asked the Attorney-General what consideration he has given to bringing charges against officers of the National Union of Mineworkers for incitement to violence.

Incitement to violence is not a criminal offence, but an incitement by any person to others to commit a specific offence under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, or for them to commit offences against public order, such as riot or affray, renders the inciter liable to the criminal law. Such an offence of incitement is not one which a chief officer of police is bound to report to the Director of Public Prosecutions under the Prosecution of Offences Regulations 1978. However, the Director has had referred to him one case involving an alleged offence of incitement to riot by an officer of the National Union of Mineworkers, but the Director concluded that there was insufficient evidence for him to bring criminal proceedings. I am confident that if any chief officer of police has reason to think that any other offence of this type may have been committed and that there is evidence available which can properly be put before a court, he will refer that evidence to the Director for his consideration.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will ensure that literature, available to the public on entering the Strangers' Gallery, is published in the main Asian languages.

£ per capita
	Hospital Services	Community Health and Family Practitioners' Services	Other Services	Total
Clwyd	146·48	76·56	13·01	236·05
East Dyfed	161·32	81·59	17·83	241·13
Pembrokeshire	102·78		15·89
Gwent	163·87	86·11	16·15	266·13
Gwynedd	134·71	90·67	20·32	245·70
Mid Glamorgan	153·61	84·74	13·83	252·18
Powys	137·53	89·88	23·88	251·29
South Glamorgan	259·37	86·72	25·84	371·93
West Glamorgan	152·00	86·66	14·22	252·88
WALES	165·22	84·65	17·14	267·01

Notes:1. The expenditure figures used are taken from Annual Accounts submitted to the Department by District Health Authorities.2. Other Services expenditure includes the cost of provision of Ambulance Services, the Blood Tranfusion Services, various other services and Headquarters administration.3. The figures do not include the cost of certain services provided centrally, for example by the Dental Estimates Board and the Welsh Prescription

In the absence of significant demand for the "Guide to the Galleries" in Asian languages, I see no need for such provision.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many staff were employed within each department during the last session to liaise with a Select Committee; what is the grade of each civil servant; and whether the number employed or their grade has been altered since 1979 to 1983.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 December 1984, c. 367]: Liaison with Departmental Select Committees forms part of the duties of about 50 staff across Departments, ranging in grade from Executive Officer to Grade 3 (formerly Under Secretary). The time each spends on liaison work varies considerably from individual to individual and from Department to Department, depending on the Select Committee concerned and its programme of work. But, taking all Departments together, an estimated 2,300 man days a year are spent specifically on liaison, as distinct from other aspects of select committee work. This represents a small increase on previous years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the most recent figures for the distribution of health expenditure for each Welsh area expressed in per capita terms and categorised according to (a) hospital services expenditure, (b) community health and family practitioners' services expenditure and (c) total expenditure.

The figures for 1983–84 are:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimates of his Department of the numbers and percentages of children of school age attending Welsh medium schools or Welsh units.

In 1983–84, the latest year for which information is available, the number of full-time pupils attending designated bilingual primary and secondary schools was 20,450, 4·3 per cent. of all full-time primary and secondary pupils. These figures do not include pupils attending schools in mainly Welsh speaking areas where although the main medium of instruction is Welsh, the schools have not been formerly designated.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimates available to his Department of the numbers and percentage of children under the age of 10 years classified as fluent Welsh speakers.

The available information relates to the numbers of primary school pupils aged five to nine who were assessed as being fluent in Welsh by their headteachers. In 1983–84, the latest year for which information is available, 25,057 pupils were deemed to be fluent Welsh speakers, 15 per cent. of all five to nine-year-old pupils in primary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimates available to his Department of the numbers and percentage of children in secondary schools in Wales classified as fluent Welsh speakers.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those management agreements concluded in Wales by local authorities, pursuant to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, in respect of countryside outside specially designated areas, listing in each case the cost of such schemes; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards the operation of the Act in Wales.

Information on managements agreements for non-designated areas is not available centrally. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was the first substantial piece of countryside legislation to be introduced in more than a decade and it addresses a wide range of difficult and contentious issues. Apart from defects in the provisions for notification of sites of special scientific interest, which we have acknowledged, the Act has proved well adapted to the situation in Wales and has been instrumental in developing co-operation between landowners, tenants and conservation bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites of special scientific interest in Wales, and specify those which have been damaged or destroyed by pesticides since 1981.

There are 561 sites of special scientific interest in Wales. I will write to the hon. Gentleman with details. The Nature Conservancy Council advise that no notified sites in Wales have been damaged or destroyed by pesticides since 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the expenditure incurred, by county, in Wales on the the management of sites of special scientific interest during each year of operation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The answer is as follows:

Expenditure under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
	£
Dyfed
1984	577
Gwent
1984	200
Gwynedd
1983	750
1984	1150
Powys
1984	1160

In addition expenditure as a result of management agreements under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and the Countryside Act 1968 is as follows:

	£
Dyfedd
1981	810
1982	810
1983	810
1984	810
Gwynedd
1981	2143
1982	2143
1983	2143
1984	2143
Mid Glamorgan
1981	200
1982	200
1983	200

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by count, each registered site of special scientific interest in Wales.

There are 561 sites of special scientific interest in Wales. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman with the details.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites of special scientific interest in Wales which have been destroyed or damaged during each year of the operation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The Nature Conservancy Council has identified seven such sites in Wales which have been damaged or destroyed since the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 came into force. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman with the details.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many miles of Welsh inland waterways have been affected by acid rain;(2) how many (i) rivers and (ii) lakes have been affected by acid rain in Wales.

This information is not available. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 11 December at c. 445 an expert group has been established to assess the extent of acidification of freshwaters in Scotland, England and Wales and the causes of acidification.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many home helps per thousand of the population there are at present in Wales.

At 31 September 1984, there were in Wales 1·16 whole-time equivalent home helps per thousand population.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the expenditure incurred, by county, in Wales on the operation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act during each year of its operation.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the powers available to national park authorities to prevent damaging development in the areas over which they have jurisdiction.

National park authorities have a number of powers available. They operate as the local planning authority for the area under their jurisdiction; they have the power under Section 39 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to enter into management agreements with owners and occupiers of land within their area for the purpose of conserving or enhancing the natural beauty or amenity of the countryside; and they have the opportunity in advance of the work being carried out to object to applications upon which it is intended to claim grant under the agricultural and horticultural development and agricultural and horticultural grant schemes and to have their objections considered by the appropriate Minister, in Wales the Secretary of State.

asked the Prime Minister what instructions are given to the drivers of Ministers' cars regarding their driving practices.

I have been asked to reply.It is not the practice to publish details of the instructions given to ministerial drivers.

asked the Prime Minister whether the record of signals sent by Fleet headquarters, Northwood, to HMS Conqueror and received from HMS Conqueror by Fleet headquarters, Northwood, in April to July 1982, has been retained.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 6 December, and to the letter of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Gentleman of 23 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will arrange to meet Mr. Arthur Scargill to discuss the mining dispute.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has no such plans. No one wishes more than this Government to see the industry return to normal working. The NUM leadership however has yet to show that it really wishes to achieve a constructive negotiated settlement.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to pay an official visit to Strathkelvin.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Leith.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 December.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend is paying an official visit to the People's Republic of China.

asked the Prime Minister if she will give an estimate of the cost of all air fares paid for by Her Majesty's Government in 1983 for journeys between London and New York.

The cost of air fares paid for by Her Majesty's Government in 1983 for journeys between London and New York is of the order of £60,000. I regret that a more precise figure could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister how much money would have been saved if each flight paid for by Her Majesty's Government between London and New York in 1983 had been booked (a) with the British commercial carrier offering the lowest price at the time each flight was made, and (b) with the British commercial carrier currently offering the lowest price.

I regret that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's current policy regarding the choice of carrier for flights paid for by Her Majesty's Government between London and New York.

Her Majesty's Government policy is to require Ministers and civil servants to travel by British airlines on all official journeys overseas by air, unless to do so would impose unreasonable delay or would otherwise not be in the public interest.

asked the Prime Minister how many policy reviews have been announced by Government Departments since June 1983; how many such reviews have been completed to date; how many management consultants have been retained by Government Departments since June 1983; and at what total cost to date.

I have been asked to reply.I shall reply to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received from industry urging that energy prices to industry should not be increased to cover increased costs to the energy supply industries arising from the miners' strike.

I have received a number of representations from trade associations and individual firms expressing their concern that the miners' strike might lead to higher electricity prices. I have informed these organisations that no decisions have been taken on how the costs arising from the strike will be met.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide information on the end-use of plutonium produced in Britain in the last year.

I can confirm that no plutonium derived from CEGB or SSEB power stations has been used other than for civil purposes in the last year; and, that Her Majesty's Government's policy in this area remains as given by my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, North (Mr. Skeet) on 4 February 1983, at column 206.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a record of the amount of plutonium produced at Wylfa during the first three years of its existence.

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, North (Mr. Skeet) on 9 March 1983, at column 401.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list the Central Electricity Generating Board power stations which are under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards;(2) if he will list the nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom which are under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

The nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom, including those contained in CEGB and SSEB power stations, which are included in the list of facilities subject to the UK-Euratom-IAEA safeguards agreement are as follows: Central Electricity Generating board

• Bradwell Nuclear Power Station
• Berkeley Nuclear Power station
• Dungeness 'A' Nuclear Power Station
• Dungeness 'B' Nuclear Power Station
• Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station
• Heysham I Nuclear Power Station
• Hinkley Point 'A' Nuclear Power Station
• Hinkley Point 'B' Nuclear Power Station
• Oldbury Nuclear Power Station
• Sizewell 'A' Nuclear Power Station
• Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station
• Wylfa Nuclear Power Station
• Berkeley Nuclear labs zero energy research reactor

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate how much nuclear waste is likely to be produced in the United Kingdom by the year 2000; and if he will indicate separately the quantities of high, intermediate and low-level wastes that will need to be accommodated.

I have been asked to reply.The cumulative volumes of radioactive wastes likely to exist by the year 2000 are:

	Number
High activity wastes	4,300 m3
Intermediate activity wastes	90,000 m3
Low activity wastes	500,000 m3

These figures include wastes existing now and those likely to arise in future from existing nuclear installations and those currently under construction. They also include the wastes likely to arise from the new floc precipitation plant at Sellafield announced today. They do not include wastes that would arise from the CEGB's proposed power station at Sizewell in Suffolk if it were to be built. The totals include significant amounts of mainly low activity wastes (110,000 m

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions concerning the use of plastic baton rounds in England and Wales are currently in force.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 7 December, at columns 306–7.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will order an inquiry into the running of Finnimore Wood youth custody centre;(2) what representations he has received from the Prison Officers Association concerning events at Finnimore Wood youth custody centre;(3) whether he is satisfied with the recruitment and supervision of teachers in Finnimore Wood youth custody centre.

At recent meetings with the prison department the Prison Officers Association made a number of assertions about misbehaviour by inmates at Finnimore Wood youth custody centre, and these are being fully investigated. We are satisfied with the recruitment and supervision of teachers at the establishment: the question of prison officer manning while evening education is taking place is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those individuals charged with offences arising out of the current miners' dispute have been office holders of the National Union of Mineworkers; and with what offences they were charged.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by police force of the number of days of sick leave which serving police officers have been forced to take as a result of injuries sustained during the course of the miners' dispute.

The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by degree of seriousness and by police force of injuries sustained by serving police officers during the course of the current miners' dispute which have so far been brought to his attention.

The information available centrally relates to the police force area in which injuries were sustained, rather than to the police forces from which the officers came, and does not distinguish between serious and less serious injuries. During the period 13 March to 13 December inclusive, the number of injuries was as follows:

Police force area	Number of injuries
Cleveland	2
Derbyshire	243
Durham	43
Dyfed-Powys	4
Essex	7
Greater Manchester	13

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by type of offence for which charges have been brought following incidents which have taken place in the course of the current miners' dispute, stating in each category (a) the total number of charges brought, (b) the number of individuals charged, (c) the number of cases tried, (d) the number of convictions made and (e) the number of custodial sentences which resulted.

The information available centrally relates to the period from 13 March to 11 December inclusive, for which I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 14 December, at column 638. The total number of immediate custodial sentences imposed during that period, including sentences to youth custody or detention in a detention centre, imposed during that period was 118.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total additional cost to date of policing the miners' dispute in south Wales which has been borne by local authority expenditure; and what is the extent to which this additional expenditure, by local authority, will attract overspending penalty.

I understand that up to 31 October the additional costs to the South Wales police authority resulting from the policing of the miners' dispute in the police area were some £370,000, 50 per cent. of which will be met by police grant from the Home Office. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has announced that additional costs resulting from the policing of the dispute will be disregarded for grant holdback purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people in Wales have so far this year been convicted of crimes associated with the possession of heroin or similar drugs;(2) how many people in Wales in 1983–84 were convicted of drug-related offences.

The latest available information relates to 1983, when 1,110 persons were found guilty in Wales of offences under drugs legislation or of other offences involving controlled drugs, 92 of whom were found guilty of offences involving class A drugs, as defined in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Corresponding statistics for 1984 will be published next summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ban the broadcasting on any television channel of programmes about sports events sponsored by tobacco companies.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the identity of the assistant secretary in his Department referred to by Lord Donaldson, Master of the Rolls, in Findlay v. Secretary of State for Home Affairs as having sworn an affidavit, the tenor of which was described as untrue;(2) whether any disciplinary action has been taken against the assistant secretary in the Home Department referred to by Lord Donaldson, Master of the Rolls, in Findlay

The affidavit in question was sworn by Mr. A. H. Turney, an assistant secretary in my Department, and was a true statement. It was sworn in the context of evidence already before the court that, as I had announced to Parliament in my statement of 30 November 1983, at columns 513–15, four life sentence prisoners had before that date been moved from open to closed prisons because their release in the relatively near future would not have accorded with my view of the gravity of their offences. It was intended not to qualify that evidence in any way, but to explain that a move to open prison, especially without a provisional release date, does not import any commitment to release a life sentence prisoner. I recognise that there may have been some ambiguity, which I regret, in the wording both of my statement and of the affidavit; but the matter was elucidated by counsel to the satisfaction of the court. No question of disciplinary action against Mr. Turney arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the Department of Health and Social Security leaflet, "Drinking Sensibly", are now in circulation; and what response has been received therefrom to date.

I have been asked to reply.The initial 5,000 published copies of "Drinking Sensibly"

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of (a) the number of offences reported and (b) the number of prosecutions for voting more than once in the general elections of 1983, 1979 and 1974 in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Great Britain.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 November 1984, c. 349]: Further to the information given on 13 December, at column 567, in respect of England and Wales, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the following information for Scotland does not distinguish offences of personation from other voting offences nor offences committed at a general election from those committed at by-elections or local elections.

Crimes against the Representation of the People Act 1949 and 1983 recorded by the police and persons subsequently proceeded against for those offences in Scotland
Year	Offences reported	Persons proceeded against
1974	10	1
1979	3	3
1983	1	*8
* Eight persons involved in one offence.

I also understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the available information for Northern Ireland is that in 1983 149 persons were arrested for offences against the Representation of the People Act 1983, of whom 104 were subsequently prosecuted. Corresponding figures for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Hampshire police as to how many persons have been arrested by the police at demonstrations outside and inside Longmoor camp and on which days; and how many were charged.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 November 1984, c. 264]: My right hon. and learned Friend has now received and considered a report from the chief constable. The chief constable reports that one person was arrested by the police outside military land on 16 November, and that 25 people were arrested by the police inside military land on 17 November. None has yet been charged.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report of the working party on the transfer of housing in Scottish new towns will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

The working party completed its report this summer. Printing difficulties delayed its publication but it is now available. I am arranging for copies to be sent to Scottish Members with new towns in their constituencies and to have a copy deposited in the Library. The working party included representatives of the Industry Department for Scotland, the new town development corporations and the district councils, nominated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. The working party's terms of reference were to devise a model scheme for the transfer of rented housing owned by Scottish new town development corporations to the district councils for their areas. The scheme was to be applicable, with adjustments, to all five new towns when the wind-up process for each development corporation began. The working party was asked to take account of a number of factors, ranging from the financial implications of transfer to the possible need for legislation.I welcome the working party's report which will be of considerable practical value when the time comes to begin the transfer process. This will not occur until a development corporation has begun to be wound up and as I announced on 14 November that wind-up will not begin before April 1990. In the meantime the working party has suggested that development corporations and district councils may be able to ease the eventual transfer process by taking preparatory steps in advance. These would include moving towards a common approach on rental structures, and in general matters of policy and administration where this is not already the case. The working party has also made a number of recommendations for legislation. We will be considering these carefully, with a view to ensuring that any necessary legislative provision is made in good time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about Government policy concerning the benefits of providing and receiving nursery education.

Nursery education has to be seen in the context of other kinds of provision, including voluntary provision, for pre-school children. My Department is now carrying out a national study of provision for under-sixes. When the report of the study becomes available, we shall consider the policy implications for nursery education.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Scotland what forecast his Department has made of the likely number of pre-school children in the foreseeable future.

A projection of the population of Scotland for the period 1983 to 2023 has recently been prepared by the Government Actuary in consultation with the Registrar General. A summary of the results including the projected numbers of children aged nought to four years was published in the Registrar General for Scotland's "Vital Statistics Return for Weeks 37 to 40, 1984", a copy of which is in the Library. A brief summary of the assumptions underlying the projection is also shown.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of pre-school children in Dundee and Scotland in each of the next three years; and what are the current figures.

The Registrar General makes estimates of population each year for the immediately preceding year. The current estimate is that for 1983. Projections of population over the succeeding years are made biennally by the Government Actuary in consultation with the Registrar General and are based on the most recent estimates available. The 1983 estimate and the latest projected population of children aged nought to four years in Scotland for the years to 1987 are shown in the table. A consistent projection for Dundee is not yet available. The previous projection for both Scotland and Dundee, based on the 1981 estimate, is also shown in the table. The 1983 based projection assumes a slower rise in fertility, following analysis of recent trends. Also the 1983 population base takes account of information from the 1981 Census of Population which was not available at the time of fixing the 1981 base and this obscures comparison between the two projections.

Projected population aged 0–4, Scotland, Dundee
('000)
	1983 based		1981 based
	Scotland	Dundee	Scotland	Dundee
1983	*328	*10·6	325	10·7
1984	327	na	328	10·8
1985	324	na	331	11·0
1986	322	na	335	11·0
1987	323	na	342	11·3
* Estimated population for 30 June 1983

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing, for Scotland, the gross receipts from selling council houses under the right-to-buy policy for the years 1979–80 to the latest available year.

Receipts from the sale of council houses sold under the right to buy provisions of the Tenants' Rights Etc. (Scotland) Act 1980 cannot be separately identified in the returns submitted by local authorities. The following table shows the gross receipts which have accrued to district and islands councils from all sales of houses held on their housing revenue accounts —including sales to sitting tenants under voluntary sales policies and sales of vacant houses:—

Gross Receipts from sales of Council Houses held on District and Islands Councils' Housing Revenue Accounts
Year	Gross Receipts (£ million)
1979–80	5·807
1980–81	19·609
1981–82	62·170
1982–83	103·338
1983–84	123·034
1984–85	*116·239
* Estimate

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish health boards will meet the timetable set by him in June of obtaining tenders for ancillary services by 31 December.

Health boards have been asked to report by April 1985 progress made with testing the cost-effectiveness of their support services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any proposals for changing the parole arrangements in Scotland.

I share the public concern about the level of violent crime and of drug trafficking, and, in order to reinforce the deterrent effect of the longer sentences of imprisonment for such offences, I have made clear to the Parole Board for Scotland that I would be reluctant to exercise my discretion so as to authorise early release of a prisoner who is serving a sentence of more than five years for such offences any more than a few months before he would otherwise be released, except in cases where the circumstances are exceptional. I have, however, assured the Parole Board for Scotland that it will continue to see all the cases that it has hitherto scrutinised, following the initial review by the local review committees, so that the board will have the opportunity to bring to my attention in any such case circumstances which in its view are exceptional. The parole board recognises that it is for me, under the statute, to decide whether to accept or reject a recommendation by the parole board.The release on licence of life sentences prisoners is at my discretion, subject to a favourable recommendation by the Parole Board for Scotland and to consultation with the Lord Justice General and (if he is available) the trial judge. While I am satisfied that the safety of the public has always been, and will continue to be, a paramount consideration for the Parole Board for Scotland as it is for myself, I am concerned to emphasise the deterrent effect of sentences of life imprisonment, especially those for the murders of police officers, murders by terrorists, sexual or sadistic murders of children or murders committed by firearm in the commission of crime. Accordingly I have made clear to the Parole Board for Scotland that only in exceptional circumstances would I feel that release earlier than 20 years would be appropriate for a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment for such a crime; and indeed there will be cases where the gravity of the offence requires a still longer period; the same may apply to other murders. I do not, however, propose to make any changes in the procedures for the consideration for release of life sentence prisoners in Scotland, including those of the preliminary review committee which I introduced in 1980, which in my view sufficiently provide for me to obtain an initial judicial view on the requirements of retribution and deterrence, in addition to the later consultation for which statute provides. I have consulted the Lord Justice General in this matter, and have ascertained that he also is content with the present arrangements. I am, however, concerned that the Parole Board for Scotland should continue to see all those cases which would hitherto have been referred to it, so that it may have the opportunity of bringing to my attention any circumstances which it considers to be exceptional.In forming my views on these matters, I have taken into account my discussion of them with the Parole Board for Scotland. I should add that they will not affect any case of a life sentence prisoner to whom a provisional release date has already been intimated, nor any determinate sentence prisoner concerning whom the parole board had made recommendations to me before my discussion with them. I am glad to have this opportunity to repeat that I have the highest regard for the assiduity with which the parole board undertakes its difficult task and the care with which it examines each individual case on its merits.I have also considered most carefully whether there is a need, in Scotland, to reduce the minimum qualifying period for parole to a shorter period (it is now six months in England and Wales). I have decided not to do this. Our parole system in Scotland has developed along distinctive lines, and I am not aware of any general dissatisfaction in Scotland about the range of inmates who are covered by the parole scheme. In particular, I do not think that the additional resources that would be required, especially by regional social work departments to provide supervision for short periods of parole, could be justified. I am, however, concerned about the number of persons serving short terms of imprisonment for fines default. I am impressed by the results of the fines enforcement officer schemes in Airdrie and Edinburgh and now propose to extend the scheme on a more permanent basis to other sheriff courts in Scotland in order to assist those for whom the court regards a fine as the appropriate disposal to satisfy the sentence without being subjected to imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he proposes in the system for the control of local authority capital expenditure.

I am broadly satisfied with the operation of the local authority capital control system in Scotland, but I propose two modest changes which will lead to more flexible management of the local authority capital cash blocks Scottish Office—local authority 1 and Scottish Office—local authority 2. At present my Department can carry forward to the following year an underspend on either cash block up to a maximum of 2 per cent. of the appropriate cash limit; in future the maximum will be 5 per cent. Furthermore if it appears that an overspend is likely on either block I will refrain from taking any mid-year corrective action unless the probable outturn looks like exceeding 105 per cent. of the appropriate cash limit.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of Arts how Her Majesty's Government intend to mark European Music Year, other than on the European Day of Music itself, as outlined by the Prime Minister in her reply of 5 December.

My right hon. and noble Friend is to give a reception to mark the opening of the Handel festival in July. Arrangements for the festival, and for many other events to be held during the year, are in the hands of the European Music Year (UK) Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the housing public expenditure programme for 1985–86.

Following discussions with the local authority associations at the Housing Consultative Council on 30 November and with the Chairman of the Housing Corporation, I am able to announce decisions on housing capital and current expenditure for 1985–86.Total provision for housing capital expenditure in 1985–86, including forecast housing capital receipts next year of £1,731 million, is £3,055 million. I have decided to allocate those resources as follows:

	£ million
Local authorities	2,324
Housing Corporation	685
New Towns	43
Home Loan	3

Capital resources next year for the Housing Corporation include net provision for £605 million plus estimated capital receipts of £80 million. This will maintain provision for a substantial level of investment by the corporation. I will announce the detailed breakdown of the corporation's approved development programme as soon as possible.The New Towns' share of resources again reflects the fact that the publicly-rented building programme in the New Towns has virtually ended. The remaining investment is concentrated on providing sites for private development, on shared ownership and on repair and improvement of dwellings prior to transfer to local authorities.The provision of £2,324 million for local authorities includes forecast capital receipts of £1,595 million. Details of those forecast receipts and of the underlying assumptions were given in reply to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 12 December at column

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken to reduce liquid discharges of radioactivity from Sellafield.

The radiochemical inspectorate of my Department, jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has already put forward formal proposals for a variation of the authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, so that the limits will reflect the substantial reductions in actual discharges that have been achieved in the past few years and place extra controls on the amounts discharged over short periods, and on solvent and particulates. This variation, which also contains a formal requirement that the best practicable means must be used to limit discharges, is expected to come into force early in the New Year.The site ion exchange plant, constructed at a cost of £130 million, will come into operation next year and will make possible a further reduction in discharge of caesium, to one tenth of the maximum released in recent years. The new salt evaporator, also due to come into operation next year at a cost of £30 million, will make possible a parallel reduction in dischargess of plutonium and other alpha emitters, to about 200 curies a year. Formal proposals to replace the existing authorisation by a new and more stringent one will be put forward by the authorising Departments next year, and the opportunity will also be taken to set specific limits on a much larger number of individual radionuclides. The local authorities will be consulted about the new draft authorisation, as will the water and health authorities, and sea fisheries committees.Beyond that, the achievement of a further significant reduction on a continuing basis depends on the construction of major new treatment plant. The Government, after a review of the options in consultation with the company, has approved the company's proposal to build a floc precipitation plant, costing £150 million, which would be in operation by 1991. The target is to reduce discharges to less than 20 curies a year of alpha activity and about 8,000 curies a year of beta/gamma activity (other than tritium). The latter figure is below the level currently achieved by the only plant in any way comparable, the newer French reprocessing plant at Cap de la Hague, and the alpha figure is approximately equal to the current figure for that plant. These figures include an allowance for the new reprocessing plant for oxide fuel. Further reductions will be obtained when the present reprocessing plant for magnox fuel goes out of operation in the early years of the next century. At that time the targets will be to reduce discharges to not more than 5 curies a year of alpha activity and not more than 2,000 curies a year of beta/gamma activity (other than tritium).This programme of measures complies with the recommendation of the Paris commission on the prevention of pollution from land-based sources that contracting parties should take account of the best available technology at nuclear reprocessing plants, in order to minimise radioactive discharges to the marine environment. The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee has confirmed that, in its view, this programme takes full account of all the scientific evidence, and is consistent with the United Kingdom's policy objectives for radioactive waste management, particularly the objective of reducing discharges to the lowest reasonably practicable. The estimated annual radiation dose to the small critical group of people eating large amounts of fish and shellfish will be reduced to well below 10 per cent. of the limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, as compared with 54 per cent. in 1982.The two authorising Departments plan to review the authorisation every three years, in line with a recommendation in the Black report. For the purposes of such reviews, they will draw upon the results from an expanded programme of environmental monitoring they have now required BNFL to carry out as from January 1985, as well as their own check monitoring and relevant research. They will also take full account of advice on the health aspects of discharges, and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health is considering, in the light of the Black report, how such advice can be best provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the contribution to job creation and maintenance by the various metropolitan county enterprise boards; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the contribution of job creation and maintenance by the various metropolitan county enterprise boards; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent assessment he has made of the contribution by the Greater Manchester Economic Development Corporation Limited towards employment creation in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

The establishment of enterprise boards and similar bodies is one means by which local authorities can make a contribution to local economic development. It is for the councils concerned to satisfy themselves as to its worth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects to issue the consultation paper on the valuation of domestic properties for rating purposes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 22 October at c. 491.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much sponsorship money sport receives from the tobacco industry; and if he will make a statement.

Under the voluntary agreement on sponsorship of sport by tobacco companies in the United Kingdom the industry informs my Department of its expenditure on sports sponsorship in confidence. I cannot therefore make the information available. However, the agreement restricts companies' expenditure to the 1976 level with due allowance for inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much additional money sport receives from sponsorhip from non-govermental sponsors, other than the tobacco industry; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not available. However, the Sports Council has estimated that sport received about £100 million last year in sponsorship from all sources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the number of sporting events which were sponsored in 1983 and the number which were sponsored by the tobacco industry; and if he will make a statement.

Information on events sponsored by the tobacco industry is supplied to my Department in confidence by the industry. I cannot therefore make that information available. The further information sought is also unavailable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consult the medical profession before considering any renewal of the voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry on the sponsorship of sport; and if he will make a statement.

The British Medical Association has recently asked to discuss sports sponsorship by the tobacco industry and the voluntary agreement with my right hon. Friend. As the Minister responsible for the agreement, I shall be pleased to meet a delegation from the BMA and hear at first hand their views. I shall, of course, take these into account when considering the voluntary agreement, which stands until at least 31 December 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in discussions between his Department and the National House Building Council in respect of establishing agreed standards of repairs to the various types of prefabricated reinforced concrete dwellings designated under the Housing Defects Act 1984.

Discussions are continuing. I will reply fully to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has as to how many London boroughs operate special lettings schemes for key workers and for people with priority on medical grounds in the allocation of their housing stock;(2) what information he has to which London boroughs operate a special housing register for engaged couples and for those who do not qualify for rehousing because they do not meet residence qualifications;(3) what information he has to the proportion of applicants on housing waiting lists in inner London who require bedsits and as to what proportion need two or more bedrooms.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to him about London waiting lists on 6 December 1984 at column 238.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the recent report by Shelter Housing Aid Centre, the London Housing Aid Centre, a copy of which has been sent to him, in respect of the employment impact of a programme to tackle London's housing problems.

I have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member on 10 December at column 392.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of how many new jobs would be created (a) in the construction industry and (b) in the wider economy for each additional 1,000 new houses built and for each additional 1,000 major renovations in the public and in the private sectors.

The information specifically requested for these building activities is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of the extent of uncontrolled squatting in council dwellings in London.

This is a matter for the local authorities which own the dwellings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the basis on which he determined the 1984–85 grant related expenditure for the fire service in London.

Grant related expenditure for the fire service is calculated on the basis of a single national formula for all authorities comprising the following factors: population, total area, density of settlement, the average number of fire calls in 1981 and 1982, and the area of high fire risk, with adjustments for higher labour costs in and around London and special costs for the Isles of Scilly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of the Property Services Agency about safety aspects relating to the use of asbestos cement in the refurbishing of public buildings.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each authority designated under the Rates Act 1984 the estimated block grant entitlements he has taken into account in determining the provisional maximum rate; and what are (i) the assumptions made about that authority's expenditure in 1985–86 and (ii) the assumptions made about all non-designated authorities' expenditure in 1985–86, in determining that grant entitlement.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 December 1984]: The calculation of the proposed maximum rate or precept for each designated authority includes the block grant I estimate will become payable to the authority, including any receipts from the London rate equalisation scheme where appropriate. It assumes that the same figure (in cash) as in 1984–85 will be disregarded for the purposes of implementing grant penalties in 1985–86. It makes no allowance for close-ending of block grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received since 17 January concerning the provisions of the Rates Act 1984 from people living in the designated authorities, indicating how many letters have come from people in each constituency covered wholly or in part by the 18 authorities.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 December 1984]: The number of letters received in respect of each of the selected authorities is as follows:

	Number of letters received
Basildon	3
Brent	5
Camden	34
GLC	—
Greenwich	5
Hackney	3
Haringey	16
ILEA	1,115
Islington	16
Lambeth	9
Leicester	6
Lewisham	4
Merseyside	—
Portsmouth	1
Sheffield	33
Southwark	3
South Yorkshire	91
Thamesdown	2

Information as to the number of letters from each constituency is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each authority designated under the Rates Act 1984 the assumptions he has made in respect of (i) exclusive penny rate products, (ii) expenditure for 1983–84 and 1984–85, (iii) rate fund revenue balances, (iv) special fund balances, (v) capital fund balances, (vi) (a) trading account balances in respect

Unit	Location	Officers					Soldiers
		Major	Capt.	Lt.	2/Lt.	Total	WOI	WOII	S/Sgt.	Sgt.	Cpl.	L/Cpl.	Private	Total	Totals
C (Cheshire Yeomanry) Squadron, The Queen's Own Yeomanry	Chester	1	2	4	2	9	—	1	2	13	24	26	67	133	142
80 (Cheshire Yeomanry) Signals Squadron, 33rd (Lancashire and Cheshire) Signals Regiment (Volunteers)	Chester	1	7	4	2	14	—	2	4	14	19	24	63	126	140
Headquarters 42nd Infantry Brigade	Chester	1	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
Detachment B Company, 2nd Battalion Mercian Volunteers	Crewe	—	—	—	1	1	—	—	—	2	1	3	30	36	37
C Company, 2nd Battalion Mercian Volunteers	Ellesmere Port*	—	1	2	—	3	—	1	2	6	11	6	98	124	127
Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th/8th (Volunteer) Battalion The Kings Regiment	Warrington	5	3	1	1	10	—	7	3	16	14	18	38	96	106
D company, 5th/8th (Volunteer) Battalion The Kings Regiment	Waxrington	—	1	1	1	3	—	1	1	2	8	7	63	82	85
The North West Infantry Band (TAVR) (KINGS)	Warrington	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	1	2	2	4	17	27	27

[Pursuant to his reply, December 1984]: Where information requested by me for the purpose of exercising my powers under Part I of the rates Act 1984 was not furnished by a designated authority, I have made such assumptions about matters relevant to the calculation of their proposed rate or precept limit as I have thought appropriate, as I am empowered to do under section 8(1) of the Act. I have also taken into account relevant financial returns made by each authority to my Department, any additional information supplied to me by authorities and further informtion available to me. Authorities have been informed that they have until 15 January, 1985 to comment on the rate or precept limit proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent action his Department has taken to secure the future of St. George's hall, Liverpool.

Further to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government's answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool West Derby on 22 November 1984 my officials are meeting Liverpool City Council today to discuss what progress the Council has made. [Vol. 68, c. 282.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give a breakdown by rank of the numbers of individuals serving in each regiment within the Territorial Army in Cheshire;(2) if he will list in the

A breakdown by rank of the number of individuals serving in each Territorial Army unit based in Cheshire, together with the respective strengths of those units as at 11 December 1984 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline his plans for the future strengths of those units of the Territorial Army currently based in Cheshire.

As part of our phase II expansion of the Territorial Army, plans for which we announced in March, we intend to begin raising a new battalion in the Cheshire area in 1986, which will be called 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Cheshire Regiment. This will be based on two existing companies of 2nd Battalion Mercian Volunteers at Ellesmere Port and Stockport. A headquarters for the new battalion will be raised initially at Northwich and will move to Runcorn. A new company will be raised at Macclesfield and the detachment of B Company, 2nd Battalion Mercian Volunteers at Crewe will expand and become D Company of the new battalion. We also plan to expand 207 (Manchester) general hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (Volunteers), which recruits partly in Macclesfield, by about 100 posts. In addition, we intend to raise new home service force companies based in Warrington and Runcorn, and a platoon of a company based in Liverpool will be raised at Widnes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the average annual training time undertaken by individuals serving in the Territorial Army.

During the training year 1983–84 the average number of training days undertaken by the whole of the Territorial Army was 35·9 per man.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to seek to ensure that public statements made by, and the military doctrine of, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation reflect its character as a defensive alliance.

NATO's public statements, such as its communiquùs, and NATO military planning already reflect the defensive nature of the Alliance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why he does not give guidelines to service men on their off-duty involvement in industrial disputes such as the current miners' dispute.

I have nothing further to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member on 11 December, at column 409.

asked the Secretary of State for defence if any companies involved in the Federal Republic of Germany are experiencing difficulties in reaching production deadlines in the FH70 programme.

Not that I am aware.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs are expected to be lost, both directly and indirectly, as a result of giving the FH70 order to the Federal Republic of Germany.

The current order for FH70 ammunition to meet British Army requirements has, in accordance with international working agreements, been allocated to the Federal Republic of Germany. Had this work been awarded in full to the ROFs, in contravention of the relevant memorandum of understanding, it is estimated that it would have given rise to 640 man years of work. It is not possible to estimate the amount of any further work which this would have produced elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate how much work has been received by (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the Federal Republic of Germany and (c) the Republic of Italy under the agreement concerning the FH70 programme.

The latest trilaterally agreed position is as follows:

	Value of work	Percentage of total	Workshares entitlement
	£ million	Per cent.	Per cent.
UK industry	204	38·1	36·3
FRG industry	185	34·7	36·3
Italian industry	145	27·2	27·4
	534	100	100

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the operation of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.

Section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 is currently under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1947 section 10 of the Crown Protection Act 1947 has been invoked.

Section 10 of the Crown Protection Act 1947 applies to all cases of death or injury to members of the armed forces occurring in the circumstances described in the section and where DHSS certifies that the relevant incident or circumstance is regarded as attributable to service. Available records do not allow us to determine the total numbers concerned since 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 11 December, Official Report, columns 432–33, if he will list the course and position of the General Belgrano on all those occasions when it was reported to the Flag Officer Submarines at Northwood.