Asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has received from the National Coal Board about the reasons for the planned closure of coal mines; and if he will place such information in the Library;(2) if he will ask the National Coal Board to provide him with detailed information as to its reasons for proposing a programme of pit closures and reduction in production; and if he will make a statement.

I meet regularly with the chairman of the National Coal Board, who keeps me informed on the board's progress towards achieving the objectives set for it by the Government, as announced in the debates on the Coal Industry Bill 1983 on 22 November, at column 38. The board announced at a meeting of the Coal Industry National Consultative Council on 6 March 1984 that planned production in 1984–85 will be reduced to 97·4 million tonnes. A copy of the NCB press statement issued following that meeting and a subsequent account of the board's proposals published in a special edition of Coal News have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give priority to research into alternative uses for straw as an energy source.

Straw has been identified by my Department as being capable of making a contribution to the country's energy needs, and work on it is included in our research, development and demonstration programme.Currently, only a limited amount of straw, either baled or chopped is being burnt as fuel, mainly on farms with specially designed or adapted boilers, and the Department is funding demonstration work in this area. However, the major constraint on the wider use of straw as a fuel is the high cost of baling, handling and transporting. Compacted straw offers the greatest potential for industrial energy use but also presents the greatest challenge.Generally, current technology is not cost-effective, and there is a need for cheaper, efficient mobile compaction equipment which, ideally, would eliminate the need for baling. Some work has already been carried out at the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Silsoe, which identified novel compaction techniques that showed promise of low energy consumption at high production rates.My Department is now exploring, with a number of interested manufacturers, how suitable compaction machines might be developed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the total cost to public funds of the redundant mineworkers payments scheme from its inception to the financial year 1983–84.

It is estimated that by the end of the financial year 1983–84 the total cost to public funds of the redundant mineworkers' payments scheme, from its inception in 1967, will have been some £480 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what communications his Department has received from the National Coal Board about the possible extraction of coal from south Warwickshire, with particular reference to the likely size and scope of any operations and the amount of manpower likely to be involved.

I understand that the National Coal Board has carried out surveys of the coal reserves in south Warwickshire, and has held discussions with the local authorities. But I have had no indications from the board as to whether or when it might wish to develop the south Warwickshire coal reserves. This is a matter for the board to consider.

asked the Attorney-General when he next plans to meet representatives of the Law Society to discuss the handling of complaints against solicitors.

I understand that the Law Society is reviewing its procedures for handling complaints against solicitors in the light of the report of its committee of inquiry into the treatment of the complaints made by Mr. Parsons. The Government are awaiting the result of this review.

asked the Attorney-General what progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government in considering whether to accede to the 1980 Hague convention on international access to justice.

The 1980 Hague convention on international access to justice largely duplicates, in respect of its provisions on legal aid and security for costs, the provisions of existing bilateral conventions. The Government have not yet decided whether to sign and ratify the convention but will keep the matter under review.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the recent activities of pickets, he will make a statement on the criminal law on picketing.

I refer my hon. and learned Friend to the written answer which I gave to a similar question from my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) on 16 March.

asked the Attorney-General whether the jury which served in the Cardiff conspiracy trial in 1983 was vetted under the guidelines issued by him

I take the hon. Member's question to refer to the prosecution of Adrian Stone and seven others at Cardiff crown court for conspiracy to commit criminal damage and associated offences. The jury panel in this case was not subject to an "authorised check" of the nature described in my statement to the House on 1 August 1980.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what progress has been made towards the establishment of an art gallery on the south docks site in Liverpool.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the proposal made by the trustees of the Tate Gallery in association with the Merseyside Development Corporation for the establishment of a northern centre for the Tate Gallery situated on the old Albert dock site in Liverpool. The Government are considering the proposal in the light of the feasibility study commissioned by the Tate Gallery in 1982 and the resources available for building work generally at the national museums and galleries.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts, further to the reply to the hon. Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins) on 2 March, Official Report, column 356, when the Minister for the Arts intends to reach a long-term agreement with the National Maritime museum on the use of its retained proceeds; and whether he will give an indication of the types of expenditure which the museum would not be allowed to incur.

The longer-term arrangements for the National Maritime museum will depend on the outcome of the review of the existing net vote and re-vote system for the national museums and galleries generally. The aim is to introduce any changes in this system from 1985–86. I cannot predict exactly what changes will be made or when they will be announced.

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will define the term "longer-term revenue commitment" as used in the reply of 2 March, Official Report, column 356

New commitments which might pre-empt whatever resources may be available after 1984–85 following any changes in the existing net vote and re-vote system. Examples include the permanent employment of additional staff or the acquisition and maintenance of extra accommodation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, within the framework of his statutory responsibilities for prudential supervision of building societies, he will investigate the reasons for the four-year delay by the Britannia building society in revealing a special advance of £340,000 in its financial return for 1979;(2) to which company or companies the amended advance of £340,000 by the Britannia building society in relation to a first advance of £8,000 in 1979 referred.

The special advance of £340,000 was to a body corporate which is not a company. The advance was correctly included in the figure for total special advances in part 8A of the society's 1979 annual return submitted in February 1980. But it was mistakenly included with special advances made to persons rather than with those to bodies corporate. The mistake was corrected, and the required further particulars given, in an amending statement which has been filed with the annual return.The 1979 form of annual return did not require any identification of a borrower which was a body corporate other than a company.The advance of £8,000 was unrelated to the advance of £340,000. It was to a company, identified on the return as register No. 1225060.As I have explained to the hon. Member, it would be contrary to the public interest to give information about the monitoring of particular societies except where the Chief Registrar has used his statutory powers to restrict the operations of a society, or following the appointment of inspectors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will indicate the exact date when amendments to the AR11's for 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979 were submitted by the Britannia building society; what was the nature of those amendments; and whether he will make a statement;(2) in respect of which companies the amendments to the financial returns for 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979 by the Britannia building society were made;(3) whether any further amendments to the financial returns of the Britannia building society for the years 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979 are anticipated;(4) what is the current total of returns made by the Britannia building society in respect of the years 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979.

The amendments were received at the Registry of Friendly Societies on 14 September 1983. They included provision of register numbers of certain companies to which advances had been made, certain other particulars of an advance to a body corporate and amendments to figures given respectively for advances to bodies corporate and other special advances. The companies to which the amendments related, in so far as they are required to be identified in the annual return form, are:

Register number as shown in annual return	Name as shown in Companies Register
720782	Willowgate Investment Company Limited
1011148	Bar Limited
831123	Zambra Investments Limited
674633	East Devon Securities Limited

Since the first submission of the annual returns for each of the years stated, the amendments received on 14 September 1983 are the only amendments to have been submitted for those years and the Chief Registrar has not been advised by the Britannia building society of further amendments to be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied that the companies in which the directors of the New Cross building society had financial interests were fully revealed in the returns that were made by that society in the last 10 years.

Section 89 of the Building Societies Act 1962 requires the disclosure in the annual return of a building society of any advance to a company in which a director of a society has an interest as defined by that section. If the disclosure requirements are not complied with the society's auditors are under a statutory duty to include in their report, so far as they are reasonably able to do so, a statement giving the required particulars.In addition, the annual return of a building society, in respect of a financial year ending on or after 31 December 1981, is required to disclose other directorships held by its directors.The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies has no reason to believe that the New Cross building society has not complied with these requirments. The reports of the New Cross building society for the last 10 years have not included any statements by the auditors of such omission. But if the hon. Member has any information to this effect, perhaps he will send me details.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing borrowing by local authorities and public corporations, respectively, from the national loans fund and from the banks in each quarter since the first quarter of 1974.

Financial Statistics table 4·4 gives quarterly data for local authorities' direct borrowing from central Government (column 2) and their borrowing from the monetary sector (column 6). Corresponding data for public corporations may be found in Financial Statistics table 5·4 (columns 3 and 7). The NLF components are also separately identified in table 3·16.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the increase in borrowing by local authorities and public corporations from the national loans fund has been used to repay other borrowing or to increase their bank deposits rather than to increase expenditure.

In the fifteen-month period since September 1982, local authorities have increased their outstanding national loans fund debt by £4,700 million, and reduced their debt to the monetary sector by £2,900 million whilst their bank deposits have only risen by £300 million. For nationalised industries and other public corporations, the equivalent figures are £1,626 million, £784 million (available to end September 1983 only) and £106 million. Bank deposits are generally for working capital purposes only.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the economic subvention of the United Kingdom less England went to (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in 1982–83.

The cost of economic subvention in Northern Ireland in 1982–83 was given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, on 6 March in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) in column 571. These figures are available only because of the existence of a separate Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund. Comparable figures for Scotland and Wales cannot therefore be provided.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the saving to the Exchequer in 1984–85 of abolishing all allowances against corporation tax, including losses carried forward.

Estimates of the reduction in corporation tax receipts in 1983–84 resulting from the existence of the main allowances and reliefs in that year were published in the Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9143-II). They include capital allowances, which replace normal commercial depreciation, and reliefs in respect of the double taxation of profits earned overseas. It would be unrealistic to assume that a tax regime could be imposed which abolished all such allowances and reliefs, and the actual effect upon the revenue of attempting to do so cannot be estimated.The Budget measures proposed by my right hon. Friend to abolish stock relief and phase out first year and initial allowances are of course accompanied by very substantial reductions in the rates of corporation tax. They are of a totally different nature from that supposed in the question. They are designed to encourage businesses to expand by taking advantage of the new lower rates of tax and by seeking out investment projects with a genuinely worthwhile return.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the monetary targets set out in the medium term financial strategy took into account the probable change in cash balances resulting from changes in the rate of inflation; and what are the implications of these changes for the growth of output in 1984.

The monetary targets for 1984–85 and the illustrative ranges for later years in the medium term financial strategy are designed to maintain downward pressure on inflation. This will establish the conditions for sustained growth as set out in the forecast to mid-1985 in part 3 and the assumptions for later years in part 2 of the FSBR.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the method of assessing changes in tax due on untaxed interest from investment income after the capital has been reduced.

The general position at present is that tax is assessed on the interest arising in the year preceding the year of assessment, except for the opening and closing years of a source of interest when the charge is on the interest arising in the year of assessment. If my hon. Friend has a particular case about which he is concerned I will be glad to look into it if he will write to me with the details.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of exempting from his Budget proposal about life assurance policies any policy whose capital value on completion would not exceed the amount of capital disregarded for purposes of entitlement to supplementary benefit.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the position of doorstep life assurance contracts entered into by persons prior to midnight on 13 March who may be considering whether or not to exercise their options to cancel the policies during the cooling-off period.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the years since the introduction of the age allowance when it has changed by a different percentage from the personal allowance.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated yield from all sources of taxation, including excise and other duties, for 1984–85; and what was the comparable yield in 1978–79 revalued at 1984–85 prices.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the statutory motor vehicle driving tests which are subject to value added tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now update his answer of 9 February, Official Report, columns 745–6, on income and taxation for 1984–85.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the percentage of personal disposable incomes which is spent on local rates.

In 1983–84, domestic rates, excluding both rate rebates and domestic rate relief, are estimated to raise nearly £5 billion, equivalent to just under 2½ per cent. of personal disposable income for that year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what number of pence the standard rate of income tax would now require to be increased, assuming no change in current personal and other allowances, if the entire burden of domestic rates were transferred to national income tax.

Excluding rate rebates financed by central Government and domestic rate relief, the yield of domestic rates in 1983–84 (latest available year) is estimated at nearly £5 billion. An increase of about 5p in the basic rate of inceome tax would be needed to raise the equivalent revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the size of any recent increases in manpower deployed both by the Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in pursuit of the black economy, both in figures and as a percentage of the total.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants took part in the recent Trades Union Congress day of action on Tuesday 28 February.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 March 1984, c. 140]: Some 165,300 civil servants were absent without authority for varying periods on Tuesday 28 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the measures taken by his Department to help small businesses since May 1979.

Since May 1979 my Department, including its predecessors the Departments of Trade and Industry, have introduced a number of important new initiatives of benefit to small firms—the pilot loan guarantee scheme, the two small engineering firms investment schemes, and the small firms technical inquiry service. We have also increased the resources of the small firms service, including the opening of a new regional centre; reduced the requirements imposed by companies legislation on small companies; stimulated take-up of loans at attractive rates from the European Investment Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community by providing exchange risk cover; and provided extra help for small exporters.The British technology group, which is sponsored by this Department, introduced two new schemes to make finance available to small businesses. The English Industrial Estates Corporation has used funds from this Department to build almost 1,900 small industrial and commercial units in the English assisted areas.Small firms have benefited considerably from a number of schemes and services introduced by my Department since May 1979 to help small and larger businesses. The range of assistance available to small firms was widely promoted through a major awareness campaign in the spring of 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to control the nuisance caused by the use by amateurs of authorised transmitting equipment.

Problems of interference to television and radio caused by use of amateur radio apparatus are investigated by the radio interference service of British Telecom. If my hon. Friend would like to send me details of any particular cases, I will arrange for them to be looked into.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how widespread is the use of postal codes; how much it presently costs the Post Office to implement the system; and if he will make a statement.

In January 1984, 56 per cent. of all mail used the postal code. The cost of maintaining the postal code system is £1·7 million per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to the answer on 24 February, Official Report, column 664, concerning export unit values and producer prices, whether the higher unit value for motor vehicles represents a shift to exports of more expensive vehicles.

Such a shift could, but would not necessarily, produce this effect. Another possible cause would be bigger increases in exports sales prices than in home sales prices. It would not be practical to establish what was the dominant cause.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total cost of payments to redundant British steel workers under the European Communities iron and steel readaptation benefits scheme for each year since its inception.

Total payments to redundant British steel workers under this scheme have been as follows:

£'000
1974–75	2,160
1975–76	1,690
1976–77	1,289
1977–78	2,693
1978–79	4,969
1979–80	18,807
1980–81	34,236
1981–82	105,374
1982–83	102,569
1983–84*	44,544
* To date.

The cost of the scheme is borne jointly by the United Kingdom Government and the European Coal and Steel Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total cost to British Steel since 1979 of statutory redundancy payments under the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 and any supplementary payments thereto.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total cost to public funds of the shipbuilding redundancy payments schemes.

Sums advanced to British Shipbuilders and administrative costs incurred on the shipbuilding redundancy payments scheme for Great Britain amount to date to around £105 million. I understand that the comparable figure for payments to Harland and Wolff under the separate scheme for Northern Ireland is around £14 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications to export leg irons, shackles and gangchains under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1981 he has (a) received and (b) granted; and if he will indicate the items, countries and number of firms concerned.

I have received two applications for licences to export these goods and have granted neither. Information about the goods, countries of destination and the firms concerned is commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to make regulations relating to the safety of pushchairs; and if he will make a statement.

There are already safety regulations covering pushchairs—the Perambulators and Pushchairs (Safety) Regulations 1978.I intend to remake these regulations separately, under the Consumer Safety Act 1978, calling up the relevant up-to-date British standards for technical requirements. The revised standard for safety requirements for pushchairs has almost been completed by BSI and will be published shortly. New regulations will follow as soon as possible. The BSI is presently reviewing the perambulators safety standard. When this is available I shall make new safety regulations covering perambulators.I further intend to make Carrycot and Transporter (Safety) Regulations, based on a new British standard which is also being prepared by BSI.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he intends to take to prevent marine pirate radio stations from continuing contraventions of the Marine Offences Act 1967.

Radio Caroline and Radio Laser, the pirate stations in question, are vessels anchored in international waters. We have no jurisdiction to enable us to board the vessels and put an end to the stations' activities. However, information about contraventions of the Marine, Etc., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 within this country is being investigated and where appropriate the Director of Public Prosecutions will be asked to consider prosecuting offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the progress of the neighbourhood watch scheme; and if he has any plans to encourage chief constables to extend it.

Yes, they have made a good start. Nineteen police forces in England and Wales are now operating these schemes and a further 10 plan to do so. My right hon. and learned Friend recently visited a scheme in Merseyside.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the Prevention of Terrorism Bill in its present form will contribute to the reduction of terrorism in the United Kingdom by warring middle eastern and Iranian factions.

The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill implements the recommendation made by Lord Jellicoe in his review of the operation of the legislation that the exceptional powers of arrest and detention, whose application has hitherto been restricted to persons concerned in acts of terrorism connected with Northern Irish affairs, should be applied specifically to acts of international terrorism. I believe that this change will be of considerable help to the police in their fight against international terrorism of all kinds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that weapons are not being secretly brought into the United Kingdom in diplomatic bags; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to put the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement.

As we announced in another place on 14 December 1983, at column 308, we hope to introduce legislation for this purpose in the course of the present Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board will reconsider a case following the death of a person who had a successful claim accepted.

The conditions of entitlement to compensation where the victim has died in consequence of the injury are set out in paragraph 15 of the scheme. This indicates that applications may be made under this paragraph where the victim has died of injuries even if an award was made during the victim's lifetime. Such cases are subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 13 for the reopening of cases, and compensation payable to the applicant is reduced by the amount paid to the victim.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cases have been dealt with by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board following the death of a person;(2) how many claims have been made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board following the death of a person.

Statistics of applications relating to the death of a person have been kept only since April 1980. Between then and 31 March 1983, 1,034 such applications were received. Separate statistics of resolved cases in this category are not maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the working of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary are in general satisfied with the operation of the scheme. All aspects of the scheme will, however, be reviewed in advance of legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to widen the scope of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary have no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average waiting time for applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to be processed.

Applications to the board are registered and enquiries instituted on receipt of the completed application form. Figures relating to the time taken to resolve applications in 1982–83 are shown at paragraph 5 on page 4 of the board's nineteenth annual report (Cmnd. 9093).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the longest outstanding application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board at the latest date.

The oldest unresolved case dates from 1968: regular interim awards have been paid, but the applicant's medical condition has not yet stabilised sufficiently for a final award to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board have been made; how many were successful and how many unsuccessful; and how many are still outstanding at the latest date.

The number of applications received from the inception of the scheme on 1 August 1964 up to 31 March 1983 was 263,302. Of these, 189,422 resulted in awards and 35,226 in no award; 6,570 were abandoned. The number of cases unresolved on 29 February 1984 was about 34,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims have been made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board annually to the latest available date.

In respect of the first eight months of the scheme's operation, and subsequent financial years, the information requested is as follows:

Period	Applications received
1 August 1964—
31 March 1965	554
1965–66	2,452
1966–67	3,312
1967–68	5,316
1968–69	6,437
1969–70	7,247
1970–71	7,419
1971–72	9,886
1972–73	10,926
1973–74	12,215
1974–75	14,227
1975–76	16,690
1976–77	20,400
1977–78	20,826
1978–79	21,960
1979–80	22,801
1980–81	24,679
1981–82	26,515
1982–83	29,440

asked the Secretary of for the Home Department what is the total amount of payment made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation available date.

The total amount paid in compensation up to 31 March 1983 was £152,192,852.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the highest amount paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to the latest available date.

The highest award made to date amounted to £136,500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints he has received concerning the working of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

During the past year two hon. Members and two organisations questioned the raising of the general lower limit for compensation under the scheme to £400 from 1 February 1983; two individual complaints were received through hon. Members about lack of retrospection on the introduction of the revised scheme in 1979, one about the provision in the scheme requiring deduction of benefits payable under employers' insurance arrangements from awards paid to dependants in fatal cases, and one about the inability of the board to consider an application for a hearing after acceptance of an award made at the single member stage.In addition, several hon. Members inquired about delays in particular cases. We have received about ten direct complaints from members of the public about particular aspects of the scheme or about delay in settling their applications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many claims have been made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (a) in Liverpool and (b) on Merseyside at the latest date;(2) how many claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board were successful; how many were unsuccessful; and how many are pending in Liverpool and Merseyside, respectively, at the latest date;(3) what is the total amount of compensation paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Lion Intoximeter 3000 was first introduced.

6 May 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library the full report of his Department's laboratory staff on the Lion Intoximeter 3000;(2) for how long the Lion Intoximeter 3000 was on test with his Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what length of trial period was conducted on the Lion Intoximeter;(2) whether the results obtained from any Lion Intoximeter machines were eliminated from consideration during the trial period.

All evidential breath testing instruments submitted to the forensic science service for evaluation were subjected to four months of initial laboratory testing. On the basis of these tests, three makes of instrument were selected for more rigorous testing. This took the form of a field trial lasting 18 weeks, and involving members of the public. A copy of the report of this trial is in the Library of the House.One of the original four Lion Intoximeter 3000 instruments used in the field trial, having been found to be faulty and under-reading, was replaced and the results obtained from it were excluded from the final report of the trial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints he has received from police forces since May 1983 about the reliability and accuracy of Lion Intoximeters; on what dates; and whether he will list the police forces.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many appeals against convictions, based on evidence provided by Lion intoximeters, have been unsuccessful;(2) how many convictions, involving evidence provided by the Lion intoximeter, have been overturned on appeal.

The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many problems of calibration of the Lion intoximeter have been reported to his Department by Lion Intoximeter Ltd.; and on what dates.

All Lion Intoximeter 3000 instruments are calibrated to a standard recommended by the British calibration service. This is carried out only at the manufacturer's premises by engineers approved by the British calibration service. The calibration of each instrument is checked automatically immediately before and after the subject has provided two breath samples for analysis. In addition the forensic science service carries out random audits of a proportion of instruments in operational use. It also has regular discussions with the manufacturer about the operation and maintenance of these instruments but information is not held centrally as to the time, place, or nature of these discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he circulated (a) police forces and (b) magistrates' courts with details of changes in calibration of the Lion intoximeter, amending the top permissible limit to 37.

Notification to the police of the permissible limits for the pre- and post-test calibration checks on the Lion intoximeter was carried out not by my right hon. and learned Friend but by the manufacturers before the instrument was introduced. They corrected a typographical error which they had made in the upper limit from 38 to 37. Police training has always taught the correct limit of 37.A Home Office circular issued to magistrates' courts on 25 March 1983 stated incorrectly that the upper limit was 38 whereas the permissible limit has at all times since introduction of the instrument been 37. This error was corrected in a further circular to magistrates' courts issued on 16 November 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many no sample readings have been recorded by Lion intoximeters in use by police forces since May 1983; and what percentage of all tests this figure represents.

Details are not yet available, but I hope to write to the hon. Member soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will arrange for a review of all cases which have involved evidence provided by the Lion intoximeter;(2) whether he will arrange for a review of all convictions which have been secured on the basis of evidence provided by the Lion intoximeter.

We have no plans for a general review of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the different conditions and circumstances which may affect the performance and reliability of the Lion intoximeter.

The Lion intoximeter is designed and built to operate in normal office conditions. Large voltage fluctuations and polluted environments may affect its performance, but a trained operator should readily be able to recognise the effects of such abnormal conditions and not use the instrument. Extremes of temperature may affect the pre-subject calibration check. Under such circumstances the instrument will not proceed with the test.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cases have been brought by the police since May 1983 on the basis of evidence provided by the Lion intoximeter;(2) how many people have been convicted of offences on the basis of evidence provided by the Lion intoximeter since May 1983.

Information on court proceedings in 1983 is not yet available; it will be published in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners held on remand in police or court cells have escaped since the beginning of 1983; with which offences they had been charged; and how many were not recaptured on the day of escape.

This information cannot all be obtained without disproportionate cost, but I will see what can be collected and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training in race awareness is given to prison officers before they take up posts in prisons.

Five sessions are devoted to race relations training during a prison officer's eight-week initial training course.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the cost of economic subvention in Wales for domestic purposes for each year since 1969.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much grant has been allocated by his Department to each local authority for the purpose of part-funding local citizens advice bureaux in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

Local authorities themselves decide on the extent to which they provide funding for local citizens' advice bureaux but seven local authorities in Wales have received urban programme support in the current year for CAB schemes costing in total £98,157.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many district councils in Wales during 1983–84 have had to suspend insulation grants under the Home Insulation Act 1978 because of insufficient finance.

According to local authority capital payment returns, 11 authorities had exhausted their insulation grant allocations by 31 December 1983. However, only two have formally notified the Department that they have suspended these grants: others may have done so while others may have supplemented their insulation grant allocations from other sources.

Number of part 3 accommodation places provided
	1979*		1983*
	In local authority homes	In private and voluntary homes	In local authority homes	In private and voluntary homes	Change in number of places 1979–83 per cent.
Clwyd	933	694	1,026	1,500	+55·2
Dyfed	1,141	121	1,212	154	+8·2
Gwent	1,079	89	1,073	187	+7·9
Gwynedd	877	230	878	393	+14·8
Mid Glamorgan	1,316	175	1,354	193	+3·8
Powys	417	56	414	123	+13·5
South Glamorgan	974	501	956	604	+5·8
West Glamorgan	898	168	902	186	+2·1
*As at 31 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many listed buildings there are in Wales; how many listed buildings have had that status withdrawn in the last five years; and what have been the main reasons for removing this status.

The total number of listed buildings in Wales on 31 December 1983 was 10,301. Between 1979 and 1983, three buildings were removed from the lists of buildings of special architectural or

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many council houses and development corporation houses have been sold to sitting tenants between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available.

Between May 1979 and January 1984, 31,203 council dwellings were sold to sitting tenants under the right to buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980. A further 3,950 sales of council dwellings took place on a voluntary basis. During the period 1,744 dwellings were sold to sitting tenants by the Cwmbran Development Corporation, the Mid-Wales Development Corporation and housing associations.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of elderly citizens being cared for and resident in (a) registered nursing homes and (b) private rest homes in Wales in 1979 and in the last year for which figures are available.

Information on the number of elderly patients in registered nursing homes is not held centrally, but the number of beds available in such homes for use by the elderly in 1982 was 816. The number of residents aged 65 and over in private and voluntary homes for the elderly in Wales was 1,391 in 1979 and 2,339 in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales by how much the percentage increase in the availability of part 3 accommodation places provided by each of the eight county councils in Wales has increased since 1979.

The information is as follows:historic interest. The principal reason for removing a building from a list is that its architectural merit has been adversely affected to such an extent that it is no longer considered to be special interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many listed buildings have been demolished in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of listed buildings for which listed building consent for total demolition has been granted over the last five years are as follows:

5	Numbers
1979	7
1980	5
1981	4
1982	9
1983	10

Statistics are not available for the numbers of these consents implemented.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ask the Welsh joint education committee to reconsider their recent decision concerning the training of teachers of craft design and technology through the medium of the Welsh language.

No. It is for my right hon. Friend not the Welsh joint education committee to decide whether there should be a course of initial teacher training for craft, design and technology teaching in secondary schools through the medium of Welsh.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the conversion of railways into roads.

It is for the British Railways Board to propose closure of railway lines it no longer wishes to use. In cases where closure is approved, I am always keen to see worthwhile transport uses for the right of way.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the conversion of railways into roads.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier this afternoon to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement about the reorganisation of London Transport.

It is increasingly obvious that the GLC approach to the management of London's bus and underground services is damaging the interests of London's travellers, ratepayers and those who work on London Transport. An object of the London Regional Transport Bill is to bring that situation to a speedy end.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are his plans for the future organisation of the National Bus Company.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Waller) on 14 February—[Vol. 54; c. 115]—we are having a thorough study made of this and related questions and hope to be able to make a full announcement in the early summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what rail electrification programmes are under construction or planned at the present time.

British Rail is engaged on the following electrification schemes:

• Colchester to Ipswich, Harwich and Norwich
• Bishops Stortford to Cambridge
• Tonbridge to Hastings
• Paisley to Ayr and Ardrossan
• Dalston to North Woolwich
• Rock Ferry to Hooton
• Manchester to Glossop and Hadfield.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken to promote rail exports.

Action to promote exports is primarily the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who sponsors the railway manufacturing industry. However, my right hon. and hon. Friends and I stand ready to respond to requests to give active support to the export efforts of the United Kingdom railway industry, including British Rail Engineering Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations cover the closure at night of stretches of motorway involving diversions between junctions.

Temporary closure of a motorway, or section of motorway, may be effected by means of an order or notice made by the Department under section 12 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967. In an emergency the police may effect a closure under their powers in section 58 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to establish the south eastern services of British Rail as a separate financial entity and thereafter to seek the introduction of private capital into that entity; and if he will make a statement.

No, but we have told the Railways Board that we shall welcome proposals from it for more private sector finance and participation in the development of stations and railway services.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has held any discussions with the British Railways board about the construction of a rail link to Stansted airport; and if he will make a statement.

No. But I understand that the board is carrying out preparatory work so that a rail link could be provided in time in the event of our deciding that Stansted should be developed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend the M6 north of Carlisle.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now announce the date of the inquiry into the proposed increase in toll charges on the Severn bridge.

I hope to do so shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make available details of the survey of traffic loading on the Severn bridge by time of day and day of month.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will carry out a sample survey to establish what percentage of pedal cycles are not conforming to the law regarding lights at night.

The transport and road research laboratory recently carried out a study on cycle lamps and reflectors in Cambridge, Eastleigh, Southampton and Portsmouth. It found that about a quarter of all cyclists on the road at night failed to meet the legal requirement to show a white light to the front and a red light and red reflector to the rear. Nine per cent. showed no visible lights at all.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether creation of additional car parking places at stations in outer London boroughs, currently supported by Greater London council grants as part of its strategic traffic policy, would be continued by his Department if the Greater London council is abolished as proposed.

The LRT Bill, presently in Committee, specifically provides—in schedule 2, paragraph 5—wide powers for LRT to provide car parks for users of any public transport services.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what specific proposals he will bring forward to ensure that the disabled enjoy effective mobility on public transport within Greater London and the metropolitan counties.

I have given a clear undertaking that the London Regional Transport Authority will be required to develop its vehicles and infrastructure with the needs of disabled people fully in mind—as far as technology and finance will allow.For the metropolitan counties, the Government have proposed that responsibility for the passenger transport executives should remain with passenger transport authorities composed of locally-elected members.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to change the present methods of public inquiries into new road schemes.

I shall be considering whether any changes are necessary when I have received the views of the civil engineering economic development committee on the report which it commissioned on pre-construction procedures for motorway and trunk road schemes. I would be pleased to hear my hon. Friend's views on this report, and am arranging for him to be sent a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the design capacity of the Barton high level bridge section of the M63 motorway; what is the current traffic flow over it; and by how much he estimates it will increase in the future.

Barton high level bridge was designed as a dual 2 lane motorway which under present day design criteria would have a capacity of up to 56,000 vehicles per 16 hour day (vpd). The present flow over the bridge is 75,000 vpd and I estimate that this might increase to between 83,000 and 100,000 vpd by the year 2001.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received any objections by individuals or organisations directly and adversely affected by the proposal to widen the M63 motorway over Barton high level bridge; why he has decided to hold a public inquiry into the scheme; and for how long this is expected to delay commencement of the improvement of this length of motorway.

I have received objections from three individuals and organisations which regard the proposals as adversely affecting their interests. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport decided to hold a public inquiry because of the nature of objections received. Progress will now depend upon the conduct and outcome of the inquiry. Commencement of works could be delayed by up to a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has anything to add to the answer he gave to the question of the hon. Member for Woking on 17 February, Official Report, column 342, concerning British Airways assets.

Following my answer of 17 February 1984, at column 342, I am repeating the information, with the figures under "Historic cost £ million" for "31 March 1982" and "31 March 1983" prefaced by a minus sign. Previously, brackets around these figures were omitted due to a printing error in the Official Report.Following are the value of net assets (defined as total assets less total liabilities, including minority interests, and sometimes called net worth) shown in British Airways' published accounts for the last eleven years, in accordance with both the historic cost convention and with the current cost convention since its introduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the value of repair and maintenance now necessary to keep the Woodhead route between South Yorkshire (Sheffield) and Manchester, South Lancashire and Cheshire, serviceable for heavy lorries and passenger vehicles; if he will indicate the level of central Government grants to meet this; and what comparable information he has for alternative routes.

I regret that this question could only be answered at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number of passenger vehicles and heavy lorries per day, week or month crossing between South Yorkshire (Sheffield) and Manchester, South Lancashire and Cheshire, through the Woodhead pass, indicating any change from five, 10 or 15 years ago; and what similar information he has on alternative routes.

I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested. The following data has been obtained from traffic counts taken on the A628 trunk road near Flouch Inn, and the A57 county road near Ladybower Reservoir. All figures are approximate:A628.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the current rates for the transfer of personalised car numbers;(2) how much revenue is raised annually by the transfer fees for personalised number plates; and what happens to it.

I will answer these questions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department are working on the Channel tunnel project.

No official is currently employed full time on the question of the Channel fixed link. This touches on a wide range of departmental interests and effort is mobilised where and when necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent discussions he has had with his European Economic Community colleagues about the construction of a Channel tunnel;(2) what discussions he has had with his French counterpart since January about the construction of a Channel tunnel.

The question of the Channel fixed link was included in wide-ranging discussions my right hon. Friend had with his French counterpart on 20 February and will be touched upon again when he meets him on 21 March. I have had no discussions on this subject this year with other EEC colleagues.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the United States of America the problem of additional funding for the International Development Association.