To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the legal costs to date incurred by the Port of London Authority in resisting the industrial tribunal case brought by dismissed Tilbury dock workers.

We do not hold such information. The cost of any legal representation at an industrial tribunal is a matter for the parties concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has discussed with the Port of London Authority its refusal to recognise or bargain collectively with any trade union in respect of its employees; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend has not discussed these matters with the Port of London Authority. The Government believe that the question of trade union recognition is best left to the parties concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to complete his Department's review of services for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

The review of the Employment Department's employment and training services for people with disabilities has now been completed, and we have today published a consultative document, "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities".The 1980s saw new approaches to promoting good practice to employers, to developing assessment, counselling, training and rehabilitation for people with disabilities, and to help for people with severe disabilities. In the document we examine how the resources available can be used to full effect in the 1990s, taking account of the major research report "Employment and Handicap" which is also published today and provides a better picture of the position of people with disabilities in the labour market.In the document plans are announced:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the future of the National Dock Labour Board.

The National Dock Labour Board having wound up its affairs, and in conformity with my powers under section 2(5) of the Dock Work Act 1989, the board will be dissolved on 30 June 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if contracts have been completed with the Lakin consortium regarding the transfer of skill centres.

[holding answer 25 June 1990]: The sale of the four training businesses to the consortium headed by Mr. Lakin were completed on Friday 11 May 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to extend parental choice in the allocation of school places.

As a result of the Education Act 1980, the great majority of parents already get the school they want for their child. The more open enrolment provisions of the Education Reform Act will further increase parental choice by securing that schools must admit pupils on demand up to the limit of their physical capacity. These provisions take effect in secondary schools in September this year. No decision has yet been taken on when more open enrolment should be extended to primary schools; the issue is currently under consideration in the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on how many qualified teachers in England and Wales are not currently working within the profession.

The total number of out-of-service teachers was 404,000 on 31 March 1986.The table summarises the main information.

The distribution of qualified "Out of Service" teachers by age, sex, training and last teaching sector on 31 March 1986
Thousands
	Men	Women	Men and women
Age
16 to 24	1	3	4
25 to 29	8	27	34

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the closing dates for submission by (a) local education authorities in respect of county and voluntary aided and controlled schools and (b) grant-maintained schools, of bids for capital allocations for grants for school buildings; and on what dates he expects to make his announcements on these bids.

Local education authorities in England have been asked to submit their capital expenditure plans for county, voluntary controlled and voluntary aided schools to the Department no later than 15 September 1990. My right hon. Friend expects to be able to announce annual capital guidelines and allocations for capital expenditure on education in 1991–92 to local education authorities, by governors of voluntary aided and special agreement schools in December.The Department will write to grant-maintained schools inviting bids for capital work in 1991–92 later in the summer, giving a closing date a couple of months later. The intention is to announce allocations around the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1), pursuant to his answer of 21 June, Official Report, column 627, whether that part of the current value of the Haberdashers' Aske's schools in Deptford attributable to past public investment in the premises for which he has previously decided no repayment to public funds shall be required under section 14 of the Education Act 1944 will be deducted in determining the amount of private sponsorship for the proposed Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college represented by those premises or any proposed lease of them for the city technology college;(2) what part of the current value of the sites and premises of the Haberdashers' Aske's Schools in Deptford is attributable to past public capital investment in those schools; and what information he has as to the valuation made by the Inner London education authority of that amount.

ILEA expenditure on capital works for the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham boys' and girls' schools was assessed by them as £5.645 million at 1989–90 prices. The value of the sites of the schools is independent of expenditure on premises; no precise estimate can be made of the proportion of the value of the premises attributed to past building work. The trustees of the Robert Aske's Foundation own the sites and premises of the schools and may transfer a leasehold interest to the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust. The value of the lease, with any other sums, will be deemed to be the trust's share of initial capital expenditure on the city technology college.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider the construction of another reservoir in the south-eastern section of Northern Ireland to deal with increasing demand.

[holding answer 26 June 1990]: Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if the Transport and Road Research Laboratory has undertaken research into the possible relationship between vehicles fitted with fuel injection systems and post-accident fires; and if he will make a statement;(2) what information he has received from chief constables of police on the incidence of post-accident fires in motor vehicles fitted with fuel injection systems; and if he will make a statement.

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is currently conducting research into rear impacts and the associated fire risk of disruption to the fuel system. The research also covers electrically sourced fires which have previously been identified as one of the major causes of vehicle fires.Further research is being considered to establish other causes of vehicle fires, of which fuel injection would be one of many factors to be taken into account.Following discussions with my Department, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has already recommended to its members to fit devices to isolate high-pressure fuel injuection pumps in the event of a collision, so as to reduce the fire risk from this source. It is also investigating the causes of under-bonnet fires.

To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on seeking the total removal of land-based short-range nuclear weapons from Europe at the forthcoming arms negotiations dealing with these weapons.

Arms control remains an integral part of alliance security policy; NATO has therefore made it clear that it endorses the United States intention to begin negotiations with the Soviet Union on short-range nuclear forces after the conclusion of a treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe, and we fully support NATO's position.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government have established any conditions for their support for the deployment of tactical air-to-surface nuclear missiles in the United Kingdom.

Persons in the Indian sub-continent awaiting a decision on their application for entry clearance to the United Kingdom
	1988				1989				1990
Category	31 March	30 June	30 September	31 December	31 March	30 June	30 September	31 December	31 March
Islamabad
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	4,600	4,700	4,700	4,500	4,400	4,100	4,100	4,100	3,800
Husbands, male fiances	3,500	3,800	3,900	3,700	3,600	3,200	3,000	2,500	1,700
Female fiancees	1,000	1,000	1,000	930	890	860	860	820	290
Visitors, students, others	2,200	2,000	1,800	1,700	1,600	700	710	1,100	2,000
Karachi
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	150	140	150	140	160	110	80	70	110
Husbands, male fiances	160	110	120	100	70	50	30	40	60
Female fiancees	40	30	40	30	20	20	20	20	20
Visitors, students, others	710	1,000	980	770	680	830	320	340	380
Dhaka
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	7,600	7,300	7,000	6,500	5,600	4,800	4,400	4,000	2,900
Husbands, male fiances	340	360	380	380	350	330	320	310	290
Female fiancees	20	20	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Visitors, students, others	880	210	380	530	690	800	980	1,000	1,100
New Delhi
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	480	530	490	470	520	560	490	440	420
Husbands, male fiances	500	470	430	390	350	330	310	270	260
Female fiancees	250	210	200	180	170	180	180	150	130
Visitors, students, others2	860	3,100	3,000	2,000	2,200	2,500	3,800	3,400	3,100
Bombay
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	780	680	600	500	620	720	570	700	820
Husbands, male fiances	600	540	500	390	390	400	370	420	320
Female fiancees	260	260	220	170	200	210	220	180	160
Visitors, students, others	1,100	1,400	1,500	1,400	1,200	1,400	1,700	910	810
Calcutta
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	60	40	30	40	30	20	10	20	10
Husbands, male fiances	3—	3—	3—	3—	10	3—	3—	3—	3—
Female fiancees	—	3—	3—	—	—	3—	3—	—	—
Visitors, students, others	30	20	10	10	3—	30	40	50	60
Madras
Wives, children, other dependent relatives1	60	50	60	70	70	60	40	60	70
Husbands, male fiances	20	20	20	30	20	20	20	20	20
Femal fiancees	—	3—	3—	3—	3—	3—	3—	3—	3—
Visitors, students, others	40	50	40	40	50	40	30	40	40

We have always made clear our support for the continued presence of modern and effective American nuclear forces in Europe. The specific question of deployment of United States tactical air-to-surface missiles in the United Kingdom, and the terms which might apply, has not yet arisen.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of applicants, in each category, awaiting entry clearance at each British post on the Indian sub-continent at the latest available date and for each quarter since 1 January 1988; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 26 June 1990]: The information requested is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the loss to the Exchequer in each year from 1984–85 to 1989–90 arising from the provisions of section 179 and schedule 32 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

Annual figures for the estimated net cost to the Exchequer up to March 1988 of capital allowances in enterprise zones in Great Britain (designated under schedule 32) are given in table 13 of "Enterprise Zone Information 1987–1988". Copies of the report are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions have been set for the transfer of housing stock to the Bedfordshire Pilgrims housing association; and, specifically, what percentage has been earmarked for the repayment of debt.

I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of the letter of consent issued to North Bedfordshire borough council and placing a copy in the Library.In line with our general policy on the use of receipts from large-scale voluntary transfers of council housing, the council was directed to set aside for debt redemption the greater of: 75 per cent. of the receipt or an amount equivalent to the outstanding debt on the housing transferred.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what extra funding he will make available to enable Stoke on Trent city council, housing associations and voluntary organisations to meet the housing needs of homeless people within the city.

Housing resources for Stoke city council will be allocated in the usual way following consultation on the 1991–92 housing investment programme. Detailed decisions on the funding of housing associations are for the Housing Corporation, but overall spending by the corporation is scheduled to rise from around £1·1 billion this year to nearly £1·7 billion in 1992–93. Funding under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 for voluntary organisations working with the homeless has increased from £680,000 in 1989–90 to £2 million this year. No applications for funding were received from organisations in the Stoke area in respect of the current year, but it is open to interested bodies to submit applications, by October, for funding in 1991–92.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the presence of cryptosporidium in drinking water supplies.

I understand that the group of experts chaired by Sir John Badenoch is drawing to a conclusion its report on cryptosporidium in water supplies. When the report is submitted jointly to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health, it will be published and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide his estimate of the levels of emission of carbon dioxide and of other chemical substances contributing to acid rain from Britain (a) during the last two months and (b) the comparable figure for the same period in 1989.

Data on emissions of selected gases into the atmosphere are published annually in the Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics, the latest of which (No. 12) contains figures for 1978–88 and has been placed in the Library of the House. Monthly figures are not available. Emissions of carbon dioxide and of the main contributors to acid rain, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen for 1987–88 are as follows:

United Kingdom Estimated Emissions	1987	1988
Carbon dioxide1 (million tonnes)	159	158
Sulphur dioxide (thousand tonnes)	3,863	3,664
Nitrogen oxides2 (thousand tonnes)	2,429	2,480
1 Expressed in terms of weight of carbon emitted
2 Expressed as nitrogen dioxide equivalent

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific contribution was made by his Department to the development of the international convention on the prevention of maritime pollution from oil spillages, developed by the International Maritime Organisation.

[holding answer 26 June 1990]: The draft convention on international co-operation on oil pollution preparedness and response being developed by the International Maritime Organisation is concerned primarily with mutual assistance and international co-operation between administrations to prepare for, and respond to, oil pollution incidents.These are matters which fall within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. My Department is being kept in touch with progress in view of its co-ordinating interest in maritime environment issues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next proposes to meet the First Crown Estates Commissioner to discuss revenues from the Crown Estates.

I shall be meeting the First Crown Estates Commissioner on 3 July.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received from the general public on his proposals for economic and monetary developments in the European Economic Community.

A number.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the increase in the standard rate of income tax necessary to raise an extra £21.5 billion per year; and if he will make a statement.

At 1990–91 income levels an increase of about 12 pence would be required, raising the basic rate of income tax from 25 pence to 37 pence. This estimate does not allow for any behavioural effects that might result from such an increase.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many copies of "Working for Patients" working paper 11, "Framework for Information", and invitations to take part in the consultation on it, were sent to (a) health authorities, (b) family practitioner committees, (c) community health councils, (d) professional organisations, (e) academic departments and research units, (f) voluntary organisations, (g) trade unions, (h) management and computer consultants, (i) suppliers of goods and equipment, (j) other private companies and (k) other organisations.

A total of 3,400 copies of working paper 11 were distributed; this included copies to all Members of Parliament for England.Working paper 11 was part of a set of consultative documents. The set was sent to:

	Number
District health authorities	190
Special health authorities	8
Regional health authorities	14
Family practitioner committees	90
Community health councils	0
Professional organisations	59
Academic organisations and research units	29
Voluntary organisations	8
Trade unions	7
Management and computer consultants	32
Suppliers of goods and equipment	32
Other private companies	31
Other organisations	21

Additional copies of the consultative documents were available from the health publications unit. Although the unit does not keep a record of the organisations to which it sends copies, approximately 3,800 copies of both the main texts of the consultative documents for information and IT were distributed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many replies he has received from his consultation on working paper 11, broken down into (a) health authorities, family practitioner committees and community health councils, (b) management and computer consultants, (c) suppliers of goods and equipment, (d) academic departments and research units, (e) professional organisations and (f) other organisations.

A total of 222 written replies were received. Several organisations sent more than one response. Some regions sent a response which reflected the views of their districts. The breakdown of the organisations sending at least one response was:

	Number
Health authorities, units, FPCs and CHCs	124
Management and computer consultants	3
Suppliers of goods and services	11
Academic departments and research units	8
Professional organisations	20
Other organisations	14
Total	180

A list of the organisations responding to the consultative exercise is given in appendix 1 of the document, published this week, entitled "Framework for Information Systems: The Next Steps". Aimed primarily at information systems specialists, the document presents the conclusions of the consultation exercise. Copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the numbers of patients treated during the last full year before closure of (a) the South London hospital for women, (b) Lambeth hospital and (c) St. George's hospital, Balham; and what is the total number of patients currently being treated at Charing Cross hospital.

The information is given in the table. St. George's hospital in Tooting is fully operational, but details are given for St. James's which has closed. There were 25,080 in-patient cases treated at Charing Cross hospital in the year ending March 1989, the latest for which information is held centrally.

Numbers of patients treated in last full year before closure
Hospital	Last full year of activity	In-patients treated
South London hospital (women)	1983	5,353
Lambeth hospital	1975	8,836
St. James's, Balham	1986	12,678

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many transplant operations have been carried out in the United Kingdom and how many in the other European Community countries.

According to information provided by the European Dialysis and Transplant Association the number of kidney transplants carried out in 1988 in European Community countries was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnancy tests were carried out at hospitals following referral from a general practitioner in 1989 and at what cost; if he will list his reply by region; and if he will make a statement about pregnancy test charges in the future.

The information requested is not available centrally. Where health authorities offer general practitioners direct access to pathology services it is for the general practitioner concerned to judge whether a hospital test is warranted or whether an alternative method of confirming pregnancy is appropriate. Tests provided under the national health service will continue to be free of charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the incidence of breast cancer in women aged (a) 50 to 64 years and (b) 65 years and over in each year since 1984 for which figures are available.

The information is shown in the table; 1985 is the latest available data year.

Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasm of female breast1, and rates per 100,000 population, ages 50–64, 65 and over, England and Wales, 19852.
Age-Group	Number	Rate3
50–64	6,977	166
65+	10,538	228
1 Assigned to the International Classification of Diseases 9th revision code 174.
2 Provisional.
3 Rate per 100,000 population.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the incidence of cervical cancer in women aged (a) 50 to 64 years and (b) 65 years and over in each year since 1984 for which figures are available.

The information is shown in the table; 1985 is the latest available data year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the routine invitation of women for breast and cervical cancer screening to women over the age of 65 years.

Women aged over 65 are not excluded from either screening programme. We have asked health authorities to provide breast cancer screening to women in this age group every three years on request. Guidance on cervical screening issued by the Department of Health to health authorities, family practitioner committees and general practitioners stated that

"women aged 65 and over who have not had two consecutive negative smears in the last ten years should also be screened".

Our most recent figures show that women aged over 65 years already consult their doctors more than six times a year on average. Under the GPs' new contract much greater emphasis is being placed on health promotion and prevention of ill health. This will mean that GPs will have even more opportunities to advise women patients over 65 of the wisdom of accepting these preventive measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the health implications to consumers of tap water from the presence of blue-green algae in water sources.

I am advised that, despite medical and scientific interest over at least 50 years, there is no convincing evidence that algal toxins in drinking water have ever caused illness in humans.Several published reports from other countries refer to outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness and hepatitis occurring during a period of heavy algal growth in the source of the drinking water. In these incidents, the source water often smelt and tasted unpleasant and the water treatment was inadequate to remove the taste and odour which therefore remained in the drinking water. However, as noted in a review published in 1984 by the World Health Organisation, there is no evidence of the causal involvement of algal toxins in these episodes. There have been no such published reports from the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the provision and allocation of capital resources to provide scanners in national health service hospitals.

It is for health authorities to decide, in the light of local circumstances and needs, how capital moneys are to be allocated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the duties and responsibilities of medical laboratory and scientific officers in each of the bands of salaries from £7,897 to £20,244.

The duties and responsibilities of each grade are for employing authorities to determine within the guidance agreed by the Whitley council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of medical laboratory and scientific officers in each band of salaries from £7,897 to £20,244 a year.

The information is shown in the table.

Qualified medical laboratory and scientific officers on each pay scale1
England—30 September 1989
Grade	Pay scale2 £	Whole time equivalents2 3
MLSO 1	7,897 to 12,158	4,940
MLSO 2	11,241 to 16,639	2,810
MLSO 3	15,383 to 19,465	1,650
MLSO 4	17,996 to 22,771	540
Total		9,940
Grading unknown4		1,480
Grand total		11,420
1 The scales quoted are basic rates of pay.
2 Pay scales include the three additional points by which scales may be advanced to recognise special skills and additional responsibilities. Approximately 23 per cent. of medical laboratory and scientific officers are on advanced scale positions.
3 All figures rounded to nearest ten whole time equivalents.
4 Medical laboratory and scientific officers who, at the time figures were collected, had not been assigned to a grade in the new structure, which was introduced in 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions his Department has undertaken following the discussions about health visiting in Greenwich which were held on 26 April between the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and a delegation led by the hon. Member for Woolwich.

A nursing officer from the Department has visited Greenwich health authority and we have received information from a limited comparative study of Greenwich and some other London health districts. Greenwich health authority had set up a working party to consider the health visiting service, and the Department has this week received a copy of its report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total budgeted figure to be transferred from the residential care allowances budget to local authorities in 1990 by departmental region; and for what purposes.

No transfer will be made this year. The amount to be transferred from the Department of Social Security to local authorities in 1991–92 to enable them to discharge new responsibilities arising from the White Paper "Caring for People" (Cm 849) has not yet finally been determined.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the total number of cadaver kidney transplants carried out in the latest year for which figures are available at each of the health districts of Riverside, Bloomsbury, Hampstead, City and Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham and Southwark, Camberwell, West Lambeth and the Hammersmith special health authority.

[holding answer 26 June 1990]: According to information provided by the United Kingdom Transplant Service, the number of cadaveric kidney transplants carried out in 1989 in the district health authorities specified was as follows:

Health Authority	Number
Riverside	25
Bloomsbury	23
Hampstead	33
City and Hackney	48
Tower Hamlets	54
Lewisham and North Southwark	70
Camberwell	32
West Lambeth	22
Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's special health authority	35

We are pleased to announce that the number of cadaveric kidney transplants carried out in the United Kingdom in 1989 was a record. The total of 1,732 transplants represents a 10 per cent. increase on the achievement of the previous year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Medicines Commission on the Committee on Safety of Medicines carries out independent checking of manufacturers' data on drug safety.

[holding answer 27 June 1990]: The Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines are themselves independent advisory bodies set up under the Medicines Act 1968. It is not their practice to commission separate independent checking of manufacturers' data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been (a) the expenditure in real terms on evaluating the safety of pharmaceutical drugs and (b) the number of specialised staff working on drug safety in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

[holding answer 27 June 1990]: Evaluation of safety is one integral component of the process of licensing medicinal products and monitoring them after marketing. This evaluation is carried out by expert toxicologists, pharmacists and physicians within the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) who are further advised by a number of expert committees. Separate costings are not available in the form requested. The MCA has recently been reorganised into a number of specialised businesses. The pharmacovigilance unit has responsibility for monitoring adverse reactions to drugs and there are currently 27 staff employed on this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what data the Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines rely for their assessment of a drug's safety before recommending a product licence.

[holding answer 27 June 1990]: Every product licence application is considered individually and must satisfy the licensing authority as to safety, quality and efficacy before a licence can be granted. The EC publication "The Rules Governing Medicinal Products in the EC" volumes I-V and the Department of Health's publication, "Guidance Notes on Applications for Product Licences" (Revised MAL 2) provide comprehensive guidance on requirements for safety data. Copies will be placed in the Library shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the extra costs of keeping Andrew Jones in Whitchurch hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements for the care of Mr. Jones are a matter for South Glamorgan health authority. However, I am told that some £33,000 a year has been allocated to the ward on which Mr. Jones is accommodated to improve the overall level of care of patients, including Mr. Jones.

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

Each division of the Welsh Office has assessed the risk to the health of staff arising from hazardous substances in the workplace and the action needed to comply with the regulations. Similar information has also been obtained from contractors using buildings occupied by the Department's staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the regional health authorities in Wales have appointed a perinatal or paediatric pathologist.

There is one consultant paediatrician in South Glamorgan health authority who has an interest in pathology.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost to his Department of the recent study undertaken by the university of Manchester on matters relating to the development of the all-Wales strategy for mental illness.

It was £24,108.45.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all working papers, implementation documents, departmental circulars and other publications, whether in draft or final form, that have been issued to date by organisations other than his own Department, which have application in Wales in whole or in part arising from the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, "Working for Patients", "Caring for People" and associated Government initiatives.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 28 June 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of any income realised by the sale of any capital assets it is currently his policy to allow any district health authority in Wales to use in respect of revenue expenditure (a) in the financial year in which the sale occurs and (b) in any subsequent financial year.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 18 April which set out the virement limits applying to transfers of funds by health authorities between their revenue and capital cash limits. In the event that an authority wishes to exceed its virement limits, it must seek Welsh Office approval and agreement is subject to the authority's excess requirements being contained within the all-Wales virement limits. Receipts from the sale of capital assets form part of an authority's capital allocation and authorities may therefore vire such receipts to revenue in accordance with these arrangements.Authorities also have a degree of flexibility to carry forward revenue and capital funds into a subsequent financial year. Each may carry forward 1 per cent. of its final net revenue cash limit and up to 10 per cent. of its final capital cash limit. In planning to carry forward funds, an authority may also seek the help of other authorities by entering into brokerage arrangements. In such cases the authority will lend the funds it wishes to carry forward, on the understanding that the loan will be repaid in the next or a subsequent financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the review of the operation of the minor casualty unit at Singleton hospital has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

Officials are currently considering additional information recently provided by West Glamorgan health authority and Swansea and Lliw Valley community health council. I will announce the results of the review as soon as all the relevant factors have been examined.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the location of blue-green algae reported on four public supply reservoirs in Wales; what is the scientific description of such algae; and what assessment he has made of its potential effect if ingested by humans.

The four public supply reservoirs where blue-green algae have been detected are:

Reservoir	Type of algae
Dolwen, Clwyd	Microcystis
Plas Uchaf, Clwyd	Anabaena, Microcystis
Cefni, Anglesey, Gwynedd	Anabaena
Llandegfedd, Gwent	Aphanizomenon, Anabaena

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the hospitals that have expressed an interest in obtaining self-governing status.

Expressions of interest have been received in respect of hospitals at Forfar, the Royal Scottish national hospital at Larbert, the unit at the Foresterhill site in Aberdeen comprising the royal infirmary, maternity hospital and children's hospital, and the South Ayrshire unit comprising the hospitals at Ayr and Ballochmyle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of general practitioner practices eligible for budget holding, the number which have applied, the health boards in which they are situated and the names of each practice.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye (Mr. Kennedy) on 20 June, Official Report, column 622.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current average number of voters in a Scottish constituency; and if he will make a statement.

The average number of voters in a constituency in Scotland on publication of the 1990 electoral registers in February was 54,677.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made towards the construction of a national stadium for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 28 June 1990]: It is for Scottish sports bodies, rather than the Government, to decide what action is required to provide better sports facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that no newly qualified nurse in Scotland is unable to find a job.

[holding answer 28 June 1990]: While most newly qualified nurses find employment on completion of their training, it is impossible to guarantee the employment of all such nurses and students are made aware of this when they enrol. The number of nurses qualifying each year will seldom, if ever, match the number of posts immediately available in the national health service, but it should be noted that the number of qualified nurses employed in the national health service in Scotland has increased by 34.5 per cent. between 1979 and 1989. In addition, there are a growing number of employment opportunities for nurses elsewhere in both the public and private sectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people would be affected by the removal of the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions.

If the upper earnings limit for employees' national insurance contributions were removed, it is currently estimated that about 3.3 million people would pay more contributions. If the corresponding upper profits limit for self-employed people were also removed, it is estimated that about another 0.5 million people would pay more contributions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people affected by regulation 25, industrial deafness, ruled ultra vires by the Court of Appeal.

Since October 1974 when occupational deafness was added to the list of prescribed diseases, we estimate that about 25,000 claims for disablement benefit have failed to satisfy the requirements of regulation 25 of the Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Regulation 1985 or similar preceding provisions. They were not therefore referred for audiometric testing to establish whether they satisfied the necessary level of hearing loss.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's estimate of the cost of implementing the Court of Appeal ruling on October 1989 regarding regulation 25—industrial deafness prescribed diseases.

As a result of the Court of Appeal judgment of 26 October 1989 in the case of McKiernon, the law on occupational deafness reflects neither this Government's intentions nor those of any previous Government. The original proposals for a scheme for paying disablement benefit for occupational deafness were made by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) in 1973. Claims were first invited in October 1974 and awards were made from February 1975. The provisions included a rule that a claim had to be made within one year of leaving the relevant occupation. The IIAC considered this to be a pre-requisite of a provision for those made occupationally deaf. Subsequently, in 1983, this restriction was eased so that a claim could be made within five years of leaving a relevant occupation. (Regulation 25 of the Industrial Injuries Prescribed Diseases Regulations 1985). The court's judgment means that this regulation and regulations 6(2) (c) and 36 of the same regulations and preceding provisions are considered to be ultra vires because they do not specifically modify section 165(A) of the 1975 Social Security Act which deals with time limits for claiming social security benefits generally. If we did not seek to validate these provisions to correct this technical legal defect and restore the policy intention of successive Governments, past claims decided under these rules would need to be reviewed, and future claims decided on the basis of the Court of Appeal judgment. The benefit costs could exceed £100 million and there would be substantial administrative costs in reviewing past cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out by his Department on the effects of the introduction of high technology electronic cockpit displays on RAF aircrew standards of visual lookout in combat aircraft.

Before any new electronic displays are introduced into RAF combat aircraft, an extensive and rigorous research and development programme is undertaken at the Royal Aerospace Establishment and in British industry. The primary objectives are to present information to the pilot in a clear and unambiguous manner to meet the requirements of the mission, and to reduce pilot workload. Particular emphasis has been placed on developing new cockpit technologies that aid the pilot's lookout.Before an aircraft is accepted into RAF service, the cockpit layout and its displays are formally assessed by test aircrew for suitability for the mission, and compatibility with the visual flying task.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the regulations governing the operation of radar or radio jamming equipment by military aircraft while operating inside civil airport control zones.

Military aircraft are prohibited from using radio or radar jamming techniques while operating inside civil airport control zones.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the maximum safe exposure limits to hydrazine vapour for Royal Air Force personnel, expressed in parts per million.

Were the RAF to use hydrazine, which at present it does not, it would follow Health and Safety Executive recommendations; currently the executive recommends that a limit of 0.1 parts per million is used as a guidance for the control of exposure to inhalation of hydrazine vapour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training in the hazards of hydrazine, the cleaning up of hydrazine spills and the treatment of personnel exposed to hydrazine vapour is given to fire service and rescue personnel (1) at military emergency diversion aerodromes in the United Kingdom and (2) at other military airfields in the United Kingdom.

Hydrazine is not used within the RAF and there are no United States aircraft currently based in the United Kingdom in which it is employed. However, instructions for the handling of hydrazine, and responding to accidents in which it is present, are set out in standing Air Force department fire service regulations and in engineering safety instructions issued to all operational RAF airfields. Basic training courses include instruction in hazardous substances, including hydrazine, and regular training is carried out at RAF airfields where NATO aircraft which use hydrazine may visit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training man-days were carried out in the Galloway training area in 1989; and if he will list the dates on which the training area was in use.

In 1989, personnel from Regular and Territorial Army units conducted 6,828 man-days of training in the Galloway forest area. Military use took place on the following dates:

• 27 and 29 January
• 25 and 26 February
• 21 March to 2 April
• 8 April
• 20 and 21 May
• 23 to 25 June
• 7 to 9 July
• 3 to 5 August
• 11 to 24 September
• 9 to 15 October
• 20 to 23 October
• 4 and 5 November

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries which have issued foreign war medals to British service men or ex-service men.

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 if he will make representations to the Governments in Greece, Norway, Holland and France on the issue of war medals to British service men and ex-service men.

It would not be appropriate to make representations to the Governments of Greece, Norway, Holland and France for the issue of war medals to British service men and ex-service men.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken to obtain the issue of Soviet war medals to British service men and ex-service men.

During his visit to the Soviet Union earlier this year, my right hon. Friend discussed with the Soviet Defence Minister the possibility of a further issue by the Soviets of the medal struck by them in 1985 to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the war. As a result of these discussions, the Soviet authorities have agreed to make a further 400 medals available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral reply to the hon. Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce), 15 May, Official Report, column 733, which other nations are trying to develop nuclear capability; and what verification problems there are outstanding in threshold nuclear weapons states.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) on 8 June 1990, Official Report, column 738.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is NATO's policy on seeking full or partial reductions in the number of land-based, short-range nuclear weapons in the forthcoming arms negotiations on those weapons.

Arms control remains an integral part of alliance security policy; NATO has therefore made clear that it endorses the United States intention to begin negotiations with the Soviet Union on short-range nuclear forces after the conclusion of a treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest assessment as to when NATO's existing short-range, land-based nuclear weapons will become unserviceable and obsolete.

On current estimates it is believed that the Lance missile will be unsustainable much beyond the mid-1990s. Our dual capable artillery guns will be modernised with the introduction of the AS90 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer. However, the serviceability of the United States-owned nuclear warheads and shells for use with these systems is a matter for the United States Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the submissions for the M1 Abrams main battle tank fully satisfy the requirements, as defined in the draft memorandum of understanding between the United Kingdom and United States Governments, in so far as existing and proposed projectiles for its main armament are concerned;(2) what steps have been taken to ensure that the submissions relating to the M1 Abrams main battle tank fully satisfy its requirements for structural armour.

The information sought on armour and main armament ammunition is sufficiently comprehensive fully to satisfy our requirements for a proper evaluation of the M1 Abrams MBT against the staff requirement for Chieftain replacement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to ensure that the information made available to his Department, in respect of the reliability of the MIAZ Abrams, Leclerc and Leopard 2 main battle tanks, is entirely comparable with that which has been required from Vickers Defence Systems in respect of Challenger 2.

I am satisfied that the information being made available to my Department in respect of the reliability of the overseas contenders for Chieftain Replacement will be entirely comparable with that which has been required from Vickers Defence Systems in respect of Challenger 2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his Department's policy towards the annual provision of figures for United Kingdom defence equipment holdings, along the lines of those published in "Conventional Forces in Europe: The Facts";(2) whether his Department will publish the latest figures, pursuant to those published in 1988 in "Conventional Forces in Europe: The Facts" for United Kingdom defence equipment holdings.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 15 March, at column 328. There are no plans to publish updated figures for other categories covered in "The Facts", beyond the information already provided in the "Annual Statement on the Defence Estimates".

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the United States Government have agreed to assign any sea-launched cruise missiles to NATO (a) in peacetime and (b) in time of crisis;(2) whether NATO has any plans to integrate United States sea-launched cruise missiles into its targeting plans;(3) whether NATO has approved a memorandum of agreement implementing the planning process for the Tomahawk land-attack missile/nuclear in support of the NATO alliance.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 22 June at column 723.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment as to the efficacy of the non-proliferation treaty since it came into effect.

The non-proliferation treaty is the world's most widely adhered-to arms control treaty, to which three out of the five declared nuclear weapon states are parties. Since 1968, when the treaty was open to signature, no new country has declared itself a nuclear weapon state, and the treaty has helped to ensure that proliferation has not gained respectability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on pursuing the extension of the non-proliferation treaty.

The United Kingdom attaches great importance to the widest possible adherence to the non-proliferation treaty, and regularly raises the question of accession to the NPT with non-parties at various levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his Department's latest assessment of the balance of total ground forces in the central area of Europe; and how many of the Warsaw pact ground forces are those of the Soviet Union;(2) how many NATO ground forces are currently stationed in the central area of Europe apart from those belonging to the United States of America.

Taking the "central area" as that covered by the limits on United States and Soviet stationed manpower, as shown in figure 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990", we estimate the current balance of ground forces in the central area to be approximately 1.3:1 in favour of the Warsaw pact. Soviet ground forces in this area are currently some 500,000 strong out of a Warsaw pact total of just over 1 million. NATO forces in the same area, apart from the United States, total some 600,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to figure 1, page 8, of "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990", what is his Department's assessment of the balance of manpower between NATO and the Warsaw pact in the central area in the aftermath of the limits imposed by the conventional forces in Europe treaty.

It has been agreed that United States and Soviet stationed forces in the central area should not in future exceed 195,000 each. It is not yet possible to estimate what the implications for force levels may be of equipment reductions which may be required by a CFE treaty or other national plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to figure 1, page 8, of "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990", how many of the 4 million total armed forces of the Warsaw pact belong to countries other than the Soviet Union.

Just a quarter (1,080,000) of the 4 million Warsaw pact armed forces in the Atlantic to the Urals zone belong to non-Soviet Warsaw pact countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what implications the deployment of additional Soviet ballistic missile defences, beyond those permitted under the terms of the anti-ballistic missile treaty, would have for the effectiveness of the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear deterrent.

Such a question covers a whole range of possibilities. However, we remain confident that our Polaris force and its successor, Trident, will provide an effective deterrent for the foreseeable future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the statement in paragraph 124, page 14, of "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990", relating to Trident, what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on reductions in either the number of Trident missiles or the number of Trident warheads within the context of multilateral arms negotiations.

The position remains as set out in the paragraph referred to.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest assessment of the United States commitment to deploy strategic defences when they are ready.

The Government fully support the United States strategic defence initiative (SDI) research programme, which is permitted under the anti-ballistic missile treaty. As the Prime Minister and President Reagan agreed at Camp David in December 1984, SDI-related deployment would, in view of treaty obligations, have to be a matter for negotiation. This remains the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now proposes to make available the conclusions of the inquiry into the explosion at Deal on 22 September 1989; and what is the reason for the delay.

As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Hampshire, East (Mr. Mates) on 23 April 1990 (column 76), a summary of the principal findings of the board of inquiry will be made available to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee when my right hon. Friend has completed his deliberations on these.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what periods from January 1982 onwards his Department had direct responsibility for the investment business of the company C. J. How, and any related company.

Under the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958, which was repealed on 29 April 1988, the Department was responsible for issuing licences to dealers in securities except where they were members of a recognised association of dealers. The Department did not issue a licence to either C. J. How or C. J. How International.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what periods from January 1982 onwards responsibility for the investment business of the company C. J. How or any related company was vested in (a) the National Association of Security Dealers and Investment Managers, (b) the Securities and Investments Board and (c) the Financial Intermediaries, Managers and Brokers Regulatory Organisation.

C. J. How was a member of NASDIM, which on 9 July 1986 became FIM BRA, from 1982 until his membership was terminated in January 1988. Under the Financial Services Act 1986, the main provisions of which came into force on 29 April 1988, any firm wishing to carry on investment business has to be authorised to do so: the Securities and Investments Board is responsible for investigating and, if appropriate, dealing with cases of unauthorised business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to protect people on low incomes from the problems associated with easily available credit.

Major safeguards are already provided for borrowers by existing legislation under which consumers must be informed about the terms of credit agreements before they enter into them. However, the Government have made known their concern about some marketing practices, which suggest among other things that credit is more readily available than it is. We are keeping the situation under review and hope that these problems will be addressed in the code of practice being prepared by the banks and building societies following the report of the committee on banking services law and practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the number of tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals produced in each of the last five years.

My Department receives data from the European Commission on the production within the Community of various of the substances controlled under the Montreal protocol. The two United Kingdom manufacturers of these substances copy the data they supply to the Commission to my Department and the Department of the Environment on a commercially confidential basis.My officials have recently received industry data showing that total production of methyl chloroform (1, 1, 1-Trichloroethane) in the main industrialised regions (Western Europe, United States of America, and Japan) for the years 1985–89 was (in '000 tonnes):

	Thousand tonnes
1985	588
1986	609
1987	627

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on grants and loans available for small businesses to invest in plant and machinery for the compaction of metal cans for recycling.

Under the enterprise initiative, the Department currently offers a number of schemes which are available to small businesses, including those engaged in recycling. In particular, regional enterprise grants are available in the development areas to help small firms invest and innovate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to review the grounds on which limited liability status can be granted.

[holding answer 19 June 1990]: My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the implications for investor protection legislation of a redemption reserve held by British and Commonwealth to provide for payments to the Cayzer family.