asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many dental technicians (a) are employed by health authorities in Wales, and (b) also undertake private contract work; and if he will make a statement.

As at 30 September 1983 there were 34 (whole-time equivalents) dental technicians employed by health authorities in Wales. Information is not held on the numbers undertaking private work.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what evidence has been furnished to him of shortages of school books and equipment due to inadequacy of capitation allowances and in relation to how many schools.

Such shortages have been noted in reports by Her Majesty's Inspectorate, and in the large volume of correspondence dealing with education matters the Department has received. School capitation allowances are determined by the local education authorities from within the resources available to them. In real terms, the level of local authority current expenditure on education, excluding school meals and milk, has remained virtually constant for a number of years, while the number of pupils in schools has declined markedly. A school by school analysis of the correspondence could be made only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made by the Yorkshire electricity board in following up the report on the board by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, published in September 1983; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received the second response of the Yorkshire electricity board to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report published in September 1983 (Cmnd. 9014). This describes progress on steps taken by the board to meet the commission's conclusions. I am placing copies of the board's response in the Library of the House.The board has responded positively to many of the MMC's recommendations and significant progress has been made since my statement to the House on 28 February 1984 concerning the YEB's initial response.The commission's central conclusions dealt with the board's role in setting key medium-term objectives and the need for quantified goals based on those objectives to be delegated throughout the organisation. I am disappointed that in certain areas the board felt unable to include in its response specific proposals for action in response to the commission's recommendations. I shall, in particular, take a close interest in the board's progress in setting and achieving quantified cost-reduction objectives as recommended by the commission. The new chairman of the board has informed me that he is in the process of making organisational and other changes with this aim in view. I have asked him to report his progress to me not later than the end of June this year.While I note that the board has decided not to establish an audit committee, I am pleased to see that it is taking steps to increase the participation of the non-executive members in the formulation of such objectives and in the consideration of strategic questions. I also welcome the fact that the board's decision to reduce the number of YEB areas from seven to four will facilitate the devolution of responsibility and objectives to appropriate managerial levels.The role of non-executive members is an issue which is relevant throughout the industry and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary has recently offered guidance on this to all non-executive board members. Copies of this guidance have been placed in the library.In my statement on 28 February 1984 I indicated my intention of following the board's progress in responding to the commission's conclusions on its manpower plan (conclusions 3 and 33) and the varying costs of maintenance in the different board areas (conclusion 26). I note that a severance scheme has now been introduced in relation to the reorganisation which will enhance the board's ability to achieve the optimum rate of staff rundown and that the board is continuing to carry through a detailed analysis of comparative maintenance costs. The scope for further progress in both these spheres should be improved by the board's initiative in reducing the number of areas.In conclusion 36 of the report the commission proposed separate and fully detailed profit and loss accounts for both the appliance retailing and contracting activities. In agreement with the Electricity Council I announced last July measures applying to all area boards, including revised cost allocation guidelines, separate accounts and financial objectives, which fully meet the commission's concern and should help to demonstrate that the boards are competing profitably and fairly in those activities. The issue of supply security standards (raised in conclusion 20) also has industry-wide implications and is presently under review by the Electricity Council.I should like to take this opportunity to convey the Government's thanks to the MMC for its thorough and stimulating investigation. Its findings have clearly been of considerable use to the Yorkshire board in helping it reduce costs and increase efficiency, and have also been of benefit throughout the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his Department has made of the effect of rate levels upon investment and employment.

The Department commissioned a study by the department of land economy of the university of Cambridge on the general effects of non-domestic rates on the location of employment in England and Wales over the period 1974 to 1981 and the report was published by the authors on 6 March 1985.Copies of the report, and of a letter I have sent asking for the comments of interested bodies, are in the library. The Department is also aware of cases in which extreme rate levels and increases in rates have deterred individual firms from investing or from creating employment in the areas affected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what contracts have been awarded to which companies to work on Molesworth base; and if he will list the companies and value of contracts awarded to them and the date the contract was awarded.

A contract for the erection of a perimeter fence, value £3·25 million was awarded to Tarmac Construction Ltd. on 15 January 1985 and a further contract for the provision of temporary administrative and domestic accommodation, value £2·07 million, was awarded to the same firm on 5 February 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will describe the financial provisions and the amounts allocated in those provisions to support the specialist services provided by the central computer services department within the Greater London council;(2) whether he will describe the financial provisions and the amounts allocated in those provisions to support the specialist services provided by the supplies department within the Greater London council;(3) whether he will describe the financial provisions and the amounts allocated in those provisions to support the specialist services provided by scientific and technical services within the Greater London council;(4) whether he will describe the financial provisions and the amounts allocated in those provisions to support the specialist services provided by the intelligence and information services within the Greater London council.

Financial provision for these services is a matter for the GLC.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money is expected to be made available to local authorities under section 12 of the Housing Defects Act 1984 in the current and next financial years, respectively.

As my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction indicated to the hon. Lady in his replies to her of 10 May, at column 523–24, no designations under section 12 of the Act have yet been made. As Exchequer contributions to local authorities are made in response to claims submitted after the end of the financial year in which the authority incurred the cost, no contributions will be paid in 1985–86. I cannot yet estimate what contributions might be payable in 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the lowest known concentration in parts per million of any particular health risk arising from traces of atrazine, simazine, lindane or dieldrin pesticides in water.

In 1984 WHO set drinking water guidelines values of 0·0003 parts per million for dieldrin and 0·03 parts per million for lindane. No guideline values have been set for triazine herbicides, which include atrazine and simazine, but it has been calculated from available data that concentrations found in drinking water have a safety factor of the order of several thousand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the aerial transport of organo-chlorine pesticides in the context of inputs of these and other substances into the North sea following the report commissioned by his Department from the Institute of Offshore Engineering at Heriot-Watt university; and what further research is planned on this matter.

The Institute of Offshore Engineering examined the available information on this subject as part of a wider review for the Department of the literature on inputs of contaminants to the North sea. The review is available, at cost, from the university. It quotes estimates made by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) of 10–100 tonnes annually of HCH (alpha and gamma), 10–160 tonnes of PCBs and 2–25 tonnes each of DDT (and its metabolites), and of the "drins" (aldrin, dieldrin, endrin). These estimates are tentative, being based on very few measurements, but are probably the best available. The United Kingdom therefore referred to them in preparing for the North sea conference in Bremen last year and similar estimates for HCH and for PCBs were quoted in the paper on the "Quality Status of the North Sea" which synthesised the scientific contributions made by the participating states. A working group has been set up by the Paris commission to examine the whole question of atmospheric inputs to the sea and is considering research into the methodology and accuracy of the estimated inputs. The United Kingdom is participating actively in this group.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the estimated annual cost of repairs and maintenance to buildings as a result of deposited acidity in the United Kingdom;(2) if he will list in the

As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 14 March, at column 214, acid deposition is not the sole cause of environmental acidification, and the damage that it causes cannot readily be distinguished from other forms of damage. It is not, therefore, possible to estimate the annual cost of repairs and maintenance resulting from such deposition. My Department has a substantial programme of monitoring and research, and I expect reports within the next 16 months which should help in defining the scale of the problem and in elucidating its causes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the percentage reduction (a) NOx (nitrogen oxides), (b) hydrocarbons and (c) atmospheric ozone likely to be achieved by the introduction of vehicle emission control in the United Kingdom by the years 1995, 2005 and 2010, respectively.

Gaseous emissions from vehicles have been controlled in the United Kingdom since the early 1970s, and the progressive tightening of standards since then will continue to have an effect well into the 1990s. But because the European Community has still to reach final agreement on the limit values to be included in a new directive on vehicle emissions coming into effect in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it is not possible to predict what further emission controls might come into force in the United Kingdom, or to estimate what the overall effects on individual pollutants might be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual cost of damage to concrete structures in the United Kingdom as a result of alkaline aggregate reaction.

No reliable estimate is available of the annual cost of damage to concrete structures in the United Kingdom as a result of alkali-aggregate reaction. To obtain such an estimate would require a survey of all concrete structures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the percentage of cement employed in the construction industry which is low sulphur cement.

The percentage of sulphate-resisting Portland cement used by the construction industry in 1984 was 5·9 per cent. of the total 12·7 million tonnes of cement used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the non-policing costs of the recent miners' dispute arising from local authorities fulfilling their statutory obligations under child care, school meals and milk, and social security and housing benefit regulations; and if he will disregard such costs for the purposes of block grant penalties.

I have received a number of representations from local authorities and their associations for such expenditure to be disregarded for grant penalty purposes, which I shall consider carefully before I take further decisions on grant abatement for 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what study his Department has made of the wildlife benefits to be accrued from the cessation of drainage and subsequent withdrawal of land protected by sea defences and brought into agricultural use by land reclamation since 1955, adjacent to coastlines; and if he will make any such research available in the Library.

My Department has not carried out any such study. The Nature Conservancy Council is currently investigating the effects on wildlife of land reclamation over the past 10 years. The first results of this research are not expected to be available until some time in 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of the transportation of asbestos-contaminated material from the site at Faslane to its destination.

A contract to remove some 3,000 cubic metres of asbestos-contaminated waste from Faslane has been let for the sum of £630,500, of which approximately two thirds is attributable to the cost of transporting the material.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of defective houses which each local authority may be required to purchase; and if he will estimate the cost of this commitment for each local authority in England.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 May 1985, c. 26]: In 1983 local authorities estimated that there were 16,500 prefabricated reinforced concrete (PRC) dwellings in private ownership in the United Kingdom of the types designated now by my right hon. Friend. My Department has estimated that the total cost of assistance to owners under the Act over a number of years will be in the region of £170 million to £250 million at current prices. The proportion of owners assisted through repurchase, rather than by reinstatement grant, cannot be forecast reliably at this stage, and the costs to each authority of repurchase therefore cannot yet be estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance he is providing to enable local authorities to acquire houses which are regarded as seriously defective.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 May 1985, c. 26]: Local housing authorities which repurchase defective dwellings designated by my right hon. Friend under section 1 of the Housing Defects Act 1984 will generally be assisted by way of an Exchequer contribution of 75 per cent. of the difference between the cost to them of the acquisition and the defective value of the property. Where the dwelling was sold by another public authority, the contribution will be 100 per cent. of the difference.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has recently held discussions or received representations from any companies or trade associations concerning restrictions on the import of Chinese silk; and if he will make a statement.

I have recently received representations from one company concerning restrictions on the import of Chinese silk. Its letter was forwarded to me by my hon. Friend, to whom I replied on 27 March 1985. My officials have been in contact with companies during the administration of the 1985 Chinese silk quota and have informed the Silk Association of Great Britain of the arrangements for the administration of the 1985 chinese silk quota.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the fees and commissions which will be paid to City institutions in respect of the forthcoming sale of shares in British Aerospace; and on what basis those fees and commissions will be calculated.

The following commissions will be paid to City institutions, all calculated on the basis of the fully paid offer price of 375p per share:

• Underwriters: 0·3 per cent.
• Brokers to the offer: 0·125 per cent.
• Priority applicants: 1·5 per cent. on shares placed firm, 1·25 per cent. on the balance of their applications.
• The total cost of these commissions to the Government will be approximately £6,583,000 (plus VAT = £7,570,000).

Lazard Brothers and Co., Ltd. will also receive a fee for their work as financial advisers to the Government.Stockbrokers, licensed dealers, members of the National Association of Securities Dealers and Investment Managers, and exempted dealers will be eligible for commission on applications submitted by them on behalf of members of the public, to the extent accepted, at the rate of 1¼ per cent. of the offer price.It will not be possible to estimate the amount of these commissions until all applications have been examined.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends publishing data obtained by his Department on the post-redundancy experiences of Shotton steelworkers.

I do not intend to publish individual records provided in confidence. The only aggregate data held in the Department of Trade and Industry concerns total payments made to redundant Shotton steelworkers according to the different categories of benefit provided under the iron and steel employees' readaptation benefits scheme. This information is available and is set out below. Bearing in mind that many of the 7,977 recipients have received more than one category of benefit during their period of entitlement, I think that this information should be treated with caution as a guide to post-redundancy experiences.

	£
Early Pensions	4,344,110
Make-up of earnings in new employment	5,448,048
Scheme unemployment benefit	13,439,437
Training support	5,219,491

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether, in the light of the recent report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, the Ford Motor Company Ltd. has agreed to give undertakings to the Office of Fair Trading concerning the manufacture by other companies of replacement car body panels; and if he will make a statement;(2) when he expects the Director General of Fair Trading to complete his current discussions with the Ford Motor Company Ltd. in connection with the manufacture of replacement car body panels.

I shall make a statement on the position when discussions with Ford are concluded.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy not to act on the reports of the four social security review teams until the proposed Treasury Green Paper on personal taxation has been published.

The Government hope to publish their proposals for the future of social security in a Green Paper soon after the Whitsun recess, and the Green Paper on personal taxation later in the year. These proposals will be consistent.

asked the Prime Minister what special measures she intends to take to attract industry to East Clwyd as a result of the proposed closure of Courtaulds' works in the area.

East Clwyd has been and continues to be an attractive location for companies. Since 1983 the Welsh Office has had 33 acceptances of regional selective assistance in the Wrexham travel-to-work area alone promising nearly 1,400 new jobs and safeguarding 1,200 existing jobs with an investment of £7 million. Recent major inward investment decisions to locate in Wrexham have been taken by the Japanese companies, Sharp and Brother. Other parts of Clwyd have also been successful in attracting new investment, most recently illustrated by Data Magnetic Ltd's decision announced on 1 May to locate its thin film disc facility on the Deeside industrial park, creating 250 new jobs. Proposals by the county council and the borough councils most directly affected by Courtaulds' proposed closures are being considered by the Welsh Office.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects to be in a position to respond to the President of Sri Lanka's request that Her Majesty's Government support the Samanala Wewa dam scheme.

I told the President when I met him last month that a decision about this request would be made after my return to London. I expect to be able to give him our response shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if she will take further steps to introduce competition and private capital into the existing nationalised industries.

The Government remain committed to privatisation as a major element in its strategy to promote efficiency, increase incentives and widen ownership. We will continue to look for opportunities to advance this. Transferring state businesses into private ownership increases business efficiency, whether through competition or in other ways; allows for employees to take a direct stake in the companies in which they work, leading to major changes in attitudes; and gives everyone the opportunity to own a real share in the nation's assets. The long-term significance of these changes cannot be over-estimated.

asked the Prime Minister if she will place before the Foreign Affairs Committee Sir Brian Tovey's report on matters relating to the sinking of the General Belgrano; and if she will make a statement.

I have seen suggestions in press stories that reference to such a report was made in the papers which were shown to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 6 March. It was agreed between the Government and the Committee's Chairman that, following that occasion, there would be no further disclosure of material. I repeat that the indications that the Belgrano was a threat to the task force were clear and unequivocal.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 May.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others including one with the President of the Cameroon. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Prime Minister if she has now replied to the letter from the General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing about the pay of nurses; and if she will make a statement.

Yes; in my reply of 7 May I told the General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing that the Review Body report on nurses pay is now being considered by Ministers, together with other review body reports, and that an announcement will be made in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether three-lane single carriageway road sections display worse accident statistics than two-lane single-carriageway and duel carriageway sections; and if he will make a statement.

Personal injury accident rates on roads with rural characteristics, having speed limits over 40 mph and excluding accidents at junctions, depend on a number of factors in addition to road markings (and road width). However, on average, the rates for good three-lane single carriageways are about the same as those for good two-lane carriageways of the same overall width and characteristics; typical rates for these types of carriageways are about 0·20 accidents per million vehicle kilometres compared with 0·11 for new purpose-built dual carriageways. But, the sample of three-lane carriageways on which this statement is based is necessarily small because since the early 1960s the Department has not marked single carriageways in three lanes except in two cases. The first includes lengths of road having good alignment and exhibiting good long-term accident rates. The second case is that of "climbing lanes" where the two uphill lanes are given priority and the marking system involves the use of double white lines to maintain safety.There is relatively little three-lane single carriageway trunk road with urban characteristics having speed limits of 40 mph or less.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions a franchise has been withdrawn from any company, or companies, during the life of the motorway system as a whole, since the franchise system came into operation.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many types of franchise exist in relation to service stations on the M62 motorway between Liverpool and Kingston upon Hull; and if he will indicate the names and geographical locations of the company or companies involved and their responsibilities to retain continuation of their franchise.

There are four motorway service areas on the M62. Each is operated under the terms of a 50-year lease from the Secretary of State. The service areas and their operators are:

Service Area	Operators
Burtonwood, near Warrington.	Trusthouse Forte Catering Limited, Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
Birch, near Bury.	Granada Motorway Services Limited, Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
Hartshead Moor, near Brighouse	Welcome Break Limited, Chiswick, London W4.
Ferrybridge, near Knottingley.	Granada Motorway Services Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has made of the environmental consequences for United Kingdom shores and coastal waters of collisions or accidental spillage from crude oil-carrying tankers in the Minch.

I refer to my answer given on 3 April, at column 628.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has had any recent discussions with the chairman of British Rail in relation to the catering facilities available on trains and the possibility of these services being carried out by private contractors; and if he will make a statement.

BR is making train and station catering a priority in applying its new criteria for competitive supply of services. In particular it is examining the costing and tendering arrangements necessary to facilitate competition in this area. The board is keeping us informed on progress.

Wholemilk Production (All Animals) in EC 1960 to 1983
'000 tonnes
	1960	1970	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Belgium	3,914	3,745	4,029	4,032	4,068	4,102	4,178
Denmark	5,441	4,718	5,365	5,271	5,161	5,358	5,693
France	21,883	28,325	33,210	33,715	33,870	34,492	35,041
Germany	19,592	22,058	24,222	25,094	25,204	25,781	27,208
Greece	na	na	na	na	2,176	2,137	2,062
Ireland	3,316	4,290	5,534	5,425	5,337	5,748	6,140
Italy	10,466	10,024	11,230	11,438	11,342	11,419	11,889
Luxembourg	205	230	284	289	289	299	310
Netherlands	6,838	8,239	11,592	11,785	12,147	12,708	13,240
United Kingdom	12,503	14,512	17,839	17,826	17,623	18,463	18,926

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 21 February, Official Report, column 582, concerning economically significant resistant strains in relation to fungicides, what is the economic cost of fungicide resistance to benomyl, carbondazim and thiophonate methyl, respectively; and what are the alternative chemicals in each case.

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

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he anticipates announcing overall milk quotas for the current financial year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Forth) on 7 May 1985, at column 321.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1955 the net income of farmers compared to the amount paid out to farmers from public funds directly and indirectly.

Details of the net income of farmers and of public expenditure on national grant schemes and subsidies and since 1972–73 under the CAP are contained in the "Annual Review of Agriculture" White Paper series and the departmental "Net Income Calculation Historical Series Booklet"; both of which are available in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the output of milk in each European Economic Community country in each of the past five years compared wih 1970, 1960 and 1957.

The table shows whole milk production from all milk animals in each European Community country in the years 1960, 1970 and 1979 to 1983 inclusive. 1984 figures are not yet available and 1957 figures are not available on a comparable basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1973 and each of the past five years the common guide and intervention prices for adult bovine animals, the amount bought for intervention, the amount of surplus production and the total cost to the European Economic Community budget, together with the cost of the United Kingdom beef variable premium scheme and any other arrangements for subventions to beef farmers.

Information on institutional prices, production and consumption and expenditure through the Community budget is published by the EC Commission in "The Agricultural situation in the Community" report 1984 for the three most recent years for which data are available and in previous reports for earlier years. Copies are available in the Library of the House. In addition to expenditure through the Community budget, United Kingdom exchequer expenditure on the beef variable premium, suckler cow premium and hill low schemes was as follows:

£ million
	1973	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Beef variable premium	—	45·0	19·6	7·0	73·9	86·8
Suckler cow premium	—	1·4	7·3	6·2	6·0	9·3
Hill cattle subsidy	16·0	—	—	—	—	—
Hill low compensatory allowances	—	18·5	28·2	29·1	29·0	28·9

Quantities of beef bought into intervention were as follows:

'000 tonnes
Year	Amount
1973	*22
1980	410
1981	280
1982	269
1983	445
1984	490
* Estimate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the names and locations of the broadleaved woodlands clearfelled under licence for conversion to agriculture in 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85 in the Forestry Commission's south-west England conservancy.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the miles of hedgerows in England and Wales (a) removed and (b) planted, respectively, for each year since 1975.

The information on which to base such estimates is not currently available. We do, however, hope to be able to make some estimates of the amount of hedgerow planting and removal in recent years from my Department's current survey of environmental topics on farms.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the extent of hedgerow and tree damage in Worcestershire from straw burning in 1983 and 1984, respectively.

My Department does not keep detailed statistics of damage to hedgerows and trees, but I understand that there was a general improvement in burning practices in that county in 1984.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to regulate the practice of straw burning in 1985; and if he will make a statement.

The Government will again be drawing the attention of the farming community to the need to observe relevant local byelaws and to adopt good standards of practice in line with the policy adopted for the 1984 harvest, which generated a substantially lower volume of complaints than in 1983.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now introduce legislation to ensure that stunning and sticking of an animal is performed consecutively with no intervening delay, when the operation is being done single-handedly; and if he will make a statement.

This matter is the subject of a recommendation by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in its report on the welfare of livestock (red meat animals) at the time of slaughter. The Government are considering the council's recommendations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to publish the reviews carried out by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides of aminotriazole, chlorbromuron, ethylene dibromide and ethylene dichloride.

All of these compounds were reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides during 1984 and information on them will be contained in the committee's joint annual report, which is to be published this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the annual and 10-yearly cost of maintaining the drainage and sea defences of land reclaimed adjacent to coastlines respectively, since 1955; and if he will estimate the net cost to the United Kingdom on an annual basis of such land including agricultural support grant aid.

Information on which to make these estimates is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent events in Namibia.

We do not recognise the new interim administrative arrangements for Namibia announced by the South African Government in April. They do not affect South Africa's responsibility to implement the United Nations plan, nor do they have any bearing on the negotiations currently underway towards achieving Namibian independence on the basis of that plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of the United Kingdom's membership of the United Nations for the year 1984–85 and the projected cost for the year 1985–86; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom's contribution to the United Nations regular budget in the financial year 1984–85, at our assessed rate of 4·67 per cent., was £23,342,619. In addition, the United Kingdom contributes voluntarily to many United Nations programmes and agencies such as the United Nations Children Fund or the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control, and pays assessed contributions to the regular budgets of the specialised agencies of the United Nations system such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation or the World Health Organisation. Our regular budget contribution for 1986–87 cannot yet be accurately determined: the budget for the biennium 1986–87 will be settled at the United Nations General Assembly later this year. But we are urging that the new budget should involve no real growth and that our assessed rate of contribution in the next biennium should be similar to the present rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Spanish Government regarding their restriction on the use of Gibraltar airfield by British military aircraft; what is the nature of the restrictions; and when they were imposed.

We have made clear to the Spanish Government our view that it would be right for them to make similar arrangements for military aircraft as those recently announced for civil aircraft. The Spanish Government originally introduced a prohibited airspace zone in the Algeciras region in April 1967, the limits of which are set out in document No. 22 in Cmnd. 3325, "Further Documents on Gibraltar, October 1966-June 1967".

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reason has been given to him by the Spanish Government for not lifting all restrictions on aircraft using Gibraltar airfield.

As I informed my hon. Friend on 7 May, at column 320, discussions are continuing with the Spanish authorities. It would be usual for these to remain confidential until concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to open an immigration office in Mirpur.

I visited Mirpur in January and have considered the matter carefully in the light of a number of representations and a recommendation in the Commission for Racial Equality report. The journey from Mirpur to Islamabad takes only two to three hours by road; there is a regular and inexpensive bus service. I do not believe that there is any justification for opening an immigration office in Mirpur, particularly in view of the limited resources available to us for overseas representation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to open an immigration office in Sylhet.

In the light of various representations and a recommendation in the Commission for Racial Equality report, I have considered the matter carefully, particularly since my visit to Bangladesh in January. Applicants come from the large Syhlet district, not only from Sylhet town, and Dhaka is more convenient than Sylhet town for many of them. The journey from Sylhet to Dhaka is not expensive and there are good road, rail and air links. The problem for most applicants is getting from their village to Sylhet and not from Sylhet to Dhaka. Operational problems relating to the opening of the office would be formidable and I cannot accept that the expenditure on such a project would be justified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures for the last available financial year of the number of taxpayers claiming blind person's allowance and the estimated cost to the Exchequer of such relief.

It is estimated that about 30,000 blind people will benefit from the blind person's tax allowance in 1985–86, at a revenue cost of £3 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing what the maximum level of spending under the European Economic Community budget would be for agriculture, assuming that total spending under the budget reaches the new maximum under the value added tax contribution, that the outturn for the current year is the same as the agreed provision for agriculture to the extent that this is relevant and that value added tax and other collections are the same as budgeted for in the current year, apart from the percentage increase from 1 per cent. to 1·4 per cent.

In accordance with article 4 of the Council conclusions on budget discipline the financial guideline for agriculture which will first apply for 1986 is calculated by reference to agricultural expenditure in 1984 and 1985 and to the rate of growth of the own resources base. The Commission has calculated, on the basis of provisional estimates of these variables, that the financial guideline for 1986 will be 20·65 billion ecu. This figure will be subject to some change as revised estimates and then outturn data become available.The financial guideline figure is not affected by the proposed increase in the VAT ceiling from 1 to 1·4 per cent. because, in accordance with article 2 of the Council conclusions on budget discipline, the increase in the own resources base is assessed on a comparable basis from one year to the next.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in the real exchange rate of the £ sterling based on (a) gross domestic product deflators and (b) relative export prices since the fourth quarter of 1976 against the US dollar, the Japanese yen and each of the European Economic Community Six currencies for the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will include figures comparing the current nominal exchange rate with the average rate for the latest period.

The percentage changes between the fourth quarter of 1976, when sterling's nominal exchange rates were exceptionally low against these currencies, and the fourth quarter of 1984, were as follows:

Real
	Based on GDP deflators	Based on relative wholesale export prices	Nominal
Dollar/Sterling	-6·2	-8·5	-26·3
Yen/Sterling	+7·6	+3·1	-38·3
Deutschemark/Sterling	+48·1	+38·6	-6·6
French franc/Sterling	+37·3	+37·2	+36·7
Belgian franc*/Sterling	+87·8	+73·8	+23·0
Italian lira/Sterling	+5·7	+25·4	+61·4
Dutch guilder/Sterling	+37·6	+44·0	+0·8
*The Luxembourg franc has the same external value as the Belgian franc.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the numbers of Civil Service and related public service jobs in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow at the last date for which figures are available and express these as percentages of the working population in each city, and the total of such jobs in Scotland, respectively.

The table shows non-industrial civil servants employed in the four local authority districts at 1 January 1985 as numbers, as percentages of the working population in the travel-to-work areas for those districts and as percentages of all non-industrial civil servants in Scotland. Corresponding data are not available in such geographical detail for industrial staff of the civil service or for other public service jobs.

Non-industrial civil service staff in Post*at 1 January 1985
City	Staff in Post*	As a percentage of the working population in the travel-to-work area †	As a percentage of all non-industrial civil servants in Scotland
Aberdeen	1,761	1·1	3·6
Dundee	1,067	1·1	2·2
Edinburgh	12,337	4·1	25·5
Glasgow	9,975	1·5	20·6

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to tax unleaded petrol, when it is available, at the same rate as leaded petrol.

No decisions have been taken on future rates of tax on petrol.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what information he has about the French dation scheme and how it compares with the British acceptance in lieu scheme; and if he will make a statement;(2) if, in view of the fact that no public expenditure is involved, he will take steps to end the practice of charging to the current expenditure Votes of the Department of the Environment and of the Office of Arts and Libraries, respectively, the cash equivalent of the objects accepted in lieu of capital tax liability;(3) what have been the results of the Government's reexamination of the arrangements whereby part of the cost of acceptance in lieu is met from current Votes, referred to by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 24 April.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 24 April that the Government would be looking again at the arrangements whereby part of the cost of assets accepted in lieu of tax is met from the Votes of the Department of the Environment and the Office of Arts and Libraries. The review is under way, and will take appropriate account of the French dation scheme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce measures to change the system whereby works of art sold in the United Kingdom are subject to value added tax if bought by a United Kingdom purchaser, but are free of value added tax if bought by a foreign purchaser.

Relief from VAT depends not on the nationality of the purchaser but on whether the goods are exported or retained in the United Kingdom. VAT registered traders, who sell secondhand works of art retained in the United Kingdom which meet certain conditions, can account for VAT only on the margin by which the selling price exceeds the purchase price.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will put national galleries and museums on the same footing as local authority galleries and museums in respect of value added tax on their purchases by extending to the former the zero-rating enjoyed by the latter.

Although there are special arrangements to enable local authorities to reclaim the value added tax they incur, national galleries and museums are already on a similar footing to the extent that the Government grants they receive broadly take account of taxes such as VAT.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the loss of revenue if those pensioners now in receipt of the state earnings-related pension received the basic state pension alone, in 1985–86 and 1986–87.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 May 1985, c. 367]: Estimates of expenditure on the earnings-related component of the state earnings-related pension scheme were given on 7 May by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, at column 339. The amount of income tax due on these amounts would depend on the size of the individual payments and on the other taxable income of the recipients. I regret that data are not available on which to base a satisfactory estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue has accrued to the Government from oil produced in the North sea north of latitude 55° 50' in each year since production began.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 May 1985, c. 30]: Government revenues from oil and gas production in the United Kingdom and United Kingdom continental shelf in each of the financial years 1975–76 to 1984–85 were:

	£ billion
1975–76	*
1976–77	0·1
1977–78	0·2
1978–79	0·6
1979–80	2·3
1980–81	3·9
1981–82	6·5
1982–83	7·8
1983–84	8·8
1984–85	12·0
* Less than £0·05 billion.

I regret that there is no satisfactory basis for apportioning Government revenues from oil and gas production between revenues arising from oil produced in the North sea north of latitude 55°50' and other revenues from oil and gas production. This is due mainly to the company basis on which corporation tax is assessed.

asked asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) whether there are any plans to introduce a registration system for parliamentary lobbyists representing (i) commercial interests and (ii) non-profit-making and chartiable organizations; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether there are any plans to issue Palace of Westminster photo identity passes to parliamentary lobbyists representing (i) commercial interests and (ii) non-profit-making and charitable organisatios; and if he will make a statement.

Any such proposals would, in the first instance, be matters for consideration by the Select Committee on Members' Interests and the Services Committee.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will set out in the Official Report the average length of day, excluding Fridays, the number of private Members' days, the total number of parliamentary Bills introduced and the daily average of starred questions, for each parliamentary Session since 7 June 1955 and to date.

Information on the average length of days and on the daily average of starred and unstarred questions could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The remaining information requested is given in the tables.The number of private Members' days in each parliamentary Session since 7 June 1955 and in this Session (up to and including Friday 10 May) is as follows:

Session	Days	Half-days
1955–56	20	—
1956–57	20	—
1957–58	20	—
1958–59	20	—
1959–60	20	—
1960–61	20	4
1961–62	20	4
1962–63	20	4
1963–64	20	4
1964–65	20	4
*1965–66	6	1
1966–67	24	4
1967–68	20	4
1968–69	20	4
*1969–70	18	3
1970–71	20	4
1971–72	20	4
1972–73	20	4
*1973–74	6	1
*1974	9	3
1974–75	20	4
1975–76	20	4
1976–77	20	4
1977–78	20	4
*1978–79	13	2
1979–80	23	4
1980–81	20	4
1981–82	20	4
*1982–83	18	2
1983–84	22	4
1984–85	18	2
* Denotes short Session

Number of Parliamentary Bills
Session	Private Bills	Public Bills(inc. Provisional Order Bills)*	Total
1955–56	76	126	202
1956–57	35	93	128
1957–58	40	112	152
1958–59	45	113	158
1959–60	45	103	148
1960–61	33	117	150
1961–62	40	108	148
1962–63	31	105	136
1963–64	37	155	192
1964–65	35	158	193
1965–66 (S)	17	79	96
1966–67 (L)	31	227	258
1967–68	40	146	186
1968–69	51	158	209
1969–70 (S)	77	152	229
1970–71 (L)	111	164	275
1971–72	48	149	197

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many statutory instruments were prayed against in each of the last 30 years.

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many statutory instruments have been made in each of the last 30 years.

The number of statutory instruments made in each of the last 30 years was as follows:

Year	Total
1955	2,007
1956	2,122
1957	2,250
1958	2,280
1959	2,389
1960	2,495
1961	2,515
1962	2,877
1963	2,157
1964	2,102
1965	2,201
1966	1,641
1967	1,981
1968	2,079
1969	1,902
1970	2,044
1971	2,178
1972	2,077
1973	2,236
1974	2,227
1975	2,251
1976	2,248
1977	2,202
1978	1,977
1979	1,770
1980	2,051
1981	1,892
1982	1,900
1983	1,965
1984	2,072

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many statutory instruments required affirmative approval as a requirement for coming into, or remaining in effect; how many were subject to the negative procedure; and how many statutory instruments subject to no parliamentary procedure were laid before either or both Houses of Parliament, in each of the last 30 years.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners convicted of murder since 1966 have been released on parole or are currently having parole reviews considered; and what proportion of them were sentenced for murdering children.

About 560 prisoners convicted of murder since 1966 have been released on life licence and about 200 are currently under review by the Parole Board (a number of these reviews will not result in recommendations for release). Information about the nature of each offence could only be obtained at disproportionate cost, but it is estimated that between 10 and 15 per cent. of convictions for murder between 1966 and 1982 involved victims aged 16 or under, and that a similar proportion applies to those currently under review by the Parole Board. It does not follow that a similar proportion applies to those released on life licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the modernisation plans being carried out at Holloway prison and make a statement on the effect of the rebuilding upon the comfort of future prisoners.

The modernisation of Holloway has entailed the demolition of all the original buildings and their replacement with a new purpose-built accommodation and facilities. The scheme started in August 1971 and the last of the six main phases is due to be completed in November of this year. The establishment will, when completed, provide modern accommodation with access to much improved sanitation, together with facilities for association, recreation, education and religious activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty' inspectors of constabulary have yet provided him with an estimate of the total cost of policing the recent miners' dispute.

It is not yet possible to make such an estimate. Up to 2 May the Home Office had paid to police authorities in England and Wales advances of police grant, and of the special payment which my right hon. and learned Friend is making available, on expenditure totalling £193·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Surrey as to the cost of policing the Beecham Action Group march from Dorking to Brockham on Saturday 4 May; and if he will make a statement on the substance of the report.

The chief constable of Surrey tells me that the additional cost of policing this march was £6,942.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the establishment of the West Yorkshire police force on 31 March; what was its actual strength on that date; to what reasons he ascribes the difference between the two figures; and if he will make a statement.

The authorised establishment of the West Yorkshire police is 5,154, an increase of 50 since May 1979. The strength of the force was 4,991 on 31 March 1985. Police manpower levels fluctuate from month to month because of different recruiting and wastage patterns, seasonal changes and other local reasons. I understand that there was further recruitment to the force in April 1985, and the present strength is 5,011. The number of full-time civilian staff in the force has increased by 51 to 1,119 since May 1979, including an additional 20 during the past year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 22 April, Official Report, column 323, how many of the cases listed in column 2 of table 2 relate to persons who were first reported missing in previous years.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested is as given in the table.

Persons aged less than 18 recorded as missing by the missing persons bureau of the Metropolitan police*and traced or identified.
	Of which:
	Total traced or identified	First reported missing in current year	First reported missing in previous years
1979	3,220	2,920	300
1980	3,310	3,090	220
1981	2,800	2,470	340
1982	3,460	3,110	360
1983*	3,300	2,860	450
1984†	3,710	3,110	600
* Includes some cases reported missing by police forces other than the Metropolitan police, including overseas forces.
† Excludes cases reported from overseas (37 traced in 1984).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the answer of 22 April, Official Report, column 323, he is able to provide figures under the same heading for the number of missing persons in the current year so far.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that 969 persons aged less than 18 were recorded as missing by the missing persons bureau of the Metropolitan police between 1 January and 30 April 1985. This figure includes some cases reported missing by police forces other than the Metropolitan police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 22 April, Official Report, columns 322–24, what information he has from sources other than the Metropolitan police missing persons bureau about the number of missing persons under the age of 18 years.

Details of vulnerable missing persons are recorded on the police national computer. Such records are maintained for operational purposes only and accurate statistical information could be provided by the system only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will issue guidelines to each police force recommending the establishment and maintenance of an up-to-date register of missing persons under 18 years of age;(2) if he will designate a division within his Department with specific responsibility for monitoring the numbers of missing persons under the age of 18 years;

No. We are satisfied that the police national computer, to which all forces in Great Britain have access, already provides an adequate facility for recording details of missing persons under the age of 18 and of other vulnerable missing persons. Advice on the use and up-dating of information held on the police national computer is issued by the Department: the operational response to this information is, however, a matter for individual chief officers of police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the answer of 22 April, Official Report, column 323, he will provide a breakdown of the missing persons figures in each column of table 2 according to the following age groups: under 14, 14 to 16 and 16 to 18 years.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are currently employed at Defford.

Some 50 Ministry of Defence personnel are employed at the royal signals and radar establishment facility at Defford.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the research or operational activities currently performed at Defford, and for which Government establishment, agency, department, or allied Government they are performed; and if he will make a statement.

The work of royal signals and radar establishment, Defford, is concerned with satellite communications. Research and development is undertaken for the Ministry of Defence. Some work on civil applications is undertaken for the Department of Trade and Industry. Details of operational activities are classified.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library such information and reports on research or operational activities carried out at Defford as may be available.

My Department does not keep records showing what material concerning work carried out at Defford might be available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name the three largest manufacturers of equipment supplied to overseas countries under Overseas Development Administration programmes in each of the last three years, and the cost of such equipment to Overseas Development Administration funds in each of these years.

The Overseas Development Administration does not maintain statistics which show the supply of equipment under the bilateral aid programme broken down by individual British manufacturers.The three largest spending bilateral aid projects in each of the last three years are listed together with the total aid spent and the main British lead contractors involved in project.

	£ million
1982
Mexico-Sicartsa Plate Mill	32·9	Davy Corporation Limited
Sudan— Power III	28·2	Northern Engineering Industries plc
Sri Lanka—Victoria Dam	27·1	Balfour Beatty Ltd./Edmund Nuttall
1983
India-Rihand Power Station	36·3	Northern Engineering Industries plc
Sri Lanka- Victoria Dam	23·1	Balfour Beatty Ltd./Edmund Nuttall
Tanzania-Songea/Makambako Road	20·4	Balfour Beatty Ltd.
1984
India—Riband Power Station	42·2	Northern Engineering Industries plc
India—Balco Power Station	22·3	General Electric Co. plc
Sri Lanka—Victoria Dam	16·0	Balfour Beatty Ltd./Edmund Nuttall

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps he takes to satisfy himself that cereal and foodstuffs are delivered to Sudan, Ethiopia and elsewhere as a result of decisions taken at the EC summit at Dublin, in accordance with his directions; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps are taken by the Overseas Development Administration to ensure that Her Majesty's Government are kept informed of the extent to which European pledges and plans in connection with the current food shortages in Africa have been implemented.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 13 May, at columns 19–20.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he now possesses concerning the quantities of the Community share of the emergency food assistance promised under the Dublin plan which have arrived in Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso;(2) what information was provided at the European Commission's co-ordination meeting

The information available at the co-ordination meeting on 21 February on shipments by the European Community since the Dublin Council, and the most recent information provided by the Commission, are set out in the table. Some deliveries relate to commitments made before the Dublin Council.

All foods, tonnes of wheat or wheat equivalent
	21 February	7 May
	Arived or planned to arrive before end February	Arrived at end April
Ethiopia	61,000	124,000
Sudan	—	31,000
Chad	7,000	22,500
Mali	—	34,000
Mauritania	4,000	8,000
Niger	23,000	38,000
Burkina Faso	5,500	16,500

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he would be willing to send a further observer, on his behalf, to find out and report on how much food and cereals have been delivered, to those who are starving in sub-Saharan Africa, out of the commitments entered into by the Heads of EC Governments at Dublin.

We receive information periodically from the Commission on the amounts of food delivered from European Community programmes and by other member states. We also receive reports on delivers from the relevant international organizations. I see no need to send a further observer although I will continue to monitor progress closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people, including school leavers, are now unemployed or engaged on youth training schemes or similar schemes in the London borough of Lewisham; and what was the comparable figure for June 1979.

On 11 April 1985 the number of unemployed claimants in the London borough of Lewisham was 17,237. About 400 people were being helped by the youth training scheme and about 1,800 were on other Government employment and training measures at the latest available date, although, because of the various bases on which local information is collated, an unknown proportion will be in areas outside the borough.Comparable figures for June 1979 are not available because of changes in the way figures are collected. However, the number registered unemployed in jobcentre areas approximating to the London borough of Lewisham in June 1979 was 5,729.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the contracts with the subject of assignment, awarded to management consultancy firms by his Department in 1984, with the name of the consultants concerned.

The following is a list of contracts awarded in 1984 for management consultancy:

Contract	Consultancy firm
Department of Employment
Development of a Telecommunication Network	Prolog Ltd.
Sizing study for a Retail Price Index Computer System	Pinpoint Ltd.
Sizing study for Departmental Staff Records Computer System	Logica PLC
Computer requirements for Economic and Social Division	Sevenoaks Business System Ltd.
Development of a Mainframe Computing strategy	Yale Data Ltd.
Scrutiny of Legislative and Administrative Burdens	Research Associates
Development of a Management Accounting System	Peat, Marwick and Mitch
Review of the Top Management	Hay/MSL Management
Structure of the Unemployment Benefit System	Consultants
Manpower Services Commission
Focusing The Action in Sheffield (Training Division Management)	Atkins Planning
Implementation of Management Information Systems for the Skillcentre Training Agency	Coopers & Lybrand
Work Measurement in Area Offices	International Management Consultants
Supervacs—Design of Telecommunications Network System	LDR System Ltd.
Financial Management Accounting System II — Evaluation of Data Communications	Taskforce
Applicability & Feasibility of Data Dictionary System within MSC	Arthur Young Associates
Financial Management Accounting System II — Systems Requirement Specification	Price Waterhouse
Financial Management Accounting System II — General Ledger Package for New Accounting System (GL+)	McCormack & Dodge
Spectrum — Head Office Software Enhancement	Data Logic Ltd.
Spectrum—Design of Training Division Area Office Procedural Reports	Simdell Ltd.
To assist MSC in the Database & Systems Design of a Training Information Framework	CACI INC International
To assist MSC in the Database & Systems Design of a Training Information Framework	Prolog Systems Ltd.
Investigation of Business Opportunities for the Skillcentre Training Agency	Marketing Solutions
To Advise on the Launch of the New Technical Access Centres for the Skillcentre Training Agency	Marketing Solutions
Design & Install Market Intelligence System for the Skillcentre Training Agency	Marketing Solutions
Review of Fixed Assets Accounting & Control System	Price Waterhouse
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of unemployed and the rate of unemployment in January and April 1985 in the United Kingdom, France, West Germany and the United States of America, respectively.

Following is the available information. The unemployment figures on national definitions in table 1 are not fully comparable owing to difference in coverage. The OECD standardised rates in table 2 take account of these differences as far as possible.

Table 1 Seasonally—adjusted unemployment—national definitions
000s
	January 1985		April 1985
	Number	Per cent. rate	Number	Per cent. rate
United Kingdom	3,124	12·9	*3,177	*13·1
France	2,444	12·7	†	†
West Germany	2,297	9·2	2,319	9·3
United States of America	8,484	7·4	8,426	7·3
* Provisional.
† Not available.

Table 2 OECD standardised unemployment rates
	*January 1985
United Kingdom	13·5
France	10·2
West Germany	8·2
United States of America	7·3
* OECD standardised rates are not yet available for April 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Northern Ireland Department has responsibility for Londonderry airport; and what public funds are provided to it.

Londonderry airport is operated by the Derry city council in accordance with the terms of the Aerodromes Act (NI) 1971, which is administered by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. Financial support for the purpose of the airport is provided by Deny city council. A capital grant of £31,684 was paid by the Department to the city council for specific airport facilities in 1980.