asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's current policy towards the abolition of the domestic rating system.

In the course of their studies of local government finance, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and his colleagues are examining afresh, amongst other things, the question of how in the new system local revenues might best be raised. The Government will make a statement in due course as a preliminary to wide consultation.

asked the Prime Minister if she will take steps to ensure that statistics on the annual number of strip searches made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners, are recorded centrally in the same way for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.

No. The need for statistics to be kept is a matter to be determined according to the individual circumstances obtaining in each jurisdiction.

asked the Prime Minister whether any Departments additional to those given in her answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South on 2 April, Official Report, column 523, and her answer of 1 April, Official Report, column 413, and Cmnd. 9094 have been involved in meetings at official level under the auspices of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council.

In addition to the departments implied in the question, officials from the Department of Education and Science have also attended meetings of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council at official level.

asked the Prime Minister how many officials from the Cabinet Office have attended

		Commitments since 4 December	Deliveries since Amount (tonnes) Delivery Schedule 4 December from previous commitments (tonnes)
	Amount(tonnes)	Delivery Schedule
United Kingdom	15,000	Delivered to Ethiopian port in February	6,500
European Community
—food aid programme	70,000	For delivery to Ethiopian port in stages—June to August	45,000
—emergency aid	37,000	For delivery to Ethiopian port in stages—April to May	25,000

Officials attend meetings under the auspices of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council according to the subjects under discussion. It is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to give information about meetings of officials.

asked the Prime Minister which Department is primarily responsible for the funding of voluntary residential hostels for single homeless alcoholics, drug addicts, ex-offenders and former psychiatric patients.

In so far as hostels and other forms of shared housing for the single homeless and other groups with special needs are provided by housing associations registered with the Housing Corporation in England, the Department of the Environment is primarily responsible for capital funding, and for revenue support where this is necessary in relation to housing management costs. According to the client group, housing associations may seek further assistance with revenue costs from other sources including local health and social services authorities and the Home Office. Hostels are also provided by other voluntary organisations which do not receive any support from Exchequer funds.

asked the Prime Minister if she will tabulate in the Official Report the tonnage of cereals to be sent to Ethiopia, as agreed at the Dublin Heads of Government meeting of the European Economic Community setting out separately the tonnage: delivered to camps, in transit on land or sea, purchased not transported and balance not purchased, together with a statement relating to the timetable of the programme.

The European Council in Dublin agreed a target for cereals food aid for the Community and its member states for delivery to African countries in 1985, but did not agree allocations to individual countries. The available information on commitments and deliveries of cereals food aid to Ethiopia by the United Kingdom and the European Community since the Dublin Council is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government intend to give a Minister overall responsibility across Departments for recycling policy as recommended in the Trade and Industry Committee Report on "Wealth of Waste".

A Department of Trade and Industry Minister will have special co-ordinating responsibilities for issues which relate to reclamation and recycling. I have asked my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to assume this responsibility. He will not have decision making powers in areas which are properly the responsibility of other Ministers but he will have a particular responsibility for identifying any inconsistencies or omissions in Government policy, which would thenbe dealt with through the normal inter-departmental processes. He will also handle Parliamentary debates andquestions on general recycling matters which extend beyond the responsibilities of individual Ministers.The Government's full response to the Select Committee is being made public by the Committee today.

asked the Attorney-General if he will discuss with the chairman of the Law Commission the subject of leasehold enfranchisement for flats.

Leasehold enfranchisement is a question of policy, not law reform, and therefore unsuitable for reference to the Law Commission. On the technical aspects I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 14 January 1985.

asked the Attorney-General if he will request a report from the chief constable of Leicestershire concerning alleged criminal offences committed by students at Loughborough university on the evening of 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

I have no power to require a chief officer of police to provide a report of the nature suggested. However, I understand that the Leicester constabulary has informed the Home Office that it has received no complaint of any criminal offence alleged to have been committed by students at Loughborough university on the evening of 1 April.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement in respect of Arthur Andersen's report on the Crown Prosecution Service and publish its findings.

Messrs Arthur Andersen & Co. was commissioned by the Home Office in May 1984to undertake a management consultancy survey to assist the Director of Public Prosecutions in determining working procedures and staffing levels of the new service. It expects to present its final report by the end of this month. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary intends to publish the report as soon as practicable.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will publish in the Official Report, in respect of St. Alban's, Teddington, all the press releases issued by the commissioners.

The commissioners have only published one press release in respect ofthe redundantchurch of St. Alban Teddington, namely on 28 January 1985. This release, which was made jointly with the diocess of London, was issued solely in response to a report published by The Victorian Society on this building. The text was as follows:

ST. ALBAN THE MARTYR, TEDDINGTON

The Victorian Society has published a Report on the redundant church of St. Alban the Martyr, Teddington.This Report contains a number of serious inaccuracies; for example, about the care of the building since it was declared redundant and the fate of some of its contents.

Following protracted consultation with Richmond Borough Council and the GLC, the London diocesan authorities reported to the Church Commissioners that they had been unable to find a suitable alternative use for the building. The alternative courses for consideration under the relevant Statute are either preservation by the Redundant Churches Fund or demolition.

The present position is that the Commissioners, with whom the final decision rests, await the advice of their independent Statutory advisers before they consider carefully and then decide which of these two courses to pursue. Before givingits advice, the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches is consulting the RedundantChurches Fund about the likely cost of repairs and future maintenance, and as to whether the Fund has money available for these purposes.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will publish in the Official Report, in respect of St. Alban's, Teddington, all the written recommendations made to the commissioners by the redundant churches fund together with the commissioners' responses.

The redundant churches fund has made no written recommendations to the commissioners. However, under the provisions of the Pastoral Measure 1983, the advisory board for redundant churches has consulted the fund. The views of the fund were expressed to the advisory board in a letter dated 31 January 1985. I am sending a copy of the letter to my hon. Friend.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will publish in the Official Report, in respect of St. Alban's, Teddington, all the written recommendations made to the commissioners by the Council for the Care of Churches together with the commissioners' responses.

The Council for the Care of Churches has made no written recommendations to the commissioners. However, under the provisions of the Pastoral Measure 1968 and its successor, the Pastoral Measure 1983, the council makes reports on churches likely to be declared redundant. The only expression of the council's view with regard to St. Alban's Teddington and the nearby church of St. Mary's was made on 15 February 1973 about four years before the church was declared redundant.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, on what date the Church Commissioners received the advice of the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches on the redundant church of St. Alban's Teddington; and when the commissioners intend to publish their decision.

The final advice of the advisory board for redundant churches was received by the commissioners on 20 February 1985. The commissioners' announcement about the next steps to be taken with regard to the future of this redundant church will be published when the advisory board's advice and all other relevant factors have beenfully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what Government funded research is at present being conducted into the cause and cure of muscular atrophy.

The Medical Research Council, which receives grant-in-aid through the Department, is the main Government agency for the promotion of medical research in the United Kingdom. I understand that the MRC is currently funding 37 projects into the cause and cure of muscular atrophy and that total expenditure on such research in the financial year 1983–84 (including expenditure on projects which could prove relevant to muscular atrophy) amounted to £1·1 million. I understand that research work relevant to muscular atrophy may also be conducted in universities and medical schools using funds allocated for teaching and research on the advice of the University Grants Committee, but details of such work are not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made by universities or other employing bodies regarding the establishment of a career structure offering continuity for non-clinical basic scientists engaged in medical research; and what steps are being taken in this direction.

These are matters between employers and their employees on which my right hon. Friend has no information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the current trend in the level of private grants to universities; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is encouraged by indications that universities are increasing their income from private sources. Between the academic years 1981–82 and 1983–84 universities' incomes from endowments, donations and subscriptions, and from nonpublic grants and contracts, has increased from £91 million to £134 million, an increase in real terms of about 33 per cent. But income from such sources still represents only a small proportion of total income and my right hon. Friend believes that there is scope for continuing improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will take steps to collect information centrally from the individual universities and other institutes of higher education regarding the number of staff engaged in research full-time who hold (a) tenured posts and (b) untenured posts; and, in the case of those who hold untenured posts, how many are excluded by their conditions of employment from their right to redundancy pay, or to challenge unfair dismissal;(2) if he will take steps to collect information centrally as to

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to obtain information as to the number of applications from graduates for PhD studentships and post-doctoral fellowships at institutes of higher education currently pending and, in respect of such applicants, the number who obtained their first degree (a) in the United Kingdom, and (b) overseas; and how these figures compare with those of 10 years ago.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of three and four-year-old children in each local authority area are (a) in full-time nursery education and (b) in part-time nursery education; and how this compares with each of the last five years.

The percentages of the three and four-year-old population attending nursery schools and classes in maintained nursery and primary schools in England for the past five years are as follows:

Percentages
	1980		1981		1982		1983		1984
Local Education Authority	Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils	Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils	Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils	Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils	Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils
Barking	8	14	11	15	9	23	5	26	4	32
Barnet	4	22	3	25	4	26	3	29	3	29
Bexley	1	8	1	11	1	11	1	11	1	10
Brent	6	24	7	28	7	30	6	30	5	30
Bromley	0	1	0	1	0	2	—	2	0	2
Croydon	2	5	2	5	2	5	1	6	2	6
Ealing	2	23	1	30	0	38	0	36	0	36
Enfield	0	20	0	21	—	22	—	22	—	21
Haringey	8	27	10	30	9	34	10	37	10	35
Harrow	1	16	1	17	0	19	0	17	—	16
Havering	—	4	—	4	—	4	—	4	0	4
Hillingdon	0	40	0	41	0	43	0	41	0	43
Hounslow	1	30	1	32	18	45	17	48	11	48
Kingston-upon-Thames	3	28	3	29	3	30	3	28	3	27
Merton	1	37	1	39	1	40	1	42	1	40
Newham	3	44	4	49	4	56	4	57	4	56
Redbridge	1	9	1	9	1	8	1	8	1	8
Richmond-upon-Thames	1	11	1	17	1	17	1	18	0	16
Sutton	2	12	12	13	1	15	1	16	1	14
Waltham Forest	3	32	3	36	3	38	3	37	3	37
ILEA	14	24	15	23	16	23	16	24	16	24
Birmingham	15	10	16	12	16	14	13	15	13	16
Coventry	7	13	6	16	5	17	5	18	4	19
Dudley	6	16	6	17	5	20	3	23	3	23
Sandwell	7	27	7	29	6	31	6	34	5	34
Solihull	0	20	0	24	0	25	0	26	0	25
Walsall	3	44	4	51	6	53	5	54	3	52
Wolverhampton	0	46	—	50	—	51	—	53	0	56
Knowsley	0	15	0	21	0	26	—	27	—	28
Liverpool	9	31	11	34	10	37	9	38	7	37
St. Helens	0	18	0	18	0	19	0	20	0	19
Sefton	3	24	4	22	3	25	2	26	2	26
Wirral	1	15	1	17	1	19	1	17	1	16
Bolton	14	16	13	19	13	20	10	22	9	24
Bury	5	7	6	9	6	10	5	12	5	14
Manchester	37	15	38	15	37	16	36	18	32	19
Oldham	12	12	13	11	12	14	12	14	11	17
Rochdale	4	24	6	24	5	24	4	24	4	24
Salford	30	6	32	7	36	9	37	12	37	12
Stockport	5	7	5	8	4	9	4	9	3	10
Tameside	4	26	4	33	4	35	3	36	3	37
Trafford	1	9	1	10	1	10	1	10	1	10
Wigan	0	16	0	18	1	21	1	22	1	22
Barnsley	2	44	2	51	1	50	1	49	1	48
Doncaster	2	36	2	38	2	40	2	37	2	36
Rotherham	10	27	11	28	11	28	7	33	7	32
Sheffield	6	24	7	28	6	32	6	32	5	32
Bradford	6	22	6	23	6	23	5	23	4	24
Calderdale	20	3	21	3	21	3	16	12	13	14
Kirklees	1	26	1	27	1	31	1	30	1	32
Leeds	2	18	3	21	3	23	3	24	2	26
Wakefield	6	34	5	34	5	35	5	37	4	38
Gateshead	4	19	5	25	4	29	2	31	2	30
Newcastle upon Tyne	21	15	23	16	23	17	21	20	21	19
North Tyneside	5	39	5	42	5	43	4	43	3	44
South Tyneside	7	35	7	42	4	48	2	52	2	49
Sunderland	4	26	5	26	4	29	3	31	3	32
Avon	7	5	7	5	7	6	7	6	7	6
Bedfordshire	8	21	8	23	7	24	5	24	5	24
Berkshire	3	19	3	19	2	19	2	20	2	20
Buckinghamshire	0	13	0	13	0	12	0	12	—	12
Cambridgeshire	2	9	2	10	2	10	2	10	2	9
Cheshire	1	16	2	18	1	19	1	19	1	19
Cleveland	1	42	1	43	1	44	1	46	0	47
Cornwall (including Isles of Scilly)	1	11	1	12	1	12	1	13	0	13
Cumbria	3	14	3	15	3	16	2	16	2	18
Derbyshire	5	14	5	15	5	15	4	15	4	15
Devon	1	6	1	7	1	7	1	7	1	7
Dorset	—	5	—	5	0	5	—	5	—	5
Durham	5	26	4	28	4	30	3	31	3	32
East Sussex	0	7	1	7	0	7	0	7	0	7
Essex	1	4	1	4	1	4	1	5	1	5
Gloucestershire	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for an inquiry to be established into the standards of education and the levels of punishment at Thornfield school, Mauldeth Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport.

My right hon. Friend does not intend to establish an inquiry regarding Thornfield school; standards of education and discipline are matters for the Stockport local education authority, which maintains this special school for children with emotional and behavioural problems and is responsible for its day-to-day operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about complaints procedures in universities.

Universities are responsible for determining their own procedures, under the terms of their founding Instruments, my right hon. Friend is concerned however that universities should have appropriate machinery for dealing with complaints of various kinds and looks forward to the outcome of the consideration that the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals is giving to these issues.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funding is provided for the English national co-ordinating committee for International Youth Year 1985; what percentage is available for political campaigning; and if he will make a statement.

Grants to the committee, up to 31 March 1985, have amounted to £133,850, and a further £115,000 has been offered for 1985–86 subject to the normal conditions applicable to such grants. The committee undertakes a number of activities in connection with international youth year, and grant aid is not generally allocated for separate aspects of this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation to permit the withholding or abatement of grant in the cases of students proved to have been involved in the commission of public order offences.

Under the Mandatory Awards Regulations local education authorities have the power not to grant an award to a person who has, in their opinion, shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive one.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will increase the proposed level of allocation to the University Grants Committee for 1985–86 by an amount equivalent to the estimated increase in the burden on universities of the higher employers' national insurance contributions announced in the Budget.

This matter is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what special educational facilities are provided for young deaf school leavers to enable them to cope with their handicap and seek employment.

These matters are the responsibility of local education authorities and schools. Information on local arrangements is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, of the money allocated for medical and scientific research, what proportion and how much was spent on sensory problems in the last year for which figures are available; how much was spent on the problems of (a) deafness and (b) sight; and if he will list the research projects concerned with deafness supported by his Department.

The Medical Research Council is the main Government agency for the promotion of scientific research in the United Kingdom. The council's annual report for the financial year 1983–84 indicates that the MRC allocated approximately £25 million to projects on (or which could prove relevant to) an understanding of vision, hearing, the central nervous system, the neuromuscular system, the cerebrovascular system and other sensory systems and pain. This represented about 22 per cent. of the MRC's grant-in-aid of £113·7 million in that year which itself constituted about 22 per cent. of the total science budget. The annual report shows that, of the total I have mentioned, £2·9 million is attributable to vision research and £2·2 million to hearing. I understand that the MRC is currently supporting about 50 projects on deafness, and I will write to the right hon. Member with details.I understand that research work on sensory problems, including hearing and deafness may also be conducted in universities and medical schools using funds allocated for teaching and research on the advice of the University Grants Committee, but comprehensive details of such work are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will propose changes in the training of teachers to equip them correctly to explain the democratic procedures of Parliament and local government.

The criteria for the approval of courses of initial teacher training issued in April 1984 include the requirement that students should be given an understanding of the type of society in which pupils are growing up and of the relationship between the adult world and what is taught in schools. In particular, they should be equipped to help pupils acquire an understanding of the values of a free society and its economic and other foundations. Over the next three to four years all initial teacher training courses will be reviewed against the criteria by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, which will advise my right hon. Friend whether existing courses should continue to be approved and whether proposals for new courses should receive approval. My right hon. Friend has no plans to issue more specific guidelines on the content of initial teacher training courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the increased costs to (a) universities, (b) polytechnics and (c) colleges and institutes of higher education in England and Wales imposed by the changes in national insurance contributions; and if he will take steps to match these with an increase in grants.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 April 1985, c. 697]: The Department's estimate of the increased cost in the first full year of the changes in national insurance contributions for universities and other centrally funded institutions of higher education is about £10 million. The implications are under consideration.It is estimated that local authorities will gain overall from the changes: no estimates have been made for particular service sectors and the Government do not have details of all salaries and wages paid by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ban the sale of the kung fu weapon known as Death Stars.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the handbook just issued to members of the Metropolitan police called "Principles for Policing and Guidance for Professional Behaviour".

My right hon. and learned Friend did so on 2 April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, as part of his monitoring of researchi nto the nuclear winter theory, he will seek to obtain a copy of the study of Messrs. Turco, Toon, Ackerman, Pollack and Sagan.

The conclusions reached by these scientists were published in late 1983 and have long been available to the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on current Government policy regarding action to counter the baiting of badgers; and if he will indicate what recent representations he has received on this subject.

Badger baiting is illegal under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. The Badgers Act 1973, by making it an offence wilfully to take, kill, injure or dig for badgers except in particular circumstances, excluding sport, gives them additional protection. The Government are sympathetic towards any reasonable measure which will strengthen the protection afforded to badgers without jeopardising legitimate activities such as field sports or pest control. They have therefore welcomed the efforts made by the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) in his Bill to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to extend the law in this area and tabled an amendment during Committee stage which offered significant improvement on existing legislation. The amendment was agreed and the Government are now considering if any further amendment is possible within the policy constraints outlined.In the last six months, I have received representations on this subject from many hon. Members, members of the public and conservation groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to (a) the circumstances surrounding the siege in a chemist's shop in Lea Bridge road, Leyton, on 2 April, (b) details of the associated police operation and (c) whether the police sought any assistance from the army in dealing with the incident.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that at approximately 9.30am on Tuesday 2 April Mr. Gary Osbourne entered a chemist's shop at 585 Lea Bridge road, Leyton, London E17,armed with a shotgun and took hostage the pharmacist, Mr. Malik, and his assistant, Miss Paul. Armed officers surrounded the premises and contact was made with Mr. Osbourne by intercom. At about 11.30 am the hostages were released unharmed and at 12 noon Mr. Osbourne surrendered and was arrested. No shots were fired and the police did not seek assistance from the army. Mr. Osbourne has been charged with possessing a loaded firearm with intent to endanger life.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison East Sutton Park in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(2) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Drake Hall in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(3) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Askham Grange in the years 1982, 1983and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(4) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Styal in the years 1982,1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(5) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Durham in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(6) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Cookham Wood in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(7) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Bulwood Hall in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(8) how many strip searches were made on women prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Holloway in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;(9) how many strip searches were made on girls at Drake Hall custody centre in the years 1982, 1983 and 1984, distinguishing between prisoners held on remand and sentenced prisoners;

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require a licence for the wholesaling of alcoholic beverage.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have served sentences of less than one week at Winson Green prison, Birmingham, in the past three months.

According to the records held centrally, about 30 persons were initially received into Birmingham prison in the period 1 December 1984 to 28 February 1985 to serve sentences of less than one week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his policy towards (a) the possession and (b) the smoking of cannabis;(2) what is his response to the editorial on the law relating to cannabis in the edition of

It is my firm policy that there should be no change in the law relating to cannabis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for reports from each chief constable as to the number of children who were (a) murdered, (b) abducted and (c) sexually assaulted in 1984 and to date in 1985; how these figures compare with the previous five years; and if he will make a statement.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Acts of Parliament have been promoted and how many statutory instruments made by his Department, or predecessor Departments covering his area of responsibility in each of the last 20 years.

The information requested is not held centrally within the Department and given the changes to the machinery of Government over the last 20 years some of the information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.Following is the information which is readily available:

Year*	Acts of Parliament
1983–84	4
1982–83	7
1981–82	7
1980–81	8
1979–80	9
1978–79	9
1977–78	6
1976–77	9
1975–76	8
1974–75	10
1973–74	4
1972–73	9
1971–72	10
1970–71	19
1969–70	7

Year†	Statutory Instruments
1984	91
1983	117
Notes:
* Parliamentary Session.
† Calendary Year.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office publishes annually "Lists of Statutory Instruments" and "Tables and Indices to Public and General Acts and General Synod Measures". Both of these are currently up to date to the end of 1983.

TABLE 1								PQ 2568
Sales of Formulated Pesticides by United Kingdom Manufacturers*
£ thousands
	No. of enterprises† 1984	1983	1984	1983	1984	1984	1984	1984
			P	4th qtr	1st qtr R	2nd qtr R	3rd qtr R	4th qtr R
Pesticides:
Insecticides (other than seed dressings):
Containing organo-phosphorus compounds	12	46,351	57,960	8,638	13,929	21,181	12,184	10,666
Containing organo-chlorine compounds	9	14,457	16,725	4,106	5,501	3,453	2,792	4,979
Other	12	82,516	101,383	10,746	23,097	31,189	21,682	25,415
Rodenticides	4	1,162	1,156	368	278	277	331	270
Seed dressings (containing fungicides only or fungicide and insecticide) and sheep and cattle dips	4	5,496	5,272	974	683	1,647	1,563	1,379
Other pesticides (incl. nematocides)	4	2,255	2,185	676	579	789	266	551
Preparations for plant control (eg rooting compounds, anti-sprouting products, fruit setting and dropping compounds etc.):
Fungicides	9	36,194	53,567	9,216	15,871	18,599	4,036	15,061
Herbicides:
Containing phenoxy derivatives of acetic, propionic or butyric acids	7	58,206	71,088	10,088	23,817	23,293	10,579	13,399
Other		86,732	—	16,114	26,585	25,176	—	19,002
Other preparations for plant control	17	9,604	98,646	983	2,246	4,695	17,795	880
Unclassified sales (including work done)		2,597	—	745	790	729	—	746

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will explain the reasons for the delay in the submission of the Government's reply to the report of the Trade and Industry Committee entitled the "Wealth of Waste", HC, 1983–84, No. 640; and if he will make a statement.

The Select Committee's report was published on 19 December, just before the Christmas recess. In the preparation of the Government's response, there had to be consultations between several interested Departments and consideration give to the views of outside bodies. It was therefore agreed with the Chairman of the Committee that some extension of the normal timescale was in order. As was indicated in an earlier reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mr. Rost) on 2 April 1985 at column 469 the Governemt's response was delivered to the Committee on 25 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total quantity of organophosporus pesticides manufactured in the United Kingdom annually.

There is no information available on the quantity of organophosporus pesticides manufactured in the United Kingdom but figures for the value of sales by United Kingdom manufacturers are published in table 1 of the Business Monitor PQ 2568 Formulated Pesticides, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the Government's exchange risk cover on European Investment Bank loans to private industry in non-assisted areas was terminated on 31 December 1984.

The rising costs of operating the exchange risk guarantee scheme and the availability of alternative sources of finance led to my decision to withdraw the scheme for lending outside the assisted areas under the new Community instrument. This took effect from 31 December 1984, with suitable transitional arrangements being agreed with agents. This decision was taken as part of a more general review of the effectiveness of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, pursuant to his statement on 2 April, Official Report, columns 1073–9, concerning the use of an optical character recognition machine at Mount Pleasant sorting office, he will make a statement on the agreements relating to the use of the machine and the date of their termination.

No. That is a matter for the Post Office and the Union of Communication Workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the total value of (a) imports and (b) exports of silk and silk products into and from the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years; and what each of these figures is as a percentage of total textile imports and exports in each of those years.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom Trade in Silk and Silk Products and Textiles
£millions
	Imports(c.i.f.)			Exports (f.o.b)
	Silk and Silk Products	Textiles	Silk per cent	Silk and Silk Products	Textiles	Silk per cent
1978	8	1,541	0·5	4	1,411	0·3
1979	8	1,794	0·5	4	1,540	0·3
1980	8	1,636	0·5	6	1,567	0·4
1981	11	1,860	0·6	6	1,382	0·4
1982	14	2,036	0·7	7	1,379	0·5
1983	19	2,449	0·8	9	1,517	0·6
1984*	22	2,847	0·8	11	1,733	0·7
*Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the value of the annual output of the silk and silk product industries in each of the other member countries of the European Community.

The readily available information is in the table.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the tonnage and value of tussah silk imported from China in each of the last 10 years.

Tussah silk is not separately identified in the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regulations currently cover the import of tussah silk into the United Kingdom from China.

Imports of certain woven fabrics of tussah silk from China are free of quantitative restrictions provided they are certified as such by the appropriate Chinese authorities. Such tussah silk fabrics are those containing not less than 50 per cent. weight of tussah silk and exceeding 585g per 10 square metres in the gum or 485g per 10 square metres degummed. All other silk fabrics exceeding 585g per 10 square metres in the gum or 485g per 10 square metres degummed are subject to a quantitative limit of 65 tonnes perannum from China, as provided by Council Decision 84/657/EEC of 18 December 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his proposed regulations concerning the safety of child buggy pushchairs; and if he will make a statement.

As stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 19 December 1984 at column 288, I hoped to lay draft new regulations before the House this spring. However the EC Commission considers that in their present form the regulations would create a barrier to tradeand has asked for their introduction tobe suspended until this question has been resolved.The Government rely on safety grounds as justification for the regulations. I cannot say at present when the regulations will go ahead.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Patent Office officials sit on, or are associated with, committees or legal or administrative bodies linked to copyright protection.

One Patent Office official acts as secretary to the performing right tribunal which was established by the Copyright Act 1956.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all Patent Office research projects over the past three years which have wholly or partly been funded by legal or administrative bodies linked to copyright protection.

There have been no such projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the value of United Kingdom visible exports of non-oil manufactures per head of those employed in the manufacturing industries for each of the years 1980 to 1984, explaining the basis of computation.

The information requested is as follows. The figures represent United Kingdom exports of principal products of industries classified to the manufacturing sector (divisions 2 to 4 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980) divided by the corresponding June estimates for United Kingdom employees in employment.

Exports per head by the manufacturing sector
	£000
1980	5·6
1981	6·3
1982	7·0
1983	7·9
1984	9·2

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends to make any changes in the advisory services provided by his Department to small businesses.

I do not at present plan any further changes to the advisory services provided by my Department tosmall businesses following those I announced on 27 March when I launched the new support for business package. Under this package all DTI support measures have been grouped under four headings in order to make it easier for firms to understand what is on offer. Business and technical advisory services are one of the headings in the package, and there are three main elements to these services. They are:

(1) Advice for small firms

(2) Products and process consultancy

(3) Grants for new technology feasibility studies

A change in the assistance available under the products and process consultancy heading is that the eligible firm size is now 1–500 employees for all the services available, which widens the scope for small and medium sized firms to benefit than was the case hitherto. Further details of the assistance available can be found in the Department's Support for Business pamphlet, a copy of which is being placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration will be paid in cash by GEC to British Shipbuilders for Yarrow Shipbuilders; what percentage this represents of the total price; and whether this sum is to be paid on the handing over of the yard to its new owners.

My right hon. Friend has consented to the sale of Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd. to GEC on the following terms.

	£ million
Payable for the shares, in cash by GEC on completion of the sale	17·15
Loan to be repaid by Yarrow Shipbuilders to BS on completion of the sale	3·08
Dividend to BS declared by Yarrow Shipbuilders before completion	10·00
Estimated payment to be made March 1986 by Yarrow Shipbuilders to BS for group tax relief	3·70
Total	33·93

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the details of the loans outstanding to date to Yarrow Shipbuilders, and if they will be settled prior to the sale of Yarrows to GEC.

There is currently a loan of £3·082 million owed by Yarrow Shipbuilders to British Shipbuilders. This loan will be repaid on completion of the sale to GEC.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid in dividend by Yarrow Shipbuilders to British Shipbuilders in each year from 1980–81 to 1984–85 inclusive.

In the year ended 31 March 1981 Yarrow Shipbuilders declared an interim dividend of £44,000for that year.In the year ended 31 March 1982 the company declared a final dividend of £20,475,000 for the previous year. This dividend took into account profits made by the company since nationalisation; no dividends, other than the interim dividend of £44,000 paid in the year ended 31 March 1981, having been paid previously.In the year ended 31 March 1983 the company declared a final dividend of £5,116,000 for the year ended 31 March1982.In the year ended 31 March 1984 the company declared a final dividend of £4,067,000 for the year ended 31 March1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the following companies last filed their reports: Leisure Arts Centre Ltd., Gomba Holdings UK Ltd. and Arena Holdings Ltd.; and whether they were filed within the statutory period.

There is no company registered under the name Leisure Arts Centre Ltd. However, a company registered as LLAC Ltd. last filed an annual return and accounts on 10 October 1984. The annual return was eight months late, but the accounts were filed within the permitted period. Gomba Holdings UK Ltd. last filed an annual return on 26 June 1984and accounts on 22 December 1983. They were 4½ months and seven weeks late respectively. Arena Holdings Ltd. was incorporated on 23 December 1983 and no annual return or accounts have yet become due.

Field asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his discussions with the British Scrap Federation in respect to the export of scrap metals to Spain.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry recently met the British Scrap Federation, when discussion concentrated on the availability and price of scrap.During the meeting reference was made to the escalating price of scrap sold to Spanish producers. The federation pointed out that the Spanish price reflected the dollar price (the United States being the dominant influence on prices) and was not above the world market price.During the 26 March Steel Council Ministers while noting the recent fall in the price of scrap in the EC agreed that the European Commission should investigate the effect of Spanish purchases on the Community market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make an announcement about the future of the 100 per cent. industrial building allowance for small industrial premises.

The 100 per cent. industrial building allowance scheme ended on 26 March 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the results of the review undertaken by his Department of the 100 per cent. industrial building allowance for small industrial premises.

The results of the review will be published shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value of claims for payment of advance export refunds on meat under European Economic Community regulation 565/80 for which payment has still to be madeto Northern Ireland exporters for meat accepted by the Intervention Board during November 1984, December 1984, January 1985 and February 1985, respectively.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in securing intervention grain for Northern Ireland.

There is no provision at present for the transfer of intervention grain to deficit regions of the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received about his Department's specification of the Draize procedure in the testing of pesticides and herbicides; and what response he has given;(2) what efforts his Department has made to find an alternative to the Draize procedure in the testing of pesticides and herbicides.

The most recent representation received by my Department came from the Lord Dowding fund for humane research. The reply explained that while in vitro methods for the assessment of severe eye irritation (as opposed to the in vivo Draize test) may be of value as preliminary screening methods for use with compounds or products for which the eye irritation potential is unknown, their ability to detect the relatively low level of eye irritation which may be caused by many pesticides has yet to be adequately demonstrated. I am advised that some in vivo testing is necessary but our pesticides data requirements are currently being revised in order to reduce animal testing to the minimum.Products containing components already known to be irritating to the eye will not be required to be tested undiluted; active ingredients and formulations which are severe skin irritants, or which are strongly acidic or alkaline, may be assumed to be eye irritants and thus will not have to be tested in concentrated form; there is also a strong recommendation not to test in the eye materials known to be corrosive to skin. Furthermore, where substances of unknown irritancy need to be tested, application should be made initially to one animal only, before proceeding to a further two animals, provided it is not shown to be strongly irritant in the first animal.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the Agriculture Council in Luxembourg which took place from 1 to 4 April.