To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers paid top rate tax in 1989–90; and how much revenue his Department derived from taxing this band.

The latest estimate is that about 1.6 million married couples and single people were liable to tax at the higher rate in respect of 1989–90 incomes. Their income tax liability in excess of the basic rate was about £3.9 billion. This figure represents the additional tax liability resulting from the difference between the higher rate and the basic rate of tax.Allowing for independent taxation, it is estimated that in 1990–91 about 1·7 million individuals will be liable to pay tax at the higher rate, counting husbands and wives separately, and that their income tax liability in excess of the basic rate will be £4·4 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average rates bill as a proportion of earnings for a one-earner family with two children on 75 per cent. average earnings in 1989–90; and what he estimates the proportion of income going to the poll tax will be for the same family in 1990–91.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 5 July,

To ask the Lord President of the Council when the current sound recording and amplification systems used both in the Chamber and for outside broadcasts were installed; and whether he has any plans to modernise them.

I understand that the present sound system in the Chamber, including both the microphones and the amplifiers in the Benches, were originally installed in 1951, although significant modifications were made in 1970–71.As regards any possible further modification or modernisation of the system, I refer my hon. Friend to the first report of the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House (HC 265-I), which was published on Wednesday 11 July. The report contains a section addressing directly the point raised by my hon. Friend.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the average length of time for a House of Commons pass to be approved for an hon. Member's secretary; what efforts are being made to reduce this time; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the average length of time taken for the processing of all Members' staff applications for Palace of Westminster photo-identity passes is five working days.The Pass Office gives precedence for processing applications for Members' staff over all other applications. The figure quoted refers to applications from United Kingdom nationals who have lived in this country for the past five years. In cases where the required clearances involve foreign nationals, or where the individual concerned has lived or worked overseas in the preceding five years, further delays are usually unavoidable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those county councils which provide homes for children in care who have been sexually or physically abused separately from children who are in care for other reasons.

Local authorities do not generally provide community homes for children who have been physically or sexually abused separately from children in their care for other reasons. It is for the authority to ensure that each child for whom it is responsible is appropriately placed, whether in one of its own children's homes or elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of eye tests carried out in each region of England and Wales in 1989 and in 1987.

Statistics on the number of NHS sight tests paid for in each region in England and Wales for the financial year 1989–90 will be available shortly. The table gives the numbers of NHS sight tests paid for in each regional health authority for the periods April to September 1987 and April to September 1989. These figures are not directly comparable, as the figures since April 1989 exclude sight tests paid for privately.

Regional Health Authority	Total sight tests—all National Health Service April-September 1987	National Health Service sight tests only—private tests excluded April-September 1989
Northern	332,940	209,990
Yorkshire	400,000	261,850
Trent	517,850	329,140
East Anglia	220,730	114,740
North West Thames	448,510	253,140
North East Thames	486,800	300,170
South East Thames	421,660	248,280
South West Thames	344,990	184,260
Wessex	364,310	229,320
Oxford	290,090	126,390

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many booklets, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", are to be distributed; and to whom;(2) what the quoted cost of £2.75 million for the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", covers;(3) when the final proof was cleared for the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You";(4) whether the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", is to be distributed throughout the United Kingdom;(5) when the final text for the booklet, "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", was approved.

A total of 23 million copies of the booklet "The Health Service—The NHS Reforms and You", were printed. After distributing one copy to each household in England, the remaining 1.5 million copies will be used to supply requests from multiple occupancy households, advisors and other ad hoc requests.My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will be publishing their own information.Versions of the booklet in nine ethnic minority languages are planned and will be available on request.The final proof of the booklet was approved when it was clear that there was no reasonable prospect of changes to the Bill being considered by Parliament which affected the content of the booklet. Authorisation for the distribution of the booklet was not given until the Bill received Royal Assent. The text was approved, subject to any parliamentary changes, on 7 June.The £2·7 million cost of the booklet includes the production, distribution and ethnic language versions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when was the latest occasion on which he or his predecessors made an order under section 36 of the National Assistance Act 1948 declaring a local authority to be in default.

As far as I am aware, the default powers in section 36 of the National Assistance Act 1948 have never been formally invoked.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which family practitioner committees were unable to pay their general practitioners in full under the new contract for the quarter April to June;

It is the aim of every family practitioner committee to make due payments in full and on time, and there is no reason why this should not have been the case at the end of June quarter. Family practitioner committees have discretion to make advance payments when necessary. Some committees failed to achieve this aim at the end of June quarter, but this should have been rectified subsequently. We are making further inquiries about the exact position and I shall write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the annual care costs of those hostel residents, currently funded by the Department of Social Security, whose costs will be met by local authorities following the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act.

There is no connection between the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act and the changes in funding arrangements for hostels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made to ensure that all national health service costs, including central administrative costs, are included when comparing provider contracts between voluntary sector bids and community service bids.

National health service providers will be expected to price their services on the basis of their full costs, including overheads and costs of capital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take urgent steps to ensure that all health authorities establish family planning services for under-25s less formal and easier to obtain than those for mature people.

The day-to-day management of family planning services is a matter for individual health authorities since they can best judge local circumstances and priorities. The Government continue to regard family planning as an important preventive service. Guidance issued by the Department of Health makes it clear that health authorities should ensure that full use is made of family planning services and that a proper balance is struck between services provided by specialist clinics and those provided by GPs, bearing in mind in particular:

i. the need to give choice to encourage full take-up;

ii. the need for separate, less formal arrangements for young people;

iii. clinics' wider health role—for instance, in cervical cancer smear testing.

This guidance was recently reaffirmed in a letter EL(90)M B115, a copy of which is available in the Library, to regional general managers by the director of operations and planning on the national health service management executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that arrangements about family planning services by district health authorities are made after adequate previous consultations with residents in those districts.

The level of local family planning provision, as with most national health service services, is a matter for individual health authorities to determine in the light of local needs and priorities and other competing demands on resources. The director of operations and planning on the NHS management executive recently reminded regional general managers, by EL(90)MB115, a copy of which is available in the Library, of current central guidance on family planning provision. That letter asked English health authorities, in making provision for delivery of co-ordinated clinic and GP family planning services, to ensure that they have given full weight to the advice of their director of public health in regard to the needs and views of people who already use or may want to use NHS family planning services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made for the voluntary sector to bid for service provider contracts in the area of family planning.

It is for district health authorities (DHAs) to decide upon the pattern of services their residents need and to arrange contracts for the delivery from the most appropriate provider, which might be one of the authorities' own units, a unit managed by another district health authority, a national health service trust, or a voluntary body.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to take action to prevent local authorities from transferring their care homes to not-for-profit trusts.

No. As we said in the White Paper "Caring for People" we shall expect local authorities to make use, whenever possible, of services from voluntary, "not-for-profit" and private providers in so far as this represents a cost-effective care choice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals exist to ensure that cover provided by United Kingdom car insurance automatically incorporates cover for travel in the EC.

All United Kingdom motor insurance policies already incorporate third party cover for travel in the EC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the sources of investment currently allocated to British Rail for the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

The public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 1007) set out plans for British Rail investment and financing over this financial year (1990–91) and the next two years. In 1990–91, BR plans fixed asset investment of £1,052 million, the highest real level for 25 years. This will be financed mainly from the sale of surplus assets, grant from central and local Government and borrowing (mostly from the National Loans Fund). The external finance limit, which covers central Government grant and borrowing, was set in the White Paper at £646 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any conclusions have been reached about publishing an official syllabus for learner drivers and riders.

The Department consulted last autumn on this proposal and the suggestion was widely welcomed. I have therefore decided that the Driving Standards Agency should produce a book containing the syllabus plus related information such as how to apply for a driving or motor cycling test. It is intended that the book will go on sale towards the end of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Government to become a signatory to the agreement on Euroroute designations; and if he will make a statement.

As part of a wider consultation exercise on traffic signs commenced in September 1988, this Department sought views on a proposal for E-route signs. Reactions were limited and ambivalent. In the absence of clear evidence of benefit to road users and in view of the potential for confusion from a second road numbering system, the Secretary of State decided against ratification of the relevant international agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he offered any advice to British Rail about the employment of Transmark as a consultant for an evaluation of the alternative channel tunnel rail links; and if he will make a statement;(2) what information he has regarding the evaluation of alternative fast rail links from the North Downs to King's Cross via Stratford in connection with the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement;(3) pursuant to his statement of 14 June,

It is the responsibility of British Rail to evaluate alternative options and to bring forward proposals. I am confident that Sir Bob Reid will ensure that this exercise will be properly carried out.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has of the increased volume of traffic flow resulting from the upgrading of the Al-M1 route to motorway standard.

The existing A1 trunk road traffic is expected to use the upgraded road. We also estimate that there would be a small transfer of traffic from the M1 to the upgraded Al. General growth in traffic is estimated in the national road traffic forecast 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the decision was taken to alter the existing emergency liaison system between West Yorkshire fire service and British Rail; what consultation took place; how long the consultation period was; and whether the railway inspectorate has approved the new system.

British Rail tells me that a modification to its area manager organisation in West Yorkshire took place in January 1990, resulting in a division of responsibilities between its Leeds and Doncaster offices. BR did not consult either the West Yorkshire fire service or the railway inspectorate before carrying out this internal reorganisation. I understand that BR notified the WYFS of the new arrangements in March, and senior officials have visited WYFS to deal with any problems which may have arisen. BR will be ensuring that emergency services are consulted about communications before other reorganisations take place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's usual practice in the making and publication of compulsory purchase orders and exchange land certificates; and what deviations from this practice were made in the case of (a) the M3 motorway, Bar End-Bassett section compulsory purchase order (No. CSE) 198 and (b) an application for a certificate in respect of public open space at Shawford Down.

Compulsory purchase orders in relation to trunk roads and motorways are usually made and published in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Highways Act 1980 and of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. The M3 motorway (Bar End—Bassett section) compulsory purchase order was published in draft and in respect of the Compton-Bassett section has been made, in accordance with the relevant provisions of those Acts. The remaining part of the compulsory purchase order relating to the Bar End-Compton section has not yet been made.Responsibility for the issue and publication of exchange land certificates in relation to the compulsory purchase of land forming part of a common, open space or fuel or field garden allotments, rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in accordance with the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. The Department of Transport's application for a certificate in respect of public open space at Shawford Down was made in accordance with the relevant provisions of that Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Salisbury of 9 July, Official Report, column 88, about accidents on the A36, how many people were killed or injured in each of the three categories listed and for each year given.

The number of people killed or injured over the last five years are as follows:

	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
(a) fatal injuries	2	2	2	1	5
(b) serious injuries	20	12	19	14	32
(c) slight injuries	125	84	79	76	116
	147	98	100	91	153

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now taken a decision on the regulations governing those who accompany learner drivers.

I have today laid in the House regulations that require accompanying drivers to be at least 21 years old and to have held a full licence for three years.In order to ensure that existing and future provisional licence holders are aware fully of the new requirements, they will come into force on 1 October 1990. I urge strongly all provisional licence holders to ensure that those who accompany them meet these requirements now, and not to wait until 1 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has now concluded his review of the quota for night flights at Gatwick and if he will make a statement.

When the current restrictions on night flying at Heathrow and Gatwick were announced in Februrary 1988, an undertaking was given that if, after two years (that is, after the summer season 1989), it was apparent that disturbance from night flights at Gatwick was getting worse, the quotas would be revised accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the (a) total budget and (b) architectural budget for the east London river crossing.

[holding answer 11 July 1990]: The latest estimate of the total cost of the scheme, updated to mid-1989 prices, is £300 million. That estimate includes the services of architectural and landscape consultants. Estimates for the architectural elements of the scheme are not identified separately.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will put the architectural contract for the east London river crossing out to competition.

[holding answer 11 July 1990]: No. A review of alternative designs for the Thames bridge has been undertaken, and the Department's consultants concluded that only a box girder bridge met the criteria for the site. The Secretary of State accepted their conclusion, and draft orders for a box girder bridge were published in January 1990. The proposed design of the bridge has been presented to the current public inquiries into the proposed design changes for the east London river crossing scheme. These inquiries opened on 3 July 1989 and will afford the opportunity for representations to be made on the Department's proposals.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will invite the European Council to review the operation of the European Court of Justice in light of the legal actions initiated by Spanish fishermen and German lottery ticket salesmen against the operation of British laws in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

No. So far as the ruling of the European Court of Justice on interim relief is concerned, the Government's views have been made clear to the House on a number of occasions. In the case of the German lottery ticket salesmen, I understand that no proceedings have been instituted in any court.

To ask the Prime Minister what has been the increase in police manpower in Clwyd and Wales since June 1987.

Since June 1987 the North Wales police, which includes Clwyd, has had 35 extra police posts approved by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary. In the same period a total of 125 extra police posts have been approved for forces in Wales.

To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any proposals to change or modify the procedures by which patients obtain suitable redress of grievance or compensation against hospital consultants following negligence on the part of consultants in the hospital service.

There are no plans to change or modify current procedures. The basis for seeking compensation for injuries where medical negligence is alleged should continue to be through litigation in the courts.

To ask the Prime Minister what is Mr. Richard Branson's current involvement in the environmental clean-up scheme which she initiated; what progress has been made with the scheme; and whether she will make a statement.

UK 2000 was set up in 1986 under the chairmanship of Richard Branson to bring together voluntary organisations, the private sector and Government to generate quality environmental improvement schemes and to raise business awareness of the environment. Mr. Branson is now the president of UK 2000. Through its valuable work, the voluntary sector is in a stronger position to take forward work on environmental improvement. So, in response to a request from UK 2000, the funding was streamlined on 1 April and Government grants are now paid direct to the six national voluntary organisations which are partners in the initiative. Grant has risen to over 1.9 million for 1990–91.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 July.

This morning I returned from a meeting of the economic summit in Houston, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment is made of the energy efficiency of equipment and light bulbs procured for use at No. 10 Downing street.

Energy efficiency is not a significant factor in determining the selection of computer equipment for use in 10 Downing street. Other office machinery is normally obtained through Her Majesty's Stationery Office and includes the manufacturers' assessment of power consumption. On light bulbs, the aim is to use the most cost-effective and energy-efficient form appropriate to the circumstances.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her oral reply of 3 July, Official Report, column 875, to the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) on expenditure by families on the national health service, if she will provide the figure on a comparable basis for expenditure by families on the Trident programme in the current financial year.

In this financial year, one of the peak spending years on Trident procurement, the expenditure per family on a comparable basis is assessed to be less than £1·40 per week.

To ask the Prime Minister how it is proposed to introduce a parliamentary dimension based on the Council of Europe into the CSCE process under the proposals contained in the concluding statement of the recent NATO summit; and if she will make a statement.

The NATO summit recommended an "Assembly of Europe" to include representatives of all CSCE member states. The details of this proposal, together with all other proposals for new CSCE institutions, will be negotiated during the preparatory committee in the run-up to the CSCE summit in November.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will outline her responsibilities in relation to the co-ordination of science policy.

[holding answer 11 July 1990]: Collective ministerial consideration of science and technology priorities takes place under my leadership and I provide co-ordination in appropriate cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses are available for rent in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector in each district authority area in Wales; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

The numbers of vacant local authority dwellings available for letting are given for 1987 to 1990 in the table. Similar information is not available in respect of housing association or private sector dwellings. For the corresponding figures for years 1979 to 1986, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 22 July 1987.

Local authority dwellings available for rent
	Local authority dwellings vacant and available for letting, at 1 April
	11987	1988	1989	21990
Aberconwy	6	16	7	20
Alyn and Deeside	8	7	—	12
Arfon	—	27	20	—
Blaenau Gwent	—	12	6	8
Brecknock	12	—	—	—
Cardiff	85	116	91	115
Carmarthen	4	5	4	2
Ceredigion	9	5	2	7
Colwyn	—	7	6	15
Cynon Valley	19	20	32	10
Delyn	15	—	3	4
Dinefwr	—	—	—	13

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funds he has allocated for 1990–91, and what allocations have been earmarked for future years, towards new housing and refurbishment of existing houses, by county and for Wales as a whole.

For 1990–91, my right hon. Friend announced housing capital distribution for individual local authorities on 29 November 1989. The distribution is not hypothecated to individual housing services, and it is for local authorities themselves to formulate their spending plans within the total resources available to them. Additional resources will however be made available, if necessary this financial year, to meet all expenditure by Welsh local authorities on mandatory home renovation grants.My right hon. Friend also announced at that time an allocation to Housing for Wales to support housing association activity in 1990–91. The actual distribution of these resources is a matter entirely for Housing for Wales.For future years, my right hon. Friend has set out in the Welsh Office commentary "Public Expenditure in Wales, 1990–91 to 1992–93", planned provision for local authority housing and Housing for Wales. This is subject to review in the current PES round.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued for the procedures for the appointment of chief executives of the non-departmental public bodies in Wales.

No formal guidance has been issued. The appointment procedures for chief executives in the bodies for which I have responsibility vary in accordance with the body's constitution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last convened a meeting of the chief executives of the non-departmental public bodies in Wales.

The last meeting was on 13 February 1989. This year's meeting is to be held on 14 November 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the public expenditure budget of each of the non-departmental public bodies in Wales.

This information is contained in the Welsh Office commentary, a copy of which had been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will call a conference of local education authorities in Wales to discuss the impact of the national curriculum upon educational practice in Wales.

I have no plans to do so. A national curriculum implementation working group was established last year under Welsh Office chairmanship. The group includes representatives from each local education authority and meets on a regular basis to discuss practical issues arising from implementation of the national curriculum in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which local education authorities he has met in Wales.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 10 July 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit (a) Clwyd, (b) Gwynedd, (c) Powys, (d) Gwent, (e) Mid Glamorgan, (f) South Glamorgan, (g) West Glamorgan and (h) Dyfed local authorities.

My right hon. Friend expects to visit all local education authorities in Wales in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet teachers' unions in Wales to discuss the morale of teachers; and if he will make a statement.

We are always prepared to consider requests from teachers' unions for meetings to discuss educational issues in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy for the improvement of the fabric of schools in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 9 May 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, for the financial years 1985–86 to 1989–90, the level of inflation in costs falling on (a) district councils, (b) county councils and (c) health authorities in Wales.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 9 July 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the rivers in Wales whose classification according to the National Water Council grading system changed between 1987 and 1988 together with details of the change in each case.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 11 July 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the reasons for the reduction in the number of samples taken each year to measure the acidity of rain in Wales between 1982 and 1988 as shown in table 3.21 of "Environmental Digest for Wales" No. 4 1988–89.

The number of samples used to provide the data on the acidity of rainfall in table 3.21 of the "Environmental Deigest for Wales" was decided by the local authorities that provided the information.A national monitoring programme is now carried out by the Warren Spring laboratory and the results of this

Capital expenditure from 1960 taken into account in compiling the formula for the allocation of capital within the NHS in Wales in 1990–91
Year	Clwyd	East Dyfed	Gwent	Gwynedd	Mid Glamorgan	Pembs	Powys	South Glamorgan	West Glamorgan
1960–61	0·747	3·343	3·466	0·739	3·994	0·478	0·616	1·402	1·533
1961–62	1·427	1·260	3·718	0·668	2·634	0·182	1·169	1·898	1·230
1962–63	1·054	1·456	3·822	0·982	2·574	0·208	1·104	0·889	2·481
1963–64	1·033	3·530	6·182	1·123	3·684	0·502	0·384	1·130	4·835
1964–65	1·766	4·443	6·753	0·883	3·845	0·632	0·340	9·437	5·082
1965–66	1·498	7·396	6·866	1·763	7·899	1·047	0·371	5·653	5·447
1966–67	1·155	4·213	7·340	0·855	7·430	0·594	0·134	5·955	1·545
1967–68	1·128	3·514	8·300	2·119	6·511	0·498	0·791	14·456	2·143
1968–69	1·607	2·443	5·367	4·832	2·846	0·349	0·752	23·105	2·870
1969–70	2·856	1·661	2·740	6·375	4·090	0·237	0·790	22·563	3·698
1970–71	4·178	1·448	3·281	3·854	4·123	0·204	1·773	25·818	3·837
1971–72	4·474	1·980	5·301	1·650	4·783	0·279	1·046	11·811	2·798
1972–73	5·918	2·403	7·668	1·431	7·363	0·343	0·558	8·828	3·309
1973–74	7·272	0·598	6·534	2·955	10·604	3·906	0·762	8·604	2·603
1974–75	7·348	1·568	5·183	2·758	12·887	5·661	0·778	8·073	4·017
1975–76	8·636	1·857	8·346	3·817	12·938	6·073	1·055	7·715	4·486
1976–77	6·137	0·890	7·050	4·758	6·858	4·407	0·994	3·875	3·515
1977–78	4·711	0·505	6·449	9·630	4·285	2·188	1·232	5·152	2·978
1978–79	4·228	1·487	4·902	11·314	5·144	1·157	1·434	5·521	4·417
1979–80	6·203	1·493	5·512	8·042	2·939	0·635	0·863	4·019	3·706
1980–81	6·027	1·667	5·214	6·062	2·909	0·342	0·727	7·276	4·170
1981–82	5·913	1·835	6·353	4·462	3·894	0·155	0·830	7·122	8·321
1982–83	9·326	3·757	5·225	4·956	8·825	0·386	0·620	7·290	9·184
1983–84	7·824	5·159	4·392	5·933	11·617	0·893	0·701	6·064	8·827
1984–851	4·961	2·562	2·255	4·341	8·698	0·483	1·711	4·798	7·322
1985–861	5·494	2·087	3·225	2·105	10·437	0·655	2·778	3·731	8·141
1986–871	4·118	21·139	3·550	2·886	5·383	1·116	0·871	9·809	6·629
Teaching Allowance	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	34·830	—
Total	117·039	85·694	145·057	101·293	169·144	33·610	25·184	187·164	119·124
Per Cent Share	11·9	8·7	14·8	10·3	17·2	3·4	2·6	19·0	12·1
1 Provisional and prospective outturn expenditure figures at the time the formula update was calculated in 1985–86.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants in his Department of the rank of principal or equivalent and above are graduates of Oxford and Cambridge; and how many are graduates of other universities.

There are 321 Welsh Office staff at principal grade or equivalent and above. Ten are graduates of Oxford, 15 of Cambridge and 212 of other universities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, for each health authority in Wales, the capital expenditure for each year since 1960 that is taken into account in compiling the equalisation of capital stock element within the capital expenditure allocation formula which was used for the current financial year.

[holding answer 4 July 1990]: The information requested is set out in the table:do not represent all the capital expenditure that was taken into account when calculating the capital formula shares that were used for the current financial year.It should also be noted that the capital formula shares used in this year's allocations to authorities were determined in 1985–86 when the original capital formula was first updated. This reflects a decision taken prior to the introduction of the present capital allocation arrangements in 1984–85—on the recommendation of the working party which devised the new arrangements with the endorsement of health authority chairmen—that the initial capital formula shares should be "frozen" for a period of five years in the interests of stability in capital programme planning. Authorities thus have five years' notice of prospective changes in their shares of discretionary capital provision as a result of the annual capital formula updates which have been calculated each year since 1984–85 and can revise their capital programmes accordingly.Finally, it should be noted that these capital allocation arrangements will need to be revised as a consequence of

Social fund budgeting and crisis loans and community care grants (CCGs) Reasons for refusal as percentage of total applications processed (3 April 1989–30 March 1990)

Reasons for refusal

Ballynahinch

Newry

Newcastle

Kilkeel

Downpatrick

Banbridge

Loans

CCGs

Loans

CCGs

Loans

CCGs

Loans

CCGs

Loans

CCGs

Loans

CCGs

Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost

—

1·09

0·03

0·19

—

1·63

—

—

0·06

0·49

—

0·27

Not in receipt of Income Support (IS)

1·35

—

1·64

—

1·42

—

0·31

—

2·63

—

2·09

—

Not in receipt of IS for 26 weeks

5·98

—

6·49

—

9·31

—

7·79

—

7·89

—

7·17

—

Not in receipt of IS at present and unlikely to qualify

—

2·92

—

2·84

—

4·90

—

1·20

—

3·35

—

5·21

Excluded items

1·74

0·73

0·55

0·80

2·46

3·81

0·93

0·80

1·12

0·87

1·04

1·23

Excluded persons

0·58

—

0·03

—

0·13

0·54

—

0·40

2·57

20·27

—

0·41

Amount less than £30, not travelling expenses

—

0·73

0·14

0·19

0·13

1·09

0·31

0·40

0·37

0·12

0·48

0·68

Adjusted amount less than £30, not travelling expenses

0·19

1·09

0·03

—

0·65

0·82

—

—

0·62

0·12

0·16

0·27

Total debt of £1,000

0·19

—

0·08

—

—

—

—

—

0·06

—

—

—

Previous application and SFO decision for this item

1·35

1·82

2·03

3·17

2·20

1·63

0·62

0·40

0·68

1·61

1·53

2·74

No serious damage or risk to health or safety

4·44

—

0·52

—

0·78

—

—

—

1·75

—

2·25

—

Inability to repay

1·93

—

2·66

—

1·03

—

1·25

—

2·19

—

2·65

—

Help available from another source

—

0·36

0·25

0·52

0·39

0·27

—

1·20

0·62

0·62

0·16

0·82

Priority too low to meet from the budget

8·11

20·07

0·79

5·73

5·95

19·62

5·61

11·24

8·77

10·19

4·19

20·60

Suitable alternative available

—

—

0·16

0·14

—

0·27

—

—

0·12

0·87

—

—

Loan refused—CCG awarded

0·39

—

0·96

—

0·13

—

0·62

—

0·37

—

1·85

—

Others

1·93

26·64

0·74

21·97

0·65

3·00

0·62

4·42

0·62

3·60

0·88

3·84

Enough money available to meet Crisis

—

—

0·03

—

—

—

—

—

0·06

—

0·40

—

Direction 4 not satisfied (CCG only)

—

8·76

—

8·85

—

6·54

—

2·81

—

11·69

—

7·82

Savings over £1,000: Applicant or partner aged 60 years or over

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of road safety precautions at High street, Comber; whether he will consider the provision of no waiting cones in the vicinity of the First Comber Presbyterian church; why he has rejected double yellow lines on this section of the High street; what is the present programme for the Comber bypass; and if he will make a statement about traffic conditions in Comber.

Roads service proposes to introduce double yellow lines along both sides of High

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reasons were given for disallowing applications in respect of the social fund from 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 at each of the social security offices in South Down.

The information is as follows:street, Comber in the vicinity of the First Comber Presbyterian church. Enforcement of these restrictions and the 30 mph speed limit is by the RUC.The second stage of the Comber bypass is scheduled to start in 1992–93. It will help alleviate the current traffic congestion in Comber.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 May, Official Report, columns 15–16, if he will break down the figures of United Kingdom bilateral aid to Malaysia for the years 1985 to 1988, including details of individual projects funded, amounts and dates of contracts and negotiations.

Gross Bilateral Aid 1985–88
£ thousands
	1985	1986	1987	1988
(a) Total Aid	7,454	55,494	9,779	10,057
(b) Total Financial Aid	4,892	53,396	7,106	3,736
(i) Aid and Trade Provision	1,660	50,128	5,801	1,944
(ii) Commonwealth Development Corporation Project Aid	3,232	3,268	1,305	1,792
(c) Technical Co-operation	2,562	2,098	2,673	6,321

Project	Allocation (to 31 December 1988)	Expenditure 1985	Expenditure 1986	Expenditure 1987	Expenditure 1988
The breakdown of expenditure under the Aid and Trade provision by project for the same period was:
1984 Sungei Ahning dam	2,349	1,660	314	375	—
1986 Cross-braced bogies	1,205	—	1,205	—	—
1986 Rural water schemes	59,461	—	48,610	5,426	1,944
Commonwealth Development Corporation expenditure by project was as follows:
Palong cocoa	99	99	—	—	—
Cold rolling mill complex	2,500	2,032	468	—	—
Aluminium industries	1,026	1,026	—	—	—
Darabif cattle ranch	75	75	—	—	—
Palong cocoa	600	—	—	500	100
Sarawak oil palms	305	—	—	305	—
Ladang Baturong oil palm estate	1,500	—	1,300	—	—
Beef cattle ranch and pastures	2,000	—	1,500	500	—
Sabah tea plantation rehabilitation and development	975	—	—	—	975
Desa tea Estate	717	—	—	—	717
Technical co-operation expenditure by type of activity was as follows:
Personnel overseas	—	345	332	359	364
Students and trainees	—	1,031	814	887	1,531
Consultancies	—	351	20	64	33
Equipment and supplies	—	130	(-86)	29	36
Pensions	—	691	1,002	911	2,752

The personnel covered sectors such as geological surveys, demography, industrial development and English language teaching. The main fields covered by training were artificial limbs technology, road engineering, business management, foreign investment, demography and English language teaching.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Commonwealth Development Corporation to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that, under procedures agree by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 29 October to 2 November 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has anything to add to the reply his Parliamentary Under-Secretary made to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras in the debate of 25 June, Official Report, column 68 about the appointment of advisers on privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

United Kingdom bilateral aid to Malaysia for the years requested was as follows:

My hon. Friend has written to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras making clear that every case the appoint of advisers on privatisation followed a competitive process there were substantial and compelling reasons for departing from that norm

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many civil servants in his Department of the rank of principal or equivalent and above are graduates of Oxford and Cambridge; and how many are graduates of other universities.

I regret the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy in respect of the Scottish hardwood charter—Trees for 2000.

We support the Scottish hardwood charter in principle. I have written to the promoter of the charter giving support on the basis of our commitment to the concept of sustainable use of natural resources, but cautioning against the replacement of natural rain forests with plantations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances a health board may omit competitive tendering when undertaking contracts with the private sector.

Boards may decide not to proceed to competitive tendering where only one contractor is identified with the ability to provide the required service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each health board for the last three years those contracts with the private sector which have not gone out to competitive tender.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to assure himself, and what information is available to him, that the replacement of blankets and sheets with duvets in hospitals would not increase the risk of infectious diseases.

The choice of bedding used in hospitals is a matter primarily for health boards. It is for the boards to satisfy themselves that the material is suitable to be cleaned or laundered to prevent the risk of any infection. Ayrshire and Arran health board has been using duvets for some time and has subjected them to regular microbiological testing over a five-year period. To date, these tests have shown that the duvets are clear of infection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost and period of construction of the Baker street bypass in Greenock; and if he will make a statement.

The question of the construction of a bypass at Baker street, Greenock is a matter for Strathclyde regional council as local roads authority. My Department has no information regarding its possible cost or period of construction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated cost of the construction of the proposed road roundabouts in Greenock (a) at the entrance to the James Watt dock, (b) at the eastern end of Cartsburn and (c) at the western end of Charing Cross; and if he will make a statement.

These proposed works will be funded by the Scottish Development Agency at an estimated cost of £1 million and will provide access to a 39-acre site at Cartsburn which forms part of the Inverclyde enterprise zone.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on cases of toxic waste sites being in close proximity to underground water supplies.

My Department has no information on cases of toxic waste sites being in close proximity to underground water supplies. The quality of groundwater is safeguarded by the statutory requirement for any proposal to use land for the disposal of controlled waste to be referred to the river purification authority for the area concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make it his policy that information circulated to citizens concerning the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act should include information and advice on problems that may arise in the course of its implementation.

A booklet called "The NHS Reforms and You" will be distributed shortly to every household in Scotland, describing the changes in the NHS in Scotland following the introduction of the new contract for family doctors and the National Health Service and Community Care Act which received Royal Assent on 29 June. It contains a three-page section giving information about help which is available to citizens, and how to make complaints about the treatment provided by the NHS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities (a) issue free bus passes, (b) issue some form of assisted bus passes and (c) do not provide free or assisted travel for their elderly citizens.

I understand that all regional and islands authorities in Scotland offer concessionary travel to the elderly, although in the case of Orkney islands council the concessions relate to inter-island ferry services only. My information is that Lothian and Fife regional councils and Shetland islands council provide free travel for the elderly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken to ensure that private nursing homes and residential care homes include medical requisites and all necessary services in their fees.

The responsibility for ensuring that nursing homes and residential care homes provide the required level of services rests with the registration authorities, health boards and local authorities respectively. The level of fee is a private matter between the individual home and its clients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether elderly people in private residential care are entitled to receive free national health service prescriptions.

All people over retirement age are entitled to free NHS prescriptions regardless of their residential arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to initiate an inquiry into the level of fees charged by private nursing homes and residential care homes; and if he will make a statement.

The level of fees charged is a private matter between the individual home and its clients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of the completion of the single European market on economic growth and employment; and if he will make a statement.

I am chairing the single market committee of the Scottish Economic Council which is examining the impact of the single market on Scotland, and which has commissioned and published a number of reports. Further research into its possible effects are currently being undertaken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many A category fire risk areas there are in each fire brigade area; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not held centrally, but at 1 January 1990 the number of stations serving predominantly category A fire risk areas was as follows:

Fire brigade area	Number
Central	2
Dumfries and Galloway	—
Fife	—
Grampian	2
Highlands and Islands	1
Lothian and Borders	3
Strathclyde	8
Tayside	2

Following the issue of a report in 1985 containing guidance on the standards of fire cover, all fire brigades in Scotland have reviewed the categorisation of fire risks in their area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioners will be equipped with the necessary software to enable them to be responsible for their budgets from 1 April 1991.

Discussions with the computer companies are currently taking place. The details of these discussions are commercially sensitive, but the general objective is to ensure that the necessary software will be available to all the GPs wishing to take part in the practice funding scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimated cost of developing and supplying the computer software systems for doctors eligible and electing to run their own budgets.

Development and supplying of the software package for practice funding is a matter for the GP computer suppliers. Without details of their development costs it is not possible to estimate the cost of supply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the latest information he has on the cost of operations and hospital care in each hospital in Scotland; and when he expects all hospitals to publish a price list for all operations and treatments available for patients.

The range of information available on the costs of hospital services is set out in the annual publication "Scottish Health Service Costs", produced by the Common Services Agency of the NHS in Scotland. Copies are held in the Library. I expect increasingly detailed information on hospital prices to be developed as part of the system of NHS contracts which is being introduced next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants in his Department of the rank of principal or equivalent and above are graduates of Oxford and Cambridge; and how many are graduates of other universities.

My Department does not hold currently a comprehensive database of such information. The collation of information from individual records would be disproportionately costly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many state registered nurses are currently in their final year of study in national health service hospitals in Scotland; what percentage of that figure is expected to obtain immediate full-time employment within Scottish national health service hospitals on completion of their training; and if he will make a statement.

As at 31 March 1990—the latest date for which figures are available—2,838 student nurses in Scotland were in their final year of study for first-level registration. Information on how many of them might be expected to obtain immediate full-time employment within the national health service is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of state registered nurses (a) qualified in Scotland and (b) obtained full-time employment within national health service hospitals in Scotland during 1987–88 and 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the planned capital expenditure at Carstairs state hospital for the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Approval has been given for the construction of a new kitchen at the state hospital at a cost currently estimated at £1·54 million. The building work on this is expected to take about two years to complete. In addition, the Government have agreed to the construction of two new 25–bed single storey wards at the hospital. The cost of these is presently estimated at 0.06 million with estimated completion in 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints have been recorded by patients alleging violence by nursing staff; how many complaints have been recorded by nursing staff alleging violence by patients; and how many nursing staff have left Carstairs state hospital in each year since 1979.

The information is as follows:

	Complaints of violence		Number of nursing staff leaving
Year	By patients	By staff
1979	1	42	14·0
1980	2	26	19·5
1981	1	52	25·0
1982	1	41	17·0
1983	1	47	16·0
1984	3	54	11·0
1985	5	51	17·0
1986	5	71	15·0
1987	1	122	20·0
1988	2	68	32·0
1989	7	83	35·0

The figures given for complaints by staff cover all incidents involving injury or possible injury. Not all proceed to a formal complaint. The increase since 1987 in part reflects a change in recording procedure.