Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 22 October 1987

Attorney-General

"Spycatcher"

asked the Attorney-General if he will provide details of each legal action commenced by the Government in respect of the book "Spycatcher", what has been the outcome in each case; and what has been the total cost in each case to date.

The High Court of Australia will hear in about March 1988 the Government's appeal against the judgment of the New South Wales Court of Appeal in the action brought against Heinemann (Australia) and Mr. Peter Wright to restrain publication of material attributed to Mr. Wright and to seek an account of profits. The total amount of costs expended to date by the Government in the Australian proceedings is about £299,750.In this country, the House of Lords in July upheld the interim injunction obtained last year restraining the publication of material attributed to Mr. Wright. The trial of the Government's action against

The Guardian and The Observer newspapers, in which the High Court has agreed that The Sunday Times should be joined, is due to start in November. The total amount of costs expended to date by the Government in these proceedings is about £120.

In New Zealand an interim injunction was obtained in August against The Dominion newspaper restraining the publication of material attributed to Mr. Wright. The trial is due to start next month. Earlier this month an interim injunction was obtained against London Books to restrain them from importing, selling or distributing "Spycatcher"; and, after proceedings had been instituted against them, Heinemann (New Zealand) gave an undertaking to the same effect. The total amount of costs expended to date by the Government in the New Zealand proceedings is about £13,400.

In Hong Kong an interim injunction was obtained in August against the South China Morning Post newspaper. No date for the hearing of the substantive action has yet been set. The total amount of costs expended to date by the Government in the Hong Kong proceedings is about £730.

Overseas Development

Caribbean Development Bank

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs what contribution the Government are proposing to make to the recently announced second replenishment of the Caribbean development bank's special development fund; and if he will make a statement.

Subject to Parliament's approval, the Government propose to contribute US $15 million (£9,252,510) to the fund. This will be 50 per cent. more than our contribution to the first replenishment. The replenishment will facilitate a lending programme of $132 million mainly to the poorer Caribbean countries during the years 1988 to 1991.

Bilateral Aid

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government will present their observations on the second report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on bilateral aid; H.C. 32 of Session 1986–87.

The Government's observations on the Foreign Affairs Committee report on bilateral aid are being laid before Parliament today.

Energy

Ukaea

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list (a) the members of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, (b) the criteria for selection of members, (c) the relevant qualifications of present members, (d) the number of Trades Union Congress-nominated places and (e) how many Trades Union Congress-nominated places are held by women.

The Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954 provides for the Secretary of State for Energy to appoint the chairman and not less than seven nor more than 15 other members of the UKAEA. Clause 1(3) of the Act requires the Secretary of State to appoint at least three members with experience and capacity in dealing with problems associated with atomic energy, one member with experience and capacity in administration and finance, and one member with experience and capacity in the organisation of workers.The members of the authority and their relevant qualifications are as follows:

Chairman

Mr. J. G. Collier—Expertise in nuclear science.

Full-time Members

Dr. B. L. Eyre—Expertise in nuclear science.
Dr. G. G. E. Low—Expertise in nuclear science.
Mr. R. N. Simeone, CBE — Expertise in Finance and Administration

Part-time Members

Mr. J. Bullock—Accounting expertise.
Professor Sir Peter Hirsch, FRS—Expertise in nuclear science.
Mr. M. J. B. Parker—Industrial expertise.
Mr. R. E. J. Roberts, CBE—Industrial expertise.
Mr. R. Sanderson, OBE—Expertise in organisation of workers. (National Officer of the EETPU).

There are no Trades Union Congress-nominated places.

Domestic Gas Disconnections

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has about the number of domestic gas disconnections in each of the past three years.

This is a matter for British Gas plc. I have asked the chairman of British Gas to write to the hon. Member.

Home Department

Political Party Conferences

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from the appropriate chief constables as to the estimated cost of policing (a) the Labour party conference and (b) the Conservative party conference; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constables of Sussex and Lancashire that the estimated additional costs of policing the Labour party conference and the Conservative party conference were £23,000 and £829,000, respectively.

"Spycatcher"

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has obtained a copy of the book "Spycatcher".

The Government were provided with a copy of Mr. Wright's book by his legal advisers in 1986 in connection with the legal proceedings taking place in Australia.

Mr Michael Dobbs

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why was Mr. V. N. Minas, a consultant psychiatrist refused permission on 21 August to examine Mr. Michael Dobbs at the Ashford remand centre.

The refusal resulted from a regrettable misunderstanding. A letter of apology is to be sent to Mr. Minas.

Metropolitan Police (Northern Ireland)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers from the Metropolitan Police have been seconded to duties in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

No formal secondments have been made, but under normal co-operation arrangements some officers may have been temporarily attached to the RUC over this period.

Political Asylum

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received for political asylum in each year since 1979; which countries were involved; how many were granted; and how many are still outstanding.

	Season 1986–87		Season 1987–88
	Charged	Paid	Charged	Paid
Club	£	£	£	£
Arsenal	160,581·23	160,581·23	22,375·62	22,375·62
Brentford	31,095·05	31,095·05	7,603·89	4,393·86
Charlton	74,500·35	74,500·35	16,063·84	16,063·84
Chelsea	142,615·45	142,615·45	41,861·16	24,081·93
Crystal Palace	44,755·58	44,755·58	9,777·52	5,827·72
Fulham	34,814·48	34,814·48	10,024·90	5,932·01
Leyton Orient	14,225·96	14,225·96	5,079·42	3,481·45
Millwall	43,658·14	43,658·14	13,133·97	10,496·07

Information on applications, grants and cases outstanding by nationality for 1979 to 1984 was published in tables 5A-5F of Home Office statistical bulletin "Refugee Statistics, United Kingdom, 1985" (issue 12/86). The corresponding figures for 1985 (which have been revised since the issue of that bulletin) and 1986 were published in tables 6 and 7 of the corresponding bulletin for 1986 (issue 13/87).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for political asylum have died in the United Kingdom since 1979 whilst their applications were being considered.

This information is not available. There were over 28,000 asylum applications between 1979 and 1986 and the overwhelming majority of applicants were either already here, having been admitted in another category, or were granted temporary admission on arrival. Since in these circumstances the death of an applicant might well not come to the attention of the Home Office at all, or only sometime after it had taken place, it would be impracticable to keep records.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts are made to monitor the subsequent fate of applicants for political refugee status refused by his Department.

There is no obligation under the UN convention on refugees to monitor unsuccessful applicants for refugee status returned abroad. However, such decisions would be taken only after the most careful consideration of the facts in each case together with information and views available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, British posts abroad and international agencies—especially the office of the UN High Commission for Refugees—specialising in refugee matters. Refusal of refugee status does not automatically result in removal: many applicants in practice qualify to remain under some other head.

Football Clubs (Police Services)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how much was (a) charged and (b) paid by each football club in London for police services in the 1986–87 season and 1987–88 season to date.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested is as follows :

	Season 1986–87		Season 1987–88
	Charged	Paid	Charged	Paid
Club	£	£	£	£
Queens Park Rangers	95,717·26	95,717·26	29,958·57	29,958·57
Tottenham Hotspur	171,440·49	171,440·49	37,292·07	22,440·24
West Ham United	146,478·51	146,478·51	46,899·54	28,221·42
Wimbledon	57,469·45	57,469·45	20,714·40	12,420·34
Total	1,017,351·95	1,017,351·95	260,784·90	185,693·07

Storm Damage

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for proclaiming a state of civil emergency; and if consideration was given to such a declaration arising from the consequences of the storm which hit London on the morning of 16 October.

The Emergency Powers Act 1920 allows for a state of emergency to be declared if there is a threat to the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community. Although conditions in the south-east of England were bad, the emergency services, local and other authorities were able to cope with the demand on them, and there was no reason to think that the declaration of a state of emergency would have substantially improved their efforts.

Prime Minister

Public Bodies (Tuc Membership)

asked the Prime Minister what is (a) the number of Trades Union Congress-nominated members of public bodies and (b) the number of women Trades Union Congress-nominated members of public bodies.

This information is not held centrally by the Government and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister if she will (a) list the members of the Advisory Committee for Applied Research and Development, (b) the qualifications which led to their appointment, (c) the selection criteria for membership, (d) the number of Trades Union Congress-nominated places and (e) how many Trades Union Congress-nominated members are women.

On 20 July, in the White Paper on civil research and development, Cm. 185, the Government announced that the Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development (ACARD) was to be absorbed within a new body, the Advisory Council on Science and Technology (ACOST).The members of ACOST are:

Sir Francis Tombs, FEng, (Chairman), Chairman, Rolls-Royce plc
Mr. Andrew Bain, FRSE, Group Economic Adviser, Midland Bank plc
Sir John Collyear, FEng, Chairman, Technology Requirements Board
Professor Gordon Edge, Chief Executive, Scientific Generics Ltd.
Mr. Anthony Gill, BSc, FEng, Chairman, Lucas Industries plc
Mr. Eric Hammond, OBE, General Secretary, Electrical, Electronic Telecommunications and Plumbing Union
Mr. Terry Harrison, Chairman, Northern Engineering Industries plc

Dr. Graham Hills, FRSC, FRSE, Principal and Vice Chancellor, University of Strathclyde
Professor Leonard Maunder, OBE, FEng, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Mr. David McMurty, Chairman, Renishaw plc
Professor Stan Metcalfe, Department of Economics., Manchester University
Dr. Dennis Oliver, CBE, FEng, Business Consultancy Professor Sir David Phillips, FRS, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils
Professor Keith Peters, FRCP, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith
Sir George Porter, FRS, President of the Royal Society
Dr. Charles Reece, FRSC. Director of Research and Technology, Imperial Chemical Industries plc
Dr. Alan Rudge, OBE, FEng, FRSA, Director of Research and Technology, British Telecom plc
Dr. David Smith, Consultant
Professor Desmond Smith, FRS, FRSE, Department of Physics, Heriot Watt University
Professor Sir Peter Swinnerton-Dyer, FRS, Chairman, University Grants Committee

ACOST is composed of eminent industrialists and distinguished scientists with widely varying backgrounds to cover all areas of science and technology. All of the members are selected for their personal eminence in their fields, and none is appointed on the nomination of the Trades Union Congress or of any other organisation.

Peter Wright

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will now make a statement in relation to Her Majesty's Government's proceedings in relation to Peter Wright's memoirs.

In these proceedings the Government continue to seek to uphold the principle that present and former members of the security and intelligence services, like other public servants, owe a lifelong duty of confidentiality to the Crown.

Rugby

Q64.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Rugby.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Southend-On-Sea

Q79.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Southend-on-Sea.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Dhss (Local Office Staff)

asked the Prime Minister what is the current level of absenteeism in local offices of the Department of Health and Social Security; and what are the comparable rates in other Departments.

Civil servants are allowed leave of absence from work for sickness, maternity leave, special leave and annual leave. Unauthorised absence is not recorded centrally.

Vat

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to resist any proposal by the European Community to tax books, magazines or newspapers.

I have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 24 July at columns 543–44.

Security

asked the Prime Minister what has been the total cost of security provision for the Prime Minister each year since 1979.

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to give details of such security costs.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

asked the Prime Minister how many non-departmental public bodies have (a) been set up and (b) abolished since 1979.

Between May 1979 and April 1987, 372 new non-departmental public bodies were set up. During the same period, 896 bodies were abolished, rationalised or substantially reduced resulting in a net reduction of 524.

National School For Public Administration

asked the Prime Minister if she will urgently undertake to create a national school for public administration such as the French and other Governments have for their public and civil servants.

We have devised a range of training provisions for civil servants in the United Kingdom to meet the needs of Government. I do not think a national school for public administration is necessary in these circumstances.

No 10 Downing Street

asked the Prime Minister how many Conservative hon. and right hon. Members have received hospitality in 10 Downing street in each of the past five years.

A number of Members of Parliament, of various parties, come to official functions at 10 Downing street during the course of the year. Detailed records are available only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister what paintings, engravings and photographs have been (a) removed and (b) hung in 10 Downing street since 1979.

Information in the form requested is available only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister what has been the total annual cost of (a) decoration and (b) furnishing for 10 Downing street in each year since 1979.

The total expected costs in 1987–88 of (a) decoration and other maintenance and repair work and (b) furniture and fittings for 10 Downing street are £60,000 and £15,000, respectively. Information for previous years is not available in the form requested and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister if she will provide the final figures for 1985–86 and 1986–87 for (a) the cost of maintaining and running 10 Downing street and additional costs at Chequers, (b) the grant-in-aid to the Chequers trust, (c) the costs on a consistent basis and(d) expressed at constant 1984–85 prices.

The figures requested are as follows:

	£
(a) Cost of maintaining and running 10 Downing street and additional costs at Chequers¹
1985–86	4,405,852
1986–87²	4,962,950
(b) Grant-in-aid to the Chequers Trust:
1985–86	208,000
1986–87	224,000
(c) Costs at (a) on a consistent basis³
1985–86	4,405,852
1986–87	4,526,729
(d) Costs at (c) expressed in 1984–85 price terms⁴
1985–86	4,154,895
1986–87	4,143,785

Notes:

¹ The figures include costs at both 10 Downing street and Chequers; the information is not available by location.

² Costs for 1986–87 include, for the first time, the costs of office services attributed to 10 Downing street. Salaries and wages, notional pension liability and administration costs and the grant-in-aid to the Chequers Trust are included for both years. The salary of the Prime Minister is excluded.

³ To produce consistent figures, office service costs for 1986–87 have been excluded.

⁴ Constant costs have been calculated using the Treasury's GDP deflator for 1985–86 rebased to 1984–85.

Space And Maritime Research

asked the Prime Minister if she will detail Government policy towards joint ventures with other European countries in matters of space research, maritime experiments.

Subject to overall funding constraints, the Government will continue to collaborate on cost-effective space ventures both within the programmes of the European Space Agency and, where appropriate, under separate bilateral and multilateral initiatives with European countries.The United Kingdom has taken an active part in supporting co-operative research in maritime navigation aids through the European cost programme. We also co-operate with the signatories to the Bonn agreement on pollution control in the North sea, as well as supporting EEC efforts in the community research centre at Ispra.

South Africa (Atrocities)

asked the Prime Minister what information the British Embassy in Pretoria has passed to her regarding alleged atrocities committed against children by the South African regime.

Her Majesty's embassy at Pretoria has provided regular reports on abuses of human rights in South Africa including the alleged mistreatment of children held in detention.

Official Duties (Costs)

asked the Prime Minister what was the total cost to public funds of the Prime Minister in all her offices, duties, accommodation and expenses in the year 1986–87.

The cost of all my offices in 1986–87 was £4,995,392¹.

Note:

¹ Salaries and wages, notional pension liability and administration costs and the grant-in-aid to the Chequers Trust are included. My salary as a Cabinet Minister is included. My pay and allowances as a Member of this House are excluded.

asked the Prime Minister what was the total cost to public funds of her visit to Canada and the United States of America in October, broken down by category of expenditure.

I have only just returned from visiting Canada and the United States of America and it is too soon to give detailed information of the cost to public funds of the visit. A provisional estimate of the total cost of the visit is £160,000. It is not yet possible to break this down by category of expenditure.

asked the Prime Minister what was the cost of official entertainment associated with the office of Prime Minister in 1986–87.

The cost of official entertainment associated with my office in 1986–87 was £20,278.

Conservative Party Conference (Policing)

asked the Prime Minister what was the total cost for policing the 1987 Conservative party conference in Blackpool; and how many arrests were made in connection with the policing operation there.

I understand from the chief constable of Lancashire that the estimated additional costs of policing the Conservative party conference were £829,500. The Lancashire police made three arrests in connection with their operation at the conference between 5 and 9 October 1987.

Engagements

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 October.

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

Transport

Ba/B-Cal Merger

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the British independent airlines concerning the proposed British Airways/British Caledonian merger.

The proposed merger has been referred by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Several airlines made representations to my right hon. Friend before the referral and all subsequent representations have been made to the commission. The commission's business is conducted in private and I cannot therefore disclose details of evidence which has been copied to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of them-percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Munich, Paris and Zurich;(2) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Amsterdam;(3) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Brussels;(4) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Copenhagen;(5) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Frankfurt;(6) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Geneva;(7) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Munich;(8) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Paris;(9) what would be the combined market share of British Airways and British Caledonian in terms of their percentage of the British share of scheduled traffic to Zurich.

The most recently available published information is for traffic from London airports in 1985. It is as follows:

	United Kingdom airlines' share of traffic	BA/BCal share of traffic carried by United Kingdom airlines
	Per cent.	Per cent.
Amsterdam	49	94
Brussels	55	97
Copenhagen	42	100
Frankfurt	29	100
Geneva	57	100
Munich	58	95
Paris	52	98
Zurich	42	84
Total (for all eight routes)	48	96

Source: The International Civil Aviation Organisation's report "Traffic by Flight Stage". Routes from London to the destinations shown comprise services from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports.

Launches And Hovercraft

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the adequacy and equitability of existing primary legislation and statutory instruments relating to the design and operation of fast launches and hovercraft in providing a framework for accommodating recent technical advance and innovation in this field; and if he will make a statement.

Existing primary legislation and statutory instruments provide a suitable framework for accommodating recent technical advance and innovation relating to design and operation of fast launches and hovercraft. Hovercraft are covered under special hovercraft legislation and other high speed dynamically supported craft carrying passengers are covered by merchant shipping legislation supplemented by the International Maritime Organisation code of safety for dynamically supported craft.

Lrt (Board Salaries And Expenses)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the salaries and expenses of the board members of London Regional Transport; and if he will state when the next review is due.

Current annual salaries of the board members of London Regional Transport are as follows:

Member	Salary	Time commitment
Chairman
Sir Keith Bright	59,500	Full time
Full-time members
Dr. Tony Ridley	47,500	Full time
Mr. John Telford Beasley	46,500
Mr. Barry Dale	46,500
Part-time members
Sir Neil Shields	17,250	Two days per week
Mr. Keith Brown	5,250	Half day per week
Miss Eileen Cole	5,250
Dr. Stephen Galister	5,250
Miss Helen Robinson	5,250
Miss Patricia Steel	5,250

These salaries are currently under review. Members' expenses are a matter for London Regional Transport.

Traffic Control (London)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has settled the invoice for £827,100 issued by the London residuary body in respect of value added tax on traffic control work undertaken by the road assessment unit.

No. Traffic control work carried out by the London residuary body for the Department of Transport under the provisions of paragraph 10 of schedule 5 to the Local Government Act 1985 does not attract value added tax.

Wales

Craig-Y-Nos

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the future of Craig-y-Nos.

The building is a grade II^* listed building and I am considering proposals that the theatre part of it should be listed grade I. Decisions concerning the sale will be taken after the decision on the listing of the theatre.

Trade And Industry

Postal Deliveries

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to how often postal deliveries in central London have been interfered with by industrial action during the past year.

Industrial action by postal workers is primarily a matter for the Post Office board. I therefore do not have comprehensive details of such action. However, I am aware that postal deliveries in central London have been affected by industrial action on a number of occasions over the last year, including 45 disputes which led to the sealing of letter boxes.

Ba/B-Cal Merger

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will have regard to the potential impact on airline competition in the European internal market when considering the conditions under which the British Airways/British Caledonian merger might be allowed to proceed; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he has any plans to meet the chairmen of the British independent airlines before making his decision on the proposed British Airways/British Caledonian merger; and if he will make a statement;(3) if, in his consideration of the British Airways/British Caledonian merger, he will examine the alternative offer put forward by Air Europe for the British Caledonian short haul operations; and if he will make a statement.

The proposed acquisition of British Caledonian by British Airways is currently being investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State has power to take action to prevent a merger or to impose conditions only if the commission finds that it might be expected to operate against the public interest. Until the commission's report is published, I cannot comment on the outcome of the investigation.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received from the British independent airlines concerning the proposed British Airways/British Caledonian merger.

I and my right hon. and noble Friend have received a number of representations from British independent airlines expressing a range of views. This proposed merger is currently being investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Since the reference was made, those wishing to make representations have been directed to the commission.

Whale Products

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which fully manufactured goods currently imported into the United Kingdom contain whale products.

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

"Spycatcher"

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has regarding the number of copies of the book "Spycatcher" imported into the United Kingdom to date.

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

Research Council

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress was made at the meeting of the Research Council of European Community Ministers on 28 September; and if he will make a statement.

The Community's Council of Ministers (Research) met on 28 September 1987 in Brussels. I represented Her Majesty's Government.Following the waiving of the conciliation procedure by the European Parliament, the Council approved the formal adoption of the European Community's framework programme for research and development for the period 1987 to 1991. The programme provides the basis for Community research activities in a wide range of fields. The main effort is focused on the priority of improving Europe's industrial competitiveness through programmes in information and telecommunications technologies, industrial technologies and new materials, but work is also included on health, the environment, energy (fusion, fission and non-nuclear) and agriculture.

	Grant applied for	Purpose for which sought	Grant offered 1987/88
Land use/rural co-ordination
Rural forum Scotland	17,500	Development Officer and Clerical Assistant	7,500
Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link	9,250	Organising Secretary	7,500
Country/wildlife conservation and improvement work
Scottish Wild life Trust	up to 75,000	Management and Administrative Staff Costs	15,000
Scottish Conservation Projects Trust	75,000	Management and Administrative Staff Costs	15,000
Buchan Countryside Group	5,729	Development Officer	5,000

The agreement was based on a total financial provision of 6·480 becu (£4·49 billion) of which 863 mecu (598 million) of new expenditure will not be committed until after 1991. In line with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's agreement at the European Council in June that expenditure on Community research and development should continue at current levels, the sum of 417 mecu (£289 million) has been withheld from the programme. The question of its release will be decided in the light of wider budgetary developments at the European Council in December. The Council noted my statement re-emphasising these conditions as the basis of our agreement to this package.

The Council also agreed a common position on three new or continuation programmes within the framework: RACE (telecommunications); medical and public health and science and technology for development.

Vice-President Narjes outlined the Commission's proposals for the Community's joint research centre (JRC). In the ensuing preliminary informal exchange of views the Council stressed that radical reforms were necessary to make the JRC more relevant to European industrial needs.

The Council also held a short first discussion of the proposals for ESPRIT II. (Information Technologies.)

Scotland

Special Grants Environmental Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those organisations which applied for support under his Department's special grants environmental programme, together with details of the corresponding projects and the level of funding sought, indicating those projects which have been, or are to be, approved for support.

The organisations listed applied for grant under the special grants (environmental) programme which is administered by the Scottish Development Department. The scheme is designed to assist the central management and administrative costs of voluntary bodies in t he environmental field which are engaged in environmental conservation or improvement work, co-ordination, or environmental education or training. To be eligible for grant, organisations are required to operate in more than one local authority district. Assistance for project costs is given only in exceptional cases. Details of the level of funding sought in 1987–88, the purpose for which it was sought and the grant offered (where applicable) are shown for each organisation which applied for grant.

	Grant applied for	Purpose for which sought	Grant offered 1987/88
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (1)	10,000	Nature Reserve Management	—
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2)	15,000	Investigations Work	5,000
Central Scotland Countryside Trust	9,560	Development Officer	5,000
Woodland Trust	32,447	Development Officer and other Costs	5,000
The Environment Centre	16,519	Manager and Administrator	5,000
Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland	up to 10,000	Administrative Staff Costs	5,000
Scottish Rights of Way Society	not specified	Secretary	5,000
Historic Buildings and Archaeology
Strathclyde Building Preservation Trust	30,000	Administrative and Clerical Staff Costs	7,000
Scottish Historic Building Trust	12,500	Administrative Staff Costs	7,000
Council for British Archaeology (Scotland)	22,500	Administrative Staff Costs	9,000
Scottish Field School of Archaeology	6,000	Excavation Programme Costs	6,000
Training for conservation management
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations	6,895	Training Programme for Voluntary Organisations Management	6,000
Technical Aid
Association of Community Technical Aid Centres	16,709	Development Officer and Administrative Officer	10,000
Scottish Environmental Education Council	15,325	Director and Secretary	15,000
Royal Zoological Society	20,000	Education Staff and Vehicles	—
Scottish Field Studies Association	12,250	Development Officer and Secretary	10,000
Friends of the Earth (Scotland) Environmental Education Trust	9,625	Education/Information Officer	—
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (3)	7,500	Education Officer	—
The following bodies submitted applications which did not meet the scheme's eligibility criteria:
Scottish Scenic Trust
Friends of the Earth (Scotland)
North East Mountain Trust
Iona Community
Victoria Youth Gardens
Scottish Council on Disability
Scottish Countryside Activities Council
Royal Town Planning Institute
Scottish Educational Trust
Sustrans
Scottish Ornithologists Club

Hospital For Sick Children, Yorkhill

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if any tender or offer of settlement has been made in connection with current arbitration between the Greater Glasgow health board and Costain Construction Ltd arising from work carried out on the hospital for sick children at Yorkhill, Glasgow.

Following negotiations between representatives of the health board and Costain Construction Limited, the firm made an offer of a payment of £3·75 million in settlement of the health board's claim on the basis that each side should meet its own costs, which include half of the costs of administering the arbitration. This offer has been accepted by the health board. I am satisfied that this settlement represents a reasonable and acceptable conclusion to this dispute, taking all considerations into account including the possible outcome and the substantial costs involved in continuing the formal arbitration process.

National Finance

Ec (Payments)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the early payments made by the United Kingdom in August, September and October to the European Commission, as a result of its financial difficulties.

In each of these three months the European Commission estimated that its spending obligations would exceed the revenue available under the 1987 budget. It therefore requested member states, in accordance with article 10(2) of Council regulation 2891/77, to advance by one month the payment of own resources other than VAT. The Government were satisfied that these requests were within the vires of article 10(2) and accordingly made advance payments from the Consolidated Fund on 20 August, 21 September and 20 October, under section 2(3) of the European Communities Act 1972. Payments of levies and duties in the following month have been, or will be, reduced in each case by the amount of the advance.The Commission also overdrew its accounts with member states, in accordance with article 12(2) of Council regulation 2891/77, in August and September. It expects to do so again in October. The Government have met (or propose to meet) these obligations from the Consolidated Fund, in accordance with section 2(3) of the European Communities Act 1972. Repayments are made via deductions from subsequent own resources payments.The amounts involved in these drawings are set out in the following table:

	Early payment of non-VAT own resources under Article 10(2) (reimbursed in following month)	End of month overdraft under Article 12(2)
	£ million	£ million
August	158·0	151·7
September	148·0	109·6
October	145·5	¹94·0
¹ Estimated

The total amount which the Community is authorised to spend during 1987 remains as set out in the 1987 budget and supplementary budget. There is therefore no net addition to public expenditure arising from the Commission's use of these facilities.

The Community's cash difficulties in 1987 should be resolved before the end of the year as the new system of

Table 1
Civil Service Non-industrial elected Union Representatives
Estimates of numbers with paid time off for Industrial Relations Duties and Trade Union Activities (as at 31 March 1987)
Departments	5 per cent, and less	6–10 per cent.	11–20 per cent.	21–30 per cent.	31–40 per cent.	41–50 per cent.	51–60 per cent.	61–70 per cent.	71–80 per cent.	81–90 per cent.	91–99 per cent.	100 per cent.	Total	Full-time Equivalent
1. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	575	29	16	6	3	0	1	2	0	0	1	5	638	22·0
2. Customs and Excise	585	76	60	12	18	12	6	12	5	8	7	1	802	81·0
3. Ministry of Defence	971	159	96	33	14	7	3	5	6	0	1	23	1,318	106·0
4. Department of Employment Group	1,447	321	120	44	16	4	6	2	4	2	1	10	1,977	98·0
5. Department of Environment/Transport ExcPSA	417	84	29	4	7	4	3	2	0	1	0	16	567	44·0
6. Foreign and Commonweath Office Including Overseas Development Administration	90	9	4	3	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	4	116	11·0
7. Department of Health and Social Security	1,489	619	198	72	32	39	14	25	39	54	16	28	2,625	331·0
8. Home Office Including Prison Department	921	169	127	29	11	4	3	1	0	6	11	10	1,292	91·0
9. Department of Trade and Industry	416	28	24	10	3	7	1	1	4	1	3	9	507	34·0
10. Inland Revenue	1,723	374	130	39	34	14	14	4	9	3	3	6	2,353	130·0
11. Lord Chancellor's Department	66	15	28	7	5	5	2	2	2	0	0	9	141	20·0
12. Department for National Savings	88	29	16	3	1	2	3	1	1	0	0	13	157	24·0
13. PSA—Including Crown Suppliers	397	47	14	2	0	6	1	1	0	0	0	4	472	23·0
14. Scottish Office Including Scottish Prisons, Scottish Record Office, and General Register (Scotland)	221	48	18	5	2	1	1	1	2	0	0	7	303	20·0
15. Other Government Departments	819	75	89	18	11	14	3	2	3	1	1	20	1,058	84·0
Total	10,225	2,082	969	287	160	120	62	62	75	76	44	168	14,326	1,119·0

Table 2
Costs of non-industrial union elected representatives
	Department	Total number expressed as whole time equivalent	Cost in salaries wages and direct benefit (£ million)	Cost as percentage of wage bill	Total number of non-industrial staff at 31 March 1987
	Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	22	0·28	0·20	9,894
	Customs and Excise	81	0·99	0·30	26,090
	Ministry of Defence	106	1·19	0·10	93,289
	Department of Employment Group	98	1·19	0·17	64,045
	Department of Environment/Transport (excluding PSA)	44	0·53	0·20	20,489
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office (including Overseas Development Administration)	11	0·17	0·10	9,453
	DHSS	331	3·15	0·33	95,408
	Home Office (including Prison Department	91	1·18	0·25	34,567
	Department of Trade and Industry	34	0·47	0·27	12,597
	Inland Revenue	130	1·56	0·20	67,768
	Lord Chancellor's Department	20	0·27	0·28	10,211
	Department for National Savings	24	0·22	0·33	7,606
	PSA (including Crown Suppliers)	23	0·33	0·18	16,022
	Scottish Office (including General Register Office Scotland, Scottish Record Office and Scottish Prison Service)	20	0·26	0·21	9,482

delayed payment of EAGGF advances, adopted at the Agriculture Council at its meeting on 19–20 October, comes into effect.

Government Departments (Union Representatives)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if' he will give the latest details of the numbers of elected union representatives in each of the main Government Departments and of the cost of providing paid time off.

The details for 1986–87 are shown in the following tables. Compared with the position on 1 June 1986, the total amount of paid time off for union business shows a reduction of 77 man years (5 per cent.), with a consequential saving of £0·67 million. This reflects, for the fifth successive year, the tighter control and accountability measures introduced by the revised national facilities agreement in 1982.

Department

Total number expressed as whole time equivalent

Cost in salaries wages and direct benefit (£ million)

Cost as percentage of wage bill

Total number of non-industrial staff at 31 March 1987

Other Government Departments

1·07

0·23

36,858

Total

1,119

12·86

0·21

513,779

Budget Council

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Budget Councils held on 17 and 18 September and 1 October.

Further to my answer of 24 July, the Budget Council met on 17–18 September in Brussels and again on 1 October in Luxembourg to resume its discussions on the Commission's preliminary draft budget proposals for 1988. I represented the United Kingdom. I continued to make clear that any draft budget established must respect the Community's own resources ceiling. The Council failed to reach agreement on a draft 1988 budget.

European Monetary System

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any changes have been made to the agreement of 13 March 1979, as amended by the instrument of 10 June 1985, between the central banks of the European Community which lays down the operating procedures for the European monetary system.

At their monthly meeting on 8 September 1987, the governors of the central banks of the member states of the European Community agreed on a number of measures to strengthen the operating mechanisms of the European monetary system. These relate to the duration of the very short-term financing on which central banks can draw through the European monetary co-operation fund (EMCF), the availability in certain circumstances of very short-term financing for intra-marginal interventions, and the acceptance of the official ecu in settlement of outstanding claims resulting from very short-term financing. The governors also agreed to strengthen the procedure for joint monitoring of economic and monetary developments and policies. The details arc set out in a comminqué from the committee of central bank governors dated 18 September, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

Fraud Officers

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fraud officers were employed in the Inland Revenue (a) in May 1980 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available.

Table 1
Allowances and Reliefs—Employees
	United Kingdom		Germany
	£		£
			(see note 1)
Personal allowances		(a) Basic exemption (zero rate band)
Single person	2,455	Single person	990
One-earner married couple	3,695	One-earner married couple	1,985
Two-earner married couple	6,150	Two-earner married couple	1,985

The Inland Revenue employs some 2,400 staff on investigation work in local tax offices and specialist units. The equivalent figure for May 1980 was about 1,500.

Business Expansion Scheme

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the amount of money raised under the business expansion scheme; how many companies have succeeded in raising finance under the scheme; and what estimates there are of the number of jobs these companies will create.

The available information is as follows :

	Number of companies	Amount invested
		£ million
1983–84	715	105
1984–85	807	148
1985–86¹	670	157
¹ Returns received so far.

Final results for 1985–86 are expected to show a slight increase on those quoted above. Data for 1986–87 are not yet to hand. Information on the number of new jobs created as a result of investment under the scheme is not available.

Personal Allowances

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table comparing information available to him on the allowances and reliefs given to single persons and one and two-earner married couples in Germany with those given in the United Kingdom together with the width of the income band at each rate of income tax chargeable.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: The information requested is given in the tables, which are supplemented by explanatory notes.

United Kingdom	Germany
£	£
	(see note 1)
	(b) Minimum deduction for employment expenses, given to all employees, regardless of whether any such expenses are incurred or not.
	Single person and one-earner married couple	125
	Two-earner married couple	250
	(c) Employment income deduction Single person and one-earner married couple	105
	Two-earner married couple	210
	(d) Christmas allowance, given against end of year pay Single person and one-earner married couple	130
	Two-earner married couple	260
	(e) Minimum deduction for certain personal expenditures (regardless of whether any are incurred) eg donations, church taxes etc
	Single persons	60
	Married couple	120
	(f) (Complex) minimum deduction for "provident expenses" eg Social Security contributions, life assurance premiums etc. Minimum deduction 18 per cent of gross earnings less Christmas allowances (see (d))—all employees

Notes :

1. Conversions from DM to £ sterling have been made on the basis of the latest available OECD estimates of purchasing power parity.

2. In Germany the principal relief for married couples is the "income splitting" system which normally reduces the tax payable by a married couple.

3. In Germany there are also child allowances, single-parent allowances, and various other comparatively minor personal allowances.

Table 2
Income Tax Scales
United Kingdom (all taxpayers)		Germany (single persons —see Note 3 remarried couples)
Rate per cent	Band of taxable income	Rate per cent	Band of taxable income
	£		£
27	1–17,900	0	1–990
40	17,901–20,400		(see table 1—zero bracket amount)
45	20,401–25,400	22	990–1,750
50	25,401–33,300	22–56	1,750–28,840
55	33,301–41,200		(see note 2)
60	over 41,200	56	over 28,840

Notes:

1. Conversions from DM to £ sterling have been made on the basis of the latest available OECD estimate of purchasing power parity.

2. The tax in this band is computed by complicated arithmetical formulas, which have the effect of progressively increasing the marginal rate from just over 22 per cent, to just under 56 per cent.

3. As mentioned in note 2 to table 1, married couples are normally taxed on the income-splitting system. This will have the effect of doubling all the taxable income figures in this table for such married couples.

Consultancy Costs

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated expenditure in the current year on management and computer consultancy by (a) the Inland Revenue, (b) Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and (c) the Department of National Savings.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: The estimated expenditure in the current financial year on management and computer consultancy is as follows:

	£ million
(a) The Inland Revenue	12·5
(b) Her Majesty's Customs and Excise	4·3
(c) The Department for National Savings	0·54

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated expenditure of all Government Departments in the current year on management and computer consultancy.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: Comprehensive information on consultancy costs is not gathered centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs, but it is estimated that about £100 million will be spent on computer consultancy in 1987–88, and about £25 million on management consultancy.

Child Benefit

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many and What proportion of families with children receive more in child benefit than they pay out in income tax.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: In 1987–88, it is estimated that some 2¼ million families, about one third of the total number of families claiming child benefit, will receive more in child benefit than they pay in income tax.

House Of Commons

Pension Schemes

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to ensure that hon. Members who have taken their seats in the House following the 1987 general election have the right to choose personal pension schemes in place of the existing parliamentary pension arrangements.

The Social Security Act 1986 enables members of an occupational pension scheme to choose an appropriate personal pension scheme rather than remain within their occupational scheme. In accordance with these provisions, all right hon. and hon. Members will have the right to choose a personal pension scheme in place of the parliamentary pension arrangements. As I confirmed in an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) on 24 July 1987, at column 502, the parliamentary pension scheme, and in particular the anomalies raised by the passage of the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Bill, has been referred to the TSRB. It is my intention that the House will be given an opportunity to consider the TSRB's report before 1 July 1988, so that Members may make an informed decision about their choice of pension scheme.

Environment

Rating Reform

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his most recent estimate of the numbers of persons in England and Wales who fall under the following categories as defined in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (a) single pensioners and pensioner couples who are secondary tax units, (b) pensioners living in residential homes, nursing homes, hospitals and psychiatric units and (c) married women who are pensioners or who are married to pensioners and who are non-householders.

I refer my hon. Friend to annex C of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714), which sets out key facts about the numbers of households and tax units, and (so far as (b) is concerned) to my answer to him today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of pensioners living in residential homes, nursing homes, hospitals and psychiatric units in England and Wales who will be exempt from the community charge.

It is not possible to provide a precise estimate of the number of pensioners in such institutions who would be exempt from the community charge. The statistics collected by the DHSS do not distinguish between those people who occupy such institutions as their sole or main residence—and would thus be exempt from the personal community charge—and those whose stay is temporary and who would remain liable at their main place of residence. The number is, however, likely to be in the region of 250,000–300,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information has been made available on the Government's proposals for reform of the rating system.

The main proposals in our Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714), published in January 1986, were summarised in a factual pamphlet and short audio-visual presentation made available last year. Our firm proposals for legislation, which were outlined in the Queen's Speech, have now been summarised in an updated, factual leaflet which is being made available in response to inquiries. Copies have been placed in both Libraries and are available from the Vote Office. An explanatory video is also available on request from CFL Vision, Chalfont grove, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 8TN.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to amend section 79 of the Local Government Act 1972 so that following his proposed introduction of a national non-domestic rate, ownership or tenancy of property or place of work ceases to be qualifications for election and holding office as a member of a local authority.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will provide England only versions of figures F1 to F5 and J4 to J8 of Cmnd. 9714 "Paying for Local Government" to take account of (a) 1987–88 community charge figures, (b) the most recent tax-benefit model and (c) most recent other data;(2) whether he will provide versions of figures Fl to F5 and J4 to J8 of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", showing seperately figures for London, metropolitan areas, and shire areas, to take account of

(a) 1987–88 community charge figures, (b) the most recent tax-benefit model and (c) most recent other data;

(3) whether he will provide versions of figures J4, J5, J7 and J8 of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", showing separately figures for pensioner couples, to take account of (a) 1987–88 community charge figures, (b) the most recent tax-benefit model and (c) most recent other data;

(4) whether he will provide versions of figures J4 to J8 of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", showing figures for households with net incomes of under £200 per week, to take account of (a) 1987–88 community charge figures, (b) the most recent tax-benefit model and (c) most recent other data;

(5) whether he will update annexes F and J of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", particularly to take account of (a) 1987–88 community charge figures, (b) the most recent tax-benefit model and (c) most recent other data such as the family expenditure survey.

[pursuant to his replies, 21 October 1987]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on Wednesday 21 October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussion he has had with, or what representations he has received from the Audit Commission, about the likely effect of his reform of local government finance on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of local authorities.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: The Audit Commission submitted informal comments on the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" Cmnd. 9714 in November 1986. Those comments were considered with the other comments on the Green Paper in reaching the decision, announced on 15 December 1986, that the Government intended to proceed with its proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions his officials have had with the Audit Commission about any increase in external audit effort as a result of the introduction of the community charge.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those authorities budgeting to make contributions from their housing revenue account to the general rate fund in 1987–88, and express those contributions as a percentage of total expenditure and in terms of their effect on the published 1987–88 community charge calculations.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: Those authorities reporting contributions from housing revenue account to general rate fund are as follows, with the amounts of the transfers shown in cash, as amounts per adult and as percentages of "total expenditure". This last measure overstates the value of the contributions since "total expenditure" is expressed net of transfers to the rate fund from the housing revenue account. The illustrative community charge projections I have published for each of these authorities is reduced by the "per adult" amount of the reported contributions. I have already stressed that those illustrative figures are not to be taken as predictions of actual community charges.

Housing revenue account contributions to rate fund revenue account
1987–88
	HRA to rate fund	HRA to Rf per adult	Percentage of total expenditure
	£000	£
Greater Manchester
Wigan	272	1·19	0·2
South Yorkshire
Sheffield	27,697	68·69	10·8
Tyne and Wear
South Tyneside	1,519	12·47	1·9
Sunderland	992	4·45	0·7
West Yorkshire
Wakefield	1,700	7·24	1·2
Greater London
Wandsworth	309	1·51	0·3
Barking and Dagenham	6,587	57·78	8·8
Bromley	2,139	9·14	1·8
Harrow	27	0·17	0·0
Havering	2,350	12·74	0·2
Hillingdon	2,281	12·74	2·1
Kingston-upon-Thames	1,242	11·72	2·0
Merton	5,728	44·51	7·5
Redbridge	93	0·52	0·1
Sutton	421	3·18	0·5
Avon
Wansdyke	1,150	19·07	51·3
Woodspring	1,195	8·92	14·2
Bedfordshire
South Bedfordshire	392	4·85	7·8
Berkshire
Bracknell	866	13·06	25·2
Newbury	151	1·56	3·2
Windsor and Maidenhead	1,890	18·55	26·7
Wokingham	205	2·04	5·2
Buckinghamshire
South Buckinghamshire	133	2·78	5·8
Cambridgeshire
East Cambridgeshire	677	15·42	41·6
Fenland	400	7·53	13·6
South Cambridgeshire	622	7·22	31·7
Cheshire
Congleton	340	5·30	9·3

	HRA to rate fund	HRA to Rf per adult	Percentage of total expenditure
	£000	£
Cleveland
Langbaurgh	4	0·04	0·0
Cornwall
Kerrier	100	1·50	2·5
Penwith	64	1·46	1·9
Restormel	79	1·26	2·0
Cumbria
Barrow in Furness	62	1·09	1·2
South Lakeland	452	5·91	8·3
Devon
East Devon	221	2·44	4·3
Exeter	165	2·13	2·9
North Devon	64	1·03	1·6
Plymouth	199	1·04	1·2
South Hams	84	1·53	2·2
Mid Devon	480	10·43	18·2
Torbay	376	3·96	4·4
West Devon	208	6·06	11·5
Dorset
Bournemouth	525	4·29	4·3
Christchurch	100	2·95	4·7
North Dorset	82	2·11	4·8
Poole	146	1·49	2·2
Purbeck	100	2·97	6·7
West Dorset	230	3·58	6·8
Wimborne	296	4·95	9·0
Durham
Wear Valley	66	1·33	1·1
East Sussex
Brighton	35	0·31	0·2
Wealden	250	2·55	4·4
Essex
Brentwood	78	1·41	0·7
Castle Point	61	0·94	1·4
Colchester	1245	11·54	22·0
Epping Forest	2200	24·58	38·1
Maldon	111	2·90	5·5
Rochford	500	8·82	16·6
Southend on Sea	370	2·96	3·1
Gloucestershire
Cheltenham	780	11·73	14·7
Tewkesbury	95	1·47	3·9
Hampshire
Gosport	50	0·88	1·1
Havant	501	5·71	8·7
Portsmouth	390	2·64	2·1
Hereford and Worcester
Redditch	476	9·26	11·1
Worcester	132	2·29	2·6
Hertfordshire
Dacorum	900	8·99	12·3
North Hertfordshire	73	0·87	1·3
Three Rivers	145	2·33	3·3
Welwyn Hatfield	677	9·31	9·9
Humberside
Beverley	40	0·48	0·8
Isle of Wight
South Wight	157	3·66	4·9
Kent
Dartford	972	16·56	21·7

	HRA to rate fund	HRA to Rf per adult	Percentage of total expenditure
	£000	£
Shepway	191	2·74	3·0
Tonbridge and Mailing	800	10·55	16·1
Lancashire
Lancaster	239	2·38	3·0
West Lancashire	300	3·78	5·6
Leicestershire
Harborough	78	1·62	3·4
Hinckley and Bosworth	95	1·34	3·4
Melton	363	11·17	17·8
Oadby and Wigston	101	2·52	4·5
Lincolnshire
Boston	100	2·47	3·3
South Holland	385	7·70	11·3
South Kesteven	525	7·00	10·8
Norfolk
Breckland	400	5·24	11·2
South Norfolk	12	0·16	0·4
West Norfolk	150	1·54	2·4
North Yorkshire
Hambleton	87	1·49	3·0
Ryedale	250	3·66	7·2
Scarborough	186	2·29	2·7
Oxfordshire
Cherwell	247	2·80	6·0
South Oxfordshire	991	9·78	22·7
Vale of White Horse	95	1·16	3·6
West Oxfordshire	250	3·70	8·0
Shropshire
Bridgnorth	46	1·17	2·7
North Shropshire	68	1·74	3·3
Somerset
Sedgemoor	110	1·54	2·4
West Somerset	55	2·24	3·4
Staffordshire
Staffs. Moorlands	650	8·89	15·9
Surrey
Epsom and Ewell	1,111	21·28	29·9
Guildford	50	0·52	1·3
Reigate and Banstead	670	7·32	11·1
Runnymede	862	15·37	57·5
Spelthorne	510	7·15	10·2
Tandridge	750	12·63	23·5
Waverley	223	2·62	4·5
Warwickshire
Stratford-on-Avon	35	0·44	0·8
West Sussex
Arun	200	1·95	2·7
Chichester	390	4·83	8·5
Horsham	220	2·77	5·0
Worthing	71	0·91	1·0
Wiltshire
West Wiltshire	251	3·22	6·8

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority the number of dwellings where the rates paid are equal to the community charge per person, using the figures from the exemplifications placed in the Library since 11 June.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: The information available to me is for the numbers of domestic hereditaments in the following rateable value bands:

Less than £75
£75–£100
£100–£125
£125–£150
£150–£400
£400+

It is not, therefore, possible to say how many properties in each area have rate bills at or below the illustrative community charges for those areas.

National Heritage Memorial Fund

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the funding of the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

Since its creation in 1980 the National Heritage Memorial Fund has played a significant role in safeguarding our heritage by acting as a channel of finance for the preservation or acquisition of items of outstanding merit which might otherwise be lost to the nation. We have made this possible with grant-in-aid to the fund totalling some £83 million to date, including an initial endowment of £12·4 million.To enable the fund to continue with its valuable work I propose to make an additional £20 million available to it in this financial year, subject to parliamentary approval. With these extra resources the trustees of the fund will be able to maintain their present level of activity whilst restoring the fund's reserves to their original value in real terms.Annual support from my Department and the Office of Arts and Libraries will continue at the present level of £3 million.

Cash Limits

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any changes to announce to his Department's cash limits.

Yes, I propose the following changes, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates.The non-voted cash limit for 1987–88 for new towns (DOE/NT1) has been reduced by £160 million from minus £145·146 million to minus £305·146 million to take account of disposals of property which are higher than forecast. The cash limit for 1987–88 for class X, vote 4 will be increased from £86·447 million by £20 million to permit additional funding for the National Heritage Memorial Fund and by £0·25 million in respect of repairing storm damage and tree planting in the royal parks. The Department's running costs limits in respect of the latter expenditure will be increased by £0·25 million from £147·911 million to £148·161 million. The revised cash limit for 1987–88 for class X, vote 4 will be £106·697 million. The cash limit for 1987–88 for class X, vote 2 will be increased by £2·75 million to enable the Countryside Commission to undertake the expanded tree planting scheme announced in my statement of 21 October. The balance of £137 million will be surrendered to the reserve.The cash limit for class X, vote 2 will also be increased by £60,000 to enable the litter initiative within UK 2000 to continue and to cover a new international subscription. This increase will be offset by a reduction of £60,000 in the cash limit for class X, vote 5 due to slippage on research programmes. At the same time the cash limit for class X, vote 5 will be increased by a token £1,000 to enable the chairman of the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council to be remunerated for his services. The revised cash limit for class X, vote 2, taking account of all changes, will br £199·318 million. The revised cash limit for class X, vote 5, taking account of all changes, will be £154·430 million.

Children's Play

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to report the Government's plan for Children's Play following dissolution of Play Board.

As I announced on 30 September, the Sports Council has agreed to accept responsibility for providing a national focus for the promotion and

Average housing support by type of household and tenure type: 1985
United Kingdom						£ per year per household
Household type	Number of households in sample	Rent rebates³	Rates rebates⁴	Housing subsidy⁵	Mortgage tax relief⁶	Total housing support
A. Households headed by a pensioner¹
(i) public sector tenants²	(1,022)	452	146	201	—	799
(ii) owner occupiers with mortgage	(142)	—	35	—	249	284
(iii) owner occupiers without mortgage	(1,063)	—	60	—	—	60
B. Other households
(i) public sector tenants²	(1,113)	372	129	228	—	729
(ii) owner occupiers with mortgage	(2,519)	—	11	—	539	550
(iii) ower occupiers without mortgage	(519)	—	16	—	—	16
C. All households
(i) public sector tenants²	(2,135)	410	137	215	—	762
(ii) owner occupiers with mortgage	(2,661)	—	12	—	524	536
(iii) owner occupiers without mortgage	(1,582)	—	46	—	—	46

Source: Central Statistical Office, from Family Expenditure Survey 1985.

¹ Of state retirement pension age (65 for a man and 60 for a woman).

² Includes tenants of local authorities, new town corporations, the Scottish Special Housing Association, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and housing associations.

³ Includes rent element of housing benefit supplement.

⁴ Includes rates element of housing benefit supplement.

⁵ Housing subsidy is current expenditure less income on the housing revenue accounts of local authorities, and grants paid to the rest of the public sector.

⁶ At the basic rate only. Includes relief on mortgage endowment and mortgage protection policies.

Note:

These figures do not include mortgage interest tax relief at rates in excess of the basic rate or supplementary benefit assistance with mortgage interest payments. Sound estimates for pensioner and non-pensioner households separately are not available, but over all owner occupiers with mortgages, the average amounts in 1985 are estimated at about £30 and £20, respectively.

Local Government Reform

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what central Government grants owed to the former Greater London council and the Inner London education authority are still outstanding.

A wide variety of Exchequer grants were payable to the Greater London council and are payable to the Inner London education authority. In the process of closing the GLC's accounts the London residuary body has estimated the amounts of grants due. In some cases these entitlements and arrangements for payment are the subject of discussion between the LRB and the respective Government Departments. In others, outstanding

development of Children's Play. The council will be establishing a separate management committee to include representatives from the local authority associations and relevant national organisations concerned with children's play, to oversee this work.

Housing Support

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a breakdown of the average housing support figures for (a) pensioners (head of household) and (b) others in the following categories (i) the public rented housing sector, (ii) home owners with a mortgage or other loan and (iii) home owners owning outright; and if he will further subdivide the resulting figures between rent rebates, rate rebates, housing subsidy and income tax relief on mortgage interest.

Estimates of Government housing support in 1985, on the basis described for 1984 in pages 108 to 113 of Economic Trends, No. 393 are as follows:amounts do not become payable until audited claims have been received or Parliament's approval has been given. Exchequer grants to the ILEA for past years are subject to final revisions according to arrangements which vary from case to case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many claims for redundancy payments or compensation from former employees of the Greater London council and metropolitan county councils have yet to be settled in full.

I understand that final payments are still outstanding in only two of over 6,000 claims for redundancy payments or compensation from former employees of the GLC and MCCs. In both cases interim payments have been made.

London Residuary Body

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which newspapers were used by the London residuary body to give public notice of the 1985–86 accounts and related document.

The Daily Telegraph and The London Evening Standard were used to give notice of the public inspection period for both the Greater London council's 1985–86 accounts and the London residuary body's 1985–86 annual report and accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest information he has on the current whereabouts of the items of historical and traditional association catalogued by the Greater London council and transferred to the London residuary body.

I understand that items in possession of the LRB are located in County Hall, in Kenwood House and in secure storage. Items forming part of the Crystal Palace collection have been transferred to the London borough of Bromley.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the current number of residential mortgages remaining with the London residuary body.

At the end of September 32,802 residential mortgages remained with the LRB.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Home Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Manpower Services Commission have now settled their outstanding accounts with the London residuary body.

These are matters for the Home Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Employment.

Storm Damage

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of trees felled in London by the storm on the morning of 16 October.

Damage has been extensive. Information is readily available only for the royal parks, where approximately 3,000 trees were blown down in the storm and of the order of a further thousand have been so severely damaged that they have to be felled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the damage in London caused by the storm on the morning of 16 October.

I refer to my right hon. Friend's statement yesterday on the storm damage on 16 October. It is too early to give estimates of the costs and extent of the damage generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place between his Department and London local authorities concerning the consequences of the storm on the morning of 16 October.

I refer to my right hon. Friend's statement yesterday afternoon on the storm damage on 16 October. My right hon. Friend has replied to the letter from the chairman of the Association of London Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional resources he intends to make available to London local authorities to deal with the consequences of the storm on the morning of 16 October.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State yesterday.

Residuary Bodies

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the salaries of chairmen and members of each of the residuary bodies (a) currently and (b) on appointment.

The information is as follows :

	Salary on appointment	Current salary
	£ per annum	£ per annum
London Residuary Body
Chairman:
Sir Godfrey Taylor	50,000	54,155
Members:
Mr. Alan Blakemore, CBE	12,000	13,084
Mr. Jack Esling	24,000	26,168
Mr. Wallace Mackenzie, OBE	12,000	16,355
Mr. Jack Wolkind, CBE	12,000	13,084
Mr. Michael Roberts	18,000	19,626
Councillor Sir Peter Bowness	6,000	6,542
Metropolitan Residuary Bodies
Chairmen:
Greater Manchester	17,600	19,064
Merseyside
West Midlands
South Yorkshire	16,000	17,330
Tyne and Wear
West Yorkshire
Members:
All members	5,600	6,107

As an alternative to annual salary, co-ordinating committee members may claim a daily attendance allowance, which is currently £16·70 per day. This option is being exercised by one co-ordinating committee member.Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

Council House Sales

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his estimates of the present number of people who will be displaced from council houses as a result of the sale of estates, who do not have enough income to buy their own homes, will not be able to pay the rents demanded by private landlords, and are unable to obtain housing benefits.

None. The Government's policies are aimed at increasing the supply of housing available at affordable rents, and at widening the choices open to council tenants.

Housebuilding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses were built by the public sector for each year since 1980; and how many were built each year from 1973 to 1979.

The numbers of dwelling completions in the United Kingdom in the years 1976 to 1986 appear in table 6.1(f) of "Housing and Construction Statistics, 1976–1986" and those for 1973–1975 in the corresponding table of the 1973–1983 edition. Copies are available in the Library.

Whale Products

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for what purposes whale products are imported into the United Kingdom.

Imports of whale products are normally permitted only for personal or scientific purposes involving no commercial trade.

Common Land

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce legislation to remedy the problems arising from the misregistration of property as common land.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: This is one of a series of recommendations contained in the report of the Common Land Forum, which was published by the Countryside Commission in September 1986. My right hon. Friend announced on 29 January 1987 that the Government accept the case for legislation based broadly on the forum's report and intends to introduce a comprehensive Commons Bill at a suitable opportunity when parliamentary time permits.

Storm Damage

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the additional expense that will be incurred by local councils in consequence of the 15–16 October hurricane; and if Her Majesty's Government will offer any assistance towards these costs.

No such estimate is yet available, but I announced to the House on Wednesday 21 October a package of measures designed to help local authorities affected by storm damage on 15–16 October.In addition, I can confirm that the Government accept that those authorities will now be using up the funds they

Consultation document	Date of publication	Closing date for responses	Number issued	Responses from individuals	Responses from bodies and institutions
The National Curriculum 5–16	24 July	30 September	58,500	6,200	740
Charges for school activities	2 October	30 November	8,100	42	10
Collective Worship	7 July	11 September	424	252	81
Financial delegation to schools	20 July	16 September	10,197	199	340
Grant maintained schools	24 July	30 September	11,388	298	393
Admission of pupils to maintained schools	9 July	16 September	10,140	187	310
Changes in structure and national planning for higher education (polytechnics and colleges sector)	10 April	30 June	1,840	13	216

have set aside for contingencies. If there is any further emergency to which the Bellwin rules are applied in this financial year, we will add in the cost of the current emergency work in calculating whether authorities qualify for special grant aid. And we will ensure that there is not loss of rate support grant on spending above the threshold. This will apply to all authorities affected by the English storm whether or not they qualify for grant on this occasion.

Education And Science

North Molton Primary School

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if he will visit north Devon; and if he will include North Molton primary school in his itinerary to discuss matters relating to primary education.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to visit north Devon.

Education Reform

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will deposit the analysis of the responses to his consultation documents being prepared for him in the Library.

No. We do not intend to issue summaries of all the responses received, although I do not at this stage rule out the possibility of doing so in relation to some aspects of the consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for copies of all responses to his consultation documents to be deposited in the Library.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) gave to the Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 21 October 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing each of the consultation documents published by him in respect of the forthcoming Education Bill, and in respect of each (a) the date of publication, (b) the closing date for receipt of responses, (c) the number issued of each document and (d) the number of responses from: (i) individuals and (ii) bodies and institutions.

The information is as follows:

Consultation document	Date of publication	Closing date for responses	Number issued	Responses from individuals	Responses from bodies and institutions
Changes in structure and national planning for higher education (contracts between the funding bodies and higher education institutes)	8 May	30 June	2,750	5	142
Changes in structure and national planning for higher education (Universities Funding Council)	8 May	30 June	1,955	3	96
Maintained further education: Financing governance and law	7 August	9 October	6,750	30	220
Academic tenure and related matters	16 September	15 October	32	23	2
Organisation of education in inner London	11 September	16 October	3,922	3,407	719
Accounting and auditing in HE	20 October	30 November	588	0	0

Defence

Service Bases (Nuclear Reactors)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about plans by the United States Defence Department to locate mini nuclear power reactors at Royal Air Force and Royal Navy bases in the United Kingdom currently loaned to the United States; what licensing procedures exist to permit the stationing of such nuclear reactors at land military bases in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

We are not aware that such plans exist or are being developed by any agency of the United States Government. I understand that the United States air force was studying a concept under the title of "Multi-megawatt Terrestrial Power Plant Program" for emergency generating capability in the event of disruption of commercial supplies by natural disaster, but the programme was cancelled by the Secretary of the Air Force.

Overseas Territories

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate of the defence costs attributable to defending the following remaining British dependent territories (a) Hong Kong, (b) Pitcairn, (c) Bermuda, (d) Anguilla, (e) British Antarctic Territory, (f) British Indian Ocean Territory, (g) British Virgin Islands, (h) Cayman Islands, (i) Falkland Islands, (j) Gibraltar, (k) Montserrat, (l) St. Helena and Dependencies, (m) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and (n) the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Those British dependent territories for which there are directly attributable defence costs are as follows:

1987–88 Estimated defence cost
	£ million
Hong Kong	55
British Indian Ocean Territory (Diego Garcia)	1
Falkland Islands (including South Georgia)	141
Gibraltar	79

We do not maintain forces exclusively for operations in the other dependencies and costs are not separately identified.

Training Centre, Arkansas

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist to send British military personnel to the joint readiness training centre at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.

One officer is currently at Fort Chaffee as a liaison officer between the British and United States army training organisations. There are no plans at present to send any other personnel.

Dowty Group

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid back to his Department by the Dowty Group in respect of alleged fraud over defence contracts.

My Department's dealings with individual companies are subject to commercial confidentiality.

Contracts (Overcharging)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been recovered by his Department from companies found to be overcharging on contract work in each year from 1979 to date.

Since 1979, the following refunds have been made by contractors following a post costing review of contract prices:

Year	£ million
1979	3·1
1980	0·3
1981	0·3
1982	1·8
1983	1·1
1984	14·5
1985	3·9
1986	2·2

Post costing is undertaken selectively to establish the outturn costs of a contract compared with the costs on which the contract price was based. If the analysis of the post costing reveals a lack of equality of information at the time the price was fixed there would be grounds for seeking a refund from the contractor. Such post costing reviews are only necessary for contracts placed non-competitively, the number of which we aim to reduce.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Arms Sales

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria Her Majesty's Government apply to distinguish between weapons and equipment necessary for national defence and those which could be used for internal repression by countries under repressive regimes.

Our policy is not to allow the export of defence equipment likely to be used for internal repression or to violate human rights. All exports of defence equipment are subject to strict licensing procedures. In considering applications for licences we look at each on its merits, and the human rights record of the country concerned would be one factor taken into account when deciding whether or not to grant a licence.

South Africa

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British diplomatic support will be given to the United Kingdom-South Africa Trade Association visit to South Africa in November.

In keeping with our international undertakings, the United Kingdom-South Africa Trade Association mission is not receiving any financial support from us. Within those constraints we continue to provide certain limited services to British business visitors to South Africa, including members of the UKSATA mission, such as advice about the market and local contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the annual cost of maintaining a British diplomatic presence in South Africa in each of the last five financial years; and what has been the total number of staff employed in each of those years.

The annual cost in each of the last five years of maintaining a British diplomatic presence in South Africa is shown, together with the numbers of staff employed.

		Staff numbers
	£ million	United Kingdom based	Locally engaged	Total
1983	3·0	47	105	152
1984	3·2	46	99	145
1985	2·8	46	99	145
1986	3·5	45	103	148
¹1987	3·9	43	103	146
¹ Estimated.

Guatemala Accord

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will instruct Her Majesty's ambassadors in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to hold urgent talks with the Governments in those countries aimed at establishing what practical steps Britain could take to help the implementation of the Guatemala accord of August;(2) if he will instruct the ambassador to Nicaragua to have talks with President Ortega of Nicaragua to discuss practical help which the United Kingdom can offer to Nicaragua in her efforts to support the accord of 27 August;(3) if he will give public and practical support to the Guatemala accord by the five Presidents of Central American republics.

We warmly welcomed the Guatemala peace agreement and pledged our continued support for the efforts of the central Americans to achieve a lasting solution to the region's problems. We, together with our community partners, established a formal political dialogue with the Governments of central America in 1984. As a result, there have been three meetings at ministerial level, and regular contact at ambassadorial level. Most recently, at our suggestion, a meeting was held in New York in September between representatives of the European Community and central American Governments to discuss implementation of the Guatemala accord.

Northern Ireland

Population Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the estimated numbers of women aged 15 to 44 years resident in each county and county borough (pre-1974 boundaries) in Northern Ireland in mid-1986.

The information is not available.

St Mary's And St Joseph's Training College

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the financial allocation annually in each of the last three years for pastoral care to St. Mary's and St. Joseph's training college, Belfast.

No such allocation has been made.

Health Boards

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to whom the area manager of a health board is responsible; and what scrutiny is made of his actions.

The general manager of a health and social services board is directly accountable to the board as his employer. He is also accountable on behalf of the board for the management of its funds to the permanent secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services in his role as accounting officer responsible to Parliament.A number of key objectives are determined each year by the board for the general manager and his performance in meeting those objectives is assessed by the chairman acting for the board and by the permanent secretary to ensure equity and consistency between boards.In addition, the board's financial affairs, and their administration by its staff, are subject to scrutiny by the auditors appointed by the Department of Health and Social Services and by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the bonus payments paid to the area manager of the Northern health board in each of the last 10 years.

It is the Government's policy not to disclose personal information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the per capita revenue allocation for the Southern, Western and Northern boards for the next five to 10 years.

The actual level of resources available for the health and personal social services is decided annually through the public expenditure survey and the Secretary of State's decisions in allocating the Northern Ireland block. It is not possible therefore to identify the boards' revenue allocations and the consequent per capita funding over the next five to 10 years. However, the recently published regional strategy for the "Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services 1987–1992", a copy of which has been placed in the Library, is based on the assumption that over the period to 1992 the total level of resources across the Province will remain steady in real terms, with an enhancement for demographic pressures, estimated at 0·9 per cent. per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has the total capital allocation been to each area health board in Northen Ireland since the inception of the health boards in 1973.

The information covering the period 1 October 1973 to 31 March 1987 is as follows:

	£ million
Northern Board	19·6
Southern Board	17·3
Eastern Board	66·4
Western Board	18·0

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total revenue allocation to each area health board in Northern Ireland since 1973.

The information covering the period 1 October 1973 to 31 March 1987 is as follows:

	£ million
Northern Board	711
Southern Board	674
Eastern Board	2,399
Western Board	655

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the revenue allocation to the Eastern health board for its regional services.

It is not possible to define accurately what constitutes regional medical services because of medical advances and changing clinical practices. In addition, many regional services are provided at the major teaching hospitals and their costs cannot be identified separately.

Police Secondments

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers from police forces in England, Wales and Scotland were seconded to duties in Northern Ireland in each of the past three years.

I shall answer shortly.

Terrorism

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) for how many of the 178 terrorist killings in Fermanagh and South Tyrone between 9 February 1971 and 6 October 1986 anyone had been made amenable for murder by 27 October 1986, and if he will make a statement;(2) if anyone has been made amenable since 27 October 1986 for each of the terrorist murders in Fermanagh and South Tyrone unsolved at that time; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987, c 761]: By 27 October 1986 the RUC had obtained convictions for offences in relation to 36 of these killings. None has been obtained since then.We shall not cease in our endeavours to bring these evil men to justice.

Employment

Unemployment Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many suspensions of unemployment benefit pending inquiries into availability for employment were made (a) in May 1980 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available;(2) how many refusals to pay unemployment benefit due to non-availability for employment were made

(a) in May 1980 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available.

There are no records maintained to show the number of suspensions of unemployment benefit on the question of availability for employment. Statistics on the number of disallowances of unemployment on the same grounds are maintained, but are not compiled on a monthly basis. However, for the last quarter of 1980 the monthly average was 4,000, and for the last quarter of 1986 the monthly average over 12,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy on seeking the recovery of an overpayment of unemployment benefit where a question arises of a person's availability for work for a period during which he or she has been in receipt of unemployment benefit.

An overpayment of unemployment benefit is recoverable by the Secretary of State only where the independent adjudicating authorities have determined that the overpayment has been obtained by misrepresentation of, or failure to disclose, a material fact (Social Security Act 1986, section 53 (1)). It is the Secretary of State's normal policy to seek recovery in such cases.

Restart Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current success rate on the restart programme; and how many people find full-time permanent jobs within one month of their restart interview (a) nationally and (b) in Oxfordshire.

Between 9 April and 25 September 1987, 1,406,859 people had been called for a restart interview, of whom 1,021,700 had been interviewed.The aim of restart interviews is to help unemployed people into employment by selecting the best way open to them from the wide range of employment, training and job search opportunities available. Around nine out of 10 of those interviewed are made offers that might lead to employment, and 70 per cent. of those interviewed agreed at their restart interview to pursue the offer made to them. We do not know how many ultimately went into full-time employment.Between 9 April and 25 September 1987, 15,331 people in the Berks. and Oxon. area had been called for an interview, of whom 10,811 had been interviewed. Seventy-one per cent. of the people interviewed agreed to pursue the offer made to them at their restart interview.

Job Clubs

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average time spent by unemployed people in job clubs; and what are the benefit consequences of leaving the job club without having secured employment.

The average length of time spent in a job club by unemployed people is six weeks. Participants are encouraged to stay until they find a job, but if they leave before doing so their benefit entitlement is not affected.In the current financial year to the end of August 1987 39,018 people passed through job clubs. Of these, 21,277 (54·5 per cent) found work and a further 5,025 (13 per cent.) took up a place on the community programme, a training scheme or the enterprise allowance scheme.

Coal Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many major injury accidents to persons on British Coal Corporation's colliery books in 1986–87, reported under the RIDDOR regulations, also satisfied the criteria for reporting under the previous NADOR regulations.

There were 982 major injury accidents in 1986–87 in coal mines. Of those, it is estimated that 687 would have been reportable under the previous NADOR regulations.

Railway Locomotives

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the numbers employed in the United Kingdom in the construction of railway locomotives and their component equipment, including engines.

In August 1987 there were an estimated 14,000 employees in employment in the railway and tramway vehicles industry (activity heading 3620 of the 1980 standard industrial classification) in Great Britain. The figure includes employees engaged in the manufacture of major sub-assemblies and the manufacture and repair of railway and tramway rolling stock.The estimate is subject to considerable potential estimation error due to the relatively small number of employees in the industry.Figures for the United Kingdom are not available.

Social Services

Housing Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if from April 1988, under regulation 18(1) as calculated under regulation 16 and schedule 2 to the draft housing benefit regulations, housing benefit will be withdrawn from pensioners who are hospital in-patients for a period exceeding six weeks.

The amount of housing benefit which a pensioner receives after he has been in hospital for more than six weeks will continue to depend on his income and the amount of eligible rent or rates he has to pay. For example, a pensioner who continues to receive income support will continue to receive maximum help with both rent and rates. Pensioners not on income support will be reassessed for housing benefit using a reduced applicable amount after six weeks in hospital, as part of the alignment of social security benefit rules. However, this will not necessarily mean housing benefit is reduced or withdrawn, and any downrating of other social security benefits they may be receiving will also be taken into account. Housing benefit could be withdrawn if the local authority decides in accordance with regulation 5(8) that the claimant does not intend to return home, or if that part of the dwelling which he normally occupies has been let or sub-let during his absence.

Girocheques

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures are followed when claimants of supplementary benefit and unemployment benefit report that they have not received the Girocheque which has been sent to them; what are the average waiting times for replacement Girocheques in such cases in England and Wales as a whole, North London region and South London; and how the delays experienced in his Department's Hackney office and in unemployment benefit offices in Hackney compare with the national and regional figures.

Claimants reporting non receipt of supplementary benefit Girocheques are requested to call at the local office to give details of the circumstances of non receipt and to sign an undertaking to return the Girocheque should it subsequently arrive. Immediate replacements are given if appropriate. If not, appropriate consideration of replacement is deferred until a search is made to establish if the original Girocheque has been cashed.No local or central records are held of average waiting times for replacement Girocheques and to obtain such records would incur disproportionate cost.Procedures for unemployment benefit Girocheques are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the current national average waiting times for (a) single payments under the supplementary benefit scheme, (b) new claims for supplementary benefit, (c) housing benefit, (d) family income supplement and (e) invalid care allowance.

I regret that information is not available on the average clearance time for decisions on single payment or housing benefit claims. Figures for the other benefits are shown in the table following. Supplementary benefit figures are for the four weeks ending 22 September. Figures for family income supplement and invalid care allowance were obtained by a special count of claims up to 24 August.

	Clearance time
Supplementary Benefit	6 days
Family Income Supplement	14 days
Invalid Care Allowance	12·4 weeks

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current estimate for unclaimed benefit nationally; and how this is divided between different benefits.

For the major contributory benefits (such as retirement pension, widow's benefit, unemployment benefit) and child benefit virtually all those eligible are thought to claim their entitlement. Eligibility is difficult to establish for some of the non-contributory benefits, particularly disability benefits such as mobility allowance and attendance allowance.For one-parent benefit, the latest estimate suggests that in 1984 about £5 million out of a possible £125 million was unclaimed by single parents who stood to gain. Available estimates also suggest that in 1983, supplementary benefit recipients claimed £4,590 million whilst others who were probably eligible did not claim around £570 million. Housing benefit take-up estimates suggest that in 1984 entitled recipients claimed £3,820 million and that £500 million was unclaimed. Estimates for family income supplement spanning 1983 and 1984 suggest that, on an annual basis, employees in employment received £105 million whilst a further £55 million could have been claimed.Strictly, it is inappropriate to add up the figures listed above because they relate to different years. However, a broad annual estimate based on these years suggests that roughly £8·5 billion in income-related benefits was claimed whilst about £1 billion was unclaimed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to list addresses of local advice centres on letters sent by his Department refusing benefit.

It is not the Department's policy to list addresses of local advice centres on letters sent refusing benefits because we do not believe this is warranted. But we have decided that it is desirable for appellants to social security tribunals to be provided with the names and addresses of local agencies who may be willing to represent them at their appeal tribunal, as I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 24 July 1987, at column 710. Procedural arrangements to implement these changes are in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many payments under regulation 30 of the supplementary benefit single payments regulations were made (a) in May 1980 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available.

Supplementary Benefits (Single Payments) Regulation 30 did not take effect until November 1980. For the four weeks ending 23 December 1980, the first four-week period during which the legislation was current, 157 payments were made under Regulation 30, amounting to £6,689.

For the four weeks ending 22 September 1987, the most recent period for which figures are available, 4,139 payments were made, amounting to £387,099.

Social Fund

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who will comprise the review panels on the social fund.

The social fund has a two-tier review process. First, an applicant who is dissatisfied with the decision on his application may apply to the social fund officer in the DHSS local office for a review of that decision. If the social fund officer is unable to change the decision in favour of the applicant the review will always be determined by an assistant manager in the local office. If the applicant remains dissatisfied he will be able to apply for a further review by an independent social fund inspector based outside the local office. The appointment and management of social fund inspectors will be a matter for the independent social fund commissioner who has yet to be appointed.

Mortgage Defaults

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people on supplementary benefit defaulted on their mortgage repayments (a) in May 1980 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available.

I regret that the information is not available.

Claimant Advisers

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how cases will be referred to the new claimant advisers by supplementary benefit offices.

The supplementary benefit adjudiction officer sends a form to the claimant adviser notifying him of unemployed claimants who appear from their history on benefit to need help in finding work.

Social Security Appeals

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of social security tribunals are determined in favour of the claimant and what is the claimant success rate at social security appeal tribunals where the claimant (a) has a representative and (b) has no representative.

Of the 125,838 appeals heard during 1986, 31,675 (25·2 per cent.) were decided in the claimant's favour; a representative attended at 27,282 hearings where the success rate for the claimant was 47·8 per cent.; the success rate of unrepresented appeals was 18·9 per cent., although this figure includes 41,539 hearings where the claimant attended (with a success rate of 32 per cent.) and 57,017 hearings where neither the claimant nor a representative was present (with a success rate of 9·4 per cent.).

Social Security Act

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the levels of premiums under the new Social Security Act will be set.

My right hon. Friend will be making an announcement shortly.

Fraud Officers

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many fraud officers were employed in his Department (a) in May 1980 and (b) in the most recent month for which figures are available.

Precise figures are not available but it is possible to calculate the amount of staff time employed on fraud work in the Department. In May 1980 the equivalent of 2,350 full-time staff were employed on fraud-related work, mainly in local offices, and in September 1987 the figure had risen to 2,920. The latter figure includes 500 additional staff for the extra effort against benefit fraud introduced in 1986.

Single Parents

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the average expenses claimed by single parents doing part-time jobs whilst claiming supplementary benefit, including child care and transport expenses, in the most recent year for which figures are available.

I regret that information is not collected about supplementary benefit claimant's work-related expenses. Some analysis of lone parents' work expenses is contained in the report of a study¹ of the tapered earnings disregard for lone parents, which was commissioned by the Department and carried out by the social policy research unit of the university of York in 1982. A copy of the report is in the Library.

¹ Lone Mothers, Paid Work and Social Security: Occasional Paper on Social Administration 77.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many lone parents are currently affected by the requirement in the supplementary benefit regulations that they must register as available for full-time work once all their children reach the age of 16 years, whether or not those children are still at school; and if he will supply this information in respect of (a) London north region, (b) London south region and (c) England and Wales as a whole.

I regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Board And Lodging

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of board and lodging claimants in Oxfordshire have their full lodging costs met by his Department; and, of those who do not have their expenses fully met, what is the average shortfall.

I regret that the information requested is not collected by individual local offices and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Health Cuts (Oldham)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out for each year since 1982, what changes have been made in the National Health Service budget by Oldham district health authority in order to achieve savings; how much was saved each year by each, of these changes; by how much staffing has been cut in each year as a result of each of these changes, and in what grades; and what plans there are for the current year in each of these respects.

On the basis of provisional figures for 1986–87 Oldham health authority's expenditure has risen since 1982–83 by 26·2 per cent., or nearly 6 per cent. in real terms. Between 1982 and 1986 the number of front line staff rose by nearly 7 per cent. These increases, together with an improved use of resources which is greatly to the credit of management and staff, made possible increases of 14 per cent. in the number of in-patient cases treated, 92 per cent. in day cases, 14 per cent. in out patient attendances and 22 per cent. in day attendances.It is the responsibility of the Oldham health authority to manage its budget allocation to meet its policy objectives and maximise the effectiveness and efficiency with which its resources are used for the benefit of patients. The hon. Member may, therefore, wish to approach the chairman of the Oldham health authority for details of changes in services, the levels of activity to which they relate and any redeployment of moneys released by such changes.

Private Contractors

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been spent in each of the past five years by his Department on work undertaken by contractors, showing what work is undertaken and in each case whether it was previously undertaken by permanent staff.

The Department has some 1,360 budget holders who have delegated responsibility for getting work done within their allocated budget and for obtaining value for money. For some tasks this would involve the use of contractors. The detailed information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Severe Weather Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether Her Majesty's Government will support Danish and other European Community Government proposals for mandatory aid to retirement pensioners and other needy social groups during severe weather conditions.

The Government already provide help when it is very cold through the supplementary benefit exceptionally cold weather scheme. Last winter, we estimate that over 950,000 people received help, at a benefit cost of £10·2 million. Any proposals from the European Community would be considered on their merits.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Food Surpluses

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet the National Farmers Union to discuss the question of food surpluses.

I meet members of the National Farmers Union frequently to discuss agricultural issues.

Alternative Land Use

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had from the Tenant Farmers Association regarding compensation to tenants when they have lost land to alternative uses.

In a recent letter to my right hon. Friend the Tenant Farmers Association has called for increased compensation for tenants when land goes for development. I have also received representation from the Country Landowners Association expressing a contrary view.

32.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about his plans for additional grants for planting trees on agricultural land.

We have received many responses to the consultation document "Farm Woodland Scheme" issued earlier this year and hope to announce our intentions on the scheme to Parliament shortly.

Beef Industry

15.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his future plans for the beef premium scheme.

The reform of the beef regime negotiated last December during the British presidency of the European Community provided for the beef variable premium to continue for two years. The arrangements to apply in 1989 and beyond will be for consideration next year. Meanwhile, beef producers are benefiting from a substantial devaluation of the green pound and a 35 per cent. increase in the Buckler cow premium.

17.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to meet the President of the National Farmers Union to discuss the beef industry.

My right hon. Friend the Minister meets the President of the National Farmers Union frequently and discusses the beef sector when appropriate.

Agriculture Industry

16.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to establish an independent national agricultural support system to replace the common agricultural policy in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

No. The treaty of Rome provides for a common agricultural policy. The Government's approach is to work with our partners for its reform, to bring it into closer touch with market realities, and to reduce surpluses and their associated budgetary costs.

18.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet leaders of the agriculture industry in the near future.

I have frequent meetings with leaders of the agriculture industry.

34.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet the President of the National Farmers Union to discuss the sheep sector of the agriculture industry.

I maintain regular contacts with the President of the NFU on a wide range of issues, including the sheepmeat sector.

Cereals

20.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the reduction of cereal surpluses.

I shall continue to pursue a policy of bringing cereals production more into line with demand by continuing price restraint, including through the application of automatic stabilisers, supporting measures to make intervention a safety net rather than an alternative market outlet and promoting the diversion of land out of cereals.

Food Policy

21.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning his priorities with respect to food policy.

Our priority is to ensure that a plentiful supply of wholesome food of sound quality and adequate variety is available to the consumer at competitive prices. To this end we shall continue to encourage the development of an efficient and innovative food and drink industry whilst maintaining a comprehensive range of legislation controlling the safety, quality and labelling of food.

Farm Incomes

22.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest assessment of the prospects for farm incomes; and if he will make a statement.

It is too early to provide an assessment 1987, but as soon as we have any indication of the position we will make this known.

Common Agricultural Policy

19.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on Government policy with regard to the repatriation to individual countries of some financial aspects of the common agricultural policy.

The Government's prime objective is to achieve radical reform of the common agricultural policy which will deal with surpluses and their costs. All our efforts have been directed at bringing this about.

Milk Quota Leasing

24.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on milk quota leasing.

The Council of Ministers has now formally adopted a regulation allowing the operation of quota leasing. I am very pleased we have succeeded in securing a measure of flexibility that I know is of considerable importance to many dairy farmers.

Outgoers Scheme

25.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the working of the milk producers outgoers scheme.

The response to both the schemes which opened on 10 June has been very limited. This no doubt reflects the profitability of milk production and our flexible transfer arrangements, which enable British farmers who want to reduce their production to dispose of quota relatively easily. As previously announced, the national scheme closed on 16 October, and the community scheme will close at the end of the month.

Milk Marketing Board

26.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any representations from the Milk Marketing Board seeking powers to enable it to increase the number of non-elected directors.

No.

Food Aid

27.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider repeating the free distribution of dairy products to those in need.

The Commission has proposed to the Council of Ministers a permanent free food scheme to start in 1988, providing for distribution of products held in intervention stores to the most needy. The Council has not yet taken a decision. Meanwhile, I am exploring with charities the scope which there would be for release under the proposed arrangements of butter and beef from intervention stores in the United Kingdom.

Dairy Farmers

28.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will visit north Devon to meet dairy farmers.

I have no plans at present to do so, but my right hon. Friend the Minister of State met dairy farmers on a visit to the region earlier this month.

Agricultural Land

29.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's work to improve the objectivity of agricultural land classifications.

My Department is now reaching the final stages of its consultations with the soil survey and land research centre on the improved agricultural land classification system. We plan shortly to consult external practitioners with a view to introducing the revised system early in 1988.

Dairy Industry

30.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implications of the 1987 harvest for the profitability of surburban dairy farmers; and if he will make a statement.

New crop supplies of feed grains should exceed domestic demand again this season, despite the effects of the wet harvest. Support prices are lower than last season and currently ex-farm prices are below the level of a year ago. However, it is too early to say how feed grain price movements over the season as a whole will affect the profitability of dairy farmers, and I am not aware of any data that refer specifically to those farming in the suburbs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the current problems of milk producers.

Although operating under the quota regime has posed serious problems for some producers, the dairy industry as a whole can look forward with more confidence following the measures agreed by the Council last December which should bring about a much better relationship between supply and demand. Average dairy farm income in England and Wales increased significantly in real terms in each of the last two years and is expected to increase further during the current year.

Harvest Yield

31.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the yield of the harvest.

My Department currently estimates the 1987 cereals harvest in the United Kingdom to be 22 million tonnes.

Fish Farming

33.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will bring forward regulations for fish farming.

A statutory framework for the regulation of fish farming already exists. This framework involves various controls over the setting up of farms, water abstraction and discharge, and fish movements. The Government intend to add to these controls by extending the requirement for water abstraction licensing by water authorities to fish farms producing fish for the table.

Animal Welfare

14.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to deal with animal welfare; and if he will make a statement.

We are continuing to take steps to improve the welfare of farm animals, including codes and regulations on various aspects of welfare.

23.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received this year about the recommendations made by the Farm Animal Welfare Council.

My Department normally consults widely on the recommendations of the Farm Animal Welfare Council. This year I have received representations on the revised sheep code and the council's interim statement on new welfare regulations.

Milk Quotas

asked the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in the United Kingdom have milk quotas of (a) over 2 million litres, (b) between 750,000 and 1,999,999 litres, (c) between 500,000 and 749,999 litres, (d) between 200,000 and 299,999 litres, (e) between 100,000 and 199,999 litres, and (f) less than 100,000 litres.

The allocation of quota by size band in the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. Records are maintained for quota holders on the basis of entire holdings, which may comprise more than one farm.

Size group Litres	Number of producers
Under 100,000	10,862
100,000 to 199,999	11,672
200,000 to 299,999	8,637
300,000 to 499,999	9,805
500,000 to 749,999	4,887
750,000 to 1,999,999	2,782
Over 2 million	185

Intervention Stores

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his answer of 13 July, Official Report, column 351, he will provide a breakdown of the storage and related costs of maintaining European Economic Community food intervention stores.

A breakdown of United Kingdom storage and related costs by intervention commodity is set out. Records are not kept in a form which enables a breakdown by type of cost to be readily extracted.

£'000
	Cereals	Butter	SMP	Beef	Total
1983–84	30,573	9,078	3,766	526	48,623
1984–85	30,389	12,391	2,323	12,552	57,655
1985–86	81,366	16,206	880	26,143	124,595
1986–87	79,351	22,614	825	25,842	128,632

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details by type and quantity of foodstuffs dumped as waste or used as animal feed intervention stores in each of the past five years.

Over the five years 1982 to 1986, 278,612 tonnes of skimmed milk powder were sold out of intervention for manufacture into animal feed. Sales of intervention grain of feed quality totalled 5·5 million tonnes. For the period 1982 to 1985 no butter was sold for animal feed, but 14,081 tonnes were sold in 1986.Over the five years 1982 to 1986 2,100 tonnes of cereals damaged in store had to be dumped. There was no dumping of intervention beef and destruction of skimmed milk powder and butter over this period involved only extremely small quantities.

Sharks

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many basking sharks were taken from British territorial waters in each of the past five years; which countries took them; for what purposes; what is the estimated population of basking sharks in British waters; and if he will consider a total ban on their being fished.

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

Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate

35.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will commission an annual report on the work of the horticultural marketing inspectorate.

I have no plans to commission an annual report on the work of the horticultural marketing inspectorate. Its work is closely monitored within my Department including through the MINIM system. Figures showing the number of inspections and resulting action taken by the Inspectorate are published quarterly by the Commission of the European Communities and can be obtained from its London information office at 8 Storey's Gate.

Sea Defences

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will clarify the new arrangements for local authorities' funding of non-emergency sea defence work; if he will make a statement about sea defences; and if he will make it his policy to treat sea defence as a national responsibility, rather than a coastal authority matter.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987]: I am currently considering as the hon. Member is aware, the allocation between local authorities of the global capital sum available for this work and the Department will inform local authorities of the decision as soon as possible.Proposals for coastal works are a long-standing local authority responsibility in view of their considerable local importance. When views were last canvassed on this—in 1985 — the strongly-held view of the authorities concerned remained that this responsibility should be left in local hands. The Government do, of course, make a significant contribution to the funding of capital work through a very high rate of grant, most authorities qualifying for the maximum rate of 70 per cent.

Volume 120: debated on Thursday 22 October 1987

Written Answers To Questions

Attorney-General

"Spycatcher"

Overseas Development

Caribbean Development Bank

Bilateral Aid

Energy

Ukaea

Domestic Gas Disconnections

Home Department

Political Party Conferences

"Spycatcher"

Mr Michael Dobbs

Metropolitan Police (Northern Ireland)

Political Asylum

Football Clubs (Police Services)

Storm Damage

Prime Minister

Public Bodies (Tuc Membership)

Peter Wright

Rugby

Southend-On-Sea

Dhss (Local Office Staff)

Vat

Security

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

National School For Public Administration

No 10 Downing Street

Space And Maritime Research

South Africa (Atrocities)

Official Duties (Costs)

Conservative Party Conference (Policing)

Engagements

Transport

Ba/B-Cal Merger

Launches And Hovercraft

Lrt (Board Salaries And Expenses)

Traffic Control (London)

Wales

Craig-Y-Nos

Trade And Industry

Postal Deliveries

Ba/B-Cal Merger

Whale Products

"Spycatcher"

Research Council

Scotland

Special Grants Environmental Programme

Hospital For Sick Children, Yorkhill

National Finance

Ec (Payments)

Government Departments (Union Representatives)

Budget Council

European Monetary System

Fraud Officers

Business Expansion Scheme

Personal Allowances

Consultancy Costs

Child Benefit

House Of Commons

Pension Schemes

Environment

Rating Reform

National Heritage Memorial Fund

Cash Limits

Children's Play

Local Government Reform

Housing Support

London Residuary Body

Storm Damage

Residuary Bodies

Council House Sales

Housebuilding

Whale Products

Common Land

Storm Damage

Education And Science

North Molton Primary School