To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science who has responsibility for paying arrears of pay to former employees of ILEA whose contracts of employment were not taken over by the successor boroughs.

The London residuary body has that responsibility for all ex-ILEA employees who were not transferred by statutory order to the employment of the inner London councils.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will extend the in-service support from the local education authority training grants scheme for special support assistants, nursery nurses and other carers involved in providing special needs education.

The Government have no plans to extend the scheme specifically to cover these or other groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, 15 December 1989, Official Report, column 832, he will make a further statement on the progress of the Medical Research Council/INSERM trial of zidovudine.

I understand from the Medical Research Council that the trial is continuing satisfactorily and that there is no significant information to add to that provided in my previous reply of 15 December 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update the figures of participants in the Medical Research Council/INSERM trial of zidovudine given in reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 15 December 1989, Official Report, column 832.

The number of participants enrolled in the Medical Research Council/INSERM trial of zidovudine up to 15 May was 772 in the United Kingdom and 727 in France.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total of the capital allocations to grant-maintained schools in 1990–91.

On 26 January I announced allocations of capital grant to grant-maintained schools totalling £6·6 million for the financial year 1990–91, at columns 900–2. I said that a further sum of up to £1·9 million was available for grant-maintained schools to meet commitments and contingencies. A total of about £8 million has now been allocated.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Commonwealth countries and colonies enjoy reciprocal arrangements by which their citizens resident in the United Kingdom enjoy the right to vote in United Kingdom elections; and what is his estimate of the number of such people who had that right at the time of the 1987 general election.

Commonwealth citizens resident in the United Kingdom, who are not otherwise disqualified, are eligible to register as electors and vote at elections here. The table lists those Commonwealth countries and dependent territories which allow British citizens, subject to residency qualifications, to register as electors. Approximately half a million Commonwealth citizens living in the United Kingdom were eligible to vote at the 1987 general election. Of these, about 150,000 were from countries which allow reciprocal voting rights to British citizens.

Commonwealth Countries and United Kingdom Dependent Territories which allow voting rights to British citizens
Anguilla	Montserrat
Antigua and Barbuda	Mauritius
Barbados	New Zealand
Belize	Pitcairn
Dominica	St. Helene
Falkland Islands	St. Kitts and Nevis
Gibraltar	St. Lucia
Grenada	St. Vincent
Guyana	Sierre Leone
Hong Kong	Trinidad and Tobago
Jamaica	Tristan da Cunha

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it was decided that British passports should no longer specify residence, height and distinguishing marks.

These details, which are no longer considered to be essential for identification of the passport holder, were deleted in the interests of efficiency, and to meet the requirements of the international standard for machine-readable passports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the categories of prisoners to be accepted by New Hall prison when the present extension is complete.

It is planned that Her Majesty's prison and young offender institution New Hall should continue to hold both remand and sentenced female prisoners who are required to be kept in closed conditions, with the exception of those classified as category A (prisoners requiring the highest level of security).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arriving persons at United Kingdom points of entry have been allowed to go to

Number of passengers (a) granted temporary admission and (b) who absconded
	Number of passengers granted temporary admission
Year	pending further examination	After being refused entry	Total	Total number of passengers who absconded1
1985	26,746	26,595	3—	388
1986	12,414	10,757	3—	1,161
1987	3—	3—	7,517	821
1988	3—	3—	8,692	401
1989	3—	3—	13,744	475
Year ending 31 March 1990	3—	3—	14,870	488
1 Includes passengers who absconded from the control, temporary admission and detention.
2 For April to December. Comprehensive data are not available for the first three months of 1985.
3 Not available.

The temporary admission figures for 1985 and 1986 were on a different basis from those for later years. Figures for 1985 and 1986 separately identified those granted temporary admission pending further examination, from those granted temporary admission after being refused entry, with the result that those granted temporary admission under both circumstances were counted twice. In subsequent years those granted temporary admission under both circumstances have been counted once only.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his most recent figures for the movement in the overall prison population over the last 12 month period.

On Friday 11 May the total prisoner population including those in police cells was 45,671. This compares with 49,147 at the same time last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many attempted suicides have taken place in Birmingham prison in each of the last five years;(2) if he will provide a month by month breakdown of the number of attempted suicides by inmates in Birmingham prison in 1989.

The number of inmates who were recorded as having attempted suicide at Birmingham prison in 1987 was 25; in 1988, 13; and in 1989, 24. No information is available for earlier years. A month-by-month breakdown of the figure for 1989 is given in the table:

Number of inmates recorded as having attempted suicide at HM Prison Birmingham in 1989
	Numbers
January	2
February	2
March	4
April	3
May	—
June	2
July	2
August	—
September	4

The available information is given in the table:

	Numbers
October	1
November	—
December	4
Total	24

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent race-awareness training is a part of the current training procedure for magistrates.

I have been asked to reply.The Judicial Studies Board is responsible for supervising the training of the lay magistracy, which is carried out locally. The revised syllabus set out in the "Handbook For The Training of Magistrates", published by the board earlier this year and approved by the Lord Chancellor, requires newly appointed magistrates to be given instruction in

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will expedite the date for the appeal of Mr. Kemel Karaca, formerly of Crewe, to enter the United Kingdom.

I have been asked to reply. In accordance with the guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988, I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the unit as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has agreed British Rail's recent proposals for further investment connected with channel tunnel passenger rail services.

I am pleased to announce my approval of British Rail's proposals for investment of £174·2 million to build an international passenger terminal at Waterloo and a train depot at Willesden for maintaining international trains. These are major items in British Rail's plans to spend over £1 billion so that a full international passenger and freight service can begin on the day that the channel tunnel opens.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it remains his policy that British Rail's commuter services in peak hours should not be cut back to accommodate channel tunnel international passenger and freight trains when the channel tunnel opens in 1993.

I understand that British Rail stands by its assurance given to Parliament during the passage of the Channel Tunnel Act that existing services would not be curtailed by the introduction of channel tunnel rail services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any hoax telephone call or message was received on Wednesday 16 August 1989 which interfered with the search and rescue service in the Bristol channel area.

Nationally some 30 per cent. of calls received by the coastguard are false alarms and a further 3 per cent. are "hoaxes", so officers must be alert to this possibility. However, there were no hoax calls or messages which interfered with search and rescue operation in the Swansea coastguard district on 16 August 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about London taxi fares.

The Secretary of State has made an order increasing London taxi fares by about 9·2 per cent. on average with effect from Friday 8 June 1990. The new tariff will incorporate a minimum fare of £1·00 (including an unchanged hire charge of 40p) for the first 1,021·5 yd or 3 minutes 36 seconds. The rate will then be 20p for every 340·5 yd or 1 minute 12 seconds up to 6 miles and 20p for each 227 yd or 48 seconds thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about investment in British Rail's deepsea container freight business.

I am pleased to announce that I have given approval to the Board's proposal to invest in 700 new container-carrying wagons for BR's deepsea container business at a cost of some £40 million. This will enable British Rail to offer its customers a more reliable service and to improve the financial performance of this part of its freight business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trainees have entered nursing for a state registered nurse or registered general nurse course in England for each of the last five years.

The information is given in the table:

Numbers of entrants to registered general nurse training in England—years ended 31 March 1985 to 1989
	Number
1985	14,903
1986	14,208
1987	14,002
1988	13,581
1989	14,473

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the average cost of private sight tests.

The price of a private sight test is a matter for individual opticians. It is up to them to use their best commercial judgment and set their prices accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people annually he expects to qualify for help with the cost of a private sight test on the grounds of low income.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities are required to allow disabled people to give their views about their community care needs during the assessment procedure and are required to produce a written statement of the outcome of the assessment procedure if requested by the disabled person.

Our White Paper "Caring for People" said that assessments should take account of the wishes of the individual. This includes disabled people. In our guidance to local authorities on assessment procedures we intend to emphasise the importance of involving the individual user in the assessment. We also intend to make it clear that decisions should be conveyed in writing when requested by the person concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the effects of hormone replacement therapy in connection with osteoporosis.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 19 March at column 460. Since then we have received representations about osteoporosis and hormone replacement therapy from the all-party parliamentary group for pensioners on behalf of the National Federation of Women's Institutes and from hon. Members on behalf of the National Osteoporosis Society. I shall also be meeting the National Osteoporosis Society shortly to discuss these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the allocation of £3·83 million for the development of alcohol services, announced by Baroness Hooper, includes an amount for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

No. The sum to which the hon. Member refers has been allocated to Alcohol Concern for the development of alcohol services in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people claimed health benefits in 1989–90 through their automatic entitlement as claimants of income support or family credit; how many claimed help as a result of the low income scheme: and if he will estimate how many people would be able to claim in 1990–91 if the passport was extended to cover housing benefit and community charge benefit;(2) what is the rate of take-up of health benefits for

Information concerning help with NHS charges and hospital travel costs for people receiving income support or family credit or who qualify for help on low income grounds is derived from the number of occasions help is provided which does not always identify the numbers of individual patients who have benefited. Nor is it possible to estimate how many people would be able to claim health benefits if the passport was extended to cover housing benefit and community charge benefit because some of them will already qualify for health benefits on other grounds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for every £ sterling of expenditure on the agency benefits low income scheme for help with costs of glasses, wigs and fabric supports, prescriptions, dental charge and hospital travel costs, how much is spent on administering the scheme.

Information in the form requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average time taken to process a claim for help under the low income scheme for health benefits; how it differs between the different benefits; and what is the average time taken to process a claim from a claimant with automatic entitlement to health benefits.

The Department of Social Security administers the low income scheme for health benefits and help with hospital travel costs on behalf of the Department of Health. It has advised that in the year ending 30 April 1990 around 86 per cent. of all claims received were cleared within 10 working days.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what form of report he receives from the Yorkshire regional cancer registry.

The Yorkshire regional cancer registry submits records of newly diagnosed cases of cancer for its region to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) in the form of a magnetic tape once the data for a particular year are judged to be complete. The records contain information which enables OPCS to maintain its cancer surveillance system and to produce the national annual reference volumes on cancer incidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy towards the provision of general practitioner beds as a move towards more comprehensive community care, respite care, and recuperation in the community.

Health authorities are required to draw up plans for the provision of health care services to the population for whom they are responsible. The provision of general practitioner beds is an option we would expect them to consider as part of this process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the money made available by his Department for the resource management programme has been allocated to (a) St. James hospital, Leeds, (b) Pontefract general infirmary and (c) Pinderfields hospital, Wakefield.

Since March 1989 Yorkshire regional health authority has been allocated nearly £7 million for the resource management programme. In March 1989 nine hospitals in the Yorkshire region, including St. James' hospital, Leeds and Pontefract general infirmary, were selected to prepare and implement the resource management programme. In January 1990 a further five hospitals, including Pinderfields general hospital, were selected to prepare and implement the programme in 1990–91. Although the financial allocation made to Yorkshire regional health authority takes account of the number of its designated hospital sites it is for the regional health authority to decide how these additional funds are allocated to the sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of patients from psychiatric institutions who were released into the community who have been readmitted to psychiatric institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Most readmissions to mental illness hospitals are of short duration and are part of a planned programme of care. No information is available centrally on emergency readmissions of long-stay patients released into the community.The total number of readmissions to mental illness hospitals and units in England is set out in the table:

Year	Numbers
1979	120,073
1980	127,184
1981	132,893
1982	133,475
1983	138,080
1984	138,431
1985	146,895
1986	145,578

Activation	Scope	Event	Date
25 January 1990	England	Storms	25 January 1990
26 January 1990	England	Storms	16–17 December 1989
5 February 1990	Severn Valley	Flooding	late January 1990
1 May 1990	Maidenhead	Flooding	early February 1990
1 May 1990	England	Storms	26–28 February 1990

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on trends in the incidence of earth tremors and earthquakes in the United Kingdom; and whether any research has been done on a possible relationship with the abstraction of oil and gas in the North sea.

Earthquakes in the United Kingdom are monitored by the British geological survey (BGS) using a network of seismometers which is being upgraded at present under contracts placed by a number of organisations, including my Department. Historical events and recent monitoring records, which are published by the BGS, have not yet established any trends towards changes in patterns of seismic activity.There is frequent seismic activity associated with natural geological structures beneath parts of the North sea. However, there is no evidence for any relationship between the abstraction of oil and gas in the North sea and earthquake activity although, for some small earthquakes, the possibility cannot be discounted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the closing date for claims of entitlement to rebates and transitional relief as it relates to the community charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals on claims for rebates and relief in respect of the community charge to allow a longer time scale for claims to be lodged.

The Government have no plans to review the relevant provisions. For community charge benefit, claims may be backdated by up to 56 days after the issue of a community charge bill or longer where there is good cause for a delayed application. Rates-related transitional relief is calculated automatically by authorities and no application is required. The special form of transitional relief for certain pensioners and disabled people requires

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the dates of, and the events which led to, the activation of the Bellwin scheme since 1 April 1989.

The Bellwin scheme has been activated in England on the following occasions since 1 April 1989:application which can be made at any time up to 1 October 1990 or such later date as a charging authority allows arid all adjustments are made with effect from 1 April 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider in his forthcoming review of proposals for modification of the community charge that element which has been added to the charge for local government services to meet the losses on non-payment of the charge to be returned to community charge payers taking into account the actual non-payment before the end of the financial year, and after all legal steps have been taken to obtain payment.

No. Local authorities have always had to make an allowance for losses on collection and in this respect the community charge is no different from the old domestic rating system. The single change introduced is the design of the community charge demand notice which identifies this element so that local charge payers can consider whether their authority is being efficient in collecting the community charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the actual level of outstanding debt faced by Rotherham local authority; and what was the level recognised by his Department for the purposes of the standard spending assessment for 1990–91.

[holding answer 14 May 1990]: The actual level of outstanding debt, as at 31 March 1990, is not yet known. The assumed level of outstanding debt as defined for the standard spending assessment is £66,657,656; this figure relates to 31 March 1990 and includes a share of the assumed outstanding debt for the South Yorkshire passenger transport authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, where the cost of community charge collection exceeds the amount outstanding from an individual, and the local authority should write off the charge, the local authority will be deemed responsible to have collected this amount, and be charged for it by central Government, when assessing the community charge payable for the following financial year.

The amount of grant payable to each charging authority is calculated on the basis of the number of people shown on the register as being liable to pay the charge. It does not vary according to the number of charges actually collected.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many appeals on applications on behalf of gipsies for residential development his Department's inspectors have reversed decisions taken by (a) Taunton Deane borough council and (b) the other four district councils in Somerset, since 1 January 1986.

The Department's records show that:

(a) two appeals have been allowed against decisions of the Taunton Deane borough council to refuse applications made by or on behalf of gipsies for planning permission for residential development;

(b) one further similar appeal has been allowed in the area covered by the other four district councils in Somerset.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce his decision on the inquiry which ended in March 1989, into Somerset county council's proposal for a transit gipsy site; and if he will make a statement on the provision and distribution of gipsy caravan sites in each of the five districts of Somerset.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to issue his decision in this case as soon as possible.Gipsy site provision is the statutory responsibility of the county council, but authorised sites can also be provided privately by gipsies themselves. Somerset county council has six sites (all residential) as listed in the table:

	Pitches
Mendip DC—Berk ley, near Frome	8
Sedgemoor DC—Westonzoyland	8
South Somerset DC—Chubbards Cross, Ilton	15
South Somerset DC—Marsh Lane, Tintinhull	11
Taunton Deane BC—Otterford	12
West Somerset DC—Farringdon Hill Lane, Stogursey	10
Total pitches	64

The Department does not collect information on private gipsy sites on the form requested but according to the latest available figures produced by the district councils there are 26 gipsy caravans accommodated on private authorised sites in Taunton and two in Mendip.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the trading results of the Crown Suppliers.

The Comptroller and Auditor General has today laid before the House the annual accounts for the Crown Suppliers for 1989. TCS recorded a deficit on its ordinary activities of £2·5 million on a turnover of £165 million. I have placed in the Library a copy of the chief executive's report. He says that a surplus would have been made, as in previous years, but for the reduction in turnover of £57 million which resulted from the transfer to other Government Departments of activities which are not to be privatised, with insufficient time available in the period to make commensurate reductions in overheads. Sales for the first quarter of 1990 were above budget, and the business has been restructured to prepare it for privatisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families in Wales are in receipt of family credit.

At the end of December 1989, the latest date for which comprehensive information is available, the number of families receiving family credit who at the time of their award were living in Wales was 20,500.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for any adjustments to the reduced earnings allowance consequential on industrial injury.

Our plans for reduced earnings allowance are set out in paragraphs 6.12 to 6.14 of Cm 917, "The Way Ahead", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of allowing people who have been in receipt of invalid care allowance the option of satisfying the first contribution condition for unemployment benefit on the basis of paid contributions in either of the two years before first claiming invalid care allowance; and if he will make a statement.

In relation to a claim for a short-term national insurance benefit, including unemployment benefit, the contribution conditions have to be satisfied during the last two complete tax years before the benefit year in which the relevant period of interruption of employment (PIE) starts. The estimated net benefit costs of treating the first day for which invalid care allowance was paid as the first day in the PIE for short-term benefit claims made immediately after payment of invalid care allowance ceases would be in the order of £1 million a year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to the reply of 7 December 1989, Official Report, column 343, he will publish the proportion of social fund expenditure, on a month by month basis, which local offices are recommended to spend, for each month in the financial year 1990–91.

The national profile of anticipated expenditure for 1990–91 is set out in the table. It was devised from an analysis of previous levels of national expenditure, as a guide to assist managers of local offices in planning expenditure of their annual budgets. It is not intended to represent a recommended pattern of monthly expenditure, and managers are free to produce their own profiles to take account of local factors in the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table itemising expenditure savings in housing benefit and the numbers of losers between 1982–83 and 1990–91.

[holding answer 3 May 1990]: The housing benefit scheme has been subject to a number of changes since it was introduced in 1982–83, including a fundamental reform in April 1988 and the replacement of rate rebates by a separate community charge benefit in April of this year. Because there are no standard rules for uprating the benefit, calculations of the financial effect of these changes are at best hypothetical; with time, it also becomes increasingly unrealistic to try to separate the effect of changes themselves from those of other factors such as movements in housing costs, changes in unemployment, and movements in income levels.

To ask the Prime Minister what trade sanctions are currently operating between the United Kingdom and South Africa.

A list of internationally agreed trade measures which are currently operating between the United Kingdom and South Africa is as follows:

• UN Measures
• The British Government comply fully with the mandatory UN arms embargo (United Kingdom Security Council resolution 418 of 1977) which forbids the provision to South Africa of arms, related material, equipment and technical knowledge needed for their manufacture. The United Kingdom also implements the voluntary United Kingdom Security Council resolution 519 of 1986 which clarifies, but does not extend, the embargo.
• The United Kingdom also implements the voluntary United Kingdom Security Council resolution 558 of 1984 which covers the import from South Africa of arms, ammunition and military vehicles.
• EC Measures (September 1985)
• (i) A rigorously controlled embargo on export of arms and paramilitary equipment to South Africa.
• (ii) A rigorously controlled embargo of import of arms and paramilitary equipment from South Africa.
• (iii) Cessation of oil exports to South Africa.
• (iv) Cessation of exports of sensitive equipment destined for the police and armed forces of South Africa.
• (v) Prohibition of all new collaboration in the nuclear sector.
• Commonwealth Measures (October 1985)
• (i) Strict enforcement of the mandatory arms embargo against South Africa.
• (ii) Agreed upon and commended to other Governments the adoption of the following economic measures against South Africa:
• (A) A ban on all Government loans to the Government of South Africa and their agencies.
• (B) A readiness to take unilaterally what action may be possible to preclude imports of krugerrands.
• (C) No Government funding for trade missions to South Africa or for participation in exhibitions and trade fairs in South Africa.
• (D) A ban on the sale and export of computer equipment capable of use by South African military forces, police or security forces.
• (E) A ban on new contracts for the sale and export of nuclear goods, materials and technology to South Africa.
• (F) A ban on the sale and export of oil to South Africa.
• (G) A strict and rigorously controlled embargo on imports of arms, ammunition, military vehicles and paramilitary equipment from South Africa.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make representations to President De Klerk calling for the reprieve of the Upington 14 and the abolition of the common purpose law: and if she will make a statement.

The verdict on the Upington 14 is subject to an appeal and there is, in any case, a moratorium on all executions in South Africa while the application of the death penalty is reviewed. The doctrine of common purpose in South Africa is a matter of common law, not statute legislation.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list (a) the 10 local authorities with the lowest rent arrears, (b) the 10 local authorities with the highest rent arrears and (c) the political party in control in the relevant authorities for the latest period for which she has figures.

The 10 local authorities with the lowest rent arrears as at the end of 1988–89, expressed as a percentage of the rent roll, and the then controlling political party were as follows:

	Per cent.	£ thousand	Political party
South Hams	0·5	21·0	Conservative
Wansdyke	0·6	26·0	Conservative
West Oxfordshire	0·8	36·0	Conservative
Rochford	0·8	121·0	Conservative
South Northamptonshire	0·8	26·0	Conservative
East Cambridgeshire	0·8	36·0	2NOC
Rother	0·9	29·0	Conservative
Gedling	0·9	42·0	Conservative
Babergh	0·9	40·0	2NOC
Newbury	0·9	70·0	Conservative
1 1988–89 arrears not reported, 1987–88 figure shown.
2 NOC = No overall control.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many formal complaints about the behaviour of judges have been received in each of the last 10 years;(2) how many complaints have been lodged against judges in the last five years; and how many were upheld.

Communications about judicial decisions and behaviour take many different forms and it would not be possible to give a precise figure relating to complaints except at disproportionate expense. The large majority of complaints concern decisions made by judges, or remarks made in the course of their official duties. In such cases, it is constitutionally improper for the Lord Chancellor to comment, or to seek to intervene. Of the remainder, which relate to the conduct of judges, two such complaints in the past five years have led to the Lord Chancellor publicly reprimanding the judge.

To ask the Attorney-General what plans his Department has to monitor sentences passed by judges.

Neither the Lord Chancellor nor I have any plans to monitor sentences passed by judges. Within the statutory limits laid down by Parliament, sentencing is a matter for judicial discretion. Guidance on sentencing in particular classes of case is given from time to time by the Court of Appeal, criminal division, and notably in cases brought before it in the exercise of my power under section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Data on the sentences passed by the courts are maintained by the Home Office.

To ask the Attorney-General to what extent race awareness is a component of the education and training of (a) judges, (b) barristers and (c) solicitors.

The Judicial Studies Board is responsible for training judges, recorders, registrars and stipendiary magistrates and for supervising the training of the lay magistracy. Since racial awareness is considered to be an important element in ensuring that all members of the judiciary act impartially, the Judicial Studies Board has commissioned an information pack on ethnic minorities. The revised syllabus set out in "Handbook For the Training of Magistrates", published by the board earlier this year and approved by the Lord Chancellor, requires newly appointed magistrates to be given instruction in

"awareness of the different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds of those with whom they may have to deal as defendants or witnesses".

Moreover, those who attend the board's courses are reminded to be alert for any example of racial discrimination in anyone who appears in court.The education and training of barristers and solicitors is a matter for the professional bodies concerned. Race awareness is a component of the education and training of both barristers and solicitors. It is not covered as a separate topic but features in certain compulsory subject study areas.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the loans made by Her Majesty's Government and British financial institutions to (a) Poland and (b) Hungary which still need to be repaid, the terms of each of those loans and the date at which they will be cleared.

The Government contributed $35 million to a bridging loan for Poland at the end of 1989 as part of an operation organised by the Bank of International Settlements. This loan has now been repaid. The United Kingdom Government's aid to Poland and Hungary has primarily taken the form of grants. A list of loans to specific countries by British financial institutions is not kept by the Bank of England or the Government. United Kingdom banks' claims on Poland and Hungary at the end of 1989 were $1,180 million and $518 million respectively. Repayments of 67·3 per cent. of Poland's debt to United Kingdom banks is due in five years and over, and 18·5 per cent. within the next year. Repayments of 11·6 per cent. of Hungary's debt to United Kingdom banks is due in five years and over, and 42·7 per cent. within the next year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what lending by (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) British financial institutions to the Third world is taking place currently; and what screening takes place to ensure that such lending is not used for questionable military purchase or white elephant public sector projects.

In 1988—the latest date for which information is available—£134 million of United Kingdom bilateral aid was provided in the form of loans. No part of the official aid programme is used for military purposes. Detailed systems for project identification and appraisal ensure that all proposals for aid funding are very carefully scrutinised to ensure that they conform to the Government's objective of promoting sustainable economic and social progress and alleviating poverty. ECGD guaranteed loans of £1·4 billion in support of United Kingdom exports—both civil and military—in 1988.A list of loans to the Third world by British financial institutions is not kept by the Bank of England or the Government. United Kingdom banks' claims on developing countries at the end of 1989 were $53 billion. Lending by the British banks is for their own commercial judgment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what debts are owed to the United Kingdom by each east European country; and when each will be paid off.

$ million
		By maturity
	Total contractual debt	Less than one year	One to five years	More than five years
Bulgaria	530	300	210	20
Czechoslovakia	320	200	100	10
German Democratic Republic	1,195	795	345	55
Hungary	520	220	210	60
Poland	1,180	220	170	795
Romania	Not available

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rate of gross domestic product growth since 1983 in (a) European monetary system countries and (b) the United Kingdom.

Since 1983 United Kingdom gross domestic product at constant prices has grown at an average annual rate of 3·4 per cent. compared with an average of 2·8 per cent. for present members of the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage level of unemployment in France at the inception of the European monetary system; and what is it now.

On OECD standardised definitions French unemployment was 5·7 per cent. in March 1979 and 9·4 per cent. in March 1990.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the interest paid on public debt in each of the last 10 financial years.

Figures for gross debt interest payments of the public sector are given in the table for each of the last 10 financial years (1989–90 is an estimated outturn).

Public sector gross debt interest payments
	Cash £ billion	Percentage of money GDP
1980–81	12·0	5·1
1981–82	14·1	5·4
1982–83	14·7	5·2
1983–84	15·2	4·9
1984–85	16–8	5·1
1985–86	18·4	5·1
1986–87	18·2	4·7
1987–88	18·3	4·3
1988–89	18·6	3·9
1989–90	19·0	3·75

Debts owed to the United Kingdom by the east European countries fall into two categories: debt owed to the Government and debt owed to banks registered in the United Kingdom. It has not been the past practice of the Government to reveal specific debt owed by individual countries. Eastern Europe as a whole owes £1·7 billion to the United Kingdom Government. Eastern Europe's debt to United Kingdom banks is as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when savers will first be able to open TESSA accounts.

The legislation will provide that a TESSA may be opened from 1 January 1991. The earliest practical date for most people will be 2 January in England and Wales and Northern Ireland or 3 January in Scotland.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has about how many schedule D Tax assessments are incorrect.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: The Inland Revenue conducts regular quality control checks. The most recent results show that 10 per cent. of schedule D assessments are incorrect when first issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total volume of aggregate radioactive waste produced by his Department or arising from activities conducted on behalf of his Department by British Nuclear Fuels and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority since the military nuclear programme began; and what provisions have been made for the disposal of these wastes.

It would not be in the national interest to disclose figures in the form in which the hon. Member seeks them. I can, however, assure the hon. Member that:

wastes were disposed of in the past under conditions no less stringent than those then prevailing for civil wastes;

(b) Ministry of Defence disposals to the Drigg site in Cumbria are now published by British Nuclear Fuels plc;

(c) United Kingdom Nirex Ltd. has stated (in the United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory) that wastes arising from military operations will add no more the 20 per cent. to its published total of civil arising to the year 2030; and

(d) military wastes which cannot be sent for disposal under current regulation will, in common with civil wastes, be consigned to the national radioactive waste centre once it commences operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distribution of total radiation exposure for Clyde submarine base workers in the ranges (a) 0 to 5 mSv, (b) 5 to 10 mSv, (c) 10 to 15 mSv, (d) 15 to 20 mSv, (e) 20 to 25 mSv, (f) 25 to 30 mSv, (g) 30 to 35 mSv, (h) 35 to 40 mSv, (i) 40 to 45 mSv, (j) 45 to 50 mSv, (k) greater than 50 mSv, (l) greater than 100 mSv,(m) greater than 200 mSv, (n) greater than 300 mSv, (o) greater than 400 mSv, (p) greater than 500 mSv, (q) greater than 600 mSv, (r) greater than 700 mSv, and (s) greater than 750 mSv, in numbers and in terms of percentage of the overall work force.

A breakdown of cumulative radiation exposures for workers currently registered in DRP's record-keeping system as employed at Clyde submarine base is as follows:

Cumulative radiation exposures—Clyde submarine base
Dose range (mSv)	Number of persons	Percentage of overall workforce
0 – 5	274	7·33
5 – 10	61	1·63
10 – 15	25	0·67
15 – 20	20	0·54
20 –25	8	0·21
25 –30	13	0·35
30 –35	14	0·37
35 –40	9	0·24
40 · 45	2	0·05
45 – 50	5	0·13
Greater than
50 (50 – 100)	28	0·75
100 (100 – 200)	12	0·32
200 (200 – 300)	1	0·03
300 (300 – 400)	0	0·00
400 (400 – 500)	0	0·00
500 (500 – 600)	0	0·00
600 (600 – 700)	0	0·00
700 (700 – 750)	0	0·00
750	0	0·00

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distribution of total radiation exposure for Aldermaston workers in the ranges (a) 0 to 5 mSv, (b) 5 to 10 mSv, (c) 10 to 15 mSv, (d) 15 to 20 mSv, (e) 20 to 25 mSv, (f) 25 to 30 mSv, (g) 30 to 35 mSv, (h) 35 to 40 mSv, (i) 40 to 45 mSv, (j) 45 to 50 mSv, (k) greater than 50 msv, (1) greater than 100 mSv, (m) greater than 200 mSv, (n) greater than 300 mSv, (o) greater than 400 mSv, (p) greater than 500 mSv, (q) greater than 600 mSv, (r) greater than 700 mSv, and (s) greater than 750 mSv in numbers and in terms of percentage of the overall work force.

Data on the lifetime aggregate whole-body external radiation exposure of workers employed by AWE since it commenced operations are presented in the table. The data are for all AWE sites, including Aldermaston, and represent the situation as at the end of 1989. In the interests of national security, it is inappropriate to provide the figures in terms of percentage of the overall work force or to provide the number of workers in the 0–10 millisievert category. I can confirm, however, that the majority of workers are in this category. A more detailed breakdown could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distribution of total radiation exposure for Devonport dockyard workers in the ranges: (a) 0 to 5mSv, (b) 5 to 10mSv, (c) 10 to 15mSv, (d) 15 to 20mSv, (e) 20 to 25mSv, (f) 25 to 30mSv, (g) 30 to 35mSv, (h) 35 to 40mSv, (i) 40 to 45mSv, (j) 45 to 50mSv, (k) greater than 50mSv, (l) greater than 100mSv, (m) greater than 200mSv, (n) greater than 300mSv, (o) greater than 400mSv, (p) greater than 500mSv, (q) greater than 600mSv, (r) greater than 700mSv and (s) greater than 750mSv in numbers and in terms of percentage of the overall work force.

The information requested is a matter for the contractor, Devonport Management Ltd, which assumed responsibility for the health and safety of persons employed within the nuclear licensed site at Devonport on 5 April 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the marginal cost of the British military presence in the Falkland Islands.

The estimated extra cost to the defence budget of the Falkland Islands commitment in 1989–90, as published in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990, is £63 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer in each of the last five years of emergency assistance by British military forces to foreign fishing vessels in waters surrounding the Falkland Island.

Where British military forces are available in the area of an incident emergency assistance is provided free of charge; therefore no comprehensive records are kept and no estimate of the costs involved can be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there is any intention to use British troops to prevent escapes from Vietnamese detention centres in Hong Kong.

Camp security is the responsibility of the civil authorities in Hong Kong, and no request for military assistance has been received from the Hong Kong Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the fatal road traffic accidents that resulted in the death of regular forces personnel in each of the years 1984 to 1989 occurred when the personnel concerned were on duty.

The proportion of fatal road traffic accidents that resulted in the death of regular forces personnel in each of the years 1984 to 1989, which occurred when the personnel concerned were on and off duty are as follows:

Year	On duty per cent.	Off duty per cent.	Not known per cent.
1984	12	88	—
1985	29	71	—
1986	23	76	1
1987	17	83	—
1988	22	78	—
1989	20	80	—

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the fatal injuries to regular forces personnel in each of the years 1984 to 1989, other than road traffic accident injuries, occurred when the personnel concerned were on duty.

The proportions of fatal injuries, other than road traffic accidents, to regular forces personnel in each of the years 1984 to 1989, which occurred when the personnel concerned were on and off duty are as follows:

Year	On duty per cent.	Off duty per cent.	Not known per cent.
1984	36	25	38
1985	46	18	36
1986	42	14	43
1987	46	21	33
1988	32	19	49
1989	38	16	46

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received the Property Services Agency report on the management of the A90 project at atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston.

Yes. The report has been submitted to both the Ministry of Defence and the Department of the Environment. Investigations by both the PSA's central inquiry unit and the MOD police found no evidence of wrongful substitution of materials, fraudulent activity or financial loss to the Government under the A90 mechanical and electrical contract at AWE Aldermaston. The outcome of these investigations was reported to the House of Commons Defence Committee in March 1990 in a memorandum submitted by the PSA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if progress with the construction and commissioning of the A90 plant at atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston is within its scheduled programme; and whether any special difficulties are being experienced with the ducting to remove radioactive gases from the plutonium processor.

The overall A90 programme remains within the scheduled time scale to achieve the Trident warhead production programme. The replacement of the zone 1 ductwork in A90 by a pipework system was completed in April 1990 and full leak testing has been carried out successfully. No special difficulties with the replacement pipework system have been encountered. Memorandum No. 5 in the House of Commons Defence Committee's fifth report on the progress of the Trident programme (HC374) gives full details of the reasons for the replacement of the zone 1 ventilation ductwork.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of the installation recently constructed on the site of the wartime Templeton airfield, Pembrokeshire; and if he will make a statement.

The newly constructed building at Templeton airfield is intended to house an automatic telephone exchange which will form part of a country-wide system to provide modern communications for the Royal Air Force. Equipment installation will be undertaken by GEC Plessey Telecommunications Ltd. later this year. When operational, the facility will be unmanned except during periodic maintenance visits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to close or reduce the use of the Manorbier range, Pembrokeshire; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans either to close or to reduce the use of the Manorbier range.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has as to the annual expenditure by RAF Brawdy on the purchase of goods and services from local suppliers.

RAF Brawdy spends some £2·5 million a year locally on a range of goods and services, including some building work. In addition, I understand that the United States authorities have estimated the local expenditure of the United States navy oceanographic research centre at Brawdy was some £700,000 in 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the installations under his Department's control, situated in the former county of Pembroke together with the number of (a) civilian and (b) service personnel at each location, the annual cost of running each installation, the total wage bill for (a) civilian and (b) service personnel and any estimate he has of the benefits which each installation provides to the local economy.

My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to close or reduce the use of the Penally range, Pembrokeshire; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans either to close or to reduce the use of the Penally range.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the review of United Kingdom land force districts.

The structure of United Kingdom land force districts is currently the subject of an internal review by the Commander in Chief United Kingdom Land Forces. It is expected that recommendations will be made to the Ministry of Defence later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that should the Wales land force district be amalgamated with any English land force district the new land force district will include the name of Wales in the title.

No proposals have yet been put forward concerning the reorganisation of the Army district structure in the United Kingdom. It would therefore be premature to discuss any retitling that may be recommended.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to close or reduce the use of the Castlemartin range, Pembrokeshire; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans either to close or to reduce the use of the Castlemartin range.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use by the German armed forces of the Castlemartin range and any proposals to increase or reduce their usage of the range.

The German army has shared the use of the Royal Armoured Corp range at Castlemartin with the British Army under a Government-to-Government arrangement since 1961. This sharing arrangement is considered by both sides to be highly satisfactory. I am not aware of any intention on the part of the German army to alter its level of activity at the range.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is regarded by the Welsh office as the appropriate number of dentists working as general dentistry practices to serve the needs of Gwynedd; and how many such dentists are in post on the latest available date.

As at 3 September 1989 there were 70 general dental practitioners operating within Gwynedd. This figure includes 67 principals and three assistants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioner practices in Gwynedd have expressed an interest in becoming fund-holding practices; and how many doctors are involved in these practices.

To date, two practices in Gwynedd comprising six general practitioners have expressed an interest in becoming fund-holding practices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 14 May, Official Report, column 294, what factors account for the rise in Gwynedd health authority's capital allocation from 1982–83 to 1990–91 by a lower proportion than any other district in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list the value of orders given by the Welsh Office for computer equipment for each month from 1 August 1988 to 1 May 1990.

The value of orders placed by my Department for computer equipment was as follows:

	£
1988
August	30,514
September	121,723
October	69,525
November	25,477
December	19,176
1989
January	100,797
February	225,422
March	29,094
April	19,519
May	82,210
June	51,185
July	38,858
August	82,413
September	32,817
October	65,042
November	64,429
December	78,768
1990
January	106,998
February	237,091
March	239,101
April	47,011

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money is currently granted by the Government to each national park authority in Wales to set up an effective wardening scheme; and what plans there are to increase these sums.

The three Welsh national parks have allocated over £600,000 towards wardening in 1990–91 out of an estimated accepted expenditure of £4,573,000 of which the Government will contribute £3,430,000 by way of the national park supplementary grant. The amount allocated to wardening each year is entirely a matter for each individual park.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money is currently allocated to the farming industry in Wales to counteract the problems caused by visitors' presence.

No money is paid directly to the farming industry by my Department in relation to visitors' presence on farmland.However, I understand that the three national parks in Wales are likely to pay grants of the order of £50,000 in 1990–91 to farmers and landowners in this connection. In addition, the Brecon Beacons national park, in conjunction with the Countryside Commission, is establishing an experimental project on the black mountains to test new ways of improving and maintaining rights of way, including payments to farmers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how long the restrictions on the sale and movement of sheep due to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster will continue in Wales.

It is not possible to predict how long restrictions on the sale and movement of sheep due to the Chernobyl nuclear accident will need to remain in force. Restrictions will be lifted as soon as I am satisfied it is possible to do so without compromising food safety.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many families and what percentage of families in Wales are single-parent families.

Preliminary results from the 1989 labour force survey estimate that there are 58,000 single-parent families with children under the age of 16 years living in private households in Wales, which represents 16·9 per cent. of all Welsh households with dependent children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of people in employment in (a) primary industry and (b) manufacturing in Wales in the first quarter of 1979 and the last quarter of 1989.

In March 1979 there were 85,000 employees in employment in primary industry (divisions 0 and 1 of standard industrial classification 1980) and 314,000 in manufacturing industry (divisions 2 to 4.)The figures for December 1989 are 50,000 and 250,000 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children and what percentage of the children of Wales are disabled.

Surveys of disability in Great Britain carried out by the Office of Population Censuses arid Surveys between 1985 and 1988 suggest that there are about 18,000 disabled children under the age of 16 years in Wales, which represents 3·1 per cent. of the child population of Wales.