To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has to promote racial equality in the civil service.

I have today introduced a programme for action to strengthen equality of opportunity in the civil service for people of ethnic minority origin. Copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the total funding by his Department of the Vipyha forestry project in Malawi; and if he will make a statement about its future.

British aid for the Vipyha plantation in Malawi started in the 1950s when the Commonwealth Development Corporation established pilot pine plantations. British Government loans were first made in 1964.Figures for earlier expenditure are not available except at disproportionate cost, but since 1978 almost £3,000,000 in capital aid has been committed, and we have also provided technical and advisory support. The sum of £200,000 for fire-fighting vehicles and equipment was approved in February 1990. The future of the plantation is a matter for the Malawi Government. I understand that a number of possible ways of utilising the timber on a viable and sustainable basis are being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what co-operation exists between the Royal Navy and the Belgian navy over the mine warfare training centre at Ostend.

Royal Navy personnel regularly attend courses at the Belgian Navy's Ecole de Guerre des Mines (EGUERMIN) near Ostend. Through our contribution to the NATO infrastructure central fund, the

Cheese imports into the United Kingdom
(000 tonnes)
Country of Export	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Republic of Ireland	43	48	52	61	48	62	44
France	10	11	13	14	17	24	30
Belgium/Luxembourg1	7	13	15	15	14	16	14
Netherlands	23	21	23	25	21	25	23

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which African countries the United Kingdom has exported arms and military equipment since 1979; and what has been the total value of these exports in present-day prices.

It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to publish such detailed information for reasons of commercial confidentiality and national security. However, statistics of United Kingdom defence sales from 1948 to 1989 by broad geographic terms are set out in volume 2 of SDE 90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current condition of HMS Warspite and the progress of work on the nuclear reactors of British nuclear-powered submarines.

HMS Warspite is currently undergoing refit. The programme of inspections of our nuclear-powered submarines is continuing.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has given any consideration to extending payments made to farmers inside environmentally sensitive areas to include farmers operating within national parks generally.

Payments under the environmentally sensitive areas scheme can be made only to farmers within the boundaries of the designated ESAs. I have no plans at present to extend these boundaries, but I will be reviewing the scheme during 1991. A number of the ESAs are in national parks.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much Irish, French, Belgian, Dutch, German, Swiss and Greek cheese respectively, was imported into the United Kingdom in each year since 1983; what proportion this was of the cheese market in each year; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is shown in the table:

To ask the Attorney-General how many of the 265 replies he has received to his consultation paper on bereavement damages were in favour of (a) increasing the limit to (i) £5,000 and (ii) £10,000 or (b) leaving the limit unchanged.

All the responses to the consultation are still being evaluated and the Lord Chancellor hopes to make an announcement before the summer recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland where were the number of apprentices in Northern Ireland in (a) engineering, (b) plumbing, (c) joinery and (d)bricklaying, in the years 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

[holding answer 21 May 1990]: The number of apprentices registered for training in the specified occupational trades were as follows:

	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90
(a) Engineering	232	306	396
(b) Plumbing	42	104	130
(c) Joinery	638	777	933
(d) Bricklaying	333	461	575

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people attended each Government training centre in Northern Ireland in 1987–88, and in 1988–89; and what percentage of those from each centre, on completion of their training, went to (a) jobs and (b) self-employment.

[holding answer 21 May 1990]: The table below shows the number of young people trained at the various training centre in Northern Ireland in 1987–88 and 1988–89 and the percentages of such young people who entered employment. There are no figures available for the percentages entering self-employment; as the young people trained at the centres would have completed initial training only in the skills required for apprenticeships etc., it is unlikely that many would have entered self-employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much grant aid M. Kernan (Compost) Limited of 270 Battleford road, Benburb, Dungannon, received during 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989;(2) how much grant aid McAnallen Group of Companies of 259 Battleford road, Benburb, Dungannon, received during 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989;(3) how much grant aid Donnelly Bros. of 201 Killylea road, Caledon, received during 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: Grant aid received by these companies in each financial year since April 1985 was as follows:

	M. Kernan (Compost) Ltd.	McAnallen Group	Donnelly Bros.
	£	£	£
1985–86	50,328	7,301	1,400
1986–87	13,971	182,538	—
1987–88	5,536	59,664	—
1988–89	327,606	21,433	—
1989–90	28,126	578,751	—

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent suggestions he has received to encourage saving.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a number of suggestions on how saving might best be encouraged. This year's Budget included a series of measures to help the small saver, reinforce the habit of savings and further encourage wider share ownership. In addition, he announced an increase in the interest rates paid on some DNS products.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value added tax duty is payable on transactions involving nuclear waste.

Transactions involving nuclear waste are liable to the standard rate of VAT.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what excise duty is payable on nuclear waste (a) imported to and (b) exported from the United Kingdom.

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what level of divergence between United Kingdom inflation and the European average he assesses it would be appropriate for the pound sterling to enter the exchange rate mechanism.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's evidence to the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on the 1990 Budget—questions 304 to 307.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters have been received by his Department suggesting the implementation of a tax deferral scheme allowing firms to reinvest their profits for a three-year period.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor received one such suggestion before his Budget this year; and from time to time he receives letters proposing favourable tax treatment for profits retained in a business.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the establishment of the European bank for reconstruction and development.

The Government warmly welcome the decision to establish the European bank for reconstruction and development in London. It is particularly welcome that London will be the centre of the international effort to help eastern European countries build on the reforms they have made and to assist them in their move to market economies. We shall be working closely with the president designate to ensure that the bank can begin its operations as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many entries were made for A-levels in 1989 in Latin and ancient Greek, respectively; and how many grades A and B in each subject were attained.

The following table shows information for school leavers in England in 1988:

Number of school leavers in 1988
	Thousands
A-level Latin
Entered	1·76
Achieved grade A	0·56
Achieved grade B	0·35
A-level Ancient Greek
Entered	0·43
Achieved grade A	0·23
Achieved grade B	0·11

Comparable information is not yet available for 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average price of a school meal in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The average price of school meals in primary schools in England in October 1988, the latest date for which information is available, was 65p. It is not possible to give a figure for secondary schools as most operate a cash cafeteria system.Information relating to Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the number and percentage of free school meals provided in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many and what percentage of children in England and Wales took school meals in 1989; and if he will make a statement.

In January 1989 the number and percentage of pupils provided with school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England are as follows. Information relating to Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

	Pupils
Number of pupils provided with free school meals	779,131
as a percentage of all pupils on roll	11
Total number of pupils taking school meals	3,006,710
as a percentage of all pupils on roll	43

Local education authorities are empowered to provide at their discretion refreshment and facilities for the consumption of refreshments in the middle of the day for pupils in schools maintained by them. The Social Security Act 1986 requires that pupils whose parents or who themselves are in receipt of income support should receive such provision free of charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures have been taken to ensure that practising school teachers are represented among the membership of working groups established by the National Curriculum Council, whether there is a practising school teacher among the membership of each subject working group; and if he will make a statement.

Subject working groups are established by the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Wales to advise them on national curriculum attainment targets and programmes of study. Task groups are set up by the National Curriculum Council for specific tasks such as advice on consultation and non-statutory guidance. All past and existing groups of both types have included practising teachers among their members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many schools were closed in each of the past five years in the Greenwich education authority area;(2) how many schools were closed in each of the past five years within the constituency of Peterborough.

Greenwich local education authority came into being on 1 April 1990. Information on school closures in Greenwich is not readily available before this date.Information for parliamentary constituencies or other areas within education authorities is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the value of (a) domestic sales and (b) exports of furs from factory-farm animals; how many animals he estimates this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Figures relating specifically to factory-farmed furs, or the number of animals involved, are not available. Nor do domestic sales figures distinguish between furs and other animal skins. The total value of United Kingdom exports of all furs in 1989 was £132 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list the companies so far commissioned by Her Majesty's Government to provide professional assistance under the terms of the enterprise initiative;(2) how much the Government have so far spent in the form of direct payments to companies under the terms of the enterprise initiative;(3) how many requests for assistance the Government have received under the terms of the enterprise initiative; and what proportion have enjoyed Government support;(4) if he will list the names of all those companies which have so far received more than

Between the launch of the assisted consultancy scheme under the enterprise initiative on 13 January 1988 and 31 March 1990, 47,994 applications were received of which one third had at that date completed their consultancy projects. The Department's contribution to the cost of these projects was £49·9 million. Payments are made via independent scheme contractors to the consultants commissioned to undertake projects, and not directly to the client companies.It is not our practice to provide details of the consultancy firms used by scheme contractors to undertake assisted consultancy projects. This is to avoid the risk of appearing to bestow a form of Government approval or endorsement, to the unfair disadvantage of practices no less competent but which for one reason or another are not associated with the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of plastic production is now used by the packaging industry.

Appoximately 35 per cent., measured by weight.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration his Department intends to give to the implications for United Kingdom industry of the results of the Bergen conference on the environment.

My Department will be giving careful consideration to the outcome of the conference and its implications for United Kingdom industry. These will be covered in our day-to-day contacts with industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to support the European Parliament's amendments to the draft product safety directive at meetings of the Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

The amendments suggested by the European Parliament will of course be taken fully into account during further negotiations on this directive. However, I can give no commitment to supporting their amendments, some of which are directly contrary to the motion supported by the House following the debate on 10 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the effect on the competitiveness of the British car industry of the refusal of the French Government to reclaim substantial sums from messrs Renault, as instructed by the European Economic Community Commission; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Commission has made a decision on this case only today. I do not know what the considered response of the French Government will be. I will continue to watch the case closely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requirement there is for sales of tear gas to be notified to his Department.

[holding answer 15 May 1990]: There is no requirement for sales of tear gas to be notified to my Department. It is the practice to require a licence to export tear gas to any destination.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the cost to the Exchequer of Jordan reneging on payment for equipment supplied by British companies under the £275 million Jordan defence package.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: I do not expect the Exchequer to incur any losses in connection with defence exports to Jordan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support was required from the Export Credit Guarantees Department for the recent arms deals with the Jordanian Government.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose information about individual cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the responsibilities of his Department in the establishment of the National Council for Environmental Waste Policy in April; and what role his Department will play in the work of the council in future.

[holding answer 21 May 1990]: My Department has had no involvement in the establishment of such a council. However, under its environmental programme, the Department is seeking to promote greater recycling of waste and higher standards of waste management and waste minimisation within business and is always prepared to consider co-operating with other organisations pursuing similar objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech in Tokyo to Japanese business men on 14 May.

[holding answer 21 May 1990]: I have placed a copy of my speech at the inward investment seminar in Tokyo on 14 May in the Library of the House.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the total payment made on account of Members of Parliament travel during 1989–90, analysed by (a) travel by rail, (b) travel by car and (c) travel by air, with respect to travel within their constituencies, or between London and their constituencies.

Payments made from the House of Commons Members Salaries etc. vote (class XX, vote 20) during 1989–90 in respect of travel by Members between their homes, Westminster and their constituencies and within their constituencies amounted to £5,913,667.The analysis of this cost relating to the method of travel is as follows:

	£
Travel by rail	820,827
Travel by car	4,374,286
Travel by air	718,554

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to receive the departmental working party report on the feasibility of establishing registers of contaminated land; whether he will place a copy in the Library; whether he intends the registers to be compulsory or voluntary; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report by the departmental working group on drawing up registers of contaminated land.

Following receipt of the departmental working party report on 25 April, I announced during the Commons Report stage of the Environmental Protection Bill on 30 April that the Government proposed to introduce an amendment placing a duty upon district councils in England and Wales to compile and maintain registers of potentially contaminating land uses. That amendment is to be tabled in the Lords, following consultation with the local authority associations on the detailed implications and practicalities involved.I have placed a copy of the working party report in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from Greenpeace in respect of his plans to regulate the release of genetically engineered organisms.

Greenpeace made representations in a letter dated 24 August 1989 in response to the Department's June 1989 consultation paper on proposals for the control of genetically modified organisms which now form part VI of the Environmental Protection Bill currently before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of Her Majesty's inspectors of pollution are currently responsible for the west midlands area.

There are currently six pollution inspectors in post discharging Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution regulatory responsibilities in the west midlands area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on morale within Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

Morale in HMIP is high, and staff are preparing with energy and enthusiasm for integrated pollution control and the other new responsibilities proposed for them under the Environmental Protection Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on staffing levels within Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how far Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is below its full staff complement;(2) how many of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inspectors have been appointed as a result of the recent recruitment round.

There are currently 206 staff in post in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, compared with 148 when HMIP was established in April 1987. The staff complement has recently been increased further to 250. HMIP therefore has 44 vacancies within the increased complement. Twenty-five of the vacancies are for professional staff, of which seven are reserved for successful candidates to date from the current recruitment competition. We are continuing to recruit actively to fill the remaining posts.HMIP has also introduced an additional assistant pollution inspector recruitment grade, for candidates with full professional qualifications and at least two years industry experience, who will qualify as pollution inspectors through further training and experience in the inspectorate. This will widen the recruitment for future pollution inspectors, while fully maintaining the present professional standards. The first recruitment competition for APIs is now in progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made an assessment of staffing and inspection levels within Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution necessary for the effectiveness of the enforcement powers contained within the Environmental Protection Bill; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inspectors will be required to undertake (a) the writing of IPC (IPR) authorisations under the Environmental Protection Bill, (b) the writing of new Batneec notes under the Environmental Protection Bill and (c) routine site inspections of scheduled processes.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: I am committed to ensuring that Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will effectively discharge its responsibilities and the new duties proposed for it in the Environmental Protection Bill. The level of resources required to accomplish this is kept under continual review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inspectors are available in the field to undertake inspections of scheduled processes.

[holding answer, 17 May 1990]: There is currently a total of 69 inspectors posted to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's regional field force.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the proposed inspection rates for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in MINIS 9 and MINIS 10 have been achieved.

[holding answer, 17 May 1990]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution came close to meeting most of the proposals for inspection activity set out in MINIS 10, bettered a number, and did not fully achieve some others. The figures are as follows:

	1989–90 Performance	MINIS 10 Target
Air:
Inspections	7,350	7,550
Samples taken	1,350	1,900
Water:
Inspection of sewage treatment works	545	500
Discharge consents issued to water authorities	1,302	800
Radioactive Substances Inspections:
Nuclear premises	259	270
Non-nuclear premises	606	680
Waste:
Visits to Waste Disposal Authorities	1154	350
Inspections of major hazardous waste facilities	2267	3100
1 of which 22 programmed
2 50 programmed
3 programmed

A full account of the year's activity will be given in HMIP's MINIS 11 return, which will be published in due course.As I described in the answer I gave today we have recently increased HMIP's complement to 250 posts, and are actively recruiting professional staff to bring the inspectorate up to the increased strength.The MINIS 10 return, available in the Library, reported on achievement of MINIS 9 proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what inspection rates are proposed for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in MINIS 11; and what were the proposed rates in MINIS 9 and MINIS 10.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: The Department's MINIS 11 directorate returns will as usual be published when ministerial colleagues and I have completed consideration of them. The MINIS 9 and 10 returns are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the cost to public funds of installing satellite television receiving equipment in the House; and where it will be located.

At the request of the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee the Parliamentary Works Office is at present looking into the options for providing satellite television services to the House. It is hoped to provide a report, including costs, before the spring Adjournment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of English local authority expenditure is devoted to (a) fulfilment of statutory duties, and (b) discretionary expenditure.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dispensations to speak and vote he gave in 1989 to local councillors with personal or pecuniary interests.

In 1989, 1,318 councillors with pecuniary interests were given dispensation to speak and vote.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations to which he has given (a) an increase in grant and (b) a decrease in grant in 1990–91 compared with 1989–90 under the system of grants to voluntary organisations working in the field of homelessness together with the actual change and percentage change in each case.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him yesterday.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of administration to provide school meals; and if he will make a statement.

The cost of administration of school catering is provisionally estimated at £33 million in 1988–89, which is the latest year for which information is available. This estimate excludes any local authority general administration costs recharged to individual services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the work to be carried out to allow the Sovereign's Entrance in the Palace of Westminster to be used for the line of route.

The contract for the work has been let. Subject to the manufacturer achieving the quoted delivery period for the railings, visitors should be able to use the Entrance before the end of June.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment of the impact on the homeless was made prior to his decision to stop section 73 funding to CHAR;(2) what representations he has received about CHAR losing section 73 funding; if he will reconsider this decision; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: We have increased the resources available for grants to voluntary bodies under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 from £680,000 in 1989–90 to £2 million for 1990–91. Half that total is allocated to a national homelessness advice service involving citizens advice bureaux, the Shelter Housing Aid Centre and Shelter; half to practical projects providing direct help to homeless people. Twenty-six bodies have been offered grant in respect of specific practical projects. I believe that this approach will provide more direct help to homeless people than the previous use of section 73 funds for core funding voluntary bodies. I have received a number of representations on behalf of CHAR, but I will not raise hopes of further funding this year: all the funds are earmarked.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will issue copies of the 1984 Government report "Football Spectator Violence", of which his officials were members, to all police forces in the United Kingdom;

[holding answer 17 May 1990]: The report on football spectator violence was issued in 1984 and copies were sent to the football authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers among others. One of its recommendations was that high-risk clubs should not play away at major seaside towns on or during public holidays. Following the disgraceful scenes of football hooliganism in Bournemouth on 5 May, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has secured an undertaking from the Football League that in future it will give proper regard to a chief constable's assessment of the prospect of disorder when determining fixtures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett), Official Report, 16 March, column 389, on the gains made by private landlords, if he will make it his policy to set up an inquiry into profits made by landlords in (a) Manchester and (b) England from not reducing rate-inclusive rents by appropriate amounts following the introduction of the poll tax.

[holding answer 18 May 1990]: No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what dangerous chemicals included on the red list are being deposited in landfill sites in west Yorkshire.

[holding answer 18 May 1990]: Information on deposits of red list substances in landfill sites in west Yorkshire is not held centrally. Consent for such deposits is a matter for the waste disposal authorities concerned acting in consultation with the NRA.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the inflationary factor used when determining the new infrastructure charge limits agreed for the new water companies; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 May 1990]: In determining the infrastructure charge limits it was assumed that construction costs would move relative to the RPI as follows

	Per cent.
1990–91	+3·6
1991–92	-0·2
1992–93	-3·7
1993–94	-4·6
11994–95	0
1 and subsequent years.

and that the RPI would increase by 5 per cent. in 1990–91. After 1990–91 the limits may increase by the RPI unless they are subject to review by the director general in the context of a review of the general charges limits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the cost of permitting married women who do not undertake employment, and have no investment income, to pay only 20 per cent. of the community charge.

[holding answer 21 May 1990]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope), yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Martin).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to bring forward his alternative proposals for the operation of the poll tax.

We are looking to see whether any improvements could be made to the operation of the community charge. If and when any such improvements are identified they will be announced at the appropriate time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from parties who feel that they have been disadvantaged by the decision to protect Duich Moss on Islay.

I have been asked to reply.No representations have been received since the agreement to protect Duich Moss was announced on 13 May 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the 86th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 10 May.

The 86th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe focused on the interest in the Council shown by the countries of central and eastern Europe and on the contribution the Council could make to further progress in the CSCE process. The United Kingdom was represented by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.A copy of the final communiqué of the meeting is being placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on whether the Fijian Government intend to hold a referendum on the basis of one person one vote before accepting any new constitution; what contacts Her Majesty's Government have had with the Fijians on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

We have no information on whether the Fiji Government intend to hold such a referendum. We have had no contacts with the Fiji Government or the Fijians on this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list British embassies according to the grade of the ambassador.

It is not our policy to disclose the grades of our ambassadors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will discuss with the Governor of Hong Kong (a) the conditions and state of health of the Vietnamese refugees confined in each of the camps in Hong Kong, respectively and (b) recent riots in each of the camps in Hong Kong, respectively.

Yes. The best way to improve conditions in the camps and to remove the risk of riots is for those found after status-determination procedures not to be refugees to be returned in safety to their own communities in Vietnam.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the dates on which diplomatic relations with any member state of the United Nations were severed, indicating in each case whether it was Britain or the country concerned which severed the relations.

Following is the information:

Cases in which the United Kingdom has initiated a break in diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom since 1946
	Country	Dates
1.	Albania	1946	—
2.	Uganda	28 July 1976	21 April 1979
3.	Argentina	2 April 1982	19 February 1990
4.	Libya	30 April 1984	—
5.	Syria	31 October 1986	—
6.	Cambodia	6 December 1979	—

Cases in which other countries initiated a break in diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom since 1946
	Country	Dates
1.	Iran	1951	December 1952
		7 March 1989	—
2.	Saudi Arabia	17 November 1956	28 July 1963
3.	Yemen	16 February 1963	December 1967
4.	Somali Republic	18 March 1963	4 January 1968
5.	Guatemala	Reduced to consular level 31 July 1963
		Consular relations broken September 1981
		Resumed August 1986
		Full diplomatic relations resumed December 1986

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries with which Britain has diplomatic relations but where there is no resident ambassador in the country to which he is accredited, indicating in each case where the ambassador resides.

We have full diplomatic relations on a non-resident basis with the following countries (the country of residence of Her Majesty's ambassador/high commissioner is shown in parentheses after each):

• Antigua and Barbuda (Barbados)
• Benin (Nigeria)
• Burkina (Ivory Coast)
• Burundi (Zaire)
• Cape Verde (Senegal)
• Central African Republic (Cameroon)
• Chad (London)
• Comoros (Mauritius)
• Djibouti (Yemen, North)
• Commonwealth of Dominica (Barbados)
• Dominican Republic (Venezuela)
• El Salvador (Honduras)
• Equatorial Guinea (Cameroon)
• Grenada (Barbados)
• Guinea (Senegal)
• Guinea-Bissau (Senegal)
• Haiti (Jamaica)
• Laos (Thailand)
• Maldives (Sri Lanka)
• Mali (Senegal)
• Mauritania (Senegal)
• Nauru (Fiji)
• Nicaragua (Costa Rica)
• Niger (Ivory Coast)
• Rwanda (Zaire)
• St. Kitts, Nevis (Barbados)
• St. Lucia (Barbados)
• St. Vincent and The Grenadines (Barbados)
• Sao Tome (Angola)
• Surinam (Guyana)
• Togo (Ghana)
• Tuvalu (Fiji)
• Western Samoa (New Zealand)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the member states of the United Nations Organisation with which the United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations.

The following is the information:

• Albania
• Bhutan
• Cambodia
• Iran
• Libya
• Syria

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the international organisations of which Britain is a member, indicating in each case the date of joining, the cost of membership, and the number of British nationals employed by the organisation.

There is no central list of all the international organisations to which the United Kingdom belongs. The information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request the Japanese Government to investigate allegations, made by British ex-service men, of war crimes against Kiyoaki Tanara and Shigeyuki Hashimoto; and if he will make a statement.

We have no evidence in our records to support these allegations and do not, therefore, feel justified in raising this matter with the Japanese Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on the application made to the British high commission in Islamabad by Mrs. Maroof Jan, whose date of birth is 1958, ref. IMM/43953, to enter the United Kingdom.

In accordance with the guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988, I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the unit as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 15 May, Official Report, column 380, if he will specify the sections of the debate on inter-community frontiers on 4 May 1989 which set out the border checks on individuals which are to be removed in consequence of the European Economic Community arrangements described in the pamphlet "Europe in the 1990s", issued by his Department.

As stated in my answer on 15 May, c. 380, my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary set out our position in full in the debate on 4 May 1989. Discussions continue with our partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 11 May, what factors have led to the increase in the United Kingdom net contribution to the European Community for 1989 to £2,315 million.

I refer my hon. Friend to paragraphs 23 to 27 of the statement on the 1990 Community budget which was presented to the House on 26 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the assize of European parliamentarians comprising 50 per cent. Members of the European Parliament and 50 per cent. national Members of Parliament, scheduled to be held in Italy in the autumn, setting out what knowledge he may have of its status, the terms and conditions under which it is established, how it is to be funded and the authority and standing of any conclusions that it may reach.

We understand that the Italian Chamber of Deputies has agreed to host the meeting with national parliaments in Rome in October which had been advocated by the European Parliament. The European Parliament has not yet made clear what organisational or financial arrangements it proposes. Such a meeting would enjoy no status under the treaty and the authority of any conclusions reached would derive from the support of those present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on the operation of the Single European Act.

We will publish our observations on the report at 1530 hours on 22 May 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent on trunk road improvements in Gwynedd in the last 12 months excluding the A55 expressway.

Estimated expenditure in 1989–90 on new construction and improvement in Gwynedd, excluding the A55 north Wales coast road, is £5·4 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the latest average unemployment rate in development areas in Wales and (b) the unemployment rate on the same date for each travel-to-work area which had an unemployment rate higher than the average for development areas in Wales, denoting which of the areas have in their territory a development area.

The information requested is given in the table:

	Per cent.1	Status
(a)Average for development areas in Wales	7·1
(b) Travel-to-work areas with a higher unemployment rate than the average for the development areas in Wales:
Aberdare	10·3	DA
Holyhead	9·7	DA
Merthyr and Rhymney	9·4	DA
Bangor and Caernarfon	9·0	IA
Blaenau Gwent and Abergavenny	8·5	DA
South Pembrokeshire	8·1	DA
Llanelli	8·0	IA
Pwllheli	7·6	IA
Pontypridd and Rhondda	7·5	DA
Haverfordwest	7·4	IA
1 Workforce-based unemployment rate, per cent., April 1990.
DA denotes development area.
IA denotes intermediate area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total capital spending in Welsh schools in current prices in each year from 1979–80 to 1988–89.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Total capital expenditure on Welsh schools in 1988–89 prices
	£000
1979–80	32,906
1980–81	41,026
1981–82	34,726
1982–83	36,810
1983–84	34,823
1984–85	30,323
1985–86	26,767
1986–87	32,786
1987–88	38,393
1988–89	37,568

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many school leavers in Wales in total and in percentage terms entered (a) further and (b) higher education in 1979, 1988 and 1989.

The latest available data on the first destination of school leavers are for the academic year 1987–88. They are not however available in the form requested. The following table gives the number and percentages of school leavers entering degree and teacher training courses and other further and higher education.

	1979–80	1987–88
Number of school leavers with intended destination1:
Degree and teacher training courses	3,850	3,970
Other further and higher education courses	7,005	9,620
Leavers' destinations as a percentage of all leavers1:
Degree and teacher training courses	9	10
Other further and higher education courses	15	24
1 School leavers survey. This is a 10 per cent, sample survey and therefore the data will be subject to sampling error.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the total cost of constructing the north Wales expressway; and if he will publish information on the anticipated traffic volumes on this road, after completion, by category of users.

Total expenditure on dualling the A55 is estimated at around £620 million. Estimates of anticipated traffic volumes for 15 years after opening have been or will be published for each section of the route as part of the evidence put before the public inquiry. Current annual average daily traffic flows on the A55 range between 15,000 and 30,000 vehicles, of which 8 to 10 per cent. are heavy goods vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many care and repair schemes are currently operative in Wales; and if he will make a statement on the future funding of such schemes.

Since March 1987 our Department has helped to establish 15 home improvement agencies in Wales. Ten schemes are funded by our Department under the care and repair agencies initiative and the remaining five from other sources of Welsh Office funding. Two further agencies are operating independently.The performance of home improvement agencies has been monitored over the past three years by the school for advanced urban studies in Bristol and we are currently studying its conclusions. We will decide shortly on the future of existing agencies and their possible further development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much assistance his Department gave by way of grant to the Motor Neurone Disease Association during 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, in current money equivalent terms, the spending by social services departments in Wales on services for registered physically handicapped people during 1988–89 and for each of the previous 10 years, together with the number of such people who were beneficiaries of these services in each year and the corresponding average spending per assisted case.

The information available on spending is given in the tables:

Local authority expenditure on physically disabled1
	£ million at 1988–89 prices
1978–79	4·7
1979–80	4·4
1980–81	4·2
1981–82	4·1
1982–83	4·0
1983–84	4·8

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many school leavers in Wales have entered full-time employment annually in total and percentage terms for each year from 1979.

The numbers and percentages of those school leavers in Wales entering full-time employment are given in the table:

School leavers intending to enter the labour market1
	Number	Percentage of all leavers
1979–80	34,270	76
1980–81	32,040	73
1981–82	32,195	71
1982–83	31,410	69
1983–84	30,950	70
1984–85	30,610	69
1985–86	29,840	69

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what redress there is if a health authority that is counselling the closure of a hospital fails to conform with the provisions of planning paper V, entitled "Procedure for Consultation on the Closure and Change of Use of Health Buildings".

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 16 May 1990, column 479–80. In addition, it is open to people or bodies who consider that they have not been properly consulted under the terms of service planning paper 5 to make an application to the High Court for a judicial review of the health authority's actions.