Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 6 July 1989
National Finance
Tax And Price Index
14.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent figure for the tax and price index.
135.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent figure for the tax and price index.
178.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent figure for the tax and price index.
195.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent figure for the tax and price index.
The tax and price index increased by 8·4 per cent. over the twelve months to May.
Self-Employment
15.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment since 1979.
25.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment since 1979.
77.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment since 1979.
Self-employment in the United Kingdom has increased by 1,142,000, or 60 per cent. since June 1979.
Balance Of Trade
16.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in visible goods in 1989 and 1990.
169.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in visible goods in 1989 and 1990.
186.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in visible goods in 1989 and 1990.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in visible goods in 1989 and 1990.
The latest forecast of the visible trade balance in 1989 was published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" for 1989–90. An updated forecast for 1989, together with a forecast of the visible trade balance in 1990, will be published in the Autumn Statement in the usual way.
106.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will next provide a forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
117.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will next provide a forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
121.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
148.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for the United Kingdom's balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
157.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will next provide a forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
161.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will next provide a forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
184.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
A forecast of the balance of payments will be published as usual in the next Autumn Statement.
76.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revised figure for the balance of payments in the first quarter of 1989.
129.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revised figure for the balance of payments in the first quarter of 1989.
192.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revised figure for the balance of payments in the first quarter of 1989.
Latest estimates for the first quarter of 1989 show a current account deficit of £4·8 billion, an improvement of £0·8 billion over the preceding quarter.
62.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1989 and 1990.
A forecast of the balance of payments will be published as usual in the next Autumn Statement.
48.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the United Kingdom's balance of trade in manufactured goods for 1989.
52.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in manufacturing in 1989 and 1990.
73.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in manufacturing in 1989 and 1990.
87.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in manufacturing in 1989 and 1990.
111.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the balance of trade in manufacturing in 1989 and 1990.
The "Financial Statement and Budget Report" for 1989–90 provides a forecast of the balance of trade in manufactures for 1989 only. For this forecast, I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 8 June at column 204.
42.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss the balance of trade deficit.
I meet the Governor from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.
168.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revised figure for the balance of payments in the first quarter of 1989.
Latest estimates for the first quarter of 1989 show a seasonally adjusted current account deficit of £4·8 billion, an improvement of £0·8 billion over the preceding quarter.
European Monetary System
20.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to monitor the future development of the European monetary system; and if he will make a statement.
The European monetary system is kept regularly under review.
27.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he now expects to seek full United Kingdom membership of the European monetary system.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 5 July at column 161.
36.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, following the Madrid summit and the decision of Spain to join the exchange rate mechanism, he will make a statement as to any new factors which are relevant to his decision as to whether the time is right for Britain to join the European monetary system.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) earlier today.
Manufacturing
21.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual rate of growth of manufacturing output over the last two years.
56.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the annual rate of growth of manufacturing output over the last two years.
In the two years ending in the three months to April, manufacturing output grew at an average annual rate of 6·2 per cent.
166.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth of manufacturing productivity in the United Kingdom since 1979 and in the previous two decades.
Between 1979 and the three months to April 1989, output per head in United Kingdom manufacturing industry grew at an annual average growth rate of 4·2 per cent, significantly higher than the 1·6 per cent. growth achieved in the 1970s and 3 per cent. growth in the 1960s.
118.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effect of the current level of interest rates on manufacturing firms employing less than 200 employees.
Inflation is the greatest threat to the prosperity of all manufacturing firms. They will therefore benefit greatly from the Government's determination to keep interest rates as high as necessary for as long as necessary as part of its firm anti-inflationary policy.
112.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest projections for the growth of manufacturing investment in 1989.
191.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest projections for the growth of manufacturing investment in 1989.
The latest DTI investment intentions survey published in June projected manufacturing investment in constant prices to rise by 15 per cent. in 1989 on a year earlier. The latest CBI quarterly trends survey published in April confirms this buoyant outlook.
37.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual rate of growth of manufacturing output over the last two years.
49.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of manufacturing productivity in the United Kingdom since 1980; and what were the comparable figures in the other major industrial countries.
95.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of manufacturing productivity in the United Kingdom since 1980; and what were the comparable figures in the other major industrial countries.
120.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of manufacturing productivity in the United Kingdom since 1980; and what were the comparable figures in the other major industrial countries.
Comparable figures for manufacturing productivity growth in the major industrialised countries are available only up to the fourth quarter of 1988. Manufacturing productivity, as measured by output per person employed, was 51 per cent. higher in the United Kingdom in 1988 than in 1980. Over the same period in the United States productivity increased by 37 per cent., in Japan by 28 per cent., in Germany by 19 per cent., in France by 27 per cent., in Italy by 35 per cent. and in Canada by 33 per cent.
123.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth of manufacturing productivity since 1980.
196.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the growth of manufacturing productivity since 1980.
Output per head in United Kingdom manufacturing in the three months up to April 1989 was 55 per cent. higher than its average level in 1980, an average annual growth rate of 5·2 per cent.
Interest Rates
22.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has as to the likely direct effect on investment intentions of a 1 per cent. change in interest rates over a period of 12 months.
Despite the sharp rise in short-term interest rates over the past year, the DTI investment intentions survey published on 12 June indicated that industrial investment was expected to rise by 13 per cent. in 1988.
24.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from small businesses on the current level of interest rates.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin).
185.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of interest rates.
Bank base rates are 14 per cent.
79.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the current level of interest rates.
80.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the current level of interest rates.
81.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the current level of interest rates.
85.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Confederation of British Industry about the current level of interest rates.
None.
50.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from small businesses on the current level of interest rates.
71.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from small businesses about the present level of interest rates.
194.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from small businesses on the current level of interest rates.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin).
47.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to meet representatives from small businesses to discuss the present level of interest rates.
172.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to meet representatives from small businesses to discuss the present level of interest rates.
My right hon. Friend has no plans for specific meetings of this kind.
35.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the level of interest rates; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on this subject.
29.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present level of interest rates in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) West Germany.
46.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present level of interest rates in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) West Germany.
108.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present level of interest rates in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) West Germany.
142.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present level of interest rates in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) West Germany.
On 4 July, three-month money market rates in the United Kingdom were 14 per cent., compared with 7·2 per cent. in Germany.
Economic Growth
26.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for economic growth in 1989–90.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast at Budget time that real gross domestic product would grow by 21/4 per cent. in 1989–90.
Inflation
23.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current underlying rate of inflation.
31.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current underlying rate of inflation.
89.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current underlying rate of inflation.
176.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current underlying rate of inflation.
The best guide to the underlying rate of inflation is provided by the RPI excluding mortgage interest payments, which currently stands at 6 per cent.
197.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average rate of inflation in the Group of Seven countries.
The current average rate of inflation in the Group of Seven countries is given in the weekly OECD publication "Current Economic Indicators", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
174.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average rate of inflation in the Group of Seven countries.
193.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average rate of inflation in the Group of Seven countries.
198.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average rate of inflation in the Group of Seven countries.
The current average rate of inflation in the Group of Seven countries is given in the weekly OECD publication "Current Economic Indicators", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
86.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation; and what it was 12 months ago.
The all-items RPI inflation rate was 8·3 per cent. in May of this year, and 4·2 per cent. in May 1988. The best guide to the underlying rate of inflation is provided by the RPI excluding mortgage interest payments, which currently stands at 6 per cent. In May 1988, the corresponding figure was 4·4 per cent.
54.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his latest forecast for the United Kingdom rate of inflation.
58.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his latest forecast for the United Kingdom rate of inflation.
102.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his latest forecast for the United Kingdom rate of inflation.
122.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his latest forecast for the United Kingdom rate of inflation.
The Autumn Statement, to be published later this year, will include an economic forecast containing the outlook for inflation.
43.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the highest level of inflation recorded this century; when it was recorded; and what is the current rate of inflation.
The highest rate of inflation recorded this century was 26·9 per cent. in August 1975. The current rate of inflation is 8·3 per cent., and the underlying rate excluding mortgage interest payments is 6 per cent.
39.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation; and what it was 12 months ago.
75.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation; and what it was 12 months ago.
128.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation; and what it was 12 months ago.
The all-items RPI inflation rate was 8·3 per cent. in May of this year, and 4·2 per cent. in May 1988. The best guide to the underlying rate of inflation is provided by the RPI excluding mortgage interest payments, which currently stands at 6 per cent. In may 1988, the corresponding figure was 4·4 per cent.
40.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation in the European Community.
144.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation in the European Community.
158.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation in the European Community.
164.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation in the European Community.
The current average rate of inflation in the European Community countries is given in the monthly OECD publication "Main Economic Indicators", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Earnings
28.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in the real take-home pay of a married man on male average earnings with two children between 1978–79 and 1989–90.
187.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in the real take-home pay of a married man on male average earnings with two children between 1978–79 and 1989–90.
Real take-home pay for a married man with two children on male average earnings is 32 per cent. higher in 1989–90 than in 1978–79.
141.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in the real take-home pay of a married man on half average earnings with two children between 1978–79 and 1989–90.
Real take-home pay for a married man with two children on half average earnings is 25 per cent higher in 1989–90 than in 1978–79.
83.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in the real take-home pay of a married man on three quarters of male average earnings with two children between 1978–79 and 1989–90.
171.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in the real take-home pay of a married man on three quarters of male average earnings with two children between 1978–79 and 1989–90.
Real take-home pay for a married man with two children on three quarters of male average earnings is 29 per cent. higher in 1989–90 than in 1978–79.
45.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross earnings a one-earner family with two children on average earnings paid in value added tax in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
94.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross earnings a one-earner family with two children on average earnings paid in value added tax in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
A married man on average male earnings, with two children would have paid approximately 2·7 per cent. of his earnings in VAT in 1978–79 and 5 per cent. in 1988–89.
Income Tax
30.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on a person with a taxable income of £40,000 of raising the highest rate of income tax to 50p in the pound.
72.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on a person with a taxable income of £40,000 of raising the highest rate of income tax to 50p in the pound.
180.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on a person with a taxable income of £40,000 of raising the highest rate of income tax to 50p in the pound.
An increase in the higher rate of income tax to 50p would increase the annual income tax liability of a married man with gross annual income liable to tax of £40,000 by £1,492·50. This figure assumes that the taxpayer is entitled to no income tax relief or allowance other than the married man's allowance.
150.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extra yield of income tax if the basic rate were raised to 33 per cent.
190.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the extra yield of income tax if the basic rate were raised to 33 per cent.
I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Summerson).
91.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the basic rate of income tax.
My right hon. Friend receives various representations on this subject from time to time.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of people who would face a higher marginal rate of tax and national insurance if the top rate of income tax were raised to 50 per cent. and the employees' national insurance limit were abolished.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Couchman).
Economic Advisers
32.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed at the Treasury to advise him on exchange rate policy.
97.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed at the Treasury to advise him on exchange rate policy.
105.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed at the Treasury to advise him on exchange rate policy.
179.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed at the Treasury to advise him on exchange rate policy.
Her Majesty's Treasury's monetary group, responsible for advice on short-term interest rates, the exchange rate and Government funding policy, employs 24 people.
38.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his economic advisers in the Treasury.
74.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his economic advisers.
88.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his economic advisers.
90.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his economic advisers at the Treasury.
93.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list his economic advisers.
I refer the hon. Members to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Wall).
Employment
3.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in employment in the United Kingdom economy and in each of the other major European countries since 1983.
155.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in employment in the United Kingdom economy and in each of the other major European countries since 1983.
156.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total increase in employment in the United Kingdom economy and in each of the other major European countries since 1983.
The information is as follows:
| Growth in Total Employment 1983–88 | ||
| Percentage growth | 000s | |
| United Kingdom | 11·0 | 2,589 |
| Germany | 3·2 | 820 |
| France | -0·2 | -50 |
| Italy | 4·2 | 930 |
| Spain | 5·5 | 620 |
| Netherlands | 5·6 | 250 |
| Belgium | 3·6 | 130 |
Source: Department of Employment for United Kingdom (figures are for increase between June 1983 and June 1988). Other countries' figures calculated from estimates of growth in employment given in June 1989 OECD Economic Outlook (estimates rounded to nearest 10,000).
103.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect on public expenditure of the fall in the level of unemployment over the last two and half years; and if he will make a statement.
As a result of the fall in unemployment between January 1987 and May 1989, public expenditure on benefits for the unemployed has been approximately £23/4 billion lower than it would otherwise have been over this period.
Exchange Rate
34.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms exist for medium or long-term alteration of the exchange rate.
101.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms exist for medium or long-term alteration of the exchange rate.
104.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms exist for medium or long-term alteration of the exchange rate.
119.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms exist for medium or long-term alteration of the exchange rate.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has emphasised that the Government are determined not to allow their firm monetary stance to be undermined by a depreciation of the exchange rate.
69.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to stabilise the exchange rate; and if he will make a statement.
100.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to stabilise the exchange rate; and if he will make a statement.
136.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to stabilise the exchange rate; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Members to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the hon. Member for Llanelli (Mr. Davies) earlier today.
59.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the pound sterling/deutschmark exchange rate 12 months ago; and what it is now.
66.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the pound sterling/deutschmark exchange rate 12 months ago; and what it is at present.
114.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the pound sterling/deutschmark exchange rate 12 months ago; and what it is at present.
116.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the pound sterling/deutschmark exchange rate 12 months ago; and what it is now.
Sterling is currently around 11/3 per cent. lower against the deutschmark than 12 months ago.
Investment
41.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of gross domestic product was accounted for by business investment in 1988.
130.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of gross domestic product was accounted for by business investment in 1988.
153.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what share of gross domestic product was accounted for by business investment in 1988.
Business investment, as defined in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", accounted for 14·6 per cent. of GDP in 1988. This is the highest proportion of GDP ever recorded.
167.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out in tabular form the growth of total investment in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, together with the comparable figures for each of the other major European countries.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 3 July at column 32.
International Monetary Fund
44.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the managing director of the International Monetary Fund; and what matters he expects to discuss.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor expects to see Mr. Camdessus on the occasion of the IMF interim committee meeting in Washington in September, when a wide range of matters will be discussed.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the most recent discussion of the International Monetary Fund on help to (a) Guyana, (b) Cameroon, (c) Malaysia and (d) Sri Lanka.
The discussions to which the hon. Member refers are confidential. Cameroon and Sri Lanka have current fund programmes. Malaysia has not applied for IMF assistance recently. Guyana has arrears to the fund but is currently following a fund-monitored programme with the objective of paying these off.
Public Sector Debt Repayment
51.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the public sector debt repayment in 1988–89.
189.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the public sector debt repayment in 1988–89.
The public sector debt repayment in 1988–89 was £.14·4 billion, equivalent to 3 per cent. of GDP. This is the largest net repayment since records on a comparable basis have been kept. A net repayment of around £14 billion has been budgeted for in 1989–90, the third successive year of debt repayment.
63.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the public debt he estimates will have been repaid by the end of the financial year 1989–90.
115.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the public debt will have been repaid by the end of the financial year 1989–90.
It is estimated that roughly one sixth of the net public sector debt that has accumulated over several centuries will have been repaid in the three years to 1989–90.
Output
53.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest figures for output per hour worked in the United Kingdom, West Germany and Japan.
188.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest figures for output per hour worked in the United Kingdom, West Germany and Japan.
The April 1989 Treasury economic progress report presented estimates which show that output per hour worked in the United Kingdom economy in 1986 was about 50 per cent. higher than in Japan and about 5 per cent. lower than in Germany.
Tourism
55.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total tax yield of tourism from United Kingdom and overseas visitors.
It is not possible to estimate the total tax yield from tourism in the United Kingdom.
Unleaded Petrol
57.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received recent representations on the tax differential on lead-free petrol.
My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on the tax differential on lead-free petrol.
Business Start-Ups
60.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups per week in net terms in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures in 1987–88.
82.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups per week in net terms in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures in 1987–88.
163.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of business start-ups per week in net terms in 1988–89; and what were the comparable figures in 1987–88.
In the calendar year 1987, the latest for which figures have been published by the Department of Employment, the net increases in the number of businesses registered for VAT was 45,000 an average of nearly 900 a week. The figures for 1988 will be available later in the summer. However, the unadjusted Customs and Excise figures suggest that the rate of increase since 1987 has been even faster, and the net increase in the financial year 1988–89 may have amounted to some 1,300 per week.
Mortgage Repayments
61.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the monthly increase in mortgage repayments for the average mortgage holder as a result of increases in interest rates over the last 12 months.
78.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the monthly increase in mortgage repayments for the average mortgage holder as a result of increases in interest rates over the last 12 months.
200.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the monthly increase in mortgage repayments for the average mortgage holder as a result of increases in interest rates over the last 12 months.
The increase in payments for the average mortgage holder since July 1988 is estimated to be about £55 per month net of basic rate tax relief.
64.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of high interest rates on mortgage holders; and what steps he is taking to ameliorate this.
65.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of high interest rates on mortgage holders; and what steps he is taking to ameliorate this.
145.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of high interest rates on mortgage holders; and what steps he is taking to ameliorate this.
182.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of high interest rates on mortgage holders; and what steps he is taking to ameliorate this.
Everyone has far more to fear from the resurgence of inflation than from a period of high interest rates.
Profitability
67.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in profitability for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies over the last year for which figures are available.
96.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in profitability for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies over the last year for which figures are available.
131.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in profitability for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies over the last year for which figures are available.
The net real rate of return for non-North sea industrial and commercial companies was estimated in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" to have risen in 1988 to almost 11 per cent., its highest level for over 20 years.
Investment Income Surcharge
68.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to restore the investment income surcharge.
No.
Imports And Exports
70.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in the current year in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.
162.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in 1989 in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.
175.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in the current year in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.
177.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise his forecast for growth in 1989 in (a) non-oil imports and (b) non-oil exports.
No. Not until the Autumn Statement.
Government Expenditure
84.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1982–83.
92.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1982–83.
125.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1982–83.
The 1989 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" gave a figure of 391/2 per cent. for the ratio of general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, to gross domestic product in 1988–89. The corresponding figure for 1982–83 was 463/4 per cent.
Shareholders
98.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the number of shareholders in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on comparable figures in other major EC countries.
The joint Treasury and stock exchange survey carried out in January and February 1989 estimated that approximately 9 million people own shares, 20 per cent. of the adult population; a threefold increase since 1979. I have no directly comparable figure for other major EC countries.
Value Added Tax
99.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the European Community to discuss zero rating of value added tax.
149.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the European Community to discuss zero rating of value added tax.
173.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the European Community to discuss zero rating of value added tax.
183.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the European Community to discuss zero rating of value added tax.
VAT zero rates were among a number of matters discussed when my right hon. Friend attended an informal meeting of the Economic and Finance Council (ECOFIN) on 18 and 19 May.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will relieve village and parish halls of liability to value added tax; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) on 4 July at column 88.
124.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of new value added tax registrations for businesses with registered addresses in south-east Cambridgeshire for the calendar years 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 to date.
The local VAT office at Harlow covers not only south-east Cambridgeshire, but the area bounded by Harlow, Hertford, Royston, Ely and Saffron Walden. The number of new VAT registrations processed by that office for each of the years in question were:
| Year | New registrations |
| 1985 | 2,219 |
| 1986 | 2,393 |
| 1987 | 2,679 |
| 1988 | 3,002 |
| 19891 | 883 |
| 1 To 31 March. | |
Children In Poverty
107.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.
109.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.
170.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from Child Poverty Action Group on the number of children living in poverty.
My right hon. Friend has had no such representations.
Married Man's Tax Allowance
110.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the married man's tax allowance.
126.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the married man's tax allowance.
My right hon. Friend receives various representations on this subject from time to time.
Money Supply
113.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average annual increase in the money supply on an M0 basis over the past two years; and what estimate he has made of the increase in the current year.
The annual increase was 4·9 per cent. in 1987–88 and 7·2 per cent. in 1988–89. No forecast has been published for 1989–90 but a target range of 1 to 5 per cent. was set in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report".
Debt
127.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's funding policy on the national debt; and if he will make a statement.
The Government's funding policy is described in paragraph 2·23 to 2·26 of the 1989–90 "Financial Statement and Budget Report".
Customs Pursuits
132.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the minimum time taken for a United Kingdom customs cutter in hot pursuit of a suspect vessel to obtain clearance to enter (a) French, (b) Belgian and (c) German territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on these arrangements.
Customs and Excise has a memorandum of understanding with the French Customs specifying contact points and the procedures to be followed while operating in each other's waters. Customs has similar close co-operation with other EC countries and has good lines of communication with both the Belgian and German authorities. Clearance for operating in their territorial waters can thus be arranged quickly, usually by telephone.
Credit Cards
133.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the range of interest rates charged by credit card companies.
134.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
140.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
The Chancellor has received a number of representations on this matter.
137.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
139.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
146.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
152.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
160.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the range of interest rates currently charged by credit card companies.
This is a matter for the companies concerned.
City Meetings
138.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has attended since the Budget in the City of London on matters concerning (a) United Kingdom economic policy in general and (b) the level of interest rates in particular.
I have meetings from time to time with institutions and individuals from the City of London at which a variety of subjects are discussed.
147.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has attended since the Budget in the City of London on matters concerning (a) United Kingdom's economic policy in general and (b) the level of interest rates in particular.
151.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has attended since the Budget in the City of London on matters concerning (a) United Kingdom economic policy in general and (b) the level of interest rates in particular.
159.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has attended since the Budget in the City of London on matters concerning (a) United Kingdom economic policy in general and (b) the level of interest rates in particular.
My right hon. Friend has meetings from time to time with institutions and individuals from the City of London at which a variety of subjects are discussed.
Public Expenditure
143.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his plans for public expenditure in 1990–91.
199.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on his plans for public expenditure in 1990–91.
The Government's expenditure plans for 1990–91 were published in the 1989 public expenditure White Paper, Cm 601–621; they will be considered in the public expenditure survey and the results will be announced in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement.
Civil Servants
154.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of civil servants above the level of principal are women; and what was the proportion in 1979.
At 1 January 1989, 9 per cent. of non-industrial civil servants above grade 7 level were women. This compares with 5 ½ per cent. at 1 April 1979.
Economic Policy
165.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from institutions in the City of London about United Kingdom economic policy.
181.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from institutions in the City of London about United Kingdom economic policy.
I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones).
Corporation Tax
201.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the basic rate of corporation tax.
The Chancellor has received a number of representations about the rates of corporation tax.
Health
National Health Service Reform
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his estimates of the extra numbers of accountants required to carry out the new auditing systems proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients"; and whether these will be funded from existing funds or from an additional special fund.
We expect that staff currently auditing the NHS will transfer to the Audit Commission, as proposed in "Working for Patients". Additional funding has been agreed for this financial year for 22 staff with expertise in various aspects of value for money auditing and for five trainees for general audit work. Future staffing and funding needs are being considered.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any extra consultant posts will be created as a result of consultants' additional duties in carrying out auditing work following National Health Service reforms.
The commitment to medical audit in the White Paper will involve some use of consultants' time. Out of the extra £32 million given to assist in the implementation of the Government proposals for the Health Service this year, an additional £2 million has been allocated to assist in the development of medical audit.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training will be available to general practitioners on budget management as proposed in his White Paper.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) on 8 May at columns 319–20.
Cervical Smears
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are made in (a) the Eccles constituency, (b) the city of Salford, (c) Greater Manchester and (d) the north-west region for cervical cancer smear tests for women up to the age of 30 years, 30 to 40 years, 40 to 50 years, 50 to 60 years and over 60 years of age; if he will provide the figures for these tests and these age groups for 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1988; what new proposals on these tests have been made by the North West regional health authority; and if he will make a statement.
We do not hold data for the Eccles constituency and the city of Salford centrally in the form requested. Data for North Western regional health authority and Greater Manchester is provided in the table.
| Cervical cytology | ||
| Number of smear tests | ||
| Thousands | ||
| North Western RHA | Greater Manchester | |
| 1970 | 199 | n/a |
| 1975 | 283 | 209 |
| 1980 | 333 | 240 |
| 1985 | 399 | 274 |
| 1987–88 | 389 | 235 |
| Source: Form SBH 140. | ||
| 1 There were boundary changes between 1970 and 1975. This figure relates to the Manchester region. | ||
Opting Out
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations or guidance exist to govern the balloting of consultants on opting out; and whether these were applied in the recent ballot at Queen's medical centre, Nottingham.
None, although we have made it clear that when the time comes for formal application, it would not be sensible for RHAs to organise ballots of staff or any other groups with an interest.
Nhs Grading
To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how much Southampton district health authority was underfunded for the purposes of nurses regrading.
The Government met the full cost of funding the nurse regrading exercise, based upon regional health authorities' own estimates of the costs. This is therefore a matter for the regional health authority and my hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman, Mr. Buchanan, for such information as he requires.
Nurses (Retraining)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how long he estimates it will take to retrain all state enrolled nurses who have currently expressed an interest in retraining in each health authority in England and Wales;(2) what moneys he intends to make available to the health authorities for state enrolled nurses to undergo conversion courses.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has given an assurance that the Government regard enrolled nurse conversion and plans for safeguarding the continued contribution of those who do not convert as an integral part of the implementation of the Project 2000 reforms of nurse education and training. Thirteen Project demonstration districts have submitted plans for enrolled nurse conversion, and funding has been made available to those districts. The overall timetable for the national implementation of Project 2000 has not yet been decided.The number of training institutions approved to conduct conversion courses has increased from six in 1985–86 to 138 in December 1988. We welcome the guidance which has been issued by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting on more flexible means of conversion.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many state enrolled nurses have been accepted for retraining this year in each health authority in England and Wales;(2) what is the current size of the list of state enrolled nurses waiting to be retrained by each health authority in England and Wales.
We do not collect this information for England centrally. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Accident And Emergency Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to his answer of 27 June, Official Report, column 424, how he intends that district health authorities should be responsible for securing accident and emergency services in their districts where regional health authorities refuse any accident and emergency service provision for that district.
All district health authorities will be responsible for seeing that contracts are in place which ensure that their residents have access to comprehensive health services, including accident and emergency provision. It will be the responsibility of regional health authorities to monitor the performance of their districts to secure this objective. Regions' performance of this role (and others) will be monitored by the NHS management executive.
Smoking
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters from individuals his Department received about smoking in the workplace in the last 12 month period and in the immediately preceding 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
| Percentage speech therapy staff by grade as at 30 September 1987 | |||||||
| Regional health authority | Snr II | Snr I | Ch IV | Ch III | Dist CH II | Dist CHI | Dist Snr chief |
| Northern | 39·43 | 40·89 | 3·99 | 6·33 | 8·73 | 0·00 | 0·63 |
| York shire | 35·69 | 49·78 | 1·12 | 3·60 | 6·08 | 2·48 | 1·24 |
| Trent | 47·94 | 32·38 | 4·55 | 10·37 | 2·38 | 0·40 | 1·98 |
| East Anglian | 47·05 | 36·27 | 2·22 | 7·87 | 5·73 | 0·86 | 0·00 |
| North West Thames | 40·70 | 41·08 | 4·40 | 8·67 | 3·75 | 0·47 | 0·94 |
| North East Thames | 36·13 | 39·18 | 3·18 | 15·59 | 4·66 | 0·85 | 0·42 |
| South East Thames | 39·38 | 39·94 | 3·60 | 10·62 | 5·08 | 0·92 | 0·46 |
| South West Thames | 28·83 | 51·20 | 0·42 | 13·82 | 5·14 | 0·60 | 0·00 |
In the 12 months ending on 30 June 1989 the Department received 54 letters on this subject, nine of which had been forwarded by Members of Parliament.The corresponding figures for the 12 months ending on 30 June 1988 were 480 and 42.
Tobacco
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will be discussing the continued existence of the Health Promotion Research Trust in his current negotiations with the tobacco industry; and if he will make a statement.
Funding for the Health Promotion Research Trust does not figure in the formal voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry which we hope shortly to renegotiate. However, the trust has undertaken much valuable work since its creation in 1984. Careful consideration will therefore need to be given to its future as the industry's agreed contributions will cease at the end of this financial year.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the committee for monitoring agreements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship receives audited reports of expenditure on advertising from the United Kingdom tobacco companies; and if he will make a statement.
Under the voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry on tobacco products' advertising and promotion, and health warnings, the Tobacco Advisory Council and the Imported Tobacco Products Advisory Council provide the Department with confidential quarterly returns of net cigarette brand and hand rolling tobacco advertising expenditure data for press and posters. The position is then reported to the committee for monitoring agreements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
Speech Therapists
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the grades of speech therapists in England, Wales and Scotland following the regrading under HSS(TC7)3188 broken down by area board, showing the percentage in each grade before regrading and the percentage after.
We do not have the information in the form requested, but the tables show the percentage of speech therapists in each grade in regional health authorities in England at 30 September 1989. The information relating to Wales and Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. The position by English region is as follows:
Regional health authority
| Snr II
| Snr I
| Ch IV
| Ch III
| Dist CH II
| Dist CHI
| Dist Snr chief
|
| Wessex | 46·47 | 27·99 | 4·90 | 13·21 | 4·45 | 2·97 | 0·00 |
| Oxford | 31·87 | 44·40 | 3·48 | 15·38 | 2·09 | 2·78 | 0·00 |
| South Western | 34·47 | 49·26 | 2·75 | 8·03 | 2·20 | 2·20 | 1·10 |
| West Midlands | 45·07 | 36·03 | 6·17 | 6·05 | 5·11 | 0·79 | 0·79 |
| Mersey | 41·53 | 34·48 | 0·88 | 13·58 | 6·88 | 2·65 | 0·00 |
| North Western | 44·98 | 37·75 | 4·05 | 6·76 | 5·60 | 0·43 | 0·43 |
Percentage speech therapy staff by grade as at 30 September 1988
| |||||
Regional health authority
| Grade A
| Grade B
| Grade C
| Grade D
| Grade E
|
| Northern | 13·37 | 47·96 | 25·13 | 11·17 | 2·38 |
| Yorkshire | 7·11 | 49·83 | 33·68 | 5·98 | 3·40 |
| Trent | 10·72 | 56·83 | 26·79 | 2·38 | 3·28 |
| East Anglian | 9·40 | 59·77 | 21·78 | 6·49 | 2·56 |
| North West Thames1 | 10·93 | 63·80 | 16·37 | 5·32 | 3·58 |
| North East Thames | 12·55 | 32·01 | 36·06 | 14·67 | 4·72 |
| South East Thames | 15·03 | 52·02 | 22·14 | 8·43 | 2·38 |
| South West Thames | 10·28 | 54·30 | 27·56 | 5·24 | 2·62 |
| Wessex | 5·23 | 61·72 | 24·10 | 5·23 | 3·73 |
| Oxford | 6·85 | 53·45 | 28·51 | 7·19 | 3·99 |
| South Western2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Midlands | 10·59 | 59·21 | 20·43 | 7·58 | 2·20 |
| Mersey | 13·30 | 48·23 | 29·79 | 6·03 | 2·66 |
| North Western | 14·81 | 39·98 | 36·60 | 4·30 | 4·30 |
1 North West Thames figures as at 31 March 1989. | |||||
2 South Western figures not available in comparable form. | |||||
Cytogeneticists (Salaries)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average salary in each of the last 10 years for a cytogeneticist with a PhD or MSc in (a) Greater London and (b) Manchester.
We do not hold this information centrally.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the pay increases for cytogeneticists in each of the past 10 years.
Cytogeneticists have received the same increases each year as physicists, biochemists and clinical psychologists. The percentage increases in the pay round year 1 August to 31 July for the last ten years are as follows:
| Percentage | |
| 1978–79 | 27·0 |
| 1979–80 | 14·0 |
| 1980–81 | 6·0 |
| 1981–82 | 110·77 |
| 1982–83 | 110·77 |
| 1983–84 | 4·5 |
| 1984–85 | 4·7 |
| 1985–86 | 6·0 |
| 1986–87 | 5·0 |
| 1987–88 | 5·5 |
| 1 This figure represents an increase implemented with effect from 11 September 1982 to cover a two year period. | |
Natural Medicines
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has plans to introduce regulations to outlaw the sale of natural, herbal and homeopathic medicines and drugs other than through a pharamaceutical outlet to bring the United Kingdom into line with other EEC countries.
We have no such plans at present. The European Community is committed to directives on homeopathic medicines and conditions of supply of medicines to the public, but specific proposals have not yet been submitted to the Council of Ministers. When EC proposals are published, we shall consider them carefully for compatibility with United Kingdom traditions and communicate with interested parties as to the United Kingdom input to negotiations.
Haemoglobinopathy
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report the results of his survey of haemoglobinopathy services; and if he will make a statement.
The analysis of district health authorities' responses to the Department's request for information on screening and counselling services for sickle cell and thalassaemic diseases in nearing completion. When the completed analysis has been studied, I will write to the hon. Member.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has proposed to co-ordinate the activities of the haemoglobinopathy charities; what plans he has for further action; and if he will make a statement.
Officials of the Department separately met representatives of three of the national voluntary organisations concerned in September 1988 to discuss the possibility of a national umbrella body to co-ordinate the activities of the haemoglobinopathy charities. The voluntary bodies concerned expressed doubts about the usefulness of such a body. In view of the expressed lack of interest we have no plans to proceed further with these proposals.
Drug Costs
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to be able to make available the net ingredient cost of prescriptions using the names of the products dispensed by pharmacy contractors in 1988; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
We do not expect to have the information requested until October 1989 at the earliest. When it becomes available a copy will be placed in the Library.
Ancillary Staff
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the total numbers of ancillary staff employed in each district and regional health authority.
[holding answer 14 June 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 4 July.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Set-Aside Scheme
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hectares of agricultural land have been set aside under the European Economic Community scheme in each member state for the current year.
The information for the 11 member states required to implement the scheme is as follows:
| Member states | Hectares set aside |
| Belgium | 329 |
| Denmark | Nil |
| France | 15,707 |
| Germany | 169,729 |
| Greece | n.a. |
| Ireland | 1,310 |
| Italy | 155,606 |
| Luxembourg | Nil |
| Netherlands | 2,621 |
| Spain | 34,229 |
| United Kingdom | 54,779 |
| Total | 434,310 |
Source: European Commission.
Morecambe Bay (Shellfish)
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he has not designated shellfish waters in Morecambe bay under the provisions of European Community directive 79/923/EEC.
I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 February 1989 to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts),
Official Report, column 496.
Fylde Coast (Sewage Outfall)
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contacts his Department has had with the North West water authority over its proposals to construct a long sea outfall at Rossall point on the Fylde coast.
| Commodity | 2United Kingdom stocks '000 tonnes | 3EC stock '000 tonnes | ||||
| 1979 | 1984 | 1989 | 1979 | 1984 | 1989 | |
| Wheat | Nil | 95 | 255 | 11,219 | 14,989 | 13,289 |
| Beef | 11 | 10 | 21 | 161 | 295 | 331 |
| Olive Oil | n/a | Nil | Nill | n/a | 185 | 259 |
Officials were informed of the North West water authority's work at an early stage. Before plans were drawn up the Ministry were asked to provide information about fisheries in the Fylde coast area. After consultation with local fisheries organisations this information was provided with a view to seeking to ensure that interference with fisheries was avoided. The Ministry sought from the authority information about the possible locations of the discharge and the nature and likely effect of the effluent. The authority gave a detailed presentation of the results of its studies of the various options and explained the reasons for the preferred option, and the Ministry has clarified further points of detail. The Ministry has since been formally consulted under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 on the proposed outfall.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the potential for hydro transportion of sediment-associated viruses from the proposed long sea outfall in to the Lyne deep from Rossall point on the Fylde coast to shell fisheries in Morecambe bay and adjoining coastlines.
Based on the design characteristics of the proposed outfall, the location of the shellfisheries and experience with viral-related shellfish contamination elsewhere, the Ministry does not expect sediment transport of viruses to present a problem. To demonstrate that no problem occurs the Ministry have recommended to North West water authority that, if the outfall is constructed, monitoring of the microbiological quality of relevant shellfish stocks be undertaken before and after discharge commences.
Intervention Stores
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of wheat, beef and olive oil which is stockpiled (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) in the European Economic Community as a whole, in (a) 1989, (b) 1984 and (c) 1979; and what was the total cost of storage and maintaining these for 1988.
The table shows the total amount of wheat, beef and olive oil held in public intervention stores in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the European Community in 1979, 1984 and 1989. EC stocks of beef and wheat reached peak levels of 711 and 11,843 thousand tonnes respectively in 1985. The current levels of EC beef and wheat stocks represent reductions of 53 per cent. and 82 per cent. respectively from the peak levels.
£ million 5
| ||
EC
| United Kingdom
| |
| Cereals4 | 440 | 74 |
| Beef | 382 | 36 |
| Olive Oil | 11 | 0 |
| Total | 833 | 110 |
1 Includes durum wheat. No intervention for durum wheat in the United Kingdom. | ||
2 End April. | ||
3 End April, except for olive oil in 1984 (end March). | ||
4 Separate breakdown for wheat not available. | ||
5 Expenditure charged to the 1988 budget relates to expenditure during the period November 1987 to October 15 1988. | ||
Tenderising Enzymes
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he plans to introduce legislation prohibiting the administration of meat tenderising enzymes;(2) what research has been commissioned by his Ministry into the use of tenderising enzymes administered by inter-jugular injection prior to slaughter.
On 20 June I announced that our decision not to accept the recommendation by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in its report on the slaughter of red meat animals that the administration of the tenderising enzyme papain to cattle before slaughter should be banned would stand.Research into the effects of the technique on the live animal was carried out following publication of the council's report. I have placed a copy of the results of the research in the Library.
Dichlofenthion
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to restrict the fat-soluble pesticide, dichlofenthion, for use in sheep-dips and other agricultural uses.
[holding reply 27 June 1989]: Pesticides and veterinary medicines containing dichlofenthion require licences. One such sheep dip is currently licensed but has not been marketed for some years and its licence will expire later this year.
The Arts
National Museums
To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has received the corporate plans of the national museums.
I have received the 1989 corporate plans of the national museums and galleries. I and my officials have met a number of the institutions to discuss their plans and will be meeting others in the near future.
To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he plans to publish the corporate plans of the national museums.
It is for the trustees and director of the individual national museums or gallery to consider the circulation of their corporate plan, including whether this should be published.
Social Security
Industrial Disablement Benefit
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for industrial disablement benefit have been made in each year since October 1984 up to the latest available date.
The information is as follows:
| Number | |
| October 1984 to September 1985 | 112,298 |
| October 1985 to September 1986 | 124,518 |
| October 1986 to September 1987 | 104,222 |
| October 1987 to September 1988 | 90,727 |
| October 1988 to March 1989 | 144,734 |
| 1 Six months. | |
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases of claims made since 1 October 1986 for industrial disablement benefit (a) awards were made at less than 14 per cent. on the basis of (i) provisional and (ii) final awards and (b) awards were made at 14 per cent. or more.
Between 1 October 1986 to 31 March 1989, there were 101,359 assessments of disablement at less than 14 per cent. Between 1 October 1986 and 31 March 1988, the latest date for which information is available, there were 14,693 awards for assessments at more than 14 per cent. disablement. It is not possible to distinguish between provisional and final awards.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings have been made in each year since October 1986 up to the latest available date by operation of the 14 per cent. rule for industrial disability.
The estimated savings are as follows:
| £ million | |
| October 1986 to April 1987 | 10·9 |
| April 1987 to April 1988 | 35·0 |
| April 1988 to April 1989 | 39·5 |
Vaccine Damage
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why, pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, South, Official Report, 20 June, columns 94–96, some of the information requested regarding all vaccine damage payments made in 1980, 1981 and 1982 is not available.
The details requested cannot be supplied for any of the vaccine damage payments made in 1980 as these have been destroyed in accordance with normal arrangements. Unfortunately some of those records for 1981 and 1982 are missing and cannot be found despite a very thorough search.
Office Reorganisation
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that outstationing of Department of Social Security offices will not take place until such time as the operational strategy computer provisions have been completed.
The project to move out of 21 London offices the "backroom" work that does not need face to face contact with the public is now well advanced. We are going ahead with this initiative because of our commitment to ensuring our customers receive the highest quality service.We are confident that the operational strategy computer systems are capable of supporting the needs of the project and of our customers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that when outstationing of Department of Social Security offices is completed, telephone calls to the social security centres by claimants from local offices, public kiosks, and their homes, will be charged at the local rate and that the same charges will be available to advisers acting on the claimants' behalf.
Telephone calls to the social security centres made from claimants' homes and public kiosks in the London local call area will be charged at the local rate. Calls made from the telephones to be sited in the public areas of the branch offices will give direct access to the social security centre and will be free.Advisers acting on behalf of claimants will be able to use the same facilities and, provided the call is made from within the London local call area, they will be charged at the local rate.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what facilities for people with disabilities will be provided in the new Department of Social Security branch offices to enable proper access and a comfortable wait.
Branch offices are still in the planning stage, but the aim will be to continue to improve and provide facilities for the disabled in these offices.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what undertakings have been given to local Department of Social Security staff affected by outstationing about their future employment by the Department of Social Security in the same geographical area.
Staff who work in the local offices participating in the relocation of work project have been given the following assurances:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether facilities such as a nappy-changing area and tea and coffee machine will be provided in the new Department of Social Security branch offices.
The provision of such facilities will be considered when the new branch offices are being developed. The improved service to the public they will provide is expected to reduce significantly the time customers spend in our offices. The need for such facilities will be determined in the light of experience.
Ec Benefit Systems
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what approximate correlation exists in each EEC state between the level of social security benefits and gross domestic product per head.
The latest available figures are as follows:
| Current Expenditure on Social Protection as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (Eurostat) | ||
| 1983 | 1984 | |
| Netherlands | 33·7 | — |
| Belgium | 30·8 | 29·4 |
| Denmark | 30·2 | 28·7 |
| West Germany | 29·1 | 28·7 |
| France | 28·5 | — |
| Luxembourg | 26·5 | — |
| United Kingdom | 24·1 | 24·1 |
| Ireland | 23·9 | 23·3 |
| Italy | 23·7 | 23·3 |
Benefit Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available figures for the cumulative amounts, since 1979, of (a) unclaimed benefits, (b) benefit fraud and (c) expenditure savings, expressed in real terms, at 1989 prices.
It is not possible to ascertain precisely the total amounts of Social Security benefits fraudulently claimed or left unclaimed. Details of the latest available information on the take up of benefits is contained in paragraphs 27 to 29 on pages 1 5–1 6 of Cm 615. Similarly it is not possible to show the cumulative effects of expenditure savings since 1979. Calculations for the income-related benefits would be impossible in the light of major changes over the past decade. An analysis of the national insurance benefits could be carried out only at disproportionate cost using a range of artificial assumptions, rendering any answer speculative.
Single Parents
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single parents in receipt of one-parent benefit have been sent green forms instructing them to send their benefit books to local social security offices.
Postal review is a normal part of benefit procedure. A postal review of one-parent benefit claimants began in February. So far 300,000 postal review forms have been issued. Claimants should return their order books to the social security office only if they have changes to report.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has issued any instructions to local social security offices laying down a maximum period for which one-parent benefit books sent in as directed by green forms may be held before being returned to the parent.
No. All order books returned to local offices for adjustment are returned as soon as possible. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind he may care to write to me.
Income Support
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently having their claim for family credit reviewed as not being consistently engaged in remunerative work for over 24 hours a week while unable to claim income support because they regularly work over 24 hours a week; and when he expects to make a decision over eligibility for family credit in these cases.
None, but we are considering whether legislative changes are necessary to minimise the risk of families failing to qualify for either family credit or income support in the future.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the medical evidence that £21·70 a week paid for food is sufficient for a healthy diet for a person living in bed and breakfast accommodation; and what similar medical evidence is used to calculate other income support applicable amounts.
There is no specific amount included in income support levels to cover food.
Child Benefit
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of ceasing to treat (a) child benefit and (b) one-parent benefit as a resource for housing benefit, assuming case-load take-up levels of family credit of (a) 40 per cent., (b) 50 per cent., (c) 60 per cent. (d) 70 per cent., (e) 80 per cent., (f) 90 per cent. and (g) 100 per cent.
[holding answer 9 June 1989]: I regret that the precise information requested cannot be provided. Housing benefit currently comprises four distinct elements —rent rebates, rent allowances (all of Great Britain), rate rebates (in England and Wales) and community charge rebate (in Scotland).The estimated costs in 1989–90 of ceasing to treat child benefit and one-parent benefit as a resource for housing benefit would be as follows:
| £ million | |
| (i) Rent rebate and rent allowance: | |
| (a) Child benefit | 80 |
| (b) One parent benefit | 7 |
| (ii) Projected cost assuming rate rebates were fully in place throughout Great Britain: | |
| (a) Child benefit | 40 |
| (b) One parent benefit | 3 |
| (iii) Project cost assuming community charge rebates were fully in place throughout GB: | |
£ million
| |
| (a) Child benefit | 60 |
| (b) One parent benefit | 2 |
Notes
1. Where a person with at least one child in his family and working 24 hours or more a week claims housing benefit and has not also claimed family credit, calculation of potential family credit is included in the assessment of housing benefit. (The notional amount so arrived at is not counted as part of the housing benefit income for 25 working days following the despatch of the notice of housing benefit entitlement to the claimant to allow reasonable time for him to claim family credit.) Differential take-up of family credit would not, therefore, affect the estimated costs set out above.
2. Some lone parents, such as widows and those on invalidity benefit or retirement pension, do not get one-parent benefit. They would, therefore, be excluded from the increase in housing benefit that other lone parents would get from the disregard of one-parent benefit.
Departmental Expenditure
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cumulative total of his Department's expenditure since May 1979 to date over and above the expenditure level prevailing in May 1979.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: The total programme of public expenditure on social security in 1979–80 and each of the following years, including the forecast for 1989–90, is as follows. The size of the programme had the level of spending remained exactly as it was in 1979–80 in real terms is also indicated:
| £ billion | ||
| Actual/planned expenditure | Expenditure at level of 1979–80 | |
| 1979–80 | 19·4 | 19·4 |
| 1980–81 | 23·5 | 23·0 |
| 1981–82 | 28·6 | 25·2 |
| 1982–83 | 32·5 | 27·0 |
| 1983–84 | 35·2 | 28·3 |
| 1984–85 | 38·1 | 29·7 |
| 1985–86 | 41·5 | 31·2 |
| 1986–87 | 44·4 | 32·3 |
| 1987–88 | 46·3 | 34·0 |
| 1988–89 | 47·6 | 36·6 |
| 11989–90 | 51·1 | 38·4 |
| 1 Planned. | ||
Attendance Allowance
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received calling for the payment of attendance allowance automatically as of right to blind people living alone: what his reponse has been; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 3 July 1989]: We have occasionally received representations on this subject in the course of correspondence with hon. Members on behalf of individual constituents. In reply we have explained that entitlement to an attendance allowance is not geared to specific disabling conditions or illnesses. People with a severe disability qualify for the allowance if they require from someone else either frequent attention in connection with bodily functions or continual supervision or watching over to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others.
Prime Minister
Psychiatric Patients
Q10.
To ask the Prime Minister when she expects to meet representatives of MIND to discuss the relevance for discharged long-stay psychiatric patients of section 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Representation and Consultation) Act 1986.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Taunton
Q16.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Taunton.
I have no plans to so.
Inner Cities Policy
Q17.
To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on the Government's inner cities policy.
I have received a number of representations, many of them in support of the Government's inner cities policies. Under the comprehensive range of measures, costing £3·5 billion this year which makes up the action for cities initiative, good progress continues to be made in the regeneration of our inner cities. In the 57 inner city target areas, unemployment fell by almost 24 per cent. in the 12 months to May 1989. Recorded crime in the Metropolitan police force areas fell by 6 per cent. in 1988. Involvement of private companies continues to grow—over the last six months the number of companies working with the Government's inner city task forces has increased from 450 to 500.
Economy
Q22.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the performance of the economy.
I have received a number of such representations.
Toxic Solid Waste
Q23.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the disposal of toxic solid waste.
A number of representations have been received on a variety of subjects related to the disposal of toxic waste.
Privatisation
Q26.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding Her Majesty's Government's privatisation programme.
I receive a number of representations from time to time regarding the privatisation programme.
Human Rights
Q35.
To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will support the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights in the form outlined in the Human Rights Bill which is set down for Second Reading on 7 July; and if she will make a statement.
No. We are committed to, and support, the principles of human rights in the European Convention on Human Rights but we believe that is is for Parliament rather than the judiciary to determine how these principles are best secured.
Litter
Q40.
To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on the litter problem.
I have received a large number of letters from people concerned about litter. They demonstrate wide support for tougher measures to control litter. The Government intend soon to announce a range of proposals for improving legislation in this area.
Pension Age
Q49.
To ask the Prime Minister what is the Government's policy towards the equalisation of pension age for men and women as proposed in the draft directive of the European Community entitled "Equal Treatment for Men and Women in Pensions and other Benefits"; and what attitude towards the proposal she will adopt in the Council of Ministers.
At the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council of Ministers in Luxembourg on 12 June neither France nor the United Kingdom were able to lift their reserves on this draft directive. Consequently the draft directive will not be discussed at the Council of Ministers but will be referred back for further work by officials. The House of Lords Select Committee on the European Community published its report on this draft directive earlier this month and the Government will respond to that report in due course.
Roads
Q50.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations on the case for improved roads.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has received a number of representations recently supporting the proposals announced in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" for a greatly expanded trunk road building programme.
Human Rights (China)
Q51.
To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will refer the actions of the Chinese Government in their present policy of violence and reprisals against Chinese students to the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations; and if she will make a statement.
We intend to raise our concerns about the recent deplorable events in China at the next session of the United Nations Committee on Human Rights and at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which meets this month in Geneva.
Iran
Q86.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the United Kingdom's relations with Iran.
I have received regular representations about our relations with Iran, both from hon. Members and from members of the public. We have consistently made clear that we can have normal relations only if Iran clearly renounces the use or threat of terrorism and violence in all forms.
Housing
Q96.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding housing.
Yes.
Shipbuilders
Q109.
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow, 20 June, Official Report, column 77, where funds are provided to United Kingdom shipyards for construction under the shipbuilding intervention fund, what proportion of those funds is required to be spent within the United Kingdom.
Under European Community rules we cannot discriminate against other EC content. However, in administering intervention fund and intervention aid, officials in the Department of Trade and Industry and the Northern Ireland Department of Economic Development encourage United Kingdom shipyards to procure as much EC content as possible.
Water Bill
Q142.
To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on the Water Bill.
Many individuals and organisations have commented on a wide range of privatisation matters, which are being considered in the context of the Water Bill.
Royal Air Force
Q143.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the Royal Air Force.
I receive many representations about the Royal Air Force.
West Yorkshire
Q165.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to West Yorkshire.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Police Force
Q167.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the police force.
I have received a number of representations.
At the end of March this year, police strength in England and Wales stood at 125,631. This is a record and represents some 14,100 more officers than when the Government first took office. Expenditure on the police is up by almost 55 per cent. in real terms. We shall continue to regard the police as a priority.
Common Agricultural Policy
Q169.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the common agricultural policy.
The Government frequently receive representations about agricultural policy.The United Kingdom agricultural industry is widely respected for its efficiency and competitiveness. It is well placed to benefit from the opportunities for fair competition which completion of the EC's single internal market will bring. And I was pleased at the royal show to pay tribute to the enormous contribution the agriculture industry and the thousands of individual farmers make to our national life.
Nuclear Deterrent
Q170.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the nuclear deterrent.
I have received a number of letters from individuals and organisations.
Fraud (Ec)
Q176.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding fraud in the European Community.
I have received a number of representations.
National Health Service
Q219.
To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the National Health Service.
The Government have received large numbers of representations on the National Health Service from members of the public, the professions, and various interest groups. Many share the Government's desire for a Health Service that gives patients more choice and rights as consumers, that is more responsive to the needs of local communities, and that builds on its existing successes and efficiency to give better value for money.
Raw Nook Community Centre, Bradford
Q220.
To ask the Prime Minister whether she expects to pay an official visit to Raw Nook community centre in Bradford.
I have at present no present plans to do so.
Harold Macmillan (Biography)
To ask the Prime Minister whether she has obtained for the library of No. 10 Downing street, Alistair Home's biography of Harold Macmillan.
Yes.
Government Departments
To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received about the future structure of Government Departments.
I receive numerous representations on a wide variety of issues including the structure of Government Departments.
Rail Travel
To ask the Prime Minister if she will state the last occasion she travelled on a train in order to carry out official engagements; and how many times in all she has done so since May 1979.
I have nothing further to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 3 July 1989 at column 13.
Engagements
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 6 July.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 6 July.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 6 July.
To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 6 July.
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.
Transport
"Better Rail" Campaign
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received from the NUR's "Better Rail" campaign.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of NUR, ASLEF and TSSA after the Nera report was published last year. Since then we have received about 700 representations from hon. Members and members of the public.
Trucks (Suspension)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the Transport and Road Research Laboratory's findings on road-friendly suspension systems for 40-tonne trucks.
We attach high importance to road-friendly suspensions on all vehicles. We are encouraging the use of air suspensions particularly on the heaviest articulated lorries. I am sending to my hon. Friend and placing in the Library copies of the two most recent reports published by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory about relevant research on suspensions and the dynamic relationship between axles and the road. This forms part of the case Britain is arguing internationally to secure vehicles that are more road-friendly.
Coastguard Service
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the Coastguard chief is located in the heart of London.
The chief coastguard has traditionally been located in London to ensure ready access to Ministers. The need for coastguard headquarters to remain in London is currently under review.
Mobility Roadshow
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people attended the Mobility roadshow; how many motor manufacturers exhibited at the Mobility roadshow; and if he will make a statement.
The fourth Mobility roadshow, organised by the Department of Transport, took place over three days last month at the Department's Transport and Road Research Laboratory in Berkshire. It was attended by about 20,000 people, the majority of whom were disabled.Eleven major motor manufacturers exhibited the latest models of standard production cars suitable for adaptation for disabled people. Nearly 4,000 test drives were taken in adapted cars on the laboratory's private road system.Among the show's other 140 exhibitors were manufacturers of buses, minibuses, vans, vehicle lifts, hand control equipment, wheelchairs and small powered vehicles and many other products, as well as a range of organisations offering services and advice to people with disabilities.Plans are in hand for the fifth show to be held in the summer of 1991.
East London Rail Study
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to announce the conclusions to his east London rail study.
Shortly.
M4 (Safety Fencing)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on safety fencing on the M4 during the year 1988–89; how much is expected to be spent in 1989–90; and, of the amounts spent or to be spent, how much is attributable to replacements of faulty safety fencing.
It is estimated that some £270,000 was spent in 1988–89 on the replacement and maintenance of safety fences on the M4. The replacement of fences is undertaken for various reasons such as changes in road surface levels as a result of resurfacing, or damage caused by impacts, and it is not possible to attribute the amounts spent to particular reasons. We are not aware of any safety fencing having to be replaced because of inadequate performance. Some £380,000 has been allocated for replacement and maintenance in 1989–90. Actual expenditure will depend on the extent of unpredictable factors such as accident damage. All safety fences continue to be regularly inspected and maintenanced.
Orange Badge Scheme
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people with severely deformed or no arms currently hold orange badges.
This information is not held centrally.The responsibility for assessing applicants for orange badges rests with individual local authorities.The Department neither issues nor withdraws badges.The national scheme was created to help people not capable of walking.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has of the number of people with severely deformed or no arms who have difficulty in shopping unless special provision is made for them.
This information is not available.The OPCS survey into disability in Great Britain states that there are 1·23 million people with reaching and stretching disabilities and 1·737 million with dexterity problems. Caution is needed in using any of the figures in the report because:
The Department of Health has advised that there were 12,800 upper limb amputees in England and Wales in 1986. This figure represents only people seen by artificial limb centres and so does not represent the total number of amputees. It is not known how many of those artificial upper limb users would have actual difficulty in carrying shopping. Many will have one missing limb rather than two.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives he has undertaken to help people with severely deformed or no arms to be able to use normal parking facilities.
The Department's Mobility roadshow held at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory (16–18 June) attracted 20,000 people from many parts of the country to view and test a wide range of adapted vehicles and other mobility aids and products.We are constantly on the look out for new ideas and ways of helping people with all kinds of disabilities.We are supporting the Parking Bill currently before Parliament. This would provide for the wider use of systems of payment such as magnetic cards or vouchers rather than coins. These new systems can be more convenient for many disabled drivers, particularly those with dexterity problems.We tabled an amendment to the Bill which would give the Secretary of State power to require local authorities to display information at the entrance to off-street car parks, including the availability of allocated spaces for disabled people. The British Standards Institution is currently developing a code of practice on information required at public car parks.The British Standards Institution is also working on a range of new standards for parking control equipment. Equipment manufacturers and disabled people are represented on the relevant technical committee. The standards will take account of features such as the height of displays and the ease of operation of equipment.We give advice to organisations which seek to make it easier for disabled people to use their cars.We advise individual disabled motorists through our mobility advice and vehicle information service (MAVIS).
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been done into the range of activities for which disabled people use the orange badge; and to what extent it is used in connection with shopping.
The orange badge scheme allows people with severe mobility problems to park closer to their destinations and to stay longer than normal parking regulations permit. The scheme helps badge holders to engage in as wide a range of activities as they can manage.The design of buildings and their external spaces is also important. Much progress has been made by Government, local authorities, and private bodies over recent years. Shop mobility schemes are operated by voluntary bodies in many parts of the country. We have preferred to concentrate our efforts in practical ways, rather than to commission research into particular issues such as shopping.
Channel Tunnel
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about fire safety in the Channel tunnel.
The Government are fully seized of the need for fire safety in the Channel tunnel. In agreement with the French Government they set up an independent safety authority composed of senior United Kingdom and French experts, to vet all Channel tunnel designs and operational procedures and, when necessary, to advise the intergovernmental commission to reject anything which would not afford a proper degree of safety. Both United Kingdom and French fire experts are members of the authority.
Accident Investigations
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the reasons for (a) making publicly available investigations into accidents involving aircraft and (b) not making publicly available those into accidents involving ships.
Regulations are about to be laid before the House governing the investigation of accidents involving ships. Among other things these provide for the publication of reports or summaries of investigations.This will put marine and aircraft investigations on broadly the same footing.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish findings of the report into the incident involving the hydrofoil from Southampton on 27 November 1987.
When the investigation into the incident is completed a summary report will be made public.I cannot give a date for the release of this report as the investigation is still in progress.
European Transport Systems
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a comparative study of fares, investment, public transport usage and road congestion in European nations.
No. The circumstances of different European cities are not readily comparable.
Pedestrian Crossings
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the figures for road deaths for (a) children and (b) adults, killed near pedestrian crossings for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.
The information requested is as follows:
| Number of children and adults killed near pedestrian crossings: 1978–87 | ||||
| Children killed on pedestrian crossing | Children killed on within 50 metres of pedestrain crossing | Adult killed on pedestrian crossing | Adult killed on within 50 metres of pedestrain crossing | |
| 1978 | 15 | 16 | 124 | 109 |
| 1979 | 6 | l0 | 118 | 144 |
| 1980 | 16 | 14 | 115 | 135 |
| 1981 | 10 | 13 | 101 | 97 |
| 1982 | 13 | 14 | 112 | 120 |
| 1983 | 11 | 23 | 114 | 136 |
| 1984 | 10 | 15 | 96 | 148 |
| 1985 | 12 | 20 | 106 | 123 |
| 1986 | 13 | 13 | 126 | 158 |
| 1987 | 13 | 21 | 96 | 140 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to increase the amount of time allowed for pedestrians to make use of pelican crossings when crossing the road.
The recommended timings for pelican crossings were revised in 1987, and are incorporated in the departmental standard TD 28/87 "Pedestrian Crossing; Pelican and Zebra Crossings". This introduced a two second extension to the crossing time, to be used at the discretion of the highway authority.We are looking at ways in which extended crossing time can be made available specifically for elderly and disabled pedestrians.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the police and traffic authorities to encourage them to take measures to enforce motorists to respect pedestrian rights on zebra and pelican crossings.
Enforcement of road traffic law is a matter for the police who have to decide on priorities in the light of local conditions. We are in regular contact with the Association of Chief Police Officers and local authority road safety officers on all matters relating to road safety.All road users should have proper regard for pedestrians wherever they are, and should pay particular attention to rules 56–57 of the highway code.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the phasing out of zebra crossings in favour of pelican crossings.
We have no such policy. Pelican and zebra crossings are used in different circumstances which reflect different pedestrian and traffic flows, and traffic speeds. Local highway authorities have considerable discretion over the installation of both types of crossing, although the Department of Transport issues guidance as to the most helpful criteria.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with trials of new pedestrian facilities at traffic-signalled junctions including the use of infra-red devices to detect the presence and movement of pedestrians.
The Department is co-operating with its French and Dutch counterparts in a research programme to improve pedestrian facilities at traffic lights.A trial site is to be set up later this year at the Department's Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Various new pedestrian facilities, including infra-red detectors, will be developed.Consultation with highway authorities and other interested groups will be undertaken as part of this work.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory on new techniques to identify sites for pelican crossings.
The final report of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory's study into pedestrian crossing criteria is expected in mid-1990. In the meantime we shall be publishing later this year two reports on the relationship between pedestrian flows and accident rates, which are directly relevant to the problem.In April this year we published a major package of measures aimed at improving pedestrian safety which we intend to implement as quickly as possible.
Rail Electrification
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any information as to whether British Rail has initiated research into the advantages and disadvantages of the electrification of the east midlands railway line.
I understand that British Rail is co-operating closely with the consultants who produced the recent local authorities' report on the midland main line.
Aviation Security
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department issued any general aviation security warning on 21 December.
No.
Heavy Goods Trailers (Safety)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the number of heavy goods trailers failing to pass the annual test.
There has been a rising trend in the number of trailers failing the annual test over the period 1983–1988. A task force of experts from the Department and the industry was set up to investigate the reasons for failure.Their interim report has been placed in the Library of the House. A final report will be produced later this summer.The trailer failure rate appears to be more related to changes in requirements over the period in consideration than to a decline in standards of maintenance of trailers on the road.Interim recommendations are:
Defence
Compensation Claims
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sick 10 certificates banning compensation claims for injury to members of the armed forces were issued each year from 1986 to date.
It would not be possible, except at disproportionate cost, to produce details of certificates issued from 1986 to date under sections 10(1) and 10(2) of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has issued a total of 11 certificates during the time in question under section 10(3) of the Act: four in 1986, two in 1987, one in 1988 and four so far in 1989.
Skyguard (Raf Finningley)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications of the transit area in the surrounding area of RAF Finningley; and when Skyguard will be in operation in this area.
The structure of the United Kingdom low flying system in the RAF Finningley area is, as elsewhere, designed to minimise the disturbance to the public. Skyguard is being deployed to assist the RAF police in their task of monitoring low flying in the United Kingdom. As with the general RAF police monitoring programme, however, it would not be appropriate to release details of proposed Skyguard deployments in advance.
Low Flying
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints he has received over the past 12 months about low-flying military aircraft; and what action he has taken.
Between 1 June 1988 and 31 May 1989 the Ministry of Defence received 6,273 inquiries and complaints about military low-flying training in the United Kingdom. Each inquiry or complaint is carefully considered and appropriate action taken.
F111 Aircraft
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart about the deployment of F111s in the United Kingdom.
My right hon. Friend is currently on an official visit to the United States of America, where he will meet Mr. Cheney and discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the proposal to station further F111 aircraft of the United States Air Force at RAF Upper Heyford is part of a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation decision-making process or a bilateral United States-United Kingdom decision-making process;(2) on which date he was first informed of proposals to station further F111 aircraft of the United States Air Force at RAF Upper Heyford;(3) what information he has received from the United States Government, or any service or agency answerable to that Government, regarding proposals to station further F111 aircraft of the United States Air Force at RAF Upper Heyford;(4) whether in the light of the proposals made at the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit, there have been any changes to the proposal to station further F111 aircraft of the United States Air Force at RAF Upper Heyford.
I have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Members for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie), Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray), and for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo) on 13 June 1989 at columns 395–96.
Defence Exports Services Organisation
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the annual salary of the head of the Defence Exports Services Organisation and the extent of the bonuses for which he could be eligible.
The present head of the defence export services, Sir Colin Chandler, is on secondment from British Aerospace, which pays his salary. The Ministry of Defence pays British Aerospace the equivalent of grade 2 Civil Service salary for Sir Colin's services. There is no provision in these arrangements for the payment of bonuses. Mr. Alan Thomas will start taking over from Sir Colin Chandler as head of defence export services in early July and will assume total responsibility for the post in September. He was appointed at a salary of £100,000 a year subject to annual review and he will be eligible for a performance bonus within an annual maximum of £25,000.
Nuclear Response Policy
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make known to the Warsaw pact the circumstances in which he would agree to a nuclear response to a conventional attack upon Germany by a member of the Warsaw pact.
No.
Queen's Birthday Parade (Horses)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the names and ages of the oldest and youngest horses taking part in this year's birthday parade; where each was bred; and if he will make a statement.
I regret that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Stonehenge (Incident)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were arrested by personnel from the Ministry of Defence police acting in support of the Wiltshire constabulary on the morning of 21 June; and how many of those arrested were charged.
Thirty-seven arrests were made by the Ministry of Defence police in the course of operations in support of the Wiltshire constabulary. None of those arrested has yet been charged.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of personnel from the Ministry of Defence police in support of the Wiltshire constabulary in operations in the area of Stonehenge on the morning of 21 June.
In accordance with the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987 section 2(2)(d), Ministry of Defence police officers deployed in support of the Wiltshire constabulary in response to the latter force's specific requests of assistance.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what cost will be passed on to the Wiltshire constabulary for the use of personnel from the Ministry of Defence police on the morning of 21 June.
Since members of the Ministry of Defence police were deployed in the Salisbury plain area in order to protect the property and other interests of my Department it would not be appropriate to make a charge for any assistance which was given to the Wiltshire constabulary in the course of those duties.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to his Department for the use of personnel under the control of his Department in support of the operations by the Wiltshire constabulary in the area of Stonehenge on the morning of 21 June.
The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of personnel from the Ministry of Defence police deployed in support of the Wiltshire constabulary on the morning of 21 June.
Approximately 75 Ministry of Defence police officers gave assistance to the Wiltshire constabulary during the night of 20–21 June.
United States Deep Space Programme
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any proposals from the United States Air Force to station any electro-optical deep space surveillance equipment in the United Kingdom as part of the GEODSS programme, or any other programme.
I am not aware of any such proposals.
Boscombe Down Airfield
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-funded construction in support of United States forces that has taken place at Boscombe Down airfield funded from each of the last five North Atlantic Treaty Organisation funding slices; and if he will list similar construction that is scheduled to be funded from future North Atlantic Treaty Organisation funding slices.
It is not our practice to publish information of this kind.
Raf Feltwell (Tracking Station)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current status of the proposed deep space tracking station at RAF Feltwell.
I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 3 February 1989 at column 449.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which portions of the electromagnetic spectrum will be used by the proposed deep space tracking station at RAF Feltwell.
It is not our practice to publish information of this kind.
Us Central Command (Hythe)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 June 1988, Official Report, column 267, if he will list in tabular form the quantities of materials that have been stored at Hythe, Hampshire, in support of United States Central Command in each of the last five years.
No materials have been stored at Hythe, Hampshire in support of the United States Central Command.
Wayne Beal
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons were recruited with Wayne Beal into 2nd Queen's Regiment; and how many completed the course.
There were 32 others recruited along with Wayne Beal; 19 of these successfully completed the training course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate why the adjutant turned away key witnesses at the court martial of those accused of bullying Wayne Beal.
I will write to my hon. Friend.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain and make available a transcript of the court martial proceedings in the case of those accused of bullying Wayne Beal of 2nd Queen's Regiment, Bassingbourne barracks.
A transcript of the presiding judge advocate's summing-up will be made available as soon as possible.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek a report on the reasons why an adjournment in the court martial of those accused of bullying Wayne Beal to enable medical evidence to be obtained was refused.
I will write to my hon. Friend.
Nuclear-Powered Warships Safety Committee
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members there are on the nuclear-powered warships safety committee; and how many of them had previously worked (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) on a commission basis for his Department.
There are currently 23 permanent members of the nuclear-powered warships safety committee (NPWSC), excluding the secretariat of two. Of these, five are currently employed full-time by this Department. A further seven MOD officials, who are not members of the committee, may attend or be represented at its meetings if the agenda includes items within their area of interest. Of the 18 external NPWSC members, five have previously worked as full-time MOD officials. The other external members have not worked for this Department, either part-time or on a commission basis.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the running costs of the nuclear-powered warships safety committee are met.
The running costs of the NPWSC are met from public funds. In general, these costs are paid by the Ministry of Defence, although the expenses of the eight NPWSC members who are full-time employees of other public bodies are paid by their employers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the membership of the nuclear-powered warships safety committee.
It is not considered appropriate to release the names of individual committee members, for reasons of personal security.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of the nuclear-powered warships safety committee receive payment or expenses for their work from his Department.
Those members of the Nuclear-Powered Warships Safety Committee who are not employees of the Ministry of Defence or other public bodies receive a fee in line with those laid down in the scale of daily fees payable to members of Royal Commissions, advisory committees and similar bodies. All members may claim travel and subsistence expenses.
Ha'burn (Sinking)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the fishing boat Ha'burn in the Firth of Clyde.
On the morning of Friday 30 June the fishing vessel Ha'burn, while fishing in the Clyde approaches, caught a mine-like object in its nets. The vessel informed HM Coastguard and proceeded to Troon on the Ayrshire coast. The Royal Navy base at Faslane was also informed, and an explosive ordnance disposal team was despatched to the scene and indentified the object as a German world war II ground mine.The skipper of the Ha'burn agreed to take the mine to deep water, where the Royal Navy team were to dispose of it by a controlled explosion. When the vessel had reached a suitable location, a demolition charge was attached to the mine which was then lowered to the sea bed. A safety fuse was set and the vessel began to retire to safety. The charge, however, detonated prematurely and before the Ha'burn had time to clear the area.The vessel was holed by the resulting explosion and later beached some 500 yards from Great Cumbrae island. The crew, who were unhurt, were rescued by an inshore lifeboat from Largs. A board of inquiry has been convened. The owners of the Ha'burn have been informed of the procedures for submitting a claim for compensation.
Birkbeck College
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment of security at Birkbeck college was made prior to awarding the contract for the study of the recruitment and selection of Royal Navy personnel to the college.
Since the work is not classified the question of security at Birkbeck college did not arise.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current security classification of the contract awarded to Birkbeck college for the study of the recruitment and selection of Royal Navy personnel.
The work in question is unclassified.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to the security procedures concerning documents relating to the contract awarded to Birkbeck college for the study of the recruitment and selection of Royal Navy personnel since the contract was awarded; and if he will make a statement.
No. Papers were returned when they were no longer needed in accordance with normal procedures.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communication there has been between the governors of Birkbeck college and his Department concerning the security of documents relating to the contract for the study of the recruitment and selection of Royal Navy personnel awarded to the college.
No. Following the letter which the master of the college wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on Monday 3 July 1989, my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement met her on Tuesday 4 July 1989, but this was to discuss recent press reports.
Corporal Steven Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the death of Corporal Steven Smith in Hanover; and if he will make a statement.
Two under-car improvised explosive devices were placed under private vehicles belonging to service men, which were left-hand drive and carried United Kingdom type civilian number plates issued for use by the British Forces in Germany, and were parked in a married quarters area in Hanover. One device exploded at 18.15 hours local time on 2 July 1989, causing the death of Corporal Smith and injuries to his wife and four children. The second device was located and neutralised. Both were attached to the cars by magnets.The Provisional IRA has claimed responsibility for both the devices. The German police are continuing their inquiries.
Security (West Germany)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what security arrangements are made for those service personnel who do not live inside Ministry of Defence barracks or bases whilst stationed in West Germany.
All service men, United Kingdom-based civilians and their dependants are briefed periodically on the security situation and on the measures they should take for their own protection. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual security measures. Close liaison is also maintained with the Federal German authorities, who have primary responsibility for the prevention of terrorist crimes outside United Kingdom bases.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any areas in West Germany outside Ministry of Defence bases or barracks have ever been the subject of a co-ordinated test and evaluation of security.
The security of off-base married quarter areas in Germany is kept under constant review, in liaison with the appropriate local police authorities.
Iraq (Aircraft Sales)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's policy on the sale of Hawk aircraft to the Government of Iraq.
It has been the consistent practice of successive Administrations not to comment on individual defence sales. Any overseas sale of Hawk would require an export licence and any prospect of such a sale to Iraq would be considered against the guidelines announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on 29 October 1985 at column 450.
Army Polo Teams
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence,, if he will list those regiments in which regimental officers are required to make a regular subscription towards the regimental polo team.
No officer is required to subscribe towards his regimental polo team.
Iukadge Command And Control System
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 26 June, how long the delay in introducing the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system will be.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: As I stated in my reply to the hon. Gentleman's question of 26 June at column 370, it is premature to speculate on the length of further delay to the introduction of the IUKADGE command and control system before the results of the independent audit have been assessed. We consider, however, that it should be possible to complete the work in the early 1990s.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 26 June, when it was decided to seek maximum return from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation common infrastructure budget for the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system by abiding by the rules of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation international competitive bidding.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: September 1978.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional costs have been incurred as a result of the delay to the introduction of the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: The delay to the introduction of the IUKADGE command and control system will have some small cost implications, due for example to the need to run on the existing command and control system for somewhat longer than originally intended. The main contract with United Kingdom Systems Ltd is, however, fixed price; the financial risks for the completion of the ICCS continue, therefore, to lie with the contractor.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what organisation is carrying out the independent audit and review of the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: The independent audit of the IUKADGE command and control system is being carried out by a joint industry/MOD team led by SD Scicon Ltd.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the independent audit and review of the improved United Kingdom air defence ground environment command and control system will be completed.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: The independent audit of the IUKADGE command and control system was completed at the end of June and will be fully assessed during the next few weeks.
Wales
Urban Investment Grant
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the planned expenditure for urban investment grant for each of the next three years.
The provision for 1989–90 is £3 million (as shown in the supply estimates class XVII, vote 6 subhead B2). I have made no firm decisions on the distribution of the block resources beyond 1989–90.
Business Establishment Grant
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many companies in receipt of a cash grant from his Department to establish a business in Wales have discontinued such business within five years of establishment.
Information in the form requested is not available. However, it is possible to provide information on companies which have received regional selective assistance. Since the introduction of the current guidelines for regional selective assistance in November 1984, two companies which received RSA towards establishing new businesses in Wales are known to have discontinued such business. These companies received some £20,000 in grant. Over the same period 80 projects received RSA to establish new businesses in Wales with associated expenditure to date of some £9 million.
Welsh Development Agency
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if his civil servants discussed with the Welsh Development Agency's west Wales senior executive management buy-out plans; and if he will make a statement.(2) if the Welsh Development Agency has had any discussions with outside consultants regarding the proposed privatisation of the Welsh Development Agency's west Wales region; if he will publish the consultants' names; and if he will make a statement.
There have been no such discussions.
Forestry
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is taking to control the spread of rhododendron in Forestry Commission and private woodland in Wales.
The Forestry Commission controls rhododendron on its own land, where it is significantly affecting tree growth, by cutting and by application of herbicides. Owners of private woodlands are given advice on methods of controlling rhododendron, and the Commission is carrying out research into alternative methods of control, including methods of limiting regrowth after cutting.
Child Care Facilities
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to encourage the provision of child care facilities in the workplace in Wales; what information he has on how many firms and Government offices currently provide these facilities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
New Government initiatives on child care provision were announced on 11 April by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, including measures to encourage employers to provide child care facilities using the tax reliefs available to them. No information is available on the provision of child care facilities by employers in Wales.
Water Privatisation
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes a promotional campaign to sell Welsh water authority shares abroad; and if he will make a statement.
I am considering how best to sell Welsh water authority shares so that privatisation will give the people of Wales the best possible opportunity to own Welsh Water.
Cervical Smears
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average time taken by each Welsh health authority to process cervical smear tests and provide the results for the patient and her general practitioner; and if he will make a statement.
Information for 1988–89 is currently being collected by the Department from Welsh health authorities. I shall write to my hon. Friend once the results have been collated.
Bse—Infected Cattle
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathyinfected cattle, at non-European Economic Community-approved slaughterhouses in Wales, have been identified.
Four cases have been reported of which two proved positive and one negative; on the other one the result of testing is still awaited.
Voluntary Organisations
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total available funding for 1989–90 for supporting voluntary organisations in Wales in the social services field under section 64 of the Health Service and Public Health Act 1968; and what was the corresponding figure in each of the previous three years.
The information is as follows:
| Year | £ |
| 1986–87 | 1,126,202 |
| 1987–88 | 1,145,680 |
| 1988–89 | 1,133,998 |
| 1989–90 | 1,696,653 |
Year
| £
|
| 1986–87 | 594,616 |
| 1987–88 | 725,049 |
| 1988–89 | 811,527 |
| 1989–90 | 965,245 |
Environment
Lawn Tennis Federation Cup
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide support to Nottingham for the running of the 1991 Lawn Tennis Federation cup.
All Government funds in direct support of sport are channelled through the Sports Council. Any requests for support for the running costs of the Federation cup should be addressed to the council.
Waste Disposal
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the county councils which have made representations to him arising from his consultation paper regarding the role and functions of waste disposal authorities; and what views were expressed.
Representations have been received from the following county councils:
- County of Avon
- Bedfordshire County Council
- Royal County of Berkshire
- Buckinghamshire County Council
- Cambridgeshire County Council
- Cheshire County Council
- Cleveland County Council
- Cumbria County Council
- Derbyshire County Council
- Durham County Council
- East Sussex County Council
- Essex County Council
- Gloucestershire County Council
- Hampshire County Council
- Hereford and Worcester County Council
- Hertfordshire County Council
- Isle of Wight County Council
- Kent County Council
- Lancashire County Council
- Lincolnshire County Council
- Norfolk County Council
- Northamptonshire County Council
- Northumberland County Council
- North Yorkshire County Council
- Nottinghamshire County Council
- Oxfordshire County Council
- Shropshire County Council
- Somerset County Council
- Staffordshire County Council
- Suffolk County Council
- Surrey County Council
- West Sussex County Council
- Warwickshire County Council
- Wiltshire County Council
Paper
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the use of non-recycled stationery, packaging and printed reports within his Department.
The Department's policy is progressively to increase the use of recycled stationery.
Smoking
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has evaluated the effect of smoking on environmental pollution; and if he will make a statement.
No formal evaluation of the effects of smoking on environmental pollution has been undertaken, but preliminary estimates suggest that overall it has very little impact. It is, however, recognised that smoking can contribute to pollution of the indoor environment, and the Government encourage the implementation of voluntary no-smoking policies. In addition, where banning smoking is appropriate for particular safety or hygiene reasons, the Government have not hesitated to take action.
Aquatic Environment
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to reduce the inputs of red list substances to the aquatic environment; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 10 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) at column 405.
Queen Elizabeth Ii Conference Centre
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards establishing the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre as an executive agency; and if he will make a statement.
I am pleased to announce that the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre will today become an executive agency of the Property Services Agency.The centre provides secure conference facilities for national and international Government meetings up to the highest level. It also markets its facilities commercially, competing for business on quality and price with a wide range of public and private undertakings, both at home and overseas. The centre has already achieved a great deal since it opened in 1986. Establishing it as an agency will give it additional management tools to develop its business further on increasingly commercial lines, and the scope to compete even more effectively in a highly competitive national and international market.The centre will be expected to reduce progressively its net cost to the Exchequer. To this end I have set progressively more demanding targets against which its future progress and performance will be assessed. Peat Marwick McLintock management consultants have been commissioned to undertake a full review of the centre's performance since it opened, and to consider the possibilities for further improvements in the future. They have been asked to advise on specific targets and performance indicators. Their recommendations will influence the Government's decisions on financial and other targets for incorporation in the corporate plan and business planning process. Meanwhile I have instructed the centre chief executive to seek to increase controllable revenue and decrease expenditure each by 2½ per cent. per annum compared with the centre's previous forecast so as to produce a surplus before interest, depreciation and rates of £50,000 in 1989–90, £200,000 in 1990–91 and £320,000 in 1991–92.Mr. Roy Kendrick, who has been responsible as general manager for the successful development of the centre's business since its opening, has been appointed chief executive of the new agency. I wish him and his staff every success in their continuing endeavours.Copies of the framework document are being placed in the Library of the House.
London Docklands Development Corporation
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions he places on newly appointed members of the London Docklands development corporation in respect of the participation of firms with which they are associated in developments in the area of the corporation.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave on 22 February to the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) at column 704.
Acer Pseudoplatanus
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he classifies Acer Pseudoplatanus as an indigenous species for the purposes of his Department's policies.
Acer Pseudoplatanus is regarded as a species that is naturalised but is not indigenous.
Refrigerators (Disposal)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware of any examples of good practice by local authorities in the United Kingdom, concerning the safe disposal of refrigerators and freezers so as to minimize the release of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere during their disposal.
I have been asked to reply.Several local authorities have set up schemes for the collection of discarded refrigerators and freezers with a view to recovering, recycling or disposing of the CFCs they contain. Officials in the Department of the Environment are considering whether advice to local authorities in this area would be appropriate.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received concerning the introduction of safe disposal sites for refrigerators and freezers.
I have been asked to reply.I have received representations from companies and members of the public about the risk of CFCs escaping from discarded refrigerators and freezers. There are however technical and logistical difficulties in recovering and recycling CFCs from domestic refrigerator coolant systems, and from the accompanying foam insulation. Together these account for only around 3 per cent. of total CFCs in use in the United Kingdom.
Employment
Employment Training
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been paid to (a) employment training agents and (b) employment training managers under the underpinning arrangements since the inception of the scheme to the latest available date; and if he will make a statement about his future policy on underpinning arrangements.
So far some £0·67 million has been paid to training agents and £19·38 million to training managers under underpinning arrangements up to and including May 1989.Underpinning was based on original profiles of training agent action plans/training manager starts, constructed prior to the commencement of employment training. From September 1989 training agents/training managers will be able to make a much more accurate judgment of likely throughput in the light of experience on the programme to date. It is therefore envisaged that underpinning payments will no longer be required.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department has paid out to employment training trainees in the form of training bonus since the start of the scheme to the latest possible date; and how much of that has been paid because either (a) the trainee obtained a vocational qualification and (b) the trainee completed a part of the action plan.
To the end of May 1989 the Training Agency had paid out £105,000 in training bonuses.It is not possible to identify separately the proportion of funds paid in respect of
(a) vocational qualifications obtained and (b) action plans completed.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average payment of benefit plus the additional £10 per trainee on employment training at the latest available date; how many employment training trainees are on placement with employers; how many employment training trainees had left the programme earlier than planned; how many employment training trainees had left to take up jobs; and how many employment training trainees had become unemployed when they left.
The average weekly training allowance including the training premium is estimated to be around £50 per trainee on employment training.The number of employment training trainees on placements with employers was estimated to be 45,000 on 16 June, the latest date for which information is available. Reliable information broken down as requested about trainees who have left the programme is not available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of employment training places available for each training agency area; and what were the number of places filled for each training agency area on the latest date for which information is available.
There is no information at present about the number of available places at Training Agency area office level. The information will be available later in the year. The information requested for filled places is given in the table:
| Employment training: filled places at 23 June 1989 | |
| Area office | Number |
| Yorkshire and Humberside Region | |
| Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees | 4,541 |
| Humberside | 5,170 |
| North Yorkshire and Leeds | 4,393 |
| Sheffield and Rotherham | 5,464 |
| Wakefield, Doncaster and Barnsley | 5,436 |
| North West Region | |
| Cheshire | 3,040 |
| Cumbria | 1,399 |
| Lancashire | 4,203 |
| Central Manchester | 4,133 |
| Greater Manchester North | 2,710 |
| Greater Manchester East | 2,536 |
| Merseyside | 9,047 |
| Northern Region | |
| Cleveland | 6,283 |
| County Durham | 5,439 |
| Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle | 4,650 |
| Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead | 6,394 |
| Wales | |
| Dyfed and West Glamorgan | 4,376 |
| Gwent | 2,253 |
| Gwynned, Clwyd and Powys | 3,200 |
| Mid and South Glamorgan | 4,891 |
| Scotland | |
| Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway | 3,113 |
| Central and Fife | 2,862 |
| Glasgow City | 4,731 |
| Grampian and Tayside | 2,607 |
| Highlands and Islands | 1,010 |
| Lanarkshire | 2,567 |
| Lothian and Borders | 3,437 |
| Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll | 2,769 |
| South East Region | |
| Berkshire and Oxfordshire | 1,250 |
| Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire | 1,708 |
| Essex | 1,741 |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight | 2,134 |
| Kent | 2,022 |
| Surrey | 475 |
| Sussex | 1,868 |
| London Region | |
| Inner London North | 5,920 |
| Inner London South | 3,356 |
| London East | 2,286 |
| London North | 3,680 |
| London South | 1,693 |
| London West | 1,219 |
| South West Region | |
| Avon | 2,646 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 5,642 |
| Dorset and Somerset | 1,868 |
| Gloucester and Wiltshire | 1,640 |
| West Midlands Region | |
| Birmingham and Solihull | 7,592 |
| Coventry and Warwickshire | 2,661 |
| Dudley and Sandwell | 2,939 |
| Staffordshire | 3,668 |
| The Marches, Hereford/Worcester | 2,690 |
| Wolverhampton and Walsall | 3,171 |
| East Midlands and Eastern Region | |
| Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire | 1,684 |
| Derbyshire | 2,938 |
| Leicestershire and Northamptonshire | 2,832 |
Area office
| Number
|
| Lincolnshire | 1,375 |
| Norfolk and Suffolk | 3,223 |
| Nottinghamshire | 3,393 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the level of expenditure so far spent on ET (a) in total, (b) advertising which mentions companies participating in ET through the large contractors unit and (c)(b) as a percentage of (a).
[holding answer 22 June 1989]: Total expenditure on (a) employment training (ET) in the seven months to March 1989 was £423·6 million.Expenditure on
(b) poster, press and television advertising which mentions companies participating in ET was £3·1 million in the same period. (b) is 0·7 per cent. of (a).
Three of the six companies mentioned in the television advertising are involved in ET at area office level and not through the LCU.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the most recent details of (a) the number of filled places on the 23 large company ET schemes listed in the Official Report, 27 February, column 34,(b) any changes to the maximum number of places allocated for each of those schemes and (c) which of those schemes have since withdrawn from ET.
[holding answer 4 July 1989]: The table updates to 26 May 1989 the details of the 23 large company ET schemes listed in the Official Report, 27 February, column 34.The maximum number of places allocated column shows, in brackets, the changes to the figures listed in the
Official Report.
None of the schemes listed has withdrawn from employment training.
Company
| Maximum Number of places Allocated
| Places filled at 26 May 1989
| |
| J. Jarvis and Sons | 2,496 | (-430) | 924 |
| J. Laing Construction | 2,178 | (-160) | 1,032 |
| Henry Boot Construction | 569 | (-381) | 185 |
| Invicta Training (Grand Metropolitan Catering) | 715 | (-160) | 316 |
| Martin James | 640 | (- 95) | 482 |
| Geo. Wimpey | 547 | (-119) | 202 |
| Mowlem | 405 | 138 | |
| Comet PLC | 374 | 42 | |
| Pilkington | 270 | (- 30) | 226 |
| Ferranti | 215 | (- 35) | 115 |
| Mill Garages Ltd. | 170 | (- 10) | 118 |
| Tower Radio Ltd. | 250 | 108 | |
| Portals Engineering Ltd. | 250 | 219 | |
| Marley Extrusions Ltd. | 200 | ||
| Ryder Ltd. | 150 | 148 | |
| Team Greyfriars Ltd. | 200 | 175 | |
| John Lawrence Group | 150 | 32 | |
| ICI | 100 | (- 50) | 74 |
| Sumlock Business Services | 90 | (- 60) | 24 |
| R and D Associates | 125 | (- 33) | 144 |
| Simon Engineering | 110 | 66 | |
| Coastline Ltd. | 70 | (- 30) | 67 |
| Strategic Marketing | 100 | 66 | |
| International Ltd. | 100 | 66 | |
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment training training managers there are (a) nationally and (b) by Training Agency area; and how many are receiving subsidies above the basic grant per trainee.
[holding answer 26 June 1989]: There are currently 1,251 employment training (ET) training managers. The number of training managers in each Training Agency area is given in the table. Training managers do not receive subsidies but are paid grants to provide training.
| Numbers | |
| Scotland | |
| Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway | 34 |
| Central and Fife | 34 |
| Glasgow City | 40 |
| Grampian and Tayside | 23 |
| Highlands and Islands | 14 |
| Lanarkshire | 28 |
| Lothian and Borders | 27 |
| Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll | 33 |
| Northern | |
| Cleveland | 38 |
| County Durham | 30 |
| Newcastle | 37 |
| South Tyne | 43 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | |
| Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale | 17 |
| Humberside | 34 |
| Leeds and North Yorkshire | 36 |
| Sheffield and Rotherham | 23 |
| Wakefield, Barnsley and Doncaster | 21 |
| North West | |
| Cheshire | 27 |
| Cumbria | 8 |
| Greater Manchester Central | 30 |
| Greater Manchester East | 11 |
| Greater Manchester North | 24 |
| Lancashire | 26 |
| Merseyside | 31 |
| West Midlands | |
| Birmingham and Solihull | 29 |
| Coventry and Warwickshire | 10 |
| Dudley and Sandwell | 18 |
| Staffordshire | 20 |
| The Marches | 12 |
| Wolverhampton and Walsall | 13 |
| East Midlands and Eastern | |
| Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire | 12 |
| Derbyshire | 21 |
| Leicestershire and Northamptonshire | 27 |
| Lincolnshire | 8 |
| Norfolk and Suffolk | 18 |
| Nottinghamshire | 20 |
| Wales | |
| Cardiff | 38 |
| Gwent | 21 |
| Swansea | 43 |
| Wrexham | 29 |
| South West | |
| Avon | 20 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 20 |
| Gloucester and Wiltshire | 14 |
| Somerset and Dorset | 15 |
| South East | |
| Chatham | 9 |
| Chelmsford | 15 |
| Fareham | 11 |
| High Wycombe | 12 |
| Reading | 11 |
Numbers
| |
| Sussex | 12 |
| Woking | 6 |
London
| |
| Inner London North | 27 |
| Inner London South | 25 |
| London East | 13 |
| London North | 12 |
| London South | 11 |
| London West | 10 |
| Total | 1,251 |
Training (Redundancy Payments)
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been reimbursed to (a) community programme agents and sponsors, (b) employment training training managers and (c) employment training training agents for redundancy payments during the period from 1 September 1988, up to the most recently available date.
Information is not available in the precise form requested. The amounts of money reimbursed for redundancy payments from 1 September 1988 up to and including May 1989, are as follows:
Disablement Resettlement Officers
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether disablement resettlement officers are encouraged to make direct referrals, where appropriate, of disabled people to Finchdale, Portland, Queen Elizabeth's and St. Loyes' residential training colleges.
Disablement resettlement officers consider the individual training needs of their clients. Where these needs can be most appropriately met by one of the four residential training colleges, they are able to make a direct referral to the relevant college.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the overall budget of the Disablement Advisory Service; what proportion of the budget is devoted to promoting the service; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 6 June 1989]: Information about the overall cost of the Disablement Advisory Service (DAS) is not available. In 1988–89, approximately £341,000 was spent on leaflets, videos, advertisements, exhibitions etc. promoting services and schemes, including the DAS, to encourage and assist the employment of people with disabilities. In addition, DAS staff make direct approaches to employers to promote its objectives, services etc.
Tourism
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, if he has concluded his review of tourism policy; and if he will make a statement.
I announced last July that I was reviewing those aspects of tourism policy for which I am responsible—the promotion of Britain overseas, and the promotion and development of tourism in England.I have concluded that the present organisation needs to be simplified and that the industry should be more directly engaged. Government financial support for the promotion of tourism should continue, but this needs to be more sharply focused.Within the framework of the 1969 Development of Tourism Act, I intend to work closely with the chairman and members of the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and the English tourist board (ETB), and with the chairmen of the regional tourist boards in England to make changes along these lines, to improve cost-effectiveness and to extend partnerships with the industry. Accordingly, I am asking the BTA to ensure that greater authority is devolved to its overseas regions. I shall expect the BTA to work even more closely with industry in overseas markets, and to move some of its operations into the private sector. The present head office structure should, as a consequence of these various changes, be slimmed down.I will also expect the ETB to devolve many of its activities and direct substantially more of its funding to the regional tourist boards under a form of contract, targeting that support especially to regions where the private sector most needs such support. This would enable the RTB's to increase their marketing activities and their direct involvement in encouraging the development of tourism locally. I would expect the regional boards to use such funds as a lever to achieve further private sector participation. I shall also expect the ETB to move into the private sector activities for which that is appropriate. The ETB will continue to play an important co-ordinating role but, as a consequence of these changes, I shall clearly expect a reduction in the scale of its activity at the centre.On 30 January, I announced the suspension of the section 4 scheme of financial assistance for tourism projects in England, pending the outcome of my review more generally. In the second half of 1988 investment completed or underway on major tourism projects in England were some £2·5 billion. Accordingly I believe that the future prosperity and growth of tourism no longer depends on this scheme. No new offers of financial assistance will therefore be made under the scheme in England. Fees for applications held over since the suspension will be returned, and all offers of assistance already made will be honoured, subject to the conditions of offer being met.Tourism is now worth some £19 billion annually to the United Kingdom economy and the Government remain committed to this important industry.
Remploy
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the reports to the Remploy board of directors which recommended the closure of the Rutherglen factory and the transfer of the work force to the Clydebank factory.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: The board of Remploy is responsible for making decisions relating to the day to day business of the company. The information requested is commercial and confidential to the board.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the number of disabled employees made redundant by Remploy in the last 10 years.
[holding answer 29 June 1989]: I am informed by Remploy that no disabled employees have been made redundant by the company in the last 10 years.
Home Department
Domestic Violence
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with whom he has had discussions regarding the Home Office publication on domestic violence; and what conclusions have been reached.
Home Office research study No. 107 "Domestic Violence: An overview of the literature" will be discussed at the next meeting of the ministerial group on women's issues. This will take place on 20 July.
Broadcasting
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to representations about basing Channel 5 in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.
We see considerable merit in Channel 5 being based outside London.
Commission For Racial Equality
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consider the appointment of a member of the black and minority ethnic communities as chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality when the position becomes due for reappointment;(2) if he will publish a breakdown of commissioners in the Commission for Racial Equality in terms of ethnic group;(3) if he will publish a breakdown of staff in the Commission for Racial Equality in terms of grades and ethnic group;(4) what is the period of the appointment of the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality; and when it comes up for renewal;(5) what is the present remuneration of the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality;(6) what representations he has received from commissioners of the Commission for Racial Equality or others regarding the number of people from black and minority ethnic groups in senior positions; and if he will make a statement;(7) what steps he is taking to increase the representation of black and minority ethnic communities in the Commission for Racial Equality at senior grades;(8) when he expects next to meet the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality; and what will they discuss;(9) whether he will place in the Library a copy of the Commission for Racial Equality equal opportunities statement and policy.
The chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality is appointed for five years. The appointment of the present chairman, whose current remuneration is £45,315 per annum, expires on 31 January 1993. When the time comes, candidates from the ethnic minority communities will undoubtedly be among those considered for this important post.The current ethnic distribution of the commission and its staff is as follows:
| Afro-Caribbean or African | Asian | Other | White | |
| As at 30 June 1989 | ||||
| Commissioner | 3 | 6·0 | — | 5·0 |
| Chief executive | — | — | — | 1·0 |
| Director | — | 1·0 | — | 3·0 |
| Principal | 1 | 5·0 | — | 9·0 |
| SEO | 8 | 4·0 | — | 23·5 |
| HEO | 24 | 13·0 | 5 | 16·0 |
| EO | 9 | 6·5 | 1 | 7·0 |
| Graphic designer | — | — | — | 1·0 |
| AO | 16 | 7·0 | — | 4·0 |
| AA | 6 | — | — | 2·0 |
| Typing manager | 1 | — | — | — |
| SPS | 2 | — | — | — |
| PS | 7 | 2·0 | 1 | 2·0 |
| Typist | 10 | 0·5 | — | 5·0 |
| Messenger | 1 | — | — | 2·0 |
Data Protection Act
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Sussex police as to the action he has taken to delete material collected on computer relating to the 1988 Conservative party conference in accordance with the Data Protection Act; and if he will make a statement.
No. This is an operational matter for the chief constable of Sussex police.
Unleaded Petrol
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the level of combustion of (a) unleaded petrol and (b) leaded petrol; what are the implications for the control of petrol fires; what are the implications of the increasing use of unleaded petrol for the type of equipment and appliances required by the fire service; and whether these are being made available.
I am advised that the combustion characteristics of both are identical. Users of unleaded petrol are therefore at no greater risk from fire. I am satisfied that fire brigades are adequately equipped to deal with petrol fires.
Police Communications
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the improvement of police communications by employing the use of a space satellite; if he has explored the possibility of co-operation with his counterparts in other member countries of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.
As part of its programme of work aimed at improving police communications, the Department keeps under active review the costs and benefits of using satellites, either on a United Kingdom or a European basis. Our present view is that such a development is not yet either a practical or an economic proposition, but a further review of the use of this technology for police communications is about to be undertaken.
Immigration
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of immigration appeals currently waiting to be heard in Scotland.
I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 4 July at column
113.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many European Economic Community nationals have settled in the United Kingdom since 1973.
European Community nationals wishing to reside in the United Kingdom benefit from certain provisions of Community law. They may apply for settlement after a period of temporary residence in the United Kingdom. Over the period 1973–88, a total of 41,000 European Community nationals (excluding citizens of the Republic of Ireland) were accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any central record is maintained of the numbers of European Economic Community nationals or nationals of overseas territories of European Economic Community states who come to the United Kingdom and do not depart; and if he has any information of the numbers involved.
No detailed central record is kept of EC nationals entering or leaving the United Kingdom. However, sample information from the international passenger survey suggests that about 7 million EC nationals entered the United Kingdom in 1988, and of these about 30,000 intended to stay for a year or more.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any restrictions are placed on persons admitted for settlement to European Economic Community nations and then awarded citizenship who enter, and remain to work, in the United Kingdom.
All EC nations (except, for a transitional period, Spanish and Portuguese nationals) have the right under Community law to work or seek work in other member states. No distinction is made in Community law between persons born with EC nationality and those who acquire it later.
Broadcasting
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to give powers to the Independent Broadcasting Authority to be able to prevent the involvement in television companies which it regulates, of individuals found to be unfit to hold a television broadcasting licence in other countries.
The IBA is not bound by regulatory decisions in other jurisdictions in carrying out its functions under the Broadcasting Act 1981. We are considering what enforcement powers will be needed by the Independent Television Commission, which we have proposed should take over from the IBA.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet representatives of the broadcasting authorities; and what subjects he expects to discuss.
I meet representatives from the broadcasting authorities regularly in order to discuss a wide variety of topics in which they have an interest.
House Of Commons
Late Sittings
To ask the Lord President of the Council how many times to date the House of Commons has sat beyond midnight during the current parliamentary session; and what are the comparable figures for each parliamentary year from 1979 to date.
Tuesday 4 July was the 135th sitting day of this Session, and up to and including that date, the House had sat beyond midnight 48 times. The figures for the same point in previous Sessions since 1979 are as follows:
| Number | |
| 1979–80 | 49 |
| 1980–81 | 54 |
| 1981–82 | 42 |
| 1982–83 | 133 |
| 1983–84 | 46 |
| 1984–85 | 60 |
| 1985–86 | 57 |
| 1986–87 | 237 |
| 1987–88 | 57 |
| 1Short Session: 115 sitting days. | |
| 2Short Session: 109 sitting days. | |
Northern Ireland
Disabled Persons
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend section 4 of the Building (Prescribed Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI.) 1983 to provide that all building works designed to secure the greater health, safety, welfare or convenience of disabled persons, within their own homes, and in public places and buildings, continue to receive exemption from payment of plan fees and inspection fees; and if he will make a statement.
It is not necessary to amend building regulations to provide exemption from fees for building work carried out to dwellings, or buildings to which the public are admitted, solely for the benefit of disabled people. Regulation 6A of the Building (Prescribed Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1982 (SR 1982 No. 392) already provides that exemption.
Building Regulations
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what are the total numbers of (a) plan fees and (b) inspection fees that were paid to each district council in Northern Ireland under the Building (Prescribed Fees) Regulations (NI) 1982 in each year since 1 January 1983, in respect of (i) buildings to which members of the public are admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, (ii) public dwellings, (iii) private dwellings and (iv) other buildings;(2) what are the total numbers of applications for exemption of payment of
(a) plan fees and (b) inspection fees, refused for each district council area in Northern Ireland under the Building (Prescribed Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1983 in each year since 1 January 1984, in respect of (i) buildings to which members of the public are admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, (ii) public authority dwellings, (iii) private dwellings and (iv) other buildings;
(3) what are the total numbers of exemptions from payment of (a) plan fees and (b) inspection fees, granted for each district council area in Northern Ireland under the Building (Prescribed Fees) Regulations (NI) 1983 in each year since 1 January 1984, in respect of (i) buildings to
Fatalities
| Major injuries
| Minor injuries
| Total
| |
| September 1982-December 1982 | — | 4 | 33 | 37 |
| January 1983-December 1983 | — | 16 | 73 | 89 |
| January 1984-December 1984 | — | 11 | 81 | 92 |
| January 1985-December 1985 | — | 17 | 118 | 135 |
| January 1986-December 1986 | — | 31 | 207 | 238 |
| Janaury 1987-December 1987 | — | 42 | 199 | 241 |
| January 1988-December 1988 | 1 | 30 | 162 | 193 |
| January 1989-December 1989 | — | 13 | 71 | 84 |
| Total | 1 | 164 | 944 | 1,109 |
Benefit (Young People)
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people have been refused benefit after making an application under the severe hardship rule.
Twelve during the period 12 September 1988 to 30 June 1989.
which members of the public are admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, (ii) public authority dwellings, (iii) private dwellings and (iv) other buildings;
(4) what are the total values of (a) plan fees and (b) inspection fees that were paid to each district council in Northern Ireland under the Building (Prescribed Fees) Regulations (NI) 1982 in each year since 1 January 1983, in respect of (i) buildings to which members of the public are admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, (ii) public authority dwellings, (iii) private dwellings and (iv) other buildings;
(5) what are the total values of applications for exemption of payment of (a) plan fees and (b) inspection fees refused for each district council area in Northern Ireland under the Building (Prescribed Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1983 in each year since 1 January 1984 in respect of (i) buildings to which members of the public are admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, (ii) public authority dwellings, (iii) private dwellings and (iv) other buildings;
(6) what are the total values of exemptions from payment of (a) plan fees and (b) inspection fees granted under the Building (Prescribed Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 1983 in each year since 1 January 1984 in respect of (i) buildings to which members of the public are admitted, whether on payment or otherwise, (ii) public authority dwellings, (iii) private dwellings and (iv) other buildings.
Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
Youth Training Programme
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fatalities, major injuries and minor injuries occurred to those in YTP schemes since the programme's inception to the latest date (a) for each year and (b) the total.
The figures are as follows:
Graduates
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the total number of graduates in employment as a percentage of all in employment for each of the years 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987.
Estimates from labour force surveys in Northern Ireland are as shown in the table:
Graduates of working age 1 in employment as a percentage of all in employment (at spring of each year)
| |
Percentage
| |
| 1984 | 5·1 |
| 1985 | 5·4 |
| 1986 | 6·0 |
| 1987 | 5·8 |
1 Men aged 16–64, women aged 16–59. Graduates can only be identified for these age groups. | |
Coats Viyella
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance has been received by the Coats Viyella plant in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 26 June 1989]: Coats Viyella has 10 manufacturing plants within the textiles and clothing sector in Northern Ireland employing 3,600 people. In the 1988–89 financial year financial assistance totalling £5,556,670 was paid to the CV group.
Shipbuilding (Redundancies)
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of redundancies in the shipbuilding and ship repair industries in Northern Ireland during the period 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1988.
[holding answer 30 June 1989]: The total number of redundancies during this period at Harland and Wolff was some 6,000.
Education And Science
Fun Eating At School Today Campaign
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the local education authorities currently participating in the Fun Eating at School Today campaign.
The information requested is as follows:
England and Wales
- Avon
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Birmingham
- Bolton
- Bradford
- Bury
- Calderdale
- Cambridge
- Cheshire
- Clwyd
- Cornwall
- Coventry
- Croydon
- Cumbria
- Devon
- Doncaster
- Dudley
- Enfield
- Essex
- Gateshead
- Gloucester
- Haringey
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- ILEA
- Isle of Wight
- Kirklees
- Knowsley
- Leicestershire
- Lincoln
- Newham
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- North Yorkshire
- Nottingham
- Redbridge
- Richmond
- Rochdale
- Sandwell
- Sheffield
- Solihull
- Somerset
- South Tyneside
- St. Helens
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Sutton
- Tameside
- Wakefield
- Waltham Forest
- Warwickshire
- Wigan
- Wiltshire
- Wolverhampton
Scotland
- Borders
- Central
- Dumfries Fife
- Glamorgan
- Highland
- Lothian
- Orkney
- Shetland
- Strathclyde
- Tayside
- Western Isles
Northern Ireland
- Armagh
- Belfast
- County Antrim
- South East Board
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the Fun Eating at School Today campaign.
Since joining the FEAST campaign this year, the participating local authorities have noted an increase in pupil take-up of school meals, in contrast to the decline of recent years. This is encouraging evidence that pupils can be attracted by a quality service.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to review the success of the Fun Eating at School Today campaign.
This is for the organisers to do. My right hon. Friend will, however, watch with interest the results of this excellent initiative, which is promoting healthy eating habits among school children.
Consumer Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the effect of EEC Commission proposals for the promotion of innovation and for consumer education in United Kingdom secondary education.
Responsibility for secondary education rests with member states, and not with the European Community. The Commission's proposals for the promotion of innovation in secondary education have yet to be considered in detail by member states, although in general they correspond with the thrust of current domestic policies in secondary education. The Commission's recent report on consumer education in secondary education does not conflict with the Government's current education or consumer policies.
City Technology Colleges
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria he would use to evaluate a proposal to turn into a city technology college a school which has already been refused grant-maintained status; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend has not received, and has no grounds for expecting to receive, any such proposal. Any proposal for the establishment of a city technology college in a particular set of premises would be considered on its merits.
South Park School, Lincoln
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received any proposals to turn South Park school, Lincoln, into a city technology college; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend has received no such proposals.
School Governors
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many governors have been removed from governing bodies prior to the expected end of their term of office (a) during the current year and (b) before the current year.
The information requested is not available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authority appointed governors there are in each of the local education authorities in England and Wales.
The Department of Education and Science does not collect details of the precise number of local education authority appointed governors within each authority. I will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received any representations about the removal of local education authority appointed governors from school governing bodies.
My right hon. Friend has received various representations on this matter. Local education authorities have the statutory power to remove from office governors whom they appoint. They must, however, exercise that power reasonably and we would consider carefully any complaint that they had failed to do so in a particular instance.
Schools (Costs)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table similar to table 12.7 of Cm. 612 recalculated to 1980–81 as the base year, showing the increase in the average unit costs of primary and secondary schools; and if he will provide a breakdown of the increase in real unit costs 1980–81 to 1987–88 shown by that table in a way similar to the 1979–80 to 1987–88 analysis recently provided by his Department to the Education, Science and Arts Committee.
The real-terms increase in the average net institutional expenditure per pupil in maintained primary and secondary schools in England between 1980–81 and 1987–88 is as follows:
| Increase in real terms1unit costs | |
| Per cent. | |
| 1980–81 | 100 |
| 1981–82 | 104 |
| 1982–83 | 106 |
| 1983–84 | 109 |
| 1984–85 | 110 |
| 1985–86 | 112 |
| 1986–87 | 121 |
| 1987–88 | 129 |
| 1 Cash prices for 1980–81 have been repriced to 1987–88 prices using the GDP deflator. | |
| Per cent. | |
| Increase due to: | |
| Volume | |
| reduced pupil:teacher ratio | 11 |
| improved provision for non-teaching costs such as books and equipment and repairs and maintenance | 6 |
| Total volume | 17 |
| Price | |
| teachers' pay | 11 |
| non-teaching pay and prices | 1 |
| Total prices | 12 |
| TOTAL | 29 |
Higher Education (Funding)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the outcome of his consultations on shifting the balance of public funding of higher education to fees; and if he will make a statement.
The proposals in the consultation paper "Shifting the Balance of Public Funding of Higher Education to Fees" have been widely welcomed. In the light of this positive response, the Government have decided to increase the full-time undergraduate tuition fee met through mandatory awards from its 1989–90 level of £607 to £1,675 in 1990–91. I am writing as follows today to the chairmen of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and Universities Funding Council.
"The Government's consultation paper "Shifting the Balance of Public Funding of Higher Education to Fees" was published on 25 April. The Department has received over 150 responses, including that from the Council for which I am grateful.
The overwhelming majority of the responses supported the proposed increase in the publicly funded fee. In the light of this reaction, I have announced today the Government's intention to proceed with the shift. The flat-rate fee for full-time undergraduate students met under the mandatory awards arrangements will be set at £1,675 for the academic year 1990–91. Officials are writing separately to the Council's Chief Executive about the corresponding deduction which will need to be made from the Council's grant and some other technical issues.
A key issue raised by the proposals is the financing of part-time courses and full-time courses not designated under the awards regulations. The Government fully recognises the importance of the continuing availability of these courses in increasing and diversifying higher education opportunities.
As the consultation paper makes clear, the shift of funds from central grant to fees will be in respect of students on designated courses with awards. We intend to maintain the level of funds made available to the Funding Councils for the support of part-time and full-time non-designated courses. I look to the Council in turn to discharge its funding responsibility so as to ensure that support for places on these courses is at least maintained, and I welcome the PCFC's recent decision to provide some enhancement of the resources available for funding part-time places in 1990–91. It is important that the Council's funding methods are such that there need be no increase in fees for these courses in line with the planned increase in the publicly funded full-time fee, though it will remain the case that the level at which fees are set is a matter for individual institutions.
I should like also to respond to the concern that has been expressed in the responses about the position of full-time self-financing students who are on designated courses but are not themselves eligible for a mandatory award, usually by virtue of previous study. For students who are already enrolled (ie who started their courses in the academic year 1989–90 or before) there will, as with those on non-designated courses, be no shift of funds as a result of the switch. Therefore there will be no financial pressure on the system to charge such students more in real terms than they are paying at present. It ought to be possible for the Council and institutions together to translate this policy into detailed practice, so affording the protection envisaged for this group of students in the consultation paper.
For new self-financing students on designated courses, it will continue to be for institutions to set the fee charged. That is something they will do in the light of local circumstances, including the interests of the students concerned. It would be quite contrary to the general thrust of the Government's policies to seek to impose a standard line on institutions.
The deadline for comments on the consultation paper's second proposal to introduce differentiated fees in 1991–92 expires at the end of July. I will inform the House of the Government's conclusions on that consultation in due course.In view of the widespread interest generated by the consultation paper, I am releasing the text of this letter to the Press."
Energy
Electricity Generation
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the volume of coal consumption for the purpose of electricity generation in 1989; and what was the national consumption in 1988.
The Government do not publish estimates of coal consumption. In the four months January to April 1989, coal consumption by United Kingdom public supply power stations was 29·4 million tonnes. Consumption on the same basis for the whole of 1988 was 82·5 million tonnes.
Attorney-General
Mortgage Repossessions (Leeds)
To ask the Attorney-General how many court actions relating to mortgage repossessions occurred in the Leeds county court in each year since 1982.
The number of mortgage actions for possession issued in Leeds county court were:
| Number | |
| 1982 | 803 |
| 1983 | 508 |
| 1984 | 558 |
| 1985 | 800 |
| 1986 | 773 |
| 1987 | 492 |
| 1988 | 807 |
Sir Terence Conran
To ask the Attorney-General if he will seek to institute committal proceedings against Sir Terence Conran, chairman of the Storehouse group of companies, to restrain him from his named intention to break the law by authorising the opening of the group's shops on Sundays in defiance of the terms of the Shops Act 1950.
As I have indicated to my hon. Friend in answers given on 17 April 1989 and 3 July 1989, it is the statutory duty of each local authority to enforce the Shops Act 1950 in its area. If a local authority considers, in the exercise of its discretion, that proper enforcement requires that a threatened breach be restrained by injunction, it is open to it to make such an application to the High Court.
Criminal Legal Aid
To ask the Attorney-General what consideration he is giving to alternative remuneration structures for solicitors providing criminal legal aid services.
In the light of information obtained last year which linked profitability from criminal legal aid work with the volume dealt with, the Lord Chancellor recognises that the present remuneration structure for criminal legal aid, which is based on national averages and across the board rates, may no longer be entirely appropriate. He has therefore invited the joint data committee of his Department and the Law Society, with assistance from the Legal Aid Board, to consider the coverage of solicitors' firms which handle criminal legal aid cases and the volume of work available to them. He will consider whether alternative remuneration structures are required when the committee has reported.
To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to ensure the general availability of criminal legal aid services; and if he will make a statement.
The Lord Chancellor is committed to ensuring that criminal legal aid services continue to be generally available. There is no objective evidence at present that there are insufficent solicitors available to undertake criminal legal aid work. The number of solicitors carrying out this work is kept under review. The matter is also presently being considered by the joint data committee of the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Law Society.
Solicitors' Firms
To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to receive the survey of the joint data committee of the coverage of solicitors' firms; and if he will make a statement.
The committee's work is still in a very early stage and it is not yet possible to say when it will report.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Cambodia
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will be attending the Paris peace conference on Cambodia in July; and if he will make it his policy to oppose a solution which permits the return of the Khmer Rouge.
We expect to attend the international conference. A central objective of our policy is to prevent the Khmer Rouge returning to power by force and to help bring about a political settlement which enables the Cambodian people to elect a Government of their own choice.
China
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chinese authorities on behalf of Liu Huanwen, Liu Qiang, Bai Dongping and Han Dongfang of the Beijing Autonomous Workers Union arrested over the past month; and if he will make a statement.
We and our European partners have repeatedly urged the Chinese authorities to put an end to their repressive actions against those who have done no more than claim their democratic rights. In the declaration on China adopted by the European Council on 27 June the Twelve called for the admission of independent observers to attend trials and to visit prisons. This would cover those members of the Peking Autonomous Workers Union to whom the hon. Member refers.
Visas
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have applied to the post in Dusseldorf for visas to visit the United Kingdom during 1989 to date; what were the figures for the comparable periods of 1988 and 1987; what were the total numbers of applicants by nationality; what were the total numbers of applications (a) granted and (b) refused; and what was the average waiting time for interview for each month in each year.
[holding answer 13 June 1989]: The consulate-general in Dusseldorf received 5,380 entry clearance applications in the period January to May 1989. Applications in the same period in 1988 and 1987 were 5,300 and 4,858. Details of nationality are not kept. The total number of entry clearances (including visas for dependent territories) issued and refused are:
| Issued | Refused | |
| 1987 | 9,892 | 82 |
| 1988 | 11,890 | 156 |
| 11989 | 4,265 | 66 |
| 1 January to May. | ||
| 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |
| January | 8·0 | 8·0 | 17 |
| February | 7·0 | 9·0 | 19 |
| March | 6·0 | 8·0 | 21 |
| April | 4·0 | 7·0 | 23 |
| May | 2·0 | 5·0 | 21 |
| June | 4·5 | 4·0 | — |
| July | 6·0 | 4·5 | — |
| August | 8·0 | 7·0 | — |
| September | 10·0 | 9·0 | — |
| Octomber | 8·0 | 12·0 | — |
| November | 9·0 | 16·0 | — |
| December | 9·0 | 17·0 | — |
Trade And Industry
Manufacturing Trade (Ec)
202.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which members of the European Community the United Kingdom enjoyed a surplus in manufacturing trade in 1988.
203.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which members of the European Community the United Kingdom enjoyed a surplus in manufacturing trade in 1988.
204.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which members of the European Community the United Kingdom enjoyed a surplus in manufacturing trade in 1988.
206.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which members of the European Community the United Kingdom enjoyed a surplus in manufacturing trade in 1988.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with which members of the European Community the United Kingdom enjoyed a surplus in manufacturing trade in 1988.
In 1988 the United Kingdom had surpluses in trade in manufactures with Ireland, Spain and Greece.
Consumer Goods
205.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by how much the volume of consumer goods exported in the first quarter of 1989 grew; and by how much the volume of consumer goods imported changed.
In the first quarter of 1989 the volume of exports of consumer goods1 on a seasonal adjusted overseas trade statistics basis increased by 12 per cent. over the previous quarter. On the same basis imports of consumer goods1 fell by 1 per cent.
1 Part of SITC 7 & 8, based on the United Nations broad economic categories.
British Export Goods
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans his Department has to increase promotion of British export goods in (a) European Community countries, (b) other European countries, (c) the United States of America and (d) other countries.
I announced on 17 January at columns 106–08 the relaunch of my Department's export initiative which introduced new measures to enhance the extensive range of export services traditionally provided by the Department. The initiative provides practical help, advice and support for United Kingdom exporters for all overseas markets. Major promotional campaigns, such as Opportunity Japan have an important role to play in this process.Export performance overall is encouraging. In the three months ending May 1989, non-oil exports increased in real terms by 7 per cent. over the same period last year.
Fitness Equipment (Safety)
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to introduce safety standards to home gym and keep-fit equipment; and if he will make a statement.
Work is to begin next month on the preparation of a harmonised European safety standard for fitness training equipment which will include equipment for home use. The general safety requirement under section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, which came into force on 1 October 1987, applies to equipment supplied as consumer goods.
Soviet Union (Joint Ventures)
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advice his Department provides for those seeking joint ventures in the Soviet Union with (a) state enterprises and (b) co-operatives.
My Department provides advice on the opportunities, the merits and the difficulties in establishing joint ventures in the Soviet Union. Generally, the advice is cautionary because of the Soviet's shortage of hard currency, and particularly so in the case of co-operatives, about which little is known individually. Nevertheless, we are very much in favour of companies doing all they can to find mutually advantageous deals and my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Young visited one successful British joint venture in operation near Kiev last week.
The Soviet Union is mainly interested in establishing manufacturing joint ventures which have an export potential. Companies considering such joint ventures need to decide whether they wish to supply their export markets from a Soviet joint venture manufacturing base. Western companies have instead tended to prefer joint ventures which perform a service, for example, hotel construction and operation, and are therefore able to earn more easily the hard currency which is necessary to provide the western partner with a return on its investment.
Measurement Systems
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for the future development of the national measurement systems.
My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster have, this afternoon, laid before Parliament a White Paper "Measuring up to the Competition". The White Paper describes the national measurement system and sets out the Government's policy towards this important aspect of the national infrastructure. It describes the role that Government will continue to have in providing the framework for a coherent system of measurement in the country. At the centre of the system are the national measurement standards held, principally, at the national physical laboratory (NPL), a research establishment of the Department of Trade and Industry and a candidate next steps executive agency. The NPL, is also the focus for national calibration and accreditation services.Our plans for the future include extending our collaboration with other European national measurement laboratories in order to ensure an efficient and harmonised system of measurement throughout Europe. We will be seeking to involve business in developing new measurement standards where it has special facilities or expertise to offer. We will also be encouraging business to provide calibration and testing services within the national framework and for it to seek voluntary accreditation through the national measurement accreditation service (Namas), a service of the NPL. A Namas accreditation can help reduce the burden of multiple assessments of a business's competence to undertake tests and calibration. The White Paper also announces a special initiative to be taken by the laboratory of the Government chemist, also a research establishment of the Department and candidate next steps agency, to improve the validity of chemical measurement in the United Kingdom and harmonise it with that in other countries within Europe.
Chlorofluorocarbons
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what reduction there has been in the use of chlorofluorocarbons within the differing sectors of the economy since the time of the Government-sponsored international conference on the protection of the ozone layer earlier this year.
This information is not available. The United Kingdom is, however, on course to meet its international commitments on overall CFC reductions well ahead of schedule. Since the conference, there is clear evidence from the CFC-using industries that they are even more aware of the need to respond effectively in achieving CFC reductions. They and the United Kingdom CFC-producer companies are to be commended for their efforts in developing and adopting alternative substances, processes and products.
Scotland
Community Charge
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his Department's policy regarding the payment of any arrears of poll tax subsequent to a person's death.
The collection of the community charge is a matter for Scottish levying authorities. Where there is an amount of community charge due in respect of the period before a person's death, it will, therefore, be for the authority concerned to request payment from the deceased's estate. I am sure that authorities are aware of the need for sensitivity in such cases.
Elderly People (Long-Term Care)
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the companies with which Greater Glasgow health board is discussing the future provision of long-term care for the elderly.
No.
Geriatric Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when Greater Glasgow health board last discussed with (a) social work departments and (b) the Church of Scotland the future provision of geriatric services.
I have asked the chairman of Greater Glasgow health board to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Geriatric Facilities, Rutherglen
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the criteria which must be met before the sale by Greater Glasgow health board of the site proposed for a geriatric hospital in Rutherglen could proceed.
It is for Greater Glasgow health board to decide whether the site is required for its planned development. if a site is surplus, Government policy requires health boards to dispose of land which is not required as quickly as possible having regard to the state of the market, and good marketing practice.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the representations he has received which support the replacement of proposed National Health Service geriatric facilities in Rutherglen with proposals for commercial provision by Takare plc.
No representations have been received.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he will make for public consultation in Cambuslang and Rutherglen regarding the proposal by Greater Glasgow health board, to contract geriatric services from Takare plc at the site in Rutherglen presently owned by Greater Glasgow health board.
The Scottish Home and Health Department issued guidance to health boards in 1975 about consultation when changes are planned in the provision of services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the benefits which would be achieved by replacing the provision of National Health Service geriatric services in Rutherglen with private commercial based services.
The provision of services is primarily a matter for the health board. I understand that the health board is considering how best to make good the known shortfall in the provision of services for the elderly in Rutherglen. The board is putting the interests of patients first and I welcome that.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation has taken place with Glasgow district council and Strathclyde regional council with regard to the proposal by the Greater Glasgow health board to sell land in Rutherglen for the provision of private geriatric services.
Officials from both councils have been involved in discussions about the health board's strategy for the care of the elderly. This strategy seeks to identify appropriate and cost effective ways of meeting the needs of the elderly living in the board's area. Glasgow district council, as planning authority, will be consulted on any planning issues arising.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the conditions of use which were part of the agreement when Rutherglen town council sold the site in Rutherglen now owned by Greater Glasgow health board.
I understand that there are no conditions governing use in the title to the land adjacent to Rutherglen maternity hospital, which was granted to the Western region hospital board by the then royal burgh of Rutherglen in 1972.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to take account of the views of Glasgow district council and Strathclyde regional council with regard to the proposal to sell land in Rutherglen for the provision of private geriatric services.
My right and learned Friend has not received any such views.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any company other than Takare plc has been involved in discussions regarding the provision of commercial geriatric services at the site in Rutherglen presently owned by Greater Glasgow health board.
The provision of services is primarily a matter for the health board. I understand that discussions have taken place with a number of companies.
Forestry
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, for forestry planting policy, he classifies Acer pseudoplatanus to be an indigenous or an alien species.
Acer pseudoplatanus is regarded as a species that is naturalised though not indigenous.
Undergraduate Tuition Fees
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to increase the level of the home full-time undergraduate tuition fee from 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.
The proposals in the consultation paper "Shifting the Balance of Public Funding of Higher Education to Fees" have been widely welcomed in Scotland; and I have decided that the tuition fee for full-time undergraduate and most other students whose fees are reimbursed under the students' allowance scheme for Scottish residents will be set at £1,675 for the academic year 1990–91. This increase matches a decision announced today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science to increase the fees reimbursed in the scheme of mandatory awards for residents of England and Wales.In acknowledgment, however, of representations which have been made in response to consultations, I have decided to extend the fee increase to full-time non-degree courses in Scotland leading to qualifications for professions supplementary to medicine and social work for which fees are reimbursed in the students' allowance scheme.This new level of fee will offer higher education institutions a clear incentive to attract additional students, and will thus further our policy of extending wider access to higher education. For nearly all full-time students, the higher fee will continue to be met through the schemes of student awards, so that as now there will be no cost to the student. For those students who pay their own fees—part-time students or full-time students who are ineligible for awards—we intend to maintain the level of funds available for distribution as grant to the institutions, so that there should be no pressure on the institutions to charge such students more in real terms than they are paying at present. I look to the institutions to ensure that these students are protected from the increased level of fee.
Art Colleges
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of entrants to each Scottish college of art in each of the past 10 years, from (a) Scottish schools, (b) other United Kingdom schools, (c) overseas and (d) other avenues.
[holding answer 23 June 1989]: Information is not readily available.