To ask the Attorney-General what information he has concerning the number of repossessions adjudicated in the Crown courts in Wales in each of the last four quarters up to 31 December 1991.

Possession actions are dealt with in the county court, not in the Crown court. The figures for the number of repossessions are not collected. The only information available on mortgage possession is the number of actions entered and orders made in each county court. The table gives the information for Welsh county courts for the first three quarters, and October and November of 1991, the latter being the latest data available. Not all the orders will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrnts of possession.

Mortgage possession—actions entered and orders made in the Welsh county courts
1991	Total number of actions entered	Total number of orders made
January to March	2,236	1,644
April to June	2,591	1,754
July to September	3,050	1,990
October to November	1,769	1,455

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new freight terminal at Thamesport, Isle of Grain, is to be opened; and what assessment he has made of the benefits it will bring to residents of Medway.

I visited Thamesport on 7 January to inspect the start of work on the new rail freight terminal which has attracted a £1·77 million grant under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974. I understand that the terminal will be operational by the end of the year and should enable up to 35 per cent. of container traffic to be carried by rail bringing relief to roads in this part of Kent and in particular the A228 which links the port to the A2/M2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on the improvement scheme to Brownhills roundabout, A666/A6119 intersection, and the A6119 bridge over the railway nearby; what has caused the delays; and when Lancashire county council will be enabled to go ahead with the scheme.

Compulsory purchase orders are to be published shortly. Some of the land to be acquired is public open space and there has been some difficulty in identifying suitable replacement land. We hope that work will start during the 1992–93 financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, using the data in the south-east regional brief published by his Department on 4 December 1991, the number of cars per 1,000 of the population in England excluding the south-east region in 1989 and the number of vehicles per mile of surfaced road in 1989 in (a) the south-east Region and (b) the rest of England.

The information requested is as follows:

(i)In 1989 there were 354 cars per 1,000 of the population in England, excluding the south-cast region;

(ii) In 1989 there were 149 vehicles per mile of surfaced road in the south-east Region

(iii) In 1989 there were 122 vehicles per mile of surfaced road in the rest of England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the electrification of the railway line between Hastings and Ashford has been included in British Rail's programme; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from British Rail that it is examining proposals for the electrification of the railway line between Hastings and Ashford, for inclusion in its programme of work scheduled to commence in 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current position of (a) the southern bypass for Bedford including a Norse road connection and (b) the western relief road.

I hope to be able to make a further announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of the parties which have formally expressed their intention to seek to acquire the Clyde port authority; and if he will make a statement.

No. That is a matter of commercial confidence between the Clyde port authority, as vendor of the port undertaking, and the parties concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department received the Borough of Chelmsford (A414 Main Road and Maldon Road, Danbury) (Speed Limit) Order from Essex county council for confirmation; and when his Department's confirmation is expected.

The application for consent to these speed limit proposals which is currently with the Department was effectively lodged in August 1991 when detailed supporting information was received from Essex county council. This followed earlier lengthy discussions and correspondence leading to my Department's approval in principle being given in December 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he intends to make to the recommendations made by the International Atomic Energy Agency that no further flights of plutonium should take place until the agency's review panel on safety and security of plutonium transport completes its recommendations for new standards for international carriage.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has made no such recommendation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to promote the use of buses.

I announced recently a series of measures to promote the use of the bus:

provision of at least 10 million over the next two years to fund specific local authority bus schemes;

publication through HMSO of the Department's "Keeping Buses Moving"—a guide for local authorities on the provision of bus priority measures;

more resources to the traffic commissioners to check that local bus services run in accordance with their published timetables;

a review by the Department of current arrangements for passenger information with a view to providing guidelines for local authorities and bus operators;

the Department will seek to fund a local authority demonstration project which utilises fully accessible low floor buses;

the introduction in 1992 of an instrumented smoke emissions test for in-service vehicles, together with tough road side enforcement.

These measures have been widely welcomed by the Bus and Coach Council and local authority associations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the amount of money spent on providing the coastguard service for each of the years for the period 1979 to 1991; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 13 January 1992]: The amount of money spent on providing the coastguard service during the years 1983–84 to 1991–92 is as follows:

Year	£ million
1979–80	6·99
1980–81	7·92
1981–82	10·88
1982–83	11·91
1983–84	14·06
1984–85	18·66
1985–86	21·57
1986–87	21·80
1987–88	23·99

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement upon the naming of a new single European currency.

Under the terms of the proposed treaty on European monetary union, the single currency would be the ecu.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of GDP at factor cost and in current prices is accounted for by business investment also at current prices; and what was the percentage in 1979.

At current prices, the ratio of business investment to GDP at factor cost was 14·8 per cent. in 1990 and 14·3 per cent. in 1979.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was Britain's share of main manufacturing countries exports of manufactures in (a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c) in the lastest available quarter.

As I said earlier today in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey), the UK's share has risen in each of the last three years after decdes of decline, as shown in the autumn statement. Based on a measure that includes the exports of all market economies, the share was 7·2 per cent, in 1979 and 6·1 per cent. in 1985. It is likely to have been 6¼ per cent. in 1991.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the United Kingdom's share of the world trade in manufactured goods; and what has been the trend in recent years.

The United Kingdom's share stabilised in the mid-1980s, increased in 1989 and 1990, and looks most likely to have increased again in 1991. Its current level is 6¼ per cent., almost ½per cent. higher than in 1988.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to secure the location of the proposed European central bank in Britain.

The Maastricht summit concluded that it was not necessary to reach a decision now on the sites of the European central bank; that will be decided at a future date.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in the level of manufacturing investment between the third quarter of 1990 and the third quarter of 1991.

A fall of 12 per cent. in volume terms.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about tax levels.

Since 1978–79, the combined burden of taxation and public sector borrowing had been reduced by over 1 per cent. of GDP.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changes which have taken place in the standard rate of income tax since 1978–79; and if he will make a statement.

Since 1979 we have reduced the basic rate in stages from 33 to 25 pet cent. We will move towards a rate of 20 per cent. when it is prudent to do so.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much a cut of 1p in the pound off income tax would cost; how much the raising of the top rate of tax to 50 per cent. would yield to the revenue; and if he will make a statement.

At 1992–93 levels of income a 1p reduction in the basic rate of income tax would cost about £1·95 billion in a full year. Raising the higher rate of income tax to 50 per cent. would yield about £3·4 billion in a full year.These estimates, however, do not allow for any behavioural effects that might result from such changes to the tax system and do not include capital gains tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the loss of revenue from raising the income tax threshold for all income tax payers to £100 per week;(2) how many extra persons would be exempt from income tax if the tax threshold were raised to £100 per week.

At 1992–93 levels of income, the cost of raising the personal allowance to £5,200, compared with the amount due under the illustrative assumption of 4 per cent. indexation given in the Autumn Statement 1991, would be about £10½ billion. About 3·8 million people would be taken out of tax by this change.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when was the last time he held discussions with the CBI to discuss interest rates; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend last met CBI representatives at the National Economic Development Council on 8 January. A number of general economic issues were discussed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage growth in the economy for the last quarter for which figures are available.

Gross domestic product rose by 0·2 per cent. in the third quarter of 1991, the latest period for which figures are available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the business representative bodies regarding the Government's anti-inflation policy.

I regularly receive representations from business on all aspects of economic policy. They consistently endorse the Government's objective of reducing inflation and keeping it down.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of inflation.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT has been raised since November 1990.

On 1 April 1991 the standard rate of VAT was increased from 15 to 17½ per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an estimate of per capita income in the United Kingdom in 1991 and 1990.

Data in respect of income per head are published regularly in table 8 in "Economic Trends", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest available data, for periods up to the third quarter of 1991, will be included in the December issue, due for publication later this month. However, this information is already available on the CSO database which can be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the Government's policies on the level of house repossessions in 1992.

Lenders estimate that the measures my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced to the House on 19 December will reduce the number of repossessions in 1992 by about 40,000—half the anticipated number.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the Government's total income from the football pool bettings duty for each of the years 1979–80 to 1990–91 and as a total over the same period.

Receipts from pool betting duty were as follows:

	£ million
1979–80	136·1
1980–81	157·0
1981–82	176·0
1982–83	199·3
1983–84	204·9
1984–85	218·0
1985–86	235·3
1986–87	254·2
1987–88	277·0
1988–89	279·0
1989–90	303·8
1990–91	303·9
Total	2,744·5

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the increase in duty, including value added tax on cigarettes in the 1991 budget had on the retail prices index.

The RPI impact effect was an increase of 0·3 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current negotiations taking place within the EC Council of Finance Ministers to seek an agreed reduction in VAT for the breeding and sales of bloodstock in the United Kingdom after 1993.

[holding answer 15 January 1992]: The discussions currently taking place are to decide which goods and services may be subject to a reduced rate of VAT within the European Community after 1992. The present list includes goods and services used and supplied by farmers. It has yet to be decided finally whether horses will fall within any of the reduced rate categories.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list details of any alternative schemes being considered by Her Majesty's Government to assist the bloodstock industry in the United Kingdom after 1993.

[holding answer 15 January 1992]: Detailed discussions are currently taking place between officials and interested parties on the merits of an agricultural flat rate scheme for the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which regions of the United Kingdom will benefit from the cohesion fund agreed at the Maastricht summit; and which of the six objective regions in the European Community will (a) benefit from and (b) be excluded from the benefits of this fund.

The cohesion fund will benefit those member states with a per capita GNP of less than 90 per cent. of the Community average—that is, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the Republic of Ireland. The fund will provide finance for projects in the fields of the environment and trans-European transport infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate discussions with the other countries of the European Community to consider what joint action needs to be taken in relation to the occupation of East Timor by Indonesia.

We are already in contact with our EC partners on this matter. We continue to believe that the best hopes for a solution lie in the hands of the United Nations Secretary-General.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Portugal regarding the situation in East Timor; and what further discussions he proposes.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs sees his Portuguese colleague regularly and has discussed East Timor with him on several occasions, most recently during his visit to Lisbon on 7 January. We remain in close contact on this issue, together with our EC partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise at the United Nations the continuing repression by Indonesia of the people of East Timor with a view to agreeing appropriate joint action.

This issue will be considered at the forthcoming session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva from 27 January to 6 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Argentina about the future constitutional position of the Falkland Islands.

There have been no recent discussions; nor is it the Government's intention to engage in any.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in obtaining compensation from Iraq for losses suffered by British nationals and companies during the Gulf war.

Work has gone ahead well in the governing council of the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva which will administer the fund established by Security Council resolution 687: the United Kingdom is playing a leading role. Very good progress is being made in drawing up criteria for eligibility of claims. The commission has also prepared claim forms for expedited claims by individuals up to US$ 100,000. We are now sending them to claimants who have notified us of their losses. Advertisements will be placed in the national press so that the opportunity to make claims is widely known. The commission hopes to begin assessing claims in July this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what provisions have been made for the long-term storage, management or disposal of (a) high, intermediate and low-level radioactive wastes arising from foreign reprocessing contracts signed by British Nuclear Fuels plc up to 31 December 1975 and (b) low level radioactive waste arising from foreign reprocessing contracts signed by British Nuclear Fuels plc since 1 January 1976 for processing of spent nuclear fuel in the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

All wastes arising from overseas reprocessing contracts signed by British Nuclear Fuels plc before 1976 will be dealt with in accordance with the United Kingdom's national waste strategy.Since 1976, contracts for reprocessing overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that these options will be exercised and wastes returned. As envisaged in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) on 2 May 1986 at columns

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the representatives from Wales who will sit on the Committee of the Regions within the European Community; and if he will consider making hon. Members of Parliament eligible for such positions.

The treaty giving effect to the new Committee of the Regions is not intended to come into force until 1 January 1993. No decisions have therefore yet been taken on membership. The Government will however be considering in the course of 1992, the question of allocation of the United Kingdom seats and how individual members will be chosen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients in Wales are now awaiting transplant surgery; and if he will separately distinguish these by organ by district health area and by length of time they have been waiting.

The requested information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each of the last 12 years, and for each county in Wales, the area of land that has been used for major highway construction and ancillary purposes; and if he will indicate the total compensation paid to landowners.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department received the application for approval in principle for the new neighbourhood hospital on the site of the St. David's hospital, Cardiff; when the reply to South Glamorgan health authority was sent; and if he will make a statement.

Application for approval in principle for a neighbourhood hospital on the St. David's hospital site, Cardiff, was made by South Glamorgan health authority on 13 November 1991. A reply was sent on 20 December 1991. South Glamorgan health authority is currently reviewing the position in the light of that response.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of Welsh Water to discuss the purity of the drinking water in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for the Environment have jointly appointed the drinking water inspectorate to monitor and report to them on water company performance. The inspectorate's report to them of its first round of inspections, including that of Dwr Cymru, was published in July 1991 and confirmed that 99 per cent. of samples taken by Dwr Cymru met the stringent statutory requirements of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989—SI 1989 No. 1147. A second round of inspections, during which Dwr Cymru is again being inspected, is ongoing and the results will be published later this year. My officials are, of course, regularly in contact with Dwr Cymru on various aspects of drinking water quality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been paid in compensation in respect of cattle slaughtered in Wales under the tuberculosis eradication scheme in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

Payments made under the bovine tuberculosis compensation scheme are detailed in the table. The information is only available on a financial year basis.

Year	Total compensation
	(£'s)
1980–81	35,911
1981–82	7,105
1982–83	6,918

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) in what number of prescriptions, in each of the last five years, Diumide-K (a diuretic with potassium) or a similar preparation has been prescribed; and in what number of cases one of the individual constituents has been prescribed (a) in Wales and (b) in each district health authority or family practitioner committee area;(2) in what number of prescriptions, in each of the last five years, Burinex A or a similar preparation (bumetanide with amiloride hydrochloride) has been prescribed; and in what number of cases one of the individual constituents has been prescribed

The information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the percentage unemployment rate for the valleys programme area, for Wales, for each year from November 1988 to November 1991, inclusive.

The information requested is given in the table.

Unemployment rates1
November	Valleys programme area	Wales
1988	12·4	9·2
1989	9·5	6·5
1990	10·1	6·9
1991	13·1	9·2

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit Kinnerton county primary school; and if he will meet (a) the parent teacher association and (b) the staff and governors.

Neither my right hon. Friend nor I has any plans at present to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the sale of school playing fields; and if he will make a statement.

Authorities are encouraged to dispose of land and buildings which are surplus to requirements.Local education authorities are responsible for taking decisions about the disposal of school playing fields. In view of public concern about the possible loss of playing fields, I shall be asking local education authorities to consider long-term school and community needs before taking disposal action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools in Wales have had portions of their land and buildings sold since 1979.

Local education authorities are responsible for taking decisions on the disposal of school land and buildings. Information about disposals by these authorities is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the funding of out-of-area patients being allocated operations at the four treatment centres in Wales for the period commencing 1 April 1992.

Decisions on how the treatment centre initiative will be taken forward in 1992–93 will be announced shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last visited British Aerospace, Broughton, Clwyd; and if he will visit British Aerospace to meet apprentices in their final year.

I visited British Aerospace at Broughton, Clwyd on 30 September 1991 to open the new dispatch wing. No date has yet been fixed for my next visit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the remit of the NHS value-for-money unit and its programme of work for 1992.

The NHS value-for-money unit operates within the framework of the strategic intent and direction for the NHS in Wales which dedicates the organisation to the pursuit of health gain and the continuous development of people-centred, resource effective health services. Within this framework, the unit's mission is to add value to the use of resources and to encourage enterprise in the delivery of health services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the report from the value-for-money unit on the cost-effectiveness of the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Cardiff; and if he will give the terms of reference for the value-for-money unit's exercise.

The study at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital is part of a wider evaluation of the treatment centre initiative as a whole. The purpose of the study is to assess the potential of treatment centres to deliver health care services cost-effectively and also the options for the future funding of such centres. The aim is to complete this exercise before the end of the current financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the terms of reference of the joint study into the supply and demand for hospital services in south and mid Glamorgan, commissioned by South Glamorgan health authority, Mid Glamorgan health authority and the University of Wales College of Medicine.

I refer the hon. Gentleman o the reply I gave him on 13 January, at columns 510–11

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to clean-up iron oxide and sulphur pollution in streams, rivers and waterways that flow though or close to former mines.

The National Rivers Authority is currently undertaking a study, which includes an examination of the River Pelena in West Glamorgan, to look at the best ways of preventing polluted water from abandoned mines affecting our rivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from general practitioners in Wales regarding the problem of excessive night-time calls; and what response he has made.

Since the introduction of the revised contract for GPs, one letter has been received from a GP in Wales about increased demand for night visits to patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients have been treated for cataract removal at the new treatment centre at Bridgend hospital since its opening in October 1991; how many were from the Mid-Glamorgan health authority; if he will list all other health authorities from which other patients treated at the treatment centre have originated; and how this compares with his Department's agreement with the treatment centre.

Between 1 October and 31 December 1991 the new ophthalmic treatment centre treated 182 patients, of which 54 per cent. came from Mid Glamorgan. The centre is on target to meet the contract agreement that 50 per cent. of the total throughput of 300 patients in 1991–92 should be referred from health authorities other than Mid Glamorgan. In addition to Mid Glamorgan, referrals have been received from South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan, East Dyfed, Powys and Gwent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last visited Shotton steelworks, Clwyd; and if he will visit Shotton steelworks to discuss the impact of redundancies.

I last visited Shotton steelworks on 27 November. I have not yet fixed the date for my next visit. During my visit, I was most impressed by the determination of both management and work force to maintain the steelwork's position as a world leader in steel coatings technology.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the United Kingdom's share of world trade, taking visibles and invisibles together, for each of the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

In terms of the value of overseas transactions, the United Kingdom is the fourth largest trading nation in the world.The information is in the table.

United Kingdom's share of OECD total trade1 1975–90
(percentage terms)
Year	Exports	Imports
1975	9·5	10·0
1976	9·1	9·1
1977	9·3	9·1
1978	9·5	9·3
1979	10·3	10·0
1980	11·3	10·4
1981	11·6	10·6
1982	11·7	11·1

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help is available for radio listeners and television viewers to avoid interference in reception.

My Department, through the Radiocommunications Agency, provides helpful advice on improving radio and television reception and I am asking the chief executive of the agency to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress made on a conclusion of the negotiations within the Uruguay GATT round on textiles.

[holding answer 15 January 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Mr. Stewart) on 15 January, Official Report, columns 598–99.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement outlining the areas of his responsibility in which the EC will have competence following the implementation of agreements at Maastricht.

[holding answer 17 December 1991]: The treaty agreed at Maastricht contains new chapters relating to industry, consumer protection and trans-European networks. The Community already has competence in these areas. The responsibility for policy on trans-European networks is shared between my Department, the Department of Energy and the Department of Transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the meeting held on 9 January between officials in his Department and representatives of the Football Trust to discuss eligibility of football Premier League clubs for funds released through the reduction in the football pool betting duty; and what further meetings, and on what dates, are planned on this issue involving officials and ministers in his Department.

At the request of the Football Trust a meeting was held with officials from my Department and the Treasury to hear the views of the trust on its handling of grant applications by prospective members of the Premier League and arrangements following the establishment of the league. The trust will be informed shortly of the Government's views. Further meetings will be arranged as appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science further to his letter of 12 July 1991 to the Football Association, if he will set out the precise conditions necessary for Premier League clubs to be rendered eligible for access to funds released through the reduction of the football pool betting duty.

The trust would need to amend its resolution of April 1990 to allow clubs in the Premier League to have access to such funds. My position remains as set out in the letter of 12 July. In supporting such a change I would wish to have regard to how any additional money available to football was to be used for purposes of Taylor implementation throughout the present Football League. I have written to the FA to ask for further information on this objective, together with other relevant matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science by what criteria the national stadiums at Wembley, Hampden park and Windsor park are deemed eligible for assistance through the reduction in the football pool betting duty.

Under a resolution passed by the Football Trust in April 1990 the grounds of clubs in the Football League and the Scottish League and the three national stadia are eligible for assistance from the moneys made available by the reduction in pool betting duty for capital works for the safety and comfort of spectators at football grounds in accordance with the recommendations contained in Lord Justice Taylor's final report on "The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster, 15 April 1989". The trustees also resolved to distribute the money fairly having regard to the differing needs of those clubs and the stadia authorities and the resources available to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy concerning the repayment of grants made to clubs through the reduction in the football pool betting duty if relegated from the Football League to the Vauxhall conference.

It is for the trust itself to decide its grant policy. I myself see no reason why the Football Trust should ask for repayment of grants in such circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amendments he intends to make to the statement of case pro forma for school closure proposals to take account of the change in procedure for evaluating possible deficiencies in playing field provision at neighbouring schools; when the amendments will be made; and if he will place a copy of the original and amended statements in the Library.

My right hon. and learned Friend will decide what amendments are required to the statement of case pro forma for school closure proposals in the light of any comments received from the local authority associations to the consultation letter on the disposal of school playing fields. A copy of the original and amended statements will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the comparative levels of remuneration for medical researchers in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the rest of the EC and (c) the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

My Department does not hold details of the levels of remuneration of medical researchers employed by United Kingdom private companies or charities; nor does it have such information covering medical researchers in the rest of the EC or the United States of America. The pay scale for researchers in universities in the United Kingdom extends from £12,129 to £30,447, although some clinical academic staff are linked to national health service scales which range from about £17,000 to £40,000. Clinical academics holding consultant contracts are also eligible for NHS distinction awards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make it his policy to increase the funding of research into Alzheimer's disease being carried out at St. Mary's hospital, Paddington;(2) if he will make a statement on the funding of research into Alzheimer's disease.

The Medical Research Council, the main Government agency for the support of medical research in this country, is funded from this Department's science budget. The MRC's grant-in-aid from the science budget has increased by about 28 per cent. in real terms since 1979–80. It is an independent body, however, and our policy is not to intervene in the MRC's judgment of its research priorities. Last month we announced a planned rising profile for the science budget generally over the next three years. That will enable the MRC to launch its "Neurosciences Approach to Human Health", so expanding its programme of research on the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

Region1	Kidney	Pancreas	Liver	Heart	Lung
Northern	242	0	0	38	38
Yorkshire	220	0	6	2	1
Trent	354	1	0	9	0
East Anglia	120	0	11	23	20
North West Thames	233	1	8	152	48
North East Thames	466	0	5	16	2
South East Thames	309	1	16	0	0
South West Thames	81	1	0	9	0
Wessex	108	0	0	0	0
Oxford	93	0	0	0	0
South Western	216	0	0	0	0
West Midlands	381	0	34	0	0
Mersey	131	0	0	0	0
North Western	340	1	0	32	2
Total	3,294	5	80	281	111
1 Based on information provided by the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority as at 3 January 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the increase of morbidity in any population following the fluoridation of water to one part per million.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 November at columns 126–27. There is no evidence that fluoridation of drinking water at the rate of one part per million has any adverse effect on health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislation to introduce a scheme whereby accident victims would automatically make their organs available for transplantation unless they have specifically indicated that they wish to opt out.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in England are now awaiting transplant surgery; and if he will separately distinguish these by organ by health region and by length of time they have been waiting.

The table gives the number of people awaiting transplantation in England by organ and the region in which they expect to be treated. Information on the length of time waiting is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on how many calories (a) employed and (b) unemployed men consume on average daily.

"The Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults" published in 1990 shows average daily calorific intakes for men as (a) employed, 2,520; and (b) unemployed, 2,060. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work is being undertaken by the Clinical Standards Advisory Group.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales and I have asked the Clinical Standards Advisory Group to undertake studies with the following terms of reference:

To advise on access to, and availability of, selected National Health Service specialist services, with particular reference to the referral of patients across District boundaries to regional and national centres. Your investigations will consider, but not be limited to, the effects of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 in a representative sample of National Health Service regions and boards. The four services you have selected are: neo-natal intensive care; cystic fibrosis; childhood leukaemia; and coronary artery bypass grafting.

To advise on standards of clinical care for patients admitted to hospital urgently or as emergencies. Your investigations will consider the time patients wait for diagnosis and treatment in the 24 hours after arrival at a hospital, and the factors influencing these times including events prior to arrival, in a representative sample of National Health Service hospitals. You will select several clinical conditions for more detailed investigation, including if possible the effect on health outcomes of variations in the time patients wait.

To advise on standards of clinical care for women in normal labour. Your investigations will include variations in clinical protocols for and practice in the management of women having their first child in a representative sample of labour wards in National Health Service hospitals. You will also investigate the use of cortico-steroids in cases of premature labour.

To advise on standards of clinical care for people with diabetes. Your investigations will include reviews of existing statements of clinical standards, of the standards specified in National Health Service contracts, and of arrangements for auditing the delivery of services to contracted standards, in a representative sample of National Health Service districts and hoards.

I have also welcomed the advisory group's intention to undertake preparatory work on hospital acquired infections and on community health care for the elderly before deciding whether the group wishes to propose studies in these areas; and to keep other areas of clinical care under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which sites have been selected for the new funding under the Government's initiative to improve national health service rehabilitation services for people with brain injury.

Twelve sites will lead our £l million initiative to improve services for rehabilitation and long-term care for people with brain injury. Each one will be a model from which others will learn to improve services to this group throughout the country.

The selected sites are:
	Funds for 1992–93
	(£ thousands)
Regional Rehabilitation Centre, Hunters Moor Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne	40
Leeds General Infirmary and Leeds Community Services	80
Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and Derby City Hospital	75
Nottingham Health Authority	75
Central Sheffield University Hospitals	70
Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Homerton Hospital, London	150
Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre, Oxford	70
Rayners Hedge Physical Rehabilitation Service, Aylesbury	40
Stroke and Rehabilitation Unit, Royal Cornwall Hospital (City), Truro	65
Frenchay Healthcare Services, Bristol	200
Neurobehavioural Rehabilitation Unit, St Edward's Hospital, Cheddleton and Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Haywood Hospital, Burslem	90
Community Unit, Worcester District Health Authority	90

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in what number of prescriptions, in each of the last five years, Diumide-K—a diuretic with potassium—or a similar preparation has been prescribed; and in what number of cases one of the individual constituents has been prescribed (a) in England and (b) in each district health authority or family practitioner committee area;(2) in what number of prescriptions, in each of the last five years, Burinex A or a similar preparation—bumetanide with amiloride hydrochloride—has been prescribed; and in what number of cases one of the individual constituents has been prescribed

The information requested is not available in the form requested. The available data, which relate to the estimated number of prescriptions dispensed in each regional health authority over the last four years, have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will take steps to ensure that every person authorised to certify a human death has first been satisfied that an ether test or an icard test, or similar, has been administered.

Death is certified by registered medical practitioners in accordance with accepted professional practices. Whether or not a particular test is appropriate will depend upon the individual circumstances of a particular case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's current policies in regard to the treatment of breast cancer.

Our objective is to reduce morbidity and mortality from all forms of cancer. The aim of the national breast screening programme is to detect cancer at an early stage when treatment offers the best prospect of success. The treatment of each individual is a matter for discussion between her and her doctor.Developments in treatment are kept under review by the Department's expert advisers on cancer; and the Government are supporting the "Europe Against Cancer" programme, which pools experience across the Community in the fight against this disease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing the (a) perinatal, (b) infant and (c) overall mortality rates by social class in London regional health authorities in 1970, 1980 and for the latest date available.

[holding answer 13 January 1992]: The information is not available in the form requested. The available information is shown in the tables.

Perinatal and infant mortality by social class of father (as defined by occupation) 1980 (births within marriage only). Perinatal deaths per 1,000 total births. Infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Social Class	Perinatal deaths	Infant deaths
North West Thames regional health authority
All	10·4	10·4
I-V	10·4	10·2
I	8·7	7·0
II	9·1	9·5
III	11·3	10·6
IV	10·7	11·8
V	12·8	15·5
North East Thames regional health authority
All	13·1	11·1
I-V	13·0	10·7
I	10·5	8·3
II	13·4	10·7
III	12·2	9·2
IV	14·3	13·4
V	19·2	21·4