To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proposed grant allocation from his Department to the two city technology colleges in Cleveland and Gateshead for each of the next five years and the proposed grant allocation for secondary schools within Durham local education authority for each of the next five years.

My right hon. Friend will pay an annual per capita grant to meet the normal running costs of each CTC in line with average costs in LEA-maintained secondary schools in similar areas. The grant for each CTC will depend on a number of factors and the precise levels for the colleges in Cleveland and Gateshead are still under consideration.The rate support grant is paid in support of local authority services on the basis of an annual settlement. It is not hypothecated to particular services or components of those services. Revenue support grant will operate on similar principles, and it is therefore not possible to define a grant allocation for an authority's secondary schools over a five-year period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the capital investment allocation from his Department to the two city technology colleges in Cleveland and Gateshead and of the capital allocation for secondary education for Durham local education authority.

The cost of the Macmillan CTC in Middlesbrough, Cleveland will be not more than £7·5 million of which the maximum contribution from the DES will be £5·625 million. A design and cost study is at present in hand on the Gateshead CTC and decisions on the level of capital funding will be taken in the light of this work.

	Barnsley	Doncaster	Rotherham	Sheffield	All South Yorkshire
Primary vacancies	3	8	16	8	35
(percentage of teachers in service)					0·7
of which, number in:
Junior	2	1	9	1	13
Other	1	7	7	7	22
Secondary vacancies	2	8	4	6	20
(percentage of teachers in service)					0·3
of which, number in:
English	0	1	1	0	2
Mathematics	0	1	0	0	1
Languages	0	0	0	0	0
Sciences	1	1	0	0	2
Craft Design and Technology	0	0	0	0	0
Arts	0	2	1	0	3

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the expected number of pupils of each of the two city technology colleges in Cleveland and Gateshead for each of the next five years and the expected number of pupils attending secondary schools within Durham local education authority for each of the next five years.

The Macmillan CTC in Middlesbrough Cleveland will open in September 1989 and places have been offered to 195 first-year pupils. The college will admit around 180 first-year pupils in each of the four succeeding years. No decision has yet been made on early recruitment of a sixth form. No decision has yet been taken on admissions to the proposed Gateshead CTC.Projections of pupil numbers for individual local education authorities are not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the likely implications on public service broadcasts emanating from his Department of the White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s: Competition Choice and Quality".

As education information normally falls outside the guidelines for what can be included in public service broadcasts, these do not emanate from the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by the four district authorities in South Yorkshire, how many vacancies exist currently in primary, junior, middle, high and secondary schools for teachers in English, mathematics, languages, science, craft and arts subjects.

Numbers of vacancies in January 1988 for full-time permanent teacher posts in maintained schools of the four authorities in South Yorkshire are listed in the table. Primary school vacancies are not broken down by subject specialism, and they include middle deemed primary and nursery. Middle deemed secondary and high school vacancies are incorporated in the secondary figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by location and date for the three counties of Yorkshire, the number of primary schools that have closed since 1979; how many were in a rural area; what schools are at present under review; and if he will make a statement.

Since January 1985 the following schools have closed in North Yorkshire and in the local education authorities situated in South and West Yorkshire:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish a table showing, for each year 1981–82 to 1987–88 the amount of grant-related expenditure assessment in respect of the additional educational needs of under-fives as a percentage of the total recurrent spending by local authorities on under-fives; and if he will make a statement;(2) what has been the difference in cash terms, for each year 1981–82 to 1987–88, between the control total for recurrent spending by local authorities on under-fives and the outturn total spending in this category; if he will estimate the amount of any such difference for 1988–89 and 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available in the form requested. Grant-related expenditure for the education of under-fives falls under two separate control totals of the grant-related expenditure assessment for education. The nursery control total has 49 per cent. distributed by reference to the additional educational needs index, while the primary total, which includes an allowance for under-fives in primary classes, has 11 per cent. distributed by reference to the additional educational needs index. The under-fives element of the primary control total is not separable from the rest of the total and it is not therefore possible to make the comparison requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the grant-related expenditure assessment in respect of primary schools takes account of the numbers of under-fives (a) in nursery classes of primary schools or (b) in ordinary classes of primary schools; what adjustments were made to the grant-related expenditure assessments in respect of primary schools in the years 1981–82 to 1987–88 in connection with the numbers of under-fives in primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

The grant-related expenditure assessment for primary education takes account of expenditure on under-fives in primary classes. Nursery classes in primary schools fall within the grant-related expenditure assessment for nursery education. The relevant control totals for these GREAs have been increased by 9·7 per cent. and 6 per cent. respectively in real terms between 1981–82 and 1987–88; movements in pupil numbers have been one of the factors taken into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the proportions, for each year 1988–89 and 1989–90 of the present grant-related expenditure assessments in respect of the additional educational needs of under-fives in relation to the control totals for recurrent spending by the local authorities on under-fives; and if he will make a statement.

Of the grant-related expenditure assessment for nursery education in 1988–89 and 1989–90, 49 per cent. is distributed by reference to the additional educational needs index for each authority. Under-fives being educated in primary classes fall within the primary total for grant-related expenditure, of which 11 per cent. is distributed by reference to the additional educational needs index for each authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the implications of career breaks for women teachers for the problems of teacher shortages identified by his Department.

My Department's memorandum to the Education, Science and Arts Committee, a copy of which is in the Library, explains the importance of continuing to secure a high rate of teachers returning to the profession, both women and men. I commend to all local authorities the supportive career break schemes developed by some, which provide information and training for teachers out of service and which can ease their return to the profession.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the implication of the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988 on delegation of staffing responsibilities to governing bodies for the level of adoption of career break schemes for women teachers; and if he will make a statement.

The Government do not expect the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988 to affect the level of adoption of career break schemes for women teachers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and. Science when he intends to publish for consultation the draft order with attainment targets and programmes of study for English in the national curriculum for pupils aged five to seven years.

I have today published for consultation a draft order with an associated document setting out the attainment targets and programmes of study for English in the national curriculum, as I am required to do by section 20(5) of the Education Reform Act. The order relates to key stage 1—pupils aged five to seven. Those consulted are asked to respond no later than 21 April. I aim to make the final order in May and implementation will begin in schools this autumn. Copies have been placed in the Library.The draft order reflects the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council, following consultations on our proposals for English for ages five to 11. I am most grateful to the council and to its officers for their work on this report. The attainment targets and programmes of study I am publishing today relate to key stage 1 pupils aged five to seven only, since requirements for pupils aged seven to 11 will not be implemented until 1990. They build upon the council's recommendations so as to set rigorous objectives, such as the council and I both wish to promote. I am also publishing a statement of reasons why the draft order differs from the precise terms of the council's recommendations, in accordance with section 20(5)(a)(ii) of the Act.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is consulting on the draft order under the provisions of section 21(3) of the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time (a) before cases come to court and (b) for which remand prisoners are held before trial (i) in the Nottingham area and (ii) in England and Wales as a whole.

National estimates of the time taken to process criminal cases in magistrates courts are published regularly in Home Office statistical bulletins—the most recent being issue 2/89 of January 1989. The table also gives the estimated number of days from offence to the date of first listing at magistrates court for Nottingham.Information is not available centrally on the average time spent on remand in individual establishments. The information available relates to the average time spent on remand in all prison service establishments by untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners and is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 2.1 of the latest issue for 1987, Cm 547). Copies of both the bulletin and the Command Paper are in the Library.

Time between offence and first listing at magistrates court
	Days
	England and Wales	Nottingham
Indictable offences 1987	63	77
Summary non-motoring offences June 1987	103	93
Summary motoring offences June 1987	117	134

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many retailers have been prosecuted in the last year for failing to obey the law in respect of selling butane gas canisters or gas refills to minors; and whether he has given any advice to police forces about pursuing a more vigorous prosecution policy in this area.

Statistics of prosecutions brought under the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 do not distinguish between the supply of butane gas canisters and of other volatile substances. In 1987—the latest year for which information is available—15 people were prosecuted for supplying such substances to minors, and 11 of them were found guilty. Circulars have been issued to police forces giving guidance on solvent misuse and drawing attention to the provisions of the 1985 Act. Enforcement of the Act is an operational matter for chief officers of police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has for each police force

Police forces in England and Wales
	Male			Female
31 December 1988	Chief Constable1	Deputy Chief Constable2	Assistant Chief Constable3	Chief Superintendent	Assistant Chief Constable3	Chief Superintendent
Avon and Somerset	1	1	3	36	—	1
Bedfordshire	1	1	1	5	—	—
Cambridgeshire	1	1	1	5	—	—
Cheshire	1	1	2	8	—	—
City of London	1	1	1	6	—	—
Cleveland	1	1	2	7	—	—
Cumbria	1	1	1	7	—	—
Derbyshire	1	1	2	8	—	1
Devon and Cornwall	1	1	3	13	—	—
Dorset	1	1	1	5	—	1
Durham	1	1	2	6	—	1
Dyfed-Powys	1	1	1	7	—	—
Essex	1	1	3	11	—	—
Gloucestershire	1	1	1	6	—	—
Greater Manchester	1	1	6	26	—	1
Gwent	1	1	1	5	—	—
Hampshire	1	1	3	10	—	—
Hertfordshire	1	1	2	9	—	—
Humberside	1	1	2	7	—	1
Kent	1	1	4	10	—	—
Lancashire	1	1	3	13	—	—
Leicestershire	1	1	2	7	—	—
Lincolnshire	1	1	1	5	—	—
Merseyside	1	1	3	19	1	—
Metropolitan	6	16	36	155	2	3
Norfolk	1	1	1	7	—	—
Northamptonshire	1	1	1	6	—	—
Northumbria	1	1	3	13	—	—
North Wales	1	1	1	7	—	—
North Yorkshire	1	1	1	7	—	—
Nottinghamshire	1	1	2	8	—	—
South Wales	1	1	3	14	—	—
South Yorkshire	1	1	3	11	—	—
Staffordshire	1	1	1	11	—	—
Suffolk	1	1	1	6	—	—
Surrey	1	1	2	7	—	—
Sussex	1	1	3	12	—	—
Thames Valley	1	1	3	11	—	1
Warwickshire	1	1	1	5	—	—
West Mercia	1	1	2	10	—	—
West Midlands	1	1	5	21	—	—
West Yorkshire	1	1	4	19	—	1
Wiltshire	1	1	1	6	—	—
Total	48	58	125	577	3	11
1 Includes ranks of assistant commissioner and above in metropolitan police and commissioner in City of London police.
2 Includes deputy asistant commissioner in Metropolitan police and assistant commissioner in City of London police.
3 Includes commanders in Metropolitan police and City of London police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to institute a system of psychiatric bail hostels; and if he will make a statement.

A consultation paper "Bail Accommodation and Secure Bail Hostels" was issued on 13 February 1989. Among other issues, the paper raises the question of bail hostels for the mentally disturbed and invites comments by the closing date of 9 May 1989.

Information on the sex of detective inspectors and officers in specialist crime squads is not held centrally. Information on the senior officers down to chief superintendent level in each force is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to keep mentally disturbed individuals remanded in custody out of prison or police cells for minor offences when those individuals declare they have no fixed abode; and if he will make a statement.

Bail hostels and other accommodation for bailees are available for mentally disturbed individuals who have no fixed abode as for any other individual at risk of remand in custody. Courts have information about such accommodation drawn regularly to their attention.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage of service personnel who take up employment in (a) the police force and (b) the prison service after leaving the armed forces; and what percentage of these are armed forces personnel who left before fulfilling their contract of engagement.

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the purposes for which 111,313 classic lethal dose 50 or lethal concentration 50 tests were undertaken in 1987.

The figures, under the headings used in table 2 of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, 1987 (Cm. 515), are as follows:

Primary purpose	Scientific procedures Thousands
A. Body-system studies (fundamental and applied)
Respiratory or cardiovascular	6
Alimentary	4
Other system of body, multiple, or system not relevant	39
B. Applied studies or purposes
Diagnosis	2
Safety	59
Production	1
Total	111

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to remove the requirement for LD50 tests where he considers these no longer necessary.

The Home Secretary is not responsible for any such requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what severity level was permitted in toxicity tests involving 1,902 beagle dogs in 1987 for substances used in agriculture, substances used in households, testing of food additives and testing for cosmetics and toiletries.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he received from Moslem organisations concerning Mr. Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" prior to 14 January.

About 90 letters. In addition, I met a delegation of ambassadors from three Islamic countries and the director of the Islamic cultural centre of London.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable for Avon and Somerset as to the section of the Prevention of Terrorism Act under which the 10 people arrested following the recent bombing at Bristol university were held.

I am informed that 10 people were arrested in connection with offences of criminal damage and detained under the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those organisations and individuals who have made written responses to date to the Green Paper entitled "Punishment, Custody and the Community"; and if he will make a statement.

We have received over 160 responses to the Green Paper. These came from judges, the Magistrates Association, benches of magistrates and individual magistrates; from the Central Council of Probation Committees, the Association of Chief Officers of Probation, the National Association of Senior Probation Officers, some probation committees and chief probation officers; from police representative organisations; from the Justices Clerks Society and the Prison Governors Association; from the Association of County Councils, the Association of Directors of Social Services, the British Association of Social Workers, the Conservative Women's National Committee, the Labour party, the Law Society, MACRO, the Prison Reform Trust, Victim Support, and other organisations and individuals. We are considering these comments carefully and a further statement will be made in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the number of Metropolitan police officers who were assigned to duties in Gibraltar in March 1988 unconnected with the circumstances which led to the deaths of three terrorists and as to what advice was given to them as to whether to appear as witnesses at the inquest into the deaths of the alleged terrorists.

I understand that four Metropolitan police officers were assigned to duties in Gibraltar in March 1988 to carry out inquiries into criminal activities unconnected with the circumstances which led to the deaths of the three terrorists. They were there with the permission of the Gibraltar authorities. It was a matter for the coroner to decide whom to call as witnesses at the inquest. Those four officers were not called.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on blood samples taken in drinking and driving cases in the Greater Manchester police area since 1986.

All forces in England and Wales, other than the Metropolitan and City of London forces, are supplied with blood sampling kits by the Home Office. Between March 1987 and December 1988, police stations in the Greater Manchester police area were issued with kits in which the alcohol-free swabs had been replaced by the stores department of the force with swabs acquired from an independent source.It was later found that these locally substituted swabs contained a solution with a very small percentage of alcohol. The blood analysis results in a number of these cases may therefore have been affected. The Home Office was notified by Greater Manchester police as soon as this knowledge became available. I am arranging to review as quickly as possible convictions which may be unsafe as a result and will also consider representations from individuals who believe that they were wrongly convicted.This was a regrettable error within the Greater Manchester police. The unsuitable swabs were withdrawn from use in Greater Manchester immediately the problem came to light. This affects cases in the Greater Manchester police area only. Inquiries have established that no other force has substituted unsuitable swabs for those supplied by the Home Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to promote prison inmates' family ties.

We have taken a number of steps in recent years to help prisoners in maintaining contact with their families, in particular through increased opportunities for home leave, the introduction of payphones in open prisons and the abolition and relaxation of routine censorship of inmates correspondence in open and category C establishments.From April the prison department will for the first time be able to make grants towards the costs of running visitors' centres outside prisons. Such grants may be made either to help start up new centres or to help existing ones in financial difficulty. In some cases these grants are likely to be crucial to the survival of the centres concerned. The department is also encouraging the establishment of creches within prison visiting rooms wherever practicable, to improve the quality of visits for small children and for their parents alike. The assisted prison visits scheme, under which close relatives on low incomes may have the costs of their visits to prisoners paid by the Government, is to be extended so that assisted visits to sentenced prisoners may take place straight after reception. Cardphones for inmates' use are to be installed in all category C prisons and their equivalents in the female and young offender systems later this year. Revised prison standing orders which come into force on 1 April will abolish long-standing restrictions on the purchase of stamps by inmates from their own money and relax restrictions on the purchase of phonecards. All these measures will help prisoners to keep in touch with their families while in custody and, we hope, help them to stay clear of crime after their release.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on British Shipbuilders' external finance limit for 1988–89.

British Shipbuilders' external finance limit for 1988–89 was originally set and published in the 1987 Autumn Statement at £80 million. Against the background of the disposal and closure of British Shipbuilders subsidiaries, I have now set a revised EFL for 1988–89 of £145 million. This increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Chinese Government regarding the latest actions by Chinese troops in Tibet; and if he will make a statement.

The Chinese Government are aware of our dismay at further violence and loss of life in Lhasa. We believe that the most promising solution to the problem of Tibet is through dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Tibetan people, including the Dalai Lama. We have called for the early start of such a dialogue which the Chinese Government have themselves proposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussion with Sir Kit McMahon, chairman of the Midland bank, about the rescheduling of debt to Brazil, and the consequences for Amazonia.

My right hon. and learned Friend has not discussed Amazonia or the rescheduling of Brazil's bank debt with the chairman of the Midland bank.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will show 1986–87 outturn expenditure, 1987–88 estimated expenditure and 1988–89 planned on (i) trunk roads, broken down into (a) new construction and improvement, (b) structural maintenance, and (c) routine maintenance, and (ii) local authority roads broken down into (a) new construction and improvements, and (b) maintenance, (iii) public transport administration and (iv) local authority car parks, broken down into (a) capital and (b) current (net), and (c) road safety in Wales.

The information is as follows:

£ million
	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89
	Outturn	Outturn	Planned
Trunk Road Expenditure
(i) New construction and improvement	99·829	119·090	141·878
(ofwhich renewal of roads and bridges)1	19·760	15·925	16·150
(ii) Current maintenance2	14·632	13·341	13·865
Local Authority Expenditure
(i) New construction and improvement of roads	66·867	681·523	58·352
(ii) Maintenance of roads	81·925	694·074	89·539
(iii) Professional and technical services3

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how much of the 200 acres designated for housing in the valleys, housebuilding has started; at what sites; for how many dwellings; of what approximate final selling cost; and by what private companies or housing associations.

[holding answer 8 March 1989]: The current total figure for Land Authority for Wales land designated for housing in the valleys programme area is 245 acres.Since the start of the programme the authority has sold or contracted to sell sites totalling 27 acres at Penpedairheol and Pontypandy, which will result in approximately 170 new starts on dwellings in the first year of the programme and are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Health and Safety Executive's advice on passive smoking.

The Health and Safety Executive advises employers to limit the exposure at work of non-smokers to tobacco smoke. I welcome the publication by the executive in November 1988 of a free booklet, "Passive Smoking at Work", which recommends that employers, in consultation with employees or their representatives, develop and implement policies to control smoking in the work place. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what level of funding and what percentage of the training within each industry is provided by the statutory training boards;(2) in each industry for which statutory training boards exist, what is the estimated amount of funding spent on training outside the training boards.

The information is not available in the forms requested. Details of the activities of industrial training boards are published in their annual reports, which are available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what relationships he envisages between statutory and non-statutory training boards and training and enterprise councils.

Industrial training organisations, whether statutory or non-statutory, have important sectoral training roles including standard settings which were set out in the White Paper "Employment for the 1990s". The TECs will not set their own standards. We expect that ITOs and TECs will seek to work together to promote training and enterprise among employers in particular sectors at local level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for what period unemployed people are enabled to make use of the services of job clubs for the purposes of seeking employment.

There is no time limit on job club membership. Members can stay for as long as it takes to find a job, provided that they continue to comply with the terms of membership.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he was informed by the French nuclear safety authorities about the leak in the reactor housing of the Gravelines nuclear plant on the Channel in February; and what assessment he has made of the danger it posed to members of the United Kingdom public.

We were not informed of this incident. We understand that there was no release of radioactivity to the environment, and consequently there was no need for Her Majesty's Government to be informed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a breakdown of central Government support for sites of historical interest by any convenient chronological classification of the date of the sites.

It is not possible to analyse expenditure according to types or age of sites. Public funds for the recording, preservation or maintenance of sites of historical interest are provided through a number of channels.English Heritage has powers to make grants for the repair or maintenance of individual buildings of outstanding architectural or historical interest and, where necessary, to acquire buildings or to assist local authorities or the National Trust to do so. It also funds rescue archaeology, aimed at making a record of important sites before development. Total central Government grant in aid for English Heritage's activities during 1988–89 was £66·1 million. Funds were allocated as follows:

£ million
Properties in care	18·0
Grants for historic buildings and ancient monuments/buildings in conservation areas	24·0
Archaeology	7·3

Activities equivalent to those of English Heritage are carried out in Scotland and Wales by the Scottish Development Department and the Welsh Office respectively.The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England exists principally to maintain the scholarly archive on architecture and archaeology. In 1988–89, it received £3·9 million from central Government funds. Similar activities to those of the English Commission are carried out by its Scottish and Welsh counterparts.The National Heritage Memorial Fund is empowered to give financial assistance towards the cost of acquiring, maintaining or preserving land, buildings, works of art and other objects of outstanding interest which are also of importance to the national heritage. There must be some connection between the subject of an application for assistance from the fund and the United Kingdom. Grant in aid for 1988–89 amounted to £3 million.The Redundant Churches Fund seeks to preserve certain Church of England churches of special historic, architectural or archaeological significance, which have become redundant. Central Government assistance for 1988–89 was £0·95 million.The Department of the Environment has direct responsibility for managing and maintaining the royal parks and palaces estate. In 1988–89, the net provision for this purpose was £45 million.In addition, the Property Services Agency has a large number of historic buildings and monuments in its care, including the Houses of Parliament and major government buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will commission an urgent study of the effects on the climate of northern Europe of widespread destruction of the Amazon rain forest, particularly in relation to westerly air currents, originating in the area of the Andes.

Work on the potential impact of Amazon rain forest destruction on global and regional climate change is already in hand as part of the Meteorological Office's research programme. An international review of all aspects of the science of climate change, of which rain forest destruction is only one, is currently being carried out by the inter-governmental panel on climate change, set up under UNEP/WMO auspices in November 1988. The science review is led by the director general of the Meteorological Office, Dr. John Houghton, with funding from the Departments of Environment and Energy and is expected to report in mid-1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the likely implications on public service broadcasts emanating from his Department of the White Paper, "Broadcasting in the '90s: Competition Choice and Quality."

There is no reason to suppose that the proposals in the White Paper will alter the present arrangements whereby public service messages are broadcast by the BBC. It will be for the new Channel 3 and 5 licensees to consider whether they will broadcast such messages. The arrangements for paid Government advertising on television will not be affected by the proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will send guidance notes to community charge registration officers reminding them that any personal data held by them cannot be used or disclosed for any other purpose unless specifically allowed for by legislation or supporting regulations; and whether he will make a statement.

Detailed guidance on data protection and the community charge is contained in community charge practice note No. 4, which was published in August 1988, and in practice note No. 10, published in February 1989. Copies of all practice notes are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, how many responses he has received to the regulations on students and the poll tax; what was the balance of opinion in these responses; and if he will list the organisations that have responded, and place their responses in the Library.

[holding answer 7 March 1989]: The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. We have received 43 responses to the draft regulations on students and the community charge. Most of the comments concern the detail of the draft regulations and it is not therefore possible to attribute a balance of opinion to the responses. The organisations which have responded are listed in the table. Their responses were not submitted on the basis that they would be published although anybody who wished could make their own response known

• Practitioners' Working Group (incorporating ADC, AMA, ACC, ALA and LBA)
• Association of Metropolitan Authorities
• London Boroughs Association
• Association of London Authorities
• Rating Officers' Guild
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
• Council on Tribunals
• Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom
• Committee of Directors of Polytechnics
• Standing Conference of Principals and Directors of the Colleges and Institutes of Higher Education
• Heads of Research Councils
• Churches Main Committee
• Society of Education Officers
• Association of Lecturers in Higher Education
• Open University
• National Union of Students
• Cranfield Institute of Technology
• United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
• English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
• United Kingdom Council for Overseas Student Affairs
• Association for Recognised English Language Teaching Establishments in Britain
• Aberconwy Borough Council
• Alnwick District Council
• Aylesbury Vale District Council
• Blackpool Borough Council
• Bolsover District Council
• Cardiff City Council
• Chester City Council
• Dartford Borough Council
• Dwyfor District Council
• Eden District Council
• Kettering Borough Council
• Kingswood Borough Council
• Lancaster City Council
• Medina Borough Council
• Middlesbrough Borough Council
• Mid Suffolk District Council
• North Norfolk District Council
• Preston Borough Council
• Tendring District Council
• Wrexham Maelor Borough Council
• Wycombe District Council
• Wyre Forest District Council

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give for 4 January, the places visited by him, his travel arrangements and the mileage involved; and if he will make a statement.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements exist to prevent (a) a chair of a parish council and (b) a parish councillor, also holding the post of clerk to the same council; and if he will make a statement.

By section 80(1)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, anyone holding a paid office (other than chairman or vice-chairman) under a local authority is disqualified for membership of that authority. Neither the chairman nor a member of a parish council may therefore be a paid clerk of the council. By section 112(5) of that Act, however, any member of a parish council may be appointed as an unpaid officer of the council. A chairman or member of a parish council may thus be an honorary clerk to the council.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to issue guidance to local authorities on the privatisation of local authority assets.

Specific guidance is issued on such matters as the transfer of local authority housing, as appropriate. The Audit Commission report on local authority property management published in February 1988 has already recommended that local authorities regularly review their property portfolio to ensure that it is being put to appropriate use and is not surplus to their requirements. Progress in implementing these recommendations is being monitored by the Department in consultation with the Audit Commission and the local authority associations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations on the London borough of Redbridge's intention to spend £500,000 on its proposals for voluntary transfer.

The Department has received no such representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what adverse effects have been identified from the use of asbestos pipes for water supplies; what is the total estimated use of such pipes; what is the current estimated cost of replacement; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 15 March 1989]: There is no evidence of a risk to health from the levels of asbestos found in drinking water in the United Kingdom, including any derived from the use of asbestos cement pipes.About 10 per cent. of water mains in the United Kingdom are made of asbestos cement. The cost of replacing them is not known.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Islington, North, Official Report, 14 December 1988, columns 904–5, he will state what exclusive, or near exclusive, arrangement has been made by the Thames water authority concerning disposal of land it deems surplus to operational requirements.

[holding answer 15 March 1989]: The arrangements made by water authorities for the disposal of surplus land are a matter for those authorities subject to the statutory obligation to achieve the best price reasonably obtainable for the property they sell.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ask the railway inspectorate to examine whether the design of passenger carriages in new trains proposed for any of London's Underground lines provide for either (a) fewer seats or (b) more people to stand, than the current carriages; and if he will make a statement.

The railway inspectorate examines as a matter of course all aspects of proposed designs for new underground rolling stock submitted to it by London Underground Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the annual year-on-year estimated cost of repairs and maintenance for the automatic exit barriers installed in London Underground stations following completion of the installation programme; and what is the estimated life of such barriers.

These are management matters for the Underground, to which the questions should be addressed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the real unit cost of each additional officer recruited to the transport police.

Additions to the complement of the BTP are estimated to add some £30,000 per annum per officer to the total cost of the force in a full year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to what items of information are held on the magnetic strips of the weekly, monthly and season tickets used in London Transport's automatic ticket machines.

The magnetic strip holds data relating to the type and validity of the ticket but the precise details are commercially confidential to prevent fraud.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce legislation to prevent the installation of automatic ticket machines which can trace or monitor the movements of a particular ticket holder; and whether he will make a statement.

No. The matter of compliance with or enforcement of the Data Protection Act is a matter for the Data Protection Registrar.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of the construction of sound barrier banks on the A3 Milford bypass; how many residents will benefit from them; and what compensation is being paid to those where no barrier is proposed.

Sound barrier banks will be provided at no additional cost. Some 70 properties will benefit by a noise reduction of 1dBa or more. Compensation will be payable under the relevant legislation. The amounts, which will be subject to negotiation with the district valuer, cannot be estimated at this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department's financial evaluation of British Rail's high-speed line proposal will be expected to show, after using a commercial discount rate, a positive net present value in the year in which construction commences to ensure compliance with the provisions of section 42 of the Channel Tunnel Act.

Before this project can proceed, the Government will require any British Rail investment in it to show a positive net present value discounted at the discount rate agreed between the Department and British Rail. For the purpose of such calculations the year to which the costs and revenues are discounted is immaterial.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what he estimates will be the minimum discount rate that will be applied to his Department's financial evaluation of British Rail's high-speed line proposed to ensure compliance with the provisions of section 42 of the Channel Tunnel Act.

If the new line were to be financed by British Rail, the board would need to demonstrate that the project would produce a commercial return. The discount rate used to test this (currently 7 per cent.) will be agreed between BR and the Department. It will need to reflect the Treasury's required rate of return, which is intended to ensure that commercial public sector investment programmes (such as BR's) provide a rate of return which is broadly equivalent to that which could be achieved in the private sector. The required rate of return was set in 1978 and is currently under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consult motoring and other transport organisations about the European Commission's proposals to harmonise driver licensing in member states; and if he will make a statement.

We are today consulting interested organisations about the Commission's proposals for driver licensing. A copy of the consultation paper has been placed in the Library.Bringing our driver licensing system into line with other European countries makes sense. Drivers who go abroad will benefit from having an internationally recognised licence. There is still a good deal of work to be done on the details of the proposal. Our objectives in the forthcoming negotiations will be to ensure that:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the Government's policy and practice for providing new motorway service areas in England; and if he will make a statement.

Our general policy for motorways is to provide service areas at strategic sites roughly 30 miles apart. Motorway service area (MSAs) rank as Crown developments and the general policy is that their siting, planning, design and operation are arranged by the Department to ensure:

(1) The development of an adequate national network of MSAs;

(2) Genuine competition between prospective operators through the competitive tendering of sites;

(3) Road safety, by restricting access to the motorways; and by preventing inappropriate activities at MSAs, in particular consumption of alcohol;

(4) The maintenance of the necessary range of facilities for 24 hours a day, including facilities for the disabled and provision for heavy goods vehicles.

In practice, the Department identifies sites, seeks planning clearance for a proposal and acquires the freehold of a site, either by agreement or by compulsory purchase. Competitive tenders are then sought from the private sector for the development and a long lease of the site in return for a premium payment. The successful tenderer then builds and operates the MSA.It is sometimes suggested that service areas would be developed more quickly if the Department were to withdraw from MSA provision. There is no reason to believe this would be the case. There would remain a need for careful choice of site subject to the normal planning processes, and delay would be likely to arise from the need to determine competing planning applications, particularly where public inquiries were necessary. There have already in fact been cases where competing applications have delayed provision of the Department's strategic sites.To ensure the development of a national network and the other objectives of competition, road safety and range of facilities, it is essential for the Government to take the lead in the provision of MSAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives exist for the transport and road research laboratory to market British research in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: As part of the United States strategic highway research programme, the Department of Transport has co-financed (with the science and engineering research council) a representative to join the permanent staff in Washington.This officer's duties include seeking opportunities for British research organisations to tender for contracts within the $150 million SHRP budget. The transport and road research laboratory has submitted a tender within this framework, together with several other United Kingdom organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will send guidance notes to community charge registration officers reminding them that any personal data held by them cannot be used or disclosed for any other purpose unless specifically allowed for by legislation or supporting regulations; and whether he will make a statement.

Data protection guidelines for community charges registration officers in Scotland which cover the disclosure of personal data have been prepared by the Scottish Assessors Association following discussion between themselves and the Data Protection Registrar. My right hon. and learned Friend does not propose to issue any additional guidance on this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the frequency of subject access requests to police forces from drivers in connection with applications for taxi driving licences.

None. Applicants for subject access under the Data Protection Act are not required to state the reasons for their application.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in each year for the past five years the number of suicides in each establishment for which he is responsible; how many of those concerned were known to have had a history of mental disturbance; and if he will make a statement.

The information is given in the table below.

Penal establishment: Number of suicides
	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
Barlinnie Prison	2	3	3	3	5
Cornton Vale Institution	—	—	1	—	—
Dumfries Young Offenders
Institution	—	—	—	1	—
Edinburgh Prison	1	—	1	1	1
Glenochil Institution	1	2	—	1	1
Perth Prison	—	1	2	—	—
State Hospital
State Hospital, Carstairs	—	2	2	—	—

Of the 34 cases of suicide, 14 of the inmates were known to have had a history of mental disorder.Wherever inmates are considered to be at risk preventive measures are taken in relation to their accommodation and observation. In the event of a suicide, careful consideration is given to the subsequent findings of the fatal accident inquiry or internal investigation and procedures reviewed. Although the greatest care is taken by staff to identify, protect and treat those who are thought to be at risk, deaths from unpredictable and determined acts of self-destruction do occur.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will show 1986–87 outturn expenditure, 1987–88 estimated expenditure and 1988–89 planned expenditure on (i) trunk roads, broken down into (a) new construction and improvement, (b) structural maintenance, and (c) routine maintenance and (ii) local authority roads broken down into (a) new contruction and improvements, and (b) maintenance, (iii) public administration and (iv) local authority car parks, broken down into (a) capital and (b) current (net), and (c) road safety in Scotland.

The information requested is set out in the table:

£ million cash
	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89
	Outturn	Outturn1	Estimate
1. Motorways and Trunk Roads
(a) New construction and improvement	79·2	94·6	88·6
(b) Structural maintenance	15·9	18·2	22·9
(c) Routine and winter maintenance	19·3	17·8	18·7
2. Local Authority Roads
(a) New construction and improvement2	130·5	115·5	130·8
(b) Maintenance	156·2	172·4	192·7
3. Public Transport Administration3	25·2	27·8	29·0
4. Road Safety in Scotland4	1·5	1·7	1·7
1 Local authority outturn figures are provisional only.
2 Includes local authority expenditure on car parks which is no longer separately identified.
3 Local authority expenditure on administration of roads and transport services.
4 Excludes expenditure by the Department of Transport on national road safety publicity. Expenditure on new construction and improvements and on maintenance also contributes to road safety.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received a letter from Mr. Hugh Hagen, convenor shop-stewards' committee, Appledore-Ferguson Ltd., Newark Shipyard, Port Glasgow on the negotiation on the disposal of the yard; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend received a letter on 7 March from Mr. Hagen requesting a meeting with him to discuss the future of the Ferguson yard. In view of the statement made to the House on 24 February by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, when he announced that British Shipbuilders were inviting new bids for Fergusons by 31 March, it would be premature for my right hon. and learned Friend or me to meet representatives of the work force at this stage. My right hon. and learned Friend has written to Mr. Hagen accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all inquiries which have been undertaken into the status and development of Lurcher's Gully since 1979, giving in each case the cost to public funds.

The inquiry held in 1982 is the only inquiry under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Acts which has been held into possible development at Lurcher's Gully. The cost of that inquiry to public funds could not now be established except at disproportionate cost. The Select Committee on Scottish Affairs made recommendations about future skiing development at Cairngorm in the report of its inquiry into the Highlands and Islands Development Board in 1985, but the cost of that inquiry is not a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will ask the trustees of the Museum of Mankind to mount an exhibition and seminar to promote Amer-Indian art from the Brazilian rain forest.

The exhibitions policy of the British museum, of which the Museum of Mankind is a part, is a matter for the museum's director and trustees and is not something in which I should intervene.I understand, however, that between 1985 and 1987 the museum mounted a major exhibition entitled "The Hidden Peoples of the Amazon", which included two thirds of the Amazonian collections of featherwork, costumes, pottery and other everyday artifacts, many of which show a strong artistic inspiration. The exhibition was supported by a series of films and lectures at which contemporary environmental and cultural problems were discussed.In 1978 the museum hosted a smaller exhibition on the art of the Brazilian Indians and it continues to provide many schools, specialists and general inquiries with information about the native peoples of Amazonia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what studies his Department has undertaken to determine the effects of electromagnetic radiation at extremely low frequencies on human health;(2) what studies his Department has undertaken to determine the effects of electromagnetic radiation at extremely low frequencies on plant life;(3) what studies his Department has undertaken to determine the effects of electromagnetic radiation at extremely low frequencies on animal life;(4) what information he has regarding the effects of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic radiation on plant, animal and human life.

Long-term studies of the effects of ELF and power line frequencies have produced no evidence to suggest that there are adverse public health effects or adverse effects on plants and animals. The fields that would be produced by the proposed system are several orders of magnitude less than the National Radiological Protection Board's reference level figures for the protection of persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the antennae for the planned trial extremely low frequency transmitter at Glengarry forest in Scotland will be mounted above ground or buried below ground;

The present plan for the proposed trial ELF transmitter at Glengarry forest is that a notice of proposed development (NOPD) is to be produced with a view to submission to the Highland regional council later this year. The NOPD will be a comprehensive formal document containing information about the purpose of the ELF aerial, its proposed course, the unique features of the site, positioning of related facilities, technical and civil engineering concepts, design proposals and methods of construction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the total cost to date of the proposed trial extremely low frequency transmitter at Glengarry forest in Scotland; what is the latest estimated construction cost of the project in the years 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993; and what is the current total estimated cost of the project;(2) how much has been spent, to date, by his Department on the area of extremely low frequency communications; and how much it is planned to spend by the end of 1993.

It is not our policy to give out details of expenditure on specific research projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the progress of the upgrading programme for the Royal Navy very low frequency communications system.

I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member on 10 February 1989 at columns 859–60.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any contracts have been awarded to Rediffusion Radio Systems, in regard to extremely low frequency communication systems.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet determined whether or not extremely low frequency communications systems will have an operation role to play in improving the operational effectiveness of Royal Navy submarines.

One of the functions of the ELF demonstrator programme is to investigate what operational capabilities such a system might offer. No decision on the use of ELF will be taken prior to the results of such research being available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if there has been any co-operation between the United Kingdom and French Governments with regard to the use of extremely low frequency technology for the purpose of communicating with submarines;(2) if there have been any agreements between the United Kingdom and French Governments regarding the use of extremely low frequency communications facilities for the purpose of communicating with submarines;(3) if it is proposed that there will be any co-operation between the United Kingdom and French Governments with regard to the use of extremely low frequency technology for the purpose of communicating with submarines;(4) if it is proposed that there will be any agreements between the United Kingdom and French Governments regarding the use of extremely low frequency communications facilities for the purpose of communicating with submarines.

While it is the policy of the United Kingdom Government to partake in research collaboration with other nations in order to make the most efficient and cost-effective use of our resources; it is not our policy to disclose specific topics which are the subject of such collaboration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any agreement exists between the United Kingdom and United States Governments regarding the use of TACAMO very low frequency communications systems for communication with Royal Navy submarines.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the United States TACAMO very low frequency communication system is used with a NATO role.

TACAMO is a United States communication system. It could therefore be used to relay NATO messages to United States forces assigned to NATO.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if any Royal Navy submarines are currently equipped to receive extremely low frequency transmissions;(2) how many Royal Navy submarines will be equipped to receive extremely low frequency transmissions from the proposed trial extremely low frequency transmitter at Glengarry forest in Scotland when it becomes operational in 1993.

It is not our practice to comment on operational matters of thus kind.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any Royal Navy submarine has ever used the United States TACAMO very low frequency communications system.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any agreements exist covering the use of the extremely low frequency transmitters in Wisconsin and Michigan, USA, for the purpose of communicating with Royal Navy submarines.

There are no agreements between the United Kingdom and the United States Governments concerning the use of these transmitters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the United Kingdom first entered into negotiations towards nuclear disarmament under the terms of article VI of the 1970 non-proliferation treaty.

Article VI of the nonproliferation treaty requires the parties to it to pursue negotiations on effective measures connected with nuclear disarmament. Since the United States and the Soviet Union possess between them the overwhelming preponderance of nuclear weapons it is universally recognised that the primary responsibility for negotiations falls to them. The United States and the Soviet Union are currently engaged in such negotiations which aim at 50 per cent. reductions in their strategic nuclear weapons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the book "Peace and Security" edited by Susan Forrester.

The Ministry of Defence library already has a copy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any invitation has been received for officials in his Department to attend as observers at the annual conference of Scientists Against Nuclear Arms on 22 and 23 April.

To the best of my knowledge, no invitations have been received for officials in my Department to attend as observers at the annual conference of Scientists Against Nuclear Arms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the range of the Condor 2 ballistic missile system under development by Argentina.

We have no reason to doubt recent press reports which suggest that the Condor missile could have a range in the region of 600 miles (1,000 km).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role was played by Her Majesty's Government in the drafting of (a) the 1983 Montebello agreement and (b) the 1987–88 intermediate nuclear land forces treaty of Washington.

On the first part of the hon. Member's question, Her Majesty's Government were fully involved in both the preparation of the high level group report and in the subsequent ministerial meeting at Montebello in October 1983.On the second, the 1987–88 intermediate land nuclear forces treaty is a treaty between the Governments of the United States and the Soviet Union. However, as one of the five European basing countries, Her Majesty's Government were kept fully informed at all stages of the negotiations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has with (a) British Nuclear Fuels plc and (b) any other corporate organisations in respect of Calder hall and Chapelcross; and what is their value.

British Nuclear Fuels plc produces and processes special nuclear materials for the Ministry of Defence, but for security reasons and in accordance with the practice of successive Governments, details and costs of the programmes undertaken by the company cannot be disclosed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what criteria roughly 470 miles of cross country use on each of two medium mobility DROPS validation vehicles is considered adequate troop trialling;(2) what mileage onroad, offroad, and cross country he will expect future medium mobility vehicles to complete in trials; and what similar mileages have been demanded of other medium mobility vehicles in the past;(3) why he has not so far submitted the performance and reliability of the latest design of MMLC DROPS to protracted cross-country trialling; and if he will make a statement on the implications for the confidence of soldiers and the general public in such equipment of the absence of such trials.

[holding answer 8 March 1989]: Trials requirements for medium mobility vehicles vary according to their roles and battlefield missions. In the case of the DROPS medium mobility load carrier they are particularly demanding, but the programme is nevertheless ahead of schedule. In addition to troop trials, in the evaluation and validation phases the DROPS vehicle has so far covered some 146,000 km including some 10 per cent. cross-country and 20 per cent. off-road. The design of vehicle recently trialled by BAOR is essentially the same as that originally evaluated and has been accepted by the Army as meeting the operational requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Desert Locust Control Organisation in 1988; whether its work has been restricted in any countries; what action the Government have taken to maximise the Desert Locust Control Organisation's effectiveness; and if he will make a statement.

In 1988 we contributed a total of over £700,000 for the locust control activities of the Desert Locust Control Organisation in Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA), mainly in the form of emergency supplies. We also committed 1·75 million for its armyworm control project, of which we spent over £60,000 in 1988. We understand that conflict in northern Somalia and Ethiopia restricted DLCO-EA's ability to work in certain areas.Following a review of DLCO-EA in 1987, carried out with the European Community, we are providing an operations adviser, two pilots and training for DLCO-EA staff to help to improve operational performance. We have also offered to provide expert advice in strategic planning, financial management and vehicle fleet management, together with a number of trucks. Only when we receive confirmation that DLCO-EA is implementing the recommendations of the 1987 review will we consider providing further long-term support.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total fees paid out by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and each year to date; and what is the estimate for the current year.

[holding answer 13 March 1989]: The estimate of fees to be paid to outside consultants in the current year and amounts spent in each of the last four years is as follows:

£ thousand
1984–85	1,217
1985–86	2,041
1986–87	2,094
1987–88	2,347
1988–89	2,510

Comparable figures for the years 1979–80 to 1981–82 are not available because of machinery of Government changes and the figures for 1982–83 and 1983–84 could only be given at disproportionate cost. The figure for the the current year is a forecast outturn. Information distinguishing between different types of consultancies (for example, management and other) is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to on what advice or research work, with respect to disease and parasite control stocking density and site separation, the Crown Estate Commissioners have based their revised guidelines for the siting and design of fish farms.

[holding answer 14 March 1989]: In preparing revised guidelines on fish farming the Crown Estate Commissioners have drawn on a wide range of experience and research. Guidelines on the siting and design of marine fish farms in Scotland were published in 1987 following consultation with the relevant departments, agencies and interest groups. Further experience and commissioned research provide the basis now for an expansion of the locational framework and the advice on operating standards. One of the most important elements is the distance between fish farms and the indicative standards recommended in the guidelines reflect the range of expert opinion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to which interested parties are being consulted over the Crown Estate Commissioners' revised guidelines for the siting and design of marine fish farms.

[holding answer 14 March 1989]: The Crown Estate Commissioners have consulted the following bodies with a draft of their development strategy and area guidelines:

• Scottish Office Departments
• Highlands and Islands Development Board
• Countryside Commission for Scotland
• Nature Conservancy Council
• Relevant Planning Authorities
• National Farmers Union of Scotland
• Scottish Salmon Growers Association
• Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects his Department's study of child abuse to make its report.