asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about the steps being taken by the police to deal with racial attacks in Barking road in the London borough of Newham.

The commissioner has informed me that the incidents in this area, reported to the police, are being vigorously investigated. Additional uniformed officers have also been deployed in the area at the appropriate times. The complainants have been kept in touch with the progress of the inquiries, and in addition meetings were held at East Ham police station on 15 and 18 June when the police explained to representatives of the community the steps they were taking to deal with these attacks. The police intend to try to establish a consultative group with representatives of the community specifically to consider how best to deal with racial attacks in this area. I understand it is the intention of the police to approach the hon. Member in connection with the establishment of this group.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the implementation of the Firearms Act 1968 by police authorities is an administrative or operational responsibility.

It is both, but the responsibility rests with chief officers of police, not with police authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he accepts the findings of the working party on the administration of the Firearms Act 1968 that it is unnecessary for zeroing, as defined in paragraph 21 of its report, for the control of vermin; and if he will state the evidence upon which that conclusion is based.

Experience has shown that the overwhelming majority of people with firearm certificates for vermin control use rifles with fixed sights. However, chief officers of police will be advised in the revised memorandum of guidance to consider making provision for zeroing in appropriate cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consider meeting those responsible bodies and interested parties not at present represented by the British Shooting Sports Council prior to revising the memorandum of guidance to the police on the administration of the Firearms Act 1968;(2) if he is prepared to accept submissions from the responsible bodies and interested parties not affiliated to the British Shooting Sports Council for consideration in the preparation of the revised memorandum of guidance to the police on the administration of the Firearms Act 1968.

Work on preparation of a draft revision of the memorandum is already well advanced. It would be impracticable to meet the many organisations having an interest in this subject, but we would of course consider any written submissions. Shooting interests have generally preferred to co-ordinate and represent their views through the British Shooting Sports Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his working party on the administration of the Firearms Act 1968 did not include representatives of relevant bodies outside the British Shooting Sports Council or professionally qualified persons nominated by such bodies.

Because the operation of the controls under the Firearms Act is the responsibility of chief officers of police. But the working party invited interested bodies to submit written evidence which was very carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, for the remainder of the period during which breath and blood tests in drink-drive cases are being monitored, motorists who exercise the option of a blood test will be able to have a second breath test on the evidential machine immediately after the blood test.

We fully understand the scientific value in conducting breath and blood tests as close in time as possible, so as to avoid the necessity for back calculations to allow for the elimination of alcohol from the body over time. We accept that it would be desirable, in a sample of cases where the option of a blood test is taken up, for the blood test to be closely followed by a second test on the evidential breath machine.With the support of Sir William Paton, the independent scrutineer of the current monitoring arrangements, and in consultation with chief officers of police, a number of police forces are inviting motorists who opt for a blood-urine test to co-operate in this way by providing further breath specimens. This is entirely voluntary and for scientific purposes. The forces concerned are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were heard by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal, by region, in each of the past five years.

While the Immigration Appeals Tribunal may sit at such times and at such place or places as directed by the Lord Chancellor, it has, to date, sat only in London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England and Wales possess water cannons to facilitate riot control, and in what numbers.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 21 February at column 443.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to prevent the leader of the French National Front, M. Jean-Marie Le Pen, entering the United Kingdom to attend a rally at Maidstone on 14 July; and if he will make a statement.

A decision whether or not M. Le Pen should be allowed to enter the country would be taken, if he seeks to come here, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the Repatriation of Prisoners Bill [Lords], the terms "British Islands" is intended to include the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, and the Republic of Ireland.

By virtue of the Interpretation Act 1978, "British Islands" in subsequent legislation means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, but not the Republic of Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake not to re-admit to the United Kingdom Sayeed Manzur Hussein Bukhari.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider introducing measures to prevent the unrestricted sale of replica weapons; and if he will make a statement.

The Firearms Act 1982 already subjects imitation firearms capable of being readily converted to fire live ammunition to the same stringent controls as are imposed on actual firearms by the Firearms Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many unconvicted prisoners are currently sharing cells with convicted prisoners, by establishment and length of time shared;(2) for how long, and for what reasons, unconvicted prisoners have had to share cells with convicted prisoners.

The information requested is not held centrally. Prison rule 3(2) provides that unconvicted prisoners shall be kept out of contact with convicted prisoners so far as this can reasonably be done, while rule 3(3) provides that nothing in this rule shall require a prisoner to be deprived unduly of the society of other persons. It rests with governors to decide how to allocate individual prisoners to cells in the light of these general principles. Normally, unconvicted prisoners would not be allocated to cells with convicted prisoners, but departures from this practice have been authorised by governors—for example, in order to cope with severe overcrowding and restricted accommodation for limited periods until a suitable vacancy occurs. If the hon. Member has any particular instances in mind, perhaps he could let me know so that I can provide further information.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the text of the communiqué issued by President Mitterrand after the Heads of Government meeting at Fontainebleau.

In accordance with the usual practice, copies of the Presidency conclusions have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister which is the lead Department in considering the draft EEC Council recommendations on the promotion of positive action for women; and what is the attitude of Her Majesty's Government to the measures proposed.

The Department of Employment has lead responsibility. I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory memorandum signed by the Minister of State, Department of Employment on 20 June and now depositied in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister what proportion of the plutonium transferred to the United States of America from the United Kingdom under the 1958 mutual defence Agreement came from (a) military reactors, (b) civil reactors of the generating boards, (c) reactors of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. and (d) other sources.

The proportion of the Plutonium exported to the United States under the barter arrangements prior to 1971 from these sources cannot be given for national security reasons, since this information could be of use in calculating the total quantity of plutonium sent, and hence the quantity of highly enriched uranium received in return by the United Kingdom for defence purposes.

asked the Prime Minister what are the numbers of those employed in the public and in the private sector, respectively, in (a) the shipbuilding industry, (b) the steel industry, (c) the mining industry, including those currently on strike, (d) financial services, (e) electronics, (f) oil related activities, (g) the motor industry and (h) the aerospace industry in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales, giving figures in each case for each of the last 10 available years.

Estimates of the numbers employed in the public and private sectors in the United Kingdom by broad industry group are published for the years 1977 to 1983 in an article in the March 1984 issue of "Economic Trends". However, consistent figures by country and in the industry detail requested are not available.

asked the Prime Minister what are the numbers of those employed in the public and the private sectors, respectively, in the service industries in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales, giving figures for each of the last 10 years.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she will now publish the location of European Economic Community intervention food stores in the United Kingdom.

Intervention stocks are currently held in the following locations:

asked the Prime Minister what recent steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to protect Halvergate marshes.

Action to protect landscape in this area is primarily a matter for the Broads Authority which has been making management agreements for the most sensitive areas. However, at the request of the authority, a direction was recently made by right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment which had the effect of withdrawing planning authorisation for drainage of some 100 acreas of land at Limpenhoe to the west of Halvergate. In addition, consideration is being given to the report of a working party which has been reviewing the long term problems of financing conservation on the Broads.

asked the Prime Minister what is her estimate as to how the United Kingdom's net rebate of contribution to the European Economic Community budget for each of the years 1985, 1986 and 1987 will compare with the outturn for each of the years 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.

It was agreed at Fontainebleau that the United Kingdom should receive a flat rate rebate of 1,000 mecu in respect of 1984. Thereafter, the annual rebate will be set at 66 per cent. of the gap between our VAT share and our share of expenditure from the allocated Community budget. It is too early to give precise estimates of the effects of this arrangement, which will depend on the future level and composition of Community expenditure. But it is clear that the United Kingdom will be substantially better off than if there had been no agreement and the 1 per cent. VAT ceiling had been retained.The following table shows the net refunds received or expected for the period 1980–84:

asked the Prime Minister what processes within the European Economic Community are necessary before the United Kingdom rebates becomes irrevocable.

The 1983 refunds will be paid after the European Parliament has approved the transfer of the appropriations out of the reserve chapter of the 1984 Community budget. The Commission has proposed the necessary transfers and the Parliament is expected to act on them within the next six weeks. The precise arrangements for paying the agreed 1984 refunds of 1,000 mecu net on the revenue side of the 1985 budget remain to be settled.For future United Kingdom refunds, the arrangements agreed at the Fontainebleau European Council will be incorporated in a revised own resources decision which will have to be ratified by national parliaments. Once the decision has been ratified, the refunds will be implemented automatically each year on the revenue side of the Community budget by abatement of the United Kingdom's VAT payments.

asked the Prime Minister whether the United Kingdom budget rebate is dependent on agreement to an increase in European Economic Community own resources by every national legislature in the European Economic Community.

Arrangements for the United Kingdom's budget rebate will form part of the decision to increase own resources. That decision is subject to ratification by all national Parliaments in the Community.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent discussions in London with the President of Sri Lanka.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on Friday 29 June at column 554.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to seek to merge any universities and polytechnics in Great Britain.

The Government have at present no such plans. We do, however, encourage institutions to examine the scope for closer co-operation, including merger, where they are agreed that there are sound academic and financial grounds.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish a table in the Official Report to show, on separate lines and appropriate sub-heads, the following information concerning United Kingdom receipts and payments to the European Economic Community for each of the years 1982, 1983 and 1984: the harmonised value added tax base for the European Economic Community and the United Kingdom, respectively, in million ECU, the Community value added tax rate, in pounds million the United Kingdom payments of value added tax own resources, agricultural and sugar levies, customs duties, total gross payments, receipts from the agricultural, regional and social funds, respectively, other receipts, other than mandate refunds, net payments before mandate refunds, mandate refunds and net payment after mandate refunds, respectively.

The following VAT figures refer to their respective EC budgets.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in full the formula adopted by the Heads of Government for calculations of United Kingdom contributions to the European Economic Community, including the definitions of all terms used in that formula.

The Presidency conclusions of the European Council, which described how refunds for the United Kingdom will be calculated, have been deposited in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement about the efficiency scrutiny into the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) stores system.

I have arranged for a copy of the report of this scrutiny to be placed in the Library. This has been a most valuable scrutiny and our deliberations on its proposals have been aided by a report by Deloitte, Haskins and Sells on purchasing arrangements by the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland). I endorse, in particular, the main themes of the scrutiny that the number of stores and stock levels should be considerably reduced and that there should be computerisation of stock control and the stores accounting system. The implementation date for the new stores system will be April 1985. The reorganisation will be based on 10 single-service divisional stores for the roads and water services with a further review of the structure in 1988 to explore the possibility of movement to multi-functional stores. The number of posts which will be saved will be determined when final decisions have been taken on the staffing required for recording the use of stores materials and monitoring the receipt, issue and usage of materials at operational levels, but we anticipate that staff savings will be significant. There will be a reduction in the value of stock held of £2·5 million by April 1985; further savings estimated at £2·2 million are expected in subsequent years. Additionally, savings in premises, running costs and overheads are estimated to be in the region of £1 million per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that the present survey of composition of staffing in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive being carried out by the Fair Employment Agency is accurate.

The Fair Employment Agency is an independent body established by the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976, and its survey of the composition of staffing in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is being carried out under section 12 of that Act. I understand that the survey is progressing satisfactorily and that the agency does not foresee any particular difficulties as to its accuracy.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take action against those persons who can be proved to have provided false information to the Fair Employment Agency in connection with the survey of the composition of staffing in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

No. The Fair Employment Agency obtains information under the powers of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976 and any action in respect of false information is a matter for the agency. If the hon. Gentleman has any information concerning the validity of returns completed during the survey, he should draw it to the attention of the agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to the extent to which employees of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive have been advised not to indicate their religious denomination, whilst others have claimed to be Protestant in order to distort the finding of the Fair Employment Agency.

The Fair Employment Agency's procedures for the investigation of the staffing of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are being carried out with the consent of both management and the trade union. I have no information about any particular difficulties concerning this survey.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland where there is daylight drift netting for salmon in Northern Ireland waters other than in the Foyle Fisheries Commission area.

Daylight drift netting for salmon is permitted in all the coastal waters of Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the revised and more demanding conditions that will apply to new Ministry of Transport testing stations; and when they will be introduced.

New conditions of appointment are being considered, covering premises, equipment, security arrangements, tester training and evidence of financial standing and good repute.The Department will circulate these for public consultation in the usual way. Subject to that, it is hoped to introduce the new conditions by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees in his Department are currently taking part in job-share schemes.

My Department has no formal job-sharing schemes at present. Currently only four employees actually share jobs although very many more work part-time. Consideration is being given to increasing the opportunities in the Department for more flexible working arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many vacancies in his Department have been filled through the job release scheme in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

The numbers of vacancies are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether any of those working in his Department are young people on the youth training scheme.

No. However, I am proposing a scheme in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment for introduction, subject to further discussions with the trade unions, in our Departments' south-west regional offices at Bristol.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees in his Department are currently allowed day release facilities or other assistance to encourage them to continue their education.

Eighty-three staff currently enjoy day release facilities to continue their education. Beyond that, 113 people receive financial assistance towards the cost of studying in their own time — evening classes, correspondence courses, and so on—and are given time off, with pay, for occasional daytime tutorials and examinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost to his Department of assistance given to employees to encourage them to continue their education in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

The figures for assistance towards further education for the last two years were:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take to ensure that there is no hiatus in road construction or maintenance work over local authority roads, following the proposed abolition of the metropolitan counties.

Many of the metropolitan district councils already act as agents of the metropolitan county councils on highways work. We have given well over two years' notice of the transfer of highways responsibilities and this should allow the councils concerned ample time to make sensible arrangements to ensure a smooth takeover.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet received from the British Railways Board submissions on the electrification of the east coast main line and on the inter-city strategy.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue to be raised in 1984–85 by the taxation of unemployment benefit.

The yield, in a full year at 1984–85 levels, from taxing benefits paid to the unemployed is estimated at about £700 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider taking steps to exempt from capital gains tax the proceeds from the sale of small business premises which also contain the owner's only home; and if he will make a statement.

Exemption from capital gains tax is already provided in these circumstances for that part of the gain which is apportioned to the owner's only home. I do not think that it would be justifiable to exempt the remainder of this gain, but the normal capital gains tax reliefs for trading assets are available. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind perhaps he will send me the details.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Britons became registered as non-resident in the United Kingdom for tax purposes in each year since 1975.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how officials in Her Majesty's Treasury are assessing the debt problems of Argentina; and whether they have access to works published in Argentina by economists in that country.

Officials in Her Majesty's Treasury assess the debt problems of Argentina using information from a wide variety of sources based both in Argentina and elsewhere, and have access to works published in that country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the facility for postponed value added tax accounting as from 1 October will apply to imported raw materials for industry.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated value added tax evasion figure for the United Kingdom in 1982; how much of this amount was recovered after investigation by officers in his Department; and if he will separate the Scottish figure from the totals in each case.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net contribution that Great Britain will have to make to the European Economic Community in each of the next three years under the arrangements made at the Fontainebleau summit.

It is too early to give precise estimates of the effects of the arrangements negotiated at Fontainebleau, which will depend on the future level and composition of Community expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated figure of tax evasion in 1982 in the United Kingdom; how much of this amount was recovered after investigation by officials in his Department; and if he will separate the Scottish figure from the totals in each case.

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

asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what specific experience in catering the House of Commons staff inspector or his assistants have had.

Although neither the staff inspector nor his assistants have specific experience in catering, the officer principally concerned with the grading review of the Refreshment Department served for eight years as a staff welfare officer in a Civil Service Department which employs a large number of industrial staff. Moreover, the analytical skills used in staff inspection enable an evaluation to be made of all kinds of work. If specialised professional help is needed at any point in order to understand the technical content of a job, no doubt the staff inspector would draw the matter to the attention of the Commission.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the figures for stamp duty from property for 1983–84 in Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 June 1984, c. 548]: The figures are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the sums received by the United Kingdom in each year in (a) grants and (b) loans from the European Community since accession.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 June 1984, c. 457]: The information is not available in the form requested. Available information is given in the table below:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from representatives of industry and commerce and the local authorities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland about regional industrial policy; and what reply he has given.

A total of seven submissions were received from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland by the deadline of 31 May. Of these, four were from local authorities, and three were from representatives of trade and industry. All have been assured that the points they have made will be most carefully considered before final decisions are taken on those aspects of future regional industrial policy on which views were invited.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from small telecommunications companies about commercial confidentiality and the use of delegated test houses for the testing and approval of equipment designed to be connected to the telephone network; and if he will make a statement.

A number of companies, of various sizes, have expressed concern. The need for confidentiality is one that I and the approvals testing laboratories fully recognise. Most concern is expressed about the confidentiality of test work undertaken by British Telecom because of its position as a major supplier of terminal apparatus. Condition 41 of British Telecom's licence under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984, which was laid before the House on 26 June, requires BT to separate its approvals testing arrangements from its commercial activities. The condition also prohibits the disclosure of information obtained by BT in the course of approvals testing either to BT's employees outside the testing organisation or to any other person not entitled to receive that information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the current resources and testing facilities of the British Standards Institute, the British Approvals Board of Telecommunications and British Telecom are adequate to deal with the approval of telecommunications equipment currently submitted by private sector suppliers.

There is evidence that the resources available may not now be sufficient to cope with the current demand for apparatus testing, though the stage has not yet been reached where the demand is certain enough to encourage private investment in new facilities. But the revised approval procedures that I announced on 9 April 1984, at column 9, are designed to help companies market new products more quickly by reducing the amount of testing required before approval is given. In addition, work continues both to expand and to improve the efficiency of the existing testing facilities. BT has recently increased its facilities substantially, enabling my Department to select more key telephone systems for testing than would otherwise have been the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the change in the United Kingdom's real exchange rate based on relative export prices between 1970 and (a) 1982 and (b) 1983 for each of the European Economic Community countries other than Greece.

The ratios of United Kingdom export prices to those of the requested EC countries, converted to common currency using nominal exchange rates, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the change in the United Kingdom real exchange rate based on relative export prices between 1970 and (a) 1982 and (b) 1983 for Canada, the United States of America, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and Hong Kong;(2) whether he will publish in the

[pursuant to the reply, 22 June 1984, c. 283.]: Data for Australia, Iceland and Portugal for 1982 and 1983 are not available. The ratios of United Kingdom export prices to those of the other countries requested, converted to common currency using nominal exchange rates, are in the tables.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will use his powers to order the Dee Corporation to divest itself of the 5 per cent. of shares bought in Booker McConnell after he had requested that no further shares were acquired whilst the Monopolies and Mergers Commission decided whether 15 per cent. of the shares already owned by the Dee Corporation constituted too great a control.

No. The Secretary of State has now received satisfactory undertakings from the Dee Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of those applying for a loan under the loan guarantee scheme have failed to repay the loan; for what reasons; and what is the total amount that the Government as guarantor have been asked to pay.

At 31 May 1984 the Department had paid out on 2,267 claims under the guarantee arrangements at a total value of £57·4 million. This represents 14·9 per cent. of the 15,253 guarantees issued at that date. Detailed information on the reasons for the inability of borrowers to repay the loans is not available. The cost of the claims is offset by income of £13·6 million from premiums and recoveries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the proposed merger between Lye Tinplate, Pontarddulais, and Afon Tinplate Co. Ltd.; and if he is satisfied that the necessary negotiations are proceeding satisfactorily.

I have received a petition from some members of the Lye Tinplate work force. Negotiations are a matter for the owners of the two businesses concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 1983, Official Report, column 484, he is yet in a position to make a statement on potential areas of opportunity for selected exports to South America.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my letter of 8 February 1984. Specific opportunities are now being notified to United Kingdom companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Her Majesty's Government will now allow the import from Argentina of books principally intended to be sold to scholars and students.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for corporate and consumer affairs to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) on 21 May at column 327. The Government do not restrict the import of books from Argentina by scholars of students unless they are imported for resale.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to reform procedures for litigating disputes about patent infringement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on British Leyland, Bathgate.

The end of the industrial action at the Leyland Trucks plant at Bathgate has opened the way for discussions to take place between Leyland Trucks and parties interested in acquiring parts of the plant. Details of any such discussions are, however, commercially confidential matters for the parties concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that on the denationalisation of British Telecom no telephone kiosks will be removed in rural areas of Scotland including the Banff and Buchan district of the Grampian region.

The Government's telecommunications policy is designed to promote and safeguard the interests of all consumers in the United Kingdom including, in particular, those in rural areas.It has never been the case that no call box can ever be removed. There exists at present arrangements agreed between British Telecom and the Post Office Users' National Council governing withdrawal of the least-used call boxes. The licence under which British Telecom will operate in future continue these arrangements but with stronger safeguards for the consumer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to seek to alter the basis of the Sale of Goods Act by changing the phrase "merchantable quality" to one more readily understood; and if he will make a statement.

In response to a reference from the then Lord Chancellor in January 1979, the Law Commissions have this matter under consideration. They issued a consultation document on it in October 1983 — Law Commission Working Paper No. 85, Scottish Law Commission Memorandum No. 58—inviting comments by 31 March 1984. I am sure that the Law Commissions will take all responses to this document fully into account in preparing their advice. When the Law Commissions' report is received, the Government will give careful consideration to any recommendations in it on the phrase "merchantable quality".

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will instruct the United Kingdom delegation to the Universal Postal Union in Hamburg to oppose resolution 522 and ensure that all similar moves to restrict courier services are opposed by the United Kingdom delegation.

The United Kingdom delegation has been briefed to accept the conclusions reached by the Consultative Council for Postal Studies study 522 on postal monopoly, that the Universal Postal Union cannot effectively legislate to protect the extent or degree of enforcement of postal monopolies which is recognised to be a matter for national legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will call for a relaxation of postal monopolies at the Universal Postal Union in Hamburg in line with the policy adopted in the United Kingdom in 1981 to allow for free trade in courier services.

It is for individual Administrations to decide the extent of national postal monopolies. The relaxations introduced in the United Kingdom under the British Telecommunications Act 1981 have been a success, and provide a clear example to other Administrations of the benefits of such a step.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the new quotas for imports of clothing from China.

The EC Council on 29 June approved a regulation establishing the following quotas for the United Kingdom:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the balance between loans made under the loan guarantee scheme to 'start-up' businesses and those made to mature businesses under the business expansion scheme; and if he will make a statement.

At 31 May 1984, 15,253 guarantees had been issued under the loan guarantee scheme — in respect of £501·5 million of bank lending. Of this total, 8,187 guarantees — £263 million — went to new businesses, and 7,066 — £238·5 million — to existing businesses. Figures for investments made under the business expansion scheme are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing imports and exports of manfactures less precious stones from the EEC and from the rest of the world on an overseas trade statistics basis for each year since 1970 and the current year to date.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consider special grant funding for a planning aid service in Wales.

The South Wales Planning Aid Service has approached our Department about the availability of grant aid. Its request is being considered in the context of a review of Welsh Office assistance to voluntary organisations in the environmental field. We hope to reach a decision before long.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applicants were on waiting lists for grant aid for housing improvements on 1 June; and what were the corresponding figures in February in each of the housing authorities in Wales.

Available data relate to 31 March 1984. At that time the number of applications outstanding for improvement/conversion grants was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each of the area health authorities in Wales the number of established posts for trained physiotherapists and the number of such posts currently filled.

Information on staff in post at 30 September 1983, is given in the following table. Information on established posts is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will give the number of shorthold tenancies created in Wales to date; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees in his Department are currently taking part in job-share schemes.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many vacancies in his Department have been filled through the job release scheme in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

During the years 1981, 1982 and 1983, eight, seven and three vacancies, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any of those working in his Department are young people on the youth training scheme.

No, not at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees in his Department are currently allowed day release facilities or other assistance to encourage them to continue their education.

Every encouragement is given to the staff of our Department to continue their education, and 56 are currently being sponsored for a variety of courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total cost to his Department of assistance given to employees to encourage them to continue their education in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

The cost of fees and books met by our Department for staff wishing to continue their education for each of the last three years was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the timber utilised annually in Wales is produced in the British Isles.

Figures are not readily available for individual home countries, but about 10 per cent. of the timber utilised annually in Great Britain is homegrown.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the volume of timber, grown in Wales, which is exported annually for processing as pulp; and what this represents as a percentage of the total volume of timber produced in Wales each year.

In 1983 some 87,000 cubic metres of timber grown in Wales was exported. This represented 11 per cent. of the timber produced in Wales in that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently registered unemployed in Wales in the following age groups: 16 to 20 years, 20 to 25 years and over 25 years.

The latest available information is for April 1984 and relates to unemployed claimants. The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what factors he took into account when setting the level of redundancy compensation for employees of the Land Authority for Wales; what comparisons he made with compensation terms payable in similar circumstances (a) to civil servants and (b) to employees of other public bodies in Wales to which he makes appointments; and if he will make a statement.

In deciding upon the proposals which have been the subject of consultation with the Land Authority for Wales, the views previously expressed by the authority and the compensation arrangements applicable elsewhere in the public sector, including the Civil Service and other public bodies in Wales, were taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will satisfy himself that the Welsh Arts Council fulfils the duty laid down in its charter of making the arts accessible throughout Wales and that this obligation is taken into account during the council's current policy review.

Accessibility of the arts to the whole population was one of the prime concerns of the Welsh Arts Council in drawing up its development review.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of public funds entrusted to the Welsh Arts Council were applied to the valleys of Gwent and Mid Glamorgan in 1983–84.

This information is not held by the Department. I suggest that the hon. Lady consults the Welsh Arts Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps the Government have planned to assist in bringing about a united Cyprus.

We continue to believe that the United Nations Secretary General—whose mandate to pursue his mission of good offices was reaffirmed recently by the Security Council — is best placed to make progress towards a solution to the Cyprus problem. We will, as in the past, do all we can to help him.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy, in seeking to bring about a united Cyprus, to resist pressures from allies of the United Kingdom which work against this aim and are based on defence alliance considerations; and if he will make a statement.

Our aim—a peaceful, just and lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem — is shared by our principal allies. The interests of the Alliance are not served by the continuance of the Cyprus dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Britons are currently registered with his Department as resident in (a) Spain, (b) Portugal, (c) France, (d) Greece, (e) the middle east, (f) the far east, (g) the United States of America and (h) Canada.

Consular registration is voluntary so far as the British Government are concerned and the take-up varies markedly from country to country. We actively encourage registration in areas of actual or potential danger or instability. In Spain and Portugal the local authorities require foreign nationals to register with their consulates before they can be given resident status. The statistics requested by my hon. Friend are as follows: