asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used to determine the current level of aid to (a) Costa Rica and (b) Nicaragua; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the proposal from the European Economic Community for an increase in aid to Nicaragua.

A number of factors are taken into account, including available resources, relative wealth and aid from other donors. In the case of Costa Rica a large part of our bilateral aid is used to support the Central American school of husbandry, a regional institution. There is no European Community proposal for an increase in aid to Nicaragua. We support an increase in Community aid to Central America as a whole. Detailed proposals are now being considered.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average time defendants committed for trial in the Northern Ireland courts wait before their case is heard; and what is the corresponding figure for each year to date since and including 1969.

Statistics in the form requested by my hon. Friend have only been collected since 1979 when my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor became responsible for the administration of the courts in Northern Ireland.The average time between committal for trial in the Northern Ireland courts and arraignment is currently 11 weeks. The corresponding figures for each year since 1979 are as follows:

	Weeks
1979	13
1980	8
1981	8
1982	9
1983	11
1984	11

The interval between arraignment and the commencement of the trial proper varies from one week to, in exceptional cases, over two years depending on the complexity of the case and the availability of counsel of the defendant's choice.

asked the Attorney-General if, pursuant to the answer of 4 June, Official Report, column 113, he was consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions before the Director reached his decision not to prosecute in connection with allegations of attempted bribery and corruption in connection with the Cartmel and Furness local plan; and if he will make a statement.

I was not consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list and decribe the steps taken by his Department pursuant to recommendation 10 of the report of the advisory group chaired by Sir Douglas Black on the incidence of cancers in the vicinity of nuclear installations in the north-west of England.

My right hon. Friend's responsibility for authorising the disposal of radioactive waste is shared with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, and I have nothing to add to the reply he gave to the hon. Member yesterday.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that the advisory committee on pesticides is wholly independent in its membership from the agrochemical industry.

Great care is already taken to ensure that the chairman and members of the advisory committee on pesticides, and its scientific sub-committee, are independent of all sectional interests, including the agrochemical industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will describe the content and occasions of a declaration of interest being required of a member of the advisory committee on pesticides; and if he will publish the declarations of interest made by the present members;(2) whether the declarations of interest required of a member of the advisory committee on pesticides cover research work commissioned or funded by agrochemical companies or trade associations at laboratories under the control or direction of the member; and if he will make a statement.

On appointment to the advisory committee on pesticides members are required to read and sign the following declaration:

"I have no commercial interest which might make it undesirable for me to receive confidential trade information included in Advisory Committee papers. I also undertake to inform the Department of Education and Science should I acquire such an interest in the future.

I will not divulge the commercial proposals of the firms and confidential experimental data contained in such papers to those outside the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and its Subcommittees."

It is intended that when the committee becomes a statutory body members will continue to be asked to sign a declaration of independence from commercial pesticide interests. We are reviewing the text of the declaration with our legal advisers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that, throughout their service, present and past members of the advisory committee on pesticides, having a connection with an agrochemical company or trade association have maintained a level of objectivity consistent with their status as committee members; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware that any past or present members of the advisory committee have, while serving the committee, been connected with an agrochemical company or trade association.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the range of expertise of the membership of the advisory committee on pesticides; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the range of expertise of the current advisory committee on pesticides is appropriate for the duties presently laid upon it. In view of the proposals to extend the existing safety screening system to include efficacy and humaneness, we are reviewing the composition of the committee to see if additional experts will be required for the future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give a list of the privately owned stores in Lincolnshire where the intervention board has arranged to hold wheat at any time in the last 12 months for more than seven days.

During the last 12 months stocks of intervention wheat have been held in the following commercial stores in Lincolnshire:

• Ancaster
• Boston
• Colsterworth
• Gainsborough (2)
• Grantham
• Heighington
• Horncastle
• Ingham
• Lincoln (2)
• Navenby
• Skegness
• Sleaford
• Swinderby

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tonnes of wheat are held by the intervention board at the last convenient date.

On 31 May there were 3·2 million tonnes of wheat in intervention stores in the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the maximum number of tonnes of (a) wheat, (b) barley and (c) other cereals held by the intervention board in privately owned stores.

Maximum intervention stocks of wheat, barley and rye, respectively, held in commercial stores in the United Kingdom, have been 2·9 million tonnes (May 1985), 900,000 tonnes (January 1983) and 300 tonnes (February 1981).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future provision of his Department's veterinary advisory and research facilities in Devon and Cornwall, with specific reference to any changes in their functions, responsibilities and location.

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton (Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop) on 15 April 1985, I have accepted the main thrust of the recommendations of the recent efficiency study of the veterinary investigation service which bear on the functions and responsibilities of this service. As regards location, the recommendation that the veterinary investigation centres at Starcross and Truro should be replaced by a new centre at Launceston is the subject of one of a number of cost appraisals now being carried out. When I have the results of these appraisals and I have completed consideration of the views of the outside interests which have been submitted. I will make a further announcement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which laboratories within his Department, or within bodies for which he is responsible, have had their research budgets reduced in the current financial year; what is the financial value of the reduction; what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total work carried out in the laboratory; and which of the laboratories for which he is responsible are being considered for privatisation.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek to amend the rota for oral questions in such a way that questions to the right hon. Member answering for the Church Commissioners and questions to the Paymaster General share a block of 10 minutes every three weeks, with each alternating in priority over the other.

At this stage in the Session such alterations as my hon. Friend suggests are best left until the summer recess, when the current Session's arrangements will in any event be assessed with a view to preparing next year's questions roster. I shall, however, give due consideration to my hon. Friend's suggestions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many children under the age of five years in Wales receive bi-lingual nursery education; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many chief nursing officer posts in health authorities in Wales have been abolished; if he will list them in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

None, though the roles of chief administrative nursing officers in Wales, in common with those of other chief officers, will not necessarily remain unchanged following the introduction of the general management function.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department will publish the report of the "All Wales Strategy for Elderly People".

We hope to publish a consultation paper on the care of the elderly in Wales later this summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales suffered from dysentery in each of the years from 1979 to 1984, inclusive; what is the latest figure for 1985; and if he will make a statement.

The number of cases of dysentery formally notified in Wales in each year since 1979 is as follows. The number of original notifications received in 1985 up to and including the week ending 7 June was 275. These notifications may be subject to correction.

Cases of dysentery formally notified in Wales
Year	Number
1979	41
1980	42
1981	46
1982	48
1983	58
1984	134

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the relevant age groups of Welsh children currently receive pre-school education in each Welsh county; and what was the percentage for 1979, 1980 and 1984, respectively.

The numbers of full-time and part-time pupils aged under five years of age at maintained nursery and primary schools, expressed as a percentage of the total three and four-year-olds age group, are as follows. Figures for 1984 are the latest available.

Per cent.
	1979	1980	1984
Clwyd	57	59	72
Dyfed	61	62	64
Gwent	61	63	67
Gwynedd	58	60	64
Mid Glamorgan	72	73	75
Powys	53	59	61
South Glamorgan	55	53	54
West Glamorgan	85	88	88

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) job losses, (b) job gains and (c) factory closures there have been in Wales in the first five months of 1985; and how many there were in each case for the first five months of 1984.

Information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends to take any action in relation to the attempt to place exports from the United Kingdom by Systime plc under the control of a foreign power; and if he will make a statement.

The export of goods from the United Kingdom by any company is subject to control by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under United Kingdom law as set out in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1981, as amended.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the projects that the United Kingdom companies have undertaken with support from the aid and trade provisions since 1979.

The projects that United Kingdom companies have undertaken with support from the aid and trade provision since 1979 are as follows:

Country	Project
Bangladesh	Combined Cycle Plant
Belize	Telecoms
Bolivia	Mineral Concentrators
Botswana	Morupule Power Station Turbines
Botswana	Morupule Coal, Ash Handling Plant
Brazil	Coal Mining Training
Brazil	Seinne Net Winch
Brazil	Jacui Power Station
Burma	Jute Mill Expansion
Burma	Pharmaceutical Plant
Burma	Marine Diesel Engines
Burma	Jute Carpet Backing
Burma	Bridge
Burma	Gas Turbines
Burma	Outboard Propulson Units
Caribbean	HS 748 Aircraft
Colombia	Bridges
Colombia	Mine Safety Training
Colombia	Ch Bridges Extension
Cyprus	Dhekelia B Power Station
Ecowas	Viability Consultancy
Egypt	Electricity Generation
Egypt	Draglines/Irrigation
Egypt	Switchgear
Egypt	W Sebaeya Fertilizer Plant
Egypt	Maghara Coal Mine
Egypt	El Omoun Drain
Egypt	Draglines
Honduras	Aguan Valley Study
India	Super Thermal Power Plant
India	Amlori Coal Mine

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the adjustments made for tariffs in arriving at the figures in column 2 of table S-3 of the annual supplement number 6 to the monthly review on external trade statistics.

The adjustment factors (multiplicative) are:

	Adjustment factors (multiplicative)
1970	0·996
1971	0·999
1972	0·998
1973	1·002
1974	0·989
1975	0·993
1976	0·998
1977	0·999
1978	0·999
1979	0·998
1980	1·000
1981	0·999
1982	0·999
1983	1·000

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to Japan within the last 12 months on the subject of non-tariff trade barriers, including its continued requirement involving the LD50 test on certain goods ; and if he will make a statement.

The Government welcome and encourage the replacement of LD50 tests by other forms of acute toxicity test wherever possible. Over the last year, Ministers have on several occasions made clear their wish to see the early removal of Japanese non-tariff trade barriers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the light of the proposed closure of the viscose plant of Courtaulds plc, at Greenfields, he will make representations to the EEC Commission for the urgent introduction of tariffs and for quotas on imports of viscose from India.

No. There were no imports from India last year of viscose staple fibre and tow (the product produced at the Courtaulds viscose plant at Greenfield).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tourists visited Britain (a) in each year since 1981 and (b) in 1985 to date.

This information was published in the article on pages 450 and 451 of British Business, 7 June 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the financial contribution to the economy of the tourist industry in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

The tourist industry had a turnover of over £10 billion in 1984, making it one of the United Kingdom's most important industries. It is estimated that in 1983 around 1 million jobs were supported, directly and indirectly, by expenditure on tourism. Estimates of expenditure by overseas residents while in the United Kingdom, and expenditure on domestic tourism in Great Britain are as follows:

	*Expenditure by overseas residents in United Kingdom	†Expenditure on domestic tourism in Great Britain
	£ millions	£ millions	Total £millions
1982	3,168	4,500	7,668
1983	3,651	5,350	9,001
1984	4,169	5,980	10,149
Notes:
* International Passenger Survey; Balance of Payments Travel Account figures. They exclude fares paid to British carriers for travel to and from the United Kingdom but include expenditure by overseas residents on day trips to the United Kingdom, other than those made across the Northern Ireland land border.
† British Home Tourism Survey, commissioned by the English Tourist Board on behalf of the British Tourist Authority and national tourist boards. The survey is designed to cover all trips away from home lasting one night or more by British people for all purposes except boardine and semi-permanent education. The figures do not, therefore, cover expenditure on day-trips.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the British Steel Corporation's corporate plan; and when it will be published.

Now that the effects of the miners strike can be assessed, BSC has resumed its normal corporate planning processes, and it will submit a plan to the Government as soon as it has completed it. I have no plans to publish it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which laboratories within his Department have had their research budgets reduced in the current financial year; what is the financial value of the reduction; what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total work carried out in the laboratory; and which of his laboratories are being considered for privatisation.

None of my Department's laboratories have had their research budgets reduced in this financial year and none are currently being considered for privatisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the average expenditure on books and periodicals per student in university libraries and the comparable figures for each year since 1978–79 in (a) cash terms, (b) real terms using 1984–85 prices, (c) using an index of 100 for 1978–79 and (d) in real terms taking into account the retail prices index for books.

The average expenditure on books and periodicals per student in university libraries is as follows:

Academic Year	Cash per student	Real terms*	Index of col. 2	Using RPI†January 1985 prices
	£	£		£
1978–79	55·40	96·3	100·0	123·1
1979–80	58·65	85·4	88·7	113·2
1980–81	64·55	81·0	84·1	99·6
1981–82	66·85	77·3	80·3	88·9
1982–83	76·34	83·2	86·4	90·0
1983–84‡	86·48	90·5	94·0	95·5
* Using GDP deflator with the 1984–85 academic year as the base year.
† Using RPI for books, newspapers and periodicals: cash figures from column 1 revalued to January 1985 prices.
‡ provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the age participation rate in education for the under-fives expressed as a percentage of the two, three and four-year-old age group.

The percentages of children aged two, three and four years in England in January 1984 attending maintained nursery and primary schools were 4 per cent., 30 per cent. and 73 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the number of nursery schools has been reduced between 1980 and 1984.

Local education authorities have discretion as to the form and extent of provision they make for under fives. The 5 per cent. reduction in the number of nursery schools between 1980 and 1984 has been more than offset by a 17 percent. increase in the number of primary schools with nursery classes and overall numbers of pupils attending nursery schools or classes either full or part time, have increased by 20 per cent. Among the possible reasons for this, nursery classes are often considered to offer more effective links with continuing primary education and are less expensive to establish and maintain than separate nursery schools; falling rolls have offered opportunities for economical adaptation of surplus primary accommodation appropriately for this purpose; and distribution of nursery education in classes at a number of primary schools will often make it more readily accessible than if the same number of places were concentrated in a single nursery school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present per pupil expenditure on books and on equipment in (a) primary schools, (b) special schools and (c) secondary schools; and what are the comparable figures for each of the last five years, in cash terms and real terms using 1984–85 prices and using an index of 100 for 1979–80.

The average expenditure per pupil by local education authorities in England, in cash and in 1984–85 real terms, on books and equipment in each of the five years to 1983–84, the latest year for which actual figures are available, is set out in the table.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he proposes to ensure that members of the Professional Association of Teachers are to be involved in consultation on superannuation issues.

My right hon. Friend is required to consult representatives of local education authorities and of teachers and of such other persons as appear to him to be appropriate before making regulations under the Superannuation Act 1972. Because the teachers superannuation working party does not include all relevant interests, my right hon. Friend does not regard its deliberations as fulfilling his duty and accordingly he consults separately with the Professional Association of Teachers and certain other bodies not represented on the working about proposed new and amending regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the level of financing of the Medical Research Council.

The information which follows supplements my answer of 14 February to the hon. Member's earlier question on this subject, at column 221.The level of financing of the Medical Research Council for the years 1981–82 to 1987–88 is set out in the table which shows (i) the Medical Research Council's grant-in-aid for the years 1981–82 to 1985–86 and the amounts provisionaly recommended by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils for 1986–87 and 1987–88, in cash terms; and (ii) the Medical Research Council's grant-in-aid expressed as a percentage of the science budget.

	MRC's grant in aid	Science budget
	Cash terms £ million	Cash terms £ million	MRC Per cent.
1981–82	101·7	451	22
1982–83	107·5	482	22
1983–84	113·7	516	22
1984–85	117·2	550	21
1985–86 (estimated)	122·3	584	21
1986–87 (provisional)*	125·0	599	21
1987–88 (provisional)*	128·3	613	21
* Subject to revised advice by the ABRC later in 1985 (for 1986–87) and in 1986 (for 1987–88).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which laboratories within his Department, or within bodies for which he is responsible, have had their research budgets reduced in the current financial year; what is the financial value of the reduction; what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total work carried out in the laboratory; and which of the laboratories for which he is responsible are being considered for privatisation.

Although the Department does not directly support any laboratories, my right hon. Friend is responsible for allocating grant-in-aid to the five research councils. Within the sums available to them, it is for the councils to decide on the level of funding for their laboratories, institutes and units, taking into account their overall scientific priorities.I understand that in cash terms the allocations for 1985–86 (including capital as well as recurrent in some cases) fall short of the outturn figures for 1984–85 as shown in the table:

Research council	Total institutes, units, and laboratories	Number where there is a cash shortfall
AFRC	28	8
MRC	58	None
NERC	13	3
SERC	4	3

There is no meaningful way of comparing the cash amounts as between one year and another, or of expressing the reductions as percentages of the work carried out. This is because the figures conceal, variously, the effects of major capital programmes nearing completion, variations in income for commissioned research, and fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates.I am not aware that the councils have any specific plans for privatising any of their laboratories.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will detail the number, percentage and value of alpha grants rejected by each research council responsible to his Department, listing the data for each council separately for the financial year 1984–85.

The information for the Agricultural and Food Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Science and Engineering Research Council is listed for the financial year 1984–85:

	Research Council
	AFRC	NERC	SERC
Number of alpha-rated grants rejected	93	115	517
Number rejected as percentage of all alpha-rated grant applications	47	47	24
Value of unfunded alpha-rated grants	*	*	*
*Not available, because not all the successful alpha-rated grant applications were funded to the extent requested by the applicant.

The Economic and Social Research Council no longer categorises research grant applications into alpha and other categories.The Medical Research Council gears its award years to academic years, and hence its figures for 1984–85 will not be available until August. In the academic year 1983–84, the MRC rejected 199 (29 per cent.) alpha-rated applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what allocations have been made under the selective scheme he announced on 12 November 1984 to improve laboratory and equipment provision in university centres of research.

I understand that the University Grants Committee, after taking account of advice from a selection committee chaired by the president of the Royal Society, has decided to allocate the £4 million of additional equipment grant available for the financial year 1985–86 to the following research groups:

	£
Professor E. Ash, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College, London	439,000
Professor A. R. Battersby, Organic Chemistry, Cambridge	472,000
Professor T. L. Blundell, Protein Engineering, Birkbeck College	545,000
Professor W. J. Brammar, Biochemistry, Leicester	366,000
Professor A. Broers, Engineering, Cambridge	463,000
Professor R. J. Donovan, Physical Chemistry, Edinburgh	326,000
Professor A. R. Fersht, Chemistry, Imperial College, London	440,000
Sir Peter Hirsch, Metallurgy, Oxford	451,000
Professor R. Parsons, Electrochemistry, Southampton	403,000

In addition, an interim grant of £95,000 will be made jointly to Professors M. D. Lilly and P. Dunnill, chemical and biochemical engineering, University College, London.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library a report on his Department's response to the financial management initiative; and if he will make a statement.

I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses copies of a report "The Financial Management Initiative: Response of the Department of Education and Science". This report outlines the Department's objectives, its top management system and arrangements for policy review and development, its financial management information system and related cost centres, the measures being taken to improve value for money within the education service, the development of performance measures in education, and the available specialist personnel and training programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet received the report of the review group into United Kingdom participation in high energy particle physics; and if he will make a statement.

		Hypothetical estimated reduction in total number of arts and humanities places
		Across All Higher Education (Great Britain)	In Universities (Great Britain)	In the public Sector of Higher Education (Great Britain)
To achieve a 1 per cent. rise in the output of science	Nos(000s)	2·05	1·38	0·67
(excluding medicine) and engineering graduates	Per cent.	0·9	1·2	0·6
To achieve a rise of 100 science graduates	Nos	180	180	180
	Per cent	0·1	0·2	0·2
To achieve a rise of 1,000 science graduates	Nos	1,760	1,760	1,760
	Per cent.	0·7	1·5	1·5

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the different stages of decommissioning and dismantling a civil nuclear power station installation.

The operations involved in the management and dismantling of redundant nuclear facilities are now generally termed decommissioning. A standard terminology has been adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency to describe three main stages in decommissioning nuclear facilities, namely:

The review group, under the chairmanship of Sir John Kendrew has now reported to the chairmen of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils and the Science and Engineering Research Council. I am arranging for copies of the report to be placed today in the Libraries of both Houses. I expect advice from the SERC and the ABRC on this subject later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the reduction in (a) the number and (b) the percentage of arts and humanities student places in higher education required to achieve a net increase in the output of science and engineering graduates of (i) 1 per cent. (ii) 100 and (iii) 1,000 assuming that student numbers and expenditure on higher education remain constant overall for (x) higher education as a whole, (y) polytechnics and (z) universities.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1985, c. 338–40]: The information there provided was not in the form indicated in the question. The information in that form is as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of decommissioning and dismantling (a) the Dounreay fast reactor and (b) the Windscale advanced gas-cooled reactor; and how many years will elapse in each case before clearance to a green field state.

Stage 1 of the Dounreay fast reactor decommissioning programme will be completed in about one year. All the secondary circuit sodium-potassium alloy coolant has been removed, treated and disposed of and all radioactive facilities outside the containment sphere, with the exception of the fuel storage pond, have also been dismantled and removed. There are no firm plans at present to take decommissioning beyond stage 1.Defuelling of the Windscale AGR was completed in 1983. Preparations for decommissioning the reactor and associated nuclear plant, including the heat exchangers, are now in an advanced stage of planning and will start in 1989. Current plans envisage clearance of the site to stage 3 by 1995; non-radioactive facilities and services buildings will be retained for future use. The project is being undertaken as a demonstration which will provide valuable experience in support of the decommissioning of reactors in the UK civil nuclear power programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy which laboratories within his Department, or within bodies for which he is responsible, have had their research budgets reduced in the current financial year; what is the financial value of the reduction; what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total work carried out in the laboratory; and which of the laboratories for which he is responsible are being considered for privatisation.

Department of Energy funding of nuclear R and D carried out by the United Kingdom atomic Energy Authority is estimated at £189·6 million (cash) for 1985–86, compared with £196·2 million (cash) in 1984–85. This reduction of £6·6 million represents under 2 per cent. of the total work expected to be carried out by the authority in 1985–86; it will be made up in part by increased contributions from the electricity generating boards. There are no plans to privatise the authority.Questions about the R and D programmes of the nationalised energy industries are for the chairmen of those industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment for what reasons delivery of new application forms for the job release scheme to jobcentres in the Manchester area is being delayed.

Application forms to join the scheme before 1 August 1985 have been available from all jobcentres since late March. The application procedure for those applying to join on or after 1 August has been simplified so that they need apply only three weeks before their proposed start date, and not eight weeks as at present. Thus, under the new procedure, applications need not be submitted until 11 July for those wanting to join the scheme on 1 August. Application forms will be available in jobcentres within the next week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the enterprise allowance to married women who wish to start up a new business.

The rules of the scheme make married women eligible on the same basis as all other applicants.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what amount, expressed in pounds sterling and as a percentage of total spending, was expended on the Health and Safety Executive's Agricultural Inspectorate in each of the last 10 years.

The figures available are:

Year	Total spending on the Health and Safety Executive	Agricultural Inspectorate budget
	£000s	£000s
1984–85	90,360	3,411
1983–84	85,668	3,342
1982–83	80,228	3,291
1981–82	72,580	2,746
1980–81	69,918	2,454
1979–80	55,877	2,008

The Agricultural Inspectorate's budget covers expenditure and salaries and so on, travel and subsistence, permanent transfer expenses, and training and conferences. It does not include spending on common services, such as premises costs, research, information services, capital building and equipment and so on.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of farm safety inspectors in each of the last 10 years and the most current figure.

Responsibility for farm safety was transferred to the Health and Safety Commission in 1977. Numbers of agricultural inspectors in post at 1 June each year were:

	Number
1977	190
1978	188
1979	190
1980	185
1981	176
1982	165
1983	159
1984	154
1985	161

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received in the last five years, regarding the banning of the chemical 2,4,5-T; and if he will make a statement.

A number of representations advocating the banning of the chemical 2,4,5-T have been received in the last five years. They included those from the trades unions such as "How Many More" produced by the Agricultural and Allied 'Workers National Trade Group. All such representations are considered in detail by the Government's Advisory Committee on Pesticides. The committee considerwd the latest evidence on the safety of phenoxy acid herbicides, which include 2,4,5-T, in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what research his Department has conducted into the possible harmful effects of the chemicals 2,4.5-T and 2,4-D;(2) what international research is available to his. Department on the possible harmful effects of the chemicals 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D.

The Advisory Committee on Pesticides published an initial review on the safety of the herbicide 2,4,5–T in March 1979 and later reviews in December 1980 and January 1983. The reviews take account of national and international research including investigations carried out by the Health and Safety Executive. Copies of the reports are in the House of Commons Library. The Health and Safety Executive continues to keep in touch with national and international research on this topic.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has had alleging possible harmful effects of the chemical 2,4–D.

A number of representations have been received about the possible harmful effects of phenoxy acid herbicides, which include the chemical 2.4–D. All such representations are considered in detail by the Government's Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce his draft modifications into the north-east Hampshire structure plan and to publish the report of the panel which conducted the examination in public into that plan.

My right hon. Friend intends shortly to publish proposed modifications to the submitted alteration to the north-east Hampshire structure plan, together with the report of the panel which conducted the examination in public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the House Builders Federation in connection with the stage 1 alterations into the north-east Hampshire structure plan subsequent to the completion of the examination in public on 6 July 1984; and whether he intends to take those representations into account in the draft modifications he proposes to make to the plan.

My right hon. Friend received no representations about the alterations from the House Builders Federation following the examination in public.He is aware that, in the week following the examination, the House Builders Federation wrote to the chairman of the panel who, in the last session on housing issues, had offered to take account of any further, written comments from participants on circular 15/84 which was published during the examination.My right hon. Friend is considering the panel's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received the report of the panel which conducted the examination in public into the north-east Hampshire structure plan held between 3 and 6 July 1984 at Farnborough, Hampshire.

The report was received in my Department on 26 October 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the occasions on which his group of experts on nitrate in water have met; and what action they have proposed should be taken.

The nitrate co-ordination group has met four times so far: 14 January, 12 March, 19 April and 10 June. There have also been meetings of subgroups. Further meetings are planned and the group will be preparing a report later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has approved any exemption from the European Economic Community directive on nitrate concentration in drinking water.

No decisions have yet been taken on any applications for derogations from the maximum nitrate concentration set down in the EC directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the guidelines to owners and occupiers of homes that fall within the definition of the Housing Defects Act 1984.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) on 13 June 1985 at columns 524–25.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he is giving to local authorities on the payment of reinstatement grants for the repair of Orlit houses without their being approved under the method of repair scheme being discussed between his Department, the National Housing Building Council and the Building Societies Association.

Before local authorities can give a reinstatement grant for the repair of any type of house designated under the Housing Defects Act, they must be satisfied, among other things, that the repaired house would be likely to be mortgageable in the private sector. The scheme arranged by the National House Building Council is intended to provide an assurance that building societies will be prepared to lend, subject to their usual conditions, on houses repaired according to methods approved under that scheme. But there is nothing to prevent an authority seeking similar assurance from private sector lending institutions direct, in respect of any method of repair.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the report by the Greater London council on the condition of the Heysel stadium, Brussels, a copy of which has been sent to him.

I have yet to receive a copy of this report. I shall write to the hon. Member when I do.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been made of the likely effects on the property valuation for rating purposes at county level in England and Wales of a rating revaluation for the class of the property on the Inland Revenue return CVR 7140.

No assessment on a county by county basis has been carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many replies he received to his letter of 17 April regarding discussions with the Government about the mechanics of abolition of the Greater London council; and if he will place copies of those replies in the Library.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 14 June at column 574.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to ascertain whether, in the event of the Greater London council being abolished, the London boroughs could assume responsibility for the Greater London council renovation programme to its transferred housing stock from 1 April 1986, without that programme being disrupted.

It will be primarily for the boroughs to ensure that the renovation programme continues without disruption. For their part, the Government will ensure that the boroughs receive the housing investment programme (HIP) allocation that would otherwise have gone to the GLC for works to the transferred stock. The boroughs have been invited to include provision for the responsibilities they are to assume in their HIP bids for 1986–87. Also the Government have undertaken to ensure that the broad financial effect of the GLC's obligatory revenue deficit payments is maintained through rate support grant. We are currently considering the responses to consultation on the proposed arrangements.As referred to in my answer to the question by the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 17 June 1985, at column

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 13 June, Official Report, column 523, why he does not intend to exercise any control over the expenses of preparatory committees of successor authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Because this is a matter for the authorities concerned to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answers of 13 June, Official Report, column 522, if he will take steps to ascertain which individual members of the Greater London council and metropolitan county councils have accepted membership of preparatory committees of successor authorities and which individual members of the Greater London council have been approached with a view to becoming members; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 13 June, Official Report, column 523, what guidance he intends to issue to the preparatory committees of successor authorities concerning party political balance.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 13 June, Official. Report, column 523, what he is doing to ensure that his Department's estimates of costs and savings following the proposed abolition of the Greater London council are kept up to date.

I see no need to update the broad estimates given in the answer my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Surbiton (Mr. Tracey) on 30 November 1984 at column 611. This made it clear that the precise extent of savings will depend on decisions to be taken by the successor bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 13 June, Official Report, column 523, what are his criteria for appointing shadow chairmen of the residuary bodies; if any people have already been approached; how the names are coming forward; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Portillo) on 5 June at columns 163–65.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 13 June, Official Report, column 523, what account he intends to take of candidates' political affiliations when appointing shadow chairmen of the residuary bodies.

I do not regard this as a determining factor. We shall appoint the best man—or woman—for the job, regardless of political affiliation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 13 June, Official Report, column 523, if he will publish in the Official Report the borough councils which have received information from his Department secured by him under section 5 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984.

All 32 boroughs and the common council of the city of London have received such information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the machinery for approaching potential members of preparatory committees of successor authorities.

This is a matter for the authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals for the administration and servicing of the outstanding debt of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils following their abolition.

On 16 November 1984, at columns 376–78, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt), I set out the Government's revised proposals for the handling of debt following representations received on our White Paper "Streamling the Cities" (Cmnd. 9063). After further consultations with the local authority associations and individual authorities I can now confirm that these proposals will form the basis for the administration and servicing of the outstanding debt of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils following abolition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply of 13 June, Official Report, columns 524–5, what representations, and from whom, he has received concerning the disregarding of transitional costs incurred by London authorities for the purpose of assessing grant penalties in 1985–86; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received various representations concerning these costs including a number from London borough councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 30 local authorities with the lowest percentage increase, or decrease, in their budgeted current expenditure in 1985–86 compared with 1981–82, showing also the change in their rate or precept in the same period.

Following is the available information obtained from English local authorities (1981–82—revised budgets; 1985–86—budgets):

30 Authorities with the Lowest Percentage increases in budgeted current Expenditure between 1981–82 and 1985–86
	Percentage increase in budgeted current exp 81/2–85/6	Percentage increase in local rate or precept 81/2–85/6
Bath	-23·5	0
Harrogate	-22·2	3·8
Basingstoke Deane	-10·2	2·8
Dover	-7·9	8·7
Kettering	-3·1	18·9
Bristol	-0·2	15·2
Bracknell	-0·2	-22·2
Aylesbury Vale	-0·1	30·4
Cleethorpes	0·7	9·4
Easbourne	1·1	-5·2
Vale of White Horse	1·9	-17·5
N. E. Derbyshire	2·7	15·6
Oxford	3·1	28·7
Carlisle	3·2	0·1
Reading	3·8	-18·7
Lewes	4·2	40·6
Wyre Forest	5·1	21·2
Stevenage	5·4	9·8
Tamworth	5·4	15·2
Sevenoaks	6·0	26·9
Kennet	6·2	17·4
Merton	6·4	25·2
Richmondshire	6·5	40·6
Sedgemoor	6·5	17·8
Bromsgrove	6·8	24·0
Copeland	7·0	0
Eastleigh	7·0	29·1
Langbaurgh	7·9	5·9
Mole Valley	8·3	60·3
Rossendale	8·3	8·3

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 30 local authorities with the lowest percentage increase, or decrease, in their budgeted current expenditure in 1985–86 compared with 1984–85, showing also the change in their rate or precept in the same period.

Following is the available information from English local authorities' budgets in 1984–85 and 1985–86:

30 authorities with the lowest percentage increases in budgeted current expenditure between 1984–85 and 1985–86
	Percentage increase in budgeted current expenditure 84–85–85–86	Percentage increase in local rate or precept 84–85 —85–86
*Greater London CL	-26·1	-7·9
Oxford	-18·0	0
Basingstoke & Deane	-14·7	12·1
Islington	-13·7	-8·7
Cheltenham	-11·9	5·0
Bath	-10·1	0
Eastleigh	-7·9	26·7
Merton	-6·1	-5·1
Weymouth & Portland	-5·8	16·7
Dover	-5·7	7·9
Redditch	-5·1	8·6
Wyre Forest	-5·1	18·8
Rushcliffe	-5·0	8·5
Hereford	-4·8	0
North Warwickshire	-4·3	23·2
North Shropshire	-4·0	8·3
Forest of Dean	-4·0	8·7
High Peak	-3·7	12·4
East Yorkshire	-3-3	9·3
Medina	-3·3	5·7
Fylde	-2-8	6·1
Rossendale	-2·4	-2·0
Ashfield	-1·9	36·1
Stratford-on-Avon	-1·8	5·2
Reading	-1·8	13·3
Staffs Moorlands	-1·6	22·9
Gravesham	-1·5	15·7
Wansbeck	-1·3	12·2
Stoke-on-Trent	-1·3	9·5
Dartford	-1·3	8·9
*In 1984–85, certain expenditure on passenger transport was included within GLC current expenditure. In 1985–86 this expenditure was the responsibility of LRT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 30 local authorities with the lowest percentage increase, or decrease, in their local rate or precept in 1985–86 compared with 1981–82, showing also the change in their budgeted current expenditure in the same period.

Following is the available information obtained from English local authorities (1981–82—revised budgets; 1985–86—budgets):

30 authorities with the lowest percentage increases in local rate or precept between 1981–82 and 1985–86
	Percentage increase in local rate or precept 1981–82–1985–86	Percentage increase in budgeted current expenditure 1981–82–1985–86
Kensington and Chelsea	-30·9	14·8
East Northampton	-22·3	23·3
Bracknell	-22·2	-0·2
Reading	-18·7	3·8
Vale of White Horse	-17·5	1·9
Corby	-16·5	39·4
Worcester	-14·8	20·7
Great Yarmouth	-13·0	17·5
Derby	-10·2	31·1
Hartlepool	-10·0	13·1