To ask the Attorney-General how much was claimed under (a) the legal advice and assistance scheme and (b) legal advice and assistance in respect of (i) immigration cases, and (ii) asylum cases in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

Separate information is not available for the cost of legal advice and assistance for immigration or asylum cases. However, the amounts that were paid for advice and assistance, under the legal aid "green form" scheme for all immigration and nationality cases are set out in the table.

	£
1988–89	781,532
1989–90	1,681,960
1990–91	2,652,727

Legal aid is also available for judicial review proceedings concerning immigration and asylum cases, but separate figures for the amount spent are not available.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he has received the Director of Public Prosecutions' report on the Crown prosecution service for the year 1990–91; and when the report will be laid before Parliament.

I have received the annual report from the Director of Public Prosecutions today, and have placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham of 2 July, when counsel, other than by affidavits, challenged the conclusions of the tax model in each court.

As I made clear in the answer to which my hon. Friend refers, the challenge to the conclusions of the tax model was contained in the affidavits which were put in evidence in all the courts up to the House of Lords.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the numbers of Inland Revenue inspectors to ensure that all guest houses which should register for uniform business rates are encouraged to do so.

There are no plans to increase the numbers of Inland Revenue staff specifically to deal with this matter. However, Her Majesty's Government aim to ensure that staff will be maintained at the level required to enable the valuation office to carry out its statutory duties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of all bonus schemes in operation in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise executive units.

Customs have one bonus scheme in operation in their executive units—the special bonus scheme. Special bonuses are used to reward exceptional performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. They take the form of taxable, non-pensionable lump sum payments. The overall cost for running the scheme in each executive unit is restricted to 0·2 per cent. of the pay bill.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise executive units since the reorganisation along next steps lines; and separately identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to the introduction of executive units.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise set up 30 executive units on 1 April 1991. Their key performance indicators, expressed in aggregate for the 21 collection executive units, including those relating to quality of service, are listed in the published Customs and Excise management plan for 1991–92 to 1993–94. The previous year's management plan similarly identifies quality of service indicators operative prior to the introduction of executive units. Copies of these plans are in the House Library. The overall number of quality of service indicators more than doubled from 1 April 1991.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those new facilities for staff such as nurseries and health care schemes which have been introduced in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise since its reorganization on next steps lines.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is developing its "Look After Your Heart" campaign and seminars for liaison officers from executive units are planned in September. The views of managers and staff are currently being sought towards a more positive departmental policy on smoking at work. Health screening exercises are being undertaken in two locations with another planned. A staff assistance programme is being developed, which will make health care advice available throughout the Department and stress management awareness training available where necessary.Customs and Excise participates in 25 play schemes. The latest, in Glasgow, opens on 8 July. The Department's first on-site nursery was opened in Wembley in February and has facilities for 20 children. A further 20 places have recently been secured in a private nursery in Southend. Three other on-site nurseries are planned.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the last annual report for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise was published; and when the next one is due.

The report for the year ending 1989–90 was published on 10 October 1990. The report for 1990–91 will be published in October.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of Inland Revenue inspectors for each year since 1979.

The table sets out the total numbers of Inland Revenue staff in the Department's inspector grades at 1 April for each year since 1979.

	Number
1979	6,551
1980	6,561
1981	6,516
1982	6,396
1983	6,379
1984	6,530
1985	6,462
1986	6,572
1987	6,852
1988	7,116
1989	7,512
1990	7,816
1991	8,155

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to extend his Department's standing instructions to all Government Departments on the timing of the payment of bills to small businesses and local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The standing guidance to Government Departments on the timing of the payment of bills, which is set out in "Government Accounting", the Treasury's guide on accounting and financial procedures, does not apply to the payment of bills by local authorities, which are responsible for their own policy in this matter.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has completed his investigation of the treatment of small businesses by the banks; and if he will make a statement.

My officials and officials at the Bank of England are looking at banks' interest rates and charges to small businesses, and how lending policies are being applied. Once the facts have been fully established and considered, a statement will be made in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he accepts the estimates provided by the Campaign for Tax Relief on Child Care of the costs and benefits to the Exchequer of extending tax exemption to all legal employer-assisted child care; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 8 July 1991]: The Government do not accept the TRAC estimates as they are based on a number of questionable assumptions about the likely behavioural response to extending tax relief for child care, and appear to take no account of some relevant factors.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the reference numbers of documents held in the file T160/763/F14755; and if he will, in each case, state the other file or files in which copies are retained.

[holding answer 8 July 1991]: The Treasury has found no record which would enable it to establish what documents were on the file or what reference numbers, if any, they may have had.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds his Department grants annually to (a) the Franco-British parliamentary group, (b) the British-German parliamentary group and (c) the British-American parliamentary group; and when these amounts were last revised.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek a debate in the UN on the report by Michael Priestly on the health consequences to Iraq of continued international sanctions.

The UN Security Council will conduct its next review of the sanctions on imports by Iraq in August, as provided for in Security Council resolution 687. The Council's discussions will no doubt be informed by the findings of the UN mission led by Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan which is currently visiting Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report prepared by Zachary S. Davis of "The Congressional Research Service on Non-proliferation Regimes: A Comparative Analysis of Policies to Control the Spread of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons and Missiles", released on 1 April by the United States Library of Congress.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much land in the Falklands is now owned by Falkland islanders; and if he will make a statement.

With the recent purchase by the Falklands Islands Government of four farms previously owned by the Falkland Islands company, Falkland islanders, or their Government, now own about 95 per cent. of land in the islands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he proposes to make for the protection of British interests in Gabon and Congo after the closure of British embassies in those countries.

Following the decision earlier this year to close our embassies in Libreville and Brazzaville, the Governments of Gabon and Congo have been informed of our intentions and both embassies will close by the end of July. The protection and promotion of British interests in these countries will in future be the responsibility of the British embassy in Kinshasa. Accreditation will shortly be sought for our ambassador in Kinshasa to be concurrently ambassador (non-resident) in Gabon and Congo.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums have been expended to the latest available date by the Northern Ireland Curriculum Council on the printing and circulation of its guidance material to the teaching profession.

To the end of June this year, the cost of publication and distribution of guidance materials produced by the Northern Ireland Curriculum Council to the teaching profession was £182,365.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who will chair the third strand of the talks involving the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Governments and the constitutional political parties of Northern Ireland.

I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement that I made in the House on 3 July 1991, Official Report, columns 319–20.As the talks that were held on the basis of my statement of 26 March 1991 have now concluded without the third strand having commenced, this question does not arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy towards the recommendations of the "Disability Manifesto: An Agenda for the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him, which relates to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

[Holding answer 3 July 1991]: The Government remain committed to developing care in the community. The regional strategy for the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland and the recent policy paper "People First", which charts the way forward for community care in the 1990s, both identify improvements in attitudes and services which need to be made to enhance the quality of life for disabled people. They both stress the importance of assessing individual people's needs and targeting services to help them to live in their own homes for as long as possible and to participate fully in the life of the community.Stemming from "People First", the Department of Health and Social Services has recently issued detailed guidance requiring health and social services boards, from 1 April 1991, to put in place new complaints procedures which will ensure the formal investigation of all complaints or representations about community care services made by individuals or by anyone on their behalf. From April 1993, comprehensive assessment arrangements will be introduced covering the community care needs of all people who are vulnerable through aging or disability. The guidance on complaints procedures required boards not only to publish the new arrangements but to ensure that any relevant information is made available in an appropriate format to sensorily handicapped or homebound people. The guidance on assessment and care management will similarly be publicised and, in providing for the appointment of a representative of the disabled person, will enable any problems in communication faced by the disabled person to be addressed.Government support was given to the introduction of the Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 on the understanding that it would be brought into effect in stages as resources permitted. On 1 April 1991, sections 5 and 6 of the Act and parts of sections 4, 8 and 11 were brought into force. These provisions require health and social services boards to assess the needs of disabled people for certain social welfare services, and the ability of their carers to provide appropriate care. Boards are also required, in association with education and library boards, to ensure that young disabled people have a smooth transition from full-time education to adult life. Substantial resources have been made available to boards to enable them to implement these provisions.With the introduction of these sections, Northern Ireland is now fully in line with Great Britain as far as the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 is concerned. The intention is to maintain this position of parity.Of the provisions of the 1989 Act still to be brought into effect, sections 1 and 2 provide for the appointment of an authorised representative either by the disabled person concerned or by the relevant health and social services board. Section 3 requires the relevant board to give a disabled person or his authorised representative the right to make representations about his need for services, to provide on request a written statement on the assessed need for services and to respond to representations about any such statement.The implementation of these sections has been overtaken by the wider developments in the community care field. In particular, the far-reaching proposals in "People First" embody the spirit of sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Act. These, and the other broadly-based developments described above, reflect the Government's continuing drive towards substantial improvements in community care services in Northern Ireland and its commitment to provide the resources necessary to achieve this goal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the closing dates for applications for postgraduate awards from the Science and Engineering Research Council in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) the rest of the United Kingdom.

The closing date for receipt of nominations for postgraduate awards funded by SERC is 31 July. This date applies whether the student is to study in Northern Ireland or elsewhere in the United Kingdom, providing that he or she is eligible for a SERC award. The student must satisfy eligibility criteria on both qualifications and residence.The SERC residence criterion refers to postgraduate students ordinarily resident in Great Britain. Support for students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland is provided by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland, DENI—not SERC. The DENI closing date for receipt of applications for its awards competition is 1 May for students wishing to study in Great Britain, and 1 August for those wishing to study in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are educated in voluntary aided (a) infants, (b) junior and (c) high schools in Barnet; and how many pupils are educated in (i) Church of England, (ii) Roman Catholic and (iii) Jewish voluntary-aided schools in Barnet.

The number of pupils in Barnet educated in voluntary-aided schools is given in the table, by type and denomination of school. The figures relate to January 1990, the latest date for which information is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much time is spent in school by children in (a) England and Wales, (b) Japan, (c) Germany and (d) France.

International comparison cannot be precise. The figures in the table compare the number of hours of weekly attendance at school and the number of weeks in the school year.

Barnet LEA Pupils in voluntary aided schools by type and denomination
Type of School	Number of pupils
Infant Schools	616
Junior Schools	734
Junior and Infant Schools	5,637
Secondary Schools	6,676
Total pupils in Barnet in voluntary aided schools	13,663

By Denomination	Number of Pupils
Church of England Schools	4,753
Roman Catholic Schools	6,493
Jewish Schools	1,826
Other Schools	591
Total pupils in Barnet in voluntary aided schools	13,663

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in rank order the amount spent by each local education authority on special needs (a) as an amount per pupil-student and (b) as a proportion of total local education authority expenditure on education.

Returns from local education authorities identify separately their expenditure on special schools, home and hospital tuition, child guidance and educational psychological services. However, those returns do not show separately the amount spent to meet the special needs of pupils in primary and secondary schools and of further education students.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive an interim report of the inspector's inquiry into the loss of the Wilhelmina J fishing vessel.

The chief inspector of marine accidents submitted the inspector's interim report, which contained the initial findings of the inspector regarding the collision between the Zulfikar and Wilhelmina J, to the Secretary of State on 24 April. The inspector's inquiry continues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sums he has authorised in each of the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92 for assisting passenger services on the River Thames in London; and what were the approximate number of passenger miles travelled on assisted services, and the assistance in pence per mile respectively for the year 1990–91.

The £500,000 grant made by the Government in 1989 was part of a £2·5 million public-private sector initiative to promote and improve the service provided, and to enable the undertaking to establish its commercial viability over a three-year period. We have made no further grants. The current operator, the River Bus Partnership, is not required to provide us with details of passenger carryings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of injuries caused in each of the last five years to passengers in heavy goods vehicles or commercial vehicles who are not wearing seat belts.

Information regarding seat belt use by casualties in heavy goods vehicles or commercial vehicles is not available. Information on passenger casualties in light goods vehicles is given in the table. Data for 1990 are not yet available.

Injuries to passengers in light goods vehicles1who were not wearing a seat belt: Great Britain: 1985–89
	Number
1985	952
1986	980
1987	899
1988	938
1989	885
1 Light goods vehicles are defined as goods vehicles up to 1·5 tons unladen weight.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring in regulations making it compulsory for passengers in the front of heavy goods vehicles or commercial vehicles to wear seat belts; and if he will make a statement.

The present seat belt wearing regulations require seat belts to be used by front seat passengers occupying the specified passenger seat of such vehicles as well as by the driver, where they are fitted. A number of manufacturers of heavy goods vehicles already fit seat belts voluntarily as an important safety feature. A European Community directive will require all new HGVs to be fitted with seat belts from 1997. Seat belts have been required to be fitted to the driver's seat and exposed forward facing front seat of coaches and large minibuses since 1 October 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the precise reference to where in the Severn bridge concession agreement the provisions and presumptions about interest charges for the project are covered.

Clause 5 and schedule 2—part 4—of the concession agreement with Severn River Crossing plc set out the basis of the financial terms for the project. The detailed provisions relating to interest charges are commercially confidential and are contained in the supporting financial documentation to the agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Severn bridge debt.

The net debt on the Severn bridge at 31 March 1990 was £114 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what temporary service facilities will now be introduced on the M40 following the rejection of planning permission for motorway service areas.

Planning permission has been refused for the motorway service area—MSA—proposed at Tetsworth to serve the southern section of the M40. Two other MSAs are proposed, one at Barn Hill, between junctions 12 and 13, on which a planning decision is awaited; and one at Ardley, at junction 10, for which planning clearance has been obtained. It is hoped to have the Ardley MSA developed and open early in 1993.In the meantime, signs to the MSAs at Frankley and Hilton Park on the M6 and at Tamworth on the M42 are being modified to indicate that there are no services on the M40. Signs to similar effect are being erected on major approach roads to the M40 such as A34 and A46.Temporary signs will be erected on the M40 within the next few weeks to indicate the availability of 24-hour fuel facilities off junctions 10 and 15 for emergency use. The general "No services" signing will remain on the motorway.Agreement in principle has been reached with Warwickshire and Oxfordshire county councils for emergency lavatory facilities to be provided on A542 between junctions 13 and 14 and off junction 10. When these facilities are in place, they, too, will be signed from the motorway.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the results of traffic-calming measures on accident levels; and if he will make a statement.

The urban safety project carried out by the transport and road research laboratory indicated that traffic-calming measures can reduce casualties in residential areas by an average of 13 per cent. If this approach were applied nationally, approximately 5 per cent. of all road casualties would be saved.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will consider loosening pre-Budget secrecy on issues that are not market sensitive.

It is already the practice to consult interested parties where appropriate on tax measures for possible inclusion in future Budgets. In this year's Budget, my right hon. Friend announced consultation on at least nine separate issues. In addition, proposals in the Finance Bill are subject to detailed consideration in Committee in the usual way.

To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements have existed between the Department of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food over the past four years in preparing prosecutions against people claimed to be dealing illegally in anabolic steroids.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's investigation branch carries out investigations at the request and under the direction of the medicines control agency's—MCA—enforcement unit into persons suspected of dealing illegally in anabolic steroids. On completion of an investigation the MCA, subject to solicitor's advice, decides whether to prosecute.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's position regarding the renewal by the United States Government of China's most favoured nation status.

Renewal by the United States Government of most favoured nation status for China is of great importance to Hong Kong. We hope that both the House of Representatives and the Senate will give their support to this measure.Hong Kong's economy is now inextricably linked with that of China. More than two thirds of Chinese exports to the United States are routed through Hong Kong. It has been estimated that non-renewal of China's MFN could result in a loss of some 43,000 Hong Kong jobs, a drop of up to half in Hong Kong's current GDP growth and a loss of US$9 billion to 12 billion in trade. American commercial interest and investment in Hong Kong would also be adversely affected.There have been some calls for renewal to be made subject to conditions, but this, too, would be bad for Hong Kong. The resulting uncertainty would be a major disincentive to investment in Hong Kong.

To ask the Prime Minister what response he has sent to the representations from Watney Truman tenants about notices to quit from Watney's brewery and in particular, the notice to quit to the proprietor of the Plough public house, Coldharbour lane, London SE5.

I have received a number of representations on this matter. The Government have expressed their concern that certain brewers are issuing notices to quit to their tenants. However, we have received assurances that the purpose of most of these notices is to allow the renegotiation of tenancy agreements. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is keeping in close contact with the brewers and representatives of the tenants on this issue.

	Year ending 31 December 1979		Year ending 31 March 1990
District Health Authority	Pupils inspected	Pupils re-inspected	Pupils inspected	Pupils re-inspected
Clwyd	31,773	4,113	26,781	2,011
East Dyfed	35,043	8,640	13,814	1,681
Pembrokeshire			15,275	8,150
Gwent	54,188	4,850	30,140	6,934
Gwynedd	16,580	777	16,157	1,434
Mid Glamorgan	62,739	12,379	49,726	10,039
Powys	12,439	1,761	11,398	4,054
South Glamorgan	40,851	5,677	38,939	3,761
West Glamorgan	37,238	4,439	45,262	3,828
Wales	290,851	42,636	247,492	41,892

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a tour of Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association groups in east Clwyd.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has met Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association leaders.

I met leaders of the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association at a recent reception at the House of Commons. Officials met leaders of Wales PPA on 1 July, when funding arrangements were discussed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association leaders at their Wales headquarters.

I have not been invited to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the amount of cash given to the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association in real terms for the last three years.

The total amount of grant given to the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 over the financial year 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 was £417,757. In addition, in 1989–90 and 1990–91, the Gwynedd Pre-School Playgroups Association received grants totalling £8,500 under section 26 of the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976. For 1991–92 the following grants have been offered to the Wales PPA and its county associations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of pupils inspected and the number of pupils re-inspected by the school service of the community dental service in 1979 and the most recent available year (a) by authority and (b) for Wales as a whole.

The information requested is given in the table.

	£
Under section 28(B)(2) of the National Health Service Act 1977, as amended
Core cost	143,657
Children Act Training	5,500
Powys PPA Development Officer	4,778
Gwent PPA Training Assistant	6,480
Under section 26 of the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976
Gwynedd Pre-School Playgroup Association	7,500
Total	167,915

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the regimental headquarters of the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

I have not been approached to visit the regimental headquarters of the Royal Welch Fusiliers and have no immediate plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit Belmont special school, Buckley.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have any immediate plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the mode of transport used for the recent official visit to north America, its total travel cost, and the evaluation used of the alternatives of private jet hire as against scheduled services; and if he will make a statement.

I travelled to and from north America by scheduled air flights. Journeys within north America were undertaken by aeroplane and by car. As soon as the travel costs are known I shall write to the hon. Gentleman. Alternative modes of transport were considered for all journeys and the most practical option chosen in each case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of Britain's coastline will be designated as less sensitive under the terms of the EC municipal waste water treatment directive.

		Projects supported
1988–89	£357,000	Clapton Park Estate (Phase I)
1989–90	£932,000	Clapton Park Estate (Phase I) Alexandra National House Fellows Court Estate
1990–91	£984,000	Clapton Park Estate (Phase II) Alexandra National House Fellows Court Estate
1991–92	£1,139,000	Clapton Park Estate (Phase II) Alexandra National House

Further resources of £2,526,000 have been earmarked for works at the Clapton park estate (phases II and III) in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the common name of those bird species which require a sales exemption under EC regulation 3626/82, which implements the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species.

I have today placed a copy of the information requested in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the number of cases investigated by his Department of birds offered for sale suspected of not having exemption under EC regulation 3626/82, the number which were subject to legal proceedings and the number which resulted in prosecutions in each of the last three years for which information is available.

My Department's investigations are limited to identifying possible offences, making initial

	Provisional contributions from Local Authorities to non-dom. rate pool 1990–91 £ million	Receipts from non-domestic rates pool 1990–91 £ million	Provisional contributions from Local Authorities to non-dom. rate pool 1991–92 £ million	Receipts from non-domestic rates pool 1991–92 £ million
Northern	455	679	481	806
North West	1,004	1,373	1,072	1,622
Yorkshire and Humberside	758	1,083	810	1,277
East Midlands	592	878	651	1,044
West Midlands	825	1,126	882	1,345
East Anglia	301	445	359	533
South East	1,890	2,344	2,255	2,773
South West	633	1,024	739	1,229
London	2,669	1,477	3,121	1,780
England	9,127	10,429	10,369	12,408

Less sensitive areas will be identified by the Government on the advice of the relevant regulatory authorities in accordance with the criteria and timetable contained in the directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the annual allocations to the area of the London borough of Hackney through the estate action programme since its inception, and the projects supported.

Since the inception of the estate action (EA) programme the London borough of Hackney has received the following allocations of EA resources for projects in the borough:inquiries, and passing information to the police when appropriate. Subsequent investigations are primarily the responsibility of the police, although we keep records of any prosecutions.The details requested are as follows:

	1989–90	1990–91	19911
Initial inquiries by the Department	86	82	24
Legal proceedings taken by the police	5	4	1
Prosecutions	1	3	—
1 April-July.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish an analysis of inter-regional transfers within England in 1990–91 and 1991–92 due to the operation of the uniform business rate, in a similar form to the tables placed in the Library, pursuant to his answer of 29 April, Official Report, columns 9–10.

The available information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the average amount each domestic ratepayer was charged to cover the shortfall caused by non-collection in 1989.

No information is available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of community charge remaining uncollected in Tower Hamlets in April.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 4 July at column 181.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority in London (a) the number of individuals who are liable to pay community charge and (b) the number who are exempt from the charge distinguished by exemption category.

The available information on the number of people liable, at 31 March 1991, to make a payment in respect of a personal community charge for each local authority in London is given in the table. For information on the numbers exempt, by exemption category, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 20 December 1990 at col 267.

Number of people liable to make a payment in respect of a personal community charge by 31 March 1991
	Number
London boroughs
Barking and Dagenham	109,903
Barnet	Not av.
Bexley	179,000
Brent	Not av.
Bromley	255,000
Camden	Not av.
City of London	3,655
Croydon	260,266
Ealing	207,000
Enfield	269,366
Greenwich	160,000
Hackney	143,620
Hammersmith and Fulham	126,036
Haringey	173,600
Harrow	158,987
Havering	189,871
Hillingdon	195,197
Hounslow	183,420
Islington	141,600
Kensington and Chelsea	117,000
Kingston-upon-Thames	133,616
Lambeth	186,013
Lewisham	Not av.
Merton	149,532
Newham	161,003

"HIP1 All Items Print"—column references
	Local Authority	Housing Authority	Other Public Sector1	Private Sector
1979	B41	B42+B432	B44	B45
1980	A81	A82+A832	A84	A85
1981 to 1984	A71	A72	A73	A74
1985 to 1989	A81	A82	A83	A84
1990	A71	A72	A73	A74

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the four statutory organisations recently devolved from the Nature Conservancy Council has the lead responsibility for advising Government Departments on the nature conservation implications of offshore licensing.

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) provides advice on nature conservation matters which concern Great Britain as a whole or have international implications. The JNCC is considering whether it should co-ordinate the provision of advice on all offshore licensing applications for gas and oil.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are taken to ensure the proper display of union flags from Government offices in Whitehall.

My Department issues instructions to other Government Departments about the flying of the union flag on buildings of which they are the sole or principal occupants. These instructions include rules for hoisting flags and the dates and occasions on which this should be done. Individual accommodation officers are responsible for ensuring that the rules are strictly adhered to.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the figures for empty properties by tenure for each London borough annually since 1979.

Local authorities report the number of their own dwellings which were empty at 1 April, and estimates the number of empty dwellings owned by other public sector bodies, housing associations and the private sector, in their annual housing investment programme returns (HIP1). The available figures for London boroughs appear in the "HIP1 All Items Print" for each year since 1979, at the column references shown as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of people accepted as homeless for each London borough since 1979.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning gave to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 30 April 1991 at col 511.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which organisations have been consulted on the draft Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution internal procedure guidance notes for implementing integrated pollution control; whether he intends to consult more widely on these guidance notes and on the guidelines and criteria which Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will use in enforcing integrated pollution control; and what is his deadline for comments.

The following list indentifies those organisations that have been consulted on the HMIP internal procedures guidance, which will ultimately form the part of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) procedures manual. This guidance includes the guidelines and criteria which Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will use in enforcing integrated pollution control.The consultation has been in two phases. The first phase containing the majority of the guidance material, started on 14 June with comments requested by 12 July. The second phase, consisting of a short three-page note was implemented on 2 July, with replies requested by 29 July.There are no plans to consult more widely, although any organisation that would like to comment on the guidance documentation is at liberty to request a set through HMIP.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the appointment and composition of the membership of the Local Government Commission.

Subject to Parliament, the new Local Government Commission will be set up next year. The Secretary of State will appoint its members, and will seek to ensure a balanced membership.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the names, geographical origins, local government experience and when it was gained, other experience and length of service of each member of the local government Boundary Commission who took part in the local government Boundary Commission's review of Humberside; who were the advisers and researchers; what was the number and duration of visits by the Commission and advisers and researchers to (a) Lincoln, (b) Beverley, (c) Grimsby and (d) Hull in the course of the review; and if he will list the different conclusions in the stages of the review and the voting figures on each.

The present members of the Commission are Mr. G. J. Ellerton (chairman); Mr. K. F. J. Ennals; Mr. G. R. Prentice; Mrs. H. Sarkany; Mr. C. W. Smith; and Professor K. Young.Mr. Ellerton served in the colonial service from 1945 ending up as Secretary to the Cabinet in Kenya in 1963. After service as secretary of the Maud and Mallaby Committees on local government and staffing, he joined the Elder Dempster shipping line, becoming chairman from 1972 to 1974. He was later a director of Ocean Transport and Trading Ltd., Overseas Containers Ltd., and chairman of Globe Management Ltd. At the time of his retirement from commerce in 1986, he was a director of Globe Investment Trust.Mr. Ennals joined the civil service in 1952. After service in the Export Credits Guarantee Department, Department of Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Housing and Local Government he was director, local government directorate, Department of the Environment. He later became director general, Organisation and Establishments (DOE), and, before retirement in 1987, deputy secretary, Finance and Local Government (DOE).Mr. Prentice began his career in 1952 as an accountant with Hertfordshire county council. He later had assistant county treasurer posts with Cheshire, Nottinghamshire, and Hampshire county councils. From 1970 he was county treasurer, Kesteven county council and from 1974 to 1979, Lincolnshire county council. From 1979 to his retirement in 1983, he was chief executive, Lincolnshire county council.Mrs. Sarkany held various teaching posts in north London and the USA from 1958 to 1976, later becoming a solicitor in general practice. She is a JP and part-time chairman of a supplementary benefit tribunal.Mr. Smith trained as a civil engineer and held various posts in local authority planning departments. In 1959 he became county planning officer, East Suffolk county council. In 1971 he became chief executive, East Suffolk county council, and from 1974 until retirement in 1990, chief executive, Suffolk county council.Professor Young was a research officer at the London School of Economics, 1966–73; research fellow, later senior research fellow, university of Kent, and school for advanced urban studies, university of Bristol. From 1979 to 1987, senior fellow, policy studies institute, during which time (1985–86) he was research director, and adviser, to the Committee on Conduct of Local Authority Business (Widdecombe Committee) and director, Institute of Local Government Studies, university of Birmingham 1987–90. He is now Professor of politics, university of London.We have no information on the members' birthplaces.The conduct of the review is, by statute, a matter for the Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the long-term forecasts of national demand for primary aggregates reproduced as figure 3 in the document "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales Review of MPG6" will be included in the draft revised version of MPG6 when it is published; and if he will make a statement.

A decision on the long-term forecasts of national demand for primary aggregates to be published in the draft revision on MPG6 will be taken when we have considered the comments received about the recent forecasts shown in figure 3 in the document "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales—Review of MPG6".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the long-term forecasts of national demand for primary aggregates recently published by his Department in "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales Review of MPG6" will he subject to further review in the light of comments on the forecasts received by his Department.

We welcome comments on the recently published forecasts and these will be carefully considered before any decision on whether there should be a review of the present forecasts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the regional aggregates working parties will be preparing new regional commentaries on the basis of the revised forecasts and resulting regional apportionments based on the AM89 survey.

A regional apportionment of the recently published forecasts based on the results of the AM89 survey has been made available to the regional aggregates working parties (RAWPS) as advice which they may wish to take into account as they prepare their regional commentaries. It is also open to the RAWPS to prepare regional commentaries using their own assessment of possible long-term future regional demand.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) in undertaking the review of the Minerals Act 1981, what place has been allowed for representation for the minerals industry, local authorities and statutory and non-statutory conservation organisations;(2) what are the terms of reference for the review now being carried out by his Department of the Minerals Act 1981;(3) what steps he is taking to consult representatives of voluntary conservation organisations as part of the review of the Minerals Act 1981.

The Government announced in the White Paper on the Environment "This Common Inheritance" their intention to review the operation of the provisions introduced by the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981, and the compensation arrangements under it. That review is underway and will consider:

—the nature and extent of the problem, including old permissions, particularly interim development order permissions, and historic dereliction.

—the effectiveness of the provisions of the 1981 Act and associated regulations in dealing with these problems, including reviews of mineral working sites, order making powers, level of compensation, and restoration and aftercare conditions.

—whether there are solutions or approaches outside the current legislation, including restoration bonds and/or levies.

As I stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 17 June, the review is being undertaken by officials with the assistance of a small informal working group comprising three representatives of the County Planning Officers Society and three representatives of the minerals industry. The review, which is already underway, is examining the technical details of the provisions. The Government have no plans to change the membership of the working group. However, interested bodies are welcome to submit representations, and any proposed changes arising from the review will be the subject of full public consultation, including environmental and amenity groups, before decisions are taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by location for London the authorities that have developed emergency control centres; and how many (a) emergency planning officers and (b) clerical support staff for emergency planning officers are employed by each borough.