To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consideration he has given to the application of nuclear safeguards to spent nuclear fuel designated for direct disposal.

The United Kingdom applies the requirements of the international safeguards authorities to all civil spent nuclear fuel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the breakdown of individual to institutional shareholders in the 12 regional electricity companies (a) on first dealings day and (b) one year hence.

Approximately 54·6 per cent. of the shares in each company have been made available to the general public and to employees and pensioners. The balance has been sold to United Kingdom and overseas institutions. Figures for a year hence are obviously not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to commence work on the A6 trunk road pelican crossing between Kibworth Harcourt and Kibworth Beauchamp in Leicestershire before Christmas.

I regret that it will not be possible for work to begin before spring 1991. But the detailed design is almost complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what examination his Department has made of the American example of stopping traffic when children are alighting from school buses; and whether he has any plans to introduce such a system in the United Kingdom.

The Department has no wish to emulate the position in the United States of America where in spite of special regulations some 40 children are killed and 800 injured each year in school bus loading zones.We do, however, intend to require school buses to display special signs and regulations will be made as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will seek to increase competition and service to customers on the Belfast-Gatwick air route; and if he will make a statement.

The pattern of services on individual routes is a matter for the commercial judgment of airlines, which may apply to the Civil Aviation Authority at any time for a licence in accordance with statutory procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make available to the public the south Manchester study which he commissioned in 1988.

No. The study was a background paper and not prepared for publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will outline the structure and status of the proposed inquiry into the recent loss of the MFV Antares; and if he will make a statement.

The inquiry into the loss of MFV Antares, which is now well advanced, began on 23 November and was given the status of an inspector's inquiry, under the Merchant Shipping (Accident Investigation) Regulations, on 26 November. The inspectors appointed have extensive powers under the Merchant Shipping Acts, including the power to call witnesses before them, require witnesses to answer their questions and produce documents, and to carry out any examination of ships or equipment they deem necessary.The inspectors will report to the chief inspector of marine accidents who will in turn report to the Secretary of State. The chief inspector's report will include the inspectors' findings and whatever recommendations he considers will help to avoid a similar accident in the future. The regulations require the report to be published unless the Secretary of State orders a formal investigation or there is good reason not to publish.In addition, a Royal Navy inquiry is taking place; and there will be a fatal accident inquiry before the sheriff, in preparation for which the Strathclyde police is carrying out an investigation. All three groups of investigators—Royal Navy, police and inspectors—are fully co-operating with each other, but they will each arrive at their conclusions and make their respective reports independently.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase the number of specialist advisers to his Department concerned with environmental and global warming issues.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce the appointment of a consulting engineer to report on the design of traffic signals at junction 10 on the M23.

Tenders have been invited for the appointment of a consulting engineer to report on the traffic signals at junction 10 of the M23. The tender period closes on 21 December and the appointment will be made in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received from the chairman of British Rail about the future of the Speedlink freight service; and if he will make a statement.

British Rail has today announced its plans following its consultations with Speedlink customers. I have arranged for a copy of the announcement to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the funding of the South Yorkshire Supertram project.

The South Yorkshire passenger transport authority has now provided the assurances about the project to which I referred in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) on 28 November, column 406. I have accordingly informed the authority that grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 together with credit approvals will be provided to enable it to implement the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to change the law to make safety belts compulsory in minibuses used for the transport of children.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: Minibuses first used on or after 1 October 1988 are already required to have seat belts fitted to all front seats. We have been pressing for agreement in the European Community to enable us to require the fitting of seat belts in all seats in minibuses. As a result, the European Commission is now committed to bringing forward proposals for consideration by the Community by the end of 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has had any representations about services offered by the International Friendship Club, of Regents park, Southampton, in the context of immigration by Filipino citizens; and whether he has any proposals to curb efforts by such agencies to obtain fees from United Kingdom citizens for these services.

The Government receive representations from time to time about the activities of international marriage agencies but have received no specific representation about International Friendship Club. Such agencies neither have nor confer any special status: they and overseas national using their services have at all times to observe the requirement of the immigration rules. There are no present plans for legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many expatriates have now had a vote registered in the United Kingdom under the 1989 Act; and if he will give a breakdown of the countries where they are now resident, following the publication of new draft electoral registers for 1991–92.

Lists of overseas electors were published by individual electoral registration officers on 28 November. We shall make the figures known to the House in due course. A breakdown of the number of overseas electors by country of residence could be published only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many firearm certificates were currently valid in each police authority area of England, Scotland and Wales for 1988, 1989, and 1990, respectively;(2) how many shotgun certificates were currently valid in each police authority area in England, Scotland and Wales for 1988, 1989 and 1990, respectively.

The number of firearm and shotgun certificates on issue on 31 December of both 1988 and 1989 is shown for each police authority in England and Wales in tables 2 and 4 of Home Office statistical bulletins 18/89 and 26/90. A copy of these bulletins is in the Library.Figures for 1990 are not yet available. I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the number of firearm and shotgun certificates on issue on 31 December of both 1988 and 1989 was as follows:

Number of firearm and shotgun certificates in Scottish police force areas 1988 and 1989
	Number of certificates
	1988		1989
Police force area	Firearm	Shotgun	Firearm	Shotgun
Central Scotland	1,380	4,837	1,364	4,626
Dumfries and Galloway	3,033	6,702	2,637	6,496
Fife	1,801	6,307	1,754	6,152
Grampian	6,183	14,221	6,144	14,132
Lothian and Borders	4,575	12,494	4,418	12,256
Northern	9,928	13,696	8,037	13,391
Strathclyde	6,642	21,116	5,513	20,167
Tayside	4,799	10,120	3,673	9,829
Total in Scotland	38,341	89,493	33,540	87,049

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Hampshire on the outcome of the latest survey carried out in the Southampton area on display of road fund licence discs by motorists.

I understand from the chief constable that Hampshire constabulary, in conjunction with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, conducted a vehicle excise campaign in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight between 1 and 30 November. Information about the outcome of the campaign is not yet available because offence reports are still being processed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many game licences were issued in the 1989–90 season; and what were the net revenues to his Department from the issue of such licences.

47,432 game licences were issued in Great Britain in the financial year 1989–90 and £245,812 was raised in revenue. The costs of issuing game licences are borne by the Home Office and came to a total of £172,406, but the revenue passes to local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 27 November in relation to the proposal for a directive on data protection from the European Commission.

I understand that this meeting was cancelled and that the draft directive is not on the agenda for the Council's meeting later this month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted murderers have committed further murders after being released from a prison sentence for that offence; and how many people have been murdered by such ex-prisoners since 1965.

Information on the number of persons convicted of murder who had previous murder convictions is published annually in Criminal Statistics, England and Wales—table 4.10 of the latest issue, for 1989, Cm. 1322—copies of which are available in the Library.During the period from 1946 to 1989, 10 persons in England and Wales were convicted of a second murder after previously being convicted of murder and being released on life licence. In addition, one person was convicted of murder in England and Wales, released, and was then convicted of a second murder in Scotland and one person was convicted of murder in England and Wales, released, and was then convicted of a murder in prison in Northern Ireland.Since the abolition of the death penalty in 1965, there have been eight persons in England and Wales who have been murdered by persons previously convicted of murder. Of those previous murder convictions, four were committed before abolition of the death penalty; only one of the others might have attracted the death penalty under the terms of the Homicide Act 1957. In addition, one person was murdered in Scotland by a person who had previously been convicted of murder in England and Wales, and one person was murdered in Northern Ireland by a person who had previously been convicted of murder in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received a copy of the European Parliament's report on "Xenophobia and Racism"; and what response he intends to make.

The report of the European Parliament's committee of inquiry into racism and xenophobia was received in September and its recommendations are being studied.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applicants for asylum in the United Kingdom have been held in detention for longer than three months in (a) 1989 and (b) 1990;(2) how many people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom have been detained in Her Majesty's prisons for more than seven days since

The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. On 7 December, 51 persons who had claimed asylum had been detained under Immigration Act powers for three months or more.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are currently employed in the asylum and special cases division of the immigration and nationality department; how many of these are processing applications for asylum; and what were the comparable figures in each of the preceding five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the staff complement at the Home Office refugee unit in each year since 1980.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: Figures are not available for years before 1984. In subsequent years the number of staff in post or in training dealing with asylum matters was as follows:

	Numbers
1 April 1984	39
1 October 1985	48
1 October 1986	47
1 October 1987	52
1 October 1988	57
1 October 1989	67
6 December 1990	100

The figures for 1990 include three senior managers, two personal secretaries, and three members of the research unit, none of whom is directly engaged in processing applications; a similar number of staff were engaged in these duties in previous years. The asylum and special cases division, which was established as a separate division on 12 November 1990, is also responsible for the issue of Home Office travel documents and re-entry visas on which 17·6 staff are employed, in addition to those dealing with asylum matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specialist training relating to asylum issues is given, upon appointment, to officials in the public inquiry office of the immigration and nationality department.

Staff in the public inquiry office receive training which lasts about 11 weeks. The course covers immigration law and practice, interviewing and communication skills and customer care. No specialist training on asylum policy is given as the staff in the public inquiry office do not take decisions in such cases. Their role in asylum cases is confined to receiving applications and interviewing applicants to obtain details of their claim on behalf of the asylum and special cases division who provide guidance on specific geographical areas as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish all written instructions for officials dealing with asylum applications, including immigration officers and officials in the public inquiry office and refugee unit.

No. It is not the usual practice to publish such internal management instructions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether written reasons of refusal of asylum are given, at the time of refusal, to those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom who are refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain.

Written reasons are given only when the applicant is to be removed to the country in which he claims to fear persecution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to ensure that the procedures used by his Department for dealing with applications for asylum in the United Kingdom comply with internationally recognised standards for the protection of refugees and asylum seekers.

I am satisfied that asylum procedures in my Department meet the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to recover sums due by airlines under the Immigration (Carriers' Liabilities) Act 1987; how much has been received to date; how much is outstanding; and if he will make a statement.

A total of £22·792 million had been incurred by carriers—that is, airlines and sea operators —to 13 November 1990. Of this sum, £8·135 million had been paid and £1–142 million waived on the basis of representations in individual cases, leaving £13·515 million outstanding.Vigorous action is being taken to enforce payment of outstanding liabilities. In July, writs were issued against four airlines; three have since settled out of court. In October and November final demand letters were sent to all carriers with outstanding debts. These have produced a mixture of payments, promises of payment and requests for urgent meetings. Early meetings are being arranged, where requested, to discuss the scope for resolution without recourse to the courts. But the Treasury Solicitor will be instructed to institute civil recovery proceedings where payment or satisfactory proposals for payment are not forthcoming promptly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specialist training is given, upon appointment, to officials in the Home Office refugee unit; what follow-up training is given to such officials; and if he intends to take steps to improve such training.

Officials in the asylum and special cases division of the Home Office specialise in geographical areas and they are trained by working under close supervision on individual cases; additional training on general determination matters is being developed with UNHCR; and seminars are held on particular geographical areas with outside academics.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for facilities at Bradford magistrates court to be extended to include a creche, interpreters, and refreshments.

It is for the Bradford magistrates courts committee, in consultation with its paying authority, to decide whether to pursue the provision of creche facilities. I understand that arrangements for interpretation are already in place, and that there is a restaurant at the court house which provides refreshments thoughout the day.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he plans: (i) to strengthen the efforts made by the prison service to prevent suicides by inmates and (ii) to ensure that the families of inmates who die in custody receive the support which they require following the death.

I regard suicide and self-injury in prison as an extremely serious problem. I have asked the Director General of the Prison Service to give very high priority to it. Prison staff already make very considerable efforts to identify and care for inmates at risk, but I want to ensure that the necessary lessons are learned from past tragedies and consistently applied in future. The recent reorganisation of the prison service has presented the opportunity to reinforce existing guidance and secure more effective implementation of the prevention strategy set out in circular instruction 20/1989. Under a new addendum to CI 20/1989, area managers and governors are being required to institute more regular and thorough reviews of the measures being taken at their establishments. The suicide prevention management group within the establishment will be mainly responsible for such reviews: a thorough checklist of suicide prevention measures has been issued to ensure that all aspects of this complex and distressing problem are properly tackled.In addition, governors are being given fresh guidance in circular instruction 52/1990 on support for bereaved families. Wherever practicable, visits will be made to close relatives of deceased inmates to offer sympathy, to respond to their questions and concerns and to pass on information, as appropriate, about specialised counselling and support services in the community.I am conscious, too, of the traumatic effects which suicides can have on prison staff, particularly those who had responsibilities for the care and supervision of the inmate concerned. CI 52/1990 also stresses the need for support to be given to any member of staff who may need it.The addendum to CI 20/1989, together with CI 52/1990, will be issued tomorrow, 13 December, under cover of a letter to managers in the prison service from the Director of Inmate Administration and the Director of Prison Medical Services. Copies of all these documents are being placed in the Library.We shall be reviewing our suicide prevention policies in the light of the report on this subject by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons which will be published very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many open heart operations have been undertaken this year at the University hospital of Wales.

I understand from South Glamorgan health authority that 544 open heart operations were undertaken at the University hospital of Wales between 1 January and 30 November this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide the capital allocation his Department is making in the current financial year to enable South Glamorgan health authority to reach its target of open heart operations to be performed yearly at the University hospital of Wales as a regional service.

As part of the Department's continuing commitment to increasing the number of open heart operations per year capable of being achieved by the University hospital of Wales, capital allocations of approximately £1·2 million are being made available to South Glamorgan health authority in the current financial year for adult cardiac services and £1·5 million for paediatric cardiac services.Work in the course of the current financial year to enhance cardiac service facilities at the University hospital of Wales has included upgraded catheter laboratories, additional intensive care facilities and a new paediatric cardiac unit at a cost to central funds of some £4 million. Our officials are currently discussing with South Glamorgan DHA further developments to ensure that targets are reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost to Clwyd health authority and South Glamorgan health authority of referring patients for open heart surgery outside Wales between 1 April and 31 October this year.

I understand from Clwyd health authority that the cost of referrals between 1 April and 31 October this year was approximately £160,000 and from South Glamorgan health authority that the costs were in the region of £260,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the target date by which 120 open heart operations will be undertaken on children at the University hospital of Wales.

Building work on the paediatric cardiac unit at the University hospital of Wales having been completed, the unit is being commissioned to come into service during 1991. The date by which capacity will be approached will depend upon the nature and timing of referrals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the organisations in Wales which have received funding to help the development of local programmes within Welsh counties to combat alcohol misuse; and if he will give the amount given to each organisation for 1990–91 and the figure projected for each organisation for the 1991–92 financial year.

No allocations have yet been made. Allocations will be made early in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to provide financial support to the Wales Epilepsy Association to enable it to develop services of advice, guidance and support network for epileptics and their families throughout Wales.

Health and social services authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their local populations and for securing such services as they feel are appropriate to meet them.The Wales Epilepsy Association has submitted an application for financial assistance in support of headquarters and project development costs under section 64 of the Health and Public Services Act 1968. I am shortly to see a delegation from the association, led by the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) to discuss their work. A decision on the application for section 64 funding will be made as soon as possible in the light of our consideration of all applications made for the available funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to protect the environment of Snowdonia national park from acidification caused by the burning of orimulsion fuel at Ince power station.

I have been asked to reply.There has been no increase in sulphur dioxide emissions from Ince power station as a result of the burning of orimulsion. Under agreements made between Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and Powergen, the operators of Ince, less than half of the station's 1,000 megawatts capacity is being used for the burning of orimulsion. Power production from the remaining 500 MW boiler has been curtailed to keep the sulphur dioxide emissions within the previous level for the plant as a whole.Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the operator of every large combustion plant will be required to apply to HMIP by 1 May 1991 for an authorisation to continue operating the plant. In setting conditions in an authorisation, HMIP must aim to ensure the use of batneec to prevent or minimise releases of prescribed substances including SO2, and compliance with any plans set by the Secretary of State. These will include the plan for implementation of the large combustion plants directive. The Government's proposals for this will require substantial overall reductions in emissions of SO2 from Powergen's plants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in investment each year since 1979 in real terms in (a) chemicals, (b) man-made fibres, (c) textiles, (d) clothing,

United Kingdom demand: percentage changes
Per cent.
	1980–1979	1981–1980	1982–1981	1983–1982	1984–1983	1985–1984	1986–1985	1987–1986	1988–1987
(a) Chemicals (SIC 25)	-2	+7	+7	+14	+12	+4	+2	+13	+11
(b) Man-made Fibres (SIC 26)	-28	+4	-3	+8	+11	+7	+14	+15	-1
(c) Textiles (SIC 43)	-11	+2	+7	+15	+12	+8	+6	+7	+6
(d) Clothing (SIC 453)	0	-1	+9	+8	+15	+10	+9	+5	+8
(e) Footwear (SIC 451)	0	+3	+7	+9	+12	+9	+10	+6	+7
(f) Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (SIC 35)	-11	-5	+21	+16	+7	+16	+14	+18	+24
(g) Mechanical Engineering (SIC 32)	0	-4	+13	+12	+8	+8	+6	+10	+18

United Kingdom output: percentage changes on 1979
Per cent.
	1980–1979	1981–1979	1982–1979	1983–1979	1984–1979	1985–1979	1986–1979	1987–1979	1988–1979
(a) Chemicals (SIC 25)	+3	+9	+15	+28	+43	+53	+56	+72	+88
(b) Man-made Fibres (SIC 26)	-18	-29	-36	-25	-15	-13	-10	-3	+2
(c) Textiles (SIC 43)	-8	-12	-8	0	+10	+20	+24	+31	+36
(d) Clothing (SIC 453)	0	-5	+2	+10	+22	+37	+46	+50	+56
(e) Footwear (SIC 451)	+2	-4	-2	+2	+10	+24	+35	+40	+47
(f) Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (SIC 35)	-3	-9	-4	0	+9	+26	+36	+69	+98
(g) Mechanical Engineering (SIC 32)	+6	+3	+12	+13	+22	+32	+36	+45	+62

Import penetration from the E.C. and the rest of the world
	1980		1988
	Import Penetration		Import Penetration
	E.C. per cent.	Rest of World per cent.	E.C. per cent.	Rest of World per cent.
(a) Chemicals (SIC 25)	18	10	30	11
(b) Man-made Fibres (SIC 26)	36	20	53	13
(c) Textiles (SIC 43)	18	17	27	21
(d) Clothing (SIC 453)	9	19	14	26
(e) Footwear (SIC 451)	22	13	20	28
(f) Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (SIC 35)	30	9	37	14
(g) Mechanical Engineering (SIC 32)	18	11	26	13

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for requiring consumer guarantees to be enforceable beyond the life of the company issuing them.

The Government have no proposals for such legislation. The enforcement of long-term guarantees

The available information is shown in the tables: 1989 data are not yet available. Investment figures in real price terms are a matter for the Treasury. Statistics on capacity are not available.was considered by the Director General of Fair Trading in his report on consumer guarantees (June 1986). The report makes a number of recommendations on good practice and indicates that the Office of Fair Trading will keep this matter under review to see whether voluntary initiatives by industry can bring about improvements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for making guarantees issued on goods sold a liability to be taken into account by the Official Receiver on liquidation.

The insolvency legislation—rule 13.12 of the insolvency rules 1986—already provides that contingent debts or liabilities that materialise after a company has gone into liquidation by reason of an obligation incurred before that date are provable claims in the proceedings. This in effect means that claims under valid guarantees are taken into account by the liquidator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will propose legislation under which auditing firms would be banned from conducting public opinion polls for their audit clients.

I see no reason for doing so. Under part II of the Companies Act 1989, the recognised supervisory bodies must have adequate rules and practices to ensure that company audit work is conducted properly and with integrity, and that persons are not appointed as company auditors in circumstances in which they have any interest likely to conflict with the proper conduct of the audit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will propose legislation under which auditors would be prevented from issuing a disclaimer of opinion.

No. Circumstances of fundamental uncertainty may occasionally arise in which the auditor is unable to form an opinion one way or the other on whether a set of accounts gives a true and fair view. In such circumstances, it is better that an auditor should decline to give an opinion than that he should be forced to give one which cannot, on the evidence available, be justified and could therefore be misleading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements applicants for supervisory body status under the Companies Act have offered to enable a member of the public to ascertain whether an auditor (a) has derived 15 per cent. or more of his fee from any one client and (b) has lent money to an audit client.

All the applications that we have received for recognition as supervisory bodies include guidance to the effect that an auditor should not lend money to an audit client, and should not in normal circumstances derive more than 15 per cent. of his fee income from one client.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of company accounts are lodged on time; what efforts are made to pursue late reports; and what studies he has carried out of the correlation between late reporting and subsequent company failures.

Of the company accounts accepted by Companies house during the financial year 1989–90, 54 per cent. of those filed by public companies and 53 per cent. of those filed by private companies were received by the due date. A further 25 per cent. of public and 20 per cent. of private company accounts came in within three months of the due date. If accounts are not submitted within the statutory period allowed, a series of letters are issued. Action taken by Companies house can result in prosecution of the individual directors. There have been no studies carried out on the correlation between late reporting and subsequent company failure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the expected gains and losses to the United Kingdom expected under the Single European Act; what assessment has been made of the benefits to date; and if he will publish a table showing the current account balance on visible and invisible trade with the EEC in each of the past five years together with the forecast for this year and next.

The single market is expected to raise the level of income in the European Community by removing the remaining barriers to trade between member stales. The Cecchini report published by the European Commission in 1988 sets out the range of expected benefits to the Community as a whole. Projections for the United Kingdom are contained in table A 4.4 on page 622 of volume 2 of the report "Research on the cost of non-Europe—Basic findings—Studies on the economics of integration", which is available in the library. The benefits which ultimately accrue to the United Kingdom from the completion of the single market will depend crucially on the response of firms to the opportunities and challenges which it presents.Figures on the United Kingdom's visible and invisible trade with the Community can be obtained from table 10.1 of "The Pink Book" United Kingdom Balance of Payments, which is also available in the Library. No forecasts are made for the trade balance with the Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase the number of qualified inspectors of weights and measures; and if he will make a statement.

Inspectors of weights and measures are employed by the local weights and measures authorities and it is the responsibility of each of these authorities to recruit, train and retain sufficient qualified inspectors to enforce consumer protection legislation in their area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements exist for the provision of an occupational health service for employees within his Department; and (a) how many staff are employed to provide occupational health services, (b) how many of those staff are qualified nurses and (c) how many employees work in his Department in total.

My Department uses the civil service occupational health service which employs some 100 fully qualified occupational health professionals—doctors, nurses and hygiene and safety advisers. The current total number of staff working for DTI is 12,345.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safeguards exist in the defence equipment licensing system to cover dual-use machinery.

Industrial machinery which is capable of use for defence purposes (dual use) is subject to export licensing in the same way as defence equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions he and his ministerial colleagues have met representatives of industry to discuss licence applications for goods under the Exports of Goods (Control) Order 1987.

I and my ministerial colleagues meet representatives of industry frequently to discuss many subjects, including export licence applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of his Department's handling of export licence applications by the firms, Walter Somers Ltd. and Sheffield Forgemasters Ltd.

I have nothing to add to the statement made by my hon. Friend on 29 November at column 1060.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department was represented at, or provided information and documentation for, the conference on recycling in the future, organised by the Institute of Waste Management on 4 December.

[holding answer 10 December 1990]: My Department was invited to participate in the conference on recycling in the future on 4 December, but was unable to attend due to other commitments. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment spoke at the conference.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received proposing the introduction of procedures equivalent to chapter II of the United States bankruptcy code into British insolvency law.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: I have received no such representations. The effectiveness of United States procedures is sometimes discussed with officials of the Insolvency Service Executive Agency by some of those who are interested in the development of insolvency policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to review the working of the Insolvency Act.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: The working of the Insolvency Act 1986 is kept under review by the Insolvency Service Executive Agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish a table showing the amount spent in each of the last five years by his Department on (a) advertising in the press, (b) advertising on television and radio, (c) other advertising and promotion and (d) promotion videos and sound cassettes.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: The information is as follows:

£000's1
	A	B	C	D
	Press Advertising	Television and Radio Advertising	Other promotional materials	Films Audio-visual Slides
1985–86	1,216	—	877	242
1986–87	987	3	1,008	44
1987–88	3,417	5,721	1,501	263
1988–89	4,300	13,575	4,800	818
1989–90	5,656	5,900	11,353	739
1 Figures for 1985–86–1988–89 relate to the Department's central publicity budget. The figure for 1989–90 includes expenditure by divisions which is in addition to that carried by the central publicity budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish tables showing the amount spent on (a) acquiring and (b) commissioning goods and services by his Department in each of the last five years.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: Departmental purchasing information systems do not differentiate between acquiring and commissioning goods and services. However, information on departmental purchasing expenditure from 1986–87 is set out in the annual reports of the central unit on purchasing, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 15 November, Official Report, column 184, if he will place in the Library the Department of Trade and Industry reports listed along with the reports listed in the answers of 1 November, Official Report, column 657, 25 October, Official Report, column 272, 21 February, Official Report, column 789 and 19 December 1989, Official Report, columns 138–39.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: All reports to which the hon. Member refers are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many approaches were made to his Department by Walter Somers querying the Iraqi order for equipment in respect of the supergun.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: Three: two directly and one indirectly on its behalf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the technical specifications of the steel ordered for the pipes intended for Iraq that were the subject of correspondence between his Department and Sheffield Forgemasters in July 1988.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: No. It is not the practice to reveal details of individual licensing inquiries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department took when it was first made aware of the pipeline equipment built in the United Kingdom for Iraq having possible military implications.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: When the military implications of the equipment became clear the Department responsible for taking action was HM Customs and Excise. That Department acted with commendable swiftness to prevent the export of the equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date his Department first became aware that an Iraqi export order was for military equipment.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department first became aware that the Iraqi export order for steel tubes was for military equipment in April this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether officials of his Department made any statement or communication to the press prior to 18 April indicating his Department's opinion on whether the pipes impounded on Teesside by Her Majesty's Customs were for military purposes.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when his Department saw the contract involving Sheffield Forgemasters for the Iraqi order;(2) whether, on receipt of the Forgemasters contract for the Iraqi order placed in 1988, his Department called for any further information from the company.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department has not seen the contract to which the questions refer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the Government's shareholding via British Steel in Sheffield Forgemasters when the order for the Iraqi gun was first placed with Forgemasters.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: In June 1988 the Government's shareholding via British Steel in Sheffield Forgemasters was 50 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the day on which his Department was first made aware of the military implications of the Iraqi contract with Sheffield Forgemasters and Walter Somers.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: My Department was first made aware of the military implications of the Iraqi contract with Sheffield Forgemasters and Walter Somers in April of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many letters his Department sent in 1988 to Forgemasters about whether an export licence for the Iraqi contract was required; and what were the Department's conclusions on this matter.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: One letter was sent; on the basis of information provided by the company it was concluded that no licence was required.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to raise the amendment conference of the 1963 partial nuclear test ban treaty, to be held in January 1991, when he meets the President of the United States.

We consult with the United States Administration on the partial test ban treaty at all levels.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to attend the opening session of the amendment conference of the partial test ban treaty in New York in January 1991.

I have no plans to attend the partial test ban treaty amendment conference.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will reconvene the Cabinet committee reviewing AIDS.

The Government will continue to pursue vigorously a strategy for dealing with AIDS, but I have no plans to establish a Cabinet committee specifically to consider AIDS issues.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with Prime Minister Shamir.

I had a useful first meeting with Mr. Shamir. We discussed bilateral and regional issues including the immediate issue of the Gulf crisis, as well as the longer term issue of the Arab-Israel dispute.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements exist for the provision of an occupational health service for employees within his Department, stating (a) how many staff are employed to provide occupational health services, (b) how many of those staff are qualified nurses and (c) how many employees work in his Department in total.

This Department has access to the services of the civil service occupational health service which employs some 100 fully qualified occupational health professionals—doctors, nurses and hygiene and safety advisers. It operates via a network of regional offices throughout the United Kingdom. The Department, including its agencies, has 10,632 employees in total, none of whom is employed to provide occupational health services.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the potential replacement of pesticides by mycoherbicides in respect of control of fungal diseases; what research his Department is presently undertaking or sponsoring; and if he will make a statement.

Mycoherbicides are fungi which are used to control weeds; they are not capable of controlling fungal diseases.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will meet his European colleagues to draw up plans to distribute the EEC's food surpluses to the Soviet Union in the form of aid; and if he will make a statement.

No formal USSR request for food aid has yet been received by the Government. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs indicated at the Foreign Affairs Council on 4 December, the Government are ready to participate fully in any Community response to real shortages in the USSR to ensure food aid reaches those genuinely in need.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 10 and 11 December.

I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting of the Council together with my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), Parliamentary Secretary in my Department.Agreement was reached on a directive laying down the principles covering veterinary checks on meat and other animal products entering the Community from third countries and laying down rules on the definition of vermouths. These were satisfactory for the United Kingdom.Ministers agreed in principle to extend for a year the ban on the use of bovine somatotropin (BST) in the Community pending the results of relevant scientific experiments. This is a sensible approach which is expected to be formally agreed when the relevant Commission proposal comes forward which is expected to be very soon.I took the opportunity to press the Commission to take steps to ensure that east European suppliers respect minimum prices when exporting soft fruit to the Community. The Commissioner showed sympathy with this request.There was a discussion on the GATT round following the disappointing conclusion to the conference in Brussels last week. I pushed hard for a united Community position which provided a sufficient envelope for the Commission to be able to negotiate a satisfactory arrangement on agriculture which, as all recognise, would be a vital component in any final settlement.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what has been the Government's total expenditure on the arts in Scotland for each of the past five years and as a total over the same period.

Government funding for the arts in Scotland is channelled through the Scottish Arts Council. Over the past five years the annual grant to the council has been as follows:

	£
1990–91	17,451,000
1989–90	15,732,000
1988–89	15,358,000
1987–88	14,237,000
1986–87	13,584,000
Total	76,362,000

In addition, I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland funds a small number of performing arts organisations directly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies have been undertaken to examine the net economic benefits to the United Kingdom of membership of the European Community.

Useful bibliographies of studies on some of the key policy issues can be found in various editions of the EC publication "European Economy".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase in income tax would be required if the whole of the additional cost of transferring the total teachers' pay bill to the Exchequer was to be met from this source of revenue.

[holding answer 26 November 1990]: Local education authorities in the United Kingdom are likely to spend nearly £10 billion on teachers' pay in 1990–91. The additional cost to central Government of transferring the responsibility for that spending would depend on the extent to which there was a reduction in the grant paid to local authorities.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would be raised from treating all taxable benefits in kind as earnings for national insurance contributions in 1991–92.

[holding answer 10 December 1990]: For 1991–92 it is estimated to be £750 million. This estimate is based on projections of data relating to 1987–88 and is provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will publish tables showing the amount spent on (a) acquiring and (b) commissioning goods and services by his Department in each of the last five years.

[holding answer 11 December 1990]: Departmental purchasing information systems do not differentiate between acquiring and commissioning goods and services. However, information on departmental purchasing expenditure from 1986–87 is set out in the annual reports of the central unit on purchasing, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the response from the football authorities to the Sports Minister's recent call for one body to represent both the Football League and Football Association.

I understand that the Football Association council is to consider the proposals made by the Football League for a joint board of management at its meeting on 14 January. I welcome any constructive proposals for greater unity between the two bodies but the details of how this is achieved arc matters for the football authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is considering to promote the game of cricket in the community.

The Sports Council already runs a number of schemes aimed at developing sport in the community. In announcing the council's grant in aid for 1991–92 I asked it to pay attention to developing initiatives for young people in partnership with cricket clubs and I know that they are now working up detailed proposals. I am also in touch with the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association, the English Schools Cricket Association and the Marylebone Cricket Club on a regular basis to discuss these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the organisations to be consulted in the review of the School Premises Regulations announced on 2 October; and when the consultation process is likely to begin.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 28 November, at column 421, regarding timing of consultations for the review. The list of consultees has not yet been finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the average cost of a school meal is in 1990 in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

In January 1990 the average cost¹ of a school meal in England was:

	Fixed charge2 Pence	Authorised spend3 Pence
Primary schools4	68	68
Secondary schools	72	74
1 This is the simple average of the most common charge reported by individual local education authorities.
2 This applies to dining centres.
3 This applies to a cash cafeteria service.
4 Includes nursery schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Havant (Sir I. Lloyd) of 19 November, Official Report, column 30, he will make a further statement on his meeting with the chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on priorities for United Kingdom science.

My right hon. and learned Friend will hold this meeting after he has received the board's advice on the allocation of the science budget for 1991–92 and later years, which is expected shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the tuition fee met under the awards arrangements for postgraduate students in the academic year 1991–92.

The maximum tuition fee reimbursed through the awards system for eligible home students and those from other European Community countries on full-time postgraduate courses will be increased from £1,985 in the current academic year to £2,104 in 1991–92. As for tuition fees for students on first degree and equivalent courses, fees will be paid in three termly instalments.

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

The Medical Research Council has submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend its 1989–90 annual report under the requirements of the Science and Technology Act 1965, and we are placing a copy before the House today.We were very interested to read of the good progress made in the year, and to learn about work in areas of current public concern such as AIDS research—where the council continues to work towards the development of effective vaccines and drugs to limit the progress of the disease. I was greatly encouraged that the council's income from contracts with industry has increased from £4–4 million in 1987–88 to £6·1 million in 1989–90, and that royalty income has more than doubled over the same period. I congratulate the MRC laboratory of molecular biology for winning, jointly with Cambridge Research Biochemicals, the Queen's award for technological achievement as a result of a successful collaboration on the generation of improved peptides.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the least-developed countries will benefit from the new initiatives related to aid procurement and local cost rules which were announced at the second United Nations conference on the least-developed countries in Paris in September.

Allowing least developed countries to which we provide aid to use some of our aid funds to procure from other poor countries, as well as from the United Kingdom, should make a positive contribution to trade between developing countries and help to achieve good value for money from the aid programme.The removal of limits on the extent to which our bilateral financial aid to the least developed countries can be used to meet local costs should give added flexibility in ensuring that our aid meets the most pressing needs of recipients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of gross national product is currently spent on aid to the least-developed countries; and if he has any plans to raise this to meet the United Nations targets for such spending.

In 1989 Britain's net official development assistance to the 42 countries presently classified by the United Nations as least developed was 0·10 per cent. of GNP. In the programme of action adopted by the Second

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the amount of bilateral aid per capita for each of the Caribbean countries, including Guyana.

Following are the figures for the latest available year:UN Conference on the least developed held in Paris on 3–14 September 1990 no target applicable to all donors was established. The UK along with several other donors undertook to make our best efforts to reach the previously agreed UN target of 0·15 per cent. Over 60 per cent. of our bilateral aid in 1989 was provided to the poorest fifty countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the criteria by which the least-developed countries are adjudged to meet the requirements of good governance.

The criteria for least developed countries are the same as for other recipients of our aid. They were set out in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's speech to the Overseas Development Institute of 6 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the second United Nations conference on the least-developed countries held in Paris in September.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 29 October 1990, which said:

"The Government welcome the outcome of the second United Nations conference on the least developed held in Paris from 3–14 September and will support those least developed countries which implement the policies outlined in the programme of action.

The British delegation to the conference was led by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Delegation played an active and positive role in the negotiations for the programme of action for the 1990s adopted by the Conference. Two new British initiatives relating to aid tying and local costs rules, which will be of direct benefit to the least developed countries, were announced at the conference. The delegation kept in close contact with British non-governmental organisations, both before and during the conference. The booklet 'LLDCs in the 1990s: Development or Oblivion' was taken into account in formulating the United Kingdom position on the various issues."—[Official Report, 29 October 1990; Vol. 178, c. 361.]

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

As one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Britain has played an active role in continuing diplomatic efforts to resolve the Cambodian conflict. In August 1990 the five agreed on a framework for a comprehensive political settlement. This was accepted in its entirety by the Cambodian parties in September when they also agreed to form a Supreme National Council (SNC) which will embody national sovereignty and represent Cambodia at the United Nations. The framework was subsequently endorsed unanimously by the Security Council and the General Assembly.The five's framework was elaborated into a full-scale draft agreement at meetings in Jakarta from 9–10 November and in Paris from 23–26 November. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The document covers the major aspects of a settlement, including the proposed mandate for a UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC); a ceasefire and related military measures; elections; the repatriation of Cambodian refugees and displaced persons; and principles for a new constitution. A draft agreement guaranteeing the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability, neutrality and national unity of Cambodia; and a declaration on Cambodia's rehabilitation and reconstruction were also produced.Our objective remains a durable settlement which will enable the Cambodian people to choose their own Government free from the fear of Khmer Rouge atrocities, invasion or civil war. We believe that the five's plan offers the best chance of this. It is now up to the Cambodians to play their part, firstly by resolving the differences between them which have so far prevented the Supreme National Council from functioning; and by stopping the fighting. It will then be possible for the French and Indonesian co-chairmen to reconvene the Paris international conference on Cambodia to complete work on the settlement documents and formally adopt them. We hope that will happen soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries proposing a protocol at the Antarctic conference in Chile and those Antarctic treaty consultative parties who support the proposal.

Argentina, Norway, Uruguay, the United Kingdom and the United States had proposed, before the meeting, that a protocol to the Antarctic treaty, together with annexes setting out detailed rules on specific activities, would provide a practical means of protecting the Antarctic environment.This proposal, together with illustrative draft protocols tabled by the United Kingdom and United States of America, and a draft protocol tabled by New Zealand, together with a proposal for separate convention tabled by France and Australia, were discussed at the meeting. The outcome of these discussions is set out in paragraphs 18–20 of the report of the meeting as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Antarctic treaty negotiations.

The XIth special consultative meeting of the Antarctic treaty parties ended in Chile on 6 December. A copy of the interim report of the meeting is being placed in the Library of the House. When final texts of the annexes to the report are available, they will be added to the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed the problem of anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union and east Europe with the Governments of those countries; and if he will make a statement.