asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has completed his study of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's position.

I am still considering what changes we should seek in UNESCO's programmes and procedures this year. Discussions are taking place with other like-minded countries. I hope to write to the Director General within the next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the timetable of the negotiations relating to the renewal of the Lomé agreement.

It is intended that a successor covention should be negotiated in good time before the current convention expires on 28 February 1985. I attended a Ministerial level negotiating session in Brussels on 9–10 February, at which it was agreed to convene a further meeting in Suva on 2–4 May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about the recent donor's conference about aid for Grenada.

A donors meeting was held in Barbados on 6 February at the request of the Interim Council of Grenada. Further discussions took place at a meeting of the Caribbean Group for Co-operation in Economic Development in Washington on 13–17 February. I attended the Caribbean Group meeting, where I had useful discussions with the chairman of the Interim Council, Mr. Brathwaite, on Grenada's priorities for British aid. I believe that substantial assistance will be forthcoming from the donor community.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government intend to be represented at the second international conference on assistance to refugees in Africa to be held in Geneva in July 1984; and when he expects to be able to say what extra contribution can be made by the United Kingdom to financing projects designed to alleviate the problems of refugees in that continent.

Her Majesty's Government will be represented but it is too early to say whether funds will be available to permit a contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the implications of the recent security agreement between South Africa and Mozambique for British aid to Mozambique and for British interests in the area.

British interests, including the administration of development aid, are best served by the promotion of peace and stability in the area. We welcome any move which contributes to this.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much overseas aid has been received by Tanzania from the United Kingdom in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

The following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which voluntary organisations currently receiving grants from his Department will be receiving reductions in their grants.

The four member societies of the British Volunteer Programme (Voluntary Service Overseas, International Voluntary Service, Catholic Institute for International Relations and United Nations Association International Service) and the four largest recipients of funds under the "pound for pound" joint funding scheme (Oxfam, Save the Children Fund, Catholic Fund for Overseas Development and Christian Aid) also Scottish Education and Action for Development and the Centre for World Development Education, all of which receive grants on an agreed annual basis, will, subject to parliamentary approval, receive at least as much finance next year as this.It is not possible to say at this stage what the position with respect to the other agencies will be. The funds they receive next year will depend on the progress of projects which we are helping to finance with them and, in the case of Christians Abroad, on their recruitment levels; on whether they make application for funds next year; and what the demands will be, through these agencies, for financial assistance either to help with refugees or to alleviate the effects of disasters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will implement the Diseases of Fish Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and my noble Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office, and I have now completed discussions with the National Farmers Unions about the use of the new powers contained in the 1983 Act. In the light of these discussions, we propose to make an order bringing the Act into force with effect from the end of March. Regulations to revise the form of, or procedure for the publication of, certain notices and orders made under the Diseases of Fish Acts will be made at the same time.We intend to create a register of fish farms as soon as practicable and the NFU will be consulted at an early date as to how this might be done. The fish diseases ulcerative dermal necrosis (UDN) and columnaris are to be deleted from the list of those notifiable in terms of the Diseases of Fish Acts, and the diseases furunculosis and infectious dropsy of cyprinids will be replaced respectively by the more restrictive categories furunculosis of salmon and spring viraemia of carp (SVC).In the light of our discussions, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I also propose to make certain changes straightaway in the extent to which fish farms in England and Wales are subject to movement controls when whirling disease or infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is found to be present in stocks. We have instructed our officials to continue to monitor the occurrence of whirling disease in England and Wales, and fish farms found to be infected will be designated by order. However, since the disease can be contained by husbandry practices and presents no risks to stocks of wild fish, we shall no longer control the movement of fish or eggs from such designated sites. It will be for fish farmers and others who buy live fish and eggs to consider whether to deal with such sites.As regards IPN, we propose to continue to monitor trout farms which have hatcheries, and to designate by order those where the disease is found. We do not intend to impose movement restrictions in respect of live trout and their eggs from sites so designated: it will be for buyers of eggs or young fish, if they so wish, to take account of the fact that IPN has been found in a particular site. However, since the economic effects of IPN can be more significant in regard to farmed salmon, all salmon farms in England and Wales, including hatcheries and sea cages, will be subject to monitoring for IPN. When the disease is found, the site will be designated by order and no movements of live fish or eggs of fish from the site will be permitted unless previously authorised in writing.After the most thorough consideration of all the evidence available, including the advice we received in response to the consultation papers issued in 1981, I believe the policies outlined in this statement provide an appropriate response to the various diseases involved. In the past, our efforts to control fish diseases have benefited from the co-operation of fish farmers, water authorities and those interested generally in our salmon and freshwater fisheries. With the implementation of the 1983 Act, and this revision of fish disease policies, we look forward to improved co-operation. To this end, our officials are writing to representatives of interested parties and to the fish farmers directly affected to explain the details of the application of the new policies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the evidence now available, he will take steps to ban tributyl tin compound in anti-fouling paints; and if he will make a statement.

We recognise that there is evidence to show that tributyl tin can inhibit shellfish cultivation, and we are considering with other Government Departments what action might be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the manufacture, refining, export or import of sugar is subsidised by the Government.

Support for sugar prices is provided under the common agricultural policy. Direct subsidies, which are limited to sugar produced within quotas, are provided under that policy in the form of export refunds, a contribution towards storage costs, transport and refining subsidies on raw sugar produced within the French Overseas Departments and a subsidy on sugar used by the chemical industry. Imports may be subsidised when world price levels exceed Community prices.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which voluntary organisations currently receiving grants from his Department will be receiving reductions in their grants.

None.

asked the Attorney-General when he proposes to issue his consultative paper about permitting banks and building societies to offer house transfer services.

The Government will be issuing the consultative paper shortly.

asked the Attorney-General if he will initiate legislation to break the solicitors' monopoly of making applications for probate in cases which involve acting for fee, gain or reward.

I refer the hon. Member to the Government's response to the report of the Royal Commission on Legal Services — Cmnd. 9077, paragraph R19.3.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of women in 1981, 1982 and 1983 who were remanded in custody were subsequently released without having had a custodial sentence imposed upon them.

Figures for 1981 and provisional figures for 1982 are published in table 2.1 and table 2.2 respectively of "Prison statistics England and Wales 1982" (Cmnd. 9027). Figures for 1983 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each local authority in England and Wales the percentage of registered voters recording a vote in the most recent local authority elections for each authority.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him on 7 February. Information for the years 1974 to 1979 was published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in "Electoral Statistics" (series EL).—[Vol. 53, c. 517.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, in relation to the computer system dealing with immigration at Bootle (a) the purpose or purposes for which personal data are held, (b) the source or sources from which data are obtained, (c) a description of any person or organisations to whom personal data have been disclosed, including the number of such disclosures over the last convenient period of time, (d) the Departments that have or intend to have terminal access to the computer system, and (e) a list of the indices held on the computer system and the number of entries in each index.

(a) The primary purpose of the computer system is to identify apparent overstayers by matching the landing and embarkation cards completed by passengers subject to immigration control, a process previously carried out manually. Other purposes include the provision of statistical information including information about numbers of persons granted settlement on removal of time limit. The system also records the registration of foreign nationals with the police and issues reports in respect of those for whom no record of registration has been received after the registration requirement has been imposed.(b) The principal data are taken from the landing and embarkation cards completed by passengers. Data concerning the receipt and outcome of applications for variation of leave are entered and, where the police registration requirement has been imposed, United Kingdom police forces contribute data at the time of registration.(c) Information is disclosed to United Kingdom police forces in individual cases in connection with the investigation of possible immigration offences. No estimate of the number of these disclosures is available. Information is also disclosed to the police in connection with apparent failures to register and when variations of leave are granted to persons who are registered. It is estimated that such transfers occur at the rate of approximately five thousand per month. Occasionally, information may be disclosed to other Government Departments.(d) There are no plans for terminal access outside the immigration and nationality and statistical departments of the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct magistrates that the new maximum limits for fines that can be imposed by magistrates' courts shall only apply to offences taking place after the announcement of the new limits.

Section 143 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, under which my right hon. and learned Friend proposes to make an order increasing maximum summary fines, expressly provides that such an order cannot affect the punishment for an offence committed before the date on which it comes into force. The circular he has issued to the courts explaining the changes draws their attention to this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average cost of processing an application for citizenship.

We shall be responding very shortly to the recommendations on British nationality fees in the third report of the Home Affairs Committee, and I will then write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now consider seeking to restrict by proper licensing the activities of the minicab trade.

In areas in which the provisions of part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 have been adopted., the private hire car trade is subject to licensing controls by the district councils. We have at present no plans to amend that legislation. In addition, plying for hire other than by a licensed hackney carriage is an offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which voluntary organisation currently receiving grants from his Department will be receiving reductions in grants.

I regret that this information is not available. Expenditure for 1984–85 has not yet been approved by Parliament, and the exact amounts of the grants which the Department will make to voluntary organisations in that year have still to be determined in detail.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government are prepared to invoke article 36 of the Treaty of Rome to impose restrictions on imports of goods vehicles to the extent required to ensure the maintenance of vehicle-building capacity required in time for war.

No. In current circumstances an import prohibition of the type envisaged could not be justified under article 36 of the Treaty of Rome.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in view of the 5·6 per cent. failure rate of reference tests under the average contents system controlling food products and the fact that half the infringements indicate a shortfall of more than twice the permitted tolerance, he will review the operation of the average contents system.

Information contained in annual reports submitted to my right hon. Friend by the national metrological co-ordinating unit shows that there is a continued improvement in the performance of British manufacturers and packers since the average system of quantity control over packaged goods was introduced in 1980. Comparable figures for food products alone are not available but the failure rate in tests carried out by local authorities dropped from 10·2 per cent. in 1980–81 to 7·75 per cent. in 1981–82.Present indications are that the number of tests carried out is increasing and that the failure rate is continuing to fall. Reported failure rates and infringements should not be looked at in isolation in considering the effectiveness of the average system: I shall continue to keep the operation of the system under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which American telecommunications company has licensed British Telecom to manufacture telephone apparatus at British Telecom's factory units in Chiswick.

The Chiswick unit assembles a wholly British Telecom designed product, the City Business System, which has been a major export success in the United States of America.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each quarter of 1983 and the first half of 1979 the terms of trade and relative volume for trade in finished manufactures.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing trade with the European Economic Community and the rest of the world in 1982 and the first seven months of 1983 in tufted carpets, carpeting and rugs subject to a tariff of 14 per cent. in 1987 under the terms of the Tokyo Round of tariff reductions.

This information can be readily derived from the details published in the relevant volumes of the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics under SITC(R2) items 659.41, 659.51 and 659.61, on all of which the rate of duty applicable in 1987 under the terms of the Tokyo round of tariff reductions will be 14 per cent. Copies of this publication are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the principal temperate foodstuffs the value of United Kindom imports from the European Economic Community as a percentage of United Kingdom exports to the European Economic Community for 1970 and the latest 12 months for which figures are available.

I am not aware of any convenient definition of the term, temperate foodstuffs, by which the trade which the hon. Member has in mind could readily be identified in the official statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and. Industry which voluntary organisations currently receiving grants from his Department will be receiving reductions in their grants.

I regret that this information is not yet available. Expenditure plans for 1984–85 have not yet been laid before Parliament and the exact amount of grant to individual organisations has still to be decided in detail.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will now give further information about the measures he has undertaken to introduce controls on the sale of gang chains and manacles;(2) what recent representations he has received about the sale by the United Kingdom of gang chains and manacles for use in torture.

My right hon. Friend has received a substantial volume of correspondence on this subject following reports in the media and earlier questions in the House. As my right hon. Friend announced on 1 February, in his answer to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) at c. 245, he made an order that day imposing export controls on

"leg irons, shackles (excluding hand cuffs) and gang chains specially designed for restraining human beings".

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce measures to relieve those importers of scented erasers who will suffer financial loss by reason of irrevocable contracts into which they entered before S.I., 1984, No. 83 was laid.

No: there is no provision under the Consumer Safety Act 1978 for compensation to suppliers of unsafe goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many letters he has received about the Scented Erasers (Safety) Order; and how many of these have supported the introduction of the order.

I have received numerous letters about the ban on scented erasers. There is general agreement that some action was needed. Letters received from suppliers since the order was made generally consider that it should not have been introduced without consultation and that its coverage is too wide. I am not at all surprised that the millions of parents for whose children this hazard has now been minimised have not written to their MPs or to me to express their approval, whereas some scores of suppliers who are faced with financial loss have written letters of protest or criticism.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will define in terms of size the smaller scented erasers, the renewed sale of which prompted him to introduce the Scented Erasers (Safety) Order.

I see no need to do so. The dimensional criterion in the order was that considered by medical advisors to be necessary to avoid a choking risk to young children. Any scented eraser of a size below that stated in the order constituted such a risk.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he took to advise the wholesalers and retailers of scented erasers of the size or character of the smaller scented erasers, the sale of which was deplored in the press statement issued by his Department in November 1982.

My predecessor's advice was made known to representative associations of importers and retailers of scented erasers and to individual suppliers who had contacted my officials prior to the issue of the press statement. The press statement calling for commonsense and caution referred to "articles such as scented erasers designed to resemble sweets and other types of food" and to "something which looks and smells like food" and to "novelties of this kind" and to "smaller size novelties of this kind particularly likely to cause choking if swallowed" and to the attachment of warnings, where possible and sensible, to

"all noveltiies which are scented or which resemble food."

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he took to obtain firmer information and details regarding the press reports of incidents involving the use of scented erasers; and if he will make a statement.

Only one of the four incidents reported in the media was covered by a press report, the other three being reported on television. All four reports gave adequate information about the incidents in question.The Association of County Councils and the Association of District Councils, as well as individual trading standards departments, urged me to take formal action to reduce the potential risk of a child being seriously injured. I considered that the risk was such that a banning order was appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions Her Majesty's Government have used the emergency powers under the Consumer Safety Act 1978 to prohibit immediately the sale of goods; and if he will publish a table listing the various orders.

Seven prohibition orders have been made using the emergency procedure in paragraph 5 of schedule 1 to the Consumer Safety Act 1978. They are:

The Nightwear (Safety) Order 1978 (SI 1978 No. 1728)

The Balloon-Making Compounds (Safety) Order 1979 (SI 1979 No. 44)

The Children's Furniture (Safety) Order 1982 (SI 1982 No. 523)

The Toy Water Snakes (Safety) Order 1983 (SI 1983 No. 1366)

The Gas Catalytic Heaters (Safety) Order 1983 (SI 1983 No. 1696)

The Expanding Novelties (Safety) Order 1983 (SI 1983 No. 1791)

The Scented Erasers (Safety) Order 1984 (SI 1984 No. 83)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he is not prepared to introduce an order under the Consumer Safety Act 1978 to ban the sale of marbles.

I am not presently considering the prohibition as a choking risk of any small objects specifically marketed for children. Any small object presents such a risk to young children but the risk should be minimised. Marbles have been supplied for many years and do not, unlike scented erasers, contain an unnecessary additive deliberately designed to make them more attractive.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the numbers of hospital emergency admissions for persons suffering from throat blockages caused by marbles and the number of such admissions caused by the swallowing of scented erasers during the most recent four year period for which figures are available.

National figures are not available. My Department's home accident surveillance system collects information from a sample of 20 hospitals in England and Wales and the figures reported for hospital admissions due to marbles and erasers in the mouth, throat or digestive system are:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the promised White Paper on insolvency law reform will be issued.

The Government's White Paper entitled "A Revised Framework for Insolvency Law" will be laid before the House and published tomorrow.

asked the Prime Minister for how long Sir Rex Hunt has served as Governor and Civil Commissioner in the Falkland Islands; if she has any plans to replace him; and if she will make a statement.

Sir Rex Hunt took up his appointment as Governor of the Falkland Islands on 27 February 1980. His tour of duty is subject to regular review and was extended last year. An announcement will be made when in the normal course of events the time comes to replace him.

asked the Prime Minister how many university lecturers have taken early retirement between 1980 and December 1983; and what will be the total change in levels of university academic and nonacademic staff between January 1980 and December 1983.

Between December 1980 and December 1983 about 2,000 full-time and part-time members of universities' academic staff retired early with premature retirement compensation. The reduction in the level of academic staff (part-time and full-time) between January 1980 and December 1983 was about 3,600, from a total of about 34,000. For non-academic staff information for January 1980 is not available. The total reduction between December 1980 and December 1983 was about 7,800 from a total of about 70,000.

asked the Prime Minister what is the total amount of public money granted to the Merseyside area under central Government expenditure programmes in each year since 1974.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1979 Saatchi and Saatchi were employed as consultants by Her Majesty's Government in relation to the presentation of government on the Falklands.

None.

asked the Prime Minister whether the actions taken under the Civil Service Order in Council 1982 to ban trade unions at Government communications headquarters were taken by instructions of order; and on what date.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury, to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) on 23 February—[Vol. 54, c. 608.] Notice of the changes was sent to all members of staff at GCHQ on 25 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are taking part in the youth training scheme in Walthamstow; how many places have not been taken up; and how many young people left before their scheme was completed.

Information is not available in the precise form requested but only for the London borough of Waltham Forest. Of the 772 youth training scheme place approved in the borough, 408 are currently occupied. 87 young people have so far left before their schemes were completed, although this does not include early leavers from schemes negotiated centrally with large companies, nor from the scheme run by the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO), which covers the London boroughs of Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how much finance will be received in the current year from the European social fund towards mode A of the youth training scheme;(2) how much finance will be received in the current year from the European social fund towards mode B1 of the youth training scheme;(3) how much finance will be received in the current year from the European social fund towards mode B2 of the youth training scheme.

It is not possible to say at present how much will be received in the current year from the European social fund in respect of the youth training scheme. Applications for assistance from the fund in the 1984 calendar year have to be made to the European Commission by March 13th. Decisions on those applications are expected to be issued by mid-July. Applications are not however made in respect of separate modes of the scheme and it will therefore not be possible to provide information in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the level of the Government's financial commitment to the youth training scheme in the financial year 1984–85; and whether he will make an announcement about the sums of money to be paid to youth training scheme managing agents and sponsors in 1984–85.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing employment in manufacturing in the United Kingdom at the latest available date as a percentage of 1979 and the corresponding figures for Japan, Germany, France and Sweden for manufacturing or industry.

The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table comparing average male gross hourly earnings in the manufacture of motor vehicles, parts and so on, mechanical engineering, iron and steel and cotton textiles and man-made fibre, respectively, as a percentage of the figure for all industries in 1972, 1979 and at the latest available date.

The available figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the change in the share of earnings of male manual workers aged over 21 years in manufacturing accounted for by payment by results in each year since 1979.

Payments by results, bonuses and other incentive payments represented the following of average gross weekly earnings of male manual workers aged 21 and over, whose pay was not affected by absence:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number and percentage rate of (a) under 25 year-olds and (b) over 45 year-olds currently registered as unemployed in each of the Huddersfield, Castleford, Pontefract, Normanton, Barnsley, Dewsbury, Wakefield and Hemsworth areas.

The following table gives, for the areas specified, the numbers of unemployed claimants aged under 25 years and aged 45 years and over on 12 January. Percentage rates of unemployment by age are only available nationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the differential loss of employment in different industries weighted by the average earnings in those industries.

Information on the number of employees in employment by industry is published regularly in Employment Gazette, and on average earnings by industry in the reports on the new earnings survey, part C, the latest of which relates to April 1983. These publications are available in the Library.

the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer of 30 January, Official Report, c. 27, what he means by "work" whether paid or unpaid; and if he will make a statement.

The use of the word "work" in this context means any employment whether paid or unpaid, as defined in Schedule 20 of the Social Security Act 1975. Providing a service, with or without remuneration, as, for example, in doing voluntary work, could have a bearing on availability for employment but, as provided in regulation 12 of the Social Security (Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit) Regulation 1983, entitlement to benefit will not be affected if a claimant can make himself available within 24 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Merseyside.

I visited my Department's offices at Runcorn to meet the staff and see the work being done there. I visited youth training schemes at the Cavendish Enterprise Centre Ltd in Birkenhead and at Associated Biscuits' plant at Aintree in Liverpool. I met a delegation of shop stewards from the Cammell Laird ship yard at Birkenhead. I also visited the offices of the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service at Garston.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many improvement or prohibition notices on preventing back injuries have been served on National Health Service premises since 1975; in which areas they were served; and what enforcement action he is taking on the Health and Safety Executive's recent report on the lifting of patients in health services.

No improvement or prohibition notices specifically directed to the prevention of back injuries have been served on NHS premises. HSE inspectors who visit NHS premises will discuss the action being taken on the recommendations of the Health and Safety Commission's Health Services Advisory Committe in the publication "The Lifting of Patients in the Health Services".

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which voluntary organisations currently receiving grants from his Department will be receiving reductions in their grants.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the level of unemployment in the north west region.

We are, of course, concerned about the high level of unemployment in the north west region. There are signs that the Government's policies are succeeding in establishing the economic conditions which will help industries in the north west and elsewhere to become more competitive and start to expand. In the meantime we are continuing to protect those hardest hit through our special employment and training measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what consultation there has been between his Department, the World Bank and the British Council on establishing technician colleges in Turkey.(2) what representations he has received regarding the intention of colleges in the United Kingdom to join a consortium with the World Bank and the British Council to establish technician colleges in Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

There have been no consultations involving any Government Department. But I understand that the British Council, in the context of its paid educational services programme, has expressed interest to the Higher Education Council in Turkey in providing technical assistance to develop eight technician centres as part of an industrial training project part-funded by the World Bank. The council has therefore invited a number of United Kingdom colleges to assist in the preparation of a proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by whom representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government to provide observers at the forthcoming elections in El Salvador.

We have been invited by the Salvadorean Government to send observers to the forthcoming elections in El Salvador. Our response will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has received concerning the safety and security of the England cricket team in Pakistan; from whom; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied with the arrangements being made to ensure the safety and security of the England cricket team upon its arrival in Pakistan.

We are in touch with the Test and County Cricket Board and the Pakistani authorities about the arrangements for the England cricket tour in Pakistan. We shall continue to follow the situation closely. We are so far satisfied with the arrangements being made for the safety and security of the England cricket team.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new policies or combination of new policies currently under consideration by the Community, excluding enlargement, could lead to a demand for Community finance in excess of 1 per cent. of the total now available.

In its communication to the Council of 5 May 1983 on the future financing of the Community (6863/83), the Commission recommended an increase in the 1 per cent. VAT ceiling, citing, in addition to enlargement, the development of new policies such as research and development programmes on information technology, an outline programme of Community scientific and technical activities and a Community programme for promoting youth employment as justification for an increase.The Government consider the case made by the Commission not yet proven. The Commission has now been asked to prepare a more detailed and thorough analysis. We have consistently made clear the conditions which would need to be satisfied before we could consider any increase in own resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch on 27 January, Official Report, c. 729–30, relating to re-exports from Hong Kong of goods from China, he will now up-date the information to include the final figures for the year 1983.

Final figures for total re-exports from Hong Kong of goods from China for the year 1983 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will continue to support the multinational force and observers in the Sinai when the present commitment expires at the end of March.

The multinational force and observers (MFO) have been informed that the United Kingdom will continue to provide a contingent in the Sinai at its present level. This will be for one year initially but, as things stand, the MFO may look forward to our presence for a further year beyond then.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with the chairman of British Rail.

My right hon. Friend and I will discuss matters of mutual interest with the chairman.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of transport supplementary grant in 1984–85 he estimates will be spent on road maintenance and transport investment.

TSG is a block grant and it is for county councils to decide how they spend it. Over 80 per cent. of the expenditure accepted for grant was for road maintenance and capital investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it was decided to reduce transport supplementary grant payable to the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils by £73 million in 1984–85.

The aim was to distribute the available grant as fairly and cost-effectively as possible. In terms of grant per head the GLC get £20·95 and the metropolitan county councils get £9·37 which is much more than the shires, at £5·30.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will increase the percentage of accepted capital expenditure bids by local authorities for transport supplementary grant for 1984–85.

In the transport supplementary grant settlement for 1984–85, which the House approved on 23 January, I accepted £647 million of capital expenditure. This was the highest ever total in cash terms, and there can be no question of increasing it.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for ensuring that the obligations entered into by the Greater London council in respect of improvement to British Rail services will be discharged by the proposed London Regional Transport authority.

Schedule 5 to the London Regional Transport Bill, currently in Committee, provides for any commitments by the GLC, outstanding before 2 December 1983, to make grants to the British Railways Board to be taken over by London Regional Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the lines originally proposed by the East Sussex county council for a bypass of the town of Rye in order to avoid pre-empting the possibility of the use of any of these routes by the earlier selection of a route for a bypass of the town of Winchelsea.

Yes. The work resulting from earlier investigations carried out by East Sussex county council on the Department's behalf in order to establish the feasibility of a bypass for Rye, has been made available to our consultants for the purpose of their further studies of the proposed Rye and Winchelsea bypasses.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what level of capital investment he has authorised for the Eastern region of British Rail in the last year.

Specific Governmental approval is required for only a portion of BR's investment. In the past year we have authorised £34 million for projects that relate to Eastern region.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what increase in his departmental staff will be necessary to cope with additional responsibilies following the abolition of the Greater London council and the six metropolitan county councils.

I cannot make detailed manpower estimates until final proposals or reorganisation are produced in the light of responses to the consultation papers. Any increases in departmental manpower will be more than offset by savings in local authority manpower.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has recently met the chairman of British Rail to discuss punctuality and reliability on London and south-east rail services.

My right hon. Friend frequently meets the chairman to discuss matters of mutual interest including standards of service in the London and south-east sector. His letter of 24 October 1983 to the chairman, setting his objectives—[Vol. 47, c. 47–48] — made it clear that the Government want railway services to be reliable, attractive and punctual, at acceptable fares and charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions he has given to British Rail to dispose of its assets and subsidiary companies; when he gave such instructions; and if this met with the full approval of the British Railways Board and its financial advisers.

None. Since 1981, BR has been pursuing an agreed policy for the disposal of assets. In October 1983 I also set the board the objective of obtaining more supply and support services from the private sector and of seeking to involve private finance in the development of stations and railway services.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any proposals from British Rail and the National Bus Company concerning the conversion of the present railway line into Marylebone station into an express coachway.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken on the study commissioned by his Department into the feasibility of converting the Woodhead tunnel rail route into a road.

My Department did not commission the study, although we contributed to the cost. This was to help make available better information on conversion of redundant railways generally, and not just the Woodhead route. We have studied the report with interest, and I hope others have too; but I have no plans for the conversion of any railway route into a road.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when work will start on the Lincoln bypass.

Soon after Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many investment projects put forward by British Rail since May 1979 have been approved by him.

Of the 23 projects submitted to my Department in this period 14 have been approved in whole or part, 2 rejected, and 6 withdrawn by the board. I have one proposal — for east coast main line electrification—before me at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to respond to the report of the National Economic Development Council's economic development committee for civil engineering on pre-construction procedures for road schemes.

The Ecomomic Development Council has yet to complete its own consideration of the report and submit it to me together with its own recommendations. I shall, of course, respond once it does so.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report by Professor Michael Horne into road excavations.

In the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has discussed with the chairman of the British Railways Board the future of the St. Pancras to Sheffield line.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with pedestrian crossing facilities on the A40 between the Hanger Lane gyratory system and the Katyn war memorial; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Very soon there will be 14 crossing places on this four and a half mile length of A40, located to link the communities on either side.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, if the London Regional Transport Bill becomes law, he intends to impose the same financial restraints upon London Regional Transport as he has attempted through his recent transport supplementary grant settlement to oblige the Greater London council to impose on London Transport.

The hon. Member misunderstands the nature of the TSG system. The level of expenditure accepted for TSG is what the Government consider it justified to grant-aid out of monies raised from national taxpayers.In the settlement announced last December, the level of revenue support expenditure by the GLC accepted for grant matched what could have been readily achieved had the GLC not chosen to cut London Transport fares substantially the previous May, to reduce them further in real terms by holding them below the level of inflation, and to add unnecessarily to LT costs. Accepted expenditure for public transport capital investment was over 12 per cent. higher than the previous year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport by how much the Greater London council's proposed 1984–85 budget for London Transport exceeds the transport supplementary grant agreed level of support.

The comparison which the hon. Member is attempting to draw is misleading. London Transport's budget for 1984–85 required a capital allocation of £183 million and revenue support of £193 million. The capital allocation to the GLC (including expenditure ineligible for TSG) includes £174 million for public transport investment—over 12 per cent. more than the previous year.In setting a protected expenditure level of £125 million for revenue support, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had regard to the surplus which LT had indicated that it expected to achieve. Allowing for this surplus to be carried forward and for the containment of LT's costs, the PEL of revenue support is sufficient to keep fares in line with inflation. A sum of £90 million was accepted for a taxpayer contribution through TSG. The GLC subsequently decided to pay £21 million more than LT had sought in its budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether when considering proposals for the closure of the Settle to Carlisle railway line, he will take into account objections from former users of the line whose services have been diverted to other routes in advance of the proposal to close the line.

My right hon. Friend will take account of any representations made to him which are relevant to the decision he has to take on the closure proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many transfers of vehicle registration marks from donor vehicles in Northern Ireland to receiving vehicles elsewhere in the United Kingdom were processed in the year immediately preceding the suspension of this facility; and how many vehicles originally registered in Northern Ireland had their road fund licences renewed elsewhere in the United Kingdom during the same period.

As I stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 6 February—[Vol. 53, c. 449]—there is at present no provision for the transfer of Northern Ireland registration marks from vehicles in Northern Ireland to those in other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of the Minister of State on 30 January, Official Report, c. 9, about the trunk road network following the proposed abolition of the Greater London council, which other interests referred to were consulted; and if he will consider extending the consultation period in order to consult residents living on the routes affected.

I have placed in the Library a list of those sent a copy of the consultation paper on the re-allocation of transport responsibilities in greater London. I shall continue to take carefully into account up to the time of reaching final decisions the views of all concerned about any of the matters dealt with therein.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether there are any roadways in the United Kingdom of an M or A classification that are subject to a toll.

Strictly speaking, no roadways in the United Kingdom of M or A classification are subject to a toll, but a list of the tolled crossings associated with M or A roads follows.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received in relation to the proposal to make the south circular road a trunk road how many of such representations have been from residents or associations of residents of areas through which the south circular road runs; and, of such representations from residents and residents' associations, how many were in favour and how many against the proposal.

Specific comments about the south circular road are included in 28 of the letters we have received. The two local residents associations and 16 individual local residents who have written are opposed to trunking.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to announce a decision on the proposal to make the south circular road a trunk road.

When I have completed my consideration of all the various matters on which our consultation document on roads and traffic management in London invited views.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that any directive on European air fares proposed by the European Commission introduces genuine competition before it is ratified by the Council of Ministers.

I expect the European Commission shortly to submit a memorandum on a common air transport policy which will propose several draft measures including a draft directive on air fares. During the ensuing discussions I will certainly try to ensure that the various measures create a system which will allow individual airlines considerably more freedom than at present to exercise their commercial judgment and also make them compete more with one another.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how car registration numbers that are retained by local tax offices and not allocated to local motor retailers are disposed of;(2) what additional revenue is obtained by withholding certain car registration numbers from motor retailers and disposing of them elsewhere.

Unissued vehicle registration marks are recorded at the driver and vehicle licensing centre. They are not disposed of and no revenue is obtained for them.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the remaining link in the M27 motorway will be opened to traffic.

The contract completion date is 30 August 1984. I understand from our consulting engineers who are supervising the contract that a good deal of work remains to be done but I am still hopeful that the road can be opened early. I will make an announcement as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of accidents reported on each of the motorways in the last year; and if he will express this figure as a percentage of the mileage of each motorway.

The numbers of injury accidents per kilometre of individual motorways in 1982 (the lastest available) were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposes to take to improve the incentives to 16-year-old moped riders to take training and pass the moped test.

I have studied very carefully the substantial response to my Department's paper on training incentives for moped riders. I believe that training for the 16-year-old is extremely important and that present incentives are inadequate. Any new system must provide effective incentives, be workable and easily understood and have no offsetting road safety drawbacks. Of the various proposals canvassed, I believe that the one which most nearly meets these requirements would be to allow riders who had passed both parts of a new moped test to ride a 125cc motor cycle before their 17th birthday and to be exempt from part I of the motor cycle test.We will be considering the considerable changes needed to both the moped test and the driver licensing arrangements. Meanwhile we will also issue a short paper to interested parties, reporting on the consultation process and outlining the advantages of the preferred option over other alternatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons he approved the Vulcancrown application to run a private bus service to Heathrow airport.

A copy of the decision letter setting out my right hon. Friend's reasons was sent to my hon. Friend on 20 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which voluntary organisations currently receiving grants from his Department will be receiving reductions in their grants.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from parents, and the number thereof over the last three years, concerning the present concession whereby three children under 15 years are allowed to occupy a double seat on a bus or a coach.

Over the last three years I have received seven representations at the Department of Transport from parents that school buses are being overcrowded and overloaded because of this concession. Other representations have been made to traffic area offices. Discussions about any change are still continuing, as indicated to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Sir P. Mills) on 14 February 1984.—[Vol. 54, c. 113.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Dicks) on 15 February, whether it is his intention that the proposed London Regional Transport Executive will not be able to alter the classes of persons eligible to benefit under the scheme without approval by Parliament; and whether he will now state his attitude to applications from London boroughs to charge for permits that may arise should the Bill become law.

[pursuant to the answer, 20 February 1984, c. 369]: Following is the full reply.The LRT bill will prescribe the classes eligible and London Regional Transport will have no powers to alter these. On the second part of the question, I will propose to the Bill Committee taking powers that enable me to control charges to prevent the concessionary fares scheme being frustrated; it is premature to go further at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of students on current certificate of qualification for social workers courses are from the ethnic minority groups.

This information is not available centrally. However, I am informed by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work that between 8 and 10 per cent. of all students accepted for CQSW courses since 1981 have been non-British. The central council will publish shortly the results of the survey from which the information was taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of students on current certificate of qualifications for social workers courses are from non-academic backgrounds.

This information is not held by the Department. I understand however, that the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work publishes an annual report on applications; the latest being for the 1982 intake. The report includes information on the academic qualifications of those accepted for CQSW courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils gained O-level or A-level Russian in 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1983; and how many teachers of Russian there are in schools in England.

The number of passes gained by candidates at GCE summer examinations in Russian are given in the following table below. The number of teachers who were teaching Russian in maintained secondary schools in England and Wales were estimated to have been about 300 in 1977. Information is not avaialble about the numbers of teachers in other years or of teachers in England only.