korea	833	n/a

Sources:

OECD.

Lloyds Register of Shipping.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employees there were in merchant shipbuilding in (i) Britain and (ii) other European Economic Community countries in (a) 1979 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: The information is as follows:

Employment in shipbuilding in the Community
	1979	1984
Belgium	6,258	4,060
Denmark	9,900	10,300
France	23,000	16,940
Germany	27,369	22,189
Greece	—	2,000
Ireland	750	—

	1979	1984
Italy	19,000	12,800
Netherlands	14,540	7,530
United Kingdom	31,200	14,655

Source: EC.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of new world orders for merchant ships were won by British Shipbuilders in each year since 1979; and what is the latest figure for 1986.

[pursuant to his reply,19 May 1986]: British Shipbuilders' percentage share of world new merchant ship orders was as follows:

	Percentage
1979	1·8
1980	2·1
1981	2·3
1982	1·9
1983	1·2
1984	0·8
1985	1·5

There is no world order figures yet for 1986.

Uranium

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much uranium, tonnes of ore concentrates, was imported into Britain during 1985 for British customers.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend gave him on 25 March 1986, at column 397.

Social Services

Board And Lodging

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many people have been unable to enter residential care due to the new board and lodging limits.

The supplementary benefit board and lodging limits allow reasonable charges for residential care homes to be met, and cover the charges in a large number of homes. In addition, local authorities have power to provide or pay for residential accommodation under the National Assistance Act 1948 and the National Health Service Act 1977, and in certain cases to "top up" the amount available from supplementary benefit. There is therefore no reason to attribute to the limits the effect implied in my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what plans he has for introducing further categories of claimants under the new board and lodging arrangements for those people in residential care;(2) if he intends to introduce new regional limits under the board and lodging arrangements for top people in residential care.

We are currently carrying out a review of the limits for all types of supplementary benefit board and lodging allowances, and will announce our conclusions in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received on the board and lodging arrangements for people in residential care.

Since April last year, when new arrangments were introduced, we have received representations on the supplementary benefit limits for people in residential care from the main bodies with an interest in residential care in both the voluntary and private sectors, the local authority associations, individual local authorities and a large number of interested individuals.

Attendance And Mobility Allowances

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken to process claims for renewal of attendance and mobility allowance, respectively.

The information requested is not available as renewal claims are not included in routine analyses of clearance times. However, procedures for dealing with renewal claims are such that their average clearance time is likely to be broadly the same as for new claims which are successful at the initial stage. Currently this is eight and a half weeks for attendance allowance and seven and a half weeks for mobility allowance. Renewal claims are invited four months (attendance allowance) and three months (mobility allowance) before the expiry of the existing award so that payments to claimants whose claims are successful should continue without interruption.

War Pensions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he proposes to bring war pensions available to war widows in the period before 1973 into line with the levels of pension paid since that date; how much it would cost to increase all pre-1973 level pensions by £5 per week; how much it cost to pay war widows' pensions for the last five years for which figures are available; and how many persons are in receipt of war pensions in the area served by the Galashiels ILO in the Scottish Borders.

Under the war pensions scheme, widows' pansions are paid at the same rate regardless of the date of the service man's death or of when he served. The precise number widowed before 1973 is not known, but the estimated cost of the increase suggested would be in the region of £16 million per year. The Department's expenditure on war widows' pensions was as follows:

Year	£ million
1980–81	146
1981–82	166
1982–83	174
1983–84	177
1984–85	184

The remaining information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Hospital Projects, Cleveland

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been spent on hospital capital projects each year since Cleveland was formed.

Total capital expenditure by health authorities in the Cleveland area and (from 1982–83) the Hartlepool, North Tees and South Tees districts, as shown in the authorities' accounts, was:

	£'000s
1974–75	2,093
1975–76	1,559
1976–77	3,269
1977–78	5,582
1978–79	6,026
1979–80	6,985
1980–81	5,323
1981–82	6,821
1982–83	7,417
1983–84	7,429
1984–85	8,767

The figures include capital expenditure on both hospital and community health services, as full information on the breakdown between the two is not held centrally. They include capital expenditure by the Northern regional health authority on the former area health authority and the district health authorities which succeeded it.

Maternity Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the total public expenditure savings from the abolition of maternity grant.

Annual expenditure on maternity grant is currently estimated at £18·5 million. As the hon. Lady is aware, however, the proposal to abolish this provision is associated with other proposals to introduce maternity payments for low-income families at a significantly higher level than the present universal grant, and extending beyond those who might currently qualify for a supplementary benefit single payment for maternity needs. It is not yet possible to make a firm estimate of the overall effect on public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the public expenditure savings from the loss of entitlement to maternity allowance;(2) what are the total savings to public expenditure from the changes in maternity benefits.

As regards maternity grant and the proposed maternity payments, I refer the hon. Lady to my other answer to her today.As regards our proposals for weekly maternity benefits, the effects on public expenditure are shown by the items marked with an asterisk in the following table giving the overall effect on the public sector borrowing requirement, which is estimated to be a net reduction of £13 million in 1987–88 and £23 million in 1988–89.

	1987–88	1988–89
	£ million	£ million
PSBR reductions
Reduced expenditure on maternity allowance	^*124	^*158
Reduced expenditure on maternity pay	^*70	^*80
Savings on administration	^*4	^*4
Saving on maternity pay (see note)	^*1	^*1
Additional tax and national insurance contributions	15	20
	214	263
PSBR increases

	1987–88	1988–89
	£ million	£ million
Reimbursement of statutory maternity pay (flat-rate element) to employers	112	137
Reimbursement of statutory maternity pay (earnings-related element) to employers	70	80
Increased sickness benefit and supplementary benefit	^*19	^*23
	201	240

Note:

Maternity pay is at present reduced by the standard rate of maternity allowance. These savings arise because of the proposed rate of the flat-rate element of the new statutory maternity pay is higher than the existing maternity allowance.

Within these figures, the net reduction in public expenditure attributable to women failing to qualify for benefit which they would have received under existing provisions — almost entirely those who had given up work before their pregnancies began—is estimated to be £29 million in 1988–89, the first year of the scheme not subject to transitional provision. At the same time, there will be additional expenditure on maternity allowance, or extra revenue forgone in reimbursement of statutory maternity pay, of some £11 million to women who would not have qualified under existing provisions.

Primary Health Care

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how widely the leaflet "Primary Health Care: The Government's Proposals for Discussion on Health Services Outside Hospital" has been distributed.

Copies of the leaflet have been distributed in England to family practitioner committees, district health authorities, local authorities and local authority social services departments, community health councils, and main libraries. Copies are also being sent to every general medical practitioner, general dental practitioner, community pharmacist and optician in contract with a family practitioner committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider making copies of his Department's Green Paper on primary health care available free to libraries, community health councils, and similar bodies, for consultation by members of the public.

Copies of the discussion document have been distributed to community health councils and to numerous voluntary and consumer bodies in England. Copies of the summary leaflet have been distributed to main libraries.

Age Concern England (Exhibition)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the work of Age Concern England to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that under procedures agreed by the Services Committee arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 16 June to Friday 20 June 1986.

Local Authority Finance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase there has been in the total sum received by local authorities from the Exchequer in the form of rent and rate rebates and housing benefit between the years 1982–83 and 1985–86.

The total sum received by local authorities from the Exchequer in respect of expenditure on rent and rate rebates, rent allowance and housing benefit, either in the form of direct subsidy or taken into account in calculating entitlement to block grant, was for 1982–83 £1,523 million and for 1985–86 £4,521 million.

Severe Weather Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the amounts of exceptionally severe weather payments paid by each local office in Scotland in 1986 to date; and if he will provide an estimate of the average payment made.

The information requested is not available and I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 19 May.

"Bridges Over Troubled Waters"

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations he has received about the Health Advisory Services' Report "Bridges Over Troubled Waters"; and whether he will make a statement;(2) whether he is satisfied with the national provision for the treatment of disturbed adolescents; and whether he will make a statement.

We have received several representations about the Report's references to the Bethlem and Maudsley hospitals, but none about the wider issues which the report addresses."Bridges Over Troubled Waters" highlights shortcomings in the services provided by the various authorities concerned with the care and treatment of disturbed adolescents. It contains over 100 recommendations for improvements. The majority of the recommendations are for action which can be taken at local level to improve the co-ordination and effectiveness of services. We shall this week be issuing a health notice inviting health and social services authorities to consider, in the light of these recommendations, what measures they can take to secure a more effective service.

Bethlem Royal And Maudsley Hospitals

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for High Wycombe (Mr. Whitney), received about the future of the Bethlem Royal hospital and the Maudsley hospital on his visit to the Maudsley hospital on 15 May; and whether he will make a statement.

I greatly appreciated the opportunity of meeting staff and patients and seeing something of the work of the joint hospitals during my visit last week. During my visit I received representations for additional funding, but these must be considered both against the increase of 5·9 per cent. in the budget granted over last year and in the light of other additional demands on the Health Service. I have agreed to meet representatives of the special health authority in order to discuss their proposals further, early next month.

Member's Correspondence

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the approximate time it takes his Department to reply to a letter from an hon. Member; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Drugs (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out in a table the latest expenditure in pounds sterling per head on drugs in those EEC countries for which figures are readily available.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 April 1986 c. 531]: The table contains the information requested by my hon. Friend. Expenditure figures for drugs in other countries of the European Community which have been obtained from the Organisation of Economic Corporation and Development, include the cost of drugs dispensed to consumers by pharmacies, and the cost of remunerating pharmacists. Expenditure on drugs by hospitals is excluded. The expenditure figures have been converted into sterling by means of general purchasing power parity exchange rates for 1982. Since the expenditure figures for the United Kingdom do not correspond exactly with the expenditure figures for other members of the European Community, comparisons of underlying expenditure levels can by only approximate.

Expenditure on Pharmaceutical Goods per Head of Population 1982^*
	£
Belgium	63·20
Denmark	20·20
France	84·30
Germany	96·60
Italy	51·10
Netherlands	45·60
United Kingdom†	37·50
^* Information from OECD sources is generally not available after 1982. Information for the United Kingdom is mainly derived from expenditure information for 1982–83.
† The United Kingdom expenditure figures include both the cost of the supply of drugs by Family Practitioner Services and the cost of remunerating pharmacists and dispensing doctors. An estimate for over-the-counter purchases of medicines, which was derived from national accounts sources was also included. The expenditure figures exclude the cost of drugs used by National Health Service hospitals and the cost of drugs used by private health services. Including the cost of drugs dispensed in NHS hospitals, the United Kingdom spent £42·70 on drugs per head of population in 1982.

Housing Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail changes in the housing benefit scheme since its inception, together with planned future changes, giving the number of claimants subject to changes to all or part of their entitlement, the average value of each the changes and the net savings to public expenditure; and if he will express each of these changes to public expenditure as a percentage of the total cost of the scheme.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1986, c. 229]: The principal changes made to the housing benefit scheme since its inception in April 1983 are as follows:

April 1984

Rent rebate taper above needs allowance increased 5 per cent. to 26 per cent.

Rate rebate taper above needs allowance increased 2 per cent. to 9 per cent.

18–20 year old non-dependant deductions incorporated into the adult rate and increased to £6·15 for rents and £2·05 rates, and deductions for 18–20 year olds on supplementary benefit on Youth Training Scheme abolished.

November 1984

Rent rebate taper above needs allowance increased 3 per cent. to 29 per cent.

Minimum payments above needs allowance increased to 50 pence.

Non-dependant deductions for 16–17 year olds not on supplementary benefit, Youth Training Scheme or non contributory invalidity pension introduced at the lower rate.

50 pence real improvement to dependant child's needs allowance.

April 1985

High rent scheme thresholds raised to 130 per cent. of average rents.

November 1985

Rate rebate taper above the needs allowance increased 4 per cent. to 13 per cent.

95 pence real improvement to dependant child's needs allowance.

The numbers affected by these changes and the net savings are given in the table. Estimates of the average effect of each change are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Planned adjustments to students' entitlement, non-dependent deductions for 21 to 24-year-olds, and entitlement of part III residents are subject to final consideration following consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee and the Local Authority Associations. The details of planned changes for April 1988, together with illustrations of the possible effects, are outlined in the White Paper 'Reform of Social Security" (Cmnd. 9691).

Estimated Expenditure Effects and Numbers of Households Affected by
Changes to the Housing Benefit Scheme^*
Great Britain
Date of Change	Net saving† at time of change £ million	Numbers affected at time of change (millions)	Saving as a proportion of total benefit expenditure in year of change (per cent)
April and November 1984	‡171	ob/2·3	4·1
April 1985	6	0·09	0·1
November 1985	45	2·0	1·0
^* It is not possible to aggregate the effects of the changes because they will overlap and in part be offset by the effects of upratings and other changes.
† Full-year figures, including rale rebate savings which are not classified as public expenditure.
‡ Estimated full-year cost in November 1984 of restoring the November 1983 tapers, minima and equivalent levels for non-dependent deductions and dependent child's needs allowance.
\| \|Excludes those whose benefit increased.

National Insurance Contributions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the gain to the National Insurance Fund or the Exchequer of removing the upper earnings limit from national insurance payments for the self-employed (a) with present tax relief and (b) without it.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1986, c. 78]: If the upper profits limit for class 4 national insurance contributions for the self-employed were removed from 6 April 1986 the full year effect on the national insurance fund including treasury supplement and interest, is estimated to be a gain of £205 million. (This figure is calculated on the same basis as the Report by the Government Actuary on the draft of the Social Security (Contributions, Re-rating) Order 1985, (Cmnd 9672).).The hon. Gentleman's question contains alternative assumptions about tax relief on the additional class 4 contributions that would be raised if the upper profits limit were abolished. Tax relief has no effect on the class 4 receipts to the national insurance fund, but does, of course, affect the tax receipts to the Exchequer. If, on the one assumption, tax relief was available on 50 per cent. of the additional class 4 contributions collected above the upper profit limit, the tax forgone would be in the order of £40 million. If, on the other assumption, tax relief was removed entirely, the extra tax collected in respect of 50 per cent. of class 4 contributions below the upper profit limit (currently eligible for relief) would be about £60 million.

Mobility Allowance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give the number of applications for mobility allowance in each quarter of the last five years; and if he will give a percentage that are successful for each quarter;(2) how many people applied for mobility allowance; and what percentage were successful in each quarter for the last five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 May 1986, c. 588]: Information is not available in the precise form requested. The table shows the number of initial claims decided, and the percentage of those that were successful, in each of the specified quarters.

Year	Quarter	Number of claims decided	Percentage successful
1981	1	14,300	67
	2	14,200	66
	3	17,900	67
	4	14,400	69
1982	1	19,800	70
	2	20,100	67
	3	27,000	66
	4	21,100	66
1983	1	23,300	68
	2	25,100	66
	3	25,600	66
	4	32,800	65
1984	1	26,700	69
	2	24,400	69
	3	29,400	69
	4	27,600	70
1985	1	29,500	70
	2	28,000	68

Year	Quarter	Number of claims decided	Percentage successful
	3	35,100	64
	4	37,200	63
1986	1	35,200	66

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the amount of money saved by his Department each year by the failure of people to claim benefits for which they would be eligible.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: No estimates are available for unemployment benefit. For supplementary benefit payable to the unemployed (including appropriate housing costs) it is estimated, on 1981 family expenditure survey data, that £410 million was unclaimed throughout the year.

Surrogate Mothers

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to amend the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985 so as to make payments to surrogate mothers for the keeping of a diary during their pregnancy a specific criminal offence; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: I understand the recently reported case involving surrogate mothers receiving payments for keeping a diary is the subject of police investigation under the Surrogacy Arrangements Act. I shall keep the need for amending legislation under review.

National Finance

Profit-Sharing Schemes

44.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received since the Budget on the Government's initial proposals for encouraging profit-sharing schemes.

The preliminary discussions with employers and others referred to in my right hon. Friend's Budget speech are under way. There has been a discussion in the National Economic Development Council. In addition, a small number of letters from members of the public has been received.

European Community Budget

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his answer of 7 May, Official Report, column 137, concerning the appropriations under the European Economic Community budget, he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the principal items of non-agricultural expenditure for 1985 and 1986.

The information is as follows:

mecu
	1985	1986^*	1986†
Agricultural Structures	688	769	+100

	1985	1986^*	1986†
Common Fisheries and Marine Policy	112	186
Regional Development and Transport sectors	1,698	2,278	+150
Social Sector	1,626	1,886	+500
Energy, Industry, Research and Market sectors	707	748	—
Co-operation with Developing and non Member Countries	1,044	1,100	—
Repayments and Reserves	1,272	3,108	+145
Administration	1,332	1,599	—
Total	8,478‡	11,674	895

Source: Official Journal of the European Communities - general budgets for 1985 and 1986.

^* 1986 main budget. Excludes the elements added by the European Parliament to the Council's second reading budget.

† 1986 draft supplementary budget. Details contained in Commission press release of 30 April.

‡ Because of rounding, this figure does not equal exactly the sum of the items.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operation of the financial guidelines for the EC budget on the same basis as the answer of 14 May 1985, Official Report, columns 84–85, to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby.

The financial guidelines for EC agricultural spending in 1986 was subsequently reduced to 20,619 million ecu for the Community of Ten. There has been no further change. The EC Commission has proposed a supplementary budget in excess of the guideline, on the ground that expenditure requirements have been increased by exogenous factors, such as the fall in the value of the US dollar against the ecu. These matters will be for consideration by the Council of Budget Ministers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the forecast contribution to the European Economic Community budget this year, including supplementaries, as a percentage of the contribution in 1979 in terms of sterling, (b) the corresponding increase in expenditure by the United Kingdom Government and (c) the increase in the retail prices index.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: The Government's latest forecast of the United Kingdom's net payments to the Community budget is that published in the public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9702). This does not take account of this year's supplementary budget. The comparison between the White Paper forecast for 1986–87 and the outturn for 1979–80, together with the change in the public expenditure planning total for the same period, is as follows. Details of the retail price index for 1986 are not available; however, the growth in the index between 1979 and 1985 is also shown.

	1979–80	1986–87	Percentage increase decrease
	£ million	£ million
Net payments to EC budget	884	796	-10·0
Public expenditure planning total^*	77,600	139,100	+79·3

Source: Relevant Public Expenditure White Papers.

^* Rounded to the nearest £100 million.

Growth in retail price index (1975=100)

1979

1985

Percentage increase

165·8

276·8

+66·9

Source: "Economic Trends", March 1986.

European Monetary System

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has about the role of central banks in European Economic Community states which are full members of the European monetary system in respect of participation within the European monetary system; and how this role compares with the present role of the Bank of England.

This is a matter for the member states concerned, but I have no reason to suppose that participation in the exchange rate mechanism has led to constitutional changes in the role of central banks in those member states.

Imf Adjustment Programme

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to put forward proposals at the International Monetary Fund for a full study of the effects on children and the poor of the proposed International Monetary Fund adjustment programme before it is approved.

The provision of financial assistance by the IMF in support of agreed adjustment programmes is intended to enable countries with balance of payments difficulties to achieve the necessary adjustment over a longer time and at a lower social and economic cost than would otherwise be possible. Within this framework it is the responsibility of the debtor countries themselves to decide domestic priorities. In co-operation with the World Bank the IMF also seeks to encourage the countries concerned to implement economic reforms which will promote higher growth and employment in the longer term.The IMF recognises the particular difficulties faced by the poorest countries in carrying out economic reforms and has recently agreed to set up a new structural adjustment facility totalling SDR 2·7 bn. This will provide loans at highly concessional rates to 60 of the poorest countries undertaking medium-term structural adjustment programmes.

Income Tax And National Insurance

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total revenue obtained from income tax plus national insurance contributions together in each year since 1978–79 at current and at constant 1978–79 prices.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 May 1986, c. 564.]: The information requested is as follows:

£ million
		Current prices	At 1978–79 prices^*
	1978–79	29,166	29,166
	1979–80	32,934	28,187
	1980–81	39,327	28,374

	Current prices	At 1978–79 prices^*
1981–82	45,050	29,532
1982–83	49,177	30,115
1983–84	52,600	30,854
1984–85	55,219	31,086
^* Using the GDP deflator.

The figures comprise taxes paid by persons (net of tax credits), and national insurance, national health, redundancy fund and maternity fund contributions paid by employees and employers.

The figures are on a national accounts accruals basis.

Defence

Raf Mount Pleasant

42.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the move from RAF Stanley to RAF Mount Pleasant has now been completed; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The new international airport at Mount Pleasant, which will be used by both Service and civil aircraft, became fully operational on 1 May 1986. All concerned in this project, particularly the Property Services Agency and the construction consortium of Laing, Mowlem and Amey Roadstone, can be justifiably proud of their achievement in completing an international airport on a green field site 8,500 miles from Britain in less that two and a half years.

Chemical Weapons (Nato)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to ensure that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation gives a public commitment to no first use of chemical weapons; and if he will make a statement.

All the members of NATO are parties to the 1925 Geneva protocol which prohibits the use of chemical weapons, although some countries have reserved the right to retaliate with chemical weapons against states which first use chemical weapons against them. All NATO countries are therefore in effect committed to no first use of chemical weapons.

United States Military Interests (Wales)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence at which military establishments in Wales United States military interests are represented.

The United States armed forces are represented in Wales by a permanent presence at RAF Brawdy in Dyfed and RAF Caerwent in Gwent.

Army Equipment Exhibition

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will now make it his policy to publish the names of the countries invited to the British Army equipment exhibition;(2) whether countries with records of human rights violations and countries involved in armed conflict will be invited to the British Army equipment exhibition.

I shall answer shortly.

Falkland Islands Exclusion Zone (Harassment)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the harassment of shipping within the Falkland Islands exclusion zone by an Argentine vessel; and if he will make a statement.

The garrison's task is to monitor activity in the Falkland Islands protection zone and take such action as may be necessary. Our information is that the Japanese vessel the Chidori Maru was arrested by an Argentine vessel on May 10 outside the zone. No threat was posed to the Falkland Islands.

Turkey (Ministerial Visit)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which arms manufacturers are accompanying the Minister of State for Defence Procurement in his delegation to Turkey commencing on 21 May.

I shall answer shortly.

United States Air Force (Military Aircraft)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any civil airports in Scotland have been authorised for use by United States Air Force fighter planes or bombers.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 May 1986, c. 546]: United States Air Force combat aircraft were authorised to use Edinburgh airport for transit purposes as part of a routine NATO exercise which took place from 3 March to 16 March 1986. No other civil airport in Scotland has been authorised recently for actual use by United States combat aircraft. Contingency plans for transition to war envisage the use of a number of civil airports in Scotland by the United States Air Force, as well as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, but the details are classified.

Volume 98: debated on Tuesday 20 May 1986

Written Answers To Questions

Education And Science

Schools (Resources)

Brixton Church Of England Primary School, Plymouth

Capital Expenditure

Barnsley College Of Technology

Teacher Training

Attorney-General

Corporal Peter Clark

Cyprus Secrets Trial

Home Department

Police Manpower

News International, Wapping

Broadcasting (Political Bias)

Television (All-Night Programmes)

Mr Peter Harvey

Immigration Officers (Airports)

Adults And Children (Sexual Contacts)

Liverpool (Ministerial Visit)

Prison Service (Garages)

Prime Minister

Engagements

Housebuilding Statistics

Wales

Children's Ent Hospital, Cardiff

Cyngor Dosbarth Dwyfor

Housing

Enterprise Express

Visual Arts

Bathing Beaches

Youth Training Scheme

Orion Electric

Hospital Beds

Production And Construction Industries

Hospitals (United States Authorities)

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Cincinnati Slaughter Pens

Slaughterhouses

Radiation (Milk)

Farm Incomes

Beer

Environment

Defective Housing

Radiation (Public Inquiry Service)

Graphite Fires (Consultations)

Property Services Agency (Museums)

Gloucestershire And Cheltenham (Rate Support Grant)

Nirex

Labour Mobility

Sports Clubs And Premises (De-Rating)

Nuclear-Free Zones

Ealing (Housing)

Mansfield

Blackburn

Newham

Water Authorities (Privatisation)

Radioactive Waste

Nuclear Energy

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Hong Kong

Petty Officer John Black

Employment

Training Grants

Acas (Code)

Young Workers Scheme

Small Businesses

Greater London

Employment Committee (Report)

Area Manpower Boards (Membership)

Tourist Industry

Labour Statistics

Merseyside

Local Enterprise Agencies

Workfare Schemes

Youth Training Scheme

Suffolk

Self-Employment

American Tourists