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Column 390

President Gorbachev

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to discuss with President Gorbachev during his visit to the United Kingdom on 5 April, joint nuclear disarmament initiatives under the provisions of article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

The Prime Minister : No. Article VI of the treaty on the non- proliferation of nuclear weapons requires the parties to it to pursue negotiations on effective measures connected with nuclear disarmament. Since the United States and the Soviet Union possess between them the overwhelming preponderance of nuclear weapons it is universally recognised that the primary responsibility for negotiations falls to them. The United States and Soviet Union are currently engaged in such negotiations which aim at 50 per cent. reductions in their strategic nuclear weapons.

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to discuss with President Gorbachev, during his visit to the United Kingdom on 5 April, joint United Kingdom-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics initiatives to implement a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty under the provisions of the 1963 partial test ban treaty.

The Prime Minister : No.

Middle East

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if, in her recent meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister, she expressed concern over the Israeli development of a destabilising nuclear weapons capability in the middle east.

The Prime Minister : No.

Engagements

Mr. Dewar : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the engagements she carried out on Wednesday 1 March.

The Prime Minister : During the morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. I had a working lunch with the president of Cyprus at 10 Downing street. In the afternoon I had further meetings including one with the United Kingdom/Japan 2000 Group.

Our Future World"

Mr. Franks : To ask the Prime Minister if she has yet received the report by the Natural Environment Research Council "Our Future World" ; and if she will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.

The Prime Minister : I have done so today.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Isle of Man

49. Mr. Holt : To ask the Attorney-General when he last met with his opposite number from the Isle of Man ; and what matters were discussed.

The Attorney-General : I have not had the pleasure of meeting the Attorney-General for the Isle of Man.


Column 391

Women Judges

50. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Attorney-General how many women are currently serving as recorders, county court and High Court judges and in the Court of Appeal.

The Attorney-General : There are at present 29 women recorders, 17 women circuit judges, 1 woman High Court judge, and 1 woman Lord Justice of Appeal.

Rape Cases

Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his reply of 27 February, concerning the discontinuance of proceedings in rape cases, under what kinds of circumstances it has recently been considered that the public interest does not require a prosecution.

The Attorney-General : I regret that the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The code for Crown prosecutors at paragraph 8(vi)(b) states that where a Crown prosecutor is satisfied as to the sufficiency of evidence in a rape case there will seldom be any doubt that a prosecution will be in the public interest.

Mr. Chander Singh

Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Attorney-General what progress has been made in proceeding with the prosecution of Mr. Chander Singh for offences of fraud.

The Attorney-General : Inquiries into the affairs of Mr. Chander Singh are being pursued.

Chlorofluorocarbons

Ms. Walley : To ask the Attorney-General (1) what is his best estimate of the amount of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants under the control of his Departments ;

(2) what plans there are to minimise the risk of leaks of chlorofluorocarbons from refrigeration and air conditioning systems under his Department's control.

The Attorney-General : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) today.

ENERGY

Single European Act

Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the impact that the Single European Act will have on his Department's operation of domestic policy ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Parkinson : The impact of the Single European Act cannot be measured precisely given that many measures taken under new or amended provisions of the EEC treaty could have been taken under powers existing in the treaty before amendment. However the main areas within my Department's responsibility affected by the SEA are :

(i) research and development and environmental aspects of emergency operations ;

(ii) operations which might affect the internal market. In this context the Council has generally endorsed a communication by the Commission on completing the


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internal energy market--COM (88) 283 of 2 May 1988, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

Acid Rain

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the Ferrybridge and Eggborough power stations will be included in the acid rain clean-up programme.

Mr. Michael Spicer : The Central Electricity Generating Board and its successors will decide the order in which large coal-fired power stations should be retrofitted with flue gas desulphurisation equipment in order to meet their share of the United Kingdom's commitment to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

Restart (Yorkshire)

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to visit miners and former miners in the south and north Yorkshire mining areas, and address a meeting on the redundant mineworkers' pension scheme in relation to the restart programme ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Spicer : My right hon. Friend and I have no plans to address a meeting in the south and north Yorkshire mining areas on the redundant mineworkers payments scheme. I refer to my answer to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 27 February at column 5 in which I made a statement on the problems caused by restart for beneficiaries under the scheme.

British Coal (Salaries)

Mr. Eadie : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the salaries paid to (a) the chairman of British Coal, (b) the deputy chairman of British Coal and (c) the new joint deputy chairman of British Coal as announced on 28 February ; and when the last-named takes up his appointment.

Mr. Michael Spicer : The current annual salaries of the chairman and deputy chairman of British Coal are £145,000 and £75,000 respectively. British Coal Corporation members' salaries are presently under review.

Mr. David Kendall takes up his appointment as joint deputy chairman on 1 April 1989 and will receive a salary of £95,000 a year.

Electricity (Privatisation)

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals exist within the North West electricity board to mount a pre- flotation advertising campaign ; what is the budget allocation (a) individually and (b) collectively with the other area boards ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Spicer : Proposals by the North West electricity board to mount pre-flotation advertising campaigns either individually or collectively with other area boards are a commercial matter for the board itself. I have asked the chairman of Norweb to write to the hon. Member.


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Chlorofluorocarbons

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is his best estimate of the amount of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants under the control of his Department ;

(2) what plans there are to minimise the risk of leaks of chlorofluorocarbons from refrigeration and air conditionng systems under his Department's control.

Mr. Parkinson : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

Our Changing Schools"

Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many copies of the booklet "Our Changing Schools--a Handbook for Parents", have been printed ; at what cost ; to whom are they being circulated ; and how are they being distributed.

Mrs. Rumbold : Four million copies of "Our Changing Schools--a Handbook for Parents" have been printed.


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The cost of printing was £483,000. Copies have been circulated to the headteachers of all LEA maintained schools in England, chief education officers, as well as to public libraries, day nurseries, play groups and relevant national bodies.

The main distribution has been in response to requests from headteachers for additional copies to give to parents. Copies have also been available from many supermarkets. Copies are available from DES on request.

Undergraduates

Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students from the Bolton education authority area gained places at universities during each of the last five years ; and what was the average number from each education authority in England and Wales during each of these years.

Mr. Jackson : The available data are listed below. The figures represent the number of new mandatory and discretionary awards made to university students by Bolton local education authority and the average number of these types of award made by the 105 English and Welsh LEAs.


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|c|New mandatory and discretionary awards<1> to university           

students|c|                                                          

Academic year                                                        

                     |1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87        

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Bolton LEA           |376    |320    |325    |294    |307            

Average for all LEAs                                                 

(England and Wales)  |626    |609    |615    |607    |606            

<1>Excludes sandwich students on their placement year.               

Youth Service

Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report for each local education authority in England and Wales the youth service provision component of grant-related expenditure, as assessed for the years 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989- 90.

Mr. Butcher : The information requested in respect of local education authorities in England is set out in the table. Although grant- related expenditure is assessed for individual services, rate support grant is unhypothecated and is intended to support expenditure on all the services for which local authorities are responsible. The figures for Welsh authorities are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.


|c|Youth Service Component of Grant-related Expenditure|c|         

|c|1986-78-1989-90|c|                                              

LEA              |1986-87  |1987-88  |1988-89  |1989-90            

                 |£ million|£ million|£ million|£ million          

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Barking          |.53      |.65      |.72      |.77                

Barnet           |1.14     |1.36     |1.60     |1.69               

Bexley           |.68      |.78      |.89      |.90                

Brent            |1.47     |1.70     |1.95     |2.08               

Bromley          |.87      |1.01     |1.16     |1.19               

Croydon          |1.22     |1.45     |1.64     |1.71               

Ealing           |1.48     |1.72     |2.02     |2.13               

Enfield          |1.03     |1.19     |1.37     |1.42               

Haringey         |1.14     |1.31     |1.48     |1.53               

Harrow           |.72      |.85      |.98      |1.02               

Havering         |.72      |.82      |.92      |.94                

Hillingdon       |.77      |.88      |1.02     |1.06               

Hounslow         |.85      |.99      |1.16     |1.20               

Kingston         |.38      |.44      |.51      |.52                

Merton           |.57      |.66      |.77      |.81                

Newham           |1.29     |1.51     |1.70     |1.82               

Redbridge        |.80      |.93      |1.08     |1.14               

Richmond         |.45      |.53      |.60      |.63                

Sutton           |.48      |.56      |.64      |.66                

Waltham Forest   |1.02     |1.19     |1.36     |1.42               

ILEA             |11.49    |13.55    |15.80    |16.64              

Birmingham       |5.34     |6.21     |7.06     |7.28               

Coventry         |1.43     |1.65     |1.86     |1.93               

Dudley           |.97      |1.14     |1.29     |1.33               

Sandwell         |1.46     |1.70     |1.91     |1.93               

Solihull         |.68      |.79      |.89      |.92                

Walsall          |1.14     |1.27     |1.44     |1.49               

Wolverhampton    |1.36     |1.58     |1.79     |1.86               

Knowsley         |.83      |.93      |1.05     |1.08               

Liverpool        |2.05     |2.35     |2.67     |2.76               

St. Helens       |.64      |.75      |.83      |.84                

Sefton           |.96      |1.12     |1.25     |1.31               

Wirral           |1.14     |1.32     |1.50     |1.59               

Bolton           |1.04     |1.21     |1.38     |1.46               

Bury             |.57      |.65      |.74      |.77                

Manchester       |2.19     |2.58     |2.91     |3.04               

Oldham           |.90      |1.04     |1.19     |1.21               

Rochdale         |.85      |.99      |1.12     |1.16               

Salford          |.91      |1.08     |1.21     |1.26               

Stockport        |.85      |1.00     |1.12     |1.16               

Tameside         |.75      |.86      |.98      |1.03               

Trafford         |.74      |.85      |.95      |1.00               

Wigan            |1.01     |1.19     |1.34     |1.38               

Barnsley         |.72      |.86      |.96      |1.00               

Doncaster        |.99      |1.17     |1.34     |1.38               

Rotherham        |.87      |1.03     |1.18     |1.19               

Sheffield        |1.84     |2.14     |2.43     |2.48               

Bradford         |2.26     |2.61     |3.00     |3.11               

Calderdale       |.71      |.82      |.92      |.97                

Kirklees         |1.62     |1.85     |2.11     |2.20               

Leeds            |2.55     |2.97     |3.35     |3.46               

Wakefield        |1.02     |1.19     |1.33     |1.35               

Gateshead        |.69      |.78      |.88      |.91                

Newcastle        |.95      |1.12     |1.29     |1.38               

North Tyne       |.58      |.67      |.74      |.78                

South Tyne       |.53      |.64      |.70      |.72                

Sunderland       |1.03     |1.23     |1.40     |1.43               

Isle of Scilly   |0.01     |0.01     |0.01     |0.01               

Avon             |2.80     |3.24     |3.77     |3.94               

Bedfordshire     |1.94     |2.27     |2.58     |2.70               

Berkshire        |2.52     |2.91     |3.39     |3.55               

Bucks            |1.96     |2.31     |2.70     |2.83               

Cambridge        |1.96     |2.36     |2.73     |2.89               

Cheshire         |2.99     |3.53     |4.01     |4.12               

Cleveland        |2.22     |2.58     |2.91     |2.95               

Cornwall         |1.21     |1.44     |1.65     |1.74               

Cumbria          |1.39     |1.62     |1.83     |1.90               

Derbyshire       |2.91     |3.40     |3.91     |4.02               

Devon            |2.72     |3.19     |3.68     |3.89               

Dorset           |1.63     |1.93     |2.23     |2.36               

Durham           |1.94     |2.23     |2.56     |2.66               

East Sussex      |1.80     |2.08     |2.47     |2.58               

Essex            |4.36     |5.07     |5.82     |6.03               

Gloucestershire  |1.56     |1.83     |2.07     |2.18               

Hampshire        |4.68     |5.51     |6.31     |6.58               

Hereford and Wye |2.02     |2.34     |2.67     |2.80               

Hertfordshire    |2.96     |3.49     |3.95     |4.08               

Humberside       |2.95     |3.42     |3.87     |4.03               

Isle of Wight    |0.32     |0.37     |0.43     |0.45               

Kent             |4.65     |5.41     |6.20     |6.41               

Lancashire       |4.83     |5.64     |6.48     |6.70               

Leicester        |3.21     |3.74     |4.28     |4.47               

Lincolnshire     |1.69     |1.97     |2.30     |2.40               

Norfolk          |2.03     |2.41     |2.76     |2.90               

North Yorks      |1.95     |2.28     |2.64     |2.75               

Northants        |1.82     |2.14     |2.46     |2.57               

Northumberland   |0.82     |0.99     |1.13     |1.17               

Nottinghamshire  |3.45     |4.05     |4.63     |4.77               

Oxfordshire      |1.79     |2.12     |2.43     |2.54               

Shropshire       |1.34     |1.54     |1.78     |1.84               

Somerset         |1.29     |1.51     |1.73     |1.82               

Staffordshire    |3.14     |3.67     |4.16     |4.28               

Suffolk          |1.81     |2.14     |2.40     |2.52               

Surrey           |2.93     |3.39     |3.87     |3.98               

Warwickshire     |1.58     |1.85     |2.08     |2.14               

West Sussex      |1.80     |2.09     |2.41     |2.52               

Wiltshire        |1.74     |2.05     |2.34     |2.44               

                 |---      |---      |---      |---                

Total            |164.00   |191.50   |219.10   |228.00             

Note 1: The control total for the youth service provision          

component of the education GRE incorporates expenditure on youth   

service provision and on other educational services which include  

European social fund sponsored courses, and expenditure on sports, 

outdoor, activity and residential study centres.                   

Note 2 : The control total is distributed half in proportion to each LEA's population aged 11-17 and half in proportion to 11-17 population adjusted by the additional educational needs index.

Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report for each local education authority in England and Wales the expenditure on youth service provision for the years 1986-87 and 1987-88.

Mr. Butcher : The information is given in the table. Figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.


|c|LEA recurrent expenditure on youth and community services|c|                                         

Local education authority |1986-87                  |1987-88                                            

                          |£ million                |£ million                                          

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barking                   |0.64                     |0.59                                               

Barnet                    |0.87                     |n.a.                                               

Bexley                    |0.67                     |0.74                                               

Brent                     |3.17                     |3.56                                               

Bromley                   |0.52                     |0.62                                               

Croydon                   |0.74                     |0.84                                               

Ealing                    |0.75                     |n.a.                                               

Enfield                   |0.68                     |0.69                                               

Haringey                  |1.76                     |n.a.                                               

Harrow                    |0.27                     |0.29                                               

Havering                  |0.75                     |0.70                                               

Hillingdon                |0.70                     |0.71                                               

Hounslow                  |0.69                     |n.a.                                               

Kingston-upon-Thames      |0.38                     |0.40                                               

Merton                    |0.24                     |n.a.                                               

Newham                    |n.a.                     |n.a.                                               

Redbridge                 |0.65                     |0.75                                               

Richmond-upon-Thames      |0.30                     |0.34                                               

Sutton                    |0.42                     |0.48                                               

Waltham Forest            |1.21                     |1.29                                               

ILEA                      |27.19                    |30.54                                              

Birmingham                |1.45                     |3.49                                               

Coventry                  |0.85                     |0.91                                               

Dudley                    |0.68                     |0.84                                               

Sandwell                  |0.58                     |0.66                                               

Solihull                  |0.32                     |0.39                                               

Walsall                   |1.81                     |1.96                                               

Wolverhampton             |0.64                     |n.a.                                               

Knowsley                  |0.43                     |0.49                                               

Liverpool                 |1.93                     |2.10                                               

St. Helens                |0.05                     |nil                                                

Sefton                    |0.51                     |0.61                                               

Wirral                    |0.90                     |1.03                                               

Bolton                    |0.80                     |0.91                                               

Bury                      |0.53                     |0.84                                               

Manchester                |2.17                     |2.24                                               

Oldham                    |0.36                     |0.62                                               

Rochdale                  |1.12                     |1.32                                               

Salford                   |0.51                     |n.a.                                               

Stockport                 |0.65                     |0.53                                               

Tameside                  |0.84                     |1.04                                               

Trafford                  |0.46                     |0.54                                               

Wigan                     |0.86                     |0.82                                               

Barnsley                  |0.57                     |0.52                                               

Doncaster                 |1.12                     |1.32                                               

Rotherham                 |0.76                     |0.89                                               

Sheffield                 |2.62                     |n.a.                                               

Bradford                  |2.42                     |2.83                                               

Calderdale                |0.51                     |0.93                                               

Kirklees                  |1.22                     |1.33                                               

Leeds                     |2.74                     |2.59                                               

Wakefield                 |0.64                     |0.68                                               

Gateshead                 |0.59                     |0.79                                               

Newcastle-upon-Tyne       |1.02                     |1.16                                               

North Tyneside            |0.50                     |n.a                                                

South Tyneside            |1.37                     |1.55                                               

Sunderland                |0.71                     |0.73                                               

Avon                      |3.36                     |3.72                                               

Bedfordshire              |0.97                     |1.06                                               

Berkshire                 |1.85                     |n.a                                                

Buckinghamshire           |2.11                     |1.94                                               

Cambridgeshire            |1.48                     |1.63                                               

Cheshire                  |1.62                     |1.74                                               

Cleveland                 |1.95                     |2.35                                               

Cornwall                  |0.43                     |0.53                                               

Cumbria                   |1.04                     |1.26                                               

Derbyshire                |2.85                     |4.51                                               

Devon                     |2.36                     |2.62                                               

Dorset                    |1.32                     |1.47                                               

Durham                    |0.95                     |1.10                                               

East Sussex               |0.96                     |0.98                                               

Essex                     |3.25                     |3.39                                               

Gloucestershire           |1.35                     |1.48                                               

Hampshire                 |2.56                     |2.86                                               

Hereford and Worcester    |0.99                     |1.19                                               

Hertfordshire             |2.05                     |2.44                                               

Humberside                |2.74                     |3.18                                               

Isle of Wight             |0.40                     |0.42                                               

Kent                      |1.90                     |2.29                                               

Lancashire                |3.46                     |4.05                                               

Leicestershire            |2.23                     |2.62                                               

Lincolnshire              |0.93                     |1.01                                               

Norfolk                   |1.08                     |1.36                                               

North Yorkshire           |1.27                     |1.41                                               

Northamptonshire          |1.44                     |1.61                                               

Northumberland            |0.68                     |0.70                                               

Nottinghamshire           |3.80                     |4.26                                               

Oxfordshire               |0.93                     |1.10                                               

Shropshire                |1.33                     |1.55                                               

Somerset                  |1.24                     |1.93                                               

Staffordshire             |2.20                     |2.42                                               

Suffolk                   |1.54                     |1.97                                               

Surrey                    |1.76                     |2.07                                               

Warwickshire              |1.06                     |1.44                                               

West Sussex               |1.27                     |1.39                                               

Wiltshire                 |1.30                     |1.50                                               

Notes:                                                                                                  

1. The expenditure is based on LEA returns to DOE and includes the cost of salaries and wages, premises 

and transport related expenses, supplies and services. It does not include the cost of central          

administration, debt charges or revenue contributions to capital outlay.                                

2. "Youth and Community Services" covers youth clubs, residential and non-residential youth centres and 

the employment of youth leaders.                                                                        

3. The LEAs who have not submitted expenditure returns are marked "n.a".                                


Column 398

Headteachers

Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many headteachers would receive a salary increase of more than £2,000 per annum on the implementation of the 1989 report of the interim advisory committee on teachers' pay.

Mrs. Rumbold : The Government have accepted the recommendation of the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions that salaries of heads and deputies should be increased by 7.5 per cent. from 1 April 1989. As a result some 2,050 head teachers will receive salary increases of more than £2,000 per annum.

Higher Education Courses

Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish tables showing for each EEC country, the United States of America, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and such other OECD countries for which data are available (1) the estimated per annum (a) total cost and (b) cost to public funds of (i) tuition, and (ii) maintenance in respect of courses in universities and other institutions of higher education of United Kingdom first-degree standard, (2) the average length of courses in each country, (3) the wastage rate, and (4) the estimated cost to public funds of (i) tuition and (ii) maintenance of each successful graduate.

Mr. Jackson : The readily available information is given below and covers public expenditure on higher education as a whole. Data on wastage rates are not generally available.


Column 397


|c|Public expenditure on higher education, calendar year 1984 (provisional estimates)|c|                                                                                                

Country                      Year of data              Current expenditure at                              Typical length of                                                            

                                                       1984 prices<1>                                      course                                                                       

                                                      |Excluding student support|Student support and      |welfare                                                                      

                                                      |and welfare and R & D    |welfare                                                                                                

                                                      |Per qualifier            |Per student              |University               |Other                                              

                                                      |(£ Thousands)            |(£)                      |(Years)                  |(Years)                                            

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

France                      |1983                     |5.9                      |180 (loan + grant)       |4                        |2                                                  

Germany<2>                  |1984                     |10.0                     | 70 (loan only)          |4                        |3                                                  

Italy                       |1983                     |n/a                      | 40 (grant only)         |5                        |2                                                  

Japan<3>                    |1982                     |14.5                     | 30 (loan only)          |4                        |2                                                  

Netherlands                 |1984                     |14.4                     |360 (loan + grant)       |5                        |4                                                  

United Kingdom<4>           |1984                     |9.1                      |750 (grant only)         |3                        |2 to 3                                             

United States of America<5> |1982                     |19.2                     |270 (loan + grant)       |4                        |2                                                  

n/a Not available.                                                                                                                                                                      

<1> At purchasing power parity; data prior to 1984 have been adjusted via consumer price indices.                                                                                       

<2> Revised coverage of source statistics.                                                                                                                                              

<3> Excludes public subsidies to private education and qualifiers in the private sector. Private sector course characteristics suggest lower cost per qualifier overall.                

<4> Excluding expenditure and students on nursing and paramedical courses at DHSS establishments. Also excludes tuition fees and in-service teacher training secondments and costs.     

<5> Provisional, includes capital.                                                                                                                                                      

Sources: Statistical Bulletin 4/87                                                                                                                                                      

UNESCO Statistical Year Book                                                                                                                                                            

OECD Comparative Statistics                                                                                                                                                             

Correspondence                                                                                                                                                                          

Veterinary Education

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what will be the number of new posts and additional pupils created by proposals to rationalise veterinary education at (a) the university of Liverpool, (b) Bristol university and (c) the university of London ; and if he will make a statement ;


Column 398

(2) what will be the costs of rationalisation of veterinary education at (a) the university of Liverpool, (b) Bristol university and (c) the university of London ; and if he will make a statement ;

(3) what will be the effect on staff and pupil numbers of monies expended in rationalising veterinary education in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement ;


Column 399

(4) what will be the effects on the total numbers of staff and pupils of the proposals to rationalise veterinary education in England ; and if he will make a statement ;

(5) what costs will be incurred by the rationalisation of veterinary education in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson : The available information is in the University Grants Committee report "Veterinary Education into the 21st Century", a copy of which is in the Library. The principal recommendations are to reduce the number of veterinary schools from six to four by merger of the Glasgow and Edinburgh schools on the Edinburgh site, and the cessation of para-clinical and clinical teaching at the Cambridge school ; and that each of the four schools should, principally through redistribution of posts, have a clinical staff of 36 and have the capacity for an intake of 75-85 home students, a total of 300-335. Current intakes are towards the bottom of this range. The 1987 intake totalled 306 with the following figures for individual schools : Bristol--42 ; Cambridge--41 ; Edinburgh--54 ; Glasgow- -54 ; Liverpool--45 ; and London--70. The report estimates the cost of the recommended rationalisation to be some £20 million.

These recommendations are currently out for consultation. Decisions will be taken by the new Universities Funding Council which takes over full funding responsibilities for universities on 1 April.

Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the representations he has received concerning proposals to terminate paraclinical and clinical teaching at the veterinary school at Cambridge ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) what representations he has received concerning proposals for the closure of the veterinary school at Glasgow ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson : In respect of each proposal, we have received about 300 letters, including many from hon. Members. In addition, I am meeting some hon. Members.

Foreign Students

Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide the figures for the numbers of foreign students attending full-time courses of higher education in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Jackson : The information is shown below. Before 1984-85 the definition of a student from abroad included those charged a fee at the overseas rate. From 1984-85 students from abroad have been defined by domicile. Where available, adjusted figures are shown for comparison of number by both definitions.


|c|Full-time and sandwich       

students from abroad in higher  

education in|c|                 

|c|the United Kingdom|c|        

Academic Thousands              

--------------------------------

1977-78 |58.0                   

1978-79 |59.1                   

1979-80 |56.2                   

1980-81 |51.6                   

1981-82 |50.7                   

1982-83 |46.7   |<1>47.9        

1983-84 |46.5   |<1>46.9        

1984-85         |48.6           

1985-86         |53.7           

1986-87         |57.1           

<1> Adjusted.                   

Source: Education Statistics    

for the United Kingdom (HMSO).  

Private Schools

Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children and young persons currently attending private schools within the Wakefield metropolitan district are normally resident in other local authority areas.

Mr. Butcher : This information is not collected centrally.

Secondary School Teachers

Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the survey of secondary school teachers was completed ; what were its conclusions ; and when it will be published.

Mr. Kenneth Baker : The 1988 secondary school staffing survey has not yet been completed--validation and processing of the complex survey data are still in progress. Key results are expected to be available by about the end of April.

Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of the survey of secondary school teachers.

Mr. Kenneth Baker : The exact cost of the 1988 secondary school staffing survey is not yet known, as work on the survey is still continuing. However, the eventual cost is expected to be about £250, 000 (excluding any costs to schools and teachers participating in the survey).

Chlorofluorocarbons

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what it his best estimate of the amount of

chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants under the control of his Department ;

(2) what plans there are to minimise the risk of

chlorofluorocarbons from refrigeration and air conditioning systems under his Department's control.

Mrs. Rumbold : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conway (Dr. Thomas) today.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Relocation

Mr. Brandon-Bravo : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will meet executives of Nottingham Development Enterprise to discuss the relocation of parts of his Department to Nottingham as part of the policy on relocation of such posts away from the south-east.

Mr. Maude : Under the policy which my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General, announced on 31 March


Column 401

1988, my Department is now reviewing the location of its work with a view to finding sites offering easier labour markets, value for money and increased operational efficiency. Where appropriate, areas which are the focus of the Government's regional and urban policies, such as Nottingham, will be considered. My officials will be consulting local representatives in relevant sites as appropriate.

Single European Act

Mr. Sillars : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the impact that the Single European Act will have on his Department's operation of domestic policy ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maude : The Single European Act has had an impact on many areas of my Department's work. All new and existing departmental policies and initiatives take our obligations arising from the Act into account. In particular our "Europe--Open for Business" campaign is designed to alert business to the need to prepare actively for the completion of the single European market.

Telephone Tapping

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on how many occasions within the Doncaster district (a) British Telecom engineers and (b) other specialist engineers, have monitored telephone conversations on domestic telephone lines in the last year for which figures are available ; what were the comparable figures in 1978 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : The arrangements for the interception of the public telecommunication system are governed by the provisions of the Interception of Communications Act 1985. The information that is available is given in the annual report of the commissioner appointed under section 8 of that Act.

Post Offices

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list (a) the main post offices and (b) the sub-post offices in (i) the Doncaster area and (ii) South Yorkshire as a whole which have opened or closed since 1979, showing those which have gone onto a part-time basis since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : I have consulted the Post Office, which has supplied the following information. There are currently 10 main post offices and 266 sub -post offices in the Doncaster post code area, and 10 main post offices and 365 sub-post offices in the South Yorkshire postal address area. There has been no change in the provision of main post offices in these areas since 1979. During the same period one sub-office has been opened in the Doncaster post code area, 13 have been closed and 18 sub-offices have been converted to part-time (community) offices. In the South Yorkshire postal address area 15 sub-offices have closed and 10 have been converted to part- time (community) offices.

The sub-offices concerned are as follows :

Doncaster post code area

Opened--1

Wybers Wood


Column 402

Closed--13

Redbourned

Haighton Avenue

New Clee

Hatcliffe

Kexby

Ladborough

New Conisborough

Town Moor

Wiseton

Woodlands East

Whitton

Barnby on the Marsh

Asselby

Conversions--18

Bigby

Waddingham

Grasby

Austerfield

Badsworth

Hooton Pagnell

Womersley

A1. thorpe

Eastoft

East Stockwith

Slotton

Babworth

Bole


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