To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to offer for full safeguards to the International Atomic Energy Agency and Euratom Safeguards Authorities all plutonium created in British Nuclear Fuels' Calder Hall and Chapelcross reactors, arising from periods when the reactors were operating on civil production cycles.

No. These are non-safeguarded facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what amount of plutonium created in civil reactors in the United Kingdom is currently allocated to the ownership of the European Community under article 86 of the Euratom treaty; and what amount of civil plutonium will be allocated to the European Community with the creation of Nuclear Electric.

In accordance with article 86 of the Euratom treaty, all special fissile materials produced in civil reactors in the United Kingdom are the property of the Community. However, under article 87, member states or operators retain unlimited right of use and consumption. The position will not change with the creation of Nuclear Electric.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will supply a full list of the land and properties by coal field area currently under the ownership of British Coal.

My Department does not have this information. This is a matter for the British Coal corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a full list of land and properties currently owned by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation.

Details of land and property owned are a matter for the organisation's directors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a full list of all producing coal mines in the United Kingdom and the numbers of persons employed in each case.

This is a matter for the British Coal corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the nuclear reactors in Britain (a) with and (b) without secondary containment.

All nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom are provided with defence in depth against the release of radioactivity by means of a series of barriers which differ according to the design characteristics of the particular reactor type. The term "secondary containment" usually refers to an outer, sealed, low-leakage building which houses the reactor core and primary coolant circuits. The need for such containment depends on the operating characteristics of the reactor and the coolant activity levels. The steam-generating heavy water reactor at Winfrith, and the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay have "secondary containment" buildings, and these will also be provided for the pressurised water reactor under construction at Sizewell. The operational characteristics of Magnox, advanced gas-cooled reactors, and small research reactors are such that "secondary containment" buildings are not needed to ensure their safety.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what specialist equipment, including personal dosimeters, radial survey meters and decontamination meters are available for ambulance staff at Sellafield, Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Winfrith, Dungeness, Bradwell, Sizewell and Hartlepool, respectively; and in each case what training staff have received;(2) what studies have been made of the problems of evacuating all low-mobility groups in the event of a worst case atomic accident at

Health authorities, which manage the ambulance service locally, are required by circulars HC(85)24 and HC(89)8 in England and WHC(85)34 in Wales, to ensure that all ambulance staff are made aware of the contingency plans at civil nuclear sites and how they fit in with health authorities' major accident plans, and that they receive appropriate precautionary training.National Health Service ambulance services have participated in exercises at Wylfa, Trawsfynydd, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point, Dungeness, Bradwell, Sizewell and Hartlepool, and have been alerted by the police to their possible involvement during exercises at Sellafield and Winfrith. Site emergency plans provide that National Health Service ambulance service personnel should be under the direct supervision of qualified staff in all areas where they are required to enter contaminated areas, and that the necessary dosimeters and professional health physics assistance and decontamination equipment be provided to any such visiting service by site management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what studies his Department has made of evacuation procedures and other aspects of the Chernobyl disaster; and if he will make a statement.

Following the Chernobyl accident a Government working group was established to review nuclear emergency planning. This culminated in the Prime Minister's statement to Parliament on 18 December 1986 at columns 612–13. This was followed by a further statement by the Prime Minister on 12 December 1988 at column 391.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the Central Electricity Generating Board last made a safety assessment of a nuclear reactor of a type akin to that at Chernobyl.

No such safety assessment has been made; the Central Electricity Generating Board has not sought a licence for a reactor with characteristics similar to that at Chernobyl.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what regulations he plans to make under section 6(3) of the Electricity Act 1989 on how applications for licences to generate, transmit or supply electricity are to be made.

Draft regulations and application forms have now been prepared. My Department and the Scottish Office are seeking the views of the electricity industry, including independent generators and suppliers, on these drafts. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I intend that the regulations will be laid before Parliament as soon as possible, to give those concerned ample time to submit applications before the licensing regime provided for in section 6 of the Act comes into effect at the end of March 1990. At the same time, an order will be laid under section 5(1) of the Act as to the classes of person who will be exempt from the licensing requirement, taking into account the consultation which my Department has recently undertaken.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he intends to take to stop the spread of rhizomania in sugar beet; and if he will make a statement.

Until this year there had been only one outbreak of rhizomania in this country and we applied restrictions to the farm concerned to isolate the infection and prevent it from spreading. Immediate measures included destruction of the infected crop and restrictions on movements on and off the farm. Longer-term measures involve restrictions on the pattern of farming. This year there have been two further outbreaks and we are applying similar measures. We are currently considering the precise extent of the longer-term restrictions in consultation with the farmers concerned.To prevent the introduction of rhizomania to this country we operate a range of statutory controls on imports. These include restrictions on imports of beet seeds and plants, a requirement that imported seed potatoes must come from rhizomania-free areas, a strict limitation on the amount of soil attached to imported vegetables and regulation of the disposal of waste soil following the commercial processing of the vegetables. We keep this range of measures under careful review, but I do not consider that any additional restrictions are justified at present.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to devolve central control of the inshore fishing industry of England and Wales to a regional fisheries management organisation which would co-ordinate the work of his Ministry's fisheries inspectorate and provide the contract and administrative body for the sea fisheries committees; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to create such a regional fisheries management body, but I am looking at alternative quota management measures.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Government are taking on the Tyrrell committee report on research into spongiform encephalopathies.

Dr. Tyrrell of the medical research council was asked by my predecessor and the Secretary of State for Health to chair a research consultative committee of scientific experts to advise on the research work in progress, and additional work required into the disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and to set out the priorities for further work. Copies of the Committee's interim report have been placed on the Library of the House. The report recommends a comprehensive programme of research on the epidemiology, transmissibility and diagnosis of BSE with the aim of extending scientific knowledge about this new disease so that animal and human health can continue to be protected and the disease eventually eradicated.The Government have considered the report very carefully and accept the recommendations of the committee. A number of the projects are covered by the substantial programme of research that is already in progress, representing spending of some £1·3 million in the current financial year. Preparatory work is in hand on the other projects which the Tyrrell committee recommended as urgent and of high priority. This represents additional funding from my Department's votes of some £2·2 million in 1990–92 and 1991–91, and £1·7 million in 1992–93. The Secretary of State for Health is setting in hand the high priority research that is within his Department's responsibility and the Secretary of State for Education and Science is considering the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on what additional allocation would be appropriate from the science budget to the agricultural and food research council in support of its proposed programme of research, including research into slow viruses.The undertaking of such a large-scale programme of research into BSE demonstrates the Government's determination to deal with this disease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on research sponsored by the research councils into environmental matters.

All the research sponsored by the natural environment research council is concerned in some way with environmental matters. In addition all the other four research councils support work that is concerned with the environment. Details of research into environmental matters can be found in each of the research councils' most recent annual reports, copies of which have been deposited in the Library over the last two months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list (a) those local education authorities which have had their system of local management of schools approved by his Department and (b) those local education authorities whose schemes have been refused.

The following local education authorities have had their schemes for the local management of schools formally approved for introduction in April 1990 or are being consulted about proposed modifications prior to approval:

• Avon
• Barking
• Barnet
• Barnsley
• Bedfordshire
• Birmingham
• Bolton
• Bromley
• Buckinghamshire
• Bury
• Calderdale
• Cambridgeshire
• Cheshire
• Cumbria
• Derbyshire
• Lancashire
• Lincolnshire
• Liverpool
• Merton
• Newcastle
• Norfolk
• Northamptonshire
• Northumberland
• Oxfordshire
• Richmond
• Rochdale
• Rotherham
• Sandwell
• Devon
• Doncaster
• Dudley
• Durham
• East Sussex
• Essex
• Gateshead
• Gloucestershire
• Hampshire
• Harrow
• Havering
• Humberside
• Isle of Wight
• Kent
• Kingston
• Salford
• Sheffield
• Shropshire
• Solihull
• South Tyneside
• Staffordshire
• Stockport
• Suffolk
• Sunderland
• Surrey
• Sutton
• Trafford
• Wakefield
• Warwickshire
• Westminster
• West Sussex
• Wiltshire

We have indicated to two authorities—Leicestershire and Hereford and Worcester—that their schemes cannot be approved in their present form and that formal implementation will therefore be deferred until April 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he proposes any changes in the arrangements for funding scientific research projects.

The Department has today issued a consultative paper proposing changes in the method of supporting research council-funded projects in universities and other higher education institutions. Copies are being placed in the Library.Under the current system of dual support, research sponsored by research councils in universities and other higher education institutions is funded partly from grants from the councils and partly by the institutions from their block funding. In recent years, the boundary within this system determining who pays for what has become blurred. As the ABRC has pointed out, the resulting confusion can have harmful effects—giving rise to unproductive arguments about funding responsibility, to some projects being inadequately resourced and so inefficient, and to an inadequate appreciation of the real costs of projects and ill-informed decisions on the deployment of resources.The consultative paper proposes a new, clearer definition of the boundary. We propose that from the academic year 1991–92, universities and other institutions would continue to pay the salaries of academic staff contributing to research council projects and to provide premises free of charge. All other costs of these projects would be met by the research councils through their grants. The change in responsibility would be reflected in the amount of grant which the research councils and the institutions receive from central Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will be producing new guidance for local education authorities on staffing for pupils with special educational needs.

My Department is today issuing for consultation a draft circular containing guidance on staffing for pupils with special educational needs. The document covers both teaching and non-teaching staff in special schools and in ordinary schools. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to extend payment of Civil Service widows' pensions to the widows of post-retirement marriages with civil servants who retired before April 1978;(2) what would be the cost of extending payment of Civil Service widows' pensions to the widows of post-retirement marriages with civil servants who retired before April 1978.

I am afraid that I can hold out no hope of amendment of the Civil Service pension scheme to provide for the payment of pensions to the widows of post-retirement marriages whose husbands retired before 6 April 1978. It is rarely, if ever, possible to make retrospective improvements in pension arrangements and an exception in this particular case could not be justified. The data necessary for a reliable assessment to be made of the cost of an extension in widow's pension cover are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much value added tax was paid per annum by an average family in 1978–79; and what is the most recent estimate.

A family consisting of a married man on average male earnings, his wife and two children would have paid approximately £130 in VAT in 1978–79 (some 2·7 per cent. of earnings) and will pay about £730 in 1989–90 (roughly 5 per cent. of earnings).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials are employed at the Treasury to advise him on estimates of privatisation proceeds.

The Treasury's public enterprises group, responsible for privatisation and nationalised industry policy, employs 29 people. However, estimates of proceeds from individual sales are the responsibility of the Departments concerned.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why normal commercial accountancy and auditing methods do not apply to the public sector.

Normal commercial accountancy and auditing methods are employed or are being developed in the public sector where it is considered appropriate to use them, for example where Government Departments are engaged in commercial or quasi-commercial activities.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to ensure that the proposed European Community development bank for eastern Europe will provide technical advice on the creation of free markets as well as providing financial aid.

The details of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are yet to be decided. In general, the Government support the encouragement of free enterprise in eastern Europe and will be pressing for the bank to be set up so as best to promote that aim.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many seizures of endangered species of flora and fauna have been made at ports of entry by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in each of the past three years;(2) how many seizures of endangered species of flora and fauna have been made at United Kingdom ports of entry by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in each of the last three years.

[holding answer 8 January 1980]: The details sought are given in the following table. The figures show the number of live creatures, plants and articles derived from endangered species seized by Customs because their importation or exportation contravened the restrictions imposed by the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 or Council Regulation No. 3626/82.

Year to 31 March	Live creatures	Plants	Articles
1987	1,604	—	6,304
1988	2,284	500	3,000
1989	1,915	7,900	9,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (i) the statutory requirements governing the publication of reports of the Northern Ireland electricity service, (ii) the dates on which such reports have been published in each year since nationalisation, either for existing or predecessor corporations, and (iii) indicate, if appropriate, when the report for 1988–89 will be published.

The information is as follows:

1. Article 12 of the Electricity Supply (Northern Ireland) Order 1972.

2. Since the establishment of the Northern Ireland Electricity Service by the above Order in 1973 the Annual Reports have been published as follows:

Report for	Published on
Year ended 31 March
1974	21 March 1975
1975	10 December 1975
1976	15 November 1976
1977	25 October 1977
1978	7 September 1978
1979	2 October 1979
1980	28 August 1980
1981	29 September 1981
1982	August 19821
1983	8 July 1983
1984	23 July 1984
1985	22 July 1985
1986	22 July 1986
1987	6 July 1987
1988	5 July 1988
1 Exact date not known.

3. The annual report for 1988–89 was published on 11 July 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many vehicles use Linenhall street, Limavady each day; and what is the maximum and minimum hourly flow of traffic;(2) whether he has any estimate into the hourly vehicle capacity of Linenhall street, Limavady.

It is estimated that 11,200 vehicles use Linenhall street, Limavady, over a 16-hour daily period with maximum and minimum hourly flows of 1,078 and 692 vehicles respectively. The street has an estimated hourly capacity of 1,500 vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expenditure was made by his Department on (a) the arts and (b) design in the last financial year.

[holding answer 21 December 1989]: In 1988–89 the Department of Education (NI) made direct grants of some £4·8 million to the Arts Council (NI) and other bodies in the arts field. Expenditure in support of the arts and of design, or design education, is not separately identifiable within the resources allocated to schools, colleges and universities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were on remand in the prisons of Northern Ireland on 30 November 1989; what was the longest term of remand; and what were the comparable figures for the last three years.

[holding answer 21 December 1989]: On 26 October 1989, the lastest date for which figures are available, there were 343 prisoners in remand custody in prisons in Northern Ireland. At that date the longest time spent in remand custody by an individual prisoner was 131 days.Comparable figures for remand prisoners for the same day in 1986, 1987 and 1988 are 292, 313, 272 respectively. The details of longest time served for those years is not readily available and could not be produced except at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if any Department for which he has responsibility retains any financial responsibility or liability for the formerly publicly owned companies of Short Bros.

[holding answer 21 December 1989]: The Department of Economic Development wholly owns four aircraft financing companies which were formerly subsidiaries of Short Brothers plc and is responsible for meeting their liabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made through the chemical weapons convention in achieving a comprehensive and verifiable global ban on the production and use of chemical weapons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in regard to the international negotiations concerning chemical weapons.

Useful progress has been made in Geneva on a number of the complex issues involved in the negotiations on a chemical weapons convention, but much work remains to be done particularly in the crucial area of verification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of telegram 597, dated 16 December 1985, from the British High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement concerning the contents of the telegram.

No. The matter covered by the document in question is currently sub-judice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will order an independent inquiry into the performance since 1 January 1988 of the chambers of the Attorney-General of Hong Kong.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the performance since 1 January 1988 of the chambers of the Attorney-General of Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied with the performance of the Hong Kong Attorney-General's chambers since 1 January 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what positions have been held in the chambers of the Attorney-General of Hong Kong by Mr. Warwick Reid; since when and on what grounds Mr. Reid has been suspended; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Reid has held the positions of Crown counsel, senior Crown counsel, deputy principal Crown counsel, and principal Crown counsel. Except for a period of 10 months in the post of assistant to the Attorney-General, his career has been spent in the prosecutions division where, until recently, he held the post of deputy Crown prosecutor. Mr. Reid was suspended from duty on 30 October 1989 following his arrest by officers of the Independent Commission Against Corruption for suspected offences contrary to the prevention of bribery ordinance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the Vietnamese authorities concerning the continued imprisonment of (a) Nguyen Nan Tuoi and (b) Nguyen Huu Guong; and if he will make a statement;(2) what representations he has made to the Vietnamese authorities concerning the continued imprisonment of

We have raised the question of political prisoners with the Vietnamese authorities both with our partners in the European Community and bilaterally. The most recent EC demarche, concerning a number of detainees imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs, was made to the Vietnamese Government on 29 December. The Twelve have also raised at the United Nations continuing reports of abuses of human rights in Vietnam, and have called on Vietnam to release, without delay, those prisoners detained without a fair trial. We shall continue to seek appropriate opportunities to raise specific cases of human rights abuses, including those mentioned by the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials specifically designated to deal with trade relations there were at each embassy or consulate in each Warsaw pact country in April 1989; and how many he expects to be in post in April 1990.

As of April 1989 there were 46 staff specifically dealing with commercial and economic affairs in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe countries which are members of the Warsaw pact, in addition to the ambassadors and their deputies in each post who of course have commercial roles. The distribution was as follows:

	Number
USSR	13
Poland	7
Hungary	6
Czechoslovakia	6
GDR	5
Bulgaria	4
Romania	5

There are no plans at present to increase commercial staff in these countries. The situation in each is however kept under review, in consultation with the British Overseas Trade Board and the Department of Trade and Industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the level of direct economic aid which Her Majesty's Government has provided (a) bilaterally and (b) through the European Community to (i) Poland, (ii) Hungary, (iii) Bulgaria, (iv) Czechoslovakia and (v) East Germany since the beginning of 1989; and whether any such assistance will be used to construct free markets.

We have so far committed funds only for Poland and Hungary. Details are as follows. A great deal of our total aid is being used to encourage the development of market economies. We do not yet have programmes for the other countries of eastern Europe but stand ready to respond to their needs at the time they put into place the necessary economic and political reforms. United Kingdom Assistance for Poland

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to provide economic assistance to Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the German Democratic Republic.

We are assisting Poland and Hungary through the know-how funds and other bilateral aid efforts, as well as our contribution to EC programmes. We, together with other OECD countries, have declared our willingness to respond positively to other countries in eastern Europe at the time they put into place necessary political and economic reforms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make it his policy to ensure that bilateral and European Community assistance to the emerging democracies in Eastern Europe emphasises the mechanisms needed to create free markets in those countries.

The know-how funds for Poland and Hungary set up by the Government aim to provide the skills needed to run free market economies and democratic societies. A great deal of EC project aid for these countries will be directed at vocational and management training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the practice for his office to be informed of visits to foreign countries by close relatives of Ministers.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations took place with EEC Governments before British endorsement of the United States invasion of Panama was given.

Consultations with EC Governments began on 20 December as soon as we had information about the US action. A statement by the Twelve was issued on 22 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further information he has about injuries suffered by British subjects and damage of British-owned property in Panama as a result of the invasion by the United States of America; and what efforts he has made to establish the level of death and injuries among Panamanian civilians.

So far as we have been able to establish, the only British national to suffer injury was a Reuters journalist who received medical treatment for a bullet wound in the thigh. I understand that he is now fully recovered. The British embassy residence suffered some damage to windows and walls which has now been repaired. There have been varying estimates of deaths and injuries among Panamanian civilians, which are hard to verify. The Panamanian authorities have not yet issued any official figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

The following ministerial meeting is scheduled:

22–23 January—Agriculture Council.

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the future of the monks, nuns and priests at present in the Hong Kong refugee camps once repatriated.

[holding answer 14 December 1989]: No monks, nuns or priests have been screened out as non-refugees. Any who arrived in Hong Kong before 16 June 1988, when screening was introduced, would have been granted refugee status and will be eligible for resettlement in the West. Among those still awaiting screening, the Hong Kong authorities have identified six nuns and four monks, all of them Buddhists, but no priests. When they are screened, such people would have a good claim to refugee status if they can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution on religious grounds. If they are found to merit refugee status, they will then be removed to a refugee camp to await resettlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies are being undertaken by the transport and road research laboratory into ethanol and methanol fuels for large-scale private and commercial road vehicle use.

The energy technology support unit published a report "An assessment of bioethanol as a transport fuel in the UK" in 1988 (ETSU Report R-44). Copies will be placed in the Library. The transport and road research laboratory's vehicles and environment division keeps in touch with the work going on worldwide on alternative fuels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what valuations of land and buildings at Prestwick airport, including land not needed for airport development, have been made since 1979; and what were the figures received;(2) what valuations of the land at Prestwick airport not required for airport operations were carried out by his Department, by the British Airports Authority, or by or on behalf of his or their advisers prior to privatisation; and what were the figures received;(3) what was the valuation of Prestwick airport, including land not required for airport operations, when last valued by the British Airports Authority prior to privatisation;(4) when the land at Prestwick airport, including land not required for airport operations, was last valued for his Department; and what was the valuation received.

The following gross current cost valuations of land and buildings have been provided by BAA plc, based on the published accounts of Prestwick Airport Limited, which was first incorporated on 6 January 1986.

Year ended March	£ thousand
1987	27,552
1988	28,556
1989	32,974

The prospectus offering shares in BAA plc for sale noted that non-operational land and buildings at the seven BAA airports were valued at 1 April 1986 by Debenham, Tewson and Chinnock at £91 million. No separate figure was given for Prestwick airport. The prospectus gave a figure of £1,400 million for fixed assets at all of the BAA airports at 31 March 1987, but again did not separately identify a figure for land at Prestwick.The Department has no readily available record of any earlier figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what road improvement schemes are being supported in the London borough of Lambeth by a transport supplementary grant in 1990–91.

The London borough of Lambeth will receive transport supplementary grant of £154,000 in 1990–91 towards its contribution to Londonwide urban traffic control systems and for unspecified minor works on roads of more than local importance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now announce the 1990–91 supplementary credit approvals for public airport companies and local authority airports.

Supplementary credit approvals totalling £59 million will be available for public airport companies and local authority airports for 1990–91. These borrowing approvals, together with other resources which public airport companies expect at this stage to invest, will assist the airports concerned to provide facilities which they estimate could cost some £117 million in 1990–91. I have today agreed to supplementary credit approvals totalling £46 million at this stage. The major projects concerned include the continuation of work on terminal 2 at Manchester airport and of infrastructure for the Eurohub terminal at Birmingham airport. Formal supplementary credit approvals will be issued as soon as part IV of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 comes into effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received representations from any environmental agency or organisation which supports "Roads for Prosperity".

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: A large number of organisations, including some with environmental concerns as part of their remit, have responded to "Roads for Prosperity".

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to ensure that cyclists are not disadvantaged in plans for Britain's road network.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The Department takes the needs of cyclists into account when planning new trunk roads and improving existing ones. Close attention is paid to the design of junctions and other locations where cyclists are known to be at greatest risk, and we try to enhance the safety and convenience of routes for cyclists. We encourage local highway authorities, which are responsible for the roads on which most cycling takes place, to do the same. We shall continue to promote safer cycling mainly through the publication of technical advice and guidance based on our research and application studies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to plan for cyclists within their tranportation plans; and if he will ensure that such initiatives are properly resourced.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: Decisions on allocating resources for cycling and the appropriate level of provision are for individual highway authorities to take. The current circular to local authorities on transport policies and programme submissions for 1990–91 encourages them to provide facilities which benefit cyclists. Such schemes will be considered for transport supplementary grant when they are integral to highway or traffic management schemes which are large enough to qualify for grant in their own right.The Department makes available technical advice mainly in the form of publications which are available from our regional offices (free traffic advisory leaflets) and Her Majesty's Stationery Office (local transport notes). Copies are placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to reduce the level of car accidents from the current level.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: We aim to reduce road casualties, including car accidents, by a third by the year 2000. Copies of the second annual progress report "Road Casualty Reduction" are in the Library. Action covers roads, vehicles and drivers. Key features are bypasses, low-cost local safety schemes, traffic calming in residential areas, better signing and lighting, improved vehicle safety standards, effective driver training and testing and a developing framework of road traffic law and enforcement measures to foster sensible driving behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been undertaken into the number of fatal accidents involving two-door as against four-door cars.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: I am not aware of any specific research on this topic. The Department's database on accidents involving injuries to car occupants indicates that the ratio of two or three-door cars to four or five-door cars involved in fatal accidents follows closely their respective ratios in the car population. The following table illustrates this for the year ending 31 December 1988.

per cent.
	2/3 Doors	4/5 Doors	Estates
Total GB population (cars in 1988)	37·8	53·7	8·5
Fatal Accidents	38·9	53·4	7·7

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact his proposals for road improvement will have on inner-city congestion; and what consultation he has had with local authorities about his planned road building programme.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The schemes in the Government's trunk road programme are designed to deal selectively with forecast levels of demand and congestion mostly on the inter-urban network, where recent traffic growth has been highest. Inner-city roads are by and large the responsibility of local highway authorities, with which the Department maintains regular contacts.Schemes in the trunk road programme will benefit inner-city areas by relieving traffic congestion and making them more attractive places for people to live and work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Council for the Protection of Rural England, Friends of the Earth, the Ramblers Association, Transport 2000, the Youth Hostels Association, the Environment Council, Greenpeace, the Royal Society for Nature Conservation and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature on his proposals; and what action he is taking.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: We have received copies of the publication "Roads to Ruin" from these organisations. Some have separately written to me. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Secretary of State's response to "Roads to Ruin".

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the total numbers of casualties, serious injuries and deaths on (a) British roads, (b) British railways during 1988.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: In 1988, a total of 322,305 persons were killed or injured in accidents on British roads. This total includes 63,491 persons seriously injured and 5,052 persons killed.In the same year, a total of 10,963 persons were killed or injured in accidents on British railways. This total includes 596 persons who sustained major injuries and 97 persons killed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on any action which he has taken to improve safety on the A52 trunk road bypassing Bottesford, Leicestershire, since the site meeting attended by representatives of his Department on 17 May; and whether he will list the action taken in response to each of the paragraphs of the departmental minute of proceedings sent to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on 7 August.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The Department is continuing to monitor the situation. Additional signs and road markings have been provided and arrangements are in hand for "soft verge" signs and for enhancing the daytime visibility of road markings on the concrete surface. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 21 December 1989, Official Report, column 364, if he will state by what means his Department ensures the careful programming and traffic management arrangements of works on its own roads.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The Department oversees works carried out by its agents and seeks to ensure co-ordination in the timing and method of works. It issues departmental standards and guidance to agents on the safe design and method of carrying out works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 21 December 1989, Official Report, column 363, if he will list those various organisations, other than highway authorities and the main public utilities, empowered to carry out excavation in the public highway.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: This information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 21 December 1989, Official Report, column 364, how his Department encourages highway authorities to promote co-operation between organisations having statutory rights to excavate roads.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The Department has encouraged the formation of local liaison groups between highway authorities and utilities. It has been discussing with the Association of London Borough Engineers and Surveyors the formation of a London joint utilities group. It chaired the group which last year produced a written understanding between highway authorities and utilities in London docklands on the timing and co-ordination of works.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 19 December, Official Report, column 126, if he will give the length of time the vacant posts in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution have remained vacant, details of all posts on the establishment created within the past 12 months and the breakdown of field work inspection staff and support staff; what information he has on the salary scales applicable in private industry and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for similar levels of work.

When HMIP was established there were 66 vacancies. Since then the staff complement has been increased by 37 posts, 13 announced in December 1988, three in January 1989 and 21 with effect from 2 October 1989. Allowing for the transfer in 1988 of 11 posts to a policy division there are currently 41 vacancies and recruitment competitions are being conducted to fill them. HMIP has 85 field inspectors supported by 29 administrative staff. The biennial remuneration survey of the Royal Society of Chemistry, carried out in January 1988, gave the income for the upper quartile of about £17,000 for members of the society at comparable levels to recruitment grade pollution inspectors. The current recruitment competition for pollution inspectors offers salaries ranging from £18,485 to £24,075, up to £2,835 higher in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he intends to introduce to ensure effective enforcement of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 including regulations.

The Department is preparing a consultation paper to be issued in the spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to review the salary structure of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

The salary structure for professional staff in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has been reviewed recently, and this has resulted in the substantial salary increases being offered in the current recruitment drive for pollution inspectors. The position will be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what system has been agreed for the frequency of inspection of works subject to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution control; and if he will publish the programme for inspection.

Targets for inspection of works subject to control by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution are set annually according to management's assessment of regulation requirements and priorities. Details of HMIP's inspection programme for 1989–90 are set out in the Department's management information system return (MINIS 10), which is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish and when is the closing date for the public consultation exercise for the regulations to be introduced under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989.

The enforcement of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 will be a matter for the waste regulation authorities. Regulations to implement the provisions of the Act will be laid as soon as possible after consultation with interested parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what scientific evidence will be used to formulate proposals to reduce carbon dioxide emissions following the Environment Council meeting of 28 November.

A comprehensive assessment of the scientific evidence for climatic change and its possible impacts is being undertaken by the working groups of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. The IPCC will report later this year and its work will be considered at the second world climate conference in November 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of purpose-built disabled persons' bungalows owned by (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations; what plans he has to increase resources available for this work; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities report the number of their dwellings that have been specially designed or adapted for use by the disabled and those owned by housing associations, in their annual housing investment programme returns (HIP1). These returns do not distinguish bungalows from other dwelling types. Preliminary estimates for April 1989 of the number of local authority wheelchair and other dwellings for the disabled appear in columns A2c1 and A2d1, respectively, of "1989 HIP1— Regional Grossing"; the small number of dwellings owned by the local authorities outside their areas are shown at columns A2c6 and A2d6. Corresponding estimates of the numbers of housing association wheelchair and other dwellings for the disabled appear in columns A2c2 and A2d2. A copy of the document is in the Library.We have established a statutory and financial framework to enable housing associations and the private sector to increase their provision for those in housing need, including the disabled.The Government announced last November that total provision for gross capital expenditure by the Housing Corporation will double over the next three years, rising from £818 million this year to £1,736 million in 1992–93. Detailed allocations of funds to individual types of schemes are the responsibility of the corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of consultation on the discussion paper on the environmental labelling of consumer products.

Yes. My Department received over 90 responses to the discussion paper from a wide range of interested parties and individuals. A list of responses received has been placed in the Library of the House. Copies of individual responses may be received through the Library. We are grateful to all concerned for offering their views.Consultation has shown that there is overwhelming support for an official eco-labelling scheme operating on a European Communitywide basis which is simple, flexible, transparent and commands public respect. I was pleased that the Environment Council supported this proposal at its meeting on 19 September. We intend to work closely with the European Commission and with our European partners to maintain the momentum of this initiative, taking account of the views of interested groups in this country.A very clear majority of consultees supported our proposal that participation by companies in a scheme should be voluntary, but concern was expressed about the adequacy of controls over the making of environmental claims more generally. Policy on the latter is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. On his behalf, I can confirm that we shall be considering these representations further, looking at the possibility both of a code of practice on environmental claims and of amending the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act. The Department of Trade and Industry will be issuing a consultation letter for this purpose shortly.Some useful comments were received on the approach which should be adopted in selecting product groups covered by the scheme. We agree with the view expressed by a number of respondents that the aim should be to get a scheme up and running as quickly as possible, and that it should focus on products with a significant environmental impact or where consumers most clearly need the guidance which an eco-label is intended to provide. We intend to look at the selection of product categories in line with these considerations.Respondents were divided on questions of what product categories should be included in a scheme. We remain of the view that food and drink should be excluded, both because there are already extensive controls on misleading and false food descriptions, and because of the need to give a scheme a tight initial focus. We agree with the view often expressed by respondents, that it would be confusing to label packaging separately from products, but we consider that it should be possible for the assessment of a product's eligibility for an eco-label to take account of packaging considerations.We are committed to establishing a scheme that is both credible and workable. These objectives are especially relevant to the assessment process which must underlie the award of an eco-label. Consultation has shown that confining that assessment to the direct environmental impact of a product during use and disposal would not be regarded as credible. We accept, therefore, that the assessment should be based on the setting of criteria reflecting the key characteristics of a product's environmental impact from cradle to grave. We also believe that the pass mark required to receive an official label should be set towards the top end of what technology permits, so as to give producers a real incentive to improve their environmental performance, but not so high as to distort the market or impose disproportionate costs on business. The aim must be to work with the grain of market forces, not against it.There was some support among respondents for a graded approach to eco-labelling, under which progressively higher standards of improvement in a product's environmental impact could be recognised, for example, by awarding one or more stars. We consider that such an approach could complicate the process of assessment unacceptably, and that it would not have the same clear attraction for the market as a more straightforward pass/fail system.Responses were divided on the timing of the award of an eco-label. We consider that manufacturers will need the certainty of a finite minimum period, after which the award of the label should be subject to review. We recognise, however, that the length of that period may well need to differ between product categories, depending not least on differing expectations of technological advance.Consultation showed wide support for a strong national element in the development and implementation of a European Community scheme, and for arrangements which would involve interested groups on a continuing basis. We consider that these must be features of the organisation of a scheme.It will clearly be necessary for agreement to be reached at the European level on the product categories to be selected, on the criteria to be used for their assessment, and on the standards to be set. It will be no less important to create national arrangements which ensure that opinion in each member state on these issues is properly represented at Community level. The practical operation of the scheme should also be nationally based through the determination at the national level of applications from companies for their products to be awarded an eco-label on the basis of the categories, criteria and standards agreed on a European basis. The award of a label to a particular product in one member state would be valid across the Community. We remain of the view that an organisation appropriate to these objectives would involve a single panel at the Community level advised by a series a national panels. We shall want to ensure that the organisation involves a minimum of bureacuracy and provides an effective response to the needs of consumers and producers. We re-emphasise our view that the scheme in operation should aim to be self-financing.The consultation process has enabled us to take a view on the main issues that need to be addressed in getting an eco-labelling scheme under way. A lot more work needs to be done on the detail of a scheme, however. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I therefore propose to set up a small advisory group, to be composed of individuals with experience and knowledge relevant to the subject, to provide advice on the further development of the scheme. I shall make a further announcement shortly about the membership of the group.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to apply the best available technology to minimise and eliminate any pollution caused by radioactive discharges from nuclear industries, including reprocessing plants, into the marine environment.

[holding answer 20 December 1989]: Radioactive waste may be discharged from nuclear installations only if an authorisation has been issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 jointly by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Such authorisations are issued only after careful assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed disposals to ensure that doses to the public are below the maximum permissible limits as recommended by the International Committee on Radiological Protection. All authorisations impose a requirement on operators to minimise discharges and to carry out a programme of monitoring including the marine environment where appropriate. All such premises are subject to scrutiny by inspectors to ensure compliance with the terms of the authorisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list all actions taken by his Department since 1979 to encourage the inclusion of energy conservation policies in structure plans;(2) whether his Department requires discussion of energy conservation policies to be included in structure plans;(3) whether his Department requires discussion of energy conservation measures within the explanatory memoranda attached to structure plans.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The memorandum attached to DOE circular 22/84 consolidated earlier advice on plan preparation, and remains the main source of guidance to local planning authorities on the content of structure plans. County planning authorities are required to have regard to current national and regional policies and to set out in the explanatory memorandum the relationship between these and the development and land use policies for the area (para 4.7). The explanatory memorandum accompanying structure plan proposals should include an indication of assumptions made about the resources likely to be available for carrying out the policies amd proposals formulated. It should

"have particular regard to the conservation of resources such as land and energy"

(para 4.9).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which counties (a) do and (b) do not include explicit discussion of energy conservation in the explanatory memoranda attached to their structure plans;(2) which counties

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the public right of way through Downing street has been extinguished; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: Access to Downing street is controlled under police common law powers which allow them to take reasonable steps to preserve the peace and prevent threats to it.The present barriers at the Whitehall entrance to Downing street which the demountable gate will replace have been in place since 1982.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis the decision was taken to erect railings in Downing street; and who made the recommendation for their erection.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: The purpose of the new demountable gateway is to enhance the security of Downing street. It is not the Government's practice to comment on such security measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost to public funds of all works associated with the erection of railings at the Whitehall end of Downing street.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: It is not the Government's practice to comment on the costing of individual security measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which authority gave planning permission for the erection of railings at the Whitehall end of Downing street; what notice was given to interested parties; and whether any objections were received.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: Normal procedures under DOE circular 18/84 were followed, including consultation with English Heritage and the Royal Fine Art Commission. Proposals were submitted to Westminster city council in May 1989; amended in September following consultations, and approved by letter dated 4 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ascertain whether the Gwent district auditor has carried out an investigation into how many fees for (a) firearm certificates and (b) shotgun certificates have been paid in respect of renewals from 1 January until the latest available date;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to whether his officers issue a receipt for each shotgun or firearm taken into the possession of the police;(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent into the contents and accuracy of his letter, reference HJ/DJD, dated 7 December, regarding the whereabouts of the shotgun mentioned in the letter, which was signed by Helen Jordan, Office Manager, Firearms Administration;(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Gwent as to how many

No. Responsibility for the administration of firearm control is a matter for the chief officer of police for the area concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the application for a shotgun certificate as issued by the Staffordshire constabulary.

Applications for the grant or renewal of a shotgun certificate may be made only in the form prescribed under the Firearms Rules 1989, a copy of which is in the Library. I understand from the chief constable of Staffordshire that the form issued by his force in addition to that prescribed by the rules has accordingly been withdrawn from use.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to investigate with the British Standards Institute the specifications for a standard for (a) firearms, (b) shotgun and (c) ammunition enclosure for use in domestic premises for the storage of (i)sporting firearms, (ii)sporting shotguns and (iii)ammunition.

I understand that a committee of the British Standards Institution, on which the Home Office crime prevention centre is represented, is currently considering the introduction of a British standard for the safekeeping of firearms and their ammunition, and the safekeeping of shotguns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the hospitals where an energy management assessment study has been made; and if he will make a statement.

Detailed energy assessments have been completed for 140 hospitals and will be completed for all remaining hospitals by the end of 1990.Health boards are encouraged to undertake surveys of energy management for all hospitals to ensure that energy is used efficiently and boards have been given detailed guidance on energy efficiency practices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what studies have been done, for Chapelcross, Dounreay, Hunterston and Torness, on the problems of evacuating all mobility groups in the event of a worst-case atomic accident, giving for each study the geographical area covered.

Within the framework of the emergency plans which must be prepared by the operators of civil installations in Scotland and of their own related contingency plans, the police are responsible for evacuation. I understand from the chief constables of the forces concerned that their contingency plans for evacuation of the population in the event of a large-scale emergency take account of the problems of evacuating low-mobility groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if ambulance staff have participated in exercises for local emergency plans at each of Chapelcross, Dounreay, Torness and Hunterston; and in each case which units participated.

Local ambulance units have participated in exercises to test the emergency plans at Torness and Hunterston. The ambulance service has not yet participated in any such exercises at Dounreay or Chapelcross, although each service is fully aware of its role under the respective emergency plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give, for each health board and the total for the National Health Service in Scotland (a) the total number of licensed vehicles at the latest available date, (b) the total amount spent on energy during the latest year for which figures are available, broken down into (i)petrol supply, (ii)electricity supply, (iii)gas supply and (iv)other and (c) the total amount spent on insulation on the National Health Service estate; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 December 1989]: Statistics on the number of licensed vehicles and on the amount spent on energy are not held in the form requested.Figures for the total amount spent on insulation on the National Health Service estate are not available since such costs are included in both new buildings and general renovation.Health boards have been encouraged by Ministers to pursue energy conservation policies, and savings already achieved include a 6 per cent. reduction in hospitals' energy consumption over the last three years. Energy costs have fallen from £40·9 million in 1985–86 to £30·2 million in 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the number of eye tests in Scotland.

[holding answer 8 January 1990]: Between 1 April and 30 September 1989, 281,570 NHS sight tests have been carried out in Scotland under the general ophthalmic services. No information on the number of private sight tests in Scotland is held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown of board and lodging expenditure for residential care accommodation in Blyth Valley in the last financial year.

I regret that information in the form requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state (a) the weekly benefit entitlement when not working of a single parent with two children aged eight and 12 years and (b) the weekly income of a single parent with two children, also aged eight and 12 years, with earnings of £10, £15, £20, £30, £40 and £50.

The information requested is set out in the table:

Net income after housing costs at various levels of net earnings
Net earnings (per week)	Net income after housing costs £ per week
(a) Not working	78·00
(b) £10 part-time	88·00
(c) £15 part-time	93·00
(d) £20 part-time	93·00
(e) £30 full-time	93·97
(f) £40 full-time	95·47
(g) £50 full-time	96·74

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what co-operation he received from the Dutch in dealing with the lead contamination of cattle feed; and if he will make a statement on the situation in Wales.

The Dutch authorities acted promptly in alerting the United Kingdom Government on 1 November that contaminated feed had been imported into the United Kingdom. Subsequently there was close liaison between Dutch officials, United Kingdom embassy staff in the Hague and officials in the United Kingdom in an effort to clarify the events leading to the contamination.In Wales, restriction orders on the movement of milk have been lifted; 159 farms remain under restriction for the movement of livestock.Schemes have been introduced to allow animals to be released from controls, subject to satisfactory results from blood testing and on condition that the bone and offal from slaughtered animals is not used for human consumption. Since the introduction of the schemes some 8,000 animals have been cleared in Wales.Our primary aim has been to prevent contaminated products reaching the public. An extensive research programme is under way to monitor the rate of decay of lead in animals and depending on the results it may be possible to reduce some of the controls. Restriction cannot be eased until it is absolutely safe to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest assessment of economic conditions for upland farms in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I am fully apprised of the economic conditions for upland farms in Wales. The economic conditions in the hills and uplands of Wales were assessed during the annual review of the hill livestock compensatory allowances (HLCAs). An announcement on the HLCA rates for 1990 will be made very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of paediatric intensive care cots available in Wales; and the number in each health authority and their locations within each health authority in 1979–80, 1983–84 and 1988–89.

Information on paediatric intensive care cots is not available centrally. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 18 December 1989, which provides the available statistics on special care baby unit cots.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside of 11 December 1989, Official Report, columns 473–74, on the number of people in employment in Wales, if he will provide comparable figures by Welsh county;(2) if he will provide, in separate tables, information on the work force in employment, male and female, full-time and part-time, for each quarter since 1980 with actual and percentage changes by quarter and year for Wales, and for each Welsh county.

I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report her reply to the open letter from Mr. R. W. Rowland, managing director and chief executive of Lonrho plc, dated 30 November.

No reply was sent.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has been on a train in her official capacity during the Christmas recess.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 29 November, Official Report, column 318, what is the nature of the know-how advice to be given to Poland and Hungary; and what information it contains on ways to create free markets.

The Polish authorities have themselves already implemented a comprehensive economic programme which aims to move Poland towards free market conditions. We have provided economic advice to the Ministry of Finance. In addition, the know-how fund is directed partly at helping Polish managers adjust to such conditions, by means of seminars and formal and informal training.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 January.

This morning I had meetings with ministrial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the level of output in (a) dozen pairs and (b) numbers of full-time employees in the United Kingdom footwear industry at (i) the latest available date, and (ii)in 1979.

The available figures are shown in the table:

United Kingdom footwear industry (SIC 4510)
Unit (i)	Year ended 30 June 1989	(ii) 1979
(a) United Kingdom manufacturers sales1
Million pairs	119·2	149·3
Unit (i)	At June 1989	(ii) At June 1979
(b) Employees2
Thousands	46·6	68·8
1Source: Business Statistics Office. For 1979 the figures relate to establishments employing 25 or more persons and for the year ended 30 June 1989 to establishments employing 50 or more persons.
2Source: Department of Employment. Great Britain only. Part-time employees are included. Figures are based on a small sample and are subject to some estimation error.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of British merchant shipbuilding capacity.

British merchant shipbuilding capacity will depend on the level of demand and the industry's ability to obtain orders in the face of international competition. The Government provide substantial support to the industry to assist its return to normal competitive conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what calculations have been made as to the effect of any plans to break up the exclusive privilege of Royal Mail to deliver items on (a) cost and frequency of delivery to rural households, (b) cost and frequency of delivery to businesses in rural and regional areas outside London arid city centres and (c) the number of postal workers employed by the Royal Mail in rural and regional delivery services.

We keep the options under review, but have no plans to end the letter monopoly at present. However, we have made it clear that the Post Office's monopoly is a privilege, not a right, and in the event of a cessation or serious disruption of the letter service, we would consider suspending it. I should add, however, that we attach considerable importance to the maintenance of the rural delivery network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to visit Cardiff and inspect the work of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Trade has already visited Cardiff. I hope to do so myself shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will provide an estimate of the increase in the volume of output of the electrical engineering industry since (a) 1973 and (b) 1979 less defence-related production.

It is not practicable to exclude defence-related goods from the output data available. The output of the electrical and electronic engineering sector (Class 34 of the Standard Industrial Classification—not stock adjusted), was 32 per cent. higher in the three months to October 1989 than the average for 1973, and 31 per cent. higher than the average for 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the competitiveness of British Industry.

Most of my contacts with industry and commerce involve matters having a bearing on United Kingdom competitiveness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the state of the hosiery and knitwear industry in the city of Leicester.

While I acknowledge the problems being experienced by the hosiery and knitwear industry in Leicester, I believe I made the Government's position clear in the Adjournment debate initiated by my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) on 12 December.As I stated then the Government are prepared to contribute towards collaborative research and development projects through which the textile industry can improve its efficiency and competitiveness.I am pleased to announce, therefore, that the Government are to provide £2·8 million over three years for a major project based in Leicester designed to improve automated assembly techniques in the garment sector. The total cost of the project will be £7·3 million. It will involve 22 industrial organisations and four leading academic institutions and will be co-ordinated by Leicester polytechnic.The work will develop an advanced manufacturing facility to address the problems associated with the integration of manufacturing processes.A garment design and manufacturing plant located at Leicester polytechnic will be used to demonstrate the techniques developed during the three-year research phase of the project, which will offer obvious benefits for the Leicester knitted garment industry.