To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the fire at the non-operational plant at the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing site in west Cumbria on Tuesday 29 January; and if he will set up an inquiry into its cause.

I understand that during remedial maintenance work on a non-operational building at British Nuclear Fuels plc's Sellafield site, sections of asbestos were in the process of being removed and replaced by plastic coated metal cladding. Tarpaulins had been erected in order to make the building weatherproof. A contractor was using oxy-acetylene equipment to remove a metal rail when sparks from the equipment caused part of the tarpaulin to catch fire.The Sellafield site fire brigade successfully dealt with the fire. The Cumbrian county fire service also attended.Although no radioactivity was involved monitoring checks were carried out purely as a precaution. They confirmed that no release of radioactivity had taken place.I understand that an inquiry has been convened by BNFL which will involve staff and trades union representatives. The regulatory authorities and local liaison committee were informed of the fire and a press release was issued in accordance with incident reporting procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for further research into the development of waste-derived fuels.

My Department's plans for the development of renewable energy sources including waste derived fuel were laid out in energy paper 55 "Renewable Energy in the UK: The Way Forward", copies of which are in the Library of the House. I expect to review our strategy during the coming year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the progress in implementing a smoke-free policy throughout his Department.

The Department's policy in all the premises it occupies is to ensure that non-smokers have the opportunity to work in a smoke-free area. The operation of the policy is regularly reviewed in consultation with staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, by constituency, existing combined heat and power schemes; and if he will show whether they are (a) 0 to 500 kW, (b) 500 kW to 10 MW, (c) 10 MW to 100 MW, or (d) over 100 MW.

My Department's current estimate is that there are about 500 sites in the United Kingdom using CHP plant with a total capacity of some 2,000 MW. Of this total 1,800 MW is comprised of schemes of over 500 kW, located on 120 sites in industry. The remainder comprises smaller schemes in public arid commercial buildings.The Director General of Electricity Supply has a duty under the Electricity Act 1989 to gather information on generating plant. The Office of Electricity Regulation—OFFER—is, in conjunction with industry, in the process of compiling a database of CHP projects operating in Great Britain. The detailed information requested by the hon. Member should be available from OFFER when the database is operational.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will list the records available in the Public Record Office relating to the Katyn massacre; and whether any public papers on this subject have been withheld for more than 30 years.

The main records in the Public Record Office relating to the discovery of the Katyn massacre in 1943 appear on a very large Foreign Office file of that year on the more general subject of Polish-Soviet relations. This file spans items which have the Public Record Office references FO 371/34563–34590. Eight of the 762 entered papers on this file have been identified as withheld.Identification and listing of all other records in the Public Record Office relating to the Katyn massacre and its aftermath could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost. The staff at the Public Record Office are able to advise readers on likely sources among records there of information on this subject.

To ask the Attorney-General what evidence was produced in the survey into the ethnicity of jurors on the distribution and percentage of black jurors being called for jury service.

The first stage of the survey into the ethnic composition of jurors has recently been completed and officials of the Lord Chancellor's Department are currently analysing the statistical data that have been collected. I will write to the hon. Member to inform him of the full results of the survey when the process of analysis and interpretation is complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding the effect of the EEC changes in 1992 on matters within his Department's responsibilities.

The Home Office is taking part in discussions with our Community partners on a range of matters, mainly relating to free movement of people, which are relevant to the establishment of the internal market at the end of 1992.In some areas measures have been agreed and therefore the effects are known. Recent examples are the rights of residence directives which were adopted last year, and the draft convention determining the state responsibility for examining asylum applications which was signed by 11 of the 12 member states last year. Documents on these measures have been deposited in Parliament.In other areas measures are still under consideration. We shall continue to report progress following the six-monthly meetings of responsible Community Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the conclusions of the review of the Public Order Act 1986 with regard to gipsies.

We hope to announce shortly the conclusions of our evaluation of section 39 of the 1986 Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which juvenile remand centres are scheduled for inclusion in the privatisation programme.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of applicants for immigration from non-EC Europe, north America, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were refused entry into the United Kingdom since January 1990 under primary purpose rules; and what factors account for the differences in the percentages.

Information on applicants for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom from spouses and fiancé(e)s in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh in the first three quarters of 1990 is given in the table. Corresponding information for other countries is not available centrally. The variation in refusal rates is thought to reflect differing patterns of applications and circumstances between the three countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the expected time it takes for a sponsor interview for entry clearance applications to be completed.

It remains our objective to carry out interviews within three months of receipt of papers in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Commission for Racial Equality and with leaders of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom regarding the best ways of avoiding a disruption of community relations as a result of the Gulf war.

I discussed these matters with Commissioners during a visit to the Commission for Racial Equality on 22 January. They were also discussed in the course of a meeting on the same day on other matters with the United Kingdom action committee on Islamic affairs. There are continuing and wide-ranging contacts with the Muslim community at official level.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries whose nationals require visas to enter the United Kingdom as visitors.

The list is set out in the "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules" Cm. 1220 which took effect on 1 October 1990, a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the progress in implementing a smoke-free policy throughout his Department.

Under the Home Office's present no-smoking policy, smoking is banned in conference rooms, corridors, lifts and toilets. This policy is currently under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of the law on squatters and to announce any changes he proposes to make with regard to privately owned domestic properties; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's review of the present law relating to the unlawful occupation of property is proceeding and particular attention is being paid to the problem of squatting in privately owned domestic properties. We shall announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to lay orders which will arrange the movement of the polling district of the Longfield and New Barn ward of the Dartford borough council into the Dartford parliamentary constituency; and if he will make a statement.

The boundaries of the Longfield ward, which includes the New Barn residential area, were changed by the Kent (District Boundaries) Order 1987. A consequential change to parliamentary constituency boundaries can only be made following a review by the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England. This and other such anomalies throughout England will be resolved as part of the fourth general review of all constituencies which is expected to commence this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria his Department uses in deciding what information should be published in (a) minority languages, (b) braille, (c) tape or (d) large print versions.

[holding answer 31 January 1991]: Our criteria are to target publicity material in minority languages, tape or large print according to need, within available funding. We have not produced any of this publicity material in braille.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 January, Official Report, column 166, on causes of deaths in specified cities, if he will give such figures as are available for each year from 1984.

[holding answer 4 February 1991]: The information available from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is given in the tables.

Table 1 Number of deaths registered due to Malnutrition1
	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
Greater London	9	13	9	4	4
Greater Manchester	1	0	1	1	1
Birmingham	0	1	1	1	2
Liverpool	0	0	0	1	0
England and Wales	70	63	68	43	59
1 International classification 263.9.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects his Department to be able to supply the new postal vote forms to Dacorum borough council.

[holding answer 29 January 1991]: In order for the Representation of the People Act 1990 to take effect, it will be necessary to make some minor amendments to the Representation of the People Regulations 1986 and the European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 1986, and to make an Order in Council in respect of local elections in Northern Ireland. We shall do this as soon as possible. We intend to make the new absent voting application form RPF 8 available at the beginning of May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many children from countries other than Romania were granted entry clearance for adoption purposes during 1990;(2) how many children are currently awaiting adoption from Romania to families in the United Kingdom;(3) how many children have been adopted into families in the United Kingdom from Romania in each of the last three years;(4) what proportion of the children adopted into families in the United Kingdom from Romania have living birth parents.

The available information is that, since December 1989, 144 Romanian children have been granted entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom with a view to adoption by British couples. Forty-two applications are outstanding, 39 of which have been made since 1 December 1990. Earlier information about Romanian children and information about children from other countries granted entry clearance with a view to adoption in the United Kingdom has not been collected centrally.No statistics are collected about the natural parents of children admitted for adoption. In all cases involving children where one or both parents are living parental consent to the proposed adoption is required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the progress in implementing a smoke-free policy throughout his Department.

The Department's policy generally is to encourage staff who wish to smoke to have regard to the convenience and comfort of non-smokers. Smoking is prohibited in lifts and toilets. It is customary not to smoke in conference rooms or in shared offices unless a majority of the staff sharing the office agree to allow it. This voluntary restraint works effectively in practice. The Department is not satisfied that a change of policy is required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what deadline has been imposed for expenditure from access funds for institutions of higher and further education; and what evaluation he has made of the consequences for students of the deadline.

Any access funds grant not paid to students by the end of the academic year for which it was allocated must be returned by institutions. In the light of representations received, my right hon. and learned Friend has withdrawn an earlier condition requiring higher education institutions to return any grant held by them on 31 March in excess of 15 per cent. of their total allocation for the financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the proportion of each institution's access fund which has been spent to date.

The limited information available suggests that the pattern is mixed. All institutions have been asked to provide an account of their expenditure of access funds at the end of the academic year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take on the designation of architecture courses for mandatory student awards, following the recent judicial review.

I have now had an opportunity to consider the judgment in this case. The High Court has ruled that "a first degree course" can include a prescribed programme of study leading to a professional objective, even though a first degree itself is awarded part way through and is followed by further studies. It was not, therefore, correct to conclude that "part 2" architecture courses taken after a first degree could not, as a matter of law, be designated under the Education Act 1962 for the purpose of mandatory awards. The courts, however, made no finding as to whether, on the facts, the architecture courses are first degree or comparable courses; and it reaffirmed that the holder of my office has discretion whether or not to designate a course even though he concludes that it is a first degree or comparable course.The judgment has clarified the scope of designation without disturbing my existing discretionary powers, and I do not propose to appeal against it. I have accordingly re-examined the "part 2" architecture courses in the light of the judgment. On the evidence before me, I have concluded that they are first degree or comparable courses, and that it would be appropriate to designate them for the time being, with effect from the coming into force of amending regulations. This decision is without prejudice to any action that I may wish to take following the separate consultations in progress about the length and structure of architecture courses.Under the special bursary scheme established for the current academic year, architecture students on "part 2" courses should already have received bursaries of equivalent value to the mandatory awards for which they would otherwise have been eligible if designation had not been withdrawn. I am asking higher education institutions to ensure this. In addition, I intend shortly to lay before the House amendments to the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1990 to provide an award in the current academic year to any eligible student who has nevertheless not received a bursary. The bursary scheme will be wound up at the end of the current academic year, and mandatory awards will be made available to all eligible "part 2" students from the beginning of academic year 1991–92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the seroprevalence of HIV in Rakai, Uganda, among (a) men and (b) women in the age groups (i) 20 to 24 years and (ii) 25 to 29 years; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have not undertaken research of its own into this specific question, although I understand that the centre for international research of the United States Bureau of the Census published in May 1990 a review of certain studies into the seroprevalence of HIV in Uganda. The ODA and the Medical Research Council are jointly funding a five-year research project into the epidemiology of AIDS in Uganda; results are not yet available from this work.The situation regarding HIV infection globally remains one of considerable concern. The United Kingdom is continuing to provide substantial levels of support from the overseas aid programme to the WHO global programme on AIDS—the GPA—and to a number of national AIDS control programmes developed within the framework of the GPA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the emergencies budget and the unallocated ODA reserve for the financial year 1990–91, and the percentage of each of these that has not yet been committed.

[holding answer 29 January 1991]: Humanitarian assistance provided from the aid programme takes three forms: relief for unpredictable disasters such as earthquakes and cyclones, emergency food aid, and other non-food relief. Initial provision for this assistance is made at the beginning of each financial year. For 1990–91 the provision taken in the main estimates totalled £66·7 million, including £19 million for food aid, the first call on which is emergency needs.The aid programme is managed in a way that allows it to respond quickly to developing country needs, including humanitarian assistance. During the course of each financial year provision for humanitarian assistance is enhanced as required, drawing on the aid programme's contingency reserve and any unplanned savings arising during the year. The provision so far this financial year totals £73·5 million, of which 1·5 per cent. remains uncommitted.The aid programme contingency reserve for 1990–91 was £40 million, including an initial earmarking of £9 million for unpredictable disasters. The contingency reserve is now fully allocated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total amount of cash aid given bilaterally and through the European Community to developing countries.

In 1989 the United Kingdom gave £1,113 million in bilateral aid to developing countries. A further £674 million was given by the United Kingdom through multilateral agencies of which £305 million was channelled through the European Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the advice of the Treasury Solicitor on the appropriate legal base for European Community documents is published in the reports attached to these documents.

Ministers who sign explanatory memoranda take full responsibility for the contents including any comments on legal base on which they take appropriate legal advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions representatives of the United Kingdom Government have questioned the basing of documents on article 100A by the Commission at meetings of the Council of Ministers; and if he will list the titles of such documents and the appropriate ministerial Councils involved.

We provide explanatory memoranda to the House on all Commission proposals for Community legislation. These may include reference to the Government position on whether article 100A is the correct legal base. But exchanges during Council meetings are subject to the normal rules of confidentiality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers the manner in which the Commission is basing draft documents on article 100A; and if he will make a statement.

When the United Kingdom has difficulties with the basing of a Commission proposal on article 100A, we will raise these during discussion of that proposal. We do not intend to raise the question at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has anything to add to the evidence given by the Treasury Solicitor to the European Legislation Committee on treaty base HC178(iv) and (v) of Session 1987–88.

No. The memorandum in evidence given by the Treasury Solicitor's Department set out clearly and in detail the issues relating to choice of treaty base after the Single European Act. The criteria identified in the memorandum for use of article 100A remain valid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to seek to ensure that courts in northern Cyprus do not block the administrator of Polly Peck International from investigating or obtaining funds held there; and whether he will make it his policy to consider sanctions against northern Cyprus if such inquiries are disrupted.

The joint administrators of Polly Peck International plc were appointed by the British courts to manage the affairs of the company subject to the overall supervision of the court and the creditors. We continue to follow closely the progress of their investigation. Her Majesty's Government have no locus to intervene in the conduct of their work, especially with the courts in northern Cyprus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement.

It is already the policy within this Department to ensure that every non-smoking employee has the right to work in a smoke-free area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress in implementing a smoke-free policy throughout his Department.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 29 January 1990 at column 15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the expected time it takes for (a) an explanatory statement to be prepared and dispatched in cases of appeal against refusal of entry clearance and (b) for information concerning refused visitors' visas to be sent to Britain from overseas posts.

Overseas posts are under instruction to prepare and despatch explanatory statements for appeals against refusal of entry clearance to the independent appellate authority within one month for visit applications and three months for settlement applications.The correspondence unit of the migration and visa department in the FCO tries to reply to inquiries from Members about refused visitors' visas within three weeks of the inquiry being registered with the unit. However, in some cases it may take longer to obtain the full case details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent developments concerning Bougainville, Papua New Guinea.

Following talks between the two parties in Honiara, representatives of the Papua New Guinea Government and from Bougainville signed an agreement in Honiara on 23 January known as the Honiara declaration. In the declaration the two sides agreed on a regime and timetable for the restoration of services and rehabilitation of Bougainville within the existing constitutional framework of Papua New Guinea. The main features of the agreement are:

deferral of discussion of the future political status of Bougainville;

the lifting of the blockade;

restoration of all Government services on Bougainville;

creation of an interim legal authority and a task force, respectively to organise and carry out the restoration of services;

commitment by both parties to refrain from the use of weapons and arms to resolve the crisis;

provision for the establishment in Bougainville of a multinational supervisory team consisting of foreign military and policy personnel to monitor implementation of the Declaration;

agreement by the Bougainville side to disarm its forces; and the granting by the Papua New Guinea Government of an amnesty to the members of the Bougainville forces.

We welcome the Honiara agreement as a step towards the peaceful resolution of the Bougainville problem and hope it leads to the restoration of normality. The commitment of both sides will be essential if the agreement is to succeed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his review of poll tax will consider privacy issues arising from the tax; whether he has consulted the data protection registrar about the review of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

The review will cover all aspects of local taxation, including any privacy issues which arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on collection costs for the community charge per person on the register for each district in Hertfordshire.

The information requested is as follows:

Community charge collection costs per head of relevant population
	Budget Estimates 1990–91 £
Broxbourne	8·90
Dacorum	7·40
East Hertfordshire	9·72
Hertsmere	17·81
North Hertfordshire	13·69
St. Albans	10·14
Stevenage	17·79
Three Rivers	17·32
Watford	14·17
Welwyn Hatfield	12·16

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been created in the Merseyside docklands area since 1981; and how much each job has cost his Department through its allocation of money to the Merseyside docklands.

A total of 4,200 permanent jobs had been created or attracted in the Merseyside development corporation area up to March 1990. It is not practicable to distinguish between expenditure leading directly to job creation and that leading to other regneration benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress in implementing a smoke-free policy throughout his Department.

My Department has made further progress in the last year towards creating a smoke-free working environment. Following consultation with staff and trade unions, agreement was reached to prohibit or restrict smoking in certain areas within office buildings, and to allow staff to designate their own individual offices as no-smoking areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement.

It is my Department's policy to ensure as far as possible that every non-smoker who wishes to do so is able to work in a smoke-free office. Under the terms of a new policy statement agreed with staff and issued last October, staff are able to decide by majority voting whether to designate their own offices non-smoking areas. It is not possible, within existing resources, to guarantee an absolute right to all non-smoking staff to work in a smoke-free area, but we aim to meet the wishes of any non-smokers who are not in a designated non-smoking office, by re-arranging accommodation where practicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the results will be available of the public inquiry held in April and the beginning of May 1990 into the appeal by London Brick Property Ltd. against the refusal of outline planning permission for redevelopment at Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, (APP/J0215/A/89/ 130835); and if he will make a statement.

The inspector's report on the public inquiry is being considered. We expect to be in a position to issue the decision on this appeal within the next month. A statement on the issues involved would not be appropriate in advance of that decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of houses and flats sold under the right to buy legislation in each of the local authorities in the county of Essex since the introduction of the legislation; and if he will show the percentage of houses and flats sold.

A table showing the available information on right-to-buy sales for each English local authority for each financial year since 1986–87 and with a cumulative total to September 1990 was recently placed in the Library. Official Report column 542 refers. A late return from Chelmsford revises the totals shown in the table as follows:

	Sales 1 April 1979 to 30 September 1990	Sales as percentage of stock
Chelmsford
Right-to-buy sales	3,044	24·0
All sales	3,784	29·9
Of which flats	309	—

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of houses and flats sold under right to buy legislation in each of the local authorities in the county of Kent, since the introduction of the legislation; if he will show the percentage of houses and flats sold; and if he will make a statement.

A table showing the available information on right to buy sales for each English local authority for each financial year since 1986–87 and with a cumulative total to September 1990 was recently placed in the Library—Official Report column 542 refers. Late returns from Canterbury, Maidstone and Shepway revise the totals shown in the table as follows:

	1 April 1979 to 30 September 1990	Sales as percentage of stock
Canterbury
Right-to-buy sales	2,152	24·2
All sales	2,600	29·2
Of which flats	156	—
Maidstone
Right-to-buy sales	1,861	16·9
All sales	2,741	24·9
Of which flats	142	—
Shepway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the legislative provisions under which local authorities can ban the display of the national flag; and if he will make a statement.

There are no such legislative provisions. Councillors are answerable to their electors for such decisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 21 January 1991 at column 87, on refuse-derived fuel, what specific considerations he has given, to date, on any derogation to be sought under this power; what considerations and consolidations he will be giving to specific derogation once the power to derogate has been sought; and how long after the power to derogate has been sought, he expects specific derogations to be in force;(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 21 January 1991 at column

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 29 January, Official Report, column 474, if he will (a) publish a table indicating the administrative costs of implementing the urban programme, for both local government arid national Government, for 1989–90 and (b) indicate what resources were made available for the urban programme in 1989–90.

[holding answer 4 February 1991]: Resources available for the urban programme in 1989–90 from central Government totalled £242 million. Local authorities contribute 25 per cent. of revenue expenditure which, together with the central Government funding of £242 million, produced a total provision of £260 million. The Department of the Environment's administrative costs were £2 million. I regret that the Government do not hold information on the administrative costs for local government.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many poll tax payers there are; how many have a rebate; and what is the average rebate.

I have been asked to reply.In 1990–91 there are around 42 million people in Great Britain liable to pay the community charge and the average community charge benefit per individual is £4·30 per week. At August 1990 the estimated number of individuals receiving community charge benefit was 8·9 million. This figure probably underestimates the current position because, at that time, local authorities still had a number of unprocessed claims; it is also slightly higher than that given in my reply on 24 January 1991 to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) at columns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the perinatal mortality rate in (a) England and Wales, (b) each region in England and (c) the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the comparable rates in the countries of the EEC.

The information requested is shown in the table. In each case the latest available data year has been given.

Perinatal mortality in the United Kingdom, England and Wales, Regional Health Authorities and EC countries
Area	Year	Rate1
United Kingdom	1989	8·3
England and Wales	1989	8·3
England	1989	8·3
Regional Health Authorities
Northern	1989	9·2
Yorkshire	1989	8·5
Trent	1989	8·5
East Anglian	1989	6·7
North West Thames	1989	8·3
North East Thames	1989	8·3
South East Thames	1989	8·4
South West Thames	1989	7·0
Wessex	1989	8·3
Oxford	1989	7·2
South Western	1989	6·7
West Midlands	1989	9·7
Mersey	1989	8·2
North Western	1989	9·2
Wales	1989	8·3
EC countries
Belgium	1986	10·4
Denmark	1988	8·7
France	1988	9·2
German Federal Republic	1988	6·5
Greece	1988	12·9
Irish Republic	1987	10·4
Italy	1988	212·3
Luxembourg	1988	7·1
Netherlands	1988	9·1
Portugal	1988	16·6
Spain	1985	10·9
1 Deaths 0–6 days + Stillbirths per 1,000 total births.
2 Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the most recent maternal mortality rate in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the comparable rates in (a) the countries of the EEC and (b) the World Health Organisation European region.

The information is shown in the table. In each case the latest available data year have been given. No data are readily available for the WHO European region as a whole; selected countries, other than those within the EC, are shown.

Maternal mortality in the United Kingdom, EC countries and selected countries from the WHO European Region
Area	Year	Rate1
United Kingdom	1989	7·7
Other EEC countries
Belgium	1986	3·4
Denmark	1988	3·4
France	1988	9·3
German Federal Republic	1988	8·9
Greece	1987	4·7
Irish Republic	1987	3·4
Italy	1986	5·5
Luxembourg	1988	0·0
Netherlands	1988	9·6
Portugal	1988	6·6
Spain	1985	4·4
Others in WHO European Region
Austria	1988	5·7
Bulgaria	1987	19·7
Czechoslovakia	1988	13·0
Finland	1987	5·0
German Democratic Republic	1988	14·8
Hungary	1988	16·9
Iceland	1988	0·0
Israel	1987	3·0
Malta	1988	0·0
Norway	1987	5·6
Poland	1988	11·6
Rumania	1984	148·8
Sweden	1987	4·8
Switzerland	1988	10·0
Yugoslavia	1987	10·6
1 Deaths attributed to complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium per 100,000 live births.

Data, except for United Kingdom, from WHO European Regional Office 'Indicator Presentation System'.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the most recent infant mortality rate in (a) England and Wales, (b) each region in England and (c) the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the comparable rates in (i) the countries of the EEC and (ii) the World Health Organisation European region.

The information is shown in the table. In each case the latest available data year has been given. No data are readily available for the World Health Organisation European region as a whole; selected countries, other than those within the EC, are shown.

Infant mortality in the United Kingdom, England and Wales, Regional Health Authorities, EC countries and selected countries from the World Health Organisation European Region.
Area	Year	Rate1
United Kingdom	1989	8·4
England and Wales	1989	8·4
England	1989	8·4

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was spent by his Department on producing information in (a) braille, (b) tape and (c) large print for each of the last five years for which figures are available;(2) if he will list those publications produced by his Department over the last five years which were also produced in

Precise information in the form and for the period requested is not available. The table lists a number of recent documents which have been produced in braille, tape or large print, together with the approximate cost, where known.

Document	Type	Approx. £ cost
1988–89
"A Wider Vision	Braille	unknown
"Keep Warm Keep Well"	Audio tape	4,660
1989–90

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consideration he has given to expediting the work of local council social services departments when considering the adoption of children from overseas; and if he will make a statement;(2) what is his policy on the acceptability for domestic adoption procedures by social services departments of home study reports prepared for overseas authorities by independent reputable social workers; and if he will make a statement.

Detailed guidance on intercountry adoption issued to directors of social services last autumn includes guidance on the assessment of prospective adopters by local authorities and on home study reports which have been commissioned privately. Reports by social workers are acceptable only if prepared by or on behalf of the prospective adopters' social services department. Copies of CI(90)17 to directors of social services in England, DSW 3/90 for Scotland and equivalent guidance for Wales are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by location, his Department's 12 pilot projects aimed at reducing waiting times for hearing aid services; what is the cost of each project; and if he will make a statement.

The table lists the projects by location and shows the funding allocated to each project in 1990–91, based on the project manager's estimate of expenditure in each case. We shall shortly be inviting project managers to let us have their estimate of project costs for 1991–92. In addition to funding individual projects, the Department is funding the Hester Adrian research centre at the university of Manchester to carry out an evaluation of all 12 projects. The total estimated cost of the evaluation is £80,000.

Project/location	Funding £
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading	4,000
Manor Hospital, Walsall	26,000
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield	10,000
Royal United Hospital, Bath	8,000
Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds	21,000
Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester	28,000
Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne	9,000
Mayday University Hospital, Thornton Heath	12,000
Walton Hospital, Liverpool	15,000
Royal East Sussex Hospital, Hastings	12,000
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter	30,000
Queen Victoria Hospital, Morecambe	8,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on examples of competitive pricing for the sale of drugs from major pharmaceutical suppliers for the main categories of prescribed drugs within the national health service, and those purchased in France and Germany; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom system controls profits of pharmaceutical manufacturers from their sales to the national health service not directly the prices of individual products. Accordingly we do not maintain detailed records of prices in other countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the progress in implementing a smoke-free policy throughout his Department;(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement.

It is the Department's policy to move as quickly as possible, after local discussions and agreement, to provide a smoke-free environment for those of its employees who wish it. Implementation of this policy has been piloted in selected buildings and a programme leading to full introduction of a smoke-free working environment now forms part of the Department's accommodation strategy. It will not be possible to guarantee every non-smoking employee a smoke-free area until the Department's current accommodation strategy is implemented fully by summer 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the types of operation and forms of treatment that are currently available on the National Health Service but were not so available before 1979.

As a result of medical advances, the skill and flexibility of national health service staff and the Government's continued commitment and support, a wide range of new operations and treatments have become available through the National Health Service since 1979. Some examples of these are:

• Bone implanted hearing aids
• Types of facial prostheses using titanium screws
• Minimally invasive therapy
• Some forms of laser treatment
• Cochlear implants
• Intravenous thrombolytic therapy
• Lithotripsy
• Heart, heart/lung, lung, liver transplants
• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Drug treatment of peptic ulcer
• Drug treatment for anaemia in renal patients
• Progress in paediatric heart surgery
• Progress in treatment of certain children's cancers
• Progress in treatment of vulnerable or sick new born and older children

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the membership of the Freeman hospital trust, and the Newcastle mental health unit trust in each case indicating the emoluments they are able to receive and the date from which any such emoluments may be paid.

Trust boards are made up of equal numbers of executive and non-executive directors plus a chairman. Each non-executive director will receive a remuneration of £5,000 per annum payable from the date of establishment. Remuneration for executive directors will be determined by the Trust Management Board and will be payable from the date of appointment. The chairman of the Freeman group of hospitals and Newcastle mental health national health service trusts will both receive a remuneration of £15,503 from the date of establishment increasing to £15,659 per annum from 1 January 1991.Following is a list of the chairmen and non-executive membership for the Freeman group of hospitals and Newcastle mental health national health service trusts;

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the amount of spending in each regional health authority on agency nurses in 1989–90.

Information derived from the annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England together with those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals is shown in the table.

Revenue expenditure on non-national health service (agency, etc.) nursing staff—1989–90
Region	£'000 (cash)
Northern	52
Yorkshire	2,527
Trent	1,872
East Anglian	3,073
North West Thames	27,681
North East Thames	32,911
South East Thames	20,336
South West Thames	17,255
Wessex	4,595
Oxford	2,624
South Western	2,820
West Midlands	6,668
Mersey	1,541
North Western	1,678
Regions total	125,633
Special health authorities	9,344
England	134,977

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the capacity of each dam in Wales which falls within the scope of the Reservoirs Act 1975; and if he will give, in each case, the name of the undertaker.

This information is not held centrally. However, most of it is available on public registers maintained by the enforcement authorities and available for inspection at their principal offices during normal working hours.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dams in each county in Wales fall within the scope of the Reservoirs Act 1975.

This information, which is drawn from the latest bi-annual reports submitted to the Secretary of State by enforcement authorities—county councils—in April 1989, is as follows:

Reservoirs falling within the scope of the Reservoirs Act 1975
County	Number
Clwyd	28
Gwynedd	51
Powys	39
Dyfed	52
West Glamorgan	13
Mid Glamorgan	19
South Glamorgan	5
Gwent	22
Total	229

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what remedial works have been carried out to dams in Wales under the terms of the Reservoirs Act 1975; and what was the expenditure involved in each case.

This information in not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if his proposals outlined in his consultation paper on the use of vacant local authority land are intended to dispose of public assets at below market values;(2) what compensation procedures will be followed by vending authorities when a potential purchaser will not pay full market value for unused local authority land under his proposals in the consultation paper on the use of vacant local authority land;(3) what level of human resources is to be committed to the operation of the machinery and regulations necessary to fulfil the aims of his consultation paper on the use of vacant local authority land, in particular in respect of clawback for any future enhancement of values;(4) if he will publish the criteria he intends to use to identify unused and under-used public sector land in his proposals in the consultation paper on use of local authority vacant land for the purpose of bringing it back into use;(5) if it is his intention to privatise local authority unused land.

In the light of the responses received to our consultation paper my right hon. Friend will be considering with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures might be appropriate to encourage the bringing into use of vacant public sector land.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many prosecutions have been made under the provisions of the Reservoirs Act 1975; what were the alleged offences; and in how many cases such prosecutions were successful.

No prosecutions under the provisions of the Reservoirs Act 1975, have been reported by the enforcement authorities. The reports due on 1 April this year will disclose whether any prosecutions have taken place since 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps have been taken to implement the provisions of the Reservoirs Act 1975 in Wales; and if he proposes to introduce any additional measures.

The provisions of the Reservoirs Act 1975 were implemented in England, Wales and Scotland in stages through subordinate legislation between 8 November 1983 and 1 April 1986. No additional measures are proposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans the Welsh Development Agency has to build factories at Scleddau, near Fishguard during the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

No plans at the present time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children in (a) Dyfed and (b) Wales took their A-level examinations through the medium of Welsh during 1990; and what were the corresponding figures for the last five years.

The number of entries for Welsh Joint Education Committee A-level subjects examined through the medium of Welsh is shown in the table. Information on the number of children sitting examinations is not available, also information for Dyfed is only available from 1989 onwards.

	Wales1	Dyfed1
1985	519	—
1986	623	—
1987	583	—
1988	691	—
1989	747	152
1990	903	169
1 Summer examinations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that every non-smoking employee in his Department has the right to work in a smoke-free area; and if he will make a statement;

The Department has operated a no-smoking policy since 1989, with the aim of providing a smoke-free environment for the health and comfort of all staff. Smoking is restricted to designated areas and is prohibited in open-plan and other communal work areas. The policy is working well.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of employees in Wales are women; what the corresponding figures were for each year from 1980; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is given in the table. The figures are estimates from the Employment Department's quarterly series for June each year.

Female employees in employment as a percentage of total1
Year	Per cent·
1980	40·5
1981	41·4
1982	41·8
1983	42·5
1984	43·2
1985	43·7
1986	44·3
1987	45·1
1988	46·0
1989	47·2
1990	47·8
1 Full-time and part-time·

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to extend the guaranteed price system for wool for a further period of five years; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's intention remains, as announced in October 1988, to end the wool guarantee as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the education committees of the relevant Welsh counties regarding the tapering provisions of top-up funding from local education authority budgets to the institutions listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 30 January 1991 at columns 514–15.

Top-up funding has been discussed by the Wales Advisory Body, which I chair and which includes members from each of the local education authorities. The WAB is the body responsible for advising my right hon. Friend on matters concerning local authority higher education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the principals and directors of the institutions listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 30 January 1991 at columns 514–15, regarding future staffing levels and redundancy policies for academic and non-academic staff.

The staffing of these institutions is a matter for the institutions themselves and their maintaining LEAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the principals and directors of the institutions listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 30 January 1991 at columns 514–15, regarding the future of further education courses currently provided at those institutions.

After 1 April 1992 the provision of further education courses will remain the responsibility of LEAs. They will be able to contract with the independent higher education institutions for the provision of further education courses in those institutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the principals and directors of the institutions listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 30 January 1991 at columns 514–15, regarding the restoration of vocational higher education courses closed in the present and last financial year.

Since July 1990 the approval of my right hon. Friend for the provision of higher education courses, other than courses of initial teacher training, has not been required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) academic and (b) non-academic staff are employed at the institutions listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) on 30 January 1991 at columns 514–15; and if he will make a statement on future staffing levels at the institutions after 1 April 1992.

In 1988–89 the number of full-time equivalent teaching staff at each of the five institutions which are to be incorporated was as follows:

	Number
Polytechnic of Wales	372·5
Cardiff Institute of Higher Education	404·3
Gwent College of Higher Education	233·6
Normal College, Bangor	42·2
West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education	223·1

Details of non-teaching are not held centrally.Future staffing levels will be entirely the responsibility of the governing bodies of the incorporated institutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will give the reasons behind the decision to provide a transitional relief level of £5 to poll tax payers in Butetown, Cardiff, for 1991–92 and all the figures involved in the calculation;(2) if he will give the reasons behind the decision to provide a transitional relief level of £18 to poll tax payers in Llanthavadr ym Mochnant, Montgomeryshire, for 1991–92 and all the figures involved in the calculation;(3) if he will give the reasons behind the decision to provide a transitional relief level of £23 to poll tax payers in Llanrumney, Cardiff, for 1991–92 and all the figures involved in the calculation;