To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now announce a decision about the awarding of the contract to finance, design, build and operate the second Severn crossing.

I will announce a decision when it has been taken, and will make clear whether we have chosen a private sector or public sector option.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the evidence received in the course of his consultation on Scottish lowland airports policy suggesting that a change in policy would benefit economic investment in Scotland.

Many of the responses to my right hon. Friend's consultation addressed in detail the possible economic effects of the policy options, and all the points made were assessed and taken into account. We do not intend to make public the responses which were received, some of which we were asked to regard as private.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the submissions to his consultation on Scottish lowland airports policy favoured retaining Prestwick's exclusive gateway status; how many expressed no preference; and how many favoured open skies.

In reaching his decision on future policy for the lowland airports, in consultation with his right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend was principally concerned with the strength of the arguments mounted in support of the different policy options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will place copies of the submissions to the consultation on Scottish lowland airports policy in the Library;(2) if he will publish the submissions to the Scottish lowland airports policy submission.

We do not intend to make public the submissions made in response to the consultation. Some respondents asked that their response be regarded as private and it would give an unbalanced picture if only the remainder were to be made public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the changes in tariffs for freight and passenger services at Prestwick and Glasgow airports necessitated by his announcement on Scottish lowland airports policy.

BAA has said that it will move to a common tariff at Glasgow and Prestwick for long-haul traffic. The hon. Member will wish to seek information on the details of the tariffs from BAA plc direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to introduce to reverse the decline in numbers of the United Kingdom merchant shipping fleet; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to introduce such measures. We shall continue to keep under review the availability of adequate merchant shipping for defence purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold talks with the chairman of British Rail on the European Economic Community proposals for a directive on the development of Community railways.

The Department is keeping in close touch with British Rail on these proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has prepared to improve the compatibility of British rail systems with other European rail systems after 1992.

The first step is to explore at Community level the best way of improving compatibility between the various national rail systems. We are playing a full part in these discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to visit Leicester to discuss the A46 to A47 link road.

No. The A46-A47 link road is a local authority scheme for which statutory orders have recently been made and submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation. Leicestershire county council will determine the need for a public inquiry if it is unable to resolve any objections which may be made to the orders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government is taking following the conclusions of the transport and road research laboratory report on the relative frequency of cycle accidents occurring at road junctions; and if he will make a statement.

Data on the numbers of cycle accidents occurring at different kinds of junctions is contained in table 42 of the Department's casualty report "Road Accidents Great Britain 1988", which was published in November 1989. The transport and road research laboratory has reported on issues determining the frequencies and rates of all kinds of traffic accidents at. mini-roundabouts. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to ensure that lorries arriving in the United Kingdom via the Channel tunnel are subject to the same weight controls now operating at United Kingdom sea ports.

Year	Cars	Per cent.	Buses	Per cent.	Light goods vehicles	Per cent.	Heavy goods vehicles	Per cent.	Total
Gerrards Cross
1979	n.a.		n.a.		n.a.		n.a.		n.a.
1980	27,600	86	300	1	1,800	6	2,400	7	32,500
1981	n.a.		n.a.		n.a.		n.a.		n.a.
1982	n.a.		n.a.		n.a.		n.a.		n.a.
1983	Separate vehicle types not available								32,000
1984	30,100	86	400	1	2,100	6	2,300	7	34,900
1985	41,400	87	500	1	2,500	5	3,500	7	47,900
1986	51,100	85	400	1	4,200	7	4,400	7	60,100
1987	62,300	85	600	1	5,000	7	5,000	7	72,900
1988	63,000	84	600	1	5,400	7	6,000	8	75,000
Beaconsfield
1983	23,300	84	200	1	1,700	6	2,700	9	27,900
1987	60,800	84	400	1	4,900	6	6,500	9	72,600
n.a. = not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when a decision on the report into the A46 Leicester western bypass is to be made; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment will be issuing a decision letter on 5 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when Her Majesty's Government expect to sign the United Nations convention on the international transport of radioactive wastes and nuclear materials, opened for signature on 1 February.

[holding answer 2 April 1990]: We know of no such convention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a list of the local education authorities which carry out monitoring of the awarding of discretionary grants by local education authorities for full-time and sandwich courses.

Discussions are in progress between the Department and Eurotunnel on the provision of a weighbridge at Coquelles in France. In this way we can ensure that lorries arriving in the United Kingdom via the Channel tunnel are subject to the same weight controls as apply at United Kingdom ferry ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the annual average traffic flows recorded for cars, buses, light goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles on the M40 (a) at Gerrards Cross and (b) at Beaconsfield for each year from 1979 to 1988, inclusive.

The available information on annual average daily traffic flows is:

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the level of expenditure in 1988–89 by local education authorities on discretionary awards to 16 to 18-year-olds.

The data requested for 1988–89 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish the report of the history working party; and if he will make a statement on his response to it.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today published the final report from the national curriculum history working group. Copies have been placed in the Library.The report has been published without statutory proposals, and I am inviting comment from a wide range of representative bodies with an interest. I am also writing to the chairman of the School Examinations and Assessment Council to seek the council's advice on whether the group's proposals would secure the effective assessment of pupils' mastery of historical knowledge.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the progress of the review of Government defence policy in the light of recent developments in eastern Europe.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has told the House, we are examining options for change in the structure and deployment of our armed forces which will enable us to continue to meet those commitments which are of greatest importance towards maintaining our nation's security.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has recently made to or received from the state President of South Africa.

We have made regular representations to the South African Government on a wide range of issues, most recently during my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's visit to South Africa.

To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to Tokyo.

I have no plans at present to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister what matters were discussed during her meetings with Chancellor Kohl in Cambridge on 29 March and in London on 30 March.

Chancellor Kohl and I discussed German unification, the future of NATO, Lithuania, South Africa and the European Community. I announced a programme of scholarships and help with English language teaching in the GDR.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about plans, including any public building projects, to mark the year 2000.

Plans to mark the year 2000 will be developed in due course.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 3 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 3 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 3 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 3 April.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall attend a state banquet in honour of President Venkataram of India.

To ask the Minister for the Arts how many public libraries have been wholly or partially closed since 1978–79.

This information is not held centrally. Returns by local authorities in England to the Chartered institute of Public Finance and Accountancy over the period 1978–79 to 1987–88 are incomplete; statistics from the same 103 authorities in these two years show that the number of libraries within their responsibility fell from 4,124 to 3,922 but that the number of libraries open 10 hours a week or more has risen. The biggest reduction is in the "less than 10 hours a week" category, probably reflecting rationalisation and a conscious effort to make better use of resources. In the same period the total number of service points in these areas rose from 13,163 to 19,264.Recent research suggests that in the three years to December 1989 more than 75 new library buildings or substantial extensions to existing premises were completed.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will consider the retention in public ownership of the five acres of land to the north of the new British library at St. Pancras to ensure the possibility of the library's future expansion.

In 1988 when Ministers agreed to authorise the construction of the completion phase of the new British library building at St. Pancras, they also agreed to dispose of that land at the site which may ultimately be surplus to requirements.The area of land which will be surplus and the optimum timing and method of its disposal are still being examined.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give a breakdown by (a) region and (b) art form of current levels of corporate sponsorship for the arts.

[holding answer 2 April 1990]: Figures for overall corporate sponsorship of the arts are not available. The latest regional and art form breakdowns for sponsorship under my business sponsorship incentive scheme are set out in the table.

Artform breakdown—Financial year 1988–89
Artform	Awards Number	BSIS £	Sponsorship £
Music	119	816,129	1,551,174
Theatre	82	509,529	1,029,438
Festivals	54	531,070	856,673
Visual Art	41	376,234	1,071,477
Opera	19	240,657	493,167
Museums	14	111,676	287,175
Dance	11	169,002	588750
Film/Video	7	52,001	96,000

Artform	Awards Number	BSIS £	Sponsorship £
Literature	6	59,477	77,810
Building/Refurbishment	2	39,000	64,000
Photography	1	6,899	20,698
Total	356	2,911,674	6,136,362

Regional breakdown—Financial year 1988–89
Region	Awards Number	BSIS £	Sponsorship £
London	77	969,809	2,446,989
Scotland	42	310,467	543,236
Wales	35	204,030	264,360
Eastern	26	121,620	225,858
South West	24	143,632	238,389
Southern	23	173,293	436,378
Yorkshire	23	122,959	220,423
West Midlands	22	184,436	275,402
Cross-Regional	18	180,885	630,413
Northern	17	69,449	102,257
South East	15	141,000	217,000
North West	12	100,534	280,600
East Midlands	9	78,010	88,010
Merseyside	7	79,500	128,500
Lincolnshire and Humberside	5	7,050	7,050
International	1	25,000	31,500
Total	356	2,911,674	6,136,362

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the content of his letter to the Auditing Practices Committee regarding its policy on the release of information following the Privy Council Office's letter to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on 11 August 1989.

As foreshadowed in the letter to which the hon. Member refers, my Department has raised with the Auditing Practices Committee its policy on the release of information about its proceedings. The matter is now being considered by the committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation requiring social audits to be compulsory for all large companies.

No, but I welcome the increasing recognition by business of its social responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will investigate co-operation between the insurance companies of both ships involved in the sinking of the Marchioness on payments to relatives; and if he will make a statement.

No. The insurers of the Marchioness and Bowbelle have agreed a formula for settlement of claims without either party restricting the right to sue the other. I see no reason for any investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation enabling members of the public to take legal action against auditors who have been criticised by his inspectors, and to cite his inspectors' report as evidence.

Whether a member of the public has a right of action against an auditor depends on whether that person is owed a duty of care by the auditor and has suffered damage as a result of the auditor's negligence, irrespective of whether the auditor's performance has been criticised in an inspectors' report. Section 441 of the Companies Act 1985 provides for an inspectors' report to be admissible in any legal proceedings as evidence of the inspectors' opinion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to amend section 363 of the Companies Act 1985 to require the letter of representation issued by the directors of a company to the auditors to be filed with the Registrar of Companies.

No. The Government do not accept that any benefits that might be obtained from imposing such a requirement would outweigh the administrative costs involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will bring forward proposals for requiring all large companies to have audit committees.

No. Although we would encourage companies to set up such committees, we believe that the decision as to whether or not to do so is one that is best left to individual companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to require companies separately to identify all holdings gains in their financial statements.

I have no plans to add to the existing legislative requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to advise car buyers of the legal obligations of garage proprietors who offer 0 per cent. interest to finance the purchase of cars.

Under the Consumer Credit Act, it is the function of the Director General of Fair Trading to disseminate such information and advice as it may appear to him expedient to give to the public about the operation of the Act, the credit facilities available to them and other matters within the scope of his functions under the Act. I will draw the hon. Member's question to the director general's attention for consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he will take to increase the monitoring of the practices of garage proprietors who offer 0 per cent. interest to finance the purchase of cars;

The Consumer Credit Act 1974 prohibits misleading credit advertisements and the Consumer Credit (Advertisement) Regulations 1989 contain specific provisions on the use of expressions such as "interest free". Enforcement of this legislation is a matter for local authority trading standards departments and for the Director General of Fair Trading. I will ask the director general to write to the hon. Member about this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice was given by officials in response to inquiries as to whether regional selective assistance would be available if Scania Saab were to locate a new plant in the north of England.

[holding answer 2 April 1990]: Officials told the company that the Government would be prepared to consider an application for regional selective assistance. However, any grant would require clearance by the European Commission under the rules of the Community framework on state aids to the motor vehicle industry. In the Department's judgment, the prospects for approval were not good.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has insisted on any regulatory point to meet the new situation brought about by the changes in central and eastern Europe if regulation of the textile and clothing industry passes to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

[holding answer 2 April 1990]: The precise arrangements for the return of trade in textiles and clothing to GATT rules and for the necessary transitional period before that happens are still the subject of negotiation. Recent developments in central and eastern Europe will be only one of many factors to be considered by the United Kingdom in trying to influence an EC negotiating position on these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement outlining the procedures of the EC Commission for determining normal prices under their anti-clearing procedures; if the producer firms have any entitlement to be advised of the basis of calculations of the Commission; and if the procedures have been approved by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

[holding answer 2 April 1990]: In establishing whether dumping is taking place, the Commission assesses whether a product is sold abroad at prices below what is termed the "normal value". In most cases this "normal value" is the price which the foreign supplier charges for comparable sales in his own country. Where there are no such sales, or when they do not permit a proper comparison or are made at a loss, then the normal value may be established, that is to say "constructed", by reference to either the foreign supplier's domestic costs of production or his price to other export markets. The precise procedures are laid down in the Council regulation (EEC) No. 2423/88, which is available in the Library of the House.Foreign producers involved in anti-dumping proceedings are entitled under the regulation to request to be informed of the essential facts and considerations on which Commission's proposals for definitive anti-dumping duties will be based. The procedures laid down in the regulation for assessing dumping conform with the GATT anti-dumping code.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the new Japanese-owned United Kingdom car producers will be producing cars for sale; if these cars will be permitted to be sold in the EC on the same basis as other British-produced cars; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 2 April 1990]: Nissan has been producing cars in the United Kingdom for sale since 1986. Its cars are sold in the EC on the same basis as other British-made cars. Honda plans to begin producing cars here at the end of 1991, and Toyota in late 1992. The Government are determined to ensure that all cars produced here by Japanese-owned firms should be treated in the EC in exactly the same way as other British-made cars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the policy of the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland on the right to purchase residential property occupied by employees of the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland.

Residential property is offered to employees when it is no longer needed, at a price which takes account of market circumstances, including the existence of the tenancy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount of grant that has been allocated to the Fruit of the Loom company for the development of a new mill at Londonderry.

Details cannot be disclosed as this matter falls under the normal arrangement of strict confidentiality which exists between the Industrial Development Board and its client companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present status and programme for the proposed ring road at Donaghadee, County Down; and if he will make a statement.

There are no proposals for a ring road at Donaghadee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in establishing executive agencies in Northern Ireland.

The training and employment agency became an executive agency of the Department of Economic Development yesterday. It will comprise some 1,700 staff. The agency's principal task will be to implement those training and employment service functions of Government which are the responsibility of the Department. Agency status should ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of these functions, including an improved standard of service to customers. It will also emphasise to employers and individuals the value of training. The establishment of the agency coincides with the high priority now to be given to training and development of the work force in the interests of a competitive economy. Performance targets have been set against which the agency's effectiveness and efficiency will be measured. The framework document for the agency makes provision for the chief executive to propose additional management flexibilities in the future where these will contribute to better performance. Copies of the framework document have been placed in the Library and the Vote Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the budgetary totals for offices in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole, for (i) community care grants and (ii) crisis loans from the social fund 1988–89, 1989–90; and what are his estimates for 1990–91.

Details of budget allocations and expenditure for loans and grants for each social security region and local office are kept in the Library. These figures are available for each year since 1988. In my statement on the social fund to the House on 26 March at columns 21-40 I announced that the budget allocations for the year 1990–91 had been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to the reply of 28 March, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of the 1,053 items of correspondence concerning the poll tax benefit scheme which related to poll tax rebate in Scotland.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 28 March at columns 204-5. It is not possible to estimate now many of the 1,053 items of correspondence referred to community charge rebate in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the final expenditure for each local social fund office in Wales for the latest available year separately for loans and grants, expressed as a proportion of the total annual allocation made to each office.

Details of budget allocations and expenditure for loans and grants for each local office are kept in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department took to notify British companies about the contract to run the area computer centre at Norcross, Lancashire, and to give them the opportunity to tender.

Three companies were invited to tender for the contract to run ACC1 Livingston. On the basis of the responses to that invitation, and the need to bring ACC2 into operation on schedule, it was decided to invite Electronic Data Systems to run ACC2 on similar terms. No other company was asked to tender.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether any British companies were invited to tender for the contract to run the area computer centre at Livingston; what was the name of the company other than Electronic Data System which tendered; and whether Electronic Data System submitted the lower tender.

All three companies invited to tender for ACC1 Livingston are incorporated in the United Kingdom. The contract was awarded to Electronic Data Systems on the basis of best value for money, in accordance with normal practice. It is not the practice to give details of unsuccessful tenderers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security from what date babies above six months but under two years old in April will receive attendance allowance providing they meet the condition when the new extension of the benefit is made.

These babies will qualify for attendance allowance from 9 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available data on the number of claimants of income support, together with the number of dependants, in each of the parliamentary constituencies of Liverpool; and if he will give comparable data for 1979.

[holding answer 22 March 1990]: Data on the number of dependants are unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Data of the number of claimants of income support are unavailable by parliamentary constituency. Data for the Department's offices covering Liverpool as a whole are in the table:

Local Office	Income Support Live Load (1)
	1979	1990
Belle Vale	8,114	10,749
Bootle	11,524	12,908
Breckfield	10,030	15,189
City	7,674	7,571
Edge Hill1	7,912	14,918
Garston	8,161	8,688
Huyton	10,396	15,640

Local Office	Income Support Live Load (1)
	1979	1990
Kirkby	7,105	15,858
Norris Green	5,740	7,517
Toxteth	6,498	15,651
WestDerby	7,361	4,523
1previously Wavertree

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available data on the number of claimants of income support, together with the number of dependants, in each of the Wirral parliamentary constituencies; and if he will give comparable data for 1979.

[holding answer 22 March 1990]: Data on the number of dependants are unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Data on the number of claimants of income support are unavailable by parliamentary constituency. Data for the Department's offices covering Wirral as a whole are in the table:

Local office	Income support live load1
	1979	1990
Birkenhead North	10,828	15,057
Birkenhead South	6,479	9,985
Wallasey	7,910	11,359
1Source: 100 per cent. of the cases in action. These figures include a number of cases where benefit has ceased but other action on the case is continuing. Data for 1990 are provisional and subject to amendment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden), of 13 November, Official Report, column 98, if he will consider increasing the size of future tranches of renewable generating capacity; and when he expects to be seeking applications for these tranches.

A total of 600 MW of capacity has been reserved for renewables within future tranches of the non-fossil fuel obligation and this could be increased if necessary. My right hon. Friend expects to announce the arrangements for the first additional tranche later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give for each area electricity board this year's percentage increase or decrease for the average (a) domestic user, (b) non-domestic user taking less than 1 MW and (c) user taking more than 1 MW.

Electricity prices are a matter for the industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 13 March, Official Report, columns 141-44 about gas privatisation, what was the role of Wood Mackenzie and James Capel in the gas privatisation.

Wood Mackenzie and James Capel were appointed by Her Majesty's Government to assist the lead brokers Cazenove and Company in the British Gas offer for sale.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what were the total export and import of oil, gas and coal, respectively, in February in tonnes and value on the sae basis as his answer of 9 November 1989, Official Report, columns 767-68.

The equivalent information for exports and imports of oil, gas and coal for February 1990 as set out in my earlier answer of 9 November 1989, Official Report, columns 767-68, is as follows:

Table 1—February 1990
	Thousand tonnes
Exports (f.o.b.)
Oil1	6,004
Coal	181
Imports (c.i.f.)
Oil	5,292
Gas2	1,433
Coal	893

Table 2—February 1990
	£ million at 1985 prices3
Exports (f.o.b.)
Oil1	1,027
Coal	7
Imports (c.i.f.)
Oil	853
Gas	108
Coal	48
1 Contains a small amount of natural gas exports.
2 Coal equivalent.
3 Figures at 1985 constant prices have been derived by applying the unit value for exports in 1985 to the relevant volumes in 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest estimate of the date of Sizewell B's (a) completion, (b) commissioning and (c) run-up to full power.

The timetable for completion of Sizewell B is a matter for Nuclear Electric plc. The CEGB indicated in its last annual report and accounts that it aimed to achieve full commercial load in May 1994, six months after the start of fuel loading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide additional incentives to renewable energy generators in the United Kingdom.

My Department is already providing substantial incentives. We support a major research and development programme aimed at developing commercially viable and environmentally acceptable renewable technologies to contribute to future energy supply. Over £50 million is earmarked for expenditure on renewable projects during the next three years. Provision for 1990–91 is around £20 million.Renewables also benefit from the non-fossil fuel obligation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his current estimate of the maximum potential for renewable generating capacity on the United Kingdom electricity network.

The most recent estimates of the potential contribution from renewable energy sources were published in energy paper 55, "Renewable Energy in the UK: The Way Forward", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list each Magnox station's current life expectancy; and when each will next be reviewed.

The maximum life for each Magnox station is an operational matter to be determined by Nuclear Electric subject to continuing compliance with the nuclear site licence issued by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.The current review dates for each Magnox reactor are set out in my answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 25 January 1990, at column

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish for each of the last five years the number of people who have contracted (i) hepatitis A, (ii) hepatitis B, (iii) hepatitis C, (iv) hepatitis D and (v) hepatitis E in England and Wales, separately distinguishing the figures by health authority areas.

The figures for laboratory reports to the communicable disease surveillance centre of the public health laboratory service are as follows:

Year	Clinical hepatitis A	Acute hepatitis B
1985	2,254	1,785
1986	2,217	1,329
1987	2,785	785
1988	4,167	644
1989	15,334	1605
1 Provisional figure.

It is not possible to provide the breakdown requested by health authority area, but the percentages of the above reports by area over the five-year period were:

Region	Percentage of reports
	Hepatitis A	Hepatitis B
Northern	4	5
Yorkshire	11	11
Trent	7	8
East Anglia	2	3
North West Thames	8	7
North East Thames	7	6
South East Thames	6	8
Wessex	3	4
Oxford	4	4
South Western	8	8
West Midlands	10	8
Mersey	3	6
North Western	12	13
Wales	5	4

Reliable figures for hepatitis C, D and E are not available, because the diagnostic tests for these viruses are at different stages of development and use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the present number of (a) private nursing homes and (b) publicly owned nursing homes; and what is the number of inspectors to check the standards of care and facilities in nursing homes.

Centrally collected data do not distinguish between hospitals and nursing homes registered under section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984. By deducting the number of premises with operating theatres (that is, hospitals) from the total number of premises registered, a figure of about 3,000 nursing homes can be obtained for the year ending 31 March 1989.Figures on publicly owned nursing homes are not held centrally. The Government consider continuous nursing care services to be an integral part of NHS provision for those people who require them. However, the actual level of service to be provided by a health authority is a matter for that authority to decide for itself based on local needs and practice.Figures for the number of inspectors of nursing homes and hospitals are not held centrally. Registration and inspection is delegated to district health authorities. It is for each health authority to decide the number of inspectors required, taking into account local circumstances. Authorities must inspect each home or hospital at least twice a year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his assessment of the effect of more invasive salmonellas than salmonella enteritidis and typhimurium on the incidence of food poisoning outbreaks.

Food poisoning due to salmonella is not generally regarded as an invasive disease. However, some salmonella strains are more likely than others to cause septicaemia or meningitis. For example, 28 per cent. of strains of salmonella dublin received by the PHLS division of enteric pathogens during 1981–89 were isolated from blood cultures, compared with only about 2 per cent. for all other serotypes. However, salmonella dublin is rare in humans; it accounted in 1989 for less than 1 per cent. (none in 1988) of outbreaks of food poisoning reported to the PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre. In contrast, salmonella enteritidis and salmonella typhimurium together accounted for 82 per cent. of reported outbreaks in 1989 (76 per cent. in 1988). These two strains therefore represent the greatest burden of human illness.

In-patients waiting lists, North Western Region 31 March 1979 and 31 March 1989
Health Authority	11979	21989	Change	Change per cent.
Lancaster	2,099	2,826	727	35
Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde	5,038	3,431	-1,607	-32
Preston	n/a	4,897	n/a	n/a
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley	5,512	3,761	-1,751	-32
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale	3,850	1,807	-2,043	-53
West Lancashire	2,573	2,852	279	11
Chorley and South Ribble	n/a	636	n/a	n/a
Bolton	4,283	2,936	-1,347	-31
Bury	1,147	373	-774	-67
North Manchester	5,722	2,456	-3,266	-57
Central Manchester	6,924	9,441	2,517	36
South Manchester	8,339	7,483	-856	-10
Oldham	3,210	4,903	1,693	53
Rochdale	2,948	3,280	332	11
Salford	4,873	4,477	-396	-8
Stockport	5,043	4,324	-719	-14
Tameside and Glossop	2,208	1,566	-642	-29
Trafford	2,569	1,469	-1,100	-43
Wigan	4,255	4,310	55	1
Region	77,368	67,228	-10,140	-13
1 The regional total is not equal to the sum of the districts' figures because districts affected by NHS restructuring in 1982 have been excluded.
2 Less self deferred cases.
n/a = comparable data not available due to NHS restructuring in 1982.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many eye tests have been carried out in the northern region in each year since 1980.

The number of sight tests since 1983–84, paid for by the family practitioner committees which approximate the northern region, are set out in the table. The figures were supplied by the following family practitioner committees:Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland, Gateshead, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Number of sight tests in Northern Region 1983–84 to 1988–89
Year	Number of sight tests
1983–84	576,216
1984–85	592,048
1985–86	599,981
1986–87	627,573
1987–88	679,969
1988–89	740,424

Information is not held on sight tests paid for before 1983–84. Figures for 1989–90 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health by how much National Health Service waiting lists have changed between 1979 and 1989 in each district health authority within the North West regional health authority for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients.

Information on in-patient waiting lists is given in the table. Data on out-patient waiting lists are not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cervical smear tests have been carried out on women for each year of the past decade; and if he will make a statement.

The number of cervical smear tests carried out by the NHS in England and Wales in the last decade is shown in the table:

(thousands)
Year	Number of smears
1977	2,545
1978	2,587
1979	2,749
1980	2,928
1981	2,999
1982	2,951
1983	3,200
1984	3,417
1985	3,897
1986	3,908
1987–88	4,322

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many health authorities in England and Wales have a computerised recall system for cervical cancer smear tests; and if he will list them;

All 190 health authorities in England have computerised call and recall systems for cervical cancer screening. All women aged 20 to 64 are to be invited for screening by March 1993 and recalled at least every five years. Cervical cancer screening in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time for results from cervical smear tests, by region; and if he will make a statement.

Number of deaths from malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri1in England and Wales by regional health authority (RHA) of usual residence. 1979–88
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	19882
England and Wales	2,080	2,068	2,017	1,932	1,959	1,899	1,957	2,004	1,903	1,942
RHA of Usual Residence
Northern	158	157	143	153	155	134	147	145	134	148
Yorkshire	184	194	175	159	168	165	177	150	159	144
Trent	193	209	205	185	177	188	191	204	168	196
East Anglian	59	65	70	64	66	54	59	69	67	68
North West Thames	100	111	90	104	98	119	91	127	88	101
North East Thames	140	113	120	141	136	117	130	141	104	124
South East Thames	144	140	143	122	129	125	123	151	134	131
South West Thames	113	117	98	105	82	82	86	76	91	89
Wessex	93	107	89	82	104	87	92	84	98	107
Oxford	88	62	61	67	59	54	73	71	76	81
South Western	146	109	120	125	129	124	129	121	146	122
West Midlands	185	204	200	189	191	213	185	174	197	206
Mersey	124	145	147	132	134	130	148	131	124	105
North Western	217	206	216	176	187	187	183	214	177	187
Wales	136	125	133	118	136	114	139	139	132	126
1 Assigned to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9th revision code 180.
2 Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on research into allergies and the facilities available under the National Health Service for sufferers.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main agency through which the Government support medical and related research in the United Kingdom. The MRC receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science and is currently conducting research into allergies; the total expenditure for these projects is £1 million.NHS treatment for allergies is widely available. The amount of resources devoted to it is for decision by health authorities in the light of their knowledge of local needs, priorities, and resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how he plans to use the information gained under section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 to develop good community care services; and if he will make a statement;(2) on what date he expects section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 to be fully implemented;

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 21 February at column 834.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have died from cervical cancer in each of the past 10 years; if he will give the figures region by region; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is shown in the table:(3) what steps his Department is taking and will be taking to publicise the information collected under section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

Section 11 came into force on 18 December 1989 and the first report was laid before the House on 21 December 1989. The report has been subsequently printed and distributed to health and local authorities. It is hoped that the information in the report, on services for people with a mental illness or mental handicap, will be of assistance to authorities in developing good community care services in line with the Government's policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce statutory regulations controlling payments by pharmaceutical companies and individual consultants in exchange for participation in tests using experimental drugs; and if he will make a statement.

We have no powers to make such regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued by his Department to private hospitals and clinics with regard to ensuring that patients who are treated are in a position to pay for such treatment.

No such guidance is issued; payment for private treatment is a matter for the parties concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 March, Official Report, column 183, what accounts for the shortfall in estimated expenditure for publicity in 1989–90 of £15·876 million, from the budget given in his answer of 13 March 1989, Official Report, column 69.

The £19·586 million budget, quoted in the reply of 13 March 1989, included £4 million which was transferred during 1989–90 to the Health Education Authority to fund additional health promotion campaigns carried out by the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) from which budget the provision of incontinence pads will come; and which profession will be responsible for the provision of incontinence advice and supplies, following the reorganisation of the National Health Service;(2) if his Department is carrying out research into the development of minimum standards for incontinence pads, including the microbiological aspect of pads;(3) what representations he has received on the delivery of incontinence advice and the provision of incontinence pads; and if he will make a statement.

The provision of incontinence services will not be altered by the National Health Service and Community Care Bill. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Minister for Health gave my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 8 March 1990 at columns 823-24.The Department is funding an evaluation project at St. Pancras hospital, London, including microbiological examination of reusable pads after laundering, which will not be completed until the end of March 1991. The project is looking into all four categories of incontinence pads. One of the aims of the project is to provide basic information which will be used by the British Standards Institution and the International Standards Organisation in the development of standards.We receive representations on the provision of incontinence pads occasionally, but have received no representations on the delivery of incontinence advice. The Department has funded a number of projects designed to promote awareness of the problems of incontinence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many district health authorities make charges under section 155 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 for payment for emergency treatment of traffic casualties;(2) what is the estimated cost to a district health authority of making a charge under section 155 of the Road Traffic Act 1972;(3) what is the total income received by the National Health Service under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1972.

The total income from emergency treatment fees and charges under sections 157 and 158 for in and out-patient treatment recorded in the accounts of district health authorities was £8·7 million for 1988–89 in England. Income from emergency treatment fees is not separately identified. However, the indications are that most, if not all, district health authorities have collected income from this particular source. No information on the cost to district health authorities of collecting these charges is available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any food or drink offered for sale in the United Kingdom contains aspirin as an additive.

I have been asked to reply.Aspirin is not listed as a permitted additive to food or drink by regulations made under the Food Act 1984.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider abolishing income tax and social security liabilities in regard to persons employed at sea in United Kingdom shipping companies' merchant ships; and if he will make a statement.

The Finance Act 1988 relaxed for seafarers the rules for qualification for the 100 per cent. foreign earnings deduction. A total exemption from income tax and social security liabilities would give seafarers an unjustified advantage over other groups of employees.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those years in the period 1974 to 1989 when public expenditure was reduced in real terms; and for each of those years if he will indicate the main services where reductions took place.

General Government expenditure (excluding privatisation proceeds) fell in real terms in 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1987–88 and 1988–89 as shown in table 21.2.1 of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper (Cm 1021). The reductions in the mid-1970s covered a broad range of services. The areas in which there were falls in the real level of expenditure in 1987–88 and 1988–89 are shown in table 21.2.11 of Cm 1021, which gives an analysis of general Government expenditure by function in real terms for 1978–79 to 1989–90.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year from 1970 to 1989, on a balance of payments basis, his estimate of the balance of visible trade with the world and with the European Economic Community Twelve on the basis of (i) 1989 and (ii) 1985 prices; and if he will add figures for visible trade less oil and erratic items;(2) whether he will publish in the

Information from which United Kingdom world trade balances at constant prices may be derived can be found on the Central Statistical Office database, which may be accessed through the Library of the House. Estimates for trade with the European Community are available only at current prices, and information about manufactures less erratic items on a balance of payments basis is not available by area.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions Customs and Excise officials had with the debenture holder immediately before or after their two visits to Natural Beauty Products earlier this year in pursuit of a distraint order; and what other action was taken.

Customs has had no discussions with the debenture holder either before or after its visits to Natural Beauty Products.The distraint was affected on 1 February 1990 and the administrative receiver was appointed on 2 February. Customs has maintained its distraint and has been in discussion with the administrative receiver about the sale of the business as a going concern.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

The informal ECOFIN met at Ashford castle, County Mayo on 31 March for its first detailed discussion of the later stages of economic and monetary union (EMU). I made it clear that we believed it premature to give detailed consideration to the later stages before stage 1 had begun and that the United Kingdom's position had not changed. I repeated our willingness to participate fully in the inter-governmental conference and in its preparation. I made clear our opposition to binding limits on the level of budget deficits, but said that we were ready to contemplate binding rules against monetary financing of deficits and the bailing out of member states, and providing for procedures for surveillance. These rules would be desirable whatever the eventual form of EMU. Legal conditionality might also attach to any Community support loans. I expressed our reserve on the monetary aspects of EMU including the proposed European system of central banks (ESCB). Preparation for the IGC will continue in the relevant committees and ECOFIN will discuss the issues again at our meeting in June.The German Minister for Finance outlined the latest developments in the preparations for an economic and monetary union between the Federal Republic and the German Democratic Republic. There was a brief discussion about the European bank for reconstruction and development. It was agreed that there should be further examination of the requests from some European countries for association of their currencies with the EMS.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year from 1970 to 1989 on a balance of payments basis the balance of trade with the European Economic Community Twelve and with other countries on (a) manufactures and (b) invisible trade; and if he will add figures for manufactures less erratic items.

[holding answer 23 March 1990]: Estimates on a balance of payments basis for trade in manufactures with the European Community and with non-European Community countries are shown in the table:

United Kingdom Trade Balances with EEC and Non-EEC Countries in Manufactured Goods (SITC 5-8) from 1970–1989
BOP basis £ million
Not Seasonally Adjusted
Year	EEC	Non-EEC
1970	644	1,899
1971	431	2,578
1972	60	2,086
1973	-360	1,845
1974	-478	2,441
1975	-587	4,326
1976	-490	5,401
1977	-503	6,376
1978	-1,735	6,789
1979	-2,570	5,280
1980	-1,174	6,600
1981	-2,651	7,146
1982	-4,458	6,550
1983	-7352	4,636
1984	-8,313	3,895
1985	-8,999	5,376
1986	-10,392	4,340
1987	-10,670	2,842
1988	-12,538	-2,338
1989	-13,583	-2,552

Information for invisible trade is available for 1973 to 1988 on the Central Statistical Office database, which may be accessed through the Library. The information for 1978 to 1988 is also in table 10.1 of 1989 edition of the "The CSO Pink Book", which is available in the Library of the House.Comparable data for manufactures less erratic items on a balance of payments basis are not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update, to take account of the 1990 Budget, the information on tax changes contained in his reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 4 April 1989, Official Report, columns 7-8.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update, to take account of the 1990 Budget, the information on tax changes contained in his reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 21 October 1986, Official Report, columns 812-14.

[holding answers 28 and 29 March 1990]: The information is in the tables. For each financial year shown, the tables compare the yield from the tax regime in that year, with the 1978–79 tax regime, both assuming independent taxation. All estimates are based on a provisional 1990–91 income base projected from the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and all tax regimes have been indexed to 1990–91 levels (using the new independent taxation allowances) by reference to the statutory formula. The comparisons therefore reflect budgetary changes in income tax rates and allowances, but not (i) any changes since 1978–79 in the definition of the

Average gain per individual2(£ per annum)
Range of individual's income in 1990–91 (£)	1979–80	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91
Under 5,000	50	20	50	60	80	110	110	110
5,000 to 10,000	140	70	120	150	220	320	320	320
10,000 to 15,000	290	230	280	360	500	690	690	690
15,000 to 20,000	420	380	430	550	760	1,030	1,030	1,030
20,000 to 30,000	650	650	710	880	1,220	1,610	1,610	1,590
30,000 to 50,000	1,910	1,770	1,880	2,090	2,480	3,480	3,480	3,270
50,000 to 70,000	5,390	5,570	5,740	5,870	6,090	9,610	9,610	9,390
Over 70,000	18,560	20,880	21,060	21,130	21,310	36,310	36,310	36,060
Total	460	420	480	550	680	990	990	980