To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his Department's contribution to the National Rivers Authority budget for next year; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 14 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis), Official Report, Vol. 180, column 156.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number and location of toxic waste sites that are known to contain benzine.

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Authority	Number of people who have made a payment in respect of a personal community charge by 30 September 1990	Number of people liable who have not made a payment in respect of a personal community charge by 30 September 1990	Percentage making some payment
Coventry	189,403	41,693	82·0
Dudley	208,161	26,281	88·8
Sandwell	189,119	33,374	85·0
Solihull	158,100	16,315	90·6
Walsall	168,842	28,851	85·4

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities levy the standard charge for the poll tax at (a) zero, (b) one half, (c) one, (d) one and a half and (e) two times the personal charge for the area.

Local authorities have the discretion to levy different multiples of the personal charge on different classes of unoccupied property. Information on the highest multiplier set on any class of property in an authority's area has been derived from returns by local authorities and is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing action trusts have been accepted and how many are in being.

No housing action trusts have so far been established. Discussions are proceeding with the council and tenants in the London borough of Waltham Forest and Hull city council is consulting tenants about the council's proposal for a housing action trust for the North Hull estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of the consultants' fees for the Government's housing action trust programme to the end of October.

At 31 October 1990 the following amounts had been spent on consultancies related to housing action trust proposals: Tower Hamlets, £182,000; Lambeth, £182,000; Southwark, £1,411,000; Sandwell, £191,000; Leeds, £161,000; Sunderland, £667,000; and Waltham Forest, £129,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his answer to the honourable Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson), Official Report, 14 November, column 562, he will list for each authority in the west midlands the numbers of adults on the poll tax register and the percentage, at the latest available date, who (a) have begun paying the poll tax and (b) are now seriously in arrears.

The available information obtained from returns to the Department is given in the table. No information is available on the numbers seriously in arrears.

Highest multiplier set	Number of charging authorities
0	16
0·5	0
1	33
1·5	5
2	300
1—	12
1Not known.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish tables for each charging authority in England in receipt of safety net grant, classified by political control and the amount to be withdrawn, in (a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93, expressed both in £ million and £ per head;

[holding answer 19 November 1990]: The revenue support grant transition report (England) sets out the adjustments made to the revenue support grant in 1990–91 as a result of the safety net. As announced in October 1989, there will be no contributions in 1991–92 when the safety net is replaced by area protection grant financed by the Exchequer.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has proposed that, in each charging authority, area protection grant in 1991–92 should be no more than £25 per adult less than the combined 1990–91 benefit of the safety net and low rateable value areas grant.I have today placed in the Library a table showing, in £ million and £ per adult, 1990–91 safety net adjustments plus low rateable value areas grant and 1991–92 proposed levels of area protection grant. The table also indicates the political control of the charging authority as at May 1990. Most areas are served by more than one local authority and the political control of other authorities may not be the same as that of the charging authority.The table shows among other things that charge payers in Conservative authorities are contributing £354 million to the safety net this year; and that charge payers in Labour authorities will receive £409 million in 1991–92.Under current proposals a further £25 per adult of 1991–92 area protection grant will be withdrawn in 1992–93—or the whole of the grant where this is less than £25. The amount withdrawn in £ millions will depend on the 1992–93 adult population.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the United Kingdom plans to increase its contribution to the United Nations Environment Programme's environment fund in 1991.

The Department's spending plans for 1991–92 include provision for a contribution of £4 million to the environment fund of the United Nations Environment Programme, £1 million more than our contribution in 1990. This will be the second successive annual increase in the United Kingdom's contribution to the fund. These increased contributions reflect our commitment to the important work which UNEP is

	Nursery Schools			Nursery Classes
	Number	1Pupils	2Participation rate per cent.	3Number	1Pupils	2Participation rate per cent.
Bolton	5	485	6·4	44	2,300	30·3
Bury	2	166	3·6	25	1,079	23·5
Manchester	7	536	4·1	138	6,618	50·5
Oldham	—	—	—	46	2,174	34·0
Rochdale	8	922	14·6	17	928	14·7
Salford	18	851	14·2	71	2,289	38·2
Stockport	9	796	10·6	10	404	5·4
Tameside	4	332	5·5	41	2,077	34·6
Trafford	—	—	—	20	1,078	19·3
Wigan	2	176	2·1	30	1,962	23·6

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the amount of specific funds that have not been allocated to local education authorities for the training of educational psychologists out of the sum which was made available.

The local education authority training grants scheme—LEATGS—for 1990–91 included support for up to £2·8 million of expenditure on the initial training of educational psychologists. Local authorities have requested and been allocated support for spending of some £2·5 million on such training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average cost of administration per pupil in (a) the Essex local education authority, (b) all local education authorities and (c) those local education authorities which comprise the group of authorities which contains Essex.

The average budgeted cost of central administration per pupil, as reported in its local management of schools annual budget statement for 1990–91, is £69 in Essex. This is calculated by dividing the figure on the statement by the number of pupils attending maintained schools in Essex on 18 January 1990. On the same basis, the average cost of central administration per pupil in the 36 shire counties for which a statement is available is £66. The coverage of the central administration figure in the statements differs between authorities. It is not possible to give a comparable national figure because authorities without schemes for the local management of schools are not obliged to publish this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the scope, extent and cost of nursery education in each of the boroughs of Greater Manchester.

Information on the cost of this provision is not available centrally. The boroughs' provision for nursery education in January 1989 was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what his policy is towards institutions of further and higher education imposing fees for courses of study previously covered by grants.

The Government have no plans to change the present arrangements whereby standard tuition fees are met from public funds for students qualifying for a mandatory award. However, actual tuition fee levels are properly for individual institutions to set.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will accept the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council that art, music and physical recreation should be retained as compulsory subjects in the national curriculum for pupils up to the age of 16 years; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is considering the curriculum framework for 14 to 16-year-olds in the light of the National Curriculum Council's advice. He will make his views known as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the annual report of the Agricultural and Food Research Council for 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

The annual report of the Agricultural and Food Research Council has been submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend under the requirements of the Science and Technology Act 1965, and a copy is being placed before the House today.I was especially interested to read in the report about the success of Dr. Michael Berridge in winning the Albert Lasker medical research award for AFRC-sponsored work on molecular signalling; about the establishment of the AFRC centre for genome research at the university of Edinburgh; and about the work on anti-sense genes in fruit being funded at Nottingham university. I was pleased to read that the council has developed a £1·8 million research grants scheme to support younger research workers at an early stage of their career, and to learn of the council's success in attracting a total of £1·4 million from European Community funds for its work.My right hon. and learned Friend and I congratulate the council on these and other achievements. We look forward to reading about further progress, under the council's new chairman, in next year's report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on student numbers in polytechnics in 1990–91.

Provisional figures for the 1990–91 academic year published today by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics show a 10·6 per cent. increase in the numbers of full-time and sandwich students in polytechnics compared with last year, and a 3·6 per cent. increase in the number of part-time students.I very much welcome this dramatic increase in the numbers of young people in higher education in polytechnics. I look forward to this success being repeated in the next few years. The Government's policy is aimed at ensuring that an even higher proportion of our young people should receive good-quality higher and further education.Polytechnics and colleges have clearly been encouraged in their recruitment decisions by the first stage of shift in the balance of public funding of higher education to tuition fees introduced by the Government for 1990–91. For every additional student enrolled beyond the plans announced last year, institutions will receive £1,675 compared with only £607 in 1989–90. In 1991–92, when differentiated fees are introduced, the average tuition fee in the sector will be nearly £2,200.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current cost of the road programme for which he is responsible within the Metropolitan borough of Stockport.

The figure is £112 million. This excludes that part of the proposed Manchester airport eastern link road within the borough for which costs are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the bus transport undertakings taken over by Stagecoach Ltd. under the deregulation provisions; if he will list all bus services they have subsequently terminated; and if he will make a statement.

There is no requirement on the bus industry to notify the Department of Transport of takeovers. The latest published information on undertakings held by Stagecoach Ltd. is contained in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report into the acquisition of Portsmouth Citybus Ltd. The termination or commencement of bus services is primarily a matter for the industry and the information requested could he provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been undertaken on mergers and transfers of bus undertakings since the deregulation provisions took effect; and if he will make a statement.

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is currently undertaking a study into the structure of the bus industry. This will include a general review of mergers and transfers of bus undertakings. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has reported to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on a number of specific mergers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the companies formerly operating within the national dock labour scheme that declared themselves insolvent after the abolition of the scheme; how many companies are now trading under the same names as any of these companies; and how many companies now trading have the same directors.

The regulations made under the Dock Work Act 1989 ensure that no formerly registered dock worker loses out because his employer is unable to meet his 50 per cent. share of the compensation payment. The Department has paid the full amount to the employees, through the companies' liquidators, in 14 cases which are listed in the table. I am unable to answer the remainder of this question. However, the Department relied on the liquidator to confirm that the companies were no longer trading; and in certain cases it asked the liquidator to undertake inquiries to establish that no transfer of undertaking had taken place.

• Aberdeen Stevedores Ltd.
• Anglosped Ltd. (Chatham)
• Dundee Stevedores Ltd.
• Fish Landing Temporary Employers (Aberdeen) Ltd.
• Great Yarmouth Port Labour Co. Ltd.
• Grimsby Port Services Ltd.
• John Sutcliffe Consolidated Stevedores Ltd. (Grimsby)
• Lindsey Dock Services Ltd. (Grimsby)
• Liverpool Grain Storage and Transit Co.
• Manisty Wharf Ltd. (Ellesmere Port)
• Mersey Container Terminals Ltd.
• Seahorn Marine Enterprises Ltd. (Liverpool)
• West Langton Stevedores Ltd. (Liverpool)
• Wisbech Stevedores Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from solicitors acting for the bereaved concerning the design, installation and proper use of the gantry which plunged into the River Severn on 5 September involving two fatalities; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer Monday 19 November 1990]: I am not willing to disclose the contents of correspondence between the solicitors acting for the bereaved families and the Department's solicitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to make it mandatory for motor manufacturers to fit ABS brakes as standard equipment on all new vehicles.

[holding answer Monday 19 November 1990]: Under regulations made in September anti-lock brakes will be mandatory on all vehicles in the following categories manufactured on or after 1 October 1990:

• Motor Vehicles over 16 tonnes authorised to tow trailers over 10 tonnes;
• Trailers over 10 tonnes; and
• Inter-urban coaches.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of funding will be provided for the Fire Service college in the next year; and what steps are being taken where local councils fail to supply the funds necessary for their firefighters to attend the Fire Service college.

The planned level of funding for the Fire Service college in respect of fire officers in England and Wales for 1991–92 is £9·2 million, made up from some £6 million by a block contribution from the revenue support grant and the balance from direct charges to fire brigades. The exercise of the fire authorities' duty to ensure that their fire brigade staff are effectively trained will continue to be monitored closely by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the reason for the removal of Dr. Adam Lawrence from his post as medical consultant to Her Majesty's prison, Wandsworth.

Dr. Lawrence, a consultant physician specialising in genito-urinary medicine, was invited in April this year to visit Wandsworth prison once a week to advise on patient care within his specialty. This was a local arrangment instituted by the then senior medical officer. Dr. Lawrence recently took part in a television programme in which he disclosed clinical details relating to a former Wandsworth prisoner with whose treatment he himself had been concerned, and criticised clinical decisions by a medical colleage. The senior medical officer considered that these actions were not conducive to harmonious working relations within the health care team and informed Dr. Lawrence that he had decided to make other arrangements for the provision of specialist advice. The director of prison medical services fully supports the action taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend the Security Service Act 1989 to allow the Security Services Tribunal to reveal to the individuals concerned the information that was held on them prior to 18 December 1989.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for access to information the Security Services Tribunal has received since December 1989; in how many cases it has supplied the information requested; in how many cases it has refused to provide the information; and what were the reasons given.

The Security Service Tribunal is an independent body established by the Security Service Act 1989; I am not privy to its deliberations or to the number and nature of applications made to it. The tribunal is required to investigate complaints from any person who is aggrieved by anything which he believes that the Security Service has done in relation to him or to any property of his, if and so far as the complaint relates to anything done after the commencement of the Act, and to make a determination in accordance with schedule 1 to the Act. While paragraph 4(1) of schedule 2 to the Act enables the tribunal to gain access to such documents or information as it may require for the purpose of enabling it to carry out its functions under the Act, it is not empowered to seek on behalf of a complainant or any other person access to such documents or information. Indeed, paragraph 4(2) of schedule 2 to the Act requires the tribunal not to give any reasons for a determination notified by it, except in reports under paragraph 5(1)(b) of schedule 1.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban those animal procedures involving LD50 and Draize tests.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary is not one of the Ministers reponsible for the national and international regulations under which specific safety testing protocols are required; nor is he a sponsoring Minister for biomedical research. His responsibility is for controlling the conduct of scientific procedures on living animals. We have no plans to refuse licences where my right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that the work is justified under section 5 of the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Government continue to play an active role in developing acceptable alternative methods of testing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Her Majesty's Government are continuing with their appeal in the cases of Mr. Julius Alexander of Hackney and Mr. Shamusideen Oladehinde; and if he will make a statement.

In a judgment on 18 October, the House of Lords dismissed the appeals of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Oladehinde. My right hon. and learned Friend will be reviewing their cases in order to decide whether to enforce deportation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the likely cost of setting up a system of psychiatric bail hostels; and what estimate has been made of the present cost of keeping people who would benefit from such provision in prison.

On the basis of discussions with probation areas and voluntary organisations, we calculate that the unit cost of any approved bail hostel places for mentally disordered defendants would approach twice that of conventional places at approved bail hostels which in 1989–90 stood at £10,000 per annum. It is not possible to separate out the cost of keeping a mentally disordered defendant in a local prison or remand centre without disproportionate cost, but the average cost per inmate in 1989–90 was about £16,000 per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any decisions have been made with regard to setting up a system of psychiatric bail hostels; and if he will make a statement.

We are considering what part bail hostels can play in a strategy for dealing with people who are mentally disordered, and shall announce our conclusion as soon as possible.Although no final decisions have yet been taken, the Government are firmly of the view that mentally disordered offenders should be diverted from the criminal justice system wherever possible or receive appropriate placements and prompt psychiatric treatment where prosecution is necessary in the public interest. A Home Office circular providing details of the wide range of measures available for achieving this was issued to the courts and others on 3 September 1990. I have sent a copy to the hon. Gentleman.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people serving life sentences, discretionary or mandatory, have tariffs of more than 20 years.

There are some 150 life sentence prisoners whose cases will be, or have been, reviewed by the Parole Board for the first time after 17 years in custody, because the period considered necessary to mark the seriousness of their offences is more than 20 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of overseas electors whose names were added to local electoral roles in each constituency; how much was spent promoting overseas the new rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the number of overseas electors who will be included in the 1991–92 electoral register will not become available until the publication of the draft register on 28 November. Approximately £425,000 has been or will be spent by the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in publicising overseas the new provisions on voting by British citizens living abroad.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish tables showing the cost of expenditure in magistrates courts for each of the last 10 years; and if he will set down in tabular form the percentage of these costs for each year met from local authority funds.

Local authority expenditure on magistrates' courts in England and Wales and the amount of central Government grant paid in support of this expenditure since 1980–81 is set out in the table. Grant is paid at a rate of 80 per cent. of net current expenditure. Before the present financial year, capital expenditure was supported by grant at 80 per cent. payable only in respect of revenue contributions and loan charges. Since April 1990 capital grant is paid at 80 per cent. on approved capital expenditure and on loans incurred before that date. Grant is not necessarily paid in the same year as that in which the expenditure is incurred.

Expenditure on magistrates' courts
	(1) Total expenditure (current and capital)1 (£ million)	(2) Central government grants in support of (1) (£ million)	Local government expenditure as a proportion of total (1) minus (2) as a percentage of (1)
1980–81	102	85	17
1981–82	114	101	11
1982–83	124	105	15
1983–84	139	114	18
1984–85	152	121	20
1985–86	161	128	20
1986–87	178	134	25
1987–88	213	153	28
1988–89	235	170	28
1989–90	2273	187	32
1990–91	307	3280	9
1 Excluding loan charges.
2 Provisional figure.
3 Estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the efficiency scrutiny of in-service training for the probation service to begin.

The efficiency scrutiny of in-service probation training will begin on 26 November. It will have the following terms of reference:

"To examine the current arrangements for providing in-service probation training, and to advise and make recommendations on:

(a) what in-service training, including management training, should be offered to probation officers up to and including SPO grade;

(b) who should provide it and how;

(c) what it will cost and how it should be financed;

(d) how it should link with pre-qualifying training and management training for chief officers grades;

(e) what steps should be taken to monitor quality, relevance, effectiveness and consistency throughout the service, to measure performance and to ensure value for money; and

(f) what the line of accountability should be, and what structured systems and procedures are needed."

The scrutiny will be conducted by a small team of officials led by Dr. Savas Hadjipavlou of the Home Office. He will be closely assisted by Mr. Steven Murphy on secondment from the inner London probation service. We expect to receive the report during April 1991.The scrutiny team will be consulting widely. Interested parties may wish to send their observations in writing to the In-Service Probation Training Scrutiny Team, Room 116/117, Home Office, Whittington house, 19–30 Alfred place, London WC1E 7LG.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will update his reply to the hon. Member for Beverley (Mr. Cran) of 13 July 1989, Official Report, column 638 concerning the numbers of people who have died at the hands of previously convicted killers.

[holding answer 19 November 1990]: Information on the number of suspects convicted of homicide who had previous homicide convictions is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—tables 4.9 and 4.10 of the latest issue, for 1989, Cm. 1322—copies of which are in the Library.During the period 1963 to 1989, a total of 59 persons in England and Wales are killed by persons previously convicted of homicide.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what rights of appeal persons have whose names are removed from an electoral register; whether such persons are notified by electoral registration officers of an intention to remove a name and are given an explanation; and what information electoral registration officers are required to supply in writing;(2) if he will withdraw Home Office circular RPA 347, issued to electoral registration officers, concerning registration of those persons whose names do not appear on poll tax registers; and if he will make a statement;(3) what is Government policy with respect to the removal of names from electoral registers of those who have failed to register for poll tax purposes; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 19 November 1990]: Circular RPA 347, issued by the Home Office on 10 August 1990 as part of its guidance to electoral registration officers—EROs—in England and Wales, made recommendations about the use of information in the community charges register in the compilation of the electoral register. This included a recommendation that a person's name should not be carried forward from one electoral register to the next if that person does not respond to the electoral canvass and his or her name does not appear in the community charges register. It also recommended that where such a name does appear in the community charges register it should not be carried forward for more than one year without further inquiries to establish eligibility.Under section 29 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, EROs in England and Wales may, for the purpose of exercising their functions, inspect the community charge register of any charging authority. The purpose of the Home Office guidance issued on 10 August was to enable and encourage EROs to make the fullest and most effective use of this right of access, to assist in the preparation of an accurate electoral register.There is no procedure whereby names can be removed from the published register. A person whose name is not carried forward from one register to the next, because he or she has failed to respond to the canvass and no longer appears to be eligible, has ample opportunity to make a claim for inclusion in the register.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom in each quarter of 1988, 1989 and 1990, showing the numbers by country of embarkation.

Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 1988–90
	1988				11989				11990
	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Q1	Q2	Q3
Europe
Czechoslovakia	2	8	10	6	5	15	35	5	*	—	—
Hungary	15	5	7	9	10	*	5	5	*	*	—
Poland	25	19	26	18	10	10	15	15	5	5	*
Romania	4	2	13	3	5	5	*	5	5	20	75
Turkey	217	155	126	203	570	3,645	140	125	135	210	245
Yugoslavia	3	1	2	2	*	*	15	*	*	5	5
Others	—	9	8	5	10	15	25	20	30	35	60
Total	266	199	192	246	610	3,695	230	175	180	280	380
Americas
Chile	7	6	2	3	5	5	5	5	*	—	—
Colombia	21	15	15	9	20	15	30	25	20	55	25
Others	1	3	4	4	5	5	5	5	15	10	15
Total	29	24	21	16	30	30	40	30	35	60	40
Africa
Angola	11	11	15	23	40	35	95	90	135	200	160
Ethiopia	53	62	86	69	65	70	230	240	190	380	950
Ghana	51	43	45	48	45	75	90	135	220	170	410
Libya	25	18	12	4	5	*	5	5	*	5	*
Seychelles	32	14	15	16	15	5	10	15	10	5	5
Somalia2	70	73	125	154	420	345	1,005	930	475	510	1,100
South Africa	13	3	11	12	15	20	5	5	10	5	*
Sudan	3	11	18	16	25	25	45	60	60	40	40
Uganda	92	163	152	141	235	385	500	545	460	550	950
Zaire	37	33	38	75	100	105	200	315	450	440	1,220
Others	21	27	27	42	55	35	35	30	50	60	70
Total	409	458	544	600	1,010	1,100	2,220	2,365	2,070	2,360	4,910
Middle East
Iran	181	177	119	110	130	115	125	125	110	85	125
Iraq	66	48	113	75	105	60	120	105	160	195	510
Lebanon	57	43	32	48	25	20	50	95	100	55	260
Syria	—	2	8	—	*	5	5	*	*	5	*
Others	5	9	8	15	10	5	5	20	15	10	15
Total	309	279	280	248	270	205	310	345	380	350	920
Remainder of Asia
Afghanistan3	9	4	14	14	40	25	25	25	25	55	65
Bangladesh	—	7	6	2	5	5	*	*	5	15	5
India	20	61	87	179	140	150	180	255	340	320	390
Pakistan	125	85	129	57	40	55	65	135	190	155	385
Sri Lanka	167	101	105	134	190	260	550	1,055	785	705	825
Others	3	2	9	15	10	30	50	40	40	20	50
Total	304	260	350	401	430	520	875	1,510	1,385	1,270	1,720
Other and unknown nationalities	20	21	48	25	30	35	65	85	75	80	95
Grand Total	1,357	1,241	1,435	1,536	2,385	5,585	3,740	4,515	4,130	4,410	8,060
1 Provisional figures: those for 1990 may understate because of delays in recording. Figures rounded to the nearest 5, with "*" = less than 3.
2 In addition, since mid 1990 certain applications by nationals of Somalia to the British High Commission in Dhaka are being processed locally: information on these cases is not yet available centrally.
3 In addition, about 1,700 applications in 1988, 35 in 1989 and 30 during January to April 1990, by nationals of Afghanistan, made to the British High Commission in New Delhi, are being processed locally. Corresponding information since May 1990 is not yet available centrally.

[holding answer 14 November 1990]: Information by nationality of applicant is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of OPEN to discuss the effects of the Shops Act 1950 on the trading position of small shops.

The last meeting between Ministers and representatives of OPEN was held on 7 June 1989. Representatives of OPEN have met Home Office officials on several occasions since then to talk about ways of reforming the present law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the impact of the Gulf crisis upon Bangladesh's economy and development plans; and what assistance, in addition to existing overseas aid programmes, he proposes.

Iraq's invasion of Kuwait has affected the economies of many countries. The adverse balance of payments impact on the Bangladesh economy has been estimated at nearly $500 million in 1990–91 by the International Monetary Fund. This includes the loss of workers' remittances, a higher oil import bill and weaker export demand. Prompt domestic action by the Bangladesh Government has reduced to an estimated $260 million the additional external finance needed to maintain imports and real growth at their originally planned levels.In addition to a substantial bilateral aid programme of over £50 million a year to Bangladesh, Her Majesty's Government have responded quickly with a contribution to the costs of repatriating refugees from the Gulf of whom many are from Bangladesh. This contribution, including Britain's share of European Community assistance, now amounts to £11 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has of the number of Bangladeshis still stranded as a consequence of the Gulf crisis, the cost of it in total to the Bangladesh Government; and whether he will now take further steps, including allocating Hercules aircraft and directly chartering United Kingdom civil aircraft, to help the stranded Bangladeshis return.

I understand that about 6,000 Bangladeshis remain in Kuwait and Iraq. These either cannot or do not wish to leave. The United Nations reports that by the end of September some 50,300 Bangladeshis had left; more than 14,000 were repatriated by the Government of Bangladesh itself, and the remainder by the international operation to which Britain contributed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government will be making to the World bank meeting this month reviewing, mid-term, aid to Bangladesh.

The World bank meeting in Dhaka on 6 and 7 November examined the progress made by the Government of Bangladesh on the economic management action plan agreed at the annual aid group meeting last April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals Her Majesty's Government will present to the Bangladesh-United Kingdom bilateral meeting scheduled for December.

The next meeting in our annual sequence of bilateral aid talks is now scheduled to be held in Dhaka in January 1991. These talks enable both sides to review economic and aid management in the previous and current year; and to consider the likely shape and direction of future British assistance, taking due account of the Bangladesh Government's own priorities as well as the resources available to Her Majesty's Government for development activities in Bangladesh.

To ask the Attorney-General what information he has on the number of instances, from such date as is convenient, in which an appeal against a conviction has not been heard after a lapse of more than three years.

On 12 November 1990 there were six cases in the Criminal Appeal Office where leave to appeal against conviction was sought or an appeal against conviction was pending which had been continuously on foot for over three years.

To ask the Attorney-General what have been the results of the investigations of the serious fraud squad and the Metropolitan police company fraud department into allegations of fraud prior to, surrounding and subsequent to the merger of Ferranti plc and International Signal and Control Group plc; and if he will make a statement.

Inquiries into this matter are being carried on by the Serious Fraud Office and the Metropolitan police in conjunction with the relevant authorities in the United States of America. Those inquiries have not yet been completed.

To ask the Attorney-General what consideration has been given in respect of the enforcement of the Shops Act 1950 to the judgment of Mr. Justice Hoffmann in the High Court on 18 July.

Enforcement of the Shops Act 1950 is the duty of local authorities, and I do not know what consideration they have given to Mr. Justice Hoffmann's decision. Mr. Justice Hoffmann confirmed that it continues to be an offence for shops in England and Wales to be open for the serving of customers on Sunday other than in accordance with the provisions of the Act. It follows that local authorities continue to be subject to the duty of enforcement conferred on them by section 71 of the Act.

To ask the Attorney-General when was the last time he issued guidance on any subject to local authorities.

Guidance to local authorities is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to review the policies being pursued by local education authorities in Wales to ensure that children who wish to have their primary or secondary education in Wales at a Welsh medium school are able to do so in conditions and circumstances that are in no way inferior to those available for English medium schools in Wales.

We expect local education authorities to pursue policies which enable them to discharge their statutory responsibilities for the education of all children at maintained schools irrespective of the medium of education.In the exercise of my responsibilities I am concerned to ensure parity between English medium and Welsh medium provision so far as practicable. For example, the national curriculum provides for the assessment of pupils at all key stages through the medium of either English or Welsh. Welsh medium assessment materials will be of comparable standard to those in English. Moreover central Government continue to give substantial financial support for the development of Welsh medium teaching materials generally.It is for local education authorities to determine their own priorities for allocating capital resources for the provision of educational buildings and their capital maintenance, bearing in mind the needs of both the English and Welsh medium sectors.Local education authorities are also responsible for ensuring that schools have adequate funds to meet the cost of essential equipment. The introduction of local management of schools will ensure a fair distribution of resources and will provide schools with the flexibility to decide their own education priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the number of persons in Wales liable to poll tax who have not yet made any payment.

The information requested is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people reside in Cardiganshire; what were the corresponding figures for 1960 and 1970; and if he will make a statement.

Estimates of the population of the area of Ceredigion, known prior to 1974 as Cardiganshire, are given in the following table. As the definition of the population was changed following the 1981 census, the estimates for the years 1971 to 1981 were recalculated and 1971 data are given on both bases for comparison.

Mid year	Home population	Usually resident population1
1960	53,300	n/a
1970	53,200	n/a
1971	54,000	55,700
1989	n/a	69,000
1 This 1981 Census based estimate differs from the home population definition in that all usual residents, including stationed armed forces, are included whatever their nationality.

Source: OPCS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations with the European Community on welfare standards for live horses for export from Wales after 1992.

Only one Community meeting has been held to discuss the Commission's proposals on protection of animals during transport. We will be pressing to retain controls on the export of horses and ponies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the unemployment rate by age for each Welsh district, travel-to-work area and parliamentary constituency.

Unemployment rates are not calculated for individual districts or parliamentary constituencies. The unemployment rates for Welsh travel-to-work areas are available from the NOMIS database, which can be accessed on-line by House of Commons Library staff. Separate rates for particular age groups are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply of 13 November, Official Report, column 106, if he will make a further statement on the range of subjects on which Mr. Rod Richards will he expected to advise him.

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to the answer he gave the hon. Gentleman on 13 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the earliest possible contractual dates for completion for the Trident-related contracts with GEC, Plessey, Rolls-Royce, Tarmac and Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 26 July 1990 at column 541, and to my reply dated 21 September 1990 to her letter of 30 August 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the nuclear weapons testing programme.

The United Kingdom carried out an underground nuclear test at the United States Department of Energy's Nevada test site on Wednesday 14 November. Such tests are carried out under the 1958 United States-United Kingdom agreement for mutual co-operation for defence purposes and are necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the nuclear deterrent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on compensating, or making ex gratia payments to, his Department's employees whose personal property is damaged on his Department's premises by people unlawfully present on his Department's premises.

While my Department pays compensation where it is legally liable to do so, it cannot generally be held responsible for the acts of persons unlawfully present on the Department's property. However, the Department, exceptionally, considers small value claims from its employees for damage to personal property sustained on the Department's premises on an ex-gratia basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much is currently being spent on the renting of residential accommodation for RAF officers in the Greater London area as a consequence of the shortfall in the availability of officers' married quarters in the area.

The RAF no longer rents residential accommodation in lieu of married quarters. An excess rent allowance is paid to compensate married service personnel for higher costs incurred in renting private accommodation, but the information on that paid for RAF officers in the Greater London area is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the present position with regard to the availability of RAF officers' married quarters in the Greater London area; and what effect the planned disposal of officers' married quarters at RAF Biggin Hill is expected to have on the supply of such accommodation.

The number of RAF officers' married quarters in the Greater London area is adequate for our needs. In view of the anticipated reduction in the requirement for officers' married quarters in the Greater London area in the medium to long term, the planned disposal of the RAF officers' married quarters at RAF Biggin Hill is not expected to affect the situation adversely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reductions have taken place in the establishment at RAF Biggin Hill; and what effect such reduction in posts there will have on the anticipated savings from the pending closure of RAF Biggin Hill.

Following a review of RAF catering manpower scales, on which establishments are based, a small number of posts has recently been disestablished at RAF Biggin Hill. The disestablishment of these posts ahead of relocation of the RAF officer and aircrew selection centre does not significantly affect the anticipated savings attributable to the closure of RAF Biggin Hill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to continue to maintain a separate Welsh headquarters base for the Army at Brecon, commanded by a General as at present, and not to merge Welsh headquarters with those in other areas.

I have already announced that the district structure of the United Kingdom land forces has been the subject of a review by the commander in chief. Consideration of the recommendations of that review is now at an advanced stage and I expect to be able to make an announcement on the way ahead in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it remains the policy of his Department to comply with planning procedures for new military installations.

Although developments by the Crown do not require planning permission, it remains the policy of the Ministry of Defence to follow the provisions laid down in the appropriate DOE, Welsh Office and Scottish Office circulars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all proposed orders and contracts known to Her Majesty's Government which have been thwarted due to the NATO ban on exporting high technology to communist countries; what was the purpose and value in each case; and whether it is proposed to lift the ban.

I have been asked to reply.No. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing matters. While there has been a significant relaxation of export controls maintained for strategic reasons in the light of recent developments, and work is continuing with our COCOM partners, certain controls on exports of sensitive technology and equipment continue to be necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of Polisario to discuss the problems of Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not met any Polisario representative, but there have been occasional informal meetings between Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and representatives of Polisario.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest position of Her Majesty's Government's policy over the continuing occupation of Kuwait.

We want to see the United Nations Security Council resolutions fully implemented. We seek complete and unconditional Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait, the restoration of its legitimate Government and the release of all foreign nationals held in Iraq and Kuwait. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 7 November, either Saddam Hussein should voluntarily leave Kuwait or he will be forced to withdraw.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the effect that economic sanctions against Iraq are having on that country's economy; what measures need to be taken to make them more effective; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told the House on 8 November, the international embargo continues to be broadly effective. Iraq's access to foreign exchange has been drastically reduced. Iraq's manufacturing and industrial capabilities have been particularly affected. Food rationing has been introduced. However, on the evidence available, sanctions alone are unlikely to be decisive in reversing Iraqi policy in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Bassetlaw may expect a reply to his letter of 15 October concerning the situation of Mr. Mel Hewson of The Orchard, Station road, Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire, and Mr. Roland Hornsby of High street, North Leverton, Nottinghamshire, who are detained in Al Qaim in Iraq.

I have replied today to the hon. Member's letter of 18 October. We have great sympathy for the plight of Mr. Hewson and Mr. Hornsby.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for reviewing the constitution of the Cayman Islands; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has agreed to a request from the legislative assembly in the Cayman Islands for a constitutional review. He has appointed Sir Frederick Smith KA QC, chief justice in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Mr. Walter Wallace CVO CBE DSC, constitutional adviser on the dependent territories to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as commissioners. The commission will sit for eight weeks, beginning in January 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to accelerate energy conservation programmes for domestic housing.

My Energy Efficiency Office is taking a number of initiatives further to promote energy efficiency in housing. These include the introduction from 1 January 1991 of the home energy efficiency scheme, which provides a new system of grants for insulation and advice on energy for low-income households; a winter advertising campaign promoting a new set of informational material targeted on home movers and those improving their homes; and an information campaign which aims to draw landlords' attention to the opportunities and benefits of improving the energy efficiency of their residential property. In addition, the EEO will be working with commercial labelling systems, such as MVM Starpoint and the national home energy rating scheme, in seeking to promote the benefits of home energy labels.The EEO is also supporting work to improve the energy efficiency of housing under its best practice programme. Independently monitored case studies and guidance literature are available to building professionals and those responsible for the management of our housing stock. This information is backed up by a comprehensive programme of seminars and workshops, some involving other organisations active in the housing sector. In addition, funds are available to contribute towards relevant research work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the prototype computerised safety system for Sizewell B to receive clearance from the nuclear installations inspectorate; and if he will make a statement.

A prototype of the computer-based element of the proposed protection system for Sizewell B is currently being tested, but no part of the prototype hardware will be used on the reactor. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate—NII—will continue to assess the protection system throughout the construction of the plant. The NII will not permit fuel loading, currently programmed for December 1993, until it has approved Nuclear Electric's safety case for the complete protection system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many civil servants are currently employed (a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989–90; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990–91; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.

The information requested is as follows:

Number of staff currently employed full-time on civil defence	Number of staff currently employed part-time on civil defence	Total costs 1989–90	Estimated- total cost 1990–91
		£'000	£'000
4	10	270	260

Future levels of staffing and expenditure on civil defence will depend on the outcome of the review announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 16 October,

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the percentage increase in price in each of the last 10 years from November 1980 for gas consumers using 25,500 therms per annum.

The increase over the year to November 1990 was 8·8 per cent. Prices at this specific level of consumption are not available to the Department prior to 1989. Should the hon. Member write to British Gas the company might be able to provide earlier data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library (a) a copy of the favourable position notice issued in July by the competition directorate of the European Commission in relation to the exemption of the three-year contracts between British Coal, National Power and PowerGen, (b) a copy of the correction notice issued to that notice in August in relation to the outstanding complaints as regards discriminatory coal pricing and (c) any further correspondence between the Commission and the Department of Energy on this issue.

The notices referred to are contained in the Official Journal of the European Communities dated 31 July 1990—No. C 191—and 13 September 1990—No. C 228—copies of which are already held in the Library of the House.It has been the policy of successive Governments to treat correspondence with the Commission as confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to place in the Library a copy of the letter of comfort from the competition directorate of the European Commission, relating to contracts between British Coal, National Power and PowerGen.

My reply of 19 November referred to the letter from the Commission's directorate-general for competition to British Coal. Any release of that letter is a matter for them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what supporting evidence, in the form of artisitic works, was adduced by MCA Merchandising of Universal Studios to substantiate its claim for (a) licence fees and (b) redress for alleged breach of copyright re the Frank N. Stein advertising campaign for the flotation of the electricity distribution companies and his similarity to Herman Munster of the Munsters.

Visual evidence and supporting explanations were supplied by MCA Merchandising, in support of its claim for licence fees. The claim for alleged breach of copyright is a matter between the advertising agency, WCRS, and MCA Merchandising.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what policy considerations in relation to intellectual property rights affected the decision to authorise payments (a) in purchase of a licence and (b) as settlement for alleged breach of copyright to the MCA Merchandising subsidiary of Universal Studios in respect of Herman Munster's similarity to Frank N. Stein.

The payment of a licence fee was a commercial decision based on legal advice. No policy considerations in relation to intellectual property rights applied in this respect. The settlement for alleged breach of copyright was a matter for WCRS and MCA Merchandising.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 12 November, Official Report, column 68, if he will list the sales of speciality food or drink products from Devon that Food From Britain has supported during 1989 and 1990.

Since March 1987 Food From Britain has provided Devon Fare, a speciality food group in Devon, with financial assistance under the speciality food groups scheme amounting to more than £21,000 and with professional and technical advice. The group has supported its members in a variety of ways, and thus sales of many of their products have benefited from Food From Britain's help. However, neither Food From Britain nor this Department holds lists of these sales.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether lorry drivers have sole responsibility for the implementation of safeguards and directives in the transport of live animals to foreign countries; and who receives and acts upon the safeguards and directives once they are handed over.

Community directives on the protection of animals during international transport are implemented by each member state under its national law. United Kingdom welfare legislation places a duty of care on all persons involved in the carriage of animals. Companies as well as individuals have been successfully prosecuted for causing or permitting injury or unnecessary suffering to animals during transport.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of wine and beef which was exported from the European Community in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; what subsidy was available for such sales expressed in pence per litre or pence per pound, respectively; and what was the range of sale prices after export subsidies and other grants.

The total amount of wine and beef exported from the European Community for the most recent annual period for which figures are avaailble were as follows:

• Beef (July 1989–June 1990) 763,105 tonnes (product weight)
• Wine (May 1989–April 1990) 11,095,709 hectolitres.

Official statistics on the range of sale prices after the payment of export refunds are not available.Rates of export refund for beef vary according to the category of animal, type of meat and destination; those applicable at the end of the period for the export figures provided were published in the

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his Department's policy on the retention of Glasgow as a British Steel price-basing point.

Price-basing points are a matter for the European Commission under article 60 of the treaty of Paris. So far as I am aware, neither the Commission nor British Steel has suggested that the Glasgow point should be removed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out in detail the powers within British Steel which he may exercise as the holder of the golden share.

The rights attaching to the special rights redeemable preference share in British Steel plc are set out in article 5 of the company's articles of association. The special share is held by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and allows him, or his duly authorised representative, to attend and to speak, but not to vote, at any general meeting or at any meeting of any class of shareholders of the company. The special share also provides that written consent of my right hon. Friend is required: for changes to article 46 of the company's articles of association which currently prohibits any person, other than as specifically permitted, from retaining an interest, either alone or as part of a voting concert party, in 15 per cent. or more of the company's share capital; for the creation or issue in certain circumstances of shares with voting rights attached; for changes to article 5 of the articles of association, or to the definition of "special share" and "special shareholder" in article 2; and for the voluntary winding up of the company.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the reasons why the output of consumer goods has remained static since mid-1988.

The performance of the consumer goods sector as a whole is clearly influenced by developments in the economy generally. But the performance of individual companies in the sector depends on the extent to which they meet the needs of their customers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on assistance given or offered to MCA and Universal Studios in respect of the proposed theme park development at Rainham Marshes.

The Government have made no offer of financial assistance to MCA for the development of its proposed theme park at Rainham Marshes. However, the Government have offered MCA limited financial assistance for further site survey work at Rainham Marshes to establish the degree of contamination of the site and the likely remedial costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any arms are being sold by British companies to Morocco.

Defence and defence-related equipment for sale to Morocco or elsewhere which is subject to export control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 requires an export licence. In the past 12 months nine licences have been issued to British companies for the export of such equipment to Morocco.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement outlining the principles which are currently being adopted by United Kingdom negotiators on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement.

The United Kingdom supports the EC's policy that the multi-fibre arrangement should be phased out over a transitional period after the expiry of its latest extension next year. This would be part of a general settlement of the GATT Uruguay round bringing about stronger GATT rules and disciplines and improvements in market access which will assist British textile exporters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect on the numbers of jobs lost in each of the next 10 years if the multi-fibre arrangement is phased out prior to agreements being reached to tighten general agreement on tariffs and trade rules on dumping, subsidies, protection of intellectual property and increased access to markets.

The study of Professor Silberston for my Department concluded that the termination of the MFA would lead to job losses of between 16,000 and 33,000 in the textile and clothing industry. It was based on the assumption of an immediate end to the MFA, but did not specify over what period the jobs would be lost. Furthermore, the estimate took no account of the effect of changes in the GATT rules mentioned by my hon. Friend. Such changes, and the phasing out being over a period of years, will mitigate considerably the effect of the ending of the MFA. It is not practical to make assessments in the form he suggests. In any event, it remains the European Community's policy, which the Government support, that the phasing out of the MFA should be part of a final Uruguay round package covering agreements on market access and strengthened rules and disciplines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken regarding the proposed export of attack/trainer aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce engines by Yugoslavia to Burma in contravention of the United Kingdom's export licensing agreement for the engines.

It has been the practice of this and previous Administrations not to comment on individual export licensing cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if his Department has considered criticisms made by the National Audit Office of the administration and control of aid and trade provision; and if he will make a statement;(2) if his Department has considered comments made by the Public Accounts Committee on the administration and control of aid and trade provision; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 14 November 1990]: The aid and trade provision—ATP—forms part of Britain's overseas aid programme. It is jointly administered by my Department and by the Overseas Development Administration. Both Departments consider all reports which comment on the administration and control of ATP. In particular they have considered the recent National Audit Office report on "Bilateral Aid to India" and the subsequent Public Accounts Committee report.The ODA reply to the Public Accounts Committee report on bilateral aid to India was published in a Treasury minute on the 19–25 report from the Committee of Public Accounts in October 1990 (Cm 1247). A copy is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has considered comments made by the Foreign Affairs Committee on the administration and control of aid and trade provision; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 14 November 1990]: The aid and trade provision—ATP—forms part of Britain's overseas aid programme. It is jointly administered by my Department and by the Overseas Development Administration. Both Departments consider all reports which comment on the administration and control of ATP. In particular they have considered the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee "Bilateral Aid: Country Programmes" published in 1987.The Government's reply to the report was published in observations by the Government to the report published in October 1987. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the number of millionaires in Britain in 1974, 1979, 1984 and 1989, or the latest convenient date.

Estimates of the number of individuals in the United Kingdom owning wealth of £l million or more in each of the years 1979 to 1988 are available in table V.3 of an article entitled "Estimates of the distribution of personal wealth" in the October 1990 edition of Economic Trends. The estimates for 1987 and 1988 are provisional. Estimates for 1974 are not readily available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report up-to-date figures, on the same basis as those provided to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) in the Official Report, 5 July, columns 699–708, giving figures for Scotland only and including the effects of the introduction of the community charge.

[holding answer 19 November 1990]: It is not possible to produce separate estimates for Scotland.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his present policy in respect of the introduction of European Community-wide taxation measures.

[holding answer 19 November 1990]: We shall continue to support progress towards removing fiscal barriers where this is necessary to achieve the efficient working of the single market, but centrally determined tax harmonisation is neither necessary nor desirable for this purpose.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest estimates for the growth in monetary aggregates; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 November 1990]: The provisional money figures for October are contained in the Bank of England's press release of 20 November, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House. The growth rate of narrow money, MO, was inside its target range of 1 to 5 per cent. for the third successive month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures for capital expenditure and revenue expenditure on the national health service hospital services; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

This year expenditure on the hospital and community health services in England is expected to be some £17·2 billion, a real terms increase of 40 per cent. over the 1978–79 figure of £4·9 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to increase the funding for the South East Thames regional health authority.

Between 1978–79 and 1989–90 spending in the South East Thames region has increased from £419 million to £1,220 million, or nearly 25 per cent. in real terms. I am confident that South East Thames will continue to benefit from the development of the NHS made possible by this Government's stewardship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has in place for the monitoring of specialist services provided to health authorities in the Northern region.

The provision of health services in any region is a matter for district and regional health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the initiatives by the John Yates Consultancy on hospital waiting lists.