asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the research projects on acquired immune deficiency syndrome that the Government are supporting; and if he will make a statement.

The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid through the Department, is at present supporting the following research programmes on AIDS through its project grants scheme:

(a) Professor M. W. Adler and Dr. R. S. Tedder (Middlesex hospital medical school, London): An investigation into the immunology and aetiology of AIDS;

(b) Dr. J. Craske (PHLS, Withington hospital, Manchester): An epidemiological study of the relationship of AIDS in patients with disorders of blood coagulation to its possible acquisition through treatment with blood products;

(c) Dr. D. J. Jeffries (St. Mary's hospital medical school, London) and Dr. D. Taylor Robinson, (clinical research centre, Harrow): Virological investigations of patients with AIDS;

(d) Dr. A. Pinching (St. Mary's hospital medical school, London): A study on the killing of intracellular pathogens by macrophages derived from homosexual males with AIDS and related disorders;

(e) Professor R. Weiss (Institute of cancer research, London): Retroviruses associated with AIDS.

I would also refer the hon. Member to my replies on this subject on 26 November 1984 at column 389, and on 11 December at columns 451–52.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all those research establishments in the United Kingdom which are supplied with foetal tissue from the foetal tissue bank at the Royal Marsden hospital; and what safeguards exist to ensure that such material does not go beyond the shores of the United Kingdom

I understand from the Medical Research Council, which funds the foetal tissue bank at the Royal Marsden hospital, that in 1984 the following establishments received foetal material from the bank:

• Brompton hospital, London
• Central public health virus laboratory, Colindale
• Central public health laboratory, Middlesex
• Charing Cross hospital, London
• Guy's hospital, London
• Hammersmith hospital, London
• Harefield hospital, Uxbridge
• Imperial cancer research fund, London
• King's college hospital, London
• London school of hygiene and tropical medicine, London
• Ludwig institute, Royal Marsden hospital, Sutton
• MRC clinical research centre, London
• MRC human biochemical genetics unit, London
• National hospital, London
• Royal Marsden hospital, London
• Royal postgraduate medical school, London
• St. Bartholomew's hospital, London
• St. George's hospital, London
• St. Mary's hospital, London
• St. Thomas's hospital, London
• University college hospital and medical school, London
• Department of pathology, university of Cambridge
• Westminster hospital medical school, London

All material from this foetal tissue bank is issued only to researchers in the United Kingdom, who have first obtained written clearance from their local ethical committee. I understand that the MRC regards this as sufficient safeguard against such material being exported.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the distribution of the science budget for 1985–86.

Having considered the recommendations of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, I have decided that the science budget for 1985–86 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the Estimates in due course, be allocated as follows:

1985–86	£ million cash
Agricultural and Food Research Council	50·3
Medical Research Council	122·3
Natural Environment Research Council	67·3
Science and Engineering Research Council	298·0
Economic and Social Research Council	23·6
British Museum (Natural History)*	16·2
Royal Society	5·9
Fellowship of Engineering	0·25
	583·9
* Including expenditure of £4·8 million by PSA on behalf of the museum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the implications for capital expenditure on schools and further education of the recent allocations to local education authorities for prescribed capital expenditure and for capital projects at voluntary aided and special agreement schools in 1985–86.

The total available for 1985–86 in respect of county and voluntary schools and of local authority further and higher education is £355 million. This should permit continuing progress with the removal of surplus school places. Within further and higher education, it provides for a start to be made on all those new projects of which local authorities were provisionally informed last autumn, and for all bids made by authorities for expenditure on equipment related to teaching and research to be met in full.I have retained a small reserve, largely against the possibility of any local education authority being able to demonstrate that the reduction of the prescribed proportion of capital receipts will make it impossible to fulfil contractual or statutory obligations. Authorities have been informed of their share of the total, and a last of the allocations has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what will replace revenue currently derived from North sea oil production when the level of production has decreased significantly; and if she will make a statement.

The North sea tax revenues are being put to good use. Inflation has been reduced to the lowest level since the 1960s and the level of Government borrowing relative to GDP is one of the lowest anywhere in the world. A considerable part of the public sector's overseas debts have been repaid and overseas assets are being built up. Domestic fixed investment is expected to have reached record levels in 1984.This will place the public sector finances and the economy itself in a good position to withstand falling oil revenues when oil production eventually begins to decline. The non-North sea economy and overseas earnings will tend to generate additional revenues as oil production declines. The Green Paper on "Public Expenditure and Taxation into the 1990s" (Cmnd. 9189) showed that, with restraint in public expenditure, falling debt interest costs should allow both non-North sea taxes and the level of borrowing (relative to GDP) to be reduced despite declining oil revenues.

asked the Prime Minister how many people were in receipt of supplementary benefit on 1 January; and how many of those in receipt had children.

At December 1983, the latest date for which information is available, 4·3 million, of whom 965,000 had dependent children.

asked the Prime Minister if she will issue guidance to local authorities concerning the prosecution of shops which contravene the law relating to Sunday opening.

No. The law is clear and local authorities do not require guidance.

asked the Prime Minister if she will estimate the saving which could be made if the rules of parental contribution applicable to university students were applied to parents given a Government boarding allowance.

The necessary information on parental income is not available since, as I explained to the hon. Member on 14 December, at column 606, this is not a factor in determining boarding allowances for the children of public servants.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish figures broken down by Department for the cost of Government boarding allowance schemes for public servants in 1983–84; and if she will set out the circumstances for each scheme in which allowances are paid.

The figures requested for 1983–84 are as follows:

	£ million
Armed Forces	76·5
Diplomatic Service	5·9
British Council	1·2
Overseas Development Administration	0·7
Ministry of Defence (Civilians)	0·5
Other Departments	0·2
Total	85·0

The total differs slightly from that given in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 December at column 606, because that reply covered only the Ministry of Defence and the Diplomatic Service.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 January.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I will be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent visit to Peking.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 9 January, at column 441.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the time allowed for pedestrians to cross at pelican crossings.

Currently recommended times are set down in departmental standard TD/4/79. A copy is in the Library.Two changes to the recommended timings for use in certain circumstances are under consideration which will benefit pedestrians. One is to keep the red signal showing to traffic for two seconds after the green walking man has started to flash, rather than as at present when the flashing amber signal showing to traffic starts immediately the green walking man starts to flash. The other is to increase by two seconds the duration of the period when the green walking man is shown steadily illuminated.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his Department's policy to ensure that when improvements to trunk roads or the building of bypasses on trunk roads severs main routes between villages that these routes should have bridges or underpasses built to maintain the link.

Bridges or underpasses are provided where necessary. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps she would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what factors, apart from cost, are taken into account when assessing different schemes for building bypasses on trunk roads; and how these different factors are weighted.

The variety of non-financial factors included in the assessment of trunk road schemes are set out in the Department of Transport's "Manual of Environmental Appraisal", published in September 1983, copies of which are in the Library of the House. No attempt is made to attribute particular weights to these factors as the circumstances of each case vary considerably and non-financial factors are not in general capable of being assessed under a common weighting system.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what were his reasons for implementing a trunking order on the A420 around Kingston Bagpuize.

As I explained in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson), on 17 December at column 69, we propose that the A420 between Swindon and Oxford should become a trunk road because it is part of an important route between Swindon and the midlands.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if legal barriers to trade exist between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which do not apply to trade between the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce a specific customs classification for dead human foetal material; and if he will make a statement.

I can see no reason for doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as to the recent tape recording trials of police interviews in Leicester.

The tape recording of police interviews has been in operation at Leicester central police station since 2 April 1984. Five interview rooms are equipped for tape recording: three of them in the main cell block; one in the CID suite; and one in the regional crime squad suite. Up to 31 December 1984, 3,378 persons had been interviewed on tape. The chief constable tells me that the officers who have participated in the trial have adapted well to the new procedures. Although it is too early to point with certainly to changes which have been brought about by tape recording, there is some evidence of an increase in the number of pleas of guilty and of less frequent challenge to police officers' evidence of interviews. Detailed monitoring of the trial in Leicester and in the five other tape recording trial areas is being undertaken by the Home Office research and planning unit in order to establish the full effects which tape recording gives rise to in the criminal justice system, and to inform the planning for the implementation of a national scheme. Home Office "Research Study No. 82", which reported the full background to the trials and some preliminary results, was published last month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received since the publication of the Auld report; of these how many were in favour of revised shopping hours and how many against; and if he will list those from business and trade organisations.

Following publication of the report of the Auld committee we have received 172 letters commenting on the recommendations. Of these 33 have been in favour of revised shopping hours and 139 against. The following business and trade organisations have written:

• British Hardware Federation
• Horticultural Trades Association
• National Chamber of Trade
• Pharamaceutical Society of Great Britain
• Voluntary Group Association

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to issue codes of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

Section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 requires the Home Secretary to issue codes of practice in connection with the exercise of statutory powers of stop and search; the detention, treatment, questioning and identification of persons by police officers; searches of premises by police officers; and the seizure of property found by police officers on persons or premises. Drafts of all these codes have already been published for public comment.I have today published revised versions of these codes. Comments will, as before, be welcome, and should be sent to Room 530, Home Office by 8 February. In accordance with section 67 of the Act I shall consider carefully all representations made about the drafts; and after deciding what modifications are appropriate I shall seek Parliament's approval for their issue, to come into force on 1 January 1986.Copies of the drafts have been placed in the Library of each House and sent to the wide range of interested bodies and individuals who have received earlier drafts. Additional copies are available on request, free of charge, from Room 531, Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what exhibitions in which British companies participating in China were visited by the Minister of State, Department of Energy in his recent visit at the end of November.

During my visit to China, from 1 to 7 December 1984, I opened the United Kingdom offshore oil and gas seminar in Beijing (Peking) and also participated in the seminar in Guangzhou (Canton).The seminar, held in three centres (Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai), was organised jointly by the Offshore Supplies Office of the Department of Energy and the Sino-British Trade Council, and has been judged a highly successful event. It was technical in character and involved the following companies:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show (a) the most optimistic, (b) the most pessimistic and (c) the mean projected costs of electricity generation available to him for each design structure or device for obtaining energy from waves.

The Department's energy technology support unit is preparing a comprehensive report on wave energy which will include this information. On publication a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he is taking as a result of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate report, requested by the Sizewell B public inquiry, revealing weaknesses in procedure, ergonomics and human performance, following the incident at Heysham in June 1984; and if he will make a statement.

Both the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Central Electricity Generating Board have given evidence on this incident at the Sizewell public inquiry. The CEGB has accepted fully the recommendations for improved practices in appropriate areas as outlined in a special internal inquiry. The incident was also investigated by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and it has concluded that the measures being taken by the CEGB are satisfactory. It will continue to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of these measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much coal has been produced since 1 December; what is the cumulative figure since the coal mining dispute began; and if he will make a statement.

The latest published figures show that 44·8 million tonnes of deep-mined coal were produced between the start of the NUM overtime ban in November 1983 and the end of October 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's fusion programme.

My Department has recently completed a review of the United Kingdom's fusion programme. This research forms an integral part of the Euratom fusion programme, a successful example of European cooperation in the high technology sector, to which the United Kingdom makes a major financial and scientific contribution.My right hon. Friend has decided that the Government's direct contribution to the UKAEA's fusion work, which is carried out under a contract of association with Euratom, should be £15·9 million in 1985–86, £13·7 million in 1986–87 and £13·3 million in 1987–88.This funding, along with our commitments to the Joint European Torus project under the joint understanding and the host agreement, will ensure that the United Kingdom maintains a substantial fusion programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Swiss Government have expressed any concern to Her Majesty's Government about continuing to act as a guardian of British interests in Argentina; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the purposes for which DDT was approved for use by farmers in (a) 1970, (b) 1975 and (c) 1980; and what was the known use by weight and area of DDT-based products in each of these years.

DDT was cleared under the pesticides safety precautions scheme for the following uses in 1970, 1975 and 1980:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in pursuance of his responsibilities under section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968, he is prepared to reject a claim for grant-aid under the agriculture and horticultural grant schemes relating to an investment which has seriously damaged the countryside or its flora and fauna (a) within a site of special scientific interest, national park or area of outstanding natural beauty and (b) in the wider countryside; and what specific advice his officials offer farmers and landowners so as to avoid any damaging works in the countryside.

Our policy is to avoid or minimise damage to the countryside, and especially to sites of special scientific interest and national parks. To this end we introduced in 1980 a requirement that applicants under the capital grant schemes must notify the Nature Conservancy Council or a national park authority of any proposals they wish to carry out on a site of special scientific interest or in a national park. In the majority of instances proposals do not raise problems or, in discussion with the Ministry's Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, ways are found of overcoming them. In the very few cases where this is not possible we consider, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment whether or not to withhold grant.In the wider countryside, we require farmers under the capital grant schemes to have regard to conservation in undertaking investments and ADAS is available to give advice on how best to meet this requirement and on conservation generally. This may involve consultation with statutory conservation bodies and the farming and wildlife advisory groups.Of the cases which have been referred to us for decision we have found it necessary to withhold grant in relatively few and my right hon. Friend has concurred with our decision to pay grant in the rest.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will quantify the substantial agricultural benefits referred to by the Minister of State the noble Lord, Lord Belstead, at a luncheon given by the Association of Drainage Authorities on 20 November that would have accrued if the pump drainage of North Duffield Carrs had been approved.

The agricultural benefits that would have accrued if the Ouse and Derwent Internal Drainage Board's scheme for pumped drainage of North Duffield Carrs had been approved for grant have been evaluated at around £125 per hectare. They would have arisen from the more efficient use of the land for livestock.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has made to the critique made by conservation bodies of the economic justification made by the Ouse and Derwent Internal Drainage Board for the pump drainage of North Duffield Carrs, in particular the charge that the cost benefit methodology employed by the Internal Drainage Board was at variance with Government approved guidelines.

The critique undertaken by conservation bodies of the economic justification made by the Ouse and Derwent Internal Drainage Board for pump drainage of North Duffield Carrs was taken fully into account in the consideration of the board's application for grant-aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the programme of testing wildlife, particularly birds of prey, for residues of DDT, Dieldrin, Aldrin and Endrin will continue; and whether there has been an overall increase or decline in the residues of these products in the tissues and eggs of wildlife populations sampled in the periods (a) 1970 to 1974, (b) 1975 to 1979 and (c) 1980 to the present.

Current studies on residue monitoring in birds of prey undertaken by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology on behalf of the Nature Conservancy Council will continue until 1986. A decision on whether or not to continue the monitoring after 1986 will be taken early in that year.The most-sampled and best studied species are the sparrowhawk, kestrel and heron. Liver residues of DDE (the main fat-soluble metabolite of DDT) in kestrels have decreased throughout the periods listed; in herons it decreased during the early 1970s and early 1980s but changed little in the late 1970s; in sparrowhawks there has been little change. HEOD (an active ingredient of both dieldrin and aldrin) residues in all three species showed no significant change in the early 1970s and decreased in the late 1970s. The decrease continued into the 1980s in the heron. Endrin is not included in the monitoring scheme.Only aldrin is still used in agriculture and horticulture, the use of the other substances having been phased out since the 1960s.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what additional expenditure on the youth training scheme would be necessary in 1984–85 if the scheme were to accommodate all the 16 and 17-year-olds now unemployed in Great Britain; how many additional places would be needed; and if he has any plans to expand the scheme in 1985–86 to accommodate all the 16 and 17-year-olds who would otherwise be unemployed.

Estimates of the additional expenditure needed to extend the youth training scheme in this way depend on the flow of unemployed young people during the relevant period, rather than on a single "snapshot" at a point in time, and on assumptions about their length of stay on the scheme, about the additional off-the-job training which might be provided and about the contribution which longer-duration trainees might make to output. No estimates are available for 1984–85 which take account of these factors, and which provide for all unemployed young people under 18 to be on the scheme.On plans for the youth training scheme in 1985–86, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 9 January, at column 464. Eligibility rules for the scheme next year were announced on 12 November. Unemployed 16 and 17-year-old school and college leavers, together with employed 16-year-old leavers, and some other older groups of disabled young people, will continue to be eligible. Some special groups of 18-year-olds will also be able to take part in the scheme next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in training on the youth training scheme are estimated to be employees (a) on current year schemes and (b) on previous year schemes; how these figures compare with the previous year; what growth in the number of employees was expected when planning 1984–85 scheme places; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are currently in training on the youth training scheme (a) on current year schemes and (b) on previous year schemes; how these figures compare with the previous year; whether they represent an increase in the take-up rate of scheme places; and if he will make a statement.

There were 264,972 young people in training on current year schemes, and 40,403 young people in training on previous year schemes on the youth training scheme on 28 December 1984, compared to 256,533 young people in training at the end of December 1983 all of whom were on current-year schemes. This increase in the take-up of scheme places shows that young people clearly recognise the advantages of participating in a high quality training programme.

Forecast of Destination of 1984–85 School Leavers by December 1985
	16 Year Olds				17 Year Olds				18 Year Olds
	Leaving School and entering Labour Market*		Employed outside YTS		Leaving School and entering Labour Market*		Employed outside YTS		Leaving School and entering Labour Market*		Employed outside YTS
	(000s)	per cent.	(000s)	per cent.	(000s)	per cent.	(000s)	per cent.	(000s)	per cent.	(000s)	per cent.
Scotland‡	42	42	14	14	10	39	4	17	3	36	2	20
Northern	26	66	4	11	2	23	1	7	2	22	1	10
North West†	64	60	17	16	6	24	3	10	5	24	3	15
Yorks & Humberside	48	62	13	17	6	30	3	13	4	27	2	13
Midlands	85	60	22	16	9	26	5	13	6	24	3	14
Wales	23	53	4	10	4	26	2	11	2	19	1	13
South West	35	58	13	22	4	26	2	15	4	34	3	28
South East	85	51	36	22	17	31	10	18	10	29	8	23
London†	40	49	18	22	11	35	7	20	6	36	4	24
Great Britain † ‡	447	55	142	17	69	30	35	15	40	28	27	19

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from careers officers on the accuracy of the information collected from the careers service by the Manpower Services Commission for youth training scheme purposes; whether he is satisfied with the accuracy of the information provided by the careers service on the number of young people leaving school and the number likely to find work by 31 December 1985; and if he will make a statement.

A number of representations have been received from the careers service on this issue. The main point raised was that the deadline date of 16 October 1984 by which the information was to be returned to this Department was too early to allow accurate figures to be produced.The Manpower Services Commission recognises the limitations on the quality of the data which the careers service provided by the given date. Nevertheless, it is felt that the information provided an early indication of likely developments which, combined with information from other sources, made a valuable input to the planning of the youth training scheme for the year ahead.Principal careers officers are being asked to supply revised estimates later this month in the light of the better information which will then be available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details of the exercise by which the careers service gave the Manpower Services Commission information on the labour market prospects of 1984–85 school leavers, showing for (a) 16-year-olds, (b) 17-year-olds, and (c) 18-year-olds the number and proportion expected to leave school, and the number and proportion expected to find work outside the youth training scheme by 31 December 1985 for each Manpower Services Commission region.

The information requested is as follows. It is derived from provisional forecasts of the position in December 1985 made by principal careers officers in the autumn of 1984 and must therefore be regarded as tentative. Principal careers officers will be asked to provide revised forecasts later this month in the light of the better information which will then be available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make available, with reference to the survey of community programme participants that was carried out between mid-November and mid-December 1983 by the Social and Community Planning Research Centre for the Manpower Services Commission, for each of the two standard age and duration eligibility conditions, the percentage of the then participants who were (I) married (a) female (i) supervisory/manager or (ii) non supervisory/manager and (b) male (i) supervisory/manager or (ii) non supervisory/manager and (II) single (a) female (i) supervisory/manager or (ii) non supervisory/manager and (b) male (i) supervisory/manager or (ii) non supervisory/manager; what percentage of each married subgrouping had an employed spouse; what percentage of each of all subgroupings had dependent resident children of 0 to 15 years age range; and what percentage of each subgroup was in receipt of any major benefit while on the community programme.

Available information about this survey is set out in the Social and Community Planning Research Centre report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Other information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 13 December, columns 559–60, he will give the inclusive dates for the survey from which information was derived, and give the proportion of those aged 18 to 24 years to those aged 25 years and over.

The survey to which I referred in my previous reply was conducted between June and August 1984. Of the 878 former participants surveyed, 52 per cent. were aged 18 to 24 and 48 per cent. were aged 25 and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he plans to propose an amendment to the Elections (Northern Ireland) Bill during its passage through another place to require the production of a current valid identity card as a precondition for the issuing of a ballot paper.

No. The Elections (Northern Ireland) Bill provides that a voter will be issued with a ballot paper on the production of one of the personal documents specified in the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of success of the security forces in eliminating terrorism in Northern Ireland during the past month.

The security forces, with the full support of the Government, combat terrorism by all possible means within the law. To this end, 16 persons were charged with terrorist-type offences in December; and seven weapons, 636 rounds of ammunition and 1,014 lb of explosives were recovered.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the security of the Province.

I refer the hon. Gentleman and my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Mr. Molyneaux) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of security in Northern Ireland per head of the population in each of the last five years.

Figures are not available detailing the extra cost involved in maintaining law and order in Northern Ireland as a result of the security situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any Government subsidy is paid in respect of engines produced by Harland and Wolff.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is yet in a position to announce the future of the Orlit dwellings in Comber and Donaghadee; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that the Orlit dwellings at Comber have an estimated servicable life of 10 to 15 years and those at Donaghadee 5 to 10 years. The Housing Executive is currently examining options for dealing with its stock of Orlit dwellings at both Comber and Donaghadee and will be consulting residents and public representatives as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been killed or injured to date in Northern Ireland as the result of the firing of rubber or plastic bullets.

Fourteen people have been killed by baton rounds since they were first introduced in 1970. Since 17 March 1981, 249 people are recorded as having been injured by them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the basic salary of a newly qualified staff nurse today; what was it in December 1974 expressed in 1984 prices; and what percentage increase would be needed to give the 1984 salary a purchasing value equal to that of 1974.

The information requested is set out in the table. The table shows that the purchasing power of a newly qualified staff nurse increased by 4 per cent. over the period when measured against changes in the Retail Price Index and by 6 per cent. when measured against changes in the Tax and Prices Index. Comparable information on earnings over this period is not available. In addition to pay increases, nurses' hours were reduced from 40 to 37½ per week in 1980–81.

Staff Nurse: Basic Salary
	Minimum	Maximum
Basic salary at December 1984 £	5,398	6,582
Basic salary 1 December 1974 at November 1984 prices*
RPI £	5,193	6,759
TPI £	5,090	6,624
Percentage increase needed to give 1974 purchasing power
RPI Per cent.	-4	+3
TPI Per cent.	-6	+1
* Latest available figure for Retail Price Index and Tax and Prices Index.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what calculation has been made of the stock losses associated with the introduction of a limited list; and what provision has been made for compensation.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls) on 17 December at columns 45–46. I have no information to demonstrate that stock losses to companies or pharmacies when the limited list is introduced on 1 April will be significant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many letters he has received arising from his decision to reduce the drugs available for prescription on the National Health Service; and, of these, how many were in favour of the proposal and how many against.

So far we have received over 1,600 letters commenting on our proposals to limit the range of drugs available in certain therapeutic categories. Of these, about 100 have unequivocally supported the proposals. The remainder have expressed doubts or declared opposition but many of these letters, including about 250 circular letters supplied to doctors by the drug industry, have shown an imperfect understanding of our proposals. In addition, some 650 replies have been received from doctors to the Chief Medical Officer's letter of 14 December. These have contained constructive suggestions about the medicines that should remain available to meet clinical needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the appointments of the chairmen and members to district and regional health authorities made during the last five years fall within the guidelines issued in the National Health Services Act 1977.

We are not aware of any contravention of the National Health Service Act 1977 in appointments that have been made by Secretaries of State over the past five years. My right hon. Friend does not appoint members of district health authorities. He does appoint the chairmen and members of regional health authorities and the chairmen of district health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he intends to take to ensure that National Health Service hospitals are equipped with modes of communication other than telephones and with methods of transport other than lifts.

The Department provides guidance to health authorities on effective on-site and wide-area radio paging systems for staff location, hand portable and vehicle mounted mobile radio systems, nurse-call systems and direct speech communication systems other than telephones. The Department's nucleus hospital building programme is based on a policy for material handling using tugs and trolley trains, with ramps between floors where this is cost-effective. Existing hospitals will continue to take their own decisions on cost-effective transportation systems.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of citizens registered as supplementary benefit claimants in the constituencies of Blaby, Bridgwater and Finchley.

Blaby is served for supplementary benefit purposes by one DHSS office. The total number of supplementary benefit cases handled by this office at 12 December 1984 was 8,100.Bridgwater and Finchley are each served for supplementary benefit purposes by more than one DHSS office and the boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency boundaries. The total numbers of supplementary benefit cases handled by the respective offices at 12 December 1984 were as follows:

	Number
Bridgwater
Bridgwater	7,400
Taunton	10,400
Finchley
Barnet	7,000
Hendon	10,100
Highgate	16,600
Wood Green	8,300

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many new hospitals have become operational since May 1979; and how many beds these will provide.

A total of 38 major hospital schemes providing 12,035 beds have been completed between 1 May 1979 and 31 December 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the Court of Appeal's decision of 20 December in the Gillick case, he has any plans to introduce legislation requiring general practitioners to inform parents before they prescribe contraceptives for girls under the age of consent; and if he will make a statement.

Following the judgment by the Court of Appeal, the position in law is that, except in an emergency or with the leave of a court, a doctor or other health professional must obtain parental consent before prescribing contraceptives to a girl under 16. We have announced our intention to appeal against the judgment, and it would be premature to consider legislation before the House of Lords has given its decision on the appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the quantity of foetal material by weight, excluding placenta, and by numbers of individual foetuses, supplied by hospitals in each of the last three years for which figures are available, and the weights and numbers supplied by each private nursing home licensed by his Department to National Health Service hospitals or research establishments; and if he will make a statement.

We do not collect this information centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to introduce, in consultation with other member states of the European Economic Community, measures to outlaw international trade in dead foetal material.

We have no evidence that any such international trade takes place to or from this country and therefore no reason to take action to regulate it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the arrangements covering transportation, storage costs and possible loss or theft of foetal material between private nursing homes approved by his Department to supply National Health Service establishments.

These arrangements are for the nursing homes and research establishments concerned, and we do not collect this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what means dead foetal material from private nursing homes is transported to the foetal tissue bank at the Royal Marsden hospital; and what arrangements exist to pay for the costs of such transportation between these private nursing homes and the Royal Marsden hospital or its tissue bank.

I understand that the material is collected from the nursing homes by nominated employees of the Medical Research Council and any costs associated with such transportation are met from the council's grant to the foetal tissue bank.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific information prompted officials of his Department to carry out an investigation into allegations of a trade in foetal material between the United Kingdom and France; and on what basis his Department was able to decide that allegations of a trade were unfounded.

The allegations referred to were no more specific than that foetal material was being exported from the United Kingdom to French laboratories for the manufacture of cosmetics. Our Department's detailed inquiries in both France and the United Kingdom produced no evidence of any kind to substantiate the allegations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what responsibility is placed upon officials of his Department to oversee the storage, transportation and disposal of dead foetal material from abortions in private nursing homes, National Health Service hospitals and research centres and establishments under the control of the Medical Research Council; and if he will make a statement.

Our Department approves the arrangements for the supply of foetal material by nursing homes approved under the Abortion Act. Arrangements for the supply of material by NHS hospitals and the Medical Research Council are the responsibility of their individual establishments. The use and disposal of foetal material is controlled very closely, in accordance with the code of practice recommended in the report of the advisory group on the use of foetuses and foetal material for research (the Peel report 1972).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has received any information regarding a trade in human pituitary glands or dead foetuses as a result of the trial and conviction of Dr. Mark Patterson at the Old Bailey in July 1984 for conspiracy to sell blood; and if he will make a statement.

We have received no information about any trade of this kind in connection with the trial and conviction of Dr. Mark Patterson.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Robert nursing home is approved to supply foetal material from abortions to any institution other than the Birmingham university medical school; and for what purpose this material is required by this hospital.

No. The supply of material is approved to the Birmingham university medical school for the study of genetics, umbilical vessels, comparative histology, cancer and foetal development.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Wistans nursing home is approved to supply foetal material to any institution other than St. Bartholomew's hospital and the East Birmingham hospital; and for what purpose this material is required at these two hospitals.

No. The supply of material is approved for the production of purified alphafetoprotein for screening neural tube defects and for research on chorionic villus sampling.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the London Private hospital, the Park View clinic or the Raleigh nursing home are approved to supply foetal material from abortions to any institution other than the foetal tissue bank, Royal Marsden hospital; and for what purpose this material is required by the Royal Marsden hospital.

No. The material is required for a variety of approved research projects on virology, immunology, oncology, biochemistry and molecular biology.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Calthorpe nursing home is approved to supply foetal material from abortions to any institution other than the Birmingham children's hospital, East Birmingham hospital and the Birmingham hospital; and for what purpose this material is required by these hospitals.

No. The supply of material is approved to the Birmingham children's hospital for routine diagnostic work, and to the East Birmingham hospital and the Birmingham maternity hospital for research on chorionic villus sampling.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Blackdown nursing home is approved to supply foetal material from abortions to any institution other than the Birmingham maternity hospital and the East Birmingham hospital; and for what purpose this material is required by these hospitals.

No. The supply of material is approved for research on chorionic villus sampling.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make funds available to health authorities to compensate them for expenses incurred in screening blood donors for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 22 November 1984 to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye (Mr. Kennedy) at column 326.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the bodies within the United Kingdom that he is consulting on the extension of social security conventions with various European countries; and if he will make a statement.

The existing bilateral social security conventions with other European Community member states, which are out of date and cover only persons and matters not covered by the European Community social security regulations, will, subject to the views of the member States concerned, be revised and updated to take account of current legislation. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, and the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey are being consulted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families in the London borough of Waltham Forest are receiving family income supplement; and what was the comparable figure in May 1979.

I regret that this information is not available. Family income supplement claims are dealt with by one centre at Blackpool and no information is maintained about claims from particular local areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be in a position to announce his decision on the planning inquiry in relation to the land owned by James Miller and Partners Ltd. at Cultins road, Edinburgh.

It has proved necessary to communicate with the parties about certain new evidence which has been sent to my right hon. Friend. A decision will be reached as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total of public expenditure on housing in Scotland in (a) 1979–80 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available; and what percentage of total public expenditure in Scotland each figure represented in each respective year.

Total public expenditure on housing in Scotland in 1979–80 was £734 million which amounted to 16·1 per cent. of the total public expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility. In 1983–84 (the latest year for which final figures are available) housing expenditure totalled £712 million, the equivalent percentage being 10·6 per cent.The above figures are, as is usual with public expenditure, in net terms. As a measure of the resources available for spending, gross figures are more relevant. These show that capital expenditure on housing rose from £421 million in 1979–80 to £703 million in 1983–84 (a rise from 9·2 per cent. to 10·5 per cent. in the proportion of total public expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list the areas covered by protection orders which have been granted and protection orders which have been applied for under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 and the conditions under which protection has been granted or requested.

Formal proposals for protection orders in terms of the 1976 Act have been published in respect of four areas. Following compliance with the statutory procedures the Secretary of State was satisfied that the conditions on access and so on laid down in the Act had been met and protection orders for initial periods of three years were made. These are listed below:

The Rivers Tweed and Eye Protection Order 1980 (renewed by the Rivers Tweed and Eye Protection (Renewal) Order 1983) (S.I. 1980 No. 400 (s. 40) and S.I. 1983 No. 389 (s. 37)).

The Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection Order 1982 (S.I. 1982 No. 377 (s. 48)).

The River Tummel Catchment Area Protection Order 1983 (S.I. 1983 No. 390 (s. 38)).

The River Lunan Catchment Area Protection Order 1983 (S.I. 1983 No. 391 (s. 39)).

Details of the areas covered by those protection orders are contained in the relevant statutory instruments, copies of which are available in the Library.Inquiries have been received about the obtaining of protection orders for catchment areas of the river Don, river Tay, river Garnock and the rivers Annick and Irvine. None of these has yet gone beyond the preliminary stages.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences he has so far granted to allow the killing of barnacle geese in the winter of 1984–85 upon Islay, Strathclyde; and what conditions have been attached to licences so issued.

Up to 4 January 1985 26 licences have been issued in the 1984–85 season to shoot barnacle geese on Islay. The conditions of a licence are as follows:

1. the area(s) within which such killing or taking is authorised shall be be the farm(s) … on the island of Islay but shall exclude any areas of foreshore, permanent grass outrun(s) not part of the normal utilisable area(s) of the farm(s) and all rough grazings including bogland;

2. flight shooting at the sea wall is also excluded;

3. the granting of this licence does not authorise the killing or taking of wild barnacle geese unless:

(a) such killing or taking is carried out for the purpose of preventing serious damage;

(b) there is no other satisfactory course of action for preventing such serious damage;

4. the methods by which the wild geese may be killed or taken shall be any which is not made unlawful by section 5 of the Act except that no decoy of any kind, including calls or lures whether natural or artificial, shall be used for the purpose of killing or taking;

5. if so required by a police constable and within such reasonable time as may be specified, this licence shall be produced by the licensee;

6. no later than one month after the date on which this licence expires or otherwise comes to an end, the licensee shall provide the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland with a report on the form provided of the occasions on which the wild geese were killed or taken, and the numbers of geese killed or taken: at the same time the licensee shall return to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland the corresponding licence;

7. particulars of this licence and of the report which the licensee is required to provide may be made available by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland to any person or organisation who is considered by the Department to have reasonable grounds for having such information; and

8. this licence may be modified or revoked by the Secretary of State for Scotland at any time without prior notice and, if not so revoked, shall expire at midnight on the thirtieth day of April, nineteen hundred and eighty-five.

In addition, a licence issued to a landlord contains the following further condition:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Forestry Commission will make it its practice, in pursuance of its responsibilities under section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968, to reject claims for grant under the dedication schemes or forestry grant scheme in cases where the Government's statutory advisors on nature conservation consider that serious damage to the countryside would result if the scheme went ahead; and if the Forestry Commission is prepared to require the amendment of forestry schemes put to it for grant by private forestry interests in order to safeguard conservation interests.

The Nature Conservancy Council is consulted by the Forestry Commission over all applications for grant-aid for the planting of trees on sites of special scientific interest. If the council objects to a planting proposal, and the applicant is not prepared to modify or withdraw it, the Forestry Commissioners can refuse the application. On the other hand, in such circumstances the commissioners may not commit themselves to paying grant without first seeking a ministerial view.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total expenditure of Scottish local authorities expressed at November 1983 prices for each of the years from 1978–79.

The only local authority expenditure information available at November 1983 prices is expenditure relevant for rate support grant purposes, excluding loan charges. This information is set out in table A. Total local authority expenditure as shown in the 1984 public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9143). adjusted by means of the GDP deflator to 1983–84 prices, is given in table B. The current expenditure figures in table B are not directly comparable with those given in table A because in the case of table B:

a. they include expenditure not relevant for rate support grant eg housing;

b. they exclude capital expenditure financed from revenue and the interest receipts deduction;

c. the 1984–85 figures are the Government-planned provision, not local authorities' budget estimates (which are above provision);

d. the price base used is different.

TABLE A
Local authority expenditure in Scotland relevant for rate support grant purposes, excluding loan charges
(£ million at November 1983 prices)
	£
1978–79	2,684
1979–80	2,716
1980–81	2,757
1981–82	2,719
1982–83	2,709
1983–84	2,742
1984–85	2,753

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those private nursing homes and National Health Service hospitals licensed by the Scottish Home and Health Department to supply dead foetal material to National Health Service and private research institutions; what quantity of foetal material is supplied; whether a charge is made for this supply; and for what purpose foetal material is required by these research institutions.

Any arrangements for the supply of foetal material from NHS hospitals are the responsibility of individual health boards and no information about this is held centrally. Approved nursing homes are required to make application to my Department if they propose to supply foetal material, but no application has been submitted. A code of practice on the use of disposal of foetal material was recommended in the report in 1972 of the advisory group on the use of foetuses and foetal material for research (the Peel report).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now publish the memorandum of understanding between himself and the chairman of the Royal Ordnance plc.

A copy of the memorandum of understanding has been placed in the Library on 9 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is yet able to announce the outcome of his review of the proposed dispersal of the Army cataloguing authority to Glasgow.

Yes, I have reviewed the Glasgow dispersal package in the light of the conclusions of a recently completed study of the deployment of the Army's manning and record offices and regimental pay offices. Subject to consultation with the staff and trades unions concerned, I now propose to increase the number of posts from those offices to be dispersed to Glasgow: plans to disperse the Defence and Navy codification authorities will proceed, but the ACA will no longer be included in this dispersal package.The overall MOD commitment to disperse at least 1,400 posts to Glasgow and the proposed time table for the dispersal programme will not be affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish or make available a list of the names, service, service numbers and ranks of those service personel involved in the series of nuclear tests carried out between 3 October 1952 and 23 September 1958 who constitute part of the present study by the National Radiological Protection Board.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1984, c. 377]: As a matter of policy, we do not publicly disclose information of this sort about present or former members of the armed forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish or make available a list of the names, service, service number and ranks of those service personnel who were involved in incurring additional risks in the series of nuclear tests carried out between 3 October 1952 and 23 September 1958; and if he will give details of the planned special exposure level of radiation incurred by these individuals.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1984, c. 377]: It would be a breach of personal privacy to publish such a list. The small number of individuals involved—fewer than 30—were exposed to a whole body radiation dose greater than 70 mSv but less than 200 mSv, a range which conformed with the International Commission for Radiological Protection's recommendations and which is comparable with present-day internationally recommended limits for emergency exposures (referred to at the time of the tests as planned special exposures).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the records of the dosages of radiation incurred by the service personnel involved in the nuclear tests carried out between 3 October 1952 and 23 September 1958, inclusive, will be made available to the National Radiological Protection Board; and if the original dosimeters and personnel film badges will also be made available to the National Radiological Protection Board.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1984, c. 377]: Yes. The records of exposure to radiation incurred by service personnel have been made available to the National Radiological Protection Board. The original dosimeters and personal film badges are no longer available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the appropriate protection provided to the service personnel involved in the series of nuclear tests carried out between 3 October 1952 and 23 September 1958.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1984, c. 377]: The protection against the effects of nuclear explosions which was provided to service personnel involved in the series of nuclear tests carried out between 3 October 1952 and 23 September 1958 varied according to the nature of their duties and of the radiation environment. Its purpose was to ensure that personnel should not be harmed by the effects of the explosion or exposed to levels of ionising radiation in excess of the prescribed limits.At the moment of detonation, personnel were positioned at sufficient distance for the initial ionising radiation to be absorbed by the atmosphere and not reach them at a sufficient intensity to be harmful. No additional protection from the initial ionising radiation was necessary. However, personnel were required to turn their backs to the explosion in order to protect their eyes from the flash immediately following detonation. There was no need for special protection against the other effects of blast and heat at the distances at which personnel were stationed.After detonation, where there was an operational need for personnel to enter or work in areas where there was a risk of contamination from radioactive debris, full protective clothing and respirators were used until the most hazardous areas were delineated and a lesser degree of protection would suffice. On each occasion the precise form of protection needed in each area depended on day to day assessment by the Health Physics Control. The form of protection varied with the tasks being performed.The great majority of those involved in the test programme did not need to enter any areas of contamination and therefore did not require any special protection.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his written answer of 11 December 1984, Official Report, columns 455 and 456, whether he will instruct Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers to investigate the exportation of dead foetal material between the United Kingdom and abroad.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Inland Revenue has a standard system for treatment of postpersons' Christmas tips.

In law, Christmas tips are part of an employee's income in the same way as his other earnings. Inspectors of taxes exercise their judgment in estimating the assessable amount of tips, using all the information available. Any employee who disagrees with the amount of tips assessed or included in his PAYE coding may appeal and if necessary have the matter heard by the independent general commissioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what circumstances local authority borrowing adds to the money supply; and what is the current extent of such circumstances.

Local authority borrowing adds to sterling M3 when financed in such a way as to lead to the creation of private sector sterling bank deposits. When such borrowing is funded, directly or indirectly, by sales of public sector debt to the non-bank private sector, it does not add to the money supply. In the first eight months of 1984–85, net local authority borrowing was some ¾ billion. Sales of gilt-edged are not hypothecated to local authority borrowing. However, it is not possible to estimate the effect on the money supply of that borrowing. Of course local authority borrowing increases the total amount of funding required to maintain monetary control, adding to demands placed on the capital market and therefore tending to raise interest rates above what they would otherwise be.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for the last eight six-monthly periods for which figures are available, for each member state of the European Economic Community and for the European Economic Community as a whole (i) increase in nominal gross domestic product, (ii) increase in gross domestic product output volume, (iii) increase in gross domestic product price deflator, (iv) seasonally adjusted rate of unemployment, (v) surplus in trading goods and (vi) surplus in invisible goods.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1984, c. 357]: The information required can be derived from the latest issue (No. 11, 1984) of "Eurostatistics—Data for short-term economic analysis" and CRONOS (the Eurostat data bank) for (i) increase in nominal gross domestic product, (ii) increase in gross domestic product volume, (iii) increase in gross domestic product price deflator, (v) surplus in trading goods and (vi) surplus in invisible transactions.Item (iv) seasonally adjusted rates of unemployment for the EC and member countries are not readily available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, information on a quarterly basis for some member countries is available in OECD "Main Economic Indicators".Copies of the publications referred to are available in the House of Commons Library. The Library also has access to the CRONOS databank.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to include in the next economic progress report a chart comparing actual unemployment figures with the figures for the relevant period predicted by independent forecasters and the assumptions for the relevant period provided by the Government to the Government Actuary.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 January 1985, c. 486]: A direct comparison between independent forecasts of unemployment and the assumptions provided by the Government to the Government Actuary is not possible. The Government assumptions, used for planning public expenditure, are financial year averages and relate to Great Britain, while most independent forecasters predict United Kingdom unemployment and do not provide sufficient information from which to calculate financial year averages. Comparisons between forecasts or assumptions and actual unemployment figures are affected by changes in the method of counting unemployment, introduced at the end of 1982, and by the provisions, announced in the 1983 Budget, which removed the requirement for some men over 60 to sign at unemployment offices. Therefore, I do not propose to publish the chart requested. However, the following is a table of comparisons.

Independent Forecasts: United Kingdom Adult Unemployment
Millions
Period to which forecast relates	Consensus‡ of independent forecasts made four quarters previously	Outturn
1980 Q4	1·6	2·0 Registrants
1981 Q4	2·4	2·8 Basis
1982 Q4*	2·8	2·9
1983 Q4*	3·2	2·9
1984 Q4	3·0	3·1 Claimants Basis

Unemployment assumptions (Great Britain adult) published in Government Actuary's Department Reports
Millions
Date of publication	Year to which assumption relates	Assumption	Outturn
1979 November	1980–81	1·6	1·8 Registrants
1980 November	1981–82	2·3	2·6 Basis
1981 December*	1982–83	2·9	2·8
1982 November*	1983–84	3·2	2·9

1984 Budget taking into account the 1984 Supplementary Budget No. 1
	1984 Budget				Supplementary No. 1
Budget Title	Non-obligatory		Obligatory		Non-obligatory		Obligatory
	(C)	(P)	(C)	(P)	(C)	(P)	(C)	(P)
Commission Section A
Commission Administration	797*		6*			†8
Commission Section B
Agriculture Guarantee	—	—	16,150*		—	—	1,833*
Agriculture Guidance	195	142	556	514	—	+1	—	+3
Fisheries	72	25	76	76	—	—	+11	+11
Regional	2,186	1,455	PM	PM	No Change		No Change
Social	2,000	1,369	—	—	+0·1	+0·1	—	—
Industry, Energy etc	846	644	PM	PM	+134	+54	—	—
Loans and guarantees	—	—	1,103	1,103	—	—	+47	+47
Aid	762	635	257	258	No Change		No Change
Commission Contingency Reserve	†1,945	†1,760	—	—	†-145	†-69	—	—
Other Institutions
European Parliament	239*		—	—	No Change		No Change
Council	137*		—	—	No Change		No Change
Economic and Social Committee	25*		—	—	No Change		No Change
Court of Justice	31*		—	—	No Change		No Change
Court of Auditors	18*		—	—	No Change		No Change
Total Other Institutions	450

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will tabulate in the Official Report the expenditure of the European Economic Communities for 1984 authorised prior to the introduction of Supplementary Budget No. 1, together with the expenditure authorised by that budget, for each main purpose and under subheadings of obligatory and non-obligatory expenditure, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 January 1985, c. 487]: The information requested is given in the following table. It has been extracted from Official Journals Nos. L329 of 1984 (supplementary budget) and L12 of 1984 (1984 budget) which are both available from the House of Commons Library. The information given is in millions of ecus and commitment and payment appropriations are shown separately.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing a higher denomination note, such as a £2·50 note, to replace the £1 note.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 January 1985, c. 486]: The case for a higher denomination note, between £1 and £5, was fully considered before the introduction of the £1 coin and the decision to replace the £1 note. But recent experience of double unit notes, for example in the USA and France, does not suggest that it would be justified. The current purchasing power of £2·50 is approximately the same as that of the 10s note when it was withdrawn in 1970.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the contribution of the construction industry to the economy in respect of gross domestic product, employment, exports and tax revenue, including building materials producers where appropriate; and how the position compares with five and 10 years previously.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 January 1985, c. 487]: The following table gives the figures requested in terms of the percentage contribution of the construction industry (and, where this information is available, building materials producers) to the relevant totals.

	1973 per cent.	1978 per cent.	1983 per cent.
Gross Domestic Product at factor cost, income based, (includes building materials producers)	13	11	10
Employment (construction only)	5·8	5·3	4·8
Exports (building materials producers only)	n.a.	3	2
	(1971–72)	(1976–77)	(1981–82)
Tax revenue	n.a.	6·3	4·8

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions have been mounted by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise since 1979 against books listed in the edition of British Books in Print current at the time of prosecution.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 January 1985, c. 488]: This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites where the Nature Conservancy Council considers there has been a breach of section 28(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and which are the subject of prosecutions or legal proceedings.

Two prosecutions under section 28(5) have been concluded in respect of sites at Ulverscroft Valley, Leicestershire and Gwennydd Yr Afon Fach, Dyfed. Proceedings are in progress in respect of a site at Broadstone Meadow, Hereford and Worcestershire. In a further case in Scotland, the procurator fiscal decided not to proceed.It would not be appropriate to publicise information about possible breaches of section 28(5), as this might prejudice any eventual legal action.