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EC Funding
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list on a district council basis the amount of funding received from the European Community's regional fund, social fund and agricultural guidance and guarantee fund since 1 January 1980.
Mr. Peter Walker : The information as requested is given in the following tables :
European regional development fund-non quota
Eligible Zone |Commitment since 1 January 1980
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|£
Clwyd |5,146,000
Dyfed |723,000
Gwent |5,523,000
South Glamorgan |3,376,000
West Glamorgan |4,741,000
|------
Total |19,509,000
European regional development fund-non quota
Eligible Zone |Commitment since 1 January 1980
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|£
Clwyd |5,146,000
Dyfed |723,000
Gwent |5,523,000
South Glamorgan |3,376,000
West Glamorgan |4,741,000
|------
Total |19,509,000
Commitments are allocated to the zones, not on a district authority area basis.
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European social fund
County |Allocation since 1
|January 1980
---------------------------------------------------------
|£
Clwyd |2,232,000
Dyfed |2,706,000
Gwent |2,956,000
Gwynedd |540,000
Mid Glamorgan |4,937,000
Powys |829,000
South Glamorgan |3,263,000
West Glamorgan |3,208,000
Not Disaggregated |38,728,000
|------
Total |59,399,000
Information is not kept on a district authority area basis.
European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund ------------------------------------------------------------------- Identifiable receipts since 1 January 1980 |395,700,000
Information cannot be disaggregated below the all-Wales level. The grant allocation does not include the 1988 figure as this is not yet available.
NATIONAL FINANCE
South African Coal (Teesport)
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much South African coal was discharged by the SS Ave during its recent visit to Teesport.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 6 June 1989] : It is not normal practice to disclose information about the nature or quantities in specific importations.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what dues and other taxes were paid by the owners of the SS Ave which recently discharged a cargo of South African coal at Teesport.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 6 June 1989] : Imported coal is free of customs duties and zero-rated for VAT purposes. Port authority dues are usually payable on a ship and its cargo.
Premium Bonds
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the National Savings Department has decided to increase the minimum purchase of premium bonds to £100 on 1 July ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 8 June 1989] : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) on 5 May at column 255.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Factory-Farmed Animals
Dr. Glyn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider making it compulsory for all factory-farmed animals to be labelled as such.
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Mr. Ryder : No, Sir. While I fully recognise the importance of informative food labelling I see no need for a statutory labelling requirement for factory farmed products. There would, in any case, be serious enforcement difficulties as it is not possible to distinguish analytically between free range and factory farmed products. There is, of course, nothing to prevent voluntary labelling to indicate when meat is not from factory farmed products.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Female Police Officers (Firearms)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many female police officers are currently qualified to carry firearms ; what were the figures five and 10 years ago ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list by year for the last 10 years (a) in how many operations firearms were issued to female police officers and (b) in how many of these operations shots were fired by female police officers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ian Stewart : The information is not available in the form requested. However I understand from the chief constable that female officers in the RUC do not normally carry firearms, nor are firearms normally issued to officers in respect of specific operations.
Press Briefings
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines he follows in determining which journalists are invited to press briefings by his Department.
Dr. Mawhinney : This depends on the matter under discussion.
EMPLOYMENT
Small Businesses
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice his Department gives to small companies seeking specialist financial assistance with
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regard to further business development (a) when approached directly, (b) in general promotional literature and (c) at exhibitions attended by his Department.Mr. Cope : The Department's small firms service provides advice on financial management and control, and the presentation of a case to potential lenders or investors. It also gives information on sources and methods of raising finance, including the loan guarantee scheme (LGS), which enables banks to lend to small firms without security or a track record.
Publications by the small firms service and the Department include free leaflets giving advice on trade credit, accounting, prompt payment and the LGS.
Radiation
Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he is taking to reduce the exposure to occupational radiation of workers in the nuclear industry ; and by how much the present exposure level has been reduced from earlier levels.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 6 June 1989] : Under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 which are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, all employers are required to ensure that, amongst other matters, doses of ionising radiations received by employees are kept as low as reasonably practicable and not merely below the relevant statutory limits. In the light of recent international advice and continuing revision of risk estimates for ionising radiations, HSE inspectors are ensuring that greater attention is paid to this requirement. Dosimetric information published by the principal employers in the industry indicate an overall long term downward trend in exposure levels.
Bridging Allowance
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, by region, how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of bridging allowance for each of the latest available three months.
Mr. Cope : Figures for the number of young people in receipt of bridging allowance by region are provided in the table :
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Region Bridging Allowance
|March |April |May
|(9 March 1989) |(13 April 1989)|(11 May 1989)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Midlands |1,380 |1,170 |1,075
West Midlands |1,507 |1,298 |1,202
Wales |774 |671 |569
London and South East |1,812 |1,617 |1,427
South West |760 |630 |538
Northern |1,124 |1,021 |885
Yorkshire and Humberside |1,816 |1,487 |1,376
Scotland |2,182 |1,912 |1,978
North West |2,600 |2,235 |1,934
Total |13,955 |12,041 |10,984
Strikes
Mr. Greg Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to permit a legal strike without a ballot amongst the strikers ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Nicholls : No. It is not illegal for a union to call a strike without a ballot of its members. However, if a union chose to do so, it would render itself liable to legal action for damages from the employers at whom the action is directed, or from the suppliers of customers of those employers, and to an action in restraint from any of those parties or from any of the union's members which it had induced to take action.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of registered vacancies as a percentage of the unemployment figure in the Leeds metropolitan district for each of the years April 1979 to 1989 ; and what was the average number of vacancies in the Leeds area for the years 1979 to 1989.
Mr. Lee : The following is the available information which is also in the Library. The table shows the monthly average numbers of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres covering an area closely corresponding to the Leeds metropolitan district, together with the monthly average number of unemployed claimants in Leeds, for the years 1983 to 1988. Unemployment figures will be slightly affected by changes to the count.
It is not valid to compare ratios of unfilled vacancies to numbers of unemployed claimants since only about a third of vacancies in the economy are reported to jobcentres and this proportion will tend to vary over time and between regions.
Monthly average figures of unfilled vacancies and unemployment in the Leeds area for the calendar years 1983 to 1988<1> Calendar year |Vacancies |Unemployment -------------------------------------------------------- <2>1983 |1,792 |40,602 1984 |1,664 |41,301 1985 |1,615 |43,517 1986 |2,270 |41,826 1987 |2,824 |38,904 1988 |2,651 |30,982 <1> Comprising the jobcentres of Crossgates, Harefills, Horsforth, Hunslet, Leeds, Leeds Commercial, Morley, Oitley, Rothwell, Seacroft, Wetherby and Yeadon for vacancy figures and the Leeds local authority area for unemployment figures. <2> The requested information is only available on a comparable basis for vacancies from April 1983 and unemployment from June 1983. The averages for 1983 are compiled using data for June to December, for the sake of consistency.
Council for Social Aid, Manchester
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to why the Council for Social Aid in Manchester, and training manager for employment training, has gone into liquidation.
Mr. Nicholls : I understand that the directors of Manchester Diocesan Church of England Council for Social Aid Ltd. felt that they were unable to meet their financial obligations and for this reason, and in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act and the Insolvency Act, decided to cease trading and to place the company into voluntary liquidation.
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the number of workers who will be made redundant as a result of the failure of the Council for Social Aid, Manchester ; what is the number of workers who will be or are being offered alternative employment ; what guarantees were given to staff in terms of redundancy payments and outstanding earnings ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(2) what was the total number of trainees on the scheme run by the Council for Social Aid, Manchester, at the time of liquidation ; what was the number of trainees who will be offered training places on other ET schemes ; what guarantees were made to trainees in respect of the training allowance and child care payments ; what is the amount of the debt ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Nicholls : I understand that approximately 200 people have been made redundant following the closure of Manchester Diocesan Church of England Council for Social Aid Ltd.
Any redundancy payments or outstanding earnings are a matter for the company's liquidators who will deal with these matters in the normal way in such cases.
The number of employees who are offered alternative employment will depend on the local demand for their services.
At the time Diocesan Church of England Council for Social Aid Ltd. ceased trading there were 1,011 ET trainees in training. All of these have been, or will shortly be, offered a training place with an alternative training manager. In the meantime all trainees remain on their training allowance.
In addition, until trainees are found alternative training managers, child care costs will be met where this is necessary.
The total amount of the company's debt is not known to my Department and is a matter for the liquidators.
My major concern now is to ensure that everything possible is being done to minimise the disruption for trainees so that they can carry on developing their skills and improving their job prospects.
HEALTH
Clinical Cytogeneticists
Mr. Ted Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the salary negotiations for clinical cytogeneticists.
Mr. Mellor : The pay of clinical cytogeneticists is a matter for negotiation between the management side of the Scientific and Professional Staffs Council and the staff side representing scientists employed in the National Health Service. Negotiations are continuing on the staff side pay claim for 1989-90.
Water Supplies (Fluoridation)
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which countries, having undertaken the fluoridation of their water supplies, have since abandoned it and on what grounds.
Mr. Freeman : Although no specific legislative power was provided, fluoridation was introduced experimentally in the Netherlands in the 1950s. It was discontinued in 1973 when the Amsterdam Supreme Court decreed that there was no legal basis for fluoridation.
In the late 1977 the Highland regional council decided that water fluoridation should not be pursued in its region and the operation in Wick, Scotland, which had provided fluoridated water since 1969, was discontinued in 1979 to bring it into line with the rest of the region.
Water fluoridation was introduced in Chile in 1968 but was discontinued in 1975 partly because of adverse
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publicity at the time, and partly due to costs. It is understood that fluoridation has since been re-introduced in that country. Information on the position in other countries is not held.Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has made of dental fluorosis ; what evidence it has received on whether fluoridation of the water supplies has had any harmful effect on those consuming fluoridated water and, in particular, on children ; and if he will now reconsider his advice to local and water authorities on the subject.
Mr. Freeman : The Department has not carried out any studies on dental fluorosis, but a study by Levine et al ; (British Dental Journal 1989 ; 166/249), confirmed that although significantly more children had higher levels of enamel fluorosis in fluoridated areas the levels were not aesthetically unacceptable.
The Government remain of the opinion that the fluoridation of water constitutes a safe and effective means of reducing tooth decay. We will of course continue to monitor any relevant evidence on the safety and effectiveness of fluoridation and will bring any significant new developments to the attention of health authorities.
National Health Service Reform
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for a new contract for general practitioners if the medical profession do not accept the agreement reached between him and their negotiators on 4 May.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The agreement was a package deal, and it involved a good deal of compromise by both parties. It is for the profession to decide whether or not to endorse the agreement reached by their negotiators. But if they do not, I would feel bound to ensure that the Government's objectives were still achieved. I would therefore have to re-examine the various elements of the agreement before laying regulations before Parliament and determining the contents of the statement of fees and allowances. Between them these documents will secure better services for patients, relate pay to performance
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(ensuring that capitation-based payments account for 60 per cent. of the total) and achieve a more cost-effective contract.Soviet Union (Disaster)
Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what medical help the Government are providing for the victims of the oil gas pipeline- train disaster in the Soviet Union.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The British Government have both offered, and responded to requests for assistance from the Soviet Union. We have already dispatched £64,000 worth of medical equipment.
In addition, an official request was received yesterday from the Soviet embassy in London and the Soviet Ministry of Health for a team of British specialists to fly out to the Soviet Union to advise and help with the treatment of the patients.
A British team of three burns and plastic surgery specialists, together with a renal dialysis expert, a nurse and technician with dialysis equipment is on its way today to the Soviet Union. We have offered to take a number of burns cases, but no request has so far been received from the Soviet authorities. Voluntary organisations in Britain are also offering their assistance.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Budgeting Loans and Community Care Grants
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amounts and what percentages of (a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants were awarded to each of the 15 client groups defined by his Department for each of the three offices serving the Leyton constituency for the financial year 1988-89.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Estimates based on the data on client groups for the period June 1988 to March 1989 are shown in the table. The totals of the amounts awarded are provisional estimates for 1988-89.
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Amounts and percentages of budget loans and community care grants by client groups
|(00) |(01) |(02) |(03) |(04) |(05) |(06) |(07) |(08) |(09) |(10) |(11) |(12) |(13) |(14) |(15)<1> |Total awarded
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leytonstone ILO:
Community care grants
Percentage |0.1 |6.23 |0.61 |10.51 |0.00 |5.26 |5.66 |32.59 |0.66 |0.29 |5.56 |16.21 |6.45 |7.95 |0.00 |0.95
Amount (£) |108 |6,438 |631 |10,856 |0.00 |5,433 |5,850 |33,663 |682 |299 |5,741 |16,746 |6,659 |8,215 |0.00 |982 |£102,303
Budgeting loans
Percentage |0.24 |0.48 |0.1 |1.68 |0.28 |6.13 |1.66 |56.65 |0.05 |1.11 |10.6 |16.04 |2.88 |2.09 |0.00 |n/a
Amount (£) |494 |974 |206 |3,444 |578 |12,536 |3,398 |115,863 |103 |2,279 |21,686 |32,798 |5,893 |4,280 |0.00 |n/a |£204,532
Walthamstow ILO:
Community care grants
Percentage |0.56 |8.96 |5.77 |9.27 |1.78 |4.07 |7.64 |30.47 |0.00 |0.17 |5.77 |16.48 |1.18 |6.76 |0.00 |1.10
Amount (£) |569 |9,067 |5,837 |9,384 |1,805 |4,121 |7,734 |30,835 |0.00 |170 |5,835 |16,675 |1,193 |6,837 |0.00 |1,115 |£101,177
Budgeting loans
Percentage |0.74 |0.52 |0.89 |3.04 |0.26 |3.18 |2.44 |53.5 |0.23 |1.0 |19.04 |11.47 |1.81 |1.89 |0.00 |n/a
Amount (£) |1,643 |1,163 |2,004 |6,832 |591 |7,133 |5,484 |120,186 |516 |2,254 |42,769 |25,759 |4,068 |4,243 |0.00 |n/a |£224,645
Woodgrange Park ILO:
Community care grants
Percentage |0.27 |5.7 |2.57 |20.92 |0.81 |5.38 |8.97 |23.4 |1.42 |0.83 |7.5 |10.35 |2.46 |8.5 |0.00 |0.94
Amount (£) |500 |10,602 |4,775 |38,919 |1,500 |10,005 |16,686 |43,543 |2,647 |1,540 |13,961 |19,250 |4,569 |15,824 |0.00 |1,751 |£186,072
Budgeting loans
Percentage |0.39 |0.27 |0.28 |2.92 |0.10 |8.78 |1.69 |41.57 |1.59 |1.41 |17.88 |13.29 |3.47 |6.36 |0.00 |n/a
Amount (£) |2,009 |1,407 |1,465 |15,230 |519 |45,778 |8,810 |216,640 |8,300 |7,351 |93,189 |69,263 |18,061 |33,171 |0.00 |n/a |£521,193
<1> Key to client groups
Code Meaning
00 Unallocated or unidentified.
01 Over 80-with Income Support higher pensioner premium.
02 Aged 60 to 79-disabled with higher pensioner premium.
03 Aged 60 to 79-with ordinary pensioner premium, or over 60 without pensioner premium.
04 Lone parent with Income Support disability premium.
05 Family with disability premium.
06 Other with disability premium.
07 Lone parent without disability premium.
08 Signs at UBO quarterly with Income Support family premium.
09 Signs at UBO quarterly without family premium.
10 Signing unemployed or with training allowance with family premium.
11 Signing unemployed or with training allowance without family premium.
12 Others with family premium.
13 Others without family premium.
14 Involved in trade dispute.
15 Applicant not in receipt of Income Support-not applicable for budgeting loans.
Social Fund
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the social fund monthly budget profiles in respect of loans and grants as a percentage of the total annual budget in respect of his local offices at Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesborough and Stockton.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd : Details showing the monthly anticipated level of expenditure for the period April 1989 to March 1990 as a percentage of the total annual budget for each of the offices are given in the table.
Details of the national anticipated level of expenditure are available in the Library.
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Budgetary Profiles for Loans and Community Care Grants in Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton
ILOs.
Per cent.
Office |April |May |June |July |Aug |Sept |Oct |Nov |Dec |Jan |Feb |March
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eston |Loans |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |7.75 |7.75 |8.80 |9.30
|Grants|8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |8.30 |7.75 |7.75 |8.80 |9.30
Hartlepool |Loans |9.17 |8.33 |8.33 |8.33 |8.33 |8.02 |8.58 |8.60 |7.75 |7.38 |8.62 |8.56
|Grants|8.67 |8.33 |8.33 |8.33 |8.33 |8.02 |8.88 |8.89 |7.75 |7.38 |8.62 |8.47
Middlesbrough |Loans |8.50 |8.50 |9.00 |8.50 |7.50 |8.00 |8.50 |9.00 |7.00 |7.50 |9.00 |9.00
|Grants|8.50 |8.50 |9.00 |8.50 |7.50 |8.00 |8.50 |9.00 |7.00 |7.50 |9.00 |9.00
Redcar |Loans |7.60 |7.80 |7.80 |8.30 |6.70 |7.00 |8.90 |12.50 |9.00 |6.60 |8.60 |9.20
|Grants|7.60 |7.80 |7.80 |8.30 |6.70 |7.00 |8.90 |12.50 |9.00 |6.60 |8.60 |9.20
Stockton |Loans |8.32 |8.32 |8.32 |8.32 |8.32 |8.21 |8.95 |8.96 |7.45 |7.82 |8.69 |8.32
|Grants|8.32 |8.32 |8.32 |8.32 |8.32 |8.21 |8.95 |8.96 |7.45 |7.82 |8.69 |8.32
Benefits Claimants
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish a table showing (a) the numbers of claimants of all supplementary benefits, (b) the numbers of claimants of supplementary pensions, (c) the numbers of claimants of supplementary allowances and (d) the numbers of claimants of supplementary benefits required to be available for work, in respect of his Department's local offices at Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton each April 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987 ;
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(2) if he will publish a table showing (a) the total numbers of claimants receiving income support, (b) claimants of income support receiving pensioner premiums and (c) the number of claimants of income support required to be available for work, in respect of his Department's local offices at Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton each April in 1988 and 1989.Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is as follows :
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Number of claimants receiving Supplementary Benefit/Income Support by statistical category
Local Office |<1> |May 1979 |May 1981 |May 1983 |May 1985 |May 1987 |<2>May 1988 |February 1989
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eston ILO |E |1,101 |2,308 |3,909 |4,462 |3,762 |3,106 |3,178
|A |1,143 |1,167 |1,771 |2,499 |2,752 |2,444 |2,581
|P |2,266 |2,070 |1,903 |2,161 |2,053 |2,022 |1,985
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |4,510 |5,545 |7,583 |9,122 |8,567 |7,572 |7,744
Hartlepool ILO |E |2,511 |3,674 |5,761 |6,260 |5,188 |4,245 |4,405
|A |1,616 |1,809 |2,766 |3,627 |3,980 |3,297 |3,514
|P |3,859 |3,758 |3,380 |3,724 |3,576 |3,541 |3,395
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |7,986 |9,241 |11,907 |13,611 |12,744 |11,083 |11,314
Middlesbrough ILO |E |3,508 |6,958 |10,417 |12,013 |10,471 |8,578 |8,607
|A |3,181 |3,365 |4,931 |6,973 |7,818 |6,935 |7,114
|P |5,126 |4,935 |4,906 |5,408 |5,390 |5,341 |5,095
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |11,815 |15,258 |20,254 |24,394 |23,679 |20,854 |20,816
Redcar ILO |E |970 |2,165 |3,977 |4,724 |3,980 |3,378 |3,437
|A |1,194 |1,188 |1,717 |2,450 |2,843 |2,531 |2,681
|P |2,729 |2,561 |2,494 |2,630 |2,547 |2,565 |2,539
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |4,893 |5,914 |8,188 |9,804 |9,370 |8,474 |8,657
Stockton ILO |E |2,828 |5,867 |8,775 |10,059 |8,851 |6,873 |6,803
|A |2,562 |2,825 |4,154 |5,689 |6,476 |5,596 |5,880
|P |5,043 |4,973 |4,425 |4,978 |5,048 |5,128 |4,989
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |10,433 |13,665 |17,354 |20,726 |20,375 |17,597 |17,672
Note:
<1> E=claimants required to be available for work.
A=claimants not required to register for work.
P=pensioners.
<2> 1988 and 1989 data are provisional and subject to amendment.
Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action, which include a number of cases where benefit payment has ceased but other action is
continuing.
Family Income Supplement
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish information relating to the estimated numbers of claimants of family income supplement in Cleveland in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987, along with any estimates of families entitled to but not claiming family income supplement in Cleveland during those years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We do not collect such information on a local basis.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Immigration
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Attorney-General what documentation and advice has been recently sent to adjudicators and members of the immigration appeals tribunal by the Lord Chancellor's Department or any other branch of the Laws Officers Departments arising from judgments on cases involving marriage ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : The Treasury Solicitor acts as solicitor to the independent immigration appellate authorities established under the Immigration Act 1971 and represents the immigration appeal tribunal when its decisions are challenged on judicial review. In December 1988 the Treasury Solicitor so acted for the immigration appeal tribunal in a case, R. v Immigration Appeal Tribunal ex parte Mohammed Khatab, in which the decision of the tribunal refusing the applicant leave to appeal to the tribunal from a decision of an adjudicator was quashed by Mr. Justice Henry. The transcript of the judgment was received at the end of January 1989 and on 6 February the Treasury Solicitor wrote to the president of the tribunal enclosing a copy of the judgment pointing out its importance, and suggesting that it be drawn to the attention of the adjudicators. The Treasury Solicitor did not suggest that any document other than the transcript be circulated and took no steps to secure any such further circulation. It is the Treasury Solicitor's standard practice after any judicial review proceedings to report back to the
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client, which in this case was the tribunal, with a note of the decision and its implications for the client. In tendering any such advice the Treasury Solicitor acts independently as a solicitor giving advice to a client.On 7 March the chief adjudicator wrote to all adjudicators enclosing two documents : a copy of the Treasury Solicitor's letter dated 6 February (already referred to) and a copy of standard briefing material prepared by the Treasury Solicitor in December 1988 to be supplied to counsel for the tribunal on applications for judicial review. This briefing material had been sent to the president of the tribunal at an earlier date for information. Consultations about the role of the tribunal in judicial review proceedings have been going on for some time following an initiative by the Treasury Solicitor's department in 1988, and it has now been agreed that the immigration appeal tribunal should no longer be represented in judicial review proceedings ; in future, the Secretary of State or the immigration service will be the respondents in all such cases. Consequently it will no longer be necessary for the Treasury Solicitor to advise the tribunal on the outcome of judicial review proceedings.
Endangered Species
Mr. Allen : To ask the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will have inquires made into the background to the recent proceedings involving endangered species legislation and consider the implications of the judge's comments.
The Attorney-General : This would not be an appropriate course of action for the Lord Chancellor to take.
DEFENCE
Front Line Forces
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the defence implications of the Soviet proposal to thin out front line forces in Europe.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Reductions in the Warsaw pact's massive concentrations of forces in Europe would be very welcome. However, their current zonal proposals would make it very difficult to sustain NATO's strategy of forward defence. Nevertheless, we are studying them with care.
Main Battle Tank (Equipment)
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the extent in the delay of the contract awarded to AVIMO for the procurement of the TOGS sighting system for main battle tanks ; and if any penalty clauses have been put into operation.
Mr. Sainsbury : Deliveries are some months behind schedule and we shall be seeking redress under the terms of the contract.
Schools (Approval)
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many schools have been removed from the list of those approved for the education of service personnel on his Department's grant within the last five years ; and if he will give reasons for these decisions in each case ;
(2) how often officials from his Department visit independent schools where children of service personnel are educated with the assistance of his Department's grants ; what criteria are used before including such a school on the approved list ; how often further visits are made to ensure the school is providing a proper academic education and the right moral and social guidance ; and what store is placed on the result of any of Her Majesty's inspectors reports on such schools ;
(3) what steps his Department takes to satisfy itself that a private school is a fit place for the children of service men to be sent under grant ; how many schools are on the approved list ; and if he will list them.
Mr. Neubert : Boarding school allowance is payable to service parents who are eligible for all schools which are registered with the Department of Education and which offer a standard of education which is comparable to that obtainable within the state system. In addition, the school authority or local education authority must manage, control and wholly maintain the boarding facilities. Although the Ministry of Defence maintains an internal record of those boarding schools which parents are currently using, and which satisfy the above criteria, this is not a comprehensive list of approved schools for BSA purposes. All schools which satisfy the basic criteria may qualify for BSA. Schools fail to qualify for BSA purposes only if they no longer meet the criteria or when they close. There is no centrally kept record of the changes in the pattern of usage over the last five years but indications are that these would have been almost entirely as a result of schools closing or ceasing to offer the necessary general education, or, conversely, as a result of the appearance of newly established or expanded schools. The choice of a particular school is a matter for the parents. However, the Service Children's Education Authority will on request assist parents in making their decisions. The SCEA visits many boarding schools on an ad hoc basis in order to be able to advise parents on matters of school facilities and curriculum. In giving such advice SCEA also takes account of any relevant Her Majesty's inspector's reports.
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Alternatively, service parents like any others are free to consult local education authorities, ISIS or any other appropriate advisory body.ENVIRONMENT
Ordnance Survey (Outdoor Leisure Maps)
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to what plans the Ordnance Survey has (a) to extend the outdoor leisure map series, (b) to issue a second series of outdoor leisure map of Snowdonia, Conwy valley and (c) to use water resistant paper for any other sheets in the series beyond the one for Ben Nevis.
Mr. Ridley : Ordnance Survey is continually reviewing its range of maps and services to ensure that the needs of the market are met within the resources available and that the required return on investment is achieved. The outdoor leisure map series is no exception to this and any change in specification on coverage will be dictated by these marketing principles.
At the moment there are no firm plans to extend the range of outdoor leisure maps but a number of new opportunities are under active consideration. These include the option for publication of a combined Snowdon-Conwy valley map and publishing more Mountainmaster maps of popular climbing areas.
Press Briefings
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines he follows in determining which journalists are invited to press briefings by his Department.
Mr. Ridley : This depends upon the matter under discussion.
Endangered Species
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to strengthen the law and penalties relating to trade in endangered species following the United Kingdom's first case under the convention ; and if he will make a statement.
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