asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimates of commencement and completion of the following Welsh road construction projects: the A40, Gilwern-Crickhowell link, the A470 Builth Wells bypass and Llanelwedd junction, the A470 improvement of bends, Smithfield Farm, near Builth road, and the A470 improvement between Erwood and south Bridgend straight.

No starting date has yet been assigned for the minor improvements to the A470 between Erwood and Builth Wells. Information about the other projects will be given in the new edition of "Roads in Wales" which I expect to be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations and bodies he has

asked the Secretary of State for theHome Department how many (a) policewomen and (b) policemen are employed in police stations and Scotland Yard, in the Metropolitan police area and nationally, on duties classified as civilian or non-uniform police duties.

There is no standard classification of civilian duties since the organisation of police forces varies and so, therefore, does the range of posts which can appropriately be held by civilians. The Department does, however, encourage chief officers of police to release police officers, wherever possible, from duties which can be more properly and economically carried out by civilians. Many chief officers have been able to increase the number of police officers available for operational duties by implementing such a policy.

We have consulted, in addition to other Government Departments, members of the judiciary, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Surgeons of Great Britain. We are naturally willing to take account of any representations from others, but we hope to issue the circular to chief officers of police very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report, for the years 1978 to 1981 inclusive, the number of deaths due to fires in multiple-occupied dwellings that were (a) in detached, semidetached or terraced houses and (b) in other buildings.

The total number of deaths from fires attended by local authority fire brigades in the United Kingdom which were in dwellings in multiple occupation is published annually in "Fire Statistics, United Kingdom"—for example, table 24 of the issue for 1980. Information on the type of dwelling is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to introduce a system whereby, when the courts impose a fine on a person, it is notified to the Inland Revenue, and that if the fine is not paid within the stated period, the fined person's PAYE code and income tax is adjusted to take into account and collect the fine due.

No. If a person who defaults in the payment of a fine is in employment, the court has power to make an attachment of earnings order requiring the employer to deduct payments towards the fine from the defaulter's earnings and forward the money to the court.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the growing practice of persons fined in court deliberately refusing to pay fines and the fact that after a period no action either to recover the fines or impose imprisonment is taken, he will publish in the Official Report as much detailed information as is available as to the total amount of fines outstanding for payment, the amount that is time expired, and the number of instances of write-off for the same period where imprisonment had been imposed for failure to pay the fines imposed.

The total amount of fines in England and Wales, excluding inner London, outstanding for payment at 30 September 1982—the most recent date for which information is available—was £41,267,000, to the nearest £1,000. Information on the proportion of this amount in respect of which time for payment has expired is not included in the quarterly returns submitted to my right hon. Friend by justices' clerks. Information about the number of persons received into prison in default of payment of a fine is published in "Prison Statistics: England and Wales"—table 7(b) of the 1981 edition, Cmnd. 8654.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the approximate number of Metropolitan police officers of each rank currently employed on guarding remanded prisoners held in court accommodation or police accommodation because of lack of prison accommodation.

The number of Metropolitan police officers employed at any time on these duties varies according to the number of prisoners held and the number of locations used. On 4 February, when 202 remanded and sentenced prisoners were held at 26 locations, 26 sergeants and 90 constables were employed on guarding duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he applies to decisions on whether to admit South African citizens to the United Kingdom.

Those contained in the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will offer to the Governments of Ghana and Nigeria the advice and assistance of his Department to assist them in resolving

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police vehicles attached to Brixton police station, or operating in the Brixton police division, have been damaged in each of the last seven months; what was the cost of repair or replacement of the vehicles in each month; what was the cause of the damage; and if he will make a statement.

We understand from the Commissioner that the information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen attached to Brixton police station, or operating in the Brixton area, have been injured in each of the last seven months; how many have received hospital treatment; and if he will make a statement.

We understand from the Commissioner that the information requested is as follows:their problem of the Ghanaian immigrants in the knowledge of how the United Kingdom has dealt with similar difficulties.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to remove mentally disordered persons from prison.

There is continuing co-operation between the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Security to find ways of easing the difficulties which may sometimes be experienced in finding a suitable hospital place for a mentally disordered offender. Over the last few years there has been a steady decline in the number of people in prison department establishments who are considered to be mentally disordered and an increase in the number transferred from prison to hospitals which are encouraging signs that these efforts have been successful. We hope that this will continue. In addition, the programme of construction of regional secure units, which will extend the range of facilities available in the National Health Service, is now well under way and the Mental Health (Amendment) Act 1982 contains useful new powers which, when they come into force, should enable the courts to divert more mentally disordered offenders from prison department custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of persons in prison at any one time who have some form of mental illness or mental handicap.

Prison medical officers make six-monthly returns giving details of those in prison department establishments whom they consider to be mentally disordered within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959. On 30 September 1982 this census recorded 210 who were mentally ill and 25 who were subnormal or severely subnormal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have provided comments on the new civil defence regulations in answer to his request and which have so far failed to do so.

In accordance with normal procedure we have consulted the local authority associations about the new civil defence regulations and not individual local authorities. Each association has responded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Oxfordshire as to the powers under which police raids on the boarding houses of an Oxford landlord on the morning of 2 September 1982 in connection with a social security fraud inquiry were carried out.

I understand from the chief constable of Thames Valley police that on 2 September 1982 a boarding house was searched following the issue of a warrant under the Firearms Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers of domestic proceedings in magistrates' courts for each of the last three years.

The information requested is not available. However, a new system of collection of statistics of domestic proceedings was introduced at the beginning of 1983 and it is hoped that some information from this system will become available before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decisions about a common European citizens band frequency were reached at the European conference of posts and telecommunications administration meeting in Stockholm; and when it will be ratified and implemented.

At the recent meeting of the radio working group of the European conference of posts and telecommunications Administration—CEPT—in Stockholm it was agreed that the draft recommendation on citizens band radio equipment operating at 27 MHz should be presented to the Telecommunications Commission of CEPT for consideration at its meeting in September. If it is formally adopted as a recommendation by CEFT at that meeting, it will be for individual members to consider whether and, if so, how to implement it. It is our objective to adopt the CEPT recommendation in the United Kingdom in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for safeguarding citizens band channel 9.

None. The CB code of practice already recommends that channel 9 should be used only for emergencies and assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider changing the present restrictive regulations regarding citizens band aerials so as to come into line with European practice.

There is no common European standard for CB antennae and consequently practice varies. We are, however, considering whether any modification might be made to the current antenna description contained in the CB licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his responsibilities in relation to charities.

My right hon. Friend appoints the Charity Commissioners and presents their annual report to Parliament. He is generally responsible for legislation concerning charities, including giving effect in certain limited circumstances to schemes for the administration of charities, but has no responsibility for the affairs of individual charities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has assessed the implications of the judgment delivered by the European Court of Human Rights on 5 November 1981 in the case of X v the United Kingdom and the passage of the Mental Health (Amendment) Act 1982, on the application of mental health legislation; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that questions have been raised about the effect of the court's judgment and of the Act on the power to make restriction orders in respect of mentally disordered offenders under section 65 of the Mental Health Act 1959. The power to make such orders—in cases requiring the protection of the public from serious harm—is not, however, diminished by the European Court's judgment or by the changes to be made from 30 September by the Mental Health (Amendment) Act 1982. More than 130 restriction orders were made during 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will indicate the number of persons arrested or detained in the various police areas in each year since the inception of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, indicating how many were subsequently charged wih offences under that Act or of offences which, if they had been resident in Northern Ireland, would have been scheduled offences under the Emergency Provisions Act;(2) if he will publish in the

[pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1983, c. 106]: The information readily available for the whole of Great Britain is published in tables 1, 3, 4 and 5 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin No. 1/83: figures of total detentions in each police force area are given in table 2 of this series of bulletins. Provision of all the details requested by police force area would involve disproportionate cost, but some information, readily available, is given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of tertiary education graduates currently unemployed in Scotland and Great Britain.

The information is not available. My Department's unemployment statistics do not separately distinguish this group of unemployed people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the present level of unemployment in the Freshwater area of the Isle of Wight for both the male and female working population.

Separate unemployment statistics are no longer compiled for the former Freshwater jobcentre area, which is now part of the Newport jobcentre area. However, at 13 January it is estimated that the number of unemployed claimants in the Freshwater area were about 400 males and 150 females.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many job vacancies are registered at jobcentres in the London borough of Wandsworth.

At 7 January there were 319 notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres in the area covered by the Balham, Clapham Junction and Tooting jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the London borough of Wandsworth.Vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. The number of vacancies remaining unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect actively more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to December 1982 the number of people placed in jobs by the Balham, Clapham Junction and Tooting jobcentres was 6,178. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) men and (b) women were registered as unemployed in the London borough of Wandsworth in May 1979 and at the latest available date.

The following table gives the numbers of males and females registered as unemployed—the old basis of the count—at May 1979 and the numbers of male and female unemployed claimants—the new basis of the count—at January 1983. It also gives the figures on both the old and new bases at October 1982. The figures, which include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted, relate to the area covered by the Balham, Clapham Junction and Tooting jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the London borough of Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been lost annually in the past five years in the United Kingdom paper and board industry.

Information about job losses and job gains is not available, but an indication of the net changes can be seen by comparing the levels of employees in employment at different dates. The following table gives the changes in the numbers of employees in employment in the United Kingdom in the paper and board industry—minimum list heading 481 of the 1968 Standard Industrial Classification—between September of each year from 1977. The changes from September 1978 are provisional and are subject to revision.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has received representations to extend the scope of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act to cover people employed in the field of education; and if he will make a statement.

We have received one such representation. People employed in the field of education are already covered by the employment protection legislation. We have no plans to extend their protection.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average weekly wage in the United Kingdom in each of the years (a) 1982, (b) 1981, (c) 1979 and (d) 1972.

The following estimates relating to employees in all occupations in the United Kingdom are based on combining figures from the new earnings survey for Great Britain and from the comparable survey for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the basis in law for the obligation referred to in his Department's UBL 18 (July 1982) leaflet, for unemployed persons to inform his Department of any voluntary work undertaken even if it is unpaid or only for a few hours.

Section 17(1) of the Social Security Act 1975 provides that for someone to receive unemployment benefit he must be available for work. This means he must be willing and able to take up a job immediately. A similar condition applies to supplementary benefit claimants. The Government are nevertheless keen to encourage unemployed people to make good use of their time, and consequently in March 1982 the Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Regulations 1975 were amended to give benefit claimants wider scope for doing voluntary work.However, officials have to ensure that benefit is properly paid and need to know whether any voluntary work infringes the rules.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends consulting the European Commission over the Government's proposal to seek to amend the Equal Pay Act.

We are keeping the European Commission informed of our proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Health and Safety Executive received copies of the report of the committee on restrictions against disabled people; whether any action has been taken as a result; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the committee on restrictions against disabled people was sent to the Health and Safety Commission for comments by the Minister for Social Security, who has responsibility for the disabled, early in 1982. In his reply, the chairman of the Commission expressed the view, with which my right hon. Friend concurred, that there was no firm evidence in the report to suggest that occupational health and safety legislation was leading to discrimination against disabled people. However, he confirmed his support for the Manpower Services Commission's policy of encouraging employment opportunities for the disabled, and emphasised the practical help and advice available to employers from the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorates and employment medical advisory service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what estimate he has made as to the number of trainees who would otherwise have been unemployed who are expected to be on the youth training scheme by the end of September 1983;(2) what estimate he has made as to the number of trainees who are already in employment who are expected to be taken on to the youth training scheme by the end of September 1983.

The youth task group estimated that at 1 September 1983 there would be 507,900 16-year-olds in the labour market, of whom 210,000 would be in jobs and 297,300 might be unemployed if no special provision were made. The youth training scheme aims to provide over 400,000 places for young people by September 1983 and all unemployed 16-year-old school leavers have been guaranteed an early offer of a place on the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the communiqué agreed at the annual donor conference of the Southern African development co-ordination conference held in Maseru, Lesotho, on 27 and 28 January.

The communiqué is as follows:SADCC: MASERUMaseru, Kingdom of Lesotho27/28 January 1983COMMUNIQUÉ1. Ministers of the nine Member Governments of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference met in Maseru on January 27/28, 1983, with representatives of 29 Governments: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, German Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, and 23 International Organisations and Development Agencies: African Development Bank (ADB), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Commonwealth Secretariat, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Commission for the European Communities (EEC), European Investment Bank, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ford Foundation, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Trade Centre (ITC), International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Kuwait Fund, Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD), Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), United Nations, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), World Bank, World Food Programme (WFP).2. The Conference was opened by His Majesty King Moshoeshoe II in the presence of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Leabua Jonathon and was chaired by the Hon. P. S. Mmusi, Vice-President and Minister of Finance and Development Planning of the Republic of Botswana. In response to the Opening Address, statements were made by the Kingdom of Denmark, on behalf of the Nordic Countries, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commission of the European Communities. The Closing Ceremony was addressed by the Conference Chairman, the Host Country, Mozambique, on behalf of the SADCC Member Countries, and the World Bank on behalf of the Invited Guests.3. Projects in the field of Industry were presented by Tanzania. Projects in the fields of Food Security, Animal Disease Control, Soil and Water Conservation and Land Utilisation, Fisheries and Wildlife were presented by Zimbabwe. Projects in the field of Energy were presented by Angola. A report on progress in the field of Transport and Communications was presented by Mozambique. A brief progress report on Manpower Development, Mining and Forestry was presented by the SADCC Executive Secretary.4. Over the two days of the Conference useful and constructive discussions took place which strengthened the community of interest between SADCC and its partners in development. In the course of the Conference firm indications were given of significant additional financial commitments to SADCC programmes.5. Statements of support for and cooperation with the objectives of SADCC were made by invited delegations. The following Governments and Development Agencies addressed the Conference:

asked the Attorney-General when the Lord Chancellor is expected to publish the legal aid annual report for 1981–82; why it has not yet been published; and if he will seek to ensure that the 1982–83 report is published before the end of 1983.

The 32nd report—1981 82—comprising the Law Society's report on its administration of legal aid and the comments thereon of the legal aid advisory committee, is being printed and publication is expected on 22 February. This date is comparable with that in previous years.It would be difficult to ensure that the reports are published much earlier. The Law Society's report is prepared following the close of the financial year to which, together with the statistics and the accounts which it contains, it relates, and the legal aid advisory committee needs to consider the final version of the Law Society's report before completing its own.However, the Lord Chancellor will draw the hon. Member's question to the attention of the Law Society and the legal aid advisory committee.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

(Leith) asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official duties for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 10 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be attending a reception at Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Awards to Industry.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Energy and the Welsh Office regarding the planning for the Severn barrage.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the present level of the balance of trade in manufactured goods.

There was an estimated surplus on the balance of trade in manufactured goods of £2·4 billion in 1982.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to meet the President of Pakistan.

I have no plans for such a meeting at present.

asked the Prime Minister if she will take steps to have information as to those cases in which supplementary pensions have been refused to dependants of military personnel who served at British nuclear tests, after war pensions had been awarded them by the Department of Health and Social Security on grounds of injuries received during such service, together with the grounds for rejecting each of the Department of Health and Social Security findings, and a list of the persons from whom medical advice was taken, made available for the purposes of Her Majesty's Government's inquiry into the effects of British nuclear tests.

There has been only one such case, which was explained by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces on 1 February. I should have no objection to doing as the hon. Gentleman suggests if it would serve a useful purpose; but the survey that was announced on 12 January is a statistical study of mortality and the incidence of cancer, not a survey of full medical histories.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government to oppose any further loans by the International Monetary Fund to Argentina if that country defaults on the programme agreed with the International Monetary Fund for public sector and expenditure borrowing targets.

Her Majesty's Government will continue to examine each request for IMF loans against the fund's guidelines on conditionality and in the light of the fund's policies relating to the use of its resources, as well as any other relevant factors. A member's performance under an earlier programme may be a factor to be taken into account, but each request is examined on its overall merits.

asked the Prime Minister if she will seek to obtain a copy of the Argentine letter of intent in respect of the recent International Monetary Fund loan; and if she will place it in the Library for the use of hon. Members.

The Argentine letter of intent is confidential to the IMF.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government are aware of any contracts entered into by Argentina for the purchase of arms since the date of Argentina's agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any information as to whether Argentina has any outstanding contracts for the supply of arms to that country which could have been cancelled prior to its reaching agreement on the recent loan from the International Monetary Fund.

We are aware that Argentina has certain outstanding defence equipment contracts. We do not know the detailed contractual terms which would partly determine whether cancellation was feasible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of potato growers who paid excess area contributions to the Potato Marketing Board; and what is the average amount per grower charged in each of the past three years in relation to their basic annual contribution.

The Potato Marketing Board's records show that during the 1982 crop year 5,578 registered producers planted excess area totalling 7,993 hectares. The table below shows, for the past three crop years, the rate of ordinary contribution; the rate of excess area contribution; and the average contribution per registered grower:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will remove the present level of confidentiality from notifications under the foul brood order so that they enjoy the same freedom of notification as the orders applying to the notification of foot and mouth disease in cattle and swine vesicular disease in pigs.

Information about foul brood disease is made available on request normally by reference to the parish in which there is an occurrence. Any general publicity put out on outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and swine vesicular disease is also on a parish basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much of the rise in food prices since May 1979 is attributable to rises in United Kingdom farm prices and to rises in marketing and distribution costs, respectively.

Between May 1979 and December 1982 the food price component of the index of retail prices, rose by 34 per cent. Of this 34 per cent. it would seem that something like 9 per cent. may be attributed to the rise in the cost of basic food raw materials, of which the major part would relate to home-produced supplies. The remaining 25 per cent. would therefore relate to the rise in the costs of processing and distribution.

asked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, for each of the products covered by the common agricultural policy, what quantities were exported by the United Kingdom to the European Community; and what quantities were imported by the United Kingdom from the European Community in the latest year for which figures are available.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average yield of wheat per hectare in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Holland and Belgium, respectively; and what it was 10 years ago.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the EC's special aid to small milk producers goes to British producers; and what percentage of EC milk is produced in the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom received 5·8 per cent. of the 120 MECU provided by the Community in 1982–83 as aid to small milk producers. In 1981, the latest year for which figures are available, United Kingdom milk production was about 15 per cent. of the Community total.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regular monitoring is carried out by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist of representative prepared meals for nutrient content; to whom the results are reported; and where they are published.

None. Routine monitoring of prepared meals for nutrient content has not been carried out in recent years, but nutrient analyses of individual foods are regularly carried out by the laboratory of the Government chemist and other institutes on behalf of this Ministry. The results are published in the scientific literature.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much public money has been spent in the most recent convenient period on the removal of hedgerows, fences, ditches, walls and other boundary provisions which are protected by Inclosure Acts.

I regret that this information is not available. Hedge removal is not eligible for grant aid except in very limited circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to legislate to increase the percentage of the capital cost of equipment obtained to improve the productivity of industrial processes which is available under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972.