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Football Hooligans
Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take action to prevent convicted football hooligans from travelling to football matches abroad.
Mr. Hurd : Yes. I intend to bring forward proposals for the courts to be given powers to prevent convicted football hooligans from attending matches abroad, by requiring them to report to an agency in this country at times when certain matches are due to take place. The courts would have power to impose a restriction order on a person convicted of a football- related offence here in any case in which the order would help to reduce the risk of disorder and violence at matches abroad. I am also considering how a restriction order might similarly be imposed following conviction for a football-related offence abroad. Provisions will be included in the Football Spectators Bill, to be introduced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Keith Mulcahy
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Halifax will receive a reply to her letter written on 26 October concerning her constituent, Keith Mulcahy, and his treatment by the governor of Armley prison.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I replied to the hon. Member on 1 December.
Electronic Tagging
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants have volunteered to take part in practical experiments with electronic tagging schemes ; what have been the results ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 1 December 1988] : Two officials voluntarily wore electronic monitoring
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devices. The preliminary tests yielded useful experience as part of our evaluation of these devices, but were not intended to be a systematic assessment of the equipment. Full trials in two or three areas will begin shortly.Equal Opportunities Commission
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission ; and whether the commission's recommendation for strengthening the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts were discussed.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 1 December 1988] : My right hon. Friend met the then chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission on 26 April to discuss its proposals for strengthening the Acts. At the meeting it was agreed that the first step was for the Home Office to consult the other Departments concerned with the proposals. I have had a number of meetings with the chairman, most recently on 1 November.
Safer City Initiatives
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he uses in establishing safer city initiatives ; and whether he intends to establish a safer city initiative in Liverpool.
Mr. Hurd [holding answer 1 December 1988] : The criteria used to select safer cities initiatives are that the area must (i) be an unban programme area, (ii) have a high crime rate, (iii) be targeted for Government action, and (iv) be willing to participate in the safer cities programme. Nine areas have already agreed to join the programme and a futher seven will be selected shortly. If Liverpool applies, it will be one of the areas considered when coming to a decision.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Currency Reserves
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the gold and foreign currency reserves at the latest available date compared with 1958, 1968, 1978 and each year since 1982, and the extent to which the change was due to a change in the value of the assets held at the beginning of each period ; to what extent the increase in the reserves was sterilised by the issue of debt instruments ; and if he will give particulars of the holdings of such instruments at the latest available date.
Mr. Lilley : In October this year the official reserves stood at more than $50 billion. The levels of official reserves for earlier years are shown on page 147 of Economic Trends, annual supplement 1988 edition, and in table 28 of the monthly Economic Trends, published by the Central Statistical Office. Details of annual valuation changes since 1979 in the official reserves can be found in pages 98-99 of Financial Statistics, explanatory handbook : 1988 edition, also published by the Central Statistical Office. The Government's policy of fully funding the PSBR, the underlying changes in the reserves and maturing debt, although not necessarily in the same financial year in which they occur, was last enunciated in my right hon.
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Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Mansion House speech on 20 October. It is not possible to distinguish the assets used to fund the underlying changes in the reserves from those used for other funding.Interest Rates
Mr. Pike : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding the effect of high interest rates on levels of consumer credit.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.
Civil Servants (Privileges)
Mr. Amess : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the privileges, other than privileged leave, given to established civil servants.
Mr. Brooke : The terms and conditions applying to established non- industrial civil servants are set out in the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code, a copy of which is in the Library.
Staff Dispersal
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about proposals to relocate offices for Government Departments away from London.
Mr. Brooke : I said in the Adjournment debate on 9 May 1988, at column 130, that I would give the House, at the earliest convenient opportunity, an account of the progress made and planned by Departments under the successor policy to the Government's dispersal programme which I announced on 31 March. Most major Departments already have serious and substantial reviews of locations in hand. I intend to give the House a fuller report in the early months of 1989.
Manufacturing Industry
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the effects of present levels of interest rates and inflation on manufacturing industries in the north-west.
Mr. Lilley : A number. Manufacturing industry--wherever it is located--has most to fear from any resurgence of inflation. The Government's monetary policy will ensure continued downward pressure on inflation.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Housing Benefit
Mr. Flannery : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will adjust the weighting of student private sector rent allowance claims from April 1990 onwards to ensure that the level of administrative subsidy in respect of such cases continues to reflect their complexity and difficulty.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The arrangements for allocating housing benefit administration costs subsidy to local authorities for 1990-91 will be the subject of discussions
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between the Department and the local authority associations during 1989. No final decisions have yet been taken but it has been agreed with the associations that the weighting given to student cases should be reviewed as part of those discussions.Mr. Flannery : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether local education authorities will be reimbursed for the full cost of developing and implementing the liaison arrangements with the rent officer when students put in a claim for housing benefit comprising a claim for rent allowances only.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Government have made £1 million available to local authorities for their costs in preparing for the new rent officer arrangements from April 1989 and conducting pilot schemes. In addition, the overall level of provision for local authorities' housing benefit administration costs in 1989-90 has been increased by 1 per cent. to take account of the new arrangements. It is for each local authority to decide how best to allocate the resources available to it for the rent officer arrangements and no separate allocations has been made for claims from students.
Income Support
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds in the Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway area currently receive (a) income support and (b) bridging allowance.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The number of 16 and 17-year-olds in Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway who were receiving bridging allowance as at 10 November 1988 (the latest date for which figures are available) was 287.
I regret that the information regarding 16 and 17-year-olds currently in receipt of income support could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Child Benefit (Children in Care)
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what conditions child benefit payments are made for children in care ; whether he has any plans to alter these arrangements ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Child benefit usually stops when a child has been in care for eight weeks but it can continue for longer if the child visits the claimant for stays of at least a week at a time ; it can also continue if there is an ongoing arrangement that the child lives with the claimant for at least a day every week.
There are no plans to alter these arrangements, apart from some technical amendments to child benefit rules which will be necessary to reflect proposed changes in child care law.
Pensions
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much the pensioner's earnings limit has changed since November 1978 in (a) cash terms, (b) real terms and (c) as a percentage of average earnings ; and whether he will increase it in April 1989.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Since November 1978 the pensioner's earnings limit has increased in cash terms by £30 to £75. In real terms there has been a decrease of £20. In November
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1978 the pensioner's earnings limit was 51.5 per cent. of average male manual workers' earnings. In September 1988 the percentage was 36.4.The Secretary of State has a statutory duty to review the earnings limit every year. We shall not be increasing it in April 1989.
Widows' Benefit
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what percentage the addition to widows' benefit for a dependent child, including child benefit, is to be increased in April 1989 ; and what was the percentage increase in prices over the 12 months to September 1988.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : In common with the other non-income-related benefits the child dependency increase payable with widows' benefit is to be uprated by the best of both worlds approach which my right hon. Friend explained to the House on 27 October. The child dependency increase will rise by slightly more than 6.5 per cent. from April 1989. The addition to widows' benefit for a dependent child, including child benefit, will be increased by 3.5 per cent. The percentage increase in the published RPI over the 12 months to September 1988 was 5.9 per cent.
DEFENCE
Tank Purchase
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce which new tank the British Army will be purchasing.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers) on 29 November (column 566 ).
Facilities (Woolwich)
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for his Department's facilities at Woolwich.
Mr. Freeman : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright) on 31 October 1988 at column 531 . I also refer him to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 1 December 1988 at column 352 .
Armaments Depot (Milford Haven)
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the result of the consultation process concerning Milford Haven Royal Navy armaments depot.
Mr. Freeman : After careful consideration of all the arguments put forward by the trades unions, local authorities and other interested parties for the retention of the depot, I have decided that for overwhelming economic and operational reasons RNAD Milford Haven will close. The depot will be converted to a non-explosive storage facility by March 1990 and closed finally by March 1991, before which the site will be cleared of ordnance.
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As I informed my hon. Friend during the debate on 28 July 1988, consideration of the removal and demolition of buildings is an integral part of the disposal process. We shall consider what needs to be done when we examine other uses for the site. It is our intention that a new use be found for the site immediately upon military vacation.The Ministry of Defence will cooperate with the Welsh Office and local authorities in trying to find alternative uses for the site. Every effort will also be made to find alternative employment for the staff employed at the depot whose loyalty and dedication in the past has been highly valued.
European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of the European fighter aircraft.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) on 29 November at column 568 .
Trident
Mr. Skinner : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate for the cost of Trident ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : The current estimate for Trident is £9,043 million at 1987-88 prices and on exchange rate of £1=$1.62. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the House on 29 November, a revised estimate will be announced early next year.
Gurkha Cantonment
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a date has been set for the conversion of the Gurkha recruiting, resettlement and welfare cantonment at Dharan to civilian use ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As part of my Department's drive to rationalise support and infrastructure facilities, the site at Dharan is to be handed over to the Nepalese Government for civilian use with effect from 1 January 1990. The use to which the site will be put after that date is a matter for the Nepalese Government, but it is our understanding that the provision of health facilities, centred around the existing British military hospital, is likely to be the major priority. The British Government have expressed willingness to offer aid to assist in the transition to Nepalese management. It should be stressed
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that the decision to convert the Dharan site to civilian use is not related to, or dependent upon, decisions on the future of the Gurkhas as a whole.WALES
North-south Road Link
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what proposals he has to develop the A470 as the main road link between north and south Wales ;
(2) what proposals he has to provide an improved road link between north and south Wales.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : The Government's plans for development of the A470 and other road links between north and south Wales are set out in "Roads in Wales 1985".
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take to ensure that the opportunities presented by the Channel tunnel scheme come to Wales.
Mr. Peter Walker : We have already taken a number of actions to ensure that the opportunities presented by the Channel tunnel come to Wales. These include the series of seminars we have arranged to increase awareness of the single European market and the appointment of a Channel fixed link liaison officer to advise companies in Wales of opportunities to tender for contracts as they arise. In addition the Department is represented on the consultative forum which British Rail has set up as part of the process of planning its Channel tunnel services. We will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that businesses in Wales are aware of the great opportunities which are now arising.
Planning Appeals
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of planning appeal decisions in Wales which were (a) allowed, (b) dismissed, (c) withdrawn and (d) undetermined for each of the last five years ; and if he will express the numbers allowed and dismissed as a percentage of those determined.
Mr. Peter Walker : Planning decisions by local authorities for each of the last five financial years are as follows (the information is not available for applications withdrawn and undetermined) :
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Year |Allowed |Per cent.|Dismissed|Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1983-84 |23,362 |89.4 |2,778 |10.6 1984-85 |21,475 |87.7 |3,015 |12.3 1985-86 |21,656 |87.8 |3,010 |12.2 1986-87 |22,610 |88.5 |2,949 |11.5 1987-88 |24,106 |87.2 |3,539 |12.8 #TCW8802002B È Year |Allowed |Per cent. |Dismissed |Per cent. |Withdrawn |Undetermined at year end -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1983 |241 |35.9 |431 |64.1 |167 |430 1984 |229 |36.3 |402 |63.7 |161 |444 1985 |261 |42.5 |353 |57.5 |172 |570 1985-86<1> |312 |44.6 |388 |55.4 |175 |541 1986-87<1> |326 |41.2 |465 |58.8 |189 |591 1987-88<1> |281 |32.4 |587 |67.6 |179 |610 <1> The basis for the recorded statistics was changed from the calendar year to the financial year from 1 April 1985.
Planning appeal decisions are as follows :
Year |Allowed |Per cent.|Dismissed|Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1983-84 |23,362 |89.4 |2,778 |10.6 1984-85 |21,475 |87.7 |3,015 |12.3 1985-86 |21,656 |87.8 |3,010 |12.2 1986-87 |22,610 |88.5 |2,949 |11.5 1987-88 |24,106 |87.2 |3,539 |12.8 #TCW8802002B È Year |Allowed |Per cent. |Dismissed |Per cent. |Withdrawn |Undetermined at year end -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1983 |241 |35.9 |431 |64.1 |167 |430 1984 |229 |36.3 |402 |63.7 |161 |444 1985 |261 |42.5 |353 |57.5 |172 |570 1985-86<1> |312 |44.6 |388 |55.4 |175 |541 1986-87<1> |326 |41.2 |465 |58.8 |189 |591 1987-88<1> |281 |32.4 |587 |67.6 |179 |610 <1> The basis for the recorded statistics was changed from the calendar year to the financial year from 1 April 1985.
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Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of planning appeal decisions which were (a) allowed, (b) dismissed, (c) withdrawn and (d) undetermined in each of the Welsh national parks in each of the last five years ; and if he will express the numbers allowed and dismissed as a percentage of those determined.
Mr. Peter Walker : This information is not available.
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SCOTLAND
Nurses (Grading)
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the number of nurses in each grade, and when they were first informed of that grade, prior to any review or appeal.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is as follows :
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Health board |Staff in post (whole-time|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
|equivalents)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |4,354 |1,542 |73 |399 |576 |649 |299 |629 |96 |91
Ayrshire and Arran |3,078 |881 |70 |335 |433 |530 |285 |434 |56 |54
Borders |1,019 |329 |12 |115 |82 |199 |102 |135 |28 |17
Dumfries and Galloway |1,652 |466 |34 |156 |288 |317 |97 |211 |50 |33
Fife |3,132 |894 |38 |410 |571 |608 |107 |389 |97 |18
Forth Valley |3,135 |1,133 |124 |158 |553 |568 |119 |391 |67 |22
Grampian |5,197 |1,517 |80 |681 |1,058 |741 |269 |652 |119 |80
Greater Glasgow |12,444 |3,731 |262 |1,129 |2,238 |2,141 |1,234 |1,157 |404 |148
Highland |2,097 |518 |15 |104 |288 |544 |218 |317 |46 |47
Lanarkshire |4,713 |1,195 |53 |682 |634 |1,027 |225 |698 |151 |48
Lothian |8,152 |2,239 |214 |446 |1,502 |1,892 |311 |1,170 |220 |158
Orkney |171 |35 |2 |57 |11 |19 |3 |40 |2 |2
Shetland |201 |43 |2 |42 |13 |32 |14 |44 |10 |1
Tayside |5,075 |1,535 |67 |686 |585 |1,099 |338 |542 |165 |58
Western Isles |259 |55 |- |28 |21 |58 |30 |61 |3 |3
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |54,679 |16,113 |1,046 |5,428 |8,853 |10,424 |3,651 |6,870 |1,514 |780
All figures rounded to nearest whole number.
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there will be additional money to fund successful nurse regrading appeals.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Additional funding has been made available to meet in full the cost of the nurses' pay award this year, including regrading. Health boards will be expected to meet their commitments from within the total resources made available to them.
Ambulance Service (Glasgow)
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions the Scottish ambulance service has had with greater Glasgow health board concerning accident and emergency services.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There are regular meetings between the Scottish ambulance service and the Greater Glasgow health board at which all aspects of the ambulance service are discussed.
W. Howden
Mr. Ron Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received recent representations from
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solicitors acting on behalf of W. Howden, a prisoner held in Edinburgh's Saughton prison ; and if he will make a statement.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No representations have been received from solicitors representing Mr. Howden since January 1988. A review of Mr. Howden's suitability for release on life licence is in train.
Schizophrenia
Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the discharges and (b) the deaths, by length of stay, including percentage change in numbers and percentage distribution, of patients suffering from schizophrenic psychoses, in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 28 November] : Provisional information for 1987 on percentage distribution of discharges and deaths of patients suffering from schizophrenic psychoses contained in the following table. Percentage change in numbers cannot be provided as the period over which to assess change is not specified.
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f
Discharges and deaths of patients with schizophrenic psychoses from all mental hospitals in 1987
showing distributions of total length of stay
|Less |Over
|than |Weeks |Months |1 year|Total
|1 week|1-2 |3-4 |5-6 |7-8 |9-10 |11-12 |3-6 |7-9 |10-12
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discharges |454 |797 |508 |320 |220 |131 |89 |283 |106 |45 |373 |3,326
Percentage |13.7 |24.0 |15.3 |9.6 |6.6 |3.9 |2.7 |8.5 |3.2 |1.4 |11.2 |100
Deaths |3 |7 |2 |2 |3 |1 |- |4 |2 |1 |142 |167
Percentage |1.8 |4.2 |1.2 |1.2 |1.8 |0.6 |- |2.4 |1.2 |0.6 |85.0 |100
Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the admissions by diagnosis and order of admissions, including percentage change in numbers and rates per 100,000 population, of patients suffering from schizophrenia psychoses in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 28 November] : The available information, which is provisional, is given in the table :
Admissions to psychiatric hospitals
with the diagnosis of schizophrenic psychoses, 1987
Order of admission |Number 1987 |Rate<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
First |365 |7.1
Other |2,873 |56.2
|------- |-------
Total |3,238 |63.3
<1>Per 100,000 population (1987 mid-year estimate).
Percentage change in numbers cannot be provided as the period over which to assess change is not specified.
ENVIRONMENT
Ozone Layer
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that the electronics industry is aware of the dangers to the atmosphere of CFC 113 in cleaning fluids and to encourage greater use of recycling and recovery and of other cleaning methods.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Officials of the Department of the Environment and of the Department of Trade and Industry hold regular meetings with representatives of the users of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), including the electronics industry, on the steps that they are taking to reduce use of CFCs to the maximum possible extent. This includes making more efficient use of CFCs as well as switching to alternative substances and processes where feasible. The electronics industry is introducing recycling plant and stringent operating practices to minimise CFC emissions and is playing a full part in the revision and strengthening of the EC code of practice on CFC 113 and encouraging its adoption as an EC standard. Officials from both Departments have participated in seminars organised by the electronics industry on alternative cleaning methods and have disseminated to the industry information on the steps being taken internationally on this front.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on research into the destruction of chlorofluorocarbons.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The first meeting of the parties to the Montreal protocol, planned for April 1989,
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will be invited to establish a standing technical committee to review and recommend for approval by the parties methods for destroying chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Officials of the Department of the Environment and of the Department of Trade and Industry are discussing the work being done in this area with representatives from British industry.Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to limit the escape of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere as a result of their use in the food packaging industry.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Under the Montreal protocol measures to control consumption of specified chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are based on reducing overall supply rather than individual uses. Market forces will determine how available supplies are used. We are, nevertheless, keen that user industries should take steps on a voluntary basis to reduce use of CFCs to the maximum possible extent. We therefore welcome the intention of all United Kingdom manufacturers of extruded polystyrene food containers to phase out use of the CFCs controlled by the protocol.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to eradicate chlorofluorocarbons from domestic use.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Under the Montreal protocol international action to reduce emissions of chlorofluorocarbons is based on measures to control overall production and consumption of CFCs. The protocol will be implemented within the European Community by way of a regulation laying down common rules to limit overall production and consumption of these chemicals. Within that regulatory framework we are strongly encouraging user industries to reduce use of CFCs on a voluntary basis to the maximum possible extent. The British aerosol industry expects to phase out non- essential use of CFCs in aerosols by the end of 1989. Other sectors are also taking steps to reduce their dependency on CFCs. Consumers have an important role to play in assisting this process.
Local Authority Employees
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the number of local authority employees by (a) sex and (b) ethnic origin.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : In June 1988 local authorities in England employed 841,000 males and 1,479,000 females in general services (ie excluding law and order services). The information on ethnic origin of local authority staff is not collected centrally.
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Carbon Monoxide (Nottingham)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will initiate a consistent series of carbon monoxide measurements for Nottingham.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. In my reply to the hon. Member of 28 November [ Official Report, Tuesday 29 November, column 131 ] I explained that the Department is making measurements of carbon monoxide in London where the impact of traffic, the dominant source, is likely to be among the highest in the country. I am not aware of any factors which suggest that conditions in Nottingham warrant additional monitoring.
Pollution
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will extend the new requirement for industry to use the best available technology to reduce the polluting effect of industrial discharges to existing dischargers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Works scheduled under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 must be operated using the "best practicable means" to prevent atmospheric emissions and to abate any emissions that cannot be prevented. This incorporates the use of best available technology not entailing excessive cost for newly scheduled works. Existing scheduled works are reviewed periodically and, if appropriate, the controls over emissions upgraded.
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