asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost of his Department's writing to every Welsh dairy producer regarding the 9 per cent. quota cut; and how many letters he dispatched.

The letter and notes of advice were dispatched to each of the 7,443 registered milk producers in Wales. The printing and postage costs incurred totalled £1,710·88.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to meet leaders of the farmers' unions to discuss the dairy crisis; and if he will make a statement.

I have met both the president of the Farmers Union of Wales and the chairman of the National Farmers Union in Wales on several occasions recently to discuss the 1983–84 common agricultural policy price settlement including the new arrangements for milk. I shall continue to keep in close touch with them on matters of common interest.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss to the Revenue if all those over 65 years with a taxable income of £5,000 a year or less were to be relieved of liability to income tax.

The cost of raising both married and single age allowances to £5,000 would be about £800 million in a full year at 1984–85 levels of income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the practice of the Inland Revenue towards the assessment of tax (a) of payments made from the British Airways pension fund to British Airways in respect of sums to be paid by British Airways to those existing members of the scheme who elect to receive a cash payment in respect of termination of their membership of the scheme and (b) these payments, when made by British Airways to those members; and if he will make a statement.

The tax affairs of British Airways and of its employees are confidential, as are those of any other taxpayer. But, in general, refunds from a pension scheme to an employer are liable to tax under paragraph 4, schedule 5, Finance Act 1970, and compensation payments by employers to their employees are liable to tax under section 187 of the Taxes Act 1970.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations with the Inland Revenue have taken place concerning the position of British Airways employees who are being offered cash payments for opting out of the existing pension scheme.

The tax affairs of British Airways and of its employees are confidential.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will outline the considerations leading to works canteens being exempt from treatment as taxable benefits;(2) if he will outline the considerations leading to workplace nurseries being treated as taxable benefits.

All benefits that directors and certain employees—currently those earning at a rate of £8,500 a year or more—receive by reason of their employment have, with very few exceptions, been liable to tax since legislation is first introduced in 1948. One of the exceptions that was considered appropriate in 1948 and has been left unchanged by successive Governments was the provision of meals by an employer in any canteen in which meals are provided for the staff generally.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost if a £70 tax-free band were given to all depositors who held interest-bearing accounts in banks.

The cost in a full year would be some £80 million, assuming one tax-free band per person and existing levels of bank deposits. But the cost could be much greater if savers changed their pattern of deposits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to withdraw all current £50 notes and arrange the issue of a new design forthwith; and if he will make a statement.

No. I have no reason at this stage to believe that the scale of the problem of £50 counterfeit notes warrants withdrawing the total circulation of this denomination.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what capacity and over what dates George Sturch Edwards and William Burrage were employed in the Falklands as senior electricians; and what representations they made to the authorities about the overloading of electrical circuits at Port Stanley hospital.

Mr. Sturch-Edwards served in the Falkland Islands as a senior electrician with the Public Works Department from 8 November 1982 to 30 August 1983; Mr. Burrage, from 29 October 1982 to 28 April 1983. Representations made about the overloading of electrical circuits will doubtless be considered by the commission of inquiry established by the civil commissioner to investigate the circumstances of the fire at Port Stanley hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received the memorandum from Dr. Penny Key and June Allen warning about fire precautions at Port Stanley hospital.

Dr. Key, ODA medical adviser, and Miss Allen, nursing adviser, reported in April 1983 on their visit to the Falkland Islands the previous month.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he had before 10 April for the building of a new hospital at Port Stanley for civilians.

Before the fire on 10 April, short-term renovation and extension of the existing hospital facilities were under consideration by the Falkland Islands Government rather than the construction of a completely new hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which police forces intend to start or have started neighbourhood watch schemes or similarly named schemes.

Strathclyde police operate schemes of this type and have plans to increase their number; Lothian and Borders police and Fife constabulary intend to introduce schemes shortly; and I understand that, in the light of experience in these areas, other Scottish forces will consider the suitability of such schemes for their own areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hectares of derelict land there were in Scotland at the latest available date; and how much of that is in the parliamentary constituency of Cunninghame, North.

Information is not held centrally on the amount of derelict land in Scotland. My Department is, however, at present conducting an exercise jointly with local authorities to assess what information is available on vacant, derelict and underused land in urban areas and to consider how the disposal of such land held by public bodies might be facilitated. This exercise covers land in the parliamentary constituency of Cunninghame, North.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the average waiting time for inpatients and outpatients in each of the health boards in Scotland.

Average waiting times for outpatients are not collected centrally. From 1982, the latest year for which it is available, the information for inpatients is as follows:

Health Board	Average wait* in days during 1982
Argyll and Clyde	77
Ayrshire and Arran	95
Borders	59

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with interdepartmental co-operation on the problems of safety of the Port Stanley hospital before the fire on 10 April.

This question is likely to be considered by the commission of inquiry established by the civil commissioner to investigate the circumstances of the fire at Port Stanley hospital. It would not therefore be right to comment until the commission of inquiry has reported.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the total additional cost to the Metropolitan police of the House sitting (a) from 10.30 pm to midnight and (b) from midnight to 2 am, or for other such period for which figures are conveniently available.

The normal shift for a police officer engaged on internal duties at the Palace of Westminster runs from 2 pm to 10 pm. If the officer has to remain on duty after 10 pm, he becomes entitled to overtime. The number of officers deployed on such duties depends on whether one or both Houses are sitting. The additional police overtime costs incurred between 10 pm and midnight are as follows:

	£
House of Lords only	252·00
House of Commons only	666·82
Both Houses sitting simultaneously	738·34

The costs are doubled if the overtime continues to 2 am.In addition, total meal allowances up to a maximum of £38.08, £103·04 and £114·14, respectively, may be claimed if the officers remain on duty after 11.15 pm.The costs of policing the Palace of Westminster are met by the House authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were held in police custody at Highbury corner magistrates court on each night during March.

The number of women held in police custody at Highbury corner magistrates court on each night during March was as follows:

March	Number
1/2	28
2/3	27
3/5	19
5/6	22
6/7	23
7/8	24
8/9	32
9/10	21
10/12	17
12/13	17
13/14	20
14/15	19
15/16	25
16/17	17
17/19	21
19/20	22
20/21	16
21/22	10
22/23	9
23/24	7
24/26	9
26/27	14
27/28	17
28/29	14
29/30	10
30/31	8
31/1	18

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long each of the women remanded in police custody at Highbury corner magistrates court on the nights of 1 March, 15 March and 31 March, respectively, had been held continuously in police custody.

The number of nights for which each of those held overnight on 1–2 March, 15–16 March and 31 March–1 April had been held was as follows:

1–2 March		15–16 March		31 March-1 April
Nights	Number of people detained	Nights	Number of people detained	Nights	Number of people detained
1	5	1	6	1	10
2	6	2	2	3	4
4	3	3	4	4	1
7	1	8	3	5	3
8	4	9	2	—	—
9	3	10	1	—	—
11	1	11	1	—	—
15	1	15	1	—	—
16	1	16	3	—	—
17	1	18	1	—	—
18	2	31	1	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many times restraints were used on prisoners at Ashford remand centre during 1982, 1983 and so far in 1984, respectively;

Returns from Ashford and Glen Parva show that no mechanical restraints have been used at either establishment in the periods in question. Special cells have been used as follows:

Table of recorded use of special cells
Name of Establishment	1982	1983	*1984
Ashford	35	22	8
Glen Parva	32	36	5
* Provisional figures for period up to 31 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to add video tapes held by libraries to the list of goods which can lawfully be traded on a Sunday.

My right hon. and learned Friend will await the recommendations of the committee of inquiry which he has set up to examine proposals to amend the Shops Acts before taking any decisions. I understand that the committee has received evidence concerning the hire of video tapes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stateless children born in the United Kingdom since 1 January 1983 have applied for registration as a United Kingdom citizen.

The first avenue for a child born stateless in the United Kingdom to seek British citizenship would be through section 1(3) of the British Nationality Act 1981. So far seven children have been registered under this provision, none of whom has proved to be stateless. The nationality of those children who have applied, but have not yet been registered, is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from each chief constable concerned to provide details of the number of police injured since 9 April dealing with the current miners' dispute.

The following numbers of police officers have been injured, in the period between 9 April and 25 April inclusive, in dealing with events arising from the miners' dispute:

Police force area	Number of officers injured
Derbyshire	2
Durham	1
Essex	1
Nottinghamshire	12
South Yorkshire	33
Staffordshire	3
TOTAL	52

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from each chief constable concerned to provide details for each police force area of the number of pickets arrested from 9 April to date.

The following numbers of arrests have been made, in the period from 9 April to 25 April inclusive, in connection with events arising from the miners' dispute:

Police force area	Number of arrests
Derbyshire	42
Durham	28
Essex	32
Greater Manchester	4
Hertfordshire	1
Lancashire	2
Leicestershire	1
Merseyside	6
Nottinghamshire	259
South Yorkshire	124
Staffordshire	18
Warwickshire	15
TOTAL	532

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the latest figures for the sub-divisional establishments of the Merseyside police.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 April 1984, c. 319.]: The authorised establishments of the territorial divisions in the Merseyside police on 31 December 1983 were as follows:

Territorial Division	Authorised Establishment
'A' (City) Division	517
'B' (Sefton) Division	552
'C'(Northern) Division	398
'D' (Central) Division	509
'E' (St Helens) Division	335
'F' (Southern) Division	489
'G' (Wirral) Division	576

Chief officers of police keep the allocation and use of force manpower under constant review to meet current objectives and priorities and local needs. Establishment figures showing a more detailed distribution for particular areas of the force would therefore be misleading and would not adequately reflect the numbers of police officers, including officers from central divisions, for example, traffic, actually deployed there at any one time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, over the last five years, what percentage of prisoners in English and Welsh prisons on remand have (a) been convicted and (b) been released without imprisonment.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 53.]: The readily available information is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Air Force Marine Branch.

As part of the Government's efforts to produce the most cost-effective deployment of RAF and civilian personnel, the Ministry of Defence has reviewed the requirement to retain the in-service capability currently provided by the RAF Marine Branch, which employs some 430 service and 80 civilian personnel, including support staffs. It has been concluded that while there is a continuing requirement for some of the tasks undertaken by the branch, such as search and rescue helicopter winching training, aircrew sea survival training, the provision of towed targets and the maintenance of safety patrols at RAF ranges, these tasks could be met by either the other services or by commercial craft. It has been decided therefore that the RAF Marine Branch should be disbanded by 1 April 1986 and that RAF Mount Batten should be closed. Those concerned were informed today.Every effort will be made to employ Marine Branch officers and airmen in other RAF trades and there may also be scope for some to transfer to the Army or Navy, or to join the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, or the Royal Fleet Auxiliary to HM Coastguard. It is hoped to find alternative local employment for civilian staff. For both groups, however, some redundancies may be necessary.Great service has been rendered by the RAF Marine Branch both during the second world war and since, but in the light of the need to make the most cost-effective use of resources and the changing requirements for marine services the Government have concluded with regret that the separate RAF Marine Branch organisation can no longer be retained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military fire-fighting apparatus available to fight fires in Port Stanley before Monday 9 April.

All locations in the Port Stanley area for which the MOD is responsible are routinely fitted with fire extinguishers and all have fire alarms and fire piquets. The major military fire fighting appliances in the area are:

Two fire hydrants at the King Edward military hospital and four fire tenders at the Port Stanley airfield.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he had to build a hospital for service men in the Falkland Islands before the fire at Port Stanley hospital.

Although a medical reception station is to be built as part of the new Mount Pleasant airfield complex, there were never any plans to build a military hospital as such. We had, however, been considering what facilities should be added to the King Edward memorial hospital at Port Stanley to provide hospital cover for service men in the Falklands.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the official reports he has received warning of fire hazards and overcrowding in the Port Stanley hospital, giving dates and sources of origin.

We are aware that the King Edward memorial hospital was in need of a number of improvements but fire precautions in it is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what circumstances led him to order the evacuation of 20 soldiers billetted in the hospital attic of the Port Stanley hospital.

Following the Falklands war, there was a severe shortage of accommodation of all kinds. Initially, some military duty medical staff were billetted in the hospital attic at Port Stanley; but this temporary and unsatisfactory arrangement was terminated when alternative accommodation for them was found.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he installed fire doors and emergency exits in the military wing of the Port Stanley hospital; and what consideration was given to such installations in the civilian wing.

Fire doors and emergency exits were installed as part of the construction of the military annex to the King Edward memorial hospital opened in February 1984. Fire precautions in the hospital as a whole are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence who are the members of the National Defence Industries Council.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1984, c. 506]: I regret that the list of members was incomplete and should have been as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following the announcement of the 1984–85 derelict land reclamation capital allocations.

My Department has received a number of representations from various sources entirely concerned with the level of allocation to certain authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation to give tenants the statutory right to know the name and address of their landlord.

Residential tenants already have the right under section 121 of the Housing Act 1974 to request the name and address of their landlord. If the landlord's interest is assigned, the new landlord has a duty under section 122 of the Act to inform all tenants of his name and address. Failure to comply with either of these requirements without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of the installation of a fire alarm and a fire hydrant in the Falklands.

This could vary enormously depending on the scope and nature of the requirement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will specify the obligations he has imposed on the Mowlem, Laing, Amey Roadstone consortium in relation to the Falklands airport to buy British materials and equipment; and whether he is satisfied these obligations are being adhered to;(2) if he will list the occasions on which the Property Services Agency has allowed Mowlem, Laing, Amey Roadstone to purchase materials and equipment from overseas for the building of the Falklands airport.

The contract conditions require the use of United Kingdom materials and equipment unless this is impracticable or uneconomic. Any proposals for significant use of materials and equipment from outside the United Kingdom have to be notified to the PSA. I am satisfied that the contractor is adhering to these conditions. The detailed information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost and some is a matter of commercial confidence between the PSA and the contractor.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much revenue has so far been lost by the National Coal Board as a result of the overtime ban and the industrial action.

The National Coal Board has said the combined effects of the overtime ban and the industrial action worsened the NCB's revenue results by some £200 million in the financial year ended 31 March 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many coal mines have been closed in Wales in each year since 1954.

I understand from the National Coal Board that the numbers of NCB mines closed in Wales in each year since 1954 are as follows:

	Number
1954	3
1955	5
1956	5
1957	4
1958	5
1959	12
1960	6
1961	5
1962	9
1963–64*	6
1964–65	10
1965–66	10
1966–67	8
1967–68	8
1968–69	8

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he expects the sale of Wytch farm by British Gas Corporation to be concluded; and if he will recommend a date to the negotiating parties by which he expects contracts to have been exchanged;(2) if he has approved the purchase of Wytch farm by the Dorset group;(3) why the agreed purchase by the Dorset group of Wytch farm from British Gas Corporation has not yet been finalised.

I have undertaken to inform the House of the outcome of the present negotiations for the disposal of the British Gas Corporation's interest in PL 089.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether it is his policy to plan for a smaller, larger or unchanged market for natural gas in the United Kingdom between 1984 and 1985; and what the implications of his policy are for the future price of gas and the pattern and origin of gas supplies;(2) what view he takes of the size of the United Kingdom market for natural gas; what is his policy on the evolution of natural gas prices in relation to the total United Kingdom gas demand; and whether he will make a statement.

It is for the gas industry to respond to and assess developments in the market for natural gas, taking into account the cost and availability of future supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will discuss with the chairman of the British Gas Corporation the prospects for the exportation of British gas; and if he will make a statement.

I have frequent discussions with the chairman of the British Gas Corporation on a wide variety of topics concerning the industry, and the prospects for exporting gas have naturally been touched on.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the essential elements in his policy on energy sources and their development; and if he will make a statement.

It remains the Government's aim that all economic forms of energy should be exploited, supplied and used efficiently. In pursuit of this aim, the Government seek, inter alia, to promote competition in energy production and supply; to support research and development to establish the potential of new technologies; and to encourage consumers to use energy as efficiently as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation to allow all tenants to be direct consumers of energy; and if he will make a statement.

I have at present no plans to do so. The hon. Member will be aware that the Office of Fair Trading has recently issued a consultative document on the resale of electricity by landlords and has invited comments from interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received any representations from the National Union of Mineworkers about either the Government's support for the investment programme of the National Coal Board or the payments available to miners under the redundant mineworkers redundancy payments scheme.

In August 1983 Mr. Scargill wrote to me and pointed out that the 1977 report "Coal for the Future" had envisaged capital investment for the coal industry of £3,150 million up to 1985. He stated that the 1977 figure at current prices would amount to £6,500 million and compared it with the cash figure quoted by the Government for investment since April 1974 of only £4,600 million. I was able to tell him that in fact capital investment in the industry from April 1974 to July 1983 at current prices amounted to £7,150 million, and I expressed the view that he should be pleased to be relieved of his misapprehension, and to know that capital investment had already been £650 million more at current prices than envisaged in "Coal for the Future".As for the redundant mineworkers payments scheme, I have received no representations from the NUM suggesting that there should be improvements to the terms recently announced. It has, however, taken up a number of technical details connected with the Scheme in the past, and as a result some improvements have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied that the M25 in Waltham Abbey and elsewhere in the Epping Forest district of Essex is everywhere fully-protected against illicit access by people or animals.

There is fencing throughout including extensive lengths of special deer-proof fencing and solid acoustic fencing. Some additional high fencing will shortly be erected to the south-east of Lodge lane footbridge, Waltham Abbey, where children have been playing on a landscape area adjoining the motorway. I am otherwise satisfied that all reasonable steps have been taken to deter unlawful access. No motorway can be fully protected from those determined to trespass. But I am grateful to the police for their surveillance and particularly for touring local schools to warn of its dangers.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the terms under which compensation may be claimed by sufferers from motorway noise.

Under part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973 owner-occupiers may in certain circumstances claim compensation from the appropriate highway authority where the value of their property is depreciated by noise and other specified physical factors caused by the use of new or altered highways, including motorways.Claims may not normally be made until one year after a highway is first open to public traffic, or reopened after alteration, but where a property is being sold during that year a notice of claim must be made after exchanging contracts but before completion of sale.In the case of departmental roads, notices about the right to claim and when to do so are published in local newspapers at the time of road opening and again one year later.Detailed information is given in the free booklet "Your home and nuisance from public development", which may be obtained from the Department's regional offices, local council offices and citizens' advice bureaux.Depending on noise levels, owners or occupiers of dwellings may be entitled to he offered noise insulation or grant under the Noise Insulation Regulations 1975. The benefit of this or any other noise-mitigating works is taken into account in the assessment of compensation claims.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what tours have been made by Ministers and officials in his Department of the M25 within the Epping Forest district of Essex; what representations were made to them, and have been otherwise received, about noise from the motorway; and what remedial action is being taken.

Departmental officials have visited the area regularly and had discussions with local authorities and other parties. My hon. Friend has referred three representations to my Department about noise from this section of the M25. Additionally, representations have been received from Epping Forest district council, Waltham Abbey town council, Upshire Village Preservation Society, a number of residents' groups and a considerable number of individuals. Consulting engineers have recently surveyed current noise levels. They are now evaluating the results and assessing the need for remedial action. I hope to receive their report soon. When this has been considered, I will write to my hon. Friend.

ked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the annual average weekday traffic flow between junctions 6 and 7 on the M6 motorway in 1983.

Annual average weekday traffic between junctions 6 and 7 on the M6 motorway was 90,000 vehicles—two-way flow—in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of exports of pharmaceutical products from the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available.

The value of exports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products is given against SITC (R2) division 54 in table V of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to amend the Housing Act 1957 covering the resale of electricity by landlords to prevent overcharging of tenants; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to do so. My hon. Friend will be aware that the Director-General of Fair Trading has recently issued a consultative document inviting comments by 30 June on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the number of land mobile radio licences and citizens band radio licences issued.

At the end of March 1984 there were approximately 225,000 citizens band licences on issue. The number of licences issued to operators of private mobile radio, common base station and message handling systems was approximately 15,000 covering 360,000 mobile radio stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the size and percentage of youth unemployment, adult unemployment, and long-term unemployment, respectively, in Grimsby, in March 1979 and March 1984.

Information on the age and duration of unemployment is available quarterly with the latest figures relating to January 1984. The following table gives, for the categories specified, the number of unemployed claimants in January 1984, and the numbers registered as unemployed in January 1979 in the Grimsby jobcentre area. It also gives the figures on both bases for October 1982. Percentage rates of unemployment for youths and adults are not available due to the absence of employment estimates below national level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown by region of the increases in employment through new jobs in each of the employment regions during the past year for which figures are available.

Information about job gains or job losses is not'available from the Department's statistics, but an indication of the net changes can be seen by comparing the levels of employees in employment at different dates. On this basis, the following table gives the changes in the estimated numbers of employees in employment in each region between December 1982 and December 1983.

Region	Change December 1982-December 1983
South East	+52,000
East Anglia	+9,000
South West	+17,000
West Midlands	+4,000
East Midlands	+2,000
Yorkshire and Humberside	-11,000
North West	-11,000
North	-17,000
Wales	-4,000
Scotland	-1,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the take-up of the enterprise allowance in terms of numbers of applicants and total costs for the last year on a regional basis.

The number of successful applicants taken on to the enterprise allowance scheme in each region between 1 August 1983, when the scheme was introduced nationally, and 31 March 1984 is as follows:

	Number
London	2,531
Southern	4,368
South West	2,222
Midlands	5,051
North West	5,196
Northern	1,562
Yorkshire and Humberside	2,568
Wales	1,882
Scotland	2,249
Total	27,629

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the take-up of Manpower Services Commission training courses in East Anglia by women in the following age groups: (a) 16 to 19 years, (b) 20 to 25 years, (c) 25 to 35 years and (d) 35 to 45 years.

During the period 1 April 1983 to 31 March 1984 the following numbers of women in East Anglia entered training courses sponsored by the Manpower Services Commission:

	Numbers
16–19 years	4,199
20–25 years	228
26–35 years	251
36–45 years	157

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any moneys from the European social fund provision in respect of women have been allocated to East Anglia; and if he will make a statement.

The following list shows those projects which are currently in receipt of European social fund aid in East Anglia in respect of schemes of training exclusively for women aged over 25 years:

	£
1982
Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education
Training of women as engineering technicians (1st year)	25,429
Training of women in building maintenance skills	25,919
1983
Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education
Training of women as engineering technicians (1st year)	25,881
Training of women as engineering technicians (2nd year)	24,401

In the 4 weeks ending—	Employers with fewer than 6 employees			Employers with 6 or more employees
		of which:			of which:
	Number of individual cases checked	underpaid	overpaid	Number of individual cases checked	underpaid	overpaid
10 May 1983	558	30	31	1973	64	99
7 June 1983	2,004	135	146	9,301	456	780
5 July 1983	3,880	298	366	22,854	1,862	*1,893
2 August 1983	4,207	511	425	25,294	1,547	1,932
30 August 1983	4,012	331	423	24,389	1,531	1,966
27 September 1983	4,514	388	571	23,315	1,488	1,981
25 October 1983	4,873	444	577	23,660	1,638	2,012
22 November 1983	4,619	419	642	22,050	1,350	1,982
20 December 1983	4,171	351	474	16,157	956	1,246
17 January 1984	2,126	144	263	7,425	401	607
14 February 1984	4,528	412	561	17,688	1,105	1,476
13 March 1984	4,707	477	607	15,112	1,163	1,407
* Corrected figure. Compare reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 19 January 1984, Official Report, columns 311–14.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the light of regional information as to the number of applications and rejections in each region, there is any evidence of regional variation in the success rate of applicants for mobility allowance.

Information about claims and rejections is not maintained on a regional basis. We seek to ensure consistent standards nationally by keeping a close watch on medical reporting.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many letters to parliamentary colleagues are currently on the desks of Ministers in his Department awaiting signature.

The number of letters to parliamentary colleagues awaiting signature by a Minister will vary from day to day depending upon the volume of letters received and ministerial engagements. We have no separate record of letters awaiting signature, but our records show that Ministers in the Department sign about 500 letters a week to right hon. and hon. Members. We do, of course, aim to deal with all letters as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will break down for each month since the statutory sick pay scheme came into operation the numbers of (a) small employers and (b) larger employers found to be (i) underpaying and (ii) overpaying benefit; and if he will give the numbers of workers involved for each group and the range of underpayments.

Information is not available in the form requested. When visiting an employer a DHSS officer checks a number of individual employees' cases to examine the correctness of the SSP paid. The available results of these checks are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how the figures for the financial allocations to the North-West Thames regional health authority for 1983–84 and 1984–85 relate to socio-economic groupings per capita within Greater London;(2) how the figures for the financial allocations to the North-West Thames regional health authority for 1983–84 and 1984–85 work out on a per capita basis.

The recurrent allocation made to North-West Thames regional health authority per head of population in the region was £179 for 1983–84 and £188 for 1984–85. Using population figures adjusted according to the resource allocation working party's formula to take account of the movement of patients between health regions, of differences in the age and sex composition of the population and of standardised mortality ratios, the allocation per head of weighted population was £194 in 1983–84 and £196 in 1984–85. The average allocation per capita for England was £173 in 1983–84 and £181 in 1984–85. All these figures exclude joint finance, the service increment for teaching and protected sums for supra regional services. They are also figures for the hospital and community services only as they are the parts of the NHS administered by health authorities.Information on allocations according to socio-economic groupings is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received opposing cuts by the Liverpool area health authority.

We have replied to three parliamentary questions and a small number of letters from hon. Members relaying the views of individual constituents and from members of the public. The hon. Member and others made further representations in this House during the Adjournment debate on Liverpool health authority's budget on 9 November 1983. The Government have made it clear that there is to be capital expenditure of the order of £30 million in Liverpool to provide effective and efficient services available for the district's population which is reducing in size, while services are being improved elsewhere in the Mersey region so as to reduce the dependence of other districts on Liverpool's services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the contracts, with the subject of assignment, awarded to management consultancy and accounting firms by his Department in 1983.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 April 1984, c. 379]: The firms and the contracts are as follows:Arthur Andersen & Co.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many letters which have been with his Department for four, six, eight, 10 and over 12 weeks, respectively, as at 10 April and which were from Members of Parliament remain without substantive replies from his Department.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1984, c. 571]: The figures requested are 533, 296, 185, 91 and 193, respectively.Ministers in my Department reply to 25,000 to 30,000 letters a year from Members of Parliament. In many cases these letters require local inquiries to be made of health authorities or the Department's local offices. This can often cause delay. In many local cases hon. Members may find it quicker to approach the manager of their DHSS local office or the chairman of their district health authority. I propose to write shortly to all hon. Members to explain how this can best be done.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken by the European Economic Community Council of Agriculture Ministers to curtail output of the products of Mediterranean agriculture.

At its meeting on 30–31 March the Council of Agriculture Ministers reached agreement in principle on the introduction of guarantee thresholds for products in surplus, products on which expenditure was rising rapidly and products likely to be in surplus. This agreement opens the way for any excess production of Mediterranean products to be curbed through the guarantee support arrangements of the common agricultural policy. At the same time guarantee thresholds were extended to cover durum wheat, dried grapes, all tomato products and sunflower seeds. The United Kingdom Government played a leading part in getting this new measure introduced and agreed. Full details of these measures and of prices for 1984–85 for all commodities covered by the CAP will be contained in a note by my Department, a copy of which will be deposited shortly in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether for his Department's statistical purposes a holding includes all the farms belonging to one owner, whether corporate, partnership or individual, or whether each farm is regarded as a separate holding.

For the collection of agricultural statistics, a holding comprises land which is farmed as one unit, having regard to supplies of machinery, livestock, feedingstuffs and manpower, to the distance between any separate areas of land involved and to their type of farming. The definition is not dependent on the legal status of the occupier, on whether the occupier has other holdings farmed as one unit, or on whether the holding is owner-occupied or tenanted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions during the past years United Kingdom ambassadors have delivered notes of regret or apology to (a) the Government of the Republic of Ireland and (b) all other Governments with which the United Kingdom maintains diplomatic relations.

It is not customary to give details of diplomatic exchanges between Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of policy following the Lisbon declaration at the Council of Europe conference on North/South: Europe's Role.

The Lisbon conference has made a useful contribution to the debate on the relationship between the developed and developing countries. Europe undoubtedly has an important role to play in working with all other countries to find solutions to the problems faced by many developing countries. We welcome the spirit of the Lisbon declaration but cannot agree with all of its analysis or proposals. We shall continue to study it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to increase the opportunities for contacts between United Kingdom citizens and those of Warsaw pact countries; and if he will make a statement.

As a signatory of the Helsinki final act, we are in favour of increased contacts between United Kingdom citizens and those of Warsaw pact countries. Subject to considerations of national security, there are no obstacles to such contacts from the British side. We give financial support to numerous cultural and academic exchange schemes with those countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom has any form of defence agreement with Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

The only such agreement is the 1947 United Kingdom-Ceylon defence agreement. This provides that the two Governments may give to each other

"such military assistance for the security of their territories, for defence against external aggression and for the protection of essential communications as it may be in their mutual interest to provide."

It has never been invoked by either Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom has any form of defence agreement with Morocco; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom has no defence agreement with Morocco.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many criminal and civil proceedings other than for traffic offences diplomatic immunity has been successfully pleaded in each of the last five years.

We have no means of knowing how many times successful pleas of diplomatic immunity have been entered. It is for a court to decide whether an individual is entitled to immunity in any particular case; but if entitlement to immunity were beyond doubt, it is unlikely that proceedings would be instituted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government last consulted United States Administration officials over the incursions into Nicaragua by opponents of the Government.

We are in close touch with the United States Government on a wide variety of matters of mutual interest, including Nicaragua.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British military and civilian personnel are engaged in training the Belize defence force; when the Government expect this training to be completed; how many of these are loan service personnel; and how many are there from each service.

A programme for enhancement of the Belize defence force, agreed when Belize became independent in 1981, is due to be completed by early 1986. Thirteen loan service personnel are engaged in the task: three) Royal Navy, eight Army and two (shortly to increase to three Royal Air Force. The British garrison also assists. No civilian personnel are involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all visits by his Department's personnel to Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala during the last 12 months.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office personnel made the following visits to Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala in the period 1 April 1983 to 31 March 1984:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number and dates of visits by accredited British military attaches to Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador during the last 12 months.

The British military attaché at Mexico City, who is accredited to Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, made the following visits to those countries in the period 1 April 1983 to 31 March 1984:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial help he is making available to the relatives of the dead from Port Stanley hospital to be represented legally at the inquiry into the fire there on 10 April.

The question of representation of relatives of the dead from Port Stanley hospital is a matter for the commission of inquiry established by the civil commissioner to investigate the circumstances of the fire. The relevant facts concerning the fire at Port Stanley hospital will be presented to the commission of inquiry by counsel.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) why fire hydrants at Port Stanley hospital had not been connected to the water supply before 10 April;(2) if he will list the recommendations for improvements in Port Stanley hospital in the memorandum by Mr. John Broderick;(3) why officials of his Department informed Dr. Alison Bleaney, senior medical officer, on Monday 9 April that the public works department could not do anything about the water supply;(4) if he will list the fire-fighting apparatus available to fight fires in Port Stanley before Monday 9 April.

Such questions are likely to be considered by the commission of inquiry established by the civil commissioner of the Falkland Islands to investigate the circumstances of the fire at Port Stanley hospital. It would not therefore be appropriate to give answers to these questions until the commission of inquiry has reported.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates and work of the public works department in installing a central heating system at Government house.

The fuel pipes of the Government house central heating system were cleared in August 1982 following a breakdown during the Argentine occupation of the Falkland Islands. Since then no work has been done on the system other than routine maintenance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of flying out the Home Office fire inspector from London to Port Stanley; and if he will give the inspector's terms of reference.

The cost of flying out the Home Office fire inspector from London to Port Stanley and back is £892.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government plan to withdraw those British troops and Royal Air Force personnel stationed in Belize, other than those engaged in training the Belize defence force.

It was agreed in 1981 that the British garrison would remain in Belize for an appropriate period. We want to see as soon as possible conditions in which the garrison can safely be withdrawn.