asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what was the total grant and the cash and percentage increase over the previous year made by the Minister for the Arts to (a) the Arts Council and (b) each separate body to which he gives a grant for the years 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83 and the estimated figures for 1983–84.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts how many public libraries reduced their opening hours in 1982–83.

This information is not centrally available. The total numbers of library service points in each local authority area, and some information on opening hours, are published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in the Public Library Statistics series, which is available in the Library of the House. Statistics for 1982–83 will be published in early 1984.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what percentage of public library expenditure in 1982–83 was capital. expenditure.

Figures for actual expenditure in 1982–83 are not yet available, but it is estimated that 5·7 per cent. of expenditure on public libraries in England was capital expenditure.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts by what amount revenue expenditure on public libraries has been reduced in 1983–84.

The outturn of local authority current expenditure on public libraries in England in 1982–83 is now estimated to be £290·9 million. The Government's plans for 1983–84 assumed an allocation of £274·4 million for this service. Recognising, however, that it will take some local authorities longer to adjust their spending to the levels the Government consider desirable, the overall plans included a margin imallocated to particular services. Evidence suggests that actual expenditure on libraries will exceed the service allocation in 1983–84.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts pursuant to his reply of 24 October, Official Report, c. 27, what information he has as to the basis on which the Association for Business Sponsorship calculated that £13½ million was made available to the arts in 1982–83.

In their applications for ABSA/ Daily Telegraph awards for business sponsorship, arts bodies identified £8·75 million of sponsorship; a survey by ABSA covering their members' sponsoring interests and such information as they had about non-members suggested a total figure of around £13½ million.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what information he has as to the amounts allocated by each of the London boroughs on the arts, including museums and art galleries, in 1982–83 and 1983–84.

Local authorities' budget estimates for expenditure on the arts are published in great detail by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in annual volumes of leisure and recreation statistics, copies of which are in the Library. The latest available volume shows that in 1982–83 the London boroughs were planning to spend some £32 million in total on certain cultural facilities (defined as including arts centres, theatres and entertainment, and art galleries and museums operated by them, but excluding public libraries and other contributions towards arts organisations and activities.)

asked the Member answering for the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ealing, North on 1 November, Official Report, c. 318, if he will publish in the Official Report details of the activities of the Church Commissioners in relation to pastoral reorganisation during the past 12 months.

Details of the activities of the Church Commissioners in relation to pastoral reorganisation are published in their annual report and accounts. The latest published information is given in their report for the year to 31 December 1982, which was laid before Parliament on 29 June 1983. I am sending a copy of this Report to my hon. Friend.For 1983, by 31 October, some 250 new sets of proposals for pastoral reorganisation had been submitted by dioceses to the commissioners.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement outlining her negotiation objectives for the Athens summit on 6 December.

Our major negotiating objectives are to reach agreement on an effective control of the rate of increase of agricultural and other expenditure and on an arrangement to ensure a fair sharing of the financial burden of the Community so that no country has to pay a share disproportionate to its relative national wealth. The resolution of these problems will enable the Community to concentrate on the development of policies in areas of crucial importance to all member states.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report the studies commissioned from management consultancy and accountancy firms by each Government Department in 1982 and the first six months of 1983.

This information is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects the National Radiological Protection Board to publish its findings on the sutdy of radiation workers, referred to in her answer on 18 April 1983, Official Report, c. 13.

The National Radiological Protection Board expects to issue the first report of results from the National Register of Radiation Workers in about two years' time. The study is, however, likely to continue for many years since the results will become more meaningful as additional data are accumulated.

asked the Prime Minister which Ministers in Her Majesty's Government will meet Ministers of the Irish Government for discussions on Monday 7 November 1983.

At my meeting with the Taoiseach, I shall be accompanied by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked the Prime Minister what will be the main items for discussions at the meeting between herself and the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic on Monday 7 November 1983; whether she intends to discuss matters relating to Northern Ireland; if she will list those matters in the Official Report; and if she will make a statement.

I expect the main subjects of my discussions with the Taoiseach to be a review of the work of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council at both ministerial and official level; current issues in Anglo-Irish relations; the situation in Northern Ireland; and a range of international and European Community issues.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the agenda for the Commonwealth conference scheduled to take place in New Delhi in December.

No. The agenda is confidential.

asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blyth Valley on 24 October, Official Report, c. 6, what factors were taken into account when deciding to prosecute Mr. Anthony Hamilton on a charge of attempted murder of a baby; what organisation made the complaint; and if he will make a statement.

The original complaint was made to the Bedfordshire police by the Life organisation on the basis of information it had received. The Prosecution of Offences Regulations 1978 required the matter to be reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions.Having satisfied himself that the evidence was sufficient to justify proceedings, the director concluded that the nature of the allegation was such as to require prosecution. I know that the hon. Member is anxious that his decision may have been in some way influenced by representations made by or on behalf of Life.In this particular case those pressures extended not merely to the critical decision to prosecute but to the manner in which the prosecution should be conducted. None the less, I am quite satisfied that at all stages the matter was dealt with according to the proper criteria and on the basis of the director's independent judgment.

asked the Attorney-General, if in view of the increasing work load in county courts, he will take steps to increase the number of bailiffs employed.

The Lord Chancellor has announced proposals for meeting the increasing work load in the county courts by concentrating his staff resources in the most important areas. This will entail economies in the bailiff service.

asked the Attorney-General whether he was consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions before the director decided not to prosecute under the provisions of section 2(1) of the Abortion Act 1967 certain persons who revealed confidential details on the statutory abortion form HSA1 to the press.

No. The complaint to which the hon. Member refers disclosed no criminal offence. I have written to her explaining the legal aspects of the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will encourage schools to participate in the Tree Council's national tree week from 19 to 27 November.

My right hon. Friend has received no representations on this matter. It must be for individual schools to decide whether they wish to take part in activities such as this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the answer to he hon. Member for Uxbridge on 2 November concerning mandatory student awards, what, in respect of the ordinary residence requirement for mandatory student awards, constitutes temporary employment abroad in respect of a parent during the relevant period; and whether the definition temporarily employed abroad includes a self-employed person being the parent of such a student.

The Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations do not define "temporary employment abroad". Whether a parent's employment abroad should be regarded as permanent or temporary is a matter for the relevant local education authority to decide in the light of the facts of the particular case: in some cases it will be self-evident and in others a matter of judgment. The provisions of the regulations apply equally to employees and the self-employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the private hospitals in Scotland which offer acute medical and surgical care, giving for each hospital the number of beds and the owner.

The latest information which we have is as follows:

	Bed complement
Private hospitals currently offering acute medical, surgical care
Princess Louise Scottish hospital, Erskine	270
Moat Brae, nursing home, Dumfries	19
Stirling district nursing home, Stirling	17
St. John's nursing home, Aberdeen	20
Bon Secours hospital, Glasgow	59
Nuffield McAlpine nursing home, Glasgow	32
Fernbrae nursing home, Dundee	30
St. Raphael's nursing home, Edinburgh	43
Edinburgh private clinic, Edinburgh	12
Private hospital applications notified to Secretary of State following Health Services Act 1980
Ross Hall, Crookston Road, Glasgow	110
Murrayfield independent hospital plc, Edinburgh	60

Information on ownership is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals for private hospitals have been notified to him or authorised by him under the Health Services Act 1976, as amended by the Health Services Act 1980, since 17 January 1983.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has made to celebrate and contribute to the Tree Council's annual national tree week from 19 to 27 November.

I understand that some of the projects supported by the Countryside Commission for Scotland accord a special recognition to this event.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will encourage schools to participate in the Tree Council's national tree week from 19 to 27 November.

It is for individual schools in consultation with their education authorities and in the light of their other priorities to decide their level of involvement in the annual tree planting week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to encourage amenity tree planting schemes; and how many trees have been planted by his Department in the last 12 months.

Encouragement of amenity tree planting is given through the Contryside Commission for Scotland, which supported the planting of 450,000 trees (including some commercial planting) on 343 sites as part of the central Scotland woodlands project, and a further 27 schemes by local authorities and 23 by the private sector in 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will support the Tree Council's efforts to increase public awareness of the need for more tree planting and better tree care.

I am always happy to support suitable efforts to increase public awareness of the need for tree planting and tree care.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider levying a handling charge on blood supplied to private hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

I consider it reasonable that private hospitals should bear their share of the handling and processing costs of blood collected and supplied to them by the National Health Service. I am therefore asking the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service to enter into discussions immediately with private hospitals in Scotland with a view to making appropriate provision in contracts with them for the supply of blood. Charges made to private patients in NHS hospitals will also be adjusted accordingly.I would wish to emphasise that no charge is contemplated for blood itself. In Scotland about 275,000 donations of blood are given annually on an entirely voluntary basis by members of the public from all sections of the community. Their public spiritedness deserves full recognition, and they can be assured that what they freely give will remain freely available for the good of others.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the dispute which has led to the refusal of blood to the doctors at Ross hall who require it for the treatment of patients; and whether he has had any representations about particular difficulties in obtaining rare categories of blood.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Corrie). I have had no representations about difficulties in obtaining rare categories of blood.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives of the Civil Service pensioners alliance to discuss index-linking of pensions.

I met representatives of the Public Service Pensioners' Council, including the chairman of the alliance, on 28 February. Some aspects of index-linking were discussed at that meeting. Officials of my Department met the secretary of the alliance on 19 April to explain the change in the method of calculating pensions increase that has been introduced this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average amount of tax relief per mortgage per year.

The average amount of income tax relief on mortgage interest in 1983–84 for all households with a mortgage is estimated to be about £400.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are involved in the collection of capital transfer tax; and what are their employment costs.

Total Inland Revenue staff employed on capital transfer tax and estate duty in 1982–83, the latest year for which figures are available, was 1,093. A separate figure for staff employed on capital transfer tax alone is not available. The figure includes an estimate of valuation office staff engaged on capital transfer tax and estate duty work; as well as all the staff of the shares valuation division who also provide valuation services for other taxes.The pay costs (including employer's national insurance contributions and superannuation) of these staff was about £11·9 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will allow the establishment of a duty-free facility at Speke airport, Liverpool, in the first instance for the period of the international garden festival in Liverpool in 1984.

No. I am not prepared to make an exception from the normal requirement of 100,000 passengers per annum departing for places abroad.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total expenditure of the European Community and of the common agricultural policy in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years.

Total expenditure by the European Community in 1982 amounted to some 20·4 billion ecu. Expenditure from the guarantee section of the European agricultural guarantee and guidance fund accounted for 12¸4 billion ecu of this total. The following table shows comparable figures over the period 1977–1981.

	Total Community* expenditure	Agricultural guarantee* expenditure
1977	8·7	†6·2
1978	12·0	‡9·3
1979	14·4	‡10·4
1980	16·3	‡11·3
1981	17·8	║11·0
* Source European Court of Auditors report on the 1981 financial year.
† Billion units of account.
‡ Billion European units of account.
║ Billion European currency units.

The European unit of account was introduced on 1 January 1978, replacing the unit of account. It is not possible to make direct comparisons between these two units of account. The European currency unit was introduced on 1 January 1981 and currently is equivalent to the European unit of account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many organisations subscribe to the Official Report; and what are the numbers within the following categories (a) libraries and academic institutions, (b) embassies, high commissions and trade missions, (c) public sector industries and Government agencies (d) trade associations, (e) companies, private and public, (f) charities and (g) any others.

There are 5,124 subscriptions in all. Current subscribers in each of the requested categories are:

	Numbers
(a)	139
(b)	84
(c)	65
(d)	112
(e)	347
(f)	37
(g)	314

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what responsibility he has as governor of the European Investment Bank for approving the salaries of the president and vice presidents of the bank; and what are the current level of salaries in each case.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the speech by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to City stockbrokers on 1 November concerning further proposals for privatisation within the National Coal Board represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

The full text of my speech has been placed in the Library. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will read it. The position with the National Coal Board remains as stated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy on 4 July.—[Vol. 45, c. 4.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made any amendments to the terms of the public sector exchange cover scheme.

Official exchange cover will continue to be made available to public sector bodies under the modest programme of foreign currency borrowing from the Community institutions, which make loans on fixed interest rate terms. But a proportion of maturing foreign currency debt is on floating interest rate terms and it is right to provide for its re-financing on a similar basis. The terms under which exchange risk cover is available to public corporations on new floating interest rate foreign currency borrowing have been revised. In future these terms will give the same guaranteed benefit as is already available where borrowing is at fixed interest rates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what terms the Government intend to respond to the European Community Commission's reasoned opinion of 1 August 1983 on the taxation of wine, made wine, cider and perry.

The Commission will be informed that the Government propose to re-examine before the next Budget the magnitudes of the differences between the rates of duty on wine and made wine, in the light of the European Court judgment in case no. 170/78. It will also state that the Government propose, at an early opportunity, to reclassify as made-wine for duty purposes beverages derived from apples and pears which contain 8·5 per cent. or more of alcohol by volume but less than 8·7 per cent.The proposal to reclassify for duty purposes certain beverages derived from apples and pears has been discussed with trade associations representing producers of made wine, cider and perry and is acceptable to those associations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will tabulate figures for 1981–82 and 1982–83 showing (a) total income of individuals for income tax purposes, including income below the tax thresholds and income relieved of tax on account of the various allowances and reliefs listed in Inland Revenue Statistics Table 1·5, (b) as in (a) but excluding taxable social security benefit, (c) as in (b) but also excluding income contributed to pension schemes, (d) as in (c) but also excluding income contributed to self-employed retirement annuity payments and (e) as in (d) but also excluding income contributed to life assurance premiums.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 October 1983,c. 97]: The latest provisional estimates, based on a survey of records held by the Inland Revenue, are as follows:

		£ billion
		1981–82	1982–83
(a)	Total income of individuals for tax purposes	160	171

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much would be saved by abolishing tax reliefs on pension contributions, life assurance premiums and mortgage repayments, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 October 1983, c. 217]: The direct yields of income tax from abolition of reliefs on pension contributions by employees, life assurance premiums and mortgage interest are estimated to be about £1,100 million, £690 million and £2,750 million, respectively at 1983–84 levels of income. There would, in addition, be savings of £13 million arid £55 million in respect of public expenditure (Class XIII Vote 7) on subsidies for life assurance premiums and mortgage interest for those not liable to income tax.The Inland Revenue has recently published a research paper "Cost of Tax Reliefs for Pension Schemes: Appropriate Statistical Approach", which discusses the methodology for costing all tax reliefs for pension schemes and provides illustrative figures for four possible approaches.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present number of home helps in Wales, giving figures for each local authority; and how many home helps are employed in each local authority per 1,000 persons.

The information is as follows:

	Number of home helps*	Rate per 1,000 population
Clwyd	302·0	0·76
Dyfed	333·6	1·00
Gwent	576·0	1·31
Gwynedd	276·0	1·19
Mid Glamorgan	718·4	1·33
Powys	81·3	0·74
South Glamorgan	348·0	0·89
West Glamorgan	393·5	1·07
Wales	3,028·8	1·08
* Whole-time equivalents at 30 September 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the level and location of neuro-otology clinics in Wales.

Clinics of this kind are not separately categorised in Wales. Neurologists and otologists work closely together to provide a service in this clinical field, calling upon the service of other specialists as needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospital beds there are in the private health sector in the Principality; and how this figure compares with 1978.

There are currently 244, compared with 139 in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals for more Welsh language teaching and tuition in comprehensive schools not designated bilingual in areas with a substantial percentage of Welsh speakers.

The extent of Welsh language teaching in schools and the use of Welsh as a medium of instruction is a matter for local education authorities and boards of governors.The Government's policy of support for the language was fully reflected in the guidance on the school curriculum offered to LEAs and others in "Welsh in Schools", published in 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many unemployed qualified nurses are registered with his Department in Wales.

The information is not currently available since it is not given by the unemployment benefit office records on which the unemployment count is now based.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the private hospitals in Wales which offer acute medical and surgical care, giving for each hospital the number of beds and the owner.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 17 January 1983.—[Vol. 35, c. 47.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals for private hospitals have been notified to him or authorised by him under the Health Services Act 1976, as amended by the Health Services Act 1980, since 17 January 1983.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans his Department has made to celebrate and contribute to the Tree Council's annual national tree week from 19 to 27 November;(2) what plans he has to encourage amenity tree planting schemes; and how many trees have been planted by his Department in the past 12 months;

I am always ready to support activities, such as those promoted by the Tree Council, directed at increasing awareness of the need for more amenity tree planting and better tree care. In Wales, Government support for amenity tree planting is provided in a variety of ways, for example, in the context of industrial schemes undertaken by the development agencies; environmental improvement schemes supported by the Welsh Development Agency, the Countryside Commission and the urban programme; and the landscaping of motorways and trunk roads. Grants are also available under farm capital grant schemes for planting trees as shelter belts and for planting hedges.The question of participation by schools in national tree week is best taken up direct with local education authorities and schools themselves. Local authorities were encouraged in my Department's trees and forestry circular No. 64/78 to support the council's objectives by fostering local interest and participation in tree planting and protection through local voluntary groups and schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent information he has received regarding coal imports into the United Kingdom; and what are the countries of origin.

In the first eight months of 1983 over 95 per cent. of United Kingdom coal requirements were supplied from British mines. Some 3 million tonnes of coal were imported, consisting mainly of types of coal in short supply in Britain and coming mainly from the United States of America and Australia.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with future prospects for gas supply; and if he will make a statement.

Future supplies of gas will be determined by the ability of suppliers to meet demand in a competitive market.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects work to commence on major combined heat and power schemes; and whether there are any proposals for developments on Merseyside.

The Government expect to respond shortly to the Select Committee on Energy's report on CHP, incorporating an assessment of the feasibility studies of major CHP schemes by W. S. Atkins & Partners. Merseyside was one of the nine areas examined in the Atkins report.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average price for gas charged to domestic consumers in 1982 in Great Britain, the United States of America, West Germany and France, respectively.

The average price in 1982 of gas charged to domestic consumers was about 36p per therm in Great Britain, 29p per therm in the United States of America and 52p per therm in West Germany. Comparable figures are not available for France but the price of gas to domestic consumers in suburban Paris, using about 400 therms a year, was about 66p a therm at 1 July 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on plans for further privatisation of the energy industries.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made during the debate on the Loyal Address.—[Vol. 44, c. 324–328.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps the Central Electricity Generating Board is taking to monitor the effect of sulphur dioxide emissions.

The CEGB is conducting studies into the effects of sulphur dioxide and other gases on rivers and lakes, soils, vegetation and crops arid corrosion of materials. The board is also studying ways in which these emissions affect the acidity of rainfall. In addition, the CEGB and NCB are funding other independent studies which will be carried out under the auspicies of the Royal Society in co-operation with the Swedish. and Norwegian Royal Academies of Science.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek to ensure that the British coal industry continues to maintain annual production in excess of 100 million tonnes.

The level of NCB coal production is a matter for the board to decide, taking into account the objective set by Government that it should aim at that share of the market which it can profitably sustain in competition with other fuels, and should not plan on any continuing tranche of sales which will not be profitable.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he now expects to respond to the report of the Energy Committee on energy conservation in buildings.

A response was sent to the Clerk to the Committee on 31 October 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the Association of United Kingdom Oil Independents about the level of stocks of petroleum needed to meet European Community and International Energy Agency obligations and about the consequential impact on merchants following the making of the Petroleum Stocks (Amendment) Order 1983.

On the question of representations I refer my hon. Friend to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown). The order itself does not arise as a result of the United Kingdom's international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what increase he expects in gas and electricity prices during 1984.

No decisions have been taken on any increase in gas and electricity prices during 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest information on the comparative cost of base load electricity supplied by the Central Electricity Generating Board to the electricity boards according to whether the source of generation is coal, oil, NA, water or nuclear power.

I have asked the Central Electricity Generating Board to provide the information requested and will reply as soon as this is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made towards the installation of a European power grid.

There is already a considerable degree of interconnection between national utilities on the continent. The 2 gigawatt link between the United Kingdom and France is due to be commissioned progressively during 1985 and 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate which sectors of the National Coal Board Her Majesty's Government are considering for privatisation; whether any policy decisions on this further aspect of privatisation have been agreed; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy on 4 July.—[Vol. 45, c. 4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the plants reprocessing nuclear materials.

Thermal reactor fuel is reprocessed by British Nuclear Fuels Limited at Sellafield. Materials testing reactor fuels and fast reactor fuels are reprocessed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Dounreay.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will undertake urgent discussions with the chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board regarding the levels of radioactive substances found in the vicinity of the Windscale —Sellafield — nuclear plant; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 2 November in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham).—[Vol. 47, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's compliance with the conditions specified in paragraphs B, C and D referred to in article 2 of the amendment of 27 September 1968 to the agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes of 3 July 1958 (Cmnd. 4119).

I have been asked to reply.Her Majesty's Government have complied in full with the conditions specified in the agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence pruposes of 3 July 1958 (Cmnd. 470) as amended successively. This includes paragraphs B, C and D referred to in article 2 of the amendment of 27 September 1968 (Cmnd. 4119).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what variations have been made to article 2 of the amendment of 27 September 1968 to the agreement for co-operation on the uses of energy for mutual defence purposes of 3 July 1958, Cmnd. 4119.

I have been asked to reply.Variations to article 2 of the amendment (Cmnd. 4119) of 27 September 1968 to the agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes of 3 July 1958 have involved only amendments to update as published in Cmnd. 4383 dated 16 October 1969, Cmnd. 6017 dated 22 July 1974 and Cmnd. 7976 dated 5 December 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take positive action to secure the release of the industrial site known as the old SDI Rover works, as outlined in his circular industrial development/83, paragraph 9;(2) if he will make available derelict land grant funds to enable the site known as the old SDI Rover works to be redeveloped as a high technology industry site.

It would be premature to comment on these proposals in advance of my right hon. Friend's consideration of the alterations to the West Midlands county council's structure plan which will be the subject of an examination in public in December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many and which local authorities have placed greater responsibility on council tenants to carry out their own housing repairs and maintenance since the publication of the housing services advisory unit's report in December 1982;(2) what information he has as to the nature and extent of repairs that are now being undertaken by tenants in those authorities that have extended tenant responsibility on repairs and maintenance;(3) whether there is any evidence to show that local authorities that have extended tenant responsibility for repairs and maintenance have redirected resources saved from that transference of responsibility towards planned maintenance and capitalised repair;(4) if he is satisfied that the type of repair being carried out by tenants in local authorities that have extended tenant responsibility for repairs and maintenance are not ones that the local authorities are required to carry out under the Housing Act 1961;(5) what information he has as to the effect extended tenant responsibility for repairs and maintenance has had on

Landlords have certain repairing obligations under section 32 of the Housing Act 1961. The interpretation of these obligations is not a matter for the Secretary of State but for the courts. The Department does not collect detailed information on a continuing basis from local authorities about their practices on tenants responsibilities for other repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend circular 36/38, "Trees and Forestry", to include a code of conduct for developers of building land; and if he will make a statement.

Section X of the memorandum on trees and forestry which is included in my Department's circular 36/78 contains comprehensive advice concerning Trees and Development, and my right hon. Friend has no plans to amend it to include a specific code of conduct for developers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give additional financial assistance to the North-West water authority in order to assist it in its attempts to improve the rivers and coastal waters within its area.

My right hon. Friend has told the authority that its needs will have a high priority in our allocation of the external finance available to the water industry. The Government will continue to seek European Community funds in support of the authority's programmes. Otherwise, there are no plans to change the current policy that spending by a water authority to benefit its region should be met by the region.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of rivers in the North-West water authority area are in class 3 and class 4 pollution categories; how many miles of estuaries in the same area are similarly classified; what is the significance of these classifications; what plans he has to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement.

Last year 631 km of river in the authority's area were in class 3, poor quality, and 223 km in class 4, grossly polluted. The corresponding figures for estuaries were 71 km in class C and 63 km in class D. The authority has responsibility for surface water quality in their area and have issued a consultation document about its improvement which the Government are considering.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of the issues being debated with industry, the technical and economic choices being considered, the likely timescales and costs involved, and other factors that will contribute to decisions on the practical introduction of lead-free petrol.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 2 November 1983.—[Vol. 47, c. 386.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the review of policies concerning fixed glazing and fire safety which was announced in the Adjournment debate of 3 May has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

The Government Departments concerned have completed a review of policies relating to fire safety and glazing in the light of reports into the circumstances of the three fatal house fires in Hayes, Brent and Nuneaton earlier this year. Little evidence has emerged from the review to suggest that the presence of either double glazing or other forms of fixed glazing has been a significant factor in causing or contributing to fatal casualties.However, in certain circumstances occupants' safety could be at risk as a result of the installation of certain types of domestic glazing. We have concluded that the best way forward would be to give greater publicity to the potential hazard and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department proposes to do so after consultation with the trade and fire service interests.My right hon. Friend and I welcome the initiative already taken by the Glass and Glazing Federation in recommending to its members and agents that means of escape considerations should be drawn to the attention of customers.I have considered, in consultation with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, measures to control window design or installation for means of escape. In the light of its advice, and the review generally, I do not propose to introduce building regulations for these purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans his Department has made to celebrate and contribute to the Tree Council's annual national tree week from 19 to 27 November;(2) what plans he has to encourage amenity tree-planting schemes; and how many trees have been planted by his Department in the last 12 months;(3) if he will support the Tree Council's efforts to increase public awareness of the need for more tree-planting and better tree care.

My right hon. Friend wholeheartedly supports the Tree Council's effort to increase public awareness of the need for more amenity tree planting by promoting the annual national tree week. Local authorities were encouraged by trees and forestry circular 36/78 to support the council's objectives by fostering local interest and protection through local voluntary groups and schools. My right hon. Friend reaffirms the general message of that circular.Although the exact number is not recorded, millions of trees are planted each year by the Property Services Agency, which spends at least £2 million annually on tree planting and £¾ million on tree management. In addition, grants of £1·35 million were disbursed by the Countryside Commission on amenity tree planting and woodland management last year. My Department also funds an extensive research programme which among other things has the objective of reducing losses of newly planted trees and encouraging improved tree care.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether Her Majesty's Government intend to introduce legislation allowing him to suspend city councils which overspend or breach Government policy.

No. However, if the action of an authority led to a serious breakdown of services, the Government would be forced to take appropriate action to safeguard the position of ratepayers and residents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of total disposable incomes in England and Wales is represented by domestic rate payments in the latest financial year for which figures are available.

Domestic rate payments (net of domestic rate relief grant and rate rebates) are estimated to be 2·6 per cent. of total personal disposable income in England and Wales in 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appraisal certificates have been issued by the National Building Agency in respect of individual systems for house building in accordance with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government circular No. 76/65; and if he will list the systems for which an appraisal certificate was given and the date of issue.

The most recent information supplied to the Department by the National Building Agency, which is in members' voluntary liquidation, is that appraisal certificates were granted to 89 low-rise housing systems in England and Wales between January 1966 and December 1969. My Department is not aware of any high rise certificates, or any low-rise certificates after 1969, granted by the NBA to housing systems in England and Wales under MHLG circular No. 76/65. The system for which an appraisal certificate was issued are as attached:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he first informed local authorities that the housing investment programme allocation for 1984–85 would be 80 per cent. of the 1983–84 amount; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the then Minister for Housing and Construction announced on 7 December 1982, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, West (Mr. Durant)—[Vol. 33, c. 456] — that local authorities could plan their forward housing programme on the basis that their HIP allocations for 1984–85 would be at least 80 per cent. of those for 1983–84, if authorities could justify that level of expenditure. The assurance was also conditional on the assumptions that average rents rise in line with prices next year and that total housing capital receipts in 1984–85 would be expected to reach at least £1,300 million. The Government stand by that assurance, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce the precise allocations for 1984–85 as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will start an urgent inquiry into the origins of plutonium dust found on Cumbrian coastal areas.

The origins of plutonium in the environment are fall-out from weapon tests and discharges from nuclear installations. The environmental effect of the latter is carefully monitored and the results published. Exposures to the public are well within the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.In addition my Department already part-funds a programme of research in Cumbria into the distribution and behaviour of radioactive substances in the environment and the pathways by which they could lead to radiation exposure of man. The work is carried out by British Nuclear Fuels Limited, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology of the Natural Environment Research Council; budgeted expenditure this year is £180,000.A description of the programme appears in chapter 8 of the progress report on sponsored research on radioactive waste management January 1981-March 1982, published by the Department earlier this year, which is in the Library of the House. The detailed reports of findings mentioned there are deposited in the British Library lending division.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts are being taken to encourage education authorities to make school sports facilities available to the public.

I have been asked to reply.As my right hon. Friend said in reply to a question by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Carlisle) on 4 March 1983, consistent encouragement has been given for the community use of maintained school premises, including sports facilities, and he hopes that local authorities will continue to promote such use so far as practicable within the resources available to them.—[Vol. 38, c. 258.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out in the Official Report the list of publicly announced mergers notified to the Office of Fair Trading or its predecessor which were at the relevant time referrable and which were not subsequently referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for each year since 1965.

This information is not available except at disproportionate cost. The number of qualifying mergers not referrred to the commission for each year since 1965 is as follows:

Year	Number
1965 (from August)	47
1966	59
1967	95
1968	131
1969	123
1970	78
1971	109
1972	112
1973	142
1974	119
1975	153
1976	167
1977	179
1978	226
1979	254
1980	177
1981	156
1982	180
1983 (to 31 October)	136

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to restrict the entry into the United Kingdom of motor cycle exhausts which cause excessive noise in the community.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is at present finalising the details of new regulations to be put before the House shortly, with a view to establishing a construction standard and a marking requirement for all replacement motor cycle exhausts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage reduction in steel purchases by the following industries since 1979 (a) wire, (b) rail, (c) shipbuilding and (d) mechanical engineering.

Between 1979 and 1982 the percentage reductions in the quantity of purchases of steel were:

	Per cent.
(a) Wire and wire manufacturing	30
(b) Railways	40
(c) Shipbuilding	25
(d) Mechanical engineering	25

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what major overseas contracts the projects and export programmes division of his Department has helped British contractors to win in the past six months.

The projects and export policy division is actively involved with United Kingdom exporters in the pursuit of some 400 projects. From among those, in the past six months, the following contracts were successfully concluded:

	United Kingdom value
	£ million
Botswana: turbines for Morupule power station	17
Botswana: coal and ash handling for Morupule	5
India: Amlori coal mine	65
Indonesia: Ombellin coal mine	19
Jordan: transmission lines	14
Singapore: power station	70
Nigeria: Gongola State water supply	70
Nigeria: Kwara State water supply	119
Nigeria: Gongola State: infrastructure/supplies	72
Total	451

In addition, an number of smaller contracts worth about £17 million were concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the future of regional development grants; and what changes are contemplated.

I refer the hon. Member to the written answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on 2 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Mr. Miller). [Vol. 47, c. 394.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many steering location inquiries had been received in the North-West region office of his Department; and of these how many had been referred to the Cumbria county council industry development unit during the last month for which statistics are available.

In October 1983 the north-west regional office received 19 steering location inquiries. Two of these were referred to Cumbria county council's industry development unit. Close liaison between the regional office and the IDU continues.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will assess the implications arising from the continuing contraction of the machine tool industry in Coventry.

My Department continuously monitors developments in the machine tool industry. This sector has faced difficult trading conditions, largely due to the world recession, which has also affected many of its overseas competitors. Within the United Kingdom these problems have been most acute in the west midlands, where there is a high concentration of machine tool companies, but it is encouraging that, despite the contraction, the local products made by Alfred Herbert and Webster and Bennett remain in production.The future of United Kingdom machine tool companies depends on their ability to compete effectively, and a number of companies in the Coventry area are receiving assistance to develop new products to improve competitiveness. It is hoped that companies engaged in manufacture of machine tools and associated components will benefit from the recently announced special push in the west midlands to encourage companies in the locality to develop new products for advanced manufacturing technology.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government have imposed any restrictions on the level of Mercury's revenues; and if he will make a statement.

The licence granted to Mercury Communications Ltd. in February 1982 imposes a temporary ceiling on Mercury's revenues but this is having no practical effect. It has long been recognised that Mercury would need a new licence as soon as the Telecommunications Bill becomes law. The new licence, which will be similar to the licence to be granted to British Telecom, will impose no restrictions on Mercury's revenues and Mercury will be free to compete to obtain the largest possible share of the market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if section 15 of the British Telecom draft licence authorises simple resale.

No. Simple resale of capacity on a private circuit leased from British Telecom (BT) would involve the running of a separate telecommunications system the operator of which would require a separate licence.If the Secretary of State, or the Director General of Telecommunications acting with the consent or in accordance with an authority of the Secretary of State, were to grant a licence which permitted the operator to resell capacity on private circuits, condition 13 of the draft BT licence would oblige BT to connect its systems to the resale operator's system and condition 15 would oblige BT to allow the operator to provide resale services when the operator's system was connected to the BT systems. These arrangements ensure that at the time when the Government license simple resale BT will be obliged to co-operate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which regional tourist boards in England he has met to discuss the structure of tourism; and when he intends to make a statement on the proposed restructuring of all the boards in Great Britain.

In the course of the tourism review, the former Under-Secretary of State for Trade, Mr. Lain Sproat, met representatives of all the regional tourist boards in England, with the exception of the Yorkshire and Humberside tourist board, which provided written evidence. I hope to make a statement on the tourism review shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to compel local authorities to remove abandoned vehicles more promptly.

Local authorities already have a statutory duty to deal with this nuisance, and they have adequate powers to do so promptly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is now in a position to announce the findings of the inspector's report on the inquiry into the A30 road at Sticklepath in Devon.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to announce a decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many trees have been planted by his Department in the past 12 months.

My Department, in association with the Welsh Office, was responsible for the planting of some 954,000 trees beside motorways and trunk roads in England and Wales in the past 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will introduce legislation to ensure that London borough councils have a statutory duty imposed on them to maintain real expenditure on concessionary fares in the event of the Greater London council's transport function being abolished;(2) if he will introduce legislation to ensure that London borough councils grant concessionary fares to all those classes of persons currently enjoying such fares in Greater London, in the event of the Greater London council's transport function being abolished.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what regime of financial penalties London borough councils will face from his Department if they plan to spend at the present real level of revenue expenditure on concessionary fares.

The financial pelalties currently attracted by individual local authorities relate to their aggregate overspending on all local services. My Department has no plans to introduce a separate system of financial penalties.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the concept of protected expenditure levels will figure in his proposed legislation to abolish the transport functions of the Greater London council.

When LRT is set up, the GLC will have no functions involving a protected expenditure level. The control mechanism on LRT will be an external financing limit—a cash limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of repairing the effects of alkali aggregate reaction on concrete contained in the three bridges between Plymouth and Ivybridge on the A38; if he will estimate the length of time it will take to put matters right; whether the Government will meet the cost; and if he will make a statement.

The estimated cost of the initial remedial work to these bridges is of the order of £¼ million and will be completed by late spring. Further research and remedial work is likely to be necessary but the full extent of this will not be known until the final report of the consulting engineers has been received and considered. The cost of work will be met out of central Government funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the reduction of capacity of the Severn bridge, he will give priority to substantial improvements to the alternative route via the A417, A419 and A48.

Priority is already being given to substantial improvement to these sections of the A417 and A419, and the A48 in Chepstow, in that preparation is already in hand on the forward trunk road programme schemes listed in the recent White Paper. On the other section of the A48 in question improvements from trunk road funds would not be justified, but I am aware that Gloucestershire county council is planning a bypass for Lydney. Depending on the priority given to this in its TPP, the Department will give serious consideration to assisting in the financing of it through TSG.In any case, the present restrictions on the Severn bridge are to be reviewed during the next week, and I expect to come to conclusions on whether the reductions in capacity resulting from the latest restrictions need to continue, and if so, for what period.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now publish the independent assessment by Messrs. Husband and Company into the substructure of the Severn bridge.

Husband and Company's checks on Flint and Neill's appraisal of the substructure of the Severn bridge is complete and a summary of its findings is expected shortly. I understand that the two independent firms are in close agreement. I will put a copy of the summary in the House of Commons Library and the full report as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the continental ports in the European Community offering free pilotage; and what are the current pilotage charges for the Port of London Authority.

Information on the first part of the hon. Member's question is not readily available and I do not think that the cost of obtaining it for individual ports throughout the EEC would be justified; pilotage charges in the London pilotage district are a matter for Trinity House as the pilotage authority for the district.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the results of his study of the levels of subsidy of port charges provided either by central Government or local authorities for continental ports such as Hamburg and Rotterdam.;(2) if he will raise the issue of subsidising port charges with other member countries of the European Community under the competition rules; and if he will make a statement.

I will answer these questions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to authorise the construction of a third Dartford tunnel.

The tunnel is a local authority responsibility. The improvements now being carried out at Government expense to the tunnel approaches and toll plaza will increase its capacity sufficiently to cope with expected M25 traffic for many years. But traffic growth will be carefully monitored once M25 has come into full use so that any future increase in capacity can be discussed in good time with the Dartford tunnel joint committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has offered any assistance to airlines to release blocked remittances in third world countries.