Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 2 December 1987

Wales

Trade Visit (Japan)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about his recent trade visit to Japan.

My visit to Japan last week was primarily an inward investment mission. I was much encouraged by the clear interest Japanese industry is showing in further significant investments in the United Kingdom over the coming years.I had the honour of addressing the Japan-British Society in the presence of His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito of Mikasa. I had very useful discussions with Mr. Sosuke Uno, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yasuoki Urano, Parliamentary Vice Minister for International Trade and Industry, and representatives of the Keidanren.I spoke at two seminars at Nagoya and Osaka which had been arranged by the Invest in Britain Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry. These were prestigious engagements attended by many senior Japanese business people in those areas.As this was my first visit to Japan in my present capacity, I visited a number of companies which have already established factories in Wales to make contact with them and to discuss their plans for the future of their Welsh operations. I also met senior representatives of a number of companies which are considering establishing operations in the United Kingdom. Two projects—Star Micronics and a joint venture by Onamba and Sumitomo —were announced whilst I was in Japan; between them they should bring a further 470 jobs to Wales. I attended a ceremony involving an exchange of trees in connection with the national garden festival at Ebbw Vale in 1992.

National Museum Of Wales

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department received the annotated copy of the memorandum concerning the National Museum of Wales, prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General and submitted to the Public Accounts Committee on 19 January; and what action was taken to investigate the criticisms of that memorandum by the author of the annotations.

The annotated copy of the document was sent to the Department for information and was received on 23 February 1987. It is for the Comptroller and Auditor General to consider what to do about comments on a document he has issued.

Prime Minister

Civil Servants

To ask the Prime Minister what further guidance is being given to civil servants about their duties and responsibilities.

In the light of comments made by the Treasury and Civil Service Committee, the Defence Committee and the Civil Service unions, the Head of the Home Civil Service has revised the note of guidance on the duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers which he issued in February 1985. With my consent, he has issued the revised note today. A copy is annexed to this answer.

Note is as follows—

The Duties And Responsibilities Of Civil Servants In Relation To Ministers

Note By The Head Of The Home Civil Service

In February 1985, with the consent of the Prime Minister, I issued a note of guidance restating the general duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers. That note was reproduced in a Written Answer by the Prime Minister to a Parliamentary Question on 26 February 1985 (OR 26 February 1985, columns 130 to 132). In the light of the subsequent discussion, including observations of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee and the Defence Committee of the House of Commons and comments from the Council of Civil Service Unions, I have expanded the note of guidance, and a revised version is now issued. As previously, the note is issued after consultation with Permanent Secretaries in charge of Departments and with their agreement. As with the earlier version, this revised version is issued with the consent of the Prime Minister, and will be reported by her to the House of Commons.

2. This note is concerned with the duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers. It should be read in the wider context of Ministers' own responsibilities, which were set out in the Government's reply to the Seventh Report from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee (Cmnd. 9841):

"The Government believes that Ministers are well aware of the principles that should govern their duties and responsibilities in relation to Parliament and in relation to civil servants. It goes without saying that these include the obligations of integrity. They include the duty to give Parliament and the public as full information as possible about the policies, decisions and actions of the Government, and not to deceive or mislead Parliament or the public. In relation to civil servants, they include the duty to give fair consideration and due weight to informed and impartial advice from civil servants, as well as to other considerations and advice, in reaching policy decisions; the duty to refrain from asking or instructing civil servants to do things which they should not do; the duty to ensure that influence over appointments is not abused for partisan purposes; and the duty to observe the obligations of a good employer with regard to terms and conditions of service and the treatment of those who serve them."

3. Civil servants are servants of the Crown. For all practical purposes the Crown in this context means and is represented by the Government of the day. There are special cases in which certain functions are conferred by law upon particular members or groups of members of the public service; but in general the executive powers of the Crown are exercised by and on the advice of Her Majesty's Ministers, who are in turn answerable to Parliament. The Civil Service as such has no constitutional personality or responsibility separate from the duly constituted Government of the day. It is there to provide the Government of the day with advice on the formulation of the policies of the Government, to assist in carrying out the decisions of the Government, and to manage and deliver the services for which the Government is responsible. Some civil servants are also involved, as a proper part of their duties, in the processes of presentation of Government policies and decisions.

4. The Civil Service serves the Government of the day as a whole, that is to say Her Majesty's Ministers collectively, and the Prime Minister is the Minister for the Civil Service. The duty of the individual civil servant is first and foremost to the Minister of the Crown who is in charge of the Department in which he or she is serving. The basic principles of accountability of Ministers and civil servants are as set out in the Government's response (Cmnd 9916) to the Defence Committee's Fourth Report of 1985–86:

—Each Minister is responsible to Parliament for the conduct of his Department, and for the actions carried out by his Department in pursuit of Government policies or in the discharge of responsibilities laid upon him as a Minister.
—A Minister is accountable to Parliament, in the sense that he has a duty to explain in Parliament the exercise of his powers and duties and to give an account to Parliament of what is done by him in his capacity as a Minister or by his Department.
—Civil servants are responsible to their Ministers for their actions and conduct.

5. It is the duty of civil servants to serve their Ministers with integrity and to the best of their ability. In their dealings with the public, civil servants should always bear in mind that people have a right to expect that their affairs will be dealt with sympathetically, efficiently and promptly.

6. The British Civil Service is a non-political and professional career service subject to a code of rules and disciplines. Civil servants are required to serve the duly constituted Government of the day, of whatever political complexion. It is of the first importance that civil servants should conduct themselves in such a way as to deserve and retain the confidence of Ministers, and to be able to establish the same relationship with those whom they may be required to serve in some future Administration. That confidence is the indispensable foundation of a good relationship between Ministers and civil servants. The conduct of civil servants should at all times be such that Ministers and potential future Ministers can be sure that that confidence can be freely given, and that the Civil Service will at all times conscientiously fulfil its duties and obligations to, and impartially assist, advise and carry out the policies of, the duly constituted Government of the day.

7. The determination of policy is the responsibility of the Minister (within the convention of collective responsibility of the whole Government for the decisions and actions of every member of it). In the determination of policy the civil servant has no constitutional responsibility or role distinct from that of the Minister. Subject to the conventions limiting the access of Ministers to papers of previous Administrations, it is the duty of the civil servant to make available to the Minister all the information and experience at his or her disposal which may have a bearing on the policy decisions to which the Minister is committed or which he is preparing to make, and to give to the Minister honest and impartial advice, without fear or favour, and whether the advice accords with the Minister's view or not. Civil servants are in breach of their duty, and damage their integrity as servants of the Crown, if they deliberately withhold relevant information from their Minister, or if they give their Minister other advice than the best they believe they can give, or if they seek to obstruct or delay a decision simply because they do not agree with it. When, having been given all the relevant information and advice, the Minister has taken a decision, it is the duty of civil servants loyally to carry out that decision with precisely the same energy and good will, whether they agree with it or not.

8. Civil servants are under an obligation to keep the confidences to which they become privy in the course of their work; not only the maintenance of the trust between Ministers and civil servants but also the efficiency of government depend on their doing so. There is and must be a general duty upon every civil servant, serving or retired, not without authority to make disclosures which breach that obligation. This duty applies to any document or information or knowledge of the course of business, which has come to a civil servant in confidence in the course of duty. Any such unauthorised disclosures, whether for political or personal motives, or for pecuniary gain, and quite apart from liability to prosecution under the Official Secrets Acts, result in the civil servant concerned forfeiting the trust that is put in him or her as an employee and making him or her liable to disciplinary action including the possibility of dismissal, or to civil law proceedings. He or she also undermines the confidence that ought to subsist between Ministers and civil servants and thus damages colleagues and the Service as well as him or herself.

9. Civil servants often find themselves in situations where they are required or expected to give information to a Parliamentary Select Committee, to the media, or to individuals. In doing so they should be guided by the policy of the Government on evidence to Select Committees, as set out in memoranda of guidance issued from time to time, and on the disclosure of information, by any specifically departmental policies in relation to departmental information, and by the requirements of security and confidentiality. In this respect, however, as in other respects, the civil servant's first duty is to his or her Minister. Thus, when a civil servant gives evidence to a Select Committee on the policies or actions of his or her Department, he or she does so as the representative of the Minister in charge of the Department and subject to the Minister's instructions¹ , and is accountable to the Minister for the evidence which he or she gives. As explained in paragraph 2, the ultimate responsibility lies with Ministers, and not with civil servants, to decide what information should be made available, and how and when it should be released, whether it is to Parliament, to Select Committees, to the media or to individuals. It is not acceptable for a serving or former civil servant to seek to frustrate policies or decisions of Ministers by the disclosure outside the Government of information to which he or she has had access as a civil servant.

10. The previous paragraphs have set out the basic principles which govern the relations between Ministers and civil servants. The rest of this note deals with particular aspects of conduct which derive from them, where it may be felt that more detailed guidance would be helpful.

11. A civil servant should not be required to do anything unlawful. In the very unlikely event of a civil servant being asked to do something which he or she believes would put him or her in clear breach of the law, the matter should be reported to a senior officer or to the Principal Establishment Officer, who should if necessary seek the advice of the Legal Adviser to the Department. If legal advice confirms that the action would be likely to be held to be unlawful, the matter should be reported in writing to the Permanent Head of the Department.

12. There may exceptionally be circumstances in which a civil servant considers that he or she is being asked to act in a manner which appears to him or her to be improper, unethical or in breach of constitutional conventions, or to involve possible maladministration, or to be otherwise inconsistent with the standards of conduct prescribed in this memorandum and in the relevant Civil Service codes and guides. In such an event the matter should be reported to a senior officer, and if appropriate to the Permanent Head of the Department.

13. Civil servants should always recall that it is Ministers, and not they, who bear political responsibility. A civil servant should not decline to take, or abstain from taking, an action because to do so would conflict with his or her personal opinions on matters of political choice or judgment between alternative or competing objectives and benefits; he or she should consider the possibility of declining only if taking or abstaining from the action in question is felt to be directly contrary to deeply held personal conviction on a fundamental issue of conscience.

14. A civil servant who feels that to act or to abstain from acting in a particular way, or to acquiesce in a particular decision or course of action, would raise for him or her a fundamental issue of conscience, or is so profoundly opposed to a policy as to feel unable conscientiously to administer it in accordance with the standards described in this note, should consult a senior officer. If necessary, and if the problem cannot be resolved by any other means, the civil servant may take the matter up with the Permanent Head of the Department and also has a right, in the last resort, to have the matter referred to the Head of the Home Civil Service through the Permanent Head of the Department; detailed provisions for such appeals are included in the Civil Service Pay and Conditions of Service Code. If the matter still cannot be resolved on a basis which the civil servant concerned is able to accept, he or she must either carry out his or her instructions or resign from the public service—though even after resignation he or she will still be bound to keep the confidences to which he or she has become privy as a civil servant.

¹ A Permanent Head of a Department giving evidence to the Committee of Public Accounts does so by virtue of his duties and responsibilities as an Accounting Officer as defined in the Treasury memorandum on The Responsibilities of an Accounting Officer; but this is without prejudice to the Minister's responsibility and accountability to Parliament in respect of the policies, actions and conduct of his Department.

Robert Armstrong

Civil Service

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many non-departmental public bodies are currently in existence; and when the annual list of such bodies will be published.

On 1 April 1987 there were 1,643 non-departmental public bodies. That is 15 fewer than last year and 524 fewer than in 1979. These bodies are listed in "Public Bodies 1987" published today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Waste Paper

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

Some of the envelopes, file covers, paper sacks and other such products used by my Department contain an element of recycled paper. As much waste paper as possible goes for recycling.

Energy

Energy Efficiency

96.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he will respond to the European Commission's proposed directive on the provision of information upon the energy efficiency of buildings; and if he will make an assessment of the effect of an energy efficiency initiative upon the generation of employment in the construction industry.

At a meeting of the European Council of Energy Ministers on 13 November, the Ministers did not agree that it was appropriate to impose a mandatory requirement for home energy audits. Discussions will, however, continue on a possible Council "recommendation" to improve information on the energy efficiency of buildings.Experience of such an initiative in Denmark suggests that the effect on employment in the construction industry would depend on a high level of subsidies to householders.

Electricity Sales

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what estimates his Department has made of the amount of electricity sold by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. from Chapelcross to the South of Scotland Electricity Board in 1986–87;

(2) what estimate his Department has made of the amount of electricity sold by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. from Sellafield to the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1986–87.

I have been informed by British Nuclear Fuels plc that, during the 1986–87 financial year, the company sold 1·45 TWh of electricity from their station at Chapelcross to the South of Scotland Electricity Board and 1·25 TWh of electricity from its station at Calder Hall (Sellafield) to the Central Electricity Generating Board.

Waste Paper

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recyling.

My Department uses some envelopes made from recycled paper. Waste paper collected from the Department by Her Majesty's Stationery Office goes for recycling.

Coal Imports (Seaham Harbour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give figures for the volume and value of coal imported through Seaham harbour for each year from 1979.

For the purposes of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise's import statistics, Seaham harbour is included within the port of Sunderland. The following table shows the total volume, total value, and hence the average unit value, of coal imported through Sunderland for each year from 1979.

Coal Imports through Sunderland: 1979 lo 1986
	Volume (tonnes)	Value (£'000)	Average Unit Value £/tonne
1979	22,254	1,065	47·86
1980	12,605	802	63·63
1981	5,895	437	74·13
1982	43,243	2,314	53·51
1983	101,544	4,957	48·82
1984	23,111	1,220	52·79
1985	88,213	4,555	51·64
1986	242,871	9,348	38·49

British Coal

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on British Coal's external financing limit for 1987–88.

British Coal's external financing limit for 1987–88 is to be increased from £727 million to £842 million. This increase reflects price reductions of over £300 million conceded by British Coal in current difficult market conditions. This is partly offset by projected operating cost savings of over £200 million compared with the assumptions underlying the original limit of £727 million. British Coal remain committed to achieving break-even in 1988–89.This increase is being charged to the reserve and will not add to the public expenditure planning total.

Transport

London Underground

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any proposals from London Regional Transport for investment designed to improve the quality of service on the northern line; and if he will make a statement.

We have received and approved proposals, at a cost of some £45 million, for 16 additional trains which will enhance services and relieve overcrowding on five Underground lines, notably the Northern line. London Underground is now taking delivery of the new trains and the higher service levels should be operating by the end next year. In addition we have recently approved a £20 million scheme to replace existing lifts at Angel station, with flights of escalators, emerging in a new ticket hall. This facility—on which work will commence early in the New Year—will bring substantial improvements in conditions for passengers at the station. The Government have not to date refused any investment proposed for the Underground.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to what has been the effect of placing maintenance and installation on the London Underground out to tender on a number of stations without escalator and lift services at any one time; and if he will make a statement.

Tendering for maintenance contracts has so far been undertaken for 25 escalators—where the work was won by the in-house team — and seven lifts, where an outside contractor bid successfully for the contract. I am advised that both contracts are operating well and that there is no adverse effect on reliability. Installation of lifts and escalators has always been carried out by external contractors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the current incidence of driver shortages and defective rolling stock on the London Underground and as to what effect these are having on services, with particular reference to overcrowding, delays and safety; and if he will make a statement.

I understand London Underground is currently experiencing a shortage of drivers, particularly on the Northern line, and is taking steps to recruit the necessary staff. Safety is a first priority and trains are not run, or are taken out of service, if they become defective. This inevitably affects service levels. In the week ending 27 November, I am informed that just over 1 per cent. of scheduled trips were cancelled because of staff sickness or non-availability; and less than 2 per cent. of scheduled peak hour trips were cancelled due to shortage of rolling stock or its withdrawal from service.

Al-Al Motorway (Wetherby)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the Al from Wetherby to the Al motorway.

The White Paper "Policy for Roads in England: 1987" shows the schemes we have planned. They are:

Scheme	Advancement of scheme
Wetherby Bypass	Under construction
Wetherby to Dishforth Widening	At public inquiry
Dishforth Interchange Improvement	Work planned for start in 1988
Dishforth to Scotch Corner Carriageway Improvements	Added to the Programme earlier this year
Dishforth to Scotch Corner Junction Improvement Phase I (Gatenby Lane Junction)	Planned for start of construction in the period April 1989 to March 1991
Dishforth to Scotch Corner Junction Improvements Phase 2	Planned for start of construction in the period from April 1991 on-wards.

A19 (Dishforth)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the A19 from Dishforth to the Tyne tunnel.

We are well advanced with our plans to provide dual carriageways on the remaining two-mile section of this A19-A168 route where such a standard of road has not already been provided. Constructional work on this scheme, which includes the improvement of the junction with the Al at Dishforth, is planned to start in 1988.

London Regional Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to how he assesses London Regional Transport need for support from the taxpayer, with particular reference to his Department's press release No. 541, following the Autumn Statement.

Grant is provided to LRT to the extent to which it cannot cover its running costs and fund its investment needs from traffic income and other revenues. The Government fully support the need for a high level of investment by LRT to modernise and expand the system. As announced at the time of the Autumn Statement, LRT's investment next year will be increased by more than £50 million, to £365 million. LRT's requirement for external finance will however be reduced by more than £50 million to £221 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the level of subsidy to London Regional Transport per thousand passengers at constant 1987 prices for each year since 1979.

LRT receives both revenue support and capital grant. The figures requested for both are as follows:

	Revenue support per thousand passenger journeys (1986–87 prices)	Capital grant per thousand passenger journeys (1986–87 prices)
1979	50·44	92·45
1980	70·49	98·39
1981	121·28	109·75
1982	100·52	99·93
1983	124·86	115·55
1984·85¹	92·16	73·90
1985·86	69·28	107·43
1986·87	34·75	118·56
¹ 15 months.

Hazardous Goods

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider the setting up of joint committees at county level to monitor the transportation of hazardous goods and materials in areas where they are loaded or unloaded, consisting of police, fire, ambulance and local authority services, together with employers and trade unions; and if he will make a statement.

We would welcome and support any initiatives at county level which might usefully draw on the experience of the liaison panel already in existence in Cleveland.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department monitors the driving hours, breaks and rest periods of drivers in vehicles greater than three and a half tons, since the increase in heavy goods vehicle drivers' hours brought about by the EEC review in September 1986.

Tachograph charts which show drivers' hours, breaks and rest periods, are checked by the Department's traffic examiners during visits to operators' premises and by both the examiners and the police at the roadside. Charts are also screened by the Department's eleven traffic area offices, using computerised equipment.The EC regulations which became effective last year extended daily driving from eight to nine hours (with provision for up to 10 hours twice a week) but reduced overall driving from 92 hours to 90 hours in any fortnight.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines have been issued to ensure that regulations are respected concerning those drivers in vehicles greater than three and a half tons, now that driving hours have been extended.

Over 100,000 guide books (GV262) on the new drivers' hours rules have been issued free of charge by the Department since September 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the new extended driving hours for drivers in vehicles over three and a half tons; and if he will make a statement.

The new rules were agreed after two years of detailed discussion within the European Community and have been in place for a little over a year.We will keep the rules under review.

Tachograph Records

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines he has issued, or proposes to issue, to ensure that enforcement officers within his Department, when visiting the premises of haulage companies for the inspection of tachograph records, see both safety representatives as well as management; and if he will make a statement.

When visiting operators' premises, traffic examiners are always willing to advise operators on enforcement and safety matters. It is a management responsibility to see that workers and their representatives are kept informed.

Vehicle Companies (Register)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate the practicalities of establishing a register of vehicle companies to ensure that the transportation of goods and materials on the roads be handled only by those companies so registered.

Anyone who wishes to use a goods vehicle with a gross weight of more than 3·5 tonnes must hold an operator's licence. These are issued by the independent licensing authorities who keep a record of operators within their traffic areas.

A47 Bypass (East Norton)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has anything to add to his answer of 16 November, Official Report, column 404, with respect to the A47 bypass of East Norton.

In the answer of 16 November, I named the schemes which are in the Government's national trunk road programme. Other schemes, each valued at under £1 million, are in the east midlands regional programme. The A47 East Norton bypass is one of them. Subject to the completion of statutory procedures, construction could start in 1990.

Coal (Transport)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the tonnage of domestic coal transported by rail annually since 1983; and if he will also indicate in percentage terms that tonnage in relation to total domestic coal transported for the same period.

Figures for coal transport do not distinguish between domestically produced and imported coal. The figures for total tonnes and rail share are as follows:

	BR Coal and Coke Traffic (Tonnes: Millions)	BR per cent. of total Coal and Coke traffic
1983	87·9	53
1984	25·5	29
1985	65·9	45
1986	79·7	52

Education And Science

Vocational Qualifications

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report those professions or trades whose vocational qualifications have been reviewed by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications to date.

Early in 1987, following the production of draft criteria for its vocational qualifications framework, the national council established nine project groups to test out those criteria by reviewing and advising on the standards of competence and qualifications in the fields of agriculture, electrical contracting, engineering manufacture, heating and ventilation, hotel and catering, motor vehicle repair and maintenance, office occupations, retail, and retail travel. The groups have now submitted interim or final reports, and a number of qualifications have been accredited, mostly based on combinations of existing qualifications. The council is now considering the results of this process, and hopes soon to publish fuller and more definitive criteria and to invite interested parties in all sectors of employment to submit qualifications for accreditation. The council is also consulting widely with professional bodies to see how their qualifications may be associated with the national vocational qualification framework.

Educational Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) the standard of education and (b) school budgets in those Inner London education authority boroughs which decide to stay in the Inner London education authority, in the event that a significant proportion of the wealthier less deprived boroughs decide to opt out; and if he will make a statement.

The fact that boroughs dissatisfied with ILEA's educational and financial performance will be able to apply to opt out should act as a spur to improvements within ILEA. But the process of opting out should not in itself have a significant effect on either educational standards or school budgets in those inner London boroughs which decide to stay within the authority. Under the new arrangements for local government finance which will apply from 1 April 1990, inner London boroughs will receive revenue support grant related to their needs; any increase in average needs for boroughs remaining within ILEA due to other boroughs opting out will be reflected in an increase in grant.

Goldsmiths College

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether appropriate funding will be made available to Goldsmiths college, London, in order to secure its incorporation into the University of London; and if he will make a statement.

I wrote to the vice-chancellor of London university on 20 November giving the following information about the amounts that my right hon. Friend is prepared to make available for the funding of Goldsmiths college over the next three academic years.

£ million
	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91 (August-March)
	13·66	12·96	7·61
Less Science¹		0·56	0·34
Net Total	13·66	12·40	7·27
¹ Negotiations are continuing about the possible transfer of Goldsmiths' Science courses to other institutions.

While it has not proved possible to provide a precise year-on-year match between the available funding and the amounts which the college considered would be necessary to enable it to operate as a UGC and university court-funded school of London university, I understand that it should be possible for the college to make the required adjustments in the phasing of its expenditure. In addition the Secretary of State has also indicated his willingness to transfer the following amounts to the universities Vote to meet the costs of restructuring.

Financial year	£
1988–89	39,000
1989–90	128,000
1990–91	160,000

Speech Therapy

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will bring forward proposals to expand speech therapy provision in schools.

The provision of health services to local education authorities is a function of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, under the provisions of the National Health Service Act 1977. Schedule 10 of the Education Reform Bill now before Parliament extends that duty to cover the grant-maintained schools which it is proposed should be established under the Bill. My right hon. Friends do not at present plan to bring forward any other proposals in this field.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Cambodian Refugees

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he takes to seek to ensure that United Kingdom public funds do not go to those organisations, claiming to represent or care for refugees on the Thai-Cambodian border, which are front organisations for the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot.

We provide assistance to the Cambodian refugees in camps in Thailand through United Nations agencies. We also provide a small amount of bilateral humanitarian assistance direct to the non-Communist groups. We have stipulated to the United Nations agencies that our assistance must not go to the Khmer Rouge. They have assured us that it does not.

Waste Paper

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office supplies paper to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and make our waste paper collections. It encourages the greater use of recycled fibre in the paper it purchases and sends suitable waste paper for recycling.

South Africa

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 19 November, Official Report, column 618, what is his estimate of the cost of providing the information originally requested about British nationals arrested, tried and imprisoned in South Africa.

It is estimated that the cost would be in excess of the £200 limit recommended by central guidance for answering hon. Members' questions.

Inflation

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the current rate of inflation for all the EEC countries, together with the Scandinavian countries, United States of America, Canada and Japan.

The figures are as follows:

	Consumer prices September 1987 Change over 12 months earlier per cent.
Belgium	1·7
Denmark	3·6
France	3·2
Germany	0·4
Greece	14·7
Ireland	3·2
Italy	5·2
Luxembourg	0·2
Netherlands	0·2
Portugal	9·3
Spain	4·4
United Kingdom	4·2
Norway	7·8
Sweden	5·0
United States of America	4·3
Canada	4·5
Japan	1·1

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: Main Economic Indicators, November 1987

Vat

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the value added tax bands and rates in the individual member countries of the European Community.

I have been asked to reply. According to the latest information available, rates of VAT in the EC member states are as follows:

EC VAT Rates: 1 November 1987
	Standard Rate	Increased/ Luxury Rate(s)	Reduced Rate(s)
	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
Belgium	19	25, ¹33	Zero, 6, 17
Denmark	22	—	Zero
France	18·6	33⅓	5·5,7
Germany	14	—	7
Greece	18	36	6
Ireland	25	—	Zero, 10
Italy	18	38	Zero, 2, 9
Luxembourg	12	—	3,6
Netherlands	20	—	6
Portugal²	16, ³12	30, ³21	Zero, 8, ³6
Spain	12	33	Zero, 6
United Kingdom	15	—	Zero

Notes:

¹ Higher rate includes 8 per cent. luxury tax and applies to restricted selection of goods, including, inter alia, arms, furs, jewellery, perfumes and cosmetics.

² Portugal is obliged to apply the common VAT system only from

1.1.89.

³ Lower rates apply in the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira Archipelagoes.

Home Department

Citizenship

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the printing errors on the guide form 'R'—"Registration as a British Citizen", he will extend the time limit for registration by six months; and if he will make a statement.

We do not accept that there are any such errors in the guide accompanying form R, nor any ambiguities which might lead someone eligible to conclude that he need not apply.

Mr Bashar Samara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why Mr. Bashar Samara was deported from the United Kingdom and whether he will make a statement;(2) to which country Mr. Bashar Samara was deported in September.

Mr. Samara was refused entry to the United Kingdom on 18 September 1987 on the grounds that his exclusion was conducive to the public good for reasons of national security. He was removed to Israel on 19 September 1987.

Passports

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by the Passport Office to (i) issue and (ii) renew passports.

The time taken to deal with passport applications varies from office to office. Current delay times for non-urgent applications of all types at each of the regional offices are as follows:

	Working days
London	36
Peterborough	15
Newport	10
Glasgow	8
Liverpool	6
Belfast	2

Urgent applications are given priority; all others are dealt with in date of receipt order, irrespective of the type of application.

Prisoners (Guilt Admissions)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside on the number of admissions of guilt resulting from prison visits by police officers during the last year; and if he will review the guidelines he issues on the obtaining of admissions in this way, in the light of information supplied by Merseyside police.

I understand from the chief constable of Merseyside that, in 1986,36,320 offences were cleared up following prison visits by his officers. These represent 59 per cent. of all offences detected by his force in that year. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary issued guidelines on the use of prison visits to clear up crimes earlier this year and is satisfied that practice in Merseyside accords with them.

Television Licences

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the additional revenue which would be raised by charging hotels the full television licence fee on every television which they provide for the use of hotel guests; and if he will make a statement.

The information on which to base an estimate could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Election Expenses

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long after the general elections of 1983 or 1979 the return of candidates' expenses was published; when he intends to publish the 1987 return; whether its preparation is now complete with all returns in; by whom the analysis is being done; and how many of those returns so far received are over the maximum.

The returns of candidates' expenses following the general elections of 3 May 1979 and 9 June 1983 were published on 11 February 1980 and 12 December 1983 respectively. As on those occasions, the 1987 returns are being compiled by the statistical department of the Home Office. The information is not yet complete but my right hon. Friend hopes that the publication will be available by next February. Details of any candidates whose expenditure is over the permitted maximum will not be published until investigations are complete.

Prisoners (Works Of Art)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to increase the public access to prisoners' works of art.

There are no plans to alter the current arrangements for public access to prisoners' works of art. Prison governors already have discretion to allow inmates to enter works of art for public competition or exhibition and many local initiatives are taken in this area in addition to a national competition and exhibition of prisoners' art sponsored each year by the Koestler Trust. The next Koestler Trust exhibition is planned to take place at the royal festival hall between mid-September and mid-October 1988.

Risley Remand Centre

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to take action to relieve pressures on Risley remand centre.

We have taken a number of measures to relieve the pressure of the overcrowding at Risley remand centre. We took advantage of the reduction in the prison population brought about by the change in the remission rules earlier this year, to create more space for remand prisoners elsewhere in the north-west. We opened New Hall as a female prison in August, to take female prisoners who would otherwise have been sent to Risley. Male prisoners are drafted out at regular intervals to the trials unit at Preston prison. We have announced plans to provide accommodation for young offenders on remand at Hindley youth custody centre. We shall continue to keep the situation at Risley under review.

Prisoners (Drugs)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities are available for drug rehabilitation in Her Majesty's prison Holloway.

If on reception at Holloway a person is identified as having a history of drug misuse she is offered the treatment the medical officer, in her individual clinical judgment, considers necessary. Subsequent support after withdrawal could include psychotherapy.

Prisoners (Psychiatry)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of inmates of Her Majesty's prison Holloway are estimated to suffer from significant psychiatric problems.

A census taken by prison medical officers at Holloway on 1 October 1986 of sentenced inmates serving six months and over showed that there were eight (7 per cent.) who were considered to require specialised therapeutic facilities for mental disorder. On the same date 22 unsentenced inmates, (9 per cent.) were considered to be suffering from mental disorder of a type or degree such that they would be detainable under the Mental Health Act 1983.The latest returns of the number of inmates considered to be detainable under that Act show that on 31 March 1987 there were 13 (three sentenced and 10 unsentenced), or 3·5 per cent. of the total population at Holloway prison.

Satellite Information Services

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the latest agreement between Satellite Information Services and the horse racing and greyhound racing industries with regard to the duration of the agreement and representation on the board of Satellite Information Services; and if he will make a statement.

These are commercial matters for the parties concerned.

Immigration

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many British citizens have unsuccessfully applied for permission for spouses and finances from Australia to enter the United Kingdom for residence since 1978; and what evidence was offered in an attempt to prove that the marriage or engagement was a genuine one;(2) how many British citizens have successfully applied for permission for spouses or fiancées from Australia to enter the United Kingdom for residence since 1978; and what evidence was offered to prove that the marriage or engagement was a genuine one.

The only information readily available is of the numbers of citizens of Australia who have been accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom as spouses: this information is published annually in "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom", tables 3 and 4 of the latest issue for 1986 (Cm. 166), and is brought together in the table. Copies of this publication are in the Library.The sponsors may have been British citizens or persons already settled in the United Kingdom or persons being accepted for settlement in their own right at the same time. The requirements for any person seeking to settle in the United Kingdom as a spouse are set out in the Immigration Rules. If the hon. Member has any specific case in mind, he may care to write to me about it.

Citizens of Australia accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom as spouses, 1978 to 1986
Year	Number 850
1978	850
1979	760
1980	570
1981	400
1982	320
1983	450
1984	620
1985	630
1986	480

Entry Clearance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer of 30 October, he will provide a breakdown in the most convenient form available of the reasons for refusal of entry to those in possession of a valid entry clearance.

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

Civil Servants (Industrial Action)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many working days were lost in his Department due to industrial action by civil servants in the period 1976–86.

Comprehensive figures for the years 1976–80 are not readily available, although I can say that 8,220 working days were lost in the Home Office during the 1979 Civil Service pay dispute. The number of working days lost through industrial action in the years 1981–86 was 12,282.

Fire Precautions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and the Fire Precautions Order 1976 so as to have trainees included in the count when determining whether or not a premise requires a fire certificate.

When the Fire Precautions (Factories, Offices, Shops and Railway Premises) Order 1976 is replaced to give effect to provisions contained in the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987, provisions will be included in the new order for trainees to be counted as employees for the purpose of determining whether premises require a fire certificate.

Irish Prisoners

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A Irish prisoners have been transferred at their own request from England and Wales to Northern Ireland since 1973.

The information readily available shows that five category A inmates sentenced in England and Wales have been permanently transferred to establishments in Northern Ireland since 1973. All are thought to have been originally from Northern Ireland.

Mr Truong Nguyen Thank

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to reply to the letter of 1 July from the hon. Member for Woolwich about the case of Mr. Truong Nguyen Thank.

I am sorry that the hon. Member has not had an earlier reply to his letter of 1 July. Further inquiries are needed before a decision can be taken in this case. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as these are completed.

Mr T D Phung

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to provide a substantive response to the letter of 17 March from the hon. Member for Woolwich about the case of Mr. T. D. Phung.

I regret that the pressure of work within the refugee section of the immigration and nationality department, and the need to make further inquiries of Mr. Phung have delayed consideration of this case. We are at present awaiting translation of documents submitted by Mr. Phung in Chinese and I hope to be able to send a substantive reply to the letter of 17 March once this is available.

Mr Yao Kwong Yan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to reply to the letter of 6 July from the hon. Member for Woolwich about Mr. Yao Kwong Yan.

I am writing to the hon. Member today.

Radio 4

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chairman of the board of governors of the BBC to discuss the future of Radio 4.

My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of the BBC periodically to discuss a range of current broadcasting issues, but the future of particular radio services is a matter for the BBC within the resources available to it.

John Manley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish an independent public inquiry into all decisions taken by his Department concerning John Manley, sentenced to life at Leeds Crown court for killing Donald Swaine; and if he will make a statement.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave yesterday to questions from the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) which set out the action which we have already taken to review the case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in his Department's procedures he has introduced as a result of the case of John Manley; what further changes in procedures he proposes to make; what proposals he has received from the probation service for changes in procedures; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave yesterday to questions from the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer). If the further examination of this case suggests that there is scope for improving procedures, this will be carefully considered. We shall gladly take into account any proposals which may be received from the probation service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why requests by Bradford probation service for John Manley to be readmitted to Rampton hospital were refused by his Department.

I refer the hon. Member to replies I gave yesterday to questions from the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer). The West Yorkshire probation service did not specifically request that Mr. Manley should be recalled to Rampton hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he authorised the release of John Manley from Rampton hospital in 1981; and what terms and conditions were applied to his release.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave yesterday to Questions from the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) which refer to a review conducted earlier this year of the handling bf this case. The decision to release Mr. Manley from Rampton hospital was based on medical advice that he was fit to be conditionally discharged. The conditions of discharge were that Mr. Manley, on leaving hospital, should go immediately to a hostel in Lincoln; that he should reside there under the supervision of a social worker appointed by the local authority; that he should keep in touch with and receive home visits from the supervising officer, as directed by that officer; and that he should attend a psychiatric out-patient clinic, as directed by a consultant psychiatrist at Rampton hospital.

Horse Racing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the total number of bookmakers registered for British horse racing courses; and if he is able to give a regional breakdown.

Information available from Customs and Excise shows that on 31 March 1987 1,543 bookmakers were registered to pay duty for on-course bookmaking at racecourses or greyhound tracks (or both) in Great Britain. The regional breakdown is as follows:

	Number
Birmingham	149
Bristol	25

	Number
South Wales	96
Dover	22
East Anglia	33
Leeds	169
Liverpool	72
London	170
Manchester	55
Northern England (Newcastle)	175
Northampton	107
Nottingham	81
South West England (Plymouth)	53
Reading	61
Southampton	80
Aberdeen	2
Edinburgh	105
Glasgow	88
	1,543

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the total amounts of money ploughed back into British horse racing courses through the totalisator system since 1979.

The Horserace Totalisator Board has contributed £15·5 million to racing since 1979 in levy payments to racecourses and in sponsorship. In doing so, the board has drawn on proceeds from its bookmaking and credit betting, as well as its racecourse totalisator business.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of horses killed on British racecourses in the last five years.

Safety standards on racecourses are the responsibility of the Jockey Club and the racecourse authorities. We do not hold information on the number of horses killed on racecourses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the total number of persons employed in horseracing for each year since 1979; and if he is able to provide a breakdown between full-time and part-time employment.

Information about employment in horseracing is not separately identified in the centrally collected statistics on employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the number of deaths and serious accidents which have occurred to those employed in the horse racing industry in each of the last five years.

No comprehensive figures are kept centrally. Details of those claiming benefit from the racing industry benefit scheme are given in the reports of the Horserace Betting Levy Board which are laid before Parliament annually.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many registered horse racing courses there are in Britain.

Fifty-nine. Sixty-six racecourses hold certificates of approval issued by the Horserace Betting Levy Board; seven of these relate to harness racing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the total registered attendances at British horse racing courses in each year since 1979.

Information available from the Racing Industry's statistical bureau shows the following total racecourse attendances:

	Number
1979	4,105,327
1980	4,140,358
1981	3,752,757
1982	3,703,653
1983	3,522,558
1984	3,756,926
1985	3,749,811
1986	3,958,473

Defence

Training

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the names of all the countries which have had access to the facilities for training at British military establishments during the current year.

The table shows the countries which have been provided with training at Ministry of Defence establishments in the United Kingdom during the current financial year:

Algeria
Australia
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Burma
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
Congo
Cyprus
Denmark
Egypt
El Salvador
Federal Republic of Germany
Fiji
Finland
France
Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait

Lesotho
Luxembourg
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Mauritius
Mozambique
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Portugal
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Somalia
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Vincent
Sudan
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Trinidad
Tunisia
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Uganda
United States of America
Yemen Arab Republic
Zambia
Zimbabwe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the names of all the countries which have had access to training by members of Her Majesty's armed forces serving overseas on secondment or loan during the current year.

The following shows the countries and territories in which members of Her Majesty's armed forces have served on loan or secondment terms during the current financial year:

Australia
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Brunei
Dominica
Fiji
Gambia
Ghana
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Lesotho
Mauritius
New Zealand
Nigeria
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
St. Lucia
St. Vincent
Sudan

Swaziland
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Zimbabwe¹

¹ Since January 1986 a wing of the British military advisory and training team has been specifically allocated to train Mozambican troops within Zimbabwe.

Some of these personnel have filled posts in overseas staff colleges and similiar establishments which may have been attended by students from countries other than the host nation. I regret that records of such students are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Romanian Vessel Fundulea

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the assistance given to the Romanian vessel Fundulea by the Royal Navy frigate Battleaxe in the Straits of Hormuz on 23 November; and to what extent Royal Naval vessels are permitted to aid foreign shipping under attack.

The role of the Armilla patrol is to uphold the safety of British merchant shipping in the Gulf area. It is our long-standing practice not to comment on the patrol's rules of engagement in fulfilling this task.Any Royal Naval ship will, on humanitarian grounds, take appropriate action to help save life. In this particular case, following reports that the Fundulea had been attacked and was on fire, HMS Battleaxe deployed a Lynx helicopter to help search for survivors. The helicopter remained in the area of the stricken vessel until it was confirmed that all her company had been accounted for.

Tornado (Saudi Arabia)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will report progress with regard to the letting of design and construction civil engineering contracts for hardened shelters, airstrips, roadways and workshops ancillary to the supply of Tornado fighters to Saudi Arabia.

The memorandum of understanding signed with the Government of Saudi Arabia on 17 February 1986 covers a number of tasks including construction work. Some of this work is already under-way, and discussions continue between the Ministry of Defence and the royal Saudi air force to agree the scope of future work. The Ministry of Defence's prime contractor for the whole project covered by the memorandum of understanding is British Aerospace, which is responsible for letting sub-contracts for design and construction.

Us Nuclear Weapons

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer 2 November, he will publish that part of the special arrangement between the United Kingdom and United States of America which relates to procedure following an accident involving United States nuclear weapons on British soil.

No. The documents setting out the special arrangements to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 2 November 1987 at column 607 are classified and cannot therefore be published.

Aor Vessels

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects all six AOR vessels to be in Royal Navy service.

Decisions have not yet been taken on the size of the auxiliary oiler replenishment vessel class, the first vessel of which is on order and is expected to enter service in the early 1990s.

Privatisation

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any current plans for privatising services within the responsibility of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

We shall continue with our policy of improving efficiency in the provision of defence support services through competition and increased involvement of the private sector.

Radioactive Materials

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the representative organisations which have been consulted regarding improved contingency and liaison arrangements for incidents arising from the transportation of radioactive weapons materials.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 2 February 1987 by my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Mr. Stanley) at column 516.

Aircraft Carriers (Refits)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it is planned the HMS Ark Royal and HMS Invincible will be refitted.

HMS Invincible is currently undergoing refit at Devonport dockyard. Under existing plans HMS Ark Royal should be due for her first refit in the mid-1990s.

Social Services

Secure Units

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the regional medium and interim secure units in England and Wales and indicate how many people, broken down into those awaiting transfer from special hospitals and those from other sources, are awaiting transfer to each unit; and if he will give the figures, where possible, for the last three years, together with an indication of the current average waiting time for transfer into each unit.

The information held centrally regarding people awaiting transfer to permanent and declared interim secure units is in respect of special hospital patients only. Information is not available for the last three years, as historical data are not retained. The current position is provided in the table. Any question of the number of prisoners awaiting transfer to National Health Service secure units is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the provision of health service facilities in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Region and Unit [P-permanent I-interim]	Number of special hospital patients awaiting transfer to unit¹	Length of wait
		Up to 3 months	3 to6 months	6 lo 9 months	9 to 12 months	12 to 18 months
Northern
Hutton Unit, St. Lukes Hospital (P)	1	1	—	—	—	—
Yorkshire
Newton Lodge, Fieldhead Hospital (P)	1	1	—	—	—	—
Broadgate Hospital (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Clifton Hospital	—	—	—	—	—	—
Storthes Hall Hospital (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
High Royds Hospital (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Stanley Royal Hospital	—	—	—	—	—	—
Trent
Arnold Lodge, Towers Hospital (P)	1	1	—	—	—	—
East Anglian
Norvic Clinic, St. Andrews Hospital (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
North West Thames
Three Bridges Unit, St. Bernards Hospital (P)	3	1	—	1	1	—
North East Thames
Runwell Hospital Southend (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Friern Hospital, New Southgate (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
South East Thames
Denis Hill Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital (P)	3	1	1	—	l	—
Cane Hill Unit Coulsdon (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Bracton Clinic, Bexley (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Trevor Gibbons Clinic, Maidstone (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ashenhill Clinic, Hellingly (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wessex
Ravenswood House, Knowle Hospital (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Oxford
Sycamores Unit, Borocourt Hospital (P)	1	—	—	—	—	1
South Western
Butler Clinic, Langdon Hospital (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Fromeside Clinic, Glenside Hospital (P) [Clinic scheduled to open summer 1988]	1	1	—	—	—	—
Secure Unit Glenside Hospital (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
West Midlands
Reaside Clinic, Rubery Hill Hospital (P)	2	2	—	—	—	—
Coleshill Hall Hospital (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mersey
Scott Clinic Rainhill Hospital (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
North Western
Gardiner Unit (Adolescent), Prestwich Hospital (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Edenfield Centre (Adult), Prestwich Hospital (P)	—	—	—	—	—	—
Langdale Unit, Whittingham Hospital (I)	—	—	—	—	—	—
¹ Figures relate to special hospital patients waiting to move to permanent or declared interim secure units either on trial leave or permanent transfer, for whom a place has been offered and, in the case of restricted patients, the Home Secretary's consent to the move has been given.

Cholesterol

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of recent research indicating the prevalence of high rates of cholesterol in British adults, he will launch a campaign along the lines of that in the United States, designed to encourage people to establish their own cholesterol level; and if he will make a statement.

I am conscious that medical opinion in this country is evolving as new scientific results become available. Most doctors already agree that for families with a history of heart disease it is important to consider whether cholesterol levels are elevated.The "Look After Your Heart" campaign, which was launched in April 1987, encourages people to follow a diet low in fat and particularly saturated fat, and to give up smoking. The effect of these changes could be expected to reduce average levels of cholesterol in the population as a whole. As the campaign develops, we will keep closely in touch with medical opinion on the question of cholesterol measurement.

Doctors (Merit Awards)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total amount paid in merit awards to doctors in the North Staffordshire district health authority for 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986;(2) what was the total amount paid in merit awards to doctors in the west midlands region in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986.

I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to consult West Midlands regional health authority.

Civil Servants (Industrial Action)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many working days were lost in his Department due to industrial action by civil servants in the period 1976–86.

I regret that no information is available on the number of working days lost through industrial action in the period 1976–80. Working days lost from 1981–86 were as follows:

	Number
1981	161,562
1982	86,302
1983	17,408
1984	106,733
1985	24,803
1986	31,608

Foreign Nationals (Treatment)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the annual cost to the National Health Service of the treatment by general practitioners of foreign nationals from countries which do not have reciprocal arrangements with the United Kingdom.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

Mr John Manley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services at what stage during proceedings the medical records of John Manley, sentenced in Lincoln in 1986 for assaulting his wife, were made available to the court.

The sentence to which the hon. Member refers was given in 1983. At no stage during the proceedings did the Department make Mr. Manley's medical records available to the court.

Intensive Care Nurses

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the representations he has received during the past 12 months on the shortage of specialist intensive care nurses; what his response has been in each case; and if he will make a statement.

During the past 12 months the Department has received some 40 letters which refer to the shortage of specialist intensive care nurses. In responding to those letters, we have explained that although there have been significant increases in qualified nursing staff working in intensive care units (for example, a 75 per cent. increase in general intensive care and 142 per cent. in paediatric intensive care between 1981 and 1986) and an increase of 15 per cent. in the number of nurses undergoing specialist training in intensive care in the year ending 31 March 1987 over the previous year, we recognise there are staffing difficulties in some locations. Action is being taken to overcome these difficulties. Current central activities include a joint NHS-DHSS working group on equal opportunities for women which is aiming to find better ways of retaining existing staff; the Nursing and Midwifery Staff Negotiating Council is reviewing the nursing clinical grading structure with the aim of creating a more flexible structure which can recognise individual skills and responsibility; the regional health authority chairmen have commissioned a study to examine factors influencing recruitment and retention and suggest improvements; and a career development project group has been set up to examine the scope for more attractive career goals for nurses.

Pensioners (Benefits)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of how many pensioners in Scotland now receiving housing benefits will lose rights after the change in the social security system in April 1988.

I regret that the information is not available.

Legionnaires' Disease

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now publish the second report of the committee of inquiry into the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Stafford in April 1985; and if he will make a statement.

I have arranged for this report to be published today and a copy has been placed in the Library.In its second and final report, the committee has considered and dealt with that part of its terms of reference which asked it to

"make recommendations on any action necessary to reduce the danger of future outbreaks originating in hospitals, other buildings and elsewhere".

I welcome the report. The Government are grateful to Sir John Badenoch and his committee for their comprehensive review of current knowledge of the disease and its transmission and for their balanced assessment of what needs to be done to minimise the risks of future outbreaks.

The report's recommendations have implications for a range of Government Departments, health and local authorities, industry and the medical and engineering professions, and for future study and research into the disease. In conjunction with other relevant departments, the Department will take forward consideration and follow-up action on those recommendations which are the responsibility of Government, and will monitor progress towards implementing the recommendations as a whole.

Two health notices were issued in May 1987, following the committee's first report, to supplement earlier guidance. The first of these asked health authorities to install dry-cooled air-conditioning systems in new hospital buildings, and to replace existing wet-spray systems when upgrading is required, unless this is absolutely precluded by space, weight or other considerations. It also confirmed existing advice on the safe operation and maintenance of wet-spray systems where they continue in use. The second advised on avoiding Legionella infection risks in hot and cold water systems. A code of practice on the operation of both cooling and water systems is expected to be published shortly.

Pensioners

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled pensioners currently claim supplementary benefit; and how many will (a) gain and (b) lose from the change to income support.

[holding answer 24 November 1987]: It is estimated that around 175,000 pensioners currently receiving supplementary benefit will qualify for the higher pensioner premium on grounds of disability. Of these, around 60,000 will gain at the point of change (excluding those whose entitlement increased by less than 50p). There will be no losers as transitional protection ensures that any claimants who remain entitled to benefit and whose entitlement decreases will not lose at the point of change.

Employment

Employment Bill

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received (a) supporting and (b) opposing clause 3 of the Employment Bill 1987.

Individual responses to the Green Paper "Trade Unions and their Members" and representations on particular clauses of the Employment Bill have been treated in confidence by my Department. I can tell the hon. Gentleman, however, that of the 67 comments received on the Green Paper proposal to give a statutory right for trade union members not to be subject to disciplinary proceedings for refusing to take industrial action, 16 expressed approval and 51 expressed disapproval.

Disabled Persons

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of employers were meeting the quota established by the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 in (a) June 1979, (b) June 1983 and (c) June 1987; and what is the most recent figure.

The percentage of employers within the scheme meeting their quota obligation in (a) June 1979 was 35·3 per cent., (b) June 1983 31·4 per cent. and (c) June 1987 27·3 per cent. June 1987 is the latest date when figures are available. A particular difficulty for employers is that only registered disabled people count towards the quota and the number of people choosing to register as disabled has declined over the years to the extent that the 3 per cent. cannot now be met overall.

Msc Trainees (Accidents)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of serious accidents sustained by Manpower Services Commission trainees within Easington constituency during the last three years.

Information is not available in the form requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Mines

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the numbers of Her Majesty's inspectors of mines operating within the north-east area of British Coal over the last five years.

The numbers are as follows:

	Numbers
1 April
1983	6
1984	7
1985	6
1986	5
April
1987	5
November
1987	4

Civil Servants (Industrial Action)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost in his Department due to industrial action by civil servants in the period 1976–86.

Figures for the number of working days lost in the DE group due to industrial action between 1976 and 1980 are not available. Statistics for the years 1981 to 1986 are set out below:

Year	Number of days lost
1981	59,959
1982	3,332
1983	271
1984	22,313
1985	2,007
1986	3,121

Disabled Workers

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available on the percentage of disabled workers employed in (a) the public and (b) the private sectors.

The only information available is about the extent to which employers covered by the quota scheme meet their obligations under that scheme. On 1 June 1986, 8 per cent. of public sector employees, and 1 per cent. of private sector employees, were registered disabled.

Fit For Work Award

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers in (a) the public and (b) the private sectors have won the Manpower Services Commission's fit for work award in each year since its foundation to 1986.

The number of employers in (a) the public and (b) the private sectors who have won the Manpower Services Commission's fit for work award in each year since awards were first made are as follows:

	Public	Private
1980	3	97
1981	17	87
1982	15	86
1983	14	88
1984	24	76
1985	16	85
1986	20	80

Job Release Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the closure dates for applications under the job release scheme; what steps he has taken to inform the public of the closure of the scheme in addition to issuing a press notice on 3 November; if he will consider extending the scheme with substantially lower age limits; and if he will make a statement.

The job release scheme is being closed because of a targeting of resources on our top priority of reducing long-term unemployment. I do not intend to extend the closure date for applications or to reduce the age limits. In addition to the announcements of the closure and a press notice, closure was advertised in the national press on 6 November.

Yts (Inspections)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what form Her Majesty's Inspectorate type of inspections of YTS schemes will take; how many new staff will be involved; and what is his estimate of the average time between the inspections of placements.

The training standards advisory service has been set up to provide an independent assessment of the quality of training in YTS and to advise on how it could be improved.The inspections undertaken by the TSAS take the form of a thorough survey of selected elements of the training programmes being delivered in YTS with emphasis on quality assurance. The service has 32 training standards inspectors engaged on YTS inspection, all of whom have a professional training background. The TSAS expects to visit every approved training organisation within a five-year period.

Professional And Executive Recruitment

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the operation of Professional and Executive Recruitment.

Yes. Professional and Executive Recruitment provides specialised consultancy and advertising recruitment services to employers wishing to fill professional, technical, scientific, supervisory and managerial vacancies. It operates these services on a commercial basis, charging fees to employers and earning revenue from its free newspaper, Executive Post, which is sent direct to well over 100,000 jobseekers each week as part of PER's advisory and information service. PER's consultancy service extends from straightforward advertising to full recruitment assignments. It operates nationwide, from a network of 35 offices.There is extensive and effective private sector provision in the activities which PER provides on a fee charging basis. The Government's view is that activities of an obviously commercial nature are better carried on in the private sector.I have accordingly decided to seek professional advice about options for transferring PER out of the public sector. I have appointed Lloyds Merchant Bank Limited to act as my advisers and to report to me early in the New Year.

Trade And Industry

Inner City Task Forces

94.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress is being made with the inner city task forces; and if he will make a statement.

I would inform my hon. Friend that my Department is responsible for the inner-city task forces.All 16 of our inner-city task forces are now operational. Specifically the task forces aim to:

Generate more jobs for local people.
Encourage local enterprise development.

Provide enterprise training, financial and managerial assistance to new businesses.

Improve the employability of local people, including those about to enter the labour market, by training programmes aimed at specific employment opportunities.
Support initiatives designed to improve the environment, the provision of community services and to reduce the level of crime where these can be linked to the reintegration of local people into local economic activity.
Improve co-ordination between different Government programmes, and with the activities of other local bodies such as (local authorities/the voluntary sector, private industry).
Strengthen the capability of local organisations to undertake long term economic and enterprise development activity.
Target the employment needs of specific disadvantaged groups, especially ethnic minorities.
Develop innovative solutions to problems, which can be applied in other inner-city areas.

I encourage our task force teams, who are civil servants from several Departments and secondees from the private sector, to adopt an imaginative non-bureaucratic approach to the problems of their districts and to develop strong links with the residents and the businesses.

Over 250 projects with a focus on enterprise and jobs are already being funded in the areas they cover. The private sector is becoming increasingly involved with our efforts. Over 200 companies are already working with the task forces and more are looking to help. I believe that the task force approach is proving very successful now that some of them are well established and that all the task forces are a valuable instrument of direct Government help for the areas they serve.

Space Research

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in the light of Her Majesty's Government's stance at the recent Hague meeting of the European Space Agency and the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Hermes project, he will make a statement on his plans for unilateral initiatives in this field and for the promotion of the United Kingdom space research effort.

We declined to join the Hermes programme because we were not satisfied that there were adequate industrial, economic, commercial or scientific benefits to justify the considerable expenditure involved. We are studying and evaluating proposals for the next generation of space launchers, including re-usable spaceplanes such as Hotol.

Industry (Revitalisation)

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning his plans for revitalising industry in inner city areas.

I am regularly in touch with those who share our commitment to revitalise industry in inner city areas. We are continuing to develop measures, including the Government's inner cities initiative, to target assistance more effectively on the problems of the inner city, including the problems of industry in these areas.

London Underground

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consideration he is giving to referring the London Underground to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will detail the evidence on levels of service and standards which have led him to consider this action.

I announced this reference on 7 September. It is part of the rolling programme of references of nationalised industries to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and is the first reference of the London Underground. The last reference involving London Regional Transport was made in 1983 and related to the maintenance of London Transport buses.

Tobacco (Shop Closures)

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to how many independent shops retailing tobacco have closed in the last full year for which statistics are available.

The information is not available.

Textiles

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the growth of textile imports for each year since 1977.

Details of imports of textiles for each year since 1977 are contained in the following table:

Imports of textiles 1977 to 1986
£ million
	Division 26	65	Total
1977	461·3	1,129·7	1,591·0
1978	480·0	1,453·9	1,933·9
1979	475·5	1,691·1	2,166·6
1980	376·1	1,543·7	1,919·8
1981	376·0	1,761·6	2,137·6
1982	410·8	1,927·6	2,338·4
1983	475·9	2,320·2	2,796·1
1984	596·7	2,705·4	3,302·1
1985	662·8	3,032·0	3,694·8
1986	546·9	3,162·6	3,709·5

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

Notes:

1. Textiles defined as Divisions 26 and 65 of the Standard International Trade Classification Revision 2 (SITC R2) (introduced 1978).

2. 1977 figures re-calculated on SITC R2 basis.

3. Figures for 1986 provisional.

4. Imports cif.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the growth of the textile industry's production for each year since 1975.

The information is as follows:

Textiles (SIC class 43)
	Index of production (1980=100)	Growth (percentage change on previous year)
1975	125·6	..
1976	129·5	+3
1977	130·6	+1
1978	126·1	-3
1979	121·0	-4
1980	100·0	-17
1981	91·8	-8
1982	89·6	-2
1983	91·6	+2
1984	94·1	+3
1985	98·3	+4
1986	98·8	+1

Patent Office

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to relocate the Patent Office to Cardiff.

I am actively considering the relocation of the Patent Office outside London in order to reduce the very high costs of office accommodation and the other problems of a central London location. My Department has an established and successful contact with Cardiff where the Companies Registration Office is already located. I have therefore asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales to give Welsh Office assistance to my officials and the Property Services Agency in finding and considering suitable accommodation in or near Cardiff. I have not yet taken any final decision on the relocation of the office anywhere.

Joint Ventures (Soviet Union)

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if Her Majesty's Government are in favour of British companies responding to the call by the Soviet Government to set up joint ventures in the Soviet Union; what assistance the Department of Trade and Industry is providing; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will publish in the

Official Report a list of British companies which (a) have entered into joint ventures in the Soviet Union and (b) are currently negotiating such joint ventures.

Whether it is in the interest of British companies to enter into joint ventures in the Soviet Union is entirely a matter for the commercial judgment of individual companies. My Department and the commercial department of the British Embassy in Moscow maintain close contact with companies known to be interested in joint ventures to advise them of latest developments with regard to their establishment. So far, only about 20 joint ventures have been approved by the Soviet authorities, none as yet with British companies. Many British companies have however submitted proposals and some are at an advanced stage of negotiation. For reasons of commerical confidentiality, it is not appropriate for me to list interested companies.

Insider Dealing

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many cases of insider dealing in the last 12 months have been brought to the notice of the Department of Trade and Industry; how many of such cases have resulted in prosecutions; and how many of such prosecutions have resulted in convictions.

In the last 12 months, 25 cases of possible insider dealing have been considered for investigation. None of these has yet resulted in a prosecution. However, two cases referred to my Department in November 1986 have resulted in prosecutions and convictions, and two more cases referred in 1986 are now the subject of criminal proceedings. Ten cases are currently being investigated under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986. A further 11 cases are currently being considered for investigation.

Scotland

"Prosecuting Sexual Assault"

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he intends to act on the recommendations made in the Scottish Home and Health Department's report "Prosecuting Sexual Assault";(2) if he has received representations from Scottish rape crisis centres on the Scottish Home and Health Department's report "Prosecuting Sexual Assault"; and if he will make a statement on the recommendations made in that report.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Millan) on 26 October 1987 at column 144.

Prisoners

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the weekly cost of maintaining a prisoner in each of Scotland's prisons.

The latest available figures are for 1986–87 and are as follows:

Approximate gross weekly cost per inmate
Establishment	£
Aberdeen	190
Barlinnie	140
Castle Huntly	220
Cornton Vale	310
Dumfries	240
Dungavel	190
Edinburgh	190
Friarton	280
Glenochil	260
Greenock	240
Inverness	260
Longriggend	170
Low Moss	140
Noranside	300
Penninghame	200
Perth	190
Peterhead	560
Polmont	220
Shotts	550

The figures include transfer value of supplies drawn by establishments from central stores and prisons industries as well as the direct revenue costs of each establishment.

Domiciliary Consultations

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the light of the cost of domiciliary consultations in 1986–87, and in the light of the criticism by general practitioners of its alleged abuse by hospital consultants, he will review the need for such consultations; and if he will make a statement.

I have not received any criticisms from general practitioners alleging abuse of the domiciliary consultation procedure by hospital consultants.

Nhs Consultants (Merit Awards)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of merit awards to National Health Service consultants in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.

Precise information on the cost of distinction and merit awards to NHS consultants is not held centrally. Taking account of abatement for those holding part-time contracts, it is estimated that some £6 million would have been paid to NHS staff.

Family Planning

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients were registered with general practitioners for National Health Service contraceptive services in 1986 in Scotland.

270,797.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioners are registered to provide a National Health Service family planning service to their patients in Scotland; and how many premises are involved.

At 1 October 1986, the latest date for which this information is available, 3,232 general practitioners were in contract with health boards to provide contraceptive service to their patients. Information on the number of premises involved is not centrally available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the total cost of the general practitioner provision for National Health Service family planning services to patients for 1986 in Scotland;(2) what was the total cost of the general practitioner provision for National Health Service family planning services to patients for 1986 in Scotland.

In the year ended 31 March 1987, the cost was £2,830,392.

Sentencing Options

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has proposals substantially to increase the range and quality of sentencing options available to the courts for the 16 to 21 years of age group.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to extend the existing wide range of sentencing options available to the courts.

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet come to a decision as to the definition of the term full-time student for the purposes of section 8(6) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 1987.

My right hon. and learned Friend will shortly bring forward draft regulations under section 8(6) of the 1987 Act incorporating the necessary definitions.

Percentage increase in:	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
Parental contribution threshold	23·4	13·8	Nil	7·6	7·0	6·6	7·4	6·9
Retail price index	21·8	12·0	9·4	4·0	5·2	6·9	3·0	4·2
Average pay¹ (all adults)	21·5	14·9	9·3	8·8	8·0	6·5	6·5	6·4

¹ Source: Department of Employment New Earnings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time students in higher education receive fees-only grants from the Scottish Education Department (a) in Glasgow university, (b) in Strathclyde university, (c) in Glasgow college of technology and (d) in Scotland as a whole.

The latest available figures for full-time students in receipt of fees only awards are in respect of session 1986–87. The information requested is as follows:

	Number
Glasgow University	1,948
Strathclyde University	1,286
Glasgow College of Technology	539
Scotland	13,167

Peterhead Prison

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last visited Peterhead prison; and when he next intends to visit Peterhead prison.

Waste Paper

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

Scottish Office supplies of stationery are obtained from Her Majesty's Stationery Office, which works closely both with the industry and the Department of Trade and Industry in relation to possibilities for greater use of recycled paper. I understand that the general purpose paper which Her Majesty's Stationery Office supply may contain an element of recycled waste when purchased in accordance with the conditions and specifications of Her Majesty's Stationery Office contracts.Envelopes and demand slips for internal use in the Scottish Office are made from recycled paper.Certain categories of waste paper from the Scottish Office are uplifted by a contractor for recycling.

Students

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with regard to the student grants paid by the Scottish Education Department, at what percentage rate the threshold at which parental contribution becomes payable has risen each year since 1979; and what has been the comparable change in (a) the retail prices index and (b) average pay increases in each such year.

The information requested is set out in the table. The percentage increases for the retail prices index and average pay are based on financial years and those for the parental contribution threshold on the equivalent academic year.

My right hon. and learned Friend was scheduled to visit Peterhead prison on 29 September 1987, but the visit had to be cancelled because of the continuation of a major incident which had started the previous evening. He last visited the prison, in his then capacity of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, on 22 August 1979. He has no immediate plans to make a further visit.

Ssha Houses

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the outstanding debt charge for Scottish Special Housing Association homes; and what proportion of the average rent is charged as a revenue consequence of those debt charges.

The association's outstanding loan debt was £571·5 million at 31 March 1987. Average rent is set by the association in the light of overall expected revenue expenditure, including loan charges, and taking account of Government subsidy. In 1986–87, expenditure on loan charges was equivalent to 92 per cent. of rental income, or 67 per cent. of total revenue income.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the numbers of Scottish Special Housing Association houses in each district council area in Scotland.

The information is as follows:

Region and District Council	Houses owned (at 31 March 1987)
Borders
Berwickshire	6
Ettrick and Lauderdale	780
Roxburgh	917
Tweeddale	224
Central
Clackmannan	1,749
Falkirk	2,954
Stirling	453
Dumfries and Galloway
Annandale and Eskdale	128
Nithsdale	476
Stewartry	19
Wigtown	—
Fife
Dunfermline	3,790
Kirkcaldy	2,295
North East Fife	—
Grampian
City of Aberdeen	2,299
Banff and Buchan	697
Gordon	234
Kincardine and Deeside	358
Moray	332
Highland
Badenoch and Strathspey	—
Caithness	200
Inverness	1,215
Lochaber	287
Nairn	131
Ross and Cromarty	430
Skye and Lochalsh	—
Sutherland	—
Orkney Islands Council	—
Lothian
City of Edinburgh	1,925
East Lothian	1,138
Midlothian	3,507
West Lothian	3,228
Shetland Islands Council	145
Strathclyde
City of Glasgow	16,695
Argyll and Bute	369
Bearsden and Milngavie	70
Clydebank	3,014
Clydesdale	1,193
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	76
Cumnock and Doon Valley	2,179
Cunninghame	2,729
Dumbarton	2,051
East Kilbride	—
Eastwood	22
Hamilton	1,576

Region and District Council	Houses owned (at 31 March 1987)
Inverclyde	3,227
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	1,940
Kyle and Carrick	1,242
Monklands	1,350
Motherwell	1,945
Renfrew	7,284
Strathkelvin	798
Tayside
City of Dundee	3,531
Angus	1,909
Perth and Kinross	214
Western Isles Islands Council	28
TOTAL	83,359

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those financial institutions or housing associations which have expressed an interest in buying Scottish Special Housing Association houses in the event of enactment of the proposals in "Scottish Homes".

A number of financial institutions and housing associations have expressed interest in participating in the new opportunities for improving housing choice and conditions which our proposal for the development of housing policy offer. Those expressions of interest are not dependent on the establishment of Scottish Homes nor are they confined to specific proposals involving houses presently owned by the Scottish Special Housing Association. Possibilities for changes in the ownership of those houses will involve consultation with the tenants who occupy them. Those interested in offering tenants the opportunity of a change in their renting arrangements will no doubt approach them in due course.

Health Service Unions

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that health service unions will be consulted by his Department in relation to the Government's proposals "Promoting Better Health".

Copies of the White Paper "Promoting Better Health" (Cm. 249), published on 25 November, have been sent to a large number of bodies including the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the British Medical Association and the British Dental Association. The Government now intend to enter into discussions with representatives of the professions and with health boards about the White Paper's proposals.

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the £100,000 to be spent on the poll tax information campaign.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) of 1 December.

Police Officers (Complaints)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints were lodged against Scottish police officers in each year since 1979; and of those (a) how many were withdrawn, (b) how many were upheld, (c) how many were rejected, and (d) how many prosecutions were brought against police officers as a result of a complaint.

Details of the information held centrally about complaints against the police are contained in chapter 11 and table 11 of the annual reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland, copies of which are in the Library

Eels

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to introduce measures to conserve the stock of eels in Scottish lochs; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to introduce measures to conserve the stocks of eels in Scottish waters. Eels in Scottish inland waters are classified as fresh water fish and may be netted or trapped by the proprietor or occupier of the fishing right.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many companies are registered for eel fishing in Scotland.

This information is not collected by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland. No special licence is required to fish for eels in Scottish inland waters. Accordingly, if the company concerned is the proprietor or occupier of the fishing right there is nothing to prevent it from exercising its lawful right.

Housing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to bring forward legislation arising from the White Paper "Housing: The Government's Proposals for Scotland."

Shortly.

Scottish Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many representatives elected by charities and other housing agencies will be members of the board of Scottish Homes;(2) how many elected representatives of the Scottish local authorities will be members of the board of Scottish Homes;(3) how many elected representatives of tenants' associations of the public and private sectors will be members of the board of Scottish Homes;(4) how many elected representatives of the Scottish housing associations will be members of the board of Scottish Homes.

I refer the hon. Member to the White Paper, "Housing: The Government's Proposals for Scotland" (Cm. 242). Paragraph 2.17 explains the Government's intentions in relation to the composition of the board of Scottish Homes.

Prisons (Reform)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce reform into Scottish prisons following the recent outbreaks of violence at Scottish prisons.

[holding answer 27 October 1987]: My right hon. and learned Friend is currently assessing the implications of recent incidents in Scottish prisons. The Government has taken major steps to improve the operation of the Scottish prison service in recent months. The problem of overcrowding has been greatly eased this year by the availability of 350 extra places in new accommodation at Shotts prison and by the change of use of four penal establishments to transfer under-utilised places from the young offender system to adult prisons.On 1 November new arrangements, under "Fresh Start", for staff attendance, working practices and management structures were introduced. These will make it possible to develop more flexible and effective local patterns of working.Plans are at an advanced stage for new approaches to regimes and improved staff training to take advantage of the major initiatives which are already under way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce reform in Scottish prisons following the recent outbreaks of violence at Scottish prisons.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1987, c. 559]: My right hon. and learned Friend is currently assessing the implications of recent incident in Scottish prisons. The Government have taken major steps to improve the operation of the Scottish prison service in recent months. The problem of overcrowding has been greatly eased this year by the availability of 350 extra places in new accommodation at Shotts prison and by the change of use of 4 penal establishments to transfer under-utilised places from the young offender system to adult prisons.On 1 November, new arrangements under "Fresh Start", for staff attendance, working practices and management structures were introduced. These will make it possible to develop more flexible and effective local patterns of working.Plans are at an advanced stage for new approaches to regimes and improved staff training to take advantage of the major initiatives which are already under way.

Departmental Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report tables listing his Department's expenditure since 1979–80 (a) in cash terms, (b) in constant 1986–87 prices and (c) as a percentage of the United Kingdom planning total; and if he will publish similar tables for the years 1988–89 to 1990–91 based on the public expenditure plans contained in the Autumn Statement.

[holding answer 19 November 1987]: The information is given in the table. Column (d) shows the ratio of Scottish "block" services to comparable expenditure in England, and is more meaningful than column (c) as the United Kingdom planning total includes expenditure in Scotland on services, for example defence and social security, which are not included in my right hon. and learned Friend's responsibilities. The figure for 1990–91 in column (d) is not available pending decisions on individual programmes.

Scotland programme in cash terms, constant 1986–87 prices and as a percentage of total United Kingdom public expenditure
	(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)
	Cash	Constant prices	(a) as a percentage of the United Kingdom planning total	Block services as a percentage of comparable ser- vices in England
1979–80	4,552	7,577	5·9	14·4
1980–81	5,383	7,588	5·9	14·4
1981–82	5,841	7,469	5·6	14·9
1982–83	6,235	7,438	5·4	14·7
1983–84	6,701	7,642	5·5	14·5
1984–85	7,049	7,700	5·6	14·0
1985–86	7,225	7,443	5·4	14·5
1986–87	7,805	7,805	5·6	14·7
1987–88	7,961	7,636	5·4	14·7
1988–89	8,510	7,810	5·4	14·7
1989–90	8,600	7,630	5·1	14·4
1990–91	8,770	7,550	5·0	—

Nuclear Accidents (Monitoring)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals or representations he has received regarding a programme of systematic whole body monitoring of people in the areas affected by Chernobyl fallout to replace the voluntary programme presently undertaken by the Scottish universities research and reactor centre at East Kilbride; what his response has been; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1987, c. 774]: The whole body monitoring being undertaken by the Scottish universities research and reactor centre is part of a national programme funded by the Government. Many Scots, including those from areas particularly affected by the Chernobyl fallout, have been monitored, and I understand that the current programme at the centre is likely to be continued to provide further information on the decreasing caesium levels in the body. However, the results of monitoring to date, together with evidence from the very substantial monitoring of foodstuffs and other materials, does not suggest a need for an extended programme of wholebody monitoring in Scotland.

National Finance

Foreign Currency

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review the arrangements for providing exchange risk cover for official borrowing in foreign currency; and if he will make a statement.

The terms of the exchange cover scheme for official foreign currency borrowing have been reviewed in the light of this year's substantial increase in the United Kingdom's foreign currency reserves. My right hon. Friend has decided that exchange cover should continue to be provided only for official foreign currency loans of $25 million equivalent or above and that the interest rate benefit of ½ per cent. currently available to those who borrow under the scheme should now be withdrawn. The $25 million limit will not apply to loans associated with grants from the European Community. Certain other minor changes have also been made in the scheme. Nationalised industries, local authorities and others are being informed of the details.

Scottish Oil Fund

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to establish a Scottish oil fund to encourage industrial enterprise in Scotland.

No.

Manufactured Exports

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral reply of 26 November, Official Report, column 365, what has been the figure for the United Kingdom's manufactured exports for each year since 1975.

The information, from 1978 onwards, is available in table B7 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics," November edition. Figures for earlier years can be found in the annual supplement No. 8 of this publication. Copies are in the Library.

North Sea Oil

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table, similar to table 13 on page 61 of the current edition of "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom", showing taxes and royalties attributable to United Kingdom and United Kingdom continental shelf oil and gas, at 1987–88 prices.

[holding answer 1 December 1987]: Information on 1987–88 price levels is not yet available so the figures on tax and royalty revenues attributable to United Kingdom and United Kingdom continental shelf oil and gas production have been converted to 1986–87 prices, using the GDP (market prices) deflator. The figures are as follows:

£ million, 1986–87 prices
	Total revenues	Royalty	Supplementary petroleum duly	Petroleum revenue tax¹	Before ACT set-off	Corporation tax ACT set-off	Mainstream CT
1977–78	512	491	—	—	21	—	21
1978–79	1,099	562	—	356	181	78	103
1979–80	3,850	1,045	—	2,388	416	130	286
1980–81	5,255	1,393	—	3,383	479	136	343
1981–82	8,296	1,784	2,588	3,054	870	345	525
1982–83	9,331	1,947	2,857	3,906	621	241	380
1983–84	10,034	2,172	—	6,862	1,000	490	510
1984–85	13,131	2,649	—	7,835	2,647	1,350	1,297
1985–86	11,681	2,118	—	6,565	2,998	1,112	1,886
1986–87	4,798	918	—	1,188	2,692	1,130	1,562
¹ Including advance payments.

Environment

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) individuals, (b) local authorities and (c) voluntary organisations have submitted comments to him in respect of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government".

Of the 1,217 responses received before the end of the consultation period on 31 October 1986, 479 were from private individuals, 268 were from principal local authorities, and 14 from voluntary organisations.

22.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to publish a White Paper on rates reform.

The Government's proposals for reforming the rating system were set out in a Green Paper published in January 1986. Consultation on the proposals ran until October of last year. We propose to introduce the necessary legislation shortly.

28.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has now received to date to his consultation document "The Community Charge".

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) on 4 November at column 928.

45.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Leicester city council concerning the implementation of the proposed poll tax.

Leicester city council responded to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" but has made no specific representations on the implementation of the community charge.

46.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now proposes to introduce the community charge legislation.

51.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now proposes to introduce legislation on the community charge and uniform business rate.

Shortly.

47.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of letters which his Department has now received about the proposed poll tax, and the number of letters critical of the tax.

53.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has now received about the poll tax.

A summary of the 1,271 responses received by the Department before 31 October 1986, when the consultation period on the Green Paper ended, was placed in the Library on 15 December last. Since June 1987, the Department has received more than 3,500 letters commenting on specific aspects of our proposals or requesting further information.

55.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the observations of the National Council for Civil Liberties on the proposed community charge.

None, since the NCCL's report was not sent to me.

65.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the proportion of local government income which will be levied locally after the introduction of the poll tax.

We have received a number of representations from those who are concerned that percentage changes in community charges will be disproportionate to percentage changes in expenditure. Our proposals for the way in which grant and non-domestic rates will be paid address this concern and will ensure that when the scheme is fully implemented, local authorities' gross community charges will increase in line with increases in expenditure in both cash and percentage terms.

76.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations regarding the imposition of the poll tax from Dulwich; and if he will make a statement.

Information on responses to the Green Paper received during the consultation period were recorded by local authority area by borough in London.Of the 1217 responses received by my Department before 31 October 1986 when the consultation period on the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) ended, four were from respondents then resident in the London borough of Southwark.

80.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from voluntary organisations in respect of the proposed community charge.

We have received representations from a number of voluntary organisations, about the community charge, in response to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714), (in respect of which a summary of responses was placed in the Library on 15 December 1986) and subsequently.

86.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings have taken place between his officials and representatives of voluntary organisations to discuss the proposed community charge.

Officials have met representatives of The National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Salvation Army, Women's Aid Federation England and Welsh Women's Aid.

88.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many recent representations he has received on the uniform business rate.

I continue to receive representations on all aspects of our proposals for reform of the rating system.

93.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of poll tax register changes per annum which will be required in England and Wales.

Surveys indicate that about 15 per cent. of registered electors change addresses each year, while a sample of local authorities suggests that up to 20 per cent. of rate bills are subject to such changes. While more individuals will appear on community charge registers than on rating rolls, I would not expect a large increase in the proportion of entries requiring change.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, following his revised proposals for the introduction of the poll tax, which he announced on 17 November, he will say (a) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants of income support (including any dependants) in the year 1994–95, assuming that real local authority expenditure levels and the number of income support claimants remain constant at 1988–89 levels (b) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants of income support, including any dependants, in the year 1994–5 on the same assumptions, in each region of the United Kingdom, (c) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants, including any dependants, in receipt of housing benefit and not in receipt of income support in the year 1994–95, on the same assumptions, and (d) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants, including any dependants, in receipt of housing benefit and not in receipt of income support in the year 1994–95, on the same assumptions, in each region of the United Kingdom;(2) if, following his revised proposals for the poll tax announced on 17 November, he will indicate

(a) what proportion of adults in each region of the United Kingdom are in families (i) expected to be in receipt of income support from April 1988 and (ii) expected to be in receipt of housing benefit from April 1988, (b) whether claimants of income support will continue to be entitled to rebates of at least 80 per cent. of their poll tax bills, at least

until the transition to the poll tax is completed, in 1994–95, and (c) whether applicable amounts, on the basis of which income support and poll tax rebates will be calculated (i) up-rated in line with the retail prices index at least until 1994–95, and (ii) including an amount equal to 20 per cent. of the average poll tax bill for claimants on income support for as long as such claimants are liable for 20 per cent. of their poll tax bills.

AU recipients of income support will be entitled to 80 per cent. community charge rebates. If the new system had been fully in force in 1987–88, the average community charge bill would have been £224; the average amount paid by income support recipients would therefore have been £45; The average for each region, on the same assumptions, would be:

	£	£
Northern region	256	51
Yorkshire and Humberside	233	47
North West	233	45
East Midlands	206	41
West Midlands	183	37
East Anglia	172	34
Greater London	348	70
South East	184	37
South West	186	37

Estimates for 1988–89 are not available. Those receiving housing benefit, but not income support, will receive rebates of up to 80 per cent. of the community charge.The number of adults in each region expected to be in receipt of income support from April 1988 and the number of adults in each region expected to be in receipt of housing benefit from April 1988 are not available. The level of applicable amounts in 1994 will be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services at the appropriate time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his consideration of the measures that may be necessary to ensure that the community charges register cannot be used to track down political refugees and battered wives; and if he will make a statement.

A number of representations have been made by women's aid groups and on behalf of political refugees, expressing concern that the community charges register could be used to track down political refugees and battered wives.Following recent discussions between officials from this Department and the Welsh Office, and representatives of Women's Aid Federation England and Welsh Women's Aid; we have decided to take steps to protect the confidentiality of people at risk, to enable them to register for the community charge without making public their names and addresses.Community charges registration officers will be required to omit from the published version of the register the name of any individual who satisfies them that he or she may suffer physical injury if his or her name is listed. In cases where this would result in an address being listed with no corresponding name, the address will also be omitted, thus ensuring that attention is not drawn to properties where people at risk are resident.This is a move which should be welcomed by women's aid groups and by political refugees. It will enable people who live under the threat of violence to meet their obligation to register for the community charge, safe in the knowledge that there is no risk involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce details of the poll tax rebate system.

I have been asked to reply. We hope to publish draft community charge rebate regulations in the spring or early summer of 1988, following consultations with the local authority associations.

Homelessness

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 15 July, Official Report, columns 1126–28, what progress has been made with the Government's proposals for dealing with the problem of homelessness in London; and if he will make a statement.

59.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has for dealing with the problem of homelessness in England and Wales.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey.

33.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Government-owned properties are leased to local authorities for use as accommodation for the homeless; and what steps he is taking to increase this number.

276 properties amongst those for which my right hon. Friend has responsibility are temporarily let to local authorities to meet housing needs.Excluding property being sold, 6·5 per cent. of the housing stock for which my right hon. Friend is responsible has remained empty for six months. This includes dwellings undergoing renovation.My right hon. Friend's policy is to sell property which is surplus to Government requirements, usually on the open market.

57.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of homeless people currently being housed by local authorities in England.

In the second quarter of 1987, local authorities in England accepted responsibility for securing accommodation (not necessarily in council-owned property) for an estimated 26,440 households, under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act.

66.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to bring council properties that are empty and awaiting sale into use for homeless people; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes). Circular 12/85 advises local authorities on the temporary use of property by homeless people.

Housing Associations (Finance)

25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairman of the Housing Corporation to discuss private finance for housing associations.

I met the chairman and the chief executive of the Housing Corporation on 26 October to discuss various issues, including the use of private finance by housing associations.

Acid Rain

26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research Her Majesty's Government are funding to ascertain the effects of acid deposition on crops and buildings; and what funds his Department is providing for this research.

The Government fund an extensive programme of reseach in these two areas. A total of about £870,000 pa is being spent at present, of which the Department provides about £750,000.

Nirex

27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet representatives of Nirex; and what matters he expects to discuss.

64.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet representatives of Nirex; and what matters will be discussed.

72.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet representatives of Nirex; and what matters will be discussed.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to meet representatives of Nirex.

37.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next hopes to meet the chairman of Nirex; and what matters will be discussed.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) and for Southport (Mr. Fearn).

92.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next hopes to meet the chairman of Nirex; and what matters will be discussed.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) and for Southport (Mr. Fearn).

Sports Council

29.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he is next to meet the chairman of the Sports Council to discuss current issues facing sport.

I meet regularly the chairman of the Sports Council to discuss issues relating to the development of sport. I last met him on 3 November and I expect to see him again shortly.

Drug Abuse (Sport)

30.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is taking any new initiatives to curb drug abuse in sport; and if he will make a statement.

I and Sebastian Coe, vice-chairman of the Sports Council, carried out a review of drug abuse in sport this summer. Our report was endorsed by the ministerial group on the misuse of drugs and by the Sports Council. As a result, the council plans to have a revised, independent testing regime in place by 1 April 1988. I welcome the council's speedy response to our report.Drug abuse in sport is an international problem. I am pursuing the need for international co-operation with Sports Ministers and a number of international bodies of sport. I am encouraged by the positive attitude they are adopting.

Voters (Statistics)

31.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the proportion of registered voters who are registered as the official ratepayer or head of household for rating purposes; what is the proportion of registered ratepayers who are women; and what is the proportion of registered voters who are women.

Neither the electoral registers nor local authority rate rolls contain this information. It is known that in 1986, out of an adult population of 36·2 million in England, 18·9 million (52 per cent.) were women and it is therefore likely that out of the 35 million persons registered to vote some 18 million would be women. It is further known that of 17·9 million households in England, 4·6 million were headed by women though households need not equate with domestic hereditament and not all householders pay rates.

Planning Zones

32.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response there has been by local authorities to the concept of simplified planning zones.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 23 November, at column 530, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker).

Government-Owned Property

34.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of housing stock owned by Government Departments has been empty for more than six months.

48.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that properties owned by Government Departments which have been empty for more than six months can be used for housing instead of being sold on the open market; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Springburn (Mr. Martin).

Water Quality

35.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when full compliance with the two EC directives on the quality of water, including the ending of all derogations granted by the Commission, will be achieved.

Most public water supplies for which derogations have been sought from the European Commission are expected to comply with the EC directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption by 1990. Improvements are also being made or are planned for most supplies where derogations have been given by my right hon. Friend.

Severn-Trent Water Authority

36.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to visit the headquarters of the Severn-Trent water authority to discuss water privatisation and the National River Authority.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Mr. Howarth).

House Price Inflation

38.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for dealing with the differential rate of house price inflation throughout the United Kingdom;

62.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for dealing with house price inflation.

71.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for dealing with house price inflation in the south-east of England.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) to the Hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 4 November at column 736.

Housing Policy

39.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has had to his White paper on housing policy; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a large number of comments on the White Paper on housing and the associated consultation and explanatory documents issued by the Department. These comments have come from the local authority associations, a number of individual local authorities, and various organisations and individuals with an interest in housing. We are considering very carefully all the points that respondents have made.

Enterprise Zones

40.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total cost, including the loss of rate fund compensation of enterprise zones for the period since the introduction of these zones until the zone-free period has expired.

The three principal components of the cost of the EZ experiment are: grant paid to local authorities in respect of rate revenue foregone from properties on the zones; tax revenue forgone in the form of tax allowances for expenditure by developers on construction of commercial and industrial properties there; and public sector investment attributable to the zones. The final cost will therefore depend upon when development occurs and the extent of that development. In the nature of the EZ experiment, this cannot be predicted; nor is it possible to predict the effect of the introduction of the uniform business rate on the final cost. No estimate of what that cost might be has therefore been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many enterprise zones have been established to date; and whether he intends to establish any further areas.

Twenty-five enterprise zones have been established in the United Kingdom to date. My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to designate further zones.

Water Charges

41.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how charges for water services will be applied after the abolition of domestic taxes to those properties where meters have not been installed; and if he will make a statement.

Water undertakers will decide themselves what basis of charges they will adopt. These will have to comply with the principles of section 30 of the Water Act 1973 that charges must have regard to costs and not show any undue preference to or discrimination against any class of persons. I understand that the water industry is currently studying a number of options for charging for water services once domestic rateable values are abolished and I expect to receive their conclusions shortly.

"The Way Forward"

42.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received as a result of the publication of the Nirex discussion document "The Way Forward."

None. I would expect any representations about Nirex's discussion document "The Way Forward" to be sent directly to Nirex.

49.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has met the chairman of Nirex to discuss its consultation document published on 12 November, "The Way Forward."

My right hon. Friend last met the chairman of Nirex on 22 October, when the subject of the document formed part of a wide-ranging discussion about radioactive waste.

Housing Policy, Hackney

43.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to Hackney to discuss housing policy.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have any plans to do so. Members and officers of Hackney LBC visited my Department on 5 October to discuss the borough's housing investment programme allocaton for 1988–89.

Inner-City Areas (Development Grants)

44.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the grants now available from his Department to private developers wishing to develop in inner-city areas.

The following grants are available to private developers in England wishing to develop in inner-cities:

urban development grant
urban regeneration grant
derelict land grant

Assistance is also provided through the operation of 17 enterprise zones, six urban development corporations, the urban programme and land registers.

Storm Damage (Tree Replacement)

50.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans Her Majesty's Government have to replace the trees lost in the gale of 15 and 16 October with trees of similar character appropriate to the local environment.

My right hon. Friend announced on October 21 special help for the replacement of amenity trees lost in the storm. The Countryside Commission has set up a special unit, Task Force Trees, to pay grants for this purpose and provide advice. Preliminary grant allocations to local authorities were announced on November 24. The commission's aim is to bring about, not only reinstatement, but where possible improvement, with preference given to native hardwood species.

Urban Development Corporations

52.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the location of the first group of mini urban development corporations; and how much Government funding will go to each location.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend today to my hon. Friend the Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran).

Homeless Children

54.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of homeless children in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

At 30 June 1987 there were 10,870 households temporarily placed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation by English local authorities under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act. Information on the number of children in these households is not collected by the Department.

Teesside (Derelict Areas)

56.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made by the Teesside urban development corporation in clearing and developing derelict areas in Teesside.

Excellent progress is being made in attracting new investment into Teesside. A major redevelopment of the former Smith's dock shipyard was announced during the Prime Minister's visit in September. Other schemes already in the pipeline include a leisure and commercial complex at Stockton racecourse, a marina at Hartlepool south docks, and developments at Bowesfield park, Belasis park and the former Acklam steelworks.

Darlington (Expenditure)

58.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage Darlington borough council's annual expenditure has changed since 1979.

Darlington borough council's net current expenditure has increases by 163 per cent. in cash terms between 1978–79 and 1986–87. This represents an increase of 35 per cent. after taking account of inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.

Storm Damage

60.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the storm damage incurred by local authorities in October.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 19 November at column 669.

73.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities in response to his departmental letter of 23 October detailing special financial assistance for storm damage.

I have received numerous representations from local authorities about the special financial assistance scheme for storm damage.

78.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any further proposals in respect of assisting local authorities to meet the cost of the October storms; and if he will make a statement.

79.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in compensating local authorities for the recent storm damage.

My right hon. Friend has already announced details of the scheme of special financial assistance that is being made available to local authorities, and has made clear that we will interpret claims reasonably and flexibly. My Department has now issued a claim form and guidance to local authorities for use in requesting special financial assistance and additional capital allocations this year. A copy has been placed in the Library. Claims under the scheme must be with the Department by 31 January 1988.

Local Authorities (Improvement And Repair Programmes)

61.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will increase central Government subsidies to local authorities in respect of their improvement and repair programmes; and if he will make a statement.

There are no current plans to increase central government subsidies to local authorities for the improvement and repair of their own housing stock as these are included in the housing subsidy system which is intended to meet any deficit on housing expenditure which an authority cannot finance out of their own resources. The Department's proposals for a reformed system of grants to householders for repair and improvement and the appropriate levels of Exchequer contribution to local authorities are set out in the consultation paper: "Home Improvement Policy" which was published on 5 November 1987, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

Housing Associations

63.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the National Federation of Housing Associations to discuss the role of housing associations following his White Paper on housing policy.

I met the chairman and the director of the National Federation of Housing Associations on 19 October to discuss a range of issues affecting housing associations arising from the White Paper "Housing: The Government's Proposals', and the Department's consultation paper on finance for housing associations.

Housing Action Trusts

67.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what areas are currently being considered for housing action trusts.

It is too early for my right hon. Friend to make any statement about areas in which he may propose to establish housing action trusts. It is expected that HATs will be established in London and elsewhere.

Council House Sales

68.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any new proposals to allow local authorities to use the receipts from council house sales to finance the building of new council homes.

I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Livsey) on 6 November at column 735.

77.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will allow balances from the sale of council houses to be used, by mutual agreement, by housing associations and trusts for the building of new low-cost homes; and if he will make a statement.

Authorities may already use their housing investment programme allocations or the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts to make loans or grants to housing associations. The future use of capital receipts from the sale of council houses will be discussed in the Government's forthcoming consultation paper on a new financial regime for local authority housing.

82.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in England since May 1979.

From April 1979 to June 1987, about 811,000 tenants bought their houses from English local authorities and new towns.

87.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many right-to-buy applications have been received by the London borough of Waltham Forest since 1 April 1986; and how many council dwellings have been sold since that date.

The London borough of Waltham Forest has not submitted a return of right-to-buy applications or of council house sales in the period from April 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many right-to-buy applications have been received by the London borough of Islington since the Housing Act 1980 came into effect; and how many council dwellings have been sold accordingly.

The borough of Islington reported 4,915 applications for the right to buy and 921 sales completed in the period up to the end of June 1987.

Water Rates

69.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much he expects water rates to increase in the next financial year.

My right hon. Friend expects to announce shortly the external finance limits and the financial targets for each water authority. It will then be for individual authorities to finalise their budgets and take their own decisions on the details of their charges.

Derelict Land Grant

74.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much Government funding has been contributed to the derelict land grant in each of the last three years; and how much vacant or derelict land in public ownership has been sold as a result.

The resources provided for derelict land grant in the last three years have been as follows:

	£ million
1984–85	75·03
1985–86	82·78
1986–87	83·13

In these three years a total of nearly 3,500 hectares of derelict land has been reclaimed with the aid of derelict land grant. Figures are not available to show the amount of land in public ownership which has been sold following grant-aided reclamation. However a total of 27,000 acres of land was removed from the registers of unused land and underused land owned by public bodies in the period January 1985 to October 1987 because the land had been sold. It is not known how much, if any, of this land had previously been derelict, and reclaimed using derelict land grant.

Housebuilding

75.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the current level of housebuilding starts.

Provisional figures for January to September of this year showed that total housebuilding starts in England were about 6,000 more than in the same period of last year. Private housebuilding starts this year have been the highest recorded in the first three quarters of any year since 1973.

Assured Tenancies

81.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of assured tenancies that have been created under the Housing Act 1980 and the Housing and Planning Act 1986; and of those how many are sheltered housing or flats.

The number of assured tenancies at 1 April 1987 was 2,998. A substantial proportion of these is thought to be of sheltered accommodation, but the exact figure is not available.

Planning Applications (London)

83.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the workings of the appeal system for planning applications in the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's response to the Fifth Report from the Environment Committee, Planning: Appeals, Call-In and Major Public Inquiries, (Cm. 43) of December 1986 sets out the action which is being taken to improve the operation of the planning appeals system following detailed management reviews by the Department. Progress in implementing the changes and performance is being monitored carefully.

Runcorn New Town

84.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he intends to consult Runcorn new town tenants with regard to their wishes respecting successor landlords after the wind-up of the New Town Development Corporation.

Before we can decide how best to canvass the views of Runcorn new town tenants about the future management of their houses, we need to know which landlords are interested in providing them with a service. We shall announce our proposals as soon as we are able.

Wetland Sites

85.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many wetland sites have been classified in the United Kingdom under the international convention.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave on 25 November to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) at columns 232–3.

Local Authorities (Financial Prudence)

89.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to improve standards of financial prudence by local authorities.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on Tuesday 10 November at columns 110–11. In addition to the proposals I announced then, we have already taken a number of measures, including the provisions in the Local Government Act 1987, to inhibit the use of advance and deferred purchase schemes. We will continue to keep the situation under review, and will not hesitate to take whatever steps appear necessary to restrain imprudent behaviour by local authorities. In the longer term the new local government finance system we are proposing to establish will provide the basis for accountable and financially prudent local government.

Underground Fire, Dronfield, Derbyshire

90.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to announce his decision on the funding of action on the underground fire at Callywhite Lane, Dronfield, in Derbyshire.

As I have told the House, it would not be appropriate to make central Government financial assistance available to help fund the remedial works necessary to put out the fire.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has considered North-East Derbyshire district council's request that unrecovered expenditure they incur in dealing with the fire should be excluded from the definition of total expenditure, and has decided not to exclude it.

Shorthold Tenancies

91.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of the shorthold tenancies created under the Housing Act 1980.

This information is not available. Over 5,000 protected shorthold tenancies were created in England and Wales between 28 November 1980, the date on which shorthold was introduced, and 1 December 1981. Information about shortholds created since 1 December 1981 has not been collected because the compulsory rent registration requirement for new shortholds outside the Greater London area was lifted on that date under the Protected Shorthold Tenancies (Rent Registration) Order 1981.

Waste Paper

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

Most types of paper we use contain varying proportions of re-cycled paper. Comprehensive information on waste paper is not readily available, but the waste paper from our London buildings is sent for recycling.

Chlorofluorocarbons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Envrionment if he will give the 1986 levels of production of chlorofluorocarbons for (a) Britain and (b) the European Economic Community; and what equivalent information he has for (i) the United States of America and (ii) the world as a whole.

Production figures for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are not given separately for the United Kingdom or any individual member state of the European Community. Estimates of 1986 production of CFCs 11, 12, 113 and 114 are as follows:

	Kilotonnes
EC	440
United States	300
Rest of World	290

Production of CFC 115 is negligible, with world production in 1986 estimated at 15 kilotonnes.

Source: United Kingdom industry estimates.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the United Kingdom annual production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs or Freons) in 1957,1960, 1970 and 1980; and what is his estimate for the 1990 production capacity.

Information about production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by individual member states of the European Community is not available. For the years in question figures for the EC as a whole are available only for 1980 when production of CFCs 11 and 12 was estimated at 296 kilotonnes. (Source European Council of Chemical Manufacturers' Federations: CEFIC). 1980 production figures for other CFCs and estimates of production capacity for 1990 are not available.

Housing (Repairs)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department gives to local authorities regarding the type of repairs which are the responsibility of the tenant and of the local authority, respectively.

None. Local authorities' repairing obligations are specified in sections 8 and 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Tenants have no statutory responsibility for repairs.

Contaminated Land

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will be reviewing the legal framework appropriate to the identification and recording of contaminated land; and if he will consider the introduction of statutory registers for the recording of such land.

The Government indicated in their response to the 11th report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution ("Managing Waste: The Duty of Care") that it was considering the feasibility of identifying contaminated land by means of land registers. Consideration of this complex issue has not yet been completed; registers of such land remain a possibility.

Drinking Water

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why, in view of the exclusion of toxic and microbiological parameters from derogation provisions of European Community directive 80/778/EEC relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption (Article 9), he has granted derogations for both faecal coliform and total coliform bacterial contamination of public drinking water supplies.

My right hon. Friend has not granted any derogations under article 9 of EC directive 80/778/EEC for faecal coliform or total coliform bacterial contamination of public water supplies.

Hazardous Waste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce a system to record the types of hazardous waste imported into the United Kingdom and to record the sources of the hazardous waste.

Such a system will be introduced as part of the implementation of EC directive 84/631 on the trans-frontier shipment of hazardous waste. We intend to implement the Directive as soon as possible.

Ramsar Convention (Designated Sites)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites in the United Kingdom which have been designated as covered by the Ramsar convention; and what protection is afforded by such classification.

A list of the sites in the United Kingdom covered under the Ramsar convention was given to the hon. Member in a written answer on 25 November.In great Britain it is a prerequisite for Ramsar classification that sites must first have been notified as sites of special scientific interest. Such sites are protected by section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which imposes restrictions on potentially damaging operations. In Northern Ireland similar protection is afforded to ASSIs. I shall shortly be issuing revised advice to local authorities emphasising the importance of giving due weight to the needs of nature conservation in considering development proposals affecting such designated sites.

Ancillary Services (Privatisation)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the savings from privatising domestic cleaning and other ancillary services in the county of Lincolnshire.

The Department does not collect systematic data of this sort.

Boswell Houses (Repairs)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to make special provision for the funding of repairs to local authority-owned Boswell-type houses; and if he will make a statement.

No; local authorities must decide their own expenditure priorities, including renovation of their own housing stock, within the overall resources available to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to approve a repair system in respect of Boswell-type houses, designated under the Housing Act 1985; what advice he has offered owners of such houses awaiting action on their homes; and if he will make a statement.

Under the housing defects legislation it is for the local authority, rather than the Secretary of State, to specify the works needed in any particular case. However, the National House Building Council has set up a subsidiary company, PRC Homes Ltd., to approve and license repair systems for designated houses. I understand that no repair method has yet been proposed for Boswell houses and that the nature of the defect is such that repair to the standard required by the legislation is not easy. Meanwhile, it could be helpful if owners awaiting action were to discuss the position with their local authorities and reach an understanding on a likely timetable for assistance.

Tree Planting

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further initiatives he will take to encourage public and private tree planting schemes.

I have made an additional £3 million available in the current financial year to help replace trees damaged in the storm on 16 October. I am also giving my full support to National Tree Week, which has been organised by the Tree Council.

North Sea Conference

70.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the achievements of the international North sea conference held on 23 and 24 November.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on Monday, 30 November by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) at column 416–17. (Vol. 123 cols. 416/7).

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Water Industry (Coastal Protection)

95.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of the privatisation of the water industry on the coastal protection functions of local councils.

The privatisation of the water industry will have no effect on the coastal protection functions of local councils.

Broadleaved Woodlands (Grants)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many grants have been made under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme, since its inception, by county, in England and Wales;(2) what is the average value of grants made so far under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme and the total value of such grants made for each county in England and Wales;(3) what is the average and total area planted under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme for each county in England and Wales.

Information is readily available only for the period from the inception of the scheme (1 October 1985) to 31 March 1987 for Forestry Commission conservancies, follows:

Conservancy	Number of planting grant payments	Total value of grant payments (£s)	Average value of grant payments (£s)	Total area planted (hectares)	Average area of planted per payment(hectares)
North England	125	114,629	917	175	1·40
East England	394	387,588	984	550	1·40
West England	401	573,622	1,430	539	1·34
Wales	79	80,449	1,018	110	1·39

This information relates to areas of planting (including rehabilitation and natural regeneration) in respect of which grants have been paid. During the same period, a total of 3,106 applications were approved for entry to the scheme in England and Wales, relating to a total area of 20,222 hectares, a considerable proportion of which remains to be planted under five-year plans of operation.

Food (Import Levy)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the

Import levies¹ applicable in the United Kingdom for the main food items covered by the common agricultural policy: fourth Wednesday in November 1982 to 1987
£/tonne
	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987
Common wheat	66	62	35	79	114	129
Barley	70	40	43	78	111	123
Maize	67	36	43	64	101	110
Rice	268	260	303	365	416	423
Sugar (white)²	251	237	281	286	305	336
Olive oil	198	322	371	464	314	407
Butter³	1,059	1,355	1,221	1,464	1,727	1,835
SMP	508	576	676	892	935	776
Beef and veal⁴	1,214	1,386	1,442	1,504	1,263	1,631
Pigmeat	381	335	246	317	523	565
Poultrymeat	197	156	137	172	279	302
Eggs	216	175	149	186	309	293

Notes: All figures have been rounded to the nearest £.

¹ The rates of levy vary for different tariff headings. The rates quoted are: beef and veal-carcase; pigmeat-carcase; poultrymeat-70 per cent. chickens: rice-wholly milled long grain; olive oil-virgin; eggs in shell. Levies are shown after adjustment for the United Kingdom monetary compensatory amounts where applicable.

² In practice the United Kingdom's imports from third countries are normally covered by the Lome Convention and enter the Community levy free.

³ A special lower rate of levy is applicable to imports of butter from New Zealand.

⁴ Most imports of beef from third countries are subject to special arrangements allowing entry at reduced levy rates.

Crops (Diversification)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish a detailed statement on proposals for the diversification of crops in the agricultural industry.

[holding answer 1 December 1987]: We intend to publish very shortly a detailed consultation document relating to the Community scheme for extensification of production, and suggesting ways in which that might be given effect in the United Kingdom, for both cereals and beef.I shall be inviting views of all interested parties on this document.

current levels of import levy on the food products covered by the common agricultural policy; what were the comparable levels at the same date in each of the previous five years, on the same basis as the information provided in his written reply to the hon. Member for Southend, East on 12 January, Official Report, column 44; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is set out in the table:

Cereal Substitutes

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the total tonnage of cereal substitutes imported into the United Kingdom over each of the past 10 years.

[holding answer 1 December 1987]: The total tonnage of materials on the European Commission list of cereal substitutes imported into the United Kingdom in each of the past ten years was as follows:

	'000 tonnes
1977	358
1978	365
1979	432
1980	519
1981	1,382
1982	2,129
1983	1,441

	'000 tonnes
1984	1,048
1985	1,047
1986	1,028

Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

Fisheries

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he was consulted or asked to approve the awarding of licences for the extraction of fish within the 150 mile fisheries zone surrounding the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: No. Responsibility for the management of fisheries within the Falkland Islands conservation zone rests with the Falkland Islands Government.

Sea Pollution

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many scientists have worked on the research programme of his Department on sea pollution matters, for each year since 1975.

[holding answer 27 November 1987]: The estimated man years of scientific effort deployed by my Department on work in connection with the protection of the marine environment are:

	Number
1978–79	101
1979–80	85
1980–81	95
1981–82	90
1982–83	86
1983–84	97
1984–85	88
1985–86	105
1986–87	117

Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of his Department's research staff responsible for matters related to pollution in the North sea have been working in his Department for more than five years.

[holding answer 27 November 1987]: Sixty-one of my Department's scientific staff undertaking work which includes matters related to pollution in the North sea have been employed by the Ministry for more than five years.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what role the fisheries protection service plays in the monitoring and policing of the oil pollution from ships (a) in the North sea and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom's territorial waters.

[holding answer 24 November 1987]: The aircraft and vessels of the fisheries protection service are required to report any oil pollution which impinges on fisheries to the appropriate enforcement authorities. Prime responsibility within the United Kingdom for monitoring and policing illegal discharges from ships at sea rests with the marine pollution control unit of the Department of Transport.

Northern Ireland

Quarrying (Kennedies)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a planning appeal was lodged under section 24 of the planning order to allow quarrying at Kennedies, County Armagh.

An appeal under article 24 of the Planning (NI) Order 1972 was lodged with the Planning Appeals Commission on 10 August 1987 in respect of a planning application for quarrying and crushing of rock at Cavanapole road, Kennedies, Killylea.

Quarrying (Navan Fort)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when rock quarrying and rock processing will cease at Navan fort; and when the quarrying equipment and rock-processing equipment will be removed.

The extraction of rock from the quarry adjacent to Navan fort ceased at the end of September 1987. The operator of the quarry is not required to cease the processing of rock, nor to remove quarrying equipment or rock-processing equipment.

Anglo-Irish Agreement

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy towards the future of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, in the light of the opinion of the chairman of the Northern Ireland Economic Council, Sir Charles Carter, on the Anglo-Irish Agreement contained in the publication "Two Years of Peace, Stability and Reconciliation?", a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

The objectives for which we signed the agreement remain valid, and it is important to continue to pursue them. Further progress towards peace, stability and reconciliation in Northern Ireland will, in part, depend on the willingness of constitutional politicians to engage, irrespective of their attitudes to the agreement in renewed dialogue about the future government of the Province, Sir Charles Carter's pamphlet makes a constructive contribution to such debate.

Family Planning

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients were registered with general practitioners for National Health Service contraceptive services in 1986 in Northern Ireland.

Patients are not required to register for particular services provided by their general practitioner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general practitioners are registered to provide a National Health Service family planning service to their patients in Northern Ireland; and how many premises are involved.

At 31 December 1986, 866 general practitioners were registered to provide contraceptive services to their patients in Northern Ireland.The information regarding the number of premises is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Home Helps

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people whose home helps were withdrawn applied in the past year for an allowance from the Department of Health and Social Security to pay for a daily visit for the purpose of cooking meals, lighting fires and other domestic tasks.

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disporportionate cost.

Community Relations

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the community relations unit will examine the community relations impact of Government labour-market intervention schemes.

A number of Government policies are being considered by the central community relations unit as possibilities for a review of their community relations impact. It is too early to decide on the precise policies or schemes to be examined.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is his intention to instruct the community relations unit to commission comparative research into the issue of community relations in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

No. However, the unit will be meeting Home Office officials to discuss areas of co-operation, including research. It will also consider the need for further research into community relations issues within Northern Ireland.

Southern Health And Social Services Board

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will consider locating the new Southern health and social services board offices in Newry or Armagh; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will name the sites investigated by the Southern health and social services board in Newry Town and Armagh;(3) to what extent the accommodation space being proposed by the Southern health and social services board at Portadown is in excess of present staff needs; and if he will make a statement.(4) what is the proposed capital expenditure by the Southern health and social services board for new premises; and how many staff are to be accommodated;(5) if he will indicate the estimated revenue consequences of the new building at Portadown for the Southern health and social services board.

[holding answers 1 December 1987]: The Southern health and social services board have made proposals for new headquarters premises in Craigavon costing £1·94 million with estimated revenue consequences of £163,000 per annum. The premises will accommodate approximately 140 professional and administrative staff and the level of provision proposed is the minimum required for this number. The board investigated sites at the former prison in Armagh and Towerhill hospital but no sites were investigated in Newry since one of the criteria used for selecting possible sites was that they should be central to the board's area.

No decision has yet been made on the board's proposals and I will bear the hon. Gentleman's comments in mind when I consider the project.

Cross-Border Incursions

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland following the incursion of Irish troops into the United Kingdom at the village of Calloville on 11 November 1987.

[holding answer 27 November 1987]: This incursion was brought to the attention of the Irish authorities. As is generally the case in respect of the security forces on each side of the border, the incursion was inadvertent.

Strabane Flooding (Assistance)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reconsider the levels of assistance given to victims of the Strabane flood disaster; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 27 November 1987]: Considerable assistance has already been given to help alleviate urgent need in Strabane, including £210,000 paid out under the social security system, the distribution of free coal to households, temporary residential accommodation provided by both the voluntary and statutory agencies and replacement of electricity meters free of charge. Each household affected will also be receiving £126 within the next few days through the finance provided by the European Commission. It is not the responsibility of Government to compensate for insurable losses but urgent consideration is now being given to see whether further help could be provided for those in genuine need.

Sinn Fein Incident Centres

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums of official money have been paid and to whom in respect of expenditure on Sinn Fein incident centres; for which years or financial years they were paid; on which departmental rates they were borne; whether any accounts as to the expenditure of such sums were produced by the organisation which received such funds; where each such incident centre was located; and whether any are still operating.

[holding answer 27 November 1987]: As far as my Department is aware, no financial assistance from public funds was ever paid to the self-styled incident centres that were established and run by Sinn Fein in 1975.

House Of Commons

Select Committees

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the total identifiable cost to public funds of the departmentally-related Select Committees in July 1986; and what were the comparable identifiable costs to public funds arising from (a) the employment of permanent staff and (b) other commitments in July 1987.

Such information as is available for the period including July 1986 is given in the Select Committee returns for Sessions 1985–86 (HC 172) and 1986–87 (HC 79). Additional information for the period including July 1987 will be provided in the sessional return for 1987–88. Permanent staff costs for the months of July 1986 and July 1987 were £101,430 and £107,134 respectively. Payments in respect of other commitments such as shorthand writers' fees and Committee visits amounted to £55,473 in July 1986 and to £50,663 in July 1987. Many of these payments were in respect of costs incurred in earlier months. The figures do not include printing and publishing costs which are normally recovered from sales revenue, including revenue from the House and Government Departments.

Volume 123: debated on Wednesday 2 December 1987

Written Answers To Questions

Wales

Trade Visit (Japan)

National Museum Of Wales

Prime Minister

Civil Servants

The Duties And Responsibilities Of Civil Servants In Relation To Ministers

Note By The Head Of The Home Civil Service

Civil Service

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Waste Paper

Energy

Energy Efficiency

Electricity Sales

Waste Paper

Coal Imports (Seaham Harbour)

British Coal

Transport

London Underground

Al-Al Motorway (Wetherby)

A19 (Dishforth)

London Regional Transport

Hazardous Goods

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Tachograph Records

Vehicle Companies (Register)

A47 Bypass (East Norton)

Coal (Transport)

Education And Science

Vocational Qualifications

Educational Reform

Goldsmiths College

Speech Therapy

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Cambodian Refugees

Waste Paper

South Africa

Inflation

Vat

Home Department

Citizenship

Mr Bashar Samara

Passports

Prisoners (Guilt Admissions)

Television Licences

Election Expenses

Prisoners (Works Of Art)

Risley Remand Centre

Prisoners (Drugs)

Prisoners (Psychiatry)

Satellite Information Services

Immigration

Entry Clearance

Civil Servants (Industrial Action)

Fire Precautions

Irish Prisoners

Mr Truong Nguyen Thank

Mr T D Phung

Mr Yao Kwong Yan

Radio 4

John Manley

Horse Racing

Defence

Training

Romanian Vessel Fundulea

Tornado (Saudi Arabia)

Us Nuclear Weapons

Aor Vessels

Privatisation

Radioactive Materials

Aircraft Carriers (Refits)

Social Services

Secure Units

Cholesterol

Doctors (Merit Awards)

Civil Servants (Industrial Action)

Foreign Nationals (Treatment)

Mr John Manley