Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 25 May 1989
Education And Science
Special Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the provision of special education in Cheshire.
My right hon. Friend has seen the petition which my hon. Friend submitted to him earlier this month concerning special education provision in Cheshire and in particular the LEA's arrangements for individual tuition.The Department is currently making inquiries of the Cheshire LEA and I shall send a full reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Teachers
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of mathematics and science teachers in (a) Surrey and (b) England are not trained in the subjects they teach.
Estimates of the numbers of teachers of mathematics and science without a qualification in these subjects, and of the amount of tuition they provide, can be derived from the 1988 secondary school staffing survey of maintained schools in England. The figures are as follows:
| Percentage of teachers teaching the subject who do not have a post A-level qualification in it | Percentage of all tuition in the subject provided by teachers without a post A-level qualification in it | |
| Per cent. | Per cent. | |
| Mathematics | 27 | 13 |
| Biology | 18 | 9 |
| Chemistry | 20 | 10 |
| Physics | 31 | 19 |
| General science1 | 17 (71) | 11 (67) |
| Other sciences1 | 23 (69) | 16 (55) |
| 1 Figures exclude teachers (and tuition by teachers) with a post A-level qualification specifically in biology, chemistry or physics as well as those with general or other science qualifications. The bracketed figures show the result if this exclusion is not made. | ||
City Technology Colleges
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges are presently operating within the United Kingdom; and which are clearly scheduled to open in September 1989 and September 1990.
Kingshurst CTC opened in September 1988, Nottingham and Teesside will open this September, and Dartford, Bradford, Gateshead and the London school for performing arts and technology will open in September 1990.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much capital money has been identified for development of city technology colleges between their inception and the year 2000.
A total of £13·3 million has been incurred on city technology college capital expenditure between the inception of the programme and the end of the 1988–89 financial year.Planned public expenditure to 1991–92, as published in Cmnd. 612, is £.106·6 million. The balance of expenditure between capital and recurrent costs will depend on a number of factors, including the nature and condition of premises acquired and the speed at which sponsors' plans are implemented.Plans for future years have yet to be considered.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much capital money has been provided by the Government to those city technology colleges in existence or scheduled to open shortly.
Capital grants made to city technology colleges open or scheduled to open are as follows:
| £ million | |
| Kingshurst | 3·53 |
| Nottingham | 5·94 |
| Teesside | 3·34 |
| Gateshead | 0·30 |
| Bradford | 0·63 |
| Dartford | 0·24 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how the running costs of city technology colleges will be met; and what the anticipated source or sources of the revenue funding will be;(2) whether the running costs of a city technology college will be broadly comparable with similar costs associated with maintained schools.
All normal running costs will be met through our recurrent grant to city technology colleges. The basis of this grant will be expenditure by local education authorities on maintained schools in similar areas. It will be open to city technology colleges, as it is to all schools, to raise additional funds from other sources.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the travel expenses of children who live over 3 miles away from a city technology college will be met; and how the costs of uniform grants and other similar benefits will be met.
Our recurrent grant to city technology colleges will be comparable to expenditure by local education authorities on schools in similar areas, including expenditure on home to school transport and on pupil support generally. It will be for the city technology college to decide how to meet these costs in specific cases.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what firms or other commercial interests have so far agreed to sponsor an entire city technology college and what are the names of these firms or other commercial interests.
None has been asked to do so. The capital costs of all CTCs will be shared between the Government and private sector sponsors and thereafter normal running costs will be met by annual grant from my right hon. Friend. Sponsors have already pledged £36 million towards the establishment of CTCs across the country—an unprecedented response to an education initiative.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how long the period of consultations with parents and governors prior to the decision by the governing body to submit an application to become a city technology college was at (a) Sylvan high school, (b) Haberdashers Aske's schools, Hatcham and (c) Riverside school.
Consultations on the future of the Sylvan high school, which is a county school, were undertaken by Croydon education authority; and the authority subsequently published proposals under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 to cease to maintain the school, so that a CTC might be established in its place. In the case of Riverside, also a county school, consultations were held on its future, but Bexley education authority subsequently decided against publishing section 12 proposals. The period for consultation was approximately three months and two months respectively. Our expectations on what public consultations should take place in these circumstances were set out in circular 3/87.The Haberdashers' Aske's are voluntary schools and I understand that the governors are considering seeking our leave to give notice of their discontinuation under the provisions of section 14 of the Education Act 1944. That section carries no requirement for public consultations to take place. Nevertheless, we have made clear in my right hon. Friend's statements on 28 July 1988 and 23 January this year that in considering any application for leave under section 14, where the intention is to establish a CTC, we expect that there shall have been prior public consultations.
School Trips
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received on the subject of charges for school trips.
My right hon. Friend has received 540 letters on the subject of charges for school trips since the issue of the Department's draft circular of guidance in October 1988.
School Discipline
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what steps he has taken to establish a working group to develop serious incidents reporting systems in response to recommendation 132·1 of the Elton report of the committee of inquiry into discipline in schools;(2) what steps he intends to take to clarify the legal basis of a teacher's authority over pupils in response to paragraph 73 of the Elton report on discipline in schools.
My right hon. Friend announced on 13 March immediate Government action to follow up recommendations in the report of the committee of inquiry into discipline in schools. He is considering the recommendation on the legal basis of a teacher's authority and the recommendation, which was also directed to local education authorities, that a working group on serious incidents reporting systems be established.
Student Grants
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average unit of funding for a university student assumed to be in the 1988–89 University Grants Committee settlement; by what percentage this assumed average unit was increased in real terms in the 1989–90 UFC settlement; and what assumptions were made for inflation in this increase.
The public funding of universities is not determined on the basis of unit costs. The forecast level of inflation at the time of last year's Autumn Statement was five per cent. Including the additional funding for 1989 pay settlements, overall funding will increase by eight per cent. between 1988–89 and 1989–90. Student numbers are expected to increase by three per cent.
Under-Secretary Of State (Engagements)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the official engagements undertaken by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for higher education since the beginning of May.
Since the beginning of May, I have had the following official engagements to date:
2 May
Meeting: delegation from China; Oral Parliamentary Questions; address: the Council for Industry and Higher Education; address for design awards dinner.
3 May
Meeting: Professor Ihsan Dogramaci, Chairman of Turkish Higher Education Council; dinner and address: Presidents of Research Councils of Europe, Japan and the USA.
5 May
Address: Careers Research and Advisory Centre Conference.
8 May
Visit: Liverpool University.
9 May
Address: The Centre for Policy Studies; meeting: Mr. Bill Stubbs of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.
10 May
Lunch: Geoffery Melling of the Further Education Staff College.
11 May
Interview: Time Magazine; address for the Opening of the Medical Research Council Radiobiology Unit; address: Industry/Education Seminar (Oxfordshire County Council); meeting: Professor Stuart of the Agriculture and Food Research Council.
13 May
Telephone call to Bertel Haarder, Danish Education Minister.
15 May
Visit: Rycotewood College; dinner and address for Sir Ralph Dahrendorf and senior academics at St. Anthony's College, Oxford.
16 May
Address: The General Synod Further and Higher Education Committee; dinner and address for the Reform Club Political Committee; telephone call to Willem Deetman, Dutch Education Minister.
17 May
Meeting: Lord Chilver and Sir Peter Swinnerton-Dyer of the Universities Funding Council.
18 May
Address: conference for Continuing Professional Development; meeting: the Association of Metropolitan Authorities; meeting: The Campaign for Public Sector History; telephone call to Juergen Muellemann, German Education Minister.
19 May
Lunch and address for Professor Brewer and senior academics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; 25th anniversary dinner at Darwin College, Cambridge.
20 May
Telephone call to Javier Solana Madariaga, Spanish Education Minister.
23 May
Address for the National Information Services Conference.
24 May
Address: the Building Industry Council Conference; meeting: the Institute of Chartered Accountants; meeting: Dominique Perben, Depute (MP) and Mayor of Chalon-sur Saone; address: European Agricultural Research Initiative (EURAGRI) Conference; meeting: Richard Hodges, Director of the British School in Rome.
Vote
| Current cash limit
| Change
| Revised Cash limit
|
£
| £
| £
| |
| Class XII Vote 1 | 493,133,000 | +1,003,000 | 494,136,000 |
| Class XII Vote 2 | 3,101,271,000 | +22,490,000 | 3,123,761,000 |
| Class XII Vote 5 | 824,368,000 | -8,493,000 | 815,875,000 |
Additional provision is sought as follows:
(a) £25 million to make annual maintenance grants for expenditure on staff salaries and other running costs for schools which I have approved as grant maintained from September 1989 and from January 1990. This increase will be fully offset by recoupment, under section 81 of the Education Reform Act 1988, from the local authorities formerly maintaining the schools.
(b) £1,003,000 for the professional, industrial and commercial updating programme to enable the selective funding of PICKUP activities in local authority colleges to proceed.
(c) £23,493,000 towards the increased cost to universities, the Open university, the Royal college of art and the Cranfield institute of technology of employing non-clinical academic staff.
Provision for grant-in-aid to the Natural Environment Research Council is reduced by £8,493,000 because expenditure on the construction of a new research vessel for the British Antarctic Survey has been deferred to 1990–91.
The net increase of £15,000,000 will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Boards Of Governors
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those people appointed by him to be independent members of the boards of governors of higher education corporations.
I have today published in the Official Report a list of the people I appointed as independent members of the boards of governors of the higher education corporations.I was impressed by the high calibre of many of the candidates who were willing to put themselves forward for appointment as governors. It is heartening to see that so many able people from a wide variety of fields want to be associated with these higher education institutions. Governors have been drawn from across the spectrum of industry and commerce, from major companies to individual entrepreneurs and from all the professions. This will help to give the new sector the best possible start.
25 May
Meeting: Sue Whittle, President of the Mature Students Union; meeting: Professor Sloane, Aberdeen University; hosting: Reception for the British/French Colloquium on Educational Exchange.
26 May
Visit to the Institut Laue-Langevin and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble.
In addition, I hold daily meetings with officials of the Department and maintain informal contact with a variety of people from the world of education and science.
Cash Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there are any changes to the cash limits for his Department's votes.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limits for the following votes will be revised as follows:
| Anglia Higher Education College | |
| Independent Members | Affiliation |
| David Ball | Chairman, David Ball Group (Engineering Manufacture) |
| Sir Terence Beckett KBE | Former Director General, CBI; Former Chairman and Chief Executive, Ford Motor Co. |
| A. H. Cherry MBE | Chairman and Managing Director, Countryside Properties plc |
| Terence A. Coslett | Former General Manager, Fisons Pest Control Ltd.; Chairman of Governors, Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology |
| N. Hepworth OBE | Director, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy |
| G. R. Hoffman | Consultant, Sir Murdoch MacDonald & Partners (Consulting Civil Engineers) |
| Mrs. Diana Jakubowska | Divisional Manager, Jakubowska Construction Group |
| Terence James | Chairman, Schering Holdings UK (Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, agro-chemicals) |
| Richard King | Managing Director and Chief Executive, Cambridge Electronic Industries |
| R. W. Mellor CBE | Secretary, Institute of Mechanical Engineers; Former Vice President of Ford (Europe) and Managing Director, Ford Product Development |
| Graeme Minto | Chairman, Domino Printing Sciences Ltd. |
| John C. Shrigley | Director of Personnel Services, GEC Marconi Limited |
| Mrs. Jean Smith | Chairman, North East Essex District Health Authority |
Note: Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology and Essex Institute of Higher Education merged on 1 April 1989 to form Anglia Higher Education College.
Bath College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| C. J. Arnold-Baker | Chief Executive, BBC Enterprises |
| Mrs. Sally-Jane Coode | Founder and Director, POLAMCO Ltd. (precision mechanical engineering company) |
| James Dyson | Chairman, Prototypes (design and development company) |
| Peter Edwards | Own firm—Investment Management |
| John M. Mott | Managing Director, A. Grantham Ltd. (Uniform Clothing Manufacturer) |
| David C. Part | Chairman, The General Trading Company (large retail shop) |
| John Patience | Regional Secretary and Solicitor, British Gas South Western |
| Mrs. Stella Pine | Divisional Financial Director, Rotork plc (manufacturing division) |
| Nigel Reynolds | Chairman and Chief Executive, Bath Press Ltd. |
| Leslie Southwell | Former Managing Director, Deltak Training Co. Ltd. (Software and consultancy training company) |
| Ms. Mary Toman | Independent Management Consultant—Strategic planning and marketing Founder, London Consulting Group |
| Mrs. Fay Weldon | Novelist and critic |
| Miss Jillian M. White | Senior Music Producer, BBC Bristol |
Birmingham Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Roydon Axe | Director Design, Austin Rover Group |
| Mrs. Valerie Bragg | Principal, City Technology College, Kingshurst, Birmingham |
| Rupert Crane | Chairman, National Giro Bank (West Midlands); Director, Sharp Technology Fund plc |
| Mrs. Margaret Savage | District Personnel Manager, British Telecom |
| Dr. John Sawkill | Former Managing Director, Tube Investments Research & Development; Currently consultant to TI on Education & Industry |
| Frank Shaw | Finance Director, Royal Automobile Club |
| David Waller | Partner, Human Resources Group, Deloitte Haskins and Sells |
| James Wilson | General Manager, Bournville Village Trust |
Bolton Institute of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Brian Bruce | Director, British Textile Employers' Association |
| Josephine Burns | Assistant Director, North West Arts, Manchester |
| Dr. Matthew Dixon | Business Development Manager, National Computer Centre |
| Eric H. Farnworth | Director and General Manager, Lostock |
| Mohammed Tarique Ghaffur | Acting Chief Inspector, Greater Manchester Police |
| J. Goldberg | Retired Solicitor |
| K. A. L. Johnson | Engineering Director, Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd. |
| Julian G. Masters | Managing Director, Hick Hargreaves and Co. Ltd. |
| Pamela J. Senior | General Secretary, Bolton Area Resource Centre |
| John Joseph Shaw | Partner, Bentley and Co., Chartered Accountants, Bolton |
| J. P. Speak | Chairman and Managing Director, Warburtons Limited |
Bretton Hall College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| George Robert Adams | Former Senior Partner, Hadfield Cawkwell and Davidson, Architects, Engineers and Town Planners |
| Stephen P. Battye | Managing Director, Skopos Fabrics |
| Margaret Booth | Housewife; former Director of family Company with responsibilities in Sales and Finance |
| John Henshaw | Farmer; former conservative member of Wakefield MDC |
| Professor William Middlebrook | Former Dean of School of Education, Trent Polytechnic |
| David B. Simpson | Senior Partner, Simpson and Wood, Chartered Accountants; Director, Hepworth Ceramic Holdings plc |
| Charles Russell Smith | Chairman, Allied Textile Companies plc; Director, Lloyds Bank plc |
| Duncan Smith | Manager, Lloyds Bank Commercial Service |
| Keith Paul Welton | Director, Kirklees and Wakefield Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd. |
Brighton Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Michael J. Aldrich | Chief Executive, ROCC Computers Ltd. |
| David J. Burt | Managing Director, Hellermann Deutsch Ltd. |
| Mrs. Julia F. Cumberlege | Chairman, Brighton Health Authority |
| Chairman, National Association of District Health Authorities | |
| Clifford Thomas Dann | Senior Partner, Clifford Dann & Partners, Chartered Surveyors, Estate Agents, Auctioneers, Development Advisers |
| J. Garry Hawkes | Managing Director, Gardner Merchant Director, Trusthouse Forte |
| Gavin Henderson | Artistic Director, Brighton Festival |
| Michael C. McLaren Hume | Company Director |
| David Arthur Jones | Consultant, Ewbank Preece Group Ltd. Chairman, Made in Britain Ltd. |
| Dr. Edwin Norris | Former Chief Inspector, HMI |
| Oscar Roith | Former Chief Engineer and Scientist, DTI President, Institution of Mechanical Engineers |
Bristol Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. Robert H. Glendinning | Retired General Practitioner |
| Philip Gregory | Regional Secretary, South West TUC |
| Clive A. Halton | Partner in charge, Deloitte, Haskins & Sells |
| Michael C. J. Jackaman | Chairman and Chief Executive, Allied Vintners Ltd |
| Michael E. Kelsey | Director and Chief Executive, Engineering Employers' Western Association |
| Michael Knight | Agent, Bank of England, Bristol |
| John K. McDowall | Chairman: Business Centre Wales Ltd; Horstmann Group Ltd; Bank of Wales (Jersey) Ltd; Director, Bank of Wales plc |
| Bel Mooney | Journalist and author |
| Karen Morgan | Non-Executive Director, Sussex County Building Society; Chairman, Marine Logic Ltd |
| John D. Prescott Thomas | Head of Broadcasting, BBC South & West |
| Peter Ward | Director, (Human Resources) European Operations, 3 COM |
| John D. Wragg | Director (Military Engines), Rolls Royce plc |
| Magsood Zamir | Executive (Special Projects), British Gas South Western |
Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Colin Berry | European Education Manager, Tandem Computers Europe Incorporated |
| Lucian Ercolani | Chairman, Ercol Furniture Ltd. |
| Owen Harris | Former Financial Director, Compair Ltd. |
| William Haynes | Managing Director, Rye Machinery Ltd. |
| Miss Gillian Humphreys | Solicitor |
| Nicholas G. Hurry | Group Training Manager, Meyer International plc. |
| David R. Jones | Chief Executive, Wagon Finance Corporation Ltd. |
| T. C. R. Jourdan | Managing Director, Parker Knoll Ltd. |
| Peter Land | Chairman, Wycombe Health Authority |
| John Lorenz | Managing Director, Equity Capital for Industry |
| The Hon. Mrs. Hilary Lewis | Consultant Leisure Management |
| Michael E. P. Moss | Personnel Manager, Equity & Law Assurance Society |
| Raymond C. Samuels | Group Personnel Manager, Y. J. Lovell Group Services Ltd. |
Bulmershe College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| William Barclay | Director, Metal Box Company |
| P. R. Daish | Financial Director/Company Secretary, Strayfield International Ltd. |
| Sir James Hamilton | Former Permanent Under-Secretary, DES |
| Sir Donald Hawley | Former member of Diplomatic Service |
| A. H. Mann | Internal Training Consultant, Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd., Reading |
| William L. Stansfeld-Taylor | Former Chief Editor, BBC Monitoring Service, Soviet & Eastern European Affairs; |
| Professor Jack Wrigley CBE | Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Reading |
Note: Bulmershe College of Higher Education merged with the University of Reading on 1 April 1989
Charlotte Mason College of Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Mrs. Meredyth Bell | Dental Surgeon, School Governor |
| D. Browning | Chief Eduction Officer, Bedfordshire |
| Sir Charles Carter | Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lancaster (retired) |
| Madeline Davies | Head, Queen Katherine School, Kendal |
| David Hannah | Head of Training, Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering PLC |
| Mrs. J. O'Hare | Head, George Romney Junior School, Dalton in Furness |
| J. Hole | Works Secretary, BNFL, Seascale |
| John Morris | Assistnant Solicitor |
| Prof. Alec Ross | Professor of Education, Lancaster University |
| Kenneth Walker | Executive Deputy Chairman, Provincial Insurance PLC |
Coventry Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Michael Collett | Policy Servicing Manager, Equity and Law, Coventry |
| Patrick B. Forde | Director and General Manager, Coventry Building Society |
| Leonard P. Grice, OBE | Personnel Director, GEC Telecommunications, Ltd. |
| Angela C. Griffin | Chief Executive Officer, Redditch Borough Council |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Geoffrey Hughes | Barrister, GKN plc. |
| Stuart S. G. Linnell | Deputy Group Managing Director, Midlands Radio Holdings PLC and Chief Executive, Sound |
| Robert P. Lister | Former Director, Engineering Employers' West Midlands Association (retired) |
| Frederick A. M. Motture | Personnel Director, Coventry Region, GEC Plessey Telecommunications |
| Merrick W. Taylor | Deputy Chairman and Managing Director, Motor Panels (Coventry) Ltd. |
| Geoffrey H. Whalen | Managing Director, Peugeot Talbot Motor Co. Ltd. |
Crewe and Alsager College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Cyril Acton | Managing Director, ERF Ltd, Sandbach |
| Vic Harris | Personnel Manager, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, Crewe |
| Derek B Jennings | Director, Jennings Coachwork Ltd, Crewe |
| Dr John A Payne | Information Systems Manager ICI Chemicals and Polymers |
| Phillip Plant | General Manager, Refractory Production, Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd |
| Andrew P Rigby | Solicitor, Private Practice |
| Mrs. Barbara Sim Mutch | Superintendent, Cheshire Constabulary |
| David Withers | Manager, Allied Dunbar Financial Services |
Dorset Institute of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Marcus Beresford | Managing Director, Plessey Controls Ltd., Poole |
| Martin C. Copp | Chairman, Coolmation Ltd., Ringwood; Chairman, Wessex Board of Institute of Directors |
| Baroness Caroline Cox | Former Director of Nursing Education Research Unit, Chelsea College, University of London; Member of House of Lords with special interest in education |
| Norman Drew | Mar aging Director, The Ryvita Co. Ltd. |
| Alexander C. McKinlay | Partner, Peat Marwick & McLintock, Poole |
| Thomas Stanley Monkcom | Former Managing Director and Chairman, The De Vilbiss Co. Ltd. |
| Professor William Penny | Chairman, Penny & Giles International plc |
| John D. Slater | Director, Southern Tourist Board, Eastleigh |
| Roy J. Tazzyman | Managing Director, Davy McKee Ltd. |
Ealing College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Geoffrey Cox | Chairman, Haymills Ltd. |
| Miss Tina Day | Head of Policy, National Consumer Council |
| Mrs. Judith Exelby | Television Presenter |
| Robin D. Gill | Director, 1970 Trust Ltd. |
| John G. Hendy, QC | Queens Counsel |
| Mrs. Dorothy MacKenzie | Managing Director of Brand New (Product Origination) Ltd. |
| Miss Helena Molyneux | Vice President Personnel Europe, Middle East, Africa Bankers Trust Co. |
| Colin Monk | Managing Director, Memtec Europe Ltd. |
| Dr. G. N. J. Port | Senior Managing Consultant, Peat Marwick McLintock |
| John Francis Purnell, GM | Chief Superintendent, Metropolitan Police, Officer Commanding Ealing Division |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Miss Brenda Seel | Personnel Services Manager, Taylor Woodrow Group |
| Dr. John Spreadborough | Managing Director, J. Spreadborough & Co. Ltd. |
| J. Q. Thompson | Director, Coopers & Lybrand |
Polytechnic of East London
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Valerie Aggett | Chairman and Principal, HLT Group of Colleges; Solicitor; won Queen's award for exports |
| Ms. Jocelyn Barrow | Consultant on educational issues Governor of the BBC |
| Peter Blower | Scientific Adviser, Beechams Pharmaceutical |
| Alex Ferry | General Secretary, Confederation of Ship Building and Engineering Unions |
| Kypros Nicholas | Solicitor, Nicholas & Co. |
| Allan S. J. Morgan | Personnel Director, Rhone-Poulenc Ltd. |
| John Perry | Chairman & Managing Director, Unisys Ltd. (UK) |
| Andrew Rork | Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi |
| Naomi Sargent | Senior Commissioning Editor, Educational Programming, Channel Four; former Professor and Pro Vice-Chancellor at the Open University |
| Roger S. Shashoua | Chairman, The Shashoua Foundation |
| Ronald Shepherd | Manager, Education, Training and Personnel, Ford Motor Co. Ltd; Chairman of CBI Education & Training Committee; |
| John Tarrington | Senior Consultant, Peat Marwick McLintock |
| Jean Tomlin | Personnel Manager, Prudential Assurance Co. |
Edge Hill College of Further Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| B. D. Blake | Chairman, Venture Capital Ltd., Manchester |
| Jonathan Chaytor | Senior Partner, Chaytor Steele and Co. |
| Charles Coombes | Manager of Group Central Services, Ocean Transport and Trading plc |
| John Cowdall | Chief Executive Officer, West Lancashire District Council |
| M. Ford | Headteacher, Heys Primary School, Ashton-Under-Lyne |
| Dr. Janet Kear | Assistant Director, The Wildfowl Trust; Curator, The Wildfowl Trust Centre, Martin Mere, Burscough |
| Raymond McManus | Official, Transport and General Workers Union, West Lancashire District |
| Brian Millner | Director (External Relations), Pilkington plc, St. Helens, Merseyside |
| R. A. Wilson | Director (Chief Executive), Thomas Bell International Ltd., Liverpool |
Falmouth school of an and design
| |
Independent members
| Affiliation
|
| Michael Bristow | Former deputy treasurer, Cornwall county council |
| Diane Colville | High sheriff of Cornwall |
| Richard Anthony Foster | Artist, former arts administrator |
| John Girdlestone | Finance-managing director, Rueckes Engineering Ltd. (automotive design engineers) |
| Clive W. Grownow | Director personnel and production, English China Clays |
Independent members
| Affiliation
|
| John Halkes | Director, Newlyn Orion Gallery |
| Gerard Mansell | Former deputy director-general, BBC; member, UK National Commission for UNESCO; chairman, British Committee of Journalist in Europe |
| Michael Edward Richards | Solicitor |
| Sir Kenneth Sharp | Partner, Baker Tilly chartered accountants |
| David Julian Taylor | Retail director, Barclays bank |
| Mrs. Jessica D. E. Thomas | Professional writer and broadcaster |
Hatfield Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dudley R. Cloake | Director of Management Services, John Lewis Partnership plc |
| J. David OBE | Managing Director, Catomance Ltd. |
| Peter Cecil Farmer | Manager (Human Resources), British Petroleum |
| James F. McGown | Director and General Manager, Lee Valley Water Company |
| T. G. Mercer OBE | Chairman, Thomas Mercer Ltd. |
| Hugh Metcalfe | Former Deputy Chief Executive, British Aerospace Ltd; non-Executive Director, Hunting Engineering |
| Dr. Katie Petty-Saphon | Publishing Manager, Institution of Electrical Engineers |
| Mrs. Sheila Roy | Director of Nursing, North-West Thames Regional Health Authority |
| A. Stephenson | Engineering Manager of Civil Aircraft Division, British Aerospace plc |
| Dr. Richard Sykes | Chairman and Chief Executive, Glaxo Group Research Ltd. |
| M. Tempany OBE | Vice-Principal (External Affairs), Kings College London |
The Polytechnic Huddersfield
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Mrs. Jane Carter | Former Councillor of Kirklees Metropolitan Council |
| Reginald Cross | District President, AEU |
| Peter Fielden | Chairman and Managing Director, Olympic Holdings (South West) Ltd. |
| Lord John Gregson | Director, Fairey Holdings |
| J. Haigh | Managing Director, F. Drake & Co. Ltd.; Chairman, F. Drake Fibres Ltd. |
| Norman Haigh | General Manager, Millers Oils Limited |
| Mrs. Kay Hill | Partner, David Law & Company, Sheffield |
| Dr. John S. Hughes | Consultant Psychiatrist |
| Brian Ward | Senior Partner, Revell Ward, Chartered Accountants, Huddersfield |
Humberside college of higher education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Roger Ewart Brown | District General Manager, Hull Health Authority |
| Ian Colquhoun | City Architect, Hull City Council |
| Anthony A. Dunn | Works General Manager, BP Chemicals Hull |
| Michael Edwards | Divisional Director and General Manager, British Aerospace, Brough |
| Frank Alan Flear | Director, Fitch, Lovell plc, Chairman and Managing Director, Bluecrest Foods Ltd, Grimsby |
| Dr. J. H. Hooper CBE TD | Chairman, East Riding Health Authority |
| David Frederick McGowan | Director, Hull and Humberside Housing Association |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Andrew Milner | Managing Director, H umber side Fertilisers plc, Hull |
| Christopher M. Oughtred | Joint Managing Director, William Jackson and Son plc |
| Isobel Shepherdson | Self employed Education Consultant to LEAs (notably Humberside) |
| Donald G. Snelgrove | Bishop of Hull |
| John Francis White | Divisional Director, Faber Prest plc |
| Jennifer Wilson | Partner with firm of Solicitors |
Kent Institute of Art and Design
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Edward Booth-Clibborn | Chairman, Designers and Art Directors Association of London; Consultant and Lecturer |
| David Callcott | Chairman and Managing Director, John Michael Design Consultants Ltd. |
| George Trevor Carney | Senior Partner, Argles and Court, Solicitors |
| Graham Clarke | Professional artist and designer |
| Jill (Diana) Cochrane | Professional Broadcaster on radio and television |
| Dr. R. H. Cragg | Director, Pressprint Publicity (Kent) Ltd. (advertising agency) |
| Sir David Crouch | Chairman, Theatres Trust Former MP for Canterbury |
| Miss J. Fraser | Former Head of Industrial Design Division, The Design Council; CNAA Assessor at Ravensbourne Graphics |
| G. Gilbert | Managing Director, Pierre Elegante Ltd. |
| P. D. Marsh | Architect, Dudley Marsh Son & Partners; Surveyor to Canterbury Cathedral |
| Mrs. Fiona E. Miller | Buying Controller, British Home Stores plc |
| Peter Smith | Deputy Marketing Director, British Airways |
| W. Taylor | Consultant, Arthur Young's Former County Treasurer, Kent County Council |
Kingston Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Reginald W. Bailey OBE | Former Managing Director, Putney Division, Smiths Industries Aerospace & Defence systems |
| Mrs. Joan Bingley | Company Secretary, Imry Merchant Developers plc |
| Ronald F. Coleman | Chief Engineer and Scientist, DTI |
| J. Graham Day | Chairman and Chief Executive, Rover Group |
| Royston Doughty | Managing Director, Duracell (UK) Ltd. |
| George T. Freeman | Partner, Freeman, Robertson, Leese Design Consultants |
| Donald F. Heaver | General Manager, Marks & Spencer plc, Oxford Street Store |
| Jacob Lewin | Senior Partner, Lewin Fryer & Partners Consulting Engineers |
| Kenneth McAinsh | Managing Director, Putney Division, Smiths Industries Aerospace & Defence Systems |
| Eric A. G. Morgan | Former Managing Director, British American Cosmetics |
| Mrs. Jane Priestman | Director Architecture, Design & Environment, British Rail Board |
| Christopher R. West | Director & General Manager, British Aerospace plc, Military Aircraft Division |
Lancashire Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Clifford Birch | Regional Manager, Royal Bank of Scotland plc |
| Christopher Crewdson | Managing Director, Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd |
| David Eaves | Managing Director, Northern Region, Prudential Property Services |
| Sir Frank Kennedy | Ex Diplomat; Director, British Airways |
| Janice Langley | Manager of Catalyst—the Museum of the Chemical Industry; Part-time student of the Polytechnic |
| Sally Medlyn | Deputy Director, North West Arts |
| Gloria Oates | General Manager, Rochdale Health Authority |
| Frank Roe | Former Managing Director, Military Aircraft Division, British Aerospace |
| Keith Scott | Chairman, Building Design Partnership |
| Iain Smith | Chairman, Baxi Ltd |
| Tony Stephens | Director, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd |
| David Taylor | Managing Director, Lancashire Enterprises Ltd |
| Michael Watson | Chairman, Fentons (Engineering/Design) |
Leeds Polytechnic
| |
Independent members
| Affiliation
|
| Peter Alcock | Chairman, Hunslet (Holdings) plc |
| Ruth Bundey | Head of a Leeds Solicitors' firm |
| Paul H. Corby | Regional Secretary, UCATT |
| Yvette Gallagher | Company Secretary and Principal Coordinator, PATH Ltd. |
| Anthony Ernest Grant | Partner in Charge, Coopers and Lybrand, Leeds |
| David Pickersgill | Managing Director, Pickersgill Kaye |
| Peter Shakeshaft | Director, John Waddington plc |
| Leslie Silver | Chairman, Kalon Group plc |
Leicester Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Professor Peter Bell | Professor of Surgery, University of Leicester |
| Howard Davies | Controller of the Audit Commission for local authorities in England and Wales |
| Mrs. Elizabeth Esteve-Coll | Director, Victoria and Albert Museum since 1988 |
| Simon Everard | Chairman, Ellis and Everard plc; Deputy Chairman, Alliance and Leicester Building Society |
| Sir Ronald Halstead | Deputy Chairman, British Steel |
| William Irwin | Chairman and Managing Director, Glovease Shoes Ltd. |
| Russell Kempton | Chairman, T. W. Kempton Ltd. |
| Dame Anne Mueller | Second Permanent Secretary, Her Majesty's Treasury |
| Dr. Udai Singh | Head of Aerodynamics, GEC |
| Dr. Joseph Valentine | Deputy Chairman, Fisons plc; Chairman, Fisons Pharmaceuticals |
| Dr. John White | Group Managing Director, BBA Group; Non-Executive Director, Burgess Group plc |
| John Whitehead | Chairman, John Whitehead Textiles Ltd. & M. Harrison & Co. Finishers Ltd. |
Liverpool Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Charles B. Corden | Senior Partner, C. B. Corden & Co., Chartered Surveyors |
| Henry Cotton | Development Director, Owen Owen Ltd. |
| Phillida G. S. Entwhistle | Director, J. Davey & Sons (Liverpool) Ltd. |
| John H. Forrest | District General Manager, British Telecom, Liverpool |
| Stanton Thomas Fuller | Chief Executive, Wavertree Technology Park Co. |
| Ms. Jane Kennedy | Branch Secretary, Liverpool City General Branch NUPE |
| John Moores | Main Board Director, The Littlewoods Organisation |
| H. M. P. Robinson | Director, Merseyside Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Professor Alec Smith | Division Manager, Unilever Research |
London Institute
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Alan Bennett | Managing Director, Astral Ltd., Director, House of Fraser Group |
| Sir Alan Bowness | Director, Tate Gallery; Director, Henry Moore Foundation |
| Robert J. Bright | Chairman and Managing Director, Wells of Mayfair (Tailors) |
| Ronald David Carter | Chairman, DCA Design International Ltd.; Chairman, Conran Foundation |
| Colin Cullimore | Managing Director, Retail Division, Union International plc |
| Bernard Gay | Former HMI |
| Jack Gold | Director TV and film documentaries and fiction |
| Rodney Fitch | Chairman, Fitch and Co. |
| Mrs. Angela Lascelles | Director, OLIM |
| Julian Markham | Chairman Glengate Holdings plc |
| David Padbury | Director, South Eastern Region, British Printing Industries Federation |
| James Pilditch | President and former Chief Executive, Allied International Designers |
| Mrs. Jenifer Rosenberg | Managing Director, J. & J. Fashions Ltd. |
Loughborough College of An and Design
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Paul E. Atkinson | Design Director, Atkinson Design Associates |
| John Carter | Chairman and Managing Director, Carter Design Group Ltd. |
| Professor D. E. N. Davies | Vice Chancellor, University of Technology, Loughborough |
| Andrew Fairbairn | Former Director of Education, Leicestershire |
| Martin W. Fear | Design Director, Derwent Upholstery Limited |
| Raymond Hale | County Treasurer, Leicestershire County Council |
| David Manley | Art, Crafts and Photography officer, East Midlands Arts |
| Mrs. Jan P. Moscovitch | Design Manager, Moygashel Ltd. |
| Mrs. Cathy Stephens | Design Director, Cathy Stephens Jewellery |
| Michael Taylor | Chairman, the Taylor Partnership |
Luton College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Julie Bonner | Personnel Manager, Monarch Airlines |
| David Brown CBE | Chairman, AWD Ltd., Artix Ltd., Multidrive Ltd. (Engineering & Manufacturing) |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Clifford Bygrave | Senior Partner, Arthur Young |
| Peter Henman | Chairman, T. & E. Neville (Construction) |
| Philip Hoskins | Secretary-General, Luton, Bedford and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Anthony Lines | Personnel Manager, Vauxhall Motors Ltd. |
| Derek Ludlow | Chairman Ludlow Group (Automobile Engineering) |
| Professor John Matthews | Director, AFRC Engineering |
| David A. Palmer | Director of Finance & Administration, FI Group plc (Computer software) |
| George Slessor | Assistant Divisional Organiser, Amalgamated Engineering Union |
| Mrs. Julia Thorn | Managing Director, Corporate & International Division of Paragon Communications plc |
| Anthony Whitear | Director, Research & Development, Whitbreads plc |
| Dr. Gerald Watson | Managing Director, Measurement Technology Ltd. (Electronic equipment manufacturer) |
Manchester Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Sir Christopher Ball | Chairman, National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education in England |
| Mrs. Yvonne Bradbury | Director of Promotions, Greater Manchester Economic Development Corporation Ltd |
| William I Corlett | Solicitor |
| Miss Frances Dean | Former Secretary, Manchester TUC |
| Bryan D. Langton CBE | Chairman, Holiday Inns International |
| Philip G. Livesey | Former partner in charge, Coopers & Lybrand (North West Region) |
| Geoffrey Manton | Former Chairman, Sedgwick UK Ltd, North West (International Insurance Brokers) |
| Louis Mitchell | Management Consultant |
| David E. Plowright | Managing Director, Granada TV |
| Peter G. Schaefer | Chairman & Executive, Lawtex plc |
| John A. Stanley | Senior Executive, Marks and Spencer plc |
| Alan A. Watson | Agent, Bank of England (Manchester Branch) |
| Thomas Weatherby CBE | Executive Chairman, Whitecroft plc (textiles, building supplies) |
Middlesex Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Clive H. Bateson | Managing Director, European Operations, Atlantic Petroleum Corporation |
| Dinah Casson | Partner Casson/Mann Design Consultancy |
| David Hyde | Deputy Marketing Director, British Airways |
| Professor John C. Levy OBE | Director, Engineering Profession of The Engineering Council; Engineering Consultant to Shell International Marine |
| Dr. E. L. Neufeld | Director, Systems Integration, IBM Europe |
| Gordon C. Pettit | General Manager, British Rail, Southern Region |
| Howard T. H. M. Phelps | Former Director of Operations, British Airways; Honorary Visiting Professor, Middlesex Polytechnic |
| Judith Henley Sear | District Nurse Officer, Barnet Health Authority |
| George W. A. Shiells | Chairman, Morgan-Grampian Local Newspapers |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Francis P. Tridgell | Former Senior Deputy Divisional General Manager, National Westminster Bank; Chairman or Director of various banking enterprises |
Nene College
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Peter Bennett | Managing Partner, Howes Percival, Solicitors |
| Jim Burrell | Group Training Manager, Lex Automotive Ltd. |
| Christopher Davenport | Joint Managing Director, Robert Horne Group plc. |
| Michael Dove | Managing Director, Express Lift Co. Ltd. |
| Peter Elwood | Chief Executive, Barclaycard |
| Jeffrey Greenwell | Chief Executive, Northants County Council |
| Lady Gayle Robinson | Member of the Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs |
| Dr. Sheila Shribman | Consultant Paediatrician, Princess Marina Hospitals |
| Paul Southworth | President and Chief Executive, Avon Cosmetics Ltd. |
| Anthony Stoughton-Harris | Executive Vice-Chairman, Nationwide Anglia Building Society; Chairman of the Building Societies Association |
| The Rt. Rev. Win. Westwood | Bishop of Peterborough |
Newcastle Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| William Reay Atkinson | Chairman, Northern Development Company Ltd.; Former Assistant Under-Secretary, DTI |
| Mrs. Margaret Barbour | Chairman and Controlling Director, J. Barbour and Sons Ltd. |
| Miss Dorothy Blenkinsop | Regional Nursing Officer, Northern Regional Health Authority |
| John Frost | Television/Media Consultant; previously BBC Regional TV Manager (North East and Cumbria) |
| Lord Glenamara | Member of House of Lords; Former Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education |
| Bent Henriksen, OBE | Consultant to Industry in UK and USA |
| Charles Francis Herzberg | Consultant; Enterprise Counsellor, DTI; Director, Northern Investors Co. Ltd. |
| Peter McKendrick | A Senior and Managing Partner, Sanderson Townend and Gilbert (Surveyors) |
| James Christopher Sharp | Managing Director, Northern Rock Building Society |
| Graeme C. Stanton | Editor, "Evening Chronicle", Newcastle |
| R. N. D. Stephenson | Managing Director, Newcastle Breweries Ltd. |
| John Streeton Ward | Regional Director, Barclays Bank plc, Northern Region |
| Susan M. Wilson | General Manager—Personnel (Divisional Responsibility) Vickers Defence Systems |
North Riding College
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| John Jackson Carrier | General Manager (Operations), Scarborough Building Society |
| H. J. Evans | Chief Executive and Clerk, North Yorkshire County Council |
| Andrew R. Gare | Managing Director, Boythorpe Ltd. |
| Professor Peter H. J. H. Gosden | Chairman of School of Education, University of Leeds |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Professor G. R. J. Jones | Professor Historical Geography, University of Leeds |
| Arthur William Kendrick | Head of Personnel, Rowntree PLC |
| A. D. McCain | Deputy Managing Director, McCains Foods (GB) Ltd. |
| Mrs. Mary McCormack | Headteacher, Hinderwell Primary School |
| G. T. V. Pindar | Chairman, G. A. Pindar & Son Lid.; Chairman, Scarborough Building Society |
| Hilary Susan Truefitt | Partner, Buchannan & White (Solicitors) |
Oxford Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Peter Bagnall | Managing Director, W. H. Smith |
| Dr. Paul Brankin | The Oxford Instruments Group plc Managing Director, Oxford Medical Ltd. |
| Stephen Dexter | Senior Partner, Grant Thornton, Chartered Accountants |
| Bernard Harty | Former County Treasurer, Oxfordshire County Council |
| Dr. Paul Kent | Former member Oxford City Council Lecturer |
| Mrs. Caroline Miles | Chairman, Oxfordshire Health Authority |
| Andrew Smith MP | Member of Parliament for Oxford, East |
Portsmouth Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Charles Brims | Chief Executive, Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers Ltd. |
| Maurice G. Hardy | Chairman and Chief Executive, Pall Europe Ltd. (Engineering) |
| James W. Harper | Architect—own practice |
| John Huffell | IBM UK Resident Director, Hampshire |
| Victor J. Jenner | Chairman, Planning and Resource Allocation Panel—Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Health Authority |
| Nicholas Jonas | Chairman, Hampshire Development Association; formerly with IBM on main UK Holdings Board |
| Jerome O'Hea | Joint Group Managing Director of Colt Group Ltd. (Manufacturing company) |
| Sandra Roberts | Assistant Company Secretary, Legal and Administration Department, Lederle Laboratories |
| Dr. Helen M. Rule | Marine Archaeologist and Author |
| Charles H. Tidbury | Director, Whitbread; President/Chairman of various trusts and foundations |
| Stuart H. Waring | Chairman, Heaton Holdings Ltd. |
| George G. Zahler | Consultant to Thermal Scientific Group plc; Director of Dartec Ltd. and of Rosand Precision Ltd. |
| AD. Zemenides | Managing Director, Sealectro Ltd. (subsidiary of BICC plc) |
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Christopher William Bellamy | Barrister at law |
| Richard Anthony Brook | Managing Director, Scientific Instruments Research Association |
| Brian Markham Cooper | Formerly Registrar, Royal College of Art |
| Neville Fox-Davies | Art Director, Reader's Digest |
| Mrs. Lyn Christine How | Head of International Unit, Pensions Fund Department, Phillips and Drew |
| Ray Leigh | Non-Executive Director and Design Consultant, Gordon Russell plc |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. Janet Morgan | Adviser to the BBC, Panasonic UK Ltd., Granada Group; formerly member of the Central Policy Review Staff at Cabinet Office |
| Guy David Neely | Finance Director, Mercers Company |
| Mark Stevens | Director of Staff Relations, Thames Television plc |
Royal Northern College of Music
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Sebastian De Ferranti | Director, GEC plc; Director, National Nuclear Corporation |
| Sir Charles Groves CBE | Conductor |
| David Hunter MBE | Chairman, Henry Cooke Lumsden plc; Director, Halifax Building Society |
| Mrs. Joyce Hytner | Manager, External Affairs, Granada Television Ltd |
| Michael Kennedy OBE | Journalist and writer on music; formerly Northern Editor, Daily Telegraph |
| Christopher Kenyon | Chairman & Group Chief Executive, William Kenyon & Sons Ltd |
| Sir Idwal Pugh KCB | Chairman, Chartered Trust Ltd; Director of Standard Chartered Bank & of Halifax Building Society |
| Robert Scott | Managing Director, Manchester Theatres Ltd |
| Simon Towneley | Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire; Director of Granada Television |
Salford College of Technology
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Anthony Boore | Managing Director, Manchester Evening News |
| David Coleman | Director of Management, Colegate-Palmolive Limited |
| Sarah Dallas | Designer/Partner for own company 'Sarah Dallas' (fashion) |
| Peter Foster | District General Manager, Salford Health Authority |
| Dr. Jack Goldberg | Retired Solicitor; Chairman, Salford University Council |
| D. J. Kent | Regional Manager, Copthorne Hotels Ltd. |
| Peter Lauener | Area Manager, Training Commission |
| Susan Roberts | Editor, Open Air (live programme) |
| Robert Shields | Chief Executive, Trafford Park Development Corporation |
| Simon Sperryn | Chief Executive, Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Gil Thompson | Chief Executive, Manchester Airport plc |
| David Wilson | Director of Banking, British Linen Bank |
| David Woods | Chairman and Managing Director, Fearnley Construction Group |
Sheffield Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. Debjani Chatterjee | Principal Community Relations Officer with the Sheffield Council for Racial Equality |
| Richard Field OBE | Deputy Chairman, J & J Dyson plc; Chairman, Kent Aerospace Castings Ltd |
| Mrs Jasmine Harfoot | Managing Director, Land Instruments International Ltd |
| Peter Horsepool | Managing Director, Ackroyd & Abbott Ltd |
| John Illingworth | Retired Chief Shopstewards' Convenor, British Forgemasters |
| Ian A Johnston | Deputy Director General, Training Commission |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Nicholas C Kemp | Director, Engineering Employers' (Sheffield) Association |
| Malcolm Newman | City Treasurer, Sheffield City Council |
| Peter J Newman | Chief Executive—Metals, Davy McKee |
| Derek Simpson | District Secretary, AUEW |
| Harold B Stokes | Chairman & Chief Executive, Bassett Foods plc |
| David Stone | Managing Director, Stocksbridge Engineering Steels |
| Ms Clare Venables | Director, Crucible Theatre |
Southampton IHE
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. Stanley Crooks | Chairman, Pirelli Group |
| Peter William Doble | Managing Director, Southampton Container Terminals Ltd. (subsidiary of Associated British Ports) |
| John Fallow | Regional Director of Personnel, British Gas plc, Southern |
| B. R. J. Gill | Senior Partner with Messrs Ernst & Whinney |
| Dr. Jan Harding | Equal Opportunities Consultant |
| Malcolm Hedley Le Bas | Solicitor with Paris, Smith & Randall |
| Michael John Love | Managing Director, Lloyd Instruments plc |
| Ian A. Pirie | Chairman and Managing Director, Hydralon Ltd. |
| John Rendle | Managing Director, Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd. |
| James Edward Stanley | Chairman and Managing Director, Gabare Ltd. |
| Rita Steel | Sales Associate, Allied Dunbar Assurance plc |
South West London College
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. Walter Vego Baker | Chief Executive, South London Business Initiatives |
| Mrs. Janet Elliott | Director-General, Pitman Examination Institute |
| Colonel Thomas R. Fairclough | Resettlement Training Policy Officer, Ministry of Defence |
| T. G. P. Rogers | Chairman, BTEC; Chairman, Regional Health Authority |
| Dr. Roy Salter | Director of Corporate Planning, BAT Industries plc |
| Dr. Margaret L. Spong | Education Secretary, Chartered Association of Certified Accountants |
| Michael David Stott | Regional Communications and External Programmes Manager, IBM UK Ltd. |
| Roger Donald McSweeny | Director of Personnel, Trustees Savings Bank |
| Efstratios Zographos | Finance Director, TV-am plc |
Polytechnic South West
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Charles Ansell | Former Chairman of Devon County Council |
| Professor B. L. Bayne | Director, Plymouth Marine Laboratory |
| R. Bentley | Planning Officer—Plymouth City Council; Member of Plymouth Health Authority |
| Mrs. Mary Gretton | Executive Committee, Devon Science and Technology Regional Organisation; former Personnel Manager, Plessey Semiconductors Ltd. |
| Roger J. Harris | Senior Partner, Peat Marwick McLintock |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Alan J. Macfarlane | Former Managing Director, Farley Health Products Ltd. (Subsidiary of Glaxo Holdings plc) |
| Victor Parsons | Managing Director, Wandel and Goltermann Ltd. |
| Dr. Patricia Pay | Solicitor; Chair of Exeter and District Community Health Council |
| Charles Stuart | Chairman and Chief Executive, Brymon Airways |
| Peter Thorpe | Former Bank Manager |
| John C. C. Warren | Deputy Chairman, Company of Designers plc |
Staffordshire Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| J. Broome CBE | Chairman and Chief Executive, Alton Towers Ltd. |
| G. W. Buckley | Director and General Manager, GEC Turbine Generators Ltd.—Generator Division |
| Ms. Valerie Burton | Planning Manager, Bass plc |
| Patrick P. Byrne | Chairman and Chief Executive, Wedgwood Group |
| Stanley W. Clarke | Chairman and Chief Executive, St. Modwen Properties |
| T. E. Cowlishaw | Company Secretary, West Midland Estates Ltd.; Consultant |
| D. A. Isherwood | Director, Century Oils Ltd. |
| Mrs. Helen S. Perkins | Personnel Co-ordinator—British Steel |
| David Scahill | Managing Director, Cannon Industries Ltd. |
| Michael Shaw | Chairman and Managing Director, Britannia Building Society |
Sunderland Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| William Darling | Retail Pharmacist; Chairman, South Tyneside Health Authority |
| Kenneth Douglas | Former Managing Director, Austin & Pickersgill Shipbuilders |
| Stephen Harbottle | Senior Partner, Wilkinson Maughan Solicitors |
| William Hay | Chief Executive, Newcastle Initiative |
| Frank Nicholson | Joint Managing Director, Vaux Breweries plc |
| Herbert Rice | Chartered Accountant, Spicer & Pegler |
| Ms. Esmee Slattery | Staff Tax Partner, Price Waterhouse |
| Peter Wickens | Director of Personnel, Nissan (UK) Ltd. |
| Peter Vardy | Chairman and Managing Director, Reg Vardy Ltd. |
Teeside Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. John N. Bridge | Chief Executive, Northern Development Company |
| Mrs. Susan Bush | Manager Personnel & Administration, Davy McKee (Stockton) Ltd |
| Mrs. Joy Chapman | District Nursing Officer, North Tees Health Authority |
| David J. Grant | Chairman, Darchem Ltd; Deputy Chairman, William Baird plc |
| Miss Stella Guy | District Officer, Transport & General Workers Union, Stockton |
| John P. Hackney | Chief Executive, Tees & Hartlepool Port Authority |
| Richard Harker | Managing Director, Harkers Engineering |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| G. Hunter | Chief Executive, Belasis Hall Technology Park |
| Richard Lines | Chairman & Chief Executive, Marlborough Technical Management |
| Christopher Shaw | Chairman, Micro-Metalsmiths Ltd (Light Precision Engineering) |
| Dr. James Smith | Process Engineering Group Manager, Research & Technology Dept, ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd |
| Dr. Robert G. J. Telfer | Director, Manchester Business School |
| Michael D. Ward | Director, Teeside Works, British Steel Corporation |
Thames Valley College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Dr. John Frederick Cavalla | Vice President of Research & Development, Wyeth Research (UK) |
| Miss Pamela Mary Cooper | District Nursing Officer, East Berkshire Area Health Authority |
| John Danzeisen | Finance Director, ICI Paints Division |
| D. W. Gration | Chief Operating Officer, Celltech Limited (Biopharmaceulicals) |
| Professor Thomas Kempner | Principal, Henley The Management College |
| Brian R. Law | Former Managing Director, Mars Ltd. |
| Mrs. E. M. McClure | Personnel Manager, AEG (UK) Ltd. |
| Ms. Janet Nuttall | Strategic Human Resource Consultant, Deloitte Haskins & Sells |
| Godfrey Harland Odds | Former Deputy Leader, Berkshire County Council |
| G. Pye | Personnel Director, Trust House Forte Hotels (UK) |
| Leslie Peter Robinson | Director & Chief Executive of South Bucks & East Berks Chamber of Commerce & Industry |
| John Michael Spurr | Chief Manager, Corporate Banking Group, National Westminster Bank plc |
| John W. Thompson | Deputy Managing Director, Smiths Industries plc |
Trent Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| E. Cliffe | Board member of Boots Company Group & Managing Director of Industrial Division |
| Dr. Christine Hopton | General Manager, Community Services, Nottingham Health Authority |
| Stephen John Hyde | Chairman & Managing Director, Hicking Pentecoste plc; Chairman & Managing Director, Globebirch-Business Consultancy |
| His Hon. Judge T. O. Kellock QC | Circuit Judge |
| I. McLean | Chairman, Plessey Communications Systems Ltd & Chairman, Plessey Finance Ltd |
| Stephen John Plummer | Deputy Chairman, Lee Colourplan Ltd (Textiles) |
| T. Richmond | National Managing Partner, Pannell Kerr Forster Chartered Accountants |
| Gordon Ralph Waine | Regional Executive Director National Westminster Bank plc |
| D. White | Deputy Chairman, National Freight Consortium Ltd; Chairman, Nottingham Health Authority |
West Surrey College of Art and Design
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| L. Anthony Bracking | Consultant in Public Affairs |
| George Burnett | Managing Director, Ashlead Group plc |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| David Gillespie | Sculptor and Business Consultant; Founder of David Gillespie Associates |
| Professor David Hamilton | Professor of Ceramics and Glass, Royal College of Art |
| Richard Hoare | Partner, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, Solicitors |
| Ian T. Jenkin, OBE | Director, The Open College of the Arts |
| Audrey Levy | Self employed Designer and Design Consultant; Teacher |
| John Miller | Head of Features and Education with Television South |
| Creighton Redman | Chief Manager, National Westminster Bank, Lothbury Officer |
| Doreen Simmons | Chairman, Farnham Voluntary Services and Community Association; Former Teacher |
Winchester School of Art
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Edward Chamberlain | Design Centre Manager, IBM Hursley Park |
| Francis Graham-Dixon | Director, Francis Graham-Dixon Gallery |
| Francoise Jollant | Design Director, Louis Vuitton, Paris |
| John Miles | General Manager, Next Interiors |
| Peter B. Moody | Joint Managing Director, Generics Holdings Ltd. (Scientific and business consultancy) |
| Dr. Marcia Pointon | Reader in History of Art, University of Sussex |
| William Pye | Sculptor |
| Kingsley Williams | Solicitor; Chairman of Council and Pro Chancellor, Southampton University. |
Wolverhampton Polytechnic
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| John Gatenby | Deputy Regional Director, National Westminster Bank plc |
| Dr. Michael Harrison | District General Manager, Sandwell Health Authority |
| Miss Susan Massey | Solicitor |
| Glynne Morris | Managing Director, Marston Palmer Ltd. (Engineering) |
| Ms. Sonia Peters | Health Visitor and Field Work Teacher, Wolverhampton Health Authority |
| John Rice | Chief Executive, Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| John Sayers | Managing Director, InterTAN (UK) Ltd. (Tandy Ltd.) Walsall |
| Anthony Smith | Group Financial Director, Wagon Industrial Holdings plc |
| Neville A. Soper | Former Executive Director, Tarmac Construction Ltd. |
| Michael J. Tandy | Partner, Arther Young, Chartered Accountants, Telford |
| John H. Young | Technology Research Manager, Synthetic Chemicals Ltd. |
Note: West Midlands College of Higher Education merged with Wolverhampton Polytechnic on 1 April 1989.
Worcester College of Higher Education
| |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Christopher J. Blackman | Managing Director, Deansway Catering Company Ltd. |
| Mrs. Margaret H. Buchan | Administration Manager, National Westminster Bank plc (Malvern) |
| Eric W. Dickinson | Joint Registrar of the County Courts |
| Raymond T. George | Former Managing Director, Royal Worcester Spode (Worcester Porcelain) |
Independent Members
| Affiliation
|
| Mrs Pamela C. Hawkeswood | Company Accountant, Cosworth Engineering |
| Lowry D. Maclean | Chairman & Chief Executive, Tomkinsons plc |
| Dr. Brian McCloskey | Acting District Medical Officer, Worcester & District Health Authority |
| Albert Morris | Company Director, Old Worcestershire Furniture Company Ltd. |
| Richard H. C. Pugh | Director, Great Universal Stores, Kay & Company Ltd. |
| Major Peter L. Tapply | Chairman, Tapply Management Consultants |
| Wilfred R. Tomlinson | Director, Worcester Group plc |
| Gordon Trueman | Director, Hereford & Worcester Chamber of Commerce & Industry |
| Ms. Mary Vaughan | Manager, Sapphire Training Worcester |
National Finance
Growth Rates
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing for each of the past 15 years United Kingdom growth rates, the growth rate of each of the United Kingdom's partners in the European Commission, and world growth rates, respectively.
Figures for United Kingdom GDP can be found in the United Kingdom National Accounts Blue Book and in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. For EC countries growth rates for the years 1974 to 1987 can be found in the latest OECD Economic Outlook. Provisional figures for 1988 are given in OECD Main Economic Indicators, published monthly. Figures for world growth are given in the International Financial Statistics Yearbook and in the latest World Economic Outlook, both published by the IMF. All these publications can be obtained from the Library of the House.
Ec Goods (Fast Lane Clearance)
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made on the introduction of a fast lane clearance system for European Economic Community goods.
Customs and Excise is developing two fast lane schemes as interim measures to speed up the clearance of freight in the period leading to completion of the single market. They depend on the use of computer systems to facilitate rapid clearance and to simplify requirements for most kinds of goods imported from the Community.The first scheme is planned to start nationally on 1 August 1989, from which date the Customs computer will be able to grant immediate clearance to the majority of Community goods upon arrival. The necessary paper documentation will be processed after clearance of the goods. The fast lane facility will not, however, remove the need for essential preventive checks in the case of drugs and other prohibited or restricted goods.The second scheme will also allow immediate clearance for the same kinds of goods but the detailed information will be provided by importers later in the form of schedules transmitted to Customs electronically. This system will make use of recent developments in technology and will be used this winter on a trial basis before becoming generally available next year.In consultation with the trading community Customs and Excise is also reviewing export procedures to see whether there is further scope for simplification in order to speed exports to other member states in the Community.
Premium Bonds
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of premium savings bond sales in January were in denominations of less than £100.
The number of premium bonds sold in January 1989 in denominations of less than £100 was 172,000. These bonds accounted for only about 12 per cent. of the total value.
Government Actuary
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to change the 1989–90 cash limit and running costs limit for the Government Actuary's Department.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for class XIX, vote 4 will be increased by £25,000 from £548,000 to £573,000, and the running costs limit by £178,000 from £2,510,000 to £2,688,000, to provide for recently implemented pay increases for actuarial staff, and the completion of the conversion of a major pension programme to in-house microcomputers. The increase in the cash limit will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Close Investment-Holding Companies
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the provisions in the Finance Bill concerning close investment-holding companies.
We have received a number of representations.The purpose of the provisions concerning close investment-holding companies is to enable the highly complex and lengthy legislation about close company apportionment to be abolished while preventing the avoidance of tax on investment income and capital gains by an individual placing personal investments in a closely controlled investment company. There is general agreement on these objectives.The approach of the provisions in the Finance Bill is to tax CICs like individuals, so far as possible. However, although there have been some misunderstandings of the effect of the provisions, we are persuaded that this approach has its own difficulties and could place some close companies at a competitive disadvantage in comparison with non-close competitors. This was not the intention. We therefore propose to bring forward amendments.We have no doubt that the right approach remains to abolish apportionment and replace it by an appropriate tax charge on the company. We now propose that CICs will continue to be taxed like other companies, with the normal reliefs for interest and expenses. But, whatever the level of their profits, they will no longer receive the benefit of the small companies rate and so will be taxed at 35 per cent. This approach will result in rules that are simpler than both the old apportionment provisions and the provisions in the Bill. And it will protect the Exchequer since under existing law there is a further tax charge if an investor withdraws accumulated profits from a company or sells his or her shares.We also propose to amend the definition of a CIC. No trading company (including a dealing company) will be a CIC. The existing apportionment provisions recognise that property investment companies may need to retain income for the purposes of the business and in practice these companies are little affected by apportionment—so these too will not be CICs. These changes will give a more simpler regime for taxing CICs, while guarding against tax avoidance.An Inland Revenue press release is being issued today giving further details of the proposals. The necessary amendments for the Committee stage of the Finance 13i11 will be put down as soon as possible.
Central Statistical Office
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the financial provision will be in 1989–90 for the enlarged Central Statistical Office.
A new Estimate (class XIX, vote 18) will be presented to Parliament, in the summer Supplementary Estimate round, to provide for expenditure by the new department from 31 July 1989. The provision sought will be offset by corresponding reductions shown in Revised Estimates for the Cabinet Office (class XX, vote 2), of £2,764,000, the Department of Trade and Industry (class V, vote 3), of £8,533,000, and the Department of Employment (class VII, vote 2), of £2,430,000 (which is part of the overall reduction on that vote), which will be presented to Parliament on the same day. It will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The cash limit for the new Central Statistical Office vote is £13,727,000 and the running costs limit is £10,804,000.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
European Community
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which presidencies the enlargements of the European Community were legally concluded.
The treaty of accession of the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland was signed in January 1972 during the Luxembourg presidency, and entered into force on 1 January 1973. The treaty of accession of Greece was signed in May 1979 during the French presidency, and entered into force on 1 January 1981. The treaty of accession of Spain and Portugal was signed in June 1985 during the Italian presidency and entered into force on 1 January 1986.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which member states in their capacity as president have represented the European Community at ministerial level meetings in the general agreement on tariffs and trade, Uruguay round.
The United Kingdom spoke as the President of the Council at the meeting in Punta del Este in 1986, Greece at the meeting in Montreal in 1988. The European Commission negotiated on behalf of the Community and its member states.
Endangered Species
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many shipments and what weight of ivory have been seized by the Hong Kong authorities to date in the current year; and how many shipments and what weight of ivory have been imported from CITES approved sources in the same period.
The Hong Kong Government have seized 15 consignments of illegal ivory so far this year, weighing a total of 0·5 tonnes. In the same period, 249 shipments of ivory, total weight 55·5 tonnes, have been imported from CITES approved sources.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to the establishment of a Pan-African animal task force to monitor and protect endangered species; and if he will make a statement.
We are working to protect endangered species by strengthening the rules of organisations in this field. On 23 May we announced our support for a change in the rules of the convention on international trade in endangered species which would have the effect of banning trade in new ivory. We have not heard so far of a proposal for a Pan-African animal task force, but we are willing to consider new ideas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has regarding the involvement of Renamo forces in the poaching of elephants in Mozambique; and if he will make a statement;(2) what information he has regarding the involvement of UNITA forces in the poaching of elephants in Angola; and if he will make a statement;(3) what representation he has made to the South African Government regarding their acceptance of ivory from UNITA forces in Angola in exchange for military and other assistance; and if he will make a statement.
There is extensive poaching of elephants for their ivory in Angola and Mozambique, as in other parts of Africa. We have no conclusive proof of the involvement of UNITA or Renamo in poaching. We utterly condemn poaching, whoever perpetrates it.The United Kingdom will be calling for concerted European support for a total ban of trade in new ivory at the next Council meeting of Environment Ministers on 8 June in Luxembourg.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to give consideration to applications from non-governmental organisations with a central interest in nuclear proliferation, for funds to support their attendance at the 1990 fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
The draft rules of procedure for the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference adopted at the 1st preparatory committee (held in New York from 1–5 May) will allow representatives of non-governmental organisations to attend plenary sessions and main committees of the review conference, and to receive the documents of the conference. However, it is not our policy to subsidise their attendance.
Disarmament Initiatives
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what unilateral disarmament initiatives in nuclear, conventional, or chemical weapons, and in troop deployments have been made by the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Treaty Organisation since May 1979; and what response the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has made to these initiatives.
The Soviet Union and its Warsaw pact allies have, since 7 December 1988, announced unilateral conventional force reductions which, if implemented, would reduce their conventional superiority over NATO in tanks and artillery from 3:1 to 2·4:1 and in aircraft from 2·1:1 to 1·8:1. Details are set out on page 226 of the first report of 1989 of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. These reductions do not call for any unilateral NATO response: a sizeable conventional imbalance would remain after their implementation. But NATO has made proposals at the conventional arms control talks in Vienna for more far-reaching reductions leading to an outcome of parity between the two sides in key items of equipment.The Soviet Union has stated that its conventional reductions in Europe will involve the withdrawal of 24 out of its 1,608 short-range nuclear-capable missile launchers. On 11 May it also announced the withdrawal from the countries of Eastern Europe to the Soviet Union (but not the elimination) of 500 Soviet theatre nuclear warheads. NATO has 88 short-range nuclear missile launchers. It has reduced its stockpile of nuclear warheads in Europe from 7,000 in 1979 to 4,600 now. The Soviet Union announced a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing on 29 July 1985. This ended on 26 February 1987, when a Soviet nuclear device was exploded.The Soviet Union has claimed that it ceased chemical weapons production in 1987 but we doubt this. The Soviet Union has stated that it intends to begin destruction of its existing chemical weapon stocks in 1989, but has yet to give details of the quantities and time scale.
Council Of Ministers
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of Council of Ministers meetings since 1979, and indicate at which the Scottish Office was present in a Civil Service capacity in support of a United Kingdom Minister.
There were 652 meetings of the Council of Ministers from 1980 until the end of 1988.The United Kingdom delegation to all meetings of the Council of Ministers represents the Government of the United Kingdom as a whole.
Energy
Generating Turbines
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many privately operated electricity generating turbines are installed on rivers in England and Wales; if he will list them by location; and which Government Department has responsibility for permitting and overseeing their operations.
The number of privately operated electricity generating turbines installed on rivers in England and Wales is not known to the Government.The National Association of Water Power Users has a membership of some 250. The association states that about half its members operate power generating turbines.The appropriate local water authority has responsibility for permitting and overseeing the operation of water turbine users. To remain within the existing law, each user has to obtain a water abstraction licence from the relevant local water authority.My Department has commissioned a study by Salford university of all potentially feasible and operating small-scale hydro energy sites in the United Kingdom. The report of this study is expected to be published shortly.
Coal Imports
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much coal was imported into the United Kingdom for the latest year for which he has figures; what strategic planning he has forecast for the next five years by year; and if he will make a statement on what reviews have been carried out or are planned with respect to the importation of coal and closure of deep-mined pits in the United Kingdom.
In 1988, coal imports into the United Kingdom were 11·993 million tones1 7·390 million tonnes of which was coking coal. The Government do not make forecasts of coal imports. Decisions on the future of individual deep-mine pits are a matter for the British Coal Corporation.
1 Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. This is a provisional rounded figure, which may be subject to marginal adjustments, but is expected to be confirmed later this year.
Nuclear Power Stations (Decommissioning)
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total cash provision to date in electricity industry accounts for the costs of decommissioning nuclear power stations.
The 1987–88 Central Electricity Generating Board accounts include provisions of £568 million for the decommissioning costs of the board's nuclear power stations.
Electricity Connections
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has obtained any further information from the Electricity Council regarding the number of households not connected to the electricity grid; and if he will make a statement.
This is a matter for the industry and I have asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.
Nuclear Materials (Safeguards)
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to initiate negotiations with the European Commission, Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency towards the deletion of article 14 of the tripartite safeguards agreement of August 1978 permitting the withdrawal of nuclear materials from safeguards for reasons of national security.
No.
Carbon Dioxide
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table in the Official Report giving the amounts of carbon dioxide released in the production of (a) coal for fossil fuel fired power plants and (b) nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants in the present United Kingdom generating plant stock.
I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 20 February 1989, at column 470.
Civil Nuclear Fuel Cycle
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out those areas of information in regard to the civil nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium import, processing, fuel manufacture, fuel load, reactor operation, fuel unload, spent fuel store at reactor, spent fuel transport to Sellafield, and reprocessing and store of plutonium, uranium and radioactive waste products by British Nuclear Fuels plc about which it is his policy for reasons of commercial confidentiality or national security not to publish full details in the Official Report.
The information supplied on all these matters has to be restricted to some degree for reasons of commercial confidentiality or national security.
Cash Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit or running costs limit for 1989–90.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made.The cash limit for class VI, vote 3 will be increased by £2,290,000 from £35,599,000 to £37,889,000. This extra provision is sought to meet an increase of £2,190,000 in the cost of the Piper Alpha technical investigation and public inquiry. It will also include £100,000 to cover the cost of setting up the Office of Electricity Regulation prior to the appointment of the Director General of Electricity Supply as head of the Office of Electricity Regulation, expected to take effect from 1 September 1989. This latter amount will increase the Department of Energy's running costs limit from £38,022,000 to £38,122,000. It will be offset by a corresponding decrease from £30,000,000 to £29,900,000 in the cash limit for class VI, vote 6, where this provision was originally included.The cash limit for class VI, vote 7, which is a new vote providing for expenditure by the Office of Electricity Regulation, will be £7,796,000, of which £6,320,000 will he the running costs limit.
Expenditure on vote 7 and the appointment of the Director General of Electricity Supply are both subject to the passage of the Electricity Bill currently before Parliament.
These increases will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Home Department
Coroners' Officers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether any studies have been undertaken into coroners employing their own officers;(2) why coroners' officers have to be employed by a police force.
Home Office circular 93 of 1985 drew attention of county councils to a review of the work and methods of coroners' officers carried out by the Home Office organisation and methods branch and recommended that in consultation with coroners and chief officers of police they should review their own arrangements for the provision of coroners' officers. A copy of the circular and of the review are in the Library. The review had studied inter alia areas where, at that time, civilianisation had taken place. There is no requirement that civilian coroners' officers must be employed by a police authority, although that is the option we prefer.
Crime Prevention
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 6 March, Official Report, column 383, how information technologies involving the provision of information to the public is being used to combat crime; if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in this field; and if he will make a statement.
The police service applies information technology extensively in the fight against crime. Many of these applications involve providing information to the public. For example, as part of the process of detecting crime, information technology is used to assist the public to identify suspects and to build up a photographic image of a suspect from witnesses' descriptions.More generally, work is well advanced in the implementation of a new police national computer system, incorporating the latest software and hardware technology, which will come into operation by the end of 1990. This is the first step in a programme of development of police national information services which the Department is drawing up in collaboration with the Association of Chief Police Officers and which is aimed at applying information technology to police operational needs.
Firearms
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in discussions on the draft directive on the mutual recognition of firearms certificates; whether the proposals fall to be considered by majority vote or by unanimity; and if he will make a statement.
No discussions have been held by the European Commission since last June on its proposal for a Council directive on the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons. The Commission has based this proposal on article 100A, which would enable its adoption by majority voting. The United Kingdom has registered the view that the directive should be founded, like other frontier measures, on article 235, which requires unanimity. We have entered a formal reserve about the legal basis and will continue to press the Commission to accept our view.We understand that the Commission intends to issue shortly a revised version of the draft directive. When this has been received we will consider it carefully.
Malcolm Booth (Car Keys)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what communications it has received from Malcolm Booth, alias Ian Ross, who originally traded as M. B. Locksmiths and is now trading as Westway Locksmiths, about the keys he claims will open 95 per cent. of British and foreign cars; what discussions his Department has had with Tameside trading standards departments about these keys; and whether he will make a statement.
I understand that Mr. Booth has recently been committed for trial on a number of charges. In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to comment further.
Prisoners (Transfers)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he anticipates making a decision on the applications for transfer to a gaol in Northern Ireland from prisoners (a) 851715, John McComb, (b) 463799, Ronald McCartney, (c) 119034, Paul Holmes and (d) 3369204, Thomas Quigley.
I am aware of no recent applications for transfer from Mr. McComb or Mr. Quigley. The applications by the other two inmates named will be answered as soon as possible.
Passports
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average length of time taken to issue a full passport from the time of application at each of the main issuing offices; and what was the average time taken in 1979, 1983 and in the last five years.
Passport applications are processed according to the applicant's travel requirements, with priority being given to urgent cases. As a result, processing times in a given period vary considerably, and averages are not recorded.The current maximum processing times for straightforward non-urgent postal applications at the six United Kingdom passport offices are shown in the table, together with those of the corresponding periods of the last four years. I regret that information for earlier years is not available.
Passport office
| Time between receipt of application and issue of passport
| ||||
21 May 1989
| 22 May 1988
| 22 May 1987
| 23 April 1986
| 24 May1985
| |
| London | 25 | 55 | 62 | 24 | 10 |
| Liverpool | 68 | 15 | 22 | 15 | 6 |
| Peterborough | 38 | 32 | 19 | 14 | 11·5 |
| Newport | 45 | 20 | 44 | 25 | 12 |
| Glasgow | 50 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 10 |
| Belfast | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
Most applications are processed well within these maximum periods.
A sharp increase in demand early this year has led to a general increase in processing times. Staff at Glasgow and Liverpool are having to adapt to a new computerised system of passport issuing, and accommodation changes at other offices have also affected output. Additional staff have been employed to help deal with the backlog, and a system of free two-year extensions to the life of expired passports submitted for replacement has been introduced at Liverpool to help relieve the immediate problem there.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for the Liverpool passport office the average length of time it takes to process a correctly completed passport application form for the most recent convenient period for which figures are available, and the comparable figure for the previous year; and if he will make a statement.
Passport applications are processed according to the applicant's travel requirements, with priority being given to urgent cases. As a result, processing times in a given period vary considerably, and averages are not recorded. Straightforward non-urgent postal applications are at present being processed at the Liverpool passport office within a maximum 63 working days, compared with 18 last year. Most applications are processed well within this period.A sharp increase in demand early this year has increased processing times at Liverpool, where staff are also having to adapt to a new computerised system of passport issuing. Additional staff have been employed to help deal with the backlog, and, as I announced to the House on 11 May, at column 978, a system of free two-year extensions to the life of expired passports is being introduced to help relieve the immediate problem.
Foxes And Deer
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement summarising the proposals made by the European Parliament for the control and restriction of the hunting of foxes and deer; and whether the EEC Commission has plans to present proposals on the implementation of these proposals.
I am not aware of any such proposals.
Firearms Consultative Committee
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet able to announce the name of the chairman of the Firearms Consultative Committee.
I am pleased to announce that Lord Kimball, former chairman of the British Fields Sports Society, has been appointed chairman of the Firearms Consultative Committee. The names of the other members of the committee will be announced shortly.
Hull Prison
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners from the Doncaster area were being held at Her Majesty's prison, Hull, on the latest date for which he has figures; if he will show in his answer the ages of these inmates; and if he will list the figures for one year; five years and 10 years ago.
On 19 May there were in Hull prison 28 unsentenced prisoners whose home addresses were recorded as in Doncaster. The table shows their ages at the time of reception into custody.
| Age | Number of prisoners |
| 17 | 4 |
| 18 | 3 |
| 19 | 2 |
| 20 | 2 |
| 21 | 3 |
| 22 | 2 |
| 23 | 2 |
| 24 | 1 |
| 25 | 1 |
| 26 | 1 |
| 27 | 2 |
| 28 | 1 |
| 29 | 1 |
| 30 | 1 |
| 31 | 1 |
| 44 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 28 |
Immigration
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors to the United Kingdom in the last five years have been refused entry because of (a) homosexuality and/or (b) being HIV seropositive.
These are not of themselves grounds for refusal of entry.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have been given to immigration officials to question visitors to the United Kingdom about the sexual orientation or their HIV antibody status.
None.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that immigration officials do not discriminate against (a) homosexual visitors and (b) HIV seropositive visitors to the United Kingdom.
Immigration officers are aware of the need to apply the normal requirements of the immigration rules to all visitors.
Criminal Justice Bill
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to introduce a Criminal Justice Bill.
The Government keep the operation of the criminal justice system under regular review, and will bring forward proposals for legislative changes where these appear necessary, and when parliamentary time permits.
Hillsborough Inquiry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his present estimate of the cost of the Hillsborough inquiry which will be borne by the police authority of South Yorkshire; and what is his estimate of the amount per head which this will involve.
It is not clear at this stage what the total additional costs of the Hillsborough police inquiry will be. South Yorkshire police authority has made representations which my noble Friend Earl Ferrers, the Minister of State, will be discussing with the authority shortly.
Homosexuality
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy not to implement the Law Commission proposal to lower the age of consent for buggery between men.
[holding answer 23 May 1989]: Yes.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the draft criminal code Bill published by the Law Commission, he has any plans to introduce legislation on the age of consent for homosexual acts between males; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 23 May 1989]: No.
Overseas Development
Tropical Rain Forests
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects that are currently being undertaken to reduce the destruction of the tropical rain forests.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Fricnd the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 15 May, at column 21.
Africa
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent in aid payments to countries in the African subcontinent, in total, in the last five years.
Over the last five years for which firm figures are available—1983 to 1987—gross bilateral aid to Africa totalled £1·39 billion. Including the estimated United Kingdom share of multilateral aid this figure rises to some £2·5 billion.
Endangered Species
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any requests for assistance have been received from countries attempting to safeguard elephant populations.
There have been no recent requests for such assistance; but we are already actively assisting the Government of Kenya and stand ready to discuss further support for wild life conservation, including the safeguarding of elephant populations, with the Governments concerned.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is now being given to African countries to combat the poaching of elephants; and what is his latest information about current levels of the elephant population in Africa.
In Kenya we are currently funding a wildlife adviser and two game wardens in the wildlife department as part of our technical co-operation programme with the Government of Kenya. Nineteen lorries for use in anti-poaching activities have also been provided. The possibility of further assistance with the rehabilitation of vehicles, equipment and training for conservation activities is under discussion.We are also providing assistance for wildlife conservation under the joint funding scheme with British voluntary agencies in Cameroon, Liberia, Zambia and Nepal; and we are contributing El million to the World Wide Fund for Nature to assist the fund in activities to conserve natural resources including wild life.There are no reliable figures for the current elephant population in Africa. In 1979 the estimated total population was 1·3 million. In the last decade this is thought to have fallen to 750,000 or fewer. According to some estimates the figure lies between 300,000 and 400,000.
Non-Governmental Organisations
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the official bodies and organisations outside the United Kingdom that make grants to United Kingdom non-governmental organisations engaged in overseas development; and what was the amount of grant given to each United Kingdom non-governmental organisation by such bodies in the latest year for which figures are available.
This information is not available.
Lomé Iv
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made on the negotiations for Lomé IV.
Work on the renegotiation of Lomé IV has continued at official level since the first ACP/EC ministerial negotiating meeting in February. I expect to attend the second ACP/EC ministerial negotiating meeting in Brussels in early June, where I hope further progress will be made.
Bophuthatswana
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to offer any assistance by way of education or technical training to Bophuthatswana; and if he will make a statement.
In common with every country except South Africa we do not recognise the "independence" of Bophuthatswana. Our training and scholarships programmes are available to individual applicants from Bophuthatswana as from elsewhere in South Africa.
Wales
Brussels
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times (a) in the last 12 months and (b) since June 1987 he has visited Brussels; and what were his discussions; and if he will make a statement.
I visited Brussels in February 1988 and met Commissioner Varfis to discuss proposals for integrated development operations in Wales.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to visit Brussels on behalf of the Welsh agriculture industry during this Session of Parliament; and if he will make a statement.
I am ready to go to the Council of Agriculture Ministers should the need arise.
Research And Development
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the agriculture industry in Wales about the future of research and development in agriculture; and if he will make a statement.
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has had discussions with various sectors of the farming industry, including the farming unions, about the Government's proposals to withdraw public funding from near market research and development. My officials have also had contacts with the farming unions.
Inspectors Of Schools
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of Her Majesty's inspectors practice in Wales; and how many work in each of the sectors of the education service in Wales.
There are currently 56 of Her Majesty's inspectors of schools in Wales. Each Inspector usually operates in a number of the education sectors—primary, secondary, further and higher education—and is not confined to any one.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to increase the number of Her Majesty's inspectors in Wales to cope with the operation of the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
The number of inspectors in Wales is kept under review in the light of the demands of the work needing to be done.
Kidney Transplants
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales await kidney transplants; and if he will make a statement.
Information on the number of Welsh patients awaiting kidney transplantation at hospitals in England and Wales is not available centrally. However, it is understood that 81 patients are awaiting kidney transplantation at the Welsh regional centre at Cardiff royal infirmary. Consideration will be given to further ways of improving the supply of organs to increase the number of kidney transplants performed each year at the Cardiff centre once the Asscher report on renal services in Wales has been studied in detail and the outcome is known of the Medical Reseach Council funded study of factors determining the supply of cadaver organs for transplantation which is being conducted in Wales.
Welsh Language Teachers
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified teachers of the Welsh language are employed in each of the counties of Wales in both primary and secondary sectors; and if he will make a statement.
This information is not available in the form requested. However, I am able to provide the following:
| Qualifications in Welsh held by teachers in primary schools1 | Qualifications in Welsh held by teachers in secondary schools2 | ||
| (a) | (b) | (c) | |
| Clwyd | 484 | 681 | 220 |
| Dyfed | 605 | 922 | 258 |
| Gwent | 39 | 75 | 34 |
| Gwynedd | 626 | 899 | 331 |
| Mid Glamorgan | N/A | N/A | 246 |
Qualifications in Welsh held by teachers in primary schools 1
| Qualifications in Welsh held by teachers in secondary schools 2
| ||
(a)
| (b)
| (c)
| |
| Powys | 104 | 174 | 60 |
| South Glamorgan | 138 | 241 | 113 |
| West Glamorgan | 342 | 484 | 170 |
1 As at spring term, 1987. | |||
2 As at spring term, 1984. | |||
Column (a) Number of post A-level qualifications held by teachers with Welsh as the main or subsidiary subject of study.
Column (b) Teachers who had studied Welsh as a first or second language as a subject in training.
Column (c) Any post A-level qualifications held by teachers with Welsh as the main or subsidiary subject of study.
We are currently estimating the number of teachers required to meet the needs of Welsh within the national curriculum.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take special measures to increase the number of teachers of the Welsh language in the local education authorities of Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Arrangements are already being put in place to facilitate the retraining of teachers to teach Welsh as a second language. Officials are estimating what numbers of teachers of Welsh will be needed and will be consulting with local education authorities.
Higher Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students there were in higher education in Wales in the last year for which figures are available and in each of the establishments; and if he will make a statement.
The information is given in the following tables:
| Number of students enrolled on higher education courses in Welsh public sector institutions in 1987–88 | |
| Number | |
| Clwyd | |
| North East Wales Institute of Higher Education | 2,385 |
| Llandtillo Technical College | 142 |
| Dyfed | |
| Carmarthenshire College of Technology and Art | 326 |
| Pembrokeshire College of Further Education | 36 |
| Ceredigion College of further Education | 13 |
| College of Librarianship | 410 |
| Welsh Agricultural College | 81 |
| Trinity College | 600 |
| Gwent | |
| Newport College of Further Education | 108 |
| Gwent College of Higher Education | 3,210 |
| Cross Keys Tertiary College | 8 |
| Ebbw Vale College of Further Education | 51 |
| Gwynedd | |
| Gwynedd Technical College | 167 |
| Normal College of Higher Education | 551 |
| Mid Glamorgan | |
| Bridgend College of Technology | 134 |
Number
| |
| Pontypridd Technical College | 38 |
| Polytechnic of Wales | 5,761 |
South Glamorgan
| |
| Welsh College of Music and Drama | 305 |
| South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education | 3,387 |
West Glamorgan
| |
| West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education | 2,431 |
| Neath College | 57 |
| Afan College | 6 |
| TOTAL, WALES PSHE | 20,207 |
Number of students enrolled on higher education courses in the university of Wales in 1987–88
| |
Number
| |
| University College, Aberystwyth | 3,492 |
| University College of North Wales, Bangor | 3,199 |
| University College, Cardiff | 6,356 |
| University College, Swansea | 5,082 |
| University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology | 3,016 |
| St. David's University College, Lempeter | 769 |
| University of Wales College of Medicine | 972 |
| TOTAL, WALES | 22,886 |
The total number of students in higher education in Wales has increased by 28 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1987–88. The increase in the university sector has been 10 per cent. an in the public sector 56 per cent. in that period.
Caravan Sites
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to meet Alyn and Deeside council to discuss its objections to caravan sites under the Caravan Sites Act 1968; and if he will make a statement
No.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate how many protests he has received from residents in (a) Clwyd and (b) Deeside concerning likely caravan sites; and if he will make a statement
I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of caravan sites for which he has made orders under section 12 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 since 1980 in Wales; and if he will make a statement
One district in Wales—Arfon—has been designated under section 12 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to indicate which caravan sites will be designated in Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.
Under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 it is the duty of county councils in Wales to provide adequate accommodation for gypsies residing in or resorting to their area. Identification of suitable sites in Clwyd is a matter for the county council in consultation with the relevant district councils.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet Connah's Quay town council, Shotton county council, Sealand county council, Queensferry county council, Saltney council, Hawarden county council, Kinnerton county council and Penyffordd county council to discuss their concern regarding the potential implementation of the Caravan Sites Act 1968; and if he will make a statement.
No.
Church-Aided Schools (Capital Projects)
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to review his Department's policy in respect of funding of capital projects for Church-aided schools; and if he will make a statement.
No. Voluntary-aided schools remain an important part of total education provision and it remains the Government's policy to grant-aid necessary capital projects at such schools. Resources are targeted to those projects where needs are greatest.
Nhs Reform
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate which community health councils in Wales will merge on the proposed reorganisation of the National Health Service in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
The proposal contained in the White Paper is for the establishment of one community health council in each district health authority area in Wales. However, no decisions have yet been taken and a consultation document on the matter will be published in the summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals in Wales which (a) he has earmarked for, (b) he has received representations for or (c) fulfil his criteria for self-governing status; and if he will make a statement.
Welsh Office officials are engaged in discussions with health authorities officers about the concept of self-governing hospitals. No hospitals have been identified as candidates for self-governing status at this stage.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he proposes to meet the chairmen of family practitioner committees in Wales to discuss the White Paper "Working for Patients";(2) when he last met family practitioner committees in Wales to discuss health matters; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend met chairmen of family practitioner committees on 15 May to discuss the White Paper "Working for Patients". I meet chairmen from time to time to talk about a range of health matters. The last such meeting was on 11 December 1987.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the implications of the new general practitioners' contracts for rural practices in Wales.
During discussion with representatives of GPs on 4 May a number of modifications to the new GP contract were agreed which are of special relevance to rural practices for example the 26-hour rule, payment for minor surgery and the criteria for payment of basic practice allowance. Furthermore, it was agreed that the operation of the rural practice payment scheme should be referred for review to the central advisory committee on that scheme. This agreement makes clear that Health Ministers have taken account of the concerns expressed by the profession not least in respect of rural areas, and implementation of the contract as proposed will be an important step towards achieving our objectives of raising even higher the standard of the family doctor service and the care patients can expect to receive.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, in the light of the written representations he has received concerning the National Health Service reform proposals from Alyn and Deeside, he will undertake to meet both the Clwyd area health authority and the Clwyd family practitioner committee; and if he will make a statement.
I met the chairmen of both Clwyd DHA and FPC in the company of their DHA and FPC chairmen colleagues on 15 May to discuss the NHS review White Paper.
"New Roads By New Means"
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the implications for Wales of the consultation paper "New Roads by New Means".
The consultation paper has been widely circulated in Wales and I await the comments of interested parties, including the Welsh counties and the local authority associations. An assessment of the implications for Wales of the proposals in the Green Paper will depend on the responses from consultees, including the private sector.
Clinical Waste
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of how safely health authorities in Wales handle and dispose of clinical waste; and if he will make a statement.
District health authorities in Wales are responsible for the safe handling and disposal of their clinical waste. The criteria for good operational practice were laid down in "The Safe disposal of Clinical Waste" (Health and Safety Commission: Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1982) which was circulated to health authorities in Wales in 1982. A further circular is shortly to be issued reminding authorities of the criteria and seeking confirmation that the guidance is being followed. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is not aware of any incidents involving improper disposal in Wales in the last year.
Nursery Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of nursery school places per 1,000 children in each of the counties of Wales; and if he will make a statement.
The number of children in each county in nursery school or in a nursery class in a primary school per 1,000 of 3 and 4-year-olds is as follows:
| Number | |
| Clwyd | 416 |
| Dyfed | 261 |
| Gwent | 344 |
| Gwynedd | 235 |
| Mid Glamorgan | 446 |
| Powys | 280 |
| South Glamorgan | 302 |
| West Glamorgan | 566 |
| Wales | 372 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what measures he will take to increase the number of nursery school places in the local education authorities of Wales; and if he will make a statement.
It is for individual local education authorities to decide whether they wish to increase the numbers of nursery school places, in the light of local needs and circumstances.
Welsh Water Authority Plc
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to make a statement about the capital structure of WWA plc.
Decisions on the capital structure of the successor company will be taken nearer to the date of flotation.
Roads (Expenditure)
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional funding is to be made available for roads in Wales in the 1990s in addition to that announced in Roads in Wales, published earlier in the current year.
The funding provision up to March 1992 for the programme described in "Roads in Wales 1989" is set out in the public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 617) and in the accompanying Welsh Office commentary. Public expenditure provision is reviewed annually.
Bovine Somatotropin
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dairy herds in Clwyd are subject to the use of bovine somatotropin; and if he will make a statement.
Bovine somatotropin is currently under test in a limited number of field trials. Section 118 of the Medicines Act 1968 prohibits the disclosure of information supplied by applicants for product licences and test certificates. It is therefore not possible to divulge the number or the location of the herds involved in the trials.
Midwives
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many midwives there are in Wales; how many claims for regrading he has received; and if he will make a statement.
As at 31 March 1989 it is estimated there were 1,368 qualified midwives of all grades in post. Some 1,345 of these posts were regraded under the new clinical grading structure and I have received 10 representations from or on behalf of midwives about the grades they were allocated.Under the NHS Whitley procedures appeals against gradings are a matter for the health authorities.
Cancer Screening
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve breast cancer screening in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Breast screening is currently being introduced into the NHS in Wales with the objective of covering the whole of the Principality by 1990. This timetable, which is the same as that for England, is the fastest at which this entirely new service can realistically be implemented in a safe and effective way. A total of £1·8 million has been made available for the service in the current financial year.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve cervical cancer screening in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Cervical screening is the responsibility of district health authorities. In order further to improve the service a recurring sum of £600,000 has been made available in Wales this financial year in addition to the £800,000 a year which has been allocated to health authorities in previous years.
Northern Ireland
Advertising
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide as much information as possible about his Department's expenditure on commercial television advertising, without breaching commercial confidentiality, over each of the past five years.
[holding answer 22 May 1989]: The total expenditure on advertising and publicity, including TV advertising in the last five years, is set out in the table:
| £ | |
| 1984–85 | 434,889 |
| 1985–86 | 617,914 |
| 1986–87 | 804,638 |
| 1987–88 | 820,226 |
| 1988–89 | 1,145,033 |
| TOTAL | 3,822,700 |
Broadleaved Woodland
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total area of land in Northern Ireland entered into the broadleaved woodland grant scheme between 1985 and 1988; and what is the area approved for each of the following operations: (a) thinning, (b) selective felling, (c) clear felling, (d) natural regeneration under 20 years of age, (e) neglected woodland under 20 years of age, (f) restocking by replanting, (g) restocking by natural regeneration and (h) new planting.
[holding answer 23 May 1989]: The total area of land in Northern Ireland approved under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme between 1985 and 1988 was 181·30 hectares.The areas approved for each of the categories is as follows:
| Area | |
| 1. Thinning | Nil |
| 2. Selective felling | Nil |
| 3. Clear felling | Nil |
| 4. Natural regeneration under 20 years | Nil |
| 5. Neglected woodland under 20 years | 1·3 hectares |
| 6. Restocking by replanting | Nil |
| 7. Restocking by natural regeneration | 4·2 hectares |
| 8. New planting | 175·8 hectares |
Trade And Industry
Electromagnetic Compatibility
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the implications of the European Community directive on electromagnetic compatibility; and how he proposes to draw the attention of the United Kingdom electrical and electronics industry to them.
As part of the Department's single market campaign, we have issued much material drawing industry's attention to the implications of the EMC and other "new approach" directives, and we have consulted companies and trade associations regularly on the negotiations. Now that the directive has been agreed, we shall issue shortly a booklet on its terms, and later this year a consultative document on its implementation.Industry must prepare itself for the implementation of the directive, and we are planning a major awareness campaign to ensure that companies are aware of the opportunities, as well as the technical requirements. We have already commissioned a study by W. S. Atkins (Management Consultants) on the availability of accredited test facilities, and the results show a considerable shortfall in the capacity which will be needed. The awareness campaign will address this problem.
Director General Of Telecommunications (Report)
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his Department has yet received a report by the Director General of Telecommunications for the year 1988, as required under section 55 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.
Yes. The fifth report by the Director General of Telecommunications was published on 23 May. It covers the period 1 January to 31 December 1988. Copies of the report have been laid before each House of Parliament.
Cash Limits
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit and running cost limits for 1989–90.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimates, the case limit for class V vote 2 (support for industry) will be reduced by £1,830,000 from £580,467,000 to £578,637,000, and the cash limit for class V vote 3 (administration, regulation of domestic trade and industry, and consumer protection) will be reduced by £8,533,000 from £251,763,000 to £243,230,000. The running cost provison for class V vote 3 will also be reduced by £7,930,000 from £185,620,000 to £177,690,000, giving a revised total running cost limit for the Department of £304,760,000.The decrease in the cash limit for class V vote 2 results from a reduction of £3,175,000 in grant in aid provision for the English Industrial Estates Corporation, reflecting reduced estimates of capital expenditure on the managed workspace programmes. Consequential changes have been made to tables 3 and 4 to reflect this. These tables also reflect matching reductions of £11 million in capital expenditure and receipts which have no effect on the level of grant in aid. The reduction in grant in aid is partially offset by an increase of £1,345,000 in provision to meet the initial United Kingdom contribution to the first account of the common fund. The fund will form part of the framework for international commodity policy agreed by the United Nations conference on trade and development. The necessary resources will be found from the agreed PES provision for overseas aid. Provision for inward investment promotional expenditure is being increased by £526,000, and provision for regional enterprise grants is being reduced by the same amount. The opportunity is also being taken to reallocate provision between the Department's research establishments.The decrease in the cash limit for class V vote 3 (and the running cost limit) reflects a transfer of provision for the Business Statistics Office and other statistical sections to class XIX vote 18 (Central Statistical Office), in line with the announcement by the Prime Minister on 5 April 1989 (at column
190–191 of the formation of an enlarged Central Statistical Office.
These changes will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Post Office
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Post Office will publish the results from its new end-to-end monitoring system for letter delivery performance.
The Post Office, jointly with its users council POUNC, has today published the first results from its new independent end-to-end monitoring system based on the time taken from collection of letters to their actual delivery. Thus performance will now be measured in a way which reflects users' actual experience of the postal system.The Post Office has also announced, with the endorsement of POUNC, new targets for improving the performance revealed by the figures, and a number of other steps to improve its service, including improved transport arrangements and the provision of better information to households about the best time to post for particular destinations.
Endangered Species
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on imports into the United Kingdom of (a) worked and (b) raw ivory by weight and value in each year since 1979.
In 1988 imports of raw ivory were recorded as 12·1 metric tonnes valued at £470,000; information prior to 1988 is not available. Imports of worked ivory are given in the following table:
| United Kingdom imports of worked ivory | ||
| Metric tonnes | £'000s | |
| 1979 | 22·8 | 382 |
| 1980 | 17·2 | 487 |
| 1981 | 3·0 | 238 |
| 1982 | 4·6 | 263 |
| 1983 | 4·7 | 311 |
| 1984 | 2·9 | 455 |
| 1985 | 1·1 | 267 |
| 1986 | 1·8 | 252 |
| 1987 | 0·8 | 241 |
| 1988 | 8·0 | 208 |
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.
Note:—1988 figures provisional.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has about the import of (a) worked and (b) raw ivory into Hong Kong in each of the last five years by weight, value and country of origin.
The available information is in the following tables:
| Hong Kong's imports of worked ivory1 2 | ||
| 1984 | ||
| Country | Weight kg | Value HK$ 000 |
| China | 13,874 | 21,875 |
| Japan | 586 | 1,719 |
| Macau | 770 | 989 |
| United States of America | 119 | 365 |
| Thailand | 361 | 282 |
| India | 111 | 239 |
| United Kingdom | 100 | 218 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | 38 | 148 |
| Republic of Korea | 16 | 122 |
| Italy | 35 | 110 |
| Switzerland | 20 | 76 |
| Singapore | 12 | 71 |
| France | 12 | 55 |
| Taiwan | 21 | 42 |
| Belgium/Luxembourg | 22 | 33 |
| Insular Spain | 10 | 29 |
| United States Oceania | 19 | 24 |
| United Arab Emirates | 10 | 12 |
| Australia | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 16,137 | 26,413 |
| 1985 | ||
| Country | Weight kg | Value HK$ 000 |
| China | 25,596 | 27,094 |
| Japan | 6,831 | 3,869 |
| Macau | 4,693 | 5,190 |
| Singapore | 663 | 977 |
| United States of America | 445 | 1,305 |
| India | 122 | 159 |
| France | 100 | 199 |
| Belgium/Luxembourg | 61 | 135 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | 49 | 79 |
| Sri Lanka | 15 | 39 |
| Netherlands | 11 | 11 |
| New Zealand | 5 | 15 |
| Canada | 3 | 14 |
| Taiwan | 3 | 7 |
| Total | 38,597 | 39,094 |
1986
| ||
Country
| Weight Kg.
| Value HK$ '000s
|
| China | n/a | 26,646 |
| Macau | n/a | 14,271 |
| Singapore | n/a | 7,144 |
| Japan | n/a | 4,492 |
| United States of America | n/a | 1,071 |
| Qatar | n/a | 247 |
| Italy | n/a | 207 |
| India | n/a | 82 |
| Thailand | n/a | 80 |
| France | n/a | 68 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | n/a | 62 |
| South Africa | n/a | 50 |
| Canada | n/a | 38 |
| Sri Lanka | n/a | 16 |
| Switzerland | n/a | 12 |
| Total | n/a | 54,486 |
1987
| ||
Country
| Weight Kg.
| HK$ '000s
|
| China | n/a | 27,437 |
| Singapore | n/a | 16,066 |
| Macau | n/a | 10,708 |
| United Arab Emirates | n/a | 3,582 |
| Taiwan | n/a | 1,716 |
| United States of America | n/a | 630 |
| Japan | n/a | 573 |
| Sri Lanka | n/a | 444 |
| Italy | n/a | 141 |
| Thailand | n/a | 89 |
| Denmark | n/a | 84 |
| India | n/a | 45 |
| France | n/a | 26 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | n/a | 3 |
| Total | n/a | 61,544 |
1988
| ||
Country
| Weight Kg.
| Value HK$ '000s
|
| China | n/a | 39,444 |
| United Arab Emirates | n/a | 9,048 |
| Macau | n/a | 6,413 |
| Singapore | n/a | 1,896 |
| Japan | n/a | 1,575 |
| United States of America | n/a | 1,394 |
| South Africa | n/a | 1,051 |
| Taiwan | n/a | 600 |
| France | n/a | 245 |
| Republic of Korea | n/a | 239 |
| India | n/a | 102 |
| Zaire Kinshasa | n/a | 84 |
| Italy | n/a | o41 |
| Belgium/Luxembourg | n/a | 18 |
| Switzerland | n/a | 10 |
| Canada | n/a | 7 |
| Total | n/a | 62,165 |
Source: Hong Kong Trade Statistics. | ||
1 The figures are based on country of consignment. | ||
2 Hong Kong imports and exports classifications: Item 899.111 | ||
n/a-Not available.
Hong Kong's imports of unworked ivory 1 2
| ||
1984
| ||
Country
| Weight kg
| Value HK$000
|
| Japan | 293,275 | 105,158 |
| Belgium | 44,887 | 21,214 |
| South Africa | 22,001 | 9,204 |
Country
| Weight kg.
| Value HK$000
|
| Federal Republic of Germany | 10,232 | 4,958 |
| Tanzania | 2,445 | 1,250 |
| Sudan | 2,141 | 480 |
| United States of America | 2,081 | 893 |
| United Kingdom | 1,946 | 1,149 |
| China | 336 | 69 |
| Total | 381,927 | 144,907 |
1985
| ||
Country
| Weight kg
| Value HK$000
|
| Japan | 174,345 | 78,282 |
| South Africa | 27,109 | 12,992 |
| Sudan | 13,500 | 2,085 |
| Belgium | 9,727 | 5,208 |
| Switzerland | 6,080 | 2,941 |
| China | 2,566 | 1,579 |
| United States of America | 1,540 | 859 |
| Tanzania | 1,070 | 591 |
| France | 455 | 227 |
| India | 255 | 141 |
| Total | 235,318 | 105,076 |
1986
| ||
Country
| Weight Kg
| Value HK$000
|
| Somali Democratic Republic | 61,486 | 38,221 |
| Japan | 47,242 | 20,220 |
| Sudan | 22,880 | 3,569 |
| South Africa | 17,234 | 9,900 |
| Belgium | 16,333 | 10,574 |
| Zambia | 5,147 | 3,172 |
| United Kingdom | 4,780 | 2,720 |
| Central Africa Republic | 2,115 | 1,848 |
| Taiwan | 1,103 | 519 |
| Netherlands | 780 | 462 |
| Botswana | 357 | 237 |
| Tanzania | 213 | 125 |
| Macau | 177 | 147 |
| Austria | 151 | 124 |
| Zimbabwe | 105 | 54 |
| United States of America | 95 | 51 |
| China | 45 | 23 |
| France | 23 | 12 |
| Total | 181,522 | 92,790 |
1987
| ||
Country
| Weight Kg
| Value HK$ 000
|
| Belgium | 67,627 | 43,082 |
| Japan | 57,061 | 22,462 |
| Singapore | 53,068 | 33,598 |
| Sudan | 13,382 | 2,083 |
| South Africa | 11,638 | 10,169 |
| Congo Peoples Republic | 11,114 | 9,774 |
| Ethiopia | 4,550 | 2,955 |
| Netherlands | 1,915 | 2,324 |
| France | 1,549 | 1,429 |
| United Kingdom | 1,058 | 945 |
| Zimbabwe | 1,008 | 1,400 |
| Macau | 696 | 667 |
| Zambia | 471 | 441 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | 233 | 172 |
| Total | 225,370 | 131,501 |
1988
| ||
Country
| Weight kg
| Value HK$ 000
|
| Singapore | 112,767 | 79,642 |
| Sudan | 52,090 | 8,126 |
| Japan | 24,644 | 15,323 |
| Belgium | 14,208 | 12,453 |
| Mozambique | 13,616 | 15,401 |
| Somali Democratic Republic | 12,663 | 11,213 |
| Congo Peoples Republic | 11,667 | 17,293 |
| Djibouti | 10,901 | 14,539 |
| France | 5,211 | 6,990 |
| South Africa | 3,358 | 3,715 |
| Macau | 1,660 | 978 |
| United Kingdom | 1,298 | 355 |
| Zambia | 1,047 | 2,042 |
| China | 703 | 454 |
| United States of America | 618 | 443 |
| Ivory Coast | 512 | 553 |
| Ethiopia | 461 | 304 |
| Uganda | 281 | 110 |
| Federal Republic of Germany | 63 | 58 |
| India | 31 | 25 |
| Total | 271,669 | 190,218 |
1 The figures are based on country of consignment. | ||
2 Hong Kong Imports and Exports Classification: Items 291162, 291165 and 291166. | ||
Source: Hong Kong Trade Statistics.
Manufacturing Industry
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, further to his reply of 27 April, Official Report, columns 614–15 concerning gross output of finished manufactures and imports of semi-manufactures, intermediate products and basic materials, whether he will provide comparable figures for manufactures less food, drink, tobacco, paper, printing and publishing; and if he will add figures for 1973 and for exports.
The figures are estimated to be as follows:
| Estimated Gross Output (£ billion, 1985 prices) | ||
| Finished manufactures | Finished manufactures less food, drink, tobacco. Paper, Printing and Publishing | |
| 1970 | 129·5 | n/a |
| 1973 | 145·8 | 96·2 |
| 1979 | 144·5 | 92·7 |
| 1988 | 156·6 | 101·2 |
| Manufactures (SITC 5–8) less paper and paperboard (1) and printed matter (2) (OTS basis) | ||
| £ billion 1985 prices | ||
| Exports | Imports | |
| 1970 | 31·6 | 17·2 |
| 1973 | 38·8 | 26·6 |
| 1979 | 45·9 | 39·9 |
| 1988 | 59·8 | 75·4 |
Notes:
1. SITC 64
2. SITC 892
£ billion 1985 prices
| |||
Semi-Manufactures (SITC 5 + 6)
| Intermediate finished manufactures (part of SITC 7 + 8)
| Basic materials (SITC 2 + 4)
| |
Imports
| |||
| 1973 | 130 | 4·7 | 6·4 |
Exports
| |||
| 1970 | 12·2 | 7·6 | 1·2 |
| 1973 | 15·4 | 10·2 | 1·4 |
| 1979 | 18·5 | 116 | 1·9 |
| 1988 | 23·8 | 14·2 | 2·2 |
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, further to his reply of 27 April, Official Report, columns 614–15, concerning gross output of finished manufactures and imports of semi-manufactures, intermediate products and basic materials, whether he will provide an estimate for the increase in the United Kingdom content of United Kingdom exports of finished manufactures between (i) 1970 and 1979 and (ii) 1979 and 1988 on the assumption that the United Kingdom content of exports was the same in each year as the United Kingdom content of United Kingdom output, leaving out of account food, drink and tobacco as well as paper, printing and publishing.
The question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
Telecommunications
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met the Director General of Telecommunications to discuss premium rate telephone services; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 23 May 1989]: Both my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I meet the Director General of Telecommunications from time to time to discuss a range of telecommunications issues. The last such meeting was in January when our discussion included premium rate telephone services.
Air Transportation (Delays)
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake consultations as to the costs to United Kingdom trade of delays in the handling of air transportation in the air over the United Kingdom and on the ground at major United Kingdom airports; and if he will make a statement.
We keep in regular contact about these matters both with the Department of Transport and with representatives of the business community. As my hon. Friend will be aware, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is at present awaiting advice from the Civil Aviation Authority on the adequacy of United Kingdom airport and airspace capacity, through to 2005.
Microchips
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what revisions are planned to the programme of financial support for the development of gallium arsenide microchips following the withdrawal of the major United Kingdom industrial participation.
Earlier this year we initiated a review of the gallium arsenide advanced technology programme in the light of the slower development of the market for these devices than had been expected. I understand that the recently announced closure of the Plessey Three Five Group represents only a partial withdrawal from gallium arsenide microchip technology, and that the company will continue to manufacture gallium arsenide integrated circuits at its existing facilities situated in the Plessey research and technology complex at Caswell.
Scotland
Sand Eel Fishing
75.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received about the licensing of sand eel fishing.
A number of representations have been received in response to the consultation paper issued by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland on 4 April 1989. These are currently being considered and an announcement about licensing arrangements for the fishery will be made shortly.
Teachers
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ascertain the numbers of teachers in Scotland who came from minority ethnic groups along the lines of similar surveys being carried out in England and Wales.
There are no plans to conduct similar surveys in Scotland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of teachers who qualify in Scotland do not go into teaching the following year.
A survey conducted by colleges of education in March 1988 indicates that over 20 per cent. of teachers who qualified in June 1987 had not entered teaching by that date. Results from a March 1989 survey are not yet available.
Torness Power Station
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the costs to his Department of official participation in the opening of Torness power station on 13 May, including security.
The total cost to the Scottish Office of official participation in the opening of Torness power station on 13 May was £358. There was no cost to the Scottish Office in respect of security which was provided by Lothian and Borders police, as part of their normal responsibilities, and by the South of Scotland Electricity Board for security within the station.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to the cost to the South of Scotland Electricity Board of the opening ceremony for Torness power station.
This is a matter for the South of Scotland Electricity Board. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Gentleman.
School Records
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to make regulations providing parents and older pupils with a right of access to school records, and students with a right of access to further education records.
We are currently examining the points raised in consultation and will make regulations as soon as possible.
Internal Market
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the Scottish Office civil servants who have advised or assisted the European Commission in its formulation of policy initiatives towards the internal market in the particular areas of (a) public procurement, (b) excluded sectors proposals, (c) compliance directives, and (d) the mutual recognition of professional qualifications;(2) if he will list the Scottish Office civil servants by grade and rank who have provided the European Commission with technical or other advice on the following major framework directives:
(a) pressure vessels, (b) toys, (c) construction materials, (d) electromagnetic compatibility, (e) machine safety, and (f) food law;
(3) if he will list the Scottish Office civil servants by grade and rank who have advised the European Commission on (a) the non-life insurance directive, (b) the liberalisation of audio-visual services, (c) the directive liberalising long term capital movements, and (d) the directive liberalising short term capital movements.
Scottish Office officials give policy, technical and other advice to the European Commission, both in conjunction with colleagues in other United Kingdom Departments and direct, as appropriate, on a whole range of issues including many of those referred to by the hon. Member.
Industrial Production
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the index of industrial production by market sector, with 1979 = 100.
These figures are regularly published by the Scottish Office and are updated each quarter. Current figures are based with 1985 = 100, and a statistical bulletin is shortly to be published showing annual market sector indices back to 1958.The market sector indices for 1988, resealed to 1979 = 100, are as follows:
| 1988 Index 1979 = 100 | |
| Production industries | 104·8 |
| Total consumer goods | 94·0 |
| Consumer durables | 70 |
| Consumer non-durables | 97 |
| Investment goods | 121·8 |
| Intermediate goods | 103·3 |
Source: Index of industrial Production for Scotland.
Cash Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any changes to the cash limits and running cost limits for 1989–90 within his responsibility.
Yes. I intend to make changes to four of the cash limits within my responsibility.Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 14—prisons, hospitals and community health services, etc, Scotland—will be increased by £15,758,000 from £1,987,631,000 to £2,003,389,000. Most of the increase, £16,000,000, follows the decision to implement the recommendations on pay of the review bodies in respect of doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and health visitors, and professions allied to medicine as announced on 16 February 1989. This is partially offset by a reduction of £322,000 following the transfer of responsibility for radiography training from Greater Glasgow health board to Queens college, Glasgow. A corresponding increase will be made to class XVI, vote 15. In addition £80,000 has been transferred from class XVI, vote 17 to cover the cost of appointing dental practice advisers.Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 15 education, arts, libraries and social work, Scotland—will be increased by £322,000 from £215,327,000 to £215,649,000 to meet the costs of running the Glasgow school of Radiography following transfer of responsibility from Greater Glasgow health board to Queen's college, Glasgow. This is being offset by a corresponding reduction in class XVI, vote 14.Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for the Scottish Office administration vote, class XVI, vote 21 will be increased by £148,000 from £120,210,000 to £120,358,000 to meet the cost of processing data for England and Wales in connection with the beef special premium scheme. As a consequence the running costs limit for the Scottish Office will be increased by £148,000 from £205,717,000 to £205,865,000. This increase will be offset by corresponding reductions in the cash limits and running cost limits of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce, class IV, votes 5 and 2.Cashblock SO/LA2, which covers mainly housing capital expenditure by local authorities and capital expenditure by new towns and presently stands at £327,500,000, is to be decreased by £600,000 to £326,900,000. Subject to parliamentary approval of the Supplementary Estimate for class XVI, vote 9 (new towns and the urban programme), this amount will be used to meet increased requirements for the urban partnership initiatives.These changes represent a net charge on the Reserve of £15,678,000 and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Forfar Bypass (Accidents)
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any recommendations, following the consultations between his Department and Tayside region, about accidents on the Forfar bypass; if the monitoring of traffic and the study of junction design lay-out by his Department, Tayside region and Tayside police has led to recommendations; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 22 May 1989]: An analysis of road accidents on the Forfar bypass prepared by Tayside regional council has recently been received and has been considered by the Scottish Development Department. As a result, the regional council has been asked to prepare urgently short-term measures to improve safety that can be implemented quickly. They have also been requested to look at options for a more major upgrading of the junctions.
Advertising
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide as much information as possible about his Department's expenditure on commercial televison advertising, without breaching commercial confidentiality, over each of the past five years.
[holding answer 22 May 1989]: The expenditure was as shown in the table:
| Year | £ |
| 1984–85 | 161,218 |
| 1985–86 | 101,176 |
| 1986–87 | 82,275 |
| 1987–88 | 115,791 |
| 1988–89 | 474,844 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much advertising air time his Department purchased with each commercial television company in each of the last five years.
[holding answer 15 May 1989]: Information on television advertisements in the form requested is commercially confidential.
Employment
Community Insulation Projects
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding the number of community insulation projects which are likely to terminate on 31 May at the end of the three month extension to the community programme; and if he will make a statement.
This information is not available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the applicability in Great Britain of the action for community employment scheme run by the Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland, with particular reference to the future of insulation projects; and if he will make a statement.
No assessment has been made because employment and training conditions in Northern Ireland are different from those in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Cash Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limits or running costs limits for 1989–90.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary summer Supplementary and Revised Estimates, the following changes will be made.The cash limit on class VII, vote I (training programmes) will be increased by £155,522,000 from £2,467,895,000 to £2,623,417,000, due to organisational changes within the Employment Department group resulting in responsibility for some enterprise and small firms functions and other activities transferring to the Training Agency from the Department of Employment. The majority of this increase is offset by a reduction in class VII, vote 2 (employment programmes and central services).The cash limit on class VII, vote 2, will be reduced by £151,893,000 from £785,824,000 to £633,931,000. This is a net result of the transfer of £155,522,000 to the Training Agency (class VII, vote I) of some enterprise and small firms functions and associated running costs and other administrative costs; an increase in provision of £5,873,000 to make payment to the Department of Social Security (class XV, vote 7) in respect of work done by that Department in connection with payments to employment training and youth training scheme participants; a net transfer of £1,326,000 in provision to the Central Statistical Office (CSO) (class XIX, vote 18), due to the transfer of some statistical work relating to the retail prices index and the family expenditure survey from the Department of Employment to CSO; receipts of £1,104,000 from CSO (class XIX, vote 18) in respect of the statistical and administrative support work which the Department of Employment will carry out on a repayment basis; £11,000 additional receipts for work carried out by the Department of Employment for other Government Departments; a transfer of £244,000 from the Department of Social Security (class XV, vote 7), following the change in responsibility for accommodation costs at Reading and Livingston; and a net decrease in provision of £47,000 for payments to seconded Employment Department group staff.There will be a new cash limited vote, class VII, vote 5, to facilitate the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency (STA). This new token vote of £1,000 includes provision for expenses to be incurred by the Department of Employment in connection with the privatisation of STA. The Secretary of State for Employment announced the intention to privatise to the House of Commons on 13 March 1989, at column 23.These changes will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.There will be a decrease of £193,000 in the Employment Department group's overall running costs to £960,532,000. This is the net result of changes in the running costs limits on class VII, vote 1 and class VII, vote 2. The running costs limit on class VII, vote 2 will be reduced by £7,021,000 from £649,165,000 to £642,144,000. 'This is the net result of transferring £6,828,000 to class VII, vote I to cover the staffing of the small firms service and the enterprise allowance scheme; transferring £437,000 to the Central Statistical Office (class XIX, vote 18); and increasing provision by £244,000 from the Department of Social Security (class XV, vote 7) for accommodation costs. The running costs limit for class VII, vote I will correspondingly be increased by £6,828,000 from £204,799,000 to £211,627,000.
Employment Training
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the number of persons (a) entering and (b) leaving the employment training programme since its inception (i) for each month and (ii) cumulatively.
The informal ion required is given in the following table.
| Employment Training entrants and leavers | ||
| Entrants | Leavers (estimated) | |
| September | 21,500 | 1,000 |
| October | 31,100 | 5,000 |
| November | 35,200 | 7,000 |
| December | 28,900 | 7,000 |
| January | 36,700 | 11,000 |
| February | 43,800 | 19,000 |
| March | 42,200 | 26,000 |
| April | 36,300 | n/a |
| Cumulative total | 274,900 | 76,000 |
Note: The total of the monthly entrants figures does not equal the cumulative total because of rounding and later adjustments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of employment training places available on Ile latest date for which information is available in Scotland.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: I have been asked to reply.In May 1989 there were 34,900 contracted employment training places in Scotland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of employment training places occupied on the latest available date for which information is available in Scotland.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: I have been asked to reply.On 12 May 1989 there were 22,000 people participating in employment training in Scotland.
Graduates
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of graduates in employment, and as a percentage of all in employment, in each of the standard regions and Wales for each of the years 1983 to 1988;(2) what was the total number and percentages of graduates in employment in each of the standard regions and Wales in each year from 1983 to 1988.
[holding answers 19 May 1989]: Estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the following table:
Graduates of working age 1, in employment by region | ||||||
Spring estimates
| ||||||
Thousands and per cent.
| ||||||
1983
| 1984
| 1985
| 1986
| 1987
| 2 1988
| |
Graduates in Employment (000's)
| ||||||
| Northern region | 58 | 59 | 50 | 64 | 73 | 62 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 100 | 97 | 91 | 112 | 117 | 120 |
| East Midlands region | 77 | 88 | 93 | 99 | 91 | 104 |
| East Anglia region | 43 | 46 | 48 | 55 | 60 | 60 |
| South East region | 680 | 696 | 754 | 785 | 783 | 807 |
| of which Greater London | 331 | 340 | 386 | 372 | 393 | 414 |
| South West region | 96 | 117 | 115 | 117 | 127 | 115 |
| West Midlands region | 95 | 106 | 108 | 115 | 123 | 133 |
| North West region | 148 | 134 | 147 | 138 | 176 | 181 |
| Wales | 51 | 56 | 56 | 74 | 61 | 60 |
(i) Percentage of all in employment
| ||||||
| Northern region | 4·9 | 5·0 | 4·2 | 5·3 | 5·9 | 4·9 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 5·1 | 4·9 | 4·5 | 5·6 | 5·7 | 5·8 |
| East Midlands region | 4·7 | 5·3 | 5·6 | 5·8 | 5·4 | 5·8 |
| East Anglia region | 5·4 | 5·6 | 5·8 | 6·4 | 6·8 | 6·4 |
| South East region | 9·3 | 9·2 | 9·8 | 10·2 | 10·0 | 9·9 |
| of which Greater London | 11·4 | 11·5 | 12·9 | 12·7 | 13·2 | 13·5 |
| South West region | 5·4 | 6·4 | 6·0 | 6·1 | 6·4 | 5·8 |
| West Midlands region | 4·6 | 5·1 | 5·1 | 5·3 | 5·7 | 5·8 |
| North West region | 5·9 | 5·3 | 5·7 | 5·4 | 6·7 | 6·7 |
| Wales | 5·1 | 5·4 | 5·4 | 7·1 | 5·7 | 5·5 |
(ii) Percentage of all graduates
| ||||||
| Northern region | 85·4 | 83·5 | 82·2 | 82·7 | 84·2 | 84·3 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 80·4 | 85·7 | 84·6 | 86·3 | 86·5 | 79·4 |
| East Midlands region | 86·0 | 84·7 | 88·5 | 87·3 | 86·8 | 90·0 |
| East Anglia region | 80·1 | 88·7 | 88·3 | 82·8 | 83·9 | 85·6 |
| South East region | 82·9 | 85·5 | 84·5 | 84·7 | 85·6 | 87·8 |
| of which Greater London | 82·9 | 84·5 | 83·7 | 82·1 | 86·0 | 87·8 |
| South West region | 80·8 | 82·9 | 83·6 | 84·9 | 90·2 | 88·2 |
| West Midlands region | 81·7 | 83·5 | 82·9 | 90·2 | 86·6 | 88·3 |
| North West region | 84·7 | 78·9 | 84·8 | 86·1 | 87·7 | 88·5 |
| Wales | 83·8 | 82·0 | 79·2 | 86·7 | 80·1 | 82·0 |
Source: Labour Force Surveys. | ||||||
1 Men aged 16–64, women aged 16–59. Graduates can only be identified for this age group. | ||||||
2 Preliminary results (1988 only). | ||||||
Qualifications
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were (a) the total number of people of working age, (b) the percentage with (i) A-levels or equivalents or highers, (ii) 0-levels or equivalent, (iii)
| Persons of working age' by highest qualification and region | ||||||
| Spring estimates | ||||||
| Thousands and per cent. | ||||||
| 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 21988 | |
| Northern region | ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 1,876 | 1,879 | 1,879 | 1,877 | 1,878 | 1,886 |
| `A' level or higher | 27·5 | 32·0 | 32·5 | 34·3 | 34·7 | 33·1 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 13·0 | 14·3 | 13·1 | 15·0 | 16·2 | 15·5 |
| Below '0' level | 10·6 | 7·6 | 10·I | 9·6 | 11·5 | 12·3 |
| No qualification | 49·0 | 46·2 | 44·3 | 41·1 | 37·6 | 39·1 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 2,939 | 2,956 | 2,964 | 2,969 | 2,977 | 2,990 |
| `A' level or higher | 28·8 | 31·3 | 32·8 | 33·1 | 33·8 | 33·7 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 12·7 | 13·6 | 14·9 | 16·3 | 17·0 | 16·3 |
| Below 'O' level | 9·2 | 8·8 | 9·9 | 10·4 | 10·6 | 12·4 |
| No qualification | 49·3 | 46·2 | 42·4 | 40·3 | 38·7 | 37·6 |
| East Midlands region | ||||||
| All of working age (000's=100 per cent.) | 2,329 | 2,355 | 2,377 | 2,398 | 2,418 | 2,428 |
| `A' level or higher | 28·2 | 32·8 | 33·7 | 33·6 | 32·0 | 33·0 |
| `O' level or equivalent | 12·9 | 15·5 | 14·6 | 14·9 | 16·0 | 16·8 |
| Below 'O' level | 9·8 | 9·0 | 10·0 | 11·2 | 12·1 | 13·3 |
achievements below O-level and (iv) no vocational or educational qualifications, for each of the standard regions and Wales, for each of the years 1983 to 1988.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: Estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the following table:
1983
| 1984
| 1985
| 1986
| 1987
| 2 1988
| |
| No qualification | 49·1 | 42·7 | 41·7 | 40·3 | 39·9 | 36·9 |
East Anglia region
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 1,137 | 1,151 | 1,170 | 1,185 | 1,201 | 1,206 |
| 'A' level or higher | 28·6 | 31·9 | 32·4 | 33·5 | 35·1 | 34·3 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 13·6 | 15·5 | 16·4 | 16·5 | 17·7 | 18·7 |
| Below 'O' level | 12·3 | 10·1 | 11·1 | 12·6 | 12·6 | 13·0 |
| No qualification | 45·5 | 42·5 | 40·2 | 37·4 | 34·6 | 34·1 |
South East region
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 10,289 | 10,394 | 10,462 | 10,524 | 10,570 | 10,623 |
| 'A' level or higher | 34·5 | 37·0 | 38·4 | 37·8 | 38·2 | 37·9 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 16·3 | 17·7 | 18·2 | 18·2 | 19·1 | 19·6 |
| Below 'O' level | 10·3 | 10·0 | 10·0 | 11·4 | 11·6 | 13·0 |
| No qualification | 38·9 | 35·3 | 33·4 | 32·6 | 31·1 | 29·4 |
Greater London
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 4,145 | 4,166 | 4,170 | 4,180 | 4,179 | 4,203 |
| 'A' level or higher | 33·7 | 36·8 | 39·0 | 37·7 | 37·7 | 37·7 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 15·6 | 16·6 | 16·8 | 16·2 | 17·5 | 17·4 |
| Below O' level | 9·1 | 8·9 | 9·6 | 11·0 | 10·8 | 13·1 |
| No qualification | 41·6 | 37·8 | 34·5 | 35·1 | 33·9 | 31·9 |
South West region
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 2,564 | 2,594 | 2,629 | 2,660 | 2,697 | 2,709 |
| 'A' level or higher | 32·0 | 36·7 | 37·1 | 36·4 | 36·9 | 36·3 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 16·7 | 18·1 | 17·8 | 18·3 | 18·4 | 19·6 |
| Below *O' level | 9·9 | 10·1 | 10·6 | 12·4 | 12·3 | 13·1 |
| No qualification | 41·3 | 35·1 | 34·5 | 32·9 | 32·3 | 31·0 |
Wesi Midlands region
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 3,143 | 3,162 | 3,175 | 3,179 | 3,194 | 3,208 |
| 'A' level or higher | 26·3 | 29·6 | 30·1 | 31·3 | 30·7 | 30·2 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 13·0 | 13·9 | 14·5 | 14·8 | 16·1 | 16·4 |
| Below 'O' level | 10·0 | 10·2 | 9·5 | 11·4 | 11·4 | 13·5 |
| No qualification | 50·7 | 46·3 | 45·9 | 42·4 | 41·8 | 39·9 |
North West region
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 3,825 | 3,849 | 3,846 | 3,850 | 3,858 | 3,875 |
| 'A' level or higher | 30·3 | 33·7 | 34·8 | 33·1 | 35·5 | 34·8 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 14·0 | 15·0 | 16·4 | 16·2 | 16·3 | 17·0 |
| Below 'O' level | 9·3 | 9·1 | 9·1 | 10·9 | 10·4 | 12·4 |
| No qualification | 46·4 | 42·2 | 39·7 | 39·9 | 37·8 | 35·8 |
Wales
| ||||||
| All of working age (000's = 100 per cent.) | 1,659 | 1,665 | 1,673 | 1,681 | 1,694 | 1,701 |
| 'A' level or higher | 25·2 | 30·8 | 31·6 | 32·4 | 31·1 | 31·7 |
| 'O' level or equivalent | 15·2 | 15·7 | 16·4 | 16·6 | 16·8 | 17·1 |
| Below 'O' level | 10·0 | 7·5 | 8·3 | 8·7 | 9·9 | 11·7 |
| No qualification | 49·6 | 46·0 | 43·8 | 42·3 | 42·2 | 39·5 |
1 Men aged 16 to 64, women aged 16 to 59. | ||||||
2 Preliminary results (1988 only). | ||||||
Source: Labour Force Survey.
Second Jobs
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of people with a second job in each of the standard regions and Wales for each of the years 1983, inclusive.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: Estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the following table:
Persons in employment with a second job, by region
| ||||||
Spring estimates (Thousands)
| ||||||
1983
| 1984
| 1985
| 1986
| 1987
| 1988
| |
| Northern region | 31 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 40 | 45 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 48 | 51 | 73 | 79 | 72 | 87 |
| East Midlands region | 42 | 52 | 56 | 67 | 70 | 67 |
| East Anglia region | 23 | 29 | 33 | 33 | 38 | 47 |
| South East region | 185 | 270 | 284 | 284 | 286 | 344 |
(of which Greater London)
| 59
| 94
| 89
| 97
| 93
| 105
|
| South West region | 58 | 70 | 85 | 89 | 87 | 88 |
| West Midlands region | 42 | 55 | 66 | 68 | 73 | 92 |
| North West region | 53 | 74 | 79 | 88 | 83 | 95 |
| Wales | 19 | 21 | 22 | 28 | 33 | 40 |
1 Preliminary results (1988 only). | ||||||
Source: Labour Force Survey.
Labour Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the unemployment rate by age and sex for the standard regions and Wales, and for each of the year 1983 based on the labour force survey.
| Unemployment2rates by age, sex and region | ||||||||||||
| Spring estimates | ||||||||||||
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 31988 | |||||||
| Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | |
| Northern region | ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 16·9 | 11·3 | 16·9 | 14·1 | 16·0 | 12·4 | 15·8 | 11·6 | 14·9 | 11·0 | 15·0 | 11·6 |
| 16–19 | 36·2 | 27·4 | 24·7 | 29·5 | 28·7 | 20·3 | 25·0 | 21·6 | 25·6 | 17·3 | 18·8 | 17·8 |
| 20–24 | 23·8 | 16·3 | 31·9 | 17·9 | 23·9 | 16·2 | 28·6 | 18·8 | 22·8 | 13·7 | 16·1 | 13·8 |
| 25–34 | 17·6 | 12·3 | 16·3 | 17·4 | 14·5 | 16·6 | 15·4 | 13·0 | 15·1 | 14·7 | 17·3 | 14·3 |
| 35–49 | 10·9 | 6·0 | 12·9 | 10·0 | 12·6 | 8·7 | 11·7 | 7·1 | 10·4 | 8·1 | 12·7 | 8·3 |
| 50–59 | 11·3 | 1— | 11·5 | 1— | 14·2 | 1— | 11·8 | 1— | 12·6 | 1— | 14·6 | 1— |
| 60+ | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| Yorks and Humberside region | ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 13·8 | 10·2 | 12·4 | 11·2 | 12·9 | 10·9 | 12·4 | 10·3 | 12·4 | 9·5 | 11·7 | 9·4 |
| 16–19 | 28·6 | 21·7 | 24·2 | 21·5 | 21·4 | 19·9 | 18·4 | 22·8 | 21·2 | 17·3 | 19·1 | 16·8 |
| 20–24 | 21·0 | 16·2 | 22·2 | 15·1 | 22·3 | 16·8 | 19·8 | 15·1 | 20·2 | 13·2 | 18·7 | 12·7 |
| 25–34 | 14·6 | 12·6 | 11·4 | 13·6 | 12·7 | 13·4 | 11·2 | 12·1 | 12·5 | 11·7 | 11·3 | 11·5 |
| 35–49 | 8·5 | 6·1 | 9·0 | 7·7 | 8·6 | 6·2 | 9·4 | 7·0 | 7·5 | 5·9 | 7·5 | 5·9 |
| 50–59 | 10·6 | 1— | 8·6 | 7·2 | 9·8 | 7·8 | 11·0 | 1— | 10·5 | 6·5 | 11·6 | 1— |
| 60– | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 14·8 | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| East Anglia region | ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 9·6 | 9·4 | 7·2 | 8·1 | 7·5 | 9·7 | 7·3 | 8·7 | 7·6 | 9·1 | 4·7 | 6·1 |
| 16–19 | 20·0 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| 20–24 | 20·6 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| 25–34 | 1— | 1— | 9·9 | 1— | 1— | 13·1 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| 35–49 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 5·8 | 1— | 1— | 7·7 | 1— | 1— |
| 50–59 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| 60+ | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| South East region | ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 8·7 | 8·3 | 8·0 | 8·5 | 7·8 | 8·2 | 8·4 | 8·2 | 7·8 | 7·4 | 5·8 | 6·1 |
| 16–19 | 19·6 | 16·7 | 16·8 | 14·1 | 15·7 | 13·1 | 16·5 | 12·7 | 12·9 | 10·4 | 9·2 | 8·1 |
| 20–24 | 14·0 | 9·5 | 12·8 | 11·6 | 11·2 | 9·3 | 12·8 | 9·6 | 10·0 | 9·8 | 8·4 | 8·2 |
| 25–34 | 8·2 | 10·2 | 7·2 | 9·4 | 7·8 | 10·4 | 8·8 | 10·8 | 7·4 | 8·9 | 5·0 | 7·1 |
| 35–49 | 5·8 | 6·6 | 5·2 | 6·8 | 5·8 | 6·5 | 5·5 | 6·2 | 5·8 | 6·0 | 3·9 | 4·6 |
| 50–59 | 6·6 | 4·9 | 6·8 | 5·5 | 5·6 | 5·7 | 6·9 | 5·8 | 7·6 | 5·1 | 6·7 | 5·1 |
| 60+ | 7·4 | 1— | 7·5 | 5·8 | 7·1 | 1— | 6·2 | 1— | 8·4 | 1— | 6·0 | 1— |
| Greater London | ||||||||||||
| 16–19 | 20·3 | 15·0 | 20·7 | 19·5 | 17·1 | 18·5 | 23·1 | 16·4 | 18·5 | 12·7 | 14·1 | 13·1 |
| 20–24 | 15·5 | 10·6 | 14·1 | 14·5 | 12·1 | 10·2 | 14·7 | 11·5 | 13·7 | 10·0 | 11·8 | 9·4 |
| 25–34 | 10·9 | 10·6 | 9·2 | 10·7 | 10·4 | 10·2 | 12·8 | 10·4 | 9·7 | 8·2 | 7·6 | 7·6 |
| 35–49 | 7·9 | 7·1 | 7·1 | 8·1 | 7·4 | 8·4 | 8·0 | 7·5 | 8·6 | 6·2 | 5·7 | 5·6 |
| 50–59 | 6·9 | 5·0 | 7·4 | 5·1 | 6·9 | 6·1 | 8·4 | 6·3 | 8·7 | 5·2 | 9·9 | 6·9 |
| 60+ | 9·2 | 1— | 9·5 | 1— | 9·4 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 8·1 | 1— | 7·0 | 1— |
| South West region | ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 8·9 | 8·5 | 8·1 | 8·9 | 7·2 | 8·2 | 8·5 | 8·5 | 7·8 | 8·8 | 5·8 | 6·8 |
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: Estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the following table:
1983
| 1984
| 1985
| 1986
| 1987
| 1988
| |||||||
Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| |
| 16–19 | 21·3 | 18·1 | 16·9 | 13·8 | 12·8 | 12·6 | 19·5 | 15·5 | 17·0 | 11·2 | 11·2 | 1— |
| 20–24 | 12·7 | 11·7 | 11·6 | 17·5 | 12·1 | 10·4 | 14·8 | 10·2 | 9·0 | 10·9 | 8·8 | 9·6 |
| 25–34 | 8·6 | 9·5 | 8·5 | 10·4 | 7·6 | 10·7 | 6·7 | 9·9 | 8·3 | 12·9 | 4·9 | 9·2 |
| 35–49 | 6·4 | 6·1 | 5·8 | 5·9 | 4·9 | 6·6 | 4·9 | 7·3 | 5·1 | 6·5 | 4·2 | 5·5 |
| 50–59 | 5·2 | 1— | 6·3 | 1— | 5·1 | 1— | 8·1 | 1— | 6·8 | 1— | 5·1 | 1— |
| 60+ | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
West Midlands region
| ||||||||||||
| All·162 | 14·9 | 12·0 | 14·6 | 12·0 | 14·3 | 12·5 | 12·2 | 10·9 | 13·2 | 10 4 | 8·8 | 7·8 |
| 16–19 | 23·4 | 25·4 | 26·9 | 24·6 | 25·9 | 23·7 | 21·1 | 22·0 | 25·7 | 16·6 | 16·2 | 11·2 |
| 20–24 | 22·1 | 16·2 | 24·4 | 16·2 | 20·3 | 20·1 | 16·4 | 16·9 | 13·9 | 13·8 | 9·4 | 10·4 |
| 24–34 | 14·9 | 13·3 | 13·9 | 15·6 | 13·9 | 14·4 | 12·8 | 13·1 | 13·5 | 13·7 | 8·5 | 10·1 |
| 35–49 | 11·3 | 9·4 | 10·6 | 7·5 | 11·3 | 7·7 | 9·7 | 6·7 | 10·9 | 8·0 | 7·0 | 6·1 |
| 50–59 | 12·9 | 1— | 11·1 | 1— | 11·2 | 6·7 | 10·2 | 1— | 13·3 | 1— | 8·1 | 1— |
| 60· | 14·5 | 1— | 13·0 | 1— | 11·5 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 10·7 | 1— |
North West region
| ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 15·0 | 11·6 | 15·6 | 12·3 | 14·0 | 11·4 | 14·3 | 11·9 | 12·9 | 11·8 | 12·2 | 10·1 |
| 16–19 | 26·1 | 24·2 | 28·3 | 24·3 | 22·6 | 24·4 | 26·3 | 26·6 | 21·8 | 21·3 | 21·6 | 18·7 |
| 20–24 | 24·9 | 17·0 | 25·8 | 18·7 | 24·1 | 15·5 | 21·3 | 18·8 | 19·5 | 17·6 | 18·3 | 14·6 |
| 25–34 | 14·7 | 13·5 | 16·0 | 12·4 | 14·9 | 11·0 | 15·9 | 12·7 | 13·0 | 12·9 | 12·8 | 12·9 |
| 35–49 | 10·8 | 8·0 | 10·1 | 8·3 | 9·9 | 8·7 | 10·1 | 7·2 | 9·2 | 8·4 | 8·2 | 6·0 |
| 50–59 | 12·1 | 6·2 | 12·4 | 8·2 | 9·9 | 6·7 | 8·8 | 7·3 | 10·5 | 7·8 | 9·1 | 6·6 |
| 60+ | 9·8 | 1— | 10·9 | 1— | 10·0 | 1— | 12·6 | 1— | 11·0 | 1— | 12·9 | 1— |
Wales
| ||||||||||||
| All 162 | 15·9 | 11·4 | 14·6 | 13·3 | 13·8 | 11·3 | 15·2 | 112·3 | 14·2 | 11·3 | 11·9 | 10·4 |
| 16–19 | 34·5 | 28·0 | 25·9 | 30·4 | 23·7 | 22·3 | 23·8 | 24·9 | 21·0 | 23·6 | 18·2 | 1— |
| 20–24 | 27·3 | 15·5 | 25·7 | 18·3 | 23·0 | 15·7 | 27·7 | 18·0 | 21·6 | 1— | 17·9 | 1— |
| 25–34 | 15·0 | 11·4 | 15·4 | 15·1 | 12·9 | 11·5 | 15·9 | 15·5 | 15·7 | 18·6 | 10·5 | 13·6 |
| 35–49 | 10·4 | 7·4 | 10·4 | 9·1 | 10·2 | 9·2 | 10·6 | 9·7 | 12·2 | 7·4 | 8·7 | 8·2 |
| 50–59 | 11·0 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 11·9 | 1— | 9·9 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 13·6 | 1— |
| 60+ | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
Source: Labour Force Surveys. | ||||||||||||
1 Sample size too small for a reliable estimate. | ||||||||||||
2 Labour Force Definition. | ||||||||||||
3 Preliminary results (1988 only). | ||||||||||||
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give the occupational analysis of people in employment by broad grouping, based on the labour force survey, in each of the standard regions and Wales, for each of the years 1983 to 1988;(2) what was the total number of people, based on the labour force survey of occupational analysis of people in
| Persons in employment by broad occupation group, sex and region | ||||||||||||
| Spring estimates, Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 31988 | |||||||
| Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | |
| Employees and Self-employed2 | ||||||||||||
| Managerial and Professional | ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 181 | 98 | 186 | 98 | 189 | 104 | 209 | 120 | 220 | 136 | 205 | 128 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 312 | 188 | 344 | 183 | 358 | 185 | 353 | 206 | 351 | 225 | 371 | 219 |
| East Midlands region | 278 | 141 | 308 | 163 | 323 | 158 | 307 | 164 | 299 | 169 | 326 | 174 |
| East Anglia region | 149 | 64 | 162 | 77 | 163 | 87 | 179 | 87 | 177 | 99 | 179 | 98 |
| South East region | 1,652 | 801 | 1,741 | 873 | 1,859 | 907 | 1,887 | 908 | 1,823 | 952 | 1,908 | 997 |
| of which Greater London | 605 | 350 | 652 | 374 | 725 | 405 | 705 | 376 | 677 | 399 | 723 | 406 |
| South West region | 350 | 186 | 383 | 215 | 394 | 211 | 412 | 214 | 392 | 230 | 409 | 245 |
| West Midlands region | 369 | 173 | 373 | 187 | 395 | 201 | 417 | 215 | 379 | 222 | 423 | 242 |
| North West region | 443 | 257 | 440 | 252 | 484 | 284 | 470 | 269 | 486 | 298 | 489 | 322 |
| Wales | 183 | 108 | 202 | 127 | 194 | 112 | 211 | 126 | 198 | 115 | 198 | 130 |
| Clerical and related | ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 34 | 125 | 28 | 119 | 30 | 125 | 27 | 135 | 33 | 145 | 33 | 140 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 48 | 212 | 59 | 216 | 51 | 220 | 46 | 223 | 54 | 225 | 49 | 242 |
| East Midlands region | 40 | 174 | 45 | 189 | 43 | 189 | 37 | 190 | 39 | 199 | 46 | 202 |
| East Anglia region | 25 | 92 | 25 | 89 | 21 | 97 | 20 | 104 | 27 | 97 | 26 | 113 |
| South East region | 341 | 1,080 | 319 | 1,104 | 302 | 1,149 | 290 | 1,172 | 330 | 1,217 | 354 | 1,237 |
| of which Greater London | 168 | 464 | 136 | 446 | 139 | 480 | 128 | 473 | 154 | 510 | 162 | 482 |
| South West region | 64 | 209 | 62 | 216 | 60 | 228 | 54 | 227 | 62 | 249 | 62 | 266 |
| West Midlands region | 53 | 243 | 44 | 248 | 47 | 252 | 49 | 262 | 51 | 260 | 56 | 255 |
employment by sex (a) for each of the broad groupings in the survey and (b) on Government employment and training programmes, for each standard region and Wales for each of the years 1983 to 1988.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: Estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the following table:
1983
| 1984
| 1985
| 1986
| 1987
|
31988
| |||||||
Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| Women
| Men
| women
| Men
| Women
| |
| North West region | 88 | 306 | 74 | 292 | 86 | 306 | 71 | 297 | 89 | 312 | 85 | 336 |
| Wales | 27 | 106 | 24 | 103 | 26 | 110 | 27 | 118 | 29 | 107 | 28 | 115 |
Other Non-Manual
| ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 37 | 66 | 30 | 66 | 33 | 60 | 42 | 63 | 41 | 55 | 46 | 67 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 69 | 87 | 63 | 89 | 66 | 95 | 70 | 92 | 66 | 92 | 71 | 91 |
| East Midlands region | 60 | 63 | 62 | 66 | 54 | 66 | 64 | 64 | 63 | 66 | 70 | 71 |
| East Anglia region | 38 | 34 | 43 | 35 | 41 | 33 | 47 | 32 | 42 | 43 | 40 | 48 |
| South East region | 289 | 279 | 297 | 314 | 305 | 305 | 289 | 301 | 306 | 310 | 323 | 306 |
| of which Greater London | 103 | 102 | 107 | 104 | 114 | 104 | 105 | 109 | 106 | 102 | 113 | 120 |
| South West region | 80 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 80 | 92 | 81 | 94 | 86 | 85 | 92 | 99 |
| West Midlands region | 68 | 84 | 66 | 76 | 68 | 80 | 71 | 85 | 77 | 89 | 88 | 91 |
| North West region | 83 | 101 | 78 | 97 | 87 | 107 | 90 | 119 | 81 | 114 | 85 | 116 |
| Wales | 31 | 47 | 34 | 44 | 33 | 50 | 32 | 52 | 32 | 51 | 36 | 48 |
Craft and similar
| ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 207 | 24 | 219 | 22 | 205 | 25 | 197 | 22 | 196 | 19 | 193 | 24 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 331 | 36 | 346 | 44 | 342 | 41 | 337 | 41 | 334 | 35 | 324 | 40 |
| East Midlands region | 286 | 67 | 286 | 56 | 285 | 59 | 299 | 71 | 289 | 63 | 287 | 61 |
| East Anglia region | 120 | 13 | 127 | 12 | 133 | 12 | 126 | 14 | 132 | 13 | 135 | 1— |
| South East region | 1,050 | 83 | 1,065 | 86 | 991 | 95 | 967 | 83 | 1,018 | 89 | 1,034 | 100 |
| of which Greater London | 389 | 41 | 381 | 37 | 346 | 34 | 328 | 31 | 347 | 34 | 335 | 34 |
| South West region | 285 | 21 | 263 | 22 | 282 | 26 | 280 | 29 | 306 | 27 | 305 | 24 |
| West Midlands region | 373 | 31 | 375 | 44 | 369 | 45 | 367 | 42 | 370 | 42 | 376 | 52 |
| North West region | 406 | 50 | 413 | 59 | 397 | 42 | 375 | 53 | 377 | 61 | 399 | 51 |
| Wales | 171 | 14 | 173 | 13 | 175 | 20 | 155 | 14 | 156 | 22 | 171 | 19 |
General Labourers
| ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 27 | 1— | 22 | 1— | 21 | 1— | 16 | 1— | 13 | 1— | 13 | 1— |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 44 | 1— | 39 | 1— | 31 | 1— | 24 | 17 | 1— | 18 | 1— | |
| East Midlands region | 37 | 1— | 30 | 1— | 31 | 1— | 19 | 1— | 15 | 1— | 13 | 1— |
| East Anglia region | 1— | 1— | 10 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| South East region | 47 | 11 | 47 | 1— | 38 | 1— | 47 | 1— | 30 | 1— | 26 | 1— |
| of which Greater London | 13 | 1— | 12 | 1— | 14 | 1— | 19 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| South West region | 16 | 1— | 16 | 1— | 10 | 1— | 11 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— |
| West Midlands region | 28 | 1— | 28 | 1— | 27 | 1— | 23 | 1— | 20 | 1— | 21 | 1— |
| North West region | 30 | 1— | 40 | 1— | 31 | 1— | 25 | 1— | 20 | 1— | 21 | 1— |
| Wales | 23 | 1— | 19 | 1— | 14 | 1— | 13 | 1— | 11 | 1— | 11 | 1— |
Other Manual
| ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 206 | 173 | 199 | 187 | 205 | 173 | 191 | 177 | 191 | 176 | 207 | 180 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 346 | 299 | 327 | 300 | 331 | 294 | 321 | 300 | 333 | 302 | 338 | 287 |
| East Midlands region | 283 | 214 | 259 | 221 | 236 | 219 | 280 | 226 | 297 | 212 | 286 | 238 |
| East Anglia region | 151 | 123 | 147 | 120 | 145 | 112 | 135 | 119 | 144 | 115 | 163 | 142 |
| South East region | 1,063 | 789 | 1,091 | 856 | 1,105 | 827 | 1,075 | 845 | 1,095 | 847 | 1,158 | 867 |
| of which Greater London | 450 | 300 | 467 | 317 | 436 | 292 | 436 | 294 | 434 | 285 | 449 | 287 |
| South West region | 293 | 239 | 293 | 234 | 310 | 256 | 289 | 241 | 308 | 262 | 310 | 259 |
| West Midlands region | 344 | 300 | 341 | 300 | 333 | 282 | 338 | 301 | 268 | 300 | 392 | 312 |
| North West region | 408 | 345 | 408 | 367 | 400 | 369 | 431 | 369 | 425 | 338 | 425 | 352 |
| Wales | 165 | 130 | 167 | 141 | 172 | 140 | 171 | 138 | 178 | 141 | 188 | 149 |
On Government employment and training programmes
| ||||||||||||
| Northern region | 16 | 11 | 16 | 1— | 19 | 13 | 23 | 11 | 30 | 19 | 31 | 17 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 22 | 15 | 18 | 10 | 29 | 12 | 33 | 13 | 36 | 20 | 36 | 19 |
| East Midlands region | 14 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 1— | 21 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 25 | 16 |
| East Anglia region | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 10 | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 1— | 12 | 1— |
| South East region | 47 | 36 | 36 | 28 | 40 | 31 | 45 | 25 | 45 | 25 | 49 | 34 |
| of which Greater London | 14 | 11 | 13 | 1— | 11 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 1— | 18 | 14 |
| South West region | 17 | 10 | 16 | 1— | 17 | 10 | 22 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 27 | 15 |
| West Midlands region | 20 | 12 | 20 | 13 | 34 | 20 | 36 | 18 | 38 | 21 | 29 | 24 |
| North West region | 29 | 20 | 31 | 20 | 33 | 19 | 36 | 13 | 50 | 29 | 48 | 27 |
| Wales | 13 | 1— | 12 | 1— | 18 | 1— | 15 | 1— | 23 | 14 | 26 | 11 |
1 Sample size too small for a reliable estimate. | ||||||||||||
2 Occupation data are only available for employees and self-employed. Not all person on Government employment and training programmes are asked the appropriate question. | ||||||||||||
3 Preliminary results (1988 only). | ||||||||||||
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, based on the labour force survey, the total number employed in services in each of the standard regions and Wales for each of the years 1983 to 1988.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: Estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the following table:
| Employees and self-employed in service industries (SIC's 6–9), by region1 | ||||||
| Spring estimates | ||||||
| Thousands | ||||||
| 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 21988 | |
| Northern region | 679 | 696 | 672 | 719 | 763 | 754 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside region | 1,124 | 1,175 | 1,196 | 1,219 | 1,264 | 1,265 |
| East Midlands region | 865 | 921 | 896 | 941 | 951 | 1,011 |
| East Anglia region | 495 | 510 | 511 | 545 | 579 | 605 |
| South East region | 5,092 | 5,334 | 5,413 | 5,495 | 5,618 | 5,855 |
| of which Greater London | 2,187 | 2,230 | 2,259 | 2,276 | 2,340 | 2,402 |
| South West region | 1,149 | 1,190 | 1,275 | 1,230 | 1,366 | 1,386 |
| West Midlands region | 1,121 | 1,124 | 1,154 | 1,197 | 1,231 | 1,320 |
| North West region | 1,500 | 1,506 | 1,601 | 1,593 | 1,646 | 1,701 |
| Wales | 592 | 628 | 633 | 686 | 652 | 684 |
| Source: Labour Force Surveys. | ||||||
| 1 Industry data are available only for employees and self-employed. Not all persons on Government employment and training programmes are asked the appropriate question. | ||||||
| 2 Preliminary results (1988 only). | ||||||
Wages Councils
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which of the wages councils a majority of the employer bodies supported abolition of wages councils in the recent public consultation.
[holding answer 19 May 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 May, at columns 155–56, to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes).
Environment
Community Charge Leaflet
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to provide minority language versions of the community charge leaflet which is being sent to all households in England during May.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made to translate the leaflet "The Community Charge (the so called Poll Tax): How It Will Work for You" into other languages.
Yes. The leaflet is being translated into Bengali, Cantonese, Gujerati, Hindi, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. The translated versions will shortly be available free of charge. My Department will send them to councils and community associations, and will take advertisements in selected newspapers, to ensure that their availability is widely known.
Football Membership Scheme
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) of 3 May, Official Report, column 129, whether he will describe the circumstances when the police security services, Inland Revenue, or Customs and Excise will be able to obtain personal data, originally collected in relation to the football membership scheme, for purposes unconnected with the operation of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.
I can envisage no circumstances in which the organisations mentioned would have access to the information collected for purposes unconnected with the national membership scheme for football supporters. Discussions with the data protection registrar have taken place and will continue as the scheme is drawn up by the Football Membership Authority.
Urban Aid (Bolton)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount that Bolton has received in inner urban aid funding over the last 10 years; how much funding is being made available for next year; and if he will make a statement.
Bolton borough council has received £34 million in urban programme resources since 1980. Decision on the urban programme allocations for local authorities next year will, as usual, be announced in the Autumn Statement.
Drinking Water
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location in the county of South Yorkshire (a) which Government and local authority buildings do not meet the European economic Community guide levels and maximum admissible concentration levels for pollutants in their drinking water supply and (b) the pollutants concerned; and if he will make a statement.
Information about supplies to individual Government and local authority buildings is not held centrally. In the county of South Yorkshire Government buildings are supplied by the Yorkshire water authority. Information on the quality of such supplies is available from the Yorkshire water authority.
West Midlands (Strategic Guidance)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to monitor the implementation of the strategic guidance for the west midlands published by his Department in respect of (a) the pace and scale of urban regeneration and efforts to stimulate industrial and housing development and to improve the environment, (b) trends in the factors affecting housing provision in the metropolitan district, (c) the rate at which high technology firms are attracted to sites on the periphery, (d) the outward growth of built-up areas and development in innner city areas, and (e) the effects of shopping development outside town centres on those centres and on the shopping public.
The seven metropolitan boroughs in the west midlands, acting jointly, have recently published a monitoring report on the 1988 strategic guidance entitled "Planning Trends in the West Midlands: 1988 Annual Monitor". This covers many of the points raised by my hon. Friend. I am arranging for a copy to be sent to him.
Community Housing
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to assist community housing and starter homes.
The Government support a wide range of initiatives designed to provide housing for local people and those who are seeking to establish a home for the first time. these include:
—the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for housing associations. Over the next three years, the number of new homes for rent approved by the Corporation is set to rise by 50 per cent. (to 24,000) while the low cost home ownership programme should nearly double in that period;
— subsidised shared ownership schemes provided by local authorities and housing associations which allow the shared owner to buy out the remainder of the equity, thus providing a route to full home ownership;
— assistance to tenants in the housing association and local authority sectors who wish to form housing co-operatives or other types of local management initiatives. In addition, there is a growing number of co-ownership societies constructing new homes in which members either have an equity stake or can buy outright; and
— assistance by local authorities, in their role as enablers, to other landlords in their area using powers in section 25 of the Local Government Act 1988.
Community Charge
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ealing, North of 22 May, he will give the notional community charge for the London borough of Ealing for the year 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 25 April, Official Report, column 532.
Noise
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give consideration to providing a code of practice to local authorities on the action to be taken with regard to noise nuisance in order to establish a common standard for each action.
The Secretary of State has approved a number of codes of practice on noise from various different sources which are designed to help local authorities to take a reasonably consistent approach to similar problems, while retaining the flexibility necessary to deal with local problems in a realistic way.
Endangered Species
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish in the Official Report, the submission of the United Kingdom to this October's meeting of the CITES; and if he will make a statement.
The form of the United Kingdom submission to these conferences is normally finalised at the conference itself. Proceedings of conferences are regularly and routinely published by the CITES secretariat.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representation he has made to the CITES organisation regarding its retrospective approval of ivory cargoes initially detained in the United Kingdom due to documentation discrepancies; and if he will make a statement.
In accordance with CITES controls on raw African ivory, the Department consults the CITES secretariat ivory unit on all import and export applications. No import of ivory is permitted without its concurrence.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what stage has been reached in his Department's consideration in conjunction with CITES of an import licence for approximately 1025 kilos of ivory exported from Zaire without a licence in June 1988 by Mr. Shivaz Virji of Ealing; what information he has regarding the ultimate proposed destination of the ivory: and what steps he has taken to determine whether it originated from elephants slaughtered illegally.
The Department has received no such application for an import licence.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that Britain is not used as a transit route for poached ivory.
The Department complies fully with the controls of the convention on international trade in endangered species on trade in ivory. Import and export permits for trade in raw African ivory are granted only with the approval of the CITES secretariat ivory unit, and if all other requirements of EC regulation 3626/82 are met.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those 18 African countries where the EEC considers the elephant population is no longer capable of sustaining commercial exploitation.
There are currently 19 African countries where the EEC considers that the elephant population is incapable of sustaining commerical exploitation as follows: Benin, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Ghinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Somalia.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further restrictions on the import of ivory are due to be announced by the European Commission.
The Department has no information on further restrictions on the import of ivory to be announced by the European Commission other than those included in my answer to the hon. Member's question on 15 March 1989.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why an import licence was granted by his Department for 1,464 kilos of raw ivory which arrived from Zaire on a British Airways flight on 21 October 1988 with false tusk numbers; to whom in the United Kingdom the tusks were delivered; what information he has regarding the ultimate destination of the ivory; and if he will make a statement;(2) why his Department allowed the 252 tusks which arrived at Gatwick airport on 21 October 1988 to be renumbered; and what steps were taken to ensure the ivory was not from elephants slaughtered illegally.
Details of individual import and export applications are confidential and cannot be released. However, following confirmation from the CITES secretariat ivory unit that a particular consignment had been legally exported and on being satisfied that the requirements of EC regulation 3626/82 were met, the Department granted import licences for ivory from Zaire. The circumstances were that on arrival in the country it was discovered that the ivory had been incorrectly marked at its port of origin. After clarification and confirmation from the CITES secretariat that the cargo was legal, an official of the Zaire Government was authorised to re-mark the ivory. I understand that this ivory remains in Customs and Excise control.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the current number of ivory dealers in the United Kingdom.
The Department has no information on the current number of ivory dealers in the United Kingdom.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the level of funding received by the CITES organisation from ivory dealers.
According to the CITES secretariat ivory unit budget for 1989, a total of 35,000 US dollars is being contributed to the unit's funding by private concerns. Contributions from Governments including the United Kingdom, and conservation organisations, total 108,500 US dollars.
Community Charge Leaflet
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made to produce versions of the leaflets "The Community Charge (the so called Poll Tax): How It Will Work for You" in Braille and moon for the blind and deaf-blind people.
My Department is currently discussing with the Royal National Institute for the Blind ways in which the leaflet might be adapted for the visually handicapped.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made to translate the leaflet "The Community Charge (the so called Poll Tax): How It Will Work for You" into British sign language, on video, for profoundly deaf people whose only language is BSL.
I am currently considering whether such arrangements might be necessary.
Roman Baths (Huggin Hill)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made to safeguard the Roman bath complex at Huggin hill; and if he will make a statement.
The Hammerson Group announced last week that it had decided to redesign its building to preserve and protect the Roman remains, under the close supervision of English Heritage. In the circumstances this is a good solution to a difficult problem, and is the result of all parties working constructively together.
Greenhouse Effect
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to contact the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, Colorado, in order to evaluate the policy options researched by the institute to combat the greenhouse effect in the energy sector.
In studying the energy sector's contribution to the greenhouse effect and in participating fully in the work of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, we take account of all published work in this field including that of the Rocky Mountain Institute.
Birds
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what opinions have been put by the EEC Commission to Her Majesty's Government on the extent to which the shooting of crows, rooks, jays and magpies, as covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, is consistent with the EEC birds directive 79/409; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue.
The Commission has suggested that the provisions of the directive require that the killing of the species listed on schedule 2 part II to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 by authorised persons should be subject to a strictly controlled system of individual licensing. We consider that this would represent an unnecessary bureaucratic burden on farmers and landowners, would be costly to administer and would bring no conservation benefits. We have supplied the Commission with scientific data that shows that the population of none of the species concerned are endangered by present United Kingdom practices. We are trying to secure an amendment to the directive which would clarify the position on sensible pest control.
Wildlife Conservation
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the response of Her Majesty's Government to the resolution of the EEC Parliament entitled "Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats" with particular reference to the proposals for the management and control of hunting and the prohibition of the use of lead shot, document A2–179/88; and if he will make a statement.
The Government have noted the European Parliament's views as expressed in the motion for a resolution calling for a ban on the use of lead shot in shooting, including clay pigeon shooting, and for controls on bag limits.Current evidence does not provide justification for a national ban on the use of lead shot. The situation is being kept under review. The Nature Conservancy Council is consulting all interested parties to assess any potential danger to wildlife and its habitats. A working group of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation is co-ordinating research into all aspects of lead shot, with environmental issues as one of its main priorities.
Flags
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money is spent annually on putting up flags from Government buildings for visiting dignitaries from overseas.
The flying of flags on Government buildings on the ceremonial route and on Raleigh green at each ceremonial state visit, organised by the Lord Chamberlain's office on instructions from the Government, cost approximately £15,700 inclusive of labour and material for framework supports, flying of flags and hire of flagpoles.
Football Grounds
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the weekly attendances at football grounds; how many arrests have taken place in football grounds over the last 12 months; and how many complaints about the proposed membership scheme for those attending football grounds he has received over the last five months.
[holding answer, 23 May 1989]: The Football League estimates that the weekly attendance at Football League matches is of the order of 450,000.The Association of Chief Police Officers collate the figures for the total number of arrests at Football League matches after the end of each season. Figures for 1988–89 are not yet available but in the first two months of the season there were over 1,700 arrests. The total for 1987–88 was 6,106.I have received 2,673 representations against the proposed national membership scheme for football supporters since 1 January.
Leaflets
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many information leaflets were published by his Department in each of the past five years; and what was the total cost each year.
[holding answer 24 May 1989]: The numbers and cost of new information leaflets and new editions of existing publications produced by my Department in each of the past five years were:
- 1984–85 17 at a cost of £710,686 (approx)
- 1985–86 28 at a cost of £252,281
- 1986–87 19 at a cost of £321,195
- 1987–88 30 at a cost of £216,147
- 1988–89 37 at a cost of £615,932
- 1985 6 at a cost of £10,605
- 1986 6 at a cost of £37,040
- 1987 7 at a cost of £11,645
- 1988 7 at a cost of £39,180
2. The Property Services Agency has produced the following new leaflets and new editions:
- 1984–85 None
- 1985–86 2 at a cost of £15,487
- 1986–87 7 at a cost of £77,641
- 1987–88 13 at a cost of £38,964
- 1988–89 18 at a cost of £148,145
Air Pollution
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the target number of inspections and vists to be undertaken by the air pollution inspectors will be in the year 1989–90.
[holding answer 12 May 1989]: A target of 6,000 visits, to or in connection with registered works, is proposed for HMIP inspectors involved in air pollution control. This is a realistic estimate taking into account the need for significant amounts of inspector-time in developing a new system for registrations that will provide more information for the public.
Water
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer of 12 January, Official Report, column 742, he will state whether the chairmen and chief executives of the remaining water authorities are to receive an annual bonus giving the amount paid as a percentage of annual salary.
[holding answer 30 January 1989]: No. None of the chairmen or executive members of the Anglian, South West or Thames water authorities received bonus payments for the financial year 1987–88.
Bathing Water
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated cost for each of (a) Calshot, (b) Milford-onSea, (c) Christchurch bay, (d) Colwell bay, (e) Gurnard, (f) Cowes, (g) Ryde, (h) Seagrove, (i) St. Helens, (j) Bembridge, (k) Whitecliff bay and (l) Ventnor of (i) a long sea outfall, (ii) full sewage treatment works with a short sea outfall and (iii) full sewage treatment works with a long sea outfall to enable them to comply with EEC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC; and when the appropriate solutions will be in place, giving the estimated date of commencement and completion.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today.
Lead Water Pipes
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of households which will need to replace or will be required to replace lead water pipes during the next (a) five and (b) 10 years; and what is his estimate of the average cost per household which this replacement will involve.
The lead concentration in a dwelling's water supply is dependent on a variety of factors, the relevance of which varies considerably in different parts of the country. The need to replace lead pipes will depend on the concentration in water of lead derived from those pipes. In view of this, it is not possible to give an estimate of the number of dwellings where pipe replacement may be desirable. The cost of lead pipe replacement for a dwelling will vary greatly depending on circumstances.
Social Security
Pensions
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the percentage increase from 1979 of (a) the state retirement pension, (b) the retail prices index and (c) the pensioner prices index.
Between November 1979 and April 19891 the level of the state retirement pension increased by 87·1 per cent. Between November 1979 and September 19882 the retail prices index increased by 79·9 per cent. Between the quarter ending September 1979 and the quarter ending September 19883 the pensioner prices index (one person household) increased by 75·5 per cent.
Notes:
1 Information given is for uprating dates.
2 The level of retirement pension payable from April 1989 is based on the RPI figure for September 1988.
3 Pensioner prices indices (for both one-and two-person households) are produced quarterly.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any proposals to change the present arrangements for payment of protected contributions for 1987–88 to private pension providers in respect of individuals who contracted out of the state earnings related pension scheme before 6 April; if he will give his latest estimate of the number of such individuals who contracted out during 1988–89 and backdated their election to 1987–88; by what date he expects 90 per cent. of relevant payments of 1987–88 protected contributions to have been made; if he will estimate the number and total value of such payments yet to be made; whether he will make it his policy to offer interest on late payment; and if he will make a statement.
The current arrangements for payment of the contracted-out rebate to pension providers are working satisfactorily. Personal pension applications have been processed promptly, and payments made to providers in respect of sums due for 1987–88 within a very short period of time. The very heavy volumes received in the last few weeks, however, will inevitably lead to some delay.It is estimated that approximately 3 million pensions have been taken out by the end of 1988–89, and the expectation is that nearly all of them have elected to backdate to the 1987–88 tax year. It is hoped that the vast majority of payments of the contracted-out rebate in respect of 1987–88 will have been made by the end of August. This will involve about a further 2 million payments at an estimated total of £750 million in rebates. The payments will be made as quickly as possible, so the question of interest on late payments does not arise.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many employees are contracted out in defined benefit schemes, group money purchase schemes and personal pension schemes, respectively; and what would be the effect on the income and expenditure of the national insurance fund, in respect of each of these groups, of reducing the contracted-out rebate and the minimum contribution to personal pension schemes by 1 per cent. of relevant earnings.
[holding answer 15 May 1989]: It is estimated that approximately 3 million personal pensions (PP) have been taken out by the end of 1988–89. There is no information currently available on the effects of the changes under the 1986 Act to the numbers of contracted-out members of occupational schemes. On the assumption that contracted-out scheme membership is broadly unchanged it is estimated that there are about 9·5 million members of schemes. On this basis, it is estimated that a 1 per cent. reduction in the rebate rate in 1988–89 would have reduced the PP rebates in respect of that year by approximately £185 million and rebates for scheme members by approximately £850 million.Any effect on expenditure would depend upon precisely how the reduction in the rebate was reflected on the guaranteed minimum pensions (GMPs) which schemes have to provide in respect of contracted-out members, and in the notional GMPs which are deducted from SERPS benefits from those who have contracted-out money purchase or PP rebates.A change in the balance between the value of the rebate and the benefits forgone may affect the numbers opting to contract out, but no allowance has been made for this in the figures given.
Source: Government Actuary's Department.
Transitional Protection Payments
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the savings following the end of transitional protection payments since the last uprating of social security benefits.
Following this year's uprating, some people continue to receive income support and housing benefit transitional protection. The extra cost of paying income support transitional protection on top of uprated benefit income of all claimants is estimated at £100 million for 1989–90.It is estimated that the annual expenditure on housing benefit transitional payments has reduced by about £3–2 million as a result of awards ending in April 1989 because of the flat rate reduction of £2·00.
Charities (Hostel Status)
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will now conduct an urgent investigation into the circumstances in which his Department granted hostel status to the premises in 9A Oliver crescent, Harwick, run by the charity called the Reflections Trust 1987 Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.
It is not the responsibility of this Department to grant hostel status to any establishment. The income support general regulations define "hostel" for income support purposes. Whether or not an establishment is a hostel is a matter of fact for determination by the adjudication officer in considering individual claims for benefit.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what procedures are used to investigate the bona fide nature of Scottish charitable organisations which apply for Department of Social Security hostel status.
The Department does not routinely investigate the nature of charitable organisations in Scotland. There are therefore no set procedures.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether his Department is currently considering any application for Department of Social Security hostel status for any premises situated in Scotland and managed by the Reflections Trust 1987 Ltd.
We know of no such premises which are currently under consideration.
Loans
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of (a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants were awarded to each of the 15 client groups defined by his Department for (i) the midlands region and (ii) each of the 21 offices serving the West Midlands county area for the financial year 1988–89.
The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total value of applications for (a) budgetary loans, (b) cash loans and (c) community care grants from the social fund for the financial year between 4 April 1988 and 31 March 1989 in respect of his Department's local offices at Eston, Hartlepool, Redcar and Stockton.
Details, by month, of the number of budgeting loans, crisis loans and community care grants processed by each local office since 11 April 1988, together with the value of these applications, is available in the Library. However, social fund data for March 1989 are not yet available as a check of the figures has revealed some inaccuracies which have resulted from a new method of calculating the month-end balances.The necessary adjustments are being made and the tables will be placed in the Library at the earliest possible opportunity.In addition, the value of applications processed during December 1988 remains unavailable because of an earlier computer malfunction.
Leaflets
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans are being made to provide extra resources to the Department's leaflets unit.
An additional separate distribution service, the Industrial Services Consortium in Bradford, has been contracted to supply statutory and care organisations with their leaflet requirements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current average length of time taken to dispatch bulk orders of DSS welfare benefit leaflets to independent advice and law centres, local authorities and libraries.
A newly contracted additional leaflets distributed service, which began operations from 1 May, is dispatching bulk orders of DSS leaflets on the basis of a five-day turnabout to advice centres, care agencies and local authorities. A 48-hour urgent demand service is also available. Libraries are being supplied by the leaflets unit at Canons Park and the average time is expected to be reduced with the introduction of the new arrangements from the present unacceptable average of six months to an average time of four weeks.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of the leaflet, "Our Business Is Service", being distributed to staff in local offices of his Department.
The total cost of printing and distributing the brochure "Our Business is Service" is £42,000. This includes the cost of distribution to staff within headquarters offices and the central offices at Newcastle and North Fylde.
Fraud Prosecutions
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the number of prosecutions for social security fraud in Wales giving the sums of money and the number of people involved; and if he will make a statement.
A total of 459 persons were prosecuted in courts in Wales for social security fraud in the period from 10 February 1988 to 28 February 1989. Of these, 393 cases involved offences concerning benefit fraud and 66 related to fraudulent encashment of instruments of payment. Information relating to the total amount of overpaid benefit in these cases is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, in 197 cases compensation orders totalling £97,174·01 were made in favour of the Department as a result of these proceedings.
Household Incomes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the comprehensive set of indicators of the standards of living of households with incomes below the average developed by his Department and referred to in his speech, "The End of the Road for Poverty"; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to "Households Below Average Income: A Statistical Analysis 1981–85" May 1988 and to "Low Income Statistics: Report of a Technical Review" March 1988. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.
Date Of Birth (Evidence)
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what instructions he gives to local Department of Social Security offices about information which is acceptable as evidence of date of birth; and what further guidelines apply for individuals born outside the United Kingdom.
Instructions to local office staff on the verification of age for social security purposes are covered in the general benefits (GB) code, for contributory benefits, and in the "Income Support Manual".For individuals born outside the United Kingdom, a certificate produced by the appropriate authority abroad is accepted unless there is any reason to doubt its validity.
Cash Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there have been any changes to the cash limits or running costs limit of his Department for 1989–90.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class XV, vote 6 (Housing Benefit Administration) will be increased by £312,000 from £128,592,000 to £128,904,000. The revision provides for an additional payment to a local authority in Scotland towards the costs incurred in preparing for the introduction of the community charge rebate scheme.Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for class XV, vote 7 (Administration and Miscellaneous Services) will be increased by £3,226,000 from £1,578,122,000 to £1,581,348,000. The revision takes account of a reassessment of requirements resulting from the division of the Departments of Social Security and of Health, namely £220,000, a transfer of responsibility for certain expenditure items previously borne on class XIV, vote 3, £3,257,000, a transfer of £5,873,000 from DE (class VII, vote 2) to meet additional DSS administration expenses in making payments to employment training and youth training scheme participants, and a transfer to DE of £244,000 to reflect a change in responsibility for accommodation costs at Reading and Livingston. These additional requirements are partially offset by an increase in receipts of £5,880,000 to the vote. The balance of the increase will he offset by transfers from other votes and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.As a result the running cost limit of the Department of Social Security is increased by £6,566,000 from £1,705,319,000 to £1,711,885,000.
Elderly People (Benefits)
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will prepare in tabular form a chart showing the provision of state pensions and other benefits for the elderly in terms of pounds sterling for each of the 12 countries in the European Community.
I refer my hon. Friend to the Department's publication "Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities (Position at 1 January 1988)," a copy of which is in the Library. These tables set out the levels of benefit in the national currencies together with the sterling equivalent converted according to the OECD's purchasing power parity figures as explained in the introduction to the tables.
Widows
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many widows and widowed mothers were affected by his announcement on 28 February, as respects his advice to women widowed before 11 April 1988, to contact local Department of Social Security offices if not contacted within six weeks; and how many have received payment under the new arrangements.
[holding answer 22 May 1989]: I regret that the information is not available. Some widows have been paid but the exact numbers are not known.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether those widows and widowed mothers who, during the period after 11 April 1988, obtained benefit, have to repay the Department of Social Security when they receive their widow's pension.
[holding answer 22 May 1989]: Widows affected by my right hon. Friend's announcement on 28 February 1989 will not have to repay the benefit they have already received. Where the benefit obtained is income-related or overlaps with widow's pension, the arrears of widow's pension will be abated.
Transport
Severn Crossing
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to paragraph 30 of the consultation paper "New Roads by New Means" (a) what he regards as an appropriate toll level on the second Severn crossing and (b) what form of control Her Majesty's Government will place on the level of toll to be charged on the second Severn crossing.
Toll levels on the second Severn crossing will depend on tenderers' bids. We shall come forward in due course with proposals for the tolling regime.
Roads Programme
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects work to commence on the A41 No Mans Heath and Maceden bypass;(2) when he expects work to commence on the A49 Tiverton bypass;(3) when he expects work to commence on the A54/A556 to Kelsall bypass;(4) when he expects work to commence on the A556/A49—Morley Lane stretch;(5) when he expects work to commence on the A556 at Oakmere to Old Rectory Farm, Delamere;(6) when he expects work to commence on the Duddan and Clothen A51 bypass;(7) when he expects work to commence on the Tarpandey bypass to Tow Lane Ends;
These corridor improvements were added to the national trunk road programme on 18 May by "Roads for Prosperity". The first step is for the Department to select a design agency which will investigate possible schemes. A programme for construction will be drawn up when this preparatory work has been completed.
Marine Coastal Pollution Unit
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure that the marine coastal pollution unit can exercise control over a harbour authority in the event of a major oil spill occurring within the harbour limits.
In the event of an accident to or in a ship causing or threatening to cause oil pollution on a large scale in the United Kingdom or United Kingdom territorial waters—inluding harbour areas—the Secretary of State has extensive statutory powers of intervention which would enable the marine pollution control unit to direct and control clean-up operations.
Pollution (Cars)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals there are to introduce standards equivalent to the United States emission standards on small cars within the remainder of countries of the European Economic Community.
The European Commission has recently made proposals which include the introduction of standards equivalent to the United States emission standards on small cars in 1993, throughout the Community.The Government support this move, provided it is implemented in a sensible way, without intermediate stages and respecting the unity of the market.The adoption of three-way catalysts could in some cases increase emission of CO
2 —the principal greenhouse gas. We shall therefore be pressing the Commission to bring forward proposals to tackle this.
London Underground (Police)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total number of British Transport police officers now employed on the London Underground; how many are on secondment from the Metropolitan police; if he has any proposals for increasing the number of officers engaged in this work; and if he will make a statement.
A total of 338 British Transport police officers are currently employed on the London Underground and 80 officers from the Metropolitan and City police forces are also serving on the Underground while BTP officers are recruited and trained to fill the increased establishment of 400 announced last December for the Underground division of the force.That represents an increase of 50 officers and followed an increase from 280 to 350 in 1986.The establishment of the force is a matter for the British Transport police committee.
Concessionary Bus Fares
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the English districts outside London that do not have a system of concessionary bus fares for those of state pensionable age.
The Department of Transport conducted a survey of all local authorities outside London in autumn 1986 to discover the details of concessionary fares schemes operating at that time. The results showed that there was no travel concessionary scheme for elderly people in the following 28 districts. We have no more recent information. It is possible that schemes may now operate in some of these areas.
Avon
- Woodspring DC
Cornwall
- Caradon DC
- Carrick DC
- Kerrier DC
- North Cornwall DC
- Penwith DC
Cumbria
- Eden DC
Devon
- East Devon DC
- Mid Devon DC
- South Hams DC
- West Devon DC
Lincolnshire
- Boston BC
- South Holland DC
- West Lindsey DC
North Yorkshire
- Hambleton DC
- Harrogate BC
- Richmondshire DC
- Scarborough BC
Shropshire
- South Shropshire DC
Dorset
- West Dorset DC
Somerset
- Taunton Deane BC
- West Somerset DC
Warwickshire
- Stratford-upon-Avon DC
Hereford/Worcester
- Leominster
Wiltshire
- Kennet DC
- North Wiltshire
- Salisbury DC
- West Wiltshire DC
Pilot Autoguide System
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he proposes to ensure that the pilot autoguide system will not include route guidance for through traffic to use local roads; what powers local highway authorities will have of control over the guidance routes chosen and the equipment to be installed; and whether there will be any appeals procedure to resolve differences between local highway authorities and operators.
Under the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Bill currently before Parliament, the operation of an autoguide system in relation to public roads would require a licence from the Secretary of State.Clause 10(8) of the Bill would enable the Secretary of State to specify in a licence the classes of descriptions of public road which may be included in route guidance. The Bill does not extend local highway authorities' existing powers to manage traffic in their areas.An autoguide pilot scheme would need to include the use of some local roads to allow a full assessment of the likely effects of a large scale commercial system. The Department of Transport has set up a group which would oversee the monitoring and evaluation of a pilot autoguide scheme in London, should a licence for one be awarded. The group includes representatives of local authority associations and the police.An autoguide operator's power to install equipment would, under clause 12 of the Bill, be subject to the street works code in the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950. This would require an operator to notify relevant highway authorities of proposals, and sets out procedures for resolving disputes.
North Devon Link Road
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving personal injury have been recorded on the north Devon link road since it was opened and how many motorists have been cautioned or prosecuted for speeding on this section of the road from Tiverton to South Molton.
There have been six personal injury accidents on the section of north Devon Link between Tiverton and Newtown. Two of these accidents involved fatalities.There has been a high police presence on the road. They estimate that about 860 motorists have been cautioned or prosecuted for speeding.
Bus Fares
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the most recent information his Department has on the level of bus fares since deregulation.
Between 1985–86 and the 12 months ended September 1988, local bus fares outside London rose by an average of 19 per cent. Following the imposition of precept control, fares in metropolitan areas rose sharply from very low levels. In other areas outside London, the rise of 11 per cent. was broadly in line with inflation.
M25
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the date when the M25 road was built; what was the cost at current prices of (a) re-surfacing work, (b) concrete relaying and (c) road rebuilding (i) undertaken since that date up to the present time and (ii) which he estimates is needed to bring the road up to high quality standard; who had the initial road-building contract; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that work bearing in mind the longevity and usage of the road; and if he will make a statement.
Information is not kept in the form requested and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The first section of what was to become the M25 London orbital motorway was opened in 1972 and the final section in 1986. Fifteen main civil engineering contractors were involved in its construction.
Major maintenance work, defined as capital schemes costing more than £500,000 (more than £250,000 before April 1987), has cost as follows:
£ million
| |
Year
| Outturn cost
|
| 1985–86 | 0·6 |
| 1986–87 | — |
| 1987–88 | 2·4 |
| 1988–89 | 19·8 |
| 1989–90 | 23·8 |
1 Estimate. | |
2 Provisional. | |
Some major renewal has been necessary earlier than expected mainly because of much higher usage of the motorway than was originally forecast. Regular surveys are carried out to assess the continuing need for maintenance and major works are programmed in the most cost effective manner. All present major maintenance needs will be met by the expenditure provision for 1989–90. These works will be designed and executed to minimise disruption to traffic.
M11
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the date when the M11 road was built; what was the cost at current prices of (a) resurfacing work, (b) concrete relaying and (c) road rebuilding (i) undertaken since that date up to the present time and (ii) which he estimates is needed to bring the road up to high quality standard; who had the initial road-building contract; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that work bearing in mind the longevity and anticipated usage of the road; and if he will make a statement.
Information is not kept in the form requested and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The first section of the M11 London-Cambridge motorway was opened in 1975 and the final section in 1980. Seven main civil engineering contractors were involved in its construction.Major maintenance work, defined as capital schemes costing more than £500,000 (more than £250,000 before April 1987), has cost as follows:
| Year | Outturn cost |
| (£ million) | |
| 1985–86 | 0·3 |
| 1986–87 | — |
| 1987–88 | 1·3 |
| 1988–89 | 11·1 |
| 1989–90 | 29·0 |
| 1 Estimate. | |
| 2 Provisional. | |
Search And Rescue
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the Lepe-based Venturers search and rescue service has not been accepted by the coastguard's regional controller as an operational partner in life-saving activities in the Solent; and if he will make a statement.
My hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping wrote to my hon. Friend on 21 March 1989 giving the background to this matter, and explaining his decision. I have nothing further to add to the contents of that letter.
Prestwick Airport
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make available accounts for Prestwick airport for the period 1985 to 1989; and if he will make a statement.
| £ million | |||||
| 1983–88 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | |
| Income | |||||
| Traffic charges | 3·7 | 3·8 | 4·0 | 4·5 | 5·3 |
| Concessions and property | 2·0 | 2·1 | 2·0 | 1·9 | 2·5 |
| Total | 5·7 | 5·9 | 6·0 | 6·4 | 7·8 |
| Expenditure | |||||
| Staff costs | 3·2 | 3·9 | 4·3 | 4·3 | 5·2 |
| External charges | 4·1 | 3·3 | 2·8 | 2·8 | 3·6 |
| Depreciation | 1·8 | 1·5 | 1·4 | 1·2 | 1·1 |
| Total | 9·1 | 8·7 | 8·5 | 8·3 | 9·9 |
| Trading (loss) | (3·4) | (2·8) | (2·5) | (1·9) | (2·1) |
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list the representations he has received from commercial and business organisations in support of his policy of maintaining Prestwick as Scotland's gateway airport; and if he will make a statement.
Representations to my right hon. Friend about Scottish lowland airports policy have taken the form of private correspondence. It would be for those concerned to make their views public, if they wished.
Harbour Projects
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many harbour projects in (a) Yorkshire, and (b) Humberside have been carried out in the period from May 1979 to May 1989; where are the locations; how much money was granted to these projects; and what were the sources of the funds.
The Department does not have this information. Harbour developments do not require my right hon. Friend's approval, and except for certain fishery facilities have not been financed since 1979 by Government loans or grants.However in 1980 a grant of £19,200 was made for one harbour project in Yorkshire from the European regional development fund, and since 1980 grants totalling £6,382,800 have been made from the fund for 20 harbour projects on Humberside.
Figures relating to Prestwick airport appear in the annual reports by the British Airports Authority and its successor, BAA plc; copies are in the Library. For any further material I suggest my hon. Friend contacts BAA plc direct.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish the evidence which led him to conclude that there had been a steady improvement in the financial position of Prestwick airport; and if he will make a statement.
The information supplied, which was drawn from the relevant annual reports of the then British Airports authority and latterly BAA plc, was as follows:
Orange Badge Scheme
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many London boroughs allow the orange badge scheme to be used only by disabled people resident in their own borough; which of the royal boroughs refuse to operate the orange badge scheme; and for what reasons.
The orange badge scheme allows all badge holders to use the parking concessions wherever the scheme operates.The scheme does not operate in the Royal boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, nor in the City of London, City of Westminster and parts of London borough of Camden. This reflects the particular traffic problems in central London. The four authorities each operate their own concessionary scheme for people with disabilities who live or work in their area.We recently announced proposals to ensure that orange badges go only to those severely disabled people who need them most, and to curb abuse of the scheme. In the light of that, we have invited the four authorities to consider introducing elements of the national scheme in their areas.
British Rail
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the privatisation of British Rail.
We have received a small number of representations from interested organisations and from individuals.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the Chairman of British Rail; and what was discussed.
My right hon. Friend last met the chairman of British Rail on 17 May to discuss a variety of railway matters.
Prime Minister
Strategic Nuclear Deterrent
Q33.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to publish an indicative list of the circumstances in which Her Majesty's Government would authorise the use of the strategic nuclear deterrent.
No.
Hazardous And Noxious Substances
Q45.
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 27 April Official Report, column 613, if she will list the contents of Her Majesty's Government's proposals for the implementation of a hazardous and noxious substances convention as well as the alternative plans being presented; and how those proposals would prevent accidents such as occurred with the foundering of the MV Perentis in March.
The new hazardous and noxious substances convention being developed by the International Maritime Organisation's legal committee seeks to establish a liability and compensation regime in respect of incidents arising from the maritime carriage of HNS cargoes. Of the four alternatives being prepared for the legal committee, one places liability solely on the shipowner, another places liability on an international fund financed by cargo interests. The two other alternatives share liability between the shipowner and an international fund. The United Kingdom is preparing proposals on one of these shared alternatives, under which the international fund would purchase insurance cover to meet any compensation claims made against it.The marking, stowage and carriage of HNS cargoes are already subject to existing international conventions, developed and continually updated by the International Maritime Organisation.
Westland Plc
Q113.
To ask the Prime Minister whether Sir Leon Brittan has cleared with No. 10 Downing street his response to the inquiry by the Select Committee on Defence about the explanation of his remarks on Channel 4 television, alleging that Mr. Bernard Ingham and Mr. Charles Powell had approved the disclosure of a Law Officer's letter during the Westland affair.
I have nothing to add to the many answers given in statements and in reply to questions on this subject.
Rain Forests
Q178.
To ask the Prime Minister what plans she has to give further assistance to countries with tropical rain forests to prevent their destruction.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 May, at column 211.
European Community
To ask the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to consider legislation to return powers ceded to the European Community to the United Kingdom Parliament.
No.
Global Warming (Research)
To ask the Prime Minister what has been the contribution by Her Majesty's Government to research and development connected with global warming in the current financial year; how much is planned for future years; and if she will break the figures down by departmental budget.
Research on climate change and the possible consequences of global warming is being undertaken on an international scale.The Government are currently spending over £15 million on research and development directly relevant to the understanding of climate change and global warming and this figure is likely to increase. Details of expenditure by departmental and research council budget are given in the table for 1989–90.In addition, a number of Departments are undertaking research and development work which will be relevant to the mitigation of and adaption to the consequence of climate change and global warming.
| Planned expenditure on climate change research and development in 1989–90 | |
| £ million | |
| NERC | 11·2 |
| SERC | 2·0 |
| Met. Office | 0·75 |
| DOE | 0·59 |
| MAFF | 1·0 |
| Total | 15·54 |
Endangered Species
To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government to ban immediately the import and export of all ivory products and seek a similar ban within the European Economic Community; and if she will make a statement.
Effective action to control the trade in ivory can only be taken on the basis of international co-operation. The Government fully share the concern that has been expressed about the decline in African elephant populations and will be calling for concerted European support for banning trade in new ivory, at the next council meeting of Environment Ministers on 8 June. The first opportunity to secure listing the African elephant in appendix I of the convention on international trade in endangered species, will be at the next conference of CITES parties in October.
Public Bodies
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the public bodies (a) abolished and (b) established since 1979.
Between 1979 and 1988, 937 non-departmental public bodies were abolished and 417 were established. A list of the individual bodies involved could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Engagements
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 May.
This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Government Achievements
To ask the Prime Minister if she will update her answer of 6 May 1988, Official Report, columns 628–44, on the major achievements of Her Majesty's Government since May 1979.
The United Kingdom is well into its eighth successive year of sustained economic growth, at an annual average rate of over 3 per cent. The seven years to 1988 have seen a combination of strong and steady growth not seen since world war 2. The United Kingdom economy has grown faster than all other major European Community countries during the 1980s. Retail price inflation has averaged 5 per cent. since 1983, compared to an average of over 15 per cent. from March 1974 to April 1979.Business investment in 1988 was the highest ever recorded as a percentage of GDP and in the 1980s as a whole it has grown faster than in all other major European countries; only Japan among the Group of Seven major industrialised nations has had faster business investment growth. Over the past seven years, total investment has grown more than twice as fast as consumption. The level of the United Kingdom's net overseas assets is the largest of all the major nations as a percentage of GDP and in 1986 and 1987 our invisibles surplus was the largest in the world.Manufacturing productivity has risen at an average annual rate of over 5 per cent. since 1980—faster than in any other major industrialised country, after being at the bottom of the league in the previous two decades. Output per hour worked in the whole economy has also grown steadily so that by 1986 (the latest figure available), it was approaching the average for the Group of Seven and was 50 per cent. higher than that of Japan and only 5 per cent. below that of West Germany. Since 1981, the net rate of return on capital employed by British industry has nearly doubled. Excluding the North sea, the rise in profitability has been even greater. In 1987, non-North sea company profitability rose to over 10 per cent. its highest level since 1969, having risen every year since 1981.Real take-home pay has risen substantially. For a married man on average earnings with two children, it has increased by about 30 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1988–89. Real personal disposable income is at a record level; in 1988 it was 5 per cent. higher than a year earlier. Pensioners have also shared in this growing prosperity. Their average real incomes rose by 23 per cent. between 1979 and 1986.The Government have continued to maintain sound public finances. In 1988–89, the Government made a net repayment of public sector debt for the second consecutive year—the first time this has been achieved for forty years —saving over £1½ billion a year in interest payments. Including the £14 billion repayment budgeted for 1989–90, the Government will have repaid roughly a sixth of the total accumulated public debt in three years.The Government have increased spending on priority programmes while reducing public expenditure as a proportion of GDP. In 1988–89, it was less than 40 per cent. of GDP for the first time in over 20 years. This has been made possible by continued improvements in efficiency in Government services, together with a rigorous reassessment of expenditure priorities.The Government have made great advances since the introduction of the financial management initiative in 1982 towards the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Civil Service. All Departments now have arrangements for delegating clear budgets and responsibilities down the management chain, and the flexible pay arrangements now in force in the Civil Service will enable Departments to make further improvements in the use of their human resources. The central instructions on personnel management in the Civil Service are being reviewed with a view to removing unnecessary controls on the discretion of managers in Departments wherever possible.In 1988, the next steps initiative was launched. This involves setting up, to the greatest extent practicable, discrete management units to perform the executive functions of Government. These agencies will have clearer objectives, greater responsibility and the right tools for the job. The aim is greater value for money for the taxpayer, increased job satisfaction for staff and a better quality of service for the public. So far, five agencies have been established, and well over 30 candidates identified, covering about a third of the Civil Service and including virtually all the operational tasks of the Department of Social Security.The Government have pursued a substantial programme of tax reform. The aim has been to create a climate in which businesses can thrive and individual initiative and risk-taking are rewarded. The basic rate of income tax has been reduced from 33 to 25 per cent., and the main personal allowances are fully 25 per cent higher in real terms than in 1978–79. Nine higher rates of income tax on earned income running up to 83 per cent. have been replaced by a single higher rate of 40 per cent. A new system of independent taxation for husbands and wives will apply in 1990.Business taxation has been radically restructured, leaving the main United Kingdom corporation tax rate at 35 per cent., one of the lowest in the industrialised world. Seventeen rates of capital transfer tax running up to 75 per cent. have been replaced by a single rate of 40 per cent. on inheritance; the rates of tax on capital gains have been aligned with those on income and the taxation of purely inflationary capital gains has been ended. The taxation of life assurance will be reformed from 1990. Five major taxes and a number of unjustified tax breaks have been abolished.Since 1979, the Government have privatised 19 major companies and a number of other enterprises. As a result of this policy and of tax reliefs designed to encourage shareholding, the number of individual shareholders in the United Kingdom, at one in five of the adult population, has trebled since 1979. Nearly 45 per cent. of the state-owned industrial sector which the Government inherited in 1979 has been returned to private enterprise. The privatisation programme is set to continue; legislation is proceeding for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry and the water industry in England and Wales, and the Government have already announced their intention to privatise British Coal in the next Parliament.The Government have introduced a large number of measures to improve the operation of markets. Pay, price and dividend controls have been abolished, together with controls on foreign exchange, bank lending, hire purchase and new issues, and restrictions on industrial and office development. Incentives have been increased by reductions in tax rates and by the reform of national insurance contributions. The state retirement pensioners' earnings rule will be abolished from October 1989.Employment in the United Kingdom has risen by almost 3 million since March 1983, to the highest level ever. Unemployment throughout the United Kingdom has fallen over 33 consecutive months by over 1·25 million from its July 1986 peak, which is the longest and largest continuous fall since the second world war. The unemployment rate is now well below the European Community average. It has fallen in all regions of the country, with the biggest falls having occurred in the west midlands and Wales. The number of long-term unemployed (ie, those unemployed for more than a year) in the United Kingdom fell by a record half a million in the two years to January 1989. Unemployment among the under-25s has also been falling very sharply, and is now much lower than in most other European Community countries.Changes in employment legislation and measures to assist labour mobility have improved the operation of the labour market. Many restrictions on the employment of women have been lifted.The Government's policies have helped the small firms sector to grow rapidly and to make a substantial contribution to employment and wealth creation. Between 1982 and 1984, about 1 million jobs were created by self employment and by firms employing fewer than 20 employees. Between 1980 and 1986, the number of small firms grew by around 500 per week. In 1987, this figure increased to nearly 900 per week. Self-employment has increased by more than 50 per cent. since 1979 to 3 million as of June 1988. The number of self-employed women has more than doubled in the same period.The Government's small firms service continues to provide professional advice and support to small firms. The enterprise allowance scheme has helped some 430,000 people in Great Britain to set up in business on their own. In addition, the Government have helped to create a network of 400 local enterprise agencies throughout the United Kingdom to encourage the development of small firms.The employment service has continued to build on the opportunities for delivering practical and positive help to get unemployed people back to work. In the year to March 1989, the employment service placed 1·9 million people into jobs, of whom 1·5 million had been unemployed. In the same period, some 2·2 million personal interviews were carried out under restart, almost 90 per cent. of them resulting in an offer of positive help from the range of opportunities available, including job clubs and employment training. New client advisers have been introduced into all full-time unemployment benefit offices and offer positive help to the newly unemployed to get them back into jobs as quickly as possible. The employment service has continued to treat as a priority the need to ensure that benefits are properly paid to those who are entitled to them and not to others.The Government have revolutionised vocational education and training for young people through the technical and vocational education initiative and two-year youth training scheme. TVEI is now a national scheme covering all education authorities. Over 2 million young people have had vocational training under YTS, and a wide range of courses leading towards a vocational qualification is available to all 16 and 17-year-old school leavers. All young people not going into a job or staying in full time education are guaranteed a place on YTS until their 18th birthday.The Government have successfully introduced employment training, the major new programme for longer-term unemployed people. Over 180,000 people are already training on the programme after just eight months of the programme's operation. The Government have guaranteed the offer of a place on employment training or on the enterprise allowance scheme or in a job club to all those aged between 18 and 24 who have been unemployed for between six and 12 months and also aim to provide a place on employment training for those over 24 who have been unemployed for two years or more.The Government launched a new service—known as business growth training—last month which will help companies to use training more effectively to improve their performance and their profits. The Government are setting up a network of training and enterprise councils. TECs will contract with Government to plan and deliver training and promote and support the development of small businesses and self-employment within their areas. A national training task force has been set up to assist the Secretary of State for Employment to develop the TECs and to promote greater investment by employers in the skills of the workforce.Legislation has been passed to protect members against abuses of trade union power, to extend their rights to influence the affairs of their unions, and to restore the balance in industrial relations between managements and unions. In particular, secondary action and secondary picketing have been made unlawful, all statutory support for the closed shop has been removed, and unions have been required to hold ballots before strike action.The European Community's objective of completing the single market by the end of 1992 has the Government's strong support. Good progress has been made with around 275 single market measures agreed since 1985. To ensure that all businesses in every part of the country are fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunities the single market will bring, the Government launched a major campaign in 1988. As a result, over 90 per cent. of business men are now aware of the significance of 1992 and around 50 per cent. of British business is already taking action or considering steps to prepare for the single market.The Government have launched the enterprise initiative, with the objective of helping business to acquire the skills and information they need to compete effectively. Since the launch of the initiative in January 1988, over 25,000 applications have been received by DTI for consultancy assistance, with demand spread throughout Britain.The Government have also launched the export initiative which is aimed at improving the quality and delivery of export services through closer partnership with the private sector, with particular emphasis on helping small and medium-sized firms to obtain expert professional advice on exporting.The balance of regional policy has been changed so that the Government's enterprise policies are properly reflected in the regions. The Government have encouraged greater competition throughout the economy.The emphasis of the Government's financial support for industry has shifted to industrial innovation. Support has been concentrated on collaborative research programmes, including the LINK scheme which brings together academic and industrial researchers, and the EUREKA initiative for collaborative research in Europe. Thirteen LINK programmes have been announced.The Financial Services Act established a statutory framework for self-regulation of the financial services industry in the interests of investor protection, under the Securities and Investments Board and a number of self-regulatory organisations. The operation of the Act has been kept under review and the Government are taking steps to make further improvements in the self-regulatory regime following recent consultations.The Government have been active to strengthen safeguards against fraud and to ensure that the probity of our financial institutions is maintained without undermining their competitiveness. The Companies Acts 1980 and 1981 strengthened the powers of investigation and the court's powers to disqualify directors for misconduct; and made insider dealing a criminal offence.The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, which will come into force later this year, provides a major and comprehensive reform of intellectual property rights. It takes into account the immense technological changes since the 1956 Copyright Act which it will supersede. It will introduce important new rights, such as design right, and provide the appropriate balance between the protection of intellectual property and the needs of those who use the products of creativity.The Government have responded positively to new developments in radio technology by licensing companies to provide major new services such as cellular radio, which has accumulated over half a million subscribers in the last four years. More recently, the Government have agreed to licence consortia to operate the telepoint public cordless telephone services.The Government have continued to work to lift the burdens placed on business by regulations and bureaucracy. A third White Paper on deregulation, "Releasing Enterprise" which was published last year recorded some 120 further achievements in 1987–88 and made some 80 proposals for further action, which are being followed up.The Government strongly supported the launch of the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations, which took place in 1986 during the United Kingdom presidency. This year it contributed to the successful completion of the round's mid-term review.The Government have stepped up their attack on urban decay and have given priority to ensuring that inner city residents benefit from growing national prosperity.We have established 10 urban development corporations in England and one in Wales, which are succeeding in enlisting massive private sector resources in urban regeneration.The "Action for Cities" initiative, launched in March 1988, brought together a wide range of Government programmes to improve the business environment, encourage further private sector involvement, and improve the quality of life in the inner cities.The total Government commitment to the "Action for Cities" programmes, which in 1988–89 was around £3 billion, will reach nearly £3·5 billion in 1989–90. Developments since March 1988 include: meetings have been held for local business men and women in cities around the country to encourage them to become involved in regenerating their areas; 30 school-employer compacts are being set up and a further 10 are planned; 20 city technology colleges are being established; three new inner-city task forces have been announced; city grant has attracted over £100 million of private investment to inner city areas; 14 safer cities projects are being established; a broad range of help is being given to developing better sport, arts and leisure facilities and improving the inner city environment; and major improvements in the infrastructure are taking place.Government policies on taxation and licensing helped to make 1988 the best year for drilling activities in the North sea since exploration began in 1964. The Government are holding the 11th offshore licensing round; 125 applications have been received, making this the second most successful round ever. The oil industry's response confirms the recovery of confidence in the United Kingdom continental shelf.The Government's policies have also fostered the growth of the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry. In 1988, the total value of orders reported by operators for oil and gas development work was £2·5 billion, 35 per cent. up on 1987.Productivity of deep mine coal production is now 85 per cent. higher than it was in 1978–79, and is up by 70 per cent. from 1984 levels. In the week ending 25 March 1989, national output per man shift rose to a new record of 4·62 tonnes.The Government's renewable energy research programme has made substantial progress. In 1988, details of the research strategy up to the year 2000 were published in energy paper 55, and measures to encourage the development of renewable energy were included in the Bills for privatising the electricity supply and water industries.
Domestic gas now costs less in real terms than in 1970, while the price of electricity for domestic consumers has gone down by 12 per cent. in the last five years.
Since the publication of the White Paper "Privatising Electricity" in February 1988, the Government have introduced legislation to reorganise and privatise the electricity supply industry; it has published the licences by which the industry will be regulated; and it has developed plans for the flotation of the industry in England, Wales and Scotland. Substantial progress has been made in reorganising the industry and the Government intend that the new structure will be ready for vesting in the successor companies once Parliament approves the Electricity Bill.
Since 1979, productivity per person has increased by over 53 per cent. in agriculture and almost 38 per cent. in the food and drink manufacturing industry. Prices of food to consumers have risen more slowly than the general price level. Exports of food, feed and alcoholic beverages have almost doubled since 1979.
Reform of the common agricultural policy, to tackle the problems of burgeoning expenditure and surplus production, was significantly advanced by the agreement at the European Council in February 1988 on the application of budgetary discipline to the CAP, notably through the introduction of a legally binding ceiling on CAP market support expenditure, and the introduction or extension of stabilisers in CAP commodity regimes. Stabilisers, which link full levels of support to predetermined quantities of production, and provide for reductions in support if those quantities are exceeded, are intended to act as a disincentive to surplus production and thus to help bring supply and demand into better balance. In 1988–89, stabilisers were triggered in many sectors and are resulting in significant price cuts. The process of CAP reform was pursued in the price fixing settlements in 1988 and 1989, when common prices were generally frozen and intervention was made less attractive. In January 1989, the beef regime was reformed.
The Government have taken many steps to safeguard the position of United Kingdom farmers. Significant green pound devaluations, which considerably improve the competitiveness of United Kingdom agriculture, and which are agreed steps towards the completion of the internal market, were agreed at each of the last two price settlements. The suckler cow premium and expenditure on hill livestock compensatory allowances have been increased.
The Government have introduced further schemes designed to achieve a better balance between agricultural production and the environment, to aid farm diversification and alternative land use, and to encourage farming practices that are beneficial to the landscape and to the conservation of wildlife.
The set-aside theme, introduced in 1988, provides incentives for the reduction of surplus arable production, while keeping the land which has been set aside in good heart.
The farm woodland scheme is designed to encourage the planting of trees on land previously in agricultural production.
We have established 19 environmentally sensitive areas in the United Kingdom, where payments are made to encourage environmentally beneficial agricultural practices.
Since 1979, a considerable shift in the focus of capital grants has taken place; they are now concentrated more on investments which prevent pollution by farm operations and which help to conserve the landscape and to protect its flora and fauna. The farm and conservation grant scheme, introduced in February 1989, offers grants of 50 per cent for effluent facilities and also grants for a wide range of conservation activities.
The sale, supply and use of pesticides has been brought under statutory control to ensure use in relation to operators, consumers and the environment.
The Government have continued to take action where necessary under the Food Act to safeguard the nation's food supply on the best scientific advice available.
We operate a comprehensive food monitoring and investigative system under the auspicies of the steering group on food surveillance. We have also set up a committee under the chairmanship of Sir Mark Richmond to make recommendations on the microbiological safety of food.
In order to ensure that our legislation can meet the challenge of modern food technology, the Government have also engaged in extensive consultation with industry, enforcement and consumer interests as part of a review of existing food legislation, with a view to legislating as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits.
The United Kingdom has played a full part in negotiating the directives which form part of the Community's single market programme for harmonising food law. These will remove barriers to trade and benefit both consumers and industry.
In 1979 we set up the Farm Animal Welfare Council which has given us independent and authoritative advice. We have banned veal crates and various mutilations; introduced new legislation on battery hens and on poultry transport and slaughter; and produced on-farm codes for all the major species.
After protracted and difficult negotiations, the Government secured a European Community common fisheries policy settlement in 1983 on terms very favourable to the United Kingdom. Conservation, control and structural measures have all been strengthened as part of that settlement and subsequently. The Salmon Act 1986 strengthened powers to deal with illegal fishing and made improvements in the conservation and management of salmon.
Controls to ensure the protection of the marine environment have been strengthened, and substantial reductions have been achieved in the levels of contaminants in material licensed for disposal at sea.
In the field of transport, the Government have pursued policies designed to ensure that Britain's growing transport needs are met safely, efficiently and with proper respect for the environment.
British Airways and the British Airports Authority have been privatised. The Government have authorised the development of Stansted as London's third airport, encouraged the development of airport facilities in the regions, improved the management of the main local authority airports by transferring them to companies and banned the noisiest aircraft from operating at British airports. The Government have taken steps, domestically and internationally, to intensify aviation security and to increase air traffic control capacity. The Government have strengthened competition on international air routes by negotiating more liberal bilateral arrangements. The Government have secured agreement to packages of liberalisation measures for aviation, shipping and road haulage within the European Community as a first step towards the completion of the internal transport market.
Local bus services outside London have been deregulated. This has resulted in greater competition between operators, the introduction of new types of bus services, and lower costs and subsidies, as well as an increase in the overall provision of bus mileage. The privatisation of the National Bus Company was completed well ahead of schedule, and about half of its subsidiaries were bought by their own managers or employees.
British Rail has been given objectives for improving the quality of its services and for increasing its efficiency through reduced subsidy. In 1987–88, passenger revenue was at the highest level since nationalisation, and British Rail expanded its ambitious investment programme to secure improved services, whilst achieving their target for reduction of public subsidy. The Government have commissioned studies of the requirement for new railway lines in London and have backed a major programme of investment by London Underground, including £700 million to upgrade the Central line and £266 million to implement new safety measures in the wake of the King's Cross fire.
The Government have involved the private sector in the funding of transport projects, for example the Channel tunnel and the Dartford-Thurrock bridge. A recently published Green Paper seeks views on the Government's proposals to facilitate private sector investment in new roads.
The Government have taken measures to encourage the employment of British seafarers aboard British ships. Numerous measures have also been taken to improve ferry safety following the Zeebrugge disaster. The Government have privatised the British Transport Docks Board and have reformed the marine pilotage system.
In England, capital investment in trunk roads has increased by 60 per cent. in real terms since 1979. Some 900 miles of new and improved motorways and other trunk roads have been completed, including 98 new bypasses. The Government have carried out a major review of Britain's trunk road and motorway requirements and have published a White Paper providing for an increase from £5 billion to £12 billion in expenditure on the roads programme. The Government are supporting 360 major local authority road schemes, most of which are aimed at bypassing local communities or relieving them of traffic. The Government's continuing concentration on road and vehicle safety measures has given the United Kingdom the best overall road accident record in the European Community. In 1988, deaths on Britain's roads were the lowest since 1954, despite a fourfold increase in traffic in the same period. The aim is to reduce casualties by one third by the year 2000.
Government expenditure on social security is now at its highest level ever both in cash and real terms. Spending on social security is up by 33 per cent. in real terms from £16·4 billion in 1978–79 to a planned £51·3 billion, almost £1 billion a week, in 1989–90. Between 1978–79 and 1988–89, spending on long-term sick and disabled people has increased by about £3·5 billion in real terms, a real increase of 90 per cent.; total expenditure on benefits for the elderly has gone up by 24 per cent. in real terms; and the real value of family support has risen by 27 per cent. from £6·7 billion to £8·5 billion.
Social security is a major service industry. The Government have long been concerned to improve the quality of service. The reform of social security benefits has contributed to this process by introducing a structure of benefits which is easier to understand and to administer. Our massive computerisation programme will deliver benefits more accurately and more quickly. The relocation of some "backroom" work from some London offices will relieve the pressure on those offices and improve the speed and quality of service to the public in London. Plans have been announced for the running of social security operations as an executive agency or agencies, and for a definition of service. In addition, work is considerably advanced on other initiatives including improved training for staff, in-house style for our premises and a revised management structure which gives local managers greater authority to respond flexibly to the needs of their own local public.
The Government's restructured system of income-related benefits was implemented in 1988 and has enabled us to pursue our policy of targeting help more effectively on those groups most in need. Many low-income families have gained from the introduction of income support, which has proved to be simpler—both to understand and administer—than its predecessor, supplementary benefit. Since its introduction, the Government have been able to use the social fund to provide effective and flexible help, with over 150,000 community care grants to vulnerable people and nearly 900,000 interest-free loans with a combined total expenditure of £166 million in the first year.
A quarter of a million families are now receiving family credit—the benefit for people in work—with average payments of £25 a week. In the first 12 months alone, spending on family credit was about £400 million, which is twice the amount spent on its predecessor, family income supplement. The simpler housing benefit scheme operates more fairly and treats people alike whether in work or not.
This year the Government added an extra 50p a week to the child allowances in income support, family credit and housing benefit adding a further £70 million to expenditure over and above the prices uprating in April. This ensured that families receiving these benefits saw a substantial increase in real terms which they would not have experienced had this money been channelled into child benefit. Child benefit goes to all families regardless of income and any increase in it does not benefit families on income support and family credit, as it is offset in their income-related benefit. From this April, the Government are therefore directing about £200 million extra to the greater benefit of some 3 million children in low income families. From October this year, employees' national insurance contributions will be reformed, and the main disincentive effects of the current system will be removed.
The Government's economic success has enabled pensioners' average incomes to grow by 23 per cent. in real terms over the period 1979 to 1986, and the Government have met their pledge to maintain the real value of the state retirement pension, which is now being paid to one million more pensioners than in 1979, at a cost of over £20 billion this year. The Government have also announced that, from October this year, just under £200 million extra has been set aside for poorer pensioners, through the income support and housing benefit schemes. In all, about 2·6 million pensioners are expected to benefit from this increased expenditure. The abolition of the earnings rule for pensioners from 1 October 1989 will give more choice and flexibility for older people who want to carry on working.
An objective of the Government has been to encourage the spread of occupational and personal pensions, and to give people more choice in how to provide for their retirement. In 1985, the Government gave everyone leaving an employment scheme the right to a fair transfer value to a new employer's scheme or to buy a deferred annuity. The Government also gave members rights to all the information they need to take decisions about their pension. 1988 saw significant changes in the arrangements for pensions: from April 1988, contracting-out of SERPs was made easier and July saw the introduction of the new choice of personal pensions. More than 2 million people have already taken advantage of this opportunity to plan for their retirement by applying for a personal pension.
In England spending on the Health Service is up by 40 per cent. in real terms, from £6·5 billion in 1978–79 to £21·1 billion now. There are over 12,400 more doctors and dentists and over 53,000 more nurses and midwives. Capital spending has increased from £373 million to more than £1·2 billion. Some 300 health building schemes, each worth over £1 million have been started and completed and 500 further schemes are at various stages of planning, design and construction with 140 due to be completed in the next three years. Over 1·25 million more in-patient cases are now being dealt with each year, making a total of more tham 6·5 million.
General managers throughout the Health Service are providing energetic and innovative leadership through speedier and more incisive decision making. Health authorities are continuing to improve efficiency and their cost improvement programmes have yielded savings worth over £700 million in the past five years. New cost improvements in 1989–90 are expected to yield around a further £150 million.
The Government have set up an independent review body to recommend on nurses' pay. All six of the review body's reports, including the 1989 report, have been implemented, since 1979, nurses will have received on average a 44 per cent. real term increase in their pay.
A number of initiatives have been taken to improve the health and wellbeing of the population. We are the world leaders in introducing a breast cancer screening service and the first country within the European Community to have a comprehensive cervical cancer screening service based on computerised call and recall. Considerable progress has been made on improving the uptake of childhood immunisation and last October, the mumps, measles and rubella programme was announced which marks the most significant change in immunisation policy in the past 20 years. The Government have developed a comprehensive strategy in response to the threat of AIDS and have taken, and will continue to take, all necessary measures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus.
Waiting lists are now some 8 per cent. lower than in 1979. Districts with waiting list problems have been targeted with Government funding of £86 million in England to tackle waiting list black spots. This funding will allow treatment of some 300,000 more in-patients and day patients and 200,000 out-patients by the end of the current financial year.
In social services, there have been increases in places in training centres and community homes for mentally handicapped people. There are more home help staff, more social work staff, more places in day centres for elderly people, and more places in residential and nursing homes.
The White Paper "Working For Patients" set out proposals for the most far reaching changes in the history of the NHS. The aim is to build on its record of achievement to provide even better service for patients and to raise the performance of all hospitals and GP practices to that of the best. This will be achieved through the introduction of measures designed to delegate responsibility and to promote patient choice.
The Government have secured the agreement of the profession's negotiators on the basis for a contract for GPs. This new contract will introduce health promotion and illness prevention as major objectives of service provision and will relate GP's pay more closely to their performances.
Since 1979, substantial progress has been made in reforming the structure and financial basis of local authorities to make them more accountable and responsive to the needs of their local electorates, and to give better value for money in the provision of local services. The structure of local government in England has been simplified and improved with the abolition of an unnecessary tier of government in Greater London and the metropolitan areas. The Audit Commission for England and Wales was established in 1983 and has already made great progress in identifying opportunities for improving value for money in local government, some of which are beginning to show results. Legislation on competition is ensuring that local authorities in Great Britain subject the provision of an increasing range of their services to the discipline of competitive tendering.
The Widdicombe committee on the conduct of local authority business identified a number of measures needed to improve local authority procedures and avoid abuses, and the Government are now legislating to implement many of the key recommendations. Measures on local government finance have restrained the growth of local authority expenditure in Great Britain, particularly in some of the more extravagant high-spending authorities. The Local Government Finance Act 1988 makes provision for the abolition of domestic rates in England and Wales and their replacement by a fairer and more broadly based community charge from 1 April 1990. The same Act includes provisions to remedy the uneven burden of non-domestic rates on businesses through the establishment of a nationally determined uniform business rate.
In housing, the Government introduced the first statutory charter of rights for public sector tenants including the right to buy. Since then, over 1 million tenants in Great Britain have bought their homes. The stock of owner occupied dwellings in Britain has increased by 3 million; more people own their homes than ever before; and 65 per cent. of all dwellings are owner-occupied. There has been a net increase in the stock as a whole of about 1·8 million, more than enough to keep pace with the growth in the number of households over the period.
The Government's estate action programme has helped local authorities with over 200 schemes on rundown council estates in England. A scheme of assistance has been introduced for owners of defective houses previously in the public sector throughout Great Britain, and good progress has been made. Measures have been introduced to strengthen the rights of leaseholders living in private blocks of flats.
The Housing Act 1988 aims to broaden the choice open to tenants and to encourage more private investment in housing in England and Wales; it deregulates rents in the independent rented sector; provides the basis for an expansion of the housing association movement; allows for the establishment of housing action trusts in some of the most rundown areas of local authority housing; and provides all secure local authority tenants with the opportunity to transfer to new landlords approved by the Housing Corporation.
The Local Government and Housing Bill now before Parliament maintains this progress: it introduces a new capital finance system permitting allocations to local authorities to be better tailored to need, a new housing subsidy system designed to impose better financial discipline, and provisions for targeting renovation grants on housing most in need of improvement and people most in need of assistance.
The Government have created a unified inspectorate of pollution for England and Wales with a remit to develop an integrated approach to pollution control. Following a successful initiative in Europe to bring to an end the addition of lead to petrol, the maximum lead content of petrol has been cut by 60 per cent., and a reduction in duty has made unleaded petrol some 10p a gallon cheaper than leaded four-star. Unleaded petrol is now available at over 7,700 sites, and use of the fuel doubled last month to 14 per cent. Following the successful London conference on the protection of the ozone layer, the signatories of the Montreal protocol to the Vienna convention have agreed to phase out the production and consumption of the CFCs controlled by the protocol as soon as possible, and not later than 2000.
The Government have taken steps to reduce the pollution of our rivers, estuaries and beaches. The Water Bill now before Parliament will establish a National Rivers Authority, strengthen the legal framework for ensuring water quality standards and establish a system of price regulation and consumer protection for the water industry. In 1987, the United Kingdom chaired the North sea conference, which produced an important package of measures to safeguard and enhance the quality of the North sea. We are applying the measures agreed to all our seas.
The Government have made substantial progress in securing the future of the natural heritage. In Great Britain over 5,000 sites of special scientific interest have been notified or renotified as part of the implementation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; this process is now 85 per cent complete. In addition, 33 special protection areas have been designated throughout the United Kingdom under the European birds directive, and 40 wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention.
The Government have been active in improving the care and management of our national heritage. We have established two powerful new forces for conservation—the National Heritage Memorial Fund in 1980 and the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (English Heritage) in 1984. A major resurvey of listed buildings in England is virtually complete.
The Government have taken a wide range of steps to simplify and improve the planning system and to speed up its operation, while protecting and enhancing the environment in town and country. The area of approved green belt in England has more then doubled since 1979; the annual acreage of agricultural land taken for development in England and Wales in the 1980s is less than one third of the levels seen in the 1960s and early 1970s; and nearly one half of land for new housing development in England is either redeveloped land or vacant land within urban areas.
After a period of stagnation, the construction industry has enjoyed a seven year period of sustained growth. In 1988, output—at £40 billion in cash terms—was its highest ever.
The Government have maintained central support for arts activities, and have introduced a number of measures to encourage greater self-reliance among arts institutions. There has been a significant upsurge in business sponsorship—the Government's business sponsorship incentive scheme has brought nearly £25 million of new money into the arts in five years. Major progress has been made with the building of the new British Library at St. Pancras and there have been major expansion schemes at some national museums and galleries, including the Clore gallery at the Tate, the new Tate gallery in Liverpool, the national gallery's Sainsbury wing, the theatre museum at the V and A, and the redevelopment of the imperial war museum.
The Government have continued their policies to improve all aspects of the education system in England and Wales; a new 16-plus examination system, the GCSE, has been introduced, as have the new AS-levels which will broaden studies for 16 to 18-year-olds. The technical and vocational education initiative is augmenting practical elements in the 14 to 18 curriculum. In higher education, record numbers of students were admitted last year and plans are being taken forward to continue the shift towards science and engineering and other key subjects for our continuing economic success. The Education Reform Act 1988 sets a new course for the future. The national curriculum is being introduced from this September; assessment and testing are being taken forward; more open enrolment and new types of school will widen the choice of schools open to parents; local management of schools and colleges is being introduced; the new polytechnic and colleges sector of high education has been established; university funding arrangements have been reformed.
The Government have increased support to the science base in response to the recommendations from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils. There has been a parallel withdrawal of funds from 'near-market" research, which is judged to be properly the responsibility of industry.
Since May 1979, the Government have increased the number of police officers in England and Wales by nearly 14,000 to over 125,000 and the number of civilians supporting the police by about 8,000 to over 42,500. Expenditure has been increased by about 55 per cent. in real terms over the same period, and the Government continue to work closely with the service to ensure that these resources are used to the best possible effect. The powers of the police to deal with public disorder have been strengthened. Over 66,000 neighbourhood watch schemes are now in operation in Great Britain. Fourteen cities are involved in the safer cities programme to reduce crime and the fear of crime. The new national crime prevention programme organisation Crime Concern has been established and is working with the police, other public agencies and private business to develop and encourage crime prevention activity. An independent Crown prosecution service is now in operation throughout England and Wales. Twenty-four senior and 34 junior attendance centres have been opened.
The largest prison building programme this century is under way. Out of a total of 28 new prisons planned for England and Wales, eight are already open and the remainder are at various stages of planning and construction. A major programme of refurbishment and modernisation is in progress. New staff working practices have been introduced. The number of uniformed prison officers in England and Wales has been increased by 45 per cent. and the ratio of staff to inmates improved.
Measures have been taken to ensure that the terms of imprisonment served by violent offenders fully reflect society's abhorrence of their crimes. Government assistance to the victims' support movement has been greatly expanded: £11 million will be provided over the next three financial years to help local schemes. The Government have continued to develop an overall strategy for countering drug misuse and illicit trafficking. The national drugs intelligence unit has been created and strengthened. Seventeen drugs wings, with an additional 229 officers to man them, have been added to the regional crime squads in England and Wales to target major drug traffickers. The Video Recordings Act has brought "video nasties" under control.
Legislation has also been put through for data protection; to provide more rigorous control of animal experimentation; to provide a framework for the development of broadcasting by satellite and cable television (including the establishment of the Welsh fourth channel); to set out a new framework for police powers, for providing safeguards for the citizen and for handling complaints against the police; to control the possession and sale of alcohol in connection with football matches; to provide for the establishment of the serious fraud office, now in operation, and to make other improvements in the investigation, prosecution and trial of fraud offences; to provide comprehensive new powers to investigate, restrain and confiscate the proceeds of drug trafficking, where the Government are working for international agreements to make such powers more generally effective; to improve controls on the possession of firearms and shotguns; to remove outdated restrictions in liquor licensing law; to enable the United Kingdom to participate more effectively in the international fight against crime, including a major reform of extradition law; to make provision for courts to order the confiscation of the proceeds of profitable crime; to provide for unduly lenient sentences to be reviewed; to create a statutory right for the victims of crime to receive compensation; to tighten the law on possession of knives and to ban the sale of offensive weapons which have no legitimate use; to strengthen the jury system; to reform the law on official secrets by replacing section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 with provisions protecting just six classes of official information; to make provision for the interception of communications, sent by means of post or by means of public telecommunications systems, with the appointment of a commissioner and provision for complaints to an independent tribunal; and to put the Security Service on a statutory basis with the appointment of a commissioner and provision for complaints to an independent tribunal.
The Government have played a major role in developing international co-operation in the fight against terrorism and have strengthened police powers under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. We continue our policy of fair but firm immigration control. The Immigration Act 1988 corrected a number of weaknesses in the existing legislation.
Proposals for new broadcasting legislation designed to promote greater choice and competition without detriment to programme standards and quality have recently been published in the White Paper "Broadcasting in the 1990s".
The Government have continued the reform of family law; have legislated to remove the legal disadvantages of children born outside marriage; and have brought schemes into effect to combat the evils of child abduction both within the United Kingdom and throughout the world. The Government have introduced the Children Bill which provides a single, coherent code covering the care and upbringing of children. It will enable steps to be taken towards a single integrated jurisdiction over all types of children's cases and will facilitate procedural reforms.
The Government have embarked on a programme of reforms in the administration of civil justice in England and Wales which will improve access to justice for the public by speeding up, simplifying and reducing the cost of civil proceedings.
The Legal Aid Act 1988 established a board to administer the legal aid scheme and to ensure that it operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Legal Aid Board assumed these functions on 1 April 1989.
The Government have simplified conveyancing, extended the areas in which titles have to be registered, and have continued the major programme of the simplification and consolidation of our statute law.
A substantial increase in resources has enabled the capability of the armed forces to be strengthened. The Government played their full part in implementing the NATO twin-track decision to modernise intermediate-range nuclear weapons while seeking to achieve an arms control agreement, and this policy has been vindicated by the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty. Increased efficiency is being pursued by the continuing transfer of resources from the support areas to the front line, and by introducing increased competition in defence contracts and promoting collaboration with our international partners. Major reorganisation of the headquarters structure of the Ministry of Defence has been introduced.
The Government have maintained Britain's firm commitment to national defence and the NATO Alliance. At the same time, the Government have worked determinedly for a more stable security relationship between East and West, seeking verifiable reductions in nuclear and conventional weapons and a global ban on chemical weapons. The Government have been active in building up, and setting priorities for, an East-West dialogue on arms control.
The Government played a leading role in the Stockholm conference on European arms control which was successfully concluded in September 1986, and give full support to our United States allies in their successful negotiations with the USSR over INF. British Ministers and representatives have placed an active part in the preparation and conduct of the two sets of talks recently started in Vienna.
The Government have worked consistently to strengthen the Western European Union as part of their effort to promote closer European defence co-operation. Britain presided over the accession to the organisation last year of Spain and Portugal.
The Government have also consistently sought greater East-West co-operation in the settlement of regional conflicts. They maintained steady pressure for the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan. They are now pursuing an active dialogue with the Soviet Union on other regional issues.
The Government have worked vigorously to ensure that human rights are fully respected in Eastern Europe. The Government played an active part in the successful conclusion to the Vienna meeting of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe, which closed in January with substantive new agreements on human rights. The Government have also encouraged steps towards economic and political reform in the eastern countries.
Within the European Community, the Government reached agreement at Fontainebleu in 1984 that the United Kingdom should pay a fairer share of the EC budget. In the United Kingdom presidency of 1986, and at the Brussels European Council in February 1988, the Government secured major reforms of the common agricultural policy, including a binding ceiling on agricultural spending and an automatic cost-cutting regime for all commodities.
The Government have helped to establish the completion of the single European market by 1992 as the Community's top priority. They have worked consistently to ensure that this market will be as free as possible from internal barriers and regulation and will be open to the outside world, in order to encourage competition, enterprise and efficiency and to increase commercial opportunities for British industry. The Government have championed liberalising measures in Europe, such as freer movement consistent with national security; mutual recognition of professional qualifications; abolition of exchange controls; and cheaper air fares. In the GATT and other international economic forums, the Government have worked to strengthen the open world economic system, including through the current Uruguay round.
The Government supported the entry of Greece, Spain and Portugal into the Community, in order to strengthen their democracy and prosperity, and to reinforce NATO. The Government have actively promoted close EC political co-operation, including the initiative for the provisions in the Single European Act, which put this co-operation on a treaty basis for the first time.
Rhodesia was brought to legal independence as the Republic of Zimbawe in 1980. The Government resolutely upheld and continue to defend the right of the Falkland islanders to live in peace under a Government of their own choosing. An agreement with China about the future of Hong Kong was ratified in 1985 and good progress has since been made with its implementation. The Gibraltar border has been reopened and the Government have established a negotiating framework with Spain aimed at overcoming differences over the rock.
The Government have maintained their commitment to the Commonwealth. With our Commonwealth and European partners, the Government have worked towards ending apartheid in South Africa by peaceful means. We have extended significant assistance to black communities within South Africa. The Government have also worked to strengthen the security and stability of South Africa's neighbours through the provision of substantial development assistance and military training.
At the United Nations and elsewhere, the Government have supported the rule of international law, peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for human rights. Through the Armilla patrol, Britain has fulfilled its long-standing commitment to protect merchant shipping in the Gulf. As one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Britain made a significant contribution to the initiation and adoption of Resolution 598 on the Iran/Iraq conflict and the subsequent ceasefire last year. The Government have been active in developing closer co-operation between the Five on this and other issues, such as Namibia. The Government have supported the successful United States-led negotiations on Namibia's future; and the role of the United Nations in bringing the territory peacefully to independence. The Government have also worked for financial and administrative reform in the United Nations.
The Government have promoted international co-operation to combat terrorism and drug-trafficking. With the World Health Organisation, the Government organised the 1988 London summit of Ministers of Health on programmes for AIDS prevention. The Government have also been in the forefront of international efforts to protect the environment. With the United Nations environment programme, the Government organised the recent London international conference on saving the ozone layer.
The Government have maintained a substantial and effective aid programme, totalling over £12·5 billion in the period 1979–88. While the bulk of our bilateral aid has been focused on the poorest countries, the Government have provided long-term help to nearly 130 developing countries. The Government have responded swifly and generously to appeals for emergency aid to sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere and have taken the lead in promoting measures to relieve sub-Saharan African countries of their official debts.
The White Paper "Scottish Enterprise" put forward proposals to integrate the functions of the Scottish Development Agency and the Training Agency into a single body, Scottish Enterprise, and to provide training and to promote enterprise through a network of employer-led local agencies responding directly to local needs.
Unemployment in Scotland has fallen in 24 of the past 25 months and by 90,000 since January 1987. Manufacturing productivity in Scotland increased by 5·4 per cent. per annum between 1979 and 1989. Between June 1983 and June 1988 the civilian workforce in employment increased by 106,000; and in 1988 alone the increase was 66,000. The number of self-employed increased by 66,000 between June 1981 and June 1988, compared with virtually no change in the three decades to 1981.
In 1988, there was a net growth of over 3,400 in company registrations in Scotland. Between 1 January 1980 and 1 January 1988, the number of companies registered in Scotland increased by some 20,000, or by over a half. Between 1979 and 1989, the output of the Scottish electronics industry increased by a factor of 3·7.
Inward investment planned by companies since the inception of the Government's Locate in Scotland programme totals some £3 billion and is associated with the intended creation or safeguarding of 60,000 jobs; the final employment outcome is, on past experience, likely to be about two thirds of the planned level.
Expenditure by the Highlands and Islands Development Board in 1988–89 was £42 million, 5·5 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1979–80. The success of the Highlands and Islands Development Board is indicated by an estimated 1 per cent. increase in the area's population since 1981. The Government have successfully maintained the area's eligibility for support from European Community structured funds and have obtained agreement to a programme of European Community support of £73 million to assist development of the area's infrastructure.
1988–89 saw the largest ever single project in a Scottish new town come on stream, with investment of over £200 million by Kymmene Stromberg in the new Caledonian paper mill in Irvine. Take-up of industrial space in all five towns was at an all-time high and private sector investment in both industry and housing continued to rise to record new levels.
Owner-occupation among Scots has increased significantly, from 35 per cent. to over 44 per cent. A major contribution to this increase has been the 150,000 tenants who have bought their homes from the public sector landlord under the right to buy legislation introduced in 1980, or through voluntary sales. The Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 introduced a statutory right for public sector tenants to transfer to new landlords approved by Scottish Homes.
The Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 has established a new housing development agency, Scottish Homes. The new agency will play a key role in revitalising Scotland's housing and will promote freedom of choice for tenants. The volume of applications for home improvement and repairs grants has increased substantially. The Government have enabled the number of houses let by housing associations in Scotland to increase sixfold since 1979.
The Government have achieved their objective, on the timetable they originally set, of abolishing domestic rates in Scotland with effect from 1 April this year, and replacing them with a new community charge.
Measures have been taken to speed up the town and country planning system in Scotland to allow the establishment of simplified planning zones and to meet the particular planning requirements of high technology industries, small businesses, private house builders and major retail development. The protection of the landscape and wildlife habitats has been strengthened. Major initiatives have been taken to reform and simplify the building control system to reduce restrictions while maintaining public safeguards. Access for disabled persons to public buildings has been greatly improved by reforms to building regulations.
The deregulation of local bus services in Scotland has been achieved with service levels maintained overall and improvements in many areas. The Government have stimulated innovation through competition while cutting subsidies. We have also introduced legislation to privatise the Scottish Bus Group. Since 1979, over £800 million has been invested in motorways and trunk roads in Scotland. Thirty bypasses, relieving communities of through traffic, have been opened.
Major reforms have been introduced to the education system in Scotland. The Education (Scotland) Act 1981 gave parents the right to choose their children's school, and since then over 140,000 placing requests have been made, with over 93 per cent. of them being successful. That Act also introduced the assisted places scheme to widen educational opportunity and parental choice; 2,660 children benefited from the scheme in 1988–89, and it is now being extended to assist up to 3,000 pupils. The School Boards (Scotland) Act 1988 gave parents in Scotland the opportunity for the first time to become involved in running their children's schools. By the end of October this year, each school in Scotland will have its own board, with a majority of parent members.
The school examination system is being modernised, with the introduction of standard grade and the associated revision of the post-16 examinations. The technical and vocational education initiative is being extended throughout Scotland. Measures are being taken to revise the school curriculum for ages 5–14, to improve the assessment of pupils, including nationally standardised testing in key elements of English and mathematics at ages eight and 12, and to better inform parents of their children's progress. The Self-Governing Schools, etc. (Scotland) Bill, now before Parliament, will enable parents in Scotland to seek self-governing status for schools outside local authority control, and so will expand the educational choice available and improve the standards of educational provision for all. The Bill also provides for the establishment of technology academies, with private sector sponsorship.
The participation rates of young people in higher education has reached the highest ever levels. Radical changes in further education have increased the take-up of vocational training at all levels. The grant-aided higher education colleges have been reconstituted to give them greater freedom and incentives to earn external income and to increase student numbers. The Government-backed Scottish wider access programme has been launched to encourage collaboration between educational institutions to widen access to higher education, and provision has been made for a statutory Scottish committee of the Universities Funding Council.
Police manpower in Scotland has increased, and, in order to release police officers for operational duties, the Government are encouraging civilianisation of posts wherever possible. Increased attention has been devoted to crime prevention.
The Government have intensified the campaign against drug misuse in Scotland. Drug wings have been established in the Scottish crime squad and all eight Scottish police forces now have a specialised drug squad or unit. Since 1979, a total of 60 major hospital developments have been completed in Scotland, providing 6,747 beds and 521 day places. A further 31 schemes are in planning, under construction or being commissioned which will provide a further 3,452 beds. In addition to the public education campaigns on AIDS, the Government have this year made over £12 million available to health boards throughout Scotland in recognition of the extra burdens which AIDS places upon them, including funding for three special AIDS units in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee. The Government have supported several projects for research on HIV infection and AIDS and have provided funding for studies into the incidence of AIDS in Scotland. In addition, the Government encourage and support voluntary sector initiatives in the AIDS field in Scotland.
Since 1987, £13 million has been allocated to health boards in Scotland for special action to reduce the number of people waiting for treatment and the time they have to wait. In the 18 months to September 1988, the number of people on waiting lists in Scotland fell by around 10 per cent.
With the publication in November 1988 of the SHARPEN report (Scottish health authorities review of priorities for the eighties and nineties) and the booklet "The Scottish Health Service", priorities have been set for the Health Service in Scotland which emphasise the care of the elderly with mental disability; community care of the mentally ill, the mentally handicapped and the elderly; preventive medicine and the younger physically disabled.
Competitive tendering of ancillary services in the NHS in Scotland is expected to release £25 million over the next three to four years from the contracts so far awarded. These savings will be reinvested in direct patient care.
The health capital budget in Scotland is up by one third this year alone, and a substantial part of this increase is due to the incentive which allows health boards to keep all the proceeds of the sale of redundant buildings and land. This year, hospital building will benefit by £25 million from these receipts, more than three times the estimate made before the incentive was introduced. This money will be ploughed back into the Health Service to provide buildings and equipment for patient care.
Special assistance is being made available to farmers in the north of Scotland to help restore floodbanks damaged in the exceptional floods earlier this year.
The Government's commitment to the outlying areas of Scotland is demonstrated by the Western Isles integrated development programme which ended its five-year span in 1987 and provided £56 million to improve socioeconomic conditions in the area, and by the five-year agricultural development programme for the other Scottish islands which started in 1988. This programme provides £38 million to increase the efficiency of agricultural businesses without adding to overall agricultural production.
Five environmentally sensitive areas have been designated in Scotland, under which farmers can receive payments for agreeing to farm in a conservation-friendly way. These areas are in different parts of the country and include the Machair ESA in the crofting area of Scotland. The Government remain fully committed to the expansion of forestry and introduced two new grant schemes—the woodland grant scheme and the farm woodland scheme—in 1988.
The Government's commitment to promote art and culture in Scotland has resulted in major new galleries for the Burrell collection in Glasgow and for modern art in Edinburgh. A new home for the Royal Scottish academy of music and drama was opened in 1988 and the first phase of a new building for the national library of Scotland in Edinburgh will be opened later this year; the second phase will be completed in 1994.
The Government have done more than any previous Administration to secure the future of the Gaelic language. A new specific grants scheme for Gaelic education, designed to improve the quality of Gaelic teaching and curriculum in schools, was introduced in 1986. Grants under the scheme amount to £0·85 million in the current year. In addition, substantially increased resources have been allocated to a range of organisations providing support for Gaelic language and culture.
In Northern Ireland, the Government have pursued the policy of combating terrorism, within the rule of law, by the most effective means available. In the implementation of this policy, the security forces have conducted themselves with great courage and skill; many terrorists have been apprehended, much material has been recovered, and a large number of terrorist operations have been frustrated, which would otherwise have added to the tragic toll of death and suffering.
The Government have continued to implement the Anglo-Irish Agreement, and have used its machinery further to improve security co-operation.
The Government's efforts to find an agreed basis on which greater responsibility can be devolved to the elected representatives of the people of Northern Ireland have continued.
A key objective of Government policy is to regenerate the private sector in Northern Ireland and release the region's potential for economic growth. To this end, the industrial development organisations in Northern Ireland have promoted over 75,000 jobs, while the youth training programme has provided opportunities for an estimated 84,300 entrants with some 32,000 man years of work provided by the action for community employment scheme. At any time, some 29,000 persons are benefiting from a wide range of employment and training resources. Legislation has been introduced to secure equality of opportunity in employment.
Belfast city centre has been revitalised both in terms of housing and commerce. Housing conditions have shown improvement, with a considerable reduction in the level of unfitness and a significant increase in the level of owner occupation.
In July 1988, the Government launched the "making Belfast work" programme designed to address the social, economic and environmental issues in the most disadvantaged area of Belfast. In addition to substantial mainstream programmes, a further £65 million has been made available in the period 1988–89 to 1991–92.
Proposals have been developed, with a view to early implementation, for the reform of the educational system to improve educational standards and for the provision of new opportunities and incentives for existing schools seeking to promote integrated education.
Substantial programmes have been maintained in Northern Ireland for agriculture, health and personal social services, environmental services and social security.
Since the establishment of WlNvest in 1983, Wales has secured some 290 inward investment projects from overseas companies promising some 36,000 new or safeguarded jobs and involving almost £2 billion of capital investment. Notable successes include Ford's £700 million investment at Bridgend and Swansea and Bosch's £100 million project at Miskin.
Wales, with 5 per cent. of the United Kingdom's population, achieved, in terms of related new jobs, 20 per cent. of all inward investment into the United Kingdom in 1987 and 22 per cent. in 1988. This compares with 6 per cent. in 1979.
Since 1979, the Government have committed nearly £250 million—at today's prices—to the land reclamation programme in Wales, one of the largest and most sustained programmes in Europe, and the Welsh Development Agency has constructed over 11·5 million sq ft of factory space, with a job potential of about 35,000.
The success of the Development Board for Rural Wales is indicated by an estimated 4·5 per cent. increase in the population of the area covered by the Board between 1979 and 1987.
Three enterprise zones set up by the Government are located in Wales: at Swansea, Delyn and the Milford Haven waterway. Over 8,500 people are currently employed in these zones, of whom 3,600 are in new jobs.
The Government have supported the rapid spread of local enterprise agencies in Wales, of which there are now 24. Such agencies have had £9·7 million of central Government assistance and they estimate that they have helped to create over 20,000 jobs.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment in Wales has fallen in each of the last 34 consecutive months to a total in April 1989 of 105,000—a fall of 66,900 or 5·3 percentage points from 14·1 per cent. to 8·8 per cent.
The number of self-employed in Wales is currently 148,000—a substantial increase on the 1981 figure.
Since their introduction in 1982, urban development grants of around £37 million have been awarded to 75 projects throughout Wales. These will bring forward a total private sector investment of nearly £173 million. The scheme has now been superseded by a simplified grant mechanism, urban investment grant, which was introduced on 1 April 1989. To date, 180 inquiries have been received and grants of just over £1 million have been awarded on two projects.
As part of the Government's policy for inner cities, the Cardiff Bay development corporation was established in 1987 to regenerate the urban areas of south Cardiff. The corporation has produced a comprehensive regeneration strategy for its area; acquired some 300 acres of land; completed site investigations for major land reclamation schemes; and completed several environmental and community projects. In 1989–90, some £22 million will be made available to the corporation.
In June 1988, the Government launched a three-year programme of action designed to improve economic, environmental and social conditions in the south Wales valleys. Expenditure on key activities involving the promotion of investment, the creation of jobs and environmental improvement in the valleys is expected to total some £500 million over the life of the programme, and to help stimulate private sector investment of around £1 billion. In the first seven months of the programme unemployment in the valleys has fallen faster than elsewhere in Wales, by over 5,000 since the programme was launched. Factory lettings by the Welsh Development Agency in the valleys have been at record levels since the valleys programme was announced, running at two new lettings a week in the first nine month of 1988–89.
The WDA has made great progress in its factory building programme—some 492,500 sq ft of factory space was started in 1988–89, against a target of 450,000 sq ft. The WDA's derelict land clearance programme is well under way and will lead to the clearance of some 2,500 acres over the life of the valleys programme. 3Is (Investors in Industry) now expects to provide over £5 million of venture capital for valleys investments in 1988–89 compared with the earlier forecast of £2·5 million. Welsh Office offers of regional selective assistance and regional development grant made up to the middle of January 1989 have covered projects involving 7,500 new jobs and private investment of £180 million. 21 projects have been supported by the Welsh Development Agency under its valleys small loan scheme.
In addition, the valleys enterprise loan scheme has funded 26 projects at a total cost of £315,500, and the community enterprise scheme has funded 11 projects amounting to £70,000.
Urban programme allocations totalling nearly £18 million for 1989–90 have been directed to the valleys area —over 65 per cent. more than in 1987–88, the year before the valleys programme was launched. The Wales tourist board has launched the first phase of a major new marketing campaign designed to attract more visitors to the valleys. Health services in the valleys have received support, with two new health centres at Blaengwynfi and Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen. Ten more valleys health projects will be funded in 1989–90.
Owner-occupation has increased from 59 per cent. of housing stock in 1979 to 69 per cent. Almost 71,000 public sector dwellings have been sold to their tenants under the right to buy and voluntary terms since 1980, and over 57,000 new homes have been built for sale. Since 1979, over 15,000 dwellings have been provided by housing associations for sale or rent to help people in housing need. Housing for Wales (Tai Cymru) was set up under the Housing Act 1988. Between 1979 and 1986, the proportion of Welsh households lacking basic amenities more than halved and this progress has been continued over the last three years. Over 162,000 home improvement grant schemes for private sector dwellings have been completed since July 1979, with a value of £479 million. In the same period, £446 million has been spent on the renovation of local authority housing stock. Since 1982, over 8,300 dwellings have been improved under enveloping schemes.
Expenditure on the health services in Wales has risen by almost 45 per cent. after allowing for general inflation between 1978–79 and 1989–90. Nearly £700 million at current prices will have been invested in the capital estate of the hospital and community health services in the period April 1979 to March 1990: five major hospitals have been completed with a sixth due for completion before the end of this year. The number of staff directly concerned with patient care has increased by over 21 per cent. since 1979, and 28 per cent. more in-patients and 21 per cent. more out-patients were treated in 1987 than in 1979.
Current expenditure on education in Wales, excluding school meals and milk, was provisionally 10.9 per cent. higher in real terms in 1987–89 than in 1978–79. Pupil numbers dropped by 16·1 per cent. in the same period; and expenditure per nursery/primary pupil rose by over 27 per cent. from £792 to £1,004, anti per secondary pupil by over 36 per cent., from £1,090 to £1,488, their best ever levels. The number of students on courses of advanced further education in the public sector rose from 9,000 in 1979–80 to 14,500 in 1987–88, an increase of 61 per cent.
Since 1979, almost £900 million has been spent on providing some 140 miles of motorway and trunk roads in Wales. In addition over £240 million has been spent on structural renewal and on general maintenance. The road programmes for the 1990s have been set out in the new edition of "Roads in Wales" published on 10 April 1989. Since 1979–80, overall net resources to the WTB have increased by 185 per cent., including an increase of 135 per cent. in support of projects creating almost 4,000 jobs.
The Government's direct financial support for the Welsh language has increased annually from £0·2 million in 1979–80 to around £4·6 million in 1989–90. Since the Government decision to set up the Welsh fourth television channel in 1982, S4C has been an outstanding success in both artistic and employment terms. In July 1988, the Government established the Welsh Language Board to advise on all matters relating to the use of Welsh in the public and private sector. A major expansion scheme at the national museum of Wales is in progress.
Health
Mental Illness
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was spent in each health region in each of the last three years on the care and treatment of patients suffering from (a) schizophrenia and (b) all mental illness; and what percentage each figure was of total expenditure on health services;(2) what is the current annual cost per patient to the National Health Service of the care and treatment of patients suffering from
(a) mental illness and (b) schizophrenia psychoses;
Revenue Expenditure on Hospitals Categorised as "Mental Illness"
| ||||||
1984–85
| 1985–86
| 1986–87
| ||||
Region
| Revenue Expenditure £000
| Percentage of total revenue expenditure
| Revenue Expenditure £000
| Percentage of total revenue expenditure
| Revenue Expenditure £000
| Percentage of total revenue Expenditure
|
(cash)
| (cash)
| (cash)
| ||||
| Northern | 53,150 | 9·06 | 55,341 | 8·92 | 57,780 | 8·69 |
| Yorkshire | 60,176 | 9·15 | 62,327 | 8·91 | 63,883 | 8·54 |
| Trent | 68,557 | 8·62 | 74,271 | 8·81 | 78,973 | 8·64 |
| East Anglia | 31,488 | 9·39 | 34,273 | 9·57 | 36,333 | 9·33 |
| North West Thames | 68,511 | 9·77 | 73,968 | 10·15 | 74,047 | 9·52 |
| North East Thames | 69,895 | 7·93 | 71,224 | 7·79 | 75,608 | 7·75 |
| South East Thames | 74,529 | 9·65 | 65,218 | 8·08 | 76,136 | 8·88 |
| South West Thames | 69,969 | 11·93 | 72,672 | 11·95 | 74,067 | 11·39 |
| Wessex | 49,980 | 10·36 | 51,132 | 10·09 | 55,041 | 10·02 |
| Oxford | 26,661 | 6·98 | 27,553 | 6·85 | 29,431 | 6·78 |
| South Western | 56,016 | 9·81 | 57,490 | 9·53 | 57,891 | 8·91 |
| West Midlands | 82,548 | 8·98 | 85,875 | 8·82 | 89,801 | 8·55 |
| Mersey | 46,221 | 9·56 | 46,977 | 9·25 | 47,681 | 8·78 |
| North Western | 31,127 | 3·82 | 33,243 | 3·86 | 35,215 | 3·82 |
| All regions Total | 788,828 | 8·80 | 811,564 | 8·60 | 851,887 | 8·41 |
Sources:—
"Health Services Costing Returns" and annual acccounts of regional and district health authorities—1984–85 to 1986–87.
Notes:
1. The revenue expenditure for the mental illness hospitals includes expenditure on in-patients, out-patients and day patients.
2. The figures used for total revenue expenditure are for hospital and community health services revenue expenditure incurred by regional and district health authorities. HCHS includes hospital, community, ambulance, blood transfusion and other services.
Nurses
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his written answer of 10 May to the hon. Member for Newham, South concerning a charge made by the nurse central clearing house (NCCH) for pre-registration application of £6, Official Report, column 454 he will consider re-imbursing that body for the costs incurred, as part of his responsibilities for encouraging recruitment for the nursing profession.
No. There is no evidence that the charge made by the nurses central clearing house has an adverse effect on recruitment.
(3) how much was spent in the last year on the care and treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia; and what percentage that figure represented of total expenditure on (a) mental and (b) all health services.
Information specifically on the total expenditure incurred on and the treatment costs of patients suffering from schizophrenia is not collected centrally. For costing purposes all hospitals are classified into one or other of a series of standard types which reflect the principal use to which their beds are allocated and costing returns in respect of community health services show expenditure relating to the main areas of activity only. Thus, the table shows the available information by region on hospitals categorised as "Mental Illness" for the financial years 1984–85 to 1986–87, but excludes the growing volume of activity in psychiatric units in acute and other hospitals and within community health services which is not identifiable separately.The average cost in England of maintaining an in-patient in hospitals categorised as "Mental Illness" was £44·05 per day in 1986–87—equivalent to some £16,000 per annum.We intend to publish a volume in the series "Health Services Costing Returns" covering the financial year 1987–88 this summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what number of regrading appeals for nurses are still under consideration; and how long on average cases are taking to settle.
We do not hold this information centrally.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage of labour turnover nationally per annum in the nursing profession within the National Health Service; and whether he will provide figures for the best, worst and average regions.
We do not have information of this nature centrally at present. Information on the number of nurses joining and leaving National Health Service employment is however now being collected, and should be available later this year.
Halton District Health Authority
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the percentage increase in the number of day case admissions in Halton district health authority over the latest available year.
During the financial year 1987–88, 3,331 day cases were treated by Halton district health authority. This is an increase of 29 per cent. over the 1986 figure of 2,575 day cases. Some patients previously classified as a day case may now be classified as a ward attender. There were 688 ward attenders in Halton during 1987–88.
Snapethorpe Hospital, Wakefield
To ask the secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) his Department, (b) the Yorkshire regional health authority and (c) the Wakefield district health authority have had or plan to have with relatives of the late Mr. Benjamin Sykes, the benefactor of the hospital, regarding the proposed closure of Snapethorpe hospital, Wakefield.
Neither the Department of Health, the Yorkshire regional health authority, nor the Wakefield district health authority has any record of discussions with relatives of the late Benjamin Sykes, and there are no plans for such discussions. The hospital site and buildings were vested in the Secretary of State under the NHS Act 1946 free of any trust.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which treatments previously available to patients at Snapethorpe hospital, Wakefield, are not currently available in alternative hospitals within the Wakefield health authority.
Infectious disease beds were provided at Snapethorpe hospital until 1978, when the service was transferred to Seacroft hospital, Leeds Eastern health authority. Pre-convalescent beds were provided at Snapethorpe hospital until 1979 and are not currently provided within the district. These service changes were consulted upon at the time and endorsed by the local community health council.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 May, what information he has as to who instructed Wakefield district health authority to withdraw from discussions with the Wakefield district council regarding the possibility of a scheme of joint use of Snapethorpe hospital; and what were the reasons for this instruction.
None. This is a matter for the Wakefield district health authority in consultation with the Yorkshire regional health authority.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his reply of 22 May, if he will require a report from the Wakefield health authority as to why plans for the building of houses on the site of Snapethorpe hospital, Wakefield, were drawn up by officers of that authority before the members of the authority had resolved to close the hospital.
No. As I indicated in my reply of 22 May, at column 414, such matters are for the Wakefield health authority in consultation with the regional health authority.
Maternity Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to respond to the Select Committee on Social Services recommendations in respect of midwives; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he will be taking over the Select Committee's recommendations regarding midwives regrading; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett) and my hon. Friend the Member for Batley and Spen (Mrs. Peacock) on 10 May 1988, at columns 450–51.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proposals he has, arising from his White Paper "Working for Patients", to improve maternity care;(2) whether he has any plans to improve access to care for mothers-to-be;(3) whether he has any plans to ensure maternity care is provided near to home to avoid women having to travel long distances for antenatal and postnatal care;(4) whether he has any plans to improve postnatal care;(5) whether he has any plans to provide more antenatal care in the community;(6) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on whether maternity services should be based on an integrated pre-planned service or on emergency admission; what steps are being taken in respect of this policy; and if he will make a statement.
The proposals in "Working for Patients" are designed to improve all NHS services and apply as much to maternity as to any other service. The Government recognise the importance of continuity and accessibility of care throughout pregnancy and the need for close co-operation among professionals and with parents, particularly in planning the management of a pregnancy in accordance with the wishes of the mother-to-be. Under the White Paper's proposals maternity services will, therefore, continue to be provided locally for those wishing to make use of them and in order to cover emergency situations. The proposals are also designed to increase people's choice of where care is obtained, particularly for people living in large towns. It will remain for local decision how best to meet local needs.From the Department's monitoring of the implementation of the Maternity Services Advisory Committee's recommendations, which include specific advice on improving accessibility to antenatal and postnatal care, it is evident that significant improvements have been made. We believe that the emphasis placed by the White Paper on putting patients first will stimulate further improvements. A questionnaire package, which has been developed by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys at the request of the Department, will shortly be made available to all district health authorities to assist them in seeking to establish women's opinions on the maternity services provided to them.
Medical Audit
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projects concerning medical audit have been financed by regions for further study; and what criteria he put forward for the regional health authorities to use in drawing up their submissions.
We have set up a central fund to support medical audit projects. We have asked regional health authorities to submit up to five bids each in priority order for consideration by a supervisory panel. Regions will be expected to contribute at least half the cost of each project. The guidance to regions indicted that priority would be given to projects involving large numbers of clinicians, particularly if they covered a whole unit, district or region.We hope to announce the results shortly. In addition, several regions have set up their own schemes to support medical audit projects.
Condoms
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make regulations relating to the quality of condoms mandatory.
This issue remains under review. The British Standards Institution published its revised condom standard (BS 3704–1989) on 30 March. It has been approved under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the Approval of Safety Standards Regulations 1987, which makes it easier for action to be taken, for example, by trading standards officers, against suppliers of condoms which do not meet the standard.
Census Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many companies are licensed by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to analyse and re-supply small area statistics from the 1981 census.
The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has concluded licence or agency agreements with 13 companies to hold and supply small area statistics from the 1981 census.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what total royalties have been received by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for each year since 1981 from the companies which are licensed by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to analyse and re-supply small areas statistics.
The total revenue received each financial year by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from companies with agreements to hold and supply small area statistics from the 1981 census is shown in the table.
| Financial year | Total revenue(£) |
| 1982–83 | 27,980 |
| 1983–84 | 105,583 |
| 1984–85 | 47,889 |
| 1985–86 | 163,297 |
| 1986–87 | 136,759 |
| 1987–88 | 66,015 |
| 1988–89 | 55,924 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many companies which sold small area statistics under licence from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys also hold on computer names and addresses of members of the public collected from the electoral register.
This information is not collected.
Social Workers
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has any plans to introduce measures for the training of social workers in order to prepare them more adequately for work with mentally ill people;(2) if he has discussed with the Association of Teachers in Social Work Education ways in which social workers can be trained to deal more adequately with mentally ill people.
The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) is the statutory body responsible for social work training. To date some 90 per cent. of local authorities have produced a programme of CCETSW approved training for approved social workers under the Mental Health Act 1983. All qualifying courses for social workers are expected, according to CCETSW's minimum requirements, to include some training in mental illness. CCETSW has also approved a number of post-qualifying courses specialising in mental illness or with options in this area of work. We have had no discussions with ATSWE about training for those social workers dealing with mentally ill people.
Dental Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to ensure that all dental assistants and other persons who assist qualified dental surgery assistants have had a full course of vaccinations against hepatitis B and a follow up positive seroconversion; and if he will make a statement.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that vaccination against hepatitis B should be considered for all dentists, dental students, dental assistants and others who may come into direct contact with patients, but whether any individual should be vaccinated must depend on the views of their medical adviser.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, under notice FPN 472, patients have to pay for dentures and bridges provided through hospital and community dental services; if they would have been liable to pay for the same treatment when provided by general dental practitioners; and if the bridge prescriptions proposed by a general dental practitioner or hospital and community dental services will be subject to the same prior approval requirement as are prescriptions proposed by general practitioners.
Hospital and community dental service out-patients who are not exempt are expected to meet the same NHS charge of dentures and bridges as are patients treated by general dental practitioners. Patients who are exempt are people under 18, full-time students under 19, pregnant women and nursing mothers, and people on low incomes. In addition, no charges are payable in the hospital and community dental service by people who have undergone operative procedures affecting the mandible, the maxilla or the soft tissues of the mouth as part of treatment for invasive tumours. There is no prior approval requirement in the hospital or community dental service.
Abortion
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions took place at the premises 32 Parkfield road, Liverpool 17, in each year since it was licensed;(2) if he will break down the number of abortions performed at 32 Parkfield road, Liverpool 17, into the categories specified in the Abortion Act 1967; and at what number of weeks' gestation those abortions took place.
Information on abortions performed in any individual approved place is not released for reasons of maintaining confidentiality.
Pain Relief Foundation
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any policy or plans to provide funding for the Pain Relief Foundation which is situated at Walton hospital, Liverpool.
The Department of Health has recently renewed the grant-aid awarded to the Pain Relief Foundation under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, and has agreed to provide funding of £8,500 per annum for the three years 1989–90 to 1991–92.
Pharmaceutical Products
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a decision on the provision of manufacturers' site identification on labels of pharmaceutical products; and if he will make a statement.
We cannot yet say. The proposal to require site declaration was particularly controversial and account must be taken of comments received in consultation before decisions are reached on MLX 167 proposals as a whole.
Doctors
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the cost of the proposed Crown indemnity for doctors.
The consultation paper issued by the Health Departments on 20 March, a copy of which is in the Library, noted that medical defence subscriptions had trebled between 1986 and 1988 and were continuing to rise. The NHS currently spends an estimated £30 million per year through a scheme whereby two thirds of subscription costs are re-imbursed. At present the cost of providing an NHS indemnity is expected to be comparable.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the average cost to health authorities of employing an individual hospital doctor supplied by agencies and the salary and emolument costs of a doctor directly employed by the National Health Service.
We do not have the information in the form requested. However, as an example the cost of directly employing a senior house officer in the National Health Service for 72 hours duty in a week is estimated at £470, whereas we have advised health authorities that the maximum they should pay an agency supplying a doctor to do this work is £774. That advice was issued by me on 25 November 1988. It pegged the maximum permissible payments to agencies to 1987–88 levels and those levels remain in force.
Transplants
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about a register of bone marrow donors.
There are two registers of bone marrow donors in the United Kingdom. One is run by the Anthony Nolan Research Centre and is a charitable organisation; the other is the British Bone Marrow and Platelet Donor Panel, which was compiled in collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Service. The use of donor registries is a matter for the judgment of individual clinicians, responsible for the care of patients who might benefit from a bone marrow transplant.
Perinatal And Infant Mortality
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had on joint action between local authorities and health authorities to seek to reduce the perinatal mortality and infant mortality rates to at least 8 per 1,000 in every regional health authority;(2) what action he has taken on the recommendation of the Social Services Committee's first report on perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality, in particular the recommendations that the target objectives of regions and districts should be reflected in their resource allocations.
The Government's response to the Social Services Committee's first report on perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality will be published shortly. 'The response will set out not only the Government's response to the recommendations made by the Committee, but also what other action is in hand to ensure the continued reduction in the perinatal and infant mortality rates in England.
South East Thames Regional Health Authority
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will announce the appointment of the chairman of the South East Thames regional health authority from 1 August.
I am pleased to announce that Sir Peter Baldwin has accepted my invitation to serve in this most important position for another two years.
Cash Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any changes will be made in the cash limits of his Department for 1989–90.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary and Revised Estimates, the following changes will be made:The cash limit for class XIV, vote 1 (hospital and community health and other services, England) will be increased by £113,005,000 from £11,748,942,000 to £11,861,947,000 to help provide, from 1 April 1989, for the pay awards recommended in the 1989 reports of the review bodies for nursing staff, midwives, healthpisitors and professions allied to medicine and on doctors' and dentists' remuneration, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16 February 1989.The cash limit for class XIV, vote 3 (Department of Health administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be reduced by £2,525,000 from £670,695,000 to £668,170,000. A reduction of £3,470,000 is being made to allow for transfers to class XV, vote 7 (Department of Social Security, administration and miscellaneous services) in respect of the independent living fund (£2,700,000), motability (a net £550,000) and to correct the apportionment of resources for departmental administration following the split of the former Department of Health and Social Security (£220,000). A further reduction of £50,000 is being made to offset increased provision on class XIV, vote 2 (Family practitioner and other services, England) in respect of residual transaction expenses arising in connection with the reconstitution of the General Practice Finance Corporation. These reductions are partly offset by an additional £995,000 to meet in full, from 1 April 1989, the review body recommendations mentioned above. The provision for running costs on this vote and the Department's running costs limit is increased by £559,000 from £238,256,000 to £238,815,000.The increases will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Nhs Staff
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will now publish the outturn figures for 1987–88 for compensation and early retirement in the manner described in the Government's reply to the first report from the Social Services Committee of Session 1984–85, breaking down the figures to distinguish between competitive tendering and other cases.
The outturn figures for 1987–88 are as follows:
| Number of cases | Compensation cost | Total cost including superannuation | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Competitive tendering | |||
| New cases | 821 | 1,834,000 | 3,990,000 |
| Continuing cases | 3,405 | 3,525,000 | 3,967,000 |
| Other cases | |||
| New cases | 1,546 | 5,678,000 | 19,326,000 |
| Continuing cases | 9,490 | 15,047,000 | 43,676,000 |
Opcs
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any changes to announce to both the cash and gross running cost limits for the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for 1989–90.
Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Revised Estimate, the cash limit for class XX, vote 15 will be reduced by £114,000 from £30,367,000 to £30,253,000. The OPCS gross running cost limit for class XX, vote 15 will be decreased by £114,000 from £35,491,000 to £35,377,000. The reductions reflect a correction to running costs, which included the overhead costs of methodology and consultancy expenditure by OPCS, by a transfer to the section of the vote for the administrative costs of social survey work exempt from gross running cost control. The costs will be fully offset by increased appropriations in aid from customer departments.
Eye Tests
77.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in hand for monitoring the effects of charges for eye tests on different sectors of the population in relation to the numbers coming forward for such tests; and whether a report will be made publicly available in due course.
We expect to commission a survey into the number of private sight tests in the autumn, although the precise details have yet to be worked out. We expect that, at the least, a summary of the report's findings will be placed in the Library.
Nhs Reform
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change in administrative arrangements he intends to introduce for supra regional hospital units including spinal units, as a consequence of the Government's White Paper "Working for Patients".
[holding answer 23 May 1989]: The NHS review working paper 2 noted the Government's expectation that the centre would continue to fund the fixed costs of units providing supra regional services, both to ensure their viability and to ensure a properly controlled spread of high cost and high technology treatments; it envisaged that the variable costs would be met by GPs and DHAs under contract. Detailed work is currently under way on this proposal. Announcements on the new arrangements, and on the future of individual supra regional services, will be made later in the year.
Private Patients (Bolton)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the revenue generated from private patients at hospitals in Bolton in 1988, and what were the comparable figures for each of the last five years.
[pursuant to his reply 18 May 1989, c, 285]: The following information is derived from the annual accounts of the Bolton health authority:
| Income from private patients (under sections 65 and 66 of the NHS Act 1977) | ||
| In-patients(section 65) | Out-patients(section 66) | |
| £ | £ | |
| (cash) | (cash) | |
| 1982–83 | 129,179 | 7,322 |
| 1983–84 | 99,089 | 6,267 |
| 1984–85 | 11,329 | 171 |
| 1985–86 | 14,826 | 6,253 |
| 1986–87 | 14,847 | 8,950 |
| 1987–88 | 8,888 | 10,189 |
Defence
Low Flying
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Skyguard fire control radar system will be implemented to register military aircraft flying below the permitted levels of operation; whether the information obtained will show the air forces concerned; where the information will be published; what disciplinary action will be enforced against offending pilots; and if he will make a statement.
The Skyguard fire control radar system will be deployed in the low flying monitoring role later this year. Apparent infringements of the regulations governing low-flying training by military aircraft using the United Kingdom low-flying system will be followed up as at present and appropriate action taken.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement in respect of military jet aircraft overflying the village of Clayton in the Don Valley constituency, in which a transit area is in force, on 11 May at 1221 hours, 1509 hours and 1530 hours all of which were under 1,000 feet; and to what NATO air force these were attached.
If the hon. Member would care to write to me with further details I should be happy to consider the matter.
Spending Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much is spent on defence per household, per year by Government,; what is his definition of a household: and how many there are in the United Kingdom currently.
Defence expenditure per household for 1989–90 will be just over £900, based on a defence budget of £20,143 million and the Department of the Environment's latest estimate of the number of households in the United Kingdom during 1989 of 22·1 million. The definition of a household is set out in "Social Trends 1989", published by the Central Statistical Office:
"A single person or group of people who have the address as their only or main residence and who either share one meal a day or share the living accommodation."
Noise Insulation (Lakenheath)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis he nominated Alpine Double Glazing to be the recommended contractor for insulation work associated with the noise compensation scheme recently announced for RAF Lakenheath, Mildenhall; and why other local insulation firms were not given an opportunity to seek his nomination and recommendation on a competitive basis.
Alpine (Double Glazing) Company Ltd. was selected as the recommended contractor for installation work associated with the noise insulation grant scheme for RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall as the result of a competitive tendering exercise. Tenders were invited from six double glazing companies, including one (Easiglaze Windows Ltd.) based locally, on the basis of advice from the Glass and Glazing Federation on those companies that were likely to have the capacity to meet the demand generated by the 5,600 homes in the area covered by the schemes.
Sky Pageant
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement as to why the annual sky pageant will not be held at the RAF base at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, in the current year.
I understand that the United States authorities at the base have decided not to hold the sky pageant this year, which is a national event, but instead to hold a Heyford "At Home" day which will be orientated toward the local community.
Nuclear Weapons Convoys
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the key statistics for accidents involving the road transportation of nuclear weapon convoys over the last 10 years.
It has been the practice of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at particular places and times. I cannot, therefore, give statistics of accidents involving the transport of nuclear weapons. There has never been an accident involving damage to a nuclear weapon in the United Kingdom.
Soviet Navy (Missiles)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence his Department has that the Soviet Navy is deploying sea-launched cruise missiles.
The Government have convincing evidence that the Soviets are on the verge of deploying a variety of sophisticated cruise missile systems. At sea, the Soviets have tested the SS-N-21 sea-launched cruise missile, which could be carried and launched by a variety of Soviet general purpose attack submarines, such as Victor, Akula or Sierra. Yankee class nuclear submarines have also been converted to carry SS-N-21 missiles. Targets in Europe, Asia or North America could be attacked by these accurate missiles, which we assume are fitted with nuclear warheads. The larger SS-N-X24 missile, which could be carried in specialised submarine platforms such as the modified Yankee class, is expected to be operational in the next few years.
Nato Military Establishments
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total value to the economy for Yorkshire and Humberside of the presence of military establishments of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation armed forces in various locations in the region.
No such estimate has been made for the Yorkshire and Humberside region.
Queen's Own Hussars
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers in the Queen's Own Hussars went absent without leave in 1988.
Four.
Lance Missiles
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the position of the Greek, Danish and Norwegian Governments on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation plans to modernise short-range nuclear Lance missiles in western Europe.
Greece, Denmark and Norway agreed the communique issued at the end of the recent NATO nuclear planning group meeting in Brussels. In doing so, they expressed their determination to ensure that NATO possesses diversified, survivable and operationally feasible nuclear forces across the entire spectrum and agreed that these forces should be kept up-to-date where necessary.
Gurkhas
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the estimated savings envisaged under his proposals for the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Although the future deployment and precise force structure of the Brigade of Gurkhas have not yet been decided, annual expenditure on the planned Gurkha force after 1997 is likely to be greater than current expenditure on the Gurkhas as a result of the loss of the contribution made by the Hong Kong Government.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned strength of (a) the Queen's Gurkhas Engineers, (b) the Queen's Gurkhas Signals and (c) the Queen's Gurkhas Transport Regiment after 1997.
The plans for the future of the Queen's Gurkha Engineers, the Queen's Gurkha Signals and the Gurkha Transport Regiment after 1997 include their retention at a strength that is operationally and organisationally viable. The eventual number of squadrons that will be required will depend on detailed decisions on the Brigade of Gurkhas which have not yet been taken.
Service Accommodation
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of service accommodation is (a) grade 1, (b) grade 2, (c) grade 3 and (d) grade 4; and what were those percentages for each of the last 10 years.
The percentage of service accommodation in the various grades over the past 10 years cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. I will write to the hon. Member with the percentages for the current year.
Foulness (Property)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the properties he has demolished in the parish of Foulness, Essex, since becoming the principal landlord there; if he will give the reasons for demolition; and whether the properties concerned were residental.
[holding answer 15 May 1989]: The MOD has owned Foulness Island since the first world war. The available records show that, since 1986, seven residential properties have been demolished, three for operational reasons because they were in the range danger area and the remainder because they were structurally unsound and beyond economic repair. A number of farm outbuildings have also been demolished. Property used for defence purposes which has been demolished includes offices and stores buildings.
Propeller Driven Aircraft
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list those areas of the United Kingdom where heavy propeller driven aircraft are permitted to fly at less than 250 feet minimum separation distance.
Flying below 250 feet by heavy propeller-driven aircraft is permitted, on special authorisation, in the three tactical training areas and for free-drop training on designated drop zones in military danger areas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the numbers of aircraft movements authorised for low-flying at less than 250 feet minimum separation distance in (a) the Northern Scotland tactical training area, (b) the Central Wales tactical training area, and (c) the Borders tactical training area during 1988; and on how many days in 1988 such low flying was authorised in each training area.
The information requested regarding aircraft movements authorised for flying below 250 feet within tactical training areas during 1988 is given in the table. It should be noted that figures for the number of days on which flying took place are likely to have been substantially lower because alternative dates are often requested for use in the event of bad weather. It should also be noted that the movements figures for the borders tactical training area have, since July 1988, been recorded on a different basis following the extension to the Borders training area approved by my predesessor in March 1988 and the number of movements quoted for this area is not therefore directly comparable with previous figures.
| Tactical training area | Operational low flying movements | Number of days on which operational low flying was authorized |
| Northern Scotland | 828 | 115 |
| Central Wales | 60 | 60 |
| Borders | 1,227 | 121 |
Naval Accidents
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the key statistics for military naval accidents over the last 10 years.
Our records show that during this period there have been 542 incidents involving groundings or collisions between vessels of the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary or the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service and either other vessels or static installations. A breakdown of this figure into various categories of incident is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost and effort. The great majority of these incidents, however, are very minor, resulting in little or no damage.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Hedges
13.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grant aid his Department has given to encourage the planting of hedges in England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available.
Grants paid by my Department and the Welsh Office in England and Wales for hedge planting and hedge laying amounted to £2·18 million in the 1988 calendar year.
Food Irradiation
17.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present position regarding the development of a diagnostic test for food irradiation.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan).
38.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much research his Department is currently funding into food irradiation.
Last year the Ministry funded research into food irradiation and its effects on packaging materials to the sum of about £200,000. Research funding in the current financial year is expected to be the same.
50.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's current policy on food irradiation; and if he will make a statement.
44.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about irradiation of food.
I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie), and to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Sumberg).
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce his decisions on his proposals for the control of the irradiation of food.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Sumberg) earlier today.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for the irradiation of food; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Sumberg).
National Institute Of Agricultural Botany
18.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what cumulative savings were achieved over five years in grants to the National Institute of Agricultural Botany by the policy of not fully funding pay awards.
In each of the last five years funding has been sufficient to enable the National Institute of Agricultural Botany to fully implement pay awards.
Country Landowners Association
19.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the president of the Country Landowners Association; and what matters were discussed.
My ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet the president of the Country Landowners Association. My right hon. Friend the Minister last met him on 3 May, when a wide range of issues were discussed.
Intervention Stocks
20.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the most up-to-date estimate of the amount and value in pounds sterling of surplus food and drink in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the EEC as a result of the common agricultural policy.
A note setting out the volume of stocks of agricultural commodities held in intervention and assisted private storage in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the EC as a whole, is deposited in the Library of the House and is updated monthly. The estimated value of the stocks listed in the most recently deposited note, depreciated as now required following the February 1988 European Council agreement, is £125 million for the United Kingdom, and £14·6 billion for the EC as a whole.
Lamb (Variable Premium)
21.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the amount paid during 1988 as variable premium on lamb to British producers.
A sum of £161,953,345 was paid by way of sheep variable premium to British producers in 1988.
22.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the variable premium on lamb.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall).
Slaughterhouses
23.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any arrangements are currently in hand for the statutory examination by veterinary officials at non-EEC export-approved slaughterhouses.
No.
Suckler Cow Premium
24.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his decision to pay the suckler cow premium in full will enhance United Kingdom beef production.
In the 1989–90 scheme year the rate of.suckler cow premium will be £47·43 per cow, an increase of 42 per cent. over last year. This will give further support and encouragement to producers who are currently rebuilding their suckler herds and help to offset the reduction in calf supplies from the dairy herd. Consumers will benefit as the proportion of United Kingdom production from beef cows increases.
55.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage increase in the suckler cow premium over the previous year; and how much this will add to the incomes of beef farmers.
The rate to be paid in the 1989–90 scheme year will be £47·43 per cow, the maximum permitted under Community rules. This is 42 per cent. higher than last year. We estimate that the total payment to United Kingdom producers will be £57 million, some £20 million higher than last year.
65.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how his decision to pay the suckler cow premium at its maximum level will affect farm incomes, particularly in the less-favoured areas.
We estimate that total payments of suckler cow premium to United Kingdom producers in 1989–90 will be £57 million, some £20 million more than last year. About 70 per cent. of the specialist beef herd is in the less-favoured areas and so it is likely that the major part of this increase will benefit producers farming in the most difficult parts of the country.
Untreated Milk
25.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received following the issue of his consultation paper on untreated milk.
32.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had about the sale of green top milk; and if he will make a statement.
41.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations his Department has received calling for (a) the retention and (b) the banning of green top milk.
57.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to announce the result of his consultations on green top milk.
60.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce his decision with regard to green top milk.
73.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the consultations he has been having on the question of banning untreated milk in England and Wales; and when he expects to be able to announce his conclusions.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the banning of green top milk; and if he will make a statement.
We have received a large number of representations. The majority are from consumers who wish to remain free to choose untreated milk and from producers who wish to continue supplying it. On the other hand, a number of bodies concerned about public health, including various enforcement authorities, have supported the proposal to ban sales. The period allowed for comment has now expired and we are considering, in the light of all comments received, what our policy should be. My right hon. Friend hopes to make a further announcement shortly.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information has become available in the course of his consultation into the question of banning the sale of untreated milk in England and Wales on (a) how many people can indisputably be said to have become ill from the consumption of such milk and (b) how many illnesses could be deemed serious.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health provided data on confirmed reports of food poisoning associated with consumption of raw milk in England and Wales in response to a written question from my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew) on 9 February at column 808. No new information has become available during the consultation exercise, nor is it possible to distinguish between serious and trivial cases. However, the very fact that a case is reported means that an individual has been sufficiently ill to consult his doctor.
Beef Premium
26.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the new beef premium to be fully operational.
69.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the initial introduction of the beef payment scheme for British farmers.
I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the reply I gave earlier to the Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke).
Sheep Regime
27.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest information he has about current negotiations over the revision of the EEC sheep regime.
42.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions about the future of the sheepmeat regime.
I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Ceredigion and Pembroke, North (Mr. Howells).
Fishing Industry
28.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what level of European Community grant-aid is being received by British fishermen for the modernisation of their fleets.
In the April round of Community awards the European Commission granted £1·30 million (1.99 mecus) in respect of 83 United Kingdom vessel modernisation projects.
Potato Marketing Board
29.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Potato Marketing Board.
66.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is yet able to make a statement on the outcome of the inquiry into the working of the Potato Marketing Board.
I do not yet have anything to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 19 April, at column 175.
National Dock Labour Scheme
30.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the fishing industry in response to the Government's proposal to abolish the national dock labour scheme.
None, but prior to the Government's proposal being made, the fishing industry had made many representations for removal of the national dock labour scheme in relation to fish landings.
Landscape
31.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes to introduce any new measures to enhance the quality of the British landscape.
The introduction of the environmentally sensitive areas scheme in 1987 and the farm woodland scheme in 1988 is making an important contribution to the quality of the British landscape. In addition, the farm and conservation grant scheme, introduced in February, offers, for the first time, grants for repairs to traditional farm buildings and for the regeneration of heather moors and native woodlands as well as continuing assistance for hedge and shelter belt planting and the construction of stone walls.Farmers entering the set-aside scheme are encouraged to consider ways in which set-aside of their land may benefit the landscape. Moreover, the Countryside Commission will shortly be announcing details of a scheme to encourage farmers to manage set-aside land to benefit conservation and recreation.Until the effectiveness of these major new schemes becomes clear it would be premature to introduce any additional measures.
Extensification Scheme
33.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to ensure that proper conservation measures are included in his new extensification scheme.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to introduce his extensification scheme.
I shall shortly be opening consultation on the implementation in the United Kingdom of the Community extensification scheme, including on appropriate environmental measures.
Nitrate Pollution
34.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is proposing to take to prevent the pollution of water courses by nitrate fertiliser.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes).
72.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received recently from representatives of farmers concerning pollution caused by nitrate fertilisers and farm waste; and if he will make a statement.
Farmers' representatives have in broad terms welcomed the Government's general approach to tackling the nitrate problem as set out in the consultation document recently issued by the Agriculture Departments of England and Wales. They also broadly support the measures being taken to combat the farm waste pollution problem.
Organic Foods
35.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he envisages a further expansion of the production of organic foods following the introduction and processing standards by the United Kingdom register of organic food standards.
I believe that publication of the UKROFS standards and certification schemes will give consumers greater confidence to buy organic food and I hope that producers will respond to the resulting increase in demand.
51.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is encouraging the development of nationally, and internationally, recognised standards of organic food production.
Yes. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food encouraged Food From Britain in establishing the United Kingdom register of organic food standards (UKROFS) in July 1987. The result of this initiative is that the board of UKROFS, under the chairmanship of Professor Colin Spedding, announced standards for the production and processing of organic food on 2 May. In addition, the European Commission has announced that it will be proposing standards for the whole Community to which, I am sure, the UKROFS standards will make an important decision.
52.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the United Kingdom register of organic food standards is developing certification and inspection services to ensure that its requirements are properly enforced.
Yes. UKROFS is offering a certification system for producer organisations whose members produce or process food to UKROFS standards and who are subject to inspection by those organisations. This provides for independent monitoring inspections to be carried out on behalf of UKROFS. UKROFS also offers a certification scheme to independent producers who will be regularly inspected. I am placing a copy of the details of the certification arrangements and standards in the Library of the House.
Experimental Station, Rosewarne
36.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to make an official visit to the experimental horticultural station at Rosewarne, Camborne; and if he will make a statement.
No. Ministers and officials in my Department are in touch with representatives of local growers and other interests about possible alternatives to the proposed closure as announced by my right hon. Friend in my reply to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) of 21 March.
Veterinary Officers
37.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many veterinary officers are currently employed by his Department.
On 1 May 1989 there were 439 permanent veterinary officers in all grades employed in the Department.
Farm Incomes
39.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the recent European Community price-fixing settlement will benefit farm incomes in the course of a full year.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 2 May, at column 85.
Festival Of Food And Farming
40.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will estimate the return on the investment made by the food and agriculture industry in the Hyde park festival.
The festival was designed to show how much the British food and farming industry contributes to all our lives. The four-day event was a great success and the public response far exceeded expectations. It is not possible to quantify any returns, but I am sure that all those who contributed or exhibited must feel their money was very well spent.
63.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there are any plans to repeat the Hyde park festival of food and farming.
The festival, which marked the 150th anniversary of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, was a great success and gave tremendous pleasure to hundreds of thousands of visitors. However, it clearly would not be possible to stage such an event very often and I know of no immediate plans for a repeat.
Eggs
43.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on any differences between the health standards required for eggs produced in Britain and those required in other European Community countries.
Eggs marketed in the United Kingdom and in all other member states of the Community must meet the standards prescribed in Council regulation (EEC) 2772/75 and Commission regulation (EEC) 95/69. These standards include matters relevant to health such as the cleanliness of authorised egg packing centres and of the eggs themselves.
Women Farmers Union
45.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the president of the Women Farmers Union; and what matters they discussed.
I last met the chairman of the Women's Farming Union on 24 February at a forum on 1992 issues held by its Norfolk branch. As might be expected, the topic which dominated discussion concerned the impact of the single European market.
Northumberland
46.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will visit Northumberland to meet representatives of the farming industry and to assess the state of agriculture in the area.
I frequently make visits around the country to keep abreast of agricultural developments.
Potatoes
47.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet the Potato Processors Association to discuss pricing by Dutch competitors in the industry; and if he will make a statement.
I have no such plans.
National Farmers Union
48.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the president of the National Farmers Union and what matters were discussed.
I meet the president of the National Farmers Union frequently to discuss agricultural matters.
59.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he is next due to meet the president of the National Farmers Union to discuss the dairy sector.
I have no present plans to do so.
Bovine Somatotropin
49.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any consumer groups have written to him urging him to give a product licence for bovine somatotropin.
No. It would be inappropriate for any group to urge me to pre-empt the rigorous scientific evaluation of BST required by the Medicines Act.
Farm Diversification
53.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received about farm diversification.
On 15 March the president of the NFU wrote to me, on behalf of the NFU, NFU of Scotland, the Tenant Farmers Association and the Farmers Union of Wales, about various tenancy matters, including a request for tenant farmers to have a right of appeal against any landlords refusal to allow diversification. I am pleased to say that there are signs that tenants are participating in the farm diversification grant scheme and I do not think that any change in tenancy law is appropriate on this point.My Department here also received representations from some organisations seeking recognition for their members to undertake grant-aided enterprise feasibility studies.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
54.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money his Department has paid out in compensation in respect of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in infected cattle.
From 8 August last year, when the compulsory slaughter policy was introduced, until the end of April this year, £1,272,558 had been paid in compensation.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date his veterinary service first received tissues of cows suspected of being infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.
The samples from which bovine spongiform encephalopathy was first identified as a new disease were received at the Ministry's central veterinary laboratory on 3 November 1986, which was the same day that the animal was slaughtered.
Food Quality
56.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any new proposals to improve the wholesomeness of food available to the British consumer.
It is already an offence under food legislation to sell food that is unfit for human consumption or food that is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser. Regulations also already cover matters concerned with the hygiene and handling of food and discussions with interested parties are currently proceeding on how these need to be updated.
Forestry Commission
58.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the Forestry Commission; and what matters were discussed.
I last met the chairman of the Forestry Commission on 9 March, when we discussed a range of forestry matters.
Milk Quotas
61.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the milk quota regime.
The European Council agreed in February 1988 to extend the present milk quota regime until March 1992 and invited the Commission to submit a report on its operation before the end of 1990–91 marketing year. I have been pressing for the future of the regime to be addressed by the Council of Agriculture Ministers as soon as possible.
Co-Responsibility Levies
62.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is his policy to continue pressing for the complete abolition of co-responsibility levies.
I am opposed to co-responsibility levies and shall continue to press for their abolition while respecting budgetary discipline. I am very pleased that, in the recent price settlement, following our pressure the Council has taken a step in this direction, agreeing significant cuts in the milk co-responsibility levy and its removal in less-favoured areas.
Animal Health
64.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implications for animal health of freer European markets for agricultural products.
Although the Commission has made a number of proposals on animal health issues in anticipation of the realisation of the single market, it has not yet made proposals on the regime to apply after its completion. The Government's position is quite clear. We aim to secure the right balance between minimising barriers to trade and maintaining effective veterinary controls as long as they are necessary to prevent the spread of disease.
Farmed Salmon
67.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the farmed salmon industry.
The salmon farming industry, concentrated mainly off the west coast and islands of Scotland, continues to make an important contribution to our economy, to employment and to export earnings. In 1988, United Kingdom production reached 18,000 tonnes, with a first sale value of some £72 million.
Agricultural Support (Primary Producers)
68.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the principle of payment to the primary producer, established in the new suckler cow premium, will be extracted to other forms of agricultural support.
Under the common agricultural policy, a wide range of instruments are used to target support in the most appropriate manner, taking account of the different characteristics of the various commodities. Payments to primary producers are used in a number of sectors, but there is no Community policy to generalise their application.
Channel Cod
70.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the operation of the European Community common fisheries policy as it relates to Channel cod.
Channel cod, like all other significant fish stocks, is subject to a total allowable catch based as far as possible on scientific advice and agreed annually by the Council of Fisheries Ministers. The current TAC of 23,900 tonnes is 70 per cent. higher than it was in 1983, reflecting the exceptional recruitment of the year classes 1985 to 1987. In the last two years we have secured mid-year revisions to the TAC. The quota allocation of the TAC between member states was settled on the basis of historic catches as part of the 1983 common fisheries policy settlement. Overall the shareout was very favourable to the United Kingdom, and for Channel cod we secured a slightly higher percentage than our track record.
Alternative Land Use
71.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent steps he has taken to promote alternative land use.
We have introduced a range of measures to encourage farmers to seek alternative users for agricultural land. These include the farm diversification grants scheme, set-aside and the farm woodland scheme. Also, ADAS offers advice to farmers on the options for alternative uses of their land. In January, we made available, (through Her Majesty's Stationery Office), "Planning Permission and
| CAP expenditure | Year on year increase in real terms | CAP expenditure as per cent. total EC expenditure | United Kingdom receipts under the CAP | Conversion rates | ||
| mecu | £ million | Per cent. | Per cent. | £ million | 1 ecu equals | |
| 1973 | 3,805 | 1,912 | — | 82 | 63 | 0·502321 |
| 1974 | 3,230 | 1,647 | -25 | 75 | 112 | 0·509803 |
| 1975 | 4,708 | 2,637 | +26 | 78 | 347 | 0·560026 |
| 1976 | 5,796 | 3,603 | +10 | 77 | 213 | 0·621578 |
| 1977 | 7,123 | 4,656 | +10 | 74 | 174 | 0·653701 |
| 1978 | 9,000 | 5,974 | +16 | 79 | 318 | 0·663759 |
| 1979 | 10,880 | 7,064 | +8 | 76 | 384 | 0·649236 |
| 1980 | 11,943 | 7,232 | -3 | 73 | 569 | 0·605540 |
| 1981 | 11,581 | 6,449 | -13 | 65 | 666 | 0·556891 |
| 1982 | 13,077 | 7,294 | +2 | 64 | 756 | 0·557801 |
| 1983 | 16,637 | 9,759 | +17 | 69 | 1,085 | 0·586581 |
| 1984 | 19,093 | 11,150 | +7 | 73 | 1,310 | 0·583969 |
| 1985 | 20,544 | 12,081 | +1 | 73 | 1,187 | 0·588051 |
| 1986 | 23,028 | 14,919 | +10 | 67 | 1,343 | 0·647851 |
| 1987' | 23,963 | 17,237 | -3 | 67 | 1,321 | 0·719320 |
| 19882 | 29,158 | 19,310 | +17 | 67 | 1,381 | 0 662252 |
| Sources: | ||||||
| 1973–1986 EC Commission EAGGF Financial Reports. | ||||||
| 1987 Outturn figures. | ||||||
| 1988 Provisional outturn. | ||||||
| 11987 budget year carried 10 months' expenditure. | ||||||
| 21988 budget year carried 11. months' expenditure. | ||||||
| 3Recalculated since 1986 PQ. | ||||||
Pesticides
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the light of the statement by the head of his Department's pesticide safety division and evaluation unit that it would be 10 years before all the pre-1965 pesticides are reviewed, and that this was due to the Farmer", which was written especially for farmers seeking to diversify. This introductory guide explains how the planning system works and provides advice on presenting a convincing case to planning authorities.
Farm Slurry
74.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are open to him to control or advise farmers on the drainage of farm slurry into streams and rivers.
The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service routinely provides technical advice to farmers on pollution avoidance, and co-operates with water authorities over farm pollution problems in particular localities. 50 per cent. grant-aid is available on a wide range of facilities. My Department is also assisting the Department of the Environment prepare new regulations to set minimum constructional standards for slurry installations.
Common Agricultural Policy
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the information in his answer of 14 May 1986, Official Report, column 482, concerning the common agricultural policy; and if he will add for each year the conversion rate for sterling in terms of the unit of account and of the market rate for the European currency unit.
The information requested is set out in the following table:staff shortages and lack of data, he will increase the resources available for this work; and if he will make a statement.
The scientific complement of the pesticides data evaluation unit involved in the evaluation and review of agricultural pesticides has been increased from 52 at the end of the 1988–89 financial year, to 60. Staffing levels will be kept under review.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the evidence the advisory committee on pesticides considered in deciding about the use of Alar; and if he will make a statement.
I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the evidence considered by the Advisory Committee at its meeting on 20 April 1989. For this meeting the committee received over 30 reports on daminozide and its breakdown product, unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH), reporting studies on mammalian metabolism, residues in apples, in vitro mutagenicity, subacute toxicity in rats and mice and carcinogenicity in rats and mice.
Veterinary Service
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 22 May, by how many posts of veterinary officer grade the state veterinary service was reduced in 1986.
During 1986 the number of veterinary officer posts was reduced by 12.
Peat (Alternatives)
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is conducting a research into alternatives to peat for horticultural use; and if he will make a statement.
A number of projects for finding alternatives to, or decreasing the use of, peat in the horticulture industry (for instance work on rockwool, hydroponics and using compost additives like bark) have been undertaken by my Department in recent years. Some of this work has already been taken up by growers and it could provide a firm basis for further reductions in usage if this is necessary.
Game
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if the provisions in chapter 1 of annexe 11 of the draft regulation (PVET/2508) which prohibits the killing of wild game in an unacceptable manner or a manner which will cause unnecessary suffering, fall to be considered by majority vote or by unanimity; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on these proposals;(2) if the provisions in EEC draft regulations which require game carcasses to be transported in refrigerated trucks to official game processing houses fall to be considered by majority vote or by unanimity; what is the voting procedure for the proposal that game should be inspected within 24 hours of death; and what are the categories of game covered by these particular proposals;(3) what assessment he has made of the consequences of field sports in the United Kingdom of the EEC Council draft regulation on game meat and rabbit meat; what is the position of Her Majesty's Government on the draft with particular reference to the post-mortem examinations by official veterinarians of deceased game and rabbits; what stage has been reached in the discussion of these proposals; and whether they fall to be considered by majority vote or by unanimity;(4) what estimate he has made of the number of game covered by the EEC directive which are shot each year; what is the EEC description or definition of game; and what he estimates would be the additional provision of veterinary surgeons required to implement the proposals.
The document referred to is a working draft for a proposed Council regulation on game and rabbit meat for human consumption. The regulation would be made under article 43 of the Treaty of Rome which provides for decisions to be taken by qualified majority vote.The draft provision on refrigerated transport would apply to all wild game but only where considered necessary by national authorities. The provision for inspection within 24 hours of shooting would also apply to all wild game although longer periods for eviscerated game may be permitted. Exemptions from these provisions and from other requirements of the measure are proposed for game sold in small quantities by the sportsman to the consumer or through sales points which are inspected regularly.The proposed regulation would apply to all game animals and birds killed for sale for human consumption and which are not already subject to Community legislation.Official statistics of the numbers of wild game animals and birds shot each year in the United Kingdom are not collected but estimates made by the game industry are as follows:
| Number | |
| deer | 80,000 |
| pheasants | 12,000,000 |
| duck | 1,000,000 |
| pigeon | 10,000,000 |
| partridge | 500,000 |
| grouse | 500,000 |
Animal Welfare
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of the British Veterinary Association to discuss animal welfare.
I have not met members of the British Veterinary Association recently but my officials are in frequent contact with them.
Trees
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much coniferous and deciduous planting has taken place on farmland in England and Wales since the last Budget; and, of this, how much was subject to the new tax arrangements introduced in that Budget.
In the year to 31 March 1989, the Forestry Commission grant aided 1,728 hectares of new planting (752 hectares conifers and 976 hectares of broadleaves) in England and 923 hectares of new planting (710 hectares of conifers and 213 hectares of broadleaves) in Wales on land that was formerly in agricultural use. A total of 2,371 hectares of this planting could have attracted tax reliefs under the transitional arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his 1988 Budget.
The Commission itself carried out 191 hectares of new planting on former agricultural land in England and Wales (159 hectares of conifers and 32 hectares of broadleaves).
Nitrate
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many additional agriculture development and advisory service officers he intends to recruit to visit farms to advise on nitrates in water as outlined in his document "Nitrate Sensitive Areas Scheme."
No decision has been taken on the number of farms which will be visited or the consequential staffing implications, pending adoption of the necessary legislation by Parliament and the outcome of the consultations undertaken on 9 May.