asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Members of the European Assembly who receive travel warrants or cash allowances for their travel to and from their homes and place of assembly pay tax on the notional benefit travel in the same manner as hon. Members of the House.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Members of the European Assembly who receive travel warrants or cash allowances for their travel to and horn their constituency and home pay tax on the notional benefit travel in the same manner as hon. Members of the House.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the deep concern felt by the National Union of Tailoring and Garment Workers at the present rate of value added tax and its effect on the tailoring and garment industry and employment within the industry, he wall reduce or abolish value added tax on all items of clothing and the sale thereof.

No. In the context of a broadly based tax on consumer expenditure, a relief from VAT for all items of clothing would not be justified. However, clothing—and footwear—designed for young children is already relieved from VAT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of value added tax now applicable on hotel accommodation in each of the other nine European Economic Community countries.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the total cost in 1981–82 and at 1981 cash prices of each of the income tax allowances and reliefs listed at T 4.14 of the public expenditure White Paper; and how many beneficiaries are involved in each main category.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the United Kingdom's gross contribution in £ sterling and in European currency units to the European Economic Community budget for each European Economic Community budget year, 1980 and 1981; what were the United Kingdom's receipts or current estimates of receipts for 1980 and 1981; and what therefore was the United Kingdom's net contribution in each year.

I shall let the right hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, having regard to the fact that the Federal Republic of Germany's gross domestic product is twice that of the United Kingdom and that France's gross domestic product is 50 per cent. higher, he will explain the reasons why Germany's value added tax contribution to the European Economic Community budget is only 23 per cent. larger than that of the United Kingdom and that of France is 9 per cent. greater.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the interests of assisting the Government's counter-inflation policies, he will take powers to disallow price increases in the nationalised industries in excess of the rate of inflation over the next six months; and whether he will make a statement on the reasons for his decision.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1981]: Such powers would not tackle the root cause of these price increases. The best long-term means of keeping nationalised industry prices down—and the only means of doing so that does not place an unacceptable burden on the public purse—is to induce genuine improvements in the industries' efficiency. We are doing this through a range of measures: privatisation where appropriate, increased competition, use of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and the setting of performance aims.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of public spending already officially indexed is adjusted to offset inflation.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1981]: About one-fifth of public expenditure is linked by statute to the level of inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has yet decided the future administrative structure for health services in London; and if he will make a statement.

I have carefully considered the recommendations of the four Thames regional health authorities, the advice of the London Advisory Group and the many representations made to Ministers. I have now decided that, subject to the necessary orders being made in due course, the district health authorities listed will be established to come into being on 1 April 1982. In most cases these districts are those recommended by the regional health authorities and endorsed by the London Advisory Group.The London Advisory Group, however, proposed that there should be a single Riverside district based on the existing South Hammersmith and Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster south districts and that the existing North Hammersmith district should be included in an Ealing and Hammersmith district. I am convinced that the proposed Riverside district would create insuperable problems for liaison with the three London boroughs concerned. I have already announced my decision to establish a special health authority for the Hammersmith hospital. I have now decided that there should be a separate Ealing district health authority, coterminous with Ealing borough; a Hammersmith and Fulham district health authority; and a Victoria district health authority based on the existing Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster south district. The new special health authority will, however, continue to manage all the services at present managed by the existing North Hammersmith district until the new authorities, the regional health authority and the boroughs have had time to consider together what new arrangements would be appropriate.The North East and North West Thames regional health authorities and the London Advisory Group were influenced by my previous guidance that there should be no major change in regional boundaries and recommended that the existing South Camden and Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster north east districts should be retained. Both these districts would have very small resident populations. University College hospital and the Middlesex hospital are contiguous and have begun to co-ordinate closely their clinical activities. I believe that new administrative arrangements should build on this co-operation and that both these hospitals should be in the same district. Accordingly I have decided that the regional boundary should be changed to bring the existing Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster north east district within the North East Thames region and that this district should be merged with the existing South Camden district to form a new Bloomsbury district health authority. I would, however, expect the Middlesex hospital to continue to provide regional services—as recommended by the London Health Planning Consortium and the London Advisory Group—for the North West Thames region. I also wish planning for the eventual closure of Horton and Banstead hospitals to continue and have asked the North West Thames regional health authority to consider urgently which district health authority should now manage these hospitals. Both regional health authorities will need to consider jointly new arrangements for nurse trainingAnother area where it seems sensible to change the regional boundary relates to the proposals for North and North West Surrey. I have decided that it would be wrong to break up the existing North Surrey district and include the Spelthorne part in North West Surrey because it is a separate community on the other side of the Thames. I also consider that Spelthorne would not be a viable district health authority on its own. I believe its links are much stronger with Hounslow than with North West Surrey and have decided therefore to include this district in a Hounslow and Spelthorne district health authority, in the North West Thames region.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the value and amount of silver imported into the United Kingdom in the past year.

4,934 tonnes of silver in unwrought, semi-manufactured, waste and residual forms, with a value of £1,278 million (cif), were imported into the United Kingdom in 1980.Source:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how often he and/or his fellow Ministers in the Department, have visited Israel since the present Government took office; what steps have been taken to encourage trade, with Israel; and with what results.

The then Under-Secretary of State for Trade visited Israel in June 1980, and I also visited Israel in October 1980.The normal range of British Overseas Trade Board services are available to British exporters to Israel, and the British overseas trade group for Israel, under the chairmanship of Mr. Jessel Harrison, has organised a number of missions to Israel and seminars on trade with Israel. The United Kingdom-Israeli joint committee, comprising representatives from both sides, meets regularly to discuss matters relating to trade between the two countries.In 1980, United Kingdom exports to Israel were £231 million, and imports from Israel were £236 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to approve the construction of a fifth terminal at Heathrow airport for the foreseeable future.

The Government have stated their view on a number of occasions that a fifth terminal at Heathrow should not be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the net surplus or deficit of direct investment of United Kingdom firms in the European Economic Community compared with European Economic Community firms in the United Kingdom since 1975.

Estimates of United Kingdom direct investment in the European Community and of its direct investment in the United Kingdom from 1975 to 1979, the latest year available, were published in tables 4 and 8 respectively of an article, entitled "Overseas net direct investment in 1979", in British Business, 15–21 May 1981, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the United Kingdom's trade with the European Economic Community in terms of imports and exports expressed as a percentage of the United Kingdom's total trade since 1975.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will take steps to require prices for goods or services quoted to consumers to include value added tax and any other ancillary charges.

I propose to make an order under the Prices Act 1974 which will require a trader quoting prices for goods or services available to consumers who quotes a price other than the fully inclusive price to quote also the amount in money terms of any VAT, other tax or other charge payable in addition to the quoted price. The order makes special provisions for hotels and restaurants. It will require all but the smallest hotels and restaurants to quote the fully inclusive price for meals and accommodation and to indicate, where this is the case, that the quoted price includes a service charge.My Department is consulting interested parties about my proposals. I have placed a copy of the consultation document in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has any plans for the revision of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958 and of the rules made under that Act.

There is an undoubted need for updating the Licensed Dealers (Conduct of Business) Rules. I have decided to expedite proposals for amending those rules under the existing law, and my Department is now working on a draft to be made available for public comment as required by section 7(3) of the Act. This will provide an interim solution; but the Act itself is based on a pre-war model, and may well not be best suited to modern conditions. I have therefore decided to commission a review to recommend proposals for a new legislative framework of protection for investors in securities and other forms of property. The review will be carried out by Professor L. C. B. Gower, my Department's research adviser on company law, with the assistance of officials. There will be wide consultation with all interested parties; and Professor Gower's report will be. published.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if there is any action his Department will be taking to make the report of the disabilities study unit on United Kingdom-based International Year of Disabled People projects for the Third world more widely known, in order to demonstrate the importance in this field of co-operation between the Overseas Development Administration and voluntary agencies.

The report, to which the ODA contributed, has only just been published, and we have not yet received a copy. As soon as it arrives we will consider what advice we can give on suitable publicity.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many copies of the Green Paper "A Happier Old Age" issued in 1978 were circulated; how many were distributed free of charge; and how many were sold.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office published 67,000 copies and sold 13,200. Most of the other copies were distributed free of charge by other Government Departments.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what have been the circulation figures for all White Papers, Green Papers and comparable discussion papers issued by the Department of Health and Social Security during the last 20 years.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, how many copies of the White Paper on the elderly have been distributed; how many of these have been distributed free of charge; and how many have been sold.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office published 10,000 copies and have so far sold 8,250. Of these 2,775 were sold to Government Departments, which may subsequently have distributed some free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities the implications of the use by the Educational Institute of Scotland of section 88 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to prevent the dismissal of a teacher convicted of embezzlement.

No. I understand than an interim interdict with respect to this matter is at present in force and that further proceedings are pending.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to prohibit the display of advertising literature on behalf of private medical associations on National Health Service premises.

No. It is for health boards to control advertising in Health Service premises as they think appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a percentage breakdown by sex of the number of presentations in each of the past three years for the following subjects at 0 grade: chemistry, physics, mathematics, English, modern languages, biology, history, geography, modern studies, anatomy, physiology and health, food and nutrition, secretarial studies, classics and arithmetic.

As I indicated in reply to the hon. Member on 30 June—[Vol. 7, c. 333–34]— full information about SCE examinations is given in the annual reports of the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average list size of general practitioners in Dundee and Scotland.

The information requested is as follows. The figures relate to October 1980:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount spent by education authorities in Scotland on fuel and light in the latest year.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the death rate from all forms of cancer per 1,000 of population in each health board area.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of houses planned to be built by each district council as submitted in their latest housing plans; and what percentage of their public housing stock this represents.

The proposals for new house building which local authorities include in their housing plans relate to the assessed needs of their districts over a five-year period starting from the date of the plan. The last full round of plans was submitted in 1979 and only 14 full plans were submitted for 1980. Authorities made different assumptions about what was likely to be achievable and their actual new building figures depend on subsequent decisions as to the allocation of resources between new building and—what is now more important—the improvement of existing stock. I accordingly believe that it would not be useful to try now to use the available figures as a basis for the kind of comparison which the hon. Member has in mind. The most recent available figures for progress actually achieved in each district are at pages 12 and 13 of "Scottish Housing Statistics" No. 12, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has had in the past year in favour of a reintroduction of the regional employment premium.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage of average weekly earnings spent on the average rent in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector in Scotland.

The best available information, which is derived from the Family Expenditure Survey 1979, suggests that the average percentage of the gross income of the head of the household which is spent on rent—after rebate or allowance—was 9 per cent. in the public sector and 8 per cent. in the unfurnished private rented sector at the time of the survey. The survey was based on a small sample, and the figures are thus liable to appreciable sampling error.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of Scots in socio-economic groups 1 to 5 and their respective percentages of the total population.

Up-to-date information will not be available until the 1981 census returns have been processed. The information shown in the following table is based on a 10% sample of households drawn from the 1971 census and analysed by reference to the social classification of the chief economic supporter of each household; the table does not include persons not residents in households, eg residents in hotels, institutions and so on.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received the letter from An Comunn Gaidhealach dated 8 July on Government language policy; and if he will make a statement.

I have received the letter, which I am considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will publish the Government's response to the report of the Select Committee on Energy on nuclear power.

I have today placed copies of the Government's reponse in the Libraries of both Houses.In it the Government reaffirm their commitment to the developing role of nuclear power in providing a secure and economic energy supply for the United Kingdom; and its view that there is a need for a long-term framework within which nuclear orders can be planned along the lines set out in my statement of 18 December 1979.The Government also welcome the Select Committee's recognition of the need for continuing orders for nuclear power stations, and of the important contribution nuclear power can make to meeting our long-term energy needs. We will use our best endeavours to secure an early opportunity for Parliament to debate the Committee's report and this White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the number of occasions recently of the Metropolitan Police failing to afford proper protection to the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace and other places, he will request the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to take whatever steps may be necessary to improve security arrangements for public buildings and those in high public office.

No. The arrangements are kept under continuing review and there are already adequate means for ensuring that any necessary lessons are learnt from incidents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for information about British citizens were made by Interpol to the British police for each year from 1973 to the present; and in how many of these cases information was supplied.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contact is maintained between his Department and (a) Interpol and (b) the British representatives thereon.

The Assistant Commissioner (Criminal Investigation Department) of the Metropolitan Police is the United Kingdom representative on Interpol. My Department is in regular contact with him and through him with Interpol.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals there are to move Interpol headquarters from Paris to Vienna; what are the reasons for the proposed move; and what effect this will have on the contribution to the costs of Interpol made by his Department.

I am not aware of any such proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress the Government have made since 16 April in considering the proposals of the interdepartmental working party on the repatriation of prisoners.

The United Kingdom is taking part in the preparation of a draft Council of Europe convention on the transfer of prisoners, on which work was further advanced at a meeting in Strasbourg last month. The proposals of the interdepartmental working party are now being considered in the light of the progress made in these discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the building of Full Sutton prison is expected to start and finish; and what is the estimated cost of building this prison.

Construction at Full Sutton is expected to start in 1983 and could take five years to complete. The latest estimate of cost, including some staff housing, is £23 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the number of persons who had also been refused leave to enter against whom it has been decided to make deportation orders under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 during 1980 and to the latest convenient date in 1981;(2) what is the number of persons ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom against whom it has been decided to make deportation orders under section 3(5)

There were 66 notices of intention to deport under section 3(5)(b) issued in 1980; and 63 issued in 1981 up to 30 June.The other information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on access to polling stations for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

Three letters since May 1979, including one from an hon. Member. This Department issued guidance in 1975 encouraging acting returning officers to take account of the needs of disabled electors when siting polling stations. That guidance is being reviewed in the light of representations recently received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now publish in the Official Report the information about constituency electorates promised by the Minister of State, the hon. and learned Member for Royal Tunbridge Wells (Mr. Mayhew) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Goole on 19 June.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were being detained in open prisons at the latest available date; and what is the total number of places officially available at these prisons.

On 21 July 1981 3,100 persons were held in open prisons; the certified normal accommodation of such establishments was 3,230.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that the reports of routine inspections and special investigations by the Chief Inspector of Prisons will be made available to the public and not only to hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords.

My right hon. Friend has undertaken, as appropriate, to make reports of routine inspections available to the public as well as to hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords. Reports of special investigations will also be made available on this basis unless there are special circumstances, such as current court proceedings, which make it undesirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were being detained in closed prisons al. the latest available date; and what is the total number of places officially available at these prisons.

On 21 July 1981 33,000 persons were held in closed prisons; the certified normal accommodation of such establishments was 26,656.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many schemes for daytime imprisonment are currently in operation; and what plans there are to increase the number of these.

There is at present no provision in law for daytime imprisonment. The hon. Lady may have in mind the reference that the Magistrates' Association, in putting forward proposals for day imprisonment, made to the probation control unit at Medway in Kent; my noble Friend will write to her about this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a list of any special advisers or specialist advisory bodies which advise him on the prison service; and to what extent these persons or members of these bodies have had experience within the prison service.

The prison service itself includes a wide range of specialist and professional staff. In addition, my right hon. Friend is advised on the operation of the prison system by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, most of whose staff have had experience in the Prison Service, and by the boards of visitors appointed to each prison department establishment, whose members are drawn from the community as a whole. There is also a variety of consultative arrangements by which the Department receives advice on the management of its specialist services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department t what has been the staff to prisoner ratio in the last 10 years at each of Her Majesty's prison establishments.

The overall ratio of non-industrial staff to prisoners in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 1 April in each of the last 10 years was as follows

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total prison population in each of Her Majesty's prisons at the most recent date; what facilities exist at each prison to employ male and female prisoners; and what is the length of time of the normal working day.

On 21 July 1981 the population in each of Her Majesty's prison was:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of prisoners held in Her Majesty's prisons in each of the last 10 years.

The average daily population in custody in prison department establishments in England and Wales during each of the years 1971–79 is shown in table 1.4 of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"—Cmnd. 7978. The average for 1980, published in table 1 of the report on the work of the Prison Department, 1980—Cmnd. 8228—was 42,109 excluding those held in approved places or in police cells between October and December as a result of the industrial action of prison officers. The corresponding information for prisons and remand centres is given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give further details of his policy towards the financial allocation that will be made to deal with overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on future projections of prison numbers and how he proposes to deal with them.

The Government's expenditure plans, announced in March 1981—Cmnd. 8175—provide for 2,600 new or refurbished prison places by 1983–84 and for the continuance of the programme of two new prison starts a year. The Government also welcomes the lead given by the Court of Appeal towards shorter custodial sentences and have sought views on proposals for extending the concept of parole to shorter sentence prisoners.The most recent projections from past trends of the future prison population, made at the end of 1980, are shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the average working day of prisoners over the last three months at each prison establishment.

I regret that the information is not readily available in the form requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the retirement conditions for prison governors, including the final retirement age; on what conditions extensions are allowed; and whether these may take place upon a year to year basis.

On retirement a prison governor qualifies for pension and lump sum, calculated according to length of service, under the principal Civil Service pension scheme. The minumum retirement age for governors, as for most civil servants, is 60 and it is normal for governors to retire on or shortly after reaching that age. The main reasons for this policy are the age structure of the governor grades and the promotion prospects for more junior grades.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shopping centres he estimates have no sprinklers or smoke venting equipment as part of their fire precautions.

We are not able to make such an estimate on the basis of information available to this Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the fire regulations to make sprinklers and smoke venting equipment compulsory in all existing shopping centres.

This suggestion raises some complex issues on which my right hon. Friend is seeking the advice of the appropriate sub-committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for making appointments to the Charity Commission.

The present chief Charity Commissioner is due to retire in March 1982. In considering the appointment of his successor, I have had regard to the tenth report from the Expenditure Committee "Charity Commissioners and their Accountability" published in 1975, which recommended that there should be a wide field of choice for this post. I have decided to accept its recommendation and I have asked the Civil Service Commission to hold a competition open to all those with the experience and qualities required and make a recommendation to me. The post is being advertised this week.I do not propose to alter the procedure for appointing the other two Charity Commissioners, whose posts are normally filled from within the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions have taken place between his Department and General Motors or its United Kingdom subsidiaries so far in 1981; and if he will list the subjects discussed.

The Department holds regular discussions with both General Motors and its United Kingdom subsidiaries on matters of common interest. Tire content of discussions between companies and the Department is treated as confidential to the parties involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give details, including specifying the terms of reference, of the consultants engaged and the cost of any surveys undertaken for his Department on the subject of office systems; and if he will indicate whether the National Enterprise Board holds shares in any of the consultancy firms employed.

[pursuant to the reply, 22 July 1981]: Langton Information Systems Ltd. has been engaged to assist the Department. It would not be in accordance with usual practice to disclose the value of an individual contract. There is no National Enterprise Board shareholding in the consultant company.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements on 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 23 July.

This morning I took part in the presentation of the Humble Address to Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of the marriage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Later, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between Government Departments in studies to find alternatives to the rating system.

Yes. All Departments concerned are actively involved in the preparation of the consultative document on alternatives to domestic rates that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment expects to publish in the autumn.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the leaders of the Confederation of British Industry.

On 13 March. Also I addressed the CBI annual dinner on 16 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will now seek meetings with the President of France and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany regarding the role of the nuclear deterrent in the defence of the West.

The Government frequently discuss aspects of Western defence with France and Germany, as well as with our other NATO allies. I see no need to seek special meetings to discuss the role of the nuclear deterrent.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent it is her policy to involve City financial institutions in the long-term debt financing of the public sector.

Financial institutions are the major purchasers of long-term public sector debt. The terms and conditions of long-term debt instruments are therefore designed to a great extent to be attractive to financial institutions, particularly long-term investing institutions such as pension funds and insurance companies.

asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to visit Dundee.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list, with appropriate names and dates, all those Ministers, including herself, who have, during the period of office of the present Administration, visited (a) Israel, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) other Gulf States, including Iraq, (d) Jordan, (e) Lebanon and (f) Syria; and what visits to Israel by Ministers are scheduled in the next three months.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister how many hon. Members she has seen on matters relating to factory closures since she last answered oral questions; and how many jobs are expected to be lost in the closures discussed.

I have had no such meetings since 16 July 1981.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, in view of the tragedy that has struck the citizens and city of Chung King due to flooding, he has made any offers of assistance of medical and other supplies; and whether he will make a statement.

We have followed with concern the recent reports of serious flooding in central China. No appeal for assistance has been received from the Chinese authorities. If such an appeal were made we would certainly wish to consider it sympathetically.