To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those offences, other than relating to non-payment of the poll tax, for which there is no remission in cases of imprisonment.

In addition to those imprisoned for non-payment of the community charge, inmates in custody in the following circumstances are not eligible for remission.

(i) non-payment of: rates; a maintenance order; any civil debt; sums due under legal aid contribution orders; sums due on forfeiture of a recognisance; costs ordered to be paid by a magistrates' court; debts under the Debtors' Act 1869;

(ii) non-compliance with court orders other than financial penalties;

(iii) most civil offences.

Full details of the terms of imprisonment that do not attract remission are set out in prison standing order 12, a copy of which is in the Library. A revised version of the standing order, to be published in a few months' time, will include reference to the community charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about ultra high frequency television coverage and the future of the relay programme in the light of the prospective privatisation of the transmission operation system previously owned and operated by the Independent Broadcasting Authority.

The announcement made on 4 July 1989 by the then Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), confirmed that it was our intention to privatise the transmission networks owned and operated by the BBC and the IBA as soon as we were in a position to do so. The IBA welcomed the proposal and the Broadcasting Act provided for the IBA's replacement by two new regulatory bodies—the Independent Television Commission (ITC) and the Radio Authority—and a transmission company which is to be privatised. The transmission company, National Transcommunications Limited (NTL), started trading on 1 January this year. The position of the BBC's transmission operation will be reviewed in the run-up to the expiry of its royal charter at the end of 1996.The existing BBC and independent television services currently reach about 99·4 per cent. of the United Kingdom population. The BBC and the IBA have shared responsibility for a rolling programme of relay station construction. The current policy on the relay programme was announced on 20 May 1980 by the then Home Secretary, Lord Whitelaw, who said that approval had been given to proposals to extend UHF coverage to groups of fewer than 500 whenever it was reasonably practicable to do so. Because of the varied nature of these small groups, there could be no obligation on the BBC and the IBA to provide a service to them and a precise lower limit could not be specified. In practice, groups of fewer than 200 have not benefited from the programme.In addition, the 1980 statement announced new arrangements for self-help television schemes, generally serving groups not qualifying under the relay programme. There are now over 300 groups covered by the scheme. The BBC and the IBA have provided advice on the new schemes which are continually being established.It is our aim to see existing UHF television coverage of the four main terrestrial channels maintained and increased where appropriate. We have agreed that the existing programme of up to 25 relay stations a year should be maintained until 1996 when we will reconsider the position, including alternative forms of delivery. We have also agreed that the BBC and the ITC should continue to be responsible for providing advice on new self-help schemes, with assistance from NTL.The BBC will continue its part of the relay programme as at present. The ITC will work with the BBC to determine the order and rate at which the stations are to be constructed, co-ordinating with the ITV companies or Channel 3 licensees, Channel 4 or S4C as appropriate. Responsibility for the IBA's share of relay planning and construction will fall to NTL. Until 1993 the necessary additional coverage requirements will be implemented by means of the contracts between the ITC and the ITV companies, and the contracts between those companies, Channel 4, S4C and NTL. From 1993, the Broadcasting Act provides for the ITC to set technical standards of quality, coverage and reliability in the Channel 3 and 4 licences and for the Welsh Authority to provide S4C to high technical standards. NTL will be obliged by its own Telecommunications Act licence to provide services enabling the ITV, Channel 3 and Channel 4 companies and S4C to meet the required standards of coverage which will include the continuation of the relay programme until 1996, or as then further decided.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have for the Fire Service College.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has decided that the Fire Service College should become a candidate for executive agency status under the Government's "Next Steps" initiative. The projected launch date is 1 April 1992.The college, established under the Fire Services Act 1947, is the principal provider of training to officers in local authority fire brigades. It provides technical training in firefighting and fire safety and courses on command and management for all grades of fire officer. It also trains students from the private sector and from overseas. The recent introduction of direct charging of brigades commensurate with their use of the college's facilities enables the college to be more responsive to the individual needs of its customers. Executive agency status will provide the college with the flexibility and control necessary to deliver high-quality training more cost-effectively and responsively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is making any changes in the membership of the Police Complaints Authority; and if he will make a statement.

The right hon. Roland Moyle is retiring from his post as deputy chairman of the Police Complaints Authority when his term of appointment expires on 28 April. I wish to take this opportunity to thank him for his service with the authority. His knowledge and experience have made an outstanding contribution to the establishment of the authority as a key part of the police complaints system.Peter Moorhouse, who has been a member of the authority since July 1988, has accepted my invitation to succeed to the vacant deputy chairman post on 29 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made following the expiry of the terms of appointment of the members of the interception of communications tribunal on 10 April; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Cecil Clothier, KCB, QC, Mr. David Calcutt, QC, Mr. Ivor Guild, CBE and Mr. Peter Scott QC have been reappointed for a further five years as members of the tribunal established under the Interception of Communications Act 1985. Their new terms of office commenced on 11 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected outturn for British Rail's external financing for the 1990–91 financial year.

British Rail's external financing requirement for 1990–91 was £1,016 million. This represents an overshoot of £316 million on the revised limit of £700 million. British Rail will publish full details of the 1990–91 financial year in the annual report and accounts in July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the planning totals of Department of Transport expenditure on road and rail, respectively, for each of the three decades from 1960 to 1989.

[holding answer 15 April 1991]: Consistent information in terms of planning totals is not available. However, road and rail investment in Great Britain for the three decades is as follows:

Road and rail investment: Great Britain1
£ million in cash prices
	Road2	Rail3
1960–69	2,330	1,190
1970–79	7,440	2,190
1980–89	16,850	6,220
1 Because of definitional changes, figures can only be used to give broad comparisons.
2 Expenditure by central and local government on new construction and improvement on all roads, and major structural maintenance on motorway and trunk roads.
3 Investment in rolling stock and infrastructure by British Rail, London Underground Limited, Dockland Light Railway and Manchester Light Rapid Transit. British Rail channel tunnel investment is included but not investment by Eurotunnel plc.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what evidence he has that privatisation of electricity in Great Britain has led to a reduction in electricity prices to consumers.

It is too early to assess the full impact of privatisation and the introduction of competition on electricity prices. However, since April last year consumers have, for the first time, been protected by price controls against unjustified increases and, under the phased arrangements for the transition to full competition, large users, outside the franchise, have been able to negotiate the keenest available terms from potential suppliers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, pursuant to his answer of 11 March, Official Report, column 359, to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), he has any proposals to change the criteria he uses in considering the granting of consent for new gas-fired combined cycle power stations under (a) section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 or (b) the Energy Act 1976; if he will consult the Director-General of Ofgas in such considerations; and if he will make a statement.

There are currently no proposals to change the criteria for the Secretary of State for Energy's consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct new gas-fired generating stations. The Government are aware that the EC directive restricting the use of gas in generating stations was repealed on 18 March 1991. We therefore intend to repeal the powers relating to the use of natural gas in power generation contained in section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 at the earliest legislative opportunity. In the interim period, the Government will continue to exercise those powers in a manner consistent with previous practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff are currently employed at Finsbury Park and Highgate DSS offices; how many were employed in March 1990; how much of the work has been transferred to other offices in the past year; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of staff employed in Finsbury Park and Highgate offices are as follows:

	Finsbury Park	Highgate
1 March 1990	191·5	202
1 April 1991	31·5	33

All work which did riot require face-to-face contact with the public has been relocated to the Euston district office and the Glasgow social security centre as was recommended in the Business of Service report, a copy of which is available in the Library.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to continue the deployment of HMS Endurance in the south Atlantic including South Georgia and Antarctica; and if he will make a statement on the replacement of the present vessel by the mid-1990s

Endurance will return from her current deployment in the south Atlantic in May, which is the end of the Antarctic summer. Studies into the best way of fulfilling the role currently undertaken by Endurance are continuing.

To ask the Prime Minister what requests Her Majesty's Government have had for air cover from anti-Saddam forces in (a) northern Iraq and (b) southern Iraq.

We have received a number of representations requesting the coalition forces in the Gulf to prevent the Iraqi air force from flying missions. Security Council resolution 688 demands that the Iraqi Government should end their repression of their own people. We are working urgently to create safe havens for Iraqi refugees. The United States has warned Iraqi aircraft not to fly north of the 36th parallel.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the United States Government about a permanent (a) United States, (b) United States/British and (c) coalition presence in Iraq.

We have no intention of establishing a permanent coalition presence in Iraq. Our recent contacts with the Americans have focused on the need for urgent humanitarian aid to Iraqi refugees both in the north and south of the country. We shall continue to maintain close contacts with the United States on the way ahead.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller) of 14 March, Official Report, column 1095, what discussions he has had with the allies on the subject of the use of chemical weapons in Iraq.

[holding answer 15 April 1991]: The use of chemical weapons by Iraq is a matter of great concern and has been discussed on many occasions with our allies. We have no firm evidence that such weapons were used during or after the Gulf conflict. At our instigation United Nations Security Council resolution 687, which has been accepted by the Iraqi Government, sets out the United Nations terms for the destruction of Iraq's chemical weapons capability and affirms that grave consequences would follow any use by Iraq of such weapons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to finance the Welsh agricultural college, Aberystwyth, in the future; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements have been made for officials to discuss the future of the Welsh agricultural college with officers of the WAC joint education committee later this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales regarding the implications of the Leybucht Bay judgment of the European Court of Justice on 28 February in Luxemburg on the proposals for development in Welsh estuaries in special protection areas or candidate special protection areas under the wild birds directive 1979.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policies to encourage the growth of a science base in Wales.

[holding answer 27 March 1991]: The Government's policy with regard to science is designed to operate on a United Kingdom basis. The aims of the Government's science programme are to advance knowledge and technical capability; to train scientific manpower at postgraduate level; and in these and other ways to contribute to the realisation of economic, social and cultural benefits for the United Kingdom. Financial support is channelled through the research councils and other funded bodies. Higher education institutions in Wales can and do receive support from these funds for research activity in Wales.In addition, many projects in Wales are funded by the Department's own research and development programme which covers the whole range of its responsibilities. The Welsh Office estimated expenditure on research and development in 1991–92 is £3·1 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 234, on the implications of local management of schools, what system has been established to ensure that recoupment charges payable to the providing authority are earmarked for the specific school concerned rather than absorbed in the overheads of that providing authority.

As I had intended to make clear to my hon. Friend in my answer of 22 March, formula allocations to schools under an LEA's scheme of local management are calculated on the basis of the number of pupils in schools, regardless of where those pupils live. Schools will automatically receive funding for out-county pupils at the same level as for pupils who live within the authority. In this way schools receive in their budgets credit for the pupils whom they have attracted from another authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list, by region, the number of sub-post offices which have (a) opened and (b) closed since 1979.

Decisions on the provision of post office services in particular areas are an operational matter for the Post Office. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the period mentioned has seen considerable organisational change in the Post Office and I understand that the information is not available in the form requested.The Post Office has, however, told me that the overall number of post offices has fallen from 22,639 in 1979 to 20,401 in 1991. Within this total the number of agency offices—which includes both rural and sub-post offices, community offices and restricted hours offices—has fallen from 21,056 to 19,160 over the same period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy on the employment as chief executive of a company of a person who has held a similar position in a company that has failed.

In general there is no legal impediment to the appointment of the chief executive or any other officer of a failed company to a similar position in another company. However, any company considering such an appointment would wish to consider carefully the prospective appointee's performance record. Moreover, there are safeguards provided in the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 which requires every liquidator, administrative receiver or administrator to submit a report to the Secretary of State if he considers that the conduct of a director of an insolvent company has been such as to make him unfit to be concerned in the management of a company. An application may be made to the court for such a person to be disqualified from acting as a director or from being involved in the management of a company. During the year ended 31 March 1991 the Secretary of State directed that 499 such applications be made to the courts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to obtain from his counterpart in the United States a copy of the Commerce Department's latest assessment of countries capable of producing chemical weapons and export control guidance given to industry.

We work with other like-minded countries, including the United States, in taking harmonised international measures to prevent the proliferation of chemical weapons.There are regular meetings at which information is exchanged on new controls and procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the potential value to British industry of contracts to reconstruct parts of Kuwait and Iraq following the Gulf war.

The Department has not sought to estimate the value of Kuwait reconstruction work to British industry. Various estimates of the total cost of reconstruction work have been made, most commonly in the region of US $50 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list grant funding available to United Kingdom companies undertaking feasibility studies for projects in Europe, both inside and outside the European Community.

[holding answer 27 March 1991]: The overseas projects fund operated by my Department provides assistance to the pre-contractual expenses, including feasibility studies in certain circumstances, of British companies seeking contracts for major projects outside the European Community. Information on grant funding from other sources could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has had in the current year with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in regard to the middle east region.

We receive regular reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on its activities in the middle east region, and we are in very close touch over the current Iraq crisis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current aid programme to Honduras and the equivalent figure for each of the last 10 years; what participation the United Kingdom takes in the EC programmes that affect Honduras; and if he will make a statement.

The bilateral country programme runs at about £1 million a year; we provide disaster relief when appropriate; the Commonwealth Development Corporation invests in Honduras. Gross United Kingdom bilateral aid expenditure (including CDC) and the United Kingdom share of EC aid from 1980 to 1989 were as follows:

	Gross United Kingdom bilateral aid £,000	United Kingdom share of EC aid £,000
1980	335	510
1981	5,002	780
1982	2,272	1,350
1983	6,670	980
1984	3,446	1,880
1985	3,653	480
1986	1,258	520
1987	811	520
1988	1,166	640
1989	701	1
1 Not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held by Her Majesty's ambassador and staff in Tegucigalpa with human rights organisations; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's ambassador in Tegucigalpa meets periodically representatives of the main Honduran human rights organisation. He is also in regular contact with Ministers and officials on human rights questions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Honduras concerning their treatment of trade unionists; and if he will make a statement.

None. No issue has been brought to our notice either directly affecting British interests or giving sufficient grounds for general concern such as to merit representations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters have been received by his Department on the subject of tax simplification since 1 September last year from industrial and commercial companies; and how he proposes to respond to these representations.

A total of 113 letters have been received on the subject of tax simplification, following my hon. Friend's circular to finance directors of industrial and commercial companies. I have assured all those who have written that I very much share the concern that the tax system should avoid unnecessary complexity and that we shall continue to introduce simplifications wherever possible.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community Economic and Finance Council, the meeting of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union and the interinstitutional meeting with the European Parliament.

The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 8 April. The intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union met that morning when there was also an interinstitutional meeting of Ministers with the European Parliament. The Minister for Corporate Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom at ECOFIN and I attended the IGC and the meeting with the European Parliament.A Commission initiative concerning the debt owed to the Community by the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries linked by the Lomé convention was discussed, but it was agreed that the proposal was inconsistent with the international debt strategy. A modified proposal may be discussed by a future Council.The Council reached agreement in principle to provide guaranteed loans to Romania equal to the amount offered by the non-EC members of the G24 up to a maximum of 375 million ecu.Ministers also discussed agricultural price fixing. I made clear the Government's determination not to increase the agricultural guideline calculated in accordance with the 1988 budget discipline decision; and emphasised the importance which the Government attach to respect for budgetary discipline.The future taxation of road transport was also discussed, but without agreement. The Commission made a brief presentation of two company tax measures which are currently before the Council and which concern the taxation of cross-border interest payment and royalties and the treatment of tax relief for losses within groups of companies. There was no discussion of these measures.There was a brief discussion of the proposed takeovers directive but no significant progress towards an agreement. Several member states, including the United Kingdom, expressed major reservations about the Commission's proposals.On the investment services directive, the Council discussed a compromise text from the Presidency on the issue of regulated markets. The Commission proposed a further compromise for discussion at a future Council.The ministerial meeting of the intergovernmental conference on EMU focused on the transition from stage 1 to stage 2 of EMU. Differing views emerged on the degree of economic convergence necessary before a move to stage 2. I argued that it was necessary to determine the content of stage 2 before taking any decision on when it should start; and that economic convergence was a key element in making further progress towards economic and monetary integration. The United Kingdom proposals would establish, in stage 2, a mechanism to encourage convergence on the best inflation performance.I also attended the inter-institutional meeting held with the European Parliament to allow Members of the European Parliament to put their views on the EMU IGC to Finance Ministers. Members of the European Parliament expressed a range of views. The meeting was purely consultative in nature.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 268, on overseas investment, if he will provide a similar table for investment from outside the EC only.

[holding answer 15 April 1991]: Complete information on inward investment in the European Community from outside the EC is not available. However, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in a recent study, made estimates of foreign direct investment in EC member states, adjusted to exclude intra-EC flows. These estimates exclude reinvested profits because a number of member states do not compile such information. The figures for the United Kingdom given in the table below are therefore on a different basis from those published by the CSO. The information is as follows:

Inward net foreign direct investment (excluding reinvested profits) in the EC (Excluding intra-EC investments)
million ECU
	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
In EC	6,177	5,637	6,840	12,578	14,278
of which:
In United Kingdom	1,995	623	3,324	4,986	4,562
United Kingdom as percentage of EC Total	32	11	49	40	32

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants work in south Dorset now; and how many of these jobs are currently subject to active review to be either removed or relocated.

[holding answer 15 April 1991]: There were around 4,900 non-industrial civil servants in south Dorset at 1 January 1991. Equivalent data for industrial staff are not available.No information is collected centrally about Departments' plans for the removal and relocation of posts in particular regions, so it is not possible to give figures for those posts in south Dorset under active review.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the use of drugs in beef imports from the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the safety of imported beef from the Republic of Ireland.

Beef from the Republic of Ireland is routinely monitored as part of the extensive programme of surveillance of veterinary drugs residues carried out by the Ministry. A total of 400 imported samples of beef muscle, liver and kidney were taken during 1990, of which about one fifth are estimated to have been from the Republic of Ireland. To date, within the hormone and beta-agonist groups, only one positive from Ireland has been found. This was for the hormone Zeranol, and did not pose a threat to human health. Full results of the Ministry's programme of veterinary drug surveillance for the years 1986–90 are to be published in a food surveillance paper which is now in preparation.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what performance targets he has set for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in 1991–92.

The chief executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and I have agreed the following targets for 1991–92:

full cost recovery for the three business activities of licensing, policy work and residues monitoring;

100 per cent. of new licence applications to be issued within 120 clock days;

an overall efficiency gain of 2 per cent.

These are more demanding targets than those set in 1990–91 and they reflect the good progress being made by the VMD as a "Next Steps" agency.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish his response to the Agriculture Committee's first report of 1990–91 on microwave ovens.

The Government's response has been published today and copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The Government response endorses many of the conclusions reached by the Committee. In particular, it endorses the Committee's conclusions that there is nothing inherently unsafe about microwave ovens, that efforts to improve the performance of microwave ovens should be regarded as sensible precautionary measures, and that it is incumbent on oven manufacturers and retailers to ensure that consumers are furnished with the necessary instructions to enable them to cook food properly. These principles underlie what MAFF is seeking to achieve through its microwave working party.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the proportion of local authority revenue expenditure paid in rate or revenue support grant in 1979–80, 1989–90 and 1990–91 respectively; and what was the total of the grant in each of those years expressed in 1989–90 prices.

The information for the English local authorities is as follows:

	Rate/revenue support grant as a proportion of local authority expenditure	Rate/revenue support grant expressed in 1989–90 prices
		£ million
1979–801	0·49	15,792
1989–90	0·29	9,577
1990–91	0·26	8,807
1 England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce higher mandatory standards for the quality of glass fitted in new homes, rather than an advisory code.

The Department has issued a consultation paper proposing that requirements controlling the glazing used in critical locations in new houses and other buildings should be included in the Building Regulations 1985. Such requirements would have legal force, and would be supported by detailed practical guidance about ways in which they could be met including guidance on the quality of glass to be used. Responses to the consultation paper are currently being considered, and it is hoped that final decisions can be taken later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he turned down the planning application from Salford health authority relating to the redevelopment of part of the Prestwich hospital, Salford, site; and when he received this application.

Permission was refused on 23 August 1989 for the proposals called in on 2 September 1987.An appeal for a new scheme is currently before my right hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on shipments of hazardous waste to England for disposal from United States military bases in Turkey, Greece, the Azores and Iceland during the last 10 years (a) reported under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations and (b) not so reported; and if he will make a statement.

The consignment note system under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 is designed to ensure that waste is disposed of safely at suitable facilities. It does not require consignees to identify the source of the hazardous waste. There have been very few shipments of waste from these countries and none of these has been consigned directly by the United States forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with his opposite numbers in the European Community Council of Ministers concerning the further European Community directives on the protection of endangered, valuable or rare plant and animal species.

The proposed Council directive on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora has been discussed at several meetings of the European Community Council of Environment Ministers. At the meeting held on 18 March my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside welcomed the significant progress achieved by the Presidency and said that the United Kingdom was fully committed to the objectives of the proposed directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Environment Commissioner of the European Community regarding the implications of the Leybucht Bay judgment of the European Court of Justice on 28 February, for the development proposals currently affecting Britain's estuarial special protection areas and candidate special protection areas designated or to be designated according to the European Community wild birds directive of 1979.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the results of the survey into the incidence of landfill gas production at landfill sites undertaken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; and if he will make a statement.

In December 1987 HM inspectorate of pollution asked all waste disposal authorities in England and Wales to provide details of all landfill sites producing landfill gas.In order to update the information obtained from the first survey, HM IP issued further requests for information in August 1988 and May 1989. The responses to these have been considered by the inspectorate and their conclusions are set out in a recently published report which has been sent to all waste disposal authorities in England and Wales. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House.The Government allocated £33 million in 1990–91 to enable local authorities to carry out remedial works to such sites, and further resources are available in future years. So far take-up by authorities of these resources has been slow with less than £12 million expected to be spent in 1990–91. I hope that the publication of this report will encourage authorities to put forward new proposals for remedial works at gassing landfill sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to reply to the letter sent to him by Mr. J. Cooper, Clock Cottage, Spinkhill, Derbyshire, at the start of February, concerning the operation of the Tarmac plant at Renishaw, Derbyshire.

:[holding answer 27 February 1991]: I am now in a position to reply and Mr Cooper will receive a letter within a few days.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of people who will benefit from the community charge reduction scheme (a) nationally and (b) in the area covered by Kirklees council.

[pursuant to the answer, 27 March 1991, Official Report, c. 456]: Our estimate of the number of charge payers in England who will benefit from a community charge reduction in 1991–92 is about 16 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the workings of the community charge reduction scheme in relation to properties which were not individually rated.

[pursuant to the answer, 27 March 1991, Official Report c. 456]: The effect of the recent changes which we have made to the community charge reduction scheme is that the calculation of reductions must be based on the total number of eligible charge payers resident in a property or a group of properties which formed one hereditament. Under transitional relief the calculation was limited to two community charges where there were two or more eligible charge payers. This change will help in particular people living in larger households or houses of multiple occupancy and people living in groups of properties which shared one rateable value only.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from representatives of health authorities in the north as to practices within the national health service.

I meet, and receive correspondence from, health authorities in the north on a wide variety of matters concerning the national health service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of persons currently on waiting lists for hospital in-patient treatment.

At 31 March 1990, the latest available date, there were 710,253 people waiting for in-patient treatment in England, excluding those who had asked for their admission to be deferred. This is 6 per cent. less than in 1979. Furthermore, in the 12 months to March 1990 the number waiting over a year for in-patient treatment fell by 9 per cent. and 5 per cent. fewer people now wait over a year than in 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of persons currently on waiting lists for hospital in-patient treatment.

At 30 September 1990, the latest available information, there were 705,706 people waiting for in-patient treatment, excluding those who had asked for their admission to be deferred. It is the time individual patients wait that matters, not the total number on the list. In the 12 months to March 1990 the number waiting over one year for in-patient treatment fell by 9 per cent. and by a further 2 per cent. in the following six months to September 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations have been received by his Department concerning the conduct towards their clients of private psychotherapists, counsellors, hypotherapists and analysts.

One; the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) wrote to me on 28 January 1991 drawing attention to a potentially distressing case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the cost of administration and organisation within the national health service.

The cost of headquarters administration at regional and district health authorities in the national health service in England for 1989–90 was £730 million, which represents 4 per cent. of total revenue expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the additional administrative costs to the national health service of the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

We have provided more than £380 million to the national health service in 1991–92 to meet in full the additional costs of implementing the national health service review. This includes over £80 million for the introduction of additional consultant posts and for the development of audit for general practitioners and nurses, as well as funds for developments outside the area of direct patient care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibilities his Department has for the provision of conciliation services for couples pending divorce.

The lead responsibility for conciliation lies with the Lord Chancellor's Department. The Department of Health has no direct responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has of pressure being put on employees against participating in the formation of NHS trusts.

My right hon. Friend has written recently to the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) about a letter issued by the hon. Members for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist) and Coventry, North-East (Mr. Hughes), to the manager of a hospital which is in the process of applying for NHS trust status. The letter effectively threatened him with dismissal unless he agreed to withdraw the application. I am pleased to say that the right hon. Member for Islwyn dissociated himself from these bullying tactics and I hope that the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) will do likewise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his assessment of how NHS trusts will improve the local nature of the health service.

NHS trusts will be better able to respond to patients' needs through greater freedoms and flexibility. They will also encourage greater local involvement and pride.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress towards establishment of NHS trust hospitals.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston (Mr. Ground) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage rate of lung cancer in Liverpool among women and men; and what the Liverpool mortality rate is in comparison with the United Kingdom rates.

The latest figures available show that in 1985 the incidence among males was 0·18 per cent. and 0·07 per cent. among females. The mortality rate in 1989 was for males 13·8 per 10,000 of the population compared with 9·8 nationally and for females 7·8 per 10,000 of the population compared with 4·2 nationally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to improve access to health care for people from ethnic minorities.

The Government are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for ethnic minorities in the provision of health services. This involves positive action to take account of differences in the incidence of disease, and in language and culture.We have launched a number of initiatives to improve the quality of health care for ethnic minorities and to promote access to information on health promotion and the health services available: Some examples are: funding a report by the National Association of Health Authorities to advise health authorities on how to improve services for ethnic minorities; funding a seminar in 1988 for NHS senior managers on delivering services for ethnic minorities; piloting, through the Asian mother and baby campaign, the use of link workers to help overcome language and cultural barriers to communication; spending £500,000 a year to produce materials to improve access to health services; funding projects to develop good practice guidance to help improve access to services; and recently funding a compendium of good practice in family health service work.The NHS reforms establish each health authority's responsibility to secure appropriate health care for all its population. Each health authority will assess the health needs of its population and plan services accordingly, ensuring that the services available are both relevant, and accessible, to the whole local population including members of ethnic minorities.The 1991 census will include, for the first time, a question on ethnic origin and it is proposed to include equivalent information on patients in the data collected by health authorities. This will enable health authorities to plan and target services effectively. The Department is also funding the establishment of a database on ethnic minority health which will gather information on good practice, on developments in services for ethnic minorities, and epidemiological data. These sources of information taken together will help health service planners to assess the health needs of ethnic minorities, to plan appropriate services, and to monitor the effectiveness of services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescription items were dispensed free in the last year.

In 1990 276·9 million items were dispensed free in the national health service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of a prescription in 1979 in current prices; and what is it now.

In 1989–90, the latest year for which information is available, the average cost of a prescription in the family health service in England was £6·36. In 1979–80 the cost at 1989–90 prices was £4·92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the resource management scheme operated by Huddersfield health authority.

Huddersfield health authority has made excellent progress with the implementation of resource management at Huddersfield royal infirmary, since the hospital was named as a resource management pilot site in 1986. The work at Huddersfield and the other five pilot sites has provided valuable information about resource management, and is being used to support the extension of resource management to all other large acute hospitals in the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor and evaluate the continuing care of mentally ill people resident in the community.

We will continue to monitor and evaluate services for mentally ill people through the established arrangements for reviewing health authorities' performance and inspection of social services provision by the social services inspectorate. Provision for the mentally ill is also subject to review by the health advisory service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those general practitioners' practices in the Sunderland, Hartlepool and Durham health authorities intending to hold their own budgets as from April in the current year.

This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Carr, the chairman of the Northern regional health authority, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will arrange for a copy of the financial profile produced by the Audit Commission for each district health authority to be placed in the Library.

The health authority audit profiles are drawn up to assist the Audit Commission in its examination of the health authorities. A copy is made available to each of the authorities concerned. The Audit Commission's reports on the accounts of the health authorities, and certain other reports, are made public but there are no plans for working documents such as audit profiles to be made more widely available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when nicotine chewing gum will be given pharmacist-only status; and if he will make a statement.

An order amending SI 1983 No. 1212, The Medicines (Products other than Veterinary Drugs) (Prescription Only) Order, was laid on 10 April and is due to come into operation on I May. This will give effect to changes in the legal status of a number of medicines, including allowing the 2mg strength of a nicotine chewing gum, licensed as an aid to smoking cessation, to be supplied from pharmacies without a precription.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the projected 1991–92 central programme for the North East Thames regional health authority; and how much of it will be funded from anticipated capital receipts.

I understand that North East Thames regional health authority is planning a capital programme for 1991–92 of £ 103·4 million. The region expects to receive £8·4 milion from previous land sales and hopes to achieve further sales during the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of patients in Friern Barnet hospital, what plans he has to ensure that on closure they will all be in satisfactory accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that there are currently 477 patients in Friern Barnet hospital. The satisfactory transfer of these patients and the provision of associated new residential and day facilities on the hospital's closure, is a matter for North East Thames regional health authority. Since 1 April all psychiatric patients who are discharged, or are being considered for discharge, are subject to the care programme approach contained in circular HC(90)23/LASSL(90)11, a copy of which is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about safety in hospitals in Stockport.

In any workplace the responsibility for complying with health and safety legislation rests with the employers and others in the workplace. This also applies to hospitals in Stockport. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in hospitals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total expenditure on joint finance for each year since 1983–84, in (a) cash and (b) real terms.

Number of registered dentists on Greater London FHSA lists at 30 September 1989, 30 September 1990 and 28 February 1991
	30 September 1989	30 September 1990	28 February 1991
Barking and Havering	114	107	118
Barnet	204	203	182
Brent and Harrow	222	229	222
Bromley	144	140	145
Camden and Islington	240	230	205
City and East London	238	232	212
Croydon	153	151	150
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow	323	329	311
Enfield and Haringey	218	238	216
Greenwich and Bexley	166	167	158
Hillingdon	97	101	97
Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster	404	366	325
Kingston and Richmond	149	149	157
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham	332	328	323
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth	283	282	282
Redbridge and Waltham Forest	182	167	167

Revised Table: Changes to the number of registered dentists on FHSA lists since 30 September 1990 (England only)
FHSA	Total at 30 Sep 90	Total at 28 Feb 91	Net change
Cleveland	157	155	-2
Cumbria	146	145	-1
Durham	161	155	-6
Northumberland	100	100	0
Gateshead	69	73	4
Newcastle upon Tyne	126	115	-11
North Tyneside	74	75	1
South Tyneside	44	42	-2
Sunderland	86	85	-1
Humberside	215	220	5

[holding answer 8 March 1991]: The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities in England record total expenditure on projects jointly financed with local authorities as:

	Expenditure (at cash)	Expenditure (real terms—using GDP deflator)
	£ million	£ million
1978–79	31·2	31·2
1979–80	39·8	34·1
1980–81	60·1	43·5
1981–82	72·8	48·1
1982–83	83·1	51·3
1983–84	85·6	50·5
1984–85	93·7	52·6
1985–86	105·6	56·2
1986–87	112·5	57·9
1987–88	118·5	57·8
1988–89	121·7	55·3
1989–90	119·2	50·9

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were registered with each FHSA covering the Greater London area on 1 October 1989, 1 October 1990 and 28 February 1991, respectively.

[holding answer 21 March 1991]: The information requested is shown in the following table. In addition, the tables set out in my previous replies on the same subject on 14 March 1991, c. 643–44 and on 21 March 1991, c. 197–200 have been revised for purposes of ease of interpretation and consistency of response and they are also presented as follows.