asked the Prime Minister what specific measures she has taken to ensure that computer purchase records relating to the Cabinet Office are not made subject to audit by United States Government inspectors in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

No such measures are necessary. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made it clear in his reply of 19 February to the hon. Member for Leeds, West at columns 751–52 that he will not normally allow audit visits except where he is satisfied that a company wishes to maintain approved foreign consignee status and does not therefore wish the Government to reject an application for a visit.The purpose of any visit, if allowed, would be to check the procedures which United Kingdom firms choosing to use the distribution licence system agree to operate. A visit would only be permitted on conditions which safeguarded national security and commercial confidentiality, so that any computer purchase records relating to this Department would, if they raised such issues, be protected.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the extent to which the restrictions on Ministers, set out in clause 2 of the Channel Tunnel Bill, regarding the approval by them of funds to the concessionaires of the Channel tunnel project should be observed before the enactment of the Bill; and if she will make a statement;(2) what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards payment of compensation to persons who suffer loss in consequence of any approval by Ministers acting in their official capacity of funds for the concessionaires of the Channel tunnel project before the enactment of clause 2 of the Channel Tunnel Bill; and if she will make a statement.

The Government have no intention of providing funds or financial guarantees to the Channel tunnel concessionaires for the construction of operation of the Channel tunnel either before or after the enactment of clause 2 of the Channel Tunnel Bill. The question of compensation to persons suffering loss as a consequence of such payments or guarantees does not therefore arise.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent the restrictions placed on Ministers under clause 2 of the Channel Tunnel Bill regarding the granting of funds to the concessionaires of the Channel tunnel project affect their activities and decisions when acting as trustees or directors of multinational or international financial institutions to which they are appointed solely because of their Governmental capacities, and to which Government funds are contributed; and if she will make a statement.

Clause 2 of the Channel Tunnel Bill would, if enacted, prohibit any Minister of the Crown from providing funds to the Channel tunnel concessionaires, or guarantees of a financial or commercial nature, for the construction or operation of the Channel tunnel. This prohibition would apply whether or not such Government funds for the tunnel concessionaires were to be provided through such multinational or international financial institutions.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the areas of responsibility of the Minister for Sport.

My hon. Friend the Member for Surbiton (Mr. Tracey), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment has special responsibility For sport and recreation and, in addition, supports his colleagues on planning, regional affairs, housing, inner city and gipsy issues.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the total amounts paid in grants by Government Departments to voluntary bodies during the financial year 1985–86; and if she will make a statement.

The figures are shown in the table. The total amount provided in 1985–86 represents a cash increase of 19·1 per cent. (in real terms 12·3 per cent.) on the level of provision in 1984–85. In the period between 1979–80 and 1985–86 the level of Government support to voluntary bodies has risen by about 208 per cent. (or in real terms 91 per cent.). These percentage increases take account of revised figures for Northern Ireland Departments in 1979–80 and 1984–85.

Grants and payments by Government Departments in 1985–86
	£	£
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food		117,700
Defence		3,543,815
Education and Science grants	8,450,508
payments	9,638,571	18,089,079
Employment		30,316,000
Energy		865,000
Environment—direct grants		2,566,366
—Urban programme1		76,300,000
Foreign and Commonwealth	822,483
Overseas Development Administration	231,233,174	32,255,657
Health and Social Security		32,045,917
Home Office grants	18,202,975
payments	97,300	18,300,275
Lord Chancellor's Department		691,476
Northern Ireland Departments
grants	11,350,894
payments	5,450,234	16,801,124
Scottish Office—direct grants		8,247,195
—Urban programme		11,700,000
Trade and Industry		8,063,455
Transport		605,000
Welsh Office—direct grants		5,093,652
—Urban programme		2,375,000
Total		267,976,711

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will investigate the continued misuse of the photocopier in Upper Committee Corridor North by some research assistants; and if he will make a statement.

The authorities of the House will continue to investigate any allegations of improper use of the photocopying machines provided for the use of right hon. and hon. Members, which are drawn to their attention.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what records there are of the paper used in the photocopier in Upper Committee Corridor North; how the quantity of paper used compares with similar machines located in other parts of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

Monthly records are maintained of the numbers of copies made on each of the photocopying machines provided for the use of right hon. and hon. Members. There is no significant difference in the quantities of paper used in the Upper Committee Corridor North photocopying machine and similar models situated elsewhere in the Palace of Westminster.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will indicate how many lion. Members have entered their names in the payment book at the photocopying machine in Upper Committee Corridor North for having more than 12 copies of one sheet; what is the latest date of entry; and if he will make a statement.

Seven right hon. and hon. Members have entered their names in the payment book provided at the photocopying machine in Upper Committee Corridor North. Two of them have done so more than once. The latest date of entry is 12 February 1987. I welcome the cooperation of right hon. and hon. Members in ensuring compliance with the existing regulations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will place in the Official Report the amount of money paid by hon. Members for having in excess of 12 copies of one sheet at the photocopier in Upper Committee Corridor North; when the last charge was made upon hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

The records to provide this information in the form requested prior to June 1986 are no longer available. Since that date, £9 has been recovered from hon. Members in respect of the photocopying machine on the Upper Committee Corridor North. The last account rendered to an hon. Member was on 3 July 1986. Accounts are not rendered until the sum due exceeds £1·00, which accounts for the delay in charging Members for copies entered in payment books.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has any plans for a photocopying central pool in the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans for the establishment of a central pool of photocopying machines in the Palace of Westminster. Machines are sited at a number of different locations throughout the Palace of Westminster and Parliamentary outbuildings for the convenience of right hon. and hon. Members and their staffs in carrying out their parliamentary duties. The conditions, recommended by the Services Committee, under which they may be used are displayed on notices by each machine. The authorities of the House will continue to investigate specific instances of abuse which are drawn to their attention.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many times the photocopying machine in Upper Committee Corridor North has required repairs; what has been the cost of these repairs including labour and materials in the years 1983 to 1986 and the latest available figures for 1987; and if he will make a statement.

The number of times the photocopying machine in the Upper Committee Corridor North has required repairs, excluding routine maintenance visits, for the years 1983 to date is as follows:

	Number
1983	3
1984	7
1985	3
1986	4
11987	2
1 To date.

There are no separate charges for repairs, including labour and materials, carried out by the suppliers because these are included in the rental costs.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement of his official engagements on Friday 30 January.

In addition to my duties in this house, I had a meeting with a fellow Member of Parliament to discuss a proposal relating to the services of the House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the companies which have an account at the Vote Office for the daily delivery of Hansard and other parliamentary papers.

There are no companies which have an account at the Vote Office for the daily delivery of Hansard and other parliamentary papers. The Vote Office exists exclusively to supply parliamentary papers free of charge to Members and Officers of the House.The Sale Office of the House of Commons, which is under the separate control of the Deliverer of the Vote, supplies, on payment, parliamentary papers for collection by clients. These clients include registered parliamentary agents and other suitably approved organisations requiring specialist documentation.The moneys received from this service are shown in the Supply Estimates under class XIX vote 6AZ, as an appropriation in aid and amount to some £130,000 in the financial year 1986–87.The following is the current list of approved clients:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which an airline steward, arriving from the United States of America and suspected of suffering from AIDS, was held overnight by immigration officials at Gatwick airport and put on a return flight the next morning; what was the source of information regarding his condition; and if the steward was asked about the purpose of his proposed visit to the United Kingdom;(2) if he will make a statement on his Department's guidelines relating to the procedure for handling the entry or attempted entry into the United Kingdom of persons known to be, or suspected of, carrying the AIDS virus or suffering from AIDS; when the guidelines were introduced; and if he will publish them.

All overseas nationals seeking to enter the United Kingdom must qualify under the immigration rules (HC 169 as amended). These provide, inter alia, that where a port medical inspector advises that for medical reasons it is undesirable to admit a passenger, the immigration officer should refuse leave to enter unless he considers admission warranted by strong compassionate reasons. It was on this basis that the case reported recently in the press was handled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what firearms offences were recorded on Merseyside in 1986.

The total number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used is published annually, by police force area, in "Criminal Statistics England and Wales, Supplementary Tables", volume 3 (table S.3.1(a) of the edition for 1985). A breakdown of the offences recorded in Merseyside in 1985 is given in the table. Information for 1986 is not yet available.

Notifiable offences recorded by the Merseyside Police in 19S5 in which firearms were reported to have been used, by offence group
	Number
Homicide	—
Attempted murder etc.1	12
Other violence against the person2	131
Robbery	89
Burglary	10
Criminal damage3	238
All offences	480

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in respect of each category of crime, what is the percentage difference between the total number of crimes committed in the first nine months of 1986 and the totals in the nine months ended 31 March 1979.

The numbers of notifiable offences recorded by the police are published regularly for each category of crime. Quarterly figures are published in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Notifiable Offences Recorded by the Police", copies of which are in the Library. The most recent figures, for the third quarter of 1986 are contained in bulletin 39/86. More detailed annual figures are published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", (1985 figures are included in Comnd. 10).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought during the last five years on charges of child destruction under the Infant Life (Preservation) Act; and if he will make a statement.

The information available to me, which may be incomplete, shows no prosecutions brought for child destruction under section 1 of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 in the years 1981 to 1985. Information for 1986 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the current number of off-licence outlets for sales of alcohol; if he plans to take any steps to seek to restrict this number; and if he will make a statement.

The total number of off-licensed premises at 30 June 1986 was 43,891 (published at table 1 of "Liquor Licensing Statistics, England and Wales, July 1985-June 1986": Home Office statistical bulletin, 37/86). We have no plans to seek to restrict the number of premises granted an off-licence. It is open to the licensing justices, when considering new applications, to take into account the number of licensed outlets already in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to bring the law on off-licences in line with that for the grant of on-licences; and if he will make a statement.

We have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific measures he has taken to ensure that computer purchase records relating to his Department are not made subject to audit by United States Government inspectors in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

No such measures are necessary. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made clear in his reply of 19 February to the hon. Member for Leeds, West at column 751–752 that he will not normally allow audit visits except where he is satisfied that a company wishes to maintain approved foreign consignee status and does not therefore wish the Government to reject an application for a visit. The purpose of any visit, if allowed, would be to check the procedures which United Kingdom firms choosing to use the distribution licence system agree to operate. A visit would be permitted only on conditions which safeguarded national security and commercial confidentiality, so that any computer purchase records relating to this Department would, if they raised such issues, be protected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his approval was sought by the Horserace Totalisator Board to participate in satellite information services; and if he will make a statement.

The Horserace Totalisator Board informed us of its participation in satellite information services. My right hon. Friend's approval was not required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the present establishment in the Metropolitan police force is made up of traffic police, criminal investigation department, police on the beat and police dealing with administrative duties; and if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall as to that force's comparable percentage.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has given to the request from the west midlands police authority for 1,000 extra officers over the next three years and an extra £4 million.

The maximum precept for the authority for 1987–88 will be derived from a formula provided in the Local Government Finance Bill. I met a delegation from the authority on 16 February. The delegation was told that in the Government's view there was no strong case for the maximum precept to be increased. It asked that consideration should be given to an increase of 100 in its authorised police establishment and this request will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases in each of the past seven years damages have been paid after judgment under section 48(2)(a) of the Police Act 1964; what has been the average settlement figure for each year; and what was the average damages awarded.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many settlements of civil actions against the Metropolitan police have been approved by the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the last seven years under section 48(2)(b) of the Police Act 1964.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the research into the effectiveness of neighbourhood watch undertaken by the Police Foundation will be released as a public document; if he proposes to summarise the findings of the research; and if the contents will be placed in the Library.

The Police Foundation is an independent body. I understand that this research contract is due for completion in May 1988 and that the Police Foundation intends to lodge in the Library a copy of any final publication arising from this work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will reconsider the decision to reject the application by Derbyshire county council for a building programme including special interview rooms at police stations for rape victims and abused children; and if he will make a statement.

Derbyshire county council submitted proposals for minor works worth a total of £404,000, of which work to the value of £215,000 was approved. None of the proposals referred specifically to special interview rooms at police stations for rape victims and abused children. If such a proposal were submitted for approval next year, it would be considered in the light of circular 69/86.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer of 11 February, Official Report, column 218, he will (a) name the police forces operating a system of armed response cars and (b) give the number of officers deployed in each scheme of armed response; when the patrols were authorised by the relevant police authority; what equipment the response units use; on how many occasions they have been used; what has been the outcome of their involvement; and if any deaths or injuries have occurred associated with their actions.

The police forces operating a system of armed response cars are Nottinghamshire constabulary, West Yorkshire police and Hampshire constabulary. The vehicles concerned are patrol cars each manned by two qualified firearms officers. The number of vehicles deployed at any one time is normally three in Nottinghamshire and two in West Yorkshire and Hampshire. The Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire vehicles carry two Smith and Wesson model 10 revolvers and one Remington shotgun. The Hampshire vehicles carry two Smith and Wesson revolvers. All weapons are secured in locked boxes which may only be opened on the specific authority of a senior officer. A decision by a chief officer of police to deploy his resources in this way is not one which requires prior authorisation by his police authority but I understand that the police authorities concerned have been informed that the system is in operation. In West Yorkshire the number of operations in which the firearms in these vehicles have been drawn from the box is not recorded separately from other armed operations; in 1986 there were two such occasions in Nottinghamshire and twelve in Hampshire. Shots were fired by police officers in one of these instances in Nottinghamshire and none in Hampshire. There were no deaths or injuries incurred in the course of these operations.My earlier reply omitted to mention that the Metropolitan police maintain an armed mobile patrol in connection with their responsibilities for protecting the diplomatic community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to seek to amend the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929.

The Government indicated their support for the Infant Life (Preservation) Bill which was introduced in another place this Session and has been committed to a Select Committee there. We have no plans for Government legislation to amend the 1929 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the use of cautions to drunks to keep them out of court; and if he will give the most recent statistics he has on the effectiveness of the cautioning system.

Our policy is to keep drunkenness offenders out of court whereever possible. Cautioning is encouraged; 26,000 drunkenness offenders were cautioned in 1985, compared with 2,000 in 1983. As my hon. Friend knows, the number found guilty of drunkenness offences has fallen from 107,600 in 1983 to 56,400 in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the evidence of his principal officer to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in the course of his investigation into the circumstances in which Mr. Aurang Zeb was removed from the United Kingdom to Pakistan on 3 April 1986.

I will reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the air fare from the United Kingdom to Pakistan when Mr. Aurang Zeb was removed on 3 April 1986; who paid the cost of his air fare from London to Pakistan; and what agreement was reached between his Department and British Airways on meeting the costs of Mr. Zeb's flight from London to Pakistan.

Mr. Aurang Zeb was removed to Pakistan from the United Kingdom on 4 April 1986. The cost of his air fare for that journey was ?272. Mr. .4wal Khan, who is Mr. Aurang Zeb's uncle, had paid for his return ticket in advance, and British Airways was directed to remove Mr. Aurang Zeb in accordance with normal practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the removal of Mr. Aurang Zeb, a citizen of Pakistan, on 3 April 1986.

Mr. Aurang Zeb arrived at Heathrow terminal 3 from Pakistan on 3 April 1986. He was refused leave to enter and removed to Pakistan on 4 April 1986. I have received representations twice from the hon. Member for Bradford West who considered that Mr. Aurang Zeb was removed with undue haste and as a consequence, the hon. Member was unable to intervene. He has requested that Mr. Aurang Zeb be brought back to this country for a holiday at public expense. I have also received a letter from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Colchester, North (Sir A. Buck) in support of that request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his refusal to allow Mr. Aurang Zeb, a citizen of Pakistan, who was removed from the United Kingdom on 3 April 1986, to fly from Pakistan to the United Kingdom and from the United Kingdom to Pakistan at public expense; and if he will make a statement.

I have reconsidered my decision and notified the hon. Member that there is no justification to allow Mr. Aurang Zeb to come to the United Kingdom for a holiday at public expense.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of Sri Lankans who have (a) entered the United Kingdom and (b) left the United Kingdom for each of the last 36 months; and what has been the net migration in each month.

The available statistics, of the number of citizens of Sri Lanka admitted to the United Kingdom, are given in the table. Corresponding data on the numbers embarking are not available.

Sri Lankan citizens admitted1 to the United Kingdom, 1984 to 1986
			Number
	1984	1985	21986
January	2,080	1,960	2,010
February	1,340	1,450	1,110
March	1,550	1,690	1,500
April	2,250	2,480	1,930
May	2,210	2,540	2,370
June	2,770	2,400	2,400
July	3,950	3,630	3,210
August	4,460	4,060	3,620
September	3,530	3,210	3,720
October	2,130	2,230	2,440
November	1,490	1,490	1,410
December	2,260	1,800	1,690
1 Excluding those granted temporary admission while subject to further consideration or investigation.
2 Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many youths aged (a) under 14 (b) 14 (c) 15 (d) 16, respectively, who are currently detained under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are being held in penal establishments.

[pursuant to his reply,17 February 1987, c. 561]: The information is given in the table.

Persons aged under 17 detained under section 53(2) of the Children and Persons Act 1933 on 31 December 1986 in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales: by age
Age	Number of persons1
Under 14	—
14	2
15	29
16	43
1 Based on central records which are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.
2 Including one female.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next proposes to visit the County Palatine.

On 10 March.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will state his official engagements on Friday 30 January.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest unadjusted figures for unemployment in (a) Rhondda, (b) Mid-Glamorgan and (c) Wales; and if he will give the equivalent figures for 1979 on the most nearly comparable basis.

On 8 January 1987, the total number of unemployed claimants in Rhondda district, Mid Glamorgan and Wales were 5,190, 33,772 and 176,866 respectively. Unadjusted figures for 1979 are not available on a comparable basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were unemployed in May 1979 and to the latest date possible in 1987; and by how much in percentage terms and in figures the unemployed rate has increased for Wales.

In January 1987, the seasonally adjusted figure for unemployment in Wales was 165,300. The corresponding figure for May 1979 was 73,100. Between the two dates, the unemployment rate rose from 5·9 per cent., to 13·4 per cent. equivalent to 127 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses were built in Wales in 1986 (a) by local authorities, (b) by housing associations and (c) by the private sector; and what were the corresponding figures for 1979.

In 1986, 8,429 dwellings were completed in Wales. Of these, local authorities (including new towns) accounted for 870, housing associations for 534 and the private sector 7,025. The figures for 1979 were 11,265 completions: 3,326 by local authorities (and new towns), 1,016 by housing associations and 6,914 by the private sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many miles of motorway he expects to open in Wales in 1987.

None, but 22 miles of new or improved motorway and 93 miles of all purpose trunk road have been provided since 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will estimate the proportion of Wales' gross domestic product that is accounted for by public expenditure.

In 1985–86, identifiable public expenditure in Wales, as conventionally defined, totalled £5,727 million. This represented about 40 per cent. of an estimated provisional figure for Wales GDP (at market prices) in the calendar year 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many factories have been built in Wales during the periods 1975 to 1980 and 1980 to 1987.

From April 1975 to 31 December 1979. Government agencies completed a total of 434 factory units in Wales. From 1 January 1980 to the end of the current financial year, it is estimated that these agencies will have completed a further 1,800 units. My Department does not hold information on the number of units completed by local authorities and the private sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the level of housing expenditure in Wales in real terms in the years 1985–86 and 1986–87.

The provisional outturn for Gross capital expenditure on housing in Wales in 1985–86 is £185·9 million and the estimated outturn for the current year, at 1985–86 prices as measured by the GDP deflator at market prices, is £213·3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons have been interviewed for the restart programme; and with what result.

Between July 1986 and February 1987, 57,134 unemployed people were interviewed under the restart programme. Some 92 per cent. of these were offered a job, training, a place on an MSC scheme or other specialist help and 79 per cent. agree to take up this offer. For the remaining 8 per cent., restart, was either no longer required or no suitable offer was available at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many factories which were built by the Welsh Development Agency over the past seven years are being let, up until the latest available date.

Since April 1979, the Welsh Development Agency has built 1,459 factory units, including extensions. Information on the letting record of these units as a group is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Eighty five per cent. of the Welsh Development Agency's total factory floor space was let at 31 January 1987; a further 5½ per cent. was earmarked for prospective tenants.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the percentage of self-sufficiency for Wales in the production of (a) butter, (b) milk, (c) beef and (d) sheepmeat.

It is estimated that the production of butter in Wales in 1986 was 3·1 times greater than consumption, and production of milk was 3·1 times greater than consumption. Production of beef in Wales in 1986 is estimated to be 3·2 times greater than consumption and production of sheepmeat 2·9 times greater.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of Wednesday 25 February, how many hospital beds are available in National Health Service hospitals in Wales at the latest available date; how many were available as an average for 1979; and if he will make a statement.

During 1979, the average daily number of available beds was 23,456. The corresponding figure for the year ending March 1986 (the latest available) was 21,999.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with officials of British Coal concerning the proposed opening of Margam colliery.

I have discussed with British Coal on several occasions a range of issues affecting the south Wales coalfield including the prospect of a new mine at Margam.

asked the Paymaster General what are the numbers to be on the community programme in Kent in future; and what is to be the future of the community programme project at the Sheerness centre for the unemployed.

For 1987–88, it is proposed that over the year the average number of filled places on the community programme in Kent should be 2,800. This is subject to discussion with the local area manpower board, in the context of the programme's provisions for next year.

asked the Paymaster General in which towns in the Yorkshire Humberside region Restart counselling is available for those out of work for six months.

At present, restart interviews are offered to people reaching six months unemployment in nine pilot areas, one of which is Huddersfield. From April onwards, interviews for such people will be extended throughout the country.

Labour force survey data on employees1 in Great Britain
Thousands
Year/Ethnic origin	Aged 16–19				Aged 20–24				Aged 25 +
	Male		Female		Male		Female		Male		Female
	Full-time2	Part-time2	Full-time2	Part-time2	Full-time2	Part-time2	Full-time2	Part-time2	Full-time2	Part-time2	Full-time2	Part-time2
1979
White	966	39	811	72	1,513	10	1,013	112	9,927	221	3,289	3,445
Non-White of which:	32	*	23	*	58	*	38	*	352	*	137	53
West Indian/Guyanese	12	*	10	*	14	*	13	*	81	*	48	20
Indian	*	*	*	—	17	—	13	*	118	*	48	13
Pakistani/Bangladeshi	*	—	*	*	12	*	*	—	52	*	*	*
Other	*	*	*	*	15	*	11	*	101	*	38	19
All ethnic origins3	1,002	41	838	75	1,578	12	1,056	117	10,327	224	3,441	3,514
1981
White	816	117	703	176	1,357	16	1,014	115	9,037	261	3,163	3,413
Non-White of which:	22	*	22	*	52	*	41	*	321	*	146	50
West Indian/Guyanese	*	*	*	*	12	*	15	*	86	*	56	23
Indian	*	*	*	*	21	—	13	*	114	*	51	13
Pakistani/Bangladeshi	*	—	*	—	*	—	*	—	42	—	*	*
Other	*	*	*	*	13	*	11	*	78	24	33	14
All ethnic origins3	840	122	727	181	1,417	18	1,058	121	9,381	268	3,323	3,473
1983
White	714	108	591	189	1,338	24	1,049	119	8,594	215	3,049	3,181
Non-White of which:	21	*	14	*	51	*	49	*	326	*	150	54
West Indian/Guyanese	10	*	*	*	12	*	18	*	73	*	55	21
Indian	*	*	*	*	20	*	16	*	126	*	50	14
Pakistani/Bangladeshi	*	—	—	*	*	—	*	*	45	—	*	*
Other	*	*	*	*	12	*	14	*	82	*	42	18
All ethnic origins3	742	114	616	200	1,416	26	1,112	128	9,125	225	3,242	3,271
1984
White	740	157	619	224	1,367	39	1,048	159	8,578	240	3,073	3,452
Non-White of which:	15	*	19	*	52	*	38	*	313	*	164	63
West Indian/Guyanese	*	*	*	*	15	*	15	*	68	*	66	21
Indian	*	*	*	*	18	*	13	*	122	*	58	20
Pakistani/Bangladeshi	*	*	*	*	*	—	*	—	43	*	*	*
Other	*	—	*	*	11	*	*	*	80	*	37	18
All ethnic origins3	768	163	652	236	1,445	42	1,104	168	8,998	250	3,279	3,561
1985
White	630	152	554	239	1,441	38	1,093	173	8,578	222	3,098	3,503
Non-White of which:	15	*	14	*	51	*	33	*	314	*	154	68
West Indian/Guyanese	*	*	*	*	17	*	14	*	76	*	61	25
Indian	*	*	*	*	13	*	11	*	96	*	48	18
Pakistani/Bangladeshi	*	*	*	*	*	—	*	—	55	*	*	*
Other	*	*	*	*	14	*	*	*	87	*	43	24
All ethnic origins3	654	159	576	252	1,504	44	1,141	180	8,975	234	3,299	3,607

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report the number of full-time and part-time employees in the labour force in each employment region in (a) 1979, (b) 1981, (c) 1983, (d) 1984 and (e) 1985 aged 16 to 19 years, 20 to 24 years, and 25 years and over, showing separately males and females by the standard Department of Employment categories of ethnic origin.

The regular quarterly employees in employment series does not identify age or ethnic origin. The labour force survey provides information on a different basis but allows the above analyses. The available information for the years requested is given in the table below. Because of considerations of sample size, it is not possible to provide the information requested by region.

asked the Paymaster General if he will detail, ward by ward, the unemployment figures in Cunninghame district for 1979 and 1983; and what are the latest figures.

Following is the available information, which is also in the Library. The table shows the numbers of unemployed claimants in the electoral wards of Cunninghame local authority district for June 1983 and January 1987. The comparison is affected by seasonal factors and changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data. Statistics of unemployment for electoral wards are derived from the ward-based system and are available only from June 1983.

Electoral Ward	9 June 1983	8 January 1987
Ardrossan North	531	581
Ardrossan South	586	616
Arran	175	260
Beith	312	368
Bourtreehill	407	418
Broomlands	413	442
Dalry	298	321
Dreghorn	283	260
Fairlie, Skelmorlie and Cumbrae	141	250
Garnock East	259	281
Girdle Toll	239	260
Irvine North	442	506
Irvine Townhead	225	222
Irvine Vineburgh	649	596
Irvine West	406	394
Irvine Woodlands	461	535
Irvine Landward	231	242
Kilbirnie North	385	399
Kilbirnie South	405	467
Kilwinning East	503	581
Kilwinning South	533	615
Kilwinning West	289	304
Largs North	187	265
Largs South	121	195
Saltcoats East	547	520
Saltcoats North	507	501
South Beach	358	507
Stevenston North	622	574
Stevenston South	617	661
West Kilbride	260	330

asked the Paymaster General what is the present number of quarterly signers signing on at unemployment benefit offices in Cleveland at (a) Stockton: Bayheath house, Prince Regent street, (b) Stockton: Daryl house, Park terrace, (c) Billingham: Kingsway house, West precinct, (d) Guisborough: Morgan drive, (e) Guisborough: Loftus market place, (f) Hartlepool: Raby road, (g) Middlesbrough: 36 Grange road and (h) Middlesbrough: Crown house, Wilson street.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 February 1987]: The number of quarterly attenders signing at unemployment benefit offices in Cleveland at the offices listed is as follows:

		Number
(a)	STOCKTON 1 Bayheath House Prince Regent Street	572

asked the Paymaster General how many working days were lost through industrial disputes per 1,000 employees in employment in each of the years 1974 to 1986; and what was the average figure for working days lost due to industrial disputes per 1,000 employees in employment (a) between February 1974 and April 1979, and (b) between May 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available.

The number of working days lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes per thousand employees in employment, in each of the years 1974 to 1986, is shown in the table below. For the periods February 1974 to April 1979 and May 1979 to December 1986, the annualised averages of working days lost per thousand employees in employment were 427 and 494 respectively.

United Kingdom
Year	Working days lost per thousand employees1
1974	647
1975	265
1976	146
1977	449
1978	413

asked the Paymaster General, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil on 24 February concerning expenditure by the Manpower Services Commission on basic literacy and numeracy skills training, if he will publish a table showing a breakdown of such expenditure in 1986–87 by programme or type of provision, and an estimate of the number of persons receiving such training from each programme or type of provision in the year; and if he will make a statement.

The estimated figures for 1986–87 are as follows:

	Expenditure £ million	Number of trainees
Wider opportunities training programme	4·9	3,300
Voluntary projects programme	0·5	5,000

In addition, the community programme and YTS offer literacy and numeracy skills training. However no information is available on the level of expenditure or numbers involved in such training.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the number of persons in each recent year receiving training in basic skills of literacy and numeracy from provision made by local education authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Information in the form requested is not available centrally. The adult literacy and basic skills unit collects data about the number of people receiving tuition during a given week in each year. The information is as follows:

Tuition from LEAs during a week in	Number of adults
February 1979	57,640
February 1980	56,928
November 1980	63,359
November 1981	73,241
November 1982	176,830
November 1983	82,360
November 1984	84,596
November 1985	2104,016
1 Estimate based on projections from previous years.
2 This figure includes numbers of adults receiving tuition in English as a second language (collected separately for the first time in 1985).

These figures exclude adults receiving help with basic skills in penal establishments, through Manpower Services Commission programmes, or via voluntary organisations. Information about numeracy provision has been specifically requested only since 1981.

asked the Paymaster General what is the latest estimate of the cost of the restart scheme in (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland, (c) Strathclyde region and (d) Greenock and Port Glasgow.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1987, c. 339]: We estimate that in 1986–87 the cost of the restart programme in Great Britain will be around £53 million. The estimated cost for Scotland is around £5·5 million. It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the cost of the restart programme in either the Strathclyde region or Greenock and Port Glasgow.

asked the Paymaster General how much money is budgeted in the current financial year and for 1988–89 for Manpower Services Commission community programme schemes in (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland, (c) Strathclyde region, (d) the Renfrewshire, Dumbarton and Argyll area manpower board.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 February 1987, c. 193]: The Government are providing resources for the community programme amounting to £1,038 million in 1986–87, £1,120 million in 1987–88 and £1,145 million in 1988–89.The Manpower Services Commission does not prepare separate cash budgets for regions and areas. However, based on the proposed number of about 245,000 filled places nationally and Scotland's proposed allocation of about 31,000 places, it is estimated that expenditure attributable to Scotland will he about £128 million in 1986–87, and £141 million in 1987–88. Expenditure attributable to the Strathclyde region will be about £65 million in 1986–87 and within this figure, the amount for Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll will he about £21 million. Precise area figures for 1987–88 are not yet available because the planning procedure for determining the distribution of places within Scotland is still in progress.Figures below national level for 1988–89 are not available at this early stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider producing a circular to be sent to each local education authority providing guidelines for the conduct of the annual meeting of each school.

Section 31(4)(a) of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 provides for the proceedings at the annual parent's meeting to be under the control of the governing body. The Department's circular 8/86, a copy of which is in the Library, contains some guidance of the conduct of these meetings; copies were distributed to local education authorities and to governing bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from teachers or their unions about the conduct of school annual meetings.

At a meeting with my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold), representatives of the Secondary Heads Association expressed some concern about the conduct of annual parents' meetings in the event of prolonged and persistent criticism of a named individual teacher. They were referred to the guidance in circular 8/86, and agreed to consider the question later, in the light of experience of the first round of meetings.

asked the Attorney-General if he will take steps to ensure that all decisions of the special commissioners in tax cases are published as soon as they are made; and if he will make a statement.

In December, the Board of Inland Revenue published a consultative document canvassing the issues, and inviting further views, on recommendations made in 1983 by the Keith committee on enforcement powers of the Revenue departments, including its recommendations that selected decisions of the special commissioners of income tax should be reported in anonymised form. The matter will be considered further in the light of comments received on the consultative document.

asked the Attorney-General what specific measures he has taken to ensure that legal protection is afforded to Her Majesty's Government's computer purchase records subject to audit by United States Government inspectors in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

No such measures have been taken. There is no question of Her Majesty's Government's records being subject to inspection by United States officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific steps he has taken to ensure that computer purchase records relating to his Department are not made subject to audit by United States Government inspectors in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

No such measures are necessary. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made clear in his reply of 19 February to the hon. Member that he will not normally allow audit visits except where he is satisfied that a company wishes to maintain approved foreign consignee status and does not therefore wish the Government to reject an application for a visit. The purpose of any visit, if allowed, would be to check the procedures which United Kingdom firms choosing to use the distribution licence system agree to operate. A visit would only be permitted on conditions which safeguarded national security and commercial confidentiality, so that any computer purchase records relating to this Department would, if they raised such issues, be protected.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the (a) Czechoslovak and (b) Soviet authorities about the persecution of people solely on the basis of their religious beliefs.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) stressed our interest in human rights in discussions with the Czechoslovak authorities during his visit to Prague last month. In Moscow in January, he made clear to the Soviet authorities our concern about the persecution of religious believers. He referred particularly to the case of Mr. Alexander Ogorodnikov, who has now been released.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the names, political affiliations and backgrounds of people from South Africa who have visited the United Kingdom over the past two years on the invitation of or sponsoring or other kinds of arrangement with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the COI.

The only visitors to the United Kingdom from South Africa in the past two years for whom the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has had responsibility have been those who have come under the sponsored visitors scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to enable influential personalities from overseas to obtain first hand impressions of British policies and achievements and to discuss contemporary issues with a range of informed British opinion. The scheme is administered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is executed by the Central Office of Information, which is responsible for the setting up of the visitors' programmes.The list of visitors from South Africa under the scheme in the past two years numbers 44. 1 will write to the hon. Member with the list of names.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affair, what is the latest estimate of revenue from fishing licences in the Falkland Islands.

The Falkland Islands Government estimate that, by 1 March, they will have received approximately £10 million from fishing licences. Costs of implementation of the Falkland Islands interim conservation and management zone are estimated at £4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total public funds made available to the Scottish Tourist Board in cash and at current prices for each year since 1976; and what is planned for the year 1987–88.

The information is given in the table.

Expenditure on Scottish Tourist Board
	Cash £ million	At 1986–87 Prices £ million
1976–77	2·323	5·687
1977–78	2·802	6·027
1978–79	3·452	6·700
1979–80	4·215	7·010
1980–81	5·180	7·259
1981–82	6·117	7·783
1982–83	7·135	8·484
1983–84	8·104	9·228
1984–85	10·019	10·945
1985–86	8·673	8·933
11986–87	9·079	9·079
11987–88	9·057	8·731
1Budget provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what contribution was made by the South of Scotland Electricity Board to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's fast reactor research and development programme in each of the financial years 1985–86 and 1986–87; what is the expected South of Scotland electricity Board budget for this programme in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90; through whom this money is paid; and if the South of Scotland Electricity Board makes any contribution to fast reactor development programmes apart from that of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

Nursing Staff in Scotland by broad specialty group: whole time equivalents at 30 September
	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986
	WTE	WTE	WTE	WTE	WTE
All Nursing Staff	61,979·2	62,395·5	62,027·6	62,562·1	62,873·1
Hospital Staff	56,353·1	56,675·5	56,336·2	56,740·8	56,899·6
General	37,754·2	37,887·7	37,593·4	37,986·9	37,772·3
Mental Illness	10,149·2	10,133·8	10,196·1	10,370·1	10,723·5
Mental Handicap	3,653·6	3,736·9	3,686·9	3,711·2	3,756·1
Maternity	4,796·1	4,917·1	4,859·8	4,672·8	4,647·7
Non·hospital staff	5,626·1	5,720·0	5,691·4	5,821·3	5,973·5
Community	5,386·3	5,475·6	5,465·1	5,625·9	5,769·3
Other	239·8	244·4	226·3	195·4	204·2
The figures for 1986 are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify the planning and environmental precautions to which he will require the Ministry of Defence to adhere in connection with air and water borne discharges from the proposed nuclear refitting facility at the Rosyth naval dockyard.

Proposals by the Ministry of Defence for a nuclear submarine refitting facility at Her Majesty's naval base, Rosyth are presently before my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for determination, and consultations with interested parties continue. I cannot, therefore, anticipate what conclusions my right

I am advised by the South of Scotland Electricity Board that its contribution, via the Central Electricity Generating Board, to design and development work by the National Nuclear corporation on commerical scale fast reactors was £555,000 in 1985–86 and the expected outturn in 1986–87 is £587,000. The board expects to contribute £650,000 in the next financial year and a similar amount in subsequent years although the exact amounts are under discussion. In addition, the board has provided to UKAEA at Dounreay engineering support valued at £54,000 in 1985–86 and £26,000 in 1986–87. The board does not contribute to any other fast reactor work.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report, for the latest five years for which figures are available, the numbers of nurses, by specialty, employed by each health board.

For individual health boards the information by specialty is only available as at 30 September 1985 and 31 March 1986. This is contained in the September 1985 and March 1986 editions of Scottish Health Service Manpower, published by the information services division of the Scottish Health Service, Common Services Agency, copies of which are available in the Library. Previously, the information was not held centrally in this form and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The table below shows the number of nurses (in whole-time equivalents) in each specialty on an all-Scotland basis for the years 1982 to 1986.hon. and learned Friend will reach. Should he decide that the proposals should proceed, he will naturally take account of all relevant planning and environmental considerations in framing the terms of his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the latest pupil-teacher ratios for Scotland and for each local education authority (a) including and (b) excluding head teachers, in nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools and sixth form colleges.

The latest available information for education authority schools is set out in the table:

Pupil-Teacher Ratios in Education Authority Schools
	Nursery 1984		Primary 1985		Secondary 1985		Special 1984
	Including Head Teachers	Excluding Head Teachers	Including Head Teachers	Excluding Head Teachers	Including Head Teachers	Excluding Head Teachers	Including Head Teachers	Excluding Head Teachers
Borders	18·7	18·7	17·7	21·3	13·3	13 ·6	6·5	6·7
Central	24·8	32·9	19·3	21·4	13·8	14·0	5·7	6·8
Dumfries and Galloway	29·9	37·2	19·3	23·7	13·1	13·4	5·1	5·7
Fife	26·4	30·2	20·2	22·3	14·0	14·2	7·8	8·7
Grampian	16·4	18·4	19·3	22·0	13·6	13·8	5·9	6·6
Highland	18·3	21·2	18·7	23·5	12·9	13·2	6·7	7·5
Lothian	24·0	32·7	20·2	22·2	13·4	13·6	5·9	6·5
Strathclyde	29·6	55·3	21·6	23·8	13·7	14·0	6·4	7·8
Tayside	31·7	51·0	20·2	23·1	12 ·9	13·1	5·0	5·5
Orkney	14·2	14·2	15·9	20·1	11·7	12·3	110·9	1120·0
Shetland	19·4	19·4	14·4	18·3	10·5	11·1	10·7	10·7
Western Isles	—	—	17·3	24·8	10·7	11·4	5·8	8·4
All Scotland	26·0	37·8	20·4	23· 0	13·5	13·7	6·2	7·2
1 One Head Teacher and 0·1 teachers for 12 pupils.