To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made any assessment of (a) the cost or (b) the effects on safety of a reversible lane on the Britannia bridge on the Commercial road (A13) at Limehouse.

The provision of a reversible lane, while the repair works are being carried out, was ruled out for safety reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the progress of the inquiries by British Transport police into contracts for engineering materials; when they are likely to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the involvement of any managerial staff.

I understand that inquiries by the British Transport police are continuing and are likely to take some time to complete. These are matters for the British Transport police, the Attorney-General and the Lord Advocate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's policy towards encouraging the use of catalytic converters; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 16 March at column 319.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to increase the fines payable by haulage firms failing to comply with regulations on the safe transportation of dangerous substances by road; and if he will make a statement on the EEC report on long-distance drivers and safety.

We have no plans to do so.Most relevant offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 are dealt with summarily in magistrates' courts, where the maximum penalty for each single offence is £2,000. Magistrates can refer serious cases on indictment to the Crown court, where the maximum fine is unlimited.The study of hours worked by drivers engaged in international road transport was carried out in Holland in 1984–85. It recommended that drivers should work fewer hours, and that there should be increased enforcement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the regulations to be met by consignors of plutonium and other fissile materials exported by sea.

The regulations and conditions for the transport of all radioactive materials (including plutonium) are based on the internationally accepted standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency safety series No. 6. A copy is held in the Library.For United Kingdom sea consignments these are given effect by:The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1981 (SI 1981 No. 1747).The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986 No. 1069).In addition, the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 (SI 1985 No. 1333) apply to all modes of transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the City of Westminster council regarding parking arrangements for coaches in London SW1; and if he will make a statement.

I met the chairman of Westminster City council's planning and development committee in December last year as part of my continuing effort to support the council with its coach parking responsibilities. Our discussions concentrated on how illegal on-street parking by tourist coaches might be discouraged and how legal parking arrangements might be improved.These discussions have been taken forward by my officials. Westminster have met the Metropolitan police, who have written to the Bus and Coach Council explaining that in a bid to minimise illegal coach parking, especially in streets surrounding Buckingham palace, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, they will be carrying out an advice and enforcement campaign starting this month and continuing throughout the summer.My officials also attend Westminster's coach working party, which discusses a range of coach parking issues across London; and the Department has commissioned a major comprehensive study of tourist coach traffic in London, which is due to report later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce legislation to abolish bus lanes; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to abolish the power of local highway authorities to install bus lanes. M y hon. Friend will know from my answer to his question on 10 February that we believe that bus lanes can be justified when the benefit to bus users exceeds the cost to other road users. I am writing to him enclosing a copy of our current technical advice on the subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet officials of the City of Westminster council to assess the bus lanes and the traffic flow between Vauxhall bridge road and Drummond gate, London SW1; and if he will make a statement.

We are not aware of any particular reasons for an assessment of bus lanes and traffic conditions between Vauxhall bridge road and Drummond gate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the proportion of freight to continental Europe by (a) weight and (b) value which will be carried (i) through the Channel tunnel, (ii) by air and (iii) by sea, broken down where possible by individual port, on completion of the tunnel.

The Department of Transport does not produce forecasts of cross-channel freight traffic in total or by mode. Instead, on certain occasions, when the pattern of future cross-channel freight traffic has implications for the public sector, it forms its own view on the available forecasts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now designate British Island Airways as a British carrier for the Gatwick-Malta and Manchester-Malta routes commencing on 10 April.

British Island Airways was designated for these routes on 10 March 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive in his Department the written decision from the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the recent route licence applications by Air Europe, Air UK, Monarch and British Island Airways to Malta starting on 1 April.

The Department has received a copy of the decision, which was dated 10 March 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many air transport licences have been revoked in each of the last 10 years other than for non-use;(2) how many air transport licences have been revoked in each of the last 10 years for subsequent non-compliance with statements of intent given at Civil Aviation Authority route licence hearings.

These are matters for the Civil Aviation Authority. I will ask the chairman of the authority to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by whom the line-throwing breeches buoy equipment withdrawn from Her Majesty's coastguard on 31 March 1988 has been purchased; if he will give details of the number of sets of this equipment sold and the moneys received in payment; and how the funds realised from the sale of this equipment will be invested.

All line-throwing rockets and launching devices, which formed an integral part of breeches buoy equipment, were over age or obsolete and destroyed. Some ancillary equipment plus a variety of miscellaneous items, were purchased by the Department of Marine of the Republic of Ireland at a total cost of £6,940. The remainder will be disposed of as Government surplus. All receipts count towards departmental appropriations-in-aid, and are not available for direct use by Her Majesty's coastguard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any plans to add to the network of sub-post offices which issue vehicle excise licences.

Sub-post offices provide an efficient and convenient vehicle excise relicensing service, particularly in rural areas. There are currently 3,550 offices providing this service. Some 2,000 are sub post offices. Following negotiations with Post Office Counters Ltd. we are pleased to be able to announce that a further 60 sub-post offices will be added to the relicensing network over the next few months. The choice of offices will be made by the Post Office, but I shall be writing to right hon. and hon. Members in whose constituencies individual offices are situated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on incidents which took place on 27 February and 3 March, involving fishing vessels and submarines; what investigations he is undertaking into the incidents; and what action he is proposing to take to avoid similar incidents recurring.

On 27 February 1989 a near miss incident was reported involving three fishing vessels and a submarine near Little Cumbrae Island, Firth of Clyde. On 3 March 1989 the fishing vessel Seagull reported a near miss involving an unidentified unlit vessel near the Cock of Arran. The Department's marine surveyors are investigating both incidents. When their inquiries are completed appropriate action will be considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the purchaser of the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge railway; when he expects the sale to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

British Rail is proposing to sell this railway to the Brecon mountain railway company, subject to my right hon. Friend's consent. We are considering the evidence on the case and we shall make an announcement as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding provision of double glazing, secondary glazing and other measures in connection with noise from road traffic;

Government policy is to seek to reduce the effect upon residential properties of noise from new roads by careful design, including where appropriate the use of earth bunds and noise barriers. Under part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973, owner-occupiers can claim compensation from the Government in respect of depreciation in the value of their property arising from the use of a new road. Claims may be made as from 12 months after the road comes into use.In addition, under the Insulation Regulations (1975 to 1988) the Government offer secondary glazing for eligible rooms of dwellings where it is estimated that maximum noise levels, during the 15 years after road opening, will be at least 68 dBA on the L10 18 hour scale, with a contribution of at least 1 dBA from traffic using the new road. Where insulation has been offered or installed, its benefit is taken into account when setting the level of part I compensation. These provisions apply to roads constructed on behalf of the Secretary of State. Local authorities follow similar procedures. The regulations also allow insulation to be provided on a discretionary basis in respect of noise insulation arising from road alterations.For older, unaltered roads, there is no entitlement to compensation or noise insulation. In respect of trunk roads, the Department does occasionally exercise a discretion to provide noise barriers where the noise levels are high and where the benefits of barriers would be substantial.We have no proposals to alter the qualifying noise levels under the noise insulation regulations or to seek to introduce qualifying noise levels for houses beside older roads. There is no general monitoring by the Department of noise levels on urban or suburban roads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the amount of overtime being undertaken by Her Majesty's coastguard and the hours worked, for safety in handling emergency rescues.

Overtime working by individuals is voluntary but is strictly controlled to ensure that performance is not impaired. The average among watchkeepers is 4·7 hours/week and among sector officers is 1·4 hours/week. There is no indication that hours worked have had any adverse effect on the safe handling of emergency rescues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the contract for the study of the A36 through West Wellow was put out to competitive tender.

A study was commissioned in September 1986 without competition. The appointment of consultants for design announced on 14 March 1989 followed competitive tender.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he can now announce the terms on which Dr. Tony Ridley resigned from London Regional Transport.

London Regional Transport will pay to Dr. Ridley a sum equivalent to six months' pay in lieu of the notice provided for under the terms of his appointment, that is £30,000. LRT will pay sums to make up the difference between the immediate reduced pension which Dr. Ridley had already earned on 10 November 1988, and the actuarially reduced pension which would have been payable to him on retirement at the end of his appointment on 31 August 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether Irish teachers who qualified in the Republic of Ireland will become licensed teachers from September when employed by British local education authorities;(2) whether Irish teachers who qualified in the Republic of Ireland will, from September, be fully and automatically recognised by his Department on application by the employing local education authority; and whether applications for recognition will be processed within a two-week period;(3) whether route 2(b) application procedure for his Department's recognition by Irish teachers seeking qualified teachers' status will still be available from September as the self-advocacy route to his Department's recognition;(4) whether route 2(e) application procedure for his Department's recognition by Irish teachers seeking qualified teachers' status will be abolished in September.

We propose, subject to further consultation, to lay regulations before the House introducing the licensed teacher route to qualified teacher status from September 1989. This will replace all existing routes to qualified teacher status other than the successful completion of a course of initial teacher training in England or Wales. Local education authorities will then be free to employ teachers trained in Ireland as licensed teachers who will progress to qualified teacher status after up to 2 years' satisfactory performance as licensees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is his policy towards providing financial support for teacher recruitment and retraining initiatives by local education authorities in relation to the problems of teacher shortages identified by his Department;(2) what information is available to his Department on any teacher recruitment and retraining initiatives being undertaken by local education authorities in relation to the problems of teacher shortages identified by his Department; what steps are being taken by his Department to promote good practice; and if he will make a statement.

The recruitment, employment and deployment of teachers is the responsibility of local education authorities and schools. It is for them to determine the level of recruitment and retraining necessary in the light of their own needs. The costs of retraining are eligible for support through the LEA training grants scheme. The Department is aware of good practice and special measures in a number of local authorities. The teaching as a career unit whose remit has just been extended for three years, promotes good practice in recruitment on the basis of guidelines agreed by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards future numbers of re-entrant qualified teachers, with appropriate retraining, in relation to the problems of teacher shortages identified by his Department; what actions he has taken in pursuit of this policy in recent years, and at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend recognises the great importance of encouraging former teachers to re-enter the profession. My Department's memorandum to the Education Science and Arts Committee—a copy of which is in the library—indicates the importance of re-entrants as a source of supply and highlights good recruitment practice to attract returners. In recent years the proportion of teaching posts filled by former serving teachers has risen steadily to about 50 per cent. This proportion has been achieved without the widespread use of special measures by local authorities who, as employers, have responsibility for the employment and re-training of re-entrants. With proper publicity for employment opportunities, good employment practices and support and training measures the proportion of posts filled by re-entrants can remain substantial. The costs of re-training are eligible for support through the LEA training grants scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there is any religious group from which he would automatically reject a proposal to sponsor a city technology college; and if he will make a statement.

All proposals put to us for the establishment of city technology colleges are considered strictly on their merits. My right hon. Friend would not, however, find any proposal acceptable which sought to provide exclusively for applicants from particular religious groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the criteria to be used in evaluating a proposal from a sponsor to support a city technology college based on the principles of any religion.

In considering any proposal from prospective sponsors my right hon. Friend will first look at whether it meets the objectives and requirements of the CTC programme. A number of such sponsors have indicated that they would wish to place an emphasis on Christian values in their CTCs. This is entirely complementary to the fundamental CTC objective of preparing young people more effectively for their adult responsibilities and opportunities. But no CTC will admit pupils on the basis of their religious beliefs; and we shall ensure that all CTCs are fully representative in all respects of the communities they serve.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received any proposals or representations from companies or trusts to establish city technology colleges based upon religious principles other than Christianity; and if he will make a statement.

No such proposals or representations have been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all the administrative forms which universities have to fill in to comply with procedures for the control of public money they receive.

The control of public money is not meaningfully separable from the range of dealings between the University Grants Committee and individual institutions. However, the committee's main source of information on financial matters is the annual return form 3 (finance).

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is, for each year, since 1974 the amount of public funds given to universities in (a) Austria, (b) Denmark, (c) France, (d) Germany, (e) Holland, (f) Italy, (g) Spain, (h) Sweden, (i) Canada, (j) the United States of America and (h) the United Kingdom.

The readily available information covering higher education is shown in the table and is on a per capita population basis to enable comparisons to be made.

Public recurrent expenditure1 on higher education in 1983 and 1984 (calendar years)
Current expenditure per capita (£)
Country	1983	1984
France	41	42
Germany	37	258
Italy	25	26
Netherlands	98	95
United Kingdom3	57	58
United States of America4	168	165
1 At purchasing power parity; data prior to 1983 and 1984 have been adjusted via consumer price indices.
2 Revised coverage of source statistics.
3 Excluding expenditure on nursing and paramedical courses at Department of Health establishments. Also excludes in-service teacher training secondment costs.
4 Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many copies of the booklet "School Governors: A New Role", have been supplied to the Conservative party; and what payment was made for them.

Sample copies of "School Governors: A New Role" were distributed to a wide range of organisations, including representatives of political parties. Further copies are supplied free of charge to any individual or organisation asking for them. So far over 750,000 copies have been distributed: the Department does not keep a record of the number supplied in response to each individual request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give an indication as to the projected time scales for reaching a decision on proposals to establish voluntary-aided schools.

My right hon. Friend's objective is to reach a decision within five months of the publication of such proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that funding by local education authorities for schools through the local management scheme takes into account the actual salaries paid to teachers, rather than the average level of salary within that local authority area.

The central determinant of schools' funding under schemes of local management should be the numbers and ages of pupils. Pupils of the same age should therefore attract the same resources, including the same element for teaching costs, irrespective of which school they attend within the local authority area. It will be for governing bodies to manage their costs, including salaries, from within their budgets as derived on this basis. In practice, variations from average salary costs will be limited. My right hon. Friend has made clear that schools with fewer than 10 teachers, excluding the head teacher and deputy, may receive enhanced funding where they have above average salary costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide in the Library an updated report stating the extent to which Her Majesty's Government have implemented the recommendations relating to mentally disturbed inmates in the third report from the Social Services Committee, Session 1985–86 into the prison medical service and the Government's response thereto, Cm. 115; and if he will make a statement.

I am arranging for this to be done.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the number of psychiatric reports prepared outside prison department establishments on persons remanded to all prisons and cells in England and Wales for each year from 1980; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent and current studies he has commissioned into mentally abnormal and disordered offenders in prisons; whether they include those held on remand; whether any recommendations have been made; and if he will make a statement.

Two studies are under way and the Department expects to decide on a third shortly.In October 1987 a contract was entered into with the institute of psychiatry, university of London, to produce over a three-year period a definitive statement of the dimensions of the problem of sentenced mentally disordered offenders in the prison system. This will provide a basis for the consideration of the development of policy in the medium and long term. In November 1988 the institute of criminology, university of Cambridge, was contracted to research into sentencing by the courts in relation to the use of sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in making hospital and restriction orders. The intention is to obtain reliable information on whether, and if so to what extent, the courts are unable to make hospital and restriction orders in all cases that they wish, and to examine the factors affecting their decisions.The third study is currently under consideration. This would also be carried out by the Institute of Psychiatry. It would focus on the working of the procedures for courts to remand defendants to obtain medical reports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many secure units are available to his Department for accommodating mentally disturbed offenders (a) specifically for such offenders and (b) along with convicted prisoners not so categorised; and where they are situated.

Prisoners who meet the criteria under the Mental Health Act 1983 may be transferred to special hospitals or regional secure units. Within the prison service there is a variety of provision for mentally disturbed prisoners. This includes the CRC special unit at Parkhurst C wing, which is intended exclusively for convicted prisoners with a history of psychiatric illness arid who also pose persistent control problems.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when was the last full-scale review in his Department of out-of-prison alternatives for mentally disturbed prisoners who are (a) sectioned and (b) in other categories; and what plans he has for the provision of such alternatives.

An interdepartmental working group of Home Office and DHSS officials on mentally disturbed offenders in the prison system in England and Wales which reported in May 1987 carried out a review of all alternatives to imprisonment for mentally disturbed prisoners. The provision of facilities for the treatment of the mentally disordered outside prison is a matter for the Department of Health. The consultation paper issued last month by the Home Office on bail accommodation and secure bail hostels included discussion of the use of bail hostel accommodation for mentally disturbed defendants.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he categorises (a) prisoners requiring psychiatric attention and (b) mentally disturbed offenders; how many are in each category; and what is the proportion of the prison population as a whole for each category and in total.

Prison medical officers, in examining inmates on reception, identify as a priority those who by reason of their mental state may require particular attention whether of a medical or general management nature. In such cases referral to a psychiatrist would be an early course of further action. Where an inmate is considered to be suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree which would satisfy the criteria of the Mental Health Act 1983 for detention in hospital for medical treatment, the prison medical officer would use the procedures of that Act to seek the inmates removal to an appropriate hospital. Two hundred and ninety inmates of prison service establishments in England and Wales were on 30 September 1988, the latest date for which figures were available, considered by prison medical officers to meet those criteria. That figure represents 0·58 per cent. of the prison population of 49,922 on that date.Information as to the total number of inmates in the much wider range of those considered to be mentally disturbed but not such as to satisfy the criteria of the Mental Health Act 1983 is not held centrally. Two censuses were undertaken by prison medical officers of inmates serving sentences of six months and more considered to require specialised therapeutic facilities by reason of mental disorder or abnormality. The censuses showed that on 4 December 1985 1,583 inmates and on 1 October 1986 1,340 inmates were in that category. Those figures represent respectively 3·38 per cent. of the prison population of 46,752 on 6 December 1985 and 2·85 per cent. of the prison population of 46,912 on October 1986.The study being undertaken by the Institute of Psychiatry, referred to in the answer to another question by the hon. Member, is designed to produce a comprehensive psychiatric profile of the sentenced prison population.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the prison population the number of inmates referred to National Health Service consultant psychiatrists and other National Health Service psychiatrists represented in the last year for which figures are available, and to what extent inmates may be referred to more than one psychiatrist.

During the period 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988 12,285 inmates were referred by prison medical officers to NHS psychiatrists appointed to visit establishments on a sessional basis or to NHS consultants for domiciliary consultations. In addition, psychiatric consultations were arranged for 4,151 inmates at the instigation of inmates' legal advisers.On the imformation available it is not possible to calculate that the sum of those numbers represents a given proportion of the prison population since that population is not static. While the average prison population in 1987–88 was 49,300 (including an average of 750 prisoners in police cells) the number of first receptions to prison service establishments in the course of that year was in the order of 136,000.Prison medical officers have unfettered clinical discretion to call other medical practitioners into consultation and are not restricted as to the number consulted in any individual case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the current extent, and regularity, of police training including that involving professional psychiatric expertise, in dealing with mentally disturbed individuals who create a disturbance; whether there are any plans to improve this training; and if he will make a statement.

Training for all ranks in the police service aims to develop oficers' interpersonal skills, knowledge and attitudes to enable them to deal effectively with all sections of the community, and to foster an understanding of the social context of policing and the role of other agencies. As part of this integrated approach, officers will study such areas as responding to illness—including mental disturbance—in the street, dealing with distressed persons and the social causes of crime.Chief officers and commandants may invite members of the psychiatric profession to contribute to training in forces and at district training centres. The police staff college involves members of the psychiatric profession in a number of its courses. Police training is kept under regular review by the police training council, which seeks to ensure that all training meets the needs of the police service and the community at large.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether disturbances at Bedford prison during 1988 involved mentally disturbed prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

No prisoners diagnosed as mentally ill (who would be held in the prison hospital) were involved in any incident of violent concerted indiscipline at Bedford during 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate each prison establishment in which body belts were used during 1987, the number of inmates upon whom they were used for each establish-ment, the number of inmates fitted with body belts twice or more, and the extent of injuries or deaths arising as a result.

The following information for 1987 relates to prison establishments in England and Wales. It is additional to the particular case of which the hon. Member has knowledge and which involved the use of a body belt in transit between establishments. The table shows, by establishment, the number of occasions on which a violent or refractory inmate was kept in an establishment under restraint by means of the application of a body belt, and the number of inmates:

Establishment	Number of applications	Number of inmates
Prisons and remand centers
Albany	1	1
Bedford	1	1
Blundeston	1	1
Canterbury	2	2
Chelmsford	2	2
Frankland	6	15
Hull	7	7
Leeds	1	1
Leicester	6	6
Lindholme	1	1
Long Lartin	4	13
Oxford	1	1
Parkhurst	5	5
Pentonville	2	2

Establishment	Number of applications	Number of inmates
Reading	1	1
Stafford	3	3
Wakefield	2	2
Wandsworth	6	15
Wormwood Scrubs	3	3
Youth custody centers
Dover	7	7
Glen Parva	1	1
Guys Marsh	1	1
Hoilesley Bay Colony	1	1
Northallerton	1	1
Onley	1	1
Rochester	7	7
1 Includes one prisoner to whom a body belt was applied twice.

I am not aware of any case in which a causal connection between death and the application of a body belt has been proven. Such information as is available centrally about injuries to inmates does not enable injuries sustained in circumstances where a body belt was in use to be separately identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Michael Bettaney has spent in solitary confinement; and what are the reasons for it.

Mr. Bettaney is not held in solitary confinement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 25 January, Official Report, column 588, what early action Her Majesty's Government propose to take substantially to improve lighting in public areas and streets to combat crime; and if he will make a statement.

I announced today that the Home Office has undertaken to fund a major research study at Southampton university. The research will assess the impact of street lighting on crime and the fear of crime, and the study will be carried out in the London borough of Wandsworth.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for children's programmes.

Our broadcasting White Paper envisaged that the BBC would continue to be expected to provide high quality programming across the full range of public tastes and interests, and that Channel 4 would be required to cater for any interests under-represented by other parts of the independent television sector. It also envisaged a broadcasting environment in which there would be more outlets and opportunities for many different types of programming such as children's programming. We are now carefully considering the comments we have received on the White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of whether the level of policing on motorways is adequate to ensure compliance by heavy goods vehicles with road traffic regulations.

It is a matter for individual chief officers of police to determine how to deploy their resources. I have no reason to believe that the level of policing on motorways is unsatisfactory.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the hon. Member for Easington's letter dated 6 February concerning prisoner Ian Armstrong.

I replied to the hon. Member on 14 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to take a decision in the case of Mr. Hafiz Ali Akbar who has applied to enter the United Kingdom; when Mr. Akbar's case was referred to him by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; when Mr. Akbar, ref. A380937/2 and GV 100/2878, applied to enter the United Kingdom and when he last was interviewed in Pakistan; what inquiries he has made in the United Kingdom; and when Mr. Akbar can expect to be told whether his application has been granted.

[holding answer 17 March 1989]: Mr. Akbar applied for entry clearance on 6 July 1987 and was interviewed in Islamabad on 5 October 1987. His application was referred to the immigration department on 6 March 1988. Further information and supporting evidence was sought from the secretary of the Burnett place mosque on 15 March 1989. I much regret the long delay in dealing with this case. Once our inquiries are complete the application will be determined as quickly as possible and Mr. Akbar will be notified of the decision by the entry clearance office. I shall write to the hon. Member in due course to let him know the outcome of the case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report on the facilities provided during the imprisonment of Michelle Renshaw for contempt; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am satisfied that the normal facilities were afforded to Miss Renshaw during her imprisonment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a recommendation on the application of Mr. Zulfiqar Khan ref. GV 100/5117, to enter the United Kingdom; and when Mr. Khan's application was referred to him.

Mr. Khan's application was referred to my Department on 6 April 1988 for an interview of the sponsor, Mrs. Yasmeen Akhtar. The immigration service at Hull interviewed Mrs. Akhtar on 19 February 1989 and its report dated 9 March was sent to Islamabad on 13 March. A decision on Mr. Khan's application will be made by the entry clearance officer in Islamabad.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when papers concerning the applica-tion to enter the United Kingdom by Mrs. Musarat Bibi, ref. GV100/5248, were passed to the Immigration Office at Leeds/Bradford airport; and when any report is to be sent to the European Community officer at the British embassy in Pakistan.

The papers were passed to the immigration office at Hull on 19 January 1988 so that the sponsor could be interviewed. Further investigations proved necessary and these were carried out first at Hull and then at Leeds/Bradford airport. A full report was sent to the immigration department on 22 February 1989.The entry clearance officer in Islamabad was authorised on 16 March to issue entry clearance to Musarat Bibi.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in the light of letters to him dated 7 December and 16 February from the hon. Member for Bradford, West, concerning an application for British citizenship by Mrs. Sarwar Begum, ref. IMP R 161633/3(S), the hon. Member was not informed until 13 March that a certificate of registration had been sent to Mrs. Sarwar Begum via the British embassy in Islamabad on 16 January.

The letter of 7 December was not referred to the nationality division for advice until the hon. Member responded on 16 February to my Private Office's request for additional details to identify the case. I then replied to the hon. Member as soon as possible. These events did not however delay the nationality division's action on the application, which was granted in January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make inquiries into the position of Mr. Govinden Vythelinghad who submitted a nationality application to Lunar House (ref: V6/80/43) in October 1987; and when Mr. Vythelinghad can expect a decision.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners attempted to escape from prisons in England and Wales in each of the years since 1979.

Details of offences punished of attempting to escape or abscond are given in chapter 9 of the published prison statistics, of which copies are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute a review of procedure in magistrates' courts; and if he will make a statement.

It has been apparent for some time that some aspects of criminal and domestic procedure in magistrates' courts are unwieldy or outmoded. I have, therefore, decided to initiate a thorough review. This will be carried out by a working party of officials and experienced practitioners under Home Office chairmanship. Its terms of reference will be:

"to review the criminal and domestic procedure of magistrates' courts; to consider what changes could be expected to make that procedure more effective, efficient and economical, consistently with satisfactory provision for due process; and to make recommendations".

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will assess the employment creation potential of chlorofluorocarbons-free refrigerator production.

It is not possible to assess the employment creation potential of producing refrigerators free of chlorofluorocarbons. However, the eventual production in the United Kingdom of CFC-free refrigerators should benefit both our manufacturing industry and the world environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the parliamentary constituencies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in order of size, showing in each case the extent to which they are above or below the electoral quota.

The information requested is contained in "Electoral Statistics 1988" (HMSO) a copy of which is in the Library.Statistics relating to the 1989 electoral registers are still being assembled centrally. They will be published in "Electoral Statistics 1989" (Series EL No. 16) at the end of May, and a copy will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he proposes to take to improve safety in the offshore oil and gas industry.

[pursuant to the reply, 27 February 1989, c. 81]: A consultative document containing our proposals for a set of regulations for pipeline safety valves on offshore installations has been issued today. Copies of this document are available in the Library of the House.As a consequence of the technical investigation carried out by my Department into the Piper Alpha accident last July, my director of safety contacted all pipeline operators on 24 August 1988 to reassess the location and operation of their pipeline isolation systems.Following a review by my Department of the operators' responses I have decided that it is necessary to introduce regulations requiring emergency shut-down valves on pipeline risers serving offshore installations together with the periodic inspection and testing of these valves and their control systems. In addition, it is proposed that an Order in Council will be made whereby these valves will become part of the certification process of the installation.These proposed regulations represent an important further step in securing improvements in the safety of offshore pipeline systems. I shall in due course be laying further regulations to deal with subsea isolation systems, however these present very difficult technical problems which require further study before I can make firm proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown of the target figures for employment training for (a) September 1988, (b) December 1988 and (c) March 1989 on (i) a national and (ii) an area office basis.

Targets both nationally and for Training Agency area offices for the number of filled employment training places are for internal management purposes only.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much the average weekly wage in the north-west of England has increased since 1979.

The average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult employees in the north-west of England increased by 138 per cent. between April 1979 and April 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment to which month the published results of the labour force survey apply in each of the last 10 years.

Published estimates from labour force surveys are based on interviews conducted in the spring of each labour force survey year. In 1979, 1981 and 1983, the interviews took place between April and June. From 1984 onwards the labour force survey has been carried out annually and the interview period has been between March and May.

Male civilian work force in employment
Thousand
		June 1979		September 1988
		All	of which self employed	All	of which self employed
	South East	4,839	544	5,039	815
	Greater London (included in South East)	n.a.	n.a.	1,996	312
	East Anglia	481	64	609	100
	South West	1,032	111	1,135	221
	West Midlands	1,462	124	1,416	180
	East Midlands	1,013	99	1,062	154
	Yorkshire and Humberside	1,302	107	1,223	176
	North West	1,700	161	1,460	215
	North	802	61	732	84
	Wales	716	98	616	109
	Scotland	1,333	128	1,218	170
	Northern Ireland	359	56	320	53

Figures for Her Majesty's forces are not available below national level. Comparisons of data for June 1979 and September 1988 are affected by seasonal variations. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed, and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to issue any guidance on the interpretation of reasonable amounts of time off for (a) trade union representatives and (b) safety represen-tatives representing the same number of members.

In relation to (a), guidance is already provided by ACAS in accordance with section 27(2) of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978; in relation to (b), no.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the projected number of (a) factory and (b) agricultural inspectors that will be employed by the Health and Safety Executive on 31 March.

At 1 March 1989, 608–5 factory and 165 agricultural inspectors were in post. The Health and Safety Executive's objective is to increase the numbers employed to 638 and 175 respectively as soon as possible.Following the latest in a series of recruitment competitions, 12 successful candidates have been offered employment, (nine to the factory and three to the agricultural inspectorate). Offers are expected to be made shortly to some 20 further candidates subject to completion of medical and other checks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many men were in employment in each standard planning region of the United Kingdom in June 1979 and September 1988; and how many of these were self-employed.

The available information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will ensure that the local education authorities' development programmes for further education provision outlined in the White Paper "Employment for the 1990s", provide child care facilities which allow (a) parents, and (b) mothers, to attend colleges, further education institutes, polytechnics and universities.

The content of local education authorities' development programmes for further education provision is for authorities themselves to determine. The Training Agency encourages the further education service to provide easy access to vocational education throughout working life for all members of the work force, including those needing child care facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the relationship between the quality of life in the north-west of England, Greater London and the United Kingdom as a whole.

Any assessment of the quality of life is inevitably subjective and depends on the importance placed by individuals on a large range of factors such as income, local amenities and nearness to the countryside. I do not have the information required to make a comparison of the overall quality of life in different regions. However the Central Statistical Office annual publication "Regional Trends" has statistics on matters that might be thought to contribute towards the quality of life.As far as the information available to me is concerned, I can report that all regions are benefiting from the success of the Government's economic policy; over the year to September 1988, the civilian work force in employment is estimated to have grown by 38,000 in the north-west, 61,000 in London and 736,000 across Great Britain as a whole. Furthermore, unemployment rates have decreased sharply, with falls over the past year of 2 per cent. in the north-west, 1·8 per cent. in London and 1·9 per cent. in Great Britain.

To ask the Prime Minister if, during her discussions with the Federal German Chancellor in Frankfurt in February, she discussed the planned modernisation of the short-range nuclear forces in the context of articles I and VI of the nuclear non-prolifera-tion treaty.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if, during her recent meeting with Chancellor Kohl in Frankfurt, she discussed issues to be discussed at the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to be held in 1990.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government have set an ultimate target for the area covered by commercial forestry in the United Kingdom, over and above the annual targets currently set for commercial forestry and the farm woodland scheme.

No. The amount of land that is devoted to forestry will depend on a number of factors, including the amount of land that comes out of agricultural use.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will report to the House on the circumstances in which senior Government officials and others gave private briefings to journalists in which they stated that they knew both the identity and the whereabouts of those responsible for planting a bomb on Pan Am Flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate issued a statement to the press on Friday about progress in the investigation. He said:

"The type of item of baggage in which the tape recorder was contained is now known and that will allow the police to take a further step forward in the enquiries they are making, both on a national and international basis.

I can confirm that it appears that all the explosives were packed in the tape recorder and were not located elsewhere in the item of baggage.

If we can move forward from knowing not just the type of the item of baggage, as I have to put it, but to an identification of the owner of that bag, clearly, I think it can be appreciated that we would then have taken a further significant step forward.

Although the progress of the enquiry has been remarkable, the evidence which has been secured so far has not yet led to the identification of the person or persons responsible for placing the bomb in baggage on Pan Am Flight 103. Enquiries are continuing with that end in view.

Of course there are suspicions and of course a number of lines of enquiry are being pursued, but what I would not like people to believe at the moment is that I am holding something back, or that the British Authorities are holding something back, for some obscure or ulterior purpose.

My primary concern, because I am responsible not only for the investigation but also for the prosecution, is to ensure that there is no prejudice either to that investigation or ultimately to a prosecution. I appreciate that the public both nationally and internationally are very anxious to know what is going on but I think they should also appreciate, indeed I hope they do, that the ultimate success that we wish to achieve in this is the bringing to justice of those people who were responsible for this mass murder.

In association with the FBI, the West German BKA and the Metropolitan Police investigators are continuing to pursue and investigate all matters which have a possible bearing on this case. These include the finding of a bomb and a radio cassette player in Frankfurt in October 1988 As I indicated in my answer in the House of Lords yesterday the possible connection between that bomb and the Lockerbie disaster is being scrutinised with the greatest care. I should emphasise that the two persons held in custody in Germany have not been arrested in connection with Lockerbie.

I have to say, as I have said several times before, that the success of these enquiries is not likely to be assisted by the kind of wild, irresponsible speculation in some newspaper reports this morning. Although some of those reports purport to be based on 'Whitehall sources' they are not accurate. The only authoritative information about the progress of this investigation is that issued by me, or on my authority, by the senior investigating officer in charge of the enquiries.

I will authorise disclosure of relevant information about the progress of the investigation wherever possible and as soon as possible, as we all recognise the general interest of the public and the particular interest of the relatives of the victims to be informed about the matter".

That remains the position.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will show in the Official Report the previous employment of the special advisers listed in her answer to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), 29 July 1988, Official Report, column 628.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. The previous employment of serving special advisers is as follows:

Previous employment	Number employed
Bank of Montreal Capital Markets	1
British Petrolem Company plc	1
Cazenove and Co.	1
City University Business School	1
Guff Investments and Trading	1
Conservative Central Office	4
Conservative Research Department	2
Consolidated Goldfields plc	1
Council of European Communities	1
Daiwa Europe Ltd.	1
Department of Health and Social Security	1
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	1
Former Special Adviser	3
Fund-raising for charity	1
Good Relations Group plc	1
Hill Samuel and Company Ltd.	1
Institute of Directors	1
McKinsey and Co.	1
Milk Marketing Board	1
P and O	1
Phillips and Drew	1
Political Office, Number 10	1
RTZ Ltd	1
Secretary to MPs	1
Self employed	1
Student	1

This list covers special advisers who are on secondment from or are still employed, full or part-time, by other employers.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will state the total cost to public funds of (a) the special advisers on secondment and (b) the most senior special advisers not paid on the common pay spine.

The total annual reimbursement cost to public funds of special advisers on secondment is currently £147,333. The current annual cost to public funds of salary and employer's national insurance contributions for the most senior special advisers is £133,500.

To ask the Prime Minister what restrictions there are on the activities of ministerial political and special advisers in relation to their giving directions to career civil servants.

Apart from secretarial assistance, permanent civil servants do not work directly for special advisers except with my express permission.

To ask the Prime Minister what restrictions on political activities apply to Ministerial political advisers previously employed as career civil servants.

There are two areas of political activity where special advisers may be allowed more freedom than other civil servants. With the approval of the Minister they may attend party functions and maintain contact with party members; and they may take part in policy reviews organised by the party.In addition, and subject to the approval of the Minister, special advisers are permitted to undertake all forms of local political activity provided they observe the rule of discretion applicable to civil servants. This does not include local activities in support of national politics.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will establish an inquiry into co-ordination on immigration matters between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office, in the light of a letter from the (ion. Member for Bradford, West, dated 1 March from the Secretary of State for the Home Department that the application by Mr. Bahad Singh for entry clearance to the United Kingdom, ref. S656383/4, was being considered after being passed to him by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a letter to the hon. Member for Bradford, West from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, dated 17 February, ref. GV100/5098, saying that the British deputy high commissioner in Bombay was unable to trace any such applications and if she will indicate when she expects that a decision will be reached on Mr. Singh's application.

Mr. Singh lodged his application with the British High Commission in New Delhi, not Bombay as the hon. Member believes. It was this initial error which contributed to the seemingly contradictory letters received from the two Departments. The letter sent to the hon. Member on 1 March, from the Home Office should have clarified the position and the Home Office will review its procedures, in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with a view to preventing such misunderstandings in the future.Mr. Singh's application was refused in July 1988. He has appealed against the decision and his case will be heard by the appellate authorities in due course. The relevant Minister at the Home Office will shortly be writing to the hon. Member about this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement about the surveys on disability being carried out by his Department; what detailed arrangements are being made to make use of experience gained in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys survey in Great Britain; and what consultations have taken place with organisa-tions concerned with disability in Northern Ireland.

The study of disability, which the Government announced on 15 December 1988 would be carried out in Northern Ireland, will cover all types of disabilities, mental as well as physical, all age groups and include people living in various forms of communal establishments as well as in private households. The research in Northern Ireland will replicate and develop work conducted by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in Great Britain and will be conducted by the policy planning and research unit of the Department of Finance and Personnel on behalf of a number of Northern Ireland Departments. Regular contact has been main-tained with OPCS during the planning stages and continued use is being made of their experience. An initial meeting has been held with the director of the Northern Ireland Council on Disability to inform him of the study and further consultations will take place with various organisations concerned with disability in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish the Northern Ireland public expenditure commentary; and if he will make a statement.

The Northern Ireland commentary on public expenditure plans 1989–90 to 1991–92 was published today and copies are available in the Vote Office. This is the second Northern Ireland commentary and it aims to improve the information available to Parliament and the public by amplifying the material in the Northern Ireland chapter of the 1989 Public Expenditure White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement indicating the nature of the consultations which the Department of Education, Northern Ireland, will have regarding the White Paper "Top-Up Loans for Students" and listing the organisa-tions from which the Department are seeking views.

The White Paper made provision for all comments to be submitted to the Department of Education and Science to arrive by 1 February 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the numbers of disabled students by sex in Northern Ireland in further education and in higher education.

Information in the form requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate how many students in Northern Ireland are studying four-year degree courses and three-year degree courses, respectively.

Provisional information for the 1988–89 academic year is as follows:

Full-time undergraduate students
	Number
Enrolled on:
Three-year Degree Courses	7,948
Four-year Degree Courses	5,220
Degree Courses longer than 4 years	994

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the discovery of the site of the Rose theatre in Southwark, he will ask English Heritage to reconsider its decision not to recommend the Globe theatre site for scheduling.

The importance of the Globe theatre site is unquestioned. It has not been scheduled so far because there is no evidence to show exactly where the theatre stood. This means that an unjustifiably large area would have to be scheduled. English Heritage has, however, written to the London borough of Southwark suggesting that, before any application for the site's redevelopment is determined, an archaeological evaluation should be undertaken to determine the exact location of any remains. In the light of the results of such an evaluation English Heritage will reconsider where there is a case for scheduling the Globe theatre site. We shall, of course, consider any such recommendation very carefully.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by water authority area the number of sewage outfalls to the sea; and, of those, how many include primary treatment works.

[holding answer 14 March 1989]: This information is not held centrally.Applications for new or varied consent conditions for all sewage outfalls to sea are considered by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.Quantitative conditions are set in all cases and these have regard to the impact of the discharge in the receiving waters. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution also requires all new outfalls to include provision for the removal and disposal of screenings and non-biodegradable materials such as plastics. My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning has placed copies of the inspectorate's guidelines for the construction of new sea outfalls in the Library.We do not set specific treatment standards for discharges to the sea; but authorities, in preparing proposals to improve sewage disposal arrangements in coastal areas will want to consider alternative options including inland treatment and sometimes disinfection. However, as the Royal Commission on environmental pollution made clear in its 10th report, the use of long sea outfalls, which rely upon the action of sea and sunlight to break down bacteria, is often the most environmentally satisfactory system of disposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the cost of bringing beaches in north-west England up to EEC standards; and from what date he expects the standards to be met.

The Department has asked the North West water authority to draw up a capital expenditure programme with the aim of bringing those bathing waters identified under the EEC bathing water directive up to the directive's standards by 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the present levels of water reserves in the Yorkshire water authority area; if the authority has applied for any drought orders; what risks there are of drought conditions arising during the coming months of the current year; if he will list by location the areas within the Yorkshire water authority area that are most susceptible to suffering from drought conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Storage reservoirs in the Yorkshire water authority area are almost full and, although groundwater levels in the aquifer serving North Humberside are low, adequate supplies are being transferred from elsewhere. The authority has not applied for any drought orders and foresees no difficulty in meeting demand this year unless an exceptionally dry summer occurs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact on the environment of those vehicle exhaust emissions which are capable of being reduced or eliminated by catalytic converters.

Assessing the contribution made by petrol driven vehicles to national levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, ozone and nitrogen oxides and their consequent environmental impact has been and continues to be a major part of the Department's air quality research programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the number and location of breaches in 1988 in the EEC guide and mandatory levels for (a) faecal coliforms, (b) total coliforms, (c) cadmium, (d) arsenic, (e) pesticides, (f) nitrogen and (g) ammonia in bathing waters which were the responsibility of the Anglian water authority.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 21 February at column 572, the results of the 1988 survey of bathing waters for England, Northern Ireland and Wales. A summary of the results has already been placed in the Library. The report contains detailed results for individual waters in each water authority area, including numbers of samples taken for particular parameters and the number of these which failed to meet the directive's mandatory standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the number and location of breaches in 1988 in the EEC guide levels and maximum concentrations for (a) chlorides, (b) sulphates, (c) magnesium, (d) sodium, (e) potassium, (f) nitrates, (g) aluminium, (h) nitrates and (i) phenols in water intended for human consumption supplied by the Anglian water authority;(2) if he will list in the

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: In view of the current widespread interest in drinking water quality, Anglian water authority will be publishing a report on the subject setting out the extent of compliance in 1988 with all the standards set in the EC drinking water directive. Work is in hand to prepare this report and I am asking the authority to send the hon. Member a copy when it is published.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals exist to further relax effluent limits on the amount and type of effluent discharged by the plants of the North West water authority; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: My hon. and learned Friend, the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 7 December 1988 at column 199, that applications for temporary variations in discharge consent conditions will be considered for those sewage works where capital improvements are programmed to be completed by March 1992.Applications made by the North West water authority under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, including those for time-limited variations, will be considered on an individual basis by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. Details of all applications made are held on the register maintained by the water authority which may be inspected, free of charge, by anyone at all reasonable hours.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many beaches have now reached the higher EEC standards.

My hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Water and Planning announced on 21 February at column 572, the results of the 1988 survey of bathing water quality. These showed that 254 out of the 380 bathing waters in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (67 per cent.) met the mandatory coliform standards in the 1988 bathing season, compared with only 51 per cent., measured on a comparable basis, in 1986.Although since 1987 we have tightened the way we monitor and assess compliance with the directive, the EEC standards themselves remain unchanged.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the chairmen of water authorities are currently paid.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 27 January 1989 at column 792–3.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the chairmen of water authorities will be paid once the industry is privatised.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: Once the water authorities are in private ownership, the remuneration of chairmen will be a matter for the successor companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the limit on the number of shares a chairman of a privatised water company will be able to hold (a) in his own authority and (b) in other private water companies.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: The same as for any other shareholders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implications for the workability of the Football Spectators Bill [Lords] of the extent to which the case for its provision has been made in the absence of separate figures for the number of arrests made inside football grounds.

[holding answer 16 March 1989]: Separate figures are not available distinguishing total arrests at football league matches in England and Wales made inside grounds and those directly connected with such matches made in the vicinity of and/en route to and from grounds. However, both are undoubtedly much reduced by the high level of police resources deployed at matches and by the strict segregation of supporters, the use of closed circuit television and video, and other measures. The Football Spectators Bill, in disqualifying trouble-makers from attending designated matches, will be effective in reducing misbehaviour inside grounds and, since those disqualified will be deterred from travelling to matches, outside and on journeys to and from matches as well.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available figures comparable to those in respect of a married couple with two children contained in his Department's paper "Renovation Grants: Proposed Test of Resources", illustrating both the lower and upper thresholds for entitlement to grant towards eligible repairs in respect of (a) a single-parent family with one child under 11, (b) a single pensioner, (c) a pensioner couple, (d) a single person aged between 18 and 25 years, (e) a single person aged between 25 and 60 years and (f) a couple aged between 18 and 60 years on the assumption that all except the pensioner households are entitled to an earnings disregard.

Comparative figures based on work costing £10,000 are:

	Lower Threshold £	Upper Threshold £
(a) Single parent family with one child under 11	4,883	13,918
(b) Single pensioner (under 80)	3,331	12,366
(c) Pensioner couple (under 80)	4,560	13,595
(d) Single person aged between 18 and 25 years	2,265	11,690
(e) Single person aged between 25 and 60	3,037	12,270
(f) Couple aged between 18 and 60 years	4,235	13,270

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households living as owner occupiers in dwellings eligible for renovation grants on grounds of their condition with incomes (a) below £20,000 a year, (b) below 15,000 a year, (c) below 12,000 a year and (d) below £9,000 a year will not qualify for any grant aid towards improvement and repair costs on the basis of the proposals embodied in part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Bill and amplified in his Department's paper "Renovation Grants: Proposed Test of Resources".

On the basis of the assumptions contained in the consultation paper "Renovation Grants: Proposed Test of Resources" the estimated numbers of those with net incomes below the levels specified who do not qualify for grant are:

(a) 1·9 million

(b) 1·7 million

(c) 1·2 million

(d) 0·4 million

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ban chlorofluorocarbons in all but medically essential aerosols.

Members of the British Aerosol Manufacturers Association have already agreed to end all non-essential use of chlorofluorocarbons in their products by the end of this year. They are well on course to achieve this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to how many countries Britain exports chlorofluorocarbons which are not signatories to the Montreal protocol.

Export data for past trade are not sufficiently detailed to provide this information. A recent revision of data headings means that such data should become available in due course for 1989 and subsequent years. The Montreal protocol does not prohibit the export of CFCs to countries outside the protocol as this might persuade them to start their own new production of CFCs. However, from 1 January 1993, any export of the controlled CFCs or halons to such countries must be compensated for by an equivalent additional reduction in domestic consumption.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects a ban on the use of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigeration units to be implemented.

It is hoped that new ozone-benign refrigerants will be available early in the 1990s, although their introduction will be subject to the satisfactory conclusion of toxicological testing. At present, the voluntary approach to reductions in chlorofluorocar-bon use is working well. Should new rules become necessary to require the use of the more beneficial refrigerants as they become commercially available, then we would introduce them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the London saving the ozone layer conference.

The outcome of the highly successful saving the ozone layer London conference was summarised in the chairman's message prepared by my right hon. Friend. Copies of the message, together with a more detailed account by the conference rapporteur, have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to extend the provisions of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act to cover urban development corporations and new town corporations.

This Act is currently under review but there are no plans to extend its provisions to urban development corporations or new town corporations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which are the specific objective criteria used when assessing the quality of rivers as (i) good and (ii) fair.

The national freshwater quality classification scheme ranks water in four main categories, the highest two being good (class 1) and fair (class 2) quality.The specific criteria used in determining river quality class in England and Wales are given in appendix 1 to the report of the 1985 river quality survey of England and Wales.In Scotland, slightly different criteria are used. Details are given in appendix A to the report of the 1985 water quality survey of Scotland.Copies of both reports are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sewage treatment works in each English water authority which discharged effluent below the required standard during 1988.

Information for 1988 is not yet available but the indications are that water authority returns will show a further improvement in the number of sewage treatment works complying with discharge consents.