To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his assessment of the impact on local government expenditure if all the primary and secondary schools now allowed to opt out did so.

The impact would depend on what changes were made to the arrangements for funding grant-maintained schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards special constables; and what have been the difficulties in the implementation of that policy.

Our policy is to encourage chief officers of police to increase the numbers of special constables and to deploy them, after suitable training, on interesting and challenging duties in support of the regular police. Over the past 10 years there has been a decline in the number of special constables, but we hope to redress this through a national publicity campaign starting in 1991 and extending over the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there are at present; how many there have been in each of the past 10 years; and how many there are expected to be over the next five years.

At the end of 1989 there were 15,589 special constables in England and Wales. The numbers enrolled on 31 December of each year from 1980 were as follows:

	Special constables
1980	15,108
1981	14,978
1982	15,160
1983	15,331
1984	16,021
1985	16,161
1986	16,070
1987	16,209
1988	15,788

It is not possible to predict the number of special constables for the next five years but we shall be launching a national publicity campaign in 1991 with the aim of increasing the numbers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants are employed by his Department at each grade; and how many in each grade are women.

The Home Office employs some 42,000 non-industrial staff in more than 150 grades. The information requested is therefore provided in the table by occupational group. Each occupational group comprises staff in a number of grades dealing with similar work.

		Females
Group or class	Total staff	Number	Per cent.
Administration Group	9,189	5,363	58
Cleaners	131	126	96
Immigration Service	2,025	526	26
Instructional Officer Class	1,050	112	11
Medical Officer	227	23	10
Messenger Grades	323	201	62
Paperkeeper Grades	172	123	71
Personal Secretary Class	417	416	99
Prison Officer Grades	3,614	482	13
Prison Service	21,215	1,367	6
Professional and Technical Officer Group	414	10	2
Science Group	661	222	34
Typing Class	814	809	99
Nursing Grades	140	134	96
Reprographics Class	44	30	68
Information Officer Group	36	18	50
Psychologist Class	93	53	57
Other	1,871	274	15
Total	42,436	10,289	24

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the percentage of the prison population, according to latest available figures (a) under the age of 21 years and (b) under the age of 18 years in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) France, (iii) Germany, (iv) Italy, (v) Spain and the Republic of Ireland, (vi) Belgium, (vii) Denmark, (viii) Greece, (ix) Luxembourg, (x) the Netherlands and (xi) Portugal.

The information requested is published twice a year by the Council of Europe in its prison information bulletin. The latest information, for 1 September 1988, is given in the table and appears in table 1 of issue No. 12, a copy of which is held in the Library. The information for Denmark and West Germany is not available. The proportion of the prison population aged under 21 in England and Wales has subsequently fallen to 21 per cent. on 31 August 1990.An article on "International comparisons of prison populations" by Collier and Tarling (Home Office research bulletin No. 23, pages 48 to 54) showed that the figures for different countries are unlikely to be strictly comparable because the definitions of prisons and prisoners vary from one country to another, reflecting different legal and administrative systems. Examples of differences in the definitions are the inclusion or exclusion in a country's figures of juvenile offenders and mentally disordered offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to bring in legislation to make it a criminal offence for men to rape their wives.

The Law Commission is reviewing the law in this area in conjunction with its work on domestic violence. I understand that it plans to publish a consultation paper next month. We shall consider any final recommendations the Law Commission may make.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations in writing he has received (a) criticising, (b) opposing or expressing reservations and (c) supporting his announcement on 4 September that the Government intend to ask the Commons to overturn amendments to the Broadcasting Bill passed by the House of Lords concerning the inclusion in the quality threshold documentaries of programmes with an educational purpose and social action programmes; and if he will list the persons and organisations from whom representations were received.

I have been asked to reply.By Tuesday 23 October 1990 the Home Office and the Office of Arts and Libraries had received about 120 representations from members of the public or organisations urging us not to seek to reverse these amendments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to report his conclusions and recommendation on the consultation on possible changes in time to produce daylight saving.

The views expressed in response to the Green Paper "Summer Time—A Consultation Document" (Cm 722) disclosed a considerable difference of opinion in the United Kingdom. The Government have not yet reached a decision on what further action might be taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total policing costs arising from the Conservative party conference in Bournemouth; and what proportion of the cost will be met by the local authorities in Bournemouth.

I understand from the chief constable of Dorset that the additional costs of policing the 1990 Conservative party conference in Bournemouth were estimated at £2 million. The additional costs of policing will be met by the Dorset police authority. Under the normal police funding arrangements, the Government contribute both directly through police grant—which is at 51 per cent.—and indirectly through revenue support grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what approaches he has made to the International Maritime Organisation, Lloyd's of London, or other similar insurance markets concerning minimum safety standards of construction and operation of roll-on roll-off ferries or similar ships and where details of such communications may be found; if he will consider setting a date by which a programme of rising standards can be applied to all such ships arriving at or departing from British ports; and if he will make a statement.

Amendments to the international convention for the safety of life at sea 1974, proposed by the United Kingdom in 1987—concerning safety standards for the construction and operation of ro-ro ferries are now in force. In addition, my Department is urgently seeking agreement at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to higher residual stability standards for existing ferries. The standard proposed is that which came into force earlier this year for new passenger ships. The time scale for implementation within the proposed amendment is three years. I will place copies of the paper to IMO in the House Library.Approaches to improve ferry safety have also been made to our near European maritime neighbours.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list his Department's statutory responsibilities to overview and control the operations of British Rail trains especially those concerning their (a) safety, (b) availability of proper accommodation, (c) cleanliness and (d) punctuality.

The responsibility for running a safe and efficient railway is placed by statute on British Rail. The Secretary of State has powers under the Regulation of Railways Act 1871, the Road and Rail Traffic Act 1933 and level crossing enactments, relating to the approval and inspection of new works and to the investigation of accidents.The Secretary of State sets British Rail three-year objectives covering financial performance and quality of service on a non-statutory basis, and the Department monitors BR's performance on these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now initiate an inquiry into the loss of MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.

A formal investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire took place between October 1987 and March 1988.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 decide whether or not the formal investigation should be reopened.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is now taking to assist the families bereaved after the loss of the MV Derbyshire.

I have no plans to offer financial assistance to the dependants of those who were lost in the MV Derbyshire tragedy in 1980.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 23 October to the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, North, what instructions he has given to local authorities about the depositing of pipes and cables in common ducts; and for what reasons intermittent digging of streets for pipes and cables by a variety of statutory undertakers is permitted.

None. It is for local highway authorities to determine whether or not it is feasible or desirable to provide common ducts below streets. The powers of statutory undertakers to break open streets are governed by the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950, which contains no requirement on highway authorities or undertakers to co-ordinate their digging up of streets. This is a matter we intend to put right in the proposed legislation to implement the recommendations of the Horne report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what he estimates to be the cost to local authorities of failing to implement the powers granted to them for rationalising the laying of pipes and cables below ground.

It is not possible to make any such estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether a work permit was issued to Mr. Patrick Sheri to allow him to perform in the production of "Land of Dreams" broadcast on BBC television on 8 August; and if he will make a statement.

A work permit was not issued in respect of this performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to fund the development of the new test which identifies women at greatest risk of osteoporosis.

The Department of Health has commissioned a critical review of screening techniques for detecting osteoporosis. We hope to have the results next year. I understand that the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the Department of Education and Science, funds research into biochemical screening techniques for identifying women at greatest risk of osteoporosis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all land sales approved by his Department by North East Thames regional health authority for each of the last 10 years.

The Department's approval is not needed for land sales carried out by regional health authorities and the information requested is not held in the Department. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of North East Thames RHA for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the finances he proposes to make available to local authorities in England in each year of his timetable for the implementation of those parts of the National Health Service and Community Care Act that relate to the development of community-based care for elderly and disabled people.

For details of the finance to be made available to local authorities for phase 1 of the implementation of our community care proposals in 1991–92, I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State made on 18 July at columns 999–1014. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment expects to make an announcement shortly on the local authority grant settlement which will include proposals for standard spending assessments for personal social services. Decisions on resources for phases 2 and 3 will be taken in the appropriate public expenditure survey years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out his timetable for the implementation of those parts of the National Health Service and Community Care Act that relate to the development of community-based care for elderly and disabled people in England.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State made on 18 July at columns 999–1014.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will issue guidelines to the medical profession relating to the interpretation of the clause added to the Abortion Bill about the termination of pregnancies where there may be grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or where there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.

The category of

"substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped"

is one of the grounds for abortion in the Abortion Act 1967. The application of that test is, and will remain, a matter of clinical judgment for decision by the two doctors who are required under the Act to form their opinion in good faith. That will also be the case for the new ground

"to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman",

a form of words already specified as a ground for abortion in the emergency provisions in section 1(4) of the 1967 Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any proposals to amend local authority regulations concerning the treatment of capital of residents of local authority residential homes to bring them into line with similar regulations for the payment of income support.

The White Paper, "Caring for People", makes it clear that our intention is to align the local authority charging rules for residential care with those for the treatment of resources, both income and capital, under the income support scheme. The details of the alignment have yet to be worked out.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the finances he proposes to make available to local authorities in Wales in each year of his timetable for the implementation of those parts of the National Health Service and Community Care Act that relate to the development of community-based care for elderly and disabled people in Wales.

The cost of implementing the first stage of the changes in 1991–92 has been taken into account in the figures for the revenue support grant settlement announced in July. The indicative amount for local authority expenditure on personal social services will be announced later in the year, along with the level of specific grant for community care training and support purposes. In addition, central expenditure of £330,000 is planned for 1991–92 for the continuation of demonstration projects on assessment and care management begun in 1990–91 with a similar level of central expenditure.The allocation of earmarked central resources in respect of bids for schemes to promote more flexible forms of community care for elderly people and those with physical or sensory disabilities will be announced in January 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out his timetable for the implementation of those parts of the National Health Service and Community Care Act that relate to the development of community-based care for the elderly and disabled people in Wales.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 18 July and the detailed programme of implementation sent to him under cover of the Department's letter of 10 September—a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the London Docklands development corporation has spent on infrastructure in the area of the Royal Docks since its inception; and how much further it is committed to spend.

The London Docklands development corporation has spent from 1981 to the end of September 1990 £222 million on infrastructure in the royal docks area. A further £28 million is committed. The corporation is also funding the DLR Beckton extension estimated to cost £248 million, most of which falls in the royal docks area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the memorandum of agreement between the London Docklands development corporation and the Newham borough council has been carried out; and what remains to be carried out.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 5 April 1990 by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) at column 777.Over £26 million has now been spent on the projects which were listed in that reply.Of the projects originally identified as possible in the memorandum, 12 have been completed or started, or will start this financial year and two are contingent on the content of future development yet to be determined.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much is in the budget of the London Docklands development corporation for the community services division for the current year; and what it has been in each of the last five years.

The current budget for the community services division in the financial year 1990–91 is £27 million.The community services division has existed only since 1988. However, expenditure on community projects in the last five years is as follows:

	£ million
1989–90	144
1988–89	9
1987–88	5
1986–87	4
1985–86	4
1 This figure includes £19·8 million for the development of over 400 new homes by a consortium of housing associations at Winsor Park.

LDDC's major transport programme is also of substantial benefit to local communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the development of new golf courses.

Proposals for the development of new golf courses fall to be considered under normal planning policies. The draft planning policy guidance note on sport and recreation issued on 16 October indicates that sites for recreational use—which could in suitable circumstances include golf courses—may in some areas of the urban fringe act as an important buffer between agricultural and urban uses to protect crops from damage.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that the needs of conservation are taken into account when considering developments in river estuaries.

The majority of our estuaries encompass areas that are important for nature conservation and which are protected as sites of special scientific interest. Those with the most important bird interest are either designated, or under consideration for designation, as special protection areas under the EEC birds directive. The Department's circular 27/87 advises local planning authorities to take full account of the nature conservation importance of all these areas when considering development proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total cost of employing the two consulting firms, Watson Hawksley and Rofe, Kennard and Lapworth, to assist the drinking water inspectorate by carrying out inspections of 17 water supply companies.

The drinking water inspectorate is currently negotiating consultancy commissions for inspections beyond those already announced. For commercial reasons, it would not be appropriate to reveal costs while negotiations are proceeding.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which water companies in southern England have not so far imposed a ban on the use of hosepipes during the current year.

The following water companies in southern England (Bristol to The Wash) have not so far this year imposed a ban on the use of hosepipes in any part of their supply areas:

• The Bournemouth and District Water Company,
• Cambridge Water Company,
• Cholderton and District Water Company Limited,
• East Anglian Water Company,
• Portsmouth Water plc,
• Tendring Hundred Waterworks Company,
• Wessex Water Services Limited and
• West Hampshire Water Company.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which water companies in southern England draw all or most of their supplies from rivers rather than from reservoirs or other sources.

The following water companies in southern England (Bristol to The Wash) draw most of their supplies direct from rivers rather than from reservoirs or other sources:

• The Bournemouth and District Water Company,
• East Anglian Water Company,
• North Surrey Water Company and
• West Hampshire Water Company.

Rivers do, of course, feed reservoirs to varying degrees.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have been on the homelessness register in the borough of Congleton in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Local authorities report the number of households accepted and found accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and the Housing Act 1985.The available figures for Congleton borough council are as follows:

	Households
1980	43
1981	45
1982	32
1983	42
1984	57
1985	57
1986	154
1987	49
1988	61
1989	64
1 Estimated from HIP1 return.

The information is published quarterly (half-yearly before 1985) in "Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales", which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated levels of capitalallocation to London boroughs in 1990–91 by the London residuary body.

The London residuary body has recently indicated that it does not expect to make a general distribution of capital receipts to London boroughs in 1990–91. The total sum previously distributed is £486 million. There will, however, be a special distribution to inner London boroughs in 1990–91 to reimburse them for certain items of educational expenditure inherited from the abolished ILEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will accept a nomination from the Association of London Authorities for membership of the London residuary body; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is always prepared to consider suggestions for appointment but he sees no need at present to make further new appointments to the London residuary body.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the expected publication date of the 1989–90 annual report of the London residuary body.

The London residuary body expects to publish its annual report and accounts for 1989–90 shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was given in grants by local authorities to historic houses in each of the last five years: and how many houses were involved.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the loss of wildlife earlier this year on beaches between Portreath and Newquay; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 17 October 1990]: I have no information of unusual losses of wildlife in the area this year. We know of 28 strandings over the past 12 months; three of which are broadly in the Portreath/Newquay area.The one individual found in that area that has had a post mortem was obviously young, but suffering from severe parasitic infestation and wasting of the muscles, although (as is often the case) no obvious cause of death had been established. Samples suitable for contaminant analysis have been taken from this individual.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what weight of hydrocarbons is released to the atmosphere during a typical hour's operation of platemaking and photographical processes in printworks; and what regulations exist to control such atmospheric discharges.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: Total annual emissions of hydrocarbons—measured as volatile organis compounds (VOCs)—from the printing and ink manufacturing industry are estimated at 41,000 tonnes per year. Disaggregated hourly data for the processes specified are not available.Should such processes cause statutory nuisance, they are controlled by local authorities under part III of the Public Health Act 1936. In future, subject to the approval of the Environmental Protection Bill, we intend to schedule those printing works with the greatest pollution potential for control under the new air pollution control regime proposed in part I of the Bill.The United Kingdom is taking a leading part within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which is preparing a protocol on VOCs. This will lead to cuts in emissions from all sources.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what volumes of toxic effluent are discharged each hour from a typical printworks; and what regulations exist to control such discharges.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: Information on discharges from printworks is not held centrally. The registers held by the National Rivers Authority contain discharge consent conditions for individual works and these will include those for volume.Consents for discharges to sewer are granted by sewerage undertakers under the Public Health (Drainage of Trade Premises) Act 1937, and for discharges to controlled waters by the National Rivers Authority under the Water Act 1989. An application to discharge a prescribed substance into a sewer must be referred by the sewerage undertaker to the Secretary of State under the Trade Effluents (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1989, as amended. If an EC list I dangerous substance is discharged into controlled waters, the National Rivers Authority must set a consent consistent with its obligations under the Surface Waters (Dangerous Substances) (Classification) Regulations 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what matters in regard to the mitigation of global warming were discussed at the European Environment Council in Luxembourg on 4 October.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: No such meeting took place—the next meeting of the Environment Council is on 29 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any reports from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the levels of toxic pollution measurable in London docklands since January 1985.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: I have received no reports from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) on toxic pollution in London docklands. HMIP has no statutory role in regulating toxic waste on land.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the environmental and human consequences of fighting a fire with the chemical Halon 1301.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: Halon 1301 is a powerful ozone-depleting chemical and an effective fire-fighting agent of low toxicity. Under the Montreal protocol halon production and consumption will be cut by 50 per cent. by 1995 and phased out by 2000 except for a limited number of essential uses, to be decided internationally by 1993 and kept under review thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment where the drinking water inspectorate officer responsible for the Northern region is based.

[holding answer 24 October 1990]: Responsibility within the drinking water inspectorate for the English regions has not been assigned to individual inspectors. All inspectors are based in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many road accidents there were, both fatal and non-fatal, in each of the years 1984 to 1989 inclusive; and how many involved drivers aged under 24 years.

The information requested is as follows:

	Reported personal injury accidents		Reported personal injury accidents involving at least one driver aged under 24
	Fatal	Non-fatal	Fatal	Non-fatal
1984	537	19,437	197	8,884
1985	550	20,094	223	8,797
1986	537	19,281	218	8,082
1987	517	18,140	183	7,540
1988	499	18,596	211	7,667
1989	496	20,112	180	8,442

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research his Department has commissioned into the decline of sea trout stocks in Scottish waters.

Studies of sea trout by scientists from the DAFS freshwater fisheries laboratory at Pitlochry have concentrated on areas in the north-west of Scotland where catches of sea trout appear to have fallen sharply in 1989. Work so far has included detailed sampling of sea trout fisheries in Loch Hope, Loch Maree, Achiltibuie, Loch Shiel, Loch Morar, Loch Eilt and a group of lochs in Skye with analysis of the size, age, sex composition of the catches and, where possible, of mature fish in the spawning burns. Surveys of juvenile distribution and abundance, including the physical and chemical evaluation of habitats, have also been undertaken in burns flowing into Lochs Hope, Maree and Eilt.The preliminary results of this work suggest that, as in the west of Ireland, growth and survival rates in fresh water are within the normal range. This points to lower survival rates at sea as the primary reason for the lower number of returning adult sea trout.The reasons for apparently poorer marine survival are not yet clear. Sea trout at sea, or returning to estuaries, are now being sampled to evaluate their overall condition, diet and status in terms of disease and parasites. It is too early yet to draw any conclusions from this work or the other continuing studies in north-west Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dentists operating national health service schemes for their patients have now changed to private practice only; and how many people who cannot afford private dental services have been affected by this change (a) in Greater Glasgow, (b) in Strathclyde and (c) in Scotland.

The information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Dental Association of Scotland; and if he discussed the increasing numbers of dentists refusing to operate National Health Service schemes.

Officials of the Scottish Home and Health Department met the Scottish General Dental Services Committee of the British Dental Association on 13 June 1990, to discuss the new contract for general dental practitioners. On 12 July 1990 the British Dental Association agreed that the new contract would be introduced on 1 October 1990, and that the proposals were in the best interests of patients, dentists and dentistry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of junior doctors in the Scottish national health service were working, on average, more than 70 hours weekly, for each year since 1980.

Information on the hours worked by junior doctors is not collected centrally, but just over 82 per cent. of junior doctors were contracted to work more than 70 hours weekly at 30 September 1989–1989 is the first year for which such information is available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan, Official Report, 16 October, column 805, if he will list all steps taken to improve the working arrangements for junior doctors in Scotland and especially their working hours arrangements.

In 1983 regular rotas more onerous than one night and one weekend on duty in two were banned. In 1985 guidance was issued to health boards on arrangements designed to minimise the occasions when doctors in hard-pressed specialties were required to work rotas more onerous than one in two when covering for absent colleagues. In 1989 we introduced measures aimed at eliminating rotas more onerous than one night and one weekend in three.A working party, set up by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health, is currently considering at national level how further improvements in junior doctors' working arrangements may be achieved. We are represented on that working party. Meantime we have asked boards to keep all onerous rotas under continuous review and to eliminate them as soon as circumstances permit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's new initiatives to prevent further increases in the number of people suffering from heart disease in Scotland.

The consultation document "Health Education in Scotland: A National Policy Statement", which I launched on 9 October, identified coronary heart disease as a national priority for health education and set out our target of reducing mortality from heart disease for people under age 65 by 25 per cent. by the year 2000.A twin strategy involving both an individual and a population approach is proposed. The individual strategy envisages family doctors identifying people who are at risk, thus enabling appropriate counselling or necessary treatment to be provided. The population strategy consists of promoting, at national and local levels, the positive life style approach and in particular the aspects of healthy eating, non-smoking and exercise. National campaigns will be undertaken by the Health Education Board, which will replace the Scottish Health Education Group on 1 April 1991, and will be complemented by action at local level by health boards and voluntary organisations.Premature deaths from coronary heart disease in Scotland declined by 17 per cent. between 1980 and 1988 and the enhanced health education effort now proposed will facilitate further progress towards the target I have set.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times the Greater Glasgow health board has moved its head office during the last three years; what has been the total cost involved in these moves; what was the cost of obtaining, fitting out, equipping and stone cleaning 112 Ingram street; and what was the cost of transferring the accounts, finance and wages departments from Ingram street to other premises.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: Greater Glasgow health board has made only one major relocation of its head office in the past three years.The total cost was £1·25 million; this includes a cost to the board of £0·62 million for work at Ingram street and of £0·46 million for transferring certain departments. The changes will release savings of £2·9 million on revenue expenditure from January 1989 to June 1992. These savings will be used to improve patient care for the population of Greater Glasgow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will launch an independent investigation into the influence of major firms on audit policy making;

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 5 April at column 804.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list all statutory provisions relating to the making of audit policy by the Auditing Practices Committee.

The Auditing Practices Committee is established by CCAB Ltd., a company registered under the Companies Act, whose shareholders are the chartered bodies of accountants. The committee's activities are therefore not founded on statutory provisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to introduce legislation to require auditors to actively satisfy themselves that a company is a going concern.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to his questions on 5 March at column 413, 27 March at column 125 and 2 April at column 399.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing how many of Britain's top 100 companies are audited by firms criticised by his Department's inspectors.

The hon. Member is already aware of the auditing firms criticised in inspectors' reports published since June 1979 (Official Report, 19 December 1989, column 139 and 21 February 1990, column 789). In addition two reports were published on 29 August 1990:

Name of Company	Name of Accountants
Minet Holdings pic	Black, Geoghegan and Till.
WMD Underwriting Agencies Limited.	Josolyne Layton-Bennett and Co.
	Arthur Young McClelland Moores and Co.
Alexander Howden Holdings pic.	Josolyne Layton-Bennett and Co.
	de Paula Turner Lake and Co.
	Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co., Bermuda.
	Arthur Young McClelland Moores and Co.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she will provide a list showing the number of accountancy firm partners which have been barred from practising as a result of criticisms in the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors' reports.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 26 March at column 25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to introduce legislation to enable individual shareholders to sue company auditors for negligence.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his question on 26 February at column 15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes any changes in industrial development policy following the United Kingdom's entry into the exchange rate mechanism.

I have no plans to make changes in our policies towards industry because of ERM entry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, arising from the Caparo case, he intends to propose any amendments to company law.

We have no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to introduce legislation to require all public companies to publish profit forecasts.

The Companies Act 1985 requires that the directors' report shall contain an indication of the likely future developments in the business of the company and of its subsidiary undertakings. While it is open to directors to include profit forecasts in their report, I have no plans to extend the existing statutory requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry.

Ministers and officials of my Department keep in touch with the CBI on a wide range of business matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the head of the Post Office; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met the chairman of the Post Office, Sir Bryan Nicholson, on 26 September. They discussed various matters of mutual interest and concern.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the head of the Royal Mail; what matters were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met the managing director of the Royal Mail, Mr. Bill Cockburn, on 2 October. They discussed various matters of mutual interest and concern.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to oppose the Arab trade boycott of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. As I made clear in my recent speech to the CBI conference on Israel, Her Majesty's Government are opposed to and deplore all trade boycotts that lack international support and authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the 1988 figures on the causes and consequences of accidents in the home were due to be published; when he now intends to publish them; and if he will give the reasons for the delay.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: The 12th report of the home accident surveillance system (HASS) covering 1988 data is expected to be published in November 1990, which is later than projected. A number of factors have contributed to delay, principally the extension of the system to cover leisure accidents in order to collect data that can be supplied to the European Commission for the EHLASS (European home and leisure accident surveillance system) demonstration project. The introduction of leisure accident surveillance into HASS has required extensive and complex changes to the computer system handling HASS data. Work is well advanced to replace the current HASS computer system to ensure these problems do not recur in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the performance of major high street retailing companies since 1987, and on their prospects in the next 12 months.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: The performance of the retail sector as a whole is clearly influenced by developments in the economy generally. But the performance of individual retailers depends on the extent to which they meet the needs of their customers. This will no doubt continue to be the case in the next 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the members, and their affiliations, of the British Overseas Trade Board and of the Overseas Projects Board.

[holding answer 24 October 1990]: The information sought is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he proposes to take to eradicate giant hogweed in Northern Ireland.

The Departments of the Environment and of Agriculture have co-operated to produce a leaflet which gives advice to landowners on the problem of giant hogweed and its control. Control and eradication is a matter for landowners and occupiers on whose land the plant is growing. Copies of the leaflet are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether giant hogweed is listed as a weed which landowners should destroy; what advice has been given to landowners as to the most successful methods of destruction; and whether he has published a list of weedkillers which can be used with success on this plant.

Giant hogweed is not listed in any Northern Ireland legislation as a weed which landowners shall destroy. The Departments of Agriculture and of the Environment have jointly published a leaflet entitled, "Giant Hogweed: The Problem and its Control", copies of which have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to the areas of Northern Ireland where giant hogweed is known to grow.

The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has no detailed information on the occurrence of giant hogweed. Its distribution tends to be localised on river banks and lake sides. It is found mostly in the south of Northern Ireland and in particular along the banks of the Rivers Bann, Lagan, Ballinderry and Blackwater.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate the number of hip replacement operations in each of the past three years, indicating the number of patients from each board area and by operating hospital.

The information held centrally for each of the last three years for which figures are available is set out in the table. It is likely however that these figures understate the true level of activity at Musgrave Park hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what information is available to indicate the number of hip replacement operations by hospital in each of the past three years which followed private consultations;(2) what information is available to indicate the number of hip replacement operations which were done privately in each of the last three years in national health service hospitals.

The information requested is not collected and held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to indicate current waiting lists for hip replacement operations.

The information requested is as follows:

EHSSB (Musgrave Park Hospital)	—	589
WHSSB (Altnagelvin Hospital)	—	203
NHSSB (Coleraine Hospital)	—	20

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any assessment has been made of the number of renal patients who would benefit from erthropoetin; and how many are currently receiving it.

No detailed assessment has been made but medical opinion suggests that up to half of the 160 patients receiving dialysis treatment in Northern Ireland would benefit from erthropoetin; 48 are currently receiving it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what kidney dialysis facilities exist in the Province; and whether there are any plans for opening a unit in (a) Coleraine and (b) Londonderry.

The main renal unit at the Belfast City hospital provides dialysis services for the whole of the Province and is supported by a satellite dialysis unit at Tyrone county hospital, Omagh. There are no plans at present for a unit in either Coleraine or Londonderry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many consultant nephrologists are employed in the Northern Ireland health service; and what is the ratio of nephrologists to kidney patients.

There are four consultant nephrologists in Northern Ireland. Information on their work load is not collected and the ratio cannot be calculated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many organ donor cards have been distributed in the Province; and what consideration has he given to having them countersigned by next of kin and placing the names of all card-carriers on a computer available to all intensive therapy units.

About 125,000 organ donor cards are distributed each year in the Province and arrangements have been made for a donor card section to be included in the new form of driving licence due to be introduced from 1 January next year. Consideration is also being given to a range of initiatives aimed at increasing the supply of donor organs including computerisation of the names of card-carriers and improvements to the existing donor card.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate by denomination the number of coins in circulation in the United Kingdom.

The estimated number of coins in circulation in the United Kingdom, by denomination, at 31 March 1990 is:

Denomination	Coins (million)
£1	911
50p	676
20p	1,295
l0p	1,510
5p	2,320
2p	3,500
1P	5,600

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the likely increased revenue in corporation tax paid by oil companies as a result of a $1 per barrel increase in the price of oil over a year.

It is estimated that extra corporation tax receipts from the North sea from a sustained increase in the oil price of $1 per barrel would be about £50 million in a full year assuming no change in the exchange rate or in company spending in the North sea.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate how many seals there are in the North sea and what effect they have on fish stocks.

It is estimated that there are approximately 55,000 seals in the North sea. At present, there are no definitive data available as to the exact mix of the many fish species in the North sea, both of commercial and non-commercial interest, in the diet of seals and any local variations and the consequent effect seals have on fish stocks. Both the Scottish Office and this Department have commissioned research on the diet and foraging behaviour of certain seal colonies.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on a worldwide ban on sea dumping by 1995; what discussions he has had regarding the proposal for such a ban by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden at the forthcoming London dumping convention; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's policy has been to terminate dumping at sea of liquid industrial wastes and flyash in the United Kingdom as environmentally acceptable practicable alternatives on land become available. The United Kingdom will be seeking at the meeting of the London dumping convention next week to clarify the implications of the proposal made for a global ban on industrial waste dumping.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts of Germany, France, the Benelux countries and Italy in order to sign the agreement to (a) remove all checks of people travelling across the borders with those countries and (b) establish closer police and judicial co-operation with them.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary holds regular discussions with his counterparts from all European Community member states on matters relating to free movement of people in the Community. We have no plans to join the Schengen arrangements, but are committed to closer police and judicial co-operation with all our partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to propose closer and improved economic and cultural co-operation with Latin American democratic countries at the next meeting of the European Council in Rome.

We support closer ties between the European Community and Latin America. I have written to the Italian Foreign Minister proposing ways to strengthen the relationship through increased trade liberalisation in the context of the GATT round. A meeting between Foreign Ministers of the Community and Latin America countries on 20 December will provide a further opportunity to discuss improved co-operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will countermand the embargo imposed by British Electricity International Ltd., on the overseas trading decision of National Power, on trade with Israel, in compliance with the Arab trade boycott on Israel; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be appropriate for me to interfere in the running by National Power and British Electricity International of their businesses. Decisions on overseas trade are a matter for them. The Government are opposed to and deplore all trade boycotts that lack international support and authority. This is clearly stated in written guidance by the Department of Trade and Industry. My Department is drawing the attention of National Power and British Electricity International to this guidance, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.