To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he proposes to make a statement on Exposure draft 42, "Accounting For Special Purposes Transactions".

My Department commented on Exposure draft 42 last summer. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs subsequently made an announcement in August on related matters: changes to the definition of a subsidiary, which are now included in the Companies Bill; and the circumstances in which it may be necessary, in order for group accounts to show the required true and fair view, to treat a body which is not legally a subsidiary as though it were one. I have no plans to make any further statement in connection with Exposure draft 42.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why, in the single European market literature that has so far been published by Her Majesty's Government, there is no mention of the common agricultural policy for 1992 and onwards.

The Department of Trade and Industry's single market pack describes the available details of the European Community's single market programme. Common policies in the agricultural area are of long standing and the implications of completing the single market for them are generally limited to the agrimonetary system on which the Commission is due to report shortly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions have been brought against companies for wrongful trading under the Insolvency Act 1986; if he will list the companies concerned; and how many of these prosecutions have (a) been completed and (b) resulted in conviction.

Wrongful trading is not a criminal offence under the Insolvency Act 1986. It is a civil remedy available to the liquidator of a company in insolvent liquidation. My Department does not maintain records of wrongful trading actions.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he intends to bring forward legislation to remove the monopoly for postal items under £1; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to him on 16 January 1989, Official Report, column 16.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has or proposes to have with the chairman of the Post Office, following the disruption of the post in the London south-west postal districts over the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of the Post Office at regular intervals to discuss a range of matters of current interest.32

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what products exported from the United Kingdom require export licences; and what is the average period of time taken for the issue of such licences.

Products requiring export licences are listed in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1987 (S.I. 1987 No. 2070), as amended. Applications for licences are considered on their merits. The time taken to process these is dependent upon the nature of the product, its destination and possible end use. It is not possible to state an average period of time for the processing of such licences, but for non-sensitive applications; my Department would normally expect to issue a licence within three weeks.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his reasons for not immediately referring the takeover bid for Century Press by Thomson Regional Newspapers to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

[holding answer 16 January 1989]: The application by Thomson Regional Newspapers has been made under the financial urgency provisions in section 58(3)(a) of the Fair Trading Act 1973. This legislation allows the Secretary of State one month in which to consent to the transfer or refer it to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for inquiry. No decision on the application will be taken until all relevant factors have been taken into account, including representations by third parties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the areas of Derbyshire which he has submitted for consideration to the European Commission under its review of the European Economic Community's structural funds; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 January 1989]: The European Commission is to draw up a list of areas; to receive support from the Community structural funds, including the European regional development fund, under the funds' new objective 2 (conversion of industrial regions). We believe that the following parts of Derbyshire satisfy criteria in Council regulation (EEC) No. 20522/88 qualifying them for consideration for selection, and have asked the Commission to include them in the list:

• Chesterfield Travel-to-Work Area (TTWA)
• The Derbyshire parts of: Mansfield TTWA
• Sheffield TTWA
• Worksop TTWA
• Derby City Urban Programme Area.

The Commission's decision is expected during

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement setting out the respective powers and responsibilities of his Department, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and the European Economic Community Commission in relation to the takeover of United Kingdom companies; what will be the impact on these responsibilities of the proposals being considered by the European Economic Community on takeover and merger policy; and if he will make a statement on the implications of these supervisory and control powers for the anticipated bids for GEC.

[holding answer 16 January 1989]: The powers and responsibilities of my Department and the Monopolies and Mergers Commission are contained in the Fair Trading Act 1973. Under that Act the Director General of Fair Trading has a duty to advise the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on whether a merger or merger proposal should be referred to the MMC for further investigation and report. The EC Commission has power to enforce the competition rules in articles 85 and 86 of the treaty of Rome, which may apply to certain mergers. Regulation of the market conduct of takeovers in the United Kingdom is carried out by the panel on takeovers and mergers. There is currently no provision in EC law in respect of such regulation. Discussions are currently in train on a Commission proposal for an EC merger control regulation, and proposals for an EC takeover directive are due to be published soon. Issues of principle and detail are outstanding. It is too early to assess the implications. Were a bid to be made for GEC, it would be considered under existing procedures, in so far as they may be applicable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will abolish without delay the currently applicable £10 licence charge payable to his Department at the moment of purchase of satellite television dish aerial receiver units, in view of enhanced consumer demand for such units.

[holding answer 16 January 1989]: I have nothing to add at this stage to my reply of 20 December 1988 to my hon. Friend at column 154. My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will, however, make a statement as soon as possible.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what evidence he has about the implications of the net book agreement for the number of independent and chartered booksellers, and their financial viability.

[holding answer 13 January 1989]: The implications of the net book agreement for independent and chartered booksellers were among the matters taken into account by the restrictive practices court in 1962 when it considered the agreement under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956. The court then judged that the restrictions in the agreement did not operate against the public interest. Under present legislation, it is open to the Director General of Fair Trading to apply to the court for a review of its decision if he considers that there has been a material change in the circumstances on which the original judgment was based. My Department has no role in this process and does not therefore collect the kind of evidence to which the hon. Member refers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he intends to publish his Department's review of the net book agreement.

[holding answer 13 January 1989]: My Department is not engaged in such a review. Under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 and the Resale Prices Act 1976, the review of voluntary agreements such as the net book agreement is a matter for the restrictive practices court, on application by the Director General of Fair Trading.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress was made at the meeting of the Research Council of European Community Ministers on 15 December; and if he will make a statement.

I represented Her Majesty's Government at the meeting of the Community's Council of Ministers (Research) in Brussels on 15 December.The Council adopted a common position on Joule, a Community programme of research in the field of non-nuclear energy and efficient use of energy supplies with Community funding of 122 million ecu (£79 million) over 39 months. The programme will cover rational use of energy including energy efficiency, conservation and storage, renewable energy sources including solar, wind and geothermal, and research into hydrocarbons and the better use of solid fuels.The Council also adopted a common position on a new Brite/Euram research programme combining research previously carried out under separate programmes in the fields of industrial technologies and advanced materials. The programme will provide Community funding of 499·5 million ecu (£324 million) over four years with the aim of helping to improve the competitive position of the Community's manufacturing industries. A total of 35 million ecu (£23 million) of the total will be devoted to aeronautical research.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about the Government's review of export services.

Following the export services review foreshadowed in the White Paper "DTI—the department for Enterprise" (Cm. 278), DTI export services have been strengthened to meet exporters' needs more effectively, and simplified in their presentation so that businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises new to exporting, will find them easier to use. As the export initiative, the services form part of the DTI enterprise initiative, a comprehensive package designed to help business improve its competitiveness both at home and overseas.The main improvements to the export services are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will publish a summary of the evidence in the possession of his Department at the time when the Protein Processing Orders 1981 were drafted about the proportion of poultry affected by salmonella.

Agriculture Ministers carried out a process of consultation on proposals for the control of protein processing in 1978 and again in 1980 before the making of the Diseases of Animals (Protein Processing) Order 1981 and the Importation of Processed Animal Protein Order 1981. The central public health laboratory carried out two surveys of frozen whole chickens the results of which were as follows:

year	Number of samples	Salmonella from
		Number	Per cent.
1970–73	495	168	33·9
1979–80	100	79	79·0

Consultations took place against the background of growing concern about the increasing incidence of salmonella in livestock.Since the making of the orders the public health laboratory service has carried out a further survey of frozen whole chickens, the results of which were as follows:

Year	Number of samples	Salmonella from
		Number	Per cent.
1987	101	65	64·4

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the figures for reported cases of human salmonellosis for December 1988 as soon as they are available; and what were the figures for each of the previous 12 months.

Laboratory reports on identifications of salmonella infections in man are collated weekly. The following table gives provisional four-weekly totals, to week 52, of laboratory reports of salmonellosis submitted to the public health laboratory service in 1988.

The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff—numbers of old clinical grades assimilated to each of the new clinical grades on the basis of duties and responsibilities on 1st April 1988: Nottingham DHA
Previous grade	Staff in post1	A	B	C	D	E	F	G1	H	I
Nursing Auxiliary	1,263·58	1,147·18	114·40	2·00	—	—	—	—	—	—
Staff Nursery Nurse	34·50	—	32·00	2·50	—	—	—	—	—	—
Enrolled Nurse3	799·75	—	—	131·96	652·83	14·96	—	—	—	—
Enrolled District Nurse3	27·30	—	—	—	26·30	1·00	—	—	—	—
Senior Enrolled Nurse3	103·45	—	—	1·40	83·55	18·00	0·50	—	—	—
Staff Nurse3	1,045·30	—	—	—	215·53	788·18	41·59	—	—	—
Staff Midwife3	120·82	—	—	—	23·00	97·82	—	—	—	—
Deputy Sister3	50·13	—	—	—	—	2·00	48·13	—	—	—
Nursing Sister II3	590·90	—	—	—	—	—	260·86	328·04	2·00	—
Midwifery Sister II3	153·10	—	—	—	—	—	23·13	129·97	—	—
District Nurse (Sister II)3	112·04	—	—	—	—	—	—	112·04	—	—
Nursing Sister I	6·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	6·00	—	—
Midwifery Sister I	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Health Visitor	124·45	—	—	—	—	—	—	123·45	1·00	—
Senior Nurse 8	71·60	—	—	—	—	—	2·00	39·60	27·00	3·00
Senior Nurse 8 Midwife	7·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	7·00	—	—
Senior Nurse 7	45·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	5·00	8·00	32·00
Senior Nurse 7 (Midwife)	10·93	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	9·00	1·93
Clinical Teacher	26·16	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	26·16	—
Fieldwork Teacher	14·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	14·00	—
Practical Work Teacher	24·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	24·00	—
Tutor	38·03	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	38·03
Tutor Midwife	8·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	8·00
Post Basic Students
Enrolled	35·00	—	—	35·00	—	—	—	—	—	—
Staff Nurse	183·00	—	—	—	183·00	—	—	—	—	—
Deputy Sister	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Sister II	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Others	2·00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2·00
TOTALS	4,89604	1,147·18	146·40	172·86	1,184·21	921·96	376·21	751·10	111·16	84·96
1 Whole-time equivalents.
2 Excludes some additional "G" posts which health authorities have indicated they intend to create in future on existing two-sister wards.
3 Excludes Post Basic Students.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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 current clinical grading structure in Nottingham district health authority.

The information requested is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken by his Department to ensure the implementation of his requirement that centres where late abortions are preformed have immediate access to resuscitation equipment in the event that the child is born alive.

Places in the private sector approved to carry out abortions after the 20th week of gestation are required to give additional assurances as to the availability of resuscitation equipment, including suction apparatus, incubator and oxygen supply. These facilities are monitored by the Department's medical/nursing officers during the course of routine unannounced visits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he proposes to review the funding arrangements for general practitioners so that they are paid according to the number of patients they attract, and the quality of services they provide.

The White Paper "Promoting Better Health" (Cm. 249) announced a range of changes to the general practitioner's contract with the National Health Service which includes raising the proportion of income which is related to the number of patients on a GP's list and linking pay more directly than at present to service and performance. The Government are currently consulting the GPs' representatives on the arrangements necessary to introduce these changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of plans currently being considered within his Department to improve liaison and cooperation between local authorities and district health authorities.

Our current examination of community care policy following Sir Roy Griffiths report includes consideration of the need for any changes to be made to the current arrangements for joint planning between health and local authorities. We continue strongly to encourage authorities to work and plan together within existing systems to develop a co-ordinated range of services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on ethnic monitoring in mental hospitals.

Information on the ethnic origins of detained mental patients in special hospitals has been recorded for some years. We are now exploring the feasibility of collecting data on the ethnicity of patients in NHS hospitals, including mental hospitals. If feasible, implementation would take some time because of the need to adapt health authorities' current data collection systems and in order to link with any question of ethnicity in the 1991 census.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's hospital building programme.

Information held centrally shows there are currently 528 health building schemes, each costing over £1 million, at various stages of planning, design and construction with an estimated total value of £4·1 billion. In the next financial year capital expenditure of £1 -2 billion is planned, an increase in real terms of 43 per cent, since 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of bonus payments made to health authority managers since their introduction; if he will list them to date; and if he will make a statement.

Health authority general managers, have been eligible for performance-related increases in salary since 1 September 1987 and senior (second-in-line) managers since 1 September 1988. The numbers of awards notified to the Department to date are as follows:

	1987	1988
General Managers	690	668
Senior Managers	—	601

Individual awards cannot be listed because they are based on confidential assessments of individual performance.The performance-related pay scheme is working well and we shall shortly be extending it to a wider group of managers at region, district and unit level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the steps he is taking to reduce the duplication of functions between local government social services departments and family practitioner committees and district health authorities.

Health authorities, local authorities and family practitioners committees are required to co-operate in the planning and delivery of their services. We strongly encourage them to plan and work jointly, and with voluntary organisations, in order to minimise the possibility of any gaps or duplications in their activities and to promote the development of a co-ordinated range of services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will issue guidelines about the involvement of regional, district and unit general managers in discussion about the possibility of individual hospitals opting out; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's proposals for the future management and structure of the Health Service will be published shortly in a White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will publish any guidelines issued by his own Department to regional health authorities on the privatisation of their services; and if he will make a statement.

Health authorities were asked in September 1983 to put their domestic, catering and laundry services out to tender. Detailed guidance has been issued by the Department to authorities on how the process should be carried out. Copies of the most recent guidance (November 1987) which updated and refined earlier guidance have been placed in the library. We encourage health authorities to consider the possibility of competitive tendering in any area of their services where this is seen to offer scope for increased effectiveness and value for money. Progress has been made by authorities in extending the range of services subjected to tendering.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will publish any guidelines issued by his Department to regional and district health authorities in the involvement of their employees in public discussion on politically sensitive issues; and if he will make a statement.

No. All NHS employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to their position. Their conduct is, however, a matter for their employing health authorities and there are no centrally issued guidelines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield, Official Report, 8 December, column 339, what procedures exist which would effect the withdrawal of cooked food in sealed packages which contain listeria monocytogenes.

The procedures for dealing with cooked ready-to-eat food contaminated with a pathogenic micro-organism depend upon the circumstances of each case. A locally distributed food can be dealt with by local authorities using powers under the Food Act 1984. More widely distributed food may require rapid communication by the Department to inform and advise all local authorities on the extent and type of local action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield, Official Report, 1 December, column 384, on what date Mr. Arthur Pinegar of the Leeds public health laboratory ceased his involvement in private research concerning cook-chill catering.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply to him by my predecessor on 1 December 1988, at column 384.The public health laboratory service has no further details of when Mr. Pinegar ceased those activities to which the hon. Member refers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that hospital patients in health authorities which introduce cook-chill catering also have the opportunity to consume food produced by conventional methods as an alternative.

Health authorities are responsible for determining the delivery of catering services and take into account the needs of the hospital patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is possible for cook-chill food from commercial catering companies to be supplied at hospitals with central production units within the requirements of his Department's 1980 guidelines on pre-cooked food in catering.

Yes. Health authorities should satisfy themselves that any cook-chill food from outside sources meets the recommendations in the 1980 guidelines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department intends to take to improve morale and pay prospects for medical physicists working in the National Health Service; and what recent representations he has received from the Institute of Physical Sciences in Medicine in that regard.

The management side of the Scientific and Professional Staffs Council has set up a working party to investigate the scale of reported problems of recruitment and retention of medical physicists and other scientists. I have received no recent representations from the Institute of Physical Sciences in Medicine about these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Yorkshire regional health authority has sought the opinion of district health authorities within the region regarding the implementation of cook-chill catering.

Yes. It consulted on a strategy document between 25 March and 30 June last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health who will provide the finance required by the Exeter health authority to provide compensation for its patients given excess doses of radiation;(2) what additional funds his Department will provide to enable Exeter health authority to pay substantial compensation to patients given excess doses of radiation.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller) on 20 December 1988, at column 251.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sum in the current wage settlement for junior doctors has been earmarked to cover their premiums to medical defence bodies.

No specific sum was identified in respect of junior doctors as a group. In 1988–89, £31 million was made available to health authorities in the United Kingdom to meet the estimated full cost of reimbursement of two thirds of the cost of Medical Defence Society subscriptions payable by doctors employed by them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of cancer affecting children were reported in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure 30 years previously.

National registrations of newly diagnosed cases of cancer are not available over a period of 30 years. However, the table shows the number of registrations, and the registration rate per 100,000 population for persons aged under 15 years of age for 1962,1974 and 1984 (the latest year available) for England and Wales. The statistics should be interpreted with care as the ascertainment of cases has improved over the whole of this period.

Number of registrations of newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasms, and rates per 100,000 estimated population, persons aged 0–14 years. 1962, 1974 and 1984. England and Wales.
Year	Number	Rate
1962	966	9·1
1974	1,164	10·1
1984	1,085	11·3

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors have been responsible for the alterations in the incidence of cancer in children.

Very little is known generally about the causes of childhood cancer. A great deal of research into this subject is continuing by various groups in this country, including the Childhood Cancer Research Group, which is supported by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much expenditure on social security has increased since 1978–79; and what increase in spending is planned for 1989–90.

Total spending on the social security programme increased from £16·4 billion in 1978–79 to an estimated £47·6 billion in 1988–89. This represents a 33 per cent, real increase in spending of almost £12 billion over the period.Social security spending is planned to rise to £51·1 billion in 1989–90. This is £3·5 billion higher than in 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will make it his policy to ensure that the social fund budgets allocated to social security offices in Scotland for 1989–90 are not less in total than for 1988–89.

We are currently considering the allocation of the 1989–90 social fund budgets to local offices and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will launch a publicity campaign informing potential claimants of the availability of community care grants and loans, to ensure that the budgets are fully spent by the end of this financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Take-up of community care grants has increased significantly over recent months and expenditure is currently running at 77 per cent, of monthly profiled expenditure. However, we are taking action further to improve awareness of the help that can be provided.Local office managers have been asked to improve and maintain their liaison with local statutory and voluntary organisations since these are often best placed to identify people who may be eligible for help. We are also considering what additional measures might be taken to improve national information material on the scheme. In addition social fund officers have been reminded of the need to be flexible in applying guidance to individual cases and we are currently revising existing guidance in the social fund manual to make this clear.Expenditure on loans has now reached national monthly profiled levels and we do not consider that further action is required in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has plans to ensure that evoked response audiometry machines will automatically be available at medical appeals tribunals when cases of industrial deafness are under consideration.

This is a matter for the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals and the hon. Member may care to contact him direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with Servite Houses on the funding of its homes for the frail elderly; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security met representatives of Servite Houses Ltd. on 26 May 1988, and there was a useful discussion of issues of mutual concern. The information provided by Servite Houses Ltd. was taken into account along with evidence provided by other organisations, in the most recent review of the income support limits.The Government's decisions were announced in October 1988 as part of the general uprating of benefits. From April 1989 additional help will be provided to nearly nine out of 10 income support claimants in homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had from Mr. Peter Large of the Disablement Income Group in regard to the report entitled, "Being Disabled Costs More Than They Said", a copy of which was sent to him on 3 January; what reply he is sending; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a letter from Peter Large enclosing a copy of the Disablement Income Group's "Being Disabled Costs More Than They Said". Mr. Large's letter summarised the main points of the report and asked the Government to take note of them. In my reply I have made it clear that we will consider carefully the points raised in the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many mobility allowances were granted in 1988; how many were refused; how many went to appeal; and how many of those appeals were successful.

The available information is as follows. It relates to decisions given on claims (including renewal claims) during the year, not to claims made during the year.

	Numbers
Claims decided
Awards	127,560
Disallowances	77,305
Appeals and references decided by medical boards
Number decided	20,980
Decisions in favour of claimant	6,122
Appeals decided by medical appeal tribunals
Number decided	6,547
Decisions in favour of claimant	1,846

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of proposed changes in staff levels at social security offices in the north-west region; and if he will make a statement.

The staffing reductions from the implementation of operational strategy in local offices in the north-west region are currently expected to be 1,575 posts between 1 April 1989 and 31 March 1993. Changes in staffing levels may also be required from time to time to reflect changes in local office workloads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to the statement of 10 January, Official Report, column 814, he will identify the sums incorporated in income support to cover the cost of heating.

The income support rates are intended to provide for all normal day-to-day living expenses, including heating costs. There is no separately identifiable sum included for heating costs. It is for individuals to decide how best to spend their benefit in the light of their own needs and preferences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amounts of financial resources have been paid to British Rail under public service obligation grants for each year since 1983; and what proportion is given to the south-eastern region of British Rail.

The figures for Government support for the British Railways Board taken from the final claims for grant in compensation for the public service obligation under EEC regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974 are given below. 1984–85 is a 15-month period reflecting a change in the board's financial year. The figures for 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 remain provisional; final claims have not yet been agreed. All figures are cash.

	£ million
1983	853·6
1984–85	1,065·9
1985–86	820·0
1986–87	713·9
1987–88	800·6
1988–89	572·5

Grant is paid to the board in respect of subsidised passenger services as a whole; it is not hypothecated to business sectors. From 1983 to 1987–88 approximately 30 per cent, of the grant was allocated to Network SouthEast (and its predecessor London and South East). It is not yet possible to provide a figure for 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a list of all sites of private vehicular access to each motorway not being motorway junctions; and if he will provide a map to make such sites easily identifiable.

Yes. It will take a little time to prepare the material.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take to ensure that motorists using the M1/A 1 networks can travel reasonably quickly and freely; if he envisages increasing the number of carriageways; if he will be implementing charged tolls on sections of these roads; and if he will make a statement.

There are a number of schemes in the programme to reduce congestion on both the M1 and the Al. The extension of the M40 to Birmingham will provide relief to the M1.We are currently reviewing the road programme. We expect to make an announcement in the spring.There are no plans to charge tolls on the M1 or A1.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the maximum loadings allowed on each ferry between Ireland and Great Britain; and what action is taken to ensure that these figures are not exceeded.

The maximum loading allowed on ferries corresponds to immersion of the hull up to the clearly visible load-line mark. The maximum number of passengers allowed is stipulated on the passenger ship safety certificate which every passenger ship including ferries must carry. It is the statutory duty of the master to ensure before his ship proceeds on any voyage that the load-line mark is not submerged and that the maximum number of passengers permitted is not exceeded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures will be taken in the context of the single European market to ensure that road transport cabotage will not infringe the European Community's treaty on the environment.

All vehicles, whether undertaking cabotage or international journeys, will have to comply with both Community law and the national laws of the countries they are visiting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the posts, ranks and responsibilities of those attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ACTICE study held at the civil defence college in April 1988.

The Department hosted a training session for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation agency for the co-ordination of inland surface transport in central Europe (ACTICE) at the civil defence college between 25 and 29 April 1988. The proceedings and details of attendees are classified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations, departments or individuals have been invited to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation transport planning conference, to be held at the civil defence college in spring 1989.

The department will host a routine meeting of the northern Europe sub-committee of the planning board for European inland surface transport (PBEIST) at the civil defence college in spring 1989. The meeting will be attended by representatives from Norway, Denmark, Germany, Canada, United States of America and the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet in a position to announce his response to British Rail's request for additional signalling equipment and rolling stock on the Chiltern line services.

British Rail have only just submitted their proposals to me for renewing the Chiltern line rolling stock. I hope to be able to announce a decision very shortly. Work on modernising the signalling is already making good progress and is expected to be completed in 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will request the chairman of British Rail to publish figures of how many passenger and freight trains, respectively, cross the Thames on the west London line each day; how many passengers are carried; and how many trains use this route between 11 pm and 7 am.

On weekdays there are 12 passenger trains in each direction, on Saturdays 3 in each direction and on Sundays one in each direction. Up to 25 freight trains use the line daily, but separate figures for the 11 pm to 7 am period are not kept. Approximately 1,100 passengers use the line on weekdays, and considerably fewer at weekends.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number of public river buses operating on the Thames and the number of passengers carried, for each of the last 10 years.

Thamesline plc began a regular public service in June last year which at the end of the year was using seven vessels and carried about 5,000 passengers a week. Statistics of riverbus services are not available on an annual basis for the last 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the tunnels under the Thames, between Kingston and the estuary, giving in each case the present and past use and the width of each.

The information requested is as follows:

Thames tunnels between Kingston and the estuary
	width in metres
(i) Road tunnels
Rotherhithe	4·9
Blackwall, Old	6·1
Blackwall, New	6·1
Dartford, West	6·4
Dartford, East	7·3
(ii) Railway tunnels
Victoria Line at Vauxhall	3·8
Northern Line at Charing Cross	3·6
Bakerloo Line at Charing Cross	3·7
Waterloo and City at Blackfriars	3·7
Northern Line at London Bridge	3·6
East London Line at Wapping	3·4
(iii) Pedestrian tunnels
Greenwich	1·6–2·8

The use of these tunnels has remained unchanged since they were built.In addition there are various service tunnels used for purposes other than transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each European Economic Community country the mileage of newly constructed railway opened for public service in each of the last five years.

I regret that my Department does not have this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each year since the passing of the Transport Act 1968 the number of rail services which have been withdrawn and for which a substitute bus service has been provided; whether the bus service is still in existence in each case; and, if not, why it was terminated.

I regret that this information is not available. Unlike substitute bus services provided under the Transport Act 1985, earlier replacement bus services did not require ministerial consent before they were withdrawn. No substitute bus services have yet been provided under the new provisions of the 1985 Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the collision between the fishing vessel New Dawn and the USS Will Rogers on Tuesday 3 January; what investigation or inquiry he proposes into the incident; and if he will make a statement.

The collision took place at about 0730 on 3 January, some 5 miles south of the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde. Neither vessel was seriously damaged and there were no injuries.An investigation was ordered on 3 January and is being carried out by one of the Department's marine surveyors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has considered the proposals of the motor trade working group, chaired by the Director General of Fair Trading, to introduce mileage recordings at the driver and vehicle licensing centre, in order to combat the practice of clocking of motor vehicles.

The implications of the proposal, which involves a DVLC-based mileage recording scheme, are still being considered. An announcement will be made shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the joint working party established to consider the Home report's recommendations on diversionary works has completed its deliberations; and when he intends to introduce legislation putting into effect the Home report's conclusions.

The diversionary works working party, which includes representatives of the utilities, local authority associations and British Railways Board, has recently completed a draft code of practice dealing with the procedures to be followed when highway or bridge works affect utility apparatus, including cost sharing. The code will shortly be referred to the relevant organisations for endorsement. Legislation to implement the recommendations of the Home Committee will be introduced when a suitable opportunity can be found.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans to allow the building of a relief road around Burley-on-Wharfedale.

Good progress is being made on this scheme which appears in the last roads White Paper for a start of construction in the period April 1989 to March 1991. The decision was announced in December last to proceed with the making of the line and side roads orders. The draft compulsory purchase order is due to be published this spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the merger between British Airways and British Caledonian Airways has been implemented consistently with the revised proposals put to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission by British Airways.

On 5 January 1988 my noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping wrote to the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority asking him to establish monitoring arrangements to ensure that the BA/B-Cal merger proceeded on the basis proposed by British Airways to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.The chairman of the CAA has now submitted a full report to me and from the information contained in this report I am satisfied that British Airways has fulfilled its commitments to the MMC during the year under review. I have placed a copy of the CAA's report to me in the Library of the House together with a copy of my reply. The CAA will also be publishing its report in its weekly proceedings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give further details of the Government's contribution to the disaster fund set up by the North West Leicestershire district council for the victims of the east midlands air crash and their families.

I have announced that the Government will be making a contribution of £250,000 to the east midlands air crash disaster fund. I very much hope that the Government's example will encourage others to join in helping the bereaved and those who suffered as a result of the accident. Neither the fund nor the Government's donation to it will affect claims for compensation.The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will donate £100,000 from resources available to him, and £150,000 will be contributed by my Department. Parliamentary approval for these payments will be sought in Supplementary Supply Estimates. Pending that approval, both donations will be met by repayable advances from the respective contingencies funds. As savings are sufficient to meet these sums, there will be no increase in the public expenditure planning total.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of talks between Her Majesty's Government and the Republic of Singapore on increasing air services between the two countries.

[holding answer 12 January 1989]: Discussions were held in London this week between United Kingdom and Singapore civil aviation officials on arrangements for the provision of air services between the United Kingdom and Singapore. The discussions made useful progress and they are expected to continue in Singapore within the next two months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department has commissioned into the use of neutron beam detector systems in relation to airport security; what level of funding is being allocated to this work; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many companies have been invited to tender for the supply of neutron beam detectors for airport security use; when such tenders were invited; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer, 13 January 1989]: Development work on using the thermal neutron activation analysis technique for detecting explosives is taking place both in the United States of America and this country (at Harwell). The technique employs large neutron sources, and this raises considerable radiation protection problems. In both countries the results of tests carried out under laboratory conditions were encouraging, and prototypes are now being tested to establish reliablility and suitability for searching baggage under operational conditions. The United States prototypes have been more extensively tested. They have been on trial at San Francisco airport and the FAA has recently ordered five production models. We and the United States authorities maintain close liaison on such matters.

£ million
	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89 (to date)	1989–90 (planned)
UNICEF, General Resources	6·3	6·5	7·0	7·5	8·0
UNICEF, Supplementary funded projects	1·338	6·570	8·223	1·880	1—
Save the Children Fund, Joint Funding Scheme	0·675	0·905	1·045	1·925	1—
Save the Children Fund, Supplementary grants	7·958	1·718	4·787	n/a	1—
1 To be decided.

To ask the Prime Minister if the European Council will be considering its policy on the future subsidising of agriculture before the next meeting of the general agreement on tariffs and trade.

The European Council will next meet on 26–27 June 1989. Negotiations on agriculture in the current GATT round are continuing and the Community will participate in them on the basis of positions agreed in the Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Councils.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will meet Señor Felipe Gonzales, chairman of the Council of Ministers, to discuss the criteria for the appointment of European Commissioners.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether she will publish a list of the technology assessments which have been carried out by the technology assessment unit established in the Cabinet Office in 1988;

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much overseas aid this year is being specifically directed towards ending child starvation and hunger in the Third world; what were the corresponding figures for each of the past three years; and if he will increase this figure for the next financial year.

It is not practicable to separate expenditure directed towards ending child starvation and hunger from that designed to benefit the poor of the Third world generally. The object of the British aid programe is to promote sustainable economic development and to alleviate poverty. In 1987 over 80 per cent. of the bilateral aid programme went to the poorer countries—those with annual incomes per head of less than $800—where the incidence of hunger and malnutrition is greatest.Her Majesty's Government's contributions to key organisations with a specific remit for children and with programmes concerned with child nutrition include the following:(2) whether it is her intention to publish any of the technology assessment reports carried out by the technology assessment unit of the Cabinet Office;(3) whether the technology assessment unit of the Cabinet Office has been asked to undertake an assessment of the scientific validity of the Commission of the European Community's decision to ban the import of beef produced from cattle which have been fed with hormones.

The Cabinet Office's science and technology assessment office does not itself undertake assessments of this kind. As explained in the Government response to the first report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, 1986–87 Session (Cm. 185), its role is to encourage the adoption of sound assessment systems by Government Departments and other bodies concerned with publicly funded research and development.

To ask the Prime Minister whether she will now reconsider the proposal to establish a single Department of Food and Health, thereby closing down the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and whether she will publish an estimate of the effect on public funds of such a proposal.

I have no plans to establish a single Department of Food and Health.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her initiatives to co-ordinate interdepartmental action on the greenhouse effect.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 16 January 1989, at column 1.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 January.

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

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many fax machines were purchased by hon. Members for their use in the House; and at what cost.

The information requested by the hon. Member is not available centrally since the purchase of such equipment is an individual matter for right hon. and hon. Members.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will ensure that a copy of every Library deposited paper is supplied to the branch library in Norman Shaw North; and if he will monitor the situation in the future.

About 80 per cent. of papers deposited in the Members' Library are also available in the branch library. Some papers because of their size, format or restricted contents, cannot easily be duplicated. However, I have made arrangements to remind Government Departments of the desirability of sending a second copy to the branch library whenever possible. The Library keeps deposited paper arrangements under constant review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total current number of national savings ordinary accounts.

There are approximately 56·2 million ordinary accounts of which only 7·7 million are active, that is, which received a deposit during the last five years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, according to substance, weight, street value and point of location or interception, major quantities of dangerous drugs seized by Her Majesty's Customs in each of the years 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

[holding answer 16 January 1989]: I regret that this information is not readily available in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is for Palestinians detained without trial in Israel; how many of these come from the occupied territories; and if he will make a statement.

We understand that there are just over 900 Palestinian administrative detainees currently held by the Israeli authorities. These are among a total of between 4,000 and 5,000 Palestinians detained so far without trial in Israel and the occupied territories. In addition to the administrative detainees, there are those awaiting trial, under investigation, sentenced for short periods or of as yet undefined status. We have made clear repeatedly to the Israelis our strong opposition to the practice of administrative detention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Portugal or within the Council of Ministers regarding harmonisation of the citizenship and nationality arrangements for people in dependent territories of each member country of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy not to agree to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation modernisation of nuclear weapons until the House of Commons has expressed its view thereon.

The Government's support for modernisation is well known and is reflected in their endorsement of successive NATO communiqués reiterating the Alliance's determination to keep its forces, nuclear and conventional, effective and up to date. The modernisation issue has already been raised in the House on numerous occasions. Moreover, the Government have undertaken to report to the House on nuclear modernisation as it affects British forces when the appropriate moment comes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average number of (a) British land forces, (b) British main battle tanks and (c) British armoured personnel carriers stationed on the mainland of Europe in 1987.

The figures requested by the hon. Member for 1987 were approximately as follows:

Number
(a) British land forces	160,300
(b) British main battle tanks	2650
(a) British armoured personnel carriers	31,900
1 Includes 3,000 in Berlin.
2 Does not include reserve stocks.
3 Includes a number of non-troop carrying vehicles.

These figures include the British Army of the Rhine and forces stationed in Berlin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of trained infantrymen in each British Army of the Rhine infantry battalion.

The establishment of infantry battalions in BAOR varies according to role. The current average establishment is approximately 660 officers and soldiers. This figure is subject to change as the re-equipping of infantry battalions with Warrior and Saxon, and the conversion of 6 Brigade from the airmobile role, continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of main battle tanks in each British Army of the Rhine armoured regiment.

It is not our practice to give details of the number of tanks in operational units or formations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of anti-tank guided missile systems in each British Army of the Rhine infantry battalion.

Monthly sorties in the United Kingdom low-flying system
	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
January	10,034	9,271	9,567	9,794	8,954	9,723	11,532	8,222	11,179
February	8,373	10,208	9,456	12,197	9,112	10,436	12,264	12,527	14,279
March	9,884	11,854	14,992	12,265	11,505	12,973	10,145	12,515	15,494
April	11,045	10,105	10,759	11,802	12,972	12,793	14,863	13,006	11,733
May	11,716	11,196	12,116	12,520	12,967	12,534	13,366	14,364	12,990
June	11,602	14,124	11,827	15,010	13,715	13,158	13,413	13,787	14,220
July	12,229	12,830	11,443	15,109	13,678	14,267	17,519	14,071	12,653

It is not our practice to give details of the number of anti-tank guided missiles in operational units or formations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of surface-to-air guided missile systems in each British Army of the Rhine air defence regiment.

It is not our practice to disclose the numbers of surface-to-air guided missile systems in operational units or formations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of time spent by each British Army of the Rhine infantry battalion in (a) training and (b) exercise in 1987.

In 1987, BAOR infantry battalions deployed for up to 26 weeks of training, of which approximately 15 weeks was for battalion level training and 11 weeks for company level training. The form in which records are held does not differentiate between training and exercise deployment and the specific information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of time spent by each British Army of the Rhine armoured regiment in (a) training and (b) exercise in 1987.

In 1987, BAOR armoured. regiments deployed for up to 23–25 weeks of training, of which approximately 14 weeks was for regimental training and eight weeks for squadron/troop training. The form in which records are held does not differentiate between training and exercise deployment and the specific information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of complaints about low-flying aircraft for each training area for each month since January 1980 and give for each month the relative number of sorties involved.

Monthly breakdowns of low-level military training sorties and complaints and inquiries received at the Ministry of Defence about such training are as follows. It should be noted that some of the monthly figures for earlier years were corrected on aggregation and yearly totals calculated by aggregating the monthly figures given may differ slightly from the yearly totals supplied previously to the House.