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Column 561
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 14 December 1988
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Rectors and Vicars (Contracts)
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, how many team rectors or vicars, for each of the last five years, have not had their contract renewed and have been asked to vacate the team rectory.
Mr. Alison : I regret that the commissioners do not have this information. Records are normally kept by the legal secretaries to diocesan bishops.
WALES
Waiting List Fund
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce the allocation to the Welsh health authority from the waiting list fund for 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : Decisions on public expenditure in Wales in 1989-90 are currently being finalised and will be announced shortly.
Employment Training
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many trainees are on employment training in Wales.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : At 2 December 1988 there were 6,468 participants in employment training in Wales.
Planning Policy
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what guidance his Department has offered to local planning authorities on when they may consider the needs and interests of communities, including the protection and character and way of life of communities, as a factor in decisions relating to planning permission ; (2) what guidance his Department offers in the form of a planning policy guidance note, to include the needs and interests of communities, including the protection of the character and way of life of communities, within the provisions of their development plans ;
(3) if he will make it his policy to require local planning authorities to include the social needs and interests of communities within the provisions of their development plans and local plans ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Walker : I intend issuing guidance on the place of the Welsh language in development plans and planning control in the very near future. The Department's current policy, as regards development plans, is set out in paragraph 4.10 of Welsh Office circular 43/84, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Crown Agents
Dr. Goodson-Wickes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the future of the Crown Agents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chris Patten : In 1984 my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison) announced measures to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the Crown Agents with a view to their privatisation in due course. Those measures, which included staff reductions, a change from public sector terms of service to private sector terms and the sale of the organisation's principal property at Millbank, have been implemented.
Her Majesty's Government have no immediate plans to privatise the Crown Agents. They have agreed with the Crown Agents certain further measures to put them on a sounder footing in the public sector. These measures involve further changes in the business and capital structure of the organisation designed to improve profitability. The Crown Agents will retain their core activities of procurement, financial and technical services. They have given up, or will give up, speculative trading and certain other activities which are not closely related to their main business. These other activities include two postage stamp production and sale companies, which the Crown Agents have sold, and some pensions services which are being taken over by the Overseas Development Administration.
The measures introduced from 1984 onwards reduced permanent staff numbers from some 1,100 to about 800. The further changes will involve a reduction in staff numbers of about 55. Most of these jobs will be transferred with the activities that are taken over by other organisations. The balance of the reduction in staff will be achieved through agreed redundancies or natural wastage.
The Crown Agents have customarily provided, and continue to provide, valuable services to the Overseas Development Administration, their major client, in respect of procurement and loan and grant administration. These services have demonstrated their worth in terms of securing better value for money and ensuring propriety and expedition in the international delivery of goods and services provided under the overseas aid programme. In recent years the Crown Agents have diversified their sources of business to reduce their dependence on the Overseas Development Administration and, in international competition, have won substantial business financed by other governments and by multilateral agencies.
The proposed changes in the capital structure will provide a more commercial basis for the Crown Agents, in particular a debt equity ratio more appropriate to the size and nature of the business. Subject to parliamentary approval of the new estimate in the supplementary round, I propose to use existing powers to make a grant of about £15.8 million effectively to convert to equity all but about £2.8 million of the Crown Agents' commencing capital debt to the national loans fund, which they assumed under the Crown Agents Act 1979. The normal rules for premature repayment will apply. These sums will be additional to the Overseas Development Administration's existing public expenditure survey provisions and will
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involve a net charge to the Reserve of around £3 million ; they will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The Crown Agents have undergone a continuous process of change since incorporation in 1980. It reflects credit on the board, senior management and staff of the organisation that this process has been carried through successfully in a difficult period. I am confident that the additional measures announced today will strengthen the Crown Agents' position and leave them better placed to meet the challenges of the 1990s.TRANSPORT
New Railway Line (Kent)
100. Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the environmental effects of British Rail's proposals to build a new railway line through Kent.
Mr. Portillo : I have received a large number of representations on this subject. It will be important for British Rail to take proper account of the environment in its design of the line.
Refrigerated Vehicles
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to ensure that the new maximum width of refrigerated vehicles will be enabled to pass each other with safety on class A roads from January 1989.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The increase in permitted width of refrigerated vehicles--of 2 cm--is too small to require particular steps to be taken to enable them to pass safely on class A roads.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on British Rail's proposals for terminals and new rail links in central London to connect with the Channel tunnel.
Mr. Portillo : British Rail's plans for the first few years of operation through the tunnel involve a new passenger terminal at Waterloo and the use of the west London line by through trains to the north. BR's report on long-term route and terminal capacity for Channel tunnel train services, published in July 1988, identified three possible sites (White City, King's Cross and Stratford) for a second London passenger terminal and possible route corridors through Kent and London once traffic through the tunnel has grown sufficiently to exhaust the capacity of Waterloo.
Ports
Mr. McTaggart : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that British ports will be able to compete on an equal basis in the single European market with other north European ports.
Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 6 December at columns 97-98 to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin).
Mr. McTaggart : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the level of subsidy,
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both direct and indirect, received by the ports of Glasgow, Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam, over the last five years.Mr. Portillo : We know what percentage contributions the national and local government authorities make to expenditure on certain categories of port facilities in Hamburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam, but not how much money this and any other aid there may be from public funds has amounted to in any given period. The European Commission is studying our proposal for more transparent financial relations between public authorities and port authorities within the EC and for the accounts of port authorities to be published.
Orange Badges
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are in possession of an orange badge at the latest available date.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Information supplied by local authorities shows that at March 1987 there were about 840,000 badge-holders in England and Wales--over 14 per cent. more than at March 1986. We estimate that there are currently some 70,000 badge-holders in Scotland.
European Clearway Ferry
Mr. Prescott : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the final date by which a decision has to be taken on whether a prosecution will be pursued by his Department arising from the fire on the European Clearway ferry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Channon : Informations have to be laid within six months of the alleged offences. A decision would need to be taken before the expiry of that period.
Supply Boat Falderntor
Mr. Prescott : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking about the fire aboard the supply boat Falderntor in the British sector of the North sea on 26 November.
Mr. Channon : The engine room fire aboard the Falderntor is under investigation by surveyors from the See-Berufsgenossenschaft (SBG) as the vessel is registered in the Federal Republic of Germany and the incident occurred outside United Kingdom territorial waters. My officials are in contact with the SBG.
Buffer Stop Collisions
Mr. Prescott : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many multiple units and locomotives were involved in buffer stop collisions in 1985, 1986 and 1987 for each category ; what type of braking system was involved ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Channon : Details regarding the number of buffer stop collisions in 1985, 1986 and 1987 are set out in the table. Data on the type of brake involved are not available as railway authorities are not required to specify such detail in reporting accidents of this sort to the Department.
EMU/DMU
Class |1985 |1986 |1987 |Total
------------------------------------------------
101 | 2 | 1 | 4 |7
104 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
105 | 1 | 0 | 1 |2
111 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
115 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
116 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
117 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
121 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
141 | 3 | 3 | 0 |6
142 | 0 | 0 | 2 |2
205 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
207 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
254 | 1 | 0 | 1 |2
303 | 0 | 3 | 1 |4
305 | 0 | 1 | 1 |2
307 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
309 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
310 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
311 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
312 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
313 | 1 | 3 | 2 |6
315 | 1 | 3 | 1 |5
317 | 1 | 1(1) | 0 |2
318 | 0 | 0 | 2 |2
319 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
414 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
415 | 5 | 1 | 5 |11
416 | 1 | 1 | 1 |3
419 | 1 | 1 | 1 |3
423 | 1 | 3 | 2 |6
455 | 8(3) | 6(5) | 7(1) |21
501 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
507 | 2 | 0 | 0 |2
508 | 1 | 1 | 0 |2
LUL | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |34 |35 |36 |105
EMU/DMU
Class |1985 |1986 |1987 |Total
------------------------------------------------
101 | 2 | 1 | 4 |7
104 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
105 | 1 | 0 | 1 |2
111 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
115 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
116 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
117 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
121 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
141 | 3 | 3 | 0 |6
142 | 0 | 0 | 2 |2
205 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
207 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
254 | 1 | 0 | 1 |2
303 | 0 | 3 | 1 |4
305 | 0 | 1 | 1 |2
307 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
309 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
310 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
311 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
312 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
313 | 1 | 3 | 2 |6
315 | 1 | 3 | 1 |5
317 | 1 | 1(1) | 0 |2
318 | 0 | 0 | 2 |2
319 | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
414 | 0 | 1 | 0 |1
415 | 5 | 1 | 5 |11
416 | 1 | 1 | 1 |3
419 | 1 | 1 | 1 |3
423 | 1 | 3 | 2 |6
455 | 8(3) | 6(5) | 7(1) |21
501 | 1 | 0 | 0 |1
507 | 2 | 0 | 0 |2
508 | 1 | 1 | 0 |2
LUL | 0 | 0 | 1 |1
|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |34 |35 |36 |105
Figures in brackets denote a roll back on starting
Ferries (Fires)
Mr. Prescott : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fires have been reported to his Department occurring on British-registered ferries sailing out of British ports ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Channon : Eleven such fires have been reported to my Department between 1 January and 8 December 1988. All these incidents have been, or are being, followed up.
Bicester and Waddon Foxhounds
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call for a report from British Rail into the circumstances leading to the 9 am train from Poole to Glasgow being forced to make an emergency stop at Little Mill crossing, Cropredy on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border on Monday, 5 December, when the Bicester and Waddon foxhounds were obstructing the main railway line.
Mr. Portillo : I see no need to call for a report on this incident.
Volunteer Drivers
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in his representations to the EEC Commission about the provision in the second transport directive relating to the practice in the United Kingdom of permitting volunteer drivers to be in charge of small coaches for transporting disabled persons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The proposals do not appear to go far enough since they would still involve a second test and higher medical standards for minibus drivers. These requirements would cause serious problems for organisations relying on volunteer drivers.
The Government will continue to press for whatever changes are needed to allow these voluntary services to continue their valuable work. We have written to the commission to point out the safety record of minibuses. The table sets out the figures.
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Casualty and Accident Rates: Great Britain: 1987
Casualty rate/100 Accident rate/1,000 Accident rate/100
million passenger kms vehicles million vehicle kms
Vehicle type |Fatal |Serious |Slight |KSI |Total |KSI |Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Ratio of rates for cars/motorcycles to those for minibuses:
Minibus |1 |1 |1 |1 |1 |1 |1
Car |2.5 |2.7 |2.4 |1.0 |1.1 |1.2 |1.3
Motor cycle |65.0 |109.1 |47.9 |- |- |15.2 |12.1
2. Casualty and accident rates:
Minibus |0.2 |2.2 |12.1 |3.6 |14.4 |19.1 |76.2
Car |0.5 |5.9 |28.7 |3.6 |16 |22.9 |102.8
Motor cycle |13 |240 |580 |n/a |n/a |290.0 |920.0
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Elders plc
Sir Nicholas Fairbairn : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assurances were sought from
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Elders plc that it would not buy shares in Scottish and Newcastle Breweries plc, when it was advised that its bid was to be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission ; what assurances were received from Elders ; and what alterations he proposes in order to make assurances mandatory and binding in future cases.Column 567
Mr. Maude : Elders' advisers were clearly informed by the Office of Fair Trading at the time of the announcement of the reference that undertakings not to purchase further shares in Scottish and Newcastle were being sought. In the light of Elders' action the Secretary of State made an interim order under the Fair Trading Act 1973 requiring Elders not to acquire any further shares and not to vote any shares in Scottish and Newcastle above 15 per cent.
The Secretary of State also announced that in future a similar prohibition on further share purchases will come into effect at the time a reference to the MMC is announced. At present this requires a new order to be made for each reference. It is intended that this prohibition will be put on a permanent footing by inclusion in the provisions relating to mergers in the forthcoming Companies Bill.
FIMBRA
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he intends to seek to review and amend the protection afforded by the financial services legislation to FIMBRA members against libel actions and retaliatory loss of business should they report suspicions of wrongful activities to that body ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude : If a FIMBRA member properly draws allegations of wrongdoing to the attention of a regulatory body having relevant regulatory functions under the FS Act his position will be no different from that of any other person acting similarly. Such communications should, in the absence of malice, be protected by qualified privilege, under the law of libel. I see no reason at this stage for seeking to change this position. If there has been any wrongful interference with the business of persons who have reported suspicions to a relevant body it shall be open to them to take appropriate legal action.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has concerning the total number of people employed by FIMBRA and each of the other self-regulatory organisations to scrutinise applications for membership ; how many such applications were processed in each case in each of the last six months ; and how many man hours per application were spent on average on each application.
Mr. Maude : This is a matter for the organisations concerned.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report a copy of the guidelines issued by the Securities and Investments Board on the procedures which should be adopted by self-regulatory organisations such as FIMBRA when suspending their members.
Mr. Maude : This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report a copy of the guidelines adopted by FIMBRA concerning their procedures when suspending members.
Mr. Maude : This is a matter for FIMBRA.
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Restaurants and Hotels
Mr. Speller : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many trading standards officers there are in the United Kingdom ; how many are required to monitor compliance with the proposed voluntary code of practice on service, cover and minimum charges in restaurants and hotels amongst the 67,000 establishments concerned ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The purpose of the code of practice is to provide guidance to traders to help them to avoid misleading price indications. It would be a matter for each local weights and measures authority to decide if, in respect of particular circumstances, it was necessary for them to monitor compliance with the code. The number of trading standards officers in the United Kingdom are contained in the following tables.
Table 2
Northern Ireland
|Number
----------------------------------------------------------------
Number of qualified trading standards officers in
post (as at 13 December 1988) |20
Table 2
Northern Ireland
|Number
----------------------------------------------------------------
Number of qualified trading standards officers in
post (as at 13 December 1988) |20
Mr
. Speller : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether restaurants and hotels which suggest a voluntary service charge are liable to value added tax and national insurance on those charges ; and what provision will be made in the voluntary code of practice to be introduced under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 in respect of those items.
Mr. Forth : Restaurants and hotels which suggest voluntary service charges are not liable for VAT on those charges. National insurance would be payable only where an employer controlled the distribution amongst staff of any voluntary service charges received.
The code of practice for traders on price indications advises that all price indications given to ordinary consumers, by whatever means, should include VAT. It further advises that suggested optional sums, in addition to the price, whether for service or any other item, should not be included in bills presented to customers. No reference is made to national insurance, which is outside the scope of the code.
Electronic Communications
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he expects to publish the report of the steering group set up in 1987 to advise on the prospects of the development of the electronic communications infrastructure in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Atkins : The report by the communications steering group, "The Infrastructure For Tomorrow", has been
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published today by HMSO along with an associated report "Evolution of the United Kingdom Communications Infrastructure" by PA consulting group. Copies of both reports have been deposited in the Library of the House. They are being published as a contribution to the discussion about the United Kingdom's future communications infrastructure needs.ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Land Registry Office
101. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Attorney-General what is the current number of cases before the Land Registry Office awaiting processing ; what is the average waiting time ; and what action he proposes to take to reduce this backlog.
The Attorney-General : The total number of cases held at the Land Registry at various stages of processing is 1,168,052.
The average time taken to complete an application is 16 weeks. Dealings with the whole of the land in a title, which represent 74 per cent. of the cases received, are completed in an average of nine weeks.
In addition to the recruitment and training of over 2,000 staff since April 1988, new work initiatives to improve productivity have been introduced. The measures are expected to reduce the backlog, provided that the volume of applications does not rise substantially.
Republic of Ireland (Extradition)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Attorney-General how many applications for extradition from the Republic of Ireland have had to be resubmitted, because the initial application was deemed by Republic of Ireland authorities to be insufficient in content, during the past 12 months.
The Attorney-General : No requests for extradition submitted to the authorities of the Republic of Ireland during the past 12 months have had subsequently to be resubmitted because they were deemed insufficient in content. In cases unaffected by the Irish Extradition (Amendment) Act 1987, the only documents required of United Kingdom police forces by Irish law are warrants of arrest and affidavits and certificates supporting them. No further explanation of such cases ordinarily is required.
In cases to which the 1987 Act does apply, sufficient information has to be given to the Irish Attorney-General to satisfy him that the relevant United Kingdom prosecuting authority has a clear intention to prosecute and that this intention is founded upon the existence of sufficient evidence.
Six applications for extradition falling into this category have been submitted during the past 12 months. In four of those cases the Irish Attorney-General has authorised the backing of warrants for the fugitive's arrest. In one case, that of Patrick Ryan, he has declined to do so, for the reasons which he has made public. The sixth case, submitted to him on 21 October, is still receiving his consideration.
Sinclair User"
Mr. Hind : To ask the Attorney-General if he will prosecute the publishers of Sinclair User for offering to
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supply an intoxicating substance within the meaning of section 1 of the Intoxicating Substance (Supply) Act 1985, in an advertisement carried on page 76 of the December 1988 edition ; and if he will make a statement.The Attorney-General : The Director of Public Prosecutions has asked for police inquiries to be made into this matter. I shall write to my hon. Friend once those inquiries have been completed.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Iraq
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the numbers of Iraqi diplomats expelled in each year from the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1987, inclusive.
Mr. Waldegrave : As the information is not readily available, I shall write to the hon. Member once it is to hand.
Antarctic
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to protect the environment of the Antarctic.
Mr. Eggar : Proposals for consideration at the next Antarctic treaty consultative meeting, to be held in Paris in October 1989, include the creation of a new category of protected area and a revised code of conduct for the disposal of waste. They are the result of requests for advice made by earlier consultative meetings to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). The United Kingdom participates fully in such consultative meetings.
Western Europe (Security)
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has anything to add to his comments made to the Western European Union Assembly on Wednesday 7 December concerning security of Western Europe in the light of the speech made to the United Nations by President Gorbachev on that date.
Mr. Waldegrave : The cuts in Soviet forces announced by Mr. Gorbachev at the United Nations on 7 December represent an important and welcome first step towards securing a better balance of conventional forces in Europe, though they would still leave the Warsaw pact with superiority over the Alliance of some 2.5 : 1 in tanks and artillery (compared to approximately 3 : 1 at present). We and our allies hope to build on this hopeful development at the conventional stability talks due to start early next year in Vienna, where we will be pressing for the total and verifiable elimination of disparities in weapon systems relevant to surprise attack and offensive action.
Dependent Territories (Health Services)
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, prior to the implementation of the findings of the review of health services in the dependent territories, he will take urgent steps to provide assistance to Sterling Clarke, Vera Daniel, Sonia Cabey, Robert Fergus, David Favell, Michael White
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and David Harris to enable them to travel to the United Kingdom for cardiac orthopaedic and ocular treatment not available in Montserrat, about which the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe has written to him.Mr. Eggar : The Government of Montserrat are responsible for their own internal affairs, including the provision of health care. This was one of the subjects that I discussed during my recent visit.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Education Reform
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action has been taken to inform parents and school governors of the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988, and what costs are involved.
Mrs. Rumbold : Copies of the following have been sent to every governing body since the passing of the Education Reform Act 1988 to help inform school governors and parents.
|<1>Printing costs £'000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
School governors
Letter from the Secretary of State for Education}
and Science to the chairmen of school}
governing bodies on education reform} |21.0
Letter from the Secretary of State for Education}
and Science to school governors on}
educational reform}
Guide for county and controlled school governors
entitled "A Guide to the Law" |263.0
Booklet and letter for school governors on "How
to become a Grant-maintained School" |23.0
Bulletin for school teachers and governors about
the Education Reform Act |24.0
Circular on local management of schools |12.0
Circular on grant-maintained schools |9.0
Circular on admission of pupils to county and
voluntary schools |21.0
Parents
Notes for parents and leaflet about
grant-maintained status |11.0
Booklet entitled "Our changing schools", a
handbook for parents providing information
on the education system and forthcoming
changes |375.0
<1> To 9 December 1988.
Primary School Head Teachers
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence his Department has received about turnover among primary school head teachers ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Butcher : The Department estimates that in the year ending March 1986 the proportion of head teachers in England leaving the maintained nursery and primary sector was 7.3 per cent.
The most recent survey by the local authorities' conditions of service advisory board, for the calendar year 1987, shows turnover of 4.8 per cent. among primary head teachers in England and Wales, compared with 7.2 per cent. from a similar survey for the financial year 1985-86.
GCSE System
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the impact of the GCSE system on university courses ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The first awards of GCSE certificates were made in the summer of 1988, and the holders would not expect to enter higher education before autumn 1990. It would be premature to assess any possible effects. The GCE examining boards have taken account, in their continual revision of A-level syllabuses, of changes needed in the light of GCSE. Modifications to A-levels and subsequent higher education courses may be needed, but revolutionary changes are in general neither necessary nor desirable.
A Strategy for the Science Base"
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards a response to the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, "A Strategy for the Science Base", and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : My right hon. Friend is taking account of the ABRC's strategy advice in the continuing development of detailed policies for the science base. These will be substantially underpinned by the £306 million increase in the science budget over the next three years which my right hon. Friend announced on 1 November at column 605 .
Science Teachers
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many science teachers there are at present in schools ; and how many of these are fully qualified for this subject.
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