To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards dismantling and storing battle tanks as part of conventional force reductions; and if he will make a statement.

As regards dismantling, I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 17 of the declaration of the heads of state and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels, 29 to 30 May 1989, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This proposes that all equipment withdrawn under a CFE agreement should be destroyed. In addition, the Alliance proposals make provision for certain assets to be held in store. Detailed provisions on how both these aspects should be carried out have yet to be tabled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the Independent European Programme Group: and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 11 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has carried out into the use of front wheel drive propulsion for fighting ships; and if he will make a statement.

The Department keeps under review a variety of warship propulsion techniques, including forward facing propulsors and bow mounted propellers; the latter, however, appear to have a number of disadvantages over conventional arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the award of a contract for the repair and refit of HMS Southampton.

A firm price contract has been placed today with Swan Hunter Shipbuilders. I would wish to pay tribute to the quality of the tenders we have received, which fully justifies our decision to seek competition. Together with parallel contracts for replacement equipment, and other costs, the full cost of the repair and refit will be some £45 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reach a decision on the allocation of work to the FMRO Portsmouth following the removal of HMS Southampton from the FMRO programme.

I have agreed a package of additional work to cover the remainder of this financial year. Details are being made known locally. Any further changes will depend on the outcome of the longer term studies into the future of the FMRO which I hope to announce shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on the contribution income of the national insurance fund for 1989–90 if average earnings rose between 1988–89 and 1989–90 by 10 per cent. instead of the 71/4 per cent. in the Government Actuary's report on the 1988 Uprating Order (Cm. 537).

The Government Actuary's report on the 1988 Uprating Order estimated that contribution income to the National Insurance Fund in 1989–90 would be £28·1 billion. If it had then been assumed that earnings would increase in 1989–90 by 10 per cent. then the national insurance fund's estimated income from contributions would have been £28·7 billion.This report was prepared before the changes to national insurance contributions announced in the Budget. Taking these changes into account the national insurance fund's estimated income would have been £28·5 billion in 1989–90 assuming a 10 per cent. increase in earnings. The increased take-up of personal pensions will reduce this estimated income by about £2 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when income support applicable amounts are increased in October 1989 how many (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples on income support will receive an increase in weekly benefit of the same or less than the transitional addition awarded to them in April 1988.

The estimates are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples will become newly entitled to income support when the applicable amounts are raised in October.

We estimate that 40,000 single pensioners and 20,000 pensioner couples will become new recipients of income support in October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner couples in receipt of income support will receive an increase in benefit of £3.50 a week when the applicable amount is increased in October.

An estimated 140,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single pensioners in receipt of income support will receive an increase in benefit of £2.50 a week when the applicable amount is increased in October.

An estimated 730,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what basis the applicable amounts for single pensioners and pensioner couples were uprated to £2·50 and £3·50, respectively, with effect from October; and what factors were taken into consideration in making this uprating.

I refer my hon. Friend to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 24 November at columns 241–51.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases income support or housing benefit was reduced in the year April 1988 to April 1989 on the grounds that the claimant had spent more than six weeks in hospital.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to change the basis on which social security benefits are paid to residents of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health has today announced that the Government are to make local authorities responsible for meeting the costs of care for residents in residential care and nursing homes who are unable to finance it from their own resources. This is to be implemented in April 1991. From that date I will therefore be making changes to the way the benefit system provides support.At present income support can be available to help with the fees charged by residential care and nursing homes, subject to specified limits which I review annually. I propose that from April 1991 residents of homes will be given access to help from the normal income support system and from housing benefit on a similar basis to the help they would receive in their own home. The special income support system for those in homes will be ended and local authorities will be responsible for providing any further help required towards the cost of residential care in the cases where they decide that that form of care would be best.The present system will remain in place until April 1991 for all those who need it. Claimants who are receiving income support in a home at the date of change will continue to receive the full level of help available via income support under current rules for as long as they need it and the system will continue after April 1991 for these cases. The limits will continue to be subject to annual review. The Government have also decided that other residents of registered residential care and nursing homes in April 1991 will also be eligible for help through the continuation of the existing income support system, should they need to turn to the state for support.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of his plans to close horticultural research stations.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 10 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) at columns 350–51.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of how many people now employed in farming may move out of the agricultural industry in the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement on the National Economic Development Office's report "Work in the Countryside", a copy of which has been sent to him.

In view of the crucial assumptions that have to be made in estimating the number of people currently employed in agriculture who are likely to leave the industry in the next 10 years, I have not considered it appropriate to make my own forecast. However, the report of the National Economic Development Council, "Work in the Countryside", provides an interesting insight into the corporate view of a group made up of a wide range of different interests. I am not in a position to judge whether what they term their least and most optimistic assumptions will prove accurate but, in broad terms, their forecast represents a continuation of past trends.It is an interesting report which, among other things, highlights some of the alternative business opportunities for farmers. I welcome the contribution that the report makes in stimulating debate on the development of new job opportunities in the land base sector. My Department is already pursuing some of the action points mentioned in the report.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the infectivity of BSE to chimpanzees.

No research has been carried out or is planned on the transmission of BSE to chimpanzees.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many brands of baby milk and weaning food contain concentrates of aluminium above 200 microgrammes per litre.

All the brands tested in the recent Ministry programme had levels of aluminium well below the intake maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation. The figure of 200 microgrammes per litre quoted has no significance from the point of view of health.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the development of a diagnostic test to determine whether food has been irradiated; and what are the implications of such a test for his proposals to permit the irradiation of food.

I have nothing to add to my replies of 25 May to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) at column 1109.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many employees of the Intervention Board for Agriculture were employed at Kenton Bar, Newcastle at the end of each of the last 12 months up to 30 June; and, in each case, how many of these were temporary staff.

The board employed the following permanent and temporary staff at Kenton Bar, Newcastle during the last 12 months up to 30 June 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to (a) Wessex Water or (b) South West Water over sewage contamination of beaches; and what steps he is taking to monitor the work of these authorities.

My right hon. Friend is currently discussing with the water authorities an accelerated capital programme for identified bathing waters with the aim of bringing them up to the standards of the EC bathing water directive by the mid-1990s.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the numbers of local authority housing stock in the area of Durham district council as at April 1979 and at the latest date.

The information for April 1979 and April 1988 was reported by local authorities in their annual housing investment programme returns (HIP 1 ) and appears in columns B11 and All of "HIP1 All Items Print" for 1979 and 1988 respectively.Copies of both documents are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure he has for the number of married couples who are living in a household headed by another person nationally and in Durham City constituency.

The most reliable estimates of the number of married couples living in a household headed by another person in local areas are provided by the census of population. The 1981 census identified 140 such families in Durham City. The corresponding figure for England in 1981 is 145,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what official announcement was made, and when, regarding the United Kingdom's unilateral ban on ivory imports into the United Kingdom; and what notice was given to the United Kingdom ivory trade.

My noble Friend the Minister for Environment, Housing and Countryside announced on 23 May our intention to call for a complete ban on trade in new ivory at the Environment Council meeting on 8–9 June, and our decision to impose a unilateral ban on ivory imports was announced by my noble Friend at that meeting. A written statement giving further details was issued on 9 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (S.1., 1977, No. 204), as amended, to require local authorities to give details of the number of burial places available in each grave sold by the authority.

None. There is no evidence of a widespread need for such a requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much has been set aside by his Department for the water flotation marketing campaign; how much has been allocated for the institutional lunches and dinners; and how much has been allocated for the national and regional roadshows;

It is not our practice to publish details of individual contracts. The cost of the water flotation will be reported to Parliament in due course in the usual way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the specific prospectuses being prepared for potential foreign investors in the water industry.

As announced in November 1988, the Government and the Water Authorities Association have appointed banking advisers to consider the feasibility and desirability of offering shares in the forthcoming privatisation in Japan, the United States of America, Canada and continental Europe. Firm decisions will not be made until later in the year on whether shares will be offered in any or all of the markets but preparations for such offers are being undertaken on a contingent basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reply to the written question by the hon. Member for Norwich, South of 3 February, Official Report, column 431, concerning the sites of special scientific interest in the ownership of the Anglian water authority.

[holding answer, 12 April 1989]: I wrote to the hon. Member for Norwich, South on 28 June 1989 about this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the appointments he has made since June 1987 to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations together with the salary payable in each case.

[holding answer 10 July 1989]: The appointments to public bodies for which I am responsible are shown in the annual HMSO publication "Public Bodies" which gives informaton on the number of these posts and the levels of remuneration. The appointments are made under a variety of arrangements, and my involvement varies.In addition, I make appointments to the following other bodies:Architectural Heritage Fund:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the temporary licences in place earlier in the current year relating to waste discharge, including glycol and anti-corrosion substances from the North sea gas terminal at Bacton in north Norfolk, have been extended; what reassurances have been received from the operators, Shell, Amoco and Phillips, that the discharges constitute no hazard to the environment in general, and sea birds in particular; what action he has taken to test these reassurances; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 10 July 1989]: My right hon. Friend is currently considering requests received under section 36(6)(b) of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to direct the Anglian water authority to transmit to him for his own determination applications for discharge consent made by Amoco (UK) Exploration Co. Ltd. and Phillips Petroleum Co. UK Ltd. These involve discharges of surface water and glycol regenerator condensate to the sea from the gas terminal at Bacton. No temporary consents have been granted to either company; nor have they applied for consent to discharge anti-corrosion substances.A consent to discharge these substances was issued to Shell UK by the Anglian water authority earlier this year. Regular monitoring by the authority indicates that there is no evidence to suggest that the discharge has had an effect on either the water environment or sea birds.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice has been sought by, or given to, Solihull district council's community charge registration officer as to the range and scope of the questions on his registration form; what additional funds could be made available for a re-issue of the form following complaints about the questions; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 10 July 1989]: All registration officers in England were given the same advice on registration together with a model form. I have no plans to allocate additional funds to any authority that chose not to comply and which may be required to amend its procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those local authorities in England and Wales that did not respond to the 18 December 1987 letter from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the licensing and control of landfills evolving gas.

[holding answer 11 July 1989]: All waste disposal authorities in England and Wales have responded to the letter sent to them on 18 December 1987 by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals on environmental protection have been made by the United Kingdom ambassador to the United Nations during its 43rd session.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack), and the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 6 June, volume 154, column 33.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress was made during the Spanish presidency of the Community towards completion of the single European market.

Very considerable progress was made under the Spanish presidency. Over 60 individual single market agreements were reached, which is a record for any one presidency. These included common positions in the Council of Ministers on very important directives to liberalise banking services in the EC and to ensure more effective compliance with EC rules on procedures for the award of public contracts. The presidency also saw the final adoption of several key measures to break down technical barriers to trade, for example in the areas of food law and machine safety.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to alert people in Scotland to unscrupulous practices used by some finance companies whereby they entrap people into debt and sell the debt off to debt-collecting agencies.

I have been asked to reply.This is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. If the hon. Gentleman has any evidence of unfair business practices in the marketing of consumer credit, I hope that he will make it available to the director general.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the range of interest rates set by licensed finance companies in Scotland.

I have been asked to reply.The Government do not keep information on the ranges of interest rates available from licensed finance companies. Regulations ensure that a prospective borrower under a consumer credit agreement receives clear information on the interest rate being offered and that the information is on a basis which facilitates comparison with other sources of consumer credit.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if a company established to administer the Government's student top-up loan scheme has been registered at Companies house.

The Registrar of Companies is not aware that any company has been incorporated for the purposes of administering the proposed scheme.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the latest balance of trade in manufactured goods; and if he will make a statement.

In the three months to May 1989, trade in manufactures, on a seasonally adjusted balance of payments basis, was in deficit by £3·8 billion compared with a deficit of £4·3 billion in the previous three months.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total deficit in all trade with the rest of the European Economic Community over the past 12 months; and what was the comparable deficit five arid 10 years previously.

The information is in the following table:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the changes in recent months in United Kingdom statistics of overall trade with other European Community member states; and when he next expects to discuss such matters with the Council of Trade Ministers.

In the six months to May, compared with the same period last year, United Kingdom exports to the other EC countries increased by 12 per cent. while those to the rest of the world rose by 9 per cent. Imports from the EC countries increased by about the same amount as those from the rest of the world, 15 per cent.I have no plans to discuss these figures in the Council of Ministers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on petrol retailing; and if he will make a statement.

The commission is due to submit its report on the wholesale supply of petrol to my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State by 8 November.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the Kemp report on the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

The report on the future status of ECGD was submitted to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in May 1989. Ministers asked that the report should be published immediately to facilitate consultation with interested parties. This has been done. An inter-departmental working party of officials has been convened under the chairmanship of the ECGD's chief executive to examine the recommendations in the report and to give advice to Ministers. No decisions have yet been taken on any of the options identified in the report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what initiatives his Department has taken in the last 12 months to promote international participation in the Hotol project.

We have been able to facilitate contacts with the relevant United States authorities. Contacts have also taken place with European industry. This is an industry-led project and it will be for the companies themselves to provide any further information.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in view of the deterioration in the quality of postal services recently documented by the Post Office Users National Council, if the Government will introduce more competition into the postal services.

Postal service quality is a matter for the Post Office board. However, I understand that, disregarding last September and Christmas, there has been no significant change in performance over the last year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what studies have been made of the benefits of disposing of the Post Office Counters to the private sector.

I am not aware of any detailed studies on this subject.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he intends that the code of practice for estate agents should cover commercial as well as residential estate agents.

As I announced on 21 June, the code is to be drawn up by the Director General of Fair Trading and discussed with the industry. It will be for the director general in drawing up a draft code for discussion with the industry to decide whether it should cover commercial as well as residential estate agents. I will ask the director general to write to my hon. Friend on this matter.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in the light of the appointment of inspectors to investigate and report on the affairs of the Milford Haven Dock Company under section 432 of the Companies Act 1985, he will make a statement on the proposed acquisition of the company by the Milford Haven port authority.

[holding answer 10 July 1989]: No. Any such proposed acquisition is a matter for the parties concerned.

To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South of 3 July, whether he will give the total number of representations on the subject of family courts received in the last six months, what was the number in favour of the idea, and the number against; and if he will summarise the arguments presented in representations against.

As I indicated in my answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) of 3 July, precise information about representations to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is not readily available as much of the correspondence refers to family courts as one of a number of issues or as an ancillary matter to the main focus of the correspondence. While it is true to say that correspondents generally favour a family court, there are none the less divergences of opinion on the many specific issues comprehended by the concept. Moreover, correspondents often fail to explain what they mean by the phrase in any meaningful detail so that it is not possible to identify what it is that they are in favour of and why.

To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South on 3 July, Official Report, column 1, whether the Lord Chancellor's Department has accepted the costings and staffing levels proposed by the conciliation project unit based at the university of Newcastle upon Tyne; what further consideration is being given to these matters and by whom; to whom copies of the report had been passed for comment; and what response has been made.

The Lord Chancellor has said that proposals relating to conciliation, including the report of the conciliation project unit at the university of Newcastle, will be considered as part of a rolling programme to review family law and procedures. That review will consider any costing and staffing levels estimated or proposed by the project unit. The Government are considering how that programme should be carried forward and hope to be in a position to make a statement later this year. Although formal comments on the report have not been sought ahead of the review the Lord Chancellor's Department has received comments from Relate, the Inner London probation service, the National Family Conciliation Council and from two individuals engaged in running conciliation schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to reopen the public inquiry into the east London river crossing to enable it to consider the revised design of the bridge over the Thames.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a decision about the re-design of the new bridge for the east London river crossing; and why the review which he announced on 28 July 1988 has taken longer than the expected six months.

I expect to make an announcement very shortly about the design of the bridge and the next steps. Consultation with the relevant authorities indicated further possibilities which the consultants have been exploring. Their report has therefore taken longer than expected to complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of people in prison at the latest available date; and what it was 12 months ago.

On Friday 30 June, 48,638 prisoners were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales. A further 230 prisoners were held in police cells. The total of 48,868 is 1,434 less than the total of 50,302 12 months ago. This is welcome news.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of people detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in Liverpool for each year from 1975 to 1989.

The available information relates to detentions by Merseyside police and is published quarterly in Home Office statistical bulletins which are placed in the Library. The latest, issue 17/89, gives in table 3 information from 1979 up to the first quarter of 1989; it is planned to publish the bulletin for the second quarter at the end of this month. Corresponding information for individual years before 1979 is not available but the total detained between 1974 and 1978 is published in issue 11/87.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire as to the estimated costs of the police operations during the recent disturbances in Bradford and Dewsbury; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable of West Yorkshire that the estimated additional costs of policing the disturbances are £194,250. This covers police officer and civilian overtime, subsistence for police officers, transport and aid from other forces provided under section 14 of the Police Act 1964.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for each of the last five years (a) the number of people awarded ex gratia compensation for periods in custody and (b) the total amount paid in ex gratia compensation.

The information requested, based on the date upon which the final payment of compensation was made, is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the proposal to establish an international fund to compensate developing countries for the cost of phasing out production of chlorofluorocarbons.

We have already made it clear that we are willing to help developing countries to find ways of avoiding the use of CFCs. An international fund has been suggested as one means by which such help could be given. The various possible means are to be considered by a working group, established by the parties to the Montreal protocol at their meeting in May, which is to start work next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the grounds for rejection of Oxfam's application under the Overseas Development Administration joint funding scheme for aid with the following Nicaraguan projects: (a) the Atlantic coast livestock loan scheme, (b) the Fanor Urroz co-operative farm and (c) CISAS; and if he will make a statement.

All three project applications were rejected after the usual consultations. Oxfam has asked us to reconsider projects (a) and (b) and we have agreed to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each of the years 1979 to 1987 (a) the total amount of expenditure under line 941 of the Community budget, (b) the amount granted to United Kingdom non-governmental organisations under line 941 of the Community budget, and (c) the percentage that (b) represents of (a).

Figures in the precise form requested are not readily available. Figures for 1986, 1987 and for the period 1976 to 1987 are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the international oil embargo of South Africa; and if he proposes measures to improve its effectiveness.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 October 1988, at columns 859–60. The Government's export guidelines rule out the sales of crude oil from the United Kingdom continental shelf to South Africa; I have no plans to make any changes to that policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to revise work permit procedures for off-shore installations.

My Department has today made available for comment a paper setting out proposals for strengthening the statutory requirements for permit procedures on off-shore installations. Copies of the document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what alternative proposals to the Delors report Her Majesty's Government will submit in time for the next meeting of the European Council.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement to the House on 29 June on the outcome of the European Council in Madrid on 26 and 27 June.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran) of 4 May, Official Report, column 352, what further advice he has given or intends to give on the effects on industrial competitiveness of excessive pay rises for directors of large companies; and if he will make a statement.

Pay is for the parties involved to agree and not for the Government to intervene. But clearly pay rises for directors, workers or anyone else must not be above what can be afforded.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to announce when the Government will redeem the 31/2 If per cent. war stock issued in the 1939–45 war.

[holding answer 6 July 1989]: There are no plans to redeem 31/2 per cent. war stock.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect of a 1 per cent. change in United Kingdom interest rates and a 1 per cent. change in import prices, respectively, on the retail prices index.

[holding answer 6 July 1989]: The effect of an increase in interest rates is to encourage saving, reduce spending and thus, over time, to bear down on inflation. However, because of the inclusion of mortgage interest payments in the RPI, a one percentage point increase in all United Kingdom interest rates would initially increase the retail prices index by about 0·4 per cent. No disaggregation is available for the imported component of the goods and services in the retail prices index. Whether, and to what extent, an increase in import prices will affect the RPI depends on the stance of monetary policy. The present Government is not prepared to accommodate inflation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West may expect a reply to the letter which he sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 3 April about the imposition of value added tax on caravan pitch rentals and services.

[holding answer 10 July 1989]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply sent on 5 July.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many purchases of premium bonds in each of the last three years for which figures are available were made in (a) amounts of over £100 and (b) amounts of £100 or less.

[holding answer 10 July 1989]: The number of premium bonds sold in each of the last three years in amounts of over £100 and amounts of £100 or less are as follows:

To ask the Prime Minister if she will give the list of conditions she has established for United Kingdom adherence to the European monetary system exchange rate mechanism of the European Community, in accordance with her reference to such conditions in the Official Report, 29 June, column 1109.

[holding reply 11 July 1989]: The decision when to join the exchange rate mechanism will have to be judged against progress in a number of areas. In particular, when the level of United Kingdom inflation is significantly lower, there is capital liberalisation in the Community and real progress has been made towards the completion of the single market, freedom of financial services and strengthened competition policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the Bristol research centre dealing with food safety will he closed; and whether the Agriculture and Food Research Council took account of representations from the retail food trade in making its decision.

The AFRC has decided to consolidate the work of the Institute of Food Research (1FR) on its two sites at Norwich and Reading to further enhance its science base. A consequence of this restructuring is that the laboratory at Langford, Bristol, will cease to be part of the IFR by the end of 1990 when AFRC institute funding will have been withdrawn. In planning the future scientific strategy of the Institute, advice was sought from a wide range of opinion including representatives from the food manufacturing industry, the retail food trade, academia and the Consumers Association.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the light of the High Court ruling against Lancashire county council on 16 March, he has any plans to assist local education authorities in their duty to provide speech therapy for children with speech and language impairments.

Responsibility for the provision of speech therapy services has rested with health authorities since the reorganisation of the National Health Service in 1974. The recent High Court case involving Lancashire county council, which ruled that speech therapy could be considered as either educational or non-educational provision, does not affect health authorities general responsibilities in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the light of the implementation of the Education Act 1988, what plans he has to ensure that the a million children suffering from specific communication impairments have access to that curriculum by increasing the numbers of (a) trained teachers and (b) speech therapists.

Children with special educational needs, including those with specific communication impairments, should benefit from the substantial resources that the Government are making available generally to local education authorities to support the introduction of the national curriculum. Within the 100 million available this year to LEAs through specific grants, it will be for authorities to decide how much to spend within this total to ensure maximum access to the national curriculum for children with special educational needs, where appropriate, including those with specific communication impairments.The training and supply of speech therapists is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the findings of the working party examining the funding of communication aids for those with communication handicaps will be available.

I understand that the working party on the assessment of children with communication handicap will report to my right hon. Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health within the next few months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to have the results of the special monitoring exercise on universities' library spending for 1987–88, and 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 3 July at column 9.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the position of four-year high schools with a transfer age of 10 years in relation to the certain categories of schools qualifying for particular weightings under section 107 of DES circular 7/88 published on 6 September 1988 under section 34(2) of the Education Reform Act;(2) if he will define the phrase "certain categories of schools" in relation to section 107 DES circular 7/88 published on 6 September 1988 under section 34(2) of the Education Reform Act;(3) in what circumstances local education authorities have discretion over allocation of the aggregated school budget, with reference to section 107 of DES circular 7/88 published on 6 September 1988 under section 34(2) of the Education Reform Act.

Under schemes of local management, at least 75 per cent. of the aggregated schools budget must be allocated with reference to the numbers and ages of pupils in schools. All pupils of the same age will carry with them the same resources, irrespective of which type of school they attend. However, LEAs will have the discretion to allocate up to 25 per cent. of the aggregated schools budget by means of others factors which take account of objective need and are applied by means of a consistent set of rules.Paragraphs 107 to 128 of DES circular 7/88 give some examples of such additional factors, such as a small school curriculum protection factor. Where such factors are used it may be appropriate within them to use different weightings for categories of schools serving different age ranges. For example, a lump sum in a small school curriculum protection factor might take a different value for primary schools than for secondary schools, and different value for primary schools than for secondary schools, and different again in middle schools. Four-year high schools with a transfer age of 10 could form such a category.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the actual, and percentage increase in (a) university first degree full-time students, (b) polytechnic and other higher education first degree full-time students, (c) part-time university students, (d) part-time polytechnic and other higher education students, and (e) full-time post graduate students since May 1986, with (c) and (d) expressed in actual numbers and full-time equivalents.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to secure a wider distribution of assisted places throughout England.

This Department is contacting certain independent schools in four regions of the country with a view to widening the geographical availability of assisted places. The regions concerned are the North-East, the east midlands, South Yorkshire and the black country. We are approaching certain existing APS member schools in these regions to ascertain whether they would like more assisted places. We are also inviting certain schools which are not at present in the scheme, to apply to join. The target of 35,000 assisted places by the mid-1990s remains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of headteachers in primary schools who resigned in each of the last five years; and what information he has on the reasons for resignation.

[holding answer 6 July 1989]: The numbers of headteachers leaving full-time service in maintained nursery and primary schools in England in the last five years for which figures are available were as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to introduce a £50 a week additional child care allowance for young mothers on YTS, equivalent to that which is paid under employment training.

No. My right hon. Friend does not consider such a provision to be in the best interests of the client group served by YTS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of public opinion regarding the Goverment's step-by-step reform of industrial relations legislation; and if he will make a statement.

At each stage of the step-by-step reform of industrial relations and trade union legislation which the Government has pursued since 1979 we have submited our proposals for public consultation, and we have been able to frame legislation in the knowledge that the measures will be welcomed by employers, employees and the public generally. Our election manifestos, which contained many of our proposals in this area, have also clearly gained widespread public support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to how many countries in the EEC have a statutory minimum wage.

Five countries—France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg—have a statutory national minimum wage. In Ireland, as in the United Kingdom, a statutory minimum wage applies only in certain industries. Two countries—Belgium and Greece —have a general minimum wage laid down in national level collective agreements which are binding in law. Three countries—West Germany, Italy and Denmark—set minimum rates of pay by industry level, collective agreements applying in all sectors and binding in law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Remploy board to withdraw its proposal to close the Rutherglen factory.

No. I understand that discusions about the implications of the decision to close the Rutherglen factory are continuing between the company and the employees concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidelines are issued to Department of Employment staff regarding the distribution of quota exemption permits to employers failing to ensure that 3 per cent. of their work force are registered as disabled.

Instructions to disablement resettlement officers require them to consider the availability of suitable registered disabled people, and the degree of commitment shown by employers towards meeting their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department will be contributing to the Economic and Social Research Council's programme of research into small businesses, announced on 30 June, over the next four years.

My Department has agreed to pay ESRC a maximum of £120,000 towards the total cost of the programme. Payment will be made over a period of four years, at £30,000 per year, beginning in 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends taking to reduce occupational accident rates to the 1981 levels.

Against a background of a substantial decline in fatal injury rates since 1981 and a more recent reversal in the rising trend of reported major injuries, the Government have reaffirmed their commitment to better health and safety at work by making financial provision allowing for real growth in HSE's activities over the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has had any representations about possible distortions to the United Kingdom's local economies resulting from the abolition of section 4 grants for tourist investment in England and their retention in Scotland and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations about the future of the section 4 scheme, some of which refer to the possible effects of retaining the scheme in Scotland and Wales. However, after considering the wide variety of views expressed, I am convinced that the continued prosperity and growth of tourism in England is no longer dependent on this form of support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure available for the number of people who have found jobs through using the service of job clubs in Durham City jobcentre.

The job club based in Durham jobcentre was the first job club to open in Britain, in November 1984. Since that time, 579 people have attended the job club. Of these 395 (68 per cent.) actually left for jobs with an employer. This result represents a considerable achievement in helping long-term unemployed people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the last 12 months for which figures are available have been through (a) job clubs and (b) Restart; and how many have (i) secured full-time employment or (ii) further retraining or educational opportunities.

During the period 30 May 1988 to 26 May 1989, 2,220,611 Restart interviews were carried out. Of these, 1,949,570 resulted in an offer of positive help being made and 1,611,606 resulted in such an offer being accepted.We do not know how many people ultimately end up in a job or other opportunity as a result of their Restart interview. However, many will be referred to job clubs.During the 12 months from 1 June 1988 to 31 May 1989, 131,249 people went through the job club programme; 91,665 (or 70 per cent.) left for a positive outcome; 71,016 went into jobs and a further 20,649 went into training, education or a place on the enterprise allowance scheme.Taken together, these two programmes represent a considerable achievement in helping long-term unemployed people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of unemployment in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow.

In May 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency was 5,798 compared with 7,581 in May 1988, a fall of 1,783 or 23·5 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for a survey of the pensions advice available to former registered dock workers.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to survey the pensions advice available to former registered dock workers.Employers are required to inform employees of main terms and conditions of employment, including the terms of any occupational pensions scheme which they offer. Employees may decide to make their own arrangements. Registered dock workers had their own occupational pensions scheme and this remains in existence following the abolition of the dock labour scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to introduce into Scotland arrangements similar to those announced recently for England and Wales whereby local authorities will be obliged to charge accumulated arrears of rent to other rent payers, through increasing their rents to cover the deficit in housing revenue accounts.

Local authorities in Scotland are required by paragraph 3(e) of schedule 15 to the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to debit to their housing revenue accounts for each year the arrears of rent which have been written off in that year as irrecoverable. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to change this or other aspects of the financial management of local authority rent arrears.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the accumulated rent arrears owed to Scottish public housing authorities in March; and what was the figure in March of each of the five previous years.

Information on the accumulated rent arrears owed to Scottish public housing authorities is collected annually on the basis of arrears outstanding at 30 September. The amounts of arrears outstanding for each year from 1983 to 1988 are shown below:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of (a) adult and (b) young offender women prisoners received accredited vocational training during 1987 and 1988.

The question cannot be answered in precisely the terms stated. The position in relation to individuals receiving accredited vocational training during the past two years was:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the vocational courses of the industrial training boards, currently available to (a) adult and (b) young offender male prisoners, are also available to the same categories of women prisoners.

At present there is a catering accredited vocational training course available for women prisoners. Skill training is also provided in sewing, garment making, cookery and horticulture. A properly accredited course in hairdressing will be introduced later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) women and (b) men were put in prison while waiting for trial and subsequently freed during 1987 and 1988.

I regret that the information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest figure for the average time spent on remand for (a) men and (b) women.

The estimated average periods spent in custody on remand in 1988 were as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places for (a) men and (b) women are offered by hostels grant-aided under section 9 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980.

Hostels grant-aided by my right hon. and learned Friend under section 79 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 presently offer a total of 95 places. Seventeen of these were specifically designated for women originally but the accommodation is now being allocated more flexibly in the light of demand.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many body and strip searches in Cornton Vale in 1988 where carried out on prisoners who were pregnant.

The information requested is not available, since no distinction is made in the records between inmates who are not pregnant and those who are.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women prisoners who gave birth while imprisoned in Cornton Vale in 1988 (a) kept their babies with them following the births and (b) did not keep their babies following birth; and what was the length of service served by each such mother following the birth.

One inmate, serving a three-month sentence, gave birth in Cornton Vale and kept her baby with her.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any baby has remained with his or her mother in Cornton Vale prison beyond the age of 12 months during 1988.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average number of days of in-service training provided to staff at Cornton Vale prison in 1987 and 1988.

The information is not immediately available but I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions the electronics link between the central office and each room in Cornton Vale women's prison malfunctioned in 1988; and what was the average time taken for repairs to be carried out.