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Deaf Drivers
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has received from the European Commissioner for Transport regarding European Economic Community proposals to prevent the deaf and hard of hearing from driving minibuses, light goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : I have been asked to reply.
The Commission proposals are unlikely to lead to any change in the existing domestic arrangements for licensing the drivers of heavy goods vehicles, which exclude the deaf.
In our negotiations with the Commission we are seeking to preserve our existing licensing arrangements as far as possible. These allow the deaf to drive minibuses and light goods vehicles. There have been no detailed negotiations about the draft directive as a whole so far.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Taiwan
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from the Anglo-Taiwan trade committee about the opening in Taipei of the British visa-handling office ; how many visas were processed on each of the first seven days after it opened for business ; how many Taiwan Chinese are expected to apply for and to receive British visas via this office in 1989 and at what approximate annual rate as far as can be estimated ; how much is charged in NT dollars for each visa that is issued ; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the charges made by the United States and by other EEC member countries which issue, or have been issued on their behalf, visas in Taipei.
Mr. Eggar : The Anglo-Taiwan trade committee has given us the following information about the operation of its visa-handling unit :
(iv) Visa charges levied in Taiwan by United States and other EC member countries Country |NT$ charge --------------------------------------- United States |250 Belgium |900-4,000 Denmark |1,500 France1205-410 FRG |660 Greece |1,700 Ireland |3,250 Italy |1,000 Luxembourg |900-4,000 Netherlands |1,000-4,000 Portugal |1,900-3,000 Spain |1,700
(ii) The Anglo-Taiwan trade committee anticipates that approximately 26,000 -27,000 Taiwan Chinese will apply for and receive United Kingdom visas via their office in 1989. It estimates that it will process around 40,000 applications in 1990 and forecasts an upward trend thereafter.
(iii) The Anglo-Taiwan trade committee currently charges NT $1,250 for a single entry visa and NT $2,450 for a multiple entry visa.
(iv) Visa charges levied in Taiwan by United States and other EC member countries Country |NT$ charge --------------------------------------- United States |250 Belgium |900-4,000 Denmark |1,500 France1205-410 FRG |660 Greece |1,700 Ireland |3,250 Italy |1,000 Luxembourg |900-4,000 Netherlands |1,000-4,000 Portugal |1,900-3,000 Spain |1,700
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
Mr. Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the current year's meeting of the committee on the peaceful uses of outer space ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : The committee on the peaceful uses of outer space, which met from 5 to 15 June 1989, gave priority consideration to the ways and means of
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maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes. The Committee recommended that the general assembly endorse the initiative of the international scientific organisations to designate 1992 as international space year. In considering the report of its scientific and technical sub-committee, the committee debated the techniques of remote sensing of the earth from outer space, the uses of nuclear power sources in outer space, space transportation systems and the technical attributes of the geostationary orbit. The elaboration of draft principles relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space was the main item considered by the committee in the debate on the report of its legal sub- committee. We attach considerable importance to the United Nations committee on the peaceful uses of outer space since its inception in 1959 and welcome its role as a focal point for international co-operation in the peaceful uses of outer space.Human Rights
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give a breakdown by country of the names of those individuals who are the victims of human rights abuses and upon whose behalf he has made representations to the authorities in the country in question during the last six months ; and if he will indicate, where appropriate those cases which have satisfactorily been resolved.
Mr. Eggar : In the last six months we have made representations on behalf of many individuals who are the victims of human rights abuse. Those representations have been made to the authorities in a wide range of countries and, in some instances, have helped to bring about a satisfactory resolution of the cases involved.
It would not be in the interests of current or future victims of abuse if we were to make public the details of our representations about individual cases.
Foreign Affairs Council
Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 17 July.
Mrs. Chalker : The first Foreign Affairs Council of the new French presidency took place in Brussels on 17 July. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development, and I attended for the United Kingdom.
The Council had a procedural discussion on the handling of further work on the economic and monetary issues considered at the European Council in Madrid. It also exchanged views inconclusively on the broadcasting directive.
In the light of the discussion of western support for reform in Poland and Hungary at the Paris economic summit, the Council considered appropriate action and noted that the Commission will urgently submit a proposal for the supply of surplus food stocks to Poland, and will convene a meeting of a wider group of interested countries.
The Council considered the Community's trade relations with the United States and asked the Commission to continue its efforts to resolve the dispute over hormones in meat.
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The Council discussed further the Community's position for the renegotiation of the Lome convention. Final agreement was not possible : the Council will consider the matter further in October. In their capacity as representatives of the Governments of member states, Ministers appointed the President and members of the new Court of First Instance, which will begin work in the autumn. In the margins of the Council, the Austrian Foreign Minister formally handed over to the presidency Austria's application for membership of the Community.Column 194
SOCIAL SECURITY
Social Fund
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) which of his Department's offices in the county of South Yorkshire have spent more than 100 per cent. of their profile allocation for social fund loans and social fund grants for (a) April, (b) May, and (c) June ;
(2) which of his Department's offices in the county of South Yorkshire have spent between 90 per cent. and 100 per cent. of their profile allocation for social fund loans and social fund grants for (a) April, (b) May, and (c) June.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is set out in the table. Details of actual expenditure are available in the Library.
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Office Loans Grants
90-100 per cent. Over 100 per cent.90-100 per cent. Over 100 per cent.
|April|May |June |April|May |June |April|May |June |April|May |June
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barnsley East |x |x |x |x |x
Barnsley West |x |x |x
Doncaster East |x |x |x |x |x |x
Doncaster West |x |x |x
Rotherham North |x |x |x |x |x
Rotherham South |x |x |x |x
Sheffield North East |x |x |x |x |x |x
Sheffield North West |x |x |x |x |x |x
Sheffield South East |x |x |x |x |x |x
Sheffield South West |x |x |x |x |x
Wath on Dearne |x |x |x |x |x |x
Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has accepted the findings of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's recent report on chlamydiosis and Q fever ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report on chlamydiosis and Q fever is published today and a copy has been placed in the Library. The Council concludes that there is sufficient evidence to prescribe Q fever and chlamydiosis as industrial diseases under the terms of section 76(2) of the Social Security Act 1975 and recommends that both be added to the schedule of prescribed diseases. We have accepted these recommendations and regulations have been laid today which will bring them into operation on 9 August 1989.
Family Credit
Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on the number of families entitled to family credit if all wives in paid work stopped working.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that the information requested is not available.
Standards of Living
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average increase in living standards of couples with children whose main source of income is social security benefit since 1979.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 10 July 1989] : The latest available information is that from 1979 to 1985, the
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living standards of supplementary benefit recipient couples with children improved on average by 16 per cent. This estimate uses the methods and assumptions of the "Households Below Average Income" statistics and is based on net income before housing costs ie net income from all sources.TRANSPORT
Docklands Light Railway
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what increases in the capacity of the Docklands light railway are now planned to take place ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : London Regional Transport is planning to double the capacity of the railway between Tower Gateway and the Isle of Dogs early next year with the introduction of two-unit trains. A further increase is planned for early 1991 with the delivery of new trains, bringing the capacity of the railway from Tower Gateway to some 6,500 passengers per hour compared with 1,750 at present. Improvements at Tower Gateway station will be completed early in 1990 to match the increased train capacity and to provide better facilities for passengers.
The design concept of the Canary Wharf station has been agreed and will be integrated into the construction programme for the railway. The scale of the station development at Canary Wharf and the complexity of construction at Bank station, have caused some delays in the programme.
Completion of the first tunnel at Bank station is now scheduled for late 1990. The aim is to provide a single-tunnel service as soon as possible, provided that that can
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be done satisfactorily in the light of current forecasts of increased passenger demand. Completion of both tunnels is scheduled by late 1991, with full service provision following normal commissioning procedures. I have asked LRT to do everything it can to advance the opening dates for the new services.M11 (Service Area)
Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce his decision on the proposal to site a motorway services area on the M11 at Birchanger.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport expect to announce their decision shortly.
Underground (Safety)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct London Underground Limited to publish the hazard analysis report into Tottenham Court Road station ; and if he will place a summary of the report in the Library.
Mr. Portillo : The report was commissioned by London Underground Ltd. and publication is for it to consider.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss a date for the completion of the complete study to be made of the movement of passengers through the central underground system to assess properly all risks to staff and passengers to which they may be exposed, and the safe passenger capacity as recommended by the railways inspectorate in its report of an investigation into the management of safety concerning passengers and staff in stations on the London Underground dated 28 April ; if he will report the conclusions of these discussions to Parliament ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : I understand that London Underground Ltd. hopes shortly to appoint selected consultants to conduct the study. The work will be completed as soon as possible but it is too soon to say when that will be.
Warning Lamps
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list any classes of vehicle that have an entitlement to use blue lamps but are not used for police, fire or ambulance purposes ; (2) if he will list those regulations that are currently in force that control the use of blue lamps on police, fire, ambulance or any other types of vehicle ;
(3) if he will specify what is covered by the terms (a) warning beacon and (b) special warning lamp as used in road traffic regulations ; and if he will list those regulations that are currently in force that control where on a vehicle these may be attached.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : In addition to ambulances and motor vehicles used for fire brigade and police purposes, the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1984 allow the following categories of emergency vehicle to use blue lamps :
Motor vehicles owned by a body formed primarily for the purposes of fire salvage and used for those or similar purposes ;
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Motor vehicles owned by the Forestry Commission or a local authority and used from time to time for the purposes of fighting fires ;Motor vehicles owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used--
(i) for the purposes of the disposal of bombs or explosives, (
(ii) by the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation for the purposes of a nuclear accident or an incident involving radio-activity,
(iii) by the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service for the purposes of rescue operations or any other emergencies, or (
(iv) by the Royal Air Force Armament Support Unit ;
motor vehicles primarily used for the purposes of the Blood Transfusion Service provided under the National Health Service Act 1977 or under the National Health (Scotland) Act 1978 ;
motor vehicles used by Her Majesty's Coastguard Auxiliary Service for the purposes of giving aid to persons in danger or vessels in distress on or near the coast ;
motor vehicles owned by the National Coal Board and used for the purposes of rescue operations at mines ;
motor vehicles owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and used for the purposes of launching lifeboats ; and
motor vehicles primarily used for the purposes of conveying any human tissue for transplanting or similar purposes.
Current requirements controlling the use of blue lamps on emergency vehicles are given in regulations 11(2), 13, 15 and 23(6) of the regulations.
The regulations specify that a warning beacon means a lamp that is capable of emitting a flashing or rotating beam of light throughout 360 in the horizontal plane. A special warning lamp is defined as a lamp fitted to the front or rear of an emergency vehicle, capable of emitting a blue flashing light and not any other kind of light. Schedule 15 to the Regulations sets out the positioning requirements for warning beacons. There are no specific fitting provisions laid down for special warning lamps.
Public Transport Strike (Publicity)
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the newspapers in which the advertisement entitled "If there is a Public Transport Strike Tomorrow" appeared on 11 July ; what was the cost of each advertisement ; and what was the total cost of the production and displaying of the advertisement.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 18 July 1989] : The advertisement appeared on 11 July in southern editions of the Daily Mail, Daily Express, Today, The Star, The Sun, and Daily Mirror ; and national editions of The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Financial Times and in the London Evening Standard. The total cost of this advertising including production was £190, 733.59. Information about the breakdown of costs by each newspaper, as requested, is commercially confidential.
Street Lighting
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those programme areas which are eligible for allocations for improved street lighting in residential areas.
Mr. Trippier : I have been asked to reply.
All highway authorities are eligible to apply to the Department of Transport for capital allocations in respect of roads, and these may cover expenditure on street lighting schemes in residential and other areas. The 57 local authorities which are eligible to receive urban
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programme funds are listed in "DOE Inner City Programmes 1987-88", a copy of which is in the Library. The urban programme has supported a number of projects in inner city areas which have included the provision of improved street lighting as part of a package of measures designed to reduce crime and improve the environment. Urban programme resources are not allocated to particular project types. It is for each local authority to decide whether it wishes to include projects involving street lighting improvements in its inner area programme.SCOTLAND
Eye Tests
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of National Health Service eye tests carried out in Scotland in the last three months and the number carried out over the same period in 1988.
Mr. Rifkind : Information about the number of National Health Service sight tests carried out in Scotland between 1 April 1989 and 30 June 1989 is not yet available. The latest figures available show that 337,069 sight tests were undertaken under general ophthalmic services between 1 January and 31 March 1989. The comparable figure for the same period in 1988 is 309,417.
Atlantic Salmon Conservation Trust (Scotland)
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on procedures for the regulation of charities in Scotland in the light of the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Trust (Scotland) case.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement on the regulation of charities in Scotland later this year.
Housing Defects
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of Dorran-type houses investigated by the Building Research Establishment were shown to be (a) suffering from current corrosion of steel enforcing bars, (b) sound, and (c) liable to structural defect within the next 30 years ; and if he will give a breakdown of the analysis by district council area.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Building Research Establishment visually inspected a sample of about 100 Dorran two-storey houses and 30 Dorran bungalows in Scotland, and of these one house and one bungalow were examined in detail. Corrosion of reinforcement was found in the ring beam of the houses, but all houses and bungalows were found to be structurally sound at the time of inspection. All components tested showed carbonation of the concrete, and this condition could lead to corrosion of the steel reinforcement within the next 30 years.
Information is not available by district council area.
Findhorn Bridge
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of erecting a temporary bridge on the A96 ; and what is the estimated cost of anticipated repairs to the old Findhorn bridge.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The cost of buying, installing and maintaining the temporary bridge is
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£235,000. The total cost of the temporary diversion--that is, bridge and approach roads--was £579,000, of which aproximately £120,000 is for re-usable temporary bridging.The cost of strengthening and refurbishing the existing Findhorn bridge is estimated to be £706,000.
EC Projects
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the value of the projects described in the European Commission's publication, "Second Programme of the European Communities to Combat Poverty", and give the reasons for Scotland's exclusion.
Mr. Lang : Scotland did not take part in the second EC programme to combat poverty because the size of the programme and the net benefit which Scotland could have expected to gain from it did not justify participation. A complete evaluation of the programme is not yet available.
Airports
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the (i) economic, (ii) technical, (iii) safety and (iv) national and international criteria on which his decision not to grant Glasgow airport a gateway status was based.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The criterion against which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport judged the request of BAA plc for a review of the lowland airports policy was that set out in the 1985 White Paper "Airports Policy" ; the absence of a steady improvement by 1989 in Prestwick's financial results. The data provided by BAA plc showed that there had been such an improvement, and my right hon. Friend announced accordingly that a review would not take place.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the national and international airlines flying to and from Scotland which support his decision to keep Prestwick as Scotland's only gateway airport.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Representations have been received on Prestwick's long haul gateway status, but it would be for the airlines concerned to make their views public, if they wished.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the following organisations about his decision to retain Prestwick airport as Scotland's only gateway airport : (i) Confederation of British Industry Scotland, (ii) Glasgow chamber of commerce, (iii) Edinburgh chamber of commerce, (iv) Association of British Travel Agents, (v) Scottish Council (Development and Industry) and (vi) Scottish tourist board ; and which supported and which opposed his decision.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Representations to my right hon. and learned Friend about Scottish lowland airports policy have been received from a number of organisations, but it would be for those concerned to make their views public, if they wished.
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School Meals
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the results of the annual census of school meals in Scotland held in January ; what were the corresponding 1988 results ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : the information obtained from the census is set out in the table. The 1989 census is the first following the changes in entitlement to free school meals introduced under the Social Security Act 1986 on 11 April 1988. It
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confirms the Government view that these changes would not have a detrimental effect on the uptake of school meals, and the number of pupils taking meals as a percentage of those present is greater than that at the 1988 census. Under the new arrangements the children's rates of family credit include an element to cover the cost of school meals. The significant increase in the number of children taking paid meals, which corresponds with the drop in free meals, suggests that many families are receiving and using family credit for the purpose intended.Column 199
Primary Secondary
|1989|1988|1989|1988
----------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking school meals |51.5|50.0|42.1|41.8
Pupils bringing own food |22.2|20.6|5.3 |5.3
A detailed statement of the returns from education authorities from which these national figures are derived is being placed in the Library.
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The following table shows, as percentage of pupils attending their respective sectors, those primary and secondary pupils taking meals or bringing their own food.Column 199
Primary Secondary
|1989|1988|1989|1988
----------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking school meals |51.5|50.0|42.1|41.8
Pupils bringing own food |22.2|20.6|5.3 |5.3
All authorities provide the fixed traditional 2 course meals and cafeteria style meals, with the latter accounting for 64 per cent. of all meals served.
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The figures are as follows ;Column 199
1989 Per cent. 1988 Per cent.
|of pupils |of pupils
|Paid |Free |Total |present |Paid |Free |Total |present
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking fixed meals |74,345 |44,327 |118,672 |16.6 |97,635 |109,937 |207,572 |28.5
Pupils taking cafeteria meals |149,111 |60,905 |210,016 |29.5 |87,145 |35,282 |122,427 |16.8
Staffing Review
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to issue the final circular on staffing in Scottish schools following publication of the draft circular arising from the staffing review in June 1988.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 3 May 1989] : I am considering the precise form of final guidance to authorities, taking account of relevant developments since last June.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Petitions
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) if he will institute a review of the wording required of petitions in order to make the submission of petitions less likely to be invalid because of petitioners not using a precise form of words ;
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