asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance is provided by his Department to local authorities seeking information on the implementation of coal-fired district heating schemes.

Advice on the factors to be taken into account when considering the installation of district heating in new housing, whether or not coal fired was included in the Department's circular 82/71, although we have since freed local authorities from the detailed controls embodied in that circular.The Building Research Establishment has carried out research on many aspects of district heating, including heat metering, heat distribution, and the opportunities for various refurbishment measures to reduce energy consumption and costs. The establishment gives advice on these aspects; I have placed a list of its relevant publications in the Library.

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

The total cost of administration of the Department of the Environment—including the Property Services Agency—expressed in 1983–84 prices in the last five years was as follows:

	£ Million
1979–80	693·5
1980–81	692·8
1981–82	653·4
1982–83	641·1
1983–84	641·8

This information is taken from the annual scrutinies of departmental running costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding Reema Conclad houses; and whether this category can be added to those covered by the Housing Defects Act.

I have received correspondence about the mortgagability of Reema Conclad houses from my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) and the Department's regional office has received a letter on the same subject from Southampton city council. I am not aware of any reports of defects in Reema Conclad dwellings. There is therefore no basis on which my right hon. Friend could consider designating this type of dwelling under the Housing Defects Act 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now extend the disregard for expenditure arising from the inner urban aid programme to all local authorities designated under the Inner Urban Areas Act 1978; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 November 1984 at column 131.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about measures taken to reduce concentrations of lead in dust and air (a) in the central and greater London area and (b) in the west Midlands region, during the last three years.

I am not aware of any such measures which are specific to these two areas. The Government decided in 1981 that the lead content of petrol should be reduced by over 60 per cent. by the end of this year. This will produce a rapid and substantial reduction in concentrations of lead in air everywhere. The Health and Safety Executive has recently prepared revised guidance for lead works, including more stringent limits on emissions. This will also help to reduce local concentrations. The relationship between concentrations in air and in dust is the subject of continuing research, but reductions in air concentrations are likely to be followed by reductions in dust concentrations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will define the involvement of his Department in Wintex-Cimex '85.

My Department does not have a major interest in Wintex-Cimex '85 but takes part in the corporate exercise of testing crisis management measures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average percentage rent increase agreed by rent officers in Greater London in each year since 1975; and what was the equivalent figure determined by rent assessment committees.

The mean percentage changes on re-registrations by rent officers in Greater London in the years 1975 to 1983 appear in table 11.5 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1973–1983." Figures for the first half of 1984 appear in table 1.14 of "Housing and Construction Statistics," September quarter 1984, part 1 of issue No. 19. All the currently available information about rent assessment committee decisions is in table 11.8 of "Housing and Construction Statistics 1973–1983." Copies of these sources are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the guidelines he issues to rent officers.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies which my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction gave to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 4 February, at columns 420–421, concerning the nature of the Department's guidance to rent officers and the question of its publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that his Department has complied with article 63(b) of the 1975 world plan of action for the United Nations Decade for Women.

Yes. A sub-committee of my Department's General Whitley Council has been established to take forward those items in the centrally agreed programme of action on equal opportunities for women, which were recommended for action at the departmental level. We have, in addition, appointed equal opportunities officers to co-ordinate policy in this area generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to promote policies designed to challenge those traditional attitudes which Her Majesty's Government state in their response to the United Nations End of Decade for Women's questionnaire are detrimental to women's attainments in local government.

Within the framework of general anti-discriminatory legislation, it is for those involved in local government to combat such discriminatory attitudes and stereotyped assumptions which remain. The Equal Opportunities Commission has advised numerous local authorities on the adoption of equal opportunities' policies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider the case for new housing courts and tribunals.

The Select Committee on the Environment recommended in its report on the private rented housing sector — First Report, Session 1981–82 — that the Government should examine in detail the proposals that had been made for the establishment of a housing court. Since then, I have received a number of representations on this subject.I have given careful consideration to the wide range of evidence and views on the case for a new housing court or tribunal, in consultation with my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. In the Government's view, the examination of the wide and important issues which have been raised can best be carried forward in the context of the full and systematic review of civil justice which the Lord Chancellor announced on 6 February. Accordingly, as the Lord Chancellor's announcement made clear, housing matters will be given specific consideration in this major review. I have written to the Chairman of the Select Committee, in response to the recommendation in the Committee's report, and a copy of my letter has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the visits made by himself and each of his Ministers to penal establishments in each area from 1982.

On the basis of those records which are readily available, the following visits have been made:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the numbers, ages, sex, location, sentence and length of time held of those juveniles in adult penal establishments at the latest available date.

The information available is given in the following tables:

Sentenced juveniles held in adult prisons in England and Wales on 30 November 1984: by type of establishment; time since first reception into a prison department establishment; under sentence*, sex and age
Type of establishment and time since reception under sentence*	15		16		Total
	M	F	M	F	M	F
Adult prisons with remand units/wings for prisoners aged under 21:
Up to 1 month	—	—	12	—	12	—
Over 1 months up to 2 months	—	—	3	—	3	—
Over 2 months up to 3 months	—	—	1	—	1	—
Over 3 months up to 6 months	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	—	—	16	—	16	—
Remand centres taking remand prisoners of all ages:
Up to 1 month	2	—	9	—	11	—
Over 1 month up to 2 months	—	—	—	—	—	—
Over 2 months up to 3 months	—	—	1	—	1	—
Over 3 months up to 6 months	1	—	—	—	1	—
Total	3	—	10	—	13	—
Other adult establishments:
Up to 1 month	3	—	4	3	7	3
Over 1 month up to 2 months	1	—	—	1	1	1
Over 2 months up to 3 months	—	—	—	—	—	—
Over 3 months up to 6 months	—	—	1	—	1	—
Total	4	—	5	4	9	4
Grand Total	7	—	31	4	38	4
* Reception under sentence may have been into a different establishment; some of the intervening time may have been spent elsewhere.

Sentenced juveniles*held in adult prisons in England and Wales on 30 November 1984: by establishment, age and sex
Establishment	15		16		Total
	M	F	M	F	M	F
Adult prisons with remand units/wings for prisoners aged under 21:
Dorchester	—	—	1	—	1	—
Liverpool	—	—	6	—	6	—
Manchester	—	—	9	—	9	—
Total	—	—	16	—	16	—
Remand centres taking remand prisoners of all ages:
Low Newton	2	—	9	—	11	—
Pucklechurch	1	—	—	—	1	—
Risley	—	—	1	—	1	—
Total	3	—	10	—	13	—
Other adult prisons:
Bedford	—	—	1	—	1	—
Birmingham	2	—	1	—	3	—
Bristol	—	—	1	—	1	—
Canterbury	—	—	1	—	1	—
Gloucester	—	—	1	—	1	—
Holloway	—	—	—	4	—	4
Lincoln	1	—	—	—	1	—
Reading	1	—	—	—	1	—
Total	4	—	5	4	9	4
Grand Total	7	—	31	4	38	4
* All youth custody trainees except for two detained in Manchester, one in Risley and two in Holloway under S.53(2), Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there are any restrictions on the right of people with dual Irish and British citizenship to hold passports of both countries simultaneously.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the decline in England and Wales in the last 10 years of section 1 firearm ownership; and if he will give figures.

Information on the numbers of section 1 firearm certificates held has only been collected regularly since 1979. The information for each of the years since then is as follows:

Number of firearm certificates on issue in England and Wales as at 31 December
Year	Firearm certificates
1979	169,590
1980	168,047
1981	164,872
1982	162,696
1983	159,804

The figure for 1984 is not yet available, but the decline between 1979 and 1983 was 6 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the cost incurred by the United Kingdom immigrants' advisory service on translations in each of the last three years for which figures are available and as to how many cases handled by the service required translations in each of the years in question.

None. Expenditure on translations in connection with immigration appeals is a matter for determination by the United Kingdom immigrants' advisory service within the terms of the grant-in-aid given under section 23 of the Immigration Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 25 January, Official Report, columns 535–37, if he will indicate in each case the cause of death of prisoners who died in 1983 either in prison, on the way to hospital, or in hospital.

The information requested is as follows (the numbers correspond to those given in reply to the hon. Member's earlier question on 25 January, at columns 535–37):

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if an inquest has now been completed on all those who died in penal establishments in 1984; and if he will make a statement.

The results of the inquest are now available in cases 48 and 57, as listed in reply to the hon. Member's earlier question on 25 January, at columns 534–36, and are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the ages, sexes, offences, sentences, causes of deaths and prisons of all those who committed suicide in penal establishments in 1983.

The information requested is as follows:

	Age	Sex	Offence/Charge	Sentence	Cause of Death	Establishment
1.	45	M	Grievous bodily harm	3 years	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Stafford
2.	52	M	Arson	4 years	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Dartmoor
3.	36	M	Murder	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Winchester
4.	28	M	Burglary, theft forgery	3 years	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Channings Wood
5.	17	M	Attempted robbery, theft	Borstal Training	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Manchester
6.	58	M	Murder	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Norwich
7.	40	M	Theft	9 months	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Dartmoor
8.	43	M	Assault with intent to rob	2 years	Suicide: died after cutting wrist with razor blade	Liverpool
9.	46	M	Murder Assault, actual bodily harm,	Life	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Maidstone
10.	26	M	criminal damage	6 months	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Camp Hill
11.	20	M	Murder	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Leeds
12.	29	M	Criminal damage	3 months	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Pentonville
13.	25	M	Theft, Robbery	3¼years	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Liverpool
14.	42	M	Murder	Unsentenced	Suicide: paraquat poisoning	Brixton
15.	33	M	Possession of drugs, burglary	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Brixton
16.	43	M	Handling stolen goods, theft	2 years	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Stafford
17.	25	M	Burglary	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Brixton
18.	41	M	Forgery	4 years	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Highpoint
19.	25	M	Murder, criminal damage	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Winchester
20.	28	M	Murder	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Brixton
21.	45	M	Wounding, grievous bodily harm	Unsentenced	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging	Gloucester

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in considering the proposal now before him for an increase in the British Broadcasting Corporation's licence fee to £65, he will require details from the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding the amounts spent on damages and on legal costs, both to outside lawyers and in respect of the British Broadcasting Corporation's legal department, incurred in defending and settling libel actions in each of the last 10 years.

No, since the detailed expenditure of the BBC's grant is a matter for the board of governors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he will make to the European ministerial conference on human rights to be held in Vienna on 19 March 1985 to increase the effectiveness of the operation of the European Convention on Human Rights in protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals.

The United Kingdom will continue to promote the provisions of the European convention on human rights by working with her partners at the Vienna conference to further the consolidation and universal acceptance of these provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about the reply given by the Government to section D of part II of the United Nations End of Decade for Women questionnaire;(2) if he will request the British Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Broadcasting Authority to provide him with the information required by question 2.2 of section D of part II of the United Nations End of Decade for Women questionnaire.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to make extra funds available to the Equal Opportunities Commission as a result of additional responsibilities due to the Government's responses to the United Nations Decade for Women.

The statutory duties of the Equal Opportunities Commission are closely linked to the aims of the United Nations Decade for Women. It is for the commission to formulate its programme and allocate its resources within the limits of its grant-in-aid.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the Equal Opportunities Commission to discuss implementing the goals of the United Nations Decade for Women.

The objectives of the commission, in pursuance of its statutory duties, are closely aligned with those of the United Nations Decade for Women. I meet the commission as often as necessary to discuss matters of mutual concern.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 14 January, column 15, whether Mr. James Magis whilst being detained in the United Kingdom under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984, asked for his wife or his lawyer to be informed of his circumstances.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 24 January, column 480, whether the French authorities requested that Mr. James Magis should be returned to France; and whether they were advised of the flight on which he returned to France.

There was no request from the French authorities, but they were informed about Mr. Magis' return to France.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 14 January, Official Report, column 15, whether during Mr. James Magis's detention in the United Kingdom, there were communications between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of Austria, France or the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Metropolitan police were in touch with the police in Austria, France and the United States of America. However, there was no contact between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of those countries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his replies of 14 January, Official Report, column 15, and 24 January, Official Report, column 480, what was the country of origin of the passport on which Mr. James Magis was travelling when he was detained in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Magis was travelling on a Canadian passport issued in the United States of America.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 24 January, Official Report, column 480, whether his Department informed the Austrian authorities that Mr. James Magis was temporarily detained in the United Kingdom; and whether any request was made by them for his extradition from the United Kingdom.

My Department did not inform the Austrian authorities of Mr. Magis' detention. We received no request for his extradition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 24 January, Official Report, column 480, whether Mr. James Magis, during his detention in the United Kingdom, specifically requested to be allowed to go on to Canada; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that Mr. Magis stated that it had been his intention to travel to Canada, but he made no request during his dentention to be allowed to go there.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to which local authorities have established civil defence volunteer organisations.

The following 20 county councils have established civil defence volunteer organisations:

Berkshire	Lincolnshire
Buckinghamshire	Norfolk
Cumbria	Northumberland
Devon	North Yorkshire
East Sussex	Nottinghamshire
Essex	Oxfordshire
Hereford and Worcester	Somerset
Hertfordshire	Surrey
Humberside	Warwickshire
Kent	Wiltshire

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those local authorities which have agreed to provide emergency control centres as required under the civil defence regulations; and what expenditure has been allocated for each local authority for this purpose.

Comprehensive information regarding local authority provision is not available; but no local authority in England and Wales has refused to provide an emergency centre. Grant-aid at the rate of 75 per cent. is available for adaptation of existing premises and the provision of essential emergency equipment. Each application is considered on its merits, but in present circumstances approvals are likely to be limited to schemes costing not more than £30,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average waiting time prior to gaining permanent admission to the United Kingdom for applicants from the Indian subcontinent in 1979 and each subsequent year for which figures are available; to what he attributes the changes in the time over that period; and if he will make a statement.

The waiting times shown in the published information to which I referred in my reply to my hon. Friend on 6 February, at columns 575–76, reflect the number of new applications received, the resources available for interviewing applicants and the queueing arrangements for the different categories of applicant. Many applicants are put in a priority queue and attend their first interview much sooner than those in the main queue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) murderers of police and prison officers, (b) sexual or sadistic murderers of children and (c) people who have committed murder by shooting in the furtherance of theft were in prison on the most recent convenient date.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 February 1985, c. 374]: Central records are held in such a way that the relevant cases cannot be readily identified and provision of the figures specified would be time-consuming and costly. The figure has nevertheless been compiled for those sentenced for the murder in England and Wales of a police or prison officer, of which there were 17 in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 31 December 1984; none of these was serving sentence for the murder of a prison officer.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the amounts of financial assistance to tourist development in Wales for each of the past 10 years under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969.

The expenditure by the Welsh Tourist Board was as follows:

	£
1974–75	428,000
1975–76	626,000
1976–77	843,000
1977–78	790,000
1978–79	1,618,628
1979–80	1,696,000
1980–81	1,696,000
1981–82	1,911,000

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the capital and current expenditure of each local authority in Wales on tourism and tourist-related projects for the latest year for which figures are available in cash and per-capita terms.

Local authority financial returns submitted to our Department do not separately identify expenditure on tourism and tourist-related projects. However, details of revenue expenditure on certain relevant services, including tourism promotion, leisure centres, cultural facilities and country parks, are available for all local authorities in "Leisure and Recreation Statistics," published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. In addition, authorities' annual reports may identify expenditure on specific tourist-related services and projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints his Department has received over the past three months about delays with the payments of capital grants to farmers; and if he will make a statement.

Thirty-two written com-plaints have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications have been received for grants from his Department for New College, Cardiff; what amounts of grants he has sanctioned; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him on 13 December 1984, at column 549, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much money has been allocated by his Department for (a) combined heat and power pilot projects and (b) solar and wind power pilot projects in the last three years.

My Department's R, D & D expenditure on combined heat and power/district heating, solar and wind energy in the last three years was as follows:

	£ million	£ million	£ million
	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
CHP/DH	0·64	0·48	0·14
Solar	0·7	1·4	0·9
Wind Energy	0·9	2·5	2·5

In addition, my right hon. Friend announced on 25 January, at column 547, commitment of a further £750,000 in grant aid to combined heat and power consortia. This is likely to be taken up in the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the impact on prices for domestic consumers of gas and electricity is taken into account by Her Majesty's Government when fixing financial targets and external financing limits for those industries.

Decisions on electricity and gas prices are a matter for the industries. Consequences for pricing are taken into account along with other relevant factors in agreeing financial targets and external financing limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish his estimate of the anticipated cost of gas which is expected to be produced from future exploitation of offshore oilfields.

Production costs for associated gas from offshore oilfields vary widely between different developments depending upon factors such as flow rates, gas-oil ratios, transportation modes and requirements for gas processing or reinjection. It is not therefore possible to give a meaningful estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if it is his intention to ensure that all gas from United Kingdom fields will be landed in the United Kingdom.

The Government see no reason at present for changing the requirement that gas produced from the United Kingdom continental shelf should be landed in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of gas demand by the year 2,000.

My Department's latest projections of gas demand are given in its proof of evidence for the Sizewell B public inquiry, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy in which year he expects the United Kingdom will cease to obtain sufficient natural gas from its own resources to meet home demand.

Production of natural gas from the United Kingdom continental shelf has never been sufficient to meet home demand fully, particularly since the import of Norwegian Frigg gas started in 1977.I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statement on Monday 11 February at column 23.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the estimated United Kingdom gas requirement he expects to be provided from United Kingdom reserves in five, 10 and 15 years time.

The results of recent record levels of exploration and appraisal activity indicate that the United Kingdom should be able to supply a substantial majority of its requirements for gas in the 1990s from United Kingdom reserves.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what European regional development fund non-quota aid payments have been made in the last month for which statistics are available.

The last month for which statistics are available was December 1984, during which the Department of Trade and Industry made payments under the non-quota section of the European regional development fund totalling £8,848.36 to small firms in eligible steel and shipbuilding areas in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he intends to make for the purpose of providing alternative sources of industrial employment in regions affected by the coal pit closures proposed by the National Coal Board.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 February 1985, c. 747]: The location of any pit closures that may occur is a matter for the National Coal Board. Furthermore, the NCB has repeatedly said that there will be no compulsory redundancies during the current restructuring. The particular problems which may face areas affected by colliery closures are recognised by both the Government and the National Coal Board. The Government therefore welcomed the establishment by the board of NCB (Enterprise) Ltd to support and initiate job creation efforts in coal industry areas where unemployment is already substantial.In addition, there is available the wide range of special employment and training measures operated by the Manpower Services Commission and, according to the area concerned, regional or national schemes to encourage new or extended industrial investment and thus more jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Ethiopian Government to ensure that relief supplies destined for Eritrea are not impeded from reaching there.

We are in regular contact with the Ethiopian authorities about the relief operations, and will continue to urge them to ensure that relief supplies reach victims of the famine in all areas, including Eritrea.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the overseas aid from (a) the British Government and (b) the European Community is being directed to Eritrea.

The relief aid being provided by the Government and the European Community to help victims of the famine in Ethiopia is not specifically directed to particular provinces, but is intended to help victims of the drought in Ethiopia wherever they may be.

asked the Attorney-General how many people have been charged on the basis of converted terrorists' evidence; and in how many cases this is the only evidence upon which the person stands accused.

I have been asked to reply, on the assumption that this question relates only to Northern Ireland.A record of the number of persons charged in Northern Ireland wholly or partially on the basis of evidence given by an alleged accomplice witness was not maintained before 1982. Since then, 593 persons have been so charged in Northern Ireland. The remainder of the information sought is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to the parish of Wheathampstead.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the negotiations on teachers' pay in Scotland.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has responded positively to the teachers' request for a review of pay by proposing that both pay and conditions of service should be looked at by the Scottish joint negotiating committee for teaching staff in school education. I understand that, at a meeting of the SJNC on 7 February, the management side outlined proposals for following up my right hon. Friend's suggestion. I very much hope that Scottish teachers will now agree to take this way forward and will call off their damaging and pointless industrial action.

asked the Prime Minister what measures have been taken by her to implement articles 82, 83 and 86 of the 1975 world plan of action for the United Nations Decade for Women; and if she will appoint a Minister to co-ordinate inter-departmental initiatives and to implement a legislative programme in accordance with the United Nations convention on the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will appoint a Cabinet Minister to co-ordinate interdepartmental initiatives in improving the status of women and implementing a legislative programme in accordance with the United Nations convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

The Government have made it clear that the education service should provide genuinely equal opportunities for boys and girls. The educational provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 have played a significant part in encouraging schools and teachers to offer such equal opportunities. The detail of teaching materials and approaches are, however, for local determination.I do not intend to appoint a Minister to co-ordinate initiatives. The Home Secretary has general responsibility for equal opportunities, but it is right that, if action is needed in any area, it should be carried out by the Minister with the relevant departmental responsibility.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Prime Minister whether experiments were carried out to assess the effects of radiation using humans at Harwell and elsewhere during the 1940s and 1950s.

Medical investigations into the beneficial effects of ionising radiations involving humans have been carried out since the early 1920s. No experiments to assess the adverse effects of ionising radiation using humans were conducted at Harwell during the 1940s and 1950s, and I have no reason to believe that such experiments were conducted under United Kingdom auspices elsewhere.

asked the Prime Minister what criteria Her Majesty's Government use in deciding whether the pound sterling is overvalued in relation to other currencies.

The hon. Gentleman has missed the point. It is the dollar that is overvalued in relation to other currencies, as the United States current account payments deficit of over $100 billion would suggest.

asked the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's definition of inflation.

A persistent rise in the general level of prices.

asked the Prime Minister what consultations Her Majesty's Government are having about the appointment of a chairman of the Museums and Galleries Commission.

The consultations are confidential.

asked the Prime Minister what is her latest estimate of the United Kingdom price cost in 1983–84 of student awards, distinguishing between mandatory and discretionary awards and between awards for fees and for maintenance, and including an estimate of the administrative costs involved.

The information is as follows:

1983–84 Financial Year
	£ million
Mandatory awards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland Students allowances in Scotland	872·4
Discretionary Awards—United Kingdom	*146·0
* provisional

Full information which would enable a distinction to be made between awards for fees and maintenance is not available for the financial year 1983–84. No estimate of the administrative costs is available.

asked the Prime Minister what is her latest estimate of the United Kingdom current price cost in 1983–84 of free school meals, distinguishing between those for pupils and those for teachers and supervisors.

"Free" meals are, of course, paid for through rates and taxes. The information requested is as follows:

United Kingdom	1983–84 Estimated Cost (cash terms)
	£ million
"Free" meals for—
pupils	245
teachers	38
mid-day supervisory assistants	14

Note: The estimated gross expenditure on all meals has been apportioned to each of the groups shown pro rata to the number of meals taken by each group.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish a table showing United Kingdom revenues from local authority rates in each year since 1978–79, including an estimate for 1984–85, and distinguishing between commercial and domestic rates.

The following is the available information:

£ billion
	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
Domestic*	2·4	2·8	3·7	4·5	5·1	4·8	5·1
Commercial	1·7	1·9	2·5	3·1	3·5	3·8	4·0
Industrial	0·7	0·9	1·0	1·3	1·4	1·4	1·5
Other	1·1	1·3	1·6	1·9	2·2	2·3	2·5
TOTAL	5·9	6·9	8·8	10·8	12·2	12·3	13·1
* Net of domestic rate relief grant and rate rebates.

asked the Prime Minister what is her estimate of the United Kingdom current price costs of rate rebates in 1982–83 and in 1983–84, showing the cost of rate rebates paid with supplementary benefit as separate sub-totals.

The information requested is as follows:

Rate Rebate Expenditure at 1984–85 Prices United Kingdom
£ million
	1982–83	1983–84
Certificated*	701	770
Standard	484	572
TOTAL	1,185	1,342
* Housing benefit was introduced during this period. The figures include both certificated rate rebates and the equivalent provision formerly made in the supplementary benefit scheme as appropriate.

asked the Prime Minister what instruction has been given to the United Kingdom delegate to the Committee for a People's Europe regarding the proposal for a European stamp without the picture of Her Majesty the Queen.

The Committee on People's Europe has not at any time discussed the inclusion or non-inclusion of the Queen's head on any stamp, nor has the United Kingdom representative made any proposal on this point in the committee.

asked the Prime Minister what were the criteria for appointing the United Kingdom delegate to the Committee for a People's Europe; and to which Ministers he will report.

A wide experience of Community affairs and a commitment to simplifying its rules. The United Kingdom contribution to the committee's work falls within the general responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer, 1 February, Official Report, column 327, in what circumstances, other than for reasons of emergency, may drivers of ministerial cars not obey the parking regulations.

Government car service drivers are under instruction to meet the requirement of their passengers as they arise, including requirements imposed by security. Ministers may on occasion require cars to stand by because of urgent parliamentary and other business. As a result of arrangements recently made, the extent to which GCS cars have to wait in restricted areas will significantly reduce.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, of people who are in prison because of supergrass evidence, how many have been remanded in prison for (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months, (d) 12 months, (e) 15 months, (f) 18 months, (g) 21 months, (h) 24 months, (i) 27 months and (j) 30 months; of these people, how many have been convicted, acquitted or have actually gone to trial; and what was their period of detention or remand.

Information on remand times for those at present on remand in custody, charged on the basis of evidence from alleged accomplices, is not separately available and could be obtained only by a special exercise at disproportionate cost. Nor is it possible for the same reason to provide information directly comparable to that provided in my reply to similar questions from the hon. Member on 21 March 1984, at column 497, and 19 July 1984, at column 283.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for each year since 1980 what is the number of prisoners refused bail; and what is the average period of remand without bail for persons accused and charged either wholly or partially on the basis of accomplice evidence in each of the following categories (a) the top decile of prisoners awaiting trial for the longest period, (b) the top quartile of prisoners awaiting trial for the longest period, (c) the second quartile of prisoners awaiting trial for the longest period; and what is the average period of remand for all prisoners charged on the basis of such evidence.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1985, c. 71]: The number of applications for bail which were refused in each year since 1980 was as follows:

	Number
1980	728
1981	951
1982	990
1983	855
1984	849

Information on remand times for those at present on remand in custody who have been charged on the basis of evidence from alleged accomplices is not separately

available and could be obtained only by a special exercise at disproportionate cost. Nor is it possible for the same reason to provide information directly comparable to that provided in my reply to a similar question from the hon. Member on 31 July 1984, at column

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many dairy farmers in Northern Ireland have a herd size of less than 150 cows;(2) how many dairy farmers in Northern Ireland have a herd size in excess of 150 cows;(3) how many dairy farmers in Northern Ireland have a herd of less than 40 cows;(4) how many dairy farmers in Northern Ireland have a herd size of less than 80 cows;(5) how many dairy farmers in Northern Ireland have a herd size of less than 120 cows.

The statistics are not readily available exactly as requested. The available statistics from the June 1984 agricultural census are as follows:

Size of dairy herd	Number of farms
Less than 40 cows	5,207
Less than 70 cows	7,008
Less than 100 cows	7,704
Less than 200 cows	8,061
100 cows and over	379
200 cows and over	22
All sizes	8,083

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when applications for hydrocarbon licences will be invited in Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to promote such applications.

I am placing in the Library the text of a notice which will appear in the London and Edinburgh Gazettes and in the Belfast Gazette. It indicates that the Department of Economic Development will accept applications for landward petroleum licences in Northern Ireland from 4 March 1985. The areas on offer for licensing are in East Antrim and in adjacent parts of East Tyrone/South Londonderry. From 4 March 1985 the Department is also making available for purchase a package of information, prepared by petroleum consultants and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland on the potential of the area on offer for licensing. The Department will also be pleased to arrange, on request, subsequent discussions with its advisers for all those companies which purchase this information. In order to give time for corporate analysis of the information being released, and discussions with departmental advisers, the closing date for the receipt of licensing applications is 28 June 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report for each of the years 1983 and 1984 the following details: (a) the number of vehicles hijacked or taken and (b) the number not recovered at the end of each year, in each of the following police districts, separately: Musgrave street, Springfield road, Tennent street, North Queen street, Mountpottinger, Castlereagh, Newtownards, Newry, Portadown, Armagh, Enniskillen, Omagh, Strand road, Coleraine, Ballymena and Antrim.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1985, c. 714]: The available information is as follows:

Vehicles Taken or Hijacked by RUC Divisions
Division	Divisional headquarters	Vehicles taken or hijacked	Vehicles not recovered
1 January—30 September 1983
A	Musgrave street	969	55
B	Springfield road	950	54
C	Tennent street	370	25
D	North Queen street	409	49
E	Mountpottinger	159	22
F	Castlereagh	641	53
G	Newtownards	234	37
H	Newry	213	53
J	Portadown	139	26
K	Armagh	38	8
L	Enniskillen	12	6
M	Omagh	24	5
N	Strand road	99	8
O	Coleraine	40	3
P	Ballymena	92	15
R	Antrim	358	30
	Totals	4,747	449
1 October—31 December 1983*
A	Musgrave street	559	66
B	Springfield road	355	30
D	North Queen street	362	43
E	Strandtown	94	14
G	Newtownards	37	11
H	Armagh	80	21
J	Portadown	145	21
K	Cookstown	13	3
L	Enniskillen	5	0
N	Strand road	40	4
O	Coleraine	20	3
P	Ballymena	39	7
	Totals	1,749	223
1984
A	Musgrave street	1,890	180
B	Springfield road	1,370	108
D	North Queen street	1,540	125
E	Strandtown	558	56
G	Newtownards	187	25
H	Armagh	236	57
J	Portadown	554	84
K	Cookstown	69	5
L	Enniskillen	30	6
N	Strand road	164	14
O	Coleraine	78	9
P	Ballymena	229	34
	Totals	6,905	703
Note:
* On 1 October 1983, the number of RUC divisions was reduced from 16 to 12 and divisional boundaries were reorganised. As a result there were no longer divisions with headquarters at Tennent street, Castlereagh, Omagh or Antrim.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list the visits outside the United Kingdom made by members of his Department in the course of their work to revise "Home Defence and the Farmer", in the last five years.

No such visits have been made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the seminars and conferences held in the United Kingdom relating to the problems of nuclear defence and agriculture which representatives of his Department have been invited to attend.

Invitations were received to conferences on the land and defence at Oxford in March 1984 and on the nuclear winter at Exeter in September 1984.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a Green Paper on pesticides and environment policy review.

No. Part III of the Food and Environment Protection Bill, which has just received its First Reading in the House, seeks powers to ensure the safe and efficient use of pesticides, taking full account of environmental concerns. It was drafted after wide-ranging consultation with interested organisations. The Government are committed to a second round of consultation on the detailed content of implementary regulations, and a discussion document will be issued for that purpose, as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a timetable for the drawing up of regulations, consultations with interested parties and the issuing and implementation of regulations for the Food and Environment Protection Bill [Lords].

Subject to the views of Parliament on part III of the Food and Environment Protection Bill, I hope that the Government will be in a position to circulate a new consultation document detailing the proposed regulations and the administrative arrangements which will accompany them in the late spring. The consultations on these proposals will continue for as long as necessary, but our aim is to lay the regulations in Parliament this autumn, with a view to their entry into force early in 1986.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he intends making to allow observers to attend the meetings of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides; and what steps he is taking to make public its proceedings, apart from publication of an annual report.

The Government believe that the discussions of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides should be conducted in such a way as to allow them to take place with frankness and informality. Furthermore, the committee is dealing with information, some of which is commercially sensitive and valuable and which, therefore, cannot be made public. For these reasons, I and my right hon. Friends believe that an annual report containing safety assessments and the recommendations of the ACP is the right way of informing the public of its work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those pesticide products cleared under the pesticides safety precautions scheme containing methyl isothiocyanate, or liberating methyl isothiocyanate when used.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what study he has made in the context of the preparation of the Food and Environment Protection Bill [Lords] of the United States system of rebuttable presumptions against registration issued as a revokable injunction against the use of pesticides suspected of causing a serious environmental, safety or health hazard; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of the system of review of approval of pesticides employed in the United States. In the UK, the pesticides safety precautions scheme already includes provision for the clearance of any pesticide to be reviewed in the light of new scientific evidence on risk. Where appropriate, clearance can be revoked and the pesticide withdrawn from use. In addition, we are proposing, under the Food and Environment Protection Bill, reviews of the registration status of all pesticide products approved for use in this country at regular intervals. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide the necessary controls.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has made any studies and if it has any forecast or estimates available to it of the number of pesticides expected to be approved, and of the volume of pesticide active ingredients expected to be used, in 1986, 1990, 1985 and 2000.

No. It is not possible to predict how many new chemicals will be developed and how many of those will achieve approval for use in the UK. For similar reasons, we do not make estimates of future pesticides usage. However, it is our declared policy aim to reduce usage to the minimum consistent with efficient agricultural and horticultural production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pesticide clearances or approvals he expects to revoke or suspend as a result of the powers he is seeking under the Food and Environment Protection Bill [Lords], in its first year.

If the Food and Environment Protection Bill is approved the Government intend to review existing clearances, but it is too soon to anticipate the result.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of occasions in each of the past five years in which Ministers failed to act on a recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides regarding the safety clearance of a pesticide.

During the last five years, Ministers have accepted and acted upon all the final recommendations of the advisory committee for pesticides regarding safety clearances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the members of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and of each of its subcommittees, giving in each case occupation and qualifications for membership.

Current members of the advisory committee on pesticides are:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those pesticides which are cleared for aerial spraying and which are also classified as poisonous substances.

The Poisonous Substances in Agriculture Regulations 1984^* prescribe the precautions to be taken when using specified substances in agriculture. Products containing the following substances specified in the regulations have clearance for aerial application:

• azinphos-methyl
• chlorfenvinphos
• demephion
• demeton-S-methyl
• dichlovos
• fentin acetate
• omethoate
• oxydemeton-methyl
• phorate (granules only)
• phosphamidon
• thiometon

With the exception of phorate, all these products fall in the lowest risk category (schedule 2, part III) of the regulations, which require certain protective clothing to be worn when handling the product in concentrated form, or when acting as a ground marker during aerial application. There is no statutory requirement for users to wear protective clothing when handling the product in dilute form. Phorate falls into a higher risk category (schedule 2, part II), but is only cleared for aerial application in granular form.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) from what sources wartime farm wardens would be recruited;(2) if he will publish his contingency plans to appoint wartime farm wardens;(3) what criteria would govern the establishment of groups of farms to be supervised by wartime farm wardens; and what alternative criteria have been considered by his Department;(4) if he will list the duties and responsibilities of wartime farm wardens.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 7 February at column 694 to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm wardens would be appointed by his Department in the event of threatened hostilities.

On the basis of one warden for about 20 farms there would be about 6,000 wardens.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish details of the organisation, structure and composition of the proposed wartime local control organisation for agriculture, fisheries and food.