asked the Attorney-General what plans he has to prosecute the Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Lewin, for revealing information about the operation of Her Majesty's submarines, contrary to section 2 of the Official Secrets Act.

I refer to my reply of 1 February 1985 to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes). He has now written to me with some information and I am having inquiries made.

asked the Attorney-General when section 6 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982 will be implemented.

The draft rules of court which accompanied the consultation paper on awards of provisional and further damages issued by the Lord Chancellor's Department on 20 September 1984 are being revised in the light of responses received to that paper, which reflected differing opinions and conflicting interests. This matter is being pressed forward as quickly as possible. I can give no specific promises as to timing, but the Lord Chancellor expects to place proposals before the Supreme Court rule committee in the near future with a view to bringing section 6 into force as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General when proposed amendments to the Supreme Court rules making provisions for awards for provisional damages will be laid before the House.

I refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member's question on this subject earlier today. The statutory instrument amending rules of court is subject to negative resolution and will accordingly be laid before Parliament once it has been made.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make it his policy in the forthcoming amendments to the Supreme Court rules making provisions for awards of provisional damages not to impose a time limit within which application for further awards must be made.

I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member's question on this subject earlier today. The question of a time limit for claims for further damages is one of the matters the rule committee will consider in the light of the responses that have been received.

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what controls exist at present to monitor licensed applications for dumping at sea.

In accordance with a predetermined programme, regular checks are made of both the materials to be dumped and the vessels to be used in connection with licences issued under the Dumping at Sea Act 1974. Similarly, the state of the marine environment, both at the dumping site and elsewhere, is kept under regular scientific surveillance within the framework of defined monitoring programmes.

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

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

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to extend a streamlined prior notification system for farm capital grant to cover the whole countryside in accordance with the recommendation in the Environment Committee report on the operational effectiveness of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

This is one of a number of recommendations in the report which we are currently considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department, which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c) charge fees which exactly cover the cost of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

The nationalised industry, non-departmental public bodies and organisations for which my Department is responsible or to which it provides funds of more than £100,000 per annum are as follows: categorised broadly as requested, though detailed information on particular services and charges is not held centrally for reasons of cost. No services provided by my Department for which charges are raised incur full costs of more than £100,000 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek the agreement of the parties to publication of the terms of settlement reached in respect of defects in the construction of the University hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

The defects in question arose from construction between 1966 and 1969 and were of two main categories, mosaic cladding and structural defects. Counsel advised the Welsh Health Technical Services Organisation against pursuing a claim for the recovery of the cost of remedial measures in respect of the structural defects. The Public Accounts Committee was informed of this on 14 November 1983: a summary of the main features of counsel's advice had been given to it in March 1982. They were told that action was continuing in respect of the mosaics.Having taken further advice from counsel, WHTSO signed an agreement with the architects, the consulting engineers and the liquidators of the building contractors on 24 November 1983 primarily concerned with the mosaic cladding but also in full and final settlement of all claims in respect of all defects in the building known at that time. The agreement stipulated that it should remain confidential to the parties, saving that WHTSO could disclose the terms in full to the Welsh Office, and envisaged subsequent disclosure in confidence to the Public Accounts Committee. This has been done.I have asked the parties to the settlement to agree to wider publication of its terms. One party has objected. However, I have decided that in the public interest details of the settlement should be made available to the House. Accordingly, I have placed in the Library a copy of the agreement, together with copies of the related counsel's opinion and the previous counsel's opinion to which I have referred.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, what is the total value of all the assets of the Church Commission; what was the income of the Church Commission in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

As at 31 December 1983 the total value of the assets of the Church Commissioners, excluding £30,592,000 held for particular beneficiaries, amounted to £1,599,827,000.The income from the Commissioners' own assets for the last 10 years was as follows:

	£ million
1973–74	28–4
1974–75	30–1
1975–76	33–4
1976–77	36·9
1977–78	40·0
1978–79	46·2
9 months to 31 December 1979*	41·7
1980	59·3
1981	64·2
1982	69·5
1983	76·0
* Denotes change from financial year to calendar year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his intention fully to protect all employees' pension rights and conditions in his forthcoming legislation on buses.

The Transport Bill contains no provisions relating to pensions of employees and pensioners of district council or PTE bus undertakings, since we anticipate that satisfactory arrangements can be made under existing legislation. The Bill does contain powers relating to pension arrangements for National Bus Company employees and pensioners. We shall be discussing the pension issues with the National Bus Company and local government representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the nationalised industries, nongovernmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsiblity or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department, which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

The nationalised industries sponsored by my Department are British Airways, British Rail, the British Airports Authority, the National Bus Company, London Regional Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority. They operate to financial targets which take account of their particular circumstances, revenue potential, internal resources and, where appropriate, subsidies. In addition, there are a number of harbour authorities which have received loans from the Consolidated Fund, but for whose fees and charges I have no direct responsibility. The Mersey Harbour Authority and the Port of London Authority also receive grant support.Other non-governmental organisations and agencies sponsored by, or receiving funds from, my Department are:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport over the most recent three years, respectively, for which figures are available, what were the numbers of road accidents contributed to by (a) epilepsy and (b) heart attacks.

Causes are not recorded on road accident reports and therefore I regret that no figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to assist large vehicles to reverse more safely.

The Government have decided to make provisions for the use of audible reversing alarms. Although these alarms have been illegal in many circumstances up to now, I know that a number of local authorities and bus companies have been using them as a useful safety device for some time. We are now establishing a legal framework to allow their use on certain types of vehicle with suitable safeguards to avoid their becoming a nuisance.Regulations have been laid down which will permit the use of reversing alarms on commercial vehicles over 2 tonnes gross weight, on large passenger vehicles with nine or more seats, including the driver, on engineering plant and on works trucks. But the alarms will still be illegal on private cars.The alarms will be subject to the same night-time restrictions as apply to the standard horn and must not be capable of being confused with the "safe to cross" signal on a pelican crossing.This change in the regulations does not diminish the responsibilities of the driver, who must always take the greatest care with any reversing manoeuvre.

asked the Prime Minister what response she is making to the resolutions adopted and drawn to her attention by the Greater Manchester police authority concerning the cost of the miners' dispute and its effects on the policing of Greater Manchester; and if she will make a statement.

This resolution was drawn to my attention by the right hon. Member in his letter of 4 February, to which I have asked my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary to reply.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what specific action she has taken since 1979 to extend public access to official information; and if she will make a statement;(2) what plans she has to introduce legislation relating to freedom of information; and if she will make a statement.

We have a clear policy to make as much information available as possible while preserving the confidentiality essential to the effective working of the

The dates, destination, purpose and numbers of accompanying staff (including advisers and shorthand writers where relevant) of overseas visits by the departmental select committees are as follows:
Session	Destination	Staff	Purpose
Agriculture Committee
1979–80	Netherlands and France	3	To discuss common problems with leading figures with the relevant Governments and dairy industry in relation to the inquiry into the Economic, Social and Health Implications for the United Kingdom of the Common Agricultural Policy of Milk and Dairy Products.
1979–80	Brussels	2	For meetings with officials of the European Commission, in relation to the inquiry into the Economic, Social and Health Implications for the United Kingdom of the Common Agricultural Policy of Milk and Dairy Products.
1980–81	West Germany and Denmark	3	To visit various research establishments and farms, and to meet Government and industry representatives, in relation to the inquiry into Animal Welfare in Poultry, Pig and Veal Calf Production.
1980–81	Brussels	2	To discuss the subject of Animal Welfare in Poultry, Pig and Veal Calf Production with officials of the European Commission.
1981–82	France	3	To visit the Puy-de-Dome area of the Auvergne and meet with Government officials, in relation to the inquiry into the Financial Policy of the EEC, of Member States and, as appropriate, of other countries, in relation to agriculture, with particular reference to poultry, horticulture, eggs and less favoured areas.
1981–82	West Germany	2	To visit less favoured areas, and to discuss general policy questions with Federal Ministry officials, in relation to the inquiry into financial policy of the EEC, of Member States, and, as appropriate, of other countries, in relation to agriculture, with particular reference to poultry, horticulture, eggs and less favoured areas.
1982–83	United States of America and Canada	2	To visit various research establishments and private firms, in relation to the inquiry into the organisation and financing of agricultural research and development.
1983–84	Brussels and Netherlands	3	In relation to the inquiry into the effect of feedstuff prices on the United Kingdom pig and poultry industries.
1984–85	Brussels	2	To discuss the effects of the implementation of dairy quotas.
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £37,331.
			Defence Committee
1979–80	West Germany	3	Inquiry into Ammunition Storage.
1980–81	United States of America	2	Inquiry into Strategic Nuclear Weapons Policy.
1981–82	West Germany	3	Inquiry into British Forces, Germany.
1981–82	France	3	Exchange visit with Defence Committee of Assemblée Nationale; visits to French forces
1981–82	United States of America, Japan and	3	Inquiry into Burden-sharing in Western Defence; British Forces, Hong Kong.
1982–83	Falklands Islands	3	Inquiry into Future Defence of the Falklands.
1982–83	Greece, Turkey and Italy	2	Inquiry into Southern Flank of NATO.
1983–84	Cyprus	2	Inquiry into British Forces in Cyprus.
1984–85	West Germany	2	Exercise LIONHEART.
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £87,535.
			Education, Science and Arts Committee
1979–80	Brussels and Luxembourg	2	Relevant to inquiry into Information Storage and Retrieval in the British Library Service.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the overseas visits undertaken by the 14 Select Committees since 1979; for what purpose they were undertaken; how many officers and advisers accompanied each delegation; and what have been the total cots incurred by each Committee on these visits.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1985, c. 184]: The information is given in the following table:

Session	Destination	Staff	Purpose
1979–80	United States of America, Washington D.C., New York and Houston, Texas	2	Relevant to inquiry into Information Storage and Retrieval in the British Library Service and inquiry into The Funding and Organisation of Courses in Higher Education.
1980–81	Rome, Bonn and Copenhagen	2	Relevant to inquiry into The Secondary School Curriculum and Examinations, with special reference to the 14–16 year old age group and the inquiry into the Public and Private Funding of the Arts.
1980–81	United States of America, Washington D.C., New York, Houston, Texas	2	Relevant to inquiry into Public and Private Funding of the Arts.
1982–83	France	*3	Relevant to inquiry into Education and Training of 14–19 year olds and follow up to Public and Private Funding of the Arts Report.
The total costs incurred on these visits by the Committee are £37,017.
* One clerk, two advisers: the advisers accompanied the Committee each for half of the visit.
			Employment Committee †
1979–80	Canada	2	Training, job creation.
1980–81	Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany	1	Employee participation job creation.
1980–81	Sweden, Norway	4	Employee participation, industrial relations
1981–82	United States of America	2	Impact of new technology on employment.
1981–82	Austria	2	Job creation, training.
1982–83	Japan	1	Impact of new technology on employment.
1983–84	Denmark	2	Training, job creation, industrial relations.
1984–85	New Zealand and Australia	2	Training, industrial relations.
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £66,761.
† The main reasons for the individual visits are shown. However, all the subjects were also discussed in other places, ie industrial relations in Canada and Japan, training in Sweden and the Federal Republic of Germany etc. In addition, matters such as health and safety at work and combating sexual and/or racial discrimination in employment' were also discussed in all countries.
			Energy Committee
1979–80	United States of America, Canada	2	Relevant to The New Nuclear Power Programme Inquiry.
1979–80	France, Germany	2	Relevant to The New Nuclear Power Programme Inquiry.
1980–81	United States of America	2	Relevant to Combined Heat and Power Inquiry.
1981–82	Germany and Denmark	4	Relevant to Combined Heat and Power Inquiry.
1982–83	France, Germany and Sweden	3	Relevant to Energy Research Development and Demonstration in the United Kingdom Inquiry.
1983–84	United States of America and Japan	2	Relevant to Energy Research Development and Demonstration in the United Kingdom
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £81,825.
			Environment Committee
1982–83	United States of America	2	Relevant to Problems of Management of Urban Renewal Inquiry.
1983–84	West Germany	3	Relevant to Acid Rain Inquiry.
1983–84	Scandanavia	2	Relevant to Acid Rain Inquiry.
The total costs incurred to date on these visits by the Committee are £27,087.
			Foreign Affairs Committee
1979–80	Bahrain, Oman, Thailand, Jordan, Malawi, Kenya	1	Afghanistan inquiry and Development Divisions inquiry.
1980–81	Gibraltar, Madrid	2	Gibraltar/United Kingdom-Spanish relations inquiry.
1981–82	Washington, New York	2	Talks at United Nations and Congress on Development issues; Namibia, Central America.
1981–82	(Group 1) (Caribbean) Jamaica, Cuba, Venezuela, Grenada, Trinidad, Barbados (Group 2) (Central America) Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador	4	Caribbean and Central American Inquiry.
1982–83	United Nations, New York	2	Falkland Islands inquiry.
1982–83	Falklands Islands	3	Falkland Islands inquiry.
1983–84	Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago	1	Grenada inquiry.
1983–84	United Nations, New York	1	Falkland Islands inquiry.
1983–84	Bonn, Paris, Rome	2	Fontainebleau Summit inquiry.
Sub-Committee on Overseas Development
1979–80	Malawi, Kenya	1	Development Divisions inquiry.
1979–80	OECD, Paris	1	Talks with OECD Development Committee on its Aid functions.
1980–81	Zimbabwe	2	Zimbabwe inquiry.
1980–81	Brussels, Luxembourg	2	Zimbabwe inquiry.
1981–82	Caisse Centrale de Cooperation Economique, Paris	2	Development Divisions inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a copy of his reply to a letter from the chairman of the community/police consultative group for Lambeth dated 15 January about the publication of racial analysis of crime statistics.

We will be writing shortly to the chairman of the community/police consultative group for Lambeth and will send the hon. Member a copy of the letter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he bears in mind when putting forward the names of individuals with a recommendation that they be awarded the Queen's Police Medal.

The qualifications for the grant of the Queen's Police Medal are set out in regulations made under the Royal Warrant in 1954. They include special or valuable services in various capacities, distinguished administrative or organisational work and prolonged service distinguished by very exceptional ability and merit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings with London local authorities have taken place since the publication to London borough councils of Sir Kenneth Newman's intended changes in the structure of the Metropolitan police force on 20 November 1984, to discuss these proposals; and with which authorities.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has had a meeting with the London Boroughs Association and he intends to consult widely as the reorganisation proceeds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the bodies to whom Sir Kenneth Newman wrote on 20 November 1984 outlining the conclusions of his review "Organisational and Managerial Support for the Strategic Goals of the Force".

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that he wrote to all right hon. and hon. Members for constituencies wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district; to the chief executives of borough and district councils within the Metropolitan police district; and to the chairmen of a number of police/community consultative groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has at any time used the services of private investigators to monitor the activities of (a) striking miners, (b) peace organisations and (c) environmental pressure groups; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the information held by the special branch in the Metropolitan police area is updated and weeded out and that unnecessary information is destroyed in the way recommended in his Department's guidelines of December 1984.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the annual cost on both capital and revenue account for each of the past five years of the Post Office detector van service.

The charges to the Home Office for the detector van service were as follows:

	Capital costs	Operating costs
	£	£
1979–80	60,000	1,113,000
1980–81	25,000	1,317,000
1981–82	15,000	1,362,000
1982–83	12,000	985,000
1983–84	59,000	668,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about the role of the Metropolitan police unit C11;(2) upon whose authority the Metropolitan police unit C11 operates;(3) if he will state

C11 branch is part of the criminal investigation department of the Metropolitan police, reporting to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis through the assistant commissioner, C department. Its officers are drawn from all branches of the police service, and are generally attached to C11 branch for limited periods. They are subject to normal supervisory control through the ordinary police chain of command.C11 branch contributes to inquiries being conducted by other parts of the Metropolitan police, and by other police forces, through the acquisition and assessment of intelligence about the activities of those suspected of involvement in major crime.The central drugs intelligence unit, which is part of C11 branch, is, however, a common police service with a steering committee under the chairmanship of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, and officers of the CDIU are central service appointments, not serving Metropolitan police officers.The use of surveillance equipment by C11 officers is subject to the same rules and procedures as apply to other parts of the police service. Revised and tightened Home Office guidelines on the use of surveillance equipment by the police were issued on 19 December 1984, and a copy of them was placed in the Library of the House. Officers of C11 branch have access to the computer facilities dedicated to C department and, on the same basis as other police officers, to the police national computer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the past five calendar years how many cases of criminal offences involving (a) firearms and (b) knives were recorded.

The available information on firearms relates to notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used and is given in tables 3.1 and 3.2 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1983", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The available information on knives relates only to offences currently recorded as homicide in which sharp instruments were used, which is published in table 4.3 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1983".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is issued to special constables about their powers of arrest; and in what ways such guidance differs from that issued to police constables.

Within the police area for which he is appointed and in contiguous police areas a special constable has the same powers of arrest as a regular constable. Guidance is issued by the Home Office to chief officers of police, as the need arises, on particular legislation, which may include powers of arrest, but such guidance does not distinguish between the exercise of such powers by regular or by special constables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, by police force area, the number of special constables.

This information is collected annually. I shall write to my hon. Friend when figures for 31 December 1984 are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the letter of 28 January written to the hon. Member for Yeovil following the answer given to his question on 17 December 1984, Official Report, column 10.

The text of my reply is as follows:

I am sorry that I have not been able to write to you sooner with a substantive reply to your Question of 17 December about the jurisdiction of the United States authorities over their servicemen in this country. The terms in which you couched your Question are, of course, entirely hypothetical; no case has ever occurred in which a United States serviceman has, in the course of his official duties, shot a United Kingdom citizen.

We have no plans for amending the Visiting Forces Act 1952 which, as you know, gives effect to the 1951 NATO Agreement on the Status of Forces. I believe that the Agreement and the statute provide a workable and satisfactory legal basis for foreign forces in this country.

On the specific point raised in your Question—jurisdiction over a United States serviceman who shot a British citizen—I think it important to keep in mind the distinction between, on the one hand, the application of UK Law, and on the other, the respective jurisdictions of the visiting force's service courts and of our civilian courts. In view of your known interest in the Visiting Forces Act, I doubt if I need spell out the provisions of the Act which deal with jurisdiction. As you know, it is the operation of section 3 of the Act which appears to cause most concern, dealing as it does with concurrent jurisdiction.

Section 3 provides that, if a United States serviceman commits an act which is an offence against the law of both the United States and the United Kingdom, in most cases it will be the United Kingdom courts which have primary rights to deal with the offence. The only exceptions to this rule occur in the event—envisaged by your Question—that the offence arose out of and in the course of duty, or it was committed solely against persons or property associated with the visiting force. In such cases, the primary jurisdiction is exercised by the authorities of the visiting force, but the United Kingdom courts have a secondary right of jurisdiction which they may exercise if the authorities of the visiting force decide not to exercise their primary right of jurisdiction and deal with the case under their own law.

It is difficult to speculate on what action might be taken under the 1952 Act if an incident ever occurred in which a United States serviceman, in the course of his duty, shot a British citizen. Much would turn on the particular circumstances of the incident. Clearly the authorities of the visiting force would have to consider whether excessive force had been used and thus whether an offence had been committed. In doing so they would need to take account of the provisions of our law (in particular, section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967), and would no doubt be sensitive to the need to consult our authorities about any action to be taken. If it appeared that an offence had been committed under both US and UK law but the US authorities decided to take no action, the UK authorities would be entitled to exercise jurisdiction. In addition, even if the US authorities had primary jurisdiction in a particular case, under the terms of the Status of Forces Agreement (Article VII, paragraph 3) they would have a duty to give sympathetic consideration to a request from us to waive their jurisdiction. They are also under a duty (Article VII, paragraph 6(a) to provide assistance in the investigation of offences and in the collection and production of evidence.

As I said in the Parliamentary debate on 19 December 1983, if any case arose in which the United States authorities appeared to be adopting what seems to be an unreasonably extensive interpretation of what constitutes official duty, we would not hesitate to make the most strenuous representations to ensure that the spirit, as well as the letter, of the NATO agreement was fully respected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department, which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

The Management and Personnel Office publication "Public Bodies 1984" lists the non-governmental organisations for which I have responsibilities. The grants made to voluntary bodies by my Department in 1983–84 were listed in the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 4 December 1984 at columns 129–31.Comprehensive information about charges which may be made by all these bodies is not immediately available. The following information pertains to those services costing over £100,000 a year for which I am directly responsible, or for which I approve fees:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will include in his current review of the need to disclose to employers of people seeking work with children any relevant details of criminal convictions, those seeking to work in the field of residential care for the elderly and the physically and mentally handicapped.

This review is primarily directed to the need to protect children from those who by reason of their criminal past are unfit to work with children. But we recognise that there are other areas of employment, such as those referred to by my hon. Friend, where a case can be made for disclosure, and we are prepared to consider any evidence of the need in such areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which two county councils did not return the questionnaire on civil defence by December 1984;(2) how many local authorities completed the questionnaire on civil defence in each of the following home defence regions:

The questionnaire was directed to county councils and the GLC. All of these replied by December 1984 except Gwynedd, which has now replied, and Mid-Glamorgan.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the district or borough councils which have chosen sites for an emergency control centre;(2) if he will list the district or borough councils which have an emergency control centre; and what is the cost or proposed cost for each authority.

Comprehensive information in this form is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have sent (a) elected members and (b) appropriate officers to training courses at the Civil Defence college.

Information in the form requested is not readily available, but all county councils and most district and borough councils in England and Wales have sent elected members and officers to such courses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the national voluntary organisations actively participating in civil defence training.

The national voluntary organisations concerned are as follows:

• Red Cross Society
• St. John Ambulance
• Women's Royal Voluntary Service
• Royal Observer Corps
• United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation Warning Teams
• Volunteer Scientific Advisers
• National Voluntary Civil Aid Society
• Radio Amateur Emergency Network

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to meet the chief executive of any counties to discuss civil defence plans.

Not at present. Home Office officials are in regular contact wih the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the 45 authorities mentioned in the summary of local authority returns to the civil defence questionnaire which have made some civil defence plans;(2) which four local authorities have civil defence plans in accordance with the 1983 Civil Defence Regulations;(3) which 24 local authorities are updating civil defence plans from plans made in accordance with the 1974 Civil Defence Regulations.

Since this information was provided in confidence, I would not be justified in disclosing it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which 48 county councils have one, two or three emergency centres, respectively; and what was the cost or proposed cost for each authority.

Fifty-one county councils have designated one or more emergency centres. I shall write to the hon. Member with the details. Detailed information on costs is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the terms of reference of the study being conducted in the north-west home defence region into the co-ordination of regional home defence planning.

The terms of this study will be to

(i) define the requirements for co-ordination of regional home defence planning taking account of the particular circumstances of the region;

(ii) identify the options for meeting in whole or in part those requirements;

(iii) assess the cost and effectiveness of the options by trial so far as practicable and necessary; and

(iv) make proposals as to which option should be preferred, isolating special or relevant regional circumstances with a view to ensuring so far as possible that the findings are applicable to other home defence regions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) county councils and (b) district or borough councils have recruited individual civil defence volunteers and voluntary organisations, respectively, for civil defence training.

The following counties have recruited individual civil defence volunteers: Northumberland, Durham, Tyne and Wear, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Humberside, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Essex, Norfolk, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Greater London council, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex, Devon, Avon, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gwent, Dyfed, South Glamorgan, Powys, Clwyd, West Glamorgan, Salop, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcester, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire.It is not known how many district or borough councils have recruited civil defence volunteers.Neither counties nor district or borough councils recruit voluntary organisations for civil defence training.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities give scientific adviser training.

Information on training given by local authorities is not held centrally, but scientific advisers from 40 county authorities in England and Wales have attended regional or national courses since the 1983 regulations came into effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times in the last two years a unanimous recommendation of the national review committee that a prisoner be granted parole has been rejected by him; and if he will list the crimes and convictions and prison-status, in terms of category of prisoner, of the person or persons involved.

The readily available information is published in the annual reports of the Parole Board. These show that in 1983, out of the 3,460 cases of determinate sentence prisoners in which the Parole Board recommended release, the Home Secretary was unable to accept the board's recommendation in 17 cases; in 1982, out of 3,158 cases, 20. It has never been the practice to identify individual cases, the kinds of cases involved, or whether the recommendations in question were made unanimously.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average waiting time prior to gaining permanent admission to the United Kingdom in 1984; and how this compares with each of the last 10 years.

Information for 1977 to 1984 on the waiting time to first interview for persons in the Indian sub-continent applying for entry clearance for immediate settlement in the United Kingdom is given in table 9 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Control of Immigration: Statistics, Third Quarter, 1984" (Issue 27/1984) and table 5, of "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom, 1983" (Cmnd. 9246). Applications are decided at the first interview unless further inquiries need to be made or a refusal is followed by an appeal, in which case the time taken depends upon the particular circumstances of the application. Corresponding information for years earlier than 1977, and for countries outside the Indian subcontinent, is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted in 1983 for failure to display a current road fund tax disc in circumstances where the car owner had purchased instalment stamps to the full value but was awaiting the issue of a tax disc.

The available information is for all proceedings at magistrates' courts for the offences of a motor vehicle licence being obscured or not affixed and of failure to pay motor vehicle duty and is published in table 5 of "Offences Relating to Motor Vehicles, England and Wales, 1983, Supplementary Tables", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Details of the circumstances of prosecutions are not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if has issued any circulars to chief constables in connection with marches and processions held by political and other organisations; and if he will make a statement.

The Home Office issued a general circular to chief officers of police in May 1981 explaining the procedure to be followed when applying for an order banning marches or processions under section 3 of the Public Order Act 1936. I have arranged for a copy of this circular to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what have been the three most specific and narrow bans on processions made under the Public Order Act 1936 in the last 20 years; and if the legality of the specific and narrow nature of these bans was ever questioned in court;(2) on how many occasions he has refused consent to an application from a chief constable to order a ban on any marches and processions under section 3(3) of the Public Order Act 1936 in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parking tickets were evaded by diplomats in 1984.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the result of his inquiries into suspicious deaths revealed in discrepancies in cremation certification reported to him by the British Medical Association.

During the 12 months ended 31 March 1984 medical referees at crematoria completed a questionnaire about the cases coming before them and, in particular, any discrepancies between the two certificates completed by separate doctors in respect of each death. Of those cases where a discrepancy arose, the medical referees identified 18 which gave them cause for suspicion that death might have been criminally caused.Eight of the discrepancies were found to arise solely from errors in reporting. A detailed check of the other 10 cases has established that the deaths occurred from natural causes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grants he intends to make to reparation and mediation projects in respect of an offender and his victim; and if he will make a statement.

I believe that direct reparation by an offender to his victim has a useful role to play in the criminal justice system. To promote the idea, and to help in appraising how it might usefully be developed, I decided last year that we should fund some experimental schemes. We have now offered grants, totalling about £100,000 a year for two years, to four projects, proposed by the Crypt Association, Wolverhampton, and Cumbria, West Midlands and West Yorkshire probation services.The Cumbria scheme aims to divert juveniles from prosecution where reparation to the victim is agreed and made. The others envisage reparation by a convicted adult offender which would be associated with an order of the court. In all cases the victim's consent will be an essential condition of his or her participation. Since the schemes will be experimental, grants will be paid for two years only. The precise sums to be paid to each scheme will depend upon the terms and conditions agreed following discussions with my Department.I am aware of a great deal of interest in promoting reparation in different parts of the country and of work being done or proposed independently of Home Office funding. We have received many worthwhile proposals which we have been unable to fund, but I hope that the Government's support for these schemes will serve to encourage others.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list the constraints required to be imposed on East European purchasers of licensable technology by the COCOM agreement;(2) if he will arrange to publish the COCOM list in the United Kingdom in the same form as it has been published in the United States of America.

Comprehensive details of the information required in support of export licence applications will appear in the revised version of the guidance booklet "Security Export Control" to be published by my Department when I make a new Export of Goods (Control) Order to implement in United Kingdom law the results of the recent COCOM list review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will seek to renegotiate the recent COCOM agreement in the light of the legal objections raised to it under the general agreement on tariffs and trade and the treaty of Rome and in view of the recent statistics published by the United States Commerce Department of United States trade with the Soviet bloc and China in computers, semi-conductor manufacturing equipment and electronic test equipment;(2) whether he is aware of any complaints being made under the treaty of Rome concerning the recent C'OCOM agreement; and if he will make a statement;(3) whether he is aware of any complaints being made under the general agreement on tariffs and trade concerning the recent COCOM agreement; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware that Czechoslovakia has notified COCOM's controls under the general agreement on tariffs and trade, but I am not aware that any complaint has been made under the treaty of Rome. Both the agreement and the treaty permit their signatories to control trade for reasons of national security. The COCOM lists are agreed unanimously and have just been reviewed. I see no reason to renegotiate them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if the average length of time taken to grant licences under the COCOM agreement when only the British Government's approval is required has increased over the last three months;(2) what is the average length of time taken over the last three months to grant licences under the COCOM agreement when only British Government approval is required.

Information on the average length of time to grant licences when only the British Government's approval is required is not readily available. I am aware that the consideration of some applications has been prolonged. The procedures are kept under regular review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he excluded the British Computer Society from negotiations over the COCOM agreement.

When considering the commercial implications of the strategic embargo my Department has attached priority to consulting trade associations. But I am always ready to consider the views of interested bodies. My Department met representatives of the British Computer Society on 25 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why his Department's discussions with the Computer Services Association on the COCOM list were conducted under the constraints of official secrecy.

During the early stage of policy formulation it is sometimes necessary to consult on a confidential basis. I hope that it will be possible to consult more widely before too long.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total cost of the Administration of his Department expressed in constant prices in each of the last five years.

The total costs of administration of the Department for 1983–84, the year in which it was formed, together with the aggregate costs of the previously separate Departments of Trade and Industry for prior years are as follows, expressed in 1983–84 prices. The costs for 1979–80 are not comparable because of subsequent changes in accounting.

	£ million
1979–80	272·1
1980–81	304·7
1981–82	294·4
1982–83	288·7
1983–84	261·7

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will carry out a review of the problems of the Merchant Navy fleet arising from the reduction of trade carried by United Kingdom ships; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have no plans to carry out such a review. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I are of course ready to consider any particular problems drawn to our attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the Government have decided not to implement the recommendation of the Cork committee contained in chapter 32, paragraph 1450, subsections (b) (c) (e) and (g) of its report (Cmnd. 8558, in part I) to schedule 5 of the current Insolvency Bill [Lords] relating to the substantial reduction in the number and extent of the claims of preferential creditors.

The reasons why the Government decided that they were unable to accept the recommendations of the Insolvency Law Review Committee to which my hon. Friend refers were explained in the White Paper "A Revised Framework for Company Law" (Cmnd. 9175, February 1984). The principal reason relates to the significant difference between tax and non-tax debts; the former are imposed by law whereas the latter are incurred by agreement. The revenue collection departments and the local authorities are involuntary creditors, and consequently differ from other creditors in that they can not choose their debtors. In the Government's view, the retention of certain preferential rights is needed to compensate for this and for other relative disadvantages which we described in the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department, which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

The nationalised industries and other public bodies with which my Department is concerned are listed at pages 61–65 in "Public Bodies 1984", which is available in the library. Since publication BT has ceased to be a nationalised industry. Grant-in-aid to non-Governmental bodies are shown in the Estimates.The central aim of my Department is to encourage, assist, and ensure the proper regulation of British trade, industry, and commerce. Within this framework the services for which charges are made are as follows: Services and groups of services the charges for which are aimed to recover full cost

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement on recent raids on pirate radio stations; and if he will list all those radio stations raided;(2) how many pirate radio stations are operating within the United Kingdom; how many are operating offshore or otherwise outside the United Kingdom; and if he will list them.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the recent EEC Foreign Affairs Council discussed the text of the new own resources decision; and what are the outstanding points still to be agreed.

This item was on the agenda as part of the process of implementing the Fontainebleau conclusions and so that the Council could discuss how to cover the financing requirements already established in the 1985 budget. The outstanding points relate to the mechanisms to be used to meet the Community's inescapable financial obligations, and to the timing of the entry into force of the new own resources decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any changes have occurred in his Department's cash limits for 1984–85 since 31 July 1984.

The cash limit for Class II, Vote I, "Overseas Representation, Diplomatic, Consular and other Foreign and Commonwealth Services," will be increased by £820,000 from £373,968,000 to £374,788,000. The extra money is required to compensate for the effects in 1984–85 of increases in overseas inflation and adverse exchange rate movements.The cash limit for Class II, Vote 4, the British Council, will be increased by £1,430,000 from £46,021,000 to £47,451,000. The increase represents that portion of overseas risen costs not covered in the cash limited provision announced on 31 July which falls to be financed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Diplomatic Wing).A Supplementary Estimate is also being submitted to cover the increased expenditure on the non-cash limited Class II, Vote 2, £5,500,000 which is required as a result of movements in exchange rates.All the increases will be charged to the Reserve and are subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the average intervals between (a) the application of the appropriate National Health Service worker for a walking aid for a patient and the approval of such application and (b) between the approval and the supply of the aid; and to what extent these periods have increased in the last two years or similar convenient period.

The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. If, however, the right hon. Gentleman is aware of any specific problems in this field, perhaps he will let me have details which I shall have investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new hotels, of 30 bedrooms or more, received grant support in Northern Ireland in each of the three years ended 31 December 1982, 1983 and 1984.

None, but grant aid has been approved for the construction of three new hotels in this category.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c)charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to complete consideration of the report of the expert committee on multiple surveys and valuations; and if he will make a statement.

I received a copy of the committee's report at the end of November and the Government are giving consideration to those recommendations which are addressed to them and will respond in due course. Many of the recommendations relate to matters outside the Government's direct responsibilities and fall to be considered by the various professional bodies and institutions concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost of the administration of his Department, expressed in constant prices in each of the last five years.

The total cost of administration of the Scottish Office expressed in 1983–84 prices in the last five years was as follows:

£ million
1979–80	112·8
1980–81	114·8
1981–82	113·6
1982–83	111·8
1983–84	110·8

This information excludes the costs of the State hospital, the Scottish prison service and the Royal Scottish museum.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will break down expenditure in Scotland outlined in Cmnd. 9428, table 3·.15, in the same way as tables 3·3, 3·4, 3·5, 3·6, 3·7, 3·8, 3·9, 3·10, 3·11 and 3·13 in the same publication.

The information requested will be given for each of the programmes within my responsibility in "Public Expenditure to 1987–88: A Commentary on the Scotland Programme", which will be published shortly. I shall arrange for copies to be deposited in the Library, and for a copy to be sent to the hon. Gentleman and to other right hon. and hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will make a decision on the capital projects at present being considered by the Greater Glasgow health board, especially in respect of the maintenance, improvement and modernisation of the staff houses at Woodilee and Stonyetts hospitals.

(Man days basis)
	1979*	Average percentage of sickness and absenteeism†
	Population	1977	1978	7979	1980	1981
Non-industrial Civil Service
Ministry of Defence	112,423	3·8	5·0	4·5	4·4	5·0
Unauthorised absence†		0·0001	0·0003	0·003	0·0007	0·006
DHSS	98,500	4·2	4·5	4·4	4·1	4·1
Departments paid through Chessington Computer Centre	90,307			4·9	4·6	4·7
Inland Revenue	78,970	—	—	4·3	4·6	‡3·9
Property Services
Agency	40,065	2·7	2·8	2·4	2·6	—
Department of Transport	13,953	—	—	3·0	3·4	—
Department of the Environment	12,485	—	—	2·3	2·6	—
Department of National Savings	10,575	6·0	6·8	7·4	6·3	5·8
Industrial Civil Service
Ministry of Defence	90,494	6·6	7·5	7·0	7·3	7·6
Unauthorised absence†		0·0009	0·001	0·001	0·001	0·002
Royal Mint	973	—	—	10·4	6·9	6·4
Revised figures at 5.1.1984
* The percentages for each year have been calculated on the population at risk during the year. 1979 figures are given for illustrative purposes.
† Absenteeism—unauthorised absence—is not recorded in most departments because any unexplained absence is investigated and is ultimately classed as annual, sick or special leave. Strikes make up the biggest component in the figures provided.
‡ Figure may be inaccurate because of industrial action.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion and number of locally-approved mode A youth training places are organised by private training agencies for the areas covered by the

The special allocation to boards for the improvement of building stock will be announced along with the full allocation for boards for 1985–86 before the end of the current financial year. It will be for Greater Glasgow health board to decide how much to allocate towards the maintenance, improvement and modernisation of staff houses.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the absence rate caused by illness in the Civil Service, distinguishing between non-industrial and industrial staff; and what have been the trends in these figures in the past five years.

Sickness absence rates for the five years from 1977 to 1981 inclusive were analysed following a written question from my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Heddle) on 6 April 1982 at column 288. An updated version of those figures is as follows. Analysis of the data for the five-year period up to and including 1983 is being made, and my right hon. and noble Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will write to the hon. Member on the subject.following area manpower boards:

The information requested is in the following table. The figures relate to the situation at the end of December 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were (a) injured and (b) killed at places of work as a result of faulty electrical plugs, sockets and switches during 1982, 1983 and 1984; which were caused by fires; and which were from other causes.

The latest available information is as follows:

Injuries reported to HSE inspectorates*in which faulty electrical plugs, sockets or switches were identified
	1982	1983
Persons killed	7	9
Major injuries (excluding HM Factory Inspectorate for which data not available)	1	1
* Excludes injuries reported to local authorities.

None of the injuries was caused by fire.In 1982, 819 injuries involving more than three days' absence from work, due to any kind of exposure to, or contact with, electrical current, were reported to all authorities enforcing the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Of these, 41 were caused by fires or explosions. The figures for 1983 are 455 and 15, respectively, reflecting changed reporting arrangements. The numbers of these involving faulty electrical plugs, sockets or switches could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has figures to indicate whether any geographical areas are particularly problematic for wages councils.

The level of compliance with wages council orders varies between wages inspectorate divisions. Although no division is particularly problematic, the figures indicate that compliance in the Wales, north-west (west) and northern divisions tends to be not as high as in other divisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has from wages council figures about the extent of underpaying in hairdressing salons.

In 1983, the pay of 13,031 workers in 3,925 hairdressing establishments was checked by inspectors. A total of 1,110 workers—8·5 per cent. —were found to be underpaid and arrears of £125,182 were assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any information on the number of people downwind whose health was affected by asbestos or chemicals or in any other way as a result of the fire on 14 December at a warehouse in Sheffield.

This Department does not hold this information. The after effects of the fire were dealt with by the local environmental health departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence he has about trends in the employment prospects of groups with above average earnings and of the effect on their employment prospects of salary increases above the rate of inflation.

There is no specific evidence on the part that the cost of labour has played in determining the employment prospects of groups with above average earnings. However, there is general evidence, too, that these prospects would be enhanced if the cost of labour fell in real terms. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton) on 22 October 1984, at column 481, and the recent publication by the Treasury, "The relationship between employment and wages", a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of youth training scheme entrants in the London borough of Waltham Forest in 1984 and in 1985 were from the ethnic minorities.

Of the 618 entrants to the youth training scheme in the London borough of Waltham Forest in 1984, 194 were from ethnic minorities. So far in 1985, 16 young people have entered the youth training scheme, of whom one was from the ethnic minorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how unit labour costs in Britain have compared with those in principal competitor countries in each of the last 10 years.

Annual percentage changes in unit labour costs in national currencies in manufacturing for principal competitor countries from 1969 to 1982 are given in table 9·10 of "Historical Statistics, 1960–1982", published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development—OECD. Later figures are given in table 21 of the OECD "Economic Outlook", Number 36. These publications are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list Her Majesty's Government's contribution towards redundancy payments in each financial year since 1979–80.

Expenditure from the redundancy fund on rebates to employers and payments direct to employees in the years referred to was as follows:

	£ million
1979–80	112·8
1980–81	278·1
1981–82	420·6
1982–83	381·8
1983–84	378·1

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the nationalised industries, non-governmental organisations and agencies for which his Department either has responsibility or provides funding, as well as those sections of his Department which provide services to the general public or to private organisations; and if he will indicate separately those which at present (a) charge no fees, (b) charge fees which do not fully cover the costs of providing those services, (c) charge fees which exactly cover the costs of providing those services and (d) charge fees which more than cover the costs of providing those services.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the Perivale skillcentre.

At its meeting on 24 January the Manpower Services Commission considered and endorsed proposals from its skillcentre training agency for the future of skillcentre services. The chairman has written to my right hon. Friend with the commission's views—a copy of his letter is in the Library—and we are considering its advice. The proposals envisage that the skillcentre at Perivale would be retained and provide expanded training services for both employed and unemployed people in line with our adult training strategy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what grants were made from public funds to the University of Oxford in the five years to May 1979 and in the latest five year period since then, expressed in real and money terms; and if he will make a statement.