asked the Attorney-General what publications are produced by or for his Department and the Lord Chancellor's Department; what is the annual cost of each; and who is responsible for the editorial policy.

My own Department is not responsible for any publications. As regards publications published for the Lord Chancellor's Department by the HMSO I refer the hon. Member to the HMSO catalogues of official publications. There are a number of other Lord Chancellor's Department publications not so published of which no central record is kept. Editorial responsibility varies with the nature of each publication. The annual cost of single publications cannot be provided except at disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the Tornado programme in real terms and as a proportion of the defence procurement budget when it was at the same state of development as the Trident programme is now.

[pursuant to his answer, 28 June 1984, c. 487–88]: It is not possible to identify a point in the Tornado programme which corresponds with the present state of development of Trident because of the disparate natures of the two projects and their differing methods of procurement. Whereas Tornado was a completely new aircraft, developed and produced on a tri-national collaborative basis, the responsibility and risk for the development of the Trident D5 missile system, which is an evolutionary development of the existing C4 system, is being borne wholly by the United States with the United Kingdom developing the warheads and submarines. Moreover, the Tornado programme consisted of two variants, the development of which started some five years apart. There is, thus, no appropriate basis for the calculations requested.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what publications are produced by or for the Lord Advocate's Department; what is the annual cost of each; and who is responsible for the editorial policy.

The only publication produced by or for the departments for which the Lord Advocate is responsible is an annotated version of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975. This was first published in 1976 and was amended in 1981 and 1982 and is in the process of further amendment. The last amendment was published at a cost of £47 and the Crown Agent is responsible for editorial policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have not entered employment in the London borough of Newham since terminating full-time education.

The following is the information for unemployed claimant school leavers on 14 June in the area covered by the East Ham, Plaistow and Stratford jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the London borough of Newham. The figures do not include 178 unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age registered at careers offices in the area who are not yet entitled to benefit.

	Number
Under 18	627
Aged 18	325
Aged 19 and over	580

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of registered unemployed in the Welwyn Hatfield constituency; what percentage this is of the work force; and how it compares with the county of Hertfordshire and the United Kingdom as a whole.

The attached table gives the numbers of unemployed claimants and the percentage rates of unemployment on 14 June. The figures do not include unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age registered at careers offices who are not yet entitled to benefit; these are shown separately in the table. For the Welwyn Hatfield constituency, the numbers unemployed relate to the area covered by the Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield jobcentres, which corresponds closely to the constituency.

	Unemployed claimants		Non-claimant school leavers under 18 years (not included in previous columns)
	Number	Percentage rate
Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield jobcentre areas	3,243	n.a.	108
Hertfordshire	30,385	7·1	803
United Kingdom	3,029,723	12·6	123,573

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out in tabular form the officially recorded figures in the United Kingdom on a seasonally adjusted basis of those unemployed (a) for over six months and (b) for over 12 months in June 1964 and every succeeding year to June 1984; what percentage of the total unemployed these figures represented in each case; and what is the annual percentage increase or decrease in each of these categories as a proportion of the total unemployed in each year in comparison with the previous one.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1984]: The table gives the available information. Over the period

	Unemployed for over 26 and up to 52 weeks		Unemployed for over 52 weeks
April each year Registered unemployed	Number	As a percentage of total unemployed	Number	As a percentage of total unemployed
1964	54,110	13·4	73,734	18·2
1965	39,799	12·2	56,682	17·4
1966	37,016	12·4	47,313	15·8
1967	71,864	13·7	58,812	11·2
1968	83,603	14·7	84,796	15·0
1969	79,390	14·4	92,042	16·7
1970	79,945	13·5	98,278	16·6
1971	96,286	13·5	111,782	15·7
1972	166,182	18·2	157,181	17·2
1973	105,273	16·3	168,309	26·0
1974	71,543	12·3	131,938	22·8
1975	113,256	14·0	135,639	16·8
1976	256,738	20·9	210,982	17·1
1977	262,839	19·7	296,276	22·2
1978	284,396	20·5	332,311	24·0
1979	250,871	19·6	346,795	27·1
1980	266,486	18·3	333,869	23·0
1981	593,745	24·5	488,558	20·1
1982	695,510	24·0	949,679	32·8
Unemployed claimants
1983	693,817	22·7	1,093,190	35·8
1984	651,459	21·8	1,161,073	38·9

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average number of vacancies notified to employment offices in the Staffordshire, Moorlands constituency over each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, respectively.

The information requested is as follows:

Year ending	Monthly average
30 November 1979	1,173
5 December 1980	778
4 December 1981	675
3 December 1982	694
2 December 1983	859

There is likely to have been a substantial number of vacancies other than those notified to jobcentres. Nationally it is estimated that about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what number of vacancies had been notified to employment offices in the Staffordshire, Moorlands constituency at the last date for which figures are available.

A total of 1,171 vacancies were notified to jobcentres in the Staffordshire, Moorlands constituency during the five-week period ending 8 June 1984.There is likely to have been a substantial number of vacancies other than those notified to the jobcentres. Nationally it is estimated that about one third of all vacancies are notified to jobcentres.

asked the Prime Minister if she will specify the type and amount of products held in each European Economic Community intervention food store in England and Wales.

The information requested is as follows:

	Tonnes
Beef
Hull	29
Grantham	33
Avonmouth	36
Exeter	54
Eastleigh	28
London (1)	48

	Tonnes
London (2)	7
Pontefract	230
Liverpool	80
Leeds	322
Plymouth	12
Collompton	43
Warrington	63
Peterborough	565
Wolverhampton	215
Salford	64
Bury St. Edmunds	311
Butter
Liverpool (1)	4,057
Liverpool (2)	1,691
Liverpool (3)	3,039
Liverpool (4)	984
Liverpool (5)	5,088
Bristol (1)	543
Bristol (2)	4,228
Bristol (3)	5,806
Hull (1)	36
Hull (2)	816
Hull (3)	736
Grimsby (1)	684
Grimsby (2)	2,527
Grimsby (3)	1,156
Sherborne (1)	592
Sherborne (2)	3,813
Avonmouth (1)	1,382
Avonmouth (2)	1,647
Peterborough (1)	434
Peterborough (2)	510
Derby (1)	528
Derby (2)	672
Sheffield (1)	1,136
Sheffield (2)	856
Cardiff (1)	4,816
Cardiff (2)	4,378
Northallerton	851
Leeds (1)	352
Leeds (2)	223
Tewkesbury	3,397
Taunton	604
Exeter	3,480
Cullompton	12,290
Camborne	528
Plymouth	1,499
Swindon	1,021
Truro	3,002
Stourport	976
Stonehouse	304
Eastleigh	867
Dover	352
Milton Keynes	288
Easton	576
Wigston	1,295
Wolverhampton	6,693
Warwick	1,424
Oswestry	2,795
Warrington	2,282
Bloxwich	1,998
Manchester	2,416
Preston	1,422
St. Helens	80
Wigan	960
Heywood	1,518
Rochdale	464
Salford	649
Cannock	1,363
Leek	1,456
Chester	871
London (1)	1,023
London (2)	1,640
London (3)	904
London (4)	608
London (5)	368

	Tonnes
London (6)	640
Gateshead	1,008
South Kirby	376
Doncaster	2,225
North Shields	430
Swansea	2,821
Llanelli	352
Rhyl	1,856
Chard	560
Aylesford	448
Harlow	64
Fleetwood	1,473
Skimmed Milk Powder
Nuneaton	48
Darlington	1,000
Droitwich	3,018
Bristol (1)	4
Bristol (2)	3,398
Bristol (3)	240
Avonmouth (1)	24
Avonmouth (2)	2,968
Avonmouth (3)	1,255
Liverpool (1)	560
Liverpool (2)	1,960
Liverpool (3)	1,240
Liverpool (4)	1,525
Caton	560
Nantwich	1,340
Penrith	560
Kinnerley	1,360
Widnes	4,720
Runcorn	640
Cwmavon	1,480
Cwmbran	280
Whitchurch (Hants)	241
Pembroke Dock	1,080
Crosshands (Dyfed)	520
St. Helens	1,280
Cranleigh	400
Billingham (1)	2,340
Billingham (2)	5,866
Billingham (3)	4,976
Exeter (1)	49
Exeter (2)	449
Exeter (3)	2,753
Llandysul (1)	1,040
Llandysul (2)	520
Newport (1)	760
Newport (2)	698
Cockermouth	760
Westbury (1)	1,981
Westbury (2)	1,037
Highercall	3,632
Wellington (Shropshire)	1,840
Hereford	3,176
Torrington (1)	720
Torrington (2)	160
Tregaron (1)	480
Tregaron (2)	423
Swansea (1)	1,720
Swansea (2)	1,440
Taunton (1)	36
Taunton (2)	2,336
Taunton (3)	24
Caerphilly	9,595
Tetbury	2,122
Whitchurch (Shropshire)	1,334
Severnside	1,240
Haresfield	1,670
Worcester	7,434
Warrington	456
Portsmouth	640
Newton Abbot (1)	640
Newton Abbot (2)	272
Kingswinford	2,040
Plymouth	1,420

	Tonnes
Leicester	283
Ossett	520
Durham	1,095
Manchester	168
Narberth	1,400
Long Eaton	1,140
Northallerton	920
Cheltenham	240
Sandbach	960
Newcastle	360
Lostwithiel	294
Redcar	1,090
Calne	160
Barry	4,166
Stockton	3,394
Ammanford	3,400
St. Clears	960
Deeside	4,808
Willenhall	3,560
Oswestry	3,327
Eglwyswrw	1,200
Wrexham	2,680
Barley
Ely	1,200
Kings Lynn	8,082
Ipswich	1,773
Manea	49
Norwich	9,450
Roydon	4,017
Little Staughton	556
Walsingham	1,930
Avonmouth	802
Witney	7,248
Coventry	370
Hartlebury	692
Hemswell	1,102
Manby	2,095
Old Dalby	363
Uttoxeter	5,524
Driffield	1,374
Newcastle-on-Tyne	300
Breadmaking Wheat
Ely	7,467
Kings Lynn	9,003
Ipswich (1)	4,446
Ipswich (2)	3,951
Halesworth	5,680
Canterbury	3,427
Arundel	5,956
Thetford	1,674
Halstead	8,468
Wisbech	10,189
Swindon	22,787
Kidderminster	2,348
Coventry	1,788
Old Dalby	460
Skegness	4,144
Doncaster	578
Newcastle-on-Tyne	716
Feed Wheat
Halesworth	358
Swindon	511

asked the Prime Minister when she last met the chairman of the National Coal Board; at whose request the meeting took place; and if the current industrial dispute was discussed.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy) on 10 July 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that future showings of the exhibition for the Bingley to Shipley section of the Aire valley trunk route show the route recommended by Mr. R. Chance, the inspector, in addition to the other routes proposed.

The inspector's recommendation was that a new route should be examined, rejoining the existing trunk road at Cottingley Bar. That recommendation was accepted by Ministers in 1982. I have explained in reply to an earlier question by the hon. Member on 14 June at column 527, why in my view the option on which—among others—my Department is now seeking views is entirely consistent with the acceptance of the inspector's recommendation. Should it be judged necessary to hold a further exhibition, I shall see that the plans make it clear that this option rejoins the trunk road at a different point from that recommended my Mr. Chance and the reasons why this is considered to be an improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the decision of the development committee of the Bradford metropolitan council to oppose all three of the proposed routes, he will reconsider his proposals for the Bingley to Shipley section of the Aire valley trunk road scheme.

I have made no formal proposals for this section of the Aire valley trunk road. As I have explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 14 June at column 527 the purpose of public exhibitions of this kind is, and quite rightly, to obtain people's views and those of the local authorities concerned. The hon. Member may also like to be reminded that the exhibition on this section of the Aire valley route was mounted in co-operation with Bradford city council. Its views will, of course, be taken into account along with others when I consider what formal proposals to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to announce a decision regarding the M65 link from Whitegate, Blackburn to the M6/M61.

Very soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the occasions in the past 12 months on which one or more lanes of the M6 in Staffordshire were closed; for each occasion how many lanes were closed; and how long the closure lasted.

The information is not available in the form requested. Our records of planned closures do not give the number of occasions lanes were closed or the duration of closure. Nor do we have records of emergency lane closures by the police or our agent authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has taken a decision concerning the compulsory fitting of rear seat belts in new cars.

This matter is still under consideration, but we have already made it clear that no final decision will be taken until the Transport Select Committee has completed its current inquiry into road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the specification for additional noise suppression measures on the Chertsey/Wisley section of the M25 will not be finalised until his Department has had an opportunity to discuss with Woking borough council the recommendations of the study by consultants from Southampton university which the council has commissioned.

I am content to await the Southampton university report before deciding what additional noise suppression measures should be taken on this section of the M25.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects that work will begin on the tree-planting scheme along the Chertsey/Wisley section of the M25.

As I said in answer to my hon. Friend on 19 January, at column 290, planting has been arranged for the 1984–85 planting season. The preparation work is likely to start in about November-December this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for all those projects shown in table I of the Supply Estimates 1984–85 class VI, I (a) the provision in the 1983–84 Estimates, (b) the actual expenditure to 31 March 1984, (c) the percentage by which the provision was underspent or overspent and (d) any delays to the expected completion date.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what publications are produced by or for the Office of Arts and Libraries; what is the annual cost of each; and who is responsible for the editorial policy.

The main regular publication by the Office of Arts and Libraries is the annual report by the Minister for the Arts on library and information matters. The printing and publishing cost of his 1983 report (Cmnd. 9109) was about £660. Information about some other publications produced occasionally by or on behalf of the Office of Arts and Libraries is given in Her Majesty's Stationery Office catalogues; in the "Catalogue of British Official Publications Not Published by HMSO" issued by Chadwyck-Healey Limited; and in the bibliography on page 41 of volume II of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1984–85 to 1986–87" (Cmnd. 9143). These sources are publicly available, and copies are in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Brussels on 9 July.

I represented the United Kingdom at this Council which was the first under the Irish presidency.The Council agreed that work should be urgently undertaken, for consideration by the next Council in September, on the detailed measures to give effect to the system of stricter budgetary discipline provisionally agreed at the March European Council in Brussels and endorsed at Fontainebleau. It also gave a positive opinion on the Commission's proposal to transfer the 1983 United Kingdom refunds provision from chapter 100 to the relevant 1984 budget lines.Ministers approved the second tranche of 1·4 billion ecu (about £832 million) of the new Community instrument facility. They also reviewed the economic situation in the Community; and discussed fiscal measures to encourage co-operation between undertakings in different member states, and the 14th VAT directive.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he took, in reaching his decision to remove the 25 per cent. income tax relief in relation to the foreign earnings of United Kingdom taxpayers, of the tax position of United Kingdom-based partners in overseas-controlled partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the total amount of finance provided to date through the business start-up and business expansion schemes; and what percentage of the total has been provided through approved funds;(2) how many businesses have received finance through the business start-up scheme and the business expansion scheme; and how many of these were financed through approved funds.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 July 19841: Firm figures are not yet available, but we estimate that at least £55 million was invested under the business expansion scheme in 1983–84. Of this, we know that just over £39 million (71 per cent.) was invested via the approved funds. (This includes about £11 mill ion raised by the funds from subscribers prior to 5 April 1983 and carried forward for investment under the BES). We believe that direct investment under the BES in 1983–84 amounted to a further £15 million at least, but firm figures will not be available until all investors have actually claimed their relief. We estimate that in total about 300 companies raised money under the scheme in 1983–84, but this figure may be subject to a very wide margin of error.We estimate that the total amount invested in companies under the business start-up scheme over the two year period 6 April 1981–5 April 1983 was about £18 million, of which about £13 million (72 per cent.) was invested via the approved funds, and that there were investments in about 250 companies under the BSS—but again this latter figure is subject to a wide margin of error.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider offering tax relief or other encouragement to low-income home owners who make efforts to keep their homes in good repair.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 July 1984]: Interest on loans or the purchase or improvement of the borrower's main residence is already eligible for income tax relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the basis for past payments to Northern Ireland, since direct rule was established, of offshore licensing revenue.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1984]: Offshore licensing revenue payments to the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund are made under section 2 of the Miscellaneous Financial Provisions Act 1968 and also under regulations made in accordance with section 15(3) of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new staff have been employed by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 July 1984]: The number of new staff employed in the Treasury and in the National Economic Development Office (NEDO) in each of the last five years is as follows:

	Treasury	NEDO
1979	97	23
1980	99	19
1981	62	19
1982	201	17
1983	189	37

Comparative information for retirements and resignations is as follows:

	Treasury	NEDO
1979	119	17
1980	115	29
1981	93	19
1982	251	26
1983	266	41

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the current stay of Umaru Dikko as a visitor under the immigration rules expires.

20 December 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought against directors of firms selling indecent literature in each of the past five years.

Information collected centrally does not include details of the occupation of defendants. The available information, which may be incomplete, is given in the attached table:

Defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for offences under the Obscene Publications Acts 1959 and 1964
England and Wales	Number
1978	209
1979	136
1980	239
1981	338
1982	282

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of people received into prison department establishments under Immigration Act powers during 1983; and what was the average length of time in detention for such people in 1983.

Provisional figures for 1983 show that about 815 receptions into prison department establishments in England and Wales of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971. I shall reply to the second part of the question as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what legal power, and by whose authority, the police were acting when they closed St. James's square and refused access to those who work in shops and offices in the area, and others, during the recent siege of the Libyan embassy.

Police constables have a duty to protect life and property, and in the exercise of that duty may make any reasonable request of any person. The legality of any action a constable may take should a person refuse to carry out the constable's request would be a matter for the courts to decide in the light of all the circumstances of a particular case. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who was operationally responsible for the police actions in St. James's square, tells me that during the operation arrangements were made for people who needed to visit premises in the square urgently to do so under police escort.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans any further reforms of the parole system; and whether he will make a statement.

We have no plans at present for further changes in the parole scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any information as to when the Commission for Racial Equality's report of its investigation into discrimination in immigration controls will be published.

I understand from the Commission for Racial Equality that it is its intention to publish the report later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any guidelines are issued to police officers who visit people's homes in order to find people in breach of the Immigration Act 1971.

Yes. These emphasise the sensitivity of immigration inquiries and the care needed to avoid any action likely to cause justifiable complaint.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the parole board were (a) under 40 years, (b) 40 to 49 years, (c) 50 to 59 years and (d) 60 years or over at the last date for which these figures are available.

On 1 July 1984, five members of the parole board were aged under 40 years, nine were between 40 and 49, 22 were between 50 and 59, and 16 were over 60 years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to review the need for the continued use of the LD50 test on animals; and if he will make a statement.

Scientific opinion is at present moving in the direction of reducing the number of LD50 tests, and the British Toxicology Society has recently published a special report recommending the adoption of an alternative procedure for acute toxicity testing. My right hon. and learned Friend welcomes any move away from LD50 testing where it is found to be scientifically unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes, in relation to the use of animals, to ban eye tests of chemical substances where the same chemicals have already been found to cause skin irritation; and if he will make a statement.

No. Substances which are irritant to the skin are not necessarily irritant to the eye, which is a unique organ, and in some cases may still need to be tested in the eye. I am sure that in general such cases are approached with considerable care and caution and that there is widespread acceptance of the need to consider alternative methods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consult his European counterparts and press for the establishment of a European data base storage system for the results of experiments on animals; and if he will make a statement.

Part of the grant to the fund for the replacement of animals in medical experiments which my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 26 June at column 381 will be used to examine the possibility of establishing a database on experience in cell culture techniques. Until we know more about the feasibility and reliability of such databases I do not think a European initiative on our part could be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in existence for refresher courses in race and community relations for serving police officers; and whether he has any proposals for aiding the provision of such courses.

All forces give refresher courses in community and race relations and these will be further developed with the help of the new training support centre which we have established at Brunel university.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of his decision to authorise preparations of a national commercial radio system in the Cable and Broadcasting Bill [Lords] what assesments he has made of (a) the increases in advertising revenues over the next 10 years, (b) the share of advertising available for national commercial radio, cable television and direct broadcasting by satellite television individually and (c) the effects on the advertising revenues share and total, of commercial local radio, commercial television and national newspapers.

I doubt whether it would be useful to make any such assessments in relations to a service that would not begin before 1990. Broadcast advertising revenue has displayed great buoyancy in the past and there is no reason to suppose that it would be inadequate to meet the costs of an independent national radio service in the next decade. The Government, in laying the framework for this and other new broadcasting ventures, aim to create opportunities. It will be for Parliament to decide through further legislation how to provide this framework, and for would-be operators to judge whether the opportunities are worth taking.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications he has accepted under the loan guarantee scheme from people living in the Dewsbury travel-to-work area.

I am afraid that this information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will lay before the House, and seek its approval for, the contract awarded to the Ceylon Shipping Corporation for the carriage of sea mail to the Indian subcontinent for 1984–85; and if he will make a statement.

No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 10 July in answer to his earlier question on this subject, in which I explained that this was a matter for the commercial judgment of the Post Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the results of the survey of local authority Bison-type dwellings.

I hope to make an announcement shortly about the action that the Department is taking on the basis of the information that has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions his Department has sought information from the Greater London council regarding the abolition of the council; and how many times such requests for information have been met with refusal.

I understand that the council is not prepared to co-operate on preparations for abolition. I have no record of the number of occasions on which the Department has sought, or has been refused, information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the 1981 election in each of the seven metropolitan areas.

The expenditure on council elections by each of the authorities in the financial year 1981–82, as recorded on returns submitted to the Department, was as follows:

	£
Greater London council	1,163,962
Greater Manchester county council	351,812
Merseyside county council	235,830
South Yorkshire county council	150,370
Tyne and Wear county council	215,913
West Midlands county council	442,745
West Yorkshire county council	347,998

	(i) 1981–82 (Accounts) £ million	(ii) 1982–83 (Accounts) £ million	(iii) 1983–84 (Estimates) £ million	(iv) 1984–85 (Budget) £ million
(a) Yorkshire Water Authority
Revenue Expenditure (including cost depreciation)	179·9	182·1	180·3	193·6
Capital Expenditure	75·7	72·7	82·7	87·8

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in response to the suggestion made by the National Development Control Forum, he will make arrangements for the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations to be reviewed, with a view to improving and simplifying their operation.

The amended and consolidated Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1984, which took effect on 2 May, contain some provisions which have remained substantially unchanged since 1948; and I have therefore decided, in response to the national development control forum's suggestion, to set up a working party of officials, under my Department's chairmanship, with the following terms of reference:

"To examine the practical operation of the Control of Advertisements Regulations, with a view to producing a more efficient, effective and simplified system; and to make agreed recommendations."

My Department will shortly issue invitations to participate in the working party to officers of the local authority associations, organisations representing outdoor advertising interests, and the professional bodies and national amenity organisations with an interest in control over outdoor advertising.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what public European Economic Community money has been loaned or granted for the construction of the Westminster international conference centre.

None. The international conference centre does not qualify for support from the European regional development fund.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of spending by (a) the Yorkshire water authority and (b) the Thames water authority in (i) 1981–82, (ii) 1982–83, and (iii) 1983–84; and what is the projected level of spending for 1984–85.

The information requested is as follows:

	(i) 1981–82 (Accounts) £ million	(ii) 1982–83 (Accounts) £ million	(iii) 1983–84 (Estimates) £ million	(iv) 1984–85 (Budget) £ million
(b) Thames Water Authority
Revenue Expenditure (including current cost depreciation)	356·4	375·7	401·7	415·6
Capital Expenditure	84·9	98·1	112·0	107·9

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reproduce in the Official Report criteria which have been reported to him by the Nature Conservancy Council as having been used in the evaluation of possible sites of special scientific interest which relate to the presence on a regular basis of important populations of those species of rare wild birds listed in schedule 1 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; if he plans further measures on the conservation of wild birds beyond the listing of special protection areas under directive 74/409; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the main ornithological criteria which the NCC use in evaluating possible SSSIs are:

(i) if any area contains an important concentration of schedule 1 species, or

(ii) if any well-defined area contains 1 per cent. or more of the total British breeding population of any native species for five years or more, or

(iii) if an area supports 1 per cent. or more of the British wintering population of a species on a regular basis, or

(iv) if an area supports a combination of any species which renders the site worthy of notification in NCC's judgment (NCC is currently revising the formula for determining the significance of these sites to reflect changes in population of certain species).

I have no current plans to introduce further measures for the conservation of wild birds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the financial assistance the Government will give to York Minster following the fire suffered there.

The whole House will share the Government's concern over the tragic fire at York minster which occurred early on Monday morning. The Prime Minister has already been in touch with the Dean of York to express her sympathy and, as she assured the House on Tuesday, the Government stand ready to offer help if help is needed.No time has been lost in clearing and making safe the south transept. It will, however, take time to prepare a thorough professional survey of the damage and to assess the cost of repairs. The question of cost must be a matter in the first instance for the dean and chapter to discuss with their insurers. While these discussions continue it would not be right for the Government to make any firm announcements about financial assistance.The fact remains that a large number of individuals and organisations very naturally wish to offer help. We have been in touch with Lord Normanby the high steward of York minster and lord-lieutenant of the county. With the agreement of the dean and chapter and the other trustees of the York minster appeal fund, Lord Normanby has agreed to co-ordinate any necessary further public appeals and will make a statement as soon as preliminary estimates of cost can be established and the insurers' liability has been determined.If Lord Normanby decides to launch an appeal the Government will contribute. I trust my hon. Friend will understand, however, why it would not be helpful or wise to mention any figure now. Finally, I know the House will welcome the news that the minster is already resuming facilities for both worship and visitors.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the intended investment in the coal industry in Scotland between the present time and 1989; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the discussions which have taken place with the Spanish Government on establishing an extradition treaty with Spain.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) on 12 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries in the world with which Her Majesty's Government do not have an extradition treaty.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels) on 12 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the number, of black or Asian members of staff at the British embassy in Bonn; and what positions they hold;(2) what is the number of black or Asian members of staff at the British embassy in Rome; and what positions they hold;(3) what is the number of black or Asian members of staff at the British embassy in Paris; and what positions they hold;(4) what is the number of black or Asian members of staff at the British embassy in Washington, United States of America; and what positions they hold.

We do not keep records of the ethnic origin of members of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Venice declaration of the European Community on the middle east still represents United Kingdom and Community policy towards this area; and if he will make a statement.

Our policy towards the Arab-Israel dispute, in common with our European Community partners, has consistently been to seek a negotiated settlement on the basis of two balanced principles, the right of all states in the area, including Israel, to exist in peace and security, and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. This has been made clear in successive statements by the Ten, most recently in the declaration issued by Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 27 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to make an announcement on the future of Schaw hospital, Bearsden.

My right hon. Friend is still considering the proposal by Greater Glasgow health board to close and dispose of Schaw hospital, Bearsden. The legal aspects of the proposal have proved complex and I cannot yet say when a decision on the future of this hospital will be made.

asked the Secretary of Scotland if he will publish figures to show (a) the percentage of all those who are employed in offshore oil work in the Scottish sector of the North sea who are (i) normally domiciled in Scotland, (ii) domiciled in other parts of the United Kingdom and (iii) foreign nationals and (b) what percentage of those who are employed in onshore oil-related work in Scotland are (i) normally domiciled in Scotland, (ii) domiciled in other parts of the United Kingdom and (iii) foreign nationals.

Up-to-date information on region of residence of those employed on offshore oil work is not available but the results of a September 1979 Department of Energy survey of the work force on oil and gas production platforms and mobile rigs gave a breakdown by main area of residence of the offshore work force. The figures detailed relate to activity in the northern North Sea (id est, the waters east of Scotland and in the Shetland basin).For those employed offshore on platforms and rigs in the northern North sea in 1979 the percentages by area of residence were:

	per cent.
(i) Scotland	59
(ii) Rest of United Kingdom	35
(iii) Non-United Kingdom	6

No allowance has been made for, first, cross median fields, late returns and installations missed out and, second a significant number of survey returns where no information was given on residence. As a consequence the percentages should be treated as indicative rather than exact.The Inland Revenue survey of offshore employment in companies with offshore production and exploration licences for blocks on the UKCS provides information for 1982 on the nationality of the offshore labour force. The figures cover all vessels and installations in the non-southern basin areas of the UKCS and are based on actual survey returns. Of the work force surveyed 16·6 per cent were foreign nationals.No allowance is made for omitted vessels/installations and the failure of respondents to fill in employee nationality, and grossing-up of the data for employees onshore on leave, sick or undergoing training has not been done. The figures should again be treated as indicative rather than exact.Information on the area of residence or nationality of those employed in onshore oil related work in Scotland is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days' supply is currently held in reserve by each water authority in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Sufficient water is held in the reservoirs in most parts of Scotland to last for at least two months, except in parts of Grampian region, which depends more than other authorities on direct abstraction from rivers, parts of Orkney, parts of the Western Isles and in Arran. No cause for serious concern exists at present, but as a precautionary measure authorities have issued warnings not to waste water and are imposing bans on the use of hosepipes. The situation is being watched carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to consult new town development corporations on the future of their special development area status; and if he will make a statement.

The forthcoming review of the assisted area map will take account of views expressed by new town development corporations in their responses to the White Paper on regional industrial development.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names of private contractors currently operating in the National Health Service in Scotland.

The information requested is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received on the line of the proposed M80 motorway between Stepps and Haggs; and if he will list in the Official Report the organisations and individuals that have made representations.

Since consultations on the report "M80 Feasibility Study, Glasgow-Haggs" were completed in 1979, three representations seeking an early decision on the route of the motorway between Stepps and Haggs have been received, from the following organisations:

• Chryston community council
• Cumbernauld and Kilsyth district council
• Sovereign Hotels Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the expected reduction in Scotland's dairy herds as a consequence of the EEC quotas directive.

It is not possible to say with any certainty how quotas will affect dairy cow numbers. The response of dairy producers will vary according to individual circumstances and some may be able to reduce their milk production to meet the quota without reducing the size of their herds. In many cases producers will also wish to consider whether their initial provisional quota might be increased on the basis of a special case claim under the draft regulations now before Parliament.

Private households, with residents, in public sector dwellings 1981 census
	Number of rooms				Type of Dwelling
Authority	2 rooms or less	3 rooms	4 rooms	5 rooms or more	Houses	Flats	Total
Benwickshire	318	1,097	1,149	191	2,314	441	2,755.
Ettrick and Lauderdale	857	2,177	1,691	624	3,283	2,066	5,349
Roxburgh	1,070	2,851	2,263	606	3,939	2,851	6,790
Tweeddale	232	863	649	165	1,190	719	1,909
Clackmannan	1,504	4,269	4,070	1,027	7,531	3,339	10,870
Falkirk	2,934	15,111	12,780	4,402	21,351	13,876	35,227
Stirling	1,410	5,236	5,140	1,241	8,704	4,332	13,036
Annandale and Eskdale	642	1,900	1,884	771	4,374	823	5,197
Nithsdale	1,057	3,567	3,240	982	5,956	2,890	8,846
Stewartry	388	932	975	216	1,968	543	2,511
Wigtown	515	1,794	1,459	868	3,556	1,080	4,636
Dunfermline	2,598	11,237	10,127	2,675	17,870	8,767	26,637
Kirkcaldy	4,156	14,891	11,669	4,030	21,543	13,203	34,746
North East Fife	1,150	3,666	2,479	335	5,185	2,445	7,630
Aberdeen	8,041	18,533	10,840	2,162	17,827	21,749	39,576
Banff and Buchan	1,634	5,749	4,365	1,057	10,226	2,579	12,805
Gordon	1,133	2,231	2,137	558	5,401	658	6,059
Kincardine and Deeside	664	1,433	1,336	520	3,437	516	3,953
Moray	1,370	4,898	3,567	1,117	9,361	1,600	10,961
Badenoch and Strathspey	119	376	448	152	1,004	91	1,095
Caithness	524	1,884	1,576	351	3,616	719	4,335
Inverness	1,080	3,000	3,202	700	6,213	1,769	7,982
Lochaber	152	1,211	1,718	455	2,923	613	3,536
Nairn	127	453	490	209	1,191	88	1,279
Ross and Cromarty	561	1,708	2,921	1,185	5,994	381	6,375
Skye and Lochalsh	76	182	330	110	658	40	698
Sutherland	187	447	786	204	1,594	30	1,624
East Lothian	1,532	7,608	5,973	1,661	12,545	4,229	16,774
Edinburgh	8,862	29,001	13,220	3,297	12,510	41,870	54,380
Midlothian	909	7,041	6,963	1,896	12,215	4,594	16,809
West Lothian	2,505	11,930	14,673	4,837	24,995	8,950	33,945
Argyll and Bute	1,060	3,512	3,053	869	5,690	2,804	8,494
Bearsden and Milngavie	404	625	706	150	1,204	681	1,885
Clydebank	1,962	6,100	5,053	1,255	4,161	10,209	14,370
Clydesdale	1,337	4,792	3,625	862	7,692	2,924	10,616
Cumbemauld and Kilsyth	1,556	4,227	5,297	2,744	8,095	5,729	13,824
Cumnock and Doon	857	4,929	4,729	1,478	8,798	3,195	11,993
Cunninghame	2,654	11,682	10,943	3,745	21,270	7,754	29,024
Dumbarton	1,985	6,387	5,078	988	6,668	7,770	14,438

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will produce a table showing (a) the estimated age distribution, (b) sizes and (c) types of local authority, Scottish Special Housing. Association, and New Town Development Corporation dwellings in each local authority district in Scotland.

Information is given in the tables. The estimated age distribution of the public sector stock is not available for each local authority area but all Scotland figures, based on a sample survey, are given. The sizes and types of dwellings by district relate to households resident in public sector dwellings at the time of the 1981 census.

Estimated Year of Construction
1983-Scotland	Public Sector Dwellings (thousands)
Pre-1919	31
1919–1944	225
1945–1964	416
1965 or later	343
Total	1,015

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many instances since June 1983 he or the Scottish Education Minister have visited independent or grant-aided schools.

Since June 1983 I have made one visit to an independent school and I have not visited any grant-aided schools. My right hon. Friend has not visited any schools in these categories during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what approaches have been made to his Department, either centrally or via the Faskally research station, by the promoters of the wild Scottish salmon conservation group; and what has been the response.

The officer in charge of the freshwater fisheries laboratory at Pitlochry recently received an invitation to be a founder member of a proposed new organisation to be known as the wild Scottish salmon conservation group. It would clearly be inappropriate for such an invitation to be accepted, and it was therefore declined.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the percentage increase in

Unemployment in Scotland—Percentage changes
	(a) May 1984 May 1983	(b) May 1984 October 1982	(c) October 1982 May 1982	(d) October 1982 May 1979
Dunfermline Jobcentre area	+4·9	+2·4	+3·8	+110·5
Cowdenbeath Jobcentre area	+17·6	+7·8	+6·2	+97·2
Kirkcaldy Jobcentre area	+9·9	+3·5	+3·8	+84·7
Special Development Area—See Note 1
(By travel-to-work area except*)
Ayr	+6·4	+2·3	+6·3	+88·6
Cumnock	+10·6	+3·1	+10·7	+105·1
Dumbarton	+3·8	+8·1	+9·2	+93·8
Greenock	+9·5	+5·5	+8·6	+75·8
Irvine	-4·1	-5·7	+5·5	+104·8
Glasgow	+0·6	+1·7	+7·4	+108·5

unemployment in May 1984, compared with

[pursuant to his reply, 15 June 1984, c. 596]: Because of the introduction in October 1982 of a claimant-based count to replace the previous registrant-based count of unemployed persons, valid comparisons for unemployment levels before and after that date are not possible below the all-Scotland level. For Scotland and Great Britain, estimates of the effect of the change of method have been incorporated in the comparisons given in the table.

Unemployment—Scotland and Great Britain
	May 1984 May 1983 percentage change	May 1984 May 1982 percentage change	May 1984 May 1979 percentage change
Scotland	+1·6	+9·4	+114·8
Great Britain	+1·0	+10·0	+155·3

For areas below the all-Scotland level the percentage changes are most sensibly expressed in the following form.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the proportion of all Scottish job vacancies filled by jobcentres in 1979, 1983 and 1984 to the latest available date.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 June 1984, c. 542]: Although no exact information is available, it is estimated that the jobcentres in Scotland are responsible for filling approximately 25 per cent. of vacancies.