To ask the Attorney-General how many people were employed at Her Majesty's Land Registry during each of the past 10 years; how many are now employed by the Land Registry; and whether he has any proposals for increasing staffing of the Land Registry.

Staff in post as at 1 April in each of the last 10 years:

To ask the Attorney-General what was the cost of staffing the Land Registry during the last year for which records are available; what was the total cost of operating the Land Registry during that year; and what was the total in fees received by the Land Registry during that year.

The provisional memorandum trading account for 1987–88 shows staff costs (including superannuation) of £94·04 million, total costs of £121·14 million and income from fees of £141·07 million.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the minimum, maximum and average time taken to process an application to the Land Registry to complete a registration.

The minimum processing time can be as low as one week. Applications so processed include the registration of transactions where the register has already been computerised, expedited applications and many straightforward applications where no points arise. The average time for processing substantive applications at the end of May 1988 was 16 weeks.No information is available as to the maximum processing time, but many complex applications take some considerable time to process and can be dependent on the ability of applicants to deal satisfactorily with departmental requisitions.

To ask the Attorney-General how much profit he estimates was made by the Land Registry during each of the last 10 years for which records are available.

The surpluses shown in the Land Registry's memorandum trading accounts for the last 10 years are as follows:

To ask the Attorney-General on what basis fees are payable to the Land Registry for the registration of properties assessed.

Section 145 of the Land Registration Act 1925 (as amended) provides for the making of fee orders, under which applications to register conveyances and transfers are charged on an ad valorem basis related to the price or value of the property. Most minor applications are either charged at flat rate or there is no fee. The current fee order is the Land Registration Fee Order 1988.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will establish an inquiry into the operation and staffing of Her Majesty's Land Registry; and if he will make a statement.

No. The National Audit Office has conducted a review of the operations of Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Comptroller and Auditor General reported to Parliament the findings of the review on 28 July 1987. The Committee of Public Accounts has considered the report and the report on its findings is awaited.

To ask the Attorney-General how long he estimates it takes for applications to the Land Registry to be opened; and how long it takes thereafter for required payments received from applicants to be banked.

Applications to the Land Registry are opened on the day of receipt and cleared funds in respect of the cheques associated with these applications are normally available five working days later.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will institute a system whereby interest is paid to applicants on moneys received from them, where registration is not completed within two months of the date when fees paid to the Land Registry have been banked.

No.

To ask the Attorney-General what action he proposes to take in the light of the publication of the book "The Friends—Britain's Post War Secret Intelligence Operations" written by the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Allason).

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 22 June, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. There is no legal action that I propose to take in the light of the publication of this book.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will estimate the administrative costs of the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs in each of the years 1983 to 1987 inclusive.

The administrative costs of Select Committees borne on the House of Commons Vote include the costs of visits in the United Kingdom and overseas, the fees and expenses of specialist advisers, witnesses' expenses, entertainment expenses and the costs of preparing minutes of evidence for publication. Details of all such costs in respect of the Scottish Affairs Committee in the financial years 1983–84 to 1986–87 are set out in the Select Committee returns for each Session. The totals of these costs were as follows: 1983–84, £12,162; 1984–85, £38,612; 1985–86, £13,487; and 1986–87, £23,535.Printing and publishing costs are borne by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and are also shown in the Sessional Returns. Staff serving the Committee varied from time to time in this period, and had other responsibilities in addition to their work for the Committee; it is not possible, therefore, to give precise figures of staff costs. For most of this time, however, the staff of the Scottish Affairs Committee consisted of a deputy principal clerk, an assistant clerk and a secretary.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has carried out monitoring exercises in accordance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively.

In 1982 the Department carried out a study of career opportunities for women in the Treasury, which included the monitoring of relative success rates for men and women at an internal promotion board from the EO to the HEO grade and a comparison of these rates with relative assessments of long-term potential.This year the Treasury will be participating in the OMCS review of career development issues, including the promotion process and allocation to duties, by gender and ethnic origin. This will involve monitoring two internal promotion boards during 1988 and calculating the likely representation in five and 10 years' time of women and ethnic minority staff in the grade levels covered by the exercise. This information will be used to judge future equal opportunities performance.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what monitoring of ethnic recruitment to his Department has been undertaken; and what have been the results of that monitoring.

The Treasury introduced the ethnic monitoring of recruitment for the AO and AA grades in London in July 1987. This is now carried out continuously. Results suggest that the number of appointments offered to members of ethnic minorities is broadly in proportion to the number of eligible candidates applying from each ethnic group.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what extra allocations of funds have been made, other than those related to the nurses pay settlement, to (a) the Scottish Office, (b) the Northern Ireland Office and (c) the Welsh Office since he published his public expenditure White Paper; and for what purposes.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: Only a few low-cost adjustments in 1988–89 amounting to about £3 million in Scotland, and £1 million in Wales, and no change for the Northern Ireland Office.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to provide that, where a company incurs liability for value added tax or deposits taken from customers for goods not yet supplied, value added tax may be collected on a quarterly basis for all the deposits the company has taken, rather than the company being required to raise a second invoice for each customer's job to account for the value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 20 June 1988]: Existing legislation already provides for this where a company supplies goods to customers who are not registered for VAT, since there is no obligation in such cases to issue a tax invoice for either the deposit or the main supply. However, if a tax invoice were not issued to a registered customer in respect of VAT charged on a deposit, the customer would not, in turn, he able to reclaim the VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours a day women spent out of their cells, on C1 psychiatric unit, Holloway, from 14 May to 14 June; and how many women have attended the skills training unit each day during the same period of time.

In the period 14 may to 14 June 1988, inmates on Cl unit spent an average of 5·7 hours out of cell each day.The table gives the number attending the skills training unit each weekday.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the current average time taken in dealing with full passport applications at each passport office; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for political asylum in 1988 to date have been refused permission to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; to what countries they have been sent upon refusal; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Recent press reports have referred to information gathered weekly from Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Dover, for guidance of management. These describe the number of asylum applications made by passengers arriving at those ports, and the initial action taken. The returns do not trace further action, for example, to grant temporary admission or to remove a passenger who was initially detained.The latest available refugee statistics are for 1987 and were published earlier this month in Home Office statistical bulletin 16/88, copies of which are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Wiltshire as to what recent checks have been made by the police concerning the insurance, road fund tax and where applicable MOT certificates of vehicles in the convoy of itinerants at present in the vicinity of Stonehenge; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable of Wiltshire that over the period of the summer solstice police resources were concentrated as a priority on the maintenance of public order and prevention of mass trespass in the Stonehenge area. Nine vehicles were impounded following the attempted occupation of Stonehenge by a group of people on 16 June. Subsequent checks showed that eight of these were unroadworthy and they have been retained by the police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received recently by the National Television Licence Records Office from the Walsall metropolitan borough council on behalf of pensioners for the concessionary licence fee; how many were approved and on what dates; and how many submitted before the change in the regulation remain outstanding and for which proportion.

Three applications have been received since 1 January this year, all of them before the new regulations came into force. They were approved on 4 February, 29 March and 12 April. There are no applications outstanding. However, I understand the hon. Member has been in correspondence with NTVLRO about some further applications which Walsall metropolitan borough council says it sent earlier this year, but of which there is no record of receipt.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards identity cards being issued for all citizens.

The question of the issue of identity cards has been considered from time to time, but we remain to be persuaded that there is a sufficiently strong case for their introduction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report from the Home Office advisory committee on drugs relating to anabolic steroids.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: We expect to receive advice shortly from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on extension of the controls in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to anabolic steroids. A further announcement will be made when this advice has been received and considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the overall additional estimated costs that will be incurred by local authorities as a result of the implementation of the provisions of the new Education Reform Bill.

The cost of the progressive implementation of the measures in the Education Reform Bill for schools and further education will vary from authority to authority according to developments already under way. Some redirection of recurrent and capital resources will be required. My right hon. Friend has announced proposals for the education support grants programme in 1989–90, which includes some £65 million new expenditure related to the Bill's provisions for financial delegation and the national curriculum. A significant part of the programme of in-service training grants, currently supporting expenditure of £270 million, will be directed towards the implementation of the Bill's provisions in 1989–90 and subsequent years. There will also be implications for capital programmes within the Government's plans to enable local education authorities and voluntary bodies to spend more than £750 million on improving school buildings between now and 1990–91. The Government have set aside £65 million over the next three years mainly for the development and administration of assessment procedures, for which local authorities will not be charged fees. The Bill's provisions for the transfer of funding responsibility for polytechnics and colleges to central Government will lead to a reduction in spending and grant for local authorities of some £800 million from 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in England are educated at home (a) by their parents and, (b) by local education authority tutors; and what is the cost per child per week.

The precise information requested is not available. Based on local education authority returns to the Department of Education and Science, 8,266 pupils in England were receiving education otherwise than at school in January 1987 under arrangements made by the authorities. The number includes those being taught in hospitals, excluding hospital special schools, in other groups such as units for spastics, assessment centres and community homes as well as at home. Figures for the various categories are not available; nor are the separate costs of this provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cost of educating a child (a) at a state primary school and (b) at a state secondary school in England.

The average net institutional recurrent expenditure per pupil in England in 1986–87 was £900 in maintained primary and £1,340 in maintained secondary schools.Net institutional recurrent expenditure covers the cost of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not cover the cost of school meals, central administration and inspection, debt charges or revenue contributions to capital outlay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many prosecutions for truancy of pupils aged (a) under 11 years of age, (b) 11 years, (c) 12 years, (d) 13 years, (e) 14 years and (f) 15 years were instituted in each of the past five academic years;(2) what is the average time taken to bring court proceedings against parents whose children play truant from school.

My Department does not collect statistics on court proceedings related to truancy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are taken to ensure that children of school age living in vehicles attached to the convoy of itinerants currently in the vicinity of Stonehenge are educated in accordance with the provisions of section 36 of the Education Act 1944; and if he will make a statement.

It is the duty of parents to ensure that their children of compulsory school age receive efficient full-time education suited to their age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs they may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. It is for local education authorities to ensure that the parents of any children of compulsory school age in their area are performing this duty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures for the number of children in England (a) in care, (b) in psychiatric units and (c) in residential schools for non-attendance at school; and if he will give the overall costs and costs per week per child for each case.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that not all the figures requested are available; the available information is as follows.At 31 March 1986, it is estimated that there were 66,700 children in care of local authorities in England.In 1985–86, the total expenditure on children in care was £406 million, an average cost of £144 per child per week (provisional figure). Expenditure on some items, including administration and field work, cannot be separately identified for children in care and is not included here. Children on whom little or no expenditure has been incurred (for example children in care living at home) have been excluded in calculating the average cost.There were 500 children aged under 16 years resident in NHS mental illness hospitals and units in England at 31 December 1986.It is estimated that there were 1,900 children in care for non-attendance at school under section 1(2)(e) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 at 31 March 1986. It is not known how many of these children are in residential schools.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average payment of regional selective assistance in (a) development areas and (b) intermediate areas under (i) the old system of grants and (ii) the new system.

The average payment of regional selective assistance by my Department per completed project where the offer was made in the period 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1988, when the revised regional development grant scheme was terminated, was £58,862 in development areas and £33,359 in intermediate areas. There have not yet been any payments to projects which have received offers since 1 April 1988. Regional selective assistance has been interpreted as covering project and training grants.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the average payment per job for regional selective assistance in (a) development areas and (b) intermediate areas.

The average payment per job by my Department for regional selective assistance on completed cases where the offer was made in the period 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1988 was £2,710 in development areas and £2,099 in intermediate areas. Regional selective assistance has been interpreted as covering project and training grants.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the likely impact on industry in Yorkshire of an extension of operating hours at Leeds-Bradford airport.

Both the Association of Yorkshire and Humberside Chambers of Commerce and the Yorkshire region of the Confederation of British Industry have recently supported the case for extension of operating hours at the airport. I see no reason to doubt that an extension would be of benefit to industry in the region.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the likely impact on industry in Yorkshire and Humberside region of a high speed rail link through the Channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

Consideration of high-speed rail links through the Channel tunnel from regional centres is still at an early stage. My Department keeps closely in touch with British Rail and business nationally and regionally over the way services can be developed once the tunnel is open in 1993, in order to maximise the benefits to the business community.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the operation of the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

I will be discussing a number of aspects of monetary co-operation with my European colleagues at the European Council meeting to be held in Hanover on 27–28 June, but the Government's position on the matter to which my hon. Friend refers is well known.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the security services are an equal opportunity employer; and if she will make a statement.

The legislation governing equal opportunities recognises the need for exceptions in relation to members of the armed forces and the safeguarding of national security.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the take-up of certificated and standard housing benefit separately in 1985, showing in each case (a) the total likely to be entitled to benefit, (b) the proportion receiving benefit, (c) the numbers not receiving benefit, (d) estimated amount of benefit unclaimed, and (e) the average weekly amount unclaimed, broken down into pensioners, sick and disabled, families with children, and one-parent families.

We expect to publish housing benefit take-up estimates based on the 1985 family expenditure survey by the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of senior citizens who have lost (a) some and (b) all of their housing benefit as a result of changes in regulations implemented in April 1988 by region for (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the extent to which computerised patient information systems and inter-hospital information systems have assisted development of the desired service cost indicators; and where such systems have been implemented.

All district health authorities have systems for processing the cost and activity data required to derive specialty costs, the major components of which will be drawn from computerised patient information systems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much would be saved if child benefit were given in full up to £100 a week gross earnings, and phased out between £100 and £140 gross earnings for one child and £100 and £180 gross earnings for two children, if no payment were made for more than two children.

The precise savings from such a measure would depend on the exact nature of the scheme adopted. However, assuming that families who lose child benefit would be compensated, as appropriate, through income support and housing benefit, and also through family credit (via the addition of £7·25 per week to the child credits), the estimated net saving, in a full year at 1988–89 prices and benefit levels, would be of the order of £2·7 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the value of income support, including premiums where appropriate, for (a) a single person aged under 25 years, (b) a single person aged over 25 years, (c) a couple over the age of 18 years, (d) a couple with two children aged under 11 years and (e) a one-parent family with one child under 11 years of age as a proportion of average net earnings for all males and all manual males.

The information requested is given in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received during the past six months on the future of Erith and district hospital.

One letter has been received from a member of the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his proposals for the 1991 census are on schedule.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received representations from the Orthotists and Prosthetists Training and Education Committee, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and other organisations on the need to increase the number of trained orthotists in England and Wales; if he has received representations of the best methods for training such professional staff; and if he will make a statement.

No representations have been received on this subject. The Orthotists and Prosthetists Training Council is currently considering future training needs for orthotists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his best estimate of the anticipated shortfall in the number of trained prosthetists in England and Wales; what action is being taken on behalf of his Department in (a) the short term and (b) the long term to overcome the shortfall; and if he will make a statement.

The Orthotic and Prosthetic Training and Education Council is currently considering the future training needs of prosthetists, in consultation with the Disablement Services Authority, which is concerned with prosthetic services in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what, on average, is the waiting time by region for a claimant reporting a payment lost or stolen to be informed of the outcome of inquiries.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the period laid down in his Department's guidelines for dealing with a claimant who reports that a payment is lost or stolen and the claimant being told of the result in investigations; and whether he will publish the guidelines in the Official Report.

The administrative procedures followed when a claimant reports a loss of benefit vary according to the benefit concerned, the method of payment and the circumstances of the loss.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount of benefits currently being paid by his Department to claimants who are living in vehicles attached to the convoy of itinerants currently in the Stonehenge area of Wiltshire; what steps. are taken by his Department to ensure that no benefits are paid in respect of fraudulent claims; and if he will make a statement.

A total of £6,383·57 has been paid in benefit to claimants who were part of the convoy in the Stonehenge area of Wiltshire. All income support claimants are required to produce evidence of identity and all statements are subject to verification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for 1979 and for the latest available year the total figures showing the change in the number of beds in the areas covered by the following health authorities: North West Thames, South West Thames, North East Thames, South East Thames, Basingstoke, Winchester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, Wycombe, East Berkshire, West Berkshire and Oxfordshire; and if he will also give the totals for acute bed changes.

[holding answer 16 June 1988]: The available information is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the average annual expenditure per patient in 1986–87 by (a) the Northern regional health authority and (b) Sunderland district health authority.

[holding answer 24 March 1988]: For patient treatment costing purposes all hospitals are classified into a series of standard types which reflect the principal use to which their beds are allocated and an overall average cost or expenditure per patient is thus not determined.In terms of 1986–87 per capita expenditure (that is, total revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services, etc. per head of resident population) the figure for Sunderland health authority (£206) is typical of the overall average for all sixteen district health authorities within the northern region (£208).

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will detail the scientific and research evidence which has been produced to him in support of the proposed ban on all smokeless tobacco products;(2) on what statistical scientific and analytical information his Department has based its proposed ban on all smokeless tobacco products.

[pursuant to her reply, 23 march 1988, c. 153–54]: A number of references were omitted from the list placed in the Library. A revised list has been placed in the Library. The Government's proposals rest on the evidence listed and the conclusions based on it of the committee on carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment, those of the independent scientific committee on smoking and health, the report of the United States Surgeon General of April 1986 on evidence of links between smokeless tobacco products and oral cancer, the findings set out in the International Agency on Research into Cancer's report on evaluation of carcinogenetic risks to humans (volume 37) and the views of a WHO group of experts meeting in June 1987. A press release summarising their views has also been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is given to regional policy implications when contracts are placed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

As I said to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 10 November 1987, at column 158, it is our policy to place equipment orders, wherever practicable, by competitive tendering. This policy has brought significant benefit to the defence budget and to the taxpayer and has promoted the health and efficiency of the defence industry. Where appropriate, however, we do take into account wider, relevant factors, including local employment levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to state how many and what percentage of officers in each grade and overall in his Department are (a) woman and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

As at 1 May 1988 the number of women industrial and non-industrial employees was 40,800 (28·6 per cent.). As there are some 430 different non-industrial grades within the MOD the following breakdown relates to stated grades and equivalents: grades 7 and above, 135 (2·8 per cent.), SEO/HEO, 1,452 (7·1 per cent.), EO, 4,141 (16·5 per cent.), AO and below 24,791 (65·2 per cent.), industrial grades 10,281 (19 per cent.). In common with what is happening in other Government Departments, the voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of MOD staff is being conducted in six phases. The results of the three phases completed were published in December 1987 by the Cabinet Office. The figures from the first three phases show that the number of respondents from the ethnic minorities employed in the MOD was as follows: grade 7 and above 31 (1 per cent.), SEO/HEO and equivalent 91 (0·9 per cent.), EO and equivalents 148 (1·2 per cent.), AO/AA and equivalents 598 (2·9 per cent.). The overall figure was 868 (1·9 per cent). No figures are available yet for industrial staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken to encourage more applicants from the ethnic minorities: and when and with what results and by which sections within his Department such positive action was taken.

The MOD has implemented a programme of positive action to encourage more applicants from the ethnic minorities. The actions already taken include advertising in the ethnic press, featuring ethnic minorities in new recruitment brochures, sponsoring students under the Windsor fellowship scheme, and participating in a scheme to provide training for potential executive officer recruits. Further actions are being given consideration.The actions are primarily being undertaken by MOD recruitment authorities serving units located in areas with a high ethnic minority working population. It is too early to say whether this programme of positive action has had an effect on the number of ethnic minorities applying for posts in the MOD.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts he has taken to increase the number of part-time posts in his Department and with what results; and how many and what percentage of such part-time posts are occupied by women and by people form ethnic minorities, respectively.

As at I May 1988 there were 3,849 part-time posts in the MOD. Of these 3,545 (92 per cent.) are occupied by women. Figures for ethnic minorities in part-time posts are not available. The MOD actively encourages part-time working and job-sharing. As part of the MOD equal opportunities plan, instructions on part-time working have been issued within the Department, and job-sharing trials are being conducted in a number of local areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will now make a statement on the disposal of the Dreadnought submarine;(2) whether he has made a decision on the disposal of Polaris submarines once they are decommissioned.

I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to the hon. Member on 28 January 1988, at column 307.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the arrangements for co-operation between the Royal Navy and other Western navies in the Gulf.

Following discussions held in the framework of the WEU between the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands, the three Governments have agreed to integrate their mine countermeasures forces operating in the Gulf with effect from 1 July. The three Royal Navy, one Belgian and one Dutch MCM Vs will operate as a joint force, with logistic support provided by RN or RFA vessels. RN destroyers or frigates of the Armilla Patrol will provide any necessary protection for mine countermeasures operations. Operational tasking will be co-ordinated from the headquarters of the RN's commander-in-chief fleet at Northwood, although in the case of the Belgians and Dutch ultimate command over their own ships will be retained by their respective national naval authorities. The British commander of the integrated flotilla will be assisted by a staff officer provided alternately by the Belgian and Dutch navies. The joint operation has been designated Calendar after the world war II code name for the successful tri-national mine clearance of the Scheldt estuary in 1944–45.Overall, the United Kingdom remains committed to close co-ordination with other Western navies also working to preserve international freedom of navigation in Gulf waters, and the arrangements for co-operation between the Royal Navy and other Western navies in the Gulf remain in other respects unchanged.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount was collected in rates from stud farms and other horse breeding establishments in each of the last two years; if he has any estimate of the amount due in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

Information on rateable values and rates paid by stud farms is not available centrally. We have announced that an exemption from rates for these buildings which are occupied together with agricultural land or buildings and which are below a specified size threshold, will be provided for by Government amendment to the Local Government Finance Bill. It is envisaged that this provision will result in the great majority of those that keep one or two horses for their own enjoyment or for breeding on a small scale being exempt.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the continuing delay in the purchase by Mr. W. B. Hamond of his home at 12b Mount Adon park, London SE22 ODT from Southwark borough council.

I am most concerned about the continuing delay in this case, which Southwark says is due to a shortage of valuers. I understand that a section 125 offer notice is expected to be served in early July.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the reasons for the delay in the purchase by Mrs. R. Newton of her home at 10 Denesmead, Herne Hill, London SE24 from Southwark borough council.

I understand that industrial action has caused a delay in the dispatch of the draft lease. The council says that it expects to dispatch it next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his latest estimate of the numbers of single homeless persons in London.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on 22 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the extra £24·1 million to be made available to local authorities to combat homelessness constitutes new expenditure; from which Vote it will be financed; to which authorities, and based upon what criteria, these moneys will be paid; how much each receiving authority will receive; what guidelines will be given to authorities about how they may spend these moneys; and what restrictions will be placed upon its use.

The extra money is not voted expenditure. It forms part of the £141·7 million increase in this Department's cash limits arising from a local authority underspend in 1987–88. £21·1 million of the £24·1 million extra is to be targeted on authorities with the most severe homelessness pressures. Decisions on specific allocations have not yet been taken, but they will reflect numbers of homeless acceptances and in bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Whilst it is our intention that these additional resources will be used to alleviate homelessness, it will be for the local authorities to make the final decision on the use of individual allocations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appointments have been made to the National Rivers Authority to date, stating positions and salary levels.

No appointments will be made to the National Rivers Authority until it has been established by the main water privatisation legislation, which we hope to introduce next Session. As has already been announced, my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Crickhowell has been appointed chairman of the National Rivers Authority advisory committee, which will advise Ministers on the reorganisation of the water authorities needed to prepare for the creation of a separate NRA. The committee will be assisted by a team of civil servants and consultants under a grade 3 civil servant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the result of his consultation exercise on waste regulation and disposal.

We expect to make an announcement very soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to secure better compliance with the convention on the international trade in endangered species by signatory nations; and whether he will make proposals for the strengthening and more effective enforcement of the convention.

The United Kingdom vigorously supports the convention and, together with our partners in the European Community, implements the provisions of the convention through EC regulations 3626/82 and 3418/83.We shall be considering with our European partners whether it would be appropriate to submit any proposals for securing better compliance with the convention to the next meeting of the conference of the parties to the convention to be held in October 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the arrangements for appealing against the decision of the leasehold valuation tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

My Department and the Welsh Office have written to a wide range of interested parties inviting comments on a consultation paper about the arrangements for appealing against the decision of the leasehold valuation tribunal in connection with the operation of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967. I am arranging for copies of the paper to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes any concessions concerning the uniform business rate for charity shops.

We are currently considering representations on this matter which have been received during proceedings on the Local Government Finance Bill in another place.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 16 June, Official Report, column 248–49, when he expects to have the necessary information to estimate the effect of exempt individuals including student nurses, on the likely levels of central grant and community charge for particular areas; and how often that information will be updated.

It will be necessary to have this information in good time for the introduction of the community charge in England and Wales on 1 April 1990, and to update it each year thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish an updated version of figures K1 and K3 on pages 130 and 132 of Cmnd. 9714, using the most recent available statistics.

[holding answer 20 June 1988]: An updated version of figure K3 is provided in the table. Data to update figure K1 are not readily available and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the staffing levels of the Merseyside task force in every year since its inception.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: The following are the numbers:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to appoint a new director of Merseyside task force;(2) what review is being carried out into the functions of the Merseyside task force; who is in charge of such a review; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: An internal management review is being carried out by two of my officials. Decisions about future senior management of the task force will be taken after the review has been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of the future of the Merseyside task force; and what has been his response.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: I have received representations that the task force has been valuable in promoting the regeneration of Merseyside and should remain in operation. I have indicated in my response that I intend to retain a strong office in Merseyside.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what role is being planned for the Merseyside task force in the administration of the Government's policies for the inner cities.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 13 June, at column 21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce grants for lining of chimneys; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The existing arrangements for renovation grants can include, at local authorities' discretion, works for the provision of chimney linings where such works form part of a wider package of renovation. I have no plans to introduce a specific grant for such provision.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current annual expenditure incurred by Her Majesty's Government on items relating to agriculture which were, prior to 1979, financed in part or whole by the European Economic Community; and if he will specify the nature of the functions involved.

[holding answer 21 June 1988]: All the costs of operations in the United Kingdom under the CAP are ultimately borne by the United Kingdom, either directly or via our contribution to the EC budget. Estimates for United Kingdom expenditure in 1987–88 on CAP schemes which are fully or partly-funded by the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) are given in the table.For the guarantee section, all the schemes listed were in operation prior to 1979, although Community reimbursement for intervention costs was reduced by 25 per cent. of the standard amounts fixed for this purpose only with effect from December 1985. Community funding for guarantee section expenditure was also reduced in 1987–88 by the introduction of a two-month delay in advances from the EAGGF. As a result of this, funding for expenditure in February and March 1988 was not received until the 1988–89 financial year.For the guidance section, most of the schemes listed, or their predecessors, were in operation prior to 1979. It would not be practical to provide figures which exclude all those schemes which did not exist before 1979.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had from the National Licensed Victuallers Association to make the Brewers Society code of practice a legally binding document; what action he intends taking; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to our hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-West (Dr. Hampson) on Tuesday 14 June 1988, at column 135.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he hopes to achieve at the next EC Council of Ministers meeting with regard to the fishing industry in general, and the inshore fleets in particular.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 May 1988, c. 290]: I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers in Luxembourg on 23–24 June.The Council agreed an amendment to the marketing regulation which amongst other things provided for carry-over premiums to assist the private storage of herring and mackerel. This should facilitate smoother marketing of species of considerable importance to the United Kingdom industry. The Commission will also review the operation of the carry-over premium system for all species within the next two years. A widening of the margin of tolerance in the price at which herring and mackerel can be withdrawn from the market was agreed, which will also assist our industry. In addition, the new regulation limits the total amount of subsidy which can be paid in the tuna sector, where expenditure has been growing significantly.The Council also agreed an amendment to the technical conservative regulation which reduces the minimum landing size of nephrops in the Irish sea and the seas of western Scotland to acceptable levels. The Council endorsed the requests of the United Kingdom and France for further scientific work to be undertaken before any action is taken to revise the technical conservation measures in respect of nephrops in the North sea and the Bay of Biscay. I again drew the Council's attention to the problem of the changing migratory pattern of western mackerel and warned that we may wish to return to the Council later to request flexibility in the fishing across the 4°W line should this prove to be necessary.The Council had a first round of discussions on amendments to the control regulation which would facilitate better enforcement in the case of vessels landing in a member state other than its flag state. I explained the need for urgent action and the Council agreed to reach an early decision on this question. I pressed the Commission to make proposals as soon as possible, on the basis of the evidence we have given it, to increase the precautionary TACs for Channel cod and plaice, and the Commission undertook to consider this request urgently. This was a useful Council meeting in which progress was made on a number of issues of importance to the United Kingdom fishing industry.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available in the form of a map the figures for milk and sheepmeat tests for caesium 137 included in "Radionuclide Levels in Food, Animals, and Agricultural Products 1987," for the areas of Clwyd and Gwynedd only, showing as accurately as possible the sampling sites.

I have been asked to reply.The document contains over 160,000 milk and sheepmeat results for Gwynedd and Clwyd, and the cost of mapping in the form requested would be disproportionate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will seek to have placed in the Library copies of the British Nuclear Fuels plc video recordings of aspects of the B205 corridor incident clean-up and decontamination operations of about June 1987; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that from time to time video recordings are taken to assist in the planning of, and briefing for, engineering work. Although the cassettes used for these recordings are reused as a matter of course, some recordings presently remain of the—205 corridor work of June-July 1987. As it is not BNFL's normal practice to issue these recordings, I shall ask its chairman to write to the hon. Member to arrange a suitably convenient time for viewing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has concerning the number of miners in the north-east area of British Coal who are not yet re-employed, having lost their jobs during the miners' strike.

Questions on the dismissal and re-employment of mineworkers are matters for the management of the British Coal Corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans for the future of the Scottish Joint Negotiating Committee for Further Education; and if he will make a statement.

In the Government's view the 40-strong statutory committee has proved a cumbersome and ineffective forum for negotiating the pay and conditions of academic staff in the local authority further education colleges and in the centrally-funded colleges.In large measure this seems to be because the two sectors have different funding sources, the staff have different conditions of service and the pressures facing management are different. Over the last six years management and staff sides have done their best to fund a Government-sponsored seismological survey using the latest available techniques in order to establish the oil and gas potential around the Falkland Islands.

There are no current plans to fund such a survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board for each year since 1970 the mean in-patient and out-patient waiting time and two standard deviations.

Information on waiting times is available for health boards from 1975—the first full year of boards' operation. The mean waiting times for in-patient treatment are given in the table. They refer to heterogeneous groups of specialties, within each of which the distribution of waiting times is not symmetrical. In these circumstances, an overall standard deviation is not meaningful. The sharp increases in 1979 and 1983 reflect industrial action in the NHS. Mean waiting times for out-patients are not available.establish the committee as an effective forum for negotiation, but progress has been disappointing. Moreover, from time to time in recent years we have received representations from both management and staff interests about the unsatisfactory nature of the present arrangements.In the last two negotiation rounds the differing interests of the two sectors have been recognised by both management and staff interests with the creation of two separate negotiating groups. The 1987 negotiations resulted in two separate packages which reflected the differing priorities of the two sectors. In the 1988 negotiations a settlement has just been reached for the further education, but not for the centrally-funded, sector, and the expectation must be that in due course there will again be a different outcome affecting pay and conditions in the two sectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which regional council areas service men are exempt from requirements to register for the poll tax.

In general, adult United Kingdom service personnel and their families who are solely or mainly resident in the area of a local authority will require to register for and pay the personal community charge in the normal manner. The position of those United Kingdom service personnel in Scotland who are exceptionally mobile and for whom individual registration for the personal community charge would be impracticable is the subject of continuing discussion between the Scottish Office and the Ministry of Defence. These arrangements will not apply to visiting forces which, in fulfilment of the United Kingdom's international treaty obligations, will be exempt from personal community charge liability. Provisions covering the position of visiting forces are contained in the Local Government Finance Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held with the United States Government over registration and payment of community charge by United States service men stationed in Scotland.

None. The Ministry of Defence is the principal point of contact between Her Majesty's Government and the United States forces stationed in the United Kingdom. That Department is in regular contact with the United States authorities on a wide range of matters, including the implications for visiting forces of the introduction of the community charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to inquire into the link between leukaemia and radiation in the Rosyth area.

The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) has completed consideration of the incidence of leukaemia occurring in young people near Dounreay and has published its report, copies of which are in the Library. We have referred to COMARE information on the incidence of leukaemia throughout Scotland, including incidence in the vicinity of Rosyth. We will continue to be guided by the committee on any further work which is necessary in relation to specific Scottish sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Gallowayand Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Lang) last met officials of the East Kilbride development corporation; and what issues were discussed.

I last met officials of the East Kilbride development corporation on Tuesday 7 June, when I had the pleasure of announcing the establishment in the new town of the Motorola Semiconductor Company's European design centre. We discussed the successful conclusion of Motorola's plans to bring to East Kilbride the full range of its manufacturing, assembly, test and design operations and to create the largest centre of its type in Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the outcome of his Department's review of staffing standards in Scottish schools will be available; and if he will make a statement.