To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of eligible homes in England and Wales currently have (a) cavity wall insulation, (b) 150mm of loft insulation, (c) thermostats on 50 per cent. or more radiator valves, (d) double glazing on 50 per cent. or more external windows, (e) compact fluorescent lighting in 50 per cent. or more light fittings, (f) energy labelling on domestic electrical appliances, (g) gas condensing boilers and (h) floor insulation; and by when he forecasts that each of these figures will reach 75 per cent. and 90 per cent. of the eligible market.

It is estimated that some 19 per cent. of eligible homes in England and Wales have cavity wall insulation, 43 per cent. have four inches or more of loft insulation, 30 per cent. have double glazing installed in 40 per cent. or more rooms, less than 1 per cent. have compact fluorescent lighting in 50 per cent. or more light fittings, and less than 5 per cent. have gas condensing boilers. No figures are available for thermostatic radiator valves or floor insulation. Energy consumption information is provided in brochures or leaflets by manufacturers for the most important energy consuming domestic electrical appliances.The Government have made no forecasts of when such energy efficiency measures will achieve particular levels of domestic market penetration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in the light of Her Majesty's Government's stated recycling and environmental objectives, his Department makes any differentiation between the use of raw untreated domestic refuse in incineration and refuse-derived fuel.

My Department is keen to encourage the development of renewable energy sources whenever they are, or have the prospects of becoming, economic and environmentally acceptable. This applies equally to the use of untreated domestic refuse in incinerators and to refuse-derived fuel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what representations he has received, and from which bodies, for the extension of the large industrial consumer scheme of electricity prices beyond April;(2) if he will extend the large industrial consumer scheme on electricity prices for a further two years from April.

I have received a number of such representations. The price capping arrangements for large industrial consumers was established only as a one-year transitional measure: I do not propose seeking to extend it.

To ask the Attorney-General on what dates the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal aid has met within the last 12 months; on what dates the advisory committee's legal services conference has been convened within the last 12 months; and when the advisory committee will publish its report for 1989–90.

The Lord Chancellor's advisory committee met twice in the last 12 months, on 8 February and 2 October 1990. No legal services conference has been convened within that period. Since both meetings in 1990 were devoted to considering options for the future role of the Committee, no annual report will be published for 1989–90. The next report will be published in 1991–92 and will address the committee's future role.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how he intends to monitor local authority support for the Workers Educational Association; and what steps he is taking to ensure adequate grant for the Workers Educational Association's programme;(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that changes in the financing of the Workers Educational Association will not adversely affect the organisation's activities.

Under the arrangements for education support grant, local education authorities are expected to report to the Department on each activity for which they receive grant. Authorities have been asked to provide a short progress report on the WEA ESG to the Department by 31 March 1991. The working party of officials, which was established to consider the funding of the WEA during the transitional period, will take account of those reports in making further recommendations.The Government have not reduced overall support for the WEA; provision is being transferred to local education authorities. We shall undertake a review during the third year of the transitional period to assess how authorities are carrying out their new responsibility for the WEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the new funding arrangements for the Workers Educational Association will take into account the increased administrative resource impact on district Workers Educational Associations; and if he will make a statement.

In several WEA districts, district secretaries already have formal or informal arrangements for liaising with their local education authorities. The new sytem of funding the WEA provides district secretaries with the opportunity to build on those arrangements. In addition, the Department's grant to the national association will now include specific provision for the costs of the employment of district secretaries and basic administrative support. This central support will continue when responsibility for funding the districts is fully transferred to local education authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on the role of the Workers Educational Association in providing adult education in the 1990s; and if he will make a statement.

The WEA is the main voluntary sector provider of adult education at local level, and I would not expect that to change. The Government wish to encourage local education authorities to take account of WEA provision within their strategic plans for further education, including adult education. Greater collaboration should enable a more effective response to local needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what training is given to the teaching profession on how to identify cases of dyslexia; and if he will make a statement.

All courses of initial teacher training are required to equip prospective teachers to teach the full range of pupils whom they are likely to encounter in an ordinary school and to introduce them to ways of identifying children with special educational needs. This should include cases of dyslexia. Further in-service training is also available for teachers of pupils with dyslexia. Training of teachers in special educational needs in ordinary schools has been a national priority area under

	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91
Academic staff
Non-clinical	5·25	16·6	7·4	1—	7·0	10·0
Clincal	6·3	8·8	8·25	8·1	8·0	9·0
Support staff
Technical staff	5·3	5·5	5·8	5·1	11·0	9·0
Clerical staff	5·4	5·9	6·0	5·0	8·3	10·6
Manual staff	6·3	8·3	7·2	214·0	—	9·6
Computer operators	5·25	5·7	5·9	6·1	8·3	9·0
1 The pay settlement for non-clinical academics agreed in March 1987 provided for an increase of 16–6 per cent. from 1 December 1986 and a further 7·4 per cent. from 1 March 1988.
2 The settlement reached in 1988 for manual staff provided for an increase of £4 per week from 1 April, and assimilation to a new pay structure from 1 December 1988 with a minimum increase of £7 per week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in connection with the pay awards for university teachers, support staff and technicians.

My right hon. and learned Friend and I have meetings from time to time with representatives of the staff associations representing university staff, at which various issues, often including salary levels, are discussed. The Government also receive a number of letters from individual university employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the interim report of the national curriculum working group for art will be published; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are publishing today the

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the provisions made by education authorities for the special tuition of children suffering from dyslexia.

Yes. Under the Education Act 1981, LEAs have to make appropriate provision for pupils with dyslexia, or specific learning difficulties, as they have to make provision for all other pupils in their area. Decisions on invidual cases—including whether, or what, specific provision should be made—are matters for the LEA concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the percentage increase in pay for university (a) teachers and (b) support staff in each year from 1985 to 1990.

The figures are given in the table and relate to total average percentage increases during the year 1 April to 31 March. The figures take into account both lump sum payments and discretionary pay awards where applicable. The normal settlement dates are 1 April, except for clerical staff and computer operators where it is 1 July. Phased increases have not been identified.interim report of the national curriculum working group for art, together with our letter to the group's chairman, Professor Colin Renfrew. Copies of this initial advice, including our letter, have been placed in the Library. We welcome the progress which the group has made in developing the attainment targets and programmes of study for art. We have emphasised the need for the group to make recommendations that are much more flexible and less prescriptive than those for other national curriculum subjects, and that the language in which the targets and programmes of study are expressed should be simple, clear and readily understood.Although we have concluded that it would not be right to compel every single pupil in the 14-to-16 age group to study art, we have made it clear to the group that we still wish it to offer advice in its final report on appropriate courses of study for this age group. We look forward to receiving the group's final report by the end of June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he has made for continuing the payment of Government grant-in-aid to the Sports Council.

Parliamentary approval for my Department to make payments of grant-in-aid to the Sports Council will be sought in a spring supplementary estimate for the schools, research and miscellaneous services vote (class XI, vote 1). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of £14,161,000 will be met by repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund.

To ask the Prime Minister, further to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 24 January, Official Report, column 455, if he will seek to obtain a copy of the report held by the United States State Department detailing the 500 companies in 50 countries who have allegedly broken the United Nations embargo on Iraq; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

No. The United States State Department has assured us that no such publicly available reports have been prepared or published by it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of naturalisation and registration work is being dealt with at (a) Croydon and (b) Liverpool.

On 31 December 1990, 36 per cent. of outstanding applications were being dealt with in Lunar house, Croydon and 64 per cent. in Liverpool.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the appellate procedure available to a probation officer who is dissatisfied with the point of salary grading determined locally.

The joint negotiating committee for the probation service makes recommendations to the Secretary of State who determines the conditions of service of probation officers by virtue of paragraph 18A of schedule 3 to the Powers of the Criminal Courts Act 1973. The existing terms and conditions are set out in the code of conditions of service of probation officers. Each probation committee has a grievance procedure which all probation officers employed by it are made aware of. The code contains a model grievance procedure for the guidance of committees. In addition, where there is a complaint of unreasonable exercise of any discretion granted to probation committees in the code, the national conciliation function of the joint negotiating committee may be invoked.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he hopes to publish, by parliamentary constituency, the number of overseas electors included in the 1991–92 electoral registers; and if he will make it his policy to publish this figure also as a percentage of the electorate.

The numbers of overseas electors included in the electoral register for 1991–92, by parliamentary constituency, will be published in the summer. We have no plans to publish these figures as a percentage of the registered electorate. We shall very shortly make known to the House the numbers of overseas electors included in the draft register for 1991–92, which was published on 28 November 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to sign the agreement, following arbitration, with the National Association of Probation Officers on last year's pay award; and if he will make a statement.

We are considering the arbitration recommendation for main grade probation officers' pay. I will write to the hon. Member when we announce our decision, which will be as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons were the Iraqi nationals detained in Scotland removed from that jurisdiction and taken to England.

The Iraqi nationals detained in the last two weeks pending deportation on conducive grounds for reason of national security came from all parts of the United Kingdom. All were initially transferred to a central location in a London prison to facilitate interviewing, appeals and removal. Most have since been transferred to Her Majesty's prison Full Sutton in Yorkshire in the light of discussions with the International Red Cross.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that appropriate facilities exist for the detention of individuals under the Immigration Act 1971 at Her Majesty's prisons Barlinnie and Saughton.

Yes. Persons detained under the Immigration Act are detained at the most appropriate location to facilitate further inquiries, any appeal and, if agreed, eventual removal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish his scrutiny team's report on the proposal that the maintenance and disclosure of criminal records should pass to a statutory agency independent of the police.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive the report of the efficiency scrutiny into the maintenance and use of criminal records in April. We will then consider the report and the question of publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what involvement his Department has with MSM, unit 9, centre 21, Bridge lane, Woolston, Warrington; and what advice the Home Office is giving them in relation to security.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of parking tickets issued have been challenged in (a) London as a whole in 1990 and (b) on the red route since its inception.

Complete figures for 1990 are not yet available, but the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that, in 1989, 2,216,989 fixed penalty notices were issued in the Metropolitan police area for non-endorsable, driver-absent offences. Information is not available on all challenges to those notices, but 4,783 of them were contested by court process. Since the inception of the red route, 1,015 fixed penalty notices relating to offences on it have been recorded by the Central Ticket Office as being issued. It is too early to say how many may be challenged.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to change the arrangements for inspection of provincial police forces by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary.

Yes. I have decided that, from January 1991, the 42 provincial forces, including the City of London police, inspected annually by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary under the Police Act 1964, will normally be subject to primary inspections once every two years and intermediate inspections every other year. Primary inspections will cover the present full range of issues; intermediate inspections will involve similar procedures but will concentrate on selected issues in greater depth. Reports on all 42 forces will continue to be published each year and will contain details of any thematic inspections (ie of a particular subject area across a number of forces) relevant to the force in question. The aim of the changes is greater flexibility to concentrate Her Majesty's inspectorate's efforts where they are most needed. Chief constables and local police authorities are being told of these changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sheep were killed by dogs in Wales during 1990; what were the corresponding figures for the last 10 years and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to make further changes in the monitoring of the activities of Welsh housing associations; and on what date they will become effective.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 28 January 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to review the appointments of Geoffrey Inkin as chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation and chairman of the Land Authority for Wales, and of John Allen as chairman of Tai Cymru and vice-chairman of the Land Authority for Wales.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish full details of the timetable for the completion of the missing sections of the M4 between Baglan and Lon-las, including the dates of awarding of contracts.

:; Work is under way on the Earlswood-Lon-las section, which is due for completion in spring 1993. Work is planned to start on the Briton Ferry-Earlswood section of the M4 in 1991–92. Construction of the Baglan-Briton Ferry section is planned to start six months later, so that both sections are completed together by 1995. It is too soon to say when contracts will be awarded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is now in a position to respond to the Welsh Affairs Committee's second report of Session 1989–90 "Rechem International Limited: Incineration Plant, Pontypool" (House of Commons Paper 80) published on 6 June 1990.

I am pleased to announce that the response has been published today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has reached a decision on future funding and planning arrangements for the local authority higher education sector in Wales.

Last year, my predecessor commissioned a report from consultants, Price Waterhouse, on the polytechnic of Wales. I received the report in May in which the consultants recommended that responsibility for funding the polytechnic should be transferred from the maintaining local authority to my Department. Section 227(4) of the Education Reform Act provides for any or all of the local authority higher education institutions that meet criteria specified in section 122 to be incorporated and to leave the local authority sector if the holder of my office considers that to be necessary.My hon. Friend the Minister of State has had face-to-face consultations about the recommendation with the polytechnic and the other institutions, and with representatives of those employed in the institutions. The Wales Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education (WAB) has discussed the question fully. All eight local education authorities were invited to provide their views in writing on the recommendation and on the implications for the other higher education institutions of implementing the recommendation for the polytechnic. All those who have responded are agreed that whatever decision is made for the polytechnic should apply to the other institutions in the local authority sector.In the light of the views expressed by those consulted I have now concluded that it would be in the best interests of those higher education institutions in Wales which are currently maintained by local authorities and which meet the specified criteria to be incorporated as independent institutions with effect from 1 April 1992. This will provide a period of 14 months during which they will be able to prepare themselves for independence. From 1 April 1992 the institutions will receive their funding from my Department. The appropriate transfer of funds between local authority resources and the Welsh Office's programme resources will be made for 1992–93.The Wales Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education, which has advised me and my predecessors on the distribution of local authority funds allocated for higher education since 1983, will be dissolved on 1 April 1992. It is my intention, however, to invite the Wales advisory body to advise me on the distribution of funding for the sector for 1992–93, after which that responsibility will pass to my Department. I shall then be establishing a small group of people involved in higher education and business to advise me on the issues involved in funding higher education directly.The institutions to be incorporated and which will leave the local authority section on 1 April 1992 are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has now reached decisions about the allocation of resources for hospital and community health services in Wales for 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

I announced on 11 December, subject to parliamentary aproval, my decision on the allocation of resources for health and personal social services in Wales. Within the resources available I propose to provide £1,188·4 million for the hospital and community health service in Wales. Excluding the cost of the artificial limb and appliance service (which is administered on my behalf by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority) £1,078·4 million will be provided for current purposes and £102·3 million for capital spending.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of households in Great Britain have a weekly income of less than £100.

It is estimated that in 1989 approximately 20 per cent. of households in Great Britain had a gross income below £100 per week, approximately two thirds of these were one-person households. This is the latest year for which information is available from the family expenditure survey.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing information available to him on the tax allowances and tax reliefs given to parents in European Community member states.

The latest available information is given in the following table, which is supplemented by notes. To make a valid comparison between countries the level of child benefits given through the social security system would also have to be taken into account.All amounts have been converted to sterling using the latest available purchasing power parities.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the shortage of forms for gift aid certificates; and if he will ensure that the Inland Revenue provides adequate supplies of the forms.

The gift aid scheme was introduced by the 1990 Finance Act. There has been a small number of telephone calls but no written representations to the charity division administering the scheme, in relation to the supply of forms. Initial demand for the forms exceeded expectations, but to date over 300,000 forms have been issued. Of these, 4,006 have been returned and processed, with a small number currently awaiting processing.Requests for these forms are still higher than expected and additional stocks have been ordered. I can confirm that stocks and usage are being closely monitored.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the money raised by 5 per cent. value added tax, if it were expended as a fixed personal rebate on community charge to each charge payer pro rata rebated to rebated charge payers; by how much this would reduce the community charge paid; and what impact such a transfer would have on (a) the balance of payments and (b) the retail price index.

[holding answer 21 January 1991]: The money raised would be £8·5 billion. Assuming no change in local government expenditure, community charges would be reduced by around £225 where the full charge is made and by around £45 for those paying only 20 per cent. of the charge.It is not the practice to provide estimates of the wider economic effects of hypothetical tax changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will review the provision of aural warnings to blind people at pedestrian crossings.

Audible signals can be fitted at pelican crossings and at traffic signals with a pedestrian phase except where there are two or more crossings close together—for example at dual carriageways. In these cases it would be dangerous to include audible signal because the sound from one could be interpreted as a cue to cross at the other crossing where the traffic had not been signalled to stop. Complaints from people in residential areas about the intrusive nature of the signals have led some local authorities to remove audible signals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the type, number and age of locomotives currently in use by British Rail and their designated length of service; and what is the type, number and age of passenger rolling stock and their designated length of service.

British Rail owned the following traction and rolling stock at 31 March 1990:

Type	Number
Diesel locomotives	1,835
Electric locomotives	260
High Speed Train power units	197
Coaching vehicles	13,833

The Department does not hold comprehensive information on the age of railway rolling stock.British Rail uses the following estimates of useful life for accounting purposes, but these book lives are conservative estimate. Actual lives can be much longer, depending on a range of factors such as condition and maintenance costs.

Type	Book life
Locomotives	20 years
Electric multiple units	25 years
Passenger carriages	20 years
High Speed trains	15 years

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any further information on his proposals to widen the Westway at the intersection with Old Oak road and the impact it will have on tenants and home owners; and if he will make a statement.

The public inquiry into the western circus improvement scheme at the junction of the A40 trunk road and Old Oak road closed on 16 August 1989. The inspector's report on that inquiry, at which the impact on local residents was discussed, is now being considered. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Transport arid the Secretary of State for the Environment hope Ito announce their decision soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking following agreement at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 17 December to provide a complete and integrated high-speed European rail network over the next 20 years.

The 17–18 December Transport Council adopted a resolution (11124/90) welcoming the Commission's initial report on the development of a European 5high-speed rail network and noting the progress made. The Council asked the Commission to carry out further studies of, among other things, the commercial aspects and financing of specific key links in the proposed network, including the proposed link from the channel tunnel to London.These further studies will be undertaken by the existing high level working party of representatives of the Governments of member states, the railway undertakings and the rail manufacturing industry. The United Kingdom will continue to take a full and active part in the work of this group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reconsider the requirement of Network SouthEast to run without Government financial support by 1993.

We continue to discuss with British Rail the financial objective we have set for Network SouthEast and how it will be achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list recent measures to encourage mothers to return to work; and if he will make a statement.

While recognising that returning to work must be a matter of personal choice for the woman concerned, my colleagues and I take every opportunity to encourage employers to adopt working practices to make it easier for employees to combine work and family responsibilities. This means more flexibility in hours of work and leave arrangements, job-sharing, career breaks, part-time working and, where appropriate, help with childcare costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of job losses which would arise from the ending of the large industrial consumer scheme for electricity prices in April.

My Department has made no such estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for the future of the jobstart programme; and if he will make a statement.

The jobstart programme started in July 1986 as part of the package of measures available under the restart programme. Its aim is to encourage long-term unemployed people to take up full-time jobs they would otherwise not consider by paying them an allowance of £20 a week for six months. An adaptation of the programme was introduced as a pilot programme in four areas in June 1989. It aimed to encourage people aged over 50 to take up part-time work as a route back into full time work.Research has shown that the programme is not meeting this aim. A large number of participants would have taken their jobs without the allowance. In addition, it has sometimes been used to subsidise the wages of young single people.Take up of the programme has fallen significantly in the current financial year with applications in the last four months less than 50 per cent. of those for the same period last year. In these circumstances I have decided that the programme will close on 28 February 1991. The 50-plus jobstart pilots will also close at the same time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what European or other overseas government practices his Department has researched as part of its review of employment and training for disabled people.

[holding answer 29 January 1991]: In the course of its internal review which led to the consultation document "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities", my Department took into account available information on the practices of all European Community countries. We did not commission specific research into this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complete non-vocational qualifications at level II, or their equivalents, have been obtained by people on youth training in the last 12-month period for which figures are available; and what was the total cost to public funds of youth training over the same period.

[holding answer 28 January 1991]: The information is not available as requested. Information about vocational qualifications collected through the youth training management information systems does not identify non-vocational qualifications separately. Estimates are available from the follow-up survey about the number of people obtaining academic qualifications. However, this information is not sufficiently detailed to identify national vocational qualification level equivalence.Expenditure on the youth training scheme for the period April 1989 to March 1990, the latest I2-month period for which figures are available, was £976 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance he has to offer insurance companies and insured businesses and persons in respect of insurance claims arising from damage suffered to property in the United Kingdom as a direct result of terrorist activity related to the current conflict in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my answer of 17 January (Official Report, column 595) to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response he has received to the consultative document on telecommunications in respect of Wales.

My Department has received five responses to the Government's consultative document "Competition and Choice: Telecommunications Policy for the 1990's" (Cm. 1303) from bodies either representing Welsh interests generally or located in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the part played by auditing firms in laundering cash.

If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and cares to let me have details, I shall be pleased to consider it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from which firms inspectors were appointed to investigate the affairs of the Norton Group plc.

The inspectors appointed on 7 January 1991 under section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985 to investigate and report on the affairs of Norton Group plc are Mr. John Kenneth Heywood, FCA of Messrs. Price Waterhouse and Mr. Richard George Bramwell McCombe, QC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the ending of the large industrial consumer scheme of electricity prices in April, with particular regard to the export and import of chloralkali products.

Large consumers, including chloralkali producers, have a number of supply options open to them as a result of the competitive framework which the Government have introduced in the electricity industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has had with the staff of the insurance services group of ECGD regarding their preferences for retaining their civil service status subsequent to the trade sale to a private bidder.

In June 1990, all staff in ECGD were invited to complete a questionnaire to state their preliminary preferences, without commitment, about joining the privatised company or remaining within the civil service. Since then, around 800 staff have been invited to individual interviews, including all staff in the insurance services group. Almost all staff invited to interviews accepted. Staff are encouraged to discuss the matter with their line managers or personnel officer at any time. When the identity of the new owners and the terms and conditions of employment they are offering are known, staff will be given at least a month to state their final preferences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many additional standards officers have been employed to implement the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 and the EC directive on consumer protection.

[holding answer 25 January 1991]: Trading standards officers are employed by the local weights and measures authorities. It is the responsibility of each authority to employ sufficient staff to enforce consumer protection and environmental health legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has undertaken or sponsored into improvements in security devices on motor vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 29 January 1991]: None. There is considerable scope for improving vehicle security, using known technologies, through ordinary product development work. The industry is already pursuing this, in response to commercial pressures, and I see no role for the Department in support of additional research.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Arab states with whom, before 15 January, he discussed the issue of linkage between Iraq's retreat from Kuwait and a middle east peace conference; and what positions they took.

Since 2 August of last year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and other FCO Ministers have had opportunities to discuss Iraq's invasion of Kuwait with the majority of Arab leaders. They recognised that the present crisis had to be resolved before attention could return to the other problems of the middle east.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Arab states have committed forces to the allied side in the Gulf conflict; and what formal intimation he has received from each about their war aims.

Contributions to the multinational force have been made by Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The aim of the force is to enforce the relevant Security Council resolutions acting under the authority of the United Nations as given in Security Council resolution 678.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the state of Kuwait formally requested the United Kingdom to engage in the use of force under resolution 678 of the United Nations Security Council.

British forces are engaged under the express authority of the Security Council in resolution 678. The action has the support and approval of the Government of Kuwait, whose forces are also in action alongside those of their allies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy with regard to that part of United Nations Security Council resolution 678 which refers to restoring international peace and security in the area.

Our objectives in the current crisis remain as defined in UNSCR 678 which authorises United Nations member states co-operating with the Government of Kuwait to use all necessary means to uphold and implement SCR 660 and all subsequent relevant resolutions of the council and to restore international peace and security in the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest position with the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 672.

UNSCR 672 requires a continuing commitment by the Israeli Government to apply the provisions of the Fourth Geneva convention in its administration of the occupied territories. We continue to press for this. The resolution also asks the United Nations Secretary-General to report on the situation there. He did this on 1 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he discussed Gulf war aims at his meeting with the French Foreign Minister on 24 January; and what conclusions were reached.

Our aims in the conflict are clear and limited and are set out in the United Nations Security Council resolutions on the Gulf crisis. There was thus no need to discuss them at my right hon. Friend's meeting in Paris on 24 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to seek the authority of the United Nations Security Council before considering any extension of current Gulf war aims.

Our objectives in the current crisis remain as defined in UNSCR 678 which authorises United Nations member states co-operating with the Government of Kuwait to use all necessary means to uphold and implement SCR 660 and all subsequent relevant resolutions of the Council, and to restore international peace and security in the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of the Union of Arab Maghreb nations about an early meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the issues of the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

SCR 678 authorised United Nations member states co-operating with the Government of Kuwait to use all necessary means to uphold and implement United Nations resolutions on the Gulf crisis and to restore international peace and security in the area. We see no need for the Security Council to hold an early meeting to address the current hostilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about recent executions of senior Iraqi military officers in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Press reports of 25 January suggested that the commanders of the Iraqi air force, and of the anti-aircraft defence, had been executed. We cannot confirm the accuracy of these reports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to discuss with the Governments of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait a timetable or other relevant issue in connection with the promotion of a peace conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

We have made it clear that we intend to return to the unfinished business of the Arab/Israel dispute, including the convening of an international conference at an appropriate time, as soon as Iraq has left Kuwait. Our renewed efforts to find a solution will certainly include consultations with our Arab partners in the coalition against Saddam Hussein.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how soon after the expulsion of Iraq from Kuwait Her Majesty's Government will seek a peace conference on the Israeli-Arab issue.

We shall be working to restart the peace process as soon as Iraq has left Kuwait. We have long believed that a properly-structured international conference would, at the right time, be a useful mechanism, but a conference is a technique, not an end in itself. It needs willing participants if it is to get anywhere. There will be much preparatory work to be done. It would not be realistic to set a timetable now.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in his meeting with the French Foreign Minister on 24 January, he discussed the question of an international conference designed to address the Israeli-Palestinian issue; and what conclusions were reached.

A range of topics were discussed, including the Arab/Israel question. The meeting was an exchange of views and not designed to arrive at agreed conclusions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion that (a) the United Nations Security Council and (b) the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council discussed the Israeli-Palestinian issue in the context of a possible peace initiative.

The Arab/Israel dispute has frequently been on the agenda of the Security Council during the last three months. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the issue with his colleagues from the other permanent member states in New York on 28 September 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations Security Council resolutions relevant to the Israeli-Palestinian issue have been subject to a veto over the past five years; and if he will show the text of each such resolution and the countries which exercised the veto.

Seven draft Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian problem and the occupied territories have been vetoed since the beginning of 1986. All were vetoed by the United States alone. I am placing copies of the texts in the Library of the House. The three most recent resolutions, 672, 673 and 681, were unanimously adopted by the Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest position with regard to the terms of United Nations Security Council resolution 673.

The focus of Security Council resolution 673 was the report on the situation in the occupied territories requested by the Council from the UN Secretary-General in resolution 672. The Secretary-General delivered this on 1 November 1990. Security Council resolution 681 asked him to develop some of his ideas. He is now doing this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give dates and names of when, during the last eight years, Ministers have personally met Saddam Hussein.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Saddam Hussein on 27 March 1983 while a Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. My right hon. Friends the then Ministers of State, Foreign and

Postcode	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Numbers of live births
DN1	118	130	124	148	148	158	151	130
DN2	277	312	296	320	310	282	342	304
DN3	374	386	310	350	352	343	305	336
DN4	638	633	681	706	686	720	665	695
DN5	508	488	485	515	544	525	525	508
DN6	448	455	447	458	484	463	457	449
DN7	292	328	317	309	338	387	337	366
DN8	231	238	264	244	256	278	244	262
DN91	193	201	223	188	196	201	187	201
DN101	109	96	102	109	92	105	111	95
DN111	363	387	426	403	373	397	416	408
DN12	397	426	385	377	394	378	361	374
S641	372	379	388	453	418	446	421	419
Numbers of deaths
DN1	128	109	128	131	125	134	142	179
DN2	305	319	302	348	345	322	321	326
DN3	190	197	224	266	240	236	252	240
DN4	643	647	647	659	635	594	629	617
DN5	421	369	375	422	371	352	403	403
DN6	312	366	335	315	343	310	331	293
DN7	184	186	188	209	219	227	207	220
DN8	156	178	170	198	174	170	195	210
DN91	119	98	121	133	115	120	129	137
DN101	99	114	108	100	108	96	111	132
DN111	247	265	251	291	252	267	269	301
DN12	339	319	306	356	321	338	338	335
S641	361	338	354	315	329	331	350	338
1 These postcode districts contain some addresses which are outside the boundaries of Doncaster metropolitan district (as well as some which are inside).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions in the past 10 years Her Majesty's Government have made a formal protest to the Government of Iraq about abuses of human rights and breaches of the United Nations charter.

The precise information the hon. Gentleman requests is available only at disproportionate cost, but I can confidently state that we have repeatedly made clear to the Iraqi authorities our concern at Iraqi human rights violations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list, for each of the past 10 years, the number of births, by postal code of the residence of the mother, for each postal code area in the Doncaster metropolitan borough area;(2) if he will list, for each of the past 10 years, the number of deaths, by postal code of the resident, for each postal code area in the Doncaster metropolitan borough area.

The postcode system's geographical structure does not coincide exactly with the geographical boundaries of local authority areas. The tables give the information requested for each of the postcode districts which are wholly, or partly, within the Doncaster metropolitan district. These statistics are not available prior to 1982.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to implement the recommendation of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy's report that the consumption of non-milk extrinsic sugars by the population should be decreased.

Since publication of the report by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy "Dietary Sugars and Human Disease" in December 1989, action has been taken on all of the major recommendations.The Department, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Health Education Authority has developed a set of eight straightforward, easily understood guidelines for people to follow for a healthy diet. One of these COMA-endorsed guidelines is "Don't Eat Sugary Foods Too Often". The first education booklet based on this advice was published in July 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library. The HEA is reflecting the advice on sugars consumption in all appropriate health education programmes designed to equip people to make sensible food choices.The Government took an active part in negotiating the recently agreed EC nutrition labelling rules directive, which built on earlier United Kingdom guidelines and provides for the declaration of total sugars content on food labels. The provision of nutrition information will continue to be voluntary except where a nutrition claim is made. The Government are encouraging the industry to provide as comprehensive a picture of information as possible in order to ensure that consumers are not misled by selective claims. The provisions of the directive will be reviewed after five years. A second directive to allow the introduction of selective compulsory nutrition labelling has not been agreed; a decision on this is likely to be made once experience has been gained with the voluntary system.The pharmaceutical industry continues to play an important part by increasing the number of sugar-free medicines, particularly those for use by children or taken over a long period.A joint working group of the Department, MAFF and HEA, together with outside experts, is considering ways in which good catering practice can contribute to healthy eating patterns, including the restriction of sugars consumption.Steps have been taken to inform health care professionals. The HEA have produced a briefing paper explaining COMA's recommendations. A video tape is being produced under the auspices of the British Postgraduate Medical Federation. It will be distributed to all dental practices and is designed to help dentists in providing dietary advice as an important part of their health education of patients.Under the national curriculum, it is a requirement that pupils are taught the factors that contribute to good health and body maintenance, including balanced diet and oral hygiene.Finally, the Government continue to monitor the population's eating habits. The national food survey has recently been enhanced to provide information on the consumption of two key foods containing sugars-soft drinks and confectionery.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include dental caries in the Green Paper on targets for disease reduction.

This is one of the areas we are considering for inclusion in the forthcoming consultative document which will set out proposals for developing a strategy for health in England, and begin the process of setting priority health objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his health targets for the country.

We shall shortly be publishing a consultative document setting out proposals for developing a strategy for health for England, which will begin the process of setting priority health objectives. We intend that there should be wide consultation on the proposals involving all those interested in and concerned about the nation's health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received representations from the major manufacturers of generic medicines in the United Kingdom seeking United Kingdom Government support for the European Commission's proposed regulation on supplementary protection certificates for medicinal products.

A number of representations have been received. Some recognise that there should be a realistic effective patent term for new compounds, qualified by the ability to begin development of generic alternatives within patent term to enable their marketing immediately on expiry of the patent. One major manufacturer has opposed the extension entirely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has any fundamental objection to the European Commission's proposed regulation on supplementary protection certificates for medicinal products.

The Government will be announcing their conclusion on the Commission's proposed regulation shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to the (a) French and (b) Italian legislation giving additional patent protection for domestic research-based pharmaceutical companies through the establishment of supplementary protection certificates; and whether he has any plans to introduce similar legislation in the United Kingdom.

We have noted developments in France and Italy, as well as previous extensions in the United States of America and Japan. We believe that the issue is best considered in the context of the European Commission's draft regulation, which would override any separate national legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he sought before issuing the recent circular to health authorities concerning the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act; whether environmental factors, such as poor housing, are to be regarded in the terms of the circular as a sufficient ground, constituting grave distress, for doctors to proceed with an abortion up to and during birth; and if he will publish a list of the handicaps which his Department advises would be recognised as justifiable reasons for full-term abortions.

I assume that the question relates to the joint Chief Medical Officer/Chief Nursing Officer letter, reference PL/CMO(90)13 and PL/ CNO(90)12, which was issued on 26 November 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library. The purpose of that letter was to inform all doctors and nurses in England about the changes to the law on abortion as a result of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The opinion as to whether an abortion is justified within the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act is for two registered medical practitioners to form, in good faith, in the light of their clinical judgment of all the circumstances of the particular case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any proposals to change the nurses regrading appeals procedures.

Nurses' grading appeals are heard under an agreement of the General Whitley Council. Any changes to these procedures for appeals would therefore be a matter for the council.When the nurse clinical grading structure was negotiated the management side of the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council offered to discuss a streamlined procedure specifically for clinical grading appeals, but the staff side chose not to pursue this possibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average cost of conducting an appeal tribunal for nurses' regrading;(2) how many regrading appeals by members of the nursing profession are currently awaiting assessment in the Northumberland district health authority;(3) how many regrading appeals by members of the nursing profession are currently awaiting assessment in the Northern regional health authority;(4) how many regrading appeals by members of the nursing profession are currently awaiting assessment in the national health service.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the cut to RNIB's braille grant.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston) on 20 November at column 99. We have received a further 41 letters since that date. My noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, is due to have a further meeting with the RNIB on 19 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for each London borough, what is (a) the number of children, (b) the number on the at risk register and (c) the number who are on the register, but do not have an allocated social worker.

The total number of children in each London borough (estimated mid-year population under 18 at 30 June 1989) is set out in the table.The most up-to-date information about numbers on the child protection registers relates to the 31 March 1990 and is published in the provisional feedback "Children and Young Persons on the Child Protection Registers year ended 31 March 1990". Copies are available in the Library.The number of children on the register who do not have an allocated social worker is published in "Child Protection Services in London, Aspects of Management Arrangements in Social Services Departments, 31 December 1989", together with numbers on the register at the time at which the survey took place. Copies will be placed in the Library.

Under 18 population estimates for London boroughs at 30 June 1989
	Number
Total	1,509,989
Camden	36,525
Greenwich	51,746
Hackney	48,854
Hammersmith	30,286
Islington	36,901
Kensington	24,857
Lambeth	53,933
Lewisham	52,352
Southwark	50,914
Tower Hamlets	41,251
Wandsworth	52,326
Westminster	32,225
City of London	648
Barking	34,209
Barnet	70,282
Bexley	48,787
Brent	59,235
Bromley	62,520
Croydon	72,584
Ealing	66,281
Enfield	58,696
Haringey	43,896
Harrow	44,670
Havering	50,350
Hillingdon	53,337
Hounslow	46,870
Kingston	27,865
Merton	36,034
Newham	54,145
Redbridge	49,909
Richmond	32,181
Sutton	36,312
Waltham Forest	49,008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will announce the price obtained for the sale of Mendip hospital and the name of the successful tenderer.

This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Charles Stuart, the chairman of South Western regional health authority for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of nurses adjusted for changes in the length of the working week employed by the NHS in each year since 1974.

[holding answer 28 January 1991]: The information is provided in the table. Column 1 shows the actual number of staff in wholetime equivalents for the period 1974 to 1989. Column 2 shows the estimated number of staff (WTE), based on a 37·5 hour week, during the period 1974 to 1980.

NHS nursing and midwifery staff (including agency staff) at 30 September
1974 to 1989 (wholetime equivalents3)
Year	Actual	Adjusted1
21974	314,100	335,000
1975	336,600	359,000
1976	341,700	364,500
1977	343,200	366,100
1978	351,000	374,400
1979	358,400	4382,300
1980	370,100	4394,800
1981	4391,800	—
1982	397,100	—
1983	397,100	—
1984	397,500	—
1985	401,200	—
1986	402,700	—
1987	404,000	—
1988	403,900	—
1989	405,300	—
Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.
1 Figures adjusted to the standard weekly hours operative from 1980–81 (37·5 hours).
2 Comparability affected by the 1974 NHS re-organisation.
3 All figures have been independently rounded to the nearest 100.
4 There is a discontinuity in the time series during the period 1979 to 1981, as a consequence of the reduction in standard weekly hours at that time. The size of the discontinuity is unknown; and the figures should therefore be interpreted with caution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on housing action trusts.

I am always ready to consider proposals from local authorities or tenants to establish housing action trusts. They can play a valuable role in tackling the problems of rundown council estates.I announced last week the Government's decision to proceed to a ballot in north Hull following the encouraging response of tenants there to the local authority's proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have bought their first homes since 1979.

Since April 1979 over 6·5 million dwellings in Great Britain have been bought by first-time buyers. No less than 1·6 million of these were sales by local authorities, new towns and housing associations, over three quarters being made possible by the right to buy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his review of the community charge.

Our review is making progress, as can be seen from my right hon. Friend's recent announcement of the community charge reduction scheme. We are now considering the longer-term issues of local government functions, structure and finance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has commissioned any survey or research studies to support his review of the community charge; and if he will make a statement.

No studies have been commissioned specifically for the purpose of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he envisages completing his review of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

The review is intended to be thorough and fundamental. It is premature to say when it might be complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the review of the community charge which his Department is currently carrying out.

Work is in progress to identify the building blocks for a stable and just basis for the future development of local government.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an updated statement on his Department's criteria for community charge capping.

As my right hon. Friend told the House on 17 January, we stand firmly by the capping intentions announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Patten) last October.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of housing starts in the northern region in the last quarter of 1990 and in 1990 as a whole.

The Department's preliminary estimates for housebuilding in 1990 will not be available until 6 February 1991. However, over the three months to November 1990 there were 2,055 housing starts in the Northern region. In the first 11 months of 1990 there were 8,763 housing starts.