To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the value of the main tax reliefs and the saving that would occur if these were restricted to the basic rate of tax.

The latest estimates of the costs of direct tax reliefs and allowances for 1990–91 are published in Cm. 1520 "Public Expenditure Analyses to 1993–94" statistical supplement to the 1990 autumn statement. The direct revenue yields in a full year at 1990–91 levels of income from restricting the following main income tax reliefs to the basic rate are estimated at:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the issues and the departments for which the firms Herbert Smith and Associates, Slaughter and May, and Kleinwort Benson have been used by the Government since 1983.

The tables show the issues, sponsoring departments and in which positions the firms of Herbert Smith and Associates, Slaughter and May and Kleinwort Benson were appointed since 1983.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with the Building Societies Association concerning alterations in the annual basis for altering building society mortgage rates.

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about how "next steps" is to be applied to the Inland Revenue.

On 25 July 1990 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced, at columns 239–42, his decision to introduce changes which would enable the Inland Revenue to operate fully on "next steps" lines.I have now approved a wide-ranging action plan, prepared by the Chairman of the board of Inland Revenue. The plan sets out a programme for extensive further internal delegation and accountability within the Department and for examining ways of reshaping the structure and organisation of work. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.The action plan includes launching the valuation offices for England and Wales and for Scotland as a single Executive agency on 30 September 1991, under its recently appointed chief executive-designate.The key new feature of the plan is the establishment, within the present overall structure of the Inland Revenue, of 33 executive offices with an enhanced and more visible framework of management responsibilities and accountability. The executive offices will cover parts of the Department which have direct dealings with the public or which provide internal support services. They will include 56,800 staff, or about 85 per cent. of the Department. They will all be established by April 1992.The executive offices will normally be in the charge of controllers who will be appointed directly by the chairman of the board of Inland Revenue. They will be given significantly increased delegated authorities to manage the financial, personnel and other resources within their charge.Controllers will prepare framework documents, operating plans and annual reports for their offices. They will be personally accountable through their line managers to the board of Inland Revenue for how well their offices perform and for the quality of the services they provide. Framework documents, appropriate key targets and annual reports will be published.The action plan also includes a new customer services plan, under which the Inland Revenue as a whole, and individual offices, will seek all possible means of improving the quality of service they provide to the public.The action plan also looks forward to the longer-term possibility of other far-reaching changes in the Department's work and the way it can best be organised and managed. A number of experiments, pilot schemes and initiatives have been set up which will help to inform those decisions.Finally, the action plan notes that a review has been considering how best the Revenue's information technology needs might be met throughout the 1990s, and subsequently. A report is currently being considered.The Inland Revenue will remain a department headed by a chairman and board, and operating with a statutory framework which defines the tasks of the department and the relationship between the chairman and the board on the one hand and Treasury Ministers on the other.I am confident that the implementation of this action plan will enable the Inland Revenue to operate fully on "next steps" lines, and that the changes it foreshadows will strengthen responsibility and accountability within the Department, reinforce its commitment to efficiency, value for money and services to taxpayers, and enhance the Department's ability to respond to the needs of Government, Parliament and the public.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in Treasury income during the 1991–92 financial year resulting from restricting all tax reliefs, apart from personal allowances, to the basic rate of income tax.

[holding answer 21 January 1991]: The direct revenue yield is estimated to be about £1·1 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the income in each year in real terms since 1980 from excise duty for (a) commercial vehicles and (b) private vehicles.

I have been asked to reply.The estimated revenue from vehicle excise duty in the United Kingdom is shown in the table, in 1989–90 prices. Due to taxation changes in October 1982, it is not possible to give a breakdown of revenue by vehicle groups on the same basis before 1983–84.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate has been made of the effect of the destruction of 75 per cent. of Iraqi oil-refining capacity on normal international supplies after the war.

If losses of this magnitude were to be confirmed, the net impact on world oil markets following the cessation of hostilities would none the less be of marginal significance for the following reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received regarding the future of Monktonhall colliery.

I have received a number of representations concerning the future of Monktonhall colliery.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the feasibility report on the future of Monktonhall colliery produced by Lothian regional council; and if he will make a statement.

The future of individual collieries is a matter for British Coal. I have received a copy of the feasibility report on the future of Monktonhall colliery. It will be for British Coal to take account of this when it reviews the future of the colliery in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will introduce a right of appeal against refusal by British Coal of a licence to mine coal.

The licensing of coal production is a matter for the British Coal Corporation. However, I understand that a revised procedure against refusal of a licence has been agreed, which includes ultimate referral to an expert nominated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, who will be expected to report with recommendations to the corporation. The final decision, however, must rest with British Coal, as the licensing authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has received any request from the European Commission for permission to make public correspondence between the Commission and his Department and the Energy Technology Support Units on the United Kingdom wave power programme.

My officials have recently been approached by officials of the European Commission requesting permission to make public correspondence between the Commission and my Department on the United Kingdom wave energy programme, which makes clear my Department's support for the inclusion of wave energy within the Community's research programme. I have no objection to the publication of such correspondence by the Commission.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the procedures for the monitoring of imported food products for chemical residues and pesticides; and if he will make a statement.

An interdepartmental steering group on chemical aspects of food surveillance reviews annually the Government's programme for monitoring residues of chemicals, including pesticides, in imported and domestic food. The monitoring of pesticide residues is also reviewed annually by the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides. The results of monitoring are published in a comprehensive report.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when farmers in west Cumbria will receive their hill livestock compensatory amounts; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller) on 31 January, Official Report, column 935.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the number of cases of BSE-affected cattle in the years ended 31 December 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990 in Cumbria.

The number of confirmed cases of BSE by year of onset of clinical symptoms is as follows:

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of measures to counter the dumping of Norwegian farmed salmon on the European Community.

I have been asked to reply.Allegations of the dumping of Norwegian farmed salmon on the Community market in 1989 have now been investigated by the European Commission following a formal complaint to it by the Scottish Salmon Board and the Irish Salmon Growers' Association. In its initial report to member states, the Commission stated that it had found evidence of dumping of Norwegian salmon on the Community market and resultant injury to Community producers. Although the report proposed a provisional anti-dumping duty a majority of member states opposed this proposal. The Norwegian Government subsequently indicated that measures which had been taken in 1990 to help stabilise the market would be continued into 1991 and it offered to discuss with the Commission any future instability in the farmed salmon market. The Commission then proposed that the anti-dumping investigation should formally be terminated without remedy. This proposal has recently been put to the Council and the Government are now considering how to respond to it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish advice for the M40 user concerning toilet facilities during (a) daylight hours and (b) night time.

There are practical difficulties about publishing the advice which my hon. Friend seeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider the placing of emergency Portaloo facilies midway along the M40 pending the construction and completion of permanent service facilities.

I am making inquiries about this suggestion and will write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider installing appropriate temporary signposting on the M40 indicating the nearest availability of 24-hour fuel and refreshment facilities to motorway users prior to the construction of permanent motorway service facilities.

Pending the opening of planned motorway service areas, temporary signs will be erected on the M40 where there are service facilities providing 24-hour fuel and refreshments at reasonable distance from junctions with the motorway.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the distance in miles from the commencement of the southern end of the M40 to the first available service facility travelling (a) M40, M42, M5, (b) M40, M42, M6 and (c) M40, M42 to end.

The distances are (a) 104 miles (b) 120 miles and (c) 108 miles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider installing signposting advising M40 users of the non-existence of fuel and refreshment services on that motorway at (a) the commencement of the M20 near Maidstone, (b) the commencement of the M23 at Crawley, (c) the commencement of the M42 (northern section)—southbound, (d) the M6 southbound at Hilton park and (e) the M5 southbound at Frankley and at other appropriate places.

Signs have been erected at both ends of the M40 and on the approaches to significant interchanges to advise users of the absence of services. Such signs on M20 and M23 would be confusing to travellers on the intervening M25. There is no evidence that such signs are necessary on M42, M6 or M5.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the M40 service facility to be open for use.

Three motorway service areas—MSAs—are planned for the M40: at Barn Hill—between junctions 12 and 13—Ardley—junction 10—and Tetsworth—between junctions 6 and 7. The selection of three sites was announced in mid-1986. Tetsworth later replaced Stokenchurch as the choice for the southern site. Planning clearance for the three sites was sought in February 1987, November 1986 and July 1989 respectively. Planning clearance has been obtained for Ardley following public inquiry. The aim is to open it before the end of 1992. Decisions on Barn Hill and Tetsworth are awaited following public inquiries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the level of traffic flow on each link of the M40 motorway since the opening of the extension from Oxford to Birmingham.

Average 24-hour weekday traffic flows on each link of the M40, where available, since the opening of the extension from Oxford to Birmingham are listed in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether automatic traffic counters have been installed on the recently opened extension of the M40 motorway.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has considered British Rail board's proposals for Ashford international passenger station; and if he will make a statement.

We have very recently received the board's proposals and are considering them. We will announce our decision as soon as we can.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest position on the preferred line of route for the A5 north-south, Dunstable bypass; when he expects the public inquiry on this bypass to commence; and if he will make a statement.

We hope to announce a preferred route for the bypass this spring. The scheme will then be designed in detail in preparation for the publication of draft orders. If at this stage objections remain we would expect a public inquiry to be held in late 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to introduce measures to encourage lower vehicle emission limits.

Following a decision in the EC Environment Council on 20 December 1990, strict new emissions standards will apply to all new cars from 31 December 1992. As a result petrol cars will have to be fitted with three-way catalytic convertors. We are now pressing for strict standards for gaseous and particulate emissions from heavy goods vehicles and buses, and have recommended that the Community sets a mid-1990s diesel standard based as closely as possible on the United States 1994 model year standards, both in limit values and test procedure. Later this year, we also propose to include an emissions check in the annual MOT test for all petrol driven cars and light vans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken to safeguard the Chelsea-Hackney line.

Initial safeguarding directions under the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 have been made. These came into force on 7 February 1991. London Transport will be consulting those affected. If need be, the initial direction will be amended in the light of those consultations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the standard letter, information and booklet sent by his Department to those who may be eligible to serve a blight notice on his Department in relation to one of his Department's road schemes;(2) what are the relevant documents that set out the practices and procedures of his Department in acquiring homes affected by his Department's road schemes under the blight notice procedure; and if he will place copies in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Minister for Overseas Development will publish in the Official Report the letters she has written to the major British non-governmental organisations on famine in the horn of Africa.

I have today written the following letter to the Directors of Christian Aid, Oxfam, CAFOD, Save the Children Fund and CARE:

[holding answer 4 February 1991]: I have placed in the Library the latest versions of booklets 1, 3 and 4 in the land compensation series. These include sections on blight procedures relating to residential property, businesses and farms and are sent to all those affected by departmental road schemes once likely land acquisition requirements are publicly announced.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been paid in each of the last five years to HIV and AIDS-relaled projects and to whom.

Our support to HIV and AIDS-related projects and programmes takes four main forms.We have contributed £16·83 million to the World Health Organisation global programme on AIDS—GPA—since its inception in 1986 and we are the third largest donor. We have also provided £5·373 million in bilateral support to 15 national AIDS control programmes in Africa and the Caribbean, channelled through the World Health Organisation. We have also supported some 17 HIV and AIDS-related non-governmental projects through the Overseas Development Administration's joint funding scheme; the NGO projects involved are Action Aid, Care Britain, the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, Christian Aid, Caritas, ECHO—equipment for charity hospitals overseas—and Oxfam.In addition, since 1987–88 we have provided direct financial support for 10 research projects related to HIV and AIDS in developing countries; these are managed by United Kingdom-based academic and research institutions. The institutions involved are the Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group, the Imperial College of Science and Technology London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Medical Research Council, the Programme for Appropriate Technologies in Health, the university of East Anglia, the university of Swansea and the university of Sussex.The amounts spent are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was (a) the cost of producing, (b) the cost of distribution and (c) the numbers produced of his Departments leaflet "Loans for Students, a brief guide 1990–91 in England and Wales".

"Loans for Students" is a 15-page booklet produced by the Department of Education and Science and the Scottish Office Education Department. A total of 650,000 copies were printed for England and Wales at a cost of £47,821. The initial distribution of 200,000 copies to higher and further education institutions, to LEAs and, through them, to schools and colleges, cost £7,557.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of the loan applications reported by the Student Loans Company are repeat applications arising from errors in the submission of applications.

The Student Loans Company is responsible for the administration of the scheme. I am therefore asking the managing director of the company to write direct to the hon. Member with the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average student grant in London.

The information is not available in the form requested.For the current academic year, the rates of maintenance grant under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1990 are £2,845 for students living away from the parental home and studying in London and £1,795 for those at home. Additional allowances may also be payable, but all maintenance payments are means tested. Tuition fees are also payable.In addition, student loans are now available for most full-time courses of one year or more of a standard higher than A-level but below postgraduate level. The rates for London are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make available in the Library, copies of all section 42 statements provided by local education authorities.

Local education authorities' section 42 budget statements are typically very bulky documents, running in some cases to several hundred pages each. I am arranging for part 1 of each published statement to be placed in the Library. Part 1 gives details of the resources an authority is retaining for central management instead of passing down to schools for them to spend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the proportion of Science and Engineering Research Council's funding for nuclear physics which was not related to contributions to CERN or support for British scientists in their work at CERN in each of the last five years.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Prime Minister what proposals Her Majesty's Government have for devolving powers or functions currently exercised by central Government to local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The current review of local government encompasses issues of finance, structure and the functions of local authorities. The Government will announce the outcome of the review as soon as they are in a position to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all programmes approved by the European Community under the framework programme for research and development stating in each case the sums spent in the United Kingdom as a percentage of the total, and giving the equivalent figures for (a) France, (b) the German Federal Republic and (c) Italy.

Information is not available in the form requested. The third framework programme provides for 15 specific programmes on which negotiations are still proceeding. They are expected to be adopted by the Council of Ministers later this year. For the most part, funds will then be allocated to research projects by competitive tender.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 7 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the president of the International Red Cross.

To ask the Prime Minister what is his latest estimate of total cumulative savings from the Rayner scrutinies and succeeding efficiency scrutiny arrangements.

The latest estimate of the cumulative total of savings agreed by Departments following efficiency scrutinies since 1979 is £1·5 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he released the inspectors' report on Signal Life Assurance Co. Ltd. to any organisations.

It would be inappropriate for me to discuss details of individual unpublished reports. Such reports, which include that into the affairs of Signal Life Assurance Co. Limited, are disclosed where appropriate under the Companies Act 1948, as amended, under part XIV of the Companies Act 1985, as amended, and under the Financial Services Act 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the work of the export control organisation in his Department over the past two years.

In 1989 and 1990 the export control organisation of my Department issued 75,925 and 45,897 licences respectively. We are continually seeking new ways to try and minimise the burden of export controls to exporters while improving their effectiveness and the reduction in the number of licences issued in 1990 as a result of one of these changes. The introduction during 1989 and 1990 of open general export licences eliminated the need for exporters of certain equipment to certain destinations to obtain licences from DTI and allows the export control organisation to use its resources more effectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether in the light of the judgment in the second Caparo case, he has any plans to review shareholders' rights against auditors.

No.

To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will last for each diocese covering the three counties of Yorkshire, how much land has been sold in each of the latest four available years; and how much was raised by the sales.

The three counties of Yorkshire include all or a large part of the dioceses of Bradford, Ripon, Sheffield, Wakefield and York and very small parts of the dioceses of Derby, Durham and Southwell.In the last four years the Commissioners have sold the following land, all in North Yorkshire and the dioceses of Ripon and York:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out in the Official Report the main points of his speech of 2 February on his plan for peace in the middle east after hostilities have ended in the Gulf.

I am arranging for a copy of my speech of 2 February to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 4 and 5 February.

A meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council took place in Brussels on 4 February. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and I represented the United Kingdom.The Council heard a progress report from the Commission on the GATT Uruguay round. It called on the Commission to pursue multilaterally and bilaterally whatever action is necessary to achieve agreement.Ministers agreed in principle on financial assistance for Israel, together with a symmetrical package for the Palestinians in the occupied territories. No figures have been agreed.Ministers welcomed the decision to hold referenda in the Baltic states and expressed the hope that this would encourage dialogue with the central authorities of the USSR. No new decisions were taken on EC aid for the Soviet Union or on food and medical aid for Romania and Bulgaria.On South Africa, Ministers welcomed President de Klerk's speech on 1 February in which he announced a programme of further political reforms. They reconfirmed their intention to ease the EC measures adopted in 1986 once legislative action is taken to repeal the Group Areas Act and the Land Acts.The second ministerial meeting of the intergovernmental conference on political union, also held on 4 February, discussed ideas for a common foreign and security policy. No decisions were taken, and discussions will continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the People's Republic of China voted on Security Council resolution 678.

The People's Republic of China abstained on Security Council resolution 678.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department was represented at the conference on Iraq in the 1990s held at Chatham House, London in 1990; and what financial or logistical support was given to the conference by his Department.

Foreign Office officials attended the conference but we gave it no financial or logistical support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those nuclear facilities in Iraq registered with the International Atomic Energy Agency for international inspection; and what other nuclear facilities there are in Iraq.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) on 4 February, at column 69. Apart from the Tuwaitha research centre, there are no declared nuclear facilities in Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) of 17 January, Official Report, column 547, on the Gulf crisis, how much of the operating costs incurred up to 16 January in Operation Granby is expenditure which would not have been incurred anyway.

In excess of £700 million of the full operating costs up to 16 January would not otherwise have been incurred.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) of 17 January, Official Report, column 547, on the Gulf crisis, how much of the costs incurred up to 16 January in Operation Granby, is replacement costs of equipment where payment will be made outside the current financial year; and when he estimates that these payments will be made.

None of the costs incurred up to 16 January related to equipment replacement costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of (a) the daily cost of British involvement in the Gulf crisis and (b) the daily cost, excluding the costs of salaries, equipment replacement and other relevant expenditure which was already committed before the crisis began.

The latest estimate of the full operating costs that fall to the Ministry of Defence to date and in the financial year 1990–91 is over £1 billion and over £1·25 billion respectively. The proportion which is additional to costs already committed before the crisis began is about three quarters and two thirds respectively. The proportion of costs reduces because the greater part of the additional costs was equipment which was committed before hostilities started.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of (a) the total cost of British involvement in the Gulf crisis and (b) the proportion of that total which is additional to costs already committed before the crisis began (i) to date and (ii) in the financial year 1990–91.

The full daily operating cost to the Ministry of Defence of British involvement in the Gulf crisis is estimated to be over £4 million per day. The daily cost including expenditure committed before the crisis began is estimated to be about 1·5 million per day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what date he was first made aware of Iraq's possession, or steps to get possession, of a 350mm gun of which component parts were made by United Kingdom firms; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Defence first became aware of Iraq's attempts to obtain components for a very large calibre gun from United Kingdom firms in April 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Iraq has any functioning supergun.

We do not comment on such matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 25 January, Official Report, column 359, if he will list those categories of defence equipment which are classified as lethal.

No such list is maintained. All export licence applications for military equipment are considered separately on individual merit. The definition of lethality given to the hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill) on 2 May 1990 at column 602 is sufficient for the purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the list of countries whose nationals have received pilot training in low-flying exercises over Britain during the last 10 years.

The United Kingdom low-flying system is primarily reserved for low-flying training by British military and United Kingdom-based United States air force aircraft. Low flying by other aircraft accounts for less than 2 per cent. of total low flying in the United Kingdom and is normally associated with exercises or exchange programmes where there is reciprocal benefit to the United Kingdom. Some pilot training courses, in which foreign nationals may participate, also contain an element of low-flying training. Records are not, however, maintained in a format that would enable the information sought to be provided without disproportionate cost and effort.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the ratio, in 1989–90, between public support for local authority housing and for housing provided by housing associations; and what was the position five years ago.

The ratio between local authority and Housing Corporation capital expenditure on housing was 3·5:1 in 1985–86 and 4·2:1 in 1989–90 when measured in gross terms; or 2·3:1 and 1·6:1 respectively when measured in net terms. The gross figures reflect the surge in expenditure financed from receipts by authorities in 1989–90. In both years some of the local authority expenditure would have been on housing association schemes. Housing associations and local authorities also receive revenue subsidies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate has been made of the environmental damage caused by the bombing of Iraq's chemical and nuclear installations.

With regard to nuclear installations I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) at column 504. With regard to chemical installations, meaningful assessments will only be possible once peace has returned to the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with Dr. Abdullah Toukan, chief scientific adviser to King Hussein of Jordan, concerning the environmental effects of hostilities in the Gulf.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessments he has commissioned of the environmental damage caused by the oil slicks in the Gulf; what assessments have been undertaken by international organisations; and what actions are being taken to protect the future ecology of the Gulf.

I have commissioned an urgent report from the Natural Environment Research Council including an assessment of the biological effects of the released oil. This study is complete and has been made available to Gulf states. I have also seen an assessment by the World Conservation Monitoring Service, and the United Nations Environment Programme has announced its intention to send a team of experts to carry out an independent and objective assessment of environmental damage in the Gulf.I understand that Government agencies in Saudi Arabia, assisted by a United Kingdom expert from the marine pollution control unit of the Department of Transport, are now determining priorities for protecting the most significant environmental sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he is taking to protect from pollution the coral islands of Qaruh, Umm A1 Maradim and Kubbar;(2) what response he has made to the representations on protection of coral by Dr. Nigel Downing on islands in Kuwaiti waters.

These islands are Kuwaiti territory and in the case of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim have recently been liberated by allied forces from Iraqi occupation. While they remain in the war zone, the scope for pollution control action is likely to be extremely limited. We have received representations from Dr. Nigel Downing on the ecological importance, particularly for coral, of these islands, which are confirmed by other assessments available to us; and we are making these available to authorities in the Gulf.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a breakdown on housing in the LDCC area since its inception, by housing tenure.

This information is given in the table, based on the 1981 census and a recent LDDC survey:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of all those local authorities who (a) have provided exemption from the poll tax for Gulf personnel together with the numbers involved in each authority and the income forgone and (b) have not provided exemption; and if he will make a astatement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 5 February, Official Report, column 108.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend the planning legislation to prevent companies that have gone into receivership from appealing against refusals of planning consent.

None. Since companies in receivership may continue to do business, I see no reason why they should not submit planning applications or appeals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of derelict land grant paid to each local authority in Staffordshire since 1987–88.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail how discussions on BATNEEC and best practicable environmental option specific to the burning of refuse-derived fuel will be conducted.

The refuse-derived fuel industry and other interested parties will be invited to participate in the discussions on the production of guidance on the best available techniques not entailing excessive costs—BATNEEC—and best practicable environmental option —BPEO—for the burning of refuse-derived fuel. The precise mechanism for conducting the production of guidance is currently being finalised and the mechanism will be included in general guidance on integrated pollution control to be published by the Department shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Her Majesty's Government expect the full implementation of the common method of measuring pollution agreed at the OECD meeting on Wednesday 30 January.

At the meeting of OECD Environment Ministers held in Paris on 30–31 January, all OECD member countries agreed that improvements in the coverage and reliability of environmental information need to be speeded up over the next decade. The Government fully endorse this OECD initiative and the United Kingdom will continue to be active, with our OECD colleagues, in attempting to reach this goal. Indeed, the Government have been a leading advocate in establishing the European Environment Agency to improve information and its comparability between Community countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals have been put forward by the United Kingdom delegation to the international conference on global warming held in Virginia in February 1991; how the United Kingdom has been represented at this conference; and what assistance has been afforded to non-governmental organisations to attend the conference as observers;(2) what resources were offered by the United Kingdom to support the administrative secretariat of the intergovernmental global warming conference held in Virginia, USA in February.

Officials from my Department and others are attending the first negotiating session in Virginia of the intergovernmental negotiating committee for a framework convention on climate change. At the session, officials have announced the United Kingdom's intention to provide £85,000 to support the secretariat for the negotiations and the attendance of developing countries at this and further negotiating sessions. NGOs are attending this session and the United Kingdom has supported rules of procedure which secure their presence at further sessions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department intends to make available sufficient funding to ensure the future of London zoo at Regent's park.

On 8 November 1988, the then Secretary of State for the Environment announced that the Government had paid £10 million to the Zoological Society of London. He said that with this support and other steps it was taking the society was in a position to secure the future of its zoos without further public subsidy.

To ask the `Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will make additional funds available for the construction of new indoor exhibition facilities at London zoo.

On 8 November 1988, the then Secretary of State for the Environment when announcing a payment of £10 million to the Zoological Society of London said that the Government's financial commitment to the zoos was at an end. That remains the position.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his Department's latest estimate of the cost of full remedial work required to make good the arrears of maintenance at London zoo.

I am getting expert advice on this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department expects to make available to the Zoological Society of London the additional 10 acres of ground promised to the zoo in 1988.

The offer remains on the table if and when the society demonstrates it needs the extra land and comes forward with an acceptable scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to provide additional car parking facilities close to London zoo and more convenient forms of public transport to the zoo.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to implement the government-funded Peat Marwick McLintock report on the work of the Zoological Society of London and of its zoos at Regent's park and Whipsnade.

The report was drawn upon by the Zoological Society of London and its subsidiary in the preparation of their development strategy in 1988. This strategy is theirs to implement or depart from as they judge best.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the special meeting on the environment held at the end of January at the OECD in Paris.

I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.The meeting of the OECD Environment Committee at ministerial level on 30 and 31 January 1991 was the fourth occasion on which Environment Ministers had met in this forum since 1970.Ministers discussed the international community's response to the Gulf oil spill and called for a strengthening of the international capacity to prevent and confront future environmental disasters. This would involve the strengthening of international principles and agreements, the reinforcement of technological and institutional response capacities as well as the possible establishment of liability verification and claims settlement procedures, in co-operation with the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Maritime Organisation and other relevant international organisations. Ministers called for early and full implementation of the IMO convention on oil pollution preparedness response and co-operation and for urgent work to develop a register of information on technological and institutional response capacities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the recent OECD report on the state of the environment.

I warmly welcome the publication by the OECD of this its third report on the state of the environment. It is a major report, assessing the progress of environmental policies in OECD countries over the last two decades and the problems to be addressed in the 1990s. The Government fully endorse the conclusions of the report notably that the pace of progress to improve the environment needs to be speeded up, better integration between economic and environmental policies is required, and that work on improving environmental information needs to be accelerated.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many mortgage repossessions there have been in (a) the city and (b) the county of Leicester during each of the last 12 months for which records are available; and what were the annual figures for each of the last 12 years.

Comprehensive information on mortgage possessions in the city and county of Leicester, including properties surrendered without a court order, is not available.The available figures for possession orders made by the courts covering the county of Leicester, not all of which are executed, are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are being made available under the derelict land programme in 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

The resources available in 1991–92 for derelict land reclamation under the derelict land programme will be £87·918 million. This represents an increase of 23 per cent. on this year's provision.Derelict land reclamation has an important part to play in safeguarding and improving the environment through the return of previously developed land to beneficial use. Derelict land grant has made a substantial contribution to this process. Since 1979 it has funded the reclamation of more than 14,450 hectares of derelict land and I expect that schemes producing an additional 1,250 hectares of reclaimed land will be completed in this financial year. The resources available for 1991–92 will allow faster progress to be made in recycling land and will, at the same time, allow schemes for environmental improvement and clearing up badly contaminated land to be carried forward. They will be enough to support the reclamation of a further 1,300 hectares of derelict land.Every region will receive more DLG resources than in 1990–91, but, as in previous years, more than 90 per cent. of the resources will be allocated to the north and midlands where the problems of dereliction are most severe. I have given the largest allocations to the north west and Yorkshire and Humberside where some of the most extensive dereliction is found; and to the west midlands where there is a need to continue support for the programme of investigative and remedial work on old limestone workings in the black country.I am approving new rolling programmes of reclamation for the Weaver Valley in Cheshire; Kirklees; the north Derbyshire coalfield; and The Wrekin. Following the second round of triennial rolling programme reviews carried out last year, I have decided to continue rolling programme status for Project Furness in Barrow, and Liverpool. The Leeds and Liverpool canal corridor rolling programme will be reviewed in the course of 1991. The total provision made for the 21 rolling programmes approved for 1991–92 will be nearly £36 million. Derelict land grant remains an important instrument for the regeneration of the inner cities. About 40 per cent. of derelict land grant resources is devoted annually towards reclamation in these areas and this level of support will continue in 1991–92. Twelve of the 21 rolling programmes of reclamation are located in inner city areas: the total 1991–92 expenditure on these programmes is estimated at more than £21 million.Overall, my allocations include more than £19 million for treating dereliction arising from coal mining. In the last five years the Government have steadily increased its support for reclamation schemes in coalfield areas. The resources allocated to coalfield reclamation in 1991–92 are, at £19·515 million, more than £6 million for new starts in the northern, Yorkshire and Humberside, west midlands and east midlands areas.The allocations will allow regions to approve at least 25 new schemes where the treatment of contamination has been a decisive factor in derelict land grant support being given. The total cost of reclaming the 230 hectares involved will be about £24 million of which about £5 million will be spent next year. I estimate that between £10 million and £15 million will be spent next year on schemes to treat seriously contaminated derelict land. This is a new objective for the programme made in response to the Select Committee on the Environment's report "Contaminated Land" published on 24 January 1990.The increased resources for the derelict land programme are being made available at the same time as new priorities and objectives for derelict land grant are being considered. We want to enhance the role of derelict land grant as a nationwide grant regime for the reclamation of derelict land wherever it has a damaging effect on the environment. Our aim is to bring the land back into the most appropriate use for the benefit of the local community.These changes will be set out in detail in a derelict land grant advice note to be published later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to visit St. David's; and if he will make a statement.

I have no present plans to visit St. David's.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the ranking of the Office of Commissioner for Local Administration for Wales in equivalent civil service grades since its inception.

The commissioner is paid at the level of civil service grade 2 officer, plus a £500 lead.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he now expects a decision to be made on the new general hospital for Neath/Port Talbot; and what change in time tabling has taken place there since 13 September 1989.

The recently submitted business plan for the proposed new hospital has been the subject of discussion with the district health authority. This is now being examined and a decision will be announced in due course. At this stage no change has been made to the timetable, which will be for review by the health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes extra cash for Welsh district councils concerning the anti-litter legislation; and if he will make a statement.

The local government finance settlement for 1991–92 which the House approved on 29 January provides sufficient resources to enable local authorities to maintain and where necessary develop the services they provide including those relating to litter which arise from part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number and locations of the hospitals he has visited in Wales.

My right hon. Friend visited the following hospitals in Wales since 4 May 1990: Llandough hospital, Cardiff; Chirk community hospital; and Montgomery county infirmary, Newtown and he intends to visit other hospitals and health facilities in Wales over the coming months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet the Royal College of Nursing, Wales.

My right hon. Friend last met representatives of the Welsh board of the Royal College of Nursing on 26 November 1990. He has no immediate plans to meet with them again, but, as Minister with responsibility for health, I am looking forward to a meeting with them in the not-too-distant future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what improvements he has made to the heads of the valleys roads.

Since 1980 the B4276 junction with the A465 at Baverstocks hotel has been improved and there have been a number of other improvements to bring certain sections of the A465 up to current standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to improve the heads of the valleys roads; and if he will make a statement.

Proposals for improvement to the heads of the valleys section of the A465 will be decided on in the context of the south Wales area traffic study report, which is under consideration. Improvement of the Glynneath-Aberdulais section of the A465 is already included in the roads programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning road communications between north and south Wales.

The Government's policy is to upgrade the A483 and A470 routes by means of selective improvements. Details of the schemes planned to achieve this are set out in "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Revised information on these schemes will be set out in a supplement to "Roads in Wales" to be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to provide extra money for the valleys programme; and if he will make a statement.

About £800 million of public money will be spent under the valleys programme over the five years to March 1993. I will continue to take account of the needs of the valleys in making my spending decisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will initiate a programme to enable the county authorities of valley communities to repair and to build roads; and if he will make a statement.

Repair and improvements to local roads are matters for the county councils as the responsible highway authorities. Resources are provided by unhypothicated credit approvals allocated by a formula agreed with the local authority associations, use of capital receipts, contributions from revenue and transport and revenue support grants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much capital was realised by each of the local authorities in Wales in 1990 by the sale of council homes.

The information is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to increase the percentage of the moneys raised by the sale of (a) council homes and (b) other assets that local authorities in Wales are allowed to use.

We have no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount of the increased administration revenue funding, directed towards family practitioner committees and family health service authorities, referred to as objective 9, of the Welsh Office NHS directorate "Agenda for Action".

Family practitioner committee —since 17 September 1990, family health services authority—administration revenue funding in Wales has increased from £3,420,000 in 1988–89 to £6,333,000 in 1990–91. This is a cash increase of 85 per cent. and a real-terms increase of 61 per cent.This increase in funding reflects our commitment to strengthen the management capabilities of these authorities, in line with the expanded role envisaged for them in our White Papers, "Promoting Better Health" and "Working for Patients".

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what voluntary, private and other resources, referred to in objective 5, of the Welsh Office NHS directorate "Agenda for Action", have so far been identified to enhance the cost effectiveness or quality of the service, or to generate funds; by how much the effectiveness has so far been improved and the quality of service improved; and what funds have been generated.