To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many relatives of glaucoma sufferers in each district health authority area in Wales received free eyesight tests in each quarter of 1988–89 and in each quarter of 1989–90.

Estimates of numbers of sight tests for different types of patient are based on a 2 per cent. sample. This sample is not sufficient to make robust estimates by patient type within district health authority areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he has any plans to help fund the replacement of dilapidated temporary classrooms with permanent structures in Mid Glamorgan;(2) what plans the Welsh Office has for helping Mid Glamorgan county council to meet its ongoing annual commitment on repairs and maintenance of the county's schools;(3) if any provision will be made for the captial building programme to provide funds to replace any of the Mid Glamorgan schools.

Local education authorities are responsible for the provision, repair and maintenance of their schools. As in previous years the level of potential capital investment for 1990–91 is sufficient to enable all Welsh education authorities, including Mid Glamorgan county council to continue to meet their obligations according to their own priorities. Nationally the 1990–91 capital settlement included an allowance of £53.7 million

Consultants in post as at 30 September1
	1984		1985		1986		1987		1988		19893
	No.	WTE	No.	WTE	No.	WTE	No.	WTE	No.	WTE	No.	WTE
Clwyd	6	5·4	6	5·9	6	5·9	6	5·9	6	5·9	7	6·9
East Dyfed	7	3·2	7	3·3	8	3·9	8	4·3	8	3·7	7	4·1
Gwent	6	5·7	7	7·0	7	7·0	7	7·0	7	7·0	7	7·0
Gwynedd	6	3·0	6	3·2	7	3·1	7	3·1	7	3·1	7	3·2
Mid Glamorgan	9	8·5	8	7·8	9	8·8	10	9·8	11	10·8	11	10·4
Pembrokeshire	2	2·0	2	2·0	2	2·0	2	2·0	3	3·0	3	3·0
Powys	5	0·5	5	0·5	5	0·8	5	0·5	4	1·0	8	0·3
South Glamorgan	8	6·4	8	6·6	8	6·6	8	6·6	9	7·6	10	8·2
West Glamorgan	6	4·6	6	5·5	6	5·5	6	5·5	6	5·5	7	7·0
Wales2	44	39·3	44	41·8	46	43·7	47	44·7	50	47·7	53	50·1
1Excluding locums.
2Individual authority numbers will not add to Wales total as consultants working in more than one authority are counted in each.
3Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria have been used by his Department to determine how sums of money allocated to support the all-Wales strategy for mental illness should be distributed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the circulars and other documents of guidance he has issued on the workings, implementation or interpretation of the Children Act 1989 in Wales.

The following documents have been issued in Wales:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many consultant obstetricians are employed by the national health service in Wales; and what is the number on a full-time equivalent basis (a) in Wales and (b) in each district health authority in Wales in the current year and in each of the past five years.

The available information, which relates to consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology, is given in the following table:

Allocations are made on the basis of individual county plans, having regard to their quality and the extent to which they are in line with the principles of the all-Wales strategy. Allocations for the current year have been targeted particularly to help establish the essential infrastructure for the new patterns of services, including the development of community mental health teams, the provision of accommodation and of community-based services such as drop-in centres.

	Determined		Dismissed		Undetermined
	1989	1990	1989	1990	1989	1990
Snowdonia NP
Meirionnydd	18	11	14	8	2	7
Dwyfor	1	1	0	0	1	0
Arfon	0	0	0	0	1	0
Aberconwy	6	6	2	6	0	6
Montgomery	0	1	0	1	0	0
Brecon Beacons
Dinefwr	1	2	1	2	0	5
Brecknock	13	17	10	13	0	11
Cynon Valley	0	0	0	0	0	0
Merthyr Tydfil	1	0	0	0	0	0
Blaenau Gwent	0	1	0	1	0	0
Torfaen	0	0	0	0	0	0
Monmouth	0	1	0	1	1	4
Pembrokeshire Coast
South Pembrokeshire	10	9	6	6	2	9
Preseli Pembrokeshire	7	7	5	7	2	10

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of United Kingdom bilateral aid was allocated to poverty alleviation, for the most recent three years available, using the same criteria used for the figures supplied by the Overseas Development Agency in the NAO report, "Bilateral Aid to India", fig. 2, page 10.

Figures for expenditure on poverty alleviation for the bilateral aid programme overall are not available. The figures for India supplied to the NAO by the Overseas Development Administration related to specific projects in the housing, welfare, education and renewable natural resources sectors which were regarded as being for direct poverty alleviation.Poverty alleviaton is an important objective of the aid programme and is pursued indirectly through support for sustainable economic growth and by direct action. Projects and programmes supported with aid vary in the extent to which they contribute directly to poverty alleviation. It is not possible to collate meaningful statistics on expenditure that can be categorised as concerned with poverty alleviation and that which cannot.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how many ecologists are employed at the European development fund and as to how many administrative staff are employed to deal specifically with environmental issues.

There are seven staff in the environmental unit within DG VIII, which is responsible for the

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 472, if he will give for each year and each district the number of planning appeals (a) determined, (b) dismissed and (c) undetermined.

The information is set out in the following table:administration of the European development fund. There are two administrators responsible for environmental policy; an ecologist with responsibility for the relevant budget line; two foresters (both seconded to the Commission as "national experts", one from the United Kingdom); and two support staff. The unit is able to call on additional assistance as required from DG XI, which has responsibility within the Commission for environmental matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the contributions by the United Kingdom and other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development donors to assist developing countries to participate in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

According to the report of the IPCC special committee on the participation of developing countries (June 1990), the following contributions were received in 1989 from OECD members other than the United Kingdom:

		Equivalent in Swiss francs
Australia	$ 15,175	24,963·05
Canada	C$ 11,000	14,519·50
Denmark	$ 5,000	7,550·00
Finland	$ 5,000	7,950·00
France	FF 100,000	25,303·00
Federal Republic of Germany	SFr 43,750	43,750·00
Japan	$ 50,000	75,500·00
Netherlands	$ 25,000	40,250·00
Norway	$ 15,000	25,050,00
Switzerland	SFr 55,000	55,000·00
United States of America	$ 120,000	199,500·00

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with the Governments of France and West Germany the means of continuing taxonomic support for teams working in Malaysia and Cameroon in the light of staff reductions at the natural history museum.

[holding answer 19 June 1990]: In common with many other Government-funded institutions, including national museums and galleries, the natural history museum is now expected to develop its ability to attract non-Exchequer revenue. The work referred to in Malaysia and Cameroon yields no financial remuneration to the museum, and the museum authorities consider that it will be more appropriate to develop research projects in those countries in collaboration with the ODA's executive agency—the Natural Resources Institute—and with other external funding agencies. I shall be keeping in view the museum's progress to that end, but I have no plans at present to discuss the matter with the French and West German Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of reductions in the Heteroptera section of the natural history museum for work sponsored by his Department (a) in Surinam on shield-bugs as transmitters of agricultural diseases and (b) coccid research and its agricultural implications for United Kingdom supported agricultural development programmes.

[holding answer 19 June 1990]: My Department is not funding any work in Surinam on shield-bugs, nor is it commissioning any research on coccids. There are specialists on both insect groups working at the natural history museum for the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International's institute of entomology, without any duplication of effort as the range of insect species is so vast. I do not anticipate that the planned staff reductions at the museum will have a serious impact on agricultural development programmes supported by the United Kingdom. However ODA's Natural Resources Institute will be continuing to discuss with the museum and the institute of entomology the future of taxonomic and identification needs in support of agricultural development and pest management programmes funded by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether trade protocols one, two and three with Iraq contained any military components, explosives or propellants.

The British exporters supplying goods to Iraq under the 1983–1986 financial protocols were of course responsible for applying for obtaining export licences for controlled goods in the normal way, and were required to confirm that the relevant Government approvals had been obtained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on assistance to the British film industry.

The Government provide support of £1.5 million a year through British Screen Finance Ltd. for feature film production, together with a further £0.5 million a year for short films and script development. Our present five-year commitment to British Screen is due to expire at the end of this year, but we announced in July 1989 that funding will continue at the present level of £2 million a year for a further three years, until the end of 1993.We announced on Friday 15 June that the Government would in addition provide £5 million over the next three years to provide pump-priming finance to support producers seeking to enter European co-production. We also announced a range of other measures including the setting up of a working party to be chaired by my Department to look at the structure of the film industry and how to attract greater private sector finance into United Kingdom film production, and to report back in the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in opposition to the Exchequer subsidising the British film industry.

My Department has received no representations in opposition to the Exchequer subsidising the film industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken at all workplaces used by civil servants in his Department.

My officials have carried out the assessments required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations in all workplaces occupied by the Department, in accordance with the guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has anything to add to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 387, in respect of solid fuels.

The Department does not use solid fuels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 383, about energy consumption, if he will give the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: The energy consumption figures relate to the total space of 5.8 million square feet occupied by the Department, including office space, specialised and storage buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: In past years, responsibility for such investment has been divided between the Property Services Agency and the Department, with the result that this information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost. However, it is being collected for future years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what authorisations were granted by his Department for the activities of Stock Group (Channel Islands) Ltd.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: Stock Group (Channel Islands) Ltd. has never received authorisations from the Department. It has carried on stockbroking business in the United Kingdom by virtue of its membership of the international stock exchange until the entry into force of the Financial Services Act on 29 April 1988 and thereafter through authorisation from the Securities Association.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Dunsdale Securities made annual returns of audit certificates for each year it had business authorisation from his Department.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: Under the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958, audit certificates in support of an application for a licence to deal in securities were not required until Aptil 1983 when revised licensing regulations were introduced. After that date each application and monitoring return submitted by Dunsdale Securities was duly verified by an auditor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in respect of each of those local education authority-maintained single-sex schools in South and West Yorkshire which have been closed since 1985, he will list (i) the gender of pupils, (ii) the maintaining local authority and (iii) the number of pupils on roll and physical capacity of the school at the most recent convenient date before closure.

The information requested is given in the table. Information on school capacity is not available centrally. There have been no closures of single-sex schools in South Yorkshire since 1985.

	Pupils on roll in January preceding closure date
Local education authority	Boys	Girls
Calderdale
The Heath School	345	—
The Princess Mary School	—	368
Brighouse Girls Grammar School	—	712
Hipperholme Grammar School1	377	1

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in respect of each of those local education authority-maintained single-sex schools in (a) the former county of West Midlands and (b) Tyne and Wear which have been closed since 1985, he will list (i) the gender of pupils, (ii) the maintaining local authority and (iii) the number of pupils on roll and physical capacity of the school at the most recent convenient date before closure.

The information requested is given below. Information on school capacity is not available centrally. There have been no closures of single-sex schools in Tyne and Wear since 1985.

Pupils on roll in January preceding closure date
Local education authority	Boys	Girls
Birmingham
Erdington School1	—	529
Alderlea School	55	—
Longmeadow School	—	73
Selly Oak School	97	—
Coventry
Cardinal Wiseman Roman Catholic Secondary School for Boys1	717	—
Cardinal Wiseman Roman Catholic Secondary School for Girls1	—	961
Dudley
Old Swinford Hospital School2	544	—
1 Closed for the purposes of amalgamation.
2 Became a grant-maintained school in September 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the meeting of the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson) with Professor Duff and representatives of British scientists abroad.

I met Professor Michael Duff on 20 June. The main points which I made at our meeting were set out in Department of Education and Science press notice 202/90, dated 20 June, in which I pointed out that:

Science is international, and it is highly desirable that scientific careers should include experience of working abroad.

No single country in the modern world can afford first class facilities in every branch of science—and the British Government are actively promoting the development of first-class research facilities in selected areas in Britain, through:

(a) an overall increase in the science budget—up 27 per cent. in real terms since 1979;

(b) the development of specialist "interdisciplinary research centres"; and

(c) the more selective allocation of university research funding by the UFC.

The "brain drain" is a field in which anecdotes are drawn upon for lobbying purposes, but in which facts are hard to come by. The only overall statistics which are available are those collected by the universities and published in the Universities Statistical Record. These show (a) that there has been a net inflow of academic staff into British universities from abroad in every year since 1983; and (b) that there tends to be a net inflow at the professional level, indicating a net gain in quality. This conforms with the finding of the 1987 Royal Society study of the brain drain, that there was a broad balance between the outflows and inflows of scientists from Britain.

The Government accept that the Universities Statistical Record data may not provide a complete picture. This is why I asked the CVCP last year to conduct a review. In the meantime, however, I stressed that, in determining public policy it is better to make use of such information as is available rather than simply to ignore it.

Not all British post-doctoral scientists can, or should, expect to find jobs in British higher education. At least a third of those whose council-funded research studentships ended in 1988 proceeded to work in British industry and public service—and more should do so. Meanwhile, the proportion of "Post Docs" going abroad has fallen from 35 per cent. in 1963 to 12 per cent. in 1988. Recent data from the United States National Science Foundation show that, while the numbers of scientists immigrating into the United States from abroad increased by 19 per cent. between 1984 and 1987, the numbers from the United Kingdom decreased by 6 per cent. during that period.

The USR statistics do not support recent suggestions that there is an "internal" brain drain from the universities into other employment within Britain. They indicate that, in each year since 1983, there was a net inflow of university staff from industry/commerce and public service.

Finally, I suggested to BSA that they should reflect on the implications of their statements for the image and self-image of British science. International comparisons of scientific publications suggest that Britain remains second only to the United States in world science—a position it has maintained throughout the 1980s. I suggested that there is something profoundly wrong with a style of lobbying for public expenditure that leads self-appointed spokesmen for British science to run down their country's scientific achievements and prospects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the applications for grant-maintained school status notified to his Department from within the seven counties of the south-west.

Of the 54 proposals for GM Status that have so far reached my right hon. Friend for a decision, he has approved 44 schools. The approvals include seven schools in the south-west. Three schools in that area had their applications rejected. The list of applications is as follows.

List of schools in the seven counties of the south west who have applied for grant-maintained status
County and School	Application Details
Avon
Beechen Cliff School, Bath	Approved, now incorporated.
Dorset
Bournemouth Grammar School	Approved for incorporation on 1 September 1990.
Foster's Grammar School for Boys' Sherborne	Rejected.
Lord Digby's School for Girls, Sherborne.	Rejected.
Devon
Colyton Grammar School	Approved, now incorporated.
Gloucestershire
Ribston Hall High School, Gloucester	Approved, now incorporated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the school timetable on average English school pupils spend using computers.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has anything to add to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 392, in respect of solid fuel.

No. The Department does not occupy any accommodation which consumes solid fuel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what restrictions he has placed on the circulation within the National Foundation for Educational Research of its work on standard assessment tests commissioned by his Department.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of each of the pilot assessments for seven-year-olds.

Separate figures for the costs of the pilot assessments are not available. However, the pilots were mounted by the three agencies undertaking the development of standard assessment tasks for seven-year-olds in the core subjects as one aspect of their contracts for this work with the School Examinations and Assessment Council. The total provision made in the School Examinations and Assessment Council's published corporate plan for the continuation of these contracts in 1990–91 is £2.5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by individual subject the key phases of the national curriculum which will be introduced in September 1990.

National curriculum subject requirements will be introduced with effect from 1 August 1990 for key stages as follows:

Key stage	Pupils aged	Subject
1	⅚	Technology
2	⅞	English

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 20 June, Official Report, column 558, what assessments of each of the pilot studies of standard assessment tests at age seven years are to be made by bodies which are independent of the agencies which developed the pilot studies.

Responsibility for evaluation rests with the School Examinations and Assessment Council which will collect common data about the performance of the SATs used in the pilot assessments from each of the SAT development agencies, and which will report to my right hon. Friend in due course.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what civil service guidelines lay down concerning civil servants becoming company directors prior to the termination of employment; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: The civil service pay and conditions of service code states that civil servants may not accept a directorship, except as a nominee of the Government or with the express permission of the permanent head of their Department, in any company holding a contract with their Department. More generally, the code provides that civil servants must not subordinate their public duties to their private interests, and must avoid conflicts of interest.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what responsibilities fall to him with regard to the British film industry; and if he will make a statement.

My Department funds both the British Film Institute and the national film and television school. I also take the lead in co-ordinating Her Majesty's Government's views on the Commission's proposals for a MEDIA programme designed to strengthen the European audio-visual industry.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps his Department is taking to encourage audio-description in theatres.

The Arts Council is committed to improving access to the arts for disabled people. As part of its arts and disability initiative, it is encouraging audio-description in all its theatres. From October, the council will be monitoring how its clients are implementing this initiative.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has had about the circumstances of the redundancy payments to long-employed scholars in the service of the natural history museum in South Kensington.

I have received no formal representations from trade unions about redundancy payments at the natural history museum. However, I understand that, at a recent meeting between the Office of Arts and Libraries and union representatives, officials of the Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists outlined their concerns about the museum's proposals, including the nature of redundancy arrangements. My officials have subsequently briefed me on the outcome of this meeting and have discussed a number of the points with the museum's management.All questions of staff management such as the circumstances of redundancy payments are the responsibility of the natural history museum's director and trustees.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has anything to add to his answer of 6 June, Official Report, column 607, in respect of solid fuel.

No. No solid fuel is used.

To ask the Minister for the Arts, pursuant to the answer of 1 May, Official Report, column 475, about energy costs, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: The figures given in the answer of 1 May relate to 14,261.6 sq. ft. of floor space.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last raised the issue of unitary taxation at a European Council of Finance Ministers meeting.

The European Community continues to take an active interest in unitary taxation and last June, the Government played a prominent part in the Community demarche on unitary tax to the United States Treasury. In response, the United States Treasury said that the issue of unitary taxation remained of serious concern to the Administration of President Bush and that further progress was required before federal concerns on this matter could be put to rest.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the joint Government and United States administration review on unitary tax will be completed.

It is anticipated that the joint review with the United States Treasury on unitary tax will be completed this summer.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what direct action Her Majesty's Government will take to support the efforts of British business with regard to legislation being considered by the Californian legislature on unitary tax.

The Government are fully aware of the difficulties which unitary tax still causes for British businesses and fully support further legislative reform in California. In this connection, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote earlier this year to Secretary Brady at the United States Treasury and Governor Deukmejian in advance of a small delegation of senior Government officials to California to assess the situation as part of the unitary tax review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in negotiating an amendment to the United Kingdom-United States double taxation treaty on unitary tax.

The United Kingdom sought such an amendment in the 1970s, only for the United States Senate to refuse to ratify such a provision. The United States authorities have in the last few years made it clear that they were looking for progress towards resolving the unitary tax issue in California rather than at federal level. They have, however, equally made it clear that further progress is required before federal concerns on the issue can be put to rest.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when save as you earn will be extended to the banks; and on what terms.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed in his Budget that, in addition to the Department for National Savings and building societies, banks may offer SAYE contracts. Provision has accordingly been included in the Finance Bill. Subject to Royal Assent, approved banks will be able to offer SAYE contracts later in the year. The terms of new SAYE contracts associated with approved employee share option schemes, which enable participants to save up to £150 a month to purchase shares in their company, are to be improved at the same time. The bonus paid on completed contracts will be increased from 12 times to 15 times the monthly contribution (when proceeds are taken after five years) and from 24 to 30 times that contribution (when proceeds are taken after seven years).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much food aid has been provided to eastern Europe by the EC and member states so far in the current year.

The amount of food aid given by the Community to the countries of central and eastern Europe remains as set out in my answer to the hon. Lady's question of 10 May at column 205. In addition, four member states (Belgium, Spain, France and Luxembourg) have together provided some 2,200 tonnes of food aid for Romania, according to information available to the Commission who are co-ordinating western aid to eastern Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the EC Commission's scoreboard of assistance from the G24 countries to Poland and Hungary has been updated since 24 April.

Yes. The Commission updated the (324 scoreboard of assistance provided by the G24 countries to Poland and Hungary on 18 May. A new version is expected in advance of the G24 ministerial meeting on 4 July and this and any future versions will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has anything to add to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 405, in respect of solid fuel.

No solid fuel is used in office buildings either in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Overseas Development Administration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the posts at which delays of more than nine months elapse between receiving applications for entry clearance and first interview taking place.

As at 30 April 1990, overseas posts with estimated waiting times to first interview of nine months or longer are:

Post and category	Waiting time (months)
Bombay
Settlement reapplicants	10.0
Islamabad
Fiancé(e)s	10.0
Settlement reapplicants	19.0
Dubai
Non-resident applicants1	9.5
1 Mainly Iranians.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest estimated waiting times for interviews in all categories of applicants for entry clearance at posts on the Indian subcontinent; and if he will make a statement.

As at 30 April the estimated waiting times (in months) are:—

Settlement
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Islamabad	3	6	10	19
Karachi	1	3	3	6
Dhaka	3	3	3	9
New Delhi	0	3	5	8
Bombay	1	6	9	10
Madras	All settlement applicants 2 months.
Calcutta	No settlement queues.

Setlement queues are organised as follows:Q1. Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives over 70 years, special compassionate cases.Q2. All spouses, and all children under 18 years.Q3. Fiancé(e)s and others applying for the first time for settlement.Q4. Re-applicants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the present estimates, when he expects the main queues of those applying for entry clearance to the United Kingdom from the Indian sub-continent will be cleared; and if he will make a statement.

It is not possible to forecast how many applicants will apply for settlement entry clearance in future years nor therefore to predict the length of settlement queues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he takes to ensure that claimants of social security benefits are fully informed as to their entitlements.

The Government's policy on take-up of benefits is set out in the White Paper on the Government's expenditure plans 1990–91 to 1992–93, chapter 14, paragraph 27, which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what mistakes were found in the revised and printed B1 form which led his Department not to issue it; how much was spent on the withdrawn B1 form; and if he will make a statement.

No mistakes were found in the April 1990 version of form B1, and it was distributed in the normal way. No stocks have been withdrawn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what type of assistance would be available to a claimant who, about to start work and unable to manage until they get their first week's wages, approaches a local social security office, as suggested in the revised UB40/UBL18, and if he will make a statement.

Since income support is normally paid fortnightly in arrears, an unemployed person has two weeks' benefit on which to manage until he receives his first wage. Nevertheless, if a person runs out of money and there is serious risk to his or his family's health or safety, a crisis loan from the social fund may be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those pensioners who have recently retired are receiving income from occupational pensions or savings.

The latest available figures show that in 1987, 90 per cent. of those pensioners who had recently retired¹ had income from either occupational pensions or savings or from both of these income sources.

Source: ¹ Family expenditure survey.

"recently retired" includes those pensioners within five years of pensionable age.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if any record is maintained of the sums paid out from his Department's offices to EC nationals and the citizens of overseas territories of EC member states.

No record is kept of the total sums paid by the Department to EC nationals and the citizens of overseas territories of EC member states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many executive officers there are in his Department's office in (a) Caernarfon and (b) Porthmadog; how many of these, respectively, are Welsh-speaking; how many new appointments have been made during the past 12 months to such posts in each office; and how many of these new appointments are Welsh-speaking.

The Caernarfon local office has 16 executive officers in post, of whom 10 are Welsh-speaking. No new executive officer appointments were made during the past 12 months.The Porthmadog local office has 14 executive officers in post, all Welsh-speaking. One new appointment was made during the past 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct his Department's office at Clarence road, Manchester, to reply to the letters of 28 February, 2 April and 3 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. B. P. Madden, 4 Barnesdale close, Manchester.

The manager of Longsight local office has written to the right hon. Member on 25 June in reply to his letters of 28 February, 2 April and 3 May on behalf of Mr. B. P. Madden of 4 Barnesdale close, Manchester. I very much regret the uncharacteristic delays by the local office in responding to the correspondence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether a person who deprives himself of a substantial amount of capital is entitled to receive an income-related benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Where the independent adjudicating authority decides that a person has deprived himself of capital for the purpose of receiving an income-related benefit, regulations provide for him to be treated as notionally still possessing that capital, Benefit may be payable, however, if the total capital, including any notional capital, that he possesses does not exceed the capital limit for that benefit. As my noble Friend Lord Henley announced in another place on 25 June, regulations are to be introduced into all the income-related benefits from October to provide for the phased reduction of the national capital according to the circumstances of the particular case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will break down into the different benefits the extra £100 million which is being spent in real terms on income-related benefits in comparison with the old scheme.

Individuals in lowest quintile of income distribution showing proportion living in households receiving benefits by family type of benefit unit 1979
A. Lowest quintile before housing costs
		Percentage receiving:
	Supplementary benefit	Other income-related benefit	Other benefit (mostly retirement pension and child benefit)	No benefit	Total
Married pensioners	25	50	25	0	100
Single pensioners	45	35	20	0	100
Married with children	15	15	70	0	100
Married without children	20	25	20	35	100
Single with children	65	10	20	0	100
Single without children	40	15	25	20	100
TOTAL	29	25	41	5	100

B. Lowest quintile after housing costs
		Percentage receiving:
	Supplementary benefit	Other income-related benefit	Other benefit (mostly retirement pension and child benefit)	No benefit	Total
Married pensioners	25	55	20	0	100
Single pensioners	55	30	15	0	100
Married with children	15	15	70	0	100
Married without children	20	25	20	35	100
Single with children	75	10	15	0	100
Single without children	40	15	25	20	100
TOTAL	31	25	39	5	100

The Government's estimates of expenditure in April 1988 suggest that overall expenditure on weekly benefit payments in the pre and post-reform schemes was broadly the same. However, owing to the very different nature of the two schemes, and subsequent improvements in the benefit system, straightforward comparisons between overall expenditure on income-related benefits under the old and new schemes have become less meaningful with the passage of time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) Official Report, 3 May, column 653, what proportion of the lowest quintile were dependent on social security benefits broken down by family type and type of benefit.

The information is set out in the tables.The tables show the proportion of people in the lowest quintile in 1979 who were in households receiving the various benefits. The tables do not show what other sources of income may have been received by these households.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently receiving family credit or income support in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

[holding answer 20 June 1990]: The figures requested are set out in the table.

	Greenock and Port Glasgow	Strathclyde	Scotland
Income Support1	16,076	275,812	490,067
Family Credit2	883	14,995	36,000
1 Data are derived from a 100 per cent. count of cases in action in May 1990, which include a number where benefit payment has ceased but other action is continuing and are provisional and subject to amendment.
2 Number of families receiving Family Credit in Greenock, Port Glasgow and Strathclyde on 1 June 1990 ie excludes awards on claims made before that date but not decided at that stage. For Scotland caseload is as at the end of March 1990, including backdated awards and is therefore provisional. Information on this basis is available only for Scotland as a whole.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many home visits, excluding those made for the purpose of investigating suspected fraud, were made per 1,000 claimants for the latest year available.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: In the year 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990, 149–34 home visits were made per 1,000 income support claimants. Specialist visits, including those for the purpose of investigating suspected fraud, have been excluded from the calculation.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases awaited determination before the immigration appeal tribunal as at 31 May or the nearest available date.

As at 22 June 1990, 237 cases awaited determination before the immigration appeal tribunal.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the juridical implications of the ruling of the European Court of Justice in Factortame.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how his Department intends to monitor the quality of training provided by LECs.

It will be for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise respectively to monitor—through regular data returns and visits—the quality of training delivered by the local enterprise companies in their areas. The Scottish Office will monitor the performance of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in carrying out this task.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases did not proceed to trial on the day allocated in Angus sheriff courts; and what assessment he has made of the ability of Scottish courts to cope with the volume of business they are currently undertaking.

During May 1990, 29 summary trials did not proceed on the day allocated, seven due to lack of court time and 22 for other reasons. The ability of Scottish courts to cope with business is kept under continuous review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make additional funds available to the Brook advisory centres in Scotland.

The Brook advisory centre in Scotland receives grant assistance from the Scottish Home and Health Department towards the administrative costs of its all-Scotland education activities. For 1990–91 the centre has been awarded a grant of £6,700. No representations have been received regarding the level of grant and all the available resources have been fully allocated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken at workplaces used by civil servants in his Department.

Responsibility for undertaking these assessments in the Scottish Office and for acting on the results has been delgated to heads of divisions and professional units. Because the performance of many diverse tasks is relevant, and because the responsibilities often in practice overlap with other management responsibilities no attempt is made to maintain central records of the issues that have arisen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any plans to extend the rents-to-mortgages scheme to new town properties in Scotland.

The rents-to-mortgages scheme has been available to tenants of development corporations and Scottish Homes since its introduction in 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement in respect of his response to the recommendations of the committee on privacy and related matters so far as they affect Scotland.

In his statement on 21 June, at columns 1123–24, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary expressed the Government's warm welcome for the general approach taken in the report of the committee. The committee concluded that existing civil law remedies against press intrusion offences were adequate in Scotland, and it endorsed the Scottish position on the identification of victims of crime. The committee noted that some of the most serious forms of press intrusion might be subject to criminal proceedings under Scots common law. As recommended by the committee, we shall consider whether any extension of the law of Scotland is required in respect of the three new criminal offences proposed by them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sheriff officers operating under section 7 of the Law of Distress Amendment Act 1888, and certificated by a sheriff principal, are operating in Scotland.

None. The Law of Distress Amendment Act 1888 does not extend to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many certificated sheriff officers are operating within the courts in Scotland.

Sheriff officers are not certificated. They hold commissions from sheriffs principal and as at 1 January 1990 there were 191 individuals with commissions. An individual can hold commissions for more than one sheriff court area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the regions which have now completed their register of capital assets; and if he will give the number of entries made on each register.

All health boards are currently working towards the completion of asset registers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to make any funds available to Scottish regional and islands councils for expenditure on sewerage improvements.

The Government are committed to further improving the quality of our rivers and coastal waters. There are pressing needs for new and upgraded sewage treatment and disposal facilities to meet European Community bathing water and other environmental standards and Scotland is disproportionately affected. Accordingly, I have decided, subject to the necessary legislation and in due course the approval by Parliament of funds, to make available to regional and islands councils a capital grant of £130 million over three years for works on sewerage, sewage treatment and disposal to reduce pollution or otherwise benefit the environment. The amounts available, at a grant rate of 75 per cent. on eligible works, would be £30 million in 1991–92, £45 million in 1992–93 and £55 million in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the new system for home improvement grants will come into operation.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: No date has been set for the introduction of a new improvement grant system in Scotland. The Government's proposals for reform of the present system were set out in a consultation paper which received many constructive comments. These are being considered fully as details of the proposed new system are developed. It is our intention that a further consultation paper will be issued before legislation to reform the system is placed before Parliament.

Table 1: Training Measures
	(a) Spending £ million				(b) Number of participants1
	(i)		(ii)		(i)		(ii)
	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91 (estimate)	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91 (estimate)
Youth Training Scheme2	93·416	102·445	102·690	96·570	37,102	39,543	35,497	n/a
Adult Training3	20·094	12·379	3·242	—	43,406	37,845	n/a	—
Community Programme4	138·600	n/a	—	—	37,182	12,903	—	—
New Job Training Scheme4	2·490	n/a	—	—	11,600	6,946	—	—
Employment Training5	—	46·777	124·100	145·000	—	28,528	55,311	n/a
Business Enterprise Programme (outwith Employment Training)6	—	—	0·331	0·265	—	—	1,802	1,876
Community Industry	5·591	6·275	6·425	6·625	1,441	1,577	1,560	1,550
n/a=not available
1 Number of participants means number of entrants to the programmes or number of starts in training as appropriate.
2 This covers YTS, and in 1990–91 Youth Training. The expenditure figures do not include elements of National Providers Unit expenditure paid for from a GB budget.
3 Adult Training includes the original Job Training Scheme, Training for Enterprise, Access to Information Technology, Self Standing Work

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many extra social workers and support staff are being appointed and what training provisions have been made to implement the community care programme; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: No information is kept centrally as to the number of extra social workers or support staff being appointed by local authorities specifically for community care, but the total number of staff on a whole-time equivalent basis employed by local authority social work departments increased from 32,453 in October 1987 to 35,228 in October 1989.In order to ensure that local authorities and other agencies will be equipped to undertake their new responsibilities anticipated in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, the Scottish Office has funded the university of Dundee to provide a training programme for key members of staff in the social work departments and the other agencies involved in community care for a three year period from 1990, with a possible extension to five years. Discussions are also being held with officials of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Dundee university and the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work on ways of providing short-term training for the staff immediately involved in establishing the new community care procedures and the production of a training pack for use by local authorities in training the wide variety of staff involved in community care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was (a) the spending and (b) the number of participants in each of his training and employment measures in (i) the last three years, (ii) the current year and (iii) projections for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: Information about projected numbers and spending on training and employment measures in Scotland for the next three years is not available. For the last three years and the current year, it has not been possible to provide all the information requested in precisely the form required. In so far as data are available, they are set out in the tables:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that access funds are sufficient to meet the applications of all entitled students.

[holding answer 25 June 1990,]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced on 26 March 1990, Official Report, column 34, the Government have increased to £20 million the access funds available for higher education, making a total provision—including £5 million for the further education access fund—of £25 million in 1990–91. The purpose of this increase is to give the higher education institutions greater scope for extending discretionary assistance on a flexible basis to their students, notably those facing relatively high accommodation costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of each of the access funds associated with the student loans scheme has been allocated to him to disperse.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: My right hon. and learned Friend has made provision for a total of £2.1 million to be distributed to non-university institutions of higher and further education in Scotland in 1990–91.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidelines about entitlement he has established for access funds in Scotland;(2) whether any categories of application for access funds will have priority funding.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: Subject to the terms of the necessary regulations, a statement of the terms and conditions for the payment of access funds, together with associated guidance notes, will be prepared. It is intended to issue these to grant-aided colleges, education authorities and further education colleges in Scotland during July. Individual institutions will be entirely free to manage the administration of their share of the access funds in accordance with those terms and conditions and to determine the priority to be afforded to any particular category of applicant.