To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made towards achieving equality of opportunity for women in the civil service.

Region	Average new mortgage1	Weekly payment2		Increase
		June 1988 9·80 per cent. interest rate	November 1990 14·65 per cent. interest rate
	£	£	£	£
Northern	33,600	49·19	73·53	24·34
Yorkshire and Humberside	33,000	48·06	71·84	23·78
East Midlands	38,100	57·67	86·21	28·54
East Anglia	43,000	66·90	100·01	33·11
Greater London	59,800	98·57	147·35	48·78
South East	54,000	87·63	131·00	43·37
South West	45,000	70·67	105·65	34·98
West Midlands	37,400	56·35	84·24	27·89
North West	34,800	51·45	76·91	25·46
Wales	35,100	52·02	77·76	25·74
Scotland	32,500	47·12	70·43	23·32
Northern Ireland	23,600	33·36	49·87	16·51
United Kingdom	42,200	65·40	97·76	32·36
1 Building Society mortgages, third quarter 1990.
2 Assuming endowment mortgage.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cash flow saving per year to Tanzania and Uganda if all official bilateral creditors were to implement Trinidad terms for their debt.

Tanzania and Uganda owe bilateral official creditors about $2·7 billion and $0·5 billion respectively. Annual interest payments required in order to prevent these debt stocks from continuing to rise would be about $150 million for Tanzania, and $15 million for Uganda. These estimates take account of the different mix of concessional/non-concessional loans outstanding to the two countries. In order to repay the full stock of debt, average future total payments would have to be even higher. The application of Trinidad terms by all bilateral official creditors would mean no payments would be made for five years, with amounts paid rising steadily thereafter, so that the one third of the stock of debt remaining after the write-off would have been repaid after 25 years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will supply figures for the numbers of individuals purchasing premium bonds for each year from 1979 to date.

A report giving full details of progress made in 1989 has today been published by HMSO. I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average increase in repayments per week on the average mortgage in each region between 1 June 1988 and now.

Information for an average new mortgage is in the table. Details of average amounts outstanding on all mortgages by region are not available.

The numbers of individuals purchasing premium bonds is not available. The number of purchases of premium bonds for each calendar year from 1979 to date has been as follows:

	Thousands
1979	4,463·1
1980	4,103·1
1981	3,674·1
1982	3,298·3
1983	3,499·5
1984	3,328·6
1985	2,530·0
1986	1,949·8
1987	1,962·0
1988	2,036·7
1989	1,418·0
1990	1541·8
1 January to October: provisional.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to reduce the level of the minimum premium bond investment from £100.

No.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposed amendment to the international monetary fund's articles of agreement.

The third amendment to the articles of agreement of the IMF empowers the fund to suspend the voting and related rights of members who do not fulfil their obligations under the fund's articles. This power is intended, in particular, to enable suspension of members in protracted arrears to the fund. The Government support the amendment. A Command Paper on the amendment is now available from the Vote Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to change the present annual testing arangements for public service vehicle coach speed limiters; and if he will make a statement.

We are planning to incorporate a check of speed limiters into the annual PSV roadworthiness test as a statutory test item from 1 April 1991 and we shall be consulting on detailed proposals shortly. Once this change has been made any vehicle which is found to be in breach of the relevant regulations will fail the test. Until that time we shall be continuing to run the special campaign to check speed limiters during the PSV roadworthiness test. If vehicles which fall within the category to be tested are found not to have a speed limiter fitted, enforcement action will be taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy towards the obligation to fit

Number of Full-time staff employed on 16 November 1990	Number of Part-time staff employed on 16 November 1990	Total cost 1989–90	Total cost 1990–91
38	5	£793,000	£775,000

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced on 16 October that he had initiated a review of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations. Future levels of expenditure on civil defence will depend upon the outcome of that review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider legislation to regulate car-clamping activities, other than those carried out by the police or their express agents.

I am keeping the matter under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what facilities will be available by 1 December within (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland for the basic training necessary for obtaining a provisional motor cycle driving licence after 1 December.

It is the legal responsibility of the operators of a coach to determine whether or not any particular vehicle needs to have a speed limiter fitted. It would be impracticable for the Department to road test every vehicle to determine its maximum speed capability, but we are well aware which makes of coach are likely to require speed limiters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the level of public service vehicle coach speed limiter fitment as it affects vehicles first registered between 1 April 1984 and 31 March 1989.

All coaches which have a maximum speed capability in excess of 70 mph, and which were first used since 1 April 1984 must now have speed limiters fitted. Operators with coaches which were first used between 1 April 1974 and 31 March 1984 have until 31 March 1991 to comply. Any operators found in breach of the regulations risk tough punitive action as part of our special enforcement campaign.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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 required is as follows:

Sites for use for basic training have been approved at Kirkwall in Orkney, and at Lerwick in Shetland. I expect the operators of both these sites to be offering basic training courses from 1 December. Under the regulations, all residents of the islands surrounding the mainlands of Orkney and Shetland are exempt from the requirement to undergo an approved basic training course before riding on the road unaccompanied. They are also exempt from the need to produce a certificate of completion of an approved training course in order to take an "L" test with the Driving Standards Agency. This follows the precedent of the exemptions for the existing part I motor cycle test which basic training will supersede.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that there is adequate provision for the compulsory basic training of learner motor cyclists living in remote rural areas.

Since July my officials have been working closely with motor cycle training organisations, retailers, road safety officers and ACPO in a joint action group to ensure that the whole of Great Britain is well covered by training sites, and training organisations. I expect almost the whole of Great Britain to be within 30 miles of a site operated by an approved training body. I welcome the fact that in the Highland region, the regional council has let a contract for the supply of training at 11 sites that might not be commercially viable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will consider the introduction of a fixed period exemption for learner motor cyclists through the issue of a provisional licence for the duration of the training period to those living in remote areas not served by public transport.

Compulsory basic training is designed to improve the safety of all new learner motor cycle and moped riders on our roads. There is no road safety benefit in allowing some riders to avoid the training that others are required to take and after consultation I am satisfied that there will be adequate coverage of facilities except in the smaller islands where a total exemption applies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department is carrying out into tactile surfaces to warn the blind, and advise as to safe routes and information points; when the results of the research will be published and advice notes circulated to highway authorities; and if he will make a statement;(2) what action he intends to take to ensure standardisation of tactile paving and similar initiatives across the country as a whole.

Advice was issued to all local authorities by my Department in 1986 on the use of a specific tactile surface in conjunction with dropped kerbs at controlled crossings. Similar advice will shortly be issued to local authorities on the use of the same tactile surface at uncontrolled crossings and side streets.My Department has also commissioned research into the usefulness of a range of other tactile surfaces to provide guidance and warning for blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Trials with those surfaces are currently under way and we will issue advice early in 1991 to local authorities on the appropriate use of each surface in the pedestrian environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many licensed public transport vehicles have operated within the United Kingdom on an annual basis from 1979 to 1989.

The information for the end of December each year is as follows:

Licensed public transport vehicles with nine or more seats: United Kingdom
Year	thousands
1979	75
1980	73
1981	71
1982	69
1983	69
1984	69
1985	68
1986	70
1987	72

Year	thousands
1988	74
1989	75

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, during the construction of the Leighton Linslade southern bypass by Bedfordshire county council, he will agree to an access from the Totternhoe Lime and Stone Company to the bypass; whether such an access is permitted within the existing guidelines; and if he will make a statement.

The Leighton Linslade southern bypass will ultimately form part of the east-west route referred to in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity". This will be a major strategic route from the M40 to the east coast ports.The Secretary of State would not wish to see a direct access from the Totternhoe Lime and Stone Company on to the bypass for reasons of safety and because it would restrict the free flow of traffic.Existing guidelines indicate that such accesses should be restricted in the interests of traffic and safety.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total number of staff employed by his Department; and under what headings they are employed.

A total of 16,675 staff are currently employed by the Department of Transport, including its executive agencies, under the following main headings:

	Percentage of total staff
Department of Transport Central	43
including—
Public transport
Highways safety and traffic Aviation, shipping and international work
Personnel management and finance
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency	35
Driving Standards Agency	13
Vehicle Inspectorate Executive Agency	8
Vehicle Certification Agency	1
	100

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of consultation his Department has with cycling organisations; and what action is taken to encourage local highway authorities to similarly consult with cyclists over matters concerning access and safety.

We have regular discussion with cycling organisations on local, regional and national issues affecting cycling. We consult the main organisations representing cycling on our proposed publications and statutory regulations in the traffic and signing field. Individual schemes affecting trunk roads can be discussed at regional office level.It is for local highway authorities to decide for themselves how to consult local cycling interests on issues affecting their roads. We are aware that many authorities have established helpful relationships in their areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspectors have been deployed full time on the inspection of North sea oil and gas installations in each year since 1978; and what was the establishment in each year.

Marine surveyors in my Department undertake the examination of fire-fighting arrangements and life-saving appliances on offshore installations on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy. Work on offshore activities is integrated with other duties of marine surveyors and is estimated to account for about eight man years in 1978 rising to 12 man years in 1987, where it has remained. There is no established complement of surveyors for these duties and surveyors are made available whenever they are required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions have been mounted in each year since 1978 following inspections by his staff of North sea oil and gas installations.

None. The enforcement of safety legislation for offshore installations is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total number of road accidents, injuries and fatalities which took place when the driver was found to be over the legal alcohol limit; and if he will show injuries and fatalities separately for children aged under five years, for the years 1988 and 1989.

It is estimated that in 1988 there were 14,600 injury accidents in which at least one driver or rider involved was over the legal alcohol limit. It is estimated that 840 people were killed in those accidents, 5,650 were seriously injured and 16,200 were slightly injured. Figures for 1989 are not final, as returns from coroners are not yet complete, but current indications suggest that the final outturn will be very similar to the 1988 levels.Children under five years of age make up only a small proportion of casulaties in drink-drive accidents. In 1988 there were four children under five killed, 23 seriously injured and 123 slightly injured in accidents where it was established beyond doubt that at least one driver or rider was over the legal alcohol limit. In 1989 the corresponding figures so far are three killed, 25 seriously injured and 108 slightly injured.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities and passenger transport authorities financially support community transport initiatives in the United Kingdom.

The passenger transport executives and many councils support special needs transport for the elderly or mobility handicapped. We do not however have comprehensive information about local authority support for community transport initiatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it cost the Nottinghamshire police authority to defend the case of racial discrimination brought by PC Surinder Singh; and how much it cost the Commission for Racial Equality to prosecute the case.

I understand that the total costs in this case for both Nottinghamshire police authority and the Commission for Racial Equality have yet to be determined. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as this information is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are provided by his Department on the use of wicket gates in police cells.

Home Office guidance on the use of cell door service hatches (known as "wicket gates") specifies that where cell doors are fitted with a drop-down service hatch, the hatch should not be left open when the cell is occupied by a prisoner.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were being held in police cells at the latest date for which information is available.

On Wednesday 21 November, 998 prisoners were held in police cells.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's guidelines are on the care of suicidal people in police stations; and where that information is contained.

The Home Office has issued no guidelines on the care of persons in police custody with suicidal tendencies. The codes of practice issued in accordance with section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 require custody officers to summon a force medical examiner if any detainee appears to require medical attention, which would include a person with known suicidal tendencies. It is for chief police officers to issue any instructions necessary to ensure that the requirements of the codes are met.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if his Department will begin to collect and monitor data on the ethnic origins of complainants in the statistics they gather from the police forces in the United Kingdom in order to assess the effectiveness of the police complaints system;(2) what is his policy in respect of the case for the Police Complaints Authority to gather data on the ethnic origins of complainants in cases that it has dealt with.

No central data are currently collected on complainants since they are not always the aggrieved party and sometimes have no direct involvement in the complaint. Complaints of racially discriminatory behaviour accounted for less than 1 per cent. of all complaints made against the police in 1989, both in the Metropolitan police district and elsewhere in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of distress warrants issued by magistrates courts in 1989.

Around 590,000 distress warrants in respect of fine and fee accounts and maintenance accounts were issued by magistrates courts in 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the regulation of the promotion of gaming by radio advertising.

One reflection of our well-established policy that demand for gambling should not be

Number of full-lime staff employed on 16 November 1990	Number of part-time staff employed on 16 November 1990	Total cost 1989–90 £	Estimated total cost 1990–91 £
166	13	3,092,756	3,302,000

My right hon. and learned Friend announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 16 October at column

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish data for 1989 relating to prosecutions under the Malicious Communications Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

The Command Paper "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1989" and its five supplementary volumes were published on 16 November 1990. Copies are available in the Library.Information on the Malicious Communications Act 1988 is given in the table.

Persons prosecuted under the Malicious Communications Act 1988
England and Wales 1989
	Number
Prosecutions	49
Convicted	40
Sentenced:	40
Absolute discharge	1
Conditional discharge	7
Probation Order	1
Fine	30
Other	1

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response has been given by the governor of Long Lartin to the request that the psychiatrist Dr. McKeith be permitted to examine Michael Hickey.

A request for a visit by Dr. McKeith was made in a letter from Mr. Hickey's solicitors on 13 November 1990. There are no objections to Dr. McKeith examining Mr. Hickey.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he plans to open the proposed Birmingham public inquiry office; and whether he has yet identified premises for its location.

We intend to open the office when the necessary funding can be made available. The location will be the immigration office at Birmingham airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the advice on new byelaws prohibiting the drinking of alcohol in public places to be issued to local authorities.

Details of the new model byelaw prohibiting the consumption of intoxicating liquor in designated public places were issued to district and borough councils in England and Wales in Home Office circular No 88/1990 on 29 October. A copy of the circular is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if any of Lord Cullen's report was not included in the two published volumes;(2) why his departmental press office advised the press that the Cullen report was over 800 pages.

Lord Cullen's report, as received by me on 22 October, ran to over 900 pages in typescript. My departmental press office, when approached, advised the press prior to publication that the report was a "substantial" document. The report as printed by HMSO was proof-read by a team under the supervision of Lord Cullen himself. The printed version, as the hon. Member will be aware, is about 500 pages long.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will review the proposed timetable for privatisation of PowerGen following the resignation of its chairman.

No. It remains the Government's firm intention, subject to market conditions, to offer shares in National Power and PowerGen for sale to the public in February 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage fees are to be paid to the companies underwriting the flotation of the electricity distribution companies.

The commission rates to be paid to the underwriters of the sale of the regional electricity companies, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreements, will be

	percentage
United Kingdom primary underwriting	0·1700
United Kingdom sub-underwriting	1·2500
Overseas underwriting	1·2448

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the firms underwriting the flotation of the electricity distribution companies.

The names of the firms underwriting the offers for sale of the regional electricity companies are set out in the prospectus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he last met Sir Graham Day or spoke to him on the telephone prior to Friday 16 November;(2) when he was informed of the imminent resignation of Robert Malpas as chairman of PowerGen;(3) if he will give the dates of his last six meetings with Robert Malpas as chairman of PowerGen.

I have meetings and consultations with the directors of PowerGen, as of other companies in the electricity supply industry, whenever necessary. Such meetings and consultations are confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether he has discussed with Robert Malpas as the chairman of PowerGen the use of the least-cost approach to electricity industry investment;(2) whether he has had discussions with Robert Malpas as the chairman of PowerGen about the need for energy conservation.

The details of my discussions with Mr. Malpas, in his capacity as the chairman of PowerGen, are confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his predecessor approved the appointment of Robert Malpas as chairman of PowerGen.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Mr. Morrison) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, West (Mr. Butterfill) on 9 June 1988 at column 632.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what consultations he has had with the Health and Safety Commission about the appointment of a successor to Mr. Petrie as head of offshore safety;(2) why he has decided to proceed with the selection of the successor to Mr. Petrie as head of offshore safety rather than leaving the appointment to the Health and Safety Commission.

There is no intention to replace Mr. Petrie as director of safety. Offshore safety is, however, to become the responsibility of a new head of division to whom Mr. Petrie will report. Mr. Tony Barrell, from the Health and Safety Executive, has been appointed to the new post. The Health and Safety Commission has warmly welcomed the new appointment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what criteria were applied by him and his appointed agency in drawing up the regional allocations under the home energy efficiency scheme;(2) if he will give a regional breakdown of the allocations under the home energy efficiency scheme during

The home energy efficiency scheme is a national scheme, and no regional allocations of funding have been made. However, it is important for organisations wishing to apply to become "network installers" in particular localities that they should have some broad indication of the scale of insulation and advice which they might be able to undertake using grants under the home energy efficiency scheme. The energy action grants agency therefore has included with the information it is sending to applicants a preliminary view on this based on numbers in receipt of housing benefit in each locality. The figures provided by the agency are neither an allocation, nor an estimate of the total value of work which might be undertaken by all contractors operating in that locality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action is proposed by his Department on clean coal technology.

The Government attach great importance to developing clean coal technologies and technologies aimed at maximising the economically recoverable coal from indigenous coal reserves.We are, therefore, carrying out a major review of our coal research programme and plan to publish a new strategy as an energy paper early next summer. To help us develop this new strategy my Department has established a new advisory body—the coal task force. The task force held its first meeting this morning. Over the next few months it will examine all aspects of coal research, including extraction, coal preparation, utilisation and conversion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the total number of hours of home tuition provided each week to children with a statement of special educational needs by each local education authority for each of the last five years;(2) what was the average number of hours of home tuition received per week by each child with a statement of special educational needs in each local education authority for each of the last five years.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children with a statement of special needs have been (a) excluded from attending school and (b) unable to attend school in each local education authority for each of the last five years.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the statutory requirements on local education authorities to provide home tuition for children with a statement of special needs who (a) have been excluded from school and (b) are unable to attend school; and if he will make a statement.

Section 7(2) of the Education Act 1981 provides that, in any case where a local education authority maintains a statement of special educational needs for a child, it is the duty of the authority to arrange that the special educational provision specified in the statement is made for him or her unless the parent has made suitable arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the average salary of vice-chancellors in United Kingdom universities, together with the average percentage increase in their salaries, for each year since 1980, as recorded for all institutions which supply a return in box 1 of the university statistical record annual return.

The information requested is not available to the Department. It is for each university to set the salary of its vice-chancellor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the number of professors in United Kingdom universities with salaries in each £1,000 band from £27,000 upwards.

Information in the form requested is not readily available. However, the table sets out details of professorial salaries in broad salary bands. The data relate to universities in the United Kingdom at December 1989.

Professorial Salary Bands
£	Number
26,250–27,819	537
27,820–28,704	479
28,705–29,609	452
29,610–30,549	554
30,550–31,549	430
31,550–32,589	311
32,590–33,654	220
33,655–34,669	123

In addition, 184 university professors receive salaries over £34,670 pa.All figures apply to non-clinical academic professors who are wholly university funded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list (a) the numbers of men and women who have received awards from the 1 per cent. of academic and related pay set aside for allocation on merit or market criteria since 1 April 1989, (b) the proportions which the above represent of all men and women academic staff and (c) the proportions of the 1 per cent. funds that have been received by men and women since 1 April 1989.

The information is not available in the form requested. Information supplied by the UFC in June 1990 indicates that, at that time, it was intended that about 6,000 academics would receive payments from the 1 per cent. of the pay bill set aside to reward individual merit and to help counter staffing difficulties. This figure excludes returns from two universities for which data were not then available. The actual number to benefit from the scheme will be known later; the UFC has been asked to supply us with full details of the implementation of the schemes by 31 December 1990. The figure of 6,000 represents approximately 20 per cent. of all wholly university-funded full-time and part-time academic staff^*.

^*Based on USR statistics, 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money has been paid out by each of the research councils in respect of 1 per cent. awards and what proportion this represents of each research council's total university funding.

The SERC has so far paid out £47,473 in respect of 1 per cent. pay additions arising from the 1989 university pay settlement. This represents 0·032 per cent. of the SERC's total research grant funding to higher education institutions in 1989–90. Further claims are expected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state (a) the total amount of funding made available under the academic "new blood" scheme and the total amount taken up, (b) the total amount of funding made available under the new academic appointments scheme and the total amount taken up, (c) the numbers of men and women academics appointed under each of the two schemes and (d) the numbers of men and women appointed under each of the two schemes who are still in post.

(a) The total funding allocated by the University Grants Committee between academic years 1983–84 and 1985–86 under the "new blood" scheme and for new posts in information technology was £40·9 million. All allocated funding was taken up by universities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much financial assistance was offered to students by local authority intermediate awards in the last financial year.

The latest data available are for the academic year 1988–89. LEA expenditure on discretionary (section 2) awards granted at less than the mandatory rate was £94·4 million split as follows:

Percentage of mandatory rate	Expenditure (£ millions)
80–99	27·1
50–79	13·9
below 50	53·5

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial assistance is available for further education students, with parents on low incomes or in receipt of benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Under section 2 of the Education Act 1962, LEAs have discretionary power to bestow awards on persons who have left school in respect of courses which do not attract mandatory awards. Since September 1990 the further education access fund has given colleges additional funds to support full-time students aged 19 and over on further education courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much financial assistance was awarded to students by local authority education maintenance allowances in the last financial year.

The latest available data are for the academic year 1988–89. The financial assistance awarded to students by local authority education maintenance allowances was £11·2 million in that year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table listing (a) the amounts of capital allocations for county and voluntary controlled schools for 1991–92 for which each local education authority in England has bid, (b) the amount of capital grant for voluntary aided schools in their area which each local education authority has asked of his Department and (c) (a) and (b) for each local education authority and with totals in respect of (a), (b) and (c) for England, and for each region.

The information requested is provided in the table. The figures are taken from the capital plans for 1991–92 submitted by each local education authority to the Department. I will provide a regional breakdown of this information shortly.

LEA plans for Capital Expenditure in 1991–92
LEA	LEA plans County and VC schools £'000s	Voluntary aided schools £'000s
Avon	17,000	1,342
Barking	2,659	1,955
Barnet	4,036	3,605
Barnsley	1,246	25
Bedfordshire	8,795	1,127
Berkshire	9,305	723
Bexley	6,170	2,341
Birmingham	20,957	3,539
Bolton	3,256	984
Bradford	23,997	1,002
Brent	8,273	193
Bromley	8,401	429
Buckinghamshire	12,749	2,401
Bury	2,332	830
Calderdale	2,363	634
Cambridge	28,783	825
Camden	3,725	1,055
Cheshire	9,921	3,324
City	0	97
Cleveland	11,935	884
Cornwall	18,382	444
Coventry	7,745	1,570
Croydon	20,970	3,051
Cumbria	16,363	1,292
Derbyshire	27,250	1,106
Devon	23,942	2,951
Doncaster	1,536	145
Dorset	11,525	6,734
Dudley	8,716	2,385
Durham	17,936	1,103
E. Sussex	28,855	1,319
Ealing	11,199	315
Enfield	15,427	812
Essex	66,785	1,264
Gateshead	8,182	449

LEA	LEA plans County and VC schools £'000s	Voluntary aided schools £'000s
Gloucester	10,816	1,694
Greenwich	1,867	201
Hackney	6,848	162
Hammersmith	5,923	1,357
Hampshire	35,504	2,994
Haringey	7,415	1,412
Harrow	3,505	172
Havering	4,334	159
Hereford and Worcester	13,018	2,580
Hertford	11,937	2,302
Hillingdon	9,908	905
Hounslow	5,029	236
Humberside	21,536	1,400
Isles of Scilly	215	0
Isle of Wight	6,806	260
Islington	5,017	181
Kensington	7,794	3,580
Kent	45,605	7,737
Kingston	3,740	646
Kirkless	5,395	326
Knowsley	5,319	1,329
Lambeth	6,532	937
Lancashire	27,625	6,534
Leeds	41,168	12,626
Leicester	13,179	967
Lewisham	9,263	329
Lincoln	22,655	1,753
Liverpool	13,842	8,180
Manchester	20,909	1,305
Merton	7,950	228
North Yorkshire	6,272	2,005
North Tyneside	4,587	251
Newcastle	9,293	1,050
Newham	15,067	284
Norfolk	8,702	587
Northampton	12,945	400
Northumberland	5,411	1,175
Nottinghamshire	10,803	1,359
Oldham	13,674	609
Oxfordshire	23,119	4,178
Redbridge	4,384	3,399
Richmond	4,319	902
Rochdale	12,623	756
Rotherham	3,386	385
South Tyneside	6,651	59
Salford	7,116	567
Sandwell	6,536	351
Sefton	5,488	2,233
Sheffield	4,073	885
Shropshire	16,740	318
Solihull	4,548	687
Somerset	10,357	2,135
Southwark	6,086	1,616
St. Helens	4,852	2,299
Staffordshire	10,723	2,084
Stockport	2,570	341
Suffolk	17,956	890
Sunderland	7,788	523

Total allocations and annual capital guidelines for England in cash and constant terms
£ million
	Local authority schools and colleges			Voluntary aided and special agreement schools			Local authority schools and colleges voluntary aided and special agreement
	Cash	Constant 81–82 prices	Index 81–82 prices	Cash	Constant 81–82 prices	Index 81–82 prices	Cash	Constant 81–82 prices	Index 81–82 prices
1981–82	355	355	100	24	24	100	379	379	100
1982–83	338	316	89	22	21	87	360	337	89
1983–84	295	263	74	19	17	71	314	280	74
1984–85	300	255	72	25	21	87	325	276	73
1985–86	315	254	71	31	25	104	346	279	74
1986–87	297	231	65	28	22	92	325	253	67

LEA	LEA plans County and VC schools £000s	Voluntary aided schools £000s
Surrey	10,255	2,956
Sutton	10,663	3,374
Tameside	2,311	136
Tower Hamlets	29,116	597
Trafford	5,313	140
West Sussex	13,804	2,129
Wakefield	10,475	346
Walsall	3,364	400
Waltham	10,238	1,800
Wandsworth	13,503	130
Warwick	5,704	3,112
Westminster	7,041	346
Wigan	9,725	2,126
Wiltshire	15,552	1,677
Wirral	5,661	1,017
Wolverhampton	5,788	614
England	1,255,953	167,975

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table giving the amounts for England of capital allocations for (a) county and voluntary controlled schools, (b) voluntary aided schools and (c) the totals of (a) and (b) for each financial year from and including 1978–79 to 1990–91 expressed in (i) current prices, (ii) constant prices and (iii) an index of (ii) where 1978–79 = 100, together with such estimates for expenditure in 1991–92 on a comparable basis as are already available from the autumn statement.

Not all the information is available in the form requested. The table shows figures from 1981–82. Prior to 1981–82, local education authorities did not receive block allocations, but were notified annually, in the context of a rolling programme, of a limit on the value of building starts in the following year.From 1981–82 to 1989–90 allocations for spending on capital works were made to local education authorities for schools and colleges of further and higher education, in accordance with the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980. It was for each local education authority to decide how to use its allocation, including apportionment between schools and colleges, and the extent to which it wished to supplement it through the use of capital receipts and other sources of revenue.Figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 (in the table) are not comparable with previous years. Following the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Department issues an annual capital guideline to each local education authority, which is one element in the calculation of each local authority's basic credit approval announced by the Department of the Environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons between the ages of 18 and 30 years entered full-time further education in the last financial year.

In 1989–90, there were 76,000 full-time first-year students aged 18–30 studying on further education courses in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what study he is making of the impact of the withdrawal of housing benefit on the numbers of mature students following courses in further education.

The annual further education statistical records monitor the number of mature students in further education. Mature students with dependants, those who are disabled and part-time students will, of course, retain entitlement to benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information was available to the Government about the liabilities of the Metropolitan Water Board to the holders of "B" stock at the time of flotation of Thames Water.

At the time of the flotation of Thames Water in 1989 the Government were aware of a possibility of outstanding liabilities in respect of such stocks, and this was reflected in a note on contingent liabilities in the privatisation prospectus.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what implications COM(90) 453 has for the sport of archery.

Although COM(90) 453 concerns the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons, I now understand that it will not have any effect on the sport of archery.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give full details of the research project he has recently commissioned into the environmental effects of mineral workings; who has been awarded the contract in each case; and when he expects the findings to be published.

Roy Waller Associates was commissioned last year to review and examine the environmental impacts of surface mineral extraction and how they can be controlled most effectively. This is a broad-based project looking at the major problems of traffic, blasting, noise, dust, visual and landscape effects. The final report will propose a number of steps to ameliorate the environmental impact of mineral working. Areas for further research will also he identified. Publication of the final report is expected in spring 1991.The findings of a more detailed research project carried out by W. S. Atkins Engineering Sciences Ltd. on "The Control of Noise at Surface Mineral Workings" have recently been published by HMSO and copies are already lodged in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants are available to assist domestic consumers to replace old lead feeder pipes from the water mains into their homes.

Both mandatory and discretionary renovation grants under part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 are available towards the cost of replacing lead water supply pipes on land owned by the grant applicant, subject to a test of the applicant's financial resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish tables showing for each local authority either the planned use of balances to support revenue expenditure in 1990–91 or the amount to be used to replenish balances as appropriate.

I have today arranged for the available information to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain a copy of "Local Government Finance, the 1990 reforms", by Michael Ridge and Stephen Smith, published in Fiscal Studies August 1990 (Vol. 11, No. 3), for his Department's library.

The Department's library already has a copy of the journal in which this article appears.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress in collection of the community charge in England and 'Wales.

[holding answer 21 November 1990]: Information from regular quarterly returns supplied by local authorities confirms that around nine out of 10 charge payers had begun paying their charges by the end of September. In many areas this figure is already approaching 100 per cent. and I look to all authorities to achieve figures close to this during the balance of this financial year. Collection of the community charge in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the result of the Keynsham Chew valley local plan inquiry, held in December 1989 and January 1990; and if he will make a statement.

The inspector has now completed his report to the local planning authority, Wansdyke district council, following this complex inquiry. It will be sent to the council shortly: publication is a matter for it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the rate of take-up of funds allocated by the Housing Corporation to housing associations in the different regions of the country; and if he will make a statement on whether the funds taken up by housing associations in the different regions of England have been expended by them in total.

This is a matter for the Housing Corporation. I have therefore asked the corporation to respond to my hon. Friend direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis he will continue to contribute to neighbourhood care and repair schemes run by housing associations.

As I announced on 19 October, from 1 April 1991, 50 per cent. of the running costs of approved home improvement agencies, including those run by housing associations, will be met by Government grant. Local housing authorities are responsible for the co-ordination and submission of such bids by the end of the month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under the new provisions for house adaptations for people with disabilities, how many people have been denied grants or been given reduced grants to make adaptations to their homes because they do not meet the means test.

The information requested is not yet available. The impact of the new house renovation grant system is, however, being monitored closely.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government will introduce legislation to amend the Town and Country Planning Act to make it unlawful to erect or adapt buildings without approved access facilities for disabled people, and to provide for all existing buildings to be adapted in the same way with cash grants available from central Government for the owners of such buildings, with such adaptations subject to checks annually by the disablement advisory service.

There is already a requirement in the Building Regulations 1985 that reasonable provision must be made to enable disabled people to gain access to new offices and shops, and to the principal entrance storey of new factories, educational buildings covered by the regulations, and other premises to which the public are admitted. Consultation proposals have been issued recently which would have the effect of extending this requirement to all floors of all new non-domestic buildings and to certain alterations and extensions to existing buildings. Research is being carried out into the technical problems involved in extending such a requirement to other alterations and extensions of non-domestic buildings.Under the adaptations to premises and equipment scheme, administered by the Department of Employment through the disablement advisory service, a grant of up to £6,000 may be awarded to an employer, towards the cost of adapting premises and equipment for an existing disabled employee or a disabled new recruit. Employers are expected to contribute and to undertake to recruit a disabled person with similar needs as a replacement in the event of the original employee leaving. Grants are most commonly provided for adaptations to toilets and improved access to a building. An evaluation of the Department of Employment special schemes was published by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment on 2 November 1990 and comments invited by 2 February 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidance to planning authorities which would highlight the importance of refusal of planning permission for the extraction of peat from sites of special scientific interest.

Local authorities have to reach decisions on individual planning applications on their merits, having due regard to all relevant material considerations. "Material considerations" include relevant national policies, such as the protection of designated sites of special scientific interest. The Department of the Environment's existing guidance in circular 27/87 "Nature Conservation" and minerals planning guidance note 2 requires that proposals for the extraction of peat and other minerals from SSSIs should be subject to the most rigorous examination, in which the need for the mineral has to be balanced against environmental considerations. The Government are giving further consideration to the issues raised by peat extraction and nature conservation, and this includes whether there is a need for further advice.I also welcome the agreement reached recently between the Nature Conservancy Council and the Peat Producers Association whereby, pending an agreed peatland strategy, members of the association will not make any planning applications to work existing or proposed peatland SSSIs without the prior agreement of the NCC.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure other means of disposal of sewage sludge presently dumped in the North sea.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked the water companies concerned to submit to him by the end of November their detailed plans and programmes of work phasing out disposal of sludge to sea. The main disposal options are to agricultural land, landfill and incineration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to ensure the provision of adequate single persons' accommodation in both the public and private rented sectors at prices which young single persons can afford.

We have taken a number of measures that will help young single people find accommodation including, in particular, the deregulation of new lettings in the private rented sector. Allocation of subsidised rented housing is mainly a matter for local authorities and housing associations; local authorities' duties under the homelessness legislation cover vulnerable single people; and we have recently announced a special programme, costing £100 million over four years, to help people sleeping rough in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been carried out by his Department into single persons' accommodation needs.

The Department has published four reports on single persons' accommodation needs.These are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to require local authorities, building societies and other mortgage lenders to submit regular returns of the number of borrowers in arrears with their payments and the number of properties repossessed.

Local authorities already make returns to the Department of their mortgage arrears and possessions. Building societies make returns on arrears and possessions to the Building Societies Commission. In addition, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has collected data on arrears and possessions from a number of major mortgage lenders. In view of the information already provided by lenders, I do not consider it appropriate for the Department of the Environment to require returns from private sector lenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department was represented at the housing and independent living conference organised by Shelter, the King's Fund community development living team, the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People and the living options project on 12 and 13 November; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 16 November 1990]: No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what policy considerations led him to send a member of his legal department to observe the preliminary hearing of the Leybucht bay case in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg on 16 October.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 19 November, at columns 41–42. A member of the Welsh Office's legal division attended because of the relevance of the issues to Welsh Office circular 52/87 "Nature Conservation".

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) on what basis the salary to be paid to Mr. Rod Richards, his personal ministerial adviser, has been calculated;(2) what salary will be paid to Mr. Rod Richards as his personal ministerial adviser.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 19 November by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General and to the reply my right hon. Friend gave on 13 November to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael).

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply of 13 November, Official Report, column 106, if he will give specific details of the knowledge and experience of Mr. Rod Richards in respect of the private sector which will be relevant to his work as special adviser.

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 Wales 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 Department has no full-time or part-time staff engaged exclusively on civil defence, but such work is estimated to account for the equivalent of six full-time posts across the Department as a whole. The total cost was £156,000 in 1989–90 and is estimated to be £161,000 in 1990–91.My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced on 16 October 1990 that he had initiated a review of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations. Future levels of expenditure on civil defence will depend on the outcome of that review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many peripatetic music teachers are currently employed by each local education authority in Wales; and what is the average amount of instrument tuition time per week offered by schools in each local education authority.

Information on the number of peripatetic music teachers and the amount of tuition time is not collected centrally.

Imports of Toxic Waste
Port	Country of Origin	Destination	Type of Waste	Tonnes
Holyhead	Ireland	Cheshire CC	Sodium sulphide/sulphate	36
			Sodium hydroxide	18
		Greater Manchester	Cyanoacrylate residue	47
			Glycerine waste	21
			Glycolmethacrylate scrap	24
		Torfaen BC	Miscellaneous waste	10
			Total	156
Newport	Austria	Torfaen BC	PCB/Transformers Carcass	53
	Germany	Torfaen BC	Miscellaneous chemical waste	69
			Pesticides	77
	Ireland	East Sussex CC	Nerol (Toluene waste)	48
		Greater Manchester	Iron hydroxide/oxides	177
		Hampshire CC	Organic waste (mix)	125
		Torfaen BC	Chlorinated solvents	5
			Inorganic waste	2
			Liners (cont; toxic waste)	8
			Miscellaneous waste	8
			Miscellaneous chemical waste	7
			Organic waste (mix)	68
			Polychloro Biphenyl (PCB)	17
			Pharmaceutical waste	21
	Spain	Nottinghamshire	PCB	22
		Torfaen BC	PCB contaminated material	21
			PCB/transformers carcass	195
	Switzerland	Greater Manchester	Aluminium Hydroxide/oxide	6
			Battery waste	23

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in negotiations on proposals for a reduction in hours worked by junior doctors in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is represented on the working group established by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health which is currently engaged on a detailed examination of the issues involved. A considerable amount of ground has already been covered and all parties are aiming to reach broad agreement in principle on specific changes by the end of the year.

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

Pembrokeshire district health authority has submitted an expression of interest in applying for NHS trust status which is currently under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state for the last available year (a) the amount of toxic waste imported through Welsh ports in total, and by port and (b) the country of origin and destination of toxic waste imports by port, together with the nature of toxic waste in each case.

The information for the year to 31 March 1990 is shown in the following table.