asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of any change in the level of support within the common agricultural policy for dairy products, cereals, beef and sheepmeat, respectively, which may result from the early entry of Portugal and Spain to the European Economic Community.

European Community† exports of the main agricultural commodities to the Soviet Union
'000 tonnes
	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	Jan-June 1984
Wheat	*	0	*	5	576	857	1,573	3,822	1,868
Barley	439	*	405	215	222	788	6	610	*
Wheat flour	*	0	0	0	330	598	596	178	185
Rice	*	11	110	24	59	*	*	*	*
Malt	98	31	45	107	125	198	140	227	59
Wholemilk powder	4	8	*	9	35	47	25	1	*
Skimmed milk powder	20	0	0	0	*	0	*	0	*
Condensed milk	0	*	0	*	0	*	*	*	*
Butter and butteroil	0	49	21	135	142	*	*	40	25
Beef and veal	24	3	0	22	97	98	67	112	72
Pigmeat	*	0	*	5	*	2	0	5	*
Poultrymeat	18	62	6	77	67	86	46	46	*
Sugar, total (white equivalent)‡	236	253	38	225	818	728	1,092	786	548
of which refined sugar	185	253	2	225	649	580	896	644	414
Wine	*	*	10	50	132	104	135	63	25
Source: Eurostat.
* Less than 500 tonnes.
† 1976–80: EC9; 1981–84: EC10.
‡ Includes raw sugar converted to white sugar equivalent: 1 tonne raw sugar = ·92 tonnes white sugar.

European Community† exports of the main agricultural commodities to Eastern Europe (excluding USSR)‡
'000 tonnes
	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	Jan-June 1984
Wheat	755	1	11	760	1,880	2,987	1,986	1,787	1,067
Barley	330	43	1,959	1,801	1,580	1,241	51	154	44
Wheat flour	*	4	*	*	6	65	129	23	*
Rice	15	7	14	30	15	65	31	10	6
Malt	48	9	0	1	0	*	0	1	*
Wholemilk powder	0	*	*	3	*	2	4	1	*
Skimmed milk powder	5	81	16	21	6	*	1	*	1
Condensed milk	0	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Butter and butteroil	1	5	8	16	15	72	40	7	*
Beef and veal	23	31	21	57	122	136	53	45	31
Pigmeat	*	4	*	*	7	44	8	26	2
Poultrymeat	*	*	1	*	2	19	27	12	4
Sugar, total (white equivalent)≑	15	95	11	10	32	191	60	18	1
of which refined sugar	15	27	11	10	31	191	60	6	1
Wine	18	15	14	16	17	21	27	15	9
Source: Eurostat.
*Less than 500 tonnes.
† 1976–80: EC9; 1981–84: EC10.
‡ German Democratic Republic, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania.
≑ Includes raw sugar converted to white sugar equivalent: 1 tonne raw sugar = ·92 tonnes white sugar.

The accession of Portugal and Spain to the European Community will not of itself affect the levels of support for these products under the common agricultural policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total volume of European Economic Community exports of food and wine, by category, to the Soviet Union and to Eastern Europe, respectively, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years.

The following tables provide the information requested for the years 1976 to 1983 together with the latest available figures for 1984. Information is not readily available on a consistent basis for years prior to 1976 or for annual periods other than calendar years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the amount of food and wine exported by the European Economic Community to the Soviet Union in the most recent six-month period for which figures are available and the average unit value of these sales, expressed in pound sterling per ton, on the same basis as his reply to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Terlezki) on 2 February 1984, Official Report, column 319.

The information requested is set out in the following table:

European Community exports of the main agricultural products to the Soviet Union
	January to June 1984
	Quantity '000 tonnes	Average unit value* £ per ton
Wheat	1,868	105
Barley	†	‡
Wheat flour	185	143
Malt	59	151
Wholemilk powder	†	1,609
Butter and butteroil	25	1,037
Beef and veal	72	784
Pigmeat	†	845
Poultrymeat	†	639
Sugar (white equivalent)	548	157
of which, refined sugar	414	163
Wine	25	55
Source: Eurostat.
* Converted from ECU at average market rate of exchange £0·585/ECU.
† Less than 500 tonnes.
‡ Not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 14 March, what is his estimate of the extent to which the £20 million per day spent by the European Economic Community on the storage and dumping of surplus foodstuffs in 1984 will be exceeded or reduced in 1985; and if he will make a statement.

As the 1985 Community budget has not yet been adopted, it is not possible to give a firm estimate of expenditure this year on commodities in structural surplus.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what finance has been allocated to farmers from European Economic Community resources to promote diversification from farming to tourism and other industries; and when these funds will be available for payment.

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

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will make a statement on the implications of the Budget for the Arts.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what effect he estimates the Budget statement of 19 March will have upon the public and private funding of the arts, respectively.

My right hon. Friend announced a package of measures to promote employment, which should enable arts bodies to make more productive use of their subsidies.I believe that the announcement of increased relief at the higher rates of tax for convenants to charities will prove a valuable incentive to private support for the arts.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if the Minister for the Arts will undertake an inquiry into the administration of the Arts Council.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the rules he has imposed constraining the use by local authorities of their capital receipts, new and cumulative, in each year from 1981–82 to 1985–86, most recent arrangements.

The Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 provides for the rate of use by local authorities of capital receipts to be regulated by prescribing what proportion of different classes of receipt may be used to enhance an authority's capital spending permission in any year.From the coming into force of part VIII of the Act on 1 April 1981, proportions were prescribed for local authorities in England as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers meeting on 20 March.

I led the United Kingdom delegation at this meeting at which the principal item discussed, as on 7 March, was Community action to set new limits for vehicle emissions.After prolonged discussion, the Council finally agreed in principle to the framework for a new directive which will balance industrial and consumer factors with the need for increased environmental protection. This agreement represents a major improvement on European vehicle emission standards, and will keep open good opportunities for the export of United Kingdom manufactured motor vehicles to the Community.Each category of vehicle will have standards approproate to that category. In industrial terms this means that expensive three-way catalytic converter technology may now be required only for large vehicles over 2,000 cc; medium cars (1,400–2,000 cc) will have standards achieveable by simple lean burn technology combined with oxidation catalysts (not three-way catalysts) or comparable cost-effective technology; and present limits for small cars (below 1,400 cc) will be tightened from 1990 as an interim stage before further emission reductions to be agreed in 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he proposes to have with representatives of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities about estimates of repair bills in respect of maintenance of pre-first world war dwellings and post-second world war public sector defective properties and about the extent to which repairs undertaken to existing stock have within the restraints of the investment funds allocated to them squeezed out new-build programmes.

The Department will shortly be asking local authorities to provide detailed estimates of the costs of repair of the houses and flats they own and manage. This will include properties built before 1919 and defective houses and flats built since the last war. The local authorities' associations have been consulted on the conduct of this inquiry. It is for individual authorities to decide how much of their capital resources to devote to repair of the existing stock.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures setting out expenditure in 1982–83 and 1983–84 on wages and salaries, including pensions, by the housing departments of the local authorities.

The available estimates are as follows. The housing revenue account figures are based on budget data supplied by local authorities and converted to estimated outturn prices by the DOE. The non-HRA figures come from local authorities' outturn return.

Local authority housing employee costs England—£ million
	HRA	Non-HRA
1982–83	590	30
1983–84	510	42

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the budgeted expenditure increase, current expenditure, in each local authority in each year from 1981–82 to 1984–85, showing the total increase between 1981–82 and 1984–85.

I have today placed a copy of the required tables in the House of Commons Library. These show, for each local authority in England, budgeted current expenditure at outturn prices in each year since 1981–82, percentage changes between individual years and the absolute and percentage changes between 1981–82 and 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation in the current Session of Parliament to ban the use of lead shot by anglers.

The Government believe that the use of lead shot by anglers should be phased out voluntarily if at all possible. A review of progress has recently been conducted by the Nature Conservancy Council, whose formal report is awaited. The Government will then consider whether further action is necessary, in the light of that report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail all those measures that he has (a) undertaken so far and (b) proposes to take to improve river quality.

In the last 18 months we have implemented all the main provisions of part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, providing a comprehensive statutory framework for the protection of our rivers and coastal waters. The provisions include full public participation in the system for controlling discharges of effluent, a code of good agricultural practice to prevent pollution from agricultural sources, and wide powers to deal with accidental and diffuse pollution. We have also reviewed the policy and procedures for the control of discharges of sewage effluent made by water authorities, set a financial framework which provides for higher investment by those authorities, continued the initiative to clean up the Mersey and made further progress with the implementation of the EEC directives on dangerous substances discharged to the aquatic environment.For the future it remains the Government's intention to continue our policy to maintain and improve water quality, and in keeping with this a new national survey of rivers and estuaries will be undertaken to help develop programmes for the control of water pollution. This year we will be making regulations providing for the opening, in July, of registers containing details about water quality and discharges of effluent, and announcing proposals for the withdrawal of the exemptions conferred by the Control of Pollution (Exemption of Certain Discharges from Control) Order 1983. In addition, public consultation will be undertaken on proposals for the effective use of the new precautionary measures introduced by part II of the 1974 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Housing Corporation and housing associations in receipt of public funds are expected to observe Government guidelines on pay for public sector employees in reaching pay settlements with their own staff.

There is no Government guideline on pay for public sector employees. The Government make a pay assumption in their public expenditure plans, but the pay of Housing Corporation employees is determined by analogy with the pay of new town development corporation staff or, for staff of chief officer and above, by analogy with Civil Service rates of pay, and approved by Ministers.Staff of housing associations are not public sector employees. Their pay is a matter for negotiation between the staff and their employers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the management agreements entered into by the Nature Conservancy Council, indicating in each case the acreage covered and the annual and total payments made.

This information is being compiled by the NCC. I shall write to the hon. Member very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of inspectors in his Voluntary Inspectorate for inspecting registered keepers of birds of prey.

The current number of part time ornithological wildlife inspectors is almost 200.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail the cases that came to court in which his Department gave information against registered breeders of birds of prey.

90 witness statements were provided by the Department to enforcement agencies during 1984 but not all these necessarily came to court.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the number of each of the protected raptors;(2) what is his estimate of each of the protected raptors in England and Wales; and if these numbers are increasing or decreasing.

My Department does not keep these statistics, but I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that the most recent available estimates are:

Raptors	Number	Estimate
Common Buzzard	12,000 pairs	Increasing
Honey Buzzard	4–10 pairs	Stable
Golden Eagle	4–500 pairs	Increasing
Goshawk	70 pairs	Increasing slowly
Marsh harrier	25 pairs	Increasing
Hen harrier	600 pairs	Stable
Montagu's Harrier	2–9 pairs	Decreasing
Hobby	100–180 pairs	Stable
Kestrel	70,000 pairs	Stable
Merlin	3–400 pairs	Decreasing
Peregrine	8–900 pairs	Increasing
Red Kite	46 pairs	Stable
Sparrowhawk	20,000 pairs	Increasing
Osprey	25–30 pairs	Stable

Separate estimates for England, Scotland and Wales are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the number of (a) golden eagles, (b) goshawks, (c) merlins, (d) peregrine falcons and (e) other raptors held by registered breeders;(2) what is the number of each protected raptors kept by registered keepers in 1984;(3) how many registered breeders and keepers there are of

Breeders as such are not registered but the following are the numbers of birds recorded as held by keepers in Great Britain.

	Total Kept	Not bred in 1984
(a) Golden Eagle	41	1
(b) Goshawk	473	38
(c) Merlin	153	35
(d) Peregrine	523	43
(e) Other raptors	5,931	888

Separate records are not maintained for England, Scotland and Wales. Data are still being verified from the re-registration period which commenced on 1 September 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many raptors were released into the wild by registered breeders in 1984.

The total number of raptors released to the wild in 1984 was 103, of which 29 were captive bred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of prosecutions in the latest period for which figures are available of those charged with robbing the nest of the protected raptors.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 January 1985, at column 280.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now estimates he will have finished his study of local government finance.

I estimate that the studies will be completed towards the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions the discretionary power under section 13 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 has been used since the legislation became operative; and how many separate loans, grants or a combination of these have been made.

My right hon. Friend and his precedessors have made 56 grants, but no loans, under section 13 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 since the legislation became operative. It is not known how many grants or loans have been made by local authorities under the same power.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what amounts of money have been made available to voluntary organisations under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 in each year since the Act became operative.

The following amounts have been made available by my right hon. Friend and his predecessors:

	£000s
1977–78	0
1978–79	110
1979–80	168
1980–81	200
1981–82	233
1982–83	307
1983–84	299
1984–85	*266
* As at 28 February 1985.

I have no information on the amounts of money made available by local authorities under this section.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a breakdown of the purposes for which money has been advanced under section 13 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.

The grants made under this section by my right hon. Friend and his predecessors have been in respect of the provision of housing aid and advice services. I have no information regarding the purposes for which local authorities give assistance under this section.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sums have been received by the Secretary of State in repayment of loans under section 13(9) of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 in each year since its operation.

No loan has been made under this section by my right hon. Friend or his predecessors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sections of the Litter Act 1983 are in force.

All sections of the Litter Act 1983 are in force, with the exception of section 4, which requires local authorities to prepare litter abatement plans. Implementation of section 4 has so far been deferred in view of the need for restraint in public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many houses in Hyndburn are classified as requiring repairs costing more than £7,000, as defined by the English House Condition Survey 1981; and what is the estimated cost of putting these deficiencies to rights;(2) how many houses in Hyndburn are classified as requiring repairs costing between £2,500 and £7,000, as defined by the English House Condition Survey 1981; and what is the estimated cost of putting these deficiencies to rights;(3) how many houses in Hyndburn are classified as unfit for habitation as defined by the English House Condition Survey 1981; and what is the estimated cost of putting these deficiencies to rights.

Estimates are not available at district level corresponding to those for England derived from the detailed inspection of a sample of dwellings in the 1981 House Condition Survey.Local authorities' 1984 housing investment programme returns included, for 1 April, their estimates of dwellings in their areas in three categories, unfit, fit but lacking basic amenities, and not substandard but requiring more than £3,000 of repairs; copies of these returns are available in the Library. The numbers reported by local authorities are not necessarily comparable as their criteria may differ and in total the figures are not consistent with estimates from the English House Condition Survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to table regulations to give effect to the Building Act 1984.

My right hon. Friend hopes to lay new Building Regulations and Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations in the summer to come into operation before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications he has received from water authorities for permission to exceed the 50mg per litre level of nitrates in public water supplies; how many of these applications he has accepted or rejected; and if any time limits or conditions have been placed on the derogations.

Forty-seven applications have been received. No decisions have yet been taken on any of these.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many football matches the Minister with responsibility for sport has attended since taking office.

I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost of the first-aid remedial action on his Department's headquarters building in Marsham street, referred to in his answer of 18 March, Official Report, column 343; and what is the estimated cost of the proposed repairs.

The cost of remedial work done to date is £18,217·34 plus VAT. Until the consultant's report is available for consideration, it is not possible to estimate the cost of any additional work.

asked the Prime Minister how many days, or parts of a day, she has spent outside the United Kingdom on official business during each year since she became Prime Minister; and how many days she expects to have spent outside the United Kingdom during the first quarter of 1985.

The information requested is as follows:

	Number of days
1979	30
1980	17
1981	45
1982	33
1983	38
1984	30
1985*	6
* Up to 25 March.

asked the Prime Minister what are the role and responsibilities of the Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet Office, Sir Robin Nicholson; and whether that responsibility includes giving advice on nuclear affairs.

The role and responsibilities of the Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet Office, Sir Robin Nicholson, were given in annex A of Cmnd. 8591 at the time when he was Chief Scientist, Central Policy Review Staff. When the Central Policy Review Staff was disbanded in July 1983 I announced that Sir Robin Nicholson would continue as Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet Office and continue to advise me and the Secretary of the Cabinet on scientific and technological matters and scientific and technological aspects of other issues which came to me or to the Cabinet Office. This remains the position.

asked the Prime Minister whether consultations have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government on the granting of port facilities in the United Kingdom for United States Navy maritime pre-positioning ships.

Consultations take place at regular intervals between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government on a range of aspects of contingency planning.It would not be in the public interest to give details of such consultations.

asked the Prime Minister what moneys have been spent on infrastructure and development in the Falklands, excluding defence expenditure, in the financial years 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85; and how much will be spent in the next three financial years.

Expenditure on infrastructure and development in the Falkland Islands against commitments of a £15 million rehabilitation grant and a £31 million development aid grant announced in 1982 has been as follows:

	£ million
1982–83	10·4
1983–84	6·0
1984–85	* 6·6
* Estimate.

Expenditure is likely to continue at about the current level for the next three years.

asked the Prime Minister what is the general policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning the appearance before the Home Affairs Committee of the Director General of MI5; and if she will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House stated in his letter of 27 April 1983 to my right hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. du Cann), at columns 444–48, there is a long-standing convention under which the Government do not provide information or answer questions in Parliament on matters of security or intelligence, and the Government would regard themselves as bound by that convention in relation to departmental Select Committees, no less than in relation to Parliament itself. In the light of that policy the Government would not consider it appropriate for the Director General or other members of the Security Service to appear before a Select Committee.

asked the Prime Minister what consideration Her Majesty's Government are currently giving to new methods of raising local revenue, with particular reference to a poll tax.

The local government finance studies are looking at all the main aspects of the present finance system including how total local authority revenues might best be raised. A poll tax is one of a number of options for raising revenue locally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of convictions of persons under 18 years for crimes of violence or vandalism in each of the last 10 years.

The readily available information relates to offenders aged under 17 years and is published annually in tables S4.1(A) and S4.1(B) of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, supplementary tables, vol. 4".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of convictions for damage to Government property in each of the last 10 years.

Information collected centrally does not distinguish offences of damaging Government property from other offences of criminal damage. The available information for indictable offences is published annually in table 5.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1983" (Cmnd. 9349) and for summary offences in table S4.1(B) of supplementary tables, vol. 4.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters to and from prisoners have been (a) photocopied and (b) retained in each of the last five years; and how many prisoners this has involved.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his practice regarding the photocopying of correspondence between prisoners and (a) solicitors, (b) Members of Parliament, (c) probation officers, (d) social workers and (e) members of their family; where such copies are retained; for how long and for what purpose; and if he will make a statement;(2) if it is with his authority that letters to and from prisoners are photocopied by the prison service and sent to his Department's P5 division.

Under prison rule 33(1) the Secretary of State may, with a view to securing discipline and good order or the prevention of crime or in the interests of any persons, impose restrictions, either generally or in a particular case, upon the communications to be permitted between a prisoner and other persons. Under prison rule 33(3) letters to or from a prisoner may be read or examined. Under rule 37A(1) a prisoner who is a party to legal proceedings may correspond with his legal adviser in connection with the proceedings, and unless the Governor has reason to suppose that any such correspondence contains matter not relating to the proceedings it shall not be read or stopped. It may be necessary for correspondence not protected by rule 37A(1) to be photocopied for these procedures to operate effectively, or for the prevention of crime or in the interests of any persons, particularly where questions of national security arise; and his specific authority is not required for that. In such cases the photocopies would be held at establishements or elsewhere for so long as necessary and would be destroyed when they were no longer needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received representations from individuals and organisations concerning his Department's funding to victim support schemes.

The Home Office has received some 60 letters from hon. Members and a number from victims' support schemes and others supporting the recommendations of the Home Affairs Committee concerning the funding of victims' support schemes in its report on compensation and support for victims of crime (HC 43). The Government's reply to the Committee's report was given in a White Paper (Cmnd. 9457) published on 7 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to encourage local authorities to take part in the warning and monitoring exercise Intex 85.

The Intex 85 exercise was held on 16–17 March. The United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation informed county level authorities of the exercise and invited them to take part; 29 in England and Wales and four in Scotland did so. We are considering what more can be done to encourage local authorities in the future. We are ready to help in any way we can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners segregated under rule 43 are sharing cells; and how many cells are involved.

The information requested is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners segregated under rule 43 at Leeds prison are currently sharing cells; and how many cells are involved;(2) in what ways facilities for work, education, recreation and association are more limited for segregated prisoners at Leeds prison than for the other prisoners.

I will reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the wing in which segregated prisoners are accommodated at Leeds prison is properly separated from other parts of the prison.

The part of the wing at Leeds prison in which prisoners segregated under prison rule 43 for their own protection are located, is physically separated from the rest of the prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the wing in which segregated prisoners are accommodated at Leeds prison has facilities for keeping food hot.

A hot plate has been provided in the part of the wing at Leeds prison in which prisoners segregated under prison rule 43 for their own protection are located.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to re-examine the Chief Inspector of Prisons' recommendation to relocate C wing at Gloucester prison elsewhere.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recommendations have been made by judges under section 1(2) of the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965; and in how many cases prisoners have been released before the minimum period recommended.

In England and Wales, 201 such recommendations were made from 1965 — when the power was introduced—until the end of 1984.Up until the end of 1984, three life sentence prisoners have been released on life licence at an earlier date than that recommended by the trial judge. In accordance with the provisions of section 61 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967, all three prisoners were released on the recommendation of the parole board and after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and, where he was available, the trial judge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific training or qualifications prison medical officers have in relation to their responsibilities for supervising food hygiene standards in prisons.

All medical practitioners receive instruction in general health and hygiene as part of their training. The prison department does not provide further training in these subjects for prison medical officers but those who wish to do so attend external courses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the revised White Paper on the amendment of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 will be published.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to publish a further White Paper shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of inmate hours of study in educational classes in penal institutions for both day and evening education classes during 1984, with comparative figures for 1982 and 1983 with the figures for youth custody centers, and detention centres, and for earlier years borstal institutions, identified within the totals and in all cases related to the average daily inmate population in the year.

The available information is as follows:

Type of Establishment	Calendar Year 1982 Average Daily Population	Academic Year 1981–82 Student Hours	Calendar Year 1983 Average Daily Population	Academic Year 1982–83 Student Hours	Calendar Year 1984 Average Daily Population	Academic Year 1983–84 Student Hours
Prisons	33,606	2,088,492	32,302	2,205,120	31,345	2,334,866
Remand Centres	2,893	240,917	3,365	261,165	3,645	307,063
Youth Custody Centres	5,095	1,204,287	6,088	1,120,713	6,821	1,347,802
Detention Centres	2,113	907,922	1,706	815,637	1,485	697,217
Totals	43,707	4,441,618	43,462	4,402,635	43,295	4,886,948

NB. The change from borstal sentences to youth custody sentences took place on 24 May 1983, when Part I of the Criminal Justice Act 1982, was implemented. The figures in the table before and after that date are not directly comparable, because of changes in the designation of accommodation which occurred about that time: in particular most young prisoner centres as well as borstals became youth custody centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the cells of Her Majesty's prison, Featherstone, near Wolverhampton, are occupied by (a) one inmate, (b) two inmates and (c) three inmates.

On 10 March, no cell was occupied by more than one prisoner. In the short-term open unit, which has rooms not cells, 66 prisoners were sharing two to a room.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of liquor licensing committees which have issued off-sales licences to petrol stations; and how many such licences were issued in the years 1980 to 1983.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

asked the Seretary of State for the Home Department how long he devoted to reviewing security operations before his announcement on 12 March, Official Report, column 154, that no operation, investigation, surveillance of action against any individual had been carried out without due propriety.

I have a continuing responsibility to satisfy myself that the security service operates entirely within the letter and spirit of its directive. My inquiries into the particular allegations were made in the context of that continuing responsibility, but I do not propose to say more on how they were pursued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated value, as a percentage of gross salary, of free prescriptions and dental treatment to each grade within the police force for 1983–84 and 1984–85.

Information on the cost of reimbursing National Health Service charges incurred by police officers for medical prescriptions and dental treatment is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has, by country of diplomat, of the numbers of persons stopped on suspicion of committing moving traffic offences in respect of whom the police have taken no further action when the person has successfully claimed diplomatic immunity in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The table below sets out, for each of the last five years, the total number of moving traffic offences which are alleged to have been committed by persons who were entitled to diplomatic immunity.

	Number
1980	197
1981	170
1982	156
1983	190
1984	98

Since none of the alleged offences has resulted in court proceedings, it would be inappropriate to relate them to particular missions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were held in prisons in England and Wales for the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between those held on remand and sentenced prisoners.

The information requested will be published shortly in a Home Office statistical bulletin on "The Prison Population in 1984".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of LD50 tests on animals are carried out without anaesthesia at any stage in Government research laboratories, in university laboratories and in all laboratories; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not available. LD50 tests, however, are not normally performed under anaesthesia unless an anaesthetic agent is itself the subject of the test. The number of such cases is likely to be small. The purpose of an LD50 test is to determine the toxicity of a particular substance and the administration of an anaesthetic — which is itself toxic — would probably invalidate the result. Even if anaesthetics were compatible with the test, it would be difficult to calculate an appropriate dose because of the unpredictable duration of the test.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in England and Wales in Her Majesty's prisons for each of the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners.

This information is not recorded centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to the taxpayer of flying Lynn Barlow and a police officer to Glasgow after her arrest on the support the miners' march in London on 25 February.

I have been asked to reply.Lynn Barlow was arrested in London after failing to appear at Dumbarton sheriff court on 4 December 1984. I understand from the chief constable of Strathclyde police that the travel costs associated with returning her to Scotland to answer the charges against her totalled £180.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the objectives of Her Majesty's Government in tourism policy.

The Government's overall objective is to encourage the maximum development and international competitiveness of the United Kingdom as a tourist destination. The Government aim to do this by removing obstacles to tourism and supporting the tourist boards. The vast majority of tourism investment will of course be funded by the private sector, which I hope will increasingly recognise the growth potential of tourism and leisure.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the problems presented for the development of information technology by the bias in the Alvey programme against the funding of contracts with small companies; and if he will make a statement.

Participants in the Alvey programme are selected on their ability to contribute to the research programme, not on their size. In fact, firms of all sizes are active in the programme and so far about 20 small firms are directly involved in approved projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Belgian sanitary ware was imported in 1979 and 1983; what proportion of the imports came from the Belgian company Boch SA; whether he has any evidence that Boch SA was given state aid by the Belgian Government on terms contrary to the treaty of Rome; what representations his Department has received about alleged dumping of the Belgian sanitary ware; what action he has taken; and if he will make a statement.

Imports of sanitary ware from Belgium (and Luxembourg) totalled £175,595 in 1979 and £2,788,706 in 1983. Statistics of imports of the products of individual companies are not easily obtainable.On 16 February 1983 the European Commission took a formal decision that state aid in the form of the acquisition of a holding amounting to BF 475 million in Boch SA was incompatible with the Common Market within the meaning of article 92 of the EEC treaty and must therefore be withdrawn. On 28 February 1984 the Commission brought an action before the European Court of Justice against Belgium to declare that by not complying within the prescribed period with that decision Belgium had failed to fulfil its obligations under the treaty.On 24 October 1984 the European Commission took a further formal decision that state aid granted to Boch SA in the form of a subscription of BF 83 million of new capital was incompatible with the Common Market within the meaning of article 92 of the treaty and must therefore be withdrawn. On 11 February 1985 Belgium brought an action before the European Court of Justice against the Commission to have that decision declared void.My Department has received a number of complaints about imports of subsidised Belgian sanitary ware.We have repeatedly made clear to the Commission our concern about the distortions of competition resulting from the state aid that has been granted; about its impact on intra-Community trade; and about the adverse effects on United Kingdom producers. I last raised this matter with Commissioner Sutherland on 28 February.It is wholly unsatisfactory that this aid should have been granted in the first place and that this situation should not yet have been dealt with effectively. We shall continue to press the Commission to bring matters to an early and acceptable conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what percentage of the original six European Economic Community members' market for manufactures was provided by the United Kingdom in 1984; and what was the comparable percentage in 1972;(2) what percentage of the current European Economic Community members' market for manufactures was provided by the United Kingdom in 1984; and what was the comparable percentage in 1972.

Information in respect of 1984 is not yet available. The most recent information, which relates to 1983, is as follows:

United Kingdom share of other European Community members' imports of manufactures*
	Original six members per cent.	Current membership per cent.
1972	6·1	7·4
1983	7·0	7·8
*Standard International Trade Classification sections 5 to 8.

asked the Secretary of State of Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing, in respect of each year from 1970 to 1984, the total amount of the United Kingdom's manufactured exports to and imports from the current European Economic Community nations; and if he will publish a further table showing the annual deficits or surpluses in manufacturing trade which these figures produce.

The information is in the table.

United Kingdom Trade in Manufactures*with European Community†
£ million balance of payments basis
	Exports	Imports	Visible balance
1970	1962	1,430	+532
1971	2,059	1,728	+331
1972	2,282	2,331	-50
1973	3,015	3,481	-466
1974	4,330	4,965	-635
1975	4,699	5,408	-709
1976	6,773	7,441	-668
1977	8,672	9,425	-753
1978	9,704	11,510	-1,806
1979	12,030	14,585	-2,555
1980	13,285	14,508	-1,223
1981	12,517	15,165	-2,647
1982	13,720	18,158	-4,438
1983	15,039	22,220	-7,181
1984	17,909	25,650	-7,740
* Standard International Trade Classification sections 5 to 8.
† Present membership throughout.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what study he has made of the consequences for employment in the United Kingdom of the £10 billion deficit in the nation's manufacturing trade with the Common Market.

Developments in trade performance are kept under continual review. The deficit in our balance of trade in manufactured goods with the European Community reflects many inter-related factors, including the pattern of our trade in other goods and with other areas. It is not possible to assess what consequences it may have had for employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the percentage reduction in the numbers employed in the steel industries of the various Common Market countries since the Council of Ministers agreed on a plan to reduce and restructure the industry; and if he will make a statement outlining the extent to which the various nations have fulfilled their agreed obligations in this area of policy.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the principles and operation of the inner German trade agreement; and if he is satisfied that its operation is not injurious to British trade and industry.

A protocol on German internal trade and connected problems forms an integral part of the EC treaty. The effect of internal German trade on other member states of the EC is subject to the provisions of this protocol. The protocol provides powers for the member states to take preventative measures should they encounter difficulties arising from such trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any separate record is kept by Her Majesty's Government of the volume of exports from Germany which originate from East Germany and which have tariff and levy free access to the Common Market under the terms of the inner German trade agreement.

Her Majesty's Government maintained no records of trade conducted under the inner German trade agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total value of imports from West Germany and East Germany, respectively, in each of the past 15 years; and how much of the West German total consists of goods which entered the Common Market through the inner German trade agreement.

Figures of United Kingdom imports from the Federal Republic of Germany and from the German Democratic Republic are shown in the table. The other information requested is not available.

United Kingdom Imports
£ Million OTS basis
	Federal Republic of Germany	German Democratic Republic
1970	549·5	16·1
1971	647·7	19·6
1972	840·7	21·7
1973	1,352·5	26·4
1974	1,908·7	44·1
1975	2,007·7	38·8
1976	2,772·8	60·4
1977	3,591·4	95·3
1978	4,498·3	88·4
1979	5,778·1	109·7
1980	5,654·1	88·1
1981	5,941·1	93·6,
1982	7,405·9	135·9
1983	9,665·7	167·6
1984	11,090·2	198·1

Source:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if goods and materials entering Germany from East Germany in terms of the inner German trade agreement are subject to the Common Market's anti-dumping procedures; and if the Common Market Commission has any role in supervising these arrangements.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why standards governing the flame resistance of children's night-clothes differ between nightgowns and pyjamas.

The existing regulations, which date from 1967, are concerned only with the safety of nightdresses, which because of their loose fitting design have been the cause of more accidents. Pyjamas fit more closely to the body and do not pose so great a risk. Moreover cotton, which is the most popular fabric used for pyjamas, has to be chemically treated to enable it to meet the flammability standard and the treatment available at present would not only affect the feel and comfort of the fabric but also increase its cost. Mandatory compliance would therefore restrict consumers' choice.Nevertheless, in the current review of the regulations I am proposing that suppliers of pyjamas shall in future be required to attach a label to them which indicates their flamability, so that purchasers will be able to identify the safer ones.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what parliamentary procedure will be necessary to enable him to implement his intention to dispose of the Government's residual shareholding in British Aerospace.

No parliamentary procedure will be necessary. Under sections 3(4) and 5(3) of the British Aerospace Act 1980 the Secretary of State may dispose of his shares with the consent of the Treasury. No parliamentary procedure is provided for.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why he does not allow the Government research establishments referred to in his answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 319, which are to be encouraged to undertake paid work for private clients, to retain what they earn in order to expand their research activities.

The Department's research establishments are encouraged to undertake paid work for private clients and they are given credit for receipts up to levels approved by Parliament when it votes the annual Supply Estimates. The Supply Estimates provision for the research establishments is cash limited. If there are receipts above the levels voted for in any one year, they have to be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Commission of the European Communities consulted Her Majesty's Government on case 161/84 Pronuptia de Paris v Schillgalis, referred to the European Court of Justice by the Federal Court of Karlsruhe, on whether article 85(1) of the treaty of Rome is applicable to franchising contracts, and in consequence whether regulation 67/67/EEC is applicable to such contracts; and what was Her Majesty's Government's response.

The Commission has not consulted Her Majesty's Government about the case in question. It is not a requirement or current practice for the Commission to consult member states about cases referred to the European Court of Justice by national courts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the successes of his Department in stimulating increased trade and, in particular, exports in the north west of England during 1984.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 March 1985, c. 208]: North-west firms have shared in expenditure on a number of departmental schemes aimed at increasing export sales. Knowledge of business achieved as a result of official trade promotion is considered to be confidential between the Department and the companies concerned. However, participants in the eight north-west based trade missions sponsored by the British Overseas Trade Board in 1984 reported initial orders amounting to £2·86 million, with longer-term business expected to be considerably in excess of this figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on hospital waiting lists in Wales.

I am encouraged by the substantial rise in the number of people treated by the NHS in Wales, including the 17·5 per cent. increase of inpatient cases in the five years to September 1984. I also welcome the 5·6 per cent. reduction in the year to September 1984 in the number of urgent inpatient cases awaiting treatment. Progress still needs to be made in tackling the numbers of outpatients and reducing waiting times for some specialties and in some areas. The Welsh Office is encouraging health authorities to take the necessary management action for which they are responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the per capita expenditure on supplies and equipment in primary schools in Gwynedd and for the whole of Wales, for the latest year for which figures are available.

In 1983–84 expenditure per primary pupil on books, educational equipment, stationery and materials was £15·8 for Gwynedd and £19–8 for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on personal social services in Wales in the last year for which figures are available; and how this figure compares with that for each year since 1978–79.

Net expenditure by local authorities on personal social services in Wales was just over £121 million in 1983–84. In cost terms, this compares with expenditure of £116 million, £114 million, £115 million, £112 million and £109 million in the preceding years to 1978–79 and represents a real growth of about 11·7 per cent. over the period.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of Mid-Wales Development; and what was discussed.

My right hon. Friend and I have met the chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales on a number of occasions in recent months. A wide range of matters was discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what recent revisions have been made in the starting dates of road improvement programmes in south-west Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Tenders are shortly to be let for the A48 Cross Hands-Llanddarog improvement, which when completed will substantially improve communications with south-west Wales. Twelve other major schemes in south-west Wales were listed in tables 2 to 5 of "Roads in Wales 1983", of which the A40 Whitland bypass and Treffgarne Rocks improvement will start later than indicated there.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department has done to support the Welsh language since 1979.

In a speech in 1980 my right hon. Friend undertook that while there were people who want to speak the Welsh language the Government would respond with the means of supporting it and giving it strength. That promise has been kept. Support since 1979 has amounted to £8·5 million and a further £2·5 million is planned for the next financial year, enabling a variety of bodies to undertake practical and constructive projects in the Welsh language field. It is a level of support of which we are proud and from my regular contact with bodies in receipt of grant is, I know, widely appreciated.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he last discussed the problems of the livestock and dairy sectors with members of the National Farmers Union in Wales and the Farmers Union of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I met both the National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales on 18 January and the National Farmers Union in Wales again on 15 March for discussion of a number of topics of common concern, particularly the problems of the livestock and dairying sectors.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the investigation he has caused to be made into the Highmead Home, Cardiff.

Following allegations made in the House, my officials made informal inquiries with the South Glamorgan county council, which has statutory responsibilities in relation to the provision of private residential care. These inquiries have brought forward no evidence to substantiate the allegations and, at this stage, my right hon. Friend does not propose any further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing for 1982–83, 1983–84 and an estimate for 1984–85 of the numbers of (a) full-time and (b) part-time students in Wales.

The numbers of students in universities and colleges of further and higher education in Wales were as follows:

	1982	1983
Full-time and sandwich	50,153	50,110
Part-time (including evening only)	46,675	52,228

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the total of new jobs created in Wales since 1979; how many of these jobs were in manufacturing and how many in service industries; and how many in industries connected with modern technology.

Comprehensive information on jobs created is not available. However, since 1 May 1979 projects for which offers of selective financial assistance were accepted, or which were allocated Government-financed factories, promised to provide over 72,000 jobs. A split between manufacturing and service sectors is not readily available, but just over 11,000 jobs relate to projects in the fields of telecommunications, radio, electronics and aerospace industries. These figures do not include all the self-employed or jobs not involving selective financial assistance or Government factories.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the extent of the teachers' pay dispute in Wales; and what progress has been made towards a settlement.

Responsibility for the pay and conditions of service of teachers in England and Wales rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. There was a half day strike by members of the NAS/UWT on 26 February which involved all counties in Wales and members of the same union have been on strike in selected schools in Dyfed for the last fortnight and in Clwyd this past week. Members of the NUT have had three-day strikes in selected schools in Clwyd and Dyfed for the past three weeks and in Gwynedd and Powys for the last two weeks. There has also been disruption in schools in all counties as a result of the withdrawal of goodwill.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment, up to the latest convenient date, of the consequences in Wales of the introduction of the milk quota scheme; what has been the change in the number of milk producers and upon the volume of milk produced in the Principality; and if he is satisfied with the results of arrangements for outgoers.

The consequences in Wales of the introduction of milk quotas will differ from farm to farm, according to the decisions taken by individual farmers. The number of registered milk producers in Wales at 31 December 1984 was 7,262, a decrease of 2·2 per cent. over December 1983. From April 1984 to January 1985 milk production was estimated to be 8·3 per cent. below year earlier levels. I am satisfied with the arrangements for outgoers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals there are for the future of Brynhyfryd hospital, Forden; and if he will make a statement.

Powys health authority is carrying out an appraisal of mental health provision in the district, and this will include the role of Brynhyfryd.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to announce the result of the public inquiry into the compulsory purchase orders connected with the Pen y Ffordd bypass A550; and if he will make a statement.