asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the European Community decision of 10 December 1982 relating to a proceeding under article 86 of the European Community treaty and its effect on all licences for value added network services.

The European Commission's decision is currently before the European Court of Justice and any assessment of its effect must depend upon the outcome of the case. The decision and the court's judgment can be expected to clarify the application of the Treaty of Rome competition rules in the telecommunications field. Even if the decision is upheld by the court, it will not have any direct impact on the value added network services general licence, because the provisions of the licence are of a different nature from those in the BT schemes found by the decision to be contrary to article 86 of the Treaty of Rome which in any case does not apply to acts of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he proposes to take to ensure that British Telecom's trading activities accord in future with the European Community Decision of 10 December 1982 relating to a proceeding under article 86 of the European Economic Community treaty which required that British Telecom terminated any of the restrictions that are still in operation on the use of its telex and telephone services on behalf of third parties.

British Telecom took the necessary steps to conform with the decision at the beginning of 1983 when it permitted private telex agencies to pass messages from foreign customers to destinations in other countries. No action by the Government is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ensure that companies licensed as at 31 December 1982 to operate public mobile radio telephone message handling services will continue to enjoy, under any substituted licences issued under powers resulting from existing legislation or from those proposed in the Telecommuncations Bill 1983, identical licensed status and retain the ability to operate their existing allocated frequencies to provide such services.

Schedule 5 of the Telecommunications Bill provides that all licences granted under the British Telecommunications Act 1981 and earlier legislation which authorise the running of telecommunication systems and which are effective on the appointed day when the Bill comes into force will continue to have effect after that date. This provision ensures that all companies which are individually licensed to run telecommunication systems which provide mobile radio message handling services will continue to be licensed and their licenses will be unaffected by the Bill.The Telecommunications Bill makes new provision for the regulation of telecommunications which will make it desirable to replace many existing licences, for example to delete restrictive provisions. Schedule 5 makes provision for the amendment and revocation of existing licences and the Department therefore intends to consult the holders of existing licences with a view to granting replacement licences.I am also considering arrangements under which large numbers of licences granted to individuals can be replaced by one or more general or class licences similar to the general licence for value added network services. This will save administrative expense and ensure that all concerned compete on an equal basis.Licences granted under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 to 1967 will not be affected by the enactment of the Telecommunications Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what will be the cost of the community alarm scheme when British Telecom is taken out of public ownership to users (a) without telephones and (b) with telephones.

I understand that the community alarm scheme is run by Wolverhampton metropolitan council. It will be for the council to negotiate terms with British Telecom and others involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that the present Greek import quotas applied to Scotch whisky are eliminated at the end of the current year; and if he will make a statement.

Earlier this year, quotas on imports of 15 products, including whisky, were authorised by the Commission in response to a request from Greece for action under the safeguard provisions of her Act of Accession. The quotas expire on 31 December 1983. I raised the issue of these quotas with Greek Ministers in Athens earlier this year, and am hopeful that they will not be renewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to place a levy on imported cassette tapes; and if he will make a statement.

The suggestion that a levy might be placed on imported, and home produced, cassette tapes has been made to the Government both in the context of the review of copyright legislation as a solution to the problem of in-home taping, and in the review of the Department's sponsorship of the films industry. In each case, this is one of a number of proposals, all of which are now being carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if there are any sectors of British manufacturing industry where Her Majesty's Government seek to ensure maintenance of some productive capacity for strategic reasons or otherwise in the national interest.

A small number of industrial capabilities are regarded as essential for military reasons. In general, however, the Government do not seek to maintain in being particular areas of manufacturing capacity, but to provide a framework within which industry itself can respond effectively to changing circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in view of the recent report published by Graham Bannock in the Economist Intelligence Unit, a copy of which has been sent to him, and which found the United Kingdom near the bottom of the league of support for small businesses, he will take steps to rectify this situation.

The full EIU report is about to be published and my Department will be studying it; it is, therefore, premature to comment in detail. However, I believe that overall the climate for the smaller firm in the United Kingdom has been substantially improved since this Government took office in 1979. More work needs to be done and we are committed to making further progress. If the EIU report includes some useful pointers, we will certainly take these into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set up a research project to examine the relative levels of support given to small businesses by the Government in the United Kingdom and in other major industrial countries.

I see no need for such a study. Merely comparing the levels of support in various countries would not be very revealing for policy purposes. My Department keeps in touch with developments in small firms policy in other countries and we are always willing to learn from others' experience. But many of the measures introduced overseas reflect different industrial structures from that in the United Kingdom and sometimes different approaches by Governments to economic and industrial policy. Straight replication is, therefore, often inappropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the Government's response to the report of the Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development on facing international competition to be published.

A booklet setting out the Government's response to each of ACARD's recommendations has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number of companies which have made application for licences under the provisions of the Deep Sea Mining (Temporary Provisions) Act 1981.

No. Disclosure of such information would involve a breach of confidentiality in respect of the companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the light of the statement of the European Commission that it does not expect to publish its memorandum on harmonisation of copyright before the second half of 1984, he has any plans to bring forward reform of United Kingdom copyright law; and if he will make a statement.

The Government would have preferred to see the memorandum. Nevertheless, they are committed to the reform of copyright legislation as soon as possible. Some difficult issues remain to be settled and will take time, but legislative proposals will not be delayed to await the memorandum, unless this is known to be imminent.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts by how much actual expenditure on books by public libraries has declined in real terms in each of the last five years (a) nationally, (b) in shire counties and (c) in London boroughs.

Figures for actual expenditure on all elements of public library expenditure are collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and published in its "Public Library Statistics" series, which is available in the Library of the House. There is no agreed index of public library book prices, which would be needed to convert the expenditure data to real terms, but the published figures show the total number of volumes purchased by each authority.

asked the Under Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts how many books were loaned by public libraries in each of the past 10 years.

Information about public library lending is collected annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and published in its "Public Library Statistics" series, which is available in the Library of the House. Comparisons between years may be affected by the different numbers of authorities responding to the CIPFA survey.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what percentage of total expenditure is made by public libraries on (a) books, (b) other resources, (c) administration and (d) librarians.

Detailed information about the various elements of local library expenditure is collected annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and published in its "Public Library Statistics" series which is available in the Library of the House. The 1983–84 Estimates volume shows the proportions of estimated expenditure attributed to various components.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts how many public libraries have installed Prestel; and what percentage of public libraries this represents.

This information is not centrally available.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts at what level is the national book stock.

On the latest date for which figures are available, local public libraries in England had bookstocks totalling over 110 million volumes, and the British Library some 13 million volumes.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts how many professional staff are employed in public libraries; and how this compares with each of the past 10 years.

Numbers of professional staff employed in public libraries are collected annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and published in its "Public Library Statistics" series, which is available in the Library of the House. Comparisons between years may be affected by the different numbers of authorities responding to the CIPFA survey.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what has been the expenditure on public libraries in each of the past 10 years.

Current and capital expenditure on public library services in England over the relevant period was as follows:

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what demand he anticipates for trained public librarians in the next five years.

Public librarians are employed by local library authorities. Information about authorities' plans for employment in future years is not centrally collected.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts (1) how much has been spent, at 1982–83 prices, and in cash terms, on literature by the Arts Council in each of the past five years;(2) what is the expenditure per capita on the arts

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

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts how much money was spent on the "Housing the Arts" scheme in each of the past 10 years.

The Arts Council's expenditure on the "Housing the Arts" scheme in each of the past 10 completed years was as follows:

asked the Prime Minister what restrictions apply in the case of a miner or docker, who accepts redundancy or other early retirement payment, seeking similar employment in the same field of occupation within the United Kingdom.

There are no restrictions on miners who have been made redundant or accepted voluntary early retirement seeking further similar employment. However, weekly benefits under the Government's redundant mineworkers payments scheme and under the National Coal Board's voluntary early retirement scheme are reduced or not paid if the miner returns to coal industry employment or otherwise works for more than 16 hours per week.Registered dock workers who have accepted a lump sum severance payment under the industry's voluntary severance schemes are debarred by the National Dock Labour Board from re-admission to the register in any port covered by the dock workers regulation of employment scheme.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list the occasions, with dates, on which Minsters have addressed the current session of the general assembly of the United Nations Organisation, or any of its committees.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs addressed the United Nations general assembly on 28 September and my hon. Friend the Member for Shoreham (Mr. Luce), the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, addressed the first committee on 27 October.

asked the Prime Minister, why she decided not to list those Ministers who are hon. Members who cancelled, curtailed or postponed official engagements on Friday 18 November.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the right hon. Gentleman by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal on my behalf on 30 November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable those who were remanded in custody prior to trial and subsequently acquitted to be compensated for the time spent in custody.

In very exceptional cases, ex gratia payments may be made out of public funds to defendants acquitted at trial after a period on remand in custody. In the course of our current review of the present arrangements for compensation, consideration is being given to various proposals made for legislation in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new prison places he expects will be available by the end of the year.

About 500 new places are being provided through the building programme in 1983. In addition, between 25 November and 31 December we expect to open an additional 30 places at Standford Hill and reoccupy 80 places at Blundeston following refurbishment. We are also seeking to increase the capapcity of several other establishments; this will require extra staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and which police authorities have supplies of plastic bullets; what are the total stocks of plastic bullets held by the police authorities; where they are manufactured; and what are the rules for their use.

The following 15 police forces in England and Wales hold, between them approximately 20,000 baton rounds, obtained under contract from the Ministry of Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many summonses for excessive speed were issued in the years 1981 and 1982 against (i) public service vehicle drivers, (ii) heavy goods vehicle drivers and (iii) private motorists in respect of alleged offences on the MI (a) in Northamptonshire and (b) in Bedfordshire.

No reliable information is available for specific types of vehicle or separately for motorways. Information on total findings of guilt for speed limit offences by police force area is published in table 17 of "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles Supplementary Tables 1982", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to allow time spent in police custody to count together with time spent awaiting trial and conviction on the order of a court to count against the sentence imposed.

My right hon. and learned Friend proposes to bring forward an amendment to the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill to this effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cheshire on the number of pickets who have been injured in the Stockport Messenger dispute at the latest date; and if he will list such injuries.

The chief constable tells me that he understands that between 9 November and 1 December inclusive 22 people informed hospital authorities that their injuries had been incurred in the picketing outside the Stockport Messenger premises. The chief constable understands that most of the people did not need to stay long at a hospital. The most serious injury appears to have been a fractured leg, incurred by a man struck by a vehicle attempting to leave the premises during the night of 24 November. The man had repeatedly thrown himself in front of vehicles in an attempt to stop them. On each previous occasion police officers managed to pull him away; on the last, they were unable to do so before he was injured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cheshire into the disturbances at the Messenger Group works, Warrington; and if he will make a statement.

The chief constable informs me that the first disorder associated with the picketing outside the premises, which began on Friday 4 November, was on Wednesday 9 November. Between 2 am and 8 am that day the number of pickets increased from two to about 300. A window of the premises was broken and the word "scab" sprayed in paint on the wall. Stones were later thrown at windows, but no damage was caused. About 200 pickets remained until 4 pm; by midnight the number had dwindled to six. On Tuesday 15 November, about 30 pickets arrived; shortly afterwards damage to a fence was reported. By 8.40 pm there were about 250 pickets, numbers of whom remained into the early hours of Wednesday 16 November. At 2.45 am that day, a van which had left the premises had its tyres slashed; pickets gathered round it, but dispersed after two were arrested. At 8.5 am two people were arrested for offences of criminal damage to a van leaving the premises and at 9.10 am the driver of a car was arrested. During Tuesday 22 November the number of pickets grew from about 40 to over 700 awaiting the exit of vans from the premises. At about 2 am on Wednesday 23 November, while the police were holding pickets back to enable a van to leave, a 6 ft high concrete wall collapsed and an officer was trapped underneath, incurring a broken leg and facial cuts. A woman police officer was bruised in the same incident. The number of pickets declined during the later hours.From the late morning of Wednesday 23 November to late that night, the number of pickets grew from about 30 to about 350. During the night, one picket incurred a leg fracture, after repeatedly throwing himself in front of vehicles attempting to leave the premises and having to be pulled away by police officers. The pickets reduced in number through Thursday 24 November.Between 9 and 28 November inclusive, a total of 37 arrests were made, for public order offences and others including assault on the police, criminal damage and obstructing the police. In the same period, a total of seven police officers— including the officer whose leg was broken and one whose arm was broken— incurred injuries, and eight pickets are recorded as having been injured. The number of police officers deployed at any time varied from two to 334.For the chief constable's account of the violence and disorder overnight on 29–30 November, I refer the hon. Member to the statement that my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary made to the House on 30 November.By 9.15 pm on Wednesday 30 November, when one van left the premises, there were about 300 pickets, and the number grew by midnight to about 1,000. The number reduced gradually through the early hours of Thursday 1 December. Another van left at about 5 am. Both vehicles had left as planned. Some 1,600 police officers were deployed, from the Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Staffordshire and West Midlands forces. Twenty four people were arrested, for public order offences and obstruction. One police officer was injured, as a result of an accidental fall. One picket is recorded as being injured. By 8 am on 1 December, there were about 20 pickets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Cheshire about how many pickets have been arrested at Messenger Group works, Warrington. at the latest date.

The chief constable tells me that 147 people were arrested between 9 November and 1 December inclusive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by Her Majesty's prisons in England and Wales, the number of persons remanded in custody and currently awaiting sentence, and the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the prison department establishments in England and Wales in which remand prisoners were being held on 31 October 1983 is given in the attached table. Average waiting times for particular establishments could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but averages for the prison system as a whole—for 1982—were published in table 2(g) of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"—Cmnd. 9027.My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary continue to seek to shorten time spent on remand by measures aimed at reducing delay in the Crown court and magistrates' courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he makes of the trends in the level of proceedings against, and cautions issued to, persons aged over 70 years in respect of alleged offences of shoplifting, in the light of figures given in his answer to the hon. Member for Leicester, East on 28 November, Official Report, c. 353; and if he will make a statement.

The available information is given in the attached table. The number of shoplifting offenders prosecuted as a proportion of those prosecuted or cautioned decreased from 27 per cent. in 1980 to 21 per cent. in 1982. Police cautioning practice in England and Wales is being reviewed by a working group of chief officers of police and officials with a view to recommending a basis for more consistent practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities do not take responsibility for handling all stages of shop theft proceedings whether or not the defendant pleads guilty.

The decision whether to prosecute on behalf of the Crown in any case of alleged shop theft is a matter for the chief officer of police concerned. Private prosecutions do not require his approval, although the police may provide the prosecutor with assistance where appropriate. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that in the Metropolitan police district large stores and supermarkets are expected to undertake their own prosecutions for shop thefts unless there are special circumstances. No such general policy exists in other police forces in England and Wales, although as a matter of practice some large stores in provincial cities routinely undertake prosecutions for shop theft. Apart from these routine practices in London and elsewhere relating to large stores, some other private prosecutions take place other than on a routine basis in all parts of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for shop theft there have been in each of the last five years; how many defendants pleaded guilty; and of those pleading not guilty what percentage were subsequently acquitted.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest estimate of the amount of money lost through shop theft.

The information available on the value of property stolen in offences of shoplifting recorded by the police in England and Wales, is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 2.13 of the volume for 1982, Cmnd. 9048.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce measures to ensure that in all future shop theft proceedings the police handle all stages of the prosecution.

In the context of the introduction of an independent prosecution service, officials are discussing with the Commissioner the practice followed by the Metropolitan police in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the planned recruitment of police cadets for each of the past 10 years and show how the actual recruitment compared with the planned recruitment.

Information for all forces about cadet recruitment plans is not available centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In 1981, a report of a working party of the Police Advisory Board recommended that if a police authority decided to have a cadet corps, cadets should provide generally no more than 10 per cent. of the annual intake to the force. The previous figure had been about 30 per cent. The total number of cadets in England and Wales on 31 December in each of the past 10 years was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state the terms of the review of the contract between the directorate of industries and farms and Duraflex Ltd. dated 1 October 1981 for the production of ladders and the date the review commenced;(2) which officials for his Department attended the meeting held on 25 August with representatives of the British Ladder Manufacturers Association; what discussions took place regarding the renewal of the contract between Prindus and Duraflex Ltd.; whether any indication was given as to whether this contract was to be renewed; if the contract is to be renewed; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will state the reasons for refusing to disclose information on the grounds of commercial confidentiality in relation to the quantity, type and price of articles made by individuals serving prison sentences.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he authorised under rule 28 of the Prison Rules 1964, as amended, each prisoner employed in the production of ladders in Her Majesty's prisons to be so employed for the private benefit of Duraflex Ltd.;(2) when he authorised, under rule 28 of the Prison Rules 1964, as amended, the production of ladders by each of the inmates of Her Majesty's prisons; and if he will publish a copy of that authorisation.

Prison rule 28 requires convicted prisoners to do useful work: further authorisation for the allocation of prisoners to specific tasks is not required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy that prisons do not take work which competes with private sector companies; and if he will make a statement;(2) what account is taken of the employment implications for private sector competitors of allowing Prindus to accept manufacturing contracts; and, in particular, if he has assessed the implications of all manufacturing in a particular sector being transferred to Her Majesty's prisons; and if he will make a statement.

It has been the policy of successive Governments that Prison Industries should manufacture goods for sale to private firms if sufficient work for prisoners in manufacturing goods for prison department's internal use or for sale to other Government Departments and the public sector is not available. No limits are set on Prison Industries' share of export markets or of United Kingdom markets which are dominated by imports, but the general policy is to limit to a low percentage penetration of the United Kingdom market in sectors where imports do not dominate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of prisoners who, in the 12-month period ended on 30 September 1983, were employed for any period of their term of detention in the manufacture of ladders in Her Majesty's prisons.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Prindus contract for the manufacture of ladders was notified to the joint consultative committee on prison industries. what response was made by the committee; and if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of all meetings of the joint consultative committee at which the contract was discussed or referred to.

The joint Home Office/Confederation of British Industry/Trade Union Congress committee on prison industries took specific note of the problems with aluminium ladders at its meeting in December 1981. The committee has discussed the matter at subsequent meetings and has shown helpful understanding of the difficulties involved. The answer to the third part of the question is no. I am writing o my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what powers the directorate of industries and farms is able (a) to operate, (b) to issue accounts and (c) to negotiate contracts.

In all aspects of its work the directorate of industries and farms acts on behalf of the Secretary of State who has overall responsibility for the running of prisons. The Prison Act 1952 and the Prison Rules 1964 make provision for the employment of prisoners in useful work, and the Secretary of State has power to make contracts and do other acts necessary in fulfilling that responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for visas (a) to study and (b) for political asylum he has received from Iranian nationals in each of the past three years; and how many of these applications he has approved.

I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that the information requested about visa applications to study is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Following is the information about applications for political asylum made by Iranians from abroad including applications from dependants to join Iranians already granted asylum here.

asked the Secretary of State for he Home Department (1) if he will reconsider his decision to deport the Hasbudak family;

This case has been considered with very great care but I do not believe there are sufficient grounds for revoking the deportation orders. A letter was sent to the board of governors on 24 October in response to the various petitions from the parents, staff, friends and pupils of William Patten school. It is not the normal practice to publish replies to members of the public in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a speech in Hackney on how to bring about good community relations.

In a speech in Bradford on 22 July, my right hon. and learned Friend emphasised the importance that he attaches to the promotion of good race relations and outlined the approach that he intended to adopt in carrying out our responsibilites in this area. He will be ready on suitable occasions in future to make speeches in a similar sense, but he has, at present, no plans to visit Hackney for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to reduce the work load of the Thames Valley police and the cost to ratepayers of East Berkshire occasioned by the additional costs of policing the perimeter of the Greenham common airbase.

The chief constable has on occasions received assistance from officers from other forces, who have performed duties outside RAF Greenham common, which would otherwise have fallen to Thames Valley officers.The central Government, through police grant and rate support grant, already contribute over 60 per cent. of the costs of policing Greenham common, but we recognise the burden on the Thames Valley police and we are considering whether further help might be made available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, of the several sites used for the storage of nuclear waste mentioned in the answer to the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, North,Official Report, 24 November, c. 253, what information he has as to the population in each location within three to five miles of the facilities.

It has not been possible in the time available to consult the authorities in other countries, but it appears that a few hundred people live in the immediate neighbourhood of the Centre de la Manche and the town of Cherbourg—population 35,000—is 15 miles away. The Konrad iron ore mine is within a few miles of the town of Salzgitter—population 116,000—and the Asse salt mine is about 15 miles further away. The site of the new centre in the Netherlands has not yet been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will disregard for the purposes of rate surcharge any sums required to be spent by the Bedfordshire county council and North Bedfordshire borough council in preparing their case against the locating of a nuclear waste deposit in Bedfordsire; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will consider carefully any representations which these authorities make for such expenditure to be disregarded for the purposes of calculating liability to grant abatement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the acreage of the Central Electricity Generating Board site at Elstow, Befordshire, the area designated for nuclear waste disposal, the depth of the clay at the location and the position of the water table.

The Central Electricity Generating Board site is 350 acres, and at this stage, NIREX has not identified a specific area within it. I understand that the surface stratum is thought to consist of 10 to 15 ft of weathered Oxford clay, with 40 to 50 ft of unweathered Oxford clay beneath that. This information and the position of the water table would need to be confirmed as part of any site investigations undertaken by NIREX.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the blue clay deposits in Peterborough were considered as a possible site for a nuclear waste deposit.

The identification of possible sites for development as radioactive waste repositories is the responsibility of the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from commercial and industrial companies in the proximity of the proposed site for disposal of nuclear waste at Elstow, Bedfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

No such representations have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, when making its initial proposals for the proposed nuclear waste disposal site at Elstow, the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive included any assessment of (a) the quantity of Oxford clay which would be sterilised as a consequence, (b) the projected radiation levels from the pit while it is being filled and after it has been filled and sealed and (c) the number of years for which the site would be used for such disposal.

Specific proposals put forward by NIREX will be assessed against principles for the protection of the human environment published by the authorising Departments under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Draft principles have been published as a consulation document and are in the Library of the House. It would not be necessary to place restrictions on the use or excavation of the land outside the boundary of the facility. I can say now however that no sterilisation would be permitted of the clay surrounding a shallow burial site for radioactive wastes. The facilites for which NIREX are seeking sites are planned to receive all low and intermediate level wastes currently held in store and likely to arise some way into the next century.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has estimated the level of radiation from standing railway wagons awaiting unloading at the proposed site for the diposal of nuclear waste at Elstow, in considering the proposal to establish the site.

The transport of waste to a waste disposal site would be subject to the safety regulations referred to by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport in his reply on 21 November—[Vol 49, c. 13.] These prescribe rigorous limits on external radioation formulated to give full protection to workers and the public in all circumstances.I do not envisage that a waste disposal site would be operated in such a way that there would be any perceptible radioation dose to the public from standing railway wagons awaiting unloading.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive has made any assessment of the number of full-time employees which would be required at the proposed nuclear waste disposal site at Elstow.

I understand that the executive has estimated that about 300 people might be employed in the construction phase of a shallow facility and 50 to 100 in the operational phase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if staff of the Greater London council and metropolitan counties, subsequently employed elsewhere in local government following the abolition of their present employing authority, will be eligible to receive redundancy payments.

The effect of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, as amended, is that, when an officer moves from one authority to another within local government service without a break in employment, continuity of service is preserved and there is no entitlement to a redundancy payment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the scheme to cleanse the river Mersey; what will be the cost; who will undertake the work; and what subvention there will be from central Government funds.

The North-West Water Authority has begun its programme to improve the Mersey estuary and is currently consulting interested parties on its proposed long-term strategy for improving rivers, estuaries and coastal waters throughout its region. The cost of the overall programme is estimated at £3·7 billion over 25 years, including £2·75 billion for improvements in the Mersey basin. The authority would be responsible for conducting the work. As for the possibility of subvention from central Government funds, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 7 November 1983 to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Smith).—[Vol 48, c. 16.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has had preliminary consultations with Merseyside county council about nuclear waste storage facilities.

No. The occasion for this has not arisen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes in practice are to be introduced at Sellafield following the recent contamination of beaches in Cumbria.

This must await the outcome of the formal investigation by inspectors of my Department announced on 21 November in reply to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham)—[Vol. 49, c. 19–22.], on which I shall report to the House as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Building Research Establishment has assessed the results of the experimental construction of timber houses situated in Storrington avenue, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

The Building Research Establishment has not been asked to assess these houses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those water authorities that own underdeveloped land identified as suitable for housing, stating the quantity of such land in each case, with existing infrastructure services sufficient to allow development to proceed;(2) if he will list the local authorities that own underdeveloped land identified as suitable for housing, stating the quantity of such land in each case, with existing infrastructure services sufficient to allow development to proceed.

The registers of unused and underused public land in England contained on 1 July details of sites of 1 acre or more amounting to 110,500 acres, of which 63,300 were owned by local authorities and 2,700 by water authorities. About one sixth of the total acreage is estimated to consist of sites held for housing purposes or with planning indications for housing, but details could be supplied only at disproportionate cost. Other sites that cannot be identified from the information on the land registers as suitable for housebuilding, may prove to be so on detailed investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order an immediate halt to the operations at the Windscale nuclear waste re-processing plant.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to fill the vacant houses at Collaton Cross, Newton Ferrers in South Devon; how many houses there are; and for how long they have been empty.

No steps are being taken to fill the vacant houses at Collaton Cross, Newton Ferrers in South Devon. They have been passed to PSA for disposal. There are eight former officers' married quarters which have been vacant for approximately three years and 32 former airmen's married quarters, empty for the last 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to dispose of the houses at Collaton Cross, Newton Ferrers, South Devon; and if he will make a statement about the development of the site.

The redundant site extends to 65 acres, which includes the houses, and is subject to a legal right of pre-emption in favour of the former owners. Before negotiations can be completed, the future uses of the whole site have to be determined. Difficulties have arisen in this respect and I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the basis for his assumption about capital receipts for the Housing Corporation in 1984–85 which total £70 million.

The assumption of £70 million for Housing Corporation capital receipts in 1984–85 is the Department's best estimate at the present time, taking account of past outturn figures. It is similar to the provision of £60 million made this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the Housing Corporation's capital receipts for the past three years at 1984–85 outturn prices.

The available information on the Housing Corporation's capital receipts is:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list statutory powers to intervene where a local authority fails to honour its fiduciary duty to fix a rate commensurate with the level of services to be provided by the authority; and if he will make a statement.

There are no general statutory powers to intervene in such circumstances. It is open to any ratepayer to challenge an inadequate rate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) in the event of Greater London council's abolition, which boroughs will be expected to take responsibility for Victoria Park, Hampstead Heath and Crystal Palace;(2) if the proposals in Cmnd. 9063 imply a legal requirement on London boroughs to take responsibility for Greater London council parks and open spaces within their boundaries.

On the abolition of the Greater London council, responsibility for the council's parks and open spaces will be transferred to the borough council in whose area they lie. Special arrangements may be necessary for any parks or open spaces which lie in more than one borough, and we will take account of any views expressed by the authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what transitional and permanent arrangements Her Majesty's Government are seeking to negotiate in order to limit the potential damage to the Gibraltar economy arising from the expected inflow of Spanish workers to the territory following Spain's accession to the European Community.

Transitional arrangements, where relevant to Gibraltar, would be the same for Gibraltar as for the rest of the European Community. As we have told the Gibraltar Government, the Community is seeking a transitional period, no less than for Greece, on the free movement of labour for Spanish workers. The Community is also seeking a declaration on the free movement of workers similar to that attached to the Greek Treaty of Accession.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the new relationship between the United States and Israel, he will reconsider the participation of the United Kingdom with the United States in the Lebanese multinational force.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that families of British subjects whose relatives die in countries such as Saudi Arabia are speedily and accurately informed of the cause and manner of death.

Our consular officers abroad are aware of the need to notify next-of-kin as quickly as possible about the deaths of British nationals within their districts. However, our consuls are not always informed about such deaths nor are they always the first to learn of them. In the case of Saudi Arabia, many of the British citizens who die there are employed by companies who have the means and the wish to inform the next of kin themselves and to make arrangements for local burial or the return of the remains to the United Kingdom. Although our consular officers abroad have no investigative powers, they will, on request, ask the local authorities to provide information about the cause and manner of death, for passing on to the next of kin.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what improvements have been instituted in the past 12 months in the procedures British embassies adopt when helping relatives of those British citizens who die while working abroad.

As my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind), the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said on 11 May, our consuls abroad provide whatever practical help and advice they can to relatives and friends of the deceased-for example, by putting them in touch with the police and local authorities. They will also provide a list of local lawyers, names of suitable interpreters, and give advice about local burial, cremation, or repatriation of the remains. It is, however, for the local police to investigate any suspicious circumstances concerning the death.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many places have been available in local authority homes for the elderly in each of the counties in Wales in each of the last five years; and how many places were available for every 1,000 of the population over the age of (a) 65 years and (b) 75 years in each of the Welsh counties for each of those years.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many acres of planted and matured trees have been sold by the Forestry Commission during the last three years in Wales; and what was the total revenue received from these sales.

During the period in question, the Forestry Commission has sold 1,200 hectares —2,990 acres—of plantations and received some £1·5 million from their sale.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to introduce further training initiatives in Wales in respect of people who have been unemployed for more than two years; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's community programme already provides opportunities for the long term unemployed. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced on 16 November—[Vol. 48, c. 481–482.]—it will continue for a further two years from October 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the proportion per million of population of treatment for new kidney patients he anticipates from his new proposals; when he expects to achieve his target figure; what is the difference between his target figure and the highest in Europe; if he will make a comparison between the figures for Wales and for various parts of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Our proposals will provide facilities for 50 new patients per million populatin by 1985. Comparable statistics for Europe and other parts of the United Kingdom are not currently available. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my hon. Friend's written reply to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Dr. Thomas) on 10 November—[Vol. 48, c. 221.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what the percentage variation was, comparing the highest with the lowest figure, in expenditure on energy consumption indexed per cubic metre of building in acute general hospitals in Wales in 1981–82.

The unit costs per 100 cubic metres for all acute and mainly acute hospitals in Wales are shown in "Welsh Costing Returns" for the year ended 31 March 1982. The highest is in Brecon war memorial hospital at £758 per 100 cubic metres and the lowest in Royal Gwent hospital at £224 per 100 cubic metres, a ratio of 1: 3.38.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take in view of the prospective local authority capital overspending in Wales in the current year.

I have written to the leaders of Welsh local authorities telling them that I intend to make additional resources of £50 million available towards the predicted overspend and calling on them to limit their capital expenditure in the present year to commitments entered into by midnight on Friday 2 December 1983. A copy of my letter has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites authorised by the Welsh Office for the disposal of radioactive waste in the past year under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960; from which specified premises; for which specified wastes; and if he will list the owners of each of the sites.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures tabulating the extra revenue obtained from the higher rate income tax bands, in each year since 1978–79, at current and constant prices.

Estimates of the income tax due from the higher rate income tax bands in excess of basic rate liability are as follows. The figures exclude yield from the investment income surcharge.

asked the Chancellor of the exchequer if he will consider encouraging greater private investment in the theatre by enabling investors to offset income tax or capital gains tax liabilities arising from an investment of £5,000 per individual, provided that such an investment was in a live production which is open to the public; what would be the estimated cost to the Exchequer, less the income tax which the Treasury receives from investors who make profits out of successful theatre productions; and if any similar arrangement exists in any other member ' state of the European Community.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion, but I do not think that it would be right to single out this particular type of investment for special tax treatment. Insufficient information is available on which to base an estimate of the net cost of the proposed relief. As far as I am aware, no comparable arrangement for relief for investment in commercial theatres exists in any other member state of the European Community.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue is raised from income and capital taxes paid by foreign nationals who have purchased homes in the United Kingdom.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many Inland Revenue jobs will be lost as a consequence of his decision to scrap 22 million tax files; and where these jobs are located.

Savings resulting from this change are provisionally estimated at 600 units, and the resources thus released will be deployed on other work during 1984–85.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his policy of obtaining maximum value from public expenditure, he will take steps to separate the known costs of Government Departments between subsistence and travel by road, rail, and air, respectively.

It is for Departments to design their financial management systems to separate their costs in the way most helpful to obtaining maximum value from their expenditure. However, the Treasury is setting up a system —expected to be operational by mid 1984—to collect the principal constituent parts of travel and subsistence costs from the 10 largest Departments. This will help ensure that the rules for travel and subsistence promote cost effectiveness.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long it takes for a vehicle, proceeding to a continental port, for the purpose of storing a continental vessel, to clear the customs at ports of exit, especially Dover and Felixstowe.