asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action his Department has taken since 1979 to counter the threat to salmon stocks from (a) illegal netting, (b) predation, (c) pollution, (d) water abstraction, and (e) poaching, respectively; and what action his Department takes to monitor salmon stocks.

In Wales responsibility for the control, maintenance and development of salmon fisheries is vested in the Welsh water authority by the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Since 1979 I have confirmed a number of byelaws made by the Welsh water authority to control salmon fishing and protect salmon stocks.The consultation paper on the review of inland and coastal fisheries in England and Wales, published jointly in 1981 by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, recognised illegal netting and poaching as a major problem. Reactions to the paper indicated widespread support for some kind of salmon sales control scheme. Subsequently, fisheries departments have reviewed thoroughly the proposals by the salmon sales group of the National Water Council for a salmon-tagging scheme. Serious practical difficulties over the implementation of such a scheme have been identified, including control of imports, the handling of British farmed salmon and the control of tags. These difficulties and other aspects of salmon sales control remain under urgent examination, and an announcement will be made as soon as conclusions are reached.My Department has no evidence that salmon suffer predation in Wales or in Welsh coastal waters to an extent which would justify specific action.The Welsh water authority's statutory responsibilities require the striking of a suitable balance between its water abstraction, pollution control, fisheries and amenity functions. Where there is a game fishery, particular attention is given to ensure that discharges to the river do not adversely affect the fishery. For abstraction, the aim is to ensure that water levels do not reduce to the point where fish stocks are harmed. As part of the implementation of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, my Department, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has in January this year issued a booklet entitled "Code of Good Agricultural Practice," designed to minimise the risks of pollution from farming practices and to give guidance on good agricultural practice for the purposes of section 31(2)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average central Government subsidy per council tenant by county in Wales.

Based on returns made by local authorities to the Welsh Office, the average central Government subsidy per council tenant by county in 1984–85 is as follows:

	Average subsidy pa per tenant £
Clwyd	Nil
Gwynedd	4
Dyfed	47
Powys	47
West Glamorgan	10
Mid Glamorgan	27
South Glamorgan	Nil
Gwent	106

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average local authority subsidy per council tenant by district in Wales.

Based on returns made by local authorities to the Welsh Office, the average local authority subsidy—that is, rate fund contribution—per council tenant by district in 1984–85 is as follows:

	Average subsidy per annum per tenant £
Alyn and Deeside	2
Colwyn	Nil
Delyn	Nil
Glyndwr	Nil
Rhuddlan	Nil
Wrexham Maelor	29
Carmarthen	39
Ceredigion	Nil
Dinefwr	Nil
Llanelli	Nil
Preseli	Nil
South Pembrokeshire	14
Blaenau Gwent	3
Islwyn	Nil
Monmouth	Nil
Newport	Nil
Torfaen	17
Aberconwy	Nil
Arfon	5
Dwfor	Nil
Meirionnydd	8
Ynys Môn	Nil
Cynon Valley	48
Merthyr Tydfil	67
Ogwr	Nil
Rhondda	244
Rhymney Valley	12
Taff Ely	38
Brecknock	2
Montgomery	Nil
Radnor	Nil
Cardiff	11
Vale of Glamorgan	13
Afan	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, column 6, what is his estimate of the number of jobs which will be created if the offer of a payment of an £80,000 grant to New College, Cardiff, is taken up; and what conditions he has attached to the offer of this grant.

For reasons of commercial confidentiality, the number of jobs promised by the project and the terms and conditions attached to the grant offer cannot be disclosed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, for the purposes of grant paid under the Industrial Development Act 1982 in respect of job creation, he draws any distinction between those classified as employed or self-employed and if, in the case of the latter, any grant is paid direct to those persons whose jobs have been so created.

The appraisal of applications for regional selective assistance under the Industrial Development Act 1982 involves detailed scrutiny of the employment associated with each project. Assistance is related only to jobs provided by the applicant company or firm as a direct consequence of the project.Payment of grant is made to the company or firm carrying out a project and not to individual employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those appointments held under his patronage by Sir Melvyn Rosser since 1979.

I have not appointed Sir Melvyn Rosser to any public body in Wales for which I am the responsible appointing Minister. I was consulted by the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission prior to Sir Melvyn's initial appointment as chairman of the MSC Committee for Wales in 1980, and on his reappointment in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total number of people employed by local authorities in Wales from 1980 to the latest available date in connection with their duties under the Residential Homes Act 1980.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what additional resources have been made available to local authorities in Wales to enable them to meet their responsibilities under the Residential Homes Act 1980 for each year of its operation.

No additional resources were made available specifically. Local authorities were expected to meet the cost of their responsibilities under the Act within their total budgets for personal social services. Under current legislation, the Registered Homes Act 1984, there has been a substantial increase in the fees payable by those seeking registration; the level of these fees is to be reviewed in the light of operational experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure has been incurred by his Department for each year since 1980 on the administration of the Residential Homes Act 1980 or on any matters arising from the Act.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications for registration have been refused and how many licences revoked per county in Wales under the Residential Homes Act 1980 during each year of its operation.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many old persons' homes have been registered per county in Wales under the Residential Homes Act 1980, for each year of its operation.

The information requested is given in the following table:

	Number of registered Private and Voluntary old persons' homes at 31 March
Local Authority	1981	1982	1983	1984
Clwyd	52	59	66	85
Dyfed	4	3	7	10
Gwent	5	5	7	11
Gwynedd	27	27	31	43
Mid Glamorgan	3	4	6	9
Powys	1	2	4	4
South Glamorgan	10	13	12	10
West Glamorgan	5	6	9	11

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the number of black children suspended from schools in the Nottingham area; how this compares with the national average; and if he will make a statement.

The Government do not collect information on school pupils on an ethnic basis; nor are there national figures about suspensions from schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he proposes to introduce any changes in the role of the university visitor; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no power to determine the role of the university visitor. He is aware of the problems the hon. Member has in mind and is awaiting the outcome of the consideration being given by the CVCP to these and other matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be in a position to reply to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 19 December 1984 concerning the son of Mr. Francis Joseph McKeown.

I replied to the hon. Member on 28 March 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the projects by name and indicate the number of trainees in each youth training programme and the action for community employment scheme, together with the amount of public money advanced annually to each scheme operating in Larne borough which is funded by the Department of Economic Development.

The following organisations are sponsoring projects in Larne borough:

Youth Community Projects (YCP)
Name of sponsor	Number of approved training places	Maximum annual grant aid £
Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (Larne)	24	24,100

Action for Community Employment (ACE)
Name of sponsor	Number of approved jobs	Maximum grant aid for any period of 52 weeks £
Age Concern—Larne Branch	1	2,480
Cairndhu Golf Club	1	9,700
Drumalis Retreat Centre	5	20,170
Glenarm Improvement Group	2	9,390
Larne Congregational Church	1	4,400
Larne Community Hall	1	2,950
Larne Football Club	1	4,690
St. Anthony's and St. McNissi's Youth Clubs	4	19,260

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the projects by name and indicate the number of trainees in each youth training programme and the action for community employment scheme, together with the amount of public money advanced annually to each scheme operating in Carrickfergus borough which is funded by the Department of Economic Development.

The following orgainsations are sponsoring projects in Carrickfergus borough:

Youth Community Projects (YCP)
Name of sponsor	Number of approved training places	Maximum annual grant aid £
Carrickfergus YMCA (North Eastern Education and Library Board)	10	48,400

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement in response to the petition on famine conveyed to him by the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield on behalf of constituents.

The Government are committed to providing emergency aid to Ethiopia and other famine stricken countries throughout 1985 and beyond. As was clear at the recent Geneva conference, our partners in the European Community, other donors and United Nations agencies share that commitment. Our humanitarian assistance is given without conditions, and our policy is to provide it to those in need wherever they may be. Within the limit of the resources available, we continue to improve the volume and impact of our longer term development aid to Africa through all appropriate channels.

asked the Prime Minister how much money Her Majesty's Government have allocated and what activities are planned in respect of International Youth Year; and how much of this applies specifically to (i) unemployed and (ii) ethnic minority youth; and if she will make a statement.

Total grant aid to the national coordinating committees in the United Kingdom is expected to be some £300,000. Many activities in Government programmes have relevance to the objectives of the year, including existing grants in connection with youth participation, support of a visit of 250 young people from 22 European countries, programmes in respect of the young unemployed and those from ethnic minorities. The youth training scheme also has particular relevance.

asked the Prime Minister if she will ensure that, before Parliament is asked to approve the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community, details of all of the additional costs and any loss of benefit to the United Kingdom are made available to Parliament.

Most recent Commission estimates suggest that at the end of transition enlargement will represent a cost to the Community budget as a whole of between 0·1 per cent. and 0·2 per cent. of the VAT own resources base annually. It is not yet possible to estimate actual costs and benefits to the United Kingdom. Because of the Fontainebleu abatement mechanism, the United Kingdom will pay around 7 per cent. net of the additional costs to the allocated Community budget arising from enlargement.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 571, she will list the organisation from which the secondment of Mr. Levene was considered.

No.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the coming year, any official of the defence procurement section will be involved in vetting or awarding contracts in which United Scientific Holdings and related companies have an interest.

Any bids received in the coming year from United Scientific Holdings and its subsidiary companies for Ministry of Defence contracts would be vetted and examined by officials of the procurement executive in the normal way, but, as I have already made clear, Mr. Peter Levene would not be involved.

asked the Prime Minister what steps are being taken to avoid any potential conflict of interest for the new Chief of Defence Procurement in vetting and awarding tenders to United Scientific Holdings and other related companies after April 1986.

Mr. Levene has resigned his directorships in United Scientific Holdings and all of its subsidiaries. He has disposed of his own and his immediate family's shareholdings in United Scientific Holdings.

asked the Prime Minister what steps are being taken to avoid any potential conflict of interest for the new Chief of Defence Procurement in vetting and awarding tenders to members of the Defence Manufacturers Association.

Mr. Levene has resigned his directorships in United Scientific Holdings and all its subsidiaries. He has no formal connection with them or any other defence contractor whatsoever. He holds no shares in any Ministry of Defence contractor in the United Kingdom or overseas.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if she will cause to be published in the Official Report a table showing for the last year for which figures are available the sums of money spent on (a) roads and road improvement, (b) sewerage, (c) new housing, housing repairs and house modernisation, (d) hospital and health service building works, (e) education building, (f) new works on airstrips, (g) harbours and repairs and (h) modernisation of such facilities.(2) if she will cause to be published in the

[pursuant to her reply, 27 March 1985]: The information requested is set out in the following table, which should be read with its footnotes.

Public Expenditure in Certain Categories,* 1983–84 (£ million)
	Great Britain	Scotland
(a) Roads and road improvements†	2,762	365
(b) Sewerage‡	288	54
(c) New houses, housing repairs and house modernisation≑	6,081	921
(d) Hospital and health service building work¶	650	90
(e) Education building•	633	82
(f) New work on airfields▪	290	19
(g) Harbours and repairs⋆	71	1
Notes:
* The information in the table is consistent with that in the public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9428).
† Includes structural maintenance and repair expenditure.
‡ The amount spent on modernisation is estimated at £210 million of the total.
≑ Comprises gross expenditure, capital and current: receipts from council house sales have not been deducted.
¶ Represents health authorities' expenditure on hospitals and new building. Modernisation expenditure cannot be readily distinguished.
• Modernisation expenditure cannot be readily distinguished.
▪ Includes both civilian and defence facilities. Figures on airstrips and modernisation cannot readily be distinguished.
⋆ Excludes public corporations' maintenance and repairs expenditure.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he

Business Sponsorship	Incentive Scheme Award Winners Arts Body	Sole/Principal Sponsor(s)
November 1984	Filmhouse, Edinburgh	Arthur Bell and Sons plc
	National Museum of Photography Films and Television	Yorkshire Television
	British American Arts Association	Endless Holdings
	Leeds Leisure Services	Leeds Permanent Building Society
	Natural History Museum	IBM (UK) Ltd.
	National Jazz Centre	BP
	Royal Academy of Arts	Trafalgar House
	Barbican Arts Gallery	Peter Stuyvesant Foundation
	Arts Council of Great Britain	Citibank
	Ballet Rambert	Lloyds Bank
	Northern Arts	*Lloyds Bank
	Bristol Festival for Children	*Bristol Evening Post
January 1985	Chichester Festival Theatre	Nissan (UK) Ltd
		Heron International plc and The British Printing and Communication
	Royal Opera House	Corporation plc
	Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	Bankers Trust Company
	Welsh National Opera	Amoco (UK) Exploration Company
	Royal Exchange Theatre	Mobil Oil Company Ltd.
	Northcott Theatre	Canon (South West) Ltd.
	Theatrical Management Association	Barclaycard
	Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society	*Mobil North Sea Ltd.
	Colchester Arts Centre	*Royal London Mutual Insurance
	Darlington Civic theatre	Terry's of York
March 1985	Commonwealth Institute	IBM Area South
	Palace Theatre, Manchester	Norwest Holst Ltd.
	British Film Institute	Thorn—EMI
	London Festival Ballet	Barclays Bank
	Royal Photographic Society	Kodak Ltd.
	Courtauld Institute	Arthur Andersen Foundation
	Ironbridge Gorge Museum	*Lloyds Bank plc
	National Motor Museum Trust	Wincanton Group Ltd.
	Yorkshire Contemporary Art Group	Rank Xerox Ltd.
	English National Opera	British Olivetti Ltd.
	Wavendon Allmusic Plan	Tesco Stores Ltd.
	Western Orchestral Society Ltd	Citibank
	Birmingham Hippodrome	*PMG Investments Ltd.
	Sadlers Wells	Prudential Assurance
	Battersea Community Arts Centre Trust Ltd.	*ICL and Adams Falla Associates
	London Symphony Orchestra	ICI Petrol chemicals and Plastics Division, Nikon (UK) Ltd. and Creditanstalt Bankverein
	Tolly cobbold/Eastern Arts National Exhibition Committee	*Tolly Cobbold
	Midlands Arts Centre	*Central Independent Television plc
	Hanover Band	*Cepharex Ltd.
	National Theatre	Arthur Andersen Foundation
	Bath Festival	*Phillips Fine Art Auctioneers
	Kendal Brewery Arts Centre Trust	Legal and General Group plc
	Polka Children's Theatre	J. Sainsbury's plc
	Scottish Opera	F. J. C. Lilley plc
	Opera '80	National Westminster Bank plc
	Arts and Museums Division Bradford Metropolitan Council	Christie's International
	City of Cardiff	Allied Steel and Wire Ltd.
	Billingham International Folklore Festival	ICI Agricultural Division
	Northern Sinfonia	*ICI Agricultural Division
	South Hill Park Arts Centre and Wilde Theatre	*Wickens Building Group Ltd., BMW and Lloyds Bank
	National Art Collections Fund	Lex Services plc
	Mayfest	*Tennent Caledonian Breweries Ltd.
	Merseyside Arts	*Unilever plc
	National Youth Choir of Wales	ESSO Exploration and Production (UK) Ltd.
	Arts Express	*BP

By the end of this month, awards under the business sponsorship incentive scheme will have been made to 57 arts organisations in respect of £2·5 million of new sponsorship. The following companies were involved:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise officials have specialised in the implementation and enforcement of the multi-fibre arrangement and other textile trade regulations in each year since 1979.

Since 1982, six Customs and Excise headquarters officials have specialised in the implementation of the multi-fibre arrangement; previously the figure was five. All officials responsible for enforcing controls on imported freight are expected to take account of the MFA and other controls relating to the textile trade, but it is not known whether any specialise in this work. In addition, since 1980 Customs investigation division has deployed a team of around 10 specialist investigators devoted to licensing matters generally.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions of importers have taken place in each year from 1982 for the fraudulent importation of textile and clothing goods in circumvention of the quotas agreed under the multi-fibre arrangement.

Companies and individuals prosecuted each year from 1982 for the fraudulent or attempted fraudulent importation of goods in circumvention of quotas agreed under the multi-fibre arrangement are as follows:

	Number
1982	19
1983	3
1984	6
1985	2
* To date.

Since 1983, Customs normal policy has been to offer to compound proceedings in all but the most blatant cases of fraud. A significant number of cases are, therefore, settled out of court. However, to identify the number of cases involved would involve a disproportionate use of resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now update his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr of 27 March 1984, Official Report, column 109, by giving information about the reductions in the basic rate of income tax which would be necessary to restore tax payments to their 1978–79 levels in 1985–86.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated yield from all sources of taxation, including excise and other duties, for 1985–86; what was the comparable yield for 1978–79 revalued at 1985–86 prices; and if he will publish a breakdown by categories of the real increase in taxes between 1978–79 and 1985–86, similar to that in his answer of 28 March 1984, Official Report, column 206.

The estimated total yield of taxes, local authority rates and national insurance contributions is £138 billion in 1985–86; the yield in 1978–79 revalued at 1985–86 prices using the GDP deflator is £109 billion. The other information requested is in the table.

£billion 1985–86 prices
Change on 1978–79
Income tax	-0·4
Non North Sea corporation tax	—
North Sea taxes*	+12·4
Capital taxes and stamp duty	+0·6
NIC—employees	+4·4
NIC—employers	+1·1
NIS	-3·9
LA rates	+2·8
Taxes on expenditure	+11·8
Total change†	+29·0
* Before advance corporation tax set-off.
† Components do not sum to total because of rounding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide information on the net income after income tax, national insurance contributions and child benefit at (a) actual prices and (b) equivalent 1984–85 prices of typical household units (i) single, (ii) married couple, (iii) married couple with two children and (iv) married couple with four children, whose earnings from work are equivalent to the following points on the male earnings distribution: (1) lowest decile, (2) median and (3) highest decile for each year since April 1978.

Information in the following tables is based on estimates of earnings for those in full-time work paid at adult rates, with pay unaffected by absence. Estimates are based on information from the new earnings surveys.Income tax rates and allowances for April 1979 are those specified in the Finance Act 1979, later replaced by those announced in June 1979; for other Aprils, they are the rates and allowances for the financial year immediately following. Taxpayers are assumed to have no reliefs or allowances other than the appropriate personal allowance. National insurance contributions are at the contracted-in rate.The calculations take no account of means-tested benefits to which those at the lowest decile may be entitled. Changes in the purchasing power of net earnings have been calculated by reference to movements in the general index of retail prices between Aprils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the comparison between the yield in real terms in 1978–79 and what he is now proposing for 1985–86 in (a) direct taxes including national insurance and (b) indirect taxes.

The information is in the following table:

Changes on 1978–79
	£ billion, 1985–86 prices
Direct taxes*	+16·9
Indirect taxes†	+12·1
	+29·0
* Including employees' NICs.
† Including employers' NICs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will construct an index, with 1978–79 equalling 100, of the changes in the level of income tax and national insurance contributions for each subsequent year for a taxpayer on (a) two thirds, (b) average, (c) five times average and (d) 10 times average earnings for households where the taxpayer is (i) single, (ii) married, (iii) married with two children and (iv) married with four children, and in all cases assuming that the wife does not work, in the manner of the answer of 23 November 1983, Official Report, column 171–2.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will construct an index with 1978–79 equalling 100, of the changes in the level of income tax and national insurance contributions for each subsequent year for a taxpayer on (a) half, (b) two thirds, (c) average, (d) five

Multiple of average earnings
Half			Two-thirds		One		Five		Ten
		(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
Single
1978–79		23·6	100·0	27·6	100·0	31·5	100·0	52·2	100·0	67·5	100·0
1979–80		22·9	102·6	26·3	103·5	29·7	104·4	42·8	121·6	51·4	151·9
1980–81		24·7	103·5	27·7	104·9	30·7	106·3	44·3	122·5	52·1	154·6
1981–82		26·9	100·1	29·6	101·7	32·3	103·5	46·4	117·3	53·2	150·5
1982–83		27·3	100·3	30·2	101·7	33·0	103·2	45·9	119·4	53·0	152·5
1983–84		27·0	104·5	30·0	105·7	33·0	107·1	45·1	125·7	52·5	159·5
1984–85		26·4	107·8	29·6	108·8	32·7	110·0	45·2	128·4	52·6	163·1
1985–86		26·1	109·8	29·3	110·8	32·5	111·9	45·3	129·9	52·7	165·2
Married
1978–79		16·0	100·0	22·0	100·0	27·8	100·0	50·5	100·0	66·5	100·0
1979–80		16·0	101·7	21·2	102·7	26·3	103·8	41·5	120·3	50·7	149·7
1980–81		17·9	102·7	22·7	104·1	27·3	105·7	42·9	121·2	51·5	152·4
1981–82		20·8	98·7	25·1	100·5	29·3	102·5	45·2	115·8	52·6	148·1
1982–83		20·8	99·4	25·4	100·9	29·8	102·5	44·6	118·0	52·3	150·2
1983–84		20·1	104·0	24·9	105·3	29·6	106·7	43·7	124·3	51·9	157·3
1984–85		19·2	107·7	24·2	108·7	29·1	109·9	43·8	127·2	51·9	160·9
1985–86		18·7	109·9	23·9	110·8	28·9	111·8	43·9	128·8	51·9	163·1
Married with 2 children (both under 11)
1978–79		2·5	100·0	11·7	100·0	20·9	100·0	48·8	100·0	65·6	100·0
1979–80		1·4	102·8	10·3	103·3	19·0	104·2	40·0	119·1	50·0	147·9
1980–81		4·9	102·5	13·0	103·5	20·8	105·1	41·6	119·8	50·8	150·4
1981–82		7·3	99·5	15·0	100·7	22·5	102·5	43·9	114·7	51·9	146·3
1982–83		6·9	100·6	15·0	101·5	22·8	102·8	43·2	116·9	51·6	148·4
1983–84		5·9	105·5	14·3	106·2	22·5	107·2	42·3	123·2	51·2	155·4
1984–85		4·8	109·3	13·5	109·7	21·9	110·5	42·3	126·1	51·2	159·1
1985–86		4·5	111·2	13·3	111·5	21·8	112·3	42·4	127·6	51·2	161·2
Married with 4 children (two under 11, one 11–15 and one over 16)
1978–79		-11·7	100·0	0·4	100·0	13·3	100·0	46·7	100·0	64·6	100·0
1979–80		-13·2	103·1	-0·6	102·7	11·6	103·6	38·5	117·4	49·3	145·6
1980–81		-8·1	101·7	3·3	102·0	14·3	103·8	40·3	117·7	50·2	147·8
1981–82		-6·2	99·5	4·9	99·9	15·8	101·7	42·5	112·9	51·3	143·9
1982–83		-6·9	101·0	4·7	100·9	15·9	102·3	41·8	115·1	50·9	146·0
1983–84		-8·3	106·1	3·7	105·8	15·3	106·8	40·9	121·4	50·4	152·9
1984–85		-9·7	109·9	2·7	109·3	14·7	110·2	40·9	124·3	50·4	156·5
1985–86		-9·7	111·5	2·6	111·0	14·6	111·8	41·0	125·8	50·5	158·6

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average mortgage interest tax relief per owner occupier by county in Wales.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

[pursuant to his reply,21 March 1985, c. 603]: The following table shows (a) income tax plus national insurance contributions less child benefit, where appropriate, as a percentage of gross earnings; and (b) real net income after income tax, NIC and child benefit in index number form with 1978–79 equalling 100. The calculations assume that the taxpayer has no reliefs other than the appropriate personal allowance and that national insurance contributions are at the contracted-in rate. Average earnings ae those for full-time males paid at adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence. Figures for 1984–85 and 1985–86 are provisional.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list regional gross domestic product per head, expressed as a percentage of the United Kingdom average for each year since 1978.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Finance Bill will be published.

The Finance Bill will be published on Tuesday 16 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Forestry Commission will give an undertaking to meet the national voluntary conservation organisations concerned about broadleaved woodland before 8 May.

The views of the major voluntary conservation bodies have been clearly presented to the Forestry Commission, which does not feel that there is a need for special meetings with them before the seminar on 8 May.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken to ensure that an agreement is reached between the Forestry Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council regarding management guidelines for broadleaved woods.

Discussions are continuing between the Forestry Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council on these management guidelines.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the areas of felled woodland which have been replanted by the Forestry Commission in each of the last 10 years, and also showing the percentage of that area which has been planted with each of the main tree species.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Forestry Commission will invite Friends of the Earth, Scotland, to take part in its seminar on forestry policy on 8 May.

The Forestry Commission has been concerned to keep the numbers of persons attending the seminar within manageable proportions in order to ensure a constructive discussion. The bodies invited represent a balanced cross-section of interests. In these circumstances, the commission does not propose to issue any further invitations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new houses were started in Scotland in the last six months for which figures are available; and how many were started in the similar period for each of the last five years.

The information requested is shown in the following table and refers to the period 1 July to 31 December each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action his Department has taken since 1979 to counter the threat to salmon stocks from (a) illegal netting, (b) predation, (c) pollution, (d) water abstraction, and (e) poaching, respectively; and what action his Department takes to monitor salmon stocks.

The principal measures taken are as follows:

(a)Illegal netting: The ban on drift net fishing for salmon in the sea off Scotland has been continued and enforcement of that ban by the Fishery Protection Service has been stepped up with considerable success. Power has been taken in the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 to prohibit the carriage by British fishing vessels in Scottish waters of certain types of nets used mainly for illegal fishing. Power has also been taken to prohibit fishing for salmon in the sea by specified nets set from the shore.

(b)Predation: Licences have been issued under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 for defensive shooting of seals at salmon net fishing stations during close seasons and under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for the shooting of cormorants, goosanders and mergansers to prevent serious damage to salmon fisheries.

(c)Pollution: The prevention of pollution of Scottish rivers is a matter for the river purification boards, but the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has an ongoing research programme to measure the effects of acid deposition and afforestation on freshwater ecosystems. In 1983 the Scottish Development Department published "Water Pollution Control in Scotland: Recent Developments" which reported continuing progress in the field of water pollution control. The report concluded that 99 per cent. of Scottish rivers were now unpolluted or of fairly good quality.

(d)Water Abstraction: Legislation governing the supply and resource protection of waters, together with the power to control the supply of water during periods of drought was consolidated and reaffirmed by the Water (Scotland) Act 1980. Certain problems regarding abstraction were identified by the Scottish River Purification Advisory Committee in its 1978 report on the control of water abstraction. My right hon. Friend intends to introduce legislation as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits to simplify the control provisions in the Spray Irrigation (Scotland) Act 1964 and to extend its application to other forms of irrigation.

(e)Poaching: We have been reviewing Scottish salmon and freshwater legislation and administration with interested organisations. Efforts by district salmon fishery boards and the police to control river poaching continue unabated and there were 324, 411 and 395 prosecutions in 1981, 1982 and 1983, respectively. The final figures for 1984 are not yet available but are thought to be approximately 320. We are considering possible systems of salmon sales control as a means of reducing illegal fishing in the rivers and in the sea.

(f)Monitoring of Salmon Stocks: Research into the state of salmon stocks is carried out at the Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory, Pitlochry. This includes a comprehensive system of catch recording and sampling. Exploitation rates are measured by tagging experiments. Detailed investigations are carried out on selected rivers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of deaths which have occurred in Scotland in the years 1983 and 1984, respectively, connected with the present civil unrest in Northern Ireland; and how many of those deaths were caused by action taken by the police and each of the known terrorist or paramilitary groups.

No such deaths have occurred in Scotland in the years in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish his Department's most recent estimate of the likely yield of rating on agricultural land.

Agricultural land is by statute excluded from valuation for rating. Valuations on which any estimate of rate yield could be made are not, therefore, available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the amount of expenditure on debt charged in respect of past borrowings authorised by central Government in each local authority in Scotland and give the percentage which this represents.

Since 1975 Scottish local authorities have not required the Secretary of State's consent to borrow for capital expenditure purposes. Figures are not available for the current cost to local authorities of borrowing authorised by the Secretary of State before that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the amount of rating expediture in each of the district and islands authorities in Scotland on housing benefit and give the percentage of expenditure which this represents.

The information is as follows:

Authority	Housing Benefit Expenditure*	Col. (1) As percentage of total expenditure†
District Councils	£000	Per cent.
Borders
Berwickshire	63	4·5
Ettrick and Lauderdale	113	4·5
Roxburgh	145	4·6
Tweeddale	43	4·5
Central
Clackmannan	132	3·0
Falkirk	726	4·2
Stirling	222	2·1

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list his responsibilities for Scottish health boards under the National Health Service.

My right hon. Friend's responsibilities for Scottish health boards are set out in the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, as amended principally by the Health Service Act 1980 and the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines he has issued to Scottish health boards on expenditure within the National Health Service on items other than those directly connected with patient care.

Guidelines to Scottish health boards on matters relating directly to patient care, and to the other services required for the management and support of these services, are contained in circulars and other communicaions issued from time to time by the Scottish Home and Health Department. The guidance on these other services is very extensive, and cannot be summarised briefly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many manufacturing jobs were (a) lost and (b) created in Scotland in each of the past 10 years.

The information requested, for the period up to 1981–82, is available from the Scottish Manufacturing Establishments Record^* and is set out in the table.

Year	Gross employment decrease (Thousands)	Gross employment increase (Thousands)	Net change in employment (Thousands)
1974–75	66	34	-32
1975–76	63	37	-26
1976–77	39	41	+2
1977–78	46	29	-17
1978–79	30	23	-7
1979–80	60	17	-43
1980–81	79	19	-60
1981–82	59	25	-34

NOTE: Provisional estimates of the net changes in employees in employment in manufacturing are available from Department of Employment. For 1982–83 and 1983–84 there were decreases of 31,000 and 10,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to place a statutory duty on the generating boards in Scotland to produce electricity at the lowest possible price.

I am satisfied that the boards' existing statutory duties, together with the objectives set by the Secretary of State, are sufficient to encourage the boards to produce electricity in the most economic and efficient way.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs in the high technology industries have been created; and how many have been lost in each year since May 1979 in Cumbernauld new town.