asked the Attorney-General what measures he is taking specifically against those broadcasting illegally from offshore waters.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has recently considered a report from the Suffolk constabulary relating to offences against the Marine etc. Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967. He has asked the police to make further inquiries before he can reach a decision as to prosecution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he has to meet the need of victims of drought in Africa; and what response he is making to recent appeals for humanitarian and refugee relief.

I have approved the following grants:

	£ million
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): Afghans in Pakistan	1·5
UNHCR: Central America	0·1
UNHCR: Rwanda	0·05
UNHCR: Somalia	0·5
UNHCR: Sudan	1·5
UNHCR: Tanzania	0·05
UNHCR: Uganda	0·2
UNHCR: Zaire	0·05
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Afghans in Pakistan	0·1
ICRC: Africa Appeal	2·0
ICRC: Iran/Iraq: victims of war	0·1
ICRC: Lebanon	0·275
ICRC: Thai/Cambodia border	0·1
League of Red Cross Societies: Drought appeal (Africa)	1·0
United Nations Border Relief Organisation (UNBRO): Thai/Cambodia border	0·2
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA): Lebanon	0·5

These grants will be made before the end of the current financial year as an immediate response to the agencies' appeals for 1984. They are in addition to our regular contribution to the general programme of UNHCR and the core budget of UNRWA. I am also allocating a sum of £0·5 million for grants to British voluntary organisations to assist victims of drought in Africa. As a special response to problems arising from drought in Zimbabwe I have arranged for 10,000 tonnes of maize to be provided urgently at a cost of £1·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have, since the beginning of 1978, been treated for gunshot wounds or for injuries caused by bombs or blast.

The numbers for each year since 1978 are as follows:

Year	Number treated
1978	139
1979	170
1980	130
1981	159
1982	737
1983	103
Total	1,438

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ulser Defence Regiment bases there were in (a) 1979 and (b) 1982; what is the present number; what is the Government's future policy in this regard; and if he will make a statement.

The number of UDR bases at 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1982 was 41 and 33 respectively. The present number is 29. No further changes are planned at present. Numbers of bases reflect the operational needs of the regiment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many doctors serving in Her Majesty's Forces are members of the British Medical Association.

Membership of the British Medical Association is a voluntary matter and no records of membership are held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of security clearance given to Mr. Peter Levene in order to undertake his task as personal adviser.

Mr. Levene has been positively vetted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's establishments visited by Mr. Peter Levene or proposed to be visited by him during his period as personal adviser.

Mr. Levene has visited the following establishments:

• Chief Executive Dockyards HQ, Bath
• HM Naval Base, Devonport
• HM Naval Base, Portsmouth
• HM Naval Base, Rosyth
• Clyde Submarine Base
• Supply Control Centre, RAF Hendon

Other visits may be made if required by Mr. Levene's work.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Mr. Peter Levene will be visiting British Shipbuilders in his role as his personal adviser; and if the report of his visit will be published.

Mr. Levene has at present no plans to visit any British Shipbuilders' facility, but he would not be precluded from approaching it or any other company if this were necessary in the course of his work in the Ministry of Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to review his report from Mr. Peter Levene, chairman of United Scientific Holdings, of his look at dockyard management structure and organisation; and if he will publish the report.

Mr. Levene has not yet completed his examination of the dockyards, but I expect him to advise me in the near future. Any proposals about the dockyards which follow from Mr. Levene's work will be the subject of consultation through the normal departmental procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish the advice given to him by Mr. Peter Levene on his proposals to privatise the royal ordnance factories; and if he will make a statement.

I have not asked for Mr. Levene's advice on this subject and none has been offered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the areas of his Department which he has asked Mr. Peter Levene chairman of United Scientific Holdings, to review.

Mr. Levene has an interest in advising me on any matters which relate to the efficient management of the Ministry of Defence. I have asked for Mr. Levene's advice specifically on the royal dockyards, and on other issues in the logistics and support field. I shall seek his views on other matters where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what way the chairman of United Scientific Holdings will make his general advice to him known; and whether it will be published in open government documents

Mr. Levene is my personal adviser and as such he has direct and regular access to me. His advice is tendered on a personal basis; I should consider any proposals to publish the results of this advice on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the proposals of Mr. Peter Levene to improve the management of his Department will be published.

Advice on the management of my Department comes to me from a number of people, including Mr. Levene. I shall make public my proposals for improved efficiency in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish the details and value of any contracts placed by his Department with United Scientific Holdings and its subsidiaries from 1979 to 1983 and in 1984.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the annual "Statements on the Defence Estimates" 1980–83 which include the published information on payments made to major United Kingdom-based defence contractors by the Ministry of Defence. It is not our practice to release information on the details and value of individual contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if lightweight Sea Wolf is to be fitted the HMS Ark Royal.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 9 December 1983 at column 270–71, when I said that we were examining the options, but as yet no decision has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many letters he wrote to and received from hon. Members in January.

In January I received 127 letters from hon. Members, and in the same period I replied personally to 20 hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the replacement for the aviation training ship Royal Fleet Auxiliary Engadine.

I am pleased to announce that, following competition, a contract is being placed today with Harland and Wolff of Belfast to purchase and convert the MV Contender Bezant to be an aviation training ship to replace the RFA Engadine. The ship is due to enter service during 1986 and will be able to operate six Sea King helicopters and to ferry 12 Sea Harriers. Manned by the RFA, it will provide greatly improved facilities primarily for training helicopter pilots and observers at sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of the ethnic minorities are presently unemployed in Dundee.

Information on unemployed members of ethnic minorities is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will show public expenditure on transport in Scotland for the years 1978–79 to 1986–87 in the same format, wherever appropriate, as table 2.6 in Cmnd. 9143-II.

The information requested will be contained in "Public Expenditure to 1986–87 — A commentary on the Scottish Programme" which will be published very shortly. This document will be available in the Library and I shall arrange to send the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the correspondence referred to in his statement of 28 February between his Department and Air Vice Marshall Sir Michael Giddings.

I have placed a copy in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how his Department is evaluating the effects of the night-time north-bound lorry ban on the Holloway road and Archway road;(2) what plans he has for new road schemes on the length of the Holloway road and St. Paul's road, in the borough of Islington.

I shall answer these questions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why European Economic Community shippers can undertake United Kingdom coastal trade while United Kingdom shippers are excluded from some European Economic Community coastal trade; and whether he intends to take any action in this regard.

The requirement that coastal cargoes be carried in national flag vessels is included in the legislation of Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece and Italy; though in some cases the requirement is frequently waived: Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have no such legislation. British policy on access to all British maritime trade routes reflects its commitment to maintain the widest possible worldwide trading opportunities for British shipping, two thirds of whose freight revenues are earned on trade routes not touching the United Kingdom. Other countries' different policies no doubt reflect their Governments' assessments of their different interests. The Government are committed to work for the wider opening of coastal trades in the EC, and the OECD.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in arranging the replacement of current bus operational radio frequencies and current bus radio equipment as required by the world administrative radio conference of 1979; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The radio frequencies at 105—108MHz currently used by the bus and coach operators will be used for broadcasting services in the United Kingdom and abroad by 1995. It will therefore be necessary for the existing users to transfer to another frequency band before that date. Arrangements are being made for replacement frequencies for the bus and coach operators to be found in the band 174—225MHz. This band will be available for land mobile services from the beginning of 1985. Detailed frequency assignments will start as soon as practicable in advance of this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire on Wednesday 15 February, Official Report column 217, what steps his Department takes to ensure that each local authority keeps a constant watch on attendance figures.

The Department has set up no special mechanism to monitor local authorities in this respect; but each authority has an education welfare service capable of collecting and analysing attendance figures, and my right hon. Friend intends to encourage a review of the priorities and approaches of those services so as to reduce truancy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what monitoring is undertaken by his Department of the use of television in schools; and if he will make a statement.

The Department does not monitor the use of television in schools. However it is kept informed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate about current developments in educational broadcasting.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Education and Science what was the secondary school population in Leeds in 1979 and 1983.

The numbers of pupils in maintained secondary schools, including middle deemed secondary schools, in Leeds in January 1979 and 1983 were 73,747 and 69,687 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the pupil-to-teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Leeds in 1979 and 1983.

The pupil-teacher ratios within maintained primary and secondary schools in Leeds in 1979 and 1983 were as follows:

	January 1979	January 1983
Maintained primary schools, including middle deemed primary schools.	24·6	23·0
Maintained secondary schools, including middle deemed secondary schoools.	17·8	16·8

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how much money was spent on secondary schools in Leeds in 1979 and 1983;(2) how much money in real terms was spent on average on each child attending state secondary schools in Leeds in 1979 and 1983.

Net institutional recurrent expenditure by Leeds LEA on maintained secondary schools in the financial years 1978–79 and 1982–83 was as follows (at 1982–83 prices):

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for the future administration of the state studentship scheme for postgraduate awards in the humanities; and if he will make a statement.

In response to an invitation from me, and following detailed discussions with the Department, the British Academy has agreed to undertake the administration of the state studentship scheme with effect from 1 April this year. The academy will act as my agent in administering the scheme, which will continue to operate under statutory regulations made by me. The general character of the scheme, including the arrangements for the selection of candidates for awards by a committee appointed by me, the number of awards made and the levels of grant paid will remain unchanged, I have, however, invited the academy to tender to me its advice on the future conduct of the scheme and to advise me on the future membership of the selection committee. This arrangement will secure, for the humanities disciplines, the provision of academic advice on this element of the postgraduate student support system from an independent source which is eminently qualified to undertake this role.The formal agreement with the academy, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House, emphasises that these arrangements will in no way compromise the academy's independence of Government, nor will they affect the character or scale of the academy's other activities.

asked the Prime Minister what steps she has taken, in view of the assurances in her letter to Bishop J. Monaghan on 21 February, to ensure that apprentices employed by Henry Robb Ltd. a shipyard closed by British Shipbuilders, are allowed to complete their training.

In my letter to Bishop Monaghan I said that British Shipbuilders is trying to ensure that as many Henry Robb apprentices as possible can complete their training. That remains the position. A number of places have already been found. For the rest British Shipbuilders is seeking to arrange transfers to yards elsewhere in the corporation and placements in other local firms. The Manpower Services Commission makes available adoption grants to assist in the placement and training of redundant apprentices with new employees.

asked the Prime Minister if she will give a detailed list of all her itinerary during her recent visit to Hungary, including any visits to public buildings, industrial sites and commercial enterprises.

In Budapest I met President Losonczi and held talks in the Parliament building with First Secretary Kadar and Prime Minister Lazar. I laid a wreath in Heroes square, and visited St. Matthias church, the historical museum and a market. In Szentendre I visited the Laszlo Telep housing project being developed by Wimpey, and a ceramic museum. I laid a wreath at the Solymar Commonwealth war cemetery and visited Visegrad. Before leaving Budapest I met British Embassy staff and families and gave a press conference.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce measures to save the pig industry.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newry and Armagh (Mr. Nicholson) on 23 February 1984 at column 966–67.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the saving to the Department of Agriculture in revenue and staff employed since the introduction of the agricultural and horticultural grant scheme to replace the farm capital grant scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Both schemes are financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and introduction of the agriculture and horticulture grant scheme did not affect expenditure by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.The change from the prior approval system under the farm capital grant scheme to the prior notification system under the agriculture and horticulture grant scheme resulted in less time being spent on initial field inspections with consequent reductions of 27 technical staff and 35 clerical staff. These staff reductions represented a saving to the scheme of £700,000 per annum at current salary rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) which buildings have been or are to be demolished in Magilligan prison between 1 January 1983 and 1 January 1985; and whether any replacements are planned;(2) during what periods since 1 January 1983 explosive sniffers have been available for the use of prison officers in Magilligan prison;(3) if he will list the dates on which explosions have taken place in Magilligan prison and the dates on which any explosives, firearms or ammunition were found in that prison since 1 January 1983;

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which of the recommendations of the Northern Ireland Assembly which he has decided (a) to accept in whole or in part or (b) to reject, he received comments other than from the Assembly.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people were unemployed in Northern Ireland at the latest date; and what were the figures for June 1979;(2) what was the percentage of the working population who were unemployed at the latest date; and what were the figures for June 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 February 1984, c. 142]: The information is as follows:

	Number of unemployed claimants	Percentage of all employees
June 1979	59,600	10·4
February 1984	122,537	22

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were unemployed in the Province for one year, two years and three years, respectively, at the latest date.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 February 1984, c. 142]: The information is as follows:

Duration of unemployment	Number of unemployed claimants
Over 1 year and up to 2 years	23,090
Over 2 years and up to 3 years	12,420
Over 3 years	20,538

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts whether the National Maritime museum will be permitted to retain any of the proceeds of its proposed general admission charges.

My noble Friend the Minister for the Arts wishes to support the national museums and galleries in sensible programmes of self-help whenever it is possible to do so. He has therefore approved an interim arrangement for 1984–85, whereby the National Maritime museum may retain and spend the whole of the net proceeds (after deducting collection costs) from the general admission charges which the museum proposes to introduce in April. In accordance with the National Maritime Museum Act 1934, the museum's detailed proposals for the use of the retained proceeds will be a matter for separate agreement with my noble Friend, within the general framework that they should involve no longer-term revenue commitments at this stage. Any unspent balance at the end of 1984–85 will be liable to be surrendered to the Exchequer in the normal way.This arrangement applies to the National Maritime museum's receipts from general admission charges. The museum's 1984–85 recurrent Vote allocation will remain as announced, and its other income will continue for the time being to be treated in the same way as that of other national museums and galleries, under the existing net Vote and re-Vote system. As indicated in its observations (Cmnd. 9127) on the eighth report, 1981–82, from the Education, Science and Arts Committee, however, the Government will review the net Vote and re-Vote system, with the aim of introducing any revised arrangements applying generally to the national museums and galleries from 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters he wrote to and received from hon. Members in January.

Welsh Office Ministers wrote 239 letters to and received 222 letters from hon. Members in January.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of manufacturing jobs in Wales each year since 1970 broken down by industrial groups, the peak employment in each group since 1954, the latest available figure, and the number currently unemployed in each group.

Estimates of employees in employment for broad groups of manufacturing industries from 1970 to 1983 for Wales are shown in the table. The industries are analysed according to 1968 standard industrial classification and are for June each year. Consistent estimates of employees in employment are only available from 1965 and the peak year for each of the broad groups since then is shown in the last column of the table.The industrial analysis of the numbers unemployed was discontinued in May 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will show (a) expenditure planned in Cmnd. 8789, (b) the revised cash limit announced in December and (c) estimated outturn expenditure, for the following categories of local authority capital expenditure in 1983–84 (i) industry, energy, trade and employment, (ii) roads and transport, (iii) housing, (iv) other environmental services, (v) education and science, (vi) arts and libraries and (vii) health and personal social services.

The information requested is as follows. The £50 million added to the 1983–84 cash limit has not been allocated to individual service headings. On the basis of the latest information it is likely that the revised capital cash limit, which includes spending on services outside my right hon. Friend's responsibility, will be exceeded by about £10 million.

£ millions
	1983–84 provision in Cmnd. 8789	Forecast out-turn 1983–84
Industry, energy, trade and employment	—	1
Roads and transport	63	63
Housing	77	125
Other environmental services	69	79
Education and science	35	37
Arts and libraries	1	1
Health and personal social services	7	5

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the estimated expenditure on the youth training scheme in Wales for 1984–85.

The hon. Gentleman must await the publication of the detailed Supply Estimates, which are due to be published on 13 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate how many people would have the right to stay in the United Kingdom if the law was changed to allow residence to those with entry clearance on the basis of their parent or spouse's United Kingdom

It is not possible to make any reliable estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the pre-May 1983 distinction between open borstals and closed borstals had any effect with regard to the rate of recidivism; and to what extent this distinction survives in the post-May 1983 youth custody centres.

The readily available information on reconviction rates is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (chapter 8 of the issue for 1982, Cmnd. 9027). The additional information requested could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The distinction between open and closed accommodation is applicable to youth custody centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the reconviction rates for offenders who have attended detention centres with "short sharp shock" treatment compared with the rates for other detention centres.

We shall make available the findings of the evaluation of the tougher regimes pilot project as quickly as possible after the evaluation report is completed: it will include an analysis of reconvictions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of jurors over the last 10 years have served a prison sentence or a sentence of youth custody.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many endorsements were given to motorists prosecuted for faulty tyres in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, respectively.

Information on endorsements for offences of a vehicle or part of a vehicle being in a defective condition, which includes offences relating to defective tyres, is published annually in "Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary tables" a copy of which is in the Library of the House (in Table 11 for magistrates' courts and Table 12 for the Crown Court). Separate figures for offences of defective tyres in 1982 are given in the following table. Provision of similar figures for 1980 and 1981 would involve disproportionate cost. Figures for 1983 are not yet available.

Driving licence endorsements imposed for offences of defective tyres, 1982
	Number of offences
	Magistrates courts	Crown Court	Total
Tyres defective	86,073	180	86,253
Pneumatic tyres of different types of structure fitted to the same axle	1,658	5	1,663
Total	87,731	185	87,916

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions are issued to Metropolitan police officers concerning the examination and restoration of the property of road accident victims who may be taken to hospital.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the relevant instructions designed to ensure the safety of the items in question, are given in chapter 18, paragraph 13 of the Metropolitan police instruction book, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders have been reported to the police in each of the inner London boroughs south of the Thames during 1983 and in each of the first two months of 1984.

In cases of homicide it is not possible in the absence of a court decision to distinguish between offences of murder, manslaughter and infanticide. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information for 1982 is as given in the following table; figures for 1983 will be available shortly and I shall send them to the hon. Member.

Recorded offences of homicide in the Metropolitan Police District, 1982
	Number of offences
Inner London boroughs (south)
Greenwich	3
Lambeth	19
Lewisham	10
Southwark	15
Wansdworth	8

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to introduce any new measures in the light of the conclusions contained in the publication, "Review of Appeals under the Immigration Act 1971", published in April 1981; and if he will make a statement.

We are consulting the Council on Tribunals about possible changes in the Immigration Appeals (Procedure) Rules. When the councils views have been received and considered we shall be in a position to announce our conclusions following the comments made on the "Review of Appeals" discussion document.

asked the Secretary of State far the Home Department on what date guidance was issued to all entry clearance posts officers advising them of the decision of the High Court in R. v. Immigration Appeals Tribunal ex parte Bastiampillai.

Guidance both on that judgment and on the later judgment of the High Court in the case of Dadibhai was issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to entry clearance officers on 15 February this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act within the police districts covering Islington since 1976.

Records available to us show, since 1 January 1979, three people detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1976 within N district of the Metropolitan police district that covers Islington. Before that date, no information of this detailed nature is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Horne Departmet how many (a) males and (b)females above and below pensionable age respectively have been (c) convicted and (d) acquitted of shoplifting offences for each of the last five years for which records are available in (i) Essex, (ii) Northamptonshire and (iii) the Metropolitan area.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 February 1984, c. 444.]: The information which can be made available without incurring disproportionate cost is given in the following tables:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will commission a study into schemes which would reduce financial barriers to energy conservation investment.

On 28 November last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State published the Armitage Norton study on investment in industrial energy conservation. The main barriers indentified by the study were lack of awareness of what could be achieved and inadequate energy management techniques. We have launched a major campaign, and set up the Energy Efficiency Office, to help firms overcome these barriers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will implement the recommendation of the Armitage Norton study to produce a handbook on investment appraisal for energy conservation schemes.

The Energy Efficiency Office—which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set up in October last year in my Department—has published a handbook on investment appraisal for energy efficiency schemes. It is called "Higher Returns with Energy — A Financial Guide to Efficient Energy Management". I am placing a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the Government's latest forecasts for the level of United Kingdom petroleum production.

The latest forecasts for United Kingdom petroleum in the years 1984 to 1988 are as follows:

	Million tonnes
1984	110–130
1985	110–130

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparing tax thresholds with supplementary benefit levels, including an allowance for housing, in January 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, and for each of a single person, a single-wage married couple and a single-wage couple with between one and four children, including teenage children; and if he will show the tax thresholds as a percentage of supplementary benefit levels in every case.

Information, for the family types specified is in the following tables:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, on 27 February, what was the total number of in-depth investigations of accounts of companies, partnerships and trusts in the year ended 31 October 1983, including those which resulted in increased tax being payable.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much relief from taxation has been allowed by the use of the gross annuity scheme in the latest year for which figures are available.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra revenue has been obtained since the retrospective legislation outlawing the commodity carry scheme; and if any remains outstanding and uncollected.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if copies of the annual report by the Treasury on "Civil Service Manpower Reductions" in 1982–83 will be made available to hon. Members.

Yes. The 1982–83 annual report has been given to the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Inland Revenue provides any guidance to employers who pay employees on a net-of-tax basis.

The Inland Revenue has prepared an instruction leaflet and special forms and tax tables to help employers who pay employees in this way. This new material will be available in local tax offices shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show, using 1983–84 data, the loss of the following current receipts to the Exchequer (a) income tax, (b) national insurance and (c) national insurance surcharge, caused by an increase of 100,000 in registered unemployment (excluding school leavers) in the private sector and using the assumptions contained in the article on pages 4 to 7 of "Economic Progress Report No. 130", February 1981.

Estimates of the changes in income tax and national insurance revenues associated with a change in the level of unemployment depend on the assumed causes of the unemployment. The ranges which can be produced are so wide that it is no longer thought sensible to estimate such figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received requesting that charities be relieved of paying value added tax.

During the last three months my Treasury colleagues and I have received a total of 66 representations from individuals and organizations regarding a general VAT relief for charities and similar bodies. I met a deputation from the Charities' VAT Reform Group on 7 February.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of relieving all existing charities from paying value added tax.

Precisely how much such a relief would cost is not calculable, but it would certainly run into tens of millions of pounds of revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many charities in the United Kingdom now pay value added tax.

Precise information is not available. The number of active charities in the United Kingdom is thought to exceed 100,000; most of these, like other consumers, will incur VAT on the goods and services they buy. Charities which engage in business activities must register for VAT and charge VAT on their business supplies in the same way as other traders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the tax concessions he gives to charities; and if he will make a statement.

Charities are exempt from income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax on income (other than certain trading profits) and gains, provided that the income or gains concerned are applied to charitable purposes only; they are also exempt from development land tax. To encourage donations to charities, the period of charitable convenants has been reduced from "over 6" to "over 3" years, and tax relief at the higher rates is available to individuals on payments up to £5,000. In addition companies can claim tax relief on gifts to charities which are wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the trade or business and on the salary costs of an employee seconded to a charity. Gifts and bequests to charities are exempt from capital transfer tax and stamp duty.There are also a number of VAT reliefs which benefit charities. Goods which are donated for sale by a charity established primarily for the relief of distress or for the protection or benefit of animals are zero-rated on sale. Goods which are exported by charities are also zero-rated. In addition a wide range of medical or scientific equipment (including ambulances) which is used in medical research, diagnosis or treatment is relieved when bought by a charity either for use in its own establishments which provide care, or for donation to a health authority, a non-profit making hospital or research institution or to another charity which provides care. This relief also covers the purchase of equipment and appliances solely for the use of handicapped persons, either in their own homes or in a charitable institution which cares for the handicapped. The hire of any of the above goods by a charity and the services of repair and maintenance are also relieved.The case for a general relief for charities from the VAT they bear on their non-business purchases has been carefully considered by the Government on several occasions, but has not been accepted for three main reasons. First, VAT relief would give a very uneven spread of benefits. The actual sums going to each body would depend on its pattern of spending rather than the level of public support it enjoyed. Second, it would be expensive. Precisely how much it would cost is not calculable, but it would certainly run into tens of millions of pounds of revenue which would have to be raised from other sources. Third, the size and administrative complexity of a relief scheme would make it a very wasteful and inefficient way of helping charities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt cars purchased under the Motability scheme from car tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress made by the Inland Revenue since the search of the offices of Rossminster Ltd. on Friday 13 July 1979.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General on 30 June 1983 to my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) at column 103.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, 16 January, Official Report, column 25–26 in respect of the actions of Her Majesty's Government in respect of unitary taxation.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 17 February, Official Report, c. 346–7, he will set out the total expenditure by his Department, the Inland Revenue, and Customs and Excise on consultancy firms itemised in the list he has placed in the Library.

Taking the fees shown, including those in respect of on going contracts, where the figure in the itemised list represents payments made so far, expenditure by Her Majesty's Treasury has totalled £1,433,452 by Inland Revenue £4,997,108 and by Customs and Excise £119,893.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what way the public sector borrowing requirement accounts for (a) the effect of inflation on the value of existing unindexed debt or (b) changes in the value of public sector financial assets.

[pursuant to the reply, 28 February 1984, c. 125]: The public sector borrowing requirement is not affected by changes in nominal or real values of existing unindexed public sector debt or by changes in the real value of existing public sector assets.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the Government's current expenditure, excluding transfer payments, increased between 1978–79 and 1983–84.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 February 1984 c. 346]: General Government current expenditure on goods and services increased by 94 per cent. in cash terms (14 per cent. in cost terms) between 1978–79 and 1983–84. The cash figures are available in table 1.11 of the public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9431).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost per head of Falkland Islanders of the total Government spending programme in the Falklands for 1983–84 and 1984–85.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 March 1984, c. 274]: If defence expenditure is included, in 1983–84 total Government spending in the Falkland Islands will amount to some £240,000 per head of population. In 1984–85 the figure is expected to be around £190,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Minister responsible for sport intends to meet members of the anti-apartheid movement before 30 March.

I have no such meeting arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the 110,000 acres of land on the land registers he assesses to have a reasonable prospect of residential or commercial development within the next five years.

At the latest analysis, for 1 January, figures for these two end uses were not specifically distinguished from others, but overall nearly 49,000 acres have been assessed as having medium to high potential for residential, commercial, industrial or other development. The timing of development depends on the circumstances of each site.