asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is planning to make any changes to the way in which he consults local government following the judgment in R. v. Secretary of State for Social Services: ex parte AMA.

The written judgment is not available and we would need to consider it thoroughly before commenting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the work of the Agricultural Development Advisory Service is currently devoted to (a) veterinary services, (b) agricultural advice and (c) scientific research; and what are the respective annual costs of each of these activities.

In 1984 the state veterinary service accounted for 31 per cent. of total ADAS manpower at an estimated cost of some £40 millions. Total resources provided by ADAS (including inputs from the state veterinary service) for agricultural advice were 30 per cent. of total manpower at an estimated cost of £39 millions and for research and development were 34 per cent. of total manpower at an estimated cost of £41 millions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations have taken place between him and the European Community Commission on the proposal for mandatory fat labelling; what consideration has been given by him and by the Commission to the labelling of imported food when such labelling comes into force; and if he will make a statement.

A copy of the statement of my right hon. Friend of 12 March—at column 29—was sent to the European Community Commission. Subsequently there have been informal discussions between my officials and Commission officials in Brussels. Since the present proposals would cover food imported from other Member States, this issue has been discussed but no final decisions have yet been made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce a system of food labelling for the purpose of providing a guide for diabetics; and if he will make a statement.

The Food Labelling Regulations 1984 already provide special conditions for the labelling of foods that are claimed as suitable for or specially made for diabetics. I have no plans to introduce a system of food labelling designed to provide a guide for diabetics on foods intended for the general population. But developments on the voluntary nutrition labelling of food are likely to be helpful.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total square footage of warehouse or other storage facilities which has been commissioned by the intervention board for the storage of food surpluses; and what was the comparable amount of storage space commissioned or financed in each of the previous three years.

I regret that this information is not available since storage is measured by the quantities of stocks as given in my answer earlier today, and not by the square foot.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total sum which has been expended by the intervention board for the provision of storage accommodation and related facilities for the housing of food surpluses in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable totals in each of the previous three years.

Storage, handling and related costs were as follows:

	£ million
1980–81	14·1
1981–82	15·5
1982–83	25·9
1983–84	48·6

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of cereals and other surplus foodstuffs, respectively, which are stored in public and private stores, respectively, on the most recent date for which figures are available; and what were the comparable totals in each of the previous three years.

Cereal and other intervention stocks on 31 May of each year were as follows:

million tonnes
Year	Cereals	Other
1982	0·2	0·1
1983	0·9	0·2
1984	0·2	0·3
1985	4·2	0·3

On 31 May of this year 0·4 million tonnes of cereals were held in Government-owned stores. Corresponding figures for previous years are not available and would be disproportionately costly to obtain. Other commodities are stored exclusively on commercial premises.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total sum which has been expended by the intervention board in providing subsidies for the export of surplus foodstuffs to non-European Economic Community countries in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what amount of this total is recoverable from Common Market funds.

Net expenditure on refunds on exports of foodstuffs to third countries, including monetary compensatory amounts, in 1983–84 was £360 million, all of which was prefunded by the EAGGF.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much quota has now been surrendered under the milk outgoers’ scheme; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 May 1985, c. 202]: At 7 June, some 265 million litres of quota had been bought in under the outgoers scheme. Although we have now achieved the two principal objectives of the scheme — to help small producers (those with under 200,000 litres) and to make exceptional hardship awards in full for 1985–86 — we have not yet achieved our overall target of 289 million litres of outgoers’ quota for England and Wales. We have decided therefore that the scheme should be re-opened to enable our target to be reached.The scheme will also now be open to producers who were not themselves in milk production on 2 April 1984 but who have subsequently purchased land with quota and who do not wish to produce milk.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the letter dated 20 May from the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Yeovil.

No; but I am quite happy to place copies of the letter in the Library of the House, and this has been done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to put the pay-as-you-earn system on to a non-cumulative basis and subsequently to put national insurance contributions and pay-as-you-earn calculations into the same joint deduction tables.

The Green Paper on reform of personal taxation, to be published later this year, will discuss a range of possible developments including non-cumulation for PAYE and closer integration between the tax and social security systems.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum received from the European Economic Community in grants or other payments in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how much of this total was in respect of payments made to compensate for subsidies expended by the intervention board for the export of food to non-European Economic Community countries.

The most recent outturn for United Kingdom receipts from the European Economic Community in the calendar year 1984 was £2570 million. This figure includes £528 million for the United Kingdom's agreed refunds. The latest available information is that payments to the Intervention Board for export refunds on agricultural products exported to non-EEC countries during 1984 totalled 666 mecu, or about £390 million when converted at the average ecu/sterling exchange rate for 1984.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make available the final reports of the financial management unit.

Yes. Copies of three reports, Policy Work and the Financial Managment Initiative, Resource allocation in Departments — Role of the Principal Finance Officer, and Top Management Systems Second Report, are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses. They are useful background documents for Members and others who have an interest in Civil Service management matters, and a number of copies can be made available on request.The Government share the approach to policy management which is described in the report on policy work and the financial management initiative and will be considering further how best to take advantage of the useful ideas which are discussed in that report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the administrative costs in percentage terms of collecting value added tax on business of an annual turnover of (a) £25,000 and (b) £27,500.

I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his previous question on 24 May at column 561.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans his Department has to consult non-governmental organisations with expertise in nature conservation and environmental protection about the effects of acid deposition and the environmental responsibilities of the Central Electricity Generating Board.

Policy responsibility for nature conservation and environmental protection rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if Kleinwort Benson, in its rôle as merchant bankers advising the Government on the sale of British Gas, will be permitted to allow its employees to deal in the shares.

N M Rothschilds & Sons Limited, which has been appointed as the Government's merchant bank adviser on the sale of British Gas, has already decided not to allow its employees to apply for British Gas shares.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many Norwegian supply ships are operating in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea oil and gas fields; and how many United Kingdom vessels are operating in the Norwegian sector.

At the 15 May 1985, there were 30 Norwegian flag vessels on charter in the United Kingdom sector. Two British-flagged supply vessels were operating in the Norwegian sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy why it would not be in the national interest to disclose the total amount of plutonium, by isotopic composition, produced in all British magnox reactors owned by the Central Electricity Generating Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board since they were commissioned; and what advantage could be gained by other countries if this information were published.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer at columns 545–46 I gave on 25 January 1985, table 1, footnote (g).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will reconcile the answers given on 2 December 1982, Official Report, columns 244–45, and 1 April 1985, Official Report, column 465, on the provision of plutonium production figures from civil reactors to the relevant safeguards authorities.

The amount of plutonium produced by a nuclear reactor in a particular period is not represented by the amount transferred from the reactor in that period. Some of the plutonium which is produced is retained within the reactor and in storage facilities at the power station. The figures which are reported to Euratom concern transfers and holdings.As I said in my reply of 1 April, the tripartite (United Kingdom /Euratom/IAEA) safeguards agreement does not require CEGB plutonium production figures to be reported.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the occasions when international nuclear safeguards inspectors have been denied access to British nuclear facilities when attempting to apply physical inspection safeguards to civil nuclear materials.

International nuclear safeguards inspectors have never been denied access to British nuclear facilities in the course of their visits to carry out safeguards inspections. They have been informed that access to certain areas within some facilities cannot be permitted on a regular basis for national security reasons.

asked the Attorney-General if the investigation of possible offences in respect of a diary kept by an officer of HMS Conqueror has been completed; and if he will make a statement.

I refer to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 30 November. The Metropolitan police have submitted their report on this matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has concluded that it is not possible for him to institute proceedings against any person on the evidence now available. It is also his view that there is insufficient prospect that further investigations would enable him to come to a different conclusion for it to be in the public interest for him to ask the police to pursue their inquiries any further. I agree with him in all respects.

asked the Attorney-General if he will now prosecute Mr. John Tate for sexual offences with his step-daughter Tania, then aged under 12 years, between 1976 and 1978.

In November 1978 a report concerning such allegations but relating to incidents alleged to have occurred in about 1974 was submitted by the Devon and Cornwall constabulary to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who advised that proceedings should not be instituted. I am satisfied that that decision was correct.

asked the Attorney-General if he will request the Charity Commissioners to institute an inquiry under section 6 of the Charities Act 1960 into the affairs of the International Find a Child Organisation registered in January; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Charity Commissioners are already conducting their own inquiries into this matter. I have asked them to inform me of their conclusions and I will write to my hon. Friend when I have received their report.

asked the Attorney-General how many criminal prosecutions have been initiated by the Director of Public Prosecutions in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The Director of Public Prosecutions rarely exercises his power to institute criminal proceedings, and separate statistics are not collated for such cases. Where the DPP decides to assume responsibility for a prosecution, this is normally done after proceedings have been instituted by the police—whether on their own initiative or acting on advice from the director.The following table sets out for each of the last five years the number of cases concluded in which the DPP assumed responsibility for the prosecution, together with the number of defendants and counts/charges preferred.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the recent visit to Gibraltar by the Minister for Overseas Development.

During my visit from 14–16 May 1985, I had discussions with the Governor, Gibraltar Ministers and members of the Opposition, the chamber of commerce and other Gibraltarians. I saw development projects which we are supporting. I was given an account of the Government of Gibraltar's future development plans and a preliminary assessment of the effect on the economy of restoring direct communications with Spain.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to provide further financial aid to the dependent territory of Gibraltar for the development of tourism; and if he will make a statement.

The bulk of our present development aid grant of £13 million is being spent on infrastructural projects which assist the tourist industry. Within the remaining uncommitted balance of £521,000, further requests for assistance for the development of tourism will be sympathetically considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the distribution of aid in Ethiopia.

A serious shortage of road transport continues to hamper the distribution of relief supplies in Ethiopia. The United Nations Co-ordinator recently estimated that only about 36 per cent. of the monthly food requirement was being distributed. In the northern provinces the continuing hostilities and the difficult terrain add to the problems. I have announced in reply to earlier questions an extension of the RAF airlift in Ethiopia to 30 September, £750,000 for land transportation, and a readiness to provide an additional 10,000 tonnes bilateral food aid.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British aid to Nicaragua.

British aid to Nicaragua consists of a small number of scholarships in the United Kingdom; support for small development projects co-financed with British voluntary agencies; and assistance to Nicaraguan refugees and displaced persons through appeals by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is now taking to extend the work of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development.

We have made clear that we are prepared to contribute the same share of the second replenishment as we contributed to the first. The agreement of the United States is now needed before the replenishment can take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government expect to achieve the 0·7 per cent. gross national product target set by the United Nations for overseas aid.

The Government accept the 0·7 per cent. target in principle, but, like previous Administrations, have set no timetable for achieving it. Progress must depend upon developments in the economy and other claims on resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects were discussed and agreed at the temporary committee of the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation meeting between 16 and 22 April.

The committee discussed reforms in

• Publications and documentation
• Programme evaluation
• Personnel
• Public information
• Organisation of the work of the 23rd session of the general conference
• Decentralisation

and agreed a timetable for their implementation. It prepared a report inviting the executive board to take note of the plan and timetable. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is satisfied with progress towards clarifying the status of Britain's continued membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Our membership is valid until 31 December 1985. We shall then withdraw if we are not satisfied with the progress of the reforms for which we are working with other member states. We shall make a final review of membership after the UNESCO general conference in November.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount of British aid will be provided, directly or indirectly, in the current financial year to assist the Palestinian residents of the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza; through which agencies this aid is being channelled; and what was the total sum for the last financial year.

The aid provision for the current financial year is expected to be as follows:

Agency	£
St. John of Jerusalem ophthalmic hospital	100,000
Co-operation for development	57,000
United Nations Association International Service	39,000
British Council	75,000
Not yet allocated	l93,000
TOTAL	364,000

The equivalent figure for 1984–85 was £240,000.In addition we provided £5 million in 1984–85, and are providing £5 million in 1985–86, to the core budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA). In 1984, 27 per cent. of UNWRA's budget was devoted to the provision of amenities for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and Gaza.The European Community also provides humanitarian aid to Palestinians through UNWRA in the form of food aid and assistance to educational projects. (The community contribution to UNWRA was £16·5 million (United Kingdom share £3·6 million) in 1984 and will be £21·3 million (United Kingdom share £4·9 million) in 1985.) Some of this is used in the West Bank and Gaza. In addition the community assists the Arab populations of the West Bank and Gaza through its programme for nongovernmental organisations, through small-scale rural development projects and by providing scholarships to Palestinian students. These programmes are the responsibility of the Commission and no figures are yet available for 1984 or 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made for him to meet the Ministers of the Organisation of East Caribbean States to review the United Kingdom aid programme; and whether he will seek the views of the Foreign Affairs Committee prior to the meeting.

No such arrangements have been made, although I understand that a request for such a meeting is being prepared by the secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. I will keep the Foreign Affairs Committee informed of developments.I expect to meet some OECS Ministers in Washington on 17 June, where I shall be leading the United Kingdom delegation on the first day of the seventh meeting of the Caribbean Group for co-operation in economic development.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that the European Economic Community budget for 1985 meets the criteria which Her Majesty's Government set in securing agreements to financial discipline at the Fontainebleau summit meeting in 1984; and if she will make a statement.

The decisions taken by the Council in respect of the 1985 budget have been fully consistent with the agreements reached at Fontainebleau.

asked the Prime Minister if she will meet representatives of the Royal College of Midwives to discuss their pay and conditions.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to increase the pay of the midwifery profession in line with the recommendation of the review body and without reductions in expenditure elsewhere in the National Health Service.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Forth) on 6 June at columns 194–96.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Home Office and other Departments on crime prevention.

Co-ordination between the Home Office and other Government Departments on crime prevention was given a fresh impetus through an interdepartmental group established in 1982 at permanent secretary level. Since 1982, the Home Office Standing Committee on Crime Prevention (now the Standing Conference on Crime Prevention) has included represen-tatives of other Government Departments. The Home Office Crime Prevention Unit, established in November 1983, has regard to the interests of other Government Departments as well as the police and local authorities in developing specific crime prevention initiatives.In January 1984 a joint departmental circular to chief executives of local authorities and chief constables encouraged co-ordinated inter-agency crime prevention initiatives at local level.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 20 May,Official Report,columns 273–74, if she will make a statement about the approach made to Portsmouth health authority some two years ago by an official of the Department of Health and Social Security in regard to the contracting out of the managment of a National Health Service hospital to a private company; and if she will list any other centrally promoted schemes of this type instigated since May 1979.

There were some discussions between officials of the Department of Health and Social Security and the administrator of Portsmouth and South East Hampshire health authority in 1983 about the possibility of a private company managing one of the authority's hospitals. It was decided not to proceed.There was nothing unusual about these discussions, which arose as a result of the close interest of Ministers in examining possible options and alternative ways in which the management of NHS hospitals might be improved.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent meeting with Mr. John Smith, chairman of Liverpool Football Club.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement that I made to the House on 3 June at columns 21–33.

asked the Prime Minister what were the net average earnings for each of Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales for each of the last five years, and in each quarter since January 1984.

The information in the following table is based on estimates of weekly earnings for men aged 21 and over in full time work with pay unaffected by absence. Estimates are based on information from the new earnings surveys in April each year.Income tax rates and allowances are those for the financial year immediately following. The figures are for a married man who is assumed to have no reliefs or allowances other than the married man's allowance. National Insurance contributions are at the contracted in rate.Comparable information is not available on a quarterly basis and earnings data for April 1985 will not be available until October 1985.

Weekly earnings after national insurance and income tax
	Scotland	England	Northern Ireland	Wales
	£	£	£	£
April 1980	90·24	91·25	84·35	87·71
April 1981	99·53	100·15	93·11	94·98
April 1982	108·74	108·92	100·96	104·08
April 1983	118·30	118·67	108·17	111·47
April 1984	128·92	129·40	119·71	120·86

asked the Prime Minister if, when she next meets the President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, she will raise the case of Raoul Wallenberg; and if she will make a statement.

I have no present plans to meet a senior member of the Soviet leadership. The office of President has not in fact been filled since Mr. Chernenko's death. It is not our practice to indicate in advance particular cases we may wish to raise with the Russians. However, representations by my hon. Friend and by many other hon. Members on a wide variety of cases are always borne in mind in the preparation of high-level contacts with the Soviet Union.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if she is satisfied with the progress made in implementing the agreement which she concluded with the Prime Minister of the Federated States of Malaya on 4 April on the provision of an additional flight per week between Kuala Lumpur and London; and if she will make a statement; ’ (2) if she has received any indication from the Malaysian Government of their satisfaction with the implementation of the agreement which she concluded with their Prime Minister during her visit to that country in April; and if she will make a statement.

Yes. Dr. Mahathir and I agreed in principle to the additional frequency and that details would be discussed between the two sides. As a first step, British Airways put some detailed proposals to Malaysian Airline System during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 20–21 May. I understand that the Malaysian Government are now proposing talks between Governments.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy that no Government assistance will be given to the publicity work of the International Find a Child Organisation while Mr. John Tate is paid as its leader.

The Government are not contemplating any grant of assistance to the International Find a Child Organisation for its publicity work.

asked the Prime Minister whether she consulted representatives of the Lobby before inviting the British Broadcasting Corporation cameras into the 10 Downing street briefing for editorial correspondents on Tuesday 21 May.

Yes, through my chief press secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to consolidate the powers of the courts to sentence young offenders aged under 21 years.

We have no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Metropolitan police have any plans for the development or introduction of a fully automatic version of the ARWEN 37 weapon.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that he has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors regularly visit laboratories to ensure compliance with cruelty to animals legislation; and whether this is ever done on a spot check basis.

There are 15 inspectors in post who all visit laboratories regularly and usually without prior notice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received asking him to consider extending the periods of time for the receipt of representations on behalf of Tamils seeking refuge in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

We have received representations from four organisations asking for an extension of the period allowed to Members to make representations on Tamil cases. In addition a number of hon. Members have requested additional time to make representations in individual cases and we have been able to agree in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask the chief constable of Wiltshire for a report on the course of events leading up to the arrest of itinerants near Park House roundabout on the A303 and on the disorder which occurred on the evening of Saturday 1 June; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend has been kept fully informed by the chief constable of Wiltshire constabulary about these matters. Police officers under the chief constable's command, drawn from a number of surrounding forces, were seeking to prevent a breach of the peace in connection with injunctions obtained by the National Trust and others to prevent the use of land at Stonehenge by members of the peace convoy.I understand from the chief constable that on 1 June a convey of vehicles, prevented by the police from approaching Stonehenge, entered a field and refused to withdraw from it. The police encountered resistance from certain members of the convoy who were circling the field in their vehicles and ignoring police instructions to stop. Some 550 arrests were made for public order and criminal offences as a result of the day's incident; while it would be inappropriate to comment further on individual cases which are sub judice, we recognise that the police have a difficult task in such circumstances.I further understand that the police have since been taking steps to establish liaison with the peace convoy and to return to their owners vehicles which had earlier been seized in connection with criminal offences. Steps have also been taken to ensure that appropriate assistance is provided by Wiltshire social services department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he intends to have with other Governments to ensure that every assistance is given to the United Kingdom in dealing with political refugees seeking entry to the United Kingdom in large numbers.

We are in regular contact on these matters with other Western European countries and other countries with similar concerns and with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. We do not believe that a separate initiative is called for in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will call for a report from the chief constable concerning the progress of police inquiries in the United Kingdom into the unlawful killing of Petty Officer John Anthony Black in Sabinillas, Spain, on 26 December 1983.

I understand from the chief constable of Hampshire constabulary that inquiries carried out at the request of Her Majesty's Coroner, to whom the police submitted their evidence at the inquest into Mr. Black's death held on 22 and 23 May 1985, are now complete. In the absence of information requested from Spain, no further police action is anticipated for the present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to withdraw travel documents from persons convicted of committing specified categories of offencess abroad or, in addition, at home for a specified period; and if he will introduce legislation to make it an offence for a person to apply for such documents in these circumstances.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions are currently pending concerning alleged offences relating to organised fights between dogs and between dogs and cats; how many people are involved in each; and if he will make a statement.

No information is collected centrally on the number of pending prosecutions, neither do records available to me distinguish offences of organising fights with dogs or cats from other offences under the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what response he is making to the request to him by the conference of the Royal British Legion to reopen cases in which soldiers of world war one have been found guilty of cowardice;(2) if he will assess modern medical evidence which could have a bearing on cases of soldiers convicted of cowardice in world war one.

A reply will be made to the Royal British Legion when the matter has been fully considered in the light of all factors, including modern medical evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he compared the Tucano and PC9 prices for the new RAF basic trainer, and what allowance was made in relation to the price of the Tucano to cover the costs associated with having the Jet Provost in service for longer than was originally planned.

The prices were compared and continuously reviewed throughout the period leading up to the announcement of our decision on 21 March 1985. As the Jet Provost is not required to remain in service for longer than originally planned as a result of the choice of the Tucano, no allowance was made in the price comparison.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Short's contract for the Tucano aircraft requires completion and delivery to full RAF specification standard of two aircraft in the autumn of 1986, 12 by mid-1987 and 24 by the end of 1987.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if investigations have now been completed into circumstances surrounding the discovery of classified defence documents relating to Aldermaston and the Tornado aircraft on a rubbish dump in London; and if he will make a statement.

Investigations into this incident have now been completed and a report is in preparation.The restricted documents in question were all either printed on plastic paper or were microfiche. They were found by two boys at the premises of J. J. Maybanks Limited, which is contractor to HMSO for the disposal of restricted, "in confidence" and unclassified paper waste. The company does not handle more highly classified material.The investigation has indicated that the documents in question should not have been included in the material for disposal by Maybanks, since they were non-pulpable.All Ministry of Defence staff are being reminded about the correct method of disposing of non-paper classified waste and of the need to take all possible steps to avoid a recurrence.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Greenham Common and Molesworth will be key points in the Brave Defender exercise.

I will answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the full costs of (a) building the new plutonium factory at Aldermaston and (b) building the new prototype pressurised water reactor propulsion reactor at Dounreay are included in the previously announced cost of Trident; and if he will make a statement.

No. Both of these facilities are required irrespective of the particular decision on Trident.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has sought, or received, any indication from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' authorities about United States proposals to move toward modernisation of chemical weapons; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Although the Soviet Union has a formidable chemical weapons offensive capability, its representatives at the conference on disarmament in Geneva have made clear their opposition to the United States’ proposed chemical weapons modernisation programme.

asked the Lord Privy Seal who is responsible for the activation of the Division bells of the House.

Division bells within the precincts of the House are activated by the Principal Doorkeeper on duty at the Door of the House, once a Division has been called in the Chamber.

asked the Lord Privy Seal who is responsible for the servicing of the Division bells of the House.

Division bells within the precincts of the House are serviced by the communications manager and his staff. Tests on Division bells are carried out daily before the House sits.

asked the Lord Privy Seal who is responsible for reporting failures in the operation of the Division bells of the House.

It is the responsibility of every individual to report a fault to any Division bell if this comes to his or her notice. The procedure for reporting such faults is clearly set out on every alternate page of the Palace of Westminster telephone directory. The Division bells are tested daily before the House sits.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will designate one of the toilets along the corridor leading to room G01 in the Norman Shaw South building for the use of ladies.

I will ask the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee to examine this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to provide the Gibraltar Government with financial aid to pay the Spanish workers who were employed in Gibraltar before the Spanish blockade the amounts they were due from Gibraltar's social insurance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

This is currently the subject of discussion with the Gibraltar Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his visit to Gibraltar on 7 and 8 June.

This was my first visit to Gibraltar since becoming Foreign Secretary. I was glad to have the opportunity to see Gibraltar for myself and to discuss a wide range of issues with the people whom I met there.I reiterated Her Majesty's Government's commitment to respect the freely and democratically expressed wishes of the people of Gibraltar. I was also heartened to hear about the Gibraltar Government's plans to diversify and strengthen their economy and to develop practical co-operation with neighbouring Spain in a way which would be of benefit to both.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current state of negotiations at Geneva to try to obtain a comprehensive chemical weapons ban.

Progress during the spring session of the conference on disarmament has been slow. On 12 March, I tabled further proposals on monitoring arrangements for non-diversion of certain civil chemicals. Subsequently the United Kingdom delegation submitted proposals for an organisation to implement a chemical weapons convention. But key problems of verification remain unresolved. The conference on disarmament reconvenes on 11 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific details he has received from King Hussein about the reported willingness of the section of the Palestine Liberation Organisation headed by Yasser Arafat to accept United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338; and which Palestine Liberation Organisation leaders have been reported to him by United Kingdom ambassadors as having endorsed publicly the King's statement in Washington of 29 May.

King Hussein has confirmed that, as he stated in Washington he and the Palestine Liberation Organisation are ready to negotiate a peaceful settlement on the basis of pertinent United Nations resolutions, including Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. A PLO spokesman has announced to the press that Mr. Arafat supports the King's stand.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will instruct Her Majesty's ambassador in Madrid to convey to the Spanish Government the findings of the coroner's court in Portsmouth on 23 May that Petty Officer John Anthony Black was unlawfully killed in Spain on 26 December 1983, and to request the Spanish authorities to pursue the case further, with a view to identifying and charging any person or persons responsible for his death.

We are at present waiting for a transcript of the inquest from the solicitors of the family of Petty Officer Black. Her Majesty's embassy in Madrid will be asked to draw to the attention of the Spanish authorities the verdict of the inquest, to ask for their co-operation in reviewing the investigations so far made and to consider what scope there may be for further inquiries into Petty Officer Black's death.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has now received the report of the official observers to the recent elections in El Salvador; and if he will make a statement.

A copy of the report on the elections prepared by Her Majesty's ambassador to El Salvador during the course of his normal functions was placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 23 May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits the United Kingdom military attache to Mexico has paid to (a) El Salvador, (b) Honduras and (c) Guatemala since 1983; what was the purpose of each visit; and what was discussed.

The military attache’ in Mexico City, who is also accredited to El Salvador and Honduras, has made the following visits since 1 January 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a list of documents that have been prepared by his Department for the preparatory committee meetings of the non-proliferation treaty review conference.

The preparatory committee, which has now completed its work, was concerned chiefly with procedural matters. The committee did not request the states parties to prepare documents for its meetings, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not therefore prepare any.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific actions have been taken by Britain in pursuit of its multilateral obligations under article VI of the non-proliferation treaty.

We actively participate in all major multilateral disarmament fora, including the Geneva conference on disarmament, the Stockholm conference on disarmament in Europe, and the Vienna mutual and balanced force reductions talks. We also support the current arms control negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union whose objectives are wholly consistent with the obligations of article VI of the non-proliferation treaty, and have contributed fully to the NATO discussions which led to the withdrawal from Europe in 1980 of 1000 nuclear warheads and will result in the withdrawal of a further 1972 between 1983 and 1988.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the response from the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to representations made by his Department during the last five years about Mr. Raoul Wallenberg; and if he will make a statement.

I raised the case of Mr. Wallenberg with First Deputy Foreign Minister Kornienko in 1983 and in 1984. On the latter occasion he repeated the Soviet position as stated by Mr. Gromyko in 1957: that Mr. Wallenberg died of a heart attack in Lubianka prison in 1947. The case was also raised directly with the Russians by the United Kingdom delegation to the conference on security and co-operation in Europe follow-up meeting in Madrid in 1983, and most recently last month by our delegation to the Ottawa human rights" meeting.

Water authority	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
Northumbrian	131	80	43	65	186	164
North West	1,500	393	239	71	210	253
Severn Trent	1,500	730	2,342	55	739	940
Yorkshire	1	2	5	11	12	25
Anglian	313	950	966	290	161	266
Thames	3,400	4,109	3,195	1,102	1,794	992
Southern	—	—	—	—	—	250
Wessex	—	—	—	—	3	22
South West	20	12	20	81	65	169
Welsh	10	18	3	25	172	148
	6,883	6,294	6,813	1,700	3,342	3,229

Figures for 1979–80 to 1982–83 refer to unmeasured consumers. Those for 1983–84 tol984–85 also include some measured supplies. Comparable figures for the water companies are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the present constitution of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

The Consultative Council on Local Government Finance has no fixed membership nor are there formal terms of reference. I chair the meetings, which are normally held on four occasions each year. Ministerial colleagues from other Government Departments and representatives from the local authority associations attend to discuss all financial matters of

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if the procurator fiscal at Inverness is conducting a full investigation into the circumstances of the death of the constituent of the hon. Member for Glasgow, Central, William Macrae, of Balvicar Drive, Glasgow, fatally injured in an incident near Loch Loyne on 6 April; and if the results of his investigation will be made available to the next of kin.

The procurator fiscal at Inverness has been conducting an investigation into the circumstances of this death. I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report, for each year since 1979, the numbers of households where water supplies have been disconnected, showing where possible the reasons for disconnection.

The information the hon. Member seeks in relation to disconnections due to non-payment of water charges is shown in the table. Information is not available in respect of disconnections for other reasons.concern to central and local government. The usual representation of local authority elected members is as follows:

	Numbers
Association of County Councils	7
Association of Metropolitan Authorities	3
Association of District Councils	7
London Boroughs Association	2
Greater London council	1
Association of London Authorities	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he currently fulfils his statutory obligations to consult the local authority associations.

In accordance with the statutory requirements and by whatever method seems most appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the additional income received by the Ordnance Survey from the recent commercial exploration of its copyright material properly takes into account the capital value of the archive.

I am satisfied that the income from the Ordnance Survey's recent commercial ventures adequately reflects the value of archival material used in them, whilst at the same time reducing the Ordnance Survey's call on Exchequer support.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people pay the domestic rate in the London borough of Waltham Forest.

Information on the number of ratepayers in each authority is not collected centrally. However, at the beginning of 1984–85, there were 84,500 domestic hereditaments in the London borough of Waltham Forest, and about 30,400 rate rebate recipients, only some of whom were in receipt of full rebates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he proposes to make it easier for firms to change the use of commercial premises.

Any change of use which is not material in planning terms, a use ancillary to the main use of a building, or any change of use falling within one of the classes of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1972, does not require a planning application.Amendments to the General Development Order in 1981 permitted a number of further changes to use of commercial buildings without specific planning consent. I have also announced proposals, which would require legislation, to enable planning authorities to grant permissions which would allow for subsequent changes between different uses on a site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is planning to make any changes to the way in which he consults local government following the judgement in R. v Secretary of State for Social Services: ex parte AMA.

The written judgment is not yet available and we would need to consider it thoroughly before deciding whether any changes are needed in the existing procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will -make it his policy not to place before Parliament a special development order for any site for radioactive waste storage until the conclusions are received from the Royal Commission on environmental pollution and the environment committee on radioactive waste storage and disposal.

No. It is important that NIREX proceeds without delay with investigating possible sites for a less deep disposal facility for radioactive wastes and a special development order is required to enable it to do so. The reports of the Environment Committee and the Royal Commission will be available long before any decision is made by NIREX to submit a planning application for actual development of a facility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the cash allocations made under the urban aid programme for the London boroughs for the period 1983–84; to what extent these were taken up; and if he will make a statement.

The allocations to local authorities in London, and the latest estimated outturns are as follows (all £m):

Partnerships	Allocation	Estimated outturn*
Hackney	11·00	12·40
Isllington	10·35	10·50
Lambeth	13·50	12·55
Docklands	8·00	6·40

Programmes	Allocation	Estimated outturn*
Brent	1·58	1·58
Hammersmith and Fulham	5·63	5·43
Tower Hamlets	1·78	1·78
Wandsworth	1·60	1·74

Other Designated Districts†	Allocation
Ealing	1·22
Greenwich	0·80
Haringey	1·38
Lewisham	1·00
Newham	0·82
Southwark	0·82
Barking and Dagenham	0·04
Barnet	0·17
Bexley	0·04
Bromley	0·004
Camden	0·15
Croydon	0·08
Enfield	0·04
Harrow	0·02
Hounslow	0·34
Kensington & Chelsea	0·53
Merton	0·19
Redbridge	0·06
Sutton	0·02
Waltham Forest	0·31
Westminster	0·08
City of London	0·01
GLC	0·29
ILEA	0·24
* Includes additional allocatons made during the year.
† Individual outturns for other designated districts (ODDs) and the traditional urban programme (TUP) are not available; ODD figures include approvals made under TUP.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what alterations he is considering to the system of water rates for charging for services provided by water authorities to domestic consumers.

No changes in section 30 of the Water Act are under consideration. This section gives to water authorities the power to fix such charges as they see fit subject to its provisions. All authorities make available the option of a meter to domestic consumers as an alternative to charges based wholly or partly on rateable value. A joint study of the possible extension of domestic metering is in progress. In responding to the study's findings the Government will also take account of any relevant proposals emerging from the review of local government finance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentages of nitrogen oxide emissions in the United Kingdom are calculated by his Department to have originated in oil refineries in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available; and what forecasts his Department has made of such emissions.

The percentage of United Kingdom nitrogen oxide emissions originating from oil refineries were as follows:

Year	Percentage
1974	3
1975	2
1976	3
1977	2
1978	2
1979	2
1980	2
1981	2
1982	2
1983	2

These figures are available from my Department's Digest of Environment Protection and Water Statistics No. 7, 1984. Figures for earlier years are not available.Specific forecasts of emission levels are not available, but I am not aware of any reason to expect that nitrogen oxide emissions from oil refineries will increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what distinction his Department makes between total hydrocarbon emissions including gas leakage, and that fraction of emissions considered to be reactive in giving rise to ozone in photochemical reactions; and if he will give figures for the emission of reactive hydrocarbons in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available.

Hydrocarbons emitted because of gas leakage are all essentially non-reactive. In 1983 (the latest year for which figures are available) these accounted for 64 per cent. of total emissions. Scientific knowledge about the types of hydrocarbons emitted from other sources, and their degree of reactivity in each case, is not sufficiently advanced to provide realistic estimates of the percentage of the remainder which give rise to ozone in photochemical reactions. Figures for total estimated hydrocarbon emissions, however, are published in my Department's Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics, No. 7, 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in the Official Report on a monthly basis the number of new registrations and the number of renewals of registration under the tenants exchange scheme during the year ended 31 March.

Numbers of registrations and renewals under the tenants exchange scheme, in each month in the twelve months to 31 March 1985, are as follows:

	New Registrations	Renewals
1984
April	1,819	*
May	2,416	*
June	3,660	1,210
July	3,733	1,671
August	3,653	1,715
September	4,501	1,853
October	3,097	1,460
November	2,911	608
December	2,408	1,395
1985
January	2,067	138
February	3,042	2,509
March	4,313	1,945
*Records of renewals have only been kept since June 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the tenants exchange scheme to the Exchequer for the year ended 31 March.

The cost to the Exchequer of running the tenants exchange scheme for the financial year 1984–85 was £150,102·93 inclusive of VAT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 23 May, Official Report, column 503, when he expects the review of the method of calculation of sulphur emissions from oil refineries to be completed; and what plans there are to publish it.

I expect the method of calculation to be reviewed in time for any revised factor to be used in calculation of sulphur dioxide emissions from oil refineries during 1984. This figure will be published in the 1986 edition of my Department's Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics. That publication will, as usual, carry an explanation of the method of calculation used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate what percentage of ozone formed by reaction between nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in the United Kingdom is (a) due to vehicle emissions, (b) due to oil refinery emissions and (c)due to other emissions or natural sources.

No. The information on which to base such estimates is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 23 May, OfficialReport, column 503, if he will list those water supply zones in which aluminium levels in water supplies exceed the limit of 0·2 mg per litre on the basis of a three-monthly average, and give the maximum recorded values in each case.

I do not have the detailed information about Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, or maximum recorded values. The water supply zones in England where aluminium levels currently exceed 0·2 mg per litre on a three-monthly average are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest have been renotified since 1981; and how many remain to be renotified.

Of the 4,085 sites previously notified under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, the Nature Conservancy Council had renotified 1,476 under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as at 30 April 1985. A further 46 sites which have lost their special interest have been denotified. Approximately 2,500 sites remain to be renotified. By 30 April 1985 the Nature Conservancy Council had also notified 518 of 1,797 new sites identified as meriting SSSI status, thus leaving some 3,800 sites outstanding. For these, the NCC currently estimates that the renotification programme will have been substantially completed by the end of 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet in a position to determine the appeal by Milton Hutchings Ltd. and Costain Homes against the refusal of the London borough of Hillingdon to grant planning permission for development on Pield Heath nurseries; and if he will make a statement.

I am still in the process of clarifying the issues raised in this complex matter. I cannot comment on those issues at this stage in the appeal process.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to identify suitable members of each residuary body; whether the posts will be advertised; and what salaries or fees will be paid.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for En field, Southgate (Mr. Portillo) on 5 June, at columns 163–65. The posts will be filled in accordance with the normal procedures for making appointments to statutory bodies. Remuneration will be on a similar basis to that for other broadly-analogous public body appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what charges will be made upon the Contingencies Fund in connection with the setting up of the residuary bodies.

A sum not exceeding the provision contained in Supply Estimates for 1985–86, class VIII, vote 5, subhead A2(8).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of expenditure he envisages by the residuary bodies prior to their finally being established.