Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Tuesday 15 March 1988

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Turks And Caicos Islands

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to review the governance of the Turks and Caicos Islands; and if he will make a statement.

No. Elections took place in the Turks and Caicos Islands on 3 March. The People's Democratic Movement won a majority of the seats. We look forward to working with the new Government.

Export Promotion Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the United Kingdom export promotion services in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department of Trade and Industry have reviewed the Government trade promotion services available to British exporters to the Federal Republic of Germany and have jointly agreed to arrangements for upgrading our service in the Federal Republic of Germany. A new post of Director General of Trade and Investment Promotion for the whole country will be created in Düsseldorf. An improved information technology system is being installed in Düsseldorf and in other British consultates-general in Germany which will provide British exporters with speedier service more closely targeted to their needs. All British exporters to the German market will benefit and especially those entering the export market for the first time.A comprehensive and centralised data base is to be installed in the consulate-general in Düsseldorf. This will be linked to terminals in consulates-general in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and West Berlin and to the British Marketing Office for High Technology in Stuttgart. An FRG-wide information network will thus be created. All consulates-general will have access to it and be able to communicate with each other through it. The new system will give exporters quicker answers to enquiries about market prospects and faster contact with potential agents and buyers.The Focus Germany campaign and Lord Young's recent enterprise initiative are stimulating the interest of exporters, especially smaller and medium-sized companies in the German market. The realisation of the single market in 1992 will open it up even further. The FCO and DTI are strengthening Government services to exporters now to assist them in seizing the opportunities that will present themselves.The enhanced system has been planned to be fully operational in October and will be installed over the next six months.

The consul-general in Düsseldorf, Peter Bryant, has taken over from 14 March, as the new Director General of Trade and Investment Promotion with responsibility to direct and co-ordinate the new organisation.

The commercial section in the embassy in Bonn will continue in being until 1 May. On that date it will close and thereafter all inquiries and visits which would have been made to the embassy should be directed to the British consulate-general in Düsseldorf. Their address is Nordsternhaus, Georg-Glock-Strasse 14,400 Düsseldorf 30 (Telephone: 0211–43740, telex: 8584855; telefax 0211–4542319).

National Finance

Royal Family (Civil List)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the total amount payable under the Civil List Acts to the Royal Family in the calendar years 1987 and 1988.

The information on amounts payable to the Royal Family in the present and previous calendar year is as follows:

	1987	1988
	£	£
The Queen's Civil List	4,326,100	4,500,000
HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother	375,300	390,300
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh	209,300	217,700
HRH The Duke of York	50,000	86,500
HRH The Prince Edward	20,000	20,000
HRH The Princess Royal	130,400	135,600
HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon	127,000	132,100
HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester	51,400	53,500
HRH The Duke of Gloucester	102,200	106,300
HRH The Duke of Kent	138,000	143,500
HRH Princess Alexandra, Mrs. Angus Ogilvy	131,500	136,800
TOTAL	5,661,200	5,922,300
Refunded by Her Majesty The Queen	371,700	386,600
	5,289,500	5,535,700

Notes:

1. These figures combine the sum directly payable from the Consolidated Fund with supplementation provided by the royal trustees via the Treasury Vote "Class XIX, Vote 11 HM Treasury: Administration".

2. The underlying increase is 4·0 per cent., though the actual increase in total is 4·6 per cent., due to the additional payment to HRH The Duke of York.

3. The sum of £20,000 has been payable from the Consolidated Fund to HRH The Prince Edward since he attained the age of 18 on 10 March 1982, and has been paid in full since 1 January 1987.

4. Her Majesty paid £371,700 into the Consolidated Fund in respect of payments made in 1987 to members of the Royal Family whose expenses are met under section 3 of the Civil List Act 1972. A similar payment of £386,600 will be made for 1988.

Income Tax

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional annual income net of tax and national insurance would result from (a) a 2 pence cut in the basic rate of income tax and (b) the reduction of all high rate income tax bands to 40 per cent. for (i)a person, (ii)an income taxpayer, (iii)a household and (iv)average family of four.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1988, c. 88]: I regret that the table given with my reply to

Increase in income after tax and national insurance (£ per annum) compared with indexation in 1988–89
	Multiple of average male earnings¹
Increase derived from:	½	¾	1	1½	2	5
(a) 2 pence cut in basic rate
(i)single	77	141	204	331	372	372
(ii)married couple wife not earning¹	48	112	176	303	372	372
(iii)married couple wife earning²	82	188	294	534	658	744
(b) reduction of all higher rates of income tax to 40 per cent.
(i)single	—	—	—	—	87	5,971
(ii)married couple wife not earning	—	—	—	—	15	5,685
(iii)married couple wife earning²	—	—	—	—	87	7,794
¹ Average male earnings assumed to be £244·70 per week; an increase of 6·5 per cent. on 1987–88 in line with the assumptions used by the Government Actuary for reviewing National Insurance contributions (paragraph 3.02 of the Autumn Statement 1987).
² Assuming that the wife's earnings are the same multiple of average earnings as her husband's.

Taxes And Rates

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax and rates will be paid in the present financial year (a) by a married man, with two children, earning £250,000 a year, (b) by a single man, with no dependants, earning £250,000 a year, (c) by a married man, with two children, earning £100,000 a year, (d) by a single man, with no dependants, earning £100,000 a year, (e) by a married man, with two children, earning £25,000 a year, (f) by a single man, with no dependants, earning £25,000 a year, (g) by a married man, with two children, earning £7,500 a year and (h) by a single man, with no dependants, earning £7,500 a year, in each case assuming no other income.

[holding answer 8 March 1988]: The available information is given in the table.

Income tax liability in 1987–88
Annual Earnings	Single man	Married man
£	£	£
7,500	1,370·25	1,000·35
25,000	6,811·75	6,195·25
100,000	50,203·00	49,381·00
250,000	140,203·00	139,381·00

The calculations assume that the taxpayer has no other income and that he is not entitled to any allowances or reliefs other than the personal allowances. The number of children does not affect liability to income tax.Corresponding estimates on indirect taxes and local authority rates are not available

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figure for the projected yield of a 1 per cent. rate of income tax in 1987–88 in England and Wales, based on existing outturns of income tax.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: For the United Kingdom as a whole, the revenue effect in a full year from a one penny change in the basic rate of income tax in 1987–88 is estimated at about £1·3 billion. Income tax liabilities of residents of England and Wales in 1985–86, the latest year for which data are available, were 89 per cent. of the total for the United Kingdom.

the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East contained some incorrect figures. I refer the hon. Member to the revised table below:

Allowances And Reliefs

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the real increase in the direct tax allowances and reliefs published in table 6·5 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91,"Cm 288–1.

[holding answer 3 March 1988]: The table shows the percentage change, in real terms, between 1986–87 and 1987–88 of the latest estimates of the cost of direct tax allowances and reliefs, based on the forecast movement of 4 per cent. in the general index of retail prices to 1987–88. The percentage changes should be treated only as an approximate guide. Excluded from the table are those reliefs marked with an asterisk in table 6·5 of Cm 288–1 or in the corresponding 1986–87 table because the estimates were subject to a wide margin of error, and those reliefs whose costs were £5 million or less in either year.

Estimated change in cost in real terms between 1986–87 and 1987–88
	Per cent.
Income Tax
Married man's allowance	-3
Single person's allowance	-5
Wife's earned income allowance	-1
Husband and wife; election for separate taxation of wife's earnings	50
Age allowance	-1
Additional personal allowance for one parent family	-4
Widow's bereavement allowance	-4
Dependent relative allowance	-4
Relief for:
Employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes	-2
Investment income of occupational pension schemes	-3
Lump sum payments to pensioners	-7
Retirement annuity premiums	4
Life assurance premiums (where insurance contract made before 14 March 1984)	-14
Qualifying interest on loans for purchase or improvement of owner-occupied etc property	-2
Schedule E work expenses allowed as a deduction	-7
Half of Class 4 National Insurance Contributions	-5
Exemption of:
Income of charities	8

	Per cent.
British government securities where owner not ordinarily resident in United Kingdom	6
Foreign service allowance paid to Crown Servants abroad	-4
Petroleum Revenue Tax
Uplift on qualifying expenditure	13
Relief for exploration and appraisal expenditure	-22
Oil allowance—Petroleum Revenue Tax	49
Safeguard: restricting petroleum revenue tax to not more than 80 per cent. of the excess over a 30 per cent. return on historic capital cost	72
Tariff receipt allowance	0
Capital Gains Tax
Exemption of:
First £6,600 of gains of individuals and first £3,300 of gains of trustees	13
Inheritance Tax/Capital Transfer Tax
Exemption of:
Transfers to charities on death	-4
Relief for:
Agricultural property	-4
Business property	-4
Stamp Duty
Exemption of:
Transfers of government stocks and loan stocks	11
Transfers of houses or other property (not stocks and shares) where the consideration does not exceed £30,000	-4

Transport

Electric Multiple Unit Trains (Brake Failures)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received, or requested, from his Inspectorate of Railways concerning failures in braking systems on electric multiple unit trains; what representations have been made to him or his inspectors on this topic; when he expects to publish any reports; and if he will make a statement.

There is no evidence that failures are occurring in the braking systems of electric multiple-unit trains. The British Railways Board is currently studying the braking performance of trains generally. This is in response to some evidence that the number of signals passed at danger is increasing and the claims by some drivers that under certain conditions the braking performance of their trains is less than fully adequate. The inspectorate's report on the September 1986 accident at Colwich junction, to be published shortly, will, I understand, include comments on current train braking systems, and the report on the August 1987 accident at Walton-on-Naze will comment specifically on the braking of electric multiple-units. No formal representations have been made to the Department on this subject.

Motorway Safety Fences

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made introducing requirements for firms manufacturing, supplying and erecting safety fences on motorways to have management systems certificated by independent certification bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies.

Publication of the specification for highway works in October 1986 announced the Department's intention to introduce these new quality assurance requirements in safety fence contracts from January 1988. The NACCB has accredited two certification bodies which have certificated a number of companies. The first contracts requiring the suppliers to have a certificated quality management system have now been let and we expect this method of achieving quality assurance for safety fencing to be applied increasingly from now on. As yet, not as many firms as we had hoped have achieved certificated quality assurance status. In view of this, where there are insufficient firms with certificated status to maintain competition and progress with the Department's safety fence programme some contracts may be placed with other firms. In those cases, we shall ensure that the qualtiy control checks carried out under existing contractural arrangements are applied rigorously and thoroughly.The Department will continue to encourage firms to obtain certification for their quality management schemes and seek to make this a requirement in all contracts. Grants available from the Department of Trade and Industry under its enterprise initiative should be of particular benefit in enabling this sector of industry to introduce quality management systems meeting our requirements.

Attorney-General

Land Registry

To ask the Attorney-General how many staff are currently employed by the Land Registry; and what are their grades.

The staff employed and their grades as at 1 March 1988 are set out in the following table:

Grade	Permanent	Casual	Total
Open structure
Grade 2	1·0	—	1·0
Grade 3	1·0	—	1·0
Grade 5	18·0	—	18·0
Grade 6	32·0	—	32·0
Grade 7	92·0	—	92·0
Total	144·0	—	144·0
Legal Officer	8·0	0·5	8·5
Executive
SEO	246·0	—	246·0
HEO	468·5	—	468·5
EO	1,515·0	—	1,515·0
Total	2,229·5	—	2,229·5
Clerical
AO	2,928·5	3·0	2,931·5
AA	1,181·0	444·5	1,625·5
Total	4,109·5	447·5	4,557·0
Secretarial
Total	703·5	75·0	778·5
Support
Total	1,008	214·5	1,222·5
Grand Total	8,202·5	737·5	8,940·0

To ask the Attorney-General what has been the ratio of staff to total registrations dealt with per year by the Land Registry in each of the last seven years for which figures are available.

The ratio of staff to registrations dealt with in each of the last seven years expressed in terms of registrations completed per post is as follows:

	Registrations
1981–82	355
1982–83	359
1983–84	352
1984–85	358
1985–86	364
1986–87	388
1987–88	394

To ask the Attorney-General what recent representations he has received concerning delays at the Land Registry.

In the three months to 29 February 1988 the Lord Chancellor received some 35 letters concerning delays at the Land Registry.

To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the application for registration about which the hon. Member for Macclesfield recently wrote to the Lord Chancellor to be processed by the Land Registry.

The Land Registry is awaiting a reply to requisitions sent to the applicant's solicitors on 14 October 1987. The application cannot proceed further until the requisitions are complied with, but will be completed as quickly as possible thereafter.

Trade And Industry

Research And Development

103.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of research and development expenditure in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product in the light of the finding by the Society of British Aerospace Companies that the Government have over-estimated their research and development expenditure.

I have no reason to revise the estimate of total United Kingdom expenditure on research and development (R and D) in the light of the study carried out by the Society of British Aerospace Companies. This relates to the funding by Ministry of Defence of development contract work carried out by some aerospace defence manufacturers. In common with other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development the United Kingdom compiles statistics of total expenditure on R and D by aggregating expenditure on R and D by the sectors performing the R and D not by sectors funding the R and D.

Company Registrations

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to the numbers of companies registering at Companies House; and if he will make a statement.

A total of 121,125 new companies were registered in England and Wales in 1987, and 5,926 in Scotland. At the end of January 1988 the total number of live companies, including those registered in Scotland, was 925,321

Economic League

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Economic League registered its accounts at Companies House for the last financial year.

The last accounts registered at Companies House were delivered on 24 September 1986 for the financial year ending 31 December 1985.Accounts for the year ending 31 December 1986 are overdue and the Registrar of Companies is taking action to secure compliance with the filing requirements of the Companies Act 1985.

Automotive Industry

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the United Kingdom automotive industry was Japanese-owned; and what market share this represents, for each year from 1979.

Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. is the sole wholly-owned Japanese vehicle manufacturer in the United Kingdom. Production of cars began at Sunderland in 1986 and so far makes up only a small, though increasing, proportion of total sales by Nissan here. Nissan's overall share of the United Kingdom market since 1979—supplied solely by imports from Japan until 1985, and by a mixture of imports and United Kingdom-produced vehicles since then — has been as follows:

	per cent.
1979	5·9
1980	6·07
1981	5·94
1982	5·99
1983	5·84
1984	6·08
1985	5·76
1986	5·84
1987	5·67

Regional Aid

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the spending, and the number of cases helped in the county of Cleveland, through (a) regional selective assistance and (b) regional development grant in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987, broken down into manufacturing and service industries, and within that category (i) firms employing up to 200 employees and 201 or more and within that category (ii) regional development grant awards made on a capital grants basis, as opposed to grants given per job created.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: The information requested in respect of the number of projects receiving payments and the value of expenditure under regional selective assistance (RSA) and regional development grant (RDG) in the County of Cleveland in each year is as follows:

RSA¹
	Manufacture	Service
1984
Small
Number of projects	28	5
Payments (£ million)	1·0	0·2
Medium/Large
Number of projects	8	1
Payments (£ million)	3·2	0·7
1985
Small
Number of projects	26	5
Payments (£ million)	2·7	0·1
Medium/Large
Number of projects	9	1
Payments (£ million)	1·8	0·9

RDG²
	Manufacture		Service
	(a) Capital grant	(b) Job grant	(a) Capital grant	(b) Job grant
1984³
Small
Number of projects	—	—	—	—
Payments (£ million)	—	—	—	—
Medium/large
Number of projects	—	—	—	—
Payments (£ million)	—	—	—	—
1985
Small
Number of projects	—	36	3	17
Payments (£ million)	—	1·4	Neg	0·2
Medium/large
Number of projects	—	—	—	—
Payments (£ million)	—	—	—	—
1986
Small
Number of projects	30	243	5	75
Payments (£ million)	0·2	2·8	Neg	0·8
Medium/large
Number of projects	2	1	—	1
Payments (£ million)	0·1	0·1	—	Neg
1987
Small
Number of projects	59	365	5	87
Payments (£ million)	0·7	4·5	Neg	0·9
Medium/large
Number of projects	5	5	1	2
Payments (£ million)	0·6	0·7	Neg	Neg
Note—small firms are those with up to 200 employees; medium/large firms are those with 201 employees or more. Negligible means payments below £50,000.
¹ Project and training grants only.
² Figures are given for the revised RDG scheme only. Records for the original scheme are insufficiently detailed to provide the information requested.
³ No data for 1984 as the revised RDG scheme was only introduced in November that year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will set out in the Official Report estimates of expenditure in 1987–88 in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, on (a) regional development grants, (b) regional selective assistance and (c) regional and general

	Manufacture	Service
1986
Small
Number of projects	32	4
Payments (£ million)	1·7	0·1
Medium/Large
Number of projects	5	—
Payments (£ million)	1·8	—
1987
Small
Number of projects	21	5
Payments (£ million)	1·2	Neg
Medium/Large
Number of projects	13	1
Payments (£ million)	2·6	Neg

industrial support in cash and real terms, together with the amounts of planned expenditure for the years 1988–89,1989–90 and 1990–91.

[holding answer 10 March 1988]:The information requested in cash and constant (1986–87) price terms is as follows:

£ million¹
	1987–88²		1988–89³		1989–90³		1990–91³
	Cash	Constant	Cash	Constant	Cash	Constant	Cash	Constant
	(a) Regional Development Grant
England	132	127	156	143	116	103	66	57
Scotland	67	64	58	53	51	45	32	28
Wales	54	51	64	58	42	37	28	24
	(b) Regional Selective Assistance⁴
England	122	117	161	148	148	131	148	127
Scotland⁵	53	51	60	55	60	53	80	69
Wales	41	39	46	42	52	46	61	53
	(c) Regional and General Industrial Support⁶
England⁷	294	282	463	425	448	397	423	364
Scotland⁸	257	246	266	244	261	231	261	225
Wales⁹	169	162	194	178	180	160	180	155
¹ All figures are net of recoveries and other domestic receipts, but gross of receipts from the European regional development fund
² Supply Estimate figures
³ Figures underlying the 1988 public expenditure White Paper
⁴ Incorporating industrial and training grants and expenditure under the business improvement services and exchange risk guarantee schemes
⁵ Including (for 1988–89 onwards) expenditure provision for the regional investment grant element of the enterprise initiative package
⁶ Including expenditure on regional development grant and regional selective assistance
⁷ Including (in addition to RDG and RSA) expenditure provision in Great Britain for selective assistance towards individual companies and industries, as well as (for 1988–89 onwards) GB provision for the consultancy services and regional innovation grant elements of the enterprise initiative package. Also incorporating expenditure in England only under the regional investment grant element of the package, and expenditure on task forces and city action teams.
⁸ Including (in addition to RDG and RSA) expenditure under the Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment (excluding tourism) Vote on support for nationalised industries (except transport), general labour market services, support for the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board, and other central and miscellaneous services.
⁹ Including (in addition to RDG and RSA) expenditure under the regional investment grant element of the enterprise initiative package, and support for the Welsh Development Agency and Mid-Wales Development.

Employment

London Docklands (Construction Sites)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many successful prosecutions have been made against companies on construction sites in London docklands for breaches of health and safety legislation; and if he will enumerate these on an annual basis since 1981, with an annual total of fines imposed;(2) how many accidents and deaths have been recorded by the Health and Safety Executive on construction sites in London docklands since 1981 on an annual basis.

The information is not available in the detail requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Home Department

Police Stations

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the design of police stations in relation to the accessibility to the public of a general reception and injury desk.

Guidance issued by the Home Office on the design of new police stations recommends that the public entrance to the station should have a suitable ramp, and that all parts of the entrance hall should be visible from the inquiry counter.

Prison Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of inmates in each of the prisons in England and Wales who on 1 March were in single cells and who were (a) sharing two to a cell and (b) sharing three to a cell.

The information tabulated as follows relates to 10 January this year, the latest date for which figures are available.

Distribution of inmates in cells designed for single occupation
Prison	Numbers held singly	Numbers sharing	Numbers sharing
		2 to a cell	3 to a cell
Acklington	315	—	—
Albany	210	—	—
Ashford	90	236	—
Aylesbury	271	—	—
Bedford	30	92	204
Birmingham	41	160	861
Blundeston	277	—	—
Bristol	184	220	6
Brixton	179	532	219
Brockhill	2	198	21
Bullwood Hall	82	60	—
Camp Hill	180	156	—
Canterbury	39	130	162
Cardiff	52	312	183
Channings Wood	466	—	—
Castington	227	—	—
Chelmsford	24	288	—
Coldingley	236	—	—
Cook.ham Wood	114	—	—
Dartmoor	582	—	—
Deerbolt	202	—	—
Dorchester	30	144	24
Durham (male)	140	526	306
Durham (female)	36	—	—
Everthorpe	235	126	—
Exeter	57	306	84
Featherstone	454	—	—
Feltham	214	—	—
Frankland	393	—	—

Prison	Numbers held singly	Numbers sharing	Numbers sharing
		2 to a cell	3 to a cell
Full Sutton	194	—	—
Gartree	276	—	—
Glen Parva	301	346	—
Gloucester	99	110	69
Grendon	201	2	—
Highpoint	229	—	—
Hindley	158	54	—
Hollesley Bay	169	—	—
Holloway	170	—	—
Hull	13	324	126
Huntercombe	139	12	—
Lancaster	18	120	—
Latchmere House	48	118	—
Leeds	78	190	966
Leicester	30	72	312
Lewes	140	386	—
Lincoln	75	172	423
Liverpool	120	570	345
Long Lartin	392	—	—
Low Newton (male)	14	242	—
Low Newton (female)	8	24	—
Maidstone	407	2	—
Manchester	105	958	432
New Hall	64	—	—
Northallerton	16	138	—
Norwich	80	134	135
Nottingham	74	182	—
Onley	389	—	—
Oxford	19	102	78
Parkhurst	176	—	—
Pentonville	135	856	—
Portland	369	82	9
Portsmouth (Kingston)	136	—	—
Preston	240	294	—
Pucklechurch (male)	42	64	—
Pucklechurch (female)	11	52	—
Reading	39	156	102
Risley (male)	98	638	—
Risley (female)	12	36	—
Rochester	198	58	—
Shepton Mallet	67	20	45
Shrewsbury	28	262	12
Stafford	57	700	—
Stocken	285	—	—
Stoke Heath	127	184	—
Styal	2	—	—
Swansea	19	206	18
Swinfen Hall	166	—	—
Thorp Arch	151	—	—
Usk	56	16	—
Wakefield	575	10	—
Wandsworth	617	712	—
Wellingborough	204	—	—
Winchester	111	484	—
Wormwood Scrubs	386	690	—
Wayland	434	—	—
TOTAL	13,929	13,264	5,142

Police Cells (Remanded Persons)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted prisoners were remanded in police cells in Peterlee and Seaham on 1 March; and if he will make a statement.

No unconvicted prisoners were held in police cells at either Peterlee or Seaham police stations on 1 March 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of complaints made following official visits to either police or magistrates court cells in the London area to see people being held on remand during the last 12 months.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of the charges facing remand prisoners being held in police cells on 1 March; and if he will list the police stations and the age of the remand prisoners.

On 1 March 1988, a total of eight juvenile remand prisoners were held in cells at Croydon, Wimbledon, Coalville and Cowley police stations. A record of their ages is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of the charges facing remand prisoners being held in either police or magistrates' court cells on 7 March.

This information is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men and (b) women being held on remand in police cells in England and Wales on 7 March.

On Monday 7 March, 1,510 male and eight female prisoners, most of whom would have been on remand, were held in police cells in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of remand prisoners who had to sleep on the floor in either police or magistrates' court cells on 6 March.

Prisoners held in police and magistrates' courts cells are all provided with mattresses and most sleep on beds. Further information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of pregnant women being held on remand in either police or magistrates' court cells on 7 March.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the visits, and their dates, that he, or other Ministers in his Department, have made to police or magistrates' court cells to see the conditions under which remand prisoners are being held; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary visited prisoners in the Liverpool main bridewell on 2 October 1987 and my noble Friend the Earl Ferrers visited prisoners in police cells at Bradford police station on 23 February, Ealing police station on 1 March and Newcastle bridewell on 8 March this year. I visited he prisoners in police cells at Croydon police station on 23 November last year and the Metropolitan police holding cells at Lambeth on 18 February this year. My hon. Friend the Member for Oxford West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten) plans to visit the cell area at Horseferry road magistrates' court shortly. In addition to these particular visits, Ministers in the Department undertake frequent visits to police stations during which we often take the opportunity to visit the cells.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the following places of detention were last visited for the purposes of inspection, and by whom: Bow road police station, Camberwell road magistrates' court, Horseferry road magistrates' court and South Western magistrates' court; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any resultant reports on conditions.

I am informed by the Metropolitan police that the local chief superintendent has responsibility for ensuring that conditions in places of detention at police cells and magistrates' courts are maintained at the highest possible level. So far as access to individual prisoners is concerned, lay visitors already have access to persons detained by the police in police cells; these arrangements will be extended to include detainees who would normally be held in prison service establishments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take to monitor the number of days persons are being held in either police or magistrates' court cells while on remand; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to do so.

Remanded Persons (Complaints)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is made for prisoners held on remand to complain as to the conditions under which they are kept; and if he will make a statement.

Remand prisoners in prison custody may make complaints about conditions in the following ways:

by speaking to supervising prison staff;
by applying to see the governor, chaplain, medical officer, education officer or welfare officer;
by applying to see the board of visitors or a visiting member of the board;
by applying to see a visiting officer of the Secretary of State;
by petition to the Secretary of State, to Parliament or to Her Majesty The Queen;
by writing to a Member of Parliament;
by writing to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, directly or through a Member of Parliament;
by petition to the European Commission of Human Rights.

Remand prisoners held in police custody may raise any complaints about conditions with the supervising police officers or by writing to the chief officer of the force concerned. It has also been decided that prisoners held in police custody should have access to an independent body concerned with the supervision of their custodial conditions and treatment. Lay visitors have been asked to take on this task as we are discussing with the Metropolitan police what guidance needs to be given to assist them in carrying out these duties.

Police Cells

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of people held in police or magistrates' court cells in each of the last five years in England and Wales.

Annual averages are given in the table. Further details are published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" at table 1.9 of the latest volume, for 1986 (Cm. 210), a copy of which is in the Library.

Average population of prisoners held in police cells, 1983 to 1987
	Number
1983	310
1984	54
1985	45
1986	119
¹1987	537
¹ Provisional.

Wandsworth Prison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when each member of staff at Wandsworth prison is to be allocated an individual locker; and if he will make a statement.

Where space is available, policy is to provide each prison officer with an individual locker. At Wandsworth, because of space constraints, it has only been possible to provide two thirds of the staff with individual lockers. We are presently looking at ways in which extra space might be secured to provide for additional lockers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of showers for the use of prison officers in each of the wings or relaxation areas in Wandsworth prison; and if he will make a statement.

Staff showers are provided at Wandsworth prison in the hospital, the gymnasium, the reception area and the works department. There are no staff showers elsewhere.

Crime Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the annual number of homicides reported by the police in England and Wales in each year since 1958; and if he will express these figures per million of population in England and Wales.

The number of offences initially recorded as homicide per million population is given in the following table. In each year since 1967, some 10 to 15 per cent. of such offences were not finally recorded as homicide. Figures for homicides recorded by the police are published annually in chapter 4 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", (figures for offences currently recorded as homicide related to population are in table 4.1), copies of which are in the Library. Corresponding information for 1987 is not yet available.

Offences initially recorded by the police as homicide ¹ and offences per million population.
England and Wales
Year initially recorded	Offences initially recorded as homicide ¹	Offences initially recorded as homicide ¹ per million population
1958	261	5·8
1959	266	5·9
1960	282	6·2
1961	265	5·7
1962	299	6·4
1963	307	6·5
1964	296	6·3
1965	325	6·8
1966	364	7·6
1967	414	8·6
1968	420	8·6
1969	395	8·1
1970	396	8·1
1971	459	9·4
1972	480	9·8
1973	465	9·5
1974	599	12·2
1975	508	10·3
1976	565	11·5
1977	484	9·8
1978	535	10·9
1979	629	12·8
1980	621	12·6
1981	556	11·2
1982	618	12·5
1983	552	11·1
1984	619	12·4
1985	625	12·5
1986	662	13·3
¹ Murder, manslaughter and infanticide

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the current level of burglaries and violent attacks on members of the public.

In the first nine months of 1987 recorded offences of burglary fell by 2·5 per cent. compared to the same period in 1986. Burglaries in dwellings fell by nearly 4 per cent.Recorded offences of violence against the person rose by 11 per cent. Some of this increase is likely to be attributable to increased recording and the greater willingness of victims to come forward, especially to report racial attacks, rapes and domestic violence which have been receiving special police attention in the last year.The handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime", published last week, provides valuable guidance for members of the public about how to prevent burglaries and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of violent crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the annual number of armed robberies in England and Wales in each year since 1958.

The number of offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used, by offence type, is published annually in table 3.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are in the Library. Comparable figures are not available before 1969.

Environment

Inner City Partnership Authorities

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which inner city partnership authorities underspent their allocations in 1986–87; and by what percentage.

The information is provided in the table:

Authority	Estimated 1986–87 Outturn	Allocation	Percentage Underspend
	£ million	£ million
Lambeth	11·323	13·1	13·6
Hackney	10·973	11·6	5·4
Islington	9·267	10·0	7·3
Manchester/Salford	21·987	23·8	7·6
Liverpool	22·986	23·5	2·2
Birmingham	25·943	26·5	2·1

My Department impresses on local authorities the importance of reporting projected underspends during the course of the financial year, so that resources can be reallocated to local authorities which can make effective use of them.

Housing Act 1985

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many local authorities are (a) imposing and (b) not imposing the availability and fair rent conditions, as contained in sections 503 and 504 of the Housing Act 1985, in (i) housing action and general improvement areas and (ii) in all other areas.

The information is not collected centrally, but it is a requirement of section 503 of the Housing Act 1985 that, with certain specified exceptions, local authorities must impose the further letting conditions listed in section 504 in relation to any grant-aided property situated in a housing action area or general improvement area.

Rural Economy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his plans to revise the removal of agricultural occupancy conditions in the light of his policies for the diversification of the rural economy.

The revised guidance on the removal of agricultural occupancy conditions in our circular on development involving agricultural land (DOE circular 16/87, Welsh Office 25/87, May 1987) took full account of Government policies for the rural economy.

Urban Development

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the land allocated for urban development corporation development is owned by international financial companies; and what is the investment total, as a percentage of overall capital expenditure in real terms, they have provided to date in (a) the Merseyside Development Corporation, (b) the London Docklands Development Corporation and (c) the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation.

The information requested is not available.

Circular 26/85

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in the light of the judgments given in the Queen's Bench Division on 9 June 1987 that the guidance given to local authorities in circular 26/85 should be clarified.

We are currently considering whether it would be appropriate, in the light of the judgment in respect of R. v. Camden London Borough Council ex parte Christey, to issue further guidance to local authorities about the imposition of further letting conditions in relation to mandatory home improvement grants.

Committee Room 12 (Tapestries)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to restore the tapestries in Committee Room 12 of the House to their original condition.

Following examination by experts during the last summer recess these tapestries have been included in the forward programme of conservation work. But this work is unlikely to be done for about three years.

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the proposed poll tax.

I know of no such report.

Radioactive Waste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the Official Report the advice he was given by the International Commission for Radiological Protection and the National Radiological Protection Board when determining what weekly level of megabecquerels should be specified in the certificate of authorisation for the disposal of radioactive waste.

The International Commission for Radiological Protection and the National Radiological Protection Board periodically publish formal recommendations to Governments on the criteria to be adopted when setting discharge limits. The Government's objectives for radioactive waste management based on this advice are given at paragraphs 13 and 14 of the Government's response to the Environment Committee's report on radioactive waste (Cmnd. 9852, 1986).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any study has been carried out by his Department as to the environmental implications of the release into the atmosphere of polonium 210; and at what rate polonium 210 decays when discharged.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution required an environmental assessment of the radiological implications of the polonium 210 discharge. The National Radiological Protection Board undertook this for Capper Pass Limited. The report concluded that radiation exposures from discharges are insignificant. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has checked and confirmed this assessment. Half of the polonium decays every 138 days due to natural processes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the National Radiological Protection Board's evaluation of the official radiological consequences of the work undertaken by the north Humberside firm, Capper Pass, prior to the granting of the certificate of authorisation for the disposal of radioactive waste.

The evaluation was undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board at the request of the company and I have asked the company if a copy can be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the system of monitoring for emissions of polonium 210 from the chimney stack at the North Humberside Smelting and Refining Company, Capper Pass, distinguishing between the differing responsibilities of the company, the National Radiological Protection Board and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; and if he has any plans to change the current arrangements.

Samples of stack discharges are collected by the company. Stack samples are routinely analysed by the company and check samples have been analysed independently for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. The National Radiological Protection Board analyses air samples taken from sites near the plant. I am satisfied with these arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider introducing a more frequent system of monitoring by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution of smelting and refining installations such as that at Capper Pass in north Humberside.

The onus is on operators to demonstrate compliance with the conditions of a discharge authorisation. I am satisfied that the check monitoring undertaken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is adequate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the findings of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's 1986 assessment of samples taken from the main chimney stack and the environmental monitoring stations at the North Humberside Smelting and Refining Company, Capper Pass; and what information he has as to the level of naturally occurring radiation.

The results indicated that the most exposed member of the public would receive less than 1 per cent. of the dose received from natural radiation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will instruct Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to conduct an immediate investigation into emissions of polonium 210 from the chimney stack of the North Humberside Smelting and Refining Company, Capper Pass.

As part of the investigation I have asked Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to review the discharge authorisation issued to Capper Pass Limited before the end of this year. A part of that review will be a study of current and planned emissions, together with an assessment of any health effects which could result.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many tests for polonium 210 have been carried out at the North Humberside Smelting and Refining Company, Capper Pass; by whom the tests were conducted; and if he will publish the results.

Tests are made weekly. Subject to the agreement of the company, results will be published in the report to be prepared by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

Housing (Bolton)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres are designated for housing in the Bolton council area; and what is his estimate of how many new homes could be constructed on this land.

This is one of the disputed issues currently before the Secretary of State in connection with the application to remove a covenant preventing development at Birtenshaw farm, Bolton. I therefore cannot prejudge the decision to be made on that application by expressing an opinion on this issue.The borough council is required by the Greater Manchester county structure plan to provide sufficient land for 11,800 dwellings in the period from mid-1981 to mid-1991. Government policy requires that they should at all times ensure that a five years supply of land is available.

Historic Covenants

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many decisions he has made about historic covenants in respect of planning appeals during the last 12 months;(2) if he will make a statement about his current policy on historic covenants, with particular reference to their relevance in planning appeals.

I assume that my hon. Friend's questions relate to agreements which were made under section 34 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1932 and restrict the planning, development or use of land. Applications may be made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State under paragraph 88(3) of schedule 24 to the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 for the discharge or modification of restrictions imposed by an agreement under section 34 of the 1932 Act. Such an application may sometimes be required before development which has been granted planning permission on appeal or otherwise can be started. Applications are considered on their individual merits. Only one application under the paragraph has been determined during the last 12 months.

Planning Appeals

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions during the latest 12 months for which figures are available he overruled his inspector's advice on planning appeals; and if he will make a statement.

In 1987 the Secretary of State made 26 decisions on planning appeals contrary to the inspectors' recommendation, following a public inquiry.

Green Belt And Housing Restraint Areas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about establishing protected green belt areas and designating housing restraint areas; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: We receive frequent representations on various aspects of green belt and housing policies. Green belt policies already provide adequate and necessary restraint on inappropriate development in such areas.

Building Regulations (Disabled Persons)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to alter the building regulations as they affect disabled people in order to broaden their scope and assist those disabled people who are not confined to a wheelchair.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: The building regulations were amended last December so as to require reasonable provision to be made to enable disabled people to gain access to offices, shops, and the principal entry storey of factories, schools and other public buildings. These requirements benefit people with a physical impairment which limits their ability to walk as well as people who need to use a wheelchair for mobility. We now intend to develop proposals for widening the scope of these requirements, and I am asking the Building Regulations Advisory Committee to consider how we might best proceed.

Palace Of Westminster (Carpets)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the composition of the carpeting in the Norman Shaw, North and South buildings, St. Stephen's House and the Old Palace Yard, respectively; whether these carpets are regularly treated with anti-static fluid; and what is the most recent date of treatment in each of these buildings and in the Palace of Westminster.

The carpet in all the buildings listed is predominantly 80% wool, 20% nylon Wilton, with some specialised areas in 100% polyamide heavy duty low loop pile carpet with static control, or polyamide/polypropylene blended fibre bonded carpet.The carpets are spray treated with anti-static fluid only on request and no record is kept of when the treatment is applied.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any measure of the levels of static electricity in carpets in the Palace of Westminster; what percentage of carpets in the Palace have been treated with anti-static fluid; and if he will make a statement.

No measurements are taken of the levels of static electricity. Nor is the percentage of carpets treated known, as this is carried out only when requested and its effects are relatively short-lived.

Wales

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the replacement of rates by the community charge in respect of self-catering accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

After considering representations about the position of self catering accommodation under the new local government finance system we have decided that holiday-let self catering accommodation, which includes services and facilities similar to those provided in a hotel, should remain in rating and be subject to the non-domestic rate. Further consideration is being given to the precise boundary between the domestic and non-domestic sectors.

Withybush Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Pembrokeshire health authority in respect of defective roofs at the Withybush hospital, Haverfordwest; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions have taken place between the Department and Pembrokeshire health authority, and the Department has agreed to make a contribution of £500,000 towards the total estimated cost of £750,000 needed to remedy roofing defects at Withybush hospital. This offer is subject to the availability of funds.

Welsh Water Authority

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received proposals from the Welsh water authority on the implementation of the EEC drinking water directive including a time scale for full implementation, along with the estimated extra cost.

As a consequence of the change in guidance issued by the Government in respect of directive 80/778/EEC, officials are now seeking the relevant information from Welsh water authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the Welsh water authority will be eligible for grants from the European regional development fund in the run-up to and after plc status.

Water authorities will be eligible to apply for grant both before and after privatisation. It is, however, for the European Commission to consider individual applications on their merits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what aid the Welsh water authority has received from the European regional development fund in each year since 1980; and what projects it currently has under consideration for grant application to the European regional development fund up to 1988.

Gross European regional development fund commitments to the Welsh water authority since 1980 are as follows:

	£
1980	2,268,059
1981	1,596,468

	£
1982	3,117,044
1983	2,776,064
1984	2,362,322
1985	570,649
1986	2,366,863
1987	7,638,029
1988	4,194,500

Five further applications for European regional development fund aid have been submitted to the European Commission and are awaiting decisions; the Department is also currently considering nine applications. A number of projects are also likely to be brought forward for consideration under the terms of integrated operations programmes which are either under negotiation with the Commission, or in preparation with the local and public authorities concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what bonus on salary was paid to the chairman of the Welsh water authority, board members and senior officers in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

No decision on the payment of bonuses for 1987–88 has yet been made. In 1987 both the chairman and chief executive of the Welsh water authority received a bonus based on the authority's performance during the 1986–87 financial year, of 5 per cent. of their actual salaries.

Fair Rents

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has issued any recent guidelines to rent officers for assessing fair rents.

No. The requirements are laid down in the Rent Act 1977.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the level of fair rents being set by the rent officer in Mid Glamorgan.

Levels of rent on individual dwellings are not held centrally, but the mean registered rents for the private sector and housing associations are published in "Welsh Housing Statistics." The latest figures for Mid Glamorgan based on cases dealt with by rent officers are as follows:

	Mean registered rent (£ per year)	Number of case
1986
Private Sector¹	685	895
Housing Associations²	1,098	1,122
¹ Figures relate to unfurnished premises re-registered, excluding housing associations, where re-registration has taken place within 1·75 to 2·75 years of previous registration.
² Figures relate to housing association, unfurnished tenancies where re-registration has taken place within 1·75 to 2·75 years of the previous registration.

Ward Closures (Mid Glamorgan)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received any application from Mid Glamorgan district health authority for the permanent closure of high dependency wards at St. Tydfil's hospital; if he has received any representations about the closure of high dependency wards in Mid Glamorgan; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no application from Mid Glamorgan district health authority for permanent closure of the 5-bed high dependency unit at St. Tydfil's hospital. I have received three representations about the unit's temporary closure. I understand that Mid Glamorgan health authority is committed to the unit's longer-term future.

Scotland

Private Nursing Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to monitor the growth of private nursing homes for the elderly and to inspect these homes at regular intervals.

Information is collected annually by the information and statistics division of the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service on the number of private nursing home places in Scotland. The Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938 requires health boards to undertake regular inspections of private nursing homes.

Unemployed Disabled People

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities are available for retraining for the disabled unemployed in Scotland.

The full range of Manpower Services Commission training programmes is available to the disabled in Scotland. In addition, there are four employment rehabilitation centres located at Bellshill, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow geared to helping the disabled and disadvantaged into employment. The range of training programmes and special help for the disabled is outlined in the Government's publication "Action for Jobs".

National Health Service Hospitals (Medical Equipment And Facilities)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many major pieces of medical equipment and facilities were funded by public donation to Health Service hospitals for each of the last five years; and what is the total value of these donations.

This information is not held centrally.

Non-Domestic Rate

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the non-domestic rate for each regional, district and islands council in Scotland for the financial year 1988–89.

The figures, which have been provided to my Department by the local authorities, are set out in the table.

Non-domestic rate poundage 1988–89
	Pence
Borders	53
Central	58·5
Dumfries and Galloway	54
Fife	62

	Pence
Grampian	50·2
Highland	59
Lothian	69·3
Strathclyde	64
Tayside	59
Orkney	55
Shetland	108
Western Isles	79
Berwickshire	9·5
Ettrick and Lauderdale	10·9
Roxburgh	12
Tweeddale	9·2
Clackmannan	19
Falkirk	15·5
Stirling	23
Annandale and Eskdale	11·5
Nithsdale	11·5
Stewartry	10
Wigtown	9·4
Dunfermline	12·75
Kirkcaldy	16
North East Fife	14·35
Aberdeen City	14
Banff and Buchan	12·5
Gordon	10
Kincardine and Deeside	8·2
Moray	10·5
Badenoch and Strathspey	8
Caithness	12·5
Inverness	9·5
Lochaber	14·5
Nairn	8
Ross and Cromarty	12·5
Skye and Lochalsh	12
Sutherland	9·5
East Lothian	17
Edinburgh City	16·7
Midlothian	17
West Lothian	15
Argyll and Bute	19
Bearsden and Milngavie	13
Clydebank	19·5
Clydesdale	16·75
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	16·5
Cumnock and Doon Valley	17
Cunninghame	20·5
Dumbarton	19
East Kilbride	14·3
Eastwood	10
Glasgow City	26·5
Hamilton	18
Inverclyde	16
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	18·5
Kyle and Carrick	17
Monklands	18
Motherwell	16·25
Renfrew	18
Strathkelvin	16
Angus	13·5
Dundee City	21·5
Perth and Kinross	14

Surgical Operations (Fife)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by specialty the numbers of people presently awaiting operations within Fife health board's area.

Information is not collected in precisely the form requested. The number of persons waiting for in-patient hospital treatment (including operations) in each specialty is published in table 6.5 of "Scottish Health Service Statistics 1986/87", copies of which are held in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many operations were performed in National Health Service hospitals in Fife in the last five years for which information is available.

The numbers of inpatient cases operated on in National Health Service hospitals in Fife for the years 1981–1985 are as follows:

Year	Number
1981	13,131
1982	10,552
1983	13,583
1984	14,086
1985	14,063

Consultants by specialty in Fife health board at September 1983 to 87¹
	1983	1984	1985	1986	¹1987
Total All Specialties	78	81	81	81	82
Surgical Specialties
ENT surgery	2	2	2	2	2
General surgery	6	6	6	6	6
Ophthalmology	3	3	3	3	2
Orthopaedic surgery	4	4	4	4	4
Urology	1	2	2	2	2
Accident and Emergency	1	1	1	1	1
Anaesthetics	11	13	12	12	12
Communicable diseases	1	1	1	1	2
Dermatology	1	1	1	1	1
General medicine	6	6	6	6	6
Geriatric medicine	3	3	3	4	4
Medical paediatrics	3	3	3	3	3
Respiratory medicine	2	2	2	2	2
Dental Specialties
Orthodontics and paediatric dentistry	—	1	1	1	1
Obstetrics and Gynaecology	6	6	6	6	6
Psychiatric Specialties
Child and adolescent Psychiatry	2	1	1	2	2
Mental handicap	1	1	1	2	2
Mental illness	12	12	12	10	11
Laboratory and Support Specialties
Haematology	1	1	2	2	2
Microbiology	2	2	2	1	1
Pathology	3	3	3	3	3
Radiodiagnosis	7	7	7	7	7
¹ Provisional data.

Scottish Islands (Agricultural Development)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in finalising the details of the agricultural development programme for the Scottish islands; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's proposals for an agricultural development programme for the Scottish

Nurses (Fife)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nurses have resigned or retired from the service of Fife health board in the last five years for which information is available.

The information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.

Hospital Consultants (Fife)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by specialty the number of consultants employed by Fife health board in the last five years for which information is available; and the number of vacancies currently in such posts.

The number of consultants employed by Fife health board for 1983–87 is shown in the table. Information on consultant vacancies is not available centrally.islands were formally approved by the European Commission on 8 March. The regulations to bring the programme into effect from 5 April have been laid today.

Recidivism

56.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons in Scotland who were granted parole in 1985 and 1986 whose original offence involved violence, sexual assault or robbery were sentenced again (a) during the period of their parole licence or (b) within 12 months of the expiration of that licence.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 March 1988, c. 146]: Information on the numbers of persons convicted within 12 months of their parole licence expiring are not collected centrally; the other information requested could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.However, figures for the number of persons released on parole or life licence reported for breaches of licence conditions and issued with recall orders are given in the annual reports of the Parole Board for Scotland (copies of which are available in the Library). Persons reported for breach of parole or life licence conditions and persons issued with a recall order were not necessarily released on parole or life licence in the same year.

Prime Minister

War Widows

Q72.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government are now in a position to remove the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Q99.

To ask the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government expect to remove the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Q139.

To ask the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government expect to remove the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Q152.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake a review of provision for pre-1973 war widows.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett) on 7 March 1988, at column 19, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 10 March, at column 518.

Q130.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has any estimate of the number of pre-1973 war widows.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 1 March 1988, at column 550.

Q131.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have received on the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 war widows.

Q132.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have received on the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Q135.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have received on the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Q138.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have received on the differences which currently exist between the pension entitlements of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Numerous representations have been received in recent years about the comparative positions of pre-1973 and post-1973 war widows.

Q157.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received concerning the situation of pre-1973 war widows.

I have received a number of letters in the past year.

Q158.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans for a meeting with representatives of the British War Widows and Associates.

Q160.

To ask the Prime Minister when she last had a meeting with representatives of the British War Widows and Associates.

I have not held such a meeting and I have no plans to do so.

Weymouth And Portland

Q113.

To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit Weymouth and Portland.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Engagements

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 March.

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

Northern Ireland

Waste Disposal

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will commission a report on the present disposal method for domestic refuse in East Antrim, future land fill operations and alternatives to present procedures, including the possible use of waste-derived fuels.

No. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 17 November 1987 at columns 531–32.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance is available to district councils in East Antrim for carrying out a research and feasibility study into alternative methods of waste disposal in conjunction with a local university department.

None. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 17 November 1987, at columns 531–32.

Heavy Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which constituency outside Belfast has the highest concentration of heavy industry in Northern Ireland.

Results from the 1984 census of employment show that, outside Belfast, the parliamentary constituency of Antrim, East had the highest total number of employees in the following industries:

Energy and water supply industries.
Extraction of minerals and ores (other than fuels); manufacture of metals, mineral products and chemicals.
Metal goods, engineering and vehicle industries
Construction industries.

Larne And Carrickfergus

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the number of ships which entered (a) Larne and (b) Carrickfergus ports during 1987.

During 1987 there were 5,107 ship visits to Larne and some 250 to Carrickfergus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many passengers travelled through Larne port in 1987;(2) how many

(a) commercial vehicles and (b) cars and caravans passed through Larne harbour in 1987;

(3) what is the estimated number of vehicles entering and leaving Larne harbour annually;

(4) how many persons are estimated to have been at Larne harbour meeting or leaving passengers during 1987.

The information requested is as follows:

Shipping traffic through Larne harbour in 1987
	Numbers
	Inwards	Outwards	Total
Passengers	737,665	722,072	1,459,737
Vehicles	326,944	287,562	614,506
(a) Commercial vehicles	160,942	147,804	308,746
(b) Cars and caravans	166,002	139,758	305,760

1. The table gives the numbers of vehicles carried on ships. No figures are available for the numbers of vehicles which enter and leave the Larne harbour area.2. There are no estimates available of the numbers of persons meeting or leaving passengers at Larne harbour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what tonnage of cargo passed through (a) Larne harbour and (b) Carrickfergus harbour in 1987; and what tonnage of cargo was handled at Ballylumford, Magheramorne and Kilroot in 1987.

The information requested is as follows:

Total tonnage of goods in 1987
	Tonnes
Larne	3,743,268
Carrickfergus	309,970
Ballylumford	785,840
Magheramorne	298,123

Figures for Kilroot are not available for publication. The figures exclude the tare weights of containers.

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are (a) employed and (b) unemployed in east Antrim; and what percentage of the total unemployed in Northern Ireland (b) represents.

On the basis of the most recent information available, there were in 1984 an estimated 22,050 employees in employment in the parliamentary constituency of Antrim, East.At 11 February 1988 the number of unemployed claimants in the Antrim, East parliamentary constituency was 6,056. This represented 5 per cent. of the total number of unemployed in Northern Ireland at that date.

Accidents At Work

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many accidents at work have been reported in each year since 1979 in east Antrim.

The information sought is not available.

European Social Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish, by recipient organisation or body, allocations from the European social fund made to projects in Northern Ireland during 1987.

In Northern Ireland the beneficiaries of European social fund aid during the calendar year 1987 were as follows:

Organisation	Allocation
	£
Department of Economic Development	49,883,189
Department of Health and Social Services	1,573,300
Department of Education	1,013,245
Northern Ireland Council for Orthopaedic Development	44,329
Short Bros plc	815,284
Harland and Wolff plc	682,828
University of Ulster	595,329
Northern Ireland Small Business Institute	74,894
Inner City Trust	80,294
Derry Film and Video Collective Co. Ltd.	27,703
Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO)	131,153
Extern Organisation	61,111
Dismas House	25,484
Nante Ltd.	53,559
Churches, Voluntary Work Bureau	32,628
Industrial Therapy Organisation	416,515
Northern Ireland Electricity	915,778
Northern Ireland Training Authority	2,191,356
Sea Fish Authority	17,411
Hyster	50,550
LEDU	143,850
Bryson House	127,425
Total	58,957,215

Companies

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of non-British owned companies operating in Northern Ireland and the total number of (a) British citizens, (b) non-British citizens other than Irish Republic and (c) citizens of the Irish Republic working for them.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: There is no requirement on shareholders or EC nationals who are employees of companies operating in the United Kingdom to disclose their nationality and so the information requested is not available.

Farmland

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what has been the average price paid per acre in Northern Ireland for hill farmland and for hill grazing land in the last year for which figures are available; and what were the sums paid five and 10 years ago;(2) what has been the average price paid per acre in Northern Ireland for arable farmland without buildings in the last year for which figures are available; and what were the sums paid five and 10 years ago.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: Statistical information on sales of agricultural land in Northern Ireland is not available in the detail requested. The average price paid for all farmland sold in Northern Ireland in the year ending June 1987 was £1,310 per acre. The average prices paid in 1981 and 1976 were £1,172 and £563 per acre, respectively.

Training Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the training schemes currently available in the Province and the total number of those engaged in them in the age groups 18 to 25 years, 25 to 40 years and 40 to 65 years.

[holding answer 8 March 1988]: The available information is as follows:

Scheme	18 to 24 years	25 to 39 years	40 to 65 years
Training Centres	432	250	124
Attachment Training	476	135	37
Skill Training Scheme	850	—	—
	(entrants)
Sandwich Course Grant Scheme	155	—	—
Job Training Programme (pilot)	122	14	—
Junior Management Development Scheme	43	13	—
Industrial Scholarship Scheme	65	—	—
European Export Marketing Programme	6	3	—
USA Export Marketing Programme	4	1	—
Graduate Attachment Programme	30	—	—
New Enterprise Programme	11	—	1
Management Extension Programme	—	4	5
Training Employers Premises Scheme	1,993	1,788	¹—
Manpower Training Scheme (pilot)	—	—	²—
¹ The figures given represent the number of employees for whom claims have been made in the current financial year to January 1988.

It is not possible to state how many are currently on the scheme. Information is available only in two categories, those aged under 25 years and 25 years and over. A further breakdown of the latter category could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

² This is a discretionary scheme negotiated with individual companies. There are currently 14 companies benefiting from the scheme. Information in the form requested regarding employee participation is not presently available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Aidan Mcanespie

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the police officer from the Irish Republic investigating the death of Aidan McAnespie has asked the pathologist or the Royal Ulster Constabulary to be allowed to examine Mr. McAnespie's clothing or the photographs of the body.

[holding answer 10 March 1988]: No.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Maritime Dumping

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is taken to ensure that the control of maritime dumping from vessels is strictly enforced; and if he will make a statement.

Maritime dumping from vessels is controlled by the licensing provisions of part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 administered by my Department. Licences for disposal of industrial waste, sewage sludge and dredged spoil are not issued unless careful scientific examination shows the operation in question to be acceptable in terms of its impact on the marine environment, the living resources that it supports and human health, and unless it conforms to the relevant international conventions. The practical availability of alternative methods of dealing with the wastes is also taken into account.Departmental scientific staff and officers of my Sea Fisheries Inspectorate carry out inspections to enforce the provisions of the 1985 Act. Checks, often unannounced, are made of licensed disposal operations from the point of production to deposit in the sea. Investigations are mounted into allegations of unauthorised disposals. The Ministry's surveillance aircraft are also used for enforcement purposes.Responsibility for the deposit of sewage and rubbish originating on a vessel rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

Fishing Grounds (Contamination)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what environmental impact analysis has been made by his Department of a possible accident in the English channel involving the crash of an aircraft carrying plutonium to or from Sellafield; and what assessment has been made of any potential contamination of fishing grounds.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: I understand that evidence submitted by British Nuclear Fuels to the European demonstration reprocessing plant (EDRP) inquiry at Dounreay showed that in the event of an air crash in the sea there would be no release of radioactivity, and therefore the question of contamination of fishing grounds would not arise.

Radioactivity (Skipton)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library the results of the surveys of deposition of radioactivity in the Skipton area of Yorkshire following the Chernobyl fallout.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: I am placing in the Library of the House copies of the report of the surveys which were carried out by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE). This report was produced by ITE after full evaluation of the project had been completed; the detailed deposition information was available to my officials at the time the individual surveys were undertaken. The results of our own monitoring in north Yorkshire has already been placed in the Library. The ITE is engaged on my behalf in a further study of radio-caesium deposition in north Yorkshire; when it is completed, I will place that report in the Library.

Irradiated Food

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received concerning the effects on the nutritional value of food of the use of irradiation; and if he will make a statement;(2) what action he intends to take to ensure that the nutritutional value of food is not reduced because of the use of irradiation; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: Both international expert committees and the United Kingdom Advisory Committee on Irradiated and Novel Foods have advised that the irradiation of food up to an overall dose of 10 kilo gray presents no toxological hazard and introduces no special nutritional or microbiological problems. This view was reaffirmed by ACINF in its further advice to Ministers given after considering the technical representations made during consultation. As part of its ACINF has recommended that the pattern and extent of use of food irradiation should be monitored, and new nutritional data on irradiated foods kept under review.The need to monitor the effects of irradiated food is one of the factors that will be taken into account as part of the further work, referred to in the reply given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South (Mrs. Currie), to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 4 March at column

762, now being carried out to examine the scope and format of controls necessary to enable the phased introduction of food irradiation in this country.

Defence

War Widows

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what benefits are paid by his Department to widows of service men killed in world war 2.

All widows who lost their husbands in action in world war 2 receive a war widow's pension from the Department of Health and Social Security. Additional pensions are paid by the Ministry of Defence to the widows of warrant officers class I and equivalents and to the widows of commissioned officers, where certain qualifications were met, including the completion by the husband of the appropriate minimum period of qualifying service.

Carrasco International Airport (Emergency Landing)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the emergency landing of a Hercules C-130 at Carrasco international airport and the subsequent discussions and decision about where it would be allowed to fly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which a Hercules aircraft carrying materials for Exercise Fire Focus in the Falklands was forced to land in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 9 March; when he expects the aircraft to resume its journey; and if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Government of Uruguay.

On 8 March a Hercules C-130 was on a routine flight from Ascension Island to the Falklands. It was only 85 nautical miles north of Mount Pleasant airport (MPA) when the latest report of rapidly changing weather conditions at MPA indicated a very powerful cross-wind, well beyond the aircraft's limit for landing. At this stage the aircraft had insufficient fuel to return to Ascension Island or to rendezvous with a tanker aircraft from Ascension, whilst tankers at MPA were unable to take off because of the wind. An emergency diversion to the South American mainland was therefore essential and landing clearance was given by Carrasco (Montevideo's international airport) where the aircraft landed early on 9 March (British time). It landed on three engines because of a propellor malfunction, which was rectified by the crew in situ. Clearance for the aircraft to depart was sought and given by the Uruguayan authorities on 9 March. The aircraft left Carrasco the following day, after the crew had rested and the aircraft had been refuelled. At Uruguayan request the aircraft returned to Ascension Island.We are most grateful to the Uruguayan authorities for their humanitarian assistance in this matter.

Education And Science

Education Reform

15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on financial delegation to schools.

We have received a range of representations on our proposals for financial delegation to schools.

17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science upon what dates (a) the consultative documents on the Education Reform Bill were despatched to Devon county council and (b) replies were required; and what is his practice regarding the minimum time for a local authority to distribute, consider, discuss and provide reasoned comment on such papers during the months of school holidays and council recesses.

Devon county council was sent copies of the consultation papers at the same time as all other local education authorities which had an interest. My right hon. Friend made it clear that comments received right up to the introduction of legislation on 20 November 1987 would be carefully considered. I will arrange for a table showing the timing of this distribution and the dates by which replies were requested to be published in the Official Report.

Document	Dispatched	Replies requested
Changes in Higher Education:
Polytechnics and colleges sector	10 April	30 June
Changes in Higher Education:
Contracts	8 May	30 June
Collective Worship	7 July	11 September
More open enrolment	9 July	16 September
Financial delegation to schools	20 July	16 September
Grant Maintained Schools	24 July	30 September
National Curriculum 5–16	24 July	30 September
Maintained Further Education:
Financing, Governance and Law	7 August	9 October
Charges for school activities	2 October	30 November
Accounting and auditing in Higher Education	20 October	30 November

21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about his proposals to encourage parental involvement in education; and if he will make a statement.

45.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research his Department has carried out into the willingness of parent-governors to accept their increased responsibilities under the Education Reform Bill.

94.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for making parents aware of the role they will have in the running of schools under the Education Reform Bill.

95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what initiatives he intends to take to encourage further parental involvement within education, following the extended role given to them in the Education Reform Bill.

A number of responses to the consultation documents issued last year included comments upon parents' increased involvement in and influence upon their children's education. We intend to give greater publicity to the changing role of parents and of school governors, so that they will be able to make full use of the new opportunities offered to them. A free booklet was issued by the Department last December to explain to parents, governors and others the changes proposed in the Education Reform Bill. Last week, the Department published two further leaflets. The first encourages parents and others to become school governors. The second leaflet outlines the changes in school governors' responsibilities already introduced as a result of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, and now proposed in the Education Reform Bill.

23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the opting-out of schools from county education authorities.

43.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has now received on his proposals for schools to opt out of local education authority control.

My right hon. Friend has received approximately 950 responses to his consultation paper on grant-maintained schools, of which 27 came from local education authorities in county areas.

29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further representations he has received on the Education Reform Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Since the beginning of the year my Department has received about 2,750 representations concerning the Education Reform Bill.

44.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received concerning assessment testing of children aged seven, 11 and 14 years.

More than 100 representations have been received since the publication of the report of the task group on assessment and testing on 12 January. As with the large number of responses to the Government's consultation document on the national curriculum last year, many of the representations have expressed a variety of views about the place of assessment and testing.

87.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received from Scottish universities concerning the Education Reform Bill.

90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the Association of University Teachers in Scotland and university principals and governing bodies concerning the Education Reform Bill; and what was his response.

We have received many representations from universities about the provisions of the Education Reform Bill, including some from Scotland. My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State met representatives of the AUT (Scotland) on 1 March to discuss the Bill's academic tenure provisions. The Government have taken appropriate account of all representations in carrying the Bill forward.

88.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received seeking further details on the proposed foundation subjects in secondary schools in the Education Reform Bill.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 19 January at columns 616–7.

Teachers (Shortage)

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to discuss with the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers problems caused by teacher shortages; and if he will make a statement.

My officials have regular meetings with the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers at which they discuss teacher shortages and recruitment to initial teacher training. The most recent such meeting took place last Thursday. The latest figures for overall applications for initial teacher training this year are up almost 3 per cent. over the same period in 1987.

36.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers to discuss teacher shortages; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish).

School Of Physiotherapy, Coventry

20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations his Department has received about the educational effects of the proposed closure of the School of Physiotherapy, Coventry, and its relations with Coventry polytechnic; and if he will make a statement.

None. The working group which envisaged the discontinuation of physiotherapy training at Coventry polytechnic was established by the West Midlands regional health authority. I understand that the authority has yet to consider the working group's report.

Scottish Universities (Vice-Chancellors)

22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the vice-chancellors of the Scottish universities.

56.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the vice-chancellors of the Scottish universities; and what matters were discussed.

60.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the vice-chancellors of the Scottish universities; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend meets the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals from time to time and addressed its conference on 30 October. He has not met the Scottish vice-chancellors as a group, though my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland did so on 4 March. I visited Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt and Stirling universities last October and will be visiting Aberdeen, Glasgow and Strathclyde shortly. A wide range of higher education matters is discussed during these meetings and visits.

City Technology Colleges

24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places he expects to be available at city technology colleges; and if he will make a statement.

It is envisaged that each city technology college will provide between 750 and 1,200 places depending on the local circumstances. It is not possible to give a precise figure for the overall number of places which will be available but the target is to establish 20 such colleges.

26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress to date in the setting up of city technology colleges.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 1 February at column 442 Since then my right hon. Friend has announced plans for a CTC in Middlesbrough.

50.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities have now shown an interest in the establishment of city technology colleges.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 19 January at column 619.

72.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further plans he has for introducing additional city technology colleges in parts of the United Kingdom not yet earmarked for such a college.

The list of possible locations for city technology colleges in the booklet, "A New Choice of School" was not definitive and my right hon. Friend will consider proposals to establish CTCs in other locations. The Government's first objective is to establish CTCs in England. It is for my right hon. Friends to decide if and when the programme should be extended elsewhere to other parts of the United Kingdom.

Church Schools

25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the future management of Church schools.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo).

Further And Higher Education

27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further steps he intends to take to encourage further business sponsorship in further and higher education.

The Government welcome the growing involvement of industry in all levels of education, and continue to support initiatives to maintain and enhance the various education-industry partnerships which are vital for the country's economic well-being. Notable examples of specific initiatives jointly supported by my Department and industry include the engineering and technology programme and the manufacturing systems engineering programme, which are designed to provide an additional 6,500 graduate and postgraduate places in engineering and technology disciplines by the end of the decade; and an education support grant initiative to provide modern computer-aided engineering equipment for senior technician courses in colleges of FE. The ETP was launched in 1985 and will continue to perform a vital function for the foreseeable future. The MSE and ESG initiatives will be launched in the 1988–89 academic year. These initiatives are based on partnerships between education and industrialists. Employers participate by providing equipment on loan or as gifts, and giving access to leading edge technology which educational institutions do not always possess; sponsoring students on relevant technician, undergraduate and postgraduate courses; and providing opportunities for students to obtain industrial and commercial experience within academic programmes.

General Certificate Of Secondary Education

28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the general certificate of secondary education; and if he will make a statement.

33.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further representations he has received concerning the GCSE examination.

59.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the progress of the general certificate of secondary education examination; and if he will make a statement.

76.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received any representations on the funding and the organisation of the GCSE examinations; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the progress of the GCSE examination; and if he will make a statement.

The recently published HMI interim report on the GCSE provides reassuring evidence that the new examination is being successfully introduced. It is already leading to better teaching and learning in many classrooms across a wide range of subjects. There have been some teething problems which must be addressed but HMI considers that these are not endangering the progress already made. It is important to ensure that the first pupils to sit the examination are fairly treated, and to press on to ensure that the new exam will—as the Government intend — bring higher standards in schools and give pupils a good preparation for adult and working life.

31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of school leavers in the current year will have taken a GCSE in (a) science and (b) mathematics.

Information on the number of school leavers in 1987ߝ88 who will have taken GCSE is not yet available. Of those who left school in the academic year 1985–86, 65·5 per cent. had attempted a science subject and 81·1 had attempted mathematics at either GCE O-level or CSE.

Religious Instruction

30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with Church leaders and representatives of the teaching profession about improving the teaching of religious instruction.

71.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure religious education in schools, following enactment of the Education Reform Bill.

My right hon. Friend and I have had a number of meetings in recent months with Church leaders and representatives about the place of religious education in the national curriculum and the quality of religious education provision. The Education Reform Bill clarifies the duty on local education authorities, governing bodies and head teachers to comply with the 1944 Act provisions relating to religious education. It also proposes a procedure under which parents and others will have a right of complaint to their local education authority or to aided school governors in cases where they believe schools are failing to provide religious education in accordance with the law.

61.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding the possible inclusion of religious education as a foundation subject within the core curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

96.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reconsideration he has given, in the light of representations from Christian leaders and bodies, to the absence of religious education from the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from Christian leaders and bodies about the possible inclusion of religious education as a foundation subject in the national curriculum. In response to these, my right hon. Friend and I have stressed the importance we attach to maintaining the current statutory arrangements for local determination of religious education syllabuses.The position of religious education in the curriculum of maintained schools is secured by the relevant provisions of the 1944 Act and the Education Reform Bill strengthens these in certain respects.

Nursery Education

32.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take to ensure that nursery classes in primary schools are staffed as nursery and not as reception classes.

None. Levels of staffing in schools are for determination by local education authorities and schools.

37.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation to impose upon local education authorities a statutory duty to provide some form of nursery education to all children of three and four years of age whose parents wish them to benefit from it; and if he will make a statement.

82.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish proposals to improve pre-school provision for children.

I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for City of Durham (Mr. Steinberg) on 19 January at column 805

101.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how spending on nursery education has varied since 1979 with the number of children participating.

Relevant current spending on under fives pupils in maintained nursery and primary schools in England rose by 22 per cent. in real terms between 1979–80 and 1985–86 while the number of pupils rose by 20 per cent..

	1985–86 outturn	1986–87 outturn	1987–88 estimated outturn	Per cent. increase 1985–86 to 1986–87	increase 1986–87 to 1987–88
	£ million	£ million	£ million
Schools	8,596	9,597	10,633	11·6	10·8
Higher and Further Education	4,418	4,594	4,904	4·0	6·7
Miscellaneous education services, research and administration	826	892	975	8·0	9·3
	13,840	15,083	16,512	9·0	9·5

These figures exclude expenditure by the research councils and related bodies.

A-Level Statistics

35.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the proportion of both girls and boys taking A-level mathematics, craft design and technology and physics, who have obtained grades A and B since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

80.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the proportions of

School Leavers, England Leavers attempting or passing GCE A-level as a percentage of the 17 year old population
	Mathematics		Physics		Craft, design, technology and other science
Academic year	Percentage who had attempted subject	Percentage who had passed subject	Percentage who had attempted subject	Percentage who had passed subject	Percentage who had attempted subject	Percentage who had passed subject
Boys
1978–79	8·8	6·4	7·5	5·9	1·4	1·1
1979–80	8·9	6·5	7·4	5·9	1·4	1·1
1980–81	8·9	6·7	7·7	6·0	1·3	1·0
1981–82	9·5	7·0	8·1	6·2	1·5	1·1
1982–83	9·4	7·1	7·8	6·0	1·5	1·1
1983–84	9·6	7·1	8·0	6·2	1·6	1·2
1984–85	9·7	7·5	7·8	6·2	1·5	1·2
1985–86	9·7	7·4	7·6	5·9	1·5	1·1
Girls
1978–79	3·3	2·4	2·0	1·5	0·3	0·2
1979–80	3·7	2·8	1·9	1·5	0·4	0·3
1980–81	3·9	3·0	2·1	1·6	0·3	0·2
1981–82	4·3	3·3	2·3	1·7	0·3	0·2
1982–83	4·6	3·5	2·3	1·8	0·3	0·3
1983–84	4·7	3·6	2·3	1·8	0·4	0·3
1984–85	4·8	3·6	2·3	1·7	0·4	0·3
1985–86	4·9	3·6	2·1	1·7	0·4	0·3

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

Coal Mining Subsidence

38.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how many schools have been subject to coal mining subsidence in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not collected centrally.

Education Expenditure

34.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what increase has been made in education spending in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

The table below shows the total spending on education in cash over the last three years and the related percentage increases.both girls and boys who took A-level mathematics, craft, design and technology and physics since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the proportion of girls and boys leaving school since 1979 attempting and passing A level mathematics, craft design and technology, and physics is given in the table. Information on grades is not readily available.

School Leavers (Illiteracy)

39.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he proposes any further steps to reduce the level of illiteracy among school leavers; and if he will make a statement.

English is one of the core subjects in our proposed national curriculum. The introduction of attainment targets in English will raise standards of literacy by identifying pupils needing further help. A national curriculum working group on English will be established after Easter, building on the work of the Kingman committee on what children should know about language, to advise on attainment targets and the associated programmes of study for all aspects of English.

Universities (Funding)

40.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in connection with the funding of research in universities since June 1987.

About 260 in response to the discussion document "A Strategy for the Science Base", issued by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils. Representations concerning the funding of individual universities frequently also make reference to research.

48.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about the level of funding for the universities; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend receives many representations bearing on university funding. As shown in table 12.1 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" volume II (Cm 288) current provision for the universities is planned to increase by 7·9 per cent. between 1987–88 and 1988–89.

Schools (Spare Places)

41.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the scope for local education authorities to make greater use of existing spare places in schools.

My right hon. Friend encourages local education authorities to make the maximum use of the school accommodation available to them and, where places are surplus to requirements, to take them out of use. The Government's proposals for more open enrolment are designed to ensure that no child is refused admission to a school which has places available.

Student Grants

42.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the financial position of students in higher education in other countries in the European Economic Community.

Students in higher education in Great Britain are more dependent on maintenance grants than those in other European Community countries. But a precise comparison of financial circumstances is very difficult because of the variety of forms that student support may take. The student support review group under my chairmanship is examining the available evidence.

Task Groups On Assessment And Testing

46.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will include, within the objectives of the subject working groups and the task group on assessment and testing, the elimination of sex bias; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are clear that there is no room for sex bias in the curriculum. The remit letters to the subject working groups on science and mathematics emphasise that the curriculum should provide equal opportunities for boys and girls. In framing its advice the group has been asked specifically to consider the expectations and attitudes of girls. Other subject working groups will be similarly guided. The task group on assessment and testing has recommended ways of dealing with gender bias in the proposed assessment arrangements within the national curriculum.

Swimming Instruction

47.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any proposals to increase the level of availability of swimming instruction within education authorities.

Any increase in the level of availability of swimming instruction would be a matter for local education authorities to determine. The Government's proposals for a national curriculum include physical education as one of the foundation subjects and it is envisaged that guidelines for the study would cover swimming instruction.

Funding Councils

49.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that women are represented on (a) the Universities Funding Council and (b) the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin).

School Buildings

51.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the state of primary school buildings.

The state of repair of primary school buildings is raised from time to time in correspondence from or in meetings with hon. Members and others.

Teachers

52.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to improve the professional effectiveness of teachers and the management of the teaching force.

The main instrument for this purpose is the local education in-service training grant scheme which was introduced in 1987. The coverage and structure of the scheme is reviewed annually. As to initial teacher training, the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education was established in 1984 to review all courses against new specific criteria. The council is expected to complete its scrutiny of existing courses by the end of 1989. My right hon. Friend will be considering what arrangements should thereafter be made for the approval of initial teacher training courses.

84.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in what way he will seek to secure the conditions of employment of teachers in grant-maintained schools which are established as a result of the Education Reform Bill.

The Government intend that grant maintained schools shall be subject to statutory provisions on school teachers' pay and conditions under the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987 or succeeding legislation. When teachers transfer to grant maintained schools which are being set up they will retain the provisions of their previous contract of employment and the school must honour those provisions so far as is practicable.

Research Funding

53.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on Government funding of academic and academically related research in France, Germany and the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product at the latest available common date.

The information for 1982, the latest available common date, is contained in the following table:

	Percentage
United Kingdom	0·38
Germany	0·49
France	0·44
Netherlands	0·63
United States of America	0·31
Japan	0·25

Source: ABRC Science Policy Study No. 2—An International Comparison of Government Funding of Academic and Academically Related Research. October 1986.

Village Schools

54.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for continuing the service provided by village schools.

It is the responsibility of local education authorities to provide a proper service to villages and rural areas as well as to other areas. My right hon. Friend is currently supporting a number of projects, including one in Cornwall, designed to identify ways of enriching the curriculum of rural primary schools. Any proposal for the closure of a village school which comes before my right hon. Friend is considered very carefully in the light of the criteria set out in the Department's circular 3/87, which makes it clear that size alone is not a criterion for closure.

Science Budget

55.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the science budget, defined as research council and associated funding, as a percentage of gross domestic product in 1964–65, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1979–80 and 1986–87, respectively.

The figures are as follows:

	Percentage
1964–65	0·13
1970–71	0·20

	Percentage
1974–75	0·17
1979–80	0·15
1986–87	0·16

The elements that make up the science budget have changed considerably since 1964–65. The above figures should be read in the light of the following notes:

(1) The 1964–65 science budget has been assessed as Government funding for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (dissolved by the Science and Technology Act 1965), the Agricultural Research Council (later the Agricultural and Food Research Council), the Medical Research Council, the Nature Conservancy (absorbed the following year by the newly established Natural Environment Research Council) and Grants for Science (which included grants-in-aid for both The Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh). The Economic and Social Research Council (formerly the Social Science Research Council), the Natural Environment Research Council and the Science and Engineering Research Council (formerly the Science Research Council) first received Government funding in 1965–66.

(2) Under arrangements described in Cmnd. 5046 of July 1972, £11·6 million, £20·7 million and £34·6 million were transferred in 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1975–76 respectively from the science budget to customer Departments. On 1 April 1981, £14 million was transferred back to the science budget from the health Departments.

(3) The Royal Society of Edinburgh continued to receive a grant-in-aid from the science budget until 1972–73. Since 1984–85, the Fellowship of Engineering has received a small grant-in-aid from the science budget.

(4) For all years shown in the table, the science budget has been deemed to exclude provision for the British Museum (Natural History) which was transferred to the Office of Arts and Libraries on 1 August 1987.

Aids

57.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support he is giving to the Medical Research Council for research into the epidemiology of AIDS in Africa.

It is for the Medical Research Council to decide its scientific priorities. I understand that the council is at present funding three projects on epidemiological research in Africa. A total of some £250K has been awarded for these studies.

Sports Facilities

58.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the dual use of sports facilities in schools.

Comments were sought from a number of organisations on the findings of our recent study into the economics of the dual use of school sports facilities. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for sport and I will take account of these comments in the preparation of the practical guidance to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Irvine) on 16 February at column 579.

Teachers (Pay)

62.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement.

74.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend continues to receive some representations from teachers about their pay, both directly and through hon. Members.

Medical Research Council (Grants)

63.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give for each year in 1980 the number of Medical Research Council project grants approved but not funded.

My right hon. Friend understands from the Medical Research Council that the number of alpha graded research project grants awarded but unfunded since 1980 are as follows:

Award year	Number
1980–81	60
1981–82	66
1982–83	25
1983–84	199
1984–85	87
1985–86	90
1986–87	235

"A Strategy For The Science Base"

64.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to reply to the Advisory Board for the Research Councils' discussion document on "A Strategy for the Science Base".

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie) on 16 February 1988 at column 586.

Dyslexia

65.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about the assessment of children for dyslexia.

The assessment of children with special educational needs, including dyslexia, is a matter for local education authorities. No records are kept which would show the number of letters my right hon. Friend has received on this subject.

University Dental Schools

66.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the Government's plans for funding of university dental schools.

A working party set up to review dental education reported to the University Grants Committee on 25 February. The report, copies of which are available in the Library, has been sent to universities, relevant Government Departments and professional bodies for comment. A reduction of 10 per cent. in the intake to dental schools will be effected in October 1989, but no final decisions have been taken on the funding of individual schools.

Core Curriculum

67.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received on the core curriculum for schools.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on Monday 7 March 1988. Many of the letters commenting on our national curriculum proposals have welcomed the inclusion of English, mathematics and science as core subjects.

School Governors

68.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the giving of increased powers to governors; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a range of representations about the allocation of functions to school governing bodies under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 and about the proposals in the Education Reform Bill which would further increase their powers. He believes that these enhanced responsibilities will attract many parents and others in the community who would not previously have considered becoming governors.

70.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what initiatives he is taking to encourage the training of school governors.

For the last two years, the Government have been supporting the development of suitable training strategies in 10 local education authorities by means of education support grants. My right hon. Friend also announced his intention recently to give grant support to the National Association of Governors and Managers. We are discussing with the education authorities, voluntary bodies and business interests what further steps might usefully be taken at national level, drawing on the findings of a research study into existing training methods and materials, which we commissioned late in 1987.

85.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to give parents the right to elect parent governors to temporary school governing bodies.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 16 February last to my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim) at column 581.

Workers' Education Association

69.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the Government's funding plans for the Workers' Education Association for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the future funding of the Workers' Education Association; and if he will make a statement.

We are not yet in a position to announce future grants to the Workers' Educational Association districts. These will be determined in the light of the resources available and the Government's priorities.In the current Session, three letters about the association have been received from hon. Members. Additionally, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, received a request for a meeting from the association's national executive to discuss the work of the WEA and the funding arrangements.Officials from the Department are currently discussing the future of the association with its representatives.

Student Finance

73.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to complete his review of student finance; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Stamford and Spalding (Mr. Davies) and for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern).

School Closures

75.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what weight he attaches to parental choice in deciding upon school closures; how he applied this criterion specifically in the case of the closure of the Pilgrim school, Bedford; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretary of State's policy in respect of parental choice in the context of school reorganisation proposals is set out in DES circular 3/87. There was a substantial volume of representations both in objection to and support of the LEAs proposals in respect of Pilgrim school, and my right hon. Friend took account of this with other relevant facts and arguments in reaching his decision.

Japanese Language

77.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students graduate each year from United Kingdom institutions of higher education with degrees in Japanese; what priority he attaches to developing the study of Japanese language and society; and what plans he has to encourage such study.

Twenty students with degrees in Japanese as a single subject graduated from universities in Great Britain in 1986. The Government recognise the importance of Japanese studies. These fell within the scope of the review of Asian and African languages and area studies conducted by Sir Peter Parker in 1985–86. The University Grants Committee has accepted, and is now implementing, the recommendations of the Parker report.

Inner London Education

78.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans for taking into consideration the wishes of London parents regarding the existence of a single education authority in inner London; whether he intends to review his decision not to grant financial assistance for the ballot to be conducted by the Electoral Reform Society; and whether he will make a statement about the means available to London parents to influence the Government's proposals for education in London.

It would not be appropriate for the Government to fund a ballot on a constitutional matter such as this, affecting the organisation of local government. The decision on the Government's proposals must be for Parliament, taking account not only of the views of parents but also those of other ratepayers who share the bill for education. Local people, including parents, will have an opportunity to influence and comment on boroughs' development plans for their education service from 1990.

Education Resources

79.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to make sure existing resources in education are used more effectively.

Our policies for education, incuding the measures set out in the Education Reform Bill, are designed to ensure that we secure the best possible return from the very substantial resources invested in the education service. The implementation of those policies will lead to an improvement in standards and to the more effective use of resources.

Capital Expenditure (Inner Cities)

81.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the total amount of capital expenditure bids made by inner city local education authorities was given in capital allocations in 1987.

There is no precise definition of inner city to enable local education authorities to be described in this way. For all authorities I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 January to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) at columns 50–52.

Academic Year

83.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals there are to alter the present academic year.

The Government have no such plans.

Inner London Education Authority (Abolition)

86.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

91.

To ask the Secretary of State for education and Science how many representations he has received on the abolition of the Inner London education authority.

102.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received since he announced his decision to abolish the Inner London education authority; and if he will make a statement.

We have received some 800 letters from hon. Members, organisations and individual members of the public about the proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 4 February. Many of these are concerned with the future arrangements for particular aspects of the education service in inner London.

Local Education Authorities

89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for intervening where a local education authority is acting improperly in its role of providing the best education service possible for the people who live within the area of that local education authority.

Local education authorities have the responsibility of providing efficient education for the areas they serve. Under sections 68 and 99 of the Education Act 1944 my right hon. Friend may intervene where he is satisfied that an authority has acted or is proposing to act unreasonably in respect of any duty under the Education Acts or where he is satisfied that it is in default of such a duty, and may then make such directions as appear to him to be expedient.

Headmasters

92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for increasing the training and administrative support of headmasters, in the light of their enhanced role under the Education Reform Bill.

The Government support training in management for head teachers and other senior staff in schools with specific grant under the LEA training grant scheme. Grant at 70 per cent. will be payable in 1988–89 on £4·3 million of LEA expenditure. The Government are also providing grant in support of the production of various training materials and are consulting a range of organisations on the possibility of further measures to enhance management training for heads.

Universities (Central Funding)

93.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what increases he has made in the central funding of universities in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

The information is provided in table 12.1 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 1990–91" Volumn II (Cm. 288). Current provision for the universities increased by 10·5 per cent. from 1986–87 to 1987–88 and by 7·9 per cent. from 1987–88 to 1988–89.

Students (Rates Compensation)

97.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to compensate students who from April will have to pay 20 per cent. of their rates for the first time.

There will be no addition to student grants in respect of liability for rates in the current academic year. Changes in the housing benefit system, which will apply to all categories of claimant from April this year, were among the factors taken into account in determining grant levels for 1988–89 and will be considered in coming to decisions about future levels of student support.

Polytechnics

98.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further plans he has for increasing the role of the polytechnics in higher education.

The Education Reform Bill, now before Parliament, provides for the 29 English polytechnics to be re-established as free-standing corporate bodies outside local authority control and under contract to a new Polytechnic and Colleges Funding Council. This reform will enable the polytechnics to develop further their role as national providers of high quality vocational courses of higher education and promote better management and closer ties with industry.

Science And Technology

99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he intends to increase further the emphasis on science and technology in schools and the relevance of education to the job market.

The Education Reform Bill proposes that science should be a core subject, and technology a foundation subject, in the national curriculum. My Department supports the many organisations which aim to increase the links between school and industry, and it is actively promoting the development of a coherent programme of careers education and guidance in schools.

Education Budgets

100.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for ensuring that local authorities maximise the percentage of their education budgets which are devoted directly to pupils and equipment; and if he will make a statement.

Provision for local authority spending on education is mainly channelled through block grant which is unhypothecated. The Government's plans identify particular levels of expenditure on areas of education provision and it is for the individual local authorities to decide on their own priorities to be met from within the resources available to them. However, education support grants are allocated for specific purposes, including the provision of books and equipment for the GCSE, and must be used for the prescribed purpose.

Geffrye Museum

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements are being made to secure the future of the Geffrye museum.

As my right hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) assured the House on 17 February at column 1069, the Government are considering the most appropriate arrangements for securing the future of the Geffrye museum.

Social Services

Nhs Facilities (Usage Rate)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has regarding the relative usage of National Health Service facilities amongst different age groups of the United Kingdom population.

The following information is for England. Information about the rest of the United Kingdom is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland.The following is a list of the NHS facilities in England for which statistics are collected centrally and which show some age breakdown of the patients:

NHS hospital in-patient or day-patient treatment;
Residents of NHS mental handicap hospitals and units;
Residents of NHS mental illness hospitals and units;
Treatment at genito-urinary medicine clinics;
Smear tests for cervical cancer;
Chiropody services;^*
Home Nursing Services;^*
Family Planning Services;
School health services;
Vaccinations and immunisation;
General and community dental services^*.

In addition, the results of the general household survey provide information with an age breakdown on GP consultations, visits to a dentist, and NHS and private hospital treatment.

Information on items marked with an asterisk is published annually in "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England": other information is provided in the annual report of the chief medical officer of the DHSS, and a number of statistical booklets and bulletins. Copies of all these documents are available in the Library.

Special Hospital Patients

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer of 16 February to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Official Report, columns 555–56, he will provide the same information as to how many patients were residing in each special hospital who no longer required a secure environment, due to an inability to relocate them in National Health Service or local authority accommodation, at 4 January of each year since 1979.

The information provided in my reply to the hon. Member on 16 February at columns 555–56 was derived from current records. I regret that information for earlier periods is not held.

Health Authorities (Expenditure)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing in rank order the absolute and percentage increase in spending for each district health authority since 1983.

I have placed in the Library tables giving the information requested derived from the annual accounts of district health authorities for 1982–83 and 1986–87 (the latest year available).

Health Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing expenditure per head in (a) London and (b) the rest of England on (i) general hospital expenditure, (ii) community health services and (iii) psychiatric hospitals.

Per capita figures based on total populations of the district health authorities covering the area of the former Greater London council and in England as a whole are shown in the table.

Revenue expenditure—Per capita 1986–87
	Total hospital¹services	Psychiatric²hospitals	Community health services
	£	£	£
London	236	27	27
Rest of England	160	17	21
England total³	175	19	22
¹ The figures for expenditure on total hospital services cover spending on all categories of hospital including "Mental Illness".
² The figures for expenditure on psychiatric hospitals comprise those classified as "Mental Illness". These figures neither include expenditure on the growing volume of activity in psychiatric units in general hospitals and within community health services etc. nor expenditure on hospitals classified as "Mental Handicap".
³ Relevant expenditure recorded in the accounts of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals is recorded in the England total figures only. Such expenditure cannot strictly be attributed to London or to particular health regions.

Note: The population figures used make no allowance for people resident in particular districts who receive treatment in others or for differences in morbidity and age/sex structure of particular populations.

Sources:

(a) Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England.

(b) Costing returns for hospitals categorised "Mental Illness".

(c) Mid-year estimates of population 1986 (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys).

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list for each year since 1979 expenditure per head on the hospital service in England, by regional health authority;(2) if he will list for each year since 1979 expenditure per head on the hospital service in England, Scotland and Wales.

Per capita figures based on total population of the health regions are shown in the table.Information about hospital services in Wales and Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Revenue expenditure on hospital services—per capita
Region	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Northern	88	114	125	136	144	153	162	173
Yorkshire	87	112	125	132	140	148	157	167
Trent	80	104	114	124	132	139	147	158
East Anglian	81	105	115	123	131	139	146	156
North-West Thames	108	139	153	150	157	163	169	178
North-East Thames	109	142	154	179	187	195	202	214
South-East Thames	109	139	150	159	168	173	180	187
South-West Thames	102	132	141	146	153	159	164	174
Wessex	82	104	114	122	129	138	143	152
Oxford	77	98	107	113	117	126	131	137
South-Western	84	107	125	133	140	146	153	162
West Midlands	84	107	117	127	134	142	150	161
Mersey	96	124	136	147	153	162	170	180
North-Western	92	120	135	145	153	161	170	181
All Regions	91	118	129	138	146	153	160	170
England	93	121	133	142	150	157	165	175

Sources:

(a) Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities (Predecessor authorities for the years prior to 1982–83).

(b) Mid-year estimates of population 1979 to 1986 inclusive (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys).

Notes:

1. The figures exclude capital expenditure and all expenditure on other health services (for example, community health, ambulance and blood transfusion services).

2. The population figures used make no allowance for people resident in one region who receive treatment in another or for differences in morbidity and age/sex structure of particular populations.

3. The figures for England include relevant expenditure recorded in the annual accounts of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals (Predecessor authorities for the years prior to 1982–83). Such expenditure cannot strictly be attributed to particular regions.

Doctors (Budgets)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the budget controlled each year on average by (a) general practitioners including their own time and the drugs they prescribe, and (b) hospital doctors, including their own time and the drugs they prescribe.

I regret that the information is not available to answer the question in the terms asked.General medical practitioners are independent contractors and do not have budgets to control. Gross payments made to them in England in 1986–87 for the provision of general medical services were £1,131 million. The gross cost to the family practitioner services of the drugs prescribed in 1986–87 was £1,378 million.Determination of individual budgets within hospitals is a matter for each health authority. While medical staff are involved and clinical budgets are being developed, staff of a number of other disciplines (particularly general managers) also share responsibility for budgetary control.The summarised accounts of health authorities in England for 1986–87 show total revenue expenditure on hospital services as £8,255 million. This figure includes most of the total hospital and community health services expenditure on medical staff pay (£1,094 million) and on drugs (£318 million).

Community Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to ensure that the findings of Sir Roy Griffiths' review of the future development of community care are made available for public debate; if he is able to name the date for publication; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the right hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) and the hon. Members for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) and for Ynys Môn (Mr. Jones) on 8 March 1988, at column 171.

Family Planning

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to what health authorities in England have cut back their provision for family planning clinics.

Tables giving the number of health authority family planning outlets and sessions provided in the last five years for which figures are available have been placed in the Library.

Rampton Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the (a) revenue and (b) capital allocation for Rampton hospital in each year from 1982.

The information is as follows:

	Revenue allocation £	Capital allocation £
1982–83	13,067,000	401,000
1983–84	15,199,000	664,000
1984–85	16,218,000	1,731,000
1985–86	17,336,000	387,000
1986–87	18,078,000	542,000
1987–88	19,498,000	1,250,000

Aids

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to encourage the use of the Karpas test for simultaneous testing for both HIV-1 and HIV-2; and if he will make a statement.

Our policy is to have all available tests for HIV antibody evaluated so that the users can determine if they are appropriate to their needs. Officials are in contact with the supplier of this test and with suppliers of other tests with similar potential.

Medical Practitioners

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of medical practitioners reported to him in 1987 from family practitioner committees as being in breach of their terms of service and the numbers consequently having remuneration withheld.

Information is not available centrally in the form requested. Of cases concluded in 1987, 220 general medical practitioners were found in breach of the terms of service and withholdings were directed against 75 of them.

Dental Caries

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the potential effectiveness of a vaccine against dental caries, and if he has any plans to promote the development of such a vaccine.

In 1984 the Department sought advice from the Medical Research Council on the desirability of conducting clinical trials of a dental caries vaccine following research which had been funded by the Department. The Medical Research Council advised in 1986 that there was considerable concern about the prospect of a trial in children of a vaccine of which the mode of action was incompletely understood and about

Title	Approximate Cost	purpose
	£
"New People at No. 10"	24,000	To help make the public more aware of the development of community care.
"Getting Better"	20,000	To explain Mersey region's 10-year strategy to 42,000 health service staff.
"Person to Person"	25,000	To be used with a training package designed to improve customer relations.
"Healthy Cities"	8,000	To introduce politicians, local authorities, educationists, industrialists, members of the public and health professionals to the healthy cities project, Liverpool being a WHO pilot city.
"Needle Exchange"	5,000	To provide information to NHS managers, other health professionals and agencies worldwide which are interested in establishing needle exchange schemes.

We welcome the authority's commitment to explaining its policies to staff and the public. The region has recouped more than £80,000 so far from video sales to other health authorities, social services departments and other organisations.If my hon. Friend requires further details he may care to contact the chairman of the Mersey regional health authority.

which there were doubts relating to both safety and efficacy. The MRC concluded that more laboratory, field and clinical work would be necessary preliminary to any trial. The council advised that a clinical trial of dental caries vaccine in children in the United Kingdom was not appropriate at that time, nor was this situation likely to change rapidly, and that as the incidence of caries in the United Kingdom is falling the value of a vaccine in the future may be reduced.

In the light of this advice the Department ceased to fund research into the vaccine on 31 July 1987.

Single Payments

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of claimants received a single payment in 1986–87, 1985–86 and 1984–85; and what was the average value of those payments.

I regret the information is not available in the precise form requested. Data are available from annual statistical inquiries only as follows:

	Percentage of claimants receiving single payments	Average payment (£)
December 1984	20	173
February 1986	24	187

Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries.

Note: The information relates to single payments made in the 12 months preceding the annual statistical inquiry to claimants in receipt of benefit at the time of the inquiry. As a result, it does not record all the single payments made in the year.

Mersey Rha

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the purpose of the recent video commissioned by the Mersey regional health authority; what it cost to produce; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Mersey regional health authority has commissioned five videos in the last three years, as follows:

Nhs (Rcn Representations)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has had from the Royal College of Nursing on the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has received no representations since he met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing on 1 February.

Elderly People

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will show, for each local authority in England, and the aggregate for the country, for each year from 1978–79 to 1986–87 (a) the number of whole-time equivalent home helps and the number per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over, and per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over, (b) the number of meals provided and the number per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over and per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over, (c) the number of home help hours provided per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over and per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over, (d) the number of whole-time equivalent social workers employed by social services departments per 1,000 population and (e) the number of day centre places per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over and per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over.

The table gives the information requested for the total provision in England of social workers, and the ratio per 1,000 population. It is not possible to give meaningful figures for home helps, home help hours, and meals per 1,000 population in particular age groups, since the proportion of the service provided which goes to these age groups is unknown.Information collected centrally on staff of social services departments and personal social services activities for each local authority is published on an annual basis in:

i. Staff of Local Authority Social Services Departments (S/F 1)

ii. Domiciliary Services — Meals, Aids and Adaptations (A/F 18)

iii. Adult training centres for Mentally Handicapped People and Day Centres for Mentally Ill, Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People (A/F 8).

Information collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy for each local authority is published annually in "Personal Social Services Statistics, Actuals".

Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.

Number of field social work staff (expressed as whole-time equivalent) and rate per thousand population, 1978–1986.
As at 30 September	Whole time equivalent (thousands)	Number (wte) per thousand population (all ages)
1987	22·2	0·48
1979	22·7	0·49
1980	23·0	0·49
1981	23·0	0·49
1982	23·0	0·49
1983	23·7	0·51
1984	24·3	0·52
1985	24·8	0·53
¹1986	25·9	0·55
¹ provisional

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will show, for each district health authority in England, and the aggregate for the country, for each year from 1978–79 to 1986–87 (i) the number of whole-time equivalent district nurses per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over and per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over, and (ii) the number of whole-time equivalent chiropodists employed per 1,000 population aged 75 years and over and per 1,000 population aged 85 years and over.

It is not meaningful to provide the ratios of staff to population in specific age groups as the staff provide care to patients of all ages.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the most recent information available to him on what proportion of elderly persons resident in the community are (a) housebound, (b) bedfast, (c) unable to negotiate stairs independently, (d) unable to bath or shower or wash all over alone, or (e) unable to go to the toilet unaided.

The most recent information available is from the 1985 general household survey.Among those aged 65 and over included in the sample interviewed for the survey:

(a) 8·0 per cent. were not able to go out of doors.

(b) 1·9 per cent. needed help to get in and out of bed and 0·2 per cent. could not get in and out of bed at all.

(c) 3·6 per cent. needed help to negotiate stairs and 5·4 per cent. could not negotiate stairs at all.

(d) 7·3 per cent. needed help to bath, shower or wash all over and 1·3 per cent. could do none of these tasks at all.

(e) 1·2 per cent. needed help to get to the toilet and 0·5 per cent. could not get to the toilet at all.

The 1985 general household survey interviewed nearly 20,000 people aged 16 and over living in private households in Great Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many elderly people received respite care in each local authority social service department during 1986–87.

Information is not available in the form requested. The number of short-stay admissions to local authority homes during 1985–86, the latest year for which information is available, is given in table 11 of "Residential Accommodation for Elderly and for Younger Physically Handicapped People: All Residents in Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes Year ending 31 March 1986 England"; a copy of which is in the Library.

Mentally Handicapped People

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons have been discharged from long-stay mental illness and mental handicap institutions since 1978–79; and into what forms of care and in what numbers these persons have been discharged.

I regret that I am unable to give the hon. Member the exact information requested. Information on discharges of people from mental illness and mental handicap hospitals since 1978 is given in statistical bulletins 2/2/88 ("Mental Illness Hospitals and Units in England: Results of the Mental Health Enquiry 1986") and 2/3/88 (for mental handicap hospitals and units). These bulletins are in the Library.

Table 1 of both publications gives the total numbers of discharges, and figure 6 of bulletin 2/2/88 and figure 4 of bulletin 2/3/88 show an indication of the number of people discharged after, in effect, living in the hospital. Some people may require to be readmitted depending on their circumstances.

Central information cannot trace people out into the community after discharge from hospital, but I am placing in the Library a research register prepared by "Good Practices in Mental Health" which includes a number of studies of particular areas with relevant information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide figures for each year from 1978–79 to 1986–87 showing (a) the numbers of mentally handicapped children leaving education, and the numbers of mentally handicapped people discharged from residential care, and (b) the corresponding trends in provision of day care services for mentally handicapped persons over the same period.

Information requested at (a) is not available centrally. The following tables give information on (b).

Table 1 Adult training centres for mentally handicapped people England 1979 to 1987
	Centres/Units	Places
1979	445	42,061
1980	451	42,337
1981	461	43,627
1982	474	45,152
1983	484	46,558
1984	496	47,464
1985	505	48,824
1986	527	50,374
1987	533	51,198

Notes:

1. The above includes adult training centres plus independent special needs units.

2. All figures as at 31 March.

Table 2 NHS day care for mentally handicapped people England 1978 to 1986
Year	Attendances
1978	295,033
1979	333,735
1980	372,678
1981	379,962
1982	379,639
1983	369,459
1984	348,719
1985	404,176
1986	453,667

Further information on adult training centres and special needs units is published in "Adult Training Centres for Mentally Handicapped People and Day Centres for Mentally Ill, Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People at 31 March 1986", copies of which have been placed in the Library.

Carers (Support)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what proportion of local authority social services departments provide 24-hour, seven days a week availability of relief services to carers;

(2) what is the most recent estimate available to him of the number of carers in Britain; and what proportion of these are known to service agencies and supported in their efforts.

We have no reliable information at present about the number of carers. A series of questions was included in the 1985 general household survey to identify people looking after a sick, handicapped or elderly person, with the aim of providing national estimates of the number of people who are providing care of this kind. The results of the survey will be available later this year. Information about the numbers of local authorities and other agencies which provide service for carers is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the proportion of households caring for a dependent member who are in receipt of (a) home help support, (b) district nursing services, (c) social work support or (d) other services.

The information requested is not centrally available. The Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys hopes to publish later this year a report on carers based on data collected as part of the 1985 general household survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the numbers of households with a mentally handicapped member who receives (a) sitting services, (b) respite care or (c) holiday relief schemes.

I regret that this information is not held centrally.

Private Residential Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence is collected by his Department on the adequacy of the inspection of private residential homes by local authorities; and if he will publish a summary of this information.

The Department's Social Services Inspectorate has carried out a study of the implementation of the Registered Homes Act 1984 by local authorities. The report was published on 14 March 1988 and a copy has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the local authorities which make further inspection visits to private residential rest homes in addition to the statutory annual visit.

I regret that this information is not collected centrally.

Personal Social Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will rank all local authorities by net real expenditure, as indicated by personal social services, pay and prices, on personal social services for 1978–79 and 1986–87 per 1,000 population, all ages.

The requested information for social services departments is given in the tables. 1978–79 expenditure has been revalued to 1986–87 prices by a national personal social services current expenditure revaluation factor. Non-metropolitan district councils, which incur only minimal expenditure on the personal social services, are excluded from the tables.

PSS net current expenditure per 1,000 population at 1986–87 prices in ranking order
Authority	1978–89 spend (£000)
Islington	152
Camden	148
City of London	146
Hackney	142
Lambeth	141
Tower Hamlets	140
Hammersmith and Fulham	138
Wandsworth	136
Southwark	132
Westminster	125
Lewisham	114
Kensington and Chelsea	113
Haringey	103
Manchester	91
Greenwich	86
Brent	83
Newcastle upon Tyne	81
Newham	77
Waltham Forest	73
Merton	67
Liverpool	63
Ealing	63
Birmingham	61
Bradford	59
Hounslow	57
Coventry	57
Salford	57
Sheffield	57
Rochdale	57
Sunderland	56
Barnet	55
Kingston upon Thames	54
Hillington	54
South Tyneside	54
Barking and Dagenham	53
Oldham	53
North Tyneside	53
Doncaster	52
Knowsley	52
Croydon	52
Wakefield	51
Sutton	51
East Sussex	51
Gateshead	51
Tameside	51
Wirral	51
Avon	49
Calderdale	49
Redbridge	48
Harrow	47
Cleveland	46
Bolton	46
Barnsley	45
Enfield	45
Nottinghamshire	45
Rotherham	44
Kirklees	44
Havering	44
Sefton	44
Lancashire	43
Bromley	43
Richmond upon Thames	43
Bury	42
Leeds	42
Bexley	41
St. Helens	41
Durham	41
Stockport	41

Authority	1978–89 spend (£000)
Bedfordshire	41
Sandwell	41
Wolverhampton	41
Oxfordshire	40
Trafford	40
Northumberland	40
Walsall	39
Wigan	39
Dorset	39
Humberside	38
Leicestershire	38
Cheshire	38
Lincolnshire	37
Norfolk	37
Derbyshire	37
Northamptonshire	35
Cumbria	35
Somerset	35
Kent	35
Berkshire	35
West Sussex	34
Gloucestershire	34
Cambridgeshire	34
Hereford and Worcester	34
Hampshire	34
Devon	33
Wiltshire	32
Staffordshire	32
Hertfordshire	32
Isle of Wight	32
North Yorkshire	31
Warwickshire	31
Essex	31
Isles of Scilly	31
Suffolk	30
Cornwall	29
Buckinghamshire	29
Dudley	29
Surrey	29
Shropshire	27
Solihull	26

PSS net expenditure per 1,000 population at 1986–87 prices in ranking order
Authority	1986–87 spend (£000)
City of London	313
Camden	204
Lambeth	192
Islington	191
Southwark	176
Westminster	170
Hackney	161
Hammersmith and Fulham	157
Lewisham	151
Haringey	146
Wandsworth	135
Brent	133
Greenwich	129
Kensington and Chelsea	128
Tower Hamlets	121
Manchester	117
Waltham Forest	99
Newham	98
Newcastle upon Tyne	88
Hounslow	81
Coventry	78
Sheffield	77
North Tyneside	76
Rochdale	76
Liverpool	75
Bradford	74
Merton	71
Hillingdon	70

Authority	1986–87 spend (£000)
Ealing	70
Birmingham	70
Wolverhampton	69
Tameside	67
Kingston upon Thames	67
Barking and Dagenham	63
Knowsley	63
Salford	63
Gateshead	62
Harrow	60
Richmond upon Thames	60
Croydon	60
Leeds	59
South Tyneside	59
Sunderland	59
Kirklees	59
Enfield	58
Oldham	58
Nottinghamshire	58
Redbridge	57
Cleveland	57
Calderdale	57
Sutton	56
Barnet	56
Wirral	55
Derbyshire	54
Sandwell	54
St. Helens	54
Lancashire	52
Avon	51
Humberside	51
Havering	51
Wakefield	51
Bury	50
Bolton	50
Bexley	49
Bromley	49
Rotherham	49
Walsall	49
Wigan	48
Sefton	47
Stockport	47
Northamptonshire	46
Cheshire	45
East Sussex	45
Cumbria	45
Northumberland	45
Barnsley	44
Leicestershire	44
Isle of Wight	44
Doncaster	44
Trafford	43
Bedfordshire	43
Berkshire	43
Buckinghamshire	42
Solihull	41
Dudley	41
Cambridgeshire	41
Durham	41
Warwickshire	40
Somerset	39
Norfolk	39
Devon	39
Lincolnshire	38
Wiltshire	38
Essex	38
Kent	38
Oxfordshire	38
Cornwall	37
Hereford and Worcester	37
Hertfordshire	37
North Yorkshire	37
Staffordshire	36
Dorset	36
Isles of Scilly	36
Gloucestershire	35

Authority	1986–87 spend (£000)
West Sussex	35
Hampshire	34
Suffolk	32
Shropshire	31
Surrey	29

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those local authorities which did, and those which did not, experience real expenditure increases on the personal social services of 3½ per cent. or more during 1987–88.

Following are the requested lists, showing relevant authorities in alphabetical order. The lists are based on a comparison of each authority's 1987–88 budgeted expenditure with actual expenditure, or estimated expenditure where actual is not available, for 1986–87. The 1986–87 figures have been revalued to 1987–88 prices by use of the gross domestic product deflator. Non-metropolitan district councils, which incur only minimal expenditure on the personal social services, are excluded from the lists.

Authorities with PSS net current expenditure for 1987–88 more than 3·5 per cent. in real terms above 1986–87

Barking and Dagenham
Barnet
Barnsley
Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Bexley
Birmingham
Bolton
Bradford
Buckinghamshire
Bury
Calderdale
Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
City of London
Cleveland
Cornwall
Croydon
Cumbria
Derbyshire
Devon
Doncaster
Dorset
Dudley
Durham
Ealing
East Sussex
Enfield
Essex
Gloucestershire
Hackney
Hampshire
Haringey
Havering
Hertfordshire
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Humberside
Isle of Wight
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Kent
Kingston upon Thames
Kirklees
Lancashire
Leeds
Leicestershire
Lewisham
Liverpool

Manchester
Merton
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newham
North Tyneside
North Yorkshire
Northamptonshire
Northumberland
Oldham
Oxfordshire
Rochdale
Rotherham
Salford
Sandwell
Sefton
Shropshire
Solihull
Somerset
South Tyneside
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Sunderland
Surrey
Sutton
Tameside
Tower Hamlets
Trafford
Wakefield
Walsall
Waltham Forest
Warwickshire
West Sussex
Wigan
Wiltshire
Wirral
Wolverhampton

Authorities with PSS net current expenditure for 1987–88 less than 3·5 per cent. in real terms above 1986–87

Avon
Brent
Bromley
Camden
Coventry
Gateshead
Greenwich
Hammersmith and Fulham
Harrow
Hereford and Worcester
Isles of Scilly
Knowsley
Lambeth
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
Nottinghamshire
Redbridge
Richmond upon Thames
Sheffield
Southwark
St. Helens
Stockport
Wandsworth
Westminster

Camberwell Resettlement Unit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many direct access beds have been provided to replace the provision previously made at the Camberwell resettlement unit;(2) if all the replacement units funded under the Camberwell replacement scheme are still in existence and providing the original number of beds;(3) if he will itemise the type and extent of alternative provision funded under the Camberwell replacement scheme.

The Camberwell replacement scheme will provide a total of 929 beds, of which 108 will be situated in three hostels designed to cater for emergency admissions off the street (direct access). A further 221 second stage beds will provide a high level of care and the remaining 600 beds will cater for those needing lower levels of care.The 108 direct access beds to be provided by three London boroughs are not yet open. When the Camberwell resettlement unit closed in 1985, 184 beds in the Department's resettlement units were designated "direct access" to serve as an immediate replacement.Up to 31 December 1987, 622 beds had been provided under the Camberwell replacement scheme and all of them are still open.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of running the Camberwell resettlement unit in the last three years of its existence; and what has been the cost of the replacement provision in each financial year so far.

The cost of running the Camberwell resettlement unit in the last three years of its existence was:

	£ million
1983–84	2·0
1984–85	1·9
1985–86	1·1

The cost of the replacement provision in each financial year so far has been:

	DHSS £ million	DOE £ million
Capital
1981–82	0·1	0·8
1982–83	0·3	2·2
1983–84	0·5	5·6
1984–85	0·5	4·9
1985–86	0·2	1·9
1986–87	0·1	Nil
Total	1·7	15·4

	DHSS £	DOE £
Revenue
1981–82	Nil	Nil
1982–83	4,000	Nil
1983–84	32,000	10,000
1984–85	114,000	39,000
1985–86	210,000	107,000
1986–87	359,000	298,000

Resettlement Units

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the future administration and management of resettlement units.

All 22 DHSS resettlement units are to be closed and replaced by groups of smaller hostels, run by voluntary bodies and local authorities, but funded by the Department. That process will take some years, during which the units will continue to be run by the Department. The Department has under consideration the establishment of the units and their associated headquarters branch as a departmental agency under the initiative announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 18 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much has been spent, and under what headings, on the process of replacing the existing resettlement units.

Capital and revenue expenditure of £229,424 and £35,218 respectively has been incurred in respect of facilities to replace the existing units. In addition, £64,452 has been spent in the review process itself, mainly on development workers but also on the review teams and the advisory steering group.

Patients (Spending)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the average annual expenditure per patient in each regional health authority in 1986–87.

[holding answer 23 February 1988]: Regional tables showing this information by type of hospital and type of patient, with comparative figures for England, have been placed in the Library.

Nhs Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service staff fall into each of the following categories: (a) medical, including doctors, dentists, nurses and technicians, (b) non-medical but providers of services, including hospital administrators, clerks, receptionists, cleaners, and (c) other.

[holding answer 9 March 1988]: Information in the exact format requested is not readily available. The total number of employed staff in the National Health Service at 30 September 1986 was 801,600. A breakdown of these staff is shown in the table. Ambulance staff have been counted in the "direct care" staff category.

NHS directly employed staff at 30 September 1986: England
	Whole time equivalent¹
(a) "Direct care staff"²	541,000
(b) Total non-medical "support staff"³	260,600
Source: DHSS Annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.
¹ Figures are independently rounded to the nearest 100 whole-time equivalents.
² Includes medical-dental including locums, nursing-midwifery including agency and professional-technical staff and ambulance staff.
³ Includes works, maintenance, administrative-clerical, and ancillary staff.

Great Ormond Street Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when the first admission to the cardiac block at Great Ormond street hospital took place; and when the block will achieve full occupation.

[holding answer 14 March 1988]: Twenty four patients were admitted to the new block, which currently houses 38 children, on 29 December. Provided the current rate of nurse recruitment can be sustained, the authority expects the total capacity of 52 patients to be reached by the end of July.

Volume 129: debated on Tuesday 15 March 1988

Written Answers To Questions

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Turks And Caicos Islands

Export Promotion Services

National Finance

Royal Family (Civil List)

Income Tax

Taxes And Rates

Allowances And Reliefs

Transport

Electric Multiple Unit Trains (Brake Failures)

Motorway Safety Fences

Attorney-General

Land Registry

Trade And Industry

Research And Development

Company Registrations

Economic League

Automotive Industry

Regional Aid

Employment

London Docklands (Construction Sites)

Home Department

Police Stations

Prison Statistics

Police Cells (Remanded Persons)

Remanded Persons (Complaints)

Police Cells

Wandsworth Prison

Crime Statistics

Environment

Inner City Partnership Authorities

Housing Act 1985

Rural Economy

Urban Development

Circular 26/85

Committee Room 12 (Tapestries)

Rating Reform

Radioactive Waste

Housing (Bolton)

Historic Covenants

Planning Appeals

Green Belt And Housing Restraint Areas

Building Regulations (Disabled Persons)

Palace Of Westminster (Carpets)

Wales

Rating Reform

Withybush Hospital

Welsh Water Authority

Fair Rents

Ward Closures (Mid Glamorgan)

Scotland

Private Nursing Homes

Unemployed Disabled People

National Health Service Hospitals (Medical Equipment And Facilities)

Non-Domestic Rate

Surgical Operations (Fife)

Scottish Islands (Agricultural Development)

Nurses (Fife)

Hospital Consultants (Fife)

Recidivism

Prime Minister

War Widows

Weymouth And Portland

Engagements

Northern Ireland

Waste Disposal

Heavy Industry

Larne And Carrickfergus

Labour Statistics

Accidents At Work

European Social Fund

Companies

Farmland

Training Schemes

Aidan Mcanespie

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Maritime Dumping