To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from local councils in Wales concerning the pollution levels in the Irish sea; what is the general thrust of these representations; what response he has given; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has received four such almost identical representations. These expressed general concern about the dumping of human and industrial waste and radioactive contamination. The replies explained the initiatives being taken to assess and determine means of reducing the pollution of the Irish sea, and reiterated the Government's decision to extend the North sea conference declaration to all United Kingdom coastal waters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any intention of privatising London Buses.

I hope to see London Buses Ltd go into the private sector in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of recent security breaches, he has any plans to improve security arrangements at London City airport; and if he will make a statement.

The aircraft concerned were not in service when the incidents occurred. The aviation security programme requires aircraft to be checked before they are brought into service. These requirements are designed to protect passengers' safety and I believe that they were met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements have been made for the continuation of London transportation studies services.

The Department's contract with the MVA consultancy has been extended. It will now run until October 1991, with an option for a further year. The earlier plan to hold a competition for a new contract proved impracticable because of additional work required for the Department's London studies and the need to maintain continuity in the model's development programme. We are, however, taking steps to involve other consultants in our use of the model.

To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the annual cost to public funds of the time expended by court officials, the Crown Prosecution Service and police officers, in the metropolitan police area, in the arrest, detention and prosecution of young people under section 3 of the Vagrancy Act 1824.

None. This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.

To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received regarding the implications for administrative routines within the Law Officers' Department of the case of Hosni E. Forhat.

None.

To ask the Attorney-General what policy is adopted by his Department as to the location of trials of category A prisoners in relation to the original hearings and holding prison; and if he will make a statement.

Section 7 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980 requires the magistrates' court to have regard to the convenience of the defence, the prosecution and the witnesses, expediting of the trial and to any directions given by or on behalf of the Lord Chief Justice with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor. The directions governing the committal of cases for trial to particular Crown court centres are made by the Lord Chief Justice and may, from time to time, be altered in detail on his behalf by presiding judges; and each petty sessional division will normally commit to a particular Crown court centre in accordance with those directions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report a list showing expenditure on programmes for old age as a proportion of gross domestic product at market prices, for European Community member states, for each year since 1983, excluding expenditure on support for people living in residential and nursing homes.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 14 April at columns 741–42. I regret that further information as requested by my hon. Friend is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many women who were in receipt of widowed mothers allowance before September 1988 would have received a full widow's pension if the qualifying age had not been raised by five years;

Entitlement to widowed mother's allowance and widow's pension changed on 11 April 1988. All women who were in receipt of widowed mother's allowance before then will be entitled to widow's pension on the age bands that existed before the reform changes were made. The increase, by five years, of the age bands will have no effect on these women. Women widowed after 11 April will be entitled to widow's pension based on the post reforms age bands; the numbers affected between 11 April and September 1988 cannot be determined accurately. However it is estimated that some 15,000 newly widowed women will have no title or a reduced title to benefit in the first year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children were in families on income support broken down into England, Scotland and Wales in 1988–89.

The latest estimates are:

	Numbers
England	1,830,000
Scotland	236,000
Wales	129,000

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposal to raise the lowest denomination of premium bond which can be purchased to £100.

The increase is designed to secure administrative savings, following a regular review of the terms of all National Savings products. Sales of less than £100 represent only 12 per cent. of the total value of purchases but incur a disproportionate share of costs. The average purchase is now over £150. Parents, guardians or grandparents will still be able to make minimum purchases of £10 on behalf of children under 16.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place copies of notes on all clauses of the Finance Bill in the Library.

Yes. Notes on clauses to be taken in Committee of the whole House have already been deposited in the House Library and those to be taken in Standing Committee will be deposited shortly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will zero rate for value added tax purposes taxi card journeys.

[holding answer 2 May 1989]: No. Under article 28 of the sixth EC VAT directive, the United Kingdom is not permitted to enlarge the scope of the zero rates in force on 31 December 1975.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish the estimates for school years 1988–89 and 1989–90 mentioned in his answer to the hon. Member for Bridgend of 20 April, Official Report, columns 269–70; what evidence is available to his Department in relation to the accuracy of that estimate for school year 1988–89; and if he will make a statement;(2) what account he took of the evidence in appendix B of Cm. 625, concerning the numbers of allowances being paid in September 1988, in preparing the estimates for school years 1988–89 and 1989–90 mentioned in his answer to the hon. Member on 20 April, columns

The estimated numbers of incentive allowances in ordinary schools in September 1988 and September 1989 were set out in circular 3/88. They formed the basis for the table submitted in evidence to the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions in October 1988 and reproduced in my reply to the hon. Member on 20 April 1989, at columns 269–70. The figures are as follows:

	September 1988	September 1989
A	43,000	61,000
B	59,600	50,400
C	9,300	18,700
D	27,000	25,500
E	8,000	9,500
TOTAL	146,900	165,100

The evidence reproduced in appendix B of Cm. 625 was subsequently made available to the committee by the local authorities' conditions of service advisory board (LACSAB). The data suggest that the total number of incentive allowances awarded in the 1988–89 academic year broadly reflected the number assumed for that year in circular 3/88. No further information is at present available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to set up a working group to recommend attainment targets and programmes of study for geography within the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are today establishing a working group for geography. The group will advise on attainment targets and programmes of study for geography within the national curriculum in England and Wales.I have sent supplementary guidance to the group's chairman, a copy of which I have placed in the Library. We are grateful to Sir Leslie Fielding, the vice-chancellor

of Sussex university, for agreeing to take the chair of the group. The vice-chairman will be Professor David Thomas, pro-vice chancellor and professor of geography at the university of Birmingham. Other members of the group are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received advice from the School Examinations and Assessment Council about assessing and reporting achievement in the light of national curriculum requirements.

I received a letter from the chairman of SEAC, Mr. Philip Halsey, on 28 April conveying the council's interim views on the future evolution of assessment and reporting at age 16 to which I replied on 4 May. Copies of the exchange of correspondence have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish his proposals for the 1990–91 ESG programme.

I have today written to the local authority associations proposing a programme to support expenditure of £140 million in 1990–91. A total of £50 million of this will be expenditure on new activities or extensions, and the remainder will represent continuing support for activities begun in 1989–90 or earlier years.My proposals are set out in full in the following table.My priority in drawing up the programme has again been to continue support for the implementation of the Education Reform Act. The programme that I am proposing expands the valuable work begun in 1989–90 to help LEA with the introduction of local management of schools and of the national curriculum. It also offers LEAs valuable support in other areas such as health education and provision for difficult pupils.I am proposing to increase the resources available for local management of schools, in particular for the purchase of management and curriculum information systems. Additional money will also be made available for the training of school and college governors, and I am proposing extra support for the core and other foundation subjects of the national curriculum.Following the report by the committee of inquiry into discipline in schools, my proposals also include £2·5 million expenditure to help LEAs with the development of support services for the most difficult pupils, and a similar sum for work to improve school attendance. £2 million will be available for measures to help combat vandalism and arson.The ESG to help combat the misuse of drugs has produced some very valuable work, and I now propose to

Education Support Grants 1990–91—Proposed Programme
£ million
	New Expenditure and Extensions	Committed and Continuing Expenditure	Total
ERA Related
1. Local Management of Schools	11·5	25·0	36·5
2. Management Information Systems for FE	4·0	7·1	11·1
3. Training for School Governors	1·0	4·1	5·1
4. Training for FE College Governors	2·0	—	2·0
5. Planning and Delegation to Colleges	(ILBs only) 0·1	1·2	1·3
6. Basic Curriculum and Assessment	9·5	10·0	19·5
7. LEA Inspection1	—	3·0	3·0
8. IT in Schools	9·0	4·8	13·8
9. English Language in the Curriculum	—	8·2	8·2
10. Primary Science and Technology	—	7·3	7·3
11. Maths in Schools	—	3·2	3·2
Other Priorities
12. Difficult Pupils	2·5	—	2·5
13. Improving School Attendance	2·5	—	2·5
14. Combating Vandalism and Arson	2·0	—	2·0
15. Health Education	4·0	—	4·0
16. Teacher Recruitment	2·0	—	2·0
17. Youth Leaders in Inner Cities	—	3·9	3·9
18. Learning by Achievement	—	2·3	2·3
19. Adult Literacy	—	1·7	1·7
20. Open Learning	—	1·3	1·3
21. Educational Guidance	—	1·2	1·2
22. Education for a Multi-Ethnic Society	—	2·3	2·3
23. PORTAGE	—	1·4	1·4
24. Social Responsibility	—	1·3	1·3
25. Rural Primary Schools	—	0·6	0·6
Total	50·1	89·9	140·0
Grant2	—	—	83·0
1 Second tranche of support for LEA Inspection is included in the basic curriculum and assessment activity.
2 Grant will be paid at 60 per cent, on all activities except science and technology in primary schools and maths in schools, where committed expenditure will continue to be paid at the 1989–90 rate of 50 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of damage at Risley remand centre following the disturbances over the bank holiday weekend; how the remedial work will be financed; and if he will make a statement.

We are now establishing the extent of the damage caused by disturbances at HM remand centre, Risley and will then assess what repairs are justified in view of the imminent redevelopment of this establishment, what they will cost and how they should be paid for.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a four-bedroomed prison quarter at Wayland prison with a historic cost of £55,942 in 1984 was given a valuation of £40,500 in 1987; and if he will urgently review his Department's procedures for making such evaluations.

Prison quarters at Wayland were built at the same time as the prison. Building was completed by the Property Services Agency in 1984. The valuation in 1987 was made by the district valuer of the Department of Inland Revenue to enable the Home Office to calculate a sale price, after allowing for any discount under the department's discount sale scheme. The rules of that scheme stipulate that sales should not take place at less than the cost of providing the quarter, including the cost of the land, site development works and any administration costs (the historic cost). The Property Services Agency provides details of the historic cost and this has to be ascertained from the total contract price for building the prison establishment and any ancillary items such as quarters for staff. We have already agreed that where a current valuation is less than the historic cost, an offer of sale at the valuation price can be made. Further urgent consideration is being given to whether there is scope to make any further concession in offering properties for sale where the historic cost is an impediment to granting the normal discount.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. Osborne Rutherford, prisoner No. C42357, Her Majesty's prison Wandsworth was kept without clothes in a strong box from 9 February to 23 February; and which doctor sanctioned his detention.

On 9 February, whilst Mr. Rutherford was at Parkhurst prison, he was placed in a special cell on the authority of the governor in charge under prison rule 45 which empowers the temporary confinement in a special cell of a refractory or violent prisoner. The decision was taken because of Mr. Rutherford's threatening behaviour towards staff.In accordance with standard procedures, the medical officer was advised of the decision and indicated that there were no medical grounds why Mr. Rutherford should not be so confined. Subsequently, Mr. Rutherford engaged in a dirty protest and it was considered necessary to continue to hold him in the special cell until 23 February. The requirements in respect of the use of a special cell were followed during this period. After the initial 24 hours, the need for continued confinement was authorised periodically by members of the board of visitors who visited Mr. Rutherford. Mr. Rutherford was also visited regularly by a governor and by a medical officer.Although Mr. Rutherford's normal prison clothing was removed, he was provided with a suit of protective clothing to wear whilst in the special cell.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which mentally ill and mentally handicapped people are in prison as a result of under-provision of community care facilities.

I refer the hon. Member to earlier replies given to questions from the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 20 March at columns 405–7. These gave details of studies at present taking place on the profile of mentally disordered offenders in the prison system and on the use made by the courts of hospital and restriction orders when sentencing mentally disordered offenders. When a court considers that an offender needs psychiatric treatment but not to be detained in a hospital, it may make a probation order with a requirement that the probationer undergoes psychiatric treatment, or it may make a guardianship order, which places the offender under the authority of a local authority social services department or approved person. The guardian may then require the patient to live at a specified place and attend a place for treatment. The availability of care facilities in the local community is only one of a range of factors which courts have to consider when deciding on the most suitable sentence for such an offender.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of prisoners held in police cells at the most recent available date.

Sixty six, on 28 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what treatment is available within prison for mentally disordered inmates serving sentences for rape; and what steps are taken to seek to prevent such men reoffending when they leave prison.

Sex offenders would normally be identified early in the prison reception process as requiring psychiatric assessment. Such assessment may be carried out by a suitably qualified prison medical officer or by a visiting specialist. Not all sex offenders are found to be grossly disturbed or in need of treatment whether from doctors, psychiatrists or psychologists. Where the diagnosis does suggest that the inmate's behaviour was the result of an underlying mental illness, specific treatment would be provided for that illness. If the behaviour was secondary to an aspect of personality disorder, the inmate might be offered psychotherapy, group therapy, behaviour therapy or a combination of these. Some prisoners are transferred to Grendon prison where the entire regime is that of a therapeutic community for such help.The prison medical and probation services would he concerned in making arrangements for the continuing care, medical or other, of such inmates on release. The appropriate police force would be notified.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the working group, chaired by the president of the Royal College of Physicians, set up to advise the director of prison medical services on qualifications and training for prison medical officers, to complete its work; and if he will place a copy of its report in the Library.

The report was completed recently and submitted by the president of the Royal College of Physicians to the chief medical officer. At this early stage there are no plans for its release.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the total deaths reported in the decades 1959 to 1968, 1969 to 1978 and 1979 to 1988, inclusive, resulting from crowd pressures or public disorder in the following circumstances (a) political demonstrations, (b) queueing for places of entertainment, other than sports meetings, (c) queueing for or occurring at sports meetings, other than football matches and (d) queueing for public transport.

I have been asked to reply.The exact information requested is not available.Prior to 1979, the international classification of diseases (ICD) did not allow for sufficiently detailed information of this nature; the current (ninth) revision includes the code E917.1:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the number of ambulances for each regional health authority.

The available information is given in the table.

Ambulance Services
Total number of ambulance service vehicles used to transport patients
Regional Health Authority	1987–88
England	6,482
Northern	479
Yorkshire	680
Trent	698
East Anglia	235
North West Thames	200
North East Thames	150
South East Thames	300
South West Thames	11,121
Wessex	247
Oxford	283
South Western	438
West Midlands	702
Mersey	393
North Western	556
Source: York Health Authority—National Ambulance Service Survey 1987–88.
The following types of vehicles have been included in the above figures:
2—trolley emergency.
2—trolley dual purpose.
Sitting case seats only (under 14).
Sitting case seats stretcher capacity.
Sitting case seats + lift mechanism.
Car (with or without stretcher capacity).
Bus—14 or more seats with or without stretcher or wheelchair capacity.
1 Includes London ambulance service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the number of ambulances for each region which carry defibrillators.

This information is not collected centrally but I understand that as at March 1989, the numbers were as follows:

	Number
Northern	65
Yorkshire	75
Trent	125
East Anglian	64
North West Thames	45
North East Thames	51
South East Thames	76
South West Thames	1231
Wessex	147
Oxford	103
South Western	149
West Midland	104
Mersey	51
North Western	129
1 Includes London Ambulance Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider investing resources in a major database to collect information on patient demographics, patient diagnosis, clinical findings and clinical treatment to facilitate the creation of routine monitoring systems in order to improve clinical practice and resource allocation in the National Health Service.

Following implementation of the Körner recommendations in April 1987, each region now provides quarterly a set of data about every patient using a hospital bed, to a national database at the OPCS. These data include age, diagnosis and operative procedures. More detailed clinical information to assist doctors and others in their management of patient care is now being collected locally as part of the resource management initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the cost of providing computer systems to (a) hospitals and (b) general practitioners to enable them to implement the National Health Service White Paper proposals will be found from additional Treasury funding or whether it will be deducted from current National Health Service provision.

The Government have made it clear that the cost of implementing the White Paper proposals will not be met at the expense of plans for patient care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of National Health Service prescriptions are written for (a) people aged over 65 years and (b) the chronic sick.

We do not have information in the form requested. However, of all prescriptions dispensed in 1988, 41·2 per cent. were dispensed to people over pensionable age (men aged over 65 and women over 60).

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the mechanism proposed under the National Health Service White Paper provisions to enable hospitals to become self-governing; and how a majority view of those working in the hospitals will be obtained.

The process for establishing an NHS hospital trust will be as simple and flexible as possible. The chief executive of the NHS management board wrote to all regional general managers on 14 March about the preparation of initial expressions of interest; a copy of that letter (reference: EL(89)MB/58) has been placed in the Library of the House. Further guidance will be provided in due course. Staff will be given opportunities to express views on applications; the precise arrangements for this will be determined locally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many phone calls have been received from doctors by those manning the contact numbers set out in working papers 3 and 4 of the National Health Service White Paper; and whether at any time the contact numbers have had to be suspended.

Telephone contact points were not in fact supplied in the NHS review working papers, as it was envisaged that comments would be submitted in writing to the official addresses which were provided. A number of telephone calls from doctors have nevertheless been received routinely by the Department on these subjects but we hold no record of the total.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters his Department has received from general practitioners expressing general support for the National Health Service White Paper proposals; and how many he has received expressing opposition to the proposals.

We have received some 1,300 representations from general practitioners. Many have questions, many support all or some of the proposals, some only refer to specific aspects. It is not possible to distinguish the letters in the way my hon. Friend suggests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records are kept of the number of occasions that anaesthetic services have been curtailed because of staff shortages; and what the number of such curtailments was.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence is available to him on whether a two-tier system of eye tests would be detrimental to a patient's sight; and whether there are any specific conditions which cannot be detected by test other than the full eye test.

[holding answer 2 May 1989]: I must ask my hon. Friend to await my consideration of the results of the present consultations on regulations governing sight test.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the expenditure by Government and Government-funded health education agencies on mass media advertising campaigns on the following issues: (a) smoking, (b) alcohol, (c) drugs, (d) dental health, (e) AIDs, (f) family planning, (g) immunisation, (h) coronary heart disease, (i) the "Look After Your Heart" campaign, and (j) others, for each year 1978–79 to 1987–88;

	1978–79 £'000	1979–80 £'000	1980–81 £'000	1981–82 £'000	1982–83 £'000	1983–84 £'000	1984–85 £'000	1985–86 £'000	1986–87 £'000	1987–88 £'000	1988–89 £'000
Smoking	325	407	700	892	2,391	2,630	1,624	2,346	2	—	247
Alcohol	190	25	217	121	263	311	—	327	2	—	—
Drugs	—	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	—	—
Dental health	147	102	38	137	265	167	311	267	2	—	100
AIDS	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	3,369	4,853
Family planning	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	—	—
Immunisation	27	62	—	—	—	—	16	654	2	—	550
Coronary heart disease	691	645	757	674	756	575	754	1,055	2	1,608	354
Look After Your Heart	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	—
Others	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	19	—
1 Included in coronary heart disease.
2 No information available.

Information on the expenditure on mass media advertising by campaign by the Department of Health is as follows:

[holding answer 26 April 1989]: The total expenditure by the Department on mass media advertising is as follows:

	£'000
1978–79	n/a
1979–80	337
1980–81	589
1981–82	825
1982–83	676
1983–84	1,167
1984–85	1,412
1985–86	3,259
1986–87	7,811
1987–88	6,668
1988–89	5,741

Information on the expenditure on mass media advertising by the former Health Education Council and the Health Education Authority is not available. The total expenditure by these agencies on publicity was as follows:

	£'000
1978–79	1,380
1979–80	1,244
1980–81	1,712
1981–82	1,824
1982–83	3,675
1983–84	3,683
1984–85	2,705
1985–86	4,649
1986–87	n/a
1987–88	4,996
1988–89	6,104

Information on the total expenditure by campaign by the Health Education Council and Health Education Authority is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the percentage of the work force of the United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Germany and Japan employed in the manufacturing industry.

The latest available information on common international definitions is as follows:

Manufacturing employment as a percentage of total civilian employment (1986)
	Percentages
United Kingdom	22·5
United States	19·1
France	22·6
Germany	32·2
Japan	24·7

To ask the Prime Minister if she will send a congratulatory communication to the President of the French Republic on the 200th anniversary of the French revolution.

I hope to be able to convey an appropriate message in person.

To ask the Prime Minister when she last met the Sultan of Brunei; and what was discussed.

I last met the Sultan of Brunei on 27 April. Our discussions covered a number of bilateral and international issues.

To ask the Prime Minister what is Government expenditure per head in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

The following table shows identifiable public expenditure per head for each of the four countries of the United Kingdom in 1987–88, the latest year for which information is available:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the new management structure in the east end of Glasgow which was set up following the Government's ending of the GEAR project in March 1987; and if he will make a statement.

These successor arrangements are primarily the responsibility of Glasgow district council and Strathclyde regional council and are supported by the Scottish Development Agency and the private sector. I am not aware of any criticism of the arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to extend the right-to-buy discount; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans at present to make changes to the current right to buy arrangements, although we are continually monitoring the effect of our policies to determine whether any further measures are necessary to stimulate diversification of ownership.The sustained level of interest from public sector tenants seeking to purchase their homes is evidence of the continuing success of the Government's right-to-buy policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the waste disposal authorities in England have now deposited waste management plans with his Department, pursuant to the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 2 February 1989 at columns 350–52. Since then we have received no more completed waste disposal plans, although Hampshire and Lincolnshire county councils have sent us preliminary draft plans.My noble Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment wrote to waste disposal authorities who had not yet submitted plans again on 18 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given those companies currently using ocean incineration concerning waste reduction.

Officials have advised companies who currently hold licences for incineration of waste at sea of the need to reduce quantities of such wastes in the light of the recommendations of the North sea conference to end the dumping of polluting materials in the North sea at the earliest practical date. HM inspectorate of pollution has held discussions with the companies and further discussions are proposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes that individuals will be able to be registered as supporters of more than one football club under the proposed membership scheme.

It will be for the football membership authority to draw up the details of the scheme and submit proposals to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The report of the working party which I chaired recommended that members of the scheme should have only one card but that this should be valid for any designated match including the 92 Football League clubs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take urgent steps to introduce a policy of education concerning the spaying of dogs.

I have been asked to reply.This is not a matter for central Government. Those who wish advice on such matters can obtain it from one of the voluntary bodies concerned with the welfare of dogs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a specific grant allocation to assist people with the cost of having their animals spayed.

The Department has no powers to make grants for these purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the current maximum spectator capacity for each of the 92 Football League clubs.

The following figures are the most up to date available to the Football League, though I understand that they may not be precisely accurate in every case.

Division One
	Numbers
Arsenal	57,000
Aston Villa	48,100
Charlton Athletic	38,366
Coventry City	29,800
Derby County	26,500
Everton	50,271
Liverpool	45,628
Luton Town	14,470
Manchester United	56,385
Middlesbrough	30,647
Millwall	25,850
Newcastle United	37,703
Norwich City	26,812
Nottingham Forest	35,367
Queen's Park Rangers	27,330
Sheffield Wednesday	54,324
Southampton	25,175
Tottenham Hotspur	34,258
West Ham United	35,556
Wimbledon	16,000

Division Two
	Numbers
A.F.C. Bournemouth	12,038
Barnsley	36,987
Birmingham City	38,408
Blackburn Rovers	21,956
Bradford City	15,519
Brighton and Hove Albion	29,026
Chelsea	43,900
Crystal Palace	38,366
Hull City	19,797
Ipswich Town	37,345
Leeds United	39,133
Leicester City	31,057
Manchester City	51,993
Oldham Athletic	21,949
Oxford United	14,006
Plymouth Argyle	28,000
Portsmouth	29,664
Shrewsbury Town	16,000
Stoke City	35,812
Sunderland	37,775
Swindon Town	19,652
Walsall	16,018
Watford	26,956
West Bromwich Albion	35,000

Division Three
	Numbers
Aldershot	12,000
Blackpool	11,500
Bolton Wanderers	29,000
Brentford	10,827
Bristol City	30,800
Bristol Rovers	5,100
Bury	15,770
Cardiff City	39,500
Chester City	8,200
Chesterfield	7,652

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the county of South Yorkshire for each of the last four years, the number of pollution incidents caused by (a) silage liquor, (b) farmyard slurry and (c) other pollutants; and what action was taken in each case.

I understand from the Yorkshire water authority that the numbers of water pollution incidents in South Yorkshire in each of the last four years, and the action taken are as follows:

Numbers of water pollution incidents in South Yorkshire
	Cause of pollution
Year	Silage	Slurry	All Other Sources	Number of prosecutions
1985	20	10	13	12
1986	2	15	9	12
1987	16	24	8	7
1988	24	11	40	7

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what impact on the environment the 1988 Budget decision to end schedule D reliefs on tree planting had; and if he will make a statement.

The changes to the tax and grant arrangements made last year were designed to provide a more widely acceptable system of support for private forestry. The key aims of the new woodland grant include enhancing the landscape, creating new wildlife habitats and encouraging the multipurpose management of woodlands. The increased importance of grants has strengthened the Forestry Commission's procedures as a means of controlling the environmental impact of forestry and ensuring that the right trees are planted in the right places. The effects of the changes will be carefully monitored during the transitional period, but it is too early to make a detailed assessment as yet.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what papers will be presented on behalf of his Department; and which departmental officials will be present, at the fifth summer school on radioactive waste.

No paper is to be presented on behalf of the Department. An inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will be present to deliver a paper in a personal capacity.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are in hand to ensure adequate information flows between community charge registration officers and certification officers in educational establishments in London; and what representations on this matter he has received from the Association of London Authorities, London Boroughs Association and bodies representing educational institutions.

[holding answer 4 May 1989]: Discussions are taking place, organised by my Department, between all the local authority associations and bodies representing educational institutions, on the practical aspects of registering students for the community charge. It is hoped to conclude these discussions in the near future and to issue a practice note giving advice to all parties on these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to issue guidance to general practitioners on the exemptions from community charge for severely mentally impaired persons; and what discussions his Department has had with the British Medical Association on this matter.

[holding answer 4 May 1989]: This matter is being handled on my behalf by my right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, whose officials are in discussion with the general medical services committee of the British Medical Association. I understand that it is hoped to conclude the discussions shortly and to issue guidance to general practitioners as soon as possible afterwards.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the addresses of sites where his Department has reimbursed a local planning authority as a result of a revocation of planning permission.

With the exception of the limited circumstances set out in section 167 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, there is no provision for the Secretary of state to reimburse to local planning authorities the compensation payable when planning permission is revoked. Section 167 relates only to cases where, if planning permission had originally been refused, the Secretary of State would have been liable to pay compensation under part VII of the Act. There have been five such cases since 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government will make further information available on the proposed reform of the business rate.

My Department has today published a free booklet called "Time for Change: the new Business Rate". This explains the changeover to the new uniform business rate which will take place in April 1990, the up-to-date revaluation, and the Government's proposals for transitional arrangements, including those to help small businesses.The booklet is being distributed widely to industrial and commercial organisations and others with an interest in business matters. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings each local authority has sold under the right to buy legislation, or voluntarily, since April 1979.

I have placed in the Library a table giving available information up to December 1988. It shows year-by-year information since 1984–85 together with cumulative figures since April 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what particulars he has specified in relation to the provision of section 61(A)(7) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 concerning the need for district councils to keep a register of trees in conservation areas.

[pursuant to her reply, 27 April 1989 c. 657]: Section 61(A)(7) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 places a duty on district and London borough councils to compile and keep available for inspection a register of notices served on the council of intention to carry out work on trees in conservation areas, where such trees are not already protected by tree preservation orders or otherwise exempt. It also empowers the Secretary of State to determine what particulars should be included in such registers. The following matters were specified for this purpose in DOE circular 36/78:

(a) the address of the land on which the tree stands and sufficient information to identify the tree;

(b) details of the work proposed;

(c) the date of the notice and who served it;

(d) the decision of the authority in respect of the tree (when made), the date of any decision and the name of the authority; and

(e) an index for tracing entries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of settlers from Greece who are now living in the southern part of Cyprus and who have been granted Cyprus passports since 31 December 1963.

According to the Republic of Cyprus statistical abstract for 1985 and 1986, the number of "immigrants" from Greece (whose status is not further defined) in the period 1981–86 was 24. We have no statistics for the rest of the period covered by my hon. Friend's question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department received any inquiries from Kleinwort Benson about the history of the Al-Fayed brothers in the course of the takeover of the House of Fraser.

While the prosecution authorities are considering the report of the inspectors appointed on 9 April 1987 by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under section 432 of the Companies Act 1985 to investigate the affairs of the House of Fraser Holdings plc, it would not be appropriate for me to comment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will initiate collective action by European Community Governments against South Africa for its use of its embassies for illegal actions in host countries.

We expect all countries to abide by their obligations under the Vienna convention especially

"to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state".

There are no plans for collective EC action against South Africa.We are carefully examining the implications of the events that led up to the arrests in Paris on 21 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in the composition of the United Kingdom parliamentary delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly.

The hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) has replaced the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) as a member of the delegation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries presently do not have a United Kingdom embassy; what is the reason for the absence; and what steps are being taken to establish an embassy in each case.

[pursuant to the reply, 27 April 1989 c. 595]: Of those territories recognised by the United Kingdom as independent sovereign states, the United Kingdom does not have an embassy, a high commission, or a consulate-general accredited to the following:

• Albania
• Argentina
• Bhutan
• Cambodia
• Iran
• Libya
• Syria

The United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations with Albania or Cambodia.The United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Bhutan but maintains friendly contacts and conducts official business with its embassy in New Delhi.Iran broke diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom in March this year. British interests are represented by the Swedish embassy in Tehran, where there are no United Kingdom staff.There are British interest sections with United Kingdom staff in the embassies of protecting powers in Argentina, Libya and Syria.The staff of the British embassy in Afghanistan have been withdrawn for security reasons.There are no plans at present to establish additional representative offices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of volunteer gliding schools which at present have no airfield in the part of the United Kingdom which they were established to serve.

Two volunteer gliding schools established to serve the north-east and south coast of England are currently without an airfield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he can give details of the areas of the United Kingdom which are without a volunteer gliding school; and what proposals his Department has to establish volunteer gliding schools in these areas.

The north-east, north-west, and south coast of England are poorly served by volunteer gliding schools. We are currently examining the possibility of acquiring an ex-RAF site in the north-east.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many volunteer gliding schools are operational; and how many are currently in suspense.

Twenty-eight are operational and two are in suspense.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of officers and instructors currently on the strength of volunteer gliding schools.

Volunteer gliding schools currently have a strength of 235 officers and 233 civilian gliding instructors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of Volunteer Reserve officers on the staff of volunteer gliding schools who have over 25 years' service.

Seven.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he can give details of the type of motor glider which has been selected to replace the Venture glider at volunteer gliding schools.

I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 10 January at column 533.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of a Z-berth; if Z-berths have permanent safety precautions against radiological hazards; and if he will publish in the Official Report the locations of all the Z-berths in the United Kingdom.

A Z-berth is a berth designated for occasional operational or recreational visits by nuclear-powered warships. Its safety arrangements will include a public safety scheme prepared after discussion with the local authorities and civil emergency services, which will provide for a Royal Naval incident commander and a naval emergency monitoring team in the area to stand by throughout any such visit to respond to an emergency. The monitoring team has access to a supply of potassium iodate tablets, and carries out monitoring during the visit.The United Kingdom Z-berths are at Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Brodick bay, Campbeltown, Cardiff, Coulport and Loch Long, Devonport and Plymouth Sound, Faslane, the Firth of Forth, Glen Malian, Lamlash bay, Lerwick and the Shetland isles, Liverpool, Loch Ewe, Loch Fyne, Loch Goil, Loch Striven, Portland, Portree, Portsmouth, Raasay (Broadford bay), Rosyth, Rothesay, Southampton, Spithead, Thurso bay and Torbay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings there have been between his Department and local and port authorities concerning the possible locating of a Z-berth at Tilbury; when a decision is expected; and if he will make a statement.

As I said in my answer to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) on 9 March 1989 at column 677, my officials have had preliminary discussions with port and local authorities about visits to Tilbury by Royal Navy ships, including nuclear-powered submarines. This remains the position. It would be premature to anticipate the outcome of these discussions at this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of the naval emergency monitoring organisation; and if he will make a statement.

The naval emergency monitoring organisation is responsible within the Royal Navy for radioactive monitoring and hazard evaluation, and for advice on radiation levels in the event of an accident involving nuclear weapons or nuclear reactors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of an X-berth; if X-berths have permanent safety precautions against radiological hazards; and if he will publish in the Official Report the locations of all the X-berths in the United Kingdom.

An X-berth is a berth designated for frequent and regular use by nuclear-powered warships, or a berth in a dockyard or naval base which is suitable for the building, refit, repair or maintenance of nuclear-powered warships. All X-berths have as an integral part of their safety arrangements a permanent health physics department, a local emergency monitoring organisation and a local safety plan prepared under the auspices of a local liaison committee. The United Kingdom X-berths are at Barrow-in-Furness, Devonport, Faslane and Rosyth.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's policy concerning provision of information about service personnel whose home addresses are in Scotland, but who are serving elsewhere, to poll tax registration officers in Scotland.

It is not my Department's policy to provide information to community charge registration officers (CCROs) in Scotland other than the names and addresses of personnel serving in the areas for which the CCRO is responsible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision has been made to compensate service personnel who are affected by the imposition of the poll tax in Scotland for the fact that they have to meet this cost while their colleagues from other parts of the United Kingdom do not.

Service personnel in Scotland who pay service accommodation charges are no longer required to pay the rates element of such charges, and can offset this amount against their community charge liability. Personnel serving in Scotland who are currently not paying these charges could be in a worse financial position in the interim year to 31 March 1990, than they would be when the community charge applies in England and Wales. In such circumstances I am prepared to consider, exceptionally, claims for some financial compensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide advice to service personnel and to Scottish poll tax registration officers concerning the fact that personnel who are serving outwith Scotland, notwithstanding the fact that their home address is in Scotland, are not liable to register for the poll tax in Scotland.

Comprehensive guidance about the liability of service personnel for the community charge has been agreed with community charge registration officers and issued to service personnel. It is based on the general assumption that the sole or main residence of service personnel is where they live in respect of their work, although individuals may seek alternative treatment if their circumstances justify it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security implications of the publication of poll tax registers which show the Northern Ireland addresses of personnel who are serving in Northern Ireland, but who may be liable to pay the poll tax in respect of home addresses in Scotland.

In such circumstances, community charge registers will include only the address in Scotland in respect of which community charge liability arises, and not the temporary address in Northern Ireland. All entries for service personnel will be in the same style as those for civilians and will not include their rank.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average rate of increase in (a) the non-domestic regional rate and (b) the domestic regional rate.

The regional rate for 1989–90, as published in the Rates (Regional rate) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989, is 138·07p, an increase of 12·63 per cent. on last year's rate of 122·59p. This rate applies unadjusted to all non domestic ratepayers.Domestic ratepayers have benefited, for many years, from an allowance of 12p in the pound in the form of a domestic rate aid grant. This has the effect of reducing the charge on them this year to 126·07p, an increase of 14 per cent. on last year's rate of 110·59p. Since the domestic rate is set at a level 12p lower than the regional rate, its percentage increase is calculated on a lower base and will, therefore, always be higher than the percentage rise in the regional rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans there are to install a secondary borated water shutdown system into the DIDO reactor at Harwell.

I understand that the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority are considering the installation of a borated water injection system for the DIDO reactor at Harwell. This would supplement the normal and emergency shutdown systems which the reactor already has.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what animal health issues have been discussed by the Council of Ministers during the second half of 1988 and 1989.