asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the rules on the use and issue of firearms provide adequate guidance to Metropolitan police officers.

I am satisfied that the Metropolitan Police rules on the issue and use of firearms fully reflect the guidelines sent to all chief officers of police in March 1983. I am not at present aware of a need for any changes; but every incident in which police firearms are discharged in the Metropolitan Police District is investigated thoroughly and any inadequacy in the rules revealed by such an investigation would be remedied at once.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to change the system of concessionary television licensing.

We have no current plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the 1984 crime figures released by his Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to deal with the increase in crime shown by the 1984 figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to combat the rising crime rate.

Recorded crime in England and Wales increased by 8 per cent. in 1984, following a reduction of one per cent. in 1983. This is a disappointing figure, which makes it all the more important to continue pursuing our clear strategy of strengthening the police, extending the prison building programme, and having a penal policy designed to ensure and maintain public confidence in the criminal justice system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the rise in crime and the fall in the clear up rate of crime shown by the figures released by his Department for 1984.

On the first part of the question I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to a question from the hon. Member for Kilmarnock. On the second part, although it is disappointing that the proportion of offences cleared up has fallen in relation to the total recorded, the police cleared up more crimes in 1984 than in any previous year. Vigorous action is being taken to increase the effectiveness of the police in this and other aspects of their duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the increased number of violent assaults recorded in England and Wales during 1984.

Statistical bulletin 6/85 published by the Department on 12 March shows that the police recorded about 114,000 offences of violence against the person in 1984, 3 per cent. more than in 1983. This increase is less than the increase in recorded crime as a whole but any offence of this kind is a serious matter and my right, hon. and learned Friend has made clear his determination to give all possible support to the police in preventing and detecting such offences and in ensuring confidence in the sentences which the courts impose on those who are convicted. Action in all these areas is being vigorously pursued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about crime statistics for the West Midlands county.

The number of notifiable offences recorded by the police force in each police area in 1984 was published on 12 March in Home Office Statistical Bulletin, 6/85. Between 1983 and 1984 the number of notifiable offences recorded by the West Midlands police increased by 8 per cent., the same percentage increase as for England and Wales as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers sought entry into the United Kingdom as visitors during the last six months of 1984; of these, how many and what percentage were (a) granted admission as visitors immediately, (b) given temporary admission and (c) refused; and how many and what percentage of these persons in each category were from (i) the United States of America, (ii) the Commonwealth, (iii) the Indian subcontinent and (iv) the New Commonwealth and Pakistan.

As the answer contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the Official Report. But only one in 1,000 passengers of all nationalities seeking to enter the United Kingdom is refused leave to enter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the newly appointed director general of MI5 to meet hon. Members annually.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 19 March at column 463.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effect of the policing of the miners' dispute on the number of arrests made by police in London.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the number of persons arrested in the Metropolitan Police district in 1984 was 4 per cent. lower than in 1983 but, within this total, the number arrested for notifiable offences was 5 per cent. higher. It is not possible to say to what extent these figures may have been affected by the redeployment of officers associated with the miners' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men with wives and children living in the United Kingdom have been refused entry to Britain under the primary purpose rule.

Three hundred and ten husbands were refused entry clearance in the Indian sub-continent in the two years 1983 and 1984 solely because of the primary purpose rule, and 20 husbands were refused partly on this ground. Statistics are not kept of how many of these husbands had children living in the United Kingdom. Corresponding information for years earlier than 1983, and for countries outside the Indian sub-continent is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has now received concerning the Auld report on shop hours.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government intend to reform the Shops Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the reform of the Shops Act 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the reform of the Shops Act 1950.

I refer my hon. Friends and my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's estimated grant for civil defence for Mid-Glamorgan for 1985–86; and if he will provide a breakdown of the principal expenditure headings.

The Department's estimate of grant for civil defence expenditure by Mid-Glamorgan is £37,185, and is based on the total estimated expenditure made by the council of £49,580. The expenditure relates solely to staff and administration costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will try to encourage local authorities to take part in the warning and monitoring exercise Intex 85.

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

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

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville) on 25 March at column 15.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's estimated grant for civil defence for South Glamorgan for 1985–86; and if he will provide a breakdown of the principal expenditure headings.

The Department's estimate of grant for civil defence expenditure by South Glamorgan county council in 1985–86 is £89,067, and is based on the total estimated expenditure made by the council of £115,350. The estimate of grant is made up of £66,075 for staff and administration; £18,012 for emergency centres and communications; and £4,980 for training.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of full and part-time civil defence staff employed in South Glamorgan.

South Glamorgan county council employs three full-time emergency planning staff supported by an administrative assistant and a typist.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he monitors the way in which his Department's grant for civil defence for South Glamorgan has been spent in 1984–85; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to monitor the way in which his Department's grant for civil defence for Mid-Glamorgan has been spent in 1984–85.

Civil defence grant claims are scrutinised by the Audit Commission to ensure that they cover only expenditure on approved items and schemes. The Department is also monitoring the extent to which local authorities, including South Glamorgan and Mid-Glamorgan, have met their statutory civil defence obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibility he holds for ensuring that the provisions of the Civil Defence Regulations 1983 are observed in South Glamorgan.

My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for ensuring that all local authorities, including South Glamorgan county council, fulfil their statutory civil defence obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a civil defence emergency centre in South Glamorgan.

Yes. The county council has an emergency centre co-located with that of the Cardiff district council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received from the general public on the issue of the future cost of a television licence.

Some 1,150 members of the public have written during the current Session about an increase in television licence fees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will maintain the licence fee for a monochrome television at its existing level.

The hon. Member will be aware from my right hon. and learned Friend's statement in the House yesterday about television licence fees that the monochrome fee has been increased from £15 to £18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response the Government have had to their campaign to reduce drug abuse among young people.

It is too early to judge the impact of the education and information campaign which the Government launched on 27 February. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services that there has been a heavy demand for the advice leaflets for parents, which we are issuing as the first stage of the campaign. The second stage of the campaign, which is expected to begin in mid-May, will be targeted at young people and will present the real consequences of taking heroin.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners whose sentences were due to end during 1984 were detained beyond the end of those sentences under the Mental Health Acts.

Any restriction direction on persons transferred from Prison Department establishments to hospitals under the Mental Health Acts ceases to have effect on the expiration of their sentences and information about the subsequent discharge of such persons is not recorded centrally. Information regarding transfer of prisoners to hospitals on release from prison has been published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (Table 10.1 in the latest issue for 1983, Cmnd. 9363). Figures for 1984 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from chief constables on the effectiveness of police action against drug traffickers.

My right hon. and learned Friend receives annual reports from each chief officer of police on the extent and nature of the drugs problem in his force area, sources of supply and force organisation to investigate drug misuse. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary has recently emphasised to all chief constables in England and Wales the importance Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary will be attaching to the effectiveness of drugs investigations in their annual inspections of polic forces and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has identified drug misuse as one of the two new operational priorities in his force strategy for 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the level of heroin abuse.

The Government are deeply concerned about the scale of heroin misuse, especially among young people.There was an increase from 4,118 to 5,864 (approximately 42 per cent.) in the number of addicts notified to the Home Office in 1983, of whom some 80 per cent. were reported as being addicted to heroin, either alone or in combination with other drugs. Provisional figures suggest that the increase in notifications in 1984 was of the order of 20 to 25 per cent.The Government are taking vigorous action, across a broad front, to combat the trafficking and misuse of all drugs, including heroin. The Government's overall strategy and its recent initiatives are described in a review ("Tackling Drug Misuse: A Summary of the Government's Strategy") which we are publishing today, copies of which are being sent to all hon. and right hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to deal with football hooliganism.

The urgent review which the Government are conducting of ways to deal with football hooliganism will include consideration of whether additional legislation is required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been injured while on duty at football matches since the current football season started.

The Metropolitan police have readily available figures showing that so far this season 83 of their officers have sustained injuries while on duty at football matches. The "injuries" range from minor bruising to serious injuries requiring hospital treatment. Statistics for other police forces do not necessarily distinguish injuries sustained by police officers at football matches from injuries sustained elsewhere while on duty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has assessed the value of the national media campaign at the end of 1983 warning against the misuse of air weapons.

We will assess the value of this campaign when the statistics on air weapons offences committed during 1984 become available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the efficiency of the prison service.

As part of the Government's financial management initiative the prison service is committed to obtaining maximum value for money from all its resources of manpower, building, and plant. In particular prioritywill be given to ensuring that prison service staff are deployed to the best possible effect and with less reliance than at present on very high levels of overtime. Other measures designed to increase efficiency include the following:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has had a request from the chief constable of Cambridgeshire to increase his establishment due to the extra demands of policing RAF Molesworth.

The Cambridgeshire police authority has not applied for any permanent addition to its establishment but it has recently applied for five additional police posts on a supernumerary basis. My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the application in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, and the police authority will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number on 28 February of people serving life sentences in prisons in England and Wales.

According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, on 28 February 1985 about 2,020 persons in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales were serving life sentences, including custody for life and detention during Her Majesty's pleasure or for life under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time a life prisoner now serves.

The average time served under sentence in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales by those first released on licence from life sentences in 1984 was about 10½ years. There are wide variations in the periods served in custody from which this average is calculated and it does not take into account any time that may have been served in other custodial care before entering a Prison Department establishment. This average excludes those persons who have died in custody or been discharged for other reasons. Also it does not fully reflect the longest periods likely to be served by some of those given life sentences following the abolition of capital punishment in 1965, who have not yet been released.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many life sentence prisoners in the special categories created in October 1983 have been reviewed by the Home Office for parole eligibility under the new regulations.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any life sentence prisoners in the special categories created in October 1983 have been referred either to the local review committee or the Parole Board for consideration for parole; and if he will state the results of any deliberations.

The Parole Board has considered 14 such cases since 11 October 1983, all of which had previously been considered by the local review committee. In no case did the board recommend the prisoner's release on licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what preparation a life sentence prisoner receives in the last two years of a sentence prior to release.

Life sentence prisoners with provisional release dates are prepared for release in a variety of ways, depending on the circumstances. Release is usually subject to the completion of a period in open conditions; and, in most cases, is also dependent on the satisfactory completion of a period on the pre-release employment scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now reconsider the cases of the four life sentence prisoners who were returned to closed conditions following his statement in October 1983 about parole policy.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the prisoners released in each of the years since 1960 after serving life sentences have since been convicted of further offences.

Information on the reconvictions of those released on life licence in the years 1973 to 1983 is published in "Reconvictions and Recalls of Life Licensee:", Home Office statistical bulletin, issue No 3/85. Corresponding information for those released in previous years is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average length of custodial sentence by prisoners who were sentenced to life imprisonment and who were released in each of the years since 1960.

The average time served under sentence in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales by those first released on licence from life sentences in 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1984 was about 10½ years and for those first released in 1981 was about 10 years. There are wide variations in the periods served in custody from which this average is calculated and it does not take into account any time which may have been served in other custodial care before entering a Prison Department establishment. This average excludes those persons who have died in custody or been discharged for other reasons.Also it does not reflect the longest periods likely to be served by some of those given life sentences following the abolition of capital punishment in 1965, who have not yet been released. Corresponding percentages for earlier years could he provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the amount of overtime worked by prison officers.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude) on 31 January at column 237.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; what subjects were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

I last met the commissioner on 25 March, when we discussed a range of issues related to policing in the metropolis arising from my recent meetings with right hon. and hon. Members for constituencies in the Metropolitan Police district.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the prison population have been diagnosed as being in need of psychiatric treatment; and of these how many are not receiving such treatment.

The only available figures are the six-monthly returns from medical officers of prisoners whom they assess as suffering from a mental disorder as defined in part III of the Mental Health Act 1983. According to the census carried out on 31 December 1984, there were 282 such prisoners on that date. We are considering the need for research on the psychiatric characteristics of the prison population as a whole, including those who do not come within the terms of the Act. Substantial psychiatric resources are available for the treatment of prisoners who may be broadly described as mentally abnormal; it is for the medical officer concerned to decide what treatment is appropriate in a particular case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what operational lessons the police have learnt as a result of the miners' dispute; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Leicestershire, North-West (Mr. Ashby).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to prohibit or discourage the granting of off licence sales for alcoholic beverages on premises situated on garage forecourts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals for the amendment of the licensing laws relating to the sale of alcohol at petrol-filling stations.

The Government are very much concerned about the dangers of drinking and driving and are, therefore, reviewing the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his Department's review of public order.

My right hon. and learned Friend will announce the conclusions of the review of public order law as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the code of practice for means of escape in case of fire in muti-occupied houses to be made available to local authorities.

We hope to publish the final version of the code of practice later this year after a consultation process involving interested organisations, including the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many naturalisation applications have been refused in each of the last three years; and how many concern women whose husbands are living abroad with no right of entry to the United Kingdom.

The total number of applications for naturalisation refused in each of the last three years is:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consideration has been given to the introduction of identity cards.

My right hon. and learned Friend receives suggestions from time to time that identity cards should be introduced but we do not consider that their introduction would be desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has come to regarding the recommendations put forward by the Commission for Racial Equality in its report on immigration control procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the recent report by the Commission for Racial Equality on immigration control procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his study of the recommendations in the Commission for Racial Equality report on immigration control procedures.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 28 February at column 248.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he proposes to issue to officials in his Department in the light of the Commission for Racial Equality report on immigration control procedures.

The instructions to staff were being reviewed, and a new approach to training being developed, when this report was published. The views expressed by the Commission for Racial Equality will be taken into account in pursuing this work.

asked the Secretary of State for the cHome Department whether he will take steps to gather and publish annually the number of occasions on which visiting forces in Britain involved in drug offences contravening British law have claimed primary jurisdiction for their nationals under the Visiting Forces Act in a way which has removed them from the jurisdiction of British courts.

We are not satisfied that the collection of this information would be cost-effective or serve any practical purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government have any plans to abolish the licensing laws.

We have no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase financial support for crime prevention schemes following the increase in both violent and non-violent crime revealed by his Department's 1984 statistics.

Financial support for crime prevention schemes is provided through the urban programme. It has been increased from £3·2 million in 1983–84 to approximately £6·3 million for 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has to show that better crime prevention could lead to a reduction in burglaries and incidents of auto-theft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research has been undertaken by his Department into the contribution towards reducing crime levels which can be made by local crime prevention planning.

The crime prevention unit, which my right hon. and learned Friend established within the Home Office in November 1983, has undertaken a number of locally based research and development projects in conjunction with the police and other agencies into burglary, autocrime, and disorder associated with licensed premises. These projects have confirmed the value of locally planned initiatives against crime as recommended in the joint departmental circular on crime prevention of 30 January 1984. Reports on completed projects are available through the Home Office crime prevention unit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to better assist victims of crime and encourage crime prevention.

With regard to assistance for victims of crime, I refer the hon. Member to the recent Government reply (Cmnd. 9457) to the report of the Home Affairs Committee on compensation and support for victims of crime (HC 43). In addition, consideration is being given to possible improvements in the compensation powers of the criminal courts and in the arrangements for informing victims of the progress of prosecutions and for applying for compensation orders; legislation is to be introduced during the life of this Parliament placing the criminal injuries compensation scheme on a statutory footing; and the United Kingdom is to ratify shortly the European convention on the compensation of victims of violent crimes.With regard to crime prevention, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consideration he has given to the deterrent aspects of current drinking and driving legislation; and whether he will make a statement.

Current drinking and driving legislation, which is contained in the Road Traffic Act 1972, as amended by the Transport Act 1981, is designed to deter possible offenders both by the severity of the maximum penalties and by the increased effectiveness of enforcement by the police. The maximum penalty for driving with excess alcohol contrary to section 6 of the 1972 Act, is six months imprisonment or a £2,000 fine (level 5 on the standard scale) or both. Disqualification is obligatory, for a minimum of 12 months, or of three years where the offender has been convicted of the offence within the previous 10 years.One of the major objectives of the changes enacted in 1981, which were brought into force on 6 May 1983, was to increase the likelihood of drunken drivers being detected and successfully prosecuted. This was achieved by simplifying the procedures to be used by the police at the roadside and subsequently at the police station, including evidential breath testing. Following the introduction of the new provisions both the number of roadside screening breath tests carried out and the number of successful prosecutions rose.We will continue to keep the deterrent aspects of the legislation under review and my right hon. and learned Friend expects to receive shortly the report on the monitoring of evidential breath testing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what improved arrangements will be made at Winson Green prison, Birmingham, for solicitors to conduct private interviews with prisoners awaiting trial.

We are urgently seeking a way of improving the arrangements. I shall reply in full as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he intends to undertake a review of future development proposals in radio broadcasting; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he intends that community radio stations will be subject to the same degree of regulation as British Broadcasting Corporation and independent local radio;(3) whether he has any plans to alter the existing regulatory arrangements for radio broadcasting.

As outlined in the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Hayward) on 23 January at columns 417–18, the degree of regulation of community radio and its relationship with, and implications for, existing and prospective sound broadcasting services are among the matters which fall to be considered in the context of our study of how the development of community radio can best be taken forward. My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to make a further statement before long.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the Minister of the Interior of the other member states of the Council of Europe to discuss and co-ordinate counter-terrorist measures.

The Government are working actively in a number of international groups to promote co-operation and co-ordination in counter terrorism.Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe passed a resolution on terrorism at their last meeting in Madrid in May 1984 which I attended. Since then a working group has been examining ways of building upon this; and we are playing a full and active role in the Group's deliberations. There are no immediate plans for a further meeting of Ministers of Justice of member states of the Council of Europe on this subject but I discuss it at my meetings with individual Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will now consider instructing the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to establish counting procedures for the number of informal identification parades completed each year in underground stations and public places;(2) how many formal identification parades were undertaken by Metropolitan police officers in each year since 1979; how many of the suspects identified in this form were subsequently prosecuted; of this number how many were convicted and acquitted; and how many of those parades produced a false identification at the time of the identification parade where the suspect selected was an ordinary member of the public invited to stand in the identification parade;(3) how many suspects were identified by informal identification procedures for each year since 1979; how many of those suspects were subsequently acquitted or not charged; how many false identifications were made at the time of the informal parade; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis that each occasion on which a formal or an informal identification parade is held is recorded in the local police station occurrence book. This information is not collected centrally and I see no justification for asking the Commissioner to do so in the future. The position is similar in provincial forces. However, a special survey conducted in the Metropolitan Police in 1982 and 1983 showed the following approximate results:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider advising the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to review the force general order on identification parades to tighten up procedures relating to informal identification parades to eliminate the opportunity for bias and error in identification.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis will be reviewing his force general orders on identification parades in order to meet the requirements of the code of practice on identification to be made under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to his Department of civil servants attending Standing Committee G considering the Local Government Bill.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the staff of the Equal Opportunities Commission is employed upon investigations and what proportion on purely administrative tasks.

It is not possible to divide up the work of the Commission's staff in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by the Equal Opportunities Commission in each of the last three years on the employment of public relations consultants.

Nothing so far, but I understand that the Commission has recently authorised expenditure of up to £8,000 on fees to public relations consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the recruitment of the new chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission; and how much was paid to the recruitment consultants concerned.

I understand from the Commission that the directly attributable costs of recruitment of the new Chief Executive are currently estimated at about £13,700, of which £7,728 represents fees to consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the Equal Opportunities Commission's expenditure is spent upon salaries, rent, rates, telephone, travel and other similar expenditure and what proportion is devoted to specific projects within the commission's terms of reference.

I refer the hon. Member to the account of the Equal Opportunities Commission for 1983–84 which was presented to Parliament and ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 23 October 1984 as Paper 631.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to produce an information pack for schools on the Metropolitan police, and their duties to the public; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Metropolitan police has already produced a range of material providing information about the role and duties of the police, which is used in support of the wide ranging programme of activities with junior and secondary schools.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his intention not to increase nationality fees as from 1 April.

I have today written to my hon. Friend confirming that the Government's policy of full cost recovery will be met for the next 12 months by maintaining all fees at the levels set in the British Nationality (Fees) Regulations (SI 1984 No. 230) in April last year. In real terms these fees are broadly the same as those charged in the mid-1970s. The Government believe that this decision will benefit all potential applicants. A copy of the budget for the nationality operation in 1985–86 has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the extension of the independent local radio network.

The third report of the Home Office local radio working party, published in 1980, put forward proposals for the further development of local radio. In the light of comments on the report, my noble Friend the Viscount Whitelaw approved in principle in 1981 the provision of independent local radio services at a number of additional locations, bringing the total of possible locations up to 70. My noble Friend noted, however, that full implementation of the proposals would take a number of years, and that there might need to be a degree of flexibility about the most suitable and practicable way of bringing a service to a particular area in the light of developments in the economy generally.The payment of secondary rental by profitably independent local radio stations has enabled the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) to provide a service to 51 of the 70 locations, leaving 19 approved but unserved areas. Necessary modifications to the rental structure and financial pressures on the independent local radio system have, however, significantly constrained the funds available to the IBA for extension of the network. Moreover, in the light of broadcasting and other developments in recent years, the authority takes the view that few of the unserved areas would now attract an advertising income sufficient to sustain an independent local radio station. Against this background, and as a

means of bringing an independent local radio service to areas which would otherwise remain unserved, the IBA has proposed that:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Her Majesty's Government refuse to grant developmental aid to Namibia until the implementation of United Nationsa Security Council resolution 435.

Because to do so would imply recognition of South Africa's occupation of the territory which we regard as unlawful and would invite criticism that we were contributing towards the cost of this occupation by providing development assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will grant developmental aid to Namibia following the recommendations of two independent parliamentary delegations which have visited Namibia in the current year.

No. We shall be ready to consider providing development assistance once Namibia has achieved internationally recognised independence.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on traffic volumes on the A419-A417 link between the M4 and the M5 in the last five years.

The following information is available in respect of traffic flows on the A419-A417 link, on the basis of 16-hour daily average flows, in respect of the locations indicated:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of applications received from local authorities throughout England for the construction of speed control humps; how many of these have (a) met and (b) failed to meet the criteria laid down in the relevant legislation; and if he is satisfied that the criteria are adequate to encourage local authorities to construct speed humps.

Local authorities do not need to apply to me for permission to construct road humps on their own roads. I am aware that some authorities have found the present regulations for new humps too restrictive. I am therefore in the process of revising them to allow greater flexibility, without prejudicing road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his decision following the public inquiry in May 1984 about the proposed Saltash bypass section of the A38 trunk road improvements; when it is hoped work will commence; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to be able to announce the joint decision of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and myself to make the line, side roads and compulsory purchase orders in respect of this scheme in the terms in which they were published. We now intend to press ahead with the outstanding preparatory works and plan to start construction as early as practicable next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if any tests have been made on the fixing and integrity of the central reservation rails of the elevated sections of midland link motorways.

We have tested the central reservation rails on a number of sections of the midland link viaducts. We are continuing to replace any lengths of rail shown to be below strength.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if any claims for work over the tender price have been received in respect of any contract for the repair of parapet walls and rails of elevated sections of midland link motorways.

The contractor for the Oldbury viaduct parapet rail repair has claimed on extension of time. This has not been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the specification for grout has been changed in any way for any contract for the repair of parapet walls and rails of midland link motorways since the tender period.

A marginal change to the specification for grout has been made during the course of the current contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many contracts have been let for the repair of parapet walls and rails of the elevated sections of midland link motorways; and what are the values of these contracts and the companies awarded them.

One contract has been awarded to McTay Construction Ltd. in the sum of £155,228·00 for the repair of parapet rails on Oldbury viaduct.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost to his Department of civil servants attending Standing Committee G considering the Local Government Bill.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the maximum and minimum periods between the report of a case of industrial injury to the Factories Inspectorate and the conclusion of the inspectorate's inquiry; and what recommendations he has made as to a reasonable period of time for such an inquiry.

Information on the period between the report of an industrial injury to the Factories Inspectorate and the conclusion of the inspectorate's inquiry is not readily available.The length of the time taken to inquire into cases of industrial injury varies considerably for a number of reasons.Factors which may lengthen an inquiry include complex technical investigation, tracing witnesses, and the possibility of prosecution.I have made no recommendations as to a reasonable period of time for such an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, from the survey of youth training scheme providers reported to the last meeting of the Manpower Services Commission's youth training board, the number and proportion of mode A trainees who (a) are one year trainees only, (b) are apprentices or other long-term trainees and (c) are employees.

The following table, which is based on the survey of youth training scheme providers, shows both the proportion, and an estimate of the number, of mode A trainees on the scheme in March 1984 who were one year trainees only, apprentices or other long-term trainees and employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were made redundant in Derbyshire in 1983 and 1984.

The available information, relating to confirmed redundancies, is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average number of redundancies in the east midlands between 1977 and 1979 and between 1980 and 1982.

The information, relating to confirmed redundancies, is available from table 2.30 of the labour market data section of the Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the vacancies recorded at the jobcentres and professional and executive recruitment office in Leicester at the latest date for which the data are available.

On 8 February 1985, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,221 unfilled vacancies at the Leicester jobcentre and 127 at the professional and executive recruitment office. A full list of these vacancies could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.However, information is collected on the number of unfilled vacancies held at the jobcentre according to the broad industrial and occupational category to which they belong. Details are as follows for the latest available dates. This information is not available for the vacancies held at the professional and executive recruitment office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown by region of the number of people in employment, whole-time equivalent, in each of the years since 1977; and what percentage this figure represents of total work force in the region in each of those years.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 March 1985]: The following tables give the available information.Table 1 gives, for the regions and dates specified, the civilian employed labour force (employees in employment plus the self-employed). Her Majesty's Forces, which are normally included in the employed labour force figures, are not analysed regionally.Table 2 gives the figures in table 1 expressed as a percentage of the civilian working population (civilian employed labour force plus the unemployed).Figures for part-time workers are included on a one-to-one basis and are not converted to whole-time equivalents as detailed information on the hours worked by part-lime employees is not available.