asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list by region in England how much European regional development fund aid to date has been devoted to (a) infrastructural projects and (b) industrial projects; and if he will give the total for England in each category.

The total aid to date allocated from the quota section of the European regional development fund to infrastructure and industrial projects in England is shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide a breakdown of the figure of £1 billion given to the House on 9 January, Official Report, column 831, as being the total provided in financial assistance to the northern region since 1972.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will write to local co-operative development agencies to invite their participation in the 1985 local enterprise week.

I welcome the participation of local cooperative development agencies in local enterprise week and will write to them with details of plans for the week.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the total regional development grant paid in each standard planning region for each year since 1979.

The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the total expenditure by central Government in regional aid to each English region and Wales for each year since 1979 in cash and real terms using 1984 as the base year.

Government expenditure since 1979 on regional aid to Wales and the regions of England is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the per capita spending on regional aid by central Government for each region in England for each year since 1979.

The following table is based on the total of expenditure on regional development grants and

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what, in respect of the year 1983–84, was the total number of jobs created in each region in England by means of selective financial assistance; and what is his estimate of the average cost of such jobs created.

The information requested is not available. However, under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982, the assistance offered for job creation projects together with the related estimated number of jobs to be created and the average cost of each job, during 1983–84 by English regions is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of applications for selective financial assistance approved by his Department for each region in England in 1983–84.

The number of applications offered selective financial assistance under sections 7 and 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 in each region in England in 1983–84 is as follows:

asked the Attorney-General how many Crown court cases arose in 1984 in which disclosure of personal health data was necessary before a verdict could be reached.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Attorney-General how many cases of criminal proceedings arose in 1984 resulting from transgressions of Sunday trading restrictions; and in which areas such offences took place.

Section 71 of the Shops Act 1950 assigns responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions of the Shops Act 1950 to the local authority for the district concerned. The Director of Public Prosecutions, for whose work I have responsibility, has not dealt with any such cases in 1984. The total number of prosecutions brought in 1984 under the 1950 Act is not yet available, but will be included in the statistics relating to crime and criminal proceedings for 1984 when they are published by the Home Office.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average length of time between a prisoner applying for leave to appeal and the decision being given by a judge on such applications; and what was the average time taken in making such decisions for each year since 1978.

Information is not available in the form requested. The time interval varies from case to case and depends on such factors as the the length and complexity of the trial, the number of defendants, the length of sentence, whether the appeal was against conviction sentence or both, and whether or not the application was pursued to the full court. The total number of cases outstanding in the Court of Appeal, criminal division has, however, decreased from 3,333 at the end of 1983 to 2,545 at the end of 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the movement of pay in the wages council sector has changed over the last 10 years as a proportion of the national average.

The information required is set out in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate his Department has of the proportion of jobs supported by the young workers scheme which would have existed in any case.

The information is not available in the form requested. The young workers scheme is designed to encourage employers to employ more young people at more realistic rates of pay. Survey evidence suggests that at least 20 per cent. of jobs supported were created directly because of the help it provides. It is likely that a significant proportion of the remainder would not have existed in the absence of more realistic rates of pay for young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of all the Government training schemes and special employment measures for each year from and including the financial year 1972–73; and what was the average number of participants in each year.

The cost of all Government training schemes and employment measures for each financial year from 1974–75 to 1983–84 together with, where available, the number of participants is outlined in the following tables.Information in respect of 1972–73 and 1973–74 is not readily available. The number of participants is expressed variously as annual number of entrants, course completions, average filled places, etc according to the availability of statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state separately how many employers and how many employees were covered by each wages council for the latest period during 1984 for which statistics are available.

Estimates of the coverage of wages councils are derived from records kept by the Wages Inspectorate which are on the basis of establishments rather than employers. The latest figures for establishments and workers covered by each council are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the Christmas undertaking under the youth training scheme that all unemployed minimum age school leavers would be offered a place by Christmas has been met; and if he will make a statement.

I am very happy to say that the Government's undertaking has been effectively met for the second successive year. There are over 300,000 young people on the youth training scheme and on 3 January only 3,850 youngsters were waiting for the offer of a place. The comparable figure for last year was 4,320.These results are a tremendous achievement by all concerned — the Manpower Services Commission, the careers service, employers, trade unions, local authorities, colleges and voluntary organisations. Their support for the Government's commitment to training is much appreciated. I am also delighted to see the clear evidence that young people recognise that the youth training scheme offers a real chance to improve the basic skills necessary to compete effectively in the labour market.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the statistics for terrorist activity and security forces' activity in Northern Ireland for the year ended 31 December 1984.

I regret that these statistics are not yet available, but I expect them to be so shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Mercia giving the reasons why two detective sergeants and a detective constable were suspended before August 1984 during the course of the inquiry into the murder of Miss Hilda Murrell; when he expects disciplinary procedures to be completed; and whether the detectives were suspended on full pay or half pay.

I understand from the chief constable of West Mercia that on 7 August 1984 he announced that three officers, two from his force and the third from the West Midlands police, attached to the No. 4 Regional Crime Squad, were suspended from duty during the course of a disciplinary inquiry into whether they had failed properly to carry out their duties. The inquiry began on 21 June 1984; one officer from West Mercia and the officer from West Midlands were suspended on 28 June and the second officer from West Mercia was suspended on 2 August. A report of the inquiry will be submitted to the deputy chief constable shortly who will then take a decision on whether disciplinary charges should be brought. In accordance with normal practice the officers were suspended on full pay, but one has since resigned from the police service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which senior officer has been designated as officer in charge of the use of baton rounds in the Metropolitan police area; and how many police officers in London have been trained in their use.

The senior officer in charge of the use of plastic baton rounds in the Metropolitan police district is the Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Operations) in "A" Department (Administration and Operations). Forty firearms instructors and 46 other officers are at present trained in the use of plastic baton rounds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers Her Majesty's Government have to control the movement of itinerants from European Economic Community countries into the United Kingdom.

The admission of foreign nationals is controlled by the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971. The practices followed in the administration of the Act are set out in the "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules" (HC 169) laid before Parliament on 9 February 1983, which recognise the right to admission under Community law of certain nationals of European Community countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards the introduction of legislation to replace the Cruely to Animals Act 1876 following the publication of the White Paper in May 1983.

We have made considerable progress since the publication of the White Paper. Extensive consultations have been held with interested parties, and aspects of the proposals have been tested, refined and developed. We hope shortly to issue further information on developments in policy. It remains our firm intention to introduce new legislation at the earliest possible opportunity, and we shall be ready to do so as soon as that opportunity occurs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were breathalysed over Christmas and the new year within the Metropolitan police area; and of those how many were found positive;(2) if he will call for reports from each chief constable as to the number of people tested for drunken driving over the Christmas period and as to the number of positive tests; and if he will make a statement.

Police forces submit, throughout the year, returns to the Home Office on breath tests, but the returns take some time to compile and process and all police forces have not yet compiled their figures covering the Christmas and new year period. Considerable disruption and expense would be involved in asking them to alter the standing arrangements for submitting these returns now and bringing forward the normal schedule for processing them. When all the returns for 1984 have been received, it is planned to publish a statistical bulletin on the use of breath tests in 1984, on similar lines to "Statistics of Breath Tests, England and Wales 1983" (Issue 20/84), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This will include a special analysis of the figures over the Christmas period and will be available well before arrangments have to be made for next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for drink-driving offences there have been in each of the past five years and to date in 1985.

The available information is for findings of guilt at all courts and is given in table 5 of the Home Office statistical bulletin, "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales 1983" (Issue 24/84), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Information for 1984 and 1985 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the introduction of random breath tests; and if he will make a statement.

A police constable in uniform has a general power to stop any vehicle and he may require a motorist to take a roadside breath screening test if he has reasonable cause to suspect that the motorist has alcohol in his body, or following the commission of a moving traffic offence, or if the motorist has been involved in an accident. We are not convinced that it is necessary to extend these wide powers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis over the use of unmarked police cars within the Metropolitan police area; and if he will publish any guidelines issued in the Official Report.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the force uses unmarked vehicles for a wide range of purposes including CID inquiries, surveillance, responding to certain complaints about speeding and miscellaneous support functions. Whether or not an unmarked police vehicle is to be used in a particular operation is a matter for the senior officer concerned. No guidelines have been issued specifically on the use of unmarked police cars.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received objecting to the presence in the United Kingdom of members of the South West African people's Organisation.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to Wintex-Cimex '85.

Officials from the Department have been involved in the planning of the United Kingdom's contribution to the exercise and will participate during the exercise itself.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has appointed a person to report annually on the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984.

I am pleased to say that Sir Cyril Philips has accepted this appointment. I hope to receive his first report next month.

asked the Prime Minister what are the implications for the agreements secured at the Fontainebleau and Dublin summits on Common Market finances of the decision of the European Assembly on 13 December to reject the 1985 budget; and if she will make a statement.

I regret the decision of the European Parliament to reject the 1985 draft budget. But this action affects neither the agreement on future United Kingdom abatements secured at the Fontainebleau European Council; nor the agreement on budget discipline adopted during the Dublin Council. These have been accepted by all member states.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government have any further proposals to make to improve industrial relations in the countries of Britain.

The Trade Union Act 1984, which is designed to ensure that trade unions are more democratic and their leaders more accountable to their members, will not be in full operation until later this year. It is therefore too early to say what further specific legislative measures may be introduced. However, we are considering what might usefully be done to deal with the special problems of industrial action in essential services and we shall take whatever additional steps may be necessary to ensure that there is a balanced and effective legal framework for the conduct of industrial relations.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 15 January.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister how many records of atomic test veterans have now been surveyed.

The study of atomic test veterans which the National Radiological Protection Board is undertaking is progressing to plan, as detailed by the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement in October 1983. About 20,000 British service men and civilians participated in the entire programme; almost all these individuals are known, and their records are being made available to the NRPB for it to consider for inclusion in the study.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on what is being done to assist the Australian Royal Commission's inquiry into the atomic tests held at Maralinga.

Her Majesty's Government are devoting very considerable effort to assisting the Australian Royal Commission in the limited time given to it by the Australian Government for executing its inquiries. Priority has been given to making available information from the sources most likely to provide relevant material. So far, the Ministry of Defence has reviewed and supplied some 250 relevant trials reports and other documents; access has been granted to about 100 unique headquarters' files and other documents pertaining to the period of the programmes in advance of their normal 30-year release to the Public Records Office; and 25 United Kingdom witnesses, including high ranking staff in responsible positions during the test programmes., are being assisted to testify.

asked the Prime Minister whether British service men were deliberately exposed to the effects of radiation during tests in the South Pacific in the 1950s.

There is no truth in the allegations that British service men were used as "guinea pigs". No British service men were exposed unnecessarily to levels of ionising radiation in excess of the prescribed limits. These limits were comparable with those which apply to radiation workers today.Approximately 15,000 of the 20,000 participants at the tests were not exposed to additional radiation at all. Most of those who were exposed to ionising radiation other than natural background received a radiation dose less than one tenth of the limit prescribed for radiation workers. Only very few (fewer than 30 individuals, service men and civilians, for the entire programme) experienced exposures greater than 70 millisieverts; these exposures were within the special higher integrated dose for cases of extreme necessity and had to be authorised by the test director.

asked the Prime Minister how man) people have been included in the survey of atomic tests service men who were not, at the time considered to be at risk from radiation exposure.

The National Radiological Protection Board, which is carrying out the study of United Kingdom participants in the United Kingdom atmospheric nuclear weapon tests, is being given information, including dose records, about all the service men and civilians who are known to have been involved in the test programmes. As explained in the NRPB protocol issued in September 1983, the board will consider which participants should be included in the study. The question of how their analysis will take account of the 5,000 or so with dose records is entirely a matter for the board.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will extend the survey of service men involved in tests held in the South Pacific in the 1950s to examine genetic effects on children of service men; and when the existing survey will be completed.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 31 October 1984, at columns 1120–21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the effect of the exchange rate on the cost of Trident; if she will estimate the present cost of the project; and how this compares with the 1980 estimates.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is currently reviewing the estimate of cost of Trident and expects to make an announcement to Parliament shortly. The latest published estimate for the Trident programme based on the use of the Trident D5 missile, is £8,729 million at an exchange rate of $1·53 = £1. The original estimate for Trident given in 1980 and based on the Trident C4 missile, was £4,500 million to £5,000 million. Of the increase in cost, about £1·25 billion relates to exchange rate variations.

asked the Prime Minister what would be the loss in revenue if (a) income tax thresholds and (b) national insurance thresholds were raised to £2,500 for a single person and £5,000 for a married couple per year; and what would be the financial effect on a man with a wife and two children with an income of £100 per week and whose rent and rates were £20 and £5, respectively, if at the same time child benefit, all housing benefits and family income supplement were abolished.

The cost of increasing the single person's income tax allowance to £2,500 and the married man's allowance to £5,000 would be about £7·6 billion in a full year at 1984–85 levels of income. The reduction in national insurance contributions if the lower earnings limit was raised to £2,500 per year for single people and to £5,000 per year for married couples, in relation to their joint earnings, would be about £1·1 billion in 1984–85. This estimate assumes no change in the contracted-out rebate in respect of people remaining liable to contributions. On the assumptions given, the family specified would lose £788 in 1984–85.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will propose to the House the reintroduction of the system of counting the number of signatures on public petitions.

I have no such proposals. It is already open to an hon. Member presenting a public petition to draw the attention of the House to the number of signatures attached to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will publish any exchange of letters between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government that constitute a waiver on the stipulation in the mutual defence agreement 1958 (as amended in 1959 and subsequently) that nuclear materials bartered under this arrangement shall be used for the furtherance of defence purposes by each state;

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 2 July 1984, at column 36, in which he explained that it is not Her Majesty's Government's practice to release details of exchanges such as those between the United States and United Kingdom Governments on the mutual defence agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make available more detailed information on the specific projects supported by the Energy Efficiency Office in the interests of furthering energy efficiency.

I have placed a note, describing the excellent schemes and projects currently available to assist all sectors in achieving greater efficiency in the use of energy, in the Library of the House, together with the relevant publications and leaflets which are available from the Energy Efficiency Office at my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase the maximum weight of lorries from 38 tonnes.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidance to those who continue to drink and drive.

I shall continue to take every possible opportunity to make it clear that drinking and driving is irresponsible and potentially dangerous.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be in a positon to announce his decision on further noise reduction methods on the Chertsey-Wisley section of the M25.

I hope to write to my hon. Friend within the next three to four weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the percentages of gross national product spent on overseas aid by the following countries compares with that spent by the United Kingdom: (a) the United States of America, (b) Japan and (c) the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

In 1983 British aid was 0·35 per cent. of GNP. By comparison the USA's share was 0·24 per cent. and Japan's 0·33 per cent. The USSR is not a member of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which collates aid statistics, and does not itself publish this information. However, it is estimated that the USSR's development aid represented 0·19 per cent. of GNP in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British Government financed personnel are currently working overseas as part of aid programmes; in which countries they are working; what tasks they are performing; and what is the estimated total cost to the Government of such programmes.

The latest complete information is for 1983. There were 738 fully funded and 1,779 partly funded personnel, and 1,041 volunteers serving in over 100 countries overseas under the aid programme at 31 December 1983 at a total cost of just over £70 million. They were working in a wide variety of disciplines including renewable natural resources, public administration, education and health. A list of the countries where they worked and details of the full range of disciplines are given in tables 19 and 14 respectively of the 1984 edition of "British Aid Statistics", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many overseas students or trainees are currently studying in the United Kingdom as part of United Kingdom overseas aid programmes; at which establishments such students are studying; what courses they are on; and what is the estimated total annual expenditure on any such schemes.

On 31 December 1983, the latest date for which official aid statistics are available, 5,336 students and trainees from developing countries were on courses in the United Kingdom financed by the British overseas aid programme.The additional information which my hon. Friend has requested is not immediately available, but I will write to him shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are to be taken to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 558 which was unanimously adopted on 13 December in order to prevent imports of arms from South Africa into the United Kingdom and its dependencies.

The United Kingdom does not obtain its arms and military equipment of the type covered by Security Council resolution 558 from South Africa. We supported the adoption of SCR 558 and expect other UN member states to consider carefully its provisions, but it is a non-mandatory resolution.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Government officials visited South Africa during 1984; and if he will name these officials and the purpose of their visits.

There are no centrally compiled lists of visits by government officials to overseas countries. I regret, therefore, that the information requested by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America and (c) other member states of the EEC voted on the resolutions on apartheid adopted at the 39th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in particular resolution 39/2 and resolutions 39/72 A to G.

The information requested is as follows:

• Resolution 39/2: The United Kingdom and USA abstained. Other members of the EC voted in favour.
• Resolution 39/72A: All members of the EC, and the USA, voted against, except Greece which abstained.
• Resolution 39/72B: The United Kingdom and USA voted against; other members of the EC voted in favour.
• Resolution 39/72C: All members of the EC, and the USA, voted against, except Greece, which voted in favour.
• Resolution 39/72D: The United Kingdom, FRG, Netherlands and Denmark and the USA, abstained. Other members of the EC voted in favour.
• Resolution 39/72E: The United Kingdom and USA abstained; other members of the EC voted in favour.
• Resolution 39/72F: Adopted without a vote.
• Resolution 39/72G: The United Kingdom and USA voted against, five EC members abstained and four voted in favour.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further initiatives Her Majesty's Government favour in establishing greater co-operation within the member states of the Council of Europe to counter international terrorism.

The Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution on the fight against terrorism and international organised crime in May 1984. Member states have since been considering how best to give effect to the resolution. We are playing a full part in these discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Zimbabwe.

My right hon. and learned Friend paid his first visit to Zimbabwe from 5 to 8 January 1985. While there he was able to have most useful and friendly discussions with Mr. Mugabe and other senior Zimbabwean Ministers covering a wide range of international and bilateral issues. He also met a number of Opposition leaders and representatives of the private sector; and saw something of Zimbabwe's agriculture.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the proportions of pupils in comprehensive schools, secondary modern schools and grammar schools in each local education authority in 1984.

The proportions of secondary pupils—excluding middle deemed secondary—in comprehensive—excluding sixth form colleges—secondary modern and grammar schools in each local education authority in England in 1984 were: