asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to the number of hours of overtime worked, together with the annual costs, for each year since 1978 within H Division (Walsall) of the West Midlands police authority.

I understand from the chief constable of the west midlands that the information for each of the financial years 1978–79 to 1985–86 is as follows:

Financial year	Number of hours of overtime worked	Annual cost approximate
1978–79	73,330	1n.a.
1979–80	79,754	1n.a.
1980–81	77,705	370,000
1981–82	60,410	320,000
1982–83	49,721	300,000
1983–84	250,761	330,000
1984–85	345,119	320,000
1985–86	47,149	350,000
1986–87	439,250	310,000
1 Not available.
2 Does not include overtime in connection with policing the miners' dispute.
3 Does not include overtime in connection with the Handsworth disturbance.
4 Does not include overtime in connection with the Wolverhampton disturbance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands as to the number of police officers employed at H Division (Walsall) of the West Midlands police authority for each year since 1978, together with the authorised establishment.

The information requested has been obtained from the chief constable and is as follows:

H Division (Walsall)
On 31 December	Establishment1	Police strength
1978	423	384
1979	423	400
1980	423	419
1981	421	427
1982	419	429
1983	419	423
1984	419	413
1985	417	415
1986	424	408
On 31 March 1987	424	421
1 As set by the Chief Constable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently serving life sentences for murder; and what is the average cost per week of their upkeep.

On 28 February 1987, the latest date for which figures are readily available, it is estimated that 1,775 prisoners were serving life sentences for murder in prison department establishments in England and Wales. Detainees during Her Majesty's pleasure and persons sentenced to custody for life are included. Estimates of average costs per inmate are not available for specific types of prisoner but detailed information on average weekly costs for establishments was published in the "Report on the Work of the Prison Department 1985/86" (Cm. 11, appendix 3, tables E, F).

Lamond asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to deal with the rise in the number of acts of burglary over the past eight years.

We are aware that a number of chief officers of police, who are responsible for deciding how their available resources should be deployed. have decided to target "burglaries" in their strategies for 1987. But most burglaries are opportunist; some 25 per cent. do not even involve forced entry. There is therefore, much scope for preventive action to reduce their incidence and, in particular, for extending such crime prevention activity as the community programme crime prevention inititative, which is already responsible for 73 lock fitting schemes, and neighbourhood watch. In addition, the guidance notes issued by the British Standards Institution and the National House Building Council should help to ensure that new homes are built to a standard of security which will be a further deterrent to potential burglars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time now taken in dealing with an application for naturalisation.

Applications for naturalisation as a British citizen granted in March 1987 had taken an average of 16 months to complete. Very much less time is taken to complete applications for registration. Applications for registration completed in March 1987 had taken on average five months to complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received seeking amendments to the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929; and if he will make a statement.

In the last two months, we have received representations from five right hon. or hon. Members on behalf of constituents, and two letters from members of the public, about the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 and the recent court decision in the case of C v. S.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the date when new accommodation will be available at Leeds prison.

Two new living blocks are due to be started in August 1989 and to be completed in August 1991. These will provide an additional 476 places, but as the existing wings require refurbishing, the new blocks will be used in the first instance to accommodate prisoners from these wings, which will be decanted two at a time to allow the refurbishment to be undertaken. The refurbishment is at present planned to be carried out over a five-year period from November 1991 to December 1996.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide for a mandatory system of licensing of new audio and audio-visual recordings for broadcasting or public performance.

We see no necessity in view of the controls which already exist under broadcasting legislation, the Video Recordings Act 1984 and the Obscene Publications Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the playing of obscene, indecent or violent records by radio stations; and will make a statement.

None. The IBA and the BBC are responsible for ensuring that their respective broadcasting services meet acceptable standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the county constabularies which have complied with his Department's guidelines on the provisions and procedures for interviewing victims of rape;(2) if he will list the county constabularies which have not yet complied with his Department's guidelines on provision and procedures for interviewing victims of rape;(3) if he is satisfied with progress towards complying with his Department's guidelines to chief constables, in respect of provisions and procedures for interviewing victims of rape; and if he will make a statement.

The guidance contained in Home Office circular 69/1986 on violence against women was issued last October after consultations with chief officers of police and deals with operational matters which are their responsibility. We have no authority to issue instructions to chief officers in these matters but Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary discuss with them progress in implementing the circular's recommendations during the course of their annual inspections. The indications so far are that chief officers are responding positively to the circular"s recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police authorities that now have one-way viewing screens installed at police stations for the identification of suspects as provided for in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

The installation of screens for use in identification parades is a matter for individual police forces. No information about their numbers is held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions with local authorities and others he has had on contingency plans in the event of a nuclear war.

Plans against nuclear attack are part of a broad range of civil protection arrangements, which are the subject of frequent discussions between the Department, local authorities and other bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the comments sent him by Mr. Robert Kee on his decision announced in the House on 20 January to refer the Birmingham pub bombings case to the Court of Appeal, he will reconsider his decision not to make a similar reference of, or appoint an appropriate inquiry into, the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings case and that of Mrs. Anne Maguire, the late Patrick "Guiseppe" Conlan and their co-defendants.

We have already said that we are considering a number of matters raised in Yorkshire Television's "First Tuesday" programme on 3 March, and other material sent to us about the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings case. We have asked the chief constable of Surrey constabulary for his comments on a specific point which has been raised about the case of Mrs. Anne Maguire and her co-defendants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cumbria as to, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Chapelcross (a) what evacuation time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the most populated 22½ deg sector from the power station out to (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles, (b) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the population within (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles of the power station, (c) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of the population of Carlisle, (d) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of high risk groups from Carlisle, (e) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of low mobility groups from Carlisle, and (f) what time estimates have been made for the distribution of potasium iodate tablets to the population of Carlisle; and if he will arrange for the basis and calculation of any such time estimates to be placed in the Library.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 April 1987, c. 130]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Energy on 22 April at column 550.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimate of the value of the housing stock in England and Wales in April 1986 and of the percentage increase in value since then; what are the comparable rateable values; and what is his estimate of the amount collected in rates on dwellings in the year 1986–87.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the levels of nitrogen dioxide at roadside monitoring sites in London; and what information he has about comparable EEC air quality standards.

The results of kerbside monitoring in London of levels of nitrogen dioxide are published annually as a supplement to the "Digest of Environmental Projection and Water Statistics" and placed in the Library of the House. Data over the last four years for kerbside site 1 are given here and include figures for 1985 due to be published in May.

NO2, Concentrations Expressed as Parts Per Billion
	1982	1983	1984	1985
Annual Average	46	65	49	48
Maximum Monthly 99th Percentile of hourly average concentrations	220	330	158	200

Monitoring for the purposes of EEC directive 85/203/EEC, air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide, should be as far as possible representative of the individual risk of exceeding the limit value. (98th percentile of hourly average NO

Finsberg asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any request from the London borough of Camden under the 1984 advertising regulations for power to control estate agents boards; and if he will make a statement.

No; I have received no such request. Regulation 15(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1984 enables the local planning authority to make representations to my right hon. Friend in favour of a direction that the provisions of regulation 14 for display, with "deemed consent", of certain types of outdoor advertisement (including estate agents' boards) shall not apply in a particular area or case. My right hon. Friend will naturally consider any such request which the council of the London borough of Camden may submit to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if any research has been undertaken into public attitudes to radioactive waste management.

The Social Community Planning Research Council has today published a report, "Radioactive Waste Disposal: The Public's View", of research commissioned by my Department, involving a study of public perceptions of, and attitudes to, radioactive waste management in England and Wales. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the first rate support grant supplementary report 1978–88 will be published.

I have laid this report before the House today.The main purpose of the report is to honour the undertaking given on 30 October in the House of Commons by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education to increase the expenditure provision for local authorities by £460 million and block grant by £183 million to cover the increased cost of school teachers' pay. The report would also make a small number of changes to authorities' grant-related expenditure assessments to take account of new information on capital allocations for personal social services and waste disposal, and boundary changes made on 1 April 1986 and 1 April 1987.My Department is sending a copy of the report and tables showing exemplifications of likely revised grant entitlements to all local authorities and the local authority associations. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House of Commons and in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the interim results of the survey of the quality of bathing waters he announced on 3 December 1985; and if, in the light of these results, he is satisfied with the quality of the United Kingdom's bathing waters.

[pursuant to his answer, 9 April 1987, c. 388]: The results for the 1986 bathing season of the survey which I announced on 18 December 1985, are now available, and are set out in summary form for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The opportunity has been taken to include results for the extra waters included in my announcement of 3 February and also for two further waters.The individual results indicate compliance with the bacteriological parameters total and faecal coliforms specified by the bathing water directive. They show that 228 out of 368 bathing waters in England, Northern Ireland and Wales — 62 per cent. — meet the directive's standards, although I am advised that the conclusions, drawn only from the first year's monitoring results, should be regarded as provisional.Nevertheless, the results are encouraging and indicate that with the improvement schemes now being undertaken or planned by water authorities, we are well on the way towards achieving our target that all identified waters should meet the directive's standards.I shall arrange for a more detailed summary of the results to be placed in the Library. The results will also be sent to the Commission in accordance with article 13 of the bathing water directive.

Bathing Waters Survey—1986 Results (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) Compliance with Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC): Coliform Standards
	Results
Northumbrian Water Authority
Spittal	Fail
Bamburgh-Seahouses	Pass
Beadnell Bay	Pass
Low Newton	Pass
Alnmouth	Pass
Warkworth	Pass
Druridge	Pass
Newbiggin	Fail
South Beach-Seaton Sluice (incomplete returns)	Fail
Whitley Sands (incomplete returns)	Pass
Tynemouth (incomplete returns)	Fail
South Shields	Fail
Marsden (incomplete returns)	Pass
Whitburn-Roker	Pass
Seaham (incomplete returns)	Fail
Crimdon	Fail
Seaton Carew	Fail
Redcar	Fail
Saltburn Pier	Fail
Yorkshire Water Authority
Staithes (no results available)	—
Runswick Bay	Pass
Sandsend	Pass
Whitby	Pass
Robin Hoods Bay	Pass
Scarborough North Bay	Pass
Scarborough South Bay	Fail
Cayton Bay	Pass
Filey	Pass
Reighton	Pass
Flamborough North Landing	Pass
Flamborough South Landing	Fail
Bridlington North Beach	Pass
Bridlington South Beach	Pass
Wilsthorpe	Pass
Fraisthorpe	Pass
Earl's Dyke	Pass
Barmston	Pass
Skipsea	Pass
Hornsea	Pass
Tunstall	Pass
Withernsea	Fail
Anglian Water Authority
Cleethorpes	Fail
Mablethorpe, Town	Pass
Sutton-on-sea	Fail
Moggs Eye	Pass
Anderby	Pass
Chapel St. Leonard	Pass
Ingoldmells, South	Pass
Skegness	Pass
North Beach, Heacham	Pass
Old Hunstanton	Pass
Wells (Incomplete Returns)	Fail
Sheringham (Incomplete Returns)	Fail
Cromer (Incomplete Returns)	Pass
Mundesley (Incomplete Returns)	Pass
Great Yarmouth Cg (Incomplete Returns)	Pass
Great Yarmouth Pier (Incomplete Returns)	Fail
Great Yarmouth Hospital (Incomplete Returns)	Fail
Lowestoft N Beach (Incomplete Returns)	Fail

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to take account

The statement to which the hon. Member refers related to mineral working in national parks. Our policy on this was set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Norris) on 9 April 1987, at column 393–94. On other types of development, our policy is that development control policies should be more stringent in national parks than in the countryside generally. This is reflected in the relevant structure plans which have been approved by my right hon. Friend and which, with the general policy, must he taken into account in individual cases wherever they are material considerations. The appeal to which the hon. Member refers will be determined on its merits, having regard to all the material considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has had discussions with the West Yorkshire residuary body about how much has been expended to date on the advertising for the sale of county hall, Wood street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

No. This is a matter for the West Yorkshire residuary body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report for each local authority in England in order of magnitude (a) its increase in block grant from 1986–87 to 1987–88, in percentage terms, together with the entitlements for each year in millions, (b) its increase in total expenditure from 1986–87 to 1987–88 in percentage terms together with the expenditure figures for each year in £ millions and (c) its 1987–88 block grant as a percentage of its 1987–88 total expenditure, on the basis, in each case, of the 1986–87 figures used in the First Supplementary Report.

The information requested by the hon. Gentleman has been made available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 8 April, Official Report, column 257, whether he will publish in the Official Report (a) figures on the same basis for the metropolitan districts and (b) figures on the same basis for the London boroughs excluding rate support grant for the Metropolitan police from both years.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 April 1987]; The figures requested at (a) have been placed in the Library. As explained in the notes to my answer of 8 April, Official Report, column 257, in 1981–82 metropolitan police entitlements were paid direct to the rating authorities so the comparison sought at (b) is not possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent evidence he has that Nicaragua is supporting guerrilla movements in neighbouring countries.

Nicaraguan leaders have advocated the spread of revolution to other Latin American states. We have no reason to doubt reports and complaints by neighbouring democratically elected Governments that Nicaragua supports guerrilla groups who have taken up arms against them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stage the Contadora process in central America has now reached; and what further action Her Majesty's Government intend to take to help it to a successful conclusion.

Contadora and Support Group Foreign Ministers recently expressed support for the Costa Rican peace proposals, as a means of restarting the Contadora negotiations, and for the summit of central American Presidents in Esquipulas, at which the proposals will be considered further. We and our European partners continue to urge all the countries of the region to persevere in their efforts to reach a negotiated solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the European Economic Community following the recent ban by the Republic of Ireland on purchases of duty-free goods in Northern Ireland: and if he will make a statement;(2) what representations he has made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland following its recent restriction on residents purchasing duty-free goods in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The restriction of duty-free allowances announced by the Irish Finance Minister on 31 March appears to be inconsistent with EC legislation. On 2 April, the Government accordingly asked the Commission what action it planned to take. On 14 April, the Commission indicated that it intended to open infraction proceedings against the Irish Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is continuing to monitor the situation regarding Oscar Rojas Cuellar, who disappeared on his return to Chile from the United Kingdom in 1981.

Yes; but neither Her Majesty's embassy in Santiago nor the Chilean Vicaria de la Solidaridad human rights group has any fresh evidence about Senor Rojas' case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chilean Government on the case of Ledy Castro Urra, formerly employed at Exeter university and now detained without trial in Chile.

We have no formal standing to intervene with the Chilean Government on behald of Senora Castro. However, we monitor her case closely and make clear to the Chilean authorities our concerns about continuing violations of human rights, as for example on 12 March when we supported a consensus resolution at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) of 21 January, Official Report, column 592, if he will now list the visits made by British diplomats to human rights organisations in Chile in 1986 and 1987.

No central record of such visits is available. Her Majesty's embassy staff have frequent and varied contact with human rights organisations in Chile through visits and meetings, social encounters and telephone conversations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make it his policy to seek assurances from the Chilean Government that exiles returning from the United Kingdom will not be subject to intimidation, imprisonment, torture or murder;(2) if his Department intends to monitor the situation of exiles from Chile who have been resident in United Kingdom now returning to Chile.

Her Majesty's embassy in Santiago has already sought such assurances from the Chilean authorities. We shall monitor closely the experience of returning exiles, following the welcome removal of most names from the list of those officially banished. We shall also continue to press the Chilean Government for the full restoration of fundamental human rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has been approached over the past three months for advice from Chilean exiles resident in the United Kingdom who are considering returning to Chile.

We have received two such approaches.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many specific cases of human rights abuse he has raised with the Governments of (a) the Soviet Union, (b) Romania, (c) Poland, (d) Czechoslovakia, (e) East Germany and (f) Hungary in the last three years; and if he will list the names of the persons involved.

Several hundred human rights and personal cases have been raised with the countries concerned, though none with Hungary, over the past three years. Lists of such cases are not kept and could only be produced at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he raised the subject of the implications for Anglo-United States relations of unitary taxation at his meeting with the Governor of California on Monday 13 April; and if he will make a statement.

Unitary taxation was discussed during my right hon. and learned Friend's meeting with the Government of California. The governor was told of our hopes for further reform of California's unitary taxation. He invited the United Kingdom private sector to put its views to the California franchise tax board.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the de-oxyribosc nuclei acid pilot scheme now taking place in the sub-continent is being confined to Pakistan and Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

DNA testing in immigration cases is useful only if the claim depends on a parent-child relationship which is not proved by existing procedures. The only outstanding cases at the time of the pilot scheme involved people already in the United Kingdom, or these two countries. We recognise, however, that DNA testing is potentially of value in considering applications from other countries. Decisions on the incorporation of DNA testing into our immigration control procedures will be made in the light of the outcome of the pilot scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement on forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

The usual forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present, nine meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for May.The Fisheries Council will meet on 5 May and is likely to discuss annual catch quotas for the North Atlantic Fisheries Organisation; fishing rights in the Svalbard region; fish import policy and EC aid for fisheries control facilities.The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 11 May. It is expected that the agenda will include the Commission's recent proposals on the future financing of the Community, the reference framework for the 1988 Community budget, and directives on prospectuses to be published when securities are offered to the public and mutual recognition of listing particulars for admission of securities to official stock exchange listing.The Education Council will meet on 14 May. The agenda is not yet available, but it is likely to include discussion of the ERASMUS student mobility programme.The Health Council is to meet on 15 May. It will discuss the draft conclusions on appropriate use of medicinal products, implementation of the emergency health card, the Europe against cancer programme and AIDS.The Agriculture Council will meet on 18/19 May to continue its discussions on the 1987 price-fixing proposals, which will include reviews of the green currency system and the oils and fats regime.The Development Council will meet on 21 May to discuss public awareness of development issues, the implementation of Lomé 3, action against AIDS, environment and development and preparation for UNCTAD 7.The Environment Council meets on 21 May. The agenda will include large combustion plants, vehicle emissions and leaded petrol, the export of dangerous chemicals, chlorofluorocarbons, the ACE programme of community action relating to the Environment, and the discharge of dangerous substances in the aquatic environment.The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 25–26 May. Discussions will cover the future financing of the Community; Community relations with Japan and the United States; progress of the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations; moves towards closer cooperation between the EC and EFTA and relations with Latin America. A meeting of the EC/Tunisia Co-operation Council will also be held in the margins of the Council.The Labour and Social Affairs Council will meet on 26 May. Ministers are expected to consider a decision on youth training, conclusions on adult training and a communication on protective legislation for women.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting of the Western European Union Foreign and Defence Ministers in Luxembourg on 27 April.

WEU Ministers at Luxembourg on 27–28 April held a useful exchange of views on subjects of concern to Europe in the security field. Our main focus was on East-West relations and arms control, particularly INF. We discussed the implications for security of Soviet proposals to eliminate intermediate-range systems down to a range of 500 km. Decisions on this question will be taken in the Alliance, but Ministers stressed that western security must continue to be based on an appropriate mix of conventional and nuclear forces which together provide a credible deterrent to aggression. They also agreed that the presence of United States nuclear forces and United States troops in Europe remains indispensible for the security of the whole alliance and that reductions in nuclear weapons would increase the importance of removing the conventional superiority of the Warsaw pact and eliminating chemical weapons. Ministers underlined that a successful outcome of the current East-West negotiations depends on the continued solidarity between Europe and the United States. On other matters, Ministers agreed that work should continue on the development of a set of principles for European security which should be examined at our autumn meeting, with a view to possible publication. Ministers approved further study of the WEU institutional structure, particularly that of the Paris agencies, including the question of possible co-location. They also held an informal exchange of views on the Assembly budget, and on WEU enlargement.A copy of the communiqué of the meeting has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the expenditure per pupil in the local education authority area of the county of Shropshire for each year from 1978–79.

The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many grants have been given to astronomers and to the institutions within which they work for visits to use telescopes in South Africa since the Science and Engineering Research Council suspended the agreement with the South African Government on joint management of the South African astronomical observatory.

The Science and Engineering Research Council has awarded five research grants to provide for seven United Kingdom observers to visit South Africa to use the telescopes since the agreement was suspended on 30 June 1986. The grants were awarded to four different universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision the Government have made for funding the cost of advertising of governors' meetings, provision of public facilities and production of reports for parents, including the cost of providing translations, where needed.

The plans for local authority current spending on education for 1987–88 represent a cash increase of nearly 19 per cent. over those for last year. This level of provision should enable authorities to absorb without difficulty any additional expenditure arising, from the Education (No. 2) Act 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how many staff have been made redundant both voluntarily and compulsorily by the Freshwater Biological Association in the last two years; what redundancies are proposed for the current financial year; and what percentage of the total staff each figure represents.

No compulsory redundancies have occurred at the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) in the years 1986–87 and 1985–86. Two individuals took voluntary premature retirement in 1986–87 and five in 1985–86. The voluntary retirements represent 2·9 per cent. and 4·5 per cent. of the respective staff in post figures (104·5 1986–87 and 112 1985–86).I understand that the FBA council has proposed that there should be losses of between 25 and 30 staff in the financial year 1987–88. This represents between 25·3 per cent. and 30·5 per cent. of the current staff in post figure of 98·5.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria are used by the Natural Environmental Research Council in deciding to reduce the grant-in-aid awarded to a particular research body; what weight the Natural Environment Research Council attaches to the ability of such bodies to attract commissioned research funding from the private and public sectors; and if he will make a statement.

The NERC policy for the allocation of funds between the various bodies which it supports is set out in the NERC corporate plan, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Current policy includes increasing the council's support of universities. The funding of all the council's instutute and grant-aided associations is being reduced as a consequence.NERC establishments are permitted to retain the whole of any commission research income earned and are encouraged to increase this source of funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to implement the commitment to environmental research, with particular reference to freshwater biology, expressed in its response to the World Conservation Strategy report, contained in the document "Conservation and Development—The British Approach"; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what priority Her Majesty's Government

	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
Grant-in-aid (£,000)	1,634	1,724	1,595	1,622	1,955
CRI (£,000)	489	428	460	617	848
Total Income (£,000)	2,123	2,152	2,055	2,239	2,803
Percentage of CRI included in total income	23·0	19·9	22·4	27·6	30·3

The grant-in-aid for 1987–88 has yet to be finally decided, but it is expected to be about £1,443,000 at 1986–87 prices. This represents a reduction of 26 per cent. over the total grant-in-aid for 1986–87. However, the grant-in-aid for 1986–87 contained £300,000 for the net capital cost of the move of the culture collection of algae and protozoa from Cambridge to the FBA's Windermere station. After taking this into account, the reduction is 13 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Medical Research Council projects have been alpha-rated in each of the last three years; and what is the estimate for 1987–88.

The number of new project grant applications alpha rated by the Medical Research Council has been as follows:

Academic year
1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
473	440	439

The figure for the current award year 1986–87 will not be available until August. It is not possible to make estimates for future award years.