asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 June.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be meeting President Reagan for discussions and giving a working dinner for him and ministerial colleagues at No. 10 Downing street.

asked the Prime Minister how many civil servants in the Treasury have any working experience of life in commerce or industry; and if she will arrange for more in-service secondments to commerce and industry for Treasury officials.

At 1 April 1984 some 431 of the Treasury's non-industrial staff of 2,637 had direct experience of commerce or manufacturing industry. Of those concerned with policy advice and formulation at principal level and above some 58 out of 350 staff have worked, or are currently working, in commerce or industry. I am satisfied with the Treasury's current programme of secondments.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what representations he has received about future public funding for the National Federation of Music Societies; and what replies he has given.

My noble Friend has received a considerable number of representations about the future public funding of the National Federation of Music Societies. The replies that he has given have stressed that he welcomes the Arts Council's strategy review which is intended to free resources for innovation and development, particularly in the regions. He has pointed out that the decisions taken in the course of that review, including the decision to devolve to regional arts associations the funds currently spent through the National Federation of Music Societies, are matters for the Arts Council, and that representations should be addressed to it.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will estimate the total additional cost of the sitting of the House on Tuesday 15 May (a) between 6 pm and 10 pm and (b) after 10 pm, or for such other convenient periods as he has figures available.

The information in the form sought is not available centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received since his Budget statement about value added tax on vehicles for the disabled; and if he will make a statement.

Following the Budget, from 1 May relief from VAT and car tax has been given in respect of cars especially designed or adapted for the carriage of a disabled person on a stretcher or in a wheelchair and up to five other persons. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor and I have received representations from a number of bodies concerned with transport for the disabled and from individuals seeking further reliefs. It would not be feasible to make a general concession in respect of all vehicles for all disabled people on grounds of cost and risk of abuse; but there are two areas in which further relief is considered appropriate. These are:

1. The zero rating of leasing charges paid by recipients of mobility allowance and mobility supplement for cars released to them under the Motability scheme;

2. Widening of the existing VAT relief for specially adapted vehicles used by charities to carry handicapped persons in wheelchairs to include vehicles with more than 12 seats.

ZERO RATING OF LEASING CHARGES UNDER THE MOTABILITY SCHEMEMotability has represented that the effect of the Budget proposals, in particular the phasing out of first year allowances, will lead to a substantial increase in the initial rentals they would have to charge to the disabled. This would be partly offset by other Budget measures, but it will now be more than offset by the zero rating of the leasing charges. This relief will apply to the leasing of unused motor vehicles for a period of not less than three years by a taxable person whose business is mainly concerned with providing motor cars to disabled persons in receipt of a mobility allowance or war pensioner's mobility supplement. To mirror the gradual build-up of the impact of the Budget measures, the relief will apply to leasing agreements entered into on or after 1 September 1984. It will enable initial leasing charges to be kept significantly lower than they would otherwise have been. In some cases, the charges may be eliminated entirely, leaving a surplus available for the benefit of disabled lessees.WIDENED VAT RELIEF FOR WELFARE VEHICLES USED BY CHARITIES ETCRelief is at present available under group 16 of the VAT zero-rate schedule for certain specified goods when bought with charitable funds or voluntary donations for supply to specified eligible bodies, including charitable institutions providing care or medical or surgical treatment for handicapped persons. The relief covers ambulances, including certain specially designed and adapted vehicles used by the bodies concerned to carry handicapped persons in wheelchairs, subject to restriction that there should be no more than 12 fixed seats. With effect from 1 July, VAT

relief will be extended to any motor vehicle with not more than 50 seats designed or substantially and permanently adapted for the safe carriage of a handicapped person in a wheelchair, subject to certain conditions. These will be as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates have been made of the effects on future trends in unemployment arising from increasing interest rates.

The magnitude of the effect of a rise in interest rates on unemployment will depend on the circumstances in which the rise in interest rates comes about, including the stance of fiscal policy. Quantitative estimates would require that these circumstances be specified precisely, and would still be subject to very large margins of error.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the loss to the Inland Revenue if those who had reached the age of 60 years and who had been out of work for over a year were allowed to be eligible for retirement benefit.

An estimate was given to my hon. Friend last year on 21 February 1983 at column 348 that the net extra cost to central Government funds of allowing men of 60 to 65 who have been unemployed for over a year to receive a retirement pension would be £360 million at November 1982 benefit levels. Since then, unemployed men between age 60 and 65 who do not register for employment have been able to qualify for the long-term rate of supplementary benefit and have also received national insurance contribution credits automatically. By August 1983 it is estimated that about 160,000 men had ceased to register as a result of these provisions. These changes mean that reliable information on which to update the estimate is no longer available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he calculated the extra revenue he expects to raise in 1984–85 from value added tax imposed at point of entry on imported wines.

The withdrawal of arrangements for postponed accounting will bring forward the payment of VAT on imports by about six and a half weeks. The figures given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 2 May at column 156–7 are an estimate of the amount of VAT on imported wine expected to be thus brought forward to 1984–85 from 1985–86. By its nature such an estimate is liable to considerable uncertainty and was quoted as a range.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what extra revenue he anticipates raising from imported spirits in barrel as a result of imposing value added tax at point of entry; and how he calculates his estimate.

Extra receipts in 1984–85 from imported spirits in barrel are expected to be negligible. It is normal practice for spirits imported in bulk to be bottled in bond. At the stage they are released from bonded warehouse and there is a supply on which VAT is charged, spirits are mostly in bottle.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls), Official Report, 21 May, column 307, whether, in estimating the potential cost of the proposed tax change he took into account increases in revenue receipts which would be induced by such a measure as a result of (a) encouraging taxable persons to leave the black economy and trade legitimately and (b) encouraging the establishment of new businesses.

The Government's economic policies are already succeeding in stimulating large numbers of new businesses, as is confirmed by the recent article in British Business, 18 May, page 10. My right hon. Friend's Budget proposals will further stimulate business activity of varied types and size. Any particular effect which the particular tax change suggested by my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls) would have, were it to be feasible within the present tax structure, is difficult to quantify but would probably be small.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the West Yorkshire metropolitan county council has been notified that, as from 11 June, it will be obliged to charge value added tax on part 1 test fees to motor cyclists who are trained and tested by the council under franchise from the Department of Transport; how much value added tax revenue will be raised in west Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 5 April at column 633. The West Yorkshire metropolitan county council was notified that VAT should be charged on the part 1 motor cycle test fees from 11 June as part of a general notification to all bodies who are appointed by the Department of Transport to conduct these tests. Details of the VAT to be paid on a county basis are not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out a table expressing the salary of a Member of Parliament in each year from June 1975 to the latest available date at 1984 prices.

The information requested is:

	Actual Salaries in payment £	Salaries updated to 1984 prices level £
13 June 1975	5,750	14,369
13 June 1976	6,062	13,313
13 June 1977	6,270	11,700
13 June 1978	6,897	11,982
13 June 1979	9,450	14,743
13 June 1980	11,750	15,151
13 June 1981	13,950	16,157
13 June 1982	14,510	15,395
13 June 1983	15,308	15,669
1 January 1984	16,106	16,106

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums were borrowed by the United Kingdom in 1983 from the new Community instrument for lending and borrowing, Ortoli facility; which projects were involved; and what proportion of total lending the United Kingdom's borrowing represented in this period.

United Kingdom borrowing from the new Community instrument in 1983 amounted to £60 million, representing 8·3 per cent. of total lending under the facility. Of this amount £20 million went to the Central Electricity Generating Board for the cross-channel electricity link. The remaining £40 million was provided for financing investment in industry tourism and the service sector outside the assisted areas. These funds go in the first instance to banks and other financial institutions participating in the global loan scheme for on lending to small firms. Detailed information on individual projects is not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the EEC Commission has not made any provision in its 1985 budget for a rebate to the United Kingdom; and what estimate he has made of the net contribution which the United Kingdom will make in that year if no rebate is secured.

The Commission has not included in the preliminary draft budget provision for refund measures in the United Kingdom of the kind carried out in previous years since they assume that the method of payment of our 1984 refunds (payable in 1985) will be different from that previously adopted. No final agreement has yet been reached on how these refunds should be paid (or indeed on the amount of money involved). The Commission assumes the refunds will be paid in a way which

"will not affect the level of Community expenditure".

It has indicated that, insofar as the refunds will be paid by modulation of VAT, it will present the appropriate proposals for the rectification of the revenue provision of the budget once the necessary legal base for such modulation has been adopted.The last public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9143) gives the latest estimates of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the 1985 budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the imposition of value added tax on take-away food.

Some letters and petitions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposed meeting with Ortiz Mena, President of the Intra American Development Bank.

No meeting with Treasury Ministers has been arranged during Mr. Ortiz Mena's visit to this country, but he will be meeting other members of the Government and the Governor of the Bank of England.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give the total yield of the on-course betting duty on horse-racing and greyhound racing, respectively, for the past three years; and what has been the appropriate cost of collection in each case.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 May 1984, c. 109–10]: I regret that the figures of net receipts from on-course betting shown in that reply were incorrect as receipts in respect of totalisator bets were omitted. The corrected figures are

Year	£ million
1981	17·2
1982	17·7
1983	17·2

This correction does not affect the other information in my reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the answer of 11 May, Official Report, columns 482–3, what arrangements exist to ensure that the passenger's consent is asked for, in all cases, before their personal letters are read by immigration officials; if such consent has to be in writing; and what is the number of occasions in each year since 1979 on which (a) the passenger has refused his consent and (b) the supervising officer has authorisd the reading of such letters.

The requirement for consent to be given is laid down in written instructions and underlined in recruit training courses. It is the responsibility of supervisory officers to see that their staff remain fully alert to this requirement, but statistics are not maintained of occasions when consent is either given or withheld. Any complaint that the instructions were not being followed would be fully and carefully examined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men have been charged with offences in the magistrates' courts as a result of their arrest by women police officers acting as prostitutes.

The information is not available in the form requested. As to the use of women police officers in this way, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 22 May at column 396–97.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons have video players-recorders available to prisoners; how much equipment is available in each such prison; how many prisoners have access to such equipment; on what terms; if any control is exercised over the selection of material for use on such equipment; and if he will make a statement.

The information readily available is as follows. One hundred and seven prison service establishments have been provided with one or more video cassette recorders for educational use in classrooms. In addition about 70 establishments have one or more recorders for recreational use. The selection of material for recorders for recreational use is a matter for local staff, though in some cases inmates are members of joint staff/inmate film committees. All recorders are operated by, or under the supervision of, prison staff. Centralised video facilities are being installed in new establishments and in suitable existing ones.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received concerning the cost of policing the miners' dispute on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the cost of policing the miners' dispute borne by Merseyside county council details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside.

A letter has been received from Merseyside county council. My right hon. and learned Friend has not received information on the costs from the hon. Member. He announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Mr. Stewart) on 11 May at column 483–84 the details of a special payment that he is prepared to make, in addition to police grant in respect of approved additional expenditure arising from the policing of the miners' dispute. I cannot yet say whether or to what extent the Merseyside police authority will benefit from this special payment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to the latest available date to Merseyside county council for policing the miners' dispute at the latest available date.

I understand that the Merseyside police calculate that up to 13 May the additional costs to them arising from the policing of the miners' dispute, including the provision of mutual aid to other forces, were some £2·1 million. Some of this will be recovered from other forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what authority some black and Asian visitors admitted to the United Kingdom are being required to sign undertakings that they will not remain in the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to the reply, 25 May 1984, c. 584]: The same procedures apply irrespective of race or colour. A passenger is not required to sign such an undertaking and there is no authority under which it can be required. However an intending visitor must satisfy the immigration officer that he is genuinely seeking entry for the period of the visit, and if, in a particular case, the immigration officer is not so satisfied, he may ask the passenger if he is willing to record in writing statements he has made about his intention not to remain. His willingness to make such a statement would be among the matters taken into account in deciding whether he qualified for admission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the need for legislation concerning time shares.

Financial Year	Fees and other income excluding grant‡ £	Grant-in-aid £	Total expenditure ¶	Staff in post at 1 April (excluding Board Members)•
1963–64*	—	5,000	—	—
1964–65	3,157	196,000	210,771	—
1965–66	92,783	495,600	457,474	77
1966–67	281,498	500,000	754,324	175
1967–68	210,802	500,000	770,324	215
1968–69	286,304	475,000	758,535	204
1969–70	292,886	450,000	740,003	191
1970–71	459,571	420,000	934,780	188
1971–72	433,986	450,000	884,468	166
1972–73	598,709	200,000	791,510	104
1973–74	740,359	199,000	875,455	137
1974–75	927,316	230,000	1,079,218	164
1975–76	1,409,003	275,000	1,626,273	215
1976–77	1,651,850	330,000	1,914,751	231
1977–78	1,634,120	360,000	1,933,539	218
1978–79	1,988,236	406,000	2,412,470	237
1979–80	2,639,798	479,000	3,117,802	251
1980–81	2,932,217	564,000	3,469,117	235
1981–82	†2,419,621	1,679,884	‡4,766,760	195
1982–83	†	172,342	†	26
1983–84	†	—	†	—
1984–85	†	║200,000	†	—
*There are no figures for fee income, expenditure or staff numbers for 1963–64 because the Agency was registered as a company on 16 March 1964;
†There are no figures for income and expenditure after 1981–82 when the Agency ceased to trade; figures for income and expenditure in 1981–82 include allowances for anticipated receipts and costs in the remaining period of the liquidation;
‡In addition to the figures shown in this column, from 1969–70 to 1973–74 inclusive the Agency received a deficiency grant of about £4,000 a year from the Ministry of Finance, Northern Ireland to support the establishment of an NBA office in Belfast;
║ Amount in printed Estimates fro 1984–85;
¶The figures for expenditure include both current expenditure and the amount allocated each year as a contribution to fixed assets;
‣Figures for 1965–66 to 1968–69 and 1980–81 to 1982–83 show staff in post as at 31 March or 1 April (as available). Figures for 1969–70 to 1979–80

Since December 1981 my Department has received three letters urging that the application of planning powers to timesharing in London should be extended, and two letters urging the contrary. Matters of consumer protection in the context of timesharing are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce a legislative framework for the time sharing of holiday units.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a table showing to the most recently available date the financing of the National Building Agency until the final dissolution of that body in the manner of the answer to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on 22 July 1982, Official Report, columns 297–98.

The National Building Agency has not yet been dissolved. Following is the table in my reply of 22 July 1982, updated to 1984–85:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representation he has received from Merseyside county council concerning expenditure for policing the international garden festival; what reply has he sent; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a request for a disregard for the expenditure incurred by Merseyside county council on the international garden festival but it related this to tourism. I have received no similar request related to the costs of policing the festival.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of housing authorities; and what subjects were discussed.

I last met representatives of housing authorities at the meeting of the Housing Consultative Council on 21 November 1983. The subjects discussed were housing subsidy determinations, housing investment programmes, housing expenditure steering group, home improvement grants, older housing review, homes insulation grants, the right to repair, housing defects, houses in multiple occupation, and asbestos in housing. I shall be chairing another meeting of the Housing Consultative Council on Monday, 18 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average waiting time in taking a driving test in (a) Inner London, (b) outer London and (c) Leicester.

Tests are not conducted in inner London. The average waiting time for an L-test in the Metropolitan traffic area was just under 17 weeks at 27 April, the latest date for which complete figures are available. At that date, waiting times at the three centres serving Leicester were 10 weeks at Gipsy Lane and nine weeks at both the Narborough road and Welford road centres. Waiting periods at Leicester generally compare favourably with the average of about 10½ weeks for the Eastern (Nottingham) traffic area as a whole and 12 weeks nationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide details of all planned motorway repair work on the M1 for the next 18 months.

Details of the whole motorway major repair programme for 1984–85 were announced on 24 May 1984. Copies have been placed in the Library. It is too early to say what the programme will be for the M1 in 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate in miles the number of trunk roads and motorways having no lights in any part.

In England there are approximately 1,100 miles of motorways and 3,400 miles of trunk roads unlit.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions the has had with the British Insurance Association regarding the return to road use of cars written off in accidents; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has a voluntary agreement with motor insurers whereby the registration documents for vehicles which they consider beyond repair are returned to the driver and vehicle licensing centre. The vehicles cannot then be relicensed without further checks being made. This procedure is designed to ensure that inadequately repaired vehicles do not find their way back on to the road. Since these arrangements appear to be working satisfactorily we have had no recent discussions about them with the British Insurance Association. If my hon. Friend has other information, I hope he will let me have this promptly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the review of Scottish lowland airports policy.

The review is being carried out by my officials, in consultation with other Departments and interested parties, to the following terms of reference:

"To review the Scottish lowland airports policy, in particular whether it continue to offer the best means of meeting lowland Scotland's civil aviation requirements and to assess the financial, environmental and social consequences of any changes."

It is the intention to consult interested parties, and a consultation document will be issued shortly, and I hope the review will be completed by the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she now has for reallocating the work currently undertaken by the GLC cycling project team and what will happen to the work of the team between May 1985 and May 1986.

[pursuant to the reply, 4 June 1984, c. 51]: In our consultation paper on the reallocation of transport responsibilities in London we proposed that responsibility for all local traffic matters, including cycling, should pass to the boroughs. We also recognised that certain issues, including cycling, might benefit from shared expertise and voluntary joint arrangements. This proposed reallocation of responsibility is not planned to take place until April 1986, and the GLC will retain responsibility for work on cycling until then.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will implement the GLC's proposals for cycle schemes indicating the Elephant and Castle bypass extension and the Vauxhall Cross scheme.

[pursuant to the reply, 4 June 1984, c. 51]: Implementation of these schemes is a matter for the GLC, working with the relevant borough.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement about the Scottish tertiary education advisory council.

I have decided to appoint the Scottish tertiary education advisory council with the following terms of reference:

"To consider and report on the future strategy for higher education in Scotland, including the arrangements for providing institutions with financial support and the general principles which should govern relationships between universities and other institutions; to advise the Secretary of State on such other matters as he may remit to the Council; and to collaborate as necessary with the University Grant Committee, the National Advisory Bodies for local authority higher education in England and Wales, the Manpower Services Commission and other appropriate bodies."

My decision that the council should undertake a review of higher education strategy in Scotland has been taken with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. The review will complement the strategy reviews already begun by the University Grants Committee in relation to the universities and by the national advisory body for local authority higher education in England; and I shall expect the council to take into account the implications of projections of demand for higher education places in Scotland produced by my Department. I hope that the review will be completed within about a year from the council's starting work. In the light of this review, my right hon. Friend and I have agreed that we should not meet the request which was made to us last year by Aberdeen university to set up an inquiry into higher education in Aberdeen.I am glad to announce that Mr. Donald McCallum, director and general manager of Ferranti plc has accepted my invitation to be chairman of the council. The membership will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the study into the feasability of contracting out local authority services to community organisations and volunteers, sponsored by his Department has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

The study sponsored by my Department made a preliminary investigation into the possibility of improving the sensitivity of some local services to community needs by involving local people in the management of their provision. A report on the findings is under consideration and I have yet to decide what further action, if any, may be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made in the joint discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities aimed at establishing the real change in local authority expenditure since 1978.

Figures for local authority expenditure since 1978–79 have been agreed between the Scottish Office and the Convention. The figures showed that local authorities are budgeting to spend in total current expenditure in 1984–85 2·6 per cent. more (at November 1983 prices) and 12 per cent. more (in cost terms) than they spent in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will set up within his Department a department specifically to administer all Gaelic language, culture and educational activities.

No. I am satisfied with the present arrangements for handling the activities mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many native Gaelic speakers there are within each department of his Department.

My Department's staff records do not contain the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of applications which have been made in Scotland for assistance under the enterprise allowance scheme up to the most recent convenient date; and how many of these applications have resulted in an award.

From 1 August 1983, when the enterprise allowance scheme came into operation on a national basis, to 1 May 1984 3,406 applications were made, of which 2,542 have resulted in entry to the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average time taken to process an application in Scotland under the enterprise allowance scheme; and how many unprocessed applications there were at the most recent convenient date.

The information is not available in the form requested. For individuals interested in the scheme the first step is to attend an information session at which explanations and advice are provided. For those who subsequently submit applications to enter the scheme, the usual period between attendance at the information session and entry to the scheme is 2–4 weeks. On 1 May 1984, 1,298 people in Scotland were waiting to attend an information session.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Manpower Services Commission in Scotland is taking to reduce the backlog of applications under the enterprise allowance scheme.

The demand currently exceeds the availability of places under the enterprise allowance scheme. In order to reduce the present backlog, 400 additional places will be provided in Scotland in the period from 1 May to 31 July. The future of the scheme in the medium term is being considered as a matter of urgency.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy towards the findings of the Montgomery committee report as they relate to the Gaelic language; and if he will take steps to implement the main recommendations of the committee.

I have asked the interests concerned for comments on the recommendations made in the Montgomery committee's report, including those relating to the Gaelic language. I shall announce my conclusions in due course.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the eradication of fowl pest in Cumbria.

An outbreak of Newcastle disease was confirmed in a poultry flock of some 10,000 layers at Penrith, Cumbria on 30 April. The flock was slaughtered, the carcases destroyed and the premises cleansed and disinfected. Movement restrictions were imposed in an area of approximately 10 km radius around the affected premises. In addition, tracing was undertaken and restrictions were imposed on holdings in the vicinity. A link was established with raw material for feedingstuffs contaminated by diseased feral pigeons at Liverpool docks.There have been no further outbreaks in Cumbria and no suspect cases are under investigation. The movement restrictions imposed around Penrith were lifted at midnight 31 May.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government will consider giving special support for exports of cows culled from dairy herds.

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	First Quarter of 1984
Kenya	624	543	515	899	500	136
Tanzania	287	327	299	223	202	51
India	787	480	378	376	387	101
Malawi	86	91	34	83	86	38
Zambia	14	21	11	24	21	4
Elsewhere	87	25	34	8	29	15

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total cost in each case of running the British embassies in Moscow and Paris for the most recent year; how many staff work at each; and if he will break down the figures by departments.

The cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Vote of the British embassies in Moscow and Paris during the financial year 1982–83 amounted to £2·2 million and £4·9 million, respectively.

Export restitutions are already available for cow beef exported from the Community. We shall continue to urge that these be kept at appropriate levels.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government will consider extending the payment of sucklercow premiums to include suckler herds on farms which also operate dairy enterprises.

This has always been expressly excluded by the relevant regulations of the European Community, so as to prevent any incidental benefit from accruing to milk producers. I see no prospect of the Commission or the Council agreeing to relax this condition in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to lay the Food Labelling (Amendment) Regulations; and when he proposes that they come into force.

We aim to lay the new food labelling regulations before the summer recess. They will come into force on 1 July 1986 but will allow the sale after that date of foods which were prepacked before 1 January 1986 in compliance with the food labelling regulations 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of applications for special entry vouchers in the current year and each of the last five years from each country from which applications were received.

The information is as follows:There were 45 diplomatic staff at Moscow and 49 at Paris on 31 March 1983. The staff by Departments are as follows:

	Moscow	Paris
Her Majesty's Ambassador	1	1
Chancery	12	11
Economic/Commercial	6	13
Military Attaches	8	5
Cultural/Information	3	4
Consular	2	6
Administration	13	9
Totals	45	49

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will break down the figure of the £7·9 million cost of running the British embassy in Washington, giving separately the cost of staff salaries.

Expenditure was as follows:

	£ million
United Kingdom staff salaries and allowances	2·3
Other United Kingdom staff allowances	0·3
Locally engaged staff emoluments	2·2
Travel	0·4
Accommodation	1·6
Transport	0·1
Communications	0·7
Miscellaneous	0·3
TOTAL	7·9

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any public funds were made available to the delegation led by Dr. L. K. Ding on its recent visit to the United Kingdom.

No funds were made directly available, but the Hong Kong Government's London office incurred expenditure on entertaining Dr. Ding and gave him considerable assistance in making arrangements to meet people in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which funds the Unofficial Members of the Executive Council and Legislative Councils Delegation from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom were paid; and what was the total cost.

The cost of the recent visit to London by Unofficial Members of the Hong Kong Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) is to be met from the public funds appropriated each year by the Hong Kong Government for the expenses of the UMELCO office. The estimated cost is about HK$420,000 (£39,000).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with present relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Republic of South Africa.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was able to discuss our relations with South Africa with the South African Prime Minister on 2 June. There are important differences between our two countries, especially on apartheid and other problems of southern Africa. We shall continue to work to resolve these.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps, in the event of the Government selling royal ordnance factories, to ensure that any pension schemes embarked on after the date of the sale match the existing schemes.

The Government plan to incorporate the ROFs as a wholly owned Companies Act company; and are presently negotiating with the relevant trades unions a company pension scheme for transferring employees, the terms of which would be no less favourable than those of the principal Civil Service pension scheme. As has been made clear, in the event of the subsequent introduction of private capital, the terms and conditions of service of the company's employees, including their pension arrangements, would be unaffected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the employees in his Department are the holders of degrees or diplomas which were awarded by the Open University.

Our records show that 333 MOD non-industrial employees hold degrees awarded by the Open University. As staff are not obliged to inform the Department of the attainment of awards, it is probable that this figure could be higher. The number holding diplomas is not known.No comparable records are held for industrial staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will update the figures for the extra costs of the Falklands' operation given to the Defence Committee and referred to in paragraph 125 of its report, House of Commons Paper No. 154 of Session 1982–83 as £624 million in 1983–84, £684 million in 1984–85, and £552 million in 1985–86.

The extra costs of the Falklands commitment are currently assessed as broadly in line with the supplementary provision for Falklands expenditure made in the Defence budget as announced in the 1983 public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 8789-II, Page 4), which is the same as those figures quoted by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the subjects on which his Department is not willing to answer questions.

The subjects on which it is not the practice to provide information are as follows: details of arms transactions with other countries; operational matters; details of research and development; details concerning British training of, or assistance to, foreign forces either in this country or abroad; accident rates for individual military aircraft types; and certain equipment cost information, including details of individual procurement contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information is available to his Department about the numbers of United States' personnel stationed at each United States base and facility in Scotland.

The figures are as follows:

	Number
Thurso (with Murkle and Kinnaber)	165
Latheron	Nil
Mormond Hill	11
Aberdeen	Nil
Inverbervie	Nil
Edzell	748
Holy Loch	1,725
Machrihanish	77
Glen Douglas	15

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of the employees in his Department are the holders of degrees or diplomas which were awarded by the Open University.