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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 16 March 1989
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Treasury Counsel
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Attorney-General if he will provide for the latest available 12-month period (a) the number of Treasury counsel, (b) the amount of total public money received by the Treasury counsel, (c) the number of cases dealt with by the Treasury counsel and (d) the amount of public money received by Treasury counsel in respect of criminal matters ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : The information requested is as follows : (a) 14.
(b) The total sum paid to Treasury counsel by Departments for which I have responsibility, in the current financial year, is £1,442,569.
(c) This cannot be established save at disproportionate cost. (d) £1,259,703.
DEFENCE
Medical Discharge
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual expenditure by his Department on providing rehabilitation services for service men who are seriously injured and discharged from the services on medical grounds.
Mr. Neubert : Information on the cost of service rehabilitation facilities is not available in the specific detail requested.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will institute counselling and other services of assistance for service men who are discharged as medically unfit from the services within three months of the date of the medical board recommendation to that effect.
Mr. Neubert : A full range of counselling and other services of assistance are already available, as a matter of routine, for service men who are discharged as medically unfit from the services.
Courts Martial
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are taken to ensure that adequate and proper soundproofed accommodation is provided for courts martial to be conducted at operational Royal Air Force bases.
Mr. Neubert : Royal Air Force regulations require stations to provide a suitable room (of unspecified dimensions) to house the courts martial and additional rooms adjacent for robing facilities for the court officials.
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The room chosen will vary from station to station dependent upon availability ; no sound attenuation is laid down as a requirement. To minimise disruption and inconvenience to the court, stations restrict the level and area of flying activity during the courts martial whenever possible. In cases where disruption is unavoidable, an alternative location is provided when this is practical.MARILYN
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to mount a recruitment campaign for the regular Army through the medium of television as a result of the MARILYN studies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : We are planning a three-week television advertising campaign towards the end of this month promoting both the Regular Army and the TA, called "Today's Army".
Bombing Range
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Taunton on 1 March, Official Report, column 220, he will state how the prohibition referred to therein affects aircraft using the practice bombing range in the Bristol channel in the vicinity of Hinkley Point.
Mr. Neubert : The prohibition extends to military aircraft using the Lilstock practice bombing range.
Defence Non-Nuclear Research Establishment
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will report progress on the proposal to establish the defence non-nuclear research establishment as an executive agency.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has accepted that change is needed in the way defence research is organised in order to obtain better value for money for our expenditure on defence research and project support. It is considered that this could be best achieved through a sharper relationship between the customers for and suppliers of defence research and by better focused and strengthened internal management in the establishments.
It has therefore been decided to establish the four main non-nuclear research establishments : the Admiralty research establishment, the Royal aerospace establishment, the Royal armament research and development establishment and the Royal Signals and radar establishment as a single organisation with the intention that they should become an executive agency under the Government's next steps policy. Other parts of MOD may also be included following current studies.
There will be full consultation with trades unions. In addition, steps are being taken to select and appoint, by open competition, a chief executive (designate), who will be responsible for day-to-day management of the organisation and for developing a comprehensive management plan for the proposed agency in response to MOD requirements. In parallel, an implementation team is being set up in MOD charged with overall co- ordination of the project. Final decisions to proceed and on the status
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of the agency within the public sector will be taken in the light of this further work, with the aim of establishing the agency in the spring of 1991.PRIME MINISTER
Flecknoe
Q40. Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Flecknoe, near Rugby.
The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to do so.
Debt Burden
Q148. Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister what action the Government are taking to reduce the debt burden on poor countries.
The Prime Minister : Following my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's initiative, agreement was reached at the Toronto summit for concessional rescheduling through the Paris club for the poorest and most heavily indebted countries which are following approved adjustment programmes. The United Kingdom and others will reduce interest rates to prevent debt compounding. The United Kingdom has also written off £1 billion of old aid loans, of which nearly £300 million were for sub-Saharan Africa. We have also agreed to subsidise loans to the poorest countries of up to about £750 million through a special IMF facility, the enhanced structural adjustment facility, of £4.5 billion. This makes us the largest single contributor to the interest subsidy account.
Piper Alpha
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy that each Government Department will undertake to accept and implement any safety recommendation of the Piper Alpha inquiry relevant to their responsibilities.
The Prime Minister : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has already told Parliament that if the Piper Alpha public inquiry can recommend improvements to the present offshore safety regime these will be accepted.
Engagements
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
Mr. Stern : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 16 March.
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The Prime Minister : This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, including one with the Hungarian Foreign Minister. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
WALES
Departmental Management Information System
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which company was awarded the contract for Welsh Office management information service system ; what is the value of the contract awarded in August 1986 ; how much has so far been paid to the contractors ; when the contract will be concluded ; and what are the reasons for the delay in completion.
Mr. Peter Walker : A contract for the supply of computer hardware and software together with computerised statistical, financial and management systems was awarded to IBM (UK) Ltd. in August 1986. The value of the contract, over 10 years, is £1.6 million. Approximately £1 million has been paid to the contractor in accordance with the terms of the contract for goods and services which have been delivered to and accepted by my Department. The contractor was unable to deliver all the components specified in the contract to the original timetable because of technical difficulties, but it is now expected that the contract will be completely fulfilled by the end of September 1989.
Advertising
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest figure for the estimated spending in 1988-89 by the Welsh Office on (a) TV advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material ; and what is the 1989-90 budget for each of these categories of spending.
Mr. Peter Walker [holding answer 13 March 1989] : Spending in 1988-89 is expected to be (a) TV advertising £42,307, (b) radio advertising nil, (c) newspaper advertising £71,000 and (d) other promotional material £870,000.
Detailed decisions on the 1989-90 budget by media have not yet been taken but the expected overall expenditure on publicity will be in the region of £1.75 million.
Housing Capital Allocations
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the housing capital allocations for each Welsh district council since 1979 and at constant prices.
Mr. Peter Walker [holding answer 13 March 1989] : The information requested is shown in the tables. Allocations for 1988-89 are provisional. The allocations for 1979-80 and 1980-81 are not strictly comparable with subsequent years as a new system for local authority finance was introduced in 1981-82.
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|c|Local authority housing capital allocations 1979-80 to 1988-89 (cash prices)|c|
Local authority |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89
|£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside |1,820 |2,540 |2,520 |2,873 |2,922 |2,234 |2,102 |2,148 |1,925 |1,797
Colwyn |1,990 |1,590 |1,610 |2,342 |2,483 |2,089 |2,046 |1,671 |1,798 |1,662
Delyn |1,280 |1,020 |1,350 |1,681 |2,025 |1,459 |1,225 |1,585 |1,424 |1,576
Glyndwr |1,650 |1,610 |1,000 |1,581 |2,345 |1,521 |1,377 |1,311 |1,237 |1,409
Rhuddlan |690 |710 |850 |1,273 |1,189 |951 |831 |858 |1,479 |2,426
Wrexham Maelor |2,860 |3,410 |3,230 |3,616 |3,833 |3,746 |3,589 |5,021 |5,526 |4,075
Carmarthen |2,240 |1,820 |2,030 |3,823 |8,160 |3,571 |2,898 |3,469 |3,545 |2,531
Ceredigion |2,150 |2,080 |1,740 |3,635 |4,478 |2,790 |2,124 |2,502 |2,383 |2,091
Dinefwr |1,240 |1,140 |850 |1,278 |2,334 |1,414 |924 |1,051 |1,260 |1,446
Llanelli |2,980 |2,470 |1,950 |3,104 |3,745 |2,737 |2,310 |2,225 |2,428 |2,679
Preseli |1,780 |1,310 |1,740 |1,783 |3,526 |2,862 |1,870 |1,956 |1,842 |2,372
South Pembrokeshire |1,710 |1,340 |1,140 |2,365 |3,804 |2,323 |1,694 |1,550 |3,417 |2,472
Blaenau Gwent |8,000 |6,500 |4,010 |10,172 |10,236 |6,238 |5,114 |8,515 |11,023 |6,606
Islwyn |3,470 |3,020 |2,280 |4,685 |5,215 |4,499 |4,699 |7,854 |6,876 |6,183
Monmouth |1,820 |1,460 |1,850 |2,917 |4,643 |3,599 |3,336 |3,218 |3,081 |1,973
Newport |7,430 |7,100 |6,500 |10,956 |9,137 |6,554 |6,084 |7,153 |6,378 |5,848
Torfaen |4,610 |3,890 |2,890 |4,370 |4,370 |4,002 |3,740 |5,012 |5,112 |4,540
Aberconwy |1,700 |1,550 |1,420 |1,708 |2,006 |1,635 |1,308 |1,308 |1,330 |1,301
Arfon |1,980 |2,770 |2,500 |2,936 |3,469 |2,940 |2,107 |2,034 |2,165 |2,698
Dwyfor |820 |740 |770 |1,119 |3,032 |1,800 |605 |1,127 |1,100 |1,314
Meirionnydd |1,220 |930 |1,020 |1,289 |3,282 |1,352 |886 |886 |920 |1,212
Ynys Mon |2,750 |2,330 |1,370 |2,471 |5,260 |2,350 |2,457 |3,109 |3,528 |2,785
Cynon Valley |3,180 |2,690 |2,430 |2,830 |4,323 |3,090 |2,472 |3,545 |4,829 |5,717
Merthyr Tydfil |4,700 |3,610 |2,704 |2,885 |3,993 |2,521 |2,119 |3,742 |3,821 |3,762
Ogwr |6,950 |5,080 |4,530 |6,197 |5,870 |5,011 |4,181 |4,117 |5,633 |4,397
Rhondda |6,900 |6,180 |4,310 |5,546 |12,030 |7,468 |5,972 |9,218 |10,814 |14,463
Rhymney Valley |5,260 |5,150 |3,650 |6,211 |5,465 |4,412 |4,750 |7,143 |8,564 |8,263
Taff Ely |5,540 |5,060 |5,830 |7,020 |8,886 |4,999 |4,253 |4,801 |6,182 |4,643
Brecknock |1,010 |980 |1,110 |1,283 |2,851 |1,321 |1,663 |2,087 |1,876 |584
Montgomeryshire |1,130 |1,070 |950 |1,292 |3,393 |1,548 |1,344 |1,503 |1,425 |1,624
Radnor |420 |780 |640 |1,376 |1,593 |976 |791 |925 |921 |777
Cardiff |13,630 |11,730 |10,690 |13,607 |17,835 |12,557 |12,055 |16,000 |16,300 |13,974
Vale of Glamorgan |2,930 |3,350 |3,200 |4,812 |5,333 |3,080 |2,664 |3,229 |3,509 |3,193
Port Talbot |1,430 |1,490 |1,800 |1,842 |1,982 |1,586 |1,347 |2,563 |3,069 |2,915
Lliw Valley |4,270 |3,580 |2,760 |4,078 |3,992 |3,220 |2,596 |2,995 |2,963 |2,562
Neath |2,030 |1,730 |1,720 |4,118 |3,892 |2,064 |2,151 |2,688 |3,217 |2,515
Swansea |5,670 |6,210 |6,674 |10,760 |11,365 |9,073 |7,460 |9,008 |8,426 |7,623
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total Districts |121,240 |110,020 |97,618 |145,834 |184,297 |125,592 |109,144 |139,127 |151,326 |138,008
|c|Local authority housing capital allocations 1979-80 to 1988-89 (1988-89 prices)|c|
Local authority |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89
|£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000 |£000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alyn and Deeside |3,395 |4,001 |3,613 |3,845 |3,740 |2,722 |2,428 |2,402 |2,045 |1,797
Colwyn |3,712 |2,504 |2,308 |3,134 |3,178 |2,545 |2,363 |1,869 |1,910 |1,662
Delyn |2,388 |1,607 |1,936 |2,250 |2,592 |1,777 |1,415 |1,773 |1,513 |1,576
Glyndwr |3,078 |2,536 |1,434 |2,116 |3,001 |1,853 |1,590 |1,466 |1,314 |1,409
Rhuddlan |1,287 |1,118 |1,219 |1,704 |1,522 |1,159 |960 |960 |1,571 |2,426
Wrexham Maelor |5,335 |5,371 |4,631 |4,839 |4,906 |4,564 |4,145 |5,616 |5,871 |4,075
Carmarthen |4,179 |2,867 |2,911 |5,116 |10,444 |4,350 |3,347 |3,880 |3,767 |2,531
Ceredigion |4,011 |3,276 |2,495 |4,864 |5,731 |3,399 |2,453 |2,798 |2,532 |2,091
Dinefwr |2,313 |1,796 |1,219 |1,710 |2,987 |1,723 |1,067 |1,175 |1,339 |1,446
Llanelli |5,559 |3,890 |2,796 |4,154 |4,793 |3,334 |2,668 |2,489 |2,580 |2,679
Preseli |3,321 |2,063 |2,495 |2,386 |4,513 |3,487 |2,160 |2,188 |1,957 |2,372
South Pembrokeshire |3,190 |2,111 |1,635 |3,165 |4,869 |2,830 |1,957 |1,734 |3,631 |2,472
Blaenau Gwent |14,924 |10,238 |5,750 |13,612 |13,101 |7,600 |5,907 |9,524 |11,712 |6,606
Islwyn |6,473 |4,757 |3,269 |6,269 |6,675 |5,481 |5,427 |8,784 |7,306 |6,183
Monmouth |3,395 |2,300 |2,653 |3,904 |5,943 |4,385 |3,853 |3,599 |3,274 |1,973
Newport |13,861 |11,183 |9,320 |14,661 |11,694 |7,985 |7,027 |8,000 |6,777 |5,848
Torfaen |8,600 |6,127 |4,144 |5,848 |5,593 |4,876 |4,320 |5,606 |4,432 |4,540
Aberconwy |3,171 |2,441 |2,036 |2,286 |2,567 |1,992 |1,511 |1,463 |1,413 |1,301
Arfon |3,694 |4,363 |3,584 |3,929 |4,440 |3,582 |2,434 |2,275 |2,300 |2,698
Dwyfor |1,530 |1,166 |1,104 |1,497 |3,881 |2,193 |699 |1,260 |1,169 |1,314
Meirionnydd |2,276 |1,465 |1,462 |1,725 |4,201 |1,647 |1,023 |991 |978 |1,212
Ynys Mon |5,130 |3,670 |1,964 |3,307 |6,732 |2,863 |2,838 |3,477 |3,749 |2,785
Cynon Valley |5,932 |4,237 |3,484 |3,787 |5,533 |3,764 |2,855 |3,965 |5,131 |5,717
Merthyr Tydfil |8,768 |5,686 |3,877 |3,861 |5,111 |3,071 |2,447 |4,185 |4,060 |3,762
Ogwr |12,965 |8,001 |6,495 |8,293 |7,513 |6,105 |4,829 |4,605 |5,985 |4,397
Rhondda |12,872 |9,734 |6,180 |7,422 |15,397 |9,098 |6,898 |10,310 |11,490 |14,463
Rhymney Valley |9,813 |8,111 |5,233 |8,312 |6,995 |5,375 |5,486 |7,989 |9,099 |8,263
Taff Ely |10,335 |7,970 |8,359 |9,394 |11,373 |6,090 |4,912 |5,370 |6,568 |4,643
Brecknock |1,884 |1,544 |1,592 |1,717 |3,649 |1,609 |1,921 |2,334 |1,993 |584
Montgomeryshire |2,108 |1,685 |1,362 |1,729 |4,343 |1,886 |1,552 |1,681 |1,514 |1,624
Radnor |784 |1,229 |918 |1,841 |2,039 |1,189 |914 |1,035 |979 |777
Cardiff |25,427 |18,475 |15,327 |18,209 |22,827 |15,298 |13,923 |17,895 |17,319 |13,974
Vale of Glamorgan |5,466 |5,276 |4,588 |6,439 |6,826 |3,752 |3,077 |3,611 |3,728 |3,193
Port Talbot |2,668 |2,347 |2,581 |2,465 |2,537 |1,932 |1,556 |2,867 |3,261 |2,915
Lliw Valley |7,966 |5,639 |3,957 |5,457 |5,109 |3,923 |2,998 |3,350 |3,148 |2,562
Neath |3,787 |2,725 |2,466 |5,511 |4,981 |2,515 |2,484 |3,006 |3,418 |2,515
Swansea |10,577 |9,781 |9,569 |14,399 |14,546 |11,053 |8,616 |10,075 |8,953 |7,623
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total Districts |226,174 |173,282 |139,964 |195,154 |235,883 |153,005 |126,060 |155,606 |160,784 |138,008
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Manufacturing Investment
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a table, taking 1979 as 100, of investment in real terms in manufacturing (a) in the north-east and (b) for the United Kingdom as a whole.
Mr. Atkins : No regional breakdown of manufacturing investment for 1987 and 1988 is yet available. The required information for the period 1979 to 1986 is shown in the following table :
|c|Manufacturing investment<1> in the north-east<2>, and in
the United|c|
|c|Kingdom in constant (1980) prices, as a percentage of
the 1979 level|c|
|North-east |United Kingdom
------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |100 |100
1980 |66 |84
1981 |42 |65
1982 |41 |61
1983 |41 |64
1984 |47 |77
1985 |58 |83
1986 |50 |78
<1> Excluding expenditure on assets leased from the
financial industries.
<2> The north-east is not a standard region of the United
Kingdom but can be defined as the north less Cumbria. It
comprises Cleveland, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and
Wear.
Since 1986, manufacturing investment in the country as a whole has risen sharply ; and is predicted to continue rising.
Dolls' Houses (Synthetic Food)
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if his Department treats the EEC directive to make illegal the inclusion of items of synthetic food in dolls' houses as falling to be considered by majority vote under the Single European Act ; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue ; (2) when the directive was submitted by the EEC Commission to make illegal the inclusion of items of synthetic food in dolls' houses ; if the proposal is part of the measures to complete the internal market ; and in what form Parliament will be asked to consider the proposals.
Mr. Forth : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 14 March at column 128 to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence), in which I said that I was proposing to exempt from the proposed Food Imitations (Safety) Regulations imitation food supplied for use in dolls' houses or model scenes or settings.
Professional Services (Advertising)
Mr. Stevens : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the reports of the Monopolies and
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Mergers Commission on restrictions on advertising in the supply of the services of medical practitioners, professionally regulated osteopaths and civil engineering consultants are to be published ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Maude : The three reports on advertising restrictions in the professions are published today. The findings of the commission with regard to each one are as follows :
Services of medical practitioners
The commission was asked to investigate and report on the advertising restrictions observed by registered medical practitioners and their effect on the public interest.
The commission finds that observance of the guidance of both the GMC and BMA governing advertising by specialists to members of the public does not operate against the public interest, except in so far as it prevents associations of specialists from responding to direct requests for information from members of the public.
The commission finds that observance of the GMC guidance (in the version currently circulated to members) and the similar BMA guidance restricting advertising by specialists to other doctors, operates against the public interest. During the inquiry the GMC amended its guidance to allow specialists to contact their colleagues as they see fit. The commission considers that these changes remove the adverse effects of this part of the GMC guidance.
The commission notes that during the inquiry the GMC relaxed, but did not entirely remove, restrictions on the ability of doctors or their professional associations to communicate with other bodies or professionals in circumstances where they are not offering medical treatment to patients. The commission finds observance of the remaining restrictions on such contacts imposed by the GMC and BMA operates against the public interest.
The commission finds that observance of those parts of the GMC and BMA guidance which restrict advertising by general practitioners to members of the public operates against the public interest. The commission also finds that one part of the guidance offered by the Royal College of General Practitioners, namely that general practitioners should ensure that their practice leaflets are acceptable to local colleagues, operates against the public interest.
The commission considers that the broad principles that should govern advertising by doctors are that advertising by them should not be of a character that could reasonably be regarded as likely to bring the profession into disrepute and that their advertising should not be such as to abuse the trust of patients or potential patients or exploit their lack of knowledge. It suggests that these principles might be reflected in guidelines for GPs' advertising, that the content of advertisements should be limited to factual information, should be legal, decent, honest and truthful and should not disparage other
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doctors or make claims of superiority ; that no advertisement should include explicit or implicit claims to cure particular complaints and that GPs should not use "cold calling" or other means of trying to target individual members of the public and should not advertise so frequently as to cause a nuisance to potential patients or put them under pressure.The Government welcome the conclusions and recommendations of the report and today my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked the Director General of Fair Trading to seek, under section 88 of the Fair Trading Act, undertakings from each of the General Medical Council, British Medical Association and Royal College of General Practitioners that it will revise its guidance on advertising, along the lines proposed by the commission and in a form to be agreed with the director general, within six months.
My right hon. and noble Friend has no doubt that the GMC, as the statutory body charged with advising doctors on standards of professional conduct, will implement swiftly the MMC's public interest findings and that the BMA and RCGP will follow a similar line. He does not therefore intend at present to use the order-making powers which are available in respect of these latter bodies. Services of professionally regulated osteopaths
The commission was asked to investigate and report on the advertising rules observed by regulated osteopaths and the effects of their restriction on the public interest.
There are 12 bodies representing osteopaths with rules that govern advertising by their members. The members of one body, the British Osteopathic Association, are nearly all registerd medical practitioners and as such are bound by the rules of the General Medical Council, which are the subject of the report already discussed. The commission finds the observance of the rules of all the other 11 bodies is against the public interest. The commission has recommended that the rules of those bodies should be no longer observed. The commission has suggested that the 11 bodies should consider the adoption of rules avoiding the detrimental effects identified. The commission considers that the broad principles underlying any new rules should be in accordance with the principles of the British code of advertising practice, should contain nothing which would reasonably be regarded as likely to bring the profession into disrepute, and should not be such as to abuse the trust of potential patients or exploit their lack of knowledge.
The Government welcome the conclusions and recommendations of the report and accordingly my right hon. and noble Friend has asked the Director General of Fair Trading to seek, under section 88 of the Fair Trading Act, undertakings from each of the bodies specified in paragraphs 7.34 and 7.35 of the commission's report that it will within a period of six months revise its rules according to the principles set out in the report and in a form to be agreed with the director general.
If any of the bodies fail to agree to amend their rules in accordance with the public interest findings of the commission there are order-making powers under the Fair Trading Act which may be brought to bear.
Civil engineering consultancy services
The commission was asked to investigate and report on the advertising rules observed by consulting civil engineers and the effects of their restrictions on the public interest.
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The commission was primarily concerned with two sets of rules ; those of the Institute of Civil Engineers and those of the Association of Consulting Engineers.The commission finds that observance of the ICE rules by consulting civil engineers is not against the public interest. The commission is concerned, however, that some members of ICE appear to believe that the ICE rules are more restrictive than the interpretation it was given, and the commission has suggested that ICE should take steps to clarify the situation.
The commission finds that the observance of the present ACE rules by its consulting civil engineer members is against the public interest.
The commission considers that ACE should amend its rules to avoid the detrimental effects identified. The broad principles underlying any new rules should be that consulting civil engineers are free to advertise in accordance with the principles of the British code of advertising practice but that such advertising should contain nothing which would reasonably be regarded as likely to bring the profession into disrepute. The commission was told by ACE that its council would shortly be putting revised rules to the membership for approval. The Government welcome the conclusions and recommendations of the report. My right hon. and noble Friend has asked the Director General of Fair Trading to seek undertakings, under section 88 of the Fair Trading Act, from the ACE that, within six months, it will revise its rules and guidance on advertising in a form to be agreed with the director general on the principles stated in paragraph 7.35 of the report.
Given the proposals which ACE put to the commission, my right hon. and noble Friend believes that the order-making powers which are available under the Act are not appropriate at this time. My right hon. and noble Friend has also invited the Director General of Fair Trading to discuss with ICE's council how the interpretation of its rules may be better publicised.
Renaval Programme (Plymouth)
Dame Janet Fookes : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for Plymouth to benefit from the Renaval programme for grants to shipbuilding and shiprepair areas.
Mr. Newton : I am sending to the Commission before Easter an application for support for Plymouth amounting to £13.25 million over three years under the Renaval programme, which is financed from the European regional development fund and is intended to mitigate the effects of closures and reductions in employment in
shipbuilding/repair areas. Subject to the Commission's approval, the funding will be used in particular to introduce my Department's regional enterprise grants to the area and to support infrastructure projects to develop industrial sites and tourism.
British Shipbuilders
Mr. Mans : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any further progress has been made on the disposal of the subsidiaries of British Shipbuilders ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Newton : I have agreed with British Shipbuilders that it may dispose of the assets and goodwill of its subsidiary British Shipbuilders Training Ltd to a management team. This will retain a valuable training resource at Govan on the Clyde which is already closely involved with the youth training scheme and will be increasingly involved with the employment training programme. I have also agreed with British Shipbuilders that it may open negotiations with William Steward (Holdings) Ltd as preferred bidder for the disposal of its pipework and electrical supply subsidiary Sunderland Forge Services Ltd. Finally, British Shipbuilders' preferred bidder for its design and computing subsidiary Marine Design Consultants Ltd based at Sunderland and Dundee has withdrawn. I have agreed with the corporation's chairman that he should invite further bids no later than Friday 14 April.
Consumer Protection (European Community)
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which European Economic Community Commissioners are responsible for aspects of consumer affairs in addition to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection ; and which Commissioner is responsible for consumer price matters.
Mr. Forth : I have placed in the Library of the House a background note produced by the Commission, which lists the new Commissioners and their portfolios. While lead responsibility rests with Mr. Van Miert, the Commissioner for Consumer Protection, others with responsibility for areas of policy affecting consumers include Sir Leon Brittan, Dr. Bangemann and Mr. MacSharry. In line with the Council resolution adopted in October 1986, the consumer interest needs to be taken into account in all proposals which affect those interests.
TRANSPORT
Coastguard Service
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the current levels of overtime payments being made in the coastguard service, he will review his decision to reduce the operational complement of the service by 28.
Mr. Portillo : The amount of overtime worked by Her Majesty's coastguard over recent years has declined to a stable level. The reduction in the overall watchkeeping complement is commensurate with the merging of the area responsibilities of coastguard stations, and it is not anticipated that the total level of overtime payments will be unduly affected.
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that employees of the coastguard service are not required to monitor and work with visual display units for excessively prolonged periods ; and what is the maximum continuous period of work with display units allowed.
Mr. Portillo : Watchkeeping coastguards work 12-hour shifts, including a one and a half hour meal break, which may be taken in one or more parts. Whilst the use of visual display units has increased, it is unusual for any individual
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to spend more than 5-10 per cent. of the watch using one. This percentage may be exceeded during busy periods. Although there is no laid down maximum continuous period of work, there are regular breaks, and duties within the watch are varied.Parachuting Safety
Miss Widdecombe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce controls to separate hobby parachutists' landing areas and those of aircraft landing or taking off.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The air accidents investigation branch, assisted by the British Parachute Association, is investigating the recent accident in which a parachutist fell onto a taxiing aircraft and was killed. The investigation will determine whether the current controls were applied and whether they are adequate. The introduction of any further controls will depend on the recommendation arising from the accident investigation.
Thamesline River Services
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions there have been concerning the support from public funds of the Thamesline river services in central London ; what decisions have been made ; and what sums have been allocated to this service in the year 1989-90.
Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 23 February at column 729 . The estimated support from public funds in the year 1989-90 is £400, 000.
Bus Miles (London)
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what would be the cost of doubling the number of bus miles travelled in London.
Mr. Portillo : The cost of doubling bus miles in London cannot realistically be assessed. In addition to substantial investment in vehicles' premises, facilities and staff, unknown factors include the routing and type of services provided, the demand for them and the revenues generated. Decisions about the appropriate level of bus services for London are matters for London Regional Transport.
Voyage Data Recorder
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are to be taken by the marine directorate to monitor the performance of the newly developed voyage data recorder ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : The Department has jointly funded, with Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the development of this voyage data recorder. Consideration is now being given to additional funding to carry out further research and to monitor the performance and reliability of the recorder in service.
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Ship Crew Manning Levels
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning reductions of crew manning levels in relation to ship safety ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : Many ships carry voluntary minimum safe manning certificates issued by the Department. In addition, the larger passenger ships are required to carry approved crew muster lists. The Department has received a number of representations from Members of this House, the seafarers' union and others concerning the reduction of crew manning levels in relation to ship safety. If necessary, marine surveyors inspect the vessel to ensure that it can be operated in a safe manner.
Flight Deck Crewing
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received in relation to safe flight deck crewing ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Safe flight deck crewing is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation. I understand that the Civil Aviation Authority's requirements comply with internationally recognised criteria.
Marine Examination Fees
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received in response to proposals to increase marine examination fees ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : Two representations were received, which did not oppose the proposed average increase of 12 per cent. in marine examination fees, which is to be implemented on 1 April and which is broadly in line with inflation since the last changes in these fees. A third representation proposed that these and certain other fees should be abolished. We believe, however, that the costs of such services should be borne by those who use them and not by the taxpayer.
Aeronautical Safety
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been undertaken to ensure that the move of frequency for aeronautical radar can be effected without prejudice to aircraft safety ; and if he will make a statement.
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