asked the Lord Privy Seal how many times during the last two years access has been given to persons wishing to inspect the log of telephone calls from the Palace of Westminster; and if he will specify in each case the date and the name of the person or organisation granted access.

The facility enabling calls made from the Palace of Westminster telephone extensions to be logged has been available only since 9 September 1985 when the new telephone exchange was installed.I assume that the hon. Member is referring to printouts from the logging equipment. Apart from the test printouts which were obtained during September 1985 when the equipment became operational, access has been granted on only two occasions. On 17 October 1986 and on 19 November 1986 the communications manager obtained printouts at the request of the Serjeant at Arms Department.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what has been the cost of servicing (a) Select and (b) Standing Committees of the House for each year since 1979.

As was made clear by the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) in a reply to the right hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Mason) on 23 January 1985 at column 458, the cost of servicing Select Committees is not readily identifiable. Costs, other than salary costs, which are clearly attributable to Select Committees have been given in the Select Committee return since 1979.The cost of servicing Standing Committees is also not readily identifiable.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made on implementing the White Paper "Building Businesses … Not Barriers" (Cmnd. 9794); and what plans he has to achieve the objectives set out in the White Paper.

We have made considerable progress in carrying out the proposals to reduce administrative burdens on businesses which were set out in the White Paper " Building Businesses … Not Barriers", which represent a balanced programme of action to remove unnecessary obstacles to enterprise and job creation while retaining essential protection.

asked the Paymaster General how many jobs have been lost in the manufacturing sector since 1979 (a) on Merseyside and (b) in Liverpool at the latest available date.

The precise information requested is not available. The Department's statistics for counties and smaller areas monitor only net changes in employment between census dates.No census was taken in 1979, but between June 1978 and September 1981, the latest date for which figures are available, there was a net loss of 45,600 employees employed in manufacturing industries in the county of Merseyside and of 19,900 in the local authority district of Liverpool. The September 1984 census estimates for counties and smaller areas are not yet available. Between censuses, employment statistics are based on small-scale sample inquiries which cannot produce reliable results for areas smaller than the standard economic regions.

asked the Paymaster General what was the percentage of people unemployed in the northern region at May 1979 and the latest available date, respectively.

On 11 December 1986, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the northern region represented 15·9 per cent. of the working population. The corresponding figure for May 1979 was 6·9 per cent.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement about unemployment figures for the north-west.

On 11 December 1986, the number of unemployed claimants in the north-west region was 436,784.

asked the Paymaster General if he will state the number of those people registered as unemployed in the constituency of Basildon in January 1983, January 1984, January 1985, January 1986 and January 1987.

Following is the available information. The table shows the numbers of unemployed claimants in the parliamentary constituency of Basildon in January of each year since 1984. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the ward-based system and are available only from June 1983. The January 1987 unemployment figures will be available on 12 February.

asked the Paymaster General what are the unemployment figures, broken down by male, female and

Short asked the Paymaster General what were the unemployment totals for each parliamentary constituency on (a) 10 May 1979 and (b) 9 June 1983; and how many unemployed claimants aged (i) under 18 years and (ii) 18 to 25 years there were in each constituency at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Following is the available information, which is also available from the Library. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the word-based system and are available only from June 1983. The tables show the number of unemployed claimants in each parliamentary constituency in Great Britain on 9 June 1983, and the numbers of unemployed claimants aged under 18 years and aged 18 to 24 years in each constituency at 9 October 1986.

The following information is in the Library. The table gives the number of unemployed male and female claimants in the age groups requested for October of each year since 1983 in the Langbaurgh parliamentary constituency. The comparison is affected by the change in the compilation of unemployment statistics in March 1986. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the ward-based system and are available only from June 1983.

asked the Paymaster General what were the numbers of entrants to the community programme in the 12 months to October 1986 and December 1986.

In the 12 months to 31 October 1986 there were 301,791 entrants to the community programme, and 307,405 in the 12 months to 12 December 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much time elapsed between the putting in of an inspector and the closure of the share shops of City Investment Centres; and if he will give reasons for the delay.

An officer was authorised on 28 July 1986, under the provisions of section 447 of the Companies Act 1985, to examine the books and records of City Investment Centres Limited.On 7 November 1986 a petition for the compulsory winding-up of the company was presented under the provisions of section 440 of the Act and on the same day the Official Receiver was appointed provisional liquidator.This action was taken as soon as sufficient information was available to support such a serious step. The winding-up order was made on 16 December 1986. There was no delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the Community trade mark office committee set up to aid the United Kingdom's bid for the proposed Community trade mark office.

The Community trade mark office committee has done much to support the Government's bid and has made representations explaining the advantages both to the United Kingdom and to the proposed Community trade mark system of locating the office in London. It has indicated that the particular site proposed by the Government, at St. Katharine-by-the-Tower, is very suitable. I am pleased that my hon. Friend, in his capacity as chairman of the Community trade mark office committee, has agreed to serve on an action group which I have recently set up to further the United Kingdom bid.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's inquiries into the affairs of Guinness Holdings.

The inspectors are getting on with their investigation of the affairs and membership of Guinness plc as quickly as possible. It would not be in the public interest to give details of their inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish the management report on the future of the Patent Office recently produced by a firm of management consultants.

No, the report from PE Consulting Services will not be published. It was commissioned by the Patent Office for internal management purposes to assist in the preparation of plans for hiving-off the office from my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the adoption by the Council of the European Communities of export arrangements for non-ferous metal waste and scrap.

As requested by the House of Commons Select Committee on European Legislation, I wish to explain the agreement by the Government to the adoption of a Council regulation on export arrangements for certain types of non-ferrous metal scrap before it was possible for the Select Committee to scrutinise it.The regulation provides for the continuation in 1987 of Community controls under which the export of aluminium and lead waste and scrap to third countries is subject to the issue of surveillance licences, and quota restrictions 11–12 per cent. higher than in 1986 are maintained on exports of copper waste and scrap and copper ash and residues to third countries.In order that the controls which were in force during 1986 governing the export of non-ferrous waste and scrap to non-EC countries and to Spain could be continued into 1987, it was necessary to reach agreement on the proposed regulation by 31 December 1986. The Council meeting on 22 December was the last in 1986. Had agreement not been reached, difficulties would have been experienced by United Kingdom industry. I regret that normal parliamentary procedures were not followed on this occasion but in the circumstances I hope that the House will understand why it was felt best in the overall United Kingdom interest to act in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason he has not published the report of his inspectors' inquiry into the affair involving Ian Posgate, Lloyd's and Alexander Howden; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1987]: The hon. Member refers to a substantial interim report by inspectors appointed under section 165(1)(b) of the Companies Act 1948 (now section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985) to investigate and report on the affairs of Alexander Howden Group plc. The report cannot be published at this stage while police inquiries continue as its publication could impede the institution of criminal proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what use his Department makes of British made recycled paper for letterhead stationery and notepads.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1987]: None of the letterhead stationery or notepads used in my Department is made entirely of recycled material. The papers currently used offer better value for money, and a substantial proportion can contain recycled fibre if the supplying mills wish to use it. I chaired a conference on 22 January which explored the scope for extending the production, supply and use of United Kingdom printing and writing papers containing recycled fibre. One of the results of this conference was an agreement to examine the use of writing paper with a recycled content by public sector bodies. My Department will be part of this exercise, which will examine whether an increase in the use of such paper can be justified on economic grounds.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received regading the contract for the retrofitting in the United States of America of British Aerospace aircraft belonging to British airlines; what estimate he has made of the employment effects of this contract on British engineering industries; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the contract for the retrofitting of British aircraft in the United States of America with Rolls-Royce Tay engines; and if Rolls-Royce has given any financial guarantees in connection with this contract.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1987]: My Department has received a number of representations from Executive Jet Sales Limited of Newport Pagnell. A decision to re-engine BAe 1–11 aircraft with Rolls-Royce Tay engines is a commercial matter for British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce. It would be for the companies to take account of all the commercial implications, including effects on employment, as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent meetings he has had with representatives from the Council of Europe and the European Economic Commission to discuss the potential for closer co-operation on anti-drug work; and if he will make a statement.

On 20–21 January I chaired a meeting of Ministers of the Council of Europe co-operation group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking in drugs (the Pompidou group). The Commission of the European Communities was represented at the meeting by a vice-president. Against a background in which drug misuse continues to present the countries of western Europe with a major social problem, we all recognised the need for close co-operation not only amongst members of the Pompidou group but also between the group and other international organisations which are active in this field. We agreed upon a new plan of action to be pursued by the group covering:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students from (a) Kiev and (b) the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are studying in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Information held on the immigration and nationality department computer indicates that there are about 150 citizens of the USSR studying in the United Kingdom. The computer records do not include their place of residence in the USSR.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (i) how many category A women prisoners there are in Her Majesty's prison Durham and (ii) how many strip searches have been made on category A prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Durham in the last six months of 1986 as an absolute figure and on a monthly basis, indicating (a) strip searches before and after consultation with legal advisers, (b) after visits and (c) after cell change, wing search and cell search.

There are at present four women prisoners in Durham prison who are, or who are provisionally, in category A. During the last six months of 1986, the followimg numbers of strip searches of women prisoners who are, or who are provisionally, in category A were carried out in Durham prison.

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 the nuisance caused by the operations of theatre ticket touts in London selling tickets outside theatres; what evidence he has as to the extent to which these touts are organised; what evidence he has as to whether theatres and ticket agencies are involved; if he will consider an investigation into these activities; and if he will make a statement.

The resale of tickets is not a criminal offence and, therefore, not a matter for the police. The police deal with any criminal matters which may arise, such as obstruction of the highway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to control the activities of ticket touts.