asked the Minister for Trade whether he will cause an investigation to be made under section 165 of the Companies Act 1948 into the failure upon the part of the directors of the Polly Peck and Wearwell companies to divulge to their shareholders full information of the companies' affairs particularly regarding note 4 in the 1982 accounts dated 12 January.

No. There are currently no grounds for an investigation under section 165 of the Companies Act 1948. Although the company's liability for overseas tax is at present uncertain, the indications are that when the company's annual report and accounts for 1982 were sent to shareholders recently, the directors had reasonable grounds for believing that no such liability existed.

asked th Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient opportunities for newly qualified teachers.

Despite the fall in teacher numbers, more than two thirds of all newly qualiied teachers continue to find posts in teaching. But the Government are concerned that the supply of new teachers should be more closely related to the demand; hence their decisions to reduce the total intake to initial teacher training in 1982, to reduce intakes to training for secondary teaching, and to increase those to training for primary teaching, in 1983–85.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the higher education budget is devoted to medicine, engineering, electronics, computing, physics, chemistry, geology, agriculture and mathematics, respectively.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will expedite the steps so far taken to make anglers aware of the potential carcinogenicity of chrysoidine dye, in view of the death of Mr. Clive Smith.

My Department has already written to the editors of five periodicals catering for coarse fishing interests asking them to draw their readers' attention to the advice of the DHSS committee on carcinogenicity about not putting chrysoidine-treated maggots into the mouth. This advice has also been passed to the British Association of Fishing Tackle Makers and Distributors, the National Anglers Council and the National Federation of Anglers with a view to their informing their members.

asked the Minister for Trade what have been the volumes and values of electrical appliances such as washing machines, dryers, refrigerators and cleaners imported in 1982; and from which countries they came.

This information is as follows:

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, since local education authority budgets have been reduced due to transfers to the Manpower Services Commission's budget in respect of expenditure in connection with the youth training scheme, local education authorities will receive refunds out of the £1 billion allocated for the youth training scheme if places remain unfilled on the scheme.

Local authorities' budgets have not been reduced by transfers to the Manpower Services Commission's budget for expenditure in respect of the youth training scheme. Where local authorities act as managing agents of sponsors for the scheme they will receive a grant from the MSC for each young person participating in respect of the cost of the training grant to the young person, the direct training costs to the local authority and the charges for the off-the-job element of the scheme. Where local education authorities provide the off-the-job element through their colleges of further education, they will receive payment on the basis of charges negotiated by the local authority associations with the CBI and the MSC, Apart from charges for paticipants in mode A of the scheme where allowance has been made for substitution for traditional day and block release provision, the charges are intended to meet the full cost of the provision nationally. It must be for individual local authorities and their colleges to decide whether they will participate in the scheme, but I hope that they will do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the outcome of the various inquiries into allegations made last September about the conduct of St. George's school, Stowmarket.

As I explained at the time, the Education Acts properly recognise the distance between the state and independent schools and give the holder of my office only limited powers in respect of such establishments. Under section 71 of the Education Act 1944 the notice of complaint procedure may be invoked only if I can be satisfied that a school is objectionable because of the unsuitability of the premises, educational provision of staff; allegation and suspicion provide no basis for intervention. To gain a proper view of the various issues, I caused the school to be fully inspected during November. At the same time, the Department pursued direct with the school those allegations on which the inspection could not be expected to bear.Her Majesty's inspectorate's report on the school is being published today. It indicates a number of weaknesses in the school resulting in part from its rapid growth in recent years. However, overall standards of provision were found to be reasonably satisfactory and a recent overhaul of the school's organisation and policy holds out the prospeect of further improvement. The points of weakness have been drawn to the attention of the school. During the Department's complementary inquiries no evidence was provided by those who made the original allegations or by others to substantiate the few specific incidents alleged, which were directly denied by the headmaster.Against this background, I have concluded that there is no basis for considering any formal action against the school.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the functions of Sandridge laboratories, St. Albans; what research is being carried out there; how much of this concerns police equipment and in particular crowd control materials; whether any research carried out there concerns civil defence; and whether the laboratories would perform any other functions in the event of a national emergency.

The Sandridge laboratories are responsible for carrying out the equipment research and development work of the Home Office scientific research and development branch. The principal areas of work are in electronics, optics, acoustics and materials research and development, and current projects include work in connection with improved alarm systems, photograph enhancement techniques, video and audio tape recordings, radar speed meters and automatic number plate reading equipment. Approximately 10 per cent. of the laboratories' work is concerned with equipment used by the police in connection with public disorder, and a further 80 per cent. on other police equipment. None of the research concerns civil defence. The possibility that a national emergency might affect the work of the laboratories cannot be excluded, but no additional functions are prescribed for that event.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were detained under Immigration Act powers were granted bail during 1982 or to the latest convenient date.

No central records are maintained, either by the Home Office or the appellate authorities, of the number of applications made for bail or the number of applications in which bail is granted. The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by individual reference to all cases referred to the appellate authorities. However, it is our understanding that a large percentage of those applying are in fact granted bail.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen attached to the Metropolitan police, or operating in the Metropolitan police district, have been injured (a) accidentally and (b) non-accidentally, in each of the last 12 months; how many have received hospital treatment; if he will give a breakdown of these figures by police division; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police vehicles attached to the Metropolitan police, or operating in the Metropolitan police district, have been damaged non-accidentally in each of the last 12 months; what were the causes of the damage; what was the cost of repair or replacement of the vehicles in each month; if he will give a breakdown of these figures by police division; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have now been made to instal a shower in the Home Office prisoner cells section at Highbury court, London N.1, in light of the letter of 2 February from the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury to the Minister of State.

The provision of showers has been considered, but unfortunately would not be practicable. Installation of permanent showers could not be undertaken while cells are in use and portable showers, which present design and other difficulties, are unlikely to be satisfactory. My noble Friend will be replying to the other points raised in the hon. Members letter shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the increase in output per head in manufacturing since the second quarter of 1979 at an annual rate and the corresponding figures for (a) the period from the first quarter of 1974 to the second quarter of 1979, (b) the two years ended in the fourth quarter of 1973 and (c) the six years ended in the second quarter of 1970.

Production in the second quarter of 1979 included some "catching up" of output lost during the road haulage dispute and severe weather of the first quarter while production in the first quarter of 1974 was disrupted by the three-day working week. The distortions so caused in the estimates requested can be removed by substituting the first half of 1979 for the second quarter and the fourth quarter of 1973 for the first quarter of 1974. On that basis the information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will detail the several areas of technology in which the United Kingdom has played the leading role in the past decade, indicating the innovative skills and the enterprises involved.

It is not practicable to attempt to provide an exhaustive list, but the following are examples of areas of technology in which United Kingdom scientists and engineers, and enterprises, have played leading roles during the last decade:

• Offshore oil and gas recovery in deep water (BP).
• Communications satellites (British Aerospace).
• Liquid crystals (Royal Signals and Radar Establishment).
• Nuclear fuel manufacture and reprocessing (BNFL).
• Radioisotopes (Amersham International).
• Viewdata—Prestel and Teletext (BT, BBC, ITV, Mullard).
• Biotechnology: monoclonal antibodies (MRC Cambridge, Celltech) and synthetic proteins (ICI, Dytes).
• Fluidised bed combustion (many companies).
• Synthethic pyrethroid insecticides (Rothamsted Experimental Station).
• Microcomputers for schools and homes (Acorn, Sinclair)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what assistance has been given to Crompton Parkinson Vidor Ltd. at its Newton Aycliffe plant.

As published in the 21–28 December 1979 issue of British Business—then known as Trade & Industry—Crompton Parkinson were offered on 22 December 1978 an interest relief grant of £120,400 under section 7 of the Industry Act, 1972 for an investment project at Newton Aycliffe.In 1980–81 the company also received regional development grants totalling £81,493 under part II of the Industry Act, 1972. Details of these payments were published during that period in

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of plants by size of employment at the latest date and the numbers employed compared with 1976 and 1979.

The information available relates to local manufacturing units, which are broadly equivalent to individual plants or factories. The latest published figures relate to 1979 and are given in table 1 of Business Monitor PA1003 (1979) "Analyses of United Kingdom manufacturing (local) units by employment size". Figures for 1976 are given in the 1976 edition of this Business Monitor. A copy of each monitor is in the Library. Preliminary estimates derived from a recent analysis of the register of manufacturing units held al: the Business Statistics Office are as follows. The figures are subject to revision before the next publication of Business Monitor PA1003.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was (a) the gross amount of capital flow into investment in manufacturing industry overseas from the United Kingdom in each of the years 1979 to 1983 and (b) the gross flow of capital investment into the United Kingdom manufacturing industry from all overseas sources in the same period.

The available information relates to net flows of direct investment, that is investment less disinvestment, excluding oil and is for 1979 and 1980. It is published in tables 1.4 and 2.4 respectively of Business Monitor MA4, Overseas Transactions 1980, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will issue a general direction to the Post Office to bring more prominently to the attention of the public registering items for addresses abroad the limitation of payment for loss to which they are entitled.

The level of compensation is fixed by international agreement and I understand that the Post Office is looking at ways to increase customer awareness of this. It would not be appropriate to issue a general direction in this case. The Post Office is aware that some of its customers may not understand the limited levels of compensation available in the overseas registered service. It has taken steps via its own publicity material, in particular its leaflet "How to send things you value through the post", to bring this point to the attention of the public. Regular notices are issued to all Post Office counter staff reminding them of the difference between the inland and overseas registered services. The warning about this, currently printed on official registered envelopes and the certificate of posting, is also to be improved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many inquiries his Department has received from people wishing to start new businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside, indicating separately the figures for north Yorkshire.

The total number of inquiries received by the Department's small firms centre in Leeds from people wishing to start new businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside was 12,463 in 1982 and 2,623 in the first two months of 1983. Separate figures are not available for north Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement concerning the funding of in-service support for Concorde in the financial year 1983–84.

As I announced on 17 December 1982, British Airways has concluded that the airline could take over the future costs of supporting Concorde in-service, subject to agreement on a number of points. To allow for the completion of discussions on these points, for the negotiation of contracts between the airline and the manufacturers, and for further discussion with the French Government, the Government have decided to continue to fund in-service support during 1983–84. The extent to which British Airways would contribute to such costs will be discussed with the airline. To give the maximum time possible for the negotiation of new contracts, under which support can be continued in accordance with the requirements of both British Airways and Air France, the Government have also given British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce formal notice that Her Majesty's Government's contracts for in-service support of Concorde are being terminated with effect from 31 March 1984.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply of 25 January, Official Report, c. 392, to the hon. Member for Grimsby concerning the wife's earned income allowance, whether he will publish in the Official Report any information he has as to the distribution by range of joint income of the 2·3 million wives who pay no tax.

The information which is readily available is at income levels of 1982–83, and shows non-taxpaying wives ranged by the couple's joint taxable income—total income less all reliefs and allowances available to them. The estimates are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the figures given in his answer of 31 January, Official Report, c. 21–22, in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Grimsby, concerning the distribution of incomes and rates of tax, included unearned income and the surcharge on investment income;(2) whether the number of incomes in column

As stated in the reply referred to, total income includes all forms of income liable to tax, and thus does include investment income. Investment income surcharge is included in the figures for income tax from which the average rates were derived. The figures are in terms of tax units; that is, married couples are counted as one and their income combined. Hence the numbers in column (c) relate to the number of couples, and they are ranged by reference to their joint income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each of the past 10 years the amount of tax which has been lost as a result of life assurance relief, directly and indirectly, in terms of current and in terms of 1982 prices; and if he will include for the first and last years a table showing the breakdown of the total relief into income bands expressed as a percentage.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of house purchases are liable for stamp duty in each region of the United Kingdom.

The latest available information is for November 1981 and relates to sales of residential property in England and Wales only; comparable figures for the rest of the United Kingdom are not available. Following the increase in the threshold in March 1982 the proportion for England and Wales as a whole probably dropped to about one third. The November 1981 figures are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to link the rate of interest payable on late tax payments with commercial interest rate levels.

The rate of interest payable on overdue tax is kept broadly in line with commercial interest rates and is subject to regular review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to allow interest paid on late tax payments to be allowed as a deduction from income for tax purposes.

Interest payments on personal borrowing are not as a general rule allowable for tax purposes. It would be wrong to make an exception for interest charges incurred as a result of delay in the payment of taxes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the gain to the Exchequer of abolishing, respectively, the housekeeper, dependent relative and son's or daughter's allowances.

Estimates for 1982–83 are published in table 4.7 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84 to 1985–86" (Cmnd. 8789, volume two).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Exchequer of the additional personal allowance given to (a) persons entitled to the single person's allowance and (b) other persons; and whether the concession under (a) is not available to wives who have a separate earnings election.

The additional personal allowance is estimated to cost £140 million in a full year at 1982–83 income levels; some £2 million to £3 million of this amount is thought to be attributable to married men entitled to the married man's allowance—who can claim only if the wife is totally incapacitated—the remainder is attributable to persons entitled to the single person's allowance. Wives—or husbands—who have an earnings election in force are not entitled to claim the allowance.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the gross revenue loss in a year of a 50 per cent. reduction in the pipe tobacco duty.

It is estimated that the gross revenue loss, including the reduction in VAT receipts from pipe tobacco but ignoring any changes in tax receipts from other goods, might be of the order of £40 million a year. for such a large reduction in one of the duties on tobacco products the estimate is subject to considerable uncertainty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend paragraph 1, schedule 7 to the Finance Act 1969, so that the addition of herbs in the blending of whisky does not put the resultant drink outside the legal definition of whisky.

No. I do not accept that a compounded spirit can properly be described as whisky.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Civil Service jobs have been lost in each region in Scotland in each of the past four years.

The following table shows the changes in numbers of non-industrial civil servants by region and industrial civil servants in total for Scotland for the calendar years 1979, 1980 and 1981 and for 1982 up to 1 October, the latest date for which regional figures are available. Reductions are indicated with a negative sign and reflect losses of all kinds offset by recruitment. The reductions are differences between successive staff-in-post figures since no data about staff complements in Scotland are collected centrally. No regional breakdown of industrial staff is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent visit to Washington of the Minister of State for Defence Procurement.

During my discussions in the United States with Pentagon officials, members of Congress and American industrialists, I explained that the problems which were developing in defence equipment co-operation between the European members of NATO and the United States were not in the best interests of the Alliance. I drew attention to the protectionist measures being introduced by Congress which prevented European industry from competing on a fair basis for United States defence contracts and also to the fact that regulations intended to prevent the flow of military technology to the Eastern bloc were being applied to collaborative programmes between America and her allies.I pointed out that this trend would discourage European countries from purchasing American equipment even when it offered the most cost-effective solution to their military requirement, and would lead to the exclusion of the United States from European collaborative equipment programmes.My discussions were friendly and frank and I believe the Americans took serious note of my concerns and were led to reconsider where their best interests lay. Early solutions are in prospect for some of the individual problems, but the resolution of the majority will be a longer-term process. I am confident, however, that with further work these problems can be overcome and it is a sign of the underlying strength of the Alliance that any difficulties which do occur can be discussed in such a frank, open and constructive way.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the current strength of the Royal Observer Corps compared with the figures one year earlier.

The strength of the Royal Observer Corps on 1 February 1983 was 11,484, compared with 11,456 on 1 Februray 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what United States tests or experiments were carried out on Christmas Island between 1958 and 1963 with the support of British service personnel; and how many British service personnel were involved.

In 1962 the United States conducted 25 atmospheric nuclear tests in the general area of Christmas Island. 119 British service men were involved in providing base support for the operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the high commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus saw officials at his Department to discuss, inter alia, matters connected with the business firm Polly Peck Ltd. and its chairman and managing director Mr. Asil Nadir; and if he will make a statement.

The high commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus saw officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 25 February. Among other subjects, he referred to the affairs of Polly Peck Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons were accepted for immigration into the Falkland Islands in each of the past five years; and if he will list the nationalities of those accepted.

Immigration records were destroyed during the Argentine occupation of the Falkland Islands and these details are therefore not available. Since June 1982 three immigrants have arrived in the islands: of these, two were British and one a New Zealander.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether persons of any nationality are free to apply for immigration into the Falkland Islands.

Yes, but the acceptability of any application is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government under the Falkland Islands Immigration Ordinance 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what tied cottage arrangements are in force on the Falkland Islands.

It is a common feature of camp settlements in the Falkland Islands that accommodation is tied to jobs. Such accommodation is normally provided free of charge, as are supplies of meat, milk and peat.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iranian Government about the suppression of human rights in Iran.

On 3 March our delegation at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights co-sponsored a draft resolution urging the Government of Iran to respect the human rights of all individuals within its jurisdiction. The Ten have also decided to make a further demarche about persecution of the Baha'is.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the prices listed in the final column of table 2 of the annual review White Paper (Cmnd. 8804) on the basis of 1970 instead of 1975.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the increase in farm income recorded in the latest annual review has been financed; and who ultimately pays for this.

Fanning income is an aggregate calculation of the difference between the value obtained by farmers for their output and the cost to farmers of their inputs. The "Annual Review of Agriculture 1983" White Paper (Cmnd. 8804) records that gross output, including premium payments and production grants, increased by £1,353 million—14 per cent.—due to increases in the volume of production and increases in the prices farmers obtained for their output. After deducting farmers' costs, the net farm income of farmers and their spouses rose £574 million—45 per cent. The excellent production conditions in 1982 were a major contributing factor to the income rise: had output not expanded, thereby raising the level of self-sufficiency, the rise in incomes might not have materialised. Consumers have benefited in that the increase in food prices during the past 12 months is lower than at any time for 15 years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing how the increase in farm incomes recorded in the latest annual review was divided up between the various sections of the industry, and in particular cereals and arable crops generally.

As I have previously explained to the hon. Member, the output, input and income tables of successive annual review of agriculture White Papers do not apportion farming income between individual sectors. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the table requested. Information on the average net income of different types of farm is, however, given in paragraphs 13 to 16 and in table 25 of the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1983" White Paper (Cmnd. 8804).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the items that make up the food price list.

On the assumption that the question relates to the retail prices index, I refer my hon. Friend to tables 6.2 and 6.3 in the statistical section of each monthly issue of the Employment Gazette, which is available in the Library.

asked the Prime Minister whether she has had discussions with the American Administration about up-dating the Churchill-Truman agreement of 1952 about the use of United States bases in the United Kingdom.

These arrangements are reviewed from time to time, but full details are not given because of the value of them to the potential aggressor.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 8 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 March.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others including one with the Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary. I also unveiled a sculpture of my noble Friend the Lord Home in another place. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the exchange rate of the £ sterling.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the right hon. Member for Stepney and Poplar (Mr. Shore) on 18 November.—[Vol. 32, c. 417.]

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Scotswood.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the performance of nationalised industries.

Although there has been substantial progress in recent years, there is still considerable room for further improvement in the performance of these. We have set a tight financial framework to ensure that disciplines that are commonplace in the private sector are also imposed on them. Performance aims are in place for a number of industries and we intend to maintain and improve their coverage.I believe that the best way to ensure improved performance in the long term is to expose the industries to the effects of market forces; through the reduction of monopoly, and through privatisation including joint ventures and the introduction of private finance.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Horwich.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when next she expects to take the chair at the National Economic Development Council; and what will be the main subjects for discussion at that meeting.

There are no current plans for me to chair a particular meeting of the National Economic Development Council.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Welham Green.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the major achievements of Her Majesty's Government in improving education since May 1979.

The proportions of the relevant age groups receiving nursery education, staying on in full-time education beyond 16 and entering full-time higher education have all increased since May 1979.Pupil-teacher ratios are at their best-ever level. This Government have also improved education by:

asked the Prime Minister if she intends to raise the issue of the budget contributions at the next meeting of European Community Prime Ministers.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if she will seek to arrange a public debate with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on unilateral nuclear disarmament.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the level of unemployment in Lanarkshire.

On 10 February 1983 the number of unemployed claimants in the Lanark and North Lanarkshire travel-to-work areas were 2,600 and 31,699 respectively; and the corresponding unemployment percentage rates were 19·2 per cent. and 20·3 per cent.The continuing high level of unemployment in Lanarkshire is a cause for concern. As part of a special development area, Lanarkshire benefits from the highest levels of Government assistance to industry and we have made substantial sums available to encourage viable firms. But the best means of improving employment prospects in Lanarkshire as elsewhere lies in the success of our efforts to control inflation and restore the competitiveness of British industry.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report those clear and compelling reasons, which she will consider before accepting recommendations from the nurses review body.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Crouch) on 22 February—Vol. 37, c. 388—we are currently consulting upon proposals for the establishment of the review body covering nursing and midwifery staff and the professions allied to medicine. We propose that the new review body should follow the same general pattern as that for doctors and dentists, and the consultation document draws attention to the Government's assurance to the doctors and dentists review body that its recommendations will be accepted unless there are clear and compelling reasons for not doing so. No distinction is drawn between the two review bodies on this account. Any decision not to implement their recommendations in full could only be judged in the light of the circumstances of the time.

asked the Prime Minister whether consideration has been given to transferring responsibility for the film industry from the Department of Trade to the Office of Arts and Libraries.

I shall await the outcome of the review of the film industry being carried out by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade before deciding whether any changes are called for.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will request other Commonwealth Heads of Government to review the Gleneagles agreement.

No. We support the 1977 Commonwealth statement on apartheid in sport in its present form

asked the Prime Minister what changes have taken place in Her Majesty's Government's policy towards sporting links with South Africa since 1979.

None.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Basildon of 25 November, Official Report, c. 550, if she will now make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to enter into any arrangement with the Government of the Republic of Ireland to enable jurisdiction to be more widely shared in the whole of Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

No such arrangements are contemplated but reciprocal arrangements already exist, under the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975, for extraterritorial jurisdiction in respect of serious crimes of the sort committed by terrorists.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the growth in the number of unemployed persons in Wales since May 1979; and what percentage increase this represents.

Between May 1979 and February 1983 unemployment, seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers, increased by 88,300, or 112·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) unemployed 17-year-olds and (b) long-term unemployed there are in Wales.

Information in respect of 17-year-olds is not available, but on 13 January 1983, the latest date for which age and duration information is available, 11,859 people under 18 years were unemployed. As at that date 65,999 people had been unemployed for over 52 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of jobless in Wales, by county; and if he will make a statement.

On 10 February 1983 the number of unemployed claimants were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales following the recommendations of the Cockcroft report, paragraph 758, concerning the need for more mathematical education centres, if he will establish such a centre in Wales, which would include in its work considerations relating to the teaching of mathematics through the Welsh language.

It is for appropriate institutions, in consultation with local education authorities and others, initially to decide whether they could adequately develop such a centre. The Welsh Office would be ready to offer advice and guidance if this were sought.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the names of those secondary schools in Wales, categorised by county, that have been the subject of a general inspection by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools during each of the past five years.

The information requested is as follows: