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Table file CW890111.031 not available

James O'Hara

Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to whether James O'Hara, of Lisburn, Northern Ireland, convicted at Dublin in June 1974, was employed by the British Army to kidnap individuals in the Republic of Ireland ; what inquiries have been carried out ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tom King [holding answer 19 December 1988] : The matter has been fully investigated by the appropriate authorities and no evidence was found to support this allegation.

Mr. Fred Holroyd (Photographic Material)

Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the Royal Ulster Constabulary contacted Mr. Fred Holroyd concerning the return of photographic material referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East of 23 May, Official Report, column 36.

Mr. Tom King [holding answer 10 January 1989) : I understand that the RUC communicated with Mr. Holroyd in August 1985.

Lower Crescent, Comber (Contract)

Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings the Northern Ireland Housing Executive recently completed in the contract at Lower crescent, Comber ; on what date and in which newspapers invitations to contractors for this scheme were advertised ; how many applications were received ; how many firms were then invited to submit a tender ; how many tenders were received ; and whether the contract was awarded to the lowest tenderer.

Mr. Needham [holding answer 10 January 1989] : This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the chief executive has advised me that a total of 22 dwellings were completed ; advertisements in relation to 19 dwellings were placed in the Belfast Telegraph, News Letter, and Irish News on 16 April 1985, in the County Down Spectator and Newtownards Chronicle on 18 April 1985 and in the Down Recorder on 19 April 1985 ; 14 applications were received ; 10 firms were invited to tender ; eight tenders were received and the contract was awarded to the second lowest tenderer. A further three dwellings were added to the contract in negotiation with the successful tenderer.

HEALTH

Water (Aluminium Sulphate)

Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are currently issued by his Department regarding the toxicity and potential effects on health of aluminium sulphate in drinking water.


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Mr. Freeman : No guidelines on aluminium sulphate in drinking water are issued by this Department. However, EC directive 80/778/EEC sets maximum admissible concentrations of 0.2 milligrams of aluminium and 250 milligrams of sulphate per litre of drinking water, and stipulates the conditions under which these concentrations may be exceeded without breach of the directive. Responsibility for the application of the directive lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

The World Health Organisation has set guidelines for aluminium and sulphate in drinking water of 0.2 milligrams per litre and 400 milligrams per litre respectively. Aluminium and its salts are of low toxicity


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and these values are not based on health effects but on risks of discolouration from aluminium and unpalatability from sulphate at higher concentrations.

Resources

Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish expenditure on (a) National Health Service hospital services in England and (b) family planning clinic services in England in cash terms and real terms for each year since 1980, and also expressing both as an index based upon 1980.

Mr. Mellor : Following is information derived from the annual accounts and financial returns of health authorities in England : Clark : The information is given in the table :


                          (a) Hospital                                                                                        (b) Community Health                                                                                                                                  services-Total revenue                                                                              Services revenue                                                                                                                                      expenditure                                                                                         expenditure-Family                                                                                                                                                             planning                                                                                                                                                                                               Year                     |£000 (cash)             |Index                   |£000 (at 1987-88 prices)|Index                   |£000 (cash)             |Index                   |£000 (at 1987-88 prices)|Index                                            ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1980-81                  |5,603,590               |100                     |8,306,818               |100                     |21,640                  |100                     |32,079                  |100                                              1981-82                  |6,211,403               |111                     |8,382,164               |101                     |22,806                  |105                     |30,776                  |96                                               1982-83                  |6,650,895               |119                     |8,377,135               |101                     |25,481                  |118                     |32,095                  |100                                              1983-84                  |7,007,557               |125                     |8,442,284               |102                     |28,462                  |132                     |34,289                  |107                                              1984-85                  |7,387,520               |132                     |8,471,343               |102                     |30,399                  |140                     |34,859                  |109                                              1985-86                  |7,753,315               |138                     |8,435,297               |102                     |32,298                  |149                     |35,139                  |110                                              1986-87                  |8,255,383               |147                     |8,691,267               |105                     |33,810                  |156                     |35,595                  |111                                              1987-88<1>               |8,786,818               |157                     |8,786,818               |106                     |n.a                                              |n.a                                                                       <1>Provisional figure-as yet subject to audit.                                                                                                                                                                                                            Sources:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (a) Summarised annual accounts of regional and district health authorities and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. (Predecessor authorities for the years prior to 1982-83)                           (b) "Health Services Costing Returns"-1980-81 to 1986-87 (latest available)-DHSS/Welsh Office.                                                                                                                                                            Notes to the table                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Capital expenditure is excluded.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       2. The figures for the earlier years have been expressed at 1987-88 prices by the use of the gross domestic product deflator.                                                                                                                             3. The figures for "hospital services" are exclusively for those services. That is expenditure on community health, ambulance, blood transfusion and other services (usually included in total Hospital and Community Health Services expenditure) is     excluded.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 4. The figures for "community health services-family planning" are derived from community health service costing returns submitted by district health authorities in England and reflect expenditure which is primarily clinic based. Expenditure on      family planning services and related activity undertaken in hospitals and by general medical practitioners as part of family practitioner services is excluded.                                                                                           

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Salmonella (Eggs)

Sir Hal Miller : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many firms were involved in outbreaks of Salmonella attributed to him by eggs; and in what parts of the country they are located.

Mr Kenneth Clark [holding answer 19 December 1988]: At the request of medical colleagues in 1988, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and food investigated 22 farms which were suspected as possible sources of eggs involved in 17 outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning. In some of these outbreaks more than one farm could have been the source of the eggs. On only seven farms was the same salmonella serotype to that involved in the food poisoning outbreaks isolated. The seven farms concerned are located in

Kent, Sussex, Dorset,Hertfordshire, Yorkshore and Humberside.


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Doctors' pay

Mr. Charles Wardle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the real terms increase in doctors' renumeration since 1979. Mr. Mellor [pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1988 c. 606.]: I regret that my previous reply contained an error. The reply should have read " 25.5 per cent. between 1979-80 and 1987-88 "

SOCIAL SECURITY

Cold Weather Payments

Miss Widdicombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants were paid under last winter's supplementary benefit exceptionally cold weather scheme; how much they were paid; and how many claims were refused.

Mr. Peter Lloyd: I have arranged for the information to be placed in the Library.

Independent Living Fund

Mr. Ashley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the administration costs of the independent living fund are being borne by his Department.

Mr. Scott [holding his answer 29 December 1988]: It is estimated that in the first year of the operation the Depertment will have met about 64 per cent of the fund's administration costs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Tobacco

Mr. Harry Greenaway: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the value of exports of tobacco products from the United Kingdom in each of the last six years.

Mr. Alan Clark: The information is in the table:


United Kingdom exports of tobacco         products 1982-87                          value in £ million                        Year          |Exports (FOB)              ------------------------------------------1982          |383.0                      1983          |426.9                      1984          |409.2                      1985          |456.3                      1986          |393.7                      1987          |433.5                      Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade     Statistics.                               Note: Figures for 1987 are provisional.   

Bees and Bee Products

Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the balance of trade in bees and bee products for each of the years since 1979 in standard prices ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alan Clark : Trade in bees is not separately identified in the Overseas Trade Statistics. The only bee product that is separately identified is honey ; figures which are only available at current prices are given in the table.


Balance of trade in honey 1979-88       value in £ million                              |Imports|Exports|Balance        ----------------------------------------1979    |9.7    |1.5    |-8.2           1980    |8.6    |1.3    |-7.3           1981    |9.2    |1.0    |-8.2           1982    |11.6   |1.5    |-10.1          1983    |12.7   |1.5    |-11.2          1984    |13.3   |1.8    |-11.5          1985    |12.1   |2.2    |-9.9           1986    |11.6   |1.5    |-10.1          1987    |13.8   |1.7    |-12.1          <1>1988 |10.7   |1.2    |-9.5           Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.      Notes:                                  (i) Figures for 1987 and 1988 are       provisional.                            (ii) Exports valued at fob, imports     cif.                                    <1> January to November.                

American Airlines (Investment)

Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the restrictions on United Kingdom investors purchasing shares in American airlines.

Mr. Alan Clark : United Kingdom investors are permitted to purchase shares in American airlines.


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However, the United States Federal Aviation Act (1958) requires that an "air carrier" be "a citizen of the United States". In order to satisfy this requirement, it is a condition that no more than 25 per cent. of the voting interest of a United States air carrier is owned or controlled by persons who are not United States citizens.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

Armenia

72. Mr. Franks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Soviet authorities concerning assistance for the earthquake victims of Armenia.

73. Mr. Moss : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts the Government have made to aid earthquake victims in Armenia.

Mr. Chris Patten : On 9 December I announced emergency aid of £5 million in response to the Armenian earthquake. So far this has been used, in collaboration with the British Red Cross, to finance 12 relief flights carrying tents, clothing, medical supplies, emergency food rations, heavy earth-moving equipment and other relief supplies. We have also financed a team of firemen and a team of medical experts as well as providing £113,500 to CARE Britain for food parcels. All this assistance has been made in response to specific requests from the Soviet authorities, which have expressed their gratitude for all the help provided from Britain.

The search and rescue phase of the relief operation is now over and the balance of our £5 million will be used for rehabilitation and reconstruction activities which are now under consideration by the Soviet authorities.

Bangladesh

Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much bilateral aid was given to Bangladesh in 1988 ; and how it was spent.

Mr. Eggar : Expenditure in 1987--the latest year for which figures are available--was £34.8 million. In the current financial year total expenditure is expected to be about £50 million. We are providing project aid, commodity aid, food aid and technical co-operation as well as substantial emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance following the recent floods and cyclone. The main sectors to which our aid is directed are energy, communications, natural resources and health.

SCOTLAND

NHS Grading

Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting


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staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in the Ayrshire and Arran health board.


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Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information requested is given in the table.


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                                                   Percentage of staff                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         assimilated to each of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      the new grades                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Previous grade           |Total posts regraded    |A                       |B                       |C                       |D                       |E                       |F                       |G                       |H                       |I                                                                         |(whole-time equivalents)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nursing Auxiliary        |934.57                  |94.3                    |5.7                     |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Hospital Staff (NNEB)    |16.34                   |-                       |100.0                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Enrolled Nurse           |457.37                  |-                       |-                       |65.2                    |34.8                    |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Enrolled District Train  |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Senior Enrolled          |16.86                   |-                       |-                       |4.4                     |95.6                    |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Staff Nurse              |713.71                  |-                       |-                       |-                       |24.6                    |63.0                    |12.4                    |-                       |-                       |-                                                Staff Midwife            |138.87                  |-                       |-                       |-                       |0.4                     |54.7                    |44.9                    |-                       |-                       |-                                                Deputy Sister            |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Sister II                |284.23                  |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |38.5                    |59.7                    |1.8                     |-                                                Sister II Midwife        |99.68                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |21.5                    |78.5                    |-                       |-                                                District Nurse Sister II                          |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                   |-                       |-                                                Sister I                 |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Sister I Midwife         |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                Health Visitor           |78.20                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                   |-                       |-                                                Senior Nurse 8           |29.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |3.5                     |10.3                    |86.2                                             Senior Nurse 8 Midwife   |6.00                    |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |66.7                    |83.3                                             Senior Nurse 7           |10.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                                            Senior Nurse 7 Midwife   |1.00                    |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                                            Clinical Teacher         |16.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |12.5                    |87.5                    |-                                                Fieldwork Teacher        |16.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                   |-                                                Practical Work Teacher   |14.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                   |-                                                Tutor                    |13.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                                            Tutor Midwife            |3.00                    |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |100.0                                            Post basic students                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Enrolled               |36.00                   |-                       |-                       |100.0                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                  Staff Nurse            |86.00                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |94.2                    |5.8                     |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                  Deputy Sister          |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                  Sister II              |8.00                    |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |37.5                    |62.5                    |-                       |-                                                Others                   |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                -------                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Totals                   |3,077.92                |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                       |-                                                

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) nurses and (b) midwives have been regraded and at what grade in each unit of Lothian health board.


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Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 10 January 1989] : Information on the regrading results of individual health board units is not held centrally. Details of the numbers of nurses assimilated to each of the new grades in Lothian health board are given in the table.


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Percentages of nurses assimilated to each of the new grades                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Previous Grade            |Total posts regraded   |A                      |B                      |C                      |D                      |E                      |F                      |G                      |H                      |I                                                                        |(whole-time equivalent)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nursing Auxiliary         |2,413.19               |92.8                   |7.2                    |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                              Hospital Staff (NNEB)     |47.90                  |-                      |84.4                   |15.6                   |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                              Enrolled Nurse            |1,176.36               |-                      |-                      |30.7                   |69.3                   |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                              Enrolled District Trainee |31.30                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                              Senior Enrolled           |53.16                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |24.9                   |73.2                   |1.9                    |-                      |-                      |-                                              Staff Nurse               |2,086.15               |-                      |-                      |-                      |17.6                   |81.5                   |0.9                    |-                      |-                      |-                                              Staff Midwife             |220.23                 |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |57.6                   |42.4                   |-                      |-                      |-                                              Deputy Sister             |31.18                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                      |-                      |-                                              Sister II                 |837.38                 |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |18.7                   |78.6                   |2.6                    |0.1                                            Sister II Midwife         |115.85                 |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |2.9                    |5.4                    |1.7                    |-                                              District Nurse Sister II  |195.53                 |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                      |-                                              Sister I                  |2.00                   |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                                              Sister I Midwife          |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                              Health Visitor            |189.78                 |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |99.5                   |0.5                    |-                                              Senior Nurse 8            |67.00                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |7.5                    |91.0                   |1.5                                            Senior Nurse 8 Midwife    |16.00                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |18.7                   |81.2                   |-                                              Senior Nurse 7            |71.00                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                                          Senior Nurse 7 Midwife    |3.00                   |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                                          Clinical Teacher          |60.60                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                                              Fieldwork Teacher         |28.28                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                                              Practical Work Teacher    |31.00                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                                              Tutor                     |69.80                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                                          Tutor Midwife             |12.00                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                                          Post basic students                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Enrolled               |77.00                  |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                                 Staff Nurse            |308.00                 |-                      |-                      |-                      |89.3                   |8.4                    |2.3                    |-                      |-                      |-                                                 Department Sister      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                                 Sister II              |9.00                   |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |100.0                  |-                      |-                                              Others                    |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                                                        |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                |-------                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Totals                    |8,152.39               |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                      |-                                              

Health Service (Grading)

Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the additional cost of the regrading of nurses and midwives for Lothian health board ; and what proportion of that additional cost is to be met by the board from its own resources in 1988-89 and 1989-90.

Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 10 January 1989] : Lothian health board has been given an additional £14.936 million over and above its initial allocation for 1988-89 to allow it to meet the cost of the pay awards to nurses and other staff covered by the review bodies. Allocations to health boards for 1989-90 have not yet been made.

Health Boards

Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board (a) its budget for 1987-88, (b) the number of staff employed and (c) the population covered.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information requested is contained in "Scottish Health Statistics 1988", compiled by the information and statistics division of the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service, which was published on 19 December 1988. Copies are available in the Library.

Piper Alpha

Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the measures taken to monitor the area surrounding the remains of the Piper Alpha platform for pollution ; how long these measures will continue ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : Immediately following the incident on 6 July, aerial surveys to detect oil spillage were carried out by the Department of Transport marine pollution control unit. Although some spillage occurred, the total quantity was quite small--about 500 tonnes--and dispersed quickly with no major environmental impact. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, in co-operation with the operators, Occidental Petroleum (Caledonian) Ltd., has been monitoring debris and other samples from the vicinity of the Piper Alpha site for other potential sources of contamination. A quantity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and small amounts of radioactive isotopes were known to have been on the Piper Alpha platform before the incident. Efforts to locate these substances, or their original containers, have been inhibited by debris and the damaged state of the platform remains.


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Small traces of PCB contamination have been found in debris and sediment samples. Further samples are being taken at present to enable the extent of any release of PCBs to be assessed. So far no traces of radioactive contamination have been detected.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Energy, explained on 8 December, in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden), the conditions attached to the approval of the abandonment programme for Piper Alpha include requirements for further surveys and monitoring of the site and for sediment sampling and examination, to be repeated at such times as the Secretary of State may subsequently direct. They also provide for any leakage of oil or gas to be sealed to his satisfaction and for steps to be taken to deal with any unacceptable levels of pollution.

Fish Farms

Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow may expect an answer to his letter dated 5 November 1988 to the Minister of State at his Department on the subject of predator control on marine fish farms.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : My noble Friend the Minister of State has written to the hon. Member today.

Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if workers employed on fish farms are covered by the terms of the Agricultural Wages Board Order ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : The orders made by the Scottish agricultural wages board relate to workers employed in agriculture as defined in section 17 of the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Act 1949, the interpretation of which is a matter for the courts. To date fish farming has not been considered to be an activity included within the definition.

Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make available to the public the results of research into the presence of residues of Nuvan 500 EC in salmon flesh ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) when and where the results of research into the environmental and health effects of the use on marine fish farms of Nuvan 500 EC will be published ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 28 November 1988.


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Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether (a) all products known as pesticides and (b) Nuvan 500 EC should comply with the Control of Pesticides Regulations for the supply to, and storage and handling on, marine fish farms ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 cover pesticides as defined in regulation 3 including Nuvan 500 EC as approved for use in poultryhouses. The regulations apply to sale, supply, storage, use and advertisement in Scotland as well as England and Wales.

Any product or substance that is added to the water or given orally or otherwise for the treatment, control or prevention of ectoparasites on farmed fish however, is defined as an animal medicine and is subject to controls under the Medicines Act 1968.

EMPLOYMENT

Identity Cards

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has investigated, or is currently studying, the usefulness of a national identity card to his departmental responsibilities ; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on Thursday 15 December ( Official Report, columns 1080-82).

Claimants

Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, during the first three quarters of 1988, how many claimants have been referred to the employment service jobclub at Balham jobcentre ; and of those how many (a) found work, (b) entered training, (c) entered EAS and (d) entered the community programme.

Mr. Lee : During the first three-quarters of 1988, 391 people were referred to Balham jobcentre jobclub. It is not possible to say how many of these were claiming benefits. Of those referred, 106 actually joined the jobclub with the following outcomes :

(a) 38 found work

(b) 12 entered training

(c) one entered EAS

(d) three entered the community programme

(d three entered the community programme. Balham job club serves an inner city area where many unemployed people have difficulty in finding work. Nevertheless over half its members achieve a positive outcome.

Bridging Allowance

Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by region, how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of bridging allowance at 23 and 30 September, 7, 14, 21 and 28 October and 4, 11, 18 and 25 November.

Mr. Cope : Full statistical information for YTS bridging allowance recipients is available on a monthly basis. The figures relate to those being paid by computer and clerically by UBOs.


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The dates for which figures are available are :

13 October 1988

10 November 1988

8 December 1988.

On those dates the number of 16 and 17-year-olds receiving YTS bridging allowance, by region, were as follows :


Project                                                          |Assistance offered                                              |Total eligible project cost                                     |Additional jobs expected by the applicant (full-time equivalent)|Assistance per job                                                                                                               [NL]                                                                                                                              |£                                                               |£                                                               |£                                                                                                                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Waltons Hotel                                                    |18,173                                                          |98,173                                                          |2.0                                                             |9,087                                                                                                                            TIC Nottingham                                                   |13,961                                                          |69,807                                                          |1.0                                                             |13,961                                                                                                                           Talbot House Hotel                                               |9,000                                                           |45,500                                                          |1.5                                                             |6,000                                                                                                                            Bridgeford Lodge Hotel                                           |42,000                                                          |344,000                                                         |12,5                                                            |3,360                                                                                                                            Tales of Robin Hood                                              |155,000                                                         |950,000                                                         |21.0                                                            |7,381                                                                                                                            Pageant of Robin Hood                                            |150,000                                                         |1,368,212                                                       |29.0                                                            |5,172                                                                                                                            

Mechanical Excavators

Mr. Thorne : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made towards the harmonisation of vehicle controls on mechanical excavators in use within the European Community in the interests of operator safety.

Mr. Cope : Between now and 1992 European standards will be prepared to support the harmonisation of safety requirements for all machinery including excavators. No decision has been made within the European Community as to the inclusion of vehicle controls.

Labour Statistics

Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the level of employment in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Lee : Between March 1983 and June 1988 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom increased by 2,178,000 to 25,739,000 the highest level on record. This rising trend has now continued for more than five years. The figures have been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed, Her Majesty's forces and participants in work-related Government training programmes.

Tourism

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many section 4 schemes have been funded for tourist-related projects in Nottingham since 1985 ; how much investment has been generated in each from how much grant in each ; and how many jobs, both full-time and part-time, have been created and at what cost per head in each case.

Mr. Lee : Six schemes have been offered assistance under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 in Nottingham since 1985. Total investment is as follows :


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Mr. Allan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the tourism review will include analysis of the ro le of all Government Departments involved.

Mr. Lee : Yes.

Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of foreign tourists and British visitors to London in 1986-87 and 1987-88 and the value of tourism to London in those years ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee : The following table gives the latest available information :


Tourist visits and expenditure in London                                  Numbers of visExpenditure (£                          (000s)<1>     millions)                              |1986  |1987  |1986  |1987         ------------------------------------------------------Overseas residents |8,190 |9,260 |3,203 |3,561        British residents  |13,000|15,000|670   |755          Total              |21,190|24,260|3,873 |4,316        <1>Visits of one or more nights only.                 Sources: International Passenger Survey and British   Tourism Survey Monthly.                               

Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of jobs dependent on tourism in London ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee : The information is not available in the form requested, but it is estimated that in September 1988 the number of employees in employment in the hotel and catering industry in London was 173,000.

Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of journeys made by foreign tourists and British visitors to London on (a) the underground, (b) the buses, (c) the trains and (d) other modes of transport and the total value of the journeys made in 1986-87 and 1987-88 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee : The information requested is not available. However, the London tourist board carries out a survey of a small sample of overseas visitors to London every summer. This survey gave the following information :


Column 700


Percentage of all overseas visitors who used transport at least once     during stay in London in:                                                per cent.                                                                Mode of Transport  |Summer 1987      |Summer 1988                        -------------------------------------------------------------------------Underground        |90               |92                                 Buses (LRT)        |70               |71                                 British Rail Train |25               |18                                 

The estimates from this survey were based on a very small and non-random sample and are, therefore, subject to considerable sampling error.

Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the value of tourism to the hotel and catering industry in London in 1986-87 and 1987-88 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee : The information is not available in the form requested, but it is estimated that overseas and domestic visitors staying in London for one night or more spent a total of £3.9 billion in 1986 and a total of £4.3 billion in 1987.


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