asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many home-start schemes exist in Wales; and how many are receiving financial assistance through central Government funds;(2) what is the level of central Government assistance to the Rhymney Valley home-start scheme; and what estimates exist for funding up to 1988, in cash and constant terms;(3) what has been the annual level of funding, in constant terms, for the home-start consultancy in Wales since 1981; and what estimates are availabe up to 1988;(4) what local or central Government funding is available to home-start schemes in Wales other than central funding of the home-start consultancy.

The home-start service is not extensive in Wales and there is no consultancy here. There are two projects under way in Aberconwy and Rhymney Valley which have received £2,000 and £11,900, respectively, under the opportunities for volunteering scheme. The latter project also received £2,500 from Mid-Glamorgan county council, and the council has recently submitted an application for urban programme assistance on behalf of Rhymney Valley home-start for funding in 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of work undertaken by RAF Hercules on famine relief in Ethiopia; and for how long that work will continue.

Two RAF Hercules and their detachment, including a team from the Royal Corps of Transport, have been operating in Ethiopia since November 1984. Up to 22 October they had airlifted 15,934 tonnes of relief supplies and dropped a further 11,704 tonnes. The operation is much appreciated in Ethiopia. As I announced on 22 July at column 723, we have offered to keep the British detachment in Ethiopia until the latter part of December.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the original estimate of the cost of the Songea-Makambako road, Tanzania.

The original estimate of the cost of upgrading the Songea-Makambako road to all-weather standard was the equivalent of £41·8 million, of which Her Majesty's Government agreed in October 1978 to provide £39 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what tendering procedure was used for the second phase of the Songea-Makambako road, Tanzania.

Following satisfactory performance on the first phase of the project, the same contractor was offered a negotiated supplementary contract for work overlapping that in the first phase. The tender was examined both by the British consulting engineers supervising the project and by a firm of specialist estimators before the contract was awarded.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total cost so far of the two phases of the Songea-Makambako road., Tanzania.

Of the £84 million capital aid that ODA has approved for the Songea-Makambako road, £47·14 million was spent on phase I and £33·35 million has so far been spent on phase II. A further £5·6 million has been approved for associated technical co-operation, including consultancies. Most of this has been spent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on the Mbeya southern highlands health project in the last financial year.

In the financial year 1984–85, capital aid expenditure on the Mbeya southern regions health project was £699,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has so far been spent on the Mbeya southern highlands hospital project.

Capital aid expenditure on the Mbeya southern regions hospital project to date has been £5·17 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the original estimate of the cost of Mbeya southern highlands hospital project.

The original estimated cost to ODA of the Mbeya southern regions hospital project in Tanzania was £6·85 million; a further £500,000 was agreed earlier this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the progress to date of the outreach programme in the Mbeya southern highlands health project of Tanzania.

Through the outreach programme regular visits are mde by specialists from the referral hospital in Mbeya to 15 district hospitals and 25 health centres in the Mbeya, Rukwa and Iringa regions. These visits provide valuable training and health care on the spot.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his recent visits to the Open University.

My right hon. Friend visited the Open University on 17 and 20 July, when he discussed with the university its undergraduate work and continuing education programme. The purpose of the visits was to familiarise himself with the university, and he obtained a valuable picture of its activities and operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been (i) the total cost of the assisted places scheme, at 1984–85 prices, in each year for which figures are available, (ii) the numbers participating in the scheme, (iii) the average annual increase in fees in those schools participating in the scheme since its inception and (iv) the average increase in fees of independent schools not participating, over the same period.

The information requested is as follows:

	Financial year Expenditure £ million at 1984–85 prices	School year Number of assisted pupils	School year Average fee increase percentage over preceding year
1981–82	3·531	4,185	—
1982–83	9·489	8,616	10·9
1983–84	15·672	13,102	11·6
1984–85	22·152	17,386	6·8
1985–86	—	—	6·6

Information on the average fee increases at nonparticipating schools is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average cost of an Open University degree in comparison with the average cost of a conventional university degree in each of the last five years for which statistics are available.

The information is not available. At the request of the Open University, discussions will be held at official level about comparative costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the number of nursery class and nursery school places per 1,000 children aged three and four years in each London education authority, in the metropolitan and non-metropolitan authorities and in Greater London, respectively.

In January 1985, the numbers of pupils in nursery schools and classes per 1,000 of the three and four-year-old population were as follows:

	Numbers
Barking	330
Barnet	310

	Numbers
Bexley	110
Brent	330
Bromley	20
Croydon	80
Ealing	340
Enfield	220
Haringey	440
Harrow	160
Havering	40
Hillingdon	430
Hounslow	660
Kingston-upon-Thames	300
Merton	410
Newham	600
Redbridge	80
Richmond-upon-Thames	150
Sutton	160
Waltham Forest	400
Inner London	370
Birmingham	290
Coventry	230
Dudley	280
Sandwell	390
Solihull	270
Walsall	550
Wolverhampton	560
Knowsley	320
Liverpool	450
St. Helens	230
Sefton	290
Wirral	170
Bolton	330
Bury	180
Manchester	520
Oldham	280
Rochdale	270
Salford	510
Stockport	130
Tameside	380
Trafford	120
Wigan	250
Barnsley	490
Doncaster	380
Rotherham	390
Sheffield	390
Bradford	290
Calderdale	270
Kirklees	390
Leeds	300
Wakefield	440
Gateshead	320
Newcastle upon Tyne	390
North Tyneside	490
South Tyneside	480
Sunderland	350
Avon	150
Bedfordshire	280
Berkshire	240
Buckinghamshire	110
Cambridgeshire	120
Cheshire	210
Cleveland	480
Cornwall	140
Cumbria	200
Derbyshire	220
Devon	80
Dorset	60
Durham	370
East Sussex	80
Essex	50
Gloucestershire	—

	Numbers
Hampshire	50
Hereford and Worcester	60
Hertfordshire	320
Humberside	300
Isle of Wighi	60
Kent	50
Lancashire	160
Leicestershire	220
Lincolnshire	80
Norfolk	50
North Yorkshire	170
Northamptonshire	150
Northumberland	210
Nottinghamshire	420
Oxfordshire	120
Shropshire	110
Somerset	10
Stafordshire	220
Suffolk	110
Surrey	120
Warwickshire	160
West Sussex	30
Wiltshire	10
England	220

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of the provisions of the Education Act 1980 dealing with school admissions;(2) for each local authority, how many admission appeals have been made to education appeals committees for the

My right hon. Friend is satisfied with the implementation of the school admission provisions of the Education Act 1980. The information requested regarding admission appeals is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to make a decision on the future of the REPLAN scheme.

My right hon. Friend hopes to announce his decision by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what changes in membership have been reported to his Department by the teachers' unions represented on the Burnham committee since 31 December; and what is the latest total membership of each union provided to him.

Teacher unions were asked for and provided numbers of fully paid-up members as at 31 December 1984 who were statutorily entitled to salaries determined by the Burnham primary and secondary committee and paid accordingly by avant LEA in England and Wales—that is "Burnham-relevant" figures—as follows:

	Numbers
Assistant Masters' and Mistresses' Association (AMMA)	64,636
National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NAS/UWT)	115,611
National Union of Teachers (NUT)	216,138
Professional Association of Teachers (PAT)	21,260
National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)	19,952
Secondary Heads' Association (SHA)	3,939

Two associations have provided later figures. AMMA has indicated that its Burnham-relevant membership bad increased to 73,654 by July 1985. PAT has not provided a later Burnham-relevant figure but has said that total membership increased from 27,902 on 31 December 1984 to 35,832 in October.

asked the Prime Minister whether the agreement reached at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to cease to make public funds available to trade delegations to South Africa includes delegations already planned.

I have been asked to reply.The agreement is not specific on this point.We shall interpret the provisions regarding Government funding for trade missions to South Africa with due regard for the circumstances of individual cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish, for each class of local authority and for local authorities in total, the percentage of increase in current expenditure in cash between (a) 1978–79 and 1985–86 and (b) 1981–82 and 1985–86.

The information for English local authorities is as follows:

Percentage increase in net current expenditure in cash terms
Class of authority	(a)	(b)
	1978–79 to 1985–86	1981–82 to 1985–86
Shire counties	97	27
Shire districts	86	30
Metropolitan counties	126	26
Metropolitan districts	91	24
Inner London boroughs	118	37
Outer London boroughs	89	23
GLC	119	35
ILEA	119	35
City of London	294	97
Isles of Scilly	101	34
Total all England	98	27

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the ground rules circulated within his Department to ensure adequate consultation with the local authority associations in the light of the judgment in R v. Secretary of State for Social Services ex parte the Association of Metropolitan Authorities.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities in the last three years have ceased to employ dog wardens.

My Department does not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities currently have dog wardens.

This information is not collected by my Department, but I understand that the joint advisory committee on pets in society is aware of some 190 local authorities in Great Britain which currently operate dog warden services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide for higher discounts to be given to tenants or third parties purchasing the freehold or long leaseholds of individual properties in hard-to-let urban estates; and if he will make a statement.

Many of the properties in the estates to which my hon. Friend refers are flats. We are considering what further encouragement can be given to tenants of flats to buy their homes. We have also recently announced proposals for legislation to give purchasers of flats under the right to buy better protection against high service charges.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment upon which matters relating to the London residuary body he is prepared to answer questions.

Matters over which the Local Government Act 1985 gives my right hon. Friend specific control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the minutes of meetings of the London residuary body will be made available to hon. Members.

This is a matter for the London residuary body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many spray irrigation licences have been issued in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years; and if he will undertake to review the duration of such licences.

This information is not held centrally since licences are granted by water authorities. I am unaware of any problem arising from their duration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has received for joint agreements on waste disposal in the metropolitan counties and Greater London after abolition; and what response he has made.

In four of the six metropolitan counties — Tyne and Wear, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and West Midlands—we have received joint proposals from all the district councils. If these can be put into effect by means of binding agreements between the districts it appears that they will make satisfactory joint arrangements for the discharge of waste disposal functions. In London, proposals put forward by Bromley, Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton and Sutton (London boroughs ""Group 1") and by the Cities of London and Westminster (Group 6") for the operational aspects of waste disposal, if carried into effect, would also appear to make satisfactory joint arrangements for these purposes. Also in London, the London boroughs of Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Richmond upon Thames ("Group 3") have invited the Secretary of State to exercise his powers under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1985 in due course to set up a single authority for the operational aspects of waste disposal to cover their areas and adjoining boroughs in west London.In Greater London, we have received no agreed proposals for joint arrangements for the regulations of hazardous waste, where we have indicated that we see advantages in such arrangements. However, a number of London boroughs have put forward proposals, or have indicated that they would welcome the Secretary of State using his powers under section 10 to set up a single authority for this purpose. Nor have we received proposals in respect of the operational aspects in the London boroughs—other than those I have already mentioned—adequate to rule out the need to fulfil the duty to set up single authorities laid upon the Secretary of State by section 10.None of the various proposals received from district councils in Greater Manchester or Merseyside appears in current circumstances to represent satisfactory arrangements for either the regulatory or the operational aspects of waste disposal. Four district councils, Wigan and Bolton in Greater Manchester and Wirral and Sefton in Merseyside, proposed that they should be allowed to operate independently for at least the operational aspects of waste disposal. There is such a community of interest between each of these four authorities and their neighbouring districts that there would appear to be clear advantage in joint arrangements. If proposals which include these authorities are not made by 15 November, it therefore seems likely that the Secretary of State would have to use his powers under section 10 to set up single authorities. However, the establishment of such authorities in Greater Manchester and Merseyside would not preclude other arrangements being substituted at some future date if the situation were to change.Those councils whose proposed arrangements appear satisfactory have now been invited to prepare formal documentation for these arrangements. A further announcement will be made after 15 November on the proposed use of the powers under section 10 to set up single authorities for areas where joint arrangements would be advantageous, but no such satisfactory arrangements have been made by the due date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report (a)the amount of industrial floor space owned or managed by English Estates on a region-by-region basis, indicating which region/regions enjoys special development area status and (b) the amount of industrial floor space currently unlet within the ownership of English Estates on a region-by-region basis.

I have been asked to reply.The table gives the position at the end of March 1985. A revised table showing the position at the end of September is being prepared and I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.

Industrial floorspace owned or managed by English Estates at 31 March 1985 (by Standard Region)
Region	Total stock units	Sq. metres	Total vacant units	Sq. metres
NE	1,542	1,166,763	419	214,329
NW	1,070	556,527	331	146,224
Y & H	626	164,408	231	42,926
EM	204	48,080	38	8,939
WM	176	38,416	33	6,464
SW	528	121,248	155	36,029
SE	146	21,390	30	3,395

Under current assisted area designations, introduced in November 1984, all regions now contain both development and intermediate areas as well as non-assisted areas, except that the south-east is entirely non-assisted and the west midlands contains only intermediate and non-assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of exploration for oil in Wiltshire.

One exploration well has been drilled in Wiltshire in each of the years 1936, 1972, 1975. 1976 and 1980, and two in 1985. No commercial discoveries have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation to remove the right of electricity boards to enter consumers' homes for the purpose of reading their meters without their prior consent; and if he will make a statement.

No. Electricity boards must have the right to inspect meters at reasonable intervals to ensure that estimated readings are in line with actual consumption and that the equipment is in good condition. Boards exercise their right of entry for this purpose as infrequently as possible. In all cases of entry, boards are required to apply for a warrant of entry from a justice of the peace who needs to be satisfied that the application is justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the number and nationality of foreign prisoners who have been repatriated since the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984 was implemented;(2) how many foreign prisoners are currently in staging establishments awaiting repatriation.

Applications for repatriation have been received from 19 prisoners in England and Wales. These will be transmitted to the other Governments concerned for consideration, in accordance with the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons. One of the prisoners concerned is located in Wandsworth prison, which is a "staging establishment" for the purpose of repatriation, but in no case have the transfer arrangements yet been set in train.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of foreign prisoners, by nationality, who are eligible for repatriation under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984 currently in prison.

The latest available information relates to prisoners held in prison department establishments on 30 June. Prisoners are eligible for repatriation if they are nationals of one of the countries which has ratified the Council of Europe convention of the transfer of sentenced persons, and have at least six months of their sentences excluding remission still to serve on the date the convention came into force between the United Kingdom and their country. From central records, which are approximate, it is estimated that on 30 June 1985 the numbers of eligible prisoners were: Sweden 1, France 11, USA 33, Spain 16, Canada 16.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the underlying reasons why prison workshops have been under-utilised, and whether these reasons are being considered by the prison industries review teams.

The reasons for under-utilisation of prison workshops are many and often interrelated. Among the main causes are changes in the population and regime at some establishments, including local prisons and youth custody centres, together with competing pressures on the staff resources available. In addition, a number of workshops in the engineering, plastic, woodwork and concrete industries are competing for a supply of work which is inadequate to justify the level of manufacturing capacity in these industries. The prison industries review teams are taking detailed account of these aspects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what acceptable alternatives to useful employment in prison are being considered and what are the likely manpower and cost implications.

The review of prison industries announced on 12 July 1985 is charged with examining how the present network of industrial workshops could be rationalised, while retaining the existing level of work and related activity for inmates. A primary aim is to increase the utilisation of remaining workshops. Alternatives to industrial 'work will vary from establishment to establishment, but include such activities as construction industry and vocational training and education, including physical education. The main objective of the review is to deploy the present considerable resources to better effect, but until the review is completed it is not possible to assess the likely manpower and cost implications. My right hon. Friend will announce the outcome of the review in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prison workshops at each London prison now closed due to a lack of workshop instructors.

No precise figures can be given. Prison workshops may be closed for a day or part of a day because of the redeployment of uniformed staff, including instructors, to other duties, often arising from court commitments. These vary from day to day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons in the United Kingdom take only prisoners on rule 43.

There is no establishment which accommodates only prisoners subject to rule 43 of the prison rules for England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of properties purchased by his Department in each of the last five years for use by prison officers working in each of the London prisons.

Ten properties were purchased in 1980–81. No properties have been purchased in subsequent years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the financial allowances paid to prison officers towards removal expenses when being transferred to another prison.

A prison officer who is compulsorily transferred from one prison to another beyond daily travelling distance is entiteld to claim reimbursement of all costs necessarily incurred in moving his home.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why 15-year-old Gareth Wheelon of Castle Bromwich, who was sentenced to six months youth custody by the Solihull court on 6 August, was detained initially for eight days in Her Majesty's prison, Winson Green.

Under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 a juvenile sentenced to youth custody may be detained for a temporary purpose in a prison. This includes allocation, which was the purpose in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many times, in the last six years, the Metropolitan police have asked the British Broadcasting Corporation to withdraw or amend a broadcast.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the Metropolitan police provide frequent advice and assistance to broadcasters on matters with which the force is concerned. A specific request to withdraw or amend a programme would be made only if the Metropolitan police had reason to believe that the programme would be prejudicial to the course of justice or to police operations, or was factually inaccurate. No central record is kept of such requests. Final decisions on programme content are a matter for the broadcasting authorities alone.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the arrangements for liaison between the various police forces engaged in the investigations into the murder of Leonie Price.

Yes. Full liaison exists between Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex police with additional assistance from other forces to computerise the investigation incident room. Detective Chief Superintendent Shields of Suffolk constabulary, who is in overall command of the inquiry, has received training in the handling of investigations of this kind, developed following the Byford review of the Yorkshire ripper investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer of 25 July, Official Report, column 663, he now intends to take any action to deport Roberte Fiore and four other Italians who have been convicted of terrorist offences in Italy; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Home Secretary at column 663 on 25 July, but I am keeping these cases under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of arrivals in the United Kingdom from (a) Bangladesh, (b) India, (c) Pakistan and (d) Sri Lanka detained by the immigration authorities in each week during the past three months.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many and which occasions in the last 12 months CS gas and plastic bullets have been drawn for use by the Metropolitan police.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 October 1985, c. 44]: I regret that my earlier reply was inaccurate in stating that authority for the operational use of CS gas for public order purposes had never yet been given in the Metropolitan police district. In fact, as my reply to the immediately following question made clear, the commissioner gave authority for both CS and baton rounds to be used in Tottenham on 6 October.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the types of safety fencing currently used on motorways, particularly on central reservations; and if he has any plans to improve them.

I am generally satisfied with the types of safety fences used on motorways, including central reservations, and have no immediate plans to change them. As with many aspects of roads and road safety, the Department has a programme of research and development on safety fences that may lead to changes in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implementation of the European Communities' directive of 4 December 1980 on the introduction of a Community driving licence (80/1263/EEC).

In compliance with the requirements of directive 80/1263/EEC, since 1 January 1983 we have been issuing equivalent exchange licences to EC licence holders becoming resident here. Britain already complied at that date with the directive's requirements on minimum driving test and medical standards.The directive also requires member states to issue their national driving licences in a Community model format from the start of next year. Accordingly, Community-style British licences are being issued to run from 1 January 1986. But they are only to be issued to those applying for a new full licence or those whose existing licences need to be replaced. Existing green licences will continue to be valid both here and in other countrieds which recognise British licences.The new licences are pink and carry on the front the internationally recognised "GB" symbol. Beneath the symbol the words "driving licence" appear in the various Community languages and also the words "EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Model".The driver and vehicle licensing centre at Swansea will continue to be responsible for issuing licences. Driving licence vehicle groups remain unchanged and provisional (learner) licences will still be green. Supplementary licences will still be needed to drive heavy goods and public service vehicles.Apart from these specific requirements, the directive looks towards the further harmonisation of driver licensing within the European Community, and the United Kingdom is currently involved in discussions in Brussels on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport by how much capital expenditure on roads exceeded or fell short of planned levels in each of the past five years.

The figures are as follows:

	£ million		Variation
	plan	outturn	£ million	per cent.
Trunk Roads Capital Expenditure
1980–81	487	473	-14	3
1981–82	651	559	-92	14
1982–83	684	678	-6	1
1983–84	656	644	-12	2
1984–85	728	722	-6	1
Local Roads Capital Expenditure
1980–81	330	370	+40	12
1981–82	355	326	-29	8
1982–83	418	409	-9	2
1983–84	478	457	-21	4
1984–85*	491	460	-31	6
* provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Transport by how much current expenditure on roads exceeded or fell short of planned levels in each of the past five years.

The figures are as follows:

	£ million		Variation
	Plan	Outturn	£ million	per cent.
Trunk Roads Current Expenditure
1980–81	51	52	+1	2
1981–82	37	70	+33	89
1982–83	62	61	-1	2
1983–84	73	65	-8	11
1984–85	78	84	+6	8
Local Roads Current Expenditure
1980–81	708	667	-41	6
1981–82	710	793	+83	12
1982–83	799	844	+45	6
1983–84	844	877	+33	4
1984–85*	902	949	+47	5
* provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a statement over the future of the vehicle registration number prefix system.

We are currently carrying out a review of the impact of the August change in the year identification letter on the driver and vehicle licensing centre's system. If the review indicates that an alternative would enable us to make savings and improvements, we shall then consult all the main interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many visits have been made by representatives of the traffic commissioners or his Department to local long distance coach operators to check bus tachographs; and what action has been subsequently taken.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a study of the safety implications of providing duty-free sales at airports of arrival rather than airports of departure.

Civil aviation safety matters are the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. My chief inspector of accidents has advised there is no evidence that the carriage of alcohol in aircraft passenger cabins has jeopardised survival in any survivable aircraft accident. However, this aspect will be considered in the investigation into the Manchester tragedy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if any assessment has been made of the effect on the revenue of the British Airports Authority of providing duty-free sales at airports of arrival rather than departure;(2) if any assessment has been made of the effect on the income of the British Airports Authority of offering duty-free goods in both departure and arrival lounges.

The restrictions of duty-free sales to departing passengers reflects an international Customs convention. The effect on the British Airports Authority's income of offering duty-free goods to arriving passengers would depend on the extent to which other international airports made such a change.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce a system of public inquiries when public service vehicles are involved in serious accidents similar to that which occured on the M6 on Monday 21 October.

Serious road accidents—including those involving public service vehicles — are already subject to thorough investigation by the police and, as necessary, by vehicle examiners from my Department. I am satisfied that present procedures are sufficient to establish the factors involved and any lessons which can be learnt.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to seek powers to regulate drivers' hours of work in respect of taxis and hire cars; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such plans, as there is no evidence of safety problems caused by taxi or hire car drivers' hours of work. Although many taxi drivers work quite long hours, their working day, unlike that of a bus driver, is generally interspersed with long periods of rest.Clause 12 of the Transport Bill allows licensed taxi operators to obtain PSV operators' licences and to register local services under the new system the Bill is to introduce. In such cases, taxi drivers would be subject to public service vehicle drivers' hours rules. But for normal taxi or hire car services, or for the shared use of taxis or hire cars under clause 10 or 11 of the Transport Bill, we see no need for such control.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to seek to limit noisy motor cycles.

We are pressing in the Community for stricter standards of permitted noise from new motor cycles. Regulations introduced last year require replacement silencers for motor cycles first registered from the start of this year to be marked to show compliance with a British standard. This will apply progressively to an increasing number of motor cycles in use, and should help enforcement against noisy motor cycles.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made into his study into the economic evaluation of salmon fisheries in England and Wales.

Work has commenced on the study referred to in my predecessor's reply to my hon. Friend of 20 July 1984, which has been commissioned from Exeter university. It will consider evidence from the whole of Great Britain, and a report is expected in about two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is his intention that the draft model water authority byelaws, to be made under section 28 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, should apply to lead core lines.

It is our intention to include within the scope of the draft model byelaw all forms of lead weights used in fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels which could cause harm to swans if ingested by them. We are examining the question of lead core lines raised by my hon. Friend, and I will reply to his recent letter as soon as we have completed our examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those Territorial Army exercises in which members of the United States National Guard have been involved.

Members of the United States National Guard exercise regularly with the Territorial Army as part of the routine exchange training programme.In 1984 United States National Guardsmen were attached to Territorial Army units who participated in exercise Lionheart.This year some National Guardsmen took up attachments with individual Territorial Army units for their annual camp.

asked the Secretary of Defence if he will list those Territorial Army exercises in which members of the Bermuda armed forces have been engaged.

None, so far as our records show.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the letter of 30 August from the right hon. Member for Brent, East and the reply of 30 September from the Minister of State for Defence concerning empty Ministry of Defence houses.

I have placed copies of the correspondence in the Library.

asked the Secretary of Defence what training facilities are being provided for Salvadorean army officers at Sandhurst.

There are no members of the Salvadorean armed forces currently under training in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the defects apparent in HMS Redpole after its refit in Lowestoft; how many weeks the refit took; and what is the cost of the refit.

HMS Redpole was converted from RAF to RN use at Lowestoft. The conversion took 31 weeks, including sea trials. The cost of this work is commercially confidential. Following sea trials it was decided that the propellors—which had not formed part of the conversion package—should be replaced at Rosyth dockyard. In addition, some 29 defects were reported, some of them very minor. It would not be appropriate to disclose details of defects in an operational ship. The responsibility for rectifying these defects is a matter for negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will explain why royal dockyard employees were not given full information on the reasons why they were required to do extra work on HMS Redpole.

During sea trials of HMS Redpole, following conversion at a commercial yard, a problem with its propellers—which had not formed part of the contractor's work package—came to light. It was decided that this should be rectified at Rosyth dockyard and dockyard employees were informed through a standing dockyard committee of the work that they would be required to undertake. Although there is work to be done on other operational defects, this will be carried out by the Royal Naval Fleet maintenance group at Rosyth and will not involve the dockyard.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the cost of additional work on HMS Redpole at Rosyth naval dockyard; and to whom it will be charged.

Rosyth dockyard is carrying out work on the propellers of HMS Redpole. This work was not part of the contract specification in the ship's recent conversion and the costs will fall to my Department in the usual way.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what basis private contractors are visiting the royal dockyards.

In his statement on 23 July, at columns 867–68, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said that he intended to seek competitive tenders from competent British companies to manage the royal dockyards. Representatives of most of the companies which have expressed interest in tendering have now visited one or both of the royal dockyards and have received detailed briefings on their operations; further such visits will be arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence under what authority, prior to the passage of any legislation, he is incurring expenditure in the valuation of dockyard assets, the preparation of prospectuses for private companies, and visits by private companies to the dockyards.

Provision to cover necessary expenditure involved in consideration of changes to the future operation of the royal dockyards was included in the defence Supply Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will deposit in the Library part two of the prospectus for private contractors interested in winning a possible franchise for the management of Rosyth and Plymouth dockyards.

Touche Ross, a firm of management consultants, was commissioned by the Ministry of Defence to produce descriptive reports on each of the royal dockyards to assist companies in forming a commercial judgment on whether to bid for the future management of the dockyards, Phase I of the Touche Ross report, which gives a preliminary view of the facilities and operations in the dockyards, has recently been completed; copies have been made available to all companies concerned and to the trades unions, and I am placing a copy in the Library of the House. Phase II of the report has not yet been completed. It is, however, the intention that it should provide a more comprehensive description of the facilities and it will, therefore, be classified. Copies will, of course, be made available to the Select Committee on Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Soviet penetrations of United Kingdom airspace there were in 1984; and how many so far in 1985.

There have been no penetrations of United Kingdom territorial airspace by Soviet military aircraft in 1984 and 1985. If my hon. Friend is concerned with the United Kingdom air defence region, which principally comprises international airspace out to a considerable distance from the United Kingdom mainland, the detailed figures on penetrations are classified. In general terms they average approximately three to four a week, but rise significantly during periods of major Soviet exercise activity.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will consider plans for further expanding the role of the Reserve Army in such a way that regular strength can be replaced.

I presume my hon. Friend is referring to Regular Reserves, that is, those individuals who, having left the Regular Forces, retain a Reserve commitment. Their numbers are not therefore subject to direct Ministry of Defence control. However, we are anxious to achieve the most effective use of these personnel and have therefore recently introduced various measures to that end.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the police inquiry into the disappearance of the control room log of HMS Conqueror revealed the commission of any disciplinary offences by any member of the crew; and if he will make a statement.

Police reports submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions are confidential to him and are not disclosed to other Government Departments. However, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Sir R. Gower) on 30 November 1984, at columns 593–94, the board of inquiry convened by the Commander-in-Chief Fleet on 25 October showed that the proper procedures for the custody and disposal of confidential control room logs had not been followed in HMS Conqueror for many months, including the period from April to September (inclusive) covered by the missing logs. Disciplinary action against those responsible for breaches of the regulations will now be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any part of the control room log of HMS Conqueror is still missing; and if he will make a statement.

Neither the Metropolitan police nor naval inquiries were able to locate the missing documents. The control room logs for HMS Conqueror for the period April to September 1982 are still missing.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any discussions have taken place with civilian ports authorities to consider the option of contracting for existing civilian berth spaces rather than deepening the facilities at Marchwood military port.

Other United Kingdom ports, both naval and civil, have been considered over the years as possible substitutes for Marchwood; but all have fallen unacceptably short of our requirements in one or more ways.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any contract has been placed to deepen and improve facilities at the Marchwood military port near Southampton.

Tenders have been invited in respect of certain work, including dredging the waterfront, but no contract has yet been let.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are at present in receipt of (a) housing benefit and (b) free school meals for their children.

The service rent and rates rebate scheme, which is analogous to local authority housing benefit, is available to eligible personnel living in service married quarters or official hirings. Currently some 1,450 personnel are claiming rebates under this scheme. The Ministry of Defence holds no information on personnel accommodated other than in married quarters or official hirings and claiming housing benefit through their local authority scheme.Information on the provision of free meals to children attending service schools is not held centrally, but the number is not thought to be great. The Ministry of Defence holds no information on the provision of free meals to those children of personnel who attend local education authority or other non-service schools and who represent the great majority.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of non-commissioned rank in each of the armed services over the past three years who, on completing 12 years' service, have left the service; how many applied to do a further 10 years; and how many were refused re-engagement.

The information requested is set out in the following table:

		1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
	Royal Navy†║
a.	Number eligible to terminate service at 12 year point	156	163	240
b.	Number who left Service	16	24	30
c.	Number who applied to complete 22 years	*n/a	*n/a	*n/a
d.	Numbers refused re-engagement	*n/a	*n/a	*n/a
e.	Number re-engaged	140	139	210
	Army‡
a.	Number eligible to terminate service at 12 year point	3,921	4,810	4,591
b.	Number who left Service	542	875	823
c.	Number who applied to complete 22 years	3,471	4,187	4,007
d.	Number refused re-engagement	92	252	239
e.	Number re-engaged	3,379	3,935	3,768
	Royal Air Force
a.	Number eligible to terminate service at 12 year point	2,110	1,813	1,379
b.	Number who left the Service	870	680	593
c.	Number who applied to complete 22 years	1,559	1,425	1,067
d.	Number refused re-engagement	319	292	281
e.	Number re-engaged	1,240	1,133	786
* No information is centrally available on numbers of applications and refusals for the Royal Navy
† No 12 year engagement exists in the Royal Marines.
‡ No formal 12 year engagement exists in the Army.

Servicemen enlisted since May 1972 do not have to apply to continue their service to the 22 year point.Those enlisted prior to May 1972 who did not change to the new terms may exit at the 12 year point but otherwise are committed to a further 3 years service.However, the Army may terminate a man's service under QR 9.413 at the 12 year point.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much capital investment has been made in the Devonport royal naval dockyard over the last 10 years.

Capital investment, in terms of plant and machinery and buildings, has been about £119 million at Devonport royal naval dockyard over the last 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much capital investment has been made in the Rosyth royal naval dockyard over the last 10 years.

Capital investment, in terms of plant and machinery and buildings, has been about £44 million at Rosyth royal naval dockyard over the last 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what parts of the refit programme for HMS Otter and HMS Euryalus which were originally to be carried out by the contractor have been subsequently carried out by naval personnel.

No part of the refit of HMS Otter, originally to be carried out by the contractor, has subsequently been carried out by naval personnel. Only two small items of the refit programme for HMS Euryalus forming part of the original contract—repacking a valve and cleaning a gauge glass—have been carried out by naval personnel. Appropriate adjustments will be made for payments for this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the original cost of the refit contract to HMS Euryalus;(2) what was the original cost of the refit contract to HMS Otter;(3) what is the latest estimated cost of the refit contracts for HMS Otter and HMS Euryalus.

Local authority district	1983–84				1984–85
	Entrants*		Completions†		Entrants*		Completions†
	Mode A	Mode B	Mode A	Mode B	Mode A	Mode B	Mode A	Mode B
Basingstoke	757	278	—	42	682	168	341	47
East Hampshire	207	42	—	8	247	38	104	11
Eastleigh	288	52	1	7	363	28	179	15
Fareham	405	131	—	27	528	90	219	27
Gosport	278	62	—	—	265	53	145	36
Hart	510	122	—	—	521	—	183	56
Havant	486	94	—	16	519	86	254	30
New Forest	354	123	4	22	323	96	173	34
Portsmouth	1,111	645	9	153	1,275	422	531	170
Rushmoor	21	130	—	26	15	72	9	23
Southampton	1,422	397	4	43	1,750	279	592	92
Test Valley	288	36	—	6	298	9	145	13
Winchester	419	204	1	28	347	121	217	38
Hampshire Total	6,546	2,316	19	378	7,133	1,462	3,092	592
* The entrants figures include a number of young people who have joined more than one youth training scheme.
† The figures quoted for completions exclude young peole who left schemes before completing their full entitlement to training.

This information is commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the original dates for the completion of the refit contracts for HMS Otter and HMS Euryalus; and what are now the expected completion dates.

HMS Euryalus is shortly to complete her refit, which will have taken 48 weeks. This is seven weeks more than the original planned time, but includes four weeks addition for further work added after planning. Work on HMS Otter started in December 1984 with a planned duration of about two years. This remains the case.

asked the Paymaster General how many representations he has received concerning the combining of mode A and B youth training schemes.

By the end of September 1985 over 500 replies had been received to the paper "Development of the Youth Training Scheme — Some Issues for Consideration," which was issued by the Manpower Services Commission in April. The responses showed overwhelming support for the unification of funding and administration in the new two-year scheme.

asked the Paymaster General how many people entered youth training schemes in each of the local authority districts in Hampshire; and how many completed the scheme in both modes A and B for the last two years.

The table gives details by mode of young people entering and completing the youth training scheme in each local authority district of Hampshire during 1983–84 and 1984–85. The figures for completions in 1984–85 include a number of young people who started training in 1983–84 and finished their course in 1984–85. Similarly, many young people entering schemes in 1984–85 will not complete their training programme until 1985–86.

asked the Paymaster General (1) what was the number of small firm loans applied for and granted in (a) Hampshire and (b) Portsmouth for each year from 1979 to the present;(2) what was the number of small firm loans applied for and granted in England and Wales, respectively, for each year from 1979 to the present.

The loan guarantee scheme for small firms was introduced in 1981. I have listed the number of guarantees applied for and granted under the scheme from 1981 to the present.Hampshire and Portsmouth are included in the southeast region for statistical purposes. A further geographical breakdown is not available.

Year	England	Wales	South East
1981	1,594	97	690
1982	5,323	359	2,279
1983	4,755	195	2,048
1984	2,315	81	1,085
1985	519	24	242

asked the Paymaster General what was the percentage of married women in work (a) full-time and (b) part-time in each year since 1970.

The information requested is available from the census of population and labour force surveys and is therefore restricted to the years shown in the following table:

Percentage of all married women in work
Great Britain
		(a) Working full-time*	(b) Working part-time*
	April 1971†	19·7	19·1
	April 1981†	22·0	23·0
	Spring 1983║	21·1	23·5
	Spring 1984║	21·1	25·8
* Except where indicated, persons in employment are shown as working full-time or part-time according to whether they described their job as a full-time or part-time job.
†Source: 1971 Census of Population. Persons in employment are classified as full-time if they usually worked more than 30 hours per week, excluding overtime and meal breaks, and as part-time if they usually worked not more than 30 hours per week.
‡Source: 1981 Census of Population.
║Source: Labour Force Surveys.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures for Merseyside.

As we all know, the level of unemployment in Merseyside is much too high. That is why there is an extensive range of Government assistance to attract new investment and new jobs. The area will also benefit from the current expansion of our special employment and training measures. But the creation of jobs in Merseyside will depend primarily on the overall attractiveness of the area to potential investors and the competitiveness of local industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is, in money terms and as a percentage of the Northern Ireland Office's budget, the amount of support given to Harland and Wolff for each year since 1979.

The following table sets out the payments made to Harland and Wolff plc under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 each year since 1979–80 and the percentage which that assistance represents of the total Northern Ireland public expenditure programme for those years:

	£ million	Percentage
1979–80	22·5	0·9
1980–81	41·2	1·4
1981–82	40·1	1·3
1982–83	46·2	1·3
1983–84	40·0	1·1
1984–85	37·5	*0·9
* Estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether, in the light of the recent statement of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, that the Gardai in the Republic of Ireland had to reduce their resources for the penetration and monitoring of terrorist groups, he remains satisfied with the co-operation between the security forces of the Irish Republic and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the apprehension and conviction of members of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether the recent statement by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary on security accurately represents

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, in view of the removal, in the near future, of all the high security women prisoners in Armagh prison to Maghaberry prison, he will make it his policy to discontinue strip searching in Armagh prison; and if he will make a statement.

No. The search procedures used at Armagh are similar to those used in comparable prisons throughout the United Kingdom and, to the best of our knowledge, in most western European countries and in north America.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland where women prisoners on remand and short sentence women prisoners will be held following the closing down of Armagh prison.

When Armagh prison closes, all women prisoners in Northern Ireland will be held in the new women's prison at Maghaberry.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of dentists holding National Health Service contracts in each region in England.

The numbers of general dental practitioners in contract with family practitioner committees in each region in England on 30 September 1984—the latest date for which figures are available—are set out in the following table:

Regional Health Authority	No. of GDPs
Northern	705
Yorkshire	954
Trent	1,054
East Anglian	518
North West Thames	1,507
North East Thames	1,199
South East Thames	1,231
South West Thames	1,191
Wessex	843
Oxford	747
South Western	1,112
West Midlands	1,270
Mersey	657
North Western	1,078

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many full and part-time dentists have been in practice in each year since 1955; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many courses of treatment where full dentures were needed were given to patients over the age of 65 years in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available;(2) how many patients over the age of 65 years received National Health Service dental treatment in the last year to a convenient date.

The number of courses of treatment provided to patients aged 65 and over in England in 1984 was 1,782,510. Of these, the number of treatments involving the provision of full or partial dentures was 341,640; the number of courses involving provision of full dentures is not known. Information on the number of patients involved in these courses of treatment is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the percentage of treatment costs borne by the average patient in the general dental service since April, excluding examinations and other exempt items of treatment.

This information is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients received dental treatment in each year since 1955; and if he will make a statement.