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Column 209
Royal College of PathologistsRoyal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Radiologists
Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England--Faculty of Dental Surgery Royal College of Surgeons of England--Faculty of
Ophthalmology
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Royal Society of Chemistry
Scottish Consumer Council
Scottish Grocers' Federation
Scottish Health Education Group
Scottish National Committee of Ophthalmic Opticians
"SCRIP"
Service Scientifique
Soap and Detergent Industries Association
Society of Chiropodists
Society of Homoepaths
Society of Occupational Medicine
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Society of OsteopathsSterilised Suture Manufacturers Association
Steripak Limited
Sussex Clinical Research Consultants Limited
Technical Committee White Oils Association
The Co-op Union Limited
The Patients' Association
Traditional Acupuncture Society
Ulster Farmers' Union
United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association Limited Veterinary Record
Wholesale Confectioners Alliance Limited
Wholesale Grocers' Association of Scotland
Electorates
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 20 English non-metropolitan counties which have shown the greatest percentage growth in electorate since 1975 ; and what have been the percentage growth and actual figures in each case.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is as follows :
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Area Local government electors Percentage
|1975 |1990 |increase
|1975 to 1990
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
English non-metropolitan counties
Buckinghamshire |351,504 |475,158 |35.2
Cambridgeshire |381,110 |490,772 |28.8
Shropshire |253,104 |313,440 |23.8
Berkshire |449,704 |556,817 |23.8
Hereford and Worcester |424,697 |523,945 |23.4
Northamptonshire |355,625 |437,262 |23.0
Somerset |297,443 |364,569 |22.6
Wiltshire |352,599 |429,013 |21.7
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |304,921 |369,663 |21.2
Lincolnshire |377,351 |456,118 |20.9
Dorset |435,987 |524,559 |20.3
Hampshire |998,035 |1,196,718 |19.9
Suffolk |403,004 |480,869 |19.3
West Sussex |470,217 |560,031 |19.1
Norfolk |491,796 |584,449 |18.8
Bedfordshire |330,691 |390,840 |18.2
North Yorkshire |475,467 |555,662 |16.9
Gloucestershire |352,358 |411,466 |16.8
Isle of Wight |87,454 |101,841 |16.5
Oxfordshire |362,422 |421,008 |16.2
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 30 English non-metropolitan districts which have shown the greatest percentage growth in the electorate since 1975 ; and what have been the percentage growth and actual figures in each case.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is as follows :
Area Local governmentPercentage
electors Increase
|1975 |1990 |1975-90
------------------------------------------------------
English non-metropolitan county districts
Milton Keynes |57,136 |126,345|121.1
Redditch |33,868 |56,881 |67.9
Tamworth |33,256 |51,049 |53.5
Bracknell |46,439 |70,016 |50.8
Wokingham |72,089 |106,107|47.2
Peterborough |77,627 |112,375|44.8
Huntingdonshire |70,823 |101,348|43.1
East Dorset |44,664 |63,875 |43.0
Hart |44,946 |64,041 |42.5
Selby |51,421 |71,619 |39.3
The Wrekin |75,271 |104,277|38.5
Basingstoke and Deane |79,049 |109,487|38.5
Eastleigh |58,651 |80,433 |37.1
East Hampshire |57,583 |77,460 |34.5
Aylesbury Vale |81,127 |108,734|34.0
Northampton |101,164|135,434|33.9
Newbury |77,739 |103,786|33.5
South Staffordshire |61,930 |82,558 |33.3
South Cambridgeshire |68,444 |90,906 |32.8
Fareham |58,415 |77,297 |32.3
Caradon |45,332 |59,899 |32.1
Basildon |93,724 |123,794|32.1
Crawley |50,753 |66,777 |31.6
Thamesdown |99,042 |129,175|30.4
Test Valley |58,961 |76,806 |30.3
Woodspring |107,924|140,519|30.2
Breckland |62,820 |81,270 |29.4
Ryedale |56,135 |72,620 |29.4
Northavon |76,910 |99,108 |28.9
Cherwell |64,818 |83,429 |28.7
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DEFENCE
Defence Procurement
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the defence industries on future economic prospects.
Mr. Alan Clark : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence recently chaired a meeting of the National Defence Industries Council at which I was also present, and a number of issues were discussed. In addition, we have frequent informal contacts with the defence industry.
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what economies he is making in defence procurement ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : The Department continues to seek value for money in procurement through the increased use of competition and taut contracting. This strategy has achieved substantial savings although these cannot be precisely quantified. Chapter 3 of volume 1 of the 1990 Statement on the Defence Estimates (Cm. 1022-I) gives more information on the ways in which we seek to make our procurement activities more cost effective.
Nuclear Weapons Policy
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to a review of Government policy on nuclear weapons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We keep our policy on nuclear weapons under constant review.
Conference on Economic Development and Defence Expenditure
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representation his Department will have at the conference on economic development and defence expenditure to be held in Sheffield on 24 May.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I am not aware of any invitations having been issued to officials of the Ministry of Defence.
SGL Defence Ltd.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his contacts with SGL Defence Ltd. since 3 April.
Mr. Alan Clark : My right hon. Friend has had no such contacts.
Arms Statistics
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing, for the last five years for which data are available, in real and cash terms (a) the value of trade in arms betweeen the United Kingdom and (i) Burma, (ii) China, (iii) India, (iv) Indonesia, (v) Jordan, (vi) Malaysia, (vii) Phillipines, (viii) Sri Lanka, (ix) Thailand and (x) the Yemen Republic correlated in each year against (b) domestic United Kingdom arms production in cash and real terms and (c) United Kingdom procurement of domestically produced arms.
Column 212
Mr. Alan Clark : It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to publish such detailed information for reasons of commercial confidentiality and national security. However, statistics of United Kingdom defence sales from 1984-89 by broad geographic areas are set out in volume 2 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990.
Compensation (Upper Heyford)
Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households within the 83 dbn contour around RAF Upper Heyford have sold their properties to his Ministry ; and what has been the total amount of compensation paid under this particular scheme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence has completed the purchase of 15 homes within the 83db(A) noise contour at RAF Upper Heyford at a total cost of £1,966,507. A further 15 properties are subject to negotiations with the local district valuer.
Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households, around RAF Upper Heyford, have applied for injurious effects in compensation following the change of flight path ; how many so far have received compensation ; and what is the total amount paid out to date under this scheme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Claims have been submitted by 591 households seeking compensation for a depreciation in property value resulting from an increase in noise following the change in fight path on 1 June 1988. The district valuer's assessment of the basis for compensation is nearing completion but no payments have yet been made.
Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households received compensation in the vicinity of RAF Upper Heyford for injurious effects in respect of the tank squadron at RAF Upper Heyford ; and what has been the total amount of compensation paid under this particular scheme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There is no tank squadron at RAF Upper Heyford, although armoured personnel carriers have been deployed during exercise periods. Injurious affection compensation under the Land Compensation Act 1973 relates to the adverse effect of new works.
Polish Resettlement Act 1947
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Isle of Wight of 3 April on the Polish Resettlement Act 1947.
Mr. Neubert : I refer my hon. Friend to my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's letter of 24 April 1990. Our researches into this complex topic are continuing, as are consultations with the other Government Departments involved. My noble Friend will write to my hon. Friend again in due course.
Tritium
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to safeguard future sources of tritium.
Column 213
Mr. Alan Clark : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 18 January 1990 at column 421.European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Jack : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects outstanding issues affecting the European fighter aircraft's development phase to be resolved.
Mr. Alan Clark : I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 8 May at columns 33-34.
Military Radar Base
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he gave any consideration to developing the over-the-horizon military radar base site outside the United Kingdom.
Mr. Alan Clark : Among the objectives of the planned two-year trial of an over-the-horizon radar in the United Kingdom are to determine whether the system is capable of functioning satisfactorily in British latitudes and to assess whether it could constitute a worthwhile permanent addition to the United Kingdom's early warning capability. It would not be possible to achieve these objectives if the system were to be situated outside the United Kingdom.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the full list of sites considered for developing the latest over- the-horizon military radar base ; and how many of these sites were located in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.
Mr. Alan Clark : It is not the practice to reveal such details.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has received any representations from Churches in Wales concerning the construction of a radar base in the St. David's area.
Mr. Alan Clark : My Department has received representations from the honorary secretary and the honorary treasurer of the Friends of St. David's cathedral about the proposed construction of an over-the-horizon radar transmitter at St. David's airfield.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the text of the memorandum of understanding signed by the United Kingdom and United States Governments on 20 April concerning St. David's military radar base.
Mr. Alan Clark : I shall be writing to the hon. Member on this and related issues.
Energy Consumption
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 April, Official Report , column 429, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, for the latest year available.
Mr. Neubert : The gross expenditure (without allowing for appropriations in aid) on energy consumption in the defence estate for the financial year 1988-89, broken down by fuel, is as follows :
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+
|£ thousands
-------------------------------------------
Furnace fuel oil |31,053
Other Liquid fuels |4,762
Electricity |150,368
Gas |39,043
Solid fuel |8,165
Utilities |1,886
|----
Total |235,277
The expenditure on energy consumption in the civil estate for the financial year 1988-89, broken down by fuel, is as follows :
|£ thousands
------------------------------------
Liquid fuel |505
Electricity |3,537
Gas |510
Solid fuel |1
Utilities |485
|----
Total |5,038
Iraq (Arms Sales)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contact he has had with Ordnance Technology Ltd. over sales of arms to Iraq ; and if he will make a statement.
SCOTLAND
Energy Consumption
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 453, if he will give the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available measuring electricity in kilowatts, gas in therms, liquid fuel in litres and solid fuel in tonnes.
Mr. Rifkind : The figures for 1989-90 are :
Electricity--25,807,925 kilowatt hours
Gas--98,215 therms
Liquid fuel--126,048 litres
Solid fuel--170 tonnes
These figures exclude prisons and the minor Scottish Departments.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 453, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available.
Mr. Rifkind : The figures for 1989-90 are :
|£
----------------------------
Electricity |508,977
Gas |82,576
Liquid fuel |59,290
Solid fuel |15,237
These figures exclude prisons and the minor Scottish Departments.
Column 215
TRANSPORT
Manchester Ship Canal
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, during the reconstruction of the Thelwall viaduct on the M6, he will conduct negotiations with the Manchester Ship Canal Company to suspend the tolls on the Warburton toll bridge.
Mr. Atkins : No. We expect to keep three lanes open in each direction on the M6 during construction of the new viaduct and the reconstruction of the existing structure.
The Road User and the Law"
Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what administrative action has so far been taken to implement the proposals contained in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law" ; what remains to be done ; and what timetable has been set to complete such actions.
Mr. Atkins : The extended high-risk offenders scheme will operate from 1 June. We are studying the comments made in response to consultation on retesting, prohibition and enforcement technology which cover both the legislative framework and detailed administrative arrangements of the proposals. We look forward to receiving comments on our papers on drivers' physical fitness and rehabilitation of drink-drivers by 12 June and 29 June respectively. Copies of all the consultation papers have been placed in the Library.
Discussions are continuing with the police and other interested organisations on the use of warnings, the operation of vehicle defect rectification schemes and the use of the Bail Acts. We aim to press ahead as speedily as possible to complete the development of our proposals arising from the North report.
Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Day), Official Report , 7 March, column 665 , if he is now in a position to make a further statement on his intention to bring forward legislation to implement the proposals in "The Road User and the Law".
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation based on the contents of "The Road User and the Law".
Mr. Atkins : The proposals contained in the White Paper, "The Road User and the Law", are an important part of our strategy to achieve a one third reduction in road accident casualties by the year 2000 and I intend to introduce legislation at the earliest opportunity.
Paddington to South-West Railway Services
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the number of occasions in the first four months of 1990 the railway service from Paddington to the south-west has been seriously disrupted by (a) the weather, (b) flooding, (c) damage to bridges, (d) damage to cables controlling the signalling at Paddington and (e) other factors ; whether he has received any request for financial assistance from British Rail with the aim of avoiding repetition of such disruption ; and if he will make a statement.
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