To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what performance indicators are published for his Department; and what steps his Department has taken to involve consumer views in the development of performance indicators.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my Department's annual report 1991—Cm. 1508—which provides an explanation of my Department's expenditure plans, including measures of past and expected outputs and performance. Further details are also available from MINIS documents in the Library of the House; the latest MINIS returns—MINIS 12—will be published shortly.Last year 27,900 people and organisations were interviewed or consulted at a cost of £2·3 million in pursuit of the Department finding out more about the effects of its policies and programmes. Each year my Department publishes the results of its findings and distributes the reports widely. The Department also encourages its sponsored bodies and local authorities to take account of the views of consumers and other interested parties in developing performance indicators for the services which are delivered through them, rather than by the Department directly. For example, we have recently commissioned the development of a manual for local authorities and housing associations on conducting tenant surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the dangers to public health of airborne emissions of chromium compounds; and what measures are taken to monitor industrial sites which are known to emit such substances.

Information on dangers to public health of airborne emissions of chromium compounds is a matter primarily for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.New processes for the production of chromium, its alloys and compounds require an authorisation from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, under part I of the Environmental Protection Act. The authorisation will include monitoring requirements of the operator to demonstrate compliance with the release limits commensurate with the use of the "best available techniques not entailing excessive cost".However, existing chromium works subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act are required to demonstrate the use of the "best practical means" and this may include the specific requirement to monitor emissions of chromium and its compounds. These works will come under the requirements of part I of the Environmental Protection Act from I May 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many supervising officers' instructions at the Trident construction project at the Clyde submarine base have been issued at nil value; and what percentage of instructions on average come into this category;(2) what budgetary value is attributed to supervising officers' instructions to contractors and sub-contractors relating to work at the Clyde submarine base.

Our contractual arrangements at the Clyde submarine base development are commercially confidenial.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to the statement of 2 May, Official Report, columns 273–74 by the Minister for Housing and Planning, if he will give the success rate of planning appeals in England divided into small sites of two acres or less not involving conservation areas or listed buildings, larger sites of the same type, proposals in conservation areas, proposals involving listed buildings not in conservation areas and appeals against enforcement notices.

The information relating to appeals against enforcement notices is as follows:

	Number	Per cent
Appeals decided	2,808	—
Notice upheld	1,873	67
Notice varied	81	3
Notice quashed	854	30

The other information requested is not available in the form required.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what public funding has been put towards the financing of the proposed international concert hall, Manchester.

The public funding put towards the financing of the proposed international concert hall, Manchester, has amounted to £311,500 to date for a number of feasibility studies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require all contracts which involve the importation of waste into the United Kingdom to include a clause which will require the waste to be returned to the exporter if it is found to be different in nature, content or toxicity from that described in the contract.

One provision of the Basle convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous waste and their disposal is that, where the fault lies with him, the exporter or generator must take back his waste where it does not conform in a material way with the documents including the contract. The European Community has considerable competence in respect of transboundary movements of hazardous waste and the United Kingdom is pressing the EC to adopt a regulation to implement the convention. The regulation will necessarily include provision for the return of waste in the circumstances described.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the amount of money saved in community charge reduction scheme payments due to the £140 reduction in headline bills; what is the likely cost of the reduction scheme in 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

The cost of the reduction scheme announced in January was £1·7 billion. Following the Budget changes, my best estimate of the cost of the reduction scheme is £1·25 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to publish regulations relating to the Local Government Finance and Valuation Bill on either (a) capping or (b) valuation before the end of July; and if he will make a statement.

We intend to publish as soon as practicable regulations to enable us to make an early start on the exercise of allocating domestic properties into bands.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was paid in 1990–91 in poll tax transitional relief.

Local authorities have not yet submitted final claims for grant in respect of transitional relief awarded, but to date they have claimed £260 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the administrative costs of administering (a) poll tax transitional relief in 1990–91 and (b) the community charge reduction scheme in 1991–92.

A total of £19 million was paid to local authorities last year to reimburse them for the cost of operating the transitional relief scheme. This year local authorities will receive a further £15 million to cover the costs of preparing for and administering the reduction scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the recent study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's environment directorate on pollution insurance and compensation funds for accidental pollution in regard to its relevance for United Kingdom legislation.

I have made no response to the publication of the report. It will of course be studied by officials and any material relevant to United Kingdom legislation will be noted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings he has had with representatives of the National Association for Environmental Education since 1987; and when he next expects to meet representatives of the association.

There have been no recent meetings between Ministers and the National Association for Environmental Education although officials maintain regular contact. I am planning to attend the association's annual conference in April next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to implement the provisions of the EC construction products directive in the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend intends to implement the EC construction products directive — 89/106/EEC—by means of regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972. These regulations are to be laid in Parliament around the middle of July and it is proposed that they come into force around the turn of the year.Implementation of the directive in the United Kingdom will take place somewhat later than the target timetable set out in the directive—27 June 1991. However, our implementation timetable is entirely consistent with the European Commission's projected date for the publication of interpretative documents. These documents are essential to the commercial application of the directive and to effective enforcement action.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress was made by the parties to the Montreal protocol at their third meeting; and if he will make a statement.

The third meeting of the parties to the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer took place in Nairobi from 19 to 21 June. Good progress was made in setting stronger mandates for the protocol's technological and economic assessment panels to consider the implications for a 1997 phase-out of substances that deplete the ozone layer, and to review the control measures agreed at the London meeting in 1990.The United Kingdom will play a leading role in the work of the working groups set up under the Montreal protocol to examine and recommend further changes to the protocol when it is reviewed next year at the fourth meeting of the parties.More than 70 countries are now parties to the protocol. The meeting welcomed the announcement from China that it would accede to the protocol. The parties also agreed to increase the size of the interim multilateral fund established one year ago at the London meeting to $200 million, and approved over $9 million of projects to be undertaken in 1991 by the World bank, United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Development Programme to support developing countries to phase out their use of ozone-depleting substances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will put into private ownership the Fenchurch Street to Southend line; if he will allow competing operators to run trains for passengers on the line; and if he will allow season ticket holders to buy shares in the lines;(2) if he will make it his policy to privatise designated British Rail lines on an experimental basis; and if he will make a statement.

Our policy is to privatise British Rail. We are considering how that can best be done. We propose to provide for a right of access to British Rail's track for new operators, although this will require legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute an inquiry into the hours worked by drivers employed by private bus companies in the Greater London area.

No. The hours worked by bus drivers in the Greater London area, as elsewhere, are governed by rules contained in part VI of the Transport Act 1968 and EC directive 3820/85.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will construct a table showing, for each police authority, what the total accumulated bid was for increases in establishment between 1979 and the latest available date; what total increases in establishment have been awarded in each case; and what percentage the total increases represent as a proportion of the total accumulated bids.

The table for police authorities in England and Wales shows what has been approved since 1979.

	Accumulated bids	Increases	Percentage increases
Avon and Somerset	465	231	49·7
Bedfordshire	303	169	55·8
Cambridgeshire	232	135	58·2
Cheshire	235	94	40·0
Cleveland	89	91	102·2
Cumbria	654	95	14·5
Derbyshire	387	111	28·7
Devon and Cornwall	386	205	53·1
Dorset	299	122	40·8
Durham	54	37	68·5
Dyfed Powys	9	9	100·0
Essex	891	365	41·0
Gloucestershire	105	67	63·8
Greater Manchester	1,684	306	18·2
Gwent	115	34	29·6
Hampshire	441	246	55·8
Hertfordshire	296	147	49·7
Humberside	232	86	37·1
Kent	454	226	49·8
Lancashire	341	105	30·8
Leicestershire	327	120	36·7

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the original terms of the disciplinary inquiry into the alleged activities of Chief Superintendent Colin McMurray.

This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what channels exist for senior police officers to vindicate themselves following false accusations being brought against them.

Where a senior officer has been the subject of a false allegation by a member of the public, it is open to him, as it is to anyone else, to bring a civil action against that person.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide Braille voting cards at polling stations; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Representation of the People Acts and subordinate legislation already allow the presiding officer or a companion to assist blind people to vote. Alternatively, they may choose to vote by post or by proxy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information is available to him on the numbers of police officers available for call-out for each police force; what is the figure for each force during (a) daytime and (b) night time; and what proportion of the total force strength this represents;

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sanctions are available to him to ensure that details of television purchases provided to the BBC for licensing enforcement are not used for commercial purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Under section 180 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, responsibility for the issue and renewal of television licences passed to the BBC on 1 April 1991. The right to use the records existing before 1 April for television licensing purposes was transferred to the corporation by deed of gift laid before the House on 8 March. Its use of those records for any other purposes would need my prior approval. However, subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984, it is for the BBC to decide what use to make of the records created since it became the statutory licensing authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ban the sale of swear belts to minors.

Legislation on the supply, display, importation or use of obscene or indecent material may apply to tape devices which replay foul language. The law should operate on the language used rather than the instruments for reproducing it. As well as the criminal law, we need the exercise of responsibility by parents and families in influencing minors.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the activities of Samuel Thomas Antonelli, a United States citizen convicted on four counts of harassment at Warrington magistrates court on 5 March; and what steps he intends to take in the matter.

[holding answer 25 June 1991]: None, although I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has received a number of representations about Mr. Antonelli and his company. Mr. Antonelli has appealed to the Crown court against his conviction, and I can make no comment about those proceedings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about the current position concerning police inquiries into the affairs of Mr. Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi.

[holding answer 25 June 1991]: I understand that the investigation by the Metropolitan police into the affairs of Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi is continuing. Charges of conspiracy to defraud have now been brought against Mr. Bedi.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the source of the information he gave in his answer to the hon. Member for Ynys Mōn (Mr. Jones) of 7 June, Official Report, column 369, regarding outstanding right-to-buy applications.

The information came from a Welsh Office statistical return (WHO7) which is completed by each local authority on a quarterly basis. The return asks, among other things, for the number of

"accepted Right-to-Buy applications being dealt with but not yet completed at end of quarter".

The data from this part of the return formed the basis of my recent answer.The return, together with other housing statistical returns, was reviewed in consultation with local authority representatives last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many youth training scheme places have been made available in Wales in the area of agricultural and rural skills training during each of the last 10 years.

There were 730 YT places in agricultural skills filled at 30 March 1991. Information relating to earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many youth opportunities programme, youth training scheme and youth training places were available in Wales in each year since 1978; and what is the estimate for 1991.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are currently being made by his Department to ensure the maximum possible level of funding from the European Community structures directives to objective 5b status areas of Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys.

The integrated development operations programme—IDO—for Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys, under objective 5b of the EC's structural funds, was formally approved by the Commission on 14 May this year. The European regional development fund—ERDF —element of the IDO was already operating as a national programme of community interest, and some £67·4 million in ERDF grants has been allocated to projects in the three counties, out of a programme allocation of £79·3 million for 1987–91. Approval to the IDO means that European social fund projects can also be supported, and the allocation of £1·8 million for 1990 has already been committed to projects. A further IDO programme for 1992–93. to take up funds already committed to Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys, will shortly be submitted to the Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the success rate of planning appeals in Wales, overall and divided into: small sites of two acres or less not involving conservation areas or listed buildings, larger sites of the same type, proposals in conservation areas, proposals involving listed buildings not in conservation areas and appeals against enforcement notices.

In Wales 33·8 per cent. of planning appeals were allowed in the financial year 1990–91. In the same period 31 per cent. of appeals against enforcement notices were allowed. Information is not kept in such a way as to provide the other figures requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the results of his review on planning guidance in Wales.

The Assembly of Welsh Counties —AWC—has accepted my right hon. Friend's invitation to assess, in collaboration with other bodies, the existing strategic planning framework which provides the policy context for the preparation of structure plans and local plans in Wales. We expect to receive advice from the AWC early in 1992. We will then consider the need to revise or update the policy framework.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of attacks on sheep by dogs have been recorded in each police authority area in Wales in each of the last five years; and how many sheep have been (i) killed or (ii) injured in each instance.

The information requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many agricultural tenancies have been granted to people under the age of 30 years in Wales in each year since 1978; and what has been the ratio of applications to available lettings in each instance.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effect of the uniform business rate on businesses in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Unified business rates remove uncertainty in financial planning for businesses by limiting year-on-year increases to no more than the retail prices index, equalise rates on similar properties in different locations, and avoid unreasonable levels of rates imposed by some local authorities under the old system.

To ask the Prime Minister how many members of the Cabinet have a special adviser.

Seventeen.

To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements are made to provide the Department of Trade and Industry with briefing from the Department of Health on the issue of supplementary protection certificates for medicinal products.

There is close co-operation and regular contact between the two Departments, to ensure that health care, industrial and intellectual property issues are reflected in the Government's approach to the Commission's proposal.

To ask the Prime Minister which Ministry is responsible for negotiating with the European Commission concerning the dumping of farmed salmon.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department are together representing the current concerns of the United Kingdom's fish farming industry with Norwegian imports to the European Commission. In the event of a formal anti-dumping complaint being made by the industry, the Department of Trade and Industry working in close co-operation with other relevant Departments would represent the United Kingdom interest in Brussels in view of its overall responsibility for anti-dumping matters.

To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy on the inclusion of the United Kingdom nuclear deterrent in strategic arms reduction talks with the Soviet Union.

The current strategic arms reduction talks are bilateral between the United States and the Soviet Union; British nuclear forces will not therefore be included in the agreement. If United States and Soviet strategic arsenals were further reduced substantially, and if there had been no significant improvements in defensive capabilities, we would consider how best we might contribute to the arms control process in the light of the changed circumstances. But the introduction of Trident in the mid-1990s will provide the minimum capability necessary to maintain an effective independent deterrent into the next century and the reductions in prospect would not reduce our strategic needs.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with the Indonesian Research Minister on 19 June.

I met Dr. Habibie, the Indonesian Minister for Research and Technology, on 19 June. We discussed a number of issues including commercial co-operation, particularly in the aerospace sector, and the arrangements for Indonesians to study in Britain.

To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he expects to put to the meeting of the European Council in Luxembourg.

I shall make clear the United Kingdom objective of creating an open, liberal and efficient Community. We want to improve foreign policy co-ordination, but the basis of our security in Europe must continue to be the Atlantic alliance. In order to allow European co-operation to prosper, we need a flexible treaty structure distinguishing between Community and intergovernmental activity. We also want the European Council to give fresh impetus to the single market programme. We shall discuss a range of international issues, including the crisis in Yugoslavia.

To ask the Prime Minister what matters were discussed during his meeting with President Mitterrand on 24 June.

The talks at the annual Anglo-French summit in Dunkirk on 24 June concentrated on the two intergovernmental conferences and the forthcoming Luxembourg European Council; European security and defence questions; and the situation in Iraq. The talks were fruitful and timely. President Mitterrand and I agreed to meet again on 29 July in Calais on the fourth anniversary of the ratification of the channel tunnel treaty.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 27 June.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall depart for Luxembourg for the European Council meeting tomorrow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list the total number of persons employed as (a) teachers, (b) skilled ancillary staff and (c) unskilled or semi-skilled staff in (i) controlled schools, (ii) schools under the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools and (iii) other maintained schools, indicating in respect of each figure the number of persons whose perceived religious affiliation is Protestant and Roman Catholic.

I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many private sector new-build planning permissions have been (a) approved and (b) refused in each year since 1986 in rural areas within (i) Dungannon and (ii) Fermanagh district council area.

The information requested is as follows:

	Approved		Refused
	Dungannon	Fermanagh	Dungannon	Fermanagh
1985–86	137	235	22	11
1986–87	177	235	29	32
1987–88	165	230	30	37
1988–89	167	224	28	28
1989–90	145	215	25	33
1990–91	131	219	41	38

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the (a) percentage and (b) number of unfit houses in private ownership in the rural areas of (i) Dungannon and (ii) Fermanagh district council areas according to Northern Ireland Housing Executive statistics.

The chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has advised me that the information requested is not available separately for the Dungannon and Fermanagh district council areas. However the executive's 1987 house condition survey indicated that, taking these two areas together, some 27 per cent. —4,340—privately owned dwellings were unfit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people earn their living entirely from farming in the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone; and if he will indicate the trend since 1972 and projected likely trends till the year 2000.

The information requested is not available. Information from the June 1990 farm census indicates that 10,300 persons in the constituency worked on farms, either as farmers, family or hired labour. Of this number 5,000 indicated that they worked full time in agriculture. Comparable data are not available for earlier years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the 16th report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

The report, for the period 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991, has been published today and copies have been laid before Parliament.The report covers a wide range of matters that the commission has considered during the period under review. These include emergency legislation, education, fair employment, the law relating to children, peremptory challenge in the selection of jurors, silence as corroboration and prisoners' rights.I value the advice the commission gives me and appreciate the work it does in considering a wide range of human rights matters. The commission has undertaken another extensive programme of work and I am grateful for the continued commitment shown by its members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of (a) policemen, (b) prison officers, (c) regular Army soldiers and (d) the Ulster Defence

Prisoners released on licence from indeterminate sentences imposed for murder of members of the Security Forces and the Northern Ireland Prison Service
		Number released by years served
Year	Victim	7	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Total released
1981–84		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Nil
1985	Army	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2
	Ruc	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
1986	Army	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
	RUC	—	1	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	2
1987	Army	—	—	1	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	3
	RUC	—	—	—	1	—	2	1	—	—	—	4
	UDR	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	1
1988	Army	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
	RUC	—	—	—	—	1	1	5	—	—	—	7
1989	Army	—	—	—	—	1	—	1	—	1	—	3
	RUC	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	3	—	1	5
	UDR	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	1	—	—	3
1990	Army	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	2	1	—	4
	RUC	—	—	1	—	1	1	—	—	4	—	7
	UDR	—	—	—	—	2	2	—	1	—	—	5
1991 (to	NIPS1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
26 June)	RUC	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
	TOTAL	3	3	3	3	7	8	10	7	6	1	51
1 Northern Ireland Prison Service.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the meeting of the Agriculture Council on 21 and 22 May; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to the reply, 3 June 1991, c. 38]: I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.Agreement was reached in principle on instruments concerning health rules for the marketing of molluscs and of fishery products, veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries, health conditions for trade in poultrymeat and safety standards for the use of pesticides on plants. In addition significant progress was made on a draft regulation on health rules for the marketing of fresh meat. All these constitute useful and significant steps towards the establishment of the single market.The Council had a first discussion of two proposals on food quality. I made it clear that the United Kingdom had serious doubts as to the usefulness of these proposals; and that major changes would be needed if they were to secure our support.

[holding answer 26 June 1991]: The information is as follows:I made it clear that the United Kingdom expected satisfactory arrangements to be introduced to protect Community (notably Scottish) producers of soft fruit from exceptionally low-priced imports from eastern Europe when the present special controls expire on 31 July.

To ask the Secretary of State far Energy if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of the International Atomic Energy Authority with respect to monitoring the use made in civil nuclear programmes of fissile materials produced originally for military purposes.

All civil nuclear material in the United Kingdom, whatever its origin, is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the IAEA-UKE-uratom safeguards agreement—INFCIRC-263.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether fissile material produced for military purposes in the United Kingdom is suitable for civil purposes.

Yes, in principle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much plutonium has been exported to the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in each of the past two years.

There have been no exports of plutonium in quantities of a few grammes or more to the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic from the United Kingdom during the past two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid has been granted to refugees from the Chittagong hill tracts who have sought sanctuary in Tripura, India; and if he will make a statement.

No request for United Kingdom bilateral assistance has been received from either of the Governments concerned. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been unable to gain access and is also therefore unable to assist.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the average agreed ceiling for local cost aid, and the percentage of bilateral aid actually given for local costs, as a percentage of project aid and a percentage of total bilateral aid, in Africa and Asia, in each year since 1979.

[holding answer 19 June 1991]: Since 1990 there have no longer been any limits on the extent to which our financial aid to least-developed countries can be used to meet local costs. For other countries, local cost ceilings are established on a country or project basis; data on the level of these ceilings are not available in an aggregated form. The percentage figures for actual local cost aid are as follows:

	Africa		Asia
	Local costs as Percentage of Project aid (excluding ATP)	Local costs as Percentage of total bilateral aid	Local costs as Percentage of Project aid (excluding ATP)	Local costs as Percentage of total bilateral aid
1981	28	7	20	14
1982	27	8	37	20
1983	26	7	41	26
1984	27	7	42	20
1985	18	4	46	21
1986	24	8	22	11
1987	19	2	21	9
1988	9	1	33	9
1989	11	1	25	8
19901	13	2	25	6
1 Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a further breakdown of the figures given in the answer of 7 June, Official Report, column 350, to differentiate between claimants in residential and in nursing homes.

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 128,000 and 71,000 respectively. Information on how many of these were over pension age is not available, but, as of May 1989, about 73 per cent. of income support recipients in residential care and 88 per cent. in nursing homes were over pension age.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding the practice of his Department's offices and agencies of referring clients to local citizens advice bureaux; what evidence he has of any increase in this practice; and if he will make a statement on the responsibility of his Department's offices and agencies to assist clients with their inquiries.

Neither the Department nor its agencies routinely refer customers to citizens advice bureaux: the provision of information and help on social security matters is, properly, a function of the Department and its agencies. However, customers may be told about the bureaux and other voluntary organisations where, for example, the problem lies outside the Department's area or where benefit is refused and help with an appeal is sought.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost in 1991–92 of increasing the basic retirement pension by £5 per week for a single pensioner and £8 a week for a married couple, assuming similar increases in linked benefits and in income-related benefits for pensioners, giving figures (a) gross and (b) net of tax revenues and savings in other benefits.

The gross cost would be £3·1 billion. Net of income tax, the figure would be £2·9 billion. If those in receipt of a linked benefit but not the pensioner premium did not receive a similar increase in their income-related benefit, the net cost would fall to £2·8 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost, net of savings in tax, of uprating the retirement pension, income support pension premium and housing benefit pensioner premium by £5 per week for single pensioners and £8 per week for pensioner couples in 1991–92; and if he will set out for linked benefits the cost in 1991–92 that would arise from these changes.

The gross cost of increasing these and the linked contributory benefits by £5 for a single pensioner and £8 for a pensioner couple is £3·1 billion. The cost, net of tax, would be £2·9 billion; this includes £0·5 billion to increase the linked benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which benefits have a statutory requirement to link (a) the level of benefit to the retirement pension level and (b) the level of increase at uprating to the same level of increase for retirement pension.

The following benefits are paid at rates which are linked by statute to that of the retirement pension: widow's pension, widowed mother's allowance and invalidity benefit. Unemployment benefit and sickness benefit are also linked for certain categories of recipient over pensionable age. The Secretary of State has a statutory duty to review the value of the category A retirement pension on an annual basis and increase it if appropriate; if the pension rate is increased the level of the above benefits will be raised also.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update to 1988 the tables on real rises in household incomes since 1979, provided in his reply of 26 July 1990 to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) Official Report, columns 501–2.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the amount of the reduction in community charge benefit payments in 1991–92 due to the £140 reduction in headline bills.

The reduction is about £850 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost to his Department in 1991–92 of abolishing the poll tax 20 per cent. contribution rule.

The latest estimate is that the total cost in 1991–92 of awarding 100 per cent. maximum community charge benefit would be £440 million at current benefit levels. Such a change would affect all people receiving community charge benefit including those people on income support and equivalent incomes. This estimate assumes that no reductions are made in the income-related benefit levels which were adjusted in April 1989, to include help towards the 20 per cent. contribution to the community charge, at an estimated cost of £500 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much will be saved by his Department in community charge benefit subsidy in (a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92 for each local authority which is a housing benefit authority as a result of poll tax capping.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the total percentage of applicants for family credit who were turned down in each of the most recent 24 months for which figures are available.

The administration of family credit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the organisations consulted by the Social Security Advisory Committee about his Department's proposed changes to the severe disability premium regulations; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Social Security Advisory Committee wrote to six organisations concerned with disabled people or their carers, seeking their views on the proposed amendment to regulations. The organisations were as follows:

• The Disability Alliance
• The Disablement Income Group
• RADAR
• Carers' National Association
• The Spastics Society
• British Council of Organisations of Disabled People

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young people under the age of 25 years are in receipt of (a) community charge benefit and (b) housing benefit.

The most recent survey information indicates that in May 1989, a total of 460,000 householders aged less than 25 years in Great Britain were in receipt of housing benefit. This estimate excludes those under 25 years old in Scotland who were in receipt of community charge rebate, but who were not receiving help with rent; this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a table showing expenditure in 1989–90, broken down by regions, with Greater London shown as a separate region, for job clubs, the Employment Service, and jobcentres.

Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a table setting out the number of YOP, YTS and YT places available in Greater London in every year from 1975, including figures for 1991, or estimates for 1991 if figures are not available.

The information requested is given in the table. Information prior to 1984 is not available. Agreed place information from April 1990 is not available.

Youth training—number of agreed places in London Region
	Number
31 March 1984	36,100
31 March 1985	28,900
31 March 1986	17,000
31 March 1987	37,200

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to examine the conclusions of the report published by the joint research centre of the European Commission on lessons learnt from emergencies after accidents in the United Kingdom involving dangerous substances—DOC. EUR. 13322EN.

The report has been studied, on my behalf, by the Health and Safety Executive. As regards matters that are my responsibility, the lessons learnt from this and other studies are being taken into account in the current fundamental review of EC directive 82/501/EEC, the "Seveso" directive, which deals with major accident hazards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current distribution of the toxic substances bulletin published by the Health and Safety Executive; and what assessment he has made of the benefits to health and safety at work of the bulletin.

The latest available figures—April 1991—show that there are 2,280 subscribers who receive a total of 2,608 copies of the Health and Safety Executive's toxic substances bulletin. There is also an internal distribution within Government Departments.It is a statutory duty of the Health and Safety Commission to make appropriate arrangements for

Department of Trade and Industry expenditure budget after Revised and Summer Supplementary Estimates 1990–91 and 1991–92
£ million all figures are net
	1990–91 provision	1991–92 provision cash terms	1991–92 provision real terms	Increase/decrease in real (1990) terms
VOTE 1
Central government's own expenditure:
Regional and general industrial support
Regional development grants, Regional selective assistance and Selective assistance	215·4	156·6	146·4	-69·0
Support for aerospace, shipbuilding and steel manufacture
Aerospace support and Assistance to the shipbuilding and steel industries1(net of aerospace repayments)	155·9	91·9	85·9	-70·1
Central government grants to local authorities:
Regional development grants	0·1	0·0	0 0	0·0
Regional selective assistance	0·0	0·0	0·0	0·0
Total Vote 1	371·4	248·5	232·2	-139·1
VOTE 2
Central government's own expenditure:
Regional and general support
Business development and Inner cities initiatives (including Regional enterprise grants)	85·9	80·5	75·2	-10·7

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) of 4 June, at column 170, on cash limits, if he will outline the reasons why the funds provided for assistance for the share ownership movement have been allocated under the consumer and investor protection programme.

The proposed assistance is aimed at increasing the provision of information to investors, allowing informed choices to be made and therefore contributing towards the objectives of my Department's work on consumer and investor protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) of 4 June at column 170, on cash limits, if he will set out the increase or decrease in his Department's budget, by expenditure area and in total, in 1991–92 in real terms relative to the expenditure level of the Department after the equivalent supplementary estimate announcement of 1990–91.

The information requested is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 4 June at column 170, to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) on cash limits, if he will provide details of the mechanism by which certain items are to be fully met by receipts from the European Community.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the European Community receipts in question will be appropriated in aid of class IV vote 2. For the purposes of the public expenditure planning total, such receipts are classified as programme 2.7—net payments to European Community institutions—for which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible. The consequent net reduction in that programme exactly offsets the increase in my Department's cash limit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out in tabular form the areas of expenditure covered by the supplementary estimate changes to his Department's cash limit and running cost limits for 1991–92 announced on 4 June at column 170 in ascending cash value order.

The information requested is set out, although not in ascending cash value order, in the summary to the summer supplementary estimate for class IV vote 2 which were presented to the House on 13 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to which sections and sub-headings of the estimate for class IV, vote 2, each of the charges and activities described in his announcement of 4 June at column 170 on cash limit changes will be attributed.

The information requested is set out in the summer supplementary estimate for class IV vote 2 which was presented to the House on 13 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) of 4 June, at column 170 on cash limits, if he will list the activities for which funds have been allocated to the Department's promotion of consumer safety.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the sum of £71,000 for my Department's promotion of consumer safety will be allocated towards the moving, construction, publicising and operation of the child safety "Hazard Dome" during 1991 at the Lightwater Valley theme park in North Yorkshire as part of the home safety awareness scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what figures he has for the amount of money being spent in the United Kingdom on research into conversion of arms industries to non-arms production.

Information of this sort is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the trade restrictions that are still in force in respect of South Africa.

I refer to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stamford and Spalding (Mr. Davies) on 7 May Official Report, column 409.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants were made from public funds towards travel and costs of exhibition stands at Dubai '91 and the international defence equipment and aviation exhibition in Ankara, November 1991.

To date no financial subsidy has been provided by the Department of Trade and Industry to exhibitors at Dubai '91 and the international defence equipment and aviation exhibition, Ankara. The subsidy for companies which qualify for support will be at the standard rate of 50 per cent. of the eligible costs of space and stand construction and up to two travel grants at the appropriate country rates for Dubai and Turkey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to publish the report by the Director General of Fair Trading for the year 1990.

The 17th annual report by the Director General of Fair Trading has been published today. It covers the period from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1990. Copies of the report have been laid before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress Post Office Counters has made in implementing the recommendations of the 1988 Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on Post Office counter services at Crown offices.

The Monopolies and Mergers Commission reported on Post Office counter services at Crown offices on 23 June 1988, Cm 398. Post Office Counters' initial response to this report was made available to the House on 21 December 1988, Official Report, columns 265–66. My Department agreed with Post Office Counters a detailed timetable for implementation of the accepted recommendations, and a reporting regime involving interim reports on progress, a main report in mid-1989, Official Report, 27 July 1989, column 812 and a final report in June 1991. I am today placing copies of the final report by Post Office Counters in the Library of the House.Post Office Counters was able to accept, in whole or in part, 79 of the MMC's 80 recommendations. Action has now been completed on 76 recommendations. Of these, Post Office Counters has concluded, on the basis of detailed work, that two linked recommendations—Nos. 59 and 60—are impractical in the form suggested by the MMC. These recommendations propose that clients should each decide, on the basis of different options presented by Post Office Counters, the size and shape of network that they are willing to pay for. Post Office Counters has accepted the principle lying behind these recommendations, that clients' requirements should inform the provision of services and products, and will continue to look at ways of bringing this principle into their discussions with clients.Post Office Counters continues to take action on the three remaining recommendations. These are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what consultations he has had with British textile machinery manufacturers about proposed new European regulations on magnetic compatibility;(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that British textile machinery manufacturers do not suffer unnecessarily under the terms of proposed new European regulations on magnetic compatibility;(3) if he has any plans to visit Sir James Farmer Norton and Co. to discuss the possible impact of proposed new regulations on magnetic compatibility;(4) if he will list those testing facilities which currently exist in the north-west of England which could be used for testing compliance of heavy machinery with proposed new regulations on magnetic compatibility.

[holding answer 25 June 1991]: My officials met officers and members of the British Textile Machinery Association on 12 June to discuss the electro-magnetic compatibility directive. I am not aware of any reason why British textile machinery manufacturers should be disadvantaged by the directive.My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Sir James Farmer Norton and Co.Manufacturers following the "standards" route to compliance with the directive may use any test acilities, including their own. I regret that the Department does not have a list of such facilities in the north-west of England."Competent bodies" have not yet been appointed to issue technical reports or certificates for manufacturers following the "technical file" route to compliance with the directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries which have signed the Basle convention and the dates on which these signatures were presented.

The following countries have signed the Basle convention:

	Date
1989
Afghanistan	22 March 1989
Argentina	28 June 1989
Bahrain	22 March 1989
Belgium	22 March 1989
Bolivia	22 March 1989
Canada	22 March 1989
Colombia	22 March 1989
Cyprus	22 March 1989
Denmark	22 March 1989
Ecuador	22 March 1989
European Economic Community	22 March 1989
Finland	22 March 1989
France	22 March 1989
Germany, Federal Republic of	23 October 1989
Greece	22 March 1989
Guatemala	22 March 1989
Haiti	22 March 1989
Hungary	22 March 1989
Israel	22 March 1989
Italy	22 March 1989
Jordan	22 March 1989
Kuwait	22 March 1989
Lebanon	22 March 1989
Leichtenstein	22 March 1989
Luxembourg	22 March 1989
Mexico	22 March 1989
Netherlands	22 March 1989
New Zealand	18 December 1989
Norway	22 March 1989
Panama	22 March 1989
Philippines	22 March 1989
Portugal	26 June 1989
Saudi Arabia	22 March 1989
Spain	22 March 1989
Sweden	22 March 1989
Switzerland	22 March 1989
Syria	11 October 1989
Turkey	22 March 1989
United Arab Emirates	22 March 1989
United Kingdom	6 October 1989
Uruguay	22 March 1989
Venezuela	22 March 1989
1990–91
Austria	19 March 1990
Chile	31 January 1990
China	22 March 1990