To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to announce his response to the perinatal mortality initiative survey group recommendations.

The response to the recommendations of the perinatal mortality initiative survey group was announced in Welsh health circular (86)69 issued in December 1986. Those recommendations relating to the provision of a regional perinatal intensive care service which have been the subject of consultation with district health authorities in Wales are actively being considered, and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average time taken by each Welsh health authority to process cervical smear tests and provide the results for the patient and her general practitioner; and if he will make a statement.

Information about the average time taken to provide results of cervical smear tests in 1987 is as follows. In November 1987, a further £400,000 was allocated to district health authorities to help improve the cervical screening service. I hope that this additional funding will contribute to a reduction in waiting times in those districts where women had to wail more than the recommended maximum of eight weeks in 1987.

	Days
Clwyd	1–35
East Dyfed	16–88
Gwent	35
Gwynedd	30
Mid Glamorgan	56
Pembrokeshire	112
Powys	19
South Glamorgan	21
West Glamorgan	56

Pembrokeshire was dependent on the laboratory at West Wales general hospital to process its cervical smear tests in 1987. The turnaround time at that laboratory increased significantly in 1987 due to staffing problems, although I understand that remedial action taken earlier this year should have eased the situation. Following Welsh Office funding, Pembrokeshire plans to establish its own laboratory service to evaluate cervical smear tests from 1 July. The authority has advised that this will substantially reduce the time taken to notify results.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the Government contribution to WINVEST for the financial years 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89; and what staff numbers this contribution supported.

The information is as follows:

	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89 budget
Gross expenditure (£ million)	1·784	1·825	2·181
Staff numbers1	35	36	39
1 Including seconded Welsh Office staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sums were spent by the Welsh Development Agency on new factory building in the financial years 1986–87 and 1987–88; what sum is projected for 1988–89; and how many square metres of additional factory space become available in each year.

The information is as follows:

	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89 budget
Gross expenditure (£ million) land and buildings	26·7	32·7	43·2
Factory space completed (square metres)	47,982	78,890	1139,000
1 Forecast.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites in Wales, excluding the nuclear plants at Wylfa and Trawsfynydd, are licensed for the handling, storage or disposal of tritium or tritium contaminated wastes; and if he will list them in the Official Report.

Ninety-one premises are identified in registrations specifically permitting the keeping and use of tritium, and 37 in authorisations specifically permitting the disposal of tritium contaminated waste. The list is as follows:

	Premises
British Oxygen Company Ltd. Longlands Lane, West Glamorgan	Port Talbot
British Oxygen Company Ltd., Queensway Spencer Works, Gwent, NPF 0UP	Newport
British Steel Corporation, Llanwern Works, Gwent, NPT 0XN	Newport
Air Products Ltd., Spencer Works, Llanwern, Gwent	Newport
British Steel Corporation, Welsh Laboratory, West Glamorgan, SA13 2NG	Port Talbot

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to increase the budget for the joint funding scheme.

I have decided to increase this year's budget for the joint funding scheme to £10·5 million, which is a 75 per cent. increase on the original allocation for last year. Under the joint funding scheme we support, on a 50:50 basis, voluntary agencies' projects which are aimed at some of the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in the developing world, and I am sure that this is money very well spent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has, for the last year for which figures are available, as to the number of private cars stolen from each police division or constabulary in the United Kingdom and the number recovered.

The available information relates to all theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and is given in the following table. The figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland have been provided by the Scottish Home and Health Department arid the Northern Ireland Office and may not be entirely comparable with those for England and Wales, although the differences are thought to be small. From records held centrally, it is not possible to distinguish thefts of private cars from thefts of other types of vehicle.

Notifiable offences of theft and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and vehicles recovered
United Kingdom 1987
Police force area	Offences recorded	Vehicles recovered
Avon and Somerset	10,945	9,355
Bedfordshire	5,068	2,729
Cambridgeshire	2,512	2,172
Cheshire	5,441	3,630
Cleveland	5,832	4,294
Cumbria	1,603	1,178
Derbyshire	2,967	2,198
Devon and Cornwall	5,073	4,130
Dorset	4,037	2,902
Durham	4,311	1,035
Essex	8,404	5,437
Gloucestershire	2,539	1,906
Greater Manchester	37,936	29,812
Hampshire	8,453	5,771
Hertfordshire	4,017	1,998
Humberside	5,396	4,677

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many candidates in each of the general elections of 1979, 1983 and 1987 failed to submit a return of their election expenses to the returning officer, and in how many cases prosecutions have been instituted as the result of such failures.

The information requested is as follows:

	1979	1983	1987
Number of candidates who failed to submit a return within the statutory period allowed	19	21	15
Number of prosecutions	4	1—	2—
1 None.
2 Not yet available.

I understand that the Director of Public Prosecutions has not yet decided in every case whether to institute proceedings in respect of the candidates who failed to submit a return after the 1987 general election.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange, in conjunction with the appropriate French authorities, for an evaluation of the concentration of radioactive discharges reaching the Channel Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Herm and Sark from the French nuclear reprocessing plant at Cap de la Hague.

Radioactive discharges reaching the Channel Islands are continuously monitored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The concentrations of artificial radionuclides found in these waters has been negligible. Monitoring results are published annually by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food directorate of fisheries research in the "Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report on Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles", copies of which are in the Library.

	Inmate A		Inmate B		Inmate C
	April	May	April	May	April	May
After legal visits	—	—	—	—	—	—
After other visits	3	2	3	—	1	—
At the time of cell changes, and wing and cell searches	2	1	2	1	1	3

No unauthorised article was found on any of the three women. I set out the reasons for such searches in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 15 January at column

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners are at present held on remand at Risley detention centre; to how many strip searches they have been subjected in April and May, giving the number of persons involved, the number of times each person was searched and if any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while a search was being conducted; and what were the reasons for the search under each of the following headings: (a) making a remand appearance at court, (b) attending a trial, (c) inter-prison visit and (d) other reasons.

On 13 June, there were seven inmates on remand at Risley remand centre who had been placed in category A. Comprehensive records of strip searches are available only in respect of category A women prisoners, of whom there was one in Risley on the date in question. The records show that this prisoner was not strip-searched during April but was so searched on three occasions in May—twice in connection with her temporary transfer to another prison, and one at the time of a cell change. No unauthorised article was discovered on any of these occasions. On no occasion did the prisoner refuse to be strip-searched.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the daily routine in force at Haverigg prison prior to the recent disturbance, giving the times of (a) reveille, (b) slop-out, (c) meals, (d) recreation, (e) confinement and (f) lights out.

Prior to the disturbance on Sunday 5 June, the main daily routine for inmates at Haverigg prison was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A women prisoners there were in Her Majesty's prison, Durham, in April and May; and how many strip searches were made on these prisoners in that month, indicating strip searches before and after consultation with legal advisers, after visits and after cell changes, wing searches and cell searches, and listing reasons for searches and illegal contraband or smuggled items found.

During April and May, there were three category A women prisoners in Durham prison. The number of occasions on which each was strip-searched during each month is shown in the table:

	Weekday	Weekend
Unlocking1	7·30	7·30
Breakfast	7·50	7·45
Work commences	8·30	—
Church Service2	—	09·00
Association/Outside activities	—	10·30
Lunch	12·00	12·00
Work commences	13·00	—
Association/Outside activities/Visits	—	13·15
Tea	16·50	16·45
Association	317·30	17·30
Supper	19·30	19·30
Association ends	20·30	20·30
Lock-up (Lights out)	22·30	22·30
1 As inmates are housed in dormitories with access to night sanitation, there is no slopping out.
2 Attendance voluntary.
3 On weekdays, evening association includes education classes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has as to the average audience figures achieved for the Gaelic programmes "Prosbaig", "Dotaman" and "Crann Tara" for (a) Gaelic speakers and (b) all viewers;(2) what information he has as to the average audience figures achieved for the three most popular Welsh language programmes on S4C amongst

The information requested is not readily available, and I will reply as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests from coroners to hold an inquest in circumstances where their present powers are in doubt he has received in the last five years; and what consideration he has given to each of these requests.

[holding answer 13 June 1988]: No central records are kept of requests from coroners for guidance where their powers are in doubt. All such requests receive careful consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests from coroners he has received in the last five years to hold an inquest where the body of the deceased has been destroyed; and how many he approved.

[holding answer 13 June 1988]: Sixty-four requests were received, of which thirty-eight were approved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what evidence he refused permission to the Carlisle coroner to hold an inquest into the death of the Carlisle baby reported to him by the county coroner.

My right hon. Friend's decision, that the public interest would not be served by an inquest in this case, was founded on the information given by the coroner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy under what powers borrowing is currently undertaken by the electricity supply industry; what is the current outstanding debt of the industry; what claims on capital he expects over the next three years; and whether he plans to increase the industry's borrowing powers.

The borrowing powers of the electricity supply industry are given by the Electricity Act 1957, section 15, the Electricity (Borrowing Powers) Order 1974, and the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Act 1974. The net outstanding debt at 31 March 1988 was £1,597 million. The ESI's capital expenditure is expected to he met wholly from internally generated funds in the next three years and my right hon. Friend has no plans to increase the industry's borrowing powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what applications for future capital expenditure he has discussed with the Central Electricity Generating Board.

The Central Electricity Generating Board submits annual capital investment plans to my Department covering the whole range of activities carried out by the board. For 1988–89, I have given approval to total expenditure of £775 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the expected annual cost to Her Majesty's Government for the protection of reprocessed plutonium from Sellafield to Japan in the 1990s; and how much will be recovered from commercial sources.

I refer the hon. Member to the two replies which I gave him on 24 February 1988, both at column 240.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what guidance or advice he has given with regard to the use or deployment of agencies other than the police which are to be involved in the physical protection of plutonium transported from Sellafield to Japan; and on what basis such use is paid for at the cost of deployment recovered from commercial sources.

I have nothing to add to the replies that I gave the hon. Member on 11 May 1988, at column 110 and on 24 May 1988, at column 102.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which airport is currently used in connection with the export of plutonium by air from Sellafield.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 9 June 1988 at column 633.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his consent to British Nuclear Fuels plc to export plutonium to Japan is subject to any review in the event of that country reducing or increasing its fast breeder reactor programme; and if he will make a statement.

The merits of all exports of nuclear materials are considered case by case within the guidelines set out in the statement by the then Foreign Secretary, James Callaghan, on 31 March 1976 at columns 514–516.No specific approvals have yet been given for the return to Japan of the plutonium that will result from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel at THORP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what conditions have been imposed in connection with the export of plutonium to Japan; and if he will indicate (a) the expected amount of plutonium to be exported by British Nuclear Fuels plc to Japan and (b) the maximum amount of plutonium that is permitted to be exported each year.

Plutonium from spent fuel reprocessed in the United Kingdom is returned to its country of origin or to any other destination only on receipt of assurances covering peaceful use, application of safeguards, physical protection and controls on retransfer. I understand that no schedule has yet been agreed with the customers for the return of plutonium to Japan after reprocessing in THORP.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many holding answers have been given to parliamentary questions for priority written answers to his Department (a) since May 1979, (b) since June 1983 and (c) since June 1987.

Information on holding replies given (a) since May 1979 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The number of holding replies to priority written questions (b) since June 1983, and (c) since June 1987 are respectively 109 and 50. The frequency with which holding replies are given depends to a large extent on the length of notice given when a question is asked.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions since May 1979 he, or his predecessor, has given permission under the Nuclear Installations Act for the export of nuclear materials from United Kingdom facilities to the centre for nuclear studies at Mol in Belgium; and if he will set out the details in a table listing quantities and dates of exports, by separate material categories.

Since May 1979, permission has never been given under section 2 of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 for the export of nuclear material to the centre for nuclear studies at Mol.Exports of nuclear material by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, including those exports of plutonium referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 16 March 1988, at column

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the agreements made at the recent United States of America-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics summit meeting in Moscow have any direct or indirect bearing on the future of fusion energy research at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's Culham laboratories.

The Moscow summit noted the commencement of work on the conceptual design of an international thermonuclear experimental reactor, which was endorsed by the United States, the Soviet Union, Eurotom and Japan at a meeting in Vienna on 21–22 April 1988 under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The work is limited to conceptual design and is not due to be completed until 31 December 1990; it is too soon to speculate about the outcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he possesses on the details of negotiations between the Japanese and United States Governments for United States permission for the reprocessing of United States-origin nuclear fuel, currently in Japanese nuclear plants, in British Nuclear Fuels plc's Sellafield reprocessing plant;(2) what information he possesses on the progress in negotiations between the Japanese nuclear authorities and the United States Government on arrangements for the shipment of plutonium from British Nuclear Fuels plc's Sellafield reprocessing plant to Japan under United States licensing laws.

Transport and reprocessing arrangements for United States-origin nuclear material are dealt with in the agreement for co-operation between the Governments of the United States of America and Japan concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which was signed on 4 November 1987. I understand the agreement has now been cleared by the United States Congress and the Japanese Diet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans for the disbanding of Nirex and requiring British Nuclear Fuels plc to take over the radioactive waste management and disposal role presently undertaken by Nirex.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will review the current financial contributions made by the United Kingdom to the safeguards activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency to assess its adequacy.

The financing of the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards activities was explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) on 10 February 1988 at columns 228–9.I am satisfied that the IAEA's 1988 programme and budget, which was adopted after thorough discussion in the agency's board and general conference, are adequate for the proper discharge of all the agency's functions in the current year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the progress made towards resolving issues described as problems, numbers 1 to 17, in paragraphs 46–62 of the 1986 International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards implementation report; and if he will make a statement on specific progress achieved through 1987 on each of the 17 problem areas.

The International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards implementation report is confidential to the board of governors. I have full confidence in the effectiveness of the agency's safeguards system. The United Kingdom funds a substantial safeguards support programme on top of payments to the regular budget of the IAEA to assist the agency in the attainment of its safeguards goals in a cost-effective manner.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the conclusions of the 1987 International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards implementation report differ in any significant way from those contained in the 1986 safeguards implementation report.

A summary of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 1987 safeguards implementation report will he published in the agency's 1987 annual report which will be placed in the Library of the House. I am not aware that there is likely to be any significant difference in the general conclusions of the 1987 report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to direct Her Majesty's Government's representative on the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to seek the early public release of the 1987 International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards implementation report.

No. The 1987 safeguards implementation report of the International Atomic Energy Agency is confidential to the board of governors. A summary will be published in the agency's 1987 annual report which will he placed in the Library of the House. Any decision to publish the 1987 safeguards implementation report would be a matter for the board of governors and the general conference of the IAEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what safeguards apply to (a) plutonium contaminated wastes and (b) enriched uranium contaminated wastes containing fissile nuclear materials, presently unrefinable using known extraction technologies.

All civil nuclear material is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the United Kingdom/Euratom/IAEA safeguards agreement. Discussions are currently taking place with the international safeguards authorities on the safeguards to be applied to waste containing civil nuclear material.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the costs to be incurred by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for the repackaging of nuclear wastes, currently stored at the authority's Harwell laboratories, originally destined for sea disposal but now planned for disposal by Nirex in the future land or sub-sea bed disposal strategy.

The UKAEA is considering the options for repackaging the nuclear waste originally destined for sea disposal. This examination includes close consultation with Nirex, as the body responsible for disposal of the waste.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make a statement on the proposal to build a central dry store for spent nuclear fuel rods from the AGR and Magnox nuclear plants;(2) if he will make a statement as to the relative merits of a central dry storage site for nuclear waste being located as between

I have received an investment proposal from the CEGB for a dry store for spent AGR fuel, to be constructed on their behalf and that of the SSEB. The SSEB has made a similar proposal to the Secretary of State for Scotland. The question of siting is a matter for the industry, subject to planning consents and other regulatory control by the NII and relevant authorising Departments.

To ask the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor has any plans to use his powers under the Prosecution of Offences Act to extend the right of audience of Crown prosecutors; and if he will make a statement.

The Lord Chancellor has no current plans to use his powers under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 to extend the rights of audience of Crown prosecutors. Under section 4 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, Crown prosecutors already have the rights of audience enjoyed by solicitors holding practising certificates.

To ask the Attorney-General what information he has as to the percentage of solicitors' practices undertaking legal aid in respect of matrimonial disputes in the Cheshire area, in the years 1979–80 and 1987–88.

No information is available in respect of Cheshire alone or, as yet, for 1987–88. In 1986–87, the last year for which information is currently available, in the south-west and Wales region, which includes most of Cheshire, 1,831 solicitors' offices received legal aid payments for matrimonial proceedings in the county court; and 792 for High Court proceedings. The information available from 1979–80 cannot be analysed in this form. No information is collected by the Lord Chancellor's Department on the total number of solicitors' practices, so it is not possible to say what proportion of solicitors' practices these figures represent.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases which related to eviction from the family home were recorded in the Cheshire area during the current year; and how many of those received legal aid.

During 1987, a total of 3,914 actions for possession of residential premises were entered at county courts in Cheshire, although only some of these will have resulted in a subsequent application for a warrant of eviction. Information on how many of the parties to these actions received legal aid is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Attorney-General what guidance is issued by the Lord Chancellor to the judiciary concerning references to the European Court of Justice under article 177 of the treaty of Rome.

No formal guidance is given by the Lord Chancellor, since the decision whether or not to make a reference under article 177 is for the court. However, there is case law, both in the European Court of Justice and in English courts, on the considerations to be taken into account in deciding whether to make a reference and upon its formulation.

To ask the Attorney-General whether he will make a statement on the implications for the Crown Prosecution Service of the recent collapse of trials relating to alleged hooliganism at football matches.

Recently, three trials involving allegations of football hooliganism have collapsed. These matters are now the subject of a full investigation and at this stage it would be improper to say anything, beyond what has been said in court, which might prejudice those investigations and pre-empt any decision that might have to be taken when the inquiries are complete.It is important to make it clear that the matters which came to light in those trials could not have been discovered during the normal course of the CPS review of the evidence submitted by the police. Once the issue of authenticity of documents had been raised, full and detailed examinations for authenticity were carried out and the Crown prosecution service acted promptly and professionally in discharging its duty.There has been consultation between the police and the CPS at the highest level on these matters and everything possible is being done to minimise the risk of cases collapsing for similar reasons in the future.

To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 9 June to the hon. Member for Walsall, North, what additional total costs have been incurred but not yet discharged relating to the legal action on "Spycatcher".

The costs which have been incurred but not yet discharged, accounts not yet having been delivered, are legal costs for the hearing before the High Court of Australia, for the hearing before the Court of Appeal of New Zealand and for the hearings before Mr. Justice Scott and the Court of Appeal in this country. In addition, an order for costs has been made against Her Majesty's Government in Australia and New Zealand, and a similar order is under appeal in this country.

To ask the Prime Minister for how many civil servants in her private office Mr. Charles Powell is responsible; and what are the functions of those civil servants who report to Mr. Charles Powell.

None.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the Economic Council the impact on consumers in the EEC of the level of food prices resulting from the operation of the common agricultural policy; and if she will make a statement.

This point was raised by me during discussions at the last European Council. The whole question of agricultural support will be raised at the economic summit.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright) of 17 May, Official Report, column 798, if her commitment to maintain child benefit includes maintaining its value in real terms.

No. The level of child benefit is reviewed each year as part of the annual social security uprating exercise.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps she is taking to improve Civil Service procedures so that in future they can manage the Government data network; and whether she has plans to raise salaries to ensure that the Civil Service can attract the necessary skills.

The service to be provided by the Government data network is to be managed and provided by Racal Data Networks Ltd. I am satisfied that the Departments which join the network, and the Treasury, can make satisfactory arrangements for their responsibilities in relation to the operation and development of the GDN.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 June.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, including one with the President of Malawi. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the next round of appointment of school governors to begin.

The provisions of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 concerning the reconstitution of school governing bodies come into effect for county and maintained special schools from 1 September 1988 and for voluntary schools from 1 September 1989. Within that framework, it is for local education authorities to determine the most appropriate timing for holding governor elections and making appointments to the reconstituted governing bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in Tameside received free school meals in each of the last three years; what percentage of the school population they were; and what is the percentage for England and Wales.

Statistics on the take-up of school meals in each of the local education authorities in England are available in the annual school meals census, reports on which are available in the Library. Information was not collected in 1985 because of teachers' industrial action.Matters relating to Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of children who have lost entitlement to free school meals in the area covered by the Bradford local education authority as a result of the Social Security Act 1986; what is his estimate of the number of these children whose parents will receive compensation through the family credit scheme; how many were previously receiving free school meals through the passport provided by family income supplement; and how many were receiving them under the local education authority discretionary scheme.

In October 1987, the latest date for which data are available, about 3,281 pupils (or 4·4 per cent.) in Bradford received free school meals because their families were in receipt of family income supplement; a further 4,563 (or 6·2 per cent.) received them under the authority's discretionary scheme. From 11 April the families of those in the former category receive a cash benefit of £2·55 per week throughout the year under the new family credit scheme, which will also cover many in the latter category. Children from families in receipt of, or who are themselves in receipt of, income support (the successor to supplementary benefit) will continue to be eligible for free school meals. Nationally it is estimated that about 100,000 more school age children will benefit under the family credit scheme compared with those who previously received free school meals under family income supplement and local education authority discretionary schemes combined.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the number of temporary classrooms in use in Bradford and the steps he intends to take to alleviate the situation.

According to information supplied by the Bradford local education authority earlier this year, the authority maintains a total of 451 temporary units housing 567 classes.It is for the authority to consider any action that may be necessary in respect of this accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, Official Report, 18 May, column 455, on the ILL multilateral high flux test reactor in Grenoble (a) what has been the country of origin of the fuel for the reactor for each year since the United Kingdom joined the partnership, (b) what recent problems have arisen with the fuelling of the reactor and with what effects for the research programme and (c) what safeguards arrangements apply to nuclear fuel in the reactor.

The information requested is as follows.

(a) All fuel material for the high flux beam reactor originates from the United States of America; fabrication of the material into fuel elements has been carried out either in France or in West Germany.

(b) West German companies have been unable recently to fulfil their contracts to supply finished fuel elements to ILL, and the work has been transferred to alternative contractors in France. This change has not, however, led to loss of research time; the programme for ILL remains as planned.

(c) The reactor is licensed under stringent French safety regulations, and is inspected regularly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy, when approving the content of physical education courses at teacher training colleges, to require the inclusion of rugby league on the curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn of 26 May, Official Report, column 238, if he will publish a table showing for each local education authority the amount of certified expenditure for which specific grant was claimed for 1985–86 and 1986–87 on (a) in-service training of primary teachers of mathematics and (b)in-service training of secondary teachers of mathematics;(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn of 26 May,

This information is not collected centrally as LEAs are not required to apportion their grant claims for in-service training between primary and secondary school teachers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn of 26 May, Official Report, columns 236–37, if he will estimate the cost at 1988 prices, including the cost of supply cover, of providing in-service training of one term's full-time equivalent duration such that every primary school would then have at least one teacher with identifiable knowledge of mathematics beyond GCE O-level; and if he will state the assumptions made in arriving at such an estimate;(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn of 26 May,

I do not accept the hon. Member's assumption that identifiable knowledge of a subject beyond a particular level is necessarily associated with any particular form of training provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about progress on the Link project.

The Government attach great importance to the Link initiative. I am pleased to be able to announce a new Link collaborative research programme in personal communications. The need for the programme is prompted by the convergence of telecommunications and radio technologies, which is generating a new industry of personal communications. The number of subscribers is increasing, with greater demand for accessibility both indoors and outdoors—whether stationary or mobile—and internationally. There is therefore a need to extend the range of services available and to integrate private mobile radio, cellular and satellite mobile systems. Much basic work needs to be done to achieve this. It will be a key technological development for the 1990s. This will be jointly funded by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Science and Engineering Research Council. £6·35 million will be available for a £13 million programme over three years initially, which will allow industry and academia to collaborate on the pre-competitive research necessary to develop a new, higher capacity, third generation personal communications system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to transfer any of his Department's work from its headquarters in London to the Darlington site.

I am pleased to inform my hon. Friend that four areas of work are being transferred this year. This will result in the creation of 30 new jobs in Darlington, only two of which will be filled by staff transferring from London. This move will create additional employment in Darlington and will enrich the range of jobs available to staff on the Mowden hall site. There will be no redundancies in London as the existing staff will fill vacancies in headquarters. This transfer will save the Department an estimated £600,000 over the next 10 years representing a significant efficiency saving.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the percentage of (a) female and (b) male unemployment in 1985, 1986 and 1987 in Scotland.

The annual average rate of female unemployment (the number of unemployed female claimants as a percentage of the estimated total female working population), and the annual average rate of male unemployment (the number of unemployed male claimants as a percentage of the estimated total male working population), for each of the years 1985, 1986 and 1987 in Scotland was as follows:

	Female Percentage	Male Percentage
1985	10·7	16·7
1986	11·0	17·1
1987	10·1	17·0

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children suffered accidents resulting in death or major injuries as the result of playing in playgrounds with concrete or tarmac surfaces for each year since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have playgrounds with concrete or tarmac surfaces.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 343, was the purpose of the meeting in London between Mr. Alex Pagett and his special adviser.

My answer of 16 May to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North ( Mr. Wilson) made it clear that the purpose of Mr. Pagett's occasional visits to the Scottish Office in London was to liaise with Ministers and my special adviser.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will enumerate and list the occasions since June 1987 on which employees or other officials of the Conservative party have visited his Department; and for what purpose.

No record is kept of the occasions on which officials of the Conservative party have visited my Department. Such visits are for the purposes of liaison with Ministers and my special adviser.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what powers borrowing is currently undertaken by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board; what is their current outstanding debt; what claims on capital he expects over the next three years; and whether he plans to increase the boards' borrowing powers.

The powers under which the Scottish electricity boards may borrow are set out in section 27 of the Electricity (Scotland) Act 1979. Outstanding debt as at 3 June 1988 was £2,632 million. The boards' proposed expenditure on fixed assets over the next three years is as follows:

	£ million
1988–89	237
1989–90	210
1990–91	190

The Electricity (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill, increasing the limit on the amount the boards may borrow from £2,700 million to £3,000 million, is currently before the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from small businesses or their representatives and farmers or farming organisations on the effects of the plant variety testing and seed certification review; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been received from the United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association (Scottish Council) and the Scots Timothy Seed Growers' Association; the National Farmers' Union of Scotland has made its initial views known by means of a press release. These representations, and others received in response to the invitation to interested parties to comment on the report of the review, will be given careful consideration before decisions are taken by the Government on the report's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration has been given to the effects in Scotland of the implementation of the conclusions of the review of plant variety testing and seed certification.

The report of the review of plant variety testing and seed certification systems has been made available to interested organisations with a request for comments to be submitted within a three month period ending on 15 July. After the end of the consultation period consideration will be given to the effects of implementing the report's recommendations in Scotland, and other relevant issues arising out of the report, in the light of the comments received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people on YTS in Scotland are in receipt of assistance towards accommodation costs from the Manpower Services Commission.

This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total cost for the provision of assistance from the Manpower Services Commission towards accommodation costs for those on YTS in Scotland.

In the financial year 1987–88 a total of £1,553,353 was paid in living away from home allowance to YTS trainees in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the criteria used by the Manpower Services Commission when making awards of assistance towards accommodation costs for persons on YTS in Scotland.

Lodging allowance is payable to those YTS trainees not covered by a contract of employment when:

a. suitable training place is not available within daily travelling distance;

b. travelling daily is less economic than lodging allowance; or

c. travel time is excessive or prohibitive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the reasons for the exclusion of dairy farmers in Cowal from the increase in milk quotas announced earlier in the current year for producers in remote areas in Scotland.

The limited volume of reserve quota available for allocation at 1 April this year was distributed to producers in remote areas where reductions in milk supply had created particular structural difficulties for production, processing or manufacturing, where the milk produced was effectively island or land-locked and where the addition of small volumes of quota could achieve the greatest benefit. There was insufficient quota for a more widespread allocation to Cowal and other peripheral areas within the mainland quota regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Her Majesty's Government will introduce an amendment to the Local Government Finance Bill to grant an 80 per cent. reduction in community charge liability for all student nurses in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.