To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the cost of a non-discretionary school clothing grants scheme administered by his Department.

The cost would depend on the scale and nature of any scheme. We have no plans to introduce such a scheme; it is for local authorities to decide, in the light of local circumstances, when and to what extent to provide clothing grants.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what visits or other official engagements were undertaken by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science during his visit to the east Birmingham task force area on 23 April 1990.

The programme included visits to the Aston Science Park, a meeting with Sir Reginald Eyre and Heartlands training group, attendance at the Heartlands training event, visit to the east Birmingham task force, East Birmingham college and attendance at the launch of the Asian business handbook.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the level of funding to the Natural Environment Research Council in each year since 1 April 1985.

Details of the level of grant in aid paid by this Department to the Natural Environment Research Council since 1 April 1985 are as follows:

	£ million
1985–86	67·880
1986–87	70·325
1987–88	73·315
1988–89	91·859
1989–90	114·955
1990–91	135·233
11991–92	122·564
1 Estimates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are currently being taken to meet Government targets for the stabilisation of carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2005.

Over the past year or so, the Government have taken a number of initiatives which will help to reduce emissions from the transport sector. These include an emissions check in the MOT test, proposals to fit speed limiters to heavy goods vehicles, and improvements to information about new car fuel economy. The tax changes announced in the last Budget statement will also help to improve incentives to choose fuel efficient cars and drive them in a fuel economic fashion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been undertaken for his Department to show how the Government will meet their target of stabilising carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2005; and if he will make available any forecasts and associated calculations.

My Department has published a report by Dr. M. H. L. Waters on "United Kingdom road transport's contribution to greenhouse gases: a review of TRRL and other research" (Transport and Road Research Laboratory contractor report 223.) This is being followed up by a programme of research into various measures which might help to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. Where appropriate, the results will be published in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's traffic forecast for the next 15 years; how he estimates these will affect the Government's declared objective of stabilising carbon dioxide emission levels from 1990 by the year 2005; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's traffic forecasts are published as National Road Traffic Forecasts (Great Britain) 1989 copies of which are in the Library. They indicate that by the year 2005 traffic will be 31 to 52 per cent. higher than in 1990. The impact of traffic levels on emissions of carbon dioxide will largely depend on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle fleet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made since 1987 in plans for the construction of the Great Glen bypass, Leicestershire, on the A6; and if he will make a statement.

Following public consultation the preferred route for the A6 Great Glen bypass was announced in November 1989. Since that time surveys have been carried out leading to the detailed design of the scheme. We plan to publish draft orders in the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people living in residential and nursing homes are paid for by income support; and how many of these are over pension age.

The latest estimate of the number of people in receipt of income support in residential care and nursing homes is for August 1990, when the figure was 199,000. Information on how many of these were over pension age is not available but, as of May 1989, about 80 per cent. of income support recipients in such homes were over pension age.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many community charge payers in Lambeth were in receipt of community charge benefit at the last period for which figures were available, based on claims for refunds by his Department to Lambeth council.

As at 28 February 1991, it is estimated that 38,200 charge payers were receiving community charge benefit in the London borough of Lambeth. This figure is likely to understate the true position as, in addition to having a number of unprocessed claims, a computer-related problem prevented Lambeth from including certain cases in its February stock count.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for review by a social fund inspector were outstanding for more than one month on 30 April.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 3 May 1991 at column 350.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on informing the next of kin of deceased unemployment benefit claimants of any outstanding benefits to which they are entitled; and if he will make a statement on the considerations leading to the formulation of this policy.

When a claimant dies, any outstanding unemployment benefit may be paid to persons claiming that benefit as legal personal representatives, legatees, next of kin or creditors of the deceased. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the individuals mentioned to make sure that any outstanding benefit has been claimed. However, following the hon. Member's question, steps are being taken to ensure that in administering unemployment benefit on a day to day basis instructions to employment

Married couple with two children aged 4 and 6
Gross Pay (£pw)	Net income in work after mortgage and community charge (£pw)			Net income on income support after mortgage and community charge (£pw)
	mortgage £50,000	mortgage £75,000	mortgage £100,000
200	60·84	-1·42	-63·68	101·22
250	93·84	31·58	-30·68	101·22
300	126·84	64·58	2·32	101·22
350	159·84	97·58	35·32	101·22
400	197·34	13508	72·82	101·22
450	234·84	172·58	110·32	101·22
500	272·34	210·08	147·82	101·22

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing disposable income in and out of work, after 16 weeks, for a single-wage family with two children aged four and six years and a mortgage of (a) £50,000 (b) £75,000 and (c) £100,000 assuming offer wages of £200, £250, £300, £350, £400, £450 and £500 a week.

[holding answer 20 May 1991]: The information is set out in the table. The figures are based on the following assumptions.Mortgage payments are for interest only and contain no repayments of capital. Where an income support claimant's outgoings are unnecessarily high they may be restricted to the amount that they would need to obtain suitable alternative accommodation. In the table, it has been assumed that no such restriction has been applied. They are shown net of tax. The mortgage shown is the capital outstanding. Mortgage interest is calculated at 12–95 per cent.In calculating the figures the same assumptions have been used as are found in the tax benefit model tables. Net income in work includes child benefit and any community charge benefit as may be payable. It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to publish the report prepared by the Red Cross on prison conditions under which the Iraqi detainees in the United Kingdom were kept during the course of the Gulf war.

No. The convention is that such reports are made available only to the Government of the detaining country and to the national Government of those detained, and in confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made to each police authority in England and Wales in the past year regarding improper handling of an offence caused by racial prejudice.

This information is not held centrally and may only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will describe the procedures used by the Metropolitan police when disclosing criminal records to local authorities to allow them to determine who is a fit and proper person to hold a taxi licence; whether he will list the offences deemed to make a taxi driver unfit to hold a taxi licence; and if he will make a statement.

It is not the practice of the Metropolitan police to disclose criminal records to local authorities for this purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has issued advice to local authorities concerning the use of criminal records to determine on who is a fit and proper person to hold a taxi licence; what appeals procedure there is should a criminal record be inaccurate or not relevant to a taxi licence; and if he will make a statement.

The Home Office has not issued any such advice to local authorities. Anyone aggrieved by the refusal of a district council to issue a licence may appeal to the courts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many successful prosecutions there have been in each of the past five years under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 relating to having an unmuzzled ferocious dog at large in a street, park or open public place;(2) how many successful prosecutions there have been in each of the past five years under the Animals Act 1971 for injury or damage caused by dogs in England and Wales.

The table shows the number of prosecutions and convictions under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 Section 28(2) to (4).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of cases where explosives other than fireworks have caused accidents in the home in the past five years.

Accurate figures are not available. In 1989, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) drew my noble Friend's attention to an unfortunate accident in his constituency when a young boy was badly injured while playing with materials used in the home loading of ammunition.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bear the extra cost to the police of carrying out inspections under the proposed control of explosives regulations.

The cost of operating the statutory enforcement powers to be conferred on the police as a result of the proposed control of explosives regulations, which should not result in a significant additional burden upon police resources, will be met by police funding in the usual way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of cases in the last convenient period where explosives have been stolen from private homes.

There is no legal requirement to report thefts of explosives. Accurate figures for thefts from private homes are not available, but five are known to have been reported by police since 1969.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now postpone the control of explosives regulations to allow increased consultation time for the guidance notes to be fully studied by all interested parties.

It is not normal practice for the Health and Safety Executive to consult on guidance notes. They represent an explanation of the regulations and advice on compliance. The proposed control of explosives regulations have been subject to full consultation. We see no need for postponement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long has been allowed for consultation on the form of the guidance notes applying to the new proposed control of explosives regulations; and what factors underlay the decision to set this length of time for consultation.

No general consultation on draft guidance notes applying to the new proposed control of explosives regulations has taken place. Draft guidance notes were sent to a number of organisations by the Health and Safety Executive on 3 May 1991. Comments were requested by 17 May 1991. This time was set to permit the guidance notes to be published prior to the draft regulations coming into force. However, important comments received after this date could be taken into account if printing schedules permitted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the case histories that led to the proposal by the Health and Safety Executive of new control of explosive regulations.

The new proposed control of explosives regulations are part of the ongoing modernisation of the Explosives Act 1875 and related regulations. This forms part of the Health and Safety Commission's programme of work to review and reform existing legislation. So far a number of new explosives regulations have been made. The draft control of explosives regulations are the latest proposals. These proposals are not driven by particular case histories.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester on the action taken in connection with publication of "Pit Bull News" by P. Graham from 44 Midland road, Bramhall, Stockport, in respect of possible offences related to promotion of organised dog fights.

I understand from the chief constable of Greater Manchester police that the police are aware of the publication "Pit Bull News". Together with the RSPCA, they have looked into the possibility of prosecuting the publication for offences relating to the promotion of organised dog fights, but have concluded that there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution to proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cumbria as to the investigations being conducted into the break-in at the Sellafield site in the week beginning 20 May, and as to the security implications of these events.

The incident was handled by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority constabulary and Cumbria police were not involved.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what targets he has approved for the Civil Service College for 1991–92.

The primary target for the Civil Service College executive agency will be to cover its costs from income: planned costs for 1991–92 are £14,476K. Other agreed targets for the college in 1991–92 are:

	Targets
Student days	82,750
Course days	5,465
Students	20,900
Students at grade 7+	5.501
Number of students in development schemes	4.190
Number of students for formal qualifications	1,980
Number of students from the private sector	450
Percentage of course evaluations in boxes 1 and 2	78
Students per course day at the college's two main sites	16·5
Income from consultancy	£130K

There is also a target for "cost per student day" which is not published for commercial reasons, and a five-year value for money target. The rating of college services as revealed by a detailed survey of the views of students must increase over the five-year period to 1995 by 10 per cent. more than the real cost of the college's output.I am arranging for copies of the college's stategic plan for 1991–1995 to be placed in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average time for his Department to process redundancies; how many redundancies are awaiting processing; and whether there are any plans to recruit extra staff to increase efficiency.

The average time to process a redundancy payment is currently 10 weeks and the number of claims awaiting processing is 53,000. My Department has introduced a number of efficiency measures to improve the time taken to deal with claims, including the recruitment of additional staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment has been made of the effect on employment of the introduction of a minimum wage based on two thirds of male median earnings.

Officials in my Department have estimated that the introduction of a minimum wage of two thirds male median earnings could over time lead to the loss of over 1 million jobs if wage differentials were restored by 50 per cent. They have also estimated that in the extreme case of full wage restoration the losses could be of the order of 2 million jobs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what would be the cost to the public sector wages and salaries bill of the introduction of a minimum wage of two thirds of male median earnings.

We do not have the information to provide a full answer, and even a partial answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money is set aside for employment training in each English county.

The information is not available in the form requested. In 1991–92 budgets were allocated by funding block rather than by individual scheme. Funding block 2 includes employment training (ET) fees, ET allowances and high technology national training (HTNT). The table below shows the money allocated to each regional office in England for funding block 2:

Region	Allocation £ million
South East	57·25
London	93·02
South West	46·51
West Midlands	89·88
East Midlands	67·75
Yorkshire and Humberside	100·49
North West	123·93
Northern	82·63

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action the Health and Safety Executive is taking in respect of the drafting of regulations for the storage of (a) propane or butane gas, (b) petrol and (c) weed killer, in the home.

The Health and Safety Commission's current reviews of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1984 and regulations concerning the storage of petrol in containers include consideration of the domestic storage of liquefied petroleum gas and petrol respectively.The storage of weed killer in the home is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who has no plans to produce regulations on such storage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the role of the Health and Safety Executive in respect of safety in private domestic premises as proposed in the new draft of the Control of Explosives Regulations; and on what section of which Act this role is based.

None. The Health and Safety Commission has proposed new draft control of explosives regulations to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. The police will be the enforcing authority for most requirements in the proposals; the Health and Safety Executive for others. The proposed new regulations give the Health and Safety Executive no role in respect of safety in domestic premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received regarding reductions in funding for people on training schemes; and if he will make a statement.

A number of hon. Members have written to me about funding for training, including the hon. Member for Truro. It is for training and enterprise councils to allocate funding to training schemes locally. Nationally resources for youth training and employment training now stand at over £1.7 billion for 1991–92. Following a reappraisal of the range of measures available to help unemployed people and a reassessment of the overall demand for ET adjustments were made to the balance of our measures involving an increase in the number of opportunities delivered through the Employment Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been set aside for the purchase of tools to enable the unemployed to gain skilled employment.

No money has been allocated specifically for the purchase of tools for this purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have to provide training for people aged over 25 years in skills necessary to gain employment, including interview skills, literacy and numeracy.

The Government aim to offer to all adults under 50 who have been unemployed for more than two years, and to all unemployed people with disabilities, a place on employment training (ET), enterprise allowance, the job interview guarantee or in a job-club. Many people who need the help described will be included in this group. Other people who need help with literacy/numeracy are eligible to enter ET without being unemployed for 26 weeks.Job preparation courses are offered as part of the job interview guarantee initiative and are designed to give long-term unemployed people the knowledge and confidence to succeed at a guaranteed interview for vacancies offered at the end of the course.The Government have recently announced sponsorship of £3 million over the next three years for a new initiative called "Basic Skills at Work" intended to enhance the quantity and quality of literacy/numeracy training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people of employment age are on literacy and numeracy training courses; and if he will give these figures for each English county;(2) what money is available for each English county For people with special training needs in literacy, numeracy and social skills; and what the figures were for 1990.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much grant aid has been provided for Sri Lanka during each of the past five years; and if he will increase grant aid for next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid is being provided to Sri Lanka in this financial year; and what was the figure in each of the previous three years.

I will write to the hon. Members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths have been recorded in Gwynedd caused by cancer in each of the past five years; what incidence rate the figure for each year represents; how that rate corresponds to the figure for (a) Wales and (b) Great

Deaths from malignant neoplasms, ICD 140–208 in Great Britain, Wales and Gwynedd. 1986–90.
	Great Britain		Wales		Gwynedd
Age	Deaths	Rate per 1,000 population	Deaths	Rate per 1,000 population	Deaths	Rate per 1.000 population
1986
Under 1	17	0·02	2	0·05	0	0·00
1–4	122	0·04	7	0·05	1	0·09
5–14	269	0·04	10	0·03	2	0·07
15–24	515	0·06	24	0·05	1	0·03
25–34	1,125	0·14	69	0·19	6	0·21
35–4	3,630	0·48	196	0·52	13	0·44
45–54	9,994	1·66	500	1·63	40	1·61
55–64	29,070	4·87	1,648	5·18	132	5·01
65–74	48,679	9·95	2,604	9·73	243	10·01
75–84	45,853	15·78	2,412	15·72	241	15·36
85 and over	14,348	20·62	656	18·46	72	18·56
All ages	153,622	2·78	8,128	2·88	751	3·20
1987
Under 1	20	0·03	0	0·00	0	0·00
1–4	116	0·04	5	0·03	1	0·09
5–14	249	0·04	9	0·03	0	0·00
15–24	480	0·05	18	0·04	3	0·08
25–34	1,148	0·14	52	0·14	4	0·13
35–44	3,717	0·49	183	0·48	22	0·74
45–54	9,971	1·66	535	1·73	54	2·15
55–64	28,473	4·85	1,574	5·03	122	4·68
65–74	48,722	9·89	2,616	9·67	257	10·55
75–84	47,198	15·98	2,474	15·86	262	16·60
85 and over	15,324	20·54	786	20·31	90	21·26
All ages	155,418	2·81	8,252	2·91	815	3·45
1988
Under 1	19	0·03	2	0·05	1	0·34
1–4	135	0·05	6	0·04	0	0·00
5–14	266	0·04	17	0·05	1	0·03
15–24	534	0·06	15	0·03	1	0·03
25–34	1,125	0·14	53	0·13	2	0·06
35–44	3,838	0·50	200	0·52	14	0·46
45–54	9,999	1·64	550	1·75	45	1·76
55–64	27,921	4·81	1,481	4·77	111	4·24
65–74	49,130	9·99	2,821	10·38	247	10·12
75–84	48,154	16·10	2,546	16·09	258	16·23
85 and over	16,117	20·63	864	21·23	105	23·50
All ages	157,238	2·83	8,555	2·99	785	3·28
1989
Under 1	22	0·03	0	0·00	0	0·00
1–4	146	0·05	7	0·05	0	0·00
5–14	228	0·03	13	0·04	2	0·07
15–24	485	0·06	30	0·07	1	0·03
25–34	1,107	0·13	37	0·09	7	0·21
35–44	3,807	0·50	196	0·51	25	0·82
45–54	9,992	1·60	529	1·65	45	1·72
55–64	26,985	4·70	1,448	4·71	133	5·10
65–74	48,903	9·96	2,790	10·21	253	10·33
75–84	49,504	16·33	2,631	16·35	284	17·70
85 and over	17,177	20·95	871	20·45	95	20·25
All ages	158,356	2·85	8,552	2·98	845	3·51
1990
Under 1	13	0·02	1	0·03	1	0·34
l-4	109	0·04	4	0·03	0	0·00
5–14	271	0·04	13	0·04	4	0·14
15–24	420	0·05	22	0·05	0	0·00
25–34	1,109	0·13	46	0·11	7	0·21
35–44	3,702	0·48	187	0·49	18	0·59

The tables list the number of deaths, and rates per 1,000 population, from malignant neoplasms (ICD 140–208) for the years 1986–90, in Gwynedd, Wales and Great Britain. The data are presented in convenient age groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of research into a vaccine for cervical cancer; and what funds are being made available by his Department for such research.

The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. I understand that no research into this subject is currently being undertaken by the MRC.The Department's view is that although some strains of human papilloma virus, against which such a vaccine would be used, may pre-dispose to the development of cervical cancer, there is no absolute proof that it does.It is not normal practice to contemplate developing a vaccine unless there is clear proof that the infectious agent against which the vaccine is directed has been proved to cause the condition under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current population of England, Scotland and Wales who are aged 18 years or over.

The estimated resident populations aged 18 years and over at 30 June 1990 were as follows:

	Million
England	37·00
Scotland	3·94
Wales	2·22

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has had from Mr. Graham Ross in regard to financial help for NHS patients who have become infected with HIV through infected blood transfusions, and their families; what reply he is sending; if there is any action he has taken or will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Dame J. Knight) on 6 June at column 302.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct the Liverpool area health authority to publish its plans for the future of Sefton general hospital.

No. The planning and development of health services locally is a matter for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Michael Emberton, the chairman of Liverpool health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will itemise land and property sales by Trent regional health authority between 1987 and 1991.

Information in respect of sales of over £50,000 and over 1 acre in area is given in the tables.

Trent Regional Health Authority
District health authority—Property and address	Price obtained (£)
1987–88
Leicestershire—Francis Dixon Lodge, Towers Hospital	280,000
Leicestershire—Glengate Hospital, Desford	420,000
North Derbyshire—Ridgway Hospital, Belper	200,000
North Derbyshire—Land at Penmore Hospital, Chesterfield (Phase 1)	229,750
North Lincolnshire—Louth and District Hospital	30:5,000
Nottingham—Coppice Hospital, Ransom Road	450,000
Rotherham—Land at rear of Fairfield House	340,000
South Derbyshire—The Grange Children's Unit, Etwall Road, Mickleover and adjoining land	90,000
South Derbyshire—Rough Heanor Allotments, Kingsway Hospital	475,000
South Derbyshire—Derbyshire Hospital for Women	403,000
South Derbyshire—Ilkeston General Hospital	385,000
1988–89
Barnsley—Land at Broadway Ambulance Station	52,000
Central Nottingham—Dale Crescent, Balderton	932,500
Central Nottingham—Langwith Lodge	620,000
Leicestershire—Bosworth Park Infirmary	1,500,006
Leicestershire—Land at LeicesterGeneral	2,670,000
Leicestershire—Welford Road Ambulance Station	585,900
North Derbyshire—Land at Penmore Hospital	257,296
North Derbyshire—Penmore Hospital	60,000
North Derbyshire—Carbar Hall, Buxton	150,000
North Derbyshire—Dronfield Hospital	363,000
North Lincolnshire—St. Mark's House	51,000
Nottingham—Land at Highbury Hospital	591,200
Nottingham—Saxondale Hospital	767,000
Nottingham—Clarendon Street	612,000
Sheffield—Edgar Allen Poe TC	70,590
Sheffield—Clifford Road	268,000
South Derbyshire—Derwent Hospital	658,333
South Derbyshire—Makeney Hospital	541,100
South Derbyshire—Etwall Hospital	676,000
South Lincolnshire—Johnson Hospital	325,000
1989–90
Barnsley—Land at Bolton on Dearne HC	121,100
Barnsley—Pinder Oaks	105,000
Bassetlaw—49 and 51 The Holdings	80,000
Central Nottingham—Collingham Health Centre	225,000
Doncaster—Land at Neston Hospital	175,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give his latest figures for the number of outstanding nurse regrading appeals at regional and at national level for each health district or NHS trust in (a) Yorkshire regional health authority and (b) Trent regional health authority; and when he expects all the regrading appeals to be completed.

At 31 May 1991 the number of regional clinical grading appeals in Trent regional health authority and Yorkshire regional health authority was as follows:

Regional Health Authority	Number of appeals outstanding
Yorkshire	1,242
Trent	1,416

Information about regional appeals outstanding for each district or NHS trust in these regions is not available centrally.At 31 May 1991 the number of national clinical grading appeals outstanding in Trent regional health authority and Yorkshire regional health authority was as follows:

	Number outstanding
Yorkshire
District
Calderdale	1

To ask the Secretary of State for Health why he has appointed Mr. John Bettinson to be chairman of the trust for East Birmingham hospital before the end of the consultation period for the proposal to establish a trust for this hospital.

NHS trust chairmen and non-executive directors cannot be formally appointed until an NHS trust is established. Our current programme for second-wave NHS trusts envisages formal establishment in the autumn of this year. The names of the chairmen will be provided around the same time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the applications received for approval in the second wave of NHS trusts.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are being made to fund both training and time off for training under the post-registration education and practice project.

The post-registration education and practice project has been undertaken by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC). I understand that the UKCC has just completed consultation with the professions on the project report and that it plans to discuss the outcome with the United Kingdom Health Departments in due course. Any specific proposals addressed to the Health Departments will be considered at the appropriate time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Hearth what information his Department has on the links between abortion and subsequent sterility or reproductive complications.

The most recent information that the Department has comes from a major study we have funded of the short and long-term sequelae of abortion. The researchers, who have presented some of their recent findings orally at conferences have concluded that overall, abortion was not materially related to future fertility. However, the findings showed lower fertility in women who had induced abortion in their first pregnancy, as measured in the time it took to conceive again. It was also shown that induced abortion does not increase the risk of non-viable outcome, decreased birthweight of the baby or shortened gestation in the subsequent pregnancy, although certain features of the abortion operation may affect the outcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the national health service over the last year for which figures are available of (a) abortions performed within the national health service, (b) abortions contracted out by the national health service, (c) pre-abortion counselling and preparation, (d) post-abortion counselling, (e) treatment following abortions and (f) other costs associated with abortion in the national health service.

The estimated revenue cost of a straightforward abortion as an in-patient in a national health service hospital is £250 in 1989–90 prices. The other information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent consultations Her Majesty's Government have had with the United States Government concerning the creation of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the middle east.

We worked closely with the United States Government and other members of the United Nations Security Council in the preparation of Security Council resolution 687, which specifically refers to the need to work towards the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the middle east. President Bush's recent initiative, if implemented, would be an important step towards that objective.

To ask the Prime Minister what questions Her Majesty's Government have answered relating to special forces since November 1990.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 24 January at column 317 and on 21 March 1991 at column 230 and by me on 17 May 1991 at column 281 and 20 May at column 333.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether GCHQ, or Cleave station, Warminster has undertaken surveillance of any communications in order to assist criminal or civil investigations or to aid the enforcement of court orders since 1979;(2) whether GCHQ, or Cleave station, Warminster has undertaken surveillance of any communications for purposes other than national security since 1979;(3) what provisions are in place to prevent the dissemination of information gathered at GCHQ, or Cleave station, Warminster, in cases other than those representing a clear danger to national security.

It has been the policy of successive Governments not to discuss the work of the intelligence services. The dissemination of intercepted information is governed by safeguards under the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will request the commissioner appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 to report on allegations of the use of intercepted material in pursuit of the enforcement of court orders against the National Union of Mineworkers.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 3 June, Official Report, column 34, if he will list by date of journey and newspaper those accounts for journalists travelling on official transport provided for Prime ministerial visits abroad which remained unsettled as of 3 June.

[holding answer 6 June 1991]: It is not my practice to give details of outstanding accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many miles of (a) motorway and (b) near-motorway standard trunk road have been started in Wales in each year since 1979.

The number of miles of major new construction involving motorway and dual carriageway trunk roads started in Wales for each year since 1979 are given in the following table:

	Motorway standard	Dual carriageway
1979–80	—	14·5
1980–81	2·7	3·1
1981–82	—	22·8
1982–83	—	14·4
1983–84	—	—
1984–85	—	5·9
1985–86	—	16·5
1986–87	—	9·5
1987–88	—	7·6
1988–89	—	—
1989–90	3·0	7·1
1990–91	—	3·9
	5·7	105·3

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what investigations have been commissioned by his Department during the past four years into the level of cancer incidence in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

An investigation of data relating to the incidence of cancers in north Wales over the period 1974 to 1983 was undertaken at the invitation of the Welsh Office by Professor Hubert Campbell, emeritus professor of medical statistics, university of Wales. The results were published in July 1988."Cancer Registration in Wales: 1974–1984", published in 1988, contained a comprehensive analysis of cancer incidence in Wales based on information held on the Welsh Cancer Registry in respect of the years 1974 to 1984. A further report of the Welsh Cancer Registry, which will include data for 1984 to 1986, is currently being prepared.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further steps he proposes taking to improve cancer services for people residing in Gwynedd.

Consultation on the wide-ranging recommendations in the Deloitte, Haskins and Sells report into cancer treatment services for north Wales produced numerous and varying responses. These are being considered and an announcement will be made in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating the number of farms in Wales affected by the sheep movement prohibition resulting from the Chernobyl disaster, in each year since that disaster occurred, together with an estimate of the number of sheep involved in each year.

The information is given in the following table:

Date	Approximate number of holdings	Approximate number of sheep (post-lambing)
20 June 19861	5,100	2,000,000
1 January 1987	315	225,000
1 January 19882	416	300,000
1 January 1989	416	300,000
1 January 1990	416	300,000
14 January 19913	410	292,000
1 Date of first Statutory Instrument imposing restrictions.
2 Some re-restriction was necessary during 1987 on about 2 per cent, of those holdings released from restriction during 1986.
3 Date of most recent Statutory Instrument derestricting part of the restricted area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the number of households currently on right-to-buy housing waiting lists in each district council area in Wales and the latest available figures showing the average amount of time spent by applicants on such waiting lists in each district authority.

The number of households on right-to-buy waiting lists at the end of March 1991, the latest available dates, are given in the following table.Information regarding the average amount of time spent by applicants on right-to-buy waiting lists is not collected centrally.

District	Applications outstanding
Aberconwy	52
Alyn and Deeside	121
Arfon	107
Blaenau Gwent	50
Brecknock	121
Cardiff	2,263
Carmarthen	121
Ceredigion	283
Colwyn	0
Cynon Valley	353

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the implications for the provision of peripatetic music teaching in the schools of south Glamorgan of the introduction of local management of schools.

We attach great value to the music service in schools and are anxious to see it continuing. Nevertheless, we do not believe that valuable provision of this sort will be threatened if local education authorities decide to delegate the funds to schools. Parents will want to see music provision maintained in the schools that their children attend and so will governors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales where in Wales, when the Children Act comes into operation, children subject to unruliness certificates can be accommodated.

Secure units at Ty Mawr, Silverbrook and Llwyncelyn community homes; and Cardiff and Swansea prisons. This matter is covered in the review of secure care policy in Wales which has been undertaken and which is to be issued for consultation next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why copies of the Welsh Office report on three children's homes in Wales published on 4 June were not placed in the Library; why they were not made immediately available to hon. Members via the Vote Office; and whether he will make immediate arrangements for them to be placed in Library and to be made available at the Vote Office.

Copies of the reports were placed in the Library of the House on 5 June and have been provided to the hon. Gentleman. Copies are freely available from the Welsh Office.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Her Majesty's Stationery Office documents are printed on recycled paper; and what plans he has to increase the percentage.

To calculate the proportion of HMSO documents printed on recycled paper would be possible only at disproportionate cost.

	Monthly interest payments1
Region	Average new building society mortgages Quarter 2 1988	On (A) at June 1988 9–8 per cent, interest rate, inflated to 1991 prices2	On (A) at current 12–9 per cent, interest rate	Difference (C)-(B)
	(A) £	(B) £	(C) £	£
Northern region	22,200	169·78	178·99	9·21
Yorkshire and Humberside	23,000	175·90	185·44	9·54
East Midlands	27,000	206·49	217·69	11·20
East Anglia	34,800	278·37	293·48	15·10
Greater London	54,900	483·33	509·55	26·22
South East	44,500	377·28	397·75	20·47
South West	34,900	279·39	294·55	15·16
West Midlands	28,100	214·90	226·56	11·66
North West	24,300	185·84	195·92	10·08
Wales	23,900	182·78	192·69	9·92
Scotland	24,200	185·07	195·11	10·04
Northern Ireland	24,300	185·84	195·92	10·08
United Kingdom	32,900	259·00	273·05	14·05
1 Assuming endowment mortgage, net of basic rate tax relief.
2 Inflated from June 1988 to April 1991 prices by reference to the movement in the RPI.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to ensure that the price of unleaded petrol is contained to make its use attractive to private motorists; and if he will publish an analysis of the cost of this petrol throughout the United Kingdom.

Measures taken in the Budget increased the tax advantage of unleaded over leaded petrol to more than 4 pence a litre (18·4p per gallon). The Government neither have nor seek the power to intervene directly in commercial price setting, but are determined to maintain a free market where the consumer is best served by unfettered competition between the oil companies. Pump prices of unleaded petrol at locations throughout the United Kingdom are published in the Petroleum Times energy report, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by region in tabular form and at constant prices the average monthly domestic mortgage payment payable in the month when interest rates were at their lowest since 1983, the current average mortgage payable and the difference between the two figures.

Information for average new mortgages in the second quarter of 1988 is in the table. Details of average amounts outstanding on all mortgages by region are not available.

The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Luxembourg on 3 June. I represented the United Kingdom.The Council discussed a Presidency package of proposals on VAT and excise rates and systems, the most important elements of which were a minimum standard VAT rate of 15 per cent., minimum rates for all excises and provision for reduced rates including protection for our own zero rates. There was no agreement on the package as a whole and discussion will resume on 10 June.In the discussion of VAT rates, I restated the Government's view that the centrally imposed approximation of tax rates was not necessary for the establishment of the single market, but I made a statement that the United Kingdom had no present intention of reducing the standard rate of VAT below the 15 per cent. minimum proposed by the Presidency or indeed of making any change to the current rate of VAT of 17·5 per cent.On excise duties, I argued that, for health reasons, we needed to agree either high minimum rates for the duties on alcohol and tobacco, or limits on the amounts of these goods which can be brought into any member state tax-paid, and I said that the United Kingdom would in principle be prepared to accept a minimum rate for diesel duty which would not oblige us to make any changes to our present levels. Any final agreement will, of course, be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.In a brief discussion of export credits and tied aid I urged that the European Community should agree to the Helsinki 5 revised package for revision of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development export credit arrangement and of the Development Assistance Committee's draft agreements on tied aid.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to the Inland Revenue by the Royal Mail about the wording of a leaflet advising taxpayers on payment methods; and what action has been taken as a result.

The Post Office recently asked the Inland Revenue for a meeting to discuss this subject, and this meeting will take place shortly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 26 April, Official Report, column 593, what is his estimate of the yield from the outstanding P11D forms.

The additional yield from examination of the outstanding forms is estimated at £10·25 million.Many of the forms on hand in April included benefits returned for earlier years and already covered by adjustments to tax codes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many posts in the Inland Revenue in Northern Ireland are subject to reliability checks under the new procedures for security vetting announced by the Prime Minister on 24 July 1990.

Since the new procedures were introduced, no posts in the Inland Revenue have been the subject of reliability checks. All new recruits to Northern Ireland complete a security questionnaire which is the basis for counter-terrorist checks.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people with annual investment income over £3,000 in 1991–92 who are (a) over the age of 55 years, (b) women over the age of 60 years and (c) men over the age of 65 years.

[holding answer 6 June 1991]: Available information indicates that approximately 500,000 men aged over 65 and 500,000 women aged over 65 have investment income over £3,000 in 1991–92. I regret that information for those aged between 55 and 65 is not separately available.

Number of medical physics technicians
	Grade 5	Grade 4	Grade 3	Grade 2	Grade 1	Trainee	Senior assistant	Assistant	Total
Scotland	14	42	140	102	31	12	0	2	343
CSA	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Argyll and Clyde	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report all investigations which the European Commission has made into state aids in textiles and clothing in the European Community since 1986 and the eventual outcome of those cases which have been resolved; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the European Commission's annual competition policy reports (part 3, chapter 1 and the annexes to the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th reports on competition policy), copies of which are available in the Library of the House. These list all formal investigations opened by the European Commission into state aids, including those for textiles and clothing, arid their outcome.