Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 22 April 1987

House Of Commons

Local Government Legislation

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will tabulate in the Official Report for each of the Sessions 1979–80 onward and the Session 1986 to date, the number of pages of statute relating to the powers and finances of local authorities in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland and the approximate time spent in proceedings of the House (i) in Standing Committees and (ii) on the Floor in each Session, itemised as convenient by the principal items of legislation.

The information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

"Official Report"

asked the Lord Privy Seal why there is a considerable delay in the publication of the bound volumes of the Official Report; and when he anticipates that the issues will be brought up to date.

The bound volume is published by HMSO and printed at HMSO Hansard Press, which also has responsibility for production of the daily part. While the House is sitting, priority is necessarily given to the latter.At present the bound volume is published five to six months after the relevant daily part. Alternative methods are currently being considered which should lead to some improvement in the speed of production. However, because of the various stages involved (copy preparation, text amendment, indexing, printing and binding), bound volumes are never likely to be produced within four months of the date of publication of the daily part.

Council Of Ministers

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the three documents referred to in his answer of 28 October 1986, Official Report, column 114, containing proposals which were adopted by the European Community Council of Ministers before the House had debated them.

The information requested is as follows:

European Community documents 10697/84 and 10171/84, on the conservation of fishery resources and total allowable fish catches for 1985, respectively, and an unnumbered explanatory memorandum on heat treated milk, dated 26 June 1985.

European Community Legislation

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list all the European Community documents brought before the House in 1985 and referred to in his answer of 28 October 1986, Official Report, column 84.

The titles of European Community documents laid before the House are published in the House of Commons "Weekly Information Bulletin", copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

Prime Minister

Mr John O'sullivan

asked the Prime Minister in what capacity Mr. John O'Sullivan has been employed in her office; whether his appointment has been subject to approval by the Civil Service Commission what terms and conditions apply to his appointment; and if his salary will be paid out of public funds.

Mr. John O'Sullivan is employed as a special adviser in the policy unit in my Office. He is employed on the standard terms applied to special advisers. The approval of the Civil Service Commission is not required, and in common with all such appointments his salary is met from public funds.

Home Department

"Legislating For Change"

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a statement on the consultative document "Legislating for Change," published by the Equal Opportunities Commission, and on which comments were requested by 28 February.

We are not proposing to make a statement on this document because it is a consultative paper issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission to help it decide what proposals to put to the Government for changes in the law. Together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment we will consider how to respond when we receive the commission's report setting out its considered proposals for change and have been able to consider it.

Monzur-Al-Kassar

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the state of police investigations of Monzur-Al-Kassar for arms and drugs offences.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that Monzur-Al-Kassar is not being investigated by the police.

Prison Population

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of unconvicted inmates in prisons in England and Wales on 31 March.

On 31 March 1987 about 8,770 untried and 330 non-criminal prisoners were in prison department establishments in England and Wales.

Mr Viraj Mendis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Manchester about violence and damage caused in the vicinity of the Church of the Ascension, Royce road, Hume, Manchester, in connection with Mr. Viraj Mendis.

The chief constable informs me that two incidents have been reported to the police. On 9 March a group of people entered the church and engaged in scuffles with supporters of Mr. Viraj Mendis, one of whom sustained minor injuries. Six men were later arrested on suspicion of assault, but as none was positively identified all were released without charge. On 10 March a woman living nearby informed the police that she had been attacked on her way home. The matter has been investigated by the police, but so far the alleged assailants have not been traced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received in respect of the proposed removal of Viraj Mendis, a Sri Lankan currently staying in the United Kingdom (a) from hon. Members and (b) from others.

By 13 April 1987, 48 hon. and right hon. Members and four Members in another place had made representations. More than 800 other letters have been received about the case, as well as two petitions and about 1,500 proforma postcards.

Visa Applications

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Indian citizens have applied for visas at the British deputy high commission, Bombay, by month, since 15 October 1986, as (a) visitors, (b) students,(c) settlement and (d) others; how many of these applications were (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) referred to further inquiries, by category of applicant; and how many of those applications in each category were dealt with by post and how many required personal interview;

Applications for visas to the United Kingdom
	Number of persons
		Applications
		Newly¹received	Granted²	Refusal initially	Deferred³
	DHAKA
	Visitors:
	1986 October⁴	780	540	180	10
	November	860	590	230	10
	December	680	430	200	20
	1987 January	460	320	110	20
	February	450	320	90	20
	Students:
	1986 October⁴	30	20	10	^*
	November	10	10	^*	^*
	December	60	40	10	^*
	1987 January	80	60	20	^*
	February	40	30	^*	^*
	Persons for settlement:
	1986 October⁴	310	250	60	110
	November	440	360	80	330
	December	290	340	110	320
	1987 January	290	290	80	390
	February	410	400	80	210
	Others:
	1986 October⁴	110	100	^*	10
	November	130	120	^*	10
	December	120	120	^*	—
	1987 January	70	70	^*	10

(2) how many Indian citizens have applied for visas at the British high commission, New Delhi, by month since 15 October 1986, as (a) visitors, (b) students, (c) settlement and (d) others; how many of these applications were (1) granted, (2) refused and (3) deferred for further inquiries, by category of applicant; and how many of these applications in each category were (i) dealt with by post and (ii) required personal interview;

(3) how many Bangladeshi citizens have applied for visas in Dhaka, by month since 15 October 1986, as (a) visitors, (b) students, (c) settlement and (d) others; how many of these applications were (i) dealt with by post and (ii) required personal interview; and how many of these applications were (1) granted, (2) refused and (3) deferred for further inquiries, by category of applicant;

(4) how many Pakistani citizens have applied for visas at the British embassy, Islamabad, by month since 15 October 1986, as (a) visitors, (b) students, (c) settlement and (d) others; how many of those applications in each category (i) were dealt with by post and (ii) required personal interview; and how many of these applications were (1) granted, (2) refused and (3) deferred to further inquiries, by category of applicant;

(5) how many Pakistani citizens have applied for visas at the British consulate, Karachi, by month since 15 October 1986, as (a) visitors, (b) students, (c) settlement and (d) others; how many of those applicants in each category (i) were dealt with by post and (ii) required personal interview; and how many of those applications were (1) granted, (2) refused and (3) deferred for further inquiries, by category of applicant.

The information available centrally is given in the following table.

	Applications
	Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
February	30	30	^*	—
Total:
1986 October⁴	1,230	900	240	120
November	1,440	1,080	310	460
December	1,150	940	310	320
1987 January	910	730	210	420
February	930	800	180	230

Applications for visas to the United Kingdom
Number of persons
		Applications
		Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
	BOMBAY
	Visitors:
	1986 October⁴	3,590	3,410	10	110
	November	2,410	2,340	50	10
	December	1,920	1,780	40	^*
	1987 January	1,560	1,390	30	^*
	February	1,900	1,690	40	20
	Students:
	1986 October⁴	210	150	—	—
	November	10	10	—	^*
	December	40	40	—	—
	1987 January	20	20	—	—
	February	30	30	—	—
	Persons for settlement:
	1986 October⁴	160	190	30	140
	November	160	170	20	30
	December	180	180	30	50
	1987 January	210	170	40	110
	February	240	140	20	50
	Others:
	1986 October⁴	160	160	—	^*
	November	190	190	—	10
	December	200	190	^*	^*
	1987 January	100	100	^*	^*
	February	430	420	^*	10
	Total:
	1986 October⁴	4,120	3,900	40	360
	November	2,780	2,710	70	40
	December	2,330	2,200	70	50
	1987 January	1,880	1,670	70	110
	February	2,610	2,290	60	80

Applications for visas to the United Kingdom
	Number of persons
		Applications
		Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
	NEW DELHI
	Visitors:
	1986 October⁴	2,960	2,590	50	20
	November	2,780	2,480	150	40
	December	1,820	1,630	160	70
	1987 January	1,850	1,580	200	80
	February	2,100	1,780	180	80
	Students:
	1986 October⁴	80	80	^*	—
	November	20	20	^*	^*
	December	50	50	^*	^*
	1987 January	80	80	^*	^*
	February	40	40	^*	^*

	Applications
	Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
Persons for settlement:
1986 October⁴	90	90	30	60
November	70	100	50	60
December	120	80	40	50
1987 January	120	80	60	70
February	150	100	60	50
Others:
1986 October⁴	550	550	—	^*
November	650	640	^*	^*
December	350	350	—	10
1987 January	190	200	^*	—
February	220	200	—	10
Total:
1986 October⁴	3,690	3,310	80	90
November	3,520	3,230	200	100
December	2,340	2,100	200	120
1987 January	2,240	1.940	260	150
February	2,500	2,120	240	140

Applications for visas to the United Kingdom
	Number of persons
		Applications
		Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
	ISLAMABAD
	Visitors:
	1986 October⁴	1,580	1,450	80	40
	November	1,880	1,640	150	110
	December	1,890	1,590	210	130
	1987 January	1,520	1,190	180	100
	February	1,700	1,350	160	140
	Students:
	1986 October⁴	20	20	—	—
	November	30	20	^*	^*
	December	70	60	10	^*
	1987 January	70	60	10	10
	February	20	20	^*	^*
	Persons for settlement:
	1986 October⁴	570	380	110	270
	November	480	260	100	290
	December	710	200	80	340
	1987 January	430	320	120	420
	February	420	350	140	420
	Others:
	1986 October⁴	20	20	—	^*
	November	20	20	—	^*
	December	30	30	—	^*
	1987 January	60	50	^*	^*
	February	20	20	^*	10
	Total:
	1986 October4	2,180	1,860	190	310
	November	2,420	1,940	250	410
	December	2,700	1,880	300	470
	1987 January	2,080	1,620	310	530
	February	2,160	1,740	300	570

Applications for visas to the United Kingdom
	Number of persons
		Applications
		Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
	KARACHI
	Visitors:
	1986 October⁴	1,930	1,800	70	40

	Applications
	Newly ¹ received	Granted ²	Refusal initially	Deferred ³
November	2,040	1,910	100	40
December	1,430	1,270	120	50
1987 January	1,250	1,110	110	30
February	1,210	1,050	110	40
Students:
1986 October⁴	10	10	^*	^*
November	20	20	—	^*
December	50	50	^*	^*
1987 January	40	40	^*	^*
February	20	20	^*	^*
Persons for settlement:
1986 October⁴	50	20	^*	20
November	20	10	^*	30
December	20	20	^*	10
1987 January	40	20	^*	20
February	40	10	10	10
Others:
1986 October⁴	310	310	—	^*
November	240	230	^*	10
December	230	220	—	20
1987 January	220	200	—	20
February	170	160	^*	20
Total:
1986 October⁴	2,300	2,150	70	70
November	2,320	2,170	110	80
December	1,730	1,550	120	80
1987 January	1,560	1,370	120	70
February	1,440	1,250	130	70
^* Five or fewer.
¹ Including applications subsequently withdrawn.
² Including applications granted on appeal.
³ Including applications referred to the Home Office for decision.
⁴ Including applications for entry clearance in the period 1–14 October 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for visas have been made at the British high commission in Lagos since 11 February; how many of these applications were (a) granted, (b) refused and (c) deferred for further inquiries, by category of applicant; and how many of those applications in each category were dealt with by post and how many required personal interview;(2) How many Nigerian citizens applied for visas at the British high commission in Lagos from 1 February 1987 until the visa office was closed; and how many of these were for

(a) visitors, (b) students, (c) settlement and (d) others; how many visas have been issued in Lagos in urgent compassionate cases since 11 February; and how many of those applications in each category (i) were dealt with by post and (ii) required personal interview.

Provisional information indicates that about 2,200 applications for visas were received in Lagos in the two weeks ending 14 February 1987; about 1,800 applications were granted and 120 refused. In the following two weeks 60 applications were granted and fewer than five were refused. The other information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long each of the 51 people, whose cases are currently being considered, and who applied for visas at the British high commission, Colombo, on the grounds that they were suffering severe hardship, waited before a decision was made on their application; when each of the 14 people whose applications for visas on the grounds of severe hardship in Colombo are still under consideration applied for these visas, and what guidance has been issued to the staff at the British high commission in Colombo as to the criteria to be used in deciding on applications for visas on the ground of severe hardship.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Ghanaian citizens have applied for visas at the British high commission, Accra, by month since 23 October 1986, as (a) visitors, (b) students, (c) settlement and (d) others; how many of those applications in each category (i) were dealt with by post and (ii) required personal interview; and how many of these applications were (1) granted, (2) refused and (3) deferred for further inquiries, by category of applicant.

The information available centrally is given in the following table.

Applications in Ghana for a visa to the United Kingdom
Number of persons
Category of applicant, and month	Applications
	Newly received¹	Granted²	Refused initially
Visitors:
1986 October³	670	550	90
1986 November	1,710	1,420	210

Category of applicant, and month	Applications
	Newly received¹	Granted²	Refused initially
1986 December	930	790	130
1987 January	950	560	320
Students:
1986 October³	30	10	10
1986 November	20	10	10
1986 December	20	20	+
1987 January	40	20	10
Others⁴
1986 October³	30	20	20
1986 November	60	40	10
1986 December	40	40	+
1987 January	70	60	—
Total:
1986 October³	720	580	120
1986 November	1,780	1,460	230
1986 December	990	850	130
1987 January	1,060	640	330
+ 5 or fewer.
¹ Including applications subsequently withdrawn.
² Including applications granted on appeal.
³ Including applications for an entry certificate in the period 1–22 October 1986.
⁴ Including persons for settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Nigerian citizens have applied for visas at the British deputy high commission, Kaduna, from February to the latest convenient date as (a) visitors, (b)students, (c) settlement and (d) others; and how many of these applications were (i) granted, (ii) refused and (iii) deferred for further inquiries by category of applicant.

The information available centrally is given in the following table.

Applications in Kaduna in February 1987 for a visa to the United Kingdom
Number of persons
Category of applicant	Applications
Newly received¹	Granted²	Refused	initially
Visitors	870	760	20
Students	10	10	+
Others³	20	20	—
	900	790	20
⁺ 5 or fewer.
¹ Including applications subsequently withdrawn.
² Including applications granted on appeal.
³ Including persons for settlement.

Immigration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 80 unsuccessful applications for entry clearance from female fiancées in the Indian subcontinent were refused (a) wholly and (b) partly because the entry clearance officer was not satisfied that the primary purpose of the marriage was not immigration.

Of the 80 female fiancées refused entry clearance in the Indian subcontinent in 1986, 10 were refused solely on the ground that the primary purpose of the marriage was to obtain admission to the United Kingdom and 10 were refused partly on that ground.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the (a) 480 unsuccessful applications from husbands and (b) 1,000 unsuccessful applications from male fiancés for entry clearance in the Indian subcontinent in 1986 were refused (a) wholly and (b) partly because the entry clearance officer was not satisfied that the primary purpose of the marriage was not immigration.

Of the 480 husbands and 1,000 male fiancés refused in the Indian subcontinent in 1986, 430 of the husbands and 840 of the male fiancés were refused solely on the grounds that the primary purpose of the marriage was to obtain admission to the United Kingdom, and 20 of the husbands and 120 of the male fiancés were refused partly on these grounds.

Tamils

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with representatives of the Government of Sri Lanka concerning (a) the fate of Tamils returned to Sri Lanka who have been refused entry to other countries in Europe and elsewhere and (b) the situation of Viraj Mendis, a Sri Lankan currently staying in the United Kingdom.

When I met President Jayewardene and the Minister for National Security on 13 April I was given an assurance that no Sri Lankan national returning to Sri Lanka need fear for his treatment at the hands of the Sri Lankan authorities. Unless wanted on a criminal charge, they would be allowed free and unrestricted entry and freedom to go about their business.

Us Service Men

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables in England into the number of illegal acts by United States service men stationed in the United Kingdom and reported to the police but in relation to which no action was taken because of immunity under the Visiting Forces Act.

The Visiting Forces Act 1952 does not grant any general immunity from United Kingdom legal process. In certain cases it permits the authorities of a visiting force to exercise primary jurisdiction; but if those authorities do not deal with the case under their law, any offence against United Kingdom law remains open to prosecution in our courts.We have received no reports from United States forces on this matter, although there is liaison at local level with the police. We do not think it necessary to ask the police to record specially, and report to the Home Office, offences alleged to have been committed by members of the United States forces.

Nigerian Citizens (Entry Refusal)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Nigerian citizens seeking entry as (a) visitors and (b) students were refused entry at Heathrow airport in each month from 1 September 1986 to 1 February 1987; and how many of those had obtained a visa before travelling.

The available information relates to the number of Nigerian citizens arriving at Heathrow airport who were removed, after being refused entry, in the months of September 1986 to January 1987 inclusive and of those the number who had a work permit or entry clearance. Visitors and students cannot be separately identified in these figures. Citizens of Nigeria were not subject to an overall requirement to obtain entry clearance before travelling to the United Kingdom until 1 February 1987.

Citizens of Nigeria refused leave to enter and removed at Heathrow Airport, September 1986 to January 1987
Number
Month of removal	Refused and removed	of which with a work permit or entry clearance
1986
September	141	1
October	132	—
November	69	1
December	63	—
1987
January	85	—

Overseas Voters

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the issue of overseas voters registration forms to (a) political parties, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) other bodies; what guidance he gives to such bodies concerning matter sent out with such forms; and if he will make a statement.

Our policy is to make overseas electors' declaration forms as widely available as possible to political parties, voluntary organisations and other bodies. We would not wish these bodies, apart from party political organisations, to distribute the forms with party political material, and we are reviewing the need for guidance to be given to that effect. We are aware of only one case where this has occurred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints he has received concerning alleged abuses of procedures for the registration of overseas voters.

Apart from the complaint by the hon. and learned Member in his letter to me of 8 March, none.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have so far applied for registration as overseas voters; in which countries; in respect of which constituencies; and by what means such forms were made available to them.

The table has been prepared by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the basis of information from posts abroad. It shows the total number of people whose applications for registration as an overseas elector in the 1987 register have been attested by consular or other authorised staff, and the country in which the application was attested.Information is not available on the constituencies in respect of which applications were made. However, I am sending to the hon. Member a table prepared by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from returns made by electoral registration officers, which provides this information in respect of overseas electors whose names are included on the 1987 electoral register. There is no record of the means by which each overseas elector obtained a declaration form, but we expect that most forms were obtained from British posts abroad.

Electoral registration overseas: 1986 (for electoral register coming into force 16 February 1987)
Number of attestations
	Number
Afghanistan	9
Algeria	7
Angola	4
Anguilla	3
Antigua and Barbuda	18
Argentina	2
Ascension	0
Australia	228
Austria	78
Bahamas	71
Bahrain	127
Bangladesh	22
Barbados	36
Belgium	331
Belize	7
Bermuda	34
Bolivia	3
Botswana	142
Brazil	77
Brunei	127
Bulgaria	4
Burma	3
Cameroon	19
Canada	99
Caymen Islands	34
Chile	6
China	63
Colombia	5
Congo	1
Costa Rica	8
Cuba	2
Cyprus	193
Czechoslovakia	2
Denmark	36
Dominica	5
Ecuador	8
Egypt	83
Equatorial Guinea	1
Ethiopia	36
Falkland Islands	24
Fiji	59
Finland	14
France	507
Gabon	24
Gambia	11
German Democratic Republic	2
Federal Republic of Germany	444
Ghana	33
Gibraltar	14
Greece	148
Grenada	10
Guatemala	4
Guyana	6
Honduras	0
Hong Kong	311
Hungary	2
Iceland	1
India	43
Indonesia	145
Iran	6
Iraq	34
Ireland, Republic of	58
Israel	54
Italy	237
Ivory Coast	21
Jamaica	36

	Number
Japan	114
Jordan	47
Kenya	181
Kiribati	3
Korea, Republic of	44
Kuwait	135
Lebanon	0
Lesotho	40
Liberia	20
Libya	—
Luxembourg	46
Madagascar	4
Malawi	54
Malaysia	147
Malta	59
Mauritius	18
Mexico	15
Mongolia	1
Montserrat	2
Morocco	15
Mozambique	14
Nepal	43
Netherlands	243
New Zealand	141
Nigeria	80
Norway	138
Oman	332
Pakistan	37
Panama	0
P.N.G.	215
Paraguay	9
Peru	45
Philippines	62
Poland	18
Portugal	113
Qatar	193
Romania	0
St. Helena	8
St. Kitts and Nevis	2
St. Lucia	20
St. Vincent	15
Saudi Arabia	811
Senegal	38
Seychelles	10
Sierra Leone	55
Singapore	284
Solomon Islands	36
Somalia	2
South Africa	499
Soviet Union	11
Spain	1,573
Sri Lanka	38
Sudan	14
Swaziland	23
Sweden	53
Switzerland	206
Syria	2
Tanzania	82
Thailand	84
Tonga	2
Trinidad and Tobago	23
Tunisia	15
Turkey	45
Turks and Caicos Islands	2
Uganda	35
United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi	234
Dubai	225
United States of America	656
Uruguay	4
Vanuatu	13
Venezuela	19
Vietnam	—
Virgin Islands, British	2
Yemen Arab Republic	26
Yemen, Peoples Democratic Republic	6
Yugoslavia	5
Zaire	18

	Number
Zambia	102
Zimbabwe	99
Total	12,207

Nuclear Accidents

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Somerset in relation to emergency preparedness for a civil nuclear disaster at Hinkley Point power station, as to whether any time estimates have been made for (i) the evacuation of the population, (ii) the evacuation of high-risk groups, (iii) the evacuation of low mobility groups and (iv) the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the population, within 10 miles of Hinkley Point in each case.

I have been asked to reply.The precautions taken in the design and construction of nuclear installations in this country, and the very high safety standards applied in operating and maintaining them, make it highly unlikely that accidents will occur which might significantly affect the public. But however remote the risks, all operators of nuclear installations are required by Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, as a condition of its site licences, to prepare emergency plans, including those for dealing with an accidental release of radioactivity. The same requirement also applies to the sites of the Atomic Energy Authority.These plans, on which the police and other involved bodies must be consulted, are tested regularly in exercises monitored by Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. They cover both emergency procedures at the site and offsite arrangements to protect the public, including monitoring up to 40 km. and evacuation up to 1 km. for later magnox and AGR stations and 1·5 miles for earlier magnox stations. These plans are capable of extension in the improbable event of this proving necessary, but the HSE does not consider that detailed plans covering a wider area are justified. It believes that a balance needs to be struck between detailed plans that are sufficiently extensive to cope with a serious accident and the unjustified use of resources involved in planning for improbable accidents. This approach was specifically endorsed by Sir Frank Layfield in his report on Sizewell. It follows that the specific calculations and assessments sought have not been made.In an announcement on 18 December following the first stage of a thorough review of existing plans and procedures in the light of experience of the Chernobyl accident, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister concluded that existing plans continue to provide valid basis for the response to any accident in the United Kingdom. In announcing his consent to the planning application for Sizewell B, the Secretary of State accepted the Layfield report's recommendations relating to emergency planning. These will be taken fully into account in the continuing work on the Government review.The duties and responsibilities of police forces are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

Bilingual Forms

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend regulation 11 of the Registration of Births, Still-births and Deaths (Welsh Language) Regulations 1969 so as to enable a registrar to write the Welsh equivalent of the words contained in a coroner's certificate when drawing up a death certificate.

I have been asked to reply.No. The Registration of Births, Still-births and Deaths (Welsh Language) Regulations 1969 provide for a death in Wales upon which an inquest has been held to be registered in Welsh as well as in English where the coroner's certificate has been completed in both languages. The registrar is required to copy the particulars contained in the certificate precisely as they are stated therein. In this respect as with all registrations, responsibility for the accuracy of the particulars required to be registered remains with the person who provides the information and there are no plans to change this general principle.

Wales

Core Curriculum

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes a core curriculum for schools in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Sir A. Meyer) on 9 April, at column 371, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Higher Education (Part-Time Students)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total full-time equivalent number of part-time students in higher education in Wales in each year since 1979.

The available information, in respect of part-time students at the University of Wales and student enrolments on advanced courses at colleges of further and higher education in Wales, is as follows:

Academic Year	Number¹(Full-time equivalent)
1979–80	2,178
1980–81	2,357
1981–82	2,430
1982–83	2,433
1983–84	2,496
1984–85	2,528
1985–86	2,813
¹ Including evening only enrolments.

School Closures

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by local education authority, the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Wales which have closed since 1979.

Comprehensive information in the form requested is not available. A figure for the total number of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools closed could be misleading since many closures occur as part of wider schemes of reorganisation or amalgamation which can incorporate the establishment of new schools. During the period January 1979 to January 1987 there was a net reduction of 168 maintained primary schools and a net reduction of 10 maintained secondary schools in Wales. (These are provisional figures). The breakdown by local education authority is as follows:

	Primary	Secondary
Clwyd	-15	-1
Dyfed	-31	-2
Gwent	-47	-7
Gwynedd	-2	0
Mid Glamorgan	-7	+1
Powys	-16	+1
South Glamorgan	-18	-1
West Glamorgan	-32	-1
	-168	-10

Handicapped Pupils (Ancillary Staff)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table giving the numbers of ancillary staff provided in schools in Wales by local education authorities to look after the special needs of handicapped pupils for each year since 1981.

The numbers of nursing, child care and other ancillary staff in special schools, as at September of each year, are given in the following table. Comparable information in respect of ancillary staff catering for pupils with special needs in primary and secondary schools is not collected centrally.

Ancillary Staff in Special Schools
	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
Clwyd	89	103	98	98	113	105
Dyfed	37	42	48	43	45	48
Gwent	83	76	79	83	74	86
Gwynedd	48	38	35	40	37	43
Mid Glamorgan	126	123	131	119	132	134
Powys	12	13	13	14	14	18
South Glamorgan	142	118	118	112	96	115
West Glamorgan	59	59	51	68	73	68

Schools (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing expenditure per pupil in both cash and current price terms for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools for each local authority in Wales for 1979, 1983 and the latest date for which figures are available.

The information is given in the following tables.

	1979–80		1983–84		1985–86
Welsh counties	outturn prices £	1985–86 prices ² £	outturn prices £	1985–86 prices ² £	outturn prices £	1985–86 prices ² £
Net recurrent institutional costs per primary pupil ¹
Clwyd	416	673	727	806	795	795
Dyfed	464	750	772	855	837	837
Gwent	435	703	750	831	792	792
Gwynedd	414	664	715	792	806	806
Mid Glamorgan	440	712	788	873	864	864
Powys	532	860	879	974	972	972
South Glamorgan	421	681	682	756	741	741
West Glamorgan	508	821	807	894	874	874
Net recurrent institutional costs per secondary pupil ¹
Clwyd	570	922	996	1,104	1,131	1,131
Dyfed	603	975	970	1,075	1,124	1,124
Gwent	606	980	1,029	1,140	1,204	1,204
Gwynedd	578	935	961	1,065	1,125	1,125
Mid Glamorgan	606	980	979	1,085	1,120	1,120
Powys	640	1,035	1,037	1,149	1,235	1,235
South Glamorgan	598	967	961	1,065	1,092	1,092
West Glamorgan	670	1,083	1,140	1,263	1,301	1,301
¹ Net recurrent institutional costs exclude expenditure on school meals and milk, school transport and pupil support.
² Outturn prices revalued using the GDP deflator.

Education And Science

Capital Receipts And Allocations

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give figures for the latest convenient year of (a) the level of capital receipts and (b) the level of capital allocations for each local education authority in Britain expressed on a per student basis.

The latest year for which information is available is 1985–86. The figures for England are given in the table. Allocations are not made on a per student basis: instead my right hon. Friend takes account of a number of factors which reflect varying needs in different local authorities' areas. These include the need to provide additional school places in areas of population growth and the distribution of institutions providing advanced further education.Local authorities in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.

	1985–86
Local Education Authority	Level of education capital receipts (£)	Level of capital allocations expressed on a per student basis (£)
Barking	21,780	25
Barnet	6,165,500	39
Bexley	97,075	13
Brent	n.a.	20
Bromley	NIL	14
Croydon	NIL	40
Ealing	620	48
Enfield	3,700,000	18
Haringey	NIL	26
Harrow	30,608	8
Havering	850,615	8
Hillingdon	1,707,180	14
Hounslow	NIL	40
Kingston-upon-Thames	247,074	71
Merton	n.a.	87
Newham	n.a.	47

	1985–86
Local Education Authority	Level of education capital receipts (£)	Level of capital allocations expressed on a per student basis (£)
Redbridge	570,400	39
Richmond-upon-Thames	600,000	18
Sutton	140,000	13
Waltham Forest	27,300	25
Inner London	n.a.	34
Birmingham	NIL	17
Coventry	123,324	43
Dudley	NIL	40
Sandwell	NIL	29
Solihull	NIL	15
Walsall	NIL	23
Wolverhampton	NIL	32
Knowsley	NIL	28
Liverpool	14,175	42
St. Helens	NIL	37
Sefton	11,620	28
Wirral	7,200	10
Bolton	NIL	8
Bury	NIL	25
Manchester	NIL	59
Oldham	17,595	23
Rochdale	NIL	39
Salford	NIL	32
Stockport	NIL	26
Tameside	100,176	11
Trafford	NIL	39
Wigan	16,352	20
Barnsley	23,414	25
Doncaster	NIL	6
Rotherham	NIL	8
Sheffield	2,630	30
Bradford	233,746	72
Calderdale	NIL	22
Kirklees	NIL	40
Leeds	1,907,239	22
Wakefield	90,652	23
Gateshead	NIL	29

	1985–86
Local Education Authority	Level of education capital receipts (£)	Level of capital allocations expressed on a per student basis (£)
Newcastle upon Tyne	137,300	28
North Tyneside	22,500	59
South Tyneside	NIL	39
Sunderland	183,109	46
Isles of Scilly	NIL	NIL
Avon	1,754,179	21
Bedfordshire	4,607,257	15
Berkshire	5,744,812	48
Buckinghamshire	3,040,890	52
Cambridgeshire	2,353,120	36
Cheshire	287,082	26
Cleveland	39,420	34
Cornwall	256,808	43
Cumbria	272,152	41
Derbyshire	723,455	41
Devon	2,461,483	38
Dorset	1,135,222	54
Durham	109,735	25
East Sussex	1,174,773	43
Essex	1,109,104	43
Gloucestershire	1,085,787	47
Hampshire	5,664,804	43
Hereford and Worcester	944,230	12
Hertfordshire	10,981,665	26
Humberside	280,472	23
Isle of Wight	91,063	55
Kent	3,283,969	20
Lancashire	1,656,758	50
Leicestershire	743,070	38
Lincolnshire	569,423	36
Norfolk	NIL	25
North Yorkshire	1,019,688	28
Northamptonshire	763,728	38
Northumberland	65,364	23
Nottinghamshire	1,670,445	15
Oxfordshire	1,531,417	35
Shropshire	109,265	46
Somerset	327,674	14
Staffordshire	683,344	46
Suffolk	2,131,357	33
Surrey	7,567,751	30
Warwickshire	201,229	18
West Sussex	NIL	31
Wiltshire	623,972	31

Notes: The number of students includes all those attending a maintained school (either full-time or part-time) in January 1986 plus all students (either full-time or part-time) enrolled on a course of further or higher education in November 1985. The allocations are those announced before the start of the financial year and do not include additional allocations made later to some authorities.

n.a.—The authority has not made a return.

Council Of Europe And Western Union

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to make available to children of school age information on United Kingdom participation in the Council of Europe and Western European Union; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. He hopes, however, that where opportunity to do so arises in the school curriculum, pupils' understanding of the United Kingdom's relationships with its European neighbours including the functions and work of the European Community, the Council of Europe and the Western Union will be developed as part of the process of learning about political processes and economic matters.

Advertising

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of his Department's advertising and promotional budget is spent on regional or local newspaper advertising; and if he will make a statement.

Regional/local newspaper advertising accounted for 3 per cent. of the total promotional budget and 6·2 per cent. of advertising spending.

Students (Ethnic Minorities)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish a consultative document on the ethnic minority of students applying for higher and further education.

It is hoped to circulate a consultative paper which will address the issues and options for the collection of ethnically-based statistics for students in public sector further and higher education. It is the Department's intention also to open discussions with the central clearing houses about monitoring the applications process for public sector higher education.

Schoolchildren (Ethnic Monitoring)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish a consultative document on the ethnic monitoring of schoolchildren.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown) on 20 March at column 632.

Teachers (Industrial Action)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will conduct a survey of local education authorities to establish which ones deducted pay from teachers who have taken part in industrial action in the current year; and what proportion of pay was generally deducted.

The Department has asked local education authorities for this information. In all cases where information has been confirmed, authorities intend to deduct half a day's pay from each teacher who took part in the series of half-day strike rallies.

Primary School Staff (Guidelines)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recommendations and guidelines his Department issues to local education authorities regarding the numbers of staff in primary schools which cater for children who are (a) physically handicapped and (b) highly intelligent and have special needs under the Education Act 1981.

Current guidance on staffing in special schools and classes in England is set out in the Department's circular 4/73. This gives advice to local education authorities on standards for schools for different handicaps, including the physically handicapped. It does not, however, specifically cover children who are highly intelligent and have special needs under the Education Act 1981. This guidance is at present under review. I shall send the hon. Member a copy of circular 4/73.

Engineering Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 9 March, Official Report, column 24, what discussions he has had with the higher education planning bodies about more university places for engineering students.

Officials of the Department are in regular contact with the relevant funding bodies about higher education places in engineering as on other matters, and will be discussing specifically the possibilities for increasing the availability of manufacturing systems engineering courses.

Class Sizes

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the number of classes of 31 pupils and over in England as a percentage of the total number of classes in (a) the maintained primary sector and (b) the maintained secondary sector for every year since 1979.

The number of classes with 31 pupils and over as a percentage of all classes in maintained primary and secondary schools in England each year since 1979 is as follows. The analyses relate to classes taught by one teacher on a selected period within the day of the census count in January of each year and may not, therefore, be representative of the pattern of classes over the academic year as a whole.

January each year	Primary schools¹	Secondary schools¹
1979	27·4	10·3
1980	23·6	8·9
1981	22·6	8·4
1982	21·6	7·9
1983	19·9	7·6
1984	19·1	7·1
1985	19·4	7·0
1986	20·2	6·3
¹ Includes middle schools as deemed.

Accommodation

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information has been received by his Department in recent years regarding capital expenditure bids for projects including the removal of surplus school places, as to whether the proposed new or modified accommodation will meet the requirements of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 in force after 1 September 1991; whether any such information concerns the cost of works to meet such requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities are not required, in submitting their overall plans for capital expenditure on schools to the Department, to say whether proposed new or modified accommodation will meet the requirements of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information has been received by his Department in recent years, regarding schemes for school closures or amalgamations, as to whether the proposed new or modified accommodation will meet the requirements of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 in force after 1 September 1991; whether any such information concerns the cost of works to meet such requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Under the current arrangements for the approval of individual major school building projects, local education authorities certify that the work planned will conform to the requirements of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. For most projects authorities submit cost details to the Department on a voluntary basis, but there are more detailed arrangements for the submission of costs relating to projects at voluntary aided schools and projects costing £2 million or more at county and controlled schools.

Governors' Reports

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance he has issued to local education authorities about responsibility for payment for the circulation of governors' reports under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986; and what information he has about the number of governors who are paying for such reports out of capitation fees.

The Department has not issued any guidance to local education authorities on this matter. Nor does it collect information about the local arrangements for funding governors' annual reports and their distribution.

School Openings And Closures

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools (a) opened and (b) closed in the years 1974 to 1978 and in the years 1979 to 1987 in (i) Yorkshire and Humberside and (ii) Barnsley metropolitan district area.

Information is not available in precisely the form requested. The table shows the number of schools to be established (including establishment by amalgamation) and closed under proposals approved by my right hon. Friend or determined by LEAs, in the period from August 1980, when the Education Act 1980 came into force, and March 1987.

Area	Number of schools to be established	Number of schools to be closed
Yorkshire and Humberside (excluding Barnsley)	85	154
Barnsley	10	11

Mixed Schools

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information has been compiled by his Department about the relative disadvantages experienced by girls in some subjects in mixed schools; and if he will make a statement.

Information compiled by the Department of Education and Science about the relative disadvantages experienced by girls in some subjects in mixed schools is contained in the following publications:

Education Survey 21: Curricular Differences for Boys and Girls (HMSO 1975).
Aspects of Secondary Education in England (HMSO 1979).
A Review of Monitoring in Mathematics (DES 1986).
Statistical Bulletin 13/86:Statistics of School Leavers in England—January 1985 (DES November 1986).

The Government are committed to the promotion of equal opportunities in schools and to the need to encourage girls in those areas of the curriculum such as science and CDT where there is evidence of sex-related differences in achievement. My right hon. Friend believes that his proposals for a national curriculum will do much to ensure that girls follow a broad and balanced curriculum to the age of 16 which includes those subjects in which they have traditionally been under represented.

Birkbeck College

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will have urgent discussions with the University Grants Committee and London University about the funding of Birkbeck college for 1987–88 and the following two years; and what assessment he has made of the implications for future funding requirements of the proposals contained in the Government's White Paper on higher education.

The funding of Birkbeck college is a matter for the University Grants Committee and the University of London. The implications for future funding requirements of the Government's proposals in "Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge" (Cm. 114) are set out in paragraph 1.8 of that White Paper.

Central Electricity Generating Board (Booklets)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about a booklet entitled "Nuclear Know-How—with an element of truth", being circulated by the south-eastern region of the Central Electricity Board to schools; what information he has from elsewhere in the United Kingdom about the circulation of similar booklets to schools by the Central Electricity Generating Board; whether the Central Electricity Generating Board consulted his Department on the content of the booklet and its circulation to schools; what efforts he is making to ensure schools receive information from those who oppose nuclear energy and favour alternative sources of energy; and if he will make a statement.

No representations have been received about this booklet. I understand that the Electricity Council circulates annually to all schools a catalogue of materials and resources and that "Nuclear Know-How" is one of the titles listed. The booklet is sent to schools only if they request it. The Central Electricity Generating Board did not consult the Department of Education and Science on the content of the booklet or its circulation; nor was it necessary to do so. It is open to those who oppose nuclear energy to make information of their own available to schools.

Student Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the percentage of students attending universities and polytechnics in each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive, who were educated at independent schools.

The percentage of students from England and Wales accepted through the Universities Central Council on Admissions and who had previously attended independent schools is shown in the following table. Information for polytechnics from the Polytechnic Central Admissions System, collected for the first time for 1986, is not yet available.

United Kingdom Universities: accepted candidates domiciled in England & Wales who had previously attended independent¹schools.
Percentages
	As Percentage of
Year	All accepted candidates	All accepted candidates with known previous institution².
1978	n/a	24·7
1979	n/a	24·7
1980	n/a	24·3
1981	n/a	25·2
1982	n/a	24·8
1983	n/a	24·3
1984	n/a	25·0
1985	22·3	25·8
1986	21·7	25·7
n/a not available
¹ Including direct grant.
² Figures for 1978 to 1982 are estimates based on a 10 per cent, sample.

A-Level Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the percentage of pupils attaining grades A, B and C, respectively, at A-level in each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive, who were educated at independent schools.

Information for the academic year 1985–86 is not yet available. In 1984–85, 36 per cent. of English school leavers with a grade A pass at GCE A-level, 28.6 per cent. with a grade B pass and 25.5 per cent. with a grade C left from independent schools. Data in this form are not readily available for earlier years.

Sixth Form Places

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the percentage of sixth form places in each of the years from 1978 to 1986, inclusive, which came from the independent sector.

Information on sixth form places is not collected centrally. The percentages of school pupils (excluding special schools) aged 16 and over who were in independent schools in England in the years 1978 to 1986 were as follows:

January each year	per cent
1978	17·9
1979	17·9
1980	18·3

January each year	per cent
1981	17·8
1982	16·5
1983	16·1
1984	16·9
1985	17·5
1986	17·9

O-Level Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the percentage of pupils attaining five or more O-levels in each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive, who were educated at independent schools.

The proportions of English school leavers with five or more higher grades at O-level/CSE who left from independent schools are as shown. Information for 1985–86 is not yet available.

Academic year	Percentage
1977–78	18·4
1978–79	18·0
1979–80	18·2
1980–81	18·2
1981–82	17·2
1982–83	16·3
1983–84	16·3
1984–85	17·3

Source: School Leavers Survey. Data subject to sampling error.

Boarding Places

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the percentage of boarding places in each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive, which came from (a) the independent sector and (b) the maintained sector;(2) if he will publish the number of boarding places in each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive, in

(a) the independent sector and (b) the maintained sector.

The numbers of boarding places are not collected, but the numbers of full-time boarders and the percentage of pupils who are boarders in the maintained and non-maintained sectors for each of the years 1978 to 1986 inclusive are given in the following table.

	Boarding Pupils
	Non-maintained¹schools		Maintained²schools
	Number	Per cent.	Number	Per cent.
1978	133,829	85·6	22,576	14·4
1979	132,433	85·8	21,916	14·2
1980	132,299	86·2	21,166	13·8
1981	132,289	86·6	20,488	13·4
1982	128,745	86·5	20,145	13·5
1983	126,499	86·4	19,831	13·6
1984	124,219	87·0	18,528	13·0
1985	122,309	87·4	17,560	12·6
1986	121,757	87·9	16,700	12·1
¹ Includes direct grant schools and non-maintained special schools. Excludes a small number of boarders in independent nursery establishments recognised as efficient. Also excludes non responding schools.
² Includes special schools and centres for English as a second language.

Boarding Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any proposals to increase the availability of boarding education; and if he will state the Government's policy on independent schools having charitable status.

The Government have no proposals at present to increase the availability of boarding education. Nor have they any plans to alter the arrangements whereby certain independent schools enjoy the benefits of charitable status.

Voluntary Aided Schools

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of bids for minor work allocation in voluntary aided schools have been successful.

The allocations made to local education authorities in 1987–88 for capital expenditure in their areas by the governors of voluntary aided and special agreement schools included in most cases an element for minor works costing less than £120,000. It is for individual authorities, in consultation with the voluntary bodies, to decide how to use this element.Plans for minor works totalling £22·9 million were submitted by authorities. The total allocations for such works were £4·215 million which represents 18 per cent. of those plans.

Professor Colin Blakemore

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if Professor Colin Blakemore has received any support from the Medical Research Council since 1976.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1987, c. 56]: I understand from the Medical Research Council that Professor Colin Blakemore has received 16 grants from the council since 1976.

Energy

Uranium

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the quantity of stocks of depleted uranium held by BNFL at (a) Sellafield, (b) Capenhurst and (c) Springfields.

The quantity of depleted uranium resulting from the reprocessing of civil magnox fuel and the operations of enrichment plants for civil purposes and stored by BNFL is as follows:

	Uranium tonnes
Sellafield	300
Capenhurst	16,000
Springfields	5,000

A further 5,200 tonnes are held at Chapelcross. All this depleted uranium is subject to international safeguards.

Advertising

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of his Department's advertising and promotional budget is spent on regional and local newspaper advertising.

During 1986–87 the Department of Energy spent £149,400 on regional and local press advertising, £137,000 on local radio and £310,000 on specialist trade and technical magazines.In total these figures represent 10 per cent. of the Department's spend through the COI.

Oil And Gas Developments

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many field development approvals there have been for (a) oil and (b) gas in each month since January 1986.

The following projects have been approved between January 1986 and March 1987:

	Date
Oil	1986
Ivanhoe	January
Rob Roy	January
Petronella	April
Thistle (Area 6)¹	July
Innes (revised development plan)¹	December
Stainton (onshore)	December
Gas
South Valiant	February
Vanguard	February
Vulcan	February
North Hewett¹	March
Cleeton	May
South Ravenspurn	May
South Morecambe (Stage 2)¹	October
Pipelines
Auk-Fulmar¹	April
Gas	1987
Audrey	February
¹ Incremental project, that is further development within petroleum revenue tax areas of existing fields.

Colliery Closures

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the number of colliery and related workshop closures, and the number of jobs lost, for each year from 1974 (a) nationally, (b) in the Yorkshire and Humberside area and (c) in Barnsley metropolitan district council area.

I have asked the chairman of the British Coal Corporation to write to the hon. Gentleman.

Nuclear Fuel

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken to inplement recommendation 13 of the Sizewell B report regarding the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and the handling of plutonium.

I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 8.30 of my right hon. Friend's letter of 12 March 1987 to the chairman of the CEGB giving consent to the construction of Sizewell B, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Discussions are taking place on the publication of records relating to future plutonium production from United Kingdom civil reactors.

Nuclear Accidents

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of North Wales as to, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Wylfa (a) what evacuation time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the most populated 22½ deg. sector from the power station out to (i) five miles and (ii) 10 miles; (b)what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the population within (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles of the power station; and if he will arrange for the basis and calculations of such estimates to be placed in the Library;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of North Wales as to, in the event of a nuclear accident at Trawsfynydd

(a) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of high risk groups from the towns of Bangor, Conwy, Llandudno, Caernarfon, Festiniog, and Holyhead, (b) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from the above mentioned towns. (c) what time estimates have been prepared for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the above mentioned towns; and if he will arrange for data and calculations on which such estimates have been made to be placed in the Library;

(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of North Wales as to, in the event of a nuclear accident at Trawsfynydd (a) what evacuation time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the most populated 22½ deg. sector from the power station out to (i) five miles, (ii) 10 miles, of the power station; (b) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the population within (i) five miles and (ii) 10 miles, of the power station; and if he will arrange for the basis and calculations of such estimates to be placed in the Library;

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cleveland about the time estimates for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from Stockton, Redcar and Hartlepool, in his contingency plans for a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cleveland about the time estimates for the evacuation of high-risk groups from Stockton, Redcar and Hartlepool, in his contingency plans for a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool;(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cleveland about the time estimates for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the population of Stockton, Redcar and Hartlepool, in his contingency plans for a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool;(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Tyne and Wear as to whether, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool, any time estimates have been made for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the populations of Sunderland, Newcastle and Tynemouth;(5) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Tyne and Wear as to whether, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool, any time estimates have been made for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from Sunderland, Newcastle and Tynemouth;(6) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Tyne and Wear as to whether, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool, any time estimates have been made for the evacuation of high-risk groups from Sunderland, Newcastle and Tynemouth;(7) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Durham as to whether, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool, any time estimates have been made for the evacuation of high-risk groups from Darlington and Durham;(8) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Durham as to whether, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool, any time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from Darlington and Durham;(9) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Durham as to whether, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hartlepool, any time estimates have been prepared for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the populations of Darlington and Durham.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Berkeley, Oldbury or Hinkley Point, what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of the population of Newport; and if he will call for the basis and calculation of such time estimates to be placed in the Library;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Berkeley, Oldbury or Hinkley Point (i) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of high-risk groups from Newport, (ii) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from Newport and (iii) what time estimates have been made for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the population of Newport; and if he will call for the basis and calculation of such time estimates to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Lancashire concerning emergency preparedness for a civil nuclear disaster at Heysham with particular reference to (i) time estimates for the evacuation of the most populated 22½deg sector from the power station out to (a) five miles and (b) 10 miles, (ii) time estimates for the evacuation of the population within (a) five miles and (b) 10 miles of the power station, (iii) time estimates for the evacuation of the population of (a) Lancaster, (b) Blackpool, (c) South Ribble, (d) Burnley, (e) Chorley and (f) Southport, (iv) time estimates for the evacuation of high-risk groups at those centres of population, (v) time estimates for the evacuation of low-mobility groups at those centres of population and (vi) time estimates for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the populations of those centres of population; and if he will arrange for the basis, and calculations underlying these estimates to be placed in the Library;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester concerning the emergency preparedness for a civil nuclear disaster at Heysham, with particular reference to

(a) time estimates for the evacuation of high-risk groups from Manchester, (b) time

estimates for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from Manchester and (c) time estimates for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the population of Manchester; and if he will arrange for the data and calculations on which any such estimates are based to be placed in the Library;

(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside concerning the emergency preparedness for a civil nuclear disaster at Heysham, with particular reference to time estimates for the evacuation of the population of (a) St. Helens and (b) Liverpool; and if he will place in the Library the basis and calculation underlying those time estimates;

(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cumbria concerning the emergency preparedness for a nuclear accident at Calder Hall with particular reference to (i) time estimates for the evacuation of the most populated 22½ deg sector from the power station out to (a) five miles and (b) 10 miles, (ii) time estimates for the evacuation of the population within (a) five miles and (b) 10 miles of the power station, (iii) time estimates for the evacuation of the population of (a) Whitehaven, (b) Workington and (c) Barrow in Furness, (iv) time estimates for the evacuation of high-risk groups from those centres of population, (v) time estimates for the evacuation of low-mobility groups from those centres of population and (vi) time estimates for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets from those centres of population; and if he will arrange for the basis, and calculation underlying those time estimates to be placed in the Library;

(5) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester concerning the emergency preparedness for a civil nuclear disaster at Heysham with particular reference to time estimates for the evacuation of the population of (a) Wigan, (b) Bolton, (c) Bury, (d) Rochdale, (e) Leigh and (f) Manchester; and if he will place in the Library the basis and calculations underlying those time estimates.

The precautions taken in the design and construction of nuclear installations in this country, and the very high safety standards applied in operating and maintaining them, make it highly unlikely that accidents will occur which might significantly affect the public. But however remote the risks, all operators of nuclear installations are required by HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, as a condition of its site licences, to prepare emergency plans, including those for dealing with an accidental release of radioactivity. The same requirement also applies to the sites of the Atomic Energy Authority.These plans, on which police and other involved bodies must be consulted, are tested regularly in exercises monitored by HMNII. They cover both emergency procedures at the site and offsite arrangements to protect the public, including monitoring up to 40 km. and evacuation up to 1 km. for later magnox and AGR stations and 1·5 miles for earlier magnox stations. These plans are capable of extension in the improbable event of this proving necessary, but the HSE does not consider that detailed plans covering a wider area are justified. It believes that a balance needs to be struck between detailed plans that are sufficiently extensive to cope with a serious accident and the unjustified use of resources involved in planning for improbable accidents. This approach was specifically endorsed by Sir Frank Layfield in his report on Sizewell. It follows that the specific calculations and assessments sought have not been made.In an announcement on 18 December following the first stage of a thorough review of existing plans and procedures in the light of experience of the Chernobyl accident, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister concluded that existing plans continue to provide a valid basis for the response to any accident in the United Kingdom. In announcing his consent to the planning application for Sizewell B, the Secretary of State accepted the Layfield report's recommendations relating to emergency planning. These will be taken fully into account in the continuing work on the Government review.The duties and responsibilities of police forces are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

Attorney-General

Queen's Counsel

asked the Attorney-General (1) how many Queen's Counsel he has removed from his approved list of prosecution barristers during his tenure of office; and for what reason in each case;(2) what procedures he adopts when removing Queen's Counsel from his approved list of prosecution barristers; whether he informs them in advance of his intention to do so; and whether he gives them an opportunity to make representations on their own behalf if they so wish;(3) what remedy is available to Queen's Counsel aggrieved by their removal from his approved list of prosecution barristers by way of appeal against his decision.

The Attorney-General has been responsible for nominating prosecuting counsel for cases conducted by Government Departments with prosecution functions or by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions with the greater proportion always emanating from the latter. For this purpose, it has long been the practice to maintain lists of approved counsel or, in some cases, panels of standing counsel.In so far as they related to the DPP, these arrangements were revised in 1986, after full consultation with the Bar, to take account of the establishment of the Crown Prosecution Service. The Crown Prosecution Service is now responsible for the maintenance of lists of counsel for each circuit which are submitted to the Attorney-General for approval. Nothing short of total loss of confidence by the CPS centrally or a complete breakdown of the instructing solicitor-counsel relationship is regarded as sufficient to justify removal from the CPS lists. The arrangements made with the Bar is that, where any such situation is considered to have arisen, counsel is to be informed that consideration is being given to the removal of his name from the lists, together with the reason, and he is to be invited, if he wishes, to make written representations to the CPS committees responsible for the circuit lists in question.In the event of counsel's name being removed, he may seek a review of the decision by the head of field management and, if still dissatisfied and provided he has the support of the leader of the circuit, a further review by the Director of Public Prosecutions personally.The arrangements apply to both leading and junior counsel.

So far as prosecuting counsel instructed by other Government Departments are concerned, my right hon. and learned Friend applies similar criteria to the composition of the relevant lists and to the appointment of standing counsel.

There have been only two occasions during the tenure of office of my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General when he has removed the name of leading counsel from a prosecution list. In each case the reason was loss of confidence in the light of counsel's performance.

Notary Public (Appointment)

asked the Attorney-General if he will arrange for the faculty giving effect to the appointment of a notary public in Wales and associated documentation to be made in the Welsh language or in a bilingual format.

The faculty appointing a Welsh district notary and the commission for taking the oath and declaration can be provided in a bilingual format upon request at the time of preparation of such documents.

Trade And Industry

Bt (Network Restrictions)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if there are any current restrictions on the provision by foreign companies of equipment for British Telecom and the British telecommunications network in the area of activity for which Cable and. Wireless plc is seeking to provide for the Japanese network; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have had a consistent policy of liberalising the field of telecommunications to allow for competition in the supply of equipment and services. Any equipment, regardless of origin, may be connected to the public switched telephone network, provided it meets the stringent technical standards needed for approval.The Government have also licensed Mercury Communications Ltd. as a competitor to BT for both domestic and international services. An exact parallel cannot be drawn to the C and W issue in Japan, where no competition in international services exists. It is this competition which C and W, with its IDC partners, is seeking to provide.

Trade Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the deficits in manufacturing trade with Japan, Germany and the European Economic Community, respectively, in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Manufacturing trade, defined in SITC terms and divisions 5–8, with Japan, Germany and the EC, in the 12 months ended February 1987, showed a crude balance of trade deficit, in £ billions of 3·9, 6·7 and 10·6 respectively.

Japan

asked the Secretary of State for Track and Industry if he will make a statement about trade relations with Japan.

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

Companies (Accounts)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current average length of time between the receipt of annual accounts by the companies registration office and their publication.

The Registrar of Companies estimates that the average time between the receipt of hatches of annual accounts and returns in February and March this year and their publication was around three and a half weeks.

Companies Registration Office

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff are currently employed at the companies registration office; and, of these, how many are occupied in (a) microfilming operations, (b) document examination and (c) enforcement of default.

A total of 1,135 staff are currently employed at the companies registration offices, of whom 301½ are predominantly occupied in microfilming operations, 337 in document examination and 124 in the enforcement of default.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the estimated cost of running the companies registration office during 1987–88, and what is the estimated revenue for services provided during the same period.

The figures are:

	£ million
Estimated cost¹	20·1
Estimated revenue	28·9
¹ On a memorandum trading account basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that the guidelines on tradeable information issued in August 1986 are being complied with by the companies registration office; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, I am satisfied that the guidelines are being complied with. The companies registration office is providing basic information more efficiently and making it more accessible to the public. Wider use and awareness of company information should benefit the private sector in its role of adding value and manipulating the data in electronic form, to produce an enhanced product for which users will pay more. This is the activity which the Government's guidelines on tradeable information seek to encourage.

Newspapers (Takeovers And Purchases)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he takes to monitor assurances given to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in respect of newspaper takeovers and purchases.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply to his earlier questions on 10 April, at column 429. Assurances given to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission have no statutory under-pinning and are not monitored. In the two instances where conditional consent was granted to a newspaper transfer, the conditions of the consent required certain changes in the articles of association of the companies concerned and that these should be agreed by the Secretary of State before the transfer could take place. These changes primarily provided for questions directed at editorial independence to be considered by independent directors appointed for the purpose; in any disputes concerning editorial independence the decisions of the independent directors are final and binding.Other conditions require the Secretary of State's prior consent if certain further changes are proposed to the articles of association of the companies.Breach of conditions attached to a transfer would constitute an offence under section 62(2) of the Fair Trading Act 1973. My Department would consider carefully any allegations concerning breaches of such conditions.

Export Licences

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences his Department refused for exports in 1985; and if he will state the countries concerned.

It has been the policy of successive Governments not to make public information of this kind.

Securities And Investments Board

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to transfer powers under the Financial Services Act 1986 to the Securities and Investments Board.

I have considered carefully the rules and other material sent to me by the Securities and Investments Board Ltd. in the light of the reports I have received from the Director General of Fair Trading and also of the other representations which have been made to me. I am satisfied that the various conditions laid down under the Financial Services Act for a transfer of powers to the board are fulfilled. I have accordingly today laid before the House a draft order under section 114 of the Act transferring certain powers to the Board. The powers in question include most of the transferable powers under part I of the Act (with the exception of chapter VIII, which relates to collective investment schemes) and certain powers of prosecution. Copies of the supporting material have been placed in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.

British Shipbuilders (Chairman)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about his plans for the chairmanship of British Shipbuilders.

It is with considerable regret that I have accepted that Mr. Phillip Hares CBE should retire as chairman and chief executive of British Shipbuilders on grounds of ill-health. Although Mr. Hares has been in post for only 12 months, he has successfully managed an important adjustment in the scale of the corporation's activities, and has secured major orders that under-pin the future of its two main yards, I should like to express the Government's gratitude to Mr. Hares for his valuable services to the corporation both as chairman and chief executive and in other posts over the past 10 years.I am glad to announce that Mr. John Lister has accepted my invitation to succeed Mr. Hares. Mr. Lister has pursued a successful career with Imperial Chemical Industries plc, most recently as chairman of ICI fibres division. Mr. Lister will become chairman and chief executive of the corporation on 1 May.I should also like to express our gratitude to Mr. Maurice Phelps, the BS board member for personnel and employee relations, who agreed to delay his departure from the corporation for a post in private industry in order to assume the position of acting chief executive during Mr. Hares' indisposition. Mr. Phelps, who leaves his executive position on the British Shipbuilders board from 4 May, is to continue as a non-executive director of the corporation.

Privatisation (Multiple Share Applications)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the number of multiple share applications discovered in the following privatisations: Marshal International, British Gas, Cable and Wireless and Associated British Ports, and the number of prosecutions arising from multiple share applications, together with the penalties involved; and if he will supply the same information in respect of the Trustee Savings Bank flotation.

[pursuant to his reply 9 April 1987, c. 338]: Information about the number of multiple share applications is not available. Prosecution is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will establish inquiries into the sale of shares in (a) British Aerospace (second tranche), (b) British Airways, (c) British Gas, (d) Britoil (second tranche), (e) Cable and Wireless (third tranche) and (f) the Trustee Savings Bank, with a view to establishing the precise extent of multiple share applications; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1987, c. 339]: No.

Employment

Injuries (Statistics)

asked the Paymaster General how many major injuries have occurred in manufacturing industry and construction in each year since 1980; and to what factors he attributes the trend shown by these figures.

The table gives the data requested.

Reported Occupational Major Injuries in Manufacturing and Construction, Great Britain (as defined in the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980)
	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Manufacturing:
Employees	4,109	4,066	4,238	4,649	4,824
Self employed	8	21	18	31	17
Non-employed	22	40	60	57	46

	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Construction:
Employees	1,690	1,950	2,176	2,288	2,244
Self employed	40	51	57	70	113
Non-employed	36	33	66	75	78

Comparable data for 1980 and 1986 are not available. Performance varies between sectors of manufacturing industry and construction. The factors are complex but the increasing numbers of reported accidents in certain sectors suggest failure by managers to recognise that health and safety is an integral part of successful business management.

Hazardous Substances

asked the Paymaster General when the list of installations notified to the Health and Safety Executive under the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 will be published.

A list of names and locations of local installations notified under the 1982 regulations is available, on request, for public inspection at each of the area offices of the Health and Safety Executive. There are no plans to publish a single list of all installations notified.

"Engineering Our Future"

asked the Paymaster General what steps are being taken by the Government to implement recommendation 64 of the Finniston report entitled "Engineering Our Future".

In preparing regulations under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, it is for the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) in each case to consider whether it would be appropriate to adopt the first part of this recommendation, or to legislate for safe engineering practice in some other way. When consulting on proposals for regulations which might include such requirements, it is the HSC's practice to include the Engineering Council among those consulted.

Health And Safety

s asked the Paymaster General what categories of people are treated by his Department as competent persons for the purpose of sections 22, 26, 27, 35 and 36 of the Factories Act 1961.

There are no set categories of competent persons. Whether a person is competent for the purpose depends on the circumstances and is a matter for the courts to decide. However, it is generally considered that such a person should have such practical and theoretical knowledge and the actual experience of the type of machinery or plant which he has to examine as will enable him to detect defects or weaknesses which it is the purpose of the examination to discover, and to assess their importance in relation to the strength and functions of the machinery or plant.

Industrial Tribunals

asked the Paymaster General in what circumstances two legally qualified persons are allowed to sit on an industrial tribunal.

An industrial tribunal consists of a legally-qualified chairman and two lay members. The lay members are chosen for their industrial relations experience but it is possible that either or both of them may also have a legal qualification.

Unemployment Benefit

asked the Paymaster General how many married women in the Knowsley local authority district are currently being paid unemployment benefit; and what were the comparable figures 12, 24 and 36 months previously.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

Dates (End of March)
Programme	1987	1986	1985	Area
Community Programme	1,613	1,513	1,160	Knowsley Local Authority District
Voluntary Projects Programme	42	50	87	Knowsley Local Authority District
Community Industry	269	277	282	Knowsley Local Authority District
Enterprise Allowance Scheme	943	1,057	744	Merseyside Outer District
Job Splitting Scheme	12	n.a.	n.a.	Inner Liverpool Area
Job Release Scheme	225	425	736	Liverpool Travel-to-work Area
New Workers Scheme	461	n.a.	n.a.	Outer Liverpool Area
YTS—In Training	4,600	4,371	n.a.	Knowsley Local Authority District

Figures for adult training are not available in the form requested. However there were 4,055 entrants in the Knowsley local authority district in 1986–87 and 4,081 in 1985–86.

Labour Statistics

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish (a) a table showing estimates of the number of part-time employees in the west midlands region and county including number of part-time women workers and part-time male workers, at April 1986 and (b) a table showing estimates of the number and proportion of male part-time workers and female part-time workers, in the west midlands region and county earning less the £3.20 and £3.40 per hour at April 1986.

(a) The available information, from the Census of Employment, relates to September 1984 and is as follows:

Estimated numbers in employment—west midlands region.
	Number
Part-time males	65,800
Part-time females	349,300
Total	415,100

The 1984 census results for the west midlands metropolitan county are not yet available. More recent estimates of part-time females in employment in the west midlands region are published in table 1·5 of

Employment Gazette, copies of which are available in the Library.

Employment And Training Measures

asked the Paymaster General what are the total number of people subject to special employment and training measures at the latest available date for the Knowsley local authority district; what are the measures and numbers affected in each case; and what were the comparable figures 12 months and 24 months previously.

It is not possible to give precise total figures for the Knowsley local authority district because of the various bases on which local information has been collected. The total number of people participating in the following employment, training and enterprise measures were:

(b) Estimates of the proportion of part-time adult female employees with gross hourly earnings below specified amounts for the west midlands region and West midlands metropolitan county are available from the New Earnings Survey and are shown in the table.

Percentage of Part-time Adult Female Employees with gross hourly-earnings below: percentage
April 1986
Region	Metropolitan County
Gross hourly earnings 320p
83·1		82·1
Gross hourly earnings 340p
85·3		85·2

Comparable information for male part-time employees is not available.

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish a table showing, in April 1986, the proportion of full-time employees in the west midlands region and county, earning less than (a) £80, (b) £120, (c) £125 and (d) £130 per week exclusive of overtime payments, for male workers, male manual workers, male non-manual workers, and female workers, female manual workers, and female non-manual workers.

The available information relates to full-time adult employees working a full week and is set out in the table for the west midlands region and West Midlands metropolitan county.

Percentage with gross weekly earnings excluding overtime less than:
	£80		£120		£130
	Region	Metropolitan county	Region	Metropolitan county	Region	Metropolitan county
Males
Manual	2·3	2·6	28·0	23·6	37·8	33·1
Non-manual	1·5	1·6	10·5	10·2	14·5	14·9
All	1·9	2·2	20·6	17·7	27·9	25·1
Females
Manual	21·7	24·0	79·0	78·9	87·0	87·1
Non-manual	9·2	8·6	49·5	47·4	59·0	57·1
All	12·6	12·7	57·7	55·7	66·8	65·0

Source:New Earnings Survey, April 1986.

Merseyside

asked the Paymaster General if he will list in the Official Report the companies on (a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside where workers have been sacked and the numbers involved in official disputes since May 1983 to the latest date; and if he will make a statement.

Official information on industrial disputes in individual companies is confidential. No statistics are held on dismissals by my Department.

asked the Paymaster General how many workers have been dismissed by companies on (a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside for claiming trades union recognition.

This information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list in the Official Report the current involvement of the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service in disputes on (a) Merseyside and (b) Liverpool at the latest date and the names of the companies involved.

I understand that ACAS is involved in 12 disputes on Merseyside, five of which are in Liverpool. Discussions between ACAS and the parties in a dispute are confidential and it would therefore not be appropriate for me to name the companies involved.

Factory Closures

asked the Paymaster General what information he has on the number and type of factory and workshop closures and the number of work people involved losing their jobs, during each year from 1974 by industrial category (a) nationally, (b) in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and (c) in Barnsley metropolitan council area.

National information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The available information is as follows:

Workplace closures
Industry division	1984	1985	1986
Yorkshire and Humberside
1. Energy and water	4	28	16
2. Extraction of minerals	12	16	7
3. Metal goods, etc.	40	25	36
4. Other manufacturers	44	36	54
5. Construction	11	17	13

Industry division	1984	1985	1986
7. Transport and communications	13	5	12
Total	124	127	138
Barnsley Metropolitan District ¹
1. Energy and water	—	—	—
2. Extraction of minerals	—	—	—
3. Metal goods, etc.	—	—	—
4. Other manufacturers	—	5	—
5. Construction	—	—	—
7. Transport and communications	—	—	—
Total	3	11	6
¹ A detailed breakdown by industry is not given because it might reveal information provided in confidence by individual employers.

Redundancies associated with closures
Industry division	1984	1985	1986
Yorkshire and Humberside
1. Energy and water	53	1,294	689
2. Extraction of minerals	1,252	659	343
3. Metal goods, etc.	3,884	768	2,042
4. Other manufacturers	2,166	1,763	1,894
5. Construction	314	998	428
7. Transport and communications	375	118	380
Total	8,044	5,600	5,776
Barnsley Metropolitan District¹
1. Energy and water	—	—	—
2. Extraction of minerals	—	—	—
3. Metal goods, etc.	—	—	—
4. Other manufacturers	—	259	—
5. Construction	—	—	—
7. Transport and communications	—	—	—
Total	40	876	223
¹ A detailed breakdown by industry is not given because it might reveal information provided in confidence by individual employers.

South Africa

asked the Paymaster General if he has made any representations to London Broadcasting Company about carrying advertising for South African Airways; and if he will make a statement.

Trade associations representing the travel and advertising industries were asked to draw to their members' attention the Government's policy on promoting tourism to South Africa last October and they subsequently did so.

Representations have not been made to individual firms. I would point out that the Government's appeal for a voluntary ban has always applied explicitly to the promotion of South Africa as a destination for leisure travel and does not apply to the promotion of travel facilities generally, such as airline flights or hotel accommodation for those with business or family connections in South Africa.

asked the Paymaster General what information he has about companies breaching Her Majesty's Government's voluntary ban on the promotion of tourism in South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that not all sections of the media have so far heeded the Government's appeal not to promote South Africa as a tourist destination. But since the measure is voluntary the final decision must rest with organisations concerned.

asked the Paymaster General if he will consider making mandatory the voluntary ban on the promotion of tourism to South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to do so. The Government's policy on promoting tourism to South Africa was set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ravensbourne (Mr. Hunt) on 30 October 1986 at column 213.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Arab-Israeli Dispute

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with his European Economic Community counterparts on the prospects for an international conference to resolve Arab-Israeli disputes.

My right hon. and learned Friend does so regularly, most recently at the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers at Corsendonk on 4 and 5 April.

Gulf War

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there has been any progress in gathering support for the United Nations Secretary General's initiative to bring the Gulf war to an end.

We continue to play a very active role in discussions within the United Nations aimed at making progress towards a negotiated settlement of the Iran/Iraq conflict, building on the ideas put forward by the Secretary-General. Regrettably there are few signs that serious negotiations are likely to start in the near future. We will continue to give every support to the Secretary-General.

South Korea

13.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on prospects for the United Kingdom's relations with the Republic of South Korea.

23.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with the Republic of South Korea.

The prospects for relations with the Republic of Korea are good, especially in the light of the high level visits to and from Korea last year. The economy is growing very rapidly. As I saw for myself when I was in Seoul last month, there are interesting commercial opportunities, although there are some problems, notably over protection for intellectual property.

29.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of South Korea about respect for human rights.

The Government of the Republic of Korea are well aware of the importance we attach to respect for human rights. I referred to our continuing interest in the subject during my recent talks in Seoul.

Ec (Agricultural Expenditure)

16.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action the Government have taken to give priority to the control of agricultural spending in the negotiations on finance in the European Community.

We have made clear to the Commission and to other member states that control of expenditure, including agricultural spending, is central to progress on the negotiations on the future of the Community's finances. During our own presidency major reforms were agreed governing spending in the dairy and beef sectors, saving Community taxpayers £6 billion over six years. Comparable reforms are now needed in other sectors.

Philippines

19.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to make any representations to his European colleagues with a view to increasing European assistance and support for the Philippines.

The Twelve have consistently made clear their strong political support for President Aquino and the restoration of democracy in the Philippines. We and other partners have substantially increased bilateral aid to the Philippines since Mrs. Aquino came to power. Aid from the European Community has also increased significantly.

Ethiopia

22.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Government of Ethiopia; and what subjects were discussed.

My right hon. and learned Friend met the then Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Goshu Wolde, in London on 20 March 1985. They discussed the famine relief operation, bilateral issues, the royal prisoners, the resettlement programme and the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

European Parliament (President)

24.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the President of the European Parliament.

My right hon. and learned Friend discussed a wide range of European Community matters with the President of the European Parliament last month.

Ussr (Human Rights)

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether during his recent visit to Moscow, he had an opportunity to raise with the Soviet Foreign Minister the plight of the long-term refuseniks; and whether he received any assurances on the subject of the reunification of divided families.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend both raised the question of refuseniks and urged that all who wished to leave the Soviet Union should be allowed to do so. Mr. Gorbachev said that the Soviet Union was considering the question of exit visas and reunification of families with the utmost care, and with positive results where possible.

25.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning human rights abuses in the Soviet Union.

A very large number. These were fully taken into account in conversations my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend had in Moscow on this issue.

Usa

27.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations between the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

My right hon. and learned Friend visited Washington on the 9 and 10 April where he had extensive discussions with Mr. Shultz. Relations between the United Kingdom and the United States of America continue to he warm, close and constructive.

Middle East

28.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the peace process in the middle east of the situation in southern Lebanon.

Developments in southern Lebanon have some effect on the climate for middle east peace negotiations. We call on the Israelis to complete their withdrawal from southern Lebanon and on all concerned to facilitate UNIFIL's deployment, in accordance with its mandate, to the international border.

30.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any progress has been made towards setting up a middle east peace conference.

34.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on developments aimed at a middle east peace settlement.

We are continuing our efforts to help the parties to the Arab/Israel conflict reach sufficient common ground to allow the convening of an international conference aimed at achieving a comprehensive peace settlement in the middle east.

33.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what follow-up discussions he plans concerning the middle cast in the light of the visit by King Fand in March; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards re-establishing diplomatic ties with Syria in the absence of any statement by that country renouncing its role in international terrorism.

We are in regular discussion with the Saudi Government on a wide range of regional and international issues. The state visit of King Fahd was a most useful opportunity to pursue our dialogue at the highest level. On Syria we have made it clear that there is no prospect of the re-establishment of our diplomatic links until we have evidence, over time, of a change in Syrian support for terrorism.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Saudi Arabia has made any specific proposals or requests for improving regional security in the Gulf following the intensified level of hostilities between Iran and Iraq and the increased threat to international shipping.

Saudi Arabia has made no specific proposals of which we are aware. However, Saudi Arabia, like other member states of the Gulf Co-operation Council, has regularly expressed concern about the threat to shipping in the Gulf; we are in agreement about the need to preserve freedom of navigation in the area and remain in close contact on this subject.

Chemical Weapons

36.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made in the negotiations of a treaty to control the possession, manufacture and deployment of chemical weapons.

Negotiations for a comprehensive convention banning chemical weapons resumed at the conference on disarmament on 3 February under Swedish chairmanship. So far attention has concentrated on the problems associated with stockpiles and production facilities, the verification of non-production in the civil chemical industry and the organisation that will be necessary to enforce the convention. There has been some useful elaboration of last year's work but much detail remains to be settled.

Disarmament

26.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of nuclear arms control discussions.

The seventh round of the Geneva nuclear and space talks, which began on 15 January, ended on 26 March. We fully support the proposals in the United States INF draft treaty tabled on 4 March, and look forward to further progress in the next round of talks, which is scheduled to begin on 23 April.

Saudi Arabia

35.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs what effect problems associated with the finalisation of payment terms for previously agreed defence contracts between Britain and Saudi Arabia have had on relations between the two countries.

There are no major problems. I am glad to say that United Kingdom-Saudi relations remain excellent.

Mrs Gloria Proops

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the progress to resolve the payment of outstanding debts from the Zambian high commission to Mrs. Gloria Proops; and what further action he proposes to take.

:Mrs. Gloria Proops is owed app-proximately £235 by a former employee of the Zambian high commission, now in Zambia. The employee has offered to pay Mrs. Proops but says he is unable to obtain the foreign currency necessary to do so. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been in contact with the Zambian high commission, which has sought approval from the Zambian authorities to pay the money owed to Mrs. Proops. The Zambians would then recover the equivalent amount in local currency from their former employee. Approval has not yet been given but the high commission is pursuing the matter, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will continue to press the Zambian authorities for a successful outcome to Mrs. Proops' case.

Iran-Iraq War (Chemical Weapons)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the continued use by Iraq of chemical weapons has been placed on the agenda for the forthcoming meeting of European Economic Community Foreign Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

No. However, we take every suitable opportunity, both bilaterally and in concert with our EC partners, to express our concern to the Iraqis over their continued use of these abhorrent weapons, and to press for an early peaceful settlement to this tragic conflict.

Cultural Memorandum Of Understanding

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional funds are to be made available to meet new activities undertaken as a result of the cultural memorandum of understanding signed by him in Moscow.

The memorandum on information, culture and education is a facilitating document which will assist independent British organisations and bodies in the information, cultural and education fields to make satisfactory arrangements with their counterparts in the Soviet Union.

Hall And Watts

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list any contracts his Department has made since 1979 with Hall and Watts.

The FCO entered into a contract with Hall and Watts in 1986, after they had won a tender for the provision of military training equipment for use by the British Army's training team at Nyanga, Zimbabwe, who are presently undertaking a programme of training' for the Mozambican armed forces under the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme.

Entry Clearance Officers

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers are currently in post in (a) Accra, (b) Lagos, (c) Kaduna, (d) New Delhi, (e) Bombay, (f) Madras, (g) Islamabad, (h) Karachi, (i) Dhaka and (j) Colombo; what is the full complement of entry clearance officers for each of these posts; how many of these were added in order to deal with the extra work that the compulsory visa requirement entails; and what is the (a) total cost of the entry clearance staff and (b) cost arising as a result of extra staff as a result of the visa requirement at these posts, respectively.

A number of temporary entry clearance officers are being replaced this month and additional staff are being deployed to cope with the seasonal increase in applications. The table indicates the number of entry clearance officers expected to be in post as at 1 May 1987, the full complement of entry clearance officers, and the additional entry clearance officers deployed since the visa regimes were announced:

	ECOs in post as at 1 May 1987	Full ECO complement	Extra ECOs added since 1986
Accra	2	3	2
Lagos	14	18	15
Kaduna	3	3	2
New Delhi	²15	¹13	8
Bombay	11	11	6
Madras	2	2	2
Islamabad	⁴20	25	8
Karachi	7	7	6
Dhaka	19	21	5
Colombo	4	4	³0
¹ Plus two temporary staff during summer.
² Plus two leaving 8 May 1987.
³ Two ECOs were added to the complement in May 1985.
⁴ Plus five arriving by mid-May.

The total gross running cost of the entry clearance operation in these posts for the current financial year is expected to be £19,652,400, of which £13,775,100 is for costs incurred from providing extra staff (including ECOs).

Visa Office (Lagos)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it is expected that the visa office in Lagos will reopen.

The visa office in Lagos reopened on 20 March.

Overseas Voters

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions he has given to British consulates abroad concerning the issue of application forms for those who wish to register as overseas voters.

British consulates have been instructed to make the application forms for electoral registration overseas as widely available as possible. Arrangements for publicity were set out in my written reply of 22 July 1986, at column 142, to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels). Further instructions on publicity were issued to posts on 6 April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions he has given to British Council representatives abroad concerning publicity on the issue of application forms for those who wish to register as overseas voters.

No specific instructions have been given to British Council representatives. But they will be aware of local arrangements for the issue of application forms and attendant publicity.

Scotland

Blood Donors

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to the answer of Monday 6 April, Official Report, column 107, if he will indicate when this policy on restricting blood donors was implemented; and if he will estimate the anticipated reduction in the number of blood donors.

The policy of restricting potential blood donors in order to reduce the risk of transmitting certain tropical diseases has been in operation for many years. The period during which such donors are asked not to donate blood was extended from six months to 12 months in January 1987.Precautionary measures against the transmission of AIDS by potential donors who have visited certain parts of Africa were introduced in August 1984. Since then, the number of donors bled has continued to rise and no reduction is expected.

Leukaemia

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he expects to publish the COMARE report on childhood leukaemia clusters;(2)whether he will commission case control studies in respect of child leukaemia clusters.

COMARE is at present considering the information available on the incidence of leukaemia in under 25-year-olds in Scotland. It is not expected that they will be able to offer advice before the end of this year. Any further studies, such as case control studies, advised by the committee will be carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Home and Health Department plans to submit recent figures on leukaemia clusters for publication in The Lancet.

The figures on leukaemia clusters referred to are contained in a report produced by the information services division of the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service on the incidence of leukaemia in the under 25-year-olds in Scotland. The report is to be published in the May edition of the "Health Bulletin".

Dounreay (Hospital Study)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the Yorkhill royal hospital for sick children's study on Dounreay.

I am not aware of any such study.

Fishing Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the mid-term review will take place of the North sea haddock total allowable catch; and if he will make a statement.

The Advisory Committee on Fishery Management (ACFM) will be reviewing the state of the North sea haddock stock during the course of its annual meeting in May. We shall consider the case for seeking an increase in the 1987 total allowable catch for this stock once ACFM's advice is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will investigate the compatibility of provisions of European Economic Community Regulation No. 4027/86 with the common fisheries policy in relation to the allocation to a member state of its own quotas; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the EC regulation 4027/86, which gives power to the Commission to close a fishery when the total allowable catch has been reached, is entirely compatible with quota allocation policies. As I told my hon. Friend on 26 November 1986, at column 252, it is the Commission's objective in exercising this control to conserve stocks, adjusting quotas in the year following infringement to compensate those who have suffered at the expense of offenders.

Patients (Safety Rails And Gates)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he is having with Strathclyde regional council social work department and Glasgow district housing department to improve the provisions of safety rails and gates fitted in patient homes in the light of the delays in some patients being discharged from hospital about which the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill has written to him.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1987, c. 580]: My hon. Friend the Minister of State has written to the hon. Member and placed a copy in the Library.

Scottish Development Agency

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new projects applied for Scottish Development Agency funding in each year since 1979; and how many were successful.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987, c. 458]: The only information which is continuously available since 1979 relates to applications for agency investments, excluding small business division investments. The information is as set out in the table.

	Applications received	Applications approved
1979–80	138	20
1980–81	157	14
1981–82	118	24
1982–83	183	36
1983–84	219	44
1984–85	221	35
1985–86	199	33
¹1986–87	236	25
¹ To 1 March 1987.

From 1983–84 onwards information is also available for small business division investments and for other recognised schemes of assistance, such as local enterprise grants for urban projects. Details for all recognised schemes, including investments, are given in the table.

	Applications received	Applications approved
1983–84	1,323	337
1984–85	959	240
1985–86	1,043	295
¹1986–87	1,101	286
¹ To 1 March 1987.

Applications not approved include applications withdrawn by the applicant, applications for which finance is raised privately, applications not meeting the criteria for the scheme in question and applications rejected on commercial grounds.

Transport

Bus Services

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the decision of the north-west traffic commissioner that duplicate bus services may only be run when passenger traffic demands; and if he will make a statement in the light of his policy that control over the quantity of buses should he removed.

The traffic commissioner for the north-western traffic area has received a letter from the general manager of Merseybus on this subject. The Transport Act 1985 requires services to be run in accordance with the particulars registered in advance with the traffic commissioners. The guidance given by the north-western traffic commissioner is consistent with that purpose and with the terms of the Public Service Vehicles (Registration of Local Services) Regulations 1986. The whole system would be undermined if operators were at liberty to run services without regard to the timetables which they provided on registration.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus routes running (a) wholly and (b) in part outside the Greater London area are currently operated by London Buses Ltd.

(a) Two. (b) Thirty-five.

M3-M27 Extension

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed extension of the M3 from Winchester to the M27.

I announced on 10 April the decisions of my right hon. Friends following the 1985 public inquiry.The independent inspector agreed that the extension of the M3 from Winchester to the M27 was urgently needed and that our proposals for replacing the A33 Winchester bypass by taking the motorway in a cutting across Twyford Down provided the right solution. In view of the representations which we have received since the inquiry about the absence of relevant information on environmental issues, we have concluded that we could not come to a proper decision on the proposals for the Bar End-Compton section without giving a further opportunity for this information to be presented to the inspector.We have decided to re-open the inquiry into the Bar End-Compton section. The arrangements for this will be announced as soon as possible.We see no need to hold up the much-needed southern part of the scheme between Compton and the M27. We have accepted the inspector's recommendation that the widening and upgrading of the A33 Otterbourne and Chandlers Ford bypass to form part of the M3 motorway should go ahead. We will start work on this part of the scheme as quickly as possible.

Road And Rail Infrastructure

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the expenditure on (a) road and (b) rail infrastructure for each year since 1974; and what is the allocation of expenditure forecast each year to 1992 for (i) Yorkshire and Humberside and (ii) Barnsley, West and Penistone at 1974 prices.

My Department does not hold information about expenditure on rail infrastructure in this form and detail. Information about expenditure on road infrastructure in the areas in question is not available prior to 1978–79. That which is available for subsequent years is as follows:

£ million at 1974 prices¹
	(i)		(ii)
	Yorkshire and Humberside		Barnsley MBC (nearest equivalent to parliamentary constituency)
	National	Local	Local
1974–75 to 1977–78	¹—	¹—	¹—
1978–79	¹—	22·5	¹—
1979–80	¹—	22·5	¹—
1980–81	¹—	25·9	1—
1981–82	¹–	18·5	¹—
1982–83	12·9	17·0	²—
1983–84	19·1	14·8	²—
1984–85	16·0	13·4	²—
1985–86	29·2	14·2	²—
1986–87	20·6	³14·0	³0·6
1987–88	⁴27·6	³12·0	³0·5
1988–89	⁵—	⁶14·3	⁶l·2
1989–90	⁵—	⁶9–1	⁶0·8
1990–91 to 1992–93	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—

¹ Not available except at disproportionate cost.

² Prior to 1986–87. Barnsley was not a highway authority so expenditure on road infrastructure by the council was de minimis.

³ Capital allocations.

⁴ Allocation of planned expenditure.

⁵ No useful forecasts can he made.

⁶ Forecasts from transport policy and programme plans.

⁷ GDP 1974–75 prices.

Driving Tests

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average waiting time for a driving test in Dundee; and what is the current average waiting time in Britain.

The average waiting time for a test in Dundee is 15 weeks, compared with 14 weeks for the country as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving test centres there are in Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh; and how many test examiners are employed at each.

The figures are as follows:

Centres	Examiners
Dundee
1	4
Aberdeen
2 Albert street	3
Clunie place	5
Glasgow
5 Anniesland	5
Riddrie	3
Rutherglen	4
Shawlands	8
Shettleston	8
Edinburgh
3 Joppa	5
Newington	3
Parkhcad	7

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving tests have been conducted in Dundee in each of the past five years.

The numbers of tests conducted were:

	Number
1982	6,595
1983	4,390
1984	5,001
1985	5,719
1986	5,745
These figures include tests in Blairgowrie, an outstation of Dundee.

These figures include tests in Blairgowrie, an outstation of Dundee.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the average annual waiting time for a driving test in Dundee in each of the past five years.

This information is not readily available.The waiting times in April for the last three years were:

	Weeks
April 1985	16
April 1986	16
April 1987	15

Figures for earlier years are not available.

Air Traffic Control

asked the Secretary of State for Transport under what circumstances an air traffic control unit providing an approach control service at an aerodrome is permitted, specifically at night, to transfer in toto its responsibilities concerning the provision of separation of aircraft operating on an instrument flight rules plan to the commander of such an aircraft during his approach to land at that aerodrome.

Air traffic control is the responsibility of the National Air Traffic Services. It tells me that the circumstances in which an air traffic control unit providing an approach service at an aerodrome is permitted at all times, to transfer in toto its responsibilities to provide the separation of aircraft during its approach to land at that aerodrome are laid down in the manual of air traffic services part 1, section 1, chapter 3, paragraph 3, sub-paras (b) and (c) which states:

In the vicinity of aerodromes, the standard separation may be reduced if:
(b) each aircraft is continuously visible to the pilots of other aircraft concerned, and the pilots report that they can maintain their own separation, or
(c) when one aircraft is following another the pilot of the succeeding aircraft reports that he has the other in sight and can maintain separation.

Bus Lanes

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to how many bus lanes have been removed in Greater London since I April 1986; and how many new lanes have been installed.

I understand that five new bus lanes have been or are in the process of being installed in Greater London since 1 April 1986 and that four have been or are being removed.

Transport Services (Attacks)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many attacks there have been in the last five years on (a) passengers and (b) employees on (i) London Regional Transport services or property and (ii) British Rail southern region services or property.

I shall answer this question shortly.

Graffiti

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost to London Regional Transport of removing graffiti from the underground in each of the past five years.

London Regional Transport has only recently begun to separate costs of removing graffiti on the underground from overall cleaning costs and figures are not therefore available for the last five years. It estimates, however, that the cost of graffiti cleaning in 1986–87 could amount to as much as £500,000.

Journey-Time Savings And Accident Prevention

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations and individuals were involved in consultations on his Department's evaluation of journey-time savings and accident prevention.

In response to the invitation made to a number of specialists in the field of transport appraisal and others who might wish to comment, we received replies from the following people during the period of consultation which ended on 21 April.

Professor R. E. Allsop of University College, London;
Dr. S. T. Atkins of Southampton University;
Mr. A. Bennet of British Railways Board;
Dr. J. R. Broome of Bristol University;
Dr. P. B. Goodwin of Oxford University;
Professor R. O. Goss of UWIST;
Professor P. J. Hills of Newcastle upon Tyne University;
Professor M. Jones-Lee of Newcastle upon Tyne University;
Mr. A. Marin of the London School of Economics;
Professor G. H. Mooney of Copenhagen University;
Professor D. Pearce of University College London;
Mr. M. Roberts of the MVA Consultancy;
Mr. H. J. Wootton of Wootton Jeffreys plc.

Travelcard

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what studies are being carried out by his Department or outside consultants into the implications for the London Regional Transport Travelcard of deregulation of bus services.

My Department has commissioned no such studies by outside consultants. All relevant aspects of the extension of bus deregulation to London will be considered before detailed proposals are brought forward.

Passenger Trains (Overcrowding)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek from British Rail statistics on passenger train overcrowding outside London.

My officials are still discussing with British Rail appropriate definitions of overcrowding on provincial sector services.

National Finance

Stamp Duty

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the forecast yield from stamp duty on the sale of (i) dwellings and (ii) securities in 1987–88, and comparable figures for 1957–58, 1967–68 and 1977–78, together with the rates of duty.

The information is as follows:

	(i) Yield
	£ million
	Residential property	Stocks and shares
1957–58	¹15	21
1967–68	¹25	45
1977–78	85	187
²1987–88	680	890

¹ Total duty on land and buildings. Separate figures for sales of dwellings are not available for these years.

² Forecast.

(ii) Rates of duly
Residential Property	Per cent.	Stocks and shares
1957–58
Considerations up to £3,500	0·5	All considerations 2 per cent.
Considerations between £3,500 - £4,250	1·0
Considerations between £4,250 - £5,000	1·5
Considerations over £5,000	2·0
1967–68 (to 31 July 1967)
Considerations up to £4,500	nil	All considerations 1 per cent.
Considerations between £5,500 - £6,000	0·5
Considerations over £6,000	1·0
(from 1 August 1967)
Considerations up to £5,500	nil
Considerations between £5,500 - £7,000	0·5
Considerations over £7,000	1·0
1977–78
Considerations up to £15,000	nil	Generally 2 per cent. Overseas investors 1 per cent.
Considerations between £15,000-£20,000	0·5
Considerations between £20,000 - £25,000	1·0
Considerations between £25,000 - £30,000	1·5
Considerations over £30,000	2·0
7957–55
Considerations up to £30,000	nil	Generally 0·5 per cent.
Considerations over £30,000	1·0

Coinage

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the new United Kingdom gold bullion coin, the Britannia, to be available to the public; and what notional legal tender value he intends to ascribe to it and the other denominations of ½ oz, ¼ oz and 1/10oz.

The 1 oz Britannia will be available this autumn with the additional denominations available shortly thereafter. Further details of the specification of the coins, including their face values, will be announced in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had about the intention of the Belgian Government to issue commemorative and legal tender coin in ecu denominations; and if he has any similar intentions.

While the Government were aware of the Belgian Government's intentions, neither I nor my ministerial colleagues have held any discussions with representatives of the Belgian Government on this subject. The Government have no plans to issue similar coins in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will announce his conclusions of his review of the size and shape of the various denominations of United Kingdom currency coins; and what proposals he has for change.

The Government have no plans at present to issue any new coins or to withdraw any existing coins. Naturally, the Government keep all longer term options under constant review. Before any change took place it would be necessary to give all interested parties from industry and commerce, as well as the general public, including the blind, an opportunity to make known their views on the longer term alternatives.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the regular issue of a crown piece in silver proof and currency metal; and when he expects to issue the next commemorative version of this coin.

Crowns are generally issued to mark important royal occasions. It would not therefore be appropriate to issue them on a regular basis. In the case of any future commemorative issues, an announcement would be made at the appropriate time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will continue to issue a legal tender currency coin of £2 denomination value.

The Government have no present plans to issue further £2 coins.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his intention to continue to strike the British gold sovereign and half sovereign; and if such coins will be issued and dated for the current year.

Proof sovereigns and half sovereigns arc being struck this year and will bear the date for the current year. There are no plans to strike standard sovereigns and half sovereigns during 1987.

Value Added Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to discuss value added tax with his fellow Finance Ministers of the European Economic Community.

The next meeting of the EC Council of Economic and Finance Ministers is on 11 May. It is not expected that value added tax will be discussed at this meeting. Agenda for later meetings of the Council have not yet been decided.

Financial Management Initiative

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the effect on his Department of the financial management initiative.

The financial management initiative in 1982 covered a wide range of management reforms. These reforms were all aimed at helping to give better value for money from public expenditure, and it is increasingly unrealistic to try to identify separately the effects of the financial management initiative, of other specific initiatives to manage resources better, and of good management generally.Progress in Departments' programmes of financial management improvements has included the introduction of top management information systems, budgets for over 1,500 managers with individual responsibility for managing resources, and new information and control systems to set budgets and measure performance. Departments have used these systems to help Ministers and senior officials set and achieve targets for improving efficiency. Some of these improvements can be seen in the public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 56), the Board of Customs and Excise's annual report and management plan, the Board of Inland Revenue's annual report and senior management system" the annual report and accounts from Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information, and the Department for National Savings' annual report. Copies of these documents are in the Library. They show, for example, Customs and Excise's target to increase in real terms the yield from VAT control visits by at least 12 per cent. in 1987–88 and the same amount in 1986–87 on top of an increase of 7 per cent. already achieved in 1985–86. In Her Majesty's Stationery Office, which operates as a trading fund, manpower numbers have been reduced from 6,276 to 3,350 over the last seven years, while turnover has risen to almost £300 million. Financial objectives have been met each year and price increases kept to a minimum. In the Inland Revenue there has been a steady increase in the number of taxpayers dealt with per staff unit.The Treasury has helped Departments to develop their financial management and monitored their progress. The Public Accounts Committee took evidence on this work from the permanent under-secretary on 1 December 1986.

Channel Tunnel

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions Her Majesty's Government are having about the extent to which the Channel tunnel international passenger train service operated from 1993 should conform to European Economic Community customs and immigration formalities and. about how this is to be achieved.

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

Customs And Immigration

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what consideration his Department is giving to European Economic Community directives and proposals relevant to possible changes in customs and immigration formalities by the beginning of 1993; and what assessment he has made of their implications;(2) what changes the European Commission has proposed for customs and immigration formalities for general passenger travel between European Economic Community member states, and between European Economic Community member states and other countries, by the beginning of 1993; and what changes at railway crossing points are implied in the proposals;(3) if any customs and immigration checks for railway passengers travelling between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Eire are carried out on board moving trains; and if he will make a statement;(4) what information he has as to which railway crossing within the European Economic Community require no customs or immigration formalities;

(5) what information he has as to which crossing points within the European Economic Community require customs or immigration formalities and, of these, which offer such formalities on board moving trains or trains on board ferries, and which offer such formalities on board long-distance passenger trains where customs or immigration staff undertake their work beyond stations adjacent to the member states border.

I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

Railways (Frontier Crossings)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to at which locations and between which countries passenger railway routes, including passenger trains on ferries, cross frontiers between European Economic Community member states, between European Economic Community member states and Scandinavia, between European Economic Community member states and Switzerland and Austria and between European Economic Community member states and Comecon countries.

£ million
	Gross payments	Receipts other than refunds	Gross refunds	VAT abatements	Net Total¹
1973	181	79	—	—	102
1974	179	150	—	—	29
1975	342	398	—	—	-56
1976	463	296	—	—	167
1977	737	368	—	—	369
1978	1,348	526	—	—	822
1979	1,606	659	—	—	947
1980	1,767	963	98	—	706
1981	2,174	1,084	693	—	397
1982	2,863	1,238	1,019	—	606
1983	2,976	1,522	807	—	647
1984	3,204	2,020	528	—	656
1985	23.940	1,905	61	166	1,808
1986	4,493	2,219	—	1,701	572
¹ Because of rounding the net contribution figures may not equal exactly those for our gross contribution less refunds/abatements and receipts.
² Payments by the United Kingdom under the 1984 and 1985 intergovernmental agreements were both made in the 1985 calendar year and are shown as payments in that year.

Taxation (Yield)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the estimated yield from all sources of taxation including excise and other duties for 1987–88; what was the comparable yield for 1978–79 revalued at 1987–88 prices; and if he will publish a breakdown by categories of the real increase in taxes between 1978–79 and 1987–88 similar to that in his answer of 25 March 1986, Official Report, columns 426–7;(2) if he will publish in the

Official Report a table showing the yield in real terms in (a) 1978–79 and (b) what he is now proposing for 1987–88 in (i) direct taxes, including national insurance and (ii) indirect taxes.

I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

Government Advertising

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the total

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

Ec (Payments And Refunds)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state for each year since 1973 (a) the overall payments by the Treasury to the European Economic Community, (b) the overall payment made by the European Economic Community to Britain in refunds and all other payments, (c) the total payments and refunds made to the Treasury and (d) the net cost to the Treasury.

The information requested concerning public sector contributions and receipts to and from the Community budget is set out in the table. The Commission does not provide member states with details of payments made directly to private sector organisations. The overall payment made by the EEC to Britain is therefore not available.amount spent by the Central Office of Information and Government Departments on advertising in newspapers, breaking down the totals by

(a) individual named campaigns and (b) national dailies, national Sundays, regional evenings and others.

The information is not available in the form requested. The estimated expenditure by COI in the 1986–87 financial year is:

	£
National Dailies	14,861,387
National Sundays	8,145,337
Provincials	3,835,710
Others	7,041,063
Total	33,883,497

The main departmental campaigns were:

AIDS	(DHSS)
Misuse of Drugs	(DHSS)
Action for jobs	Department of Employment

Energy Efficiency	Department of Energy
Enterprise Allowance Scheme	(MSC)

Restart	(MSC)
Youth Training Scheme	(MSC)
Services Recruitment	(MOD)

Budget

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 6 April, Official Report, columns 67–68, if he will give the gains per average person in each of the income ranges given from the Budget proposals (a) on an un-indexed basis and (b) net of indexation.

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

Personal Taxation

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the size of the cut in the standard rate of income tax required in 1987–88 to reduce the total tax payments, including income tax, national insurance contributions, indirect taxes, less child benefit where appropriate, for those on (a) three quarters and (b) 100 per cent. of average earnings in the categories: (i) single people, (ii) married couples and (iii) married couples with two and four children in each case to (x) the same sum of money and (y) the same proportion of gross earnings as in 1978–79;(2) if he will construct an index with 1978–79 equalling 100, of the changes in the level of income tax and national insurance contributions for each subsequent year for a taxpayer on

(a) half, (b) two thirds, (c) average, (d) five times and (e) 10 times average earnings for households where the taxpayer is (i) single, (ii) married, no children (iii) married with two children and (iv) married with four children, in all cases assuming the wife does not work, using a similar form to his answer of 27 March 1986, Official Report, columns 606–608.

I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

Leeds-Bradford Airport (Customs Clearance)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from Freight Forwarders in the Leeds-Bradford area about its proposals to introduce a system of customs clearance by direct computer link covering Leeds-Bradford airport and Leeds Containers base; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1987, c. 450]: I have received no representations from Freight Forwarders about an application for direct input facilities to the customs computer from Leeds-Bradford airport and Leeds Container base. I am aware of the application it has made, and would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 7 April at column 165.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received proposing the development of a customs and excise depot at the Leeds-Bradford airport.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1987, c. 450]: I have received no representations proposing the development of a customs and excise depot at Leeds-Bradford airport. Customs clearance facilities already exist at the airport. An application for direct input facilities to the customs computer from this location has been made by the Yorkshire DTI Group, and I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 7 April at column 165.

Northern Ireland

Inla (Feud)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will name all those persons who are considered by the security forces to have been murdered as a result of the Irish National Liberation Army feud in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The publication of such information could hamper police investigations. It is not our practice to speculate on the motives behind particular terrorist murders.

Animal Health

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the incidence of brucellosis and tuberculosis in cattle in (a) South Armagh and (b) other parts of Northern Ireland.

At present there are no cattle herds in Northern Ireland under restriction for brucellosis.Incidence of bovine tuberculosis in Northern Ireland is at a very low level, on average 1·35 per cent. of herds. The incidence in the divisional veterinary office areas, which include South Armagh, is slightly lower at between 1·14 per cent. and 1·17 per cent.

Industrial Development

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Industrial Development Board to extend the pilot scheme to stimulate industrial development to Newry/Armagh.

As I indicated in my previous answer to the hon. Gentleman on 21 November 1986, at column 386, the Industrial Development Board's local initiative was introduced on a trial basis to two areas, Carrickfergus and Londonderry. As it is only six months since the launch of the initiative, it is too early to assess its effectiveness. The IDB will review the initiative after 18 months operation and in the light of this review decide if it should be extended to other selected areas of Northern Ireland.

Cereals

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the European Economic Community Commission has any proposals to increase the co-responsibility levy on cereals in the current year.

No.

Newry And District Community Services Council

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what finances will be made available to help the Newry and district community services council to purchase its present building in Marcus square which acts as an umbrella for the voluntary organisations.

Applications for grant-aid would have to be made to the Southern Health and Social Services Board and the Newry and Mourne district council and it would be for decision by these bodies whether to make funds available within their respective budgets.

Milk Marketing Board

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board; what were the subjects discussed; and if he will make a statement.

My noble Friend, the Minister with responsibility for agriculture in Northern Ireland, met the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board on 30 April 1986. Internal United Kingdom trade in pasteurised milk was discussed.

Agriculture

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to meet his counterpart from the Irish Republic to discuss designing a common agricultural policy for the whole of Ireland.

No.

	Life			SOSP
Year	Loyalist	Republican	Other	Loyalist	Republican	Other	Totals
Persons serving life/SOSP released on licenee since 1980 by believed affiliation at the time of arrest and average period served
1980	—	1	1	—	—	—	2
1981	1	1	1	—	1	—	4
1982	1	—	5	—	—	1	7
1983	1	—	1	2	—	—	4
1984	2	—	—	—	—	—	2
1985	2	2	—	5	2	—	11
1986	1	2	¹1+(1)	5	5	—	¹14+(1)
1987	4	4	—	3	3	—	14
Totals	12	10	¹9+(1)	15	11	1	¹58+11)
Average years served	11·49	10·79	10·68	10·30	9·99	10·33	—
Persons serving life/SOSP given release dates by believed affiliation at the time of arrest since the present life sentence review board was established in March 1983
1983	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1984	1	—	—	3	3	—	7
1985	1	1	1	7	5	—	15
1986	7	8	2	²4+(2)	6	—	²27+(2)
1987	2	1	1	—	1	—	5
Totals	11	10	4	²14+(2)	15	—	²54+(2)

Note: This table dose not include one prisoner on medical grounds in 1984.

¹ One person originally released on licence in August 1977 had his licence revoked in February 1983;he was subsequently re-released on licence October 1986.

² Two prisoners given release dates in February 1986 had them withdrawn on 13 February 1987

Persons serving life/SOSP in Northern Ireland prisons by their believed affiliation at the time of arrest, excluding those given provisional release dates, as at 15 April 1987
	Life			SOSP
Loyalist	Republican	Other	Total	Loyalist	Republican	Other	Total	Overall Total
213	158	28	399	9	24	1	34	433

Defence

Air Misses

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the total number of air misses

Prisoners(Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many (i) life sentence prisoners and (ii) prisoners detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State have been released on licence each year since 1980; how many in each category were Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners; and what was the average length of sentence served by Loyalists, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners in each category;(2) how many (i) life sentence prisoners and (ii) prisoners detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State have been given release dates in each year since the setting up of the Northern Ireland life sentence review board; and how many in each category were Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners;(3) how many (i) life sentence prisoners and (ii) prisoners detained during the pleasure of the Secretary of State there are in Northern Ireland's prisons, excluding those who have been given release dates; and how many in each category are Loyalist, Republican and undifferentiated prisoners.

The information is as follows:recorded in the United Kingdom airspace in each year since 1974; and if he will provide a breakdown of the figures into incidents involving

(a) two civil aircraft, (b) two military aircraft and (c) one civil and one military aircraft;

(2) how many of the air misses recorded in United Kingdom airspace in each year since 1974 took place at or below 2,000 ft above ground level.

Total numbers of air misses in United Kingdom airspace are contained in the CAA publication CAP 526, "UK Airmiss Statistics," a copy of which has been placed in the Library. It is our long-standing policy not to release more detailed statistics on air misses involving military aircraft because in isolation from other, classified, information they can be misleading and do not provide an accurate indicator of flight safety.

Nato Tactical Fighter Weapons Training Centre

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if a decision has yet been made by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on the location of the proposed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation tactical fighter weapons training centre; and if he will make a statement.

A decision has not yet been made on the location of the proposed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation tactical fighter weapons training centre. The matter is still being studied by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Low-Level Flying

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the Royal Air Force's flying training at low level is currently conducted in each of the following areas (a) Canada, (b) the United States of America, (c) the Federal Republic of Germany, (d) Cyprus, (e) Sardinia, (f) the Falkland Islands, (g) the Netherlands, (h) other European locations and (i) other non-European locations.

We do not keep records of the proportion of the Royal Air Force's training at low level conducted in the countries listed, and it would require disproportionate effort to obtain this information from available statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the proportionate increase in the number of night low-flying training sorties carried out by the Royal Air Force as a result of the introduction of the Harrier GR5.

It is not possible to say in advance of the introduction of the Harrier GR5 what effect this will have on night low-flying training sorties. This is not likely to be clear until the early 1990s. If, however, there is an increase, it will relate closely to the number of Harrier GR5s to be based in the United Kingdom, and is likely to be small.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if flying at less than 100 ft above ground level is authorised anywhere in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Light, fixed-wing aircraft of the Army Air Corps may be authorised to fly at not less than 50 ft minimum separation distance in specially selected and surveyed areas. Throughout the United Kingdom low-flying system helicopters may fly below 100 ft minimum separation distance. However, to limit disturbance to the public, fast jet aircraft and heavy propeller aircraft are not authorised in peace-time to fly at less than 100 ft above ground level although flying at lower levels would almost certainly be necessary in war-time, to avoid enemy defensive systems.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-level military training sorties were flown over the United Kingdom by United States Air Force F-111s aircraft in each year since 1974.

Records of low-level training sorties by aircraft type were not kept until 1985, when United States Air Force F-111 flew 11,260 sorties, and 11,148 during 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many enquiries have been received by his Department in each year since 1974 about low-flying training; and how many of these were complaints about disturbance from low flying aircraft.

Of the correspondence received, central records are kept only of low-flying complaints. These are as follows:

Year	Numbers
1974	1,467
1975	1,526
1976	1,279
1977	1,730
1978	2,290
1979	4,004
1980	3,365
1981	4,502
1982	3,304
1983	5,164
1984	5,609
1985	4,206
1986	5,304
1987	¹451
¹ Up to 28 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the total number of military low-level training sorties flown over the United Kingdom in 1986 was accounted for by (a) fast jets, (b) light jet trainers, (c) heavy propeller-driven aircraft, (d) light propeller-driven aircraft and (e) helicopters.

The proportion of military low-level training sorties flown over the United Kingdom during 1986 for each of the categories stated was as follows:

	Per cent.
Fast jets	61
Light jet trainers	10
Heavy propeller-driven aircraft	2
Light propeller-driven aircraft	1
Helicopters	26

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of low-level military training sorties flown over the United Kingdom in each year since 1974.

The total number of military low level training sorties flown in the United Kingdom was as follows:

	Number
1974	71,000
1975	78,000

	Number
1976	77,700
1977	76,000
1978	76,000
1979	108,860
1980	122,850
1981	131,840
1982	130,310
1983	128,000
1984	133,500
1985	141,760
1986	151,160
1987	¹20,749
¹ Up to 28 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the changes made since 1974 in the basis of calculation of the numbers of military low-level training sorties over the United Kingdom.

Since 1974 only one change has been made in the calculation of military low-level training sorties over the United Kingdom. Prior to 1985 the number of sorties flown was estimated from the total number of movements logged between low flying areas. Since 1985, the number of sorties flown has been recorded directly. The introduction of the new United Kingdom low-flying system in 1979 did not affect the basis of the calculation of sortie numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the total number of low-level military training sorties flown over the United Kingdom in each year since 1974 was represented by aircraft from (a) the Royal Air Force, (b) other British military services, (c) the United States Air Force, (d) other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation air forces and (e) non-NATO air forces.

Before 1985 statistics of sorties by operating authority were not kept. Since then statistics have been kept, although not in the precise form requested. Details are as follows:

Operating authority	Proportion of sorties flown
	1985 Per cent.	1986 Per cent.
British Military	81	82
USAF	18	17
Others	1	1

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date low-level flying by British military aircraft over the United Kingdom at a minimum height of 100 ft above ground level was first authorised.

Ultra low flying, that is flying below 250 ft, has been practised by the RAF since the second world war. It has, however, always been specially authorised, and strictly limited to avoid undue disturbance to the public. In more recent years out policy has been to concentrate such flying in specially designated, sparsely populated, areas in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of military air exercises conducted over the United Kingdom in each year since 1974 in which low-level flying down to 100 ft above ground level was authorised.

No military air exercises in the United Kingdom involve flying below a level of 250 ft. Exercises involving ultra low flying, that is below this and down to 100 ft, are normally held in the United States of America and Canada. Some, strictly limited, work-up training for these exercises does take place in the United Kingdom, but within specially designated, sparsely populated areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of military low-level training sorties flown over the United Kingdom in 1986 involved authorisation to fly not below (a) 1.500 ft, (b) 1.000 ft, (c) 500 ft, (d) 250 ft, (e) 200 ft, (f) 150 ft and (g) 100 ft.

This information is not available.

Advertising

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of his Department's promotional and advertising budget is spent on regional and local newspapers; and if he will make a statement.

Expenditure on advertising and promotional material in all media by the Ministry of Defence, and the Central Office of Information on our behalf, amounted to some £10·5 million in 1986–87, predominantly for service and civilian recruitment purposes. Advertising and promotional work is placed with the appropriate medium in the light of the content and objectives addressed. About £8 million was spent with newspapers. A breakdown between the national and local press is not readily available in all cases but where these items are separately recorded it is possible to identify some £0·6 million spent with regional and local newspapers.

Japanese Prisoners Of War

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations have been received concerning the possibility of securing compensation from the Japanese Government for prisoners of war held by the Japanese, and who may have been used for trials of germ warfare techniques; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 28 November 1986 at column 377. Since that date, the Ministry has received a further 10 inquiries. Of these, two had been addressed to the Prime Minister and eight to Ministers. For some time we have been investigating the allegations that the Japanese experimented on Allied prisoners of war. Exhaustive searches have been made of a wide range of surviving contemporary files on the treatment of POWs in the far east. The result of these inquiries is that we have no evidence to support allegations that the Japanese experimented on Allied POWs.

Spearfish Torpedo Weapon System

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the division or divisions in his Department which is or are in charge of the Spearfish torpedo weapon system programme; and whether a single system contractor has been selected for this project.

Within my Department the director general underwater weapons (naval) is in charge of the Spearfish torpedo weapon system programme. We do not expect to make a decision about appointing a single system contractor until the existing Spearfish torpedo development and initial production contract has been completed.

Equestrian Events

asked the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 March, Official Report, column 287, if he will list the authorised activities for which military transport can be used for the conveyance of privately owned horses.

Authorised travel at public expense may be granted for any equestrian sport in which the service man is participating, either individually or as a member of a team, in a representative capacity.

Non-Strategic Nuclear Forces

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Britain has entered any formal note of dissent on any North Atlantic Treaty Organisation decisions relating to non-strategic nucler forces since 1979.

I am not aware of any.

Lance Missile

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether British Ministers, officials and serving officers of the armed forces have taken part in any discussions with their United States counterparts on an enhanced radiation/reduced blast warhead for Lance.

I am not aware of any such discussions.

Montebello Nuclear Planning Group

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government took part in the preparation of the high level group's report to the Montebello nuclear planning group meeting.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why there was no mention of the modernisation component of the Montebello nuclear planning group decision of October 1983 in the subsequent 1984 Defence Estimates.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to paragraphs 121 to 123 of "The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1984". The purpose of these paragraphs was to highlight the main feature of the Montebello decision, namely the very substantial reductions agreed in NATO's land-based stockpile. The paragraphs also explain the background to the Montebello review, explaining that the starting point was NATO's requirement for

"adequate numbers of effective intermediate and short range nuclear forces"

for the purposes of deterrence. The modernisation component was referred to in paragraph 321 of "The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1986" and the full text of the Montebello communiqué, including reference to the modernisation component, was placed in the Library after the Montebello meeting.

Nato (Nuclear Artillery Warheads)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence planning committee has agreed any proposal from SACEUR for modern new technology nuclear artillery warheads since 1977.

I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to SACEUR's biennial force proposals. The detail of NATO force proposals and force goals is classified.

Air-To-Surface Nuclear Missile

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is any British or North Atlantic Treaty Organisation staff target, force goal or other plan for a standoff air-to-surface nuclear missile.

There is no British staff target for such a weapon. The details of NATO force goals are classified.

Baor (Battlefield Nuclear Weapons)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the first new battlefield nuclear weapons will be in service with the British Army of the Rhine.

As has already been made clear, no decisions on modernisation as it affects British forces have yet been taken. If and when such decisions are taken, a report will be made to the House at the appropriate time.

W-79 Nuclear Artillery Shells

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Britain took part in any consultations with the United States prior to United States' deployment of W-79 nuclear artillery shells in Germany.

As this was a matter between the Governments of the United States and the Federal Republic, we were informed but not consulted.

Nato (Real Estate)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost to the United Kingdom of the real estate provided as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation host nation support.

The information requested is not readily available; nor would it be easy to assess, for example, the commercial value of a large number of military airfields.

Contingency Allowance (Defence Estimates)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the 3·5 per cent. contingency allowance has been spent, per year, since the publication of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" Cmnd. 8288.

A 3·5 per cent contingency spread over 10 years was assumed in the programme embodied in Cmnd 8288 to allow flexibility to cope with unquantified costs at the time. It has subsequently varied in size from year to year.If the hon. Member is wishing to know the percentage difference between outturn expenditure and planned expenditure in each year since 1982–83, the information is as follows:

	Per cent.
1982–83	-0·1
1983–84	-1·5
1984–85	-0·7
1985–86	-1·4
¹1986–87	-2·6
¹Estimate.

Chemical Weapons

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Governments concerning the procedure for the political authorisation of the use of chemical weapons.

My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.I also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Deakins) on 25 June 1986 at columns 163–4.

Phantom Squadrons

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Phantom squadrons are currently deployed in the United Kingdom air defence role.

Five.

Air Defences

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with NATO allies concerning United Kingdom air defences.

My right hon. Friend holds regular meetings with NATO colleagues collectively and individually, at which defence matters of mutual interest are discussed, including from time to time matters relevant to United Kingdom air defence. Most recently, in the course of my right hon. Friend's meeting with M. Giraud on 9–10 March, the decision of both countries to purchase AWACS was discussed, as mentioned in my right hon. Friend's press statement, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning United Kingdom air defences.

Our air defences are regularly tested in national and NATO exercises and the Royal Air Force achieves consistently very high standards in these demanding evaluations. Looking to the future, the major modernisation programme in which we are engaged is now well advanced. This includes the build up of the Tornado F2/F3, whose excellent range and loiter capability make it ideally suited for the air defence role; a comprehensive modernisation of our ground-based radars and command and control systems; and the provision of a modern and effective airborne early warning capability through the purchase of E3A. The modernisation programme when complete will have achieved a major transformation of our air defence capabilities.

Soviet Aircraft (Attack Capability)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of Soviet aircraft which are presently capable of attacking the United Kingdom.

Over 500 Soviet aircraft are currently based within sufficient range of the United Kingdom as to be able to attack the United Kingdom without air-to-air refuelling. Most of these aircraft can attack with either nuclear or conventional weapons. However, only a proportion of the aircraft are likely to have the United Kingdom as their initial target.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated number of Soviet aircraft capable of carrying anti-ship missiles which are based in the northern region.

About 130 Soviet naval medium bombers capable of carrying anti-ship missiles are deployed with the Soviet northern fleet and Baltic fleet air forces. In addition, approximately 300 Soviet air force heavy and medium bombers are based within range of northern waters. A proportion of this force is capable of carrying anti-ship missiles and could be allocated for maritime tasks.

Air Defence Ground Environment

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of United Kingdom air defence ground environment to date.

The cost of the improved UKADGE system has been to date: £348 million (FY 86–87 prices) for the command and control system, new radars and communications. In addition, £44 million (outturn prices) has been spent for associated work services. The contracts for the system are at fixed prices. Some 50 per cent. of the overall cost will be recovered from NATO.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when United Kingdom air defence ground environment will be completed.

The improved UKADGE system will be progressively brought into operation within the next few years. Our priority throughout the transition from the old to the new system will be to ensure that the United Kingdom air defence system will remain fully operational and effective.

Bloodhound Missile

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the Bloodhound missile will be withdrawn from Royal Air Force service.

It is expected that the Bloodhound missile will remain in RAF service into the next century.

Hall And Watts (Contracts)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list any contracts his Department has made since 1979 with Hall and Watts.

A number of defence contracts, of a total value of less than £1 million have been placed with Hall and Watts since 1982. The statistics for the years prior to that date are not readily available. It is not my Department's practice, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to give details of individual contracts.

Lightning Squadrons

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Lightning squadrons are currently employed in the United Kingdom air defence role.

Two.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the Lightning aircraft will be withdrawn from Royal Air Force service; and if he will make a statement.

The Lightnings will withdraw from service as the Tornado F3 squadrons form over the next few years.

Nh-90 Helicopter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has any plans to withdraw from the NH-90 helicopter project; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 9 April at columns 470–71.

Nuclear Shell (155Mm Artillery)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the development of a new nuclear shell for 155 mm artillery.

The Government support the need for force modernisation as a necessary part of the rationalisation and reduction of NATO's post-Montebello land-based stockpile in Europe. However, as has been made clear to the House on numerous occasions, no decisions have been taken with regard to the modernisation of weapons in service with British forces.

Hms Upholder

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Upholder will enter Royal Navy service.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright) on 17 July 1984 at column 839 of the Official Report.

Atlantic Convoy

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the Royal Navy last carried out an exercise which involved the formation and escort of a convoy across the Atlantic.

The Royal Navy, in conjunction with other NATO navies, regularly practises the protection of convoys. The last exercise involving a convoy across the Atlantic was the NATO exercise Ocean Safari in August-September 1985 referred to in paragraph 2 of Annex B of "The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1986" (Cmnd. 9763-I).

Norwegian And Barents Seas (Deployment)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many times in the last four years Royal Navy vessels have been deployed in the Barents sea.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 10 February 1987 at column 185.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies concerning the forward deployment of naval forces in the Norwegian and Barents seas.

My Department regularly discusses with our NATO allies many aspects of naval strategy, including deployments in all the waters in which NATO forces might need to operate.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the vulnerability of aircraft carriers and ASW carriers operating in the Barents or Norwegian seas in the time of war.

Our plans take into account the threats likely to be faced by Royal Navy ships in all the waters in which they might need to operate.

Nato Exercises (Losses)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when was the last time that a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation aircraft carrier or ASW carrier was declared sunk during an exercise.

Carriers are assigned to NATO only in NATO-sponsored exercises, the details of whose scenarios and play are classified.

Soviet Navy (Atlantic Exercise)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the Soviet navy last carried out a major exercise in the Atlantic which demonstrated a threat to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation sea lines of communication.

The Soviet Navy last demonstrated its ability to deploy a wide range of naval forces into the Atlantic on a large scale in July 1985, when surface ships, submarines, and aircraft of the Soviet Northern Fleet operated in the Atlantic as part of a major naval exercise. Aspects of this exercise demonstrated the intention to carry out operations in an area through which NATO sea lines of communication pass. A significant Soviet submarine deployment in the western Atlantic is in progress.

Nuclear Missiles

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish his Department's assessment of the numbers of short-range, intermediate-range nuclear force missiles on each side that led to his assertion, Official Report, 9 March column 40, that the Soviet Union has a 9:1 superiority in these missiles; what is his Department's assessment of the number of launchers on each side; and what is his Department's assessment of the accuracy and range of Soviet FROG and SCUD missiles.

My right hon. Friend's reference to the Soviet Union's 9:1 SRINF superiority was based on the figures given in Figure 15 of Annex A of "The Statement on the Defence Estimates 1986" (Cmnd 9763-I) showing the Warsaw Pact having 650 Scud and Scaleboard-SS221aunchers compared with NATO's 72 Pershing 1 launchers. Detailed assessments of the ranges and accuracy of Soviet missiles are classified. I am able to provide the following approximate figures for maximum range:

	km
Scud	300
Frog	70

Nato Force Goals (Artillery And Missiles)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are North Atlantic Treaty Organisation force goals for (a) new nuclear artillery shells, (b) new nuclear surface-to-surface missiles and (c) new nuclear air-to-surface missiles.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Merionydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas) on 25 July 1986 at column 644.

Raf Binbrook

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now able to make an announcement on the future of RAF Binbrook.

I cannot add at present to what was said by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces at columns 1118–19 in the debate on the Royal Air Force on 22 January.

Sea Wolf Missile

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to award contracts for the development of the Sea Wolf missile.

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the conventional and vertical launch Sea Wolf missile. I do not expect to award any further development contracts. The conventional launch missile is now in service and a contract for development of the vertical launch sea wolf missile was placed in 1984.

Territorial Units (South-West)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the turnover of young people in Territorial units in the south-west; and what steps are proposed to attract youngsters of the right calibre.

Figures on the turnover of young people in territorial units in the south-west are not held centrally and cannot be provided without a disproportionate amount of effort. The current overall turnover for the Territorial Army is 34·33 per cent. per annum. The Terrritorial Army is open to men between the ages of 17½ and 56, depending on the type of unit they wish to join, the type of engagement and their previous military experience. There are two types of engagement for youngsters who are too young to join as adult soldiers; the young soldier who may join at between 17 and 17½, and the junior soldier who may in limited numbers enlist at ages between 15 and 17 amongst others as trumpeters, buglers, drummers, pipers or bandsmen. Young men reaching the end of their Army Cadet Force service are encouraged to enlist into the Territorial Army.

Foreign Service Men

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign service men and from what country were stationed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 1979 and for each year to date.

As far as United States service men are concerned, these figures are not collected centrally, but the approximate number of United States service men stationed in the United Kingdom as at 31 December 1979 and for each year since were as follows:

Year	Number
1979	25,500
1980	27,500
1981	27,500
1982	29,000
1983	31,000
1984	31,000
1985	31,000
1986	31,500

Information relating to the numbers and nationalities of foreign service men in NATO posts and on exchange attachments and training courses in the United Kingdom for the years since 1979 is not held centrally and could not be compiled except at disproportionate cost.

Military Bases

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many military bases in the United Kingdom are (a) under United Kingdom command (b) under United States command and (c) under joint command.

I will answer shortly.

European Fighter Aircraft

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current order position in respect of the European fighter aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

No European fighter aircraft have as yet been ordered. In October 1986 my right hon. Friend signed the general memorandum of understanding for the programme with his fellow Defence Ministers from Germany, Italy and Spain. The international project definition phase ended in September 1986 and the nations are currently evaluating the outcome, with a view to deciding whether to proceed to full development, which is currently planned to begin later this year. In the meantime industry is continuing to work on risk-reducing activities with the aim of refining the design of the aircraft and engines.

Saudi Arabia (Submarines)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the costs, and how they will he met, of the training and support package offered by the Royal Navy in conjunction with VSEL to supply Saudi Arabia with submarines.

The cost of the training and support packages offered to the Saudis must depend upon the extent of those packages. This is unlikely to be resolved until the completion of detailed negotiations with the Saudis. As to how these costs would be met, it is intended that VSEL's offer, which is one of five competing bids, would be the subject of a Firm to Government agreement between VSEL and the Government of Saudi Arabia. In this case all sums due to the UK MOD would be paid by VSEL.

Visiting Forces Act

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports he received from American forces in the United Kingdom about breaches of United Kingdom law in relation to which no action was taken because of the grant of immunity under the Visiting Forces Act.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question to the Home Department today.

Social Services

Housing Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the number of unemployed claimants drawing housing benefit, distinguishing between those drawing supplementary benefit, and thereby being eligible for housing benefit and those on national insurance benefit who also claim housing benefit.

There are four broad categories of unemployed people receiving housing benefit. The overall numbers and categories requested are best indicated by reference to claimants receiving rate rebates. The estimates of the average number of unemployed people receiving rate rebates are as follows:

Great Britain, 1986–87
	Thousands
(a) Receiving certificated rate rebate, unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit	160
(b) Receiving certificated rate rebate and supplementary benefit	950
(c) Receiving standard rate rebate and unemployment benefit	100
(d) Receiving standard rate rebate	80
Total	1,290

Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from local authorities about the adequacy of his subsidy allocation for preparation costs to be incurred for the introduction of changes to the housing benefit scheme in April 1988.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements he has made with local authorities to inform him of the amount by which owner-occupier claimants miss out on housing benefit supplement so that later claims can take advantage of his arrangements to allow them to escape the mortgage trap.

Special arrangements are not necessary. A condition for receiving housing benefit supplement is that a person has failed to qualify for normal supplementary benefit solely on income grounds. Claimants who are refused supplementary benefit under the normal rules solely because of the mortgage interest limitation are advised to claim again after 16 weeks, whether or not they receive housing benefit supplement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, in the light of his undertaking to local authorities they would have 12 months to prepare for the introduction of the new housing benefit arrangements effective from April 1988, he has not yet tabled regulations and issued guidance on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to lay regulations for the 1988 housing benefit reforms.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1987, c. 503]: The regulations for the 1988 housing benefit reforms will be laid before Parliament when the Government's proposals on benefit rates are finalised in the autumn. The draft currently contains purely illustrative rates and it is not possible to legislate on the basis of figures which will not be implemented.We are, however, committed to publishing our firm proposals on the detailed structure of the new scheme as soon as possible, so that local authorities have adequate time to prepare. The local authority associations made a very large number of helpful comments during consultation on the regulations and these are now being considered urgently.I have informed the associations that the revised regulations will be made available to local authorities in draft around the end of this month. Guidance on the key areas of change will follow shortly after. Copies of the regulations and the guidance will be placed in the Library.

Supplementary Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants have been refused single discretionary payments in each of the last three years.

The number of single payments refused in each of the last three years is as follows:

Year (May-April)	Number of payments refused
1984–85	722,852
1985–86	1,120,181
1986–87	¹1,885,788
¹ Provisional figures for period May to March only.

Source: Management Information Statistics (100 per cent. count).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the supplementary benefit payable on account of someone in residential care is intended to cover the cost of day-care facilities; who is liable to meet the charge for such a person residing in a private home but receiving day-care provided by a voluntary organisation; and if he will make a statement.

The supplementary benefit board and lodging allowance for people in residential care homes contains no specific allocations for particular items of expenditure. Under the Residential Care Homes Regulations 1984 the proprietor of a private home is required, having regard to the size of the home and the number, age, sex and condition of residents, to make suitable arrangements for the training, occupation and recreation of residents. If the proprietor makes arrangements with a voluntary organisation to provide such facilities in the home or elsewhere he would then be liable for any charge levied by the voluntary organisation and may take this into account in fixing the charges payable by residents. Residents who are entitled to supplementary benefit receive help with their charges up to the national limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect British Gas vouchers will have on entitlement to supplementary benefit, including single payments for fuel costs.

The vouchers that I understand will start to become payable to British Gas Shareholders from 30 June 1987 will be treated for supplementary benefit purposes as income from capital and will be disregarded. The normal capital rules for weekly and single payments of supplementary benefit will continue to apply to the value of the shares themselves.

Tay-Sachs Disease

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to avert the closure of the Prince Philip paediatric unit at Guys hospital and the ending of its unique work screening for Tay-Sachs disorder; and if he will make a statement.

There is no question of the Prince Philip paediatric department laboratory closing. Work on screening for Tay-Sachs disorder will continue though the level of funding and activity is still under consideration.

Nursing Homes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for

Discharges from mental-handicap hospitals of patients having a length of stay of five years or more, England, 1981–85
Health authority and Hospital	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
NORTHERN REGION
North Tees
Fairbrook	0	0	0	—	—
Aysgarth	—	—	—	0	0
South Tees
Bankfield Court	—	—	—	—	0
South Cumbria
Stafford House	—	—	—	—	0
West Cumbria
Dovenby Hall	15	7	5	6	16
Darlington
Aycliffe: including; Belle Vue Grove	11	10	5	28	13
Durham
Earls House	13	10	19	16	15
Northumberland
Northgate and District: including; Silverton House, Bow Villa	11	6	5	6	10
Prudhoe	74	8	8	21	12
South Tyneside
Monkton Hall	—	—	—	1	0
Sunderland
Grindon Hall	—	—	—	—	0

Mid-Staffordshire on 31 March, Official Report, column 488, if he will take steps to obtain and publish a list of all registered nursing homes which are within the Mid-Staffordshire parliamentary constituency but which are outside the Mid-Staffordshire health authority.

Information by parliamentary constituency is not held centrally. I now understand that my hon. Friend's constituency extends to parts of south-east Staffordshire health district. Following is a list of homes registered as at 31 December 1986 by south-east Staffordshire health authority.

Institutions registered with South-East Staffordshire district health authority under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984.
Position as at 31 December 1986¹
Dower House Private Nursing Home, Rolleston on Dove, Staffordshire.
The Oaks Private Nursing Home, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire.
St. Giles Hospice, Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Charlotte James Nursing Home, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire.
Little Aston Nursing Home, Sutton Coldfield.
Bramshall Old Rectory Nursing and Residential Home, Uttoxeter.²
Kings Bromley Private Nursing Home, Kings Bromley, Staffordshire.²
¹ Provisional list for 1986.
²Present for the first time in 1986 returns.

Mentally Handicapped People

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of long-stay patients discharged from each mental handicap hospital in England and Wales since 1981

The table shows the number of people discharged from each National Health Service mental handicap hospital in England after a length of stay of five years or more, for each year from 1981 to 1985. Mental handicap hospitals and units are those which contain beds for the treatment of mentally handicapped people only Figures for Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales.

Health authority and Hospital	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
YORKSHIRE REGION
Hull
Brandesburton: including; Cherry Burton Hostel, Astral Gardens	8	28	4	3	2
Winestead Hall	1	1	6	5	2
Tilworth Grange	1	10	0	0	0
Keyingham	19	—	—	—	—
Grimsby
Caistor	2	2	7	12	2
Scunthorpe
Rawcliffe Hall	21	0	2	3	8
North Allerton
Thornton Lodge	0	0	0	0	0
York
Claypenny: including; Tadcaster Hostel	10	26	3	4	31
Harrogate
Whixley: including; Bondgate Hostel	6	19	2	3	12
Bradford
Westwood: including; Green Lane Hall, Ashfield House	23	7	15	22	12
Airedale
Castleberg	3	3	2	2	12
Calderdale
Stansfield View: including; Fielden	7	12	13	9	7
Huddersfield
The Mansion Huddersfield: including; Lindley Cottage, Dale Bank	3	1	17	1	19
Leeds Eastern
Meanwood Park	8	8	4	17	10
Wharf Grange	0	0	0	0	0
Wakefield
Fieldhead	7	3	5	7	39
Trent Region
North Derbyshire
Ridgeway	0	1	0	2	8
Whittington Hall: including; Mastin Moor	2	3	3	2	2
Dronfield	0	4	1	0	—
Amberley House	1	1	3	1	0
South Derbyshire
Bingham House Hostel	0	1	0	0	2
Makeney	2	0	1	1	3
Aston Hall: including; Milner House (Children), Craigmore, The Retreat	10	28	11	14	15
Leicestershire
The Glenfrith Group: including; Mountsorrell, Stoneygate Hostel, Kibworth	20	14	8	8	23
Hall, Montrose Court, Billesdon Hostel, Gorse Hill, Glengate, Hinckley Cottages, Stretton Hall, Leicester Frith
North Lincolnshire
Harmston Hall: including; Tuxford Hostel	7	14	11	33	27
South Lincolnshire
Norton Lea	—	—	0	0	0
Fleet	3	4	5	13	16
St. Peter's	1	2	3	5	11
Central Nottinghamshire
Ransom	0	2	6	11	3
Balderton	2	3	6	7	8
Barnsley
Keresforth Centre	—	—	—	0	0
Doncaster
St. Catherine's Doncaster	6	1	14	19	12
Sheffield
Aughton Court	0	7	0	20	—
Grenoside Grange	7	10	3	10	10
Greenacres Hostel	1	2	2	2	2
Ryegate Centre	0	0	0	0	0
Commonside Hostel	3	0	3	1	5
Scott Road Hostel	5	4	3	0	1
St. Josephs	0	63	—	—	—
Hilltop Hostel	0	1	4	0	0
Mill Brook Hostel	1	1	0	3	3
Lightwood House	0	3	4	1	0
Arbourthorne Hostel	0	0	0	0	1
Rivermead MH Unit	—	—	2	2	1
Woodcliffe A Hostel	—	—	0	1	0
Woodcliffe B Hostel	—	—	—	—	2
East Anglia Region
Cambridge
Ida Darwin	2	1	15	6	13
Gloucester Centre	0	0	0	—	—

Health authority and Hospital	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
West Suffolk
Risbridge	0	1	13	2	2
East Suffolk
Jane Walker	0	0	1	8	16
Norwich
Hales: including; Eaton Grange	—	—	—	—	4
Little Plumstead: including; Blofield Hall	16	11	38	32	18
Great Yarmouth
Lothingland	2	3	1	6	5
West Norfolk and Wisbech
Windsor Unit West Norfolk and King's Lynn	—	—	—	4	4
North West Thames Region
North Bedfordshire
Bromham	2	4	6	4	13
South Bedfordshire
Appledore Community Unit	—	—	—	—	0
North West Hertfordshire
Cell Barnes	3	10	10	10	16
Harperbury	17	19	20	19	10
South West Hertfordshire
Leavesden	14	17	15	16	25
Brent
Kingsbury: including; St. Andrews	0	2	6	6	9
Paddington and North Kensington
MH Unit, 291 Harrow Road	—	0	0	0	0
North East Thames Region
Basildon and Thurrock
South Ockendon: including; Dulvals Hostel, New Lodge	8	13	25	27	20
Mid Essex
Bridge	2	2	0	2	1
North East Essex
The Royal Eastern Counties: including; Handford House, Kingsmead, Turner Village, Hillsleigh, Essex Hall, Barker House, Lexdon House. Brunswick House, Crossley House	8	6	2	22	24
West Essex
Great West Hatch	0	0	1	0	0
Barking, Havering and Brentwood
Little Warley Lodge	0	0	7	15	19
City and Hackney
St. Leonard's Penrose House	—	—	—	2	1
Malpass Community Centre	—	—	—	—	0
Newham
MH Unit, Albert Dock	—	—	—	0	0
Waltham Forest
Leytonstone House	7	13	13	3	5
South East Thames Region
Eastbourne
Loughton Lodge	1	6	6	12	1
Bedfordwell Road MH Unit	—	—	—	0	0
Hastings
Hill House	1	5	6	1	4
Mount Pleasant	1	2	2	13	0
East Down House	3	4	0	12	4
South East Kent
Eversley House	0	0	1	4	1
Canterbury and Thanet
Highland Court	2	5	6	4	4
Eastry	3	4	22	8	29
Dartford and Gravesham
Darenth Park	30	67	23	41	73
The Avenue	—	—	—	—	0
St. John's Road	—	—	—	—	0
Ridgeway Hostel	—	—	—	—	0
Maidstone
Lenham	1	0	0	2	23
Tunbridge Wells
Leybourne Grange	51	34	56	85	54
Princess Christian's	3	1	2	3	20
Lewisham and North Southwark
Grove Park	7	0	2	3	2
South West Thames Region
North West Surrey
Botleys Park: including; Murray House	15	4	6	78	38

Health authority and Hospital	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Brook House	—	—	—	0	0
West Surrey and North East Hampshire
Northfield	1	0	3	6	3
Greenfields	—	—	—	0	0
South West Surrey
King George V	1	0	2	2	0
Royal Hostel Elstead	0	1	0	0	0
Mid Surrey
The Manor, Epsom: including; Aldingbourne House, Queen Elizabeth	3	20	35	1	12
East Surrey
Royal Earlswood: including; Farmfield, Earlswood Home	3	7	16	30	30
Chichester
Barnfield House	—	—	—	1	0
Mid Downs
Forest	5	1	5	4	8
Goddards Green	1	0	0	0	3
Croydon
St. Lawrence's, Caterham: including; Woodhurst	18	17	10	18	75
Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton
Normansfield	13	3	6	3	3
Wandsworth
Gardiner Hill Unit	0	0	0	0	0
Bell House	—	—	0	—	—
Merton and Sutton
Osborne House	5	1	2	10	3
St. Ebba's	15	7	12	21	13
Southside Home	1	6	1	5	5
The Turret	0	1	1	5	10
Cedars Close	—	—	—	—	0
Wessex Region
East Dorset
Fairmile House	—	—	0	1	0
The Oaks, Bournemouth	—	0	0	0	0
Hillcrest	—	—	0	0	0
Castle Hill House	—	—	1	0	3
The Cedars	—	—	—	—	0
Ashmore House	—	—	—	—	0
West Dorset
Coldharbour: including; Weymhill	0	0	13	3	0
Henchard House	—	—	—	0	2
LBHU Bridport	—	—	—	—	0
32 St. Andrews Road	—	—	—	—	0
Portsmouth
Coldeast: including; Teekew House, Denmead Hostel, Braemar House, Sandy Point, 6 Underdown Avenue, Locksway House, The Lodge, The House	27	18	35	34	29
Mary Rose House	—	—	—	—	0
Kimpton House	—	—	—	—	0
South West Hampshire and Southampton
Tatchbury Mount: including; Hillrise Hostel, White House, Hazelmere,	10	18	21	22	24
Westwood House, Grove House, Oakfield House
Winchester
Titchborne Down House	—	—	—	0	2
Berweeke House Hostel	—	—	—	0	1
Glendale	—	—	—	—	0
The Ridge	—	—	—	—	0
Compton House	—	—	—	0	0
Bishopstoke House	—	—	—	0	1
The Old Rectory	—	—	—	0	0
Weyhill Road MH Unit	—	—	—	0	0
Wolversdene Road MH Unit	—	—	—	0	0
Basingstoke and North Hampshire
Sherborne House	—	—	4	10	—
Darlington House	—	—	1	5	0
Erdersiey House	—	—	0	0	0
Salisbury
Avondale Unit	—	—	—	0	0
Swindon
The Lanterns	—	—	—	0	0
Burderop: including; North View	—	—	3	8	6
Pewsey	15	9	5	9	2
Bath
Amberley Unit	—	—	—	0	0
Beaumonds	—	—	—	0	0
Draycott	—	—	—	0	0
Winsley Centre	0	0	2	0	2
Longford	1	0	4	0	3

Health authority and Hospital	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Plean Dene	—	—	0	0	0
Oxford Region
East Berkshire
Church Hill House	10	7	18	10	10
Binfield Park	0	3	3	2	3
Clarefield Court	1	4	3	2	2
West Berkshire
Wayland House	5	4	3	2	3
Style Acre	1	5	2	0	0
Aylesbury Vale
Manor House	5	7	2	6	21
Northampton
Princess Marina	4	4	3	7	7
Oxfordshire
Slade. Headington	—	—	—	—	0
Bradwell Grove	15	16	27	20	24
Cotshill	1	3	32	3	1
Cumnor Rise	9	4	2	1	0
Hollyrood House	—	—	—	0	0
South Western Region
Bristol and Weston
Farleigh	4	3	4	30	5
Yatton Hall	2	4	11	20	2
Frenchay
Stoke Park: including; Clevedon Holiday Home, Hanham Hall Purdown, Leigh	16	6	28	77	35
Court, Anchor Lodge Hostel
Southmead
Hortham: including; Hillside House, Chasefield House, Mortimer House,	7	12	27	65	27
Berwick Unit, Thornbury, The Knoll
Brentry	3	1	6	10	7
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Elizabeth Barclay	1	5	2	3	7
The Retreat	4	10	0	4	9
West Heath House	0	0	0	0	3
Exeter
Royal Western CTS Starcross: including; Franklyn, Micklewright Unit, Stoke Lyne, St. Mary's Axminster, Western, Dun Esk	57	26	149	83	30
Langdon	—	—	7	39	—
North Devon
Kingsley	0	0	0	3	0
Plymouth
Tamar House: including; Cumberland House	0	0	0	0	0
Torbay
Steepway Hostel	0	0	0	0	0
Hawkmoor	—	—	0	0	0
Gloucesler
Gransmoor	0	0	0	1	1
Selsley Vicarage	0	0	0	0	0
Thirlstaine Court	0	0	0	0	0
The Buckholt	—	0	0	0	0
Hollybrook House	—	—	—	0	0
Windrush	—	—	—	0	0
St. Mary's Home Painswick	0	0	2	0	0
Twyver Unit	6	2	3	4	1
Somersel
Sandhill Park	5	4	2	17	12
Norah Fry House	10	7	10	5	7
Selwood House	4	5	7	2	6
West Midland Region
Bromsgrove and Redditch
Cooper's Hill	—	—	—	—	0
Herefordshire
Mill Pond Street	—	—	—	—	0
Kidderminster and District
Lea	8	9	10	7	25
Lea Castle: including; Coombe House, Edge View Hostel, Woodfield House	13	23	32	17	25
Mytton Oak House	—	—	—	—	0
Mid Staffordshire
Burton House	—	—	—	—	0
White Lodge	0	0	0	0	0
North Staffordshire
Stallington: including; Bagnall	8	12	11	7	13
Arnold Grove	—	—	—	—	0
MHU Whitfield Avenue	—	—	—	—	0

Health authority and Hospital	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
South East Staffordshire
Kingsley Comm. Unit	—	—	—	—	0
Rugby
Admirals Court MH Unit	—	—	—	—	0
North Warwickshire
Chelmsley	1	8	29	2	5
Coleshill Hall: including; Overwhite Acre House	7	5	13	8	17
Manor Court Road	—	—	—	—	0
South Warwickshire
Weston	1	0	0	0	4
Abbeyfields	2	0	4	4	6
South Birmingham
Monyhull	14	6	14	24	8
Coventry
Roxsburgh House Coventry	—	—	—	0	0
Dudley
Ridge Hill	0	0	3	2	3
Solihull
Middlesfield: including; Ivy Lodge, Hertford House, Lyndon House	0	4	3	5	3
Walsall
St. Margaret's, Birmingham: including; Daisy Bank Annexe	36	26	22	10	8
Wolverhampton
Beeches Hospital	—	—	—	—	0
MERSEY REGION
Chester
The Manor, Wirral	0	2	3	0	1
Crewe
Cranage Hall: including; Winsford and Crewe, C and C Unit, 7–9 Palmer Road	9	15	17	16	19
Halton
Moorfield Road, Widnes	—	—	—	—	0
Macclesfield
Mary Dendy	0	4	5	13	10
Warrington
Newchurch	5	3	9	16	38
Liverpool Eastern Sector
Olive Mount Childrens	—	—	—	5	6
Wirral
Ashton House: including; Kent House	1	0	13	1	1
NORTH WESTERN REGION
Lancaster
Royal Albert	21	36	22	27	40
Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley
Brockall	12	16	31	16	47
Eshton Terrace	—	—	0	0	0
Burnley Pendle and Rossendale
Calderstones	8	18	13	29	33
Salford
Swinton	5	1	0	2	0
Stockport
Offerton House	4	6	5	1	4
SPECIAL HOSPITALS
Rampton	113	—	—	—	—
Moss Side	45	—	—	—	—

Notes:

1. Mental-handicap hospitals are those containing beds for the treatment of mentally handicapped people only.

2. "—" denotes a hospital not operating exclusively as a mental handicap hospital in that year.

Organ Transplants

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received any representations seeking to change rules relating to organ transplants in order to enable relatives of deceased persons to authorise their use.

No representations have been received. The Human Tissue Act 1961 already provides for the relatives of deceased persons to consent to the removal of organs for medical purposes.

Hospitals

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospitals there were in the United Kingdom in (a) June 1979 and (b) February 1986, respectively.

I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member all the information he seeks in precisely the form requested. In 1979 there were 2,023 National Health Service hospitals in England. The corresponding figure for 1985, the latest available, was 1,862. These figures are based on a count of separately administered hospitals which provide residential facilities during the year. Day hospitals and clinics are therefore not included. Figures for the rest of the United Kingdom are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service hospitals of over 800 beds were built between (a) 1960 and 1970, (b) 1970 and 1980 and (c) since 1980.

Information held centrally shows that hospital developments, often built in phases, culminating in provision of over 800 beds were completed as follows :

	Number
1960 to 1970	3
1971 to 1980	12
1981 to date	3

Overall, since 1981, 195 health building schemes, each costing over £1 million, have been completed.

Hospital Beds

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds there were in the United Kingdom in (a) June 1979 and (b) February 1986, respectively.

I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member all the information he seeks in precisely the form requested. For the latest information available for England I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 10 February, at columns 201–204. Figures for the rest of the United Kingdom are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Northern Ireland.

Average daily number of available beds, Bath District Health Authority¹
Sector	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Geriatric	694·5	685·1	681·7	673·9	638·8	628·5	624·0
Medical acute	369·4	377·4	374·3	363·7	350·0	330·4	351·0
Surgical acute	519·7	523·4	516·1	518·0	490·0	469·6	449·8
Other acute²	359·6	354·2	354·9	357·8	357·2	355·9	355·8
Mental handicap	99·3	113·7	107·4	97·7	89·2	73·4	78·1
Mental illness	804·0	782·7	767·2	763·1	750·5	719·9	664·3
Maternity	181·0	176·8	156·5	159·0	152·3	148·9	147·8
Others³	16·0	15·5	16·0	13·6	10·0	10·0	10·0
TOTAL	3,043·5	3,028·8	2,974·1	2,946·8	2,838·0	2,736·6	2,680·8
¹ Bath health district prior to 1982.
² Special care baby units, GP and other and GP dental.
³ Units for the younger disabled and staff wards.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received concerning the proposal of Bath district health authority to reduce bed numbers in Chippenham and Melksham hospitals.

We have received 330 representations from members of the public, about possible changes to services at Frogwell hospital, Chippenham and at

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital bed places have been available during each year since 1974 in (a) Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) Barnsley metropolitan council area.

I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks in precisely the form requested. National Health Service hospital activity figures are collected centrally according to regional and district health authority area. The available figures are given in the table.

Average daily number of available beds in National Health Service hospitals
	Health authority
	Yorkshire region	Trent region	Barnsley district
1974	32,117	32,307	849
1975	31,714	32,175	865
1976	31,246	32,292	886
1977	30,890	32,187	946
1978	30,539	32,122	961
1979	29,946	31,712	962
1980	29,298	31,516	1,013
1981	28,959	30,944	1,014
1982	28,488	30,744	971
1983	28,034	30,481	1,032
1984	27,470	30,000	1,073
1985	26,793	29,391	1,134

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) geriatric, (b) surgical and (c) specialist beds are available in the Bath district health authority in July of each year since 1979.

I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks in precisely the form requested. The available information is given in the table. Between 1979 and 1985 the number of in-patient cases treated in Bath DHA increased by 14·1 per cent. from 43,048 to 49,135.Melksham, Bradford on Avon and Malmesbury hospitals connected with the Bath district health authority's 1987–88 £1·3 million service development programme.No decision has yet been taken by the health authority. If any of the proposals involve reduction or significant changes of use of hospital beds, the proposals would, of course, be subject to the usual formal consultation procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each district health authority in England in 1985 (a) the total number of beds in non-psychiatric National Health Service hospitals, (b) the total number of beds in private hospitals, nursing homes and clinics registered under section 23 of the Registered

Number of non-psychiatric beds in National Health Service hospitals, number of beds in private institutions registered under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984 and the latter expressed as a percentage of the former. 1985
Regional and District Health Authorities	Average daily number of available non-psychiatric beds	Total beds in private institutions¹ at 31 December	Beds in private institutions as a percentage of those non-psychiatric beds in NHS hospitals
Northern Regional Health Authority
Hartlepool	546·0	45	8·2
North Tees	749·4	44	5·9
South Tees	1,554·2	123	7·9
East Cumbria	825·5	98	11·9
South Cumbria	761·1	172	22·6
West Cumbria	595·4	30	5·0
Darlington	681·1	322	47·3
Durham	734·4	35	4·8
North West Durham	566·3	0	0·0
South West Durham	563·2	20	3·6
Northumberland	1,078·8	68	6·3
Gateshead	782·2	40	5·1
Newcastle	2,706·6	118	4·4
North Tyneside	725·3	0	0·0
South Tyneside	599·4	0	0·0
Sunderland	1,618·8	0	0·0
RHA Total	15,087·7	1,115	7·4
Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
Hull	1,390·0	129	9·3
East Yorkshire	1,001·8	75	7·5
Grimsby	776·2	60	7·7
Scunthorpe	755·9	72	9·5
Northallerton	367·9	161	43·8
York	1,146·6	438	38·2
Scarborough	623·3	306	49·1
Harrogate	817·3	807	98·7
Bradford	1,870·7	252	13·5
Airedale	767·9	462	60·2
Calderdale	904·9	272	30·1
Huddersfield	948·6	69	7·3
Dewsbury	735·9	28	3·8
Leeds Western	1,989·5	202	10·2
Leeds Eastern	1,890·9	391	20·7
Wakefield	857·3	25	2·9
Pontefract	802·4	0	0·0
RHA Total	17,647·1	3,749	21·2
Trent Regional Health Authority
North Derbyshire	1,074·9	110	10·2
South Derbyshire	1,874·6	374	20·0
Leicestershire	3,072·6	599	19·5
North Lincolnshire	1,158·8	642	55·4
South Lincolnshire	1,105·4	158	14·3
Bassetlaw	391·1	23	5·9
Central Nottinghamshire	1,262·4	166	13·1
Nottingham	2,619·43	857	32·7
Barnsley	878·8	0	0·0
Doncaster	1,240·7	144	11·6
Rotherham	911·8	38	4·2
Sheffield	3,164·3	326	10·3
RHA Total	18,754·7	3,437	18·3
East Anglian Regional Health Authority
Cambridge	1,172·9	234	20·0
Peterborough	960·2	85	8·9
West Suffolk	945·1	174	18·4
East Suffolk	1,493·6	203	13·6
Norwich	1,961·9	392	20·0

Nursing Homes Act 1984 and (c) the number of beds in private institutions expressed as a percentage of the number of non-psychiatric hospital beds.

[pursuant to her reply, 30 March 1987, c. 409]: The information requested is as follows:

Regional and District Health Authorities	Average daily number of available non-psychiatric beds	Total beds in private institutions¹ at 31 December	Beds in private institutions as a percentage of those non-psychiatric beds in NHS hospitals
Great Yarmouth and Waveney	751·0	49	6·5
West Norfolk and Wisbech	689·2	115	16·7
Huntingdon	408·2	54	13·2
RHA Total	8,382·1	1,306	15·6
North West Thames Regional Health Authority
North Bedfordshire	787·5	177	22·5
South Bedfordshire	766·6	22	2·9
North Hertfordshire	766·9	188	24·5
East Hertfordshire	637·9	174	27·3
North West Hertfordshire	791·4	131	16·6
South West Hertfordshire	790·6	153	19·4
Barnet	1,494·5	361	24·2
Harrow	819·1	122	14·9
Hillingdon	1,324·2	135	10·2
Hounslow and Spelthorne	1,227·4	136	11·1
Ealing	594·6	292	49·1
Brent	811·0	66	8·1
Paddington and North Kensington	1,119·8	42	3·8
Riverside	1,716·5	713	41·5
RHA Total	13,648·0	2,712	19·9
North East Thames Regional Health Authority
Basildon and Thurrock	1,123·2	0	0·0
Mid Essex	1,149·2	182	15·8
North East Essex	1,090·6	325	29·8
West Essex	984·8	163	16·6
Southend	1,097·2	322	29·3
Barking, Havering and Brentwood	1,893·2	215	11·4
Hampstead	929·2	241	25·9
Bloomsbury	1,947·7	1,175	60·3
Islington	826·6	30	3·6
City and Hackney	1,514·3	108	7·1
Newham	864·8	0	0·0
Tower Hamlets	1,186·1	14	1·2
Enfield	877·6	157	17·9
Haringey	918·4	185	20·1
Redbridge	826·7	120	14·5
Waltham Forest	1,258·8	0	0·0
RHA Total	18,488·4	3,237	17·5
South East Thames Regional Health Authority
Brighton	1,450·2	1,352	93·2
Eastbourne	810·6	1,134	139·9
Hastings	758·6	965	127·2
South East Kent	985·9	454	46·0
Canterbury and Thanet	1,346·9	583	43·3
Dartford and Gravesham	890·0	76	8·5
Maidstone	640·7	256	40·0
Medway	954·3	65	6·8
Tunbridge Wells	1,100·5	739	67·2
Bexley	570·1	100	17·5
Greenwich	1,391·9	40	2·9
Bromley	1,027·8	501	48·7
West Lambeth	1,067·3	64	6·0
Camberwell	1,166·6	19	1·6
Lewisham and North Southwark	1,703·2	250	14·7
RHA Total	15,864·6	6,598	41·6
South West Thames Regional Health Authority
North West Surrey	778·1	312	40·1
West Surrey and North East Hampshire	737·3	342	46·4
South West Surrey	757·1	717	94·7
Mid Surrey	659·4	399	60·5
East Surrey	735·8	504	68·5
Chichester	613·8	591	96·3
Mid Downs	832·5	594	71·4

Regional and District Health Authorities	Average daily number of available non-psychiatric beds	Total beds in private institutions¹ at 31 December	Beds in private institutions as a percentage of those non-psychiatric beds in NHS hospitals
Worthing	916·7	995	108·5
Croydon	1,002·4	561	56·0
Kingston and Esher	694·6	187	26·9
Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton	663·2	458	69·1
Wandsworth	1,290·3	302	23·4
Merton and Sutton	1,171·9	561	47·9
RHA Total	10,853·1	6,523	60·1
Wessex Regional Health Authority
East Dorset	1,909·0	1,584	83·0
West Dorset	792·7	181	22·8
Portsmouth and South East Hampshire	1,800·4	652	36·2
Southampton and South West Hampshire	1,883·0	444	23·6
Winchester	704·1	319	45·3
Basingstoke and North Hampshire	762·1	120	15·7
Salisbury	731·5	266	36·4
Swindon	869·8	124	14·3
Bath	1,938·4	506	26·1
Isle of Wight	501·4	162	32·3
RHA Total	11,892·4	4,358	36·6
Oxford Regional Health Authority
East Berkshire	1,147·6	587	51·2
West Berkshire	1,417·6	304	21·4
Aylesbury Vale	797·1	171	21·5
Wycombe	702·3	299	42·6
Milton Keynes	413·2	114	27·6
Kettering	806·1	12	1·5
Northampton	1,174·2	642	54·7
Oxfordshire	2,173·6	589	27·1
RHA Total	8,631·7	2,718	31·5
South Western Regional Health Authority
Bristol and Weston	1,484·0	1,043	70·3
Frenchay	1,038·8	117	11·3
Southmead	900·2	460	51·1
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	1,398·0	680	48·6
Exeter	1,484·3	591	39·8
North Devon	587·6	286	48·7
Plymouth	1,725·9	777	45·0
Torbay	1,025·5	659	64·3
Cheltenham	929·0	336	36·2
Gloucester	1,341·5	309	23·0
Somerset	1,688·6	416	24·6
RHA Total	13,603·4	5,674	41·7
West Midlands Regional Health Authority
Bromsgrove and Redditch	487·5	86	17·6
Herefordshire	663·0	161	24·3
Kidderminster and District	383·0	130	33·9
Worcester and District	956·2	638	66·7
Shropshire	1,962·3	134	6·8
Mid Staffordshire	744·2	294	39·5
North Staffordshire	2,031·0	145	7·1
South East Staffordshire	630·8	144	22·8
Rugby	314·8	28	8·9
North Warwickshire	454·9	113	24·8
South Warwickshire	950·8	472	49·6
Central Birmingham	1,579·6	270	17·1
East Birmingham	960·5	106	11·0
North Birmingham	961·4	188	19·6
South Birmingham	1,458·6	109	7·5
West Birmingham	1,449·5	53	3·7
Coventry	1,553·9	22	1·4
Dudley	1,223·2	21	1·7
Sandwell	869·3	51	5·9
Solihull	427·5	84	19·6
Walsall	782·9	41	5·2

Regional and District Health Authorities	Average daily number of available non-psychiatric beds	Total beds in private institutions¹ at 31 December	Beds in private institutions as a percentage of those non-psychiatric beds in NHS hospitals
Wolverhampton	1,271·1	153	12·0
RHA Total	22,116·0	3,443	15·6
Mersey Regional Health Authority
Chester	836·0	146	17·5
Crewe	931·8	100	10·7
Halton	258·5	0	0·0
Macclesfield	600·9	359	59·7
Warrington	740·1	8	1·1
Liverpool	2,869·9	365	12·7
St. Helens and Knowsley	1,041·2	226	21·7
Southport and Formby	638·3	733	114·8
South Sefton	1,547·0	226	14·6
Wirral	1,630·8	838	51·4
RHA Total	11,094·5	3,001	27·0
North Western Regional Health Authority
Lancaster	681·9	108	15·8
Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde	1,433·0	506	35·3
Preston	1,042·1	80	7·7
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley	1,184·3	147	12·4
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale	1,064·9	108	10·1
West Lancashire	672·1	182·7	2·7
Chorley and South Ribble	282·5	321	113·6
Bolton	1,010·9	134	13·3
Bury	680·6	105	15·4
North Manchester	1,360·1	51	3·7
Central Manchester	1,212·3	0	0·0
South Manchester	2,044·1	214	10·5
Oldham	808·5	8	1·0
Rochdale	680·9	203	29·8
Salford	1,360·1	78	5·7
Stockport	1,322·8	821	62·1
Tameside and Glossop	776·8	0	0·0
Trafford	640·4	188	29·4
Wigan	1,118·7	24	2·1
RHA Total	19,377·0	3,114	16·1
¹ Includes beds intended for use by mental illness and mental handicap patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give for each district health authority in England in 1985 (a) the total number of beds per 100,000 population in institutions registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1984, (b) the total number of beds for care of the elderly (those over 65 years requiring long-stay nursing

Total number of beds and rates per 100,000 population and number of beds intended for use by elderly patients (patients aged 65 and over requiring long stay nursing care) and rate per 100,000 population age 65 and over in institutions registered under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984. Position at 31 December 1985.
Region and District Health Authorities	All institutions		Elderly (long stay)
	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹ aged over 65 years
Northern Regional Health Authority
Hartlepool	45	49·1	45	362·9
North Tees	44	25·0	8	40·4
South Tees	123	42·1	80	221·0
East Cumbria	98	55·5	46	158·1
South Cumbria	172	100·3	0	0·0
West Cumbria	30	22·0	0	0·0
Darlington	322	259·5	262	1,323·2
Durham	35	14·8	35	107·4
North West Durham	0	0·0	0	0·0
South West Durham	20	13·0	0	0·0
Northumberland	68	22·6	5	10·6

care) in institutions registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1984 and (c) the number of beds for the care of the elderly per 100,000 population aged over 65 years in institutions registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1984.

[pursuant to her reply, 30 March 1987, c. 409]: The information requested is as follows:

Region and District Health Authorities	All institutions		Elderly (long stay)
	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹ aged over 65 years
Gateshead	40	19·2	25	78·6
Newcastle	118	41·8	0	0·0
North Tyneside	0	0·0	0	0·0
South Tyneside	0	0·0	0	0·0
Sunderland	0	0·0	0	0·0
RHA Total	1,115	36·1	506	110·9
Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
Hull	129	41·6	93	203·1
East Yorkshire	75	40·2	47	146·0
Grimsby	60	37·6	26	112·1
Scunthorpe	72	37·2	34	130·3
Northallerton	161	143·0	46	289·3
York	438	168·9	215	554·1
Scarborough	306	214·6	248	829·4
Harrogate	807	602·7	764	3,279·0
Bradford	252	74·4	252	547·8
Airedale	462	267·2	217	740·6
Calderdale	272	141·9	179	575·6
Huddersfield	69	32·5	37	113·1
Dewsbury	28	17·0	0	0·0
Leeds Western	202	56·1	99	171·9
Leeds Eastern	391	111·6	216	410·6
Wakefield	25	17·6	25	131·6
Pontefract	0	0·0	0	0·0
RHA Total	3,749	104·2	2,498	455·0
North East Thames Regional Health Authority
Basildon and Thurrock	0	0·0	0	0·0
Mid Essex	182	64·1	182	495·9
North East Essex	325	110·2	220	382·6
West Essex	163	63·9	152	440·6
Southend	322	100·9	314	559·7
Barking, Havering and Brentwood	215	46·9	45	65·2
Hampstead	241	224·6	26	153·8
Bloomsbury	1,175	905·9	15	67·9
Islington	30	17·9	30	126·1
City and Hackney	108	56·1	108	407·5
Newham	0	0·0	0	0·0
Tower Hamlets	14	9·5	0	0·0
Enfield	157	59·2	122	291·2
Haringey	185	93·8	160	599·3
Redbridge	120	52·6	118	316·4
Waltham Forest	0	0·0	0	0·0
RHA Total	3,237	86·3	1,492	264·2
South East Thames Regional Health Authority
Brighton	1,352	455·2	596	931·3
Eastbourne	1,134	507·2	1,015	1,806·0
Hastings	965	596·4	936	2,223·3
South East Kent	454	173·5	417	885·4
Canterbury and Thanet	583	194·6	583	919·6
Dartford and Gravesham	76	34·3	36	129·0
Maidstone	256	131·9	123	478·6
Medway	65	20·2	65	163·7
Tunbridge Wells	739	376·7	361	1,090·6
Bexley	100	45·8	100	320·5
Greenwich	40	18·5	40	125·8
Bromley	501	168·2	250	525·2
West Lambeth	64	39·4	0	0·0
Camberwell	19	9·0	0	0·0
Lewisham and North Southwark	250	78·8	121	234·5
RHA Total	6,598	183·2	4,643	754·6
South West Thames Regional Health Authority
North West Surrey	312	149·9	238	765·3
West Surrey and North East Hampshire	342	123·5	280	962·2
South West Surrey	717	390·7	410	1,366·7
Mid Surrey	399	239·4	276	932·4
East Surrey	504	270·8	247	817·9

Region and District Health Authorities	All institutions		Elderly (long stay)
	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100.000 population¹ aged over 65 years
Chichester	591	336·4	578	1,420·1
Mid Downs	594	218·5	594	1,609·8
Worthing	995	414·4	846	1,317·8
Croydon	561	175·9	556	1,284·1
Kingston and Esher	187	104·2	108	343·9
Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton	458	199·2	162	400·0
Wandsworth	302	158·6	302	1,078·6
Merton and Sutton	561	167·9	279	500·9
RHA Total	6,523	220·2	4,876	993·7
Wessex Regional Health Authority
East Dorset	1,584	364·3	1,429	1,443·4
West Dorset	181	93·8	134	345·4
Portsmouth and South East Hampshire	652	124·4	597	780·4
Southampton and South West Hampshire	444	107·2	320	470·6
Winchester	319	153·2	245	836·2
Basingstoke and North Hampshire	120	56·0	33	134·7
Salisbury	266	217·9	107	509·5
Swindon	124	55·2	84	292·7
Bath	506	127·8	410	640·6
Isle of Wight	162	131·8	0	0·0
RHA Total	4,358	152·7	3,359	703·5
Oxford Regional Health Authority
East Berkshire	587	163·1	408	916·9
West Berkshire	304	69·6	190	362·6
Aylesbury Vale	171	122·7	140	864·2
Wycombe	299	109·9	175	495·8
Milton Keynes	114	74·4	20	148·1
Kettering	12	4·8	12	33·1
Northampton	642	216·7	285	712·5
Oxfordshire	589	111·1	514	757·0
RHA Total	2,718	111·5	1,744	569·7
South Western Regional Health Authority
Bristol and Weston	1,043	287·5	897	1,517·8
Frenchay	117	53·5	117	367·9
Southmead	460	199·2	403	1,141·6
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	680	153·2	558	673·9
Exeter	591	196·4	12	19·2
North Devon	286	220·2	286	1,157·9
Plymouth	777	239·2	640	1,267·3
Torbay	659	283·6	553	985·7
Cheltenham	336	162·4	306	854·7
Gloucester	309	101·5	279	605·2
Somerset	416	105·4	354	500·0
RHA Total	5,674	180·1	4.405	793·0
West Midlands Regional Health Authority
Bromsgrove and Redditch	86	52·9	61	338·9
Herefordshire	161	105·4	90	347·5
Kidderminster and District	130	128·6	120	845·1
Worcester and District	638	272·3	525	1,454·3
Shropshire	134	34·3	92	164·6
Mid Staffordshire	294	96·0	228	629·8
North Staffordshire	145	31·3	28	40·3
South East Staffordshire	144	57·3	59	206·3
Rugby	28	32·7	28	243·5
North Warwickshire	113	65·4	55	253·5
South Warwickshire	472	213·2	257	788·3
Central Birmingham	270	150·1	12	45·3
East Birmingham	106	52·6	100	322·6
North Birmingham	188	115·1	134	572·6
South Birmingham	109	43·8	95	254·0
West Birmingham	53	24·8	42	145·8
Coventry	22	7·0	0	0·0
Dudley	21	7·0	0	0·0
Sandwell	51	16·8	51	111·6
Solihull	84	41·6	16	64·3
Walsall	41	15·6	41	119·9

Region and District Health Authorities	All institutions		Elderly (long stay)
	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹ aged over 65 years
Wolverhampton	153	60·4	85	232·2
RHA Total	3,443	66·4	2,119	292·5
Mersey Regional Health Authority
Chester	146	82·1	106	427·4
Crewe	100	40·7	100	290·7
Halton	0	0·0	0	0·0
Macclesfield	359	201·2	335	1,278·6
Warrington	8	4·5	8	35·1
Liverpool	365	74·3	277	357·4
St. Helens and Knowsley	226	63·7	10	23·0
Southport and Formby	733	621·2	673	2,977·9
South Sefton	226	125·3	136	531·3
Wirral	838	235·8	664	1,162·9
RHA Total	3,001	123·8	2,309	657·5
North Western Regional Health Authority
Lancaster	108	84·0	48	191·2
Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde	506	159·5	260	383·5
Preston	80	64·3	80	398·0
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley	147	54·0	139	337·4
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale	108	46·9	87	238·4
West Lancashire	18	16·7	0	0·0
Chorley and South Ribble	321	166·6	54	224·1
Bolton	134	51·3	89	237·3
Bury	105	60·6	80	312·5
North Manchester	51	34·7	51	215·2
Central Manchester	0	0·0	0	0·0
South Manchester	214	120·0	121	424·6
Oldham	8	3·6	8	24·9
Rochdale	203	95·0	136	465·8
Salford	78	32·5	56	145·5
Stockport	821	281·9	397	938·5
Tameside and Glossop	0	0·0	0	0·0
Trafford	188	86·3	180	548·8
Wigan	24	7·8	4	9·8
RHA Total	3,114	78·0	1,790	292·4
Trent Regional Health Authority
North Derbyshire	110	30·5	110	196·1
Southern Derbyshire	374	71·6	319	403·8
Leicestershire	599	68·7	0	0·0
North Lincolnshire	642	241·6	603	1,474·3
South Lincolnshire	158	53·6	157	320·4
Bassetlaw	23	22·1	0	0·0
Central Nottinghamshire	166	58·2	150	374·1
Nottingham	857	139·0	724	814·4
Barnsley	0	0·0	0	0·0
Doncaster	144	49·9	96	247·4
Rotherham	38	15·0	21	63·4
Sheffield	326	60·5	140	153·2
RHA Total	3,437	74·3	2,320	339·0
East Anglia Regional Health Authority
Cambridge	234	87·1	33	82·5
Peterborough	85	43·2	0	0·0
West Suffolk	174	77·4	61	190·0
East Suffolk	203	64·4	139	262·8
Norwich	392	85·1	253	302·3
Great Yarmouth and Waveney	49	25·5	43	122·5
West Norfolk and Wisbech	115	63·4	0	0·0
Huntingdon	54	43·0	29	221·4
RHA Total	1,306	66·5	558	177·5
North West Thames Regional Health Authority
North Bedfordshire	177	73·1	97	323·3
South Bedfordshire	22	8·0	22	71·0
North Hertfordshire	188	100·8	94	401·7
East Hertfordshire	174	59·4	35	93·1

Region and District Health Authorities	All institutions		Elderly (long stay)
	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹	Number of beds	Number of beds per 100,000 population¹ aged over 65 years
North West Hertfordshire	131	50·1	45	128·9
South West Hertfordshire	153	62·4	91	249·3
Barnet	361	119·9	115	238·1
Harrow	122	60·5	0	0·0
Hillingdon	135	58·2	17	49·6
Hounslow and Spelthorne	136	47·6	130	318·6
Ealing	242	99·9	188	471·2
Brent	66	25·9	28	82·4
Paddington and North Kensington	42	34·3	7	42·9
Riverside	713	247·2	381	865·9
RHA Total	2,712	77·9	1,250	258·8
¹ Mid-1985 estimates.

Source: OPCS.

Limited List Prescribing

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will refer to his advisory committee the findings relating to cough medicines and benzodiazepines in the "Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin" published on 23 March dealing with the limited list of drugs available under the National Health Service, a copy of which has been forwarded to him.

Yes. I have arranged for all members of the Advisory Committee on National Health Service Drugs to receive a copy of the bulletin.

Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nurses entered and left the nursing profession in (a) England and Wales, (b) the West Midlands regional health authority and (c) Walsall in the last year for which figures are available.

The figures for Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.I regret that information of this nature for England is not collected centrally. However, we are aware of work undertaken by the Institute of Manpower Studies which suggests that about 10 per cent. of qualified nurses and midwives leave the National Health Service each year. This figure includes retirements and those leaving for non-National Health Service nursing employment. They are not therefore all lost to the profession. On that basis, an estimated 23,500 in whole-time equivalent terms left the National Health Service in England in 1985–86.After allowing for wastage and failure to practise on qualification, around 22,500 learners completed training and entered the National Health Service in the year to 31 March 1986. It is estimated that about 7,000 qualified staff in whole-time equivalent terms returned to the National Health Service in that year. This estimated excess of joiners over leavers compares closely with the actual increase in the number of qualified staff from 1984 to 1985 of 6,400 whole-time equivalents.No information is available on the number of qualified nurses and midwives entering and leaving the nursing profession in West Midlands regional health authority and Walsall and it would not necessarily be correct to estimate the numbers on the same basis as for England as a whole.

Blood Donors

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer of Monday 6 April, Official Report, column 107, if he will indicate when this policy on restricting blood donors was implemented; and if he will estimate the anticipated reduction in the number of blood donors.

The National Blood Transfusion Service has maintained for at least 25 years the policy of deferring potential donors following their return to the United Kingdom from certain tropical areas.Additionally, since September 1986 potential donors have been asked not to give blood if they have visited certain parts of Africa and have had sex with men or women living there.These restrictions affect only a minute proportion of potential donors and have not resulted in any identifiable reduction in donor numbers.

Nhs Property (Norwich)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all National Health Service property within the Norwich health authority district stating acreage and value in each case and also giving the overall acreage and value.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a list of the property held by the Norwich health authority as soon as possible. Up-to-date information about the values of National Health Service property is not held centrally.

Maternity Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Oldham, West constituency claimed maternity grant in the latest year for which figures are available.

Information is not available in the form requested.The Oldham, West constituency is covered by the Departments local offices at Oldham and Failsworth, although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of maternity grant claims received at these two offices during the 1986 calendar year were as follows:

	Number
Oldham	1,021
Failsworth	1,349

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received regarding the sending of incorrect instructions about the last date to qualify for a single payment for maternity needs to local offices; whether correcting instructions had been received in all offices by the week before the deadline for claims of 6 April; if he will make transitional arrangements so that those eligible for payment for a baby born on or before 17 May can claim up to 17 May; and if he will mount an immediate national advertising campaign to publicise these arrangements.

We have received one letter concerning the instructions relating to the transitional arrangements for the payment of supplementary benefit single payments for maternity needs which were issued to local offices in late January this year. Prior to receipt of this letter, as a result of a telephone enquiry received by the Department, it had already been decided to issue clarifying guidance to all local offices about applications for payments for maternity needs received before 6 April where the week of expected confinement was after that date. This was done on 5 March 1987 and we do not propose to take any further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether women on supplementary benefit and without savings of over £500 can claim a single payment for maternity needs for a baby due on or before 17 May, provided their claim was made before 6 April.

A supplementary benefit single payment for maternity needs can be made, subject to the normal eligibility conditions, for a claim made before 6 April 1987 provided that, at the time of the claim, the expected week of confinement was not more than six weeks ahead.

Benefit Claims (Legality)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he, or anyone in his Department, has communicated details or findings of any inquiry from his Department relating to the legality of any claim for social security raised by an hon. Member to a person or persons not authorised to receive such information.

I am not aware of any such breach of the Department's rules of confidentiality. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will write to me and I shall look into it.

Aids

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria were used in deciding not to place advertising for the "Danger of Aids" campaign in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph; and if he will make a statement.

The criterion used in the selection of media is that of cost-effective cover of the target audiences.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to arrange for staff of his Department to be screened for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 407]: No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any current or former staff of his Department have been found to have developed AIDS or antibodies to HIV.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 407]: AIDS and HIV infection are not notifiable diseases and there is no obligation on staff to disclose their infection. Such information as any Department may have is therefore inevitably incomplete and is anyway subject to the normal rules of medical confidentiality.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to ensure that staff of his Department are warned about those homosexual and other activities which are deemed to involve a high risk of AIDS infection.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 407]: In April 1986 the Management and Personnel Office, after consulting the Government's chief medical officer, circulated all Departments with guidance to managers and model notes for staff. This Department drew on those notes and in June 1986 provided guidance for staff. I understand that copies of the MPO guidance are available in the Library. In addition, members of staff will have received copies of the Department's leaflet distributed to all households in the United Kingdom in January 1987.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people there are in Wales in receipt of, respectively (a) supplementary benefit, (b) supplementary pension and (c) family income supplement.

The latest available information is as follows:

Benefit	Date	Number
(a) Supplementary allowance	February 1986	198,000 claimants
(b) Supplementary pension	February 1986	92,000 claimants
(c) Family income supplement	May 1986	13,000 families

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost in benefits in a full year of unemployed school leavers between the ages of 16 and 18; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1987, c. 656]: The information is not available in the precise form requested. Based on the number of unemployed claimants aged 16 and 17, and the average weekly payment of supplementary benefit to them on a particular day in December 1984, the annual expenditure was £176 million. This figure cannot be regarded as an accurate estimate of the total expenditure on supplementary benefit to this group of claimants because (a) it takes no account of the seasonal variations in the numbers in this group which are likely to arise particularly because of the patterns in school leaving; (b) it does not include occasional payments such as single payments for exceptional needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will express (a) the basic pension and (b) the single person's supplementary benefit level if unemployed as a percentage of average earnings in (i) 1957 (ii) 1979 (iii) 1987.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1987,c. 412–13]: The table gives the basic pension for a single person and a married couple and the ordinary supplementary benefit scale rate for a single householder as a percentage of average net earnings of single and married male manual workers, as appropriate. Benefit assistance for a householder on the ordinary rate of supplementary benefit would also include the meeting of housing costs. Pensioners reliant on the basic pension or little more would also be likely to be eligible for help from supplementary benefit or housing benefit. These figures therefore understate the extent to which social security benefit help replaces earnings.

Rates of benefit expressed as a percentage of average net earnings¹
	Basic retirement pension		Supplementary benefit— Single house holder
	Single	Married	Supplementary benefit— Single house holder
January 1985²	23·9	36·0	21·5
November 1979	31·8	48·4	25·0
1987–88³	29·1	44·3	22·4
¹ Average gross earnings of male manual workers less tax and national insurance contributions at the not contracted-out rate.
² Comparisons are normally made with benefit rates at uprating dates. No uprating took place in 1957.
³ Benefit rates at April 1987. Earnings information for April not yet available and figures therefore based on estimated average financial year date. This is likely to be higher than actual average earnings at April.

Dental Health (Survey)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the latest practical time by which he can announce arrangements for the adult dental health survey due to be held in 1988 as a follow-up to those surveys held in 1978 an 1968; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Halifax (Mr. Galley) on 19 December 1986, at columns 785–86.

Severe Weather Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individual persons in Wales received payments of severe weather allowance this winter; and if all these persons received this payment for two weeks.

The latest available figures show that approximately 127,000 £5 payments had been made in Wales by 17 March. Separate figures on the number of individuals receiving payments are not available, but the great majority of successful claimants in Wales will have received a total of £10 in respect of the two weeks for which this help was made available.

Disabled Young People

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on 16-year-old disabled young people who are still at school obtaining an assessment under section 4 of the Disabled Persons (Representation, Consultation and Services) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

Section 4 of the Disabled Person (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 came into force on 1 April 1987. It makes it clear that a local authority has a duty to decide whether a disabled person's needs call for the provision of any services in accordance with section 2(1) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, if requested to do so by the disabled person or by any person, for example a parent, who provides care for him or her in the circumstances mentioned in section 8 of the Act. This provision would apply to requests made by 16-year-old disabled young people who are still at school or by their carers.

Blood Products

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer of 7 April, Official Report, column 207, on blood products, he will give the date in 1984 on which manufacturers of factor VIII initially found that heat treatment techniques inactivated HIV; if he will give details of the operation of the named patient basis used for prescription of heat-treated factor VIII; and from what date in 1984 heat-treated factor VIII could be so prescribed.

The first account of experimental work which showed that HIV in factor VIII could be inactivated by heat treatment was published in October 1984 (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1984, Volume 33, 589–91). This work led to the National Haemophilia Society of the United States of America advising that heat treated factor VIII should be considered for haemophiliacs even though its protection against AIDS remained to be proven.Similar advice was published in the United Kingdom in December 1984 (Lancet 1984, Vol. 2, 1433–1435).However, not until February 1985 (

Lancet 1985, Vol 1 271–272) was evidence published which showed that heat treatment of factor VIII actually reduced transmission of HIV to haemophiliacs.

Factor VIII products which had been heat treated to prevent the transmission of hepatitis were under development by several manufacturers throughout 1984 but with limited availability. The realisation that heat treatment procedures could also inactivate HIV led to the wider availability of these factor VIII products after October 1984.

The "named patient basis" refers to section 9 of the Medicines Act 1968. This exempts a doctor from the licensing provisions of the Act in respect of a medicinal product which is specifically prepared or imported by him for administration to a particular patient of his. There is no statutory requirement to notify the licensing authority about named patient prescribing, although practitioners are encouraged to do so. It is not therefore possible to give a precise first use date for such products.

Departmental Offices (Smoking)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what negotiations have taken place with trade unions about smoking in the Department of Health and Social Security offices;(2) what protection from tobacco smoke is offered to Department of Health and Social Security employees:(3) what is his Department's policy with regard to smoking in Department of Health and Social Security offices by

(a) the general public and (b) Department of Health and Social Security employees.

It has been the Department's policy, since 1979, to discourage the general public from smoking within its offices by the use of suitable signs and posters. Staff are generally allowed to smoke at their place of work, but must not do so whilst attending to members of the public, nor in areas of high fire risk. Staff are also asked not to smoke in lifts and corridors. For the protection of staff from tobacco smoke, local management throughout the Department have been encouraged to liaise with their trade unions with the aim of prohibiting, or limiting, smoking in staff restaurants and discouraging smoking at conferences and meetings.In view of the growing concern about the hazards of tobacco smoking, management and the Departmental trade union side have agreed to form a joint working party to review the policy on smoking. Work on this review has already begun.

Hospital Waiting Lists

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the waiting list for (a) urgent and (b) non-urgent hospital admissions for the Bath district health authority for (i) March 1987, (ii) September 1986, (iii) March 1986, (iv) September 1985 and (v) March 1985.

I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member all the information he seeks. For information from March 1985 to September 1986 I refer the hon. Member to the hospital in-patient waiting list summary booklets, copies of which have been placed in the Library. For more recent information he may wish to write to the chairman of the Bath district health authority.

Kidney Patients

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many kidney transplants have been performed each year since 1979; and what was the waiting list for each of these years.

According to information provided by the United Kingdom Transplant Service the number of cadaveric kidney transplant operations performed, and the numbers on the waiting list at 31 December during each of the years from 1979, were as follows:

	Transplants performed	Waiting list at 31 December
1979	842	1,450
1980	988	1,734
1981	905	2,076
1982	1,033	2,250
1983	1,144	2,485
1984	1,433	2,533
1985	1,336	3,215
1986	¹1,493	3,224
¹ Notified to date. Late notifications may necessitate minor revisions.

The waiting list has continued to grow as increasing numbers of patients can be treated by transplant. We are concerned to see an expansion in the transplant programme, but this can be achieved only if more donor organs are made available.

Pensioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been for a worker on average earnings retiring in (a) 1974, (b) 1979, (c) 1984 and (d) 1987 (i) the level of the retirement pension, (ii) average occupational pension, (iii) the state earnings-related pension scheme pension, where applicable, (iv) average investment income for a worker on average earnings.

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

Health Authority (Private Patient Income)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for the financial year 1985–86 the health authorities for which statutory auditors have issued reports of poor control over private patient income.

[pursuant to her reply, 9 March 1987, c. 73]: The statutory audit reports for the financial year 1985–86 included comments on the control over private patient income or debt collection procedures in the following health authorities:

Bloomsbury
City and Hackney
North Hertfordshire
Riverside
Southampton and South West Hampshire

Families (Benefits)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the number of families on family income supplement and the number with children, (b) the number of one-parent families drawing the special allowance, (c) the number of families on unemployment benefit drawing social security and the number with children, (d) the number of other families on social security and the number with children, (e) the number of families paid other kinds of dependency addition and (f) the number of children covered by each of the foregoing categories.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 March 1987, c. 257]: The information requested is set out in the tables.

Benefit recipients, those with children, and children in recipient families Great Britain (thousands)
Table 1
Benefit¹	Recipients²	Recipients with children	Dependent children	Date
Family income supplement	202	202	418	May 1986
One parent benefit	625	625	936	March 1987
Unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit	200	100	200	December 1984
Supplementary benefit only	³4,410	930	⁴1,750	December 1984
¹ Families can be entitled to more than one benefit so figures cannot be added to give an overall total.
² Includes families with children.
³ Total includes 1·7 million pensioners and 2·7 million allowance cases.
⁴ Principally children in unemployed or single-parent families but also including families experiencing sickness, disability and widowhood.

Dependancy increase recipients and children in recipient families Great Britain
Table 2
Benefit	Numbers of recipients with dependancy increase	Dependent children	Date
Sickness benefit	45,500	¹Not applicable	March 1985
Invalidity benefit	391,327	192,927	March 1985
Severe disablement allowance	6,500	5,400	March 1985
Invalid care allowance	1,502	975	May 1987
Retirement pension	144,930	23,590	September 1986
Widowed mothers allowance⁴	58,270	86,310	September 1986
War pensions²	157,100	Not available	December 1986
Unemployment benefit	132,705	¹Not applicable	May 1986
Maternity allowance³	149	¹Not applicable	March 1986
¹ Dependancy increase for adults only.
² Disablement pension with dependancy allowance and widows cases with dependent children.
³ Mother to be can claim addition for partner (specific circumstances apply when not married), if partner's income from earnings and-or occupational pension are below the level of the addition.
⁴ Includes overseas cases.

Overseas Health Services

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list visits, showing at what ministerial or official level, which have taken place to (a) France, (b) New Zealand, (c) the United States of America and (d) Australia since 1983 to examine aspects of their health services.

Date	Country	Minister	Subject of visit
April 1983	United States of America	Secretary of State for Social Services	Discussions with United States drug companies; drug misuse
September 1984	United States of America	Minister of State for Health	Primary health care
July 1985	United States of America	Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health	AIDS
May 1986	United States of America	Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health	Organ transplantation
January 1987	United States of America	Secretary of State for Social Services	AIDS

In addition, study trips by officials, generally at grade 7 level or above, have included the following:

Date	Country	Subject of visit
April 1983	France	Health service organisation
June 1983	United States of America	Health service management
September 1983	United States of America	Contract cleaning
October 1983	United States of America	Patient care systems
November 1983	France	Health care costs
December 1983	United States of America	Dental indicators
December 1984	France	Cancer research
June 1985	United States of America	AIDS
September 1985	United States of America	Delivery of specimens

(2) what consideration has been given to, and what studies have taken place into, aspects of health service management or practice in (i) France, (ii) New Zealand, (iii) the United States of America and (iv) Australia since June 1983.

[pursuant to her reply, 9 April 1987, c. 411]: The following is the list of ministerial visits.

Date	Country	Subject of visit
October 1985	United States of America	Primary care
November 1985	France	Health promotion/disease prevention
December 1985	United States of America	Software control in medical devices
December 1985	Australia	Hospital computer systems
December 1985	France	Drug pricing mechanisms
January 1986	United States of America	Hospital visit
April 1986	France	Visit to health ministry
May 1986	United States of America	Organ banks
August 1986	United States of America	Visit to Federal Drug Administration
September 1986	France	Information technology
October 1986	France	Cook/chill methods

It is general practice for a report to be prepared after a visit so that information gained and possible lessons to be learnt from foreign experience may be circulated and considered as necessary within the Department.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Scotch Whisky

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what subjects were discussed at his last meeting with representatives of the Scotch whisky industry.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 20 January, at column 494.

Foodstuffs (Irradiation)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received about the irradiation of foodstuffs; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 9 April, at column 407.

Food Labelling

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received on the subject of food labelling.

I regularly receive comments and inquiries from many sources on a wide range of labelling matters. The most recent representations I have received have been on various aspects of the EC proposals to amend the food labelling directive.

Fences

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been given by way of grant for each year that it has been available to assist farmers in the erection of fences.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. The following information may be helpful :

United Kingdom grant paid for fences and associated gates, 1980–86
(£ million)
		England, Wales, Northern Ireland	Scotland¹
	1980	2·0	2·5
	1981	3·2	2·2
	1982	5·6	2·6
	1983	6·5	3·0
	1984	8·4	2·3
	1985	9·0	3·1
	²1986	6·5	1·8
¹ Includes hedges, walls and dykes.
² Estimate.

Wetlands

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will state, for each year for which the grant has been available, the amount of money given to landowners or farmers for the purpose of draining wetlands.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. The following information may be helpful :

United Kingdom grant paid for field drainage including the drainage of wetlands, 1980–1986
	£ million
1980	43·4
1981	41·1
1982	57·0
1983	57·4
1984	74·0
1985	49·3
¹1986	24·0
¹ Estimate.

Ponds

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will state, for each year the scheme was in operation, the amount of money that was given to farmers by way of grant to assist them to eliminate ponds.

I regret that the information requested is not available.Grants for land reclamation works in Great Britain, including the related elimination of ponds, were discontinued in 1984.

Hedgerows

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money has been given by way of grant for each year that it has been available to assist farmers to remove hedgerows.

I regret that the information requested is not available.Grants for the removal of hedges were discontinued in December 1986.

Advertising

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of his Department's advertising and promotional budget is spent in regional and local newspapers; and if he will make a statement.

The proportion of publicity expenditure spent by the department on local and regional advertising in 1986–87 was 1·4 per cent. This amounted to a total of £5,000.

Financial Management Initiative

asked the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the effect on his Department of the financial management initiative.

The financial management initiative covers a wide range of reforms to improve management in central Government in support of the Government's commitment to give value for money spent in the public's name. The initiative has built on work already being done in individual departments and its effects are increasingly indistinguishable from those flowing from other improvements in management and steps to improve value for money.Major developments in MAFF in response to the initiative have included:

(a) the creation of MINIM, the Ministry's top management system, which provides a basis on which Ministers and senior management review in depth the departments' aims, the objectives of its programmes and the resources used in carrying them out;

(b) the introduction in 1986, following development work in the Ministry's eastern region, of a system of decentralised budgetary control for running cost expenditure. This system currently covers 75 per cent. of the Ministry's manpower and 60 per cent. of running costs. Increased financial responsibility has been delegated to line managers, thereby encouraging them to make more effective and efficient use of resources. The Ministry's supply estimates have been restructured to bring MAFF's running costs together in a single vote and to show the breakdown by the main organisation units (class IV, vote 5 of the 1987–88 Supply Estimates);

(c) the creation of a computer-based management accounting information system to produce monthly reports of expenditure by budget item for managers who control budgets.

The introduction of these systems has also been supported in the Ministry by a comprehensive programme of FMI training for staff at all levels.

FMI systems have had a positive effect in clarifying aims, in reviewing priorities, in providing improved data for decision-making and in identifying the scope for improved value for money. Some of these improvements are shown in the material contained in the public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 56). As my hon. Friend is aware, further information is provided in the NAO report of 21 October 1986 on the financial management initiative (HC. 588) and in the evidence given on that report in December 1986 to the Public Accounts Committee by the Ministry's accounting officer (HC. 61-ii). I am satisfied that the initiative is improving the management of the Ministry and thus securing better value for money.

Common Wheat

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the average price of common wheat received by the producer in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France (a) in national currency and (b) converted to pound sterling at the market rates prevailing on the latest date for which this information is available.

Common wheat producer prices are not available for the three countries.For the week ending Wednesday 8 April market prices for milling wheat were as shown below :

	National currency per tonne	£ per tonne
Germany (Hamburg)	477·50 DM	162·90
France (Rouen)	1,461·55 FF	149·90
United Kingdom (Yorkshire)	—	¹131·50
¹ Indicative quote as at 10 April.

Source: HGCA Weekly Bulletin

Expenditure

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food how much of the overall expenditure on agriculture, fisheries and food, as shown in the public expenditure White paper is attributable to (a) agriculture, (b) fisheries, (c) food, (d) forestry, (e) court defence and (f) all the other non-agricultural activities including civil defence for 1985–86, 1986–87 and the forecast for 1987–88.

The information requested is set out in the table. It has not been possible to isolate expenditure on food.

(£ million)
	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Agricultural support	2,160	1,546	1,898
Fisheries support	46	59	56
Forestry	51	53	54
Land Drainage, Flood and Coast protection	167	195	179
Other activities¹	466	489	496
Total	2,890	2,342	2,683
¹ Includes some services to agriculture, such as research and development local support in Northern Ireland for agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

Pound Sterling

asked the Minister of Agriculture., Fisheries and Food if he will list the average percentage difference between the value of the pound sterling and the green rate for the pound sterling for each six months period since January 1979.

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

Food Exports (Forms)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek simplification of European Economic Community forms for export of food.

The information required of exporters is kept to the minimum necessary to meet common agricultural policy and Customs and Excise requirements. It is the Government's objective to simplify the paperwork as much as possible. To that end the United Kingdom has taken part in discussions with the European Commission on the introduction, on 1 January 1988, of a revised method of documentation for imports and exports —generally called the single administrative document —and will continue to work for the greatest possible alignment of remaining documents with the SAD.

Milk Quotas

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is transferring milk quota bought under the outgoers scheme from England to Northern Ireland.

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

Badgers

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food if he intends to extend badger killing to Northern Ireland.

No. My powers in relation to the control of wildlife to prevent the spread of disease to livestock contained in section 21 of the Animal Health Act 1981 do not extend to Northern Ireland.

Environment

Rents

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the average level of fair rents registered for unfurnished lettings in the private sector in (a) Westminster, (b) Tottenham and (c) Hampstead in each of the years 1983 to 1986 indicating (i) average weekly rents, (ii) the average cost per square unit of floor space and (iii) rateable values in the most convenient form available.

The information available is from the sample of rents registered in each year by rent officers and it is classified only to London borough level.

Unfurnished private tenancies¹ Average rents registered
£ per week
	London borough of
	Westminster	Haringey	Camden
1983	41·88	16·28	31·28
1984	40·59	18·74	29·21
1985	46·28	19·73	30·51
1986	49·32	21·82	37·48
¹ Excludes housing associations. The mix of properties registered varies from year to year.

Housing

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of (a) council, (b) private and (c) housing association housing starts for each year since 1974 in (i) Yorkshire and Humberside, (ii) Barnsley metropolitan council area and (iii) Barnsley, West and Penistone constituency.

The information for Yorkshire and Humberside for the years 1975 to 1985 appears in table 6.4 of "Housing and Construction Statistics, 1975–1985" and provisional figures for 1986 are in table 1.3 of the quarterly "Housing and Construction Statistics" No. 28: copies are available in the Library. In 1974, there were 7,626 dwelling starts for local authorities, 1,024 for housing associations and 10,212 for the private sector in the region; there were another 13 starts for government departments.Starts reported in the Barnsley area appear in the following issues of "Local Housing Statistics" which are also available in the Library :

	Issue Number	Table Number
1974	33	5
1975	37	5
1976	41	5
1977	45	5
1978	49	5
1979	59	4
1980 to 1983	73	1(b) to 1(e)
1984	77	1(b)
1985	78	1(b)

For the years up to 1983, housing associations are included within the category "other public sector". In Barnsley there were 86 starts in this category in 1974, some of which may have been for Government Departments; the starts reported in 1979 and 1983 were all for housing associations. For the first nine months of 1986, no local authority starts have been reported, but 167 for housing associations and 244 for the private sector.Information is not collected for individual constituencies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department takes to ensure that the allocation of properties by housing trusts complies with the aims and policies of equal opportunity; and if he will make a statement.

I will answer this question shortly.

Toilet Flush Systems

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received concerning the change in the water byelaws to allow a 7-litre flush system in toilets.

I have received no recent representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there are any restrictions on (a) the import and (b) the installation of 7-litre toilet flush systems; and if he will make a statement.

There are no restrictions on the import of toilet flush systems but their installation must comply with the construction and water use requirements of water undertakers' byelaws.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether (a) United Kingdom-manufactured and (b) imported 7-litre toilet flush systems are governed by water byelaws.

Water byelaws include requirements governing the construction of and water used by toilet flush systems. These requirements apply equally to products of United Kingdom manufacture and to imports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to remove anomalies in the regulation of United Kingdom manufactured and imported 7-litre toilet flush systems; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any anomalies in any regulations concerning United Kingdom manufactured and imported toilet flush systems.

Plumbers

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the establishment of a formal registration system for plumbers; and if he will make a statement on plumber registration systems in other European countries.

I do not intend at present to establish a formal registration system for plumbers. The Institute of Plumbing already runs a voluntary registration scheme recently recognised under the British Standards Institute public register inspection maintenance assessment scheme.

Beaches

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the beaches in the United Kingdom which currently meet European Economic Community safety and health standards.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 30 March, at column 418.

Local Government Finance

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the local authority associations on developing grant-related expenditure assessments for local authorities personal social services expenditure; what steps he has taken to ensure that personal social services grant-related expenditures reflect need; and what proposals he has to develop personal social services grant-related expenditures in the future.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, when determining 1988–89 grant-related expenditure assessments for local authorities' expenditure on adult education, he will take account of (a) the case for those who are disadvantaged in the labour market to have greater access to relevant courses and (b) the variations between local education authorities in the capacity to generate income through fees;(2) whether he will amend the grant-related expenditure assessment for local authorities' expenditure on the library service to reflect

(a) the demands generated by the elderly,

the unemployed and ethnic minorities and students and (b) the provision of libraries and specialised services in regional and business centres.

Grant-related expenditure assessments for 1987–88 were approved by the House on 26 March. We are now consulting the local authority associations on arrangements for the 1988–89 settlement. We intend to bring forward proposals for the 1988–89 settlement in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will re-examine the grant-related expenditure assessment for local authorities' expenditure on non-HRA housing expenditure and in particular (a) the data sources for the assessment of need and (b) alternative treatment of loan charges.

The grant-related expenditure assessment for non-HRA housing expenditure was reviewed fully last year by representatives of central and local government through the grants working group. We do not propose to review it again this year.

Slum Clearance (Compensation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of freeholders of houses in slum clearance areas seeking compensation on the grounds that repair convenants have not been kept, thereby increasing demand for improvement grants prior to clearance; and if he will make a statement.

I have no evidence to suggest that action by freeholders of houses in slum clearance areas is increasing the demand for improvement grants.

Compulsory Purchase Order (Kensington And Chelsea)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received from the borough of Kensington and Chelsea an application for confirmation of a compulsory purchase order in respect of six properties at Coulson street and Anderson street, SW3; and if, in view of the time the premises remained empty, he will make it his policy to hold an early inquiry and make an early decision on the application.

Compulsory purchase orders made under the Housing Acts are dealt with as soon as possible, as stated in circular 6/85. The order in question was received on 17 February. An objection to the order has also been received and a local inquiry has been arranged for 17 June.

Play Board

the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what arrangements are being made in respect of the staff of Play Board, following the liquidation of ACPR Limited on 31 March;(2) what time scale he envisages for the conclusion of the discussions relating to children's play, described by the Under-Secretary of State in his speech to the House on 6 April,

Official Report, column 144; and what interim coordinating arrangements are being made following the voluntary liquidation of Play Board.

The Sports Council is now discussing the future development of children's play with local authority associations and other interested parties and expect to reach conclusions in September. In the meantime the council proposes to continue some of the work undertaken by Play Board through the setting-up of an information and advisory service.In September 1986 the council and Play Board agreed to start negotiations on our proposal that Play Board's role and functions be merged with those of the council — a proposal which offered the clear prospect of continuing employment on play-related work within the council for Play Board's staff. On March 5 Play Board resolved to withdraw from these negotiations and to enter into liquidation. I very much regret the consequences these decisions have had for Play Board's staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what alternatives to the amalgamation of Play Board with the Sports Council he considered before September 1986; and why he rejected them;(2) what response he made, or proposes to make, to the representations made by organisations in the field of children's play on the issue of Play Board;(3) if the former Play Board budget now allocated to the Sports Council is to be retained as a separate budget for children's play; and at what level proportionate to its 1987 value it will be maintained in future years.(4) what steps he is taking to ensure that the intellectual, emotional and social development of children through play is developed by the Sports Council.

The alternative options considered for the future development of children's play were set out in my reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 9 April at column 391.A number of organisations and individuals have written to and discussed with me their concerns about the future funding and independence of children's play. As I have explained to them, I remain of the view that the future development of children's play within the structure of the Sports Council represents the best way of progressing the work begun by Play Board.Within its grant-aid for 1987–88, the Sports Council has £700,000 separately allocated for children's play. Our proposals envisage that children's play would be treated separately under the council's corporate planning and budgeting arrangements with the proviso that at least half of the moneys available for the Department would be used to pump-prime private sector funds. This arrangement does not affect the continuing support for play under the urban programme—now running at £6 million each year— nor the further substantial resources directed to play by the Departments of Health and Social Security and Education and Science.I fully appreciate the importance of play in the development of children. Together with continuing support from the Departments of Health and Social Security and Education and Science, I am sure that appropriate arrangements will be identified by the Sports Council which will recognise the full potential of children's play.

Tower Hamlets

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had concerning the recommendations contained in the first report of the Home Affairs Committee, Session 1986–87, on Bangladeshis in Britain; and, what is his policy as regards the Select Committee's recommendation that Tower Hamlets HIP allocation be significantly increased, at least to the extent needed to prevent further deterioration in housing conditions in the borough.

The main HIP allocations for 1987–88 were made before the Select Committee's report was received and honoured in full the assurances previously given that allocations would be at least 80 per cent. of the initial allocations for 1985–86. Additional allocations are available for schemes to improve conditions on rundown estates, prepared in consultation with Estate Action : Tower Hamlets has already benefited under that heading in 1986–87, and submitted bids for 1987–88, which are being considered.Decisions about HIP allocations for 1988–89 have not yet been made. Tower Hamlets will be invited to make a HIP submission to the Department later this year, when we shall consider it, together with other evidence about the authority's needs and performance.The Government will be publishing a response in due course to all the Committee's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Tower Hamlets council since May 1986 on the growing cost and number of homeless families in Tower Hamlets; and what response he has made.

The main specific representation was a recent report on homelessness which was discussed with officials on 14 April. We shall take account of all such representations when considering the council's next housing investment programme bid.

Improvement Grants

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the outstanding number of applications for improvement grants for each of the local authorities in England.

Responsibility for administering the home improvement grant system rests with local authorities. The information requested on outstanding applications is not collected centrally.

Widdicombe Report

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the results of his review conducted following recommendation 58 of the Widdicombe report.

My right hon. Friend announced last July that he would be studying the need and desirability of specific powers for local authorities to carry out economic development. He will announce his conclusions as soon as possible.

Harrogate District Council

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what capital allocations have been granted to the Harrogate district council in each year since 1981–82 (a) at the beginning of each year and (b) as supplementary allocations.

The information requested is as follows :

Harrogate Borough Council Capital Allocations
Financial Year	Initial £	Supplementary £	Total £
1981–82	2,903,000	—	2,903,000
1982–83	3,141,000	105,000	3,246,000
1983–84	3,321,000	726,000	4,047,000
1984–85	2,911,000	—	2,911,000
1985–86	2,262,000	127,000	2,389,000
1986–87	2,040,000	8,000	2,048,000
1987–88	1,811,000	—	1,811,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on deferred purchase arrangements entered into by the Harrogate district council.

Harrogate borough council entered into a deferred purchase arrangement in 1977 to finance the construction of a conference centre. This arrangement was terminated in 1982 with the assistance of an approval for additional conventional borrowing from my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State. The approval was given at a time of substantial capital underspending by local authorities nationally in recognition that the borough council was facing unforeseen financial difficulties as a result of its commitment to the conference centre. I have no information as to whether the Council has entered into other such arrangements.

	Female	Male	Total	Percentage of Females
DOE Central
Open structure	3	38	41	7
Admin EO and above	612	1,397	2,009	50
Admin Clerical	934	681	1,615	57
General Category	49	92	141	34
Science Category	70	362	432	16
P and TO Category	15	300	315	4
Secretarial Category	640	3	643	99
General Service Category	438	446	884	40
Departmental Grades	67	545	612	10
Totals	2,828	3,864	6,692	42
Property Services Agency
Admin Group—EO and above	727	1,375	2,102	34
Admin Group—Clerical	2,496	1,123	3,619	68
P and TO Works Grades	163	7,924	8,087	2
P and TO Estates Grades	74	570	644	11
P and TO Other Disciplines	52	569	621	8
Secretarial	904	5	909	99
Miscellaneous Grades	353	373	726	48
Total	4,769	11,939	16,708	29

Tyne And Wear Urban Development Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the names of the people appointed to the Tyne and Wear urban development corporation, their period of office, and the salary payable to them.

National Play Focus

asked the secretary of state for the Environment which other Government Departments his Department consulted about the future of a national play focus.

The Departments of Health and Social Security, Education and Science Welse Office and Northern Ireland Office were consulted during the Departments review in 1986 of its support for the voluntary organisation, Play Board, and have been kept in closed touch with subsequent developments.

London Residuary Body

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairman of the London Residuary Body; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend last met Sir Godfrey Taylor on 5 February to discuss matters relevant to the LRB's functions under the Local Government Act 1985.

Departmental Staff

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the number of staff in his Department who are female, by grade, expressing each as a percentage of the total staff complement in that grade.

Information for all grades could be given only at disproportionate expense. The information which is readily available relates to staff in post in the main groups of grades at 31 December 1986 and is as follows:

My right hon. Friend intends to appoint the following to the board of the Tyne and Wear development corporation : Mr. Paul Nicholson (Chairman), Mr. John Ward (Deputy Chairman), Mr. Graeme Anderson, Mr. John Barnsley, Councillor John Donnelly, Mr. John Hall, Dr. Ralph Iley, Mr. Joe Mills, Councillor Bert Moore and Councillor Septimus Robinson. The chairman will be appointed for three years, the other members for two years.For salary details I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) on 30 January 1987 at columns

460–61.

London Docklands (Property Sales)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the number of houses and flats on London Docklands Development Corporation owned land sold during the past 12 months for (a) over £30,000, (b) over £40,000, (c) over £50,000, (d) over £60,000, (e) over £70,000, (f) over £80,000, (g) over, £90,000 and (h) over £100,000.

I will write to the hon. Member.

Equal Opportunities

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 5 February, Official Report, column 770, he will list the equal opportunities policies which his equal opportunities unit has formulated since its introduction; and if he will make a statement.

In addition to its work in helping to promote and implement equal opportunities generally, the unit has dealt with specific departmental policy statements on part-time working and job-sharing, encouragement of women to become promotion board members, special leave for staff with domestic responsibilities and other personal reasons, reinstatement after a break in employment, and the provision of personnel management services for disabled staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 5 February, Official Report, column 771, he will list the measures implemented by his Department to reduce the risk of discrimination in recruitment and promotion.

Measures implemented include the addition of a statement in job advertisements that the Department is an equal opportunity employer; training in equal opportunities for staff involved in recruitment and promotion; clearly defined non-discriminatory criteria for selection and promotion; and the recording of reasons for selection and promotion decisions. Monitoring of the ethnic origins of staff, now in progress on a voluntary basis, will provide useful information in this context.

Volume 114: debated on Wednesday 22 April 1987

Written Answers To Questions

House Of Commons

Local Government Legislation

"Official Report"

Council Of Ministers

European Community Legislation

Prime Minister

Mr John O'sullivan

Home Department

"Legislating For Change"

Monzur-Al-Kassar

Prison Population

Mr Viraj Mendis

Visa Applications

Immigration

Tamils

Us Service Men

Nigerian Citizens (Entry Refusal)

Overseas Voters

Nuclear Accidents

Bilingual Forms

Wales

Core Curriculum

Higher Education (Part-Time Students)

School Closures

Handicapped Pupils (Ancillary Staff)

Schools (Expenditure)

Education And Science

Capital Receipts And Allocations

Council Of Europe And Western Union

Advertising

Students (Ethnic Minorities)

Schoolchildren (Ethnic Monitoring)

Teachers (Industrial Action)

Primary School Staff (Guidelines)

Engineering Students

Class Sizes

Accommodation

Governors' Reports

School Openings And Closures

Mixed Schools

Birkbeck College

Central Electricity Generating Board (Booklets)

Student Statistics

A-Level Statistics

Sixth Form Places

O-Level Statistics

Boarding Places

Boarding Education

Voluntary Aided Schools

Professor Colin Blakemore

Energy

Uranium

Advertising

Oil And Gas Developments

Colliery Closures

Nuclear Fuel

Nuclear Accidents

Attorney-General

Queen's Counsel

Notary Public (Appointment)

Trade And Industry

Bt (Network Restrictions)

Trade Statistics

Japan

Companies (Accounts)

Companies Registration Office

Newspapers (Takeovers And Purchases)

Export Licences

Securities And Investments Board

British Shipbuilders (Chairman)

Privatisation (Multiple Share Applications)

Employment

Injuries (Statistics)

Hazardous Substances

"Engineering Our Future"

Health And Safety

Industrial Tribunals