asked the Minister for Trade if the review of future provisions for holders of scheduled air tickets which are not covered by the bonding and air travel reserve fund is yet completed.

No. This is a complicated problem which requires widespread consultation with trade associations and other bodies representing the opinions of interested parties. Few of these organisations are as yet in a position to put their views to my Department. A report will be made once sufficient information is available.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has completed his review of the eligibility of particular areas for financial assistance by tourist boards in accordance with section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969; and if he will make a statement.

The review is nearing completion and I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he has made any changes in staffing arrangements in recent months to monitor the need for, and implement if necessary, the anti-surge mechanism on imports of textiles and clothing.

No. This is not necessary. I consider sufficient staff are available to monitor important statistics on a monthly basis.

asked the Minister for Trade what further progress has been made on the negotiations regarding textiles and clothing imports from the preferential countries.

No further agreements have been concluded with the preferential countries since 10 May, when I advised the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Lewis) that voluntary restraint arrangements had been concluded with Egypt and Spain. Negotiations are continuing with the other preferential suppliers.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) if he will make a statement on current progress in the multi-fibre arrangement negotiations;(2) what progress has been made on bilateral representations within the multi-fibre arrangement.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on the present state of the multi-fibre arrangement negotiations.

By the end of last week the Commission had initialled bilateral agreement with two countries and had opened formal negotiations with a further eight countries.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will take new initiatives to encourage countries with which the United Kingdom has an unfavourable balance of trade to import more goods and services from the United Kingdom.

We take every opportunity in our bilateral contacts through the European Community and the multilateral trade institutions to encourage other countries to open further their markets to United Kingdom goods and services.

asked the Minister for Trade what further representations he has had on the current financial position of British Airways.

I am aware of many who are concerned at British Airways' current financial position. The airline is in frequent touch with me about its efforts to restore itself to a sound and profitable footing.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has yet received the annual report of British Airways for 1981–82.

No.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will hold discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority with a view to establishing procedures that would prevent the collapse of any airline in circumstances similar to those which led up to the collapse of Laker Airways.

No. I am satisfied that the authority carried out its responsibilities fully and properly. The monitoring procedure in use worked satisfactorily in ensuring that Laker ceased to trade as soon as it became clear that no rescue plan was possible.

asked the Minister for Trade how many cars he estimates have been personally imported into the United Kingdom in the first three months of 1982; and how this compares with the first three months of 1981.

Statistics of cars imported personally into the United Kingdom are not collected. Customs regulations do not normally require formal entry for imports by private persons of motor vehicles for their personal use.

asked the Minister for Trade if he is yet in a position to establish a full inquiry into the Penlee lifeboat disaster.

Following discussion with the Irish Government, I have agreed that the formal investigation into the loss of the Penlee lifeboat will at the same time inquire into the loss of the "Union Star". The investigation will be set in hand as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister for Trade, pursuant to his answer of 10 May, Official Report, c. 178, what progress he has made in seeking to encourage lower air fares in Europe.

At the Council of EC Transport Ministers in Luxembourg on 10 June a report was received on the progress of discussions about the proposed directive on air fares. It was disappointing to hear how little real progress had been made since the last Council meeting and I trust that my fellow Minsters in the Community will now exert their political will to ensure a positive outcome from the continuing discussions by the permanent representatives.

asked the Minister for Trade whether the Secretary of State for Trade is yet able to announce whether he has decided to refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the bid for Allied Suppliers Ltd.

My right hon. and noble Friend announced on 27 May his decision not to refer this bid to the commission.

asked the Minister for Trade whether any prosecutions will be made as a result of his investigations into Corporate Management Planning Ltd. and related matters; and if he will make a statement.

I will reply to he hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish a table showing the levies or deposits which now require to be paid on steel exports to the United States of America from each of the member States of the Common Market.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has received any approaches from Lonrho Ltd, and from the House of Fraser Ltd. over the past four weeks regarding the implications of the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the bid by Lonrho for House of Fraser; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and noble Friend met representatives of both Lonrho and House of Fraser in May. He has yet to receive the Director General of Fair Trading's advice on Lonrho's request for reconsideration of the undertakings it gave following the commission's report.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will remove the present restrictions on the carriage of cabin baggage on flights between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

I am aware that travellers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland find the existing arrangements tiresome, and that they regard some features as anomalous and discriminatory. I have recently reviewed the restrictions, and I am confident that with present searching techniques the rules can now be eased without adverse effect on the security of flights to and from Northern Ireland. Accordingly, with effect from 23 June 1982, all passengers on such flights will be allowed to retain one item of baggage in the cabin, provided that its total dimensions—that is, the sum of its length, width, and depth—do not exceed 40 in. This definition will accommodate large brief cases and most items of a size suitable for underseat stowage. There will be no abnormal restrictions on contents, but all items allowed in the cabin will be subject to very thorough scrutiny.

asked the Minister for Trade what were the considerations which caused his Department to suspend the time limits for further submissions as originally requested on 21 May in relation to the appeal against the decision of the Civil Aviation Authority not to allow British Midland Airways to compete on the Heathrow-Glasgow and Heathrow-Edinburgh routes; if he will now set new time limits; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will initiate a review of the adequacy of the size and capability of the merchant shipping fleet following the events in the Falkland Islands.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will direct a proportion of the current year's overseas aid budget to the development of the Falkland Islands.

Before the Argentine invasion provision had already been made for expenditure of up/to £672,000 in the current year's aid programme. We are urgently considering what now needs to be done after the repossession of the islands.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of gross national product was distributed in official development assistance during the financial year 1981–82; how this compares with 1979–80 and 1980–81; and if he will make a statement.

The figures are available for calendar years only. The latest estimate is that 0·42 per cent. of gross national product was distributed as net official development assistance in 1981. The comparable figures for 1980 and 1979 were 0·34 and 0·51 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to increase United Kingdom aid to Nicaragua.

We have no plans to increase our aid programme to Nicaragua. We are, however, providing £20,000 to the League of Red Cross Societies in response to appeals for disaster relief following the recent floods in Nicaragua.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will commission a report on the impact of the common agricultural policy on those underdeveloped food producing nations currently receiving financial aid from the United Kingdom before he makes decisons on the distribution of aid in 1983.

In deciding the allocation of aid, the Government take account of the overall economic position of each recipient country. Studies already exist of the effects of the common agricultural policy and we keep this under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received the report of the working party set up to review the operations of the land resources development centre.

No. I asked for the report by the beginning of July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what priority he attaches to assisting management training and education in less developed countries; and whether he will consider using overseas aid funds for such assistance.

This is an important field in which we have for many years given assistance from the aid programme to the Governments of developing countries at their request and in accordance with their priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the United Kingdom's contribution to UNICEF, expressed in £ sterling, in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981; and what is the proposed amount for 1982.

Following is the information:

£ million
Year	Regular Programme	"Noted" Projects	Totals
1978	4·5	1·252	5·752
1979	5·8	2·112	7·912
1980	4·3	1·456	5·756
1981	5·9	0·083	5·983

Subject to parliamentary approval, we shall contribute in 1982 at the same level as in 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist for part of the United States of America $23 million loan from the World Bank to the Caribbean Development Bank to be made available for on-lending to British dependencies in the Caribbean.

The World Bank loan is available to finance investment projects in any of the CDB's regional member countries, including those that are British dependencies.Before a sub-loan can be made to a British dependency, Her Majesty's Government are required to guarantee to reimburse the World Bank in full in the event of any default on the repayment. Such guarantees are given under section 8 of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980. An agreement declaring our intention to guarantee such sub-loans, subject to certain conditions, has recently been concluded with the World Bank. We have in turn been given an undertaking by the CDB that they will reimburse Her Majesty's Government in the event of a guarantee being called.There have been no proposals so far for sub-loans from the World Bank loan to British dependencies. The House will be informed as soon as any guarantees for specific projects have been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the meeting of the Development Council in Luxembourg on 15 June.

The council approved, as part of the Community's plan of action against world hunger, a programme of support for food strategies in developing countries. The first countries to benefit will be Kenya, Mali and Zambia. The council also agreed that proposals for supplementary aid made by the Commission in the context of the plan of action should be considered further.The council reviewed recent developments in the north-south dialogue. It considered the provision of non-project aid by the Community and agreed that draft guidelines should be prepared for consideration by the council at its next meeting. It also agreed to undertake further work on the role of women in development, the energy needs of developing countries, Community aid to the urban sector and trade promotion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to support economic integration of the National Coal Board and the Central Electricity Generating Board.

I certainly support close co-operation between nationalised industries wherever it is sensible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in order to assist those industries that are intensive electricity users, he will take steps to encourage the energy supply industry and the coal industry to raise efficiency by matching coal from cost-effective mines with modern coal-fired generating plant.

I fully support the efforts being made by the NCB and the CEGB to work together so as to reduce their costs, so benefiting all their customers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the review conducted by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at his request into its housing needs; and whether he expects that the authority will be in a position to sell more of its houses to its tenants.

I have now had a report from the authority on the results of its recent review of housing policy, and am following up certain aspects of this with it. I hope to be able to complete these further discussions during the summer and will report to the House then.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much electricity is (a) generated in Wales by the Central Electricity Generating Board, (b) sold in Wales by the South Wales Electricity Board, (c) sold in Wales by the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board and (d) sold directly to consumers by the Central Electricity Generating Board.

The information for 1980 is given in the following table; 1981 information for items (a), (b) and (c) will be published in due course in the Digest of Welsh Statistics or the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics.

	Million kilowatt hours
(a) Electricity generated in Wales by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB)	23,381
Electricity sold in Wales by:
(b) the South Wales Electricity Board	9,759
(c) the Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board	2,948
(d) the CEGB directly to consumers	1,990

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will announce the name of the new chairman of the National Coal Board and any other new appointments.

I propose to appoint Mr. Norman Siddall, CBE, to be chairman of the board for a year from 3 July, and Mr. James Cowan, OBE, and Mr. John Mills, CBE, to be deputy chairmen.

asked the Prime Minister whether she expects the agreement at the recent economic summit at Versailles that special encouragement would be given to programmes to address the implications of population growth to lead to any changes in United Kingdom overseas aid policy.

The reference to population growth in the declaration of the seven Heads of State and Government and representatives of the European Community in Versailles reflects the importance which the Government already attach to population activities as a part of the overall economic and social development of the developing countries. In recognition of this, last September my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development announced increases from the aid programme in our contributions to multilateral organisations dealing with population from £4·5 million to £5 million in 1981–1982 and to £6 million in 1982–83.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that many Ministers' private offices are ignoring her instructions to include a copy of every Minister's letter to hon. Members for forwarding to constituents, and that this is particularly necessary during parliamentary recesses, she will once again remind Ministers to ensure that their private offices do not become careless in this respect.The Prime Minister: I know that hon. Members find this practice convenient and I have therefore repeated my request to colleagues to enclose the required copy.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 11 June 1982, when she expects to make a decision with regard to her paying an official visit to the Falkland Islands; and if she will make a statement.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is now in a position to state if she will visit the Falkland Islands as soon as her present commitments allow.

I have no plans to make such a visit immediately.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is proposed to set up the inquiry into the recent events surrounding the Falkland Islands and dependencies under any existing legislation.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if she will hasten arrangements for foreign journalists to visit the Falkland Islands, to report on the damage done by the Argentine invaders and on the state of their troops, and to see the effect on those troops of the junta's delay in arranging their repatriation; and if she will make a statement.

I share my hon. Friend's concern that foreign journalists should be able to see conditions in the Falkland Islands as soon as possible. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence are making urgent arrangements to enable such visits to take place as soon as practical conditions permit.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the role of the International Red Cross in looking after the Argentine prisoners on the Falkland Islands, and on the role which Her Majesty's Government may legitimately assign to it.

Under the Geneva convention the treatment of the Argentine prisoners of war is our responsibility. The Government have welcomed the humanitarian interest taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross in the prisoners of war, and particularly in the question of their repatriation, but we cannot assign to the ICRC any of our responsibilities for them.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects to give the Government's response to the report published on 9 December 1981 by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology.

I hope that the Government's response will be published later this month.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the practice of successive Governments not to provide political parties with public funds for electoral purposes, she will take steps to ensure that such a practice is not introduced in any future elections to the European Assembly in the United Kingdom.

The Government have no plans to provide political parties with public funds for elections to the European Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the approximate number of people currently employed by British Telecom.

252,000, of whom about 11,000 are part-time.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many people are employed at the industry regional development grants office in Cardiff; what are their responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

On 1 June 1982, 97 persons were employed by the Department at the regional development grants office, Cardiff. Their responsibilities comprise all aspects of administration of the RDG scheme for premises located in the development and special development areas of Wales and the South-West region of England, including payment of grant, inspection of qualifying premises and, where appropriate, grant recovery.The effect of the policy changes announced by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Industry in July 1979 and of simplification in procedures introduced following a review in consultation with Sir Derek Rayner will continue to reduce numbers of staff employed in administering the RDG scheme.In the past year the arrears of work at the Cardiff RDGO have substantially decreased, and the number of weeks work in hand has declined to five weeks from 13–14 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table showing the payments from United Kingdom and Common Market funds to the British steel industry in each of the past five years.

The information requested is as follows:

United Kingdom Funds
Finance provided to BSC by Her Majesty's Government to the British Steel Corporation (excluding regional development grants):
Year ended 31 March	£m
1978	661
1979	689
1980	691
1981	1,183
1982	806

Offers of finance under sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972, and details of regional development grant payments, are published quarterly in "British Business." Aggregates for the steel industry are not readily available.

European Community Funds (BSC and Private Sector)
Calendar Years	£m	R & D Grants
1978	23·7	1·21
1979	0·6	2·9
1980	20·3	2·5
1981	Nil	2·2
1982	N/A	1·2

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the scope of the current review of regional policy; and when he expects it to be completed.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is carrying out a special review of those areas which in 1979 were special development areas and development areas and from which assisted area status is due to be withdrawn on 1 August this year. This review fulfils the commitment given by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State in July 1979 when he announced the Government's regional industrial policy of concentrating on those areas with the most intractable problems of employment. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) when the pilot study on a Europort data bank was commenced; when it is expected to be completed; and what is the main purpose behind the study;(2) what consultants are being employed on the Europort data bank pilot study; what is the estimated cost to public funds of the study; and what is the estimated cost of employing the consultants;(3) if he will give the names and locations of the organisations which have been selected to have terminals as part of the pilot study on a Europort data bank; who proposed these specific locations; and what criteria were used in their selection.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 June 1982, c. 199.]; The Europort pilot study was launched on 7 May 1982 and will last until October, when it will be reviewed to consider whether and how to extend the project. The project is designed to assess the value to exporters of obtaining information about public sector supply contracts within the European Community more quickly than was possible when the principal means of identifying the opportunities was dependent upon the arrival of the Official Journal of the EC through the post from Luxembourg.The details of all such invitations to tender can now be available to those involved in the trial on the day of publication by means of viewdata.No firms are employed as consultants on the Europort pilot but NVA Consultants Ltd is the firm that originally devised the project and which is operating the viewdata system on which the invitations to tender appear. The Department of Industry has provided the hardware for the pilot study and will pay for an element of the running costs during the trial. I shall write to the hon. Member when the trial has ended to let him know the realised cost to public funds. It is anticapted that participants in the trial will wish to acquire the hardware involved. 13 Chambers of Commerce have joined the pilot study. They are the

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects to fulfil the Government's Civil Service establishment reduction targets before May 1984.

Yes. The size of the Civil Service is now at its lowest since 1966 and we are well over half way to achieving our planned reduction to a total of 630,000 by April 1984.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total size of the Civil Service was, including both manual and staff employees, on 1 June 1979, 1 June 1980, 1 June 1981 and 1 June 1982, giving the figures as full-time equivalents.

The information is not available for these dates. However, Civil Service staff in post at 1 April for each of these years are given in the following table:

Total Civil Service strength (industrial and non-industrial)
1 April	Staff in post (full-time equivalents)*
1979	732,300
1980	704,900
1981	689,600
1982	666,400
* Part-timers are counted as half units

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors account for the difference between the public expenditure figures shown as a percentage of gross domestic product given in his answer of 8 June to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, c. 83, and the figures given in the Chief Secretary's speech to the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, on 10 May, that public expenditure last year was 44½ per cent. of gross domestic product compared to 41 per cent. in 1979–80; and if he will give a breakdown of the expenditure which was not included in his figures for central Government, local government and National Health Service expenditure, which total 29·1 per cent. of gross domestic product.

The information requested is being compiled. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for the most recent year for which figures are available the revenue lost to the Exchequer by exempting from value added tax fees for educational services charged by private schools of a type eligible for assistance under the assisted places scheme.

I regret that the information needed to provide such an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had about the possibility of the United Kingdom joining the European monetary system; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom is already a member of the European monetary system. As I have made clear on many occasions the question of sterling's participation in the exchange rate mechanism is kept under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the sum of money which, in the current year, is required to provide the purchasing power which was provided by £1 in 1965 and 1966, respectively.

The sums of money currently required to provide the same purchasing power as the £ sterling did in 1965 and in 1966 would be £5·50 and £5·30 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. McQuarrie) on 15 June, Official Report, c. 722, what factors have altered since the reply of the then Minister of State to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 15 April 1980, Official Report, c. 605, which led to Her Majesty's Government's present certainty that almost all invalidity pensioners would pay tax if the benefit were taxable.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the White Paper on data protection published in April.

Over 140 organisations and members of the public have commented on the White Paper. Our proposals for legislation have been generally welcomed, but there have been many detailed comments, which we are carefully considering.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the Home Affairs Committee report on complaints against the police.

We shall announce our conclusions as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the time at present taken to determine an application for a certificate of registration as a British National compares with the time taken one year and two years ago; how many officials are employed full-time for this purpose at the latest date; and how many were employed at the equivalent dates one and two years ago.

The average times taken to complete the processing of an application for registration as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies are as follows:

	Registration (discretionary)	Registration (entitlements)
June 1980	26 months	6 months
June 1981	27 months	12 months
June 1982	24 months	10 months

The number of staff in post in the nationality division on 30 June 1980 and 30 June 1981 was 218 and 231 respectively. The number in post at present is 241.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the organisation and operation of the prison industry company Prindus; what full-time staff are employed; how many prisoners have been involved in its manufacturing operations in each year for which figures are available; and what has been its turnover for each year for which figures are available.

Prison Industries are managed by the directorate of industries and farms of the prison department of the Home Office, which is accountable to my rt. hon. Friend through its director general. The number of staff employed on industrial activities in the directorate and establishments is 1,346.The number of inmates employed and the sales turnover are published in the annual prison department reports. For the last three years they were:

	Inmates employed	Turnover £ million
1979–80	12,747	26·3
1980–81	11,919	24·3
1981–82	12,113	31·6

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many contracts awarded by nationalised industries Prindus has (a) competed and (b) competed successfully since its foundation.

We 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 machinery Prindus is purchasing or leasing to fulfil the contract for providing open shoes to the National Coal Board; what will be the cost of the machinery; and from whom it will be obtained.

Prindus is not purchasing or leasing machinery to fulfil the contract for providing open shoes to the National Coal Board; it is using existing machinery. It has, however., purchased £6,000 worth of tooling.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the prison industry company Prindus competed for the contract for providing open shoes to the National Coal Board for use by miners while taking showers; what was the value of the contract; when the sample shoe was provided to the National Coal Board; by what date the contract has to be fulfilled; whether the materials are to be wholly provided from United Kingdom sources; and, if not, what proportion will be imported and from where.

The Prison Industries competed in open competition for the contract for providing open shoes to the National Coal Board. The details of the contract must be regarded as commercially confidential. Contracts on the source of supply of materials have yet to be placed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the tendering by organisations supported from public funds for contracts awarded by similar organisations in competition with private enterprise; and whether any special rules apply to such tendering.

My noble Friend will write to my hon. Friend about the procedures adopted by Prison Industries and farms in tendering for contracts by organisations supported from public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the increase in applications for repatriation assistance from 1980–81 to 1981–82; and whether he expects this increase to continue in future years.

It is not possible to ascribe the increase in applications to a particular cause or causes, nor to predict the future level of applications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 14 June, Official Report, c. 188, whether he is satisfied that local authorities, citizens' advice bureaux, community relations councils and chief officers of police are still aware of the existence and operation of the Government's repatriation scheme; whether he will take steps to re-issue circulars No. 244/1971 and No. 64/1973 to all these bodies; and if he will make a statement.

We have no reason to doubt that most persons or bodies who, in the course of their work, may be asked to give advice to immigrants who are thinking about returning to their country of origin are aware that, in certain circumstances, assistance from Government funds can be made available. As I have already indicated, it is not the Government's intention to give further publicity to these arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any decision has been made on the electoral system to be used in the next election for members of the European Assembly; and if he anticipates that United Kingdom legislation will be necessary for any of the changes envisaged.

Discussion of the European Parliament's proposals for a uniform electoral procedure is at too early a stage for any decisions to be reached by the Council of Ministers. Implementation of any changes of the kind the Parliament's proposals would involve would require primary legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has now received the consulting engineers' appraisal of the Severn bridge; and what action he proposes.

A copy of Flint and Neill's appraisal of the Severn bridge has been placed in the Library. The report concludes that, subject to certain qualifications, the main cables, piers and anchorages are adequate to cope with current traffic loadings. The towers, tower saddles, hangers and rocker boxes will, however, need strengthening to enable them to cope with the highest existing traffic loadings.The only immediate safety problem has already been dealt with by closing one lane of the bridge in each direction early on weekday mornings. Defects requiring early attention will be remedied as soon as possible. Flint and Neill are now doing additional work on the cost and scope of the further strengthening work needed in the longer term. In consultation with the Secretary of State for Wales, I am reviewing the longer term future for the crossing of the Severn and Wye. This further review should be ready by the end of the year.Meanwhile, normal maintenance work will continue and it is the intention that, except for the existing early morning lane closures, the Severn crossing will remain fully open to all normal traffic. There may, however, have to be further lane closures as particular remedial work and resurfacing takes place.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many yards of high wire fence he has placed along the M11 for the purpose of keeping deer off the highway; and how much it cost to install this.

About 11½ miles of 2 metre high chain-link fencing were installed at an approximate cost of £120,000 at prices current at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis he decided that deer present a sufficient road hazard to motorists on the M11 to justify the fencing-in of certain lengths of this motorway with high railings.

Wild deer at large on a motorway would obviously represent a serious danger to traffic. My Department took the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food before installing the deer fences on M11.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what facilities are now available for the calibration of tachographs at Goole.

I understand that the one tachograph centre at Goole has recently ceased trading. It may be replaced, but there are other tachograph centres at Scunthorpe, Hull, Brough, Doncaster and York.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what were the net proceeds received by the Government from the sale of the National Freight Corporation.

The net proceeds from the sale, representing the difference between the proceeds from the sale of shares to management, employees and pensioners—£53·5 million—less expenses of sale—some £200,000—and payments to the NFC pension funds to fund the historic deficiencies—£48·7 million, were about £4·6 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will rescind his recent order diverting heavy vehicles over 32·5 tonnes through residential areas of Greenford and Perivale from the Target roundabout to Hanger Lane on the A40 immediately after the completion of the strengthening of the canal bridge on the A40 between these points; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The order, which prohibits use of the canal bridge by vehicles over 32·5 tonnes, will not be required after the reconstruction work has been completed next summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has considered seeking from Maryport harbour commissioners interest payments in respect of the £69,000 loan outstanding between the commissioners and his Department.

The Department ceased several years ago to press for repayment of this loan, pending significant improvement in the commissioners' financial position. I shall consider the question of interest if and when such an improvement occurs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many formal objections to the proposed link road from the A45 to the A143 north-east of Bury St. Edmunds were heard by the inspector at the public inquiry Into this scheme; and if he will list the names of those other formal objectors who withderw their objections before the inquiry took place.

One formal objection was heard by the inspector. It is not the Department's practice to name publicly objectors who withdraw before an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, pursuant to the reply from the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire on 8 June, Official Report, c.. 30, he will publish in the Official Report the text of the correspondence with the Welsh Rugby Union about the involvement of its players in a tour of South Africa, in breach of the Gleneagles agreement.

No. The substance of the correspondence was made clear in the earlier reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he had any precedent from United Kingdom experience in mind when he decided to place the responsibility of planning a new institution which will replace the new University of Ulster and the Ulster Polytechnic upon a body specifically appointed for the purpose.

No specific precedent was in mind, as was not aware of any directly comparable development elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has completed his consultations on the future organisation of historic monuments and buildings in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Views were invited from a number of bodies in Northern Ireland. None of the replies were in favour of setting up an independent body. Therefore, I have agreed that in the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland it would be better to retain the present arrangements under which the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland is responsible for the organisation of historic monuments and buildings. In so doing I shall ensure that the suggestions made about improving the present arrangements are, where possible, taken into account. I will also watch developments in England closely to see what lessons can be learnt.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those killed on duty with the task force in the South Atlantic, together with the names of their units; and if he will list the Falkland Islanders who have lost their lives.

The information is as follows:

Task Force Personnel
Rank	Name
Royal Navy (85)
Lt Cdr	D. I. Balfour	HMS "Sheffield"
POMEM(M)	D. R. Briggs
CA	D. Cope
WEA 1	A. C. Eggington
Sub Lt	R. C. Emly
PO Ck	R. Fagan
Ck	N. A. Goodall
LMEM(M)	A. J. Knowles
L Ck	T. Marshall
POWEM	A. R. Norman
Ck	D. E. Osborne
WEA 1	K. R. F. Sullivan
Ck	A. C. Swallow
ACWEMN	M. Till
WEMN 2	B. J. Wallis
L Ck	A. K. Wellstead
MAA	B. Welsh
Ck	K. J. Williams
Lt Cdr	J. S. Woodhead
LT Cdr	G. W. J. Batt	HMS "Hermes" (800 SQN)
Lt	N. Taylor	HMS "Hermes" (707 SQN)
Lt	W. A. Curtis	HMS "Invincible" (801 SQN)
Lt Cdr	J. E. Eyton-Jones
AB(S)	D. K. Armstrong	HMS "Ardent"
Lt Cdr	R. W. Banfield
AB(S)	A. R. Barr
POAEM(N)	P. Brouard
Ck	R. J. S. Dunkerley
AL Ck	M. P. Foote
MEM(M) 2	S. H. Ford
ASTD	S. Hanson
AB(S)	S. K. Hayward
WEM(R) 1	S. J. Lawson
AEMN(1)	A. McAuley
ALS(R)	M. S. Mullen
Lt	B. Murphy
LPT	G. T. Nelson
Ck	J. R. Roberts
Lt Cdr	J. M. Sephton
ALMEM(M)	S. J. White
APOWEM(R)	A. K. Palmer
ALMEM(L)	G. Whitford
MEM(M) 1	G. S. Williams
AB(EW)	S. Heyes
MEM(M) 2	A. R. Leighton
AB(R)	I. M. Boldy	HMS "Argonaut"
S(M)	M. J. Stuart
STD	M. R. Stephens	HMS "Antelope"
AEM(R) 1	A. U. Anslow	"Atlantic Conveyor"
CPOWTR	E. Flanagan
LAEM(L)	D. Pryce
MEM(M) 1	F. O. Armes	HMS "Coventry"
ACWEA	J. D. L. Caddy
MEA(M) 1	P. B. Callus
APOCA	S. R. Dawson
AWEM(R) 1	J. R. Dobson
PO(S)	M. G. Fowler
WEM(O) 1	I. P. Hall
Lt	R. R. Heath
AWEM(N) 1	D. J. A. Ozbirn
Lt Cdr	G. S. Robinson-Moltke
LRO(W)	B. J. Still
MEA 2	G. L. J. Stockwell
AWEA 1	D. A. Strickland
AAB(EW)	A. D. Sunderland
MEM(M) 2	S. Tonkin
A Ck	I. Turnbull
AWEA 2	P. P. White
WEA/APP	I. R. Williams
MEA(P)	A. S. James	HMS "Fearless"
ALMEM(M)	D. Miller
POAEM(L)	J M. J. Adcock	HMS "Glamorgan"
Ck	B. Easton