asked the Attorney-General what representations he has received from the various parts of the construction industry following the Law Reform Committee's report on latent damage, Cmnd. 9390.

The closing date for comments on the Law Reform Committee's report is the end of March. But the Lord Chancellor's Department has already received comments from a number of sources, including the construction industry.

asked the Attorney-General if the Independent Broadcasting Authority sought his advice about its competence to ban the Channel 4 programme, "MI5's Official Secrets", on grounds that this might infringe the Official Secrets Act; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if, subsequent to the initial decision of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to ban the showing of the programme, "MI5's Official Secrets", on Channel 4, and before his announcement that there were to be no prosecutions against the makers of this programme, he had discussions with the chairman and members of the authority about possible infringements of the Official Secrets Act.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he had discussions with the Independent Broadcasting Authority about possible infringements of the Official Secrets Act by the programme entitled "MI5's Official Secrets" before the authority's initial decision to ban the showing of this programme on Channel 4.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest famine reports from the sub-Sahara.

The situation in Africa continues to be serious, although substantial progress in the provision of food has been made. For the financial year 1985–86 we have pledged in advance a minimum bilateral allocation of £30 million for drought victims, refugees or others suffering from disaster in Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if United Kingdom aid in parallel to the World Bank special fund for sub-Saharan Africa will be untied.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on why Her Majesty's Government will not contribute directly to the World Bank's special facility for sub-Saharan Africa.

We could only make a direct contribution to the special facility at the expense of our future bilateral aid programmes, including programmes to African countries. The Government preferred to make some of our bilateral aid available in close support of the special facility and subject to the same World Bank conditionality. This arrangement has been accepted by the World Bank as constituting "special joint financing" in support of the facility. The offers of the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan and Switzerland have been similarly designated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what items he had planned to spend his Department's contingency reserve for 1984–85 prior to his decision to allocate the reserve to alleviate the famine in Ethiopia and the Sudan.

The reserve existed to deal with contingencies as they arose within the financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the United Nations Secretary-General's conference on Africa in Geneva on 11 to 12 March.

Although it was not intended as a pledging conference, considerable progress was made towards the mobilisation of resources. Precise figures will not be available until all delegations' speeches have been analysed in detail. There was a feeling overall that the conference was of real value.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances he would be prepared to authorise the granting of loans and grants for development projects in Namibia.

Her Majesty's Government would certainly consider offering development assistance to Namibia after independence achieved in accordance with Security Council Resolution 435.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the United Kingdom offer of $75 million to the World Bank fund for Africa was rejected; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom offer was not rejected. The World Bank's press release, at the conclusion of the donors meeting in Paris on 1 February, made it clear that our contribution would be included in the category of "special joint financing", subject to procurement conditions to be notified. The Government have now decided that the United Kingdom contribution should be untied for procurement purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate how much procurement of British goods has been forgone by failure to subscribe to the World Bank fund for Africa.

The World Bank's special facility for sub-Saharan Africa is not expected to become operational until 1 July. When it does, British firms should be able to bid for contracts financed from the facility, and under the special jount financing provided by the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. This follows from the Government's decision to untie the United Kingdom contribution to the special joint financing, which is now being communicated to the World Bank.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the most recent estimates of the amount of grain that will arrive in the port of Assab in Ethiopia for each of the next three months, and as to how much will be in store at the port for each of those months.

Expected landings and stocks of relief food commodities at the port of Assab in the next three months are:

Month	Estimated landings (metric tonnes)	Estimated month end stocks (metric tonnes)
April	90,000	86,000
May	65,000	91,000
June	30,000	60,000

Grain-based commodities will account for approximately 80 per cent. of the above figures. Further shipments are likely to be arranged in the months ahead. Month end stocks will fluctuate according to the availability of vehicles. Target off-take is 3,000 tonnes a day against present average off-take of about 2,000 tonnes a day.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the amount of food aid actually delivered to Sudan and Ethiopia, respectively, by the United Kingdom and the rest of the European Economic Community, respectively, over the past 12 months.

The available figures, which cover the period since the begining of 1984, are as follows:

	Sudan	Ethiopia (tonnes)
European Community
Cereals	16,600	133,000

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the costs for 1983–84, and the estimated costs for 1984–85 and 1985–86, of Members of Parliament's salaries and allowances.

The actual costs for 1983–84 and the estimated costs for 1984–85 and 1985–86 of salaries and allowances of Members of Parliament are as follows:

	£
1983–84	25,292,727·36
1984–85	27,906,000·00
1985–86	29,012,000·00

asked the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list the costs for 1983–84 and the estimated costs for 1984–85 and 1985–86, of the salaries and allowances paid to staff of the House and to the police and security services.

The costs of salaries and allowances of House staff and of payments to the Metropolitan police for maintenance of security services in the House are as follows:

	1983–84 (actual)	1984–85 (estimated)	1985–86 (estimated)
	£	£	£
(1) Staff salaries and allowances	9,220,727	10,092,000	10,769,000
(2) Police and security services	2,467,455	2,750,000	2,902,000

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, pursuant to his answer of 11 March, Official Report, column 15, he will state, week by week for the current Session, the average time of rising of the House from Monday to Thursday.

The average times of rising of the House from Monday to Thursday for each week during the present session were as follows:

Date	Time
1984
6–8 November	10.27 pm
12–15 November	11.12 pm
19–22 November	11.43 pm
26–29 November	1.19 am
3–6 December	1.34 am
10–13 December	12.37 am
17–20 December	2.35 am
1985
9–10 January	10.59 pm
14–17 January	1.54 am
21–24 January	11.37 pm
28–31 January	11.24 pm
4–7 February	1.42 am
11–14 February	1.15 am
18–21 February	1.29 am
25–28 February	12.09 am
4–7 March	6.27 am
11–14 March	11.48 pm

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, when the new television licence fee arrangements are announced, he will arrange for this to be made as an oral statement to the House instead of the usual written question.

It is not the normal practice to indicate in advance the form which announcements will take. This announcement will be made in the manner thought most appropriate having regard to its importance and other relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make available his Department's publication, "Grant-Related Expenditure 1985–86."

My right hon. Friend has today placed copies of this document in the Library of the House. Copies have also been sent to every local authority in England and to the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what adjustments he estimates will be made, in the year commencing 1 April 1986 to the grant-related expenditure assessments and expenditure targets of the councils of London boroughs and metropolitan districts so as to reflect the increased responsibilities of those councils for buildings at present owned by the Greater London council or the metropolitan county councils and transferred to the boroughs and districts, as proposed in the Local Government Bill.

The grant related expenditure assessments which the GLC and metropolitan county councils would have received for all services transferred to the lower tier will be redistributed to the borough and district councils. If expenditure targets are retained, targets for the successor authorities will also be adjusted to reflect the extra spending transferred to them. The detailed arrangements are now being discussed with the representatives of the authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now in a position to announce the further sites for consideration for the reception of low and intermediate level nuclear wastes.

No. However, I expect NIREX to be in a position in a few months' time to announce alternative possible sites for shorter-lived wastes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether population density is a criterion in site selection for a nuclear repository; and whether it is regarded as a radiological or a planning consideration.

The radiological requirements are set out in the publication, "Disposal facilities on land for low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes: principles for the protection of the human environment" (HMSO 1984) and the developer will be expected to show that the facility will comply with them, both for existing and for future populations. Current population density will be one relevant planning consideration, and will be covered in the environmental assessment NIREX will be required to prepare for each site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reason he abandoned the initial public inquiry announced in his statement in the Official Report, 25 October, column 154, and replaced it by a special development order in a further statement on 24 January, Official Report, column 1146.

The situation has been changed by my right hon. Friend's further request to NIREX to investigate at least three possible sites for each type of disposal facility. It would be unnecessarily time-consuming and repetitious to have a number of separate local inquiries of limited scope into geological investigations. The revised procedure, incorporating a special development order, will avoid such unnecessary delay and uncertainty, and will also provide an opportunity for a debate in Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the study on disposal and storage options by his Department, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee to determine the best practical environmental option is due to report; and whether the report will be published.

A report will be published after the necessary studies have been completed later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to return the redshank, the curlew and the stock dove to the shooting list.

I have no immediate plans to add the redshank and curlew to schedule 2 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but I have asked the Nature Conservancy Council to review the position.The European Commission has been asked to add the United Kingdom to the list of countries in which the stock dove may be hunted. If agreement to this is secured, that species will be added to Schedule 2, Part II, to the Act, that is species which can be shot by authorised persons at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the outcome of discussions between his Department, the National Housebuilders' Council and the Building Societies' Association concerning the acceptability of various repair schemes for pre-cast reinforced concrete houses and flats for mortgage purposes; when this information will be conveyed to local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) on 20 February at column 485. My Department and the Welsh Office had a meeting with the local authority associations on 5 March and a further meeting is being arranged for 27 March, involving also representatives of the National House Building Council and the Building Societies Association. I will make a further announcement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the sites of special scientific interest guidance criteria require the Nature Conservancy Council to notify as a site of special scientific interest rough grazing and heather moorland which regularly supports 1 per cent. or more of the British breeding population of a species of bird listed upon both schedule 1 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Annex one of EC directive 79/4092.

The Nature Conservancy Council would normally consider it appropriate to notify as sites of special scientific interest well defined localities which have contained 1 per cent. or more of the total British breeding population of any native British species for 5 years or more. Sites with rare species or very small populations do not normally qualify for such designation unless the habitat in which they are found is also scarce within the region concerned.The Nature Conservancy Council's explanatory pamphlet "The Selection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest" gives further details of the selection criteria, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many requests for section 29 orders under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have been made by the Nature Conservancy Council; how many have been refused and why; and whether damage or loss of sites of special scientific interest has occurred as a result.

The Nature Conservancy Council has to date requested 17 orders throughout Great Britain. 14 have been made (10 in England, two in Scotland and two in Wales). In the remaining three cases I was not fully satisfied that the site met the criteria set out in section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There has been no further damage to these sites following the decision that an order should not be made. In the case of one of the three sites, agreement has now been reached with the owner. The other two sites are now fully protected under section 28 of the 1981 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites have been identified with the United Kingdom as fulfilling the criteria for listing under (a) the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance and (b) EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds; and if he will state the time table for listing these areas.

The Nature Conservancy Council has identified 129 sites which meet the criteria for listing under the Ramsar convention, and 151 which satisfy the requirements for listing under EC directive 79/409. Further such sites may be identified in the future.The listing of these sites is being carried out as part of the notification and re-notification of sites of special scientific interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects restoration work at Edlingham castle to be completed; and at what total cost to public funds.

The Historical Buildings and Monuments Commission is now responsible for the management and maintenance of Edlingham castle. I understand that the consolidation works now being carried out are proceeding satisfactorily, and that the commission expects the final cost to be less than that originally estimated. If the hon. Member would like further details, he may wish to approach the chairman of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on assistance available to first-time home purchasers in areas where property prices are above the national average.

First-time home purchasers can qualify for benefits under the homeloan scheme, if they buy homes costing less than the price limit for their region. These price limits are based on the prices actually being paid in each region by first time buyers, and thus are highest in areas where property prices are above the national average. They are set at a level which is intended to allow two-thirds of first time buyers in each region to satisfy this condition of the Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the number of homes in each water authority area which do not enjoy a satisfactory supply of pipes and potable water.

Water authorities submit annual plans to my Department which this year will contain information about the quantity of water supplied in the year which failed to meet certain standards laid down in the EC directive on quality of water intended for human consumption. My Department is also regularly informed about water undertakers' progress in reducing lead concentrations in water. This information is expressed in supply zones and population served.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the precentage increase in house improvements in Leeds for 1984 or the latest year for which figures are available.

The total of conversions and improvements of local authority dwellings and of grant aided renovations of housing association and private dwellings in the first nine months was 16 per cent. higher in 1984 than in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage increase in housing starts in Leeds, in both the private and public sectors, for 1984 compared with 1983 and compared with the United Kingdom as a whole.

The following percentage changes calculated from the number of starts reported in Leeds and published in "Local Housing Statistics" and estimated starts in the United Kingdom published in table 1.2 of "Housing and Construction Statistics" No. 19.

House-building starts January to September 1983 and of 1984: percentage changes
	Public	Private	All
Leeds	-58	+30	-1
United Kingdom (provisional)	-16	-7	-9

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to examples of the transformation of large panel concrete system-built estates built in the 1960s; and if he will name the local authorities involved.

At least 80 local authorities are introducing locally-based management to improve the quality of life on different estates including those built with large panel systems. 20 examples of such initiatives are described in the Department's Priority Estates Project Survey "Local Housing Management", a copy of which is in the Library. Seven of the estates concerned are modern concrete complex developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the marketing exercise and the private developers' findings relating to the Wellington street (Bison) and the Turkey lane (Unit Camus) housing estates in Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

The city council has sought a special determination for housing subsidy to continue to be payable after demolition of the dwellings at Wellington street. In considering whether to make a determination, I expect to take account of any alternatives to demolition, including disposal to the private sector. The city council has been asked to provide further information in support of its application. I would expect to receive similar information should the council seek a special determination in respect of the Turkey lane estate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his assessment of the structural state of Wellington street housing estate, built by Bison (Northern) Concrete Ltd., was such that effective improvements to the estate were impossible.

It is for a local authority to make a structural survey of dwellings which it proposes to demolish and to offer it in support of any application for continued subsidy following demolition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he took, when consenting to Manchester city council's proposal to demolish Wellington street estate, of its expenditure of £700,000 in an attempted design improvement scheme.

My consent was not required for the demolition of the dwellings at Wellington street.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional funds will be made available to the Historic Buildings and Momuments Commission on the projected transfer to it of buildings at present vested in the Greater London council and metropolitan counties; and if these sums will equal at minimum in real terms the amounts currently being spent on such buildings.

In considering the additional resources that the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission will need for the historic buildings that it is proposed should transfer to it from the ownership of the GLC under clause 43 of the Local Government Bill, proper account will be taken of the sums being sent in respect of these properties prior to that council's abolition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what he attributes the process of carbonation in his Department's main office building and the spalling of concrete with rust staining; whether calcium chloride was used as an additive to the concrete and if tests have been carried out on the level of chlorides in the concrete; and if he will make a statement.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department's main office building in Marsham street, London, was designed; over what period it was constructed; when it was completed; what was the cost of the construction; who were the architects; and who were the builders.

No. 2 Marsham street was designed by the Ministry of Public Building and Works in conjunction with the architects, Robert Atkinson and Partners. Design work commenced in 1959. A contract for foundation and basement work was undertaken between July 1963 and November 1964. The main contract, undertaken by Bernard Sunley and Sons Limited, started in November 1964 and was completed in March 1971. Final fitting out was handled as a separate contract and occupation of the building was phased throughout the summer of 1971. The total cost of construction, excluding professional fees, site purchase and clearance was £7·975 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimate of the future life of his Department's headquarters building; and what remedial works are planned, or are necessary to the main structural elements.

Campbell Reith Hill, the PSA consultant investigating the concrete defects in the superstructure of 2 Marsham street indicate that, provided the sample cover readings are representative of the whole building, then the sixty year design life should be achieved.First-aid remedial action to spalled areas has been undertaken.When repairs start, access to the end walls of the buildings will be provided so that a corrosion survey, a full cover depth check and carbonation survey can be completed. Areas where these tests show that spalling of the concrete is likely will have the concrete removed, the reinforcement cleaned and the concrete repaired. Consideration will be given to applying a membrane to the entire surface of these walls to prevent further carbonation, ingress of moisture and air, so as to prevent corrosion of the reinforcement.Cracks to the precast concrete mullions are being monitored for movement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the use of calcium chloride as an additive to concrete was discontinued and prohibited by the Property Services Agency in connection with contracts let or supervised by it.

Calcium chloride and concrete additives containing calcium chloride were banned on PSA works in September 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any proposals to extinguish the public right of way along Old Weston road, near Molesworth.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of his announcement on 6 February, Official Report, column 957 of an inquiry into the practices and procedures in local government, he will prepare and place in the Library a paper outlining the current rights, responsibilities and duties of elected members as referred to in paragraph (a) of the terms of reference of the inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

The evidence to be submitted in due course to the Widdecombe committee by the Department is likely to cover the points raised by the hon. Member. It is because the rights, responsibilities and duties of councillors are unclear that this issue has been referred to the committee. Copies of the Department's evidence will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what accounting developments are being made in his Department to give linemanagers better information about the cost and condition of the capital assets they are managing.

Under the Property Repayment Services (PRS) system introduced in April 1983, the Property Services Agency raises charges on occupants of the civil estate which cover market rents, maintenance and other running costs. The system is being progressively refined in order to reflect as closely as possible the opportunity costs of departments' occupation of the civil estate. To support PRS, the agency has recently implemented a new computerprised system of estate records, which gives its estates staff access to a centralised property data base.To assist control of expenditure on maintenance of properties, a micro computer system has now been installed in all the agency's district works offices, and trials of enhanced property-based budgetary control arrangements are under way. A new system of regular building inspections has also been instituted as a basis for recording future maintenance requirements and their relative priority.Further improvements in management information will form part of the longer-term strategy adopted by PSA for the implementation of information technology throughout the agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what was the average value per tonne of total United Kingdom exports of mechanical engineering products compared with the average value per tonne of total imports of mechanical engineering products into France, West Germany, Italy and Sweden in the latest year for which figures are available;(2) what was the average value per tonne of total United Kingdom imports of mechanical engineering products compared with the average value per tonne of imports of mechanical engineering products into France, West Germany, Italy and Sweden in the latest year for which figures are available.

The information is in the table.

Mechanical engineering products*Average value per tonne traded (US$) 1983
	Imports	Exports
United Kingdom	5,870	5,550
France	5,400	—
Federal Republic of Germany	4,730	—
Italy	6,030	—
Sweden	5,830	—
* Taken as the following standard international trade classification headings 722, 723, 724, 726, 727.22, 727.29, 728.43, 736.1, 736.2, 736.7, 741.4–6, 744, 745.22, 745.25 and 812.1.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the level of increases in prices of (a) steel scrap, (b) cylinder iron and (c) pig iron for each of the last five years for which records are available.

I have the following information on the price of scrap metal which is derived from the publication "Metal Bulletin".

Ferrous scrap price movements (OA grade)
	Average price £ per tonne	Index
1979
5 January	46–50	100·0
6 April	57	122·6
6 July	52	111·85
5 October	51	109·7
1980
4 January	47–50	102·2
3 April	46	98·8
4 July	37	79·6
3 October	32	68·8
1981
9 January	30	64·5
3 April	32	68·8
3 July	32	68·8
2 October	31	66·7
1982
8 January	40	86·0
2 April	43–50	93·5
2 July	33	71·0
1 October	25	53·8
1983
7 January	27–50	59·1
8 April	40–50	87·1
1 July	40–50	87·1
7 October	46	98·9
1984
6 January	57–50	123·7
6 April	55	118·3
6 July	64	137·6
5 October	70	150·5
1985
4 January	69	148·4
8 March	86–50	186·0

I have no information on cylinder iron and pig iron.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received concerning the scrap metal industry during the last 12 months.

My Department has received letters from some 60 undertakings complaining about the price of ferrous scrap and calling for the imposition of export controls. The Minister of State for Industry has recently held discussions with both the British Independent Steel Producers Association and the British Scrap Federation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to introduce export controls on scrap metal as a raw material.

No. National controls would be ineffective. United Kingdom scrap would merely be shipped to other member states and then exported to third countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been received under the software products scheme; how many have been refused and how many are being processed; what is the value of total grants so far approved; how much is under negotiation; how much remains uncommitted; how the ratio of rejected applications compares with that under other section 8 schemes under the Industry Act 1972; and how the administrative cost per application processed under the software scheme compares with the administrative cost of processing each application under other section 8 schemes.

The information is as follows.571 proposals have been received under the software products scheme; 180 have been rejected; 20 are currently being processed. The value of total grants for the 371 cases approved so far is around £41 million. Grants potentially totalling £3 million are currently under negotiation Of the £12 million announced for the SPS last year over one half has so far been committed. The ratio of rejected to approved applications is 1:2. This compares with 1:3 for the sectoral schemes operated under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972. Figures for individual case processing costs in respect of the software products scheme and other sectoral schemes under the Industry Act 1972 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the light of the European Commission's recent decision to impose a tariff against excavators from Japan, he has any plans to instigate action against any other imports from that country.

The European Commission is at present investigating three possible instances of Japanese dumping of imports which might lead to the instigation of similar provisional anti-dumping duties. It is open to any industry which believes that it is being similarly injured by unfairly priced imports from whatever source to request the Commission to investigate them and the Commission has the competence to introduce the appropriate remedies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many overseas trade fairs were supported by the British Overseas Trade Board in 1984; and how many he expects the British Overseas Trade Board to support in 1985 and 1986, respectively.

In 1984 the BOTB provided assistance to groups of British exporters at 332 overseas trade fairs. As stated in the consultation document issued by the BOTB on 3 December 1984, which is available in the Library of the House, it is expected that the programme of events supported in 1985–86 may be reduced by perhaps 5 per cent. to 10 per cent.The consultation document also included proposals about the use of BOTB funds for 1986–87. The board will be considering the resources available for support at overseas trade fairs during that year in the light of the responses to the consultation document.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he made it a condition of the placing of British Telecom shares with Kleinwort Benson prior to privatisation that no employees of the firm should deal in the shares on their own account;(2) if, before settling his final account with Kleinwort Benson in respect of the privatisation of British Telecom, he will seek from the firm information on the number of its employees who used the firm's facilities to deal on their own account in the shares.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if, pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, column 278, he will provide a breakdown, by each sector of the information technology industry, namely, office machinery, electronic data processing equipment, telecommunications equipment, radio and electronic capital goods, electronic components and subassemblies and electronic consumer goods, of the balance of trade for each year since 1979;(2) if he will publish in the

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the average growth rates of the information technology industry in Germany, France, Japan, the United States of America and the United Kingdom between 1979 and 1984;(2) if he will publish in the

[pursuant to the reply, 11 March 1985, c. 23]: The available information on market shares is in the table. The United Kingdom average annual growth rate in this industry between 1979 and 1984 was 15 per cent. at current prices (8 per cent. at constant prices); comparable information for other countries is not readily available.

Information Technology Equipment*United Kingdom Share of OECD Exports to:
	World	Western Europe
1979	8·5	12·0
1980	8·4	12·2

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what change has taken place in the level of manufacturing in each of the years 1979 to 1984.

The information requested is as follows:

Index of Production—Manufacturing Percentage change on previous year
	Percentage
1979	0·0
1980	-9·0
1981	-6·0
1982	+0·5
1983	+2·5
1984	+3·5

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is proposing to solve the problems of skill shortages in the information technology industries.

Pursuant to my answer to a supplementary question asked by the hon. Member for Warrington, North (Mr. Hoyle) on 27 February 1985 at column 333, the following are the trade balances for the years 1979–1983 and, the full-year figures not yet being available, for January-September 1984 for the information technology industries including, and excluding electronic consumer goods.

Balance of trade for information technology industries*
	Including electronic consumer goods	Excluding electronic consumer goods
	£ million	£ million
1984†	-1,794	-1,231
1983	-2,159	-1,104
1982	-1,436	-514
1981	-1,070	-361
1980	-384	-21
1979	-468	-81
* Office machinery (Activity Heading 3301 in the standard industrial classification, revised 1980), electronic data processing equipment (3302), telecommunications equipment (3441), radio and electronic capital goods (3443), electronic components and subassemblies (3444 and 3453), and electronic consumer goods (3454).
† January—September.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to him regarding the effect of regional and other aid given to companies and persons where there is already over capacity in that particular industry; and what checks his Department makes on these matters before making grants to new firms.

[pursuant to the reply, 15 March 1985, c. 32]: Representations on this subject are made from time to time. Capacity in the sector of industry concerned and the possible displacement effect of Government assistance are factors that are always taken into account before selective financial assistance, on a regional or national basis, is offered. But cases are looked at on their merits and the prime consideration, apart from additionality, is the viability of the individual proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any proposals to amend the Registered Designs Act 1949 and section 10 of the Copyright Act 1956; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to the reply, 15 march 1985, c. 32]: The Registered Designs Act 1949 and the Copyright Act 1956 are under review in the light of consultations on the Green Papers "Reform of the Law relating to Copyright, Designs and Performers' Protection" (Cmnd. 8302) and "Intellectual Property

Dioceses	Rural	Urban/city*	Pre-1500	1500 to 1700	1700 to 1800	1800 to 1900	Post-1900
Bath and Wells
Camely St. James	X		X
Elworthy St. Martin of Tours	X		X
Emborough the Blessed Virgin Mary	X		X
Hardington Bampfylde St. Mary	X		X
Pensford St. Thomas à Becket (Tower)	X		X
Stocklinch Ottersey St. Mary	X		X
Upton St. James (Tower)	X		X
Blackburn
Blackburn Holy Trinity		X				X
Lancaster St. John the Evangelist		X			X
Tarleton St. Mary	X				X
Bristol
Inglesham St. John the Baptist	X		X
Leigh All Saints Old Chancel	X		X
Canterbury
Sandwich St. Peter		X	X
West Stourmouth All Saints	X		X
Carlisle
Brougham St. Ninian	X		X
Ireby Old Chancel	X		X
Chelmsford
Berechurch St. Michael and All Angels (Audley Chapel)	X		X
Chickney St. Mary	X		X
East Horndon All Saints	X		X
West Bergholt St. Mary Old Church	X		X
Chester
Birkenhead St. Mary (Tower)		X				X
Warburton St. Werburgh Old Church	X		X
Chichester
Chichester St. John the Evangelist		*X				X
Tortington St. Mary Magdalene	X		X
Warminghurst The Holy Sepulchre	X		X
Coventry
Billesley All Saints	X			X
Wolfhamcote St. Peter	X		X

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will detail in the Official Report the number of churches vested in the Redundant Churches Fund since its inception; and if these data can be classified according to (a) the diocese of the church, (b) whether the church is sited in a rural, urban or city area, and (c) by age according to whether the building is pre-1500, 1500 to 1700, 1700 to 1800, 1800 to 1900 and post-1900.

One hundred and ninety churches have been vested in the redundant churches fund since its inception in 1969. They are, with the classifications requested, as follows: