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Debt
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much debt there is to be repaid after the Budget repayment is concluded.
Mr. Lilley : The total of net public sector debt outstanding is forecast to be £157 billion (32 per cent. of GDP) at the end of 1988- 89, a fall from £171 billion (38 per cent. of GDP) at the end of 1987- 88.
On the assumption that the stock of debt falls by the £14 billion net debt repayment forecast for 1989-90, the outstanding stock of debt at the end of the year would be £143 billion.
Cheque Guarantee Cards
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received any representations concerning current expenditure limits on cheque guarantee cards ; if he has any plans to ask the Office of Fair Trading to examine the operation by the banks of such limits ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : I have received no representations on the limits applicable to cheque guarantee cards. I am, however, advised that the Association for Payment Clearing Services, which is the responsible body, has yet to take a final position on the expenditure limit for cheque cards issued under the cheque guarantee card scheme, but that it is likely to do so in the near future. The current agreements between the banks and building societies concerning the standard cheque card scheme have, I understand, been furnished to the Director General of Fair Trading for examination in accordance with the requirements of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976. Individual banks are free to issue their own cheque guarantee cards providing for higher limits outside the scheme.
Privatisation
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the industries remaining in the state sector by the end of 1989 for which no firm plans have yet been announced to put in the private sector.
Mr. Norman Lamont : No privatisation proposals have yet been announced for the following nationalised industries :
British Railways Board
British Waterways Board
Civil Aviation Authority
London Regional Transport
Post Office
The Government have announced the intention to privatise British Coal in the next Parliament. The Government have also announced that work has been set in hand to study the possible options, including privatisation, for the future of British Rail.
Vehicles
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many vehicles and at what value were purchased by (a) his Department and (b) other public sector agencies for which he is responsible, in 1988 ; and how many of these vehicles were British-made within the definition of British as set out by the Department of Trade and Industry in its arrangement on content with the European Community.
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Mr. Brooke : (a) None ; (b) None.
Inflation and Consumer Credit
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he has to tackle (a) inflation and (b) the expansion of consumer credit.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 13 April 1989] : Interest rates will continue to be set to bear down on inflation. Interest rates are also the only effective means in an open economy of curbing consumer credit growth, if excessive.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Security Statistics
Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the security statistics for 1988 are now available, together with details of persons charged with terrorist-type offences and convictions for scheduled offences for the year.
Mr. Ian Stewart : Yes, the statistics for 1988 are as follows (statistics for earlier years are contained in Official Report 7 March 1988, columns 67-74 inclusive) :
|c|Statistics on security (January-December
1988)|c|
|Number
---------------------------------------------------
Part I-Statistics of terrorist activity
Shooting incidents<1> |(179) 358
Explosions |253
Bombs neutralised |205
Weight of explosives in lbs<2> |8,717
Explosions neutralised |10,434
Armed robberies |653
Amount stolen (£) |1,388,600
Malicious fires |518
Deaths:
Civilian |54
Army/UDR |33
RUC/RUCR' |6
Injuries:
Civilian |600
Army/UDR |229
RUC/RUC'R' |218
Part II-Statistics of security forces' activity
Houses searched |3,442
Finds:
Firearms |552
Ammunitions (rounds) |105,052
Explosives (lbs) |10,425
Persons charged with terrorist-type offences
Murder |23
Attempted murder |46
Firearms offences |121
Explosives offences |29
Theft Act |42
Other |178
|--
|439
Notes:
<1> Figures in ( ) refer to shots heard only and
are not included in the total.
<2>Estimated weight only.
Firearms
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show how many (a) shotguns, (b) hand-guns
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and (c) air- and gas-powered weapons legally held in Northern Ireland are held for (i) sporting purposes, (ii) possession only and (iii) personal protection, or as much of such information as is available to him for each year since 1976 to the latest available date.Mr. Ian Stewart [holding answer 23 March 1989] : The approval for the holding of firearms for particular purposes is a matter for the chief constable, and it is not the practice to disclose details.
PRIME MINISTER
Chief Press Secretary
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister what is the current grade of the chief press secretary and the salary attached to that grade.
The Prime Minister : The current grade of the chief press secretary is grade 3, which has a salary range, inclusive of discretionary points and London allowance, of £39,600--£49,600.
10 Downing Street and Chequers (Works of Art)
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Prime Minister whether she will publish a table showing (a) the works of art, objects or artefacts currently on loan from national museums and galleries at (i) 10 Downing street and (ii) Chequers, (b) the museum or gallery from whose collections they are loaned and (c) the term of each loan.
The Prime Minister : Details of the paintings, reproductions and photographs at 10 Downing street were given in the Official Report, 29 October 1987 at columns 359-63. The further information requested is only available at disproportionate cost.
CIVIL SERVICE
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively, and overall in his Office are (a) women and (b) members of ethnic minorities.
Mr. Luce : The number of women and ethnic minorities in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 serving in the Cabinet Office is :
Grade |Women |Percentage |Members of ethnic|Percentage
|minorities
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 |0 |0 |0 |0
2 |0 |0 |0 |0
3 |1 |6 |0 |0
4 |0 |0 |0 |0
5 |8 |15 |1 |2
6 |8 |29 |0 |0
7 |41 |22 |1 |1
|- |- |- |-
Total |58 |20 |2 |1
Mr. Janner : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when his Office last conducted a survey of the ethnic origin of its employees ; when it next plans to do so ; and whether he will make a statement.
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Mr. Luce : The last survey was conducted in 1986. There are no plans to repeat it, but the ethnic origins of all new entrants to the department are monitored on a continuous basis.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Sheep and Lambs
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigations he is making as to the causes of death of numbers of sheep and lambs in west Somerset and elsewhere ; whether the injections of sheep by the vaccines Heptavac P and Ryvac 7P and the simultaneous use of an organo-phosphrous compound in sheep dips are safe ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson : My officials are assessing all relevant information, including so far as is possible the husbandry, nutritional and medical history of the flocks where suspected adverse reactions have occurred, and results of post mortem examinations. Vaccines such as Heptavac P and Ryvac 7P and organo-phosphrous sheep dips have both been very widely used in the national flock for many years without giving rise to any evidence that their use together is unsafe. Nevertheless, it is a point I have asked my officials to examine in the context of their investigations.
Vehicles
Mr. Henderson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many vehicles and at what value were purchased by (a) his Department and (b) other public sector agencies for which he is responsible, in 1988 ; and how many of these vehicles were British-made within the definition of British as set out by the Department of Trade and Industry in its arrangement on content with the European Community.
Mr. Donald Thompson : During the financial year 1988-89, my Department purchased 43 vehicles, at a total cost of £336,800. All vehicles were EC-made, but the number that were specifically British-made is not readily available, since many models are produced in more than one EC country.
Information about non-departmental public bodies for which I am responsible is not readily available.
Potato Marketing Board
Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to make a statement regarding the future of the Potato Marketing Board.
Mr. Ryder : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 10 April at column 362.
Receiverships
Mr. Cox : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms have gone into receivership during the last 12 months.
Mr. Maude : Statistics of receiverships are not analysed by trade. Figures are, however, available for bankruptcies
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and company liquidations in England and Wales for agriculture and horticulture. The latest figures are for 1987, when there were 172 bankruptcies and 126 company insolvencies. These and related figures were published in an article on insolvencies on pages 32 and 33 of the British business dated 28 October 1988, which is available in the Library.WALES
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue guidelines to local education authorities in Wales for the training of school governors in special educational needs, in order to help them fulfil their duties under the Education Act 1981 ; whether this is part of the programme he is promoting to encourage community care ; if he will provide financial resourses to facilitate such training ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : All local education authorities in Wales will receive education support grant for governor training in 1989-90. In submitting applications for grant LFAs were invited to detail their proposals for training courses. Some mentioned special educational needs specifically and my officials intend to monitor the position. The Department's publication "School Governors : A Guide to the law" contains a chapter on governors' responsibility for pupils with special educational needs. Copies have been distributed to all school governors of county and controlled schools. A similar publication for special schools will be issued shortly.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to issue a circular to local education authorities in Wales on the implications of the Education Reform Act 1988 on the needs of children with special educational requirements under the Education Act 1981 ; what consultation he is having with local education authorities, voluntary organisations dealing with special education needs including Mencap in Wales and with education specialists in this area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : The Welsh Office has issued a draft circular for consultation on assessment and statementing procedures under the Education Act 1981. It includes guidance on the implications of the Education Reform Act for pupils with special educational needs. A Welsh Office circular on the national curriculum and assessment will be issued shortly and will be followed by a guide for teachers. These will also contain references to special educational needs, as do the notes accompanying the Statutory Orders prescribing the attainment targets and programmes of study for mathematics and science in the curriculum. Welsh Office circular 36/88 contains guidance on provision for children with special educational needs in the arrangements for local management of schools. The Curriculum Council for Wales has decided to set up a committee to consider special educational needs in the curriculum. Mencap, as well as other bodies interested in special educational needs have been included in the consultations to date.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish procedures for monitoring the situation in
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mainstream schools to ensure that at least one, and preferably two, governors have a specific interest in, and knowledge of, special educational needs, in line with the proposals of the Warnock report.Mr. Wyn Roberts : Under the 1981 Education Act, every school must have a "responsible person" who ensures that all who are likely to teach a pupil are told that he has a statement of special educational needs. This person may be the head, the chairman of governors or another governor. We have no plans to change these requirements.
Water Quality
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list all water supplies in Wales that are in breach of the European Economic Community directive on water quality in respect of safety limits on lead in drinking water ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list all water supplies in Wales in breach of the European Economic Community directive on water quality in respect of safety limits in lead in drinking water ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : The most recent information relates to February 1989 when the following supplies failed to comply with the requirements of the EC drinking water directive in respect of lead :
Eithin Fynydd
Talybont
Dyffryn
Cilfor
Rhyd-Ddu
Penystryd
Dinas Mawddwy
Abergynolwen
Rhyd
Penmaenmawr
Aber
Capel Curig
Rhydymaen
Brithdir
Braich y Rhiw
Croesor
Glanllwyd
Cwmpedol
Taicynhaeaf
Abertrinant
Glascoed/Trecastle
Cilcain/Alwen
St. David's (Brecon)
Llanfrynach
Lampeter Olwen
Capel Dewi
Bontgoch
Garw
Parc Gwyn
Abermagwr
Preseli
Pwllfa/Craig
Bryngwyn
Bychau
Nantymoel
The Welsh water authority has confirmed that all necessary remedial action will be completed by December 1989.
Hospital Beds
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospital beds there were by specialty in 1979 and in 1988.
Mr. Grist : Information on the numbers of hospital beds is published annually in "Bed Use Statistics", copies of which are in the Library of the House. The latest edition is for the year ending March 1988.
Health Service (Waiting Lists)
Mrs. Ann Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of people on waiting lists for each type of operation in each health district in Wales and the number who have been waiting for over six months, one year, two years, three years or more for each type of operation in each health district in Wales.
Mr. Grist : The information requested is not available centrally. However, hospital waiting list bulletins,
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published bi-annually, provide waiting list statistics for individual specialties and for individual hospitals. Copies are available in the Library of the House.Severn Bridge
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what representations he has received on the effect of the uncertainty over the present and second Severn crossing on decisions on the possible location of new heavy industry in Wales ;
(2) if he will publish an assessment of the effects of the uncertainty over the present Severn road crossing and future crossings on decisions on the locations of new heavy industry in south Wales.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : There is no uncertainty over the present and second Severn road crossings.
Water
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide details of the amount spent by Welsh Water on advertising and publicity since 1 January.
Mr. Grist : This is a matter for the Welsh Water Authority. I suggest that the hon. Lady writes to the chairman of the authority direct.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve any of the trunk roads leading into Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire during the next five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : Improvement of the A44 between Capel Bangor and Penllwyn is planned within the next five years.
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