asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will introduce legislation to limit the payment of unemployment benefit outside the assisted areas to those genuinely seeking work.

An essential element of the social security scheme is that the qualifying conditions for benefit are the same for everyone and it would be wrong to have different rules for people in different parts of the country. Unemployment benefit is payable to people who are unemployed and who, in addition to satisfying the contribution conditions, are capable of and available for work. Those drawing benefit sign a declaration regularly that they have been unable to obtain any work and benefit is paid only on the basis that claimants, no matter where they may live, are seeking employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from representatives of local government in London concerning the operation of the new supplementary benefit regulations in respect of board and lodging charges for those under 25 years of age; and what reply he has sent.

We have received a number of representations of a general nature from local government representatives and bodies in London. We have also received two letters from the housing department in the London borough of Newham. Both letters concern an individual affected by the restrictions on payment as a boarder. The local office has been asked for a full report on these cases and a reply will be sent shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the latest available figures for the period since 29 April for the number of (a) existing claimants and (b) claimants whose address has changed and new and repeat claimants of supplementary benefit board and lodging allowance, excluding those living in residential care homes, nursing homes and hostels, who have been assessed under the new benefit regulations and whose accommodation charge is (a) up to £5 above the upper limit, (b) between £6 and £10 above the upper limit, (c) between £11 and £20 above the upper limit, (d) between £21 and £30 above the upper limit, (e) between £31 and £40 above the upper limit, (f) between £41 and £50 above the upper limit and (g) £51 or more above the upper limit; and if he will give this information for Great Britain as a whole, for England, Wales and Scotland;(2) what are the latest available figures for the period since 29 April for the number of

I regret that the analyses of ordinary board and lodging in all local offices including Aberystwyth, Brighton and Taunton, following the 29 April changes have not yet been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements he has made to monitor the effects of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements and Resources) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1985 in relation to people claiming supplementary benefit, ordinary board and lodging allowance (a) by sex and (b) by ethnic group of claimant.

There are no specific plans to monitor separately the sex or ethnic group of people claiming supplementary benefit for ordinary board and lodging following the 29 April 1985 changes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures since 29 April for the number of claimants of supplementary benefit board and lodging allowance, excluding those living in hostels, residential care homes and nursing homes, who have been assessed under the new benefit rules and who are (a) aged 26 years or over and (b) aged 25 years or under whose accommodation charge is within the new upper limit and who are receiving a special addition to their benefit; and if he will give this information for Great Britain as a whole, for England, Scotland and Wales.

This information is not being collected as part of the initial statistical monitoring of claims assessed under the new rules introduced from 29 April 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to use his power to create exemption categories from the restrictions on young people for supplementary benefit in board and lodging to exempt (a) young people aged over 18 years who have no parents, (b) young people who have no parents in the United Kingdom because their parents have returned to their country of origin or are service people abroad, (c) young people who have been in care but not in the past year and (d) young people who need to remain in the area where they are now staying in order to have access to a child living with a separated partner.

We are considering if there is a need for the extensive list of exemptions to be increased further, in the light of representations and information from local offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the time scale for the plans for rebuilding work at Whipps Cross hospital; and who was consulted in their preparation.

The information requested is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairman of North-East Thames regional health authority for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what manpower reductions his Department has achieved in 1984–85.

The number of staff working in the Department during 1984–85 actually increased from 90,474 at 1 April 1984 to 92,788 at 1 April 1985. This increase was due to the need to recruit additional staff during the year to handle extra work generated by the industrial dispute at the Newcastle central office. Without this dispute the Department would have achieved a modest reduction in staff numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he has issued any guidelines to health authorities regarding the monitoring of sudden infant death syndrome; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has issued any guidelines to health authorities regarding the implementation of special health care measures for babies at high risk from sudden infant death syndrome; and if he will make a statement;(3) what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Knowelden report on sudden infant death syndrome.

Copies of the report by Professor Knowelden were sent to each regional general manager, regional medical officer and regional nursing officer on 5 February 1985. We expect each health authority to consider, and to keep under review, whether the incidence of sudden infant deaths indicates a need for and special action with regard to babies they feel are at risk.Following the publication of the report the Department arranged a conference to bring together health professionals, professional bodies and others to discuss the conclusions and the wide range of recommendations in the report. Officials are now considering the main areas of concern arising from those discussions in order to identify what positive steps can be taken to reduce postneonatal mortality rates and where necessary to improve the quality of infant care.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reintroduce the full entitlement to supplementary benefit to the current summer's school leavers; and if he will make a statement.

Supplementary benefit entitlement for a school leaver commences from a set "terminal date" at the end of the holiday following the child's final term at school. This sytem was introduced to avoid the previous complicated and administratively costly situation where a large number of short-term claims to benefit were received from children who subsequently decided to return to school. Child benefit and any appropriate dependency additions remain payable to the parents in the interim. The system works well and we have no plans to change it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether in the "Reform of Social Security" it is proposed that an unemployed person who is aged less than 25 years with a partner and a dependent child should receive a lower rate of income support than a similar person aged over 25 years.

The rate of personal allowance for a couple aged under 25 would be lower than for a couple aged 25 and above. However, the amount paid for each dependent child would be the same for each couple and, in addition, the same family premium would be payable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the proportion of supplementary benefit single payments to unemployed claimants which are made to claimants who are under 25 years old; and what proportion is made for furniture or other household goods.

Information on which to base a reliable estimate is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of those currently on supplementary benefit are entitled to more than £63 per week.

I regret that the exact information requested is not available. At December 1983, the latest date for which information is available, 4 per cent. of supplementary benefit claimants received benefit of more than £60 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of (a) men and (b) women who do not receive supplementary benefit because their spouse is earning.

I regret that no information is kept of the number of unsuccessful claims caused by earnings of a spouse.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has yet reached conclusions on the research report on the tinnitus clinic at University College hospital; if he will make funds available for the maintenance of the clinic; and if he will make a statement.

The results of the multi-centre field trial of tinnitus maskers, in which the tinnitus clinic at University College hospital took part, are now being evaluated. The question of funding for the clinic is a matter for Bloomsbury health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the longest and shortest average period for which deaf people have to wait for the provision of National Health Service hearing aids; if he will provide a tabular breakdown of these figures according to each health authority; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on 24 May at column 587.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total expenditure on National Health Service ancillary services for the latest available year including practitioner service staff;(2) what was the total expenditure on National Health Service professional and technical services for the latest available year;(3) what was the total expenditure on National Health Service administrative and clerical services for the latest available year;(4) what was the total expenditure on National Health Service works and maintenance services for the latest available year.

I shall let my hon. Friend have replies as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will examine whether the decision concerning tenders for domestic services at the Royal Victoria infirmary in Newcastle conforms with health circular HC(83)18.

We are looking into Newcastle health authority's decision and I will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) for each district health authority and for each regional health authority, what is the number of young people between the ages of 16 and 19 years living in long-stay mental handicap hospitals; and for each authority what is the number living in units of (a) 25 or more beds and (b) under 25 beds;(2) for each district health authority and for each regional health authority, what is the number of children in long-stay mental handicap hospitals; and for each authority what is the number living in units of

Information is not collected centrally in precisely the form requested. I shall let my hon. Friend have the available information as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many households on supplementary benefit are subject to non-dependant deductions from housing benefit.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidelines to local authority social services departments regarding the regularity with which they review the numbers of children for whom they have responsibility in long-stay hospitals, and regarding the time scale for moving children out of such hospitals.

Guidance on this subject was issued by the Department to both local and health authorities in 1978, and has been repeated, in connection with mentally handicapped children, in 1981 and 1983.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is now in a position to announce details of her visit to Cairo and Amman.

I have accepted invitations to visit Egypt and Jordan later this year, but I am not yet in a position to announce further details.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will have discussions with the Governments of Poland, Spain, Japan, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, East Germany, West Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden, Liberia, Norway, the

Section	Date
M4-M40	28 July 1985
Wisley-Leatherhead	5 August 1985
Leatherhead-Reigate	26 August 1985
Leatherhead Interchange	Complete but opening depends on contracts either side.
Poyle-M4	15 September 1985
M4 Interchange	15 June 1986
Swanley-Sevenoaks	8 July 1986
Bedmond Road-A405	21 September 1986
Micklefield Green-Bedmond Road	6 October 1986
The Bell-South Mimms	26 October 1986
A405-The Bell (A6)	2 November 1986

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what requests he has received from the Motor Agents Association to have a meeting with Ministers; and what replies have been sent.

I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 4 July, at column 197.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 9 July.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he still expects at least two motorway service areas to be fully operational on the M25 by the time it is completed.

I hope that the service area planned for South Mimms will be open by the time the M25 is completed. The other three service areas planned for the M25 will follow as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he can give the new expected dates for the opening of the remaining stages of the M25.

We expect to have the whole of the M25 open to traffic by the end of 1986. The actual opening dates of the remaining sections depend on the progress made by individual contractors, which in turn is influenced by weather and ground conditions, and by the requirements of sound traffic management.The current contract completion dates for the unfinished sections are as follows:

The association has made several requests for a further meeting to discuss the new conditions of appointment to the MOT testing scheme. Before deciding when I can meet the association, I should like to study the new proposals it says it has for improving enforcement of the scheme. I have suggested that these are tabled at a forthcoming meeting the association is holding with my officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when was the last time he had discussions with representatives of the Motor Agents Association about problems of vehicle testing.

I met representatives of the association on 18 December last to discuss the introduction of new conditions of appointment to the MOT testing scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the consultants carrying out the London area assessment studies have obtained current data on traffic and travel patterns in the areas concerned.

A considerable amount of information has been assembled for these important studies of London's problems. Regrettably the GLC and certain boroughs have so far failed to make available the relevant material they hold. However, I hope the consultants will shortly obtain the remaining data they need.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost of the four London area assessment studies.

That will depend on how much work the successive stages of the studies require and the extent to which the GLC and the boroughs make relevant data available to the Department of Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what advice the National Conservancy Council, Great Britain headquarters, gave concerning risks to wildlife connected with the salvage operations of MV Bridgeness.

The Nature Conservancy Council advised that the position of the oil spill and its likely movement would put breeding birds at risk. It was aware that the Marine Pollution Control Unit already held information of breeding colonies of sea birds around our coast. It recognised that the oil was of a type which could not be chemically dispersed and was likely to be of a persistent nature and it asked to be kept informed of future movement and distribution of the oil.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what date and at what time did MV Bridgeness run aground on the Hats and Barrels reef; and what were the weather conditions.

MV Bridgeness reported her grounding at 7.59 pm (local time) on Sunday 16 June 1985. The weather conditions were light airs, calm sea and good visibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the MV Bridgeness was proceeding under its own power when it ran aground recently on the Hats and Barrels reef.

My Department is holding a preliminary investigation into the circumstances of this grounding; but there is no present evidence that the ship was not proceeding under her own power.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when notice of the grounding of MV Bridgeness was given to the Nature Conservancy Council, Great Britain headquarters.

At 10.10 am (approximately) on Monday 17 June, after which contact was maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made since the announcement in May 1983 of his initiative to improve the quality of care for newly born children and their mothers; and if he will make a statement.

The perinatal mortality initiative survey group has published a newsletter reporting the progress that it and the catalyst team have made in their first year and setting out their plans for the remainder of the initiative. A copy of the newsletter has been placed in he Library and it is being given a very wide distribution among those concerned with providing maternity and neonatal care. Copies have been sent to hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies.I am grateful for the survey group's agreement to issue this newsletter. I hope it will be widely read and provide all those professionally concerned with the care of mothers and the new born with a useful summary of the survey group and catalyst team's activities during their first year. I applaud their efforts and look forward to seeing their final report next year.I was pleased to see that figures which have just become available show a reduction in the perinatal mortality rate in Wales from 11·3 to 10·5 deaths per thousand births., between 1983 and 1984. This is welcome news and I hope this reduction will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the local education authority expenditure on equipment, in each of the last five years, in terms of (a) cost, (b) real terms according to 1982–83 prices and (c) the percentage of the local education authority budget as a whole for each local education authority and for all local education authorities in total.

The information for the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is, however, possible to provide it for three of them but it is not possible to give the information for some authorities: expenditure on equipment is one of the items covered by the school capitation allowances and an analysis of the components of these allowances is not always available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the numbers of university and polytechnic graduates who have started teachers' training courses in each academic year since 1978–79.

On the basis of the available information, the number of students entering postgraduate courses of initial teacher training in each academic year since 1978–79 is estimated as follows:

	Number
1978–79	9,337
1979–80	9,441
1980–81	11,278
1981–82	11,333
1982–83	8,887
1983–84	8,414
1984–85	8,572

Information is not available for each of these years on the number of such students who completed their first degrees in universities and in public sector institutions respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local education authorities since November 1982 have sought his permission to change their articles of government for secondary schools; which of these authorities were given permission; which were denied permission; and, in each case, what were the reasons for the refusal.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give, for each of the years for which figures are available since 1979, the amount of inward investment into the United Kingdom from abroad, expressed as a percentage of the national investment portfolio;(2) if he has any evidence of a correlation between the absence of exchange controls and the level and trend of investment in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;(3) what information he has as to the percentage of the national investment portfolio which has been invested abroad for each of the years for which figures are available since 1979.

It is difficult to quantify the effect of the abolition of exchange controls in 1979 on domestic investment, since that depends on an assessment of what might have happened had the controls remained in force. There is no reason to believe that abolition was harmful to domestic investment and it could well have been beneficial, exerting downward pressure on the exchange rate and upward pressure on profitability in the traded goods sector, possibly thereby contributing to the record level of fixed investment in 1984.The main effect, however, is likely to have been on the form of overseas investment. The increase in the net overseas assets of the non-bank private sector, up £81 billion between 1979 and 1984, owes much to investors' ability to choose to invest in appreciating assets.There is no one definition of the "national investment portfolio". The following table expresses the stock of overseas financial assets and liabilities held by the non-bank private sector in each year since 1979 as a percentage of the total financial assets and liabilities of the United Kingdom non-bank private sector.

Non-bank private sector
	Overseas financial assets as percentage of total financial assets	Overseas financial liabilities as percentage of total financial liabilities
1979	24·9	28·9
1980	25·1	28·6
1981	27·8	27·3
1982	30·3	25·6
1983	32·2	24·3
1984	35·2	22·6

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the figures given in the answer of 19 December 1984, Official Report, columns 187–89, to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on the rate of exchange between the pound sterling and the central reference point of the exchange rate mechanism.

The figures requested are in the table.

Sterling-European currency unit exchange rate (end-month rates): percentage change from notional central rate
	Percentage
1984
December	-4·07
1985
January	-6·25
February	-4·58
March	+0·34
April	+0·60
May	+2·51
June	+3·33

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the quantity of drugs seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise officers at the static controls of travellers at United Kingdom points of entry, as compared with the total quantity seized in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the current arrangements made by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to publicise increases in travellers' allowances, including their notification to travel operators and other interested parties.

Yes. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise issues an immediate detailed press release whenever legislative effect is given to such increases. As soon as practicable thereafter, revised public notices are printed and made available to all interested parties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would be raised by raising the duty on spirits by 25p in 1985–86.

It is estimated that the full-year net revenue yield from raising the duty on spirits by 25p per bottle in 1985–86 would be about £30 million (including consequential VAT).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax inspectors are employed in the special team responsible for aspects of Lloyd's syndicates; how many of them are concerned with investigating reinsurance arrangements; when they expect to complete this investigation; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1985]: Nine tax inspectors are currently employed; and it is not possible to say when their work will be completed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many member states of the European Economic Community have taken the necessary legislative or other steps to permit their respective treasuries to make payments to the European Economic Community in terms of the undertaking of the Council on 23 April designed to enable the United Kingdom's 1985 rebate to be paid; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1985]: In a footnote to the 1985 intergovernmental agreement six member states, including the United Kingdom, made it clear that payments under the IGA required the completion of national procedures. We do not have complete information on the present position. However our understanding is that only the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland are yet in a position to pay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he now contemplates a regional role for independent radio in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government remain committed to the principle of independent local radio. When Centre Radio in Leicester ceased broadcasting in October 1983, the successful applicant for the re-advertised contract was Leicester Sound, in which Radio Trent in Nottingham has a majority shareholding. The two stations share some programming, but Leicester Sound broadcasts its own local programmes for nine and a half hours each weekday.As far as Derby is concerned, the reasons for approving in principle the extension of the Nottingham franchise area were set out in the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) on 28 March, at columns 284–85. My right hon. and learned Friend emphasised, however, that progress would depend on the outcome of local consultation, and that the proposed arrangements would not preclude the setting up of a separate ILR station for Derby in future if circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was, for each year since 1979, the amount spent by the Metropolitan police on (a) police control and command suites, (b) the fittings of senior officers' accommodation and (c) chauffer-driven cars.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what microfiche or other similar facility exists to record information entered on the police national computer but subsequently removed; and if he will make a statement as to the extent of this record.

The national identification bureau retains a microfiche record of every record which has been deleted from the criminal names file of the police national computer. The purpose of the microfiche, which contains only the original reference number of the deleted record, is to prove that a record has been deliberately destroyed and not lost or corrupted by the computer.

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

According to the records held centrally, about 20 persons were initially received into Birmingham prison in the period 1 March to 31 May 1985 to serve sentences of less than one week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which countries have ratified the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons; from how many of these countries British prisoners will become eligible for transfer to the United Kingdom on 1 August; and when prisoners in the other signatory countries will become eligible for such a transfer.

The convention has been ratified by Sweden, France, Spain, the USA, the United Kingdom and Canada. The transfer of British prisoners under the convention will become possible from Sweden, France, Spain and the USA on 1 August and from Canada on 1 September. The transfer of British prisoners under the convention from other signatory countries will be possible when the convention is in force for those countries, that is from the first day of the month following the expiry of a period of three months after the date of their ratification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost to public funds of a place in a voluntary after-care hostel.

The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition to grant from the Home Office towards the revenue costs of places in the voluntary after-care scheme, which averages about £1,000 a year per place, some projects receive capital and revenue funding from other Government Departments. Also, many residents receive social security benefits to meet the cost of hostel charges; the probation service makes an unquantifiable contribution to the management of these places; and projects run by voluntary organisations with charitable status may receive some tax benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used in confirming byelaws to ban dogs from enclosed recreation grounds and children's play areas.

The criteria applied are whether the grounds and areas require special protection from dogs and whether adequate alternative areas exist locally for the exercise of dogs. We normally accept the need for a ban in respect of enclosed children's play areas. Careful consideration is given to all representations received from members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received a request from the Italian Government for the extradition of Roberto Fiore from the United Kingdom to Italy.

In 1981 the Government of Italy requested the extradition of Mr. Fiore, together with six others, as a person accused of murder, attempted murder, robbery and arson. The case was referred to Bow Street magistrates' court, but in February 1982 the chief magistrate discharged Mr. Fiore because a prima facie case had not been established against him. No further request for his extradition has been received.