To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of the work of his Department's animal procedures inspectorate in 1990; and if he will break this total cost down into salaries for inspectors, salaries for support staff, administrative costs and other specified costs, respectively.

The total cost of the Home Office animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate for 1990–91 was over £1·5 million. Salary costs for inspector; and support staff were some £842,000 and £295,000 respectively. Travelling and subsistence costs for inspectors amounted to some £100,000 and accommodation and other costs including computing were some £309,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the EC Ministerial Council meetings at which his Department has or will be represented during November and December.

The Home Office was represented at the meeting of the Justice Council on 13 November in Brussels, and will be represented at the Trevi/immigration ministerial meeting at The Hague on 2 and 3 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (i) the number of visits made by officials in his Department during the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official business related to the European Community, (ii) the number of visits made by officials in his Department to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European Community and (iii) the number of nights spent by officials in his Department over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.

The information for the month of October 1991 is as follows:

(i) 51 visits were made by officials to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community;

(ii) 29 visits were made by officials to Brussels;

(iii) 76 nights were spent by officials away from the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the level of grant paid for magistrates courts in the London borough of Barnet in each of the last four years; and what level of grant he intends to pay in 1992–93.

Magistrates courts expenditure is supported by grant at the rate of 80 per cent. The grant paid in 1988–89 to 1990–91, and expected to be paid in 1991–92, in respect of expenditure by the Barnet magistrates courts committee is as follows:

	£
11988–89	892,200
11989–90	978,190
21990–91	2,057,506
21991–92	31,850,338
1 Grant paid on revenue expenditure, revenue contributions to capital, and capital financing costs.
2 Grant paid on revenue and approved capital expenditure, and on loan charges relating to pre-1990–91 capital expenditure.
3 Estimated outturn.

We will shortly be notifying magistrates courts committees of the cash limit on grant payable in respect of their 1992–93 revenue expenditure. I shall then write to the hon. Member. The allocation of approved capital expenditure which will attract 80 per cent. grant will be notified subsequently.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide for a licensing scheme to enable persons aged 17 years or more to purchase and use crossbows under safe conditions to prevent so far as reasonably practicable injury to persons and animals; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have no plans to do so. There is no firm evidence to suggest that the level of crossbow misuse is widespread and increasing, or that existing legislation is not adequate to deal with the misuse which does take place. A system of licensing crossbows would be expensive to administer and would divert police resources away from other operational tasks. The Government are not persuaded, therefore, that licensing crossbows—which are used by many responsible people for legitimate sporting and recreational purposes—could be justified.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often the suicide risk of young people held in young offenders institutions is reviewed; and whether it is reassessed after major events such as the death of a relative.

Every prisoner is assessed for suicide risk upon reception into a young offender institution. The doctor decides at that time the appropriate immediate action and whether the prisoner should be recalled for further assessment, or for regular review. If at any time during the period in custody, a prisoner shows signs of possible suicide risk, he or she will be referred by staff to a medical officer for reassessment.Where events likely to cause distress to a prisoner come to the attention of staff, the prisoner's behaviour and general demeanour will be monitored particularly carefully and, where necessary, additional care and support will be provided. If there is any concern about a possible suicide attempt, the prisoner will be referred to a doctor for further assessment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any classification is made by staff at young offender institutions between suicide threats they consider genuine and those they consider have another motive.

There is no formal system of classifying threats of suicide by prisoners. It is difficult in practice to distinguish the level of intent in a prisoner's mind. All threats, therefore, must be and are taken seriously by prison staff. Not all prisoners who threaten suicide or who commit an act of self harm will necessarily be determined to kill themselves. But such behaviour, even where not suicidal, will normally be the expression of emotional problems which need to be addressed as soon as possible lest they develop into a more serious crisis.Staff are encouraged to assess where problems may exist and to provide help and support to enable the prisoner to resolve them if at all possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total estimated cost of private visits undertaken by him, other Ministers, and officials and specialist advisers, in an official capacity during the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that information in the form requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy not to support the provisions of the data protection directive affecting political canvassers' powers to ask members of the public about their voting intentions.

The Government are seeking to remove or mitigate the effects of the requirements in the draft directive which go beyond United Kingdom law and might hamper canvassing of voting intentions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy not to support the provisions of the data protection directive which prevent direct mailing.

The Government are aware of concerns among various organisations about the likely effects of the draft directive on direct mailing. In discussion with other member states, it is seeking to ensure that the notification and consent provisions are modified in such a way as to avoid unreasonable restrictions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy not to support the provisions of the data protection directive which would prevent airline tickets being issued across the boundaries of member states of the European Community.

The Government are seeking modification of provisions of the draft data protection directive which might inhibit the normal and legitimate ticketing of airline travel from a member state across the external frontier of the Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of negotiations on proposed EC directives with respect to (a) protection of the freedom of the individual and (b) protection of freedom of the press.

In negotiations on EC directives, the Government seek to ensure a proper balance between the interests of the individual and of society at large.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy not to support those elements of the data protection directive which involve controls over the use of personal data such as names and addresses.

The Government are seeking to remove or mitigate the effects of provisions in the draft data protection directive which go beyond the controls which United Kingdom law already imposes on the use of computerised personal data, including names and addresses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy not to support controls on the use of credit cards outside the European Community under the data protection directive.

The Government are seeking modification of provisions in the draft data protection directive which might inhibit the normal and legitimate use of credit cards by European Community nationals in third countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make its policy not to support the provisions in the data protection directive involving preparation of opinion polls.

The Government are seeking to remove or mitigate the effects of the requirements in the draft directive which go beyond United Kingdom law and might hamper the activities of public opinion pollsters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce his decision on increases in police establishments for 1992–93.

On 9 October I announced that there would be up to 1,000 additional police posts for 1992–93. I have today approved allocations for 937 police posts. In addition, 63 police posts will be freed for operational duties as a result of the contracting out of prisoner escorts next year. I have allocated 807 additional posts to provincial forces; the allocation is shown in the following table. The increases are effective from 1 April 1992, subject to confirmation by police authorities that they are willing to fund their share of the cost of these posts, where this has not already been given.I have also set aside 30 posts for allocation to regional crime squads. Of these, 22 have been allocated to the No. 9 regional crime squad which covers the Metropolitan police district. I shall await the advice of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary before I decide on allocations to the provincial regional crime squads.I can also approve up to 100 posts where I am satisfied that the full cost would be reimbursed by a third party, as in the case of some airports.Applications from police authorities for increases in establishments have exceeded the number of posts available for allocation and I have therefore had to set priorities taking into account advice from Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary. Because I have had to target the increases on the forces which I judge to be in the greatest need, some forces have not had their applications for increases in establishment approved.Over 80 per cent. of the posts will be deployed on operational duties identified by chief constables, mainly at constable level.I have also allocated 30 extra posts to provincial police forces for 1991–92. These posts have been reallocated from provisions originally made for regional crime squads. Details of these allocations are also given in the table. These increases will have immediate effect.In addition to police costs, provision has been made for more than 1,100 additional civilian staff posts to help forces release more police officers for operational duties through civilianisation. Provincial police authorities identified scope in their applications for 1992–93 for the release of some 400 additional police officers to operational duties through civilianisation. In addition the Metropolitan police plans to increase operational strength by 200 through civilianisation.The full effect of the additional posts together with civilianisation could therefore be to increase operational strength by over 1,500 in 1992–93.

Force	Increase approved
1992–93 applications approved
Avon and Somerset	2
Bedfordshire	61
Cambridgeshire	10
Cheshire	20
Cumbria	4
Derbyshire	25
Devon and Cornwall	48
Dorset	15
Dyfed-Powys	25
Essex	58
Gloucestershire	1
Greater Manchester	20
Gwent	1
Hampshire	67
Hertfordshire	4
Humberside	9
Kent	42
Lancashire	4
Leicestershire	26
Norfolk	25
North Wales	17
North Yorkshire	4
Northamptonshire	23
Northumbria	27
South Yorkshire	15
Staffordshire	4
Suffolk	17
Surrey	3
Sussex	32
Thames Valley	87
Warwickshire	4
West Mercia	29
West Midlands	11
Wiltshire	67
TOTAL	807
Additional allocations for 1991–92
Cambridgeshire	6
Derbyshire	5
Greater Manchester	7
Kent	6
Northamptonshire	6

Force	Increase approved
TOTAL	30
Applications not approved
Durham
Merseyside
South Wales
West Yorkshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles he and his Ministers have travelled on British Rail during the course of their official duties during the last year.

Over the last year, the Secretary of State for Transport and his ministerial colleagues have made about 150 journeys by British Rail while on official business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the situation as regards the enforcement of heavy goods vehicle taxation under the Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1988 concerning those operators involved in drain cleansing, the standards required for drivers and the recent court judgment in Swansea; and if he will make a statement.

The licensing and regulation of large goods vehicles (LGVs) is governed by the Vehicle (Excise) Act 1971. Classification depends upon the construction of the vehicle and its use on the public road. The taxation requirements for LGVs are vigorously enforced.The classification of vehicles in the drain/sewer cleansing industry is complex. The issue is complicated by the requirement for some vehicles to meet the Plating and Testing Regulations 1988.A recent court judgment has cast doubt on the Department's interpretation of the law in respect of the plating and testing regulations applicable to drain/sewer cleansing vehicles. The Department is considering whether to lodge an appeal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what grants are available for the development of community transport projects.

Local authorities have powers to assist with the development of community transport projects. In addition, the Department of Transport grant-aids such projects in rural areas through the rural transport development fund administered by the Rural Development Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 18 November, Official Report, column 10, what is his definition of "temporarily imported" for vehicles registered in other EC states, in so far as such vehicles qualify for exemption from United Kingdom vehicle excise duty; and what steps are being taken to check that avoidance of due taxation is not taking place by coaches registered in the Republic of Ireland but operating full time in Britain.

A coach is held to be temporarily imported for these purposes if it is exported from the United Kingdom on completion of its journey, or otherwise, normally within three months of its entering the United Kingdom. Vehicle excise duty on a typical 50-seater coach is £207 in Ireland and £300 in the United Kingdom. I shall be pleased to consider any evidence which my hon. Friend has that existing regulations are being abused.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the amount of funding available for (a) traffic calming and (b) entry treatments along the length of the red route.

Because the red route pilot scheme is being used as a demonstration project the Department has agreed to meet the full cost of associated measures on local roads. We expect to pay about £0·6 million for traffic calming and £1·2 million for entry treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received regarding the red route through Islington; how many were in favour; and how many against.

I have received several representations about the red route pilot scheme. Some have been supportive, others less so. Many have concentrated on specific aspects of the scheme and have resulted in modifications being made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met representatives from the Chartered Institute of Transport to discuss the growth in air traffic.

My right hon. and learned Friend attended the Confederation of British Industry's transport council in July this year, though not specifically to discuss the growth in air traffic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received from the West Yorkshire passenger transport authority regarding the need to make a decision on the contract for rolling stock for the Leeds-Bradford electrification; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the financing of the rolling stock for use on the electrified railway between Bradford and Leeds and the Aire Valley railway.

The West Yorkshire passenger transport authority and executive have pressed for an early decision on this project. I expect to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to approve the investment bid for British Rail plans to improve Network SouthEast rolling stock, track availability and services on the London-Brighton, London-Lewes and London-Newhaven-Seaford lines.

I will be happy to consider any proposal although I note that the majority of investment schemes do not require ministerial approval.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake to examine the feasibility of installing camera surveillance equipment at accident-prone junctions.

A number of automatic cameras are already in use in various parts of the country to detect violations of red traffic lights at junctions. Section 23 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 will allow information recorded by such devices, if type approved, to be used as evidence in court proceedings. It also makes similar provision for speed-detector cameras.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet representatives of local authorities to promote the use of surveillance cameras at traffic light-controlled junctions.

The Department has been consulting the local authority associations on the issue of guidance on the deployment of automatic cameras at traffic light-controlled junctions, and also for the detection of speeding offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has undertaken of passenger numbers on bus services following deregulation in (a) Greater London and (b) Metropolitan districts outside London.

Between 1985–86 and 1990–91 bus patronage in London increased by some 4 per cent. reflecting a general increase in demand for all forms of public transport in the conurbation.Outside London, over the five-year period bus patronage declined at an average rate of 4 per cent. per year (19 per cent. in total) broadly in line with long-term trends since the 1960s. In the Metropolitan areas the overall decline was some 26 per cent., the bulk of which occurred in 1986–87 reflecting the changes in the subsidy regime from the previous low fare/high subsidy policies and the substantial reorganisation of services which occurred around the time of deregulation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of gross national product is accounted for by public investment in railways.

In 1990–91 capital investment by British Rail (£834 million) and by London Underground (£442 million) totalled £1,276 million. This represented some 0·23 per cent. of gross national product.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the Government's conclusions on the report "Railway Noise and the Insulation of Dwellings" by the committee chaired by Dr. Mitchell.

In my reply to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. Wolfson) on 27 February 1991, Official Report, column 507, I said that before deciding on the committee's recommendations we would like to have the views of railway operators and other interested parties. We have now considered the views received and have come to the following decisions on the committee's main recommendations. Our aim has been as far as possible to achieve equity in the noise insulation standards applying to new roads and new railways. But as was evident from the committee's report, this is a field in which there is room for different opinions.We accept the committee's view (recommendation 1 in the report) that those responsible for new railway lines should take all reasonably practicable steps to reduce noise in the corridor along the line, provided that they are cost effective.We accept that there should be a night-time noise insulation standard for noise from new railways as well as a day-time standard (recommendations 2, 3 and 4). We have decided that, in line with the existing noise insultation standard for new roads, day time should be defined as 0600 to midnight, and that the levels should be 68 dBA

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will (a) give his Department's actual spend in 1990–91 and planned spend in 1991–92 and 1992–93 on science and technology, (b) break down this total spend by programme and (c) distinguish between capital and revenue expenditures.

The information requested is set out in the following table:

Science and Technology
£m
	1990–91 actual	1991–92 provision	1992–93 provisional plans
Innovation (Industrial R&D)	82·2	103·2	100·0
Innovation (Other)	2·9	1·4	3·7
Aeronautics	26·1	25·5	26·1
Launch Aid	89·9	-7·7	-26·1
Space	88·9	96·1	95·2
Statutory Regulatory and Policy Support	48·1	51·1	55·9
Other (including Business Development, Design and Education and Training	63·3	52·2	47·2
Total	401·5	322·0	302·0
Total (excluding Launch Aid)	311·6	329·7	328·1

It is not possible to distinguish between capital and other expenditure within the totals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 6 November, Official Report, column 126, if he will state in full the reasons he decided not to ask the European Commission for the suspension of free circulation of imported footwear from China.

I am writing to the hon. Member and shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if there have been any items accepted in lieu of tax or allocated since his last announcement on 19 November.

Since my announcement on 19 November at column 123, I am pleased to inform the House of the acceptance of a Bugatti motor car and two vintage motor cycles in lieu of £153,000 tax. No decision has been taken on the allocation of these vehicles but the allocation of three offers previously accepted in lieu of tax has been decided. A watercolour by Rex Whistler entitled "Britannia visits the London Museum" will be allocated to the Museum of London, a portrait of Lady Ottoline Morrell by Augustus John will go to the National Portrait gallery and a collection of papers by George Bellas Greenough will go to University college London.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans he has to ensure that there is no repetition of the problems for arts organisations caused by the London boroughs grants scheme this year; and if he will make a statement.

The inability of the London boroughs grants scheme to set a budget until well after the start of the current financial year caused havoc for its arts clients. I have listened to the many representations made to me and I am determined that there should be no repetition in future years. I understand that the process of setting a budget for 1992–93 is well in hand. I shall watch developments carefully and I shall remain ready to reconsider if necessary whether the funding arrangements in London are appropriate.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases were in court or under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office at (a) 1 April 1990, (b) 1 October 1990, (c) 1 April 1991 and (d) 1 October 1991 respectively; and how many lawyers and investigative staff were employed by the office at each date, distinguishing between those employed permanently and those employed temporarily.

The total number of cases under investigation and in court at the dates stipulated were as follows:

	Under investigation	At court
1 April 1990	32	29
1 October 1990	27	40
1 April 1991	19	37
1 October 1991	15	42

To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish the names of all judges and recorders practising in the courts of England and Wales, together with (a) their annual salaries and (b) whether they possess graduate qualifications in a science subject.

As at 1 November 1991, in England and Wales there were over 800 judges including district judges, circuit judges, High Court judges and the more senior judiciary. There were also some 780 recorders, a few of whom were also district judges. The names of recorders, circuit judges, High Court judges and the more senior judiciary are published regularly in a number of reference books.The current annual salaries of judges, and of tribunal posts occupied by serving judges are set out in the table. The salaries are due to increase on 1 December 1991.The office of recorder is a part-time appointment and fees are paid for each day sat. The current daily rate is £281, but this will increase to £286 on 1 December 1991.Information about the educational qualifications of post-holders is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the United Kingdom voted against the continuing of consultations by the President at the January 1991 partial test ban treaty amendment conference.

We believe that the conference on disarmament provides the best forum for discussion on nuclear testing issues. We were therefore unable to support the idea of resuming the work of the PTBTAC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means will Iraqi assets unfrozen on 22 November be allocated to the Iraqi Government.

Iraqi assets will be unfrozen only for direct payment to United Kingdom exporters of goods of British origin covered by a valid licence issued for the export of food, medicine and other humanitarian goods permitted under United Nations Security Council resolutions 661 and 687.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list details of those items that can be purchased with unfrozen Iraqi assets.

Iraqi assets unfrozen in this country can be used only to purchase from the United Kingdom food, medicine and other humanitarian goods as permitted under United Nations Security Council resolutions 661 and 687.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions will be imposed on the use of Iraqi unfrozen assets.

Iraqi assets unfrozen in this country may be used only to pay for exports from the United Kingdom of food, medicine and other humanitarian goods as permitted under United Nations Security Council resolutions 661 and 687.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extradition of Robert Serry from the Turks and Caicos islands to Tampa, Florida, to face trial on charges relating to the trafficking of substantial quantities of cocaine.

The arrest of Robert Serry was the most significant since that of Carlos Lehder in February 1987. It is of immense credit to the forces of law and order in the dependent territory of the Turks and Caicos islands that they apprehended Serry in March 1991, and that the Attorney-General's chambers successfully conducted the case for his extradition to Florida. It is a mark of the close co-operation we and the US authorities maintain in the anti-narcotics campaign in the Caribbean.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the funds which return to the United Kingdom for every £1 spent on (a) bilateral development aid and (b) multilateral development aid.

On the basis of the figures for procurement now provided by the multilateral agencies, I estimate that for the period 1982–89 average procurement of British goods and services amounted to £1·40 for every £1 contributed by the United Kingdom to multilateral aid funds. Because the origin of goods and services purchased under the untied element of the bilateral aid programme is not recorded, it is not possible to make a similar estimate for bilateral aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the proportion of the bilateral aid budget fully and freely available for worldwide procurement, and untied, between the years 1979 to the present day.

The proportion of the gross bilateral aid programme which was untied in the years 1979–1990 (the latest year for which figures are available) is as follows:

United Kingdom untied aid as a percentage of total United Kingdom gross bilateral aid 1979–1990
Year	Per cent.
1979	19·6
1980	26·0
1981	28·9
1982	25·1
1983	28·9
1984	34·8
1985	33·4
1986	25·3
1987	26·2
1988	29·7
1989	28·0
1990	28·7

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the loan which Coal Products Ltd. has negotiated from the European Coal and Steel Community.

I can confirm that Coal Products Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Coal, has been offered a £10,000,000 loan by the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The loan will attract an interest rate rebate worth about £1·8 million over the five-year life of the loan. The ECSC requires that the loan should be guaranteed. British Coal will act as guarantor and, in keeping with my predecessor's assurance to the House on 18 March 1988, the guarantee is being negotiated on commercial terms on an arm's-length basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the control on buildings and structures in connection with inland fish-farming operations, envisaged in annex A to his Department's monthly bulletin for August 1991, will come into effect.

Very early in 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria apply to his consideration of applications for toxic waste plants.

Toxic waste plants require approval by local planning authorities in the light of criteria contained in development plans, waste disposal plans, and statutorily required environmental impact assessments. Waste treatment plants also need disposal licences from local waste disposal authorities and these licences are required to be determined in relation to risks of water pollution and danger to public health.Those plants involving incineration are also prescribed processes under part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This requires local authorisations regarding standards of emissions to air in relation to facilities with a capacity of less than 1 tonne per hour and for facilities of greater capacity a full authorisation by HMIP (thereby dispensing with the need for a disposal licence) covering emissions to all media. Guidance on the best available techniques not entailing excessive costs (BATNEEC) for the different types of plant is provided for HMIP and local authority inspectors.All such decisions are subject to appeal to the Secretary of State and he also has a right to call in planning applications, but he will generally do so only if planning issues of more than local importance are involved. His criteria for deciding such cases must depend upon the specific issues brought before him by the parties involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on trends in atmospheric pollution caused by (a) nitrogen dioxide and (b) low-level ozone.

Trends in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and low-level ozone are described in the second and first reports respectively of the United Kingdom photochemical oxidants review group, copies of which are in the Library of the House. In some rural areas, annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide doubled between 1979 and 1987. Urban areas showed no general trend. Any trends present in the levels of low-level ozone are masked by year to year variability.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (i) the number of visits made by officials in his Department during the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on offical business related to the European Community, (ii) the number of visits made by officials in his Department to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European Community and (iii) the number of nights spent by officials in his Department over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.

During the past month only one Minister in my Department has made such a visit. It was not to Brussels and entailed one night away from the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received of late from the Sheffield city council regarding the council tax.

The Department has received two letters, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House on 14 October 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to make an announcement on next year's standard spending assessments; and if he will review the formula for calculating standard spending assessments.

My right hon. Friend has now announced his proposals for next year's standard spending assessments. These include changes to some elements of the methodology, following consideration of representations from and discussion with the local authority associations and individual local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the grants available for voluntary organisations to help homeless people.

Voluntary organisations concerned with homelessness receive grants under section 73 of the 1985 Housing Act. I have placed in the Library a list of the 99 projects in England which are funded in the current financial year. These are in addition to nearly 70 housing associations and voluntary organisations which are being funded under my Department's rough sleepers initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give financial remuneration in terms of (a) salaries and (b) bonuses for the chairmen of each of the water public limited companies in (i) November 1990 and (ii) November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter on which the companies themselves report to their shareholders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the representations he has received concerning section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 have been favourable and how many have criticised the section or the way it has worked.

Of the 126 representations about section 28 received by my Department since the section came into force, 37 of them were in favour of the section, 75 critical and 14 general queries expressing no preference.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish a revised edition of "Waste Management Paper No. 27" about landfill gas.

The second edition of "Waste Management Paper No. 27" is being published today. This follows public consultation on a draft of the revised paper.The paper gives guidance on the monitoring and control of landfill gas and its publication follows a Government commitment in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" to publish detailed guidance on waste disposal techniques. Copies are being sent to the local authorities.The guidance takes into account developments in the Department's research programme on landfill gas. This research is continuing. Information gained from the research programme and developments in landfilling practices will be assessed for further updating of the paper in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the valuation date for the 1995 non-domestic revaluation.

The next non-domestic property revaluation is due to come into force from 1 April 1995.I propose that the antecedent date, that is the common valuation date, for the 1995 revaluation will be 1 April 1993 and I will be laying the necessary regulations in due course. My decision will provide certainty for businesses and will allow adequate time for the assessment work to be carried out.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cumulative United Kingdom visible trade deficit since June 1987.

A total of £81 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent forecast is for the proportion of non-oil gross domestic product that taxes and national insurance contributions will represent in 1991–92.

37·1 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of non-oil gross domestic product non-oil taxes and national insurance contributions represented in (a) 1978–79 and (b) 1991–92.

34·7 per cent. and 37·1 per cent. respectively.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of net tax yield to the Government was drawn from income tax in 1970–71, 1980–81, and 1990–91, respectively.

31 per cent. in 1970–71, 29 per cent. in 1980–81 and 27 per cent. in 1990–91.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current income tax yield from the top 5 per cent. of earners as a proportion of the total; and what was the equivalent figure in 1979.

It is estimated that in 1991–92 the top 5 per cent. of taxpayers will be liable to pay about 32 per cent. of the total yield of income tax. The corresponding figure for 1978–79 was 24 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Japanese investment into the European Community came to the United Kingdom in the latest year for which figures are available.

The latest information published by the Bank of Japan indicates that in 1990 just over half of Japanese direct investment in the European Community came to the United Kingdom.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of corporation tax for small companies; and what was the comparable figure 12 years ago.

The small companies rate of corporation tax is 25 per cent. compared with 42 per cent. at the time of the 1979 general election.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest forecast for the balance of payments deficit in 1992.

In his autumn statement the Chancellor published a forecast for the current account deficit of £9½ billion in 1992.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received over measures to revive the economy.

A number. Many of them support the Government's determination to defeat inflation and thereby create the conditions for sustainable economic growth.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average annual rate of manufacturing investment between 1974 and 1979; and what it has been since 1979.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. McKay).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with his European Community counterparts on the progress in reaching an agreement on the draft treaty on economic and monetary union.

I attended the latest meeting of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union on Monday 25 November. I shall attend a further meeting during the weekend of 30 November to 2 December.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the Government's economic policies on employment over the last year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effects the Government's economic policies have had on the level of unemployment over the last year.

Such effects are not measurable. The Government's economic policies aim to foster sustainable growth of output and employment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Gloucester, 13 November, Official Report, column 526, if he will review the operation of the TESSA regulations in the light of evidence that some banks and building societies presently refuse to accept TESSAs transferred from other issuers.

The TESSA rules are kept under regular review. The number of institutions unwilling so far to accept inward transfers amounts to a very small minority out of a total of 150 providers—and, of those, one has already changed its mind.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the EC Ministerial Council meetings at which his Department has, or will be, represented during November and December.

I attended the meeting of the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers on 11 November and will attend further meetings of that Council on 3 and 16 December. My hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury attended the meeting of the Budget Council on 12 November. In addition, I have attended, and will continue to attend, meetings of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (i) the number of visits made by officials in his Department during the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official business related to the European Community, (ii) the number of visits made by officials in his Department to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European Community and (iii) the number of nights spent by officials in his Department over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.

Officials in my Department made 58 visits in the month of October to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official EC business; of these visits 46 were to Brussels. Officials spent 76 nights away from the United Kingdom on official EC business in October.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated value of MIRAS in Scotland in (a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92.

Broad estimates based on the regional distribution of mortgage interest relief from an analysis of the family expenditure survey are as follows:

Cost of mortgage interest relief for home owners in Scotland
	£ million
1990–91	530
1991–92	420

The percentages of mortgage interest relief given at source through the MIRAS system are estimated at 87 per cent. for 1990–91 and 94 per cent. for 1991–92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science under what conditions agencies or authorities responsible to his Department have the right to invest funds surplus to their current requirements.

Bodies which receive grant from the Department are generally responsible for their own decisions about the management of any funds they may be holding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage increase there will have been in real terms between the United Kingdom science budget of 1978–79 and 1992–93.

Based on actual expenditure and provision, the science budget in 1992–93 will be 31·8 per cent. higher in real terms than it was in 1978·79. However, after making appropriate adjustments for certain transfers of funding responsibilities since 1978–79, including the proposed change in the dual-support arrangements, the increase will be 23–7 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out by local education authority (a) the bids for capital spending on further education and (b) the capital allocations for further education for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91, respectively.

This information could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish information relating to the aggregate results in the standard assessment tests for key stage one for each local authority area, adjusted to take account of socio-economic and other factors in the manner of the DES statistical bulletin 13/84 or other similar appropriate manner;(2) if he will publish such information as he has available relating to the aggregate results in the standard assessment tests for key stage one by each local authority area, but in such a manner that individual schools may not be identified.

As announced on 7 November at column 206, my right hon. and learned Friend intends to publish shortly the aggregate results of each local education authority in England, together with the national results. Individual schools will not be identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary schools in (a) England and (b) Wales were built before 1900.

The Department does not maintain a record of the age of school buildings but the "Study of School Building" published in 1977, which was based on a sample survey of primary and secondary schools, reported that, of the then 23,000 primary schools in England and Wales, 8,000 were built before 1903.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for schools in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conclusions the Science and Engineering Research Council has reached in its review of neutron facilities at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble and the ISIS source at its Rutherford-Appleton laboratory; how those conclusions relate to the present problems with the ILL reactor; and if he will make a statement.

Following its review of neutron beam requirements earlier this year, the Science and Engineering Research Council concluded that its expenditure in this area of science should be reduced by some £5 million a year from the previously planned level with effect from 1994–95.The council further concluded that its financial support for the ISIS facility should remain broadly in line with currently planned levels. It is therefore seeking a reduction in the level of the United Kingdom's contribution to the Institut Laue-Lagevin (ILL) beyond 1993.The council's aim is to reach a satisfactory agreement with our French and German partners in the ILL both on the question of the future level of United Kingdom participation and on the related question of a repair plan for the reactor. To achieve this the United Kingdom is proposing that the present ILL convention should be superseded from 1 January 1994; formal notice to this effect, as required under the convention, will be given before the end of 1991.The United Kingdom delegation will be making a statement on the United Kingdom's position to the ILL council, now meeting in Grenoble, later today. A copy of that statement is being placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the expenditure on the national health service in each of the years from 1978–79 to date; what allocations have been made in those years to the Barking, Havering and Brentwood health authority; and what variations respectively these represent in relation to the increases in national expenditure.

The table shows changes in gross NHS expenditure in England and in expenditure—as far as it can be identified—in the area covered by Barking, Havering and Brentwood health authority. The latter figures include all revenue and capital expenditure by the district health authority; the cost of capital schemes within the district borne by the North East Thames regional health authority; and expenditure on family health services, which is not strictly attributable to particular districts. Revenue expenditure incurred by North East Thames for the region as a whole and expenditure met nationally by the Department of Health and organisations providing central services to the NHS are excluded.Capital expenditure for particular localities tends to vary year on year, mostly reflecting changes in the pattern of capital investment throughout the country—for example, in the case of Barking, Havering and Brentwood, completion of the redevelopment of Harold Wood hospital in 1987–88, and the construction of a school of nursing and an extension at High Wood hospital in 1988–89.

	NHS expenditure, England		Barking, Havering and Brentwood health authority1 expenditure
	Gross total (£ million)	Percentage cash change	Total (£ thousand)	Percentage cash change
1978–79	6,525	—	46,318	—
1979–80	7,755	18·9	54,516	17·7
1980–81	10,103	30·3	71,771	31·7
1981–82	11,329	12·1	78,848	9·9
1982–83	12,353	9·0	85,471	8·4
1983–84	13,114	6·2	89,621	4·9
1984–85	14,102	7·5	97,246	8·5
1985–86	14,923	5·8	102,935	5·9
1986–87	16,043	7·5	108,522	5·4
1987–88	17,642	10·0	121,899	12·3
1988–89	19,587	11·0	132,211	8·5
1989–90	21,089	7·7	134,984	2·1
1990–91	23,637	12·1	2—	2—
1991–923	26,618	12·6	2—	2—

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting list, region by region, for magnetic resonance imaging assessment/treatment.

Waiting list information is not collected centrally by intended diagnostic procedure or treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he envisages for community health councils in the implementation of the patients charter.

Community health councils continue to have an important role to play in identifying issues of local concern and in acting as a communication channel between authorities and the people they serve.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest information he has on the morbidity associated with asthma in terms of lost schooling and sickness absence.

There is significant morbidity associated with asthma in terms of lost schooling and sickness absence. More than 5·5 million days of certified sickness absence were recorded in Britain in 1987–88, representing about 7 million actual days lost. Information is not available centrally on absences from school associated with asthma.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will designate the effective treatment and care of asthma as one of the first set of key areas for targeting;(2) what responses he has received relating to asthma in response to his White Paper "The Health of the Nation" Cm. 1523.

No decision has yet been made on which key areas will be included in the White Paper. We have received 2,050 responses to the Green Paper. Many of these welcomed the suggestion that asthma should be a priority area for the White Paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about Medway health authority's decision to restrict the abortion service available on the national health service to certain groups; and if he will make a statement.

We have received one representation on abortion services in Medway district health authority. The level of NHS terminations in the Medway authority were just below the national average —42 per cent.—in 1990 and are likely to be above it at the end of 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses his Department has received to the "Health of the Nation" Green Paper; and how many of these called for a ban on tobacco advertising.

Of the 2,050 replies sent to the Department from organisations and individuals, over 75 per cent. have discussed smoking-related issues. Many have called for a ban on the advertising of tobacco.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will collate and publish information from the national health service, coroners courts and police services on the cost of providing emergency health care to homeless people.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table listing United Kingdom public expenditure on health as a percentage of gross national product together with comparable figures in other European Community countries.

It is estimated that total United Kingdom spending on the NHS in 1991–92 will amount to 5·6 per cent. of GDP, rising to 5·7 per cent. in 1992–93. This compares with a figure of 4·7 per cent. in 1978–79. We do not have comparable figures for other European Community countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that commercial vehicles used for bulk transport of meat and bonemeal are properly disinfected before subsequently being used for the transport of food for human consumption.

The Food Hygiene (Market Stalls and Delivery Vehicles) Regulations 1966, as amended, already make it an offence to use insanitary vehicles to transport food. They also require food businesses to keep delivery vehicles clean and in good repair and order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to family health service authorities on the allocation of money for information technology to general practitioner practices.

This is contained in "Family Health Services Letter (91)57", a copy of which is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his practice to maintain lists of health authorities in England and Wales offering operations and convalescent holidays to patients from European countries; and if he will make a statement.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital wards in each health region have been converted for administrative use during each year since 1979.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects all nursing students to be within the Project 2000 scheme in England.

Implementation of Project 2000 began in 1989. By the end of the current financial year, nearly 60 per cent. of the colleges and schools of nursing in England will have received approval to run Project 2000 and £109 million will have been made available centrally towards the cost of implementation. Our aim is to complete implementation as soon as possible; the precise completion date will depend on the funding which can be made available given other competing priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments his Department has undertaken of the sales and production of counterfeit medicines in the United Kingdom.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 18 November, Official Report, column 40.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will call for a report from the chairman of the Northern regional health authority regarding (a) the number of administrative jobs and (b) the cost of administration in the Sunderland district for each of the last three years and the projected figures for 1992.

Responsibility for administrative costs in local health services rests with the local district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to write to Mr. Frank Cronin, the chairman of Sunderland health authority, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for each year since 1979 the amount of money collected by the national health service in respect of payment for ambulance services to traffic casualties;(2) if he will list for each year since 1979 the amount of money collected by the national health service in respect of payment for hospital treatment of traffic casualties.

[holding answer 25 November 1991]: There is no charge for the NHS emergency ambulance service. When patients are treated by medical practitioners following a road traffic accident, two separate charges may be payable. An emergency treatment fee may be claimed at a flat rate, currently £19·30, when any qualified medical practitioner provides immediate medical treatment following a road traffic accident. Health authorities and NHS trusts may collect this fee if the initial treatment is provided at an NHS hospital. The fee is payable by vehicle users and must be covered by motor insurance policies.In addition, hospitals can collect charges for any subsequent in or out-patient treatment up to maximum levels, currently £2,667 and £267 respectively. These charges can normally be claimed only from motor insurers, and only if the insurer has made a payment in respect of death or bodily injury arising from the road traffic accident.The total income to health authorities in England from these charges has been as follows:

	£ million
1979–80	1·438
1980–81	2·723
1981–82	4·198
1982–83	5·894
1983–84	6·950
1984–85	7·324
1985–86	7·916
1986–87	7·871
1987–88	8·687
1988–89	8·748
1989–90	9·256

Information relating to 1990–91 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance requiring local authorities to disregard attendance allowance when determining charges for personal social services.

[holding answer 26 November 1991]: Local authorities have discretionary powers to charge for domiciliary and day-care services. If charges are made authorities must take into account what it is reasonably practicable for an individual to pay. It is proposed to issue guidance to authorities about the use of these powers.The Government's view is that the full economic cost of providing a service should be recovered where this can be done without causing hardship to the service user.