To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been provided by Her Majesty's Government to Turkey to assist in dealing with Kurdish refugees from Iraq.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 25 November, at column 14.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received representations from consumer organisations about the future of milk production in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

From time to time I receive representations from consumers organisations on a wide range of subjects. For example, my right hon. Friend the Minister recently met the National Consumer Council to discuss its views on a range of agricultural issues.

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new measures he is proposing to reduce food poisoning.

The Government have a long established system for reducing food poisoning. This involves a close working relationship between several Government Departments, and in particular close links between the Department of Health and ourselves.For example, the State Veterinary Service monitors infections in animals. Controls are designed to cure the spread of infection in animals, animal products and animal protein used in feeding-stuffs. And detailed statutory requirements exist for the hygienic production of meat.Early in the new year, we plan to launch, with the Department of Health, a major national campaign aimed at reminding, and educating, the public about the importance of maintaining good food hygiene practices to prevent food poisoning.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has received to his statement that the British Wool Marketing Board will remain in its present form.

My right hon. Friend and I have received a favourable response from the farming industry, and from the board itself, to the continued operation of the British Wool Marketing Board.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has received from the National Farmers Union and the chairman of the Wool Board to his recent statement on the British Wool Marketing Board's future role.

The president of the National Farmers Union and the chairman of the British Wool Marketing Board have both welcomed the continued operation of the statutory marketing arrangements for wool.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure that the rules contained within the set-aside scheme will protect the local environment.

In framing the rules of the scheme, my right hon. Friends and I took full account of the need to ensure that set-aside took full account of the environment. The detailed rules for the management of fallow land are outlined in the scheme documents, which also give advice on how set-aside can be used to maintain and improve environmental features such as hedgerows, shelterbelts and bridleways.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest figures on registration for the set-aside scheme.

About 2,000 farmers in the United Kingdom have applied for set-aside, representing about 150,000 acres of land to be taken out of arable production in this crop year. About 24,000 further farmers have registered their arable land so that they are in a position to apply for set-aside in the future without needing independent evidence of their 1987–88 cropping pattern.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to make the set-aside scheme compulsory.

No.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the progress of the set-aside scheme.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the take-up so far of his Department's set-aside policy; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the answer that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to impose regulations governing the maximum residue level of pesticides, fungicides and sprout inhibitors allowable in potatoes, in line with United Nations regulations.

The Government have introduced statutory residue limits for potatoes under the Pesticides (Maximum Levels in Food) Regulations for 36 pesticide active ingredients covering all the main classes of pesticide use. There are a limited number of recommendations in this field from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, but no United Nations regulations.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Forestry Commission; and what matters will be discussed.

I meet the chairman of the Forestry Commission regularly. No meeting is planned for the immediate future.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet representatives of the agricultural and allied workers trade group of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

I have no plans to do so at present.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Countryside Commission; and what matters will be discussed.

I met the chairman of the Countryside Commission on 7 November when we discussed many issues of concern to the countryside. I have no immediate plans for another meeting but remain ready to discuss with him any matters of mutual concern.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department's document "The Farmers Guide to the Planning System" will be published; and if he will make a statement.

I hope that this guide, which my Department is preparing in association with the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office, will be published in January.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to meet the British Veterinary Association.

I have no plans to meet the BVA at present but my officials are in frequent contact with it.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost to Britain of the common agricultural policy in 1989–90.

The latest forecast of public expenditure in the United Kingdom under the common agricultural policy in 1989–90 is £1,467 million. This covers all expenditure under Community market support and structural aid schemes for agriculture and fisheries but excludes related expenditure such as disease prevention, advice, research and development, land drainage and administration.The United Kingdom Government also support spending under the common agricultural policy elsewhere in the Community through our net contribution to the European Community budget, which in 1989–90 is estimated at £1,970 million. Over that period it is expected that more than 60 per cent. of the European Community budget will be spent on the common agricultural policy.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next plans to meet other European Community Agriculture Ministers to discuss the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement.

I expect to meet other Agriculture Ministers in the Council of Ministers in the Council starting on 12 December.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives he plans to take to implement the proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy as outlined in the Gracious Speech; and if he will make a statement.

I am consistently endeavouring to ensure that the reforms established by the European Council in February and the price negotiations in July are carried out and to maintain the impetus at all appropriate times.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the positive results achieved by reforms of the common agricultural policy.

European Community stocks of most commodities have fallen significantly. Butter stocks are down 80 per cent. over the last year and skimmed milk powder stocks virtually eliminated. Stabilisers are cutting support levels, where production has exceeded the agreed threshold for cereals, oilseeds, olive oil, protein crops, cotton and sheep. The common agricultural policy is being effectively managed, within the guidelines, under the new budgetary discipline rules.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made by the European Community towards the abolition of monetary compensatory amounts by 1992.

The United Kingdom has made it clear that we regard it as essential to abolish monetary gaps by 1992 if we are to achieve the benefits of a single market in agriculture. With this objective, the Council with our strong support and pressure in 1987 agreed to a mechanism to dismantle newly-created monetary gaps in stages following each EMS realignment; and in July 1988 that the existing fixed monetary gaps should be eliminated in four stages by 1992. The Commission is to report on how to remove variable monetary gaps and solve the other transitional problems which will arise.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reduction in the spending of the European Community has arisen from savings on the agricultural budget as a result of decisions by the European Council in or since December 1986.

Decisions taken in December 1986 and since to reduce Community spending on agriculture have been estimated by the Commission to have saved about 2·7 becu, or about £1,840 million by the end of 1988.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest estimates for the amount of beans harvested in 1988.

Our estimate of the 1988 United Kingdom field bean crop, passed to the Commission in late August for purposes of forecasting Community production, was 512,000 tonnes. Latest trade estimates suggest that production may be higher than this.An official estimate of the United Kingdom crop will be given in "Agriculture in the UK 1988" to be published early in the new year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring takes place of requests by individual farmers for animal food suppliers to add chemical substances to animal foodstuffs.

All sales of animal feedingstuffs have to meet the requirements of the Feedingstuffs Regulations 1988. Where medicinal substances have been used, the feed must also comply with the Medicine (Medicated Animal Feedingstuffs) Regulations 1988. Samples of feedingstuffs are taken by trading standards officers for analysis. In the case of medicinal substances, there is also enforcement of the controls by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Devon and Cornwall fisheries development group with regard to the Cornish fishing industry past 1992.

I visited the group in Plymouth on 9 November. We had a full presentation and stimulating discussions of its plans and aims for the future.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the proposed restrictions to deal with the problem of nitrates will have on farmers; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the Government's response to the problem of high nitrates levels in water will have on farming practices.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how farmers will be compensated for loss of crop yield if they reduce the use of nitrate-based fertilisers.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to further restrict the use of nitrogen fertilisers in British agriculture.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he proposes to take to help farmers deal with the problems caused by nitrogen leaching from the soil.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the reply given on 24 November to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future funding of agricultural research and development expenditure.

My Department's examination of its research and development programme took place against the objectives outlined in the July 1987 White Paper on civil research and development (Cm 185) and the Government's view that research which offers the prospect of commercial application or exploitation within a reasonable time scale is appropriate for funding by the industry. As announced in the Autumn Statement, funding for near market R and D has been reduced by £5 million for 1990–91 and £14 million for 1991–92. Together with the reduction announced last year this is equivalent to a reduction in 1991–92 of £30 million at full economic cost. Final decisions on the future level of Government funding will not be made until after consultations with industry have been completed.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the agricultural industry about the future of research and development in agriculture; and if he will make a statement.

Following earlier discussions I had with the industry, my noble friend the Parliamentary Secretary has held meetings with all sectors of the agricultural horticultural and food industries to discuss the fututre funding of near market research and development following the completion of the Barnes review. More detailed consultations with the industry have taken place with officials from my Department. Industry organisations were asked to give their considered response by the end of October and these are now being studied.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the likely future contributions of the agricultural industry towards research and development; and if he will make a statement.

No such assessment has yet been made. We are currently examining industry's considered responses and consultations are continuing.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to review the grant system to upland-lowland farmers for waste handling facilities.

As I announced on 28 November a major feature of the new capital grant scheme that I hope to introduce in February will be improved aid for waste storage, treatment and disposal. We have made provision of up to £50 million over the next three years to allow for improved lowland grant rates and for the extension of eligibility to include fixed disposal piping and safety fencing.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the 1988 United Kingdom cereals harvest.

My Department currently estimates the 1988 cereals harvest in the United Kingdom to be 21·0 million tonnes.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the latest estimates for the 1988 cereal harvest.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on what progress has been made in the European sheepmeat regime negotiations.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to review the operation of the sheepmeat regime; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the president of the Country Landowners Association; and what was discussed.

I last met the president of the Country Landowners Association on 4 November when I spoke at the CLA conference on set-aside. We discussed set-aside.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he is next due to meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board to discuss the dairy sector.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet with the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board; and what will be discussed.

My right hon. Friend the Minister and I have regular contacts with the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board to discuss various issues affecting the dairy industry.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to monitor the incidental capture of marine mammals by commercial fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has recently held discussions with fishermen's organisations regarding the phenomenon of the incidental capture of marine mammals.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with European Community agriculture Ministers about the future of the sheep variable premium scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The Council of Ministers (Agriculture) has twice considered the proposals for a review of the sheepmeat regime tabled by the European Commission. These proposals include one to phase out the variable premium. Negotiations are as yet at an early stage.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will increase the level of compensation to 100 per cent. for confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy affected cattle; and if he will make a statement.

I believe that the existing compensation rate of 50 per cent. of market value is fair, given that the animals are suffering from a terminal illness but are valued as if unaffected by the disease.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been identified to date; in which counties; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 28 November and which appears in the Official Report at columns 97–98.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline the procedures for the disposal of carcases of cows infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

The disposal of carcases of cattle suspected of being affected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy is the responsibility of the Ministry's State Veterinary Service. It ensures that transportation, which is prohibited except under licence, and incineration or burial is carried out in accordance with strict animal health conditions.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has assessed the implications of his agricultural policies on employment in the countryside; and if he will make a statement.

The encouragement of rural employment is one of the main features of the Government's strategy for the countryside. Within that strategy, the aim of our agricultural policies is to assist the farming industry to adapt to changing market forces, while encouraging farmers to develop new initiatives which should provide opportunities for rural employment.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline his plans for the future of research into bovine somatatropin; and if he will make a statement.

My Department's programmes of research are kept under continuous review and this includes the need for research into bovine somatotropin, particularly in respect of public interest issues such as animal welfare.Most research into bovine somatotropin is undertaken or commissioned by the veterinary pharmaceutical industry. My Department has been funding a small study on dairy cow nutrition in which bovine somatotropin has featured and this is part of the work offered for industry funding following the review of near market R and D.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next be meeting representatives of the Small Farmers Association; and what he proposes to discuss.

I have no specific plans to do so at present, though I have frequent contact with all sections of the farming community.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to visit the Torrey research centre in Aberdeen in the near future.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Torrey research station in the near future. I visited it in August with the hon. Members for Aberdeen South (Mr. Doran) and for South Shields (Dr. Clark).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline his plans for the future of pesticides research; and if he will make a statement.

The crop protection R and D commission, upon which my Department spent around £8 million in 1987–88, is under review at present. The research consultative committee's report on invertebrate pests, diseases and weeds in growing crops was published in May 1987 and a report on the protection of stored and growing crops is expected to be published around the end of this year. Much of the work is of a public good nature and thus unlikely to be significantly affected by the current review of near market research.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement in the cut of £31·5 million in the agricultural research budget.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, North (Mr. Baker).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of the farming unions to discuss the support system for the sheep industry.

I continue to maintain regular contacts with the farming unions and their representatives on matters relating to the sheep sector.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to press for further devaluation of the green pound.

The Council and Commission have now agreed that monetary gaps should be phased out as part of the completion of the internal market, an objective that United Kingdom Ministers have persistently pressed for. The next step in this process is likely to be decided in the 1989 price fixing.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next plans to meet his European Economic Community counterparts; and what issues he will be discussing.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Galbraith).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is in a position to assess the reduction of concentrations of tributyltin in fish in inshore waters following the ban of the sale and use of this anti-foulant in 1987.

Over the last year, levels of tributyltin in shellfish have fallen by more than two-thirds in the Crouch estuary and by over half in other estuaries monitored in England. Juvenile oysters are already showing good growth in these waters and new growth is also clearly detectable in oysters previously affected in the Crouch.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the savings on planned expenditure outlined in the Autumn Statement will benefit farmers, taxpayers and consumers.

The Autumn Statement shows savings over previous plans for agriculture of £1,080 million during the three years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91. These stem partly from external factors, such as the United States drought which reduced the cost of export subsidies, and partly from internal economies following recent wide-ranging reforms to the common agricultural policy.I have always said that a common agricultural policy that was running the risk of being out of control was not in the interest of farmers and was no balance for future stability in agriculture. These reforms have brought the European Community budget under control and led to a significant reduction in the level of intervened stocks which were overhanging Community and world markets and depressing prices. Therefore farmers now have a firmer and more stable base for planning their future.Taxpayers—including farmers—will benefit from these savings because they have improved the value for money of Government spending and have helped the Government to increase the provision for priority programmes while keeping public expenditure as a proportion of national income on a declining trend. They also enhance the scope for reducing taxation when it is prudent to do so.These savings in themselves will not have any marked impact on consumers.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the level by which the seas around Britain could rise if nothing is done about the greenhouse effect; and what effect this would have on the adequacy of the United Kingdom's sea defences.

There are a wide range of predictions about the rise in mean sea level that could take place, but given the many uncertainties it is not realistic to make firm assessments of the implications for our sea defences.We are monitoring the position carefully and will take account of the results of current research programmes as they become available.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last attended a meeting of the European Community's Fisheries Ministers council; and what subjects were discussed.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 29 November.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Women's Farming Union.

I met the chairman of the Women's Farming Union most recently at the annual general meeting of the Women's Farming Union on 23 November.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to publish a report on existing environmentally sensitive area arrangements and how they are working.

Yes. I expect to publish a report on environmentally sensitive areas, as required by section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986, early next year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the United States Secretary of State for Agriculture to discuss the general agreement on tariffs and trade mid-term review.

I last met Secretary Lyng in London on 17 November. We discussed a number of topics, including the GATT mid-term meeting.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes to attend the general agreement on tariffs and trade mid-term review in Montreal, in view of agriculture featuring in the negotiations.

Yes.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the disposal of European Economic Community food surpluses.

Economic Community stocks of most commodities have fallen significantly. Butter stocks are down 80 per cent. over last year and skimmed milk powder stocks virtually eliminated. Wheat stocks have fallen by two thirds since 1985 while beef stocks have fallen by 25 per cent. over the last year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many consultations with local planning authorities for non-agricultural development on agricultural land not in accordance with the development plan were received in the first six months of 1988; what was the Ministry's response to these consultations and what area they covered for each grade and subgrade of land, as defined by the agricultural land classification.

From our records it is not possible to identify solely those consultations for non-agricultural development which were not in accordance with the development plan.Latest figures for the first six months of 1988 indicate that MAFF/WOAD responded to some 690 consultations from local planning authorities in England and Wales relating to individual planning applications for non-agricultural development. Those responses involved 17 objections, six conditional objections, 100 conditional acceptances, 284 appraisals, 231 no objections and 52 cases which were either withdrawn or the referral was inappropriate. The grades of agricultural land and areas involved were 232 hectares of grade 1, 999 hectares of grade 2, 1,514 hectares of grade 3 (not subdivided), 2,097 hectares of grade 3a, 2,423 hectares of grade 3b, 1,247 hectares of grade 3c, 779 hectares of grade 4 and 147 hectares of grade 5.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries of Food what proportion of consultations with local planning authorities for non-agricultural development on agricultural land not in accordance with the development plan are (a) in respect of an area of agricultural land in excess of 20 hectares and (b) in respect of agricultural land of grades 1, 2 or 3a, as defined by the agricultural land classification.

From our records it is not possible to identify solely those consultations for non-agricultural development which were not in accordance with the development plan.In 1987 some 17 per cent. of the consultations by planning authorities in England and Wales related to areas of agricultural land in excess of 20 hectares and some 28 per cent. related to grades 1, 2 or 3a agricultural land.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure fishing is practicable in the North sea once gas and oil installations are abandoned.

The Government have taken the necessary powers in the Petroleum Act 1987 to control the abandonment of oil and gas installations. The fishing industry is being consulted on the measures to be included in abandonment programmes; it will also be consulted by the operators in the compilation of abandonment programmes for individual installations, and by Government after such programmes have been submitted to them. I shall certainly ensure that the interests of fishermen are taken fully into account before final decisions on each programme are taken.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the fishing industry over proposed air combat training ranges in the North sea; and when he expects to make a statement.

My Department has consulted the fishing industry over a proposal to construct an air combat training range in the North sea. The industry's views will be taken fully into account when the Government decide whether the construction of the range can be approved.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline his reasons for giving information to farmers about the aerial survey into post-Chernobyl radioactivity at a meeting of representatives of the National Farmers Union in Carlisle on 23 November; and if he will make a statement.

It is our policy to keep restricted area farmers and their representatives fully informed of our programme of monitoring and research. The 23 November meeting was arranged so that my officials could provide a further progress report on our 1988 activities, including the aerial survey.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results of the aerial survey into post-Chernobyl radioactivity levels in Cumbria; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 28 November, Official Report, col. 100.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he and his right hon. Friends have completed their review of the economic conditions in the hill and upland areas; and if he will make a statement on the rates of hill livestock compensatory allowances and associated scheme conditions for 1989.

My right hon. Friends and I have now completed the annual review of the economic conditions in the hills and uplands.The review has shown that the average net farm incomes of livestock producers in the United Kingdom's less favoured areas have improved over the last two years, in some cases considerably. This situation owes much to the Government's support measures, including hill livestock compensatory allowances which are likely to top £115 million this year. We recognise that the support provided through HLCAs is of fundamental importance in maintaining the hill and upland communities and in providing environmental benefits, and we shall continue to give particular assistance to farmers in the LFAs. However, against the generally improving economic background in the LFAs, my colleagues and I have decided that the rates of hill livestock compensatory allowance for 1989 should remain at the current levels and that there should be no change in the associated conditions.My colleagues and I know that many LFA producers are concerned about the impact on them of the proposed changes in the EC sheepmeat and beef regimes. We understand these concerns and, while we cannot predict the outcome of the current EC negotiations, we shall certainly have the special interests of the LFA livestock sector very much in mind in these negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the annual expenditure on the arts by the British Council, showing the art form and regional distribution, for each year since 1978.

Reliable figures are not available for the years before 1984–85 and are not broken down by geographical area. Recent figures showing British Council annual expenditure on the arts are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Hong Kong Government in an effort to help resettle the Vietnamese boat people now being cared for by the Hong Kong Government; and if he will make a statement.

We are in close and frequent contact with the Hong Kong Government on all aspects of the Vietnamese boat people problem, including resettlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Council of Ministers.

The usual forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present 14 meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for December. There may also be a Telecomunications Council on 12 December, but this is yet to be confirmed by the Presidency.The European Council, to be held on 2–3 December at Rhodes, will discuss the further development of the Community with particular reference to the Commission's report on progress towards completion of the single market, submitted under article 8b of the treaty of Rome as amended by the Single European Act. It will also discuss the Community's role in the world and the Environment. Political co-operation subjects will also be covered.The Transport Council is to meet on 8–9 December. Subjects for discussion include transport infrastructure; vehicle weights and dimensions; access to the road haulage profession; international bus and coach transport; barge shipping on inland waterways; shipping; air congestion; aids for combined transport; road haulage cabotage; vehicle taxation; possibly inter-regional air services; and third country transit, where it is hoped agreement to the second stage negotiating mandate can be reached.The Fisheries Council will meet on 9–11 December to discuss the 1989 total allowable catches and quotas; relations with third countries; and possibly fish guide prices.The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 12 December to consider the draft directive on the own funds of credit institutions; the Commission's annual report on the economic situation in the Community; and the Commission proposal for a regulation implementing the decision of 24 June 1988 on the system of the Communities' own resources. It will also discuss a statement by Lord Cockfield on the Commission's tax approximation proposals; proposed new regulations on uniform arrangements for the collection of own resources; possible Danish derogation from article 4(i) of Council directive 69/169; and the directive on the prospectus on transferable securities.The Agriculture Council meets on 12 December and following days to discuss the reform of the beef and sheepmeat regimes; access to the Community for New Zealand butter; milk quotas; labelling of spirit drinks; income aids; beef import quotas; trade in minced meat and meat products; and zootechnical breeding standards in pigs. It may also consider tariff concessions on horticultural produce from the Canary Islands.The Industry Council meets on 13 December. Ministers will consider an Italian proposal to grant 7,670 billion lire of aid to the Italian public sector steel industry to finance its restructuring. Proposals are also likely to be discussed on the renewal of the ECSC steel state aid code and on the funding of social measures for the steel industry.The Tourism Council, meeting on 14 December, is expected to discuss a proposal that 1990 should be designated European Year of Tourism; a Commission working paper on priorities for future action in the tourism field; the draft package travel directive and EC co-ordination on the chairmanship of the OECD Tourism Committee.The Health Council is to meet on 15 December. It will consider a report on Europe against cancer; tobacco; AIDS; drugs; and health aspects up to 1992.The Research Council will meet on 15 December. The agenda is likely to include discussion of two research and development programme proposals: JOULE (non-nuclear energy and efficient use of energy) and BRITE/EURAM (research in manufacturing technologies and advanced materials). Aeronautical research and a Commission paper on the state of EC science will also be discussed.The Social Affairs Council meets on 16 December to discuss the social dimension of the internal market. Other subjects for discussion will be for health and safety proposals (the framework directive on safety in the workplace and the worker protection directives on carcinogens, benzene and limits on exposure to hazards), a directive to change the burden of proof in equal treatment legislation, and a decision on a second COMETT programme for co-operation between universities and industry in new technology training. Other items on the agenda include resolutions on the integration of women, racism, xenophobia and decisions on social measures for Greece and for shipbuilding areas.The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 19–20 December. Subjects for discussion will be: follow-up to the European Council; structural funds; the progress of EC/US discussions on hormones; and financial protocols with Cyprus and Malta. In the margins, there will be a conference of representatives of member states on the Rome convention on contractual obligations and signature of the trade agreement with Czechoslovakia. Ministers will possibly also convene a conference of member states, formally to appoint the new Commission and its vice presidents.The Internal Market Council on 21 December will discuss a number of measures relevant to the completion of the single market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Minister of State intends to reply to the letter of 13 October sent to her by Sir Trevor Jones of Liverpool concerning Mr. Robert Heron Blaggogee.

I replied on 24 November 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards (a) non-governmental visits to the Antarctic and (b) proposed tourist developments within the Antarctic by other nations.

The preamble to the Antarctic treaty calls for Antarctica to be used "exclusively for peaceful purposes". In our view, non-governmental visits and tourist developments in Antarctica fall into this category. We therefore do not object to them, as long as they comply with the relevant provisions of the Antarctic treaty, and measures adopted under it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed change from consensus decision to majority voting in 1991 on the future operation of the Antarctic treaty.

Any proposed amendment to the Antarctic treaty approved by majority vote at a conference convened under article XII of the treaty would need to be ratified by all Antarctic treaty consultative parties in order for it to enter into force. We do not, therefore, believe that majority voting at such a conference is likely to have a crucial effect on the future of the treaty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Guatemala, following an incident involving a Royal Navy ship and a Guatemalan gunboat in Guatemalan waters on 20 November 1988; and if he will make a statement.

At the time of the incicent the RN vessel HMS Fawn was carrying out peaceful and legitimate hydrographic survey work in the high seas in the Gulf of Honduras. A protest has accordingly been made to the Guatemalan Government. The Royal Navy's survey work in the area will continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any information about a former lecturer at Cluj university, Romania, Mrs. Doina Cornea; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Cornea was arrested, along with other Romanian dissidents, in a crackdown following a demonstration in the Romanian city of Brasov last December. Those arrests formed the subject of a demarche by the Twelve to the Romanian authorities, in January this year. Her Majesty's ambassador and his staff have since made further representations, most recently on 22 November. We shall continue to speak up on her behalf.Mrs. Cornea apparently remains under some form of house arrest. Members of the House may have seen the courageous and moving letter that she recently published in the British press, calling on President Ceausescu to abandon his policy of forced urban and rural resettlement.We deplore arbitrary arrests and confinement of people for expressing their opinions. Romania's record in this respect is among the worst of all the signatories of the Helsinki Final Act and Madrid concluding document. We look to the Romanian Government, as to all participants in the CSCE process, to observe in full their commitments under these documents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the number of management staff in each area health board in Scotland that have explicit terms in their contracts of employment which increase remunerations when budgetary savings are realised.

Departmental guidance on contracts for NHS general and senior managers does not refer to a condition of service such as described by the hon. Member. Terms of contract are a matter to be agreed between individual staff and their employing health board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all contracts for domestic services let by competitive tendering to outside operators within each of the regional health authorities in Scotland, together with their costs, for the period 1 October 1985 to 30 September 1988, showing in each case the cost of provision of the same services in the last year before competitive tendering was introduced.

During this period contracts producing annual savings of over £2 million were awarded by the following boards:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions he has given to health boards concerning putting out annually services as an all-in package to competitive tendering.

None. Health boards know they must explore the scope for achieving value for money and improved services through the further development of competitive tendering. This is what they are now doing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the areas of Scotland which will satisfy the criteria laid down, by the comprehensive regulations in the reform of the Community's structural funds approved by the Council of Ministers on 24 June 1988, for each of the following objectives: (a) to improve investment and productivity in deprived regions, (b) to rejuvenate declining industrial regions including urban areas, (c) to combat long-term unemployment which is affecting all age groups of the community's working population, (d) to integrate young people into employment, and (e) to encourage rural development as part of the reform of the common agricultural policy by (i) speeding up the adjustment of agricultural structure and (ii) promoting the development of rural areas;(2) if he will make a statement on the impact of the Council of Ministers adoption of the comprehensive regulation of the reform of the Community's structural funds agreed on 24 June 1988 (2052/88);(3) if he will list the areas of Scotland which will be eligible to receive moneys from

The full implications of Council regulation EEC 2052/88 for Scotland will not be clear until the implementing regulations are adopted and the European Commission has made its decisions under the regulations on the eligibility of industrial (objective 2) regions and rural (objective 5 (b)) regions and on financial support. No Scottish region is eligible under objective 1 of article 1 of the regulation, whereas objectives 3, 4 and 5(a) may be applied throughout the Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the agencies or organisations which have submitted representations about the reform of the Community's structural funds.

Representations have been received by various Ministers and their Departments with an interest in the structural funds reform. Several have come from local authorities concerned about their future eligibility for assistance. No central record of representations is kept.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure that the Scottish dimension has been fully considered in discussions on the reform of the Community's structural funds.

The Scottish Office plays a full part in determining United Kingdom policy on the reform of the structural funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps will be taken to reimburse general practitioners following the introduction of value added tax on new health centre buildings.

It is proposed to amend the statement of fees and allowances payable to general medical practitioners to take account of the imposition of value added tax on new building work from 1 April 1989. Consultations are at present taking place with representatives of the medical profession.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the geographical areas or functions in Scotland which are eligible for moneys from (a) the European regional development fund, (b) social fund, (c) agricultural guidance and guarantee funds and (d) the European Investment Bank.

The following areas are eligible:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total amount of loans made to Scotland by the European Investment Bank in each of the years 1983 to 1987 inclusive.

Loans are negotiated directly between the EIB and prospective borrowers. The numbers and amounts of loans disbursed in the years in question are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he wil give the total amount of agricultural guidance and guarantee fund moneys allocated to

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total amount of European regional development fund moneys allocated to Scotland in each of the years 1983 to 1987, inclusive, and for each assisted area so designated to receive such funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road traffic accidents in Scotland in each of the last three years were caused on motorways or dual carriageways as a result of an absence of central barriers.

The absence of central barriers is not itself a cause of road traffic accidents. The

A detailed breakdown of receipts from the European agricultural guarantee and guidance fund is not available in the form requested. The table shows EAGGF receipts for the financial years 1983–84 to 1987–88 inclusive in respect of expenditure under various schemes.To these amounts should be added the Scottish share of market support expenditure incurred by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce—in the current year estimated to be of the order of £920 million.

The information requested is not available by assisted area. The following table gives a breakdown by region.number of accidents involving vehicles crossing the central reservation of a motorway or dual carriageway in the last three years is as follows.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of (a) motorway and (b) dual carriageway in Scotland have no central barriers; and, of each of these, how many have barriers planned.

104 miles of motorway and 204 miles of dual carriageway do not have central barriers at present. As a matter of policy central barriers are installed automatically on all new sections of motorway and dual carriageway. So far as existing sections of road are concerned, motorways are receiving highest priority. On dual carriageways, barriers are installed as opportunity arises in connection with other works and provision will be extended in due course to locations where it can he justified, taking account of traffic volumes and the incidence of crossover accidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to lay before Parliament the regulations on the community charge relating to exemptions for students.

The Personal Community Charge (Students) (Scotland) Regulations 1988, which define those students who will pay only 20 per cent. of the personal community charge, were laid before Parliament on 30 March 1988. Consultations have recently been carried out on the draft of a replacement set of regulations, which will be made very shortly. The main change in the new regulations will be the introduction of prescribed requirements about the provision of certificates and information by educational establishments, in accordance with amendments made to the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 by the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Government have any plans to change the method of funding for Scotland's colleges of further education.

My right hon. and learned Friend is preparing legislation providing for the delegation of greater financial and managerial responsibilities to further education college councils. Colleges will continue to be funded by the education authorities, but I hope this will be in ways which better reflect each college's achievements in meeting the education and training needs of its area. Colleges will have greater freedom to earn and retain income generated by selling services—such as consultancy, research, and company specific training—at commercial rates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing and midwifery staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the clinical grading structure in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Health boards' returns show that for qualified staff almost half of enrolled nurses have gone to the higher grades available with percentage pay increases ranging from 18·7 to 47·2 per cent.: for staff nurses the proportion going to the higher grades is 78 per cent. with increases from 23·8 to 51·0 per cent. and for hospital sisters almost 60 per cent. will receive pay rises of between 16 and 49·4 per cent. Even on the basic grade, nursing auxiliaries will receive at least 7·6 per cent. Comprehensive details of the numbers of staff assimilated to the new grades are given in the table: