To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire of 17 March 1988, Official Report, column 635, (1) when he now intends to make regulations on the keeping and disclosure of pupil records;(2) when he now intends to issue a consultation document on the keeping and disclosure of records concerning students in further education establishments.

As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Mr. Ashley) on 9 February, at column 607, my right hon. Friend hopes within the next few months to make the regulations on pupil records and at the same time to issue the consultative paper on further education student records.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will specify the assumptions about the amount of non-class contact time for (a) primary teachers and (b) secondary teachers that are made for the purpose of the Department's desired number of teachers referred to in annex E(v) of the evidence submitted to the Select Committee on Education, Science and the Arts.

The highly tentative demand projection set out in the Department's memorandum to the Education, Science and Arts Committee is based on the illustrative assumption that the overall pupil to teacher ratio will remain at its recent level of 17:1. This would be consistent with the contact ratios of about their present levels of 0·76 in secondary schools and 0·89 in primary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to determine the application by Hendon school to opt out.

Hendon school published proposals for grant-maintained status on 12 January 1989. Following the statutory two-month period for objections, my right hon. Friend will determine the proposals as quickly as his consideration of all the relevant factors permits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total Government grant to the Open university in each of the last 10 years; and if he will express each annual increase and the total increase since 1979, in real terms.

The table specifies the recurrent grant in the financial years 1979–80—1989–90.

Financial year	Recurrent grant in cash terms £ million	Recurrent indexed terms 100
1979–80	36·71	100
1980–81	47·13	108
1981–82	51·27	107
1982–83	55·21	108
1983–84	56·42	105
1984–85	59·05	105
1985–86	60·93	103
1986–87	60·39	99
1987–88	64·25	100
11988–89	66·39	97
21989–90	72·27	101

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East, 10 February, Official Report, column 844, if he will express the annual cash increases in recurrent and capital grants made to universities in real terms; if he will give the same figures for grants to polytechnics; and what was the total increase in recurrent and capital grants between 1979–80 and 1988–89 for (a) universities and (b) polytechnics.

Total grants made to the universities on the advice of the University Grants Committee are set out and show a 13·3 per cent. increase over the period in question. For polytechnics, information on allocations from the advanced further education pool plus capital expenditure by local authorities is available for only the years shown. All figures are in 1987–88 real terms.

Financial years	Universities(Great Britain)(£ million)	Polytechnics(England)(£ million)
1979–80	1,433·2	n.a.
1980–81	1,542·8	n.a.
1981–82	1,445·4	n.a.
1982–83	1,615·9	517·8
1983–84	1,596·5	500·8
1984–85	1,559·3	488·2
1985–86	1,523·9	481·1
1986–87	1,526·8	514·6
1987–88	1,592·8	n.a.
1988–89	1,623·5	n.a.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the lion. Member for Oxford, East, 10 February, Official Report, columns 843–44, if he will publish the net institutional expenditure per student table, expressing each annual increase in real terms; and what was the real increase between 1978–79 and 1986–87 in net institutional expenditure per student for (i) universities, (ii) polytechnics, (iii) OMEs (FE) and (iv) OMEs (HE).

The data requested are listed. The real terms figures are compared between 1979–80 and 1986–87 as comparable figures are not available for 1978–79 in polytechnics and other maintained establishments (0M.Es) in either further education (FE) or higher education (HE).

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average net institutional expenditure in Liverpool education authority per pupil in secondary schools for the year 1987–88.

According to the latest returns received from Liverpool, the average net institutional expenditure per pupil in maintained secondary schools in 1987–88 was £1,730.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimates he has made of the number of science teachers (a) which would have been required to implement the recommendations in full of the science working party, and (b) which will be required to implement the proposal on science of the National Curriculum Council, for each year between 1990 and 1995.

My Department's recent memorandum to the Education, Science and Arts Committee includes tentative projections of the numbers of science teachers who will be needed in schools in 1995 when statutory requirements relating to science will be implemented in full. These are broadly in line with numbers needed to implement the science working group's recommendation that all pupils should spend one sixth of their curriculum time in secondary years I to 5 on science.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in cash terms the amount of his Department's money allocated to teacher conversion courses in 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1989–90.

I assume that the hon. Member refers to courses designed for teachers converting to teach in shortage subject areas. The local education training grants scheme has supported some £200 million per year of expenditure on in-service training since it was introduced on 1 April 1987. A proportion of these funds will have been directed by LEAs at training involving the conversion, updating and development of teachers' skills in these areas. More specifically, the Government are making available in 1988–89, under the scheme, an earmarked total of £4 million to LEAs to send teachers on one-year retraining courses in mathematics, science and craft, design and technology. The courses in question were set up in response to new teacher supply initiatives by the University Grants Committee and the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Education which were introduced in 1987–88 and which have been supported by the Government at a cost of £4·16 million.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendations of the House of Commons Services Committee report approved by the House on 30 January.

The second report from the Services Committee of Session 1987–88, on access to the precincts of the House (HC 580), was approved by the House on Monday 30 January 1989 by a majority of 168. An amendment to permit the issue of photo-identity passes for the Palace of Westminster to United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament was also approved, by a majority of 106.Many of the recommendations in the Committee's report relate to the procedures for controlling access and the checking of passholders and are of a mainly advisory character. I expect the appropriate authorities to give careful and early consideration to these recommendations and to take action as they think appropriate.As recommended in the Committee's report, the restriction on the number of Members' personal staff who may hold photo-identity passes for the Palace of Westminster will come into effect at the beginning of the 1989–90 financial year. I understand that the restriction on access to the Table Office by Members' staff has been in effect since 6 February; and the restriction on access by Members' temporary secretaries to the Members' Library and the Library research division will be enforced with the House returns after the Easter adjournment. In accordance with paragraphs 57 to 59 of the Committee's report, the Serjeant at Arms will be carrying out a detailed examination of the number of passes held by officials of the political parties, Government Departments, the BBC and other agencies, and will report to the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee as soon as possible. The remaining recommendations of the Committee, and the decision of the House concerning the provision of photo-identity passes for Members of the European Parliament, are already in force.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will publish both the criteria and procedures to be followed by hon. Members who want to apply for House of Commons passes for more than three members of staff.

In accordance with paragraph 54 of the report from the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) on access to the precincts of the House (HC 580, Session 1987–88), which was approved by the House on Monday 30 January 1989, the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee is empowered to recommend to the Services Committee an increase in the limit on the number of staff passes for which an individual Member may apply

"where they are satisfied that exceptional circumstances apply".

The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee recently agreed that right hon. or hon. Members who wish to retain more than three passes for members of their personal staff should, in the first instance, apply in writing to the Serjeant at Arms. The Serjeant at Arms will refer individual cases to the Chairman of the Sub-Committee, who will seek the advice of the full Sub-Committee where necessary.No formal criteria have been laid down by the Sub-Committee, and I expect it to consider each case on its merits. As I indicated in the debate, however at column 110, I envisage that the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme) and his Sub-Committee will look sympathetically at the claims of Members with particular responsibilities, including Front Bench spokesmen, some senior Members, and minority party leaders.I understand that the Serjeant at Arms will be writing next week to all Members with passes in excess of three to draw their attention to the new limit to be introduced at the beginning of the new financial year, and to the procedure to be followed.

To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he has any information showing the issue of House passes to overseas students by hon. Members of the respective political parties represented in the House.

The latest Pass Office figures show a total of 41 students from overseas attached to or employed by Members. The detailed breakdown by party is as follows:

	Numbers
Labour	22
Conservative	13
Social and Liberal Democrats	4
Social Democrats	2

To ask the Lord President of the Council whether any exceptions are made to the provision that access to the Table Office be restricted to hon. Members after 2 pm.

In paragraph 33 of its report on access to the precincts of the House (Session 1987–88, HC 580) the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) recommended that Members' research assistants should in future not be permitted to use the Table Office after 2 pin on Mondays to Thursdays. I understand that Mr. Speaker subsequently accepted the view of the Table Office that it would be impracticable to distinguish between Members' research assistants and their other staff, and accordingly ruled that the restriction should apply to all Members' personal staff.The restriction on access to the Table Office came into effect on Monday 6 February. It does not apply to the permanent staff of the House or to civil servants who possess photo-identity passes for the Palace of Westminster, which in practice means those civil servants employed in the Whips' Offices of the Government and the Official Opposition. I understand that Mr. Speaker has agreed that an exception should be made in respect of a strictly limited number of persons nominated by each of the minority parties, for the purpose of transacting party business in the Table Office during the restricted hours, even though such persons may hold photo-identity passes as Members' secretaries or research assistants.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will give her current assessment of the Falkland Islands' position, in view of the continued instability of the Argentinian Administration; and if she will reiterate Her Majesty's Government's commitment to preserving the integrity of the islands and the freedom of their population.

The outlook for the Falkland Islands continues to be stable and secure and is increasingly prosperous. Our determination to defend the islanders' right to decide their own future, and live their own lives in peace, remains as firm as ever. I have no hesitation in reiterating the Government's commitment to the integrity and freedom of the Islands. We shall not negotiate on sovereignty.

To ask the Prime Minister when she will announce the name of the co-ordinator of the Consultative Committee on Food Safety; and what members she has appointed to date.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced on 21 February that Professor Sir Mark Richmond has agreed to take the chairmanship of the committee. The appointment of further members and of the secretariat is under consideration.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many statutory instruments have been issued in total by all Government Departments since May 1979;(2) how many statutory instruments subject to affirmative resolution have been issued by all Government Departments since May 1979;(3) how many statutory instruments subject to negative resolution have been issued by all Government Departments since May 1979;(4) how many statutory instruments have been issued under powers contained in existing instruments by all Government Departments since May 1979.

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the allocation of seats to the media on her aeroplane for her forthcoming trip to Africa.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role he expects Waveney district council and Suffolk county council to adopt in respect of (a) the line of route for the new crossing of Lake Lothing at Lowestoft following his decision to engage more consultants and (b) planning applications arising in the envelope of potential development over the next six months.

My right hon. Friend will decide the line of the route for a second trunk road crossing of the harbour at Lowestoft when the necessary statutory procedures have been completed. Both Waveney district council and Suffolk county council will be consulted when we have identified specific options. The district council and the county council, as the local planning authorities for the area, will continue to carry out their proper functions of deciding whether or not to grant permission for any planning applications they receive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why he is ordering a further consultants' report to recommend a route for the new crossing of Lake Lothing at Lowestoft.

The consultants are being asked to extend their current study to the identification of specific options for the second trunk road crossing of the harbour at Lowestoft. Proposals will be presented for public consultation at the earliest opportunity. The preferred route will be selected in the light of the results of that consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why, at a meeting with representatives of Waveney district council and Suffolk county council on 20 February, officials from his Department gave no hint as to the likely recommendations of the line of route for the new crossing of Lake Lothing at Lowestoft contained in the Maunsell 2 report; and if he will make a statement as to why he commissioned the report.

The second study by consulting engineers G. Maunsell and Partners was necessary to update their original report which was carried out in 1986. A preferred route for a second trunk road crossing of the harbour at Lowestoft has not yet been identified. Any indication of the likely line of that route would be premature until specific options have been put to public consultations and a preferred route selected by my right hon. Friend in the light of the results of that consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the report just completed by Mr. Maurice Holmes, British Rail's director of safety, into the work of signalling and telecommunications technicians prior to the Clapham accident.

The report of British Rail's internal inquiry has been made available to Mr. Anthony Hidden QC and to all represented parties at the formal investigation into Clapham junction accident. When the report is presented in evidence to the court, I understand that it will be made public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the report of the Department of Transport's air accidents investigation branch on the air miss between a British Airways Tristar and a Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev 154 near Lydd on 6 February 1988.

The inspector's report was pubished earlier today. Copies have been placed in the Library.The report makes 13 safety recommendations. Six concern operational matters, five recommend equipment changes, and two deal with the investigation of air misses and losses of separation, and the collection and use of statistics. I have discussed the report with the chairman of the CAA. I understand from him that eight of the recommendations have either been implemented or are in the process of implementation as far as practicable, two have been investigated but no changes have been made to the present arrangements, and three are receiving further study.As with every report by the air accidents investigation branch, the purpose is to determine the circumstances and causes of the incident with a view to the preservation of life and avoidance of similar occurrences in the future. I welcome the prompt action which the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Air Traffic Services have taken on most of the report's recommendations. I look to the chairman of the authority to follow up the remaining recommendations vigorously and to implement further changes as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the cost of WEIR is justified on economic grounds.

The data available so far indicates that the quantifiable benefits would cover its cost. In addition, there would be significant environmental benefits in the Earls Court corridor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles use the Earls Court one-way system; how many use other parallel routes in the area; and what estimates he has prepared of what these figures would be if the western environmental improvement route were complete.

Some 45,000 vehicles use the Earls Court one-way system in an average 18-hour day, and 60,000 use parallel routes. If WEIR is completed, it is estimated that these figures would be reduced to 20,000 and 45,000 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether WEIR is designed to cater for additional traffic in the Earls Court corridor and its surroundings.

The forecasts shown at the recent exhibition held in conjunction with the public consultation exercise show how traffic flows would change if WEIR were completed now. They assume there would be no overall increase in traffic. There are increases on some roads and decreases in others, some of which are outside the study area. The increases occur in the main on roads better able to carry extra traffic including WEIR itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many personal injury accidents occurred in the Earls Court corridor on average, over the last three years; and what estimates he has prepared of how many would be expected to occur if WEIR were completed.

It is estimated that construction of WEIR should reduce the annual average number of accidents in the corridor from 350 to 300.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties would be expected to experience a noise increase of more than five decibels if WEIR were built; and how many would experience an equivalent reduction.

The figures: increase about 1,000; decrease about 3,000.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1989, c. 121]: I have today placed in the Library the details and map requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to referring the activities and pricing policies and charges of existing private sector water companies to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning is currently discussing the proposed increases in water charges with the companies. Further action, including the option of a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, will be considered in the light of the outcome of these discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his Department has done on the relative merits and de-merits of plan-making, development control and implementation of plans in the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries.

A comparative study of the development control systems in Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and England and Wales has been commissioned from the university of Reading, and Her Majesty's Stationery Office will publish the report shortly. Contributions are made to comparative work on this subject undertaken by intergovernmental organisations, notably the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe under whose auspices a seminar will be held in London, later this year, on the effectiveness of land use planning.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money is being made available by him to Chelmsford borough council for the introduction of the community charge.

[holding answer 23 February 1989] : The Government are providing £110 million in 1989–90 for the current costs of preparing for the community charge. Half of this provision is being distributed through specific grants to charging authorities, and the remainder through rate support grant. Chelmsford borough council's specific grant is £157,000.In addition, we have made available specific allocations of £25 million for 1988–89 and £135 million for 1989–90 for the capital costs of preparing for the community charge. Chelmsford borough council's share of these allocations is £498,012.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce a decision on the proposed housing action trust for Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 23 February 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 February to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) at column 280.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many investigations of reported cases of salmonella have been carried out by environmental health officers; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 13 February 1989] : I have been asked to reply.We do not hold this information centrally because this is not a central Government responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the need for increased food inspection work by environmental health officers.

[holding answer 13 February 1989] : I have been asked to reply.It is for local authorities to decide on the level of inspection work by environmental health officers, having regard to local circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the staffing implications for environmental health officers of a change to the temperature control requirements for food regulations.

[holding answer 13 February 1989] : I have been asked to reply.Consultation on proposed changes in the temperature control regulations will take place shortly and will include the question of resource implications, if any, for local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what grants were authorised to be paid by his Department to the Welsh water authority for capital works carried out under the Civil Defence (Water Supplies) Regulations 1949 in each of the financial years 1985–86 to 1987–88 inclusive and for what purposes they were paid;(2) what grants were authorised to be paid by his Department to the Welsh water authority for capital works carried out under the Civil Defence (Sewerage) Regulations 1949 in each of the financial years 1985–86 to 1987–88 inclusive; and for what purposes they were paid.

Payments made by the Department to the Welsh water authority between 1985–86 and 1987–88 inclusive are tabulated in the following table:—

Amount of Grant paid
Financial Year	£
1985–86	74,457
1986–87	148,611
1987–88	335,022

The grant payments comprise contributions towards the costs of providing buildings, emergency plant, communications equipment and staff costs associated with civil defence work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on building by Welsh local authorities for building for the non-specialist sector.

General guidance to local authorities on their capital programmes is contained in Welsh Office circulars 14/87 and 39/87.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the ratio of staff to applications for the Land Registry by districts.

The following table indicates the ratio of staff in post at 1 February 1989 to the average daily number of applications of all kinds, received at each district registry.It should be noted that some offices, particularly those in the south-east, have assistance from other offices. This is not reflected in the figures given as the level of assistance varies regularly to meet changing circumstances.

Office	Ratio of staff to applications
Croydon	1:4·8
Harrow	1:4·0
Tunbridge Wells	1:4·6
Lytham	1:4·2
Nottingham	1:5·0
Gloucester	1:3·1
Stevenage	1:4·8
Durham	1:3·6
Plymouth	1:4·0
Swansea	1:3·9
Birkenhead	1:4·1
Weymouth	1:4·8
Peterborough	1:4·3
Telford	1:3·8
Coventry	1:5·7
Hull	1:2·4

To ask the Attorney-General what extra resources have been made available for the Land Registry, to meet the increased activity in the property market and the backlog of applications.

An additional 1,245 posts were approved at the beginning of the current financial year. A further 900 posts were approved in August.1,400 additional posts have been approved in the public expenditure survey White Paper for the next financial year.

To ask the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecution's attention has been drawn to the letter published in The Independent on 17 February from one Inayullah Zaighan.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the average annual failure rate for fuel elements used in (a) Magnox reactors, and (b) advanced gas-cooled reactors for each year since these fuels have been used; and what are the comparable fuel failure rates in pressurised water reactor fuel used in France and the United States of America, respectively.

In recent years, the average annual failure rates of fuel elements used in Magnox reactors and fuel pins used in advanced gas cooled reactors (AGRs), for the United Kingdom as a whole, were as follows:

• Magnox: 0·002–0·004 per cent.
• AGR: 0·0001 per cent.

Comparable statistics relating to the fuel element failure rates for PWRs in France and the United States of America are not available.The term failure in this context means a very minor leak of fission products into the coolant. There have been no significant safety or environmental implications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all renewable energy research projects sponsored by his Department that have resulted in successful exports; and if he will make a statement on prospects for future exports of renewable energy technologies.

The development of commercially viable and environmentally acceptable renewable technologies is still at an early stage. One of the main aims of our programme is to reduce the uncertainty about the economies and potential contribution of those technologies currently classed as promising but uncertain. This is done by obtaining better market data and by improving technical performance and reducing capital costs. United Kingdom industry is playing a leading role in this work and a number of companies involved in our programme have been very successful in developing overseas markets. Notable examples are James Howden and Company and the Wind Energy Group, which have successfully exported their wind turbines.If our research and development are successful many of the technologies being examined as part of our programme should offer considerable export potential for United Kingdom industry. Expertise derived from our programme is playing an important part in the collaborative programmes established by the European Commission and the International Energy Agency.No list of research projects has been kept in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many projects exist to produce electricity from a wood-based fuel stock in the United Kingdom; what is the total product; and what is the kilowatt hour cost.

I know of no projects to produce electricity from a wood-based fuel stock in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what statistics he has on the production of electricity in indivdual European Community countries from short rotation forestry of arable wood crops; and what is the estimated cost per kilowatt hour.

My Department has no statistics on the production of electricity in individual European countries from short rotation forestry of arable wood crops, nor is it aware of any actual projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many sites of special scientific interest are owned by each electricity board in England and Wales.

Questions about landholdings are operational matters for the individual boards. I am therefore asking the chairmen to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has anything further to report on progress with privatisation of British Shipbuilders' facilities.

British Shipbuilders successfully completed the sale of its Clark Kincaid facility on 23 December and its Appledore yard on 26 January. Discussions with the preferred bidder for Marine Design Consultants are continuing. BS has invited bids for Sunderland Forge Services by 24 February.In the case of the Ferguson yard at Port Glasgow, for which the firm of Ailsa Perth Ltd. was named as preferred bidder on 14 November 1988, I regret that detailed negotiations have not resulted in agreement on a satisfactory basis for the sale to proceed. In these circumstances, I have accepted the advice of the BS chairman that BS should invite new bids for Ferguson to be in place by 31 March 1989. Ailsa Perth Ltd. may offer a further bid if it wishes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what current developments there are for promoting wood-processing industries in the United Kingdom.

The Government continue to promote enterprise and prosperity among businesses through the encouragement of open competitive markets. Within this economic framework, we believe that the wood-processing industries themselves are best placed to judge and profit from future market developments, with companies able to draw upon the range of advice available under the enterprise initiative.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the European Commission has approached the Government under article 169 of the Rome treaty regarding the implementation of the European Community directive on product liability.

There have been regular discussions with the European Commission at official level about the implementation of the EC directive on produce liability.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the number of (a) citizens' advice bureaux and (b) consumer advice centres in 1978 and the latest available year.

No record is held centrally of the number of consumer advice centres. The number of citizens' advice bureaux in Great Britain in each of the financial years shown was as follows:

Year	Number
1978–79	828
1979–80	818
1980–81	852
1981–82	880
1982–83	907
1983–84	939
1984–85	975
1985–86	952
1986–87	1,123
1987–88	1,210

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people sought the assistance of citizens' advice bureaux in each year since 1978.

No record is held of the number of people who sought the assistance of citizens' advice bureaux. However, the number of inquiries made to bureaux in Great Britain in each of the financial years shown was as follows:

Year	Number millions
1978–79	3·536
1979–80	3·796
1980–81	4·284
1981–82	4·738
1982–83	5·268
1983–84	5·735
1984–85	6·100
1985–86	6·604

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the Government contribution to (a) the National Consumer Council, (b) the National and Scottish Associations of Citizens' Advice Bureaux and (c) the nationalised industries consumer councils for each year from 1978 to date at cash and constant prices.

The information is as follows:

Year	Number millions
1986–87	7·144
1987–88	7·554

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the number of complaints to the Office of Fair Trading concerning (a) holidays and (b) entertainment and accommodation in 1978 and the latest year for which figures are available;(2) what was the number of complaints to the Office of Fair Trading concerning the used car trade for 1978 and the latest year for which figures are available.

This is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. I will ask him to write to the hon. Gentleman.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he plans to introduce legislation to privatise the nation's air waves; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make an announcement on measures to introduce market forces into the radio spectrum.

The Government are anxious to ensure that the most effective use is made of the radio spectrum. No decisions have yet been taken on which of the wide range of options will best meet that objective, within the framework of our international obligations and the aim of our policies in related areas.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the number of applicants refused licences as debt collectors under the Consumer Credit Act in each year since 1978.

The administration of the consumer credit licensing system is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading. 1 will ask him to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the balance of trade in agricultural pesticides and associated chemicals with (a) the EEC and (b) the rest of the world.

[holding answer 23 February 1989]: The balance of trade in agricultural pesticides and associated chemicals (defined by Standard International Trade Classification Revision 3, group 591 less sub-group 591.4) for the 12 months to December 1988 shows surpluses of £101·8 million with the EEC and of £153·5 million with the rest of the world.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on whether curatorial staff at the Victoria and Albert museum were involved in (a) the selection of objects, (b) the writing of catalogues and (c) the labelling of exhibits for the Elton John exhibition last year at the museum.

[holding answer 15 February 1989] : This is a matter for the museum's director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on how many curatorial staff days were involved in putting on the (a) Elton John and (b) Sock Shop exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum.

[holding answer 15 February 1989]: This is a matter for the museum's director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the costs of mounting the (a) Elton John, (b) Sock Shop, (c) Burberrys and (d) Month in the Country at Harrods exhibitions by the Victoria and Albert museum.

[holding answer 15 February 1989]: This is a matter for the museum's director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the level of financial support that has been received by the Victoria and Albert museum from (a) Sotheby's, (b) the Sock Shop, (c) Burberrys and (d) Harrods for exhibitions organised by the museum.

[holding answer 15 February 1989]: This is a matter for the museum's director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister for the Arts how many staff are to be made redundant at the Victoria and Albert museum following the proposed restructuring of staff.

[holding answer 15 February 1989]: The management of the museum's staff is a matter for the director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what financial savings will result from the proposed restructuring of staff at the Victoria and Albert museum.

[holding answer 15 February 1989]: The management of the museum's resources is a matter for the director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had in the past year about the restructuring of staff at the Victoria and Albert museum with (a) the director and (b) the chairman of the trustees.

[holding answer 15 February 1989]: I have made it my practice to discuss the corporate plans of national museums and galleries with their directors and trustees. In this context, I was aware that the Victoria and Albert museum intended to review its organisational structure. The precise details of the review are a matter for the director and trustees.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what will be the cost of the Victoria and Albert museum's proposed redundancy programme (a) in the current year and (b) in each of the next 10 years.

[holding answer 15 February 1989] : The management of the museum's resources is a matter for the director and trustees. I will ask the director to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the average income per head in pounds sterling in 1978 and for the la test available year in (a) New Zealand, (b) Australia, (c) Korea and (d) the United States of America and each of the countries of the European Economic Community.

Figures for gross domestic product per head in 1978 and 1987 coverted to United States dollars using purchasing power parities are given in the OECD publication "National Accounts Main Aggregates Volume 1 1960–1987" for all the countries in question except South Korea. The United States dollar/pound sterling exchange rate needed to convert the figures into pounds sterling are given in the same publication. Comparable figures for South Korea are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health why the Department of Health's 1980 review of guidelines on pre-cooked chilled foods has not yet been published; when it is due to be published; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has obtained further expert advice to ensure that the revised guidelines, when issued, will be as up to date and effective as possible. We intend publishing the guidelines as soon as this advice has been fully considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether guidelines have been issued to environmental health officers as to whether the refrigerated cabinets in which cooked-chilled foods are stored, when displayed for sale, should be kept at a specified temperature and as to the frequency of inspection of such cabinets.

I expect to announce proposals for new temperature control requirements in the Food Hygiene Regulations very shortly. Environmental health officers will be responsible for enforcing any revised regulations in the same way as they are responsible for enforcing the current regulations, and no special advice has been issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that cooked-chilled food offered for sale is only in cabinets which have a visible thermometer reading not more than 3 deg. celsius.

I expect to announce proposals for new temperature control requirements in the Food Hygiene Regulations very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to specify a permitted shelf life for cooked-chilled foods.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 17 February to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) at column 423.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce new regulations governing storage temperatures for cook-chilled food in shops; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 February 1989.]: I expect to be able to announce proposals for new regulations very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each of the last five years the number of cases of salmonella infection in its various forms that have been reported and treated in (a) Trent regional health authority and (b) Yorkshire regional health authority by district health authority; and how many cases resulted in the death of the patient.

The figures on laboratory reports of salmonellosis (cases and excreters) that have been reported to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre from public health and hospital laboratories in the Trent and Yorkshire regional health authorities are as follows:

	Total Reports
Year	Yorkshire RHA		Trent RHA
1983	1,745	(6)	1,264	(4)
1984	1,826	(20)	1,374	(2)
1985	1,138	(4)	1,069	(5)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children on the priority which is given to research into child sexual abuse.

Officials and the NSPCC meet regularly to discuss subjects of mutual concern, including research. In addition an official from the social services inspectorate attends the NSPCC's professional advisory committee which discusses research issues.The Department is currently funding a feasibility study being conducted at the National Institute of Social Work in collaboration with the NSPCC to follow up of children who were placed on NSPCC child protection registers in 1981. An outline proposal concerning the evaluation of child protection registers is being considered by the Department. The Department and the NSPCC have also discussed how the NSPCC's register research programme, which has been a major source of information on the incidence of child abuse registrations and the characteristics of abusing families, can best complement the annual statistical survey which the Department now undertakes of children on local authority child protection registers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times his Department has given evidence to inquiries involving child sexual abuse since 1979.

Once, at the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland, 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to implement to encourage those consultants who do not use the drug Tamoxifen in the treatment of breast cancer to change their management of such cases in the light of the recent results from the Cancer Research Fund's cancer study unit.

An individual patient's suitability for a particular drug treatment is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private residential homes and private nursing homes have been closed in England and Wales because they have failed to comply with local authority and Health Services registration requirements.

Information about cancelled registrations has been notified to the Department only since 1 January 1985. Up to 31 December 1988, 75 residential care homes, 17 nursing homes and one home dually registered as a nursing home and residential care home have been notified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the disposal by Arrowe Park hospital of waste due for incineration by dumping in landfill sites.

I understand from the Wirral health authority that it has no knowledge of any clinical waste from Arrowe Park hospital, or clinical waste from elsewhere transported to the Arrowe Park incineration plant for incineration, which has subsequently been dumped on a landfill site. I hope that the hon. Member will pass any evidence that he has to the district health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has concerning the incidence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob dementia.

We do not hold this information centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each of the last five years have been refused referral to a hospital on the grounds that they do not live in the district in which the hospital is situated.

We do not collect this information centrally. GPs are free to refer patients to the consultant they consider most appropriate; equally, the consultant is free to accept or refuse the referral. Under the arrangements set out in "Working for Patients", where money will follow patients across district boundaries, hospitals and their consultants should increasingly be willing to accept patients from other districts if they consider that the patient will benefit from their particular skills and services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances the Lord Advocate acts for and on behalf of employers to assist the arrestment of earnings of people who have refused to pay fines for not registering for the poll tax.

In terms of the Crown Suits (Scotland) Act 1857 legal proceedings against any public department may be directed against the Lord Advocate. Accordingly, an arrestment seeking to arrest sums owing to an employee of a public department may be served on the Lord Advocate for and on behalf of such a department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what approaches the Lord Advocate has had from sheriff officers to assist the arrestment of earnings of people who have refused to pay fines for not registering for the poll tax; and what action he intends taking.

Any arrestment served on the Lord Advocate in respect of any sums owing by a public department to an employee is a matter between the department, its employee and the person who has instructed the arrestment. Any arrestment so served would be considered to determine its validity. If valid, effect would be given to the arrestment by the public department concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community service orders were issued by Scottish courts in each of the last five years.

The number of community service disposals made by courts in Scotland in the most recent five year period for which information is available is as follows:

	Number
1983	2,077
1984	2,553
1985	2,889
1986	3,453
1987	3,478

These figures cover both community service orders (section 1 of the Community Service by Offenders (Scotland) Act 1978) and community service as a condition of a probation order (section 7). The figure quoted for 1987 is provisional and subject to revision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients in Scotland not in receipt of dialysis are estimated to be in need of kidney dialysis; and what is the average waiting time for receiving dialysis.

All patients referred for treatment for end stage renal failure who, following clinical assessment, are considered likely to benefit from renal dialysis receive appropriate treatment when it is required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the policy review of the Scottish Film Council; and if he will make a statement.

Copies of this review, along with the implementation plan authorised by the Secretary of State, are being placed in the Library. We have accepted the major recommendation of the review that the Scottish Film Council should be established as a fully independent non-departmental public body. The separate status of the Scottish Film Council will enable it better to secure private sector support and sponsorship for film in Scotland, to supplement the substantial resources already made available by the Government. We are consulting those directly interested about the arrangements for achieving this with full effect from April 1990. I am confident that the new arrangements will provide a secure foundation for the maintenance and development of the distinctive Scottish contribution to film.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new (a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) teachers, (ii) policemen/policewomen, (iii) higher education lecturers, (iii) higher education researchers, (v) doctors, (vi) nurses and (vii) firemen and firewomen there were for each year since 1976.

Year	Teaching1	Scottish police service2	Scottish fire service3	Doctors4	Nurses5
1976	3,061	n.a.	191	546	2,990
1977	1,933	n.a.	327	638	3,278
1978	1,972	n.a.	653	548	3,556
1979	2,082	1,432	428	532	3,598
1980	1,773	665	156	541	3,487
1981	1,131	449	93	566	4,128
1982	1,388	488	83	540	4,190
1983	1,551	455	116	555	4,605
1984	1,332	610	111	548	3,337
1985	1,299	676	156	569	3,328
1986	943	609	143	554	3,095
1987	848	518	180	591	3,080
1 New entrants to teaching (excluding returners) in year ending 30 September.
2 First appointments to the regular police service in Scotland.
3 Recruitment to operational and control room staff, year ending 31 December. Peaks in 1978 and 1979 are a result of the introduction of a 42-hour week.
4 Numbers successfully completing clinical training in year ending 31 July.
5 Numbers of nurses completing registration following training. Figures for 1976–82 are for calendar years, those for 1983 are for January 1983 to March 1984, while those for 1984 onwards are for the financial years 1984–85 etc. No separate figures are available for the period January to March 1983. Figures from 1976 to 1983–84 include in-service nurses taking additional qualifications. Figures for 1984–85 onwards are for nurses qualifying for the first time. A significant proportion do not pursue nursing careers.
n.a. Consistent figures not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment using labour force survey data what has been the size of the total civilian labour force each year since 1979, what have been the numbers employed and the numbers unemployed each year and what has been the change each year both in numbers and in percentage terms.

Estimates of the civilian labour force are not directly available from the labour force survey (LFS).Available estimates from the LFS of the economically active (that is, those in employment plus the unemployed) aged 16 and over in Great Britain, for LFS years since 1979, are as shown in the table.

Economically active persons aged 16 and over—Great Britain, Spring estimates
Thousands and Per cent.
	Economically Active
Year		In employment	Unemployed
1979	25,643	24,214	1,429
1981	26,089	26,606	2,483
Change 1979–81	446	2,392	1,054
Percentage	1·7	9·9	73·8
1983	25,797	22,944	2,853
Change 1981–83	- 291	-3,662	-371
Percentage	-1·1	-13·8	-14·9
1984	26,304	23,387	2,916
Change 1983–84	506	443	63
Percentage	2·0	1·9	2·2
1985	26,553	23,739	2,814

[holding answer 20 February 1989]: The available information is given in the table. Comparable information for lecturers and researchers in higher education, or for part-time recruits is not available centrally.

	Economically Active
Year		In employment	Unemployed
Change 1984–85	249	352	-103
Percentage	0·9	1·5	-3·5
1986	26,649	23,829	2,820
Change 1985–86	96	90	2—
Percentage	0·4	0·4	2—
1987	27,031	24,247	2,784
Change 1986–87	382	418	-36
Percentage	1·4	1·8	-1·3
1 Great Britain labour force definition.
2 Change not statistically significant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the number of vacancies each year since 1979, both nationally and by region; and what has been the change each year in numbers and in percentage terms.

Following is the available information which is also in the Library. The table shows the annual average number of unfilled vacancies notified to jobcentres nationally and by region for each year from 1980 to 1988, together with the change in numbers and percentage terms on the previous year. Figures on exactly the same basis are not available for 1979.

Annual average number of unfilled vacancies by region
Year	Unfilled vacancies	Change	Percentage change
South East
1980	58,600
1981	34,000	- 24,600	-41·98
1982	42,300	8,300	24·41