To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when his inspectors last visited Ko Hsuan school in North Devon; what inquiries they made; if he will publish their report; and if he will now make a statement on the information he has concerning the recent suicide of a pupil at the school.

My Department has asked for a full explanation from the school of the circumstances leading up to the tragic death of Nicholas Shultz.Her Majesty's inspectors last visited the school in September 1988 to advise the Department about its final registration. The visit involved not only observation of work in progress but discussions with senior management about the curriculum. The boarding accommodation was briefly visited; there was no evidence of boys and girls sharing the same dormitory or bedroom. This was one of the many visits to independent schools carried out by Her Majesty's inspectorate as part of its routine information-gathering. As such, it will not lead to a published report.

Figures in £'s
	Nat Press	Reg Press	Specialist Press	1Other	Total
1986–87
Northern Board	4,722	73,268	8,959	—	86,949
Southern Board	—	62,542	5,673	—	68,215
Eastern Board	6,232	75,628	12,275	9,725	103,860
Western Board	4,617	70,999	4,980	—	80,596
Central Services Agency2	—	13,775	4,048	—	17,823
1987–88
Northern Board	8,142	69,485	8,290	—	85,917
Southern Board	—	80,678	8,342	—	89,020
Eastern Board	10,970	51,067	12,068	15,125	89,230
Western Board	3,864	96,637	6,301	—	106,802
Central Services Agency2	—	13,909	5,050	—	18,959
1988–89
Northern Board	8,318	69,248	4,523	—	82,089
Southern Board	—	78,996	8,058	—	87,054
Eastern Board	9,879	63,860	13,263	16,820	103,822
Western Board	3,178	75,958	3,446	—	82,582
Central Services Agency2	—	13,401	5,897	—	19,298
Notes:
1 The Eastern Board produces a fortnightly Job Bulletin which is placed at locations to which the public has access eg Job Markets.
2 Cost of advertisements by the Central Services Agency on behalf of Boards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by (a) water company and (b) location, where drought orders still remain in force.

There are no drought orders currently in force in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is kept on the number of children sent home due to lack of teaching staff in each local education authority.

Local education authorities are responsible for the deployment of teachers, and comprehensive information about the number of pupils sent home is not held centrally by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average annual salary earned by graduates in (a) teaching, (b) the Civil Service, (c) industry and (d) commerce in Northern Ireland.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give for each health and social services board in Northern Ireland amounts spent on recruitment advertising for the last three years, together with a breakdown of the spending between (a) national press, (b) regional press, (c) specialist or periodical press and (d) other, stating which; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends to implement the recommendation of the police negotiating board that officers in provided accommodation should receive a housing allowance and pay rent for their accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

No. The police authority will need to provide accommodation free of rent for the foreseeable future to meet operational requirements and as an incentive to recruitment. It has therefore been decided to maintain the status quo with officers in provided accommodation receiving no housing allowance but living rent-free. Draft regulations which amend the rent allowance provisions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary regulations 1984 have been sent to the police negotiating board for comment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has made any representations to the Commission of the European Communities about the beef industry in Northern Ireland; whether he is prepared to give additional assistance to the beef industry; what representations he has received about the beef industry; and if he will make a statement about the present state of the beef industry.

[holding answer 11 January 1990]: The Government are aware of the concerns being expressed about the current state of the beef industry in Northern Ireland. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had preliminary discussions with the Ulster Farmers Union on the matter and I intend to have a further meeting with the union shortly.In the light of discussions with the union we will consider what action, including representations to the Commission of the European Communities through my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, might be taken to alleviate the concerns expressed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the criteria by which compensation is awarded to the victims of terrorism and to the families of the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland and the amount of and the circumstances in which payments have been made in each of the past 10 years; and whether he is satisfied with the way in which the present system operates.

[holding answer 11 January 1990]: In Northern Ireland, as in Great Britain, the victim of a criminal injury is entitled to be compensated for pain, suffering and loss of amenities, and for any expenses or pecuniary loss resulting from his injuries. If the victim dies as a result of a criminal injury, compensation is payable to his relatives in respect of expenses incurred or pecuniary loss suffered as a result of the death. Additionally, in the case of incidents occuring on or after 1 July 1988, a bereavement award of £3,500 is payable to the spouse of the deceased victim or to the parents if the victim was unmarried and under 18 years of age. The rationale of the scheme is to ensure that victims and their families do not suffer financial hardship. The legislation makes no distinction between terrorist and other criminal acts except that in terrorist cases there is no upper limit to the amount of compensation for pecuniary loss which can be paid to victims or their dependants.Where a victim survives his injuries the amount of pecuniary loss arising from his partial or total incapacity for work is based on his earnings and future career prospects and account is also taken of any occupational pension or gratuity and social security benefits payable as a result of the injury. The same considerations apply in assessing the amount of pecuniary loss suffered by the dependants of a deceased victim. In the case of pecuniary loss suffered by other relatives, including the deceased victim's parents, account has to be taken of the amount of the victim's financial contributions and the length of time such contributions could reasonably have been expected to have continued.In all cases compensation is paid as a tax-free lump sum. Any applicant who is dissatisfied with the amount determined has a statutory right of appeal to the courts.The compensation provisions broadly follow common law practice and are similar to the compensation provisions in the rest of the United Kingdom. The scheme operates in a fair and reasonable way.The table shows the total amount of compensation paid in each of the past 10 years to the victims of terrorism, their dependants and other relatives.

Year	Compensation Paid £ million
1979–80	1·2
1980–81	5·1
1981–82	3·5
1982–83	3·9
1983–84	4·6
1984–85	5·5
1985–86	7·9
1986–87	4·2
1987–88	4·3
1988–89	5·6
Total	45·8

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the last census of traffic was carried out on each road which enters Limavady town; what were the traffic figures for each road on that occasion; and what is his estimate of the present figures, numbers to be given for daily, and maximum and minimum hourly traffic volumes.

[holding answer 9 January 1990]: Traffic figures on each road entering Limavady are obtained continually from automatic census points and annual figures are derived from these. The information for 1989 is as follows:

	Average daily traffic flow	Maximum hourly traffic flow	Minimum hourly traffic flow
Roe Bridge, A2	13,142	1,335	13
Ballyquin Road, B68	4,273	396	0
Rathmore Road, A37	6,927	742	3
Dowland Road, A2	3,861	346	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the present flow of traffic on a daily and maximum and minimum hourly flow basis across the Bann bridge, Coleraine and the Mountsandel bridge, Coleraine; what were the figures when the last traffic census was taken; and what were the figures for the Bann bridge before the Mountsandel bridge was opened.

[holding answer 9 January 1990]: The present daily and maximum and minimum hourly traffic flows across the Bann bridge are estimated to be 26,452, 2,600 and 10 respectively. These are based on the last census in 1988 but there have been no significant traffic flow changes since then. Automatic census points on the Sandelford bridge gave actual figures for 1989 of 14,745, 1,463 and eight respectively. The last complete census in 1987 gave figures of 13,450 and 1,350 vehicles with no minimum figure being available.The average 16-hour daily flow for the Bann bridge in 1972, before the Sandelford bridge was opened, was 22,290 vehicles. Maximum and minimum hourly flows are not available.

	Number of vehicles per day	Number of heavy goods vehicles per day	Highest hourly traffic flow	Lowest hourly traffic flow
Roe bridge, Limavady	13,142	920	1,335	13
Roe bridge, Dungiven	7,324	732	728	3

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give details of the religious composition of the successful applicants for posts offered by the Department of the Environment, at each grade level in the (a) supervisory, (b) craft and (c) the non-craft grade groups of the industrial staff and: (i) the general service and (ii) the scientific grade groups of the non-industrial staff; and if he will give comparable figures for each year since 1983;(2) if he will give details of the religious denomination of all applicants for posts offered by the Department of the

Department of the Environment industrial staff recruitment: October 1988 (first available date) to December 1989
	Protestant		Roman Catholic		Not known		Total
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Supervisory, craft and non-craft
Applicants	628	54·2	451	38·9	79	6·8	1,158	100
Appointments	106	55·8	75	39·5	9	4·7	190	100

Department of the Environment scientific group recruitment
Year	Grade level	Protestant	Applications Roman Catholic	Not known	Total	Appointments total
1985	—	—	—	—	—	—
1986	C	33	26	17	76	2
1987	D	31	15	18	64	3
1988	E	108	58	9	175	2
1989	—	—	—	—	—	—

Information about successful applicants is not provided because the numbers appointed were so small that it could serve to identify the religious affiliation of individuals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the religious denomination of the members of the directorate of (a) the planning service, (b) the roads service, and (c) the water service; and if he will give comparable details for each year for 1983 to 1988 respectively.

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: Equal opportunities monitoring in the Northern Ireland Civil Service began in 1985 when staff were asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show (a) the number of vehicles which cross the Roe bridge at Limavady, and (b) the number of vehicles which cross the Roe bridge at Dungiven, each day and the number of such vehicles which are believed to be heavy commercial vehicles, and also the highest and lowest hourly traffic flows.

[holding answer 9 January 1990]: The information is as follows:Environment, at each grade level in

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: Equal opportunities monitoring in the Northern Ireland Civil Service began in 1985 when staff were asked to complete, on a voluntary basis, a confidential questionnaire about their schooling background. From this information the religious affiliation of staff was determined.The statistics available are as follows:to complete, on a voluntary basis, a confidential questionnaire about their schooling background. From this information the religious affiliation of staff was determined.The statistics available are as follows:

DOE Roads, Water and Town and Country Planning Services Directorates Total number of staff in the three directorates at 1 January 1989
	Number
Roads	4
Water	4
Town and Country Planning	3
	11

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the religious composition of the staff of the Department of the Environment for each grade and level in (a) the supervisory, (b) the craft and (c) the non-craft grade group of the industrial staff; and if he will give comparable figures for each year since 1983.

DOE industrial staff—by grade level
	Protestant		Roman Catholic		Not known		Total
Grade level	Number	Percent.	Number	Percent.	Number	Percent.	Number	Percent.
1. At 2 April 1987 (first available date)
Supervisory	144	43·4	115	34·6	73	22·0	332	100
Craft	248	50·1	114	23·0	133	26·9	495	100
Non-Craft	1,342	43·9	1,007	32·9	709	23·2	3,058	100
2. At 1 Janaury 1988
Supervisory	144	43·4	115	34·6	73	22·0	332	100
Craft	256	50·2	114	22·4	140	27·5	510	100
Non-Craft	1,363	43·6	1,026	32·8	739	23·6	3,128	100
3. 1 January 1989
Supervisory	143	44·8	108	33·9	64	21·3	319	100
Craft	243	50·5	105	21·8	133	27·7	481	100
Non-Craft	1,260	42·6	963	32·6	733	24·8	2,956	100

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the religious composition of the staff of the Department of the Environment, for each grade level in (a) the general service and (b) the scientific grade groups of the non-industrial staff; and if he will give comparable figures for each year since 1983.

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: Equal opportunities monitoring in the Northern Ireland Civil Service began in 1985 when staff were asked to complete, on a voluntary basis, a confidential questionnaire about their schooling background. From this information the religious affiliation of staff was determined.The statistics available are as follows:

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: Equal opportunities monitoring in the Northern Ireland Civil Service began in 1985 when staff were asked to complete, on a voluntary basis, a confidential questionnaire about their schooling background. From this information the religious affiliation of staff was determined.The statistics available are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make available emergency economic and medical aid to Panama to assist the reconstruction of the country following the invasion by United States forces.

I have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why compensation paid by Her Majesty's Government to Barlow Clowes investors includes compound interest from the date of deposit to the end of December 1989; and why this interest is deemed to be free of liability for tax.

The terms of the Government's scheme of payments to investors in Barlow Clowes are in accordance with the recommendation of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The Department's statement regarding the tax liability of these payments reflects the advice of the Inland Revenue and is a matter for it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when export credits guarantee cover was restored to Vietnam.

[holding answer 11 January 1990]: Export Credits Guarantee Department cover for business with Vietnam on medium and long-term credit was withdrawn in March 1982. Since December that year cover for short-term business has remained available subject to payment being made on terms of cash against documents out of an irrevocable letter of credit confirmed before shipment by a bank in the United Kingdom.While ECGD continues to monitor developments no early relaxation of these terms is envisaged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the balance of trade with (a) the rest of the European Communiity, (b) the USA and (c) Japan; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Information from which crude trade balances

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing the increase in the volume of manufacturing output less food etc. and of exports of manufactures based on current values.

I have been asked to reply.Index numbers of the volume of output of manufacturing industries and of food, drink and tobacco—at 1985 prices—are published in the index of output of the production industries press notice, tables 1 and 2 respectively, together with their relative weights. Manufacturing output less food, drink and tobacco can be derived for these two series. Exports of total manufactures—in current value terms—are published in the United Kingdom balance of payments current account press notice, table 8. Both press notices give percentage changes for the latest three months on the previous three months and on the same three months a year earlier. The press notices are available from the House of Commons Library.

County	Lord-Lieutenant	Date of appointment	Date of retirement
England
Avon	Sir John Wills, TD, FRICS, JP	April 1974	July 2003
Bedfordshire	Lt. Col. Hanmer Hanbury, LVO, MC. JP	March 1978	January 1991
Berkshire	John Henderson Esq, CVO, OBE	June 1989	May 1995
Buckinghamshire	Commander The Hon. John Fremantle, RN (Retd.), JP	September 1984	January 2002
Cambridgeshire	Michael Bevan Esq.	August 1985	August 2001
Cheshire	The Viscount Leverhulme, TD	August 1949	July 1990
Cleveland	The Lord Gisborough, TD	March 1981	July 2002
Cornwall	The Viscount Falmouth	October 1977	October 1994
Cumbria	Sir Charles Graham, Bt.	February 1983	July 1994
Derbyshire	Col. Peter Hilton, MC, JP	January 1978	June 1994
Devon	The Early of Morley, JP	May 1982	May 1998
Dorset	The Lord Digby JP	September 1984	July 1999
Durham	David Grant Esq, CBE	April 1988	January 1997
East Sussex	Admiral Sir Lindsay Bryson, KCB	November 1989	January 2000
Essex	Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis, KCB, JP	August 1978	January 1993
Gloucestershire	Col. Martin Gibbs, CB, DSO, TD, JP	June 1978	February 1992
Greater London	Field Marshal The Lord Bramall, GCB, OBE, MC, JP	January 1986	December 1998
Greater Manchester	Col. J. B. Timmins, OBE, TD, JP	December 1987	June 2007
Hampshire	Sir James Scott, JP	December 1982	October 1999
Hereford and Worcester	Captain Thomas Dunne, JP	July 1977	October 2008
Hertfordshire	Simon Bowes Lyon Esq, FCA	January 1986	June 2007
Humberside	Richard Bethell Esq.	October 1983	March 1997
Isle of Wight	The Lord Mottistone, CBE	August 1985	December 1995
Kent	The Rt. Hon. Robin Leigh-Pemberton	August 1982	January 2002
Lancashire	Dr. Simon Towneley	March 1976	December 1996
Leicestershire	Timothy Brooks Esq, JP	January 1989	March 2004
Lincolnshire	Henry Nevile Esq.	November 1975	March 1995
Merseyside	Henry Cotton Esq.	May 1989	July 2004
Norfolk	Timothy Colman Esq.	March 1978	September 2004
Northamptonshire	John Lowther Esq, CBE, JP	January 1984	November 1998
Northumberland	The Viscount Ridley, TD	January 1984	July 2000
North Yorkshire	Sir Marcus Worsley, JP	March 1987	April 2000
Nottinghamshire	Sir Gordon Hobday	January 1983	February 1991
Oxfordshire	Sir Ashley Ponsonby, MC	January 1980	February 1996
Shropshire	John Dugdale Esq.	February 1975	May 1998
Somerset	Lt. Col. Geoffrey Luttrell, MC, JP	March 1978	October 1994
South Yorkshire	Hugh Neill Esq, CBE, TD, JP	May 1985	March 1996
Staffordshire	Sir Arthur Bryan	July 1968	March 1998
Suffolk	Sir Joshua Rowley, JP	March 1978	December 195
Surrey	Richard Thornton Esq, OBE, JP	May 1986	October 1997
Tyne and Wear	Sir Ralph Carr-Ellison	July 1984	December 2000
Warwickshire	Vacant
West Midlands	The Earl of Aylesford, JP	April 1974	November 1993
West Sussex	Her Grace, Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk, CBE	May 1975	March 1990
West Yorkshire	The Lord Ingrow, OBE, TD, JP	May 1985	August 1992
Wiltshire	Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs, GCB, CBE, DSO, MC	December 1989	June 1996
Wales
Clwyd	Sir William Gladstone, Bt, JP	August 1985	October 2000
Dyfed	Mr. David Mansel Lewis, JP	February 1979	October 2002
Mid Glamorgan	Vacant
South Glamorgan	Mrs. Susan Williams, MBE	December 1985	August 1990
West Glamorgan	Lt. Col. Sir Michael Llewellyn, Bt.	December 1987	June 1996
Gwynedd	Vacant
Gwent	Mr. Richard Hanbury-Tenison, JP	June 1979	January 2000
Powys	Mr. Mervyn Bourdillon, JP	July 1986	August 1999

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the lords lieutenant for England and Wales, the dates of their appointment and projected date of retirement.

A list of lords lieutenant for England and Wales follows, together with the dates of their appointment and expected retirement.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps are being taken to fill the post of Director General for internal matters in the EEC.

Appointments in the Commission are made by the Commission. The Government naturally make every effort to ensure that there is an equitable proportion of British personnel on the staff of the EC institutions, in particular in important posts.

To ask the Prime Minister when she expects Mr. John Mogg to leave the service of the Cabinet Office.

Mr. Mogg joined the Cabinet Office in July 1989. On present plans, his posting would last for two to three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what compensation has been offered to Mr. Trevor Hicks in respect of each of his daughters killed in the Hillsborough stadium disaster; what is the total compensation to be awarded to bereaved families; and on what basis their claims will be met;(2) what compensation will be payable to parents who lost a child aged under 18 years, or a spouse aged over 18 years, in the Hillsborough disaster.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to intervene in these matters. I understand, however, that the South Yorkshire police authority, through its insurers, has been in touch with Mr. Hicks's solicitors asking for further information about his claim.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the effect of the draft Official Secrets Act 1989 (Prescription) Order 1989 will enable prosecution of the officials listed in schedule 2 to the order under the Official Secrets Act 1989 for disclosing certain categories of information to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

The draft order establishes that the office holders listed in schedule 2 and some associated staff (all of whom at present fall within the scope of section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911) are to be treated as Crown servants for the purposes of the Official Secrets Act 1989. They will be liable to prosecution for unauthorised disclosures in the limited circumstances laid down in the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on opportunities for new manufacturers of opium derivatives to enter the United Kingdom market in the light of the recommendations in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report published in April 1989.

While I shall continue to apply strict security measures to the manufacture and distribution of controlled drugs, I shall ensure that they do not create unnecessary restrictions on competition. I therefore welcome firm proposals from new manufacturers to establish opium derivative production.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to approve the additional funds required for British Rail's completion of the upgrading of the west end of Leeds City station with an additional platform and improved track and signalling.

I understand that British Rail has started design work on a major scheme at Leeds, to be undertaken in the early 1990s.No question of approval by this Department arises at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year for the last 10 years the number of loaded waste nuclear fuel train movements through Doncaster that were completed (a) with no accidents involved and (b) with an accident involved.

The Department does not collect this information, but I understand that loaded nuclear fuel flasks do not normally travel through Doncaster and there has not been an accident involving this type of traffic in the Doncaster area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to require all contractors or councils that dig up pavements or road surfaces to place firm barriers around the holes to ensure blind people are not endangered.

A revised version of chapter 8 of the traffic signs manual to be published later this year will include such measures. The manual is a code of practice, compliance with which is taken to satisfy general legal requirements for the proper guarding of works. The proposed legislation to reform the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950 will be used to enforce such requirements for utility works. This legislation will be introduced as soon as there is a suitable opportunity.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends to take concerning the involvement of Mr. Peter Wetherby, an employee of his Department, under the pseudonym of Dominic Delaney in the organisation of the Troops Out movement or the Martyrs Committee.

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: The activities of Mr. Peter Wetherby in relation to the Troops Out movement and the Manchester Martyrs are being investigated by his employers, the Inland Revenue. Any subsequent action will depend on the outcome of those investigations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current position and place of work of Mr. Peter Wetherby.

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: Mr. Peter Wetherby is a revenue executive employed by the Inland Revenue in its Greater Manchester region.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has issued any guidance to his employees on involvement with the Troops Out movement.

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: General guidance on the extent to which civil servants may take part in political activities is given in the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code and in departmental instructions.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the balance of trade in manufactured goods.

[holding answer 9 January 1990]: The information was published on 29 December 1989, in table 12 of the montly press notice on the current account of the balance of payments, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forecasts he has made of the impact on the rate of inflation of the uniform business rate; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 10 January 1990]: The uniform business rate in 1990–91 will raise in real terms broadly the same amount from business as in 1989–90: it will not add to real business costs as a whole. For future years, there is a statutory guarantee that the national non-domestic rate poundage will increase by no more than the rate of inflation.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what use is made of the parliamentary rifle range; what representations he has had seeking its closure and replacement by (a) a childcare facility or (b) a use likely to benefit a large number of hon. Members and staff; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Th sports and social club's rifle range occupies a windowless basement room within the House of Lords. I have received no proposals concerning the room since I answered the hon. Member's question on 29 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information his Department collects on a routine basis on the imports and exports of nuclear materials for the purposes of reporting to the international safeguards authorities.

Under articles 24 and 25 of Euratom Regulations 3227/76 (of the Official Journal) the Department forwards to the Euratom safeguards directorate reports by all nuclear operators of exports and imports of nuclear materials. These reports are, in turn, passed by Euratom to the IAEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if Her Majesty's Government have given any consideration to the International Atomic Energy Agency playing a role in safeguarding fissile materials involved in non-explosive military uses.

I am content with the UK-Euratom-IAEA agreement which excludes material and facilities in the United Kingdom's military cycle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to seek an extension to the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards regime to cover visits to non-declared suspect facilities.

No. Safeguards-related visits and inspections are matters for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the relevant state. In the case of non-nuclear weapon states party to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT), the treaty obliges them not to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons, and accept IAEA safeguards on all source or fissionable material in all their peaceful nuclear activities.In relation to non-parties to the NPT, IAEA safeguards can be applied only on a voluntary basis.In either case the agency's statutes require the inspectors to report any non-compliance to the director general who shall thereupon transmit the report to the board of governors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide the latest available equivalent figures about fuel exports and imports to those given in the tables in his answers of 9 November, Official Report, column 767 and 19 December 1989, Official Report, columns 118 arid 119.

The equivalent information for fuel exports and imports for the 11 months to November 1989 following my previous answers on 9 November and 19 December is as follows:

Table 1
January to November 1989
	Thousand tonnes
Exports (fob)
Coal	1,890
Oil	163,320

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on 14 December, Official report, column 751, if he will list separately the contracts that have been extended by the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers to the Department of the Environment.

Government Departments cannot contract with each other. There are therefore no contracts extended by the Property Services Agency and the Crown Suppliers to the Department of the Environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current estimated population of the London borough of Lambeth aged 18 years and over and who will be eligible to pay the community charge.

The information available to the Department shows that 172,529 people in the London borough of Lambeth were eligible to pay the community charge on 1 December 1989, counting students as one fifth and including the estimated full-year equivalent of contributors to the collective community charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work is to be carried out during 1990 to the fabric and structure in the Commons Crypt.

There is a major dampness problem in the Crypt Chapel caused by the long-term seepage of moisture through the porous stone.Consultants have been appointed to identify possible remedies and their report is due shortly. It is therefore, I regret, too soon to say what work will be done this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in which 10 local authority areas in the United Kingdom the largest percentage increases in home ownership have occurred since 1979.

This information is not available.The latest information on the percentage change in the number of owner-occupier households at the local authority level comes from the 1981 Census for the period 1971 to 1981 and can be found in table 17 of "Census 1981: Key statistics for local authorities". We expect the 1991 census to provide corresponding information for the period 1981 to 1991. The Department does, however, make regional estimates of the proportion of the housing stock in owner-occupation and figures for April 1981 and December 1988 are published in table 9.4 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1978–1988". Copies of both publications are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will instruct Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to investigate the pollution implications of the tyre fire at Knighton and Heyhope in Powys.

No. Inspectors have given advice to the local authority which is responsible for regulating waste disposal sites and the burning of tyres.Questions about the incident itself should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria he uses to decide when to publish a report commissioned by his Department (a) through Her Majesty's Stationery Office and (b) by placing a single copy in the Library.

Each case is considered on its merits. The factors involved also include an assessment of the likely public interest, the cost of publication and whether the report concerned should be priced or unpriced.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for policy initiatives to be taken at the forthcoming international conference of northern industrialised nations in Bergen, Norway in May.

The Bergen conference, which is being organised by the Norwegian Government under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, will examine the extent to which the recommendations of the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development have been implemented. It will enable Ministers from ECE countries to decide what co-operative action is needed to tackle the main environmental problems of the world, particularly those confronting eastern Europe.The United Kingdom is playing a prominent part in the preparations for the conference. Last year we hosted the first of four international preparatory workshops. We have also contributed a report, "Sustaining Our Common future", reviewing the substantial progress we have made within the United Kingdom in following up the WCED report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the main findings and conclusions of the most recent joint Department of the Environment-Nature Conservancy Council staff inspection of the Nature Conservancy Council.

The report of the staff inspection last year of the chief scientist's directorate of the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) is an internal NCC document which has not yet been finalised. It would therefore be inappropriate to list its findings and conclusions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of smoke in urban areas is estimated to come from diesel vehicles.

Figures for emissions of black smoke from diesel vehicles have not yet been finalised, but will be published for the first time in the Department's annual digest of environmental protection and water statistics early in 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to ensure that Community funding made available to implement the European Community habitats directive will be directed to the most-needed areas.

We understand that the European Commission is working up a proposal for funding to assist implementation of the habitats directive once it has been agreed. We shall certainly be keen to ensure that any such funding will be used as effectively as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the report by consultants on substitutes for rateable values as they are used in housing legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Copies of the report by Price Waterhouse on market rents as substitutes for rateable values as used in housing legislation have today been placed in the House Libraries. The consultants were commissioned to survey rents in certain sectors of the private rented market, to provide evidence on which to base substitutes for the rateable value limits which define protection under certain rent, landlord and tenant and housing Acts, and to make recommendations. The proposed substitutes, set out in the table, would apply to agreements made on or after 1 April when the community charge comes into effect. They will be provided by means of regulations under section 149 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, applying in England and Wales, to come into force on 1 April.

Housing Act 1988: Rent Act 1977 (new tenancies)
Upper Limit for protection	In Greater London	Tenancies with an annual rent of less than £25,000 (excluding certain service charges)
	Outside Greater London	Tenancies with an annual rent of less than £25,000 (excluding certain service charges)
Lower Limit	In Greater London	Tenancies with an annual rent of more than £1,000 (excluding certain service charges)
	Outside Greater London	Tenancies with an annual rent of more than £250 (excluding certain service charges)

Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Part I: Local Government and Housing Act 1989, Schedule 10
Ground rent qualification	In Greater London	£1,000 pa
	Outside Greater London	£250 pa

The upper limit will broadly be based on the rental equivalent for the premium paid ie an annual equivalent payment taken over the unexpired length of the lease, assuming a maximum lease length of 100 years. The annual equivalent would be derived using the formula shown in the consultants' report, using an interest rate of 6 per cent. Both inside and outside Greater London, it is proposed that protection will generally apply to leases where the rental equivalent of the premium computed on this basis is £25,000 pa and below.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all local rating authorities which have increased commercial rates (a) by 20 per cent. per annum compound in real terms and (b) by 15 per cent. per annum compound in real terms, for five successive years since 1979.

[holding answer 10 January 1990]: There is none in either category.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority in England the gross commercial and non-domestic rateable value totals in (a) 1973 and (b) on 2 January 1990; and if he will list in each case the percentage increase.

[holding answer 10 January 1990]: I will write to my hon. Friend shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent reports commissioned by his Department from the Institute for European Environmental Policy have been published; and what plans he has for commissioning further reports from the Institute for European Environmental Policy.

[holding answer 11 January 1990]: A study by the Institute for European Environmental Policy commissioned by my Department was published on 12 December under the title "Environmental Policy and 1992". My Department has recently let a contract to the institute to provide advice and information on the international aspects of integrated pollution control. The institute also provides regular advice and information to my Department on European Community environmental policy issues under a standing consultancy agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will investigate the risks posed by drums of (a) sodium cyanide, (b) dioxins, (c) sulphuric and (d) hydrochloric acids on beaches at and near Bexhill in Sussex.

[holding answer 1 January 1990]: I am aware that containers, drums and packages, a few containing hazardous substances, have been washed ashore at a number of locations along the south and east coasts in recent weeks. It is thought that they originate from a Pakistani-owned and registered vessel, the Muree, which sank off the Devon coast on 28 October last year.The Department of Transport's marine pollution control unit has examined the ship's manifest and has advised Ministers that none of the cargo would pose a significant threat to the marine environment. However, some substances which were on board could be hazardous to people who come into direct contact with them. Warning messages have been issued to fishermen and local authorities in areas where it is thought they may come ashore.

To ask the Attorney-General how many decisions were issued by the social security commissioners relating to each social security benefit, distinguishing between single payments and other supplementary benefits, in each month since January 1988; how many appeals to the commissioners relating to each benefit are outstanding; and in how many of these cases the appeal (a) is not ready for hearing, (b) is awaiting a hearing and (c) has been heard but the commissioner's decision has not been issued.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. However, the number of decisions issued by the commissioners in calendar years 1988 and 1989 for each category of benefit is shown in the tables, although existing statistics do not distinguish between supplementary benefit and single payment appeals.Information on the number of appeals outstanding relating to each category of benefit is not readily available, but the current total of outstanding appeals is 3,331. In 1988, 19 per cent. of appeals, and in 1989 24 per cent. of appeals, were decided after an oral hearing; the balance of

appeals in each year was decided without an oral hearing. Of the total of outstanding appeals