asked the Secretary of State for Energy what were the average fuel costs of domestic consumers in the latest year for which information is available.

Figures for 1984, the latest year for which information is available, are as follows:

Average price of gas (including standing charge) to domestic credit meter consumers in Great Britain using 400 therms per annum—^*44·7 pence per therm.

Average price of electricity (including standing charge) to consumers in England and Wales on the standard domestic tariff using 3,300 kwh per annum—^*6·027 pence per kwh.

Average price of housecoal (Group 2)—†£5·44 per 50 kg.

Average price of standard grade burning oil—‡419·67 pence per litre.

Sources: BCG, Electricity Council, NCB, Department of Energy.

^* December 1984 price. Average prices for the year will depend on the pattern of consumption and the timing of tariff increases.

†Average of the December 1983 and December 1984 prices for a 50 kg bag in the London area.

‡Average of prices prevailing in the 12 months of 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the level of capital investment in energy projects involving solar energy in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

My Department's spending on research and development on solar energy over the past five years has been as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future development of nuclear power.

The Government continue to attach importance to the safe and economic development of nuclear power.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will ask the chairman of the Electricity Council for a report on the operation of the low usage standing charge abatement scheme.

I have discussed the scheme with the chairman of the council, who has informed me that the industry has decided to end the scheme. The council is considering whether any useful alternative scheme can be devised to assist deserving consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received since 1979 from employers in private industry expressing their wish for a greater say in the content of postgraduate or undergraduate courses involving students whom they sponsor and to whom they intend to offer an industrial placement.

The Department has no record of receiving such representations. The content of courses is primarily a matter for the institutions offering them and employers could normally be expected to discuss these matters with institutions direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of young people aged 16 to 19 years in the London borough of Waltham Forest are in full-time education.

In January 1984, the latest date for which information is available the proportion of young people aged 16 and over but under 19 years (that is 16 to 18s) in Waltham Forest receiving full-time education in schools or further education establishments was 32 per cent. Information about those students of the borough in this age group who are attending universities is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth on 17th April, Official Report, column 175, how the reply was transmitted to the hon. Member; and if, in view of the fact than no such reply has yet been received by the hon. Member, he will ensure that another copy is dispatched forthwith.

The reply to my hon. Friend was sent by hand to the House on 17 April. Since it seems that the reply was not received by my hon. Friend, I am sending him a further copy.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many Government Bills received Royal Assent in each of the last 10 parliamentary Sessions.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now consider abolishing the prison medical service in women's prisons and replacing it with the normal National Health Service provisions; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of citizens originating from former British Commonwealth member nations who have either been deported or refused entry clearance into the United Kingdom in each single year since 1979.

Information on the number of persons deported is given in the table. The available information on refusals of entry clearance relates only to Pakistan where in the years 1979 to 1984, respectively, a total of 4,755, 3,293, 3,011, 2,901, 2,320 and 1,863 persons were refused clearance for entry to the United Kingdom either for immediate settlement or for admission for a limited period as husbands, fiancés, students, visitors, and so on.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the numbers of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom from the Indian subcontinent during 1984 who were (a) given leave to enter and (b) refused leave to enter, in each of the following categories: ordinary visitors, business visitors, in transit, returning after temporary absence abroad, students, work permit holders and dependants, coming for settlement on arrival, and others.

The available information, which is given in the following table, will be published in the forthcoming Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom 1984". Information on those refused leave to enter does not identify the category in which they sought entry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what offences were committed by the inmates of Durham H wing; what are the corresponding sentences; and if he is satisfied that all such offences warrant maximum security confinement.

The table shows the offences and corresponding sentences for the 35 inmates who were in Durham H wing on 18 April. Allocation to the wing takes account of the nature of the offence, the length of sentence and behaviour in custody, as well as the availability of accommodation for female prisoners. We are satisfied that in the case of those who are presently in H wing these factors have been fully taken into account. Most will be able to move on to less secure conditions in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Tyne and Wear county council is now fulfilling all its obligations for the provision of civil defence; and if he will make a statement.

More work is needed to meet the requirements of the 1983 regulations; progress will be monitored.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the cells at the Queen's Building, Heathrow, used to detain immigrants, meet minimum standards for police detention; whether there is natural light and proper air circulation; and if he will make a statement.

The rooms in Queen's Building used to detain immigrants are not cellular accommodation and therefore the minimum standards for police cells are an inappropriate basis for comparison. The accommodation includes a lounge with television, washing facilities, toilets and two pay-phones to which those held there have free access. Five bedrooms, each with three beds are available for use by male detainees. Females are not held overnight. The building is ventilated and heated by an air conditioning duct to a reasonable standard. It is well lit although the natural light needs to be supplemented with artificial lighting.The existing facilities, and their use, are currently under review.

Cox asked the Secretary of State l'or the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales where work on mail bags still takes place.

A total of 35 prisons are engaged on mail bag production in England and Wales. They are as follows:

• Bedford
• Birmingham
• Camp Hill
• Canterbury
• Castington
• Dartmoor
• Dorchester
• Durham
• Everthorpe
• Exeter
• Gartree
• Gloucester
• Haverigg
• Lancaster
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Lincoln
• Liverpool
• Manchester
• Northallerton
• Northeye
• Norwich
• Nottingham
• Oxford
• Parkhurst
• Pentonville
• Preston
• Shrewsbury
• Stafford
• Swansea
• Wakefield
• Wandsworth
• Winchester
• Wormwood Scrubs
• Wymott

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if serving members of the armed forces who wish to become police officers are first obliged to discharge themselves before any application is considered.

No. Chief officers of police are normally prepared to consider applications from members of the armed forces during their last year of service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet in a position to announce the composition of Professor Peacock's committee on the financing of the British Broadcasting Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to be able to do so before long.

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 whether the investigation by the Metropolitan police into the financial affairs of the Police Accountability for Community Enlightenment organisation in the London borough of Islington has been concluded; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the investigation by the Metropolitan police has not yet been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list which police forces have agreed to co-operate in Exercise Brave Defender.

Not yet; the extent of police participation in Exercise Brave Defender is still being considered by chief constables in consultation with the armed services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the variety of fresh fruit offered to prisoners at Holloway prison on a daily and weekly basis; and how its availability compares with that available two years ago.

A cash extras allowance is allocated in respect of each prison inmate, and some proportion of the allowance must be spent each week on fresh fruit for all inmates. The type and amount of fruit to be purchased are left to local discretion and inmates' preferences are taken into account when this is practicable. This arrangement is common to all penal establishments and has not changed in the last two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prisoners at Holloway prison kept in their cells for (a) more than 10 hours a day and (b) 20 hours or more a day; and for what reasons they are so kept.

These numbers change from day to day according to the availability of staff, but most prisoners at Holloway spend more than 10 hours a day in their cells. We believe that the prisoners at Holloway should be enabled to spend more time out of their cells and to have access to a variety of activities, and the committee which we announced on 12 December is specifically asked to consider how to achieve this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how many hours a day workshops and gymnasium facilities at Holloway prison are under-used; and what are the reasons for under-use.

In the four-week period ending 19 April staff shortages at Holloway led to the cancellation of 15 out of 48 scheduled two-hour gymnasium sessions. For the same reason, prison workshops were operational for 25 out of a possible maximum of 252 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on police inquiries into the arson attack on the ethnic minorities unit at the Greater London council on 26 March; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 24 April at columns 476–77.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed as a direct result of grant-aid under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 within the county of Leicestershire.

On 31 March 1985 Leicestershire county council had approval for grant to be paid on 296 full-time equivalent posts. Leicester city council had approval for 17 full-time equivalent posts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children, social workers and environmental health officers were involved or employed within the county of Leicestershire under the various formulae determining expenditure on grant-aid under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966.

The formula arrangement referred to in reply to a question from my hon. Friend on 18 April at columns 234–35 related to additional staffing costs which could be attributed to the presence of commonwealth immigrants, but it was not paid in respect of identified posts. In recent years the only "formula" grant which has been paid in Leicestershire has been to the county council in respect of the employment of staff in day nurseries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown for each of the past five years showing the amount of education expenditure and the number of posts involved supported by grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for Leicestershire education authority; how often such supported posts are reviewed; and what steps he takes to satisfy himself of (a) the efficiency with which the funds allocated are disbursed and (b) the productivity of the staff employed in administering and disbursing the funds.

The table shows, in respect of the last five-year period for which information is available, the expenditure on education staff by the Leicestershire county council on which the Home Office paid grant at 75 per cent. It shows also the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) posts to which that expenditure relates. Posts approved under criteria in force since 1 January 1983 will be reviewed after three years. All posts approved under the previous criteria are currently under review. Responsibility for considering applications for grant under section 11, and for making payments if grant is approved, rests with officials in the Department. Their efficiency is monitored by their line managers and their grading and work load are subject to regular staff inspections.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners segregated under rule 43 at Leeds prison are currently sharing cells; and how many cells are involved;(2) in what way are facilities for work, education, recreation and association more limited for segregated prisoners at Leeds prison than for other prisoners;(3) if segregated prisoners have now been allocated a separate area at Birmingham prison;(4) whether all young offenders segregated under rule 43 at Birmingham prison now have access to the prison's education facilities.

[pursuant to his replies, 25 March 1985, c. 15, and 26 March 1985, c. 132]: My noble Friend has written to the hon. Member today and I shall arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the preparations being made for the next meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community.

Detailed preparations, for which the Italian Presidency is responsible, must depend on progress in the meantime in implementing the conclusions of the last European Council. Work on this is in hand.

asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to visit north-east England.

I hope to do so later in the year.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent visit to the far east.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 16 April at columns 133–34.

asked the Prime Minister for what official purpose she has used the services of Lord Hugh Thomas of Swynnerton, since 1 March 1982.

None.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her discussions with the football authorities on 1 April regarding the problem of football hooliganism.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley, East (Mr. Patchett) on 4 April at columns 576–77.

asked the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet the President of the United States of America.

I will meet the President of the United States, and other Heads of Governments, when I attend the Bonn economic summit on 2 to 4 May 1985.

asked the Prime Minister whether the recycling of nuclear waste is to be included within the responsibilities of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

No. My hon. Friend's responsibiities do not extend to nuclear materials.

asked the Prime Minister what Her Majesty's Government's plans are for the future of the shipbuilding industry in Britain and Northern Ireland.

First, to concentrate available resources on the most successful yards in order to create a cost-effective and efficient merchant shipbuilding industry and, secondly, to privatise the warship building yards by 31 March 1986.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish her official engagements for Thursday 25 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 25 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 25 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 25 April.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister if she will renew her general instruction to Government Departments and overseas missions that it is correct to describe the Republic of Ireland as such and that this term, and not Ireland, should normally be used; and whether she will now insist on compliance.

Government Departments and overseas missions are well aware that the forms "Republic of Ireland" or "Irish Republic" should now be used when describing that state. This is laid out in standing instructions to overseas posts, and similar advice was issued as recently as February 1985 to Government Departments.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South of 15 April, Official Report, column 2, what are the reasons for Her Majesty's Government not giving information about meetings of officials under the auspices of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council.

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to give details of the conduct of discussions between officials about current business, for which Ministers are responsible. I gave the House a complete list of meetings at ministerial level held under the auspices of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council on 1 April at column 413.

asked the Prime:Minister if she will advocate, at the next meeting of the European Community Council of Ministers, the right of national Governments to take protective action in cases where other Governments have not complied with European Community Commission instructions to end trading malpractices; and if she will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade stated on 25 March, the EEC treaty makes provision, in certain circumstances, for member states to take preventive measures if they encounter difficulties in intra-community trade.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish the proportion of average weekly income spent on rent in (a) Wales, (b) south-east England, (c) East Anglia, (d) Scotland, (e) England and (f) the United Kingdom.

Average weekly net housing costs for 1983 as reported in the Family Expenditure Survey for both the local authority and private rented sectors are shown in the table as a percentage of the average weekly gross household income in those areas. Because rent and rates are recorded as a single payment for most households in the local authority rented sector and some in the private sector, the housing costs shown comprise both rent and rates and small elements for maintenance, service and insurance costs.

asked the Prime Minister if, in the light of the secondment of Mr. Dick Clements from the Department of Health and Social Security to Hospital Hygiene Services, she will revise the rules governing the secondment of civil servants to companies closely connected with the work for which their parent Department is responsible.

No. Care was taken to avoid possible conflicts of interest when Mr. Clements was granted leave to take up an outside appointment, and he has since resigned from the Civil Service.

asked the Prime Minister if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to oppose the sale, at subsidised prices, of food and wine to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; and what powers are available to Her Majesty's Government in the various Councils of Ministers to seek to achieve this objective.

[pursuant to her reply, 24 April 1985, c. 4621: The Government's policy is to reduce the need for subsidised exports through measures designed to curb the production of Community surpluses for which there is no economic outlet. Where there are surpluses for export, the Government remain opposed to singling out particular countries for special treatment.Decisions on the fixing of export refunds and sales out of intervention are taken by the Commission, subject to the opinion of the management committee. If a sufficient majority of members states vote against a Commission proposal in the management committee, then it has to be referred to the Council of Ministers, which may take a different decision by qualified majority vote.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South on 15 April, Official Report, column 34 (a) whether the Anglo-Irish Encounter Group approached his Department for funding, (b) what arrangements exist between his Department and the Anglo-Irish Encounter Group to ensure that the funds supplied by his Department are properly administered, (c) how the sums of £17,000 in 1983–84, £20,000 in 1984–85 and £24,000 in 1985–86 for the use of the Encounter Group were arrived at and (d) if he will place in the Library a report showing the work which has been facilitated by his Department's funding of the Encounter Group.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 April to the hon. Member for Belfast, South, Official Report, column 202, which Departments were involved in the meeting of the Anglo-Irish Economic Steering Group in Dublin in March 1980.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Northern Ireland Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 18 April, Official Report, column 252–53, if Her Majesty's Government will initiate discussions within the Tripartite Commission for the Restitution of Monetary Gold with a view to an amicable arrangement being reached with the Government of Albania; and if he will make a statement.

Confidential discussions take place within the Tripartite Commission for the Restitution of Monetary Gold and between the member Government, whenever it is considered appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report, the letter from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Monklands, West dated 29 March concerning the Falkland Islands.

Yes. The text is as follows:"I enjoyed your thoughtful contribution to the adjournment debate on 14 March on the Falkland Islands and Argentina, though I must reject your charges of "intransigence": as I said in winding up, it is we who have made the running in seeking more normal bilateral relations with Argentina. Unfortunately shortage of time prevented me from dealing with other points you made. You have since gone over some of the ground when you called on our Falkland Islands Department, to prepare for your meeting with Argentine Parliamentarians at the seminar in Bonn on 27 March on the European Community and Argentina; Andrew Palmer tells me that you would welcome written comments from me on some of the points in your speech.You urge us to take due account of the democratic nature of the present Argentine Government and their opposition to the Junta. We certainly regard President Alfonsin's criticism of the invasion at the time as a courageous act. But he complained of the means employed, and not of the cause the Junta were pursuing; his commitment to Argentina's claim to the Falklands is as inflexible as anyone's.You will know that the Prime Minister publicly welcomed the restoration of democracy in Argentina in December 1983. She sent President Alfonsin a personal message on the occasion of his inauguration, and we have taken a number of initiatives since to achieve more normal relations. The obstacle to progress continues to be Argentine intransigence. It was their departure from a carefully agreed formula that resulted in the deadlock at the Berne talks in July 1984. Only last week President Alfonsin reiterated, on this occasion to a joint meeting of the United States Congress in Washington, that Argentina insisted that any discusion of normalisation was only possible if sovereignty were also to be discussed (I attach the text of his remarks).You mentioned a possible role for the Secretary General of the United Nations. During the conflict, the Secretary General played an important part in attempts to secure the withdrawal of Argentine forces from the Falkland Islands. But since hostilities ceased we have taken the view that it is better for the Argentines and ourselves to conduct our exchanges through the Swiss and Brazilian Protecting Powers, without any intermediary. In his report to the United Nations General Assembly last year, Sr Perez de Cuellar expressed the hope that there could be a dialogue coupled with the adoption of confidence-building measures. The Government's policy, to seek to improve bilateral relations with Argentina through agreement on practical measures of benefit to both sides, is fully consistent with Sr Perez de Cuellar's sensible and pragmatic approach. As Geoffrey Howe said in the House on 14 March, reciprocal lifting of commercial and financial restrictions could be a natural starting point, and we have reiterated our readiness to accept a properly supervised visit to the Islands by relatives of Argentine servicemen buried there.You made in your speech a comparison in general terms between the Government's handling of the future of Hong Kong and of the Falklands. There is a major difference between the two cases. The lease from China of 92 per cent. of the area of Hong Kong is due to expire on 1997. In these circumstances, we believe the arrangements we have made to be the best possible to maintain Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, enabling its people to plan peacefully and confidently for the future. But no such deadline governs the future of the Falkland Islands, and the 1982 invasion makes it impossible for us to discuss sovereignty with the Argentines. We do not, therefore, consider there to be a parallel between the two cases.You discussed the cost of defending the Falklands. I covered your main point in my concluding remarks—column 582. You courteously deferred to Tam Dalyell on the

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom nationals are held in foreign prisons; and how many have home addresses in Scotland.

As at 23 April 1985 we know of 1,070 British citizens and British Dependent Territories citizens held in foreign prisons. Of these, 51 had given home addresses in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total value of land which his Department has brought from the Church of England in each year since 1979 and the amount of territory, in value and acreage terms, acquired by means of compulsory purchase orders during the same period.

I regret that records are not maintained in a form which provides details of land acquired from specified vendors and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. There have been no compulsory purchase orders during the period in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what response he has made to the survey conducted in Paisley regarding nuclear weapons Trident and cruise, which was sent to him by Mrs. Truss on 19 March.

A letter dated 20 March 1985 was received from Mrs. Truss shortly thereafter. A reply was sent to her on 10 April. I am sending a copy to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be in a position to announce orders for the new class of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels.

Tenders have been invited for the first two Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessels but no decisions have yet been taken on the size and timing of orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he will be announcing his response to his Department's Council of Civil Service Union's observations on the proposed redeployment of the army manning and record offices.

The announcement made on 10 January of the Department's proposals to relocate the Army manning and record and pay offices from their present eight locations to two, Glasgow and Leicester, was followed by a formal period of consultation with the MOD trades unions who forwarded their detailed comments just after Easter. In parallel there have been representations from hon. Members on both sides of the House, from local councils and others. These are now being evaluated. The various points made will be fully taken into account by Ministers before a final decision is taken. It is hoped to be able to make an announcement by the end of May or early in June.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what role the United States National Guard has played in the preparations for Exercise Brave Defender.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has drawn up a final list of key points to be defended for Exercise Brave Defender.

The list of exercise key points has not yet been finalised.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are any plans to operate United States Forces, Europe, hospitals such as that at Little Rissington in conjunction with British civil emergency war time services.

United States emergency hospitals in the United Kingdom, when activated at the time of an emergency, would be used primarily to treat United States casualties and so reduce the burden on United Kingdom emergency services. The planned use for such United States hospitals is developed in close consultation with United Kingdom emergency resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United States Forces, Europe, hospital at Little Rissington is equipped to operate in a nuclear and chemical environment.

RAF Little Rissington is a United States Air Force peacetime storage and wartime hospital facility. The hospital naturally incorporates protective measures against a range of potential wartime threats.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest information about the Russian special forces Spetsnaz.

The Soviet Union's special purpose forces — SPETSNAZ — are subordinate to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Soviet General Staff. They are organised into brigades, each of which can field a number of relatively small teams trained to conduct special or covert reconnaissance and sabotage operations. In wartime they would operate far behind the enemy lines, most units providing reconnaissance and target marking, others mounting sabotage attacks on selected important installations and depots, airfields, air defence and command, control and communications facilities. SPETSNAZ forces make a significant contribution to Soviet combat capabilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the nature and chemical content of substances which are being taken from Faslane to Glenboig for dumping; and if he will make a statement.

The dumping contract to which the hon. Member refers has been placed by the Property Services Agency. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment will write to the hon. Member with such details as are available as to the scientific content of the substances being moved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what limitations there are on the importation of articles of apparel and clothing accessories from (a) Taiwan, (b) South Korea and (c) Romania; and why one differs from another.

The quotas for 1985 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report specific new proposals to be implemented by the new Minister for waste; and what funding is available to finance the proposals.

I have been appointed to undertake a coordinating role, not to take on the responsibilities of other Departments concerned with recycling.In my new role, I shall, of course, be consulting other Departments and other interested parties. Any new proposals which emerge, and involving financial support from the Government, will be contained within existing public expenditure programmes

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent responses he has received to his publication "Support for Business".

I have had no direct responses, but well over 200 telephone calls a week about DTI assistance are already coming into the new London central inquiry point whose number is given in "Support for Business". The alternative regional inquiry points are also receiving calls in response to the booklet.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department proposes to take to encourage the growth of manufacturing industries in the United Kingdom.

My Department aims to encourage the growth of manufacturing industry through the creation of a climate which encourages enterprise and in which business can become more competitive. It also gives various forms of assistance to business, including manufacturing industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received alleging anti-competitive practices in the pricing of fletton bricks over the past 18 months; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no representations on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the subject of the manufacture and supply of fletton bricks.

References to the Commission of possible monopoly situations or anti-competitive practices are a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) why some British Telecommunications shares applied for by British Telecommunications employees and pensioners were not allotted;(2) whether employees and pensioners were given undertakings prior to the sale of British Telecommunications shares that they would be allocated all the shares for which they applied.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conditions he would wish to exist before he recommends the participation of the United Kingdom in the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

We would want in particular to be satisfied that participation was consistent with the effective conduct of our domestic policies and that undue instability would not be introduced into the exchange rate mechanism itself.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider ways by which figures about money gross domestic product may be ascertained and published nearer to the period to which they relate.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about the level of tax paid by football pools; and if he will make a statement.

Representations seeking a reduction in pool betting duty have been received from the Football League, a number of football clubs and pool promoters.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish his proposed Green Paper on personal taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the Green Paper on personal taxation.

Later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how Britain's export performance compares with its European partners; and what are the future prospects for exports following the Budget.

Our export performance compares satisfactorily with our European partners and future prospects are good.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received about the effects of his Budget proposal to reduce national insurance contributions in respect of the lower paid.

The reductions in national insurance contributions in respect of the lower paid which my right hon. Friend announced in his Budget were greeted with widespread approval. We have received around 40 letters about the abolition of the upper earnings limit for employers' contributions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from small businesses concerning his recent Budget proposals.

Several and on a variety of points.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding his Budget proposals and the likely effect on unemployment levels.

The Government have received many representations commending them for introducing a Budget that will increase employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has made any up-to-date assessment of employment trends following his Budget statement.

The most recent employment estimates, published since the Budget, indicate further substantial growth in the employed labour force in the fourth quarter of 1984, bringing the total increase in the year to December 1984 to about 340,000. Thus there is a strong rising trend in employment, and prospects have been improved substantially by the measures announced in my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs the cut in national insurance contributions in the recent Budget will create.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an official visit to the Stamp Office in Birmingham.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. If my hon. Friend has a particular point in mind, perhaps he will let me have the details and I will be happy to look into it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce fiscal measures to encourage the development of worker co-operatives.

Several of the fiscal measures we have already introduced will have assisted worker cooperatives.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had in relation to the impact on the quantity of advertising by charitable organisations of the introduction of value added tax.

The representations indicate that there is likely to be some reduction in the amount of advertising as a result of the tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had on his Budget from the construction industry.

Several, on a variety of topics.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effects of the proposed abolition of development land tax on employment in the construction industry.

The abolition of development land tax removes a disincentive to the availability of land for development. The effects on construction output and employment should be favourable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's long-term taxation policy.

Consistently with the MTFS. the Government aim to reduce the overall tax burden and reform and simplify the tax system so as to improve incentives, reward success and thereby improve the supply-side performance of the economy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his current policy objectives for interest rates.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor made clear in his Budget speech, short-term interest rates will be held at the level needed to maintain monetary conditions that will continue to bring down inflation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the aggregate yield from value added tax from the glass and glazing industry since value added tax was first introduced.

I regret that the data on consumers' expenditure in this sector, on which an estimate would have to be based, are not sufficiently detailed to provide the information requested.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the volume of investment in manufacturing industry in the last financial year; and how this compares with the level in 1978–79.

Manufacturing investment rose by 13 per cent. in 1984 with a further substantial increase expected in 1985. The total of £6.1 billion in 1984, the last full year for which data are available, remains below the 1978–79 level.