asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the level of rate reductions to be achieved by the new structure of county authorities in the six metropolitan counties.

It is not possible at this stage for the Government to make any reliable estimate of the rate reductions which could result from the abolition of the metropolitan county councils. The more efficient structure of local government in these areas will give considerable scope for expenditure reductions and lower rates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost in 1983 for the payment of British Telecom accounts in respect of all United Kingdom offices under his control.

Payments to British Telecom in respect of all Department of the Environment offices, including the Property Services Agency, during the financial year 1982–83 totalled £8·451 million. This is the latest complete period for which figures are available. Around two-thirds of this is for the PSA.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken and proposes to take to ensure that local authorities and other public authorities dispose of surplus land as speedily as possible.

My right hon. Friend has published registers of unused and underused public land of an acre or more in size under part X of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, which also gives power to direct the disposal of such land. Owners of registered sites which appear to be retained without good reason are asked to explain their intentions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of unused and underused sites of more than one acre owned (a) by each local authority in England, and (b) other public bodies in England.

My right hon. Friend has already published under part X of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 a register for each English district and London borough of unused and underused sites of an acre or more in public ownership. Copies of the registers are available for inspection at the offices of these authorities, in the regional offices of the Department and in the Department's library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet completed his consultations with the local authority associations regarding the extension of the homes insulation grants scheme; and if he will make a statement.

I am proposing to consult the local authority associations shortly, and, subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures, to introduce regulations extending the homes insulation scheme early in the next financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of local authority-owned dwellings which have been vacant for over six months and 12 months up to April 1983;(2) if he will publish a list of the number of homes which

Information about vacant housing and about dwellings which are difficult to let is collected in English local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns: copies are available in the Library.The estimates for English local authorities' housing relating to 1 April 1983 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the clerical staffing arrangements at the north west regional office of his Department.

Yes, but if the hon. Member has any particular anxieties, perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average time from the submission of documents to the typing pool to the completion of typed correspondence at the north west regional office of his Department.

Currently normal typing takes two to three days from its receipt in the typing pool, with urgent work taking a shorter time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the timetable he has set for further research into acid rain.

My Department's expenditure on research in this field is about £600,000 in 1983–84, rising to about £1 million in 1984–85. The programme includes research on the environmental effects of acid deposition and its physico-chemical aspects. Much of the work is inherently long-term; projects are planned to run for three years initially, with annual review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the development of the Property Services Agency supplies trading fund.

The trading fund will remain part of the Property Services Agency but, for the purpose of future trading, will adopt a new corporate identity and use the name "The Crown Suppliers".

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what recent representations he has had from the Law Society of Scotland.

Apart from memoranda from the Law Society on a wide variety of law reform proposals I have recently received representations and a request for a meeting from the Law Society on the operation of the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what use the Lord Advocate's Department makes

The movement of letters, documents, parcels and packages from and between the offices of the Lord Advocate is, at the moment, done almost entirely within the public sector. The exceptions relate to the bulk movement of criminal case papers from Procurator Fiscals' offices to Crown Office and these are transported by security services. The cost-effectiveness of private sector facilities is kept under review having regard to the security and urgency of the material.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of tax units with investment income and the average investment income per unit in 1982–83 for (a) single persons, (b) married persons with one earner, and (c) married persons with two earners each aged (i) under 65 years and (ii) 65 years and over in each income range starting at a lower limit of £1,800.

Estimates, based on projections from the survey of personal incomes for 1981–82, are given in the following table. "Total income" includes only those forms of income liable to tax, before the deduction of personal allowances and reliefs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures available for the annual total cost of the public sector work force; and what is the average annual cost for an employee in (a) the Civil Service, (b) the National Health Service, (c) local government and (d) a public corporation.

The best available estimate of the total cost of the public sector work force is income from employment in the central Government, local authorities and public corporations sectors, shown in table 1.10—and table 9.4 for the National Health Service—of the National Income and Expenditure Blue Book, 1983 edition. Numbers employed at mid-year on a head count basis are shown in table 1.12 of the Blue Book, but it is not possible to calculate meaningful averages, mainly because of the difficulty of allowing for part-time work. Figures for the Civil Service are given in my memorandum on the Estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the number of value added tax refund claims under Customs and Excise notice No. 719 processed for the fiscal years 1980–81 and 1981–82.

The figures are 7,482 for 1980–81 and 7,105 for 1981–82.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers have been employed in each of the last five years; and if he will give the figures for Heathrow separately.

The numbers of staff in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise deployed on customs work in ports, airports and inland premises at 31 March in each of the last five years were as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of passengers are on average questioned by Customs officers (a) generally and (b) at Heathrow; and how this compares with the figures for each of the last five years.

No records of this nature are compiled on any regular basis, and this information is not therefore available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the income from the Customs for each of the last five years; and how much has been spent on the Customs service in these years at constant prices.

I assume the right hon. Member refers to the revenue from customs duties and agricultural levies and the costs related to the administration of customs work, exclusive of excise and VAT. The information for the last five financial years is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what decision he has now reached on the applications from areas to be designated as freeports.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive and to publish the next part of the report of the Keith committee on the enforcement powers of the Revenue Departments.

My right hon. Friend recently received, and has today published, volume 3 of the report which deals with the Inland Revenue taxes — capital transfer tax, development land tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duties — not covered in volumes 1 and 2. This detailed report merits careful study and consultation and my right hon. Friend would like to invite interested parties to submit their comments on volume 3 to the joint working group of the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise by 30 April 1984. The final part of the report dealing with the Customs and Excise duties other than VAT is expected later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how mortgage interest relief is calculated when the amount of mortgage includes the fixtures, fittings and furnishings of a home.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1984, c. 7]: Mortgage interest relief is available for loans for the purchase or improvement of the borrower's main residence. Fixtures and fittings will often qualify as part of the house or improvements to it. Claims for relief in respect of ordinary household items such as furniture are not allowable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current assessing tolerance of income tax below which Inland Revenue does not collect tax due; and when this amount was set.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1984, c. 15]: The current assessing tolerance operated by the Inland Revenue is £30 and was set in 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing income tax deducted as a percentage of pay on an industry basis for the latest year for which figures are available.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1984]: Figures for 1981–82 are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cumulative revenue from North sea operations to the latest available date.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1984]: The cumulative revenue from North sea operations — that is, royalty, petroleum revenue tax (including advance payments), supplementary petroleum duty and ring fence corporation tax (before ACT set-off)—up to the end of December 1983 is £27·5 billion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many directions have been given under section 485(3) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970 each year since 1976.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1984]: No record is kept of the number of such directions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff deal with the operation of section 485 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act; and how many are qualified accountants.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1984]: Major transfer pricing inquiries are conducted by a head office transfer pricing unit, although this does not deal exclusively with section 485 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act. The unit consists currently of seven staff, of whom one is a qualified accountant. More minor inquiries are part of the day-to-day work of inspectors of taxes in local offices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals have been made following directions under section 485(3) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act since 12 March 1975; how many are outstanding; and how many have been allowed.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1984]: No record is kept of the number of such appeals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of extra revenue following increased tax assessments made as a result of the use of section 485 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act in each year since 1977.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 January 1984]: The adjustment of transfer prices may not immediately increase the tax chargeable on the company concerned but may affect available allowances or reduce tax losses. Such offsets may result in immediate extra liability upon other companies in the group; if not, they would increase tax liabilities of group companies in later years. The indirect results cannot be quantified so that a meaningful figure of additional revenue resulting from such adjustments cannot be given. Since the beginning of 1974 adjustments to profits made by a central specialist section which deals with major transfer pricing inquiries have been of the order of £200 million. No figures are available for adjustments made by inspectors of taxes in local offices in other cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many overseas visitors have received grade I, II and III hospitality from the Central Office of Information in each of the last 10 years;(2) how many grade I, II and III visitors have been sponsored from overseas in each of the last five years.

I have been asked to reply.During the last 10 financial years the number of visitors to the United Kingdom in each of the three categories of the sponsored visitors scheme has been as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of Central Office of Information staff costs and administrative expenses is attributable to the overseas visitors programme.

I have been asked to reply.The proportion is currently 8 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average cost of an official overseas visitor in grade I, II and III categories.

I have been asked to reply.The current average daily operational cost of a visitor in category I is £148; in category II it is £98 and in category III £19·50. Figures for the average total cost per visitor this financial year are not yet available. However, last year the figures were £2,100 per visitor in category I; £660 per visitor in category II; and £70 per visitor in category III.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average cost of overnight accommodation provided for grade I, II and III official overseas visitors.

I have been asked to reply.The cost of overnight accommodation varies considerably according to the status of the visitor. No payment is incurred for visitors in category III. The average cost of overnight accommodation for visitors in categories I and II is £59.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the recipients of Central Office of Information grades I and II hospitality during 1983.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of hospitality provided by the Central Office of Information for grades I, II and III visitors in each of the last 10 years.

I have been asked to reply.The operational cost of the sponsored visitors scheme during each of the last eight financial years is as follows. Figures for earlier years are no longer available. A breakdown relating to separate categories over the whole eight-year period is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what advice the Manpower Services Commission received as to the tax and national insurance consequences of a negotiated level of youth training scheme allowance before Her Majesty's Government decided on a fixed level of allowances.

The advice received by the Commission is recorded in the report of the youth task group.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what use his Department makes of the private sector for the movement of parcels, packages, documents and letters; and if he will estimate the proportion of his Department's mail handled in this way.

This Department uses the Post Office, the PSA interdepartmental van services and its own van/car services for the movement of parcels, packages, documents and letters; there are occasions when it is both practical and cost-effective to use the services provided by British Rail—Red Star—and also the private sector, for example, National Carriers and Securicor parcels services. In the financial year ended 31 March 1983 the Department spent £6,770,558 on the movement of all material ane of this, £1,713·98 was spent in the private sector.This proportion has increased in the current financial year, when in the first six months £1,551 has been spent in the private sector.The Department keeps its choice of postal methods under continuous review so that the most cost-effective service, whether provided by the public or the private sector, can be used on each occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide figures for 1983 showing the number of strikes recorded or notified month by month and the number of days lost in each of those months.

Figures for each month from January to November 1983 are given in table 4.2 of the labour market data pages of the December 1983 issue of Employment Gazette. Details for the Month of December, together with any revisions for previous months, will be included in the January 1984 issue to be published on 26 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost in 1983 for the payment of British Telecom accounts in respect of all United Kingdom offices under his control.

A total of £17,626,031 was paid to British Telecom in the financial year 1982–83 in respect of all offices under the control of the Secretary of State for Employment, including those in the Manpower Services Commission, Health and Safety Executive and ACAS.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many skilled engineering machinists are registered disabled; what proportion are (a) working and (b) not working; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many engineering and draughtsmen/women are registered disabled; what proportion are

I regret that this information is not available. Annual statistics of registered disabled people do not include details of their occupations or employment status.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of registered disabled who are registered disabled due to loss of limb or limbs but who are sighted and who are still working; and if he will make a statement.

In April 1983, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of registered disabled people for whom loss of limb or limbs is the main disability was 20,255. No information is available on their occupations, employment status or any secondary disability, but it would be reasonable to assume that most are sighted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the pilot study being carried out at the Bolton institute of higher education into the reskilling of engineers made redundant by physical disability; and if he will give additional asistance to the scheme.

I understand that this was a part-time training course carried out in June and July 1983. It was initiated by tutors at the institute who offered to train unemployed engineers in the use of numerical and computer numerically-controlled equipment and expressed a preference for disabled people whose disability wuld not preclude them from undertaking this work. Because of limited local opportunities, none of the trainees has so far found employment using the skills taught.The initiative did not involve financial support by my Department but the training was part-time and did not affect trainees' benefit entitlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many coal miners in Great Britain and in Wales have been made redundant since 1979;(2) how many steel workers in Great Britain and in Wales have been made redundant since 1979;(3) how many textile workers have been made redundant since 1979 in Great Britain and in Wales.

The numbers of redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in these industries, between January 1979 and November 1983^* in Great Britain and in Wales, are given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has reconstituted the national advisory council on employment of disabled people.

My right hon. Friend has reconstituted the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People for a further period of three years from 1 January 1984.The members of the reconstituted council are:

asked the Attorney-General if he will give information for the years 1982 and 1983 in Northern Ireland for how many people have been convicted on the evidence of converted terrorist witnesses; in how many cases this evidence was corroborated by other evidence either of (i) another converted terrorist or (ii) other evidence; in how many cases the evidence of the converted terrorist constituted the sole evidence of the crime being associated with the accused or of the crime itself; how many persons have been charged on the basis of a converted terrorist's evidence; and in how many cases this is the only evidence upon which persons at present stand accused.

The term "converted terrorist" has no precise meaning, but in so far as the question relates to the evidence of the accomplices in trials for scheduled offences, four persons in 1982 and 69 persons in 1983 were either convicted or pleaded guilty in consequence of evidence given by such accomplices. In no case was any other accomplice called on behalf of the Crown to corroborate the evidence of an accomplice called as a witness. There is no comprehensive record of, and it is not now feasible to identify without disproportionate cost, the matters which may have been before the court for the purpose of individual charges or whether they were capable of constituting corroboration.I am unable to answer the question so far as it relates to the number of persons charged since in very many cases charges will have been brought by the Royal Ulster Constabulary without reference to the Director of Public Prosecutions.Since cases in which persons at present stand accused are, by definition, sub judice, I cannot comment upon the evidence that has been or may yet be put before the court in those cases.

asked the Attorney-General how many people in Northern Ireland at present await trial on the evidence of converted terrorists; what numbers of those persons have been refused bail; and what is the average period of remand for which persons detained without bail have been held to date after being charged on the evidence of a converted terrorist irrespective of whether that person has been brought to trial.

The bringing of charges is in general the responsibility of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the Director of Public Prosecutions is not necessarily involved. However, I am informed that the position in relation to the matters raised by this question is as follows. The term "converted terrorist" has no precise meaning, but in so far as the question relates to the evidence of accomplices against persons charged with scheduled offences, there were on 3 January 1984 202 persons who were on remand or had been returned for trial for scheduled offences in cases in which it is intended that an accomplice will give evidence for the Crown. Eighty-six of these were then in custody, of whom 76 had made applications for bail which were refused. As at 3 January 1984, the average time spent in custody by persons awaiting trial for scheduled offences in cases in which it is intended that an accomplice will give evidence for the Crown or in cases which have already come to trial and in which an accomplice was a witness for the Crown was 45 weeks.

asked the Attorney-General if he will institute proceedings against those persons responsible for the report on the Maze prison breakout finding its way into unauthorised possession.

I have no evidence to justify bringing proceedings against any person in relation to the matter referred to in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of the genetic manipulation advisory group.

The genetic manipulation advisory group—GMAG—was set up in 1976 to advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science on the possible hazards associated with recombinant DNA research and technology. More recently, there has been a growing consensus of expert opinion that the physical hazards associated with genetic manipulation, though real, are less than had been feared. Expert advice will continue to be needed on health and safety aspects of genetic manipulation work, but, having regard to technical developments such as the increasing use of large-scale industrial processes, it has been necessary to consider what advisory arrangements are needed in future.Following consultations with organisations affected conducted jointly by the Department and the Health and Safety Executive, it has been decided that GMAG should be abolished and that the Health and Safety Commission should establish an advisory committee, to be called the advisory committee on genetic manipulation—ACGM. Although it will primarily be responsible for advising on health and safety at work issues, which are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, the ACGM will also be able to take references on such scientific and technical questions as lie within its competence, from the Health, Environment, Agriculture and Industry Ministers. It is intended that the ACGM will be in operation as soon as possible after 29 February 1984, when the terms of office of current GMAG members expire.I should like to take this opportunity to record my thanks to the present and past chairman and members of GMAG for their willingness to devote time and effort to the GMAG's work, and to the Medical Research Council and especially those of its staff who have serviced the group, on behalf of the Department, throughout its life.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ensure that the EDWORD educational word processor package is available in the Welsh language to schools in Wales.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my replies to his questions of 16 January — [Vol. 52, c. 51–53]. I understand that part of the EDWORD package is already being translated with the aid of grant under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (i) Welsh jobless people in the Deeside travel-to-work area and (ii) jobless people in Wales had, at the latest available date, been out of work for over one year, over two years, and over three years, respectively.

The latest information relates to October 1983 when the figures were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will follow the United States of America's example in giving notice to suspend payments to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government propose to join the United States of America in withdrawing contributions to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

We have decided that the United Kingdom should remain a member of UNESCO for the time being. We will make it clear to UNESCO that we think radical changes are necessary, and with other like minded nations we will be seeking improvements in UNESCO's programmes and management. We will reconsider the position at the end of the year in the light of progress made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the British contribution in the current year to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

The assessed United Kingdom contribution to UNESCO for the calendar year 1984 is, subject to currency movements, about £5·2 million, but refunds from previous years will reduce the amount payable to about £3·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means his Department evaluates the effectiveness and impact of aid given bilaterally and by the multilateral agencies to which the United Kingdom contributes; and if he will give examples.

Internal and independent evaluations of the effectiveness of bilateral projects and programmes are carried out on a systematic basis under the aegis of the Overseas Development Administration's evaluation department. I am placing in the Library of the House a booklet containing a brief account of this work and also a list of evaluations which have been carried out. The effectiveness and impact of multilateral programmes are best evaluated by the organisation itself with appropriate use of independent evaluators; we encourage the establishment of effective evaluation machinery in each body through our membership of governing councils. Apart from the development banks, the agencies are rarely involved in programmes directly comparable with bilateral ones, but techniques are being sought to compare the effectiveness of UN programmes with those of bilateral donors. We are a member of task force on concessional flows established by the development committee of the International Monetary Fund/International Bank for Reconstruction and Development which is about to undertake some comparative research on the effectiveness of both types of aid.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied that British citizens as holidaymakers are no longer in danger from faulty gas heaters in Portuguese holiday resorts.

It is exacted that new legislation brought into effect by the Portuguese authorities on 1 November 1983 to strengthen the existing safety measures relating to gaseous fuels will assist in preventing further fatalities. A system of inspection and safety certification has been introduced. Proprietors and managers of tourist holiday accommodation let for two months or less will now be legally responsible and liable for the safety of gas appliances in that accommodation. For lettings of more than two months the lessee and landlord will be jointly responsible and liable. But since no system of safety control is infalible, continued vigilance by tour operators and private individuals will still be required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the total number of persons born in Great Britain who now live in the Republic of Ireland.

The number of persons born in Great Britain who now live in the Republic of Ireland is estimated by the Irish central statistical office at 84,038. This figure is based on the Irish census of 1971 as the returns of the 1981 census have not yet been fully processed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the total number of persons born in the United Kingdom who now live in the Republic of Ireland.

The number of persons born in the United Kingdom who now live in the Republic of Ireland is estimated by the Irish central statistical office at 110,221. This figure is based on the Irish census of 1971 as the returns of the 1981 census have not yet been fully processed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to forge closer links between Her Majesty's Government and the Republic of Ireland.

Meetings between the two Governments within the framework of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental council will continue to take place at ministerial and official levels. We also look forward to further meetings of the council at Heads of Government level at regular intervals.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Gibraltar became a full member of the EEC.

Gibraltar became part of the territory of the European Community on the accession of the United Kingdom on January 1973. Since that date the treaty of Rome has applied in all respects to Gibraltar by virtue of article 227.4 except for three specific derogations: the common agricultural policy, the common customs tarrif and the obligation to introduce a value added tax.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dependent territories of member states which are associated with the European Economic Community, indicating in each case their relationship with the Community and which Ministers represent them in the Council of Ministers.

The following dependent territories are associated with the European Community under part IV of the treaty of Rome as amended.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use his Department makes of the private sector for the movement of parcels, packages, documents and letters; and if he will estimate the proportion of his Department's mail handled in this way.

A private sector air freight agent with an implant on Foreign and Commonwealth Office premises is used to arrange the dispatch and receipt of almost all material to and from overseas where national security considerations permit. It is estimated that over 50 per cent, of material passing through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is so handled.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place in the Library a copy of the Foreign Office study of Soviet and East European aid programmes; and whether he will make a statement on its main conclusions.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office study of Soviet and East European aid, to which some newspapers devoted attention recently, was placed in the Library on 3 October. The full reference is foreign policy document No. 85, Soviet and East European and Western development aid, 1976–82.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total cost in 1983 for the payment of British Telecom accounts in respect of all United Kingdom offices under his control.

Expenditure in the financial year 1982–83 totalled £4,109,375.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the preliminary comments of the official spokesman of his Department on 6 January on the statement by President Alfonsin and Foreign Minister Dante Caputo concerning negotiations over the future of the Falkland Islands; and what response he has made to the comments by President Alfonsin and Foreign Minister Dante Caputo, made on 4 and 5 January.

The hon. Member is presumably referring to the comments made by the FCO official spokesman on 4 January about press reports of the communiqué issued by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Afairs on 3 January. The spokesman said:

"It appears that the statement is based on the premise that the outcome of the negotiations on the Falkland Islands must be the transfer of sovereignty to Argentina, regardless of the wishes of the Islanders. British Ministers have made clear that they stand by their commitment to the Islanders and are not entering into negotiations about sovereignty. In the Government's view, the way ahead for Anglo/Argentina relations should be to start in practical areas in which agreement should be possible. Several British suggestions for this are already on the table."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States of America Government regarding involvement by bodies or persons from the United States of America in terrorist activities in Northern Ireland.

We keep closely in touch with the United States authorities over involvement by United States bodies or persons in terrorist activity in Northern Ireland. We are grateful to them for their efforts in clamping down on the illegal activities of Provisional IRA sympathisers and in bringing gun-runners and suspected terrorists to court.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the statistics on the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act for the last two quarters of 1983 are now available.

Statistics requested for the third quarter of 1983 have been published in Home Office statistical bulletin No. 19/83, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Statistics for the fourth quarter of 1983 will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of the 25 longest serving prisoners in England and Wales, including their names, how long their original sentences were, how long he expects them still to serve, what were they found guilty of and where they are currently imprisoned.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many kilos of heroin have been seized in each of the last five years; and what percentage of this was seized at Heathrow in each case.

Information on the total amount of heroin seized in the United Kingdom, but both Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the police, in the years up to 1982 is given in table 2 of "Statistics of the misuse of drugs, United Kingdom, 1982", Home Office statistical bulletin issue 13/83, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. The proportion of heroin seized at Heathrow is available only for seizures by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers are involved on special investigations into the trading of heroin; and how this figure compares with each of the last five years.

I understand from chief officers of police that there is no specialisation within forces in respect of offences involving heroin.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the involvement of officers of his Department in dealing with the Gillow case before the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg; what is the estimated cost to date; and what is the current position in the consideration of the case.

As the state party to the European Convention on Human Rights as regards the bailiwick of Guernsey, the United Kingdom handles petitions to the European Commission alleging breaches of the convention by the Guernsey authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for the conduct of such cases at Strasbourg and officials of the Department act in a liaison capacity between the Guernsey authorities and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It is not practicable to estimate the cost of this involvement.Following an oral hearing in December 1982, the Commission declared this case admissible. This was not a finding that there had been a breach of the convention, only a decision that the case was not to be rejected at a preliminary stage and required further consideration. I regret that the rules of confidentiality governing cases under the convention prevent me from saying any more at this stage about this case.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all collieries which have closed since May 1979 and their respective manpower levels at the time of closure.

Detailed information about colliery closures is a matter for the National Coal Board. I am asking the chairman of the board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list the consultants at present engaged by Enterprise Oil and their expected fees and salaries.

This is a matter for the company and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member. However, some of the information requested is commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether German financial interest is continuing in the fluidised combustion facility at Grimethorpe; if there has been any Japanese interest in the project; and if he will make a statement.

The NCB is seeking partners for a continuation of work at Grimethorpe after they acquire the facility on completion of the IEA programme later this year. German and Japanese organisations are amongst those approached but a clear pattern of potential support has yet to emerge.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the leakage incident which happened in May 1980 at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Springfields plant should have been reported to him under the criteria which applied at that time.

As explained in my reply to the hon. Member of 16 January.—[Vol. 52, c. 48]—pursuant to my earlier reply of 20 December 1983—[Vol. 51, c. 13] — the leak from BNFL's Springfields plant which occurred in May 1980 was not considered reportable under the criteria which applied at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will consider giving a 50 per cent. grant for energy audits for hospitals;(2) if he will consider giving a 50 per cent. grant for energy audits for schools.

Under the energy efficiency survey scheme, the energy efficiency office in my Department offers 50 percent. grants for expert surveys of non-domestic premises, including hospitals and schools.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what use (a) his Department, and (b) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's Department make of the private sector for the movement of parcels, packages, documents and letters; and if he will estimate the proportion of each Department's mail handled in this way.

The majority of mail is distributed by the Cabinet Office's distribution service. Other mail is sent by post.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now considered the implications of the internal inquiry into the oil spillage from the tanker Sivand on 27 September; and if he has decided whether to hold a formal public investigation.

I have considered my Department's inquiry and I am satisfied that the circumstances of the incident have been fully established. I do not propose to set up a public formal investigation since it is unlikely to throw further light on what is already known. A factual report based upon the Department's inquiry is being prepared for interested parties and I will send a copy to my hon. Friend.The action necessary to prevent a repetition lies primarily with the port and navigational authorities on the Humber. They are taking that action. My Department is co-operating with them in reviewing the implications of the incident and, in particular, the procedures for the movement of very large tankers in the Humber are being critically examined.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost in 1983 for the payment of British Telecom accounts in respect of all United Kingdom offices under his control.

Payments to British Telecom in respect of all Department of Transport offices during the financial year 1982–83 totalled £3·23 million. This is the latest complete period for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the list of projects of transport infrastructures in the United Kingdom which his Department has submitted to the Commission of the European Communities as deserving support from Community funds.

I have had a copy of this list placed in the Library of the House. It was sent to the Commission in November 1982, on the basis that it was to be treated as provisional and illustrative, and thus open to amendment. We have since drawn on it in advancing particular cases for support.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to his replies of 2 November, Official Report, c. 861–62, how he has analysed public opinion in Scotland on the issue of a Scottish Assembly.

The letters written to me as Scotland's Minister show that most people have more urgent and substantial matters to deal with than a Scottish Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will next meet the chairmen of the Scotland electricity boards; and what subjects will be discussed.

My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with chairmen of the boards which cover a wide range of subjects.I am to meet the chairman and members of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board next month and I expect to meet the chairman and members of the South of Scotland Electricity Board shortly thereafter. I shall take the opportunity to congratulate both boards on the excellent response of their staff to recent weather difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with the chairman of the Scottish Development Agency.

My right hon. Friend expects that the next such discussions will cover a wide range of current issues, reflecting the breadth of the agency's functions and activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have frozen payments on home improvements; and how many grant applications are outstanding with these local authorities.

Local authorities do not provide information to the Scottish development department of the kind the hon. Member has requested. However all legal commitments pre 20 October have been taken into account in non-HRA allocations, so no payments for applications properly approved by that date should be frozen.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to meet the president of the Scottish National Farmers Union to discuss the situation in the pig and poultry industries.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State has had recent exchanges on this subject with the president of the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and there will be a further opportunity for discussion when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets the president later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures for motor cycle casualties in Scotland of holders of provisional licences in the 15-year-old to 19-year-old age group.

In 1982, the latest complete year for which records are available, there were 1,862 motor cycle casualties in Scotland involving the 15 to 19-year-old age group, of which 37 were fatalities. A breakdown between holders of provisional licences and others will become available with the 1983 figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now announce his decision on the Scottish Law Commission's proposals for financial settlement on divorce.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Members for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) and Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill) on 28 November.—[Vol. 49, c. 392.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were unemployed in the Glasgow travel-to-work area at the latest available date.

On 8 December 1983, the latest date for which information is available, the number of unemployed claimants in the Glasgow travel-to-work area was 93,643, an unemployment rate of 16 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were unemployed in the Glasgow travel-to-work area at the latest available date.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton), today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the impact of regional policy on Scotland.

Regional policy has played an important part in restructuring the Scottish economy and in promoting the growth of investment and output in new and older industries. It has been estimated that regional policy generated some 90,000 jobs in Scotland in the period 1960–76.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the pupil-teacher ratio in Scottish primary and secondary schools, respectively, at the most recent convenient date and the comparable figures for 1979.

The pupil-teacher ratios for September 1983, as provisionally calculated, are 20·3 for primary and 14·0 for secondary schools. The comparable figures for September 1979 were 20·3 and 14·4 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will restore the housing support grant to Dundee district council for 1984–85 to the same level as the 1980–81 figure.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will next meet the general council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress to discuss unemployment.

My right hon. Friend has had no recent request for a meeting with the general council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress to discuss unemployment. However he and his ministerial colleagues, including myself, met the STUC several times in November and December to discuss economic and other subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the teaching profession concerning physical and other abuse by children in classrooms.

Whilst my right hon. Friend is aware from press reports of the concern felt by teachers on this issue no specific incident has been brought to his attention.