asked the Attorney-General what mechanism there is for making representations for nomination of individuals to (a) the advisory panel and (b) the interviewing panel for magistrates in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Representations may be made to the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Attorney-General if he will publish the membership of the interviewing panel for prospective magistrates in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne; and how many panel members normally attend each interview.

It is not the practice to publish the names of persons who interview candidates for appointment as magistrates on behalf of advisory comittees. The normal number of interviewers in the Newcastle upon Tyne area is three.

asked the Attorney-General why there is a separate interviewing panel for prospective magistrates whose membership is not conterminous with the membership of the advisory committee for Newcastle upon Tyne.

The selection of interviewers is in the discretion of each advisory committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list Royal Navy vessels disposed of since 1979 specifying the company or country involved in each case and the final disposal of each vessel.

The following ex-Royal Navy vessels have been disposed of by sale to overseas navies since 1 January 1979:

Vessel	Purchaser
HMS Bacchante	New Zealand
HMS Dido	New Zealand
HMS London	Pakistan
HMS Lynx	Bangladesh
HMS Norfolk	Chile

The following ex-Royal Navy vessels have been disposed of by sale for commercial use since 1 January 1979:

Vessel	Purchaser
HMS Ark Royal	H. K. Vickers (Eng) Ltd.
HMS Blake	Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd.
HMS Brave Swordsman	Haydon Baillie Aircraft Museum

Vessel	Purchaser
HMS Bulwark	Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd.
HMS Cachalot	K. Vickers (Eng) Ltd.
HMS Caprice	Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd.
HMS Chichester	Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd.
HMS Diamond	Medway Secondary Metals Ltd.
HMS Dieppe	Davies & Newman Ltd. on behalf of Eckhardt & Co KG
HMS Dundas	West of Scotland Shipbreaking Co. Ltd.
HMS Grenville	Romamet Ltd.
HMS Hampshire	Thos W. Ward (RM) Ltd.
HMS Keppel	Liguria Maritime
HMS Lincoln	Thos W. Ward (RM) Ltd.
HMS Matapan	H. K. Vickers (Eng) Ltd.
HMS Messina	Davies & Newman Ltd. on behalf of Asturamerican Shipping Co. Inc.
HMS Mohawk	Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd
HMS Palliser	Deans Marine Salvage Ltd.
HMS Quainton	H. K. Vickers (Eng) Ltd.
HMS Reclaim	Belcon Shipping & Trading Co.
HMS Shoulton	H. K. Vickers (Eng) Ltd.
HMS Triumph	Simpson Spence & Young (SB) Ltd. on behalf of Euromarine SA
HMS Ulster	Thos W. Ward (RM) Ltd.
HMS Wiston	H. K. Vickers (Eng) Ltd.
HMS Woolaston	Liguria Maritime

The following ex-Royal Navy vessels have been disposed of by sale for commercial use since 1 January 1979:

Vessel	Purchaser
HMS Dee	Pounds Marine Shipping Ltd.
HMS Isis	Pounds Marine Shipping Ltd.
HMS Repton	Pounds Marine Shipping Ltd.
HMS Trevose	Pounds Marine Shipping Ltd.
Hovercraft SRN6	Hovertravel Ltd.
Hovercraft VT2	Hoverspeed (UK) Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the pace of change in the replacement of Shackleton aircraft by Nimrods; and when he expects the Shackleton aircraft to cease to fulfil their normal reconnaissance role.

Replacement of the Shackleton aircraft by Nimrods in the maritime reconnaissance role was completed in 1971. In the airborne early warning role the Shackletons will phase out gradually as the Nimrods enter service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the increased deployment proposed by the United States of America of sea-launched cruise missiles in European waters is in accordance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's current policy on intermediate nuclear forces; and if he will make a statement.

The weapon system referred to by the hon. Member will form part of the United States national strategic deterrent and is therefore unrelated to NATO's policy on intermediate nuclear forces.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has completed the autumn review of liquid milk prices.

I have now completed my review of liquid milk prices in consultation with my colleagues.At the same time we have concluded that, with the opening of our market to competition from imports of milk, there is no longer the same case for a system of price controls to protect the consumer. With my colleagues in Northern Ireland and Wales, I shall be consulting interested parties with a view to de-controlling liquid milk prices by the end of 1985 at the latest. Price controls have already been phased out in Scotland.In the meantime, I have taken a longer perspective than usual in making my price determinations because I want the industry to be able to face with confidence the period of adjustment following the admission of imports and I would not expect there to be a further retail price increase for a considerable time.I have come to the following decisions:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now specify the pressure stocks referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Sir P. Mills) on 20 December, Official Report, c. 47–48, on support for the fishing industry and give details of the licensing arrangements which will apply.

My right hon. Friends and I have designated as pressure stocks all herring, mackerel, saithe and angler fish stocks for which the United Kingdom has a quota; all such cod and haddock stocks, except those in ICES Areas VII and VIII; whiting in ICES Areas IIa, IV, Vb and VI; hake in ICES Areas IIa and IV; plaice in ICES Areas Vb, VI, VIId, e, f and g; and sole in ICES Areas d, e, f and g.Any British-registered fishing vessel of a registered length of 10m or more fishing for or landing from one of the above stocks must have an appropriate licence. Vessels currently fishing under licences already issued in respect of these stocks may continue to do so, subject to any quota management arrangements which may apply. As from midnight tonight a vessel not in possession of a licence for any pressure stock will be issued with such a licence or licences only where it had, before today, a record of fishing for one or more of these stocks.Licences may be transferred either with the licensed vessel or from one vessel to another by the person holding the licence or licences. Licences will not however be transferable from a vessel which is decommissioned with grant under the arrangements announced on 20 December. Nor may licences for a vessel of a registered length less than 40ft be transferred to a vessel of a registered length greater than 40ft.Licences will exceptionally be granted in respect of vessels which are under construction or for which an applicant has, by midnight tonight, entered into an enforceable contract to purchase vessels (whether new or secondhand).The existing restrictions relating to the licensing of purse-seiners and freezer trawlers will continue.These arrangements will apply until 31 December 1986. There will be consultation with the industry organisations during 1986 about the arrangements to apply from January 1987.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the report of the Common Market Court of Auditors that the Milk Marketing Board misapplied £460 million which the board subsequently reclaimed from the Common Market.

I understand that since my previous reply to my hon. Friend on 1 February the Commission has cleard the 1978 and 1979 accounts for the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund and decided not to disallow United Kingdom milk expenditure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the 1984 annual review of agriculture.

A White Paper setting out the conclusions of the 1984 annual review of agriculture will be laid before Parliament today. The White Paper shows that compared to the unusually favourable growing conditions of 1982, those in 1983 were more difficult and the volume of agricultural output fell by 1 per cent. from the 1982 record figure.In contrast to the sharp rise in farm incomes in 1982 a fall of 15 per cent. is estimated for 1983, although in real terms incomes were still above the levels of 1981. The circumstances of arable farms continued to be more favourable than those in the livestock sector.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food whether it is proposed to change the cash limit on any departmental Vote for which he has responsibility.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for Class III Vote 4 "Central Administration (Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce)" will be increased by £253,000 from £18,155,000 to £18,408,000. The increase will be offset by a reduction of £163,000 from £94,892,000 to £94,729,000 in the cash limit for Class III Vote 3 "Other Agricultural and Food Services (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)" with the balance of £90,000 being charged to the Contingency Reserve and will not therefore add to the planning total of public expenditure. The increase for Class III Vote 4 mainly reflects an unforeseen increase in the demands made on the intervention board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the European Commission's approval of funding for the British Steel Corporation.

On 29 June 1983 the Commission issued a series of decisions giving its opinion on each member state's aid and restructuring plans to achieve financial viability. These decisions made the approval of aid conditional on further cuts in hot rolled product capacity of 8·3 million tonnes throughout the Community by the end of 1985. These cuts are to be additional to the 18·4 million tonnes reduction already undertaken or pledged by member states in return for the approval of aid.Before the deadline of 31 January 1984 the Government notified the Commission of how they intend to meet the requirements specified in the decision of 29 June 1983. In their reply, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I repeated in our discussion with Vice-Presidents Ortoli and Davignon and Commissioner Andriessen last Thursday, the Government confirmed that we would comply with the terms of the 29 June decision, but that our commitment was conditional upon all member states similarly fulfilling their obligations.Approval of any aid payment to the British Steel Corporation before December 1985 is conditional upon capacity reductions amounting in total to 500,000 tonnes of hot rolled products. My right hon. Friend and I explained to the Commission that further interim aid would be needed beyond 31 January 1984 in order to allow the review of strategic options now being undertaken by the corporation to be completed and for Government to take a view on the recommendations made. I am now pleased to report that the Commission has authorised a further payment of aid of £355 million. I can confirm the capacity reductions identified in respect of this aid do not involve closures of steelmaking capacity in any integrated works and contribute significantly towards the 500,000 tonnes specified in the Commission's decision. For reasons of commercial confidentiality I cannot go further in identifying the plants concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement about Rolls-Royce's participation in collaborative aero-engine projects.

I have given approval to Rolls-Royce to participate with its US, Japanese, German and Italian partners in the launch of the V2500 aero-engine project. I will make a further announcement once launch-aid arrangements are finalized.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table comparing the percentage increase in the volume of exports of finished manufactures each year since 1974 based on 1975=100 using current weights; and how this compares with figures based on 1975 and 1980 weights.

The available information is given in the table:

Export Volume Indices: Finished Manufactures*
Percentage change on previous year			OTS basis
Reference year†	1975		1980
Index type‡ Weight base	Paasche —	Laspeyres 1975	Paasche —	Laspeyres 1980
Weight base	—	1975	—	1980
1975	+ 5	+5½	n/a	n/a
1976	+ 3	+ 4	n/a	n/a
1977	+3½	+ 6	n/a	n/a
1978	- 3	-2½	n/a	n/a
1979	n/a	n/a	- ½	- 3½
1980	n/a	n/a	+4½	+2½
1981	n/a	n/a	- 5	- 4
1982	n/a	n/a	—	+1½
1983	n/a	n/a	-5½	- 5
Notes:
* These are defined as SITC(R2) Sections 7 and 8.
† Relates to the reference year of the component index numbers that are combined to create the aggregate series.
‡ The Paasche index is a current weighted index in which the index number for each year is estimated using weights relevant to that year. The Laspeyre index employs a fixed weighting pattern.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to control the export of dogs.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes) on 21 December 1983, —[Vol. 51, c. 241]—I am not satisfied that such steps would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the team reviewing the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, under the chairmanship of Sir Douglas Lovelock, is expected to report.

The team submitted its report in December 1983. I expect to publish it on 8 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will summarise the benefits to the economy derived from the loan guarantee scheme.

The scheme must be seen as an important part of the Government's overall objective of stimulating a healthy and expanding small business sector. Its impact on the economoy is therefore interwoven with other measures designed to help small firms and to foster a climate in which enterprise can flourish. It is clear that the scheme has already enabled a substantial number of small firms to be set up or expand that would not have been able to do so in the absence of the scheme. Many of these are doing well and are going from strength to strength. In addition the scheme has an educational role to play in the market for small business finance. Clearly the wider economic benefits of the scheme are extremely difficult to quantify, but they must be taken into account in any evaluation of its impact. I hope to be able to say more when I have completed my review of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the impact on competition of pound sterling/continental exchange rates with particular reference to the textile and clothing industry.

[pursuant to the reply, 30 January 1984, c.37]: The Government appreciate that the level of exchange rates is an important factor bearing on companies' competitiveness. But the sterling exchange rate is determined by market forces and the Government believe that action to reduce the rate to a target level could have unacceptable effects on domestic inflation. This would rapidly offset any short-term benefits to competitiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average cost of house renovation grants paid in Wales during the most recent period for which figures are available.

During the six-month period to 30 September 1983, the average house renovation grant paid was £2,638.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest assessment of the number of applicants for house renovation grants who have applications currently lodged with local authorities in Wales; and if he will make an approximate estimate of the cost of grant payment to cover these applications.

The latest reliable assessment relates to September 1983, when there were about 88,000 house renovation grant applications lodged with Welsh local authorities, at an approximate cost of just over £300 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any further plans to improve the trunk road A44 between Aberystwyth and Kington during the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Improvements at Capel Bangor and Llangurig are currently planned but their start dates depend upon the availability of resources and competing demands. The route from Rhayader to Kington is a principal road for which the Powys county council is the highway authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number of persons employed in Welsh Development Agency factories for each year since 1976.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 January 1984, c. 205–6]: Information on the number of people employed in Welsh Development Agency factories before 1977 is not available. The numbers employed in factories on Welsh Development Agency estates for each year since then are as follows:

Date	Number employed in factories on Welsh Development Agency estates
June 1977	62,100
June 1978	58,800
June 1979	58,800
June 1980	54,200
June 1981	48,300
June 1982	44,700
June 1983	43,800
September 1983 (latest date for which figures are available)	44,800

The agency, and its predecessors, the Welsh Industrial Estates Corporation, has sold a number of factories outside its major estates and it is thought that employment in them may amount to several thousand, though no account of the numbers involved is kept by the agency. The number of new factory allocations and known company expansion plans have been running at a high level and it is anticipated that these may provide as many as 9,000 job opportunities over the next three years.

asked the Prime Minister if, further to her answer of 26 January, Official Report, c. 642, on the number of jobs created or maintained by the award of the Oman university contract to Cementation Ltd., she will indicate the number of United Kingdom companies who supply goods and services directly or indirectly to the project and the number of foreign companies doing so.

This is not a matter for me.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest figures available of failure rates under the enterprise allowance scheme.

Experience in the pilot areas suggests that a little over 10 per cent. of those joining the scheme withdrew before the end of the 12 months during which the allowance is payable.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest figures available of persons operating under the enterprise allowance scheme.

At 23 January 1984 22,662 people were operating a small business with the help of the enterprise allowance scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why the community action scheme in Hull has been asked to reduce its intake of youngsters by 30 and to dismiss six of its staff.

The community action scheme has places for 359 youngsters. Only 285 of these places are currently occupied. Forecasts of demand indicate that not all these places will be needed in the future. Since there is a cost to the taxpayer in maintaining unfilled places on this kind of scheme the Manpower Services Commission is seeking to cut this cost by reducing the number of places on the scheme by 54 by September this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many 1983 school leavers are still without a job or on temporary employment schemes in Birmingham.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the managing companies involved in the youth training scheme have been inspected for suitability by the Manpower Services Commission; and of those how many have been found unsatisfactory.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1984, c. 284–85]: I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested. However, by 31 December 1983, which covers only the first four full months of the scheme, 4,048 individual programmes under mode A of the scheme, providing 236,133 places, had been assessed by the Manpower Services Commission. A total of 2,742, providing 146,785 places, were regarded as meeting the required standards. The Manpower Services Commission is confident that the great majority of schemes will be meeting these standards fully by the end of the first year of the scheme.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will introduce legislation to prohibit the display of anti-Government propaganda in public libraries and other similar establishments.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of taxpayers in each income group receiving relief on mortgage interest and the average relief per mortgagor, together with the assumed rate of interest for the financial year 1983–84.

The latest estimates are given in the following table. The figures are derived from a projection from the 1981–82 survey of personal income (the latest available), on the basis of recommended interest rates prevailing during 1983–84. It has been assumed that the current Building Societies Association recommended rate (11¼ per cent.) will remain in force until the end of the fiscal year. The table does not include the relief given to former option mortgagors who are now included in the arrangements for giving mortgage interest relief at source. I regret that it is not possible to provide reliable estimates for this group in detail.

Taxpayers receiving mortgage interest relief and average relief by range of total income 1983–84
Range of total income (lower limit) £	Numbers receiving mortgage interest relief Thousands	Average relief per mortgagor £
2,000	65	20
3,000	105	50
4,000	190	105
5,000	300	175
6,000	390	255
7,000	460	270
8,000	575	315
9,000	530	340
10,000	990	365
12,000	960	400
15,000	760	465
20,000	370	720
30,000	125	1,170

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current rates of reimbursement to members of the Civil Service for travel on Government duty by private transport; on what dates those rates came into operation; when those rates are next likely to be reviewed; and what consultative processes are followed in fixing such rates.

The current rates, dates of operation and review are as follows:

	Rate	With effect from:	Next review due:
Motor cars:
Standard rate	25·8p a mile for the first 9,000 miles a year; 14p a mile over 9000 miles a year.	1.10.83	1.4.84
Public Transport rate	13·2p a mile for all mileage	1.6.83	1.6.84
Motor cycles:
Standard and Public Transport rates (according to engine cc)	6·4p a mile: 150cc or less 8·6p a mile: 151cc-250cc 12·7p a mile: 251cc and over for all mileage	1.9.81	1.9.84
Pedal cycles:	4·1p a mile for all mileage	1.11.83	1.11.84

The standard motor car rate is payable where use of a private vehicle is in the public interest; the public transport rate is payable where it would be reasonable for an official journey to be made by public transport. All the above allowances are discussed and agreed with the Council of Civil Service Unions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining the changes in capital transfer tax since 1979 giving revenue effects of such changes.

The main changes since 1979 and their revenue effects, adjusted for inflation, are as follows.For each of the years 1980–83 some adjustment was made to the threshold or rate bands at a total cost of £80 million.The limit for transfers to charities was increased in 1980 and 1982 and abolished in 1983 at a cost of £4 million. The annual exemption for lifetime transfers was increased to £3,000 in 1981 at a cost of £1 million.A 20 per cent. relief for minority shareholdings in unquoted businesses and let agricultural land was introduced in 1981 and increased to 30 per cent. in 1983 at a cost of £5 million. The interest-free instalment facility was extended in 1981 and the period for payment by instalments increased from 8 to 10 years in 1983, at a cost of £7 million.Quick succession relief was revised in 1981 at a cost of £3 million.Cumulation of lifetime transfers is limited to 10 years from 27 March 1984.The period for transitional relief for discretionary trusts was increased in 1979 and 1981, and in 1982 the charge was restructured, at a cost of £5 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will tabulate in the Official Report the harmonized value added tax base for each member state of the European Economic Community for each year since the introduction of the "own resources" systems, together with Community totals and the percentage levy for each year;(2) what is the basis of calculation of the harmonised value added tax basis for each member state of the European Economic Community.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to effect real cuts in public spending over the next four years.

The Government's plans for public spending to 1986–87 will be set out in the public expenditure White Paper which will be published on 16 February.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the discussions between the Inland Revenue and the London Dressmakers and Allied Contractors Association; and what conclusions have been reached.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what interest the British Gas Corporation has received on its negative external financing limits loans to Her Majesty's Government since 1981;(2) what is the level of outstanding loans from the British Gas Corporation to Her Majesty's Government; and what interest was received by the corporation on those loans in the last year for which records are available.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1984, c. 309]: In 1979 and 1980 the British Gas Corporation deposited a total of £300 million with the National Loans Fund. BGC received interest on these deposits of £41·8 million in both 1981–82 and 1982–83. BGC have made no further deposits with the National Loans Fund apart from temporary deposits in 1983 under the new temporary deposit facility. There are currently no such deposits outstanding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cumulative total of income tax due on benefits paid to the unemployed, but not collected as the unemployed person has not returned to work.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1984, c. 308]: The information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his reply on 23 November 1983, OfficialReport, c. 170–72, about changes in the level of income tax and national insurance, he will now provide the information for the same family groups earning half average earnings.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 February 1984, c. 208]: The following table shows (a) income tax plus national insurance contributions less child benefit where appropriate as a percentage of gross earnings; and (b) real

Half average earnings
	Single		Married with no children		Married with two children (both under 11)		Married with four children (two under 11, one 11–15, one over 16)
	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
1978–79	23·8	100·0	16·4	100·0	2·9	100·0	-11·0	100·0
1979–80	23·1	102·6	16·4	101·8	2·0	102·7	-12·4	103·0
1980–81	24·9	103·6	18·2	102·8	5·4	102·4	-7·4	101·6
1981–82	27·1	100·2	21·1	98·8	7·8	99·5	-5·5	99·5
1982–83	27·5	100·4	21·1	99·5	7·5	100·5	-6·2	100·9
1983–84	27·0	103·0	20·2	102·6	6·0	104·1	-8·3	104·8

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that no British public funds have been spent to finance the South West Africa People's Organisation's military activities, including the purchase and training in the use of weapons, whether through United Nations support schemes or in any other way.

We are satisfied that no public funds have been spent for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a formal invitation has yet been sent to the First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; if a date has been set for the visit; and if he will make a statement.

There is an outstanding formal invitation to First Deputy Foreign Minister Kornienko to visit the United Kingdom. We hope that dates for this visit can be agreed soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

The number of overseas visits made by Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from May 1979 to the present time is 429. Not all accounts have been received, but the cost to date is £3,009,941·65. During the same period there have been 54 visits abroad by Ministers of the Overseas Development Administration at a cost of £116,462.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, since he took up his post, how many times he has met the ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and when he next intends to do so.

My right hon. and learned Friend has met the ambassador on three occasions over the last eight months. He has no immediate plans to meet him again but will do so when next there is business to be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list locations to which his statement on the Government communications headquarters on 25 January, Official Report, c. 917–18 referred; and how many employees are affected at each location.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the establishments covered by the certificate issued by him on 25 January under the provisions of section 121(4) of the Employment Protection Act 1975.

The certificate applies to employment in or under Government communications headquarters of members of that Department or of the Ministry of Defence. It would not be in the interests of national security to disclose details either of the establishments covered by the certificate or of the numbers of employees affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which British charitable and other voluntary bodies act as agencies for the disbursement of overseas development funds from Her Majesty's Government.

Aid funds have been disbursed this financial year through the following 36 British charitable and other voluntary bodies, excluding the British Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will increase the financial support available to local victim support schemes.

The Department provides grant aid for the national Association of Victims Support Schemes, but not for local schemes, though some receive funding under the urban programme, MSC schemes, and the DHSS opportunities for volunteering scheme. It seems to me appropriate that, in general, local voluntary schemes should be funded from within the communities they serve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals die in Government research stations daily by species; and if he will make a statement.

Information is not available in the form requested. The only available statistics are of the number of experiments carried out under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, started in a particular year. The latest available information, which is for 1982, was published in "Statistics of experiments on living animals, Great Britain, 1982" (Cmnd. 8986): the analyses by type of registered place given in tables 12, 13 and 20 may be of interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply of 19 January to the hon. Member for Billericay, Official Report, c. 441, how many persons are eligible for repatriation assistance under (a) the two former schemes and (b) the new single scheme.

It is not possible to estimate the number of persons who might meet either the present or the shortly to be revised criteria for assistance with the expenses of repatriation, but some more people will be eligible for assistance under the new arrangements than under the old.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the finding of the Court of Appeal that police seizure and inspection of the defence files of Michael Heston Francois was immaterial to the outcome of his case, he will issue new guidelines for the behaviour of the police with regard to the right of defendants to maintain privacy over the contents of their defence.

Clause 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill provides that the police shall have no power to seize items subject to legal privilege in the course of a search of any premises. The provisions of that clause will be supplemented by the code of practice for the searching of premises and the seizure of property which clause 59 of the Bill requires my right hon. and learned Friend to issue, a copy of the draft of which is in the Library. We have no plans to issue prior guidance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to bring into operation those parts of the Guard Dogs Act 1975 which have not so far been implemented.

My right hon. and learned Friend has at present no plans for doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has now completed his consideration of the third report of the Select Committee on Home Affairs and in particular its recommendation concerning reduction of fees for British citizenship;(2) how much profit he estimates was made on fees for British citizenship during 1983.

The third report of the Select Committee has been receiving full and careful consideration and we shall be in a position to give a full reply in a few weeks' time. That reply will deal with the question of whether or not a profit was made on citizenship fees in 1983 and whether fees can be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the women in Holloway prison are ever strip-searched.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a table listing each of the provisions of the convention of the Council of Europe on data protection and implementing provisions of the Data Protection Bill in each case.

The provisions of the Council of Europe convention for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data are set out in annex A to the Government's White Paper on data protection (Cmnd 8539) published in April 1982. The Data Protection Bill, taken as a whole, implements those provisions of the convention which require statutory expression. In particular, the provisions in the Bill establishing a register of data users and the office of data protection registrar, with powers to supervise and ensure compliance with the principles set out in schedule 1, give effect to the basic principles referred to in article 4 of the convention and set out in more detail in articles 5–8.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific resources are being provided to enable paediatric haemodialysis, transplants, spinal injuries, chorioncarcinoma services and the National Poisons Information Service to continue.

We have allocated the following cash amounts for 1984–85 to the supra-regional units designated for the provision of these services:

Service	£
Paediatric haemodialysis and renal transplantation	2,654,000
Spinal injury services	9,892,000
Chorioncarcinoma services	482,000
National Poisons Information Service	183,000

These allocations follow the advice submitted to Ministers by the supra-regional services advisory group. They have been calculated to allow for a 15 per cent. increase in work load for paediatric haemodialysis and transplantation, and for activity in the other services at the same level as in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide additional resources to ensure a reduction of perinatal mortality rates.

In the four years 1978–1982 there was a marked fall in perinatal mortality rates, and provisional data for the first three-quarters of 1983 suggests that this encouraging trend is continuing. We expect health authorities to do what they can to secure further reductions by improving their maternity and neonatal services. We expect them to do this from within their normal allocations, which have grown and are planned to grow significantly in real terms. The importance of health authorities reviewing critically the organisation and use made of their maternity services—to ensure available resources are used as effectively as possible — is underlined in the second report of the maternity services advisory committee, which was published on 26 January. The report, specifically on care during childbirth, gives advice on good practice and includes action checklists for authorities and all those concerned with maternity services. Copies of the report are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that ethnic minority employees in the National Health Service are not restricted in their professions and career by racial discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

All health authorities and their staff are bound by an agreement, reached nationally, that staff should be afforded equal opportunities in employment irrespective of their sex, marital status, race, religion, creed or colour. I have no reason to doubt that health authorities seek to provide such equal opportunities. Health authorities have been advised to develop procedures affording equality of opportunity to minority groups.A report of the Commission for Racial Equality on "Ethnic Minority Hospital Staff" has suggested that there remains potential for discrimination in the NHS. We shall consider in the light of this report, the views of health authorities, and other evidence, whether any further action is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many complaints were received by his Department following the visit of the specialist claims unit to Banbury.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the answer of 22 December 1983, Official Report, c. 388, if he will provide details of each programme under which assistance is given to involve recently retired men and women in voluntary activity.

Recently retired men and women contribute greatly to the work of voluntary organisations, but it is not possible to isolate their role and contribution from those of others alongside whom they work. I published information about the grants we are making to support voluntary organisations in my reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doone Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 14 December 1983—[Vol. 50, c. 509–16.]I am writing to my hon. Friend with details of the opportunities for volunteering scheme and the MSC's voluntary projects programme, both of which are destined to enable unemployed people (including the prematurely retired) to participate in voluntary acitvity.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about implementation of the recommendations of the Committee on Safety of Medicines on procedures for handling adverse drug reaction data.

We have been studying the recommendations in the committee's report and consulting widely on them. We will make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the losses of housing benefit which would be suffered by retirement pensioners in (a) Southwark and (b) Greater London as a result of changes to housing benefit announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of (a) the administrative costs and (b) the staff costs of community care services within the personal social services budget; and if he will distinguish where possible between the main catogories of staff involved.

Information about staff costs returned to the Department by local authorities is categorised only by type of service. Information on "fieldwork" covers all social worker costs (that is, including social work with clients in residential care). The latest details available to the Department are as follows:

	Gross expenditure 1982–83 (£ million)
Community care services (including day care):
Staff costs
Home helps	241
Day nurseries	60
Adult training centres	54
Other day care	54
Other support services	28
Related administrative costs	92
Fieldwork:
Staff costs—social workers	246
Related administrative costs	77

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence he has about the incidence of hypothermia in the elderly since 1 October 1983 compared with the same period in 1982–83.

There is no firm evidence about the incidence of hypothermia. This is a condition which usually occurs in association with other disorders and diseases amongst elderly people. Information on the number of cases in which hypothermia is mentioned on the death certificate as a main or contributory cause of death is not yet available for the end of 1983; in the quarter ended 31 December 1982 there were 112 such deaths of people aged 65 and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many copies of the 1981 consultation document "Drinking Sensibly" were distributed up to the end of 1983;

Approximately 5,000 copies of "Drinking Sensibly"^* had been sold or distributed by the end of 1983. It was reprinted in March 1983 in response to demand and continues to be available. There are no plans to waive the charge.The purpose of this discussion document was to provide facts and present issues to aid public debate and discussion on the question of alcohol misuse, rather than to invite correspondence.Responses include the use of the material in press articles and conferences and we have had some letters. We take account of views expressed when particular issues are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the number of deaths associated with solvent abuse in the latest year for which statistics are available; and if he will give a breakdown between different medical causes of death.

Exact figures of deaths associated with solvent abuse are not available, but it is known that 57 confirmed cases occurred in England and Wales in 1983.The following table shows these deaths analysed by the physical cause of death categories used in the national study of deaths associated with the abuse of volatile substances.

Deaths Associated with Solvent Abuse by Physical Cause of Death, 1983, England and Wales
Cause	Number
Asphyxia*	20
Suffocation by plastic bag	9
Inhalation of vomit	14
Hanging	2
Drowning	5
Multiple injuries	3
Other	4
TOTAL	57
* Includes general terms for toxic effect of solvents, eg cardiac failure, respiratory failure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 31 January, if he is confident the Leicestershire health authority will have sufficient funds to open fully the Glenfield hospital.

Both the Trent regional health authority and the Leicestershire health authority are firmly committed to the opening of phase I of the new Glenfield district general hospital later this year. I am confident they will achieve this objective.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the original intended budget of the Leicestershire district health authority in 1983–84; and what it was after expenditure cuts agreed with the region in late 1982–83 and the July measures in 1983–84.

This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may care to write to the Trent regional health authority, which is responsible for the allocation of resources to the health authorities in the region, which includes Leicestershire.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the hospitals which have been closed in the area of the Leicestershire district health authority since 1978–79 and the hospitals where there have been ward closures or losses of beds.

Markfield hospital, near Leicester is the only hospital to have closed in the Leicestershire district since 1978–79. Information on hospitals where there have been ward closures and bed losses is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of beds in National Health Service hospitals in the area of the Leicestershire district health authority in each year since 1978–79; what is the current figure; and what it will be when the Glenfield hospital has opened and consequent closures have been made.

The average daily numbers of available beds in NHS hospitals in the Leicestershire district health authority (previously Leicestershire area health authority) from 1978 to 1982, the latest year available centrally, are given in the table.

Year	Average daily number of available beds
1978	5,101·1
1979	5,140·2
1980	5,220·9
1981	5,220·7
1982	5,224·5

The number of beds which will be available following the opening of phase I of the Glenfield district general hospital later this year is under consideration by the Leicestershire health authority. The hon. Member may care to write to the authority for further details.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether there has been any change in the estimated cost of the remedial works being carried out on the cardiac block at Great Ormond street hospital;(2) if he will make a statement on the exploratory works carried out on the cardiac block at Great Ormond street hospital.

The recent discovery of further serious structural defects in the cardiac wing of the Hospital for Sick Children will certainly increase both the cost of the remedial works and the time required to carry them out. The consultants and contractors are opening up and inspecting the foundations of the building as rapidly as is possible having proper regard for the safety of those doing the work. It will not be possible for them to estimate the additional cost until this process has been completed. Depending on what they discover and the conclusion they draw, it may then be necessary to reassess the whole programme for repairing this building.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library a copy of the detailed syllabus of the National Health Service management course held at Harrogate on 25, 26 and 27 November 1983; and if he will make a statement.

The course was designed as a workshop without a syllabus. Students formed syndicates to work on practical issues related to the management of change in their own organisations, with tutorial guidance from the course directors. I have placed copies of the course documents in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give statistics for each of the past 10 years on the number of cases referred to the regional medical officer under the Invalidity Benefit Regulations for examination and the number deemed to be fit for some work by his Department's regions.

The statistics are not readily available. I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as they can be extracted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek the help of the Royal College of Nursing, the Confederation of Health Service Employees and the National Union of Public Employees in making an estimate of the number of trained nurses who are currently unemployed.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that no ill-effects will arise as a result of his proposals for deputising services such as will affect (a) those deputising services which are at present well run with proper staff and (b) sick patients who need medical attention during weekends, nights and public holidays.

Yes. I have published my proposals for consultation. I am receiving comments on a wide variety of points and I will ensure, in drawing up the final circular, that no threat is poised to the viability of well-run deputising services of the required standard. My objective is to secure the best possible service to patients at all times. I shall take no step unless I am satisfied that it will help to secure that objective.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total numbers of children under the age of 16 years who were prescribed contraceptive drugs or devices under the National Health Service in each of the years since 1970; and in how many of these cases the parents of the children were consulted beforehand.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department requires statistics relating to the number of under 16-year-olds given contraceptive advice and treatment to be kept by National Health Service clinics.

Health authorities have been required to send in statistics showing the numbers of children under 16 seen at family planning clinics and on domiciliary visits since 1976. The figures for the years 1976 to 1982 are as follows:

England only (000's)
	Family planning clinics	Domiciliary visits by family planning staff
1976	8·0	0·2
1977	9·4	0·2
1978	9·7	0·2
1979	10·6	0·2
1980	12·1	0·2
1981	14·3	0·2
1982	15·8	0·2

Information on the number of children under 16 receiving contraceptive advice from general practitioners and the other information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in which towns in England and Wales the current unemployment review of people between the ages of 18 and 25 years is being carried out; and with what results.

Unemployment review officers currently interview a proportion of unemployed people between the ages of 18 and 50 years in all areas of Great Britain. However records are not kept in the form which distinguishes between the different age-groups. The experiment to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 31 January—[Vol. 53, c. 125–27]—has been designed to provide information in due course about the advantages which may be derived from providing help by way of extra unemployment review to people in the 18 to 24 age-group. This experiment will take place in areas covered by the following offices:

• Sunderland South ILO
• Hexham ILO
• Pontefract ILO
• Rotherham South ILO
• Seaham ILO
• Chester-le-Street ILO
• Birmingham, Washwood Heath, ILO
• Corby ILO
• Birmingham (Ravenshurst) ILO
• Leicester, Norton Street, ILO
• Lichfield ILO
• Ealing ILO
• Hemel Hempstead ILO
• Edmonton ILO
• Southend ILO
• Stevenage ILO
• Romford ILO
• Folkestone ILO
• Gravesend ILO
• Kensington ILO
• New Forest ILO
• Surbiton ILO
• Wimbledon ILO
• Chippenham ILO
• Colwyn Bay ILO
• Exeter ILO
• Port Talbot ILO
• Stroud ILO
• Swansea ILO
• Whitehaven ILO
• Blackburn ILO
• Liverpool, Huyton, ILO
• Macclesfield ILO
• Oldham ILO
• Wigan ILO
• Cowdenbeath ILO
• Dunfermline ILO
• Glasgow, Maryhill, ILO
• Kilmarnock ILO
• Peterhead ILO

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer of 30 January, what the cost would be of obtaining from Merseyside offices of his Department detailed statistics of the results of the 1983 Merseyside county council take-up campaign.

The cost of collating the detailed statistics required is estimated to be £600.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give estimated dates when each of the regions and districts will achieve a target of treating 40 to 50 per million of the population suffering from kidney diseases; if he will indicate the progressions to be expected for 1984, 1985 and 1986; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1984, c. 702]: We have informed health authorities in announcing the distribution of resources for 1984–85 that specific targets will be set for developing renal failure services in discussion with regional health authorities. This discussion is now in progress and we shall be making the targets public when they have been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has studied the conclusions of the document "Mentally Handicapped People in Scotland: A Case of Political Neglect" by Area 5 Action Group, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a copy of this document, but does not accept all its conclusions about community-based provision for the mentally handicapped in Scotland. The report on "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties", which was commended to health boards by my right hon. Friend, gave high priority to the needs of the mentally handicapped and to the need to reduce dependence on hospital provision for such persons. Since the publication of this report there have been significant improvements in the provision of places for the mentally handicapped in community hostels and homes; of adult training centre places; and of houses within the community for the mentally handicapped.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

Fifty-seven at a cost of £39,666. This figure includes 39 visits to Brussels and Luxembourg in connection with EC business.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken to determine the future plans of Gomba Holdings Ltd. for the premises vacated by it in Cumnock which are currently the subject of negotiations.

We have maintained contact with Gomba Holdings Ltd. which continues to express an interest in buying the premises at Cumnock, but a sale has not yet been concluded. If Gomba does buy the premises, it maintains that it would be with a view to making new investment to support other manufacturing activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was earned by the tourist industry in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

Tourism Revenue (based on Northern Ireland Tourist Board Estimates)
	£ million
1979	79·90
1980	90·11
1981	78·5
1982	84·8
1983*	168·0
* provisional estimate

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many orderly posts it is estimated are necessary to service a fully occupied H-block at Her Majesty's prison, Maze, and how many orderly posts existed in H-block 7 in June 1982 and December 1982;(2) how many of the 185 Republican prisoners who were serving determinate sentences at Her Majesty's prison, Maze and who came off protest on 1 November 1982 by making themselves available for work had, by

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

Full information in the form requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the percentage of Open University students who received financial assistance to attend summer school in each of the last five years for which statistics are available.

This information is not immediately available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities transportation committee.

My last formal meeting was on 17 October, but my hon. Friend the Minister of State has seen the AMA transportation committee chairman frequently and looks forward to the next occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the level of public financial support for railways in Great Britain, France, Italy and West Germany, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Information on public support to railways in different countries can be expressed in different ways and in any case is not readily comparable as there are variations in accounting systems and in the arrangements for financial support. The latest available estimates, based on information provided by the EC Commission, relate to 1981 and are as follows. However, they should be taken as giving only a broad comparison between countries.

Public Financial Support for Railways as percentage of GDP (1981)
	Percentage
Great Britain	0·34
France	0·40
Italy	1·41
West Germany	0·56

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many disused railway lines have been converted to cycle routes at the nearest available date.

In December 1983 the railway path project reported that a total of 55 cycle route conversions had been completed in England, involving some 226 miles of disused railway line.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the date for the public inquiry on the Denton-Middleton section of the M66 Manchester outer ring road.

We intend to publish draft orders later this year: there will then be provision for objections or representations to be made. Details of the public inquiry—which we expect to take place next year—would be announced after this.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now considered the scrutiny of research support services at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory; and if he will make a statement.

I have today placed a copy of the report, incorporating my response, in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has determined a new financial target for the British Airports Authority to run from 1 April 1983.

Yes I have agreed with the authority that a reasonable financial duty for the British Airports Authority would be to achieve on average, over the three financial years 1983–84 to 1985–86, a minimum annual rate of return on average net assets of 3 per cent. plus one fifth of the annual percentage growth in terminal passengers on a cumulative basis profit in each successive year. The target is related to trading profit after taking account of current cost depreciation but before any adjustments for loss on disposal of fixed assets and for monetary working capital and before interest and tax. It is an agreed objective that the authority should achieve break-even at its Scottish airports within the same period, and this was taken into account in determining the target.The target is supplemented by the establishment of two performance aims which have also been agreed with the authority. Over the period of the financial target the authority will aim:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the 30 local authorities with the largest percentage overspend of their grant-related expenditure allocations in 1983–84, showing for each (a) its percentage overspend of grant-related expenditure allocation and (b) the increase in its current expenditure, in cash, between 1978–79 and its 1983–84 estimates.

Following is the information:

	Overspend on G.R.E.* 1983–84 Per cent.	1978–79 to 1983–84 cash increase in net current expenditure £ thousand
City of London	229·8	21,802
Thamesdown	84·5	2,732
Greater London CL	81·7	455,908
Sedgefield	78·2	2,776
South Yorkshire	76·0	111,333
Harlow	73·7	3,640
Crawley	72·8	2,759
I.L.E.A.	66·1	409,322
Camden	65·0	41,426
Greenwich	63·7	25,360
Tower Hamlets	61·0	24,321
Rossendale	51·9	1,826
Stevenage	51·1	1,468
Langbaurgh	51·0	4,104
Lewisham	51·0	24,605
Basildon	50·1	4,407
Burnley	48·0	3,151
Wansbeck	47·8	1,481
Wyre Forest	44·3	2,781
Wear Valley	42·7	1,628
Derwentside	42·1	2,533
Darlington	42·0	2,581
Nuneaton	40·6	2,711
Chester-le-Street	40·5	1,341
Lambeth	39·4	39,417
Hackney	37·6	40,569
Haringey	37·0	52,514
Southwark	35·0	37,750
Thurrock	34·1	2,933
Bristol	33·8	15,163
* Supplementary report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the 30 local authorities with the largest percentage overspend of their grant-related expenditure allocations in (a) 1982–83 and (b) 1983–84 showing for each (i) its percentage ovespend of grant-related expenditure allocation and (ii) the increase in its current expenditure, in cash, between (x) 1977–78 and 1983–84 and (y) 1979–80 and 1983–84.

The 30 local authorities with the largest percentage budgeted overspend on their grant-related expenditure allocations in 1982–83, and the percentage overspend figures relating to each are shown as attached:

	Budget Overspend on GRE* 1982–83 Per cent.
City of London	237·3
Thamesdown	93·1
South Yorkshire	78·7
Harlow	76·2
Tower Hamlets	73·9
Sedgefield	73·5
Langbaurgh	72·1
Wansbeck	67·2
Rossendale	63·8
Crawley	63·3
Burnley	57·0
Darlington	52·8
Greenwich	52·7
Lewisham	52·7
Camden	51·6
I.L.E.A.	51·1
Hackney	49·3
Derwentside	48·9
Middlesbrough	47·9
Basildon	46·2
Stevenage	45·7
Wyre Forest	45·5
Nuneaton	45·4
Greater London Council	45·4
Thurrock	45·4
Durham	44·1
Wear Valley	43·6
Bristol	43·3
Chester Le Street	39·0
Chesterfield	38·5
* Supplementary Report

I have provided equivalent figures for 1983–84 in another reply given to the hon. Member today.Figures showing the increase in current expenditure between 1977–78 and 1983–84 and between 1979–80 and 1983–84 for individual authorities cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.