asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government intend to give to the recently formed charitable trust Afghan Aid.

I propose to allocate a grant in aid of £50,000 to Afghan aid as relief for destitute Afghan refugees, wherever they might be, who have had to leave their homes because of the fighting in Afghanistan.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the last year of reported statistics, what number of visitors from the Asian sub-continent were admitted as temporary visitors, married British citizens during their temporary stay, and were then allowed to remain in the United Kingdom.

Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is that about 340 husbands and 470 wives from the Indian sub-continent who had been admitted for a limited period other than as a husband or fiancé(e) were accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in 1984; their admission may have been as visitors, students or in some other category given limited leave to enter; the figure for wives excludes those accepted for settlement on the removal of conditions applying to their husbands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times in the past six months people who have been arrested have been flown at taxpayers' expense to another part of the United Kingdom; and what was the size of the resultant fine or sentence.

This information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce a licence fee for radios generally.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria and procedures are applied in making appointments to the Equal Opportunities Commission, and at a senior level within the staffing structure of the commission; and if he will make a statement.

Members of the Equal Opportunities Commission are appointed by my right hon. and learned Friend in accordance with the terms of section 53 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. They are chosen for their personal qualities and for their general knowledge and experience of the areas covered by equal opportunity legislation. Under the terms of schedule 3 of the 1975 Act, the commission is responsible for appointing its own staff. I understand that, in accordance with a local agreement, the normal procedure is for all vacancies to be advertised internally before any consideration is given to a candidate from outside the commission; but some specialist appointments and the post of chief executive have been advertised simultaneously both inside and outside the commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his intention to reduce in real terms the grant-related expenditure assessments of the West Yorkshire or any other metropolitan police and fire services over the three-year period of financial controls over the joint boards for these services, which will be established in the event of the abolition of the metropolitan counties and the Greater London council.

There is no intention to fix the grant-related expenditure assessments for police and fire joint boards other than in accordance with the general principles governing such assessments for all police and fire authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the amount of mutual aid sent by the Metropolitan police to other forces by month during the course of the miners' strike.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 March 1985, c. 161]: The information requested is as follows:

Number of Metropolitan Police officers sent on mutual aid duties in connection with the miners' dispute in each month since Mara. 1984.
	Number
March 1984	2,553
April	3,105
May	2,006
June	1,735
July	5,360
August	4,365
September	7,695
October	5,162
November	3,461
December	1,977
January 1985	1,419
February	1,846
March	47

The periods of duty involved ranged from one day to eight days.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what checks are carried out by his Department in respect of eligibility for European Economic Community grants towards the purchase of new fishing boats as to (a) the authenticity of applicants and (b) the extent to which bona fide applicants meet the conditions of eligibility;(2) if he will list the conditions governing the eligibility of owners of fishing boats in Northern Ireland for grants from the European Economic Community towards the cost of purchasing new fishing boats.

Grant is available under regulation (EEC) No. 2908/83 which was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 22 October 1983; article 10 refers to conditions for owners. Applications are processed by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and any necessary inquiries are made by the sea fisheries inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Department of Agriculture (Northern Ireland) drainage division's proposals to carry out drainage works on the River Blackwater, County Tyrone and County Armagh, have received approval; under what statutory authority the scheme is being carried out; what are the total estimated costs of the scheme; how much money the Government will contribute towards the costs of the scheme; what financial benefit they expect to accrue as a result of the investment of public money in this scheme; what area of land they estimate will benefit from the scheme by becoming available for agricultural production, or by being converted from its existing agricultural use to more intensive agricultural use; what are the results of any cost-benefit analysis carried out into this scheme; when he expects the scheme to be completed; and whether a full environmental assessment was made into the impact of the scheme upon wildlife and landscape.

This scheme was approved in August 1982; it is being carried out under the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973. The total estimated cost is £19 million at 1984 prices and the net cost after deducting European Community grant and the Republic of Ireland's contribution is approximately £13 million. Benefits expected include more efficient production by farmers, alleviation of road flooding at 21 points and the provision of over 200 jobs during the construction period of five years; an estimated 3,200 hectares of agricultural land in Northern Ireland will benefit. Using 1984 costs the cost benefit assessment of the scheme produces an internal rate of return in excess of 5 per cent. The scheme is expected to be completed in 1989; an assessment of its environmental impact was made before works started.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of commissioning and compiling the report "Developing Hospital Services", by the joint review team of the Eastern Health and Social Servies Board, taking into account wage costs for staff servicing the review team, the expenses of members of the team, clerical overheads in servicing the committee and all other expenses incurred by the review team in its work.

The information requested is not routinely collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of printing, distributing and delivering the report, "Developing Hospital Services", by the joint review team of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board.

Approximately £13,800.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of preparing, printing, distributing and delivering the supplementary briefing document for the public on the report, "Developing Hospital Services," by the joint review team of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board.

The total cost of printing and distributing the short guide to the report "Developing Hospital Services" was approximately £10,300. Information on the staff costs associated with the production of the guide is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out in the Official Report a table showing the actual or estimated capital expenditure by each regional water authority on (a) urban flood protection, (b) agricultural flood protection and (c) sea defences for the years 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86.

Details of each water authority's planned expenditure on the three categories, described by the hon. member, are shown in the following table in the form submitted to the Ministry before the beginning of the relevant year. Limits on the level of expenditure that could attract grant aid were imposed for 1984–85 and 1985–86 after these plans had been drawn up. The actual levels of expenditure will therefore be less than these plans indicate and are likely to be in line with the grant earning ceiling shown for these years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out in the Official Report a table showing the grant-earning ceilings and rates of grant payable under the Land Drainage Act 1976 for each regional water authority in the years 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86.

	1983–84		1984–85		1985–86
	Grant Earning Ceiling £ thousand	Grant Rates Per cent.	Grant Earning Ceiling £ thousand	Grant Rates Per cent. (Provisional)	Grant Earning Ceiling £ thousand	Grant Rates Per cent. (Provisional)
Anglian
Essex*	1,736	64	1,837	62	1,400	45
Great Ouse	2,155	67	1,633	60	1,300	44
Lincolnshire	4,713	80	5,002	75	3,100	62
Norfolk and Suffolk	3,082	73	2,144	63	1,100	44
Welland and Nene	2,834	73	2,144	66	1,700	52
Northumbrian	387	13	220	10	140	8
North West	3,306	36	2,760	31	2,180	21
Severn-Trent
Severn †	1,460	35	1,235	30	700	21
Trent	4,596	34	3,165	26	2,250	18
Southern
Hampshire	469	21	398	18	310	12
Isle of Wight	53	38	31	28	—	—
Kent*	4,508	69	3,342	62	2,420	44
Sussex	1,765	67	1,239	57	1,070	40
South West
East	1,890	64	1,182	52	1,470	42
West	487	28	448	24	470	20
Thames
Lea*	2,812	41	1891	30	1,080	15
Thames	3,122	39	1,789	29	1,550	19
Welsh
Dee and Clwyd †	70	62	111	66	80	53
Wye †	293	72	249	66	150	56

The information requested is set out in the table on the basis of water authority divisions. Grant earning ceilings are notified to authorities before the beginning of the year to which they relate. They may be adjusted during the year in the light of changing needs. Grant rates are based provisionally on grant earning ceilings, but after the end of the year are re-calculated on actual expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to creating some form of community service under the auspices of his Department; what discussions he has had on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to establish a form of community service under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the report of the interdepartmental study of the effects on service men and other Government employees of the giving of boarding school allowance for tax purposes.

This matter is still under consideration by the relevant Departments. Thus, I cannot at present add to my statement of 29 January 1985 at column 146.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to impose restrictions on RAF training flying time during 1985–86; and what assessment he has made of the implications for pilot training courses.

In order to help contain RAF expenditure within the funding available for 1985–86 it will be necessary to impose some restrictions on general flying acivities. While this may necessitate some adjustment to the timing and content of certain flying training courses, the essential throughput of crews to the front line will be maintained.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if the Services Committee will consider extending the opening hours of the Norman Shaw North issue office from 8.00 am to 10.00 pm; and if he will make a statement.

An extension of the opening hours of the Norman Shaw issue office would involve a number of problems of staffing and organisation. I do not believe that the current demand is sufficient to warrant the expense which would be incurred.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many hon. Members have their offices in (a) the Norman Shaw South building, (b) the Cloisters, (c) 3 Deans yard, and (d) 2 Abbey gardens; and how this compares with each year since 1975.

Fifty-eight hon. Members have their offices in Norman Shaw South building, 37 in the Cloisters, 25 in 3, Deans yard and 21 in 2, the Abbey gardens. This compares with:

	Norman Shaw South Building	Cloisters	3, Deans yard	2, the Abbey gardens
1975	Nil	36	24	23
1976	Nil	35	21	23
1977	18	37	21	23
1978	48	37	21	23
1979	52	38	23	29
1980	52	37	24	28
1981	53	37	24	28
1982	53	37	24	28
1983	61	38	28	23
1984	59	37	27	21

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many hours were spent on each Private Member's Bill which received the Royal Assent in each Session since 1955.

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to introduce annual cervical cancer screening for women who work in the Palace of Westminster.

I have asked the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee to examine the need for such a service and the feasibility of introducing it.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether any revision is proposed for the arrangements for Foreign and Commonwealth Office questions; and if he will make a statement.

As a result of representations from right hon. and hon. Members, and following consultations through the usual channels, it is proposed that after the Easter recess for an experimental period, oral questions to Foreign and Commonwealth Ministers will no longer be divided between those related to European Community affairs and those relating to the rest of the world. Questions on the European Community will be dealt with in the same way as those tabled on other matters. The present arrangements for answering Overseas Development questions will not be altered.The experiment will last until the summer recess to allow an opportunity for its success to be evaluated. Further discussions will then take place through the usual channels to determine whether the new arrangements should become permanent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the equivalent of the employers' current percentage pay offer to teachers if each teacher were to be offered the same amount of money.

Based on the latest assessment of pay costs by the employers' secretariat, it is estimated that the 4 per cent. pay offer if divided equally among all teachers in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales, would produce an increase of about £390 per annum on basic pay for each full-time teacher.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if Her Majesty's Government will assist research councils to obtain commissioned research; and if he will make a statement.

The research councils are already free to undertake research on a contract basis, subject only to their following Government guidelines on charging. These guidelines are intended to ensure that the council's rates for commissioned research reflect the full cost of the work undertaken. Income from commissioned research to the five research councils is estimated to be some £80 million in 1984–85 or 12 per cent. of their total estimated gross expenditure. Most of the commissioned work which the research councils carry out is for Government Departments. In accordance with the customer-contractor principle set out in Cmnd. 5046 "Framework for Government R & D" (July 1972) each Government Department is individually responsible for defining its requirements for Research & Development to back its policy objectives and for commissioning research accordingly from the research councils. However, my right hon. Friend is consulted by his colleagues over any porposal to make significant changes in the scale of their commissioned research programmes.Within the above figures, commissions from industry are estimated to be worth some £5 million in 1984–85. The Government's policy is to encourage the research councils to collaborate more closely with industry and generally to attract more funding from provate sector sources. To this end, the Government have announced the ending of the British Technology Group's right of first refusal to exploit the findings of research funded by the research councils and is introducing new arrangements which will give academic researchers greater incentive to exploit the commercial potential of their inventions.My right hon. Friend, in announcing the grants-in aid for the research councils for 1985–86, explained that in some cases these grants-in-aid include money intended to help the council concerned to restructure. Such restructuring should increase the councils' flexibility and hence their ability to secure new commissions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the effect on research into heart disease if the Medical Research Council ceases funding of the British Regional Heart Study; and if he will make a statement.

Further information on risk factors in ischaemic heart disease, which might have resulted from an extension of funding of the cohort study in the British regional heart study, may not now be obtained unless an alternative source of funding to the Medical Research Council can be found. I understand that nevertheless the MRC has provided additional funds amounting to £30,000 to allow the analysis of the results of the cohort study to be completed.The MRC makes a substantial contribution, with the universities and the medical research charities, to the support of research into cardio-vascular disease. In 1983–84 the council's expenditure on projects relevant to this type of disease amounted to £4·1 million, while a total of £10·3 million was spent on projects which might prove relevant.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to issue the proposed circular on school attendance and educational welfare services; and if he will make a statement.

Copies of the draft circular were sent yesterday to the local authority and teacher associations and other relevant organisations together with an invitation to them to comment by the end of June. The draft circular analyses the functions of education welfare services, recommends priorities and approaches for them to adopt, and invites authorities to review the services in their area. its main purpose is to focus the work of the services more sharply on school attendance. It announces my intention to seek detailed information from local authorities towards the end of next year about their arrangements for giving effect to the recommendations in the draft circular, and to set in hand national consultations on the training of education welfare officers. Copies of the document have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what offers of alternative sites have been made to Williams Bros., Cross Hands, in consequence of his Department's plans to construct the Cross Hands bypass;

The firm would have first become formally aware that the road proposals would affect its premises when draft orders were published in 1981 and later when further draft orders, to provide for some amendments to the scheme, were published in 1983.Our Department has been made aware that the firm intends to close though we understand that it has been offered an alternative site on the nearby industrial estate.Compensation is still the subject of negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make funds available to co-ordinate, computerise and update the address system for the screening of cervical cancer in area health authorities in Wales as recommended by the current working party.

A programme of computerising family practitioner committees' records is under way and is being centrally funded. South Glamorgan and Gwent FPCs already have computers and a further four committees will be provided with them by the end of 1985–86. This should facilitate both the initial call-up of women in the priority groups for screening and their subsequent recall. However, a working group comprising officials of the Department and representatives of the Health Service in Wales is being set up to examine and report on the effectiveness of the present arrangements which are detailed in WHC(81)19 and WHC(84)14. I shall consider what further action may be necessary in the light of the working group's findings.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will list the successes of his Department in providing for the arts in the north-west of England in the last year.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 March 1985, c. 517]: Provision for the performing arts in the north-west is in the hands of the Arts Council of Great Britain, North West Arts and Merseyside Arts. Eight major theatre companies, two symphony orchestras, a ballet company and a very wide range of other arts bodies are maintained in the region. The Arts Council also funded a sculpture exhibition at the Liverpool garden festival. Arts activities were well supported by most of the local authorities in the region.The Arts Council will shortly announce the grant of additional development money to the two regional arts associations, and to arts bodies in the region, as a part of its "Glory of the Garden" strategy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many objections have been received to British Rail's proposal to close the line between Henley in Arden and Bearley junction.

I understand that the transport users consultative committee for the west midlands has received over 7,000 objections to the proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what accounting developments are being made in his Department in order to give line managers better information about the cost and conditions of the capital assets they are helping to manage.

The Department is developing management accounting systems for its major executive activities. Improvements have also been made to the technical and management procedures for assessing the current condition and cost of maintaining the capital assets, notably the national road system and its bridges.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are taken to ensure that those directly recruited through the statutory agencies to youth training schemes are notified to the careers services; and if he considers that sufficient information is given by the Manpower Services Commission to the careers services through the Spectrum computer system.

When a young person is recruited to the youth training scheme directly by a managing agent the Manpower Services Commission automatically notifies the careers office and jobcentre responsible for recruitment to that particular scheme.The Manpower Services Commission and my Department are currently conducting a review of the arrangements whereby Spectrum information on young people entering the youth training scheme is sent by the commission to the local careers service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will institute research concerning health hazards caused through working with visual display units.

The Health and Safety Executive is already engaged in a number of studies on the possible health problems from VDUs and further research is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning possible health hazards caused by working with visual display units.

The Health and Safety Executive has received many inquiries, at national and local level, from employers, trade unions, members of the public and others about the possible health effects of VDUs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each West Yorkshire travel-to-work area (a) the total number of registered unemployed in January 1985, (b) the percentage of the population that represents, (c) the increase (a) and (b) represent over December 1984, (d) the number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in January 1985, (e) the comparative figures for January 1983 and (f) the comparative figures for January 1981.

The available information, which is also in the Library, is as follows:

Travel-to-work area	January 1985		Percentage increase since December 1984
	Total unemployed claimants	Percentage rate*
Bradford	32,003	15·9	3·7
Calderdale	10,398	13·3	4·5
Castleford and Pontefract	8,357	14·4	2·3
Huddersfield	11,423	13·8	3·9
Keighley	4,055	13·5	2·8
Leeds	42,742	13·1	4·6
Wakefield and Dewsbury	16,803	14·7	5·6
* Unemployed as a percentage of the sum of employed and unemployed, at June 1984.

Unfilled vacancies at jobcentres—West Yorkshire
	January 1985	January 1983	January 1981
Batley	46	45	22
Bingley	62	39	17
Bradford	710	674	281
Bramley	81	131	64
Brighouse	70	37	32
Castleford	66	64	97
Crossgates	52	46	*—
Dewsbury	180	113	71
Elland	28	17	15
Halifax	230	165	96
Hemsworth	10	11	7
Horsforth	52	59	33
Huddersfield	251	164	137
Hunslet	77	105	37
Keighley	116	93	79
Knottingly	27	23	11
Leeds	798	824	447
Morley	103	103	37
Normanton	27	22	15
Otley	75	63	44
Pontefract	65	65	41
Rothwell	29	41	3
Seacroft	20	41	24
Shipley	144	65	25
South Elmsall	6	21	9
Sowerbybridge	10	19	13
Spen Valley	48	48	35
Todmorden	41	25	7

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on her meeting with the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

I had useful talks with President Mubarak of Egypt on 14 March; these reflected the excellent state of Anglo-Egyptian relations. We had a full discussion of Arab-Israel peace efforts. I expressed the Government's support for the President's efforts, and those of King Hussein, to make progress towards a negotiated settlement. We both expressed acute concern about the situation in Lebanon, and in Sudan.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received from the Confederation of British Industry and the Institute of Directors about the case for a Ministry of Technology.

I have received no such representations.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the differences between the regulations introducing a limited list of drugs prescribable on the National Health Service (a) in England and Wales and (b) in Scotland; if she will explain the reasons for these differences; and if she will make a statement.

There are three main differences between the schedules of products not prescribable under the National Health Service in the regulations introducing the selected list in (a) England and Wales, and (b) Scotland. Vicks Coldcare capsules and Guaiphenesin syrup have been omitted from the Scottish schedule; Vicks inhaler has been omitted from the English and Welsh one. These differences and a number of minor spelling mistakes are all typographical errors. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has already told the House that amending regulations will be laid to correct these errors.

asked the Prime Minister if she considers each application for an extension of the 30-year list in the disclosure of official papers; and if she will make a statement.

Under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958, as amended, applications for extended closure of records are considered by the Lord Chancellor. The criteria for longer periods than that of 30 years are set out in Cmnd. 8531 and are as follows:

i) exceptionally sensitive papers, the disclosure of which would be contrary to the public interest whether on security or other grounds (including the need to safeguard the Revenue);

ii) documents containing information supplied in confidence the disclosure of which would or might constitute a breach of good faith;

iii) documents containing information about individuals the disclosure of which would cause distress to or endanger living persons or their immediate descendants.

asked the Prime Minister what consideration she has given to the proposals, sent to her in January by the Association of Directors of Social Services, for a new form of supplementary employment grant for the employment of additional staff to care for the elderly, the sick, the physically and mentally handicapped, the mentally ill and other needful groups; what response she is making; if there is any action she will be taking; and if she will make a statement.

The proposals have been given careful consideration by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Employment and Health and Social Security and a reply will be sent to the association shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any plans as part of their present policy of reducing the number of non-departmental public bodies to abolish the Commission for Racial Equality, the Community Projects Foundation, the consumer councils, the development corporations, the Equal Opportunities Commission, the industrial training boards, and the research councils; and if she will make a statement.

[pursuant to her reply, 21 March 1985, c. 570]: Target dates have been announced for the abolition of all new town development corporations in England and Wales. The New Town Development Corporations in Scotland and the Urban Development Corporations in England will be abolished when the tasks for which they were set up have been completed. The Government have no plans to abolish the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Community Projects Foundation, the National Consumer Council, the Nationalised Industry Consumers' Councils, the research councils and the remaining industrial training boards. But all these bodies are subject to thorough examination at intervals in accordance with the new review arrangements for non-departmental public bodies which I announced on 19 November 1984 at column 57.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in unit labour costs since (a) May 1979 and (b) January 1983 to the latest available date in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, West Germany and Japan.

I refer the hon. Member to the "Main Economic Indicators", including the "Historical Statistics", published by the OECD.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the real value of the pound sterling at the latest date, compared with its value on 1 March 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively.

The value of sterling on the dates referred to, expressed as an index against the basket of major currencies (£ ERI), was as follows:

£ sterling exchange rate index 1975 = 100*
Date
1 March 1975	105·1
1 March 1976	95·4
1 March 1977	80·7
1 March 1978	84·4
1 March 1979	82·9
29 February 1980†	73·2
27 February 1981†	98·9
1 March 1982	91·9
1 March 1983	80·0
1 March 1984	82·9
18 March 1985‡	72·5
* Unless stated otherwise, all figures are based on closing London market rates.
† 1 March fell on a weekend.
‡ Noon index.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the post-tax profits of the following sectors expressed as a percentage of gross national product in 1970, 1975, 1980 and the latest available date (a) manufacturing industry, (b) financial institutions, and (c) oil companies.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 March 1985, c. 397]: I regret that information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list by Department the number of civil servants at principal and assistant secretary level who have resigned voluntarily from the service in each of the years 1980 to 1984; and if he will state their age at date of resignation and number of years service.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, in respect of the current study by the Management and Personnel Office of asset registers, what types of assets are covered, which Departments are expected to benefit, and when the study will be completed.

The only current study by the Management and Personnel Office which touches on this area is the multi-Department review of the management of Government office accommodation in Departments, which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 1 August 1984 at column 263. But this review is covering only inventories of furniture and other minor items. It is expected to be complete by May 1985 and its recommendations, if accepted, will be applicable to all Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many of the officials, including scientists, who advise him on nuclear energy matters, in each grade from principal upwards, have previously worked in the nuclear power industry and how many officials have left his Department in the past 10 years to take up jobs in the nuclear power industry.

Four officials in the Department of Energy who advise me on nuclear energy matters have previously worked in the nuclear power industry, assuming this to include the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority but not the electricity supply industry. These are one grade 3, one grade 6 and two principal scientific officers. The Department will also shortly be employing, on a temporary basis, a number of consultants, some of whom will have worked in the nuclear power industry, to advise on the content and monitoring of the AEA's research and development programmes following the outcome of the AEA Review which were announced on 11 February 1985 at columns 30–33.No official has left the Department to take up a job in the nuclear power industry in the past 10 years. (Sir Walter Marshall was already deputy chairman of the AEA when he ceased to be the chief scientist at the Department in 1977.)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy which United Kingdom nuclear reprocessing plants (a) are and (b) are not subject to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

No reprocessing plants in the United Kingdom are currently subject to routine inspection by the IAEA.The reprocessing plant at Dounreay was at one time designated for routine inspection but the agency has chosen to remove it from the list of designated facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied that all plutonium produced in the United Kingdom is properly accounted for; and what procedures are adopted in the event of discrepancies being discovered.

All users of civil plutonium are required by community safeguards legislation to account for all inventory changes to the Euratom safeguards directorate, and to make routine declarations of such changes.In addition the United Kingdom has published figures for material unaccounted for at UKAEA and BNFL sites on an annual basis since 1977. These figures show no adverse trends and give rise to no concern over either safety or security of operations at United Kingdom sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures showing for 1982–83, 1983–84 and an estimate for 1984–85, the numbers of (a) full-time students, (b) part-time students, (c) full-time trainees, (d) apprentices and (e) trainees on day release courses.

Information for 1982–83 and 1983–84 is given in the following table. Estimates are not yet available for 1984–85. Information on full-time trainees is not available.

Students and Trainees	1982–83	1953–84
(a) Full-time students	103,200	103,500
(b) Part-time students (excluding those on day release courses)	118,100	116,700
(d) Apprentices	*50,800
(e) Trainees on day release courses	65,300	61,900
* Number at Spring 1983 (1983 Labour Force Survey).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of houses in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland which lack the following amenities (i) inside sanitation, (ii) a fixed bath or shower or (iii) a wash-hand basin.

The numbers of households in permanent dwellings lacking amenities are as follows:

	Glasgow	Scotland
Households lacking:
(a) inside sanitation (WC)	2,629	16,175
(b) fixed bath or shower	9,868	38,403

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the working of the Solvent Abuse (Scotland) Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Considerable use is being made of the Act in areas where solvent abuse has been regarded as a particular problem. More time will be required, however, to assess the effectiveness of the Act in relation to the reported incidence of this practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will announce the fees to be charged to students attending Scottish institutions other than universities in the academic year 1985–86.

For the academic year 1985–86, I have prescribed the following fee levels for home students and for students from other European Community countries on full-time advanced courses in the central institutions and the colleges of education (fees for 1984–85 are shown in parentheses):

	£	£
Postgraduate courses	1,632	(1,569)
Undergraduate and equivalent courses	520	(500)

Fees for home and European Community students on courses at local authority colleges are the responsibility of the local authorities. I understand that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has decided to recommend fees as follows:

	£	£
Postgraduate courses	1,632	(1,569)
Advanced full-time courses	520	(500)
Non-advanced full-time courses	265	(220)

For overseas students the Government's policy is that students who began their courses on or after 1 September 1980 should pay fees that cover the cost of their education. Local authorities and institutions are free to determine the fees to be charged in accordance with that policy, and in the light of their own circumstances.I understand that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has decided to recommend to local authorities the following fees for students at local authority colleges paying the overseas rate who began their courses on or after 1 September 1980.

	£
Advanced courses	3,310
Non-advanced courses	1,820

Any students still on courses that began before 1 September 1980 remain entitled to a subsidised rate of fee. Maximum fees for such students were specified in the Education (Fees and Awards) (Amendment) Act 1984. As there will be few, if any, such students left by 1985–86, I have decided not to revise the fee maxima further. They will therefore remain as follows:

	£
Postgraduate courses	2,148
Undergraduate courses	1,653
Non-advanced (full-time) courses	885

	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
(a) Cash terms
Total expenditure (£ million)	1,428	1,704	2,155	2,402	2,578	2,738	2,873	2,889	(2,929)	(2,958)
Growth from 1978–79 (per cent.)	—	+19·3	+50·9	+68·2	+80·5	+91·7	+101·2	+102·3	—	—
(b) Volume Terms (November 1984 prices)
Total expenditure (£ million)	2,801	2,835	2,877	2,837	2,817	2,859	2,874	—	—	—
Growth from 1978–79 (per cent.)	—	+1·2	+2·7	+1·3	+0·6	+2·1	+2·6	—	—	—
(c) Cost terms (1983–84 prices)
Total expenditure (£ million)	2,425	2,475	2,639	2,675	2,692	2,738	2,743	2,639	(2,573)	(2,517)
	—	+2·1	+8·8	+10·3	+11·0	+12·9	+13·1	+3·8	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what parental income scale will apply to the assisted places scheme in school session 1985–86.

I propose to lay regulations before the House in due course providing for progressive parental contributions in relation to family income. Examples of the proposed income scales are as follows:

Relevant income	Parental contribution
£	£
6,376	Nil
6,410	18
6,500	24
7,000	78
7,500	144
8,000	219
8,500	300
9,000	405
9,500	510
10,000	615
10,500	732
11,000	852
11,500	972
12,000	1,092
12,500	1,233
13,000	1,398
13,500	1,563
14,000	1,728
14,500	1,893
15,000	2,058

The relevant income scale is open ended but fee remission can of course be given only where the parental contribution is less than the school tuition fees.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing for local authority current expenditure for each of the years 1978–79 to 1987–88 expenditure both as an amount and as a percentage change cover 1978–79 expressed in (a) cash, (b) volume and (c) cost terms.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 March 1985, c. 611]: The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what requests for additional resources to be spent on housing to reduce overcrowding and substandard living conditions he has received from each of the metropolitan county councils.

; My right hon. Friend has received a number of requests from local housing authorities for additional housing investment programme resources but none from metropolitan county councils, which are not housing authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions he intends to make for the replacement of older housing as it outlives its economically usable life; and what guidelines he intends to issue to housing authorities to ensure that best value and habitable life from dwelling stocks result from housing investment programmes.

It is for individual authorities to decide on their own priorities for housing investment within the total resources available to them. The balance to be struck between rehabilitation and demolition followed by a new building will be discussed in the consultation paper following the Government's recent review of improvement policy, which will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish (a) the circulars, (b) the circular letters, (c) the statutory instruments (standing orders) and (d) other communications, sent to all authorities, or all authorities in a class, by his Department in England in each year for 1981–82 to 1984–85.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's most recent estimate of the likely yield of rating on agricultural land and buildings.

Some £360 million, based on the average non-domestic rate poundage for England and Wales in 1984–85. However, the figure is likely to exaggerate the total cost of agricultural derating since rate poundages in agricultural areas are generally lower than the national average.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the companies currently involved in the cleaning of the House of Commons.

There is only one company, Exclusive Cleaning and Maintenance (London) Ltd., currently engaged in the internal cleaning of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates the public inquiry into the planning aspects of the proposed extension of the Bluebell Railway took place; on what date the inspector delivered his report to him; and when he expects to announce his decision.

The public inquiry was held between 21 June and 6 July 1983. The inspector considered jointly the planning appeal submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and also an application for a light railway order made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The inspector's report, which dealt with both matters, was received on 2 November 1983. It is expected that the decision letters relating to both the planning appeal and the light railway order will be dispatched in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of sales completed under the right to buy or voluntary procedures for each year since 1979 to the latest available date by York city council; and how this level of sales compares with the national average.

Sales in the years 1980–81 to 1983–84 reported by York, appear in issues 62, 63, 67 and 71 respectively of "Local Housing Statistics"; copies are available in the Library. In 1979–80, 164 dwellings were sold and in April to December 1984 161.Total sales from April 1979 to December 1984 were 1,414, equivalent to 13 per cent. of York's council housing stock at April 1984: in England as a whole, local authority sales were 13·6 per cent. of its April 1984 stock.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to make his Department's housing booklet No. 18, "Housing Defects: Help for Private Owners," available to local authorities.

My Department is consulting the local authority associations on the text of the booklet and I hope that it will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report. the average rate poundage for Conservative-controlled county councils for the years 1981–82 and 1985–86.

The average precept poundage for county councils that are Conservative-controlled was 112·9p in 1981–82 and is estimated to be 148.·in 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the average rate poundage for all county councils on England for the years 1981–82 and 1985–86.

The available information is as follows:

	1981–82	1985–86
Non-metropolitan county councils	114·7p*	157·3p
Metropolitan county councils	39·2p*	55·1p
* Including any supplementary precepts levied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the rate poundage fixed by the Isle of Wight county council for the years 1981–82 and 1985–86; and what percentage increase over these four years they represent.

The Isle of Wight county precept was 113·5p in 1981–82 and has been set at 157·0p for 1985–86. This represents a 38 per cent. increase over the four-year period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the percentage increase in rate poundage approved by the conservative-controlled county councils between the years 1981–82 and 1985–86.

The available information is as follows:

Percentage increases in precept poundages by Conservative-controlled county councils between 1981–82 and 1985–86
	per cent.
Buckinghamshire	26·1
Cambridgeshire	27·0
Devon	36·2
Dorset	25·2
East Sussex	30·4
Essex	38·2
Hampshire	28·5
Hereford and Worcester	29·6
Hertfordshire	35·7
Kent	30·0
Lincolnshire	24·8
Norfolk	33·3
North Yorkshire	32·5
Oxfordshire	29·1
Somerset	26·7
Suffolk	26·1
Surrey	36·6
West Sussex	31·2
Wiltshire	36·1

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average amount charged to a householder for general rates in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, the boroughs of Camden and Westminster and the borough of Medina, Isle of Wight in the year 1984–85.

Estimates are as follows:

Average domestic rate bills in 1984–85
	£
Chichester	282
Camden	723
Westminster	701
Medina	252

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the figures given in reply to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Irving), Official Report, 25 April 1984, column 526, regarding the total additional cost to his Department of the House sitting from (a) 10.30 pm to midnight and (b) from midnight to 2 am; and if he will give similar estimates for such periods after 2 am as figures are conveniently available.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 March 1985]: The figures for additional labour costs to my Department given in my answer of 25 April 1984 remain valid. After 2 am additional labour costs amount to £30 per hour until the normal day staff come on duty. The additional heating and lighting costs are now estimated to be about £345 for the period between 11 pm and midnight, and £135 per hour after midnight.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report the change in relative export prices each year from 1955 onwards based on 1970 weights compared with the latest figure, together with the ratio of the annual percentage growth of imports to the percentage growth of exports of manufactures.

Data prior to 1963 are not readily available, and to derive UK relative export prices based on 1970 weights would incur disproportionate cost. The available information based on 1980 = 100 is in the table.

UK Trade in Manufactures
	Relative	Volume Indices 1980=100
	Export Prices: changes to 1984Q3 Per cent.	Imports	Exports	Import/ Export Ratio
1963	+ 6·7	23	47	49
1964	+ 6·6	28	49	57
1965	+ 4·0	28	52	54
1966	+1·6	29	54	54
1967	+ 3·0	33	53	62
1968	+ 9·5	39	60	65
1969	+ 10·3	41	68	60
1970	+ 9·0	44	68	65
1971	+ 6·7	47	74	64
1972	+ 6·6	56	74	76
1973	+ 15·8	67	84	80
1974	+ 18·1	71	88	81
1975	+ 13·2	67	86	78
1976	+ 16·8	73	93	78
1977	+ 10·6	80	100	80
1978	+ 4·3	89	100	89
1979	-2·5	101	99	102
1980	-11·9	100	100	100
1981	-10·1	98	94	104
1982	-4·9	106	95	112
1983	-2·1	119	94	127
1984	..	130	102	127

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with British Leyland on the future of its Bathgate plant.

The closure of Bathgate was proposed by the BL board in its 1984 corporate plan, which was discussed in detail between the Department of Trade and Industry and BL. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has subsequently had regular and continuing discussions with the company about future uses for the facilities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement as to the nature of telecommunications facilities at Criggion.

The nature of the telecommunications facilities at Criggion is the responsibility of British Telecommunications plc.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the costs of the intended sale of shares in British Aerospace.

Progress on the sale of the Government's shareholding in British Aerospace was reported on 13 March in a written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins) at columns 150–51. Pending parliamentary approval of the necessary estimates urgent payments in connection with preliminary and main sale expenses will be met from repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

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.

[pursuant to the reply, 18 March 1985, c. 346]: It has not been the Government's practice to seek to impose restrictions on applications by employees of principal advisers in share issues and this was not made a condition for Kleinwort Benson or any other professional advisers in the British Telecom sale. Kleinwort Benson's own policy was to allow employees to apply for British Telecom shares on the same basis as members of the public. The employees were subject to the same basis of allocation as the public and no employees received more than 800 shares.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is satisfied with the progress made by the BL board in carrying out its intention stated in September 1983 of seeking further private sector funds over the next two years within its mainstream business; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to the reply, 20 March 1985, c. 505]: I am pleased with the privatisation of Jaguar in July 1984 and look forward to further progess in the privatisation of BL when I shall make statements as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research he has conducted to investigate whether fears expressed by drugs specialists that television advertising campaigns against drug addiction could lead to more youngsters experimenting with drugs are well founded.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Murphy) on 18 March at columns 376–78.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rate of change in real net personal social services spending for each of the years 1979–80 to 1984–85; and what was the average annual rate of such change over that period as a whole for each of the following categories of social services authorities (a) all such authorities, (b) rate-capped authorities, (c) authorities in penalty but not rate-capped in 1985–86, (d) rate-capped authorities and authorities in penalty in 1985–86 and (e) authorities which are neither rate-capped nor in penalty in 1985–86, giving outturn figures where available and budget estimates otherwise.

The rate of change in personal social services net current expenditure by all local authorities in England for each year from 1979–80 to 1984–85 is as follows:

	Cash (per cent.)	Economic cost (per cent.)
1979–80 to 1980–81	+23·8	+4·5
1980–81 to 1981–82	+10·9	+0·9
1981–82 to 1982–83	+9·8	+2·9
1982–83 to 1983–84	+8·2	+3·6
1983–84 to 1984–85	+7·4	+2·5

Details of local authority budgets for 1985–86 are not yet available, so it is not possible to give information relating to authorities budgeting to incur penalties in 1985–86. Average annual rates of change 1979–80 to 1984–85 for the other categories listed are as follows:

	Cash (per cent.)	Economic cost
Rate-capped authorities	+16·4	+3·9
Non rate-capped authorities	+14·8	+2·9
All English authorities	+15·0	+3·0

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many kidney machines can be purchased for the National Health Service for £1 million.