asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department follows the accounting standards in assessing incomes from farming; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the latest year the provision for depreciation on a current cost and on an historical cost basis, together with the figure for breeding livestock appreciation.

The income assessment in table 22 of the Annual Review White Paper (Cmnd. 9423) is based on internationally agreed standards for national accounts. The table includes information on depreciation on a current cost basis. The other information requested is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why vitamin E is not scheduled to be included in the provisions of the Food Labelling Regulations 1984 (S.I. 1984, No. 1305) on 1 January 1986; and if he will make a statement.

According to the best scientific and medical advice available to the Government, vitamin E is already present in adequate amounts in any likely diet and there is therefore no need for anyone to ingest any more. No evidence to the contrary was presented during the lengthy consultation process on the Food Labelling Regulations 1984. The omission of vitamin E from the schedule does not prevent its sale properly labelled; it only prevents claims being made about it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of sugar beet since 1973;(2) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of lamb since 1973;(3) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of eggs since 1973;(4) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of poultry since 1973;(5) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of barley since 1973;(6) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of pigmeat since 1973;(7) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of beef since 1973;(8) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of milk since 1973;(9) what has been the change in farmgate prices in real terms of wheat since 1973;

Percentage changes in producer prices, deflated by the retail price index, between the years 1973 and 1984 are as follows. The prices used for the calculation are annual averages derived from information collected for the agricultural producer price index.

Percentage change, 1973 to 1984 in producer prices in real terms
	Percentage
Sugar beet	- 14
Lambs; including premia	- 23
Eggs	- 48
Poultry; including turkeys	- 23
Barley	- 33
Pigs (excluding sows)	- 32
Clean cattle	- 24
Milk	- 17
Wheat	- 38

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of wheat in percentage terms since 1973;(2) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of barley in percentage terms since 1973;(3) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of beef in percentage terms since 1973;(4) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of sugar beet in percentage terms since 1973;(5) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of milk in percentage terms since 1973;(6) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of lamb in percentage terms since 1973;(7) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of eggs in percentage terms since 1973;(8) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of poultry in percentage terms since 1973;(9) what has been the increase in United Kingdom production of pigmeat in percentage terms since 1973.

The percentage increases in production between 1973 and 1984 are as follows:

Percentage change in United Kingdom production between 1973 and 1984
	Percentage
Wheat	+199
Barley	+ 22
Beef	+ 27
Sugarbeet	+ 18
Milk	+ 14
Sheepmeat	+ 30
Eggs	- 14
Poultrymeat	+ 24
Pigmeat	- 2

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it remains his policy that price reductions are the best way of achieving cuts in output in agricultural produce.

It remains our policy that adjusting prices, linked to guarantee thresholds, is the preferred means of achieving a better balance between Community supply and demand of products for which surpluses exist.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names of those internal drainage boards which are not covered by the constitutional and electoral arrangements contained in schedule 2 to the Land Drainage Act 1976, by virtue of the fact that they were constituted before 1930; and if he will now take steps to apply the schedule 2 electoral arrangements to these authorities.

So far as we can ascertain, the following internal drainage boards appear not to be covered at present by the constitutional and electoral arrangements in schedule 2 to the Land Drainage Act 1976:

• Othery, Middlezoy and Westonzoyland
• Lower Axe
• Lower Brue
• Stockland
• Upper Axe
• Upper Brue
• West Sedgemoor
• Bridgewater and Pawlett
• Cannington and Wembdon
• King Sedgmoor and Carey Valley

	England			Wales
	Number of Payments	Eligible Expenditure	Grant Paid	Number of Payments	Eligible Expenditure	Grant Paid
		£ million	£ million		£ million	£ million
1979	11,202	31·7	17·0	1,770	2·6	1·5
1980	12,620	51·4	27·0	1,840	4·0	2·5
1981	12,643	52·9	25·3	1,602	4·0	2·4
1982	17,011	70·0	32·3	2,627	7·0	4·3
1983	16,252	66·2	29·9	2,854	7·7	4·7

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current agricultural research budget within his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Actual expenditure by my Department on internal and external research and development in agriculture in 1983–84 was £88·3 million. The comparable figure for 1984–85 is estimated to be £90·7 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the administration of the EEC reduced price butter scheme has been efficiently conducted in the interests of the consumer.

I have no reason to doubt it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will support future proposals for selling off the butter mountain through reduced price butter sales.

Stocks of surplus butter have built up because the Community has set support prices at levels which encourage production and discourage consumption. The freeze in the target price for milk and the introduction of quotas agreed at the 1984 CAP price fixing were important steps towards securing a better balance in the market and so avoiding the need for special disposal measures. Given the existence of surplus stocks, reduced price sales in some form are inevitable, but we will judge particular proposals on their merits.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for grant-aid for field drainage under the farm capital grant schemes were made in England and Wales; what was the total grant-aid paid towards such schemes; and what was the total expenditure by farmers on such schemes, for each of the financial years since 1979–80.

The information rquested is given for the calendar years 1979–83 in the following table. I regret it could be provided in financial years only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the tonnage and cost of new butter manufactured in Britain since January 1985 which has been bought into intervention while the EEC reduced price butter scheme has been in operation.

In January and February this year 33,055 tonnes of butter were offered into intervention in the United Kingdom. Not all of this will necessarily be accepted, but if all were accepted it would cost £63·8 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the total cost involved in making butter available in the United Kingdom under the EEC reduced price butter scheme.

The price reduction on butter made available in the United Kingdom under the present special scheme is worth about £36 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the minimum and maximum acceptable profit margins for butter under the reduced price butter scheme to the final point of retail sale; and what steps have been taken to ensure excessive profits have not been made.

No minimum and maximum profit margins have been fixed for butter sold under the EC special sale scheme. However, the initial purchaser of this butter is required as a condition of his contract with the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce to ensure that the reduction in selling price provided for in the EC Commission Regulation authorising the sale will be passed on for the benefit of the final consumer. This obligation must also be incorporated in the terms of sale to subsequent purchasers. Arrangements have been made for sample checks to be made to ensure compliance with these conditions. In addition a maximum retail price has been set.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the consultation paper on "Land Drainage and Coast Protection"; what matters will be covered therein; and what further action the Government propose to take.

A Green Paper, entitled "The Financing and Administration of Land Drainage, Prevention of Flooding and Coast Protection in England and Wales", is being published today for public comment. The paper examines the current arrangements for financing and administering land drainage, flood prevention and coast protection, and in particular current and future financing arrangements, the structure of water authorities' land drainage committees, and the administration of internal drainage districts.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has considered the question of departmental responsibility for coast protection; responsibility for the storm tide warning service; payment of grant aid on land drainage schemes straddling the border between England and Wales; and the calling of public inquiries into land drainage matters. She has decided to transfer responsibility for coast protection in England from the Department of the Environment to my Department. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales already exercises responsibility for both land drainage and coast protection for Wales. Other changes in responsibilities, proposals for which are set out in the Green Paper, would be made at a later date.The Government will consider, in the light of reactions to the Green Paper, what changes in the law relating to the financing and administration of land drainage and coast protection should be proposed. In this connection they will take account of the examination of the possibilities of privatisation in the water industry announced by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction during the debate on the Water Authority (Return on Assets) Orders on 7 February. Whatever the outcome of that examination, the financial and administrative issues raised in the Green Paper require consideration.The Green Paper does not apply to Scotland where different arrangements exist.

asked the Attorney-General if he will prosecute the author and publishers of "Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen", by Brian Masters (Cape) under the Obscene Publications Act 1959; and if he will make a statement.

I will consider the matter and write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service where in the east midlands and in the west midlands, respectively, he expects ethnic surveys to begin to cover all non-industrial staff; by whom they will be carried out; how long he expects the survey and processing to take; and when he expects the results to be available.

Departments represented in the east and west midlands should be covered for the most part during the early summer over a period of about four weeks. Each Department will be responsible for conducting its own surveys. It will then take about six months for the results to be brought together.

asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to pay an official visit to Glasgow.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when she last paid an official visit to Glasgow; and if she will make a statement.

In January 1983, when I addressed the Glasgow chamber of commerce.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Trade and Industry on policy covering the communication needs of the elderly and the disabled.

Yes. Recent examples of close co-operation between the two Departments in this area have been over the arrangements to be made for those groups requiring specialist telecommunications equipment in the context of British Telecom's privatisation; and over the Government's information technology awareness programme as it affects disabled people.

asked the Prime Minister how much expenditure on market or social research using survey techniques the Government have undertaken in each of the last five yars and planned for the present year, broken down (a)by Government Department (b) whether the organisations conducting the research were (i) university-academic institutions, (ii) commercial organisations, or (iii) Government or semi-governmental organisations and (c) whether the purpose of the research was advertising-related.

The required information on survey expenditure is not held centrally. Lists of new surveys notified to the Central Statistical Office are published quarterly in Statistical News.

asked the Prime Minister if she will provide a breakdown by each Department of the total costs of the recent operation at RAF Molesworth.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on Tuesday, 26 February by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence at column 156. The costs of the local civil police are a matter for the Cambridgeshire constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the amount of Government grant available for insulation in private and public housing; and what is the percentage taken up in the current financial year.

£31·5 million has been made available to local authorities in England for grants under the homes insulation scheme in the current financial year. Private sector owners and tenants and public sector tenants are eligible for these grants. It is estimated that the take-up will be slightly less than 90 per cent.Local authorities also insulate their own dwellings. No specific allocation or Government grant is made for such work. Authorities are, however, free to decide how much of their housing investment programme allocations to devote to it and the costs may be taken into account in calculating any entitlement to general housing subsidy. Some £3·8 million has been spent on such work in England in the first six months of the current financial year. This does not include insulation carried out as part of more general repair or improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to bring intensive livestock buildings, regardless of size or location, within the control of local town planning authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have proposed to amend the General Development Order in this and other respects, in a paper issued for public consultation on 23 January 1984. Copies were placed in the Library. The paper includes proposals for full planning control over the development of livestock buildings in the vicinity of residential and similar property. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation exercise and their implications in detail.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on recent ministerial visits to Merseyside.

I visited Merseyside on 5 March 1985 to meet members of the Merseyside chamber of commerce, Liverpool stores committee, and the rates consultation group. Following my meeting I made a speech advising local authorities to shoulder their responsibilities and make a legal rate at their rate fixing meetings on 7 March.I again visited Merseyside on 7 and 8 March 1985.I arrived in Merseyside on the evening of 7 March to attend a dinner held by the Wallasey Conservative Association. Before this engagement I held a press conference in Liverpool to discuss the rate fixing meetings held by certain local authorities on that day.On 8 March I held a further press conference where I announced a new £6 million plus package to revitalise the Church street and Jersey close housing estates in Bootle, and revealed plans for a "Tate of the North" at the Albert dock. I later visited the Anglican cathedral precinct site to open the first phase of a new housing development, and then travelled to Sefton MBC where I opened the Nationwide Housing Trust development in the Edge lane housing action programme area.Later I met representatives of the council and some of the residents of the housing estate on Church street.I also made a short visit to Wirral to meet the directors of a successful local clothing manufacturing company before returning to Liverpool for a working lunch with the Merseyside Development Corporation. Finally, I met the Merseyside enterprise forum before returning to London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for the Building Research Establishment to inspect a respresentative sample of Reema Conclad dwellings and to make its findings public.

On 23 October last, at columns 554–57 I announced that I had asked the Building Research Establishment to undertake an urgent study of large panel systems of construction. The Reema Conclad house is one such system. Dwellings of this type will be inspected and the findings published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report his estimate of the number of houses in each category of prefabricated concrete houses and identify which categories are known to have serious structural defects and which have not.

In my statement to the House on 10 November 1983 at column 422 I explained that the Building Research Establishment (BRE) had found

(a) that the reinforced concrete components in 6 of the most common types of prefabricated reinforced concrete houses were gradually deteriorating as a result of carbonation of the concrete and, in some cases, the presence of high levels of chlorides, leading to corrosion of the steel reinforcement and consequent cracking of the concrete, and

(b) that the processes of carbonation and attack by chlorides were likely to affect all prefabricated reinforced concrete houses built before 1960.

At the same time I placed in the Library a table giving figures of the number of each type of prefabricated concrete house built before 1960 in each local authority area, amounting to some 140,000 in England. These figures were based on special returns made by authorities in 1982. I told the House that the BRE's earlier findings had been confirmed by further studies when I introduced the Second Reading of the Housing Defects Bill on 26 April 1984 at column 896. I also gave the names of the 28 types which we intended to designate under the Bill at that time.I emphasise that these findings do not apply to other types of houses or flats constructed by non-traditional methods and I have no plans to designate other such types under the Housing Defects Act. Nor does my Department have detailed information about their numbers. However we estimate that there are some 200,000 dwellings built as part of the industrialised housing drive during the 1960s and 1970s which can broadly be described as of prefabricated reinforced concrete construction. Of these some 30,000 were houses and the remainder flats. Although certain defects have been found in some buildings within this category, there is no evidence that any type suffers from a universal inherent defect. I have advised owners of Bison Wallframe and Taylor Woodrow Anglian buildings to carry out particular checks and to take action where this is appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the position of the Football Association cup final and international matches at Wembley following the proposed takeover of the stadium by Gomba.

The hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) has written to me on this subject. I have received no other representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he plans to make to the recent recommendation of the Environment Committee in its report on the operation and effectiveness of the Wildlife and Countryside Act that the pre-notification system currently in existence for national parks be extended on a countrywide basis.

The Government are giving very careful consideration to all the recommendations in the Environment Committee's report on the operation and effectiveness of the Wildlife and Countryside Act and will issue their response in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the designation of Smith houses under the Housing Defects Acts 1984; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations about the designation of Smith houses under section 1 of the Housing Defects Act. The information available is that Smith houses generally do suffer from some inherent defects, but these defects have been present in some cases for many years, have not led to serious damage, and no substantial reduction in value appears to have arisen aas a result. Some Smith houses in Birmingham are defective because of the use of the shale fill in their construction and have suffered a substantial fall in value. This problem is not inherent in the Smith system of construction and my right hon. Friend does not intend to designate Smith houses under section 1 of the Act on this basis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the British Olympic Association regarding London as a venue for future Olympic Games; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir. H. Monro) on Monday 25 February at column 61.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which sections of the Minerals Act 1981 have not yet been implemented; and in each case why this is so.

Sections 1 and 2(1) of the 1981 Act have not yet been brought into force inline with assurances given when the Bill was before Parliament that this would not be done until certain amendments had been made to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977. Implemention of sections 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 and part of section 15 is dependent upon parliamentary approval to Minerals Compensation Regulations which I hope will be laid before the House shortly. Section 18 applies the provisions of the Bill to the Isles of Scilly. Sections 19 to 32 of the Act apply to Scotland, and progress with implementation of these sections is therefore the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to introduce amemdments to the Minerals Act 1981 along the lines suggested by the County Planning Officers' Society following its survey of mineral planning authorities in England and Wales.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for mineral planning extraction of the recent House of Lords appeal decision in the case of the Hatshead quarry.

The principal implication for mineral planning authorities of the decision of the House of Lords in the Hatshead quarry case is that, where mineral working permissions do not have a definite life upon them, the right to work the minerals cannot generally be regarded as abandoned even if the quarry has not been worked for some time. By virtue of section 7 of the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981, planning permissions at such quarries will expire in February 2042.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the timetable under which rate capped local authorities must make their budgets and fix their rates for the year 1985–86; and if he will make a statement.

All authorities are required by law to fix a rate or issue a precept. Precepts must be issued at least 21 days before the beginning of the financial year. Rates are normally fixed by 1 April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the effect of restrictions on capital spending by local authorities on their ability to obtain grants from the European regional development fund.

It is for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities within the total amount of expenditure permitted to it. In doing so, it can take account of the likely availability of receipts from the European Community, including the ERDF, for certain projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the current inclusion of European Economic Community grants in the definition of perscribed expenditure for local authorities; and if he will take steps to exempt European Economic Community grants from this definition.

We have received representations to the effect that, if a local authority is eligible for a grant from the European regional development fund, it should receive an additional capital spending allocation to enable full use to be made of such grants. It would not, however, be appropriate to make an additional allocation in these circumstances. The availability of ERDF receipts, in common with other receipts from the European Community, are taken into account when public expenditure levels are set nationally. Local authorities' capital allocations in aggregate are consequently already higher than they would be without the ERDF.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce measures to enable the progressive privatisation of the management and financing of housing currently under the control of local authorities.

Local authorities already have powers to transfer ownership of their housing to private organisations. Thousands of derelict and vacant local authority dwellings have been bought, improved, and resold, by private developers. Some councils have handed over the management of property still in their ownership to co-operatives of tenants. The Government welcome these initiatives and will encourage further schemes through the new urban housing renewal unit, announced by my right hon. Friend, in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-West (Dr. Hampson) on 26 February, at column 99.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the average cost of housing association new building in the Greater London council and metropolitan county areas of (i) two-bedroomed and (ii) three-bedroomed houses;(2) what is the average cost of new council houses (i) two-bedroomed and (ii) three-bedroomed for each Greater London council, or metropolitan county district housing authority.

In 1984, the estimated average construction costs, excluding land, site works, and ancillary buildings and fees, of four bed-space and five bed-space local authority houses in the greater London area were £21,400 and £25,500, respectively; the comparable figures for the metropolitan counties of England as a whole were £17,200 and £19,400. Houses with four bed-spaces may have two or more bedrooms, while those with five bed-spaces generally have three bedrooms. The number of contracts was too few to provide meaningful figures for individual housing authorities.Comparable data for housing association building are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total full-time equivalent number of employees and the figure as a percentage of local population in descending percentage numbers for (a) each shire county and (b) each metropolitan county.

Information about the full-time equivalent number of employees is not available centrally for individual local authorities. Information relating to full-time employees is as follows:

	Full-time staff*	Full time staff as percentage of local population
Metropolitan counties
South Yorkshire	4,601	0·35
West Yorkshire	6,394	0·31
Merseyside	4,333	0·29
Tyne and Wear	3,176	0·28
Greater Manchester	6,081	0·23
West Midlands	5,444	0·21
Shire counties
Cleveland	14,069	2·49
Durham	14,281	2·36
Nottinghamshire	23,008	2·32
Northumberland	6,512	2·16
Cumbria	10,391	2·15
Leicestershire	18,352	2·12
Humberside	18,069	2·11
Lancashire	28,370	2·04
Isle of Wight	2,427	2·02
Staffordshire	20,302	1·99
Derbyshire	18,078	1·98
Avon	18·296	1·96
Cheshire	18,220	1·92
Northamptonshire	10,324	1·90
Hertfordshire	18,265	1·88
Bedfordshire	9,577	1·86
Shropshire	7,140	1·85
Gloucestershire	9,282	1·83
Hereford and Worcestershire	11,545	1·80
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	7,752	1·78
Devon	17,144	1·77
North Yorkshire	12,019	1·76
Somerset	7,680	1·76
Berkshire	12,513	1·75
Cambridgeshire	10,617	1·74
Lincolnshire	9,627	1·73
Wiltshire	9,065	1·70
Warwickshire	8,164	1·70
Buckinghamshire	10,131	1·69
Oxfordshire	9,331	1·68
East Sussex	11,394	1·68
Hampshire	24,669	1·65

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has about the amount of money allocated in the form of category A derelict land grants, category B derelict land grants and category C derelict land grants, to each of the areas designated for derelict land returns under section 94(2) of the Local Government Planning Act 1980 for each of the following years: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84;(2) what information he has about the amount of money allocated in the form of derelict land grants to each of the areas designated for derelict land returns under section 94(2) of the Local Government Planning Act 1980 for each of the following years: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84.

Information about the amount of money allocated to each district and borough council for derelict land grants in the form required is not immediately available; I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the number of applications for derelict land grants refused, and the sums of money involved, in each of the areas designated for derelict land returns under section 94(2) of the Local Government Planning Act 1980 for each of the following years: 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84.

The information on individual applications can only be obtained at unreasonable cost. However, bids from local authorities for derelict land resources have outstripped the resources made available by some 2½ times in each of the years 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress there has been in identifying the extent of the damage by acid rain; and if he will make an up-to-date statement.

The position remains substantially as set out in the Government's reply to the fourth report from the Environment Committee (Cmnd. 9397). My Department has a substantial continuing programme of monitoring and research. I expect reports within the next 18 months from review groups studying the impact of acid rain deposition on terrestrial and aquatic systems in the United Kingdom and on materials, including ancient buildings and monuments. These reports, which will be published, should help in defining the scale of the problem and in elucidating its causes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons have received grants from the scheme to enable tenants of charitable housing associations to obtain discounts for house purchase under the Housing and Building Control Act 1984; and what sum has actually been provided to tenants through the scheme.

The Housing Corporation had, at 31 January, approved payments of grant to 37 tenants, totalling £509,498.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in connection with his response to the Countryside Commission's report on the uplands.

My right hon. Friend has as yet received no direct formal representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the report of a committee chaired by the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Small Heath (Mr. Howell), on sports sponsorship, a copy of which has been sent to him.

I have asked the Sports Council for advice on the report's recommendations and I await its response.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers meeting on 7 March.

I was accompanied at this meeting by my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher), Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Trade and Industry.On the most important issue before this meeting of the Council, new limits for vehicle emissions, there was no agreement despite considerable efforts by the Ministers of a number of member states, including the United Kingdom, to reach a satisfactory compromise. The Council was therefore unable to make further progress on the introduction of unleaded petrol and cars to run on it. Discussion will be resumed at a meeting of the Council to be held on 20 March.The withdrawal of the Danish Government's reservations enabled the Council to reach agreement on the draft directive on the environmental assessment of certain public and private projects.The Council briefly reviewed progress of the negotiations on the draft directive on the limitation of emissions from large combustion plants.The Council again discussed the draft directive on the recycling of beverage containers. In order to make further progress it is expected that the Commission will bring forward assurances about the manner in which it would subsequently consider notifications by member states of any proposed measures in accordance with the terms of the draft directive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in the implementation of the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

In part I of the Act, which applies to England and Wales, sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 16 together with parts of sections 2 and 15 are in force. Part II of the Act applies to Scotland and is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects any public inquiries to be held into objections to draft revised definitive maps published under the Countryside Act 1968.

There is only one inquiry still to be held into objections to a draft revised map and statement published under the Countryside Act 1968. This one, for the London borough of Richmond, is expected to be arranged this summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each definitive map review under the Countryside Act 1968 for which public inquiries into objections have been held but decisions not yet issued, the dates of the inquiries and the expected date of issue of the decision.

The information is as follows:

Review	Date of Inquiry
Cornwall
Penzance	8 July 1982
Penzance	29 July 1982
Truro	17 August 1982
Truro	1 September 1982
Cumbria
Staveley	15 June 1982

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in respect of paragraph 3(2) of schedule 14 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (a) how many representations he has received asking for a direction to be given to a surveying authority to determine an application for a modification order, (b) how many directions he has issued, with, in each case, the number of weeks which elapsed between the receipt of the representation and the issuing of the direction, and the period allowed to the surveying authority to determine the application, (c) how many representations have resulted in a decision not to direct a surveying authority to determine an application with, in each case, the number of weeks which elapsed between the receipt of the representation and the issuing of the decision and (d) how many representations are currently outstanding, with, in each case, the number of weeks which have elapsed since they were received by the Department.

Two such directions have been sought, one 17 weeks ago and the other nine weeks ago. Neither application has yet been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in respect of paragraph 4 of schedule 14 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (a) how many notices of appeal against decisions of surveying authorities not to make definitive map modification orders he has received, (b) where a decision has been made on appeal, if he will state in each case the nature of the decision, the direction, if any, given to the surveying authority, and the number of weeks which elapsed between the receipt of the appeal and the issuing of the decision, and (c) how many appeals are currently outstanding, with, in each case, the number of weeks which have currently elapsed since they were received by the Department.

Twenty-six notices of appeal have been received, none of which has yet been determined. The number of weeks from receipt is as follows:

67, 60, 55, 54 (2 cases), 51, 50, 49, 47, 43, 32 (2 cases), 30, 22, 21, 19, 18 (4 cases), 17, 13, 12, 11, 6, 4.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the average sums paid in rates by domestic ratepayers in England, gross and net of rate rebates, in each year since 1977–78.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 March 1985]: Following is the available information:

Average domestic rate bills in England (£)
	Gross of rate rebates	Net of rate rebates*
1977–78	119	111
1978–79	131	122
1979–80	155	145
1980–81	199	185
1981–82	245	225
1982–83	282	*252
1983–84	303	*242
1984–85	323	*257
* The rate rebate figures netted off include those paid in respect of supplementary benefit recipients under the housing benefit scheme, which was partially introduced in November 1982 and fully in April 1983. Equivalent sums paid to supplementary benefit recipients under the previous arrangements are not netted off. Average domestic rate bills net of rate rebates for 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85 on a consistent basis with the figures given for earlier years are £258, £277 and £296 respectively.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will list for the duration of the miners' dispute (a) the number of people arrested and charged with an offence, (b) the number of people convicted and (c) the number of people acquitted, stating in each case the nature of the offence.

The information requested is not readily available and I will publish the information in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to improve the marketing of Wales for tourist development purposes.

In addition to the contribution of the private sector, the marketing of Wales as a tourist destination falls mainly to the Wales tourist board and to the British tourist authority, Cadw has a specific role in the promotion of ancient monuments. I announced arrangements in November 1983 at column 529–30 for Welsh involvement in the overseas marketing of Wales and keep these under review. Most recently the British Tourist Authority has agreed to identify a budget of £100,000 in 1985–86 for joint schemes to promote Wales abroad. The Wales tourist board also promotes Wales to potential developers of tourist facilities and this work runs in parallel with the more general promotional activities of the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many housing improvement grants have been paid in Wales for each year from 1982 to date.

The information requested is as follows:

	1982	1983	1984
Improvement and Conversion Grants	5,050	7,231	8,337
Repair Grants	4,703	18,403	19,001
Intermediate and Special Grants	1,236	1,689	2,640
Total	10,989	27,323	29,978

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will provide the latest estimates for spending on housing improvements grants by each district council in Wales for 1984–85 and 1985–86, indicating, in each case, the potential under or overspend on original estimates (a) in cash terms and (b) in percentage terms;(2) what is the most recent information he has as to the amount likely to be spent on housing improvement grants in Wales and mid-Glamorgan, respectively, during 1984–85 and 1985–86.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to him of 30 November 1984 at column 599–602.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many applications for home improvement grants are currently waiting to be processed by district councils in Wales;(2) if he will estimate the total number of applicants waiting for housing improvement grants in mid-Glamorgan at the latest date for which figures are available.

It is provisionally estimated that at 31 December 1984, there were 68,000 renovation grants awaiting processing, about 19,000 of which related to districts in Mid Glamorgan.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate, in real and cost terms, the total estimated spending on housing improvement grants by district councils for 1984–85 and 1985–86; and how this compares with the figures for 1983–84.

The information requested is as follows:

Spending on housing renovation grants
	Cash	1984–85 prices
	£ million	£ million
1983–84	107·5	112·6
1984–85*	81·7	81·7
Difference
£ million	-25·8	-30·9
Percentage	-24·0	-27·0
* Forecast.

No information is available for 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent in each housing district in mid-Glamorgan on (a) improvement grants, (b) insulation grants, (c) repair grants and (d) intermediate grants for each year since 1979; and what is the estimate for 1984–85.

The information available is given in the following table and relates to completed grants in each calendar year:

£ thousand
	Expenditure on:
District	Improvement grants	Insulation grants	Repair grants	Intermediate grants
Cynon Valley
1979	430	30	—	—
1980	472	28	—	—
1981	561	65	—	—
1982	754	42	2	12
1983	1,225	94	319	56
1984	1,770	45	189	252
Merthyr Tydfil
1979	270	31	3	6
1980	388	32	2	12
1981	193	43	—	97
1982	273	30	209	226
1983	888	33	1,108	255
1984	615	25	808	429
Ogwr
1979	505	84	24	19
1980	554	58	23	21
1981	533	68	12	16
1982	1,120	68	12	38
1983	1,317	96	281	41
1984	2,094	60	927	65
Rhondda
1979	663	66	1	15
1980	919	72	1	23
1981	945	54	80	33
1982	579	161	763	147
1983	1,272	124	4,806	447
1984	1,287	72	8,222	379
Rhymney Valley
1979	305	52	8	13
1980	431	46	14	10
1981	341	84	82	103
1982	287	107	519	281
1983	465	76	955	622
1984	1,483	40	1,276	790
Taff Ely
1979	504	34	41	12
1980	561	41	—	13
1981	760	56	191	18
1982	1,155	53	1,145	61
1983	2,132	42	2,752	746
1984	2,232	31	2,498	322

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate by what amount public demand for housing improvement grant expenditure in Wales in 1984–85 and 1985–86 will exceed the amount allocated by local authorities for such purposes.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 8 December 1983 at column 247.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of Welsh housing district grants is discretionary; and if he will illustrate this with reference to the total spent across the whole range of housing grants by local authorities in 1983–84 and the estimate for 1984–85

Of the housing grants paid by district councils, improvement grants, most repair grants and most special grants are discretionary. Intermediate grants, grants made under the homes insulation scheme (up to the amount specified by the Secretary of State for that purpose), and reinstatement grants paid under the Housing Defects Act 1984, are mandatory. In addition, repairs grants where notice is served under section 9 of the Housing Act 1957, and special grants where notice is served under section 15 of the Housing Act 1961 or schedule 24 of the Housing Act 1980, are also mandatory.Payments on improvement, repairs and special grants formed 93 per cent. of total payments on grants completed in 1983–84. The corresponding percentage for the first nine months of 1984–85 was 90 per cent. Information collected by the Department does not distinguish between discretionary and mandatory repairs and special grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the housing block allocation for Rhymney Valley district council for 1983–84, in cash and percentage terms, was represented by expenditure on housing improvement grants; and what are the equivalent estimates for 1984–85 and 1985–86.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to him on 6 December 1984 at column 231 for 1983–84 and 1984–85. No later information is available for 1984–85 and no information is available for 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied that local authorities in Wales are meeting their duties under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Implementation of the Act rests with local authorities in Wales which are in the best position to assess local needs and to decide the most appropriate arrangements for meeting them. We consider that local authorities in Wales fully recognise and conscientiously seek to discharge that responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he intends to make to Trade Ministers in the United States Government about non-imposition of import restrictions on products from the United Kingdom following the current weakness of the pound sterling in the face of the United States dollar.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Ministerial colleagues will continue to use all suitable contacts with US Administration to encourage resistance to protectionism. During her visit to Washington last month my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister argued strongly against the use of protectionist measures as a way of dealing with the trade effects of the high dollar and was assured that the United States Administration were not contemplating such measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines for content and method of future work were agreed at the high-level COCOM meeting on 6 and 7 February.

COCOM will continue its work to ensure that the embargo arrangements cover technologies of genuine strategic significance and are effectively enforced.

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	Totals
New companies	2	1	4	6	2	2	17
Up to £100,000	2	—	1	—	1	2	6
£100,000 to £200,000	1	2	3	—	1	2	10
£200,000 to £500,000	—	2	5	5	4	2	18
£500,000 to £1,000,000	5	3	5	5	4	7	29
£1,000,000 to £2,000,000	6	4	6	4	6	11	37
£2,000,000 to £5,000,000	9	3	7	3	5	10	37
£5,000,000 to £10,000,000	—	1	4	1	5	5	16
Over £10 million	3	2	1	6	5	7	24
TOTALS	28	18	36	31	33	48	194

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the operation of the market entry guarantee scheme.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 March 1985]: Yes, I am satisfied that the operation of the market entry guarantee scheme is effective. It is fulfilling its main objective of helping exporters to enter new markets or substantially expand an existing presence. Between 1978 and 1984, 210 agreements were entered into with

Percentage of British Overseas Trade Board net expenditure
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	*1984–85
Overseas trade fairs	57	48	57	50	49	46
Market entry guarantee scheme	3	5	6	6	6	6
Overseas projects fund	19	26	14	22	14	13
* Figures for 1984–85 are based on the presently forecast outturn for the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will institute an inquiry into the conduct and management of Gomba Incorporated; and if he will make a statement.

There is no such company registered in this country. I assume the hon. Member is referring to Gomba Holdings UK Limited. I know of no reason for investigation of that company, but if the hon. Member will let me have any information he may have the matter will be considered further.

		1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
(a)	EEC	142	132	129	137	136	124
(b)	Rest of Westem Europe	24	22	17	26	20	27

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small companies have received support under the market entry guarantee scheme in each year since 1979.

The following figures show the number of companies, by size of turnover on entry, which have been offered support under the market entry guarantee scheme:exporters, of which only 10 have so far been terminated by the exporter due to failure of the venture within the period of agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the British Overseas Trade Board budget has been allocated to (a) overseas trade fairs, (b) the market entry guarantee scheme and (c) the overseas project fund in each year since 1979.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many overseas trade fairs have been supported by the British Overseas Trade Board in (a) the European Economic Community, (b) the rest of Western Europe, (c) Eastern Europe, (d) the middle east, (e) the Far East, (f) North America, (g) South America and (h) Africa in each year since 1979.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the average growth rates of the information technology industry in Germany, France, Japan, the United States of America and the United Kingdom between 1979 and 1984;(2) if he will provide an estimate of the size of the United Kingdom market for microchips for each year from 1979 to 1984, indicating in each case what proportion of the market was met by domestic production;(3) if he will list in the

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who were the board members and executive directors of British Telecom immediately prior to privatisation; and if those persons are still in similar positions.

The directors of British Telecommunications plc with, where appropriate, their executive responsibilities, were listed in part I of the company's prospectus, a copy of which is available in the Library. Current board responsibilities are a matter for the company. The two Government-appointed directors are unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the areas eligible for aid to textile firms under the measures adopted by the Council of Ministers in January 1984 and the allocation to each of these areas; and what information he has as to applications already submitted by local and public authorities in respect of this allocation.

Aid is not available to textile firms under the measures referred to except for diversification into new products in other sectors. The provisional allocations of ERDF aid and additional central Government contributions for eligible projects in the areas concerned is as follows:

	£ million
Assisted areas in Tayside	4·2
Northern Ireland	14·9
Eligible areas in Lancashire	8·0
Eligible areas in Greater Manchester	20·2
Eligible areas in West Yorkshire	20·3
	67·6

Three applications have so far been received in my Department from local and other public authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the tariffs between the United Kingdom and Israel with regard to manufactured goods; how these tariffs have changed and are scheduled to change between 1975 and 1988; and if he will make a statement.

Tariffs between the United Kingdom and Israel are subject to the provisions of the 1975 agreement between the European Economic Community and the state of Israel as amended by subsequent protocols. Community tariffs on imports of manufactured goods from Israel were phased out between 1975 and 1977. Israeli tariffs on imports of manufactured goods from the Community are being progressively reduced according to a timetable in the third additional protocol to the agreement. Under this timetable duty-free access will be achieved on 1 January 1989.Copies of the agreement and related protocols are available for reference in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advantages Israel enjoys in trade in agricultural produce with the European Economic Community compared with North African countries.

Trade between the Community and Israel is governed by the 1975 EEC/Israel agreement. Under this agreement Israel's agricultural exports enjoy preferential access on a rather more limited scale than that accorded to the Community's other Mediterranean partners, including those in north Africa. On the other hand Israel benefits in that some 55 per cent. of her agricultural exports are of products which are not subject to the constraints of the EC reference price system.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, following the discussions between the Minister of State for Information Technology and Ministers and officials of the United States Government, United Kingdom companies will be given equal treatment in the transfer of their industrial property rights from United States industrial bases compared with that available to the United States-based companies wishing to transfer their knowledge and rights to their United Kingdom bases; and if he will make a statement.

The discussions between my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Industry and Information Technology and officials of the United States Government during his recent visit to Washington did not address the question of transfer of industrial property rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requests he has had from companies with investments or facilities in the United States of America to assist them in effecting the transfer of their industrial property rights from the United States of America to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any such requests.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer the offer by the Al-Fayed family for the House of Fraser to the Monopolies Commission; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department has taken on the complaint of interference by citizens band radio in Maryer Road, SE7, brought to his attention by the hon. Member for Woolwich on 14 January; and when he expects to be able to resolve the matter.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 March 1985]: I told the hon. Member in my letter of 28 January that the radio investigation service has been asked to investigate the case. It is doing so and has identified a possible source of interference. As I promised I shall write again when the RIS has completed its work on the case.The hon. Member will appreciate that, particularly in London, the RIS has a heavy case load and has to give priority to dealing with radio interference which endangers life and the viable operation of business and essential services.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the proportion of exports by United Kingdom manufacturing companies in percentage terms in each year since 1979.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 March 1985]: The specific information is not available. Exports of manufactures as a proportion of total United Kingdom exports are as follows:

Manufactures as a Percentage of Total United Kingdom Exports BOP Basis
	Per cent.
1979	76
1980	74

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what support his Department provides to small companies which want to establish export markets;(2) what steps he is taking to encourage the export of United Kingdom manufactured products.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 March 1985]: My Department provides a full range of export services in support of British industry and commerce including the manufacturing sector. The services are operated under the direction of the British Overseas Trade Board (BOTB), and are described in the booklet "Help for Exporters", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Many are particularly suited to the needs of small companies, which may lack the managerial and financial resources of larger companies.A review of BOTB services in relation to small firms was carried out by two board members last year. A copy of their report is also available in the library.