To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it costs per year to keep a rural police officer in Wales; what was the comparable figure for 1982; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not held centrally. The unit cost for a police officer in Wales in 1982–83 was £15,474, and the estimated unit cost for 1992–93 is £34,924.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rural police officers there are in Wales; what were the corresponding figures for 1980, 1985 and 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Records of deployment of police officers to rural areas are not held centrally.The table gives details of the total strength of the Welsh forces as at 31 December for the years in question:—

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many rural police stations in Wales have been closed this year; how many closed in 1982; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many rural police stations there are in Wales; and what were the corresponding figures for 1980, 1985 and 1990.

Police stations are not formally classified in this way. The opening and closing of individual police stations is a matter for the force concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning the recent Audit Commission report on rural police stations in north Wales.

There has been no Audit Commission report dealing specifically with rural police stations in north Wales. The chief constable commissioned a report by the district audit office into the structure of his force. The report has been laid before the police authority and the force is now consulting widely with the local community.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 May, Official Report, column 10, if he will give the latest position over the funding of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service.

We will make a further announcement as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many references to the Court of Appeal under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 are under consideration by C3 division of the Home Office.

Any representations alleging wrongful conviction upon indictment are considered with a view to a possible reference to the Court of Appeal under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968. On 23 June 159 cases involving convictions on indictment and alleging wrongful conviction were under consideration by C3 division of the Home Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures his Department proposes to take to reduce overcrowding in Chelmsford prison;(2) when he expects a reduction in overcrowding in Chelmsford prison;(3) how many prisoners there were in Chelmsford prison on 12 December 1991 and 18 June 1992; and if he will make a statement.

In common with other local prisons, Chelmsford has maintained a substantial degree of overcrowding for some time. In recent months, as new accommodation elsewhere in the prison service estate has come on stream, the amount of overcrowding has been reduced. I cannot give any assurances on whether this welcome improvement will be sustained because this would be dependent on the number of prisoners committed into custody by the courts served by the prison. Further consideration is being given to measures to reduce overcrowding directly in Chelmsford prison and elsewhere. On 12 December 1991 the number of prisoners held in Chelmsford was 389, and on 18 June this year is was 352.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to the oral answer on 22 June from the Secretary of State for Wales to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth, Official Report, column 4, whether he has yet decided to introduce legislation before 16 July to cancel or delay the county council elections to be held in Wales in 1993 in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 9 June 1992, at column 77. No decisions have yet been taken in this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of occasions in the past five years in which suspects have evaded arrest by securing information that the police were about to call at their homes.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responses it has had in response to the "Competing for Quality" consultation with regard to the maintenance of fire service vehicles; and if he will list those supporting, and those opposing, the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering, for fire service vehicles.

With the exception of Hertfordshire, all fire authorities and fire service representative bodies in England and Wales have expressed opposition to compulsory competitive tendering for the maintenance of their vehicle fleets.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of Thursday 18 June, Official Report, column 651, if he will show for the last five years ranked by police authority, the total number of prosecutions for all offences involving consenting male homosexual activity where at least one partner was aged over 16 years and under 21 years.

Information for 1986 to 1990 by police force area is given in the tables. The offence of indecency between males by a man of the age of 21 or over with another male person under the age of 21 does not necessarily involve fully consensual behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to review the procedures for co-operation and sharing of information between separate police constabularies in England and Wales in relation to the problems caused by new age travellers.

The policing of any event is an operational matter for the police, but my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State will very shortly be meeting with chief constables to consider the intelligence and liaison arrangements between police forces for handling new age travelers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism exists for co-operation on areas of common concern between different police constabularies in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Police forces co-operate in many ways, formal and informal, over matters of common concern. In the case of public order difficulties, by virtue of section 14 of the Police Act 1964, chief constables can draw on the assistance of mutual aid from neighbouring forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those organisations he is consulting on proposals to amend the law on asylum seekers.

My right hon. and learned Friend and I are ready to hear the views of interested organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been received about increasing the number of multiracial juries; whether he will introduce regulations to enable a multiracial jury to be appointed in cases where either the defence or prosecution request one; and if he will make a statement.

We have received no such representations, although I understand that this is an issue which has been put to the Royal Commission on criminal justice in evidence submitted to them. I understand also that the Lord Chancellor has received representations on the matter from the Society of Black Lawyers. We have no present plans for legislation in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce regulations to enable a mixed-sex jury to be appointed in cases where either the defence or the prosecution request one; and if he will make a statement.

We have no present plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to review the guidance issued by his Department to chief officers of police concerning the exercise of their powers under section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986.

On 22 May 1991 we issued guidance to the police on the application of section 39. In January 1992 we reviewed the police response to this guidance with the Association of Chief Police Officers who welcomed its introduction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from police forces on the effectiveness of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986 in dealing with mass trespass on private or common land.

None, since 1990 when the Association of Chief Police Officers responded to the public evaluation of section 39.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of obscene telephone calls were reported in the year 1991–92; how many offenders were charged; and how many were convicted.

It is not possible from the information held centrally to identify offences under section 43(1)(a) of the Telecommunications Act 1984—obscene, indecent, menacing or grossly offensive telephone calls—from other summary offences under the same Act. However, our statistics show that in 1990, there were 700 prosecutions and 520 convictions for summary offences as a whole under the aforesaid Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has issued to entry clearance officers in British posts on the Indian sub-continent to expedite applications from spouses who have been waiting for more than five years to enter the United Kingdom; if similar instructions have been issued regarding other categories of settlement applicants; and if he will make a statement.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kuwaiti-born Palestinians who have been refused entry to Kuwait and are in the United Kingdom have applied for an extension of their visa or applied for permanent settlement in the United Kingdom.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the agreements between the European Community and (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

Both Switzerland and Liechtenstein have free trade agreements with the Community covering manufactured goods, and will be part of the European economic area when this comes into effect. In addition, each has a number of bilateral agreements with the Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for non-settlement entry clearance at the deputy high commission in Karachi have been outstanding for more than one month because the post requires information from the high commission in Islamabad.

The deputy high commission in Karachi has no outstanding applications for entry clearance awaiting information from the high commission in Islamabad.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many outstanding applications for entry clearance at the deputy high commision in Karachi are waiting for files which have been requested from the high commission in Islamabad.

The deputy high commission in Karachi has two outstanding applications for entry clearance awaiting information from the high commission in Islamabad. Both are settlement cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the South African Government about the police killings over the past weekend and other violence.

We are in touch with all the main parties in South Africa. We have noted President de Klerk's firm commitment to bring those responsible for the tragic killings at Boipotang to justice. We have urged him to do so as quickly as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24 June, Official Report, column 209.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the British China and Porcelain Artists Association to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Such an application was approved in principle by my right hon. Friend the then Minister for the Arts in September 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will offer advice to school governors on the development of road safety policies in schools.

As part of our child road safety initiative which highlights road safety education in schools as a key area for action, I am anxious to encourage school governors to be involved in the development of school road safety policies. In support of this, my Department has just produced a road safety information leaflet for governors. The leaflet is widely available from local authority road safety officers in England and Wales and from my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to deal with increasing trafffic congestion on the M25.

I am today announcing proposals for increasing the capacity of the M25 between junction 12, M3, and junction 15, M4.Following very careful consideration of the options, I am proposing to provide new three-lane link roads to run either side of the existing motorway between these junctions.The section of the M25 between the M3 and the M4 is the busiest motorway in the country carrying as many as 200,000 vehicles a day. Most of it is already four lanes in each direction, but further capacity is urgently needed to relieve congestion and ensure that this vital link in our motorway network can cope with future traffic growth.The new roads will run adjacent to the motorway and will cater for traffic travelling between these junctions. This will improve the flow of traffic on the main carriageway and reduce accidents by separating through traffic from vehicles joining and leaving the motorway. These improvements will discourage traffic from using unsuitable local roads to avoid congestion on the motorway.Great emphasis will be placed on the environment in this project. The proposals include extensive landscaping, the planting of thousands of trees and shrubs and the erection of noise barriers.All those affected will be fully consulted and their comments considered and reflected in the further design work. An environmental statement will be published when this work is completed.I recognise that local people will be concerned about the effect of the scheme on their area. Exhibitions will be held shortly to provide the public with information about the proposals and to explain the next steps.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors have delayed the coming into force of the Motor Cycle Noise Act 1987; and if he will make a statement.

When the 1987 Act, and the regulations to be made under it, are brought into force, it will be desirable also to have in place a related amendment of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 concerning motorcycle noise. We hope to go out to consultation on the amendment to the 1986 regulations by the end of this year. The bringing into force of the 1987 Act, and of the regulations to be made under it, will follow as soon as practicable thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much public money has been spent to date on research, development and associated costs on the Jubilee line extension.

Up to the end of the financial year 1991–92, some £100 million of public money had been spent on advance works, design, parliamentary work, land purchase, property purchase and project management for the Jubilee line extension. It is estimated that a further £18 million was spent in the first 12 weeks of this financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the crossrail and the Chelsea-Hackey line proposals to be at a stage of development comparable to the present Jubilee line extension scheme.

These three projects are expected to proceed sequentially. Powers exist to build the Jubilee line extension; public, though not private, funding is in place. It will be some years yet before crossrail is ready to build: that will depend on the parliamentary process and the availability of funds. The Chelsea-Hackney line will follow on as permitted by the availability of funds, the capacity of the construction industry and the ability of the capital to absorb further major construction works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of how many jobs will be created by the Jubilee line extension.

The construction of the Jubilee line extension is estimated to create direct employment on-site on civil works for some 4,000 people and off-site in manufacturing and supply of the order of five times as many more people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what schemes he has approved, in which cities, for special funding for schemes costing less than £5 million for experimental traffic-calming package schemes in mixed residential/light commercial areas in the present financial year.

No specific experimental traffic-calming schemes were approved for funding in the current financial year. Part of the transport supplementary grant settlement—minor works or credit approvals—allocated to English local highway authorities might be used for traffic-calming measures, but separate records are not kept.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the Hayes inquiry into river safety to report; and if he will make it his policy to publish the report before 16 July.

Mr. Hayes's report is currently being prepared for publication. I hope that it will be published before 16 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has undertaken recently to ensure that the pensions of both current and past British Rail employees are fully protected following future measures of privatisation.

No decisions have yet been taken on the details of rail privatisation, but the Government have already made it clear that pension entitlements will be safeguarded. Detailed discussions with British Rail and its pensions advisers have begun.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislation to clarify the law on wheel-clamping vehicles on private land; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to establish a licensing authority for private wheel clamping firms.

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 18 June at column 611.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is considering to encourage the development of alternative fuels, such as biodiesel, for vehicles.

The Transport Research Laboratory is currently reviewing national and international research and experience in the use of a range of alternative fuels for road vehicles. This will include biofuels such as biodiesel.The findings of this review will be used in further work to evaluate possible roles that alternative fuels might play in meeting our future transport needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will repeal those parts of the Carrying Capacity Regulations 1984 and the Certificate of Conformity Regulations that allow three children up to 14 years of age to be counted as two, thereby sharing double seats on school buses.

I am currently reviewing the Carrying Capacity Regulations 1984 and associated regulations in the bus sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what orders have been placed by British Rail for sleeper train services through the channel tunnel; how many of the train sets on order will be capable of using the east coast mainline; and when he now expects these train sets to be available for service.

No formal order can be made for sleeper rolling stock until current negotiations between British Rail, its continental partners and the European Commission on its proposed night service joint venture have been completed. If the order is made soon, the railways hope to start night services during 1995. All of the train sets would be capable of running on the east coast main line although the railways have no current plans to run night services on this line.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received about the prospect of student hardship this summer; and if he intends to increase the availability of the access funds.

My right hon. Friend regularly receives representations on all aspects of student support. We have made substantially more money available in maintenance support for students. The full-year loan and grant together are now over 30 per cent. higher than the grant alone was two years ago. We recently announced a 4.5 per cent. increase in average student resources for the 1992–93 academic year thus maintaining their value in real terms. Access funds are a relatively small and supplementary part of a generous package of student support. We believe that the sums made available to the funds should be sufficient for their purpose, if properly targeted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he has given to the letter sent to him by the Manchester Association of University Teachers on 12 June, concerning the future of the Manchester business school; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about Manchester business school. He is concerned at the rift that has developed between the lay members of the MBS council and the university of Manchester authorities.Manchester business school is a constituent part of the university and my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene in the internal affairs of universities. He has suggested that both sides should approach an independent figure of standing who is mutually acceptable to them to act as mediator. I am replying to the Manchester Association of University Teachers' letter of 12 June to this effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24 June, Official Report, columns 208–9.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what approvals have been given to grant-maintained schools to dispose of capital assets; and how much of the proceeds, in each case, have been returned to the former maintaining authority.

One grant-maintained school has received my right hon. Friend's consent to the sale of a piece of surplus land. The attribution of proceeds between the school and the former maintaining authority is currently being determined. Another school has received consent for the disposal of part of its premises by annual lease, and for the renewal of this lease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the total amounts and individually for each city technology college, including planned and proposed colleges, the private donations that have been (a) pledged, (b) confirmed, (c) committed and (d) actually paid over; and if he will indicate in each case the nature of donations in kind rather than cash.

This information is not available centrally in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will update the table given in his answer of 12 March, Official Report, columns 602–4, giving the latest available information in respect of each city technology college or proposed and planned city technology college.

The table covers announced CTCs:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the civil service grades or grade equivalents of the chief scientific adviser in the Office of Science and Technology, the chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council, the secretary of the Medical Research Council and the chief scientific adviser of the Ministry of Defence.

The civil service grades (or grade equivalents) are:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what further plans he has to introduce business discipline and entrepreneurial methods into the management of Government departments.

The Government are committed to improving management in government for the benefit of customers, taxpayers and staff by drawing upon a wide range of proven management practices. The next steps initiative has already made use of many such practices: performance pay; businesslike reports and accounts; clear accountability; customer surveys; trading funds; and the financial flexibility to carry money between financial years. And many agency chief executives with business experience have been appointed following open competition. About half the civil service is already operating along next steps lines and the aim is that all the executive functions of government will, so far as practicable, be operating along these lines by the end of 1993.The citizens charter will place additional requirements on Government Departments to become consumer orientated, including published standards of service; consultation with users in setting those standards; greater openness and an end to anonymity; and improved systems for responding when things go wrong.The citizens charter also calls for a more direct link between performance and reward. I and my colleagues therefore intend to ensure that performance pay schemes are introduced throughout the civil service and that the process of delegating management responsibility for the civil service from the Office of Public Service and Science and the Treasury to Departments and agencies continues. In addition, in line with the commitments in the "Citizen's Charter" White Paper and its companian "Competing for Quality", all Departments and agencies are currently seeking to take forward the Government's market testing initiative and extend competitive tendering to new areas closer to the heart of government.In all of this work I am able to draw directly upon the business experience of the citizens charter panel of advisers, chaired by Sir James Blyth, and the efficiency unit, led by Sir Peter Levene.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the budgets of each executive agency.

Agency budgets are a matter for the responsible Minister, although in the case of trading funds there will not necessarily be an approved budget as such.Where an agency has published a corporate plan, a copy of which will be placed in the House of Commons Library, the corporate plan will normally contain this information. A number of Departments also include this information in the relevant section of their departmental report.In addition, the table in the "Next Steps Annual Review", Cm. 1760 gives information on the operating costs of all the agencies which had been established as at 1 April 1991.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he proposes to make the necessary order to bring into force the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Subject to making the necessary amendments to rules of court, on which consultation will begin shortly, the Lord Chancellor hopes to be in a position to bring the Act into force in January 1993.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average time taken for county courts to make payments to beneficiaries from sums paid into county courts.

Moneys paid into a county court are required by rule to be paid out within one week of receipt. Where paid in satisfaction of a claim, payment is normally made within one week of acceptance.Moneys transferred by a county court to the court funds office for investment are generally paid out within seven working days of demand.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what regulations exist to ensure the prompt payment of money paid into county courts to beneficiaries.

The payment out of moneys paid into a county court or invested by the court funds office is governed by part VII of the Court Funds Rules 1987.Moneys paid into a county court are required to be paid over to creditors within one week of receipt, except where paid in satisfaction of a claim.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each of the last five years what was the amount of corporation tax forgone from British banking institutions in relation to the writing-down of developing country sovereign debt; and how much sovereign debt has (a) been cancelled or (b) been made available for debt-for-environment or debt-for-development swaps, in each of the last five years as a result of this writing-down.

Provisions for doubtful sovereign debt by banks operating in the United Kingdom are estimated to have reduced corporation tax receipts in the last five years by the following amounts:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to alter the tax treatment of non-United Kingdom citizens working in the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce new measures to reduce taxation on alternative fuels such as biodiesel.

The European Commission has produced a draft directive on the reduction of excise duties on motor fuels from agricultural sources—biofuels. These proposals were reported to the House in an explanatory memorandum on Com(92)36. A detailed assessment of the proposal is currently being made by interested Government departments. As yet, there have been no Community discussions on the draft directive.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the recommendations made by the Committee of Public Accounts during 1990–91 were accepted by the Government; if he will make an estimate of the savings that were made as a result; and if he will make a statement.

The Government pay close attention to all the Public Accounts Committee's recommendations and have agreed with the majority of them. It is not possible to quantify resulting savings.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he intends to make in the scheme announced in the budget whereby the largest VAT payers would be required to make monthly payments on accounts from the autumn of 1992.

Customs have now completed the consultation exercise launched on Budget day on the details of the scheme. All representations made have been considered most carefully. I can now confirm that the broad outlines of the scheme announced by my right hon. Friend will remain unchanged. However, we have been able to agree to some modifications which respond to points made in consultation.Businesses with net VAT payments of over £2 million will still pay monthly amounts on account instead of paying quarterly as at present. However, a business will not now be included in the scheme where exceptional transactions in the year ending 31 March 1991 caused it to exceed the £2 million VAT threshold.Second, lower monthly payments will be permitted where a change in business circumstances results in a reduction of VAT liability to 80 per cent. or less of that in the reference period. This responds to concerns that the original two-thirds trigger was too low.In addition, we intend to review the criteria for selection for inclusion in the scheme once we have some experience of its operation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has made in its investigations into potential sanctions-breaking trade between British and Danish companies and Iraq before, at the time of, and since the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 24 June 1992]: Investigation into potential sanctions breaking trade is a matter for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise who can prosecute in appropriate cases. It would not be appropriate for information relating to any particular investigation to be made public other than in the course of court proceedings. If the hon. and learned Member has information regarding any potential sanctions-breaking trade, Customs and Excise would be grateful to receive it.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update, to take account of the 1992 Budget, the information on tax changes contained in his reply of 21 October 1986 to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), Official Report, columns 807–8.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 June 1992, c. 4]: I regret that, due to a typographical error, one of the figures in the table was incorrect. The answer should read as follows:Latest estimates of the annual change in income tax liability resulting from the changes in tax rates, allowances and thresholds announced in the 1992 Budget are in the table. The 1978–79 income tax regime has been indexed to 1992–93 levels by reference to the statutory formula, and allowing for independent taxation.For the purposes of these calculations the indexed regime of 1978–79 is applied directly to the income base of 1992–93. In practice, retention of the regime indexed as appropriate for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had recently with the Prime Minister of Pakistan concerning Kashmir; what agreement was reached on representations to be made on behalf of Her Majesty's Government about Kashmir; and if he will make a statement.

I discussed Kashmir with Mr. Nawaz Sharif on 17 June. I repeated our hope that Pakistan and India will agree to a means of solving this dispute through negotiation. I made clear our concern about interference in Kashmir by militants from Pakistan, and also briefed Mr. Nawaz Sharif on our representations to the Indian Government about the need to respect human rights and the need for a political process in Kashmir.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the United States Administration on intellectual property rights regarding forestry products and medicines.

All these issues were discussed in the negotiations leading up to the biodiversity convention, in which representatives of the United States Administration were involved.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 June.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 June.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the composition of the United Kingdom delegation for the 44th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The 44th session parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe was opened in Strasbourg on 4 May. The next meeting of this session will be held in Budapest on 30 June, and the delegation from the United Kingdom, for this meeting and the remainder of the session, will consist of 19 Members of the Conservative party, 15 Members of the Labour party and two Members from the minority parties.The appointments of representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the parties concerned.The same delegation will be representing the United Kingdom Parliament at the assembly of the Western European Union, which next meets in Paris on 30 November 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by his Department in assisting the development and usage of systems to recover methane from landfills and waste-water treatment plants.

My Department in its comprehensive waste management research programme has sponsored a considerable body of work on the optimisation of landfill gas production and methods relating to its improved management. Apart from research into the control of landfill gas for safety, there are 10 research projects set up in collaboration with the energy technology support unit of the Department of Trade and Industry on the recovery and utilisation of the gas.Direct support for demonstration projects is given by the Department of Trade and Industry. Nine projects receiving support have shown that the extraction and utilisation of landfill gas in boilers, kilns and for the generation of electricity can be economically attractive. Renewables orders made under the 1989 Electricity Act which require regional electricity companies to contract for non-fossil fuel sources of electricity have brought forward 53 projects with a total capacity of 85MW.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the provisions of the 1991 Treasury guidelines contained in "Economic Appraisal in Central Government: "A Technical Guide for Government Departments'. were applied in the investment appraisal used in deciding that civil servants should be moved to the docklands, in particular paragraphs 3.2 to 3.12 dealing with alternative options; and if he will publish the investment appraisal.

On 2 June I announced, Official Report, column 707, that some 2,000 civil servants in my Department would move to docklands subject to securing fully commercial terms giving value for money to the taxpayer. In making a final decision full account will be taken of the Treasury guidelines. To publish details of the appraisal now would jeopardise the negotiations that are currently taking place with developers. I will, however, consider making available the factors which were taken into account, including the investment appraisal, in due course, but that, too, would be subject to commercial confidentiality.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Departmental library receives environmental bulletins or newsletters produced by counterpart departments in other European Community countries.

No. I am not currently aware of any such bulletins, but I should be happy to consider whether to order any that are drawn to my attention.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were (a) the initial housing investment programme allocations and (b) the housing investment programme bids for each district council in Cumbria in constant 1991–92 prices for each year since 1979.

The available information on housing investment programme bids and allocations is as follows. The table also gives corresponding figures for gross capital expenditure on housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new houses were started in each district in Cumbria since 1979 in (a) the private sector,(b) by housing association and (c) by local authorites.

Estimates of housebuilding starts by sector Eden for each local authority in Cumbria are shown in the publications "Local Housing Statistics" and "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Area".Figures for 1979 are in table 5 of the May 1980 edition —issue No. 53—of "Local Housing Statistics". Figures for 1980 to 1988 are in tables 1.1 to 1.9 of "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Areas: 1980 to 1989". Revised 1989 figures are in table 1

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were on council housing waiting lists in each district in Cumbria in (a) 1979 and (b) 1991.

Local authorities report the number of households on their council housing waiting lists in their annual housing investment programme—HIP—returns.The figures as at 1 April 1991 are in column B5 of the "1991 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.The information was not reported in 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what position the Government will be recommending to the EC on hydrochlorofluorocarbons; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom, with other member states, has agreed that the Community should support a quantitative limit on HCFC consumption, together with controls on use and a phase out date. The Community's proposal for HCFC controls is one of the issues to be discussed at the meeting of the Montreal protocol open-ended working group between 8 and 17 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his timetable for the implementation of section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

No timetable for implementation of section 143 has yet been decided, but an announcement due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons were accepted as homeless under the provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and part III of the Housing Act 1985 in Barrow-in-Furness in each year since 1978.

The information for 1978 is contained in edition No. 52, table 12 of "Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales", a copy of which is available in the Library. For the other years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) on 17 June 1992, Official Report, columns 569–70.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24 June, Official Report, columns 208–9.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he intends to take to assist home owners facing repossession who are in difficulties meeting their mortgage payments.

All mortgage borrowers will have been helped by the 5 per cent. reduction in base rates since October 1990.The Government agreed a package of measures to help borrowers at risk of repossession with the Council of Mortgage Lenders in December 1991. We reviewed progress on that package with CML members on 2 June. They estimate that measures taken since December will save some 55,000 repossessions this year, and that the number of homes repossessed this year will fall.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the percentage figures for water use in each of the main water regions for (a) agricultural, (b) industrial, (c) commercial and (d) domestic use, respectively.

The available statistics are published in the annual "Digest of the Environmental Protection and Water Statistics". Copies of the digest were placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he takes to ensure that all transporters of waste adhere to regulations governing the safe control of waste; and if he will bring forward proposals to empower waste regulation authorities with rights to inspect waste transporter premises and stop check waste vehicles within the area of the authority's function.

Since 1 April 1992 it has been an offence under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 for any person to transport controlled waste in the course of his business unless he is registered with the appropriate waste regulation authority; or benefits from an exemption provided under the Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991.Under 7(1) of the 1989 Act, as amended, waste regulation authorities have powers to enter and inspect premises; and under section 5 of that Act waste regulation authorities and police constables have powers to stop and search vehicles in certain circumstances. Guidance on the 1989 Act and the 1991 regulations has been provided to waste regulation authorities in DOE circular 11/91.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that waste regulation authorities which receive imported waste are fully aware of those countries through which waste travels.

The Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 provide a system of consignment notes, one of which must be sent to the competent authority of the state of destination. In the case of shipments of waste for disposal, this copy will show in code form all the other EC member states through which the consignment is due to pass.The current draft of the proposed EC waste shipments regulation would improve upon these requirements. Consignment notes would show routeing arrangements, and this would apply to shipments of certain types of waste for recovery as well as to shipments for disposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the level of new starts in local authority housing annually, for the years 1980 to 1991;(2) what was the number of housing association new starts, annually, for the years 1980 to 1991.

Estimates of the numbers of new housebuilding starts by local authorities and by housing associations for 1980 to 1990 are published in table 6.1 of the annual publication "Housing and Construction Statistics 1980–1990: Great Britain". Provisional estimates for 1991 are shown in the quarterly publication "Housing and Construction Statistics; Part 1", in table 1.2 of the December quarter 1991 edition, No. 48.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show the level of capital spending for local authority housing in the years 1980 to the present day and also as a proportion of gross domestic product, annually, for the same period, in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside.

Information on housing expenditure by local authorities is only available on a financial year basis. Financial year GDP figures are not available for England or regions of England. The available information, which relates to gross capital expenditure, including spending from receipts, is as follows.