asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will fix dates for the start and completion of consultations with interested organisations concerning the regulation for part III of the Food and Environment Protection Bill.

It will not be possible to open definitive consultations on the regulations until the Bill is enacted, but we intend to open preparatory discussions with interested organisations early next year, with a view to regulations being laid in Parliament in time for their entry into force on 1 January 1986.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce monitoring of pesticide drift on farms to asses the damage done to wildlife.

It is important to differentiate between spray drift, which is most likely to affect growth of adjacent plants, and the possible direct effects of pesticide use or misuse on wildlife. My Department already monitors the national situation for both, through a system of reporting incidents of spray drift and by investigating, under the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme, all reported incidents of suspected poisoning of wildlife.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those insecticides cleared for use on cereals under the pesticides safety precautions scheme to which one or more insect pests of cereals are resistant.

There are no field insect pests of cereals in the United Kingdom known to be resistant to pesticides.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those fungicides cleared for use on cereals under the pesticides safety precautions scheme which are known or suspected to have insecticidal properties.

'Missile' (active ingredient pyrazophos) is the only fungicide cleared under the pesticides safety precaution scheme for use on cereals which is known to have insecticidal properties. An indication of the insecticidal property is given on the product label.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to (a) the number of British insect pests with some resistance to pesticides and (b) the number of insecticides to which one or more pests in Britain are significantly resistant for each of the years 1954 to 1984.

This information is not readily available on an annual basis for all pesticide uses. However, since 1954, about 28 pest species have shown resistance to a range of organophosphorous insecticides. Resistance has involved about 25 insecticides over the same period. These figures cover agriculture and horticulture, public hygiene and food storage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the costs to agriculture of pest resistance in total, and for each of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, separately, in each of the years from 1970 to 1984.

I regret that there is no quantitative basis for providing the information requested by the hon. Member. The development of resistance to a certain pesticide does not necessarily lead to a breakdown of control or added cost, because of the availability of alternative remedies; and fluctuations in production cannot readily be assigned to any one pest, weather pattern, or other influence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the present arrangements for obtaining the views of the fishing industry on research and development priorities; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have decided to revise the arrangements for seeking the industry's views on fisheries research and development work undertaken by, or on behalf of, our Departments. The new arrangements will take the following form:

(i) Representative organisations will be invited to contribute towards the work of the review groups set up periodically by the Customer Group for Fisheries Research and Development to consider longer term research and development needs in particular sectors of activity (for example, marine fisheries, fish utilisation);

(ii) Industry will, where appropriate, be invited to participate in the regular progress meetings undertaken by working groups set up by the co-ordinator of fisheries research and development;

(iii) Existing day-to-day contacts between the industry and research laboratories will be maintained and where necessary strengthened.

In addition, it will of course remain open to those in particular sectors of the industry to indicate at any time outside the framework of these arrangements any views they may wish to put to Departments regarding their research and development needs, their views on the success or otherwise of the application of research findings, and their assessment of where existing knowledge could be used more effectively. The fisheries Departments will also be glad to consider wherever practicable undertaking individual commissions on a repayment basis along the lines currently being developed by the Torry research station in relation to fish utilisation research.In the course of our review, my right hon. Friends and I took advice from the Fisheries Research and Development Board. The consensus of view within the board was that the varied structure of the fishing industry, and the diverse nature of much of the research and development work carried out within this sector, do not lend themselves readily to the type of broad overview which the board was asked to undertake. In the light of this, we have decided that the board should be wound up. At the same time, we would wish to place on record our appreciation of the contribution made by the present board since its appointment in 1981.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish a report on the 1983 multi-department review of Government contract and procurement procedures.

A report by the central team in the Cabinet Office (Management and Personnel Office) that co-ordinated the review will be published tomorrow by Her Majesty's Stationery Office under the title "Government Purchasing". The Government welcome the report and have set in hand action to implement its conclusions.

asked the Attorney-General why information concerning the average length of time taken to process legal aid applications is only available on a national basis and not on a regional basis.

In order to produce the national figure a small sample of cases is examined annually in each area office. The samples taken together provide a statistically acceptable national figure but each

Year	Cases	Persons injured	Persons killed	Prosecution directed	No prosecution directed
1981	81	76	7	1	79
1982	36	36	1	0	36
1983	3	3	0	0	2
1984	11	12	0	0	6

In seven cases a final direction pends the outcome of other proceedings or the submission to the director of additional evidence. The outstanding 1981 case awaits the outcome of civil proceedings.Figures for periods prior to 1981 are not available save at disproportionate cost.

asked the Attorney-General why it is proposed to remove mention of the sovereign from, and otherwise to reword, the oath taken by jurors; and what account has been taken of representations on this proposal.

The new oath has been introduced, by means of a practice direction given by the Lord Chief Justice, to achieve greater intelligibility and simplicity. There have been no formal representations.

asked the Attorney-General why information concerning the number of complaints about delays in the processing of legal aid applications is not collected.

There could be considerable practical difficulties in compiling a comprehensive record of complaints about delays. Any applicant for legal aid, or his solicitor, who is concerned about the time being taken to process his application may telephone or write (sometimes both) to the Law Society's area office, and he may approach the Law Society's headquarters direct. The complainant may also write simultaneously to his Member of Parliament or to the Lord Chancellor or both. For an accurate picture, complaints in each of these forms would need to be separately recorded and centrally collated. This could only be done at disproportionate cost.

asked the Attorney-General how many cases in the current year and for each of the last five years, involving persons injured by plastic bullets in Northern Ireland have been considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland; and what action was taken in each case.

The available figures are as follows:

asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to seek to pay an official visit to Peking.

I will pay an official visit to Peking between 18 and 20 December. I will be accompanied by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The purpose of my visit will be to sign the joint declaration on Hong Kong.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on any initiative she may be considering further to promote trade between Britain and the People's Republic of China which she will be discussing while she is in Peking.

I see good prospects for increasing trade between Britain and China and I hope to discuss trade questions with Chinese leaders when I visit Peking.

asked the Prime Minister when the factual material assembled for the 1984 annual review of Government funded research and development will be published.

The annual review of Government funded research and development which was announced in the Government's response (Comnd. 8591) to a House of Lords Select Committee report "Science and Government", has now completed its second cycle. As envisaged in the original White Paper, Departments submitted their R and D plans to the Cabinet Office in the early part of this year: they were reviewed under the guidance of the interdepartmental committee of chief scientists. The material was also considered by the advisory council on applied research and development, which provided its independent advice to the Government. Several aspects of the 1984 review are subject to further study.The Government wish to encourage informed debate on this important topic and are therefore again publishing the factual material assembled for the 1984 review together with a short commentary section. It will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office tomorrow, and I am arranging to have copies placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those electoral procedures for the European Parliament which have been fully harmonised in the European Economic Community.

None. Under article 7(2) of the Community Act of 20 September 1976, procedures at European Parliament elections are for the time being governed in each member state by national provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the categories of information to be found on certificates which exempt personal data under section 27 of the Data Protection Act.

There is no prescribed form for certificates issued under section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984. If, in any particular case, a senior Minister determines that data are required to be exempt, either from the provisions of the Act as a whole or from the non-disclosure provisions, he will certify that to be the case under the provisions of section 27(2) or 27(4) respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many dogs trained to detect drugs have been used to search prisons, in the last year for which figures are available; which prisons were involved; and how many times dogs have been used to search for drugs in prisons other than those where they are normally based;(2) how many dogs trained for detecting drugs are available to the prison service; where these dogs are based; and whether he has any plans to increase the number of dogs used for drug searches in prisons.

My noble Friend will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now withdraw plastic baton rounds from all police forces in England and Wales.

No. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to his Question on Friday 7 December at column 306–7.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were convicted of drug offences in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of persons aged under 17 found guilty in the United Kingdom of drugs offences (including both principal and non-principal offences) in 1981, 1982 and 1983 were 230, 299 and 329 respectively. Combined information relating to those found guilty or cautioned in each year from 1973 to 1983 is published for all age groups in table 6 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs in the United Kingdom, 1983" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 18/84) a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. The Government view with concern the recent increase in these figures and are taking a wide range of measures to combat drug misuse, including the preparation of a major education and prevention campaign directed at young people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for driving without a seat belt since January; and if he will make a statement.

The available information relates to 1983 and is published in table 5 of "Offences relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales 1983, Supplementary Tables", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Information for 1984 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been injured during the coal mining dispute in each of the past six weeks.

It is not possible to say how many members of the public have been injured because not all their injuries are necessarily reported to the police. The information with regard to police officers is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to receive the report he commissioned from St. Andrews university on additionality orders for goods and services following overseas aid.

The research at St. Andrews' university to which the hon. Member refers is in fact entitled "The Impact of the Overseas Aid Programme on Britain's Domestic Economy". A report is expected in April 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what additional sum he is making available to universities for improving science facilities following the "Autumn Statement".

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 5 December at columns 360–61.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the timescale and terms of reference for the review of the student support system announced on 5 December.

The timescale and terms of reference of the review are under consideration, but an announcement on these matters will be made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, following his meeting on 28 November with seven organisations concerned with blind and deaf people, he has decided to accept the proposal of the advisory committee on supply and education of teachers for withdrawing the mandatory requirement for a specialist qualification which now applies to teachers of the blind and deaf and partially-hearing.

My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will announce their decisions on the ACSET report in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received from the teacher unions regarding the likely effect on the education service of the imposition of value added tax on books and journals; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has recently received a collective resolution on this issue from the National Union of Teachers, the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education, the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers, the Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Secondary Heads Association from whom he has also received an individual representation. He will be responding to the resolution shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department is doing to implement the recommendations of the advisory committee on major hazards to study the inter-relationships of various regimes of control for vessels carrying major hazardous cargoes into United Kingdom ports, operations in loading and discharging and the application of planning controls in such port areas.

I understand that the Health and Safety Commission has accepted these recommendations and has set up a sub-committee to study further the major hazard aspects of the transport of dangerous substances. My Department intends to co-operate fully with this sub-committee in its work. At present the HSC is preparing regulations on the handling and storage of hazardous substances in harbour areas. The introduction of these regulations with complementary merchant shipping legislation will make a valuable contribution towards the inter-relationship of the various organisations concerned with the movement of dangerous goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many seafarers died in accidents on board ships including casualties to vessels in each of the three years since 1978; and what were the incident rates per 100,000 persons at risk.

The number of merchant seamen who died as a result of a casualty, or of an accident on board à ship, including those who were recorded as being "missing at sea", is given in the following tables:

	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Casualties	8	19	45	13	34
Accidents	63	28	22	25	10
Missing at sea	13	8	12	6	5
Totals	84	55	79	44	49
Accident rate
Per 100,000 at risk	97	68	104	60	75

These figures are taken from the Department's annual publication "Casualties to Vessels and Accidents to Men".

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in what ways the aims and functions of his Department covering the occupational health and safety of seafarers are different from those imposed upon the Health and Safety Commission and the 1974 Act; and if he will make a statement.

My Department aims to promote a high standard of occupational health and safety on board ships. To this end its functions include making and enforcing regulations, issuing guidance and information through notices and other publications, initiating research projects, collecting and analysing data and accidents on board ships and investigating accidents on ships.These aims and functions are similar to those of the Health and Safety Commission in respect of shore-based industries and are intended to ensure that seafarers have comparable standards for safety as shore-based workers. My Department co-operates fully with the commission when preparing legislation on occupational health and safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents investigated by the marine inspectors in each of the years since 1978.

Information on investigations conducted by marine surveyors is not set out to provide this answer readily. The cause of death in all fatal accidents on merchant ships is inquired into by either a proper officer or a United Kingdom coroner or procurator fiscal. At the present time their reports are examined within marine directorate and, whenever the circumstances warrant it, a further investigation by marine surveyors is made and appropriate action is taken. Reports of all serious non-fatal accidents are made direct to Marine directorate where they are considered in the same way.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce a scheme to compensate business adversely affected following the opening of new roads, such as diversions and by-passes; and if he will make a statement.

There is no provision for payment either way in respect of businesses which may be affected by changes in traffic as a result of the opening of new roads. No business can reasonably expect a guarantee of any level of traffic past its premises. Its activity is likely to be affected by many factors, and I have no proposals for a change in the present statutory position.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which independent and joint transport users group (a) from within the six metropolitan areas and Greater London and (b) from elsewhere in the United Kingdom have written to him indicating their support for the proposals contained in Cmnd. 9300.

I have received a number of responses from transport user groups from all parts of the country for and against various aspects of the proposals in the White Paper "Buses". We are considering these with the other responses in preparing the forthcoming Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any response to Cmnd. 9300 from joint transport user groups within the six metropolitan counties; and what broad conclusion was reached in that response.

I have received several responses from joint transport user groups within the metropolitan counties for and against various aspects of the proposals in the White Paper "Buses". We are considering these with the other responses in preparing the forthcoming Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the representations he has received from individuals and organisations in the north-west region advocating increased use of Manchester airport.

I am writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is planning to make any changes in the arrangements for conducting driving tests at the Keighley test centre.

My Department has been reviewing the future of the Keighley driving test centre in the light of worsening traffic conditions. I shall write to my hon. Friend quickly about any proposed changes in the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of road traffic accidents on the A3 in the Surrey, South-West constituency in 1984; and if he will make a statement on the causes.

On the 10 kilometres of the A3 in the Surrey, South-West constituency there have been 38 personal injury accidents in 1984 up to 30 November. Of these, there were six fatal, seven serious and 25 slight.As there are likely to be police proceedings arising from a number of those accidents, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the possible causes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for improvement of the A3 in the Surrey, South-West constituency.

Improvement schemes at Milford and Hindhead are included in our main programme for start of works from April 1987 onwards. I hope to undertake public consultation on both schemes next year. Minor improvements at the A3/A283 junction at Milford and the Crossways junction at Hindhead are planned to start shortly. The dualling of the section between Witly junction and Rodborough Hill should be completed in the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what he proposed to do after 31 December 1986 following the agreement reached on lorry weights by the Council of Ministers on 10 May to allow for a derogation in favour of the United Kingdom from the implementation of a directive on 40 and 44 tonne lorries until that date.

There is no agreement that would limit a United Kingdom derogation to 31 December 1986. This is a date by which the Council envisages that the conditions of such a derogation would be decided. We are not in any way committed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his intention to sign a European Economic Community document during the week commencing Monday 10 December which will in effect commit the United Kingdom to accepting 40 tonnes gross weight lorries on the roads within the next few years.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the proposal in the Serpell report that there should be a reduction of routine track maintenance.

Track maintenance is a matter for the British Railways Board. I know that the board is committed to maintaining its high safety standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what research is planned by his Department to facilitate the identification and treatment of the high-risk drinking or repeated excess alcohol offender.

New arrangements were introduced in May 1983 which enable the Department to identify, and consider the case of, anyone who is convicted twice within 10 years of driving with an alcohol concentration of more than 2·5 times the legal limit.The next year should see, for the first time, a significant number of offenders coming within the scope of the procedure. We are planning at that stage to start a study of the characteristics of such drivers to help determine the most effective way of treating any drink problem they may have.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the conclusion reached in a recent Transport and Road Research Laboratory report about the risk of being caught whilst driving under the influence of alcohol; and whether he intends to take any action to increase drivers' perception of the risk of being detected.

The survey on which the report's conclusions are based was carried out some time ago. I hope that recent legislation and continued publicity and education will improve public awareness of all the risks of drinking and driving, including the risk of being detected for an offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to curb excessive drinking and driving during the Christmas holiday period.

The national advertising campaign designed to bring home the risks involved in drinking and driving was launched on 6 December. The campaign is particularly aimed at young drivers, who may not appreciate just how easily alcohol can impair their performance. It uses television, radio, posters and the press and will run until the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the domestic and international routes available from all regional airports in the United Kingdom.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) (Conditions for Recognition) Regulations 1984; and what replies he has sent in response to them.

We have received two responses raising a limited number of issues. We have considered these and replied to the points that have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied that compact spare wheels now fitted as original equipment in a number of imported cars are as safe as ordinary spare wheels in all normally encountered driving conditions.

We have no evidence that the use of these tyres has contributed to accidents. Provided drivers use them within the limits of performance specified by the vehicle manufacturer, and replace them with the repaired tyre as soon as possible, I am satisfied they are unlikely to be a risk to road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what response he gave at the recent meeting he had with the delegation of the National Bus Company to the concern expressed over threats to jobs.

My right hon. Friend has had no such meeting. Our policy will give bus operators a greater incentive to provide the transport which customers want by improving existing services and developing new ones. Growth in new services will create additional jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans have been made for the expansion of scheduled flight services from Birmingham international airport as from 1985.

Plans for new services are a matter for the airlines.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he intends to publish the results of the survey into the extent of vehicle excise duty evasion;(2) if he will estimate how many cars are untaxed; and what he intends to do about it.

The results of the survey should be available very shortly, and it is my intention to publish them. They will include estimates of the numbers of unlicensed vehicles in use.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of recorded accidents in Staffordshire involving motor cycles for each of the last 10 years; and how many motor cyclists were injured or killed in each of those years.

An analysis of injury accidents involving motor cyclists for so long a period would involve disproportionate cost. However, the following information is available.

Two-wheeled motor vehicles involved in accidents: Staffordshire 1974–1983
		User casualties
Year	Vehicles Involved	Killed	Injured	All
1974	992	15	960	975
1975	1,217	12	1,206	1,218
1976	1,407	24	1,389	1,413
1977	1.424	27	1,413	1,440
1978	1,431	30	1,430	1,460
1979	1,353	18	1,319	1,337
1980	1,499	26	1,519	1,545
1981	1,513	26	1,542	1,568
1982	1,467	22	1,501	1,523
1983	1,316	26	1,331	1,357

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to maintain the weight limit for heavy lorries on United Kingdom roads at 38 tonnes; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make it his policy not to accede to any agreement at the forthcoming meeting of European Economic Community Transport Ministers in Brussels on 11 and 12 December that will have the effect of raising the lorry weight limit in the United Kingdom to 40 tonnes at any specific or unspecified date in the future without first obtaining the agreement of Parliament: and if he will make a statement.

It remains the policy of the Government for the foreseeable future to maintain the weight limit at 38 tonnes.It is not my intention to accept any commitment to an increase, unless and until such a proposal has been agreed by Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether all categories of vessels will be covered in the review of the prospects for United Kingdom merchant shipping to be carried out by his Department.

This review is in two parts and is being conducted jointly with the MOD. The first, which

Author	Year	Subject	Publication	Volume	Pages
Baker E.	1868	The Birds of St. Helena	Zoologist	26	1472–1476
Basilewsky P.	1970	La Faune Terrestre de l'ile de Sainte Helene	Zoologist	181	77–130
Benson C. W.	1950	A contribution to the ornithology of St. Helena, and other notes from a sea voyage	Ibis	92	73–83

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the design capacity of the Dartford tunnel in terms of vehicles usage per hour.

[pursuant to the reply, 7 December 1984, c. 311]: I understand from the Dartford tunnel management that the design capacity for the tunnel is 3,500 vehicles per hour in each direction. In view of the variation in traffic flow throughout the day and the present number of toll booths, there is currently a practical limitation on the tunnel's capacity of 65,000 vehicles per day. Work is under way to increase the number of toll booths, which should increase the capacity of the tunnel, to 85,000 vehicles per day.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if has any plans to change the extent of United Kingdom diplomatic representation with Nicaragua.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the number and the brief of any British military officers acting in either an official or unofficial advisory capacity to the Government of El Salvador; and if he will make a statement.

There are no British military officers acting either officially or unofficially in an advisory capacity to the Government of El Salvador.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 29 November, Official Report, column 592, if he will list the references of the papers relating to the wirebird endemic to St. Helena.

Some published references are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the speech made on 9 December in Paris by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for Shoreham (Mr. Luce), to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union.

I assume my hon. Friend is referring to my speech of 4 December. Yes; I have placed copies in the Library today.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the prospectus issued in respect of the British Telecom plc share offer was not published abroad within the countries of the European Community, in addition to Japan and the United States of America.

The offer for sale of shares in British Telecom was principally a United Kingdom offering. It was considered necessary in order to ensure the success of the offer to make sales in the United States, Canada and Japan. Investors from European Community countries were able to apply for shares under the UK offer and the Government did not consider that the cost of separate offers there would be justified by the likely demand for shares.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of total production of the top 50 British-based manufacturing companies is represented by overseas output.

This is not available, as no information is collected on the production of overseas branches and subsidiaries of United Kingdom companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many trailers were imported from East Germany during the last 12-month period.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the effect upon local newspapers which have a cover charge of the imposition of value-added tax on their newspaper sales and advertising; and if he will make a statement.

None. But the Newspaper Society, which I have recently met at its request and whose members comprise the majority of local newspaper publishers, has commissioned work on the subject. It intends sending its conclusions to Ministers in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effect on unemployment of the changes in the regional aid in Cynon Valley.

The changes in regional industrial policy announced on 28 November are intended to relate grants more closely to job creation and to concentrate resources on those areas with the most severe problems. They are thus aimed at improving the long term employment opportunities in areas such as Cynon Valley, which will continue to enjoy the highest category of regional assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what sums in grant aid were received by individuals or companies in the Barnstable and South Molton travel-to-work assisted area during the last five years for which figures are available;(2) what sums in grant aid were received by individuals or companies in the Ilfracombe travel-to-work development area during the last five years for which figures are available.

The information available in respect of national and regional industrial aid provided in the travel-to-work areas specified is given in the following table:

£'000
	*1984–85	1983–84	1982–83	1981–82	1980–81	1979–80	Total
1. Regional Development Grant (Part II of the Industrial Development Act 1982)
Grant paid (a):
Ilfracombe travel-to-work area	—	112	107	26	—	110	335
Barnstable travel-to-work area (b)	—	—	—	483	737	314	1,534
2. Regional Selective Assistance (Section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982)
Offers made:
Ilfracombe travel-to-work area	—	—	—	—	—	365	365
Barnstable travel-to-work area (b)	5	280	90	15	552	376	1,318
3. National Industrial Assistance (Section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982) (c)
Offers made:
Ilfracombe travel-to-work area	—	—	71	—	—	—	71
Barnstable travel-to-work area (b)	—	62	84	14	1	76	237
4. Assistance under Science and Technology Act 1965
Payments made:
Ilfracombe travel-to-work area (d)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	298
Barnstable travel-to-work area (d)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
* To 30 September 1984

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many new jobs he estimates were created in the Ilfracombe development area during the last five years for which figures are available;(2) how many new jobs he estimates have been created in the Barnstable and South Molton assisted area during the last five years for which figures are available.

I have been asked to reply.My Department has no information about the numbers of new jobs created. Details of net changes in employment are available but, for areas smaller than regions, only for those years when censuses of employment are conducted. Between the June 1978 census of employment and the next one in September 1981, there was a net change of minus 100 employees in the Ilfracombe travel-to-work area and a net change of plus 1,600 employees in the Barnstable travel-to-work area, which at that time included South Mouton.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish the consultant's report on the setting up of a metering approval scheme under the Telecommunications Act 1984.

I have received the report commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry from the Metra consulting group and I have decided that it should be published. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the response to the small firms technical enquiry service.

Yes. Since the service was started in 1982, more than 7,000 firms have requested assistance. The current rate of applications is about 4,000 per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the total public expenditure is consumed by regional preferential assistance.

In the financial year 1983–84, total expenditure by the Department of Trade and Industry was £1,773 million, of which £417 million or 24 per cent. was spent on regional development grants and £61 million or 3 per cent. on reginal selective assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he proposes to take further to promote trade between Britain and the People's Republic of China.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to encourage the development of a code of practice concerning the labelling of dishes in restaurants and hotels to ensure that dishes consisting wholly or mainly of processed ingredients are not described on menus as fresh.

I am not aware of any significant volume of complaint on this matter, but if the hon. Member has evidence of damage to the interests of consumers arising from inaccuracies on menus I shall be glad to draw it to the attention of the Director General of Fair Trading.

Country	Per Capita Exports of Manufactures United States $		National Currency	Conversion Rates Equivalent in United States $
	1982	1983		1982	1983
United States of America	602	565
Canada	1,541	1,705	1 Canadian $	=0·810314	0·811282
Japan	1,132	1,191	1000 Yen	=4·034300	4·201630
Belgium/Luxembourg	3,663	3,675	1000 Belgian Francs	=21·906000	19·631000
France	1,294	1,261	10 Francs	=1·528190	1·313230
Federal Republic of Germany	2,476	2,384	1 Deutsche Mark	=0·413999	0·390240
Italy	1,087	1,097	1000 Lire	=0·740480	0·658400
Netherlands	2,296	2,313	1 Guilder	=0·375014	0·351707
Sweden	2,582	2,603	1 Krona	=0·159313	0·130481
Switzerland	3,757	3,818	1 Swiss Franc	=0·494196	0·475750
United Kingdom	1,157	1,072	Sterling	=1·746428	1·514082

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the annual reduction in regional development grants to the Yorkshire and Humberside region as a result of the measures announced on 28 November.

Estimates of the reduction in annual expenditure on regional development grants have not been made in respect of individual planning regions in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions the Minister for Trade had with Commonwealth Caribbean leaders when he attended the Caribbean Basin meeting in Miami, on the purchase of new turboprop aircraft for Leeward Islands Air Transport and the possibility of United Kingdom funding, in view of the European Community aid offer; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to increase the penalties for attaching a misleading description to food sold in hotels and restaurants, with particular reference to the description of dishes as fresh when they have been made from processed ingredients.

The penalties for offences under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 have recently been increased to a fine of up to £2,000 on summary conviction. The maximum penalty on indictment is an unlimited fine or two years' imprisonment or both. I consider these penalties sufficient to deal with any problem of misleading descriptions of food.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the per capita value of exports of manufactures per head in terms of dollars for each of the main industrial countries in 1982 and 1983; and if he will explain the exchange rates used for converting the figures for the different years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list, at constant 1983 prices and for each of the last five years, the value of British exports to and imports from the rest of the European Community (a) in total, (b) in manufacturing, (c) in oil and (d) in services.

This information is not available at constant prices. Data at current prices are in the following tables.

United Kingdom Trade with European Community
£ Million Balance of Payments Basis
Total Visible Trade	Exports	Imports	Visible Balance
1979	17,309	19,934	-2,625
1980	20,427	19,655	+773
1981	20,861	20,849	+12
1982	22,997	24,379	-1,382
1983	26,460	28,967	-2,507
of which:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the administrative expenses of his Department he estimates to be directly or indirectly attributable to duties which must be carried out by his Department as a result of membership of the European Economic Community.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 December 1984, c. 190]: The proportion of the running costs of the Department of Trade and Industry directly or indirectly attributable to duties which must be carried out as a result of membership of the European Economic Community is not known and cannot be estimated without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a consumer's guide to new motor vehicles offered for sale in the United Kingdom, specifying the approximate proportion by value of British manufactures.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 December 1984, c. 244]: Information about the United Kingdom content of new motor vehicles is provided to my Department on a commercially confidential basis. I am therefore unable to publish such a guide.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning ventures which have been jointly undertaken by chemical groups in the United Kingdom with enterprises in member countries of COMECON for the purpose of producing polyurethane for domestic and export markets.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 December 1984, c. 315]: I am not aware that any chemical group in the United Kingdom is or has been involved jointly with any enterprise in a member country of COMECON in a venture for the production of polyurethane for domestic or export purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements for the Vosper Shiprepairers Limited pension fund will be made following privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 December 1984, c. 315]: Vosper Shiprepair Ltd. employees are currently members of the British Shipbuilders pension scheme. Pension arrangements following privatisation will be a matter for the new owners of the company. The employees will be able to remain members of the British Shipbuilders pension scheme for a limited period while any new pension arrangements are introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for urban development grant have been received to date since the scheme was introduced (a) from Belfast and (b) from Londondeny; what is the total expenditure paid out in grants for (a) Belfast and (b) Londonderry , and if the Department of the Environment has given consideration to extending the scheme to other areas in Northern Ireland.

The information to 30 November 1984 is as follows:

	Applications received	Grant paid £ million
Belfast	583	1·5
Londonderry	161	0·1

In addition, offers of grant totalling 3·5 million in Belfast and £0·4 million in Londonderry have been made.The scheme is targeted towards areas of greatest need and I do not consider it should be extended.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has approved the demolition of Divis flats in Belfast; and if he will make a statement.

Following a review of priority and difficult to let estates, carried out by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, I have approved the demolition of the St. Brendan's and Pound blocks of flats, a total of 87 units of accommodation, as part of a package of proposals to improve living conditions. It is not intended to demolish the remaining eight blocks of flats in the Divis complex.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Her Majesty's Government have received any representations from senior officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary advocating the standing down of the Ulster Defence Regiment and charging the Royal Ulster Constabulary with total responsibility for internal security throughout Northern Ireland.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many members of the security forces in the current year, and for each of the last five years, have been (a) charged with criminal offences or (b) disciplined as a result of incidents in Northern Ireland involving injuries to persons caused by the use of plastic bullets;(2) how many persons have been injured by the use of plastic baton rounds in the Province to the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its reserve, currently hold private firearms certificates.

866.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he wizll investigate allegations made by the Peterhead prisoners' support committee in Gzlasgow of assaults by prison warders on inmates and destruction of their property.

The Peterhead prisoners' support committee has not brought any such allegations to my attention. If this committee wishes to make allegations of criminal conduct by prison officers it should bring them to the attention of the police or the procurator fiscal. My right hon. Friend the Lord Advocate has overall responsibility for the investigation of allegations of crime in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to alleviate problems resulting from overcrowding of cells, to reduce censorship of letters and to assess the necessity of the installation of new control units in Peterhead prison.

Measures to remedy overcrowding in the Scottish penal system are already in hand and, provided the inmate population does not rise significantly above its present level, overcrowding should be virtually eliminated when phase II of Shotts prison becomes

Health Board	Total	Hospital		Community
		Doctors	Dentists	Doctors	Dentists
30 September 1975
Scotland	5,580·5	4,684·2	184·4	417	295
Argyll and Clyde	324·6	265·4	1·2	35	23
Ayrshire and Arran	197·9	161·4	2·5	20	14

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received details of the work of the joint working party comprising Startclyde regional council and Argyll and Bute, Clydesdale, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Cunninghame, Dumbarton, Kyle and Carrick and Monklands district councils to examine the problems of remoter rural areas in Strathclyde; if he will consider their proposals for a rural aid fund for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is aware of the work of the joint working party, but has not received formal proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of fishing vessels of 26 metres or over, in respect of each European Community country eligible to fish for demersal species in the north of Scotland box, which were actually observed fishing there in the period April to October.

Details are given below of the number of different vessels which, in accordance with Community regulations, reported that they were entering the north of Scotland box to fish for demersal species in that period.

	Number
United Kingdom	31
France	57
Belgium	2

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of (a) hospital doctors, (b) hospital dentists, (c) community doctors and (d) community dentists employed by each of the Scottish health boards at (i) 30 September 1975, (ii) 30 September 1979 and (iii) 30 September 1982.