To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number and percentage of firms who should have registered under the Data Protection Act and have not yet done so.

The Data Protection Registrar originally estimated that approximately 300,000 applications should be received from those required to register under the Data Protection Act. By 31 December 1987 there were 135,149 entries on the register and some 18.000 applications were still being processed. The registrar now considers that the original estimate was on the high side and that the current shortfall in registrations is no more than 100,000. He is continuing his drive to secure more registrations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish an inquiry into the range of sentences available to the courts in cases relating to road accidents and into the legal rights of victims' families in such cases.

A review of offences and penalties in road traffic law, under the chairmanship of Dr. Peter North, is nearing completion. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport expects to receive the report shortly.The rights of victims' families, which are outside the review's remit, include a right to damages recoverable in civil proceedings, and normally paid by the offender's insurers or the Motor Insurers Bureau; and in England and Wales the same right as other citizens to bring prosecutions for criminal offences. The Government are doing much to assist victims of crime in general and their families—for example, through the financial help we are giving to victim support schemes — in England and Wales, £9 million over three years from 1987–88. I have no plans for a separate inquiry in relation to victims of road traffic offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current establishment of the Fire Services Inspectorate covering Crown properties in England and Wales; how many of these posts are at present occupied; when the occupants are due to retire; and what arrangements are being made to fill vacancies caused by retirement.

The complement of Crown inspectors in the premises and inspection group of the fire service inspectorate is one grade 11 inspector and 10 assistant inspectors; two posts are presently occupied; the grade II inspector is due to retire at the end of 1988. Vacancies are being advertised in the national press frorn 21 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission on amending the Sex Discrmination Act to place a duty on local authorities (a) to eliminate unlawful discrimination between the sexes and (b) to promote equality of opportunity between the sexes.

In 1986 the Equal Opportunities Commission published a consultative document "Legislating for Change?" which proposed that a duty be imposed on all bodies carrying out a service or undertaking of a public nature to work towards the elimination of discrimination on grounds of sex or marriage and to promote equality of opportunity between men and women generally. The commission's full proposals for amending the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 are expected shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what positive action he has taken to increase the proportion of employees of his Department who are drawn from ethnic minority groups; and if he will make a statement.

We are committed to equal opportunities in employment, and keen to attract ethnic minority recruits into the Home Office. A number of measures have been taken to encourage suitable applications for those grades recruited directly by the Department. Advertisements emphasise our commitment to equal opportunities and have, where it is likely to be productive, been placed in the ethnic minority press or in local papers in areas with high ethnic minority populations. Links have been established with some local communities. In addition, all members of departmental recruitment boards receive training designed to ensure that all candidates, of whatever ethnic group, are treated fairly.About 10 per cent. of respondents to a recent survey of new entrants to the Department stated that they were from ethnic minorities. But these groups are under represented in certain areas of work, and particular attention is being paid to possible ways of remedying this. For example, the prison service aptitude tests have been revised and are designed to ensure that they are free from cultural bias. All departmental recruitment schemes are now subject to ethnic monitoring, and we shall be using the information gathered to consider what further action may be needed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representation he has received from the Association of London Authorities regarding the citizen registration fee; whether he intends to reply; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend received a letter dated 4 November 1987, from the association's race policy adviser, asking that the £60 fee for registration under the British Nationality Act 1981 should be waived and seeking a meeting. His private secretary replied on 8 December explaining that there is no power to waive the fee, and in consequence a meeting to discuss the request was not considered useful.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the statement by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on his strategy for the coming year.

I am today placing copies of the commissioner's strategy statement for 1988 in the Library. I am also sending a copy to all right hon. and hon. Members whose constituencies fall wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district. I hope to meet London Members soon to discuss the statement.I have discussed the commissioner's statement with him. The force goal for 1988 is to continue to improve the quality of service to the public by:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the financial and technical assistance given by Her Majesty's Government each year since 1979 to countries and organisations for the purpose of wildlife conservation.

Aid statistics are not collated on a basis which would enable us to identify aid for wildlife conservation. The Overseas Development Administration is currently co-funding under the joint funding scheme with the World Wildlife Fund and other nongovernmental organisations a number of projects which include wildlife conservation amongst their aims. It also supports other activities under the bilateral aid programme, such as a communal areas wildlife monitoring unit in Zimbabwe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds have been allocated by his Department to sugar producing countries in each of the past five years to assist them to diversify into the production of other foodstuffs; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 24 November at column 118.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the income in real terms for the Arts Council of Wales for each of the years from 1979–80; what extra allocations of cash he will make to Theatre Clwyd, Mold; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

Year	£ million
1979–80	8·094
1980–81	7·534
1981–82	7·605
1982–83	8·467
1983–84	7·905
1984–85	8·225
1985–86	7·924
1986–87	8·238
1987–88	8·005

The Department does not directly provide Theatre Clwyd, Mold with any financial assistance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current breakdown of Nuclear Installations Inspectorate staffing in the following work areas: long-term safety reviews of Magnox reactors, Sizewell B and Hinckley C, spent fuel reprocessing, currently operating Magnox reactors, currently operating advanced gas-cooled reactors, other nuclear installations, radioactive waste and other areas.

Information currently available indicates that the approximate amount of time spent by the HSE's nuclear installations inspectors on different areas of work is as follows:

	Percentage
Long-term safety review of magnox reactors	5
Sizewell B and Hinckley Point C	13
Spent fuel reprocessing	8
Operational magnox reactors	14
Operational advanced gas-cooled reactors	15
Other nuclear installations	5
Radioactive waste	10
Other work	30

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current staffing levels of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, Factory Inspectorate and Agricultural Inspectorate; and what are the expected levels for 1988–89 and 1989–90.

On 1 January 1988 the number of inspectors in each inspectorate was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the number of persons

Table A
Average number of unemployed registrants in the United Kingdom
	Unemployed less than 6 months	Unemployed 6 months to 1 year	Unemployed over 1 year	Unemployed over 2 years	Unemployed over 3 years
1979	810,099	237,121	359,651	n/a	n/a
1980	1,085,364	284,233	368,651	190,233	116,177
1981	1,369,155	619,856	595,708	234,964	137,660
1982	1,424,433	681,917	1,034,891	377,101	173,464

Table B
Average number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom
	Unemployed less than 6 months	Unemployed 6 months to 1 year	Unemployed over 1 year	Unemployed over 2 years	Unemployed over 3 years	Unemployed over 5 years
1983	1,348,688	639,082	1,110,898	521,559	324,513	n/a
1984	1,318,098	610,779	1,229,378	671,596	396,149	90,097
1985	1,341,881	607,263	1,332,260	793,514	494,469	149,180
1986	1,352,052	606,079	1,354,252	845,019	570,050	227,656
1987	1,206,243	549,276	1,260,030	796,948	562,964	272,087

Table C
Number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom—October 1987
Unemployed less than 6 months	Unemployed 6 months to 1 year	Unemployed over 1 year	Unemployed over 2 years	Unemployed over 3 years	Unemployed over 5 years
1,136,008	443,140	1,172,236	756,238	537,865	276,454

To ask the Lord President of the Council what arrangements currently exist for members of the public who are wheelchair users who wish to lobby hon. Members or attend the business of the House; and if he will make a statement.

The arrangements which exist within the Palace of Westminster for the assistance of wheelchair users are set out in the leaflet "Visits of Disabled Persons" obtainable from the Serjeant at Arms. I am arranging for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member. In the event of mass lobbies by disabled persons it is usual for special arrangements for the reception of wheelchair users to be made. These arrangements vary depending upon the size of the lobby.

Direct comparisons of unemployment by duration since 1979 are not possible because of changes in the method of compilation. The following is the available information. Table A shows the average number of unemployed registrants in the United Kingdom for each year from 1979 to 1982, who had been unemployed for the durations requested, except for those unemployed over five years, for which figures were not separately identified. Table B shows the average number of claimants who have been unemployed for all durations requested for each year from 1983 to 1987, and table C shows the numbers at 8 October 1987, the latest date for which figures are available.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to exclude turtle soup and veal from restaurant menus within the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

Turtle soup is not available in the House of Commons restaurants and cafeterias; only mock turtle soup is served. Veal will continue to be served, but all veal supplied to the House is humanely killed.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will make a statement on the Crown Prosecution Service proposal to use civil servants with no legal qualifications to review charge and evidence in order to determine whether a case will be prosecuted after police investigation; and whether there will be any cases that will not go before a legally qualified person before determination.

The Crown Prosecution Service has for some time relied upon certain members of its staff who may have no legal qualifications to carry out an initial screening of a range of less serious cases referred to the CPS by the police, and it is intended that this practice should continue.Those concerned have all received a period of relevant training and work under the supervision of a Crown prosecutor. The screening which they conduct is for the purpose of ensuring that there are no deficiencies in the evidence or other matters arising, including matters which may be relevant to questions of public interest, which might prevent the case proceedings to a first hearing before a magistrates' court. If their screening discloses no such obstacle, then that prosecution will proceed to its first hearing, where it will be presented before the court by a qualified lawyer. Should the defendant then plead guilty, that case will thus be disposed of. But should he not do so, so that the case is adjourned to a later date, then it will be referred to a Crown prosecutor who will conduct his or her own review.If, on the other hand, on the initial screening it should appear that the case cannot or should not proceed, then again it will be referred to a Crown prosecutor for further consideration. In particular, no proceedings may be discontinued by a member of staff who is not a Crown prosecutor and at all times it is the Crown prosecutor who is responsible for the process of review.The Crown Prosecution Service regards this system as a useful and efficient deployment of its staff which presents no risk whatsoever to the interests of justice; and considers that it does not represent any failure by the service to fulfil the responsibilities imposed on it by the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will initiate legislation, in consultation with the Law Society, to prevent companies from making it a condition of a compensation settlement that the solicitors involved do not act for other claimants.

The Government do not at present consider that legislation would be appropriate. The Law Society is giving consideration to the matter as a question of professional practice, and the Government will await the outcome of its deliberations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report those areas of his departmental responsibility which extend to Scotland.

The Education (Fees and Awards) Act 1983 extends to Scotland; the regulations made under it by the Secretary of State for Education and Science apply so far as universities are concerned to Scotland as well as to England and Wales.My right hon. Friend also make grants available to the eight Scottish universities on the advice of the University Grants Committee.My right hon. Friend has responsibility for the funding of research through the science budget which includes expenditure by the research councils in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to ensure that girls will have equal chances of a place at a city technology college.

CTCs, as independent schools, will come under section 22 of the Sex Discrimination Act and will be required as a condition of grant to aim at a balanced intake of boys and girls. This will be set out in funding agreements which those running CTCs will enter into, on an annual basis, with my right hon. Friend. Equal opportunity provision is a firm objective of the initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the Medical Research Council has any plans to fund research into HIV2; and if he will make a statement.

The Medical Research Council is already supporting studies of HIV-2 infection. This work is being supported through the Tropical Medicine Research Board, a joint board of the M RC and the Overseas Development Administration. I understand that the MRC laboratories in The Gambia are working on these studies in close collaboration with the Gambian Government. The council is also aware of a proposal to monitor the possible spread of HIV-2 to the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will seek powers to ensure that corporal punishment will be illegal in city technology colleges; and if he will make a statement.

The provisions of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 covering corporal punishment in schools may be applied under section 47(5)(a)(iii) to prescribed independent schools which are maintained or assisted by a Minister of the Crown. My right hon. Friend intends to lay regulations before Parliament to bring city technology colleges within the scope of this section.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received concerning the proposals in the Education Reform Bill to enable London boroughs to opt out of Inner London education authority control.

My right hon. Friend has continued to receive representations on this matter from a wide range of organisations and from many members of the public. Copies of responses, other than those from individuals, have been placed in the Libraries of the Palace.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how many local education authorities charge more than 60p for school meals.

In June 1987, which is the latest date for which figures are available, 58 of the 97 local education authorities in England charged more than 60p for school meals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in respect of the assisted places scheme, he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since the inception of the scheme (a) the number of pupils for whom fees have been paid and (b) the mean and median amounts of these fees, per pupil, and for the latest available year (i) the lowest and highest fees paid and (ii) the number of pupils who have had fees paid in each band of £100.

This information is either not available in the form requested or could only be produced at disproportionate cost. I will write to the hon. Member with available data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information his Department has on the numbers of teachers recruited by local education authorities, in the latest period for which he has information, in the Greater London area, who obtained their qualifications (a) in the United Kingdom but not in England and Wales and (b) in overseas countries; and whether he has any plans for revising the arrangements for granting recognition of such qualifications.

The number of full-time qualified teachers appointed to maintained nursery, primary or secondary schools in Greater London, excluding those teachers from other public sector posts, during the year ending 31 March 1986 was as follows:

	Number
Trained in United Kingdom but not in England and Wales	99
Trained in overseas countries	76

My right hon. Friend has no plans to alter the principle that those who apply for qualified teacher status in England and Wales on the basis of a course completed elsewhere should be awarded that status only if their course is comparable with courses approved in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research his Department has conducted, commissioned or otherwise supported on the subject of the relationships between schools, local education authorities and teacher training establishments in so far as they affect trainee teachers on training practice and the subsequent recruitment of such trainees; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has commissioned a number of research projects on various aspects of teaching practice within initial teacher training courses, but these have not investigated subsequent recruitment of trainees. Teaching practice experience is just one of a number of factors relevant to a qualified teacher's decision on where to seek a post.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in exercising his responsibilities for the training and supply of teachers, he is seeking to redress shortages in London; and if he will make a statement.

The Department together with the Teaching as a Career Unit has a substantial national publicity programme aimed at boosting recruitment to initial teacher training and entry to teaching. This programme is already having some success as measured by the 13 per cent. increase in recruitment to initial teacher training courses this academic year. Much of this programme is directed towards recruitment in London and the south-east. As a special measure the Department and TASC are planning to mount a careers fair in London aimed at attracting more people into teaching, particularly in the shortage areas, in London and the south-east. We are in close touch with both the local authority associations and with individual authorities concerned about the specific recruitment problems in Greater London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action his Department is taking to encourage members of ethnic minority groups to enter the teaching profession.

The Department is actively encouraging the development of a number of new initial teacher training courses specially designed to attract more students from the ethnic minorities. This is reflected in the Department's teacher recruitment publicity and is part of the remit of the Teaching as a Career Unit, which we set up in April 1987. The collection by local education authorities of statistics on the ethnic origins of school teachers, announced by my right hon. Friend in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 28 October, at column 261, will help us monitor progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps the Government intend taking prior to the current Education Reform Bill reaching the statute book to ensure that individual universities' statutes give sufficient protection to academic freedom.

We believe that the Education Reform Bill will ensure that individual universities statutes give protection to academic freedom in the following ways:

i. by specifying the grounds on which the statutes are to provide for dismissal; namely, redundancy and good cause;

ii. by requiring the commissioners to provide for an appeals machinery for staff who are dismissed. This should ensure that all academic staff have an effective measure of protection against any victimisation by their colleagues on account of their views;

iii. by requiring the commissioners to send their draft modifications to, amongst others. Organizations representing the staff concerned, affording such organizations an opportunity to make representations on those modifications, and to take those representations into account;

iv. by providing for all instruments made by the commissioners to be subject to the approval of Her Majesty in Council who may remit them to the commissioners for reconsideration. It will be for the Privy Council, in considering whether to recommend to Her Majesty that amendments to university statutes put forward by the commissioner should be confirmed, to satisfy itself that the Government's objective of protecting academic freedom has been properly met.

In addition, the Bill requires the commissioners, in exercising their functions, to have regard to the need to apply the principles of justice and fairness. Further, the Bill will strengthen the protection academic staff have in another important respect: it will remove the exclusive jurisdiction of the visitor in cases of the dismissal of academic staff, and so will enable staff to bring actions in the courts for wrongful dismissal, which they cannot now do. This right of access to the courts will be in addition to the access that academic staff like other employees already have to industrial tribunals over claims for unfair dismissal.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Security, the Treasury, the Inland Revenue, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the development of the Government data network;(2) what plans Her Majesty's Government has for handling tax, national insurance, passports, criminal records, value added tax returns, and welfare benefits on a computer network; and if she will make a statement.

I am satisfied with the coordination between Departments, who on 11 January finalised memoranda of agreement with the consortia who will be invited to tender for the provision of the Government data network. The memoranda are based on plans for some of the data used for tax, national insurance and welfare benefits, but not currently for passports or criminal records, to be carried on the network. There are no plans to set up a central computing capability to link any of these applications; the proposed Government data network is intended to support each Department in meeting its own business needs for data transmission.

To ask the Prime Minister what action she is taking to maintain and promote standards of honesty in Government; and if she will make a statement.

There are rules governing the general principles of conduct by Ministers and civil servants.

To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons the sealed envelope and papers headed "Leader of the Opposition," the existence of which in the Public Record Office became known on 1 January have been subjected to a 75-year rule; and if she will make a statement.

A file from my office dating from 1957, listed in the Public Record Office under the heading "Leader of the Opposition", has been closed for 75 years under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958. The file was closed in accordance with the criteria set out in paragraphs 26–27 of the White Paper "Modern Public Records", Cmnd 8531, March 1982.

To ask the Prime Minister what she estimates would be the uniform business rates payable on the following Government buildings compared with the commercial rates in 1987–88 (a) the Department of the Environment, (b) the Treasury, (c) No. 10 Downing street, (d) the Foreign Office, (e) the Department of Trade and Industry, (f) the Scottish Office, (g) the Welsh Office, (h) the Ministry of Defence and (i) the Ministry of Agriculture.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 11 January at column 1. Information on the contributions in lieu of rates made by the Treasury, and the effects of the introduction of the uniform business rate on those contributions, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Prime Minister on what date the book "Inside Intelligence" by Anthony Cavendish was referred to the D Notice Committee; on what date the committee cleared the book; whether any alterations or deletions were requested by the committee; and if she will make a statement.

Discussions between the Defence Press and Broadcasting Committee and the press, broadcasting authorities and publishers are regarded as having taken place in confidence. It is not our policy to comment on discussions on individual books.

To ask the Prime Minister why Sir Philip Woodfield, the security services counsellor, refused a request from Anthony Cavendish for an interview about his proposed book "Inside Intelligence"; and if she will make a statement.

The responsibilities of Sir Philip Woodfield as staff counsellor for the security and intelligence services were set out in my reply of 2 November 1987, column 512, to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. Whitney). I do not propose to comment on the details of how Sir Philip Woodfield discharges those responsibilities.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps were taken by her Press Secretary on 1 January to publicise the fact that an injunction had been granted to Her Majesty's Government against the Sunday Times and The Observer newspapers restraining publication of extracts from the book "Inside Intelligence" by Anthony Cavendish; what is the general practice with regard to the timing, source and scope of Government briefings on such subjects; and if she will make a statement.

The No. 10 Press Office informed the Press Association of the injunction obtained on 1 January. The practice with regard to timing, source and scope of such briefings varies according to the circumstances.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will meet representatives of voluntary bodies concerned with conservation to discuss the disposal of nationally owned nature reserves.

The Nature Conservancy Council is considering this matter as part of its current review of national nature reserves. There are regular opportunities for the voluntary bodies to discuss issues which concern them at meetings with the NCC and with Ministers.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Sir Patrick Reilly sought the approval of Her Majesty's Government to be interviewed by Mr. Anthony Cave-Brown during preparation of his book "The Secret Servant" a biography of Sir Stewart Menzies; and if she will make a statement.

We have no record of approval being sought for such an interview.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 2 December 1987, column 916, if he has completed his consideration of the creation of nitrate protection zones; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not yet completed his consideration of this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of hedgerows have been lost in England during the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

The current rate of hedgerow removal is not easy to establish and information is not available over this particular time scale. Results from the monitoring landscape change survey published in 1986 and conducted by Huntings Technical Services Ltd. for the Countryside Commission and this Department (a copy of which is in the Library of the House), indicated that hedgerow length in England fell from approximately 359,000 miles in 1969 to approximately 315,000 miles in 1985. However, figures produced by a MAFF survey show an average loss of 500 miles per year in England and Wales between 1981 and 1985. Work is continuing to enable us to improve our information on both the rate of removal and the extent of new planting, so that the position can be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about local council borrowing from the National Association of Local Councils; and what response he has given.

The association has sought an increase of 26 per cent. in the overall annual borrowing allocation for parish councils. It has been invited to submit further information in support of its request.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details by local authority of (a) original bids and (b) final allocations of funds from the Countryside Commission's "Task Force Trees for Replanting" following damage sustained in the inclement weather of 16 October 1987.

The following information relates to the special allocations made by the Countryside Commission for 1987–88.

£000
	Gross Bid	Net Bid	Allocation
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire CC	10	10	3
Berkshire	340	306	93
Berkshire CC	310	279	80
Reading BC	30	27	13
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire CC	58	51	20
Cambridgeshire	53	49	21
Cambridgeshire CC	37	35	14
Cambridge City	16	14	7
Dorset	23	22	9
Dorset CC	9	9	3
Bournemouth BC	6	6	3
Poole BC	8	7	3
East Sussex	1,094	907	293
East Sussex CC	648	521	200
Brighton BC	41	35	18
Eastbourne BC	81	68	25
Hove BC	93	80	25
Hastings BC	231	203	25
Essex	998	882	151
Essex CC	845	756	120
Lee Valley Park	13	12	6
Braintree DC	140	114	25
Hampshire	1,261	1,080	204
Hampshire CC	1,000	855	120
Eastleigh BC	51	44	22
Hart DC	65	58	25
Portsmouth BC	27	24	12
Southampton City	118	99	25
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire CC	82	82	33
Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight CC	151	136	55
Kent	1,374	1,253	350
Kent CC	520	520	200
Canterbury City	114	97	25
Dover DC	187	160	25

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds have been (a) paid out and (b) allocated to the London borough of Newham for damage sustained during the inclement weather on 16 October 1987.

No payments have yet been made to the London borough of Newham under the scheme of special financial assistance for dealing with the storm damage on 16 October. My Department has not yet received a claim from the borough. No specific sum has been budgeted for Newham, nor any other authority under the scheme. Payments will be made on the basis of eligible expenditure in each authority's claim.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his Department's latest estimate of the costs to local authorities arising from the damage caused by inclement weather on 16 October 1987.

In advance of receiving local authorities' claims for special financial assistance the Department does not have sufficiently reliable information available to provide such an estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the amount his Department has (a) paid out and (b) budgeted for damages arising from the consequences of inclement weather on 16 October 1987.

Up to 12 January only four claims have been received, and no payments have yet been made under the scheme of special financial assistance for dealing with storm damage on 16 October 1987. My Department has initially budgeted £25 million in 1987–88. This estimate is provisional and will be amended as necessary in the light of claims received. Provision will also be made in Main Estimates for 1988–89 for such payments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is in a position to respond to the request from Kent county council for special financial assistance in respect of the severe weather during the 1986–87 winter.

I have today written to the leader of Kent county council indicating that we have concluded that the weather conditions experienced in the county last winter were such as to justify invoking a scheme of special financial assistance under the Bellwin arrangements, and an exclusion from total expenditure.In reaching this decision we have had particularly in mind the exceptionally severe weather conditions experienced by Kent compared with normal winter weather for the county and that, as a direct result of these conditions, communities were put at risk and suffered severe hardship and inconvenience which required immediate relief.My officials have written to Kent with full details of the scheme. It will provide for grant to be paid at a rate of 75 per cent. on emergency-related expenditure above a threshold. This threshold will be the same as that used in relation to the storm emergency last October: the product of a 1p exclusive rate for the county council and 0·15p rate for non-metropolitan district councils.I am also consulting local authority interests about an exclusion from total expenditure in respect of authorities' 25 per cent. share of eligible expenditure above the threshold and have asked that those wishing to comment on this proposal should do so by 5 February 1988.It is open to other authorities who believe that they qualify for assistance under the terms of this scheme to make a case to the Department, and if it is accepted, to make a claim for special financial assistance.The responsibility for dealing with such emergencies remains with local authorities. The Government regard special financial assistance as an exceptional measure. They will decide each case on its merits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of households with below average incomes but above average reateable values are in receipt of rate rebate.

41 per cent. of homes with above average rateable values are occupied by households with below average incomes. Information on the proportions of such households receiving rate rebates at present is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the current number of residential mortgages remaining with the London Residuary Body.

At the end of December, 31,446 residential mortgages remained with the LRB.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details by boroughs of the amounts distributed by the London Residuary Body since the commencement of the current financial year.

Firm figures in respect of the amount distributed by the London Residuary Body since the commencement of the current financial year will not be available until LRB's 1987–88 accounts have been audited and certified. However, LRB's latest estimate, as set out in its 1987–88 budget, of distributable revenue balances during the year is shown at table A.

Table A
Distribution of Estimated Revenue Balances 1987–88
	Balances
	£
Inner London
City of London	28,938
Inner Temple	615
Middle Temple	591
Camden	1,066,273
Greenwich	1,277,872
Hackney	1,108,238
Hammersmith & Fulham	891,910
Islington	992,390
Kensington and Chelsea	813,299
Lambeth	1,439,232
Lewisham	1,373,624
Southwark	1,276,099
Tower Hamlets	869,449
Wandsworth	1,529,664
Westminster	1,058,589
Total Inner London	13,726,783
Outer London
Barking and Dagenham	878,315
Barnet	1,780,273
Bexley	1,291,467
Brent	1,506,612
Bromley	1,760,768
Croydon	1,885,482
Ealing	1,728,260
Enfield	1,566,310
Haringey	1,165,571
Harrow	1,192,168
Havering	1,409,679
Hillingdon	1,373,033
Hounslow	1,156,114

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if all moneys owed to the London Residuary Body by Government Departments have now been paid; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 22 October 1987. Discussions between the LRB and the Department are continuing, as are investigations by the district auditors.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any compensation has been paid to MEPC plc during the period of Mr. Christopher Benson's chairmanship of the London Docklands Development Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many responses his Department received to the consultation document Competition in the Provision of Local Authority Services issued in 1985; of these responses, how many were from local authorities, including the Inner London education authority and local authority associations; and of the responses from those authorities how many supported the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering into the provision of local authority services;(2) how many of those responses received by the Government to the consultation document "Competition in the Provision of Local Authority Services," issued in 1985, were from employers' associations or any other organisations representing actual or potential contractors for local authority services; and of the responses from those organisations, how many were in favour of the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering into the provision of local authority services and how many were in favour of introducing competition over a period of a few years.

Over 450 responses to the consultation paper were received and a list of respondents was placed in the Library on 30 October 1985. Some 240 were from local authorities or local authority associations, and some 60 from private contractors or associations representative of their interests. It is not easy to summarise the views put forward on this complex subject, but the hon. Gentleman is free to ask consultees what they said.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of households with below average incomes live in properties the rateable value of which is more than the average domestic rateable value for the authority in which they are situated.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is yet in a position to update his estimates of the impact of the community charge on individual households.

I have today placed in the Library a note which updates the principal exemplifications of the impact of the community charge, originally contained in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714).These later figures confirm that:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the numbers of single pensioners to whom his reference of 69 per cent., Official Report, column 1325, 17 December, represents in respect of the poll tax.

I have today placed in the Library updated estimates which show that overall some 24 million single pensioners (66 per cent.), in England, would benefit from the full implementation of the community charge and nearly 2 million (80 per cent.) of single pensioner households would do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his latest estimate of the cost to the water industry of complying with the EEC recommendations about the levels of water pollution;(2) what time scale is now envisaged by his Department to allow water authorities to bring their domestic water supplies into conformity with EEC regulations regarding acceptable levels of pollution.

I refer the hon. Member to my replies to the hon. Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) of 2 December 1987, at column 622, and 15 December 1987, at column 460 on the subject of drinking water quality.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify the areas containing the majority of the 900,000 people who receive drinking water containing nitrate in excess of the EEC's recommended levels.

The areas are in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify by (a) the pollutant and (b) the level over the EEC recommendation the areas where domestic drinking water supplies do not comply with the latest EEC requirements.

I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the levels of pollutant contained in the domestic water supply in the London borough of Newham above those recommended by the EEC.

I am not aware of any pollutants exceeding the EC drinking water directive limits in the London borough of Newham.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what provisions will be made for home dialysis users, in the event of water privatisation, with regard to (a) setting levels of charges, and (b) disconnecting supplies for non-payment; and what representations he has received on this matter;

[holding answer 11 January 1988]: Water authorities at present operate a code of practice in relation to payment of bills and disconnection of water supplies. Privatised water utility companies will be required to operate a similar code. Present arrangements to protect dialysis patients in respect of loss of supply and quality of supply will continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps will be taken to ensure that water public limited companies comply in all respects within the EEC directive on water quality; and whether he intends to seek amendments to the directive.

[holding answer 11 January 1988]: The legislation to privatise the water authorities will give the EEC drinking water directive the force of law in the United Kingdom. The Commission is itself considering the process by which directives on water matters may be reviewed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what form of monitoring is applied to the discharge of waste from the animal virus research centre at Pirbright; and what waste matters are involved.

Discharges of small quantities of low-level radioactive waste from the Animal Virus Research Institute are authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. The institute is inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution to check that the discharges are within authorised limits. The inspectorate also monitors levels of radioactivity in the environment resulting from these discharges.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any licence applications have been made by (a) Lilly research centre, (b) Serono Diagnostics, (c) Mercia Diagnostics and (d) the central veterinary research laboratory for the discharge of radioactive waste; and if he will make a statement.

Lilly Research Centre Ltd., Serono Diagnostics Ltd., Mercia Diagnostics Ltd., and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory are all authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to discharge small quantities of low-level radioactive waste. The authorisations are issued by my Department and the organisations are inspected under the 1960 Act by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution to check that any discharges of radioactive waste are within authorised limits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts are being made by the Government to protect the species in the United Kingdom identified by the World Wildlife Fund as being threatened with extinction.

I understand that the report recently published by the World Wildlife Fund listing threatened species did not identify any United Kingdom species. Nevertheless, the Government will be studying the report carefully.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his statutory duties with respect to England's national nature reserves.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the privatisation of nature reserves.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the preparation for sale of national nature reserves.

I am responsible (with the approval of the Treasury) for determining the public funds made available to the Nature Conservancy Council via an annual grant-in-aid for the performance of its functions, including the establishment, maintenance and management of national nature reserves. Several of the conditions of the grant-in-aid affect NNRs, particularly those which reserve the right to myself to decide in certain circumstances whether the NCC should incur expenditure on the acquisition of land, or on payments under management agreements, needed to establish specific Reserves.I am also responsible for authorising any proposal by the NCC under its powers to acquire land compulsorily to establish a reserve, although these powers have only been exercised very rarely; my authority is also required to confirm byelaws for the protection of reserves.In addition, I also have discretionary powers to give the NCC directions concerning the discharge of any of its functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on his policy on the future ownership, control and management of Britain's national nature reserves;(2) if he has asked the Nature Conservancy Council to examine ways of selling the national nature reserves in their ownerships and control.

The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 provided the framework almost 40 years ago for a policy under which nature reserves are normally established and protected by agreement between private landowners and the Nature Conservancy Council, without the need for public ownership. Successive Governments have operated that policy. Of the 160,000 ha of reserves declared by 31 March 1987, only 43,000 ha (27 per cent.) are publicly owned by the NCC. Many of the most outstanding reserves — including several in the Norfolk Broads, upper Teesdale, Avon gorge, the Gower peninsula and the Scottish highlands — have been successfully protected for many years in private ownership.In line with my general policy that all non-departmental public bodies should be asked to keep their land holdings to the minimum necessary for their functions, I have asked them, including the NCC, to examine their portfolio and consider whether there is greater scope for both existing and future reserves to be kept in private ownership with appropriate conservation safeguards. The review will consider also the size of the NNR network, methods of further improving reserve management and the possibility of generating more income (for example from visitors) that could be ploughed back into conservation. I expect to receive a report on these matters from the NCC later this year when they have fully considered the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional funds have been allocated to the London borough of Camden for costs arising directly out of the King's Cross fire disaster.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in discussions between his Department and the London residuary body about the payment of outstanding Government grants for which provision has been made in the Greater London Council's 1985–86 closing accounts.

The Department and the LRB are cooperating with the district auditor to clarify further entitlement to certain Government grants.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to acquire the use of Manor house, Millbank; at what cost, and under what form of tenure.

I am not aware of any building on Millbank known as Manor house.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why agreement to Community signature of the Montreal protocol to the Vienna convention for the protection of the ozone layer was given before parliamentary scrutiny procedures were complete; and if he will make a statement.

When international negotiations were approaching their conclusion the Commission sought the Council's agreement to Community signature of the protocol to the Vienna convention by means of document 8335/87 dated 11 September 1987. The Council's authorisation was given by means of urgent written procedure in time for a conference on plenipotentiaries in Montreal at which the protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer was adopted on 16 September. The Community (and the United Kingdom) signed the protocol on the same day.The House was in recess at the time and it was not possible for the normal scrutiny procedures to be carried out. The Government did, however, keep the House informed of developments, at column 319 on 27 November 1986, at column 134 on 24 March 1987, and at column 379 on 23 July 1987, and have since reported on the outcome of the diplomatic conference, at column 277 on 28 October 1987. The Select Committee on European Legislation has recommended that this subject should be further considered by the House when the Commission has tabled proposals for common rules for the Community, as contemplated in the protocol. The text of the protocol will be published shortly as a Command Paper and laid before the House before ratification, in accordance with the usual practice.