To ask the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor has decided whom he proposes to appoint as chairman of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on education and conduct.

I am pleased to say that, subject to the Courts and Legal Services Bill receiving Parliament's approval, the right hon. the Lord Griffiths MC has accepted the Lord Chancellor's invitation to serve as chairman of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the date for the public inquiry into the dualling of the A249.

A public inquiry into my Department's proposals for the A249 Iwade bypass—Bobbing to Kingsferry Bridge—is to start at 10 am on 20 November at Kemsley concert hall, Ridham avenue, Kemsley, near Sittingbourne. A pre-inquiry meeting is fixed for 23 October at the same venue. All those who have expressed an interest will receive personal notification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the draft orders for the dualling of the A249 from the M2 Stockbury viaduct to the A2 at Bobbing.

My Department hopes to publish formal proposals for the A249—M20 to Bobbing improvement—on 19 October 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will take positive steps to discuss with the Data Protection Registrar all his Department's legislation that impacts on the use, collection, processing or holding of personal data; and whether he will make a statement.

The Department's officials are aware of the need to consult the registrar about proposed legislation which might affect or be affected by the Data Protection Act 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail trains operated by fuel-burning locomotives use each day on average the railway systems of (a) the north London link line, (b) Greater Glasgow and (c) the Strathclyde region.

This is an operational matter for British Rail.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about progress in re-equipping the Waterloo-Exeter line.

I understand that British Rail is considering the use of some of the class 158 vehicles currently in production, with suitable modifications, for this line in order to replace the present rolling stock as quickly as possible. It might thus be possible to have vehicles in service in about 18 months' time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what date he expects to publish one or more plans for public consultation for a grade intersection between Prince Regents lane and Newham way (A13); and from what date he expects to be able to purchase affected property by voluntary agreement.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: A public consultation on options for placing Newham way in an underpass beneath Prince Regents lane was held at Newham leisure centre on 12 and 13 October. A questionnaire was available there, and from Newham council offices and the borough library. Respondents have been asked to comment by 9 November. A preferred option will be selected in the light of these comments and it is hoped to publish draft orders by the autumn of next year.Any requests to purchase property in cases involving hardship will be considered by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to introduce red routes to the A1 Holloway road; and what has been the response to his consultation exercise on this.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The consultation exercise brought helpful responses from many individuals, businesses, interested groups, and organisations, and they are now being considered. I hope to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall in the Palace of Westminster relating to "The Chemical Industry: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow".

I understand that, under procedures agreed 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 15 to 19 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish a draft planning policy guidance note on sport and recreation.

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have today published a planning policy guidance note on sport and recreation in draft for public consultation.The Government attach great importance to the retention of adequate recreational open space in urban areas. The planning system needs to ensure that adequate land is and continues to be allocated for organised sport and informal recreation. The draft PPG asks local planning authorities to ensure that their policies address local needs, protect valuable sites and identify suitable sites for new provision.It is particularly important to retain sufficient recreational open space in urban areas to avoid "town cramming". The draft advises local authorities about means of safeguarding open spaces while providing for necessary development.The PPG also addresses the issues raised by Lord Justice Taylor in his report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster. It is the Government's intention that all first and second division grounds shall be all-seated by the 1994–95 season and third and fourth division grounds by the 1999–2000 season. The draft requests local planning authorities to give sympathetic consideration to development proposals designed to meet these objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the review of tree preservation policies and legislation.

On 2 October we published a report by Mr. James Batho commissioned by us as part of that review. I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Library of the House, together with my statement which accompanied its issue.The Government accept that the tree preservation order system should be maintained in broadly its present form. We plan to issue a consultation paper later this year with detailed proposals to clarify and streamline current procedures, aimed at enhancing their general effectiveness. We also welcome the report's recommendation that local authorities should have a new power to make hedgerow management orders to protect important hedgerows in their areas, with payments to owners to assist upkeep. Further details will be given in the forthcoming consultation paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the United Kingdom will ratify the Sofia protocol on emission of oxides of nitrogen.

The Government have today ratified the NOx protocol. This commits the United Kingdom to return overall emissions of oxides of nitrogen to 1987 levels by 1994 from all sources. It also commits us to develop further programmes for longer-term reductions based on critical loads. This important step emphasises our determination to deal with both acid rain and ground-level ozone.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why a Treasury minute was not laid before Parliament before the transfer of freehold and leasehold property to the trustees of certain museums and galleries took place.

In 1986 the Office of Arts and Libraries conducted a review into the relationship between the Property Services Agency and certain museums and galleries. This concluded that these organisations should be untied from PSA for their works services. When the recommendations of this report were being implemented it was decided that the most logical way forward would be for transfers to be made to the trustees of these organisations of the freehold and leasehold properties that they were then occupying rent free. This would remove any remaining element of PSA control. Ministers agreed that these transfers should take place at nil charge as the trustees were not being presented with any assets that they did not already have the use of. The trustees' powers to dispose of property are of course subject to legislative and other constraints.During 1988–89 and 1989–90, 16 such properties were transferred. The value of 13 of these is approximately £53 million; the other three properties have not yet been valued. Two further properties have been transferred in the current financial year. However, under established procedures, transfers at less than market value, which technically constitute gifts, should be notified to Parliament before they are made. It is normal practice in such cases for the Department proposing to make the gift to arrange with the Treasury for a minute to be presented to the House of Commons giving the particulars of the gift and explaining the circumstances in which it is being made and for the Treasury's assent to the gift to be withheld for 14 days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, after the issue of the minute except in cases of special urgency.I very much regret that the correct procedures were not observed in making the transfers of these properties. A further 40 or so properties remain to be transferred to the relevant trustees. Since 1 April 1990 these transfers have become the responsibility of the Office of Arts and Libraries which will arrange for the Treasury minutes to be presented to the House before any further transfers are made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policies for mid-Wales.

Government policies are directed towards the establishment of a thriving and self-sustaining economy in mid-Wales. The Development Board for Rural Wales has the principal responsibility for the economic regeneration of the area, and its "Strategy for the 1990s" sets out the board's future intentions for mid-Wales. Apart from the DBRW, other sources of economic and industrial assistance are available to mid-Wales through the WDA, WTB and central Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the Development Board for Rural Wales concerning the proposed job losses at the Laura Ashley company.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave him on 15 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take in Clwyd to counteract the loss of jobs at Brymbo steelworks, Corning at Wrexham and Laura Ashley at Leeswood; and if he will make a statement.

The WDA will take these job losses in Clwyd into account in planning its future activities. We are in close and regular touch with the chairman of the agency on this and other matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to assist environmental protection in Tibet.

To date the Government have received no official request for assistance with environmental protection in Tibet.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report from the civil emergencies adviser, Mr David Brook, on the role of local authorities in planning for peacetime emergencies; and if he will make a statement.

I have received Mr Brook's advice and will be considering it in conjunction with the review I have initiated of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of developments in east-west relations. This will enable me to consider whether a more coherent approach to emergency planning for the protection of the public in both peace and war can be achieved. I shall—together with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, who has also received Mr Brook's report—announce proposals in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of finished consumer goods whose exports have more than doubled since 1985, together with the percentage increase in imports and in United Kingdom output.

On the basis of trade analysed in terms of the industries of which they are the principal product, consumer goods industries whose exports have more than doubled in value since 1985 are shown in the table, together with the corresponding percentage increase in imports and output.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the quotas on the import of goods from Vietnam.

The import of those goods, which are normally restricted from state trading countries, are totally restricted from Vietnam. The products covered by the embargo are matches, footwear, TV sets, gloves, headgear, some agricultural products and a wide range of textile products.The United Kingdom has however quotas on imports on a number of products as shown in the table.The import of any other goods from Vietnam is not restricted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has yet replied to the Commission's decision of 17 July on the terms of the sale of Rover Group to British Aerospace.

A reply was sent to the Commission on 14 September setting out the measures taken by the Government to comply with the Commission's decision. The Commission had earlier agreed to extend the deadline for reply by one month to 17 September 1990. The Government informed the Commission that they had issued demands for payment by 17 August 1990 of £42·9 million by BAe and £1·5 million by Rover Group and that, as no payment had been made, they had served writs on both companies to enforce repayment of the principal sums and payment of interest from 18 August 1990. The formal demands for payment were dated 16 August 1990 and the writs were issued and served on 10 September 1990.The Government then went on to reply to the other points raised by the Commission by giving the specific assurances requested. In particular, the Government assured the Commission that no tax concessions had been given and:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of the "next steps" initiative in his Department.

On 5 October, I launched the national engineering laboratory as the ninth executive agency within the DTI. The launch of NEL means that more than half my Department's staff now work in executive agencies. As a result, the DTI is able to improve further its ability to deliver cost-effective services.I am placing a copy of the NEL framework document in the Library. The document explains that the primary aim for NEL is to attain commercial viability by 1994–95. I have also set NEL a number of efficiency targets as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Export Credits Guarantee Department cover will be provided for the sale by British Aerospace of Hawk aircraft to Kenya.

In view of the importance that the Government attach to this contract, I have instructed ECGD to provide cover under the provisions of section 2(1) of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978 and under the procedures set out in the answer given by the then Minister for Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Clark) on 28 June 1988 at columns 164–65.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing the import penetration and export performance ratios for the electrical and electronic engineering industry as a group in 1968, 1973, 1977, 1985 and 1989 together with the import/export ratios by value and volume for the European Economic Community and for the rest of the world based on 1973 =100.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The available information is in the table. The figures in the table are based on the NACE (1970) class 34. No information is available for years before 1975 for the European Community.In 1987, the equivalent ratios for import penetration, export performance and import/export for the current membership of the EC were 16·4 per cent., 16·5 per cent. and 105·4 per cent. respectively.No information is available for "the rest of the world". The figures in the table are based on current price data. There are no constant price data available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing the import penetration and export performance ratios for the textile, clothing, leather and footwear industries as a group in 1968, 1973, 1977, 1985 and 1989 together with the import/export ratios by value and volume for the European Economic Community and for the rest of the world based on 1973 = 100.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The available information is in the table. The figures in the table are based on the NACE (1970) class 43. No information is available for years before 1975 for the European Community.In 1987, the equivalent ratios for import penetration, export performance and import/export for the current membership of the EC were 16·7 per cent., 16·0 per cent. and 105·4 per cent. respectively.No information is available for "the rest of the world". The figures in the table are based on current price data. There are no constant price data available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing the import penetration and export performance ratios for the mechanical engineering industry less groups 320 and 329 in 1968, 1973, 1977, 1985 and 1989 together with the import/export ratios by value and volume for the European Economic Community and for the rest of the world based on 1973 = 100.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The available information is in the table. The figures in the table are based on the NACE (1970) class 32 less the NACE group 352. No information is available for years before 1975 for the European Community.In 1987 the equivalent ratios for import penetration, export performance and import/export for the current membership of the EC were 16·6 per cent., 33·1 per cent. and 40·0 per cent.No information is available for the rest of the world.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing the import penetration and export performance ratios for the motor vehicle industry in 1968, 1973, 1977, 1985 and 1989 together with the import/export ratios by value and volume for the European Economic Community and for the rest of the world based on 1973 = 100.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The available information is in the table. The figures in the table are based on the NACE (1970) group 351. No information is available for years before 1978 for the European Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the scale of export guarantee losses arising from the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: It has not been the policy of this or previous Governments to disclose the details of ECGD's claims experience with individual countries. It would not in any case be possible at this time to estimate the Department's loss on Iraq and Kuwait, since the full extent of insured costs of manufacture in respect of frustrated contracts will not be known for some time. Claims payments will be made over a number of years, and the eventual loss will be reduced by any recoveries made under arrangements which might follow if and when Iraq eventually seeks to restore normal international relations. For these reasons, the eventual loss which ECGD might face should not be deduced from the value of credits made available to Iraq under the various financial protocols.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent contacts he had with the leaders of the Yanomami people; and what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to them (a) aimed at the protection of their environment and traditions and (b) otherwise.

Overseas Development Administration officials met Chief Davi Yanomami, a Yanomami leader, in December 1989 and April 1990. The ODA last month granted £88,000 to Oxfam for a health care project for the Yanomami in the state of Roraima. This project should provide medical benefits and help the Yanomami to care for themselves in future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Iran.

Diplomatic relations with Iran were resumed on 27 September on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. We and the Iranians will re-open our embassies in Tehran and London by 27 October. There will be further discussion of the outstanding problems between the two countries. It is the Government's view that these problems will more easily be resolved with diplomatic relations than without them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts were made to contact the passengers of flight BA 199 immediately after their detention on 2 August; and when the ambassador in Kuwait first visited them.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: Although the embassy telephones were cut following the Iraqi invasion and movement around town was difficult for several days, the embassy made contact with British Airways shortly after the flight was detained and was able to establish that all the BA 149 passengers were fit and well. As soon as freedom of movement was restored the passengers were visited regularly in their hotels by consular staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps were taken to inform British Airways of the situation in Kuwait immediately prior to the landing of flight BA 199 on 2 August.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The captain of BA 149 checked the position with BA staff in Kuwait, who in turn checked with the British embassy, before take-off from Heathrow on 1 August. Three hours before landing he was told by the pilot of a BA plane which had just left Kuwait that all was well there. The aircraft landed without incident, well before Kuwait airport was closed as a result of the invasion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department will take positive steps to discuss with the Data Protection Registrar all his Department's legislation that impacts on the use, collection, processing or holding of personal data; and whether he will make a statement.

I am reminding officials in the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments of the need to consult the registrar about proposed legislation which might affect or be affected by the Data Protection Act 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on progress made to date by the Fair Employment Commission towards achievement of fair employment as between Protestants and Roman Catholics within its own organisation.

I have placed in the Library a copy of a press release issued on 16 October by the Fair Employment Commission which deals with the religious composition of its staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the estimated cost to the Department of Agriculture of drainage works arising from new building developments in 1989–90.

A total of £1·8 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what examination he has made of the implications for the Northern Ireland beef and meat industry of the recent changes in the circumstances of Goodman International; what proposals he has to safeguard Ulster beef producers; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The Goodman slaughter plants in Northern Ireland are continuing to trade normally and producers who sell to these plants are not experiencing difficulties. Should there be any disruption or discontinuation of trading by these plants the Government believe that sufficient alternative outlets in Northern Ireland are available to handle all the stock to be slaughtered. I do not anticipate, therefore, the need for any Government action to protect the interests of producers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from what date income support for students was withdrawn; when local social security offices were advised of this date, in what manner students were advised in advance of this date; whether the students who applied before this date will continue to receive this benefit after this date until they resume their studies; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: Most students ceased to be eligible for income support from 1 September 1990. However, any student who was entitled before 1 September 1990 did not lose entitlement until the resumption of his course of study. Initial guidance was issued to social security offices on 20 August 1990. Information about the new arrangements for student support was contained in a leaflet, copies of which were issued in June 1990 to universities, colleges of education, further education colleges and secondary schools. I have placed copies of the leaflet in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to uprate child benefit annually in line with inflation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 15 October at columns 920–21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the current business plan of the resettlement units executive agency, and the accounts of its first year of operation, are yet available.

The current business plan has been placed in the Library today and it is proposed to place the agency's accounts there on 31 October, once audit is complete.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department will make the necessary changes in taxation regulations to ensure that capital expenditure incurred by football clubs on safety improvement work on football stands in complying with the recommendations of Lord Justice Taylor's report into the Hillsborough disaster becomes eligible for tax relief.

Expenditure incurred by clubs to comply with the requirements of a safety certificate already attracts tax relief. The Government do not consider it right to single out football stands for a specific relief when other commercial premises do not generally qualify. Moreover, such a relief would not help the large majority of clubs which are not profitable and do not pay tax. The Government believe that the cash injection of £100 million over five years from the reduction in pool betting duty is a better way of helping league football clubs carry out the improvements recommended by Lord Justice Taylor.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms exist for revaluing or devaluing currencies in the ERM; and when such a mechanism was last used.

The central exchange rates of currencies in the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system may be changed by agreement of the members. The last realignment of central rates took place on 8 January this year when the lira moved from wide to narrow bands in the system.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of when the Madrid conditions originally laid down for entry into the ERM will be met.

The conditions for entry into the ERM have been met.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons it was decided to modify the Madrid conditions for entry into the exchange rate mechanism.

The Madrid conditions have not been modified.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current policy on European monetary union.

The Government are fully committed to stage 1 of the Delors report recommendations; a commitment underlined by our decision to enter the exchange rate mechanism. We remain opposed to the imposition of a single currency as prescribed in stage 3 of the Delors report. On 20 June my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out alternative proposals for a "hard ecu" and a European monetary fund. We shall be arguing forcefully for our approach in and during the intergovernmental conference on EMU which opens on 13 December.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state his current policy on interest rates.

Interest rates will continue to be set at an appropriate level in order to bear down on inflation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 19 July, Official Report, column 655, what assessment he has made of the implications for the Treasury's policies of the book "End of the Cycle", by Morgan Stanley; and if he will make a statement.

This report is an informative assessment of the economic situations and investment opportunities within the countries of western and eastern Europe. The analyses of these countries show a great deal of insight.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department first used the Laspeyres-based formula for the retail prices index.

[holding answer 15 October 1990]: The retail prices index and its predecessor, the cost of living index, have always been based on the Laspeyres formula. These figures were first compiled in 1914. Since 1962 a variant known as the "chain Laspeyres" formula has been used, whereby the weights, while remaining fixed for 12 months at a time, are brought up to date at the beginning of each calendar year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Government-owned empty dwellings of (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more bedrooms there are in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Strathclyde region and (iii) Scotland.

As at 30 June 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,576 MOD-owned dwellings were vacant in Scotland, of which seven were in Glasgow and 388 were in the Strathclyde region. Many of these properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation, some were already allotted to service families who were due to move in shortly and others were in the process of disposal. A breakdown according to the number of bedrooms could be obtained only with disproportionate effort.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about serious frost damage suffered by United Kingdom plum orchards; if he has received representations for maintenance aid to help growers who have modernised orchards and marketing and who are now at risk; and if there is any European Economic Community assistance in this respect.

I have received representations from the NFU and individual growers on the possibility of aid for plum producers affected by severe frosts earlier this year. I naturally sympathise with the difficulties experienced by some producers but the Government do not normally offer compensation for the effects of adverse weather. EC assistance is not available for growers in these circumstances.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost of supporting existing farm incomes by a system of guaranteed prices instead of import levies.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has estimated the value of total transfers to European Community farmers to be some 48 billion ecu in 1989: this gives an indication of the cost of administering all forms of support, including border protection, through a guaranteed price-deficiency payment system. This estimate covers the main products, which account for 75 per cent. of agricultural output, and is based on many assumptions, notably about "world" prices. Details are set out in "Agricultural Policies, Markets and Trade: Monitoring and Outlook 1990": OECD, Paris 1990.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the documents relevant to the debate on Friday 19 October on the transitional measures relating to the EC consequences of German unification.

European Community documents Nos. Com(90)400 on transitional measures consequent upon German unification and 8782/90 on revision of the Community's financial perspective in the light of German unification, the fourth report from the Foreign Affairs Committee on "German Unification: Some Immediate Issues"—House of Commons paper No. 335, the observations by the Government on the report—Cm. 1246—and the seventh report from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on "International Monetary Arrangements: Eastern Europe"—House of Commons paper No. 431—so far as it relates to German economic and monetary union.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced receipts from land sales on the national health service capital programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced receipts from land sales on the national health service capital programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced receipts from land sales on the national health service capital programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced receipts from land sales on the national health service capital programme.

The state of the property market is one of the many factors that health authorities have to take into account in managing their capital programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing to discuss recruitment and levels of nursing staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing to discuss recruitment and levels of nursing staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing to discuss recruitment and levels of nursing staff.

We attach great importance to the need to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of nursing staff. A wide range of issues relating to this objective are discussed in the various meetings which Ministers and officials regularly hold with representatives of the Royal College of Nursing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to achieve a reduction in inequalities in access to health care between regions and socio-economic groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to achieve a reduction in inequalities in access to health care between regions and socio-economic groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to achieve a reduction in inequalities in access to health care between regions and socio-economic groups.

We are committed to providing a national health service, free at the point of access, that is geographically comprehensive. The NHSCC Act provides the machinery to improve the targeting of NHS resources towards identified needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the likely cumulative deficit levels for district health authorities in England during the current financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the likely cumulative deficit levels for district health authorities in England during the current financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the likely cumulative deficit levels for district health authorities in England during the current financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the likely cumulative deficit levels for district health authorities in England during the current financial year.

The NHS management executive is engaged in continuing discussions with regional health authorities. It is not yet possible to identify the number of district health authorities that will have an underlying deficit in 1990–91.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in national health service hospitals in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures for 1978.

Provisional figures for 1989–90 show almost 7·5 million in-patient cases were treated as compared with some 6 million in 1978—a rise of 23 per cent. Day cases rose even more sharply by 103 per cent. from 562,000 to over 1 million. Over the same period there has been a 10 per cent. rise in new out-patient attendances and a 7 per cent. rise in total out-patient attendances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of capital charges on long-stay hospital provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of capital charges on long-stay hospital provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of capital charges on long-stay hospital provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of capital charges on long-stay hospital provision.

The introduction of capital charges will give managers of long-stay units, as with all other health service hospitals, information which will help them to use their assets more efficiently. Management and accountability of long-stay units will be improved by the increased awareness of the costs of capital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the latest position in respect of hospitals becoming self governing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made on public consultation following proposals for the formation of self-governing hospital trusts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress being made on public consultation following proposals for the formation of self-governing hospital trusts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made on public consultation following proposals for the formation of self-governing hospital trusts.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Cummings) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many formal applications have now been received for national health service trust status; and if he will make a statement.

A total of 66 applications for trust status have been received from units which wish to become operational on 1 April 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress by the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital in developing national health service trust status.

The North East Thames regional health authority is currently consulting on the application from the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital to become a national health service trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the principal benefits that will attend trust status for national health service hospitals.

Units that are established as national health service trusts will have the freedom to manage their own affairs. They will be able to acquire, own and dispose of assets to ensure the most effective use is made of them; make their own cases for capital developments direct to the national health service management executive; borrow money, within annually agreed limits; establish their own management structures; employ their own staff, determine their own staffing structures, and set their own terms and conditions of employment; and advertise their services, within the guidelines set down by professional codes of practice on such advertising. Trusts will be able to use these freedoms to achieve better, faster decision-making to the benefit of patients, their community and their staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have indicated an interest in becoming self-governing trusts; and how many general practices have indicated an interest in applying for their own funds to date.

A total of 66 units have applied to become NHS trusts in the first wave, which will become operational in April 1991. We will be able to announce the number of units which have expressed an interest in becoming NHS trusts in April 1992 by the end of this month. As far as general practices are concerned, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friends the Members for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) and for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from health workers and the general public in the north-west, on the need for balloting to occur before hospitals become self-governing national health service trusts.

A number of representations from interested parties in the north-west have been received. We have consistently made clear that ballots are not appropriate. Mersey and North Western regional health authorities are responsible for statutory consultation on proposals to establish NHS trusts in their regions. It is for the regional health authority concerned to determine the manner in which it carries out such consultation and reports the results to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from health workers and the general public within the South Western regional health authority on the need for balloting to occur before hospitals become self-governing national health service trusts.

A number of representations from interested parties within the South Western regional health authority have been received. We have consistently made clear that ballots are not appropriate. The South Western regional health authority is responsible for statutory consultation on proposals to establish NHS trusts in its region. It is for the regional health authority concerned to determine the manner in which it carries out such consultation and reports the results to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the total amount of interest-bearing debts facing proposed self-governing hospital trusts which is now to be written off.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the total amount of interest-bearing debts facing proposed self-governing hospital trusts which is now to be written off.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the total amount of interest-bearing debts facing proposed self-governing hospital trusts which is now to be written off.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) on 23 July at column 77.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which contracts being made by health authorities for hospital treatment take account of established patient and general practitioner preference for hospital treatment outside district boundaries, particularly in respect of non-budget holding practices.

I have made it clear that district health authorities should place contracts in line with GPs' preferences. DHAs are consulting GPs now on referral patterns and analysing their own information on existing patient flows. I expect DHAs to be discussing their contracting intentions with local GPs throughout the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from voluntary organisations regarding the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

We have received many such representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his intention to implement in full in April 1991 that part of the National Health Service and Community Care Act relating to the national health service; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. It is important that patients and national health service staff reap the benefits of these changes as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the British Medical Association to discuss implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the British Medical Association to discuss implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the British Medical Association to discuss implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of the British Medical Association to discuss implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

My last formal meeting with representatives of the BMA specifically to discuss the implementation of our reforms of the NHS took place on 18 October 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the community care proposals contained in the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding funding arrangements for the Government's community care proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the Government's proposed changes in the organisation of community care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has revised his timetable for the implementation of his community care proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the Government's proposed changes in the organisation of community care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the community care proposals contained in the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from organisations on the new arrangements for community care; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from organisations on the new arrangements for community care; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the time scale for the introduction of the community care reforms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from voluntary organisations regarding the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the community care proposals contained in the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from voluntary organisations regarding the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the Government's proposed changes in the organisation of community care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from voluntary organisations regarding the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

I refer the right hon. and hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Members for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien), for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg) and for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the timetable for the implementation of his community care proposals.

Many such representations have been received, from local authorities, health authorities, voluntary organisations and other interested bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received from local authorities on the implementation of community care arrangements since the commencement of the Parliamentary summer recess.

We have received many such representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in implementing the measures outlined in his further working paper on the indicative prescribing scheme for general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

Since the publication of "Improving Prescribing" on 23 May further progress has been made towards implementation of the scheme. Arrangements have been made to hold a series of six seminars in different parts of the country for key NHS personnel who will be closely involved in operating the scheme. Their purpose is to update these personnel on the development of the scheme. The first two seminars were held at Leicester on 5 October and Birmingham on 12 October.We propose to issue to regional health authorities and family health services authorities later this month further detailed guidance on the financial framework of the scheme and the setting of indicative prescribing amounts.The introduction and development of the necessary information systems at the Prescription Pricing Authority is also progressing smoothly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the 100 additional consultant posts announced in the White Paper, "Working for Patients", are now in place or have been allocated; and when he expects the process to be complete.

All the 100 new posts have now been allocated. I announced the first 35, to be appointed in 1989–90, on 30 October 1989 at column 124 and I announced the allocation of the remaining 65 posts, for appointment in 1990–91 and 1991–92, on 27 February 1990 at columns 125–26. Districts are expected to complete the appointment process for the last of the new consultants by early in 1991–92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the levels of health service inflation for each of the last five financial years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the levels of health service inflation for each of the last five financial years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the levels of health service inflation for each of the last five financial years.

Changes in input unit costs in the national health service over the last five financial years are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bell) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in negotiations on proposals for a reduction in the hours worked by junior doctors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in negotiations on proposals for a reduction in the hours worked by junior doctors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in negotiations on proposals for a reduction in the hours worked by junior doctors.

The Government are very concerned to reduce the hours worked by some junior hospital doctors. For this reason I held a meeting earlier this year with representatives of the medical profession at consultant and junior level, the royal colleges, and NHS management to discuss the way forward. A working group was set up at that meeting to take forward a detailed examination of the issues.After a second meeting on 20 September, I am delighted to report that excellent progress is being made. The working group has covered a considerable amount of ground in examining both the precise nature of the problem and what can be done further to reduce the long hours still being worked by some junior hospital doctors. As work loads and staffing patterns vary so much between different hospitals, specialties and grades of doctor, the intention is to produce a package of practical measures from which those concerned locally can choose the solutions best suited to their particular circumstances. All parties are aiming to reach broad agreement in principle on specific changes by the end of the year. This will then be followed by a detailed plan for implementation.All those concerned should face up to the true nature of the problem so that further progress can follow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest information on the impact of charging for eyesight checks on attendances for examinations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest information on the impact of charging for eyesight checks on attendances for examinations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest information on the impact of charging for eyesight checks on attendances for examinations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest information on the impact of charging for eyesight checks on attendances for examinations.

The independent NOP survey, supported by evidence from other similar surveys, suggests that demand for sight tests is now broadly in line with the expected trend.