To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on rationalisation plans for physics and chemistry teaching and research in universities.

Reports setting out the proposed principles for rationalisation of provision were issued by the University Grants Committee to the universities for consultation on 27 October. The committee and its successor, the Universities Funding Council, will consider future provision for physics and chemistry in the light of the reports and the comments received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received following the issue of leaflet 873 PEN to female teachers; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received 58 letters from hon. Members and about 500 from individual teachers. So far, there have been 400 elections to cover previous years which will count towards a widower's pension.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what time was allowed for consultation on the Cox report on English; from whom he is seeking comments; and when he expects to announce decisions on the report.

The National Curriculum Council (NCC) is conducting statutory consultations on my right hon. Friends' proposals for English in the national curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 11. Those proposals are based on the recommendations in the first report of the national curriculum English working group, chaired by Professor Brian Cox. Consultations began on 15 November and the NCC has asked for replies by 27 January 1989. It has consulted formally those bodies which it is obliged to consult under section 20 of the Education Reform Act 1988 and a number of others of its choosing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's review of student unions; and if he will make a statement;(2) when he expects to announce the results of his Department's review of student unions; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is now analysing the returns to its questionnaire on student unions. It will need a few weeks to tabulate and summarise the data. Thereafter, the Government will reach conclusions on the best action to take and will consult all those concerned about these conclusions. I cannot at present predict how long this will take.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the returned questionnaires for his Department's review of student unions (a) supported and (b) opposed automatic membership of student unions.

Respondents were not asked to comment on this issue and hardly any did so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what (a) organisations, (b) individuals, (c) institutions of higher and further education and (d) student unions will receive the results of his Department's review of student unions; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 31 October at column 471.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of his Department's review of student unions; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend expects in due course to place in the Library a copy of the Government's conclusions in whatever form they are made available for consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of university and interdisciplinary research centres that have already been founded and those in the planning stages, together with the subjects investigated and the geographical locations and the funding for each.

As regards the initiative by the advisory board for the research councils for the establishment of interdisciplinary research centres, commitments have already been made for the following centres:

	£ million
Superconductivity—Cambridge	7·2 over 6 years
Molecular sciences—Oxford	8·9 over 6 years
Engineering design—Glasgow	6·3 over 6 years
Surface science—Liverpool	10·4 over 6 years
Semiconductor materials—London	9·7 over 6 years
Toxicology—Under consideration	8·0 over 5 years
Molecular medicine—Oxford	3·5 over 5 years
Human communication—Edinburgh	2·5 over 5 years

A substantial number of proposals for the establishment of further IRCs are currently under consideration by the research councils.Additionally, there already exist a large number of research centres and units in universities, some of which pursue interdisciplinary research.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which authority will now be responsible for Enborne Lodge special school at Newbury; and if he will make a statement about the school's future as a place of education for young people from London boroughs with special needs.

My right hon. Friend will decide the allocation of responsibility for Enborne Lodge special school and other ILEA residential special schools in the light of discussions currently taking place with all the councils concerned. The school will continue to provide education for young people from inner London with special needs whichever authority takes responsibility for it.

To ask the Prime Minister what are the arrangements for briefing the Leader of the Opposition on security matters, including legislative proposals affecting security matters; and if she will make a statement.

As a matter of normal practice I do not propose to confirm or to deny whether briefings on security matters are envisaged or have taken place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why aircraft operating from RAF Upper Heyford are heavier than they were previously, resulting in lower flight paths; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the Adjournment debate which took place on 30 November, Official Report columns 849 to 856. The weight increase to which I referred at column 853 is due partly to the changeover to a safer but heavier fuel and partly to the effect on the typical payload carried by the aircraft of changing operational requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what incidents have been reported involving pressurised water reactors in nuclear submarines releasing gas from their cooling systems into the atmosphere;(2) what information he has on what radionuclides would be produced if air contaminated the cooling system of a pressurised water reactor in a nuclear submarine.

The primary coolant water in submarine pressurised water reactors inevitably contains a very small amount of air. The dominant nuclides which form in the dissolved air are nitrogen-16, nitrogen-17 and argon-41, with half-lives of 7·1 seconds, 14·4 seconds and 1·8 hours respectively. Argon, which accumulates over time, is routinely released when necessary, with appropriate safety precautions. No Royal Navy submarine has ever been involved in an incident causing any radiological hazard to service men, base personnel or members of the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those local education authorities which do not allow his Department's schools liaison teams access to schools under their control.

Though, for a variety of reasons, there are problems over access to some schools, I am not aware of any local education authority areas from which service schools liaison teams are excluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and which university research departments are, at present, involved in projects about biological and chemical weapons for his Department in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.

[holding answer 5 December 1988]: None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what further consideration has been given to the future of the British Overseas Trade Board; and what plans he has to support United Kingdom exports.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my right hon. and noble Friend on 7 November, and by myself on 7 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran) at columns 304–5. We will continue to draw on the British Overseas Trade Board's advice and guidance in directing DTI's export services and on issues affecting international trade in general.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of total visible exports were accounted for by defence exports in (a) 1986 and (b) 1987.

Defence equipment accounted for 0·9 per cent. in 1986 and 1·1 per cent. in 1987 of total United Kingdom visible exports.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the United Kingdom's total exports of goods and services to the rest of the EEC in the financial years 1981–82 to 1987–88, respectively, was represented by the products of (a) the manufacturing industries, (b) the food, drink and tobacco industries, (c) the textile, clothing and footwear industries and (d) oil and oil-related products.

Information on a financial year basis is not available. Figures by calendar year are in the following table:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures the Government intend to take to ensure that the European Commission enforces working EEC rules on accurate labelling in garments.

[holding answer 8 December 1988]: Fibre content labelling rules in the European Community are based on Directive 71/307/EEC, as amended by Directive 83/623/EEC. The relevant authorities in each member state are responsible for enforcing the national leglislation which implements these directives, although the Commission has indicated that it is willing to consider any evidence put to it suggesting that there is widespread misdescription of fibre content.After an investigation into garments made from Italian fabrics in 1987 the Commission concluded that the evidence available did not show that such garments were often significantly mislabelled. Further information has recently been brought to the attention of my officials who are considering the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer of 28 November, if he will take steps to install chandeliers of a similar style to those which lit the House before being destroyed in the bombing of 1941.

No. It would be for the House to resolve to make any changes to the present lights in the Chamber.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision he will make, under the Local Government Finance Act, for mandatory relief for non-profit making sports clubs.

Under the Local Government Finance Act 1988 non-profit making sports clubs are eligible for up to 100 per cent. rate relief at the discretion of the charging authority. We have no plans to amend this provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, when giving approval for the costs involved in building the proposed hostel in Augustine road, in the London borough of Harrow, investigations were made into the allegations by the hon. Member for Harrow, West that the figures provided by the borough were inadequate; and if he will publish the details of the responses made by his officials to the appraisal of the scheme by Kenchington, Little and Partners;(2) what weight he gave in giving approval for the total indicative costs involved in building the proposed hostel in Augustine road, Harrow

It was primarily the responsibility of the London borough of Harrow to satisfy itself that the cost estimates provided by Network Housing Association were adequate for the works proposed, taking into account ground conditions and all other relevant factors. Payments of Housing Association grant will normally relate to t he cost estimates approved by the Department. The report by Kenchington Little and Partners was received by the Department after the project was approved; the council's observations on it have been requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of a reduction of 85 per cent. of chlorofluorocarbons by the year 2000 on the time needed for the ozone layer shield to recover completely.

The second report of the Department's stratospheric ozone review group, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House, calculated the reductions of chlorofluorocarbon emissions required to stabilize concentrations of chlorine in the atmosphere. In the case of CFCs 11 and 12, these reductions are 77 per cent. and 85 per cent. respectively. After such reductions, further depletion of the ozone layer would not occur. A complete phase out of CFCs would lead to a slow decrease in atmospheric chlorine concentrations and recovery of the ozone layer. Because of the long atmospheric lifetime of chlorofluorocarbons, however, chlorine concentrations would not return to their 1975 levels until the second half of the next century.The Government have called for a reduction in luchlorofluorocarbon emissions of at least 85 per cent. as soon as possible, in response to the review group's report. At the Environment Council held on 24 November the United Kingdom proposed that the Community should call for the Montreal protocol to be strengthened by requiring an 85 per cent. reduction of world-wide emissions of chlorofluorocarbons by the turn of the century.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the member states which supported the draft European Community directive on the protection of natural and semi natural habitats and their wild fauna and flora at the European Community Environment Council on 24 and 25 November; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 8 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the scope and terms of reference of the review he has asked the Nature Conservancy Council to undertake with regard to its landholdings and other functions; and if he will make a statement.

	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Anglian	88·4	63·4	47·10	47·10	35·90
Northumbrian	12·8	9·9	13·80	10·20	-4·20
North-West	78·9	91·5	0·88	67·30	60·70
Severn Trent	66·3	43·1	54·60	10·50	2·20
Southern	30·5	22·9	10·70	-2·90	-9·30
South West	6·5	8·1	4·30	-1·50	4·80
Thames	-0·9	-29·7	-76·10	-0·91	-0·98
Wessex	27·3	16·5	21·80	26·80	15·70
Yorkshire	29·7	36·3	30·30	22·10	0·23

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the level of rate support grant paid to Westminster city council over the last 12 months.

[holding answer 7 December 1988]: The Westminster city council is not at present in receipt of block grant under the rate support grant system. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has however received several representations about Westminster's contributions to the London rate equalisation scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what actions he has taken to encourage the transfer of ownership of national nature reserves to voluntary conservation bodies;(2) what plans he has for the selling of national nature reserves; and if he will make a statement.

The Nature Conservancy Council is conducting a comprehensive review of policy towards national nature reserves (NNRs). As part of that review they are considering the size and management of the NNR network and the scope for reserves owned by the NCC to be sold to the private sector (including voluntary bodies) under appropriate conservation safeguards. We expect to receive a report from the council by the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all (a) sites of special scientific interest and (b) national nature reserves owned by water authorities; and if he will make a statement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much, in cash terms, each of the water authorities in England and Wales borrowed, per year, from 1983 to the latest year available, broken down by year and authority.

[holding answer 5 December 1988]: The external finance requirements of each of the English water authorities for the years from 1983–84 are set out in the table. External finances comprised borrowing and a small element of specific grant. The Welsh water authority is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total area of London office space occupied by Government Departments on 25 March for each of the last five years.

[holding answer, 7 December 1988]: The available figures relate to Government accommodation in Greater London as a whole and do not take account of marginal changes in the Property Services Agency's regional boundaries which affect only a small proportion of the total area. They are:

at 25 March	Square metres
1984	2,074,490
1985	2,001,116
1986	2,016,123

at 25 March	Square metres
1987	2,025,612
1988	1,971,093

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are his projections of likely carbon dioxide emissions from the United Kingdom in 1990, 1995 and 2000;(2) what have been the carbon dioxide emissions produced in the United Kingdom for 1987 from coal, oil, natural gas and non-fossil fuel sources, respectively, in million metric tonnes;(3) what have been the 1987 carbon dioxide emissions from the industrial, domestic, commercial, public and transport sectors, respectively, in million metric tonnes;(4) what have been the 1987 carbon dioxide emissions from coal used in power stations and other uses, respectively, in million metric tonnes, respectively;(5) what have been the carbon dioxide emissions in 1987 produced from power stations operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board, South of Scotland Electricity Board, North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and independent companies, respectively, in million metric tonnes;(6) what have been the 1987 carbon dioxide emissions from coal, oil and gas-fired power stations, respectively, in million metric tonnes.

[holding answer 5 December 1988]: Estimates of United Kingdom CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion will be published for the first time in the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" early next year. Preliminary estimates covering the hon. Member's specific questions are given in the table. The Department has no plans to publish projections of CO₂ emissions given that these are subject to a wide range of uncertainty in estimates of economic growth and its relationship to energy use, fuel pricing and fuel availability.

United Kingdom CO2 Emissions from fuel use (1987)
	Emission (million tonnes CO2)
(a) By fuel type
Fuel
Coal:
Power stations	218·9
Other use	44·4
Sub total	263·3
Coal	263·3
Oil	172·0
Natural gas	109·6
Non-fossil fuels	n.a.
Other fuels	56·5
United Kingdom grand total	601·3
(b) By Sector
Power stations
By Fuel
Coal	218·9
Oil	13·2
Natural gas	0·4
Sub total	232·5

	Emission (million tonnes CO2)
By generator:
CEGB	210·1
SSEB	17·2
NSHEB	1·1
Others	4·0
Sub total	232·5
Power stations	232·5
Industry	146·2
Domestic	87·5
Commercial and Public	32·5
Transport	99·8
Others	2·9
United Kingdom grand total	601·3

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of the use of tropical rain forest-produced hardwood in its buildings and furniture.

[holding answer 30 November 1988]: PSA and the Crown suppliers use mainly private sector contractors for the provision respectively of Government buildings and furniture. These firms will seek to use materials which best meet the users' requirements, bearing in mind the need for economy and design. The Government take account of advice issued publicly from specialised organisations such as the Princes Risborough laboratory, the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) and the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA) about the suitability and availability of alternative materials to tropical rain-forest produced hardwood, and about the availability of this product from countries that have a policy of replacing rain-forest as it is used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken in response to the telegram from Mr. Son Sann, President of Khmer People's National Liberation Front, on 3 November asking him to intervene in the sale of two statues of Vishnu which are alleged property of the Khmer people.

We have received no telegram from Mr. Son Sann. We have no locus for intervention in a commercial matter of this kind.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those Soviet Jews known by his Department who were refused permission to emigrate from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, together with the date they first applied, since 1970.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Sweden, (b) the United States of America and (c) Israel concerning the case of Raoul Wallenberg; and if he will make a statement.

We regularly raise the case of Raoul Wallenberg with the Soviet Union both bilaterally and in multilateral fora such as the conference on security and co-operation in Europe. We also keep in touch with other Governments concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government will be in a position to ratify the United Nations convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The instrument of ratification was yesterday—8 December—lodged with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York. The convention will come into effect for the United Kingdom 30 days from that date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to lay before the House any amendments to the lotteries regulations.

We expect to lay regulations to prohibit "multiple" lotteries, by insertion in the Lotteries Regulations 1977, before Christmas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now completed his consultations regarding the European convention for the protection of pet animals; and if the United Kingdom will sign the convention without any reservation on article 10 on surgical operations.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 1 December at column 401.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when inspectors last inspected standards of fire cover provided by the west Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority.

The west Yorkshire fire service was last inspected in June. As is usual, Her Majesty's inspector of fire services paid attention to the level of fire cover provided by the brigade.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to prevent and reduce the number of violent and sexual attacks upon young children.

Attacks on young children are particularly abhorrent. It is important that parents and others know how best to advise them on reducing the risks of being attacked or molested. Such advice is contained in the crime prevention handbook "Practical Ways to Crack Crime". It deals with the threat from people known to the potential victim as well as from strangers. Since its launch in March this year more than 1·5 million copies of the handboook have been distributed, and a revised edition is now available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the introduction of a national identity card scheme.

We receive a steady flow of correspondence and comments from right hon. and hon. Members and the public on the introduction of a national identity card scheme. The Association of Chief Police Officers has been asked for its views on the introduction of national identity cards and we will consider its response together with other views on the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the maximum delays being experienced in the transfer of annual records of convictions on to the police national computer.

The definitive record of convictions which is used to supply information to the courts is maintained on microfiche by the national identification bureau. It is updated continually and a conviction would normally be recorded on the microfiche record within 10 days of its notification to the bureau. In normal circumstances, local forces would inform the bureau of the result of a conviction within two months.The convictions application on the police national computer is a limited record of the convictions of those who first offended in 1981 or later Details of relevant convictions may take up to six months to be recorded on this application, depending on the circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to transfer parking enforcement functions in London from the Metropolitan police to the London boroughs.

I am awaiting the report of the parking enforcement working party which has reviewed the effectiveness, efficiency and acceptability of the existing arrangements for parking enforcement. I understand that proposals for extending the role of local authorities in parking enforcement are among the issues being considered by the working party.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by police force the following infomation relating to the Christmas period of 1987 (a) the number of breath tests, (b) the number of breath tests which were positive, (c) the percentage of breath tests which were positive, (d) the number of personal road traffic injury accidents, and (e) the number of fatal road traffic accidents.

The information requested on breath tests is published in table 6 of Home Office "Statistical Bulletin" issue 23/88—"Statistics of breath tests, England and Wales 1987", a copy of which is in the Library. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport that the information requested on road accidents is as shown in the table.

Road accidents involving personal injury
England and Wales, 19–31 December 1987		Number of accidents
Police force area	All accidents involving injury	Fatal accidents
Avon and Somerset	145	4
Bedfordshire	69	—
Cambridgeshire	71	5
Cheshire	107	1
Cleveland	61	1
Cumbria	47	3
Derbyshire	94	2
Devon and Cornwall	178	1
Dorset	63	2
Durham	51	2
Essex	195	2
Gloucestershire	67	3
Greater Manchester	298	6
Hampshire	217	2
Hertfordshire	99	1
Humberside	118	3
Kent	162	5
Lancashire	152	9
Leicestershire	93	2
Lincolnshire	85	2
London, City	5	—
Merseyside	187	5
Metropolitan	1,203	18
Norfolk	100	3
Northamptonshire	65	5
Northumbria	120	5
North Yorkshire	72	—
Nottinghamshire	109	2
South Yorkshire	132	5
Staffordshire	125	—
Suffolk	78	2
Surrey	125	2
Sussex	147	5
Thames Valley	207	6
Warwickshire	59	3
West Mercia	116	3
West Midlands	177	2
West Yorkshire	233	5
Wiltshire	72	2
Dyfed Powys	54	1
Gwent	33	—
North Wales	72	—
South Wales	129	2
England and Wales	5,992	132

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes of rape have been committed in the Greater Manchester area during 1987 and 1988 to date; and if he will make a statement.

110 rapes were recorded by the Greater Manchester police in 1987 and 118 rapes were recorded in the period 1 January to 30 September 1988. Annual figures are published in table 3.1 of "Criminal statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary tables, Volume 3".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1988 so that persons who organise, aid and abet or watch dog fights face either a prison sentence or community care orders to assist such bodies as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on conviction; and if he will make a statement.

We have no proposals for amending the present law. Organising or attending a dog fight is an offence under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. The maximum penalty for organising a dog fight is six months imprisonment or a fine of £2,000 or both. The maximum penalty for attending a dog fight is a fine of £1,000. With imprisonable offences, where the offender is aged 16 or over, the courts may make a community service order. The work performed under the order is a matter for the probation service. It may include work with a voluntary body like the RSPCA.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is issued to chief constables to implement the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

Home Office Circular 80/1988, of which a copy is in the Library, was issued on 1 September this year. It notified Chief Officers of Police and courts of the coming into force of the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average amount of time spent by a prisoner in his cell each day; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not collated centrally. The daily routine for prisoners varies widely depending on the role of the establishment and other factors. The prisons board statement of the functions of establishments makes clear to governors that a continuing objective is to enable prisoners to spend the maximum possible time out of their cells.

To ask the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department how many prisoners have the opportunity of working or learning new skills in prison; and if he will make a statement.

The most recent figures available provide estimation of the number of prisoners engaged in work, education or training courses during 1987, based on the average number so employed per weekday in male establishments. There are no available figures for female establishments. The figures are detailed in the table:

	Numbers
Vocational/Trade Training	2,460
Other Full-time Education	3,590
Pre-release Courses	440
Industrial Farms or Gardens	10,140
Other Work	15,190
Total	31,820

The opportunities for prisoners to participate are subject to constraints such as the availability of work, staffing requirements, existing facilities and regimes in establishments and the suitability of inmates for particular activities.The prison department attaches great importance to training, education and work experience for inmates as this helps individuals reach their full potential and eventually to play a more constructive role in custody and after release.In addition to the acquisition of accredited skills in vocational training courses, further consideration is presently being given to the greater integration of learning opportunities and work experience.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to allow private companies to employ prisoners in prison; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans for private companies directly to employ prisoners in prison workshops. Under the existing arrangements, a significant source of employment for prisoners is light assembly work for private companies, with the prison service providing the labour in prison workshops, but the private companies supplying the materials and equipment and distributing the finished goods.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask police forces in England and Wales to provide his Department with regular information regarding the number of reported domestic assaults each year; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 7 December 1988]: Information on recorded offences of domestic violence is published in the annual reports of some police forces, for example the annual reports of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. Information for England and Wales on domestic violence was published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" in 1979 and 1980. However, this was judged to be incomplete because not all police forces recorded domestic violence separately. An ad hoc survey of violent crime (including domestic assaults) recorded by the police is currently being undertaken and the results will be evaluated in 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines his Department has issued to health authorities with regard to remedying the problems of community care in cases where the transition from institutions to the community is costing more than anticipated.

Our strategic planning guidance requires health authorities to develop services flexibly so as to ensure that they meet identified needs appropriately and cost-effectively. Additional Welsh Office funding under the all-Wales mental handicap strategy is based on approved county plans which set out the costs of proposals and the sources for meeting them. These plans are subject to annual review and are amended as necessary. We propose similar arrangements in our consultation document on the development of services for those suffering from mental illness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by health authority the amount of money spent on mental health services each year since 1979, the percentage increase in real terms and the percentage of overall spending on health services, both in the National Health Service and in the private sector.

The information requested cannot be provided, since only limited data on mental health services' expenditure within the National Health Service in Wales is available for the years before 1987–8 and information on health-care spending within the private sector is not collected by the Department.The more comprehensive information now available on NHS spending on mental health services in 1987–88 is as follows:

National Health Service mental health services expenditure: 1987–881
District health authority	Mental health services' expenditure2	Total as a percentage of overall district health authorities' services expenditure
	(£000)	(per cent.)
Clwyd	7,974	0·99
East Dyfed	7,649	0·95
Gwent	13,923	1·73
Gwynedd	4,384	0·55
Mid Glamorgan	18,563	2·31
Pembrokeshire	768	0·10
Powys	5,587	0·70
South Glamorgan	12,070	1·50
West Glamorgan	6,396	0·80
Wales	277,315	9·63
1 The figures presented are provisional at this stage.
2 The figures in respect of mental health services relate to hospital services' expenditure and community health services' expenditure (where this can be separately identified) in respect of the mentally ill, the mentally handicapped, child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy. The hospital services' figures relate only to direct clinical and diagnostic services to patients and therefore do not include any attribution of expenditure in respect of general services such as administration, transport, hotel services or estate management. Similarly the community health services' figures relate

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the methods of monitoring the use of the proceeds from the sales of National Health Service buildings used for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped; and if he will seek to ensure that these proceeds are put back into those services rather than the regional budget.

County plans, produced by Social Services and health authorities and other interests provide the basis for the development of services under the all-Wales mental handicap strategy and make clear the source of investment. Similar arrangements are proposed in our draft proposals for the future development of services for those suffering from mental illness. In addition, the strategic, operational and capital plans of district health authorities provide details of the proposed use of Health Service resources, and their source, including capital receipts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with European Economic Community agriculture Ministers about the future of the sheep variable premium scheme; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, represents the United Kingdom at the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) which has twice considered the European Commission's proposals for review of the sheepmeat regime. The negotiations, are as yet at an early stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales it' he has any plans to further restrict the use of nitrogen fertilisers in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on 24 November 1988 by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with farm animal welfare groups in Wales regarding long-term use of the milk production hormone bovine somatotropin; and if he will make a statement.

None. Last year, the Farm Animal Welfare Council consulted a wide range of interests, including animal welfare organisations, on the welfare implications of using bovine somatotropin. The council has drawn attention to certain longer term aspects of animal welfare where further information is required. These are being considered in ongoing field trials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with both the farming unions in Wales regarding his proposals to cut his Department's budget on research and development; and if he will make a statement.

My noble Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries arid Food, has had discussions with the farming unions and other representatives of the industry about the Government's proposals to withdraw public funding from near market research and development. My officials have also had contacts with the farming unions. The Welsh Office has no budget for agricultural research and development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many professional staff are employed in the legal department of the shadow National Rivers Authority unit of the Welsh water authority.

This information is contained in Welsh Water's summary scheme of organisation for the Welsh regional unit of the National Rivers Authority, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 2 December 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly, on 5 December, Official Report, column 22, what was the value of the land sold by the Welsh water authority for each year since 1983.

The information is more readily available on a financial rather than a calendar year basis. The receipts from land sold by Welsh Water since 1 April 1983 are as follows:

	£
1983–84	319,385
1984–85	351,676
1985–86	199,097
1986–87	758,266
1987–88	204,095
1988 to date	302,486
Total	2,135,005

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when was the last surplus of central Government revenue over expenditure; if he will express it in 1988 prices; what is the latest forecast for the current year in 1988 prices; and if he will forecast the likely change in (a) money supply and (b) the national debt in the current year.

Before 1987–88, the public sector was last in surplus in 1969–70, when the surplus amounted to £0·6 billion, equivalent to £3·8 billion at 1988–89 prices. For the latest forecasts of the public sector surplus and growth of the money supply I refer the hon. Member to the autumn statement, paragraphs 20.2 and 2.48 respectively. To estimate the likely change in the national debt in the current year would involve revealing forecasts of items which by convention the Government never publish.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has regarding the amount and value of platinum coins held off-shore by British investors in order to avoid payment of value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 8 December 1988]: None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single parents are expected to claim the additional personal income tax allowance for 1988–89 and how many are widows; how many single parents claim one-parent benefit and how many widows with children receive a child dependency addition in respect of how many children; to what extent these two benefits have been increased to take account of the reduction in the real value of child benefit and the effect of inflation on the amounts payable in March 1986; and if he will bring up to date the benefit figures quoted in paragraph 4.10 of Cmnd. 9756.

I have been asked to reply.It is estimated that 470,000 lone parents, including 60,000 widows, will claim the additional personal income tax allowance in 1988–89.There are some 670,000 lone parents claiming one parent benefit. In March 1988 there were 61,176 widows claiming child dependency additions in respect of 92,086 children. These benefits have been increased in line with the increase in the index of retail prices since March 1986. No account has been taken of changes in the real value of child benefit.The current rate of one parent benefit is £4·90 weekly (£5·20 from April 1989). Widowed mother's allowance is £41·15 weekly and the child dependency addition £8·40 for each child (£43·60 and £8·95 respectively from April 1989).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the number of single parents and the number of their children; how many are widows and with how many children; how many are covered by one-parent benefit and the child dependency addition and at what cost to Revenue; whether either or both of these benefits are taxable; and how many single parents claiming the additional personal income tax allowance do not claim one-parent benefit or child dependency addition, and at what saving to the Revenue;(2) what is his estimate of the number of single parents and the number of their children; how many are widows and with how many children; how many are covered by one-parent benefit and the child dependency addition and at what cost to the revenue; whether either or both of these benefits are taxable; and how many single parents claiming the additional personal income-tax allowance do not claim one-parent benefit or child dependency addition, and at what saving to the revenue.

I have been asked to reply.The latest available statistics on the numbers of lone parents and their children, provided by OPCS, are for 1984 when there were 940,000 lone parents with 1·5 million children. These figures include 98,000 widows with 147,000 children.In 1984–85 565,000 lone parents received one parent benefit at a cost of £120 million. No statistics are kept on the numbers of lone parents among recipients of child dependency additions, which are payable with certain national insurance benefits on the basis of the claimant's contribution record. One parent benefit and child dependency additions are not subject to taxation.A total of 460,000 lone parents, including 70,000 widows, qualified for the additional personal income tax allowance in 1984–85. Statistics are not kept on how many of these were or were not also claimants of one parent benefit or child dependency additions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing staff there are at Belvoir hospital; how many of the staff have now been advised of their grades; and how many appeals against their grades have been received.

There are 280 nursing staff employed at Belvoir hospital, all of whom have been advised of their grades. No formal appeals have been received but 48 nurses have been involved in informal discussions with management about their grades.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the value of the salary increase payable to a night sister expressed as a percentage increase over salary received prior to re-grading.

As a result of the clinical regrading review for nurses, midwives and health visitors, night sisters can be placed on one of three new pay scales. The value of the salary increase expressed as a percentage over salary received prior to re-grading for each payscale is as follows:

Scale	Range of percentage pay increase
F	4·2–13·3
G	16·0–33·6
H	27·9–49·4

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing staff there are at Ards hospital; how many staff have now been advised of their grades; and how many appeals against their grades have been received.

There are 293 nursing staff employed at Ards hospital, all of whom have been advised of their grades. No formal appeals have been received but 42 nurses have been involved in informal discussions with management about their grades.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing staff there are at Forster Green hospital; how many of the staff have now been advised of their grades; and how many appeals against their grades have been received.

There are 81 nursing staff employed at Forster Green hospital, all of whom have been advised of their grades. No formal appeals have been received but 13 nurses have been involved in informal discussions with management about their grades.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why charge nurses and ward sisters are required to write to the director of nursing services to request positions or positional changes at Purdysburn hospital; whether this is normal procedure at hospitals within the Eastern Board area; and if he will make a statement.

Charge nurses and ward sisters are not normally required by the director of nursing services to write to him regarding positions or positional changes at Purdysburn hospital, nor is such a procedure normal practice at any hospital within the eastern board area. Management does however reserve the right to require such requests in writing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing staff there are at Purdysburn hospital; how many of the staff have now been advised of their grades; and how many appeals against their grades have been received.

There are 526 nursing staff employed at Purdysburn hospital, all of whom have been advised of their grades. No formal appeals have been received but 109 nurses have been involved in informal discussions with management about their grades.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many night sisters are employed in East Antrim hospitals.

Ten.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many night sisters have been regraded upwards in East Antrim hospitals.

Ten.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses at all levels have appealed against the grade allocated to them.

There have been no formal appeals by nurses against the grades allocated to them but a number have been involved in informal discussions with management about their grades.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the anticipated increase in voters in each of the individual assembly seats and district council seats expected as a result of the provision in the Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Bill.

The Bill brings the local government franchise in Northern Ireland broadly into line with the parliamentary franchise. The franchise for the Northern Ireland Assembly has already been amended in a similar way. On the basis of the current electoral register, the total increase in the number of local government electors would be approximately 10,500.An analysis of the number of parliamentary electors and local government electors on the current register, by constituency, is contained in the report of the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland for 1987–88 (HC 572), a copy of which is in the Library. Comparable information for individual districts could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of families with children in Northern Ireland are expected to be (a) entitled to and (b) claiming income support or family credit in 1988–89 and 1989–90.

Reliable information on those entitled to these benefits is not available. The available information is as follows:

Families with children under 19 receiving:	Numbers (estimated)	1Per cent
Income support:
1988–89	55,600	26
1989–90	55,500	25
Family credit:
1988–89	20,000	9
1989–90	30,000	14
1Represents the percentage of all families receiving child benefit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of his Department's staff are classed as disabled.

Within the Northern Ireland Civil Service the number of officers who have identified themselves as being registered as disabled persons under the Disabled Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1945 was 1·4 per cent. at 1 January 1988.The Northern Ireland Civil Service, conscious that this percentage may understate the true extent of disabled people among its staff, is currently carrying out an exercise to obtain more accurate statistics. The results of this exercise are expected to be available next year.None of the Home Civil Service staff of the Northern Ireland Office is currrently registered as disabled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what damage, disruptions or losses have been suffered by the Housing Executive in respect of their offices, sites vehicles and housing stock as a result of paramilitary activities.

[holding answer 8 December 1988]: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I am advised by the Chief Executive that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds there were in (a) the Oldham health authority area, (b) the Greater Manchester area and (c) the rest of the country in May 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available; what was the percentage change; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is shown in the table.

Average daily available beds, Oldham HA, Greater Manchester and the rest of England, 1979 and 1987–88
	1979	1987–88	Percentage change
Oldham	1,045	993	-5
Greater Manchester	17,618	16,202	-8
Rest of England	326,419	280,575	-14

Because of advances in medical treatment, periods of in-patient care have reduced and more patients are now treated as out-patients or on a day care basis. The latest figures available centrally show that patient activity increased as follows;

NHS hospitals activity, in Oldham, Greater Manchester and in rest of England
In-patients treated	1979	11987–88	Percentage change
Oldham	23,542	30,707	30·4
Greater Manchester	350,892	444,237	26·6
Rest of England	5,049,228	6,175,117	22·3
Out patients attendences (total)
Oldham	140,972	158,079	12·1
Greater Manchester	2,363,459	2,602,003	10·1
Rest of England	31,736,266	34,148,210	7·6
Day cases		1986
Oldham	2,085	3,612	73·2
Greater Manchester	45,283	83,009	83·3
Rest of England	546,778	967,149	76·9
1 Patients attending out-patient clinics soley for attention of a minor nature and not seen by a doctor, eg. to have a dressing changed, are no longer counted. Prior to 1987–88 new outpatient attendances were first attendances at an individual hospital for a continuous series of treatments, but are now first attendances within the district when the attendance has not been initiated by the consultant or one of his staff.

Day case figures for 1987–88 are not yet available. 1986 day case figures are given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer patients attending Cookridge hospital are not receiving treatment as a result of the recent shortage of radiographers.

None. I understand that some treatments recently had to be rescheduled, because of equipment malfunction. The hon. Member may wish to contact the Leeds western health authority for a full explanation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the alternative arrangements to be put into effect to provide National Health Service hospital services for patients in Epping in the event of services being reduced at St. Margaret's hospital.

We announced approval in principle in May this year for a £30 million scheme for the Princess Alexandra hospital, Harlow, to develop it as the district general hospital for West Essex and enable improved facilities to be provided for the population of the district, including patients in Epping. The centralisation of acute facilities from the Herts and Essex hospital, Bishops Stortford, and St. Margaret's hospital, Epping, to the Princess Alexandra has been accepted by the local community health council. Services remaining at St. Margaret's, after the redevelopment is complete, will include beds and a day hospital for the elderly and the elderly mentally ill, out-patient clinics and a breast screening unit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is considering to promote preventive medicine.

We recognise the essential role that preventive medicine has to play in improving people's health. A wide range of preventive activity including vaccination and immunisation, health screening, health education, genetic counselling and medical research is already taking place.We consider that prevention is not simply a question of medicine but of lifestyle. In the coming months we will be launching the next phase of the national heart disease prevention campaign "Look After Your Heart", and we will be playing an active part in next year's "Europe Against Cancer" initiative. Following the successful launch of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine last October we hope to achieve target uptake of 90 per cent. In June we are planning a conference on the health of elderly people entitled "The Time Of Your Life". We expect to receive advice in the first part of next year from the standing medical advisory committee on the cost-effectiveness of cholesterol screening.Implementation of health authorities' plans for prevention will continue to be monitored through the ministerial review process to ensure they are effective, well-organised and reflect the pattern of preventable disease in the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the recommendation that all babies should be fully examined within 24 hours of birth made in the third report from the maternity services advisory committee has yet been implemented.

Yes, as far as we are aware. All babies are given a physical examination by the midwife attending the birth. We have no details at the moment on the examinations carried out by the doctor.It is however, the responsibility of the local health authorities through the maternity services liaison committees to ensure that recommendation A.16 is implemented.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the report of the joint working party on child health surveillance.

I understand that the report of the independent joint working party on child health surveillance, "Health for All Children", is due to be published by the end of February 1989 and I expect to receive a copy at that time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will compile asset registers of land owned by the National Health Service.

We do. Registers are compiled by district valuers and are kept at the Department. We also require health authorities to keep similar records including open market value and existing use value.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the acceptable level of mercury in fish beyond which they become unfit for human consumption.

[pursuant to her reply, 29 November 1988, c. 198]: The provisional tolerable weekly intake of mercury should have been given as 0·3 mg per week of which no more than 0·2 mg should be organic mercury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he has budgeted for motorway and trunk road renewal in each of the three years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

The public expenditure provision for renewal of motorways and other trunk roads for the years in question is:

Year	£ million
1989–90	240
1990–91	249
1991–92	253

In addition the provision for the renewal and strengthening of bridges associated with those roads is:

Year	£ million
1989–90	101
1990–91	103
1991–92	101

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of his Department's staff are classed as disabled.

As at 1 December 1988, the percentage of staff classed as disabled was 3·40 per cent. including 1·27 per cent. registered disabled persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the role of his Department's officials in assisting the Kent police to apprehend 41 coach drivers travelling from France, most of whose vehicles were overladen with excess beer, wines and spirits; if he will bring this behaviour to the attention of the relevant licensing authority; if he will take steps to reduce to 50 mph the speed limit on coaches; and if he will restrict coaches to the inside two lanes of three-lane motorways in order to reduce intimidatory driving.

The check on coaches which took place between the hours of 1800 to midnight on Saturday 3 December was organised by the Department's traffic examiners in conjunction with the Kent police. Traffic examiners weighed all the coaches stopped and directed by the police to the A2 Boughton weighbridge site near Canterbury. Documents including tachograph charts were also checked. The Department's vehicle examiners also attended to carry out safety and mechanical checks on the coaches. Appropriate prosecution action will be taken in the name of the South Eastern Traffic Commissioner against bus operators and drivers who were found to be in contravention of the law.We have no plans to reduce coach speed limits or to restrict coaches to the two left-hand lanes of three-lane motorways.Regulations require British coaches to be fitted with road speed limiters. These limiters will physically limit coach speeds to the legal maximum of 70 mph. The fitment programme will be phased over the next few years.Many millions of motorway miles are already travelled safely by coaches.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made any assessment of the implications for traffic management in London of the re-development of Hammersmith broadway.

No. The London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is both the highway authority and the planning authority for the Hammersmith broadway redevelopment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made any assessment of the implications for access for emergency service vehicles to the Hammersmith transport interchange of the proposed development of Hammersmith broadway.

The borough is both planning and highway authority. I understand that the London fire brigade has been involved in discussions about access for emergency service vehicles with the developers and the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.Designs for the underground station will be submitted for approval to the railways inspectorate, which will consult the London fire brigade before making recommendations to me.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were killed in accidents involving heavy goods vehicles for each year between 1979 and 1987.

The table shows the number of fatalities in accidents involving heavy goods vehicles in Great Britain between 1979 and 1987.

Fatalities in accidents involving heavy goods vehicles:
Great Britain: 1977–1987
	Number
1979	1,063
1980	859
1981	851
1982	875
1983	811
1984	876
1985	811
1986	908
1987	910

These numbers have to be associated with distance travelled to establish the trend in the casualty rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many houses would be demolished and how much expenditure would be involved if he decided to proceed with the schemes contained in option 10 of the south London assessment study, option 5 of the east London assessment study, option 3A of the west London assessment study and option E of the south circular assessment study as a package.

	Normal or Above	Moderate Impairment	Severe Impairment	Profound Impairment	Total
Borders	10	130	30	—	180
Central	20	240	60	60	380
Dumfries/Galloway	50	50	40	20	160
Fife	150	320	120	40	630
Grampian	130	550	210	110	1,000
Highland	10	270	90	40	400
Lothian	430	760	240	110	1,550
Strathclyde	860	2,170	680	490	4,200
Tayside	50	300	80	50	480
Orkney	—	—	—	—	10
Shetland	—	—	—	10	10
Western Isles	—	20	10	—	30
All Scotland	1,710	4,810	1,570	930	9,020
Argyll and Bute	10	50	20	10	90
Ayr	30	300	70	90	490
Dunbarton	40	250	90	80	450
Glasgow (City)	580	870	190	150	1,790
Lanark	130	440	200	80	840
Renfrew	80	270	110	90	550

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate what forms of assessment of the effects of predation by birds and seals at marine fish farms are taking place; and if he will make a statement.

In-house and externally commissioned research is in progress at present. The need for further research will be considered in the light of results from current studies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances the killing of predatory birds by marine fish farmers is sanctioned by him; if he is in a position to indicate the number and species of birds so killed in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.