Written Answers To Questions
Wednesday 11 January 1989
Environment
River Pollution
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 20 per cent. of water authorities sewage treatment works in England and Wales where poor performance has given rise to recent deterioration in river quality.
Water authority returns detailing those sewage treatment works which in 1987 failed to comply with discharge consent conditions are available in the Libraries of both Houses.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions there have been under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 in respect of alleged river pollution since the implementation of the Act; and if he will list such prosecutions in date order.
I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 8 December at col. 276.
Sewage
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the major programmes of investment applicable to sewage works in coastal towns to bring their works up to standard; and in each case what provision there is for primary and secondary sewage treatment.
The detailed programmes of investment for upgrading all sewage treatment works are still being developed by individual authorities in discussion with my Department. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on December 7 to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) by my hon. Friend the Minister for Water and Planning at column 199.
Water Pollution
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the statutory standard for water in order to safeguard the public from the hazards of polluted rivers, lakes and reservoirs, in view of their increasing use for inland water sports and recreation.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to his questions on Tuesday 10 January at columns. 504–505.
Water Companies (Asset Values)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact on the asset values of water companies of the failure of copper pipes due to water corrosion caused by the non-lime retaining waters supplied (a) in Nottingham and (b) in England.
None. Water authority mains are unlikely to be affected.
Football
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any estimates of those attending the following numbers of Football League matches in a season (a) one to 10, (b) 11 to 20, (c) 21 to 30, (d) 31 to 40 and (e) more than 40.
No.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions there will be under the football membership scheme for football fans who support more than one team.
It will be for the body appointed to run the scheme to consider the way in which the scheme will work in detail and submit proposals to the Secretary of State for approval. The report of the working party I chaired recommended that members of the scheme should be able to attend any designated match.
Towpaths
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the use of canal towpaths for horse-riding; and if he will make a statement.
The management of towpaths is the responsibility of their owners. Most canal towpaths are owned by the British Waterways Board, whose byelaws require permission to be obtained for horse riding. The board's policy is to permit horse riding only where it would be compatible with other uses.
Water Authority Chairmen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to change any of the water authority chairmen.
No.
Housing Action Trust (Leeds)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the report prepared for him by PIEDA consultants on the proposed housing action trust in Leeds, and if he will make a statement.
We have not yet received the report from the consultants studying the area proposed for a housing action trust in Leeds.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy in deciding whether to designate Halton Moor estate, Leeds, as part of a housing action trust, to take into account the report prepared by local tenants, a copy of which has been sent to him.
We shall take account of all local views in deciding whether to establish individual HATs. In particular, the Secretary of State may not make an order designating a HAT area unless a majority of tenants approve the proposal in a ballot.
Rate Support Grant
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 21 December, Official Report, column 268, if he will list for each local authority its share of the accumulated reduction in rate support grant since 1978–79 at 1988–89 prices.
It is not possible to estimate what grant individual authorities would have received in each of the last 10 years had the total of rate support grant been higher without knowing what decisions would have been made by the Government about the factors which affect the distribution of grant and by authorities about their level of spending.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show for each local authority the rate support grant paid in each year since 1978–79, expressed in (a) cash terms and (b) real terms at 1988–89 prices; and what percentage of the council's total expenditure in each year this represented.
The information will be placed in the House of Commons Library today.
Water
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations have been made by his Department to the European Commission regarding the incident at Lowermoor water treatment works on 6 July 1988;(2) what representations have been made by his Department to the World Health Organisation regarding the incident at Lowermoor water treatment works on 6 July 1988.
None.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken by his Department subsequent to his meeting with the chairman of the Lowermoor incident liaison group on 21 December.
No action has been taken by my Department subsequent to the meeting of my hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health with the chairman of the Lowermoor incident liaison group and the hon. Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Neale) on 21 December. I am satisfied that the undertakings which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health gave in relation to the local health concerns will meet the principal worries of people in the Camelford area.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence he has received from the European Commission in connection with European law and the provisions in the Water Bill; and if he will make a statement.
A copy of the Water Bill has been sent to the European Commission. If the Commission raises any points we shall consider them.
Grant-Related Expenditure
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was (a) the total and (b) the percentage year-on-year change in the grant-related expenditure of (i) the Inner London Education Authority and (ii) the Metropolitan police, in each year from 1981–82.
The information is as shown in the following table:
| Total GRE (£ million) | Change in GRE on previous year (per cent.) | |||
| ILEA | Metropolitan police | ILEA | Metropolitan police | |
| 1981–82 | 468·477 | 273·605 | — | — |
| 1982–83 | 509·273 | 327·191 | 8·7 | 19·6 |
| 1983–84 | 513·327 | 348·304 | 0·8 | 6·5 |
| 1984–85 | 532·430 | 366·679 | 3·7 | 5·3 |
| 1985–86 | 520·770 | 388·948 | -2·2 | 6·1 |
| 1986–87 | 548·153 | 421·270 | 5·3 | 8·3 |
| 1987–88 | 581·161 | 459·871 | 6·0 | 9·2 |
| 1988–89 | 630·134 | 497·553 | 8·4 | 8·2 |
| 1988–891 | 582·195 | 497·553 | — | — |
| 1989–90 | 629·834 | 545·443 | 8·2 | 9·6 |
| 1 Adjustment. | ||||
Note: In the table above an adjusted 1988–89 GRE is shown for ILEA. The adjustment reflects the transfer of higher education establishments to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council from 1 April 1989.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the percentage change in grant-related expenditure for each local authority between 1987–88 and 1988–89, ranked from biggest increase to biggest decrease.
The information is as shown in the following table:
| Percentage changes in GRE between 1987–88 RSG second supplementary report and 1988–89 RSG supplementary report | |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| East Lindsey | 28·5 |
| Northumbria Police Authority | 14·4 |
| Runnymede | 14·1 |
| South Yorkshire Police Authority | 13·8 |
| West Yorkshire Police Authority | 13·0 |
| Middlesbrough | 12·4 |
| West Midlands Police Authority | 11·9 |
| Merseyside Police Authority | 11·9 |
| Greater Manchester Police Authority | 11·9 |
| Isle of Wight | 9·9 |
| Berkshire | 9·8 |
| Glanford | 9·6 |
| Harrow | 9·6 |
| Kingston-upon-Thames | 9·5 |
| East Sussex | 9·4 |
| West Sussex | 9·3 |
| Buckinghamshire | 9·3 |
| Northamptonshire | 9·3 |
| Redbridge | 9·2 |
| Sutton | 9·2 |
| Milton Keynes | 9·2 |
| Barnet | 9·0 |
| Cambridgeshire | 9·0 |
| Hillingdon | 8·9 |
| Enfield | 8·9 |
| Suffolk | 8·9 |
| Bradford | 8·9 |
| Leicestershire | 8·8 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 8·8 |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| Rotherham | 8·7 |
| Cornwall | 8·7 |
| Wellingborough | 8·6 |
| Ealing | 8·5 |
| Hampshire | 8·5 |
| Bedfordshire | 8·5 |
| Surrey | 8·4 |
| Avon | 8·4 |
| ILEA | 8·4 |
| Lincolnshire | 8·4 |
| Knowsley | 8·4 |
| Dorset | 8·4 |
| City of London | 8·4 |
| Bexley | 8·4 |
| Somerset | 8·3 |
| North Yorkshire | 8·3 |
| Wiltshire | 8·3 |
| Gloucestershire | 8·2 |
| Merton | 8·2 |
| Metropolitan Police | 8·2 |
| Sunderland | 8·2 |
| Essex | 8·2 |
| Kirklees | 8·1 |
| Shropshire | 8·1 |
| Haringey | 8·1 |
| Oldham | 8·1 |
| Norfolk | 8·1 |
| Oxfordshire | 8·0 |
| Hastings | 8·0 |
| Bromley | 8·0 |
| Coventry | 8·0 |
| Calderdale | 8·0 |
| Cheshire | 7·9 |
| North Tyneside | 7·9 |
| Derbyshire | 7·9 |
| South Tyneside | 7·9 |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | 7·8 |
| North Devon | 7·8 |
| Gateshead | 7·8 |
| Nottinghamshire | 7·7 |
| Burnley | 7·7 |
| Leeds | 7·7 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 7·7 |
| Birmingham | 7·7 |
| Lancashire | 7·6 |
| Sandwell | 7·5 |
| Kent | 7·5 |
| Solihull | 7·5 |
| Wirral | 7·5 |
| Devon | 7·5 |
| Thurrock | 7·5 |
| Sefton | 7·5 |
| Doncaster | 7·4 |
| Purbeck | 7·3 |
| Wakefield | 7·3 |
| Dudley | 7·3 |
| Durham | 7·3 |
| Cleveland | 7·3 |
| Wigan | 7·2 |
| Scarborough | 7·2 |
| Penwith | 7·2 |
| Waltham Forest | 7·2 |
| Hertfordshire | 7·2 |
| Teignbridge | 7·2 |
| Rochdale | 7·2 |
| Havant | 7·1 |
| Warwickshire | 7·1 |
| Hounslow | 7·1 |
| Bolton | 7·1 |
| Humberside | 7·1 |
| St. Helens | 7·1 |
| Bournemouth | 7·1 |
| Weymouth and Portland | 7·1 |
| Staffordshire | 7·0 |
| Wolverhampton | 7·0 |
| Walsall | 7·0 |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| Halton | 7·0 |
| Northumberland | 6·9 |
| New Forest | 6·9 |
| Cumbria | 6·8 |
| Poole | 6·8 |
| Trafford | 6·8 |
| South Hams | 6·8 |
| Lancaster | 6·8 |
| Croydon | 6·8 |
| Lambeth | 6·8 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 6·8 |
| Isles of Scilly | 6·8 |
| Bury | 6·7 |
| Plymouth | 6·7 |
| Hereford and Worcester | 6·6 |
| Bracknell | 6·5 |
| Nottingham | 6·5 |
| Blackpool | 6·5 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 6·5 |
| Richmond-upon-Thames | 6·4 |
| Barnsley | 6·4 |
| Brent | 6·4 |
| Camden | 6·3 |
| Horsham | 6·3 |
| Peterborough | 6·3 |
| Suffolk Coastal | 6·2 |
| Torbay | 6·2 |
| Hartlepool | 6·2 |
| Woking | 6·2 |
| Sheffield | 6·1 |
| Southampton | 6·1 |
| Pendle | 6·1 |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 6·0 |
| Havering | 6·0 |
| Wokingham | 6·0 |
| Adur | 6·0 |
| West Dorset | 6·0 |
| Huntingdonshire | 5·9 |
| Waveney | 5·9 |
| Barrow in Furness | 5·9 |
| Preston | 5·9 |
| Worthing | 5·9 |
| Bristol | 5·8 |
| Kingston upon Hull | 5·8 |
| Woodspring | 5·8 |
| Tyne and Wear Fire and CD Authority | 5·7 |
| West Somerset | 5·7 |
| Slough | 5·7 |
| North Dorset | 5·6 |
| Restormel | 5·6 |
| Salford | 5·5 |
| Corby | 5·5 |
| Sedgemoor | 5·5 |
| Wyre | 5·5 |
| Thamesdown | 5·5 |
| Tameside | 5·5 |
| Hove | 5·5 |
| Redditich | 5·4 |
| Kerrier | 5·4 |
| North Norfolk | 5·3 |
| Newham | 5·3 |
| Scunthorpe | 5·3 |
| Oxford | 5·3 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 5·3 |
| Test Valley | 5·2 |
| Tandridge | 5·2 |
| Chesterfield | 5·2 |
| Reigate and Banstead | 5·2 |
| Tamworth | 5·1 |
| Lewisham | 5·1 |
| Northavon | 5·1 |
| Southend-on-Sea | 5·1 |
| South Yorkshire Fire & CD Authority | 5·1 |
| Torridge | 5·1 |
| Mid Devon | 5·1 |
| London Fire & CD Authority | 5·1 |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| Stockport | 5·1 |
| Norwich | 5·0 |
| Gillingham | 5·0 |
| Rother | 4·9 |
| East Hertfordshire | 4·9 |
| Tendring | 4·9 |
| South Wight | 4·8 |
| Cheltenham | 4·8 |
| Liverpool | 4·8 |
| Shepway | 4·8 |
| Warrington | 4·7 |
| Southwark | 4·7 |
| Manchester | 4·7 |
| Brentwood | 4·7 |
| Dover | 4·7 |
| Wrekin | 4·7 |
| Sedgefield | 4·7 |
| Worcester | 4·7 |
| Portsmouth | 4·7 |
| North Bedfordshire | 4·6 |
| Copeland | 4·6 |
| Eastleigh | 4·6 |
| Carrick | 4·6 |
| Exeter | 4·6 |
| Rochester upon Medway | 4·5 |
| Carlisle | 4·5 |
| Basingstoke and Deane | 4·5 |
| Wandsworth | 4·5 |
| East Staffordshire | 4·5 |
| Malvern Hills | 4·5 |
| West Lancashire | 4·5 |
| South Bedfordshire | 4·4 |
| South Staffordshire | 4·4 |
| North Cornwall | 4·4 |
| Mid Bedfordshire | 4·4 |
| Elmbridge | 4·4 |
| Hereford | 4·3 |
| Wear Valley | 4·3 |
| Kettering | 4·3 |
| Colchester | 4·3 |
| Dartford | 4·3 |
| Crawley | 4·3 |
| Broxtowe | 4·3 |
| Guildford | 4·3 |
| Gloucester | 4·3 |
| Kingswood | 4·2 |
| Selby | 4·2 |
| Derwentside | 4·2 |
| Derby | 4·2 |
| Swale | 4·2 |
| South Yorkshire Transport Authority | 4·2 |
| Leicester | 4·2 |
| Canterbury | 4·1 |
| Durham | 4·1 |
| Fenland | 4·1 |
| South Kesteven | 4·1 |
| Fareham | 4·1 |
| Christchurch | 4·0 |
| East Hampshire | 4·0 |
| Winchester | 4·0 |
| Fylde | 4·0 |
| Eden | 4·0 |
| Cherwell | 4·0 |
| West Devon | 4·0 |
| Rushcliffe | 4·0 |
| Greater Manchester Transport Authority | 3·9 |
| Aylesbury Vale | 3·9 |
| York | 3·9 |
| Blyth Valley | 3·9 |
| West Oxfordshire | 3·9 |
| Stevenage | 3·9 |
| Chester | 3·9 |
| Eastbourne | 3·8 |
| West Midlands Fire and CD Authority | 3·8 |
| Wycombe | 3·8 |
| Caradon | 3·8 |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| Bath | 3·8 |
| Taunton Deane | 3·8 |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | 3·8 |
| Richmondshire | 3·8 |
| Wansbeck | 3·8 |
| South Shropshire | 3·7 |
| Warwick | 3·7 |
| Erewash | 3·7 |
| South Herefordshire | 3·7 |
| Arun | 3·7 |
| East Northamptonshire | 3·7 |
| St. Edmundsbury | 3·7 |
| Chorley | 3·7 |
| Wealden | 3·7 |
| Medina | 3·6 |
| Stroud | 3·6 |
| West Lindsey | 3·6 |
| Nuneaton and Bedworth | 3·6 |
| Newbury | 3·6 |
| West Yorkshire Fire and CD Authority | 3·6 |
| Broxbourne | 3·5 |
| Broadland | 3·5 |
| Melton | 3·5 |
| Congleton | 3·5 |
| Thanet | 3·4 |
| Great Yarmouth | 3·4 |
| Mendip | 3·4 |
| Holderness | 3·4 |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk | 3·4 |
| Forest of Dean | 3·4 |
| Cambridge | 3·4 |
| East Dorset | 3·4 |
| East Yorkshire | 3·3 |
| North Kesteven | 3·3 |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 3·3 |
| Ashfield | 3·3 |
| Harlow | 3·3 |
| Hart | 3·2 |
| East Devon | 3·2 |
| Gedling | 3·2 |
| Islington | 3·2 |
| Wychavon | 3·2 |
| Chichester | 3·2 |
| Mole Valley | 3·2 |
| Amber Valley | 3·1 |
| Newark and Sherwood | 3·1 |
| Epsom and Ewell | 3·1 |
| Mid Sussex | 3·1 |
| Daventry | 3·1 |
| West Midlands Transport Authority | 3·1 |
| Beverley | 3·1 |
| Ribble Valley | 3·0 |
| South Cambridgeshire | 3·0 |
| Vale Royal | 3·0 |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 3·0 |
| South Somerset | 3·0 |
| Cotswold | 3·0 |
| Greater Manchester Fire & CD Authority | 3·0 |
| Watford | 3·0 |
| Stratford on Avon | 2·9 |
| South Northamptonshire | 2·9 |
| Luton | 2·9 |
| Blackburn | 2·9 |
| Dacorum | 2·8 |
| Tewkesbury | 2·8 |
| Leominster | 2·8 |
| South Lakeland | 2·8 |
| Teesdale | 2·8 |
| Chelmsford | 2·8 |
| Bassetlaw | 2·8 |
| Harrogate | 2·8 |
| Wyre Forest | 2·8 |
| Craven | 2·8 |
| Ryedale | 2·8 |
| Ipswich | 2·8 |
| Blaby | 2·7 |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| Cannock Chase | 2·7 |
| East Cambridgeshire | 2·7 |
| Waverley | 2·6 |
| Sevenoaks | 2·6 |
| Crewe and Nantwich | 2·6 |
| Boston | 2·6 |
| Rochford | 2·6 |
| Rugby | 2·6 |
| Maldon | 2·6 |
| Stafford | 2·6 |
| High Peak | 2·6 |
| Maidstone | 2·6 |
| Hertsmere | 2·5 |
| Tower Hamlets | 2·5 |
| South Bucks | 2·5 |
| Rossendale | 2·5 |
| Breckland | 2·5 |
| Gosport | 2·5 |
| Epping Forest | 2·5 |
| Boothferry | 2·4 |
| Surrey Heath | 2·4 |
| Lichfield | 2·4 |
| Gravesham | 2·3 |
| Tunbridge Wells | 2·3 |
| Hyndburn | 2·3 |
| Vale of White Horse | 2·2 |
| Bromsgrove | 2·2 |
| Babergh | 2·2 |
| Merseyside Fire and CD Authority | 2·2 |
| Chiltern | 2·1 |
| St. Albans | 2·1 |
| West Wiltshire | 2·1 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 2·1 |
| Bridgnorth | 2·0 |
| Allerdale | 2·0 |
| Spelthorne | 2·0 |
| Macclesfield | 2·0 |
| Oswestry | 2·0 |
| Lincoln | 2·0 |
| Rushmoor | 1·9 |
| South Ribble | 1·9 |
| Darlington | 1·9 |
| Castle Point | 1·9 |
| Charnwood | 1·9 |
| North Warwickshire | 1·8 |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | 1·8 |
| Kennet | 1·8 |
| Great Grimsby | 1·7 |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | 1·6 |
| South Derbyshire | 1·6 |
| Westminster | 1·6 |
| North Hertfordshire | 1·6 |
| North Wiltshire | 1·5 |
| Reading | 1·5 |
| Oadby and Wigston | 1·4 |
| Salisbury | 1·4 |
| Three Rivers | 1·4 |
| Cleethorpes | 1·3 |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | 1·3 |
| South Oxfordshire | 1·3 |
| Forest Heath | 1·2 |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 1·1 |
| Uttlesford | 1·0 |
| Braintree | 1·0 |
| South Holland | 1·0 |
| Hambledon | 0·9 |
| Alnwick | 0·9 |
| South Norfolk | 0·8 |
| North East Derbyshire | 0·7 |
| Mid Suffolk | 0·6 |
| North Shropshire | 0·4 |
| Harborough | 0·4 |
| North West Leicestershire | 0·3 |
| Bolsover | 0·3 |
| Rutland | 0·2 |
| Brighton | 0·2 |
| Percentage change in GRE | |
| Tynedale | -0·1 |
| Basildon | -0·1 |
| Greenwich | -0·3 |
| Lewes | -0·3 |
| Hackney | -0·4 |
| Tyne and Wear Transport Authority | -0·7 |
| Castle Morpeth | -0·7 |
| Derbyshire Dales | -0·9 |
| Merseyside Transport Authority | -0·9 |
| Ashford | -1·1 |
| Mansfield | -1·7 |
| West Yorkshire Transport Authority | -1·8 |
| Wansdyke | -2·6 |
| Chester-le-Street | -3·4 |
| Northampton | -6·6 |
| Langbaurgh-on-Tees | -6·7 |
| Easington | -26·8 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in descending order using their 1988–89 budgets all English local authorities on the basis of the percentage above or below their grant-related expenditure assessments for 1988–89.
The information based on the relevant amounts determined in accordance with the Rate Support Grants Act 1988 is as shown in the table:
| 1988–89 Rate Support Grant Supplementary Report | |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (Per cent). | |
| Brentwood | 276·7 |
| Harlow | 175·0 |
| Crawley | 108·7 |
| Thurrock | 100·5 |
| City of London | 99·6 |
| Guildford | 98·0 |
| North Warwickshire | 97·7 |
| Sedgefield | 89·5 |
| Wear Valley | 83·8 |
| Derwentside | 76·3 |
| South Yorkshire Transport Authority | 74·2 |
| Thamesdown | 69·1 |
| Bassetlaw | 67·2 |
| ILEA | 63·1 |
| Basildon | 62·9 |
| Rossendale | 61·3 |
| Welwyn Hatfield | 60·6 |
| Burnley | 60·1 |
| Wansbeck | 60·0 |
| Stevenage | 59·3 |
| Blyth Valley | 58·9 |
| Hart | 57·9 |
| North East Derbyshire | 56·5 |
| Darlington | 55·9 |
| Scunthorpe | 55·6 |
| Bolsover | 53·7 |
| Durham | 51·6 |
| Daventry | 49·1 |
| West Yorkshire Transport Authority | 48·7 |
| Harrogate | 48·6 |
| Adur | 48·0 |
| Milton Keynes | 46·9 |
| Langbaurgh-on-Tees | 45·3 |
| Nuneaton and Bedworth | 44·0 |
| Wokingham | 43·9 |
| Selby | 40·0 |
| Chester-le-Street | 39·7 |
| Greenwich | 39·2 |
| Pendle | 39·0 |
| West Yorkshire Fire and CD Authority | 37·4 |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (per cent.) | |
| South Bedfordshire | 37·4 |
| Wyre Forest | 37·4 |
| Mansfield | 36·4 |
| Redditch | 36·0 |
| Hyndburn | 35·3 |
| Reigate and Banstead | 35·1 |
| Tynedale | 34·6 |
| East Yorkshire | 34·3 |
| Oxford | 34·3 |
| Easington | 32·5 |
| Ribble Valley | 32·0 |
| Camden | 30·2 |
| Lewisham | 29·2 |
| Crewe and Nantwich | 27·9 |
| Merseyside Transport Authority | 27·7 |
| Cleethorpes | 27·4 |
| Hartlepool | 27·3 |
| Three Rivers | 26·8 |
| Shepway | 26·8 |
| Ipswich | 26·5 |
| Norwich | 26·4 |
| Wrekin | 26·1 |
| High Peak | 25·7 |
| West Lindsey | 25·6 |
| Suffolk Coastal | 25·5 |
| St. Albans | 25·5 |
| North West Leicestershire | 25·5 |
| Blackburn | 25·2 |
| Epsom and Ewell | 25·2 |
| Carlisle | 24·5 |
| Bristol | 23·4 |
| South Yorkshire Fire and CD Authority | 23·2 |
| Preston | 22·8 |
| Boothferry | 22·3 |
| Greater Manchester Fire and CD Authority | 22·1 |
| Tyne and Wear Fire and CD Authority | 21·9 |
| North Wiltshire | 21·7 |
| Copeland | 21·4 |
| Chester | 21·2 |
| Peterborough | 21·2 |
| Tower Hamlets | 20·9 |
| East Dorset | 20·0 |
| Hackney | 19·5 |
| Hertsmere | 18·9 |
| Leicester | 18·7 |
| South Wight | 18·5 |
| Wychavon | 17·4 |
| Derbyshire Dales | 17·3 |
| Chesterfield | 17·2 |
| West Lancashire | 16·4 |
| Great Yarmouth | 16·3 |
| Castle Point | 15·9 |
| Dartford | 15·7 |
| Sevenoaks | 15·5 |
| Wealden | 15·5 |
| Mid Suffolk | 15·3 |
| Malvern Hills | 15·1 |
| East Hampshire | 15·1 |
| Ashford | 14·7 |
| Beverley | 14·7 |
| Castle Morpeth | 14·6 |
| New Forest | 14·5 |
| Warrington | 14·5 |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 14·5 |
| Congleton | 14·4 |
| South Ribble | 14·3 |
| Harborough | 14·2 |
| Vale Royal | 14·1 |
| Swale | 13·8 |
| Epping Forest | 13·8 |
| Scarborough | 13·8 |
| North Kesteven | 13·7 |
| South Hams | 13·6 |
| Chorley | 13·5 |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (per cent.) | |
| Stratford on Avon | 13·4 |
| Teignbridge | 13·4 |
| Ashfield | 13·3 |
| Fareham | 13·3 |
| Craven | 13·2 |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 13·2 |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 13·2 |
| Southwark | 13·2 |
| Spelthorne | 13·0 |
| Halton | 13·0 |
| North Hertfordshire | 12·8 |
| Newark and Sherwood | 12·7 |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 12·6 |
| Torridge | 12·6 |
| Melton | 12·6 |
| Winchester | 12·5 |
| Bath | 12·5 |
| Barrow in Furness | 12·5 |
| Sedgemoor | 12·3 |
| Tunbridge Wells | 12·3 |
| Blackpool | 12·2 |
| Middlesbrough | 12·1 |
| Thanet | 11·8 |
| Watford | 11·7 |
| London Fire & CD Authority | 11·6 |
| Brent | 11·4 |
| Oswestry | 11·4 |
| Gravesham | 11·4 |
| Rother | 11·3 |
| Great Grimsby | 11·2 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 11·2 |
| Richmondshire | 11·2 |
| Cannock Chase | 11·1 |
| Arun | 11·1 |
| Calderdale | 11·0 |
| Alnwick | 10·9 |
| Canterbury | 10·9 |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | 10·6 |
| Kingston upon Hull | 10·5 |
| Carrick | 10·4 |
| South Lakeland | 10·4 |
| Northavon | 10·3 |
| Worcester | 10·2 |
| Lewes | 10·2 |
| East Lindsey | 10·2 |
| North Devon | 10·1 |
| Wigan | 10·1 |
| Tameside | 10·0 |
| Richmond-upon-Thames | 10·0 |
| Stroud | 9·9 |
| Northampton | 9·9 |
| Dover | 9·9 |
| North Tyneside | 9·9 |
| Rotherham | 9·9 |
| Doncaster | 9·8 |
| Brighton | 9·8 |
| Sheffield | 9·8 |
| Waverley | 9·7 |
| Barnsley | 9·7 |
| Oxfordshire | 9·5 |
| Cumbria | 9·5 |
| Derbyshire | 9·5 |
| Wakefield | 9·4 |
| Lambeth | 9·4 |
| Rochdale | 9·4 |
| Walsall | 9·3 |
| Kirklees | 9·3 |
| Haringey | 9·1 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 9·1 |
| Forest of Dean | 9·1 |
| Cleveland | 9·0 |
| West Midlands Fire and CD Authority | 9·0 |
| South Bucks | 8·9 |
| Lancaster | 8·9 |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (per cent.) | |
| Torbay | 8·8 |
| Holderness | 8·8 |
| Woodspring | 8·8 |
| Salford | 8·8 |
| Manchester | 8·7 |
| Greater Manchester Transport Authority | 8·7 |
| Sunderland | 8·7 |
| Avon | 8·6 |
| Glanford | 8·5 |
| Gateshead | 8·3 |
| Liverpool | 8·3 |
| Chelmsford | 8·3 |
| Lincoln | 8·3 |
| South Tyneside | 8·2 |
| Reading | 8·2 |
| Humberside | 8·2 |
| St. Helens | 8·1 |
| Bedfordshire | 8·0 |
| Fylde | 8·0 |
| Waltham Forest | 8·0 |
| South Derbyshire | 8·0 |
| Merseyside Police Authority | 7·8 |
| West Yorkshire Police Authority | 7·8 |
| Knowsley | 7·8 |
| Wyre | 7·8 |
| Northumbria Police Authority | 7·7 |
| Sandwell | 7·7 |
| Allerdale | 7·7 |
| Hertfordshire | 7·6 |
| Hammersmith ad Fulham | 7·6 |
| Islington | 7·5 |
| Rushmoor | 7·5 |
| Mid Devon | 7·5 |
| South Kesteven | 7·5 |
| Chiltern | 7·5 |
| Wirral | 7·4 |
| Merseyside Fire and CD Authority | 7·4 |
| Newham | 7·3 |
| North Bedfordshire | 7·3 |
| Mid Sussex | 7·2 |
| Northumberland | 7·2 |
| Enfield | 7·2 |
| Hove | 7·1 |
| Penwith | 7·1 |
| Caradon | 6·9 |
| Nottinghamshire | 6·8 |
| Bradford | 6·7 |
| Forest Heath | 6·7 |
| Portsmouth | 6·6 |
| Horsham | 6·6 |
| Warwick | 6·6 |
| Leominster | 6·6 |
| Tyne and Wear Transport Authority | 6·4 |
| Derby | 6·4 |
| Coventry | 6·1 |
| Babergh | 6·0 |
| Hillingdon | 6·0 |
| Bury | 5·9 |
| Nottingham | 5·9 |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham | 5·5 |
| West Wiltshire | 5·5 |
| North Cornwall | 5·2 |
| West Devon | 5·1 |
| Dudley | 5·1 |
| Hounslow | 5·1 |
| Hastings | 5·0 |
| Kerrier | 5·0 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 4·9 |
| Hambleton | 4·8 |
| Gedling | 4·7 |
| Buckinghamshire | 4·6 |
| Dacorum | 4·6 |
| Waveney | 4·6 |
| Wolverhampton | 4·5 |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (per cent.) | |
| Sutton | 4·4 |
| Kettering | 4·2 |
| Barnet | 4·2 |
| West Midlands Police Authority | 4·1 |
| Erewash | 4·1 |
| Ealing | 4·0 |
| Isle of Wight | 4·0 |
| Essex | 3·9 |
| Broxtowe | 3·9 |
| East Hertfordshire | 3·8 |
| Stafford | 3·8 |
| Durham | 3·7 |
| Kingston-upon-Thames | 3·6 |
| Wiltshire | 3·6 |
| Oadby and Wigston | 3·6 |
| Rushcliffe | 3·6 |
| Warwickshire | 3·5 |
| Maidstone | 3·5 |
| Cheshire | 3·4 |
| Northamptonshire | 3·3 |
| Medina | 3·3 |
| Mid Bedfordshire | 3·2 |
| Eastbourne | 3·1 |
| Harrow | 3·1 |
| Southend-on-Sea | 3·0 |
| Amber Valley | 3·0 |
| Teesdale | 2·9 |
| Lancashire | 2·8 |
| Berwick-upon-Tweed | 2·8 |
| North Shropshire | 2·7 |
| Greater Manchester Police Authority | 2·6 |
| Bolton | 2·4 |
| Tendring | 2·3 |
| South Yorkshire Police Authority | 2·3 |
| Wycombe | 2·3 |
| Uttlesford | 2·3 |
| Southampton | 2·2 |
| Somerset | 2·2 |
| Cambridgeshire | 2·2 |
| Worthing | 1·9 |
| Oldham | 1·9 |
| Birmingham | 1·8 |
| Stockport | 1·7 |
| Sefton | 1·6 |
| Gloucestershire | 1·6 |
| Corby | 1·5 |
| Maldon | 1·4 |
| Leicestershire | 1·0 |
| Eastleigh | 1·0 |
| Rugby | ·6 |
| North Yorkshire | ·6 |
| Surrey | ·5 |
| Tandridge | ·5 |
| Staffordshire | ·5 |
| Gloucester | ·3 |
| Boston | ·3 |
| Leeds | ·1 |
| Macclesfield | ·1 |
| Bournemouth | ·1 |
| Rochford | ·1 |
| Gillingham | ·1 |
| Havering | -·0 |
| Broxbourne | -·1 |
| Metropolitan Police | -·1 |
| Restormel | -·2 |
| West Midlands Transport Authority | -·2 |
| Ryedale | -·4 |
| Broadland | -·6 |
| South Holland | -0·8 |
| Luton | -1·0 |
| Eden | -1·1 |
| Test Valley | -1·2 |
| West Somerset | -1·2 |
| Croydon | -1·2 |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (per cent.) | |
| East Staffordshire | -1·3 |
| King's Lynn and West Norfolk | -1·5 |
| Cambridge | -1·7 |
| Devon | -1·7 |
| Suffolk | -2·1 |
| Shropshire | -2·1 |
| Lincolnshire | -2·1 |
| East Sussex | -2·2 |
| Cornwall | -2·3 |
| Christchurch | -2·4 |
| Trafford | -2·4 |
| Bexley | -2·5 |
| Weymouth and Portland | -2.5 |
| South Norfolk | -2·6 |
| Berkshire | -2·6 |
| Hampshire | -2·7 |
| East Devon | -3·0 |
| South Somerset | -3·1 |
| Gosport | -4·0 |
| Wellingborough | -4·0 |
| Kennet | -4·1 |
| Solihull | -4·1 |
| Norfolk | -4·2 |
| Chichester | -4·2 |
| Braintree | -4·3 |
| Bromley | -4·4 |
| Hereford and Worcester | -5·0 |
| West Sussex | -5·1 |
| Havant | -5·1 |
| South Shropshire | -5·2 |
| Kent | -5·2 |
| Wandsworth | -5·2 |
| Lichfield | -5·6 |
| Merton | -5·9 |
| Cheltenham | -5·9 |
| Plymouth | -6·0 |
| Taunton Deane | -6·3 |
| Dorset | -6·3 |
| Isles of Scilly | -6·4 |
| Tamworth | -6·4 |
| North Norfolk | -6·5 |
| Redbridge | -6·9 |
| Westminster | -7·1 |
| Cotswold | -7·2 |
| Slough | -7·3 |
| Poole | -8·1 |
| Breckland | -10·1 |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | -10·3 |
| Fenland | -10·3 |
| Colchester | -10·4 |
| Bromsgrove | -11·1 |
| Exeter | -11·5 |
| Mendip | -11·6 |
| Kingswood | -12·1 |
| South Staffordshire | -12·2 |
| West Oxfordshire | -12·6 |
| York | -13·1 |
| West Dorset | -13·1 |
| Salisbury | -13·6 |
| Basingstoke and Deane | -13·6 |
| Bridgnorth | -13·8 |
| Blaby | -14·2 |
| South Northamptonshire | -14·5 |
| Hereford | -14·5 |
| Charnwood | -14·8 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | -15·2 |
| North Dorset | -15·3 |
| St. Edmundsbury | -15·6 |
| Newbury | -16·8 |
| Cherwell | -17·8 |
| South Herefordshire | -18·0 |
| Rochester upon Medway | -18·2 |
| Bracknell | -19·3 |
| South Oxfordshire | -19·8 |
| Relevant amount above or below GRE (per cent.) | |
| Huntingdonshire | -20·4 |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | -20·6 |
| Rutland | -21·0 |
| Purbeck | -21·7 |
| Aylesbury Vale | -21·9 |
| Tewkesbury | -24·0 |
| Elmbridge | -25·9 |
| Surrey Heath | -26·2 |
| Wansdyke | -26·8 |
| East Northamptonshire | -27·7 |
| Vale of White Horse | -35·5 |
| East Cambridgeshire | -36·6 |
| Woking | 45·0 |
| Mole Valley | -58·7 |
| South Cambridgeshire | -58·7 |
| Runnymede | -66·4 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each authority selected for rate limitation in 1988–89 the percentage increase or decrease in its 1988–89 budgeted total expenditure compared with its original 1987–88 budget.
The information is as follows:
| Total expenditure1 | |||
| Budget 1987–88 £ million | Budget 1988–89 £ million | Change Percentage | |
| Manchester | 316·526 | 316·568 | 0·0 |
| Liverpool | 306·116 | 303·755 | -0·8 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 156·784 | 161·505 | 3·0 |
| Camden | 152·981 | 139·463 | -8·8 |
| Greenwich | 96·331 | 95·089 | -1·3 |
| Hackney | 145·859 | 130·978 | -10·2 |
| Lambeth | 152·373 | 152·486 | 0·1 |
| Lewisham | 133·101 | 122·045 | -8·3 |
| Southwark | 135·690 | 132·723 | -2·2 |
| Tower Hamlets | 124·033 | 126·033 | 1·6 |
| Ealing | 175·762 | 175·050 | -0·4 |
| Haringey | 154·455 | 154·364 | -0·0 |
| Waltham Forest | 152·369 | 142·031 | -6·8 |
| Middlesbrough | 17·569 | 17·570 | 0·0 |
| Basildon | 16·911 | 12·968 | -23·3 |
| Kingston upon Hull | 31·759 | 28·500 | -10·3 |
| Thamesdown | 14·199 | 15·477 | 8·6 |
| 1 Latest available information on budget returns made by authorities. | |||
Rates
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish the total rate rise in poundage and percentage terms, at ratepayer level, in every local authority in England between 1981–82 and 1987–88, whole period, ranked from biggest increase to smallest increase, by class;(2) if he will publish the overall percentage change in the non-domestic rate poundage in each rating authority in England between 1981–82 and 1988–89, showing the percentage increase which would have occurred in each if the non-domestic rate poundage had increased in line with the retail price index over this period, showing the difference between the two percentages for each authority;(3) if he will list in descending order all English local authorities on the basis of the percentage change in their local rate or precept from 1981–82 to 1988–89, showing in each case the percentage change in current expenditure in the same period.
I have today placed the information in the Library.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the overall average unrebated domestic rate bill paid by householders in (a) England and (b) England and Wales in each year since 1966–67.
The estimated figures are as follows:
| Average (unrebated) domestic rate bills1 | ||
| England | England and Wales | |
| £ | £ | |
| 1966–67 | 41 | 40 |
| 1967–68 | 41 | 41 |
| 1968–69 | 42 | 42 |
| 1969–70 | 44 | 44 |
| 1970–71 | 47 | 46 |
| 1971–72 | 54 | 53 |
| 1972–73 | 61 | 60 |
| 1973–74 | 66 | 66 |
| 1974–752 | 77 | 74 |
| 1975–76 | 94 | 92 |
| 1976–77 | 103 | 100 |
| 1977–78 | 119 | 116 |
| 1978–79 | 131 | 128 |
| 1979–80 | 155 | 152 |
| 1980–81 | 199 | 195 |
| 1981–82 | 245 | 239 |
| 1982–83 | 282 | 276 |
| 1983–84 | 303 | 296 |
| 1984–85 | 323 | 316 |
| 1985–86 | 351 | 344 |
| 1986–87 | 401 | 392 |
| 1987–88 | 429 | 420 |
| 1988–893 | 468 | 459 |
| 1 Average unrebated rate bills are derived from average domestic rateable values per hereditament and the average domestic rate poundages levied by local authorities. | ||
| 2 Figures up to 1973–74 are not comparable with those for 1974–75 and later years. This is due to the change of local authorities' responsibilities in 1974, in particular the transfer of water and sewerage services from local authorities to water authorities. | ||
| 3 The figures for 1988–89 are provisional. | ||
Thoresby Hall
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken in respect of the proposed break-up and disposal of the contents of Thoresby hall, Nottinghamshire; what discussions he has had with English Heritage and British Coal about the future of the hall; and if he will make a statement.
Disposal of the contents of any listed building is a private matter for their owners. I have ensured that British Coal and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy are aware of the representations made by English Heritage and others about the future of the hall. Any applications for listed building consent for works to alter or demolish this grade 1 listed building would need to be referred to my Department.
Porter V Honey
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement of the implications for policy on estate agents boards of the judgment delivered in the House of Lords on 1 December in the case of Porter v. Honey.
Their Lordships were invited to answer the following certified question:
Their answer was unanimously in the negative and the appeal by Mr. A. H. Porter, against judgment given in the Divisional Court on 30 March, was allowed.I welcome this judgment and their Lordships' view, expressed by Lord Griffiths, that they were,"If an estate agent, instructed to sell or let a residential property, displays a board outside the property no other being at that time displayed, does he commit an offence if another agent (to his knowledge or without it) thereafter displays a second?"
"unable to impute to the Secretary of State or Parliament the intention that an estate agent in the position of the appellant should be held guilty of a criminal offence".
I hope that all estate agents and vendors will observe the rule that only one advertising board is displayed on any premises for sale or letting, so that the question of prosecution for displaying a second or subsequent boards does not arise.
Housing
To ask the Secretary of State For the Environment what response he has had to the consultation paper, "A New Financial Regime for Local Authority Housing in England and Wales."
The official consultation period on this paper ended on 7 October although we made clear from the outset that we would receive comments after that date. By Christmas, 325 responses had been received in my Department and the Welsh Office. Of these, 129 respondents indicated that they would like their views to be made publicly available. I have today place a list of those responses in the Libraries of both Houses, through which copies may be obtained.
Rats
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the effect on the asset value of Thames Water of the cost of the treatment of rats within sewers, or otherwise within its works and lands, including all direct treatment, treatment by agencies and private contractors, for the financial years 1981–82 to 1987–88 inclusive; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 10 January 19891: None. It is unlikely to have any effect. Furthermore, the Department does not hold information on the amount spent on pest control by Thames Water.
British Waterways Board
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the names of the members of the British Waterways Board; if he will indicate which members of the board are living in Wales and which are appointed specifically to represent Welsh interests; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 22 December 1988]: The names of the British Waterways Board members are as follows:
- Mr. David Ingman (Chairman)
- Dr. Alan Robertson CBE (Vice Chairman)
- Sir Peter Hutchison Bt
- Dr. Brian Goodman
- Mr. John Gordon
- Mr. David Yorke.
Rating Reform
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will construct a table in the same form as figure F4 of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government", showing for the first year with safety net and fully in place the relationship between gross and net
| Table 1 | ||||||
| Relationship of gross and net community charge with safety nets (1990–91 position: England) to net household income (Pounds per week, 1988–89 prices) | ||||||
| Ranges of net household income (£ per week) | ||||||
| Under 50 | 50-100 | 100-200 | 200-300 | 300+ | All | |
| (a) Single pensioner households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 4·49 | 4·66 | 4·76 | 1— | 1— | 4·65 |
| Net £ per week | 1·00 | 2·33 | 4·75 | 1— | 1— | 2·48 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 9·6 | 6·9 | 3·5 | 1·9 | 1— | 6·0 |
| Net | 2·2 | 3·5 | 3·5 | 1·9 | 1— | 3·2 |
| (b) Other single adult households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 4·60 | 4·76 | 4·81 | 5·00 | 5·24 | 4·81 |
| Net £ per week | 1·41 | 2·47 | 4·50 | 5·00 | 5·20 | 3·57 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 10·9 | 6·4 | 3·4 | 2·1 | 1·3 | 3·8 |
| Net | 3·3 | 3·3 | 3·2 | 2·1 | 1·3 | 2·8 |
| (c) Two adult households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 1— | 9·14 | 9·20 | 9·32 | 9·70 | 9·31 |
| Net £ per week | 1— | 3·35 | 7·64 | 9·18 | 9·66 | 7·87 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 1— | 10·6 | 6·1 | 3·8 | 2·3 | 4·3 |
| Net | 1— | 3·9 | 5·1 | 3·8 | 2·3 | 3·7 |
| (d) Three or more adult households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 1— | 1— | 14·42 | 14·86 | 16·44 | 15·57 |
| Net £ per week | 1— | 1— | 7·40 | 12·16 | 15·11 | 12·75 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 1— | 1— | 8·9 | 6·0 | 3·9 | 4·9 |
| Net | 1— | 1— | 4·6 | 4·9 | 3·6 | 4·0 |
| 1 No reliable figures available. | ||||||
| Table 2 | ||||||
| Relationship of gross and net community charge with no safety nets (England) to net household income (Pounds per week, 1988–89 prices) | ||||||
| Ranges of net household income (£ per week) | ||||||
| Under 50 | 50-100 | 100-200 | 200-300 | 300+ | All | |
| (a) Single pensioner households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 4·59 | 4·80 | 4·64 | 1— | 1— | 4·75 |
| Net £ per week | 1·03 | 2·34 | 4·63 | 1— | 1— | 2·47 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 9·9 | 7·1 | 3·4 | 1·9 | 1— | 6·1 |
| Net | 2·2 | 3·5 | 3·4 | 1·9 | 1— | 3·2 |
| (b) Other single adult households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 4·97 | 5·06 | 4·96 | 5·13 | 5·49 | 5·03 |
| Net £ per week | 1·46 | 2·54 | 4·62 | 5·12 | 5·45 | 3·67 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 11·8 | 6·8 | 3·5 | 2·2 | 1·4 | 4·0 |
| Net | 3·5 | 3·4 | 3·3 | 2·2 | 1·3 | 2·9 |
poll tax to net household income for (a) single pensioner households, (b) other single person households, (c) two adult and (d) three adult households.
[holding answer 19 December 1988]: The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. Reliable information cannot be provided at the level of detail requested, because of the small numbers of some household types in the sample survey on which such estimates are based. The tables below show the information requested for each household type in the format of figure F4 in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government", Cmnd. 9714, but using the income ranges shown in figure F3. These estimates are based on data contained in the family expenditure survey and the illustrative community charge levels published on 23 June 1988.
Ranges of net household income (£ per week)
| ||||||
Under 50
| 50-100
| 100-200
| 200-300
| 300+ | All
| |
| (c) Two adult households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 1— | 9·52 | 9·34 | 9·15 | 9·03 | 9·26 |
| Net £ per week | 1— | 3·43 | 7·62 | 9·00 | 9·00 | 7·71 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 1— | 11·1 | 6·2 | 3·8 | 2·2 | 4·3 |
| Net | 1— | 4·0 | 5·1 | 3·7 | 2·2 | 3·6 |
| (d) Three or more adult households Community charge | ||||||
| Gross £ per week | 1— | 1— | 14·83 | 14·99 | 16·14 | 15· 54 |
| Net £ per week | 1— | 1— | 7·54 | 12·21 | 14·79 | 12·64 |
| As a per cent. of net income in each range Gross | 1— | 1— | 9·2 | 6·0 | 3·8 | 4·9 |
| Net | 1— | 1— | 4·7 | 4·9 | 3·5 | 4·0 |
1 No reliable figures available. | ||||||
Transport
Vehicle Excise Duty
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has reached a conclusion on the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee that a charge be considered for payments of vehicle excise duty refunds.
The Government have carefully considered the implications of imposing an administrative charge for refunds of vehicle excise duty, in the light of the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee in its 50th report, 1985–86, "Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion and Enforcement". A number of factors have to be taken into account. The PAC rightly drew attention to the regular use of the refund facility by motor traders as part of their commercial activities. The facility is available for refunds in other circumstances and by private motorists. It could be argued that it would be unreasonable to demand payment for a refund of duty paid in advance for the use of a vehicle which is then not used for the full period of the licence. A study by the Department of the full financial implications of refunds has shown that the revenue gained by the Exchequer, because duty is not under present arrangements refunded for incomplete months, more than covers the costs of handling refund transactions. Separate handling charges are not at present made for the majority of vehicle licensing transactions, over and above the duty liable.The Government's conclusion is that it is not necessary to introduce a charge in the context of the existing arrangements. The matter will be kept under review.
British Rail (Investment)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to authorise additional investment in British Rail's provincial sector to relieve overcrowding and to modernise the service.
I have today authorised the purchase by British Rail of 138 Sprinter express vehicles at a cost of £54 million. The first of these vehicles should be entering service by early 1991. These vehicles will improve travelling conditions for passengers who travel on provincial express services and will allow more passengers to enjoy shorter journey times and in more comfort. They will be used to alleviate overcrowding on increasingly popular long distance services such as the north trans-Pennine and north-west to East Anglia. Passengers on other lines will also benefit. Extending the Sprinter express network will enable BR to re-deploy Sprinters to replace the 30-year-old vehicles still running on local Manchester and Birmingham services. As well as improving these services for passengers, they will run more cost-effectively, thereby also benefiting the ratepayer and taxpayer.I understand that BR will be placing the order with BREL and the work is expected to be carried out at BREL's engineering works at Derby.
Flying Displays
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he proposes for improving the safety of flying displays; and if he will make a statement.
A new article, 52A, is being added to the air navigation order to provide the CAA with wider powers to control air displays likely to attract substantial numbers of spectators.The new article 52A requires the air display organiser to:
The commander of a civil aircraft participating in a display under the provisions of article 52A must satisfy himself that:
The Civil Aviation Authority is required:
These new provisions will not apply to Ministry of Defence establishments (including those used by the United States Air Force and other visiting forces). As in the past, the Ministry of Defence controls air displays on its own property (whether the organisers are civilian or military) and is also responsible for the control of its military personnel (and those of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces stationed in the United Kingdom) taking part in civilian air shows. The rules under which such displays are conducted are at least as stringent as those now introduced by the Civil Aviation Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority will only allow other foreign military aircraft to take part in air displays to which article 52A applies after seeking advice from the Ministry of Defence as to the acceptability of the proposed display.
Greater London schemes under consideration and listed in the national trunk road programme—policy for roads in England 1987
| ||||
Scheme
| Main consultants
| Estimated works cost at April 1987 (£ million November 1985 prices)
| Approxim ate length (miles)
| Brief description
|
| M4 Junction 4 improvement | Not yet appointed | 7·0 | — | — |
| A1 Archway road | — | — | — | In abeyance |
| A1 Scratchwood link and M1 Junction 1 improvement | Not yet appointed | 22·8 | 0·6 | — |
| A3 Hook interchange | Not yet appointed | 9·4 | — | — |
| A3 Robin Hood Gate Junction | Not yet appointed | 24·9 | — | — |
| A4 Henleys' Corner (A309 Junction improvement | Not yet appointed | 1·8 | — | — |
| A4 Waggoner's Corner (A312) Junction improvement | Not yet appointed | 5·8 | — | — |
| Al2 Hackney Wick—M11 Link | W. S. Atkins & Partners | 106·0 | 3·7 | Dual 3/2 Lane |
| A13/A17 Junction improvement | Acer Freeman Fox & Partners | 1·9 | — | Grade Separation |
| A13 Junction improvements with Al240 and B178 | Acer Freeman Fox & Partners | 14·7 | — | — |
| A 13 Thames Avenue—Wennington | Acer Freeman Fox & Partners | 36·0 | 3·0 | Dual 2 Lane |
| A23 Coulsdon inner relief road | Sir Bruce White Wolfe Barry | 10·6 | 1·5 | Dual 2 Lane |
| A40 Gipsy Corner Junction improvement | Sir Fred Erick Snow | 16·8 | — | Grade |
| A40 Long Lane Junction improvement | Husband & Co. | 14·3 | — | Grade Separation |
| A40 Swakeleys road Junction improvement | Husband & Co. | 8·1 | — | Grade Separation |
| A40 Western Circus Junction improvement | Cooper Macdonald & Partners | 19·3 | — | Grade Separation |
| A205 Catford Town Centre improvement | Not yet appointed | 12·0 | 0·6 | — |
| A406 Bounds Green—Green Lanes improvement | G. Maunsell & Partners | 48·8 | 2·2 | Dual 2 Lane |
| A406 Chingford road—Hale End road | Bullen & Partners | 38·0 | 1·3 | Dual 3 Lane |
| A406 Dysons road—Hall Lane | Sir Frederick Snow & Partners | 39·5 | 1·5 | Dual 3 Lane |
| A406 East London river crossing | Sir William Halcrow & Partners | 151·6 | 5·7 | Dual 2 Lane |
| A406 East of Silver street—A1010 | Sir Frederick Snow & Partners | 25·5 | 0·7 | Dual 3 Lane |
| A406 Falloden Way—Finchley high road | Gifford Graham & Partners | 25·6 | 1·9 | Dual 3 Lane |
| A406 Golders Green road Junction improvement | Gifford Graham & Partners | 9·6 | — | Under Review |
| A406 Great Cambridge road (A10) Junction improvement | Bullen & Partners | 19·6 | — | Grade Separation |
| A406 Hanger Lane—Harrow road | Husband & Co. | 57·8 | 1·7 | Dual 3 Lane |
| A406 Popes lane—Western avenue | Howard Humphries & Partners | 21·7 | 2·3 | Dual 3/2 Lane |
| A406 Regents Park road Junction improvement | Kennedy Henderson Ltd. | 40·4 | — | Grade Separation |
| Western Environmental improvement route | Husband & Co. | 85·0 | 2·4 | Dual 2 Lane |
| Al3 Blackwall Tunnel—Cotton street | Not yet appointed | 2·2 | — | — |
| A 13 Ironbridge widening | Not yet appointed | 12·5 | — | — |
| A 13 Leamouth road | Not yet appointed | 2·0 | — | — |
| A13 Movers lane | Not yet appointed | 16·0 | — | — |
| A13 Prince Regent lane | Not yet appointed | 13·0 | — | — |
| A13 West India Dock road | Not yet appointed | 0·9 | — | — |
| A23 Waddon Marsh Bridge | Mott Hay & Anderson | 5·0 | — | Junction improvement |
No decisions have been taken on the options being considered in the assessment studies. The final reports from the consultants are due later this year.
Trunk Roads
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report all the schemes for road building or improvement in the area of Greater London that are included in the national trunk road programme and other assessment studies, respectively, providing for each scheme its estimated cost, brief description, approximate length and names of main consultants.
[holding answer 10 January]: The information requested is as follows:
Energy
Departmental Scientists
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of (a) chief scientists and (b) chief scientific advisers in his Department had a previous career in nuclear technology.
Prior to 1983, the chief scientist was recruited from outside the Department. Since 1983, the chief scientist's role has been carried out by the head of my Department's energy technology division: additional advice is supplied by a part-time chief scientific adviser, who also chairs the advisory council on R&D for fuel and power. Of the nine chief scientists appointed since 1948, three had had a previous career in nuclear technology: neither of the two chief scientific advisers appointed since 1983 have had a career in this sector.
Home Department
Crime Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the incidence of crimes of robbery with violence during each of the last five years.
The information for calendar years is published in table 2.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1987" Cm. 498, and for 12 months to the end of September 1988 in table 4 of Home Office statistical bulletin 36/88; copies of these publications are in the Library.
Identity Cards
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which countries of the European Community have a system of identity cards.
The following countries of the European Community have a system of compulsory identity cards: Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Spain and West Germany. France, Italy and Portugal have a voluntary system.
Political Asylum
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of Sri Lankans living in the United Kingdom and awaiting a decision on their application for political asylum.
It is estimated that at the end of 1988 about 1,300 applications by Sri Lankans for asylum, made at the ports or following admission to the United Kingdom, were awaiting a decision. This figure is approximate. Establishing whether these applicants were all still in this country would incur disproportionate costs.Estimates of the total number of asylum applications awaiting a decision (including those made outside of the United Kingdom), by nationality, are published annually in a Home Office statistical bulletin "Refugee Statistics United Kingdom" (tables 6 and 7 of issue No. 16/88). A more accurate estimate of the number of applications by Sri Lankans outstanding at the end of 1988 will be contained in the bulletin for 1988, due to be published in the summer of 1989.
Prisons
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men and (b) women serving prison sentences on 30 November for the non-payment of fines.
On 30 November 1988 about 530 male and 20 female fine defaulters were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales.
Remand Prisoners
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people remanded in custody during the last 12 months subsequently received a prison sentence.
The latest readily available information is published in table 2.6 of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales 1987" (Cm. 547).
Criminal Injuries
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of applications awaiting hearing at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board on 1 December.
The number of applications awaiting final decision was 82,075. The number of cases awaiting a hearing (the applicant not being content with the decision made by a single member of the board on consideration of the papers) was 7,026.
Strip Searches
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records are kept when a women prisoner is strip-searched; and who may see such a record.
Records of each occasion on which an inmate is strip-searched are required to be kept only in respect of women prisoners in security category A. Such records are available for normal management purposes.
Football Matches (Arrests)
To ask the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department how many arrests were made at Football League matches during the first three months of the current football season; and if he will provide figures for each division of the Football League.
Provisional totals compiled by the Association of Chief Police Officers, from the start of the current season until 31 October 1988, are:
| Arrests | |
| Division 1 | 672 |
| Division 2 | 540 |
| Division 3 | 287 |
| Division 4 | 543 |
| Total | 2,042 |
Wheel Clamping
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of vehicles that have been clamped in the Greater London area for each of the last four weeks.
The number of vehicles clamped in those parts of the Metropolitan police district where such operations are authorised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport are as follows:
| Dates | Number of vehicles clamped |
| 21-72 November | 2,342 |
| 28 November-4 December | 2,870 |
| 5-11 December | 2,870 |
| 12-18 December | 2,846 |
Broadcasting
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will clarify the scope of his proposal to disqualify pirate radio broadcasters from holding radio authority licences.
For the reasons given in my answer of 2 November 1988, column 652 to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Knight) we propose a provision making it a condition of all radio authority licences that the licensee neither has a conviction for any offence committed after 1 January 1989 under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 or the Marine Etc Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 connected with the operation or running of an unlicensed broadcasting station within five years of the date of an application for such a licence, nor employs such a person in the activities covered by the licence. In the light of representations we have received we do not envisage that such a condition would apply to offences committed before 1 January 1989.
Missing Persons
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bodies have been found in each of the last five years for which records are available, in England, Wales, Scotland and Leicestershire, respectively; and how many of such bodies in each such year have not yet been identified.
[holding answer 19 December 1988]: The available information is as follows. In the last five years (ending 16 December 1988) 58 unidentified bodies were reported within the Metropolitan police district and are still unidentified. In the years 1983–87, 27 unidentified bodies were reported to the General Register Office for Scotland and are still unidentified. In Leicestershire, in about the last four years, three unidentified bodies of newly born infants were reported. Information for other police force areas could be made available only at disproportionate cost.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Fish Farms
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if workers employed on fish farms are covered by the terms of the Agricultural Wages Board Order; and if he will make a statement.
The orders made by the Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales apply to those workers in agriculture as defined in the Agricultural Wages Act 1948, the interpretation of which is of course a matter for the courts. To date fish farming has not been considered to be an activity included within the definition.
Salmon Poaching
The ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he has received from water authorities in England and Wales about the incidence of salmon poaching since the passing of the Salmon Act 1986: and when he how expects to invite the Salmon Advisory Committee to examine the effectiveness of the measures introduced in that Act.
Since 1 April 1987, the water authorities have mounted a total of 787 successful prosecutions for offences concerning salmon and trout. A further 353 cases are pending. In addition—and during the same period—the water authorities have brought 21 successful prosecutions for the new handling offence contained in section 32 of the Salmon Act 1986 and a further 78 cases are pending.The Salmon Advisory Committee will be asked to review the effectiveness of the new handling offences and salmon dealer licensing in the light of the operation of these provisions. I intend that the dealer licensing schemes will be introduced as quickly as possible, but it will inevitably be some time before the committee can make a proper assessment of their effectiveness.
Next Steps
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he and any other Agriculture Ministers have considered agency status under the Next Steps proposal for the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce.
I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that I and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have decided that the board should be considered a candidate for agency status.
Coypu (Control)
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the efforts of the Coypu Control Organisation and the Ministry's coypu research laboratory to eradicate the coypu.
I am pleased to report that my experts have declared the trapping programme caried out by the Coypu control Organisation a success. As a result, the campaign has been wound up, as from today. We had provided for trapping to continue until 1991 if necessary. That we have been able to bring the date forward is in no small way due to the dedicated efforts of the Coypu Control Organisation's team of trappers.While a population of over 10,000 coypu has been eradicated no one can claim with certainty that the wild coypu is now extinct in Britain. Isolated animals may be at large and continued vigilance is needed. The public have already played a valuable part in the campaign, and any further sightings should be reported to the Ministry so that investigations can be put in hand at once.
Pigs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the cost of support per British pig since 1980 both in constant and current prices, identifying the proportion of that support met by public funds; and if he will estimate the proportion of that support directly translated into farm incomes.
The table shows the net public expenditure in the United Kingdom in the pigmeat sector and the size of the domestic pig population for each year since 1980. Pig producers did not receive any direct subsidies over this period support being confined to the provision of export refunds and payments for the short term private storage of pigmeat during times of market weakness.
| Net expenditure £ million | |||
| At current prices | At constant 1988–89 forecast prices2 | Population million head | |
| 1980–81 | -16·7 | -26·3 | 7·8 |
| 1981–82 | -33·0 | -47·4 | 7·8 |
| 1982–83 | -39·8 | -53·4 | 8·0 |
| 1983–84 | -14·8 | -19·0 | 8·2 |
| 1984–85 | -10·6 | -12·9 | 7·7 |
| 1985–86 | -1·2 | -1·4 | 7·9 |
| 1986–87 | -2·4 | -2·7 | 7·9 |
| 1987–88 | -1·7 | -1·8 | 8·0 |
| 1988–89 | 0·6 | 0·6 | not known |
Source: Annual review of agriculture 1988.
1 Payments on export refunds and aids to private storage minus receipts from levies on Community trade arising from the application of pigmeat MCA's.
2 Expressed in 1988–89 prices using the forecast GDP deflator in market prices.
Irish Meat
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce measures to require all Irish meat to be stamped with the word "Irish" in a pattern and size similar to the stamping of "Danish" on bacon from Denmark.
No. All meat intended for human consumption must, on entry into the United Kingdom, bear a prescribed health mark confirming compliance with our health requirements. These marks show the country and plant of origin. The stamp on Danish bacon is applied by the trade for commercial purposes.
Salmonella
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the use of organic acids to reduce contamination by salmonella in poultry feed; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: Research at Bristol university has demonstrated the effectiveness of organic acids in reducing salmonella contamination in poultry feedingstuffs. Although there are some drawbacks, including the additional cost involved, their use is being actively considered.
National Finance
Personal Incomes
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he next expects to conduct a survey of personal incomes; and at what point the results of that survey will become known;(2) what survey of personal incomes have been carried out since 1985–86; and at what point the results of those surveys will become known.
Inland Revenue conducts the survey of personal incomes annually and the full range of data is normally available about 18 months after the end of the tax year to which the survey refers. Projections of the data are normally available after a further two or three months. The 1985–86 survey has been in use for some 15 months, both for Government purposes and to answer inquiries from the public; some tables compiled from it will be published shortly in "Inland Revenue Statistics 1988". Data and projections from the 1986–87 survey have recently begun to be used.
Personal Taxation
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) working families with children and (b) childless people in work had incomes below the tax threshold at the latest date for which information is available.
Some 700,000 families (including both single people and married couples) where the head of the household is in full or part-time work have earnings below tax thresholds in 1988–89. Of these about 300,000 are families with children. These estimates are based on projections of the results of the 1986 family expenditure survey and are subject to revision.
Ec Own Resources
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the European Commmunity's new own resources decision entered into force.
Article 11(1) of the own resources decision provides for the ORD to come into force on the first day of the month following that in which the last member state notifies the Council secretariat that it has completed its national procedures for the adoption of the Decision. Not all member states had done so by 31 December and the ORD cannot therefore enter into force before 1 February.The Commission has accordingly informed member states that there is no legal basis for payment in January of the new GNP-related fourth resource. However, the Commission has requested VAT-related payments in January on the basis of the 1989 draft budget.The Government believe that, pending entry into force of the new ORD, own resources contributions should be based on the system of provisional twelfths. The United Kingdom has therefore restricted its VAT-related payment in January to the level which applied under the 1988 Budget. This is around £55 million less than the sum requested by the Commission.
Raw Materials
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to introduce a resource tax on specific and scarce raw materials; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.
Natural Resources (Conservation And Reclamation)
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to make the conservation and reclamation of scarce natural resources more fiscally and economically viable.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: On fiscal issues, I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement. More general issues concerning the conservation and reclamation of scarce natural resources are variously matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Energy, for the Environment and for Trade and Industry.
Marginal Rate Taxpayers
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those groups of taxpayers with a marginal tax rate higher than 40 per cent. in addition to elderly people with incomes in the withdrawal band for age allowance.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: About 130,000 elderly basic rate taxpayers have incomes within the short band above the aged income limit where age allowance is withdrawn. These special rules are designed to concentrate the benefit of age allowance on elderly people with relatively modest incomes. They do not affect other taxpayers.
Tax Allowances
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those tax allowances that are means-tested.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: Only the age allowance given to single people and married men aged 65 and over is related to income. Where income exceeds a certain limit (£10,600 for 1988–89) the allowance is withdrawn by £2 for every £3 of additional income until the level of the basic single person's or married man's allowance is reached.
Hard Corals
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what information he has of CITES-listed hard corals from the Philippines that have been seized since 1985 with the dates and grounds for seizures:(2) if he will give details of the eight seizures of coral made since 29 August 1985.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: Eight seizures made by Customs since 1985 together comprise 15 black coral necklaces, two pieces of branch coral, four pieces of brain coral, 94 pieces of which the type is not recorded centrally and two seizures of an unspecified amount and type.
Three further seizures have been recorded since I wrote to the hon. Member in July 1988. These comprise four black coral necklaces, a pair of black coral earrings and two pieces of which the type is not recorded.
The country of origin of such goods is not always ascertainable or reported; in none of the 11 cases referred to above is the origin known to be the Philippines. All seizures were made under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, the goods having been imported in contravention of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82, as amended by Commission Regulation (EEC) 2384/85.
Defence
Low Flying
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were received by his Department about a low-flying aircraft in the Inverness area in the early evening of 26 May 1987; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the investigation into this incident.
Seven complaints were received from members of the public concerning a low-flying military aircraft in the Inverness area on 26 May 1987. The aircraft concerned was identified as a United States Air Force F-111 aircraft from RAF Lakenheath on a properly briefed and authorised overflight of Dalcross airport to the north-east of Inverness. An investigation by the RAF police concluded that there was no evidence of any breach of flying regulations.
Education And Science
Seismography
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he will take to encourage international co-operation in the study of worldwide seismography.
The United Kingdom participates extensively in international seismology, and hosts the International Seismological Centre. The Natural Environment Research Council is particularly involved through its British Geological Survey, which is one of the world's leading earthquake monitoring organisations. The NERC's collaborations include renewing a five year agreement to exchange seismologists and equipment with the Institute of the Physics of the Earth in Moscow; plans to sponsor a small group of earthquake engineers from Imperial college to work in Armenia; and an anticipated invitation to lead an earthquake prediction programme later this year with the European Community and the People's Republic of China. The NERC also sponsors United Kingdom university researchers in fundamental seismology, with substantial international connections. These varied efforts represent a significant level of encouragement for international co-operation in this field.
Staff-Pupil Ratios
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing staff-to-pupil ratios in each local education authority area in England for each category of school.
The pupil-teacher ratio in each category of maintained school in each local education authority in England in January 1988 is given in the following table.
| Pupil/teacher ratios in schools January 1988 | ||||
| Local education authority | Nursery PTR | Primary PTR | Secondary PTR | Special PTR |
| Barking | — | 20·9 | 14·7 | 5·1 |
| Barnet | 17·3 | 20·1 | 14·2 | 5·4 |
| Bexley | 19·7 | 22·4 | 16·0 | 7·3 |
| Brent | 16·1 | 18·5 | 11·1 | 3·5 |
| Bromley | — | 23·0 | 15·8 | 5·8 |
| Croydon | 20·7 | 21·8 | 15·1 | 5·6 |
| Ealing | 16·1 | 19·3 | 13·9 | 5·7 |
| Enfield | — | 21·7 | 15·1 | 6·0 |
| Haringey | 13·1 | 19·0 | 11·9 | 4·5 |
| Harrow | — | 21·8 | 15·6 | 6·2 |
| Havering | — | 22·6 | 15·1 | 6·6 |
| Hillingdon | 24·1 | 22·0 | 15·6 | 7·0 |
| Hounslow | — | 20·1 | 14·9 | 5·3 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 16·8 | 21·5 | 14·2 | 7·5 |
| Merton | — | 21·6 | 15·9 | 5·2 |
| Newham | 18·7 | 21·5 | 14·0 | 5·1 |
| Redbridge | — | 24·0 | 16·1 | 5·9 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 15·8 | 20·9 | 15·5 | 5·8 |
| Sutton | 20·0 | 22·7 | 16·5 | 6·0 |
| Waltham Forest | 19·2 | 21·2 | 11·8 | 3·4 |
| Inner London | 16·1 | 17·6 | 13·1 | 5·7 |
| Birmingham | 23·3 | 23·2 | 16·0 | 6·7 |
| Coventry | 28·1 | 22·5 | 14·4 | 5·9 |
| Dudley | 31·5 | 22·7 | 14·0 | 7·8 |
| Sandwell | 20·3 | 22·4 | 14·0 | 6·7 |
| Solihull | — | 23·1 | 15·5 | 5·4 |
| Walsall | 30·1 | 20·8 | 13·9 | 5·6 |
| Wolverhampton | 21·1 | 20·1 | 13·8 | 5·8 |
| Knowsley | — | 20·7 | 13·4 | 6·2 |
| Liverpool | 18·7 | 21·0 | 14·4 | 7·1 |
| St. Helens | 19·5 | 22·3 | 14·0 | 7·6 |
| Sefton | 17·7 | 23·2 | 16·1 | 7·6 |
| Wirral | 16·2 | 21·6 | 15·7 | 7·3 |
| Bolton | 20·0 | 22·9 | 15·1 | 5·5 |
| Bury | 22·4 | 22·4 | 15·0 | 5·8 |
| Manchester | 13·5 | 21·4 | 12·9 | 5·7 |
| Oldham | — | 22·5 | 15·5 | 5·7 |
| Rochdale | 20·6 | 22·3 | 14·1 | 6·0 |
| Salford | 21·1 | 21·7 | 13·8 | 6·8 |
| Stockport | 25·4 | 23·3 | 15·0 | 6·5 |
| Tameside | 13·9 | 23·5 | 15·5 | 5·9 |
| Trafford | — | 21·9 | 14·8 | 7·2 |
| Wigan | 18·0 | 21·2 | 13·6 | 6·2 |
| Barnsley | 30·2 | 21·6 | 15·2 | 6·3 |
| Doncaster | — | 21·5 | 15·4 | 8·3 |
| Rotherham | 20·7 | 21·2 | 15·3 | 6·8 |
| Sheffield | 16·0 | 19·9 | 14·0 | 4·2 |
| Bradford | 15·8 | 19·8 | 15·2 | 4·5 |
| Calderdale | 20·5 | 22·9 | 15·5 | 6·4 |
| Kirklees | 16·2 | 20·9 | 15·0 | 6·9 |
| Leeds | 16·8 | 20·0 | 14·7 | 6·2 |
| Wakefield | 16·7 | 21·8 | 15·2 | 6·5 |
| Gateshead | 16·0 | 20·7 | 14·6 | 6·7 |
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 15·4 | 19·7 | 13·8 | 4·9 |
| North Tyneside | 22·2 | 18·6 | 12·9 | 6·5 |
| South Tyneside | 18·7 | 20·6 | 14·3 | 7·1 |
| Sunderland | 19·2 | 22·1 | 15·1 | 6·5 |
| Isles of Scilly | — | 13·1 | 9·2 | — |
| Avon | 19·7 | 23·8 | 16·4 | 6·1 |
| Bedfordshire | 18·1 | 22·0 | 16·8 | 6·5 |
| Berkshire | 17·8 | 23·4 | 16·0 | 6·7 |
| Buckinghamshire | 23·3 | 24·0 | 16·2 | 7·4 |
| Cambridgeshire | 19·7 | 23·4 | 16·2 | 6·1 |
Local education authority
| Nursery PTR
| Primary PTR
| Secondary PTR
| Special PTR
|
| Cheshire | 21·7 | 23·6 | 16·2 | 6·8 |
| Cleveland | 19·1 | 22·3 | 15·1 | 6·1 |
| Cornwall | 22·7 | 23·4 | 16·3 | 7·4 |
| Cumbria | 18·7 | 21·7 | 14·9 | 5·8 |
| Derbyshire | 19·0 | 21·2 | 14·4 | 5·2 |
| Devon | 24·9 | 23·3 | 16·6 | 7·7 |
| Dorset | — | 23·3 | 16·3 | 8·0 |
| Durham | 20·8 | 22·0 | 16·0 | 7·1 |
| East Sussex | 21·5 | 22·7 | 16·2 | 7·3 |
| Essex | 18·8 | 22·7 | 16·6 | 6·6 |
| Gloucestershire | — | 22·6 | 16·0 | 7·0 |
| Hampshire | 21·5 | 22·5 | 16·2 | 8·3 |
| Hereford and Worcester | — | 23·7 | 16·6 | 7·3 |
| Hertfordshire | 20·4 | 21·7 | 15·4 | 5·4 |
| Humberside | 24·1 | 22·2 | 15·0 | 6·7 |
| Isle of Wight | — | 23·5 | 16·5 | 8·0 |
| Kent | 15·5 | 24·0 | 16·4 | 8·3 |
| Lancashire | 20·1 | 23·3 | 15·6 | 6·5 |
| Leicestershire | 22·9 | 22·9 | 15·0 | 6·1 |
| Lincolnshire | 22·2 | 23·9 | 16·6 | 7·8 |
| Norfolk | 21·3 | 22·6 | 15·9 | 7·5 |
| North Yorkshire | 20·3 | 22·0 | 15·9 | 7·0 |
| Northamptonshire | 19·9 | 22·9 | 16·1 | 5·8 |
| Northumberland | 29·3 | 22·8 | 16·1 | 6·3 |
| Nottinghamshire | 15·1 | 21·1 | 14·8 | 7·0 |
| Oxfordshire | 21·8 | 23·0 | 16·6 | 5·8 |
| Shropshire | 15·8 | 21·4 | 15·3 | 7·3 |
| Somerset | — | 23·1 | 16·3 | 7·2 |
| Staffordshire | 29·0 | 23·2 | 16·3 | 6·7 |
| Suffolk | 25·4 | 22·5 | 16·7 | 6·5 |
| Surrey | 15·4 | 21·4 | 15·4 | 7·1 |
| Warwickshire | 21·0 | 21·9 | 16·0 | 7·4 |
| West Sussex | 24·5 | 22·9 | 16·7 | 8·0 |
| Wiltshire | — | 22·6 | 16·3 | 6·7 |
| England | 19·4 | 22·0 | 15·4 | 6·4 |
Northern Ireland
Disabled Persons Register
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a register for disabled was last compiled in Northern Ireland; and if he will seek to produce an up-to-date register.
The Department of Economic Development maintains a register of disabled people who are capable of employment but handicapped in obtaining it. The register is continuously updated.
Ards Peninsula (Medical Coverage)
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated population in the Ards peninsula south of the line between Kircubbin and Portavogie; how many medical doctors have their practices based within this area; what arrangements are made at weekends in this area for a doctor on call service; and whether the size of population meets the criteria for the provision of a additional doctor in this area.
The estimated population of the area based on the Northern Ireland 1981 census is approximately 6,000. Five doctors, two in separate practices in Portaferry and three in one practice in Kircubbin, are based in this area and provide medical services to a total of 10,205 patients. At weekends the doctors in Portaferry share an on-call arrangement with the doctors in Kircubbin. The need for an additional doctor in the area would be a matter for consideration by the Eastern Health and Social Servies Board, having regard to the advice of the statutory medical committee of the Central Services Agency. I understand that the criteria taken into account by the medical committee include not only the population of the area but also the average list size of each doctor and the distribution of practices in the area.
Fair Employment Agency
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the reports published by the Fair Employment Agency, showing for each case the date the investigation began and the date of the publication of the report.
The information is as follows:
Public sector
| Start date
| Publication date
| |
| 1. | British Broadcasting Corporation | 1st phase February 1979 | Joint Publication November 1983 |
| 2nd phase November 1982 | Joint Publication November 1983 | ||
| 2. | Northern Ireland Electricity Service | November 1979 | November 1982 |
| 3. | Northern Ireland Civil Service | November 1979 | December 1983 |
| 4. | Fire Authority for Northern Ireland | March 1982 | June 1984 |
| 5. | Northern Ireland Housing Executive | August 1981 | October 1985 |
| 6. | Northern Ireland Ambulance Service | May 1983 | November 1985 |
| 7. | Southern Health & Social Services Board | May 1983 | March 1986 |
| 8. | Ulster Museum | November 1984 | March 1986 |
| 9. | Derry City Council | May 1986 | September 1987 |
| 10. | Northern Ireland Railways Co. Ltd. | June 1986 | March 1988 |
| 11. | North Eastern Education & Library Board | January 1986 | September 1988 |
| 12. | Western Health & Social Services Board | July 1986 | October 1988 |
Private sector
| Start date
| Publication date
| |
| 13. | Belfast Telegraph | March 1980 | September 1983 |
| 14. | Employment patterns in the Belfast area with particular reference to engineering | November 1977 | September 1983 |
| 15. | Employment patterns in the Londonderry area | February 1981 | September 1983 |
| 16. | Unipork Ltd. | April 1984 | February 1985 |
| 17. | Report of an investigation into the nine Building Societies in Northern Ireland: | October 1984 | March 1986 |
| Halifax Building Society | |||
| Woolwich Building Society | |||
| Abbey National Building Society | |||
| Gateway Building Society | |||
| Nationwide Building Society | |||
| Leicester Building Society | |||
| Leeds Permanent Building Society | |||
| Anglia Building Society | |||
| Progressive Building Society | |||
| 18. | Report on an investigation into the principal banks in Northern Ireland: | ||
| TSB | August 1984 | ||
| Northern Bank | August 1985 | Joint publication March 1986 | |
| Allied Irish Banks | |||
| Ulster Bank | |||
| Bank of Ireland | |||
| 19. | Report of investigation into eight insurance companies: | ||
| Prudential Insurance Company | December 1984 | Joint publication November 1986 | |
| Pearl Insurance Company | January 1985 | ||
| Commercial Insurance Company | October 1984 | ||
| General Accident Assurance Company | November 1984 | ||
| Britannic Insurance Company | January 1985 | ||
| Refuge Assurance | January 1985 | ||
| United Friendly Society | April 1985 | ||
| Royal Insurance | June 1984 | ||
| 20. | Irish News Ltd. | July 1984 | May 1988 |
| 21. | Century Newspapers Limited | November 1984 | May 1988 |
| 22. | Hyster (NI) Ltd. | September 1986 | May 1988 |
| 23. | AVX Ltd. | March 1987 | May 1988 |
| 24. | Northern Ireland Airports Ltd. | April 1987 | June 1988 |
| 25. | Lucas Stability Electronics | March 1987 | September 1988 |
| 26. | Gallaher Tobacco Limited | August 1987 | December 1988 |
Copies of the reports are available in the Library of the House of Commons.
Employment Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list in the Official Report all those firms, businesses and employers in East Londonderry constituency which employ more than 25 persons;(2) if he will list in the
Official Report all those firms, businesses and employers in the Foyle constituency which employ more than 25 persons;
(3) if he will list in the Official Report all those firms, businesses and employers in the area covered by the district health and social security offices in (a) Strabane, (b) Londonderry, (c) Magherafelt, (d) Limavady and (e) Coleraine;
(4) if he will list in the Official Report all those firms, businesses and employers in the local district council area of (a) Strabane, (b) Londonderry, (c) Magherafelt, (d) Coleraine and (e) Limavady which employ more than 25 persons.
The information requested on individual undertakings is obtained in confidence under the appropriate legislation and cannot be disclosed without the prior written consent of each undertaking concerned.
Postgraduate Awards
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a breakdown of the number of postgraduate awards provided to Northern Ireland students over the past seven years.
[holding answer 22 December 1988]: Postgraduate awards are made by the Department of Education and by education and library boards. The information is as follows:
| DENI awards | ||
| Type of Award | Academic Year | Number of Awards given |
| Postgraduate Teacher Training | 1982–83 | 188 |
| 1983–84 | 197 | |
| 1984–85 | 208 | |
| 1985–86 | 213 | |
| 1986–87 | 215 | |
| 1987–88 | 265 | |
| 1988–89 | 345 | |
| Postgraduate studentships | 1982–83 | 240 |
| 1983–84 | 291 | |
| 1984–85 | 311 | |
| 1985–86 | 307 | |
| 1986–87 | 311 | |
| 1987–88 | 311 | |
| 1988–89 | 313 | |
| Postgraduate Bursaries | 1982–83 | 145 |
| 1983–84 | 136 | |
| 1984–85 | 131 | |
| 1985–86 | 133 | |
| 1986–87 | 133 | |
| 1987–88 | 133 | |
| 1988–89 | 133 | |
| Education and Library Boards | ||
| Type of award and name of board | Academic year | Number of awards given |
| Postgraduate Discretionary Awards | ||
| Belfast Education and Library Board | 1982–83 | 52 |
| 1983–84 | 45 | |
| 1984–85 | 84 | |
| 1985–86 | 38 | |
| 1986–87 | 100 | |
| 1987–88 | 88 | |
| 1988–89 | 88 | |
| South-Eastern Education and Library Board | 1982–83 | 67 |
| 1983–84 | 54 | |
| 1984–85 | 76 | |
| 1985–86 | 52 | |
| 1986–87 | 50 | |
| 1987–88 | 63 | |
| 1988–89 | 67 | |
| North-Eastern Education and Library Board | 1982–83 | 67 |
| 1983–84 | 66 | |
| 1984–85 | 90 | |
| 1985–86 | 74 | |
| 1986–87 | 84 | |
| 1987–88 | 79 | |
| 1988–89 | 179 | |
| Type of award and name of board | Academic year | Number of awards given |
| Southern Education and Library Board | 1982–83 | 60 |
| 1983–84 | 35 | |
| 1984–85 | 65 | |
| 1985–86 | 68 | |
| 1986–87 | 79 | |
| 1987–88 | 62 | |
| 1988–89 | 87 | |
| Western Education and Library Board | 1982–83 | Not available |
| 1983–84 | 49 | |
| 1984–85 | 49 | |
| 1985–86 | 79 | |
| 1986–87 | 56 | |
| 1987–88 | 63 | |
| 1988–89 | 163 | |
| 1 Estimate. | ||
James O'hara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to whether James O'Hara, of Lisburn, Northern Ireland, convicted at Dublin in June 1974, was employed by the British Army to kidnap individuals in the Republic of Ireland; what inquiries have been carried out; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 19 December 1988]: The matter has been fully investigated by the appropriate authorities and no evidence was found to support this allegation.
Mr Fred Holroyd (Photographic Material)
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the Royal Ulster Constabulary contacted Mr. Fred Holroyd concerning the return of photographic material referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East of 23 May, Official Report,column 36.
[holding answer 10 January 1989): I understand that the RUC communicated with Mr. Holroyd in August 1985.
Lower Crescent, Comber (Contract)
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings the Northern Ireland Housing Executive recently completed in the contract at Lower crescent, Comber; on what date and in which newspapers invitations to contractors for this scheme were advertised; how many applications were received; how many firms were then invited to submit a tender; how many tenders were received; and whether the contract was awarded to the lowest tenderer.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the chief executive has advised me that a total of 22 dwellings were completed; advertisements in relation to 19 dwellings were placed in the Belfast Telegraph, News Letter, and Irish News on 16 April 1985, in the County Down Spectator and Newtownards Chronicle on 18 April 1985 and in the Down Recorder on 19 April 1985; 14 applications were received; 10 firms were invited to tender; eight tenders were received and the contract was awarded to the second lowest tenderer. A further three dwellings were added to the contract in negotiation with the successful tenderer.
Health
Water (Aluminium Sulphate)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are currently issued by his Department regarding the toxicity and potential effects on health of aluminium sulphate in drinking water.
No guidelines on aluminium sulphate in drinking water are issued by this Department. However, EC directive 80/778/EEC sets maximum admissible concentrations of 0·2 milligrams of aluminium and 250 milligrams of sulphate per litre of drinking water, and stipulates the conditions under which these concentrations may be exceeded without breach of the directive.
| (a) Hospital services—Total revenue expenditure | (b) Community Health Services revenue expenditure—Family planning | |||||||
| Year | £000 (cash) | Index | £000 (at 1987–88 prices) | Index | £000 (cash) | Index | £000 (at 1987–88 prices) | Index |
| 1980–81 | 5,603,590 | 100 | 8,306,818 | 100 | 21,640 | 100 | 32,079 | 100 |
| 1981–82 | 6,211,403 | 111 | 8,382,164 | 101 | 22,806 | 105 | 30,776 | 96 |
| 1982–83 | 6,650,895 | 119 | 8,377,135 | 101 | 25,481 | 118 | 32,095 | 100 |
| 1983–84 | 7,007,557 | 125 | 8,442,284 | 102 | 28,462 | 132 | 34,289 | 107 |
| 1984–85 | 7,387,520 | 132 | 8,471,343 | 102 | 30,399 | 140 | 34,859 | 109 |
| 1985–86 | 7,753,315 | 138 | 8,435,297 | 102 | 32,298 | 149 | 35,139 | 110 |
| 1986–87 | 8,255,383 | 147 | 8,691,267 | 105 | 33,810 | 156 | 35,595 | 111 |
| 1987–881 | 8,786,818 | 157 | 8,786,818 | 106 | n.a | n.a | ||
| 1Provisional figure—as yet subject to audit. | ||||||||
Sources:
Notes to the table
Salmonella (Eggs)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many farms were involved in outbreaks of salmonella attributed by him to eggs; and in what parts of the country they are located.
[holding answer 19 December 1988]: At the request of medical colleagues in 1988, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food investigated 22 farms which were suspected as a possible source of eggs involved in 17 outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning. In some of these outbreaks more than one farm could have been the source of the eggs. On only seven farms was the same salmonella serotype to that involved in the food poisoning outbreaks isolated. The seven farms concerned are located in Kent, Sussex, Dorset, Hertfordshire, Yorkshire and Humberside.
Responsibility for the application of the directive lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
The World Health Organisation has set guidelines for aluminium and sulphate in drinking water of 0·2 milligrams per litre and 400 milligrams per litre respectively. Aluminium and its salts are of low toxicity and these values are not based on health effects but on risks of discolouration from aluminium and unpalatability from sulphate at higher concentrations.
Resources
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish expenditure on (a)National Health Service hospital services in England and (b) family planning clinic services in England in cash terms and real terms for each year since 1980, and also expressing both as an index based upon 1980.
Following is information derived from the annual accounts and financial returns of health authorities in England:
Doctors' Pay
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the real terms increase in doctors' remuneration since 1979.
[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1988 c. 606.]: I regret that my previous reply contained an error. The reply should have read "25·5 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1987–88".
Social Security
Cold Weather Payments
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants were paid under last winter's supplementary benefit exceptionally cold weather scheme; how much benefit was paid; and how many claims were refused.
I have arranged for the information to be placed in the Library.
Independent Living Fund
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the administration costs of the independent living fund are being borne by his Department.
[holding answer 19 December 1988]: It is estimated that in the first year of operation the Department will have met about 64 per cent. of the fund's administration costs.
Trade And Industry
Tobacco
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of exports of tobacco products from the United Kingdom in each of the last six years.
The information is given in the table:
| United Kingdom exports of tobacco products 1982–87 | |
| value in £ million | |
| Year | Exports (FOB) |
| 1982 | 383·0 |
| 1983 | 426·9 |
| 1984 | 409·2 |
| 1985 | 456·3 |
| 1986 | 393·7 |
| 1987 | 433·5 |
Note: Figures for 1987 are provisional.
Bees And Bee Products
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the balance of trade in bees and bee products for each of the years since 1979 in standard prices; and if he will make a statement.
Trade in bees is not separately identified in the Overseas Trade Statistics. The only bee product that is separately identified is honey; figures which are only available at current prices are given in the table.
| Balance of trade in honey 1979–88 | |||
| value in £ million | |||
| Imports | Exports | Balance | |
| 1989 | 9·7 | 1·5 | -8·2 |
| 1980 | 8·6 | 1·3 | -7·3 |
| 1381 | 9·2 | 1·0 | -8·2 |
| 1982 | 11·6 | 1·5 | -10·1 |
| 1983 | 12·7 | 1·5 | -11·2 |
| 1984 | 13·3 | 1·8 | -11·5 |
| 1985 | 12·1 | 2·2 | -9·9 |
| 1986 | 11·6 | 1·5 | -10·1 |
| 1987 | 13·8 | 1·7 | -12·1 |
| 11988 | 10·7 | 1·2 | -9·5 |
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.
Notes:
1 January to November.
American Airlines (Investment)
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the restrictions on United Kingdom investors purchasing shares in American airlines.
United Kingdom investors are permitted to purchase shares in American airlines. However, the United States Federal Aviation Act (1958) requires that an "air carrier" be "a citizen of the United States". In order to satisfy this requirement, it is a condition that no more than 25 per cent. of the voting interest of a United States air carrier is owned or controlled by persons who are not United States citizens.
Overseas Development
Armenia
72.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Soviet authorities concerning assistance for the earthquake victims of Armenia.
73.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts the Government have made to aid earthquake victims in Armenia.
On 9 December I announced emergency aid of £5 million in response to the Armenian earthquake. So far this has been used, in collaboration with the British Red Cross, to finance 12 relief flights carrying tents, clothing, medical supplies, emergency food rations, heavy earth-moving equipment and other relief supplies. We have also financed a team of firemen and a team of medical experts as well as providing £113,500 to CARE Britain for food parcels. All this assistance has been made in response to specific requests from the Soviet authorities, which have expressed their gratitude for all the help provided from Britain.The search and rescue phase of the relief operation is now over and the balance of our £5 million will be used for rehabilitation and reconstruction activities which are now under consideration by the Soviet authorities.
Bangladesh
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much bilateral aid was given to Bangladesh in 1988; and how it was spent.
Expenditure in 1987—the latest year for which figures are available—was £34·8 million. In the current financial year total expenditure is expected to be about £50 million. We are providing project aid, commodity aid, food aid and technical co-operation as well as substantial emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance following the recent floods and cyclone. The main sectors to which our aid is directed are energy, communications, natural resources and health.
Scotland
Nhs Grading
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in the Ayrshire and Arran health board.
| Percentage of staff assimilated to each of the new grades | ||||||||||
| Previous grade | Total posts regarded (whole-time equivalents) | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I |
| Nursing Auxiliary | 934·57 | 94·3 | 5·7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hospital Staff (NNEB) | 16·34 | — | 100·0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enrolled Nurse | 457·37 | — | — | 65·2 | 34·8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enrolled District Train | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Senior Enrolled | 16·86 | — | — | 4·4 | 95·6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Staff Nurse | 713·71 | — | — | — | 24·6 | 63·0 | 12·4 | — | — | — |
| Staff Midwife | 138·87 | — | — | — | 0·4 | 54·7 | 44·9 | — | — | — |
| Deputy Sister | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sister II | 284·23 | — | — | — | — | — | 38·5 | 59·7 | 1·8 | — |
| Sister 11 Midwife | 99·68 | — | — | — | — | — | 21·5 | 78·5 | — | — |
| District Nurse Sister II | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — | |
| Sister I | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sister I Midwife | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Health Visitor | 78·20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — |
| Senior Nurse 8 | 29·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3·5 | 10·3 | 86·2 |
| Senior Nurse 8 Midwife | 6·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 66·7 | 83·3 |
| Senior Nurse 7 | 10·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
| Senior Nurse 7 Midwife | 1·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
| Clinical Teacher | 16·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12·5 | 87·5 | — |
| Fieldwork Teacher | 16·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — |
| Practical Work Teacher | 14·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — |
| Tutor | 13·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
| Tutor Midwife | 3·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
| Post basic students | ||||||||||
| Enrolled | 36·00 | — | — | 100·0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Staff Nurse | 86·00 | — | — | — | 94·2 | 5·8 | — | — | — | — |
| Deputy Sister | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sister II | 8·00 | — | — | — | — | — | 37·5 | 62·5 | — | — |
| Others | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 3,077·92 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) nurses and (b) midwives have been regraded and at what grade in each unit of Lothian health board.
| Percentages of nurses assimilated to each of the new grades | ||||||||||
| Previous Grade | Total posts regraded (whole-time equivalent) | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I |
| Nursing Auxiliary | 2,413·19 | 92·8 | 7·2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hospital Staff (NNEB) | 47·90 | — | 84·4 | 15·6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enrolled Nurse | 1,176·36 | — | — | 30·7 | 69·3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enrolled District Trainee | 31·30 | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Senior Enrolled | 53·16 | — | — | — | 24·9 | 73·2 | 1·9 | — | — | — |
| Staff Nurse | 2,086·15 | — | — | — | 17·6 | 81·5 | 0·9 | — | — | — |
| Staff Midwife | 220·23 | — | — | — | — | 57·6 | 42·4 | — | — | — |
| Deputy Sister | 31·18 | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — | — |
| Sister II | 837·38 | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — | — |
| Sister 11 Midwife | 115·85 | — | — | — | — | — | 2·9 | 5·4 | 1·7 | — |
| District Nurse Sister II | 195·53 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — |
| Sister I | 2·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — |
| Sister I Midwife | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Health Visitor | 189·78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 99·5 | 0·5 | — |
| Senior Nurse 8 | 67·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7·5 | 91·0 | 1·5 |
| Senior Nurse 8 Midwife | 16·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18·7 | 81·2 | — |
| Senior Nurse 7 | 71· | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18·7 | 81·2 | — |
| Senior Nurse 7 Midwife | 3·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
| Clinical Teacher | 60·60 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — |
| Fieldwork Teacher | 28·28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — |
| Practical Work Teacher | 31·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — |
| Tutor | 69·80 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
| Tutor Midwife | 12·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 |
The information requested is given in the table.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: Information on the regrading results of individual health board units is not held centrally. Details of the numbers of nurses assimilated to each of the new grades in Lothian health board are given in the table.
Previous Grade
| Total posts regraded (whole-time equivalent)
| A
| B
| C
| D
| E
| F
| G
| H
| I
|
| Post basic students | ||||||||||
| Enrolled | 77·00 | — | — | 100·0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Staff Nurse | 308·00 | — | — | — | 89·3 | 8·4 | 2·3 | — | — | — |
| Department Sister | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sister II | 9·00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100·0 | — | — |
| Others | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 8,152·39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Health Service (Grading)
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the additional cost of the regrading of nurses and midwives for Lothian health board; and what proportion of that additional cost is to be met by the board from its own resources in 1988–89 and 1989–90.
[holding answer 10 January 1989]: Lothian health board has been given an additional £14·936 million over and above its initial allocation for 1988–89 to allow it to meet the cost of the pay awards to nurses and other staff covered by the review bodies. Allocations to health boards for 1989–90 have not yet been made.
Health Boards
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board (a) its budget for 1987–88, (b) the number of staff employed and (c) the population covered.
The information requested is contained in "Scottish Health Statistics 1988", compiled by the information and statistics division of the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service, which was published on 19 December 1988. Copies are available in the Library.
Piper Alpha
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the measures taken to monitor the area surrounding the remains of the Piper Alpha platform for pollution; how long these measures will continue; and if he will make a statement.
Immediately following the incident on 6 July, aerial surveys to detect oil spillage were carried out by the Department of Transport marine pollution control unit. Although some spillage occurred, the total quantity was quite small—about 500 tonnes—and dispersed quickly with no major environmental impact.The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, in co-operation with the operators, Occidental Petroleum (Caledonian) Ltd., has been monitoring debris and other samples from the vicinity of the Piper Alpha site for other potential sources of contamination. A quantity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and small amounts of radioactive isotopes were known to have been on the Piper Alpha platform before the incident. Efforts to locate these substances, or their original containers, have been inhibited by debris and the damaged state of the platform remains.
Small traces of PCB contamination have been found in debris and sediment samples. Further samples are being taken at present to enable the extent of any release of PCBs to be assessed. So far no traces of radioactive contamination have been detected.
As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Energy, explained on 8 December, in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden), the conditions attached to the approval of the abandonment programme for Piper Alpha include requirements for further surveys and monitoring of the site and for sediment sampling and examination, to be repeated at such times as the Secretary of State may subsequently direct. They also provide for any leakage of oil or gas to be sealed to his satisfaction and for steps to be taken to deal with any unacceptable levels of pollution.
Fish Farms
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow may expect an answer to his letter dated 5 November 1988 to the Minister of State at his Department on the subject of predator control on marine fish farms.
My noble Friend the Minister of State has written to the hon. Member today.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if workers employed on fish farms are covered by the terms of the Agricultural Wages Board Order; and if he will make a statement.
The orders made by the Scottish agricultural wages board relate to workers employed in agriculture as defined in section 17 of the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949, the interpretation of which is a matter for the courts. To date fish farming has not been considered to be an activity included within the definition.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make available to the public the results of research into the presence of residues of Nuvan 500 EC in salmon flesh; and if he will make a statement;(2) when and where the results of research into the environmental and health effects of the use on marine fish farms of Nuvan 500 EC will be published; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 28 November 1988.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether (a) all products known as pesticides and (b) Nuvan 500 EC should comply with the Control of Pesticides Regulations for the supply to, and storage and handling on, marine fish farms; and if he will make a statement.
The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 cover pesticides as defined in regulation 3 including Nuvan 500 EC as approved for use in poultryhouses. The regulations apply to sale, supply, storage, use and advertisement in Scotland as well as England and Wales.Any product or substance that is added to the water or given orally or otherwise for the treatment, control or prevention of ectoparasites on farmed fish however, is defined as an animal medicine and is subject to controls under the Medicines Act 1968.
Employment
Identity Cards
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has investigated, or is currently studying, the usefulness of a national identity card to his departmental responsibilities; and whether he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on Thursday 15 December (Official Report, columns 1080-82).
Claimants
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, during the first three quarters of 1988, how many claimants have been referred to the employment service jobclub at Balham jobcentre; and of those how many (a) found work, (b) entered training, (c) entered EAS and (d) entered the community programme.
During the first three-quarters of 1988, 391 people were referred to Balham jobcentre jobclub. It is not possible to say how many of these were claiming benefits. Of those referred, 106 actually joined the jobclub with the following outcomes:
Bridging Allowance
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by region, how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of bridging allowance at 23 and 30 September, 7, 14, 21 and 28 October and 4, 11, 18 and 25 November.
Full statistical information for YTS bridging allowance recipients is available on a monthly basis. The figures relate to those being paid by computer and clerically by UBOs.
The dates for which figures are available are:
13 October 1988
10 November 1988
8 December 1988.
On those dates the number of 16 and 17-year-olds receiving YTS bridging allowance, by region, were as follows:
13 October 1988
| 10 November 1988
| 8 December 1988
| |
| East Midlands and Eastern | 2,986 | 1,354 | 1,164 |
| West Midlands | 4,093 | 1,371 | 1,074 |
| Wales | 2,257 | 845 | 642 |
| London and South Eastern | 4,634 | 1,703 | 1,422 |
| South West | 1,525 | 680 | 540 |
| Northern | 2,729 | 1,028 | 742 |
| Yorks and Humberside | 4,658 | 1,836 | 1,392 |
| Scotland | 7,374 | 2,158 | 1,793 |
| North West | 6,432 | 2,183 | 2,015 |
| Totals | 36,688 | 13,158 | 10,784 |
Mechanical Excavators
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made towards the harmonisation of vehicle controls on mechanical excavators in use within the European Community in the interests of operator safety.
Between now and 1992 European standards will be prepared to support the harmonisation of safety requirements for all machinery including excavators. No decision has been made within the European Community as to the inclusion of vehicle controls.
Labour Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the level of employment in the United Kingdom.
Between March 1983 and June 1988 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom increased by 2,178,000 to 25,739,000 the highest level on record. This rising trend has now continued for more than five years. The figures have been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed, Her Majesty's forces and participants in work-related Government training programmes.
Tourism
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many section 4 schemes have been funded for tourist-related projects in Nottingham since 1985; how much investment has been generated in each from how much grant in each; and how many jobs, both full-time and part-time, have been created and at what cost per head in each case.
Six schemes have been offered assistance under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 in Nottingham since 1985. Total investment is as follows:
Project
| Assistance offered
| Total eligible project cost
| Additional jobs expected by the applicant (full-time equivalent)
| Assistance per job
|
£
| £
| £
| ||
| Waltons Hotel | 18,173 | 98,173 | 2·0 | 9,087 |
| TIC Nottingham | 13,961 | 69,807 | 1·0 | 13,961 |
| Talbot House Hotel | 9,000 | 45,500 | 1·5 | 6,000 |
| Bridgford Lodge Hotel | 42,000 | 344,000 | 12·5 | 3,360 |
| Tales of Robin Hood | 155,000 | 950,000 | 21·0 | 7,381 |
| Pageant of Robin Hood | 150,000 | 1,358,212 | 29·0 | 5,172 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who, other than his Department's civil servants and PA Management Consultants, are involved in the tourism policy review.
The review team consists of civil servants and PA management consultants. They have talked to nearly 150 individuals and organisations in the tourism industry and received submissions. Their report and its recommendations will be considered by Ministers before any decisions are taken.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the tourism review will include analysis of the role of all Government Departments involved.
Yes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of foreign tourists and British visitors to London in 1986–87 and 1987–88 and the value of tourism to London in those years; and if he will make a statement.
The following table gives the latest available information:
| Tourist visits and expenditure in London | ||||
| Numbers of visits (000s)1 | Expenditure (£ millions) | |||
| 1986 | 1987 | 1986 | 1987 | |
| Overseas residents | 8,190 | 9,260 | 3,203 | 3,561 |
| British residents | 13,000 | 15,000 | 670 | 755 |
| Total | 21,190 | 24,260 | 3,873 | 4,316 |
| 1Visits of one or more nights only. | ||||
Sources: International Passenger Survey and British Tourism Survey Monthly.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of jobs dependent on tourism in London; and if he will make a statement.
The information is not available in the form requested, but it is estimated that in September 1988 the number of employees in employment in the hotel and catering industry in London was 173,000.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of journeys made by foreign tourists and British visitors to London on (a) the underground, (b) the buses, (c) the trains and (d) other modes of transport and the total value of the journeys made in 1986–87 and 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.
The information requested is not available. However, the London tourist board carries out a survey of a small sample of overseas visitors to London every summer. This survey gave the following information:
| Percentage of all overseas visitors who used transport at least once during stay in London in: | ||
| per cent. | ||
| Mode of Transport | Summer 1987 | Summer 1988 |
| Underground | 90 | 92 |
| Buses (LRT) | 70 | 71 |
| British Rail Train | 25 | 18 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the value of tourism to the hotel and catering industry in London in 1986–87 and 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.
The information is not available in the form requested, but it is estimated that overseas and domestic visitors staying in London for one night or more spent a total of £3·9 billion in 1986 and a total of £4·3 billion in 1987.
Employment Training
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to reduce (a) the number of managing agents for youth training schemes and (b) the number of youth training schemes; and if he will make a statement.
The Training Agency's area offices negotiate contracts with managing agents to provide sufficient YTS places to meet the needs in each locality. As the number of young people eligible for YTS falls over the next few years, the overall number of schemes and of managing agents may well need to be adjusted. Any such adjustments will be made locally, to match local requirements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the decision of some local authorities to boycott employment training.
[holding answer 22 December 1988]: Employment training has made a very successful start with more than 100,000 people already in training, in many cases with the help of local authorities. About 170 local authorities are already acting as training managers and 50 acting as training agents for the scheme.I very much regret that certain Labour controlled local authorities have decided actively to oppose and boycott employment training. This deplorable stance serves only to distance those local authorities from the needs of the unemployed people in their communities. A recent High Court decision made it clear that Liverpool city council had been using its discretionary powers unlawfully to penalise organisations taking part in employment training. I trust that other authorities will take careful note of that judgment in framing their policies for the future.
Energy Grants
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many energy grants have been paid in each month since April.
[holding answer, 22 December 1988]: The information requested is provided in the following table:
| 1988 | £ |
| April | 16,828 |
| May | 16,463 |
| June | 7,049 |
| July | 9,389 |
| August | 9,475 |
| September | 24,562 |
| October | 17,202 |
| November | 8,867 |
| Total | 109,835 |
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Nato (Fortieth Anniversary)
12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the Government intend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the Government intend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the foundation of NATO.
My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces gave a list of a number of events in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Mr. Watts) yesterday. In addition to these, the next ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council is scheduled to take place in London on 8-9 June 1989.
Vietnamese Refugees (Hong Kong)
15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Vietnamese Government regarding the repatriation of boat people arriving in Hong Kong.
47.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Vietnam in connection with the Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.
I discussed the problem of Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister on 7 June 1988 and with his Deputy on 30 September. Her Majesty's embassy in Hanoi is in regular touch with the Vietnamese authorities.
36.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Governor of Hong Kong on the plight of the Vietnamese refugees.
We are in close and frequent contact with the Government of Hong Kong on all aspects of the problems of Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong.
Malta
16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his contacts with the Government of Malta over the past three years.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I have frequent contacts with the Maltese Government, the most recent ones being in September last year, when their Prime Minister visited London for three days. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State will be seeing the Maltese Prime Minister again on 13 January.
Kurds (Representations)
17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Iraq concerning the plight of Kurdish people.
As I told the hon. Member in a written reply on 25 November, at column 142, we have repeatedly expressed our concern at the treatment of the Kurdish community in Iraq. I also refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State's comments to the House on 30 November at column 689. I raised the question of alleged use of chemical weapons against Kurds in my speech on 9 January to the Paris conference on chemical weapons.
Mr Charles Powell
18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Mr. Charles Powell to return to the Foreign Office.
In due course.
Yasser Arafat (Un Speech)
19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to meet the Israeli Foreign Minister to discuss the implications of the speech of Mr. Yasser Arafat to the United Nations General Assembly.
My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to have an early meeting with Mr. Arens, but no date has yet been set.
Iran (Political Prisoners)
20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to (a) the Government of Iran and (b) relevant international bodies about the killings of political prisoners in Iran.
37.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iran regarding executions of political prisoners there.
The reports of executions are a matter of grave concern. We have consistently condemned such violations of human rights in Iran. We co-sponsored the resolution on human rights in Iran which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 8 December.
Ussr (International Relations)
22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has been able to make an assessment of the main foreign policy points in Mr. Gorbachev's 6 December speech to the United Nations in regard to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic's relations with the United Kingdom and other Western countries.
Yes. We have welcomed Mr. Gorbachev's speech as the clearest exposition so far a less ideological Soviet approach to foreign policy. This approach, if maintained, should help to improve further east-west relations and on our bilateral relations with the Russians, and lead to increasing practical progress in arms control, human rights and the settlement of regional conflicts.
United States Secretary Of State
23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the United States Secretary of State; and what matters were discussed.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State last met Mr. Shultz at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels on 8 and 9 December. They discussed a wide range of issues.
European Community-Gulf Co-Operation Council
24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the state of relations between the European Community and the Gulf Co-operation Council.
The European Community's relations with the Gulf Co-operation Council are excellent. A first stage economic co-operation agreement and a political joint declaration were signed last June. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State returned today from a most successful trip to four Gulf Co-operation Council countries—Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Ussr (Military Reductions)
25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed President Gorbachev's proposed conventional arms reductions with the Foreign Ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
I discussed the matter with my NATO colleagues at the North Atlantic Council ministerial meeting in Brussels on 8 December. I draw my hon. Friend's attention to our statement on conventional arms control in which we welcomed the proposed reductions as a "positive contribution" to redressing the heavy conventional imbalance in Europe. We also called for cuts in the number of tanks to half than present levels, going well beyond the reduction announced by Mr. Gorbachev; and for limits on the tank holdings of individual countries much lower than those of the Soviet Union, even after the proposed cuts. The full text can be found in the copy of the statement placed in the Library of the House.
Falkland Islands (Housebuilding)
26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of housebuilding on the Falkland Islands since 1982.
Since 1982, 136 housing units have been built and 42 mobile homes installed in the Falkland Islands. A further 84 units are at various stages of construction or planning, including 36 for Falkland Islands Government, which should be finished by the end of April.We and the Falkland Islands Government recognise the crucial importance of housing. A senior British consultant visited the Falklands in November to help prepare a new comprehensive housing policy. We are also encouraged that in recent months a number of building plots have been purchased by individual islanders for private housing development.
Afghanistan
27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the current situation in Afghanistan.
The Afghan people continue to resist Soviet military occupation and the unrepresentative PDPA regime. We look forward to the withdrawal of all Soviet troops by 15 February in accordance with the Geneva agreements, and to the restoration of Afghan independence and self-determination.
President Gorbachev (Uk Visit)
28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that President Gorbachev will next visit the United Kingdom.
56.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that President Gorbachev will next visit the United Kingdom.
Mr. Gorbachev's planned visit to the United Kingdom last month had to be postponed due to the tragic earthquake in Armenia. We hope that it will be possible to agree new dates for the visit in the near future.
Hungary
29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Hungary.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary has no firm plans to visit Hungary.
Taiwan
30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet representatives of the Taiwan Government.
Since 1950, successive British Governments have dealt with the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Accordingly there can be no question of my right hon. and learned Friend meeting representatives of the authorities in Taiwan.
South African Ambassador
31.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the ambassador of South Africa; and what matters were discussed.
My right hon. and learned Friend last met the South African ambassador on 23 September. They discussed a wide range of issues of common interest.
Middle East
32.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit the middle east to discuss the peace process.
The Arab/Israel dispute was among the subjects my right hon. and learned Friend discussed during his visit to the middle east earlier this month.
Spain And Portugal (Ec Accession)
33.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Spanish and Portuguese Foreign Ministers to discuss the entry of those countries to the Western European Union.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 30 November 1988 at column 306.
South West Africa
34.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made towards a South African withdrawal from South West Africa.
We greatly welcome the signature of an agreement in New York on 22 December paving the way for Namibian independence. We congratulate the United States Government on their skilful mediation and all the signatories for the statesmanship which they have shown.
British Citizens (Overseas Travel)
35.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he is planning to seek to reduce hooliganism on the part of British citizens travelling abroad during the 1989 tourist season.
We shall continue our public education campaign in the United Kingdom and abroad to reduce the level of hooliganism and rowdy behaviour by British citizens. Further TV and radio public information messages are planned for this year. We shall also continue to co-operate closely with the Association of British Travel Agents and tour operators, and with the central and local authorities of the main tourist countries. Together with the Home Office we are actively pursuing Spanish proposals to post a small number of British police to Spanish resort areas during the coming tourist season, for liaison purposes.
British Embassies (Export Activities)
38.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on recent efforts to improve the export promotion activities of British embassies.
Our efforts to improve the export promotion activities of British posts abroad is a continuous process, to which we attach great importance. Such activities are scrutinised regularly by the overseas inspectorate system in the light of agreed commercial objectives which are revised annually.
United States
39.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next visit the United States; and what issues he plans to discuss with President Bush's Administration.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State hopes to visit the United States as soon as possible after the inauguration of the new President, when he will discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest with the new Secretary of State and others.
El Salvador
40.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in El Salvador.
We condemn all abuses of human rights. We remain concerned by reports of an increase in human rights violations on both sides of the conflict in El Salvador and we shall continue to raise our concerns with the Salvadorean Government whenever appropriate.
Tibet
41.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of China on the subject of Tibet.
The subject of Tibet was raised by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State with the then Chinese Foreign Minister, Wu Xueqian when he visited the United Kingdom in March 1988.
President Vassiliou Of Cyprus
42.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the leader of the Greek Cypriot regime; and what was discussed
My right hon. and learned Friend last met President Vassiliou of Cyprus on 4 October, when he called on my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to review progress in the intercommunal talks on the Cyprus problem.
Nigeria
43.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on political and economic relations with Nigeria.
We enjoy close and cordial political and economic relations with Nigeria.
Human Rights Convention (Ussr)
44.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the human rights convention proposed by the Soviet Union.
We have agreed in principle that the third stage of the CSCE conference on the human dimension should be held in Moscow, but our attendance depends upon the Soviet Union making further specific major human rights improvements between now and 1991.
Kampuchea
45.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for Her Majesty's Government's policy of recent developments in Kampuchea.
71.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the threat to peace and security in Kampuchea; and what initiatives he expects to take in either the Security Council of the United Nations or in any of its specialised agencies.
We wish to see Cambodia restored to its place as a free and neutral country. We support the work of those directly concerned to achieve this aim. Vietnam's illegal occupation remains a major obstacle. There have been a number of encouraging developments recently, both internal and external. More progress is needed before the United Nations Security Council can play a formal role. Some specialised United Nations agencies (for example UNBRO, WFP, UNICEF) are already doing useful work.
54.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the situation in Kampuchea with representatives of the Governments of (a) China, (b) the United States and (c) Thailand.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State discussed Cambodia with his American and Chinese counterparts in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in September 1988, and with the Thai Foreign Minister in August 1987. The Prime Minister discussed this subject with the Thai Prime Minister in August 1988 and my noble Friend, the Minister of State will raise it when he visits Bangkok later this month.
Israel (Occupied Territories)
46.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to impose any pressure or sanctions on the Israeli Government for their failure to abide by the Geneva convention in the occupied territories.
We shall continue to urge the Israelis to administer the occupied territories in accordance with international law and accepted standards of human rights. We do not believe that economic sanctions would help improve conditions in the occupied territories.
Soviet Foreign Minister
48.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next meet the Soviet Foreign Minister; and what matters will be discussed.
My right hon. and learned Friend has no firm plans to meet Mr. Shevardnadze at present. He will, no doubt, accompany Mr. Gorbachev to the United Kingdom when the Soviet President's visit is reinstated.
South Korea
49.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts his Department is making to promote commercial relations with South Korea.
Commercial relations with the Republic of Korea are good, although we are obliged to make regular representations to the Korean authorities about access to their market. The British embassy in Seoul stands ready to help both existing exporters and those companies which are new to the Korean market. They are expecting 13 sponsored trade missions in 1989, matching the 13 which visited in 1988. British exports to Korea increased by 48 per cent. in 1987 over 1986. The first nine months of 1988 saw a further 10 per cent. increase.
Bophuthatswana
50.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will now recognise Bophuthatswana as an independent country.
No.
Bangladesh
51.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Bangladesh.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has not visited Bangladesh, but my noble Friend Lord Glenarthur did so in December 1988.
Western European Union
52.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the results to date of the British presidency of the Western European Union.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence hosted a ministerial council meeting of the WEU in London on 14 November. The major event of that occasion was signature of a protocol for the accession of Portugal and Spain to the modified Brussels treaty 1954. These two countries will become full members of WEU once ratification procedures are complete. A satisfactory outcome to the enlargement negotiations with Portugal and Spain was one of the main priorities for our Presidency, and its early attainment is most satisfactory.
A further priority was to develop the WEU as a forum for co-ordinating European approaches to out of area issues. The ministerial council noted with approval the success of the joint naval activities in the Gulf, particularly the mine-sweeping operation Cleansweep, as a concrete example of the work being done by WEU in defence co-operation.
Our other main priorities—to elaborate on the commitments in the Hague platform on European security interests, and to use WEU as a forum for frank discussion of key European security issues—have also been pursued energetically. The ministerial council considered a report on implementation of the platform and endorsed further work on its elaboration, which will continue over the next six months. Ministers also took note of a report on progress made in fulfilling the mandate on arms control and defence requirements given by WEU Ministers at their meeting in the Hague in April 1988.
Chile
53.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the role of Her Majesty's Government following the plebiscite in Chile.
We have received no formal representations following the plebiscite in Chile, though we continue our dialogue with Chilean political leaders. We also continue to receive expressions of the diverse views of members of the British public.
59.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Governments of other European countries about ways of encouraging the transition to full democracy in Chile.
We have frequent discussions with our European partners on Chile. The position of the Twelve was set out in their statements of 7 October and November, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
Fiji
55.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to pay an official visit to Fiji.
My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to visit Fiji at present.
President Gorbachev (United Nations Speech)
57.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet his United States counterpart to discuss the West's response to Mr. Gorbachev's United Nations speech of 8 December.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State hopes to visit the United States as soon as possible after the inauguration of the new President and Administration. He plans to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest with his new opposite number and others, including the prospects for east-west relations.
European Community (Foreign Policies)
58.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any proposals further to integrate the foreign policies of the European Economic Community member states; arid if he will make a statement.
We play a very full part in the European political co-operation, and will continue to do so, on the basis of the provisions of title III of the Single European Act. We have no proposals at present for extending either the existing arrangements for co-operation or the wide range of foreign policy issues on which co-operation takes place. We find such co-operation extremely useful.
Commonwealth Co-Operation
60.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's current policy towards the development of Commonwealth co-operation.
We continue to support the development of Commonwealth co-operation and to play our full part in its financing. We already make annual contributions to the Commonwealth fund for technical co-operation, the Commonwealth youth programme, the Commonwealth foundation and the Commonwealth secretariat of 30 per cent. of their budgets, and to the Commonwealth Science Council. In addition, Britain is assisting the Commonwealth of Learning, a new Commonwealth distance education network, by financing the development of the documentation centre and a credit transfer register at the British Open university. The cost will be between £1 million and £2 million over a period of five years. We also provide a substantial grant-in-aid (£2·65 million in 1988–89) to the Commonwealth Institute.
Palestine Liberation Organisation
61.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting of the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) with the chief spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Mr. Bassam Abu Sherif.
63.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting of the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) with the chief spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Mr. Bassam Abu Sherif.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot) on 12 December at column 398.
Caribbean
62.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit the Caribbean.
My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to pay an official visit to the Caribbean, but my hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development is currently visiting the area and I shall be visiting later this month.
Cyprus
64.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the discussions taking place in New York and Cyprus between President Vassiliou and Mr. Denktash on the reunification of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has reviewed the outcome of the New York discussions with President Vassiliou, as have officials with Mr. Denktash and the United Nations Secretary-General. Some progress was achieved in the first round of the intercommunal talks and we have encouraged President Vassiliou to respond to the positive elements in the ideas which Mr. Denktash put forward in November.
68.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the state of the present negotiations taking place under United Nations auspices, about the future of Cyprus.
Following their meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General in New York on the 22 and 23 November, President Vassiliou of Cyprus and Mr. Denktash, leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, have begun a second round of talks in Nicosia. These are still continuing. We believe that, with good will on both sides, there is a real opportunity for the achievement of the comprehensive Cyprus settlement which we all want to see.
Human Rights Conference
65.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received further details on the proposed conditions for a human rights conference to be held in Moscow.
The Soviet Union has given assurances that conditions of access to the openness of the third stage of the CSCE conference on the human dimension, assuming this is held in Moscow, will be no less than for similar meetings in the west.
Iran
66.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the restoration of normal diplomatic relations with Iran.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State agreed with the Iranian Foreign Minister on 30 September in New York that full diplomatic representation would be restored in Tehran and London. Final agreement on the details was reached on 10 November. Her Majesty's embassy in Tehran has now re-opened under our own flag. Relations between the two countries will be conducted in accordance with the Vienna conventions on diplomatic and consular relations, to which both countries are signatories. The chargé d'affaires, Mr. Gordon Pirie, has had meetings with Iranian officials and gained consular access to the two British prisoners in Iran one of whom has now been released. This is a first step in developing a more constructive and businesslike relationship with Iran. We will consider the exchange of ambassadors in due course.
Islamabad (Uk Post)
67.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to improve the administration of the United Kingdom post in Islamabad.
Following a recent inspection in Islamabad it has been agreed that the permanent establishment of entry clearance officers be increased from 26 to 28, and that all new appointees from the diplomatic service will have a month's overlap with their predecessors. Four further ECO's are being provided for nine months from January 1989 and a similar number is planned for a lesser period in 1990. Also being considered is an increase in the numbers of locally engaged staff, including interpreters, in 1989.
Southern Africa
69.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British efforts to facilitate the peace process in Angola and Namibia.
We have given our full and public support to the US-led negotiations, and we applaud the signature of agreements in New York on 22 December paving the way for Cuban troop withdrawal from Angola and for Namibian independence. We shall press those concerned to move on swiftly from agreement to implementation.
Chemical Weapons
70.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards an international ban on the use of chemical weapons.
Negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive global ban on chemical weapons continue at the conference on disarmament in Geneva. Progress has been made but complex issues remain to be resolved, particularly concerning verification.
Chittagong Hill Tracts
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy on events in the Chittagong hill tracts in Bangladesh.
We have made clear to the Bangladesh authorities the level of concern in this country about alleged abuses of rights of the tribal people in the Chittagong hill tracts. We are encouraged by the widespread recognition in Bangladesh of the need to find a political solution to the current problems.