asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what money will be available to Waltham Forest council in 1985–86 for home improvement and other grants for the renovation of older houses; and what were the comparable figures for 1983–84 and 1984–85.

Waltham Forest council received a housing investment programme allocation of £8·270 million for 1985–86, which it can supplement with the prescribed proportion of capital receipts. The allocation for 1983–84 and 1984–85 were £8·622 million and £8·445 million respectively. Decisions on priorities as between renovation and other housing activities are for the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects his working party to report on how best to make available to the public information on pollution held by water authorities and local councils.

By the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the measures he has adopted and details of the estimates and calculations he has made together with the respective totals of resources held by each of the rate-capped local authorities in the area of Greater London.

The authorities selected for rate limitation in 1985–86 have until 15 January to comment on the rate and precept limits we have proposed. My right hon. Friend will be happy to discuss the manner of calculation of the proposed limits, and any assumptions made in that calculation, in the context of negotiations about alternative limits proposed by the individual authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources he is proposing to make available under the urban programme in 1985–86 to partnership and programme authorities.

Despite the great pressure on public expenditure this year I am providing all the partnership and programme authorities with the same cash levels of resources in 1985–86 as they were allocated for 1984–85 at about this time last year. This demonstrates the Government's strong continuing commitment to improve the quality of life in the hard pressed areas of our cities. Additional resources, over and above these allocations, will be available to the authorities for approved urban development grant (UDG) schemes. The total sum being allocated to these authorities (excluding UDG and derelict land grant (DLG)) is £224 million and is made up as follows:

Partnerships	£m
Birmingham	24·5
Hackney	12·0
Islington	10·4
Lambeth	13·5
Liverpool	24·1
Manchester/Salford	24·5
Newcastle/Gateshead	18·0
Programme authorities
Blackburn	3·6
Bolton	3·59
Bradford	4·58
Brent	4·5
Coventry	4·3
Hammersmith and Fulham	5·63
Kingston upon Hull	4·47
Knowsley	3·7
Leeds	4·13
Leicester	5·43
Middlesborough	4·62
Nottingham	4·85
Oldham	3·66
Rochdale	3·6
Sandwell	4·5
Sheffield	4·01
Sunderland	3·17
Tower Hamlets	4·5
North Tyneside	3·12
South Tyneside	3·93
Wandsworth	4·5
Wirral	3·67
Wolverhampton	4·84

As in previous years, allocations are made subject to the quality of the detailed programmes submitted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of what steps he expects local authorities to take to follow up on the sale of houses following the gaining of house improvement grants.

Local authorities are responsible for administration of the home improvement grant system. Where sales breach the grant conditions specified in section 73 of the Housing Act 1974 (as amended by the Housing Act 1980) local authorities have discretion to recover some or all of the grant paid. DOE circular 21/80 gives further advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report which national child care organisations have received Government funding under partnership grants in each of the past five years to the latest date; and if he will list the amounts granted.

The information which the hon. Member asks for is not readily available in the form required. Expenditure by the inner city partnerships on projects involving child care is estimated at over £9 million for 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what departmental studies have been carried out on the transfer of services from the Greater London council to the London boroughs in 1986; and if he will make the maximum amount of information on the transfer available as soon as possible.

My officials are discussing, with as many boroughs as are prepared to do so, plans for the smooth transfer of functions from the GLC. In addition, the Department has offered to make available to all successor authorities information obtained under section 5 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for providing financial assistance to the London boroughs to meet the extra cost of staff engaged in the detailed planning necessary between January 1985 and March 1986 to enable the smooth transfer of responsibilities from the Greater London council; and if he has considered an adjustment of grant-related expenditure assessment for this purpose.

There are no such proposals. Adequate advance planning for the proposed transfer of functions should bring its own reward to the London boroughs and their ratepayers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why there is a reduction of £600,000 on factor E 18, interest receipts and contributions from the rate fund to special and capital funds, for the London borough of Hillingdon; and on what basis he has determined this reduction.

This reduction in Hillingdon's E 18 GRE factor is almost entirely due to the increased negative control total for interest receipts between 1984–85 and 1985–86, as a result of higher interest rates. This is a factor affecting all authorities. In addition, there is a small effect resulting from the increased share of GRE for interest receipts assumed for outer London boroughs, as a result of using latest outturn expenditure information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the indicator for residence for the London borough of Hillingdon is reduced from £24.8437 per unit in 1984–85 to £16.75417 per unit for 1985–86.

The reduction in the grant-related expenditure (GRE) weighting on Hillingdon's total resident population from 1984–85 to 1985–86 arises from the improvements which have been made to GRE methodology for 1985–86. The inclusion of extra indicators in the formulae for recreation, road maintenance and passenger transport revenue support reduces the weighting given to the total resident population of an area for all authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the water authorities which have, since the coming into force of the Water Act 1983, considered in public applications from health authorities to fluoridate the public water supply; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware that any water authority has considered an application from a health authority to fluoridate the public water supply since the Water Act 1983 came into force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to restrict local authorities spending capital receipts including those from council house sales received in 1985–86 from being spent in 1985–86.

I refer my right hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 18 December 1984 at column 164.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the effect on the public sector borrowing requirement if a local authority in receipt of proceeds from a council house sale lends the money to a clearing bank; and what the effect on the public sector borrowing requirement is if it subsequently withdraws the loan.

If a local authority receives money from the private sector for the sale of a council house and deposits it with a clearing bank, that reduces the public sector borrowing requirement in the year in which the sale is made. Withdrawing and spending the money increases the pubic sector borrowing requirement in the year of spending.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sums of money were paid in each of the years 1979 to 1984 in respect of water abstracted from Lake Vyrnwy; and by whom.

The major abstraction from Lake Vyrnwy is on behalf of the North West water authority. In the financial period 1979–80 to 1984–85 it has paid the following abstraction charges to Severn-Trent water authority.

Financial year	Abstraction charge paid £
1979–80	223,680
1980–81	268,240
1981–82	297,600
1982–83	319,040
1983–84	334,720
1984–85	348,480

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recent pollution of the north-west water supply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set up an inquiry into the recent discharge of pollutants into the north-west water supply;(2) if he will make a statement on the recent pollution of the north-west water supply.

On Tuesday 8 January, pollution was detected in the river Dee. The North-West water authority, and the other three water undertakers concerned (the Welsh water authority, the Wrexham and East Denbighshire water company, and the Chester waterworks company) closed their river intakes in good time to prevent any of the polluting substances from entering the public water supply. Alternative supplies were introduced, and consumers were asked to economise in the use of water, in order to conserve those resources.The Welsh water authority quickly identified the source of the pollution, and took immediate steps to control it. The contaminating substances were identified, and their toxicological effects were assessed without delay. Throughout the incident the lessons of earlier pollution incidents were applied, and there was good liaison between the four undertakings concerned.I am advised that analysis of the river water shows that it is now safe for the four undertakers to reopen their intakes in the river Dee, and they have now done so. I see no need to set up an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconcile the figures in his Department's letter to local authorities, dated 20 December 1984, regarding housing investment programme allocations 1985–86 with his statement on 19 December, Official Report, column 306, that the overspend on council's capital programme could amount to £1 billion or more.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of the leaflets, "After the GLC", and, "After the MCCs", have been printed; to whom they have been distributed; and what is the total cost of producing them.

5,000 copies of each of the leaflets have been printed. Copies have been sent to all Members of Parliament, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the London Boroughs Association, the Association of London Authorities, the press and members of the public in response to requests. The total cost of producing them was £9,600.In response to the substantial demand for copies, from the authorities themselves and from Members of Parliament, we are printing a further 25,000 copies of "After the GLC" and 40,000 copies of "After the MCCs" at a cost of £3,400.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent medical research evidence he considered before introducing the Water (Fluoridation) Bill.

[pursuant to the reply, 9 January 1985, c. 480]: I have been asked to reply.The relevant medical and scientific evidence has been considered, including that placed before Lord Jauncey in the Strathclyde court case, and subsequent studies. In particular, a comprehensive review of the epidemiological evidence has recently been completed by a working party on fluoride and cancer, chaired by Professor E. G. Knox. This report has been published today and copies are available in the Vote Office. On this basis our medical and scientific advisers have been able to give authorities advice as to the safety of fluoridation.

asked the Prime Minister what are the powers of and the authority for Ministers to grant extrastatutory tax concessions; and if she will make a statement.

The boards of Inland Revenue and of Customs and Excise have duties laid upon them by statute, subject to the general direction of the Treasury. The Government are considering the debate on extrastatutory concessions which took place at Report stage of the Finance Bill last year and will publish a response as soon as it is ready.

asked the Prime Minister what was the number of persons full and part-time (a) in the Civil Service and (b) in local government in the United Kingdom in June 1979 and June 1984 and, in each case, showing the reduction of persons employed in percentage terms and numerically.

The following are the figures.

Numbers employed at mid-year
thousands
			Reduction
	1979	1984	Number	per cent.
Civil Service
Full time	709	609	100	14
Pan time	30	21	8	28
Local government
Full time	1980	1880	100	5
Part time	1017	1004	13	1

asked the Prime Minister which trustees of the national heritage memorial fund have been appointed because of their professional, or former professional interest and involvement in nature conservation, scenic conservation or the promotion of public access to, and enjoyment of, the countryside.

As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 4 December 1984 at column 127, the present trustees have a wide range of experience and interest demonstrated. I am satisfied that the trustees have a sufficient knowledge of countryside matters to bring to their task.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Home Department and the Department of Health and Social Services concerning the prevention of abuse and interference with children in care; and if she will make a statement.

The Home Secretary has recently announced his intention to review the arrangements for the disclosure of information about those who seek to work with children, and there will of course be close consultation between the Departments concerned.

asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made in implementing the decisions of the Dublin summit regarding grain supplies to Ethiopia and other African countries.

Since the European Council in Dublin, £103·25 million has been committed from the emergency provision of the European development fund and from the 1984 Community budget for this purpose. But until member states all announce what they intend to give, the Community cannot finally determine the size and cost of its contribution. The Government have announced that they will contribute up to 110,000 tonnes.

asked the Prime Minister if she will estimate the amount of grain pledged to African countries since September 1984 by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Economic community: and, of these amounts, how much has already been transported to the recipient countries.

33,000 tonnes of grain have been committed by the United Kingdom, 18,300 tonnes of which has been delivered. 222,988 tonnes have been committed by the European community, of which 13,000 tonnes have been delivered. In all about 106,000 tonnes have been shipped during this period including deliveries from earlier commitments.

asked the Prime Minister what estimates are available to her regarding the amount of grain required by African countries suffering from drought in each of the coming three years.

Estimates of this kind are not available. The Government see different forecasts of the grain requirements of drought affected African countries from a variety of sources, including the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, but none of the forecasts yet goes beyond 1985.

asked the Prime Minister what liaison exists between the civil contingencies unit and the national reporting centre; and whether the civil contingencies unit has been involved in the monitoring of, or any other activities related to, the miners' strike.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 14 November 1984 to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) at column 243.

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.

[pursuant to her reply, 10 January 1985, c. 528]: I regret that the final two paragraphs were omitted. The complete answer is as follows:

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 1984 at column

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give details of the total amount of coal stocks held by (a) the National Coal Board and (b) power stations on 31 December 1984.

The latest published figures are for October 1984. At the end of that month the position was:

(a) stocks at colleries and opencast sites:

• ·21·635 million tonnes

(b) stocks at power stations:

• 15·484 million tonnes

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has provided to the European Commission on the numbers of miners he expects to accept redundancy in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987, respectively.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information is available to his Department about the amount of expenditure by the National Coal Board on advertising since 6 March 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information is available to him about the estimated cost to the National Coal Board of its publicity campaign to induce striking miners to return to work.

None. This is a matter for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the latest figures for the amount of investment in Scottish coalfields, by year, from 1978–79, with the projected figures for the coming five years.

Mining investment in the Scottish area of the NCB was:

Year	£m
1978–79	19
1979–80	22
1980–81	35
1981–82	38
1982–83	34
1983–84	31

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the subsidiary arrangements referred to in Articles 39 and 40 of the 1977 tripartite UK/IAEA/ EURATOM safeguards agreement, Cmnd. 6730, have entered into force.

	1979–80 £	1980–81 £	1981–82 £	1982–83 £	1983–84 £
Dr. Barnardo's	1,637	9,154	61,112	33,112	40,449
Down and Connor Catholic Family Welfare Society	31,720	525	72,997	61,173	48,093
National Childminding Association	1,100	1,100	1,600	1,770	2,053
National Deaf Children's Society	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,000	2,300
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children	364	89	41,700	44,125	35,393
Northern Ireland Foster Care Association	1,779	2,549	1,907	2,103	2,392
Northern Ireland Pre-school Playgroup Association	10,228	13,855	21,359	20,680	39,081
National Council of Voluntary Childcare Organisations (Northern Ireland) Group	—	—	—	—	774
Save the Children Fund	31,246	31,900	59,769	70,698	187,810
Northern Ireland Play Development Association	—	—	218	5,343	8,902

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reconsider the decision to increase the price of gas in the Greater Belfast area by 8·5 per cent. in the light of current rates of inflation and the large proportion of domestic consumers in Northern Ireland who are either senior citizens or unemployed.

The rules governing payment of a subsidy to meet the deficit incurred by the city's gas undertaking require that a price increase is implemented by the city council at least equal to increases in gas manufacturing

Yes. The subsidiary arrangements came into force in August 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the 41 student nurses who completed their training at the Royal Victoria hospital on 21 December 1984 have been offered permanent nurse posts (a) at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast and (b) elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

None of the 41 student nurses has so far been offered a permanent nursing post at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast. Five have been offered posts elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the national child care organisations in the Province which have received Government funding in each of the past five years; and if he will list the amounts granted.

The information is as follows. In addition to the amounts shown, the health and social services boards provide financial assistance to national child care organisations in respect of day care and residential facilities. Details of the actual amounts paid are not, however, readily available. Departments and health and social services boards also provide financial assistance to a number of other national or regional voluntary organisations, part of whose services benefit children and their parents.costs. The Government subsidise the council's gas undertaking by paying its deficits annually, in arrears. For 1983–84, the deficit amounts to some £9 million, or nearly half operating costs. While the specific increase in the price of gas in the Belfast area is a matter for the Belfast city council to decide, the 8·5 per cent. increase represents the minimum necessary to enable the Government to make a payment in respect of the gas undertaking's deficit in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many litres of milk had been purchased from farmers in Northern Ireland by the Department of Agriculture, under the Government's buy out scheme by the end of 1984; and what percentage of total milk production this represents;(2) how many farmers in Northern Ireland have yet to decide to sell their quotas to the buy-out scheme; and what percentage of total farmers who have been invited to sell their quotas this represents.

At the end of December 1984, 165 producers were committed to the milk supplementary levy (outgoers) scheme, involving 10·75 million litres of milk — about 0·8 per cent. of the wholesale quota for 1984–85. One hundred and thirty-one farmers had yet to decide, most having been permitted to delay their decisions pending the outcome of their special case applications for extra quota allocations under the provisions of the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 1984. These producers represent 23 per cent. of those who were initially invited to proceed as outgoers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of photosynthesis research at the Welsh plant breeding research establishment.

The Welsh plant breeding station is an institute of the Agricultural and Food Research Council which receives a grant-in-aid from the Department's science budget. The work on photosynthesis at the station forms part of the Agricultural and Food Research Service's co-ordinated programme of research in this area. I understand that the AFRC attaches high priority to that programme. The work at the WPBS relates to grassland and in particular to the effects of low temperature, a topic of some importance in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give, or estimate, either the number of peripatetic specialist teachers of music in England or the full-time equivalent number in each of the years 1983 and 1984; what changes he expects in 1985; and which are the education authorities where such provision is likely to be reduced by more than 10 per cent. between 1983 and 1985.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, a small inquiry into the provision of instrumental music in maintained primary and secondary schools in England was carried out by Her Majesty's inspectors in 1984. At that time there were the full-time equivalent of 3,244 instrumental music teachers, compared with 3,282 in 1980–81. Taking account of the change in pupil numbers, pupil-teacher ratios for instrumental music tuition had improved by some 5 per cent. over the same period. A large majority of local education authorities anticipated being able to maintain the present level of their instrumental tuition.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many school leavers there were in 1983 and 1984.

There were 765,500 in England in the academic year 1982–83 and an estimated 751,000 in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will give a breakdown by establishment of the numbers of occasions on which human embryos have been implanted into the wombs of other animals; how long each embryo survived; and what was the purpose of the implantation;(2) if he will list all those establishments where research is being, or has been, undertaken involving the implantation of human embryos in the wombs of other animals;(3) if he will list all those individuals or establishments which are currently in receipt of Government funding for research into the effect of the implantation of human embryos into wombs of other animals; how much money was paid in each case; and for what precise purpose these funds were intended.

I am not aware of any research which is being or has been undertaken involving the implantation of human embryos into the wombs of animals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what are the estimated pupil-teacher ratios in the maintained primary and secondary schools in the local education authorities of England for the year 1984–85;(2) what were the pupil-teacher ratios in the maintained primary and secondary schools in the local education authorities of England in the academic years 1979–80 to 1983–84.

The information requested is as follows. Estimates of pupil-teacher ratios for 1984–85 are not yet available.

Pupil-teacher ratios in England
January of each academic year	Maintained primary schools	Maintained secondary schools
1980	22·7	16·6
1981	22·6	16·6
1982	22·5	16·6
1983	22·3	16·5
1984	22·1	16·2

Information about pupil-teacher ratios in each local education authority for the years 1979–80 to 1982–83 is set out in DES statistical bulletins 17/80, 2/82, 13/82 and 1/84, respectively, copies of which are available in the Library. For 1983–84, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 20 November 1984, at columns

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish the report of Lord Swan's committee of inquiry on the education of children from ethnic minority groups; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the committee hopes to deliver its report to my right hon. Friend shortly. Meanwhile he has no plans to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police, pickets and others have been injured since 1 December during the coal mining dispute; and what is the cumulative figure since the dispute began.

In the period from 1 December to 10 January inclusive, 58 police officers were injured in incidents connected with the miners' dispute. The total number of police officers injured in the period from 13 March to 10 January inclusive was 1,305. It is not possible to say how many members of the public have been injured because not all their injuries are necessarily reported to the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested on picket lines since 1 December; and if he will list their occupations as notified to the police.

The information available centrally is as follows:

Occupations given by persons arrested between 5 December and 8 January inclusive:
Occupation	Number
Miners	290
Student	1
Non-manual workers	2
Housewife	1
Unemployed	37
Not known/given	15
Total	346

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in England and Wales, by rank, are currently in receipt of earnings, including rent allowance, of more than £20,000 per annum.

This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. But if overtime is excluded, only superintendents and above normally earn more than £20,000 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals in respect of the salaries of police officers of the rank of constable.

The determination of police pay is a matter for the Police Negotiating Board, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State. The Police (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1984 gave effect to the increases in police pay with effect from 1 September 1984, which were negotiated by the board last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes were made in the prison rules during 1984; and if he has any current proposals for further changes.

No changes were made to the prison rules during 1984. We do not at present have any immediate plans to change them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what submission he has received from the Society for the Prevention of Asbestosis and Industrial Diseases calling for a central unit to deal with asbestos contamination caused by fire; and what is his response.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such submission from the society.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why persons arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act over the Christmas holiday period in England and Wales have been transferred to Liverpool.

Three people arrested in other parts of the country were taken to Liverpool for questioning in connection with an investigation being conducted by the Merseyside police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act over the Christmas holiday period to the latest date in England and Wales; how many persons have been charged; and if he will make a statement.

Between 24 December 1984 and 10 January 1985, 19 people were detained under the prevention of terrorism legislation in England and Wales. By 10 January, seven had been charged with criminal offences. Of these two were convicted and five were remanded in custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons have been arrested on Merseyside under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act to the latest available date; how many were subsequently (a) charged and (b) convicted; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many persons have been detained in. England and Wales under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act to the most recent available date; and how many were

The available information on detentions under the Prevention of Terrorism Acts relates to the period up to 30 September 1984 and is published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 25/84, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Of the 458 subsequently charged throughout Great Britain, 344 had been found guilty; I will provide figures for England and Wales and for Merseyside as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the number of persons detained over the Christmas holiday period to date under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisons) Act; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of telephone calls and letters from hon. Members and members of the public concerning recent detentions under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the appropriate chief constable on the circumstances in which James Magis was arrested on 28 November on his arrival at Dover and was detained until he was placed on a plane to Paris on 5 December; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. James Magis arrived at Dover on 28 November 1984 and was detained by an immigration officer for further examination under the Immigration Act 1971. Later that day he was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 and taken to London for questioning by the police. I subsequently authorised extensions of Mr. Magis' detention of four days and then of a further day. On 5 December he was refused leave to enter the United Kingdom on my personal direction that his exclusion would be conducive to the public good. He was removed to France on the same day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether his Department has made any study of the weekend detention system which operates in Australia; whether he has any plans to make this type of punishment available to magistrates; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will introduce a pilot scheme of weekend detention; what facilities he has available to him for the operation of such a scheme; and if he will make a statement.

In our consideration of intermittent custody we have taken account of experience in several overseas countries, but have made no study specifically of the systems which I understand exist in two Australian states. My right hon. and learned Friend is giving careful consideration to the responses he has received to the Green Paper published last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals for the reform of the criminal sentencing system in the light of the report of the Advisory Council on the Penal System "Sentences of Imprisonment: a review of maximum penalties".

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he estimates to be the running costs of the national reporting centre in 1984; and who is responsible for the payment of its costs.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the agreement between the national reporting centre and individual chief constables.

There is no such agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of manpower individual chief constables are committed to providing on request for mutual aid through the national reporting centre.

The system of providing mutual aid through the national reporting centre, and the number of officers who can be provided in response to a request for aid is an operational decision for individual chief officers and there is no set level of manpower which they are committed to providing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis he receives reports from the national reporting centre; and whether these reports are given daily.

The Home Secretary receives daily reports through the national reporting centre from chief officers of police in England and Wales about their operations in relation to events arising from the miners' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held at Winson Green prison in Birmingham on 31 December 1984; how many of those prisoners were unconvicted; and how many unconvicted prisoners had been provisionally put in category A.

The population of Birmingham prison on 31 December 1984 was 870 including 333 unconvicted prisoners, of whom five were provisionally placed in category A.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many amendments to circular instruction 10/1976 were issued during 1984.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the information booklet given to each prisoner on reception was last reprinted; and whether he will put a copy in the Library.

The information booklets issued on reception to male and female prisoners respectively have not been reprinted since their introduction in April 1983, but revised versions of both are now in the course of preparation. I have arranged for copies of the booklets to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors have been approved for Mr. Mohammed Siddique who is an unconvicted prisoner on remand at Winson Green prison in Birmingham.

Eleven.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors have been approved for Mr. Abdul Raja who is an unconvicted prisoner on remand at Winson Green prison in Birmingham.

Nine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors have been approved for Mr. Riaz who is an unconvicted prisoner on remand at Winson Green prison in Birmingham.

Twelve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving unconvicted prisoners who had been provisionally put in category A were reported to his Department in November.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, 20 December 1984, Official Report, column 291, when his noble Friend will write to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill.

Inquiries are being made into the matters raised by the hon. Member and my noble Friend will write to him as soon as these have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what request he has received for an increase in the establishment of the Thames Valley police force; and if he will take into account all representations he receives about the establishment of that force before reaching a decision on that request.

The Thames Valley police authority has applied for increases of 174 police posts in the authorised establishment of the force, including seven which are currently held on a supernumerary basis. My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the applications in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, and he will take account of all the representations he has received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police force police as to (a) the cost of the Thames Valley police per 1,000 of population and (b) the numbers of police officers per 1,000 of population; and if he will compare the figures with the national average.

"Police Statistics 1983–84 Actuals", published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, show that the net expenditure of Thames Valley police per 1,000 population was £35,296 in the financial year 1983–84, compared with the average of £50,435 for all forces in England and Wales and £40,127 in English non-metropolitan counties. There are 1·78 police officers per 1,000 population in Thames. Valley, compared with the average of 2·41 for all forces in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases criminal proceedings have been brought against traffickers and smugglers of drugs in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979.

The information requested is given in the following table. Figures for 1984 are not yet available.

Persons* proceeded against for trafficking in controlled drugs by type of offence in United Kingdom
Offence	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Unlawful production of drugs other than cannabis	21	9	24	33	17
Unlawful supply	840	1075	1249	1358	1334
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully	671	824	966	1119	1423
Unlawful import or export	1060	1293	1490	1263	1638
All trafficking offences	2359	2931	3356	34C2	3937
* As the person may be proceeded against for more than one offence rows cannot be added together to produce totals.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has any proposals for extending the availability of legal aid to tribunals: and if he will make a statement.

Advice and assistance under the green form scheme is available, subject to means, to those involved in tribunal proceedings. This does not extend to representation. Legal aid or assistance by way of representation is available for proceedings before the Lands Tribunal, the Commons Commissioners, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and mental health review tribunals. There are no present plans to extend these to other tribunals.

asked the Attorney-General what arrangements he has made to monitor the effects of the Legal Aid Act 1982 on the grant of criminal legal aid.

The Lord Chancellor is concerned that he should receive accurate and prompt statistical returns from the magistrates courts on the grant and refusal of legal aid, and a more precise and simpler form of return has been introduced. The Law Society is collecting statistics on applications made to the criminal legal aid committees, including applications for recourse after refusal of legal aid by magistrates' courts.

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will ask the Law Commission to carry out an inquiry into methods of achieving leasehold reform for residential flats.

The Lord Chancellor has under consideration the Law Commission's report No. 127 on positive and restrictive covenants, and the Building Societies' Association proposals in its report "Leaseholds- Time for a Change?", both of which involve aspects concerning the ownership of flats. The public will be given an opportunity to comment upon the provisional conclusions on these matters before any major reform is proposed. The conclusions of the committee on the management of blocks of flats under the chairmanship of Mr. E. G. Nugee QC will also have to be taken into account. In the circumstances the separate reference to the Law Commission suggested by the hon. Member would not be desirable.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement concerning the current waiting list for cases awaiting hearing by the official referee.

For some years the number of cases awaiting hearing by the official referees had been steadily increasing; but that trend has now been reversed. The number of cases outstanding at the end of November 1984 was 1,430, 108 fewer than at the beginning of the year. The number of official referees in London has recently been increased from four to six, and further improvement may be expected.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department makes of the correlation between changes in the international competitiveness of United Kingdom manufacturing industry and changes in the balance of trade in manufactured goods.

The international competitiveness of United Kingdom manufacturing industry reflects a wide range of factors, including both cost/price competitiveness, and "non-price" factors — design, product reliability, marketing effort, delivery performance, etc. Econometric analysis can produce estimates of the effects of changes in measured cost or price competitiveness on the volumes of United Kingdom manufactured exports and imports, but such estimates are subject to wide margins of error, and the Department has not made any of its own. Changes in the balance in value terms will be affected both by changes in volumes and by changes in export and import prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Space Agency in 1984; what is the estimated contribution for the years 1985 to 1990; and if the United Kingdom estimate provides for co-operation and collaboration with the United States of America in the building of a space platform.

The United Kingdom contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1984 was as follows:

	£ million
Department of Trade and Industry	58·5
Science and Engineering Research Council	10·7
Meteorological Office	5·7
TOTAL	74·9

The level of future contributions to ESA and whether definition studies should commence on a possible space platform will be matters for discussion between the Ministers of the ESA member states later this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the progress being made in changing certain aspects of the United Kingdom securities industry and in the deregulation of certain activities in the United Kingdom stock exchanges.

I consider that the stock exchange is tackling the process of reform thoroughly and as rapidly as the significance of the changes admits. For the rest, I shall very shortly be laying a White Paper before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent information he has obtained about the numbers of children receiving medical attention following swallowing accidents; and if he will publish a table showing the numbers of incidents related to categories of items swallowed, including erasers.

The latest figures for all age groups reported by the 20 hospitals participating in my Department's home accident surveillance system are given below. With the exception of food items almost all of these relate to children.

Objects in mouth, throat and digestive system
Article	1983	*1984
Bones	583	690
Money	182	290
Fish	89	70
Meat/poultry	78	121
All toys	71	105
Fruit/vegetables	59	63
Jewellery	49	75
Nails/screws/tacks	47	52
Marbles	40	74
Bread/cakes	37	32
Sweets/chewing gum	26	53
Dressmaking pins	26	30
Ball bearings	23	43
Safety pins	21	17
Splinters	20	21
Buttons	18	22
Decorations	17	17
Drinking glass	16	12
False teeth/braces	16	17

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received about the draft Food Imitations (Safety) Regulations 1985; and what number of this total gave general support to the proposals.

Fifty two representations have been received about the draft Food Imitations (Safety) Regulations 1985, of which 39 gave general support to the proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any further orders are to be made under section 12(4) of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982.

Yes. On 4 January I made an order that the provisions of section 13 of this Act shall not apply to the services rendered by an arbitrator in his capacity as such. It has been laid before the House today, and will come into operation on 1 March.The order is similar to two other orders; the Supply of Services (Exclusion of Implied Terms) Order 1982, SI 1982/1771 and the Supply of Services (Exclusion of Implied Terms) Order 1983, SI 1983/902 which, respectively, disapply section 13 from the services rendered by company directors to their companies and the services rendered to a building society by a director of the society or to those rendered to an industrial or provident society by a member of its committee of management or other directing body.The obligations (if any) which arbitrators owe to the parties to an arbitration will, in cases where the subject is not dealt with in their contract or otherwise provided for, accordingly be governed by the Common Law and not section 13 of the 1982 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will enumerate the representations he has received on the results of the deliberations of secondary quota distribution tribunals.

Twelve.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the proportion of the Welsh housing stock which was either demolished or ceased to be used for occupation in the last 12 months for which statistics are available.

During the year ending 30 September 1984, 0·04 per cent. of the dwelling stock was either demolished or closed due to unfitness.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action he plans to take to help Welsh local authorities which have no more land available for building new houses.

In September 1984 the Welsh Office issued circular 47/84 "Land for Housing in Wales" advising local authorities on their responsibility to ensure that there is an adequate supply of land available for housing. The circular advised that where the supply is found to be inadequate to meet the structure plan provision for housing, authorities should consider what steps to take including expediting planning applications and allocating additional land through the preparation and adoption of local plans. The Land Authority for Wales with its powers to acquire and dispose of land for development can also play a significant role in making more housing land available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many nursery schools pupils there were in Wales in each of the years 1979 to 1984; and how many nursery school places were available in each of those years.

The information is as follows:

Numbers of pupils attending maintained nursery schools in Wales
	Full-time	Part-time
1978–79	1,808	2,786
1979–80	1,702	2,624
1980–81	1,604	2,591
1981–82	1,466	2,654
1982–83	1,468	2,856
1983–84	1,463	2,962

These figures do not include pupils attending nursery classes in primary schools. Information as to the number of nursery school places is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals for the future development of pre-school and nursery education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Office will continue to provide an element of financial support to organisations which cater for pre-school children. Provision for under-fives by local education authorities in Wales is at a high level, some 85 per cent. of 3 and 4 year-olds being catered for and Government policy assumes that provision will continue at this level. Provision in any particular area, however, is for individual local education authorities to determine in the light of all the relevant circumstances.

Pupil-teacher ratios in maintained primary schools
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
Clwyd	23·1	22·9	23·3	23·2	23·2
Dyfed	18·4	18·8	19·1	19·2	19·0
Gwent	22·8	22·8	22·8	22·1	22·3
Gwynedd	20·5	19·9	19·5	19·8	19·7
Mid Glamorgan	23·6	23·6	23·5	23·5	22·3
Powys	18·7	18·7	19·5	18·8	18·6
South Glamorgan	23·2	22·8	22·9	22·9	22·9
West Glamorgan	21·1	20·7	21·2	21·4	21·5

Pupil-teacher ratios in maintained secondary schools
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
Clwyd	17·0	17·0	17·2	16·9	16·7
Dyfed	16·8	16·6	16·4	16·4	16·1
Gwent	16·1	16·6	16·4	16·1	15·8
Gwynedd	16·2	16·1	16·0	16·0	15·5
Mid Glamorgan	16·8	16·8	17·6	17·4	16·6
Powys	16·0	15·9	15·7	15·9	15·6
South Glamorgan	16·8	16·9	16·9	16·7	16·7
West Glamorgan	16·4	16·1	16·0	15·8	15·7

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the estimated pupil-teacher ratios in the maintained primary and secondary schools in the local education authorities of Wales for the year 1984–85.

Estimated pupil-teacher ratios for 1984–85 are not available.

	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	*1983–84
£ outturn prices
Net recurrent institutional costs per primary pupil†
Clwyd	416	538	631	683	727
Dyfed	464	620	700	740	728
Gwent	435	553	634	706	750
Gwynedd	414	541	642	722	715
Mid Glamorgan	440	568	632	715	788
Powys	532	665	758	816	879
South Glamorgan	421	534	593	646	682
West Glamorgan	508	626	707	763	807
£ 1983–84 prices‡
Clwyd	604	659	703	713	727
Dyfed	674	759	780	773	728
Gwent	632	677	705	737	750
Gwynedd	601	663	715	754	715
Mid Glamorgan	639	696	704	747	788
Powys	773	814	844	852	879
South Glamorgan	611	654	660	674	682
West Glamorgan	738	767	787	797	807
£ outturn prices
Net recurrent institutional costs per secondary pupil†
Clwyd	570	724	833	904	996
Dyfed	603	752	855	911	958

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the pupil-teacher ratios in the maintained primary and secondary schools in the local education authorities of Wales in the academic years 1979–80 to 1983–84.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the expenditure by each of the local education authorities in Wales in primary and secondary schools, the expenditure to be expressed as cost per pupil, in cost and real terms, since 1979–80.

The information is as follows: