asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the number of former British Rail Engineering Ltd. employees at Shildon who were placed in employment by the British Rail Engineering Ltd. holding company set up for this purpose.

I understand that British Rail Engineering's three-year programme with the Shildon and Sedgefield development agency has already created 365 new jobs since it started at the end of last year. About 145 of these have been taken up by former BREL employees. The firms already assisted by BREL offer a potential for a total of 870 jobs over the next three years. I welcome this achievement by BREL and the local agencies involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the timekeeping of freight trains on the British Rail network, and as to the causes of delays in each of the last three years.

This is a matter of management for British Rail.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he was consulted by the British Railways Board before the decision was taken to close the British Railways Engineering Ltd. workshops at Swindon; and if he will make a statement.

The decision is a management matter for the British Railways Board and British Rail Engineering Limited, who informed me and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, in advance, before putting a proposal for closure to their trades unions for consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the maximum of the university lecturer grade represents as a proportion of average earnings in this country; if he will list the salaries of the equivalent level in universities in the United States of America, Japan, West Germany, Canada, France, the Netherlands and Australia; and what these represent as a proportion of average earnings in those countries.

The maximum of the lecturer grade in universities in Great Britain stands at £14,925 with effect from 1 April 1984 which represents 1·8 times the average annual earnings at that date. Information on university lecturers salaries in the other countries mentioned is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will lodge in the Library such submissions as have been made on the recent Green Paper on higher education; and if he will list all bodies and organisations which have made such submissions.

No. Bodies and individuals submitting comments on the Green Paper on higher education must decide for themselves whether to publish them and if so how.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the planned figures, in 1985 terms, for the next three years for the science budget for universities, polytechnics and the National Advisory Board institutions in the public sector.

The Government's expenditure plans for higher education from 1985–86 to 1987–88 are set out in Cmnd. 9428: figures for the local authority sector for 1986–87 are provisional only and for 1987–88 cannot yet be disaggregated from overall totals for local authority spending on education. In no sector of higher education is it possible to allocate planned expenditure between science and other subject areas. Universities and public sector institutions will also receive funding from the research councils for specific projects: total planned expenditure is given in Cmnd. 9428 but it is not possible to say in advance what sums will be allocated to universities and public sector institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he intends to make to the report entitled, "Geology and Wealth: the Future", prepared by a committee under the chairmanship of the president of the Institution of Geologists, a copy of which has been sent to him.

My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to respond. If any substantive response is made my hon. Friend will be sent a copy of it in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for the City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Brooke) has made to the letter to him dated 13 June from Professor D. M. Kürsten of the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources in Hanover, criticising the inclusion within the scope of the Natural Environment Research Council of the British geological survey.

I have replied as follows:

Thank you for your letter of 13 June about the British Geological Survey (BGS).

I understand that it is generally true that in other countries the equivalent of the geological survey is organised differently than in this country. The present chain from central Government to BGS may seem long but it has parallels in other parts of publicly funded research and allied activities. It is only recently that the arrangement has been questioned and many believe that it has worked well over the years.

Much of the unease within BGS stems from the publication of NERC's corporate plan on 14 February 1985. All the research

councils have been encouraged to produce corporate plans by both this Department and the Advisory Board for the Research Councils. I have given my full support to these moves as the production of a corporate plan is a valuable tool in the Government's financial management initiative and the development of greater efficiency and value for money in the public sector. The plan is essentially a document prepared by management explaining how a council intends to pursue its objectives with the resources available.

The NERC and the ABRC are well aware of the problems relating to the funding of the BGS and they are paying particular attention to them.

Your offer to evaluate and review the work of the BGS has been noted.

Thank you for your interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has made to the letter to him dated 24 June from Dr. V. S. Colter of Plascom Ltd. regarding the surveying work of the British geological survey.

The Department's reply made the following points:

1. A few years ago some 80 per cent. of British Geological Survey (BGS) expenditure had been met by commissioned receipts. By the 1983–84 financial year this had fallen to 61 per cent. and is continuing to decline.

2. Over a similar period, following advice from the advisory Board for the Research Councils, the NERC share of the science budget had gone down slightly apart from a specific increase for Antarctic research. This decrease, though slight, had compounded the effects of the reduction in commissioned research income.

3. There was little potential for making good the shortfall in commissioned funds for geology by an increase in the science Vote contribution though this had been done by NERC in 1982–83 and 1983–84.

4. The reduction in commissioned funds had particularly affected those programmes of a strategic nature such as the systematic regional geological survey of the United Kingdom landmass, which had been funded by a consortium of customer departments until that consortium had been disbanded in 1981. Since then, regional geological surveying had been supported primarily from the science budget.

5. The letter repeated an assurance given by Mr. Hugh Fish, chairman of NERC, that a geological survey will remain an essential part of the council's programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will invite the chairmen of the Advisory Board for Research Councils and the Natural Environment Research Council to an early meeting with him to discuss the report by the Royal Society's working party on geophysics research, with a view to remedial action; and whether he will make a statement.

No. I understand, however that the chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils has agreed with the Chairman of the Natural Environment Research Council that the issues raised in the report of the Royal Society's working party on the support of geophysics in the United Kingdom should be discussed by the advisory board in October this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will invite the chairmen of the Advisory Board for Research Councils and the Natural Environment Research Council to an early meeting with him to discuss the independence of the proposed inquiry into geological surveying and its terms of reference; and if he will make a statement.

While my right hon. Friend is aware that the Advisory Board for the Research Councils (ABRC) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) are proposing to set up a study into geological surveying work, the composition of the study team is a matter for the ABRC and the NERC. This also applies to the terms of reference, though my right hon. Friend is broadly aware that the group will consider the need for, the resources required to provide for the appropriate responsibilities for paying for geological surveying in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received recently about alternatives to dissection in courses for biology students; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not received any recent representations about alternatives to dissection for biology courses in schools. Decisions on the use of alternative material are for the schools themselves; the Government have no plans to seek to issue guidance on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if telex store and forward services will continue to be considered a value added network service under new licencing requirements.

The Government's proposals for the future licensing of value added and data services are set out in their consultative document published on 6 June, copies of which are in the Library. Comments on these proposals have been invited by 31 July and the proposals will then be reviewed in the light of the comments received.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about trade relations with Libya.

In the first five months of 1985, United Kingdom exports to Libya (fob) were valued at £105,778,000 and United Kingdom imports from Libya (cif) at £107,972,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the quantity of imports of paper and board into the United Kingdom from the rest of the EEC in 1983 and 1984; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom imported 770,000 tonnes of paper and paperboard from the rest of the European Community in 1983, and 852,000 tonnes in 1984.

asked the Prime Minister what steps she is taking to persuade the European Economic Community to reduce expenditure; and if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the percentage increase in European Economic Community spending since 1980, the percentage increase in the United Kingdom gross contribution, and the percentage increase in spending under the United Kingdom budget.

In accordance with the Council's conclusions on budget discipline, the 8 June ECOFIN Council reached an agreement by qualified majority to fix the reference framework for Community expenditure in 1986 at 29·7 billion ecu (about £17 billion). Within the framework, agricultural expenditure is constrained by the financial guideline, which requires that agricultural guarantee spending should increase by less than the rate of growth of the own resources base.The information requested is set out. The increase in the United Kingdom's gross contributions to the European Economic Community does not take account of the offsetting effect of the rebates it has received. These rebates effectively reduce the total gross payments during the period 1980 to 1984 by about 25 per cent. In addition, the United Kingdom will benefit from an abatement of its 1985 VAT payments of 1000 Mecu in respect of its excessive contribution to the 1984 Community budget. The calendar year is not an accounting period for the purposes of United Kingdom public expenditure. Information on the percentage increase in spending under the United Kingdom budget is available only for financial years.

asked the Prime Minister what response she has made to the letter to her dated 24 April from Sir Peter Kent, F.R.S., about the inclusion within the scope of the Natural Environment Research Council of the British geological survey.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science replied to Sir Peter Kent's letter on my behalf. He said that there is general agreement about the need for geological surveying, both to underpin basic research in the earth sciences and because of its practical relevance. He referred to the recent reductions in the funds received by the Natural Environment Research Council for commissioned research. He explained that it was primarily this reduction, and future prospects on the level of support from Departments, that had led the Advisory Board for the Research Councils (ABRC) to conclude that a study of geological surveying should be carried out.I understand that the study will be jointly set up by the ABRC and the NERC and will look into the need for, the resources required to provide, and the appropriate responsibilities for paying for geological surveying in the United Kingdom. The group's report will be submitted to the chairmen of these bodies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much revenue from North Sea oil will be reduced in the current financial year compared with the estimate if the current£sterling price is maintained for the rest of the financial year.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 27 June 1985 at column 489.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the estimated number of earning wives and (a) the number of taxpaying wives ranged by the couples' joint taxable income and of wives ranged by wife's income, on the same basis as in his predecessor's written answer dated 28 March 1983, Official Report, column 59;(2) whether he will publish in the

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will be consulting the representative bodies of the various groups of societies for which the registry of friendly societies is responsible about the proposed fees to recover its full costs.

The Government have already indicated in the Green Paper "Building Societies: A New Framework" that the registry's powers to charge fees should be extended so that it can recover its full costs from the groups of societies for which it is responsible. The necessary provision for charges to building societies will be included in the forthcoming building society legislation. The Government are considering whether to include provisions in respect of the other groups of societies in the same legislation or whether to provide for it when there is next legislation affecting other groups of societies. I can assure my lion. Friend that before the orders setting out the fee scales are drafted, there will be consultations on the structure of the scales required to achieve the objective of full recovery of costs in respect of each group.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the payment in July of June non-value added tax own resources to the European Communities.

In accordance with article 10(2) of Council regulation 2891/77, the Commission has invited member states to pay on 22 July instead of 20 August non-VAT own resources collected in June. These own resources consist of agricultural, sugar and isoglucose levies and customs duties. The Government are complying with this request.An amount not exceeding £118·4 million will be paid on 22 July: the payment of levies and duties on 20 August 1985 which is made under section 2(3) of the European Communities Act 1972 will be reduced by an appropriate amount. There will therefore be no net addition to public expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how consultation is to be conducted on the report of the committee set up to consider the system of banking supervision, Cmnd. 9550.

The Bank of England is publishing today two consultative papers, one entitled "Banking Act 1979; Proposals for Legislative Change" and the other "Large Exposures Undertaken by Institutions Authorised Under the Banking Act 1979." Copies of these papers have been sent to all institutions authorised under the Banking Act 1979, and to the main banking associations. The Bank of England has also invited representations from any interested individuals, institutions or representative bodies.Copies of the two papers have been placed in the Library of the House. A third paper, on the proposed new arrangements between the Bank of England supervisors and the auditors of authorised institutions will be published by the bank shortly, and also placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many of the category C repairs, which have been reported in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's Antrim district area, are subject to a planned maintenance scheme; and how many such schemes have been initiated in this area in the list three years;(2) what criteria are used in assessing whether requests for repairs by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive should be categorised as

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. but I understand from the chairman that the information is not readily available. I shall reply to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General when, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South on 11 July about the cost to public funds of the case of Clifford v. Eastern Health and Social Services Board, he will be in a position to state what was the cost of legal aid in that case.

In about October of this year.

asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South on 11 July about legal aid certificates, what was the cost to public funds of the certificates issued in the five-year period 1980 to 1985 in cases alleging medical negligence.

The information requested by the hon. Gentleman is not readily available because the cases involved may not be concluded for a number of years. However, the cost to the legal aid fund of cases alleging medical negligence which were concluded, reported and paid in the past five years is as follows:

	Total cases concluded	Cost to Legal Aid Fund
1980–81	20	13,189·70
1981–82	22	4,870·33
1982–83	26	30,781·71
1983–84	34	30,200·85
1984–85	46	32,432·59

asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South on 11 July about legal aid certificates, in how many cases in which the outcome was a withdrawal the judge asked for or directed that the case should be withdrawn.

The statistics requested by the hon. Gentleman are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Attorney-General how many Crown prosecutors the Director of Public Prosecutions proposes to appoint in Wales; where their offices will be situated; and if he will make a statement concerning the structure and establishment of the Crown prosecutor system in Wales.

Pursuant to section 1(4) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 the Director of Public Prosecutions proposes to divide Wales into two areas, one encompassing the South Wales and Gwent police districts and the other covering the North Wales and Dyfed-Powys police districts. The Director will shortly designate a person to be chief Crown prosecutor for each area as required by the subsection. Decisions on the location of offices have not yet been taken, since these will be primarily the responsibility of persons designated as chief Crown prosecutors. The exact numbers of Crown prosecutors required in the two areas are not yet known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of suicides of (a) men and (b) women in prisons in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

The number of prisoners who died in Prison Department custody in England and Wales and upon whom a verdict of suicide was passed is as follows:

	Number
1980	21
1981	16
1982	*18
1983	†21
1984	†23
* Including one person who died while on bail not having recovered from an attempt to commit suicide while in prison custody.
† Including in each year one prisoner who died in an outside hospital following a suicide attempt made before his reception into prison custody.

All were males.I regret that the figures given in a reply to a question from my hon. Friend, the Member for Leicester East (Mr. Bruinvels), on 18 June, at column

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met prison governors; what subjects were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend last met prison governors as a group when he addressed their annual conference on 5 November 1984. But my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State had a wide ranging discussion about current issues, including overcrowding and resource matters, when he met representatives of the governor's branch of the Society of Civil and Public Servants on 25 June 1985, and my right hon. and learned Friend will be meeting representatives of the branch shortly, quite apart from the numerous meetings he has had with individual Governors on a wide variety of occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department keeps a record of cases in which a judge or court found that indulgence by the accused in pornographic material was a contributory factor in the commission by him or her of a sexual offence; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend would naturally take careful account of any suggestion made to him by a judge or magistrate that pornographic material had contributed to the commission of an offence. Courts are not, however, required to reach findings concerning the factors which have led to an offence, or to announce any conclusion that they may reach. There is therefore no basis for the maintenance of a complete or accurate record.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the censoring of letters to and from prisoners in prisons in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The policy concerning prisoners' correspondence is set out in standing order 5, which has been published and a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out figures for Twickenham to show in respect of the first quarter of 1984 and the first quarter of 1985 the total number of notifiable crimes recorded and the numbers of crimes cleared up and not cleared up in each of the following categories: (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robbery, (d) burglary, (e) theft and handling of stolen goods, (f) fraud and forgery, (g) criminal damage and (h) other notifiable offences.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) on 8 May 1985 at columns 410–411 about the statistics of notifiable offences recorded and cleared up in each borough or outer London district in the metropolitan police district which are being placed in the Library with effect from the first quarter of 1985. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the corresponding information for the first quarter of 1984 for the London borough of Richmond (which includes Twickenham) is as given in the following table. Quarterly statistics by offence group for areas smaller than boroughs are usually too small and variable to provide worthwhile comparison.

Notifiable offences recorded by the police in the London Borough of Richmond in the first quarter of 1984
	First Quarter 1984
Violence against the person	78
Sexual offences	8
Robbery	13
Burglary	607
Theft and handling stolen goods	1,357
Fraud and forgery	197
Criminal damage	416
Other notifiable offences	8
Total	2,684

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Justice Popplewell will be presenting his interim report.

The interim report of the Committee of Inquiry into Crowd Safety and Control at Sportsgrounds has been received and will be published before the House rises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those local authorities which have since 1 December 1983 received approvals for grant aid for the purpose of establishing, equipping or maintaining an emergency centre pursuant to regulation 5(1)(c) of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983;(2) if he will publish in the

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the annual increase in the number of registered drug addicts and registered alcoholics since 1975.

Information on the number of narcotic drug addicts notified to the Home Office in the years 1975 to 1983 is given in table 9 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs in the United Kingdom, 1983". (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 18/84). The only information currently available for 1984 was given in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) on 11 June 1985 at columns 394–95. There is no requirement to register alcoholics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester on the use of special branch officers of the Greater Manchester police to take part in community relations activities, and if he will make a statement on the substance of the report.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1985, c. 72]: I am informed by the chief constable that the task of maintaining and developing good community relations is integrated into the work of all parts of his force, under the co-ordination of the force community relations branch. The position of special branch officers in this respect is no different from that of other members of the force. The chief constable further informs me that the work of his special branch is carried out within the terms of the Home Office guidelines on the work of a special branch, issued on 19 December 1984 and reproduced on pages (x) to (xiii) of the fourth report from the Home Affairs Select Committee (Session 1984–85).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners who had received sentences ranging from 20 to 25 years, 15 to 20 years, 10 to 15 years, five to 10 years and two and a half to five years were granted early releases in each single year since 1979; and what effect this has had on the total of the prison population.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 June 1985, c. 227]: The readily available information is given in the following table. Information on the number of persons on parole supervised by the probation service for each year since 1979 is published in "Probation Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1·2 of the latest issue, for 1983).

Persons recommended for parole as a proportion of all persons discharged * from prison department establishments by length of sentence
	Percentage
Length of sentence	Date of recommendation
	1981	1982	1983	1984	1981–4
2 years or more, but less than 5	60	64	65	‡70	65
†5 years or more	72	77	75	70	74
†All sentence lengths of 2 years or more	62	66	67	70	66
* Persons recommended for parole are not necessarily discharged in the same year
† Excluding life
‡ Increased by the reduction in the minimum qualifying period for parole in July 1984

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations with Albania.

We have no diplomatic relations with Albania. We formally notified the Albanian Government in 1980 that we were ready to re-establish diplomatic relations without preconditions. As we have made clear, this offer remains open, but regrettably the Albanian Government have not taken it up.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations with Afghanistan.

We do not have normal Government to Government dealings with the regime in Kabul which depends on an occupying army of over 115,000 Soviet troops.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, column 336, if he will (a) explain the outcome of his meeting with nongovernmental organisations on the non-proliferation treaty (b) state whether he plans any further meetings with nongovernmental organisations on the non-proliferation treaty before the review conference and (c) state whether his Department intends to provide financial support to nongovernmental organisations to attend the non-proliferation treaty review conference.

We have had several useful exchanges of view with non-governmental organisations. At all of them there has been general agreement that the non-proliferation treaty must be sustained and strengthened.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will prosecute those involved in selling Skoal Bandits to children under 16 years of age under the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1983.

The sale of this product to a person under 16 years of age may constitute an offence under section 18 of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937. Whether or not criminal proceedings are appropriate will depend upon the facts and circumstances of individual cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to make a statement on broadleaf woodlands policy before the management guidelines are agreed by all the parties concerned.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement on broadleaves policy to the House before the summer recess. Discussions on the details of the management guidelines for broadleaved woodlands may not be completed by the time that statement is made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much it will cost to celebrate the Scottish Office's centenary; and if he will make a statement.

To mark its centenary the Scottish Office is holding a public exhibition in Inverleith House, Edinburgh from 4 July to 31 August and has arranged for the publication of a history of the Office entitled "The Thistle and the Crown". In addition I have arranged receptions for previous Ministers in the Scottish Office, past and serving members of staff and others connected with the Office. The costs directly related to the exhibition will be about £30,000: and the total expenditure is likely to be rather less than £45,000, which I believe will be money well spent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schemes for educational provision for unemployed adults in Scotland; and what funds are made available for such schemes.

Such information is not held centrally. Education for the unemployed is a matter for local authorities and provision for this purpose is made as part of the normal arrangements under which resources are made available to the local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding has been provided out of public sources for the establishment of a factory to manufacture Skoal Bandits in East Kilbride; and if he will make a statement.

Having taken a decision on commercial grounds to manufacture Skoal Bandits in Europe, US Tobacco International is eligible for the normal range of regional support for its new facility at East Kilbride. In accordance with normal practice, details of any grant payment exceeding £25,000 will be published in "British Business" in the quarter following the payment of grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that Skoal Bandits are treated in the same way as other tobacco products in relation to their advertisement and promotion.

US Tobacco International Inc, the manufacturer of Skoal Bandits, has entered into a voluntary agreement with the Government covering the marketing and promotion of the product. In terms of this agreement, which runs until 31 December 1987, the company has undertaken to restrict the scope and content of the advertising, the media on which it is placed and the audience at which it is directed. In addition, the chief medical officer has written to all medical practitioners to advise of the dangers of snuff dipping in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the nature, extent and timescale of drilling operations near Lochaline on the sound of Mull; by whom they are being undertaken; whether planning permission had been granted prior to the commencement of operations; and if he will make a statement.

Neither I nor Highland regional council, to whom applications for planning permission would be made, have any knowledge of drilling operations in the Lochaline area. If the hon. Member has any information about such operations, perhaps he would send it to me and I shall have further enquiries made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total numbers of employees in employment at the most recent date for which figures are available and in 1974, 1978, 1981 and 1984, respectively, for (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment in (i) Scotland, (ii) each Scottish region and (iii) each district council area in Strathclyde region; and if he will give the figures in terms of the standard industrial classification used in censuses of employment in 1968 and 1980.

The available estimates of the total numbers of full and part time employees in employment, in thousands, are set out in the following tables. The estimates for areas within Scotland are based on figures for employment office areas; estimates for 1984 and 1985 are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify schemes for the long-term unemployed in the west of Scotland which will replace the courses at present run at the re-establishment centre at Bishopbriggs.

A number of schemes run by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) will provide such opportunities. The community programme offers temporary employment for long-term unemployed adults on projects of benefit to the community. The voluntary projects programme provides unemployed people with constructive, voluntary activities. The enterprise allowance scheme helps unemployed people to start up their own businesses. Through its adult training programmes, MSC also provides work preparation training to improve employability. In addition MSC's employment rehabilitation centres at Bellshill and Hillington offer courses of assessment and rehabilitation, primarily for disabled people but with places available for the able-bodied also.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the exemptions from the eligibility rules for the community programme so as to permit persons who have been in work during the preceding six months to take up unfilled vacancies in the community programme.

No, the eligibility conditions are intended to direct help to those most in need and we believe the present unemployment criteria for entry to the programme strikes broadly the right balance in achieving that intention. We believe the programme to be on target for its growth to 230,000 filled places by June 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his most recent estimate of the proportion of B1 places on youth training schemes taken up in 1984–85; and what target figure the Government propose for similar courses in 1985–86.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if Her Majesty's Government have prepared any estimate of the effects on local spending power of redundancies arising from the closure of the British Rail Engineering Ltd. workshops at Swindon; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be possible to produce reliable estimates as there are too many uncertain factors involved. Much will depend on the success of efforts to attract new business and employment to the area. British Rail Engineering Ltd. has already made £1¼ available for this purpose in the form of grants and loan guarantees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were out of work in the Batley and Spen parliamentary constituency at the most recent count; and what was the comparable figure for the same area in the same month in 1975.

The following information is available in the Library. On 13 June 1985 the number of unemployed claimants in the Batley and Spen constituency was 5,213. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the new ward-based system and are available from June 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report in relation to counties in England and Wales (a) wholly or substantially to the north-west of a line drawn between the Wash and the Bristol channel and (b) wholly or substantially to the south-east a line the figures for current unemployment showing (i) county by county and in aggregate the total numbers unemployed (ii) such numbers expressed as a percentage of the potential work force, (iii) the numbers and proportion of such unemployed people classified as long-term unemployed, (iv) the numbers and proportion of such unemployed people as are under 25 years and (v) the numbers and proportion of such unemployed under the age of 25 years as have been out of work for six months and 12 months, respectively.

I am sending a copy of a computer printout giving the requested information for April 1985, the latest date for which an analysis by age and duration is available. This information is also available from the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken to provide additional equipment grants and help with staff salaries to enable information technology centres to continue to work.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost to public funds of discounts to tenants of charitable housing associations in 1984–85; and what is the likely cost in 1985–86.

The cost to public funds of the home-ownership scheme in 1984–85 was £3·45 million out of an allocation of £10 million. It is too early to give a precise estimate of the costs of the scheme in 1985–86. Provision for the year is £17 million, to which will be added the underspend on the scheme last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which article or annex of directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds authorises either the taking of gannets for human consumption or the sale of this species for human consumption; and if he will make a statement.

Member states may make a derogation under article 9 from the provisions of articles 5, 6, 7 and 8. Such a derogation was made in 1984 and a licence issued permitting up to 2,000 gannets to be killed for home consumption.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the size of the Nature Conservancy Council budgets to cover (a) land purchase by voluntary bodies, (b) land management, education and promotion by voluntary bodies and (c) the small grants programme; and what limits upon maximum or minimum levels of grant or support have been set by him or his Department for each of the above categories.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the representations he has received at his London office, his regional office and in Parliament regarding the dumping of radioactive waste at Lumns Lane tip at Agecroft; if he will arrange for an inquiry to be held into the problems at the site; if he will meet again with objectors and local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Since my previous answer to the hon. Member for Eccles on 15 January 1985 (vol. 71, c. 98) the Department has received 10 representations, five to Parliament and five to its London office, expressing concern about the disposal at Lumns Lane of low-level radioactive waste arising in Greater Manchester. These representations have been considered, but my right hon. Friend remains satisfied that the authorised disposals can be safely and appropriately made. No occasion is seen to hold a public inquiry at this stage, or to reopen consideration of the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has made available to local planning authorities in regard to their responsibilities towards sites of special scientific interest; and whether such advice provides details of directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds and the Berne convention.

DOE circulars 108/77 and 32/81 contain advice to local planning authorities in regard to their responsibilities towards sites of special scientific interest. They do not contain details of Directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds or the Berne convention. We are currently reviewing the contents of these circulars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will grant disregard from targets and rate-capping for local authority-funded victim support schemes.

My right hon. Friend will consider any representations to that effect which he receives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities underspent on their capital allocations for the financial year 1984–85.

Out of 396 local authorities who have so far submitted capital payments returns for 1984–85, 39 have reported prescribed capital expenditure lower than their capital allocations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will explain each decision in refusing the 10 applications submitted by Greater Manchester council for the urban programme 1985–86.

Decisions were taken on the merits of the projects compared with those of others submitted by district councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the answer of 1 March 1984, Official Report, columns 330–31, concerning the Exchequer contribution to local government expenditure at settlement and outturn; and if he will estimate the cost in the current financial year if the outturn reaches 65 per cent.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will make additional financial support available to local authorities to assist them in housing those single homeless young people who are currently affected by the social security board and lodgings regulations.

My right hon. Friend is looking at a range of measures—including some with financial implications—which might help to relieve homelessness generally and from which young people among others would stand to benefit. Our conclusions will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce before 26 July his decision on applications to the European Community for derogations or time limits in respect of the European Economic Community directive on water quality; and if he will publish the derogations and time limits.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 July 19851: I shall write to the hon. Member before 26 July and I shall make the information public.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines have docked in the current year at the Faslane Coulport complex on the Clyde for repairs to be undertaken following possible collisions with other vessels.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received expressing concern about the cause of the sinking of the vessel MFV Mhari L; and if he will make a statement.

Ministry of Defence Ministers have received two telephone calls from hon. Members and seven letters (five of them from hon. Members) in connection with the MFV Mhari L. As well as expressing concern about the loss of the vessel, these representations have also included thanks for the assistance which the Royal Navy provided to the Department of Transport investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he anticipates the results of the noise tests at Royal Air Force Upper Heyford being published.

My noble Friend, the Under Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, will be writing to the hon. Member shortly about this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the steps taken towards dismantling the British nuclear arsenal.

No such steps have been taken. We remain firmly committed to the maintenance of effective deterrence forces, including nuclear forces, as the basis of British defence policy. However, Her Majesty's Government have played a constructive part in the discussions which led to the NATO decision to withdraw 1,400 warheads over the next few years taken at Montebello in 1983, and in trying to achieve progress towards balanced, effective and verifiable arms control agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why Government files on Josef Mengele and Klaus Barbie have not yet been released.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Fleet Air Arm establishments and state the number of civilian and service personnel at each on 1 April.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current total strength of the home service force.

Location of home service force unit	Sponsor unit	Location of sponsor unit	Planned formation date
Oxford	5th (Volunteer) Battalion The Royal Green Jackets	Oxford	1990
Lincoln's Inn	71 Signal Regiments (Volunteers)	Lincoln's Inn	1987
Mayfair	4th (Volunteer) Battalion The Royal Green Jackets	Mayfair	1990
Plymouth	3rd Battalion The Devon and Cornwall Rifle Volunteers	Plymouth	1990
Runcorn	3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Cheshire Regiment	Northwich	1990

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men of the home service force will be available for exercise Brave Defender in September.

Our current estimate is that between 2,000 and 3,000 home service force personnel will be eligible to take part, but detailed figures will not be available significantly in advance of the exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given by his Department in respect of pistol and rifle clubs' use of Territorial Army ranges.

My Department has issued instructions to TAVR associations concerning the licence arrangements and the safety procedures under which approved civilian rifle and pistol clubs use Territorial Army ranges. Instructions have also been issued to TAVR associations about the charges to be recovered from the clubs for such use.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether exercise Brave Defender integrates United States and British plans for the ground defence of vital installations in Britain.

The total strength of the home service force as at 31 May was 1,696.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many and which units of the home service force are so far at full strength; how many and which are not at full strength, and by how much in percentage and absolute terms;(2) if he will list the location of current units of the home service force and their parent units;(3) if he will list the units of the home service force which have been formed to date.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the planned locations of units of the home service force and their parent units which are yet to be formed.

The planned locations of units of the home service force which are yet to be formed, and which are part of the plans to expand the home service force to a strength of almost 5,000 announced to Parliament in July last year, together with the names and locations of their respective sponsor units are as set out in the table. The companies to be formed in 1990 are being formed then because they are connected with units being formed as part of the TA phase 2 expansion.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 17 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether United Stales of America and British plans for the ground defence of vital installations in the United Kingdom have been integrated; and if he will make a statement.

Plans for the ground defence of United States vital installations in the United Kingdom are integrated into our overall home defence plans. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 21 March at columns 585–6 exercise Brave Defender will test our revised home defence plans and procedures and some United States forces will participate in the exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for defence whether any units of the Ulster Defence Regiment were deployed for use in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Portadown and the surrounding area on the weekend of 12 to 14 July.

No Ulster Defence Regiment units were deployed in the vicinity of the marchers in Portadown over the weekend of 12 to 14 July. Elements of the regiment were, however, engaged on normal operational tasks in the surrounding area in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many full and part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary following incidents at Portadown over the weekend of 12 to 14 July.

Three Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers (two full time and one part time) were arrested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary following incidents at Portadown over the weekend of 12 to 14 July. They were arrested in connection with acts committed whilst off duty. All three have tendered their resignations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that in future Royal Army Medical Corps display teams do not put artificial wounds made of wax and dye on members of the general public and that such activities are confined in future to service men.

No. The application of simulated wounds to volunteer members of the general public is a major attraction of Royal Army Medical Corps displays and provides realistic practice for members of the corps.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is normal practice for Royal Army Medical Corps display teams visiting fairgrounds and open days to put realistic artificial bullet wounds on the arms of children under the age of 10 years.

Simulated wounds are only applied to children under the age of 10 years with the express and personal approval of an accompanying parent or adult.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether men of the Royal Army Medical Corps display team sought to obtain the permission of parents before placing realistic artificial bullet wounds on the arms of children at St. George's park, Wandsworth, on 13 and 14 July.

Royal Army Medical Corps recruiting and display teams are instructed to obtain the permission of an accompanying parent or adult before applying simulated wounds to children, and I am advised that these instructions were observed on the occasion referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has received any complaints about the Royal Army Medical Corps display teams.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make it his policy to restore a flying role to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force; and if he will make a statement.

The reintroduction of a flying role for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force is still under consideration, subject to the availability of resources. However, I am pleased to announce a trial scheme to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of recruiting RAF volunteer reservists to serve as aircrew in regular RAF squadrons. The trial, which will start next April and last for two years, will offer voluntary reservists the opportunity to fill certain rear-crew positions in the Nimrod maritime reconnaissance force and to provide a complete VC10 transport crew. Eleven volunteer reservists will be recruited for the trial, including two pilots. The cost will amount to some £350,000 over the two year period.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recommendations have been made to NATO Ministers by General Rogers concerning the W-82 shell.

As I said to the hon. Member in my reply to him of 20 May, vol. 79, column 370, the details of SACEUR's report are classified.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received to date concerning the W-82 shell.

My right hon. Friend has received no letters from members of the public relating exclusively to the issue of the W-82 shell, although several letters from Members of Parliament and members of the public have referred to the question of the modernisation of NATO's nuclear forces in Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether any consideration has yet been given to the possible leasing or buying of E-3A AWACS aircraft;(2) what consideration he is giving to fitting the airborne early warning Nimrod mission system avionics into an alternative airframe.

I am not at present considering these options.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the total cost required to get the mission system avionics for AEW Nimrod to an acceptable level of operation;(2) if he will estimate the total cost of airborne early warning Nimrod by the time of its planned deployment;(3) if he will make a statement on the future of the Nimrod early warning system.

I have little to add to the replies I gave the hon. Member on 24 May (Vol. 79, c. 601–602). A technical study of various options has been completed and is now being evaluated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the cost to date of the airborne early warning Nimrod programme.

By the end of June this year some £831 million (at current prices) had been spent or committed on the Nimrod AEW project.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards the release of land at the Fraser gun ranges at Eastney, Portsmouth.

The use of land at Fraser gunnery range is under review in the light of changing service requirements.