asked Her Majesty's Government:

We plan to publish shortly a statistical bulletin giving details of the information so far available on the use of the new sentencing structure for young offenders in the first six months after the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. The latest available information on the number of young offenders serving detention centre orders and sentences of youth custody is given in the following table:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will now discuss with the General Medical Services Committee methods of reducing the average number of patients on general practitioners' lists in urban areas.

We have no plans for any such discussions. The average number of patients on general practitioners' lists in England is reducing as the number of general medical practitioners increases faster than the population. It fell in each of the 10 years to 1st October 1982, when, at 2,155, it was the lowest figure since records were first kept in 1954. The average for urban areas is not significantly greater than for the country as a whole.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in 1982 there were 112 United States military installations in the United Kingdom, including six major installations, seven large minor installations, and an additional 99 locations providing housing, storage, communication and operational support; and what was the position in 1983.

I do not recognise the figure of 112 United States military installations quoted by the noble Lord. As at 31st December 1982, my right honourable and honourable friends had listed in another place 63 United States bases and facilities in the United Kingdom. The comparable figure as at 31st December 1983 was 62 United States bases and facilties. There are, in addition, a number of sites used solely for housing.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What response they have received to their recent protest to the United States Government against the sale of helicopter spare parts to Guatemala.

When we again drew the United States Government's attention to our concern about the possible consequences for Belize of military sales to Guatemala, the State Department said that these refurbished helicopters are expected to be used primarily for anti-guerrilla operations and that their military impact will be limited. In commenting on this sale, the Guatemalan Government have reiterated their desire for a peaceful settlement to the Belize dispute.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For the years 1978–83 what are the numbers of dwellings where work has been completed by local authorities in (i) improvment and (ii) the installation of standard amenities in dwellings occupied by disabled persons under the following cost-of-work categories:

Numbers of conversions and improvements and of installations of standard amenities completed by local authorities to dwellings occupied by disabled persons are shown for 1978 to 1981 in Table 7.3 of Housing and Construction Statistics 1972–1982 and for 1982 and the first three quarters of 1983 in Table 2.19 of Housing and Construction Statistics No. 15. Copies are available in the Library. Cost information has been collected from authorities only in aggregate for each quarter or each financial year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By what statutory authority Government departments are entitled to obtain documents from the Public Record Office and what rules govern the length of time they may be kept.

Section 4(6) of the Public Records Act 1958 permits the temporary return of public records in the Public Record Office to the department or office from which they were transferred. No rules govern the length of time they may be kept, but the Public Record Office operates a procedure, which has recently been improved, for reminding departments to return records immediately they have finished with them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps have been taken in response to the recommendations made in the report of the Joint Review Group on Employment Opportunities for Women in the Civil Service.

I am pleased to tell my noble friend that a programme of action in response to the Joint Review Group's recommendations has been agreed with the Council of Civil Service Unions. Copies of the document have been placed in the Library. Some of the main items of the programme are:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will state, in respect of each of the years from 1984–85 to 2003–2004 inclusive, the amounts of capital and of interest receivable by them in respect of the loans from the Secretary of State as scheduled at page 53 of the audited accounts of British Telecom for the year 1982–83.

The information is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will now place in the Library a copy of the licence that has been issued to British Telecom/Securicor for their 900 Mhz cellular radio system?

A copy of the licence that has been granted under the British Telecommunications Act 1981 to the joint British Telecom/Securicor company Telecom Securicor Cellular Radio Limited has been placed in the Library together with a copy of a similar licence issued to Racal-Millicom (Operating) Ltd.