To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the inquiry by the Civil Aviation Authority into the jamming of air traffic control radar at Edinburgh airport on 19 June during a mock attack on Rosyth dockyard.

The Edinburgh approach radar was subject to interference for a period of 90 seconds on 19 June 1990, caused by an RAF aircraft participating in a routine exercise. There was no risk to the safety of any civil or military aircraft during this period.The air traffic control authorities at Edinburgh airport have now agreed procedures with the military exercise planners to prevent such interference occurring in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will seek to amend the Highways Acts to enable the more effective servicing of pipes and cables through deposit in common ducts below streets.

No such amendment is required, since highway authorities already have the necessary powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has yet taken a view on whether there should be stations at Southwark and Bermondsey on the proposed Jubilee line extension to docklands.

I told the House on 24 July—Official Report, columns 373–74—that it was the Government's policy that stations should be built at Southwark and Bermondsey; I also said that further analytical work was to be carried out to confirm that the case for these stations was positive. The House will wish to know the outcome of this work. The appraisal showed that on current costings the economic case for the stations was positive—and was indeed as strong as that for the line itself, provided that, in Southwark's case, direct passenger access was provided between it and British Rail's Waterloo East station. The Government are therefore prepared to approve construction of both stations provided the cost of the project as a whole can be held within agreed cost limits. There is no question of London Transport or the Government seeking to withdraw provision for Southwark and Bermondsey stations from the Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving (a) buses and (b) other commercial vehicles at low bridges occurred in the last year for which figures are available.

In 1989, 28 buses and 664 other commercial vehicles were involved in accidents in which low railway bridges were struck.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has planned in the event of an emergency or accident occurring during the transportation of nuclear waste from Torness power station to Sellafield.

Scottish Nuclear Limited ensures that comprehensive emergency arrangements are in place to respond to any incident involving the transport of radio-active materials from Torness power station to Sellafield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision whether or not to order a reopening of the inquiry into the loss of the MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.

The new material is now being examined by the marine accident investigation branch. Once it has concluded its investigations, a report will be sent to the Secretary of State. After consideration of that report, he will then decide whether or not the formal investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire should be reopened.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to help offset the shortfall of £40 million faced by London Underground in the current financial year.

London Transport, of which London Underground Limited is a subsidiary, is responsible for running its business within its means. I understand that it is making plans accordingly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce legislation which would require that all passengers in minibuses be strapped in by safety belts.

We have no present plans to do so. Currently, very few minibuses are fitted with belts on any seats other than front seats. We are, however, anxious to see the much wider availability of seat belts on minibuses, so that passengers can wear them if they so choose. At our request, the European Commission has agreed to bring forward proposals by the end of 1991 requiring the fitting of seat belts to all seats in minibuses and coaches.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he plans to accede to the request by London Transport and Hackney council for permission to deposit a private Bill in November to enable the east London line extension to the tube system to proceed; and if he will make a statement.

We hope to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the background papers detailing the ways to eliminate congestion on inter-urban roads which are summarised in paragraphs 10 to 16 of the 1989 White Paper, "Roads for Prosperity".

[holding answer 18 October 1990]: A wide range of relevant material is already available for instance in the Department's publication "Transport Statistics 1979–1989" and in the Department's submissions to the Select Committee on Transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Royal Navy warships visiting the United States of America over the next two months.

It is not our normal practice to comment on future deployments of Royal Navy warships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all decisions have been taken on the advanced short-range air-to-air missile.

We have recently endorsed staff requirement (air) 1234 for an advanced short-range, air-to-air missile and, in accordance with our norrmal procurement policy, we shall be seeking competitive proposals from industry. We are proceeding in accordance with the family of weapons memorandum of understanding and we shall seek bids which are compliant with its terms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed the Gulf crisis with the United States Secretary for Defense; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend last met Mr. Cheney on 15 October. A range of subjects of mutual interest was discussed, including the Gulf crisis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on co-ordination in the Gulf between British and Syrian forces.

Arrangements have been agreed which would enable British forces in Saudi Arabia to operate effectively with Saudi, American or other forces as necessary. 7 Armoured Brigade will, however, be positioned alongside the United States Marines in north-east Saudi Arabia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the specialties available to national health service patients at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich.

The following specialties are generally available to NHS patients at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich, subject to Army operational and management considerations:

• Anaesthetics and Resuscitation
• Dietetics
• Dermatology¹
• Ear, Nose and Throar
• General Medicine
• Tropical Medicine and Cardiology
• Genito-urinary Medicine
• General Surgery
• Gynaecology
• Intensive Care
• Neurology¹
• Neuro-surgery
• Nuclear Medicine
• Oncology
• Ophthalmology
• Oral Surgery
• Orthopaedics
• Pathology
• Plastic Surgery
• Psychiatry
• Radiology
• Rheumatology and Rehabilitation
• Urology
• ¹ Visiting consultant's clinic only.

Some of these specialties may not be available during the current Gulf deployments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) service personnel and (b) civilians are currently employed at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich.

The peacetime establishment of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital is 174 officers, 395 other ranks and 149 civilians. Current commitments in the Gulf and management considerations may, however, affect the established staff levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the service hospitals covered by the surgeon general's recent review.

All eight of the service hospitals in the United Kingdom are included in the Surgeon General's review. They are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the estimated annual running costs of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90; and what is the current estimated average cost of in-patient stays for (a) service and (b)National Health Service patients.

The estimated annual running costs of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich, for the years 1987–88 to 1989–90 were:

	£ millions
1987–88	26·9
1988–89	26·6
1989–90	21·1

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich was opened for use; and how many beds it currently provides.

Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich
	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Number of in-patients
Service personnel	3,522	4,170	3,738	3,780	4,120	4,583	4,219	4,667	4,232	4,600
Service dependants	1,066	1,142	1,223	1,307	1,386	1,421	1,227	1,129	1,129	1,163
National health service	2,505	3,131	2,898	3,181	4,024	4,690	4,623	4,722	5,346	6,430
Others	177	160	291	319	304	412	241	203	303	231
Total	7,270	8,603	8,150	8,587	9,834	11,106	10,310	10,721	11,010	12,424
Number of out-patients
Service personnel	11,403	17,338	17,240	19,284	17,233	18,565	15,853	14,395	13,959	10,924
Service dependants	3,929	5,317	4,222	4,540	4,138	3,839	2,858	2,497	2,429	1,998
National health service	13,456	17,449	17,597	19,083	16,142	17,399	15,777	13,697	14,813	15,821
Others	407	1,252	596	873	731	846	1,280	402	398	250
Total	29,195	41,356	39,655	43,780	38,244	40,649	35,768	30,991	31,599	28,993

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he received the surgeon general's review of the future of service hospitals in the United Kingdom; and when he expects to announce a decision on its recommendations.

The findings of the Surgeon General's review of service hospitals in the United Kingdom are under consideration at official level and recommendations will shortly be submitted to Ministers. An announcement will be made as early as practicable after a decision has been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the overall bed occupancy rate at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich, for the most recent four quarters for which figures are available.

Bed occupancy figures, which are based on actual occupancy at midnight each day, are recorded on an annual basis. The occupancy rate for 1989–90, the last year for which figures are available, was 69 per cent., excluding bedded day patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the exact date of the conclusion of the explosive propellants and related products agreement between Royal Ordnance and his Department in 1988.

The Queen Elizabeth military hospital was opened by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 1 April 1977. A total of 274 beds are normally available, but this figure is currently subject to alteration due to operational requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) service personnel, (b) service dependants and (c) national health service patients have been treated as either (i) in-patients or (ii) out-patients at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, Woolwich during each of the most recent 10 years for which figures are available.

The table shows the number of service personnel, dependants and other NHS patients who have been treated as in-patients and out-patients at the Queen Elizabeth military hospital in each of the last 10 years.

My noble Friend the Lord Trefgarne and the then chief executive of Royal Ordnance plc signed the agreement on 28 July 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central, 19 July, Official Report, column 654, he will state the exact dates in 1985, 1986 and 1988 when the formal understandings on the Al Yamamah agreement were concluded.

The dates are 26 September 1985, 17 February 1986 and 3 July 1988 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any military assistance has been provided to any Cambodian groups engaged in resistance to the Phnom Penh regime.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 7 November 1989, Official Report, column 543.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel received pre-release training in each year since records began.

[holding answer 17 October 1990]: Detailed records of the numbers receiving resettlement training have not been maintained since 1985, but we estimate that about 11,000 personnel do so each year. Pursuant to my answer to the hon. Member of 25 July 1990, Official Report, column 298, I should make it clear that the figure of £974 spent per head on pre-release training was based on data from financial year 1984–85. An up-to-date figure is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people aged 65 years or over have been evicted from council houses during 1989 in each district council area in Wales; and what proportion of the total number of evictions involved persons over the age of 65 years in each case.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of hospitals in Wales which are licensed to dispose of radioactive waste.

A list of premises authorised to dispose of radioactive waste is provided in the DOE/Welsh Office/Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution publication "List of premises in England and Wales currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to dispose of radioactive waste", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.Since publication, one further hospital in Wales, Withybush hospital, Haverfordwest has been authorised and one, Royal' Alexandra hospital, Rhyl has had its licence revoked because the work has transferred to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans there are to recruit consultant surgeons to eliminate waiting times for operations in Wales.

The responsibility for the recruitment of additional consultant surgeons to meet service needs lies with the district health authorities. Manpower approval has been granted, on the basis of district health authority bids, for the recruitment of additional consultants in specialities with problem lists. These include six posts in trauma and orthopaedics, five in general surgery and four in ophthalmology.Separately the Welsh Office undertook as part of its treatment centre initiative to fund six additional consultant posts, of which 4·5 whole-time equivalent posts are already in place. Furthermore £1·1 million has been allocated under the 1990–91 waiting times initiative and which includes funding for at least four consultant posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he plans to meet health authorities in Wales to discuss with them the waiting times for surgery.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to meet DHA chairmen soon to discuss a number of issues, including waiting times.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet community health councils in Wales to discuss with them their views concerning his plans for changes in the national health service.

My right hon. Friend has no current plans to do so. The Association of Welsh Community Health Councils has already made known its views on a number of the proposed reforms.More routine opportunities for CHCs to raise for discussion matters of interest of concern are offered by the regular biannual meetings between the Association and the Director for the NHS in Wales. The latest of these meetings was held on 17 October 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the reasons for the rise in waiting times for patients needing operations for ear, nose and throat problems.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin 1990; No. 2" which illustrates a variable performance in the light of developing demand and activity levels. During 1989 ear, nose and throat in-patient and day care throughput increased by 5·3 per cent., out-patient throughput rose by 2·2 per cent., with new out-patient attendances up by 8 per cent. In addition, at 31 March 1990: the number of urgent in-patients waiting fell by 54 per cent. over the previous year; and numbers of non-urgent in-patients rose by 8 per cent. and of out-patients fell by 15 per cent. Urgent cases waiting one month or more fell by 47 per cent. over the previous year; non-urgent cases waiting one year or more rose by 45 per cent; and out-patients waiting three months or more fell by 44 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of designated intensive care beds in (a) each district health authority in Wales and (b) in each district general hospital in Wales and against each of these (i) the number of such beds which are currently subject to temporary closure, (ii) the number which have been proposed or are being considered for temporary closure and (iii) the number which have been proposed or are being considered for permanent closure.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on Monday 22 October. No intensive care beds are proposed for permanent closure in applications currently before the Secretary of State. The temporary closure of beds is a matter for district health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will instruct Welsh Water plc to take steps to protect the public from any possible danger of contamination of the waters in the Menai straits as a result of untreated sewage being carried out from the pathology laboratory at Ysbyty Gwynedd via Pen Rhos Garnedd.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies I gave him on 18 and 22 October.

To ask the Attorney-General how long the London area of the Legal Aid Board takes to authorise solicitors to appropriate costs which have been agreed and paid in legal aid cases and where only the authority of the Legal Aid Board is needed for solicitors doing legal aid work to transfer such moneys from a client account to an office account.

This information is not collected at present and the Legal Aid Board has no immediate plans to collect it.

To ask the Attorney-General how long the London area of the Legal Aid Board takes to pay damages to legally aided litigants where those damages have been deposited with the board.

This information is not collected. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he would write to the Lord Chancellor.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the average time taken by the London area of the Legal Aid Board to pay legal aid bills of costs for which allocaturs and bills have been sent to them.

Information is not available in the form requested. The Legal Aid Board monitors the payment of bills according to time targets set out in its annual report. A comparison of the performance of the London area office with the targets is set out in the table.

Time taken between receipt and payment of bills
Legal Aid Board	4 weeks	6 weeks
	per cent.	per cent.
Target (per cent, of bills paid)	82	95
London area office performance for September 1990	69	90

To ask the Minister for the Arts how much was spent by his Ministry on official hospitality in 1989–90.

[holding answer 19 October 1990]: The Office of Arts and Libraries spent £5,741 on official hospitality in 1989–90.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what he estimates would be the net effect on excise duty, value added tax, corporation tax and national insurance revenues, at 1989 figures, of elimination of EC-related duty free sales; and to what extent that effect has taken into account possible substitution of duty free sales by duty paid sales;(2) what would be the estimated effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments at current prices and current duty and value added tax rates in other EC member states of elimination of the duty-free system;

No decision has been taken on the future of duty-free sales. The economic effects of abolition have been addressed by some outside observers. These effects are being considered within Her Majesty's Government.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how statistics on trade between Britain and other EEC countries will be collected after 1992.

With the abolition of most frontier controls on goods at internal Community frontiers by the end of 1992, the present Customs documentation, which is the current source of infra-Community trade statistics, will disappear. However, both the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government will still need accurate and timely statistics on this trade and new methods are being set up to collect the data. The system for recording trade with other countries will continue unchanged.The European Commission has prepared revised proposals for the framework of systems to operate in all member states. The overall schemes are relatively complex, but the aim is to provide linked systems which control the collection of VAT on goods traded between member states and generate intra-EC trade statistics. By linking the systems it has been possible to reduce the burdens on small and medium-sized traders. The proposals specify the systems for a transitional period to run from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1996 when the Commission expects the basis of levying VAT to change. and the definitive systems for the period starting on 1 January 1997.The Commission's amended proposal for an EC Council regulation on the statistics relating to the trading of goods between member states has been published in the Official Journal. The main features of the proposed transitional system to operate from 1 January 1993 are: that detailed monthly trade figures—including value, volume, eight-digit commodity and country—will be collected from larger traders above a threshold yet to be set; that no separate statistical returns will be required from small and medium traders, but estimates will be made using information from two boxes expected to be added to all VAT returns giving value totals of intra-Community imports and exports; that businesses not registered for VAT will be excluded from any collection.The Council regulation sets out only the framework of the new systems. It has not yet been agreed with member states and amendments are possible before it is adopted by the Council. Many of the details of the new system will be specified later in Commission implementing regulations. One of the most important components of these will set the level of the statistical threshold. In some of its publicity the Commission has suggested that it may propose one which requires the largest 20 per cent. of traders to provide detailed monthly returns. In the United Kingdom these traders account for around 96 per cent. of the value of intra-EC trade. Such a threshold would ensure that adequate data are available for macro-economic statistics. Also with coverage as high as 96 per cent. it would allow the collection of detailed statistics for most industries. This new threshold would almost certainly replace the present, mainly low-value consignment, thresholds which mean that there is currently no commodity detail for over 1 per cent. of trade.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much industrial and provident societies have paid in corporation tax for each year since 1982.

The amounts of corporation tax paid by industrial and provident societies during financial years 1986–87 to 1989–90 are shown in the table. Figures for earlier years are not readily available and could be prepared only at disproportionate cost. Figures for the most recent years are now published in Inland Revenue statistics.

Financial year	Amount of corporation tax (£ million)
1986–87	590
1987–88	624
1988–89	821
1989–90	651

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Scotch whisky industry about the consequences of abolishing duty-free sales; and if he will make a statement.

The Scotch Whisky Association has made representations on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry about the effects of abolishing duty-free sales within the European Community. In March my right hon. Friend the Chancellor replied to a letter written on the subject by the association.The European Commission has made it clear that as a consequence of the completion of the single market duty-free shopping for intra-Community travellers should cease. The Scotch Whisky Association has pointed out that ending duty-free sales within the Community could adversely affect sales of Scotch whisky and remove a useful shop window for promoting its goods.The Government will examine all the arguments carefully before reaching a decision.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the Government's privatisations involved the services of the investment banking group, Kleinwort Benson; and what moneys were paid by the Government to that group for services.

The table shows the privatisations and in which positions Kleinwort, Benson acted for the Government. Moneys paid to Kleinwort, Benson for their services are a confidential commercial matter.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in 1989–90.

[holding answer 19 October 1990]: The amount spent by the Treasury on official hospitality was £55,169 in 1989–90.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his written answer of 17 October on increases in mortgage payments, when he expects most mortgage borrowers to feel the effects of the recent reduction in mortgage rates.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: It will depend on the practices of the lenders concerned. Where lenders have reduced their mortgage rates, new borrowers in most cases have been affected already. Existing borrowers not on annual schemes will in most cases have their mortgage payments adjusted from November.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to have sufficient data to update his reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 20 June, Official Report, column 558, on changes in mortgage payments.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: We expect to have sufficient data in the course of November.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list on what occasions Ministers in his Department met directors and/or non-executive directors of banks between Monday 1 October and 10 am on Thursday 4 October, inclusive.

[holding answer 19 October 1990]: No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if' he will publish the most recent figures available showing the number of clinics in Northern Ireland offering (a) IVF, GIFT and other procedures and (b) GIFT and other procedures but excluding IVF; and if he will also publish the total number of (i) single, (ii) twin, (iii) triplet, (iv) quadruplet, (v) quintuplet and (vi) sextuplet pregnancies following GIFT procedures in each category of clinic.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: There is one specialist infertility clinic in Northern Ireland offering IVF, GIFT and other procedures. The information requested on pregnancies is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if his Department made any investigation into the operations of the Technology Development Group (TDG Limited) of London in advance of its intended purchase of the Lear Fan factory in Northern Ireland in 1989.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: The Technology Development Group (TDG) was a shareholder in SRC Composites Ltd. (SRC). The Industrial Development Board always conducts a rigorous investigation of inward investment projects and it was in the initial stages of the appraisal of SRC that the decision not to assist the project was taken in the light of Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice. It was therefore not necessary to conduct an in-depth investigation into TDG as part of this project.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 October.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 October.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 23 October.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others including one with the Amir of Kuwait. I also attended the arrival of the President of the Italian Republic, President Cossiga. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be attending the state banquet given by Her Majesty the Queen in honour of President Cossiga.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the increases registered in cancer mortality rates in the London borough of Tower Hamlets since 1985.

The number of deaths from major forms of cancer to residents of the London borough of Tower Hamlets have fluctuated over the years since 1985. The data do not show evidence of an overall upward trend in cancer mortality rates in the borough over these years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to restrict the sale of paracetemol and products containing paracetemol to pharmacies only and to require such products carrying health warnings on the labelling.

No. I am advised that paracetemol in recommended dosage is not harmful to the normal population. There are limits on the strength and pack size of paracetemol products which may be supplied without the supervision of a pharmacist. The labelling of all such products is required by law to show clearly that they contain paracetemol. The recommended dosage is shown with a warning that it should not be exceeded and that if symptoms persist a doctor should be consulted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the number of booked home deliveries in each health authority for each of the last five years;(2) if he will list the number of born before arrival cases for each health authority for each of the last five years.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of legal actions taken against (a) obstetricians, (b) hospital midwives, (c) general practitioners in attendance at birth and (d) community midwives over the last five years.

We do not hold this information centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision each health authority makes for the training of student midwives in home births.

The United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting—UKCC—is responsible for establishing the standards of training necessary for midwives and for ensuring that the standard of midwifery training programmes meet European Community requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the emergency aid currently being given to eastern European countries is from the overseas aid budget for the current year or is in addition to it.

The £500,000 of emergency aid provided to Romania, channelled through WHO, was drawn from the overseas aid budget. Economic assistance to eastern Europe is separate from and additional to the overseas aid budget for developing countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy for targeting aid overseas in such way that it is not wasted and that it is monitored on the ground to allow maximum flexibility.

Each year the Government review overall aid policy, and the direction of multilateral and bilateral country programmes. This process is carried through into regular discussions with recipient countries on their development plans and priorities and on what assistance the United Kingdom is best able to provide. We have developed rigorous and effective systems for project management. All proposals are subject to technical, economic and financial appraisal before funds are committed. Projects are monitored during implementation, and completion reports are prepared. These provide a basis for further evaluation if required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning Chinese supplies of tanks, helicopter gunships, and training of pilots, to the Khmer Rouge.

We are aware that China provides a variety of military hardware to the Cambodian resistance. We have no evidence that the Chinese have supplied helicopters or the associated training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the position of British lorry drivers stranded in Spain by the Spanish drivers' blockade.

The strike is now over and we understand that vehicles are moving freely across the border in both directions. During the strike our consular staff in Spain visited the scene regularly to give general advice and financial assistance to drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he is giving relatives of lorry drivers caught in the French-Spanish blockade; and whether a helpline or information number is available for families.

The strike has now ended and vehicles are moving freely across the border in both directions. During the strike no helpline as such was set up. However, the consular department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was in regular touch with the relatives and employers of the drivers involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the crisis in the Gulf.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs intends to make a statement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will make representations to the Soviet authorities to grant an exit visa to Elena Morgulis of Sverdlovsk so that she can join her husband and son in Israel.

We can certainly raise Mrs. Morgulis's case with the Soviet authorities. We have asked her family to provide further details in order to make our representations most effective.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of the Republic of South Africa regarding the progress towards ending the policy of apartheid.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had constructive discussions on 14 October with President de Klerk which focused on progress towards negotiations on a new constitution for South Africa and a peaceful end to apartheid. My right hon. Friend welcomed recent positive developments in South Africa and expressed the hope that negotiations will begin soon with all parties concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the fourth nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference decisions were discussed at the informal Foreign Ministers Council at Aslo-Venice on 6 and 7 October.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution will be made to the eastern section of Germany, up to the end of 1990, from the European Community PHARE programme on economic assistance to eastern Europe.

The European Community has made available 35 million ecu—£25 million—to the former GDR up to the end of 1990 from the EC PHARE programme. No further PHARE funds will be made available to the former GDR from 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions will be made to environmental protection in eastern Europe under the PHARE programme, following the most recent European Council decision.

From the 1990 PHARE budget of 500 million ecu—£350 million—for economic aid to eastern Europe, a total of 100·5 million ecu—£70 million—has been earmarked for environmental protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average annual increase in earnings, and the increase in inflation in each of the last 10 years.

Average annual increases in earnings in the whole economy and in the retail prices index in the last 10 years are as follows:

	Whole economy average earnings index	Retail prices index
	Percentage increase	Percentage increase
1980	20·7	18·0
1981	12·9	11·9
1982	9·4	8·6
1983	8·4	4·6
1984	6·1	5·0
1985	8·5	6·1
1986	7·9	3·4
1987	7·8	4·2
1988	8·7	4·9
1989	9·1	7·8

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the incidence of industrial-related cancer found in printworkers.

Although some studies in the past have shown an apparent higher risk among printworkers of various cancers, in particular lung cancer, it has not been established that these excess cancers were attributable to occupation. An independent study part funded by the Health and Safety Executive and which is to be published early next year has found no excess risk for bladder cancer and suggests that the excess risk of lung cancer in printworkers apparent early this century has become less evident in recent years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contribution was made by his Department to the European conference on craft businesses and small enterprises held in Avignon on 11 to 14 October.

Three officials from my Department and one from the Office of Arts and Libraries attended this conference, together with 14 representatives of the craft sector in the United Kingdom. The conference was financed by the European Commission with a contribution from the French Government, who hosted the event.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a list of those he has consulted on the proposal for a new EC directive on the protection of pregnant women stating the date on which he sought these views, the date on which the text of the draft directive was made available in English to those being consulted and the date by which responses have to be received; and whether he will make a copy of the draft directive available to hon. Members.

The organisations and individuals consulted were as follows:

• ACAS
• All 24 members of the Advisory Committee on Women's Employment
• Aims of Industry
• Alliance of Small Firms and Self Employed People Ltd
• Allied Bakeries Ltd
• Association of British Chambers of Commerce
• Association of Chief Ambulance Officers
• Association of Chief Police Officers
• Association of County Councils
• Association of Directors of Public Health
• Association of Directors of Recreation & Tourism
• Association of District Councils
• Association of Exhibition Organisers
• Association of Independent Businesses
• Association of Independent Tour Operators
• Association of Metropolitan Authorities
• Automobile Association
• Avon Cosmetics Ltd.
• Barclays Group plc Staff Union
• Barrow-in-Furness Council
• BAT Industries
• Bayer UK Ltd.
• BEC
• BICC plc
• Britannia Airways Ltd.
• British Airways plc
• British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions
• British Broadcasting Corporation
• British Chemical Engineering Contractors Association
• British Coal
• British Computer Society
• British Council
• British Dental Association
• British Gas plc
• British Glass Manufacturing Confederation
• British Hotels, Restaurants and Caterers Association
• British Institute of Management
• British Junior Chamber
• British Medical Association
• British Occupational Hygiene Society/Institute of Occupational Hygienists
• British Oxygen Company
• British Paper and Board Industry Federation
• British Rail
• British Security Industries Association
• British Steel plc
• British Telecommunications plc
• British Tourist Authority/English Tourist Board
• Brook Street London Operations Centre
• Building Employers Confederation
• Building Societies Association
• Business and Professional Women
• Cable and Wireless plc
• Catering Managers Association
• Central Office of the Industrial Tribunals (England and Wales)
• Central Office of the Industrial Tribunals (Scotland)
• Chemical Industries Association Ltd.
• Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association
• Child Poverty Action Group
• Cinema Exhibitors' Association
• Civil Aviation Authority
• Commission for Racial Equality
• Confederation of British Industry
• Contract Cleaning and Maintenance Association
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
• Council of Managerial and Professional Staffs
• Council on Tribunals
• Declan O'Dempsey
• Department of Economic Development, Northern Ireland
• District Nursing Association
• Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and Plumbing Union
• Electricity Association
• Employment Appeal Tribunal
• Engineering Employers Federation
• Equal Opportunities Commission
• Euro Bureau
• Euroinfocentre
• European Information Centre
• Faculty of Advocates
• Fawcett Society
• Federation of Bakers
• Federation of Managerial, Professional & General Associations
• Federation of Medium and Small Employers
• Federation of Recruitment and Employment Services
• Fire Brigades Union
• Food & Drink Federation
• Forum of Private Business
• Freemans plc
• General Council of the Bar
• General Council of British Shipping
• Gingerbread
• Glaxo Holdings plc
• Guild of Cleaners & Launderers
• Hairdressing Training Board
• Halmark Cards
• Health and Safety Commission
• ICI Group HQ
• ICL
• Ilford Ltd
• Incomes Data Services Ltd
• Independent Broadcasting Authority
• Independent Midwives Association
• Independent Television Association
• Industrial Relations Services
• Industrial Society
• Institute of Directors
• Institute of Economic Affairs
• Institute of Employment Rights
• Institute of Management Consultants
• Institute of Personnel Management
• Institute of Radiation Protection
• Institute of Safety & Public Protection
• Institution of Environmental Health Officers
• Institution of Occupational Safety & Health
• Institution of Professionals, Managers & Specialists
• IOH Services Ltd
• John Lewis plc
• John Menzies GB Ltd
• Kodak Ltd
• Kirby College of Further Education
• Labour Relations Agency
• Ladybrook Nursery
• L'Arome (UK) Ltd
• Law Centres Federation
• Law Society
• Law Society of Scotland
• League of Jewish Women
• Linklaters & Paines
• Linton & Hirst Ltd.
• Local Authorities Conditions of Service Advisory Board
• Local Authorities Employers' Organisation
• Logica
• London Boroughs Association
• London Underground Ltd.
• Low Pay Unit
• Lord O'Hagan
• Mr. W. Manser
• Maternity Alliance
• Mebon Ltd.
• Mecca Leisure Ltd.
• Merseyside Chamber of Commerce
• Michelin Tyres plc
• Midland Bank plc
• Nacanco Ltd.
• National Alliance of Women's Organisations
• National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
• National Association of Local Government Women's Committees
• National Association of Master Bakers, Confectioners & Caterers
• National Chamber of Trade
• National Council for Civil Liberties
• National Council for One Parent Families
• National Council of Hotel Associations
• National Council of Women
• National Engineering Construction Employers Association
• National Farmers Union
• National Federation of Retail Newsagents
• National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses Ltd.
• National Licensed Victuallers Association
• National Market Traders' Federation
• National Power plc
• National Union of Journalists
• Nera
• New Ways to Work
• Newspaper Society
• Nicholson Chamberlain Colls Group
• Norton Rose
• Nuclear Electric
• Office of Wages Councils
• Osborne Clarke
• Pannell Kerr & Forster
• People's Dispensary for Sick Animals
• PepsiCo.
• Personal Managers Association
• Pilkington plc
• Police Federation of England and Wales
• Post Office
• Radio Rentals
• RCN Society of Occupational Health Nursing
• Redland Aggregate Ltd
• Reed International
• Retail Consortium
• Richard Shops
• Road Haulage Association
• Robert Dyas Ltd
• Royal Automobile Club
• Royal College of Nursing of the UK
• Royal College of Physicians
• Royal Environmental Health Institution of Scotland
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
• Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
• Scottish Council for Single Parents
• Scottish Courts Administration
• Scottish Grocers' Federation
• Showman's Guild of Great Britain
• Spreechly Bircham
• Society of West End Theatre
• Suttons Seeds Ltd
• Townswomens Guilds
• Trades Union Congress
• TSB Group plc
• The Union of Independent Businesses
• United Cinemas International
• Vine Products and Whiteways
• Welsh Women's Aid
• Whitbreads
• W H Smith Ltd
• Women's National Commission
• Working Mothers Association
• Wyatt Company

The consultation letter was issued on 24 September and organisations were asked to respond by 7 November.The official text of the draft directive is not yet available. An unofficial text was received by my Department on 3 October. A copy has been sent to any organisation on request, and one has now been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if there are any plans to give preferential treatment to training and enterprise councils in depressed areas as a means of aiding economic regeneration.

The level of resources agreed with each training and enterprise council will take account of a variety of factors such as the numbers of young people, levels of unemployment and of working population, past performance and any special needs identified in the TEC's corporate and business plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has of the number of outstanding applications from retired miners who are seeking compensation for their industrial deafness.

This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation; this Department does not keep a record of such figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the next operational safety review team from the International Atomic Energy Agency will visit a British nuclear facility; what is the cost to the United Kingdom nuclear programme of such visits; and if he will make a statement on the operation of OSART to date.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's operational safety and review team—OSART—missions comprise experts drawn from IAEA states, and are designed to subject various features of the operational safety of nuclear power stations to a form of peer review. The United Kingdom commends the valuable contribution which the missions make to improving operational nuclear safety worldwide.An OSART mission visited Nuclear Electric's Oldbury on Severn station in July last year and reported favourably on the operational safety of the station. There are no plans at present for Nuclear Electric to receive a further OSART mission but the matter is being kept under review. However, I understand that the Scottish Office and Scottish Nuclear Ltd. have been exploring the possibility of an OSART mission to Hunterston B, which might take place around 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the Government have plans to review their policy on fitting flue gas desulphurisation equipment to fossil fuel power stations, in the light of the estimate in the ECOTEC report that the detrimental effects of acid rain cost £17 billion.

The Government are committed to the reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions of 60 per cent. against 1980 levels, by the year 2003 set out in the EC large combustion plants directive. Flue gas desulphurisation will play an important part in meeting these reductions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the amount of oil and condensates produced by each platform in the United Kingdom continental shelf for each month since March 1989.

The Department does not record the amounts of oil and condensate production on a platform by platform basis. I have placed in the Library a table showing the amounts of production on a field-by-field basis for each month from March 1989 until August 1990, the latest month for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the rate of exploratory drilling in the North sea and other United Kingdom continental shelf sectors has increased since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; and if he will provide statistics relating to this matter on a monthly basis for the period September 1989 to September 1990.

The table sets out the numbers of exploration wells started in each of the months from September 1989 to September 1990. Although more wells were started in August and September 1990 than in earlier months, this cannot be attributed to the event referred to, since they had been planned well in advance.

	Number
1989
September	11
October	9
November	6
December	12
1990
January	6
February	4
March	11
April	10
May	11
June	14
July	15
August	21
September	19

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many back-dated claims have been granted to claimants of severe disability premium since the Compton ruling; and what is the total amount paid out in back-dated claims thus far.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 15 October 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of claims for war pensions is accepted by his Department.

In the year to 30 June 1990, a total of 73 per cent. of claims for a war disablement pension and 53 per cent. of claims for a war widows pension were accepted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report the proportion of applications to the discretionary fund which were successful, partially successful and unsuccessful for each category of award—CCG, BL, CL—and by those aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 and over but under 25, (c) 25 and over but under 60 and (d) 60 years and over for each of the first two complete years of the fund's operation.

The tables show the proportion of applications that were successful and unsuccessful in 1988–89 and 1989–90.Information on partially successful applications is not separately available, and such cases are included in the successful category. Information is not available on separate age groups under the age of 60 years.

	Percentage successful		Percentage unsuccessful
	1988–89	1989–90	1988–89	1989–90
Budgeting loans
Under 60 years	62	59	38	41
60 years and over	57	42	43	58
Crisis loans
Under 60 years	90	92	10	8
60 years and over	90	89	10	11
Community care grants
Under 60 years	48	40	52	60
60 years and over	65	66	35	34

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentages of income support claimants aged under 60 years are repaying social fund budgeting loans and/or crisis loans by deductions from their benefit payments in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole; and what is the average repayment in terms of a proportion of their income.

The table shows the number of social fund loans being recovered from income support recipients aged under 60 at the end of August 1990 and the percentage of recipients in that age group that the figure represents.

	Number of recoveries	Percentage of income support recipients under 60
Greenock	2,163	19·6
Port Glasgow	1,062	32·4
Strathclyde	57,866	28·2
Scotland	83,681	24·0

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are now held at Haslar prison and of the total, how many are persons seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom.

On 14 October, the latest date for which this information is readily available, there were eight prisoners held at Haslar prison and 91 detainees held under Immigration Act powers. There is no central record of how many of those detained had sought political asylum.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to review the sale of electoral rolls by local authorities to commercial undertakings in the light of experience; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has received any complaints about the sale of electoral rolls to companies;(3) if he has received any evidence suggesting that the sale of electoral rolls is breaching confidentiality and providing some help to criminals.

The Representation of the People Regulations 1986 provide for the publication and supply of the electoral register, including the supply of copies at a prescribed fee. These provisions reflect the fact that the register is a public document which needs to be in wide circulation for electoral purposes; and the conclusion that its use by commercial organisations could not effectively be prevented. I am aware that sale of the register is unpopular with some members of the public, who may not always fully appreciate the reasons for it: we have received a number of complaints on the subject. Since the information contained in the register is already in the public domain, however, sale of the register cannot be held to constitute a breach of confidentiality; and we have no evidence to suggest that the register is used for criminal purposes. There are no current plans for a review of the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many staff are currently employed by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board;(2) what staff increases have occurred in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board since its inception.

The numbers of staff in post each year since the board's inception are given in the table:

	Number
1964–65	11
1965–66	30
1966–67	40
1967–68	58
1968–69	58
1969–70	65
1970–71	65
1971–72	79
1972–73	99
1973–74	99
1974–75	106·5
1975–76	119·5
1976–77	116·5
1977–78	126
1978–79	132·5
1979–80	156·5
1980–81	155
1981–82	163
1982–83	163
1983–84	182
1984–85	189
1985–86	203·5
1986–87	214·5
1987–88	267
1988–89	312
1989–90	332
Present	380·5

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the rate at which the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board resolves cases.

The measures being taken to improve the board's position and performance are fully described in the Government reply (Cm 1153) to the second report from the Home Affairs Committee Session 1989–90 (HC 92).In summary, the 60 extra staff requested by the board have been recruited to the board's Glasgow office; the scheme has been amended to allow for more streamlined decision taking; a major computer project was started in March, and a thorough review of the board's staffing and procedures is under way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time it takes for a case to be considered and resolved by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; and what was the equivalent time in 1984.

Information in this form is not available. Percentages of cases resolved by the board within certain periods of registration are shown in its annual reports, copies of which are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were referred to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in the last 12 months for which records are available and for each of the preceding years going back to 1984.

Applications received by the board in each year ended 31 March since 1984 are as follows:

Year
1984–85	34,900
1985–86	39,700
1986–87	42,300

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of administering the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

The administrative cost of the board in 1989–90 was £9 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons' report into the effectiveness of the prison services policy and procedures for the prevention of suicide and self-injury.

I understand that Judge Tumim aims to submit his report in November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those county councils in Wales that have submitted county and district war plans to date.

County and district war plans have been received from all county councils in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities in Wales have developed emergency control centres; how many staff have been trained in connection with the centres; and what is the total cost of establishment and maintenance and staff training and employment in connection with each emergency control centre.