To ask the Attorney-General what was the average waiting time between an appeal to the social security commissioners and a commissioner's decision being made.

The average waiting time from receipt of the appeal in the commissioner's office to notification of the commissioner's decision in 1989 was 404 working days.

To ask the Attorney-General how many social security commissioners' decisions were made in each of the last five years; how many oral hearings occurred in each of the last five years; and what percentage of commissioners' decisions are reported.

The answer in each category for each of the last five years is listed in the tables.

To ask the Attorney-General how many social security commissioners there are; how they are appointed; and what salaries or fees they are paid.

There are 12 full-time social security commissioners in England and Wales and three in Scotland. They are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Lord Chancellor from among persons who are barristers, advocates or solicitors of not less than 10 years standing. Commissioners are paid an annual salary of £51,000. The chief commissioner is paid £56,000.

To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to lay before Parliament and to publish the annual report of the Serious Fraud Office for the year 1989–90.

The report has today been laid before Parliament. I have caused a copy of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training managers have not yet signed the new contract from each of the (a) private, (b) local authority and (c) voluntary sectors.

The latest available information shows that 35 private sector, 11 local authority and six voluntary sector training managers have not yet signed new employment training contracts. A number of these will relate to contracts agreed in principle but awaiting final signatures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of provision per trainee for (i) employment training trainees and (ii) comparable trainees funded by the European social fund.

The average Exchequer cost per person on employment training is about £106 per week, including the trainee's allowance. Information is not available on comparable average costs of trainees on European social fund funded courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training managers have (a) withdrawn from the scheme or (b) reduced the number of trainees they take, with the introduction of the new contract, from each of the (i) private, (ii) local authority and (iii) voluntary sectors.

The latest available information shows that nine private sector, three local authority and four voluntary sector training managers have withdrawn from employment training following the introduction of new contracts. Information about those training managers who have reduced the number of their trainees is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made by the European Community Commission in preparing directives arising out of the principles of the social charter; and if he has received any guidance from the Commission on whether the directives are to be considered by majority vote.

The European Commission has published four draft directives from its social action programme; one concerns asbestos, and three concern part-time and temporary work. The Commission's proposal is that the draft directive on asbestos and two of the draft directives on part time and temporary work, should be decided by qualified majority voting.I understand that the Commission is well advanced in drafting a number of other directives. We do not yet know how many of these are likely to be proposed for qualified majority voting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the current level of expenses paid to those on employment training schemes.

I have received no representations on the current level of expenses paid to those on employment training schemes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the development of youth training.

New youth training is a major step forward. It offers the promise of a level-2 qualification or more for every trainee who can achieve it. It offers flexible design and duration of training and wider eligibility. It will provide improved help for those with special training needs and those seeking employment after training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to improve the quality of the initial assessment of trainees on employment training courses.

A number of initiatives are continuing to develop and improve the quality of initial assessment of trainees seeking training within employment training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will outline his Department's policy on wheelchair access for the disabled to major tourist attractions.

My Department concurs with the findings and recommendations of the "Tourism for All" report, which was published last year by the English tourist board. The national tourist boards, in collaboration with the holiday care service, are currently taking forward those recommendations, which are designed to improve access for people with special needs to the whole range of tourist facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have been created.

Twenty training and enterprise councils have signed operational contracts. A further 57 TECs are in their development stage and preparing their corporate and business plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the companies and organisations represented on training and enterprise councils.

Twenty TECs have now signed operational contracts and I will arrange for a list of board members for these TECs together with their companies/organisations to be placed in the House of Commons Library as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainers were involved with Government training schemes on (a) 18 June 1979 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that jobs with chatline companies are not advertised in Government jobcentres if they carry bonus incentives to keep callers talking for long spells.

The Employment Service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what alternative provision he will make for the accommodation of the employee rehabilitation centre, Western avenue, Cardiff, after 1993.

[holding answer 13 July 1990]: Plans for the alternative provision for the accommodation of the employment rehabilitation centre, Western avenue, Cardiff, after 1993 have yet to be made. The South Glamorgan committee for the employment of disabled people will be consulted in drawing up any such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he has undertaken regarding the future provision and location of services provided by the employee rehabilitation centre, Western avenue, Cardiff.

[holding answer 13 July 1990]: In the consultative document on employment and training for people with disabilities published by my Department on 29 June, my right hon. and learned Friend invited comments on plans for developing employment rehabilitation provision. The document has been sent to over 1,400 individuals and organisations including the South Glamorgan advisory committee for the employment of disabled people. Consultations about the future provision and location of services specifically provided by the employment rehabilitation centre in Cardiff have not yet commenced.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will publish a White Paper making an economic assessment of the effect of joining the ERM of the European monetary system at the current rate of exchange.

Her Majesty's Government have no plans to publish such a White Paper. Participation in the exchange rate mechanism will help to reinforce counter-inflationary policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Her Majesty's high commissioner to India has in relation to a warning given in advance to the Assam state police about the murder of Mr. Surendra Paul.

The British high commission has no information about any such warning.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the period of the Irish presidency of the European Community.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made to the House on 28 June by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 28 June at columns 489–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries in each of the past five years to which Her Majesty's Government have made representations over human rights violations.

In the last five years we have made representations to the Governments of many countries, both bilaterally and with our EC partners. The precise information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of the number of requests that would be received; what consideration he is giving to the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

The diplomatic and aid wings together have so far received 35 requests for subject access, all from present or former members of staff: this figure is in line with forecasts of likely numbers of applications. We do not propose to change the arrangements for charges set out in the reply given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the hon. Member on 30 October 1987, Official Report, column 478.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Albania concerning the refugees that are seeking to leave the country.

On behalf of the whole Community, the ambassadors of the four member states represented in Tirana called on the Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs on 7 July. They delivered an agreed statement urging the Albanian Government to ensure that the safety of the refugees, to refrain from reprisals against their families, to allow them to receive such assistance as necessary and to guarantee their departure from Albania.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for establishing new links with the Albanian Government.

Following the apparent thaw in early 1990 in Albania's attitude towards the outside world we renewed on 20 April our 1980 offer to establish diplomatic relations without pre-conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Indonesian Foreign Minister.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no immediate plans for a meeting with the Foreign Minister though he hopes one will be possible before long.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made with regard to the opening of the border between North and South Korea.

None. We have consistently supported all realistic initiatives which might lead to peace on the Korean peninsula. We welcome the resumption of official contacts on 3 July. How these contacts might be expanded must be left to discussion between North and South Korea.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has had in the previous 12 months with the Liberian Government.

None. Her Majesty's ambassador in Monrovia however has regular contacts with members of the Liberian Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Kenya for the release of political prisoners and the establishment of multi-party democracy there; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave to the honourable Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 17 July, Official Report, column 496.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many diplomatic contacts and at what levels, have taken place with Chinese diplomatic representatives over the past month.

Regular contacts on a variety of subjects have been maintained between the two Governments through channels up to and including the Chinese ambassador in London and the British chargé d'affaires in Peking.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which European countries visitors to the United Kingdom are required to have visas; and what plans he has for removing these restrictions on a country-by-country basis.

Visitors to the United Kingdom from the following European countries require visas:

• Albania
• Bulgaria
• Czechoslovakia
• Hungary
• Poland
• Romania
• Soviet Union
• Turkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Hong Kong Government will comply in full with the CITES ban on all commercial trade in ivory when the six-month reservation is withdrawn on 18 July.

The Hong Kong Government have already enacted legislation to implement the CITES ban on international commercial trade in ivory. The legislation will come into effect when our reservation is withdrawn on 18 July 1990. A potential loophole in the legislation which might have enabled tourists to export ivory as souvenirs up to a weight of 5 kg has been closed. Hong Kong legislation now fully reflects the CITES convention.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the reason for the delay in issuing advice to school governors about their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act; whether his Department has any plans to indemnify or compensate any school governor prosecuted under the Act; and whether he will make a statement.

Preparation of guidance is well under way, but proving to be more complex than expected. The Data Protection Registrar is aware of the position and will be consulted in the course of its preparation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received; what was his estimate of the number of requests that would be received; what consideration he is giving to the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result; and whether he will make a statement.

This information is not collected by the Department. The subject access fee for external requests is £8, which is below the maximum set in central guidance. Current and previous employees are not charged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the issue of parents of first-year pupils, or children due to become first-year pupils at the start of the next school year, being disenfranchised from ballots on opting out due to the fact that the procedure was initiated in the period shortly before their children became formally registered at the school; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has received a number of letters on this subject. Guidance is contained in the Department's booklet "School Governors: How to become a Grant-Maintained School", which was sent last year to every school eligible to apply for GM status. It advises governors and parents to think carefully about the timing of actions they take.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals are being considered for amendments to the Education Reform Act in order to make it easier for schools to opt out; whether the introduction of a procedure to opt back into local education authority control, on the same basis as that to opt out, is under consideration; and if he will make a statement.

This September there will be 44 GM schools with a total of 30,000 pupils. That means the number of GM schools has more than doubled in 12 months. That is an impressive measure of the strength of interest among parents and governors in becoming grant maintained. My right hon. Friend will be keeping a careful watch to ensure that LEAs do not abuse their position when dealing with individual schools; and will be ready to take further action should it prove to be necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much his Department's booklet "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask" cost to produce and distribute.

The cost of printing the booklets and of posting an initial distribution to all schools eligible to apply for grant-maintained status was £32,275.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the introduction of a standard wording for parents' petitions requiring the governing body of schools to organise a ballot on whether or not the school should opt out of local education authority control; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received one letter on this subject. Guidance on the wording of parental petitions was given in the booklet "School Governors: How to Become a Grant-maintained School", which was sent last year to every school eligible to apply for GM status. Paragraph 11 of the booklet said:

"The wording of the petition should make it clear that it is to require the governing body of the school, in accordance with Section 60 of the Education Reform Act, to hold a ballot of parents on the question of whether the school should apply to the Secretary of State for grant-maintained status".

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the organisations referred to in his Department's booklet "School Governors: How to become a Grant-Maintained School" as sources of information on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

Officials in the Department have received two letters on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from local education authorities and local authority associations concerning his Department's booklet "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask".

There has been correspondence between the Association of County Councils and the Department about the booklet. My right hon. Friend has not received representations from individual local authorities about the booklet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received a copy of the booklet published by Local Schools Information called "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask"; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has seen a copy of the booklet. The booklet suggests that grant-maintained schools could be isolated, but the facts point the other way. GM schools are working together constructively, sharing experiences and co-operating in joint ventures. The booklet also suggests that an application for GM status would be a leap in the dark. Yet the first GM schools have welcomed their new status and are already making full use of their greater freedom and responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he has issued in respect of the arrangements he would expect a governing body to make in order to enable parents of a school where opting out was being considered to have an informed debate about the options available.

Guidance on this point is contained in the Department's booklet "School Governors: How to become a Grant-Maintained School", which was sent to all schools eligible to apply for GM status last year. Paragraph 21 of the booklet says

"That debate [for and against grant-maintained status for a particular school] will have to take place locally … and will no doubt be well under way before the ballot is actually held. The Secretary of State has made it clear that he expects such debate, and any ballot on grant-maintained status or its procedures to be properly conducted: if this proves not to be the case, he may require the ballot to be held again."

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many appeals under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981 he is currently considering; how mnay of those appeals concern hearing-impaired children; and how many have been under consideration for 12 months or more.

My right hon. Friend is currently considering 48 appeals under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981, four of which concern hearing-impaired children. Of these 48 appeals, 22 have been under consideration for 12 months or more. Appeals are complex and involve the consideration of a large number of documents and representations. The Department has recently revised its procedures in order to minimise the time taken to reach decisions on individual cases but has to balance the need for speed with the need for thorough and careful consideration of the details of each case. My right hon. Friend must ensure that, in line with the rules of natural justice, each party has the chance to present his or her version of the facts and be able to comment on the other's version. This process can involve several lengthy exchanges between parents, the Department and the LEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many 10-year-old children in state schools in England and Wales were recorded as experiencing reading difficulties in the school sessions (a) 1979–80 and (b) 1989–90.

Such national data do not exist currently, although the national curriculum assessment arrangements will in due course provide information about the reading levels of pupils at seven, 11, 14 and 16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the companies that have been contracted to build each of the city technology colleges so far designated.

The information that the hon. Member requested is listed below:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the introduction of state funding for political parties.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days have been lost through sickness at each of the passport offices in the United Kingdom.

The information requested is shown in the table for the financial year 1989–90 and for the period 1 April to 8 July 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the individual companies that have agreed to sponsor city technology colleges, indicating in each case the amount of money promised.

The principle sponsors of the city technology colleges announced to date are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to make the passport office waiting room in Petty France more congenial.

A comprehensive refurbishment of the passport office waiting room in Petty France is now almost complete. The work has included redecoration and the replacement of floor covering, seating and lighting. Improved toilet facilities and other amenities have also been provided, and consideration is being given to some pictorial displays.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the ministerial group on women's issues, 1989 and 1990 five-point plans on child care.

In April 1989 the ministerial group on women's issues discussed and agreed the following five-point plan designed to encourage the development of a range of high-quality child care options:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is planned by the Government to reduce the risk to human life caused by fires in domestic property.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women who have been known to be pregnant have been sentenced to prison in each of the last 10 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1990, c. 142]: I regret that incorrect information was contained in that answer. The reply should have read as follows:The information requested is not available. However, the annual reports on the work of the prison service record the number of pregnant females temporarily removed to outside hospitals for delivery and returning to establishments afterwards. The figures are:

The Home Department regards fire prevention publicity and education as an important element in helping to reduce and minimise the risk to human life in domestic fires. Our proposals for fire prevention activity were described in the reply I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 11 June at column 17. In addition, a mobile information unit for the elderly on fire prevention and fire safety will be used to tour major urban retail market areas. A television filler film dealing with fire safety for young children will be produced later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of complaints received by the Police Complaints Authority originating from Newham in the last two years; and how many (a) were investigated and (b) are being investigated.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: We have no such information. Under the provisions of part IX of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, there are matters for the Police Complaints Authority and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. I understand from the commissioner that this information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A, category B, and category C inmates were serving their sentence in each prison region in England and Wales for the latest date available; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 5 July 1990]: The latest information readily available centrally is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about child emigrants; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 9 July at columns 209–10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of owner-occupation in Britain and in each European Community country.

The available information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest available figure for homelessness; and what the figure was in 1979.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 27 June, Official Report column 276.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has undertaken of the availability of affordable housing for young people.

Various projects in my Department's research programme bear on aspects of availability and affordability.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the director of the Ramblers Association to discuss rights of way in the countryside.

My hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside last met representatives of the Ramblers Association, including the director, on 8 February, when they had a useful and productive discussion on a wide range of access issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the present standard of cleanliness of the beaches in Britain.

In 1989 a total of 76 per cent. of our bathing waters met the standards set in the EEC bathing water directive compared with only 51 per cent. in 1986. Over the next 10 years, around £2.9 billion will be invested to bring all of our bathing waters up to standard and to treat all significant discharges of sewage.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to come to a decision on common land before the summer recess.

My right hon. Friend still hopes to make an announcement soon on the Government's intentions on common land legislation but cannot commit himself to do so before the summer recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 so as to make it an offence to remove, without consent, any item of historical or archaeological interest from the site of a scheduled ancient monument; and if he will consider less formal measures relating to finds made on an unscheduled site.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment proposes to amend the 1979 Act when a suitable legislative opportunity arises. He is also considering the most appropriate measures for finds made on unscheduled sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) of 25 June, Official Report, column 39, he will raise at the special session of the United Nations Environmental Programme the problem of wetlands conservation as a priority evolving environmental issue, in relation to Halvergate marshes; and if he will make a statement.

I see no need to raise the subject of wetlands conservation at the UNEP governing council since such issues were recently discussed in some depth at the fourth conference of the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance in Montreux, Switzerland.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a table listing all buildings which are protected by grades I and II status.

Local planning authorities hold copies of the lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest in their areas and are required to make them available for public inspection free of charge. A complete set of lists is similarly available for inspection at the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, Fortress house, Savile row, London W1. Since there are now over 435,000 listed buildings in England, with the lists being constantly added to or amended, the hon. Member will understand that publication of a single table listing all such buildings is not a practical proposition.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those statutory functions presently discharged by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in respect of quarry dust emissions; and if he will make a statement.

The Health and Safety (Emissions to the Atmosphere) Regulations 1983 prescribes certain classes of mineral works as requiring registration under section 9 of the Alkali Works etc. Regulation Act 1906. In these cases, the operator of the process must make an application to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Health and Safety (Emissions to the Atmosphere) Regulations 1989 for a registration. The regulations provide for the advertising of the application and for both it and any subsequent registration granted to be available on a public register maintained by the relevant local authority. These registrations are granted, on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Environment, by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.Before granting a registration, the operator of the process must, by virtue of section 5(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 demonstrate that he is using best practicable means for preventing the emission into the atmosphere from the premises of noxious or offensive substances and for rendering harmless and inoffensive such substances as may be so emitted.Part I of the 1974 Act also provides the necessary powers for the appointment by the Secretary of State of inspectors and inspection of registered processes. It also provides for the serving of improvement notices where operators are failing to comply with the terms of their registration and for subsequent legal action for failure to comply with the terms of such a notice. The pursuit of formal legal remedies would normally only be undertaken when discussions between the operator and the inspectorate had failed to secure the necessary improvements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the chairman of the National Rivers Authority to discuss progress on implementing anti-pollution measures.

I met the chairman of the National Rivers Authority on 9 July to discuss a range of issues relating to the water environment. Since then I have announced that an additional £11 million will be made available to the authority this financial year, if required, over and above the £93 million grant-in-aid already agreed. This decision will enable the authority to continue its planned capital programme and to carry out its pollution control and other functions, in line with the Government's commitment to maintaining the quality of the water environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was paid by the Warrington and Runcorn development corporation in redundancy payments to the general manager, the estates officer (Warrington), and heads of the architecture, marketing, landscaping and interior design departments.

[holding answer 12 July 1990]: In accordance with its contractual obligations Warrington and Runcorn development corporation made the following redundancy payments:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities that have made written submissions on the subject of recycling credits; and if he will make those submissions available to the public on request.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: The information requested is given in the table. The submissions cannot be made available without the agreement of the individual authorities concerned since they were not sought on the basis that they would be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the text of the memoranda sent to the European Football Association by the Minister for Sport recommending the return of English clubs to European football.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]:I am arranging for copies of my letter to the president of UEFA and the report which accompanied it to be placed in the Library of the House. As the report indicates, the information contained in annexes A and B was provided by the police to the Home Office. The information in annex C was provided by the Italian authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in encouraging industries which discharge waste into the River Mersey to establish treatment facilities.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: Encouraging the proper discharge of waste into the Mersey by private industry is a key aim of the Government's Mersey Basin campaign. The campaign is making good progress and many of the known major dischargers have programmes of remedial work and effluent management plans. As an example my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside opened the third and final phase of an effluent treatment programme at Bridgewater Paper Company in Ellesmere Port on 2 July. At the national level the National Rivers Authority is already the regulatory body and watchdog to safeguard water resources; and the Environmental Protection Bill when enacted will provide for continuing improvements in emission standards as techniques and technology improve.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the oil spillage on the River Mersey on 12 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the financial help he will be awarding to Wirral council following the clean-up operation of oil which leaked from a Kuwait Petroleum Company tanker on 12 July;(2) if, following the major spillage of oil from a Kuwait Petroleum Company tanker, he will set up an inquiry to consider the question of responsibility and compensation.

[holding answer 16 July 1990]: On Thursday 12 July, an estimated 30 tonnes or so of Kuwaiti crude oil was spilled into the River Mersey at the Tranmere oil terminal of Shell Ltd. during tank cleaning operations on the United Kingdom registered MV Tonbridge owned by the Kuwaiti Oil Tanker Company. The marine pollution control unit—MPCU—of the Department of Transport were informed immediately and carried out an aerial reconnaissance of the scene. Under the terms of the Mersey oil spill plan, Mersey and Cheshire fire brigades directed operations to contain the spill and Wirral borough council prepared to carry out a beach cleaning operation using equipment made available by MPCU and on the basis of advice provided by an MPCU expert at the scene. Shell UK Ltd. also commissioned oil recovery and containment operations by specialists from the commercial oil spill service centre at Southampton. Other relevant agencies such as the Nature Conservancy Council and National Rivers Authority were informed and advised on remedial action as appropriate.As a result of this action, some oil has been recovered and the remainder widely dispersed, partly as a result of wind and tides. By the weekend, only small quantities were being deposited on the shoreline mainly in the Rock Ferry area close to the tanker terminal on the south bank of the river. Remaining slicks of oil in the river contained mainly a light sheen which was expected to disperse rapidly. No significant impact on areas of importance to wildlife has been reported. The clean-up operations have been scaled down and I applaud the rapid response of all the parties concerned to minimise the impact of this incident.Meeting the costs of the clean up operation is a matter for the vessel owners and insurers under the 1969 international convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage. Liability for this accident has been accepted by the Kuwaiti Oil Tanker Company and the clean-up action taken has been approved by the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation. It is for local authorities and other parties seeking to recover costs to submit claims accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to reverse the fall in dwellings started in Great Britain between May 1989 and May 1990; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]: My right hon. Friend's responsibilities extend only to England. We have nearly doubled public expenditure provision for the Housing Corporation, and enabled housing associations to use private finance; this will make possible a near-doubling of their output over the next three years. Output of dwellings by private builders is determined by the market; there has been a temporary downturn in response to tight monetary policy, which is the only way to get on top of inflation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria his Department uses for awarding city grants within the private sector.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]: The criteria used in awarding city grants to the private sector are set out in section two of my Department's city grant guidance notes, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the methods used by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to monitor the disposal of radioactive waste; and what is the current level of monitoring staff in post and the number at the same date in each of the past three years.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]: Details of methods used for monitoring radioactivity in the environment including those employed by HMIP, are contained in the following HMSO publications which are available in the Library:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his latest estimates of the numbers of people who have been exempted from the poll tax for each category of exempt persons.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]: Estimates of numbers of exempt persons were published in the Population Report (England) laid before the House on 11 January 1990. I shall publish further estimates when data are available from local authority returns.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that the guidance notes being prepared by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for part A and B processes of the Environment Protection Bill are comprehensive in respect of what constitutes excessive cost; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]: These notes will not address what constitutes excessive cost. A draft of the guidance setting out the Government's interpretation of the concept of best available techniques not entailing excessive cost—BATNEEC—was placed in the Library on 26 April 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authorities are participating in the tenants' incentive scheme; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list, for each local authority participating in the tenants' incentive scheme

[pursuant to his reply, 21 June 1990, c. 639]: The table sets out details of 89 local authorities which have been given approval to operate cash incentive schemes in 1990–91, the maximum expenditure to be incurred, and the grants to be made available to households. Details of vacancies created by these schemes and of grant applications will be supplied to my Department by the local authorities concerned at the end of the year.Cash incentive schemes can be very valuable in helping existing tenants to move into homes of their own while releasing vacancies for reletting to homeless families. The Department encourages local authorities whose areas would benefit from a cash incentive scheme to bring forward proposals for approval. Once a scheme has been approved, details are published by the local authority and tenants are invited to make applications for grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what income the agreement between his Department and Porton International Ltd. involving the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research has generated in each full year of its existence.

There are no agreements between the Department and Porton International plc but there are various agreements between the public health laboratory service board and companies in the Porton International group concerning the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, one of which is an agreement on distributorship and marketing of certain products. The amount of income directly generated by this agreement cannot be separately identified, but total receipts from companies in the Porton International group are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account he will be taking in considering the bid from Porton International Ltd for the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton of any previous advice offered by his Department to companies in the Porton International group about the centre.

We will naturally bear in mind the content of earlier discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings have been held between representatives of the Department and representatives of Porton products Ltd or Porton International Ltd since January 1984; and whether any of these meetings were attended by Ministers in the Department.

There have been a number of meetings between representatives of the Department and representatives of Porton International plc and its associated companies since January 1984. Ministers were present when appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects a new fermentation unit to be installed at the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research; and what has been the cause of the delay in its installation.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]: The arrangements for the installation of a new fermentation unit at the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research depend primarily on the centre's future functions and ownership. Until these matters are determined, it would not be sensible to proceed with the installation of a new unit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central of 5 July, Official Report, column 672, on current licences held by the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, now many of the licences are covered by the right of marketing and distributorship agreement between Porton Products and the public health laboratory service.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]:Eighteen of the licences relate directly to products or procedures in the distributorship and marketing agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what valuations of plant, equipment, collections and good will have been carried out at, or on behalf of, the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research; and on what dates.

[holding answer 17 July 1990]:A valuation of the land, buildings, plant and fixed equipment at the

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outbreaks of salmonella have occurred in national health service hospitals in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

The provisional totals for 1989 and to the week ending 13 July 1990 for reports to the public health laboratory service communicable disease surveillance centre of outbreaks of salmonellosis in national health service hospitals in England and Wales are nine and three respectively. Totals for previous years for comparison are 1986=19; 1987=11; 1988=11.