asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the arrangements made within the European Economic Community for enforcement of the dairy quota scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the European Commission will be able to enforce collection of superlevy on milk production in excess of quota in all member states.

I have repeatedly stressed in the Council of Agriculture Ministers that I regard it as a matter of the highest importance that the milk supplementary levy system should be properly applied and enforced throughout the Community. The Commission has said it is ready to take legal action against any member state which does not apply the system or does not apply it properly. I shall continue to insist that the arrangements must be respected and that the Commission takes its responsibilities.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the operation of milk quotas to date.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the operation of the milk quota system.

In order to ensure that claims for second quota and exceptional hardship applications can be dealt with as quickly and as fairly as possible, I am trebling the membership of the diary produce quota tribunal. I am continuing to press in Brussels for, greater flexibility between direct sales and wholesale quota. Some 3,270 producers have now been invited to participate in the outgoers scheme. Quota given up by outgoers will be reallocated in due course to small producers and to exceptional hardship cases.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the implementation by the Italian Government of the Community measures on dairy quotas.

Italy has conducted a census of milk producers in order to obtain the necessary information for implementing dairy quotas and has also announced an outgoers' scheme. Italy is not required by EC regulations to make a levy collection till the end of the marketing year. I shall continue to press for every member state to apply the levy according to the rules agreed and welcome the Commission's assurances that it will take legal steps against any member state failing to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further representations he has received about the implementation of milk quotas in the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

I have received many representations from milk producers and others who are anxious to ensure that the milk supplementary levy system is implemented fairly throughout the Community. I have repeatedly stressed, in the Agriculture Council and elsewhere, that I regard this matter as one of the greatest importance. The Commission has said that it intends to open infringement proceedings against any member state which does not apply the system or does not apply it properly. I shall continue to insist that the Commission fully takes its responsibilities in this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will explain the reasons for the delay in issuing his Department's new publication Civil Defence and the Farmer (0 11 241233 5) which was shown on list No. 7, 1984, by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 17 February.

The listing of this publication by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 17 February was premature. No definite date can yet be given for its publication because the text is still subject to amendment on a number of points including the results of the Home Office review of the blast and radiation effects of a nuclear attack.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will change the name of his new publication from "Home Defence and the Farmer" to "Civil Defence and the Farmer".

We will consider this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to complete his review of his publication, "Home Defence and the Farmer".

The review of this publication is now virtually complete but awaits further information on certain outstanding matters including the results of the Home Office review of the blast and radiation effects of a nuclear attack.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conclusions he has reached on the current review of veterinary inspection centres; and if he will make a statement.

The study report on the Ministry's veterinary investigation service is still under consideration in my Department and no conclusions have yet been reached. There will be full opportunity for consultations with outside interests.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any annual estimate is made in his Department of the extent of the change of land use in the countryside from natural habitat to more productive agricultural use.

Most land in this country which has not been developed for non-agricultural use or afforested is already in productive agricultural use.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had about the French Government's intention to introduce national aids for their sheep producers.

None. We are not aware that the French Government intend to introduce such aids.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans any further changes in his Department's budget following the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

The changes in planned expenditure for 1985–86 were set out in the statement I gave on 12 November in reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Wealden (Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith), as supplemented by my statement of 29 November concerning the payment of hill livestock compensatory allowances. The expenditure plans for 1986–87 and 1987–88 will be published in the new year when I also plan to make a further statement about agricultural R & D.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the regulations regarding imported egg consignments ensure that substandard eggs do not have access to the market.

Yes. I can confirm that the regulations are as effective as is reasonably practicable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for dealing with cereal surpluses arising from over production in the United Kingdom.

This is a Community matter which must be tackled by the Community as a whole. The Government will continue to argue for a clear and long term policy of cereals price restraint.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider delegating authority for the appointment and training of farm wardens to local authorities in consultation with the National Farmers Union.

No. Farm wardens would provide the link between farmers and the Ministry's wartime organisation and their selection and training is a matter for my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who will provide the training of his farm wardens when they are appointed.

Farm wardens will be trained by the appropriate local officers of my Department.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is being taken to help the Potato Marketing Board deal with the current season's surplus crop.

The Government have authorised the implementation of market support arrangements based on a stockfeed programme and will be sharing the disposal costs with the Potato Marketing Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will release more information about rationing when the new consolidated circular is issued.

The information on food rationing in wartime to be included in the consolidated circular will be decided following consideration of comments on the draft circulated earlier this year which is at present the subject of discussion with those concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he can give to farmers wishing to learn how to protect their livestock and crops in the event of a nuclear attack.

Advice on this matter will be given when my Department publishes a revised version of the booklet "Home Defence and the Farmer".

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his updated local agricultural control organisation manual has been produced and distributed throughout his Department.

The manual has been issued within the Department in draft.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the provision of British credit guarantees for cereal exports.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade announced on 3 December a number of improvements in the provision by Export Credits Guarantee Department of credit guarantees for the export of grain and malt. I welcome these changes, which should contribute to the United Kingdom's increasingly successful export performance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he hopes to issue the revised circular ES1/1979 "Food and Agricultural Controls in War".

A final version will be issued as part of the Home Office consolidated circular on civil defence on completion of the consultations with local authorities about the draft of that circular issued for comment in July this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will include in his revised edition of "Home Defence and the Farmer" information on the effect of chemical weapons on crops and livestock.

No. The Government are a party to the 1972 convention banning biological weapons. We are playing a leading part at the conference on disarmament at Geneva to achieve a comprehensive verifiable ban on the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. We will keep the House informed of progress.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many racing pigeons have been vaccinated against paramyxovirus II; and what information he has as to the average cost per bird.

Vaccine sales suggest that well over 2·5 million racing pigeons have been vaccinated against paramyxovirus 1 which is the strain of the virus which has affected pigeons. The cost of vaccination is about 36p to 40p per bird.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Her Majesty's Government will seek authority from the European Economic Community for further sales of cheap surplus butter in 1985.

Stocks of surplus butter have built up because the Community has set support prices at levels which encourage production and discourage consumption. The freeze in the target price for milk and the introduction of quotas agreed at the 1984 CAP price fixing were important steps towards securing a better balance in the market and so avoiding the need for special disposal measures. Special short term sales of butter on the Community market tend to disrupt normal supplies, force fresh butter into intervention stocks and are costly to the Community budget. We opposed the present scheme and would not favour its repetition later in 1985.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the present state of hill farming in less-favoured areas.

We are satisfied that the present level of support to farmers in the less-favoured areas is proving highly effective in maintaining the long-term viability of hill farms whilst at the same time stemming the decline in rural population. Our policy in this regard will be greatly assisted by the extension to the United Kingdom's less-favoured areas which we achieved earlier this year. This has paved the way for the Government to provide to upland farms for the first time both higher rates of capital grants and headage payments on cattle and sheep. The proposed new structures measures, currently being discussed in the Community will, if agreed in their present form, make possible the continuation of Community support for hill farming largely unchanged.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in agreeing shares of North sea herring between Norway and the European Community.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave this afternoon to my hon. Friend the Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. McQuarrie).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his plans for future funding of the Soil Survey of England and Wales.

I am unable to add anything to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, West (Mr. Spicer) on 26 November 1984 at column 406.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the proposals in "Advice to the Fanner" produced by North Yorkshire county council, a copy of which has been sent to him.

These background reference notes contain soundly based advice to farmers, much of it taken from an American publication, on how to protect their farms against radioactive fallout.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider the downgrading of the security classification of his Department's emergency plans.

No. My Department's emergency plans already bear the lowest security classification appropriate to their contents.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the president of the National Farmers Union to discuss the recommendations in Professor Bell's report on the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service.

I have no plans at present to discuss formally the recommendations contained in Professor Bell's report with the president of the National Farmers Union. However, I regularly meet the president of the National Farmers Union to discuss general agricultural matters and that gives us the opportunity to discuss the report. I have invited all interested parties to let us have their views on the contents of the report by 4 January 1985.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made by the Farm Animal Welfare Council on the revision of the codes of practice.

The council has completed its revisions of the welfare codes. Revised codes for cattle and pigs were published in 1983. As regards the poultry codes, I refer to the reply given on 22 November at c. 247 to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision Her Majesty's Government are making to help the work of the Agricultural Training Board.

The Agricultural Training Board receives considerable financial and practical assistance from my Department. Provision has been made for a grant-in-aid to the board of £7·65 million in the current financial year and the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service gives assistance on training matters at both national and local level. The Manpower Services Commission also makes a contribution towards specific projects undertaken by the board and training groups.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the measures he takes to secure the welfare of horses and ponies.

The Protection of Animals Acts 1911 to 1964 provide the main welfare protection for horses and ponies for which my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary is responsible. When they are on agricultural land, equines are protected by part I of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 which is the responsibility of the Agriculture Ministers. As for the welfare of equines in transit, protection is provided by the Transit of Animals (Road and Rail) Order 1975 which is enforced by the local authorities. In 1979, Agriculture Ministers issued a code of practice for the guidance of operators of horse, pony and donkey markets, sales and fairs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers held in Brussels on 3 and 4 December.

Together with my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office, and my hon. Friend the Minister of State in my Department, I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 4 December.The Council agreed guide prices for fishery products for 1985 on the basis of a compromise proposal by the Presidency, which was generally satisfactory from the United Kingdom point of view.It was agreed that the prohibition on fishing for mackerel to the west of Scotland north of 58°N from 1 to 31 December 1984 should be lifted, an accordance with the latest scientific advice. This decision was a very important one for our pelagic fleet as most of the mackerel catches off the west coast are still being taken north of 58°. This means that this fishery will be able to continue, within the United Kingdom quota of 234,700 tonnes, for the rest of the year. There was also general agreement to postpone the deadline for a decision on an increase in the minimum mesh size in the English Channel until 1 July 1987 but we reservezd our position pending completion of Parliamentary scrutiny procedures.The council approved the arrangements for 1985 negotiated with Sweden under the EC/Sweden framework agreement. There were also informal discussions on the continuing negotiations between the Community and Norway on the arrangements for 1985 under the EC/Norway agreement. I urged the Commission to stand firm on the question of Norway's allocation of North sea herring next year and this was agreed. In a discussion of the continuing negotiations between the Community and the Faroe islands, we emphasised the importance we attached to a reduction in the Faroes intercepting fishery on Atlantic salmon.The council discussed the problem raised by overfishing by some member states of the Community's allocation of saithe in the North sea. An increase in the Community availability was adopted on a basis agreed with Norway which will allow three member states to continue or to resume fishing. The United Kingdom received an additional quota of about 400 tonnes. I asked the Commission to report to the Council in due course on the results of the year's activities of its Inspectorate of Inspectorates in supervising the enforcement of Community rules by the member states. It undertook to do so. I also asked the Commission to prepare a report to the Council on the general question of overfishing of quotas and any appropriate arrangements for compensation by the member states responsible. This was generally welcomed and could be very important in encouraging greater discipline in future.There was a discussion of the supply and demand situation within the Community for herring on the basis of a report by the Commission and it was agreed in principle to open a small additional tariff-free quota for the period 1 January to 15 February 1985 for the purposes of manufacturers of specialised products.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what experiments will be carried out on animals to test the safety and efficacy of new and existing products as proposed in the Government's Food and Environment Protection Bill; what species of animals will be used; and if he will make a statement.

No final decision has been taken on the type of tests that may be required but they are likely to be broadly similar to the guidelines laid down in the pesticides safety precautions scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of expenditure in 1983–84 and 1984–85 by the agricultural departments on agricultural grants and subsidies, excluding market regulation, under the common agricultural policy.

Details are given of the outturn for 1983–84 and the latest forecast of outturn for 1984–85:

	Outturn 1983–84	Latest forecastof outturn 1984–85
	£ million	£ million
Price Guarantees
Wool	0·6	-4·3
Potatoes	9·3	0·4
	9·9	-3·9
Support for capital and other improvements
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Scheme	104·1	94·8
Guidance Premiums	4·0	3·6
Farm Accounts	1·4	1·1
Farm Structure	0·5	0·5
Northern Ireland Agricultural Development Programme	9·6	13·6
Agriculture and Horticulture Grant Scheme	96·2	84·1
Co-operation Grants	3·8	5·1
Others	1·0	2·3
220·6	220·6	205·1
Support for agriculture in special areas
Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances	91·5	97·4
Additional benefit to farmers in special areas under AHDS,NIADP and AHGS	26·4	30·8
Others	5·6	9·0
	123·5	137·2
Other payments
Milk Outgoers Scheme	—	10·0
GRAND TOTAL	354·0	348·4

Some of this expenditure attracts contributions from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. These are mainly received in the following year. In 1984–85 £52·6 million is expected to be received from the Fund compared with £67·4 million in 1983–84.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide details of expenditure in 1983–84 and 1984–85 by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce and the agricultural departments on market regulation under the common agricultural policy.

Details are given of the outturn for 1983–84 and the latest forecast of outturn for 1984–85:

	Outturn 1983–84	Latest forecast of outturn 1984–85
	£ million	£ million
(i) Expenditure by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce
Cereals	120·8	357·8
Beef and Veal	263·9	322·5
Pigmeat	-14·8	-10·1
Sugar	53·2	63·1
Processed Products	28·3	32·9
Milk Products	561·3	333·0
Oil Seeds	87·2	54·6
Sheepmeat	158·3	123·1
Others	21·0	29·2
	1,279·2	1,306·1
(ii) Expenditure by the Agricultural Departments

Product	Stock level	Date	Cost to Community of holding stocks in 1984*
	'000 tonnes		million ECU
Public intervention
Butter	1,026	15 November 1984	323
Skimmed Milk Powder	816	15 November 1984	132
Wheat	5,975	22 November 1984	297
Barley	1,506	22 November 1984
Rye	337	22 November 1984
Durum	837	22 November 1984
Beef	547	31 October 1984	203
Olive Oil	83	31 October 1984	48
Oilseeds	20	31 October 1984	0·9
Assisted private storage
Cheese	105	15 November 1984	64
Butter	178	15 November 1984	96
Pigmeat	26	31 October 1984	41
Dried Fruit	46	end November 1984	†
Beef	143	16 November 1984	17
* As provided for in 1984 Supplementary and amending budget.
† Figures not available because budget does not identify expenditure in this sector in sufficient detail.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amounts of foodstuffs currently being stored in the European Economic Community under the intervention policies of the common agricultural policy and the cost of storing those foodstuffs.

The latest information on Community intervention stocks and the amounts set aside to meet the costs of holding stocks in the 1984 Community budget are set out below. It must be emphasised that the budget figures cover the whole of 1984 and do not relate solely to the current level of stocks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has of the seal population in the North sea; what information he has as to the gross food requirement of the seal population there; and what information he has as to the amount of fish destroyed but not consumed by the seals.

I have been asked to reply and will do so as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the locations in London and the west midlands where the intervention stores for surplus EEC agriculture produce are sited and the amount of food stored, broken down into each class of produce; and how long such products have been held in such stores.

At 31 October the position was:

Location	Commodity	Quantity tonnes
London
Hornsey	Beef	6
Hackney	Beef	920
	Butter	1,712
Stratford	Beef	157
Southall	Butter	1,122
Acton	Butter	696
Tottenham	Butter	672
West Midlands
Coventry	Bread Wheat	1,191
Kingswinford	Skimmed Milk Powder	2,040
Walsall	Beef	158
	Butter	2,711
Wolverhampton	Beef	457
	Butter	6,833

Because stocks are not constant, it is not possible to give meaningful figures for storage periods.

asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland received from the coroner, under the Prosecution of Offences (N.I.) Order 1972, a report on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs. Norah McCabe on 9 July 1981.

No. The police had already fully reported the facts to the Director who had taken his decision before the inquest was held.

asked the Attorney-General if he was consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland about any prosecutions arising out of the death of Mrs. Norah McCabe on 9 July 1981.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will now state why no prosecution has been commenced by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in respect of the death of Mrs. Norah McCabe on 9 July 1981.

The Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland carefully considered all the evidence available to him in this case, including the full version (as distinct from the edited version shown recently on television in this country) of the film that was taken by the Canadian news cameramen who were present and filming at the time of the incident in question. He concluded that the evidence did not warrant the institution of proceedings against any person in respect of Mrs. McCabe's death.

asked the Attorney-General what are the criteria applied by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in making a decision whether or not to bring a prosecution against a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary for offences of violence against members of the public; and if these criteria are different in any way from those which are applied in decisions concerning the prosecution of members of the public or of members of a police force in England and Wales.

The criteria applied by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in these cases are exactly the same as those applied in comparable cases involving members of the public or members of a police force in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the remaining Shackleton airborne early warning squadrons; and which system he expects to provide radar defence against low level attack in 12 months, 24 months and 36 months From now.

I shall answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many multiple sclerosis sufferers there are in Wales; and how many specialist centres for the treatment of multiple sclerosis sufferers there are in Wales.

Since multiple sclerosis is not a notifiable disease detailed information on the numbers of sufferers is not held centrally. People with multiple sclerosis are a sub-group, albeit a large one, of a group of patients who suffer from disabling neurological conditions. Statistics obtained from district health authorities on the numbers of admissions to inpatient or attendances at outpatient departments are unlikely to reflect in full the incidence of the disease.There are no specialist centres for multiple sclerosis sufferers in Wales. It is for district health authorities to provide and develop appropriate clinical facilities for those with multiple sclerosis, as indeed for other patients with disabling neurological conditions. Service provision is normally made available by district general hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the financial cost in 1983–84 to the local education authorities of Wales of their purchasing of school books.

Reliable estimates of expenditure on school books are not available. Expenditure on school books and equipment by local authorities in Wales is provisionally estimated to have been £14·0 million in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the percentage of all school book costs in 1983–84 in the local education authorities of Wales provided by parental contribution.

The information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of cash spent by the local education authorities of Wales on the youth service.

The latest available information refers to 1982–83 and is as follows:

	£ million
Youth Service Current	5·241
Youth Service Capital	0·172

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish the report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate on the effects of local education authority expenditure policies in Wales in 1983–84.

The Welsh Office has published the report today. Copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches were made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh, in November; if he will give the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; whether any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; and in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being concluded.

During November 33 strip searches were carried out on 22 female inmates in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh. Individual prisoners were searched the following number of times:

Number of Prisoners	Number of Searches in each case
11	2
11	1

No prohibited articles were found during these searches and no prisoner refused to be searched.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will now set up an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs. Norah McCabe on 9 July 1981;(2) if any police disciplinary action has been taken against any officers who took part in the Royal Ulster Constabulary Land Rover patrol in the vicinity of Linden street, Belfast, on 9 July 1981;(3) of the Royal Ulster Constabulary officers who took part in a Land Rover patrol in the vicinity of Linden street, Belfast, on 9 July 1981, how many

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to remove value added tax on telephone bills for elderly and disabled people.

No. It remains Government policy to assist those in financial need through the system of grants and allowances which the recipients can spend in the way best suited to their individual needs rather than by indiscriminate reliefs from value added tax which give equal benefits to those who need financial help and those who do not.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make available a list of (a) tax changes already announced and due to take effect from April 1985 and (b) other provisions on which proposed legislation has been announced.

Yes, I am arranging for a list to be prepared. As soon as it is ready I will place a copy in the Library, and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the increase in the real money supply since the first quarter of 1974.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the British executive director of the International Monetary Fund to oppose any proposal to approve a waiver of the performance criteria for Chile's current standby arrangement on 7 December.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has reviewed the bilateral or multilateral financial relationships between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Chile since the recent declaration of a state of siege in Chile.

Her Majesty's Government keeps its relationships with Chile under constant review so that our relations with that country properly reflect both our concerns and our interests there.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what responses he has sent to the chairman of Leeds university council and the vice-chancellor of Kent university in reply to their recent complaints made to him concerning students' grant allocations and contributory parental income towards tuition fees.

We have no record of having received letters from the chairman of the Leeds university council or the vice-chancellor of Kent university complaining about these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now seek to meet representatives of the major commercial banks in order to discuss the possibility of devising a special student loan facility as a supplement to grants.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement on 5 December 1984 at columns 360–61. We have no doubt that the possibility of a special student loan facility will be one of the matters to be examined in the review which the Government will be undertaking.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the cost to the universities of his proposals for amending student grants in terms of (a) adverse cash flow and loss of interest on moneys in hand, (b) increased bad debts and (c) extra administration costs.

The student grant proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 5 December 1984 at columns 360–61 will not give rise to any such costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the progress of the work of the Institute of Hearing.

At the Medical Research Council's Institute of Hearing Research the programme of research continues to progress well. A copy of the latest report published last year, which summarises the work being carried out at the institute's headquarters and its outstations, is available in the Library.

asked the Prime Minister, following her answer to the hon. Member for Dundee West, 22 November, Official Report, column 221, on denaturation of common market food surpluses in Britain, if she will (a) publish the names of the towns, cities or regions where such practices are carried out and (b) seek to end such activities and ensure that these surpluses are released instead to the Ethiopian famine effort.

(a) During the year ended 31 October 1984 denaturing has been carried out at thefollowing locations:

• Skimmed Milk Powder
• Renfrew
• Poole
• Wincham
• Thurnham
• Earls Croom
• Keynsham
• Kilmarnock
• Bovey Tracey
• Darlington
• Cupar
• Bucksburn
• Belfast
• Heanor
• Camborne
• Stamford
• Melmerby
• Leiston
• Betley
• Wellington
• Derby
• Northallerton
• Tymawn
• Hull
• Turriff
• Bridgewater
• Stowmarket

• Wheat
• Mathwold
• Kings Lynn
• Skegness
• Wisbech

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to make recommendations to local housing authorities that they should monitor the effectiveness of the tenants' charter by maintaining lists.

My right hon. Friend does not consider that this would be cost-effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific new developments are going to be financed in the 21 new towns of England and Wales resulting from the assets acquired from the sale by development corporations of commercial and industrial property.

The accounts of the development corporations and the Commission for the New Towns (HC/ 83/84/ 610 and 611) show that in 1983–84 in the 21 new towns in England there were capital receipts of £151,198,000, which supported capital investment of £192,464,000. About £77 million of these capital receipts came from the disposal of industrial and commercial assets. An analysis of the capital expenditure by each corporation is contained in the first schedule to each set of accounts. The accompanying annual reports highlight the more significant individual projects. In the current and future financial years, capital receipts will continue to support generally the housing, sewerage, roads, commercial, industrial and amenity investment of the new towns. The two new towns in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to give his final decision on the planning application and inspector's report regarding the development of a STOLport in docklands.

My right hon. Friend is consulting the parties about new evidence received since the public inquiry. He will give his decision as soon as possible after that consultation is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the inspector's report on the Stansted and Heathrow terminal 5 inquiries.

The inspector's report will be published on Monday 10 December when copies will be placed in the Library and in the Vote Office and in those public libraries where the transcripts were deposited. It will be posted to the applicants, to the local planning authorities in whose areas the sites of the proposed developments lie, to section 29 parties and to the organisations and individuals represented at the inquiries.The inspector's report is very long. A shortened version, comprising extracts from the report, will be published separately. That version will include all the inspector's conclusions and recommendations. Those receiving the full report will receive the shortened version.Further copies of the full report and of the shortened version will be available as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the representations he has received from transport users supporting his bus service deregulation proposals.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will estimate the profits which will accrue in the first year following sale to the North of Scotland Hydroelectric Board, following its sale of several fishing beats on the river Conon, Ross-shire.

This is a commercial matter for the board. The sale price has not been disclosed at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied with the conditions pertaining to the recent sale of fishing beats on the river Conon, Ross-shire, by the North of Scotland Hydroelectric Board in so far as they affect future access to the beats by local fishermen; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the new owner of the three Brahan beats plans to offer the fishings for let on a weekly basis to previous tenants and local interests, and certain weeks in July, August and September will be resold. The new owners of the Coul beat have indicated that they will give priority to previous tenants and to local interests for any fishing that may be available for letting. The board has made it clear that it hopes to come to satisfactory arrangements with local angling clubs, hotels and others, before the remaining beats are disposed of in order to maintain access by local anglers and visitors. I am satisfied that a reasonable balance has been struck between the case for continuing local access and the need to dispose of an asset irrelevant to the board's main business.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much he expects to be paid into the Consolidated Fund as a result of the sale of several fishing beats on the river Conon, Ross-shire, by the North of Scotland Hydroelectric Board.

There will be no payment into the Consolidated Fund. The proceeds of the sale will be used in the general financing of the board's business, thereby keeping borrowings below what would otherwise have been required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what further information he has sought to date from the British Broadcasting Corporation in support of its application for an increased licence fee; what further information he plans to seek; and if he will make a statement;(2) what information was supplied by the British Broadcasting Corporation to support its request for an increase in the licence fee;(3) what was the level of licence fee requested by the British Broadcasting Corporation mentioned in his answer of Tuesday 20 November,

The BBC has submitted an application for an increase in the licence fee but in accordance with past practice my right hon. and learned Friend does not propose to disclose the details of the request submitted or the precise way in which he will examine it. He will, however, take account of the findings of the independent consultants appointed by the BBC, at his suggestion, to examine the scope for the BBC to provide its existing services at their present standard but at lower cost through increased efficiency in the use of resources. In reaching a view on the application he will seek to balance the needs of the BBC with the interests of the licence fee payer.

Name of Establishment	Scheme	Year of Start	Whether integral sanitation included
Acklington	Camp under redevelopment as a category C prison	1975	Yes
	Additional living block	1985	Yes
Albany	Restoration following disturbances and improved access to wings	1983	Access to sanitation available by electric unlocking
Ashwell	Camp under redevelopment as open prison	1983	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Aylesbury	Construction of new living block and refurbishment of existing wings	1989	Yes
Bedford	New Gate complex, kitchen and living block	1986	Yes
Birmingham	Refurbishment of B1 landing	1984	No
	Construction of new living block	1987	Yes
Brixton	Refurbishment of F wing	1981	No
	Conversion of dormitory to cells	1983	No
Brockhill	Conversion of D wing to cells	1986	Yes
Campsfield House	Redevelopment as closed YCC	1987	Yes
Cardiff	New living block	1987	Yes
Castington	Camp under redevelopment as closed YCC	1976	Yes
Channings Wood	Camp under redevelopment as category C prison	1975	Yes
	Additional living block	1985	Yes
Dartmoor	Refurbishment of existing wings	1984	Yes
Deerbolt	Camp under redevelopment as closed YCC	1975	Yes
Erlestoke	Camp under redevelopment as semi-secure YCC	1980	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Feltham	Construction of new closed YCC	1976	Yes
	Construction of new remand accommodation	1983	Yes
Glen Parva	Construction of new closed YCC and remand and allocation centre	1975	Yes
Guys Marsh	Camp under redevelopment as semi-secure YCC	1982	Yes
Hatfield	Replacement of dormitories with cubicular living units	1982	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Haverigg	Camp redevelopment	1987	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Highpoint	Camp under redevelopment as category C prison	1975	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
	Additional cellular living block	1981	Yes
Hollesley Bay	Construction of secure unit	1979	Yes
	Redevelopment of open accommodation	1985	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Holloway	Redevelopment	1974	Yes
Huntercombe	Redevelopment	1985	Yes
Kirkham	Camp redevelopment	1987	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Leeds	Construction of new living blocks and refurbishment of existing wings	1986	Yes
Leicester	Refurbishment of recesses in wings	1985	No
Leyhill	Camp under redevelopment as open prison	1982	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Lincoln	Construction of new living block	1988	Yes
Liverpool	Refurbishment of existing wings	1985	Yes
Morton Hall	Redevelopment as closed YCC	1986	Yes
New Hall	Replacement of dormitories	1983	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Northeye	Construction of new accommodation	1975	Access to sanitation available from cubicles
Nottingham	Construction of new living block	1989	Yes
Parkhurst	Redevelopment	1986	Yes

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list all penal establishments at which improvements or refurbishments are being carried out, or are planned, indicating for each (a) the date planning started, (b) when the scheme started or is planned to start, (c) the work to be done and (d) whether the scheme includes integral sanitation.

The information readily available in relation to major capital schemes in the current five-year programme to improve or replace living accommodation at existing penal establishments is set out in the following table. Schemes to improve or replace ancillary facilities are in progress or planned at a further 54 establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is proposed to make any changes in respect of the present powers of the courts relating to the issue of unruly certificates.

My right hon. and learned Friend proposes to make an order defining more restrictively than does the Certificates of Unruly Character (Conditions) Order 1977 the circumstances in which a 15 or 16-year-old boy may be remanded to a prison department establishment. In particular, he proposes that the power should be confined to cases where the boy has been charged with murder, attempted murder, rape, or certain other equally serious offences. He is also considering whether there are other ways in which the range of cases where remand to a prison department establishment is possible might be reduced to the minimum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he, other Ministers in his Department or any other members of his Department have attended racism awareness training courses; and if he will make a statement.

Ministers and the officials concerned seek continuously to advance their awareness of race relations matters. To this end they carry out a regular programme of visits to ethnic minority communities and maintain direct contact with many ethnic minority organisations throughout the country. In addition many members of my Department have attended race relations courses and seminars and the subject is also covered in a range of more general training courses provided both internally and externally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it remains his intention that the proposals in clause 1 of the Representation of the People Bill 1984 should come into operation immediately upon Royal Assent.

No. Clause 27(2) brings the provisions of the Bill into force on such day or days as my right hon. and learned Friend appoints by order made by statutory instrument.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil defence exercises and Royal Observer Corps exercises have been carried out in each of the last five years in the Bolton metropolitan district council area; and which authorities have been notified in each case.

I am not aware of any. All county authorities have notification of exercises involving the Royal Observer Corps.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the removal of population in the vicinity of nuclear power stations in the event of a war fought with conventional weapons.