Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 12 February 1987

Wales

Horticultural Development Council

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the work of the Horticultural Development Council in Wales during 1986.

The first financial year of the Horticultural Development Council does not end until 30 September 1987. The council is not expected to report to Ministers on its work before then.

Annual Review Of Agriculture

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the corresponding tables

	Entered Employment (Per cent.)		On a full-time course (Per cent.)		Unemployed (Per cent.)
	April-July 1986	April-July 1985	April-July 1986	April-July 1985	April-July 1986	April-July 1985
Gwent	50	52	2	1	32	32
Dyfed and West Glamorgan	52	47	4	3	30	37
Mid and South Glamorgan	56	45	2	1	32	43
Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys	59	55	3	3	29	29
Wales	55	50	3	2	31	36

Tvei

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what funds have been made available by his Department specifically to ensure teaching of the technical and vocational educational initiative schemes through the medium of Welsh in each year since the scheme's inception.

The technical and vocational educaton initiative is funded by the Manpower Services Commission in response to bids from local education authorities. To date no specific funding has been provided for the provision of TVEI through the medium of Welsh, though a number of LEAs have used general TVEI funding to develop Welsh medium or bilingual courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what funds have been made available to secure the provision of Welsh-medium in-service teacher training to support the technical and vocational education initiative in Wales in each year since the inception of the scheme.

The in-service teacher training scheme related to the technical vocational and education initiative is funded by the Manpower Services Commission. TRIST is an interim scheme introduced in advance of the passing of the Education (No. 2) Act. This Act provides for a new, more widely drawn scheme, to be operated by the Department from April 1987.

for Wales to those published in the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1987", Cm. 67 as tables 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 21, 22 and 26.

I shall reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Yts

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of those leaving YTS schemes in each training division area in Wales (a) entered employment, (b) entered further education, and (c) were subsequently unemployed; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since the scheme's inception.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. Since April 1985, 100 per cent. surveys of the destination of YTS leavers have been undertaken three months after youngsters leave the scheme. Surveys prior to that date were of a 15 per cent. sample only.A comparison between the latest figures available and those for the same period a year earlier are shown in the following table:A total of £70,000 has been made available through the TRIST arrangements for a collaborative project under which six local education authorities are commissioning Welsh-medium teacher training materials in the new technologies. A further £10,000 has been approved for the dissemination of this material.Apart from this, much of the funding made directly available to local education authorities for TRIST is being used to promote Welsh-medium teacher training, especially in Gwynedd. whose allocation is £150,000 for the five-term duration of the TRIST scheme ending in March 1987. Further funds are now being made available for the general dissemination of the TRIST experience to ensure its continuity within the new Welsh Office in-service teacher training arrangements. Wherever possible this material is being translated into Welsh.

Jobcentres

asked the Secretary of State for Wales which jobcentres in Wales have been closed since 1979, and which have been newly opened during the same period; and whether there are plans to make further closures or to open new centres.

Since 1979 two jobcentres in Wales have closed, two have opened and four have merged with neighbouring jobcentres:

Closed	Opened	Merged
Llandovery	Caldicot	Swansea (Castle Street) with Swansea (Grove House)
Bethesda	Abergele (part time)	Cardiff (St. Mary Street) with Cardiff (The Friary)
		Treforest Industrial Estate with Pontypridd
		Bridgend Industrial Estate with Bridgend

Source: MSC Wales.

Two new jobcentres are planned, for Cardiff and Blaina. There are no plans to close any further jobcentres.

Voluntary Projects Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many unemployed people have taken part in the voluntary projects programme in Wales in each year since its inception.

Available information relates to financial years and is as follows:

Financial year	Voluntary project programme participants
1982–83 (part year only)	1,421
1983–84	5,335
1984–85	6,167
1985–86	4,913
1986–87 (to December 1986)	6,601

Source: MSC Wales.

These totals will include a small number of employed supervisory staff.

Rescue Archaeology

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated by his Department for rescue archaeology in Wales in each financial year since 1978–79; and what is the estimted expenditure for 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89.

Year	Youth Opportunities Programme/Youth Training Scheme £ million	Training Opportunities Schemes/Adult Training Programme £ million	Enterprise Allowance Scheme £ million	Voluntary Projects Programme £ million	Restart Programme £ million
1978–79	4·802	7·244	—	—	—
1979–80	9·580	6·599	—	—	—
1980–81	16·481	6·734	—	—	—
1981–82	26·100	5·854	—	—	—
1982–83	33·187	5·612	0·361	0·015	—
1983–84	38·126	6·260	1·671	0·288	—
1984–85	43·684	11·893	4·989	0·753	—
1985–86	45·471	11·844	7·291	0·978	—
1986–87 (Projected)	50·207	12·690	9·500	1·025	1·381

Labour Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many people in each (a) travel-to-work area and (b) parliamentary constituency in Wales have been unemployed for (i) six months or less, (ii) between six months and a year, (iii) between one and two years and (iv) over two years; what proportion they represent of the work force; and what are the corresponding figures and proportions for each year since 1979;(2) how many people in each

(a) parliamentary constituency and (b) travel-to-work area in Wales between the ages of 16 years and 21 years are (i)

Since 1980–81 the money allocated by the Department to the archaeological trusts responsible for rescue archaeology in Wales is as follows:

	£
1980–81	295,301
1981–82	321,751
1982–83	352,161
1983–84	350,000
1984–85	367,000
1985–86	392,000
1986–87	450,000
1987–88	480,000
1988–89	—

The figures for 1978–79 and 1979–80 are not available. The figures provided for 1987–88 are still subject to parliamentary approval, while those for 1988–89 have not yet been determined.

Msc Schemes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on each of the various Manpower Services Commission schemes in Wales in each year since their inception; and what is the projected expenditure for 1986–87.

Expenditure on Manpower Services Commission schemes in Wales was not separately identified before 1978–79. The information requested is shown in the following table:unemployed, (ii) in full-time education and (iii) on Government-sponsored training schemes; what proportion each category represents of the population of that age group in those areas; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Water Supplies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what financial assistance is available from his department to local authorities in Wales to assist them in ensuring adequate water supplies to the public.

Grant-aid at the rate of 35 per cent. of eligible expenditure is available through the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts 1944 to 1971 for the first time provision of mains water and sewerage facilities in rural areas in respect of projects requisitioned by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what funds have been made available for conversion from common water supply systems to separate supply pipe systems through the Welsh water authority since 1979.

No specific funds have been made available by central Government to the Welsh water authority for the conversion of common water supply systems to separate supply pipe systems. Details of the authority's expenditure on such schemes is not held centrally; I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Gentleman directly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to how many homes in

	1979			1980			1981			1982
	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.
Aberconwy	151	99	66	203	153	75	159	144	91	130	100	11
Alyn and Deeside	301	274	91	250	233	93	205	185	90	237	227	96
Arfon	80	80	100	59	43	73	50	34	68	55	44	80
Blaenau Gwent	333	281	84	361	290	80	388	295	76	464	362	78
Brecknock	69	38	55	114	67	59	86	33	38	157	35	22
Cardiff	690	616	89	1,410	1,121	80	973	835	86	1,053	940	89
Carmarthen	187	114	61	160	83	52	152	99	65	127	72	57
Ceredigion	94	73	78	102	98	96	92	91	99	103	97	94
Colwyn	55	49	89	40	40	100	42	35	83	72	65	90
Cynon Valley	898	854	95	1,018	987	97	965	914	95	985	897	91
Delyn	175	149	85	151	122	81	264	209	79	240	210	88
Dinefwr	49	49	100	34	13	38	35	31	89	108	79	73
Dwyfor	138	133	96	60	55	92	106	80	76	74	64	87
Glyndwr	56	28	50	54	44	82	63	39	62	39	26	67
Islwyn	189	175	93	175	153	87	159	144	91	68	62	91
Llanelli	133	105	79	100	72	72	140	79	56	179	112	63
Lliw Valley	113	113	100	129	129	100	134	134	100	140	140	100
Meirionnydd	369	137	37	489	131	27	235	88	37	145	108	75
Merthyr Tydfil	454	344	76	392	314	80	272	191	70	238	143	60
Monmouth	515	250	49	380	243	64	532	422	79	434	350	81
Montgomeryshire	124	96	77	110	78	71	125	107	86	89	86	97
Neath	481	389	81	583	480	82	624	536	86	n/a	n/a	n/a
Newport	864	483	56	1,110	505	46	1,358	673	50	1,300	643	50
Ogwr	338	211	62	343	236	69	517	424	82	736	667	91
Port Talbot (Afan)	170	167	98	133	122	92	94	88	94	112	106	95
Preseli	135	95	70	164	129	79	130	116	89	97	78	80
Radnor	19	19	100	38	36	95	45	45	100	14	14	100
Rhondda	569	529	93	834	798	96	1,164	1,125	97	1,049	1,010	96
Rhuddlan	237	228	96	139	127	91	172	167	97	257	230	90
Rhymney Valley	534	528	99	720	720	100	510	510	100	284	284	100
South Pembrokeshire	143	119	83	188	149	79	181	159	88	202	114	56
Swansea	1,604	337	21	1,838	700	38	2,820	1,041	37	1,887	905	48
Taff-Ely	390	307	79	253	212	84	200	188	94	188	180	96
Torfaen	1,049	749	71	978	688	70	723	583	81	790	512	65
Vale of Glamorgan	620	601	97	749	696	93	636	619	97	1,314	1,300	99
Wrexham Maelor	235	162	69	471	344	73	353	260	74	212	188	89
Ynys Mon	137	137	100	83	83	100	33	33	100	26	26	100

Note: Homelessness data by number of persons for Neath in 1982 are not available.

each district health authority area in Wales which were previously supplied with water by a common supply pipe have had a separate supply pipe installed under the common supply pipe scheme.

Such information is not held centrally. I have asked the chairman of the Welsh water authority to write direct to the hon. Gentleman.

Historic Buildings Council

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the next annual report of the Historic Buildings Council for Wales.

The latest published report of the Historic Buildings Council was laid before Parliament in October 1986. A further report is expected later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many people were accepted as homeless by each local authority in Wales in 1986; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979;(2) how many homeless persons were housed by each of the Welsh housing authorities in Wales in each year since 1979; and what proportion of those accepted as homeless in each area they represent.

[pursuant to the reply, 22 January 1987, c. 683–84]: The information requested is shown in the following tables:

	1983			1984			1985			1986 January-September
	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.	Persons accepted	Persons housed	Per cent.
Aberconwy	99	64	65	167	102	61	74	51	69	97	81	84
Alyn and Deeside	251	217	87	239	208	87	427	321	75	304	244	80
Arfon	61	55	90	38	31	82	62	62	100	30	26	87
Blaenau Gwent	459	343	75	453	346	76	444	387	87	368	268	73
Brecknock	152	58	38	134	84	63	217	78	36	130	43	33
Cardiff	730	660	90	862	819	95	1,646	1,572	96	1,455	1,343	92
Carmarthen	192	80	42	136	78	57	218	110	51	117	75	64
Ceredigion	149	142	95	203	126	62	149	142	95	97	86	89
Colwyn	55	45	82	60	57	95	71	71	100	64	60	94
Cynon Valley	1,207	1,069	89	959	836	87	840	791	94	726	688	95
Delyn	197	158	80	255	198	78	297	242	82	260	214	82
Dinefwr	31	31	100	67	61	91	104	92	89	82	76	93
Dwyfor	69	65	94	124	116	94	126	106	84	97	85	88
Glyndwr	37	37	100	52	39	75	64	50	78	43	37	86
Islwyn	118	101	86	143	119	83	139	129	93	108	105	97
Llanelli	219	149	68	213	171	80	227	180	79	271	215	79
Lliw Valley	119	116	98	204	201	99	158	158	100	157	157	100
Meirionnydd	159	120	76	106	101	95	106	92	87	111	76	69
Merthyr Tydfil	253	203	80	232	165	71	225	184	82	140	105	75
Monmouth	475	382	80	447	376	84	717	560	78	518	436	84
Montgomeryshire	83	72	87	58	38	66	52	37	71	62	59	95
Neath	1,016	855	84	963	823	86	806	620	77	587	487	83
Newport	1,218	486	40	1,199	569	48	1,513	535	35	925	371	40
Ogwr	599	514	86	448	352	79	826	541	66	1,259	857	68
Port Talbot (Afan)	160	141	88	226	209	93	164	136	83	233	183	79
Preseli	96	87	91	78	62	80	148	138	93	97	92	95
Radnor	19	19	100	34	34	100	54	54	100	18	18	100
Rhondda	852	817	96	479	470	98	317	294	93	231	225	97
Rhuddlan	268	262	98	204	179	88	242	234	97	181	169	93
Rhymney Valley	418	418	100	344	344	100	629	539	86	497	443	89
South Pembrokeshire	230	144	63	280	142	51	224	88	39	119	69	58
Swansea	1,416	678	48	1,396	594	43	762	678	89	475	435	92
Taff-Ely	158	150	95	176	164	93	186	167	90	212	200	94
Torfaen	675	479	71	421	222	53	431	296	56	692	530	77
Vale of Glamorgan	896	874	98	726	708	98	570	552	97	334	333	100
Wrexham Maelor	238	178	75	439	111	25	411	220	54	440	199	45
Ynys Mon	44	44	100	54	54	100	50	50	100	62	62	100

Employment

Community Programme

asked the Paymaster General how many participants there were on the community programme in 1986; and how many are anticipated for the current year.

In the 12 months to 12 December 1986, the latest date for which statistics are available, there were 307,405 entrants to the community programme.In 1987, we expect that the community programme will continue to provide opportunities for around 300,000 people.

Nuclear Safety

asked the Paymaster General if he will list for each of the last five years the amount of money spent by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on assessing emergency plans and emergency plan exercises.

This information is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the House Library.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the persons employed by the nuclear installations inspectorate who have been involved in the assessment of emergency plans for nuclear power stations; if he will list their area of expertise, qualifications and previous employment; and if he will list any outside consultants employed by the nuclear installations inspectorate in assessing emergency plans, giving in each case their area of expertise.

It is not the policy of the Health and Safety Executive to make public personal details of staff or outside consultants employed by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate and who may be involved in the assessment of emergency plans for nuclear power stations. Information on the expertise and so on of inspectors and outside consultants will be found in the Health and Safety Executive's publication "The Work of Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.The inspectorate uses its own staff to assess emergency plans.

Professional And Executive Recruitment

asked the Paymaster General how many people have been placed in jobs in Wales by Professional and Executive Recruitment in each year since its establishment; and during each of those years (a) how many people from outside Wales were placed in jobs in Wales, (b) how many people from Wales were placed in jobs in Wales and (c) how many people from Wales were placed in jobs outside Wales.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Prime Minister

President Reagan

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to meet President Reagan in the near future.

I have no plans to meet President Reagan in the near future.

Fraserburgh

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Fraserburgh.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Engagements

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today.

Anglo-Irish Agreement

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received from the leader of the Alliance party in Northern Ireland regarding the conditions attached to that party's support for the Anglo-Irish agreement.

The leader of the Alliance party, Mr. Cushnahan, wrote to me on 26 November 1986 setting out his party's views on a number of matters relating to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. I sent him a full reply on 15 December. The correspondence has been published. Copies of both letters are being placed in the Library.

Nuclear Accidents

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 18 December 1986, Official Report, column 612, in the event of a nuclear accident in Britain, which member of the Government would take the lead in co-ordinating Government action.

Responsibility for co-ordinating Government action in the event of a nuclear accident in the United Kingdom would depend on the circumstances and locality of the accident. The relevant Ministers are the Secretaries of State for Energy, Defence, Scotland and Transport.

asked the Prime Minister if, in the light of recommendation 6(a) of the report on the Sizewell public inquiry by Sir Frank Layfield, concerning a review by the Health and Safety Executive of the extent of the area covered by emergency plans, and. pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Cash) on 18 December, Official Report, column 612, she will place in the Library copies of any post-Chernobyl review papers relating to (a) the adequacy of the areas covered by existing emergency plans for nuclear sites and (b) the costs or practicability of extending the areas covered by emergency plans for nuclear sites; and if she will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Cash) on 18 December 1986.

Defence

Tactical Missile System

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about United Kingdom involvement in plans for a new tactical missile system.

I shall answer shortly.

Swynnerton Range

asked the Secretary of State for Defence who has tendered for the range at Swynnerton near Stone; and if he will make a statement.

Following evaluation of eight competitive tenders, a contract for the provision of support services at the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Cold Meece near Swynnerton was placed with RCA Ltd. on 1 February 1987.

Armoured Production

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider establishing a European research development unit to harmonise and economise on armoured production; and if he will make a astatement.

No. For the present this aim is best served by continuing to work through our existing machinery for promoting international collaboration. This machinery includes the independent European group, the NATO conference of national armaments directors, and our various bilateral arrangements with NATO Allies, in all of which we are working actively to increase collaboration.

Defence Projects

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will provide to the Comptroller and Auditor General within the framework agreed for provision of information on projects the sums to date expended under (a) project definition, (b) development and (c) manufature of the Zircon project.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in 11 February 1987.

Squadron Leader Hare

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to restrain Squadron Leader Hare from making unauthorised statements to the press; and what disciplinary action has been taken with regard to unauthorised statements to the press by Royal Air Force officers in the course of the last month.

"Queen's Regulations (RAF)" contain provisons governing not only contacts with the press but also the correct procedure to be followed by officers who wish to state a complaint. Squadron Leader Hare has been interviewed and reminded of these. Unauthorised statements to the press by Royal Air Force officers are unusual; it has not been necessary to take any disciplinary action in the course of the last month.

Royal Air Force

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of Royal Air Force pilots short of establishment.

The Royal Air Force at present has sufficient pilots to fill cockpits; at 1 January 1987 it was 19 short of the overall requirement for trained pilots.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots applying for premature early retirement from the Royal Air Force have been removed from flying duties in each of the past three years.

Since October 1986, it has been the policy to review the future employment of pilots in flying appointments who have applied for premature voluntary release in order that the RAF does not invest further valuable experience and expensive training on those who have indicated a wish to leave. However, each case is considered on its merits in the light of the service interest. As a result of this policy, since 1 October 1986, 11 pilots have been posted to and are now serving in ground appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots and navigators in the Royal Air Force qualified for, and capable of, flying duties of the rank of (a) pilot officer, (b) flight lieutenant, (c) squadron leader and (d) group captain are at present engaged in non-flying duties.

The number of pilots and nagivators, by rank, qualified and capable of flying duties who, on 1 January 1987, were posted to non-flying duties was:

	Pilots	Navigators	Total
Group Captain	98	29	127
Wing Commander	235	113	348
Squadron Leader	296	330	626
Flight Lieutenant	154	196	350
Flag Officer	2	3	5
Pilot Officer	0	0	0
Total	785	671	1,456

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots indicated a wish to apply for premature early retirement and then withdrew their applications on being informed that if they continued with their application they would be removed from flying duties in each of the past three years.

Officers are not required to explain their reasons for withdrawing PVR applications. However, since October 1986 when the policy to consider posting from flying appointments officers who apply to PVR was introduced, five pilots have withdrawn their applications.

Pensions

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North on 2 February, Official Report, column 516, he will state the number of service men and women who received lump sums or pensions under the armed forces pension scheme for each year since the scheme came into operation.

It is not possible to provide the information requested without disproportionate cost.

Royal Navy (Drugs)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the anti-drug enforcement measures currently in use in the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.

The Royal Navy has a comprehensive set of measures to combat drug abuse, as do the other two services. Extensive and regular education is given, and active steps are taken to uncover possible abuse. All suspicions and allegations are investigated thoroughly, and where there is sufficient evidence the case is brought to trial either by the naval authorities or the civil courts. The sentences awarded by naval authorities are severe, nearly always involving a period in dentention and often dismissal from the service. Administrative discharge is considered where trial is inappropriate or following a civil conviction. Counselling is arranged for all offenders whether discharged or retained. These measures are regularly reviewed and updated.

Education And Science

Universities (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will announce the recurrent grants allocated to universities for the academic year 1987–88 by the University Grants Committee, along with the provisional allocations for future years.

The University Grants Committee's initial allocation of recurrent grant to universities in 1987–88, along with provisional indications of the basic distribution for 1988–89 and 1989–90, is shown in the table. Copies of the general letter of guidance that the chairman of the UGC has sent to all universities have been placed in the Library. The general letter will be followed in about a week's time by an institutional annex about student numbers and funding for individual universities. These annexes will also be placed in the Library.The total grant distributed by the UGC as announced in the table does not include items which it is the UGC's practice to allocate separately, such as local authority rates, the overseas research student awards scheme and the committee's small central reserve. Nor does it include provision which is to be allocated separately in respect of certain initiatives, some of which were referred to in my right hon. Friend's announcement on 6 November 1986 at columns 487–91, in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key).The total recurrent grant available to the UGC in 1987–88 is £1,432 million, of which £150 million will be distributed later in addition to the amounts shown in the table.

University or college	Basic distribution	Recurrent grant	Provisional basic distributions
	1987–88 £ million	1987–88 £ million	1988–89 £ million	1989–90 £ million
Aston	15·298	15·66	15·489	15·655
Bath	14·481	14·70	15·482	16·383
Birmingham	39·085	39·99	40·066	40·979
Bradford	15·310	15·69	15·704	16·071
Bristol	31·566	31·92	33·355	34·978
Brunei	13·480	13·61	13·801	14·098
Cambridge	45·905	47·03	48·195	50·287
City	11·843	11·96	12·010	12·156
Durham	17·601	17·95	17·684	17·761
East Anglia	15·073	15·33	14·598	14·393
Essex	9·037	9·24	9·333	9·611
Exeter	16·407	16·59	17·175	17·879
Hull	14·726	1·504	15·014	15·277
Kecle	8·586	8·67	8·513	8·494
Kent	11·496	11·82	12·165	12·772
Lancaster	14·288	14·48	14·729	15·145
Leeds	44·085	44·60	45·114	46·067
Leicester	18·936	19·18	19·616	20·252
Liverpool	38·756	39·24	39·662	40·501
London Business School	1·901	1·92	1·777	1·718
London University	248·100	253·33	258·137	267·414
(of which Imperial College)	31·634	32·40	32·506	33·323
Loughborough	19·469	20·50	20·549	21·530
Manchester Business School	1·122	1·13	0·942	0·855
Manchester	49·982	51·33	52·184	54·211
U.M.I.S.T.	17·270	17·51	17·739	18·177
Newcastle	32·628	33·23	33·060	33·437
Nottingham	28·986	29·58	30·135	31·200
Oxford	46·602	47·42	48·578	50·402
Reading	19·534	19·73	19·985	20·402
Salford	13·532	14·76	13·993	14·426
Sheffield	32·569	34·13	33·246	33·867
Southampton	27·210	2·807	28·871	30·372
Surrey	13·449	13·90	13·865	14·257
Sussex	15·275	15·53	16·147	16·939
Warwick	19·968	20·89	21·396	22·678
York	12·406	12·78	13·294	14·091
Total England	995·962	1,018·44	1,031·603	1,064·735
Aberystwyth UC	10·343	10·46	10·496	10·632
Bangor UC	11·095	11·60	10·924	10·862
Cardiff UC	17·409	17·60	17·664	17·889
St. David's Lampeter	2·046	2·08	2·118	2·186
Swansea UC	13·761	14·21	13·928	14·072
U.W.C.M.	7·093	7·22	7·410	7·702
U.W.I.S.T.	8·968	907	9·289	9·589
Welsh Registry	2·315	2·32	2,391	2,461
Total Wales	73·030	74·56	74·220	75·393
Aberdeen	22·467	22·74	22·029	21·856
Dundee	15·062	15·25	14·305	13·959
Edinburgh	45·504	46·59	46·235	46·890
Glasgow	46·439	47·69	48·188	49·817
Heriot-Watt	11·247	11·78	11·759	12·229
St. Andrews	11·561	11·69	11·797	12·013
Stirling	8·290	8·38	8·369	8·434
Strathclyde	24·438	25·29	25·477	26·436
Total Scotland	185·008	189·41	188·159	191·634
Total Great Britain	1,254·000	1,282·41	1,293·982	1,331·762

Schools (Finance)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the guidelines supplied to shire county education authorities on applying for capital grants in the financial year 1987–88.

My right hon. Friend does not make capital grants to local education authorities. The Department's letter of 30 June 1986, a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House, invites all local education authorities to submit information about their capital expenditure plans for 1987–88 as a basis for the formulation of expenditure allocations for that year, and gives guidance about the form in which that information should be supplied.

Chancellors School

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from pupils and parents regarding the future of Chancellors school, Brookmans Park; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations.

Trafford

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will meet representatives of Trafford education committee and the Salford Roman Catholic diocese to discuss the reorganisation of secondary education in Trafford.

My right hon. Friend has received no request for such a meeting.

Secondary Schools (Substandard Places)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil on 9 February, Official Report, column 27, concerning recent information on substandard places in secondary schools, what comparable information is available from responses made by local education authorities in other years since 1979; if he will place copies in the Library of each circular letter sent by his Department in any year since 1979 requesting information on substandard secondary places or schools; if he will publis in the Official Report a table similar to that given in his reply of 9 February, showing figures for the earliest year since 1979 for which such figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Transport

M1 (Telephones)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many unserviceable telephones are there on the M1 motorway service stations between London and Wakefield; when they were reported faulty; and when they will be made serviceable.

On 6 February, 46 of the 147 public telephones provided at motorway service areas on M 1 were out of order. The 46 included telephones from which 999 calls could continue to be made. Some of the faults were reported more than two weeks ago.Provision and maintenance of the telephones is the responsibility of service area operators in association with British Telecom. I look to them to have the necessary repairs carried out as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when telephone number 830185 on the Rothersthorpe service station on the M1 southbound between Wakefield and London was reported as unserviceable; and when it will be repaired.

This is a matter for the operator of the Rothersthorpe motorway service area (Blue Boar). I understand that the telephones are checked daily, and faults reported almost immediately. I also understand BT gives high priority to repairing public telephones in motorway service areas.

Cars (Change Of Ownership)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of car owners changing cars notify change of ownership to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre; and if he will make a statement.

The DVLC register relates to vehicle keepers rather than owners. In 1986 some 8 million changes of keepership were notified to the centre, the number of such changes which were not notified is unknown, but is thought to be relatively small.

Private Hire Vehicles

asked the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his reply of 26 January, Official Report, column 2, in which respects the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 is not achieving its intended purpose so far as it relates to licensed private hire vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to discuss this question with my hon. Friend shortly.

M1 Service Stations

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the 1986 annual inspection was carried out on all the service stations on the M1 between London and Wakefield; and if he will identify individually each service station by name and date.

Inspections were last made at motorway service areas on the M1 as follows:

Service Area	Date
Woolley Edge	7 July 1986
Woodall	24 July 1986
Trowell	27 November 1986
Leicester Forest East	27 November 1986
Watford Gap	10 October 1986
Rothersthorpe	10 October 1986
Newport Pagnall	27 July 1986
Toddington	5 November 1986
Scratchwood	30 October 1985

A further inspection of Scratchwood will be made soon.

Transportation Of Hazardous Goods

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received on the minimum weight exemption level under the transportation of hazardous goods regulations after 1 April 1987;(2) what representations he has received regarding the permitted designs of refrigerated lorries following the 1 April implementation of the transportation of hazardous goods regulations;(3) if he will take steps to publicise the position of vehicles such as refrigerated lorries following the implementation of the transportation of hazardous goods regulations on 1 April;(4) how many currently operating vehicles will be excluded from British roads following the implementation of the transportation of hazardous goods regultations on 1 April.

New regulations—The Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages etc) Regulations—come into effect on 6 April 1987. They will not exclude any vehicles, nor contain any provisions specifically related to refrigerated vehicles. I have received no representations on the new provisions.If the hon. Gentleman has a particular point in mind, perhaps he could write to me.

Light Dues

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list information available to him on which maritime member states of the European Community charge users light dues; and, in each case, to which categories of users the charge applies.

Within the EC member states light dues are charged in Greece, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. I have no information about the scope of the charges in Greece, but in the Republic of Ireland I understand they are levied on the same categories of use as in the United Kingdom, although the rates may differ from time to time. The categories of use that are subject to charges in the United Kingdom at present are set out in the Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) Regulations 1981: I have laid a copy in the Library. My right hon. Friend announced on 5 February that he was considering extending light dues liability to the larger fishing vessels.

Baa (Shares)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about arrangements for employees to acquire shares in the offer for sale of BAA plc, formerly British Airports Authority.

It is our intention that BAA employees should have every encouragement to take a stake in their company when it is privatised. Special arrangements will therefore be made as follows.Most BAA employees will be eligible for about £100 worth of free shares at the time of the flotation. In addition, the Government will provide two free shares for each share purchased by an employee, up to a maximum of about £400 worth of free shares for £200 purchased. All employees and pensioners of BAA will be able to apply on a priority basis for shares at the offer price.

Environment

Private Flats

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now proposes to introduce legislation to strengthen the rights of residents of private flats and to give effect to the other recommendations of the Nugee committee.

My right hon. Friend hopes to introduce this legislation within the next few weeks.

Safety Glass

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish available statistics for recent years indicating the number of deaths and injuries caused in the home or factories through accidents involving people walking into or falling through ordinary glass doors and windows; and what encouragement is being given to the use of safety glass.

According to the home accident statistics collected by the Department of Trade and Industry, there were four fatal accidents involving glass in the home in 1983 (the last year for which complete figures are available). Three involved glass doors and one a window pane. In 1985 there were 27,000 non-fatal home accidents (16,000 involving glass doors and 11,000 involving windows) recorded as requiring hospital treatment.The Health and Safety Executive's records show no cases of fatal accidents in factories from 1981 to 1985 involving glass doors and windows (other than skylights). Separate figures are not readily available for injuries involving glazing.The British standard code of practice on glass and glazing, which gives guidance on the use of safety glass, is being revised. If the general safety requirement proposed in the Consumer Protection Bill now before Parliament becomes law, the Government intend to approve this code of practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made with regard to the inclusion in building regulations of the increased use of safety glass in doors and windows; and if he will make a statement.

A consultative document on the review of the building regulations issued on 15 December 1986 proposes that a requirement should be added to the regulations requiring safety glazing in doors and low-level glazing in new building work subject to the regulations.

London Docklands Development Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment further to his answer of 5 February, Official Report, column 773, about the board of the London Docklands Development Corporation, whether any nominations have been received for these vacancies.

Yes. A nomination has been received from the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment further to his answer of 5 February about the board of the London Docklands Development Corporation, how long these three vacancies have been outstanding.

Two of these vacancies have been outstanding since May 1986 and one since November 1984.

Disabled People (Housing)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will extend to the occupants of rented wheelchair housing owned by charitable housing associations the right to qualify for a transferable discount; and if he will make a statement.

Transferable discounts were provided to help certain housing association tenants who would have had the right to buy were their landlord not a charity. Wheelchair housing is exempt from the right to buy and hence excluded from the discount scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many units of wheelchair housing have been constructed by local authorities and by housing associations in England in each of the last five years; and, of these, how many have contained two or more bedrooms;(2) how many units of mobility housing have been constructed by local authorities and by housing associations in Eengland in each of the last five years; and, of these, how many have contained two or more bedrooms.

Completions of wheelchair (previously referred to as "specially designed") dwellings and of mobility dwellings in the years up to 1985 appear in table 6.7(b) of "Housing and Construction Statistics, 1975–1985" and provisional figures of the first three quarters of 1986 in table 1.6(b) of the quarterly "Housing and Construction Statistics" No. 27. Copies are in the Library.Information on the numbers of bedrooms in those dwellings is not collected by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many improvement grants have been made for the adaptation of houses to meet the needs of disabled people in each of the last five years; and what has been the value of these;(2) how many intermediate grants have been made for the adaptation of houses to meet the needs of disabled people in each of the last five years; and what has been the value of these.

The number of improvement and intermediate grants paid and the amounts paid in the years up to 1984 appear in table 7.5(a) of "Housing and Construction Statistics, 1975–1985" and the 1985 figures and provisional figures of the first three quarters of 1986 are in table 2.17(a) of "Housing and Construction Statistics" No. 27. Copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the eligible expense limit for improvement grants for adaptation of houses to meet the needs of disabled people; how long it has been at this level; and if he has any plans to increase it.

The limits were set in May 1983 and are £13,800 in Greater London and £10,200 elsewhere. There is no evidence that they are causing serious difficulties and there are at present no plans to increase them. However, it is open to local authorities to apply to the Department for approval of a higher eligible expense limit, if there are exceptional reasons.

Capacitors (Health Hazards)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to advise users of capacitors containing polychlorinated-biphenol to replace them in view of their toxicity and non-biodegradebility;(2) what advice he gives on the safe disposal of capacitors containing polychlorinated-biphenol.

I shall answer these questions shortly.

Lancaster House (Conference)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has cancelled the booking of Lancaster House, London by the services of the European Parliament, Luxembourg for a conference from 9 to 12 February; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson) on Monday 9 February, at column 125.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the conditions for booking Lancaster House which apply to the eight political groups of the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

The rule governing the use of Lancaster House under successive Governments is that a Government Minister must be involved in any meeting held there.

Housing Management Courses

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps the Government have taken, following their announcement in the last two years of funding for studentships at the London School of Economics and Sheffield polytechnic, to encourage the development of new housing management courses eligible for similar support.

Following negotiations between the Department, the Institute of Housing, the University of Salford and Salford College of Technology, a new fulltime, two-year, postgraduate course in housing studies will be launched at Salford next autumn. It will meet the necessary professional criteria.My right hon. Friend intends to provide funding, through the ESRC, for 15 studentships a year for this course. A contribution will also be made towards settingup and development costs.The studentships will provide for maintenance and fees in the first year and for fees only in the second year, when the students are on placement.This initiative is particularly welcome because of the close co-operation between the university and the college of technology, which will be reflected in the inauguration of the Salford centre for housing studies by HRH Duke of Edinburgh tomorrow.We are continuing to discuss the scope for launching further suitable courses with educational institutions in Newcastle, Bristol and Birmingham.

Trade And Industry

Labour Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate how many persons were employed in each region and in Scotland and Wales by (a) British Shipbuilders and (b) British Steel in June 1979; and how many are now employed.

I shall reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Timesharing

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the introduction by the Spanish Government of legislation to ban timeshare touts from the streets of Spain; and if he will introduce similar legislation for the United Kingdom.

I have no information about proposed Spanish legislation specifically to control timeshare salesmen but I understand that several British companies operating in Spain have already decided to modify their selling methods. I have no plans at present to introduce such legislation in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what timeshare developers have requested supplies of the consumer leaflet called "Your Place in the Sun"; and which have indicated that they will be issuing the leaflet to their customers.

Heavy demand for the leaflet has precluded detailed recording or analysis of the requests, many of which are made by telephone. I will, however, write to the right hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many timeshare developers' offers of gifts he has referred to the Advertising Standards Authority; and what was the adjudication in each case.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available but I will write to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

Energy

Plutonium

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish a table of (a) the yearly production, (b) the cumulative total and (c) the proportion of total electricity source plutonium reprocessed at Sellafield and produced at Hinkley Point A since it was commissioned.

During the period 1979–80 to 1985–86 the spent fuel discharged from. Hinkley Point A and dispatched to Sellafield contained an estimted 2,190 kg of plutonium. The estimated plutonium content of the spent fuel despatched from the CEGB's stations in the same period is 12,597 kg.

Euratom

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the agreement between Her Majesty's Government and Euratom regarding access by Euratom inspectors to reprocessing lines; and what is the current position regarding access by Euratom inspectors to (a) civil, (b) military and (c) co-processing facilities.

I refer to the reply given to my hon. friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 4 June 1986, at columns 594–95. Euratom inspectors now have continuous right of access to all civil nuclear material reprocessed at Sellafield. Civil nuclear material is additionally reprocessed at Dounreay where Euratom inspectors have had right of continuous access since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community in 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions and on what dates Euratom inspectors have visited nuclear power stations since 1979 to carry out inspections of reprocessing facilities under the headings (a) civil, (b) military and (c) co-processing; and if he will name the facilities involved.

Information about individual visits by Euratom inspectors to Sellafield and Dounreay over this period could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

House Coal

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the size of the domestic market for house coal in Yorkshire in 1984, 1985 and 1986;(2) what is the average annual consumption of house coal in those homes in the United Kingdom which use house coal for heating.

House coal was supplied to the domestic market in Yorkshire as follows:

	tonnes
1983–84	430,000
1984–85	290,000
1985–86	390,000

Figures for calender years are not available.The estimated average annual consumption of house coal in homes in the United Kingdom using house coal for heating is 2·75 million tonnes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what tonnage of house coal was supplied as concessionary coal in 1984, 1985 and 1986;(2) what is the annual tonnage of coal supplied to miners as concessionary fuel in each National Coal Board area.

The provision of concessionary coal is a matter for British Coal and governed by agreements between them and the mining unions. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

Diesel Fuel

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions have taken place with the major oil companies with a view to altering the British standard for diesel fuel in the winter months to prevent waxing-up.

The specification for diesel fuel sold in the United Kingdom is determined by the British Standards Institution. It is currently being amended, and will be issued for public comment in the near future.

Nuclear Power Stations

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library copies of the essential services emergency plans for each nuclear power station in Britain.

The detailed emergency plans for each civil nuclear site have been, or are about to be, published by the operators. Copies will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply of 10 December 1986, Official Report, column 196, for what reasons papers connected with the reviews of emergency plans for nuclear power stations are confidential.

The Department's working papers are subject to the usual confidentiality rules.

Nuclear Safety

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what statistical demographic criteria, for each type of nuclear reactor, are used in Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate's assessment of the safety of sites for nuclear power stations; if he will publish a list showing for each existing nuclear power station (a) the relevant limiting criteria compared with (b) the actual population figures in each case; and if he will make a statement;(2) when public safety siting criteria for nuclear installations were last changed or updated; what information on such safety criteria has been published by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, in the light of recommendation 6(a) of the report on the Sizewell public inquiry by Sir Frank Layfield, concerning a review by the Health and Safety Executive of the extent of the area covered by emergency plans, what demographic criteria are satisfied for safety purposes by the site at Sizewell; what is the maximum number of persons likely to be affected by evacuation measures taken in accordance with (a) the existing emergency plan for the present nuclear site and (b) the emergency plan currently considered appropriate with the proposed pressurised water reactor on that site; what is the relevant maximum radius of evacuation; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has a quasi-judicial role in respect of the Central Electricity Generating Board's application to construct Sizewell B. It would not be proper for him to comment on the inspector's report, including any recommendation, before he has taken his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether ambulance staff have participated in the exercise at the local emergency plan at Chapel Cross, Sellafield, Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Winfrith, Dungeness, Bradwell and Sizewell; and, in each case where units were involved, if he will list which ones participated;(2) if he will list for each of the following power stations what studies have been made of the problems of evacuating all low mobility groups in the event of a worst case atomic accident at Chapel Cross, Sellafield, Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Winfrith, Dungerness, Bradwell, Sizewell and Hartlepool; and if he will also list for each study the geographical area covered;(3) what specialist equipment, including personal dosimeters, radiac survey meters and decontamination meters are available for ambulance staff at: Chapel Cross, Sellafield, Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Winfrith, Dungeness, Bradwell and Sizewell, respectively; and in each case what training staff have received;(4) what training has been given to ambulance staff to deal with a major accident at each of the following nuclear installations: Chapel Cross, Sellafield, Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Winfrith, Dungeness, Bradwell, Sizewell and Hartlepool.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1987, c. 402]: All nuclear sites operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board, Atomic Energy Authority and British Nuclear Fuels in England and Wales have their own ambulance services which participate in exercises of local emergency plans. It is unlikely that a reference accident at a civil nuclear site would require the services of the NHS ambulance service.Circulars HC(85)24, and WHC(85)34 in Wales, nevertheless require health authorities, who manage the ambulance service locally, to ensure that all ambulance staff are made aware of the contingency plans at civil nuclear sites and how they fit in with health authorities major accident plans.NHS ambulance services have participated in exercises at Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Dungeness, Bradwell and Sizewell, and have been alerted to their possible involvement by the police during exercises at Sellafield and Winfrith. Site emergency plans provide in all areas where NHS ambulance service personnel are required to enter contaminated areas that they should be under the direct supervision of qualified staff, and that dosimeters and professional health physics assistance and decontamination equipment would be provided to any such visiting service by site management.Arrangements for the evacuation of the public, including low mobility groups, are the responsibility of the police.Emergency planning at Chapelcross is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Ncb (Manpower)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons were employed by the National Coal Board in June 1979 in each region and in Scotland and Wales; and how many are now employed.

Information on total employees is not available in the form requested. The number of men on colliery books at end-June 1979 and end-December 1986 was as follows:

Area	June 1979	December 1986
Scottish	21,007	4,828
North East	33,766	15,219
North Yorks	31,701	18,530
South Yorks	33,555	16,499
North Derbyshie	12,115	7,722
Notts	33,952	23,538
South Midland	13,294	7,876
Kent	3,024	959
Western	23,172	12,829
South Wales	27,273	11,007
Total	232,859	119,007

British Gas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, further to his answer of 12 December 1986, Official Report, column 244, he will provide further information on the costs of the British Gas flotation.

As a result of a considerable reduction in the amount of commission expected to be paid to brokers and financial intermediaries, the cost of the sale to the Exchequer in 1986–87 is now expected to be approximately £10 million less than the figure given in my right hon. Friend's answer of 12 December at column 244.The projected cost to the Exchequer in the year of the flotation will therefore be £154 million. The corresponding spring supplementary estimate for these costs, which will be presented shortly, is for a total of £208 million. The difference represents transfers of funds within Government, principally stamp duty and VAT, which are not a cost to the Exchequer.

Home Department

Licensing

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of on and off-licences in England and Wales broken down by such categories as his records permit;(2) if he will list in respect of each bench of licensing magistrates the number of applications granted for occasional permissions in respect of the last year for which figures are available.

Information on the total number of on and off-licensed premises at 30 June 1986 is published in tables 1 and 2 of "Liquor Licensing Statistics, England and Wales, July 1985-June 1986" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin, 37/86). Corresponding figures for each bench of licensing magistrates and figures for occasional permissions granted in the period July 1985-June 1986 are given in the associated supplementary tables. Both publications are in the Library. The only other reliable information available relates to the number of garages-petrol stations with off-licences, 212 of which were recorded at 30 June 1986.

Houses In Multiple Occupation

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department first announced that a code of guidance setting out a national advisory standard for means of escape in houses in multiple occupation was being prepared; when he most recently published "A Draft Guide to Means of Escape in Certain Houses in Multiple Occupation"; to what proportion of houses in multiple occupation that guide would apply; and when he intends to issue a national advisory standard on means of escape for all houses in multiple occupation.

Preparation of the code was announced by the then Home Secretary on a written answer on 17 December 1980. A draft version of the guide, on which comments were invited, was published on 27 February 1986. It is estimated that the guide could be applied to around 60 per cent. of houses in multiple occupation in England and Wales. We are at present reviewing the scope and the content of the draft in the light of comments received and hope to issue a revised version later this year. Further consideration will then be given to the need for guidance on other types of HMOs not covered by the draft guide or existing guides.

Police Discipline (Access To Witnesses)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his reply of 30 January, Official Report, c. 408, to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds, how long he expects to spend on consideration of the judgment of the High Court before reaching a decision as to whether to draw his judgment to the attention of all chief constables of police.

We intend to issue certain amendments to the guidance to chief officers on complaints and discipline procedures later this year after consultation with the police staff associations, including the Police Federation. We shall take account of the judgment in the Connah case further in the course of that consultation.

Animal Welfare

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received representations from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals about controls on the sale of puppies.

We received a number of representations last year about the sale of puppies, but none recently from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals or from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Pet Animals Act 1951 provides for controls over the sale of pets, including puppies, from pet shops, and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 provides for the licensing of establishments where dogs are bred for sale.

National Marriage Guidance Council

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to increase his Department's grant to the National Marriage Guidance Council; and if he will make a statement.

We hope to be able, next year, to maintain the grant to the NMGC at the present level, with some increase in recognition of inflation.

Immigration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many interviews have taken place per month at Humberside airport in respect of applications for permanent entry to Britain under the immigration rules; and how many officers are involved.

None.

Data Networks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there are any plans to make use of private consultants in relation to (a) the Government data network system and (b) the police national computer; and if he will make a statement.

The procurement of a Government data network is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Private consultants are used from time to time in relation to the Police National Computer in particular specialised areas, but only where the necessary expertise is not available within my Department. There are no plans for the use of private consultants in any other circumstances.

Domestic Crime Prevention

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report the findings of his Department's crime prevention unit working in the Surrey constabulary area on what effect cost has in influencing whether the public fit domestic security devices.

The study is not yet complete but preliminary results are available. These indicate, subject to verification, that some 10 per cent. of the sample of 262 householders gave cost as the reason for not implementing the security recommendations made by police crime prevention officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what success his Department's standing conference on crime prevention through its working group on residential burglary has had in devising a low-cost security package to protect residential dwellings.

The Home Office standing conference on crime prevention working group on residential burglary succeeded in devising a low-cost security package which is described in a leaflet they have produced. This has been well received; almost 1·5 million copies are now in circulation, mainly in inner city areas.

State Security

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about the total cost to public funds of the police raid on the British Broadcasting Corporation's premises in Glasgow on 31 January and 1 February.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the additional cost to the Metropolitan Police of executing the search warrant for the BBC premises in Glasgow is estimated at about £2,500. The cost to Scottish police forces is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Nuclear Safety

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of each police emergency plan for each nuclear power station in Britain.

I understand that detailed emergency plans for each civil nuclear site have been, or are about to be, published by the operators. Any more detailed plans specific to the police are a matter for individual chief constables and copies are not held centrally.

Bail Hostels

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for the provision of additional bail hostels; and if he will make a statement.

There are no immediate proposals to provide new hostels. Not only bail hostels, but combined probation and bail hostels, and all probation hostels, make places available for persons on bail. In England and Wales there is a total of 102 approved hostels with over 1,800 places. During the last 12 months, 22 additional places have been provided by expanding existing hostels. In 1986 average occupancy was 78·7 per cent. of the approved number of places. There thus appears to be no general shortage of places and the Home Office has no present evidence of serious difficulties in finding places locally. We are co-operating with the Association of Chief Officers of Probation, however, in research to establish more certainly the need for such accommodation and the position is kept under constant review.

Remand Prisons

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for the reduction of overcrowding in remand prisons; and if he will make a statement.

In the last year we have converted one training prison to a local prison and remand centre and we have introduced units for untried prisoners into three more establishments. Further such changes are planned. In addition we are creating extra places at a number of establishments for untried prisoners, in some cases by reducing their sentenced population. We are also considering further changes to the catchment areas served by particularly overcrowded establishments.In the longer term, the prison building programme includes seven new local prisons and one new remand centre. Furthermore, a high proportion of the additional places planned in the existing establishments will be in local prisons or remand centres.

Mafia

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence exists of the activities of the Mafia organisation within the United Kingdom; and if he will raise at the next meeting of the relevant EEC Minister the question of the alleged financing of that organisation through abuse of the common agricultural policy.

It would not be in the public interest to comment on operational police matters relating to the Mafia organisation. Any evidence of criminal activities by members of the Mafia would, of course, be investigated in the normal way.

Deportations

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will estimate the number of people in each of the last three years for which figures are available who were deported from the United Kingdom using (a) British Airways and (b) other airlines by name.

The available records cover the period from April-December 1984, 1985 and 1986 and relate to payments of accounts for removals at public expense from the United Kingdom following refusal at a port, under deportation powers or as an illegal entrant.Bookings are made through British Airways or another British airline whenever possible. The number of accounts paid in the relevant period was as follows:

	British Airways	Other Airlines
1984 (April-December)	576	248
1985	1,128	223
1986	1,680	130

I regret that the other information requested is not readily available.

Aids

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, as part of the campaign to reduce the spread of AIDS, there are any plans to issue free condoms to prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to do so.

Scotland

Domestic Violence

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is considering any new measures to deal with the problem of domestic violence in the light of the report by the Women's National Commission entitled "Violence Against Women", a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

Though none of the recommendations in this report was directed specifically to my right hon. and learned Friend, action consistent with the measures recommended by the Women's National Commission is taking place in Scotland. For example, the subject of domestic violence, with particular reference to the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981, now features prominently in training programmes for police officers both at the Scottish police college and within all Scottish police forces and revised guidelines to Chief Constables on the operation of the Act were issued last November by my noble and learned Friend, the Lord Advocate. Research has been commissioned to assess the operation of the 1981 Act, and in the light of the findings, which will be published, we shall consider the need for any further action. We continue, too, to give financial assistance through the urban programme and grants to voluntary bodies to assist in the provision of refuges for women and children and in the operation of victim support schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with police authorities about (a) training, (b) procedures and (c) information, liaison and referral systems in relation to police duties with regard to incidents of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement.

Matters relating to the training of police officers at the Scottish police college are kept under continuing review on behalf of my right hon. and learned Friend by the board of governors and other committees at the Scottish Police College on which the Scottish Home and Health Department, the police associations and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities are all represented. Training on the subject of domestic violence and related procedural matters, with particular reference to the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981, now features prominently in courses at the college and in training programmes mounted by the Scottish police forces; and this has been given added emphasis by the revised guidelines on the Act which were issued recently by my noble and learned Friend, the Lord Advocate. The police service is fully aware of the value of victim support schemes and co-operates fully in their operation.

Rape

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many reported cases of rape there have been in Scotland in each of the last five years.

The available information relates to cases recorded by the police. The figures for the last five years for which data are available are as follows:

Recorded Cases of Rape, Scotland, 1981–85
Year	Number
1981	170
1982	131
1983	139
1984	224
1985	248

Stobhill General Hospital, Glasgow

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) printed postcards and (b) personal letters he has received against the proposed closure of the maternity unit at Stobhill general hospital, Glasgow; and how many signatures on petition forms he has received.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received over 9,600 printed postcards and 205 individual letters about the proposed closure of the maternity unit at Stobhill General. Six petitions containing some 23,300 signatures have also been received.

Gaelic Language

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the most up to date figures available for the level of per capita support for the promotion of the Gaelic language; and if he will detail the basis and method of calculation for arriving at that figure.

Excluding possible Scottish Arts Council grant to promote Gaelic arts bodies and using the 1981 census figures for the number of Gaelic speakers the approximate per capita spend for the current financial year is £5·42 net of specific grants to education authorities and £8·45 including those grants. The breakdown of funding for the promotion of Gaelic in 1986–87 is as follows:

	£
National Voluntary Organisations (including Database Research Project)	141,000
Gaelic Books Council	58,250
Direct funding by Highlands and Islands Development Board	242,400
Consultative Committee on the Curriculum	6,100
Specific Grants to Education Authorities	250,000
	697,750

The 1981 census shows the number of Gaelic speakers as 82,620.

Ec (Food Stores)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much butter and beef from the European Economic Community's intervention food stores in Dundee is to be released in the current scheme to help the needy; and what further plans he has to distribute such foodstuffs on an all-year basis.

The amount of food being released from stores and distributed is dependent on the needs established by the charitable organisations. The present European Community scheme ends on 31 March 1987, and I am not aware of any plans to extend it.

Aids

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedures govern the giving of consent by (a) prisoners and (b) detained patients to being tested for AIDS; and what information is given to them on the outcome of such tests.

If the doctors caring for a prisoner or a patient detained in hospital because of mental disorder consider that a test for the presence of HIV antibodies is necessary, the individual would first be counselled on the significance and implications of the test and his or her informed consent would be required before it could be carried out. The prisoner or patient would be informed of the result of the test and given further counselling whether this was positive or negative. The procedures relating to the testing of prisoners for HIV antibodies are outlined in guidelines issued by the Scottish Home and Health Department to prison medical officers on 10 October 1986, which amplified earlier guidance given on this subject. Updated guidelines on the testing of all other patients were issued by the Department to all doctors on 12 December 1986.

Auctioneers (Registration)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to make the registration of auctioneers obligatory.

No.

Mentally Ill People (Services)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to change his Department's policy on services for the mentally ill; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Moray (Mr. Pollock) on 22 January at column 1663.

Alternative Land Use

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any specific plans to help farmers in Scotland find alternative use for marginal land; and what proposals he has to support pony trekking and pony breeding.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend on 11 February to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Perth and Kinross (Mr. Fairbairn). Details of the new diversification scheme have still to be settled and will be the subject of consultation. Pony trekking is an area which may be considered.

Nuclear Safety

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether ambulance staff have participated in the exercise of the local emergency plan at each of Dounreay, Torness and Hunterston; and in each case where units were involved, if he will list which ones participated.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1987, at column 396–97]: Local ambulance units have participated in exercises to test the emergency plans at Torness and Hunterston. The ambulance service has not yet participated in any such exercises at Dounreay, though the service is fully aware of its role under the emergency plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for Dounreay, Hunterston and Torness what studies have been done on the problems of evacuating all low mobility groups in the event of a worst case atomic accident; and if he will also list for each study the geographical area covered.

[pursuant to the reply, 19 January 1987, c. 397]: Within the framework of the emergency plans which must be prepared by the operators of civil nuclear installations in Scotland and of their own related contingency plans, the police are responsible for the evacuation of the areas around these installations. I understand from the chief constables of the forces concerned that their contingency plans for evacuation of the population in the event of a large scale emergency take account of the problems of evacuating low mobility groups.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list what specific equipment, including personal dosimeters, radiac survey meters and decontamination meters are available for ambulance staff at: Dounreay, Torness and Hunterston. respectively; and in each case what training staff have received.

[pursuant to the reply, 19 January 1987, c. 397]: All civil nuclear sites operated in Scotland by the South of Scotland Electricity Board, the Atomic Energy Authority, and British Nuclear Fuels have their own medical services.External ambulance services entering a site would be under the supervision of the trained site staff. Dosimeters and professional health physics assistance and decontamination equipment would be provided to any such visiting service by site management.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what training has been given to ambulance staff to deal with a major accident at Dounreay, Hunterston and Torness respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1987, c. 396–97]: Ambulance service staff generally are trained in major accident procedures. Staff who may be involved at Dounreay and Hunterston are aware of the precautions to be taken in accidents involving radioactivity. Staff who may be involved at Torness are receiving appropriate training, in advance of the commissioning of the power station.

Public Bodies (Appointments)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the public bodies for which he is responsible on which the consideration of the appointment or co-option of a person with knowledge of disability is a statutory requirement; if he will name the persons so appointed or co-opted on each body; and if he will indicate which of those persons is a person with a disability.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1987, c. 576]: By virtue of section 14 the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, I am required, when making appointments to the Scottish Electricity Consultative Councils, to have regard to the desirability of including one or more persons with experience of work among, and the special needs of, disabled persons. This consideration is borne in mind when appointments are made, but no individual member of the Councils has so far been appointed solely by virtue of it. Records of whether persons appointed are disabled or not are not maintained, but I am aware that disabled persons have been and are included in the membership of the councils. There are no similar statutory requirements for the other bodies to which I make appointments.

House Of Commons

Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish a revised and accurate version of the 1973 booklet entitled "Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund."

Production of a revised edition of the 1973 booklet has been hindered by a succession of amendment Acts and instruments.There is available a leaflet which describes the pension arrangements for Members, Ministers and office-holders. The leaflet is designed to comply with the requirements of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) regulations 1986 (SI 1986 No. 1046). Other leaflets, dealing in more detail with specific aspects of the pension arrangements, are being drafted with the intention of creating a booklet in loose-leaf format. This will facilitate the speedy replacement of out-dated material.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Republic Of Ireland (Embassy)

20.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the alleged surveillance of the Irish embassy by the British security services.

None.

Austria (Aids Testing)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Austrian Government concerning British subjects who are proposing to work in Carinthia and who will have to undergo AIDS testing.

We have made no such representations. We understand, however, that the Austrian Federal Government do not intend to introduce a requirement for such testing.

Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the work of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council since the conclusion of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, in view of the commitment made by the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach in paragraph 10 of their joint communiqué issued at Hillsborough on 15 November 1985.

The Intergovernmental Conference established by the Anglo-Irish Agreement was set up within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council. There have been a number of meetings at all levels under the auspices of the council since the conclusion of the agreement. In addition, the coordinating committee met in July 1986.

Geneva Conventions

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the United Kingdom has not ratified the 1977 first and second additional protocols to the Geneva conventions of 1949; whether there is any intention to review the decision; and if he will make a statement.

We support the aim and spirit of the additional protocols which we signed in 1977. The present position is that we are consulting with our NATO partners but I am not able to say when we may proceed with ratification.

Mafia

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise at the next meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation the issue of the alleged use of falsified accounts in respect of that organisation to enable the Mafia organisation to secure European Economic Community funds for the delivery of fruit juice to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters in Naples; and if he will make a statement.

If my hon. Friend can supply details of the alleged use of falsified NATO accounts we will, of course, look into the matter.

National Finance

Corporation Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of agreed losses currently available for offsetting profits in respect of liability to corporation tax; and what was the comparable figure 12 months ago.

We estimate that the total of these losses (excluding the public sector) has stood at some £25 billion to £30 billion in recent years and that the amount is now reducing by some several billions of pounds a year. These estimates are extremely tentative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer the question about corporation tax from the hon. Member for Colne Valley which was due for answer on 28 January last.

I regret the delay in answering this question. It is being answered today.

Labour Statistics

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the number of jobs (a) in total and (b) as full-time equivalent that have been subject to denationalisation since 1979–80.

The total number of jobs which have been transferred to the private sector as a result of privatisations since 1979 is around 600,000. Information about the number of full-time equivalent jobs which this total represents is not centrally available.

Central Office Of Information (Cash Limit)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is proposing any further change to the Central Office of Information cash limit for 1986–87.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIX vote 1 will be increased by a further £54,023,000 from £97,977,000 to £152,000,000. The increase will be offset by reimbursements by the clients of the Central Office of Information and will therefore not add to the planning total of public expenditure. The running costs of the department have decreased by £1,439,000 due to improved efficiency and a change in the pattern of business involving some shifts from high resources to low resource areas of the COI.

Higher Rate Taxpayers

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of higher rate taxpayers as a proportion of the population for each county in England and Wales.

[pursuant to the reply, 9 February 1987, c. 137]: Estimates for individual counties are subject to considerable uncertainty. The latest available estimates for English regions and for Wales are as follows:

Taxpayers¹ liable to tax at higher rates as a percentage of total taxpayers¹
	1984–85 per cent.
English regions
North	2·6
Yorkshire and Humberside	3·0
North West	3·3
East Midlands	3·2
West Midlands	3·0
East Anglia	3·9
South East	6·8
South West	3·3
Wales	3·0
¹ Counting husband and wife as one.

Film Industry

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to consider similar Inland Revenue write-off proposals for the British film industry as exist in other major western film-producing countries; and whether he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1987]: The film industry is taxed on broadly the same lines as other businesses and we do not believe that films should be subject to a different system of taxation, but we have introduced into this system some special measures where they can be justified by the special nature of the film industry. These include alternative systems for writing off expenditure on films. Broadly, this expenditure can be written off either over the income-producing life of the film or against income as it accrues on a pound for pound basis. We have no plans to change this treatment. Alternatively, capital allowances may be available in some circumstances in respect of capital expenditure on a British film.

Incomes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will detail the proportions of pre-tax and post-tax increases paid to the top 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 3 per cent., 4 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent., 20 per cent., 30 per cent., 50 per cent. and 75 per cent. of taxpayers in 1978–79 and the latest available year; and what this represents in money terms;(2) if he will detail the proportions of pre-tax and posttax increases, including national insurance contributions, paid to the top I per cent., 2 per cent., 3 per cent., 4 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent., 20 per cent., 30 per cent., 50 per cent. and 75 per cent. of taxpayers in 1978–79 and the latest available year; and what this represents in money terms.

[pursuant to his replies, 20 January 1987 c. 470 and 23 January 1987 c. 781]: Information is

Earnings level	Top 5 per cent.	Top 10 per cent.	Top 25 per cent.	Top 50 per cent.	Top 75 per cent.
Percentage changes between April 1977 and April 1978
Gross earnings	13·4	13 6	13·0	13·4	12·2
Earnings afler tax	15·1	15·2	14·6	15·0	14·0
Earnings after tax and NIC	14·1	14·2	13·6	14 0	13·1
Percentage changes between April 1985 and April 1986
Gross earnings	9·4	8·3	7·7	7·71	6·7
Earnings after tax	10·3	9·2	8·5	7·7	7·2
Earnings after tax and NIC	10·6	9·3	8·5	7·8	7·2
Cash changes between April 1977 and April 1978 (£ per week)
Gross earnings	17·70	15·36	11·63	9·56	7·04
Earnings after tax	14·56	12·80	10·07	8·50	6·67
Earnings after tax and NIC	12·80	11·04	8·64	7·34	5·79
Cash changes between April 1985 and April 1986 (£ per week)
Gross earnings	33·50	24·50	17·40	12·30	8·90
Earnings after tax	27·81	20·81	15·07	10·91	81·0
Earnings after tax and NIC	26·01	19·01	13·50	9·81	7·30

Northern Ireland

Republic Of Ireland

14.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what subjects he discussed at his last meeting with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

15.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Ireland; and what discussions he proposes to have with him before 17 February on the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

My last meeting with an Irish Minister was with the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Justice at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference on 8 December. The matters discussed then are referred to in the joint statement issued after the meeting, a copy of which I have placed in the Library. I have no plans to meet Mr. Barry before 17 February.

Public Representatives (Co-Operation)

16.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what co-operation and contact he now enjoys with public representatives in the Province; and whether he will make a statement.

available to provide estimates of earning levels at the top 5 per cent., 10 per cent., 25 per cent., 50 per cent. and 75 per cent. of the earnings distribution. I regret that reliable estimates of earnings above the top 5 per cent. point are not available and that the other specified points in the distribution could be calculated only at disproportionate cost. The table below shows the annual percentage increases in pre-tax and post-tax earnings for a married man at the specified levels of earnings at April 1978 and April 1986. The earnings levels are those for males (all occupations) paid at adult rates with pay unaffected by absence. It is assumed that the wife has no earnings. Income tax has been calculated using the regimes for the financial years commencing in the appropriate Aprils. Contracted-in rates of national insurance contributions have been assumed.

I enjoy regular and useful contact with public representatives from the Alliance and Social Democratic and Labour parties. It is a matter of regret that Unionist representatives choose not to pursue with us those issues which are important to the future development of Northern Ireland.

Royal Ulster Constabulary

17.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement on the Sampson report on matters concerning the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

19.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he now plans to publish the recommendations of the Sampson report, in whole or in part; and if he will make a statement.

As I told the House on 15 January, I propose to make a statement to Parliament at the earliest appropriate time on any aspects of the report that Fall within my responsibility.

Anglo-Irish Agreement

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

Steady progress has continued to be made, not least on security co-operation. I remain of the view that the agreement offers us a good opportunity for the people of Northern Ireland. It is capable of helping all—and it will harm the legitimate interests of no one.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Wildlife (Poisons)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total number of incidents involving the misuse of poisons or stupefying substances on wildlife which have been reported to his Department in each of the last two years; for each of those totals, what was the number of cases which were referred to the police for investigation; and, of those investigations, what was the number which resulted in legal proceedings and the outcome of those proceedings.

In the year October 1984 to September 1985, 65 incidents involving misuse of pesticides were confirmed, 37 of these being referred to the police. One prosecution resulted, the farmer concerned being prosecuted under section 8 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with a fine of £20 in each case.In the year October 1985 to September 1986, 67 incidents involving the misuse of pesticides were confirmed, 28 of these being referred to the police. No prosecutions resulted.

Food Aid

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his definition of needy people for the purposes of the distribution of free food from United Kingdom intervention stocks;(2) if he will make a statement on the procedure to be adopted, and by whom, for assessing the eligibility of needy people for free food from United Kingdom intervention stocks.

The Community legislation provides that the food shall be made available through charitable organisations to the most needy. Assessment of eligibility is for the charitable organisations themselves, but the Government have indicated that they regard the term "most needy" as covering people in receipt of supplementary benefit and family income supplement, and those who are homeless, living in hostels, attending feeding centres, receiving meals-on-wheels or very disadvantaged in other ways.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the procedure to be used by applicants for free food from United Kingdom intervention stocks to be made available to needy people.

Any person who feels that he or she may qualify to receive free food should get in touch in the first instance with the local branch of one of the charitable organisations listed in the answer that I gave on 29 January to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help will be given by his Department to charitable organisations before introducing to the United Kingdom the European Economic Community's recently announced free food for needy people scheme.

My Department held discussions with the charitable organisations before introducing the arrangements and subsequently. I am not aware of any outstanding request for help.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he intends to take to publicise the free food for needy people European Economic Community scheme.

As a result of the Government's public statements through the various media, knowledge of the arrangements appears already to be widespread among those concerned. I intend to make further public statements as required.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take to modify the recently introduced free food for needy people European Economic Community scheme in the light of representations he has received.

I have decided to reduce the minimum amount applying to releases of beef from intervention stores. With immediate effect, the minimum amount will be reduced from 1 tonne to 0·25 tonne.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help will be given by his Department to charitable organisations for drawing from intervention, bulk-breaking, packaging and distributing free food for needy people under the recently announced European Economic Community scheme.

The European Commission is making payments available at a flat rate per tonne for re-packing foodstuffs into small amounts where necessary and for transporting them to charitable organisations' distribution points. Costs of further distribution to individual recipients are for the charitable organisations themselves.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tonnes of United Kingdom intervention stocks of food he has estimated will be handed out as free food for the needy under the recently announced European Economic Community scheme.

I am not yet in a position to estimate how much butter and beef from United Kingdom intervention stores will be required by charitable organisations up to 31 March 1987.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the recently announced European Economic Community scheme for free food for the needy will be extended beyond the present expiry date of 31 March.

I am not aware that any such proposal is contemplated by the Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will remove the condition that food provided under the European Economic Community free food for needy people scheme may only be distributed to beneficiaries as a cooked meal; and if he will make a statement.

The Community legislation provides for free distribution of beef only in the form of prepared meals. It is not open to the United Kingdom to vary this condition, but it does not apply to the other foodstuffs covered by these arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many beneficiaries there have been to date of the recently announced free food for needy people European Economic Community scheme.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he had with food producers' organisations before introducing to the United Kingdom the European Economic Community's recently announced free food for needy people scheme.

Prior discussion with food producers' organisations was not necessary. My Department is, however, in constant touch with organisations in the food industry and this has allowed consultation on a number of points relating to the arrangements for distribution of free food.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what persons in the United Kingdom are entitled to receive free beef and butter as a result of the recent European Economic Community agreement; what arrangements have been made in Bradford to distribute beef and butter; what action has been taken to publicise this scheme and to help those eligible; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) and the replies that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has held further discussions with charitable organisations about the European Community arrangements for free distribution of food to the most needy.

Yes. In the light of these discussions, the Government have extended these arrangements to cover provision through the charitable organisations concerned of milk, cheese, semi-skimmed milk, buttermilk and concentrated butter. With effect from 6 February, the charitable organisations are in a position to buy these products on the United Kingdom commercial market. The products must in all cases be of Community origin. The Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce, which is administering the arrangements, will make payments from Community funds to cover the full cost of purchase and delivery to a central distribution point.The charitable organisations and the Government have agreed that the Community arrangements for distribution of sugar and flour milled from bread-making wheat cannot appropriately be operated in the United Kingdom.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will designate west Berkshire as an environmentally sensitive area.

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

Horses (Botulism)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, is the scientific advice available to him on the prognosis for a horse which contracts botulism; what steps he is taking to ensure that no further cases arise in Devon and Cornwall; and if he will make a statement.

The prognosis in affected horses is poor and there is no specific therapy. Mildly affected horses may recover with supportive therapy such as mild laxatives and intravenous glucose saline. Practising veterinary surgeons in Devon and Cornwall have been made aware by the Ministry's veterinary investigation service that a clinical diagnosis of botulism has been made in the area.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, investigations are being made into whether horses which have died or been destroyed in recent months in Devon and Cornwall from hitherto unknown or differently diagnosed causes contracted botulism; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry is not undertaking any special investigations into the cause of death or destruction of horses in Devon and Cornwall in recent months. However, the Ministry's veterinary investigation centres will continue to provide a diagnostic service to private practitioners.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, he will state the nature, type and description of the fodder being analysed; how many other horses have been fed fodder of a similar nature from the same source; and if he will make a statement.

The fodder being analysed is conserved grass in bags. One other horse in the stable where two horses were clinically diagnosed as having botulism was fed with the fodder and to date has remained clinically normal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, from which feed merchant the fodder came which was fed to the two horses which contracted botulism; what steps he has taken to ensure that the fodder is withdrawn from the market and that horse owners are warned of the potential dangers of the fodder concerned; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be appropriate to name the feed merchant. However, the practising veterinary surgeon has reported that he has notified the company of this incident and told them that samples of fodder from the premises concerned are being analysed. Because of the nature of this disease and the negative test results obtained so far, it would not be appropriate to consider advising the feed merchant or horse owners about this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the sources of information for the information as to (a) the location and (b) the fate of the two horses referred to in his answer of 6 February, Official Report, column 846.

The information in relation to the location and fate of the two horses was obtained from the practising veterinary surgeon dealing with this case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, what have been the results of the diagnosis of the specimens and fodder referred to; and if he will make a statement.

Interim test results on post mortem material and fodder are negative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, how many recorded cases of botulism in horses there have been in England and Wales in the last two years; what were the causes; and if he will make a statement.

No cases of botulism have been recorded by Ministry laboratories in England and Wales in the last two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his reply of 6 February, Official Report, column 846, what assumptions he is using in ascertaining the cause of horses contracting botulism in the case of the two horses concerned.

Botulism is a well recognised syndrome in horses in a number of countries and investigations into the disease have been carried out. Clostridium botulinum is an organism which occurs in the soil. In certain conditions it is able to multiply and produce a toxin in grass silage. Clinical signs develop when the toxin is ingested and absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream.

Mafia

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will raise at the next meeting of the Agricultural Council the substantial payments allegedly made from European Economic Community funds for the bogus export of non-existent fruit juice from Sicily as a means of financing the Mafia organisation; if he will take immediate steps to ascertain the precise amount of public funds involved; and if he will further seek to ensure that further such frauds are prevented;(2) if he will take steps to deduct from the United Kingdom's European Economic Community contribution that part of common agricultural policy expenditure which relates to the provision of common agricultural policy funds to the Mafia organisation in Sicily for the claimed delivery of non-existent fruit juice to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters in Naples and other alleged customers; and if he will make a statement.

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

Milk Quotas

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in the United Kingdom have milk quotas (a) over 2 million litres, (b) between 1,999,999 litres and 750,000 litres, (c) between 749,999 litres and 500,000 litres, (d) between 499,999 litres and 300,000 litres, (e) between 299,999 litres and 200,000 litres and (f) under 200,000 litres, respectively.

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

Headage Payments

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to in which other European Economic Community countries headage payments are made on dairy cows on farms that fall within less-favoured areas.

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

Cattle (Tuberculosis)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of those parishes to be deleted from the list of parishes with a recent history of cattleherds with tuberculosis breakdowns of badger origin.

A full review has been carried out and my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales have agreed that the revisions below should be made to reflect the position at 1 January this year.

Parishes deleted from the list of "badger problem" parishes
Cornwall	Quethiock
Blisland	Roche
Breage	St. Breock
Calstock	St. Erme
Cury	St. Hilary
Duloe	St. Neot
Egloskerry	St. Wenn
Kenwyn	Towednack
Lesnewth	Tresmeer
Morvah	Withiel
Mullion
North Petherwin	Devon
Perran Zabuloe	Woodland

In the past, badger control operations in these parishes have proceeded automatically. In future, badger control operations may be undertaken in these parishes only by my Department after reference to the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis.No parishes have been added to the list.A full list of the problem parishes, taking account of the above deletions, is being made available in the Library of each House.

Agricultural Land

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of agricultural land including rough grazing have been taken out of agricultural use in each of the last five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1987]: For England, the estimated net loss of agricultural land to other uses for the five years to June 1985 was as follows:

Five-year average ending in June	Net area lost (Thousand hectares)
1981	16
1982	16
1983	14
1984	13
1985	14

Five-year averages are used because data for single years are not reliable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of agricultural land including rough grazing have been recorded in each of the last five years as going out of agricultural use and then becoming dormant, derelict or vacant, in public ownership; and if he will make a statement.

Weather Station	Daily averages							Weekly Average
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Weekly Average
Scotland
Aberdeen Airport	2·7	3·0	2·1	1·9	1·4	-1·4	-1·4	1·2
Dumfries	2·7	2·3	0·7	1·0	0·3	-3·5	-2·6	0·1
Edinburgh Airport	2·3	1·4	1·0	1·6	1·8	-1·5	-2·6	0·6
Eskdalemuir (Galashiels)	0·7	0·1	-0·6	-0·7	-1·7	-4·9	-3·0	-1·4
Fort William	3·5	1·9	-0·2	1·9	1·3	-0·6	1·5	1·3
Glasgow Airport	1·2	1·4	-1·1	-1·1	0·8	-4·2	-2·5	-0·8
Kinloss (Inverness)	3·6	3·1	2·9	1·5	2·8	2·1	0·7	2·4
Kirkwall	3·4	2·9	2·4	2·5	3·6	4·8	2·4	3·1
Lerwick	1·3	1·1	-0·1	1·7	3·1	5·1	3·2	2·2
Leuchars (Dundee)	2·3	2·7	2·5	1·9	0·8	-0·5	-2·0	1·1
Machriphanish (Campbeltown)	5·0	2·7	1·4	1·1	3·5	0·8	3·4	2·5
Prestwick (Ayr)	2·5	1·9	-0·1	-0·3	2·0	-1·1	0·5	0·8
Stornoway	2·9	3·1	1·7	3·0	3·3	4·1	4·9	3·3
Whilhorn	3·2	2·1	1·2	1·3	1·5	0·2	0·7	1·5
Wick	2·0	2·7	2·3	1·1	1·8	1·2	2·7	1·9
England
Aughton (Liverpool)	4·4	0·8	1·4	2·1	-0·5	-0·9	-0·2	1·0
Bedford RAE	3·4	1·3	2·4	-0·9	-3·0	-2·9	-1·6	-0·2
Binbrook (Hull)	3·1	1·4	1·8	1·9	-1·3	-2·3	-1·2	0·5
Birmingham Airport	3·5	0·7	2·8	-0·6	-2·3	-4·2	-2·6	-0·4
Blackpool Airport	4·3	0·2	2·6	1·3	1·7	-2·8	-1·1	0·4
Boscombe Down (Sarum)	3·3	2·2	2·6	0·4	-1·9	-1·4	-0·3	0·7
Boulmer (Berwick)	3·9	3·0	2·7	2·1	2·6	-0·6	-1·3	1·8
Bournemouth Airport	4·0	3·9	2·5	0·1	-0·8	-2·5	-1·0	0·9
Bristol	4·7	3·9	4·0	1·7	0·0	0·1	1·3	2·2
Brize Norton (Oxford)	3·9	1·9	2·1	0·1	-1·8	-2·3	-1·7	0·5
Carlisle	2·9	0·8	0·0	0·4	1·4	-2·9	0·1	0·4
Chivenor (Barnstable)	4·0	4·1	4·0	2·6	1·3	1·2	3·4	2·9
Coltishall (Norwich)	4·0	2·5	2·9	0·4	-1·8	-1·7	-1·8	0·6
Coningsby (Boston)	3·1	1·9	2·5	1·4	-1·9	-2·7	-3·1	0·2
Culdrose (Penzance)	3·4	4·8	4·2	4·7	2·9	4·2	5·9	4·3
East Hampstead	3·6	2·5	1·6	-0·4	-1·5	-2·3	-1·9	0·2
Eskmeals (Whitehaven)	3·4	1·5	0·2	1·1	1·2	-1·6	0·1	0·8
Exeter	3·5	3·7	3·6	1·4	0·2	0·0	1·3	1·9
Finningley (Sheffield)	3·5	2·2	3·2	3·3	-2·5	-4·0	-2·9	0·4
Gatwick Airport (Guildford)	3·9	2·8	2·1	-0·8	-1·9	-2·3	-1·8	0·3
Heathrow Airport (London)	4·7	3·4	3·1	1·5	-0·8	-0·4	0·2	1·7
Herstmonceux (Brighton)	3·9	2·9	2·8	1·3	-1·0	-0·8	-0·2	1·3
Honington (Bury St. Edmunds)	2·6	1·4	1·8	-0·5	-2·0	-2·6	-1·8	-0·2
Leeds WC	3·8	2·9	3·0	3·4	-1·2	-3·2	-2·7	0·9
Leeming (Newcastle)	3·5	2·7	2·8	1·7	-2·0	-3·4	-3·0	0·3
Lyneham (Chippenham)	3·1	1·7	1·8	-0·3	-2·3	-1·9	-0·6	0·2
Manchester Airport	4·4	1·1	2·3	2·4	0·1	-0·5	-0·2	1·4
Manston (Dover)	2·7	1·9	1·9	2·1	-1·4	-0·9	-1·2	0·7
Marham (Kings Lynn)	2·5	1·4	2·0	-0·3	-1·2	-2·2	-1·2	0·1
Mount Batten (Plymouth)	4·0	4·0	3·7	3·6	2·7	3·3	4·5	3·7
Okehampton	0·8	1·2	0·2	-0·2	-2·2	0·2	3·2	0·4
St. Mawgan (Truro)	3·2	4·1	3·0	3·1	2·3	2·3	5·0	3·3
Shawbury (Shrewsbury)	4·2	1·4	0·8	-0·6	-2·6	-4·0	-2·5	-0·5

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1987]: The information requested is not available.

Social Services

Severe Weather Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give (a) the daily mean temperature and (b) the weekly mean temperature for the weather stations used by his Department for the week beginning Sunday 25 January.

The Department receives information from the Meteorological Office in respect of seven-day periods beginning each Monday. The information requested for the week commencing Monday 26 January is as follows:

Weather Station	Daily averages							Weekly Average
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Weekly Average
Southampton Weather Centre	4·9	4·2	3·9	2·4	0·1	0·2	1·0	2·4
Stansted	2·5	1·6	1·6	0·7	-2·1	-1·6	-1·6	0·1
Tynemouth (Sunderland)	3·9	3·1	2·7	2·9	0·4	-1·4	-0·6	1·6
Watnall (Derby)	4·1	1·4	1·7	2·3	-1·7	-2·5	-1·3	0·6
Wattisham (Ipswich)	2·5	1·4	1·6	0·1	-2·0	-1·2	-1·3	0·2
Whitby Coastguard	3·7	2·7	2·8	2·4	-0·1	0·3	0·9	1·8
Wyton (Cambridge)	3·1	1·5	2·6	-0·3	-2·0	-3·2	-1·5	0·0
Yeovilton (Yeovil)	3·5	3·2	2·5	-0·7	-0·9	-2·3	-0·4	0·7
Wales
Aberporth (Aberystwyth)	4·7	2·3	3·0	1·7	0·5	1·6	3·0	2·4
Brawdy (Pembroke)	4·2	3·3	2·0	0·6	0·0	0·2	3·1	1·9
Cilfyndd (Merthyr Tydfll)	3·4	2·2	2·4	1·8	-1·1	-0·7	0·5	1·2
Mumbles (Swansea)	4·4	4·2	3·8	2·5	0·9	1·9	3·2	3·0
Rhoose (Cardiff)	3·3	3·0	2·4	0·6	-0·9	-1·3	0·7	1·1
Trawsfyndd (Dolgellau)	3·9	1·8	1·5	0·9	-0·5	1·3	0·3	1·3
Valley (Caernarfon)	6·1	4·1	2·7	1·8	0·9	0·2	1·8	2·5

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications in (a) Scotland and (b) Britain for severe weather payment have come from persons not on supplementary benefit; and what proportion of these are now being processed with a view to checking entitlement to supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was spent by his Department on advertising the availability of exceptionally severe weather payments (a) in 1986 and (b) so far in the current year in: (i) Scotland, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Greenock and Port Glasgow.

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

Queen Elizabeth Ii Hospital, Welwyn Garden City

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received any representations regarding ward closures at Queen Elizabeth II hospital, Welwyn Garden City; and if he will make a statement.

We have received five representations about the ward closures at Queen Elizabeth II hospital, Welwyn, including one each from my hon. Friends the Members for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Murphy), for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) and for Bedfordshire, South-West (Mr. Madel). Two letters addressed to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister were also passed to this Department for reply. The East Hertfordshire health authority will be considering reopening the wards in the light of its 1987–88 budget.

Maternity Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Wansbeck constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the Wansbeck constituency are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Wansbeck constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Ashington and Blyth and their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency.

The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the two offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number of claims
Ashington	1,127
Blyth	1,367

It is not possible to predict how many women in the Wansbeck constituency will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in that same borough are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The metropolitan borough of Sandwell is covered by the Department's offices at West Bromwich and Smethwick and their boundaries are not conterminous with the metropolitan borough of Sandwell. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant at West Bromwich and Smethwick during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
West Bromwich	2,051
Smethwick	2,398

It is not possible to predict how many women in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in (i) Dundee and (ii) Tayside are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.

(a) Dundee is covered by the Department's offices at Dundee, East and Dundee, West. The number of claims received for maternity grant in these two local offices in the 1986 calendar year was as follows:

Number

Dundee, East

1,940

Dundee, West

1,091

(b) Tayside is covered by the Department's offices at Arbroath and Perth in addition to the Dundee offices. The number of claims received in those two local offices in the 1986 calendar year were as follows:

Number

Arbroath

360

Perth

415

It is not possible to predict how many women in (i) Dundee and (ii) Tayside will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Clydebank and Milngavie constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Clydebank and Milngavie constituency are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Clydebank and Milngavie constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Clydebank and Glasgow (Maryhill) and their boundaries are not conterminous witht the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the two offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Clydebank	545
Glasgow (Maryhill)	1,103

It is not possible to predict how many women in the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in each of the three Wolverhampton constituencies claimed maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in each constituency are expected to qualify each year for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The three Wolverhampton constituencies are covered by the Department's offices at Wolverhampton, North and Wolverhampton, South and their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituencies. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the two offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Wolverhampton North	2,066
Wolverhampton South	2,072

It is not possible to predict how many women in each constituency will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Jarrow constituency claimed maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the Jarrow constituency are expected to qualify annually for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Jarrow constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Jarrow and South Shields and their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant at Jarrow and South Shields during the calendar year 1986 were as follows

	Number
Jarrow	735
South Shields	1,207

It is not possible to predict how many women in Jarrow will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Sunderland, South claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Sunderland, South are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.Sunderland South constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Sunderland South and Sunderland North although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in the two local offices in the 1986 calendar year were as follows:

	Number
Sunderland South	1,442
Sunderland North	2,097

It is not possible to predict how many women in Sunderland South will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the London borough of Newham claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the London borough of Newham are expected to qualify each year for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The London borough of Newham is covered by the Department's offices at Canning Town, Plaistow and Woodgrange Park although their boundaries are not conterminous with the London borough of Newham. The

numbers of claims received for maternity grant in those three local offices in the 1986 calendar year were as follows:

	Number
Canning Town	612
Plaistow	1,613
Woodgrange Park	1,848

It is not possible to predict how many women in the London borough of Newham will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the London borough of Newham received a maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the London borough of Newham are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 273 claims to maternity allowance were made at Canning Town, 999 claims at Plaistow and 1,101 claims at Woodgrange Park, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in the London borough of Newham will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in north-west Leicestershire received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in north-west Leicestershire are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance annually after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,470 claims to maternity allowance were made at Loughborough, the Department's office which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in northwest Leicestershire will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Faversham received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Faversham are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance annually after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 986 claims to maternity allowance were made at Sittingbourne, the Department's office which covers the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Faversham will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Tameside and Glossop received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available 1,054 claims to maternity allowance were made at Hyde, 1,170 claims at Ashton-under-Lyne and 790 at Manchester Openshaw, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Tameside and Glossop will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Tameside and Glossop claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available and how many are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.Tameside and Glossop are included in the areas covered by the Department's offices at Hyde, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Openshaw. The number of claims received for maternity grant in the three local offices in the 1986 calendar year was as follows:

	Number
Hyde	1,584
Ashton-under-Lyne	443
Manchester Openshaw	678

It is not possible to predict how many women in Tameside and Glossop will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde region, (c) Glasgow district and (d) Shettleston constituency, claimed the maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected annually to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

In the 12. months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following numbers of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which cover the areas in the question:

	Number
(a) Scotland	46,613
(b) Strathclyde region	21,112
(c) Glasgow district	7,891

	Number
(d) Shettleston constituency
Glasgow Dalmarnock	137
Glasgow Parkhead	900

It is not possible to predict how many women in these areas will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Crewe and Nantwich received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Crewe and Nantwich are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,573 claims to maternity allowance were made at Crewe, the Department's office which covers the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Crewe and Nantwich will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Sheffield, Central received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Sheffield, Central are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous:

	Number
Sheffield North-East	790
Sheffield South-East	810
Sheffield North-West	1,142
Sheffield South-West	1,180

It is not possible to predict how many women in Sheffield, Central will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the city of Westminster received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the city of Westminster are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following numbers of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which cover the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous:

	Number
Euston	639
Paddington	696
Cricklewood	489
Chelsea	¹
Westminster	¹
¹ Claims for these offices are dealt with at Aldershot out-station. A total of 2,999 claims were dealt with at that office, but that total includes claims proper to other offices.

It is not possible to predict how many women in the city of Westminster will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the London borough of Tower Hamlets claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the London borough of Tower Hamlets are expected to qualify annually for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The London borough of Tower Hamlets is covered by the Department's offices at Hackney, Poplar and Stepney although their boundaries are not conterminous with the London borough of Tower Hamlets. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in these three local offices in the 1986 calendar year were as follows:

	Number
Hackney	1,374
Poplar	1,287
Stepney	1,011

It is not possible to predict how many women in the London borough of Tower Hamlets will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the London borough of Tower Hamlets received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the London borough of Tower Hamlets are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 670 claims to maternity allowance were made at Poplar, 267 at Stepney and 866 at Hackney, the Department's offices which cover the borough, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in the London borough of Tower Hamlets will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Sedgefield constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Sedgefield are expected to qualify annually for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Sedgefield constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Bishop Auckland and Darlington and their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant at Bishop Auckland and Darlington during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Bishop Auckland	1,237
Darlington	1,704

It is not possible to predict how many women in Sedgefield will qualify for maternity payments from the Social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Sedgefield constituency received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Sedgefield are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,171 claims to maternity allowance were made at Bishop Auckland and 1,067 at Darlington, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Sedgefield will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Luton, South received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Luton, South are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,879 claims to maternity allowance were made at Luton, the Department's office which covers the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Luton, South will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Luton, North claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Luton, North are expected to qualify annually for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Luton, North constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Luton and Dunstable. Although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant at the Luton and Dunstable offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Luton	3,029
Dunstable	1,690

It is not possible to predict how many women in Luton North will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Luton, North received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Luton, North are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance in each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,879 claims to maternity allowance were made at Luton and 1,247 at Dunstable, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Luton North will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Kingston upon Hull, West claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Kingston upon Hull, West are expected to qualify annually for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Kingston upon Hull, West constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Kingston upon Hull, West and Kingston upon Hull, East although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant at the Kingston upon Hull, West and Kingston upon Hull, East during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number of claims
Kingston upon Hull, East	3,443
Kingston upon Hull, West	2,862

It is not possible to predict how many women in Kingston upon Hull, West will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Kingston upon Hull, West received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Kingston upon Hull, West are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance each year after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,929 claims to maternity allowance were made at Hull, East and 1,927 at Hull, West, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Kingston upon Hull, West will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Swansea, East claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.Swansea, East constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Swansea and Morriston although their boundaries are not conterminous. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in those two local offices in the 1986 calendar year were as follows:

	Number
Swansea	1,937
Morriston	1,073

It is not possible to predict how many women in Swansea, East will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in that same borough are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,280 claims to maternity allowance were made at West Bromwich and 1,346 at Smethwick, the Department's offices which cover the borough of Sandwell, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in (i) Dundee and (ii) Tayside are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following number of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which cover the areas of the question, although the boundaries are not conterminous:

	Number
(a) Dundee
Dundee East	998
Dundee West	841
(b) Tayside
Dundee East	998
Dundee West	841
Perth	1,003
Arbroath	703

It is not possible to predict how many women in Dundee and Tayside will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in (a) Tyne Bridge and (b) Newcastle, Central constituencies received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; arid how many women in each of the said constituencies are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

	Number
(a) Tyne Bridge
Newcastle St. James'	992
Newcastle East	983
(b) Newcastle Central
Newcastle East	983
Newcastle St. James'	992
Newcastle West	975

It is not possible to predict how many women in the two constituencies will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Scotland received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Motherwell, North constituency are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the twelve months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 46,613 claims to maternity allowance were made in Scotland.

It is not possible to predict how many women in the Motherwell constituency will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Stockport parliamentary constituency and in Denton and Reddish received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Stockport and Denton and Reddish are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Informaton is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following numbers of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which cover the constituencies although the boundaries are not conterminous.

	Number
Stockport
Stockport, North	1,393
Stockport, South	1,409
Denton and Reddish
Stockport, North	1,393
Stockport, South	1,409
Hyde	1,054
Ashton-under-Lyne	1,170

It is not possible to predict how many women in Stockport and Denton and Reddish will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Burnley and Pendle constituencies received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Burnley and Pendle are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,714 claims to maternity allowance were made at Burnley, the Department's office which covers the areas, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Burnley and Pendle will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (i) how many women in Swansea, East received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available and (ii) how many are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,340 claims to maternity allowance were made at Swansea and 735 at Morriston, the Department's offices which cover the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Swansea, East will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Newport, East received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many such women are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,658 claims to maternity allowance were made at Newport, the Department's office which covers the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Newport, East will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Cynon Valley received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many such women are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 761 claims to maternity allowance were made at Pontypridd and 489 at Aberdare, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Cynon Valley will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230.000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Monklands, West claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Monklands, West are expected to qualify in a year for a maternity payment from the social fund after April.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Monklands, West constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Coatbridge, Cumbernauld and Glasgow Springburn although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The number of claims received for maternity grant in each of the three local offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Coatbridge	804
Cumbernauld	1,762
Glasgow (Springburn)	927

It is not possible to predict how many women in Monklands, West will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Greenock and Port glasgow constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Greenock and Port Glasgow are expected to qualify annually for a maternity payment from the Social Fund after April.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Greenock and Port Glasgow although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the two local offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Greenock	1,137
Port Glasgow	468

It is not possible to predict how many women in Greenock and Port Glasgow will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Edinburgh, Central received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,434 claims to maternity allowance were made at Edinburgh West and 839 claims at Edinburgh City, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Edinburgh Central will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Edinburgh Central claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Edinburgh Central constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Edinburgh City and Edinburgh West although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the two local offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Edinburgh City	325
Edinburgh West	1,821

It is not possible to predict how many women in Edinburgh Central will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the constituency of Edinburgh, East received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 927 claims to maternity allowance were made at Edinburgh East, 736 claims at Edinburgh North and 839 claims at Edinburgh City, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Edinburgh East will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Edinburgh, East constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Edinburgh, East constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Edinburgh, East, Edinburgh City and Edinburgh North although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the three local offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Edinburgh East	1,398
Edinburgh City	325
Edinburgh North	1,050

It is not possible to predict how many women in Edinburgh, East will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Langbaurgh received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Langbaurgh are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,299 claims to maternity allowance were made at Middlesbrough, 595 claims at Eston and 656 claims at Redcar, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.

It is not possible to predict how many women in Langbaurgh will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Langbaurgh claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Langbaurgh are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Langbaurgh constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Eston, Middlesbrough and Redcar although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the three local offices during the calendar year 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Eston	1,016
Middlesbrough	2,472
Redcar	1,006

It is not possible to predict how many women in Langbaurgh will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Monklands, West received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Monklands,. West are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 495 claims to maternity allowance were made at Coatbridge, 1,183 claims at Cumbernauld and 744 claims at Glasgow, Springburn, the Department's offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Monklands, West will qualify for statutory maternity pay

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Greenock and Port Glasgow are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance annually after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 830 claims to maternity allowance were made at Greenock and 309 at Port Glasgow, the Department's offices which cover the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Greenock and Port Glasgow will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Thurrock claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Thurrock are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Thurrock constituency is covered by the Department's office at Grays although its boundary is not conterminous with the constituency. The number of claims received for maternity grant in Grays local office during the calendar year of 1986 was 1,810.It is not possible to predict how many women in Thurrock will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Thurrock received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Thurrock are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,257 claims to maternity allowance were made at Grays, the Department's office which covers the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Thurrock will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Leeds metropolitan district received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the Leeds metropolitan district are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department's offices which cover the area, although the boundaries are not conterminous:

	Number
Leeds Central	957
Leeds North	1,396
Leeds North West	1,137
Leeds South	636
Leeds West	1,070

In addition, very small parts of the district council were dealt with at offices at Castleford, Harrogate, Rothwell, York and Pontefract, but information about the number of claims in those offices relating to the district council area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

It is not possible to predict how many women in the Leeds metropolitan district will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Leeds metropolitan district claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in the Leeds metropolitan district are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Leeds metropolitan district council area is covered by the Department's offices at Leeds East, Leeds West, Leeds North-West, Leeds North and Leeds South. The number of claims for maternity grant received at those five offices during the calendar year 1986 was as follows:

	Number
Leeds East	1,815
Leeds West	1,710
Leeds North West	1,791
Leeds North	2,239
Leeds South	1,040

In addition, very small parts of the district council area are dealt with at offices at Castleford, Harrogate, Rothwell, York and Pontefract but it is not possible to identify which claims at those offices relate to the district council area, other than at disproportionate cost.It is not possible to predict how many women in the Leeds metropolitan district will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many women in South Derbyshire received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in South Derbyshire are expected to receive each year statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987;(2) how many women in Derby, North received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Derby, North are expected to receive each year statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987;(3) how many women in Derby, South received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Derby, South are expected to receive each year statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,233 claims to maternity allowance were made at Derby, Beckett street and 1,551 at Derby, London road, the Department's offices which cover all three constituencies although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in South Derby, North and in Derby, South will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Stretford constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Stretford are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Stretford constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Rusholme, Chorlton and Sale, although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The number of claims for maternity grant received at those three offices during the calendar year 1986 was as follows:

	Number
Rusholme	1,116
Chorlton	899
Sale	2,447

It is not possible to predict how many women in Stretford will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Stretford constituency received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women in Stretford are expected to receive statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance after April 1987.

Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 681 claims to maternity allowance were made at Manchester Rusholme, 498 claims at Manchester Chorlton and 1,766 at Manchester Sale, the Department's offices which cover the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.It is not possible to predict how many women in Stretford will qualify for statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance from April 1987. However, it is estimated that in total some 230,000 women will qualify for statutory maternity pay and 84,000 for maternity allowance in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Barnsley, East constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the social fund annually after April 1987.

Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.The Barnsley, East constituency is covered by the Department's offices at Barnsley East and Goldthorpe although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims received for maternity grant in each of the two local offices during the calendar year of 1986 were as follows:

	Number
Barnsley East	1,445
Goldthorpe	375

It is not possible to predict how many women in Barnsley, East will qualify for maternity payments from the social fund from April 1987.

Birth Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many births there were in Bradford in the last year for which figures are available.

During 1985, there were 7,581 live births and 48 stillbirths to mothers whose usual residence was in the Bradford metropolitan district.

Ambulance Service

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will tabulate in the Official Report the patient journeys made by the London ambulance service, non emergency provision for each of the quarters in 1986, as set out and in the categories in his written answer of 6 November 1986, Official Report, column 599–600, showing for each figure for the fourth quarter and annual totals, respectively, the percentage increase or decrease on the equivalent figures for 1984.

The information requested is not yet available.I shall let the hon. Member have a further reply as soon as possible.

Mentally Ill And Handicapped People

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the objectives, priorities and achievements of Her Majesty's Government's policy towards mentally ill and handicapped people since 1983.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services according to the latest available data, how many claims for supplementary benefit have taken more than 14 days to process before initial payment in each Department of Health and Social Security office (a) in London and (b) in each region outside London in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of first claims for supplementary benefit at that time each of these figures represents.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 2 February at column 553. The information which was subsequently placed in the Library is the closest available information to that which he has now requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will review the limits on supplementary benefit payments for boarders and people in residential care and nursing homes; and whether he will make a statement.

We have recently completed a full review of the supplementary benefit limits for ordinary board and lodging accommodation and residential care and nursing homes. The review took into account information about charges and costs from DHSS local offices and other sources. We intend to publish in due course a report from management consultants Ernst and Whinney on the movement of costs specific to residential and nursing homes, as well as research reports by Kent and York universities on charges in these homes as they relate to our limits. Our review has also paid particular attention to representations from hon. Members and interested organisations and individuals.The evidence showed that there is no case for a general increase in the limits. However, our review did point to four specific areas where additional help for people in residential care and nursing homes would be particularly welcome. We propose to increase the limits selectively, in accordance with those findings, to take effect at the same time as the general uprating of benefits in the week beginning 6 April 1987.First, we propose to increase the limit for people in residential care homes for elderly people from £125 to £130. This compares with a level of £110 in April 1985—an increase of approaching one fifth over two years.Secondly, the new higher limit for very dependent elderly people or blind people in residential care homes which we introduced last July will be increased from £140 to £145. This limit permits significant allowance to be made for real variations in the needs of people in residential care homes not just for the elderly but also for the mentally ill and drug and alcohol abusers.Thirdly, strong representations have been made to us on behalf of younger physically handicapped people in residential care homes, many of whom have very high needs for care. We propose to increase the limit which applies to them by £10 to £190.Finally, we are increasing the limit for people in nursing homes for the elderly from £170 to £175. This means that the limits for these homes will have increased by more than one quarter in two years.Taken together, the changes that we propose will continue to enable reasonable charges to be met in homes during the coming year, in which we expect to receive the proposals of the joint working party between central and local government which is due to report by Easter on the harmonisation of funding arrangements for residential care in the longer term.

Aids

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what co-ordination there is between member countries on AIDS research within the World Health Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

The World Health Organisation has set up a network of collaborating centres in member countries to undertake research on various aspects of prevention and control of AIDS. In addition the organisation's special programme on AIDS is to have a research and development component which will assist in co-ordinating the international multidisciplinary research effort into the disease.

Abortions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women came to England and Wales from other European countries for abortions in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will classify them by country of origin.

The available information is given in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Abortion Statistics" series AB12 published October 1986, a copy of which is in the Library.

Councillors (Allowances)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the financial loss suffered by some local authority councillors because of the interaction between their invalidity benefit and allowances paid for their council work; and what action he proposes to resolve the problem.

There has been growing concern about the dilemma facing councillors dependent on invalidity benefit. Even if those councillors chose not to draw the allowance paid for each attendance on council duties, current rules mean that they may lose all their benefit as soon as the allowances for which they are ordinarily eligible exceed £25·50 a week. This is the maximum amount that someone is allowed to earn from work medically considered desirable while still fulfilling the basic benefit condition of incapacity for work. The same rules apply also to sickness benefit and severe disablement allowance, but with invalidity benefit in particular the financial loss can be considerable.Experience shows that people with long-term sickness or disability can give valuable services as councillors even though they cannot undertake normal employment. It would be wrong if they were deterred by the rules of the benefit system from contributing to local democracy as elected representatives. These criticisms have been put to us by right hon. and hon. Members from all parts of the House and we take them seriously. We have decided that the rules must be changed in this special case.We propose that in future councillors receiving sickness benefit, invalidity benefit or severe disablement allowance should not automatically lose all their weekly benefit (or, as happens in some cases at present, their benefit for the particular days worked) once their council allowances exceed £25.50. Instead, so long as a councillor remains eligible for the benefit on grounds of incapacity, it will be reduced pound for pound once allowances exceed £25.50. This change requires primary legislation, and we will make the necessary amendments to the Social Security Act 1975 at the first available opportunity. However, since we do not wish to deter candidates from standing for the local authority elections in May, I wish to make it clear now that we shall introduce new procedures in local offices to ensure that, to the extent that it is possible within existing legislation, the effect of the proposed new statutory arrangements will be achieved by ex gratia payments. This will take effect from early May.

Heart Disease

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the latest figures for the total costs of coronary heart disease to the community broken down into medical, social and economic categories.

[pursuant to her reply, 6 February 1987, c. 866]: Comprehensive information on the social and economic cost of coronary heart disease to the community is not collected centrally. The impact on employment, social security and social and voluntary services is so diverse that a reliable national estimate cannot be made. The only information that I can give the hon. Member is based on estimates, breaking down the latest cost available by diagnostic group, which suggest that in 1984–85 the cost of coronary heart disease to the National Health Service was about £250 million.

Volume 110: debated on Thursday 12 February 1987

Written Answers To Questions

Wales

Horticultural Development Council

Annual Review Of Agriculture

Tvei

Yts

Jobcentres

Voluntary Projects Programme

Rescue Archaeology

Labour Statistics

Msc Schemes

Water Supplies

Historic Buildings Council

Employment

Community Programme

Nuclear Safety

Professional And Executive Recruitment

Prime Minister

President Reagan

Fraserburgh

Engagements

Anglo-Irish Agreement

Nuclear Accidents

Defence

Tactical Missile System

Swynnerton Range

Armoured Production

Defence Projects

Squadron Leader Hare

Royal Air Force

Pensions

Royal Navy (Drugs)

Education And Science

Universities (Grants)

Schools (Finance)

Chancellors School

Trafford

Secondary Schools (Substandard Places)

Transport

M1 (Telephones)

Cars (Change Of Ownership)

Private Hire Vehicles

M1 Service Stations

Transportation Of Hazardous Goods

Light Dues

Baa (Shares)

Environment

Private Flats

Safety Glass

London Docklands Development Corporation

Disabled People (Housing)

Capacitors (Health Hazards)

Lancaster House (Conference)

Housing Management Courses

Trade And Industry

Labour Statistics

Timesharing

Energy

Plutonium

Euratom

House Coal

Diesel Fuel

Nuclear Power Stations

Nuclear Safety

Ncb (Manpower)

British Gas

Home Department

Licensing

Houses In Multiple Occupation

Police Discipline (Access To Witnesses)

Animal Welfare

National Marriage Guidance Council

Immigration

Data Networks

Domestic Crime Prevention

State Security

Nuclear Safety

Bail Hostels