To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any further reserve Z-berths have been introduced to date, since his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 5 May 1989, Official Report, column 276.

No. I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar (Ms. Gordon) on 5 May 1989 at column 276. Swansea and Tilbury are still under discussion with local authorities as possible venues for visits by nuclear-powered submarines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will consider paying financial compensation to civilian employees of the Ministry of Defence working in Northern Ireland on the grounds of the special hazards and difficulties of their employment in the Province.

A general principle of Civil Service pay is that compensation is not paid because of exposure to risk. The general conditions of service for staff serving in Northern Ireland are, however, kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Simba armoured personnel carriers have been supplied to the Philippines by GKN; what assurances have been received as to their proposed use; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement summarising the main features of the deal involving the sale of armoured personnel carriers to the Philippines, including details of offsetting arrangements.

It has been the consistent policy of successive Administrations not to provide details of defence exports to specific countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the British military contingent of the United Nations transition assistance group (UNTAG) in Namibia will return to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The majority of the British military contingent will be returning from Namibia towards the end of January. It is planned that the remainder will return by early April in accordance with UNTAG's overall withdrawal plan. The contributions of the British armed forces and the civilian election advisers have been widely recognised as key elements in the successful involvement of the United Nations in helping Namibia achieve independence, and the House will wish to pay tribute to those concerned for their dedication and professionalism.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to seek to extend the provisions of the Copyright Act 1911 to cover material published in the form of electronic or audio-visual media.

I have no plans to amend the Copyright Act 1911.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has received any request from the Royal Ballet for funds to assist it to tour the United States this summer.

I have received no such request. Overseas touring is the province of the British Council, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

To ask the Minister for the Arts (1) if he will explain the corporate roles of the Arts Council and the Crafts Council and list the similarities and differences between those roles; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the various craftspeople, educationists, retailers, guilds and societies active in the craft business which were consulted by the author of the Wilding report during the preparation of that report;(3) if he will make a statement on the comparative performance, in the fields of business and fund-raising, of the Arts Council and of the Crafts Council;(4) if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals for merging the Crafts Council with the Design Council.

In reaching a decision on the future of the Crafts Council, I am considering carefully the many representations I have received on this subject. I shall announce my conclusions as soon as possible, and I shall write to the hon. Member in more detail when I have done so. Before deciding whether to accept Mr. Wilding's recommendation to merge the Crafts Council with the Arts Council, I shall want to be sure that any new structure of support enables the crafts to continue to flourish. This Government are concerned to see the continued expansion of the crafts in this country.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list on a year-by-year basis the number of craftspersons grant-aided by the Crafts Advisory Committee and its successor, the Crafts Council, to help set up new businesses between 1971 and 1989, inclusive.

The information is as follows:

Number of individual craftsmen and women assisted
Year	Number
1971–72	7
1972–73	14
1973–74	40
1974–75	66
1975–76	68
1976–77	71
1977–78	67
1978–79	33
1979–80	48
1980–81	42
1981–82	47
1982–83	35
1983–84	41
1984–85	39
1985–86	40
1986–87	35
1987–88	39
1988–89	30
Total	762

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many organisations and bodies have been established and taken on staff and premises since 1979 before they were put on a statutory basis by the passage of the authorising legislation through Parliament; and how much has been spent on this basis.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Attorney-General what reports the Director of Public Prosecutions received concerning the book, "The Blooding"; and if he will make a statement.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has received two reports from the police relating to matters connected with the publication of the book "The Blooding".

To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received from the chairman of the Keep Sunday Special Campaign on the enforcement of the Shops Act 1950, in the light of the European Court of Justice's decision on 23 November 1989; if he will publish his response; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) on 17 January 1990 at column 260.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government have laid down to retrain and re-employ ivory carvers in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

The Hong Kong Government are currently holding discussions with representatives of the ivory carvers with a view to placing them on suitable retraining courses run by the Vocational Training Council or helping them to find alternative employment. The Hong Kong labour department has opened a special register to help ivory workers seeking new jobs and a number of them have already been placed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chinese Government to end martial law in Tibet; and if he will make a statement.

We have frequently made clear to the Chinese our concern about human rights in Tibet. We hope that the Chinese Government will follow up the lifting of martial law in Peking by taking further steps to strengthen the protection of human rights throughout China, including the lifting of martial law in Lhasa.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Mr. Andrew Balfour to resume his official duties, and in what capacity.

Mr. Balfour has been informed that his future is under consideration.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the amount of corporation tax paid by manufacturing industry in each financial year since 1978–79 and the proportion of the total corporation tax precept comprised by manufacturing in each of those years.

Information on a comparable basis is available only from 1986–87 and is as follows:

	Net receipts of corporation tax1 from manufacturing industries
Year	Amount £ billion	As proportion of total onshore CT receipts (net)2 Per cent.
1986–87	3·6	29·7
1987–88	4·5	29·7
1988–89	5·9	32·9
1 Including advance corporation tax and net of repayments.
2 Excludes north sea MCT receipts.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by month for the last 12 months, the amount of (a) investments and (b) withdrawals made in National Savings.

Figures for National Savings receipts and repayments (including accrued interest) for each of the 12 months of 1989 are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that United Kingdom aid for eastern European countries is invested in activities which are environmentally beneficial or neutral.

Bilateral British aid is so far confined to Poland. Projects supported there to date comprise mainly training, technical co-operation and consultancy studies which are environmentally neutral. However, the procedures which we use to assess proposals for funding include an explicit consideration of the effects on the environment. We are also discussing with the Polish authorities a programme of assistance in the energy sector, which will look at environmental concerns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a list of projects approved to date under the know-how funds for Poland and Hungary, giving details of the type of project, the funding in cash and kind and the name of the United Kingdom organising body.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 18 December. Most activities are being undertaken by firms or institutions engaged directly by the joint FCO/ODA Unit, or by the British Council on the unit's behalf. Additions to the list are given in the table:

Title:	Coal industry training
Description:	Training in colliery management techniques
Status:	Under way
Cost:	£38,000
Title:	Cracow tourism study
Description:	Recommendation of immediate measures to help Cracow cope with the coming tourist season, and development of longer-term proposals
Status:	Under way
Cost:	£37,000
Title:	Agros dried vegetables

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide details of expenditure approved to date from the £15 million agriculture project fund for Poland.

No expenditure has yet been approved. We are still at the stage of working out the details of the project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what surveys have been carried out or commissioned by his Department since 1987 to find out why fewer sixth formers were applying for engineering courses; and if he will make a statement.

The Department and the engineering industry commissioned a survey in 1989 into the factors which influence young people in deciding whether or not to study engineering. It covers both students at school or in further education on A-level mathematics and physics courses, and new entrants to degree courses other than engineering. I expect the results of this survey, which is being carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research, to be available in March-April this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what resources he expects to make available to the five research councils to enable the re-equipment of laboratories and the replacement of aging apparatus; and if he will make a statement.

On 15 November at columns 272–76, my right hon. Friend announced that an additional £61 million would be made available for the science budget in 1990–91, together with planning additions for the next two years of £58 million and £59 million. He announced the allocations to the five research councils on 10 January at columns 623–24. It is for the research councils to determine how to spend the additional funds made available to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what are his long-term plans with respect to the formation of a national research council; and if he will make a statement;(2) what are his plans for reform of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils; and if he will make a statement;(3) what are his proposals for establishing a working group to examine the scope for merging the AFRC and the NERC; and if he will make a statement.

The proposal for a single national research council was made in the report of a review group established by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils to look at the organisation of council responsibilities for biological sciences. The culmination of this process was the advice offered by the chairman of the board in his letter of 15 November to my right hon. Friend which recommended that the ABRC should be reconstituted as a smaller body specifically charged with promoting greater harmonisation of research council activities. The board also offered advice about improving co-ordination between the AFRC and NERC research programmes, particularly in terrestrial life sciences.My right hon. Friend wrote to the chairman of the ABRC on 19 January announcing the Government's decision to reconstitute the ABRC from 1 April as recommended by the board; and noting that he and his colleagues were considering the board's subsequent advice concerning the AFRC and NERC. For the full text of the letter I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Martin) on 19 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the practice of disposal of irradiated rodent carcases used in research inside human cadavers was stopped by the Medical Research Council; and where these cadavers were buried.

The Medical Research Council is not aware of the practice of the disposal of irradiated rodent carcases used in research inside human cadavers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the director of education of the London borough of Wandsworth; and what subjects were discussed.

My right hon. Friend and I met Mr. Naismith and other interested parties on 9 January to discuss plans for city technology colleges in Wandsworth. I met Mr. Naismith and Councillor Edward Lister on 11 January to discuss a number of ILEA-owned sites in Wandsworth which will be subject to the property transfer orders being made by my right hon. Friend under section 168 of the Education Reform Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the number of students in higher education; and if he will make a statement.

Actively fostered by the Government's education policies and consistent with the general aim of securing further substantial increases in participation above present record levels, we expect to see significant growth in student numbers over the 1990s. Our latest projection indicates full-time equivalent student numbers rising from about 760,000 in 1988 to about 890,000 by the turn of the century.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the interim advisory committee.

My right hon. Friend asked the interim advisory committee to submit its report by the end of January. He will be arranging for its early publication once he has received it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to recognise teachers of excellence by means of higher salaries.

Local education authorities can award incentive allowances to teachers demonstrating outstanding ability in the classroom. The Government hope that they will make full use of this discretion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received about his proposals for a student loan scheme.

Since the publication of the White Paper on top-up loans for students we have received about 5,050 letters, including 64 petitions. Of those, about 700 have been received since publication of the Education (Student Loans) Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list any additional information his Department plans to take into account when calculating the maximum level of the disabled students' allowance;(2) if he will list the information his Department took into account when calculating the maximum level of the disabled students' allowance.

My right hon. Friend continues to take into account all the relevant information available to him, when determining within available resources the rate and conditions of the disabled students' allowance. This year, in addition to information about cost increases generally, he has received representations from interested parties and detailed evidence from disablement organisations about students' circumstances and needs, which he is considering carefully.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy that the upper limit of the disabled students' allowance will not be frozen in the event of the introduction of his proposals for student loans.

The way in which the disabled students' and other supplementary allowances will be handled in the years after 1990–91 when the main mandatory grant rates are to be frozen will be considered in the light of all the circumstances, including the availability of resources, prevailing at the time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the most recent figure for the number of pupils and students with statements of special educational needs in England.

The provisional total number of pupils with statements of special educational needs in England was 138,173 on 21 January 1989, with one authority's return outstanding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what proportion of the costs allocated under (a) in annex B of his Department's memorandum to the Energy Committee on fast reactors published in HC 613, page 6, to reprocessing operations, fissure materials, and technical support for the Dounreay plants, in 1989–90, was spent on nuclear safeguards activities;(2) what proportion of the costs allocated under

The AEA recovers the cost of its nuclear safeguards work as an overhead from its various nuclear activities. In 1989–90, this cost represents some 0·2 per cent, of costs allocated under item (a) Dounreay plants, and some 0·1 per cent, of expenditure allocated under item (b) research and development in annex B of the Department's memorandum to the Energy Committee on fast reactors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes), 8 January, Official Report, column 474, when the discussions to which he makes reference began; how many meetings have been held to date, and where; which states have participated; and when he expects an agreement on safeguarding wastes containing civil material will be concluded.

Discussions with the IAEA on the safeguards to be applied to waste containing civil nuclear material began in 1988. Three consultants' meetings have been held in Vienna. These were held on 12 to 16 September 1988, 12 to 16 June 1989 and 9 to 13 October 1989. Representatives from the United Kingdom, United States of America, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Sweden, Canada, and Euratom attended the meetings. The IAEA is currently considering the consultants' recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, between 1979 and 1989, how many local authorities in south and west Wales have applied for Welsh Office financial assistance for villages threatened by landslides and landslips which have not been directly caused by mining; how much money has been granted per annum by his office on such schemes, and if he will list them.

The Department has no powers to give financial assistance for villages threatened by landslides and landslips, but it can advise local authorities on financing necessary works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have applied For central Government assistance since 1979 to tackle coastal land erosion problems; how much money per annum has been allocated by central Government in this period; and which schemes have been supported.

Fourteen maritime district councils in Wales have applied since 1979 for central Government assistance for schemes, approved by the Department under section 5 of the Coast Protection Act 1949, to tackle coastal erosion problems.The schemes supported under the Act and the actual amount of grant paid during each financial year are listed in the tables:

Financial Year	Grant Paid
1979–80	984,331
1980–81	980,659
1981–82	1,553,313
1982–83	2,048,111
1983–84	749,718
1984–85	1,080,983
1985–86	431,933
1986–87	1,106,116
1987–88	1,436,051
1988–89	727,376
Total	11,117,890

The provision for the financial year 1989–90 is £2·9 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which matters of art in Wales fall under his responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

Primary responsibility for arts matters in Wales rests with the Welsh Arts Council. However my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has responsibility for aspects of the visual arts and general museums matters, together with sponsorship responsibility for the National Museum of Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are being made to strengthen Wales's chances of obtaining Japanese investment.

Wales continues to be extremely successful in obtaining inward investment from Japan and has secured 19 projects promising over 2,000 jobs in the last two years. A number of measures have been introduced to further improve this excellent performance, including the setting up of a board of experienced business people to advise Welsh Development International; provision of additional staff for Welsh Development International, including two new deputy directors; and strengthening of their Tokyo office. I have myself undertaken two inward investment missions to Japan, the last in September 1989, and I regularly meet executives from Japanese companies. I was also pleased to officially open the new Centre for Japanese Studies, in Cardiff, in November 1989. There are good prospects for further investment from Japan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to maintain gross national product figures for Wales.

GDP for Wales and other areas of the United Kingdom is estimated annually. To calculate GNP would necessitate the estimation of net property income from outside Wales which would involve income from external (to Wales) investment and income generated in Wales by non-residents. Little information is available on these elements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total value to farmers within less-favoured areas in Wales of the hill livestock compensatory allowance.

Farmers in the less-favoured areas in Wales received £30·9 million in hill livestock compensatory allowances in 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on the future levels of hill livestock compensatory allowance; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations about HLCA rates from both the National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales. This matter has also been raised with me by several hon. Members in correspondence and questions in the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of general practitioner practices in Wales; and what proportion of those practices have a computer.

The total number of general practitioner practices in Wales is 548; approximately 25 per cent, of those practices have a computer system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any liquid milk is being imported into Wales from Ireland for either liquid consumption or manufacturing purposes.

No liquid milk is currently being imported into Wales from Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the steps by which consideration is given to an application to dispense by (a) doctors or (b) pharmacists in respect of rural areas in Wales, including all the available appeal stages; what changes he plans to make to that procedure for the future; and who will be responsible for each stage in the new procedure.

The controls on dispensing in rural areas are governed by the National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974 (as amended). There are two sets of controls under these regulations for doctors and pharmacists. They are as follows:Doctors—A doctor may make application to the responsible family practitioner committee (FPC). The FPC refers the matter to the rural dispensing committee (RDC) for determination. The regulations provide for an appeal to the Secretary of State against the decision of the RDC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy with regard to the creation of a consolidated body to deal with appeals on professional matters in respect of doctors and pharmacists; and whether it is his intention for Welsh appeals to be dealt with through such an England and Wales body.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 23 January 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many community health councils in Wales are (a) in favour and (b) against his proposed restructuring of community health councils in Wales.

The consultation period on the proposals for restructuring community health councils in Wales runs until the end of February 1990. Virtually all the councils are yet to respond.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish the responses of each community health council in Wales to his proposals for changing the number and structure of community health councils in Wales.

Any council is free to publish its response.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which community health councils in Wales have indicated (a) approval and (b) disapproval for the National Health Service and Community Care Bill's provisions and the way they will affect Wales.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on Friday 8 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to upgrade any trunk roads in Wales during the next five years to dual carriageway standard; and if he will make a statement.

Our plans for upgrading trunk roads in Wales to dual carriageway standard in the period to March 1994 are set out in "Roads in Wales—Progress and Plans for the 1990s".

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's policy towards the imposition of central European time in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

A Government Green Paper that considered the options open to the United Kingdom with regard to summer time arrangements, including harmonisation with central European time, was published in June 1989. I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department will be announcing the results in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to improve Wales's road, rail and air links with Europe prior to 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Improvements to the road network, including east-west links to Europe, are set out in "Roads in Wales—Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Improvements to rail and air links are commercial matters for the operators concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales further to his statement of 18 December 1989, if he will now provide further information on the operation of his scheme for community charge transitional relief in Wales.

I am today placing in the Library revised calculations showing the effects of the scheme in Wales in 1990–91. Further calculations will be required for future years.The calculations show that personal chargepayers in 320 Welsh communities will receive relief in 1990–91. I expect 750,000 chargepayers, more than one in three of all personal chargepayers, to benefit from the scheme. Chargepayers in most valleys communities, and in many rural communities, can expect to see reductions in their charges.I will be laying regulations implementing the scheme shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to encourage the use of products manufactured from recycled materials.

I have established, under the aegis of my Department's business and the environment unit, an advisory group of more than 40 recycling experts to provide recommendations to Government on how to improve the United Kingdom's recycling performance. Smaller working groups have recently been convened to examine specific materials, and the means of increasing demand for recycled products is one of the critical issues which each group is addressing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the EEC framework research programme and Her Majesty's Government's participation.

The 1987–1991 EC framework programme for research and development has funding of 5·4 billion ecus (£3·6 billion). At the Research Council of Ministers on 15 December 1989 where I represented Her Majesty's Government the Council reached unanimous agreement on a new framework programme for 1990–1994 with funding of 5·7 billion ecus (£4·2 billion) (I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 17 January, Official Report, column 318.). There is, therefore, a two-year overlap between the two programmes. The United Kingdom currently contributes 19 per cent, to Community research and development expenditure.United Kingdom scientists, research establishments, universities and companies participate in all the specific programmes under the framework programme. Individual projects require participation by organisations from more than one member state and the United Kingdom is typically involved in 50 to 80 per cent, of projects and receives 20 to 25 per cent, of the funding available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what study his Department has made of the Coopers and Lybrand report on the Ferranti fraud; and if he will make a statement.

As I said in reply to the hon.Member's questions about Ferranti in December 1989, the Serious Fraud Office is investigating allegations of fraud concerning the company. It is for the Serious Fraud Office to assess the relevance to its investigation of the Coopers and Lybrand report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report the total tonnage of steel imported into the United Kingdom by British Steel pic during the last year, and any assessment made of the likely tonnage to be imported into the United Kingdom during the current year by British Steel plc.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of whether existing steel demand within a 250 mile radius of the Ravenscraig steelworks is sufficient fully to load the plant throughout the year.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in light of the merger of Bass and Irish Distillers, what plans he has to ensure that the trade in alcoholic beverages does not become a monopoly and to provide safeguards for the interests of consumers.

[holding answer 22 January 1990]: In the event of such a merger situation qualifying for investigation under the merger control provisions of the Fair Trading Act it would be examined in the normal way by the Director General of Fair Trading who would advise my right hon. Friend on the competition issues raised and on the question of reference to the MMC. Following the MMC report on the supply of beer, a number of steps have been taken to promote greater competition in the on-licensed trade throughout the United Kingdom. If the hon. Member has any particular concerns about competition in the market for alcoholic beverages he should bring them to the attention of the director general.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement about the extent of the efficiency scrutiny of the Civil Aviation Authority which he announced on 12 December.

[holding answer 23 January 1990]: The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has been asked to investigate the efficiency and costs of, and service provided by, the Civil Aviation Authority in supplying navigation and air traffic control services. The full extent of the investigation is contained in the reference made on 12 December 1989, a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the EEC Commission consulted Her Majesty's Government on its plans to consult political leaders from areas of the United Kingdom at a conference in Brussels on 25 January for the purpose of studying the implications of the report of 1992 and jobs in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 22 January 1990]: Her Majesty's Government were not consulted by the Commission about the meeting on 25 January. We understand that this will not be a conference, but a meeting between Commissioner Millan and several representatives of RETI, an organisation representing traditional industrial areas within the Community. It is not yet known who the representatives will be, or from which member states. We understand that the meeting is at RETI's request, but that it is not specifically to discuss the Commission-Louvain university report. It is not customary for the Commission to consult member states about meetings of this kind.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the EEC Commission decided to initiate an inquiry through the Catholic university of Louvain, Belgium, to study the impact of the 1992 measures on jobs in the United Kingdom and elsewhere; if Her Majesty's Government were consulted; and if he will take steps to inquire about the cost to the Commission of this exercise.

[holding answer 22 January 1990]: We understand that the Commission decided to initiate this study, commissioned by it from the Catholic university of Louvain, towards the end of 1988. Her Majesty's Government were not consulted. The Commission may undertake its own studies of this kind without consulting member states, and does so regularly. However, proposals for legislative decisions flowing from such studies are of course a matter for member states in the Council of Ministers. No information is available on the cost of this exercise at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has been provided with a copy of the inquiry into 1992 and jobs by the EEC Commission; what were the conclusions of the report; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 22 January 1990]: The Commission has not formally made available copies of this report, which is not yet ready for publication. The report was obtained by the press without the Commission's consent. The report still has the status of a Commission internal document. The Commission has however made a full copy of the report available to Her Majesty's Government informally. The report is not specifically about the impact of the single market on jobs, but analyses a wide range of socio-economic issues related to the single market in six individual regions—Strathclyde, South Yorkshire, Pays Basque, Wallonia, Nord Pas de Calais and Nord Rhein Westphalen. Its conclusions are complex, and we are still studying them. We shall deposit a copy of the report in the Library of the House as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which areas of Europe were identified in the EEC report on 1992 and jobs as being likely to suffer most.

[holding answer 22 January 1990]: The full Commission-Louvain university report on the impact of the single market on certain regions was received in the Department only this week. We are still studying its conclusions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the legislative and administrative changes, and proposals for change to the statutory sick pay scheme since its introduction.

The following legislative and administrative changes have been made to statutory sick pay (SSP) since it was introduced in April 1983:—April 1984:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the increase in real terms since 1979 in the income of pensioners who receive all their income from state benefits.

Between 1979 and 1986 the average total net income of pensioner tax units who obtained all their income from state benefits rose by 25 per cent. in real terms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will seek to repeal regulation 51 of the Housing Benefit (Community Charge Rebates) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 and regulation 52 of the Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations 1989.

[holding answer 20 December 1989]: A de minimis rule of this kind—50p a week for community charge benefit, as for the current system of rate rebates and other housing benefits—is a sensible feature of all the income-related benefit schemes, and we have no plans to repeal it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about his policy for preventing young people from coming into contact with paramilitaries in Belfast whilst unemployed; if he has any plans to delay changes to the funding arrangements for community workshops; and what progress has been made by the Department of Economic Development in preparing for these changes.

The Government's social and economic policies are designed to address the problems of the unemployed and include specific education and training schemes, improved access to available employment through job clubs and job markets, the creation of employment through inward investment, setting up and expansion of small businesses, and schemes such as ACE, and encouragement to bona fide local community organisations to become directly involved in improving social and economic conditions in local areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will take steps to encourage householders to insure house contents against flooding; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for individual householders to determine in the knowledge that there is no general responsibility on Government to compensate for losses arising from had weather.The Housing Executive's policy with regard to household and contents insurance is to encourage its tenants to arrange adequate cover themselves and it emphasises its importance by means of enclosing leaflets with general correspondence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to strengthen existing links and priorities in medical research in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement about additional resources for the Province in this field.

[holding answer 22 January 1990]: The integration of the hospital, community health and primary care services, together with the personal services, in a unified management structure in Northern Ireland gives the Province a considerable advantage in identifying research opportunities in both the clinical and operation fields which reflect its particular needs.The research programme of the DHSS in Northern Ireland is undertaken principally through three separate organisations whose activities are co-ordinated through common research priorities and an overlap in membership. Central direction and funding of clinical and operation research is secured primarily through the department research group (DRG). This considers research proposals in the context of the Department's priorities, which are selected having regard to national priorities. Secondly, the Department also provides direct funding for a core programme of research undertaken by the recently established health and health care research unit (HHCRU) located in the faculty of medicine of the Queen's university of Belfast. The membership of the unit's programme of work is drawn from the health and social service boards as well as the university medical faculty and the Department. The third element of the Department's research programme is the support of local

	1987–88			1988–891
	Full-time	Part-time	FTE2	Full-time	Part-time	FTE2
St. Mary's College3 4 5	635	292	n.a.	692	450	n.a.
Stranmillis College4 5	636	153	n.a.	663	246	n.a.
The Queen's University of Belfast	7,537	1,696	7,908	7,680	1,690	8,086

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds he has made available under the cultural traditions programme to (a) the Ultach Trust and (b) the Ulster Society.

[holding answer 23 January 1990]: A sum of £7,500 has been paid to the Ultach Trust to assist the trust in developing its future plans. The Ulster Society has been awarded £3,224 to support the publication of "The Ulster Covenant" by Gordon Lucy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many students were enrolled at (a) St. Mary's teacher training college and (b) St. Joseph's teacher training college for the academic years 1987–88 and 1988–89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents;(2) how many students were enrolled at Queen's university, Belfast, for the academic years 1987–88 and 1988–89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents;(3) how many students were enrolled at Stranmillis college for the academic years 1987–88 and 1988–89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents;(4) how many students were enrolled at the university of Ulster, Jordanstown, for the academic years 1987–88 and 1988–89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents;(5) how many students were enrolled at the university of Ulster/Magee college for the academic years 1987–88 and 1988–89, broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents;(6) how many students were enrolled in the university of Ulster, Coleraine, for the academic years 1987–88 and 1988–89 broken down as far as convenient into full-time, part-time and full-time equivalents.

[holding answer 23 January 1990]: The available information is as follows:

	1987–88			1988–891
	Full-time	Part-time	FTE2	Full-time	Part-time	FTE2
University of Ulster6
Belfast	560	112	n.a.	624	54	n.a.
Jordanstown	4,485	2,714	n.a.	4,609	2,882	n.a.
Coleraine	2,461	330	n.a.	2,380	331	n.a.
Magee	462	514	n.a.	683	570	n.a.
	7,968	3,670	9,956	8,296	3,837	10,410
1Figures for 1988–89 are provisional.
2FTE = Full-time equivalent student load. Separate figures cannot be computed for individual campuses on the same basis as the overall university FTE.
3St. Joseph's College was amalgamated with St. Mary's College in September 1985.
4"Full-time" figures show enrolments on initial teacher training courses, including Post Graduate Certificate of Education.
5"Part-time" figures include both award-bearing and non-award-bearing courses.
6Figures have been included for each of the four campuses of the University of Ulster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show what sums have been paid by the Government to each museum in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available; of these sums, in each case how much was used to encourage tourism; and what are the projections for the current and the next two financial years.

[holding answer 23 January 1990]: The information requested is as follows:

	1986–87 £	1987–88 £	1988–89 £
Ulster Museum	2,523,000	2,802,000	2,865,000
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum	1,878,500	1,914,000	2,086,000
Ulster American Folk Park	397,000	665,000	631,000

The estimated expenditure figures for the current year and the provisional planning figures for the next two financial years are:

	1989–90 £	1990–91 £	1991–5 £
Ulster Museum	3,338,000	3,394,000	3,633,000
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum	2,138,000	2,187,000	2,239,000
Ulster American Folk Park	524,000	534,000	545,000

While the museums are among the attractions most popularly visited in Northern Ireland, resources are not allocated to encourage tourism as such.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to what was the average gross margin for the year 1984 to 1989 in

1. Summary
(a) April 1988 (not available for March 1988)
Board area	Total number of full-time teacher in post	Total number of promotion allowances in payment	Percentage
Belfast	3,697	1,252	34
North-Eastern	4,113	1,252	31
Southern	3,832	977	26
South-Eastern	3,356	972	29
Western	3,418	945	28

[holding answer 23 January 1990]: The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the price of suckling calves in the principal markets for such cattle in Northern Ireland in the months of September, October and November in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.

[holding answer 23 January 1990: The information requested is as follows:

Average prices (£/head) at auction
	September	October	November
1986	214	230	224
1987	268	302	294
1988	364	361	349
1989	318	337	319

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers were employed in March 1988 in each education and library board area; how many teachers in each area were in receipt of an incentive allowance; what percentage this was of the total employed in each area; and how many teachers in receipt of an incentive allowance in each education and library board area held allowances that were (a) incentive A, (b) incentive B, (c) incentive C, (d) incentive D and (e) incentive E.

The information is as follows:

Board area	Total number of full-time teachers in post	Total number of promotion allowances in payment	Percentage
Total	18,416	5,398	30
(b) March 1989
Belfast	3,656	1,511	42
North-Eastern	4,122	1,522	37
Southern	3,842	1,353	36
South-Eastern	3,374	1,263	38
Western	3,444	1,222	36
Total	18,438	6,871	38

2. Analysis of Promotion Allowances per Board Area
Allowance type	Total number in payment April 1988	March 1989
a. Belfast
A	119	349
B	761	755
C	12	63
D	264	238
E	96	106
Total	1,252	1,511
b. North-Eastern
A	163	412
B	745	766
C	9	24
D	243	232
E	92	88
Total	1,252	1,522
c. Southern
A	123	464
B	629	647
C	1	26
D	171	155
E	53	61
Total	977	1,353
d. South-Eastern
A	102	370
B	623	623
C	10	48
D	167	156
E	70	66
Total	972	1,263
e. Western
A	126	362
B	614	620
C	7	45
D	143	139
E	55	56
Total	945	1,222

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date all police officers who served at Kells police station, Co. Antrim, during the period 31 October 1986 to 31 October 1988;(2) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary who previously served at Kells police station, Co. Antrim, and who was charged in October 1988 with the illegal possession of arms, ammunition, and detonators;(3) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date two police officers previously stationed at Kells police station, who resigned from the force between 1 January 1988 and 1 March 1989;(4) whether the police inquiry team led by Deputy Chief Constable John Stevens has interviewed to date three police officers previously stationed at Kells police station, who were transferred to other duties during the period I June 1988 and 1 March 1989.

[holding answer 15 January 1990]: These are matters for the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. As court proceedings involving these matters have not been concluded, it would not be appropriate to comment further.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the rates of cancer of the breast and cervix in the north-east of England for those aged (a) 20 to 25 years, (b) 25 to 30 years, (c) 30 to 35 years, (d) 35 to 40 years, (e) 40 to 45 years, (f) 45 to 50 years, and (g) 50 to 55 years; what were the average rates for the rest of the United Kingdom for the same age groups for each year from 1980; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1989, columns 677–79]: I regret that incorrect figures were given in the table for the United Kingdom as a whole. An amended table is as follows. The exact information requested could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Newly diagnosed cases of cancer rates (per 100,000 population) for female breast1 and the cervix uteri2 by age group for Northern Regional Health Authority, Yorkshire Reginal Health Authority. and United Kingdom, 1980–84
Year	Age-group	Northern Regional Health Authority	Yorkshire Regional Health Authority	United Kingdom
Malignant neoplasm of the female breast
1980	20-24	0·86	1·53	1·12
	25-29	6·72	5·94	6·64
	30-34	27·78	26·78	20·46
	35-39	44·35	41·67	48·70
	40–44	98·10	97·83	96·42