asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in repairing the bearing plinths at the Gravelly Hill viaduct on the Midland links motorway, indicating what proportion of the work has been completed, when completion was expected and when it can now be expected.

This contract is being managed by West Midlands county council as our agents. Some 61 per cent. of the bearing plinths have been repaired to date. The original contract period ran to 28 March, but the engineer—WMCC's county surveyor has agreed a 5-week extension mainly on account of the adverse weather conditions experienced earlier in the winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects section 25 of the Transport Act 1981 to come into force.

I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Abingdon (Mr. Benyon) on 10 March 1982—[Vol. 19, c. 446.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what official positions are held within his Department by Dr. John Havard, secretary of the British Medical Association and Dr. Andrew Raffles, both members of the medical committee on accident prevention; whether it was with his authority that they have issued statements to the effect that 7,000 or so seat belt exemption certificates are liable to be issued; and what are the terms and conditions of issuing such certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will obtain from Dr. John Havard and Dr. Andrew Raffles, member and chairman of the medical committee on the prevention of accidents, a copy of their public statement issued on 2 March.

My right hon. Friend invited the medical commission on accident prevention to prepare guidelines to assist members of the medical profession when considering whether to issue medical certificates of exemption. The commission has placed copies of these guidelines in the Library. The guidelines affect neither Parliament's right of decision on the regulations, which will be laid in due course, nor the right of individual doctors to make their own decision on applications made to them. Neither Dr. Havard nor Dr. Raffles holds any position within the Department. The figure of 7,000 medical exemption certificates was merely an illustration of the numbers which might be issued if the experience of this procedure in Sweden were to apply in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what fee will be chargeable by doctors signing certificates of exemption from wearing seat belts for medical reasons; whether arrangements will be made to reimburse disabled people who cannot afford to pay this sum; and if he will make a statement.

We are currently in discussion with the British Medical Association about fees, so I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement. I will consider all the representations with great care.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish details of the computer measurement techniques of weather effect on roads that is being installed at the M6/M42 interchange at Coleshill in the Meriden constituency.

The installation at the M6/M42 interchange is one of three associated with a research programme into the prediction of ice formation on road surfaces. The programme is sponsored by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory and the results should be published in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what sources his Department uses to cost policy options on support for the public and private transport sectors.

My sources vary according to requirements. They include written sources such as local authorities' transport policies and programme documents, investment submissions, business plans, financial reports and accounts, engineering assessments and surveys, and cost-benefit analyses. They also include advice from economists, statisticians, accountants, merchant bankers, engineers, scientists and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to prevent drivers of moving vehicles from using hand-held microphones.

I see no reason at present to introduce legislation, but I shall keep a close watch on the situation. The code of practice on the use of citizens band radio issued by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary warns drivers against using their equipment in such a way as to impair their ability to drive safely.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of the westbound carriageway of the M4, Milepost 126 section (a) what was the number of accidents that occurred before July 1976, (b) whether any of these accidents resulted in claims against his Department and, if so, how many, (c) what was the date on which major repairs commenced on this section and (d) why it was considered necessary to undertake these modifications at that time.

Nineteen personal injury and 36 damage only accidents were recorded in this vicinity in the period 1 January 1971 to 20 June 1976. No claims were made against the Department in respect of any of these accidents. The only major maintenance work undertaken on this section during this period was the renewal of the surface of the slow lane in November 1975. This was necessary as the surface was showing signs of excessive wear.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the sale of mobile cranes by his Department.

For many years the Department has maintained some 500 mobile cranes for use in emergencies. The cranes are now all over 25 years old and inappropriate to modern requirements. Future needs, should they arise, can be met by making use of modern equipment in commercial use. My Department has therefore embarked on disposal of the cranes, which will not be replaced.In arranging disposal, account has had to be taken of the likely effect in a limited market on the United Kingdom crane manufacturing industry. Releasing a few working cranes at a time over a period of years would have involved the Department in storage, manpower and maintenance costs in excess of the sale proceeds. To avoid these costs while not damaging the industry's own sales prospects, the majority of the cranes have therefore been sold as scrap to the accredited representative of the industry itself, forgoing the possibility of higher receipts from a large volume of immediate sales on the open market.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure minimum disruption to the public living in Bagshot and Camberley during the repairs being made to the M3 between the Bagshot and Camberley interchanges.

Yes. When further work starts on 26 April, diversions will be clearly signposted, but inevitably there will be some traffic delays and inconvenience on local roads. There are no plans for these works to be carried out during the hours of darkness.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to increase the number of lorry permits in his negotiations with European Economic Community Ministers to at least 25 per cent.

We supported the Commission's proposal for 20 per cent. increase in the EC road haulage quota at the Council of Ministers last December, but the Council could only agree on an increase of 5 per cent. for most member States. I shall continue to make every effort to improve on this disappointing outcome.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the percentage increase shown by the proposed London Transport (a) tube and (b) bus fares over those ruling prior to the Greater London Council elections in 1981, as they stand and as corrected for inflation.

London Transport fares were last increased in September 1980. In March 1982 tube fares will be 33 per cent. and bus fares 34 per cent. higher in cash terms than they were at that date. Corrected for inflation, these increases are 13 per cent. and 14 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans exist for international plutonium storage; what is the Government's role in such plans; and whether it is proposed that Great Britain should become the site for such storage.

In 1978 the director general of the IAEA invited interested member States to prepare proposals for an international plutonium storage scheme. The United Kingdom has participated fully in this expert group, which is expected to report to the director general early in 1983. The proposals under study are an extension of existing IAEA safeguards with a view to the full implementation of the IAEA statute. It is not envisaged that plutonium other than that arising from reprocessing in the United Kingdom would be stored in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make special provision for the textile and clothing industries with regard to the price of energy; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are very aware of the problems facing the textile industry. Larger energy consumers within the industry should benefit significantly from the energy pricing concessions announced in the Budget, worth over £150 million to United Kingdom industry as a whole. More generally, falling crude oil prices in a weak market will also be to the textile industry's advantage if it is prepared to seek lower oil product prices through aggressive purchasing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the percentage increase in standing charges for gas and electricity since May 1979.

The average quarterly standing charges which apply to the domestic credit tariffs in England and Wales for gas and electricity supplies have increased by 334 per cent. and 97 per cent. respectively since May 1979.The rise in gas standing charges is partially explained by the replacement of the previous high tariff for the first 52 therms each quarter by an increase in standing charges. If the effect of the changes in tariff structure is eliminated, the net increase in standing charges for gas consumers using more than 52 therms per quarter has been 55 per cent. since May 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what benefits have accrued to industrial, commercial and domestic users of fuel oil as a result of the recent fall in the producer price for that product.

The price of oil products is a commercial matter for the oil companies and traders, who take account both of their costs and of competition in each market. The present soft market for oil products gives additional scope, particularly to large consumers, to seek lower prices through aggressive purchasing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will encourage firms operating in the North Sea to establish installations producing methyl tertiary butyl ether for use as an alternative to lead additives.

I would welcome the establishment in the United Kingdom of installations producing methyl tertiary butyl ether, so long as they are economic, whoever is the

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if there are any explorations taking place in the Solway Firth area to establish the presence of oil deposits; and if he will make a statement.

A limited amount of seismic survey activity has recently been undertaken in the outer reaches of the Solway Firth.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total number and value of offers of regional assistance made to companies in West Cumbria travel-to-work areas, in Cumbria as a whole, in the North West region and in the Northern region for the last month for which statistics are available.

In January 1982, seven offers of assistance totalling £603,400 were made under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 towards projects in the North West region. Of these, one offer of £5,000 was made towards a project in the West Cumbria travel-to-work area but no other offers were made to companies in Cumbria. Seven offers of assistance were made towards projects in the North East region.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in millions of tons of oil equivalent, the United Kingdom primary fuel requirements for the years 1977 and 1980 and the projected requirements for 1990; and if he will list these requirements separately for each of the following fuels, oil, natural gas, coal, hydro-electricity, nuclear electricity, and so on.

The information for 1977 and 1980 is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what financial and other assistance his Department is currently providing to workers' co-operatives under the Industry Acts and other legislation; how this compares with the previous five years; and whether he will make a statement.

Co-operatives are entitled to the same assistance under the Industry Act and other legislation as others forms of business, provided they meet the necessary criteria of the particular scheme.In the five years to 31 December 1981 common ownership and co-operative enterprises received a total of £224,250 in grant-assisted loans and organisations concerned with giving advice to such enterprises received a total of £174,000 in grants under the provisions of the Industrial Common Ownership Act 1976, which have now expired. In the same period grant-in-aid total £900,000 was also provided for the Co-operative Development Agency under the terms of the Co-operative Development Agency Act 1978. The Government have agreed to provide a further £600,000 for the agency from 1 September 1981.Data on assistance provided under the Industry Act and other legislation do not identify co-operatives as a separate group in terms of legal status. The information requested could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish regular data concerning the number of sealskins being imported into the United Kingdom, together with their countries of origin.

Details by number, weight and value of imports of raw fur skins of sealions, fur seals and other seals are published against code No. 4301–23 under SITC(R2) item 212.09 in table IV of the monthly issues of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, and details of tanned or dressed fur skins similarly against code No. 4302–2300 under SITC(R2) sub-group 613.0. Information on the countries of consignment and of origin of imports is available from the bill of entry unit at Her Majesty's Customs statistical office. The Trade Descriptions (Sealskin Goods) (Information) Order, 1980, provides for articles made of or incorporating sealskin to be marked accordingly and to indicate the country or geographical area in which the seals were taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to ban the import of all seal products; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are sensitive to the strong feelings in this country about the annual seal hunts, but they have concluded, after very careful consideration, that banning imports of seal products is not the right response in this case. There are no trade or economic reasons for imposing a ban. There is no authoritative evidence that seals, particularly in Canada, are endangered as a species. However, to enable people opposed to seal killing to avoid unwittingly buying sealskin products a labelling order, which was welcomed by the RSPCA, was made under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 to require all such goods offered for sale to indicate that they are made from sealskin and where the seals were taken. The order came into operation on 1 January 1981 and applies to goods imported into or made in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make arrangements to ensure adequate representation of industrial consumers on the National Gas Consumers Council following the termination of the appointment of the director of the National Federation of Clay Industries.

I am satisfied that the council's existing membership enables it to represent industrial interests effectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the increase in imports and exports of finished manufactures in the fourth quarter of 1981 compared to 1975 and the increase in world trade in such goods at the latest available date, all in terms of volume.

The information for the United Kingdom is published in tables B6 and C8 of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, available in the House Library. I am not aware of a source of such information on world trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom share of world trade in manufactures in terms of volume in the fourth quarter of 1980; and whether he expects the share to be higher or lower in the fourth quarter of 1981.

The figure for the fourth quarter of 1980 was 7·8 per cent., measured at 1975 prices. Treasury estimates based on limited information suggest a slightly lower figure for the fourth quarter of 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 18 February, Official Report column 390, he is now in a position to announce what advice he is proposing to give to discourage glue sniffing.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 9 December 1981.—[Vol. 14, c. 431–32.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the level of State retirement pensions paid to British people living in India.

No. The general position is that British pensioners abroad receive their pensions at the rate in force when they left this country or when they qualified abroad, if later. Subsequent increases are payable only where provided for under EC regulations or under a bilateral agreement on social security between the United Kingdom and another country. In view of the continuing need to contain public expenditure, there is no prospect at present of any change in this situation. The hon. Member may have in mind an individual case which he raised recently in correspondence. I am writing to him about this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons have no teeth or are otherwise unable to benefit from the compulsory use of fluoridated water supplies.

The adult dental health survey for 1978 shows the proportion of people aged 16 and over in the United Kingdom with no natural teeth to be as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide details, region by region and specialty by specialty, of the country where every consultant, full-time or part-time, in the National Health Service received his or her undergraduate education; and how many consultants in each group started work in the United Kingdom with qualifications to enable them to apply for consultant posts in their particular specialty.

I regret the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any consideration is being given to making overseas doctors ineligible to apply for consultant posts.

No. Medical consultant posts are open to all fully registered medical practitioners and we have no intention of changing this.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what medical data are freely made available to teachers about their pupils by the school health service;(2) what changes are being planned to the school health service in the light of the Education Act 1981; what consultations Her Majesty's Government are holding on this and with whom; and if he will make a statement.

The school health service will have a key role to play in the procedures being introduced under the Education Act 1981, but it does not follow that organisational changes to the service will be necessary. Detailed guidance on the implementation of the Act is set out in draft circulars on which the statutory, voluntary and professional bodies concerned are being fully consulted.Teachers do not have access to school medical records on individual children, but the school doctor will provide them with any medical advice needed on the management of their pupils. The Education Act 1981 will not affect this practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many schoolchildren he estimates suffer from ear disease or hearing loss; and what steps are taken to detect this early on;(2) what is his policy regarding the auditory screening of all schoolchildren by the school health service; and if he is satisfied that this is being carried out.

In January 1981 there were about 9,000 deaf or partially hearing children in special schools or in special classes in ordinary schools.The Department has emphasised to health authorities the importance of early detection of hearing loss in children because of the implications such loss has in general, and particularly language development. We endorse the recommendations in the reports of 1976 and 1981 of a sub-committee of the Committee on Services for Hearing Impaired People, that as a minimum all children should be screened for hearing at about eight months and during the first year at school, and that any child with signs of a hearing loss should be referred for further investigation. The Department's paper of 1980 "Prevention in the Child Health Services' also stressed screening for hearing impairment as an essential element of health surveillance. Precise details of such programmes must be for determination by local health authorities, but there in no reason to believe that screening for hearing difficulties is not being carried out as part of general child health surveillance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate (a) the number of (i) pensioners and (ii) others who will cease to be entitled to supplementary benefit after the introduction of the new housing benefit scheme and (b) the annual number of (i) pensioners and (ii) others who would have become eligible for supplementary benefit but for the introduction of the new housing benefit scheme after the transitional provisions have ceased to operate.

I am able to make estimates in relation to part (a) only on a mid-1981 basis. On that basis approximately 50,000 pensioners and 15,000 other claimants would have ceased to be entitled to supplementary benefit. It is not possible to estimate annual numbers for part (b) as reliable information on people moving on and off benefit is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the average bed occupancy at the Prince of Wales hospital, London N.15 and the St. Ann's hospital, London N.17 during January and February; and, if it was less than January and February 1979, what are the reasons;(2) if he will list the length of waiting time for all the main hospital specialties at both the Prince of Wales and the St. Ann's hospitals and in the Haringey health area generally;(3) what percentage of the nursing staff employed by the National Health Service at the Prince of Wales hospital, St. Ann's hospital and the North Middlesex hospital in the Enfield and Haringey area health authority area are engaged through an agency.

The information requested is not available centrally. The hon. Member may like to approach the Enfield and Haringey area health authority direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects work to begin on the two new operating theatres at St. Ann's hospital, Tottenham, London; when he expects all the new surgical facilities at St. Ann's hospital to be fully operational; and if he will set out the budget implications for the next three years.

The information requested is not available centrally. The hon. Member may like to approach the North East Thames regional health authority direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the statement made by his predecessor on 6 March 1981, following a visit to the Prince of Wales hospital, London N15, that no rundown in the services provided by the hospital should be allowed before the coming into existence of the new district health authority in April 1982 has been full adhered to, and that the staff and bed occupancy remain the same as between the date of the statement and the present day.

In March 1981 my hon. Friend, the former Minister for Health, approved stage 1 of the Haringey district strategy, which involved some changes in the services provided at the Prince of Wales hospital and said that there should be no further rundown in the services at this hospital until the new district health authority had had an opportunity to rethink completely how the health service should be developed and what the role of the hospital should be. I have been assured that the health authorities are adhering to these decisions. Information on current staff and bed occupancy is not available centrally and the hon. Member may like to approach the Enfield and Haringey area health authority direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the fact that there are no chemical pathology, microbiology, haemotology or histopathology laboratories in operation at the Prince of Wales hospital, London N15, he will take steps to remedy this situation.

I understand these services are provided at the district pathology laboratories at the North Middlesex hospital. It will be for the new Haringey health authority to consider whether any changes in these arrangements are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reasons were given by the Central Nursing Council for the ending of nurse training at the Prince of Wales hospital, London N15; and if this decision has been accepted by both the North-East Thames regional health authority and himself.

Approval of institutions for nurse training is the duty of the General Nursing Council for England and Wales, and it is for the area health authority concerned to consider the council's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the accident and emergency department at the North Middlesex hospital, Edmonton, to be fully operational capable of providing a 24-hour, seven-days-per-week fully-manned service for the whole of the Enfield and Haringey health area.

The North Middlesex hospital accident and emergency department in the Haringey health district is fully operational, as is the Chase Farm hospital accident and emergency department in the Enfield health district. Both these hospitals normally accept accident cases from outside these districts on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set down separately under each account the total capital investment for both the Enfield health district and the Haringey health district in such a way as to make the comparison meaningful.

Information is not available centrally in the form requested. The North East Thames regional health authority is responsible for capital investment in the Enfield and Haringey health districts and the hon. Member may like to approach that authority direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to investigate the purchase by Bolton area health authority of a house for use as a home for mentally handicapped children, including the purchase price paid and the estimate for adaptation; if he will report his findings to the House; and if he will take steps to prevent further financial commitment by the authority until he has reported his findings to the House.

I understand that Bolton area health authority has purchased a house in Bolton for the sum of £50,000 which it proposes, in accordance with national policy, to convert into a domestic-scale unit for the care of mentally handicapped children. I understand that at a recent meeting the area health authority agreed to proceed with necessary adaptations to the house at a cost of approximately £18,500.The development of services for mentally handicapped children is the responsibility of individual health authorities and the hon. Member may like to take up any matters of concern to him with the chairman of Bolton area health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received any representations about the purchase by Bolton area health authority of a house for use as a home for mentally handicapped children and about the estimated cost of adapting the house; and if he will make a statement.

I have not received any such representations, and refer the hon. Member to my other reply on this subject today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received from hon. Members and from the general public, as well as professional organisations, regarding the level of nurses' pay; and if he will make a statement.

We have received representations about nurses' pay from many quarters. On 10 December last my right hon. Friend had a meeting with the staff side of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley council and on 18 December my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister also met the staff side.With regard to the present pay round, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Members for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) and for Wood Green (Mr. Race) on 9 March.—[Vol. 19, c. 706–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of civil servants in receipt of family income supplement.

I regret that figures are not available in a form which would enable such an estimate to be made. Recipients of family income supplement are classified in 16 broad occupational categories. The two groups most likely to include some civil servants are clerical and office workers; and administrators social, professional and technical workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance on planning is being given to the new district health authorities.

I have today distributed to health authorities and to local social services authorities copies of a circular giving guidance on the future planning of health services. This fulfils our undertaking, given in "Patients First", to simplify the NHS planning system. Copies of the circular have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of persons who failed to pay television licences in 1981.

About 1·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representation about advertisements on the outside of London taxi cabs; and if he will make a statement.

We have received two representations. The decision to allow advertisements on the outside of London taxi cabs fell wholly within the discretion of the Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police as licensing authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he expects to introduce legislation on a new police complaints procedure, following his review, in the current Session of Parliament.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in connection with his review of complaints procedure.

I have received a few representations from hon. Members and others in favour of changes in the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, prior to the introduction of any legislation relating to new machinery for dealing with complaints against the police based on the recommendations of the Scarman report, he will publish his proposals as a White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of his proposals for an independent police complaints procedure before he introduces legislation on the subject.

I shall consider how to proceed in the light of the report of the inquiry into police complaints and related matters being conducted by the Select Committee on Home Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was spent on prison education in each of the last five years; and how many prisoners were in receipt of such education.

In the period 1976 to 1981, the yearly figures of expenditure on prison education were approximately £4·4 million, £5·1 million, £5·6 million, £7·2 million and £9·2 million. The figures for trainees in borstals and detention centres were 100 per cent. and for prisoners in prisons and remand centres approximately 48 per cent. and 43 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how soon after the publication of the White Paper he hopes to introduce legislation on privacy and data protection.

The White Paper will be published shortly, and the Government will introduce a Bill on data protection as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, following his answer to the hon. Member for South Bedfordshire on Thursday 18 February, Official Report, column 193, he is yet able to make a statement concerning proposals for an increase in the establishment of the Bedfordshire police force.

No.

asked the Secretary of Stare for the Home Department if he will make a statement of his policy towards the development of a community relations council.

We see a continuing and important role for community relations councils in promoting equality of opportunity and good race relations at the local level.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on glue sniffing.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Lewis) on 11 March.—[Vol. 19, c. 465.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to increase the numbers of women police officers.

Recruitement to police forces is the responsibility of chief officers of police. The number of women police officers in England and Wales has more than doubled in the past seven years, from 4,706 in 1974 to 10,772 at the end of 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present strength of the Metropolitan Police; how many vacancies there are; and what divisions are below strength.

The strength of the Metropolitan Police was 25,283 on 31 January 1982, 1,332 short of the establishment. All districts are below establishment but within each district, the allocation of officers to divisions is the responsibility of the district commander and the information is not recorded centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to recommend the establishment of a police liaison consultative committee in the Metropolitan Police area; and if he will make a statement.

Lord Scarman's recommendation on local liaison machinery was that in the Metropolitan Police District it should be centred on the borough or police district; I have set in hand a programme of consultations with the local authorities concerned. I shall need to take account of the outcome of these consultations in considering Lord Scarman's separate suggestion for a consultative arrangement at force level.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider introducing new establishment figures for police authorities.

Police authorities themselves are responsible for fixing the authorised establishments of police forces, subject to my approval. I shall consider carefully any requests for increases in force establishments which they put to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the Government's announcement that the reserve forces for home defence are to be increased, he has any proposal to make changes in his provision for civil defence.

No. Good progress continues to be made, following the statement of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary of 7 August 1980, in such areas as the modernisation of the equipment of the warning and monitoring organisation, the extension of training facilities, the co-ordination of voluntary effort and the provision of information to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to amend the arrangements whereby citizens of the Republic of Ireland can enter the United Kingdom and register for electoral purposes; and if he will make a statement.

We have no such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to review the present working of the Vagrancy Act.

We have no plans for a further general review in addition to that carried out by the working party on vagrancy and street offences which reported in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his reply of 10 December, Official Report, column 455, he is now in a position to make a statement on the review of the baggage allowances provided by the International Social Services of Great Britain under Her Majesty's Government's repatriation scheme.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to make the £10 citizens band licence fee subject to periodic review.

Yes; in the same way as all other fees under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to propose changes in the franchise to coincide with the coming into force of the British Nationality Act 1981.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the Bedfordshire police force is up to strength and that it has adequate financial resources to perform its duties.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that adequate medical examination is made of offenders entering detention centres.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in consultations about liaison between local communities and the police.

Following discussions which my right hon. Friend has had with community representatives of Lambeth, the inaugural meeting of the new community police consultative group for Lambeth was held on 3 March. The consultations throughout England and Wales to which my right hon. Friend referred in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 18 February—[Vol. 18, c. 187–8.]—are continuing and officials have already made visits to several areas to seek local views about consultative arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to make a statement on the future development of cable television in the United Kingdom.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, following a general review of the guidelines issued to chief constables on the use of bugging and surveillance devices, he is proposing to introduce new legislative safeguards.

As part of the review, I shall be considering whether or not there is a need for legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the expenditure on repairs and renewals which will be carried out in prisons in the United Kingdom in the year 1982; and if he will make a statement.

In order to tackle the serious backlog of repair and maintenance work in prison department establishments in England and Wales, expenditure in 1982 is expected to rise to £23·6 million as compared with an actual spend of £12·7 million in 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action is proposed to deal with the problem of overcrowding in prisons.

The partly suspended sentence will be available to the courts when section 47 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 is brought into force on 29 March. The Government believe that this power, which the Criminal Justice Bill seeks to make more flexible, will be used to reinforce the welcome movement that we have already seen towards shorter sentences of imprisonment. The major programmes of prison building and modernisation are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will request the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to give a further breakdown of the facts and figures regarding crime as issued on 10 March, showing to what extent those persons as charged and found guilty of the stated offences were of stated ethnic groups.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will now take steps to reduce the waiting time for United Kingdom passport holders to enter the United Kingdom from India;(2) whether he will review the allocation of special vouchers to India.(3) whether it is still the policy of his Department not to publish the allocation of special vouchers to particular countries;(4) if he will transfer those special vouchers allocated to British passport holders in East Africa which are not taken up to applicants in India.

Waiting times in India could be reduced only by increasing the number of vouchers available. The allocation of vouchers to particular countries is kept under review. I have today, in response to an inquiry from the Home Affairs Sub-Committee on Race Relations and Immigration, written to the Chairman to let him know that 600 vouchers each year are allocated to India.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants of all ages were admitted for permanent residence in the United Kingdom in the latest year for which figures are available, and for each year since 1960.

The total numbers accepted for settlement on arrival and on removal of time limit in 1981 were published in table 1 of Home Office statistical bulletin, issue No. 3/82—"Control of immigration, statistics 1981" on 3 March 1982. Corresponding figures for the years 1970 to 1980 were published in table 12 of Cmnd. 8199 "Control of immigration: statistics, United Kingdom 1980" in May 1981, and for the years 1968 and 1969 in the corresponding command paper for 1978 Cmnd. 7565). Corresponding figures for earlier years could not be provided within the time allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent his policy of reducing ans suspending gaol sentences on convicted criminals to reduce the pressure on prisons has been applied to non-convicted persons imprisoned and awaiting trial in terms of the numbers of non-convicted prisoners being released on bail.

The decision on whether or not an unconvicted defendant should be released on bail is a matter for the criminal courts subject to the provisions of the Bail Act 1976. An indication of how the courts exercise their powers to grant bail can be found in Chapter 8 of "Criminal Statistics: England and Wales: 1980", which contains tables showing the number of persons remanded in custody as a percentage of the total number remanded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the reasons why he will not seek to set up a committee of inquiry to examine the feasibility of imposing a sentence of castration for rape.

There is already sufficient reason to doubt the effectiveness of castration in preventing further sexual offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Leonard Mahon who was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Friday 26 February for raping a 14-year-old girl, was released prior to completing his previous three year sentence.

Leonard Mahon was released on 22 May 1981 having served his full sentence of three years' imprisonment, less remission in accordance with prison rule 5.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for which of the areas listed in table (d) of the answer by the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Farnworth (Mr. Roper) on 10 March, Official Report, c. 421–4, the parliamentary boundary commission has decided not to make further revisions to its revised recommendations for the time being.

I understand that for the time being the commission has decided not to make further revisions to this revised or modified recommendations for the following areas:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for which of the areas listed in table (c) of the answer by the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Farnworth (Mr.Roper) on 10 March, Official Report, c. 421–2, reports on local inquiries have been made to the parliamentary boundary commission but the commission has decided not to revise its provisional recommendations.

I understand that for the time being the Commission has decided not to revise its provisional recommendations for the following areas:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Macclesfield of 2 March, Official Report, c. 82, he will list those premises and localities where special precautions are to be taken in the interests of effective law enforcement; and how such a system enables chief officers to enforce the law firmly and impartially.

No. Such measures ensure that the police can continue to take greater precautions, as they always have done, in respect of those premises and localities which present more difficult enforcement problems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the incidence of street crimes committed by persons of Asian appearance in the Metropolitan Police area since the disorders in Brixton in April 1981.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that during the eight-month period following the disturbances in April 1981, about 315 persons of Asian appearance were arrested for those offences of stealing most likely to have occurred in the street, that is offences of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle, theft of pedal cycle, theft from the person and robbery. This represented about 2 per cent. of all arrests in that period for the total of such offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will establish an independent inquiry to examine the circumstances leading to the conviction of Peter Dinsdale—Bruce Lee—for arson;(2) what documents he has received from

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Sir P. Wall) and the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Johnson) yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current cost of applications for (a) naturalisation of foreign nationals, (b) registration of Commonwealth citizens and (c) other registrations; what were the fees for each of the last five years; what are the fees as from April 1982; and what percentage increase these represent over the current fees in each case.

The most recent cost figures available relate to the financial year 1980–81. The following table gives them and the other information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to increase the deposit required of a candidate in a parliamentary election or by-election.

My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bodies or organisations have made representations against the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act since 1979 to the latest available date; and if he will publish the names of such organisations.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his Question on 16 February 1982.—[Vol. 18, c. 80.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the fees payable to Messrs. Spicer and Pegler, the accountants he appointed in accordance with section 1 of the Horse Race Betting Levy Act 1969.

I shall write to the hon. Member when the fees payable are known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to introduce legislation to reform aspects of electoral law.

We have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 4,800 untried and unconvicted prisoners incarcerated in British prisons on 31 January had been in prison for periods between one to three months, three to six months, six months to one year and more than one year; and whether, in pursuance of his policy of reducing pressure within prisons, he will release these people, rather than release or shorten sentences of convicted criminals.

We shall reply to the hon. Member's request for figures as soon as possible. My right hon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new narcotic addicts were notified to the Home Office for 1972 to 1981 inclusive; how many of these notifications were received from (a) hospitals (b) general medical practitioners and (c) prison medical officers for the same period; and what was the percentage increase year by year of first notifications from each source for the same period.

[pursuant to the reply, 26 February 1982, c. 512]: The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates under 21 years were held in Ashford remand centre on the most recent convenient date.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1982, c. 502.]: On 31 December 1981 about 265 of those held in Ashford remand centre were aged under 21.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates of Ashford remand centre on the most recent convenient date were aged 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 years, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1982, c. 502.]: The information readily available is given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, further to his answer of 8 March relating to Metropolitan Police statistics, he will list the categories of statistics the Metropolitan Police collect; whether they are collected together, and if so, in what form; and if he will identify those statistics which are published, and the documents in which they are published.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 March 1982, c. 468.]: We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that statistics are collected centrally within the Metropolitan Police in respect of personnel matters, complaints against police, traffic accidents, breath tests, fixed penalty notices, juveniles referred to