Written Answers

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Written Answers To Question

Thursday 14 July 1988

Education And Science

Universities (Equipment Donations)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many bids for support were received by 29 April in response to the initiative of the Computer Board for Universities and Research Councils on equipment donations to universities; what was the total value of bids submitted; how many external sponsors for projects were involved in the bids; what is the number of bids in which each external sponsor is involved; and if he will make a statement.

The initiative was designed to encourage the donation, loan or sale on special terms of computing and communications equipment to universities. The aim is to enhance the existing equipment base in these areas. A scheme of matching support was adopted whereby universities were invited to bid for grants to cover the maintenance costs of equipment made available through the initiative. By the closing date of 29 April for the first round of assessment, 23 bids had been received from 14 universities covering additional equipment valued at an approximate total price of £3,500,000. This valuation takes into account normal educational discounts: the list price would be significantly higher. The number of external sponsors was 15; of these one was involved in four bids, five in two bids and the remaining nine in one bid each. Universities have also been invited to bid in a second round of the initiative, the closing date for applications being 28 October 1988.

Premature Early Retirement Compensation Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there are any plans to introduce a polytechnic premature early retirement compensation scheme in March 1989 or at any time prior to vesting day, after the September premature early retirement compensation scheme now in existence.

Subject to the relevant statutory provisions, the offer of premature retirement terms will be for individual polytechnics to decide, under the provisions of the Education Reform Bill now before Parliament, once they assume responsibility for running their own affairs. The Government will consult the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and other interested bodies in due course about whether it would be desirable to establish collective arrangements for sharing the costs of premature retirement compensation within the new polytechnics and colleges sector.

History And Religious Studies

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the syllabus and standard of examination of history and religious studies at general certificate of secondary education level.

A small number of letters has been received about aspects of particular GCSE syllabuses in history and religious studies.

Trade And Industry

Consultants

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract extant in his Department as at 1 January 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

It would be disproportionately expensive to provide the information requested; contracts awarded during 1987 were listed in my answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 31 March 1988, at columns 591–93.

Public Companies (Shareholdings)

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is considering seeking to lower the threshold of individual or corporate shareholdings at which a bid must be made.

There is no statutory provision requiring a bid to be made when a person's shareholding in a company reaches a certain threshold. The City code on takeovers and mergers contains provisions for mandatory offers to be made when a person or persons acting in concert own or control 30 per cent. or more of a company's voting shares. The City code is administered by the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he gathers on the ex tent of individual or corporate shareholdings exceeding 20 per cent. in major British public companies; and if he will publish it.

Under the Fair Trading Act 1973 the Director General of Fair Trading advises the Secretary of State when he believes that the acquisition of a partial shareholding constitutes a merger qualifying for investigation under that Act. Apart from this my Department does not monitor information on shareholdings in British public companies.

Single Market

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes will be necessary in United Kingdom legislation in order to satisfy the harmonisation requirements of the European Community for the achievement of the single market in 1992.

Some measures required to complete the single market may require implementation by way of primary legislation. In other cases the United Kingdom may give effect to its obligations by subordinate legislation, in particular by use of the powers conferred on the Government by the European Communities Act 1972. The need for implementing legislation, whether primary or subordinate, will be determined on a case by case basis.

Film Industry

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how much was paid by his Department to the National Film Development Agency in 1987–88; and what is the proposed payment for 1988–89;(2) how much was paid by his Department to British Screen Finance Ltd. in 1987–88; and what is the proposed payment for 1988–89.

In 1987–88 the Department of Trade and Industry spent £2 million on the film support schemes administered by British Screen Finance Ltd. and the National Film Development Fund. Of that sum, £1,760,000 was paid in respect of the feature films and short films financing schemes run by BSF, and the remaining £240,000 was paid in respect of the project development scheme managed by the NFDF.There is provision, in any one year, for funds to be switched between the short films and project development schemes. I am not therefore in a position to give the breakdown of funding for 1988–89. However, I would expect that total expenditure on BSF and NFDF schemes combined will amount to the maximum of £2 million allocated for this purpose.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the United Kingdom earned from the export trade of its commercial film industry in 1987–88.

The latest available information in respect of the overseas earnings of the United Kingdom film companies relates to 1986, details of which were published in British Business, 2 October 1987. Results for 1987 are expected to be published in British Business in September.

Copyright, Designs And Patents Bill

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received seeking an amendment to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Bill [Lords] to provide that composers, publishers and authors should be entitled to compensation for royalty income lost through multiple rental of copyright works; what response he has made to such representations; and if he will make a statement.

We have had several representations from organisations seeking legal rights for authors and composers in respect of the rental of their works. However, we believe that the Bill's provisions are already sufficient to enable authors and composers to negotiate appropriate remuneration for such rental.

Nicaragua

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many trade missions supported by Government funds visited Nicaragua, for each year since 1974.

None. No applications for Government support were received during this period.

National Engineering Laboratory

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for East Kilbride on 28 June, Official Report, column 169, if he will list those customers of the National Engineering Laboratory consulted by his Department and the date of those consultations;(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for East Kilbride on 28 June,

Official Report, column 169, if he will list the countries from which information was sought and research carried out in those countries;

(3) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for East Kilbride on 28 June, Official Report, column 169, if he will list the research organisations in the United Kingdom which were consulted by his Department and the date of those consultations.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 28 June, at column 169.

Chile

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total amount of British investment in Chile for each year since 1970.

The available information relates to United Kingdom direct investment in Chile and is given in the table. Portfolio investment is not available by country.

United Kingdom direct investment in Chile
£ million
1970	—
1971	1
1972	-2
1973	—
1974	1
1975	—
1976	1
1977	1
1978	2
1979	25
1980	4
1981	21
1982	-3
1983	3
¹1984	29
¹1985	37
¹1986	13
¹ Includes oil companies, not included in earlier years.—Nil or less than £0·5 million.

Environment

Rents

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the cumulative percentage increase for rents in the private sector since 1979.

No direct measure is available of the increase in private housing rents since 1979, for the reasons outlined in my reply to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) on 27 June at column 156. However, from the figures given in that reply for unfurnished tenancies other than housing association tenancies, it is estimated that private rents in England rose by about 128 per cent. from 1979 to 1987.

Sulphur Dioxide Emissions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received seeking a Government commitment to reducing sulphur dioxide emissions from the United Kingdom by 26 per cent. by 1993, 46 per cent. by 1999 and 70 per cent. by 2003, based on the sulphur emission figures for 1980.

The figures quoted by the hon. Member are those which were initially proposed, for reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions from existing large combustion plants, by the German Presidency of the EC. As stated in my reply of 20 June to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) the United Kingdom recently reached agreement with its Community partners on a directive which will require the United Kingdom to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide from existing large combustion plants, from 1980 levels, by 20 per cent. by 1993, 40 per cent. by 1998 and 60 per cent. by 2003.

Current Approved Structure Plans
	Date of approval of plan	Date of approval of alteration	Time period for housing provision
Avon	July 1985	—	1979–91
Bedfordshire	January 1980	December 1986	1981–96
Berkshire (Central)	April 1980	—	1976–91
Berkshire (East)	April 1980	—	1976–91
Berkshire (West)	February 1979	—	1976–91
Buckinghamshire	December 1979	April 1986	1981–91
Cambridgeshire	August 1980	—	1976–91
Cheshire	July 1979	July 1985	1979–91
Cleveland (East Cleveland)	October 1977	—	1971–91
Cleveland (Hartlepool)	March 1980	—	1976–91
Cleveland (Teesside)	October 1977	—	1971–91
Cleveland (West Cleveland)	October 1977	—	1971–91
Cornwall	July 1981	—	1976–91
Cumbria/Lake District National Park	December 1983	December 1987	1981–96
Derbyshire	July 1980	—	1976–96
Devon	April 1981	July 1987	1981–96
Dorset (South East)	February 1980	—	1976–96
Dorset (excluding South East)	July 1983	—	1980–96
Durham	January 1981	—	1979–91
East Sussex	May 1978	May 1985	1981–96
Essex	March 1982	—	1977–91
Gloucestershire	September 1981	—	1976–96
			No quantified
Greater London	July 1976	—	provision
Greater Manchester	March 1981	January 1986	1981–91
Hampshire (Mid)	September 1980	—	1977–91
Hampshire (North East)	October 1980	January 1986	1982–91
Hampshire (South)	March 1977	August 1987	1982–96
Hampshire (South West)	September 1982	—	1980–96
Hereford & Worcester Replacement	September 1985	—	1981–91
Hertfordshire Replacement	May 1988	—	1981–96
Humberside Replacement	July 1987	—	1984–96
Isle of Wight Replacement	May 1988	—	1985–96
Kent	March 1980	December 1983	1979–91
Lancashire (North East)	November 1979	—	1976–91
Lancashire (Central/North)	February 1983	—	1981–91
Leicestershire (excluding Rutland)	May 1976	July 1987	1981–96
Leicestershie (Rutland)	December 1979	July 1987	1981–96
Lincolnshire	November 1981	—	1976–91
Merseyside	November 1980	—	1976–86
Norfolk Replacement	February 1988	—	1981–96
Northamptonshire	January 1980	—	1976–91
Northumberland	September 1980	February 1988	1981–96
North Yorkshire	November 1980	January 1987	1981–96
Nottinghamshire	July 1980	—	1976–96
Oxfordshire	February 1979	April 1987	1981–96
Peak District National Park	December 1979	—	1976–91
Shropshire	February 1980	November 1987	1981–96
Somerset	February 1982	August 1986	1981–96
South Yorkshire	December 1979	—	1976–86
Staffordshire Replacement	April 1984	—	1979–91

Structure Plans

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local structure plans approved by his Department were approved without change.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to county structure plans. None has been approved without some modification, but the extent of modifications varies greatly from case to case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (a) the dates on which each current local structure plan was approved and (b) the period for which each current local structure plan is in force.

The table gives the dates of approval of current structure plans and alterations, and the period for which housing provision is made. Other policies may have different or indefinite time periods.

	Date of approval of plan	Date of approval of alteration	Time period for housing provision
Suffolk	August 1979	February 1988	1984–96
Surrey	April 1980	—	1978–91
Tyne and Wear	September 1981	—	1978–91
Warwickshire Replacement	September 1987	—	1981–96
West Midlands	March 1982	January 1986	1981–91
West Sussex	June 1980	April 1988	1984–96
West Yorkshire	July 1980	—	1979–86
Wiltshire (South)	July 1980	—	1977–91
Wiltshire (West)	May 1981	—	1977–91
Wiltshire (North-East)	November 1981	—	1978–91

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each local structure plan currently in force, the number of homes originally proposed by the local authority and the number finally approved.

Submitted and approved housing provision for structure plans approved since 1 July 1985 In order of dale of approval
		Submitted		Approved
Plan	Time period for housing policies	Date	Housing provision	Date	Housing provision
Cheshire Alteration No. 1	1979–91	August 1983	57,500	July 1985	55,090
Hereford and Worcester Replacement Plan	1981–91	February 1983	33,850	September 1985	36,100
Greater Manchester Alteration No. 1	1981–91	March 1984	94,800	January 1986	94,600
North-East Hampshire Alteration No. 1	1982–91	January 1984	18,100	January 1986	18,100
West Midlands No. 1	1981–91	June 1983	81,400–85,600	January 1986	81,400–85,600
Buckinghamshire Alteration No. 1	1981–91	December 1981	43,700	April 1986	38,800–43,400
Somerset Alteration No. 1	1981–96	August 1985	34,750	August 1986	36,750
Bedfordshire Alteration No. 1	1981–96	July 1984	32,800	December 1986	38,750
North Yorkshire Alteration No. 1	1981–96	January 1985	45,800	January 1987	42,000
Oxfordshire Alteration No. 2	1981–96	December 1983	38,000	April 1987	40,700
Leicestershire Alteration No. 2	1981–96	May 1985	53,100	July 1987	55,000
Rutland Alteration No. 1	1981–96	May 1985	1,900	July 1987	2,150
Devon Alteration No. 1	1981–96	September 1985	67,000	July 1987	68,400
Humberside Replacement Plan	1984–96	July 1985	45,000	July 1987	45,000
South Hampshire Alteration No. 1	1982–96	February 1984	57,100	August 1987	58,000
Warwickshire Replacement Plan	1981–96	October 1984	25,300	September 1987	28,950
Shropshire Alteration No. 1	1981–96	December 1984	32,000	November 1987	32,800
Cumbria/Lake District	1981–96	May 1986	23,600	December 1987	23,600
Northumberland Alteration No. 1	1981–96	February 1985	19,000	February 1988	19,500
Suffolk Alteration No. 1	1984–96	September 1986	35,500	February 1988	42,000
Norfolk Replacement Plan	1981–96	July 1986	57,000	February 1988	57,000
West Sussex Alteration No. 1	1984–96	January 1985	37,000	April 1988	37,900
Isle of Wight Replacement Plan	1985–96	March 1986	6,000	May 1988	6,000
Hertfordshire Replacement Plan	1981–96	May 1986	61,200	May 1988	62,500

Green Belt Land

To ask the Secretary of State for the environment if he will list by region and county the area of land designated as green belt up to (a) 1979 and (b) 1987 in England.

The table lists the area of approved green belts in each region in England in 1979 and in 1986, the latest date for which information has been collated (though there have been no major changes since then). Figures by county within a green belt could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The general extent of each green belt is indicated in county structure plans. Detailed boundaries are defined in local plans, where they exist, or in old style development plans. Some detailed boundaries have not yet been settled, so areas are approximate.

Approved Green Belts
acres (approx)
Region	1979	1986
Northern:
Tyne and Wear	98,800	200,000

For structure plan alterations and replacement plans approved since 1 July 1985, the information requested is as set out in the table. Details of plans approved before this date could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Region	1979	1986
North West:
Greater Manchester, Central Lancashire, Merseyside, Wirral	¹3,710	750,000
Lancaster and Fylde Coast	—	5,750
Yorkshire and Humberside:
South and West Yorkshire	312,000	800,000
York	¹	50,000
West Midlands:
Stoke-on-Trent	¹	125,000
West Midlands	352,000	650,000
East Midlands:
Burton-Swadlincote	—	2,000
Nottingham/Derby	¹	200,000
South West:
Avon	155,160	150,000
Gloucester/Cheltenham	14,120	20,000
South East:
Cambridge	4,320	26,550
London	757,740	1,200,000
Oxford	61,960	100,000

Region	1979	1986
South West Hampshire/South East Dorset	¹	220,000
TOTAL	1,759,810	4,499,300
¹ Green Belt policies were applied on an interim basis to some additional areas.

Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the area of land, by region and county, designated as of outstanding natural beauty up to (a) 1979 and (b) 1987 in England.

Because many areas of outstanding natural beauty straddle more than one county the information is not readily available by county and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. By DOE region, the relevant area designated under section 87 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is as follows:

	Area in 1979 (sq km)	Area in 1987 (sq km)
Northern	129	¹1,479
North West	910	¹l,560
Yorkshire and Humberside	115	320
East Midlands	520	520
West Midlands	1,128	1,128
South West	5,281	6,198
South East	4,233	5,751
Eastern	1,498	1,498
Greater London (Bromley)	3	3
¹ Includes North Pennines, designated in December 1978 and confirmed with modifications on 7 June 1988.

Council Home Sales

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to amend the description of special adaptations to council homes which enable a council to refuse the right to buy.

Paragraph 8 of schedule 5 to the Housing Act 1985 excludes from the right to buy houses and flats which have been altered in certain ways to make them suitable for occupation by disabled people. The Housing Bill does not amend these provisions, but if amendments are tabled they will be considered very carefully.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the totals of council homes completed by northern councils in each year since 1979; and what are the estimated totals for the next five years.

The total number of dwellings completed by local authorities in the northern region (excluding Cumbria) for each year since 1979 is:

Number
1979	4,417
1980	4,344
1981	2,330
1982	1,476
1983	1,492
1984	1,462

Number
1985	1,177
1986	528
¹1987	445
¹ First nine months.

Estimated totals for the next five years are not available. Estimates for the two forthcoming financial years were included in the local authorities' housing in 1987 and these totalled:

Number

1988–89

811

1989–90

1,509

South-East Regional Aggregate Working Party

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list the membership of the south-east regional aggregate working party, the interest each member represents and the meetings held: and if he will publish a summary of their purposes, recent activities, decisions made and advice offered.

The regional aggregates working parties are local authority groups which draw their membership from mineral planning authorities, the aggregate minerals industry and the appropriate Government Departments. The south-east regional aggregates working party is chaired by the county planning officer of Hertfordshire and the secretariat is provided by the London and South-East regional planning conference (Serplan). I have asked Serplan to provide my hon. Friend with the information he has asked for.

Prisons (Development)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all inquiries into proposed secure prisons and other penal institutions developments in the last five years, giving in each case where permission was refused his reasons for refusal.

Two proposals for the development of prison establishments, at Ashford (Middlesex) and Woolwich, have been the subject of public local inquiries in the last five years. Both proposals were subsequently approved.

Roxby Gullet (Mining)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the authority which granted the original planning permission for mining at Roxby Gullet near Scunthorpe, and about the conditions attached to that permission.

There are two planning permissions for mining at Roxby Gullet issued in 1953 and 1958 respectively. I shall write to the hon. Member enclosing copies.

Council Housing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures showing the total expenditure on local authority housebuilding for each year since 1979 in terms of (i) current prices, (ii) 1988 prices and (iii) share of gross domestic product.

The available estimates of capital expenditure on housebuilding by English local authorities are as follows:

	Current prices £ million	1987–88 prices £ million	Percentage share of gross domestic product
1978–79	1,096	2,245	0·63
1979–80	1,065	1,867	0·52
1980–81	965	1,427	0·41
1981–82	720	969	0·28
1982–83	685	861	0·24
1983–84	682	819	0·22
1984–85	730	838	0·22
1985–86	579	628	0·16
1986–87	458	480	0·12
¹1987–88	467	467	0·11
¹ Provisional.

Nuclear Waste (Disposal)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in which areas of the United Kingdom the British Geological Survey has been working since November 1987 in respect of UK Nirex's search for a suitable site for a nuclear waste disposal facility; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from UK Nirex Ltd. that British Geological Survey's work has concentrated on the geological areas identified in Nirex's discussion document "The Way Forward" as potentially suitable for the development of a radioactive waste disposal facility.

Radioactive Waste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish what information he has of the radioactive waste management programmes of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member states, indicating which have established organisations for the management of such waste, which are operating (i) low, (ii) intermediate and (iii) high level repositories and which one engaged for the search for sites.

I refer the hon. Member to the "International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Fact Book" published by the United States Department of Energy which contains information on those member countries of the OECD which have a nuclear power programme. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

Rent Debt (Calderdale)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions were reached by his Department on the escalation in rent debt in Calderdale in the first nine weeks of the current year; and if he will make a statement.

It is for individual authorities to take timely and appropriate steps to control and reduce rent arrears.

Aggregate

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his policy on stimulation of the production of aggregate from less environmentally sensitive sources and to avoid, so far as possible, environmental and social costs, remains as set out in the Department of the Environment circular 21/82.

Government policy on the supply of aggregates is set out in circular 21/82. However this needs to be read with more recent policy statements on such matters as the development plan system and agricultural land. These are referred to in minerals planning guidance note 1 (general considerations and the development plan system) which was published by HMSO earlier this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, prior to issuing a revised version of the Department of the Environment circular 21/82 entitled "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales," he will issue a Green Paper on the subject to permit full consideration of the views of all those likely to be affected by the proposed changes.

Revised guidelines for aggregates provision in England and Wales are being prepared and a draft for consultation will be issued shortly. A period of at least two months will be allowed for consultation.

National Rivers Authority

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he is giving to the establishment of the headquarters of the proposed National Rivers Authority on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

The location of the National Rivers Authority's headquarters is one of the matters on which the Government expect to receive advice from the National Rivers Authority advisory committee.

Movement And Dance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current amount of funding by the Sports Council to the organisations of movement and dance; what are the future funding proposals; and if he will make a statement.

Funding in 1987–88 by the Sports Council to the seven recognised governing bodies of movement and dance was £181,508. In addition, the Sports Council gave regional capital grants to a total of £5,000 in 1987–88 to movement and dance organisations. Grants to governing bodies are considered by the Sports Council following receipt of forward plans from these bodies. A total of £117,342 has so far been allocated to three movement and dance governing bodies for 1988–89. The council is still awaiting forward plans from the other four governing bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of participants in movement and dance.

The 1986 general household survey of sport and recreation estimates that 1·3 million of the adult population participate in movement and dance.

Disabled Employees

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were recruited to work in his Department in 1987–88; and what percentage of those were disabled.

Figures are readily available only for non-industrial staff. My Department (including the PSA) recruited 1,456 non-industrial staff in 1987–88 of whom 25 (1·7 per cent.) were registered disabled.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons currently work in his Department; and what percentage of those are disabled.

Figures are readily available only for non-industrial staff. At 1 June 1988, the non-industrial staff of my Department (including the PSA) numbered 20,818 of whom 266 (1·3 per cent.) were registered disabled.

Prime Minister

Westland Plc

Q65.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry of Government policy towards support for the helicopter industry, in the light of the proposed sale by Fiat to United Technologies Corporation of its stake in Westland plc.

The Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry maintain close co-ordination on a wide range of defence and industrial issues. But the Government regard negotiations between Fiat and United Technologies concerning their holdings in Westland as a matter for the companies.

Lothian Region

Q75.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Lothian region.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Rating Reform

Q80.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to hold a referendum before implementation of the community charge.

No.

Government Decentralisation

Q85.

To ask the Prime Minister whether she will take further steps to decentralise the work of Government.

Under our next steps initiative, to the greatest extent practicable, responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the executive functions of Government will in future be delegated to executive agencies. The Government are now developing a progressive programme for establishing agencies. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Privy Council Office, will make a statement on the progress of this initiative before the recess.

Terrorism

Q90.

To ask the Prime Minister what response she has had from other Governments on curbing finance for international terrorism.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has announced that we intend in the forthcoming legislative proposals to replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 to broaden and strengthen our attack on terrorist funding. He has outlined these proposals to his colleagues in the Trevi forum and they have agreed that Trevi should study ways of confiscating funds intended to support terrorism. Our proposals will provide a starting point for this study. There has also been some work on this topic in the European political co-operation forum to establish what legislative provisions exist at present in the EC countries.

Working Conditions

To ask the Prime Minister what specific instruction she has given to Government Departments for proposals to improve the health, safety and wage conditions of the British work force following the recent European Community call in Hanover to seek such improvements in all member countries.

As I reported to the House in my statement of 30 June, the Hanover Council welcomed the initiative taken under article 118A of the Single European Act to provide better protection for the health and safety of workers. The United Kingdom is playing a positive role in the programme of health and safety directives under article 118A. In line with current policies, the Department of Employment and the Health and Safety Commission continue to develop domestic proposals to improve the health and safety of workers.As to wages, the European Council drew attention to the prospects offered by the single European market for increasing prosperity generally, including the prosperity of wage-earners.

Engagements

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 July.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

South Georgia

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he has considered to prevent the depletion of fish stocks in the area surrounding South Georgia.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek) on 21 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what surveys have been carried out regarding the possible depletion of fish stocks in the area surrounding South Georgia; and if he will make a statement.

In 1987 surveys of fish stocks around South Georgia were undertaken by two Spanish vessels and by a Polish vessel under charter to the United States Government. The scientific results obtained were instrumental in bringing about the successful negotiation in the convention for the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (CCAMLR) of the first ever total allowable catch set for this fishery.In early 1988 a British Antarctic Survey scientist on board the British trawler Lord Shackleton undertook research in these waters. The results will be presented at this year's plenary meeting of CCAMLR in October to support our arguments there for further conservation measures.

Nicaragua

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received on the closure of La Prensa and Radio Catolica by the Government of Nicaragua; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that on 11 July the Sandinista Government announced the indefinite closing of Radio Catolica, citing its reporting of the opposition march of 10 July in Nandaime, during which the police detained 42 people and used tear gas. On the same day, the Nicaraguan Government closed La Prensa for 15 days, and announced the expulsion of the US ambassador and seven other United States diplomats from Nicaragua. We deplore these Nicaraguan actions. They are further evidence of Nicaraguan failure to comply with its obligations to democratisation under the Esquipulas II agreement.

National Finance

Overseas Assets

18.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest figures for the stock of United Kingdom net overseas assets both in value and as a percentage of gross domestic product.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold).

Balance Of Payments

19.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the trend in the balance of payments.

The current account deficit was 1·6 billion in 1987 and is estimated to be £4·7 billion so far in 1988.

24.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to improve the balance of payments position: and if he will make a statement.

43.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to bring about an improvement in Britain's balance of payments performance.

66.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are being taken to improve the balance of payments.

Policy will continue to be directed to defeating inflation and encouraging enterprise.

31.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of the current account deficit on the balance of payments that he now predicts for this financial year.

38.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new estimates he has made for the balance of payments figures in 1988; and if he will make a statement.

62.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of the current account deficit on the balance of payments that he now predicts for this financial year.

68.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of current account deficit on balance of payments he now predicts for this financial year.

87.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he would now revise his Budget estimates of the likely outturn this year for the balance of payments.

91.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his most recent estimate of the current account balance of payments for 1988 in (a) visible trade and (b) invisibles.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the light of the most recent trade figures, he will revise his current estimate of the balance of payments deficit for 1988–89.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his forecast for the 1988 current account deficit as given in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1988–89".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his latest estimate of the balance of payments for 1988–89.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already said, recent figures suggest that the current account deficit in 1988 may be larger than the £4 billion forecast at Budget time.

35.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the impact of the measures announced in his Budget on the balance of payments.

58.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast for the impact of his Budget income tax changes on the level of manufactured imports in the present year.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave on 12 May 1988 to the hon. Members for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson) and for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) at column 453.

55.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has recently received about the level of the balance of payments deficit for the first few months of 1988.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on this, as on a number of subjects.

67.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest available figures in respect of the balance of payments; and what are the comparable figures for one and nine years ago.

In the first five months of 1988 the current account deficit was £4·7 billion. In the same period a year ago, a surplus of £0·8 billion was recorded, while nine years ago a deficit of £0·6 billion was recorded.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends to take in relation to the current balance of payments position.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to take any measures to reduce the level of the balance of payments deficit.

This Government will stick to firm monetary and fiscal policies. These, along with policies to encourage enterprise, will help to ensure continued economic prosperity. In particular, the current surge in domestic investment and lower tax rates will bring strong lasting benefit to United Kingdom trade performance.

Shareholders

20.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of shareholders in the United Kingdom.

34.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of shareholders in the United Kingdom.

45.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of shareholders in the United Kingdom.

The most recent survey by the Treasury and the stock exchange estimated that 9 million people own shares, three times the number in 1979.

Manufacturing Investment

21.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest forecast for the growth of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in the current year.

44.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest forecast for the growth of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in the current year.

The June investment intentions survey from the DTI suggests that manufacturing investment will grow by 16 per cent. in 1988.

Interest Rates

22.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many interest rate changes have there been since the Budget.

There have been eight changes in base rates since the Budget.

28.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the estimated cost to the Government of the last increase in interest rates.

Interest rates were raised in order to maintain downward pressure on inflation. Lower inflation improves Government finances in the medium term.

30.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the level of interest rates in the United Kingdom and other Group of Seven countries.

The table shows the level of bank base rates in the United Kingdom, and the nearest equivalent rates in the other Group of Seven countries.

Country	Type of rate	Bank rate Per cent.
United Kingdom	Bank base rate	10
United States	Major bank's prime rate	9
Japan	Central bank discount rate	2½
West Germany	Central bank discount rate	3
France	1st category paper rate	6¾
Italy	Central bank discount rate	12½
Canada	Commercial bank rate	8¾

32.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many interest rate changes there have been in the last six weeks.

48.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many interest rate changes there have been in the last six weeks.

Bank basic rates have changed five times in the last six weeks.

Privatisation

23.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the proportion of the state-owned commercial sector which will have been transferred to the private sector from 1979 to the end of this year.

56.

73.

86.

Around 40 per cent. of the state-owned sector of industry has been transferred to the private sector since 1979. The proportion which will have been transferred to the private sector by the end of this year depends on the timing of future privatisations, which has not yet been decided. When the further privatisations so far announced have been completed some 60 per cent. of the state-owned sector will have been transferred to the private sector.

92.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the progress of the privatisation programme.

The Government have privatised 17 major companies and returned around 40 per cent. of the state-owned sector of industry to the private sector since 1979. The privatisation programme is set to continue; the privatisations of British Steel and the electricity and water industries have already been announced.

Balance Of Trade

25.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to make any provision in his fiscal policy to take account of the balance of trade.

The prudent fiscal stance set at Budget time will be maintained.

39.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's balance of trade.

In the three months to May, the United Kingdom's balance of trade was in deficit by £3·9 billion.

72.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has discussed policies to expand mutual trade between European countries with European Community Finance Ministers as a means of increasing United Kingdom visible exports and reducing the current trend to deficit in the United Kingdom trade balance.

My right hon. Friend meets other European Community Finance Ministers from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.

Company Cars

26.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the increase in real terms in the taxation of company cars; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about this year's increase in the taxation of company cars.

Scottish Economy

27.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the performance of the Scottish economy.

The Scottish economy is growing strongly across a broad range of sectors. The Fraser of Allander Institute has recently commented that

"short-term prospects are more favourable than for some years".

Government Data Network

29.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress with the proposed Government data network.

The choice of Racal Data Networks Ltd. to provide the Government data network service was announced on 19 May at columns 572–73. Access contracts have now been signed with Racal Data Networks Ltd. to provide services to the Department of Health and Social Services, Inland Revenue, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Home Office. Racal Data Networks Ltd. is preparing for acceptance testing of the initial phase network, which is scheduled for completion early in 1989. Discussions are under way with other Departments considering using Government data network.

Public Spending

33.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimated level of public spending for 1989–90.

80.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of public spending he has now set for 1989–90.

The Government's plans for public spending were published in the public expenditure White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1988–89 to 19908–91", Cm. 288, in January. This shows a planning total for 1989–90 of £167·1 billion.

64.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects the public spending outturn to be for 1988–89.

69.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects the public spending outturn to be for 1988–89.

93.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he now expects the public spending outturn to be for 1988–89.

95.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he now expects the 1988–89 public spending outturn to be.

The fist estimate of outturn for the 1988–89 planning total will be published in the 1988 Autumn Statement.

Tenders (Market Testing)

36.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the comulative benefit to the Exchequer of market testing of tenders for Government contracts by central Government since 1979.

The cumulative rate of financial savings from the market testing of services by central Government Departments is estimated to have reached some £32 million a year by 1 April 1987.

Business Investment

37.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest forecast for the growth of business investment in the United Kindom in 1988.

51.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest forecast for the growth of business investment in the United Kingdom in 1988.

Take home pay 1986–87
	(1986–87 prices)	(1988–89 prices)	Take home pay 1988–89	Real Increase (per cent.)
⅓ average male earnings	58·17	62·88	67·44	7·2
½average male earnings	79·30	85·72	93·28	8·8
⅔average male earnings	101·84	110·08	120·73	9·7
Average earnings are for full time male workers aged over 21. (£213·80 in 1986–87 and £244·70 in 1988–89 assuming 6½ per cent, earnings growth on 1987–88).

Inflation

42.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of future inflation.

60.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of future inflation.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will be publishing his next forecast of inflation at the usual time, in the Autumn Statement.

Tax Cuts (Imports)

46.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact of top rate tax cuts on imports.

47.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact of top rate tax cuts on imports.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Tyne Bridge (Mr. Clelland).

Tax Changes

49.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) personal and (b) business taxes have been (i) lowered and (ii) abolished since 1979.

It is not possible to draw a rigid distinction between personal and business taxes; income tax, for example, is paid by individuals, trusts and unincorporated and certain other businesses.

I refer my hon. Friends to the Budget forecast which projected a rise of 9 per cent. in the real level of business investment between 1987 and 1988.

Personal Disposable Income

40.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the increase in real personal disposable income in the year to the first quarter of 1988.

Real personal disposable income was 5½ per cent. higher in the first quarter of 1988 than in the first quarter of 1987.

Take-Home Pay

41.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the level of take-home pay obtained by the individuals receiving one half, one third, and two thirds of average earnings; and what were the equivalent figures two years ago.

The figures are given in the table. They are for a single person not contracted-out of SERPS.Five major taxes have been abolished since 1979: investment income surcharge, national insurance surcharge, development land tax, capital transfer tax on most lifetime gifts and capital duty. In addition, a number of lesser imposts (such as minor stamp and excise duties) have been abolished.Of the taxes that remain, the basic rate of income tax has been reduced in stages from 33p to 25p since 1979 while the nine higher rates running up to 83 per cent. have been replaced by a single higher rate of 40 per cent. The main personal allowances have been increased by over 25 per cent. in real terms. Only real capital gains accruing since 1982 are now taxed, at the same rates as income. Capital transfer tax has been replaced by inheritance tax; fourteen rates running up to 75 per cent. in 1979 have been replaced by a single rate of 40 per cent. now, and the threshold is more than twice as high in real terms. In the context of a major reform of company taxation, the corporation tax rate has been reduced in stages from 52 to 35 per cent. The small companies' rate has been cut from 42 to 25 per cent. The main ad valorem stamp duties were halved in 1984 and the duty on share transactions was halved again in 1986. In addition, a number of reliefs have been introduced or improved upon, in particular to foster enterprise and encourage charitable giving.

Productivity

50.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average annual increase in the productivity of the whole United Kingdom economy since 1980.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Miss Widdecombe).

Annuities (Owner-Occupiers)

52.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to encourage retired owner-occupiers on low incomes to unlock the capital tied up in their home by mortgaging the property and using the proceeds to purchase an annuity.

Tax relief is already available for interest paid by people aged 65 or more on loans, secured on their homes, which are used to buy a life annuity.

Vat

53.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received in favour of zero rating value added tax on hospital radio broadcasting equipment.

My right hon. Friend has received no further representations since the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 16 June at column 262.

71.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will include the Meat and Livestock Commission in the list of public bodies able to recover value added tax on their non-business expenditure.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 12 July at columns 99–100.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisional or other timetable has been proposed by the Presidency or Commission of the European Economic Community, or proposed or adopted to or by its Council of Ministers, in respect of the harmonisation of value added tax of those funds, goods and services zero rated or exempt in the United Kingdom.

[holding answer 11 July 1988]: The European Commission considers that member states' VAT rates should be "approximated" by 31 December 1992; but successive European Councils have not regarded tax approximation as a priority area and have set no specific timetable. The United Kingdom Government have made it clear that they do not consider tax approximation to be necessary for the completion of the single market. It could not be introduced without unanimous consent of all member states.

Self-Employment

54.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment since 1979.

65.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment since 1979.

75.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in self-employment since 1979.

Since 1979 self-employment has increased by more than 1 million, or over 50 per cent., which is more than six times as much as in the previous 30 years.

Economic Outlook

57.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the economic outlook for the remainder of the current financial year.

The United Kingdom economy has achieved strong economic growth, low inflation and sound public finance. This combination is set to continue.

Oecd Countries (Budget Surplus)

59.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are running a budget surplus.

As well as the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, Norway and Sweden are expected to have a budget surplus in the current year.

Tax And Prices Index

61.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the rise in the tax and prices index in the 12 months to May.

The tax and prices index rose by 2·1 per cent. in the 12 months to May.

Budget Strategy (Pay Settlements)

63.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications of the current rate of pay settlements for the implementation of his Budget strategy; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's policy of not accommodating domestic cost increases implies that excessive pay settlements are a threat to jobs rather than inflation over the medium term.

Economic Growth

70.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast for economic growth in the United Kingdom in the next year.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer's latest forecast was published at Budget time. It showed growth of 3 per cent. in whole economy output in 1988. equivalent to 3½ per cent. growth on a non-oil basis. However, as my right hon. Friend reported to the House on 16 June at column 554 it now looks as though growth in 1988 may prove slightly higher than this.

Aviation Gasoline

74.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current revenue raised from the duty on aviation gasoline.

The revenue collected in 1987–88 was £3·5 million.

Economic Growth (Interest Rates)

76.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his assessment of the effect of the current instability of interest rates on investment in industry over the next year; and what assessment he has made of the effect this will have on the current level of economic growth in the United Kingdom.

With interest rates close to their average levels for recent years, there is every sign that investment growth will be strong in 1988, as projected in the FSBR and the latest DTI investment intentions survey. This will contribute to the continuation of the strong and steady growth seen since 1981.

Departmental Telephone Numbers

77.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that when Government Departments change their telephone numbers the correct information is made available to right hon. and hon. Members in due time.

None, directly. It is the responsibility of the particular Department to advise its contacts when telephone numbers are changed.

Government Expenditure

78.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the planned path for general Government expenditure over the period to 1990–91.

The Government's expenditure plans, as set out in the public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288) show general Government expenditure (including privatisation proceeds) of £183 billion in 1988–89, £193 billion in 1989–90 and £202 billion in 1990–91. This represents a declining proportion of GDP.

Manufacturing Profitability

79.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the rise in manufacturing profitability in 1987.

83.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the rise in manufacturing profitability in 1987.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter).

Third World Debt

81.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds he rejected the proposal by the French Government at the Toronto summit to write off one third of the official debt of the 20 least-developed African countries.

On balance, a reduction in interest rates, as proposed in the Chancellor's initiative, offers greater short-term cash flow relief for the debtor than the French Government's proposal which involves earlier repayment of principal. The United Kingdom therefore considers it desirable to lower interest rates for those countries which qualify for debt relief.

Mercury Telecommunications Ltd

82.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency has reached about telecommunications services to other Government Departments in the light of the Government's evaluation of services offered by Mercury Telecommunications Ltd.

The CCTA's study has shown that, given the current structure of telecommunications tariffs, Mercury will in many instances offer financial savings over British Telecom for exchange lines connected to large private telephone exchanges. For such exchanges in the Whitehall area for which it is responsible, the CCTA will be implementing a phased programme to replace half the BT exchange lines with Mercury lines.

Civil Service Job Location

84.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Civil Service jobs are now located in the south-east.

There were 225,700 civil servants located in the south-east on 1 April 1987. These are the latest centrally available figures.

Economic Output

85.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest figures for the growth of economic output in the United Kingdom.

Provisional CSO estimates suggest that the output-based measure of GDP increased by 5 per cent. between the first quarter of 1987 and the first quarter of 1988.

Economy (Supply Side)

88.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to improve the capacity of the supply side of the United Kingdom economy.

We have introduced a number of reforms to improve the supply performance of the economy by increasing competition and flexibility and sharpening incentives to enterprise and effort. These complement the medium-term financial strategy which sets the macro economic framework needed to control inflation and give business the confidence to expand.Since 1979 we have cut personal tax rates sharply, bringing the basic rate down from 33p to 25p and sweeping away all higher rates above 40p; cut the main corporation tax rate to 35 per cent., one of the very lowest in the industrialised world; privatised nearly 40 per cent. of the state-owned commercial sector; trebled the number of shareholders; abolished credit controls and created one of the world's most open, competitive capital market centres; strengthened trade union democracy; ended incomes policies; increased value for money in the public sector; and swept away a battery of bureaucratic controls and regulations. We will continue to bring forward measures of this kind.

Eurotunnel

89.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the tax treatment of complimentary journeys available to flotation shareholders in Eurotunnel.

I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to similar questions on 3 December 1987 to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) at column 697 and on 23 November 1987 to my hon. Friends the Members for Southend, East and for Dover (Mr. Shaw) at columns 67–68.

European Central Bank

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the proposals made by Governments in the European Community for a European central bank.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's statement of Thursday 30 June on the outcome of the European Council in Hanover on 27–28 June at columns 525–26.

Building Society Accounts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the number of building society accounts currently in existence in the United Kingdom.

	Mortgage interest relief	Estimated cost of Employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes	Employers' contributions to occupational pension schemes ²	Retirement annuity premia	Number of mortgagors	Mortgagors as a percentage of all owner occupied dwellings
	(£ million)	(£ million)	(£ million)	(£ million)	(thousands)	(per cent.)
1980–81	1960	n/a	n/a	150	5860	49
1981–82	2050	n/a	n/a	200	5850	47
1982–83	2150	1300	3100	250	6130	48
1983–84	2780	1400	3200	250	7500	57
1984–85	3580	1400	3300	300	7750	57
1985–86	4750	1500	3300	400	8000	58
1986–87¹>	4750	1600	3100	450	8200	58
1987–88¹	4850	1600	2900	450	8400	58
¹ Provisional
² on the basis that employers' contributions are not taxable as a benefit in kind of the employee.
n/a—not available.

Retirement Annuity Premiums

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide, for retirement annuity premiums superannuation contributions tax relief, a breakdown of benefits for income bands on the same basis as that given in the answer to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) of 14 June on mortgage interest relief, Official Report, columns 147–48, giving additionally the percentage

Tax units receiving retirement annuity relief by range of total income
Range of total income	Number of tax units¹ with retirement annuity relief	Average value of relief	Total cost of relief	Percentage of total cost	Number of tax units¹ paying tax	Percentage of tax units	Percentage of tax units receiving relief
	(thousands)	(£)	(£ million)	(per cent.)	(thousands)	(per cent.)	(per cent.)
1985–86
Up to £10,000	450	120	50	13	12,000	59	4
£10,000 to £15,000	260	180	50	12	4,500	22	6
£15,000 to £20,000	190	210	40	10	2,100	10	9
£20,000 to £30,000	110	530	60	14	1,100	6	9
Over £30,000	100	2,080	210	52	450	2	22
TOTAL	1,100	370	410	100	20,100	100	5
1987–88
Up to £10,000	360	110	40	9	10,500	51	3
£10,000 to £15,000	300	160	50	10	4,800	23	6
£15,000 to £20,000	200	210	40	9	2,600	13	8

Information on the number of building society accounts is not available. The annual returns sent by building societies to the Building Societies Commission showed at the end of 1987 an aggregate of 42 million investing shareholders and 3·6 million creditors for deposits and loans. As people may hold more than one account, these figures do not represent the actual number of accounts.

Mortgage Interest Relief

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost in revenue forgone of (a) mortgage interest relief, (b) superannuation contributions and (c)retirement annuity premiums, for each year since 1980; and if he will estimate for each year the number and percentage of owner occupiers who were in receipt of mortgage interest relief.

The information is as follows. For 1983–84 onwards the figures for mortgage interest relief include the cost of relief given to non-taxpayers.of tax units in each income band, and the percentage of tax units within each income band who receive the benefits of the relief; and if he will provide comparable figures for both income band and region of residence in 1985–86.

Available information is given in the table. Data for 1987–88 and provisional estimates are based on projections from the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes. Due to the small sample size it has been necessary to amalgamate certain income ranges.

Range of total income	Number of tax units¹ with retirement annuity relief	Average value of relief	Total cost of relief	Percentage of total cost	Number of tax units¹ paying tax	Percentage of tax units	Percentage of tax units receiving relief
	(thousands)	(£)	(£ million)	(per cent.)	(thousands)	(per cent.)	(per cent.)
£20,000 to £30,000	160	370	60	13	1,800	9	9
Over £30,000	130	2,030	270	59	750	4	17
TOTAL	1,160	400	460	100	20,600	100	6
¹ Single persons and married couples.

Analysis by region¹ 1985–86
Percentages
	Tax units² with retirement annuity relief	Tax units² paying tax
Northern	5	6
Yorkshire and Humberside	10	8
North West	11	11
East Midlands	7	7
West Midlands	8	9
East Anglia	5	3
South East	31	33
South West	11	8
England	88	85
Wales	4	4
Scotland	7	9
Northern Ireland	1	2
United Kingdom	100	100
¹ Members of the Forces and Merchant Navy have not been allocated to regions or countries, but together with a small number of civil servants serving overseas, have been included in the figures for England.
² Single persons and married couples.

Average gain/loss (—)³ per tax unit² (£ per annum)
Point of income distribution in 1988–89¹	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89
Top 1 per cent.	11,230	10,730	9,260	9,420	10,240	12,820	13,000	13,120	13,350	22,680
Top 2 to 5 per cent.	1,760	1,520	810	890	1,290	1,660	1,790	1,980	2,360	3,350
Top 6 to 10 per cent.	800	660	240	300	540	720	810	990	1,330	1,770
Top 11 to 20 per cent.	490	390	170	200	330	440	510	640	910	1,220
Top 21 to 30 per cent.	360	270	90	110	220	310	380	480	680	910
Top 31 to 40 per cent.	290	210	60	70	160	240	300	380	540	740
Top 41 to 50 per cent.	250	180	30	50	130	200	260	320	460	630
Bottom 50 per cent.	120	70	-50	-40	30	80	120	150	210	290
All	410	330	140	160	270	370	430	500	630	910
¹ Based on 20,900,000 single people and married couples expected to pay tax in 1988–89 and excluding 1,100,000 who would pay tax under the revalorised 1978–79 regime.
² All information is in terms of tax units, i.e. married couples are counted as one and their incomes combined.
³ Average gains are calculated by reference to the estimated number who would be liable to pay tax under the indexed 1978–79 regime.

Income Tax

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what pecentage of income was paid in tax in 1979 and is paid currently by a married couple with two, three and four children respectively.

Income tax liability depends on the level of income. The information in the table relates to a married man on average earnings for males in full-time employment.

Taxation

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead, Official Report, 27 June, he will state what would be the gains if those are average incomes in each of the following categories for each tax year from 1979–80 onwards relative to the indexed 1978–79 tax system (a) the top 1 per cent., (b) the next 2 per cent. to 5 per cent., (c) the next 6 per cent. to 10 per cent., (d) the next 11 per cent. to 20 per cent., (e) the next 21 per cent. to 30 per cent., (f) the next 31 per cent. to 40 per cent., (g) the next 40 per cent. to 50 per cent. and (h) the lower 50 per cent.

Estimates are not available in the precise form requested. For each financial year 1979–80 to 1988–89 the table shows the average gain/loss per tax unit compared with the 1978–79 tax regime. All estimates are based on a provisional 1988–89 income base projected from the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and all tax regimes are indexed to 1988–89 levels according to the statutory formula. The comparison therefore allows for budgetary changes in income tax since 1978–79 but not for changes in definition or any other factors which might affect the income base.

Income tax liability less child benefit¹ as a percentage of gross income for a married man on male average earnings²
	1978–79 per cent.	1988–89 per cent.
Married couple with
Two children aged under 11	14·4	11·0
Three children; two aged under 11, one aged 11–15	10·7	8·1
Four children; two aged under 11, one aged 11–15, one aged 16 or over	6·8	5·1
¹ Deducting child benefit of £2·57 per child per week in 1978–79 and £7·25 in 1988–89.
² £92·80 per week in 1978–79 and estimated at £244·70 per week in 1988–89.

The calculations assume that all income is earned income, that the wife has no earnings, and that no reliefs or allowances are claimed other than the married man's allowance.

Consultants

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the cost to Her Majesty's Treasury of employing management or computer consultants for each year from 1983 to 1987.

The cost to the Treasury, excluding the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, was as follows:

Financial year	£ thousands
1984	144
1985	301
1986	220
1987	351

The figure for 1983 could be given only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract extant in Her Majesty's Treasury as at 1 January 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

For the Treasury, excluding the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, there were no such contracts extant as at 1 January 1987.

Water (Vat)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to respond to the European Court of Justice's ruling on value added tax with respect to all parts of the water industry; and if he will make a statement.

As I informed the House on 21 June at column 957, the Government are obliged to comply with the Court's ruling that the zero-rating of water and sewerage services supplied to industry and a number of other goods and services is not permitted under European Community law. Supplies to domestic consumers will not be affected and no changes to the VAT law to give effect to the judgment will take effect before 1 April 1989. A consultation paper on this and other aspects of the judgment apart from non-domestic construction was issued by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on 30 June and placed in the Library.

Civil Service (Staff Relations)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to improve staff relations, arbitration and joint consultation in the Civil Service; and what guidelines are being issued to Civil Service managers.

Collective relations within the Civil Service continue under the long-established machinery of the national Whitley council, in the case of non-industrial civil servants, and the joint co-ordinating committee for Government industrial establishments, in the case of industrial civil servants. Under the Whitley machinery dialogue is continuing with the Council of Civil Service Unions on whether central guidance about consultation might be appropriate.

Local Pay Additions

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to take any steps to rationalise the payment of local pay additions across Departments.

No. It is for Departments to decide, within the scheme's guidelines and subject to Treasury approval, the plan which best meets their individual recruitment and retention needs.

Cbi

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet the director general of the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters will be discussed.

My right hon. Friend meets the director general of the CBI from time to time, and a wide range of subjects are discussed. He has no specific plans to meet him in the foreseeable future.

Member's Questions

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for South Shields can expect to receive an answer to his questions tabled for ordinary written answers on 29 June concerning the value added tax treatment of (a) the Apple and Pear Development Council and (b) the Meat and Livestock Commission.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on Tuesday 12 July 1988 at columns 99–100.

Turkey

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of debt relief given to Turkey in each of the years between 1978 and the latest year for which figures are available, for both calendar and financial years.

[holding answer 5 July 1988]: Since 1978 the United Kingdom has rescheduled the following amounts of aid loans and officially guaranteed debts as part of the three multilateral Paris Club rescheduling operations for Turkey:

Amount rescheduled
Year	£ million
1978	35·3
1979	11·5
1980	108·1

Mortgage Interest Relief

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will detail for the latest available year the gains to (a) individuals and (b) income groups for each of the following categories who are claiming mortage interest relief, those earning per year (a) less than £5,000, (b) £5,001 to £7,500, (c) £7,501 to £10,000, (d) £10,001 to £12,500, (e) £12,501 to £15,000, (f) £15,001 to £17,500, (g) £17,501 to £20,000, (h) £20,001 to £22,000, (i) £22,501 to £25,000, (j) £25,001 to £27,500, (k) £30,000 to £40,000, (l) £40,001 to £50,000 and (m) above £50,000 per year; together with the numbers claiming in each income group.

Tax units receiving mortgage interest relief by range of total income 1988–89
Range of total income	Number of tax units¹ with mortgage interest relief²	Average value of relief per mortgagor	Cost of relief
	(thousands)	(£)	(£ million)
Up to £5,000	690	300	210
£5,001 to £7,500	470	360	170
£7,501 to £10,000	830	400	330
£10,001 to £12,500	1,210	450	550
£12,501 to £15,000	1,230	480	590
£15,001 to £17,500	1,020	490	510
£17,501 to £20,000	870	490	430
£20,001 to £22,500	650	500	330
£22,501 to £25,000	460	520	240
£25,001 to £27,500	250	630	160
£27,501 to £30,000	220	630	140
£30,001 to £40,000	440	780	340
£40,001 to £50,000	120	900	110
Over £50,001	140	1,020	140
Total	8,600	490	4,250
¹ Single persons and married couples.
² Including about ½ million non-taxpaying tax units.

Tax Allowances

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the cost on revenue each year since 1979 for each of the following tax allowances: (a) mortgage interest relief, (b) retirement annuity relief, (c) approved pension schemes, (d) employers' contributions to funded pension

£ million
	Tax cost of relief on
	Mortgage interest	Retirement annuity premia	Employees contributions to occupational pension schemes	Employers contributions to occupational pension schemes¹	Exemption of investment income of occupational pension schemes²	Exemption of lump sum payments²
1979–80	1,450	100	n/a	n/a	m/a	n/a
1980–81	1,960	150	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
1981–82	2,050	200	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
1982–83	2,150	250	1,300	3,100	2,600	700
1983–84	2,780	250	1,400	3,200	3,000	800
1984–85	3,580	300	1,400	3,300	3,500	1,000
1985–86	4,750	400	1,500	3,300	3,900	1,100
1986–87³	4,750	450	1,600	3,100	4,100	1,200
1987–88³	4,850	450	1,600	2,900	4,100	1,200
¹ On the basis that employers' contributions are not taxable as a benefit in kind of the employee.
² Assuming relief at the basic rate of income tax.
³ Provisional
n/a = not available.

Customs Procedures

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to how British Customs procedures, on trains and elsewhere, differ from those of other European Economic Community countries; and what proposals there are for change.

[holding answer 6 July 1988]: Detailed information is not readily available about how Customs

[holding answer 5 July 1988]: Provisional estimates for the United Kingdom are given in the table. These are based on projections to 1988–89 of information in the 1985–86 survey of personal incomes and the 1985 family expenditure survey. The estimates include mortgages formerly under the option mortgage scheme which are now subsumed under MIRAS.schemes,

(e) exemption of investment income from pension funds and (f) exemption of lump-sum payments for pension funds.

[holding answer 5 July 1988]: The available information is as follows. Figures for 1983–84 onwards for mortgage interest relief include the cost of relief given to non-taxpayers.procedures here differ from those of other EC countries, but I understand that Customs checks are carried out on. board some trains crossing the frontiers of certain other member states.Section 12 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 provides for Customs and immigration checks to be undertaken on board international trains going beyond London, subject to adequate facilities being provided. Discussions are at present taking place with British Rail about the facilities that would be required.

Harrods Trust

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on whether the Bank of England has recently authorised Harrods Trust to extend its banking activities, and as to where the ultimate control of the trust resides; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 July 1988]: Harrods Trust Limited is authorised under the Banking Act 1987. The Bank of England has a statutory duty to supervise all institutions authorised under the Act. That supervisory relationship is subject to Banking Act confidentiality and therefore it would not be appropriate for me to comment on this particular institution. The ultimate holding company of Harrods Trust and the registered and beneficial owners of the issued share capital of that company, are set out in the latest audited accounts submitted to Companies House.

Defence

Arms Exporting Countries

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the top five arms exporting countries in the latest year for which figures are available.

Our estimates indicate that, based on the value of new contracts signed, the top five defence exporters for 1987 were:

United States of America
Soviet Bloc
United Kingdom
France
People's Republic of China

Raf Bases (Scotland)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks are currently stationed at RAF Leuchars;(2) how many Royal Air Force installations and bases there are in Scotland; and how many officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks are currently stationed at each of them.

It would not be in the public interest to provide details of the number of personnel in individual defence establishments. As at 1 January 1988 there were 7,950 Royal Air Force personnel stationed at defence establishments in Scotland.

Low Flying

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will immediately order all military forces involved in low-flying exercises to stop all flying below 300 m.

No.

Wessex Helicopters

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number and respective ages of Wessex helicopters assigned to the Queen's flight; what other helicopters are in service with the flight; and what plans he has for replacing these aircraft.

There are two Wessex helicopters assigned to the Queen's flight, both of which are 19 years old, which is relatively young compared to other Wessex helicopters in service. There are no plans for replacing the Queen's flight Wessex helicopters in the immediate future. There are no other helicopters in service with the Queen's flight.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number and respective ages of Wessex helicopters assigned to search and rescue duties within the United Kingdom, listing their home-bases.

The in-service dates of the Wessex aircraft currently assigned to search and rescue (SAR) duties within the United Kingdom are as follows:

RAF Chivenor–1965 x 1, 1966 x 1
RAF Leuchars–1964 x 1, 1968 x 1
RAF Manston–1965 x 1, 1966 x 1
RAF Valley–1968 x 2
RAF Valley (SAR helicopter Training Unit)

1963 x 2
1964 x 1
1968 x 2

RAF Finningley (SAR helicopter Maintenance Unit)

1963 x 1
1964 x 1
1966 x 2
1967 x 1

In addition, one SAR Wessex helicopter (in-service date 1966) is currently with the manufacturer for maintenance.

Mr Victor Adams (Compensation)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when, pursuant to his answer of 11 July, the claim for compensation from Mr. Victor Adams was received by his Department; when compensation was paid; in respect of what damage sustained by Mr. Adams the compensation was paid; how many similar claims have been received; what conditions were attached to the compensation paid; and if he will make a statement.

A claim for compensation for personal injury was received by the Ministry of Defence from solicitors acting for Mr. Victor Adams in March. The claim was dealt with on the basis of legal liability, and was settled on 17 May. It is not our practice to discuss details of individual settlements, the terms of which must be regarded as private between the Department, the claimant and his legal advisers. No other claims for personal injury have been received following the incident in question.

Aero Technologies

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what contracts Aero Technologies of Cumbernauld and Glenrothes has received from his Department; what procedures are involved in the issuing of licences to firms undertaking defence or arms-related work in the United Kingdom; and what system of monitoring exits within the procurement division of his Department to ensure that firms satisfy all the statutory and legal obligations and employment conditions;(2) what assessment he has made of the implications for the continued operation of Aero Technologies of Cumbernauld and Glenrothes as a defence contractor of the Crown investigation into allegations of illegal arms shipments to Iran, of the sale of secret documents and of the sale of laser-guided bombs to the middle east.

We have no record of any headquarter contract having been placed with this company. The issue of arms export licences is not a matter for my Department. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police or other relevant authorities. However, any case brought to our notice, would be carefully considered.

Beagling

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Army personnel are permitted to engage in beagling in duty hours.

Beagling is regarded as a recreational activity and is not pursued in duty hours to the detriment of any military task.

Hunting

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Army personnel who hunt in duty hours use privately-owned horses and equipment.

The use of privately owned horses and equipment is permitted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Army personnel who hunt in off-duty hours are permitted to use Government property.

Yes. Army equipment lent to an individual for participation in a sport is on the basis that there is no additional cost to public funds. In certain cases it is necessary for the individual or club to take out insurance to cover against loss or damage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on how many occasions since December 1986 Army personnel have been engaged in fox hunting in duty hours;(2) on how many occasions since December 1986 Army personnel have engaged in deer hunting in duty hours.

I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Lady on 22 March 1988 at column 114.

Empty Property

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of empty homes owned by his Department outside security areas in the Greater London area; if he will list them by London borough; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 July 1988]: There are currently 718 empty homes owned by my Department outside security areas in the Greater London area. The figures by London borough are as follows:

Number
Barnet	86
Croydon	11
Ealing	1
Greenwich	110
Harrow	35
Hendon	190
Hillingdon	103
Hounslow	1
Kensington and Chelsea	3
Kingston-upon-Thames	74
Lambeth	25

Number
Southwark	3
Sutton	2
Wandsworth	10
Westminster	64
	718

Three hundred and fifty-two of the empty properties are either undergoing or awaiting works services, or temporarily empty pending the arrival of new occupants; 232 are in the process of disposal.

The Arts

Consultants

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give the cost to his Office of employing management or computer consultants for each year from 1983 to 1987.

The Office of Arts and Libraries was established in July 1983. No management consultants have been employed, but during this period expenditure of £25,691 was incurred in 1987–88 on a computer consultancy for the Government art collection.

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract extant in his Department as at 1 January 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

No computer or management consultancy was extant in my Department at 1 January 1987.

Northern Ireland

Body Samples

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what safeguards there will be for suspects from whom the Royal Ulster Constabulary may wish to take body samples in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Justice Bill.

I summarised the various safeguards at column 641 of the Official Report on 16 June when introducing the relevant amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill.In addition, I am today placing in the Library of both Houses the code of practice for the identification by the Royal Ulster Constabulary of suspects by body samples. swabs and impressions.This code of practice is based on chapter 5 (Identification by body samples, swabs and impressions) of the "Code of Practice for the Identification of Persons. by Police Officers" issued for England and Wales under section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

Home Department

Immigration

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average waiting time for interviews of sponsors living in the United Kingdom in relation to applications from relatives living in the Indian sub-continent after relatives have been interviewed abroad, at his Department's Birmingham office.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to her question on 29 June, at column 234.

Official Secrets

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any public representations and comments in reaction to his recent proposals to reform the official secrets legislation.

By 12 July we had received six letters from members of the public on the proposals set out in our White Paper.

Broadcasting Authorities

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the broadcasting authorities; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend is in regular touch with the chairmen of the BBC and IBA on a wide range of broadcasting matters.

Asylum

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the new procedure regarding those arriving in the United Kingdom seeking refugee asylum.

A new procedure is being introduced for the referral of asylum cases to the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) on 4 July, at column 419.

Mr And Mrs Vadevalloo (Passports)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will inquire into the circumstances of the delay in issuing a passport to Mr. J. Vadevalloo of 147 Brightwell avenue, Southend on Sea, Essex, date of birth 22 January 1948, who submitted his passport for renewal along with his wife's papers and the birth certificates of his three children.

Mrs. V. Vadevalloo's passport application was received at the London Passport Office with her husband's passport and the other supporting documents on 6 June. As the form indicated that she did not intend to travel until 8 September, the application was not given any priority. It was included in a batch of applications transferred last week to the Liverpool passport office for processing. Mrs. Vadevalloo's passport, and all the supporting documents were posted to her from Liverpool yesterday.

Secure Prisons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report all sites which his Department have identified as suitable for new category B secure prisons in the north-west of England.

A large number of possible sites have been considered in the north-west for new category B prisons, as part of a general site search exercise covering the whole of England and Wales. A formal application for planning clearance has been made in respect of a site at Rochdale; and a written approach has been made to the local planning authority in respect of Prison Department land at Kirkham.

Licensing Act 1988

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the proposed dates for the implementation of the various sections of the Licensing Act 1988.

It is intended that the commencement date for sections 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 16, 17 and 18 of the Licensing Act 1988 will be 1 August; that the remaining sections will be in force on or before 1 September, with the exception of sections 12 and 15, which are likely to be implemented on 1 March 1989.

Immigration Rules

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many written and oral representations he has received urging him to reform immigration rules on family unity, particularly the primary purpose rule, the sole responsibility rule and the elderly parents rule so as to make it easier for families to be reunited in the United Kingdom; from which organisations and groups these representations have come; and what has been his response to such representations.

Over time there have been a number of written representations from hon. and right hon. Members and others, and the subjects have been raised variously at meetings, including one with a delegation led by the right hon. Gentleman last month. There are no present plans to change the relevant provisions of the immigration rules, although their operation is kept under review.

Women's Prison (Lancashire)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any future plans for a women's prison, remand centre and additional probation hostel within the boundaries of the Fylde, Wyre, Blackpool, North and Blackpool, South parliamentary constituencies; and if he will make a statement.

We have no such plans at present.

Prison And Detention Accommodation

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report by county the total numbers of persons who can be accommodated in (a) prison (b) remand (c) youth custody and (d) detention centres.

The information requested is set out in the table. Figures show the certified normal accommodation in each type of establishment in each county on 31 May 1988, the most recent date for which information is available.

County	Prisons	Remand Centres	Youth Custody Centres	Detention Centres
England
Avon	938	159	—	146
Bedfordshire	155	—	—	—
Berkshire	178	—	—	—
Buckinghamshire	429	—	451	—
Cambridgeshire	484	—	—	—
Cheshire	154	606	383	—
Cleveland	—	—	—	150
Cornwall	—	—	—	—
Cumbria	497	—	—	—
Derbyshire	486	—	—	—
Devon	1,424	53	—	—
Dorset	642	17	707	—
Durham	1,252	195	420	—
East Sussex	588	—	—	—
Essex	231	54	77	—
Gloucestershire	193	—	—	—
Greater London	3,952	719	256	—
Greater Manchester	653	317	—	139
Hampshire	562	55	—	100
Hereford and Worcester	432	163	136	—
Hertfordshire	—	—	484	—
Humberside	699	102	304	—
Isle of Wight	1,043	—	—	—
Kent	1,449	183	463	—
Lancashire	1,910	394	81	—
Leicestershire	1,228	240	372	—
Lincolnshire	551	—	—	202
Merseyside	968	—	—	—
Norfolk	906	60	—	—
Northamptonshire	—	—	764	—
Northumberland	448	—	300	—
North Yorkshire	134	—	127	—
Nottinghamshire	627	—	304	237
Oxfordshire	127	34	218	—
Shropshire	174	—	360	—
Somerset	173	—	—	—
South Yorkshire	1,001	—	180	—
Staffordshire	1,320	—	360	—
Suffolk	1,235	—	391	118
Surrey	736	—	—	—
Tyne and Wear	—	—	—	—
Warwickshire	—	—	—	—
West Midlands	575	—	—	—
West Sussex	568	—	—	—
West Yorkshire	1,932	95	223	—
Wiltshire	578	—	—	—
Wales
Clwyd	—	—	—	—
Dyfed	—	—	—	—
Gwent	—	—	110	120
Gwynedd	—	—	—	—
Mid Glamorgan	—	—	—	—
Powys	—	—	—	—
South Glamorgan	253	85	—	—
West Glamorgan	174	55	—	—
TOTALS	32,059	3,586	7,471	1,212

Police Interviews (Tape Recording)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, following representations received, he intends to amend the draft code of practice and guidance notes on tape recording of police interviews which were laid before Parliament on 14 June.

I have now considered representations received about the code. I do not intend any change to the code itself but, following representations about one of the guidance notes which, while forming part of the printed document, is not a provision of the code, I have decided to modify guidance note 4M to further clarify the procedure

to be followed should a tape break during an interview. I intend to add a new sentence after the second sentence in the note as follows:

"If equipment for copying the unbroken tape is not readily available both tapes should be sealed in the suspect's presence and the interview begun again."

Copies of the revised note have been placed in the Library.

I now intend as soon as possible to seek the approval by resolution of both Houses—as required under section 67 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984—to the order made by statutory instrument which will bring the code into operation and which was laid before Parliament yesterday. The code will not have effect in relation to any area until a further order is made in relation to that area under section 60(1) (b) of the 1984 Act.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Food Policy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in the light of London Food Commission's food quality charter, he will make it his policy to co-ordinate a national food policy in order to ensure better and safer standards for food in the United Kingdom.

It has always been our policy to ensure that consumers can enjoy a plentiful and varied supply of good quality, unadulterated food at affordable prices. We will continue to pursue this policy taking into account the advice from our independent expert advisory committees.

New Zealand Butter

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe of 11 July, he will give details to the House of the Government's views on New Zealand butter exports to the United Kingdom before communicating them to the European Commission; what steps he has taken to discover the response of the New Zealand Government to the views he will be putting forward; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's general approach on future access for New Zealand butter was set by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in the House on 19 May.I maintain regular contact with Ministers and officials of the New Zealand Government and dairy board. Since the beginning of this year, for example, I have discussed this issue with the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Overseas Trade and the chairman of the New Zealand dairy board, as well as with officials of the New Zealand high commission. I also expect to see the New Zealand Minister for Overseas Trade again on 18 July.

Pigmeat

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Meat and Livestock Commission's proposal that expenditure on pigmeat promotion will fall from £3·4 million in 1988–89 to £2·5 million in 1990–91.

I understand that the Meat and Livestock Commission's draft corporate plan, covering the period 1988–91, proposed expenditure on pigmeat promotion as indicated. The proposals in the corporate plan finally adopted by the Commission, following consultation with the industry, are £3·6 million in 1988–89 and £2·9 million in 1990–91. This compares with £2·5 million actually spent in 1987–88.As with cattle and sheep, the MLC intends to reduce the allocation from the general levy income (which, of course, is used to fund other work on pigs, cattle and sheep) to promotion of the individual meats. Pigmeat promotion funds will become more reliant on income from the producer-funded levy. The corporate plan assumes increases in the species promotion levy on pigs, but it is for the Pork and Bacon Promotion Council to recommend—and the commission as a whole to decide—the actual rates of levy. The council, which consists of pig producers and other industry interests, has not yet recommended rates for 1989–90 or 1990–91. It will do so in the knowledge of the level of income likely to be generated.

Transport

Cross-Channel Ferries

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his Department's policy in future to conduct regular unannounced inspections of all cross-Channel ferries.

My Department's marine surveyors will continue to carry out random unannounced as well as announced inspections of cross-Channel ferries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of every passenger safety certificate issued by local marine offices under the authority of his Department to P and O cross-Channel ferries in the last 13 months.

The following P and O cross-Channel ferries have been issued with passenger and safety certificates in the last 13 months:

European Clearway, European Endeavour (formerly European Enterprise), European Trader, Pride of Bruges (formerly Pride of Free Enterprise), Pride of Calais, Pride of Canterbury (formerly Free Enterprise VIII), Pride of Dover, Pride of Hythe (formerly Free Enterprise V), Pride of Kent (formerly Spirit of Free Enterprise), Pride of Sandwich (formerly Free Enterprise VI), Pride of Walmer (formerly Free Enterprise VII), Viking Trader, Viking Valliant, Viking Venturer, Viking Viscount, Viking Voyager.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to include in the criteria by which a cross-Channel ferry is judged in any application for a passenger safety certificate the experience of crew members operating the vessel and hours worked by those crew before embarkation of each passenger complement.

The procedures for the issue of a passenger and safety certificate to a cross-Channel ferry include a check on the statutory qualifications of the officers and the number of qualified persons required for emergency duties. The allocation of duties and hours worked between members of the crew is in the first instance a matter for the operator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the structural requirements for shipping vessels, including life-saving equipment, with particular reference to cross-Channel ferries, in regard to the issue of a passenger safety certificate.

The structural requirements for cross-Channel ferries are given in the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980 or the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations 1984, as appropriate, depending upon the age of the ship. Details of the life-saving equipment to be carried on such ships are given in the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances) Regulations 1980 or 1986 as appropriate.

Road Markings

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce mandatory reflectorised road markings similar to the scheme in West Germany; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Department is currently working with the British Standards Institute towards the introduction of standards for retroreflective road markings.

Departmental Shareholdings

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all shareholdings in public and private companies still held by his Department.

There is one 25p special share in the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company acquired in the late 1960s in order to protect the Government's financial interests. It enables the Secretary of State to appoint one director to the board of the company.The following ordinary shares in public and private companies are held by the Department:

Company	Shareholding
British Airways plc	9,837,614 25p ordinary shares
BAA plc	21,828,280 25p ordinary shares
British Channel Tunnel Company plc	4,739,131 £1 ordinary shares
Mersey Docks and Harbour Company	4,137,265 10p ordinary shares

The shares in British Airways and BAA have been retained in order to pay the loyalty bonus in accordance with the terms set out in the prospectuses.In addition, we retain one £1 special share in each of BAA, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, and Sealink (the rights attaching to these shares are set out in the articles of association of the companies concerned). The Department also has holdings of four shares in each of BA Share Offer and BAA Share Offer, the unlimited companies established to receive application moneys during the flotations of British Airways and BAA.

Quangos And Trading Funds

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations and trading funds reporting to his Department.

The information requested is contained in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1987."

Blind Pedestrians (Road-Crossing Aids)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport where the tactile devices used to assist blind pedestrians to cross the road have been deployed; what have been the conclusions drawn from their experimental usage; and how soon he believes the equipment will be brought up to marketable standard.

Tactile units have been installed at sites in Birmingham, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham and Sheffield. The results of a questionnaire for members of blind organisations indicated that the great majority considered the units were easy to find and using the units made them more confident. Timing of the marketability of such equipment is a matter for manufacturers and customers.

Bridges

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost to local authorities and to his Department of the repair of all United Kingdom bridges to the standard recommended by his Department's document entitled "The assessment of Highway Bridges and Structures."

The bridge census and sample survey report of January 1987 estimated the cost of strengthening bridges on local authority roads in Great Britain to be some £700 million. The corresponding costs of strengthening trunk road bridges in England are estimated to be some £50 million. An element of these costs will fall to the statutory transport undertakings. The costs of strengthening trunk road bridges in Scotland and Wales and all bridges in Northern Ireland, are matters for the respective Secretaries of State. For information on the cost of ongoing maintenance to keep pace with deterioration, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin) on 11 July 1988 at columns 82–83.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives his Department has taken since the publication of the document entitled "The Assessment of Highway Bridges and Structures" to improve the quality of United Kingdom bridge stock.

A comprehensive programme for the rehabilitation of bridges on motorways and all-purpose trunk roads and follow-up discussions on the results of the census and sample survey of other bridges are now in progress as announced on 24 November 1987, at column 110.

Roadworks

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the latest available estimate of works costs for schemes listed in the White Paper "Policy for Roads in England: 1987" on which contracts have not yet been let.

The information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost. If my hon. Friend has a particular scheme in mind, perhaps he would write to me.

Goods Vehicles (Overloading)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider seeking to amend the Road Traffic Acts to enable road hauliers to seek a defence, if prosecuted, of due diligence in cases of overloaded heavy goods vehicles.

No. Road haulage operators are responsible for ensuring that they and their drivers observe the law on overloading.

Motorways (Capacity)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to the answer of 11 July, he is in a position to provide the estimates on motorway capacity requested by the hon. Member for Northampton, North using the following illustrative assumptions: midsummer, five miles from the nearest junction, dry conditions, midday; and if he will make a statement.

Not precisely in the conditions suggested. Observations have been made for the highest sustainable flow over a one-hour period in good conditions and with no disruptions such as accidents. For motorways the average speed of the traffic in these conditions was about 50 mph. When heavy goods vehicles constituted about 12 per cent. of the total traffic, the observed flows on three lanes was about 6,000 vehicles per hour.

M1 (Delays)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the cause of delays in the south-bound carriageway of the M1 between junctions 15 and 8 between 21.00 hours and 23.59 hours on 10 July; by what date he anticipates road improvements to allow a significant relief in the congestion experienced at such a time and place and under such conditions; and if he will make a statement.

The cause appears to have been traffic from the British Grand Prix at Silverstone joining the M1 at junction 15, adding to the already very heavy traffic flows which are usual on Sunday evenings.The M1 will be relieved with the completion by 1992 of the M40 extension to Birmingham.

Selby Bypass

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what results have been yielded from the soil survey and considerations of landscape and agricultural problems in connection with the proposed Selby bypass; and if he will make a statement.

The soil survey showed that there are extensive peat deposits at the eastern end of the proposed bypass. Measures to deal with this problem are being investigated.Our scheme plans are being developed taking account of all aspects relevant to the design of a new road, including landscape and agriculture. Additional information has caused us now to consider localised variations to the preferred route.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he hopes to publish draft line and side road orders for the proposed Selby bypass.

The programme for this scheme has had to be reviewed in the light of survey findings and other fresh information. A new publication date for draft orders will be set when the implications have been assessed.

Road Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his strategy and priorities for future action on road safety in the light of consultations about the report, "Road Safety: The Next Steps," published in July 1987.

There was wide support for the target which I set of reducing casualties by one third by the turn of the century, and for the proposals for redirecting resources to measures which can be shown directly to cut casualties.Achieving the target depends on close co-operation between central and local government since 70 per cent. of casualties occur on local roads. Recently I agreed with the local authority leaders representing highway authorities new arrangements for taking forward road safety work jointly. We have agreed that the priority should be to reduce casualties among the most vulnerable road users—pedestrians, children, cyclists and motor cyclists—and that we should work together between now and the end of the year to find ways to expand the programme of low-cost road engineering schemes which will most benefit those groups. We will also work on setting local casualty reduction targets.I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of a discussion paper which I tabled at the meeting with the local authority leaders which summarises views expressed during the consultation exercise and action taken and planned in respect of each of the review's recommendations.

Flight Delays

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he received from the Civil Aviation Authority on the likelihood of flight delays during the summer months; what number of delayed flights and number of passenger hours' delay were predicted; and how those forecasts relate to actual delays so far.

The authority advised my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in March of the intention of the National Air Traffic Services to apply flow management restrictions during the summer months of 1988, with the overall effect of reducing peak hour rates by 10 per cent. compared to those applying in 1987. The delays to flights caused by flow management restrictions imposed in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe could not be quantified accurately in advance. NATS anticipated an increase compared to the average delay of 10 to 15 minutes experienced in 1987. Each summer season's activities are analysed by the CAA, in collaboration with other European air traffic services and representatives of both scheduled and charter airline operators, in order to identify bottlenecks and to seek the most beneficial traffic flows for the following season.

Employment

Factory Inspectorate

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average frequency of visits made by the factory inspectorate to workplaces in Wales in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of reported accidents is investigated by the factory inspectorate in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

In 1987–88, a total of 5·4 per cent. of accidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive's factory inspectorate in Wales were investigated.

Employment Training

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost of a training place on (a) the new employment training programme to begin in September and (b) the YTS at an annual ratio.

The average gross cost to the Exchequer of a training place per year is expected to be about £4,200 on employment training. On the latest available information a full training year on YTS costs an average of £2,600.

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list unemployment levels as a

OECD Standardised unemployment rates (per cent, of labour force) seasonally adjusted
Quarter	United Kingdom	Belgium	France	Germany	Italy	Netherlands	Portugal	Spain	United States	Sweden
1979
1	5·1	8·0	5·7	3·4	7·5	5·4	n/a	7·8	5·8	2·2
2	5·0	8·1	5·8	3·1	7·5	5·4	n/a	8·2	5·6	2·2
3	4·9	8·2	5·9	3·0	7·9	5·4	n/a	8·7	5·8	2·0
4	4·9	8·2	6·0	3·0	7·4	5·3	n/a	9·3	5·8	1·8
1980
1	5·3	8·2	6·1	2·8	7·6	5·4	n/a	10·1	6·2	1·8
2	5·9	8·4	6·2	2·9	7·3	5·6	n/a	11·1	7·2	2·0
3	6·8	9·0	6·2	3·1	7·6	6·2	n/a	11·4	7·6	1·9
4	7·9	9·4	6·5	3·4	7·5	6·9	n/a	12·2	7·3	2·2
1981
1	8·8	10·0	6·8	3·8	7·1	7·5	n/a	12·9	7·3	2·2
2	9·6	10·6	7·2	4·2	7·8	8·2	n/a	13·7	7·3	2·2
3	10·2	11·1	7·6	4·6	7·9	8·8	n/a	14·3	7·3	2·5
4	10·6	11·4	7·9	5·3	8·5	9·5	n/a	14·9	8·1	3·0
1982
1	10·8	12·1	7·9	5·5	8·5	10·2	n/a	15·1	8·7	3·0
2	11·0	12·5	8·0	5·9	8·3	11·1	n/a	15·5	9·3	3·0
3	11·5	12·7	8·2	6·3	8·5	11·7	n/a	16·1	9·8	3·4
4	11·7	13·1	8·3	7·0	8·5	12·4	n/a	16·5	10·5	3·1
1983
1	12·3	11·7	8·2	7·7	8·9	11·5	n/a	16·8	10·2	3·3
2	12·5	11·9	8·2	8·1	9·5	12·1	7·3	16·9	9·9	3·5
3	12·6	12·3	8·3	8·1	9·2	12·1	8·3	17·4	9·2	3·6
4	12·4	12·4	8·5	8·0	9·6	12·3	8·0	17·8	8·4	3·4
1984
1	11·9	12·2	9·2	7·0	10·1	12·2	8·1	19·0	7·8	3·2
2	11·7	12·2	9·6	7·1	10·0	12·2	8·3	19·8	7·4	3·2
3	11·6	12·1	9·8	7·1	9·7	11·7	8·5	20·3	7·3	3·1
4	11·6	11·9	10·1	7·1	9·8	11·2	8·7	21·1	7·2	3·0
1985
1	11·4	11·6	10·2	7·2	10·0	10·9	8·4	21·1	7·2	3·0
2	11·2	11·4	10·2	7·3	9·9	10·7	8·7	21·5	7·2	2·9
3	11·1	11·2	10·2	7·1	10·2	10·5	8·2	21·5	7·1	2·8
4	11·1	11·2	10·2	7·0	10·5	10·3	8·9	21·5	7·0	2·7
1986
1	11·1	11·2	10·1	6·8	10·6	10·2	8·9	21·3	6·9	2·8
2	11·2	11·2	10·3	6·5	10·9	10·0	8·7	21·1	7·1	2·7
3	11·3	11·1	10·5	6·4	10·9	9·8	8·3	20·9	6·9	2·6
4	11·2	11·2	10·5	6·3	n/a	9·7	7·9	20·7	6·8	2·6
1987
1	11·0	11·2	10·6	6·4	n/a	9·6	7·6	20·7	6·5	2·0
2	10·6	11·1	10·7	6·5	n/a	9·6	7·1	20·2	6·2	1·9
3	10·0	10·9	10·6	6·5	n/a	9·4	6·8	20·0	5·9	1·9
4	9·5	10·6	10·4	6·5	n/a	9·5	6·4	19·6	5·8	1·7
1988
1	9·0	10·4	10·4	6·5	n/a	9·5	6·5	19·4	5·6	1·7

Source: OECD Quarterly Labour Force Statistics.

percentage of work force for each of the European Economic Community countries and the United States of America, Sweden and Japan for each quarter since the first quarter of 1979.

Following is the available information. The tables show standardised unemployment rates published by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development where these are available for each quarter since 1979. The same information is not available for Ireland, Greece, Denmark and Luxembourg but annual averages for 1983–87, and rates for the first quarter of 1988 are given based on similar "harmonised" unemployment rates published by the statistical office of the European Communities.

"Harmonised" rates compiled by SOEC (per cent, of civilian labour force)
Annual averages
	Ireland	Greece	Denmark	Luxembourg
1983	15·2	9·0	9·5	3·6
1984	17·0	9·3	9·2	3·0
1985	18·4	8·7	7·6	2·9
1986	18·5	8·2	5·8	2·7
1987	19·2	8·0	5·9	3·1
1988¹	18·9	n/a	6·2	30
¹ Quarter—March.

Source: Statistical Office of the European Communities (SOEC).

Aero Technologies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from employees of Aero Technologies of Cumbernauld and Glenrothes on the non-payment of salaries and wages, redundancy payments and dismissal.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will direct the Health and Safety Executive to investigate the conditions under which 2·5 tonnes of high explosives are stored at the Glenrothes factory of Aero Technologies, in the light of the current employee sit-in.

The Health and Safety Executive is aware of the situation at the Glenrothes factory and is satisfied with the current safety and security arrangements at the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will prosecute the directors and owners of Aero Technologies of Cumbernauld and Glenrothes for breaches of the Employment Acts relating to non-payment of salaries and wages.

I have no power to do so. Employees who believe that they are owed wages or salaries should seek redress in the civil courts.

Working Women

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of full-time working women in the northern region receive less than £100 a week.

The available information is published in table 13 of part A of the report on the new earnings survey 1987.

Wales

Nhs Expenditure

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to take to ensure the proportion of gross domestic product spent in Wales on the National Health Service is increased to the levels prevailing in the member states of the European Community.

This question appears to be based on a mistaken premise. In 1985—the latest year for which comprehensive information is available—the mean level of GDP spent on public sector health care in member states of the European Community (excluding Luxembourg) was 5·5 per cent. while the proportion of GDP spent in Wales on the NHS in 1985–86 was 7·3 per cent. Since 1985–86 the Government have increased spending on the NHS in Wales by nearly 16 per cent. in real terms.

House Buyers, Gwynedd

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps his Department is taking to help first-time house seekers in Gwynedd to secure a house to buy or rent at a price within their reach.

We require the Housing Corporation to take full account of the needs of rural areas. It has invested on average 25 per cent. of its allocation in housing for rent and low-cost home ownership schemes in such areas. In Gwynedd in particular in 1987–88 the corporation approved schemes to provide some 150 units of accommodation out of 650 in rural Wales. In the current year, with additional private finance, the allocation will provide over 280 units in Gwynedd. In addition, we have encouraged local authorities to use their considerable powers to provide homes for local people. Dwyfor district council has received additional allocations totalling £0·5 million for this purpose over the last three years.

New Houses

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report, for each district authority in Wales, the number of new houses built in each of the last 10 years separately distinguishing (a) private and (b) non-private housing.

The required information on private and non-private housing completions from 1978 to 1986 is published in "Local Housing Statistics" copies of which are available in the Library of the House.Data for 1987 are given in the following table:—

1987 Housebuilding completions
Welsh districts¹	Public sector	Private sector
Alyn and Deeside	49	208
Colwyn	10	241
Delyn	—	189
Glyndwr	9	116
Rhuddlan	42	109
Wrexham Maelor	102	250
Carmarthen	66	169
Ceredigion	52	149
Dinefwr	30	69
Llanelli	70	51
Preseli	57	331
South Pembroke	—	166
Blaenau Gwent	67	59
Islwyn	64	25
Monmouth	15	376
Newport	42	335
Torfaen	20	219
Aberconwy	—	255
Arfon	48	110
Dwyfor	35	69
Merionydd	1	19
Ynys Môn	9	166
Cynon Valley	40	60
Merthyr Tydfil	18	127
Ogwr	51	438
Rhondda	8	15

Welsh districts ¹	Public sector	Private sector
Rhymney Valley	14	213
Taff Ely	66	330
Brecknock	37	84
Montgomeryshire	8	207
Radnor	12	130
Cardiff	29	1,458
Vale of Glamorgan	34	457
Lliw Valley	33	160
Neath	38	94
Port Talbot (Afan)	28	15
Swansea	75	361
Cwmbran	—	54
Newtown	—	91
Wales total	1,279	7,975
¹ Including Government Departments.

1985-Based Population Projections: Counties and District Health Authorities 1988–97
000's
Year	Clwyd	East Dyfed	Pembrokeshire	Dyfed	Gwent	Gwynedd	Mid Glamorgan	Powys	South Glamorgan	West Glamorgan
1988	401·7	227·5	111·2	338·7	439·9	235·4	531·8	112·2	396·6	360·4
1989	403·2	227·9	111·8	339·8	440·1	236·1	531·5	112·5	397·5	359·4
1990	404·8	228·4	112·5	340·9	440·3	236·9	531·4	112·9	398·5	358·4
1991	406·6	228·9	113·3	342·1	440·6	237·8	531·4	113·2	399·5	357·4
1992	408·3	229·4	114·0	343·4	441·0	238·7	531·5	113·6	400·7	356·5
1993	410·2	230·0	114·7	344·7	441·4	239·7	531·7	113·9	401·8	355·5
1994	412·0	230·5	115·5	346·0	441·7	240·6	532·9	114·3	402·9	354·6
1995	413·9	231·0	116·2	347·2	442·0	241·6	532·1	114·6	404·0	353·6
1996	415·7	231·5	116·9	348·5	442·2	242·6	532·2	115·0	405·1	352·5
1997	417·5	232·0	117·6	349·6	442·3	243·5	532·1	115·3	406·0	351·4

Contaminated Waste

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what steps he has taken to ensure that the tipping of contaminated wastes in the vicinity of Dark and Chapel lanes will not affect adversely the watercourses, the pastures, the crops and the livestock of adjacent fields; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will take steps to compensate residents in Chapel and Dark lanes consequent upon the impact of tipping upon their general environment; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will meet residents of Chapel lane and Dark lane, near Rossett, Clwyd, to discuss the tipping of contaminated soils from Holland, unmarked drums and other substances; and if he will make a statement;(4) if he will establish tests to ensure that the tipping of substances near Chapel lane and Dark lane is not injurious to the lungs, eyes and nervous systems of nearby residents; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to him on 11 July at column 18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales from what company or companies he has received applications to enlarge the extent of tipping at Chapel and Dark lanes; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no such applications. Any application would be made to the appropriate local authority.

Population Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each of the next 10 years at each level of geographical disaggregation available to his Department the projected population for Wales.

Population projections are made for counties of Wales. These are conterminous with district health authorities except for Dyfed, where separate assessments are made for East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire.The projections currently available are made on the basis of the populations in 1985 and are given in the following table. The most recent information at the all-Wales level for 1986 suggests however that these estimates are on the low side. Projections based on 1987 information will, it is hoped, be made available towards the end of the year.

Mentally Handicapped People

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has assessed the sufficiency of local or regional monitoring of the provision of services for mentally handicapped persons in Wales.

All county joint planning teams, which are responsible for the planning of services for people with mental handicap supported by funding made available under the all-Wales handicap strategy, assess the progress made in the development of those services. The Department meets the county joint planning teams annually to discuss the progress and planning of mental handicap services. Additionally, research teams based in the university of Wales college of medicine and the university college of North Wales, Bangor are undertaking an extensive programme of formal research to evaluate the development of mental handicap services; and the question of a system of independent review of these services is to be considered by the newly reconstituted all-Wales advisory panel on the development of services for people with a mental handicap.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what way regional health authority strategic plans embody a commitment to the continuation of mental handicap nurse training in Wales.

District health authorities in Wales will shortly be formulating their second round strategic plans, and guidelines for their production will be issued in the spring 1989. Authorities will be expected to continue to develop services for people with mental handicaps, and support for and continuation of mental handicap nurse training will be an integral component in that process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provisions regions are making, as services move out into the community, to continue their commitment to mental handicap nurse training in Wales.

The strategy for nursing in Wales published by the Department in 1987 had as one of its objectives the development of a comprehensive system of progressional education to enable the profession to meet the changing needs of the population in Wales.The change of emphasis in the care of people with mental handicaps as established in the all-Wales mental handicap strategy has demonstrated the need for different education and training for learners and further education for staff already trained. Health authorities are expected to take full account of this in the development of community based services for those with a mental handicap, and the issue is being monitored with authorities through the annual review process.Information about health authorities' current proposals for future mental handicap training is currently being collated at the all-Wales level through a manpower resource planning exercise involving all health authorities and will be available later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many nurses entered into mental handicap nurse training for each of the past five years in each region in Wales.

Information relating to entrants into mental handicap nurse training is held by the Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting and is available by district health authority for four years as shown in the following table:

Nurses entering mental handicap training
	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Gwent
Registered	12	9	13	13
Enrolled	6	5	7	0
Gwynedd
Registered	14	6	6	0
Enrolled	8	0	6	0
Mid Glamorgan
Registered	15	14	16	21
Enrolled	8	7	8	0
Powys
Registered	0	0	0	0
Enrolled	11	6	12	6
South Glamorgan
Registered	5	6	8	13
Enrolled	12	0	7	0

Notes:

1. Clwyd, East Dyfed, Pembrokeshire and West Glamorgan are not approved by the Welsh national board to run mental handicap registered or enrolled nurse training.

2. Years quoted in the table above are 1 April to 31 March.

Physiotherapy And Speech Therapy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many pupils, respectively, in schools in each county of Wales, with statements under section 7(1) of the Education Act 1981, are in receipt of physiotherapy provisions as a result of the need indicated in that statement; and what proportion of those in need in each county that number constitutes;(2) how many pupils, respectively, in schools in each county in Wales, with statements under section 7(1) of the Education Act 1981, are in receipt of speech therapy provision as a result of the need indicated in that statement; and what proportion of those in need in each county that number constitutes.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to reduce the shortage of speech therapists; if he will initiate measures to make the career of speech therapists more attractive to potential entrants; if he will make available extra moneys to ensure that the salary levels and status of speech therapists are improved; and if he will make a statement.

The manpower resource planning exercise currently being undertaken by all health authorities is intended to provide details of future requirements at the all Wales level in a number of staff groups, including speech therapy. When that exercise has been completed later this year, consideration will be given to what action should be taken to meet those requirements. A new pay and grading structure for speech therapists was introduced with effect from 1 January 1988. The management side of the scientific and professional council took account of the recruitment difficulties affecting the profession nationally and believes that the new structure will bring considerable benefits to the profession. In the current year the management side has offered a 5·5 per cent. increase in pay effective from 1 April 1988. The staff side is at present consulting its membership on this offer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will launch a campaign to be handled by the careers service promoting careers in physiotherapy and speech therapy; and if he will make a statement.

Work is currently in hand on the preparation of revised recruitment literature promoting careers in the National Health Service generally. Within Wales, the manpower steering group established by the Department is giving consideration to measures to promote and encourage recruitment into the National Health Service in Wales. The need to target specific staff groups will be considered in the light of the outcome of the manpower resource planning exercise currently being undertaken by health authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will call an all-Wales conference on speech therapy to discuss the deficiencies in speech therapy provision in schools in Wales and to prepare proposals to enhance provisions; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Office has asked health authorities through the manpower steering group to estimate how many speech therapists will be required by the National Health Service over the next 10 years and this should enable action to be taken where appropriate to meet those requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the speech therapy units in Clwyd local education authority county primary schools and specialist schools for the handicapped in Clwyd to discuss with parents the current shortage of qualified staff; and if he will make a statement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to make it a statutory right for children to have sufficient speech therapy provision; and if he will make a statement.

We are not convinced that the introduction of a statutory right would lead to a significant improvement in the provision of speech therapy to children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ascertain from local education authorities and health authorities the availability of physiotherapists' service for handicapped pupils in Wales.

The provision of physiotherapy for handicapped pupils is best determined by district health authorities in the light of their knowledge of local circumstances. The Welsh Office has asked health authorities to estimate how many physiotherapists will be required by the National Health Service over the next five to 10 years and this should enable action to be taken where appropriate to meet the requirements.

Earnings

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of working men in Wales who earned less than £100 per week in the year 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

Latest available data for Wales from the new earnings survey, April 1987 show that 6·4 per cent. of full-time male employees on adult rates (whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence) earned less than £100 per week.

Young Persons (Employment)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of young people left school in Wales and went directly into work at 16 years of age without training in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not available.

Sports Halls And Swimming Pools

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of local authority (i) sports halls and (ii) local authority swimming pools in each of the counties of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The number of local authority sports centres and swimming pools in each of the counties of Wales is as follows:

County	Sport centres	Swimming pools
Clwyd	15	17
Dyfed	10	17
Gwent	23	19
Gwynedd	7	9

County	Sport centres	Swimming pools
Mid Glamorgan	17	18
Powys	8	8
South Glamorgan	11	8
West Glamorgan	6	7

Source: Sports Council for Wales.

Sports Council

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cash grant in real terms to the Sports Council Wales in each of the years since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The grant-in-aid allocation to the Sports Council for Wales since 1979, adjusted by the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator at 1988–89 prices, is as follows:

£
1979–80	3,349,000
1980–81	3,519,000
1981–82	3,614,000
1982–83	3,769,000
1983–84	3,482,000
1984–85	3,430,000
1985–86	3,812,000
1986–87	4,135,000
1987–88	4,355,000
1988–89	4,199,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much capital spending has occurred under (i) Sports Council for Wales and (ii) local authorities Wales on sports facilities in each of the years since 1979: and if he will make a statement.

Sports Council for Wales and local authorities' gross capital expenditure on sports facilities was as follows:

£ million
Year	Sports Council for Wales expenditure¹	Local authorities expenditure²
1979–80	0·831	4·141
1980–81	0·966	9·849
1981–82	1·118	7334
1982–83	1·367	8·349
1983–84	0·962	12·101
1984–85	0·731	15·207
1985–86	0·759	11·639
1986–87	1·267	13·135
1987–88	1·138	n/a
¹ Includes grants and loans to local clubs etc. as well as the Sports Council for Wales' capital expenditure on its own facilities.
² Includes expenditure on sports/recreation centres, golf courses, playing fields/sports grounds and swimming pools.
n/a—Not available.

Farm Inspectors

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farm inspectors were employed by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in 1980 and 1986; what is the figure for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

Officers of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service visit farms for a variety of purposes, including the provision of technical advice to farmers at their request as well as for certain statutory purposes. There is no distinct category of ADAS farm inspector as such.

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his latest estimate of the number of people liable to pay the poll tax in (i) each of the counties of Wales, (ii) each of the districts and boroughs of Wales and (iii) each of the parliamentary constituencies of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Most adults in Wales will be liable to pay the community charge. At this stage, estimates of those exempt from the charge by county, district or parliamentary constituency are not available.The estimated number of adults in each county and district in Wales is given in the following table.Estimates of the number of adults in each parliamentary constituency in Wales are not available other than from the 1981 census.

OPCS mid·year 1986 estimates of adult population by county and district in Wales
	Adult population 000'
Clwyd	304·4
Dyfed	261·9
Gwent	335·4
Gwynedd	180·2
Mid Glamorgan	402·3
Powys	87·0
South Glamorgan	300·3
West Glamorgan	278·9
Alyn and Deeside	53·9
Colwyn	40·7
Delyn	49·0
Glyndwr	31·3
Rhuddlan	43·4
Wrexham Maelor	86·1
Carmarthen	42·0
Ceredigion	49·6
Dinefwr	28·9
Llanelli	57·7
Preseli Pembrokeshire	53·4
South Pembrokeshire	30·3
Blaenau Gwent	59·4
Islwyn	50·0
Monmouth	59·4
Newport	98·1
Torfaen	68·5
Aberconwy	41·5
Arfon	40·6
Dwyfor	20·9
Meirionnydd	25·0
Ynys Mon	52·2
Cynon Valley	49·3
Merthyr Tydfil	44·4
Ogwr	101·8
Rhondda	59·4
Rhymney Valley	76·7
Taff Ely	70·7
Brecknock	31·6
Montgomeryshire	38·6
Radnor	16·8
Cardiff	212·6
Vale of Glamorgan	87·7
Port Talbot	38·9
Lliw Valley	46·8
Neath	49·8
Swansea	143·4
Total Wales	2,150·4

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his latest estimate of the average level of poll tax in each of the districts of Wales to be paid by each adult; and if he will make a statement.

Illustrative figures are given in the following table. These estimates are based on present needs assessments which are under review.

1988–89 community charge figures for Wales
Rating authority	Community charges for 1988–89
	Before safety net	After safety net
	(£ per adult)	(£ per adult)
Alyn and Deeside	143	176
Colwyn	150	198
Delyn	152	177
Glyndwr	151	155
Rhuddlan	139	170
Wrexham Maelor	155	162
Carmarthen	153	123
Ceredigion	142	136
Dinefwr	138	110
Llanelli	162	137
Preseli Pembrokeshire	138	126
South Pembrokeshire	142	152
Blaenau Gwent	158	116
Islwyn	156	127
Monmouth	147	167
Newport	151	185
Torfaen	153	154
Aberconwy	138	173
Arfon	136	129
Dwyfor	137	160
Meirionnydd	142	158
Ynys Mon	132	154
Cynon Valley	158	108
Merthyr Tydfil	170	124
Ogwr	167	151
Rhondda	159	85
Rhymney Valley	174	139
Taff Ely	165	145
Brecknock	135	131
Montgomeryshire	119	128
Radnor	125	134
Cardiff	112	179
Vale of Glamorgan	123	166
Port Talbot	207	154
Lliw Valley	187	142
Neath	172	141
Swansea	201	192
Wales	151	151

Homeless Persons

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide figures showing the numbers of housing applications and the numbers officially accepted as homeless in Wales for each year since 1978.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Number of cases accepted and presented 1978–87
Total	Cases presented	Cases accepted
¹1978	5,042	3,204
1979	7,084	4,676
1980	8,277	5,446
1981	8,609	5,462
1982	9,061	5,611
1983	9,191	5,008
1984	8,845	4,999
1985	9,206	5,371

Total	Cases presented	Cases accepted
1986	9,861	5,965
1987	8,423	5,294
¹ Data for the first quarter of 1978 are not available. The monitoring of homelessness under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 did not commence in Wales until April 1978.

Welsh Language

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice he has received from the working group he established to advise him on issues relating to the Welsh language: and if he will make a statement.

I have received valuable advice from the group and had a further useful discussion with it this week.

Wda (Regional Office)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will arrange for further consultations with local authorities before the implementation of proposed changes in the Welsh Development Agency regional office boundaries; and if he will make a statement.

: [holding answer 13 July 1988]: I am assured that the agency will be willing to discuss any further representations made to it.

Scotland

Green Belt

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by region and district the area of land designated as green belt up to (a) 1979 and (b) 1987 in Scotland.

Designated green belts in Scotland in 1986 (the latest available information) were as follows:

Region	Green belt	Hectares
Lothian	Lothian	14,600
Grampian	Aberdeen	82,355
Strathclyde/Central	Greater Glasgow	100,000
Strathclyde	Ayr/Prestwick	2,835
	TOTAL SCOTLAND	203,285
Total designated green belt in Scotland in 1979		218,470

Note: Between 1979 and 1986 the Dundee green belt (14,800 hectares) was de-designated and became the Dundee Countryside Policy Area. A breakdown of the 1979 figure is not available.

Areas Of Special Scientific Interest

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by region and district, the sites designated as of special scientific interest, and the area of each, up to (a) 1979 and (b) 1987 in Scotland.

The information is not available in the form requested. I shall however write to the hon. Member giving a list by region of all sites of special scientific interest at 31 December 1987. The list will show the area of each site and whether the site had been notified under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 by November 1981. I shall also send a list, by region, of sites of special scientific interest which had been notified by 30 November 1981, but which have subsequently been denotified. Copies of these lists will be placed in the Library of the House.

Crown Classification Scheme

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the results of any consumer research regarding public understanding of the crown classification schemes in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The Scottish tourist board has not to date undertaken any specific research into public awareness of the crown classification and grading scheme. I understand that the board plans to undertake research later this year by which time the public will have had reasonable experience of the scheme's operation.

Mentally Handicapped People

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has assessed the sufficiency of local or regional monitoring of provision of services for mentally handicapped persons in Scotland.

The Scottish Home and Health Department has nearly completed the second round of monitoring health boards' implementation of the priorities for the Scottish Health Service set out in the report "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties" (SHAPE). That report recommended inter alia that high priority should be given to the provision of services for the mentally handicapped. Expenditure on those services rose by 6 per cent. in real terms from 1981–82 to 1986–87.

Mental Handicap Nurses

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what way health boards' strategic plans embody a commitment to the continuation of mental handicap nurse training in Scotland.

The strategic plans of Scottish health boards do not contain specific commitments to mental handicap nurse training. However, as part of the "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties" monitoring programme, plans include a nursing manpower analysis (including the mental handicap programme) for a projected period of 10 years. From this, health boards are able to determine their future staffing recruitment and training requirements. In addition the Scottish Home and Health Department has had discussions with health boards about target figures for recruitment to mental handicap nurse training programmes and these target figures will be kept under review. When health boards submit proposals for new capital developments such as new wards or units for the improvement of mental handicap service, the Scottish Home and Health Department has to be fully satisfied that appropriately trained nursing staff will be available to commission and operate the new facilities before approval will be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community mental handicap nurses are employed by each health board in Scotland.

This information is not at present collected centrally. Arrangements are being made to do so as part of a more general development of manpower and personnel management information systems in health boards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions regions are making, as services move out into the community, to continue their commitment to mental handicap nurse training in Scotland.

The staff of regional authorities involved in dealing with the mentally handicapped are mostly social workers. Mental handicap nurse training is provided at health boards' colleges of nursing and midwifery: curricula and standards of training are laid down and monitored by the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland. The Scottish Home and Health Department and the social work services group of the Scottish Education Department are providing £200,000 to fund a three-year project to establish guidelines for shared training and work experience for nurses and social work staff working with mentally handicapped people. The Scottish Home and Health Department has also had discussions with health boards about target figures for recruitment to mental handicap nurse training programmes and these target figures will be kept under review.

Mental Handicap Training

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nurses have entered into mental handicap training for each of the past five years in each region in Scotland.

Information is not held centrally in the form requested. The information readily available relates to Scotland as a whole and is given in the table. I shall write further to the hon. Member when figures for each health board are available.

Entrants to mental handicap nursing training
Number
1983–84	148
1984–85	192
1985–86	178
1986–87	155
1987–88	194

Teachers

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of vacancies for teachers in (i) mathematics, (ii) history, (iii) English, (iv) sciences and (v) physical education in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Glasgow, for each year since 1974.

Information on vacancies for teachers is not available. Information on excesses and deficits of secondary school teachers is collected, and is published in an annual statistical bulletin. The most recent bulletin in the series is No 3/C1/1988, a copy of which was sent to the hon. Member. A copy is also held in the House of Commons Library.

Nurses' Pay

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total pay bill for nurses in Scotland in 1987–88.

Provisionally £621·3 million, on the basis of health board accounts submitted but not yet audited. This figure includes the pay costs of nursing staff not directly involved with patient care at ward level.

Homelessness

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the estimated costs to public funds of (a) keeping homeless families in hotels and (b) building new council houses for those families.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures showing the numbers of housing applications and the numbers officially accepted as homeless in Scotland for each year since 1978.

The information requested is set out in the table.

Homelessness: Applicant Households, Scotland
Period of application year ending 31 March	Number of applications	Number assessed by local authorities as homeless
1979	16,035	7,493
1980	15,460	7,440
1981	14,868	7,025
1982	15,955	8,270
1983	16,539	8,664
1984	15,516	8,086
1985	20,461	9,912
1986	23,647	11,015
1987¹	24,726	10,321
¹ provisional.

Local Authority Housing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures showing the total expenditure on local authority housebuilding for each year since 1979 in terms of (i) current prices, (ii) 1988 prices and (iii) share of gross domestic product.

The information requested is available only in terms of financial years and in that form is set out in the table. Figures for earlier years are not readily available on a consistent basis and the last year for which final figures are available is 1986–87.

Local Authority Expenditure on Housebuilding
£ million
(1) Year	(2) Cash Prices¹	(3) 1988–89 Constant Prices	(4) Col. (2) expressed as per cent. of GDP²
1981–82	66	93	0·36
1982–83	67	87	0·33
1983–84	68	85	0·31
1984–85	64	77	0·28
1985–86	62	70	0·25
1986–87	63	69	0·23
¹ Figures shown are based on housing capital returns submitted by local authorities.

² Based on gross domestic product at factor costs, a measure which excludes taxes on expenditure and the effect of subsidies, and taken from "Regional Accounts" prepared annually by Central Statistical Office.

Community Service Orders

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community service orders have been made by Cumbernauld and Kilsyth district court in each of the last two years.

None.

Nuclear Waste (Disposal)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the course of his meeting on 14 June with Mr. Baker of UK Nirex Ltd., he was advised by Mr. Baker when Nirex expects to be in a position to recommend to the Government one or more sites worthy of further investigation to assess their suitability as nuclear waste disposal facilities; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that Nirex hopes to be in a position to report the outcome of its consultation exercise and to make recommendations by early next year.

Nirex

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in the course of his meeting with Mr. John Baker of UK Nirex Ltd. on 14 June, he was advised whether Nirex was conducting preliminary investigations in Scotland on (a) the land holdings of its partners (b) other publicly owned land and (c) privately owned land; and if he will make a statement.

No physical investigations are taking place at any site in Scotland, but Nirex is understood to be continuing with desk studies of the suitability of various areas of land throughout the United Kingdom, in order to make recommendations to the Government in due course.

Ambulances

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the expenditure on the Scottish ambulance service for Scotland as a whole and for each health board area for each of the past five years at constant prices.

Scottish ambulance service operational areas do not coincide with health board boundaries and it is not possible to calculate expenditure for each health board area. The expenditure for the whole of Scotland over the past five years at constant 1986–87 prices calculated by applying the gross domestic product (market prices) deflator, is as follows:

Year	Expenditure £
1983–84	25,867,460
1984–85	25,747,847
1985–86	25,677,434
1986–87	28,011,143
¹1987–88	30,372,439
¹ Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many one-man ambulances there are still operating in each health board area in Scotland.

Single-manned ambulances are not a specific type of vehicle. Ambulances are crewed by one or two members of staff in the light of operational circumstances, particularly the mobility and physical condition of the expected patients. There are longstanding arrangements to reinforce a single crew member if necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ambulances there are per 1,000 of the population in (a) Scotland as a whole and (b) for each health board area; and what is the equivalent ratio for England and Wales.

In December 1987 (the latest figure available) the number of ambulances per 1,000 of population in Scotland was 0.17. The number in each health board area is not readily available, since Scottish ambulance service operational areas do not coincide with health board boundaries. The ambulance service in England and Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants were brought to Westminster from Scotland for the debate on the Rate Support Grant (Scotland) Order on 11 July; and what was the cost to public funds.

Four, three of whom also had other unrelated business which required their presence in London. Total travel and associated costs are estimated at £850.

Wetlands

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the classification of further sites in Scotland as special protection areas, under article 4 of European Community directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds, and the listing of further sites in Scotland as wetlands of international importance, under the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance, especially as waterfowl habitat.

I am pleased to announce that the Government have accepted the recommendation of the Nature Conservancy Council that the following sites of special scientific interest should be classified as special protection areas (SPA) under the directive and, except as indicated, listed as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention.

Site of special scientific interest	International designation
Gruinart Flats, Islay	(SPA), Ramsar
Eilean Na Muice Duibhe (Duich Moss), Islay	(SPA), Ramsar
Bridgend Flats, Islay	(SPA), Ramsar
Laggan Peninsula, Islay	(SPA)
Gladhouse Reservoir, Midlothian	(SPA), Ramsar
Din Moss—Hoselaw Loch, Roxburgh	(SPA), Ramsar

Aero Technologies

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the implications for employment prospects and the local economy of the difficulties facing Aero Technologies of Cumbernauld and Glenrothes; and if he will meet the directors to discuss the firm's problems.

I understand that the numbers involved at the company's plants in Cumbernauld and Glenrothes are fewer than 100. These losses have to be seen in the context of increases of 944 and 107 in net employment in each of these new towns respectively during 1987–88. My officials are always ready to meet representatives of companies in Scotland who consider that the schemes of assistance operated by my Departments are relevant to their circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much regional industrial grant Aero Technologies of Cumbernauld and Glenrothes has received for its factories, plant or equipment; what steps have been taken to secure the plant and machinery against the possibility of removal; and what investigations are being carried out into its original application for grant assistance.

The amount of regional development grant paid to Allivane International Ltd., now known as Aero Technologies in respect of its activities at Cumbernauld was published in British Business on 4 September 1987. RDG is not available in Glenrothes new town, an intermediate area. The disposal of assets at Cumbernauld is a matter for the company. My Department is monitoring the situation to ensure full compliance with the conditions attached to the payment of grant.

Social Services

Christmas Bonuses

96.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many £10 Christmas bonuses were paid to pensioners at Christmas 1987.

It is estimated that about 11·5 million payments were made to pensioners and other qualifying beneficiaries in December 1987. Figures will be available with the publication of the national insurance fund and appropriation accounts later this year.

Community Health Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of (a) the total budget and (b) the revenue budget per hospital and community health services was allocated to community health services in each regional health authority in England during 1986–87.

Percentage figures for each region, derived from expenditure information recorded in the 1986–87 annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England, are shown in the table.

Expenditure on community health services (CHS)—Proportions of total hospital and community health services (HCHS) expenditure
Region	Proportion¹ of revenue and capital expenditure on CHS to total HCHS revenue and capital expenditure	Proportion² of revenue expenditure on CHS to total HCHS revenue expenditure
	Per cent.	Per cent.
Northern	9·5	9·8
Yorkshire	9·1	9·6
Trent	10·5	11·1
East Anglian	9·8	10·0
North West Thames	10·1	10·5
North East Thames	8·6	8·8
South East Thames	10·5	10·5
South West Thames	9·7	10·0
Wessex	9·9	10·7
Oxford	11·0	11·6
South Western	10·5	10·7
West Midlands	10·5	10·9
Mersey	9·8	10·1
North Western	11·1	11·6
¹ The expenditure figures used for CHS (that is, from the annual accounts) cover main services expenditure but exclude elements of broadly related expenditure (for example, on projects jointly financed with local authorities).
² Expenditure on HCHS represents total expenditure by the health authorities (including that on ambulance, blood transfusion, mass radiography and other services).

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the average expenditure on community health services per head of the population aged under four years, five to 14 years, 15 to 64 years, 64 to 75 years and over 75 years for each regional health authority in England in 1986–87;(2) what was the expenditure per head of the population aged under four years, five to 14 years, 15 to 64 years, and 75 years and over on community health services

(a) in 1979–80, and (b) in 1986–87 at constant prices.

I regret that the information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of (a) the total National Health Service budget and (b) the revenue budget for the hospital and community health services was allocated to the community health services for each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87.

The percentage allocation of gross current expenditure on community health services of (a) the total National Health Service budget and (b) the revenue budget for the hospital and community health services for the years 1979–80 to 1986–87 is shown in the table.

(Percentage) England
	(a)	(b)
1979–80	6·6	8·4
1980–81	6·3	8·7
1981–82	6·4	8·7
1982–83	6·4	8·9
1983–84	6·4	9·0
1984–85	6·5	9·4
1985–86	6·8	9·8
1986–87	7·1	10·2

Note: Figures relate to current gross expenditure.

Community Medical Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of whole-time equivalent community medical staff employed in the National Health Service in (a) 1979–80 and (b) 1986–87.

The whole-time equivalent numbers of medical staff in the community health services in England were:

	whole-time equivalent
30 September 1979	2,057
30 September 1986	2,186

Chiropodists

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each district health authority in England, the number of whole-time equivalent chiropodists per 1,000 of the population aged 65 years and over in (a) 1979–80 and (b) 1986–87.

It would not be meaningful to provide the ratios of staff to population in specific age groups as chiropodists provide care to patients of all ages.

Nurses

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services in what way regional health authority strategic plans embody a commitment to the continuation of mental handicap nurse training in England.

Regional health authority strategic plans set out authorities' long-term objectives. Progress toward these objectives, including the continued development of community and district-based services for mentally handicapped people, is monitored through the annual accountability review process and analysis of short-term programmes. These include discussion of regional plans for mental handicap nurse training, information on which is collected in the short-term programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what provisions regions are making, as services move out into the community, to continue their commitment to mental handicap nurse training in England.

It is for regional and district health authorities to determine the patterns of provision for mental handicap nurse training in the light of their local needs and resources. Details of these training arrangements are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions his Department has had with local authority social services departments regarding the employment of nurses with mental handicap training; and what guidelines have been issued to ensure that this kind of training plays an integral role in planning services.

It is for the local and health authorities co-ordinating their plans for the mental handicap services for which they have statutory responsibility to agree as necessary appropriate arrangements for the selection, employment and training of care staff. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 16 March at column 615 on advice on the developing role of mental handicap nurses in the chief nursing officer's letter of 18 December 1988 (CNO(85)5).

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services which schools of nurse training have closed in the past two years.

No schools of nursing in England have closed in the past two years.

Mentally Handicapped Persons

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has assessed the sufficiency of local or regional monitoring of the provision of services for mentally handicapped persons in England.

The Department assesses the sufficiency of local and regional monitoring in a number of ways and I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 30 March 1988 at columns 547–48.

Orthotic Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the results of the National Health Service Management Consultancy Services study of orthotic services in the National Health Service.

This report is in the process of being finalised by the study team. It is hoped to go out to consultation on the contents of the report by the autumn.

Nhs Review

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the organisations which have been invited to make submissions to the Government's review of the National Health Service.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 17 March at column 677.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of what background research has been commissioned for the Government's review of the National Health Service.

The review is able to draw on the extensive range of background material that already exists, including some which has been stimulated by the announcement of the review itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the organisations which have made submissions to the Government's review of the National Health Service.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for City of Durham (Mr. Steinberg), for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams), for Redcar (Miss Mowlam) and for Hartlepool (Mr. Leadbitter) on 12 July at columns 152–53.

Opcs Office (Asbestos)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is safe for the staff and public to use the office of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys at St. Catherine's House; and whether he proposes to take any action regarding the asbestos there.

Following recent building work in St. Catherine's house traces of asbestos fibres have been identified in a small number of rooms where certain parts of the internal fabric of the building had been damaged.A programme of testing all such rooms has been undertaken as a matter of urgency and, when tests have proved positive, rooms have been closed to staff, cleaned by a specialist company and not reopened until further tests have proved negative. No traces of asbestos fibres have been found in those rooms to which the public have free access.The Property Services Agency is being consulted on the prevention of any recurrence of this problem in future.

Rating Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if there will be deductions from income support for claimants who do not pay their community charge.

Paragraph 6 of schedule 4 to the Local Government Finance Bill (as amended on Report) provides for regulations which will enable deductions to be made from income support if a magistrates court has issued a liability order for community charge payments in England and Wales. Schedule 12 makes parallel provision for Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if the name and address of persons who claim income support but not a community charge rebate will be given to the local community charge registration officer.

No. The names and addresses of those who are awarded income support but who do not claim a community charge rebate will be given to the community charge registration officer.

Departmental Forms

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how much it has cost his Department in photocopying and duplicating costs since form A14BL has been out of print.

Form A14BL went out of stock on 2 March 1988. Reprint and subsequent distribution was completed by 13 July 1988. While out of stock, the total additional cost of printing and photocopying for regional and local offices was approximately £4,300.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of printing form MF36A print run April 1988; and how much it cost to correct.

The April 1988 costs of printing form MF36A were £2,340·43. It contained a very obvious single-word printing error which is being put right clerically in local offices at minimal cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many new forms were created as a result of the Social Security Act 1986; how many were abolished; and how many had to be amended.

The reforms introduced in April 1988, as a result of the Social Security Act 1986, required the introduction of 100 new forms for use by local offices including four transitional forms. Some 296 other forms used by local offices were amended and 131 existing forms were abolished. Information on forms introduced, amended, or abolished earlier than April 1986, as a result of the Social Security Act 1986, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Department Offices

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what offices of his Department have become vacant as a result of the move to Richmond house.

The move of some 480 staff to Richmond house has left space in Alexander Fleming house, Friars house and Hannibal house.In order to provide decant space for the planned refurbishment of Alexander Fleming house, a rationalisation programme has begun in these buildings. The space gained from the move to Whitehall will therefore be used initially for decant space and eventually released from the estate following implementation of our accommodation strategy on the completion of the refurbishment of Alexander Fleming house in 1992–93.

Resettlement Unit (Southampton)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his plans for his Department's Southampton resettlement unit, Mill Brook road, over the next five years.

In 1985 we announced that we intended to work towards the closure of all resettlement units, replacing them with other facilities, to be run by voluntary oranisations and local authorities but funded by the Government. Proposals for the provision of facilities in the Southampton area were agreed with the local review team earlier this year. The unit will be run down as those facilities become available and will close as soon as an agreed number of replacement bed spaces have been provided. I anticipate that closure will take place within the next five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of the refurbishment of his Department's Southampton resettlement unit at Mill Brook road.

No general refurbishment of the Southampton resettlement unit has taken place. Essential plumbing repairs are currently in progress at an estimated cost of £33,000.

Staff Retraining

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the breakdown costs of retraining staff at national and local level, including all training materials, to enable them to adminster the new social security system following the implementation of the Social Security Act 1986.

The breakdown is as follows:

Local office staff = 2,214 man years = £19·9 million
Regional office staff = 6 man years = £100,000
Central office staff = 53 man years = £0·5 million
Central training staff = 51 man years = £0·5 million

In addition, printing costs for the training material totalled approximately £0·5 million (£447,871).

Disabled Persons

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of alleged discrimination against disabled people have been made to him during each of the years 1982 to 1988 inclusive; and if he will outline what action was taken in each case.

Since 1983, 34 cases of alleged discrimination against disabled people have been referred to the Department following the invitation by the then Minister for the disabled, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Sir H.Rossi). The number received each year is as follows:

	Cases
1983	22
1984	3
1985	2
1986	none
1987	4
¹1988	3
¹ First 6 months.

For those cases where investigations have been completed:

In 10 cases no evidence of discrimination was found.
In six cases, insufficient information was available to enable enquiries to be completed.
In four cases there were genuine problems of access.
Three cases involved judgments by a particular employer that the individual's disability adversely affected their ability to perform the job efficiently or safely.
In three cases the problem was resolved in favour of the complainant during the course of our enquiries.
Two cases involved commercial judgments, the basis of which could not effectively be checked.
One case concerned maritime regulations laid before Parliament.
One case was a complaint by a disabled person against an employee who was subsequently disciplined by the employer.
One case involved a conflict of opinion over the application of 'right to buy' housing legislation.
In one case the Department requested further information from the complainant but received no response.
In one case the complainant was seeking the introduction of anti-discrimination legislation and we responded by setting out our position on this issue.
There is currently one case still under consideration.

Organ Donors

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the names of those holding organ donor cards are entered on a centralised computer.

The national donor card scheme is not related to computerised registers of potential organ donors. The intention of the donor card was described in my reply to my hon. Friend on 4 May at column 504. At present we have no plans to establish a national register of potential donors. We wish to see an evaluation of the registers being established by the Manpower Services Commission, for example, in Birmingham and Sheffield, and of a similar scheme operating in Wales before giving further consideration to this question.

Ambulances

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many one-man ambulances there are still operating in England and Wales as a whole and for each health authority area.

I regret that the information requested is not available centrally.

Means-Tested Benefits

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the number of (a) claimants and (b) dependants claiming each of the means-tested benefits for which he is responsible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the reply to the then hon. Member for Kensington, 14 April 1986, Official Report, columns 271–72, estimating the total number of (a) families and (b) persons in the United Kingdom receiving income-related benefits; and if he will also estimate the number of families and persons who were entitled but not claiming.

[holding answer 11 July 1988]: This information requested is set out as follows:

Income-related benefit recipients and their dependants Great Britain—latest available figures
( Thousands)
Date and benefit	Number of recipients	Number of dependants
May 1987
Supplementary benefit	4,896	3,309
March 1988
Family income supplement	¹210	¹570
Autumn 1986
Standard HB	3,730	n/a
Recipients getting one or more income-related benefit	² 8,400	n/a
n/a—Figures not available.
¹ Cases considered at time of conversion to family credit. The number of dependants is estimated from earlier figures.
² This figure reflects an adjustment for the overlap between the benefits (ie people receiving two or more of the above benefits).

Primary Care Psychiatry

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his Department's plans for the future funding of research into primary care psychiatry; what arrangements have been made with the Medical Research Council for work to continue in this area; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 July 1988]: We continue to regard research into primary care psychiatry as important. In view of the forthcoming retirement of the director of the DHSS-funded general practice research unit at the Institute of Psychiatry we have, as is our normal practice, reviewed the way we support work in this area. The Medical Research Council has also reviewed its future arrangements for research in this area, given the forthcoming retirement of the directors of its two existing units of social psychiatry. As a result, the MRC is establishing a new unit of social psychiatry, and we intend to fund a significant programme of research based at t he new unit. I hope that these collaborative arrangements with the M RC will support research of high scientific quality with benefits for patients and those who care for them.

Energy

Piper Alpha

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his statement of 7 July, Official Report, columns 1191–98, whether the public inquiry he announced on the Piper Alpha platform disaster will review safety procedures for work in the North sea generally; and if he will make a statement.

Since my statement to the House on 7 July, I have had the opportunity to consult the Attorney-General and the Lord Advocate on the form of the public inquiry.The public inquiry will take place under the Offshore Installations (Public Inquiries) Regulations 1974. These regulations were made under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 and were expressly designed to provide for public inquiries into casualties and accidents involving offshore installations. They provide full powers for appointing assessors, summoning witnesses, collecting evidence and making recommendations.I have appointed Lord Cullen, a senator of the College of Justice in Scotland as the chairman of the public inquiry. The Government intend that the public inquiry will be as full and far reaching as necessary. I have arranged for copies of the instrument directing that a public inquiry be held to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and in the Vote Office. It provides that the inquiry be held to establish the circumstances of the accident and its cause. It also appoints Lord Cullen to hold the inquiry and to report to me on the circumstances of the accident and its cause together with any observations and recommendations which he thinks fit to make with a view to the preservation of life and the avoidance of similar accidents in the future.The inquiry will be held in Aberdeen. The Lord Advocate has indicated that the Scottish Law Officers will represent the public interest in the inquiry.I am also very anxious that if there are any early lessons that can be learnt from the disaster we should extract them and issue immediate guidance to operators of North sea installations. The Health and Safety Commission and I have therefore agreed that a speedy and thorough technical investigation will be held under section 14(2)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and under regulations made under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 to establish the cause of the accident.The person appointed by the Health and Safety Commission and myself under these provisions is Mr. J. R. Petrie, the director of safety in the petroleum engineering division of my Department who is working in close consultation with the staff of the Health and Safety Executive and with the procurator fiscal. He will make a report to both the commission and myself as quickly as possible and we will then consider whether and, if so, what guidance should be issued. The report of this investigation will be available as evidence to the public inquiry which will be free to question or supplement it as it wishes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now make public the inquiry report into the explosion on the Piper Alpha platform in 1984.

I shall make the report of the investigation of the 1984 explosion available to the forthcoming public inquiry into the Piper Alpha accident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when an inspector from his Department last inspected modules on the Piper Alpha platform for the fire test; and what action was said to be necessary in order that the appropriate safety standard would be reached.

The inspection of modules on the platform for structural fire safety is a matter for the certifying authority. The second annual survey within the five-year cycle of the current certificate of fitness from the certifying authority took place between January and April of this year. The fire-fighting equipment in place on the platform is examined every two years by the Department of Transport to ensure its effectiveness. The last Department of Transport survey was completed in February of this year. A satisfactory survey report was issued shortly thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will supply copies of his Department's report into the fire and explosion on the Piper Alpha oil rig in 1984 (a) to the chair of the public inquiry into the explosion and (b) to the Library; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already announced, I shall make available to the public inquiry all the relevant information held by my Department, including the results of the investigation into the 1984 explosion on Piper Alpha. It will then be for the public inquiry to decide whether and how to publish this information.

North Sea Installations

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons were killed in the course of their employment on oil platforms and similar installations in the North sea in the last 10 years for which information is available.

Accident statistics of the kind requested by the hon. and learned Member are published in the annual report to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Energy on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The latest statistics show that there were 76 fatal accidents in the years 1978 to 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many serious accidents have occurred on gas or oil installations each year since 1965; how many of these each year involved fatalities; how many persons were killed each year; and how many persons in total have been killed in such accidents since 1965.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the agencies which carry out inspections of oil and gas installations in the North sea; and how many inspectors each of these agencies had engaged on this work each year since 1965.

The independent agencies for offshore installations appointed by the Government are the following six certifying authorities:

Lloyd's Register of Shipping, American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd and the Offshore Certification Bureau.

The staff' numbers employed by the certifying authorities are a matter for them. My own Department and the Department of Transport also carry out safety inspections.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list each occasion and date since 1965 when safety inspectors of oil and gas installations in the North sea have recommended or required significant changes, other than minor matters, to be carried out as a result of inspections; which owners were involved; what action was taken to ensure whether such recommendations or required actions were actually carried out; and in which cases such actions had not been carried out by the time of the next inspection.

The information is not available in the form requested. However, generally speaking the Department carries out over 200 inspections and between 25 and 30 accident investigations each year. In the majority of cases inspections result in recommendations for action, usually of a minor nature, to be taken. Progress on carrying out recommendations is continuously monitored by the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the occasions and dates since 1965 when the owners of gas or oil rig installations in the North sea have been prosecuted; what was the basis of the prosecution in each case; and what was the penalty imposed on each occasion when an offence was proved.

Details are available only from 1977. Since then 65 prosecutions of companies or persons have been brought in connection with offshore safety requirements monitored by my Department. The basis of prosecution in each case was infringement of the requirements under the legislation applying to operations on the United Kingdom continental shelf. The penalties are imposed in accordance with the penalty provisions set out in the appropriate legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, for each of the gas and oil rig installations in the North sea, the date of each safety inspection carried out in the last five years, which agency carried out the inspection, the length each inspection lasted, how many persons carried out each inspection and the conclusion of the inspection in each case.

The figures are not available in the form requested. In broad terms the Department's safety inspectorate carries out over 200 inspections annually. Each inspection usually lasts between one and two day sand is carried out by a single inspector. The frequency of inspection varies depending on the circumstances of the individual installation, but in general an inspector would visit each installation at least once a year. Any lessons from the inspections are notified by means of a letter to the offshore installation manager and to his company management, and by the issue of safety notices, which are circulated to all offshore operators and throughout the industry.The Department of Transport surveys all offshore installations every two years to ensure that the fire-fighting equipment and life-saving appliances meet the necessary requirements. No Department of Transport surveyors are allocated exclusively to the survey of offshore installations and so there are no figures for the actual number of inspectors engaged in the work, but it is estimated that around 12 to 15 man years per annum are devoted to this work.The certifying authorities make an independent assessment of the design and construction of every offshore installation. Major surveys of offshore installations are carried out before the first certificate of fitness is issued and every five years thereafter. In addition, every year there is an annual survey carried out so that the certifying authority may satisfy itself that the installation remains fit for its purpose. The certifying authorities employ surveyors of many disciplines and they estimate that in aggregate 250 man years each year are devoted to offshore installations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list each serious accident that has occurred regarding oil and gas exploration and drilling in the North sea since 1980; what was the cause and nature of the accident; in each case, how many persons were killed and injured in each accident; in which cases an inquiry was carried out into each episode; and whether the inquiry was made public.

Accident statistics of the kind requested by the hon. Member are published in the annual report to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Energy on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. An investigation is carried out by the Department of Energy inspectorate into all the serious accidents, and any lessons to be learnt are made available publicly by way of regular safety notices issued by the safety directorate of my petroleum engineering division.

Electricity

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by what percentage electricity charges have risen since May 1979.

Over the period June 1979 to May 1988, electricity charges to domestic consumers rose in real terms by 2·5 per cent. and those to industrial consumers fell by 3 per cent.

Volume 137: debated on Sunday 14 June 1998

Written Answers To Question

Education And Science

Universities (Equipment Donations)

Premature Early Retirement Compensation Scheme

History And Religious Studies

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Copyright, Designs And Patents Bill

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National Engineering Laboratory

Chile

Environment

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South-East Regional Aggregate Working Party

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Movement And Dance

Disabled Employees

Prime Minister

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Rating Reform

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South Georgia

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Company Cars

Scottish Economy

Government Data Network

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Inflation

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Productivity

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Vat

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Aviation Gasoline

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Departmental Telephone Numbers

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Third World Debt

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