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Long-stay Patients
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to remove the need for people with a mental handicap in long-stay hospitals to complete a patient's declaration before they are allowed to register to vote ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what plans he has to allow people with a mental handicap to use the addresses of their long-stay hospital as their residence for voting purposes ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) how many residents in long-stay mental handicap hospitals are registered to vote ;
(4) what plans he has to review the rule relating to voting for people resident in long-stay mental handicap hospitals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : Voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals may register as electors in respect of any address with which they have been associated other than the hospital address. There are no plans to review this arrangement or the requirement for voluntary patients to make a declaration in order to register.
A total of 1,661 voluntary patients are included on the 1991-92 electoral register in the United Kingdom, broken down as follows :
|Number
-------------------------------
England |883
Wales |164
Scotland |523
Northern Ireland |91
Work Permits
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances visas are granted for non-EC and non- Commonwealth residents to come to work in Britain for stays of a few weeks where payment is made by their employer in the country of origin ; what assessment is made of the requirement for a work permit ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Under the Immigration Rules (HC 251 as amended) work permits are generally required by all non-EC nationals coming to work in the United Kingdom, irrespective of their length of stay or the source of their remuneration. Work permits are normally issued to employers only where jobs requiring high qualifications and skills cannot be filled by the EC labour force, and should be obtained from the Department of Employment before the person travels to the United Kingdom. The rules do, however, permit overseas-based people to enter without a work permit as business visitors in order to transact such business as attending meetings and briefings ; negotiating contracts ; delivering goods and, where necessary, installing and advising on the operation of their machinery here ; or if they are sent by international companies to liaise with or advise United Kingdom subsidiaries. Business visitors who are nationals of the countries listed in the appendix to the rules must obtain a visa before travelling here.
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Police Searches
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Leicestershire on the circumstances surrounding the search of the home of the hon. Member for Leicester, East's constituent Mr. Peach of 15 Rushey close, Leicester.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1991, c. 371] : I now understand from the chief constable of Leicestershire constabulary that a search did take place at the home of the hon. Member's constituent. The search was made following the arrest of a member of the family on suspicion of theft. The person concerned was later released without charge.
TRANSPORT
Road Safety
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has conducted into the effects of glare from on-coming car lights on dual carriageways and motorways.
Mr. Chope : Trials were carried out in the early 1960s and in the late 1970s into the effects of anti-dazzle screens erected on the central reserves of sections of the M1 and M6 motorways. The M6 trial was covered by three reports, a report by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, social survey division No. SS 1058 of 1976 ; TRRL report SR 327 of 1977 and TRRL report No. 955 of 1980. Copies of these reports are in the Library of the House.
There is continuing concern about glare from on-coming lights on all types of roads, often resulting from the poor standard of aim of headlamps on vehicles. This is why new stricter checks on aim will be introduced shortly into the annual test for heavy goods vehicles and extended to cover private car testing as soon as possible.
Traffic Congestion
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted by his Department into the effects on traffic congestion of building new roads or widening existing roads ; and if he will ensure that such research is placed in the Library.
Mr. Chope : The effects on traffic congestion of building new roads or widening existing roads are a major element in the traffic and economic appraisals carried out by the Department for all improvements to trunk roads. The Department's methods of traffic and economic appraisal have been developed over many years, based on a continuing and substantial programme of research projects. In the traffic and economic appraisal of road schemes, the effect on traffic flows, queues and speeds are estimated first ; these are then valued through the time savings to business and private road users and the improved productivity of commercial vehicles. For schemes in the current roads programme, on average, the present value of benefits, discounted at 8 per cent., is 2.4 times the present value of costs.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been done by his Department
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into the savings on emissions from a reduction in congestion ; and if he will publish the modelling and methodolgy used to calculate the relationship between emissions and traffic congestion.Mr. Chope : The research evidence on road transport emissions of greenhouse gases is summarised in TRRL contractor report No. 223, "UK road transports contribution to greenhouse gases : a review of TRRL and other research", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. To predict the impact of individual schemes on congestion, the Department makes use of detailed traffic simulation models. The models make use of information on road link and junction characteristics to predict vehicle flows and speeds which can in turn be used to estimate fuel consumption and emissions. The Department has a substantial programme of research into this and other environmental issues.
Road Accidents
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of cars registered and in use ; and how many car drivers were (a) killed and (b) injured in road accidents for each year in the periods (i) 1980 to 1983 and (ii) 1986 to 1990.
Mr. Chope : The information requested is given in the table. Road accident casualty data for 1990 is not yet available.
Cars currently licensed and car drivers killed and injured:
Great Britain: 1980-1983, 1986-1990
Private caCar driver casualties
|currently|Killed |Injured |Total
|licensed
|thousands
------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |14,772 |1,339 |78,454 |79,793
1981 |14,943 |1,346 |79,733 |81,079
1982 |15,303 |1,472 |82,791 |84,263
1983 |15,543 |1,198 |71,941 |73,139
1986 |16,981 |1,340 |89,816 |91,156
1987 |17,421 |1,327 |90,683 |92,010
1988 |18,432 |1,280 |98,307 |99,587
1989 |19,248 |1,498 |107,681 |109,179
1990 |19,742 |n/a |n/a |n/a
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorcycles were registered and in use ; and how many motorcyclists were killed in road accidents for each year in the periods (a) 1970 to 1973 and (b) 1986 to 1990.
Mr. Chope : The information is given in the following table. Figures are for two wheeled motor vehicles, which are motorcyles, motor scooters and mopeds. Road accident casualty data for 1990 is not yet available.
Although the number of motorcycles registered has declined, the use of these vehicles has increased. Total motorcycle traffic rose by an estimated 53 per cent. between 1970 and 1989.
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Two-wheeled motor vehicles currently licensed
and two-wheeled motor vehicle riders killed
Great Britain: 1970-73, 1986-90
|(Thousands)
------------------------------------------------
1970 |1,048 |652
1971 |1,021 |657
1972 |982 |626
1973 |1,006 |641
1986 |1,065 |665
1987 |978 |650
1988 |912 |611
1989 |875 |636
1990 |833 |-
Alnwick (Traffic)
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the reduction in traffic within the Alnwick built-up area which would result from providing a direct access from the A1 to the A1068.
Marine Radio-navigation
Dr. Goodson-Wickes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the future of marine radio- navigation in United Kingdom waters.
Mr. Rifkind : The United Kingdom has been negotiating over a period of time with eight other countries on the possible adoption of Loran C as part of a joint regional system of marine radio-navigation in north-west Europe and the North Atlantic. My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State told the House in April 1990 the conditions on which the United Kingdom would in principle have been prepared to enter into an international agreement if it could be achieved by mid-1991. Some but not all of those conditions have been met. But a new factor has been a revised proposal recently put to me by the Racal Electronics Company to modernise and operate the existing Decca chains in the United Kingdom at a lower cost than in their 1988 proposal.
I have examined the proposal carefully and Racal has made further improvements to it. I now have decided to accept the Racal proposal and to withdraw from the Loran C discussions. Two main factors have led to this conclusion. First, it is now very doubtful whether an international agreement could be concluded and brought into effect within a timescale which would both ensure a three-year transitional period before the closure of the United Kingdom Decca system (under the existing contract by early 1997) and avoid a price increase in the Loran C investment. Second, the revised Racal proposal means that the case has changed significantly in favour of retaining the Decca system, both in the overall economic appraisal and in the effect on light dues. After taking account also of the costs of a change for users, I have concluded that, despite some factors which point towards Loran C, it would no longer be reasonable to impose this change of system on the United Kingdom user community. In reaching this conclusion, I have had particular regard to the representations made to my by the
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fishing and electronics engineering industries against a change to Loran C, and to the fact that the Decca system continues to serve the mariners' needs satisfactorily within the overall requirements of marine safety.Our partners in the international negotiations on the Loran C proposal are being informed of my decision. I now intend to invite the general lighthouse authorities to give effect to my decision by entering into formal negotiations with the Racal company on a new contract for operating the Decca system.
Orange Badge Scheme
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to seek the implementation of the new draft regulations on the operation of the orange badge scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Golding : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce an implementation date for the new regulations governing the orange badge scheme for the disabled.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 19 June 1991] : I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 21 March at column 212.
Speed Limits
Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with chief constables and others about the current level of speed limits on motorways.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 12 June 1991] : I have had no recent discussions with the police or others on this question but shall be meeting the M25 Chief Constables' Committee next month and will also be supporting the message of the forthcoming police national motorway campaign that drivers should drive safely and obey the law.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Foreign Affairs Council
Mr. Ralph Howell : 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 on 17 and 18 June.
Mr. Garel-Jones : A meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council took place in Luxembourg on 17 and 18 June. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom.
The Council adopted the food credit regulation for the Soviet Union. It reached a political orientation on a regulation covering technical assistance for the Soviet Union and instructed the committee of permanent representatives to continue its work. The Council agreed that participation in the negotiations on a European energy charter should be limited to European countries (including the USSR) and the non-European members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Council decided that other countries may accede to the Charter at
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a later stage and, together with representatives of international organisations, may be invited to attend the negotiations as observers.The Council agreed on a mandate for the Presidency in its negotiations with EC staff unions on pay arrangements.
EC and EFTA ministers reviewed progress in the negotiations on a European economic area, which will extend the single market to the EFTA countries. Representatives of the two sides will meet again in Salzburg next week to discuss the next steps. The United Kingdom will continue to contribute constructively to these negotiations, with a view to their early and successful conclusion. We strongly support the idea of a European economic area, which will bring significant economic and practical benefits to the European Community and EFTA. Ministers issued a statement welcoming the abolition of the Population Registration Act in South Africa. They also agreed that EC sanctions against Iraq should be maintained. They decided to give active support for the role of the UN in northern Iraq and to examine with the UN Secretary General what further humanitarian assistance could be provided for those in need in southern Iraq.
European Political Union
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the ministeral meeting of the intergovernmental conference on political union on 17 June.
Mr. Garel-Jones : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the ministerial meeting of the inter-governmental conference on political union on 17 June. The meeting discussed the structure of the draft treaty on political union, competence issues, and the institutional chapter of the draft treaty.
On the overall structure of the treaty, member states and the Commission fall into two camps : those who would like to see a unitary structure with all the activities of the European union coming under the treaty of Rome and those like us who would prefer to see a common foreign and security policy and co-operation on interior/justice matters preserved outside the provisions of the treaty of Rome. The latest Presidency draft treaty is a compromise between these two positions, maintaining three separate pillars of co-operation but attempting to bring them together under a unitary structure. My right hon. Friend argued that, while ingenious, this remained undesirable. The discussion was inconclusive. The Presidency has proposed the extension of Community competence in a number of areas. The meeting discussed both the principle and the practical details of these proposed extensions. My right hon. Friend emphasised that we were not convinced of the need to extend Community competence in the areas under discussion.
Discussion of the institutional chapter focussed on the proposed co- decision procedure between the Council and the European Parliament. A range of views was expressed.
Several member states thought a co-decision undesirable or unnecessary, others could accept the procedure proposed and some member states wished to see the European Parliament's legislative role expanded even further. My right hon. Friend made it clear we did not see a case for upsetting the existing institutional balance. My right hon. Friend also emphasised the importance we
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attached to ensuring the rule of law in the Community and argued for the United Kingdom proposals to strengthen the court of justice's powers to ensure compliance with its judgments.Progress in the inter-governmental conference on political union will be reviewed by the European Council on 28-29 June.
Mr. Ramesh Kumar
Mr. Gorst : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what evidence relating to the funding of two-way travel, as well as support and accommodation while in the United Kingdom, together with guarantees from the hon. Member for Hendon, North about Mr. Kumar's subsequent departure from the United Kingdom, would suffice to enable a temporary visitor's visa to be issued to Mr. Ramesh Kumar so as to enable him to make a visit to London at the suggestion of and for the purpose of consulting the hon. Member for Hendon, North about matters concerning Mr. Kumar's wife ;
(2) what specific guarantees from the hon. Member for Hendon, North regarding departure after the termination of a visa for a temporary visit to the United Kingdom would be acceptable to enable Mr. Ramesh Kumar to make a visit to London at the suggestion of and for the purpose of consulting the hon. Member about matters relating to his wife.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The immigration rules do not require specific evidence to be produced in support of an application. The evidence necessary to satisfy an entry clearance officer will vary in individual cases according to the applicant's economic, social and other circumstances.
Libya
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations were received from the United States or any other country prior to his decision to reject the recent Libyan approaches for better relations with the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have received no such representations.
Liberia
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the French Government about stopping the flow of arms from the Ivory Coast to Charles Taylor's forces in Liberia.
Mrs. Chalker : None, but my officials have regular contacts with the French Government at which a wide range of issues, including developments in west Africa, are discussed.
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CIVIL SERVICE
Occupational Health Service
Mr. Simon Burns : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made in preparing a strategic plan for the civil service occupational health service executive agency ; and what performance targets have been set for its second year of operation as an agency.
Mr. Renton : The OHS prime financial target for 1991-92 is to recover its full costs by charging customers for its services. Its subsidiary targets are to provide its services at a cost of £472 per productive professional day, and at a cost of £25 per case referral. In addition I have set quality targets of 70 per cent. customer satisfaction rated as very good or excellent, tight turn-round times for case referrals, and the issue of 80 per cent. invoices without errors.
THE ARTS
Local Museums
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Minister for the Arts what is his response to the Audit Commission report "The Road to Wigan Pier" on the funding of local museums ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton : I welcome the Audit Commission's report, "The Road to Wigan Pier?" which makes a number of constructive recommendations for local authorities and their museums and galleries. Officials from my Department have had a constructive discussion with the Audit Commission on the report.
The Audit Commission's report covered similar ground to the recently published Museums and Galleries Commission report on local authorities and museums. I will be responding to that report in due course.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Taxpayers
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconcile the figures given in his answers of 3 June, Official Report, column 24, and 6 June, Official Report, column 326, concerning the total number of taxpayers with earnings above the national insurance upper earnings limit ; and if he will publish figures separately for the number of employees who are basic rate taxpayers with earnings above the upper earnings limit.
Mr. Maude : My answer of 3 June provided the estimated numbers of taxpayers in 1991-92 analysed by range of earnings subject to national insurance contributions. Tax liability depends on the cumulative annual amount of income subject to income tax. The levels of earnings used in the analysis were the combined total from employment or self-employment for the whole year which were then compared with the annual equivalent of the NIC upper earnings limit. On this basis an estimated 1.9 million basic rate taxpayers whose main source of earnings is as an employee will have earnings above the UEL.
The answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 6 June
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showed the estimated average number of employees who, in any one week during 1991-92, will be liable for national insurance contributions and whose earnings will exceed the upper earnings limit. Additionally, the answer showed the estimated number of self- employed people who, during the year 1991-92, will be liable for national insurance contributions and whose profits will exceed the upper profits limit.Money Laundering
Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 13 May, Official Report, columns 23-24, how many reviews of control system and accounting records in money laundering related areas of banks or other financial institutions, have been undertaken ; what have been the conclusion of such reviews ; and what action has been taken in light of this.
Mr. Maples : To date there have been some 160 reports on systems and controls related to money laundering commissioned under section 39 of the Banking Act 1987 as part of a rolling programme of identifying and prioritising particular areas of supervisory interest. Banks generally appear to have appropriate systems in place and have, in particular, been helped in formulating and implementing such systems by the publication at the end of last year of the guidance notes on money laundering for banks and building societies.
Building Societies
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the accumulated net receipts of income tax from building societies since 1985-86 and the amount affected by clause 50 of the Finance Bill 1991.
Mr. Maples : Accumulated net income tax receipts from building societies for the six years 1985-86 to 1990-91 were £18,097 million, excluding those subsequently repaid as a result of decisions by the courts. Of these, an estimated £227 million would be repaid if clause 50 were not enacted.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in calculating the composite rate of tax for building societies and banks, for each year since 1985-86, if the Inland Revenue took account of the extra payments of income tax subject to clause 50 of the Finance Bill 1991.
Mr. Maples : Changes in the timing of tax payments by building societies, reflecting changes in collection arrangements of the kind introduced by the Building Society Regulations 1986, the subject of clause 50, had no bearing on the level at which composite rate was set. However, from societies as a whole there was slightly less income tax due for the financial year 1986-87 than would have been due if the timing arrangements had been left unchanged.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the contributory effects of changes in (a) interest rates, (b) volume, (c) tax rates and (d) the switch from the accrual basis to paid basis of receipts of tax on sums extinguishing liability to tax of building societies comparing 1985-86 with 1986-87 and 1986-87 with 1987-88 and 1985- 86 with 1988-89.
Mr. Maples : I regret that the information could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates the cash flow effects to be of change from accrual to paid basis of extinguishing net tax liability of building society investors.
Mr. Maples : About £110 million less income tax was received in 1986-87 under the quarterly payment system than would have been due under the old system. However, under the new system, instalment payments amounting to £35 million were due in later years. The new system also affected cashflow within the tax year, by bringing forward the average date at which income tax was payable.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer taking the expected net receipts of income tax from a building society as an index of 100, what are the index estimates of the maximum and minimum additional payments, consequent on the Finance Act 1986 change retrospectively validating the 1985 regulations, assuming the enactment of clause 50 of the Finance Bill 1991, taking account of the effects of the range of society year end and payment dates.
Mr. Maples : Payments due in a year may be advanced or retarded under the new system introduced by the 1986 building societies legislation. At one extreme would be a hypothetical society with an accounting period ending on the first day of the tax year, 6 April, and crediting interest to investors wholly on a monthly basis on the last day of each month. For that society, income tax due on the 11 months' interest credited on 30 April 1985 to 28 February 1986, less that which had accrued in the first six days of April 1985, would be due in four instalments on the 14 March of the 1986 -87 to 1989-90 tax years ; tax would also be due in each of those tax years in respect of the 12 monthly creditings made between 31 March to 28 February. Taking income tax due for payment under the old system as an index of 100 for the four years together, tax due in those four years under the new system would be 122.5.
At the other extreme would be a hypothetical society with an accounting period coinciding with the tax year, and crediting interest to investors wholly on an annual basis, on 1 March. For that society, no payment of income tax under the new system would be due in the 1986-87 tax year, except in respect of interest on accounts closed up to 28 February 1987. The 1987-88 payment would be slightly less than in a full year. Taking tax due for payment under the old system as an index of 100 for the four tax years 1986-87 to 1989-90, tax due under the new system, if no accounts were closed, would be 72.5.
Economic Growth
Mr. Cox : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rate of economic growth in the United Kingdom per quarter since October 1979.
Mr. Maples : Figures of the gross domestic product are available from the CSO database which may be accessed through the Library.
North Sea Oil
Mr. Cox : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the income from North sea oil revenues received by the United Kingdom for each of the years from 1980 to 1990.
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Mr. Maples : Annual revenues to the Exchequer from the North sea have been as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------
1980-81 |3,743
1981-82 |6,492
1982-83 |7,822
1983-84 |8,798
1984-85 |12,035
1985-86 |11,348
1986-87 |4,783
1987-88 |4,618
1988-89 |3,179
1989-90 |2,393
1990-91 |2,337
Earnings
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the number of adult male full-time civil servants and the estimated number earning less than (i) half and (ii) two- thirds of the median hourly earnings of all full-time adult male workers on full-time rates.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : There were about 251,000 adult male full- time non-industrial civil servants on 1 April 1991, and about 49,000 adult male full-time industrial civil servants on 1 January 1991.
My Department does not collect information on actual earnings of individual civil servants. The available information closest to that requested, on the distribution of earnings of civil servants, is published in the New Earnings Survey 1990 part A table 1 and part B tables 36 and 52. A copy of these reports is in the Library.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Manufactured Goods
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the percentage change by volume in United Kingdom exports of manufactured goods to the existing 11 other members of the EEC from 1970 to 1990 ; and what was the percentage change in volume of imported manufactured goods from the same countries in the same period.
Mr. Sainsbury : Statistics of global trade with individual countries are available in value terms only. However, volume indices for total United Kingdom trade in manufactured goods are published in the monthly publication "CSO Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library.
Internal Market Council
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Internal Market Council held in Luxembourg on 18 June.
Mr. Redwood : I attended the Internal Market Council on 18 June, the last of the Luxembourg Presidency. My right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mrs. Shephard) attended for the item on baggage regulation. A number of measures were agreed, and in particular, significant progress was made in two single market priority areas for the United Kingdom--public procurement and insurance.
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In public procurement, there was agreement in principle to a common position on the directive on legal remedies in the utilities sector. This will ensure compliance with the directive agreed in 1990 on public procurement in this key sector (in the same way as a similar directive will ensure compliance with the earlier supplies and works directive).The two insurance items agreed will pave the way for further progress towards the single market in insurance. Agreement on the directive on insurance company annual accounts provides a common framework of accounting rules for insurance undertakings, including Lloyd's. The second measure provides for an insurance committee to give expert assistance to the Commission in the exercise of implementing powers conferred by insurance directives, and to advise the Commission on the preparation of new proposals in insurance. The Council also reached a common position on the draft regulation concerning checks on baggage of persons travelling on intra-Community flights or sea crossings. The Government successfully negotiated to retain essential United Kingdom frontier checks against drugs and other items. However, the United Kingdom still had significant objections relating to the infrastructural costs for airports and potential inconvenience to passengers ; and to the proposed operative date of the regulation (1 January 1993). The Government therefore voted against.
The Council agreed to a common position on the regulation on the collection of intra-Community trade statistics. United Kingdom concerns that the proposed system would be burdensome to business were reflected in a Commission statement for the minutes. The Council also adopted measures previously agreed at Council as common positions. These included the weapons directive (on which a common position was reached at the December Internal Market Council) ; two amendments to the directive restricting the marketing and use of dangerous substances (the 10th amendment adding cadmium, and the 11th amendment adding Ugilec 121, Ugilec 141 and DBBT) ; and the Council decision to release an additional 25 million ecu (£17.5 million) for the Community budget for small and medium-sized enterprises for 1990-93.
There were policy debates (without a vote taken) on a number of issues : the proposed second directive on diplomas ; the proposed directive on sweeteners in foodstuffs ; and the location of a Community trade marks office. The Council revisited the draft council resolution on trans- European networks, but Spain continued to seek additional finance for the proposal, preventing agreement to the draft resolution as it stands. The Presidency made progress reports on the draft regulation to create a supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products ; and on the draft regulation to create a European company statute. All these subjects are likely to be considered again at future Councils.
Finally, the Commission presented its sixth annual report on implementation of single market measures, and the Luxembourg Presidency made a report on progress over the last six months towards completion of the single market. The United Kingdom, along with France and Denmark, were congratulated on their good implementation record for single market measures.
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Radio Equipment
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to allow equipment submitted for type approval to be re- submitted for partial testing, where it can be technically shown that any adjustments could in no way affect the previous tests.
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