asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy on the recommendation of the Select Committee on Energy that it might be appropriate for Parliament to debate the findings and recommendations of the inspector of the Sizewell `B' inquiry before he makes his decision on the matter.

This would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House at the appropriate time. However, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State previously made clear to the House, he appreciates the strength of the case for a debate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Central Electricity Generating Board will be permitted to renew the contract for the supply of uranium oxide from the Rossing mine in Namibia in 1984.

I am informed by the CEGB that it has no plans to obtain further uranium from Namibia beyond that to be supplied under the existing contract for uranium from the Rossing mine, which terminates in 1984.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the percentage import penetration for the textile and clothing industries in 1978, and in the latest available 12 month period.

Import penetration of textiles and clothing was 29 per cent. in the calendar year 1978 and approximately 39 per cent. in the twelve months ended June 1982.

asked the Minister for Trade if he is satisfied with the degree of regulation open to him upon the imports of low cost textile and clothing products from the "preferential" countries.

The Community has negotiated eight voluntary restraint arrangements with Mediterranean textile suppliers. In all but one case, these cover all products which are traded in significant quantities. However, the voluntary restraint arrangement wih Turkey covers only one product (cotton yarn) and moreover has not been renewed for 1983. The Community has not yet been able to reach agreement on a voluntary restraint arrangement with Turkey on any other products.I understand that, following the practice established in previous years, the Commission is about to notify Turkey of the levels of these imports which would be acceptable in 1983. In the United Kingdom, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has instituted special surveillance of imports of the main products from Turkey, so that we can if necessary apply to the Commission for safeguard action at the earliest possible opportunity.

asked the Minister for Trade, pursuant to his reply of 7 December, Official Report, c. 483,what was the result of the European Community consideration of the Argentine response on the resumption of trade.

The Community reply to the Argentine response to the EC joint approach was conveyed to the Argentine charge d'affaires in Brussels on 21 December.It makes clear that the Community is ready to hold discussions with the Argentine aimed at restoring normal economic and commercial relations on a reciprocal basis. This would include, in particular, the reciprocal lifting of the mutual import ban affecting trade between the United Kingdom and the Argentine and the removal of all restrictive measures still in force against United Kingdom companies operating in the Argentine.The Argentine response is awaited.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has any plans to meet the chairman of Lloyd's.

My right hon. and noble Friend and I have been in regular touch over the last few months with the chairman of Lloyd's. I expect contacts to continue.

asked the Minister for Trade what proposals British Airways has put to him regarding the capital reconstruction of the airline; and if he will make a statement.

The British Airways board has asked the Government to consider a reconstruction of the airline's capital and debt structure. The Government have not yet accepted any commitment to a capital reconstruction.

asked the Minister for Trade when he last met the chairman of British Airways; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. and noble Friend and I are in frequent contact with the chairman of British Airways on a wide range of matters concerning the airline.

asked the Minister for Trade whether British Airways has proposed that Her Majesty's Government take over or redeem out of taxpayers' money, any of the liabilities or debts of British Airways before it is sold off in part or in whole to the private sector.

The British Airways board has asked the Government to consider a reconstruction of the airline's capital and debt structure. The Government have not yet accepted any commitment to a capital reconstruction.

asked the Minister for Trade what were the percentage changes in the seasonally adjusted volume of visible non-oil exports or imports over the latest available 12-month period.

In the 12 months ended November 1982, non-oil exports fell by 0·5 per cent. and imports fell by 7 per cent.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the value of exports to Japan over the past six months; and what was the corresponding figure for imports from that country.

Total visible United Kingdom exports to Japan over the last six months for which figures are available (June to November 1982) were £333 million. The corresponding figure for imports from Japan was £1,309 million.

asked the Minister for Trade what progress has been made in considering methods of preventing unfair competition as a result of the import of motor vehicles into the United Kingdom.

Where goods are dumped or subsidised my Department has a special unit to assist British industry to prepare a case for submission to the European Commission for appropriate action under the GATT. Where British exporters are denied access to other countries' markets on terms comparable to those offered by our markets we take every opportunity to pursue the matter bilaterally and through the European Community.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on his review of Government policy on merchant shipping.

I am currently considering detailed representations and proposals from the shipping industry. I met the General Council of British Shipping on 22 December and the National Union of Seamen on 18 January, and I plan to meet the other maritime unions shortly.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has recently conducted a review of the adequacy of the United Kingdom registered merchant shipping fleet for defence purposes; and if he regards the present merchant fleet in size and composition as adequate for such purposes.

The fleet's adequacy for defence purposes is monitored regularly. It can match all Ministry of Defence stated requirements. Its ability to do so will continue to be kept under review.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish a table showing the size of the United Kingdom registered merchant fleet expressed in thousands dead-weight tonnes and in numbers for each year since 1960 categorised into (a) passenger vessels, (b) cargo liners, (c) container vessels, (d) tramps, (e) bulk carriers, (f) tankers and (g) others.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The information requested is given for the years 1970 to 1982 in table 1·1, page 12 of Business Monitor MR 15 General trends in shipping 1982 No. 5, available in the House of Commons Library. The readily available information for earlier years is as follows:

asked the Minister for Trade for each year since 1960 how many United Kingdom registered merchant vessels, involving what dead weight tonnage, left the United Kingdom flag and re-registered under the flags of other nations; and what were the national flags involved.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The available information is given for the years 1974 to 1981 in table 1·12, page 28, of Business Monitor MR 15, general trends in shipping 1982 No. 5; and for 1973 in table 1·12, page 26, of MR 15 1981 No. 3. Information for earlier years, other than the following, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish a table for the latest available date of the United Kingdom registered merchant fleet, classified by types (a) passenger vessels, (b) cargo liners, (c) container vessels, (d) tramps (e) bulk carriers and (f) tankers, and by ownership: (i) United Kingdom companies, (ii) United Kingdom subsidiaries or associates of foreign companies, (iii) companies owned abroad by subsidiaries of United Kingdom companies and (iv) other companies owned abroad.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The information requested is as follows:

asked the Minister for Trade what levels and percentages of imports and of exports by value and by weight were carried in United Kingdom registered merchant vessels in each year since 1960.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The levels and percentages of seaborne imports and exports carried on United Kingdom registered vessels are published or can be derived from the following sources available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the percentage change in labour productivity on United Kingdom registered merchant shipping in each year since 1960.

[pursuant to the reply, 24 January 1983, c. 246]: I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Minister for Trade, for each year since 1960, what were the numbers of persons employed by the United Kingdom merchant shipping fleet; and of these, how many were shore-based and how many were seagoing.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The available information is as follows:

asked the Minister for Trade what was the size, in million deadweight tonnes, of the merchant fleets in (a) 1960, (b) 1965, (c) 1970, (d) 1975, (e) 1980 and (f) 1982 of (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) France, (iii) Italy, (iv) West Germany, (v) Denmark, (vi) Sweden, (vii) Norway, (viii) the Netherlands and (ix) Greece.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Minister for Trade, for each year since 1960, what was the weight-distance, expressed in thousand million tonne-miles carried, of United Kingdom imports and of United Kingdom exports, distinguishing if possible between trade in oil and in non-oil products.

[pursuant to the reply, 21 January 1983, c. 246]: The information requested is available for United Kingdom seaborne trade in the following published sources available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has completed his analysis of the consequences for the United Kingdom clothing and textile industries of the bilateral agreements under the multi-fibre arrangement; and if he will make a statement.

As I told the House on 14 December 1982, all the bilateral agreements negotiated under the multi-fibre arrangement were concluded within the mandate established by the Council of Ministers at a series of meetings in 1980 and 1981. We shall, of course, monitor the impact of imports under these bilateral agreements on the United Kingdom textile and clothing industry.

asked the Minister for Trade what will be the percentage change in imports of textile and clothing products covered by the multi-fibre arrangement between the actual level of imports in 1981 and the maximum level of imports possible under the quotas for 1986 agreed under the multi-fibre arrangement.

It would not be meaningful to compare quota entitlements for Group I products in 1986 with actual imports in 1981. The 1983 quotas have been established on the basis of the 1982 quotas with certain adjustments including cutbacks of 7 to 8 per cent. in the clothing quotas of the dominant suppliers. Thereafter the quotas will grow on average by less than 1 per cent. per year. Utilisation of the quotas in 1986 will depend upon a range of factors which cannot at this date be predicted.

asked the Minister for Trade how many passengers used London's airports in 1982; and how this compared with 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Statistics for 1982 are available from the Civil Aviation Authority for only the first five months. During this period 14,592,580 passengers used the London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted), an increase of 5·63 per cent. over the number, 13,815,203, who used them in the corresponding period in 1979. The totals for 1979, 1980 and 1981 can be found in table 2·12·2 of the CAA's 1981 annual statistics, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the balance of visible trade in oil in 1978 and for the latest available 12-month period.

In 1978 the non-oil balance was in surplus by £442 million and the oil balance was in deficit by £1,984 million. The non-oil balance for the 12 months to November 1982 was in deficit by £2,390 million, whilst the oil balance was in surplus by £4,283 million.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has yet reached a decision on measures to counteract video piracy.

The House gave a Second Reading on Friday 21 January to a Bill on this subject, introduced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden). The Government support the Bill.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will pay an official visit to Companies House.

I shall be visiting Companies House in Cardiff on 8 April.

asked the Minister for Trade, in view of the fact that, contrary to section 131 of the Companies Act 1948, there has been no annual meeting of shareholders of the company which owned the Tribune newspaper for 10 years, whether he will institute an investigation of that company's affairs under section 165 of the Companies Act 1948.

No. Sections 131 and 132 contain adequate provisions with regard to the calling of general meetings.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will arrange for a Minister from his Department to attend the European Community ministerial meetings on farm prices.

No. The question of farm prices is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a further statement on his plans to deregulate air services in the United Kingdom.

I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 29 November last.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the average annual surplus or deficit in manufacturing trade with the European Community in the most recent annual periods for which figures are available and in 1970, 1971 and 1972.

In the three years ending November 1982 the average annual crude deficit on United Kingdom trade in manufactures with the other countries of the EC was £3·2 billion; in 1970, 1971 and 1972 the annual crude surpluses on this trade were £463 million, £330 million and £21 million respectively.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has yet completed his review of the film industry.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 20 January.—[Vol 35, c. 187–188.]

asked the Minister for Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the European Community directive on product liability.

The Government's attitude to the draft directive remains as set out by my right hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) during the debate in the House on 4 November 1980. The Government have reserved their position on the draft and are seeking improvements, one of the most important of which is a "state of the art" defence.

asked the Minister for Trade what percentage of steel imports into the United Kingdom during 1981 and 1982 came from Third world countries.

The available information is set out as follows:

asked the Minister for Trade what was the value, respectively, for 1982, of United Kingdom total

asked the Minister for Trade if he will take steps to introduce an independent appeals procedure against Civil Aviation Authority decisions on the changes in air routes.

Although there is no statutory system of appeals, the Civil Aviation Authority follows appropriate procedures when considering proposals for changes in air routes. I do not think that setting up a formal mechanism for reviewing the authority's decisions would improve matters.

asked the Minister for Trade why it has been decided that the Companies Acts should be consolidated rather than codified.

Consolidation of the Companies Acts was made imperative by the passage of the Companies Acts 1980 and 1981. Codification—the statement in statutory form of the principles derived from case law—would require extensive prior study and consultation, and, if found to be practicable, involve further substantive legislation and take many years to accomplish. The Government are not aware of any widespread demand for company law to be codified.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will set out the total value of British exports to and British imports from Malaysia at current prices for the past 10 years for which figures are available.

The available information is as follows:exports and United Kingdom exports of petroleum, petroleum products and related materials, respectively, to other European Community countries.

The latest period for which information is available is the eleven months from January to November 1982 and is to be found in tables V (division 33) and VI (groups 333–335) of the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics for November 1982, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) to what extent information collected by his Department concerning business insolvencies is analysed by reference to (a) type of business, (b) location and (c) the circumstances of insolvency;(2) what information is collected and analysed by his Department concerning

Figures of births and deaths of businesses are published in British Business based on VAT registrations and deregistrations. They are analysed by sector of trade and region of the country. Provisional estimates for 1981 and revised estimates for 1980 were published on 23 July 1982, and by region on 24 September 1982.Summary figures of bankruptcies and company liquidations in England and Wales appear monthly in

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will increase the level of financial support for the Glasgow citizens advice bureaux.

The level of support for individual citizens advice bureau is primarily a matter for the local authorities concerned. But all bureaux in Scotland benefit from our grant to the Scottish CAB association, which has been substantially increased in the last four years.

asked the Minister for Trade when Ministers or officials of his Department last had discussions with the Arab-British chambers of commerce; and whether he has any plans to develop trade with the assistance of these chambers of commerce.

My officials are in regular contact with the Arab-British and Egyptian-British chambers of commerce. My Department has in the past jointly promoted with the chambers trade in a number of Arab markets and will continue to do so in response to market opportunities.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will introduce legislation to make it compulsory for tradesmen doing electrical repairs to have insurance in respect of possible damage arising from such activity.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) what was the volume and value of base metal ores and concentrates imported from Namibia in each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982;(2) what was the quantity and value of karakul lamb pelts imported from Namibia in each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade what progress he has made in his discussions both with the local authorities' committee on trading standards and with the relevant trade bodies to determine the appropriate statutory measures for wine sold by the glass in licensed premises.

Discussions are continuing on the development by the trade of a voluntary code of practice. The object is to standardise the statutory measures used for table wine sold by the glass coupled with a prominent display of the quantity and price. I expect a report from the trade's working group by the end of March, and it has already been in contact with me.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on trade between the United Kingdom and Taiwan.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade what steps have been taken to increase trade between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China over the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the total cost of each area or regional nationalised industries consumer council; and what was the cost of each national consumer council, during the last complete 12 months for which figures are available.

Following are the costs borne on the Department's Vote in the financial year ended 31 March 1982:

asked the Minister for Trade when, having concluded his study of comments he has received on the draft regulations under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, he now intends to give effect to the sections of that Act which would give the doorstep purchaser a cooling-off period.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. and learned Member on 29 November 1982.

asked the Minister for Trade, in respect of which countries licences for the export of electric shock equipment have been refused during the past two years.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following his reply to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 16 December 1982, Official Report, c. 472, he will publish the recommendations of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis in his report on his problems and priorities; and if he will make a statement.

On 1 October 1982, as police authority for the Metropolitan Police, I invited the Commissioner on taking up his office to give me within three months a preliminary report, outlining his plans and priorities. I asked the Commissioner, in determining his objectives and priorities, to give particular attention to the present high level of crime, including street crime and burglary; the problems of maintenance of public order in the capital; community involvement; and the organisation and structure of the force. The Commissioner was fully aware that I wished his assessment to take place against the objective of improving police effectiveness in the metropolis, and of ensuring that the resources now allocated to the Metropolitan Police were thoroughly reviewed and properly utilised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to monitor the effect of absent remand provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1982 on the average length of time spent by individual defendants in custody on remand.

The current collection of data on remand prisoners allows the time from first reception until disposal to be studied. If it reveals unexpected changes after the implementation of the remand provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1982, further studies will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many armed robberies took place (a) in England and Wales, and (b) in the Metropolitan police area during each of the past five years for which figures are available; in how many of these cases was a weapon actually fired; and how many of the weapons employed were shotguns.

Information on the numbers of robberies recorded by the police in England and Wales over the period 1971–1981 in which firearms were reported to have been used is published by type of weapon in table 3.4 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1981" (Cmnd. 8668). More detailed information is readily available only for the years 1979–81 and is given in the following tables; corresponding information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Soviet citizens have been allowed to enter the United Kingdom as visitors in each of the past 10 years.

The numbers of admissions of Soviet citizens given leave to enter the United Kingdom as ordinary and business visitors are published annually in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom" (columns 3 and 4 of table 1(b) of the latest issue for 1981, Cmnd. 8533).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders are held at Birmingham prison; and if he will give their ages, prison status and length of time held in Birmingham, together with the number in contact with adult prisoners.

The latest information readily available is given in the following table. Information about the time

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times Mr. Ian Ball's case has been before a mental health review tribunal; what was the recommendation on each occasion; and what are his reasons for disagreeing with the recommendations.

Mr. Ball, who is now a patient in Broadmoor hospital, has appeared before a mental health review tribunal on five occasions, most recently on 14 December 1982. It has been the practice of successive Home Secretaries to treat as confidential the advice given to them by a tribunal about a patient subject to a restriction order under section 65 of the Mental Health Act 1959, as

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were during the period December 1980 to December 1982 for breach of copyright involving video cassettes.

Information on offences involving video cassettes is not available separately and could be

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the salary scales of police officers for each year from 1976 to the most recent conveniently available date.

Following is the information:obtained only at disproportionate cost. The records available to us do not show any persons found guilty of offences under the Copyright Act 1956 in 1980 or 1981 but show three persons in 1980 and three in 1981 found guilty of all types of offence of conspiracy to contravene section 21(1) of the Copyright Act 1956. However, these records are probably incomplete because some prosecutions are likely to be brought other than by the police. Corresponding information for 1982 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to counter racist attacks.

My right hon. Friend will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following the reduction of staffing levels at Parkhurst prison, he is satisfied that there are always sufficient staff to operate all required services.

Staffing levels at Parkhurst have been reduced slightly in recent years following the closure of two of the four wings after damage by prisoners. Under these circumstances the current staff are sufficient to provide the necessary services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure has been incurred so far on the electrical refurbishing at Parkhurst prison; and to what extent this work will be affected by further refurbishing work being delayed.

Approximately £380,000 has so far been spent on electrical refurbishing at Parkhurst prison. The work is almost complete and is unlikely to be affected by any delay in other work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at Parkhurst prison are mentally disordered.

On 18 January 1983 there were seven prisoners in Parkhurst whom the medical officer considered to be mentally disordered within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities are available at Parkhurst prison for the proper association, education and exercise of those prisoners on rule 43 for protective reasons.

The staff at Her Majesty's Prison Parkhurst makes every effort to ensure that these prisoners enjoy the same facilities as other prisoners. As regards association, the prisoners concerned associate at work and on Saturday mornings when they are able to watch a film. In addition, every Monday morning they are taken to bathe, exchange their clothes and visit the library; between 6.00 pm and 6.30 pm each day they can exchange library books within the segregation unit. during the week they exercise together for one hour each day in the main compound area when other prisoners are not present; at weekends, when the compound area is in use, exercise is taken in groups in a small exercise yard. They are also able to use the gymnasium for an hour each week if they so wish. Educational work is undertaken in their cells; the education officers provide as wide a range of work as they can and conduct tutorials.There is a monthly review of all cases. Where possible, prisoners are transferred to specialist units or to normal location at other establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the comparable percentage change in the overall number of crimes in England and Wales between 1973 and 1979 and between 1979 and 1982, respectively.

Information on notifiable offences recorded by the police is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1981" (Table 2.2 Cmnd. 8668); information for the calendar year 1982 is not yet available. Between the years 1973 and 1979 the annual change in the numbers of recorded offences (excluding criminal damage valued at £20 and under) varied between an increase of 18 per cent. and a decrease of 3 per cent.; the average annual change over this period was an increase of 6 per cent. a year. Figures for 1979 are not directly comparable with those for later years because of changes made by new counting rules; between 1980 and 1981 the corresponding numbers increased by 11 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consideration he has given to the problems arising at the courthouse at Port Talbot when two benches happen to retire to one retiring room; and whether he is satisfied that this is conducive to the proper dispensing of justice;(2) whether he will arrange for one of his officials to visit the present magistrates' courthouse at Port Talbot;(3) how much money it is proposed to spend to repair the existing courthouse at Port Talbot.

The lack of adequate ancillary facilities at the Port Talbot magistrates' courthouse was accepted in 1978, and forward planning on a replacement courthouse is in progress. It is not possible to say when margins under capital expenditure allocations will enable a building start to be offered.In the meantime it is understood that the providing authority, West Glamorgan county council, has in mind to carry out repair and maintenance work costing some £50,000, and at the request of the magistrates' courts committee a Home Office official visited Port Talbot on 19 January to see if any help or advice could usefully be given. We have no reason to believe that the sharing of the retiring room, inconvenient on occasion though it may be for the magistrates concerned, can be regarded as impairing the quality of justice at Port Talbot.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many armed robberies on post offices and sub-post offices took place in the Metropolitan Police area during each of the most recent five years for which figures are available.

The information readily available relates to the years 1979–81 and is given in the following table; figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the police manpower demands imposed on the Norfolk county constabulary by royal security requirements can be met without adverse consequences for the general level of police cover in Norfolk; and if he will make a statement.

The general level of police cover in Norfolk is a matter for the police authority in the first instance. It is reponsible for maintaining an adequate force and for determining the level of the police establishment, subject to my right hon. Friend's approval. He has received no application from Norfolk for his approval to an increase in the force establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to which police authorities have had submitted to them by the chief constables concerned regulations relating to the issuing and use of firearms and as to which authorities have approved such regulations.

We have no information about this matter. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to his related question on 21 January. [Vol. 35, c. 245.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a further draft from Newbury district council of its proposal to alter the byelaws relating to Greenham Common; and what response he has made.

We have received no further draft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will continue to support the Equal Opportunities Information project; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Equal Opportunities Commission has awarded a grant to this project for the period January 1982 to August 1983. It will be for the commission to consider any application it may receive for further funds beyond that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will raise the maximum limit in prize bingo of £150 to bring it up to date with inflation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by him on 20 January 1983.—[Vol. 35, c. 187.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to how many individuals charged with attempted murder, bail has been granted in each of the past five years.

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General what function is performed by his clerk in the nomination of counsel to conduct prosecutions and other Treasury cases, the fees for which are paid out of funds provided by the Exchequer; what qualifications his clerk possesses for making or recommending such nominations; and in what manner his clerk is remunerated for this activity.

I am responsible for the nomination of counsel to conduct prosecutions and other Treasury cases in England and Wales the fees for which are paid out of funds provided by the Exchequer. I accept personal responsibility for all nominations but my clerk assists by nominating junior counsel in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions or other Department involved and in accordance with strict guidelines which I have laid down; the most important of which is that as far as possible the work is equally shared out amongst those whom I regard as eligible for the work. He also keeps records of all briefs allocated and returned and is responsible for the clerical work and discovering which counsel are free at a particular time.This work requires the knowledge and skills which my clerk acquires as clerk to a busy set of chambers. His remuneration for this work comes out of public funds and is paid through the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

asked the Attorney-General, for the last three years, what is the number of complaints against the police investigated by the Director of Public Prosecutions that have taken more than six months to complete; and what is the number of complaints submitted for six months or more that remain outstanding.

The Director of Public Prosecutions does not investigate complaints against the police. It is not his function, nor does he have the facilities, to do so. Such complaints are investigated by the police and, unless the chief officer of police is satisfied that no criminal offence has been committed, the matter is then referred to the director.Whether the hon. Gentleman refers to the time between the making of the complaint and the completion of the police investigation; or to the time between the submission of papers to the director and the decision by him whether or not to institute criminal proceedigs; or to the total of these two periods; the information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Attorney-General what, in cases of investigation by the Director of Public Prosecutions into complaints against the police, are the most usual reasons for failure to complete investigations within six months.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to his previous question and would add that, where a complaint is associated with criminal proceedings that are outstanding against the complainant himself, it is the normal practice, subject to the wishes of the complainant, to delay completion of the police investigation of his complaint until such time as those criminal proceedings have been disposed of.

asked the Prime Minister if she will seek to meet Mr. Andropov to discuss the deployment of cruise missiles in Europe.

No. The numbers to be deployed will depend upon achieving a balanced agreement in negotiation. The United States-Soviet talks in Geneva, which resume on 27 January, are the place for that.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what percentage of the United Kingdom total budget for intelligence services in the financial year 1981–82 was spent in Argentina;(2) what was the total annual United Kingdom expenditure on intelligence services in Argentina between 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1982;(3) on how many occasions between 1974 and March 1982 the cost and extent of intelligence operations by or on behalf of the United Kingdom in Argentina were reviewed; and by whom.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on 21 January 1983. [Vol. 35, c. 238.]

asked the Prime Minister whether any member of the intelligence service has been prematurely retired, dismissed or disciplined who had served in Argentina or who had been working on Argentine matters during the past two years.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on 21 January 1983. [Vol. 35, c. 238.]

asked the Prime Minister when the Government intend to implement the European Community directive 7/79 on equal opportunities.

In the Social Security Act 1980 we have already paved the way for implementation of the EC directive on equal treatment in social security matters. The intention is to enable women to claim supplementary benefit and family income supplement for their families on the same terms as men. There are also a number of changes to be made to introduce similar treatment for men and women claiming contributory benefits. These changes shall be completed by November 1984.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the degree of ministerial and parliamentary accountability of the security services.

I have nothing to add to what I said on this subject in my speech to the House on 21 November 1979 in the debate on the Blunt case. [Vol. 974, c. 407.]

asked the Prime Minister whether she has any reports outstanding from the Security Commission.

There are three outstanding references to the Security Commission. These are the cases of Geoffrey Arthur Prime, referred to the commission on 11 November 1982; Miss Rhona Jane Ritchie, referred to the commission on 23 December 1982; and Lance-Corporal P. L. Aldridge, also referred to the commission on 23 December 1982. It will be for the Security Commission to decide whether to report on these three cases separately or together.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report her reply to the request from the Falkland Islanders in 1980 who asked her to reconsider the terms of the British Nationality Bill in order to accord full British citizenship to all the islanders of British descent.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to a petition that was sent to me on 25 September 1981 by the Director General of the Falkland Islands Office. My right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison), then Minister of State at the Home Office, replied on my behalf on 2 November 1981. A copy of his reply is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister which religious bodies are regarded as exempt from rates on their meeting places in Scotland but not in England and Wales; and if she will introduce legislation to ensure parity throughout the United Kingdom.