To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the number of people who have disappeared in Sri Lanka in the last three years; how many detainees are held by the Sri Lankan Government under emergency laws; what recent representations he has made to the Sri Lankan authorities on human rights abuses; and if he will make a statement.

Reliable information is not available on the number of people who have disappeared or the number of detainees. We continue regularly to raise with the Sri Lankan Government our concerns about their human rights performance and the conduct of their security forces in dealing with the serious terrorist challenge they face.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what humanitarian assistance Her Majesty's Government are giving to Iraq via the European Community, the International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations agencies, and other relief agencies.

The United Kingdom supports the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations relief agencies in Iraq. This year we have already given £2·5 million to the ICRC's Gulf appeal and US $1 million to the United Nations appeal co-ordinated by UNDRO. In addition, the EC Commission has given £8·75 million to support the relief activities in the Gulf region. The share of this attributable to the United Kingdom's aid budget is £1·75 million. All these funds are available for use in Iraq.In the light of reports from the ICRC and United Nations Under-Secretary-General Ahtisaari, the United Nations sanctions committee, with full British support, has now made a general determination that humanitarian circumstances apply with respect to the entire civilian population of Iraq in all parts of Iraq's national territory and that the civilian and humanitarian imports identified in Mr. Ahtisaari's report, which are integrally related to the supply of foodstuffs and supplies intended for medical purposes, should be allowed with immediate effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway there are in England and Wales; and what proportion of these are lit.

There are 1,640 miles of trunk motorway in England. About 30 per cent. of this length is lit. The Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for motorways in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which British-owned airlines were consulted prior to his recent announcement about traffic distribution rights at Heathrow airport; what steps he took to ensure that airlines flying services from Britain's regional airports could continue to do so; if he has discussed the allocation of Air UK's original slots with the Heathrow airport scheduling committee; and if he will make a statement.

The hon. Member will be able to obtain from the CAA the names of the 54 United Kingdom airlines it consulted prior to offering advice on the need for the London traffic distribution rules. My right hon. and learned Friend explained in his statement of 5 March that removal of the rules did not impose any requirement on the operators of regional services to give up operating at Heathrow, and noted the existence of safeguards against unreasonable discrimination in an airport's trade practice or pricing policy. My right hon. and learned Friend has not discussed with the Heathrow scheduling committee the allocation of slots previously used by Air UK, as the Government are not involved in the slot allocation process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from British Northern Airlines about his Heathrow traffic distribution decisions and that airline's application to the Heathrow airport scheduling committee.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such representations from British Northern Airlines, although its concern to secure slots at Heathrow has been drawn to our attention by others. That is a matter for discussion between the airlines and the Heathrow scheduling committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review his decision on allocation of airlines to Heathrow in the light of the refusal by the Heathrow airport scheduling committee to allocate the slots previously used by Air UK to British Northern Airlines.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to review his decision to remove restrictions on access to Heathrow. The allocation of slots at the airport is the responsibility of the scheduling committee, which follows guidelines drawn up by the International Air Transport Association. The Government are not involved in the allocation process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Association of British Travel Agents over extending consumer protection for all holidaymakers; and if he will make a statement.

Consumer protection matters in general, including package holidays, are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry; I understand that the Association of British Travel Agents has had discussions with Ministers in his Department recently.The Association of British Travel Agents has also written recently to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, supporting his request to the Civil Aviation Authority, as announced in his statement to the House on 11 March, for advice on possible arrangements to give financial protection to scheduled air passengers; air charter holidaymakers are already protected by the statutory bonding scheme for air travel organisers, and by the Air Travel Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 639, when his Department's latest standard for standby vessels will be applied to all such vessels.

The latest standard is expected to be published in April. New ships will be required to comply in full, but in view of the significant changes that are to be made there will be a staged introduction for existing ships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he proposes to change the record keeping by his Department to enable him to know when standby vessels are on station in the North sea.

Since early 1990 most owners have been providing on a weekly basis information on the locations and time their vessels are on station as a check on the periods of duty at offshore installations. When the revised code is published next month this information will be sought on a voluntary basis for all standby vessels. In his report on the Piper Alpha disaster Lord Cullen recommended that the owners of standby vessels should be required to notify the regulatory body weekly as to the locations and functions of their vessels in the ensuing week. This will of course be a matter for the Health and Safety Commission once responsibility has been transferred to it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to introduce regulations to restrict the working of excessive hours by taxi and private hire drivers.

The Government will be consulting trade organisations to establish whether the working of excessive hours is a widespread problem, posing a serious safety hazard. If it is, we shall have to identify appropriate remedial measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many registered dock workers there were at the port of Goole for each of the years from 1985 to 1990; and how many of those dock workers are currently employed following the abolition of the dock labour scheme.

The numbers of dockers registered at the port of Goole at the end of each year 1985 to 1988 and at 3 July 1989 when the dock labour scheme was abolished were as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the total tonnage of exports and imports handled by the port of Goole in each year since 1985.

Annual tonnages of foreign trade handled at the port of Goole since 1985 are as follows:

Thousand tonnes
	Exports	Imports	Total
1985	478	817	1,295
1986	369	909	1,278
1987	432	1,265	1,697
1988	497	1,603	2,100
1989	407	1,423	1,829
11990	354	1,242	1,596
1 Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the long-term cost of financing highway structural maintenance on the primary route network through capital rather than revenue expenditure will be reduced or increased as a result of the changes proposed by his Department.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: The benefits of structural maintenance are primarily felt in future accounting periods. To compare the real cost of financing by means of borrowing and the cost of charging expenditure direct to revenue account, it is necessary to discount the nominal value of cash payments in future years to reflect the time intervals before they are made. The result of the comparison will depend on the rate of discount and the rate of interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances and for what reasons the Government record whether persons admitted to the United Kingdom are serving members of their armed forces.

Where relevant to the person's claim for admission, such information would be recorded on the landing card. However, landing cards are not completed for members of forces who are exempted from immigration control under section 8 of the Immigration Act 1971.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to make a statement about the Thynne, Wilson and Gunnell case following the European Court of Human Rights judgment.

The implications of the European Court's judgment require full and careful consideration; we will put our proposals to Parliament as soon as we are able to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department is issuing to local authorities in connection with the Children Act 1989.

None, but extensive guidance has been issued by the Department of Health which has responsibility for this Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to protect the rights of those who do not wish to work or open their place of work on a Sunday, to remove the anomalies of the present Sunday trading laws and to replace the present legislation with a formula which allows limited shopping.

The terms and timing of fresh legislation on Sunday trading remain to be determined, but our aim is that such legislation should be workable, enforceable and enjoy both popular and sufficient parliamentary support. Separate discussions to which I have invited the major groups interested in reform of the Sunday trading law may help to identify what particular provisions might satisfy these criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Montreal agreement on the chemical labelling of plastic explosives.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 20 March 1991 at columns 113–14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans for the registration of security firms and the establishment of minimum training requirements.

We are considering a range of options for improving the regulation of the private security industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to make changes in the immigration rules.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 January 1991, c. 354]: My right hon. Friend is laying before Parliament today an immigration rules change to introduce a visa requirement for all citizens of Uganda with effect from 2 April.Ugandans currently account for nearly one in 10 of all asylum applications in the United Kingdom and their numbers have risen sharply over a period in which there is general agreement that respect for human rights in Uganda has substantially improved. The introduction of a visa requirement should benefit all bona fide travellers who will be less likely to encounter delays on arrival in this country. Our entry clearance unit in Kampala is being strengthened to ensure an efficient service. Regular visitors to this country will be eligible for multiple entry visas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last issued guidance to owners and occupiers of sites of special scientific interest under the provisions of section 33 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and whether such guidance reflects the changes in SSSI notification procedures introduced in the Wildlife and Countryside (Amendment) Act 1985.

A code of guidance for sites of special scientific interest was published in 1982 and we shall be revising it later this year. Advice is also given in departmental circulars and in the Nature Conservancy Council's publication "Sites of Special Scientific Interest".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the timetable he has set for the implementation of the policy objectives set out in the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance".

Our White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", published on 25 September last year, was the first comprehensive statement of environmental policies and objectives by any United Kingdom Government. Over the last six months we have worked hard, proving that the White Paper means action, not just words. Thanks to the drive and commitment of the Government across the whole range of their activities, getting on for 100 White Paper initiatives have borne fruit so far.In the field of investment, I announced last November an increase of 33 per cent., or £130 million, in planned expenditure for 1991–92 on protecting and improving the environment. This provided extra resources for purposes including environmental research, the countryside, the heritage, housing and urban initiatives, pollution control and waste disposal and recycling.The Government have set up new institutions, including a permanent committee of Cabinet Ministers to consider environmental policies and follow up and roll forward the initiative taken by the White Paper. Each Government Department has nominated a Minister to consider the environmental implications of all of its policies and programmes. The first round of new annual departmental reports, many reporting at length on environmental initiatives, has been published. The first meeting of a new local government environmental forum has been held, and arrangements have been made to set up similar new fora involving business and the voluntary sector. In Europe, Britain has proposed amendments to the EC treaties to give the Community clearer competence on environmental matters and launched an initiative to promote the integration of the environment with other areas of Community policy.In the field of planning, a consultation paper has been issued on tighter controls over agricultural and forestry buildings. The Department of the Environment has published a report and consultation paper on the protection of hedgerows. The planning Bill has been introduced, with proposals which will implement many of the improvements described in the planning chapter of the White Paper. A consultation paper has been issued giving proposals for the application of environmental assessment to private Bills. New guidance has been published on subjects including archaeology and planning, the interaction of planning and transport and planning aspects of the extraction of cement.In the field of environmental technology, waste minimisation and recycling, the Department of Trade and Industry in conjunction with the Department of the Environment has launched the new £12 million environmental technology innovation scheme as well as its own environmental management options scheme. An extra £60 million over three years has been announced to upgrade and replace municipal incinerators. A further £31 million will be available over the same period to help authorities improve standards at landfill sites, transfer stations and civic amenity sites and £40 million of resources will be available to enable authorities to invest in effective recycling schemes. The derelict land programme for 1991–92 has been increased by £15 million.Research projects have been commissioned on recycling building waste and waste from quarries and mines. Studies to monitor the results of pilot recycling projects in a number of cities have been commissioned. The Department of the Environment and the Scottish Office have announced the introduction of a new system of registration for carriers of waste. At present, local authorities are responsible both for disposing of waste themselves and for regulating the way in which others do so. The DOE has issued draft circulars for local authorities on arrangements to separate these functions by the formation of new local authority waste disposal companies. In line with the United Kingdom's policy, a recommendation on international self-sufficiency in waste management has been adopted by the OECD. Extra resources have been announced by the Department of the Environment for improving local authority disposal and recycling facilities, and a code of practice has been issued on standards of cleanliness in public places and the best means of dealing with litter.In the fields of pollution control and air quality, a practical guide has been published to the system of integrated pollution control through which the Government have given a new push to the process of designing out pollution problems from the most potentially polluting processes. Detailed regulations have been laid to implement both these controls and the supplementary air pollution controls by local authorities. The Government have achieved agreement in the EC on standards for new large diesel engines. A new advisory group on medical aspects of air pollution episodes has been announced by the Department of Health. The Department of the Environment has produced a model describing critical loads of air pollution—the loads that a particular environment can tolerate without adverse effects—and has also announced funding for an expanded air quality monitoring network and new arrangements to provide information on air pollution for weather bulletins. As from 1 April, 25 process guidance notes will be published covering processes for local authority pollution control.The Chancellor, in the Budget, raised the duty on petrol and dery by 15 per cent., substantially above inflation. With the VAT increase in April the tax differential between leaded and unleaded petrol will rise to 4p a litre, giving a further boost to unleaded, whose market share has risen from 30 to 39 per cent. over the last year. The Budget also put up employers' national insurance contributions on company cars and raised income tax on car sales by a further 20 per cent.Also in the field of transport, the agreement that the Government have been pressing for on a consolidated directive applying to emissions from cars of all sizes has been reached. From November this year an emissions check will be included in the MOT test. A Road Traffic Bill has been introduced by the Department of Transport which contains provisions to improve the enforcement of speed limits. The first pilot "red route" scheme has been introduced. Plans have been announced for six demonstration projects on the best way to integrate bypasses with traffic management schemes.As for the countryside, a start has been made on planting a new national forest in the midlands. Extra funds have been announced for national park authorities, the Countryside Commission and the Groundwork Trust. Proposals have been announced for additional planning control safeguards over sites of special scientific interest. Agriculture departments in England and Wales have gone out to consultation on a draft code embodying new advice on best practice to reduce agricultural water pollution. My right hon. Friend has announced that he proposes to revoke a deemed planning permission to develop housing on the edge of Canford heath, a site of acknowledged international importance for nature conservation.Internationally, the Government have continued to make a major contribution to efforts to agree a global convention on climate change and to work for a successful United Nations conference on environment and development in 1991. In the field of overseas assistance, the Government announced in November 1990 a new public expenditure sub-programme, separate from the budget for aid for developing countries, on global environmental assistance. For this, the Government have pledged £40 million to the global environment facility being established under the leadership of the World bank, UNDP and UNEP to help developing countries tackle global environmental problems.In the field of energy, the Government are drawing up plans for a major publicity campaign and extra research on domestic energy efficiency. The Department of Energy's new home energy efficiency scheme has been launched. The Department of the Environment has launched a pilot programme of energy efficiency measures in local authority housing. The Department of Energy has announced a £4 million increase in research into renewable energy. With the active participation of the United Kingdom, the second world climate conference in Geneva agreed the basic shape of a global strategy on climate change. Thanks in no small part to the Department of Energy's efforts, obsolete EC rules that made it harder than it need be to switch to gas from more polluting fuels for generating electricity have been repealed, and a new ministerial committee has been established to oversee all aspects of energy efficiency.In the field of the heritage, state funds are to be available for the first time for the repair of historic cathedrals. The scheme will be launched on 3 April. A total of £ 11·5 million of new money has been set aside for grants for cathedrals over this and the next two years.In the field of water, to help reduce water pollution regulations have been introduced setting standards for farm waste facilities and oil stores. A total of £23 million extra grant in aid for the National Rivers Authority has been announced. The maximum fines for water pollution in magistrates courts have been increased tenfold to £20,000; the fines in Crown courts are unlimited.In the field of noise, the report of the Government's noise review working party has been issued for consultation.In the field of wider environmental knowledge, the Department of the Environment has issued its detailed consultation paper on its proposed new, more comprehensive environmental statistical report. Consultation with industry and consumer groups is continuing on the outlines of a new eco-labelling scheme. A new leaflet—"Wake Up To What You Can Do For The Environment"—has been published and widely distributed to tell individuals how they can help.In Scotland, legislation has been introduced establishing Scottish Natural Heritage. A project team has been appointed to bring the Government's new rural enterprise programme into operation. A fuller list of Scottish Office achievements is in its press notice also issued today.In Wales, £41 million funding was announced for the Welsh Development Agency's initiatives "Landscape Wales" and "Urban Development Wales" in 1991–92, with £7 million urban programme support for environmental improvements. An environmental competition for schools is being run with £5,000 cash prizes donated by Welsh Water plc.In Northern Ireland, work has started on a code to support the Government's new countryside management strategy. Core funding has been announced for the establishment of a regional Tidy Britain Group office in Belfast, and a consultation paper has been issued on energy efficiency in Northern Ireland. An Environment Week will also be held at the end of April.This is only a selection of the very wide range of action that the Government have in hand in order to push ahead with their environmental strategy. Vigorous action will continue, not only to fulfil the individual commitments made in the White Paper, but to roll forward the process of addressing tomorrow's environmental challenges. With co-operation from everyone—individuals, as well as local authorities, businesses, schools and voluntary organisations—I am confident that those challenges can be met with courage and success.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the individuals and organisations being consulted in the process of completion of the statistical report on the environment being prepared as a result of a commitment in "This Common Inheritance".

Around 250 organisations have been consulted and 94 written responses have been received by my Department. A list of consultees and those organisations from which written responses have been received has today been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the amount per head of revenue support grant, area protection grant, inner London education special grant and of all grants payable to Doncaster metropolitan borough council for 1991–92.

The available information for Doncaster MBC for 1991–92 is as follows:

	£/Head of relevant population
RSG	226
Area Protection Grant	80

In addition after the enactment of the Community Charges (General Reduction) Bill, Doncaster MBC will receive payment of £140 for each personal community charge paid or, in the case of standard or collective charges, equivalent.Information on the amounts of transitional relief grant, community charge benefit grant and specific grants payable to Doncaster MBC in 1991–92 is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of his departmental leaflet, "Wake Up To What You Can Do For The Environment" have been printed; what plans exist for additional print runs; how the leaflet is being distributed and to which target audiences; how much the printing and distribution has cost to date; and whether any external consultants were involved in the design and content of the leaflet.

Five million copies of the leaflet have been printed; additional print runs will depend upon demand. The leaflet is being distributed through supermarkets with the generous assistance of Tesco, Sainsbury's, the Co-op, Safeway and Asda; and at the Department's stand at the ideal home exhibition. Local authorities have been invited to assist in distribution; and copies are available on request from the Department. The target audience for the leaflet is the general public. Printing and distribution have cost £180,000 to date. Consultants were commissioned to conduct market research on a pilot version of the leaflet, and the leaflet was designed by outside contractors.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring forward new common land legislation in pursuance of the recommendations of the Common Land Forum in 1986 and the policy statement made by the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 26 July 1990; and if he will make a statement.

It remains our policy, as stated by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 26 July 1990, to safeguard the status of common land and to strengthen the ways in which we protect and use it. We recognise that this requires legislation to implement it, and the importance of such legislation. I regret, however, that, given the pressures on the parliamentary timetable, we cannot see any opportunity to legislate comprehensively during the lifetime of this Parliament.We have also considered very carefully the proposal for a short Bill put to us by amenity bodies. We have concluded that this would not have sufficient advantages to be a priority candidate, in the light of the reservations expressed by other interested parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what use is made by his Department in developing land use planning policy of geographic information systems and digital terrain models.

The Department of the Environment is involved in several applications of geographic information systems—GIS—and digital terrain models, mainly through its research programme. The inclusion of GIS along with other technologies is also being considered in the Department's information technology strategy.The following GIS applications are of most relevance to the development of land use planning policy:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much extra money Bolton council would receive in capital receipts if its sales of council houses were now brought into line with the national average for sales since 1981.

A total of 2,200 extra sales would be needed to catch up with the average for England, or 1,000 to come in line with the rest of the region. The receipts cannot be predicted reliably, but in recent months the average discounted selling price for council houses in Bolton has been about £11,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent consideration he has given to the use of capital receipts by local authorities with a view to introducing more flexibility into the system in order to provide accommodation for homeless people.

We have already introduced a number of relaxations to the rules on the use of capital receipts by local authorities, in particular to encourage provision of low-cost housing. We intend to keep these rules under review to ensure that they are fully achieving our policy aims.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the report on recycling credits produced for his Department by Touche Ross management consultants; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the outcome of the European Community Environment Council on 18 March; and what progress was made towards green labelling.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 20 March, Official Report, column 129. The discussion on eco-labelling revealed widespread general support for the Commission's proposal, but reservations from a number of member states, including the United Kingdom, about the structures and procedures for administering the scheme. We made clear our concern that the proposal should be agreed as soon as possible and look forward to significant progress at the next meeting of the Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on cost recovery charges for regulation of radioactive substances.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides for the introduction of charges to cover the costs incurred by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution—HMIP—and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food—MAFF—in regulating the holding of radioactive material, and the accumulation and disposal of radioactive waste, under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. With the agreement of the Treasury and the consent of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have now made a scheme of fees and charges, to take effect from 1 April 1991. I have placed a copy of the scheme in the Library.Last July, the Government published a consultation document inviting comments on proposed charging arrangements, with fees and charges based on a division of premises into four "bands" designed to relate the level of charges to the amount of regulatory effort involved. The Department received 17 responses on the proposals, a list of which has been placed in the Library. Copies of individual responses may be obtained through the Library.Respondents generally endorsed the banded structure, and the scheme now made operates on this basis. Band 1 and 2 premises—BNFL Sellafield and the 30 or so nuclear power stations and other premises subject to licensing under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965—will be charged individually on the basis of the actual regulatory time and costs incurred. Charges for band 3 and 4 operators will be on the basis of a series of flat-rate fees, for consideration of applications for authorisation or registration, for the subsequent variation of an authorisation or registration, and annual subsistence charges for holding each authorisation or registration to cover the on-going costs of inspection, monitoring and oversight.For band 3 operators—for example, major laboratories, major industrial users—the application and variation fees will be £800, and the annual subsistence charge £400. For band 4 operators—for example, smaller industrial users—the application and variation fees will be £300. The annual subsistence charge will be £75, but this will apply only to those holding larger closed sources. The majority of band 4 operators, holding smaller, closed sources, will not pay any annual charge, since these sources do not require routine inspection.HMIP and MAFF will closely monitor their regulatory expenditure, and at the end of the financial year accounts and information on charge income and regulatory costs will be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the latest appropriate figures for (a) rate support grant per head, (b) business rate income per head, (c) total aggregate extended finance per head, (d) spending per head, (e) total aggregate spending and (f) population for each local authority in England.

[holding answer 20 March 1991]: I am arranging for the available information for 1991–92 to be placed in the Library of the House. Information on total aggregate finance and spending, which include specific grants, will not be available until authorities send in their detailed budget returns to the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the proportion of total local government spending accounted for by (a) education, (b) the police, (c) other services at present provided by county councils and (d) services provided by district councils.

[holding answer 22 March 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

Total Local Authority Net Current Expenditure
	Budget Estimates 1990–91
	Percentage
Education (all authorities)	46·3
Police (all authorities)	11·9
Other services (county councils)	13·4
All services (non-metropolitan district councils)	8·1

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what central grants were paid in 1990–91 and will be paid in 1991–92 (a) in total to each of the councils of Wandsworth, Westminster and Coventry and (b) per capita to Coventry.

[holding answer 22 March 1991]: Amounts of revenue support grant, adjusted for safety net, special grants and the community charge grant are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will exclude service men and women from any new charges in relation to local government finance.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: It is our intention that the proposed new local tax will take account of the number of adults in a household and the value of the property. We will be consulting on the various options, including the coverage of the new tax.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the key points of his speech on environment and development given to the conference, "What On Earth Is To Be Done", on 19 March.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: Copies of my right hon. Friend's speech on this occasion have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he met the Secretary General of the 1992 United Nations special conference on environment and development during his visit to London on 19 March.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: No, but my right hon. Friend has arranged to see Mr. Strong in London next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, during his visit to the conference, "What On Earth Is To Be Done", he discussed with the youth representative speakers the matters they raised in regard to the responsibilities of the developed nations to assist in environmental protection of the poorer nations.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: My right hon. Friend listened with interest to a number of speakers on such subjects.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will discuss with the appropriate authorities arrangements to move the statue of Charles Stewart Parnell to a more prominent location on the Committee Floor.

I have arranged for the hon. Member's proposal to be brought to the attention of the Advisory Committee on Works of Art in the House of Commons chaired by my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, South (Mr. Cormack).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the pools scheme to benefit the arts and sports will operate on a national or a regional basis.

It will be for the trustees to determine the detailed method of operation of the foundation for sport and the arts once it has been established. However, I understand from the proposers that it is the intention that the foundation will operate throughout the United Kingdom.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who will determine, and distribute to the arts, the sums raised by the pools scheme announced in his Budget statement.

It will be for the trustees to determine in detail how funds will be distributed once the foundation is established.

	Cars up to 1000cc	Cars 1001–1500cc	Cars 1501–2000cc	Cars over 2000cc
Up to 4,000 business miles	24·5p	30p	34p	45·0p
Over 4,000 business miles	ll·0p	13p	16p	20·5p

An Inland Revenue press release is being issued today giving further details of the fixed-profit car scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the level of funding allocated in real terms over the next five years by the Natural Environment Research Council for climate research; and if he will make a statement.

The science budget has been announced for the period up to 1993–94. Within its allocations, the Natural Environment Research Council is currently planning to spend the following on climate research in real terms:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements the Inland Revenue is making to handle the increase in repayment claims which will result from changes in the taxation of bank and building society interest.

The Inland Revenue has undertaken an extensive publicity campaign to encourage all those who are eligible to register for payment of bank and building society interest without deduction of tax and so avoid the need to claim a repayment. Nevertheless, in the year 1992–93, the Inland Revenue needs to plan for a substantial increase in claims to repayment of tax deducted at source from interest and other investment income. The numbers are inevitably very uncertain, but could be well over 10 times the present annual total of around 800,000 claims.It is likely that a high proportion of the claims will be made in the period from April to July each year. The Inland Revenue has had to look for a balance between the standards of service it can offer and the need to spread the work to some extent over the year, in order to keep costs down to a reasonable level. I have decided that the Inland Revenue should base its planning on the principle that the time taken to deal with any claim should not exceed three months. The Inland Revenue is setting up 24 new offices around the country to deal with the work. They will, of course, try to keep the time taken to process a claim to the minimum. But there may be occasions, especially in the period from April to July, when the volume of claims received makes it impossible to process them without delay.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the tax-free mileage rates which will be used under the fixed-profit car scheme by the Inland Revenue for 1991–92.

The rates which will apply for 1991–92 are as follows:—

£ million at 1991–92 prices
1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
31·0	29·8	27·5

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of secondary schools in England and Wales; how many of them intend to sell off playing fields over the next 18 months; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available figures show that there were 4,208 maintained secondary schools in England and Wales in January 1990. Information on any plans to dispose of playing fields, either in part or whole, at these schools is not available to the Department. Minimum standards for playing fields at maintained schools are set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. The disposal of surplus playing fields is a matter for the local education authorities concerned. We expect authorities to review the long-term need for such facilities before taking decisions on disposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about admission prices to football grounds for youngsters; and if he will make a statement.

I have received two representations about admission prices to football grounds for youngsters attending away matches. The prices charged for admission to football matches are a matter for the football authorities and the individual clubs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what increase or decrease there has been or is proposed in in-service training by local education authorities in 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92; and what assessment he has made of the amount of in-service training (a) necessary and (b) being delivered relating to the national history curriculum.

No figures are collected for the total volume of in-service training undertaken by local education authorities. It is for schools and local education authorities to decide how much training is required by their teachers in respect of any particular subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on single-sex educational provision in boroughs with multi-ethnic populations.

There is no statutory duty on local education authorities to provide single-sex schools, and it is for them to decide how to respond to parental preferences for such schools. When considering new proposals from authorities either to establish or to close single-sex schools, my right hon. and learned Friend will consider each case on its merits, taking into account the extent of parental demand for this type of provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what account he took in setting out the standards to be achieved in the national history curriculum, of the difficulty of working-class children in getting access to museums; and if he will make a statement.

The requirements of the national curriculum—including those of the order for history which my right hon. and learned Friend published yesterday—apply to all registered pupils of compulsory school age at maintained schools. It is for local education authorities, governing bodies and head teachers to exercise their functions under the Education Reform Act 1988 to make sure that those requirements are met, and they should ensure that all pupils are provided with all necessary learning opportunities. It is up to schools to decide how best to introduce their pupils to artefacts and historical sources. They may use their budgets to cover the cost of museum visits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to assure himself that primary school teachers have sufficient expertise and training in history to teach the national history curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

It is for schools and local education authorities to assure themselves that their teachers are equipped to deliver the national curriculum. The Government are providing support through their programme of specific grants and the National Curriculum Council and School Examinations and Assessment Council are also producing and disseminating curriculum guidance and in-service training materials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps have been taken to include the study of racial and sexual diversity in local, national and world links in the national history curriculum; and what specific steps have been taken to enable local education authorities and local museums to train teachers in this aspect of the curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member to the order for national curriculum history published yesterday. This should enable pupils to develop knowledge arid understanding of British, European and world history. Local education authorities are encouraged to have due regard to multicultural and equal opportunities aspects in drawing up their training programmes in relation to national curriculum foundation subjects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those further education colleges which he has visited between his appointment as Secretary of State and Thursday 21 March.

As Minister responsible for further education, I have visited the following colleges:

• Enfield college
• South Tyneside college
• Manchester college of arts and technology
• Hammersmith and West London college
• Thomas Danby college
• Capel Manor college
• Bournville college
• Wirral metropolitan college
• North Tyneside college
• Milton Keynes college
• Tower Hamlets college
• Keighley college
• Solihull college of technology
• Suffolk college of higher and further education
• Tresham college

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the effectiveness for the administrative and resource arrangements allowing for the appointment of supply teachers to cover for teachers undertaking in-service training in connection with the national curriculum.

It is for schools and local education authorities to manage and assess their arrangements for in-service training. The senior chief inspector's report for 1989–90 notes the problems they are facing and the ways in which they are tackling them. The Department has commissioned studies by the National Foundation for Educational Research and Sussex university on best practice in this area, which have been made available to local education authorities and will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conditions are attached to the disposal of Exchequer-funded land and buildings by polytechnics and colleges.

The conditions are the same as those which have applied to universities since 1985, and allow the retention of the proceeds of the sale of Exchequer-funded land and buildings, within specified limits, without reference to the annual appropriation procedures. These conditions are among those set out in financial memoranda between the Department and the Universities Funding Council and Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council, copies of which I am placing in the Library.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those occasions over the past year when Her Majesty's Government have made representations to Governments involved in the allied military coalition in the Gulf war concerning human rights abuses in their respective countries; and if he will indicate the criteria adopted by the Government in deciding why and when such representations are made.

No. Where allegations of abuse are well founded the Governments concerned are in no doubt of our concerns. Our criteria for representations are set out in the foreign policy document "Human Rights in Foreign Policy", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will establish an inquiry into the economic effects of the Gulf war upon the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the Horn of Africa and Bangladesh, the Republic of the Philippines and the Indian sub-continent.

The Government have studied the analysis produced by the International Monetary Fund, World bank and others on the economic effects of the Gulf war. We have supported the rapid steps taken by the international institutions to adapt their facilities to assist affected countries. Fortunately, the fall in oil prices at the outbreak of war, and the rapid conclusion of hostilities mean that the adverse effects will not be as severe as initially feared.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations were received by Her Majesty's Government (a) from 2 August 1990 to 16 January 1991 and (b) from 17 January to 8 February concerning the negative ecological consequences of military action in the Gulf; from which organisations and individuals he received the representations; and what response he made to each.

Several thousand letters have been received on the subject of the illegal occupation of Kuwait by Iraq and its aftermath, including the ecological damage caused by deliberate release of oil into the Gulf and firing of the Kuwait oil fields.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will propose an international scheme to make available oil at a substantially reduced price to the least developed states to assist them to restore the damage to their economies resulting from the Gulf war.

The United Kingdom has provided through the European Community some £60 million to Jordan, Turkey and Egypt, the states whose economies were most directly affected by the Gulf conflict. Given the size of our military role in the Gulf conflict we consider that the United Kingdom should not make a further financial contribution; the burden should be shared by others. We have however encouraged the IMF and the World bank to make additional resources available on concessional terms to the poorest countries most affected. The IMF has made specific arrangements to compensate countries affected by higher oil prices. Where the international community is providing such assistance, it will enable those countries to maintain imports of oil at market prices. We believe that providing oil at reduced prices would lead to economic distortions and a wasteful use of energy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what fiscal incentives or grants are available to support British manufacturers wishing to exhibit at the Expo to be held on 8 April in Chicago.

Normal terms of support provided for groups of British firms in overseas trade fairs were made available for the environmental technology Expo and the design engineering and plant engineering exhibitions which are part of the "national manufacturing week" in Chicago from 8 April 1991. The support takes the form of a subsidy of 50 per cent. of space and stand costs, together with assistance towards travel costs, for eligible companies.A DTI-supported group will exhibit at the design engineering and plant engineering exhibitions, but there was insufficient demand from industry to justify support of a group at the environmental technology Expo.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value of trade between Namibia and the United Kingdom in 1990–91, broken down by sector;

Information on trade with Namibia is published monthly in "Business Monitor MM20, Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom" which is in the Library of the House. Tables ii—imports—and v—exports—contain data for Namibia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total expenditure of the Department of Industry in 1979–80, and the total expenditure on the same votes in 1989–90, in real terms; and what was the one expressed as a percentage of the other.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: The information requested is shown in the following table, taking equivalent Department of Trade and Industry programmes in 1989–90. Running costs have been excluded because, owing to changes in departmental organisation, these cannot be presented on a comparable basis.

£ million
	1979–80	1989–90	1989–90
		current prices	constant prices
Department of Industry expenditure (excluding running costs, nationalised industries and public corporations)	942	830	409
Nationalised industries	1,108	-13	-6
Public corporations	70	0	0
Total	2,120	817	403

The sum of £409 million is 43 per cent. of £942 million and £403 million is 19 per cent. of £2,120 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to change the condition of United Kingdom arms control and licensing procedures as a result of the Single European Act.

[holding answer 25 March 1991]: There are no plans to change the present controls on arms exports which reflect national and international security considerations. Such exports will continue to be subject to stringent export licensing procedures, consistent with our obligations under the treaty of Rome and the Single European Act. My officials are discussing with other Government Departments the possibilities for streamlining procedures relating to exports to our Community partners after 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Export Credits Guarantee Department will reduce the premium it is currently charging on credit for British firms wishing to place contracts in Israel for housing of Soviet immigrants; and what information he has on the equivalent premium charged by Britain's main trading competitors.

[holding answer 11 March 1991]: As part of its new portfolio management system, the Export Credits Guarantee Department is currently reviewing its premium rates for project business exports to a number of countries including Israel. The review should be completed shortly.The ECGD assesses premium rates after taking into account the risks involved. The rates generally charged by other export credit agencies are taken into account, but it is necessary to draw a balance which recognises the costs to the taxpayer which can be involved in supporting project business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution his Department made to the recent Envirotech York exhibition held at the university of York; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards regionally sponsored trade exhibitions for environmental technologies.

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: My Department provided some financial support to the organisers of the Envirotech York exhibition through its regionally administered technology transfer scheme. In addition, the Minister for Industry officially opened the exhibition and my Department had a stand at it.The thrust of DTI technology policy is generally national. DTI regional offices can provide support where the aim of a trade exhibition or other local activity is to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized companies in the region by promoting the wider and better use of modern technology, including environmental technologies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all licensing regulations that apply to the import of military technology and equipment for the purpose of display at military equipment and armament shows held in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 22 March 1991]: All products requiring an individual import licence by virtue of the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954 as amended are listed in the open general import licence of 4 December 1987 as amended, which is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Military technology and equipment which do not incorporate items listed under entry No. 365 do not require a specific import licence and may be imported under the authority of the open general import licence.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about changes in the arrangements for recruitment to the civil service.

Responsibility for recruitment to junior grades in the civil service was transferred from the civil service commissioners to Departments on 1 January 1983. My right hon. Friend the Member for Shoreham (Sir R. Luce) the then Minister of State, announced on 13 April 1989 that it was proposed to extend further the area of recruitment which is the responsibility of Departments and agencies from 1 April 1991.To give effect to the new recruitment arrangements the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 and a separate Diplomatic Service Order in Council 1991 were made at a meeting of the Privy Council held on 5 February 1991. The orders, copies of which have been placed in the Library, revoke and re-enact with substantial amendments the Civil Service Order in Council 1982.From 1 April 1991, recruitment to all grades—except those at grade 7 level and above and their fast-stream feeder entries—will become the responsibility of Departments and agencies. This extends the area of recruitment for which Departments and agencies are responsible from the present 85 per cent. or so of all recruitment to over 95 per cent.It is important that recruitment into the civil service should continue to be uninfluenced by patronage or partiality. Selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition has been the fundamental principle of civil service recruitment since the Northcote-Trevelyan reforms. This principle will be preserved both in selection undertaken by Departments and agencies—departmental recruitment—and in selection undertaken on the responsibility of the civil service commissioners—commissioners' recruitment. Certain exceptions to the general principle, which allow for flexibility in specific circumstances, are set out in schedules to the orders.The changes are an essential part of the process of modernising the civil service and of giving managers more autonomy in the use of resources. They reflect the current change in the role of the central departments, with the emphasis switching from regulation and control to advice, audit and the provision of cost-effective services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any assessment has been made of the economic consequences of the Gulf war on Commonwealth countries in Africa, central and south-east Asia and the Caribbean; when he next expects to meet the Secretary General of the Commonwealth to discuss these matters; and if he will make a statement.

We have looked carefully into the economic consequences of the Gulf crisis on major recipients of British aid, taking into account the analytical work done by the IMF, World bank and others. The Secretary of State and I both meet the Secretary General of the Commonwealth from time to time to discuss matters of concern to Commonwealth members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all allocations of famine relief for Africa made between September 1984 and September 1985, in current and constant 1991 prices, and since September 1990 to date.

Allocations of British emergency aid to Ethiopia between September 1984 and September 1985 are listed on pages 66 and 67 of the Foreign Affairs Committee's first report in the 1987–88 Session on "Famine in the Horn of Africa".Allocations of famine relief made to African countries in 1990 were given in my reply to the hon. Member's question of 29 January at columns

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Government's response to the Environment Select Committee's report on environmental issues in Northern Ireland will be published; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's response is being published today and a copy has been placed in the Library. We are committed to safeguarding Northern Ireland's rich natural and man-made environment and we welcome the report as a constructive and opportune contribution towards achieving this end.The Government recognise the need to accelerate action to conserve and enhance the environment in Northern Ireland and are making available substantially increased resources to deal with the backlog of environmental legislation and to protect valuable habitats.Much has already been done. Some 20 per cent. of Northern Ireland currently lies within designated areas of outstanding natural beauty. There are seven country parks, 44 national nature reserves and 26 areas of special scientific interest. The Giant's Causeway is a world heritage site and Lough Neagh and Lough Beg have together been designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention. Consultations are under way which will lead to the declaration of the internationally important Strangford Lough as a marine nature reserve. Some 167 historic monuments are in state care and almost 1,000 monuments have been scheduled for protection; 26 conservation areas have been designated and 7,800 buildings of architectural and historic importance listed.Progress has also been made in dealing with pollution. Significant advances have been made in reducing smoke and SO

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department is issuing to local authorities in connection with the Children Act 1989; and whether this guidance will include any details on grandparents' access to their grandchildren.

A number of documents have already been issued to local authorities including "An Introduction to the Children Act", a training curriculum produced by the London boroughs training committee, and "The Care of Children—Principles and Practice in Regulations and Guidance", copies of which are available in the Library.Earlier this month over 20,000 copies of the first volume of guidance and regulations, on court orders, were distributed free of charge. Some 16,000 free copies were sent to directors of social services, and copies were also sent to chief education officers and chief executives. Volume 2 "Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children" was launched last week and will be distributed shortly; copies of both volumes are available in the Library. Volume 3 on family placements is being prepared and will be launched next month, and further volumes will follow, copies of which will be placed in the Library.Volume 1 includes guidance on the new section 8 contact orders, which are available in private law proceedings and for which grandparents may apply provided that they have first obtained leave of court to do so. This volume also contains guidance on the new provisions as to contact with children who are the subject of a care order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes to grandparents' access to their grandchildren will arise from the implementation of the Children Act 1989 on 14 October.

The Children Act 1989 makes new provisions regarding contact with children who are the subject of a care order. The Act provides that any person who has obtained the leave of the court to do so may apply for an order determining the contact which is to be allowed between the child and that person.It is anticipated that this provision will enable people with whom the child has previously had a close relationship but who are not automatically entitled to reasonable contact with the child—such as, in many cases, grandparents—to keep in touch with that child while he is in the care of the local authority. If the grandparent was the beneficiary of a residence order made under section 8 of the Act immediately prior to the care order being made, he will be one of those automatically entitled to reasonable contact.Where a child is being looked after by a local authority on a voluntary basis, contact is a matter for agreement between parents, foster parents and the authority. The authority will have a duty to promote reasonable contact between the child and his relatives—including a grandparent—where this is consistent with the child's welfare.In addition, the Act makes changes to the private law. It introduces a range of orders under section 8 which will be available to the court in private law proceedings. One of these, the contact order, requires the person with whom a child is living to allow the child to visit or stay with the person named in the order, and for that person and the child to have contact with each other. Anyone who has the leave of the court to do so may apply for a contact order.Where grandparents have maintained a close relationship with the child, obtaining the permission of the court is unlikely to be much more than a formality.For a limited number of cases, grandparents still have the right to apply for a section 8 contact order without first obtaining the court's leave. Broadly, these are where the child has lived with the grandparents for three years or more, or the grandparent has the consent of the person in whose favour there is a residence order in force—or the local authority where the child is in care—or, in any other case, the consent of those having parental responsibility for the child.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new administrative posts have been created by English health authorities since 1 January 1990; what the reason for these new posts are; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any new proposals for the recognition of the chiropody profession based on a recognised course of qualification; and if he will make a statement.

Chiropody courses that lead to state registration are those recognised and approved by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine. There are no plans to change that arrangement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking in order to assess the effectiveness of regulations governing child employment; and if he has any plans to amend existing legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to assess the effectiveness of regulations governing child employment; and if he has any plans to seek to amend existing legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the report of the national child employment study on "Children at Work in the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) on 25 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will give the remaining patent life for each new chemical entity and new active substance licensed and marketed in each of the years 1987, 1988 and 1989–90, respectively;(2) how many products licensed in each of the years 1987, 1988 and 1989–90 had no effective patent life remaining at the point of marketing.

It is not our practice to give information on the commercial position of the pharmaceutical companies covered by the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what help he is giving to the Kuwaiti Minister of Public Health to rebuild their health service.

I wrote to Dr. al Fouzan, Kuwait's Minister of Public Health, soon after the liberation of Kuwait offering our full support for the provision of emergency health services. I also commended to him, for the longer term, the services of a British health care-industry consortium, led by John Laing International. Through links with the Association of British Healthcare Industries, the consortium has access to providers of a wide range of British goods and services, including NHS expertise through NHS Overseas Enterprises. The consortium is now actively collaborating with the Kuwaiti Health Ministry to assess that country's needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has given to an application from the North Western regional health authority for a grant towards the cost of the approved move of the department of psychiatry for the deaf from Whittingham hospital, Preston, to Manchester; and whether he will make a statement.

On the advice of the supra-regional services advisory group, we are making available in 1991–92 bridging finance to assist with the proposed move of the department of psychiatry for the deaf from Whittingham hospital to Prestwich. The loan would be repayable on the sale of property or land on the Whittingham site.The initial response of North Western regional health authority has been to decline the offer of bridging finance. The timing and funding of the relocation of the service is ultimately a matter for the health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make a statement on the future of the Vale of Catmose hospital, Oakham, following the visit last summer by the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell), Under-Secretary of State for Health.

Leicestershire health authority approved the closure of Catmose Vale hospital on 8 February 1989. The closure of Catmose Vale is part of the district's overall strategy for hospital services. A full public consultation exercise was carried out and the Leicestershire community health council agreed the closure. I understand the hospital will not close until facilities to reprovide services are complete at Rutland memorial hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many gynaecology beds will be available for (a) in-patients and (b) day care patients in Sharoe Green hospital on (i) 1 April 1991, (ii) 31 December 1991 and (iii) 1 April 1992; what percentage these are of beds available as at 1 April 1990; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to Mr. W. I. Woolley, the chairman of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley health authority, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of his Ministers has been given responsibility for energy use by his Department; and what is his or her brief regarding energy efficiency.

Band of gross income	Families receiving child benefit		Number of children		Child benefit expenditure
	000s	per cent.	000s	per cent.	£ million	per cent.
Under £5,000	220	(3·2)	260	(2·1)	110	(2·2)
£5,000 to £10,000	1,410	(20·7)	2,610	(21·2)	1,060	(21·2)
£10,000 to £15,000	1,080	(15·8)	2,070	(16·8)	840	(16·8)
£15,000 to £20,000	1,270	(18·6)	2,330	(18·9)	950	(18·9)
£20,000 to £25,000	990	(14·5)	1,820	(14·8)	740	(14·7)
£25,000 to £50,000	1,550	(22·7)	2,700	(21·9)	1,100	(22·0)
Above £50,000	300	(4·4)	520	(4·3)	210	(4·3)
	6,810	(100·0)	12,310	(100·0)	5,010	(100·0)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give (a) for each social security office within Strathclyde region, the number of awards of supplementary benefit since April 1987, where regulation 72 of the adjudication regulations has operated to make the arrears payable to the claimant and (b) the number of these cases involving payment of arrears prior to November 1980.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on paying benefit to part-time students who have courses to take, free of charge, but can obtain no grant or charitable funding.

My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Lord Henley, has been given responsibility for energy use. His brief is to maximise energy efficiency in the Department's buildings and to take opportunities to assist in promoting energy efficiency awareness among our staff and clients.I refer my hon.Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 28 January 1991 at column

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, on the same basis as his reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett), 7 June 1988, Official Report, columns 521–22, the total amount of child benefit, together with the number of families a nd children in respect of which it is paid, and the percentage which each figure represents for the income bands (a) under £5,000, (b) £5,000 to £10,000, (c) £10,000 to £15,000, (d) £15,000 to £20,000, (e) £20,000 to £25,000, (f) £25,000 to £50,000, (g) £50,000 to £100,000 and (h) £100,000 and over.

Information about incomes of families receiving child benefit is not routinely collected. The following estimates of the gross incomes of recipient families in 1991–92 are therefore made on the basis of sample survey data which are subject to normal sampling and response variation.

Unemployed part-time students can receive income support provided they are prepared to terminate the course if a job vacancy arises, and they meet the basic conditions of entitlement to benefit. That is for a fit person of working age to e available for and actively seeking employment

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy toward the provision of answerphones for local offices for use after hours; and if he will make a statement.

Local offices can, at their discretion, use answerphones after hours to receive and impart information. Currently just under half do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) in which areas his Department has employed the services of market researchers to canvass pensioners over their preferred method for receiving payment of their state pension;(2) if his Department employs the services of market researchers to canvass pensioners over their preferred method for receiving payment of their state pensions in

The Department has recently employed market researchers to conduct a survey of preferred methods for receiving payment of state benefits. It was conducted amongst a nationally representative sample of pensioners, people coming up to retirement and people receiving child benefit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning the payment of state pensions through post offices and sub-post offices.

We have received no recent representations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on payment methods of state pensions; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's policy is to provide state retirement pensioners with the option of payment either by order book encashable at a post office or by automated credit transfer direct to a bank or building society account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance his Department has issued to pensioners who receive a state pension about methods of receiving that benefit.

Information about different methods of receiving retirement pension is contained in the pension claim form. In addition, in 1988, personal letters were sent to state retirement pensioners reminding them of the facility to receive their pension by automated credit transfer to a bank or building society account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of appeals heard and decided by tribunals concerning (a) income support, (b) mobility allowance, (c) attendance allowance, (d) injury

	Applications received April 1990 to February 1991	Number of refusals due to perceived inability to repay	Percentage of refusals due to perceived inability to repay
Coventry East	3,633	83	2·29
Coventry West	1,430	4	0·28

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in the last year who have attempted to claim a crisis loan from the social fund at the Coventry East Department of Social Security office as the only means by which serious damage or serious risk to their health or safety may be prevented have not been

The latest available statistics relating to social security appeal tribunals are for the quarter ending 31 March 1990. National administrative statistics for appeal tribunals are not available for areas smaller than a social security region. The relevant information for Scotland is in the table.

Total number of social security appeals heard and decided: Scotland
	Year ending December 1988	Year ending 31 December 1989	Quarter ending 31 March 1990
Income Support	733	3,564	841
Mobility Allowance	182	209	36
Attendance Allowance	13	24	3
Disablement Benefit	263	278	54
Invalidity Benefit	526	674	119
Child Benefit	216	277	65
Invalid Care Allowance	124	92	17
Maternity Allowance	2	3	1
Retirement Pension	63	44	5
Severe Disablement Allowance	25	18	3
Unemployment Benefit	3,510	2,813	551
Widows Benefit	46	33	15

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many crisis loans were claimed and awarded by the Coventry East and West Department of Social Security offices last year.

The information requested is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the last year who have claimed a crisis loan from the social fund at the Coventry East office of the Department of Social Security as the only means by which serious damage or serious risk to their health or safety may be prevented have been refused a loan because, in the opinion of the social fund officer, they could not afford to repay it; what is the number for the Coventry West office; and what percentage of all applications for crisis loans are refused for this reason at each office.

The table shows the number of crisis loan applications received together with the number of crisis loan refusals because of perceived inability to repay for the period 1 April 1990 to the end of February 1991.assessed on the day they have claimed but have been told to return the following day; and what are the figures for the Coventry West office;(2) how many people in the last year have been awarded a crisis loan from the social fund at the Department of Social Security Coventry East office as the only means by which serious risk to their health or safety may be prevented and have been awarded a loan but told it would be posted to them instead of being paid to them on the day they were awarded it; and what are the figures for the Coventry West office.