asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the code of practice for the manufacture, testing and supply of car control conversion equipment for the disabled.

I am very conscious of the need to maintain safety standards for car control conversions for disabled people, but in our view the draft code might inhibit development and I have no plans to publish it in its present form.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a list of principal roads in each metropolitan county which might be trunked on the basis stated in paragraph 11 of the consultation document, "Reorganisation of local government in the metropolitan counties: reallocation of transport responsibilities".

It would be misleading to publish any list until I have considered the comments which local authorities and others are free to make until the end of January in response to the consultation document.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report all local authority road schemes accepted for transport supplementary grant payable in 1983–84.

Transport supplementary grant relates to the total accepted expenditure for each county. Grant payments cannot be related to particular capital schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to the metropolitan county councils and the Greater London council under the provisions of the Transport Act 1983 about protected levels of revenue support to public transport in the next financial year.

I have given these authorities guidance, under the provisions of section 4(5) of the Transport Act 1983, that the maximum amounts of revenue grants which it would in my opinion be appropriate for them to make in the year beginning 1 April 1984 are:

Authority	Protected Expenditure Level (PEL)
	£ million
Greater London	266*
Greater Manchester	50

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify the pilot housing projects for the handicapped in the United Kingdom which have received aid from the European Community's scheme of funding for pilot housing actions since 1979; and how many dwellings are involved in each case.

Funding arrangements for individual pilot housing projects are a matter for direct negotiation between the European Community and applicants for support under the scheme. The latest information on United Kingdom projects funded under the scheme was set out in Community document COM/ 80/491, instrument 9720/80, in which the Commission reported on projects funded between 1974 and 1978, considered by the Commons Select Committee on European legislation in March 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council (a) houses and (b) flats have been sold since 1979 by the London borough of Ealing; how these figures compare with other London boroughs; and if he will make a statement.

Figures of sales of houses and flats by London boroughs for the years 1979–80 to 1982–83 were given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Maples) on 15 November. —[Vol. 48, c. 384.] Figures reported by the boroughs for the quarter ending June 1983 are as follows:

Sale of local authority dwellings—London boroughs April-June 1983
	Houses	Flats
Barking and Dagenham	183	7
Barnet	142	64
Bexley	49	7
Brent	n.a.	n.a.
Bromley	143	32
Camden	11	38
Croydon	172	0
Ealing	114	30
Enfield	97	38
Greenwich	73	37
Hackney	n.a.	n.a.
Hammersmith and Fulham	35	25
Haringey	69	11
Harrow	46	8
Havering	104	16
Hillingdon	n.a.	n.a.
Hounslow	164	15
Islington	20	61

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff were employed by the Yorkshire water authority (a) in its first year of operation, and (b) at the latest date; and what percentage of these totals were employees engaged on administrative functions.

The Yorkshire water authority employed 5,422 staff in its first month—April 1974—6,154 by the end of its first year and 6,163 staff in September 1983. The proportion of non-manual staff was 35 per cent. in March 1975 and 49 per cent. in September 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will allocate capital and revenue finance to a London-wide programme for the replacement of the three Rowton hostels in London; and if he will make a statement.

I shall shortly be meeting representatives of the local authorities directly concerned, to discuss the capital and revenue implications of their proposals for the management, refurbishment and replacement of the hostels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with regard to the designation of a gipsy site at Chelson Meadow, Sparkwell; and when he hopes to make the requisite designation as recommended by the local inquiry instituted by the Devon county council.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently considering an objection lodged by the Plymouth city council under Section 8 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to the proposed gipsy site at Chelson meadow. In doing so he will take account of all the information that is put before him, which will include the findings of the informal public inquiry set up by Devon county council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government are satisfied with the speed of registration of commoners' rights on common land on Dartmoor; and if he will expedite registration in view of the deposit of the petition for the Dartmoor Commons Bill.

The hearing of objections concerning common rights on Dartmoor is proceeding as speedily as possible. One of the four commons commissioners has been employed full time on this since April 1982 and the complexity of the work is such that it is considered expedient that the remaining cases should be dealt with by the same commissioner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he wil llist those exempted organisations holding certificates issued by his Department permitting them to hold rallies and set up managed sites under the first schedule to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960; how many certificates have been withdrawn; and how many of those holding exempted certificates have notified the local planning authorities of their intention to use a particular site.

The organisations holding certificates that are permitted to hold caravan rallies and set up managed sites are:

• The Caravan Club Ltd
• The Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland Ltd
• The Motor Caravanners Club Ltd

No such certificates have been withdrawn and I understand that it is the practice of all three organisations to notify local planning authorities of their intention to set up a particular managed site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to including in the building regulations the minimum standards incorporated in BS 6262

BS 6262 is the British Standard code of practice for glazing in buildings and contains recommendations on safety of glazing. We are always willing to consider the case for building regulations which improve the safety of people in and around buildings, but in this case I understand that the code of practice has been effective and that the glazing industry has been successful in securing the widespread adoption of the recommended standards. My officials are in touch with the British Standards Institution over ways of removing any obstacles that may remain in securing full adoption of the standard by voluntary means.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends that trading standards work currently undertaken by metropolitan county councils should, on their abolition, be handed over to the chambers of commerce; and if he will consider appropriate fundings.

No. As indicated in the White Paper "Streamlining the Cities", Cmnd. 9063, the proposal is that responsibility for trading standards work currently undertaken by metropolitan county councils should pass to the appropriate district councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what companies presently under the umbrella of the British Technology Group are currently being considered for disposal.

Under the 1980 Guidelines for the NEB, the board is required to dispose of all its investments as soon as commercially practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is the current situation in relation to the disposal of Bull Motors Ltd. by the British Technology Group; and whether steps are being considered in this context to preserve the firm as a provider of employment and as a source of competition;(2) whether he will ensure that any disposal of Bull Motors Ltd. by the British Technology Group will be undertaken with firm safeguards to prevent asset-stripping;(3) whether he will ensure that detailed discussions will take place with all parties who may be interested in acquiring Bull Motors from the British Technology Group.

This is a matter for the British Technology Group in the first instance. My right hon. Friend has received no proposal from them in relation to the disposal of Bull Motors Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department has made any study of the presence of nitrosamine in babies' dummies and teats.

The laboratory of the government chemist, a research establishment of my Department, has taken part in an extensive collaborative study on the analytical determination of nitrosamines in babies' teats organised by the Ministry of Health — Bundesgesundheitsamt — of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is now in a position to provide reliable data on nitrosamines in teats if required by Departments or industry. Additionally, the laboratory has given advance advice to United Kingdom rubber manufacturers on the analytical methodology so that they may be able to make their own measurements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are his proposals for the provision of trading standards services in metropolitan areas after the abolition of the metropolitan authorities.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) of 7 December 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has had asking for amendments to section 68(a) of the Consumer Credit Act to change the emphasis in that section from the date on which the consumer received the posted notice to the date on which it was posted to him; and from whom.

I have received representations on behalf of the Glass and Glazing Federation asking for this amendment to section 68(a) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will consider amending section 68(a) of the Consumer Credit Act to change the emphasis in that section from the date on which the consumer received the posted notice to the date on which it was posted to him.

No. There is no evidence to suggest that this type of provision, which operates at present under other statutes, gives rise to abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to amend the relevant legislation to enable pension funds and unit trusts to vote in cases where companies in which they share the equity seek authority from their shareholders to make political donations.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in expenditure on agriculture in the European Community Her Majesty's Government expect in 1984.

The provision in the European Communities 1984 draft budget for expenditure on the common agricultural policy is 600 million ecu above the provision made in 1983. But the hon. Member will know that discussions on the reform of the common agricultural policy are still continuing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results of the monitoring of fish and shellfish which his Department has carried out following the recent incident at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement.

My Department's fisheries radiobiological laboratory has analysed samples of fish and shellfish collected in the Sellafield area. For fish the range of values obtained was consistent with the levels of radioactivity that would have been expected prior to the incident. The concentrations of caesium are in general less than those recently published for 1981 reflecting the reduction in 137Cs discharges from Sellafield. No other radionuclides were detected in fish. It is clear from these results that any additional exposure to members of the public resulting from the recent incident through the consumption of fish would be negligible.For shellfish only 106Ru in some samples of mussels was found at a significantly higher level than usual., and there is some evidence that even this may be declining. Even on the most pessimistic assumptions the resulting doses to the most exposed members of the public would not approach the limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Details of the results are given in the following tables:

Fish Flesh—November 1983
Date	Location	Type	137Cs Bq. kg-1
15 November 1983	Ravenglass	Plaice	240
		Cod	250
16 November 1983	Whitehaven Market	Plaice	110
18 November 1983	Sellafield Pipeline Area	Plaice	260
		Whiting	400
		Flounder	310
		Brill	490
		Dab	280
		Codling	230
20 November 1983	Whitehaven Market	Plaice	170
	Ravensglass	Cod	360
22 November 1983	Whitehaven Market	Cod	100
24 November 1983	Drigg	Cod	540
	Whitehaven Market	Herring	64

Shellfish—November 1983
Concentrations Bq. kg-1 (wet)
Date	Location	Type	106Ru	95Zr	95Nb	137Cs	241Am
15 November 1983	Nethertown	Winkles	3,400	120	400	180	18
18 November 1983	Sellafield pipeline (sea)	Whelks	1,400	24	99	110	11
21 November 1983	Sellafield (Beach)	Winkles	8,600	460	1,700	250	95
		Mussels	29,000	2,000	5,200	150	42
	St. Bees	Winkles	2,000	52	150	82	17
		Mussels	3,100	92	280	81	45
		Limpets	1,700	160	370	130	56
22 November 1983	Ravenglass	Mussels	5,900	420	2,400	98	57
24 November 1983	Drigg	Mussels	14,000	790	2,200	160	ND
	Barnscar	Winkles	4,500	140	490	160	60
29 November 1983	Sellafield (Beach)	Mussels	8,100	470	1,170	79	28

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many German Shepherd dogs were exported to Nigeria in 1981, 1982 and to the nearest available date in 1983.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that this information is not available as dogs are not separately identified in the statistics of overseas trade.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take immediate steps to ban the mass exporting of German Shepherd dogs to Nigeria; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.No. I am not satisfied on present evidence that it would be right to interfere with the export of dogs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of refits for conventional submarines giving the cost in each case, and for each of the past seven years, at (a) royal dockyards and (b) British Shipbuilders.

It is not our normal practice to provide details of dockyard costs on a case by case basis or release information on the prices charged by contractors.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy to retain members of the armed forces who join Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

Under successive Governments service men have been debarred from taking an active part in the affairs of any political organisation or party.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts (1) whether he will introduce legislation to set up a National Archives Council, incorporating the relevant professional expertise, to tender advice on all matters relating to historical documentary records;(2) whether he will introduce legislation to establish minimum standards for the custody of archives in public and other licensed repositories, covering matters such as storage condition, level of establishment and training of staff;(3) whether he will introduce legislation to create a national inspectorate to monitor the maintenance of standards in the care of archives at national and local level and to administer a system of registration and licensing of repositories.

My noble Friend has no plans for legislation on these subjects.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts whether he will introduce legislation to prohibit the export of registered collections of archive documents to ensure that the archive heritage is not further depleted.

Archive documents are sufficiently protected by existing regulations, under which specific export licences are needed to export any documents, manuscripts or archives irrespective of value and over 50 years old, unless they are part of the personal papers of the exporter or spouse of the exporter. Applications for such licences are scrutinised by the relevant expert in the national collections and may be referred, if necessary, to the reviewing committee on the export of works of art, which advises my noble Friend the Minister for the Arts in cases where refusal of an export licence is suggested on grounds of national importance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action Her Majesty's Government have taken recently on the fifth directive on company law relating to the disclosure of information to emplpoyees in multinational companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what recent initiatives Her Majesty's Government have taken to advance the Vredeling proposals on employee participation in multinationals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives Her Majesty's Government have taken to advance the Vredeling directive on disclosure of information in multinational companies.

The Government are at present consulting interested parties on both the draft Vredeling directive on procedures for informing and consulting employees and the draft Fifth directive on the harmonisation of company law. A copy of the consultative document was placed in the Library on 9 November 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take in the light of the European Court of Justice ruling of 8 November relating to non-compliance of the United Kingdom with Community legislation on sex equality.

The European Court has found that the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 does not fully comply with the EC's equal treatment directive. We are studying the terms of the judgment and will consider carefully what action is necessary to ensure that we meet our Treaty obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the allocation for article 4 of the European social fund went to the United Kingdom in the last year.

In 1982 the United Kingdom's share of article 4 of the European Social fund was 39·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of total expenditure under each of the major training and retraining projects supervised by his Department in 1982 was funded through the European social fund.

The major training and retraining programmes funded by the Department of Employment are those operated by the Manpower Services Commission. Those which attracted grants from the European Social Fund in 1982, together with the proportion of total estimated expenditure which this represents, are as follows:

Scheme	Social Fund grants as a proportion of total estimated expenditure in 1982* per cent.
Youth Opportunities Programme (including New Style Training Places)	20
Community Industry	11
Training Opportunities Programme	11
Employment Rehabilitation	37·5

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of total expenditure in the first full year of the youth training scheme he estimates will come from the European social fund.

The European Commission has not yet announced its decision on social fund allocations for 1983 for the major youth training programmes, including the youth training scheme, but I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the implementation of the youth training scheme in the metropolitan borough of Knowsley.

Some 1,340 youngsters had entered the youth training scheme in the Metropolitan borough of Knowsley by the end of November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations his Department has had from the city of Manchester's planning officer with regard to the effects on public health of the extensive use of microwaves in telecommunications; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the city of Manchester's planning officer has not made any such general representations. He has, however, consulted the Health and Safety Executive's local office about one proposed installation in Manchester, and has been given appropriate reassurance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what advice he is giving local planning authorities with regard to the effects on public health of the extensive use of microwaves in telecommunications; and if he will make a statement;(2) what advice he is giving local planning authorities with regard to the health effects for maintenance workers of the extensive use of microwaves in telecommunications; and if he will make a statement.

I do not see any need to issue general guidance to local planning authorities on these subjects. It is primarily for the Department of Trade and Industry, as the Department responsible for licensing microwave telecommunications, and the Health and Safety Executive, as the body responsible for enforcing the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, to ensure that the health of general public and of maintenance workers is safeguarded. However, it is open to any local planning authority to seek advice from the Health and Safety Executive on the health and safety aspects of any proposal to install such telecommunications facilities in its area, and such advice will be forthcoming.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that the statutory authorities now make a speedy decision as to whether the payment received by Mr. Cripps, Riverside Cottage, Staverton, Totnes, was a redundancy payment, or payment in lieu of notice, or a mixture of both.

I understand that the independent statutory authorities made a decision in this case on 2 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much it costs his Department per year to produce and distribute the newspaper Energy Management; and if he will arrange for it to be privatised.

Energy Management newspaper costs £136,000 to produce and distribute annually. The newspaper is an essential component in the energy efficiency office's programme of information and advice to industry. I would consider any proposal to privatise the newspaper, if it would continue to provide industry with the information and advice currently provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will hold discussions with the British Gas Corporation and the area electricity councils with a view to them encouraging their areas and boards to develop consistent policies on reconnection charges, long-term disconnection and the level of debt allowed before disconnection is threatened;(2) if he will hold discussions with the Gas and Electricity Boards on extending the code of practice covering disconnections to cover theft from prepayment meters, long-term disconnections and unreasonable arrangements for the repayment of debts.

I have nothing to add to the reply by my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Shaw) on 5 December—[Vol. 50, c. 47]—to the right hon. Member on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will consider removing from the fuel industries the power to disconnect domestic fuel supplies and introducing a statutory code or other judicial control of disconnection.

The industries' code of practice is designed to enable their staff to exercise the maximum possible flexibitity and discretion in considering the individual circumstances of each case. Imposition of a statutory code would introduce an undesirable inflexibility into the industries' approach to the problem of disconnections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 617 persons in Vietnam to whom visa promise letters were issued have been admitted to the United Kingdom for permanent settlement.

I regret that the information requested is not available centrally. Once a visa promise letter has been issued the arrangements for communicating the decision to the applicants in Vietnam and arranging arrival in the United Kingdom are normally handled by the voluntary refugee agencies and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to end the practice of prisoners on remand being sent from London to Solihull police station because there is insufficient accommodation in London.

Our aim is to end this practice by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he uses to assess the efficiency of the police forces in England in general and of the Metropolitan police in particular.

My right hon. and learned Friend is advised by Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary about the efficiency of police forces in England and Wales, except the Metropolitan police. The guidance which was issued last month to police authorities and chief officers of police about the effective and efficient use of resources indicates the approach to be used by Her Majesty's Inspectorate in the future.Under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829, the Commissioner is responsible, in the first instance, for the efficiency of the Metropolitan police; but the principles in the guidance apply to the Metropolitan police as to other forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unsentenced people suffering from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959 were in custody at 31 March and 30 September respectively.

The available information shows that there were 159 such persons in custody on 30 March 1983 and 198 on 29 September 1983.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current annual revenue from the taxation of benefits paid to the unemployed; and what is his estimate of the revenue which will accrue in the 1984–5 tax year.

The yield in a full year at 1983–84 levels from taxing benefits paid to the unemployed is estimated at about £675 million. On the illustrative assumptions contained in the autumn statement and the report by the Government Actuary^*, the yield in a full year at 1984–5 levels would be about £725 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name the one private hospital that has received relief under the businees start-up scheme; and if he will name the several other companies that have sought investments for which a claim for relief may be made when qualifying trade commences.

It is not the practice to disclose information about the affairs of particular taxpayers. Any public announcement is a matter for the companies concerned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he included agricultural trading within the scope of the business expansion scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The business expansion scheme, and the business start-up scheme which it replaced, included qualifying farming companies in order to provide an incentive for new outside investment in new and expanding businesses. Tenant farmers, for example, may have no other readily available source of additional finance.I am keeping a close watch on the way the scheme is developing following the initial, encouraging response from investors and business men. It would however be premature to draw conclusions from the limited information so far available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the level of finance raised under the business expansion scheme going to companies requiring less than £100,000.

Claims for tax relief under the business expansion scheme cannot he made until after 1 January 1984, so it is too soon to have information about the amounts of finance raised and the distribution of investments among companies. But I have noted that a number of approved investment funds have indicated their willingness to consider companies requiring less than £100,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended that the current tax allowances and reliefs linked to mobility allowance should be extended to war pensioners' mobility supplement.

I propose in next year's Finance Bill to provide for first year capital allowances to be available in respect of capital expenditure on cars leased to recipients of war pensioners' mobility supplement, and for such recipients to be exempt from vehicle excise duty. Since the scheme under which war pensioners' mobility supplement is payable operates from 21 November 1983, I intend that the provisions should apply to expenditure and vehicle excise duty incurred on and after that date. In addition, an order will be made shortly amending the Value Added Tax (Cars) Order 1980 to allow the present VAT relief on cars supplied to disabled persons in receipt of mobility allowance to apply also in the case of war pensioners who qualify for war pensioners' mobility supplement. This extended relief will be applied extra-statutorily from 21 November until the order comes into effect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of assessing income from the letting of self-catering facilities under schedule D case 1, rather than the present schedule D case 6; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 December 1983, c. 26]: I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to self-catering holiday accommodation. It was announced on 6 July—[Vol. 45, c. 361]—that the Government intend to introduce legislation in the 1984 Finance Bill to extend certain capital gains tax reliefs and earned income treatment to proprietors of furnished holiday lettings. The cost of taxing this activity under schedule D case I might be of the order of £10 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British aid funds have been contributed or pledged, directly or indirectly, through the European Community or other international agencies, to the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference.

The British Government have pledged £12 million to the Southern African Development Coordination Conference, of which just over £10 million has been committed to railway improvement in Mozambique and the rest is reserved for manpower development, port management and fisheries research. In January the European Community pledged about $2 million from the European development fund to help finance the SADCC secretariat, and we shall bear our rated share of this. I do not have details of pledges made by other international agencies to whose work we make general contributions from the aid programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the annual cost to the police and other law enforcement agencies in Scotland arising from the situation in Northern Ireland.

The information on which to base such an estimate is not held centrally or recorded separately; it could be provided by police and other sources only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many barnacle geese were shot under licence in the winter of 1982–83 on Isley; and in how many instances was (a) the licence issued unused and (b) no return made by the licensee to the appropriate authority.

The number of barnacle geese shot under licence in the winter of 1982–83 on Islay was 956; in all instances (a) the licences issued were used and (b) returns were made by the licensee to the appropriate authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is his intention to issue licences to landowners on Islay to shoot barnacle geese; whether owners who are not occupiers are also eligible for such licences; and what advice has been given by the Nature Conservancy Council on the subject of licensing owners, who are not in occupation, to shoot barnacle geese.

Licences to shoot barnacle geese have been issued to landowners on Islay; owners who are not occupiers are eligible for such licences. The Nature Conservancy Council has advised against the issue of licences to landowners who are not occupiers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many convictions for drug offences in Scottish courts have involved United States military personnel over the past five years.

Information about court proceedings collected by my Department does not include the occupation of the person proceeded against.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures to show (a) in Tayside region and (b) in Grampian region (i) the extent of the waiting lists for orthopaedic, ear, nose and throat and eye consultations and (ii) the extent of the waiting lists for surgery following such consultations; and, for each case, whether the lists have shortened or lengthened in the past two years.

Information about the number of persons awaiting outpatient consultations is not available centrally. The numbers on waiting lists for admission to hospital at 30 September each year are as follows:

	Specialty
	Orthopaedic surgery	Ear, nose and throat	Opthalmology
Tayside health board
1981	1,655	777	161
1982	2,498	*	370
1983	2,613	1,269	453
Grampian health board
1981	441	1,743	1,040
1982	755	2,485	1,518
1983	1,067	2,248	1,461
* Figures not available owing to the industrial dispute in the Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the selling price of the Dryburgh abbey hotel; who was the purchaser; and why the hotel was not put on the open market.

I am asking the chairman of the Scottish Transport Group to write to the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospital beds are available in each health board area for elderly people in need of specialist care and attention.

At 31 March 1982—the latest date for which statistics are available centrally — the following number of staffed beds were available in each health board area for elderly patients, including those with mental disability:

	Numbers
Argyll and Clyde	1,021
Ayrshire and Arran	978
Borders	409
Dumfries and Galloway	510
Fife	899
Forth Valley	553
Grampian	1,399
Greater Glasgow	2,427
Highland	382
Lanarkshire	996
Lothian	1,706
Orkney	—
Shetland	87
Tayside	1,470
Western Isles	97
Total	12,934

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nurses are in post in each health board area for the nursing of geriatric patients.

Provisional numbers of trained nurses and nursing auxiliaries — whole-time equivalents —employed in geriatric hospitals and in long-stay units mainly for geriatric patients at 31 March 1983 are as follows:

Health boards	Trained nurses (WTE)	Nursing auxiliaries (WTE)
Argyll and Clyde	137·6	261·0
Ayrshire and Arran	166·9	229·6
Borders	61·1	98·8
Dumfries and Galloway	56·9	35·8
Fife	79·9	63·5
Forth Valley	152·4	252·4
Grampian	213·3	239·8
Greater Glasgow	409·1	651·5
Highland	61·3	59·5
Lanarkshire	286·8	263·7
Lothian	287·9	318·2
Orkney	—	—
Shetland	—	—
Tayside	264·8	297·0
Western Isles	38·9	14·8
Total	2,216·9	2,785·6

Statistics of nurses in training at these hospitals are not available. Geriatric patients are nursed also in general and geriatric beds in general and teaching hospitals, but the number of nursing staff involved cannot be separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many doctors with specialist qualifications are in post in each health board area for the treatment of geriatric patients.

The numbers of consultants engaged wholly in geriatric medicine in Scotland as at 30 September 1982 are as follows. Geriatric patients are also treated by consultants in many other specialties.

Health board	Consultants in geriatric medicine
Argyll and Clyde	4
Ayrshire and Arran	3
Borders	1
Dumfries and Galloway	2
Fife	2
Forth Valley	3
Grampian	4
Greater Glasgow	18
Highland	2
Lanark	5
Lothian	10
Orkney	—
Shetland	—
Tayside	7
Western Isles	1
	—
Scotland	62

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many elderly men and women are on the waiting list for treatment as geriatric patients in each area health board.

At 31 March 1982—the latest date for which statistics are available centrally—the number of elderly men and women on the waiting lists for treatment as geriatric patients in each area health board was as follows:

Health Board	Geriatric Assessment	Geriatric Long stay
Argyll and Clyde	51	83
Ayrshire and Arran	—	—
Borders	20	43
Dumfries and Galloway	41	—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional measures he proposes to make available to area health boards for the provision of additional beds and nursing of geriatric patients.

The formula used for calculating the distribution of funding between health boards takes into account the different age and sex structures in each board's population. Boards which have a high proportion of elderly people in their area will therefore find this reflected in their allocation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many elderly people are presently accommodated in old people's homes in each regional council area of Scotland.

The information requested is as follows:

Regional Council	Number of Residents* aged over 65 years (Estimated at 31 March 1982)
Borders	480
Central	503
Dumfries and Galloway	430
Fife	763
Grampian	1,449
Highland	612
Lothian	1,997
Strathclyde	4,854
Tayside	1,454
Orkney	65
Shetland	74
Western Isles	131
TOTAL—SCOTLAND	12,812
* In both local authority and voluntary homes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in table form the number of men and women in Scotland between 65 and 75, and between 75 and 85 years of age; and how many are over that age.

The latest information available is given in table 1 of "Annual Estimates of the Population of Scotland 1982", a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many district nurses are available in each health board area to visit elderly sick people in their own homes.

Provisional numbers of district nurses — whole-time equivalent — available in each health board area at 30 September 1983 are as follows:

Health Boards	District Nurses (WTE)
Argyll and Clyde	164·9
Ayrshire and Arran	112·9
Borders	19·0
Dumfries and Galloway	31·9
Fife	153·3
Forth Valley	82·1
Grampian	193·3
Greater Glasgow	481·7
Highland	62·8
Lanarkshire	191·4
Lothian	235·9
Orkney	12·2
Shetland	6·7
Tayside	109·2
Western Isles	—

The figures exclude the community nurses (684.5 WTE) who combine midwifery, district nurse and health visitor duties.In 1982, 55·8 per cent. of visits by district nurses were to people aged 75 and over, and 79·6 per cent. to people aged 65 and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the recommendations contained in the publication, "Growing Older", are being fully implemented by his Department and local health boards in Scotland.

I am satisfied that my Department and health boards in Scotland take fully into account the terms of the White Paper "Growing Older"—Cmnd. 8173—in the provision of services for the elderly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many Scottish local authority areas the total value for house improvement grant applications already lodged and approved for work to be completed in the 1984–85 financial year will exceed the available funds.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for home affairs and the environment made it clear to the House on 25 October — [Vol. 47, c. 232] — that in determining authorities' allocations for the next financial year we shall fully cover all legally binding commitments entered into before 20 October. I shall inform housing authorities of their provisional allocations shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide local authorities responsible for day centres for the elderly with additional resources to maintain and expand the service.

The number of day centre places provided by local authorities has risen from 1,355 in 1979 to 2,212 in 1982. It is for local authorities to determine priorities, but the Government's planning figures for social work services will continue to take the needs of the elderly into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which Scottish universities make special courses available to doctors who wish to specialise in the care and treatment of elderly people; and how many students are presently enrolled in such courses.

All Scottish medical schools include geriatric medicine in their curriculum and Edinburgh and Glasgow universities have chairs of geriatric medicine. Higher medical training for consultant appointment is the responsibility of the Joint Committee for Higher Medical Training which includes in its composition representatives of the four Royal Colleges of Physicians and of the Association of Clinical Professors of Medicine. At present there is an establishment of 15 posts in Scotland for senior registrars undergoing higher medical training in geriatric medicine.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the volume of traffic in each direction on the A5 trunk road between Britannia bridge and Holyhead, at appropriate traffic census points which have been studied during the past few years.

I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many Manpower Services Commission schemes in the county of Dyfed have not materialised over the past month; why they have been abandoned; and how many individuals have been affected by the abandonment of such schemes.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that none of its schemes in Dyfed has been abandoned. However, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment indicated in his statement of 16 November—[Vol. 48, c. 481–82]—places on the community programme have been filled faster than budgeted and the Manpower Services Commission will be carefully controlling the filling of places for the remainder of this financial year. This has meant that in Dyfed 11 community programme schemes approved before November 1983 and providing 68 places are being deferred until the position is reviewed in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many acres will be planted with trees by the Forestry Commission in Wales during 1984 and 1985; and if he will make a statement.

The new planting and restocking proposed by the Forestry Commission is as follows:

Year ending	New planting		Restocking		Total
31 March	hectares	acres	hectares	acres	hectares	acres
1985	200	(494)	1,500	(3,707)	1,700	(4,201)
1986	260	(642)	1,470	(3,632)	1,730	(4,274)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed by the Forestry Commission in Wales; what were the corresponding figures for the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

At the end of September 1983, the number of employees was 1,203. The corresponding figure in 1960 was 3,410; in 1970, 1,809; and in 1980, 1,350.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales; what subjects were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I last met the chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales on 5 October when, together with the chairmen of other Welsh public bodies, we considered a wide range of matters affecting their responsibilities for development within Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Iraqi Government about the violation of human rights in Iraq described in the special Amnesty International report recently published; and if he will make a statement.

The Government of Iraq can be in no doubt of our concern at violations of human rights. We deplore such violations wherever they may occur, and have made that clear at the United Nations and other international forums.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Iraq concerning the danger to British intersts of an Iraqi attack on Iranian oil installations; and if he will make a statement.

We are neutral in the war between Iran and Iraq and have urged both sides to show restraint and settle their differences peacefully. We would deplore any action that might lead to an escalation of the conflict. The safety of British subjects and of our other interests in areas of actual or potential hostilities is kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the relations between the United Kingdom and Nicaragua.

Our policy is to maintain correct relations towards Nicaragua.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the Foreign Minister of Nicaragua.

My right hon. and learned Friend is willing to meet representatives of the Government of Nicaragua when the need arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent communications he has received from British residents in Nicaragua.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no recent communications from British residents in Nicaragua.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the plans made for the evacuation of British citizens from Nicaragua by the United States embassy in Managua in the event of an emergency.

No. Contingency plans for evacuation of United Kingdom nationals include a number of options. This is normal practice and it would not be in the interests of those concerned to publish the details.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the safety of British citizens in Nicaragua.

We have no reason to believe that the safety of United Kingdom nationals in Nicaragua is threatened at present. But we have contingency plans for safeguarding British citizens in all Central American countries should circumstances put them at risk.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will ratify protocol No. 4 of the European convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

I see no immediate prospect of our being able to ratify.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiatives he is undertaking to help resolve the situation which has arisen in Cyprus.

We have, as envisaged by the 1960 treaty of guarantee, proposed consultations together with the other guarantor powers. We have tabled a draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council which was subsequently adopted by an overwhelming majority. We remain in close consultation with interested Governments and with the United Nations Secretary General. We have made clear that we shall support his efforts and stand ready to help him to pursue his mission of good offices to which the United Nations Security Council resolution refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to the present position in Cyprus.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's attitude to the situation in Cyprus.

In my statement to the House of 15 November—[Vol. 48, c. 725–30]—I made clear that we deplore the recent purported declaration of independence by the Turkish Cypriot community. The United Nations Security Council resolution 541, which we fully support, called on all concerned not to do anything to exacerbate the situation. We attach great importance to this. In accordance with his mandate in this resolution, the United Nations Secretary General is pursuing his mission of good offices. We support his efforts to stand ready to help him. We remain ready to hold the consultations we have proposed between the guarantor powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will seek to renegotiate the relevant treaties relating to diplomatic immunity so that all diplomats may no longer avoid prosecution for infringements of motoring legislation, such as illegal parking.

This would represent a significant departure from established international law and practice. There is no realistic prospect of securing general agreement to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will open an embassy in Managua.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 9 November.—[Vol. 48, c. 167.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches he has made to the new Turkish Government concerning the mass trials of trade unionists in the country.

We have made no approaches to the Turkish authorities on this subject since the elections on 6 November. Following these elections a new Government are in the process of being formed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Turkey.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him and the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 9 November.—[Vol. 48, c. 164.]