To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the comparative nuclear, conventional and chemical weapons' levels of NATO and the Warsaw pact.

Comparisons of NATO and Warsaw pact nuclear and conventional forces are published annually in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates".While there is broad parity at the strategic level of nuclear forces, the Warsaw pact continues to enjoy a significant advantage in the intermediate and short-range categories.The Soviet Union also commands the world's largest, most comprehensive and advanced capability for chemical and toxic agent warfare. The United Kingdom abandoned its chemical weapons capability in the 1950s and the United States produced no chemical weapons between 1969 and 1987. However, this unilateral restraint by the West has not been matched by the Soviet Union. It was against this background that the United States began its modernisation programme to replace its own aging stocks with binary weapons stationed on United States territory.As regards conventional forces, the Warsaw pact enjoys massive numerical superiority, and these forces are deployed so as to enable them to initiate surprise attack and large scale offensive action. They also have the potential to bring forward massive land-based reinforcements across relatively short distances. By contrast, NATO is faced with the need for many of its reinforcements to cross the Atlantic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the number of his Department's staff at grade 2 and grade 3 who have received discretionary pay awards, the proportion of staff in receipt of the awards with the average amount by grade, and the total expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

The Department made three awards at grade 2 level and 11 awards at grade 3 level in October 1987 representing 25 per cent. and 20 per cent. respectively of the total numbers in each grade. Payments were made in the form of increments of £2,500 to grade 2 and £2,000 to grade 3. Expenditure on the basis described would be £29,500 in a full year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if executive officers, higher executive officers and senior executive grades in his Department are being considered for a pay increase similar to the discretionary awards paid to grades 2 and 3 in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Pay for these grades is negotiated centrally by Her Majesty's Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the results to date in terms of (a) contracts and (b) jobs of the memoranda of understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom in connection with the strategic defence initiative.

The value of SDI research awards so far won by British organisations is about US $60 million, spread over 65 contracts. It is not known what results this business has led to in terms of jobs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will summarise such details as he is able to provide of the memoranda of understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom in connection with the strategic defence initiative.

The information requested is set out in "UK Participation in the US SDI Research Programme — Guidelines", issued by the Ministry of Defence in May 1986. A copy was placed in the Library of the House at that time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was (a) the percentage and (b) the amount by which his Department's equipment budget was not foreseen (i) when projects started and (ii) when projects entered full development; and if he will supply this information for current projects and for the past five years.

Reliable information is not available in the form requested. Some attempts have been made to establish the degree of cost and time increase between earliest and current estimates for selected major projects, but no simple unarguable correlation exists between these figures and the total equipment budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether prior approval was given for the text of the lecture given by Detective Chief Inspector Robert Broome of the Ministry of Defence police, at the faculty of law, university of Southampton on 9 December 1987: and if he will make a statement.

Detective Chief Inspector Broome took part in an informal, in-house discussion held in the university by members and students of the faculty. There was no script. However, before accepting such an invitation he should have obtained the prior approval of the chief constable. He did not do so, and accordingly has been seen by the chief constable to be given formal advice in accordance with force standing orders, as to his future conduct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

Details of management and computer consultancy contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence during 1987 are as follows:

Management consultancy contracts
Firm	Subject of Assignment
Arthur Young	Study into Vacant Married Quarters and Disposals
Arthur Young	Review of Ex-Works Transport
Arthur Young	Consultancy Assistance on Transport Matters
Colebrook Evans and McKenzie	Machinery Valuation at the Director of Military Survey, Feltham
College of Maritime Studies	Manpower Utilisation Study, Consultancy Assistance with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Study into the Functions and Activities of the Stores and Clothing Development Establishments.
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Study into Asset Management in the Chief of Fleet Support Area
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Consultancy Assistance for IT Effectiveness and IT Technical Audits
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Study into Spares Procurement for the Master General of the Ordnance and the Quartermaster General
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Study into Spares Procurement for Director General of Supplies and Transport (Naval)
Harold Whitehead and Partners	Productivity Scheme Review at Royal Ordnance Factory, Cardiff
Harold Whitehead and Partners	Productivity Scheme Review at RAF St. Altham
Harold Whitehead and Partners	Review of the Senior Management Structure of the Royal Navy Stores
Harold Whitehead and Partners	Assistance with the Review of the RAF Maintenane Executive
Harold Whitehead and Partners	Productivity Schemes Review of Central Ordnance Depot, Bicester
Hunting Engineering Ltd.	Consultancy to Study the Relationship between Aircraft Fleet Size and Availability
John Brown Tourism	Study into the Future. Presentation of HMS Victory
N. M. Rothschild and Sons Ltd.	Merchant Bank Advisor for the Royal Ordnance Factories
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Study into Tri-Star Long Term Support
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Assistance with the Quarter Master General's Equipment Maintenance Study
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Study to Review Consumable Stores Management—Director General Aircraft (Navy)
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Feasibility of a Science Park at Royal Signals and Research Establishment
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Phase 2 of the Rotables Study—Director General Aircraft (Navy)
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Consultancy Study to Define a Repair Policy Analysis Methodology—Director General Aircraft (Navy)
PA Consulting Services Ltd.	Rosyth Dockyard Commercial Material Systems
PIRA	Study into the Replacement of Internal Survey Equipment at the Director of Military Survey Feltham
Price Waterhouse	Consultancy Support for Director General Ship Refitting Corporate Development
Price Waterhouse	Resource Management in United Kingdom Land Forces
Price Waterhouse	Business Systems Support to Subships at Devonport

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Civil Aviation Authority in relation to the replacement of the Sea King helicopters by a squadron of Wessex helicopters at the air sea rescue base at RAF Coltishall, with particular reference to the mechanical aspects of the different capabilities of the Wessex and the Sea King in their air sea rescue role; and if he will make a statement.

None. There is no requirement for military aircraft to be licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the poor weather flying and long-range operation capability of the Wessex helicopter in relation to air-sea rescue duties in the North sea; what is the equivalent capability of the Sea King helicopter; and if he will make a statement.

The Sea King's more sophisticated avionics and flight control system, longer range and extra capacity makes it a more capable all-weather aircraft than the Wessex. However, the Wessex remains capable of performing rescue operations in most weather conditions, including at night, where there is sufficient visibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards achieving a formal financial agreement between his Department and the Department of Health and Social Security Service for the treatment of National Health Service patients in United Kingdom hospitals.

A financial arrangement between the two Departments has just been concluded. Essentially, the MOD will continue to treat NHS patients in service hospitals up to a specified baseline, broadly equating to the defence training requirement and accept the cost as a charge to Defence Votes. Any spare capacity above that baseline will be identified and offered to health authorities on a marginal extra cost basis to relieve NHS waiting lists and maximise the contribution of service hospitals to civilian health care. The national arrangement is a framework which sets out guidelines within which local contracts and planning agreements between service hospitals and health authorities will be promoted. Its implementation will depend on the active co-operation of health authorities and service hospitals. Both my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health and I will do all that we can to encourage this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the scrutiny report "Defence Procurement, Learning from Experience"; and if he will make a statement.

My noble Friend has decided that this report need no longer carry a privacy marking restricting its circulation. Accordingly, copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House, together with a paper indicating how its recommendations are to be implemented.The report's recommendations, in the words of its authors, represent

To ask the Prime Minister whether., pursuant to her answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 20, she was aware in assessing Biwaters reputation as worthy of her support in Malaysia, that Biwaters had not by then successfully completed a major water project anywhere and had twice appeared in Nigerian courts for alleged poor performance; and if she will make a statement.

The support given to Biwater, in relation to the Malaysian rural water supply project reflected our assessment that the company was fully capable of implementing the contract. Completion of the project in Niger state by Biwater represents the first request to come from the Nigerian Government for finance under the recently agreed Export Credits Guarantee Department package.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Cabinet Office in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

The management and computer consultancy contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office, in the calendar year 1987, are as follows:

Firm	Assignment
BGM Consultants	Identification of core skills in clerical grades
Diane Bailey Associates	Preparation of a Stress Management Training Pack
ITS Ltd	Guide to conducting Training Reviews
Systems Concepts Ltd	Training Information Communications Study—Feasibility Study
John Childs	Training Information Communications Study—Customer needs survey

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the documents and objects which he has specified as of sufficient interest to warrant preservation under section 144(7) of the Transport Act 1968; (a) generally and (b) relating to the former Great Western railway;(2) what transfers of records, relics or premises have been made under section 144(1)(a) of the Transport Act 1968;(3) what is his policy on the acquisition and preservation of railway records, relics and premises under section 144 of the Transport Act 1968; and what steps have been taken to identify, locate and assess such records, relics and premises.

I am arranging for inquiries to be made and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

The Department awarded the following contracts to management and computer consultancy firms during the calendar year 1987:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish details of his decisions on the levels of student grants for the 1988-89 academic year.

The main rates of student grant for the 1988-89 academic year were announced on 18 December 1987, at column 759. Reductions in assessed parental contributions to compensate for the ending of tax relief on non-charitable covenants have also been announced. In addition, I announced on 24 February, at column 213, the Government's decision to amend the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations so that international degree courses will no longer require specific designation for awards purposes.I am publishing today all the supplementary grant rates for 1988-89. Details have been placed in the Library. There will also be some further minor changes to the grant arrangements, including an increase in the disregard of orphans' trust income and a new disregard of the first £2,000 of all pension income in the calculation of student income.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the increase in public spending on the science base between 1987-88 and 1988-89 (a) after allowing for general inflation and (b) in cash terms.

After allowing for general inflation, as measured by the GDP deflator, there will be an increase of about 2 per cent. in expenditure on the science base between 1987-88 and 1988-89. The increase in expenditure in cash terms between the two years is about 6 per cent. These figures should be substituted for those quoted by my right hon. Friend in the debate on British science on 29 February at column 720.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to housing development and the Guinness Trust to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

As I told Mr. Cohen, the chief executive of the Guinness Trust, in my letter to him of 13 November 1987, I am happy to give my support to the trust's proposal for such an exhibition.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Property Services Agency in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

The following consultancies were let in 1987:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

Central records are collected annually after the end of the financial year. The latest available returns therefore cover 1986-87.The contracts awarded to management or computing consultants by the Department of the Environment in the financial year 1986-87 were as follows:

Management consultancy contracts
Firm	Subject of Assignment
DOE (Central)
CACI Ltd.	1984 Labour Force Estimates
Coopers and Lybrand	Study of Accounting Framework
Coopers and Lybrand	Teesside UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study
Coopers and Lybrand	Business Plan for Thamesmead Town
Dames and Moore International	Hazard Assessment of Landfill Operations
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Advice on Implementation of New Financial Regimes for New Towns
Digital (DEC)	Installation of Software
Ecotec Research and Consulting Ltd.	Black County UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study
Ecotec Research and Consulting Ltd.	Assessment of Demand for Geographic Information in the Private Sector
Frazer Williams (London) Ltd.	Training Division Administrative Computing System
Imbucon/Landuse Consultants	Hyde Park Study
I.T.R.U.	Training Needs Analysis
Landuse Consultants	Advice on Spoil Disposal
Landuse Consultants	Hampton Court Palace—Restoration of Lime Avenue
Landuse Consultants	Richmond Park Tree Planting Scheme
McDonnell Douglas Information Systems Ltd.	Additional Support AB Application Software
MSL International	Headhunters—UDC Chief Executives
MUA Systemica	Migration Component of the Official Sub-National Population for Projection
Negus and Negus	Tower of London Signs Survey
Pactel	Capacity Planning for Romney House Computer Bureau
Peter Peregrinus	Processing information for ENRIP/ERIB database
Pinpoint Analysis	Local Authority Planning Performance and Land-use Change Statistics
Price Waterhouse	Management Training at RTCC
Price Waterhouse	Training in Presentational Skills and Dealing with the Media
Price Waterhouse	Tyne and Wear UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study
Roger Tym and Partners	Evaluation of Derelict Land Grand Systems
Roger Tym and Partners	Trafford Park UDC—headed consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Study
Russell Reynolds and Associates	Headhunters—SW Water Authority Chairmanship
Schlackmans	Royal Palaces Market Research

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had on the terms of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Bill since it received Royal Assent; when he expects the new authority to be operational; and if he will make a statement.

Royal Assent to the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 was signified on 15 March. Under the Act's provisions my right hon. Friend is empowered to make an order specifying the date on which the new Broads Authority will be constituted as soon as not less than 27 of the 33 appointments required to be made (under section 1(3)(a) and (b) of the Act) by my right hon. Friend and the 12 other appointing authorities have been duly made. Those authorities have all been invited to inform the Department as soon as their appointments have been made. Consultations have also been initiated with the various interested bodies about the nine appointments which my right hon. Friend is required to make, and suggestions are now being received.My right hon. Friend intends to make an order establishing the new authority as soon as all the necessary appointments have been made. As I informed the House on 29 February, during consideration of Lords amendments, it is intended that the "operative date", on which the new authority will assume all its executive functions, will be 1 April 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report for each highway authority in England and Wales the amount by which it either underspent or overspent the proportion of its GRE allowed for highway maintenance in the last year for which figures are available.

Following is the information requested for highway authorities in England:

1985-86 overspend on highway maintenance for highway authorities
	£ million
City of London	2·684
Camden	1·606
Greenwich	1·154
Hackney	-0·471
Hammersmith and Fulham	1·514
Islington	-0·350
Kensington and Chelsea	1·187
Lambeth	-0·840
Lewisham	1·101
South wark	·935
Tower Hamlets	2·808
Wandworth	-0·087
Westminster	4·387
Barking and Dagenham	-0·250

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce a decision on the appeal made by Mr. and Mrs. John Baybutt of The Copping, Hundred End land, Hesketh Bank, Lancashire against the refusal of Lancashire county council to delete footpath 66 North Meols from the definitive map; and if he will make a statement.

The decision on this appeal was issued on Tuesday 29 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has following the case David Rubenstein v. the Secretary of State for the Environment, to seek to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to give power to his Department to delete footpaths from the definitive map; and if he will make a statement.

The implications of this judgment are receiving careful consideration and a further statement will be made as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, by local authority area, the numbers of schoolchildren taught to swim by amateur swimming clubs in each year since 1979;(2) if he will list by name the number of publicly owned sport and leisure facilities within each local authority area;(3) what information he has on the percentage of publicly owned swimming pools which are open for use between 6 and 8 am

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the training facilities available to swimmers and athletes (a) of Olympic standard and (b) of national competition standard, in the light of the responses he has received to the consultation exercise on competition in the management of local authority sports and leisure facilities.

No such information came to light in the process of the consultation exercise. However, I understand that there are a substantial number of facilities countrywide at which swimmers and athletes of all abilities can train.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name, and list by local authority area, those publicly owned sport and leisure facilities currently under private management.

I am not aware of any comprehensive list of such facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement about the future management of publicly owned sports and leisure facilities.

We have received more than 350 responses to the consultation paper which set out our proposal to bring compulsory competition to the management of local authority sport and leisure facilities. These are now receiving careful consideration. I expect to be able to make an announcement about our decisions before the summer recess.As my hon. Friend's answer today to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) said, if we decide to go ahead with compulsory competition for the management of sport and leisure facilities, implementation will be delayed beyond the 1 August 1989 date applicable to the other activities in the Local Government Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the responses he has received from amateur sporting bodies in respect of the consultation exercise on competition in the management of local authority sports and leisure facilities.

We have written to all the respondents to the consultation exercise seeking their agreement to publish their replies. When we have confirmation that they have no objections we shall place copies of their responses in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet decided which questions on race relations matters should be specified for the purposes of section 18 of the Local Government Act 1988.

Following consultation with the Commission for Racial Equality, the Confederation of British Industry, the local authority associations and other interested bodies, I have decided that the questions and description of evidence specified under section 18(5) of the Local Government Act 1988 should be as follows:LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1988-SECTION 18(5)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer of 13 January, Official Report, column 278, he will give the total numbers of individuals gaining and losing on a regional basis from the poll tax, as derived from figures 6 and 9 of the accompanying note.

Estimates of gainers and losers can be made only for households or tax units. Estimates on both these bases and at regional level were contained in the figures published on 13 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the responses to the document entitled "Appeals and Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals", published by his Department on 10 November 1987.

We have received 122 responses to the consultation document. A summary of the views expressed has been placed in the Libraries of the House, together with copies of those responses where we have the respondents' permission to publish their views.The consultation document set out the Government's proposals for the constitution and procedures of valuation and community charge tribunals, which will replace local valuation courts and become the appellate body for both rating appeals and appeals arising from the community charge. The proposals were generally welcomed by respondents and will form the basis of regulations to be made under the provisions of the Local Government Finance Bill, following Royal Assent. These regulations will be the subject of further consultation.In the light of the responses to the consultation document, certain changes have been made to the proposals. In relation to the president of each tribunal, it had been proposed that he or she should be appointed by the Secretary of State. But the majority of respondents pointed out that the present system, whereby the chairman of the local valuation panel is elected by the members, has worked well and that there is no justification for change. The Government accept this view.The consultation document proposed that where two or more existing local valuation panels share a clerk and office, consideration should be given to amalgamating those panels under one president. In the light of the responses to the consultation document, the Government have accepted that such amalgamation should take place only with the agreement of the panels concerned.The proposal for limiting the number of serving councillors on any tribunal commanded general support. A number of respondents took the view that the ceiling of 50 per cent. of the membership was too high. In the light of this, the Government propose that the percentage of serving councillors should be reduced to 30 per cent. of the membership of any tribunal. The Government recognise, however, that some local valuation panels currently have a significantly greater proportion of serving councillors than this. There would be no benefit in terminating the appointment of a large number of experienced panel members at a time when the panels are assuming their new and expanded duties. It is proposed therefore that the 30 per cent. ceiling should be achieved over a period — as members' terms of office come to an end and new members are appointed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for changing controls of illuminated signs and advertisements on business premises in conservation areas and in towns and villages generally.

On 28 October last year my Department issued a consultation paper canvassing proposals for amending the Town aand Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1984 so as to provide "deemed consent" for certain types of illuminated advertisement displayed on "business premises", possibly including premises in conservation areas. The comments submitted in response to the consultation paper are being considered and my right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to publish the report prepared by Roger Tym and Partners on the work of the Stockbridge Village Trust.

The report is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office today. It is entitled -Stockbridge Village Trust: Building a Community" and covers the period 1983-85, with a brief update at the end of 1986. The report is a useful account of the early years of the trust's ambitious development programme. It records the substantial progress which the trust has made in transforming one of the worst local authority estates on Merseyside into an area where people actively want to live. During this period the trust gained tenants' confidence as a responsible and efficient landlord, turning a void rate of more than 10 per cent. into a fully occupied estate with a substantial waiting list. And the trust also succeeded in attracting private investment to an area which would have been unthinkable previously: over 200 residents had exercised the right to buy and around 100 new homes had been built for sale in the period covered by the report. Equally importantly, the report describes some of the difficulties which the trust has faced, particularly on its initial financial assumptions, and contains a number of important lessons for initiatives of this kind. We have sent copies to all local authorities in England and other interested parties, and I have placed a copy in the Library. Further copies are available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office stockists, or from the Department, at £5·95 each.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a timetable for the implementation of competitive tendering procedures for individual local government services in the phasing programme.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 November 1987, c. 598-99]: My right hon. Friend has now considered the responses to the consultation paper on implementation of competition for English local authority services issued on 2 November. He has decided to confirm the proposal of a phased introduction of competition by local authorities (other than parish councils), with authorities split into groups and each group taking the activities covered by the Act in a different order.The groups of authorities will be the same as set out in the consultation paper. The date by which authorities will have had to have exposed their first activities to competition will be set at 1 August 1989, to allow adequate time for all stages of the competitive process to be completed.Three other changes to the implementation proposals have been made which will help ensure efficient implementation of the competition process. These take account of the fact that a decision on the possibility of adding sport and leisure management to the list of defined activities has not yet been taken, and therefore, if this activity is added by order, some delay in implementing competition for it is inevitable.My right hon. Friend has decided to confirm the £100,000 de minimis level below which authorities' services would be exempt from competition.These decisions are described fully in a letter which is today being sent to all affected authorities, and copies of which have been placed in the Library.A further announcement will be made shortly about implementation for the other English authorities and bodies covered by part I of the Act.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will list those voluntary industry restraint agreements which have been terminated as a result of Government pressure, referred to by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude) on 18 March Official Report, column 1365, and those which remain.

The Government have informed the industries concerned that it sees no case for continuing inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangements (VRAs) covering the following products:

Monochrome televisions from Singapore, Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Thailand;

Colour televisions from Japan, Singapore, Republic of Korea and Taiwan;

Music centres from Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan;

Pottery from Japan;

Stainless steel cutlery from Japan and Republic of Korea.

Separately, restraints on imports of pottery and footwear from Taiwan have lapsed.We are aware that voluntary arrangements at present remain for fork-lift trucks, machining centres, numerically controlled lathes, cars and commercial vehicles from Japan; and special steels from Spain. The United Kingdom industry is discussing the renewal of arrangements on footwear with the Republic of Korea.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions have taken place over the past 12 months in respect of illegal broadcasting by pirate radio stations.

During 1987 there were 77 prosecutions, of which 75 resulted in conviction under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 for offences connected with unlicensed broadcasting.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on how British companies have complied with the European Community code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa during the 12-month period to 30 June 1987.

By 18 March 1988, 128 companies had submitted reports to the DTI under the code of conduct. Copies of the reports and of the Department's analysis and summary have, as in previous years, been placed in the Library of each House. These documents may also be inspected at the Department's statistics and market intelligence library, at the British embassy in Pretoria, at the British consulate-general in Johannesburg, and at the British consulates in Cape Town and Durban.The analysis and summary is the second since the adoption of the revised code of conduct by EC Foreign Ministers in November 1985. The period under review was again characterised by an inflation rate which was significantly higher than the average rate of wage increases. Against this background, the performance of British subsidiaries in further reducing the number of their black employees paid below the code's recommended minimum level is particularly encouraging. Companies' reports for the period under review indicated that over 97 per cent. were paid above that level. In addition, companies continued to report impressive levels of involvement in projects benefiting the wider communities from which their work forces were drawn.The Government are grateful to companies for this year's unprecedented level of co-operation in providing reports, and urge them to maintain this performance and to comply fully with the code.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each management or computer

Firework injuries in Great Britain (4-week period in October-November)
	1987	1986	1985	1984	1983
Place of accident
1. Family or private party	260	286	255	231	311
2. Semi-public party (e.g. scouts, cricket club)	88	72	76	65	84

This is a matter for the Director-General of Fair Trading, and I will ask him to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

No such contracts were awarded in 1987.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will initiate an inquiry into the extent of fuel surcharges made by tour operators; what recent evidence he has received on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 March at column 360.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the figures of injuries caused by fireworks in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

According to reports from hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland 960 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during the three weeks leading up to 5 November 1987 and the few days after. The figures for 1987 and the preceding four years are shown in the table.Although the figures are somewhat disappointing, they do not justify further restrictions on the retail sale of fireworks to the public.We will be mounting a higher profile firework safety campaign again, this year urging the public to treat fireworks with care and not to misuse them. We will be asking local trading standards officers to work closely with the police in enforcing vigorously the increased penalties for selling fireworks to the under-16s and in taking action against those who let off fireworks in the streets.For its part, the fireworks industry has agreed to stop supplying mini-rockets to the shops, since these particularly lend themselves to misuse by hooligans. It is also making a training video for organisers of displays on how to run a public display safely.We are also drawing up a British standard for the performance, testing and labelling of fireworks, which should enable us to stop the importation of the more hazardous fireworks from the far east.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the Internal Market Council held on 22 March.

The Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, adopted a directive to amend the existing EC directives on the rules for public sector supplies contracts. It also adopted directives on fluid fertilisers; the sound power level of lawnmowers; the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations; and modification of the investment rules for undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities. The Council also discussed a proposed directive on broadcasting activities, received a progress report from the Commission on completion of the internal market, and heard a Commission statement relating to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has concerning the location of the Overseas Development Agency regional office in Fiji; and if he will make a statement.

The future of the British development division in the Pacific was examined in 1984 as part of an efficiency scrutiny. The conclusion was that the division represented a cost-effective vehicle for aid delivery and that it was appropriately located. While I will continue to keep under review the cost-effectiveness and siting of all five of the ODA's development divisions overseas, I have no current plans to relocate the British development division in the Pacific.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the level of United Kingdom assistance to Fiji since the military coup in May 1987; and what information he has about the level of assistance provided by other EEC countries.

United Kingdom assistance to Fiji since the military coup in May 1987 to the end of February 1988 totalled £866,303. Information about aid provided by other European Community countries for so recent a period is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what levels and types of technical assistance and bilateral aid are given to Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala, E1 Salvador, Belize and Mexico, respectively; and when was the last time a project for such aid or assistance was approved for Nicaragua.

The latest available figures by level and type of British aid are for 1986:

	Financial project Aid1	Technical cooperation2	Disaster relief	Total (£000s)3
Costa Rica	11,016	522	—	11,538
Panama	—	70	—	70
Nicaragua	—	3	82	86
Guatemala	—	—	10	10
E1 Salvador	—	47	193	239
Belize	2,314	865	—	3,179
Mexico	—	686	117	803
1Includes investments made by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
2 Includes personnel, training and equipment but not projects co-

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the decision not to prosecute Councillor Mrs. Angela Pink of Nottingham city council.

I have written to the hon. Gentleman about the case to which he refers.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by Her Majesty's Land Registry in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

No new management or computer consultancy contracts were awarded by Her Majesty's Land Registry in 1987.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Lord Chancellor's Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

The following contracts were awarded to management or computer consultancy firms by the Lord Chancellor's Department in 1987:

Firm	Subject of Assignment
Coopers and Lybrand Associates	Review of funds accountancy system—system testing.
Coopers and Lybrand Associates	Review of funds accountancy system—project plans.
CAP Industry Ltd.	Review of machine accounting system at the Public Trust Office.
Digitus	Advice on computer operating system.
Helistar Marlow	Assistance with the Crown Court Computer Project.
Peat Marwick and McLintock	Advice to the Business Efficiency Team in connection with the Claims Registry Project.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will prosecute the publication "Pit Bull News" for promoting illegal dog fights; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will prosecute those persons alleged to have been involved in illegal dog fighting who are named in the

article entitled "Killer Dogs" which appeared in the

No evidence has as yet been submitted by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service in respect of those matters to which the hon. Gentleman refers. I have, however, referred them to the Director of Public Prosecutions. If he thinks it appropriate, the director will invite the police to make inquiries.

To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to agree extradition arrangements under the new Irish legislation with the Attorney-General of the Irish Republic.

In my answer on 18 February to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) I indicated that I had notified the Attorney-General of the Irish Republic that I was entirely willing to provide him in each instance with a note from me confirming that the United Kingdom prosecuting authorities had considered the evidence, as they were required to do; that they were satisfied that it was sufficient to found a prosecution; and that there was a settled intention to prosecute accordingly. I had also agreed to his request that I provide him in each instance with a note setting out the relevant law, but I had said that the Government saw the possibility of seriously damaging consequences for the intended criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom if I were to provide him with the actual evidence supporting any warrant.On 25 February I wrote to the Irish Attorney-General to say that I was very hopeful that we could find a way through our mutual difficulties towards the end that I knew we both desired. I believed that in the first instance it would be useful if officials were to meet as soon as possible to discuss the matter.At the subsequent meeting of officials on 2 March an offer was made on my behalf to provide the Irish Attorney-General in each instance additionally with a statement of facts which would give a clear picture of the case against the accused.Following requests by me for a response to this offer the Irish Attorney-General yesterday requested a further meeting of officials to be held on 7 April. I have agreed to this request.I regard it as imperative that extradition arrangements between the two countries under the new Irish legislation be agreed as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many fires there were in (a) occupied dwellings, (b) multiple-occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, and (c) multiple-occupied dwellings in other buildings, in each of the three most recent years for which figures are available; and if he will analyse these data by the most likely cause of fire;(2) how many

Some information on fires attended by local authority fire brigades in dwellings in single and multiple occupation, and on the resulting casualties, is published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (for example, tables 32, 46 and 47 of the volume for 1986) copies of which are in the Library. The following tables give the more detailed information requested, for the years 1984–86. Information for 1987 is not yet available.

Fatal casualties from fires in dwellings by type of dwelling and cause of fire
	1984	1985	1986
United Kingdom
Dwellings in single occupation—total	436	438	462
Cause
Deliberate or possibly deliberate	40	45	47
Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies	35	33	34
Misuse of appliances	78	89	91
Playing with fire	20	32	42
Careless handling of fire or hot substances	139	125	118
Placing articles too close to heat	51	47	50
Other, unknown or unspecified	73	67	80
Detached semi-detached or terraced houses in multiple occupation—total	99	86	89
Cause
Deliberate or possibly deliberate	5	13	5
Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies	11	4	3
Misuse of appliances	14	10	20
Playing with fire	—	—	3
Careless handling of fire or hot substances	38	42	35
Placing articles too close to heat	8	10	12
Other, unknown or unspecified	23	7	11
Other dwellings in multiple occupation—total	151	169	194
Cause
Deliberate or possibly deliberate	12	16	14
Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies	9	21	20
Misuse of appliances	27	17	35
Playing with fire	1	13	10
Careless handling of fire or hot substances	74	66	79
Placing articles too close to heat	12	19	12
Other, unknown or unspecified	16	17	24
Dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified type—total	—	—	—
All dwellings in multiple occupation	250	255	283

Fires in dwellings by type of dwelling and cause of fire
United Kingdom	1984	1985	1986
Dwellings in single occupation—total	34,972	36,905	37,313
Cause
Deliberate or possibly deliberate	1,837	1,908	2,065
Faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies	7,152	7,798	7,990
Misuse of appliances	15,663	16,429	16,682
Playing with fire	1,518	1,740	1,548
Careless handing of fire or hot substances	3,354	3,386	3,441