Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Tuesday 24 February 1987

Duchy Of Lancaster

Magistrates (Lancashire)

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many new magistrates were appointed to each bench in Lancashire in 1986.

The following number of appointments were made to each bench in Lancashire last year:

	Number
Blackpool	8
Lancaster	4
South Ribble	10
Ribble Valley	4
Blackburn	5
Chorley	5
Ormskirk	5
Preston	5
Burnley	4
Wyre	7
Pendle	6
Darwen	2
Church	3
Fylde	4
Accrington	1
Rossendale	5
	78

Education And Science

Scottish Universities

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total number of new undergraduates admitted to Scottish universities for the present academic year; and how many of them came from Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively.

In 1986 there were 10,748 home acceptances to Scottish universities through the Universities Central Council on Admissions. Of these, 8,307 were domiciled in Scotland, 2,302 in England, 61 in Wales and 348 in Northern Ireland.

Students (Parental Assistance)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing (a) the level of parental contribution to student grants each year since 1978, and (b) the number of covenants made by parents in favour of students over 18 years; and (i) the costs of tax relief on such covenants and (ii) administrative costs in connection with covenants.

(a) I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 17 February at column 567.

(b) I understand that covenants made in favour of students cannot be separately identified, but that the

number of covenants made by parents in favour of people aged over 18 years is currently estimated to be 250,000. The annual cost of tax relief on these covenants is estimated at approximately £100 million. The administrative costs of these covenants cannot be separately identified. Information is not available in respect of earlier years.

Queen's Croft Special School, Lichfield

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received any representations regarding the future of Queen's Croft special school. Lichfield.

No such representations have been received other than those made by two of my hon. Friend's constituents, which were forwarded under cover of his letters of 4 November and 10 December 1986.

Swann Report

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in the last year towards implementation of the recommendations of the Swann report relating to ethnically based statistics on school pupils and school teachers; when he expects to announce decisions; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 25 July 1986 at column 527, he has accepted the main recommendations of the Working Group on the collection of educational statistics on art ethnic basis, and in addition he proposed that information should be aggregated centrally by his Department. A draft of the circular implementing the arrangements is in preparation and will be issued for consultation.My right hon. Friend expects to receive shortly the report of the working group on the collection of ethnically-based statistics on school-teachers, which was established in January 1986. He will then announce his response to this report.

Research Projects

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library copies of the findings of research projects commissioned by his Department by (a) the National Foundation for Educational Research, (b) Manchester University/Huddersfield Polytechnic and (c) University of London Institute of Education, concerning implementation of the Education Act 1981.

I have requested from each of the contractors an additional copy of their report. On receipt, these will be placed in the Library.

Literacy

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he received the report of the working group of the Manpower Services Commission on illiteracy among long-term unemployed people; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will arrange discussions with

(a) the adult literacy and basic skills unit, (b) the National Federation of Voluntary Literacy Schemes and (c)

representatives of local education authorities, in considering what steps to take in relation to the report of the Manpower Services Commission working group on illiteracy among long-term unemployed people; if he will publish a discussion document; when he expects to announce decisions; and if he will make a statement.

A copy of the report of the working group was forwarded to my right hon. Friend by the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission on 11 February 1987. Consideration of the report is for my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.My Department and the adult literacy and basic skills unit which it funds will co-operate in this consideration as necessary. The management committee of the adult literacy and basic skills unit includes representatives of the National Federation of Voluntary Literacy Schemes and of local education authorities.

University Grants Committee

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library copies of the consultants' report mentioned in the introduction of the Review of the University Grants Committee (Cmnd. 81).

I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Genetic Handicap (Research)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether the Medical Research Council has now been informed of or is involved in any current or proposed research project into genetic handicap which necessitates or would necessitate the use of the human embryo;(2) if he is aware of any publicly funded current or proposed research project into genetic handicap which involves or would involve the use of the human embryo;(3) if he has been notified of any privately funded current or proposed research project into genetic handicap which involves or would involve the use of the human embryo.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 February 1987]: I understand that the Medical Research Council has been informed by the Voluntary Licensing Authority for Human In Vitro Fertilisation and Embryology, which is jointly funded by the MRC and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, that they have at their January meeting approved a project into genetic handicap which necessitates the use of the human embryo. I am not aware of any approach for public funding of this work.

Prime Minister

A330/A340 Airbus

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister what plans Her Majesty's Government have to support British Aerospace's participation in the A330/A340 Airbus project by assisting with launch aid.

We shall reach a decision on British Aerospace's application for launch aid in respect of its participation in the Airbus A330 and A340 programme as soon as possible.

Satellites (Orbital Slots)

Q53.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will make it their practice, when filing orbital slots with the International Telecommunications Union, to place details of the proposed satellite in the Library.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 18 February at column 688 .

Engagements

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 February.

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

School Meals

asked the Prime Minister what was the estimated cost for the United Kingdom as a whole in 1985–86 of school meals provided free of charge, for (a) pupils and (b) staff.

The estimated cost of school meals provided free of charge in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is as follows:

£million
To pupils	57
To adults	7

It was not practicable to hold a school meals census in October 1985 in England in view of the disruption to the service caused by the teachers' dispute. The Department therefore does not have the information to calculate the proportions of school meals expenditure attributable to free meals for pupils and staff.

Home Department

Greenwich Mean Time And British Summer Time

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the continued operation of Greenwich mean time and British summer time; what proposals have been made for closer alignment of seasonal time changes among member states of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

In the past 12 months, we have received three representations in favour of the current system of summer time and 42 in favour of other methods. Member states did not accept the European Commission's proposal in 1984 for harmony of dates to be achieved by a compromise date of mid-October for the end of summer time; but it is likely that the Commission will again seek to bring member states into harmony when the present agreement expires at the end of 1988.

Merseyside Police Committee

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the deputation from the Merseyside police committee.

I met a delegation from the Merseyside police authority on 10 February to discuss the authority's finances for 1987–88. The delegation explained why the authority considered itself disadvantaged compared with other police joint authorities by the formula provided in the Local Government Finance Bill for determining maximum precepts. I explained that in the Government's view the maximum precept derived from the formula would allow the authority broadly to maintain its present level of service in 1987–88 and that we were therefore unable to agree that the Bill should be amended.

Prison Officers' Hostel (Culcheth)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the single prison officers' hostel at Culcheth has been empty; what the plans are for its future; how many rooms there are, and of what type; and what is the value of the property.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

Immigration Policy

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans any changes to the immigration policy and procedures in the light of the report of the United Kingdom Immigration Advisory Service for 1985–86, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

In reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) I yesterday announced that the Government are urgently considering measures to prevent people arriving here without the necessary documents. Otherwise I have nothing to add to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to the hon. Member's question on 5 February at column 777 .

Concessionary Television Licences

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he is likely to reach a decision on whether he intends to appeal against the decision of the High Court on 23 January concerning concessionary television licences for certain tenants.

No appeal will be made against the judgment. Applications for concessionary licences will of course continue to need careful scrutiny to ensure that they satisfy in full the conditions of eligibility set out in the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcast Licence Charges and Exemption) Regulations 1984.

Birmingham Pub Bombings

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider offering immunity from prosecution to police officers who offer evidence to the inquiry being conducted by the Devon and Cornwall police regarding the treatment in custody of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Any question of immunity from prosecution would be a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions in consultation as necessary with the Attorney-General.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers from the Devon and Cornwall police are involved in the investigation of allegations concerning the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings; and in what capacities they are involved.

The conduct of the investigation is a matter for the chief constable of the Devon and Cornwall constabulary. We understand from the chief constable that about 25 officers are involved in the investigation, though not necessarily full-time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the inquiry conducted by Chief Constable Davis Owen into the injuries inflicted on the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings during their first three days in custody.

No. It is not the practice to publish the reports of police investigations.

Energy

Severn Barrage

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what assumption is being made in all of the studies into the proposed Severn barrage as to the future status of the estuarial and ports statutory rights, and as to the effects on ports and the ships using them.

No assumptions have been made in the further Severn Barrage studies on the impact on ports and shipping. This issue will be a matter for close consultation with the relevant authorities during the course of the studies. The consultation document giving details of the studies to be undertaken was published on 16 February and is being distributed to all interested parties for comment by the end of March. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Power Stations

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the local authorities of Bassetlaw district and Nottinghamshire county council in relation to the application for a coal-fired power station at West Burton; and if he will make a statement.

The only application for a new power station before my right hon. Friend at present is that for the Sizewell PWR. During the last year, the hon. Members for Newark (Mr. Alexander) and for Bassetlaw (Mr. Ashton) have referred letters to my right hon. Friend that they had received from the chief executive of Bassetlaw district council about a further coal-fired power station at West Burton. No representations have been received from Nottinghamshire county council.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the base load is currently generated by nuclear power stations.

The CEGB has advised me that, where possible, it operates its nuclear power stations continuously throughout the year, and all are regarded as base load stations at all times. However, the overall number of stations regarded as base load varies from season to season because of the different levels of demand. It is therefore not possible to provide a fixed proportion on the basis requested. Based on provisional figures some 20 per cent. of the electricity available from the United Kingdom public supply system was provided by nuclear power in 1986.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Arms Sales

70.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review his policy towards arms sales to foreign Governments which are responsible for sustained human rights abuses.

The export of military and paramilitary equipment is controlled by the Export of Goods (Control) Order. All applications for the export of such equipment are considered individually on their merits. We do not permit the export of military or paramilitary equipment to countries with poor human rights records if we consider that the equipment is likely to be used for internal repression.

Weu (Assembly)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he takes to ensure that the Assembly of the Western European Union has sufficient facilities for the effective pursuit of its duties; and if he will make a statement.

Together with our partners on the WEU council, we seek to provide the Assembly with adequate resources to conduct its work. The Council has authorised real budgetary growth for the Assembly against forecast inflation in each of the last three years.

Diplomats (Offences)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 27 January to the hon. Member for Leicester, East, Official Report, column 177, if he will now publish a table giving a breakdown by diplomatic mission of the 3,970 cars with diplomatic registration and the number of alleged motoring offences, including the fixed penalties, committed by each diplomatic mission.

No. Figures for unpaid fixed penalties incurred for parking offences were given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 14 January at columns 200–203 .

Northern Ireland

Plastic Bullets

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many formal complaints have been made about incidents of police use of plastic baton rounds in 1986; in how many cases the complaint has been upheld; and in how many cases disciplinary action has been taken against the officers involved.

[pursuant to his reply 16 February 1987, c. 464]: During 1986 15 formal complaints were made concerning the use of plastic baton rounds by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. One was later withdrawn. Police reports on 10 others were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions who directed no prosecution on each. The question of disciplinary action is now being considered by the Deputy Chief Constable, and in due course the papers will be referred to the Police Complaints Board. The remainder are still under investigation.

Scotland

Sizewell B Power Station

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the employment consequences for Scottish industry of a positive decision in relation to the proposed Sizewell B power station; and if he will make a statement.

Orders for power stations, whether coal-fired or nuclear, would be welcome to Scottish industry. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy is currently considering the case for Sizewell B in the light of Sir Frank Layfield's report and until he has reached his decision, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Chiropodists (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many chiropodists are currently employed by Tayside health board; and what is the equivalent funded establishment number of chiropodists for Tayside health board.

There were 40·7 (whole-time equivalent) chiropodists employed by Tayside health board on 30 September 1986. This is the funded establishment number for the board.

Blood Donors (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many effective blood donors there have been in Tayside health board in each year since 1981; and how many blood donations were made in each year.

The available information relates to the east of Scotland region of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, which draws donors from north-east Fife as well as from the area of Tayside health board. The total number of "effective blood donors" is not recorded but the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service maintains an active donor panel of the order of 35,000 persons in the region, which has been found adequate to meet demand. The number of blood donations in the region were as follows:

Year	Donations Taken
1 April 1981–31 March 1982	31,653
1 April 1982–31 March 1983	31,627
1 April 1983–31 March 1984	31,093
1 April 1984–31 March 1985	29,508
1 April 1985–31 March 1986	27,345
1 April 1986–31 December 1986 (part year)	20,808

Life Expectancy

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current life expectancies by social class; and what were the corresponding figures in 1957 and 1967.

Information on life expectancies at birth by social class is not available. Standardised

Infant and perinatal death rates of children whose parents were married to each other, Scotland, 1965 and 1985
			Social Class
	I	II	III NM	III M	IV	V
Infant deaths (per 1,000 live births)
1965	10·5	18·3	22·0¹		26·4	33·9
1985	7·5	8·6	8·5	8·5	8·2	11·3
Perinatal deaths (per 1,000 births live and still)
1965	15·1	23·1	31·3¹		35·6	3,7·4
1985	6·7	9·4	9·4	8·6	10·7	9·6
¹ Manual/non-manual split not available·

Cervical Cytology (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many smears for cervical cytology examinations have been taken in Tayside health board in each, of the past five years; and what was the detection rate in each year.

The figures for cervical cytology examinations in Tayside health board for the years 1982 to 1985 inclusive are set out in the table. Data for 1986 are not yet available.

Prescribed items dispensed by	Number of prescribed items dispensed	Number of prescribed items charged	Percentage of prescribed items charged
Chemists	2,760,233	543,144	19·7
Appliance Suppliers	3,657	539	14·7
Dispensing Doctors	73,865	8,473	11·5
Total	2,837,755	552,156	19·5

The prescription cost is £2·00 per item but the total income from charges in 1985–86 of £1,222,333 includes £118,236 from pre-payment certificates which do not relate to prescriptions classified as charged. The number of prescriptions obtained on such pre-payment certificates is not known. mortality ratios by social class for the period 1959–63 are contained in the publication "Occupational Mortality 1959–63" (Registrar General for Scotland); and standardised mortality ratios for manual and non-manual occupational groups for the periods 1969–73 and 1979–83 are discussed in a report in the vital statistics return of the Registrar General, Scotland, weeks 4144, 1986. Copies of these publications are in the Library.

Infant And Perinatal Mortality

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current rates of infant and perinatal mortality by social class for legitimate birth; and what are the comparable figures for 20 years previously.

The information is as follows:

	Number of examinations	Percentage positive
1982	28,356	0·92
1983	31,616	1·03
1984	32,310	0·62
1952	36,535	0·45

Prescriptions (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table for Tayside health board showing for 1986 (a) the number of prescriptions dispensed by general practitioners on which charges had to be paid, and (c) he average annual prescription charge per item.

The information for the financial year ending 31 March 1986 is as follows:—

Chiropody Treatment (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current waiting list for chiropody treatment within Tayside health board; and how many of those on the list are men aged over 65 years and women over 60 years.

This information is not available centrally.

Labour Statistics (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the numbers employed within Tayside health board by main staff group; and what are the equivalent figures for 1980.

The information is as follows and relates to whole-time equivalents:

	1980	1986
Medical-dental	971	977
Pharmacists-opticians	51	51
Nurses-midwives	5,905	5,966
Scientific-professions supplementary to medicine	389	436
Technical	411	457
Works-tradesmen	350	352
Administration-clerical	1,169	1,219
Ancillary	2,902	2,516

Nursing And Midwifery Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the average earnings of nursing and midwifery staff within the National Health Service at all grades.

Specific information on average annual earnings of nursing staff is not collected centrally. Average figures would cover a wide range of earnings. Basic salary varies according to qualification, experience and service and may be augmented by additional payments for working unsocial hours and overtime, and there are also allowances for staff employed in certain geriatric and psychiatric units.The table below shows the mid points of the basic pay scales for the main grades at 1 July 1986.

Grade	1 July 1987
£
Chief Area Nursing Officer
SDAT1 +	26,495
SDAT1	25,630
SDAT2	25,190
SDAT3	24,555
SDA1	24,555

	(a)	(b)	(c)
District ward and social class	Number by social class of economically active head of household	(a) as percentage² of total	Economically active persons by social class
Ancrum
I	190	6	80
II	1,080	34	600
III N	450	14	530
III M	1,200	38	500
IV	180	6	290
V	30	1	50
A.F. + I.D¹	30	1	50
Total	3,160	100	2,100
Ardler
I	0	0	0
II	250	8	120

Grade	1 July 1987 £
SDA2	23,920
SDA3	22,880
SDA4	17,160
Director of Nursing Services/Director of Nurse Education
DNS/DNE1 +	21,055
1	19,085
2	17,450
3	15,960
4	14,795
5	13,510
6	12,215
Senior Nurse/Senior Nurse Educational/Managerial
1+	18,700
1	17,450
2	15,960
3	14,795
4	13,510
5	12,215
6	11,840
7	11,220
8	10,520
Tutor	11,575
Clinical Teacher	10,765
Health Visitor	10,240
Nursing Sister 1	10,520
2	9,435
Staff Nurse, RGN	7,240
Enrolled Nurse	6,360
Nursing Auxiliary	4,895
Student Nurse (2nd Year)	4,510

District Wards (Dundee)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the composition of each district ward in Dundee by social class at the 1981 census (a) in terms of numbers, (b) by percentage and (c) in terms of the number of economically active people.

The relevant readily available information relates to

i. all residents in those private households which had an economically active head and

ii. residents in private households who were themselves economically active.

The information is derived from a 10 per cent. sample of the 1981 census returns. I am arranging for this information to be published in the

Official Report and placed in the Library of the House.

	(a)	(b)	(c)
District ward and social class	Number by social class of economically active head of household	(a) as percentage²of total	Economically active persons by social class
III N	260	8	370
III M	1,450	46	790
IV	990	31	640
V	130	4	90
A.F. + I.D¹	80	3	150
Total	3,160	100	2,160
Balgillo
I	380	10	160
II	1,960	52	800
III N	660	17	700
III M	610	16	230
IV	170	5	100
V	0	0	10
A.F. + I.D¹	0	0	60
Total	3,780	100	2,060
Baxter Park
I	150	6	50
II	670	25	420
III N	610	23	490
III M	620	23	390
IV	310	12	220
V	110	4	140
A.F. + I.D¹	170	6	90
Total	2,640	100	1,800
Blackshade
I	0	0	0
II	300	9	230
III N	320	9	430
III M	1,620	48	580
IV	690	20	420
V	320	9	150
A.F. + 1.D.¹	130	4	140
Total	3,380	100	1,950
Broughty Ferry
I	370	14	110
II	920	36	470
III N	400	16	410
III M	560	22	290
IV	260	10	150
V	30	1	40
A.F. + I.D.¹	30	1	60
Total	2,570	100	1,530
Caird
I	0	0	0
II	300	9	230
III N	210	6	330
III M	1,430	42	620
IV	870	25	580
V	400	12	290
A.F. + I.D.¹	220	6	250
Total	3,430	100	2,300
Central
I	30	2	40
II	800	43	550
III N	310	17	380
III M	380	21	200
IV	180	10	160
V	30	2	70
A.F. + I.D.¹	110	6	70
Total	1,840	100	1,470

	(a)	(b)	(c)
District ward and social class	Number by social class of economically active head of household	(a) as percentage²of total	Economically active persons by social class
Clipington
I	80	6	40
II	180	13	140
III N	280	19	330
III M	500	35	280
IV	340	24	200
V	60	4	50
A.F.+I.D.¹	0	0	30
Total	1,440	100	1,070
Coldside
I	50	2	10
II	360	15	180
III N	170	7	210
III M	900	38	530
IV	480	20	390
V	400	17	270
A.F.+I.D.¹	40	2	60
Total	2,400	100	1,650
Craigie Bank
I	300	12	130
II	430	18	350
III N	350	14	450
III M	840	35	400
IV	290	12	210
V	120	5	100
¹A.F.+I.D.	100	4	60
Total	2,430	100	1,700
Craigie Barns
I	410	14	100
II	970	33	490
III N	530	18	380
III M	540	18	340
IV	320	11	270
V	100	3	60
¹A.F.+I.D.	60	2	90
Total	2,930	100	1,730
Douglas
I	80	3	20
II	210	7	150
III N	270	9	400
III M	1,410	46	630
IV	730	24	650
V	300	10	270
¹A.F.+I.D.	90	3	160
Total	3,090	100	2,280
Downfield
1	200	5	70
II	1,210	30	640
III N	580	15	620
III M	1,240	31	610
IV	600	15	570
V	110	3	130
¹A.F.+I.D.	50	1	80
Total	3,990	100	2,720
Drumgeith
I	0	0	10
II	240	7	140
III N	170	5	260
III M	1,850	52	790
IV	790	22	600

	(a)	(b)	(c)
District ward and social class	Number by social class of economically active head of household	(a) as percentage²of total	Economically active persons by social class
V	350	10	250
¹A.F. + I.D.	160	5	220
Total	3,560	100	2,270
Dudhope
I	0	0	10
II	210	10	170
III N	310	15	350
III M	520	25	380
IV	600	29	420
V	260	13	190
A.F + I.D.¹	150	7	100
Total	2,050	100	1,620
Eastern
I	420	12	120
II	1,110	31	500
III N	500	14	550
III M	1,120	31	450
IV	370	10	230
V	20	1	50
A.F. + I.D.¹	50	1	20
Total	3,590	100	1,920
Fairmuir
I	100	4	70
II	770	30	490
III N	480	18	520
III M	890	34	390
IV	290	11	240
V	50	2	90
A.F. + I.D.¹	30	1	60
Total	2,610	100	1,860
Fintry North
I	0	0	10
II	170	4	130
IIIN	420	11	400
III M	2,000	51	850
IV	900	23	570
V	330	8	280
A.F. + I.D.¹	140	4	160
Total	3,960	100	2,400
Fintry South
I	60	2	20
II	210	6	200
III N	250	7	380
III M	2,100	57	900
IV	580	16	500
V	470	13	410
A.F. + I.D.¹	40	1	170
Total	3,710	100	2,580
Gillburn
I	0	0	0
II	600	17	260
III N	430	12	480
III M	1,210	34	490
IV	760	22	430
V	430	12	270
A.F. + I.D.¹	100	3	150
Total	3,530	100	2,080
Gourdie
I	40	1	10
II	210	8	250

	(a)	(b)	(c)
District ward and social class	Number by social class of economically active head of household	(a) as percentage²of total	Economically active persons by social class
III N	240	9	260
III M	1,270	46	610
IV	820	30	600
V	160	6	120
A.F. + I.D.¹	30	1	70
Total	2,770	100	1,920
Gowrie
I	430	14	170
II	700	23	410
IIIN	390	13	450
III M	950	31	500
IV	430	14	250
V	120	4	130
A.F. + I.D.¹	40	1	120
Total	3,060	100	2,030
Hilltown
I	30	1	20
II	250	8	220
III N	270	9	360
III M	1,310	43	530
IV	760	25	610
V	390	13	320
A.F. + I.D.¹	70	2	180
Total	3,080	100	2,240
Law
I	170	9	110
II	560	29	380
III N	300	15	380
III M	600	31	290
IV	220	11	250
V	10	1	120
A.F. + I.D.¹	80	4	50
Total	1,940	100	1,580
Lochee East
I	120	4	60
II	430	13	240
III N	320	10	370
III M	1,320	40	810
IV	680	21	500
V	320	10	200
A.F. + I.D.¹	80	2	110
Total	3,270	100	2,290
Lochee West
I	0	0	0
II	260	10	250
III N	280	10	360
III M	1,140	42	600
IV	710	26	540
V	290	11	210
A.F. + I.D.¹	40	1	140
Total	2,720	100	2,100
Logie
I	210	10	90
II	830	38	530
III N	330	15	350
III M	570	26	290
IV	230	10	140
V	30	1	50
A.F. + I.D.¹	0	0	30
Total	2,200	100	1,480

District ward and social class	(a) Number by social class of economically active head of household	(b) (a) as percentage² of total	(c) Economically active persons by social class
Longhaugh
I	30	1	10
II	70	2	90
III N	280	9	310
III M	1,010	33	380
IV	950	31	550
V	480	16	310
A.F. + I.D.¹	240	8	290
Total	3,060	100	1,940
Mary field
I	190	8	80
II	600	24	380
III N	360	14	390
III M	790	32	460
IV	330	13	240
V	150	6	120
A.F. + I.D.¹	80	3	80
Total	2,500	100	1,750
Riverside
I	540	21	250
II	950	37	560
III N	360	14	430
III M	440	17	210
IV	220	9	180
V	30	1	20
A.F. + I.D.¹	10	—	60
Total	2,550	100	1,710
Rockwell
I	70	3	30
II	460	22	240
III N	430	20	450
III M	580	27	330
IV	420	20	280
V	140	7	130
A.F. + I.D.¹	40	2	70
Total	2,140	100	1,530
St. Mary's
I	0	0	10
II	320	9	200
IIIN	300	8	340
III M	1,840	51	810
IV	820	23	590
V	190	5	290
A.F. + I.D.¹	130	4	190
Total	3,600	100	2,430
St. Notion's
I	170	6	40
II	290	10	240
III N	320	11	430
HIM	1,310	45	520
IV	570	20	580
V	250	9	210
A.F. + I.D.¹	0	0	90
Total	2,910	100	2,110
Sidlaw
I	270	7	120
II	1,430	39	720
III N	560	15	440
III M	1,090	29	640
IV	310	8	380
V	50	1	50

District ward and social class	(a) Number by social class of economically active head of household	(b) (a) as percentage² of total	(c) Economically active persons by social class
A.F. + I.D.¹	0	0	100
Total	3,710	100	2,450
Menzieshill
I	230	7	120
II	600	19	410
III N	330	10	370
III M	1,230	38	690
IV	610	19	410
V	200	6	190
A.F. + ID.¹	40	1	60
Total	3,240	100	2,250
Midmill
I	0	0	10
II	140	4	100
III N	80	2	170
III M	1,010	31	620
IV	1,280	39	710
V	570	17	390
A.F. + I.D.¹	220	7	180
Total	3,300	100	2,180
Monifieth East
I	380	10	120
II	1,540	41	700
III N	670	18	620
III M	800	21	320
IV	320	8	180
V	70	2	50
A.F. + I.D.¹	10	—	50
Total	3,790	100	2,040
Monifieth West
I	570	20	230
II	1,010	35	480
III N	500	17	530
III M	650	22	290
IV	110	4	120
V	30	1	40
A.F. + I.D.¹	30	1	70
Total	2,900	100	1,760
Pitalpin
I	50	2	20
II	340	11	250
III N	280	9	410
III M	1,500	46	650
IV	670	21	530
V	250	8	240
A.F. + I.D.¹	140	4	140
Total	3,230	100	2,240
Trottick
I	20	1	10
II	220	6	180
III N	510	13	360
III M	1,820	47	780
IV	740	19	410
V	390	10	290
A.F. + I.D.¹	200	5	270
Total	3,900	100	2,300
Wellgate
I	10	—	10
II	370	14	370

District ward and social class	(a) Number by social class of economically active head of household	(b) (a) as percentage² of total	(c) Economically active persons by social class
III N	440	17	480
III M	910	36	400
IV	450	18	340
V	310	12	160
A.F. + I.D.¹	70	3	120
Total	2,560	100	1,880
West Ferry
I	470	14	160
II	870	27	450
III N	500	15	420
III M	780	24	420
IV	290	9	210
V	280	9	210
A.F. + I.D.¹	60	2	110
Total	3,250	100	1,980
Whitfield
I	30	1	20
II	290	10	260
III N	260	9	270
III M	1,030	36	500
IV	730	26	440
V	150	5	140
A.F. + I.D.¹	360	13	260
Total	2,850	100	1,890
¹ Armed forces and inadequately described
² Sum of individual percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding

Nurses (Resignations)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified nurses have resigned from working in the National Health Service in each of the past three years; and if he will provide a breakdown of the figures by health board area.

The information requested is not readily available and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

Hospital Beds (Tayside)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) Official Report, 4 February, columns 709 to 712, to what factors he attributes the changes in average available staffed beds within Tayside health board in the broad specialties mentioned in the period 1979 to 1985.

The position in each of the specialties is as follows:

Acute

The number of beds in the acute sector has been reduced by the changes of use of Arbroath infirmary, closure of Sidlaw hospital and the gradual rundown of Bridge of Earn hospital. Outdated facilities have been replaced by new ones at Dundee royal infirmary and Perth royal infirmary.

Geriatric

During the period in question, the main increase took place in Perth and Kinross where geriatric units were developed at several smaller hospitals.

Mental Illness

The closure of Murthly hospital,a substantial reduction in beds at Sunnyside hospital, Montrose, and a decrease in demand for mental illness beds are the main factors in this category.

Mental Handicap

The reduction in the number of beds has taken place mainly at Strathmartine hospital and is due to the health board's policy of enabling some mentally handicapped patients to return from hospital gradually to the community.

Maternity

Small uneconomic units with low levels of occupancy have been closed. The demand for maternity beds is being adequately met.

Earnings

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has on the current weekly earnings by social class or social-economic group in Scotland.

Information of the form requested is not available. The table provides estimates of average gross weekly earnings by occupational group for April 1986, the latest date for which such information is available at present. These statistics will appear in the 1986 New Earnings Survey part E, which will soon be available in the Library of the House.

Average Gross Weekly Earnings in Scotland Full-time employees on adult rates, whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence
April 1986
Occupational Group	Males £	Females £
I Managerial (general management)	..	..
II Professional and related supporting management and administration	277·4	182·0
III Professional and related in education, welfare and health	243·3	175·1
IV Literary, artistic and sports	..	..
V Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields	262·3	147·4
VI Managerial (excluding general management)	249·2	..
VII Clerical and related	159·2	119·1
VIII Selling	181·6	97·4
IX Security and protective service	207·7	..
X Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal service	137·1	94·4
XI Farming, fishing and related	131·1	..
XII Materials processing (excluding metals)	167·4	106..7
XIII Making and repairing (excluding metal and electrical)	172·2	106·8
XIV Processing, making, repairing and related (metal and electrical)	200·5	127·0
	Males	Females

New dwellings started by Local Authorities
				Financial Years
Area	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	Total
Scotland	4,195	4,578	2,694	2,030	2,372	2,175	1,705	1,665	21,414
Borders	31	93	24	65	32	59	38	16	358
Berwickshire	22	29	0	0	11	8	38	8	116
Ettrick and Lauderdale	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
Roxburgh	4	12	20	55	21	51	0	8	171
Tweeddale	0	52	4	10	0	0	0	0	66
Central	269	187	79	86	73	88	149	139	1,070
Clackmannan	222	23	0	0	0	1	23	30	299
Falkirk	33	23	24	68	40	75	126	103	492
Stirling	14	141	55	18	33	12	0	6	279
Dumfries and Galloway	320	399	271	313	226	274	136	195	2,134
Annandale and Eskdale	103	193	146	124	136	144	44	51	941
Nithsdale	123	80	50	18	27	18	64	68	448
Stewart ry	78	39	51	73	11	64	0	62	378
Wigtown	16	87	24	98	52	48	28	14	367
Fife	493	139	197	193	244	157	214	247	1,884
Dunfermline	150	69	0	83	101	14	74	140	631
Kirkcaldy	70	25	88	29	51	83	103	85	534
North East Fife	273	45	109	81	92	60	37	22	719
Grampian	731	1,100	668	437	730	477	380	410	4,933
Aberdeen	346	595	165	84	78	133	45	81	1,427
Banff and Buchan	167	180	230	117	159	120	116	70	1,159
Gordon	0	0	89	32	274	1	112	84	592
Kincardine and Deeside	46	4	20	80	40	78	105	66	439
Moray	172	421	164	124	179	145	2	109	1,316
Highland	244	439	218	185	229	264	103	252	1,934
Badenoch and Strathspey	26	10	41	54	38	16	16	0	201
Caithness	49	60	20	0	55	30	4	21	239
Inverness	33	126	79	38	84	109	0	131	600
Lochaber	19	90	6	12	0	0	0	0	127
Nairn	0	0	0	0	0	0	24	20	44
Ross and Cromarty	92	99	63	38	31	65	12	34	434
Skye and Lochalsh	1	25	9	13	0	24	32	20	124
Sutherland	24	29	0	30	21	20	15	26	165
Lothian	68	66	127	43	96	32	110	40	582
East Lothian	15	31	17	43	94	25	110	40	375
Edinburgh	29	35	110	0	0	0	0	0	174
Midlothian	24	0	0	0	0	7	0	0	31
West Lothian	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2

Occupational Group	£	£
XV Painting, repetitive assembling, product inspecting, packaging and related	170·5	112·4
XVI Construction, mining and related not identified elsewhere	171·1	..
XVII Transport operating, materials moving and storing and related	166·6	..
XVIII Miscellaneous	161·0	..
All non-manual occupations	238·3	139·1
All manual occupations	173·0	103·2
All occupations	201·3	129·8

.. indicates not available, because the estimate would be based on a sample of fewer than 50 employees or would have a standard error of more than 4 per cent, (that is, there would be a 1 in 3 chance that the estimate would be in error by more than 4 per cent.)

Source: 1986 New Earnings Survey Part E (forthcoming)

Housing Starts

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the numbers of new dwellings started by each local authority in Scotland for each of the years 1978–79 to 1985–86 inclusive, and the total number of new dwellings started by each local authority for the whole of that period.

The information requested is set out in the table below.

				Financial Years
Area	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	Total
Strathclyde	1,460	1,795	735	486	452	489	389	178	5,984
Argyll and Bute	152	54	70	32	0	94	0	0	402
Bearsden and Milngavie	79	51	56	0	12	0	16	0	214
Clydebank	35	103	0	0	0	0	0	0	138
Clydesdale	33	22	47	26	29	4	0	30	190
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	30	27	0	0	16	8	0	0	81
Cumnock and Doon Valley	29	61	2	6	10	4	0	2	114
Cunninghame	35	97	10	79	45	56	65	33	420
Dumbarton	45	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	59
East Kilbride	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Eastwood	25	3	0	14	0	36	40	1	119
Glasgow	68	790	146	62	32	118	49	0	1,265
Hamilton	117	102	91	99	70	30	83	0	592
Invcrclyde	0	12	26	0	0	0	64	0	102
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	91	40	0	0	33	0	0	0	164
Kyle and Carrick	241	43	19	94	20	96	2	70	585
Monklands	12	41	8	0	48	30	0	0	139
Motherwell	161	229	36	14	0	0	36	0	476
Renfrew	124	120	184	60	132	0	22	10	652
Strathkelvin	183	0	40	0	6	13	12	18	272
Tayside	486	123	214	147	171	246	150	117	1,654
Angus	69	7	0	12	34	54	31	114	321
Dundee	133	51	82	85	50	6	56	3	466
Perth and Kinross	284	65	132	50	87	186	63	0	867
Orkney Islands	7	20	18	0	43	8	14	6	116
Shetland Islands	31	131	46	47	34	31	20	24	364
Western Isles	55	86	97	28	42	50	2	41	401

Homeless Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of applications made in Scotland under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 for the period I April 1985 to 31 March 1986, in a form similar to the tables published on pages 42, 43 and 44 of "Scottish Housing Statistics" 1985.

Table 1
Applicant households by status, whether accommodation provided and period of application
Status	Period of application (year ending 31 March)	As assessed by local authority
Status	Period of application (year ending 31 March)	Number of applicants	Number of intentionally homeless	Number for whom accommodation secured
Homeless	1981	7,025	541	6,111
	1982	8,270	491	7,433
	1983	8,664	523	7,658
	1984	8,086	518	7,203
	¹1985	9,585	659	7.942
	¹1986	10,021	634	8,419
Potentially homeless	1981	2,443	342	1,652
	1982	1,988	281	1,274
	1983	2,000	352	1,293
	1984	2,301	279	1,465
	¹1985	3,390	310	2,251
	¹1986	4,158	315	3,077
Neither homeless nor potentially homeless	1981	1,785	—	767
	1982	1,678	—	619
	1983	1,522	—	515
	1984	1504	—	427
	¹1985	1,731	—	725
	¹1986	1,943	—	1,179
Not stated or contact lost	1981	3,615	—	85
	1982	4,019	—	32
	1983	4,273	—	43
	1984	3,625	—	35
	¹1985	5,085	—	—
	¹1986	5,315	—	—

Such of the information requested as is currently available centrally is set out in the tables.Figures for 1986 are provisional and exclude applications made to the districts indicated in the tables for which returns have not been submitted. Estimates for the more significant missing districts are: Stirling (1,200), Dumbarton (860), Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (700) and Nithsdale (170).

Status	Period of application (year ending 31 March)	As assessed by local authority
Status	Period of application (year ending 31 March)	Number of applicants	Number of intentionally homeless	Number for whom accommodation secured
Total applications	1981	14,868	883	8,615
	1982	15,955	772	9,358
	1983	16,539	875	9,509
	1984	15,516	797	9,130
	¹1985	19,791	969	10,918
	¹1986	21,437	949	12,675
¹ Based on incomplete returns.

Table 2—Applicant Households by reason for loss of last accommodation and type of priority need (1 April 1985 to 31 March 1986)
			Type of priority need¹ Household member vulnerable because of:
Reason for loss of last accommodation	Household with dependent children	Household member pregnant	Old age	Physical disability	Mental illness	Other special reason	Household homeless in emergency	Household not in priority need	Total number	Total percentage
Parents, friends or relatives no longer willing/able to accommodate	3,555	1,325	316	163	93	1,188	2	2,446	9,088	42·4
Dispute with spouse/cohabitee—violent	2,277	77	53	29	28	294	0	197	2,955	13·8
Dispute with spouse/cohabitee—non·violent	2,199	66	86	34	34	293	1	713	3,426	16·0
Court order	741	46	34	26	9	89	0	153	1,098	5·1
Loss of service tenancy	181	23	27	5	3	14	0	67	320	1·5
Action by landlord	362	91	71	19	6	34	3	292	878	4·1
Fire, flood, store etc.	226	9	79	9	3	8	559	21	914	4·3
Discharged from institution	7	3	17	13	43	65	0	65	213	1·0
Lost accommodation in hostel/hotel	56	50	29	17	8	43	2	197	402	1·9
Gave up secure accommodation	535	39	40	14	6	43	1	197	875	4·1
Other	839	122	131	45	26	123	7	574	1,867	8·7
Total number	10,978	1,851	883	374	259	2,194	575	4,922	21,437	100·0
Total percentage	51·2	8·6	4·1	1·7	1·2	10·2	2·7	23·0	100·0
¹ Households may be in priority need for more than one reason. All reasons given arc shown in the table.

Table 3 Applicant Household by circumstances as assessed by the authority and type of accommodation secured
1 April 1985 to 31 March 1986
		Type of accommodation secured			Total
Circumstances as assessed by the Authority	Permanent accommodation	Short stay accommodation only	Name	Transferred to another authority	Number	Percentage
Priority homeless, unintentional	5,610	1,656	174	79	7,519	35·1
Priority homeless, intentional	249	108	265	12	634	3·0
Non·priority homeless	355	441	1,066	6	1,868	8·7
Priority potentially homeless, unintentional	2,239	158	183	24	2,604	12·1
Priority potentially homeless, intentional	136	28	148	3	315	1·5
Non·priority, potentially homeless	444	72	723	0	1,239	5·8
Neither homeless nor potentially homeless	1,144	35	761	3	1,943	9·1
Contact lost, etc			5,315		5,315	24·8
Total Number	10,177	2,498	8,635	127	21,437	100·0
Total Percentage	47·5	11·7	40·3	0·6	100·0

Table 4—Summary of district returns
	Applicants		Applicants assessed as in priority need		Number of applicants for whom permanent accommodation secured	Number of applicants for whom only short stay accommodation secured	Number of applicants in short stay accommodation on 31 March 1986
Area	Number	Per 1,000 households	Number	Number intentionally homeless
SCOTLAND	21,437	11·20	11,072	634	10,177	2,498	875
Borders	33	0·82	33	2	12	20	4
Berwickshire	5	0·69	5	0	3	1	1
Ettrick and Lauderdale	11	0·84	11	2	7	4	1
Roxburgh	17	1·21	17	0	2	15	2
Tweeddale¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	..

	Applicants		Applicants assessed as in priority need		Number of applicants for whom permanent accommodation secured	Number of applicants for whom only short stay accommodation secured	Number of applicants in short stay accommodation on 31 March 1986
Area	Number	Per 1,000 households	Number	Number intentionally homeless
Central	2,067	20·59	1,580	17	454	1,278	161
Clackmannan	468	26·83	306	7	242	16	13
Falkirk	1,599	29·62	1,274	10	212	1,262	10
Stirling¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	138
Dumfries and Galloway	177	3·21	130	5	105	32	28
Annandale and Eskdale	55	4·02	30	0	22	10	3
Nithsdale¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	16
Stewartry	73	8·17	59	3	61	1	4
Wigtown	49	4·30	41	2	22	21	5
Fife	1,439	11·13	773	27	974	89	14
Dunfermline	539	11·53	371	16	345	32	11
Kirkcaldy	505	8·86	255	6	332	53	2
North East Fife	395	15·46	147	5	297	4	1
Grampian	1,593	8·58	775	29	975	178	24
Aberdeen	1,235	14·65	524	17	738	169	10
Banff and Buchan	46	1·54	30	0	23	6	0
Gordon	52	2·09	44	4	41	0	4
Kincardine and Deeside	18	1·08	18	0	18	0	0
Moray	242	8·05	159	8	155	3	10
Highland	341	4·80	181	24	142	30	18
Badenoch and Strathspey¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	2
Caithness	2	0·21	2	0	2	0	2
Inverness	273	12·85	137	21	106	23	6
Lochaber	42	6·03	25	3	24	1	1
Nairn	24	6·56	17	0	10	6	3
Ross and Cromarty¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	2
Skye and Lochalsh¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	2
Sutherland¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Lothian	2,618	9·16	1,006	86	1,025	429	72
East Lothian	430	14·10	249	16	282	15	9
Edinburgh	1,608	9·08	546	27	656	269	38
Midlothian	332	11·62	89	24	8	55	13
West Lothian	248	4·98	122	19	79	90	12
Strathclyde	11,699	13·50	5,350	392	5,406	340	496
Argyll and Bute	204	8·38	94	5	87	7	1
Bearsden and Milngavie	65	4·65	31	1	39	1	7
Clydebank	281	15·31	252	3	212	2	24
Clydesdale	45	2·17	37	0	32	5	1
Cumbcrnauld and Kilsyth¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	6
Cumnock and Doon Valley	46	2·91	37	4	19	16	5
Cunninghamc	319	6·34	278	8	221	47	8
Dumbarton¹	..	..	..	..	..	..	45
East Kilbride	431	14·82	195	30	168	79	33
Eastwood	7	0·35	7	0	3	4	1
Glasgow	5,890	20·70	2,005	131	2,077	14	86
Hamilton	425	11·27	266	22	236	77	22
Inverclyde	352	9·85	2·08	19	199	14	27
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	277	9·22	196	18	141	8	18
Kyle and Carrick	514	12·01	275	28	214	16	10
Monklands	398	10·91	142	10	141	3	21
Motherwell	1,075	20·40	246	62	483	35	44
Renfrew	1,151	15·23	927	41	1,000	6	135
Strathkelvin	219	7·47	154	10	134	6	2
Tayside	1,333	8·73	1,137	46	1,030	42	24
Angus	224	6·25	143	10	117	14	9
Dundee	660	9·30	600	5	599	1	12
Perth and Kilross	449	9·78	394	31	314	27	3
Orkney Islands	11	1·57	11	2	8	3	3
Shetland Islands	97	11·84	76	4	28	50	28
Western Isles	29	2·64	20	0	18	7	3
¹ Returns not received from these districts.

Homeless Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the numbers of applications made under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 in Scotland for each of the years 1978–79 to 1985–86, inclusive.

The information requested is set out in the table below.

Financial Year	Number of Applicant Households
1978–79	16,037
1979–80	15,466
1980–81	14,868
1981–82	15,955
1982–83	16,539
1983–84	15,516
¹1984–85	19,791
¹1985–86	21,437
¹ Based on incomplete returns.

Housing Revenue Account: Local Authority Expenditure
Financial Year £	Loan Charges £	Supervision and Management £	Repairs and Maintenance £	Loss of Rent¹ £	Other Expenditure £	Total £
Cash Prices
1978–79	276·34	32·51	94·04	¹	7·21	410·08
1979–80	342·17	38·91	125·09	5·05	6·10	517·33
1980–81	400·10	51·32	146·40	5·91	11·58	615·29
1981–82	413·83	55·86	163·56	7·91	8·28	649·43
1982–83	416·02	57·28	177·87	10·72	7·88	669·76
1983–84	399·05	61·43	186·54	12·07	7·32	666·42
1984–85	414·12	66·64	197·03	12·43	7·98	698·20
1985–86	431·45	70·38	183·88	14·18	8·89	708·78
1985–86 Outturn Prices
1978–79	522·37	61·46	177·76	¹	13·62	775·19
1979–80	553·48	62·94	202·34	818	9·87	836·81
1980–81	545·56	69·98	199·63	8·06	15·79	838·99
1981–82	513·79	69·35	203·07	9·82	10·28	806·30
1982–83	481·60	66·31	205·91	12·41	9·12	775·35
1983–84	442·24	68·08	206·73	13·38	8·11	738·55
1984–85	439·94	70·79	209·31	13·20	8·48	741·72
1985–86	431·45	70·38	183·88	14·18	8·89	708·78
¹ "Loss of rent" information included with "Other Expenditure" figures.

House Possessions

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many formerly owner-occupied properties in Scotland were taken into possession by (a) building societies, (b) local authorities, and (c) other mortgagors in the 12 months ended December 1986; and what are the figures in actual and percentage terms compared with those for each 12 month period since January 1980.

This information is not available.

Housing Revenue Account (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of housing revenue account expenditure by local authorities for 1978–1979 and 1985–1986, inclusive, detailing the amount for expenditure on (a) loan charges, (b) supervision and management, (c) repairs and maintenance, (d) loss of rent, and (e) other, expressing these figures in (i) cash prices and (ii) 1985–86 out-turn prices.

The information requested is set out in the table.

Household Income

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the average weekly household income in Scotland for each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive.

The information available relates to average gross weekly income of households as shown in the family expenditure surveys and is provided below. Information for 1986 is not yet available.

Average grosss weekly income¹ of households in Scotland
	£
1978	111
1979	118
1980	135
1981	158
1982	167
²1983	a l68
	b 166
1984	185
1985	211
¹ Gross income as defined in the family expenditure survey comprises cash income (eg from employment, investments, pensions and cash social security benefits) together with selected other benefits such as the imputed value of owner-occupied accommodation and the value of luncheon vouchers. It does not cover most non-cash benefits such as free prescriptions or benefits in kind (eg free coal, company cars). Gross income will not reflect rent and rates rebates, except insofar as described in note 2 below.
² Under the housing benefit scheme, introduced in stages from November 1982, some cash transactions were eliminated leading to a reduction in the level of cash income. For 1983 figures are given (a) covering the same transactions as in the earlier years and (b) on a cash transactions basis consistent with the years 1984 and 1985.

House Sales

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list details of sales of council housing to sitting tenants up to the latest convenient date, by district within regional sub-totals; and what was the percentage of the relevant stock that existed at 30 September 1979 which has been sold to date;(2) if he will list details of sales of

(a) Scottish Special Housing Association housing and (b) New Town Development Corporation housing to sitting tenants up to the latest convenient date, indicating the percentage of the relevant stock that existed at 30 September 1979 which has been sold to date.

The information requested is set out in the table below.

Sales to sitting tenants between 1 October 1979 and 30 September 1986
Area	Number of sales	Sales as per cent, of stock
SCOTLAND	89,611	8·6
LOCAL AUTHORITY	62,808	7·0
Borders	1,808	11·5
Berwick	371	12·9
Ettrick and Lauderdale	686	13·8
Roxburgh¹	542	8·6
Tweeddale¹	209	12·8

Area	Number of sales	Sales as per cent, of stock
Central	4,502	8·0
Clackmannan	699	7·2
Falkirk	2,780	8·3
Stirling	1,023	7·8
Dumfries and Galloway	2,874	13·8
Annandale and Eskdale	716	14·4
Nithsdale	1,038	12·1
Stewartry	460	18·1
Wigtown	668	14·0
Fife	8,342	14·4
Dunfermline	3,218	13·9
Kirkcaldy	3,446	13·0
North East Fife	1,678	21·0
Grampian	7,769	10·9
Aberdeen	2,878	7·5
Banff and Buchan	1,672	13·2
Gordon	1,105	18·1
Kincardine and Deeside	564	15·6
Moray	1,550	14·6
Highland	2,797	10·9
Badenoch and Strathspey	193	18·0
Caithness	532	12·4
Inverness	839	12·0
Lochaber	278	8·3
Nairn	178	16·1
Ross and Cromarty	509	8·1
Skye and Lochalsh	105	15·0
Sutherland1	163	9·4
Lothian	9,878	9·1
East Lothian	1,682	10·4
Edinburgh	5,203	9·2
Midlothian	1,634	12·4
West Lothian	1,359	6·0
Strathclyde	18,366	4·0
Argyll and Bute	673	8·1
Bearsden and Milngavie	284	15·5
Clydebank	415	3·5
Clydesdale	267	2·8
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	228	5·2
Cumnock and Doon Valley	412	4·0
Cunninghame1	1,287	5·5
Dunbarton	458	3·5
East Kilbride	189	11·6
Eastwood	281	13·8
Glasgow	4,549	2·6
Hamilton	967	4·2
Inverclyde	1,005	5·0
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	898	4·9
Kyle and Carrick¹	1,606	8·8
Monklands	588	2·1
Motherwell	1,037	2·6
Renfrew¹	2,311	5·8
Strathkelvin	911	8·3
Tayside	5,601	7·9
Angus	1,706	11·7
Dundee	1,572	3·9
Perth and Kinross	2,323	14·2
Orkney Islands	201	13·9
Shetland Islands	248	10·2
Western Isles Islands	422	17·7
NEWTOWNS	12,056	22·9
S.S.H.A.	14,824	16·0
¹ Returns outstanding.

Owner-Occupation

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many owner-occupied dwellings which are (a) owned outright, and (b) currently being purchased on a mortgage.

It is estimated that, at December 1985, 840,000 dwellings were owner-occupied; of these around 380,000 were owned outright, and around 460,000 were being purchased on a mortgage.

Mobile Homes

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the numbers of households living in mobile homes for each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive.

Complete information is not held centrally.

Health Centres (Argyll And Clyde)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of general practitioners and patient populations in each of the health centres in the Argyll and Clyde health board area.

The information requested is shown in the table below:

Health centre	Number of GPs	Number of patients¹
Campbeltown	5	8,157
Dumbarton	17	25,827
Gourock	5	7,472
Rothesay	5	7,681
Greenock	39	62,536
Port Glasgow	12	20,201
Barrhead	10	17,841
Bishopton	4	6,337
Linwood	8	15,615
¹ As at 1 October 1986.

Manpower Services Commission

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the Manpower Services Commission's area manpower boards in Scotland; the number of projects proposals accepted for Manpower Services Commission schemes under the Manpower Services Commission community programmes approved by each of the area manpower boards in each of the past three years, the average amounts awarded, the names of the management agents and the total amount awarded in each of those three years.

The information is not available in the precise form requested. The number of community programme projects operating in Scotland at the end of the last two completed financial years and the latest available figure (January) for the current financial year by area manpower board are shown in the table below.

Community Programme Projects Operating in Scotland
Manpower Board	March 1985	March 1986	January 1987
Ayrshie, Dumfries and Galloway	191	223	200
Central and Fife	119	219	245
Glasgow City	221	337	383

Manpower Board	March 1985	March 1986	January 1987
Grampian and Tayside	136	194	203
Highlands and Islands	120	153	163
Lanarkshire	123	153	171
Lothian and Borders	120	155	180
Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute	147	193	189
SCOTLAND TOTAL	1,177	1,627	1,734

The average amounts awarded, the names of the management agents involved and the total amount awarded in each of those three years are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Transport

Lorry Sizes

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the Council of Ministers of the European Community have indicated their intention to consider legislation on lorry sizes on the basis of majority voting under the Single Act; and if he will make a statement.

The Council adopted in December 1984 a Directive (85/3 EEC) on the weights and dimensions of heavy lorries. The Directive contains a derogation for the United Kingdom and Ireland as regards certain of the weight limits, and makes it clear that the duration of the derogation is to be decided under Article 75(3) of the treaty which provides for unanimous decisions. This is not affected by the Single European Act. The UK has no need for a derogation on lorry dimensions; the dimensions specified in the Directive are within our limits, and lorries in other Community countries are no bigger than those permitted in this country.

Air Traffic Controllers

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances air traffic controllers are permitted to listen to conversations between pilots and their bases in other countries; to what use such information may be put; and if he will make a statement.

Air traffic control matters are the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. The CAA has informed me that air traffic controllers monitor designated air traffic control frequencies used for the purpose of providing air traffic or alerting service. They do not monitor airline company frequencies

Trunk Roads And Motorways (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide information on central Government expenditure on (a) trunk roads and (b) motorways for all years since 1978–79 inclusive, by standard United Kingdom region, showing the absolute, indexed and per capita form of the following disaggregated costs: (i) construction costs, (ii) maintenance costs, (iii) capital account costs and (iv) current account costs.

Not all of this information is available. What can be given is extensive and will take time to assemble. I will write to the hon. Member when this has been done and place a copy in the Library.

Driver-Only Trains (Safety)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implication for safety of trains running from Stanlow oil refinery without guards; what information he has as to how long this has been happening; what loads are being carried; what safety precautions are being taken; when the decision to use single man operation was implemented; who was consulted about this decision; and what is the cost saving.

The British Railways Board has established criteria for the circumstances under which driver-only operation may be permitted. These criteria cover all types of train, including freight trains, and have been agreed by the Railway Inspectorate as providing a satisfactory basis for the safe operation of trains by the driver only. As the board has the responsibility for the safe, efficient and economical operation of its railway the hon. Member should write to it for the detailed information he requires in relation to the remaining parts of his question.

Vehicle Excise Duty

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total revenue from vehicle excise duties in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available: and what was the percentage change in such revenues on the preceding year in each case.

The figures requested are as follows:

Year	Total revenue from vehicle excise duty (£ million)	Percentage increase on previous year
1976–77	814	6·4
1977–78	1,045	28·4
1978–79	1,086	3·9
1979–80	1,162	7·0
1980–81	1,360	17·0
1981–82	1,618	19·0
1982–83	1,840	13·7
1983–84	1,997	8·5
1984–85	2,264	13·4
1985–86	2,426	7·2

Drunk Driving

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the information supplied to him by the hon. Member for Chislehurst, he has anything to add to his statement of 2 February, Official Report at column 675, regarding the percentage of road accidents attributable to drinking and driving.

In my statement of 2 February I was reported as saying at column 675 that 95 per cent. of accidents in this country involved drinking and driving. That figure is incorrect. 25 per cent. of all road deaths are alcohol-related. I have asked for the Official Report to be corrected.

Employment

Yts

asked the Paymaster General how many young people have completed YTS schemes in Batley and Spen and Yorkshire to date; how many left before completing their full entitlement to training; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available in the form requested.By the end of March 1986, around 2,800 young people in the local authority district of Kirklees had completed YTS schemes since the scheme was introduced in 1983. The comparable figure for Yorkshire is 32,000. Over the same period, around 4,600 young people in Kirklees and 44,500 in Yorkshire, left the scheme before completing their full entitlement.Independent research has shown that most young people who leave their schemes early are either employed or are in further education-training. Of those who completed the YTS schemes in Yorkshire and Kirklees between April 1985 and March 1986, 61 per cent. and 74 per cent. respectively were in employment three months after leaving YTS. I am very encourged by the achievements reflected in these results.

"Services—The Second Industrial Revolution"

asked the Paymaster General what policy changes he intends to make in the light of the findings of the report "Services—the Second Industrial Revolution?" from the Institute of Manpower Studies, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

None.

Labour Statistics

asked the Paymaster General what is the number of people living in (a) Lancashire, (b) Greater Manchester, (c) Merseyside and (d) Cheshire who have never worked since leaving school.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows the numbers of unemployed claimants in the counties of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire of all ages who had not had a job since leaving full-time education, as at 8 January 1987, together with those aged under 18 years.

County	Unemployed All ages	Claimants Aged under 18 years
Lancashire	5,330	1,495
Greater Manchester	16,714	4,756
Merseyside	16,692	4,232
Cheshire	5,382	1,590

asked the Paymaster General (1) if he will give the total numbers of men and women employed in Yorkshire and Humberside, South Yorkshire and Barnsley travel-to-work area in 1979, and each succeeding year to date;(2) what is the up-to-date average unemployment figure for each of the travel-to-work areas in the United Kingdom, specifying the male, female, long-term unemployed and youth unemployed, separately.

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

asked the Paymaster General what assumption is made for the purposes of compiling his Department's estimates of the number of employees in employment of the number of YTS trainees with contracts of employment.

None. Employers are instructed to include, but not separately identify, only those YTS trainees with contracts of employment in completing the statistical returns from which the employees in employment series is derived.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give the total number of men and women employed in Yorkshire, Humberside, South Yorkshire and the Sheffield travel-to-work area in 1979 and each succeeding year to date.

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

Community Programme

asked the Paymaster General how much money is budgeted in the current financial year and for 1988–89 for Manpower Services Commission community programme schemes in (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland, (c) Strathclyde region and (d) the Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire and Argyll area manpower board.

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

Hotel Classification

asked the Paymaster General what are the criteria for the five gold crowns award under the English Tourist Board's new hotel classification scheme; what is the anticipated number of recipients; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the English tourist board that their criteria for the award of five gold crowns under their voluntary hotel classification scheme are as follows:

"The main criteria are that the establishment should have achieved and maintained, over the course of at least three years, a wide range and high standard of facilities and services. In addition the establishment would normally be expected to provide the following facilities and services, over and above the standard requirements for five crowns.
1. A tended reception counter or office available at all hours.
2. Porterage provided by uniformed staff and a storage room for luggage.
3. A valet service, comprising dry cleaning, pressing, laundry and shoe cleaning. (This service may involve the use of outside facilities).
4. All services provided by well-trained, well-presented and efficient staff.
5. Accommodation, both in respect of bedrooms and public rooms, of a particularly high level of comfort, with furnishings and decor to a standard significantly higher than the minimum required for five crowns.
6. A restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to residents and their guests each day. All menus offering an appropriate range of choice. Table appointments and decor to a high standard. Last orders for dinner no earlier than 9.30 pm.
7. A 24 hour room service to include the provision of hot meals at any hour of the day or night.
8. A bar or lounge service, with cocktail facilities.
9. A range of leisure and other additional facilities. Examples: bookstall, theatre ticket bureau, haidressing salon, games room, swimming pool, sauna, solarium, tennis courts, squash courts, golf course, typewriting, photocopying and secreterial service.
10. Adequate security and service arrangements to enable guests to preserve their personal privacy and avoid unwelcome attention or disturbance.

When applying these criteria the award committee will take into full consideration the nature and location of the hotel and the particular needs of the clientele it seeks to serve.I understand from the ETB that it expects no more than 40 hotels to receive the five gold crown award.

Literacy

asked the Paymaster General when he received the report of a working group of the Manpower Services Commission on illiteracy among long-term unemployed people; what estimates are given in that report of the numbers and proportion of persons with such inadequate skills among the long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment received the report on 12 February 1987. The report estimates that some 25 per cent. of the long-term unemployed, or between 350,000 and 400,000 people, have literacy or numeracy problems that might affect their opportunities of securing employment. In 1986–87 the Manpower Services Commission is spending £5–6 million on basic literacy and numeracy skills training; this provision is in addition to spending by local education authorities. The figures in the report emphasise, however, the scale of the problem that remains.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will arrange discussions with (a) the adult literacy and basic skills unit, (b) the National Federation of Voluntary Literacy Schemes and (c) representatives of local education authorities, in considering what steps to take about illiteracy among the long-term unemployed; if he will publish a discussion document; when he expects to announce decisions; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment is considering the report in conjunction with other colleagues with relevant departmental responsibilities and will decide what, if any, action to take on it as soon as possible.

Environment

Rate Support Grant

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the rate support grant settlement in cash terms to (a) Burnley borough council and (b) Pendle borough council for each year since 1979; and what are the comparative figures in 1979 prices.

The information for 1981–82 and later years. expressed in cash terms and at 1981–82 prices, is as follows. Figures for earlier years are not available on a comparable basis.

	Rate support grant¹
	Burnley borough council		Pendle borough council
	Cash	1981–82 prices²	Cash	1981–82 prices²
1981–82	5·435	5·435	4·430	4·430
1982–83	5·081	4·738	4·439	4·139
1983–84	5·539	4·944	4·385	3·914
1984–85	5·481	4·690	4·371	3·740
1985–86	4·928	3·969	4·178	3·365
1986–87	5·112	3·997	4·354	3·405
¹ Rate support grant comprises block grant and domestic rate relief grant.
² Cash values converted to 1981–82 price levels using the GDP deflator.

In 1981–82 and 1982–83 the amounts are final rate support grant payments. In 1983–84 and 1984–85 the amounts are grant entitlements based on the latest supplementary reports in each year; in 1985–86 they are grant entitlements based on the Secretary of State's firm intentions for the third supplementary report and in 1986–87 they are based on the Secretary of State's firm intentions for the first supplementary report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish central Government expenditure on the rate support grant to all local authorities, excluding domestic rate relief and hold-back for all years since 1978–79 to 1986–87 inclusive, giving this information in absolute, indexed and per capita forms.

I have today placed the information in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what, in constant prices, was the value of the rate support grant payment to the London borough of Tower Hamlets in 1986–87 and for each preceding year to 1978–79; what is the proposed payment of 1987–88 showing separately for each relevant year the payments received by the London borough of Tower Hamlets in respect of services transferred from the Greater London Council after abolition and information available to him on expenditure in Tower Hamlets and the Greater London Council on such services.

[pursuant to his reply, Monday 23 February 1987]: Rate support grant payments to the London borough of Tower Hamlets, in constant prices, for the period 1981–82 to 1986–87 and estimated payments in 1987–88 assuming Tower Hamlets spends at the 1987–88 rate support grant settlement level, are given in the table. The arrangements for paying rate support grant changed in 1981–82 when the needs, resources and domestic elements were replaced by block grant and domstic rate relief grant. Information is therefore not available on a comparable basis in earlier years.

Rate Support Grant¹
Year	£m 1981–82 prices ²
1981–82	25·757
1982–83	23·500
1983–84	22·912
1984–85	20·113
1985–86	17·269
³1986–87	48·740
³1987–88	45·498

¹ Rate support grant comprise block grant and domestic rate relief grant

² Cash values converted to 1981–82 price levels using the GDP deflator.

³ Rate support grant payments in these years reflect increased responsibilities taken on by London boroughs following the abolition of the GLC.

In 1981–82 and 1982–83 the amounts are final rate support grant payments. In 1983–84 and 1984–85 the amounts are grant entitlements based on the lastest Supplementary Reports in each year; in 1985–86 they are grant entitlements based on the Secretary of State's firm intentions for the third supplementary report and in 1986–87 they are based on the Secretary of State's firm intentions for the first supplementary report. The estimated amount of rate support grant payments in 1987–88 are based on the Secretary of State's intentions for the 1987–88 rate support grant settlement and assume that Tower Hamlets spends at its "expenditure level" given in the settlement.

Block grant is an unhypothecated grant and amounts cannot therefore be specifically attributed to services transferred to Tower Hamlets following the abolition of the GLC, nor is information available centrally on expenditure by Tower Hamlets on such transferred services.

Man-Made Mineral Fibres

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the possible risks of man-made mineral fibres, in the light of the work by the World Health Organisation on this subject.

A summary report of an international symposium published last December by the World Health Organisation indicates that an increased lung cancer risk was observed in workers involved in the early days of the manufacture of these materials. The DHSS committee on carcinogenicity has reviewed the available evidence for workplace exposure at the request of the HSE and has indicated that exposure to man made mineral fibre (MMMF) should be accepted as having the potential to increase the risk of lung cancer.The evidence we have shows that, in the MMMF industry, existing safety precautions are keeping fibre concentrations at the point of manufacture well below the limits considered by the WHO at the symposium. Further advice will be offered by HSE on other occupational exposures.Work has recently begun to assess the extent of domestic exposures. MMMF in the form of glasswool and rockwool constitute the majority of loft insulation materials used in this country. On the limited data so far available, there appears to be negligible risk to the health of householders, either from existing loft insulation installations, or from laying it themselves, or from infrequent visits to their lofts. As a precautionary measure, the Government have work in hand to collect more data, and assess risks. We will give further advice and take action as necessary. Meanwhile, there is no reason for householders to remove MMMF from their lofts, but they should take simple precautions which we have already recommended such as wearing masks and gloves when working in lofts or in other places where the insulation is exposed.I shall make another announcement when further medical advice is received.

Community Change

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he proposes to take, in reaching final decisions on the form of the proposed community charge, of the representations from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy regarding (a) the extent to which the community charge may vary from place to place and (b) the length of the transitional period during which domestic rates and the community charge will run in tandem; and if he will make a statement.

On 15 December, my right hon. Friend set out his proposals for the operation of the community charge and confirmed the Government's intention to introduce a simpler grant system and a uniform rate poundage for business [Official Report, c. 392.] So far as other aspects of the system set out in the Green Paper

(i) New towns gross housing capital expenditure
£ million except where stated
Region¹	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
(a) Cash terms
North	8	12	13	7	4	4	5	2
East Midlands	6	13	14	7	2	4	2	—
East Anglia	12	13	17	11	6	5	6	3
South East	50	59	55	47	35	44	42	37
West Midlands	17	21	21	13	4	6	9	5
North West	36	43	44	30	20	24	19	10
England	129	160	164	115	71	85	82	56
(b) 1985–86 cost terms
North	16	20	18	8	5	4	5	2
East Midlands	10	20	19	9	3	4	2	—
East Anglia	23	21	23	13	6	5	6	3
South East	95	95	75	59	41	49	45	37
West Midlands	32	33	29	16	5	6	10	5
North West	68	70	60	37	23	27	20	10
England	244	260	223	143	83	94	88	56
(c) £ per capita²
North	2·70	3·90	4·10	2·20	1·30	1·10	1·50	0·80
East Midlands	1·40	3·30	3·60	1·90	0·60	0·90	0·40	—
East Anglia	6·40	7·10	9·00	5·50	2·90	2·40	3·00	1·70
South East	3·00	3·50	3·20	2·80	2·10	2·60	2·50	2·20
West Midlands	3·30	4·00	4·10	2·50	0·90	1·10	1·70	0·90
North West	5·50	6·60	6·80	4·70	3·10	3·70	3·00	1·50
England	2·80	3·40	3·50	2·50	1·50	1·80	1·80	1·20
¹ No new towns in Yorkshire and Humberside or south west regions.
² Using total population of region.

(i) New towns gross housing capital expenditure
£ million except where stated
Region¹	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
(a) Cash terms
North	-5	7	8	8	9	11	12	9
East Midlands	8	9	11	11	11	13	13	—
East Anglia	-10	11	13	13	14	16	16	16
South East	27	32	36	37	39	50	53	54
West Midlands	16	19	20	20	20	24	24	16
North West	24	29	34	35	36	42	45	29
England	60	107	122	124	130	156	162	125
(b) 1985–86 cost terms
North	-10	12	11	10	10	13	13	9

"Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) are concerned, we are still considering the responses that were made, including that from CIPFA.

Housing Investment Programme

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish information on central Government expenditure on the housing investment programme for all years since 1978–79 inclusive, by standard United Kingdom region, showing the absolute, indexed and per capita from of the following disaggregated costs: (i) capital account costs and (ii) current account costs.

The available information is for English local authorities' and new towns' housing and is given in the tables. For estimates for other parts of the United Kingdom, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.

Region¹	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
East Midlands	15	15	15	14	13	14	14	—
East Anglia	-19	18	17	17	16	18	17	16
South East	51	51	49	46	46	55	56	54
West Midlands	31	31	28	25	23	26	26	16
North West	46	48	47	43	42	47	48	29
England	114	173	167	154	150	173	173	125
(c) £ per capita²
North	-1·70	2·30	2·70	2·60	2·80	3·70	3·90	3·00
East Midlands	2·00	2·40	2·80	2·90	3·00	3·30	3·30	—
East Anglia	-5·30	5·90	6·60	7·10	7·30	8·20	8·20	8·30
South East	1·60	1·90	2·10	2·20	2·30	2·90	3·10	3·20
West Midlands	3·20	3·60	3·90	3·80	3·80	4·60	4·70	3·10
North West	3·80	4·50	5·30	5·40	5·70	6·60	7·10	4·50
England	1·30	2·30.	2·60	2·70	2·80	3·30	3·50	2·60
¹ No new towns in Yorkshire and Humberside or South West regions.
² Using total population of region.
³ Subsidy payments.

Urban Development Programme

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish information on central Government expenditure on the urban development programme for all years since 1978–79 inclusive, aggregated for the standard United Kingdom regions, giving the information in absolute, indexed, and per capita forms.

I will answer this question shortly.

Heritage Conservation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those organisations which, under the auspices of his Department, receive Government funds for the general purposes of protecting, improving and restoring the heritage; and if he will list the amounts involved.

The relevant organisations, covering the built and natural heritage in England, and the amounts applicable in 1986–87, are listed below. In some cases their responsibilities extend to other parts of the United Kingdom. Government funding in this area has increased substantially over the last few years: in 1979–80 it totalled some £61 million—an increase of about 58 per cent. in real terms over the period.

Government funding in 1986–87
	£ million
Royal Parks and Palaces	32·5
Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission forEngland	61·5
Royal Armouries	2·8
National Heritage Memorial Fund	¹3·0
Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England	3·2
Redundant Churches Fund	0·9
Countryside Commission	17·7
Nature Conservancy Council	32·1
National Parks Authorities	6·4
Grants to voluntary bodies:
Civic Trust (Central and Regional)	0·1
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers	0·1
Other bodies	0·3
Total	160·7
¹ Funded jointly by DOE and Offices of Arts and Libraries.

Spectrum Arena

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 10 February 1987, Official Report, column 157, if one of the conditions of the sale of the Spectrum Arena will ensure that it remains in leisure use; if he envisages any change in the different types of leisure facilities currently available at the Spectrum Arena after its sale; what percentage of the proceeds of the sale of the Spectrum Arena will be spent on new facilities at Birchwood; and what will the remaining proceeds be used for.

It is for the development corporation in the first instance to determine any conditions of sale in relation to the Spectrum Arena. I understand that the corporation's preference is for continued leisure use, but the precise nature of such use would be for discussion between the corporation and prospective purchasers.Substantial amounts were due to the development corporation at the time the Spectrum Arena closed in respect of loans to the former lessees, the Birchwood Project (Warrington) Limited. Those amounts will be a first call on the proceeds of sale, after provision for the proposed investment in new facilities in Birchwood referred to in my previous reply. No specific proposals have been submitted to the Department as to the amount and nature of that new investment.

Angling

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in respect of the Nature Conservancy Council's establishment of sites of special scientific interest, he will introduce a consultative procedure including the water authorities and established angling clubs where their fishing rights are likely to be affected; and if he will make a statement.

Any notification, as being of special interest, of a site owned or occupied by a water authority is made to that water authority. The Nature Conservancy Council and the National Anglers Council are preparing joint guidelines for the management of fishing activities within sites of special scientific interest and have agreed to meet regularly to exchange information and views. I endorse this approach and see no need for more formal consultation arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an appeals procedure against Nature Conservancy Council's decisions on the establishing of sites of special scientific interest, allowing for access to such a procedure for the angling fraternity where its sport is liable to be affected; and if he will make a statement.

No. The question of a right of appeal has been considered and rejected during the passage of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and subsequently by the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment. I am satisfied that existing procedures are adequate.

Housing Defects Act

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many owner-occupiers in the South West region live in houses designated under the Housing Defects Act.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many owner-occupiers in the South West region have been awarded grants under the Housing Defects Act.

Local authorities in the South West region have reported paying 44 reinstatement grants during the period December 1984 to September 1986.

Nitrates

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the detrimental effect to health of people living in areas which have a high incidence of nitrates in the soil; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has this year received about a dozen representations referring to possible health risks from nitrate when it passes into drinking water supplies. Advice on the health implications of nitrate in drinking water are set out in a letter from the Government's Chief Medical Officer to local medical officers on 27 November 1985; this letter is reproduced as appendix B to the report of the Nitrate Co-ordination Group. A copy of which is available in the Library. No public supplies contain nitrate concentrations above levels considered acceptable by the Chief Medical Officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what central Government financial help is available to water authorities to encourage them to reduce the level of nitrates in the soil; and if he will make a statement.

Water authority investment is funded from water charges and not grant aided by the Government. If nitrate in the soil needs to be limited in order for example to limit nitrate concentrations in water supplies, costs should where practicable be borne by those responsible for the increased levels. I am at present considering the report of the Nitrate Co-ordination Group which made a number of recommendations for dealing with the nitrate issue.

The Rural Economy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans any changes to the policy announced by his predecessor on 30 April 1986, Official Report, column 412, regarding change of use of agricultural buildings, in the light of his recent announcement of a new draft planning circular in connection with Her Majesty's Government's proposals for the rural economy; and if he will make a statement.

No. Paragraph 6 of the draft circular "Development Involving Agricultural Land" would reaffirm the Government's existing policy on re-use of redundant buildings in Green Belts and elsewhere.

Water Services (Share Sales)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to make any changes to the cash limit for class X, vote 9 Department of the Environment, sales of shares in the water services public limited companies.

The cash limit for Class X, Vote 9 for 1986–87 will be reduced by £1,000,000 from £2,500,000 to £1,500,000. This decrease reflects the revised timetable for water authority privatisation which I announced to the House on 3 July 1986 at columns 1261–70. The saving will be surrendered as a reduction in public expenditure.

Anti-Fouling Paint

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the results of the first year's monitoring programme for TBT in the aquatic environment, and what further action he proposes to take.

[pursuant to his answer, 13 January 1987, c. 143]: In the light of evidence that the existing controls have not been effective in reducing contamination of the aquatic environment to acceptable levels and of evidence that the existing environmental quality target has been set too high to protect the most sensitive species, the Government have decided that further controls are necessary. The Government intend, therefore, to make further regulations under section 100 of the Control of Pollution Act as soon as possible to ban the retail sale of anti-fouling paints containing tributyl-tin (TBT). This should effectively prevent their use on small craft. In addition the regulations will prohibit products containing TBT being used to treat fish farm nets and cages.From 1 July all anti-fouling paints will become subject to the provisions of the Food and Environment Protection Act and, as my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, announced in his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 3 February, he has asked the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to consider and advise on the scientific evidence on TBT in the aquatic environment, with a view to making appropriate recommendations well before 1 July.

London Docklands

Mr.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 169, concerning the price of land to be sold to the Canary Wharf Consortium by the London Docklands Development Corporation, what factors other than land price will be taken into account in assessing the terms of the agreement overall; whether the consideration of other factors excludes acceptance of a price below the market value of land in the enterprise zone; if he will list all the previous occasions on which land for which he has any responsibility has been sold at a price below the market value as a result of priority being given to other factors involved in the transaction; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 February 1987, c. 382]: Other factors to be considered in assessing any overall agreement between the LDDC and the consortium include the relative strength and value of the commitments by both parties, for example to the provision of essential infrastructure; the implications of the term of LDDC's regeneration task and resources; and the potential economic benefit for docklands as a whole. The

	Number of domestic ratepayers¹ (000's)	Ratepayers on supplementary benefit receiving rebates² (000's)	Ratepayers receiving standard rebates including housing benefit supplement² (000's)
Brent	. 94·5	16·5	23·4
Camden	80·1	16·5	13·1
Hackney	75·4	24·3	14·9
Haringey	83·9	18·4	17·8
Islington	69·4	19·4	10·2
Lambeth	106·6	30·5	18·2
Lewisham	97·1	18·6	15·8
Southwark	96·6	27·4	180
Tower Hamlets	620	19·2	11·2
¹ These are the numbers of domestic hereditaments. They are not strictly comparable with the numbers of rebate recipients, which are households, as there can be more than one household receiving rebates in a hereditament
² Local authorities' latest estimates of the average number of households receiving certificated (supplementary benefit claimants) and standard (other claimants) rebates in 1985–86. The majority of those receiving certificated rebates receive full rebate and the majority of those receiving standard rebates receive partial rebates.

Trade And Industry

Manufacturing Investment

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest available figure for the percentage fall in the real value of manufacturing investment in the North since 1979.

When the world recession hit a sector suffering from poor competitiveness—the result of years of high inflation, low productivity growth and poor rates of return on investment—a sharp fall in manufacturing investment in the regions occurred up to 1983. In real terms, manufacturing investment in the North between 1979 and 1984 fell by 42 per cent. Industry is now more competitive and better adapted to the demands of a modern economy — manufacturing investment in the North over the most recent year for which there is data, 1983–84, grew by 28 per cent. in real terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the latest available figure for the percentage fall in the real value of manufacturing investment in Wales since 1979.

LDDC is responsible for determining the conditions of any sale for the Canary Wharf site, and these will be reflected in the price.

Details of all disposals at less than best price of all publicly-owned land for which my right hon. Friend has responsibility could be provided only at disproportionate costs. However, I am not aware, in the case of the LDDC, of any disposals at less than best price.

Rates

Shore asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, how many ratepayers there are in each of the following boroughs; Brent, Camden, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets; how many of these pay no rates at all; and how many are partially rate rebated.

[pursuant to his answer, 9 February 1987, c. 126]: The information available centrally about the numbers of domestic ratepayers and those receiving full and partial rebates in 1985–86 is as follows:

When the world recession hit a sector suffering from poor competitiveness—the result of years of high inflation, low productivity growth and poor rates of return on investment—a sharp fall in manufacturing investment in the regions occurred up to 1983. In real terms, manufacturing investment in Wales between 1979 and 1984 fell by 32 per cent. Industry is now more competitive and better adapted to the demands of a modern economy manufacturing investment in Wales over the most recent year for which there is data, 1983–84, grew by 28 per cent. in real terms.

Machinery (Investment)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give figures to show how much was invested in new machinery per worker in 1975, 1980, 1985 and at the latest available date; and what comparative information he has for the United States of America, Germany, France, Japan and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average for the same years.

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

Regional Development Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish information on central Government expenditure on the regional development grant, distinguishing between different levels of assistance and aggregating the information to the standard United Kingdom regions, for all years since 1978–79 inclusive.

I will reply to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Insurance And Pension Fund Investment

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish information available to him on insurance and pension fund investment for all years since 1978–79 inclusive, by standard United Kingdom region in absolute, indexed, and per capita forms.

Information on investment by insurance companies and pension funds is not collected on a regional basis. Statistics on investment by insurance companies operating in the United Kingdom, for the calendar years 1980 to 1985, were published in British Business on 28 November 1986. Corresponding data for investment by self-administered pension funds managed from within the United Kingdom were published in British Business on 12 September 1986. Information on the holdings of assets at the end of 1978 and 1979 and net investment during 1979 for United Kingdom insurance companies and self-administered pension funds was published in British Business on 7 September 1984.

Employment (Assistance)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the organisations which are relevant to assisting employment in the regions who have moved out of the southern region to the north since 1979; with what impact on employment therein; and if he will make a statement.

I will reply to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Credit

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received about the availability of credit to young people from organisations providing funds; and if he will make a statement.

In 1986 I received some 23 letters relating to personal over-indebtedness and roughly one third of these expressed particular concern about the availability of credit facilities to young people. This year, to date, I have received a further four letters on this subject, all but one concerned with young people. I shall continue to keep the situation under review but I do not believe it would be right to impose restrictions on the availability of credit to young people.

Rolls-Royce

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of the years since 1971 in which loans were made to Rolls-Royce Ltd., the years in which the loans were repaid and the interest received by the Government in the relevant years.

I will reply to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Correspondence (Delays)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when his Department expects to be able to reply to letters from M. J. Palmer dated 30 January and 6 February;

(2) when he expects to be in a position to reply to a letter addressed to him dated 2 February from Mohamed Al Fayed.

The matters contained in these letters are receiving careful consideration. I cannot say at present when a substantive reply will be given to them.

United States (Export Controls)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the members of the trade associations referred to in his answer of 19 February are United States subsidiary companies; and if he will make a statement.

This Department does not possess the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether the approved foreign consignee status to which he referred in his answer of 19 February involves mandatory compliance with the United States export laws including re-export licensing requirements from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;(2) pursuant to his answer of 19 February if the distribution licence system requires, directly or indirectly, a United States re-export licence for goods to be exported from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Whatever their requirements, extraterritorial re-export controls are rejected by the Government, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear on 19 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under what powers he intends to decide on visits of American officials to check the books of United Kingdom companies to which he refers in his answer of 19 February; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's permission is required before any such visit by an official of a foreign power, acting in that capacity, can take place within the United Kingdom.

Fireworks

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to restrict further the sale of fireworks to individuals.

The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1986 give magistrates the power to impose a penalty of fines up to £2,000 or three months imprisonment on retailers who sell fireworks to the under-16s. The Consumer Protection Bill will give magistrates power to impose similar penalties for throwing fireworks about in the street.I do not intend to ban the retail sale of fireworks altogether since many people get a great deal of innocent pleasure from domestic fireworks parties.I will continue to keep under review the scope for reducing the number of firework injuries. The 1986 fireworks safety campaign had novel features and I believe achieved considerable impact. Officials will shortly be discussing with the suppliers the scope for changes in the voluntary restraint arrangements whose effect on the accident and injury statistics should not be underestimated.

The Arts

Marketing And Management

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the progress of his new marketing scheme to help arts and heritage bodies improve their marketing and management.

The details have been widely circulated through arts agencies. Completed application forms must reach the Office of Arts and Libraries by 30 April 1987.I am encouraged by the reports that I have had of the interest and enthusiasm being shown, and by the development of arts marketing in general.

National Finance

Finance Ministers (Paris Meeting)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the meeting of Finance Ministers in Paris on 22 February.

I attended a meeting of the Finance Ministers and central bank governors of six of the group of seven major industrialised countries in Paris on 22 February. A copy of the joint statement issued at the end of the meeting has been placed in the Library. As I said at the press conference in Paris after the communiqué had been issued:

"For a number of weeks there has been speculation in the press about a possible meeting of the G5 or the G7. I have all along insisted that there should be no meeting until it had been properly prepared and that we knew we were close to an agreement of substance.

And that we have now had—a well prepared meeting that has reached an agreement of substance.

Along with Secretary Baker and Minister Stoltenberg I am one of the three survivors of the Plaza Agreement of 1985. And I see this as its lineal descendant—Plaza II.

Then, we were all agreed that the dollar needed to fall and we acted accordingly. Now, we all agree that the time has come for a period of stability, and we will act accordingly. I welcome that."

Free Ports

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has any plans to offer capital investment grants or low interest loans to non-European Economic Community companies wishing to set up in British free port zones.

No. The Government made it clear from the start that it had no financial commitment to the free ports other than the customs staff involved with them. Businesses setting up in free ports may of course be eligible to incentives as a result of the application of other Government policies, for example regional assistance.

Civil Service Pension Schemes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to include years of war service as contributing towards Civil Service pension schemes other than the transfer of war service from the National Health Service superannuation scheme for the Civil Service pension scheme.

The reckoning of war service for Civil Service superannuation purposes is governed by the Superannuation Act 1946. This, and regulations made under it, provided that people who entered the Civil Service for the first time before 30 June 1950 could count their full-time service in the armed forces during the war as though it had been unestablished service in the Civil Service. In recent years, the reckoning of war service concession has been extended to employees in the other public services, ie to local government and NHS employees, teachers, policemen and firemen. People who entered pensionable public service employment before 1 July 1950 and who, without a break in pensionable employment, have subsequently had their accrued pension benefits transferred to the Civil Service pension scheme may therefore count their war service for Civil Service pension purposes to the extent: that it would have reckoned had they remained subject to their former pension scheme. There are no plans to extend the war service concession further.

Value Added Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much value added tax receipts have risen in the period 1 October 1986 to 31 January 1987; what was the comparable rise in the same period of 1985–86; and how much of the increase is attributable to penalties for the late payment of value added tax.